JOEY VOTTO

The hangover from being officially eliminated from the playoffs last week threatened to blunt the significant strides the Cincinnati Reds made in 2021. One big gut check by rookie pitcher Reiver Sanmartin and one last big swing from Joey Votto instead sent the Reds into the offseason with something akin to momentum. Sanmartin wriggled out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam with minimal damage in the first inning, Votto capped off a resurgent campaign by blasting his 36th home run and the Reds topped Pittsburgh 6-3 on Sunday.

Pirates Reds Baseball Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Cincinnati, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster) (Aaron Doster)CINCINNATI — (AP) — Joey Votto homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Cincinnati Reds pounded the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-1 on Wednesday to stay alive in the race for the second NL wild card. The Reds pulled within 5 1/2 games of idle St. Louis for the second wild card. The 38-year-old Votto made a successful return to the lineup after missing two games with a sore left knee. The first baseman hit a two-run shot off Connor Overton (0-1) during the Reds' four-run first inning, and then connected for another two-run drive against Cody Ponce in the fourth.

Joey Votto and Nick Castellanos combined to drive in nine runs to propel the Cincinnati Reds to a 13-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the make up of Wednesday’s rain out with fading hopes of a playoff entry.

Big league home run leader Shohei Ohtani is unbeaten in his last 13 starts going into this outing for the Los Angeles Angels against the AL West-leading Astros in Houston.

Jason Heyward hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night for their eighth victory in nine games. Ian Happ homered for the third straight game, extending his hitting streak to a career-high nine games to help the new-look Cubs win their third consecutive series. “At the trade deadline, I feel like all of us came into the same situation together,” Heyward said.

Padres Rothschild Baseball FILE - In this June 17, 2021, file photo, San Diego Padres pitching coach Larry Rothschild walks back to the dugout after a mound visit in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in San Diego. The slumping Padres fired Rothschild on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. San Diego has lost nine of 11, falling one game behind Cincinnati for the second NL wild card. Three of the Padres’ main starters — Yu Darvish, Chris Paddack and Dinelson Lamet — are on the injured list. The first-place Brewers have a 7 1/2-game advantage over Cincinnati, which leads San Diego by one game for the second NL wild card.

One day after firing pitching coach Larry Rothschild, the slumping San Diego Padres begin a three-game series Tuesday night against the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Philadelphia Phillies are six outs from completing the eighth no-hitter in the majors this year, which would be the most in a season since 1900.

Newcomer Anthony Rizzo has become the latest Yankees player to test positive for the coronavirus.

Reds Mets Baseball Cincinnati Reds' Max Schrock (32) celebrates with first base coach Delino DeShields (90) after hitting a single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin) (Corey Sipkin)NEW YORK — (AP) — Reds rookie Max Schrock did his best Joey Votto imitation. Schrock went 5 for 5 with a home run while giving the All-Star a break, leading fellow newcomer Vladimir Gutierrez and Cincinnati over the New York Mets 7-1 Sunday. Votto got a rest from manager David Bell a day after his seven-game home run streak came to an end. DUAL THREATAfter becoming the 30th New York Mets player to home in his first game with the team on Saturday, Baez showed off his arm Sunday.

Rookie Max Schrock went 5 for 5 with a home run while giving All-Star Joey Votto a break, leading fellow newcomer Vladimir Gutierrez and the Cincinnati Reds over the New York Mets 7-1.

Reds Mets Baseball Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto blows a gum bubble in the ninth inning of the baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, July 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Mary Altaffer)NEW YORK — (AP) — Joey Votto came oh-so-close to matching the major league record with a home run in eight consecutive games, but Javier Báez did clear the fence in his New York debut and the Mets rallied past the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 in 10 innings Saturday night. With the Mets down to their final strike, Dominic Smith hit a tying single off Sean Doolittle in the ninth. The ball was hit so hard, Votto settled for a single. ___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Joey Votto came oh-so-close to matching the major league record with a home run in eight consecutive games, but Javier Báez did clear the fence in his New York debut and the Mets rallied past the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 in 10 innings.

