Community Picks: Chicago Cubs 0% vs Pittsburgh Pirates 0%

A 21-year-old right-hander who pitched for Vanderbilt, Wright grew up a Braves fan in Huntsville, Alabama. As a freshman, he played alongside current Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft. "He's big brother to me," Wright said Friday. Continue to Article

June 16, 2017 8:19:pm EST

Anthony Rizzo nearly made it 3 for 3. The Chicago Cubs slugger appeared to lead off a game with a home run for the third straight time Friday night, hitting a drive into the Allegheny River beyond the right-field stands at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. But after Rizzo rounded the bases, there was a replay review and the umpires reversed the call, ruling it a foul ball. Cubs manager Joe Maddon was ejected for arguing, and Rizzo then settled for a walk against the Pirates. Batting leadoff for the first time in his career Tuesday night, Rizzo homered off New York Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler at Citi Field. The next night, the big first baseman who usually bats cleanup opened the game with a shot off Continue to Article

June 16, 2017 7:45:pm EST

The Cubs can’t pinpoint the root cause that led to this system-wide breakdown. This cut on Arrieta’s right thumb is another X-factor for a pitcher who — just like Kyle Hendricks — relies so much on feel and the ability to manipulate a baseball in different ways. For Arrieta, it can be traced back to a blister issue in spring training, which might explain some of his inconsistencies, from his unique, harder-to-maintain mechanics to the downtick in velocity that super-agent Scott Boras disputed in a free-agent year. As much as manager Joe Maddon tries to deflect the health questions — reclassifying the tendinitis Hendricks has been feeling in his right hand as a “real injury” after a recent setback — it doesn’t mean the Cubs are in good shape just because they aren’t announcing dates for Tommy John surgeries and the National League Central is such a bad division. Continue to Article

June 16, 2017 5:31:pm EST

Former UNCW player made first-ever MLB appearance on June 9 Seth Frankoff's call to Major League Baseball wasn't normal by any means, but that didn't make his time with the Chicago Cubs any less sweet. The former UNCW pitcher was scheduled to start for the Iowa Cubs on June 8, but around 2 p.m. that day he got a call from his coach to head to the airport. Frankoff's long-time dream of playing in The Show was coming true. He arrived in Chicago around 7:30 p.m. and got to Wrigley Field 45 minutes later. By the time he got to the bullpen, it was the seventh inning of a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Exactly seven years to the day the Oakland Athletics selected Frankoff as a 27th round draft pick, Continue to Article

June 16, 2017 7:26:am EST

Avisail Garcia got the heave-ho and it sent Rick Renteria into a rage on Thursday afternoon. White Sox players widely credit Renteria’s passion and support as a reason for their mid-game rally. The White Sox sent 10 men to the plate in the sixth inning after Garcia and Renteria were both ejected in the fifth. They scored four times en route to a 5-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Guaranteed Rate Field. “It was like, ‘Boom,’ (Renteria) got fired up,” catcher Kevan Smith said. “Nobody wants to see one of our best hitters come out of the lineup and obviously he was very frustrated. But that just shows you what he’s preaching to us in here, what he brings to the able. It was awesome to see him Continue to Article

June 16, 2017 12:21:am EST