Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - Too Early For Teams To Think Fire Sale?

Episode Date: May 22, 2026

Head to https://www.factormeals.com/talkin50off to save 50% off your first box! Go to http://shadyrays.com  and use code TALKIN50 for 50% off 2+ pairs of polarized sunglasses. Save on essentials. Save the everyday with Amazon. https://www.amazon.com Rent with National Car Rental and arrive at the game like a winner. Visit https://www.nationalcar.com today https://fanaticsmarkets.onelink.me/3MFw?af_xp=email&pid=jomboy&af_dp=fanmarkets%3A%2F%2Fhomepage&af_channel=partnerships&af_click_lookback=7d   Coach Trev and Jolly Olive discuss what is going on in Detroit, the Brewers reclaiming first in Central after sweeping Cubs, Nick Kurtz's unbelievable start, Ohtani hitting and pitching in same game and more!   Event contracts carry risk of total loss and changing prices. Not good  for all investors. Not available in all states. Must be 21+. See Important Disclosures in Fanatics Markets app. Customers are introduced to Crypto.com by Paragon Global Markets, LLC, d/b/a Fanatics Markets IB, an Introducing Broker registered with the CFTC and a Member of the NFA. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to talking baseball. Where's Jake? Nobody cares the dirty martini is back in the studio. Baby, let's get it. Jay T. Jim. Will Middlebrooks. Double off the wall, baby.

He was special. He was special. Hello and welcome to talking baseball. Presented by Fanatics Markets where fans trade on sports. Fanatics Markets. Now on the app stores. I said it already. We don't know where Jake is.

He's somewhere in California because he texted me. He's from text me from the gym. That's like what he does. Look pretty good. Pop, not going to lie. Don't care because we got the dirty martini here. Jolly, how you doing, big guy? I'm good, man.

I hope Jake's getting his tan on. I'm honored to fill in when Jake goes on vacation. I really am because, you know, that guy, he always deserves a day. And he really, he's been taking them. I'll say that. He's been taking those days, all right? But I'm good. I'm happy to be here with you, Trev.

This one is for a special cause. Shout out Jack Davis. Actually, one of the reasons I am here at John Boy Media is Jack Davis, early investor in the company, I believe, a board member. It's his wedding weekend. So snaps for Jack. He's an absolute stud. Love that.

We got a lot of ball to talk jolly. We're going to take some liberties today because, look, It's the kids. The kids running it. Rob Seraco. Alton Feeley, Jolly Olive, Coach Trev, we're doing it. Maybe we won't even talk about the Yankees series.

That would be fun. I don't think we need to, right? That would be fun. Everyone watched. He never lets me talk about the twins. I'm going to let you talk about the, you have a ton of freeway. I didn't even take a single note on the Twin Cities.

Two out of three from Houston. Our bad. Bang. I don't know. You want to get into it? Right now? win series before we do no dude no let's do the a l burn my brother all right it's the a l and you know what we're going to start in detroit it's weird for anyone to have a vacation home in

detroit but hey do you guardians cleveland mops the tigers in a four game set that's seven straight for them at comerica 10 of 11 regular season games cheesh the tiger score eight runs total in the series. Game one against Cicone. The Slade goes seven and a third. Game three was a doozy. Our guy, AJ Hinch, plays the infield back on the ninth with one out, second and third, and Patrick Bailey

grounds out to tie the game. A little old-school thinking goes wrong as the guard's bullpen is fresher, and Cleveland wins in 10. The two teams are headed in opposite directions. How about Baltimore at Tampa? Good teams love chores. And Tampa got the broom out against the orange

birds. This was as good as it gets for the raise. is they score 16 with McClanahan on the mound. Yep. Game two, their new toy in the rotation, Griffin Jacks goes five innings pitch, one earned runs. He's thrown to a one, four, two, and five outings since joining the rotations like they need it, Jolly.

