Browsing: Kirk

With the Blue Jays heading out west for Game 3 of the World Series on Monday, Kirk arrives at Chavez Ravine emerging as the next star from Mexico who’s making history on baseballâ€s grandest stage.

With his Statcast-projected 403-foot two-run blast in Torontoâ€s Game 1 victory over the Dodgers on Friday night at Rogers Centre, Kirk became the first Mexican-born player to hit a World Series home run. It was the cherry atop a game for which he achieved national glory as the 18th player from Mexico to play in a World Series, the seventh position player — the first since the Yankees’ Karim Garcia in 2003 — and the first to appear as a catcher.

It was a moment that brought great joy to Tijuana, including to native Jorge Campillo, who, after pitching in the Majors with the Mariners and Braves from 2005-09, helped Kirk begin his journey into professional baseball by signing him as a 14-year-old to the Mexican Leagueâ€s Toros de Tijuana youth academy when Campillo was the teamâ€s director.

“Thereâ€s a lot of talent in Tijuana,†Campillo told MLB.com. “What heâ€s doing is not just historic for Tijuana; heâ€s making history for all of Mexico. Heâ€s a symbol of national pride.â€

This was just the latest “first” checked off by Kirk for his native land. In 2022, he was the first Mexican catcher to start in the All-Star Game. That Midsummer Classic also took place at Dodger Stadium, where Kirk shared a special moment with Valenzuela by catching the Dodgers legendâ€s ceremonial first pitch.

“For me, it was something very beautiful to be able to catch that first pitch from him in Los Angeles as a fellow Mexican,†Kirk recalled. “I didnâ€t grow up a Dodgers fan, but I know about all the Mexican people who root for the Dodgers and how big Mexico is for the team. … Itâ€s something I cherish a lot.â€

Now a two-time All-Star, Kirk is building his own legend by thriving on both sides of the ball.

In addition to setting career highs with 15 home runs and 76 RBIs during the regular season, Kirk also proved to be one of the toughest hitters to strike out: His 11.7 percent strikeout rate was the 11th lowest among all qualified Major League hitters.

Defensively, the 26-year-old backstop is a savior for Blue Jays pitchers, drawing rave reviews for his strong arm and elite blocking and pitch framing.

“Kirky does it on both sides,†said Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer. “Heâ€s back there grinding and calling a game. But heâ€s also lethal at throwing out baserunners. … His bat is such an important bat in our lineup. He can have long at-bats and hit the ball to all fields, and heâ€s a tough out. He means a lot to our ballclub.â€

To Campillo, the hitting aspect of Kirkâ€s game is nothing new. He considers Kirkâ€s bat “the best of any player†heâ€s worked with from a group that includes Rays All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda. During Campillo’s time as Tijuanaâ€s director, he watched a 15-year-old Kirk hit rockets in showcases against Cuban pitchers ranging from 18-21 years old who threw up to 94 mph. Kirk’s defense, however, is what has evolved mightily.

“Heâ€s a maestro on defense,†Campillo said. “Not many people talk about what he does behind the plate, but his framing, his arm, he does things I never thought he could do. I knew heâ€d be able to hit in the big leagues, but everything heâ€s developed on defense, itâ€s impressive.â€

Mexico has produced 152 Major League players. Mel Almada was the first in 1933, then came a greater influx of talent post-Valenzuela. What makes Kirk somewhat unique, though, is that heâ€s reaching stardom as a catcher.

Before Kirk, only a handful of Mexican catchers had played in the big leagues, the most notable being backups like Geronimo Gil and Humberto Cota. Kirk had to overcome a lot to get to this point, battling the doubts of prospective teams as an amateur due to his stocky frame before he finally signed with the Blue Jays in 2016 as an 18-year-old.

In some ways, Kirkâ€s journey was similar to that of Valenzuela, whose physique was a drawback for some teams that scouted him before the Dodgers eventually signed him as a teenager in 1979. Once Valenzuela broke through as a star, however, the path was laid for many pitchers from Mexico to reach the big leagues after him.

“After Fernandomania happened, teams came to Mexico and started to sign lefties who were a little overweight, thinking they might be the next Fernando Valenzuela,†Campillo said. “A lot of people say heâ€s a unicorn, but there could be more players like Kirk out there. Itâ€s about finding them. Kirk is helping the countryâ€s next generation of catchers to make sure teams believe in them. Heâ€s lifting Mexico to new heights.â€

Before that, though, El Capitan Kirk will look to help lift the Blue Jays to a World Series title in Fernandoâ€s old stomping grounds.

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SEATTLE – For a sprint like that, Alejandro Kirk needed a cooling-off period. Good thing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grabbed a towel in the dugout to fan the man who had, at the time, scored the go-ahead run, though the Blue Jays wound up losing 6-2 in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday at T-Mobile Park.

Facing Seattleâ€s Bryan Woo out of the bullpen for the first time this series as the All-Star starter returns from a pectoral injury, Kirk led off the sixth inning with a sharp double to the right-center-field wall, pushing hard for second base as right fielder Dominic Canzone fielded the ball off the wall.

Canzone in right field, rather than elite-fielding outfielder Victor Robles, is important. Because two batters later, postseason revelation Ernie Clement lined a single in front of Canzone in right.

Kirk was off and running.

The husky All-Star catcher who steals strikes behind the plate and scorches the ball at the plate is, well, not known for his speed. His 24.3 feet/second sprint speed this year was in the second percentile of MLB baserunners. Kirk had been the runner on second when a single was hit 11 times this season, and he hadnâ€t scored once. The last time he had was back on Aug. 22, 2024, against the Angels.

