4/22-4/23 MLB Newsletter

American League

East

• Yankees (16-8, v. OAK): Aaron Boone was ejected from Monday, just five pitches into the game after a fan yelled at the umpire. After getting shutout on Monday, the Yanks bounced back Tuesday as Clay Holmes picked up his MLB-leading ninth save of the year.
  

• Orioles (15-8, @ LAA): Grayson Rodriguez had one of the worst starts of his career, allowing seven runs through 4.1 IP. The O’s will look to take the series rubber match today.

• Red Sox (13-11, @ CLE): Despite a quality start from Tanner Houck, who only allowed two runs through 6 IP, ending his streak of 15 scoreless innings, the Red Sox were only able to produce one run of their own and had some miscues on the base paths snapping a three-game win streak.

• Blue Jays (13-11, @ KC): Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dropped the ball during a routine play, allowing a run to score. A two-run RBI later in the inning was the difference in a 3-2 loss to the Royals.
  

• Rays (12-13, v. DET): The Rays' hitting struggles continue. They scored fewer than five runs for the seventh consecutive game and are batting just .122 with runners in scoring position. They lost their third straight and suffered their first home series loss to the Tigers since 2016. 🫣

Central

• Guardians (17-6, v. BOS): Ben Lively felt it on the mound, allowing just one run while striking out seven, as Cleveland extended its win streak to five. An opposite-field tater from Jose Ramirez helped seal the win on Tuesday. 📈

• Tigers (14-10, @ TB): Riley Greene was a man on a mission. He had his first career multi-home run game Tuesday, including the go-ahead 2-run blast in the 8th, leading the Tigers to a 4-2 win.

• Royals (14-10, v. TOR): Switching up the mojo Tuesday night arguably led to the win as the Royals snapped a three-game losing streak. Bobby Witt capitalized on a Blue Jays error by crushing a 2-run double, helping the Blue Jays come away with the win.

• Twins (9-13, v CWS): Byron Buxton saved his first home run of the year for a solo shot in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game. Alex Kirilloff was 0-4 with four strikeouts in the game until he made up for it with a walk-off hit.
  

• White Sox (3-20, @ MIN): Eloy Jiménez has added some much-needed pop to the lineup, but it wasn’t enough. They blew a 9th-inning lead and found themselves in the losing column for the ninth time in 10 games, becoming the first team to have 20 losses.

West

• Mariners (12-11, @ TEX): Julio Rodríguez belted his first home run of 2024, and Logan Gilbert continued his hot streak on the mound with his third straight solid pitching performance. The Mariners have won seven of their last ten to take first place in the West.

• Rangers (12-12, v. SEA): Texas was shut out for the second consecutive home game as they tallied just three hits on Tuesday. Dane Dunning went 4.1 IP, allowing two 2-run taters in the process.

• Angels (10-14, v. BAL): Mike Trout batted leadoff for the first time since 2020 and immediately proved it was a good move, blasting his AL-leading ninth homer of the season, his first leadoff homer since 2012. They’ll play the series rubber match today.

• Athletics (9-15, @ NYY): On Monday, the A’s ended an eight-game losing streak as they headed shut out the Yankees 2-0 thanks to a quality start from JP Sears and a 9th-inning tater from Zack Gelof. Even with a 4-3 loss on Tuesday, they are still two games ahead of the last-place Astros in the West.

• Astros (7-17, @ CHC): J.P. France gave up five first innings runs as Houston dropped their third straight game, moving to 10 games under .500 for the first time since 2016. 😬

Source

National League 

East

• Braves (16-6, v. MIA): Max Fried threw a shutout with under 100 pitches for the third time in his career. Reynaldo López, who totes a 0.50 ERA through 18 IP, will take the mound today in hopes of completing the sweep. 🧹
  

• Phillies (15-9, @ CIN): After winning seven straight, the Phils dropped Tuesday night’s game, scoring just one run and committing three errors. Nick Castellanos continues to struggle, batting just .184 with 94 plate appearances, and has yet to hit a home run.

• Mets (12-11, @ SF): The Mets have scored just three combined runs in their last two games, losing both. This afternoon, they will face Blake Snell and look to avoid a sweep.

• Nationals (10-12, v. LAD): Despite having his best start of the year, Patrick Corbin was pulled after a scoreless 5.1 IP on only 86 pitches. The bullpen almost immediately let the Dodgers tie the game up, eventually leading to an LA win.

• Marlins (6-19, @ ATL): Miami was shut out in back-to-back games. This offense will need to get something going soon, as they have the second-worst run differential in the NL at -46.

Central

• Brewers (14-8, @ PIT): Dropping the first two games of a four-game series against the Pirates, the offense will need to get going in the next two games as they’ve scored a combined three runs through the series. Pitcher Tobias Myers made his MLB debut yesterday, able to go five innings, allowing four hits and one run.

• Cubs (14-9, v. HOU): A five-run first inning gave Jordan Wicks enough cushion to log his first quality start of the year. Mike Tauchman socked two homers, totaling four RBIs, outscoring Houston himself. ✌️

• Reds (13-10, v. PHI): After getting shut out on Monday night, the offense bounced back on Tuesday, scoring eight runs as Andrew Abbott tossed 4.1 innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run.

• Pirates (13-11, v. MIL): Don’t look now, but after dropping six straight, the Bucs have won the last two thanks partly to leadoff homers in back-to-back nights for Andrew McCutchen.

• Cardinals (10-14, v. AZ): After Paul Goldschmidt tied the game with a homer against his former team, Nolan Gorman walked it off on Monday with a dinger of his own. They’ll look to win the series rubber match after allowing a season-high 14 runs on Tuesday.

West

• Dodgers (14-11, @ WSH): The bullpen went a combined 4.2 scoreless innings on Tuesday night to help secure the win, thanks to some late-inning RBI knocks by James Outman and Miguel Rojas. Shohei Ohtani’s ninth-inning homer was the hardest-hit ball for the Dodgers in the Statcast era (2015) at 118.7 mph. 💥
  

• Padres (13-13, @ COL): After a 1-2-3 inning to start the night on Tuesday for Michael King, things didn’t get easier for him from there as he allowed eight hits and a grand slam in 3.2 IP. Tonight, they’ll look to take the series in CO.

• Diamondbacks (12-13, @ STL): After another bullpen implosion for AZ on Monday, the bats roared back on Tuesday as they scored 14 runs, all in just three innings. Out of 11 save opportunities, the Dbacks have converted just five into saves.
  

• Giants (12-13, v. NYM): Logan Webb threw eight scoreless innings Tuesday, extending his streak to a career-high 19 scoreless innings. The Giants will look to finish the sweep today with Blake Snell on the mound, who has been struggling to start the season.
  

• Rockies (6-18, v. SD): After going down two runs in the first inning Tuesday night, the Rockies found some momentum in the middle innings as Brendan Rodgers smacked his first homer of the season and first grand slam of his career as the Rox evened up the series.

🥔 Tater’s Top Three

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