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MLB News & Moments You Should Know: 6/26/2024

It was a showcase day for future All-Stars.

Pablo Figueroa
MLB Morning News 6/26/2024

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

 

The Supreme Southpaw

 

In a battle of leading Cy Young candidates in their respective leagues, lefties Ranger Suarez and Tarik Skubal took the mound. Despite facing a much tougher offense, Skubal came out on top with a sublime performance, allowing only one Philly hitter to reach third base while ultimately recording seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. Both pitchers lived up to the billing to start the game, trading zeroes during the first four innings, but a rare disaster frame struck Suarez at the bottom of the fifth, aided by a Trea Turner misplay that loaded the bases with no outs. The Tigers cashed in with a four-run outburst that was more than enough, as Suarez ended his night with those four runs allowed over six innings, getting his ERA above 2.00 for the first time this season. On the other hand, Skubal improved to 9-3 with a 2.32 ERA. There is a chance we can get a rematch of these lefties in the All-Star Game, which would be more than fitting.

 


Derailing the Cole Train

 

Game 1 of the Subway Series turned out to be a power display by the streaking Mets, as they jumped to an early 6-0 lead after hitting a whopping four homers off Gerrit Cole. Mark Vientos twice, Harrison Bader, and Brandon Nimmo were the beneficiaries of a shaky Cole, who showed some of the rust that had not been there in his previous outing. The Yankees would chip away and make things interesting, starting with a Juan Soto homer to get on the board and then with an Aaron Judge grand slam that cut the deficit to only two runs, but it would not be enough as Reed Garrett stepped up to finish the game in lieu of suspended closer Edwin Diaz. The win pushed the Mets within a game of .500, as they have now won eight of their last ten. Maybe Grimace’s magic dust is still around the clubhouse.

 

 

Mr. Guardian

 

Featuring a battle of two of the best teams in baseball, the Guardians and Orioles delivered one of the most exciting games of the year, at least from an offensive standpoint. Ten out of the 18 offensive innings had at least one run scored, but none was as important as the top of the fourth, where the Guardians put up a five-spot that ultimately led to a 10-8 win. The big knock came from Jose Ramirez, as his two-out homer with two runners on became the biggest swing of the game in terms of win probability added, making some Cleveland history in the process. Career homer #237 pushed Ramirez into sole possession of the third spot in Guardians franchise history, just a few taters behind Albert Belle for second place. With the third baseman still only 31 years old and under contract for at least four more years, there is a realistic chance that he will challenge Jim Thome’s record at the top, which would be simply amazing for this throwback one-team star.

 

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

Profar, Far Away

When the All-Star rosters are announced, there may be no bigger surprise than Jurickson Profar starting in the outfield. Once regarded as a top prospect who never quite put it together, Profar has found a new life in 2024, becoming the best hitter in a lineup full of stars. Today, he added a signature moment to his season. In a game that got a bit chippy via a benches-clearing incident, San Diego held a slim lead in the bottom of the sixth, with Profar batting with the bases loaded. He took advantage of a 2-0 count to unload and place the pall perfectly into the short porch in right field, hitting his 11th homer of the season. The Padres would hang on for a 9-7 win, keeping pace in the endless NL wild card race.

 

 

In Praise of the RBI Guy

 

In recent years, RBIs have lost most of their gravitas among baseball analysts, as other stats have become better tools to evaluate player performance. Nevertheless, we also know that RBIs remain an important stat to players and that hitters who can collect many of them are still impressive in their own way. Shohei Ohtani just added a new milestone to his Dodgers debut season, earning an RBI for the ninth straight game, which is something the franchise had not seen in nearly 70 years. His lead-off homer set the tone for what should be among the season’s biggest mismatches, as the Dodgers did just enough to earn a 4-3 victory, joining the Phillies, Yankees, and Guardians in the 50-win club.

 

 

Hit 22

Entering today’s game with a 21-game hitting streak, Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds wasted no time in extending it, hitting a two-run homer in his first at-bat. Now at 22 straight games with a hit, Reynolds has the longest streak of the season and has increased his batting average to .280 in the process. The homer was also important to set the tone, as Pittsburgh would jump to an 8-0 lead before the Reds could actually respond, ending the game with a nice 9-5 win. Despite his exploits, Reynolds is still a few games short of the franchise record, as Charlie Grimm hit safely in 30 straight games between 1922 and 1923.

 

 

Lead-Off Yandy

 

On Sunday, Yandy Diaz ambushed a Paul Skenes fastball to hit an improbable opposite-field lead-off homer in what was the first pitch of the day. Today, he repeated the feat against Luis Castillo, giving the Rays an early lead they would not relinquish. The 11-3 blowout has finally seen Tampa Bay climb to .500, as they have won seven of their past ten. On the other hand, should the Mariners be concerned about Castillo? His ERA has risen by nearly a run during June, as this was his third start this month giving up at least four runs. Regardless, maybe pitchers will start throwing breaking balls for as a first pitch against Yandy.

 

 

A Lifelong Lesson

 

In all of sports, kids are always taught to keep their eyes on the ball (or puck, eh). It is a basic lesson that is always true, as focus is necessary to succeed in any game. Despite the prominent W on his batting helmet, CJ Abrams took a massive L today, as he forgot this premise at the worst of moments. Having just hit a single that appeared to give the Nationals a prime scoring opportunity, Abrams casually strutted back to first, turning his back to the ball as the Padres infield realized they could steal an out. While the play was called safe initially, a video review showed that Abrams was out by a bunch, earning a world of embarrassment. We can almost guarantee that it will never happen again.

 

 

Injuries and Other Moves

⚾ The Mets placed Starling Marte on the 10-day IL with a right knee bone bruise, which is considered serious enough to shut him down completely for two weeks. The timetable for Marte’s return is expected to be a month, as the outfielder has dealt with lingering issues for the past several weeks. In his place, Ben Gamel has been recalled, but New York will probably mix and match before settling on a full-time replacement. In other Mets news, closer Edwin Diaz elected not to appeal his 10-game suspension, which will be served in full immediately.

⚾ Starting pitcher Nick Lodolo has been placed on the 10-day IL, as the Reds confirmed that the blister issues on his pitching hand are serious enough to warrant a stint. This becomes the third IL trip for Lodolo in 2024, though this one is also expected to be a short one. He has been one of the best lefties in the league, with a 2.96 ERA and 73 Ks in 70 innings. Cincinnati recalled Yosver Zulueta to replace Lodolo, and he promptly made his MLB debut against the Pirates. 

⚾ The Mariners officially placed Bryan Woo in the IL again, this time with a right hamstring strain. The injury happened in Monday’s game against the Rays, putting another dent in what has otherwise been a fantastic season for Woo. He has only walked three batters across eight starts while carrying a 1.77 ERA. His roster spot will be covered by reliever Collin Snider, while Seattle will need to scramble to set up their rotation. 

⚾ Bo Bichette made his return to the diamond following a quick 10-day trip to the IL. The Blue Jays went a miserable 2-7 in his absence, as Bichette could become a coveted trade target if Toronto decides to go on that route. To make space on the roster, Steward Berroa was optioned to AAA. 

 

Articles You Should Read

 

Julio Rodriguez Talks Hitting — David Laurila, Fangraphs

From All-Star Snubs to MVP — Jason Foster, 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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