HALL OF FAME: Adrian Beltre, 2024
ADRIAN BELTRE, Third baseman Born: April 7, 1979 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Hall of Fame induction: 2024 Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers 1998-2004, Seattle Mariners 2005-2009, Boston Red Sox 2010, Texas Rangers 2011-2018 MLB debut: June 24, 1998, age 19 Hall of Fame plaque: “Combined formidable bat with dynamic defense to establish himself as a premier third baseman — the first to record both 450 home runs and 3,000 hits. Dominican Republic native developed with Dodgers into baseball‘s top home run hitter with 48 in 2004. Closed career with eight-year run as Rangers lineup centerpiece, reaching the 30-homer mark four more
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 29: Dominican closer Zach Britton of the Orioles wins reliever of the year award
Zach Britton only had three seasons as an elite closer over his 12-year career, but the Baltimore Oriole pitcher made them count. On this day in béisbol, October 29, 2016, the lefty was named the winner of the Mariano Rivera Award for being the year’s top American League reliever. Britton, 28, put together a record-breaking season as second-place Baltimore made the postseason for the third time in five years. His 47 saves not only led the AL, he was 47-for-47 in save opportunities, good for a 0.54 ERA — he only gave up four earned runs. He also whiffed 74
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 27: Edwin Diaz wins 2018 Mariano Rivera Award for best AL reliever
Edwin Diaz’s last season as the Seattle Mariners’ hard-throwing closer was arguably his best. On this day in béisbol, October 27, 2018, Diaz was deemed the top reliever in the American League when he took home the Mariano Rivera Award named for the Yankees’ Hall of Fame closer and all-time saves leader. Diaz, from Naguabo, Puerto Rico, led MLB with 57 saves to go with a 1.96 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 65 games. The 24-year-old righty was the youngest pitcher to get 50 saves and he broke Angels pitcher Francisco Rodriguez’s record of 23 saves protecting a one-run lead.
NEWS: Guerrero, Springer among 2025 Silver Slugger finalists
Finalists for MLB’s annual Silver Slugger Award honoring the top hitters at each position were announced on the eve of the 2025 World Series by bat maker Louisville Slugger. Among the players are Toronto Blue Jays postseason heroes Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first basemen slot and George Springer, a finalist as both a DH and an outfielder. Other finalists are, of course, the two best hitters in the game — Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani and Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge — plus MLB’s 2025 home run champ Cal Raleigh, the Mariners catcher. There are three finalists at each position who
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 25: Giants reliever Yusmeiro Petit wins 2014 World Series Game 4
Yusmeiro Petit was a dependable middle reliever for the San Francisco Giants when on this day in béisbol, October 25, 2014 he pitched three scoreless innings to notch the win in Game 4 of the World Series. The victory gave the Venezuelan righty, a win in each of the three postseason series the Giants played — the ALDS, ALCS and the World Series against the Kansas City Royals. Petit, 29, also got a single in Game 4, making him the first relief pitcher to get a hit in a Fall Classic game in nearly 20 years. The Giants went on to
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 23: Astros SS Jeremy Peña named ALCS MVP after 3-run HR in Game 4
On a team already loaded with hitting stars like Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman and Jordan Alvarez, Astros rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña held his own in 2022, when the Dominican native took over the position from departed fan favorite Carlos Correa. He hit 22 home runs and won a Gold Glove. But on this day in béisbol, October 22, 2022, Peña proved he wasn’t about to wilt under the harsh glare of the postseason, either — especially in an ALCS game against the rival Yankees. Peña hit a three-run homer early off New York starter Nestor Torres that helped Houston
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 22: Yordan Alvarez wins 2021 ALCS MVP with 4-for-4 Game 6
Yordan Alvarez took home the ALCS MVP award on this day in béisbol, October 22, 2001 after going 4-for-4 in a Game 6 Astros win over the Red Sox. The DH from La Tunas, Cuba hit a single, 2 doubles and a triple in the clincher that sent Houston to the World Series. Overall, Alvarez had 12 hits in the series including a home run, with 6 RBI. The 2019 Rookie of the Year was coming off a star-making season, slamming 33 HR with 107 RBI. Houston would go on to lose the Fall Classic to the Washington Nationals in
THIS DAY IN BEISBOL October 21: Alfonso Soriano wins 2001 ALCS Game 4 with walk-off HR
Alfonso Soriano was coming off a solid rookie season when on this day in béisbol, October 21, 2001 the Yankees second baseman hit what was arguably the biggest homer of his nascent career. The Dominican native blasted a walk-off homer in Game 4 of the ALCS into the right field bleachers at Yankee Stadium that sent the fans into a frenzy and sank the Seattle Mariners into a 3-1 hole. Bombers centerfielder Bernie Williams had homered in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at 1-1 when Soriano hit his moon shot. The Yankees would go on to
