Welcome to the roundup of must-see sports news from Sunday, highlighted by Marcus Stroman being traded in a surprise pre-deadline deal to the Mets, Brooks Koepka continuing his dominance this season with a World Golf Championship win and video of Indians’ pitcher Trevor Bauer angrily launching a ball over the outfield fence from the mound.
All this and more as we kick off a new week and get you up to speed with the sports world on this Monday!
Mets Acquire All-Star Marcus Stroman in Surprising Pre-Deadline Move
One of the last teams that analysts would have expected to make a move to acquire an All-Star before the trade deadline, the New York Mets, did just so on Sunday, landing starting pitcher Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays in return for two top pitching prospects.
The Mets, who will begin this week five games under .500 and trailing seven teams in the National League Wild Card race, were long expected to and still very well may be sellers by Wednesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline. One of the biggest names swirling in the deadline’s rumor mill over the last week has been Mets’ starter Noah Syndergaard, who remains to be seen if he’ll be dealt.
In joining the Mets, Stroman will be making a homecoming, as he grew up in Long Island. The 28-year-old sported a 2.96 ERA in 21 starts for Toronto this season and made his first All-Star team. Stroman’s acquired contract will leave him under team control through the end of 2020, so he appears to be in the Mets’ plans through next season.
“Marcus is a dynamic talent who will bring tremendous passion to our team and energy our fans will truly appreciate,” Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said on Sunday. “As a Long Island native, we believe that Marcus will thrive playing in New York.”
Stroman took to Twitter on Sunday night to express his excitement of coming to New York:
Van Wagenen and the Mets parted ways with Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson, their fourth- and sixth-ranked prospects.
Will the organization use a piece like Syndergaard or another one of their starting pitchers like Zack Wheeler to restock their compromised farm system? It’s going to be a very interesting next few days for fans of the orange and blue.
Brooks Koepka Wins First World Golf Championship Event, Clinches Regular Season Wyndham Rewards Title
Sunday was quite the culmination of a season’s worth of work for four-time major champion Brooks Koepka, who captured his first World Golf Championship event, and in doing so clinched the $2 million regular-season Wyndham Rewards title. In addition to that, Koepka is all but a lock to secure an additional $1 million for winning the season’s Aon Risk Reward Challenge.
Following his trip back from The Open Championship, Koepka was under the weather this week and arrived only 45 minutes before teeing it up in the final group on Sunday, where he began the day one stroke back of Rory McIlroy.
“It doesn’t affect your play. It doesn’t affect me hitting a golf ball. I mean, I don’t feel good. I haven’t felt good all week, but I don’t want to make an excuse, I’m not trying to complain. Just get on with it. People go to work sick all the time,” Koepka said.
The heavyweight duel between two of the top three ranked players in the world never really formulated, as Koepka took the lead on the fifth hole and never looked back, shooting a bogey-free 5-under par 65 to post a winning score of 16-under par. Meanwhile, McIlroy would go on to shoot a 1-over par 71 and finished five strokes back. The 2018 Players Champion Webb Simpson shot a final round 64 to finish in solo second, three shots back of Koepka.
With the win at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind in Memphis on Sunday, Koepka now has three titles this season, adding to his wins at the PGA Championship and last fall’s THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES.
The number one ranked Koepka will now turn his attention on the FedExCup Playoffs, where he has yet to play his best, finishing a career-best ninth last year. The first of three tournaments in the playoff rotation, THE NORTHERN TRUST, will begin on Thursday, August 8th at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.
VIRAL MOMENT THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: Indians Pitcher Launches Ball Over Centerfield Wall From Mound Before Getting Pulled
So, um Bauer is really reaaaaaally unhappy. Holy cow. 😬#AlwaysRoyal
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer often plays the game wearing his heart on his sleeve and he really let things boil over on Sunday.
Bauer took a two-run lead into the bottom of the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals when things became undone. Indians centerfielder Oscar Mercado lost a ball in the sun, Bauer was unable to execute an out on a ball hit in front of home plate and then unraveled to give up the lead.
The 28-year-old, who has been the subject of trade rumors with this week’s deadline approaching, then reached his breaking point. When manager Terry Francona made his way out to lift Bauer from the game, the pitcher immediately turned and launched the ball over the centerfield fence, about 375 feet from the mound.
Bauer spoke to reporters after the game and apologized for his actions:
Trevor Bauer opened with an apology before taking any questions after throwing a ball over the center-field wall out of frustration in today’s game:
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES: Rounding Up the Top Sports Headlines
A.J. Green expected to miss 6-8 weeks for @Bengals after suffering torn ankle ligaments. #NFL t.co/U07ttFZkjB
- Bengal’s A.J. Green likely to be out 6-8 weeks with torn ligaments in left ankle
- American swimmer Caeleb Dressel surpasses Michael Phelps, takes home a record eight medals at the World Championships
- Twenty-two-year-old Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal becomes youngest Tour de France winner since World War II
- Denny Hamlin wins for fifth time at Pocono Raceway
- American Dalilah Muhammad breaks 16-year-old 400m hurdles world record
WHAT’S ON TAP IN THE SPORTS WORLD
Logan Riely/Getty ImagesWith the NL East lead down to 5.5 games, the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals face off in an important three-game series this week.
MLB: Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals have climbed back into the NL East race and get their chance to move even closer this week, as they take on the division-leading Atlanta Braves in a three-game series that gets underway on Monday night. The Braves lead is now down to 5.5 games as they travel to Washington for the important series with their division rival.
When: Monday, 7:05 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
MLB TRADE DEADLINE
Who will make the next big move as Major League Baseball’s trade deadline approaches? Two top of the rotation starters, Noah Syndergaard and Trevor Bauer, remain at the forefront of the deadline rumor mill.
When: Wednesday, 4 p.m. ET
Missed Yesterday’s Roundup? Click here for it.
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Your Must-See Sports Headlines for Today, July 29