Monday in Major League Baseball brought us an abbreviated slate of games with some on-paper bad matchups, particularly in the AL. Over on the NL side, though, there was some fun. Let's get to it.
Monday's scores
- Nationals 10, Padres 2 (box score)
- Phillies 3, Braves 0 (box score)
- Mets 2, Marlins 0 (box score)
- Brewers 4, Diamondbacks 2 (box score)
- Yankees 10, Rangers 5 (box score)
- Orioles 3, White Sox 2 (box score)
- Twins 4, Tigers 2 (box score)
- Cardinals 6, Royals 0 (box score)
- Rockies 2, Dodgers 1 (box score)
Torres hits two homers in another Yankees win
Another game, another win for the Yankees. They beat up on the Rangers in their series opener Monday night to improve their season record to an MLB best 31-13. The Yankees have won an incredible 22 of their last 26 games.
The hero on offense Monday night was rookie Gleyber Torres, who recorded his first career two home run game. He took Bartolo Colon deep twice, first for a two-run homer and later for a solo hot. Neil Walker, Aaron Judge, and Aaron Hicks added dingers as well.
That's six homers in the last 13 games for Torres, who owns a .321/.389/.571 batting line through 25 big league games. He's showing exactly why he was considered one of the very best prospects in baseball coming into the season.
Here are three bonkers stats from New York's latest win:
- At 21 years and 159 days, Torres is the second youngest Yankee ever with a multi-homer game. Mickey Mantle did it at 20 years and 296 days.
- The Yankees have at least four home runs in each of their last three games. It's the first time in franchise history the Yankees have that. The last team to do it was the 2011 Rangers.
- The Yankees have at least eight extra-base hits in each of their last three games. It's the first time in franchise history they've done that too. The 1935 Senators, 1999 Indians, and 2003 Red Sox are the only teams to do it in baseball history.
Yep, things are going pretty well for the Yankees these days. Historically well, even.
D-Backs slip into second place
The Diamondbacks are the anti-Yankees these days. They're mired in a miserable slump, a slump that saw them lose for the 11th time in 12 games Monday night. The D-Backs have been outscored 51-24 during this 1-11 skid. Yes, they've only scored 24 runs in their last 12 games.
Monday's loss combined with the Rockies' win over the Dodgers means that, for the first time all season, the D-Backs are not in first place in the NL West. They were at least tied for first every day since Opening Day. Here are the NL West standings following Monday's action:
- Rockies: 26-22
- Diamondbacks: 25-22 (1/2 GB)
- Giants: 24-24 (2 GB)
- Dodgers: 20-26 (5 1/2 GB)
- Padres: 20-29 (6 1/2 GB)
Remember, the D-Backs started the season with nine consecutive series wins. Now they're not even in first place. Nothing has been going right these last 12 games. They're not hitting, their bullpen is blowing leads, and they're really missing injured starters Taijuan Walker and Robbie Ray.
Mikolas twirls first MLB shutout
Was the best free agent pitcher signing of the offseason Miles Mikolas? Sure seems that way. The Cardinals gave Mikolas a two-year deal worth $15.5 million after he enjoyed several successful seasons in Japan, and on Monday night, Mikolas tossed his first MLB shutout.
The 29-year-old Mikolas is now 6-0 with a 2.24 ERA and a 46/6 K/BB in nine starts and 60 1/3 innings. With Yu Darvish, Lance Lynn, and Alex Cobb struggling in the early going, and Jake Arrieta having signed for nearly five times the guaranteed money, it'd be hard to argue Mikolas isn't the best free agent pitcher signing of the winter given what he's done so far.
Collins returns to MLB
For the first time September 28, 2014, former Royals left-hander Tim Collins pitched in a big league game Monday night. Injuries, most notably a pair of Tommy John surgeries, sidelined the now 28-year-old Collins for most of the 2015-17 seasons.
The Nationals called Collins up Monday to replace the injured Ryan Madson, and he was thrust into action right away in the team's win over the Padres. He fanned two in a scoreless inning.
This has been a good year for feel-good stories. Jonny Venters returned to the show for the first time since 2012 following what he calls 3 1/2 Tommy John surgeries, and now Collins is back as well. Awesome.
