Don’t Poke The Chilly Goo Bear
Drew Gilbert has earned his reputation as a high-energy spark plug on and off the field for the San Francisco Giants and although it is unclear where his bizarre nickname “Chilly Goo Bear” originates from, he certainly does his best to live up to the moniker, whatever it may mean. On Sunday the Chilly Goo Bear went wild in the mountains of Colorado, going 4-4 with a HR, 2B, R and 3 RBI in the Giants 7-6 loss to the Rockies.
A former first round pick out of Tennessee who has already been traded multiple times in his pro career, Gilbert has wowed a bit more with his persona than his ability at the plate so far in 273 at-bats at the Major League level. While his plate discipline has been excellent (24.5 Chase%, 80th percentile/17.2 K%, 74th percentile), Gilbert has failed to hit the ball with any amount of authority (85.5 mph Average Exit Velo, 2.1 Barrel%, both in the sixth percentile). While he did hit 18 HRs in the minors in 2023, at this point in his young career Gilbert looks like a fourth outfielder type, although his energy and gritty edge are certainly valuable on any team trying to compete.
Let’s see how the other hitters did on Sunday:
Austin Martin (MIN): 2-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB.
Another gritty fourth outfielder type who was drafted in the first round out of a college in Tennessee, Austin Martin has found a home in Minnesota and was huge in the team’s 6-1 win over the Yankees on Sunday. Like Gilbert, Martin doesn’t bring a ton of exciting tools to the plate, but his play results in a sum better than its parts and his contributions often don’t show up in the box score. They certainly did on Sunday, however, and his 12.6 BB% and 17.9 K% at the very least make him a tough out at the plate.
Drake Baldwin (ATL): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
A spot starting in the All-Star Game added to what has been a dream sophomore season for Braves catcher Drake Baldwin and his ninth inning Grand Slam sparked what was almost an incredible comeback against the Mets on Sunday’s 10-9 loss. The HR was Baldwin’s 15th of the year and if he hadn’t missed about a month with an oblique strain he could already be at the 20 HR mark.
Bo Bichette (NYM): 3-5, 2B, R, 3 RBI.
Bo Bichette came through with two huge run-scoring hits for the Mets on Sunday, including a two-run double in the ninth inning that missed being a Grand Slam by a few feet. It hasn’t been easy going for Bichette or the Mets in his first season in New York, but over his last thirty games the 28-year old is hitting .342/.369/.550.
Gabriel Arias (CLE): 2-5, HR, R, 3 RBI.
With the Guardians facing a three-run deficit yesterday against Chicago, Gabriel Arias tied the game with a 446-foot moonshot to left-center in the fifth inning. While Cleveland ended up losing the game to the White Sox, the HR was Arias’ fourth of the season and second since returning to the lineup in mid-June.
Riley Greene (DET): 3-4, HR, 3B, R, 4 RBI, BB.
Riley Greene was absolutely incredible for the Tigers on Sunday, hitting a two-run HR and a two-run triple in Detroit’s 6-3 win over Texas. Greene, who was named to his third All-Star Game as a reserve over the weekend, also made a remarkeable diving catch that you have to see. In the last two games of the series with the Rangers, both wins for the Tigers, Greene went 5-8 with two HRs and six RBI.
Rafael Devers (SF): 2-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Rafael Devers was locked in against Rockies starter Tanner Gordon on Sunday, hitting a 420-foot solo HR to right-center in the fourth inning and following it up with a monstrous 463-foot blast in the fifth. Devers hit three HRs in the series in Colorado and now has eight over his last 15 games.
Otto Lopez (MIA): 3-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.
Nobody is more deserving of their first All-Star nod than Otto Lopez is this year, as the 27-year old has blossomed into a superstar for an upstart Marlins ballclub. After a three-hit game that saw him hit his ninth HR of the season, Lopez’s .346 average leads of baseball by 20 points and his 143 wRC+ is seventh in the National League.
Heriberto Hernández (MIA): 3-4, 2 HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB.
Heriberto Hernández is starting to get a reputation as someone who homers in bunches and the 26-year old unleashed two in Miami’s 9-8 win over the Athletics on Sunday. Hernandez now has 10 HRs over his last 98 MLB at-bats and could prove to be a big piece for a Marlins lineup that could use some power from the right side of the plate.
Jonah Heim (ATH): 2-4, HR, R, 6 RBI.
Jonah Heim did everything he could to bring the A’s back in the loss to Miami, hitting a Grand Slam in the bottom of the eighth inning and a two-run single in the ninth to bring the Marlins lead to one. Heim served as the DH on Sunday, but he could see an increase in time behind the plate if Shea Langeliers‘ thumb injury lands him on the IL.
Manny Machado (SD): 1-2, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB, SB.
Manny Machado got on base four times for the Padres in Los Angeles last night and put the game out of reach with a three-run HR in the seventh inning to give San Diego a 5-2 win over the Dodgers. The 34-year old veteran has struggled to a .189 average in 2026, although he is already up to 18 HRs on the season.
Jarren Duran (BOS): 2-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB.
Speaking of former All-Stars struggling, 2024 All-Star Game MVP Jarren Duran also finds himself below the Mendoza line in July with a .197 batting average. He turned it on against the Angels on Sunday night however, going two for three with his 13th HR of the season.
Zach Neto (LAA): 3-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Zach Neto turned on a pitch from Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman for his 19th HR of the season in the ninth inning on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough as the Angels fell 7-5. The former Campbell Camel is poised to eclipse his former career-high of 26 HRs, however his 31.8 K% is holding him back from truly breaking out at the plate.
