Happy Memorial Day to MLBTR readers! Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world as the long weekend continues:
1. Rutschman being monitored:
Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman departed yesterday’s game after he took a foul ball off his mask during the third inning. According to Jake Rill of MLB.com, the catcher’s removal from the game was precautionary. Interim manager Tony Mansolino told reporters (including Rill) that Rutschman will continue to be monitored for 24 hours following the incident, leaving his status ahead of today’s game against the Cardinals uncertain. It’s been a disappointing year at the plate so far for Rutschman, who is hitting .211/.310/.349 with a 93 wRC+, but losing him for any amount of time would be worrisome for the already struggling Orioles with Gary Sanchez already on the shelf. Maverick Handley took over for Rutschman behind the plate in yesterday’s game, and if a trip to the injured list is necessary the Orioles could turn to Chadwick Tromp or David Banuelos.
2. Series Preview: Blue Jays @ Rangers
Neither the Blue Jays nor the Rangers are having the season they were hoping for so far. Both clubs are three games back in the AL Wild Card race. A big series for either side could put them back into the thick of the playoff conversation, but if either club struggles in this series they could quickly find themselves falling even further back in the standings. The series kicks off at 4:05pm ET this afternoon with ace righty Jacob deGrom (2.33 ERA) on the mound for the Rangers while Toronto counters with a veteran of their own in Kevin Gausman (4.05 ERA). Bowden Francis (5.54 ERA) will look to turn his season around for the Jays tomorrow against Nathan Eovaldi (1.60 ERA), who has put himself into the early AL Cy Young discussion. The series will wrap Wednesday with an as-of-yet unannounced starter on the mound for the Jays against Rangers right-hander Tyler Mahle, who has a 1.80 ERA in 11 starts amid his own brilliant campaign.
3. Arenado, Santana nearing milestone:
Just 196 players in MLB history have hit 400 doubles during their career. That number could jump to 198 any day now, however, because both Guardians first baseman Carlos Santana and Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado are within spitting distance of the milestone. Santana hit the 398th double of his career against the Tigers over the weekend, while Arenado sits just one behind him with 397 career two-baggers. The milestone is within reach for both players, but Santana in particular is white hot of late with 1.262 OPS in his past six games and a .262/.410/.492 slash line in the month of May overall. Arenado’s Cardinals are scheduled to face the Orioles and southpaw Cade Povich (4.86 ERA) today, while Santana’s Guardians face a tough matchup against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1.86 ERA) in their own game this afternoon.
How are the Rangers under .500 when they’re rolling out Cy Young on the mound every start?
Because they have the A.L.’s worst batting lineup. Pathetic
@Peg2
Actually, the Black Sox and Royals have the worst batting lineup in the AL with 82 & 80 wRC+. The Rangers are at 84. Not the worst.
Close enough
Paying $44.5 million for a combined -1 WAR from Semien & Pederson doesn’t help.
Garcia has cratered to the point of DFA
Someone would probably take a buy-low on Garcia. He has decent Statcast metrics this season and his defense has rebounded.
At least the Rangers have a ring due to Semien.
Not just due to him. In fact, if I had to pick, I’d say Seager, especially when you consider how good he is in the postseason and he plays a premium position. And anyway, contributing to a title doesn’t take him off the hook. He is vastly underperforming. He and Garcia need to really step it up.
Gotta throw seager on that list too. Dudes still a stud when he plays but he’s guaranteed to miss 40+ a season. Can’t build a lineup around a guy that spends a quarter or more of season on IL
They’re averaging 3.37 runs scored per game. Only the Royals, Rox, and Bucs are worse. Runs allowed per game is 3.57 which is fourth best in the MLB.
Adley was just showing signs of life so the timing stinks. Maverick gets the job done defensively but no bat. However, let’s be clear, Sanchez being out is a huge plus and I’m hoping he is DFA’d. His signing made no sense
The Jays can’t score runs against mediocrities, so Texas, like the Rays, should throw a couple of shut-outs – err maybe even some no-hitters in this series.
Does Carlos Santana have a shot at the HOF?
