All I Do Is Winn
Masyn Winn (STL): 4-8, 2 HR, 2B, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB.
The Cardinals and Reds played a one-sided double-header on Wednesday, and in game one, Masyn Winn ensured that all St. Louis did was win, no matter what. The slick-fielding 23-year-old SS cranked HRs in the first and ninth innings, adding two walks and a stolen base in between as the Cards won 6-0. In the nightcap, Winn contributed to a 9-1 victory with two more hits, including a double.
After impressing in his first full season with 15 HRs, 11 SBs, and a .267/.314/.416, I was very intrigued to see the progress Winn would make this season. It has been a mixed bag so far, as his walk rate, OBP, and slugging have improved. However, his strikeout rate has skyrocketed to 26.2%. I wouldn’t be too concerned about the strikeouts, however, and I remain optimistic that Winn will cement himself as one of the best all-around SS in baseball.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Wednesday:
Victor Scott II (STL): 3-7, HR, R, 4 RBI, BB, SB.
Victor Scott II earned his MLB debut in 2024 with a reputation for getting on base and flying around those bases. That reputation was tarnished a bit last season as he struggled to get on in both Triple-A and the MLB. This season, however, Scott has looked much more comfortable in St. Louis, slashing .271/.336/.406 with 10 SBs. He still has to work on those strikeouts (24.1%) a bit, but Cardinals fans have to love what they’ve seen out of the 24-year-old in April.
Tyrone Taylor (NYM): 3-4, HR, R, RBI, SB.
Tyrone Taylor did it all for the Mets in their 4-3 loss to the Diamondbacks, adding a stolen base to three hits, including a ninth-inning HR to try and jumpstart a comeback. The 31-year-old has never produced a quality on-base percentage, and his power has diminished since his 17 HR year in 2022. He is simply a veteran presence in the outfield for New York.
Colt Keith (DET): 1-2, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
I was optimistic about Colt Keith coming into the season, but it had been a tough go until Wednesday, when he blasted a 406-foot HR in the second inning to give the Tigers an early lead. The 23-year-old is still sporting an abysmal .181/.330/.250, only buoyed by his 18.2 BB%. I am still willing to let Keith try and work through the struggles. After all, he hit 27 HRs at Triple-A in 2023. But a trip back to Triple-A could be in his future if Keith doesn’t turn things around soon.
Riley Greene (DET): 4-4, 2 R.
A weird, yet productive day for the normally power hungry Riley Greene, as he hit four singles in four at-bats to help Detroit to a 7-4 victory over the Astros. You like to see this approach from Greene, who has seen his BB% drop to 5.6% and his K% balloon to 31.0% this season. The power is still there, but to unlock his true potential, Greene is going to have to tighten up his plate discipline at the plate.
Kyle Stowers (MIA): 4-4, 2 HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI.
The Marlins may have taken another loss to the Dodgers, but wow, what a game from RF Kyle Stowers. The former Orioles prospect connected for two HRs and added an RBI double in between. He is quietly slashing a robust .323/.396/.510 and is starting to realize some of the potential he displayed in the Baltimore farm system.
Freddie Freeman (LAD): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
I could have picked any number of Dodgers to include in this write-up, but I’d like to give Freddie Freeman some props after his fifth HR of the season. The 35-year-old hit only 22 in 2024 and, after posting a sterling April line of .319/.407/.638, Freeman is well on his way to eclipsing that mark in 2025.
Aaron Judge (NYY): 3-3, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB.
I mean, this guy is just downright incredible. Ho-hum, another game where opposing pitchers can’t get him out and he hits a monster 426-foot HR. Seriously, the dude is hitting .427/.521/.761 through 140 plate appearances. That’s insane!
Daulton Varsho (TOR): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Random thought, but is anyone else surprised that Daulton Varsho is only 28 years old? Thought for sure he was in his 30s. Anyway, after making an absurd catch in his first game of the season following an IL stint, Varsho connected for his first HR of the season in game two. I doubt we will ever see the Varsho that hit 27 HR/16 SB in 2022 with Arizona, but maybe a 20/10 season is possible in an improved Toronto lineup.
Lawrence Butler (ATH): 2-4, HR, R, 4 RBI.
After Brent Rooker put the Athletics ahead 3-1 with a two-run HR in the top of the ninth inning, Lawrence Butler put the game away with a grand slam as the upstart Sacramento squad improved to 16-15. After a breakout 2024 season that earned him a lucrative contract, Lawrence Butler has enjoyed a similarly strong start to the 2025 season. Considering that 20 of his 22 HRs last season came after the month of June, we could be looking at an even bigger breakout for Butler this year.
