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MLB News & Moments You Should Know: 6/19/2024

Rest in peace, Willie.

Pablo Figueroa
MLB Morning News 6/19/2024

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

 

Today’s Headlines

 

Rest in Peace, Willie Mays

 

In the middle of their game against the Cubs, the San Francisco Giants announced the passing of franchise legend Willie Mays, as the baseball world quickly rallied around the memory of a true legend. Considered by many as the best all-around player in baseball history, Mays’ legacy will forever be tied to his achievements as a player and as a person, as he served as a true ambassador for the game and became an American icon in the process. In terms of career success, his resume is almost unparalleled, with 660 homers, 24 All-Star games, 3,293 hits, two MVP awards, a World Series title, all while serving as the Giants’ franchise player during a time when the team moved from New York to the Bay Area. He will always hold a revered place in baseball history, as one of the true inner-circle Hall of Famers with an impact that goes beyond numbers. Rest in peace, Say Hey Kid.

 


Beware the Power of Grimace

 

A week ago, McDonald’s famous purple mascot Grimace threw the first pitch at Citi Field, unknowingly creating one of the most fun and unpredictable sagas of the season. While the Mets were in the middle of a disappointing stretch at 28-37, their current seven-game winning streak has taken the Grimace connection from a meme to a true online sensation. It was all taken to a new level in today’s comeback win, as New York fell behind 6-2 after a rough outing from Luis Severino. From that point on, the Mets simply would not be denied, scoring at least once in the final four frames, with Pete Alonso hitting the go-ahead double in the ninth. Edwin Diaz held on with a rare stress-free ninth, as the Mets continue to hang around the packed race for the third NL wild card. During their winning streak, they have outscored their opponents by a whopping 30 runs.

 

 

A Controversial Comeback

 

In a true Coors Field game, the Dodgers faced a 9-4 deficit entering the ninth inning. While the win probability in any other stadium may be close to nil, a potent offense in the thin air can sometimes beat the odds, which is exactly how LA cut the deficit to one run following a pinch-hit grand slam from Jason Heyward. After Shohei Ohtani hit a single and Freddie Freeman walked, the Dodgers were down to their final strike with Teoscar Hernandez at the plate. With a 1-2 count, Victor Vodnik fired a perfect high fastball that appeared to get Hernandez to chase, but first-base umpire Lance Barksdale was probably the only person in the stadium who disagreed, declaring a no-swing and handing new life to the at-bat. Just one pitch later, Hernandez would hit an opposite-field homer that gave the Dodgers an 11-9 lead much to the chagrin of an incensed Colorado dugout. The Rockies went down unceremoniously in the bottom half, giving the Dodgers a controversial win, even as there is much blame to pass around in the Colorado bullpen.

 

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

Smooth 

It has become evident that Pablo Lopez is not the ace everyone expected in 2024, as he was again torched to the tune of five runs over four innings of work, as his ERA sits at a ghastly 5.63. However, his teammates eventually picked him up, tying the game at six before an 83-minute rain delay appeared to make the early part of the game a blur. Tampa Bay’s bullpen held on, but so did Minnesota’s, as no runs were scored after the game resumed, all until the bottom of the ninth. With two men on and two outs, Rays closer Pete Fairbanks was forced to exit after taking a comeback, rushing Phil Maton into action against pinch-hitting Carlos Santana. The veteran turned Maton’s third pitch into a walk-off for the Twins, earning their sixth straight win. On the other side, with every passing series it looks as if the Rays simply might not have it this season.

 

 

Nick at Nite

 

While Aaron Nola did not pitch poorly at all (three runs allowed over six innings), he was in line for the loss as the Philadelphia offense had been held quiet by Padres starter Michael King and an army of relievers. Facing a 3-1 score in the eighth, the Phils cut the deficit by a run via a homer from June Schwarber, but that still meant facing closer Robert Suarez, who had been perfect in save opportunities. The ending went exactly as expected for this team, as Suarez was unable to record an out and instead allowed four straight hits, culminating with Nick Castellanos’ agonizing double that snuck inside the right-field line and scored the walk-off run. The Phillies will now get the chance to become the first NL team to reach 50 wins.

