Brian Fluharty-Imagn Pictures
Welcome to a different version of 5 Issues I Favored (Or Didn’t Like) This Week. I took every week off to take pleasure in slightly French Open binge-watching, and after one of many best finals of my lifetime, I used to be able to cost again into baseball. That feeling – charging forward – has been one thing of a theme throughout baseball of late. You need velocity? Chaos? Big instruments and do-or-die decisions? This week’s record is for you. It begins, as ordinary, with a nod to Zach Lowe of The Ringer for originating this format. It additionally begins, as the whole lot appears to today, with a green-and-gold blur.
1. The Flash
In case you activate a random A’s recreation of late, you’re liable to see one thing like this:
And if you happen to’re fortunate, one thing like this afterward:
Denzel Clarke is on fairly the heater proper now. That spectacular play doesn’t even come near his best main league feat, this absurd dwelling run theft:
I can’t high the good Sam Miller’s article about it, so I completely recommend studying that if you happen to haven’t already, however Clarke’s protection is inarguably one of many issues I preferred most in baseball this week. His protection is among the issues I’ve preferred most in baseball all 12 months. Watching him bolt across the outfield with eyes on each baseball and no idea of failure is a blast. Sport-breaking protection like that is so uncommon and so pleasant that I make a degree of turning on the A’s as usually as potential proper now.
The A’s wanted a plus defensive middle fielder badly. None of their nook guys are all that nice within the discipline, and no different pitching employees permits extra fly balls. They’d been operating JJ Bleday out in middle, and nicely, JJ Bleday isn’t a middle fielder. Now Bleday is feeling the playing-time pinch – with loads of mouths to feed in left and at DH, he’s gone from on a regular basis starter to occasional fill-in.
It’s an unstable equilibrium, fairly frankly. Clarke most likely can’t maintain enjoying protection like this, as a result of nobody performs protection like this. He’s high 10 within the majors in outs above common in 1 / 4 of the innings that everybody else on that record has performed. He’s each getting extra alternatives than you’d count on and changing them at a ridiculous clip.
Clarke is a reside wire within the outfield, prompt electrical energy each time the ball is hit within the air. He’s blazing quick and prepared to sacrifice his physique for even a distant probability of getting an out — and people distant possibilities at all times flip into outs. In response to Statcast, he ranks first within the majors with a 98% Precise Catch Proportion and a Catch Proportion Added of 10%. After I watch A’s video games, I’m actively rooting for the opposite workforce to hit the ball towards Clarke so I can see one thing particular. However he’s not this good — not eight outs above common in 135 innings good. Even if you happen to assume he’s the very best defensive middle fielder in baseball (and I would?), this tempo gained’t proceed.
Which is why it issues, at the very least slightly bit, that Clarke is hanging out in half his plate appearances and batting .200/.228/.273. He hit a lot within the minor leagues, so there’s cause to count on him to get higher right here, however proper now main league pitchers are simply flooding the zone and daring him to do one thing about it. The established order isn’t working; he has to get higher offensively. Fairly frankly, even with Clarke’s protection, this isn’t a great workforce; the A’s are 4-16 since he obtained known as up. They want each extra offense and higher protection at different positions.
In different phrases, take pleasure in this sorcery when you can. Nobody performs protection at this degree for lengthy, and nobody hits like this whereas remaining related within the huge leagues both. Absolutely, we hope his bat improves at the very least sufficient to be barely under common as an alternative of downright terrible, and his glove regresses solely as a lot as will permit him to stay the highest defender at his place, however that’s actually not assured. So my recommendation for you is that this: Activate an A’s recreation and watch Clarke roam middle discipline as if you happen to have been out on the again porch taking within the remaining thunderstorm of the season.
2. The Chaotic Rays
Baseball could be monotonous at instances. Strikeout, stroll, grounder, line drive, rinse, repeat. A 2-1 rating within the fourth, a 3-2 recreation within the sixth, a parade of relievers and pinch-hitters to observe. I like that loop – that’s why I write about this sport for a residing and go to video games in my day without work – however the occasional breath of contemporary air is at all times appreciated. And if you happen to’re searching for a breath of contemporary air in 2025, I’ve a suggestion for you: Watch a Rays recreation.
