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MLB News & Moments You Should Know – 05/18/23

One more for the Bird Killing Crew

Asher Dratel
MLB Morning News 5/18/2023

Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.

 

Today’s Headlines

 

Stay Away From The Birds! They Hate The Birds!

The Catholic Church has white smoke when a new Pope has been selected. The Arizona Diamondbacks have an entirely different way to anoint a new ace:

That’s right, Zac Gallen is the new Pope of Pitching, the Pontif of, uh, also Pitching. Hmm, are there any titles for the Pope that work with strikeout? I’m Jewish, they never taught us that in Hebrew School.

In case you forgot, Randy’s bird murder was a bit more dramatic:

https://youtu.be/K-BT4N17cTY

But as I often ask in this feature: What are the odds?!

Baseballs aren’t tremendously large objects. Birds aren’t tremendously large objects, the odds of them occupying the same section of physical space at any given moment seem so vanishingly small, and yet it’s happened at least twice to dudes who pitch for the same franchise.

The Senga Nine Army

I’m really reaching with these.

Anyway, Kodai Senga joined some elite company last night with his 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 12 K start:

And it was a heck of a game, even aside from that:

The dark blue line pointing straight down at the end? Why that’s Pete Alonso parking a three-run walk-off shot in the second deck, of course:

Alonso’s heroics were only possible thanks to earlier home runs off the bats of rookies Francisco Álvarez and Mark Vientos. Whew, lotta names to know in Queens last night.

0-for-27

It’s not the longest such streak that we’ve seen this year, but Chris Bassitt extended his scoreless streak to 27 innings Wednesday after flummoxing the Yankees for seven innings.

But he was also impressive off the mound, showing the true value of PFP:

The Jays would go on to win the game thanks to a walk-off three-run shot from Danny Jansen, who has hit both of the only two home runs Wandy Peralta has given up in 2023. Ok then.

A Big Pint-sized Debut

Riley Pint was the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft, as a high school arm who threw triple-digit fastballs. His time in the minors was marred by poor command and a string of injuries, until he retired in June 2021, having topped out at high-A.

But then in March 2022, he un-retired and returned to the Rockies, pitching in AA and AAA, before finally being called up to the big club on May 14th.

Last night he saw his first MLB action, pitching only a third of an inning, but pitching at Coors nonetheless. I’ve gotten to write up lots of rookie debuts this year, and while Riley won’t be getting a GIF breakdown or anything, I still so distinctly remember watching when he was drafted all the way back in ’16, so it’s pretty cool to see that he finally got a shot to live the dream and throw in major league action.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

Some South Side Numbers

I have no idea what to make of either of these stats. The Jake Burger one seems fun but pointless? The RHP one seems…ominous? Maybe that’s a decent summary of the White Sox’ season so far?

You Can’t Spell Arenado Without 1K

It’s been a slow start to the season for Nolan Arenado, although he’s been turning up the heat lately and it continued last night when he hit a grounder to Brian Anderson that he couldn’t quite come up with and batted in the 1,000th run of his career:

Not the most dramatic or maybe satisfying way to get there, but hey, a run’s a run.

Holy Schmitt

When the Giants called up Casey Schmitt a week ago, it was kind of unheralded. He wasn’t ranked in the org. or overall by FanGraphs, although MLB Pipeline had him at #3 on the Giants Top 30 and #100 overall and our very own Matt Heckman knew he was gonna be ‘A Dude’ sooner rather than later. Since then he’s hitting .438/.438/.750 (gotta love a productive 0.0% walk rate hitter) and setting records in the field. Two records, to be exact:

That’s a pretty good arm if you ask me.

Never Bunt

Just don’t do it.

 

Injuries

 

Manny Machado has a fracture in his hand, although the Padres say it’s not an IL situation.

Dustin May left his start last night with a flexor pronator strain. The UCL appears undamaged but Dave Roberts says May will miss at least a month.

Joey Gallo’s x-rays came back negative after fouling the ball off his leg, but he’ll need a day off.

Jorge Polanco has a strained left hamstring.

Wade Miley has a strained left lat, and it sounds like he’s going to miss more than the minimum as Counsell says they’ll be getting multiple opinions.

Ian Hamilton seems headed to the IL with a groin injury.

Nick Lodolo has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left tibia.

 

Articles You Should Read

 

An Iota of xwOBA: Does Overperformance Improve Confidence? – Alex Eisert, FanGraphs

The Zombies Are Attacking Your Home (Team) – Rob Mains, Baseball Prospectus ($)

 

Fantasy Baseball Coverage

 

Starting Pitcher Roundup

Hitter Performances

Reliever Ranks (Closers) (Holds)

Starting Pitcher Streamers

 

Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)

Asher Dratel

Asher hails from Brooklyn, wears a 2008 Joba Chamberlain jersey to every Yankees game he attends, and pronounces BABIP funny. Appreciator of Beefy Lad dingers and beers. @asherd.bsky.social on Bluesky.

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