The Week Ahead: A Puerto Rican hero goes home - MLB

There has been a lot of focus on Bobby Valentine as potentially being the next manager of the Florida Marlins, but lost in the shuffle is the interesting story of Marlins interim manager Edwin Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who was promoted from the Marlins Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans just a week ago to replace the fired Fredi Gonzalez, is the first Puerto Rican to manage in the big leagues.

This seems surprising enough given Puerto Rico’s baseball heritage, but it’s true. And in an even cooler twist, Rodriguez will get to return home as a big league manager this week when his Marlins take on the New York Mets in a three-game series in San Juan starting on Monday.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has been noncommittal when discussing his team’s manager situation, saying “right now Edwin is the manager. We’ll see what happens.” Rodriguez appears to be well aware that his position is tenuous at best, and just plans to enjoy the ride while he can.

Rodriguez says he’s flattered merely to have the chance to be part of a history-making event for his country.

It’s the third time the Marlins — who have a large Latin following — have played a regular-season series in San Juan. They took two of three games from the Montreal Expos in 2003, then swept the Expos in 2004.

“I’m just excited to go there and share this moment with the country,” Rodriguez said. “For many, many years, baseball people in Puerto Rico, they were questioning who’s going to be the first and not only who, when it’s going to happen. I think that’s why it’s so important for the people in Puerto Rico.”

Rodriguez’s home is actually closer to San Juan’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium than the hotel where the Marlins will be staying, so this will be a true homecoming.

Ticket sales have reportedly been brisk since it became evident that Puerto Ricans could see one of their own calling the shots in a big-league dugout for the first time, and the significance isn’t lost on the Florida clubhouse.

“We can’t quite grasp the anticipation or the excitement that he’s going through right now,” Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla said. “Everyone dreams about going home and playing. It’s got to be a very exciting time for him, and we’re all very excited for him.”

Let’s hope Loria can hold off on naming a permanent manager for a few days and let Rodriguez enjoy this moment. Unless, of course, he wants to hire Rodriguez.

FIVE SERIES TO WATCH
Phillies at Reds, June 28-30: Cincinnati keeps hanging in there, holding the slimmest of edges atop the NL Central. The Phillies are in third place in the NL East, but are 11-3 against NL Central teams. Things could get interesting in a hurry.

Dodgers at Giants, June 28-30: This intense rivalry is always entertaining, even more so though when both teams are in contention. The teams enter the week battling for second place, within shouting distance of the San Diego Padres.

Rays at Red Sox, June 29-30: It’s only a two-game series, but it’s a big one as both teams try to jockey for the No. 2 spot behind the Yankees in the AL East. The Rays are looking to regain their hitting strokes after a rough week that saw a dugout confrontation between B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria.

Rangers at Angels, June 29-July 1: The Angels have been resurging of late, trying to get back to the top of the AL West. But the Rangers enter the week with a four-game lead and are playing even better. This will be a true test for both teams.

Brewers at Cardinals, July 1-4: The Brewers don’t appear to have the talent to truly contend, but they undoubtedly wouldn’t mind causing some harm to their rivals’ chances in this four-game series.

ON THE TUBE
Monday, 7:10 p.m. ET: Nationals at Braves (ESPN2)
Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.: Mets at Marlins (ESPN2)
*Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: Rays at Twins (FOX)
*Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: Marlins at Braves (FOX)
*Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: Mets at Nationals (FOX)
Sunday, 8:15 p.m.: Royals at Angels (ESPN)
*Check local listings

And for those of you who have asked for a schedule of MLB Network games, you may find that here.

Are you on Twitter? You can follow Bob here, and get all your HBT updates here.

Lost in all the excitement over Bobby Valentine’s potential return to managing has been the interesting story of Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez, the first Puerto Rican to manage in the big leagues. He’ll return home this week as the Marlins face the Mets in San Juan.

WASHINGTON (AP) Lane Thomas singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals sent the Philadelphia Phillies to their fifth straight loss, winning 8-7 after blowing a six-run lead.

The defending NL champion Phillies have just five victories in their last 18 games and are tied with the Nationals at the bottom of the NL East at 25-32.

“We’ve got to overcome it,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ve got to play better, get consistent in all phases and keep moving forward.”

Alex Call drew a two-out walk against Connor Brogdon (2-1) in the eighth, stole second on a low pitch that catcher JT Realmuto couldn’t make a throw on and scored on Thomas’ single to right center.

“The way Lane’s swinging the bat, if you can get on second base, we can win the game,” Call said. “I look over and the ball’s in the dirt, he doesn’t catch it. Now I’m saying: ‘All right, Lane. Come on!’”

Kyle Finnegan (3-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the victory, stranding the tying run on second in the ninth.

Nick Castellanos homered twice, singled, doubled and drove in five runs for Philadelphia, which had scored just three runs in its past three games.

“There’s definitely a lot of positives as a group,” Castellanos said. “Showing some fight. It would have been really, really easy to lay down and allow the way the game started to be the way that it finished.”

Down 7-1 after four innings, Philadelphia tied it at 7 in the eighth. Brandon Marsh worked a nine-pitch walk against Mason Thompson leading off, and Drew Ellis singled with one out. Finnegan came on to face Kyle Schwarber, who hit a ground ball up the middle. Shortstop CJ Abrams fielded it behind it behind second base, touched second for one out, but threw wildly to first and Marsh came home with the tying run.

Castellanos’s second homer, a two-run shot to center in the sixth, pulled the Phillies to 7-3 and Marsh added an RBI single in the inning.

In the seventh, Schwarber doubled with one out and Bryson Scott reached on an infield single. Hunter Harvey came on and walked Bryce Harper to load the bases. Castellanos singled to center scoring two runs to make it 7-6.

Luis Garcia homered and Jeimer Candelario doubled twice and drove in three runs for the Nationals, who have won seven of 12.

Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler, coming off eight shutout innings against Atlanta, allowed seven runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

“This one’s on me really,” Wheeler said. “Guys battled back. Just couldn’t finish it out. We know who we have in this room and what we’ve got to do.”

Josiah Gray gave up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings for Washington.

Candelario doubled just beyond the reach of left fielder Schwarber to drive in the first of Washington’s two runs in the first.

In the second, Abrams hit a one-out drive to deep center that Marsh misplayed into a double. With two outs and two on, Candelario doubled off the wall in right center to make it 5-0.

Garcia ended Wheeler’s night with a solo homer in the fourth.

“When you come out the way we did, you’ve got to tack on,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “It didn’t happen tonight, but we got one more than the other guys.”

CANDY MAN

Candelario is 9 for 26 (.346) with four doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, five walks, and seven runs scored in his last seven games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: Thomson said RHP Taijuan Walker played catch Friday and there are “no worries about his next start.” In a four-inning outing against the Mets on Thursday, Walker’s sinker velocity averaged 90.6 mph, down from 92.7 mph for the season. His fastball, splitter and curveball velocity also dropped.

Nationals: OF Victor Robles (back spasms) took batting practice on the field for the first time since going on the injured list. … LHP Sean Doolittle (elbow) gave up a run on two hits and struck out two batters in 2/3 of an inning working his second straight night for Class A Fredericksburg.

UP NEXT

Phillies: LHP Matt Strahm (4-3, 3.20) will start a bullpen game on Saturday.

Nationals: LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 3.57) went seven innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters in his previous outing – a no decision against the Royals.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports