1 day ago
The lopsided pitching matchup didn't materialize, but it turned out not to matter, as big bats beat big arms.
As he crossed into more innings than he had pitched all of last season (134) Sean Burke had his worst start since June 13, giving up four earned runs on five hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings that took him 72 pitches. His velocity was off a couple of ticks and his command wasn't terrific, either. The first and biggest blow was a two-run triple in the second on Brett Callahan's first major league pitch. Callahan then was knocked in on a Max Clark single to make it 3-0 (Callahan's next time up he was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Adam Beck on a clear ball, but his attempt at a challenge was declared too late by Beck, who had a terrible day overall.)
The Sox got one run back on a Tristan Peters opposite-field pop-up ground-rule double (those corners in Comerica are really short) and two grounders. The Tigers got it back to 4-1 on an opposite-field homer off Sam Antonacci's glove by Colt Keith in the third, then in the fifth they learned why the dreaded leadoff walk is so dreaded: Tigers starter Drew Anderson, at his highest pitch count all year, pinned Peters down 0-2 then threw four straight ****** , followed by a slider that didn't slide that Drew Romo slid 386 feet to right to make it 4-3.
A Randal Grichuk pinch-double and Colson Montgomery broken-bat single in the sixth tied the game. Next, Tigers lefty reliever Todd Holton again proved the dreaded-leadoff-walk rule by giving Antonacci (who doesn't hit lefties well) a five-pitch pass and following that by setting one on a tee for Munetaka Murakami, only to see it land 393 feet away. Make it 6-4, White Sox.
The Tigers cut it to 6-5 in the seventh when Dillon Dingler broke an 0-for-29 slump with a double to score Gleyber Torres, at which point Mune proved he's not just another pretty bat:
#drew
As he crossed into more innings than he had pitched all of last season (134) Sean Burke had his worst start since June 13, giving up four earned runs on five hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings that took him 72 pitches. His velocity was off a couple of ticks and his command wasn't terrific, either. The first and biggest blow was a two-run triple in the second on Brett Callahan's first major league pitch. Callahan then was knocked in on a Max Clark single to make it 3-0 (Callahan's next time up he was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Adam Beck on a clear ball, but his attempt at a challenge was declared too late by Beck, who had a terrible day overall.)
The Sox got one run back on a Tristan Peters opposite-field pop-up ground-rule double (those corners in Comerica are really short) and two grounders. The Tigers got it back to 4-1 on an opposite-field homer off Sam Antonacci's glove by Colt Keith in the third, then in the fifth they learned why the dreaded leadoff walk is so dreaded: Tigers starter Drew Anderson, at his highest pitch count all year, pinned Peters down 0-2 then threw four straight ****** , followed by a slider that didn't slide that Drew Romo slid 386 feet to right to make it 4-3.
A Randal Grichuk pinch-double and Colson Montgomery broken-bat single in the sixth tied the game. Next, Tigers lefty reliever Todd Holton again proved the dreaded-leadoff-walk rule by giving Antonacci (who doesn't hit lefties well) a five-pitch pass and following that by setting one on a tee for Munetaka Murakami, only to see it land 393 feet away. Make it 6-4, White Sox.
The Tigers cut it to 6-5 in the seventh when Dillon Dingler broke an 0-for-29 slump with a double to score Gleyber Torres, at which point Mune proved he's not just another pretty bat:
#drew
1 day ago
Today, on August 16th, it feels like the Yankees' offense is in such a hole that the prospect of a deep postseason run—this team's ultimate goal—is as unlikely a proposition as one could hope for. Ultimately, though, no matter how real these issues are, we know that there is an element of a local low in a 162-game season that won't last. In the meantime, these struggles could easily snowball into problems for the few healthy standouts in the Yankees lineup this season. Specifically speaking, Ben Rice and George Lombard Jr.
Carrying on the success of last season's breakout campaign, Rice is now indisputably one of the more powerful hitters in the American League in 2026. Early in the year, with a fully healthy lineup, Rice was legitimately producing like one of the MVP candidates, but that has changed since the start of June. As much as we could dive into those struggles, ***** uming we're confident of his long-term abilities, the focus here is on addressing a change in expectations and need.
Inadvertently suffering from the absence of Aaron Judge and the way pitchers can attack him because of it—from a psychological standpoint—Rice, for the first time in his career, is dealing with the pressure of anchoring a lineup. He is the one, in the current situation, the only one, in this lineup that opposing teams single out to create a plan of attack.
While the worst performers in this lineup seem to test the limits of this theory, frustration may only come from a place of expectation. Having seen what Rice can do at his best, a 4-for-40 run with which he starts August all of a sudden is under a microscope that it otherwise wouldn't have been had the team not been slumping this badly, offensively.
Sure, Rice is the type of hitter that could go on a tear at any moment; in fact, we saw that right around the All-Star Break, but his production shined the most when inserted into a context completely different from the one he is currently in. A potential failure to raise his game even further in this moment should not be held against him, especially when you address that on paper, this lineup, even in its current construction, should not be struggling this much. Asking ***** iot Ramos to mash lefties, Trent Grisham to get on base often, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. to do something are all far more reasonable requests than having Rice carry the lineup on his back. Yes, fairness is often brushed to the side in the cruel reality of high-level sports, but the healthiest course of action for this team's success moving forward lies in acknowledging all of this.
#rice #like
Carrying on the success of last season's breakout campaign, Rice is now indisputably one of the more powerful hitters in the American League in 2026. Early in the year, with a fully healthy lineup, Rice was legitimately producing like one of the MVP candidates, but that has changed since the start of June. As much as we could dive into those struggles, ***** uming we're confident of his long-term abilities, the focus here is on addressing a change in expectations and need.
Inadvertently suffering from the absence of Aaron Judge and the way pitchers can attack him because of it—from a psychological standpoint—Rice, for the first time in his career, is dealing with the pressure of anchoring a lineup. He is the one, in the current situation, the only one, in this lineup that opposing teams single out to create a plan of attack.
While the worst performers in this lineup seem to test the limits of this theory, frustration may only come from a place of expectation. Having seen what Rice can do at his best, a 4-for-40 run with which he starts August all of a sudden is under a microscope that it otherwise wouldn't have been had the team not been slumping this badly, offensively.
Sure, Rice is the type of hitter that could go on a tear at any moment; in fact, we saw that right around the All-Star Break, but his production shined the most when inserted into a context completely different from the one he is currently in. A potential failure to raise his game even further in this moment should not be held against him, especially when you address that on paper, this lineup, even in its current construction, should not be struggling this much. Asking ***** iot Ramos to mash lefties, Trent Grisham to get on base often, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. to do something are all far more reasonable requests than having Rice carry the lineup on his back. Yes, fairness is often brushed to the side in the cruel reality of high-level sports, but the healthiest course of action for this team's success moving forward lies in acknowledging all of this.
#rice #like
2 days ago
I hope you all will forgive me for spending a portion of my Saturday mornings sorting through various somewhat bleak baseball things in preparation for the coming recap. For instance, today I found myself roaming around looking at the recent game logs for Harrison Grant Holmes and comparing them those of Eduardo Rodriguez (Holmes had a better run recently, at least until today), and then looking at how the Braves as a team hit versus left-handed pitching (10th in the majors, as opposed to 8th vs. right-handers). The Diamondbacks, incidentally, are 2nd in the majors facing lefties, at least in terms of OPS, which was nice to see. But Grant Holmes is not a lefty, so I scrolled down to see how we do against righties, and discovered the rather depressing fact that we rank 29th in the majors in OPS against right-handed pitching. I tend to try to look for something interesting that I could touch on and organize my thinking around, in case a Saturday game goes badly for us, as it feels like they often do.
Anyway. As it turns out, I didn't really need to, though it certainly didn't look like it was going to be that way in the early going. Holmes caught leadoff man Lars Nootbaar looking to start off the game, then got Corbin Carroll to pop out on the infield and Geraldo Perdomo to strike out swinging on three pitches to make short work of the Snakes in the top of the first. Everyone's favorite hologram then came on for the bottom of the frame and gave up hits to the first three batters he faced: a home run to absolutely straightaway center field to Ronald Acuña, Jr., followed by a double to Drake Baldwin and a maddening bloop single just behind shortstop that fell in and advanced Baldwin to third. ERod finally recorded his first out on an Ozzie Albies pop fly to shallow right, but Baldwin crossed the plate on a grounder to second. That wound up being all the damage done, but we were already in a hole and Rodriguez had already thrown 24 pitches. 2-0 Atlanta
Given our dismal 0 for 14 performance last night with runners in scoring position, and given how easily Holmes had disposed of the top of our lineup in the top of the first, it seemed like we were in a very deep hole. But the bottom two thirds of the lineup, perhaps shamed by yesterday's aforementioned dismal performance, were having none of it today. Gabriel Moreno drewa five-pitch walk to lead things off, and was promptly advanced to third by a Max Kepler double into the alley in right center that rolled to the wall. Nolan Arenado grounded out slowly to third, allowing Moreno to score. Then Tim Tawa grounded a single to left, driving in Kepler and tying things back up. But we weren't done! Ildemaro Vargas, starting at second today due to Ketel Marte's gimpy knee, rolled over to second for the second out, but then Ryan Waldschmidt hit an opposite field liner to right that dropped for a single and scored Tawa from second. 3-2 DBACKS
And it was basically off to the races after that. ERod surrendered a
Anyway. As it turns out, I didn't really need to, though it certainly didn't look like it was going to be that way in the early going. Holmes caught leadoff man Lars Nootbaar looking to start off the game, then got Corbin Carroll to pop out on the infield and Geraldo Perdomo to strike out swinging on three pitches to make short work of the Snakes in the top of the first. Everyone's favorite hologram then came on for the bottom of the frame and gave up hits to the first three batters he faced: a home run to absolutely straightaway center field to Ronald Acuña, Jr., followed by a double to Drake Baldwin and a maddening bloop single just behind shortstop that fell in and advanced Baldwin to third. ERod finally recorded his first out on an Ozzie Albies pop fly to shallow right, but Baldwin crossed the plate on a grounder to second. That wound up being all the damage done, but we were already in a hole and Rodriguez had already thrown 24 pitches. 2-0 Atlanta
Given our dismal 0 for 14 performance last night with runners in scoring position, and given how easily Holmes had disposed of the top of our lineup in the top of the first, it seemed like we were in a very deep hole. But the bottom two thirds of the lineup, perhaps shamed by yesterday's aforementioned dismal performance, were having none of it today. Gabriel Moreno drewa five-pitch walk to lead things off, and was promptly advanced to third by a Max Kepler double into the alley in right center that rolled to the wall. Nolan Arenado grounded out slowly to third, allowing Moreno to score. Then Tim Tawa grounded a single to left, driving in Kepler and tying things back up. But we weren't done! Ildemaro Vargas, starting at second today due to Ketel Marte's gimpy knee, rolled over to second for the second out, but then Ryan Waldschmidt hit an opposite field liner to right that dropped for a single and scored Tawa from second. 3-2 DBACKS
And it was basically off to the races after that. ERod surrendered a
6 days ago
The Seattle Mariners have stuck a fork trident in themselves. And yet, they must continue. 43 games stand between Seattle and the finish line. Laying an egg on a crucial and emotionally charged homestand means the Mariners now enter their most daunting road trip of the season needing a swathe of unlikely victories to bring any semblance of expectations back to their season. That starts tonight at Yankee Stadium, where the battered Bronx Bombers lurk in a measured kinship with the M's in resentment of the surging Tampa Bay Rays.
Get prepared for this three game set with the Series Preview from Jake and Isabelle here.
Series Preview: Mariners (56-63) at Yankees (66-52)
The absence of Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger has undercut the overwhelming nature of the Yankees lineup, but the arrival of Luis Garcia Jr. from the Nationals at the trade deadline, along with lefty-killer Heliot Ramos and rookie George Lombard Jr., has kept the forces behind Benito Arroz formidable. Seattle will face two lefties this series, starting with Ryan Weathers whose groundball stuff has been highly effective as a back of the rotation arm for New York.
First Pitch: 4:05 pm PDT
#Seattle
Get prepared for this three game set with the Series Preview from Jake and Isabelle here.
Series Preview: Mariners (56-63) at Yankees (66-52)
The absence of Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger has undercut the overwhelming nature of the Yankees lineup, but the arrival of Luis Garcia Jr. from the Nationals at the trade deadline, along with lefty-killer Heliot Ramos and rookie George Lombard Jr., has kept the forces behind Benito Arroz formidable. Seattle will face two lefties this series, starting with Ryan Weathers whose groundball stuff has been highly effective as a back of the rotation arm for New York.
First Pitch: 4:05 pm PDT
#Seattle
7 days ago
The wins are rare and not so easily attained for the Dodgers at this specific moment in the season. And hosting the Royals, it took all that this team had to outlast the opposition in a 6-5 victory in a back-and-forth matchup with multiple lead changes, ultimately decided on a Freddie Freeman RBI single.
Allowing a run in the first, Tarik Skubal didn't deliver a lights-out performance, but how a pitcher handles outings with some form of adversity can often be the true measure of him. The Royals were relatively lucky to get on the board early on with a softly hit single from Nick Loftin that found the right spot—followed by an RBI knock from Jac Caglianone on a groundball that should've found a Dodger glove but didn't, as Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts didn't react well enough to make a play. Those two singles were enough for the run because once Bobby Witt Jr. replaced Loftin on the basepaths after a forceout, he showed off his speed by swiftly stealing second, his AL-leading 32nd SB.
It would not be the only time Caglianone would hurt Skubal, as a couple of innings later, he would hit a two-run shot on a hanging slider to hand the Royals a 3-0 lead. What was particular about that at-bat was the unpredictable attack plan of Skubal versus Caglianone, with the slider being the fifth different pitch he threw to Caglianone. The problem is that unpredictability can only do so much if hangers are coming to the plate.
Laboring a bit more than he is used to per inning, Skubal established a very high pitch count in the first few frames, allowing him to just complete five, not before getting the final laugh on Caglianone, though. Caglianone came up to the plate with two on and two out in the fifth with the chance to do the most damage in this one. Skubal gave him a recipe of nothing but heaters that laid the groundwork for a strike three swinging on a changeup down and in, a dangerous pitch to throw to the tall lefty, but one that worked out.
Chasing the game from the start, the Dodgers didn't spend a lot of time trailing by those three runs, answering the Royals' two-run third with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. The lefties provided the big hits against Noah Cameron as a Shohei Ohtani RBI double was followed by a Freddie Freeman single to make it 3-2.
#freddie
Allowing a run in the first, Tarik Skubal didn't deliver a lights-out performance, but how a pitcher handles outings with some form of adversity can often be the true measure of him. The Royals were relatively lucky to get on the board early on with a softly hit single from Nick Loftin that found the right spot—followed by an RBI knock from Jac Caglianone on a groundball that should've found a Dodger glove but didn't, as Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts didn't react well enough to make a play. Those two singles were enough for the run because once Bobby Witt Jr. replaced Loftin on the basepaths after a forceout, he showed off his speed by swiftly stealing second, his AL-leading 32nd SB.
It would not be the only time Caglianone would hurt Skubal, as a couple of innings later, he would hit a two-run shot on a hanging slider to hand the Royals a 3-0 lead. What was particular about that at-bat was the unpredictable attack plan of Skubal versus Caglianone, with the slider being the fifth different pitch he threw to Caglianone. The problem is that unpredictability can only do so much if hangers are coming to the plate.
Laboring a bit more than he is used to per inning, Skubal established a very high pitch count in the first few frames, allowing him to just complete five, not before getting the final laugh on Caglianone, though. Caglianone came up to the plate with two on and two out in the fifth with the chance to do the most damage in this one. Skubal gave him a recipe of nothing but heaters that laid the groundwork for a strike three swinging on a changeup down and in, a dangerous pitch to throw to the tall lefty, but one that worked out.
Chasing the game from the start, the Dodgers didn't spend a lot of time trailing by those three runs, answering the Royals' two-run third with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. The lefties provided the big hits against Noah Cameron as a Shohei Ohtani RBI double was followed by a Freddie Freeman single to make it 3-2.
#freddie
8 days ago
The first two games of this series against Atlanta, the NL East front-runner and a possible postseason opponent should the Yankees go deep in October, have gone almost as well as possible, considering the glaring holes in the New York lineup. Starting pitching has been a huge reason for that success. Max Fried and Gerrit Cole combined to allow two runs through 13.1 innings in the opening contests. Should similar events unfold today, a sweep is tantalizingly close.
The Yankees theoretically have the right guy on the mound to do it. Cam Schlittler is in the middle of a dominant season, one that has him at the head of the pack for the AL Cy Young (or at least neck-and-neck with Dylan Cease). He's admittedly in a bit of a rough spell, with a 3.86 ERA over his last seven starts. But in his final two starts of July, he allowed one run in 13.2 innings prior to his ****** py outing against St. Louis, so let's not fret he's turned into a pumpkin.
Anyone who has been watching Cam knows what to expect. He brings the heat. His four-seamer, cutter, and sinker account for 90 percent of his pitches and he has been overpowering with them. When he does sprinkle in the curve, it is overwhelmingly to lefties. If you are a right-handed hitter, prepare for the gas.
The Braves turn to Grant Homes to prevent the sweep. Holmes is in the middle of a perfectly cromulent season of his own, for what it is worth. Today should be a juxtaposition of styles. While Schlittler attacks with the No. v1, Holmes will throw the kitchen sink at Yankee hitters. Righties can expect to see his slider, four-seamer, and sinker. He attacks lefties, meanwhile, with the slider, four-seamer, cutter, curve, and changeup. All told, he throws the slider more than any other pitch so expect to see it frequently today.
With a righty on the mound, the Yankee lineup is littered with lefties. In fact, it's actually identical to the one that they deployed on Friday against Holmes' fellow righty, Tyler Mahle. Heliot Ramos and beloved rookie George Lombard, Jr. are the only righties starting today. Ben Rice, fresh off ending an 11-game homerless streak, hits second. The aforementioned Lombard, who went oppo taco for a homer of his own yesterday, hits seventh. Newly acquired Luis García Jr. hits cleanup. Perhaps unsurprisingly as a former division rival of Atlanta, García has the most familiarity with Holmes of any Yankee batter, the erstwhile Nat possessing a 4-for-10 line against Holmes, including a longball.
#holmes #atlanta
The Yankees theoretically have the right guy on the mound to do it. Cam Schlittler is in the middle of a dominant season, one that has him at the head of the pack for the AL Cy Young (or at least neck-and-neck with Dylan Cease). He's admittedly in a bit of a rough spell, with a 3.86 ERA over his last seven starts. But in his final two starts of July, he allowed one run in 13.2 innings prior to his ****** py outing against St. Louis, so let's not fret he's turned into a pumpkin.
Anyone who has been watching Cam knows what to expect. He brings the heat. His four-seamer, cutter, and sinker account for 90 percent of his pitches and he has been overpowering with them. When he does sprinkle in the curve, it is overwhelmingly to lefties. If you are a right-handed hitter, prepare for the gas.
The Braves turn to Grant Homes to prevent the sweep. Holmes is in the middle of a perfectly cromulent season of his own, for what it is worth. Today should be a juxtaposition of styles. While Schlittler attacks with the No. v1, Holmes will throw the kitchen sink at Yankee hitters. Righties can expect to see his slider, four-seamer, and sinker. He attacks lefties, meanwhile, with the slider, four-seamer, cutter, curve, and changeup. All told, he throws the slider more than any other pitch so expect to see it frequently today.
With a righty on the mound, the Yankee lineup is littered with lefties. In fact, it's actually identical to the one that they deployed on Friday against Holmes' fellow righty, Tyler Mahle. Heliot Ramos and beloved rookie George Lombard, Jr. are the only righties starting today. Ben Rice, fresh off ending an 11-game homerless streak, hits second. The aforementioned Lombard, who went oppo taco for a homer of his own yesterday, hits seventh. Newly acquired Luis García Jr. hits cleanup. Perhaps unsurprisingly as a former division rival of Atlanta, García has the most familiarity with Holmes of any Yankee batter, the erstwhile Nat possessing a 4-for-10 line against Holmes, including a longball.
#holmes #atlanta
8 days ago
The Texas Rangers today purchased the contract of infielder Jonah Bride, the team announced today. To make room for Bride on the active roster, the Rangers optioned outfielder Alejandro Osuna to AAA Round Rock. To make room for Bride on the 40 man roster, the Rangers transferred pitcher Jake Leiter from the 15 day injured list to the 60 day injured list.
Bride is a 30 year old who played for Skip Schumaker in Miami in 2024, when he had a career best season, slashing .276/.357/.461 while playing first, second and third base. He has an overall career .221/.311/.313 line, however, which is why he signed a minor league deal with the Rangers this past offseason and has spent the year at Round Rock.
Bride's overall slash line for Round Rock is a rather pedestrian .282/.401/.425 in 431 plate appearances this season. However, he has put up a very impressive .388/.473/.669 slash line against lefthanded pitchers, which is why the Rangers, who are kind of desperate for a righthanded bench bat, have brought him up. Interestingly, Bride has reverse splits in the majors for his career, slashing .194/.295/.228 against lefties in 272 plate appearances in the bigs, against .238/.321/.367 against righthanded pitchers.
Osuna has played sparingly as of late, getting just one start in the month of April and mainly being used for pinch hitting duties. He's not a good fit for the roster, as currently constructed, given that he's a lefthanded hitting outfielder on the bench, and the Rangers need a righthanded hitting bench outfielder, not a lefthanded hitting one. It seems like this might have been an area the team would have wanted to try to address at the deadline, were it not for the fact that Ray Davis is apparently claiming that the team is po' like Kenny's family.
