Four members of the Toronto Blue Jays were named to a star-studded list of players comprising the 2021 All-MLB teams, an honour that recognizes excellence achieved over the full breadth of a big league season.
The All-MLB teams are split into first and second teams, decided by voters charged with considering only regular season performance when casting their ballots. Fans accounted for 50 per cent of the voting, and a panel of experts handled the other 50 per cent.
Guerrero Jr., who was named the first base player for the All-MLB First Team, enjoyed a prolific campaign in which he tied Salvador Perez for the MLB home run title while leading the league in runs with 123.
Semien earned his place on the First Team with a record-setting season that saw him establish new highs for home runs by a second baseman.
Ray’s resurgent season saw him capture both the American League Cy Young award as well as his first-career All-MLB nod. He led the American League in ERA (2.84), innings (193 1/3), ERA+ (154) and WHIP (1.045) while leading all of MLB in strikeouts (248).
Hernandez secured a place on the Second Team, coming off a season in which he won a Silver Slugger and posted a slash line of .296/.346/.524, 32 home runs and 116 RBI.
Joining the members of the Blue Jays on the first team was Shohei Ohtani, the two-way wonder who dominated as both a pitcher and hitter, as the First Team designated hitter.
The selection marked the first time Ohtani had been named to an All-MLB team, a fitting honour after he became the first American League player to ever have at least 45 home runs, 25 stolen bases and 100 runs scored in a season. Ohtani was also named to the Second Team as a starting pitcher.
A full list of players selected to the First and Second All-MLB teams can be found below.
First Team
Catcher: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
Second base: Marcus Semien, Toronto Blue Jays
Third base: Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves
Shortstop: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
Outfield: Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals, Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees
Starting pitchers: Max Scherzer of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Corbin Burnes of the Milwaukee Brewers, Robbie Ray of the Toronto Blue Jays, Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees, Walker Buehler of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Relief pitchers: Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers, Liam Hendriks of the Chicago White Sox
Second Team
Catcher: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
Designated Hitter: Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
First base: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
Second base: Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
Third base: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox
Shortstop: Trea Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers
Outfield: Nick Castellanos of the Cincinnati Reds, Kyle Tucker of the Houston Astros, Teoscar Hernandez of the Toronto Blue Jays Pitchers: Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, Julio Urías of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kevin Gausman of the San Francisco Giants, Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves, Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies Relief pitchers: Raisel Iglesias of the Los Angeles Angels, Kenley Jansen of the Los Angeles Dodgers
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
