[ad_1] This is a bounce-back season for Yandy Díaz, and not in a good way. After two straight seasons with a wRC+ above 145, the Rays first baseman is at 106 so far in 2024. When Jay Jaffe checked in on him on June 13, Díaz had just climbed out of a hole. Through May…
[ad_1] Last summer, I wrote about how Aaron Civale “King Ralph-ed” his way into an exciting postseason race. The Rays entered the 2023 season with five playoff-caliber starting pitchers at the top of their depth chart and a star pitching prospect waiting in the wings. Yet after several major elbow injuries, they were forced to…
[ad_1] David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports The 2020s have been a quiet time for the Boston Red Sox. Since winning the 2018 World Series, their fourth in a 15-year period, Boston hasn’t looked much like one of the titans, ready to throw down with the Yankees or Astros in brutal warfare for baseball supremacy. Instead,…
[ad_1] Spencer Horwitz is hoping to show that what he did in the minors can be replicated in the majors, and so far, he’s off to a strong start. Displaying what my colleagues Eric Longenhagen and Tess Taruskin called “a patient, contact-driven approach at the plate,” the lefty-hitting Blue Jays utilityman has slashed .310/.430/.479 with…
[ad_1] Welcome back to Top of the Order, where every Tuesday and Friday I’ll be starting your baseball day with some news, notes, and thoughts about the game we love. With less than four weeks to go until the July 30 trade deadline, now’s a great time to start taking a lay of the land…
[ad_1] Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports Below is an analysis of the prospects in the farm system of the Tampa Bay Rays. Scouting reports were compiled with information provided by industry sources as well as our own observations. This is the fourth year we’re delineating between two anticipated relief roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see…
[ad_1] Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss Phillies reliever José Ruiz approaching Ryan Webb’s record for most games finished without a save, Aaron Judge’s Hall of Fame potential, the Mariners’ .540 winning percentage as predicted by Jerry Dipoto, Dallas Keuchel’s return to the majors, the surprising influence of the White Sox on the trade deadline,…
[ad_1] (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) There is no brighter star in the MLB universe than Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite ranking second in the majors with 27 home runs, Ohtani will not be present for one of the All-Star Game’s most prominent features. There is little in sports quite like seeing…
[ad_1] The Los Angeles Dodgers need Shohei Ohtani in one piece if they are going to make a serious run at the World Series. Yes, they might be able to win in the regular season without him, but his presence in October is a must for LA. Ohtani, currently going through rehab as a pitcher,…
[ad_1] (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) The Milwaukee Brewers are first in the NL Central division with a 51-35 record. They have a six-game cushion over the second-placed St. Louis Cardinals. Their rotation, however, needs some work and a lot of depth. Injuries to Robert Gasser, DL Hall, Brandon Woodruff, Joe Ross and Wade Miley…
