T.G.I.B-B.

Thank Goodness It's Billy-Ball

Happy Friday, readers.

IS THIS ANYTHING?

David Letterman often asked that question, much to the delight of viewers. Paul, could we have the theme played?

The Pirates have been blanked 10 times already this season. That’s the most in the majors. But overall record is not an indicator of how often a team goes scoreless. The Red Sox have been shut out once this season, the fewest in the majors. Like the Bucs, they are an under .500 team.

The Padres have tossed 10 team shutouts this season. That’s the most in the majors. And that is an indicator of overall record because the only team that has not thrown a shutout this season is Colorado. Although the Mariners have just thrown one.

The Rockies have allowed 66 runs in the 1st inning. I wish we could simply ignore them because the Dodgers are the team that has allowed the second most runs in the first inning: 48. The Red Sox have allowed the most in the AL: 47.

On May 10, the Astros allowed 10 runs in the 1st inning against the Reds. On May 31, Arizona allowed 10 runs in the 1st inning against Washington. The Royals allowed a run in the 1st yesterday to up their total to eight runs allowed all season. Only once they have permitted as many as two in the inning.

In the 13 one-run games that the Padres have won, they have hit .191 with runners in scoring position. The Mets have also won 13, and they have hit .202 with runners in scoring position.

In the 11 one-run games that the Nationals have won, they have hit .363 with runners in scoring position. In the 11 one-run games that the Yankees have won, they have hit .213 with runners in scoring position.

Much more on one-run games below.

Entering play on May 25, Pete Alonso had gone 17 straight games without a homer against the Dodgers. In five games against them since, he’s hit four homers.

A’s reliever Mitch Spence has appeared in 22 games in relief this season, throwing 39.0 IP. He has allowed hits in 20 of those games. Tiger’s reliever Brenan Hanifee has appeared in 27 games in relief this season, throwing 30.2 IP. He has allowed hits in 21 of those games.

Kyle Freeland has made 13 starts and allowed at least three runs in 10 of them. His pitching mate, Antonio Senzatela, has made 12 starts and allowed at least four runs in nine of them.

Max Fried’s 1.78 ERA is the lowest by a Yankee in the first 13 starts of a season since Phil Niekro’s 1.73 in 1984. In Fried’s last 12 starts against AL teams, he is 10-0 with a 0.70 ERA.

The Rays swept the Rangers for the first time since 2018.

The Orioles have won six in a row, baseball’s longest winning streak.

One formula for reaching the postseason is playing .667 ball against teams under .500 and .500 ball against teams over .500. The Cubs just ended a 21-game stretch against below .500 teams. They went 16-5 (.762).

The Yankees and the Red Sox are facing each other for the first time this season. The Sox are uncomfortably ensconced in fourth place, 9.5 games behind the first-place Yankees, 4.5 behind the third-place Rays and Jays, and 3.5 ahead of those Orioles.