Today’s TBNL takes a look at MLB’s “destination games”, some changes facing the Rays, attendance in Colorado, the US wins the U-18 World Cup, and a pair of players with MLB experience are setting records in Korea.
MLB to hold Little League Classic again, but won’t return to London
MLB has yet to make a formal announcement, but it looks as though next summer’s Little League Classic will involve the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. Forbes’ Andrew Wagner uncovered the likely matchup, connecting with several Brewers’ season ticket holders who were not charged for a full 81-game home schedule. Even those purchasing partial packages were blacked out from one particular game — Sunday, August 23, the final game of a three-game series with Atlanta.
Both teams also conveniently have a planned off day on Monday.
Since 2017, the Little League Classic has been held annually at Bowman Field, the home of the MLB Draft League’s Williamsport Crosscutters.
While the Little League Classic will surely be held once again, MLB announced on Wednesday that the London Series will be canceled due to scheduling conflicts. The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays were scheduled to play in London on June 13-14, but those games will likely be held in Toronto instead.
London Stadium is the home of West Ham United FC, the city’s Premier League team. West Ham’s last scheduled match is in late May. MLB reportedly didn’t feel that enough time was being left to prepare the field for baseball. Fox retains broadcasting rights for the game, but was unwilling to delay it over concerns that it might conflict with their coverage of the World Cup later that month.
Reports in April suggested the league was considering a two-game series in Mexico City between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres. That has not yet been finalized, but it would likely fall in May.
Additionally, an August report from the Des Moines Register’s Tommy Birch relays that MLB plans to return to the Field of Dreams site next August. The potential matchup would feature the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins in a newly constructed stadium on the site, which has undergone major renovations since the last game there in 2022.
Rays set to lose Matt Silverman
The sale of the Tampa Bay Rays to a group led by Patrick Zalupski is expected to close within the next two weeks, but changes are already starting to trickle out. Team presidents Matt Silverman and Brian Auld will both reportedly step down from their current positions. Silverman has led the team’s baseball operations since Andrew Friedman left for the Dodgers in 2014. This was his 22nd season with the club, while Auld is finishing his 21st.
Both will reportedly take on advisory roles of some kind with the new ownership group, according to a release by the team, but it would be a surprise to see Silverman not draw interest from other clubs with openings in their front offices (Washington, Boston, and Baltimore are all reportedly looking to hire new general managers; plus others could make changes). In fact, one might argue that he’s the most impactful free agent available this winter (pending whether this new advisory role prohibits him from seeking a job with another club, which is unlikely).
Attendance in Colorado is better than you’d think
The on-field product in Denver has not been good the last three seasons, but that hasn’t had a substantial impact on attendance figures at Coors Field. Friend of TBNL and the Denver Gazette’s Kevin Henry examined the Colorado Rockies’ attendance numbers this season, despite the team’s historically poor record. Notably, the team ranks right in the middle of the league (averaging 29,872 fans per game through 75 games).
Give this franchise a real front office and an owner willing to spend a little bit of money, and Coors Field just might start selling out every night.
Meet the Ontario Tower Buzzers
Among a series of affiliate changes coming to the Class-A California League this offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers are replacing the Modesto Nuts with a new team that will be located in Ontario, California (about 35 miles east of Los Angeles). The club’s new identity evidently has some “Top Gun” influence behind it.
The new team name — the Ontario Tower Buzzers — and mascot — a bee wearing aviator glasses named Maverick — were unveiled on Thursday.
US wins gold, Borthwick MVP at U-18 World Cup
Lost in the shuffle of a busy week, Team USA beat Japan 2-0 to win the gold medal at the U-18 World Cup on Sunday. The US team only lost one game in the tournament.
Two-way talent Coleman Borthwick was named MVP of the tournament. The Auburn commit was 9-for-30 at the plate and pitched 10.0 scoreless innings — including all seven of the championship game — allowing just three hits while striking out 12.
Catcher William Brick, infielders Aiden Ruiz and Grady Emerson, and left-hander Gio Rojas were all named to the tournament’s All-World Team.
Two former MLB players are dominating in Korea
There’s been an increase in the number of MLB scouts attending KBO games with the season winding down, according to reports out of South Korea. A late August game between the Hanwha Eagles and Kiwoom Heroes reportedly had representatives from at least 11 teams in attendance (including scouts from the Yankees, Cubs, and Dodgers). Heroes infielder Sung Mun Song was likely one of those they were watching, as Song has expressed an interest in coming to MLB this offseason.
Meanwhile, a pair of players with MLB experience have had outstanding seasons in the KBO. One has to wonder if there might be some interest in returning to MLB this offseason.
Lewin Díaz initially signed with the Twins as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. Six years later, Minnesota traded him to Miami for Sergio Romo. Díaz would reach the majors the next season and appeared in 112 games between 2020-22, batting a mere .181/.227/.340 (54 OPS+) in 343 PA with 13 home runs. After another year in the minors and time in the Mexican League, the first baseman landed with the Samsung Lions late last season.
Díaz is hitting .302/.369/.629 over 588 PA this season, with 48 HR and 142 RBI. Seven games remain on the Lions’ schedule. Díaz sits just one home run shy of the record for foreign-born players in the KBO (Yamaico Navarro hit 48 in 2015). He’s already topped the RBI mark (Eric Thames drove in 140 in 2015).
Cody Ponce was a 2nd round pick by the Brewers in the 2015 Draft and traded to Pittsburgh three years later (for Jordan Lyles). The right-hander would appear in 20 games, including three starts, for the Pirates between 2020-21. He’d register a 1-7 record and 5.86 ERA (75 ERA+) over 55.1 IP. He would make the move to Japan after the 2021 season, spending the next three years pitching for the Nippon Ham Fighters.
Ponce joined the Eagles this season, his first in the KBO, and he’s totally dominated. Ponce has made 27 starts for Hanwha, going 17-0 with a 1.70 ERA and 236 strikeouts, which set a new KBO record for a single season (Ariel Miranda had the old mark with 225 Ks in 2021).