My fingerprints are everywhere in this league. And just when the birds thought they could salvage a series, Tampa raises a three-run deficit in the eighth of game three with Aranda Palacios and my new favorite player, Ryan Vallade, coming through. Where were you looking? Richie, we'll talk about that. that later. Tampa now 33 and 15

with the best record in the AL. Are we just living in the plot of Cinderella? What the hell is happening? There's mops and brooms everywhere. Boston sweeps Kansas City. Where's that horny candle at? He's in Ohio. His initials are J.S. And I love my brother. Two teams with struggling

offenses, but maybe the socks have found something. 12 and 10 now under Tracy as a manager. We'll see tonight I'm here. They win game one behind a typically strong performance by Sunny Gray. More finger. Prince. He's been electric since coming off the IL. He also dominates Kansas City, owns a 174 against him. Crazy. I mentioned struggling offenses, but maybe Red Sox are done with all that. In game two, jolly, they broke their 11-game streak of scoring four runs or fewer. The Royals,

what is happening? Brother Jeff had him winning the A.O. Central not so fast. Houston, Minnesota, twins take two or three. I don't know what else to say. Kendri Rojas, Zebby Matthews, Joe Ryan, get it done. Houston not playing good ball. We'll talk a little bit about it. And let's get into the Yankees. I said we wouldn't talk about him what we're going to. Jays and Yanks split a four gamer and it was a good one. Yanks get the first two, but Toronto battled to even the series. Game one, Yankees Trail 5, 3 heading into the 7th, Bellinger with the Yatsy, and then jazz strips one off the pole and the only fans mad were in Drake City. Or maybe I was supposed to say stripes. I don't know. You like that one.

Still got it, folks. He's got his fastball. Blue Jay's rally in the night to make a 7-6 with runners on and one out, but Springer K's and Vlad grounds out to end it. Game two, more homers for the Yanks is McMahon and Ben Rice makes cease pay for some free bases. And then Toronto takes over the series. They flip it in game three. Trey, you savage dominates.

I think you're going to talk about him later. So I won't even give what I wrote here. Game four, Spencer Miles, I see you. Blue Jays win, 2-0. Springer with the dinger. first time since 1991, Toronto won back-to-back road game scoring two or fewer runs. I don't know, 91 was a great year for me. I was five times were good. I don't know about you, Jolly.

A's take three of four from the Angels. We got to talk a little bit about it. J.T. Ginn carries a no-hitter in the 10th in game one. Ten strikeouts, 26 to 28 batters retired. But then it's the Adam Frazier and Zach Netto show. Angels get that one on a just devastating game four. the A's and then they take the rest of them. Nick Kurtz is going off.

It's incredible. We're going to get into it a little bit. Last series here, Chicago at Seattle. Mariners take two or three, but the story is kind of Dan Wilson and the bullpen. I don't know. There's a lot of stuff going on here. Game one, Brian Wu goes six shutout innings,

and Col Emerson hits a three-run bomb. That's nice. Game two is kind of where it gets interesting. This is the Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo piggyback. They carry a no-hitter into the 6 Castillo takes over and then Wilson leaves Castillo in a little bit too long they try to take him out

they can't take him out what happened they don't know the rules White Sox win 2 to 1 game 3 Parada Oh shit That was my timer That was my timer

Game 3 Prieta hits his first career homer to break a tie in the 7th The Rosarena Falls with a two-run shot And Seattle holds on J.P. Crawford Being a good teammate That's what happened in the AL Trevor. Timer was a little loud right there.

A little loud, but you know what? I think that was one of your better burns ever. We had an all-time line. You nearly nailed the time. Barely any setters. I'm going to give that a nice little A-minus right there. It was beautiful. Really good.

That wasn't too risque, what I said right? I don't think so at all. I think it was for the fans. And I have the standings if you want them. That was for the fans. Trev. We're going to start out west, because that's where you landed.

where the athletics still lead the division. 26 and 24, they get a big three out of four from the Angels to go back over 500. The Rangers are in second place, 24 and 25. Everybody else in that division, including the Rangers below 500. The Mariners trending in the right direction, 24 and 27. Two and a half games out, one game out of the wild card. Astros 20 and 31 because they ran into the buzzsaw twins, then the Angels, oh no, 17 and 34. In the Central, the Guardians are starting to pull away a little bit.