I’m not going to re-litigate the Nice Head Faucet Ejection that made Ben Lindbergh’s daring predictions look prescient. That was great theater, and it’s not even one of many two most ridiculous Rays sequences of June. First place, in my eyes, is the walk-off groundout:
I can barely perceive what occurred right here. Marcus Semien performed this like a daily grounder. The remainder of the Rangers determined first base was lava. Even worse, Josh Smith was so befuddled that he simply type of frolicked listlessly in the course of the play, like a online game character with the controller unplugged. Junior Caminero was watching the chaos as he went from second to 3rd, and he took the chance to bolt for dwelling. Semien couldn’t get round Smith and make a great throw in time:
I’ve by no means seen something fairly like that earlier than. I’m unsure I’ve ever seen this one both:
In case you’re maintaining rating at dwelling, good luck. The infield fly rule was in impact, as you possibly can see from the house plate umpire’s gestures, which suggests though that ball dropped, it was a fly out and the runners have been free to advance as if they’d tagged up. Trevor Story didn’t know that, although. All he needed to do was keep the place he was and tag out the runner, however he stepped on the bottom after which instantly tossed it to second:
You must tag him! You’ll by no means see a runner so useless to rights get a reprieve like that if you happen to watch each recreation the remainder of the season. Story simply forgot the foundations. Fortunately, Kristian Campbell wasn’t fairly positive what was occurring, so he did each — he tagged Jonathan Aranda and stepped on the bottom — as an alternative of choosing only one:
The Rays gained this recreation by scoring within the ninth, tenth, and eleventh innings. In fact they did. In fact this recreation wasn’t regular the remainder of the best way. Proper now, the Rays are the kings of bizarre baseball, and I really like them for it.
3. The Cannon Arm of the Regulation
Getting little or no Ronald Acuña Jr. in my life final 12 months was a profound bummer. After his sensational 2023 MVP marketing campaign, I used to be prepared for an encore, however as an alternative he struggled out of the gate, then tore his ACL and missed nearly all of the season. He appears to have taken that damage to coronary heart – he hasn’t a lot as tried to steal a base this season, unthinkable for a man who swiped 73 two years in the past. However don’t mistake that for a decline in Acuña’s instruments. He’s nonetheless as a lot of a brilliant athlete as ever, and he clearly nonetheless loves to indicate off his throwing arm:
That’s some type of throw. Heliot Ramos had jammed on the brakes already, and it’s a great factor, as a result of he would have been out by a mile. The Giants got here out of the gates with a plan of by no means ever testing Acuña. Runners held up at bases after they’d usually advance. Residence plate had a forcefield round it if the ball was hit to proper discipline. However don’t inform Acuña that; he simply carried on ripping beautiful throws. I liked this one, from later within the inning. The Giants broadcast put Jung Hoo Lee in a picture-in-picture field like he was attempting to tag up, however Lee needed completely no a part of Acuña’s smoke:
And did you see his outfield help in his first recreation again? I might watch this all day:
Of the canonical 5 instruments, arm is nearly actually the least essential relating to precise on-field worth. Most performs in baseball aren’t intently contested matches between a thrower and a runner, the place a plus arm produces an out and a mean arm results in a base development. The margins of the sport simply aren’t that skinny; it’s rather more essential to show batted balls into outs than to choose off the occasional baserunner – and the instruments concerned in batting are extra essential nonetheless. However neglect on-field worth for a minute; relating to on-field leisure, shut performs on the basepaths are my absolute favourite, and defenders with loud instruments make these shut performs occur way more steadily.
Baseball is simply higher with Acuña, even when he’s not swiping luggage. He’s demolishing the ball when he swings and spitting on powerful pitches when he isn’t busy swatting homers. He seems to be as assured as ever, at all times an incredible a part of the Acuña expertise. And now he’s terrifying opposing baserunners once more, displaying off probably the greatest throwing arms on the planet. Sure, please. Extra.
4. Having Two Shortstops
The Reds are proper within the mixture of a surprisingly crowded playoff race. They’re one among seven NL groups who’re .500 or above however not main their division. And Cincinnati hasn’t fairly hit its stride but, both. Elly De La Cruz hasn’t continued his development from final 12 months, Matt McLain can’t get it occurring offense, and Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario look cooked. However one factor you possibly can dangle your hat on: fairly performs on the infield.