Bride will presumably fill in until Josh Jung returns, ****** uming Jung does return at some point this season.
#bride #team #outfielder
Bride is a 30 year old who played for Skip Schumaker in Miami in 2024, when he had a career best season, slashing .276/.357/.461 while playing first, second and third base. He has an overall career .221/.311/.313 line, however, which is why he signed a minor league deal with the Rangers this past offseason and has spent the year at Round Rock.
Bride's overall slash line for Round Rock is a rather pedestrian .282/.401/.425 in 431 plate appearances this season. However, he has put up a very impressive .388/.473/.669 slash line against lefthanded pitchers, which is why the Rangers, who are kind of desperate for a righthanded bench bat, have brought him up. Interestingly, Bride has reverse splits in the majors for his career, slashing .194/.295/.228 against lefties in 272 plate appearances in the bigs, against .238/.321/.367 against righthanded pitchers.
Osuna has played sparingly as of late, getting just one start in the month of April and mainly being used for pinch hitting duties. He's not a good fit for the roster, as currently constructed, given that he's a lefthanded hitting outfielder on the bench, and the Rangers need a righthanded hitting bench outfielder, not a lefthanded hitting one. It seems like this might have been an area the team would have wanted to try to address at the deadline, were it not for the fact that Ray Davis is apparently claiming that the team is po' like Kenny's family.
Bride will presumably fill in until Josh Jung returns, ****** uming Jung does return at some point this season.
#bride #team #outfielder
9 days ago
Sometimes, you gotta make the tough call to put the old steer out to pasture.
Rhys Hoskins has a 95 wRC+ this season. That, especially on the Guardians, is not bad. However, this includes a 79 wRC+ since June 1st, during which time he has struck out 37% of the time. Even more prominently, since June 1st of LAST season, Hoskins has a 57 wRC+ against LHP. Why has Hoskins forgotten how to hit southpaws on a team that needs him to be able to be the career 130 wRC+ against them he has traditionally been like no other? I don't know. Because the baseball gods hate us, probably. It's likely one of two options: 1. small sample size and he'll eventually correct things, or 2. the canary in the coal mine that he is washed overall.
Regardless, Hoskins isn't helping the Cleveland Guardians win baseball games in his current role of supposed lefty masher who plays first base when LHP are on the mound. He's not a good defender. But, he is, from all accounts, great in the clubhouse. So great that the team is a game under .500 on August 8th. You can probably sense my skepticism that his clubhouse skills are indispensible to this team's success.
I think it's probably time to give Kody Huff a chance at a platoon first-base/occasional catching reps role. Huff has a .793 OPS against LHP and .914 OPS against RHP this season, but has traditionally hit LHP better than RHP as most RHH's do. Most importantly, he has a higher OPS away from the Columbus bandbox than at home (.888/.879). Zach Meisel of the Athletic has repeatedly mentioned on the Selby is Godcast that the team "LOVES" Huff and it was a big reason they were willing to trade Jacob Cozart and Bo Naylor at the trade deadline. Great opportunity to potentially get Huff some experience with Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey and make use of the 235 innings he has played at first base to hopefully leverage their way to an improvement over what Hoskins has done against left-handed pitching.
By September, if Huff struggles and Ralphy Velazquez continues his recent breakout, I would love to see the team give Velazquez reps in a first base/DH role and let him hit LHP. (Cooper Ingle cannot hit lefties, in case anyone is wondering about him in a full-time DH role). Ralphy has consistently hit LHP slightly better than he has RHP over the past two seasons. He's a full-time hitter, eventually, and it would be great to give him a chance to experience big league pitching and potentially help a team trying to make the playoffs. But, for now, the team needs to take a shot at improving their roster in the Hoskins' role, even at the risk to clubhouse chemistry, and Huff seems to be the best potential option.
#huff #base
Rhys Hoskins has a 95 wRC+ this season. That, especially on the Guardians, is not bad. However, this includes a 79 wRC+ since June 1st, during which time he has struck out 37% of the time. Even more prominently, since June 1st of LAST season, Hoskins has a 57 wRC+ against LHP. Why has Hoskins forgotten how to hit southpaws on a team that needs him to be able to be the career 130 wRC+ against them he has traditionally been like no other? I don't know. Because the baseball gods hate us, probably. It's likely one of two options: 1. small sample size and he'll eventually correct things, or 2. the canary in the coal mine that he is washed overall.
Regardless, Hoskins isn't helping the Cleveland Guardians win baseball games in his current role of supposed lefty masher who plays first base when LHP are on the mound. He's not a good defender. But, he is, from all accounts, great in the clubhouse. So great that the team is a game under .500 on August 8th. You can probably sense my skepticism that his clubhouse skills are indispensible to this team's success.
I think it's probably time to give Kody Huff a chance at a platoon first-base/occasional catching reps role. Huff has a .793 OPS against LHP and .914 OPS against RHP this season, but has traditionally hit LHP better than RHP as most RHH's do. Most importantly, he has a higher OPS away from the Columbus bandbox than at home (.888/.879). Zach Meisel of the Athletic has repeatedly mentioned on the Selby is Godcast that the team "LOVES" Huff and it was a big reason they were willing to trade Jacob Cozart and Bo Naylor at the trade deadline. Great opportunity to potentially get Huff some experience with Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey and make use of the 235 innings he has played at first base to hopefully leverage their way to an improvement over what Hoskins has done against left-handed pitching.
By September, if Huff struggles and Ralphy Velazquez continues his recent breakout, I would love to see the team give Velazquez reps in a first base/DH role and let him hit LHP. (Cooper Ingle cannot hit lefties, in case anyone is wondering about him in a full-time DH role). Ralphy has consistently hit LHP slightly better than he has RHP over the past two seasons. He's a full-time hitter, eventually, and it would be great to give him a chance to experience big league pitching and potentially help a team trying to make the playoffs. But, for now, the team needs to take a shot at improving their roster in the Hoskins' role, even at the risk to clubhouse chemistry, and Huff seems to be the best potential option.
#huff #base
11 days ago
For 114 games this season, Ozzie Albies has been in the starting lineup. Sometimes he's hit third, sometimes he's hit sixth, he had a long stretch hitting second… but he's been in there.
Tonight, for the first time in 2026, Albies won't be in there. He gives way to Mauricio Dubon, who will slide over to the keystone and bat fifth.
The rest of the lineup is more or less as expected, with the Braves loading up on lefties against right-hander Janson Junk, a day after they loaded up on righties against right-hander Eury Perez. Austin Riley remains set in the eight-hole, as the Braves double up on lefties after Dubon.
Given that Junk has already made one start against the Braves this year, there's no lack of familiarity here, though neither Drake Baldwin nor Jim Jarvis have stood in against him yet. And, really, we're not talking a lot of PAs for the other seven guys, as Mike Yastrzemski leads the way with nine. The collective line is just a .255 xwOBA in 34 PAs… but it does come with a .340 wOBA. Both Riley and Dominic Smith hit three-run homers off Junk earlier this year.
The Marlins still don't have a lineup, which always seems to be the case — they are definitely one of the latest lineup-posters in MLB and have been for quite a few years now. I'll update this if they ever put one out.
#junk #albies #sometimes #lefties
Tonight, for the first time in 2026, Albies won't be in there. He gives way to Mauricio Dubon, who will slide over to the keystone and bat fifth.
The rest of the lineup is more or less as expected, with the Braves loading up on lefties against right-hander Janson Junk, a day after they loaded up on righties against right-hander Eury Perez. Austin Riley remains set in the eight-hole, as the Braves double up on lefties after Dubon.
Given that Junk has already made one start against the Braves this year, there's no lack of familiarity here, though neither Drake Baldwin nor Jim Jarvis have stood in against him yet. And, really, we're not talking a lot of PAs for the other seven guys, as Mike Yastrzemski leads the way with nine. The collective line is just a .255 xwOBA in 34 PAs… but it does come with a .340 wOBA. Both Riley and Dominic Smith hit three-run homers off Junk earlier this year.
The Marlins still don't have a lineup, which always seems to be the case — they are definitely one of the latest lineup-posters in MLB and have been for quite a few years now. I'll update this if they ever put one out.
#junk #albies #sometimes #lefties
14 days ago
After sending one of their best relievers to Toronto at last year's trade deadline, the Blue Jays have returned the favor in 2026. Former All-Star closer Jeff Hoffman is heading to the Twins in exchange for prospects Dasan Hill, John Klein, and Dameury Pena according to The Athletic. Hoffman is under contract for next year as well at $12.67 million, a portion of which will be covered by Toronto.
Hoffman, 33, has a high ERA but everything else about him still looks like the elite reliever he was over in Philadelphia. He has a 3.94 ERA that is artificially inflated thankto a .389 BABIP, but a 2.49 FIP provides a better insight into the type of pitcher he's been. His 1.2 fWAR is 13th among relievers in baseball, while his 14.06 K/9 is second to only the Padres' Mason Miller.
Most importantly, Hoffman brings elite strikeout stuff to a bullpen that, while improved, has really needed some swing-and-miss on the backend. His pitch mix is very Griffin Jax-esque, relying heavily on a slider that's among the best pitches in baseball and a fastball with enough velocity to be dangerous. He'll also mix in a splitter, primarily against lefties, that is also quietly pretty strong.
In return, the Blue Jays will receive pitching prospects Dasan Hill and John Klein, along with infielder Dameury Pena. Hill, 20, is the clear headliner of this group. He was the Twins' second round pick in 2024 and had an excellent debut season in 2025, appearing on the back end of some Top 100s. The Twins moved him up to High A to start this season, but has struggled mightily to throw strikes. The stuff is there, but the lanky lefty has a very long way to go before he's ready to face big leaguers. Hill was the Twins' 12th-ranked prospect according to FanGraphs, while Klein slotted in at 35 and Pena at 49.
Manager Derek Shelton has a lot more tools to work with than he did this time last week. Hoffman should slot in as the team's primary closer immediately, but I would still expect Yoendrys Gomez and Andrew Morris to have opportunities down the stretch. Those two have both been heavily used the past two months and, as we saw with both walk-off losses last weekend, have probably been a bit overexposed. Having Minter and now Hoffman solidifies what has quietly become a very solid group of relievers.
#hill #last #toronto #blue
Hoffman, 33, has a high ERA but everything else about him still looks like the elite reliever he was over in Philadelphia. He has a 3.94 ERA that is artificially inflated thankto a .389 BABIP, but a 2.49 FIP provides a better insight into the type of pitcher he's been. His 1.2 fWAR is 13th among relievers in baseball, while his 14.06 K/9 is second to only the Padres' Mason Miller.
Most importantly, Hoffman brings elite strikeout stuff to a bullpen that, while improved, has really needed some swing-and-miss on the backend. His pitch mix is very Griffin Jax-esque, relying heavily on a slider that's among the best pitches in baseball and a fastball with enough velocity to be dangerous. He'll also mix in a splitter, primarily against lefties, that is also quietly pretty strong.
