DETROIT — Gabriel Moreno twirled his bat in the on-deck circle as he readied himself for his fourth at-bat of the game.
The stadium announcer belted Moreno’s name over the speakers, and, this time, Blue Jays fans in the Comerica Park bleachers remained quiet. Moreno got a hearty applause from the traveling Toronto faithful before his first MLB plate appearance earlier in the game, but not this time.
It was the ninth inning and Detroit Tigers closer Gregory Soto toed the slab. With two outs, he blazed a 98-m.p.h fastball down in the zone, and Moreno sent it right back where it came from.
The 105.2-m.p.h. liner skipped neatly into centre field, and as Moreno rounded first, he kissed his hand and pointed to the sky. The Blue Jays eventually lost Saturday’s game 3-1, but the 22-year-old got on the board with a knock.
“I wanted to get [my first hit] out of the way,” Moreno said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “Thank God it happened in my last at-bat. I really wanted it.”
Gabriel Moreno notched a hit and scored a run in his Blue Jays debut. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
The Blue Jays haven’t seen a prospect of this magnitude debut since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette both arrived in the big leagues in 2019 to rescue a jaded Jays fanbase that had experienced losing baseball for a few years.
Moreno doesn’t boast the pedigree or famous last name of a Guerrero or a Bichette, but his rise to the top of prospect leaderboards was just as impressive. Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2016 for a mere $25,000, Moreno wasn’t ever expected to drive such a powerful hype train. Now, he’s the consensus fourth-best prospect in baseball — and on Saturday he finally joined a competitive Blue Jays squad that has playoff baseball on its mind.
Lauded on offence for his quick hands and above-average contact ability, Moreno flashed some hitting talent with a 1-for-4 day. His defence, however, was arguably more impactful.
Generously listed at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Moreno doesn’t carry the typical frame of a major-league catcher — he was originally scouted as a middle infielder before the Blue Jays moved him behind the plate.
If you watch Moreno catch, you’ll see his infield background creep through. Everything he does is fluid, almost dance-like. His God-given athleticism, dashing footwork, sound transfer and cannon for an arm arguably make him the best-throwing catcher on the Blue Jays.
He put all those tools on display when a runner broke to steal second in the first inning. Moreno stabbed at a diving splitter and fired a bullet to Bichette covering second, who slapped the tag down in time but dropped the ball.
The best catchers in history blend their physical skills with even greater mental prowess. Good catchers develop deep relationships with their pitchers, guide them through games, help sequence their pitches, and comfort or challenge them when things go awry.
Those intangibles are the hardest for young backstops to get a grip on, and oftentimes catchers develop those traits on-the-fly in the majors.
On Saturday, Moreno was tasked with catching Kevin Gausman, an early AL Cy Young candidate coming off his shortest start of the season. It was no small task for Moreno to debut with Gausman, the owner of a devastating splitter and a 10-year major-league track record.
Instead of fearing the challenge of catching Gausman, Moreno looked composed. He blocked and framed well during the starting pitcher’s six innings of work.
“That’s kind of my big question mark anytime I have a first-time catcher is how are they going to block this split,” said Gausman, who took the loss. “And so there’s a couple of times, guys on third, he had no hesitation calling it, and did a hell of a job blocking it today.”
And, to add even more emotional stimulation to his debut, Moreno played his first game against one of his baseball heroes, Miguel Cabrera. The aging Tigers legend is an icon in Venezuela and one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all-time, so when he requested a meet-and-greet with Moreno, it was an easy decision.
“Meeting Miguel was unbelievable,” said Moreno, adding that he and Cabrera chatted about where their families were from back in Venezuela.
The quick but intimate moment with Cabrera offered a heartfelt bit of perspective to the youngster’s MLB debut. To the outside world, Moreno’s story is about an up-and-comer with wicked potential. To those who know Moreno best, it’s a story of a happy-go-lucky kid overcoming the odds and fulfilling a dream.
“You always see something special in him,” said Luis Hurtado, one of Toronto’s bullpen catchers, as he thought back to when he first laid eyes on Moreno years ago.
Hurtado, also from Venezuela, first managed Moreno in the Florida Coast League in 2018. The pair have remained close since, first bonding as compatriots and now sharing in each other’s successes as Moreno climbed the minor-league ranks.
“It’s a tough question,” Hurtado said, fighting back tears, after being asked how much it means to see Moreno succeed. “Especially because how hard it is for us, for Venezuelan people. For everything that happens in our country, for all the barriers that we have to [overcome].”
The Venezuelan flag is one of many flags that cloak the walls around the entrance to the visiting dugout at Comerica Park. (Photo by Ethan Diamandas)
Moreno’s family couldn’t travel to the United States due to passport issues, but Hurtado was there for him, as was Francisco Plasencia, the Venezuelan-born Blue Jays scout who first discovered a 14-year-old Moreno and eventually signed him.
When Hurtado arrived at Comerica Park Friday, he snapped a photo of a Venezuelan flag hanging in the hallway, ensuring he’d never forget the gravity of this weekend.
“I love my country,” he said. “I was born, I was raised there, and I’m always going to be proud of where I come from. And that’s everyone that makes it to the big leagues. Every Venezuelan player is proud of their country, of our country.”
It’s been a wild journey, in baseball and in life, for Moreno. With one game and one hit under his belt, he can now officially call himself a big leaguer.
“Very emotional,” Moreno said. “I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.”
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