30 and 22. I didn't have that in my book. I didn't realize how far above 500. They've won six in a row. Nine of their last 10. The White Sox still hanging out. 25 and 24, a game over 500. And still in the playoffs at the season ended today.

Minnesota twins skyrocket to third place, 23 and 27. The Royals, 20 and 30, and the Tigers in the bad place. 20 and 31. and what is going on in the Motor City. The Tampa Bay Race, are they the story of the 2026 season? 33 and 15. They take care of business against the Orioles. Yankees 30 and 21.

They get the split there. Blue Jays 23 and 27. Red Sox in fourth place, 22 and 27. And oh, no, the Baltimore Orioles, one of the worst teams in the American League at 21 and 29. Those are your standings in the American League. Excellent, excellent standings there. Jolly.

the horny candle is just something else in Cinderella, huh? It's, it's, I mean, I like the chore line too. I feel like that one went underappreciated as well. It was just, it was a good burn. You did your prep. I'm proud of you. I'm doing my best out here in Bastin. How do you even have a Boston accent?

I don't know. And we are brought to you by Shady Rays. Gotta love me some Shady Rays. Shady Rays are built for real sports fans. No more squinting through the sun to track of fly ball when you already have sunglasses on. Shady Rays polarized lens. Let you track a fly ball, read the scoreboard, and see that the um blew that last out call at the plate.

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Try for yourself the shades rated five stars by over 300,000 people. Look, I think we got to start with the Guardian. You said, are they the most surprising team in baseball? No, Jolly, they do this every single year. I guess. I guess. What? Like, we just don't believe in them. It's insane.

And it's kind of more, it's more of the same and a little bit different. How about that? And I talked to Chris Rose about the guardians a ton. And we've just, we've started to see a lineup forming here with some of the young guys they brought up, Zana, DeLotter, especially early on in the season. and they steal bags. They're finding ways to score, run. Even Brian Rochio, I mean, go look at what he's done this year already.

Yeah, man, for sure. He's like him. Ryan Vallet, Brian Rochio, and Matt Beerling are my favorite players. And that's, I don't know what that says about me. I mean, that says you watch too much ball. I think that's really what it says. And then, you know, they're getting, they're obviously getting the pitch in the need. I mentioned Cicconi, but, you know, you got Parker Messick,

that Tanner Bybee doing his thing. when he's on, I love watching him pitch as well than Joey Cantillo. It's just they're doing it. They're at the top of the division and we just miss on them almost every offseason. I don't know. Guardians didn't do much. They didn't really do it. But here they are again with that best record in the AL Central.

And we shouldn't be surprised anymore. Yeah, I think we shouldn't be surprised. But to see them eight games over on this heater, it's, it'll always be shocking to me. Just considering, you know, the names in the room, that's always. the discourse about the Guardians. And I think one of the more shocking things is, you know, they're doing this with Stephen Kwan being, you know, the worst hitter in the lineup,

one of the worst hitters in the league. They're getting amazing performances. You even mentioned Angel Martinez, who's having a really nice year after coming up last year and looking like the game was moving a little too fast for him. Biggest thing in this series for me is Slate Chaconi, a guy that they were kind of struggling to get through, you know, four or five innings,

develops a new pitch all of a sudden seven and a third tour and runs for the win there. Bybee, maybe the hardest luck pitcher in baseball this year, still doesn't have a win despite a 375 ERA. He went eight innings there as Treves buzzer goes off yet again, folks. But the Guardians just kind of forming their identity a little bit. Like the identity that we always knew they had of like, you know, playing to contact, stealing bases like you mentioned. Big one for me, though, is they've had no problem replacing Emmanuel Classe. Cade Smith, dude. Kate Smith, unbelievable start to the years.