Reds Mets Baseball Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto, right, watches his solo home run in the sixth inning of the baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, July 30, 2021, in New York. Votto connected for a solo shot off Mets reliever Drew Smith during Cincinnati's 6-2 victory Friday night at Citi Field. Dale Long (1956), Don Mattingly (1987) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1993) are the only players to go deep in eight consecutive games. It was the third time the 22-year-old Tatis exited a game this year due to a left shoulder injury. When those two faced each other April 7 at Fenway Park, Eovaldi allowed one run over seven innings in a 9-2 victory.

Joey Votto has homered in seven straight games and the Cincinnati Reds slugger can match a major league record Saturday night by going deep against the New York Mets.

Reds Mets Baseball Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto (19), Eugenio Suarez, second from left, Kyle Farmer, second from right, and Jonathan India (6) celebrate after defeating the New York Mets in a baseball game, Friday, July 30, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Mary Altaffer)NEW YORK — (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night. Aristides Aquino lofted a pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the eighth before India followed with his second homer, a two-run shot. It’s the second straight month in which he’s reached base at least 50 times. Mets: Lindor (right oblique) took grounders for a second straight day.

Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2.

Reds Mets Baseball Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto, right, watches his solo home run in the sixth inning of the baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, July 30, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Mary Altaffer)NEW YORK — (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game Friday night, putting the Cincinnati Reds star within one of the major league record. Votto hit a 2-0 pitch from New York Mets reliever Drew Smith over the center-field fence at Citi Field to give the Reds a 3-1 lead. Griffey and Votto were teammates with the Reds from 2007-08. ___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Joey Votto has homered for the seventh straight game, putting the Cincinnati Reds star within one of the major league record.

Time is running out for playoff contenders to bolster their rosters through a trade.

Victor Caratini hit a two-run, game-ending homer two batters after Eric Hosmer hit a tying, two-run homer for the San Diego Padres, who beat the Cincinnati Reds in a 6-4 thriller before the first sellout crowd at Petco Park since 2019.

Rangers Twins Baseball Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton makes a diving catch of a fly ball off the bat of Texas Rangers' David Dahl in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 4, 2021, in Minneapolis. Buxton was added to the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained right hip. VOTTO OUTReds first baseman Joey Votto could be sidelined for a month with a broken left thumb. Votto was added to the 10-day injured list Friday after being struck on the thumb with a pitch by Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel on Wednesday. Votto is not expected to need surgery, but the team expects him to be out at least three weeks and maybe more.

Rangers Twins Baseball Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton makes a diving catch of a fly ball off the bat of Texas Rangers' David Dahl in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 4, 2021, in Minneapolis. Buxton was added to the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained right hip. VOTTO OUTReds first baseman Joey Votto could be sidelined for a month with a broken left thumb. Votto was added to the 10-day injured list Friday after being struck on the thumb with a pitch by Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel on Wednesday. Votto is not expected to need surgery, but the team expects him to be out at least three weeks and maybe more.

David Peralta hit a three-run triple in a six-run 10th inning to finish with five hits and a career-best seven RBIs, and the Arizona Diamondbacks overcame six Cincinnati home runs to beat the Reds 14-11.

Shane Bieber kept up his record strikeout run, fanning 13 and pitching the Cleveland Indians past the Cincinnati Reds 6-3.

Josh Naylor lined into a triple play in the eighth inning, then let a routine grounder roll through his legs at first base with two outs in the ninth that led to Cincinnati’s tying run as the Reds beat the Cleveland Indians 3-2 in 10 innings.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Luke Weaver has a no-hitter through six innings, retiring the first 17 batters he faced against the Cincinnati Reds.

New York starter Jordan Montgomery gave up two hits in three scoreless innings. Brubaker allowed two hits over two scoreless innings and Chase De Jong followed with two shutout innings. MARLINS 4, METS 4Miami starter Pablo Lopez gave up a hit and a walk over three scoreless innings. German Marquez scattered three hits and a walk over three scoreless innings for Colorado. Kansas City starter Jakob Junis pitched three innings and gave up one hit, a leadoff homer to Trent Grisham.

