St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Baez has become the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit three home runs in his first three at-bats during an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

The 23-year-old outfielder was called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day and immediately made an unprecedented impact at Wrigley Field.

He drove the very first pitch he faced deep into the left-centre field bleachers for a two-run shot.

That 449-foot strike ranks as the third-longest home run in a player’s debut since distance tracking began in 2006, sitting only behind Aaron Judge and Jason Heyward.

A history-making arrival

The highly rated prospect then sent a full-count pitch down the left-field line in the fourth inning to restore his team’s advantage.

In the sixth, the young slugger completed his historic treble with an opposite-field blast.

All three of his monumental hits were struck against Chicago starter Matthew Boyd, who ultimately conceded seven runs across five and a third innings.

Prior to this weekend, no player had ever homered three times in their inaugural major league appearance.

Carrying minor league form to the majors

This sensational performance is not an isolated incident for the power-hitting outfielder this season.

He currently leads the entire Triple-A circuit with 34 home runs, a tally bolstered by a remarkable four-homer game in June.

Blaze Jordan and Alec Burleson also contributed solo efforts to ensure the visitors bounced back from a series-opening defeat.

Michael Conforto had temporarily tied the game for the hosts with a three-run homer in the second inning, but the Cubs could not contain St. Louis’ explosive new arrival.

Shohei Ohtani has taken a significant step toward returning to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers by completing a 35-pitch bullpen session following a left knee injury.

The two-way star has not pitched since 3 July while recovering from the issue, but manager Dave Roberts remains optimistic about a regular-season return.

Roberts confirmed that reports from Friday’s workout were entirely positive, noting that the Japanese international successfully utilised his entire array of pitches.

Careful progression for two-way star

Barring any unexpected setbacks, the hope is for the 32-year-old to throw one or two more bullpen sessions before advancing his rehabilitation.

He would then require at least two live practice sessions against hitters before being cleared to pitch in a major league game.

Upon his eventual return, Roberts stated the prolific talent would initially be limited to one-inning appearances, which could include serving as an opener.

“I’m pretty confident that if we stay the course, he’ll throw a [bullpen session] in two, three, four, five days, and then if we get out of that, I think we’ll be out of the woods,” Roberts said.

Maintaining dominance at the plate

Despite his pitching absence, the designated hitter has remained highly productive in the batter’s box for the National League contenders.

Following a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, he currently boasts a .290 batting average alongside 27 home runs and 74 runs batted in.

His numbers on the mound are equally impressive this season, having compiled an 8-2 record with a stellar 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts across 85 and two-thirds innings.

Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr was evaluated for a potential concussion following a collision with George Lombard Jr during Friday’s 3-1 victory over the New York Yankees.

The six-time All-Star suffered a blow to the head when the New York rookie’s knee struck him during a chaotic sixth-inning sequence at third base.

His helmet was dislodged by the impact, though he managed to recover and run home to score the tying run.

However, the standout infielder appeared visibly dazed after crossing the plate and was subsequently replaced by Charles McAdoo.

Manager urges caution

Toronto manager John Schneider confirmed the substitution was made on a precautionary basis.

“He has a little bit of a headache. We’ll see how he is tomorrow.”

The incident occurred after a sequence of throwing errors by Yankees infielders Ryan McMahon and Luis Garcia Jr allowed the Canadian franchise to capitalise.

Errors cost New York

Garcia failed to cleanly field McMahon’s initial throw to first base, prompting the baserunner to sprint towards third.

As Lombard leapt over the sliding player to retrieve a wild secondary throw, the violent contact took place.

“Obviously, it led to a couple of runs for them and that hurts.”

McMahon said of the defensive breakdown that ultimately cost his side.

The injury scare casts a shadow over an otherwise solid season for the powerful right-handed batter.

He is currently hitting .263 for the campaign, having contributed seven home runs and 46 RBIs to the Toronto cause.

Legendary baseball coach Skip Bertman, who transformed Louisiana State University into a national powerhouse and won five Men’s College World Series titles, has died aged 88.

The university announced the passing of its former athletic director on Friday morning, prompting an outpouring of tributes across the collegiate sports world.