He already leading the league with 16 saves on the year, striking out the world. They've got answers for everything, man. I don't know. Every time it feels like their depth is going to get tested, they find ways to win. And I mean, the line about their vacation home in Detroit, that's a tough one. But, I mean, to beat the Guardians, you got to beat them at their own game. And I just think there's not many teams in baseball that can really do that. And the Tigers, I mean, I feel like that's going to be more of the conversation.

in this because they are just in they're just in a horrible, horrible place right now and I really, really did not have that on my radar going into the year. Yeah, I mean, we I've said that, I think I said this last episode, but we said there's just no way that they can do anything with Scoobel,

like he's there to stay. And now like, there was one scenario where they just weren't in it at all. And I don't know if we're there yet, Jolly. It's May 22nd. No one's running away with the AL. The wild card's probably still inside. but it's starting to creep into everyone's mind.

And if you're not thinking about it, I think you're lying here a little bit. I do want to talk a little about game three, AJ Hinch playing the infield back in the ninth, one out, second, and third. Now, this is kind of like an old school mentality. We're like, hey, like base hit scores too. I don't want to go down right there.

But you see teams around the league just being super, super aggressive with that, not really caring about that. And, you know, the numbers do back it up. At least that's what they tell me. I don't have all the numbers, but people run them. And they believe that trying to cut off that run saves more than you let in, essentially, is what they've come up with. But in this one, I looked at the ground ball. I'm not sure what happens there if they are in.

It kind of looks like it would have been right at the second basement. But anyways, he decides not to do it. He said he just didn't want to go down right there. And it ends up costing them. And you're right about Cleveland. It's just they are able to, I mean, it's them. It's the race. It's the Yankees.

It was the Mets for a little bit that they're just, they can just find pitching. And if you can have, if you can figure out the back ends of your game, it just, it helps so, so much. And they have been able to do that. It's a good call on your part. And yeah, two teams, like I said,

opposite directions. I'm sorry, Jimmy Norp. I'm sorry, man. Yeah. I mean, the young man had. a nice week. We were out in the loo in Chicago and we were able to distract him a little bit from his tigers. But yeah, I mean, on this play specifically, I'm of two minds because on one hand, if you're the away team in this scenario, that being the Cleveland Guardians, like it's on

you to try and tackle on a bunch of runs here. Like that's kind of always been the extra inning adage of like if you're the road team, you want to maximize this extra inning. So I understand Hinch's vantage point of like, okay, if we get an out here and, you know, they get the one run, okay, fine, whatever. The other side of the other side of the, of it is if you're the Tigers lineup right now, if Torkelson and Riley Green aren't the ones at bat getting hits, it sort of feels like offense is just impossible for this team right now. And when they had, you know,

all this pitching going and stuff like that, I think they were able to offset it a little bit. They were sort of in like a Red Sox boat in my mind. But now they're not even really getting good pitching performances either. So just on all sides of the ball, plus, like, that's not even factoring their defense. They rank towards the bottom of the league there. They're just not really doing anything.

well despite all the talent in this room. And I think it's tough for them because the guardians feel like a perfect foil to all their flaws. Like they're, they're such a good team at exploiting the weaknesses of Detroit's roster. And these two teams play so much because they're in the same division. And you really saw it on display during this series. So a really tough one for the Tigers. I don't, I don't know what their way out is.

They've been swept for the fifth time this year. They're now in that uncomfortable stat that my Mets were in a lot over their last 81 games, the worst teams in baseball, the Rockies, the Angels, and the Tigers. I saw a lot of times it was Rockies Angels Mets for a while. The Tigers are now in that boat. And it's not going to be easy to climb out of. But again, like it's like you said, I just have, I have a tough time quitting this team because I saw what they did last year. And most of those guys are still in the room. I have to imagine they can turn it around, but it's not going to be against the Guardians because it just feels like they have their number right now. AJ Hensh, if we're getting frustrated now, we're late.

like that quote it's a good quote if you're on time you're late that's basically what that was let's go to uh the blue jays yankees series and man there's been a lot of discourse uh because our social team just likes to put me in terrible positions on the internet all the time it's even when you don't even say something controversial they'll like caption it a certain way it's fine look i get i get it guys not mad at you i'm just i deal with it it's okay jake and i were talking about the rays having this cool identity and knowing who they are. And that's like what the crux of our conversation was. Sure.

