Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman is confident Major League Baseball has the right ingredients to go global with more marquee international events like this weekend’s London Series against the St Louis Cardinals.
Stroman will start Sunday’s second contest of the two-game series at London Stadium, with the Cubs targeting a sweep of their bitter National League Central rivals after Justin Steele picked up a 9-1 win in Saturday’s opener.
The 32-year-old is one of the sport’s most dynamic and expressive personalities both on and off the mound, resulting in the alliterative moniker ‘the Stro Show’ for his starts – the last seven of which have ended in wins.
Stroman, who on Saturday was described by manager David Ross as “the MVP of our team” who “loves the spotlight”, had never visited the English capital before this trip and said it has opened his eyes to Major League Baseball’s international reach.
Asked if MLB could be embraced globally, Stroman told the PA news agency: “Absolutely I think we can. It’s just a matter of marketing our players and putting us on this stage so that the world can kind of see.
“Yeah, I would love to continue playing in all the cities around the world. I think it’s pretty special. I think you also realise how many fans we have worldwide, whereas when we stay in America you kind of lose sight of that.”
Stroman made his big-league debut in May 2014 for the Toronto Blue Jays, the only MLB franchise outside the United States.
An anterior cruciate ligament tear sustained in spring training the following year denied him a coveted hometown opening-day start at Yankee Stadium, with many assuming he would miss the entire season.
But Stroman saw an opportunity in the rehab stint, using it to do something he had long been determined to accomplish: finish his undergraduate degree in sociology at Duke university, sandwiching four to five hours of classes between training sessions.
That September Stroman made his avowed miracle comeback, returning just in time to help Toronto secure a first trip to the post-season in 22 years.
At 5ft 8in, ‘Stro’, whose personal motto is ‘height doesn’t measure heart’ stands below the MLB average of about 6ft and, from an early age was fuelled to disprove the coaches, peers and pundits who wrote him off because of his stature.
Stroman’s success combined with an eternally optimistic, heart-on-his-sleeve personality has endeared the pitcher to fans in Chicago since he signed a three-year deal worth a reported USD 71million in 2021.
Supporters want the Cubs to sign Stroman to an extension – a point they made abundantly clear at a rally in London by chanting his name at chairman Tom Ricketts.
Stroman is aware of his seven-game streak, but insisted he will not approach Sunday’s start differently, saying: “I just prepare really well and I go out there at the end of the day whatever happens happens, so I do all I can to prepare and then go out there and compete and have fun.”
Ross does not underestimate the potentially valuable impact his equally talented and entertaining Sunday starter could have as MLB tries to convert curious Britons into to bona-fide fans.
He said: “Come out and see the Stro Show. It’s going to be fun. He’s one of the best pitchers in the league. He’s carried us. He’s been our ace. He loves the moment.
“He’s going to be a star on the big stage, you’re definitely going to get that. He’s a guy that loves the spotlight and rises to the occasion when things matter.
“He’s been our MVP of our team, I would say. If the fans want entertainment, definitely show up. They’re going to get a good show.”
MLB: Ohtani's two homers help Dodgers sweep
Shohei Ohtani went 4 for 4 and delivered his first two-homer game as a Los Angeles Dodger to power his new team to a 5-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.
Ohtani's big performance enabled the Dodgers to complete a sweep of this three-game series between National League clubs who each won their division last season.
Two other notable offseason additions also contributed to Los Angeles' fourth straight win. Teoscar Hernandez added a two-run homer, while James Paxton yielded just one run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings to improve to 4-0.
Ohtani staked the Dodgers to an early lead with a two-run homer off Max Fried in the first inning. The 2023 American League MVP later singled in the sixth before Hernandez launched Fried's curveball into the stands in left center field to extend the margin to 4-0.
Paxton kept Atlanta off the scoreboard until the seventh, when Marcell Ozuna connected for his 10th home run of the season to move into a tie with Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and injured Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout for the major league lead.
Ohtani joined that group an inning later with a titanic 464-foot blast off A.J. Minter in the eighth.
Fried (2-1) struck out seven in seven innings, but was dealt his first loss of 2024 after allowing four runs on just four hits.
