Kamihameha!
What an wild ride it has been for Munetaka Murakami in his first big league season. The 26-year old native of Kumamoto, Japan has established himself as one of the best power hitters in baseball, reached his first All-Star Game, competed in the Home Run Derby, and just went 3-5 with 2 HRs, 3 R and a career-high 6 RBI in a 12-3 blowout win over Houston on his bobblehead day. Oh right, and Murakami has the White Sox in first place with a 2.5 game lead over the rest of the AL Central.
After the Astros scored a quick run in the top of the first, Murakami came up in the bottom half and unleased a Goku-esque blast, sending a Ronel Blanco slider the opposite way for a go-ahead two-run shot. Murakami added a two-run single in the seventh inning and a second HR in the eighth, breaking a 10-game RBI-less streak in a big way. There is no questioning the first baseman’s power, however his 42.9 Whiff % (1st percentile) and 33.0 K% (2nd percentile) give some cause for concern. What is encouraging for the budding superstar are his elite 22.0 Chase % (92nd percentile) and 18.4 BB % (100th percentile). While this is certainly just the beginning of an illustrious career for Murakami, what a beginning it has been.
Let’s see how the other hitters did on Sunday:
James Wood (WSH): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.
James Wood continues to be the leader and commander of one of perhaps the best offense in baseball, mashing two more home runs to reach the 30-mark on the season as the Nationals took down Arizona 10-7.
CJ Abrams (WSH): 3-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
CJ Abrams just put together one of the most impressive seven game stretches in the history of baseball after hitting matching Wood’s two HR, three RBI performance on Sunday. Over his last seven, Abrams is hitting an insane .567/.594/1.367 with seven HRs and 14 RBI. Abrams now leads all of baseball with 82 RBI and incredibly is one of three Nationals with over 70 runs batted in. It remains to be seen if the Nationals to hold on to the 25-year old shortstop as the trade deadline approaches, but while he is in town Washington has perhaps the most dangerous lineup in the game.
Geraldo Perdomo (ARI): 1-2, HR, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB.
In addition to popping his eighth HR of the season of Nationals starter Miles Mikolas, D’backs shortstop Geraldo Perdomo took three walks to raise his walk rate to 15.5% (97th precentile).
Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
The summer-long fireworks display from Esmerlyn Valdez continued on Sunday, as the 22-year old took Jameson Taillon deep to tie the game at one in the second inning. That puts Valdez at an insane 14 HRs and .707 slugging percentage in 123 at-bats at the Major Leage level.
Ryan O’Hearn (PIT): 1-2, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB.
Ryan O’Hearn came through with the big hit for the Pirates on Sunday, pounding a Taillon fastball 406-feet to center for a Grand Slam. The 17th HR of his season ties a career-high for O’Hearn and his 68 RBI are good for 11th in the MLB.
Manny Machado (SD): 2-5, HR, 2B, R, 3 RBI.
Manny Machado’s two-run HR in the eighth inning tied the game and the Padres would pull ahead two batters later on way to a 5-3 win and series sweep of the Marlins. Machado is hitting .288/.389/.613 with ten HRs over his last 30 games and San Diego has pulled itself back into playoff contention.
Kody Clemens (MIN): 3-5, 2 3B, 2 R, RBI.
In addition to making a diving catch in the outfield, Kody Clemens carried the Twins at the plate on Sunday, hitting two triples in their 11-8 victory over the Athletics.
Ryan Kreidler (MIN): 3-4, 2 2B, 3 R, RBI, 2 SB.
A glove-first shortsop, Ryan Kreidler was a sparkplug at the plate for Minnesota, hitting two doubles among his three hits and adding two stolen bases as the Twins pulled within one game of .500.
Jeremy Peña (HOU): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Jeremy Peña hit his 10th and 11th HRs of the season in the first and third innings of Sunday’s game, but got little help from his teammates as the Astros were smacked by the White Sox 12-3.
Dominic Canzone (SEA): 3-5, HR, 2B, R, 4 RBI.
With two on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Dominic Canzone came through with perhaps his biggest swing of the season, a majestic 111 mph, 400-foot blast that put the Mariners up 4-3 over the Rangers. I doubt anyone would have predicted that Canzone would lead Seattle in OPS at this point in the season, as the Mariners pulled within two games of .500.
Mike Trout (LAA): 4-4, 2B, R.
While Mike Trout didn’t put up a ton of impact hits on Sunday, he did record a hit in all four of his plate appearances as the Angels held on for a 4-3 victory over San Francisco.
Bryson Stott (PHI): 3-4, HR, 2B, R, 5 RBI.
Philadelphia snapped a four-game losing streak thanks to a five-RBI game from Bryson Stott, which included his 8th HR of the season.
