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MLB News & Moments You Should Know: 5/23/2024

It's a pitcher's world, we just live in it.

Asher Dratel
MLB Morning News 5/23/2024

Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.

I went to two Yankees games this week, one was the Bryan Woo start Tuesday, the other was Wednesday’s. One of them was better than the other in my humble opinion.

 

Today’s Headlines

 

Fried Up

It’s been a bit of a weird year for Max Fried, as his first two games saw him with 5 IP total and an 18 ERA. But fast forward a month and a half and his ERA is sitting pretty at 3.38 and on Wednesday he nabbed his second complete game of the season, making him the first guy to pass the single CG mark:

Atlanta bested the Cubs 9-2 on Wednesday night, and Fried’s nine innings came with only one earned run, three hits, no walks, and nine punchies. Have I told you all how much I love when commentators call strikeouts punchies? Only thing better was when Michael Pineda called them “strike-em-outs” in a post-game interview. Anyway, Max Fried is a better pitcher than Michael Pineda. I’m comfortable making that two-person list.

Cole Reigns

Max wasn’t the only guy really cookin’ on the mound yesterday though, as everybody’s favorite Ace set a new career high for strikeouts:

Cole Ragans only went six innings, but to go with those 12 Ks, he gave up only one hit and only walked three. The Royals best the Tigers 8-3, so he got a nifty little W to go with it. I don’t get any sort of sneak peek into The Roundup for today, but I’m willing to go out on a limb and say Nick was probably a little excited about this one. Ragans’ ERA is down to 3.34 these days, although he has nary a CG to his name…yet.

Into The Dustbin Of History

The Cards went into Baltimore and came away with an outcome none of us probably would have seen coming:

In Wednesday’s series finale, the O’s got out to an early lead, but saw the tables turn in the sixth inning in…well, a pretty embarrassing way thanks to Brendan Donovan:

“Donnie’s streaking home!” is a heck of a thing to hear out of your TV, I’ll tell you that much.

But while the 23-26 Cardinals sweeping the 29-18 Orioles is kind of noteworthy on its own, I mostly bring it up because it ends one of the more impressive and potentially inexplicable records in baseball:

I don’t really know how to look up what team currently has the longest record now, but I feel like getting it up into the triple digits might take a bit to happen again.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

Jacket Back, Swag Back?

It’s been a pretty dismal season for the Jays so far, as they sit in last place in the AL East with a 22-26 record and the second-lowest number of runs scored as a team in baseball (ahead of only the White Sox). But they brought back an old friend yesterday:

Bo Bichette’s season has been pretty dismal, too, but maybe the Home Run Jacket is the thing that was missing? The Jays trounced the White Sox 9-2, so with a sample size of 1 (one), it seems like the answer is an emphatic YES!

Rookie Firsts

Wednesday had a nice little package of rookie firsts during the slate of games:

Starting with Kyren Paris‘ first homer:

The Angels would go on to beat the Astros 2-1, so your first big league HR being the difference maker against a division rival must be a pretty good day at the office.

Then there’s Johnathan Rodríguez’s consequential first big league hit:

Cleveland beat the Mets 6-3, but they couldn’t have done that without the go-ahead run being scored, that’s just science.

And finally, Porter Hodge’s impressive debut inning:

Well, we already talked about the final score of the Cubs game (and you can see it in the clip anyway) but still, striking out the side in your debut is pretty impressive. They can’t all be pivotal moments, people!

OF Gonna Make Your Pitcher Go OOF

The Yankees snapped their two-game losing streak on Wednesday for their 34th win of the season, putting them three games up over the O’s, and they did it in accustomed style:

Yep, that’s a trio of dingers for a trio of outfielders, and they were all pretty impressive.

Aaron Judge got the Yankees on the board early with this two-run, 374-foot shot in the first:

Juan Soto wasn’t content with just the one dinger, adding his own two-run:

and solo:

That gives him 13 on the year, just for the record.

But not to be outdone by the guys to his left in the field, Alex Verdugo sent one waaaay out for a two-run smash in the eighth inning:

 

Verdugo’s was the longest of the three, at 420 feet. You don’t see many guys put a ball in the bleachers out there.

Ketel 21

Time to talk more about my good friend Ketel Marte:

Marte went 2-for-5 last night in L.A., adding a solo home run for good measure:

All of this in a game the Diamondbacks won 6-0, helping to exorcise some Dodger Stadium demons:

3B PFP

Did you know that Lucas Erceg was a third baseman in the Brewers system prior to being converted to a pitcher?

Well, it may be less surprising after seeing this incredible barehanded play he made last night to keep the game tied at 2-2. The A’s would end up losing 4-3 in 12 innings, but it’s not for a lack of pitcher fielding prowess. (Going to tell everybody that’s what PFP actually stands for).

Fiver For Your Driver

Let Twins RP Steven Okert be your role model for the week:

 

Injuries and Other Moves

 

⚾ San Diego will be without Xander Bogaerts for “at least two months” due to a shoulder fracture he suffered while diving for a ball on Monday.

⚾ Angels shortstop Zach Neto was removed from Wednesday’s game due to “right elbow soreness”.

⚾ After a return lasting four games and 20.2 innings, John Means is being sent for testing due to “discomfort” in his left elbow. Manager Brandon Hyde said they’re “hoping for the best.”

⚾ San Francisco returned Blake Snell from the 15-day injured list for him to make his start against the Pirates yesterday, optioning Nick Avila to clear the roster spot.

⚾ Same goes for the Rangers and Dane Dunning, who was activated yesterday for a start against the Phillies.

⚾ And the Rays are getting in on the pitcher activation fun, bringing back Ryan Pepiot, and DFAing Erasmo Ramírez as the corresponding move.

⚾ The White Sox have placed Eloy Jiménez on the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain, and they’re calling up prospect Zach DeLoach to fill his spot on the roster.

⚾ The O’s DFA’d Mike Baumann the other day, and then today it was announced that he had been traded to Seattle along with minor league catcher Michael Pérez in exchange for catcher Blake Hunt.

Articles You Should Read

 

The Two Sides to Elly De La Cruz, and How to Make Sense of Them – Mike Petriello, MLB.com

This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race – Russell A. Carleton, Baseball Prospectus (sub req’d)

 

Fantasy Baseball Coverage

 

Is It Legit?

Closing Time

Starting Pitcher Streamers

Asher Dratel

Asher hails from Brooklyn, wears a 2008 Joba Chamberlain jersey to every Yankees game he attends, and pronounces BABIP funny. Appreciator of Beefy Lad dingers and beers. @asherd.bsky.social on Bluesky.

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