THURSDAY THINGS
BASEBALL IS REALLY FUN, DON'T YOU THINK?
MADE IN JAPAN
There was once a time when an item manufactured in Japan was regarded as a cheap, low-quality knockoff. The opposite is certainly true when it comes to the Dodgers’ Japanese pitching imports.
For the first time in MLB history, three Japanese pitchers start in succession. Roki Sasaki started the Dodgers’ series opener against the Guardians in the opener. Sasaki went 4.0 IP, allowed one run, but took the loss as Justin Wrobleski in his piggyback role gave up three Cleveland runs in relief.
Sasaki was followed by Shohei Ohtani, who was brilliant. Shohei went six, didn’t allow a run, and only permitted one hit. He earned the Quality Start and the win.
Finally, last night, Yoshinobu Yamamoto started the third and final game of the series and picked up a Quality Start and a loss. Yoshi went six innings, allowing four hits and two runs. The bullpen allowed a pair of runs in the 4-2 Guardians win.
THE RISING SUN ROTATION
Here are the totals for the Samurai Trio of Sasaki, Ohtani, and Yamamoto in this series: 1-2, 1.69 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 16.0 IP, 12 K, 6 BB, 1 HR, and .167 BAA.
We’ll get back to the Dodgers in a moment.
THE MARVELOUS MARLINS AND THE BRONX BUZZSAWS
The New York Yankees and Miami Marlins are each 5-1 this young season, the best records in the majors. Let’s unpack that sentence because it is loaded with information.
The Marlins lead the majors with a .290 BA.
The Marlins are tied for the NL lead in runs scored with 22 against starters.
The Marlins have struck out the fewest times in the NL.
The Yankees lead the majors with a 1.01 ERA.
The Yankees starters lead the majors with a 0.53 ERA.
The Yankees have allowed 6 runs this season, the fewest by an American League team in its first six games of a season
I guess we’re unpacked.
Yesterday, Sandy Alcantra pitched a shutout. Many of you may not recognize this combination of letters: CG ShO. It means that Alcantra went nine innings (boys and girls, in most cases, including this, that’s a complete game), allowing no runs (when a pitcher goes the distance without permitting a run, it’s a “shutout”), permitted just three hits, no walks, and he struck out seven. He threw only 93 pitches. The Marlins defeated the White Sox, 10-0.
This season, Alcantra is 2-0, with a 0.00 ERA. In 16.0 IP, he has allowed seven hits, one unearned run, walked two, and struck out a dozen.
The only pitchers since 2010 to pitch 16+ innings without allowing an earned run through their first two starts of the season:
2010 Liván Hernández
2013 Clayton Kershaw
2013 Andrew Albers
2015 Shane Greene
2026 Sandy Alcántara
Just 6,505 Miami fans witnessed Alcantra’s performance, but it was on a Wednesday afternoon. This just in: Tuesday night, the Marlins drew just 6,667, and Monday night, loanDepot Park (give yourself extra credit if you knew that was the name of the venue where the Marlins play) seated 6,515 fans. That means 19,687 fans combined attended the three games between the Marlins and the White Sox. Yesterday afternoon in Atlanta, the Braves had 27,568 fans in their game against the A’s. The Cardinals drew 21,684 fans for their 12:15 game against the Mets. And for their 5:20 game against the Guardians, the Dodgers drew 45,556.
It must be because Marlins fans are boycotting games over the absence of a salary cap in baseball. I mean, Miami’s $79+ million is 29th in the majors.
It must be because there is no parity in baseball. After all, over the last hundred regular-season games, the Dodgers are 57-43 and the poor, poor Marlins are 57-43. Better shut down baseball when it is at its 21st-century peak interest level and get that salary cap ASAP.
Maybe the game should shut down because franchises are losing value, don’t you think? Oh, wait, Forbes estimates that the Padres, who are up for sale, may get $3.5 billion. That would dramatically top the record for an MLB control sale, set by Steve Cohen’s $2.4 billion purchase of the New York Mets in 2020.
Where was I? Ah, yes, the Yankees.
So far, the Yankees have no need to be the Bronx Bombers. They have to be thrilled with their West Coast road trip. Facing the Giants and the Mariners, the Yankees went 5-1. They have allowed six runs this season, which is just over half as many as the 11 runs allowed by Nathan Eovaldi this season. Those six runs are the third-fewest by a team in its first six games in MLB history, behind only the 2002 Giants and the 1915 Phillies, who each allowed only five runs.
Remember that kid who pitched so beautifully for the Yankees in the 2-25 postseason? The guy whose name you couldn’t pronounce? Cam Schlittler? Learn it.
Schlittler is 2-0, with a 0.00 ERA. He’s only pitched 11.2 innings, not because he’s gotten into trouble, but the Yankees are treating their Schlitt Show with kid gloves. He has allowed three hits this season. He hasn’t walked anyone. He has struck out 15. He has a .079 BAA. He’s gooood.
You know who else is really good? Max Fried. This Yankee starter, like Schlittler, is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He’s thrown 13.1 innings and allowed five hits, two walks, and struck out 10. He has a .114 BAA. Fried is the first Yankee with 6+ scoreless innings in each of his first two games of a season since Mel Stottlemyre in 1967.
FYI: Giancarlo Stanton is hitting .500. He has five straight games with two hits each. Ben Rice is hitting .412. Aaron Judge has two homers but only three total hits. He’s hitting .125 and has struck out 11 times in 25 PA. Wait until he gets hot.
FIRST HOMERS
Over the last couple of days, some sluggers finally got their first dingers of the season. Here’s a sampler:
Juan Soto, Jose Ramirez, Pete Alonso, Bryce Harper, Oneil Cruz, Ben Rice, Josh Bell, Adolis Garcia, CJ Abrams, Roman Anthony, Max Muncy, Freddie Freeman, and they all now have more homers this season than Shohei Ohtani.
