Questioning what you might have missed final week within the busy world of baseball? We’ve acquired you coated.
This yr, we began a brand new sequence the place we highlight the ten finest storylines that occurred in MLB every week. Right here’s a take a look at final week’s standout stats and thrilling performances, together with a peek on the aggressive American League Cy Younger race and the threats of the NL East.
10. Halos are red-hot
Keep in mind when the Angels went via a brutal 5-16 stretch? Nicely, they all of a sudden wakened – placing up an eight-game successful streak that was snapped on Saturday towards the Marlins. If eight straight wins do not impress you, contemplate the context. This was the Angels’ longest successful streak since 2014, also referred to as the final time they went to the postseason. And so they’ve been doing all of it with out Mike Trout, who’s working his approach again from the injured record with a bone bruise in his knee. As at all times, the Angels must put up wins extra typically and extra persistently to ensure that us to purchase into their current run. Now that they’ve our consideration, can they proceed stunning us?
9. Decide’s first time at Coors = a win for the Rockies. Wait, what?
You simply knew Aaron Judge making his first look on the hitter-friendly Coors Subject could be a sight to see. And it was… simply not for the explanations you might need anticipated. Decide did his half, crushing his seventeenth house run of the season within the sequence opener Friday, however the remainder of the Yankees offense fell asleep. So the Rockies (who, as a reminder, are by far the worst group in baseball) took that chance to cost forward and win simply their ninth sport of the season. If it felt like an alternate dimension, baseball can do this typically. The Yankees entered the sport with a .612 successful proportion, whereas the Rockies’ was .160. The Bronx Bombers remembered who they had been by the top of the weekend, outscoring Colorado 20-8 and successful the sequence as Decide blasted his 18th homer on Saturday. And the Rockies, nicely, they remembered who they had been, too.
8. Grand evening for PCA and Cubs
Pete Crow-Armstrong blacked out. That’s what a primary profession grand slam can really feel like, apparently. The Cubs celebrity outfielder has a penchant for dramatic moments, and his seventh-inning go-ahead grand slam towards Cincinnati was no completely different. He sparked a six-run rally and the Cubs, who completely can’t be stopped, got here from behind to win, 13-6, on Friday. PCA’s breakout season is every part the Cubs may’ve dreamed of after the numbers he’s placing up this yr. The 23-year-old has the group lead in house runs (14), and that’s after Chicago traded for Kyle Tucker. Plus, his .576 slugging proportion is tied for the fifth-best in MLB. Preserve watching, as a result of PCA is proving he’s the actual deal.
7. Cardinals are on a stunning run
Talking of a group that may’t be stopped, right here come the Cardinals. St. Louis has received 16 of its final 20 video games, together with a nine-game successful streak over that dominant strech. The Cardinals carry a formidable 30-23 report into the week, simply two video games behind the first-place Cubs. No one noticed this coming, and there’s plenty of season left, however as issues stand, Nolan Arenado has a legit shot at making the postseason, and he didn’t even should go anyplace to play for a aggressive membership. Whereas the longer term Corridor of Famer continues making all the precise strikes this season, together with one other jaw-dropping defensive play at third base on Sunday, Arenado’s teammates are taking part in onerous sufficient to assist him, making for a well-rounded Cardinals offense that’s ranked within the prime 10 in baseball. St. Louis simply swept the Diamondbacks, they usually have a comfortable schedule towards Baltimore and Texas on faucet this week, so they need to haven’t any downside including on.
6. Phillies transfer into first place
The Mets had a robust maintain over the NL East all season — till final Monday, that’s. The Phillies appear like they’re having essentially the most enjoyable in baseball proper now after their first nine-game successful streak for the reason that group fired Joe Girardi and Rob Thomson took over as supervisor in 2022. Kyle Schwarber continues to obliterate house runs, as soon as once more tying Aaron Decide and Shohei Ohtani for the MLB lead with 18. Nonetheless, the Phillies are successful through the weakest a part of their schedule. This month, they’ve received the sequence towards the Rays, Guardians, Pirates, Rockies, and Athletics. Who wouldn’t have a blast going through these basement dwellers? Nonetheless, all that successful helped Philly get its confidence up, and with causes for the Braves’ optimism, the NL East is, as soon as once more, as aggressive as ever.