In return, the Blue Jays will receive pitching prospects Dasan Hill and John Klein, along with infielder Dameury Pena. Hill, 20, is the clear headliner of this group. He was the Twins' second round pick in 2024 and had an excellent debut season in 2025, appearing on the back end of some Top 100s. The Twins moved him up to High A to start this season, but has struggled mightily to throw strikes. The stuff is there, but the lanky lefty has a very long way to go before he's ready to face big leaguers. Hill was the Twins' 12th-ranked prospect according to FanGraphs, while Klein slotted in at 35 and Pena at 49.
Manager Derek Shelton has a lot more tools to work with than he did this time last week. Hoffman should slot in as the team's primary closer immediately, but I would still expect Yoendrys Gomez and Andrew Morris to have opportunities down the stretch. Those two have both been heavily used the past two months and, as we saw with both walk-off losses last weekend, have probably been a bit overexposed. Having Minter and now Hoffman solidifies what has quietly become a very solid group of relievers.
#hill #last #toronto #blue
14 days ago
After enjoying a wide range of two-start options last week, fantasy baseball managers will need to live with a more moderate list for the current scoring period. Still, there are four serviceable options on this list, depending on a manager's level of risk tolerance. On the hitting side, the Rays are the top source of short-term help, while the Phillies could have some great options for those in shallow leagues.
Sean Manaea, Mets, 15% (@ CLE, @ PIT): Since rejoining the rotation on June 13, Manaea has posted a 3.88 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 43:13 K:BB ratio across nine starts. And his road hasn't been easy, as he has faced clubs that currently hold a playoff spot in seven of those nine outings. The southpaw has thrown six or more innings in three of his past four starts and should have a productive week against the Guardians and Pirates, who rank 27th and 20th, respectively, in OPS vs. lefties.
Ian Seymour, Rays, 40% (@ COL, @ SEA): Although the Rays are keeping him on a short leash, Seymour is showing strong skills (90:28 K:BB ratio). The southpaw's most recent start was a prime example, as he earned a win by following an opener and throwing 4.2 scoreless innings. Although an outing at Coors Field will be challenging, Seymour has pitched well enough to get the benefit of the doubt, especially when his second matchup is a favorable one against a Seattle squad that ranks 29th in OPS vs. lefties.
J.T. Ginn, Athletics, 34% (@ CIN, @ BOS): A breakout season for Ginn was briefly interrupted when he spent the past two weeks on the injured list while dealing with a blister on his right middle finger. The southpaw induces oodles of groundballs and has solid strikeout skills, which has allowed him to post a 3.47 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 19 starts despite walking more batters than he should (4.1 BB/9 rate). He would rank slightly higher on this list if not for the unknown factor of how effective he will be in his return from injury.
Brandon Pfaadt, Diamondbacks, 29% (vs. SD, vs. LAD): Since altering his delivery and pitch mix, Pfaadt has finally become a reliable starter. The right-hander has logged a 1.85 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while showing outstanding control skills (4 BB) over six starts since rejoining the rotation on June 30.
#list #rays #options #manaea
Sean Manaea, Mets, 15% (@ CLE, @ PIT): Since rejoining the rotation on June 13, Manaea has posted a 3.88 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 43:13 K:BB ratio across nine starts. And his road hasn't been easy, as he has faced clubs that currently hold a playoff spot in seven of those nine outings. The southpaw has thrown six or more innings in three of his past four starts and should have a productive week against the Guardians and Pirates, who rank 27th and 20th, respectively, in OPS vs. lefties.
Ian Seymour, Rays, 40% (@ COL, @ SEA): Although the Rays are keeping him on a short leash, Seymour is showing strong skills (90:28 K:BB ratio). The southpaw's most recent start was a prime example, as he earned a win by following an opener and throwing 4.2 scoreless innings. Although an outing at Coors Field will be challenging, Seymour has pitched well enough to get the benefit of the doubt, especially when his second matchup is a favorable one against a Seattle squad that ranks 29th in OPS vs. lefties.
J.T. Ginn, Athletics, 34% (@ CIN, @ BOS): A breakout season for Ginn was briefly interrupted when he spent the past two weeks on the injured list while dealing with a blister on his right middle finger. The southpaw induces oodles of groundballs and has solid strikeout skills, which has allowed him to post a 3.47 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 19 starts despite walking more batters than he should (4.1 BB/9 rate). He would rank slightly higher on this list if not for the unknown factor of how effective he will be in his return from injury.
Brandon Pfaadt, Diamondbacks, 29% (vs. SD, vs. LAD): Since altering his delivery and pitch mix, Pfaadt has finally become a reliable starter. The right-hander has logged a 1.85 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while showing outstanding control skills (4 BB) over six starts since rejoining the rotation on June 30.
#list #rays #options #manaea
16 days ago
CHICAGO — As the wind swirled and the flags flapped at Wrigley Field, Spencer Jones drilled a ball that could not be swayed by the breeze on Friday.
With a 108.7 mph, 418 foot rocket to right center, the left-handed hitter cleared the ivy with ease for the fourth home run of his young career. The solo shot, hit off Chicago Cubs southpaw Shota Imanaga, who has neutral splits, was also Jones' first longball against a left-handed pitcher.
"It was awesome to get a pitch to handle, and then obviously the result was cool," Jones, who hasn't gotten too many opportunities against lefties, said after the New York Yankees' 2-0 win. "I feel like there's been pick-your-spots and limited opportunities [vs. lefties], but just like any other pitcher, you gotta go up there and do what you do. I felt comfortable in the box today."
The rookie outfielder must have felt cozy at the plate in Saturday's 5-2 loss as well, because he hit his second homer off a lefty in as many days in the seventh inning. This time, Jones made the Cubs' David Peterson the victim of an opposite field, bases-empty blast that cut through the twisting Chicago air at 106 mph.
Jones has actually looked comfortable most days since his second major league call-up on June 5.
#Cubs #field #pitcher
With a 108.7 mph, 418 foot rocket to right center, the left-handed hitter cleared the ivy with ease for the fourth home run of his young career. The solo shot, hit off Chicago Cubs southpaw Shota Imanaga, who has neutral splits, was also Jones' first longball against a left-handed pitcher.
"It was awesome to get a pitch to handle, and then obviously the result was cool," Jones, who hasn't gotten too many opportunities against lefties, said after the New York Yankees' 2-0 win. "I feel like there's been pick-your-spots and limited opportunities [vs. lefties], but just like any other pitcher, you gotta go up there and do what you do. I felt comfortable in the box today."
The rookie outfielder must have felt cozy at the plate in Saturday's 5-2 loss as well, because he hit his second homer off a lefty in as many days in the seventh inning. This time, Jones made the Cubs' David Peterson the victim of an opposite field, bases-empty blast that cut through the twisting Chicago air at 106 mph.
Jones has actually looked comfortable most days since his second major league call-up on June 5.
#Cubs #field #pitcher
17 days ago
During Thursday night's 5-4 win for the Atlanta Braves over the Washington Nationals, Austin Riley spent the entirety of that contest watching from the dugout as Mauricio Dubón came down from the outfield to play third base. Walt Weiss stated in Thursday's pregame press conference that "the best way to slow the game down is to have [Riley] watch it from the bench."
Hopefully the game has slowed down enough for Riley after he watched a full one from the bench, as he's now back in the starting lineup and playing third base for Friday's contest against the Nationals.
Here's Atlanta's full lineup:
Friday night showdown! pic.twitter.com/1XKNust7it
At this point, I can say that it might be safe to ***** ume that we'll be seeing Ronald Acuña Jr. lead off against lefties while Drake Baldwin gets the nod at the top of the lineup against right-handers. Foster Griffin is a left-hander, so Acuña's up top. Baldwin has also been the DH every time the Braves have faced left-handers lately, which means that Joey Bart is starting at catcher and batting eighth. Now that Riley is back in the lineup, Mauricio Dubón is back in the outfield and playing left. Most of the usual suspects are in their familiar positions, so there's that.
#lineup #down #back #baldwin
Hopefully the game has slowed down enough for Riley after he watched a full one from the bench, as he's now back in the starting lineup and playing third base for Friday's contest against the Nationals.
Here's Atlanta's full lineup:
Friday night showdown! pic.twitter.com/1XKNust7it
At this point, I can say that it might be safe to ***** ume that we'll be seeing Ronald Acuña Jr. lead off against lefties while Drake Baldwin gets the nod at the top of the lineup against right-handers. Foster Griffin is a left-hander, so Acuña's up top. Baldwin has also been the DH every time the Braves have faced left-handers lately, which means that Joey Bart is starting at catcher and batting eighth. Now that Riley is back in the lineup, Mauricio Dubón is back in the outfield and playing left. Most of the usual suspects are in their familiar positions, so there's that.
#lineup #down #back #baldwin
17 days ago
The Yankees' offense better wake up, as they've scored just two unearned runs in their last 22 innings. Facing a Cubs team that ranks second in the majors with 5.17 runs scored per game and third with a 111 wRC+, they simply cannot afford to give so many ABs away, New York failing to dent home plate in 28 of their last 32 innings played. Fortunately, they'll face a pitching staff that is seventh-worst with a 4.68 FIP, though it's not like the White Sox were much better in that department and were still largely able to silence the Yankees in the final two games of their just-completed series.
Will Warren is coming off one of his worst starts of the season — six runs on six hits in three innings against the Phillies. It's already the fifth start in which he has given up at least five runs, four of those coming since June 20th, Warren posting a 6.57 ERA over his last eight starts after opening the season at 7-1 with a 3.22 ERA across his first 12 starts. To me, the problems appear to be threefold: he can't get lefties out, he struggles to pitch from the stretch, and he suffers a massive third-time-through penalty. That doesn't bode well against a Cubs lineup that features five batters from the left side and is second in baseball with a .340 OBP. In 20 starts, Warren is 7-5 with a 4.41 ERA (102 ERA+), 4.16 FIP, and 102 strikeouts in 102 innings.
The Cubs declined their three-year team option on Shota Imanaga over the winter after he struggled in 2025, the two sides eventually reuniting on the qualifying offer for 2026. He has rewarded that renewed faith with a rebound performance, gaining a mph back on his fastball which has seen his chase and strikeout rates tick back up to his stellar rookie campaign marks in 2024. The 32-year-old lefty relies on hitters getting themselves out rather than overwhelming you with stuff, the four-seamer acting as a setup pitch for his splitter and sweeper. The Yankees are getting him at an awful time as Imanaga is coming off consecutive scoreless starts of at least six innings. In 21 starts, Imanaga is 7-8 with a 3.72 ERA (109 ERA+), 4.39 FIP, and 113 strikeouts in 121 innings.
The Yankees opt for their usual lineup against lefties, but with a pair of notable changes. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is not in the lineup after exiting yesterday's loss in the 11th with cramps, which allows Spencer Jones a rare start against a lefty in right as José Caballero is forced to man second. Amed Rosario, Anthony Volpe, and Ali Sánchez will be tasked with carrying their weight with the supposed platoon advantage against the soft-tossing lefty.
