Carlos Gastelum, shown here managing the Naranjeros de Hermosillo, took over as manager of the Toros de Tijuana. (Photo by Norte Photo/Getty Images)
Carlos Gastelum was handed the reigns of the Toros de Tijuana July 26, taking over the club with just six regular season games on the schedule.
Gastelum took over for Dan Firova, who led the Toros to a 46-40 record. The move appears to have spurred the Toros to mount a charge, as they swept a three-game set from the Caliente de Durango over the weekend.
Gastelum started the season as manager of the Tigres de Quintana Roo but was fired on June 10 after the Tigres got off to a bad start. He rejoined the Toros after serving as a coach during the 2023 season.
Carlos Gastélum nuevo mánager del equipo. https://t.co/lQSuEZC3l1
— Toros De Tijuana 🐃 (@TorosDeTijuana) July 26, 2024
Tijuana is currently 49-40, holding on to fifth place in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol‘s Zona Norte. They face the 33-57 Dorados de Chihuahua for their final three games of the regular season, and could potentially finish anywhere from first to seventh in the Zona Norte, depending upon the results of the final series.
Bravos de Leon Mourn Moronta – Former Major League pitcher Reyes Moronta died Sunday in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic at the age of 31.
Moronta, a 5-foot-10, 265-pound right-hander, played in 177 MLB games with the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Los Angeles Angels from 2017-23, posting a career ERA of 3.05 in 171 1/3 innings of work, all in relief.
Last season, Moronta began the year with the Diablos Rojos del Mexico, appearing in eight games with a 2.35 ERA over 7.2 innings of work in relief before signing with the Los Angeles Angels. He elected free agency at the end of the 2023 season and returned to Mexico this season, pitching for the Bravos de Leon, where he threw 19 2/3 innings with a 8.69 ERA in 19 appearances, earning four saves.
⚫️Lamentamos profundamente la partida de Reyes Moronta. Deseamos a familia y amigos encuentren pronta resignación ante esta noticia.
Un abrazo hasta el cielo 🕊️. pic.twitter.com/BM54bbfVSe
— Bravos de León (@NacimosBravos) July 29, 2024
Moronta was driving a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, when the crash occurred. He had signed with the Aguilas Cibaenas of LIDOM, who play in Santiago de los Caballeros, for the 2024-25 winter ball season. He had previously appeared in LIDOM with the Leones del Escogido and the Gigantes del Cibao.
The Playoff Picture Is As Clear As Mud – Seven teams, including the Toros de Tijuana, remain in the hunt for the Zona Norte’s six playoff spots, and six of the seven teams still standing can still win the division. Only the Saraperos de Saltillo, in seventh place with a record of 43-46 and 10 games back of first-place Monterrey, cannot finish first.
The Sultanes de Monterrey (52-35) have clinched a playoff berth and are atop the division – for now, at least – and could finish anywhere from first to fifth. Nipping at their heels are the second-place Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos (52-38), who are one and a half games back. The Tecos visit Monterrey for the final series of the regular season this week.
The Acereros de Monclova and Algodoneros de Union Laguna are tied for third in the Zona Norte at 50-38. Both clubs could finish between second and fifth place. Saltillo visits Union Laguna for the final three-game set, while Monclova goes on the road to play the Rieleros de Aguascalientes this week.
Aguascalientes (46-42) holds the final playoff spot, three and a half games ahead of Saltillo, and could finish as high as fifth or as low as seventh, which would push them out of the playoffs.
In the Zona Sur, six teams remain alive for the final five playoff berths, with the Diablos Rojos del Mexico (68-19) having long ago clinched the division title.
The Conspiradores de Queretaro (48-37) hold second place, one and a half games ahead of the Leones de Yucatan (45-37). The Pericos de Puebla and El Aguila de Veracruz are tied for fourth at 44-42, with the Guerreros de Oaxaca (44-43) and Olmecas de Tabasco (45-44) a half game out of fourth.
In the final series of the regular season, Queretaro hosts the Piratas de Campeche (31-53), Yucatan hosts the Diablos Rojos, Puebla hosts Oaxaca, and Tabasco travels to Veracruz.
The playoffs begin Saturday, August 3.
You can watc the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol on YoutubeTV