5. Wacky NLCS rematch
We had been all hyped for the spicy Dodgers-Mets sequence this previous weekend, notably to see how these prime contenders would fare in a repeat of the 2024 NLCS. However this, nobody may’ve anticipated. The sequence opener on Friday included a bizarre collision between Juan Soto and Tyrone Taylor in proper area, with Taylor holding onto the ball whereas runners (controversially) superior. Then got here the rain. After a one-hour and 38-minute delay, there have been a few obstruction calls at third base. Max Muncy stated that is a play that hasn’t been known as in over 30 years. The Mets got here again and tied the sport within the ninth, which led to a 13-inning sport that’s remarkable within the extra-innings free-runner period. After each managers emptied their bullpens, the Dodgers lastly received the five-hour and 46-minute match. It was essentially the most innings performed by the Mets since their 2-1 loss in 14 innings on Aug. 23, 2019 vs. Atlanta. The Mets ultimately received the sequence on Sunday by taking the rubbermatch, 3-1. There can be no scarcity of storylines if these two golf equipment meet once more in October.
4. Ohtani’s first time going through hitters
Two-way dominance is on its approach again to the most important leagues. Are you hyped, or what? Shohei Ohtani took the mound on Sunday to face hitters for the primary time since he turned a Dodger. Regardless that it was only a reside batting apply, it had all of the hype of an actual outing as a crowd together with gamers, coaches, staffers and media fashioned at Citi Subject hours earlier than the sequence finale between the Mets and Dodgers. Ohtani, unfastened and laughing all through, threw 22 pitches and touched 97 mph along with his fastball. By all accounts, it was a profitable return to the mound — his first time going through hitters in almost two years after a second main elbow surgical procedure. Buckle up, as a result of the reigning-champion Dodgers anticipate him of their rotation someday after the All-Star break.
3. It’s time to speak about Max Fried
Anytime anybody makes historical past with the Yankees, it’s a giant deal. Among the best gamers within the historical past of the game have pitched in pinstripes, and outshining Corridor of Fame skills, not to mention being in the identical dialog as them, is not any small feat. So give new Yankees ace Max Fried his flowers for permitting simply two runs or fewer in 10 consecutive begins, the longest such streak in Yankees historical past. The final Yankees pitcher to report a beginning streak that was this profitable was Ron Guidry again in 1978, which is taken into account the most effective season by a starter in franchise historical past. Fried is vying for the American League Cy Younger award after getting into the week with the most effective ERA in baseball (1.29). However he’s acquired stiff competitors…
2. Skubal, even higher than a ‘Maddux’
I imply, what can’t this man do? Tarik Skubal as soon as once more placed on a blinding efficiency on Sunday afternoon, and this was his finest trick but. The reigning AL Cy Younger winner not solely pitched a “Maddux” — a complete-game shutout in beneath 100 pitches — however he turned the primary pitcher in MLB historical past to strike out no less than 13 batters whereas throwing a nine-inning, complete-game shutout, needing simply 94 pitches to get it executed. However wait! That’s not all. Skubal’s remaining pitch of the outing was additionally his quickest; Detroit’s right-hander dialed it as much as 103 mph to finish the sport along with his thirteenth strikeout and ship a 5-0 win. And he nonetheless regarded like he had extra within the tank. At one level, he retired 15 consecutive batters. What’s subsequent? The primary good sport in Detroit Tigers historical past?
1. Ronald Acuña’s LOUD return
If there was ever any concern about what kind of participant Ronald Acuña Jr. could be when he returned from an ACL harm that pressured him to overlook a yr of sport motion, he erased any and all doubt the second he dug into the batter’s field on Friday. Acuña despatched the primary pitch he noticed since Could 26, 2024 into the left-field seats at Truist Park. After the sport, he stated he anticipated one thing like that to occur. After all he did. For good measure, Acuña reminded us of his all-around abilities when he unleashed a few highly effective throws from proper area and added one other house run on Saturday. His throw house on Sunday clocked in at 104.9 mph simply earlier than Manny Machado slid in safely. Welcome again, Ronald. Baseball sorely missed the aptitude and uncooked expertise of Acuña, however the Braves missed him essentially the most. Atlanta appears imposing once more; it simply wants to interrupt freed from hovering round .500.
Deesha Thosar covers Main League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports activities. Observe her on X at @DeeshaThosar.
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