Red Sox end Twins' streak as bats break out
Sparked by two-run homers from Ceddane Rafaela and Rafael Devers, the Boston Red Sox broke out of an offensive funk to snap the Minnesota Twins' 12-game winning streak with Sunday's 9-2 victory.
Boston also received two-run doubles from Vaughn Grissom and Dominic Smith to halt a three-game skid in which it scored a combined four runs. The Red Sox had gone six consecutive games without a home run until Rafaela connected off Minnesota starter Joe Ryan in the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie.
The Twins' 12-game run was tied for the franchise's second-longest winning streak since relocating to Minnesota in 1961, surpassed only by a 15-game stretch in 1991.
Minnesota did own a 1-0 lead following Ryan Jeffers' solo homer off Cooper Criswell in the third inning, but Rob Refsnyder doubled home Jarren Duran in the fourth to pull Boston even.
Rafaela then followed Reese McGuire's single with his fifth homer of the season to give the Red Sox a 3-1 advantage in the fifth. The score remained that way until Boston broke the game open with four runs against the Twins' bullpen in the eighth.
After loading the bases with one out on a Devers single, a Tyler O'Neill double and a walk, Grissom drove in two with an opposite-field double that preceded Smith's two-run double that increased the lead to 7-1.
The Twins got a run back in their half of the eighth when Max Kepler doubled and scored on Trevor Larnach's single, but Devers followed a triple by Duran with his blast off reliever Jay Jackson in the ninth.
Brennan Bernardino received the win after retiring both batters he faced in relief of Criswell, who allowed one run in 4 1/3 innings.
Ryan (1-2) surrendered three runs while striking out five in six innings.
Harper's three-run homer helps Phillies stay hot
Bryce Harper's three-run homer in the third inning provided the biggest blow as the scorching Philadelphia Phillies won their fifth straight game by holding on for a 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
J.T. Realmuto had three hits and Alec Bohm extended his hitting streak to 18 games to help Philadelphia win for the ninth time in 10 outings. The Phillies, owners of MLB's best record at 24-11, are 16-3 since April 15.
The Phillies also got a strong effort from Taijuan Walker in his second start back from the injured list. The right-hander worked 6 1/3 innings and allowed three runs while striking out seven to move to 2-0.
Walker was touched for a run in the first inning after permitting a single to Lamonte Wade Jr. and a run-scoring double to Michael Conforto. The veteran hurler settled down from there, though, and the Phillies pulled even in the second when Bohm reached second on an error and later crossed the plate on Edmundo Sosa's infield single.
Harper then put Philadelphia ahead in the third when he followed a walk to Kyle Schwarber and a Realmuto single with a drive into the home bullpen off San Francisco starter Logan Webb.
Webb (3-3) struck out six but was removed after throwing 98 pitches in four innings. The Giants' ace was tagged for five runs - four earned - on six hits and two walks.
Walker protected the 5-1 lead until serving up a two-run homer to Thairo Estrada in the seventh. The Giants inched closer on Jakson Reetz's solo homer off Jose Alvarado with one out in the ninth, but the Philadelphia closer retired the next two hitters to record his seventh save of the season.
Reetz's homer was his first in the majors. The catcher had his contract purchased from Triple-A prior to the game.
Bohm kept his hitting streak alive in his final plate appearance when he doubled in the seventh.
MLB: Rooker hits 2 home runs in 10-run 3rd, Athletics win 20-4
Brent Rooker homered twice in a 10-run third inning and Brett Harris hit the first two home runs of his major league career as the surprising Oakland Athletics reached .500 with a 20-4 pounding of the Miami Marlins on Saturday.
Rooker became the first Athletics player in 30 years to go deep twice in an inning and became the 60th in major league history. Trea Turner of Philadelphia was the last to do it on Aug. 19. The most recent A’s player to do it was Mark McGwire against Seattle in 1996.
Shea Langeliers and JJ Bleday also homered for the Athletics, who have won six straight and eight of nine to get to .500 for the first time since they were 1-1 after a win on April 1, 2023.
Rooker finished with three hits and tied a career high with five RBIs, Bleday had three hits and drove in four, while Langeliers and Darrell Hernaiz added three hits apiece.