In that Jake's like, I don't really know what the Yankees identity is. They do have one. It's just they definitely have one. Yeah. They hit homers and they pitch. Yep. That's a really good identity to have.

I like that identity a lot. But take that social team. Oh my goodness. And yeah, like this is pretty much what happened here. I know you're going to talk about the Yassavit Schlitler game, but that was amazing to see those two go at it. and some of the statistics and some of the you know the um the lines you can talk about with the

savage are pretty interesting uh game one was a lot of fun as i mentioned uh yankees uh five three in the seventh and then belly goes up top that's nice and then jazz with big old stanton pants on hits one off the foul pole um and that is again that's kind of been what they need to do to win and they do it and they are winning like they're a great baseball team and they're about to get stronger. Garrett Cole's coming back. Like this is what we talked about the beginning of the season. Like when we see like with Schlittler being what he's been and we get this

rotation in full health now, you know, we got to wait on Max Free. But when they're full health, it's probably the best rotation in baseball. They hit the most homers in baseball. They might have the two best hitters in all the baseball. Holy schnikes. Like this Yankee team is good. Yeah. I mean like their one weakness, if you can pinpoint a weakness has been the bullpen.

And the bullpen, you know, they showed up in game one. That was a big, big strikeout for David Bednar, who was behind George Springer. It looked like the inning was going to spiral out of control and then three straight splitters at the bottom of the zone. Springer looked like he didn't understand what happened to him there. And that really saved the entire series for the Yankees because otherwise they're losing three out of four at home. They're losing skid continues here. I understand why there's some apprehension with Yankees fans right now. But at the same time, like it's not maybe the best rotation in baseball.

It is the best rotation in baseball. It is the two best hitters in baseball. that's not even mentioning Cody Belanger, who's like doing his thing again this year. He's having a really nice series kind of just fall into the background with how good Ben Rice has been. So for the Yankees, I would not ring any alarm bells yet. I mean, you still manage to split the series with Aaron Judge being completely a non-factor in the series. One for 15 with eight strikeouts. They've lost nine of 13, but again, I think it's the definition of good roster is that there's so many things going wrong for the Yankees right now.

They're still managing to squeeze out this series split at home. but for the Jays, I know that like the adage is you split on the road and you win at home. I think that this was kind of a missed opportunity for the Jays because they've had a lot of momentum against the Yankees going back to 2025. They had an opportunity to win the series and get a big come from behind win there. I think that game one stands out to me as the biggest game of the series. But game two, Ryan McMahon being the guy that ties the game, they had the early lead with their ace on the bump. That was a huge hit. So Yankees fans, they're ringing alarm.

but I don't necessarily think they're warranted because I just think the talent in this room will get them through this tough patch. They have the raise coming in to Yankee Stadium for their next series, call on the bump tonight. That's going to be a must-watch game. If they can eke out that series win there, I think they're going to be right back on the rule that they need to be. I wanted to give a shout out to Spencer Miles, our guy from Toronto, four in a third innings pitch, zero-earned runs in a bulk outing for him. those are both career highs. He's a Rule 5 draft pick. This off season, he's had 14 and 2 thirds pro innings and never pitched above single A until this year.

That's crazy. What the heck? Dude, the youth move in an MLB right now is absolutely nuts. Hey, let's go, Spencer Miles. I think I'm adding you to my list, dude. I mean, like, I was doing like recent. I was just looking at draft classes recently. And like the amount of guys that are already in the big leagues that were drafted,

like 23 and 24 and 25, it's something that this sport has never seen before. And I think it's really, it's cool because every other sport you have, like guys get drafted. They're immediately in the league, all the spotlights on them. And for the longest time in baseball, it was like, all right, you got drafted. We'll see you in three years. Maybe. Now it's like, it feels like the sport is turning that way. And I don't know if it's good for these young guys, if they're getting over exposed or not.

but either way, it's extremely fun to watch. Yeah, it's interesting. I feel like with all the data out there now, especially if you're going through like a D1 college, they also have all like statcasts and they have trackmen and all these things. Like you have the information and teams if they can get their hands on it, which I don't know how it's shared actually, to be honest with you. I think they can share it if they ask for it.