The Cubs stack their lineup with lefties against Warren. Leading off is the MLB position player leader in fWAR (7.1) in Pete Crow-Armstrong, the All-World center fielder leading baseball with 21 Outs Above Average and sixth in wRC+ (152) as he makes a legitimate push to challenge Shohei Ohtani for the NL MVP. Seiya Suzuki, Pedro Ramírez, Michael Busch, Michael Conforto, and Ian Happ have all been bet
Will Warren is coming off one of his worst starts of the season — six runs on six hits in three innings against the Phillies. It's already the fifth start in which he has given up at least five runs, four of those coming since June 20th, Warren posting a 6.57 ERA over his last eight starts after opening the season at 7-1 with a 3.22 ERA across his first 12 starts. To me, the problems appear to be threefold: he can't get lefties out, he struggles to pitch from the stretch, and he suffers a massive third-time-through penalty. That doesn't bode well against a Cubs lineup that features five batters from the left side and is second in baseball with a .340 OBP. In 20 starts, Warren is 7-5 with a 4.41 ERA (102 ERA+), 4.16 FIP, and 102 strikeouts in 102 innings.
The Cubs declined their three-year team option on Shota Imanaga over the winter after he struggled in 2025, the two sides eventually reuniting on the qualifying offer for 2026. He has rewarded that renewed faith with a rebound performance, gaining a mph back on his fastball which has seen his chase and strikeout rates tick back up to his stellar rookie campaign marks in 2024. The 32-year-old lefty relies on hitters getting themselves out rather than overwhelming you with stuff, the four-seamer acting as a setup pitch for his splitter and sweeper. The Yankees are getting him at an awful time as Imanaga is coming off consecutive scoreless starts of at least six innings. In 21 starts, Imanaga is 7-8 with a 3.72 ERA (109 ERA+), 4.39 FIP, and 113 strikeouts in 121 innings.
The Yankees opt for their usual lineup against lefties, but with a pair of notable changes. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is not in the lineup after exiting yesterday's loss in the 11th with cramps, which allows Spencer Jones a rare start against a lefty in right as José Caballero is forced to man second. Amed Rosario, Anthony Volpe, and Ali Sánchez will be tasked with carrying their weight with the supposed platoon advantage against the soft-tossing lefty.
The Cubs stack their lineup with lefties against Warren. Leading off is the MLB position player leader in fWAR (7.1) in Pete Crow-Armstrong, the All-World center fielder leading baseball with 21 Outs Above Average and sixth in wRC+ (152) as he makes a legitimate push to challenge Shohei Ohtani for the NL MVP. Seiya Suzuki, Pedro Ramírez, Michael Busch, Michael Conforto, and Ian Happ have all been bet
17 days ago
NEW YORK — The Minnesota Twins acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Minter from the New York Mets for minor league infielders Bruin Agbayani and Billy Amick, reinforcing a thin bullpen ahead of the trade deadline.
The 19-year-old Agbayani, who is the son of former Mets fan favorite Benny Agbayani, is a middle infielder who hit .268 in 10 games for Fort Myers in low Class A this season. The sixth-round 2025 draft pick, a native of Hawaii, has been limited by injuries.
The 23-year-old Amick batted .217 with 23 homers in 86 games for Double-A Wichita this season, playing first and third base. He was a second-round draft pick in 2024.
Minter had a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings with 20 strikeouts and only two walks. He didn't make his season debut until May 26, going more than a year between major league appearances. His 2025 season ended after 13 appearances when he injured his left lat muscle in his back and needed surgery.
Minter signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Mets in 2025. His 2024 season with the Atlanta Braves also was cut short by a torn labrum in his left hip, but when he's been healthy he's been one of baseball's most effective late-game lefties. The 33-year-old, who was a second-round 2015 draft pick by the Braves, has a 3.18 ERA with 456 strikeouts in 382 2/3 innings over 420 career appearances.
#season #minter #agbayani
The 19-year-old Agbayani, who is the son of former Mets fan favorite Benny Agbayani, is a middle infielder who hit .268 in 10 games for Fort Myers in low Class A this season. The sixth-round 2025 draft pick, a native of Hawaii, has been limited by injuries.
The 23-year-old Amick batted .217 with 23 homers in 86 games for Double-A Wichita this season, playing first and third base. He was a second-round draft pick in 2024.
Minter had a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings with 20 strikeouts and only two walks. He didn't make his season debut until May 26, going more than a year between major league appearances. His 2025 season ended after 13 appearances when he injured his left lat muscle in his back and needed surgery.
Minter signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Mets in 2025. His 2024 season with the Atlanta Braves also was cut short by a torn labrum in his left hip, but when he's been healthy he's been one of baseball's most effective late-game lefties. The 33-year-old, who was a second-round 2015 draft pick by the Braves, has a 3.18 ERA with 456 strikeouts in 382 2/3 innings over 420 career appearances.
#season #minter #agbayani
20 days ago
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees finally added a catcher on Tuesday … via a minor league contract.
The team signed veteran backstop Christian Bethancourt and ***** igned him to Triple-A before beating the White Sox, 3-2, in Chicago. The move shouldn't have any impact on the Yankees' pursuit of a righty-swinging catcher prior to the Aug. 3 trade deadline, though options appear limited for them and a handful of other needy clubs.
While Bethancourt is a right-handed hitter, he's ideally just another experienced Triple-A depth catcher for the Yankees alongside J.C. Escarra, a lefty. That depth could prove useful down the road since big league backup Ali Sánchez is out of minor league options.
Sánchez, a right-handed hitter who crushed the first homer of his career in Tuesday's win, would likely be forced out if the Yankees trade for a catcher to pair with the lefty-swinging Austin Wells.
Bethancourt has played in parts of eight big league seasons with the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs, but he hasn't appeared in an MLB game since 2024. He had a .775 OPS (.783 vs. righties, .736 vs. lefties) over 59 games for the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate this year.
#league #triple #minor #swinging
The team signed veteran backstop Christian Bethancourt and ***** igned him to Triple-A before beating the White Sox, 3-2, in Chicago. The move shouldn't have any impact on the Yankees' pursuit of a righty-swinging catcher prior to the Aug. 3 trade deadline, though options appear limited for them and a handful of other needy clubs.
While Bethancourt is a right-handed hitter, he's ideally just another experienced Triple-A depth catcher for the Yankees alongside J.C. Escarra, a lefty. That depth could prove useful down the road since big league backup Ali Sánchez is out of minor league options.
Sánchez, a right-handed hitter who crushed the first homer of his career in Tuesday's win, would likely be forced out if the Yankees trade for a catcher to pair with the lefty-swinging Austin Wells.
Bethancourt has played in parts of eight big league seasons with the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs, but he hasn't appeared in an MLB game since 2024. He had a .775 OPS (.783 vs. righties, .736 vs. lefties) over 59 games for the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate this year.
#league #triple #minor #swinging
25 days ago
Garrett Crochet didn’t choose to come to Boston, but he did choose to stay here. After making just one start as a member of the Red Sox (on the road in Texas), Crochet signed a six-year contract extension to remain with the organization through at least 2030. He was a standout on the field in his first season with the team, and while he hasn’t been able to replicate that this season, he’s working to endear himself to the community by partnering with Sam Adams for the release of Crochet’s Pale Ale, which is on tap at bars, taprooms and restaurants in the New England area and available as part of the “Our City. Our Beer” variety pack.
“A big thing for me was ingraining myself in the Boston culture, and Sam Adams is really that to a T,” Crochet said.
He isn’t wrong. When the Scots descended upon Boston for the World Cup, they drank the Sam Adams Downtown Taproom out of Boston Lager. He’s also made a habit of dominating the Yankees. In four regular season starts, he’s posted a 3.29 ERA and a 36.8% strikeout rate, as well as 7.2 innings of one-run baseball in the postseason. I conducted the interview from a hotel room in Milwaukee while on a bachelor party, and joked that the bachelor was upset with Crochet for hurting his family team. Crochet apologized but quickly rescinded it upon learning that the bachelor is a Yankees fan.
Crochet hasn’t pitched since April, but the rotation has picked up the slack in his absence. That rotation is comprised largely of huge, left-handed pitchers. Each arm is different, but Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, Ranger Suarez, and Jake Bennett all come armed with a four-seam fastball, cutter/slider, and some kind of breaking ball. Crochet’s best utilized standing on the mound, but because of the similarities with his teammates, he’s able to contribute from the bench.
“There’s much more benefit to the eye test that goes on during a series,” Crochet said. “We’re playing three or four game series and it’s all lefties that we’re rolling out there, so it’s fun to watch … When a guy is in the middle of his start I’m not passing any information, you know, he went into today prepared ready to make the start and has all the information that he feels he needs to have success … if I think someone is really looking not good on the changeup, I think me and Tolle have a little bit more room to exploit [the changeup] given that other teams aren’t planning for it at all against us.”
#boston #adams #start #yankees
“A big thing for me was ingraining myself in the Boston culture, and Sam Adams is really that to a T,” Crochet said.
He isn’t wrong. When the Scots descended upon Boston for the World Cup, they drank the Sam Adams Downtown Taproom out of Boston Lager. He’s also made a habit of dominating the Yankees. In four regular season starts, he’s posted a 3.29 ERA and a 36.8% strikeout rate, as well as 7.2 innings of one-run baseball in the postseason. I conducted the interview from a hotel room in Milwaukee while on a bachelor party, and joked that the bachelor was upset with Crochet for hurting his family team. Crochet apologized but quickly rescinded it upon learning that the bachelor is a Yankees fan.
Crochet hasn’t pitched since April, but the rotation has picked up the slack in his absence. That rotation is comprised largely of huge, left-handed pitchers. Each arm is different, but Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, Ranger Suarez, and Jake Bennett all come armed with a four-seam fastball, cutter/slider, and some kind of breaking ball. Crochet’s best utilized standing on the mound, but because of the similarities with his teammates, he’s able to contribute from the bench.
“There’s much more benefit to the eye test that goes on during a series,” Crochet said. “We’re playing three or four game series and it’s all lefties that we’re rolling out there, so it’s fun to watch … When a guy is in the middle of his start I’m not passing any information, you know, he went into today prepared ready to make the start and has all the information that he feels he needs to have success … if I think someone is really looking not good on the changeup, I think me and Tolle have a little bit more room to exploit [the changeup] given that other teams aren’t planning for it at all against us.”
#boston #adams #start #yankees
1 month ago
NEW YORK — The Red Sox will unplug the struggling Jarren Duran from the outfield — but not the lineup — as they finish the unofficial first half of their season at Citi Field on Sunday.
With left-hander Zach Thornton pitching for the Mets, the Red Sox will start Nate Eaton in left field and have Duran serve as the designated hitter for the seventh time this season. Saturday hero Andruw Monasterio is the shortstop with Romy Gonzalez back in the lineup at first base. Connor Wong is doing the catching.