 

 

Lo and Behold

While he is not yet qualified to be considered in many pitching stats, it has officially become time to be excited about Nick Lodolo. The southpaw dominated the Pirates to earn his fifth straight win, taking him to an 8-2 mark with a 2.76 ERA for the season. In today’s contest, Lodolo allowed only four hits and zero walks over seven innings, with a Ke’Brian Hayes homer being the only blemish in his pitching line. Bailey Falter was almost as dominant, with only two runs allowed over seven innings, taking the tough loss as the Reds bullpen held on for the 2-1 win.

 

 

A Cannon Event

 

The White Sox were, by far, the last team to reach 20 wins in what has been a dreadful season in the South Side of Chicago. For a day, it was all forgiven, as arguably their most exciting pitching prospect delivered a gem. Jonathan Cannon, all of 23 years old and making his sixth career start, finally earned his first career win, shutting down the Astros for 8.2 innings. The righty was able to get out of several jams, as he allowed seven hits and a walk while striking out four. He was almost matched by Framber Valdez, who allowed only two hits over six frames, but was felled by five walks, two of which eventually scored, giving the Sox a 2-0 win. It became only the fourth shutout win of the season for Chicago, and a beacon of hope for a franchise that needs all the help it can get.

 

 

Smiling All the Way to First

 

With Anthony Rizzo being placed on the IL, the Yankees turned to one of their minor-league prospects, catcher/first baseman Ben Rice. While he may be considered a bit old for a prospect, Rice had taken a major step forward in 2024, with a combined OPS above .900 between AA and AAA. Hitting sixth in the lineup, Rice flied out in his first at-bat, but quickly got a second chance and recorded his first career hit in the bottom of the third. In a touching scene, the rookie displayed pure joy and emotion from the moment he connected the ball, flashing a big smile as the baseball was retrieved to be forever kept as a memento of this moment. Here’s hoping for a long and successful career for happy Ben.

 

 

Injuries and Other Moves

⚾ Aaron Judge left today’s game after being hit by a pitch on his left hand. While the severity of the injury is still unknown, the slugger had to be evaluated after exiting in the third inning. Following a scorching May that has carried over to June, the former MVP’s status will be closely monitored by the Yankees and baseball as a whole.

⚾ The Blue Jays have placed shortstop Bo Bichette on the 10-day IL with a right calf strain, on a move that is retroactive to June 15. Even as Bichette has had a disappointing season, this is still a significant loss for Toronto, as they continue to struggle offensively. The team recalled prospect Orelvis Martinez to take Bichette’s roster spot, but it is likely that Isiah Kiner-Falefa will serve as the primary shortstop for the time being. 

⚾ Justin Verlander is heading back to the IL, albeit with a different ailment from the one that caused him to miss the start of the season. This time, the Astros announced that the move was due to neck discomfort, retroactive to June 16, as the lingering issues became too much to handle for the veteran. Sporting a 3.95 ERA, Verlander has been one of the few bright spots for the Astros rotation, but he has been limited to ten starts and will now miss additional time. 

⚾ The Yankees had a tough day in terms of roster moves, as they were forced to move three players to the IL. It all started with Anthony Rizzo, as a right forearm fracture will sideline him for a while. Pitchers Cody Poteet (right triceps strain) and Ian Hamilton (right lat strain) followed suit, stripping New York of some depth, especially now that Gerrit Cole’s rotation return is imminent. In the meantime, hitting prospect Ben Rice was called up to replace Rizzo, while Clayton Andrews and Anthony Misiewicz will cover the pitching spots. 

 

Articles You Should Read

 

The Fun Differential Rolls On In Seattle — Kyle Kishimoto, Fangraphs

The Kid Who Was Batboy for Willie Mays — Matt Monagan, MLB.com

 

Fantasy Baseball Coverage

 

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Pablo Figueroa

Pablo Figueroa is a Baseball Writer here at Pitcher List, with experience as a writer since 2013. He lives in Aguascalientes, Mexico - proud home of Los Rieleros. When he´s not thinking about baseball , he's a husband, owns two dogs, watches random episodes of The Sopranos , plays padel, and works on his day job to pay the bills.

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