As the regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Rays approach history:
With yesterday’s win over Boston, the Rays improved to 12-0 on the season. That twelve-game winning streak not only ties the record for longest in franchise history, it puts them just one win away from tying the modern MLB record for a win streak to open the season. The 2004 Devil Rays won 12 straight games in 2004, while the aforementioned MLB record is held by the 1987 Brewers and 1982 Braves, both of whom went 13-0 to open the regular season. The Rays will try to tie the Brewers and Braves today at 12:10pm CT this afternoon, as Jeffrey Springs takes on former Ray Corey Kluber.
2. Twins injury struggles continue:
The Twins opened the 2023 season dealing with a heap of injuries to their positional group, as each of first baseman Alex Kirilloff, second baseman Jorge Polanco, shortstop Royce Lewis, and outfielder Gilberto Celestino opened the season on the injured list. Two weeks into the season, that quartet has been joined by outfielders Max Kepler and Joey Gallo. Now, infielder Kyle Farmer is set to join them after being struck in the jaw by a fastball in yesterday’s game against the White Sox. He underwent surgery on his lower lip and bottom four teeth following the game. Star outfielder Byron Buxton was involved in a collision at second base in yesterday’s game, but appeared to avoid serious injury. The Twins will likely have an update on him today.
The club is expected to select outfielder Kyle Garlick later today to replace Farmer on the active roster, joining Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, and Edouard Julien in holding down the fort while much of Minnesota’s everyday lineup battles injuries.
3. Who’s taking the ball for the Brewers?
Following ace Brandon Woodruff’s placement on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, the Brewers called up right-hander Janson Junk to replace him in the rotation. Junk struggled through his start yesterday, allowing five runs (four earned) over 4 2/3 innings against the Diamondbacks. After the game, manager Craig Counsell did not name a starter for today’s game against the Padres. With Aaron Ashby, Adrian Houser and Jason Alexander all on the IL and Ethan Small pitching in relief this season at Triple-A, the club may be forced to settle for a bullpen game today unless they’re willing to clear space on the 40-man roster to further tap into their minor league depth. Speculatively speaking, veteran righty Colin Rea, in Triple-A with the Brewers, would be properly rested if the team wants to go that route.
Let’s go, Rays! I picked them to win the AL East this year.
They’ve had an impressive start for sure, but they’ve also had an incredibly soft schedule to start the season: Tigers, Nationals, A’s, and Red Sox, with 9 of 12 games at home.
It’s funny that the Rays are worried about winning while the Yankees are worried about the length of a bat boys hair. This division will be wrapped up my the end of May!!
@JerryCavender
They’re also worried about the shoes.
Oh well, no worries, another year will pass and the Astros will dump the Yankees in the playoffs.
But the Yanks wiki look like professionals doing it!! . It’s amazing how the Astros are in their heads and keep beating them!!
The Rays approach history, trade everyone before they become stars so you don’t have to actually pay them.
I mean you’re correct but they win and the Yankees will hate the Judge, Cole and Stanton contracts before they expire. I think they already regret assuming that albatross from the Marlins. Is it better to pay them before they become stars or well past their prime??
The 87 Brewers still finished third in their division and the 82 Braves didn’t even get to 90 wins. 13-0:is a curse that should be avoided at all costs.
But what about 14-0?
27! 27! 27! 27!
I’d like to think Junk throws an array of pitches, none of them over 86 mph, but in reality he probably has a 98 mph fastball
On the Twinkies, you neglected to mention that Farmer was only playing because Carlos Correra was out with a sore back.
Farmer had only been hitting at .226 prior to his injury
And Correra was closing in on the Mendoza line himself.
Meanwhile:
Gorden who is in for Polanco is hitting .118
Castro, who will now back up SS is hitting .154 (after going 2 for 2 yesterday)
Wallner has yet to get a hit
Julien has yet to get a hit
Taylor, manning CF, for Buxton is batting .233 (after going 2 for 4 yesterday)
Buxton has only been the DH & provides no outfield defense
Regular 3B Miranda is under the Mendoza line at .191
Their pitching is the only thing that has allowed them to win 8 games
You neglected to mention Ryan Jeffers is batting .400.
Gallo is still on pace for 60 HRs this year
Larnach has a wRC+ of 127
The strawberry waffle at the new Waffles & More is delicious
There’s a new fried chicken vendor
The Twins rotation has been dominant. Not a single starter has an FIP higher than 3.66.
5 relievers have an ERA under 3.00
The Sun rose this morning
Nobody got nuked
Still seems like somebody pissed in your Corn Flakes, though. I mean, gotta find something to be angry about, am I right?
My comment was not made in anger, just to point out the omission in the post that Correra has been missing from the lineup and under performing. Further comments informed others that much of the Twins regular offense has been under preforming thus far, including.the replacements that have been used.
Julien has one game!!
Ouch, Farm Dog! Bet he wears a helmet with that extension from now on.
Not sure but it looked like he was hit on the right side of the face. I.e. the side facing away from the pitcher as a right-handed batter. So the extension may not have helped.
So much for that Woodruff deal before the deadline…
As a Cardinals fan, I sure hate that the Brewers are having problems with their pitching staff.
FTC
Good thing the Twins built up some depth this off-season. Kiriloff and Polanco should be back in the the next 1-2 weeks to hopefully bolster the lineup.
If you line up the teams, the Rays being tangent to the record at this segment of the season is something to see, can’t say that it’s not a sine of things to come through the arc of their year.
Put fiver on the Sox to end the streak today – guaranteed!*
*not an actual guarantee
Buxton was 8 feet out of the baseline. Is there an IL for stupid baserunning?
Woodruff and Burnes were NOT going to be traded at this year’s trading deadline, ABSOLUTELY no way!!!
This was complete conjecture by some “experts” and the only way it would have happened is if the Brewers were 20 games under .500, or something like that at the deadline. It got floated around, picked up some steam, people validated it without thinking …..aka 1950’s McCarthyism.
Reds don’t scare me.
BRILLIANT!
Talk to us again in August. Been there in denial city.
Its an exciting time to be a Ray’s fan, no mega stars, just a solid team that has good chemistry and wants to win.
Reminds me of the 2014-2015 Royals.
Or the 1990 Reds.
Playing before a crowd of 21,175, the largest at Tropicana Field since Opening Day, the Rays set a franchise record for wins at any point in a season by topping their 12-game run in June 2004.
Kind of sad that the Rays can’t get more than 20,000 to attend a game.
Once we get a new stadium in a suitable location, many of us will go to the games more, it is currently in a terrible location.
Except it’s not.
Perfectly positioned on the highway off ramp.
Plenty of parking and security, as there is a Cop shop, practically on site.
Now if you live in Tampa and chose not to make the drive, that’s on you but guess what?!
I have to drive from St.Petersburg to Tampa in order to watch, the Buccaneers, on the exact same route, someone from Tampa,would use, to watch a Rays game.
Wrong, I don’t live in Tampa, and there are more cities then Tampa & St.Pete with rays fans dummy…bucs stadium is in Tampa, way off from St. Pete,
If you are on Orlando side of Tampa, I could see your point.
If you are on the Gold coast, then St. Pete is closer.
If you’re on the gulf coast, your argument is moot, as you will use, the same interstate system.
If you live in NY, then it isn’t even worth commenting on the board.
So sir!
I have given many routes, to make it to the trop.
All will require a form of transportation and if you’re car-pooling, hopefully you kick out a few bucks, for gas.