Pivetta dominates again for Phillies
Two of the three best teams in the NL opened a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night as the Phillies hosted the Braves. Atlanta held a 1 1/2 game lead in the NL East going into the game.
Thanks to home runs by Nick Williams (solo) and Aaron Altherr (two-run), the Phillies cut the Braves' lead to a half-game in the division Monday night. Righty Nick Pivetta did the heavy lifting. He allowed four singles and a walk in seven scoreless innings.
Keep in mind the Braves went into Monday's game leading the National League in runs per game at 5.40, so Pivetta shut down a very good offense. Check out his last three starts:
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 9 vs. Giants | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
May 16 vs. Orioles | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
May 21 vs. Braves | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
Total | 19 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 1 |
Pretty, pretty great. Pivetta, who came over from the Nationals in the Jonathan Papelbon trade, now owns a 3.23 ERA and a 60/12 K/BB in 53 innings on the season. He's settled in as a very good No. 3 starter behind Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta, and is a big reason why the Phillies are in the running for the NL East title early this season.
Mets win fourth straight
The Mets have been quite streaky so far this season. They started 11-1, then went 9-18 in their next 27 games, and now they've won four straight. They edged out the Marlins in Monday night's series opener. Free agent pickup Jason Vargas had his first quality outing of the season.
Vargas, who missed time earlier this season with a fractured non-pitching hand, went into Monday's start with a 13.86 ERA and a 2.68 WHIP in his first three starts of the season. He'd allowed multiple runs in the first inning in each of those first three starts.
Soto hits first MLB home run
Over the weekend the Nationals called up top prospect Juan Soto to help their injury-thinned outfield. Adam Eaton (hip), Brian Goodwin (wrist), and Howie Kendrick (Achilles) are all on the disabled list.
Soto made his first big league start Monday night, and, on the first pitch of his first at-bat, he slugged a three-run opposite field home run. Check it out:
By no means is that a cheap home run. Making that blast even more impressive is the fact Soto is only 19 years old. He won't turn 20 until October. He's the youngest player to go deep in a big league game in six years.
Quick hits
- The Mets reportedly have interest in UTIL Jose Bautista, who was released by the Braves over the weekend. The Mets are without OF Yoenis Cespedes (flexor) and OF Juan Lagares (toe) and are looking to add depth.
- Dodgers LHP Rich Hill plans to ask MLB for permission to pitch with tape on his fingers due to his ongoing blister problems. It seems unlikely MLB will grant it. Hill is on the disabled list with yet another blister and is expected to miss four weeks.
- The Twins designated RHP Phil Hughes for assignment, the team announced. He's battled injury and ineffectiveness the last few seasons. Hughes has a 6.75 ERA this year and is still owed approximately $22 million through next season.
- Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia will play in two more minor league rehab games this week before being reevaluated, reports MLB.com. Pedroia has not played this season following offseason knee surgery.
- The Brewers have activated RHP Chase Anderson from the disabled list and optioned RHP Freddy Peralta back to the minors, the team announced. Anderson had been sidelined with an illness.
- Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright underwent exploratory surgery on his elbow, reports MLB.com. He was placed on the 60-day DL with elbow discomfort recently and is not eligible to return until July.
- 1B Joe Mauer is doing "a little better," Twins manager Paul Molitor told MLB.com. He is currently on the disabled list with a concussion and is receiving treatment. The team will be cautious with Mauer given his concussion history.
- Phillies RHP Pat Neshek played catch on flat ground Monday, reports The Athletic. He is out with forearm and shoulder problems. Neshek is in the early stages of his rehab work and isn't close to rejoining the team.
- The Yankees have moved the rehab assignments of 1B Greg Bird and OF Billy McKinney to Triple-A, the team announced. Bird has been out all season with ankle surgery and could return later this week. McKinney has a shoulder injury.
- The Athletics have activated C Bruce Maxwell from the restricted list, the team announced. Maxwell was unable to join the team in Toronto due to ongoing legal problems. C Dustin Garneau was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
- The Astros have released 1B Jon Singleton, the team announced. Singleton rather notably signed a five-year deal worth $10 million before making his MLB debut. He is currently serving a 100-game suspension for a failed drug test.
