MLB Wednesday scores, highlights, news, updates: Dodgers spoil Cubs' ring party (2024)

The World Series champion Chicago Cubs received their World Series rings during a pregame ceremony at Wrigley Field on Wednesday night (more on that below). Here's how you can watch the game. Now here is our daily look around the league. Make sure you check back often for updates.

Wednesday's scores

Tigers 5, Twins 3 (box score)
Yankees 8, Rays 4 (box score
Padres 6, Rockies 0 (box score)
Cardinals6,Nationals1 (box score)
White Sox2, Indians 1 (box score)
Brewers 2, Blue Jays 0 (box score)
Reds 9, Pirates 2 (box score)
Mets5,Phillies4 (box score)
Braves5,Marlins4 (box score)
Orioles12,Red Sox5 (box score)
Dodgers 2, Cubs 0 (box score)
Athletics8, Royals3 (box score)
Rangers 8, Athletics 3 (box score)
Astros 10, Mariners 5 (box score)
Giants 6, Diamondbacks 2 (box score)

Dodgers spoil Cubs' ring party

The world-champion Cubs on Wednesday handed out these beauties ...

But the visiting Dodgers weren't in an accommodating mood. Outfielder Andrew Toles cracked the first leadoff homer of his career, and Brandon McCarthy did the rest. In his first start of the season, McCarthy pitched well against the Padres, but suffocating the Cubs was a much more onerous task.

That's what he did, though, as McCarthy blanked the Cubs over six innings while striking out four and walking three. In 2016, the Cubs were shut out just six times all year. McCarthy's counterpart, John Lackey, also pitched well, as he struck out 10 in six innings of work.

Consolation for the Cubs (besides, you know, those new World Series rings)? Jason Heyward and his reconstructed swing notched a steal and a stolen base. He's now registered at least one hit in seven of eight games this season, and he's batting a respectable .296/.367/.370 thus far. At no point last season did Heyward bat higher than .260.

The Blue Jays get blanked again

The Toronto Blue Jays, who entered play on Wednesday night with the worst record in the American League, dropped to 1-7 with their 2-0 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The game served as a microcosm of the Jays' season, as they struggled to reach base or score. Milwaukee starter Chase Anderson, known foremost as a changeup artist, held Toronto hitless through the first three innings. By the time Anderson departed, he'd struck out seven over seven scoreless frames. The Brewers' bullpen then completed the shutout, with Corey Knebel and Neftali Feliz doing the honors.

It was the latest frustrating loss for a Blue Jays team that seems intent on compiling them. You can read all about it here.

The return of Derek Holland?

Veteran lefty Derek Holland pitched well in the White Sox's tight win over the Indians on Wednesday night. While he walked four against as many strikeouts in six innings of work, he allowed just two hits and no runs. Bear in mind this was a road start against the team that ranked second in the AL in runs scored last season.

No, Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez weren't in the lineup, but Edwin Encarnacion was. This comes on the heels of Holland's strong first start of the season against the Twins: 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 SO, 1 BB.

Holland, now 30, has dealt with a lot of shoulder problems throughout his career, but he was a solid fixture in the Rangers' rotation during his early years. As recently as 2013, he peaked as a No. 2-ish starter for Texas. Yes, we're talking about just two starts, but if Holland is able to stay healthy and continue putting up strong run-prevention numbers, then there may wind up being a market for him leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline.

The White Sox, of course, are still looking deal players with near-term value (Jose Quintana, most notably), and their flyer on Holland may wind up giving GM Rick Hahn another chip. That's especially the case considering Holland will be owed just the balance of a $6 million contract for 2017.

Padres' starters survive Coors and then some

The San Diego rotation is expected to be a major liability this season, and that meant widespread carnage was expected during the three-game set against the Rockies at a mile above sea level. Lo and behold, though, Padres starters fared quite well.