During a transformative 17-year tenure beginning in 1984, the experienced tactician guided the Tigers to 11 College World Series appearances.

His teams secured national championships in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 2000, establishing a dominant sporting dynasty in Baton Rouge.

A record-breaking collegiate career

The seven-time national coach of the year compiled an extraordinary 870-330-3 career record before stepping away from the dugout.

Under his commanding leadership, the Tigers claimed seven Southeastern Conference titles.

His squads maintained a win rate of over 75% in College World Series games, a figure that remains the highest percentage in National Collegiate Athletic Association history.

Such unparalleled success led to his induction into the inaugural College Baseball Hall of Fame class in 2006.

Olympic medals and major league development

Beyond his collegiate achievements, the visionary leader enjoyed significant success on the international stage.

He served as an assistant coach for the United States team that secured Olympic gold in 1988, before managing the national squad to a bronze medal in Atlanta eight years later.

An exceptional developer of elite talent, 41 of his former collegiate players eventually reached the major leagues.

This extensive alumni list includes prominent names such as outfielder Albert Belle, infielder Todd Walker, and pitcher Paul Byrd.

‘The man who changed college baseball’

Following his retirement from active coaching in 2001, the beloved figure transitioned into the role of LSU athletic director.

During his tenure in the boardroom, he oversaw a highly successful athletic department that secured numerous national titles, including in football.

The university permanently retired his number 15 jersey and renamed the street outside the original Alex Box Stadium in his honour.

Former pitcher Ben McDonald, who played under him before turning professional, shared an emotional tribute praising his former mentor.

“The best to ever fill out a lineup card… the man who changed college baseball forever and the man who built the best baseball program in the country.”

Ben McDonald, former LSU pitcher and ESPN analyst

The Milwaukee Brewers have overtaken the Los Angeles Dodgers to claim the number one spot in the latest Major League Baseball power rankings.

The National League Central leaders’ ascent ends a dominant two-month reign at the summit for the Californian side.

Los Angeles had held the premier position since week 12 of the gruelling 162-game regular season.

Brewers battle injury crisis

Despite claiming top spot, the Wisconsin franchise are currently navigating a challenging list of absentees.

Rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt is sidelined with a hamstring strain until late August, while Joey Ortiz is recovering from a stiff neck.

These setbacks forced Brice Turang to start at shortstop this week for the first time since the 2023 campaign.

The team has also deployed recent signing Jihwan Bae at second base and Andrew Vaughn at third in a search for offensive stability.

Dodgers manager demands urgency

The Dodgers recently suffered a significant slump, losing eight out of nine games prior to a series sweep against the Kansas City Royals.

Across a 32-game stretch dating back to early July, their roster ranked 21st for on-base plus slugging (OPS) and 23rd in earned run average (ERA).

Manager Dave Roberts issued a stark public warning to his squad ahead of a crucial seven-game homestand.

“We’re a wild-card team right now. We’ve got to get going and play with urgency.”

Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers Manager

The squad remains optimistic, however, with rotation additions Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell building fitness alongside the recovering Tyler Glasnow.

Rays surge into top three

Elsewhere in the upper echelons, the Tampa Bay Rays have leapfrogged the Atlanta Braves to secure third place.

The Florida outfit boast the best record in the American League since late June following an impressive nine-game winning streak.

Tampa Bay’s formidable home form has been central to their resurgence.

Their 41-18 record at Tropicana Field currently stands as the most dominant home mark in the majors.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres have broken into the top 10 at the expense of the Chicago White Sox.

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was withdrawn after just 65 pitches during Tuesday’s defeat by the Miami Marlins following another concerning drop in his fastball velocity.

Manager Don Kelly insisted the early exit for the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner was a tactical decision rather than an injury-related precaution.

“[Kelly] walked me through everything, and it made sense,” Skenes said.

The three-time All-Star accepted the quick hook before the sixth inning and admitted he would likely have made the same managerial call.

Diminishing fastball speed

The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits while striking out four batters during his truncated start in Florida.

This outing highlighted a prolonged struggle with pitching speed, as the standout pitcher failed to throw a single pitch harder than 97 mph against Miami.

His declining average fastball velocity reveals a concerning downward trajectory over recent campaigns:

The latest performance also yielded a career-low 12% whiff rate, further amplifying external speculation regarding his overall physical condition.