I'm not really sure. But they put you into their system into the algo. And hey, you fit. We know what we do well. I think it's helped the drafts out a ton. That's why you mentioned all those guys up, especially with pitchers, especially with pitchers. I think that's been the biggest kind of increase there.

It's, yeah, man. I'm going to talk about a guy that was not too long ago pitching in college doing silly things. And now he's dominating the big leagues. And I love that for him. Judge won for 15 in this series. It'll be fine. Is that anything?

That's nothing. I think people always read too much into it. He's just going through a human stretch. Because he's Aaron's dredge. He'll be. Go, Blue Jays, go. I don't know. I think it's a good split for them. I know they wanted three out of four. Yeah, I mean, it's, they're just, they're behind the eight ball right now. They are. They're playing catch up. And I think, you know, both of those first two games were win the both of them. White Sox Mariners, kind of a fun series here. Game one, Brian Wu does this thing called Emerson. He's like, all right, I got. paid. Now I'm hitting homers. It hasn't really worked out that way. But in this game, it did. What do you got here? The White Sox win game two. They've been such a fun watch. I'm just kind of waiting for this Mariners team to wake up and go on a run and I expect it. And I don't know if I'm going to get it yet. But I think early in the season, if we said, oh, Mariners take two out of three and

that's obvious. I don't think it necessarily is that way right now, not just because the way the Mariners are playing, but the way the White Sox have started to play. I am seeing them directly after this Boston series. I'm very excited to kind of go watch them up close. But this was a great series win for the Mariners. And again, Chicago, obviously starting out really strong this season. Yeah, I mean, this is a White Sox team that isn't rolling over to anybody. And I think they're one of those few teams in baseball right now where you have a bunch of guys in this locker room playing for each other and trying to win for each other like kind of like the Razar and that makes a really special ball club and a ball club that's tough to beat especially when the dog days of summer haven't

arrived yet obviously the game two situation with the pitching change was pretty odd I mean I don't have too much insight there it was just kind of kind of a gaff by a relatively an experienced manager I mean it was bizarre to watch unfold but he's a catcher that's I don't know like that's to me is not experience. I also think guys just like coming in with clean innings. Yes. And you should protect your guys as best as you can,

especially if you have the numbers at your disposal with inherited runners and stuff like that. So I don't know. So Munoz ends up coming. If you don't know, Luis Castillo stayed out there for the ninth, gave up a couple base runners. They went to go talk

to him to give Munoz more time. He didn't send the catcher out there. The pitching coach went out to talk to Munoz. Gabe Mune or excuse me to talk to Castillo wanted to give Munoz more time. Ends up going back to the dugout. And then they're like, all right, he's ready now. So they tried to go back out and grab him. And they're like, no, you can't, you can't do that. He's got a face this next bad. He ends up getting next batter out. But Munoz, again, not coming in the clean innings. He'd enter in 72 out of his 75 outings with the clean inning.

Yeah. I mean, like, it's kind of. I know you're not going to like this, but like if you're the closer of a team, like, you've earned that right. I need to end. Oh, I know. I do like that. Okay, good. And like, it's a different situation. If it's like the eighth inning, it's a one run game and suddenly there's a fire you need to put out.

But the Mariners had an opportunity to just give Munoz a clean lane here, which they didn't. And I understand like bullpen usage over the course of 162. You want to protect your guys as much as you can. But this decision might have cost. Bring them in. I know. I'm saying this decision probably cost the Mariners a sweep here, which is why it's, it deserves to be magnified, even though they won the series.