On Wednesday, Zach Lee tossed 5 1/3 scoreless while allowing just two hits. The day before, Jered Weaver registered a quality start, even though the Rockies prevailed by a score of 3-2. Along the way, Weaver struck out five batters in six innings while not walking any. And in the series opener on Monday, San Diego starter Jarred Cosart worked four scoreless innings, and Padres won 5-3.

The Pads' rotation wasn't good before this series, and they probably won't be very good moving forward. This week, though, they've defied expectations.

Tigers continue to get offense from unlikely sources

Following Wednesday afternoon's 0-for-4 performance, two-time AL MVP Miguel Cabrera is hitting .107/.242/.107 on the young season. He'll be fine; it's just a slow start for a great player. That said, Cabrera is hitting .107. It's happening and it is hurting the team. He'll snap out of it soon enough, but the damage has been done.

Fortunately for the Tigers, some unlikely heroes have picked up the slack. Catcher James McCann has hit three home runs already, and Wednesday, utility man Andrew Romine smacked a go-ahead grand slam against the Twins.

Romine came into Wednesday's game with six home runs in 390 major-league games. He hit two home runs each season from 2014-16, and now he's on the board with his first in 2017.

Aaron Judge is pushing Statcast to its limits

The Yankees are in the middle of a youth movement, and one of their top young players is rookie right fielder Aaron Judge. He hit his third home run Wednesday afternoon -- it was also his third straight game with a home run -- and in the middle innings, he smoked a line drive single back up the middle to tie the game.

The single, which nearly took off Jumbo Diaz's head, left Judge's bat at 116.5 mph. It was the hardest base hit in MLB this season.

Giancarlo Stanton remains the exit velocity king, though based on his relatively brief big-league time, Judge could very well give him a run for his money. When he connects, the ball explodes off his bat.

Judge, by the way, is hitting .308/.379/.692 after going 2 for 3 with a single, a homer and a walk Wednesday. Here's video of the home run Judge hit later in the game to give the Yankees some insurance runs:

I'm pretty sure Judge did not square that ball up.

Quick hits

• Yep, the Reds are still in first place in the NL Central. On Wednesday night against the Pirates, rookie left-hander Amir Garrett turned in another strong start.
• In the Braves' win over the Marlins, Giancarlo Stanton and Ender Inciarte each homered twice, and Miami rookie J.T. Riddle's first career hit was really weird.
• Maikel Franco hit a grand slam for the Phillies, but it wasn't enough. The Mets are now 42-18 against the Phillies since the start of the 2014 season.
• Seven different Orioles had a multi-hit game, and Trey Mancini homered twice as Baltimore romped over the Red Sox. Boston starter Steven Wright gave up eight runs and four homers in 1 1/3 innings.
• Brett Gardner (bruised chin, strain shoulder) and Rickie Weeks Jr. (sore neck and shoulder) left Wednesday's game following a violent collision at first base.
• In D.C., reigning NL Cy Young winner Max Scherzer got outdueled by the Cardinals' Mike Leake (Leake now has an ERA of 0.60 after two strong starts in 2017), but he did reach a milestone of sorts ...

#MadMax recorded his 50th career 10 K game today - that's 2nd most of any active pitcher. pic.twitter.com/uPxjs3Yu8W

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 12, 2017

• The Angels have placed reliever Andrew Bailey on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation.
• The Dodgers have placed OF Franklin Guttierez on the 10-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
• The Tigers have signed 1B James Loney to a minor-league contract.
• Phillies SP Clay Buchholz has a partial tear of the flexor pronator mass in his pitching arm, the team announced. He'll get a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews on Monday.
• Commissioner Rob Manfred is putting pressure on the Indians to phase out the Chief Wahoo logo.
• The Dodgers have placed outfielder Franklin Gutierrez on the 10-day disabled list with a hamstring injury, the team announced. Trayce Thompson was called up from Triple-A.
• Red Sox ace David Price threw 35 fastballs in a bullpen session without incident Wednesday. His next session is planned for Saturday, and the team will re-evaluate his schedule after that one has been completed.