Freeman easily won the NL MVP award Thursday, Nov. 12, topping off a trying year that saw him become so ill with COVID-19 he prayed please dont take me. Betts was bidding to join Frank Robinson as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez finished second in the AL MVP voting and Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu was third. He became the fourth different White Sox player to win the AL MVP, joining Frank Thomas (1993-94), Dick Allen (1972) and Nellie Fox (1959). A three-time AL MVP, Trout had finished in the top four every season since he was AL Rookie of the Year in 2012.

For fans who enjoy chaos, drama and sheer randomness, the past three days provided it. For good baseball teams that endured months of semi-quarantine, COVID-19 protocols and eerily quiet stadiums, watching a season end in less than 36 hours was brutal. In Thursday's nightcap, the Milwaukee Brewers had their season end after a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. With a revised schedule that restricted teams to their geographic regions — East vs. East, Central vs. Central and West vs. West — home teams went 500-398 for a .557 winning percentage, the highest since .559 in 2010, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Whether home or away, the end came quickly for some teams over the past few days.

If St. Louis loses and San Francisco wins, the Cardinals would make up two games against Detroit on Monday that were postponed this season due to St. Louis' coronavirus outbreak. Brewers (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over St. Louis, or with losses by the Giants and Phillies. If the Giants and Cardinals win, San Francisco needs St. Louis to lose both games against the Tigers on Monday. A career .279 hitter, he had 244 home runs and 942 RBIs for Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Texas. “He had a tremendous career, did a ton for the community in San Francisco and obviously for the San Francisco Giants,” Kapler said.

Mike Moustakas homered twice, Freddy Galvis hit a solo shot and the Reds clinched their first playoff spot since 2013, beating the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins 7-2 on Friday night. “I like this team much more than I liked those teams, and I really liked those teams," Votto said. Twins: RHP Homer Bailey, who spent 12 of his 14 major league seasons with the Reds, was designated for assignment prior to the game. UP NEXTReds: RHP Luis Castillo (4-5, 2.86 ERA) will pitch on Saturday night, seeking his fifth straight win. Twins: RHP Michael Pineda (2-0, 3.18 ERA) pitches the middle game of the series.

Chicago Cubs' Kyle Schwarber reacts after hitting a grand slam in the ninth inning during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)CINCINNATI With one massive drive in the ninth inning, Kyle Schwarber made history for the Chicago Cubs. Schwarber, Jason Heyward and Ian Happ became the first starting outfield to hit multiple homers in the same game, and the Cubs pounded the Cincinnati Reds 10-1 on Sunday for a split of their four-game series. Schwarber hit the first and the last of the Cubs' season-high six homers, belting a solo drive in the fourth against Luis Castillo (0-5) and a grand slam off Jos De Len in the ninth. When you have a little piece of history, you always keep that with you.The NL Central-leading Cubs hit 14 homers in the series.

Players, coaches and other organization members were retested for the coronavirus Saturday and Sunday after one player was sidelined because of a positive result. The Reds made travel plans for Kansas City and expected to start Luis Castillo (0-2) in the series opener, assuming its played. TIGER TRYOUTSDetroit is unleashing a few of its top prospects this week, including left-hander Tarik Skubal. The Braves hope that formula works again with Tomlin, used mostly as a reliever during his two seasons in Atlanta. But, for now, the team has decided not to turn to a pair of top prospects, Ian Anderson and Tucker Davidson.

Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell (55) reacts to drawing a walk as Cincinnati Reds' Tucker Barnhart (16) reacts in the first inning during a baseball game at in Cincinnati, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. The last two games of a series between the Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates were postponed Saturday after the player tested positive. The Reds expect results of their latest tests on Monday, when a decision will be made whether they travel to Kansas City. The Reds are the third MLB team to have games postponed because one of its players tested positive for COVID-19, joining the Marlins and the Cardinals. The Reds' Matt Davidson confirmed that he tested positive during the opening series of the abbreviated, 60-game season, forcing him onto the injured list.

(AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)CINCINNATI The last two games of a series between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh were called off Saturday because a Reds player tested positive for COVID-19. The Reds are the third team to have a game postponed because someone on their roster tested positive, joining the Marlins and Cardinals. It's the second time a Reds player has tested positive during the abbreviated 60-game season. Also this season, Reds players Joey Votto, Nick Senzel and Mike Moustakas missed games after feeling ill, but COVID-19 tests game back negative and they rejoined the team. The Reds and Pirates both have off-days on Monday.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi, left, talks with Bryce Harper, right, prior to a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, July 24, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)A look at what's happening around the majors today:BACK TO WORKThe Philadelphia Phillies face a difficult assignment in their long-awaited return to action. Although the Phillies didnt have any players test positive, their games last week were postponed as a cautionary measure. The Phillies got to work out again Saturday, and now come back from a weeklong layoff to face Gerrit Cole and the AL East-leading New York Yankees on the road. MISSING MANAGERThe Cleveland Indians likely will be missing manager Terry Francona for a second straight game when they visit Cincinnati.

FILE - In this Thursday, July 16, 2020, file photo, the Miami Marlins take batting practice during a baseball workout at Marlins Park in Miami. Overtaken by a coronavirus outbreak, the team must scramble for roster replacements as they try salvage a season barely underway. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)MIAMI The nightmarish first stop of the season for the Miami Marlins finally ended Sunday. With the affected players already back in the Miami, the healthy Marlins traveled to Baltimore, where they are scheduled to resume play Tuesday. Infected Marlins players and staff left Philadelphia in sleeper buses Friday and returned to Miami to quarantine there.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)DETROIT Trevor Bauer made short work of the Detroit Tigers, capping Major League Baseball's first seven-inning doubleheader with a shutout. We've had a tough time in these first ten days, and we've especially struggled against Detroit, Bell said. Bauer wasn't confirmed as the starter for the second game until he arrived at the park. At one point in the first game, Cincinnati starter Anthony DeSclafani forgot the teams were only playing seven innings. Tigers: Detroit has Monday off, then is scheduled to host four games in three days against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Down 8-1 in the seventh inning, the Reds cut it to 8-5 on Joey Vottos two-run single. Miley hit Kris Bryant with his second pitch, walked Rizzo, and gave up Wilson Contreras' double. Rizzo hit a solo homer in the sixth off Tejay Antone. Jesse Winker got the Reds' first hit an inning later, an RBI single off Rowan Wick. TRAINER'S ROOMCubs: Bryant, Rizzo, Contreras and Albert Almora Jr. were hit by pitches Rizzo twice but stayed in the game.

Detroit Tigers' JaCoby Jones reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Saturday, July 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)CINCINNATI Miguel Cabrera passed two superstars with a homer Saturday night, and JaCoby Jones hit a two-run shot in the ninth off Raisel Iglesias, rallying the Detroit Tigers to a 6-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The two RBIs boosted Cabrera past Hall-of-Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and into 25th place on the career RBI list with 1,696. Reds: The Reds placed infielder Matt Davidson on the 10-day injured list after he tested positive for COVID-19 and put catcher Tucker Barnhart on the three-day paternity list. Reds: RHP Trevor Bauer (combined 11-13 in 2019 with Cleveland and Cincinnati) makes his 20th career start against Detroit.

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2020, file photo, Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Amir Garrett leads other pitchers in sprints during spring training baseball workouts in Goodyear, Ariz. As one of only two Black players on the Cincinnati Reds, reliever Amir Garrett was afraid to use his platform to speak about racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)CINCINNATI With so few Black players in the major leagues, Cincinnati Reds reliever Amir Garrett was afraid to talk openly about racial discrimination. He saw what happened when Colin Kaepernick tried to focus attention on racial injustice the quarterback hasn't played again in the NFL. The Reds organized a Zoom session with diversity Saturday with Tru Pettigrew, an inclusion and diversity advocate . It really took a lot for me to get vulnerable with my teammates like that, Garrett said.

At Citi Field, Mets two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom ran sprints by himself in shallow right field, then grabbed his personal bag of baseballs to throw off a bullpen mound. Major League Baseball said the All-Star Game, scheduled for July 14 at Dodger Stadium, has been canceled. You have to come down to the field one way and back off the field another way, Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer said. When Rougned Odor pulled a home run into the right field seats in an intrasquad game, there was a smattering of applause. Im kind of expecting weird, expecting things to be different, manager Chris Woodward said later.