Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Mariners rotation shuffle:
The Mariners optioned fifth starter Emerson Hancock to the minors yesterday. While they don’t necessarily need a fifth starter for a few days, manager Dan Wilson told reporters yesterday right-hander Logan Evans will be getting the start in today’s game (via Andrew Destin of the Associated Press). That will allow the Mariners to push righty Bryan Woo and the rest of the rotation back a day to get some extra rest ahead of the All-Star break. A rookie who made his MLB debut earlier this year, Evans has a 3.38 ERA in seven MLB starts despite a 4.76 FIP. He’ll be tasked with taking on the Royals and righty Seth Lugo later today, and his performance could end up deciding whether he remains in the rotation for the remainder of the first half or if he’s replaced with another spot starter down the line.
2. Muncy to undergo MRI:
Dodgers infielder Max Muncy needed to be helped off the field yesterday after suffering a knee injury on the bases, but after the game manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including MLB.com’s Sonja Chen) that the team is “optimistic” after initial testing. Still, Muncy is being sent for an MRI today to determine the severity of the injury. Those results could be back in time for the club’s game against the White Sox tonight. An IL trip for Muncy would likely mean an opening for Hyeseong Kim to receive more frequent playing time, though losing a .252/.377/.461 hitter like Muncy from the lineup would certainly be a blow for the Dodgers.
3. Blue Jays challenge for the AL East lead:
Yesterday’s game between the Blue Jays and Yankees was a wild one. The Jays broke out to an 8-0 lead, only for the Yankees to come all the way back before Toronto ultimately won 11-9. After that exciting win, the two clubs now sit tied atop the AL East heading into the final game of the series. Veteran Chris Bassitt has a 4.29 ERA in 17 starts this year and will be on the mound for Toronto coming off a blow-up outing where he surrendered nine runs (eight earned) in just two innings against the Red Sox. He’ll try to turn things around against Yankees righty Clarke Schmidt, who has a 3.09 ERA in 13 starts this season.
“losing a .252/.377/.461 hitter like Muncy from the lineup would certainly be a blow for the Dodgers.”
Muncy’s 134 wRC+ is obviously impressive, but for what it’s worth, Hyesong Kim is rocking a 163 wRC+ (in a smaller sample). Muncy is a power production guy, while Hyesong Kim is much more contact and on-base guy, but as long as Kim’s bat doesn’t completely crater, it’s not really as much of a loss so much as a shift in batting style.
Maybe more than his power, Muncy’s plate discipline makes opposing pitchers work harder to throw strikes.
This season Muncy is averaging 4.3 pitches seen per plate appearance.
Kim is averaging 4.0 pitches seen per plate appearance.
Muncy sees a few pitches more then Kim, but not many.
Yeah, and Kim provides more value defensively and on the bases.
Not many indeed. Kim will put the ball in play more and his speed/athleticism is a refreshing change from Muncy.
Muncy draws walks, puts the ball over the fence, and is one of the team leaders.
Don’t underestimate The Obese Avenger!
That was after an incredibly slow start to the season. Muncy had a .333/.459/1.113 in June, with 7 HR, 24 RBI and he walked 19 times, while only striking out 17 times. He’s been carrying that offense for more than a month. Famously, since he started wearing glasses.
Yeah, this is the real point. He’s been a monster for the last month or so, probably in part due to getting the glasses, but also to some adjustments at the plate.
The collision at 3B last night looked so awful SNLA declined to replay it. I watched the video online and it didn’t seem quite so bad as it appeared. What at first looked like a season-ending ACL injury seemed to be more of a tumble onto the kneecap. In the postgame presser Roberts described it as a contusion.
Yeah, hoping it is something less serious like a hyperextended knee and a bruised patella.
Yeah, I was watching the game. I didn’t want to see it. Hopefully he’s ok and he doesn’t need surgery. I’m wondering how they’ll handle it. Sort of thinking Edman goes to 3B and they stick Kim at 2B. Neither player has the best arm for 3B, but both can probably make up for it with range. Probably means Outman comes back up, and he’s really having a good season in OKC after the slow start himself.
BlueSkies: I was watching it on a Chicago station and they replaced it a couple of times. Looked like he hyperextended his knee.
Since he started crushing Panda Express everyday again.
They don’t mention that it means a far inferior hitter playing third. Kim doesn’t play third. It’s Kike or Miggy.
Couldn’t they slide Edman to 3rd to keep Kim at 2B?
Edman, Hernandez, and Rojas can all play 3B. Kim played some 3B in the KBO, so he’s another option.
Michael Kay’s comments during the game were hilarious…. Paraphrasing regarding how strikeouts have declined across MLB, it was:
The analytics guys in MLB were really pushing the TTO type players, stating the {strikeouts and homers were better than risking a double play}…BUT NOW they’re realizing that putting the ball in play puts pressure on the defense and generates results more than strikeouts.
Uh, no duh, it’s something MLB fans have been saying since the nerds pushed the TTO type players over a decade ago.
Did Michael Kay not watch the World Series last year, or watch the 2023 Yankees? A lack of putting the ball in play and relying on pure power is what’s killed the Yankees against teams that have exploited their defense or have shut down their offense because of the feast or famine mentality. I hope he was being sarcastic lol
Kay is a clown. The fact he thought it was such a great insight that putting the ball in play creates better results than strikeouts is a perfect microcosm for how the Boone and the Yankees got out-managed by Dave Roberts of all people.