Interim manager Chad Tracy opted to go with Duran at DH over Masataka Yoshida, who homered in Saturday's 4-0 win. Duran has hit just .217 with a .606 OPS against lefties this year, which is actually better than his .186 average against right-handers. So far in July, Duran is hitting just .167 with a double and a homer in eight games.
On the mound, lefty Payton Tolle will get his 15th start of the season, but Tracy hinted that the Red Sox plan to give him a shorter outing than usual with righty Brayan Bello, who was recalled earlier in the day, serving as a potential piggyback option. It's clear Boston is hopeful that it can get Tolle some extra rest as the All-Star break approaches.
The Red Sox have won a season-high eight games in a row to start their nine-game road trip, which concludes Sunday. They enter the day winners of 16 of their last 21 games and are now just a half-game out of a wild card spot in the American League. After Sunday's matinee, they will have four days off for the All-Star break before resuming play with a doubleheader against the Rays on Friday at Fenway.
With left-hander Zach Thornton pitching for the Mets, the Red Sox will start Nate Eaton in left field and have Duran serve as the designated hitter for the seventh time this season. Saturday hero Andruw Monasterio is the shortstop with Romy Gonzalez back in the lineup at first base. Connor Wong is doing the catching.
Interim manager Chad Tracy opted to go with Duran at DH over Masataka Yoshida, who homered in Saturday's 4-0 win. Duran has hit just .217 with a .606 OPS against lefties this year, which is actually better than his .186 average against right-handers. So far in July, Duran is hitting just .167 with a double and a homer in eight games.
On the mound, lefty Payton Tolle will get his 15th start of the season, but Tracy hinted that the Red Sox plan to give him a shorter outing than usual with righty Brayan Bello, who was recalled earlier in the day, serving as a potential piggyback option. It's clear Boston is hopeful that it can get Tolle some extra rest as the All-Star break approaches.
The Red Sox have won a season-high eight games in a row to start their nine-game road trip, which concludes Sunday. They enter the day winners of 16 of their last 21 games and are now just a half-game out of a wild card spot in the American League. After Sunday's matinee, they will have four days off for the All-Star break before resuming play with a doubleheader against the Rays on Friday at Fenway.
1 month ago
The Orioles focus for much of today is on the future. They made a few draft picks, including seventh overall pick Eric Booth Jr., a high school outfielder from Mississippi. Hopefully a few of the youngsters they call on this weekend will turn into quality Orioles a few years from now.
The 2026 Orioles, however, are still hoping that they can win on the field right now. At seven games under .500, things aren’t great. But they have won two in a row, and are only three games out of the final wild card spot, which is currently occupied by the sub-.500 Seattle Mariners. The AL is so poor that a bad team (or two) is probably going to play meaningful October baseball.
In order for the Orioles to be that bad team, they need to beat up on the few teams that are currently below them in the standings. They did that in game one with the Royals on Friday. Another win tonight would make it three in a row.
The pitching matchup favors them. Kyle Bradish, when on, is a stud atop the rotation. Noah Cameron hasn’t been as good this year as he was in his debut last year. But he throws with his left hand, and sometimes that is enough to take the Orioles down.
Craig Albernaz mostly has his lineup for left-handed starters on display tonight. That means Coby Mayo and Tyler ONeill get prominent spots. But it’s the left-handed Jackson Holliday at second base rather than right-handed Blaze Alexander. Hollliday has been hot lately, and actually has better numbers again southpaws than he does righties. Alexander has been torching righties, not lefties. So, it’s a logical decision.
The 2026 Orioles, however, are still hoping that they can win on the field right now. At seven games under .500, things aren’t great. But they have won two in a row, and are only three games out of the final wild card spot, which is currently occupied by the sub-.500 Seattle Mariners. The AL is so poor that a bad team (or two) is probably going to play meaningful October baseball.
In order for the Orioles to be that bad team, they need to beat up on the few teams that are currently below them in the standings. They did that in game one with the Royals on Friday. Another win tonight would make it three in a row.
The pitching matchup favors them. Kyle Bradish, when on, is a stud atop the rotation. Noah Cameron hasn’t been as good this year as he was in his debut last year. But he throws with his left hand, and sometimes that is enough to take the Orioles down.
Craig Albernaz mostly has his lineup for left-handed starters on display tonight. That means Coby Mayo and Tyler ONeill get prominent spots. But it’s the left-handed Jackson Holliday at second base rather than right-handed Blaze Alexander. Hollliday has been hot lately, and actually has better numbers again southpaws than he does righties. Alexander has been torching righties, not lefties. So, it’s a logical decision.
1 month ago
Mariners trade chip could be 'desperate' move for Phillies, Rays originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There are not a lot of valuable right-handed hitting outfielders who could be made available at this year's trade deadline.
The Seattle Mariners may have one, but the 35-year-old has not had a good season at the plate.
Still, interested clubs may hope that a turnaround comes with a change of scenery.
Rob Refsnyder, who crushed lefties during his time with the Boston Red Sox, is hitting .140 with a .458 OPS against southpaws in 2026.
There are not a lot of valuable right-handed hitting outfielders who could be made available at this year's trade deadline.
The Seattle Mariners may have one, but the 35-year-old has not had a good season at the plate.
Still, interested clubs may hope that a turnaround comes with a change of scenery.
Rob Refsnyder, who crushed lefties during his time with the Boston Red Sox, is hitting .140 with a .458 OPS against southpaws in 2026.
1 month ago
The Tigers had Monday off to catch up on their errands, and on Tuesday night they opened up a six-game home stand and a three-game series against the Don’t-Call-Them-Sacramento Athletics. Their opponents made a giant mistake which ended up being the difference in a 6-2 win.
Tarik Skubal made his twelfth start of the year. He’s been good since returning from the Injured List, but very uncharacteristically he’s given up quite a few more home runs. Heck, on June 24 at home against the Yankees, he gave up a trio of taters in a losing effort. His previous start, also against the Yankees but in New York, was more in line with what we’re expecting from him: six innings, one hit, one earned run, nine strikeouts. Who would show up tonight?
Facing the Tigers for the A’s was JT Ginn, whose name I like a lot. (His “JT” and mine stand for different things; his stands for “John Thomas” which, if you know your ****** ney rhyming slang, is pretty funny.) The right-hander’s left-right splits for batters has been vast: lefties are hitting .251 with a .740 OPS, righties are .169/.520. That’s why AJ Hinch stacked his lineup with lefties…
…and it paid off in the bottom of the first: Kevin McGonigle walked and Colt Keith followed with a long home run to right for a 2-0 lead.
View Link
Tarik Skubal made his twelfth start of the year. He’s been good since returning from the Injured List, but very uncharacteristically he’s given up quite a few more home runs. Heck, on June 24 at home against the Yankees, he gave up a trio of taters in a losing effort. His previous start, also against the Yankees but in New York, was more in line with what we’re expecting from him: six innings, one hit, one earned run, nine strikeouts. Who would show up tonight?
Facing the Tigers for the A’s was JT Ginn, whose name I like a lot. (His “JT” and mine stand for different things; his stands for “John Thomas” which, if you know your ****** ney rhyming slang, is pretty funny.) The right-hander’s left-right splits for batters has been vast: lefties are hitting .251 with a .740 OPS, righties are .169/.520. That’s why AJ Hinch stacked his lineup with lefties…
…and it paid off in the bottom of the first: Kevin McGonigle walked and Colt Keith followed with a long home run to right for a 2-0 lead.
View Link
1 month ago
The streak of no extra-inning games is finally over, and we can say that the Dodgers are undefeated in extras this season, walking it off against the Rockies 8-7 in the 11th inning. The decisive hit in this thrilling game came from the bat of Dalton Rushing with an RBI single, completing a terrific three-hit performance for the Dodgers catcher.
Before they had to dig deep for this victory, the Dodgers got to experience the thin line in baseball between control of a game and the illusion of it. The home team saw a 6-3 lead collapse in the ninth as Tanner Scott had his first blowup outing in over a month, walking multiple hitters for the first time this season.
To acquire that 6-3 lead, Shohei Ohtani and Eric Lauer were the protagonists. As if facing Ohtani in and of itself wasn't a daunting enough threat, Kyle Freeland did so for the second time in the third inning with a runner on base after allowing a leadoff double to Rushing. Whoever questioned the Ohtani-Rushing partnership in recent weeks needs to check their facts—it seemed to be working just fine when Ohtani gave the Dodgers their first lead of the game by driving in Rushing with a two-run homer, his 19th on the season and seventh against lefties—now just two short of 300 in his career.
This combination of Rushing and Ohtani would go on to lead the way for the Dodgers once again in the following inning. After Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas secured back-to-back RBI on a single and sac fly, respectively, Rushing once again set up Ohtani with a double, who then proceeded to drive in a pair, this time with just a two-run single.
Overall in this game, the four runs batted in by Ohtani represented a season-high mark at home and only the third time he's achieved that number or higher this season. Ohtani's three hits were also a season high for the reigning back-to-back NL MVP. All of that success that Ohtani and the rest of the Dodgers offense had against Freeland couldn't be replicated facing Zach Agnos, who tossed three scoreless innings to keep Colorado with a puncher's chance.
Before they had to dig deep for this victory, the Dodgers got to experience the thin line in baseball between control of a game and the illusion of it. The home team saw a 6-3 lead collapse in the ninth as Tanner Scott had his first blowup outing in over a month, walking multiple hitters for the first time this season.
To acquire that 6-3 lead, Shohei Ohtani and Eric Lauer were the protagonists. As if facing Ohtani in and of itself wasn't a daunting enough threat, Kyle Freeland did so for the second time in the third inning with a runner on base after allowing a leadoff double to Rushing. Whoever questioned the Ohtani-Rushing partnership in recent weeks needs to check their facts—it seemed to be working just fine when Ohtani gave the Dodgers their first lead of the game by driving in Rushing with a two-run homer, his 19th on the season and seventh against lefties—now just two short of 300 in his career.
This combination of Rushing and Ohtani would go on to lead the way for the Dodgers once again in the following inning. After Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas secured back-to-back RBI on a single and sac fly, respectively, Rushing once again set up Ohtani with a double, who then proceeded to drive in a pair, this time with just a two-run single.
Overall in this game, the four runs batted in by Ohtani represented a season-high mark at home and only the third time he's achieved that number or higher this season. Ohtani's three hits were also a season high for the reigning back-to-back NL MVP. All of that success that Ohtani and the rest of the Dodgers offense had against Freeland couldn't be replicated facing Zach Agnos, who tossed three scoreless innings to keep Colorado with a puncher's chance.
1 month ago
This week's two-start pitcher list lacks a headliner, but it deserves credit for being a deep group with 5-7 viable options, depending on a manager's league format and tolerance for risk. The one-start list is spectacular this week, as there are nearly 10 members who can be started with enthusiasm. On the hitting side, the Brewers and Cardinals are about to embark on a rare eight-game week, which makes their players easy streaming targets.
