And That Happened: Thursday’s scores and highlights

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Orioles 3, White Sox 1: The Orioles win and, frankly, I’m going to credit playing at home. Yep, nothing like a home game. Makes all the difference.

And if you think for a minute I’m irrationally beating this into the ground, go take a gander at the NFL Industrial Complex’s collective and concerted moaning and complaining about last night’s Ravens game going down in Denver. Both official NFL PR people (more than one) and multiple NFL reporters and sycophants parroted talking points about the Orioles and Major League Baseball being intransigent or “making a stink” when it was, in fact, the NFL which made the stink and when, in fact, the Orioles game was scheduled first. All while conveniently ignoring that the NFL has never been willing to budge an inch for baseball when the situation was reversed. Also note that the AP photographers at the Orioles game last night took multiple pictures of empty seats at Camden Yards and the empty Ravens stadium next door. If you think for a second that word didn’t come down from NFL to their obedient scribes to play up “Orioles Mean!” talk in response to fan inquiries about why the Ravens weren’t opening at home, and if you didn’t think that the didn’t all obey, you’re nuts.

Red Sox 9, Yankees 8: It’s like Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS as seen through blurry glasses and with bad fundamental play around the edges. The Red Sox found themselves down to their last out with Mariano Rivera on the hill. Then a single, a pinch runner stealing a base and cruising to third when the catcher’s throw went skipping into the outfield followed by a Stephen Drew and things were all tied up. The tenth inning was spiked with a probably bad check-swing call from none other than Joe West — question: will check swings be reviewable next year? — and with new life Shane Victorino knocked in Jacoby Ellsbury.

Reds 6, Cardinals 2: Two homers for Todd Frazier as the Reds take three of four from St. Louis. It was the first series win for the Reds over the Cards in eight tries. The Reds are now a game and a half behind St. Louis for second place, three behind the Pirates.

Royals 7, Mariners 6: Big sloppy game won in large thanks to a big game from big Billy Butler, who went 5 for 5. Mike Moustakas had the 13th inning walkoff homer, however. The Royals had their chance to win it in the ninth as they led 6-5 with two outs before Raul Ibanez homered off Greg Holland to tie it. Holland had been pretty automatic before that, but Ibanez has those Lazarus Pits in his basement and stuff, so you know.

Diamondbacks 4, Giants 2: Interesting mostly because, with this loss, the Giants could be eliminated from NL West contention tonight. All that need happen is for the Dodgers to win in Cincinnati and the Giants to lose against the Dbacks. That’s technical elimination. The Giants have been effectively eliminated for months now.

Astros 3, Athletics 2: Brad Peacock took a shutout into the eighth inning, the A’s mounted a rally, but it fell short and they fell out of first place in the West. Speaking of Peacock, you should totally go read this story about the making of and history of the movie “Clue.” Which is an all-time guilty pleasure of mine. When people say they don’t like it it-it- the f – it -flam – flames. Flames, on the side of my face, breathing-breathl- heaving breaths. Heaving breaths… Heathing…

Angels 6, Rays 2: The Angels knocked 11 hits off of David Price and the Rays lost for the ninth time in their last 12 games. They maintain their 2.5 game lead over the Yankees for the wild card but, boy howdy, are they skidding.

MLB free agent watch: Ohtani leads possible 2023-24 class

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CHICAGO – The number will follow Shohei Ohtani until it is over. No, not Ohtani’s home runs or strikeouts or any of his magnificent numbers from the field. Nothing like that.

It’s all about how much. As in how much will his next contract be worth.

Ohtani is among several players going into their final seasons before they are eligible for free agency. There is still time for signatures and press conferences before opening day, but history shows a new contract becomes less likely once the real games begin.

There is no real precedent for placing a value on Ohtani’s remarkable skills, especially after baseball’s epic offseason spending spree. And that doesn’t factor in the potential business opportunities that go along with the majors’ only truly global star.

Ohtani hit .273 with 34 homers and 95 RBIs last season in his fifth year with the Los Angeles Angels. The 2021 AL MVP also went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA in 28 starts on the mound.

He prepared for this season by leading Japan to the World Baseball Classic championship, striking out fellow Angels star Mike Trout for the final out in a 3-2 victory over the United States in the final.

Ohtani, who turns 29 in July, could set multiple records with his next contract, likely in the neighborhood of a $45 million average annual value and quite possibly reaching $500 million in total.

If the Angels drop out of contention in the rough-and-tumble AL West, Ohtani likely becomes the top name on the trade market this summer. If the Angels are in the mix for the playoffs, the pressure builds on the team to get something done before possibly losing Ohtani in free agency for nothing more than a compensatory draft pick.

So yeah, definitely high stakes with Ohtani and the Angels.

Here is a closer look at five more players eligible for free agency after this season:

RHP Aaron Nola, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Nola, who turns 30 in June, went 11-13 with a 3.25 ERA in 32 starts for Philadelphia last year. He also had a career-best 235 strikeouts in 205 innings for the NL champions.

Nola was selected by the Phillies with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 amateur draft. There were extension talks during spring training, but it didn’t work out.

“We are very open-minded to trying to sign him at the end of the season,” President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski said. “We’re hopeful that he’ll remain a Phillie for a long time.”

3B Matt Chapman, TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Chapman hit 36 homers and drove in 91 runs for Oakland in 2019. He hasn’t been able to duplicate that production, but the three-time Gold Glover finished with 27 homers and 76 RBIs in 155 games last year in his first season with Toronto.

Chapman turns 30 on April 28. Long one of the game’s top fielding third basemen, he is represented by Scott Boras, who generally takes his clients to free agency.

OF TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ, SEATTLE MARINERS

Hernández was acquired in a November trade with Toronto. He hit .267 with 25 homers and 77 RBIs in his final year with the Blue Jays. He was terrific in 2021, batting .296 with 32 homers, 116 RBIs and a .870 OPS.

The change of scenery could help the 30-year-old Hernández set himself up for a big payday. He is a .357 hitter with three homers and seven RBIs in 16 games at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.

OF Ian Happ, CHICAGO CUBS

The switch-hitting Happ is coming off perhaps his best big league season, setting career highs with a .271 batting average, 72 RBIs and 42 doubles in 158 games. He also won his first Gold Glove and made the NL All-Star team for the first time.

Chicago had struggled to re-sign its own players in recent years, but it agreed to a $35 million, three-year contract with infielder Nico Hoerner on Monday. The 28-year-old Happ, a first-round pick in the 2015 amateur draft, is on the executive subcommittee for the players’ union.

LHP JULIO URÍAS, LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Urías, who turns 27 in August, likely will have plenty of suitors if he reaches free agency. He went 17-7 with an NL-low 2.16 ERA in 31 starts for the NL West champions in 2022, finishing third in NL Cy Young Award balloting. That’s after he went 20-3 with a 2.96 ERA in the previous season.

Urías also is a Boras client, but the Dodgers have one of the majors’ biggest payrolls. Los Angeles also could make a run at Ohtani, which could factor into its discussions with Urías’ camp.