Lowe that’s what I call music.

Brandon Lowe (TB): 3-4, 3B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB.

Now that’s what I call music, the first one, came out on this day in 1998. Actually, it came out in October 1998, but can you imagine? Like transitioning from Harvey Danger’s Flagpole Sitta, to the Spice Girls Say You’ll Be There, to KC and Jojo’s All My Life, today showcased a mixed bag. However, one true north of this season and today is that the Tampa Bay Rays continue to mash the baseball.

Brandon Lowe, (rhymes with now, keep up) continues to show that 2021 was no fluke. Thursday Lowe was a double shy of a cycle, helping his team destroy the sputtering White Sox.

Going into the year, many were down on Lowe due to his injury-riddled 2022 where he only played in 65 games, and the power from 2021 was not there. He was battling a slew of injuries, most notably a lower back injury that was clearly nagging him all year. Pre-season he was a part of my Rays sleeper hitters, and so far he has made me look at least competent with my decision-making. It would appear that his back feels like a million dollars because he has hit the ground running offensively in 2023.

Slashing .227/.341/.500, the average may be down but he continues to walk at a solid clip of 14.6%. Lowe has also never been a high-average guy; his talents lay in OBP and Slug, which, so far so good with this year.

How high will the Rays fly this year? If Marlins will soar does that mean Rays will fly? They appear to be the team to beat so far in 2023, and with breakouts all over their lineup, I don’t see them losing much steam throughout the year.

 

Let’s see how the other hitters did Thursday

 

Luke Raley (TB): 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

Look another Ray. Luke Raley is another “who is that guy” Rays hitter that hits the ball really hard. He’s truly the perfect Ray, slashing .214/.286/.536 but also sporting an OPS of .822. Thursday he was a triple shy of a cycle, and he won’t be the last Ray I talk about here—hard to not showcase what they did. Raley is a platoon player, but when he is in the lineup he is a massive power threat.

Yandy Díaz (TB): 3-5, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB.

If Yandy Díaz is hitting home runs, we are all in trouble. For the last how many years, his statcast page is so red you’d think you we walking into Kramer’s apartment with the Kenny Roger’s Chicken neon sign on full blast. What was always “holding back” Diaz from being talked about in the best hitters category was his lack of power due to a poor launch angle. Well, his launch angle has improved, going from a 7.7 in 2022 to a 10.3 so far in 2023. Launch angle is not the end all be all, but it does help in driving the ball out of the park. Maybe you’ll notice he was on my Tampa Bay sleepers and busts article linked above but as a bust. This is why I cannot take credit for Lowe, cause I was so wrong about Diaz and that launch angle. At this pace, 30 home runs?

I don’t have the space to talk about Isaac Paredes but he knocked in 5 with 2 singles and a double. The dude is a stud, sorry Tigers.

Shohei Ohtani (LAA): 3-5, 2B, 3B, 2 R, RBI.

Maybe I’ll get blowback on not making Ohtani the top contributor because he could’ve been. Ohtani was also close to a cycle, but he was a home run away. If only we had a player who was a single away from a cycle and we would have 4 players with a cycle of hits away from a cycle. What can I add about Ohtani? He is the best player to play in the MLB since, maybe ever. He also pitched in this game and if not for a rough 4th inning, would’ve had an insane stat line. The Angels won, I just wanted to add that. Sometimes it’s hard to know after seeing Trout and Ohtani stats.

Brandon Drury (LAA): 2-2, 2B, HR, R, 3 RBI, 2 BB.

I feel like many gave up on Brandon Drury early this year. He has been in a heavy, heavy slump to start the year but lately has really turned it around, slashing .417/.481/1.083 in his last 7 games. Drury came over to the Angels on a free-agent deal and along with Renfroe, has been asked to provide protection in the lineup around Trout and Ohtani. He’s clearly picking it up as of late and is a very important piece of the Angels lineup moving forward.

