Morning Rundown: Javier Rivas with two more home runs, Pirates win again
Rivas' hot streak continues, Pirates beat Angels again
Javier Rivas’ hot start to the season continued on Wednesday, hitting two home runs in the Greensboro Grasshoppers’ 6-1 win against Bowling Green.
He now has six home runs this season and is hitting .355/.397/.694 in 16 games played.
The Grasshoppers now have a 1.5-game lead over the Hudson Valley Renegades in the South Atlantic League North. Whoever is in first place at the end of the first half of the season automatically gets a playoff spot at the end of the year.
Greensboro locked up a playoff spot in the first half last year as well.
MLB released the slot bonus and pool amounts for the upcoming 2025 MLB Draft in July. The Pittsburgh Pirates will have the ninth-highest bonus pool to work with and pick sixth overall.
They will have a total of $14,088,400, plus overage amounts to spend on their draft picks.
Here’s how each pick will break down in the first 10 rounds, where the pool amount will count (unless they spend over $150,000 on any pick from rounds 11-20):
6th overall: $7,558,600
50th overall: $1,934,700
73rd overall: $1,128,400
82nd overall: $979,500
113th overall: $674,300
144th overall: $499,000
173rd overall: $380,500
203rd overall: $297,400
233rd overall: $236,800
263rd overall: $206,100
293rd overall: $193,100
Facing his old team, Andrew Heaney pitched six, one-hit innings, where he struck out nine batters and picked up his second win of the season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are now on the verge of sweeping the Los Angeles Angels after winning 3-0 on Wednesday.
Oneil Cruz hit a mammoth home run that traveled 463 feet and came off the bat at 116.6 mph. He went 2-5, also picking up his 11th stolen base of the season.
Every Pirate hitter that entered the game picked up at least one hit, with Cruz the only player to get multiple.
David Bednar struck out two in the seventh, with Caleb Ferguson and Dennis Santan helping to close the door.
Carmen Mlodzinski looks to help put the Pirates in a position to get the sweep on Thursday.
Top Exit Velocity
Oneil Cruz - PIT - 116.6 mph - Home Run
Axiel Plaz - BRD - 110.8 mph - Single
Derek Berg - BRD - 107.8 mph - Single
Ji Hwan Bae - IND - 107.4 mph - Single
Malcom Nunez - IND - 106.6 mph - Single
Top Pitch Velocity
Isaac Mattson - IND - 97.6 mph
Isaac Mattson - IND - 97.4 mph
Isaac Mattson - IND - 97.1 mph
Burch Smith - IND - 96.7 mph
Isaac Mattson - IND - 96.6 mph
Most Whiffs
Andrew Heaney - PIT - 24
Wilber Dotel - ALT - 13
Justin Meis - ALT - 7
Thomas Harrington - IND - 7
Ryder Ryan - IND - 7
Drake Fellows - IND - 7
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Indianapolis Indians - 1 vs St. Paul Saints - 5
Top Hitter - Nick Solak: 2-4, R
Top Pitcher - Burch Smith: IP, 3 K
Indianapolis Indians - 4 vs St. Paul Saints - 2
Top Hitter - Abrahan Gutierrez: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, HR
Top Pitcher - Drake Fellows: 3 IP, 2 H, 5 K
Altoona Curve - 3 vs Chesapeake Baysox - 2
Top Hitter - Jack Brannigan: 3-5, 2B, SB
Top Pitcher - Wilber Dotel: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 8 K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 6 vs Bowling Green Hot Rods - 1
Top Hitter - Javier Rivas: 2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR
Top Pitcher - Garrett McMillan: 5.1 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 2 K
Bradenton Marauders - 2 vs Lakeland Flying Tigers - 5
Top Hitter - Yordany De Los Santos: 2-3, BB, R, SB, 3B
Top Pitcher - Carlos Castillo: 4 IP, H, BB, K
soooo hot, want to touch the Heany.
Message to Javi Rivas; stop it, STOP IT, I know what you are trying to do, I’ve done it toooo many times before. But I’m done, done dreaming on a future team where is filled of stud prospects. Not doing it, not picturing you at SS, KG in CF, TJ at 2b, Cruz in RF and old man BRey at 1b in 3 years….not doing it!