About to hit the 400 2B mark and he is currently at 1,829 H and 330 HR. If he can reach 2,000 H and 350-375 HR, he might have an interesting candidacy
No.
No.
The Hall has a big thing for longevity in the sport, which rightfully so. Not many souls can continue to play this game into their 40’s, especially hitters. Also helps that he has been a class act and a solid teammate throughout this career, something else MLB takes a lot of pride in.
He will also have over 1,100 runs scored (the most underrated stat in the game in my opinion with not near the focus it needs as it’s the stat that wins or loses games – and the only stat that does so). He will have 1,150 plus RBI, 1,400 walks to 1,500 strikeouts (which leads to his high OBP).
Still a hard no
Yes, but it’s a team stat. Someone has to drive you in (except for a home run).
I remember Oneill Cruz breaking his leg on a play at the plate. Santana does not even appear in the video until the skirmish starts. He was the on deck batter and derelict in his duty to tell Cruz to slide. That’s a lack of fundamentals and definitely not what I would call a solid teammate.
If he’d spent more time as a primary catcher maybe
I feel like he’s as close as you can get without making the Hall of Fame. He has very similar career numbers to Curtis Granderson. If he couldn’t even get included on 1% of ballots, let alone the 5% to stick on the ballot for a second round of balloting, then I don’t think Santana is going to do much better.
Santana played for more teams than Granderson, so more press got to see him play. Could be a factor.
Both Granderson and Santana have played for seven teams. If anything, Santana is at a disadvantage when comparing him to Granderson when it comes to press/media coverage, because Santana has only ever been with one truly big market team, the Phillies, in which he only spent one year playing for in 2018 when they only won 80 games, while Granderson spent parts of eight consecutive seasons playing for New York teams from 2010 up through the 2017 trade deadline, while going to the playoffs in 5 of those seasons, and the WS once.
Granderson does have the advantage of larger markets as you stated. He also has the advantage of having been an ambassador for the sport. He traveled trying to help grow the game on behalf of MLB.
That said neither him or Santana are close to being HOF. Yes Santana has some very good counting stats. He’s not close to any significant milestones. He also was never one of the greatest players in the game at any given time. I can’t even think if a year he was one of greatest at his position let alone all of MLB.
It may not be fair, but the one thing that hurt Santana was that he never had an elite peak. He never put up like a 150 OPS+ in any season, or had a stretch of like 3-5 seasons where he was a top 3 player at his position. He was just decent for a long period of time. Again, that may not be particuarly fair, but I’d bet some voters would hold that against him.
No. Awesome career though.
Carlos Santana is in the Hall of Fame. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Oye Como Va.
I’m seeing double double.
Is Rutschman turning into Matt Weiters?
Sliced bread is the greatest thing since.Matt Weiters.
I don’t think Santana even gets 5% to stay on the ballot.
Weiters didn’t eclipse 1.2 WAR after his age 27 season. Adley, at the same age, should top that this season and I think his floor is much higher.
Jays are right where they should be. Didn’t get the bats they needed but certainly added salary.
They could bring up their best prospect, Basallo. But we know they’re not into prospect promotion.
First folks said they rushed Holiday.
Now folks say they don’t promote.
Tough critics.
Just a kind note thst Happy and memorial are two words that should not be put together in the same sentence I really like the site, keep up the good work : )
Subject to individual interpretation. People who dedicated their lives to their country should be celebrated. Mexican Day of the Dead is a weekend-long party. For my own eventual funeral, I want it to be festive.
Crazy that Carlos Santana is on pace for 3.2 WAR. Could be in line for 1 year/$13M or more for 2026. He just keeps chugging along.
He’s one of those players whom I am amazed never just got like 6 years/$75M or 8 years/$100M or 8 years/$120M etc. etc.
It’s all these 1-3 year deals that are arguably below market value.
It’s kinda because he didn’t hit free agency in his prime ages. His first extension with Cleveland kept him there until he was 31. Then he signed a 3 year deal with the Phillies for his age 32-34 seasons. But he’s mostly been a solid to great hitter throughout his career, even if he was never truly elite. 2021 marks the only non-COVID shortened year he was a below average hitter per OPS+.