Jake Burger (CWS): 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.

Burger is not just what I had for dinner, it also happens to be the last name of the very promising young third-basemen for the Chicago south siders. The Rays demolished the White Sox, and Chicago is having a tough start to the year, but Jake Burger has been a bright spot. I don’t think he sticks at third base long turn with young stud Bryan Ramos marinating in their farm system, but his bat is for real. He needed a triple to be a single shy of the cycle. So close.

Shea Langeliers (OAK): 2-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Shea Langeliers has the best name in the MLB right now, and it isn’t even close. It just rolls off the tongue. Langeliers hit a then game-tying home run off of the aforementioned Ohtani in Thursday’s bout. The A’s would falter, but any positive sign out of the still Oakland A’s is worth mentioning. The young catcher was the main piece in the deal that sent Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves. He has pretty big shoes to fill and so far, there have been flashes, but we need to see more.

Brett Baty (NYM): 3-3, HR, R, RBI, BB.

The Mets are playing young Brett Baty and so far he has looked the part. In their dramatic win over the Nationals on Thursday, Baty hit a solo home and was never not on base with two singles and a walk. Baty is a consensus top 50 prospect, closer to a top 20, and with Eduardo Escobar not producing, he has the opportunity to take over third base and not give the position back. Francisco Lindor also did his thing knocking in 3 on 2 doubles. We know he’s good though.

CJ Abrams (WSH): 1-4, HR, R, 4 RBI.

What a great sight. CJ Abrams hit a grand slam in the 8th to, at the time, put the Nationals up in a nail-biter in Queens. Abrams, a once top-10 prospect and one of the many prospects that went to the Nationals in the Juan Soto deal, has had a rough start to the 2023 season, slashing .222/.292/.383. The potential is there, but I do worry that the Padres called him up too fast at the start of last year, and that has bled into his career in Washington. He has 2 home runs in the last 7 games, which I call encouraging.

Jose Trevino (NYY): 3-4, HR, R, RBI.

The Yankees won a nail bitter in Arlington tonight, beating the Rangers 4-2. Trevino supplied some cushion in the top of the 9th with a solo home run. Trevino was an all-star last year, but so far he has struggled at the plate in 2023. Aaron Judge left the game with an injury and if he sees any IL time, the Yankees will have to turn to others within the lineup. Trevino will not even sniff Judge’s production, but the 2 singles with the home run are encouraging signs. The Yankees will need him to bolster the bottom of their order throughout the year to push them to the postseason.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. (MIA): 1-4, R, RBI, BB, 2 SB.

I find myself always talking about home runs and power. Let’s showcase some speed! It wasn’t Esteury Ruiz’s four stolen bases on Wednesday, but Jazz Chisolm Jr. had a single and 2 stolen bases in Thursday’s dramatic win over the Braves. Luis Arraez and Jean Segura had two hits in this one also. Chisholm has gotten off to a bit of a slow start this year. I say that and then see he has 5 home runs and 9 stolen bases, so slow yes, but he’s still productive. It’s only a matter of time before he explodes.

Byron Buxton (MIN): 1-4, HR, R, 3 RBI.

Life is like Byron Buxton, you never know what you’re going to get. I just made that up. Buxton went back-to-back with Carlos Correa in the Twins’ shellacking of the Royals Thursday. Buxton, as far as raw talent goes, leads the league. But the same Buxton, as far as production goes, has not quite shown up in 2023. The main thing is, he’s healthy. A healthy Byron Buxton is good for the game of baseball.

Dansby Swanson (CHC): 2-4, HR, R, RBI.

Forrest Gump’s friend Lieutenant Dansby Swanson hit his first home run in a Cubs uniform on Thursday, which is wild to say since it is almost May. The power hasn’t been there for Swanson, but he has still been great in his start with the Wrigleyville squad. He is walking at an insane 16.8% meaning maybe he’s just waiting for his pitch.