Major League Baseball

Covered by Trevor Hooth

🆕Braxton Ashcraft, RHP PIT (MLB)

3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

A solid debut for Braxton Ashcraft in relief. He entered the game down 5 runs and that is where things ended. Ashcraft is likely to remain in the bullpen in a long relief role for his tenure in Pittsburgh. This performance almost certainly warrants remaining on the roster, but its still a pitching staff clamoring for Bubba Chandler. 

Eugenio Suárez, 3B ARI (MLB)

1-for-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB, K

This is home run number 15 for Eugenio Suárez on the year. He’s already halfway to his total from last year. Over this 5 game hit streak he’s on, Suárez has 8 hits. He’s been really good in the month of May, hitting .270 with 5 home runs to this point in the month. 

‼️Ryne Nelson, RHP ARI (MLB)

6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

A great outing for Ryne Nelson who led the way for the DBacks pitching staff shutout. Over his last 7 games Nelson has been very good, to the tune of a 1.98 ERA with 22 strikeouts and just 9 walks in 27.1 innings. Nelson has been on quite the streak, including giving up only a single run against the Dodgers in his start before this one. 

Chris Paddack, RHP MIN (MLB)

5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

Up until the 6th inning, Chris Paddack was on a roll. His changeup was looking really good and he was selectively reaching back for mid-90’s in strikeout situations. This was one of his better outings in terms of strikeouts, but he’s been very reliable lately. In his last 40 innings he’s thrown for a 2.48 ERA with 25 strikeouts. 

Brandon Lowe, 2B TB (MLB)

2-for-4, R

Two singles wasn’t the best offensive performance in this lineup, that would probably be Jonathan Aranda’s three-run bomb. However, this does extend Lowe’s hitting streak to 9 games. Prior to this game, he had a 4-game extra base hit streak. When Lowe gets on a roll he can be really good and he’s on a roll right now. 

Shohei Ohtani, DH LAD (MLB)

1-for-3, HR, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB, K

A couple walks and a tank for Shohei Ohtani. Turns out this guy might be pretty good at baseball. Am I the first person to notice this? Jokes aside, this makes back to back games with a home run. Ohtani is still hitting under .200 over his last 7 games, so having a couple good games is a welcome sign. 

‼️Adrian Houser, RHP CWS (MLB)

6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Don’t look now, but Adrian Houser looks right at home in a White Sox uniform. In his perfectly acceptable sample size of 12 innings over a pair of starts with the club, Houser has yet to surrender a run. More like Power-Houser pitcher, am I right? These puns are getting worse, I need to be stopped. 

Tyler Stephenson, C CIN (MLB)

3-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBI

A trio of hits for Tyler Stephenson, capped off with a homer. This was his second bomb of the year, and he’s hitting .209 since returning from injury. This comes with a walk rate just over 13 percent and a strikeout rate around 40 percent as he works to find his rhythm at the plate.

🆕John Rave, OF KC (MLB)

0-for-2, BB, 2 K

It was speculated that maybe Jac Caglianonne was going to be promoted, but it turned out to be John Rave. In his debut, Rave worked a walk alongside a couple strikeouts. If he can get regular at bats in Kansas City, Rave may be able to make a splash. In Triple-A he was hitting .301 with 9 home runs and 17 stolen bases. 

Daulton Varsho, OF TOR (MLB)

3-for-5, HR, 2B, R, RBI

Since returning from injury Daulton Varsho is hitting just .218, but he is slugging .603. Of his 17 hits so far this year, 13 of them have been for extra bases. In just 20 games, he’s already nearly halfway to his home run totally from 136 games a year ago. Basically since returning from the IL he’s just been mashing the power swing button and been fairly successful at it. 

‼️Kevin Gausman, RHP TOR (MLB)

8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

At this point, we generally know what to expect from Kevin Gausman. Over his last two starts he has thrown 15 innings with 15 strikeouts and only 1 earned run. These two starts have been a good bounce back from giving up 5 runs against the Rays earlier this month. It’s worth noting that Gausman hasn’t walked a batter since May 3rd. He has just a single walk along with 33 strikeouts this month. 

🍔🍟Dylan Carlson, OF BAL (MLB)

2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB

Do you know how outfielders leave the Cardinals and become stars? That is not what’s happening here. Dylan Carlson did hit a bomb against his former team, though. In his 17 games with Baltimore Carlson is hitting .176.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF CHC (MLB)

0-for-4, 2 K

The one day I fill in for the MLB section Pete Crow-Armstrong doesn’t hit? I feel cheated. Bamboozled, even. I even spent all day thinking about what to write in this blurb for when Crow-Armstrong did something spectacular. Oh well, PCA is really good at baseball so I’m sure he’ll do something spectacular in his next game.

Daniel Palencia, RHP CHC (MLB)

1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

With a nod to Jameson Taillon, who struck out 7 and gave up a run over 6.1 innings, I will not ignore Daniel Palencia. This turned out to be Palencia’s 3rd save of the season, and he is looking every bit the part of a great backend bullpen arm. His pure stuff has never been a question, but he’s throwing strikes consistently this year. It’s a sight to behold.

‼️Garrett Crochet, LHP BOS (MLB)

6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 11 K

To the surprise of no one, Garrett Crochet weaved a dominant outing. Giving up 2 runs raised his ERA. Now it’s a whopping 2.04 on the year with 89 strikeouts in 75 innings. What’s crazy is that he’s this great and not even the best left handed starter in baseball. Not for lack of talent or credentials, just poor luck for him to pitch in an era where Tarik Skubal exists. 

Chad Patrick, RHP MIL (MLB)

4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Just as we all predicted, Chad Patrick is one of Milwaukee’s best rotation pieces this season. This start does mark the second straight outing where he comes one out shy of 5 innings, but he’s also showing some of his best strikeout numbers in a game. Following this outing, his ERA dropped below 3, to 2.97.

Hayden Birdsong, RHP SF (MLB)

4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

There are still some kinks to work out, but rotation Hayden Birdsong makes me so happy. He’s got so much potential to be a great starter, but he just needs to tighten up the command a little bit. Still, he’s effective and let’s hope the Giants keep him starting for the rest of the season.