Mounting workload concerns

While neither player nor manager directly addressed the statistical drop in speed, the American acknowledged that high-stress innings could be contributing to his recent fatigue.

“I think I’ve probably had more 30- to 35-pitch innings this year than I have probably in the last two years combined,” Skenes explained.

The defeat drops his seasonal record to 9-11 and continues a difficult nine-start stretch where he has compiled an inflated 5.79 ERA.

“We need to keep grinding and find a way, it’s frustrating for everybody,” Kelly concluded.

The Detroit Tigers have traded back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of Monday’s deadline.

Detroit accelerated the trade process on Saturday afternoon, requesting best-and-final offers to avoid a prolonged bidding war.

The 29-year-old left-hander is slated to enter free agency at the end of the current season.

Market dynamics force Detroit’s hand

Front office executives grew concerned that the Seattle Mariners were preparing to listen to offers for George Kirby.

While Kirby’s recent performances do not match the elite level of the departing Tigers ace, the right-hander remains under team control until 2028.

This potential alternative threatened to collapse the market for a premium rental player, prompting Detroit to act swiftly.

Blind bidding secures the deal

Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris informed suitors that negotiations would effectively conclude via a blind auction.

Teams looking to acquire the world’s top pitcher were forced to submit their ultimate proposals without knowing competing bids.

The inflated nature of mid-season transactions meant that acquiring such a dominant force required franchises to stretch well beyond their typical analytical limitations.

Dodgers win the sweepstakes

Ultimately, it was the perennial National League contenders from California who successfully navigated the tense negotiations.

The acquisition provides Los Angeles with approximately ten regular-season starts from the game’s premier arm, plus crucial availability for a potential World Series run.

Despite the high acquisition cost for a short-term addition, the opportunity to secure a transformative talent proved irresistible for the Dodgers.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has emerged as the National League MVP favourite after hitting two home runs to guide the Chicago Cubs to a 7-6 series-sweeping victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The standout centre-fielder outperformed Shohei Ohtani in a thrilling encounter at Wrigley Field, where the Dodgers’ designated hitter also blasted two balls into the stands.

The narrow victory completed a highly impressive three-game sweep for Chicago against the two-time defending World Series champions.

Crow-Armstrong takes MVP advantage

Following the statement performance, the 24-year-old overtook Ohtani in the betting odds to claim his first Most Valuable Player award.

He finished the game with a double and four runs batted in, while posting an elite .938 on-base plus slugging percentage for the season.

The top-rated defender later admitted that the growing individual accolades were enjoyable to consider alongside team success.

“I would be crazy to say that I don’t want to win an MVP, but if we’re talking about having priorities straight, I think mine are pretty straight,” he said.

“It’s not on the forefront of my mind. It’s fun to joke about it, and it’s fun to acknowledge, but it’s not like following me up to the plate.”

Ohtani injury opens the door

The Japanese superstar kept up his end of the bargain on Wednesday, collecting three hits and driving in three of Los Angeles’ six runs.

However, the former two-way phenomenon has been restricted strictly to hitting duties since early July due to left knee soreness.

Ohtani stated he is confident of returning to the mound at some point this season, though he acknowledged his recovery schedule remains uncertain.

“He’s a great player, but I’m really focused on myself right now,” Ohtani said through a translator.

Historic milestones at Wrigley Field

Both sluggers launched home runs to lead off the game, marking only the second time in Wrigley Field history since 1913 that opposing teams have achieved the feat.

The dynamic Cubs prospect continued his remarkable form by adding a second blast in the fourth inning off left-hander Eric Lauer.

That pivotal strike brought his season tally to 25, making him the first player in franchise history to record consecutive campaigns with at least 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases.

Furthermore, his 67 career home runs rank as the second-most in team history for a player before the age of 25, trailing only Hall of Famer Ron Santo.

“I think it’s fun watching Pete have this season,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell reflected. “It’s a season you remember.”

Despite the individual praise, the in-form outfielder remained firmly focused on team success as the postseason approaches.

“I would feel much more accomplished taking them down at some point,” Crow-Armstrong concluded. “I want to see this group in October.”