J.T. Ginn, Athletics, 43% (@ DET, @ CWS): Thanks to a heavy groundball lean, Ginn has been one of baseball's most consistent starters over the past two months (2.48 ERA, 1.21 WHIP). Fantasy managers shouldn't confuse the right-hander's consistency with dominance, as over that stretch he has logged a mediocre 59:27 K:BB ratio. Still, consistent success is good enough to make Ginn a strong option during a two-start week with two road outings. As is the case with many of his teammates, Ginn has been much more successful when working away from his hitter-friendly home park (2.31 ERA).
Ian Seymour, Rays, 33% (vs. NYY, vs. SEA): Since moving into a role as a starter/bulk reliever who follows an opener, Seymour has produced a 2.52 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. The southpaw has also logged an impressive 27:4 K:BB ratio over those five outings, while enjoying the benefits of good fortune (.158 BABIP). **** uming that he handles the Judge-less Yankees in his initial start, Seymour could have a dominant week that will include a start against a Mariners lineup that sits last in OPS vs. lefties.
Joey Cantillo, Guardians, 47% (@ MIN, @ MIA): Cantillo got his season back on track by lowering his walk rate in June before issuing five free passes on July 1. The southpaw collects just enough whiffs (8.8 K/9 rate) to be an effective starter when his control skills are respectable, and this week he will face two offenses that are in the middle of the pack in terms of walk rate. Fantasy managers should view Cantillo as a boom-or-bust option who can be deployed by managers who are not overly concerned with their WHIP.
Michael McGreevy, Cardinals, 31% (vs. MIL, vs. ATL): The combination of strong control skills (2.1 BB/9 rate) and good luck (.252 BABIP) has helped McGreevy to be a ratios **** et (3.12 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) despite poor swing-and-miss abilities (5.7 K/9 rate). The right-hander has been terrific at home this season (1.96 ERA), which helps him to earn a lineup spot despite having a start against a Brewers offense that ranks sixth in OPS vs. righties.
J.T. Ginn, Athletics, 43% (@ DET, @ CWS): Thanks to a heavy groundball lean, Ginn has been one of baseball's most consistent starters over the past two months (2.48 ERA, 1.21 WHIP). Fantasy managers shouldn't confuse the right-hander's consistency with dominance, as over that stretch he has logged a mediocre 59:27 K:BB ratio. Still, consistent success is good enough to make Ginn a strong option during a two-start week with two road outings. As is the case with many of his teammates, Ginn has been much more successful when working away from his hitter-friendly home park (2.31 ERA).
Ian Seymour, Rays, 33% (vs. NYY, vs. SEA): Since moving into a role as a starter/bulk reliever who follows an opener, Seymour has produced a 2.52 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. The southpaw has also logged an impressive 27:4 K:BB ratio over those five outings, while enjoying the benefits of good fortune (.158 BABIP). **** uming that he handles the Judge-less Yankees in his initial start, Seymour could have a dominant week that will include a start against a Mariners lineup that sits last in OPS vs. lefties.
Joey Cantillo, Guardians, 47% (@ MIN, @ MIA): Cantillo got his season back on track by lowering his walk rate in June before issuing five free passes on July 1. The southpaw collects just enough whiffs (8.8 K/9 rate) to be an effective starter when his control skills are respectable, and this week he will face two offenses that are in the middle of the pack in terms of walk rate. Fantasy managers should view Cantillo as a boom-or-bust option who can be deployed by managers who are not overly concerned with their WHIP.
Michael McGreevy, Cardinals, 31% (vs. MIL, vs. ATL): The combination of strong control skills (2.1 BB/9 rate) and good luck (.252 BABIP) has helped McGreevy to be a ratios **** et (3.12 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) despite poor swing-and-miss abilities (5.7 K/9 rate). The right-hander has been terrific at home this season (1.96 ERA), which helps him to earn a lineup spot despite having a start against a Brewers offense that ranks sixth in OPS vs. righties.
1 month ago
Series almost always end on Sunday, just because that’s how the schedule works. Being the Sunday recap guy, I often have the series-deciding game. After winning the first two games against the Angels, tonight’s game will be the 5th straight weekend series in which the Red Sox are trying to complete the sweep (if you include a 2-game set against the Yankees with one postponed game). That streak dates back to the beginning of June. Over that span, the Red Sox were 3-12 in weekday series, and 11-3 in weekend series (including the first two against the Angels). Weird.
Anywho, they’re going for the sweep of the Angels on Sunday in a game that starts at 9:30 PM for some reason. It’ll be All-Star Ranger Suarez against Ryan Johnson, who I’ve never heard of before tonight. There’s some intriguing stuff in his ******* nal, but his lack of a good fastball makes me think he’s going to have a hard time not walking lefties. We’ll see.
First pitch at 9:30 PM on Peacock, NESN, and WEEI.
Anywho, they’re going for the sweep of the Angels on Sunday in a game that starts at 9:30 PM for some reason. It’ll be All-Star Ranger Suarez against Ryan Johnson, who I’ve never heard of before tonight. There’s some intriguing stuff in his ******* nal, but his lack of a good fastball makes me think he’s going to have a hard time not walking lefties. We’ll see.
First pitch at 9:30 PM on Peacock, NESN, and WEEI.
1 month ago
The Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks face off today in the rubber match of their three-game series. After winning a wild one on Friday night, Milwaukee had a tough loss on Saturday; not only did their struggles with runners in scoring position continue, but they lost Brandon Woodruff, again, to his mysterious "dead arm" issues. Woodruff has been placed on the injured list today, with Drew Rom getting recalled from Triple-A Nashville.
This afternoon, the Brewers will look to take the series despite a couple of less-than-perfect performances in the first two games. To do so, they'll turn to Brandon Sproat, who looks to continue a run of solid outings after a shaky start to the season. In June, Sproat made five starts and pitched to a 3.46 ERA and 3.88 FIP in 26 innings after coming into the month with an ERA over 6; that run includes starts made in Denver and Las Vegas, both of which went quite well considering the hitter-friendly environments. Sproat is coming off two very good starts in a row against the Reds: on June 23rd in Cincinnati, he went six scoreless while allowing just one hit (and no walks) while striking out a season- (and career-) high ten batters. He followed that up with 5 1/3 innings back in Milwaukee in which he struck out seven and allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in a 7-2 Brewers win.
The Diamondbacks will counter with a newly minted All-Star, lefty Eduaro Rodríguez. At 33 years old and in his 11th season, Rodríguez was named to the All-Star Game for the first time, even though he just surpassed 100 career wins and has had a good career. He's been great this season, even if the underlying numbers suggest some—if not a whole lot of—luck. In 17 starts and 102 innings, Rodríguez has just a 2.21 ERA (194 ERA+), but he's also sporting a 3.98 FIP. The 1.77-run gap between his ERA and his FIP is the biggest in baseball for any qualified pitcher. The Brewers faced Rodríguez on April 29th, and while they had plenty of traffic—five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings—they managed only two runs against him, and lost 6-2.
Speaking of All-Stars, one of the (only) two players Milwaukee saw chosen, William Contreras, is out of the lineup today even with the left-hander on the mound. There are a somewhat surprising number of lefties in the lineup, in fact, given that Rodríguez does not have reverse splits: Brice Turang and Garrett Mitchell aren't surprising, and I suppose neither is Christian Yelich, but Jake Bauers and David Hamilton are also getting starts today in right field and at third base, respectively. Joey Ortiz is in at shortstop, while Gary Sánchez will catch, Jackson Chourio plays left field, and Andrew Vaughn is at first base.
One other injury note: Brian Fitzpatrick, who made five appearances for the Brewers this season but injured his elbow while warming up during a game last month, had Tommy John surgery today.
This afternoon, the Brewers will look to take the series despite a couple of less-than-perfect performances in the first two games. To do so, they'll turn to Brandon Sproat, who looks to continue a run of solid outings after a shaky start to the season. In June, Sproat made five starts and pitched to a 3.46 ERA and 3.88 FIP in 26 innings after coming into the month with an ERA over 6; that run includes starts made in Denver and Las Vegas, both of which went quite well considering the hitter-friendly environments. Sproat is coming off two very good starts in a row against the Reds: on June 23rd in Cincinnati, he went six scoreless while allowing just one hit (and no walks) while striking out a season- (and career-) high ten batters. He followed that up with 5 1/3 innings back in Milwaukee in which he struck out seven and allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in a 7-2 Brewers win.
The Diamondbacks will counter with a newly minted All-Star, lefty Eduaro Rodríguez. At 33 years old and in his 11th season, Rodríguez was named to the All-Star Game for the first time, even though he just surpassed 100 career wins and has had a good career. He's been great this season, even if the underlying numbers suggest some—if not a whole lot of—luck. In 17 starts and 102 innings, Rodríguez has just a 2.21 ERA (194 ERA+), but he's also sporting a 3.98 FIP. The 1.77-run gap between his ERA and his FIP is the biggest in baseball for any qualified pitcher. The Brewers faced Rodríguez on April 29th, and while they had plenty of traffic—five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings—they managed only two runs against him, and lost 6-2.
Speaking of All-Stars, one of the (only) two players Milwaukee saw chosen, William Contreras, is out of the lineup today even with the left-hander on the mound. There are a somewhat surprising number of lefties in the lineup, in fact, given that Rodríguez does not have reverse splits: Brice Turang and Garrett Mitchell aren't surprising, and I suppose neither is Christian Yelich, but Jake Bauers and David Hamilton are also getting starts today in right field and at third base, respectively. Joey Ortiz is in at shortstop, while Gary Sánchez will catch, Jackson Chourio plays left field, and Andrew Vaughn is at first base.
One other injury note: Brian Fitzpatrick, who made five appearances for the Brewers this season but injured his elbow while warming up during a game last month, had Tommy John surgery today.
2 months ago
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds
Hometown/High School: Aliquippa, PA (Hopewell H.S.)
Ranking: ★★★★ (90 Rivals — No. 101 overall, No. 9 QB)
Notable Offers: Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Pitt, West Virginia
View Link
It’s not often Pennsylvania produces a Top 100 caliber prospect at quarterback, but when it has in recent times (Kyle McCord, Matt Zollers) they ended up elsewhere (Ohio State, Missouri). Fortunately, that’s not the case here as Penn State was able to secure an early-ish commitment from James Armstrong. I say “early-ish” because it is before his junior season, but quarterback recruiting has been sped up in recent times as quarterbacks want to lock in their place in a class. Schools like Texas, Georgia, and Notre Dame all have a 2028 quarterback committed, and now Penn State joins the list.
Armstrong is a dual-threat, lefty quarterback who is coming off a prolific sophomore season at Hopewell (alma mater of Tony Dorsett and Paul Posluszny) where he threw for 2,232 yards and had 21 passing TDs to just 3 interceptions, all the while running for 799 yards and adding in 16 touchdowns on the ground. That — on top of being a standout basketball and baseball player — earned him the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Athlete of the Year Award, being the first sophomore to ever win it.