What else we got here in this one? Good for Colt Emerson. Yeah, Colt Emerson. I think the J.P. Crawford situation is worth noting. I thought that was interesting, yeah, for sure. You know, he's talking about I will go to third base. If Colt Emerson is our guy at Shortstop, I'll do that. He had a bunch of quotes about Dee Gordon and Kyle Seeger when he came over to the Mariners

that took him under his wing, and he never really felt that mentorship before. He wants to be that guy. JP, you're doing what you're supposed to doing. And caveat, it'll help you in your free agency if you're more versatile. What did you think of the line of, I want to be a mariner for life? That was interesting. I think you just say that. I think you do.

You just say that. And then when the off-season comes around, like, well, maybe I'll talk to other teams. I'd like to see JP stay in Seattle. He's got a lot of good moments. Well, look, he found a home in Seattle. You know, with the Phillies, you know, he was blocked or just wasn't really getting any sort of chance. And then to be honest, I played with them in AAA and just, he had sweet glove, sweet swing. But he kind of was an afterthought there.

And then when he got to Seattle and started getting this regular playing time, like, okay, like, this is, this really works. And yeah, he's had a nice career, made a bunch of money there. He feels at home. He's the most, the longest tenured player there. I'm going to quiz you. I'm going to quiz you. I got it. What was the trade?

How did JP get to Seattle? Oh, gosh. It's a good one. It's a good one. it's another middle infielder i'll give you that i don't know jean sigura jean sygine sygian jean sigura it's okay i put you on the spot because that was a good that was a good that's a good one uh let's go uh go mariners go i want you guys to get back again it'll be fine today's show was brought to you by factor deep into a baseball season days get long games run late and eating

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See website for more details. Ray's sweep the Orioles. I don't know how much time we got to spend on this. this one, Ray's really, really good. Orioles not so good. Essentially. Analysis right there. Again, first game, you score 16 and you got Shane McClanahan on the bump. Holy.

That's, I mean, your Baltimore, you go down to Tampa, and that's the first game of a three-game set. It's not, that's not good, Pop. Yeah, I mean, it's really cool to see Shane McClanahan healthy and dealing again. I think let's definitely enjoy that and give that proper props there. I don't love, I shouldn't say that, but the craziness of the Trevor Rogers, Kyle Stowers trade when they both go at the same time and when they both struggle at the same time, Trevor Rogers, I don't really know what's going on there. He looked like he was emerging as a top class starting pitcher in the league, but gets tagged again in this outing.

He's a area 6.87 on the year. But the raise are just kind of, they're unstoppable right now. I just mentioned kind of like how the White Sox feel like they play for each other. That's a clubhouse that feeds off each other. This race team feels like the textbook definition of that right now. The amount of hype they get after every run they score and the top of this lineup, just churning out performance after performance. They're an insanely fun team to watch. I think I slept on him way too much in the preseason for the amount of talent in that room.

And you know what, man, them making Griffin Jacks a starter and it working is just unfair. That's just not, that's video game stuff. That shouldn't work and it totally is right now. Well, he was a starter with the twins. They convert him to a reliever. Here's the thing. Griffin Jacks is just a good fucking pitcher. Yeah, dude. Yes, dude. But it's crazy. He's just going five now. Yeah, I mean, the twins had thoughts of bringing him back as a startup. I think he just was too, too good in the role that they didn't want to do it. And for Tampa, they truly do think outside the box. And why wouldn't she want to make a guy who doesn't have a typical reliever arsenal? He has a starter's arsenal.

Right. So why wouldn't she want to do it? And they don't really need him as a starter. But, hey, why not? He's good dude. I'm happy for him. And that looks, it's starting to look like a win-win trade. Tosh Bradley on the IL right now, but he's been phenomenal for the twins. So I'm rooting for Griffin Jacks. I do want to talk about game three here. The eighth inning rally by the race, Jonathan Miranda, because of course, game tying two run double. And then there is this crazy swing. Richie Pelosi, let's go ahead. Watch where he's looking. I was watching this live being like, did he pop that up?

I thought I saw it go into right field. I didn't explain. I didn't see this. That's funny. If anyone could talk to Richie Pelosi for me and ask him, what the hell is going on? I mean,

we just need more rec specs on baseball players. That's my main takeaway. Did he hit that? And like, is he praying 3-0 count? And he's like, thank you for that heater. Like, I don't know.