De La Cruz has the loud instruments that make him a pure match at shortstop: unbelievable velocity, quick-twitch reflexes, and an arm that rivals Acuña’s. He hasn’t persistently put all of it collectively but, however his highs are very excessive. McLain is a strong shortstop himself, however he switched to second base when De La Cruz debuted. He’s overqualified there, and man, it’s enjoyable to look at him play protection. This play, from earlier within the season, made me chuckle out loud:
My goodness, that’s onerous. The sheer variety of distractions on that play is outstanding. First, the ball went cleanly by Luis Mey’s legs:
And it kicked off the mound, as well, which means McLain was doubly screened from the ball, by the mound and the pitcher, nearly your complete time he was enjoying it. It didn’t even hop cleanly for him. Then he needed to make a exact throw round a ducking pitcher to hit Austin Wynns on the fly:
That’s freak-athlete stuff proper there. And he confirmed his athletic bona fides once more final week with this ridiculous leap:
Only a few gamers are able to that mixture of vary and coordination: a high-point snag with no margin for error in anyway. The ball got here off Christian Yelich’s bat at 105 mph, an absolute rocket headed for the proper discipline energy alley and a transparent double. No time to assume consciously – that was do or die. There’s no educating that type of play, you simply both have “it” or don’t. Within the discipline, at the very least, McLain has it.
If he retains hitting like he has in 2025 – .184/.283/.309, 30% strikeout charge – the protection is nothing greater than a silver lining on a really darkish cloud. However McLain continues to be getting back from main shoulder surgical procedure, and it will hardly be stunning to study his damage continues to be holding him again. If he can get again to his earlier offensive success, he may be probably the greatest two-way second basemen in baseball, since you simply can’t pretend defensive instincts this wonderful.
5. Decisiveness
It’s no secret I’m a fan of bunts, late-game defensive technique, and freelancing defenders. However even I used to be stunned by this play, and I needed to write about it because of this. With the Giants down by a run within the backside of the tenth, utility infielder Christian Koss determined to provide himself up. His sacrifice try was adequate to advance the runner, nevertheless it was headed sharply foul. That’s, till Jose Iglesias entered the image:
Wait, what? That’s not one you see fairly often. That ball was about to roll foul, and defenses typically like letting sacrifice bunts roll foul. In any case, the offense is attempting to maintain it truthful. Why allow them to get what they need? However watch Iglesias once more. He hustled onerous to get to that ball and maintain it in play:
Everybody knew this was the deal. Koss was bunting on the primary pitch of the plate look, the Padres performed it like a bunt the entire manner, and Koss squared round earlier than the pitch — each groups agreed this was a bunting scenario. Why, then, did Iglesias assist the Giants out?
I puzzled about this one for slightly bit, however actually, I believe I may be in Iglesias’ camp right here? Bunting wasn’t a tremendous selection for the Giants. Bat-missing righty on the mound, two strikeout-prone righties due up subsequent (one among them an excellent hitter, to be truthful), no pinch-hitters out there to modify the matchup, so getting the primary out was essential. And it wasn’t even just like the Padres would lose if the runner scored – with a one-run cushion, the second run was simply as essential to defend as the primary. As long as Koss didn’t attain base, the Padres have been nonetheless in a great place.
I don’t assume I’d have the wherewithal to make that call at recreation velocity. Years and years of instincts have been telling Iglesias to let the ball roll foul. That’s simply what you do when the opposite workforce is attempting to bunt. However actually, why? They’re attempting to provide you an out. Take it! Iglesias was laser-focused on getting outs, limiting baserunners, and shifting the sport towards its conclusion.
The mathematical actuality of the scenario is unclear to me. Bunting is a nasty transfer for the offense assuming league-average hitters, however Koss is a Quad-A man who strikes out so much. However, it was solely the primary pitch of the at-bat, and he’d most likely handle to get a bunt down anyway even when Iglesias let it roll foul, and even worse, swing away and join. If Koss has, say, a .250 OBP after falling behind, it’s most likely a detailed choice. In case you assume it’s worse than that, I’d most likely let it roll foul.
Iglesias was positive, although. And he backed up his personal choice nearly instantly, with a reflexive snag that preserved the lead:
I’m unsure what calculus went by Iglesias’ thoughts whereas fielding that bunt. I’m fairly positive nothing went by his thoughts when he snared that rocketed grounder – there wasn’t time to assume. However nonetheless you have a look at it, Iglesias is enjoying some confident protection proper now. He’s not hitting this season – his 2024 run with the Mets seems to be very far-off now – however that doesn’t change how enjoyable it’s to look at him with a glove on.