Kirk was rounding third when Canzone fielded the ball in right field a Statcast-projected 205 feet from the plate. But third-base coach Carlos Febles waved Kirk home, likely knowing Canzoneâ€s poor fielding metrics. The throw was not close, bringing Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh way up the third-base line as Kirk crossed home plate.

For Kirk, it was a long run but an important one as the Blue Jays took the lead. For Clement, who advanced to second on the throw, it was redemption for his previous at-bat in the fourth inning, when he hit into a double play on a tapper in front of the plate, ending a bases-loaded Blue Jays threat.

But that would be all the Blue Jays managed, pushing them to the brink of elimination with the Mariners leading, 3-2, as the series shifts back to Toronto on Sunday. If the Blue Jays are going to force a Game 7, theyâ€ll need more savvy offensive plays like Kirk and Clement combined for in the sixth Friday.

Itâ€s a sprint to the finish now.

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ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit has Indiana ranked as the No. 1 college football team just ahead of defending national champion Ohio State after the Hoosiers’ 30-20 road win at then-No. 3 Oregon last Saturday.

Herbstreit made his remarks on the Dan Patrick Show on Tuesday.

“They deserve all the credit in the world,” Herbstreit said in part. “In fact, this week I have them at No. 1 in the country, but just slightly ahead of Ohio State just because of what they did against Illinois and against Oregon, especially on the road in Oregon.”

Indiana crushed (then) No. 9 Illinois 63-10 on Sept. 20 and followed that up three weeks later with a statement win over the Ducks.

The Hoosiers showcased their resiliency in that one after quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw a pick-six that helped tie the game at 20 early in the fourth quarter.

However, Mendoza then led Indiana on a 12-play, 75-yard drive capped by an eight-yard touchdown toss to Elijah Sarratt. Indiana intercepted Oregon quarterback Dante Moore twice down the stretch, and in between, Hoosiers kicker Brendan Franke knocked home a 22-yard field goal for the 30-20 lead.

Right now, Indiana is ranked third in the Associated Press poll behind No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Miami. Ohio State received 50 first-place votes, while Miami had 13 and Indiana received three.

The Hoosiers have made a dramatic rise up the poll after starting the year at 20th.

Led by head coach Curt Cignetti and Mendoza, a Heisman Trophy candidate, the Hoosiers have started the 2025 season with a 6-0 record.

The Hoosiers could also very well finish this season 12-0 and roll into the Big Ten Championship Game. Only one of the remaining six teams on their schedule, 4-2 Maryland, has a winning record.

Indiana will look to keep it rolling on Saturday when the team hosts Michigan State.

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Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris benched quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in favor of Kirk Cousins in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers, but Morris has no plans of taking Penix’s starting role.

After the game, Morris told reporters “no” when asked if Cousins would compete for the starting job this week. He added that “the game was out of hand” and wanted to keep his starters “out of harm’s way,” which is why he pulled Penix.

Penix struggled in the 30-0 loss, completing 18 of his 36 passes for 172 yards with two interceptions. That performance came a week after he had just 135 passing yards against the Minnesota Vikings. The former No. 8 overall pick started off the year strong with 298 passing yards and a touchdown in Week 1, but he’s left much to be desired ever since.

“I’m never OK with not playing,” Penix told reporters. “At the end of the day, I listened to my head coach, and he did what he felt was best for the team and the decision that was made by him. So, I’ve got to respect it, and I’ve got to be there to support Kirk whenever he is out there. He does that for me.”

Cousins, who made his first appearance of the season, completed 5-of-7 passes for 29 yards.

Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million fully guaranteed ahead of the 2024 season, before the Falcons selected Penix. The veteran quarterback started last season but struggled tremendously, throwing for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He was benched for Penix in December.

Now Cousins serves as Penix’s backup after Atlanta kept him around this offseason, and Morris made it clear that Cousins will remain the backup quarterback moving forward.

As for Penix, the second-year quarterback will look to shake off a few bad games and prove he’s deserving of the starting gig.

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Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins isn’t unanimously viewed as an impactful contributor under center within the league, according to…

A number of NFL teams are going to have to rely on their backup quarterbacks in Week 3, but don’t expect the Atlanta Falcons to entertain trade offers for their own backup, Kirk Cousins, at the moment.

“So I reached out to some people, and I don’t get the sense that Atlanta’s moving Cousins right now,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported during Monday’s Scoop City podcast (11:47 mark).

Injuries are certainly piling up at the quarterback position around the NFL:

Whether Cousins would even be a meaningful upgrade over any of those players at this stage in his career is another question entirely. The 37-year-old threw for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 14 games last season, taking 28 sacks and completing 66.9 percent of his passes.

In a five-game stretch between Nov. 10 and Dec. 16, Cousins was absolutely dreadful, throwing just one touchdown pass to nine interceptions. The Falcons were 1-4 in those contests and went from leading the NFC South at 6-3 to a .500 record and trailing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cousins was benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. after that five-game stretch and the Falcons ultimately missed the playoffs, closing the season with a pair of overtime losses.

Atlanta would have eaten $65 million in dead money had it released Cousins this offseason, either counting entirely against its books in 2025 or as $40 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026 had he released with a post-June 1 designation.

Trading him would have left them on the hook for $37.5 million in remaining proration (and it’s likely they would have needed to eat some salary as well in a deal). Instead, the Falcons decided to keep him on the books as Penix’s backup, and for now it appears they plan to maintain that current setup.

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Charlie Kirk death at 31 after being shot during a speaking event in Utah sparked a response across the sports…

Rangers are close to sealing an £8m deal for Everton striker Youssef Chermiti. (Scottish Sun), externalRangers face competition for Marseille…