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We’re entering the summer of the Pitching Controversies, aren’t we? It seems so strange to be wrangling something like a half-dozen deep-into-the-game no-hitters and perfectos in such a short time, especially when multiple have ended with the manager pulling the pitcher during…
Today’s Headlines
Cease That Offense!
The Blue Jays really took it to the Giants on Wednesday, shutting them out 10-0. That offensive explosion included a trio of homers, starting with a grand slam from Kazuma Okamoto in the first (funnily enough, no Blue Jay had hit a ball harder than 72 mph to get the bases loaded and bring in the first run):
That marks the 21st homer of the season for Big Oak, whose season line of .237/.314/.462 doesn’t look so great, but is good for a 116 wRC+!
Toronto added the other two dingers in the ninth inning, with Ryan Walker serving them up back-to-back to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer:
But even though the Jays (who have a -35 run differential even after yesterday) offense found some serious life in San Francisco, that’s not the big story from yesterday. That would be the eight no-hit innings that Dylan Cease threw:
Cease got into the ninth inning on 115 pitches, striking out 11 and only walking three batters until Heliot Ramos laced a line drive into center field to open the bottom half of the inning. Cease got quite the ovation from the crowd, considering it was an away game, as he dropped his season ERA down to 2.56 with a career-high strikeout rate, currently sitting above 36%.
Jonesing For A Longer Outing
Somehow, Cease wasn’t the only pitcher chasing history on Wednesday, as Jared Jones took a perfect game through six innings before he was lifted with 77 pitches thrown.
I get that Jones is coming back from Tommy John and the Pirates want to make sure he’s good to go for the future but this was his eighth start this season and 77 didn’t even tie his high-water mark for pitches so far. This and the Eury decision the other day…I don’t know, man. I mean I get the argument, I just don’t buy it. To make it feel even worse, Jones left with the game still tied 0-0 and the Pittsburgh bullpen gave up a trio of runs, with two of them coming via a homer off the bat of former Pirate Joey Bart:
Atlanta added the third run in the ninth when Drake Baldwin brought Michael Harris II around to score. And while Jones’ perfect start is obviously the pitching headliner here, the Atlanta staff didn’t slouch their way through the game either, with Grant Holmes throwing five shutout innings with five strikeouts, three hits, and only a single walk. The relief corps added another six strikeouts over the next four innings, allowing only one hit from Didier Fuentes before a combo of Dylan Dodd, Dylan Lee, and Raisel Iglesias held the Buccos to a single baserunner via a walk.
Soaring Fish
But even with that win, Atlanta’s lead in the NL East has been trimmed all the way down to three games these days. The Phillies have chased them, but over the past month or so it’s been the Miami Marlins who are suddenly closer than they appear in the rearview mirror. The Fish are 25-8 since the beginning of June, with their latest win being a 2-0 win over the Mariners and George Kirby. The first run was a solo shot from Kyle Stowers in the second:
And the second one was an RBI triple from Xavier Edwards:
That’s Edwards’ second RBI triple in as many games. The Marlins currently have the sixth-best fWAR in baseball, and I remember seeing them in The Bronx earlier this year and thinking that if nothing else, their offense was going to be pesky. I would say I underestimated them!
Opposite Kirby was Tyler Phillips, who picked up the win as his conversion back into a starting pitcher has worked out well so far. His strikeout numbers leave something to be desired (only three over five innings yesterday) but he’s rocking a 3.28 ERA so far over eight starts. I’ve been a fan of his since reading a Michael Baumann article about his uh…idiosyncratic personality earlier this year. Love to see a guy like that making it work out.
An All-Star Justin Time
Justin Verlander was added to the All-Star roster this year as a Legend Pick, and he took the opportunity to officially announce that he’ll be retiring after this season:
🔁 Reposted @JustinVerlander
2026 has been tough for Verlander so far, as he only threw 3.2 innings around injury troubles. He won’t actually pitch for the AL squad this year, but a spot on his tenth All-Star team is fitting for the 21-year MLB veteran, one-time MVP, Rookie of the Year, two-time World Series champ, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and future Hall of Famer.
By The Numbers
92 games for Pete Crow-Armstrong to hit the 20-20 mark, thanks to a double dinger Wednesday. That’s his second 20-20 season in a row.
2 pitch types thrown in total by Chase Burns over five innings: four-seamers and sliders. Sure, he’s never been a kitchen sink arm, but he usually throws in at least a few token changeups.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Four For Four
The Reds swatted five homers against the Phillies on Wednesday, which isn’t that noteworthy on the surface until you see that four of them came in the fourth inning, and three of those were back-to-back-to-back…
Their fifth came an inning earlier with Sal Stewart’s first of the day:
I am all for Sal raking, but I do hate to reward him for shaving his moustache…
Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike!
Mike Trout came back from the IL yesterday and he hit a massive homer because of course he did, he’s All-Star Mike Trout what did you expect?
Hopefully the Troutainissance continues this year, as he’s authoring a .234/.394/.480 line so far, good for 141 wRC+, his highest mark since 2022.
Birthday Cards
Michael McGreevy picked up his fourth win of the year yesterday as the Cardinals took down the Brewers. And yeah, the Cards beating the Brewers is probably a little noteworthy on its own, but McGreevy is also extending one of the weirdest streaks in baseball:
Cardinals starters have now won 13 straight games when taking the mound on their birthdays, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The streak dates back to Sept. 25, 2008, when Joel Piñeiro defeated the D-backs, 12-3, on his 30th birthday.
It was one of his best starts of the season, as well, as he retired fifteen Brewers in a row and threw 6.1 innings of one-run ball while striking out six:
Should Have Turned Left At Albuquerque
And we’ll close today out with a look at the Tarps Off section from the Rangers game yesterday, and specifically one shirtless fellow who seemed to be on the wrong side of the country:
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Brandon Woodruff has been diagnosed with an anterior shoulder capsule injury and is getting a second opinion on treatment options from Dr. Keith Meister. None of those are good things.
⚾ The Padres have called up Luis Rengifo to the MLB roster, replacing Samad Taylor who is on the IL with an oblique strain.
⚾ Minnesota is looking to activate Bailey Ober from the IL to start today’s game.
⚾ The A’s activated Tyler Soderstrom from the IL yesterday and, in the corresponding move, optioned Max Muncy to AAA.
⚾ Nick Kurtz was removed from Wednesday’s game due to illness, he’s DTD although I’m sure we’ll know more by the time you’re reading this.
⚾ Arizona kept Geraldo Perdomo out of the lineup yesterday just to give him a regular day off.
Articles You Should Read
Ten Thoughts About Carson Benge’s Little League Home Run – Davy Andrews, FanGraphs
It Is, In Fact, Getting Hot In Here – Bradley Woodrum, Baseball Prospectus (sub req’d)
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