Oakland collected 21 hits, its most since it had 25 at Houston on Sept. 10, 2019.
The A’s are the biggest surprise in baseball after losing 112 games last season. Oakland didn’t win its 17th game last season until June 12.
Twins beat Red Sox for 12th straight victory
Max Kepler’s home run backed a strong outing by Pablo Lopez and the Minnesota Twins won their 12th straight game, 3-1 over the Boston Red Sox.
The Twins’ streak matches their run from the 1980 season, tied for the second-longest in team history. The club record for consecutive wins is 15, set in June 1991, the last season Minnesota won the World Series.
Lopez allowed one run on five hits over six innings with one walk and eight strikeouts. Three relievers worked two scoreless innings before Cole Sands pitched the ninth for his second save.
Kepler homered off Cam Booser in the fourth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and Carlos Correa’s sacrifice fly in the sixth closed the scoring.
The Red Sox lost their third in a row and have gone six consecutive games without a home run, their longest streak since six straight in 2022.
Muncy hits three home runs in Dodgers’ win
Max Muncy had the first three-home run game of his career among his four hits and Shohei Ohtani added three hits with a home run to lift the surging Los Angeles Dodgers to an 11-2 rout of the Atlanta Braves.
Freddie Freeman also had three hits for the Dodgers, who have won three straight and 10 of 12.
Muncy hit a two-run shot in the second inning off Bryce Elder and added solo shots in the seventh and eighth innings to become the first Dodger with a three-homer game since Trayce Thompson on April 1, 2023.
Ohtani led off the third with his eighth home run and surpassed manager Dave Roberts for most homers by a Japanese-born player with the Dodgers.
Tyler Glasnow struck out 10 and became the second pitcher in the majors to reach six wins. He allowed two runs on five hits over seven innings.
MLB: Paddack pitches Twins to 11th straight victory
Chris Paddack pitched two-hit ball over six scoreless innings and Edouard Julien and Ryan Jeffers each drove in two runs to lead the Minnesota Twins to their 11th straight win, 5-2 over the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
The Twins matched win streaks in 2003 and 2006 for their third-longest ever, trailing the club record of 15 straight during their last World Series championship season in 1991. They also won 12 in a row in 1980.
Paddack walked one and struck out six to win his third consecutive start. Jhoan Duran fanned two in the ninth for his second save.
The Red Sox struck out 13 times and lost their second straight following a four-game win streak.
The Twins opened the scoring in the third on Julien’s RBI single and extended to a 5-0 lead with four runs in the seventh.
A throwing error by catcher Reese McGuire scored a run, Julien walked with the bases loaded and Jeffers followed with a two-run double.
Bohm, Marsh lead surging Phillies
Alec Bohm had an RBI single to extend his hitting streak to 16 games and Brandon Marsh drove in two runs as the Philadelphia Phillies remained hot with a 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants.
Trea Turner added a pair of hits and scored from second on a passed ball for the Phillies, who have won 14 of 17 and lead the majors with 22 victories.
Turner injured his left hamstring running the bases between third and home. He will have further tests on Saturday but said he expects to miss at least a couple of days.
Philadelphia took the lead for good with three runs in the third against Jordan Hicks on Bohm’s RBI single and Marsh’s two-run hit.
Bohm is 30 for 60 with three home runs, 10 doubles and 21 RBIs during his hitting streak.
Sears pitches Athletics to fifth straight victory
JP Sears pitched into the seventh inning and Brent Rooker hit a two-run homer to propel the surprising Oakland Athletics to their fifth consecutive win, 3-1 over the Miami Marlins.
Sears allowed four hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings with one walk and six strikeouts. Austin Adams and Michael Kelly each got two outs before Lucas Erceg gave up one run over the final 1 1/3 innings for the save.
Oakland improved to 16-17 after it didn’t pick up its 16th win last season until June 10 in the 66th game.
After Rooker’s two-run shot in the fourth inning opened the scoring, Max Schuemann led off the fifth with a double and scored on Esteury Ruiz’s single.
The Marlins, who dropped to 9-25, are working to trade second baseman and reigning NL batting champion Luis Arrez to the San Diego Padres.
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