Beyond my affinity for lefties, what makes Armstrong particularly intriguing his is dual-threat capabilities. Penn State hasn’t had statues at quarterback — Sean Clifford was a solid runner before he would have to stop running because he’d be hurt, and Drew Allar was a better runner than given credit for — but it hasn’t been since Trace McSorley that they had someone truly dangerous with their legs. Now, I am not saying Armstrong is Michael Vick 2.0 and is going to break the sport with tantalizing runs. But his athleticism and size is going to be an ******* et, both when a play breaks down and on designed-QB runs.
Hometown/High School: Aliquippa, PA (Hopewell H.S.)
Ranking: ★★★★ (90 Rivals — No. 101 overall, No. 9 QB)
Notable Offers: Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Pitt, West Virginia
View Link
It’s not often Pennsylvania produces a Top 100 caliber prospect at quarterback, but when it has in recent times (Kyle McCord, Matt Zollers) they ended up elsewhere (Ohio State, Missouri). Fortunately, that’s not the case here as Penn State was able to secure an early-ish commitment from James Armstrong. I say “early-ish” because it is before his junior season, but quarterback recruiting has been sped up in recent times as quarterbacks want to lock in their place in a class. Schools like Texas, Georgia, and Notre Dame all have a 2028 quarterback committed, and now Penn State joins the list.
Armstrong is a dual-threat, lefty quarterback who is coming off a prolific sophomore season at Hopewell (alma mater of Tony Dorsett and Paul Posluszny) where he threw for 2,232 yards and had 21 passing TDs to just 3 interceptions, all the while running for 799 yards and adding in 16 touchdowns on the ground. That — on top of being a standout basketball and baseball player — earned him the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Athlete of the Year Award, being the first sophomore to ever win it.
Beyond my affinity for lefties, what makes Armstrong particularly intriguing his is dual-threat capabilities. Penn State hasn’t had statues at quarterback — Sean Clifford was a solid runner before he would have to stop running because he’d be hurt, and Drew Allar was a better runner than given credit for — but it hasn’t been since Trace McSorley that they had someone truly dangerous with their legs. Now, I am not saying Armstrong is Michael Vick 2.0 and is going to break the sport with tantalizing runs. But his athleticism and size is going to be an ******* et, both when a play breaks down and on designed-QB runs.
2 months ago
Garrett Mitchell had just 10 starts against a left-handed pitcher all season long coming into the night. He had just a .547 OPS against lefties coming into the night, so it has been fairly understandable why. But Pat Murphy gave Mitchell the start on Wednesday night against Reds southpaw Andrew Abbott and he had a career night helping deliver the Crew a 4-2 victory.
Mitchell started the night with a single against Abbott in the first inning after the Brewers had already scored a pair of runs on an RBI groundout by William Contreras and a sac fly from Jake Bauers.
Then in the 3rd, Mitchell dropped in a one out double just barely fair down the left field line. Controversy later struck in that inning when Mitchell was running home on a safety squeeze bunt from Cooper Pratt. Spencer Steer glove flipped the ball to Tyler Stephenson and Mitchell was ruled out at the plate. After a lengthy review in which multiple replay angles seemed to show Mitchell beat the tag, the call somehow stood and he was ruled out. But was Mitchell out?
“No. Absolutely not.” Mitchell said.
“Our guy that does video, he’s the best there is and [Mitchell]‘s safe in his mind and he has a picture of him being safe….There is a picture of him touching the plate. We can see it from the angle we have, and I’m sure they have that angle.” Pat Murphy said.
Mitchell started the night with a single against Abbott in the first inning after the Brewers had already scored a pair of runs on an RBI groundout by William Contreras and a sac fly from Jake Bauers.
Then in the 3rd, Mitchell dropped in a one out double just barely fair down the left field line. Controversy later struck in that inning when Mitchell was running home on a safety squeeze bunt from Cooper Pratt. Spencer Steer glove flipped the ball to Tyler Stephenson and Mitchell was ruled out at the plate. After a lengthy review in which multiple replay angles seemed to show Mitchell beat the tag, the call somehow stood and he was ruled out. But was Mitchell out?
“No. Absolutely not.” Mitchell said.
“Our guy that does video, he’s the best there is and [Mitchell]‘s safe in his mind and he has a picture of him being safe….There is a picture of him touching the plate. We can see it from the angle we have, and I’m sure they have that angle.” Pat Murphy said.
2 months ago
The Mariners attempted to prop up their flagging bullpen today, trading out lefty Josh Simpson for righty Cole Wilcox.
With the Mariners past the Oops! All Lefties Guardians lineup, there’s no need for an extra lefty in the ‘pen, but Simpson didn’t make a strong argument to stay, providing the bottom bread in the disaster sandwich that was the Mariners’ meltdown eighth inning in one of the most unpleasant games I’ve recapped yet this season. For Simpson, the issue remains command. Wilcox hasn’t been the picture of pinpoint command – or he has, if that picture was drawn by someone who’d consumed ten double espressos while riding a Gravitron – but the thing Wilcox does bring is an ability to work multiple innings, something that’s useful for the bullpen-impoverished Mariners, down a man due to the fluctuating piggyback strategy.
Wilcox is carrying a rough-looking ERA of over five in Triple-A, but his peripherals are good: his FIP and xERA are both about half that, and he’s striking out over a third of batters faced while keeping his walks in check. It’s the walks that were the pain point for Wilcox in his first go-round with the big-league club in April, when he flashed solid strikeout stuff but also walked almost as many hitters as he struck out. That issue has calmed down significantly in his time at the notoriously hitter-friendly PCL, where he’s also collected a pair of saves.
Wilcox was my Pile Pick this spring training but his command issues caused Alex Hoppe to leapfrog him in the pecking order. Hoppe had his own struggles, however, and was optioned down to Triple-A three days ago. With Hoppe ineligible to be recalled from Triple-A for at least another week, Wilcox has some runway for another audition to the big-league club as they continue to search for consistency in the bullpen. And as a fun bonus, Wilcox has brought along a good luck charm this time that he keeps in his locker: a bobblehead of former Georgia teammate Emerson Hancock given away at Foley Field this May – a reminder from one Bulldog to another that the path to a big-league career doesn’t always run smoothly.
With the Mariners past the Oops! All Lefties Guardians lineup, there’s no need for an extra lefty in the ‘pen, but Simpson didn’t make a strong argument to stay, providing the bottom bread in the disaster sandwich that was the Mariners’ meltdown eighth inning in one of the most unpleasant games I’ve recapped yet this season. For Simpson, the issue remains command. Wilcox hasn’t been the picture of pinpoint command – or he has, if that picture was drawn by someone who’d consumed ten double espressos while riding a Gravitron – but the thing Wilcox does bring is an ability to work multiple innings, something that’s useful for the bullpen-impoverished Mariners, down a man due to the fluctuating piggyback strategy.
Wilcox is carrying a rough-looking ERA of over five in Triple-A, but his peripherals are good: his FIP and xERA are both about half that, and he’s striking out over a third of batters faced while keeping his walks in check. It’s the walks that were the pain point for Wilcox in his first go-round with the big-league club in April, when he flashed solid strikeout stuff but also walked almost as many hitters as he struck out. That issue has calmed down significantly in his time at the notoriously hitter-friendly PCL, where he’s also collected a pair of saves.
Wilcox was my Pile Pick this spring training but his command issues caused Alex Hoppe to leapfrog him in the pecking order. Hoppe had his own struggles, however, and was optioned down to Triple-A three days ago. With Hoppe ineligible to be recalled from Triple-A for at least another week, Wilcox has some runway for another audition to the big-league club as they continue to search for consistency in the bullpen. And as a fun bonus, Wilcox has brought along a good luck charm this time that he keeps in his locker: a bobblehead of former Georgia teammate Emerson Hancock given away at Foley Field this May – a reminder from one Bulldog to another that the path to a big-league career doesn’t always run smoothly.
2 months ago
Rangers part ways with former Mariners, Braves .655 OPS outfielder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Texas Rangers made a notable roster move involving the outfield on Monday.
It came shortly after the AL West club had signed right-hander Chris Paddack to a Major League deal.
Texas announced that former first-round draft pick Jarred Kelenic was designated for ***** ignment, and infielder/outfielder Cameron Cauley has been promoted from Triple-A.
"Kelenic is also a lefty hitter with traditional splits, so he’s a poor fit to platoon with Carter and generally not a great fit as a fourth outfielder behind three lefties," Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors wrote.
The Texas Rangers made a notable roster move involving the outfield on Monday.
It came shortly after the AL West club had signed right-hander Chris Paddack to a Major League deal.
Texas announced that former first-round draft pick Jarred Kelenic was designated for ***** ignment, and infielder/outfielder Cameron Cauley has been promoted from Triple-A.
"Kelenic is also a lefty hitter with traditional splits, so he’s a poor fit to platoon with Carter and generally not a great fit as a fourth outfielder behind three lefties," Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors wrote.
2 months ago
After getting back on track in Baltimore, the Nats continue their road trip against another AL East foe. They head up to Boston to face a Red Sox team who just completed a 4 game sweep over the Yankees. However, for most of this season, the Red Sox have been inconsistent at best.
With a lefty on the mound, Blake Butera elected to make a few changes. However, he decided to keep his hottest hitter Luis Garcia Jr. in the lineup. Garcia usually sits against lefties, but he is too hot for that right now. Andres Chaparro will be in there as the DH. Daylen Lile will get a day off, meaning James Wood is in left, Jacob Young is in center and Dylan Crews is in right. Miles Mikolas will be on the mound with no opener in front of him.
This Red Sox lineup has underperformed for most of the season, but they have been better in June. Newcomer Willson Contreras has been their best hitter. Caleb Durbin has also been hot in June. The Nats very briefly rostered Tsung-Che Cheng, before DFA’ing him two days later. Now he is with the Red Sox, and starting at shortstop. Big money signing Ranger Suarez will be on the mound.
Sign up for a user account and get:
Fewer ads
With a lefty on the mound, Blake Butera elected to make a few changes. However, he decided to keep his hottest hitter Luis Garcia Jr. in the lineup. Garcia usually sits against lefties, but he is too hot for that right now. Andres Chaparro will be in there as the DH. Daylen Lile will get a day off, meaning James Wood is in left, Jacob Young is in center and Dylan Crews is in right. Miles Mikolas will be on the mound with no opener in front of him.
This Red Sox lineup has underperformed for most of the season, but they have been better in June. Newcomer Willson Contreras has been their best hitter. Caleb Durbin has also been hot in June. The Nats very briefly rostered Tsung-Che Cheng, before DFA’ing him two days later. Now he is with the Red Sox, and starting at shortstop. Big money signing Ranger Suarez will be on the mound.
Sign up for a user account and get:
Fewer ads