You can’t hit a three run Homer with no one on base…
In fairness to Michael Kay, according to Clippers synopsis, Kay was saying it’s the stat geeks who are coming to this realization. The ones pushing the 3 true outcomes are the ones now realizing that putting the ball in play is actually good for offensive output.
It’s not so much Kay himself with the ‘great insight’.
The stat geeks are the ones that have made the game unwatchable for far too long. Apparently the one thing they don’t teach at those big expensive ivy league universities is math. No one on base+strikeout=zero run production
The “stat geeks” are trying to make winning more likely. Isn’t that what a team’s front office should be trying to do? Their goal can’t be to make the game more watchable.
The nonsense arguments over the years on mlbtr was a bit crazy. The nerds do not understand in-game adjustments or human emotion within the game itself. The next thing to tackle is catchers on one knee with runners on.
Strikeouts have declined? Just because Justin verlander and gerrit Cole aren’t gunning down 300 batters a season doesn’t mean the K’s are down back to the 2000’s
Shoot even a random person like grant Holmes can strikeout 15 batters
mlb k-rate is down 0.7% from last season not exactly a dramatic difference. where is the evidence that analytic departments have seen the light and are suddenly prioritizing contact?
Lets just say that it’s true and the analytic departments have “seen the light”, it’s going to take a couple of seasons to erase the bad hitting approaches they’ve instilled league wide to start seeing actual results
The injury to Muncy looked gruesome on the replays. The knee just caved in from the side. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t some significant damage. The trainer appeared to be doing the Lachman test for a ruptured ACL.
Muncy has really helped to cover the lack of offense from Betts (97 OPS+). Hope that the injury isn’t season-ending.
I totally agree after seeing the initial play and watching it over again. Too much torque for it to be a sprain in my opinion, but the MRI will determine that. I’m a Rockies fan so you can imagine the frustration we have had to deal with for many years. Even though we all know how much $$$ the Dodgers spend on players, at least it’s entertainment and good baseball.
Mookie’s offense would improve greatly by putting him back in the leadoff spot. Going back to his days with the Red Sox leadoff is the only spot in the lineup that he’s productive in
I came to the opposite conclusion after watching the replays. He got flipped and came down hard on his knee, but it isn’t clear at all that the leg was torqued. Roberts described it after the game as a contusion. But we aren’t doctors so we’ll have to wait for the reports from the team, and meanwhile hope for the best for Muncy.
Heyman reports that the Dodgers are calling up Ruiz, so it looks like at least an IL stint for Muncy. Maybe he’ll get away with just a bad bruise.
Ruiz is an interesting choice. Suggests they plan on using Edman for some 3B.
I’m wondering if this might be a trade showcase game for Logan Evans as well. Mariners need at least two hitters and Ford or Evans might bring back a non-rental solid bat at 1B.
They’re in the middle of the first of two 17-game stretches without a day off. It’s about keeping guys fresh. Cameras exist in minor league parks so no need to showcase a pitcher in the majors anymore.
Looking around MLB there aren’t too many “non-rental” First Basemen out there. Unless the Royals are willing to trade Pasquantino or you look to the Michael Toglia/Kyle Manzardo/Jonathan Aranda’s (not saying any of them are available) you are probably only getting a rental
No because the M’s have only had 2 of 5 regular starters stay healthy & consistent. (Castillo & Woo) Their dept is greatly lacking so they need Evans. Hancock is inconsistent so other teams likely wouldn’t be interested, but he’s the only starter I think they’d listen on.
Cue the Arenado rumors
gut check game for the yankees tonight
warren wasn’t up to the moment let’s see how schmidt does
‘Losing a player like Muncy would certainly be a blow to the dodgers’.. it would be bad for any team, probably less so to the dodgers..
Watching the Yankees crumble is just….not so good. Too many lost opportunities.
The collapse is so glorious!
reminder that the mets are collapsing as well
Though the Mets did manage to split their Wednesday doubleheader.
Yankee fans souring on Volpe? As if the kid didn’t have enough pressure on him already. The Yankees have done a huge disservice to this kid. Number one pick out of high school smack dab in Yankee fan territory. Then the endless hype. News telling us what he ate for breakfast, ballyhooing everything he did in the minors. Yes, Jeter is from New Jersey but that’s the end of the comparison. And yes, Jeter’s parents were neighbors to the Volpes. But just stop already.
What, no mention of Kershaw reaching the 3,000 K mark last night? And he did it on pitch no. 100, the very last one he threw in the game. Doc stayed with him even though he clearly didn’t have his greatest stuff. Because of this decision, Kersh got his moment, and Dodgers fans got to see this history made at home. Wrong time zone, I guess.
Are you suggesting the dodgers don’t get enough coverage…
Are you suggesting this wasn’t a historic baseball event, and should have gone unnoticed?
Everyone noticed it lol
Unnoticed here lol.
mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/the-opener-profar-kersh…
Okay, but it had not happened yet, and my point was the story about how it happened went unnoticed here. Which, it did.
Yankees continue to ignore their problems and act on false confidence. Its been this way for at least 12 years. Its like watching a collection of robots rather than a real bb club looking to win at any cost. No heart, No passion!
fire Cashman
fire Boone
release dj and stanton
hire Mattingly as manager
end nerds
See Nick deleted all the comments he didn’t like…sensitive much? smh 🙄
Turns out it’s a gambling investigation