Baseball is truly a great game. On a nightly basis, we see many things of interest. To say that there are surprises would be an understatement. There’s never a shortage of excitement and things to note, so let’s take a look at some items that caught my attention.
Maybe This Time Will be Better for Williams
One of the hardest jobs in sports, let alone baseball, is that of a closer. The stress level gets dialed up on a continuous basis and everyone remembers the failures. They are on the main stage for everyone to see. That was the case for Devin Williams in the postseason last year after Pete Alonso’s monster home run.
Williams had a change of scenery this winter as he was traded to the New York Yankees, and his struggles continued. Ultimately, that led to Williams finding himself in a lower-stress role with Luke Weaver taking over the ninth inning. The good news is that Williams looked better after the switch, but an injury to Weaver sent the former back to the ninth inning.
After all, this is why Williams was acquired. With a 4.22 ERA in May and a 3.00 mark in June, things are going better for Williams. He does have seven saves on the season, and while his strikeout numbers have come down, 11.41 per nine innings is still pretty solid. On the season, Williams’ ERA sits at 6.08, but a 2.99 FIP tells a very different story. It’s still too soon to write off the trade as a bust.
Another Prospect Arrives
Ronny Mauricio had a bright future and was supposed to spend some meaningful time with the New York Mets last year. Instead, a knee injury prior to the season ruined those plans. The Mets are in a good position where they are dealing from strength. That allowed them to slow play things with Mauricio’s rehab.
Mauricio promptly hit .515 in nine games at Triple-A with three home runs, six stolen bases, 11 RBI, and 13 runs scored. This is a situation in which you really can’t ask for anything more. However, it took a Mark Vientos injury to earn Mauricio a promotion.
Through five games, he’s hitting .263 with a home run and two stolen bases with four runs scored. The good news is that there’s limited, at best, pressure on Mauricio which puts him in a great situation to succeed. His versatility also helps, and there’s no longer any health concerns. We do have to keep an eye out for Mauricio in trade rumors, though, as the Mets look to improve their roster.
Jac Has Arrived
The Kansas City Royals need power and that happens to be what Jac Caglianone excels in. If you needed any proof, all he did was hit 15 home runs in 50 games at Triple-A with 56 RBI and a .322 batting average. It was only a matter of time before Caglianone was promoted, and the Royals did just that last week. While he’s a natural first baseman, versatility is key here as the top prospect will also see time in the outfield.
Regardless of prior success or talent, adjusting to life in the major leagues sometimes isn’t instant. With just two hits in his first five games, Caglianone turned things around in a big way on Sunday. He picked up a hit in each of his four at-bats, including his second career double. Six games don’t make a career, but it’s clear that Caglianone has a bright future and should be a difference maker for the Royals.
And There Goes Burnes
Nothing is going right for the Baltimore Orioles this year. To say that they need pitching is an understatement and it wasn’t a great look that they let Corbin Burnes leave for Arizona this off-season. Not to say that anyone can truly predict an injury, let alone Tommy John surgery, but it appears that the Orioles dodged having an expensive member of their rotation on the Injured List for the next year.
From the perspective of the Diamondbacks, you can never have enough pitching. Burnes is one of the better pitchers in the game and the right-hander also offered protection if/when Zac Gallen signed elsewhere this winter.
Before the injury, Burnes had a 2.66 ERA while striking out close to a batter per inning. It wasn’t truly dominant, but it’s hard to argue with the results and it leaves a big hole for Arizona to fill.
Meadows is Back
The Detroit Tigers continue to surge and surprise this season. Things are coming together nicely as they pace the AL Central. Last week, their lineup got even stronger with the return to action of Parker Meadows.
Meadows brings talent and upside to the table, but he’s struggled to find his footing at the major league level, along with dealing with some injuries. Detroit’s success almost allowed us to forget about the former first-round pick, but he wasted no time in making his presence felt. The outfielder is a nice addition to the top of the lineup for the Tigers and shouldn’t be overlooked.
He has cooled down a little bit and is hitting just .217 in his first seven games but Meadows does have two stolen bases and four runs scored. Meadows has a .290 xBA along with a .568 xSLG, and he’ll make an impact before long.
Greene is Back on the Injured List
Not to repeat ourselves or be overly optimistic, but at least it’s not an arm or a shoulder injury for Hunter Greene. The problem though, is that the powerful right-hander is back on the Injured List. Apparently, Greene wasn’t ready to return and his groin is, once again, an issue.
Greene’s first stint on the Injured List lasted just the minimum of 15 days, but he didn’t make it too long before finding his way back there. This time it seems to be more of a back issue than groin, but it’s not an ideal situation. He’s already sought out a second opinion, and it appears that this stint on the Injured List will be longer.
While we want Greene to be on the mound, ultimately the priority is on his long-term health. When on the mound, the results couldn’t have been much better. Greene has a 2.72 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 73 strikeouts. The hope is now that Greene takes all the time he needs to come back and pick up where he left off.
Jazz is Playing Once Again
After Jazz Chisholm just missed a chunk of time with an oblique injury, we thought health issues were behind us. The problem though is that Chisholm excited Tuesday night’s game with a neck injury. For now, we can take some solace in the fact that he seems to be day-to-day and it shouldn’t be an issue.
Prior to that, Chisholm stole his 10th base of the season while doubling to raise his batting average to .215. After hitting .181 to begin the season, Chisholm took a step forward upon his return. Entering action on Tuesday, Chisholm was hitting .381 through six games in June.
Strikeouts are also going to be an issue for Chisholm, but he’s an exciting player who brings a power/speed combo to the table. It’s a different dynamic added to the table for the New York Yankees when he’s healthy and in the lineup.
The Adjustment Period is Over
With his home run on Tuesday, Juan Soto is now up to three home runs and six RBI in June. Prior to Tuesday, Soto and a 1.179 OPS in eight games after he reached base in all six at bats on Sunday (three singles and three walks).
Soto’s batting average is climbing by the day and is now up to .248 on the season with a .257 BABIP. His ISO is now up to .206 as the outfielder continues to settle more and more into his groove. Now at 12 home runs on the season, he’s starting to get rolling in the power department with 48 runs scored and 33 RBI.
Of course, it’s not exactly what anyone truly expected of Soto, but there’s still a lot of baseball left to be played. Things are moving in the right direction though and it’s telling that he’s walking more than he’s striking out.