I don't know either. I don't got any answers. And neither do the orals. now, man. Oh and seven against the ALE's teams on the road this year. That's not good. 21 and 29, 6 and 13 in May. They've been outscored by 47 runs this month.

It's just, it's the same problems, man. It's the starting pitching. They're just not getting it done. I mean, we give the Tigers a little bit of optimism. I don't have that same optimism for these Orioles right now. No, not at all. I don't know.

I also didn't really give the Tigers optimism. I give him a little bit. Maybe it's just because I love Jimmy North. I don't know. I think that your Jimmy Norbias is clouding your judgment here. Go Tampa, man. Crazy. I, you know, I hate giving credit to managers, but like cash is such a

longest tenured active manager. He's a culture curator, I think is a good way to put it. A manager needs to be that. Like, that's the main job of manager, essentially. And, dude, that is a different. culture i've told the story my first ever plane ride in tampa i didn't i was like what is going on here it was a club on the plane wilson ramos is looking at me like he wants to kill me i'm like dude what a boy like what's happening right now what a shout i might have had a gummy and was

tripping a little bit whatever um let's go boston gets the sweep of kansas city two kind of like teams disappointing, I would say, is a word we could use for both of these. Kansas City really struggling right now offensively. And Boston, same thing coming into this. They end up breaking out a little bit there in game two. Sunny Gray dominant. He owns the Royals. 14 career starts to a 174.

That's just insane. Jaron Duran kind of breaking out in this series a little bit. He plays great defense. Knockout blow in game two with the three. run homer in the ninth, opens it up six one. And then Conner the early quality start, six and a third, three runs. He allowed two homers, but the Red Sox get it done. They get the sweep.

And I don't know which way to go on this. Like Red Sox going this way, possibly, or the Royals, like, just down and out right now. I mean, all this Chapman shutting the door because he's an absolute stud. A lot of stuff happened here. where where do you want to go? Kansas City or Boston? I think Boston, you know, give them their flowers here.

I mean, them getting a good game, good series out of Jaron Duran, I think is big because, you know, the consistent offensive beacon for them has been Wilson Contreras. He hits another big home run in the series.

But it was also just like kind of two bad teams meeting up right now and whichever one got the series when you could see them climbing out of the hole. The Royals score five runs in the series. It's kind of been the entire story of their year so far, even with, great start by Michael Walker. They can't even get the win there. He's kind of been the stopper for them.

Good for all this Chapman moving into 10th place all time on the saves list. That's pretty cool to watch unfold in real time. And for all the discourse about how disastrous the Red Sox season has been so far, there are two games out of the wild card because the American League is just kind of a mess right now. So even with all that and, you know, how bad some of those trades have been going for them this year, they're still right in the thick of things. And maybe, maybe firing your manager just works, bro. Work for the Phillies. It's so far working for the Red Sox. They're 12 and 10 in the Chad Tracy era. What a wake up call. How about that? Overall, this Chapman moves past my guy, Joe Nathan's. You got to add an S to that people. Remember that. All right. He's 10th all time. That's nice for him. He looks nasty. I was watching the last game of this. I was watching the Royals broadcast. Hosmer was on it.

Oh, wow. How's he doing? They were just like, you know, Chapman's really good, but that means one thing. Maybe he's due to not be good? And that was like kind of the whole thing. And they did get a blue pit to start off the inning and then just like shut them down. Yeah, I mean, this is just their biggest thing is they struggle with Velo and Chapman has been sitting 99 his entire life since he was 11 years old. He is an absolute specimen.

I'm going to go try to like next to him today and just see how that go. I want to see that conversation. I want to be a flower of wall. I mentioned Red Sox really struggling. It scored three runs or fewer for the for nine straight games coming. into this series and they finally break that in game two. I guess fire your managers

the moral of the story. I don't know. Royals, maybe fire your manager. I don't know. Oh, geez. Sorry. I don't. It's working. It's working. Sal. Just player manager. Bring back player managers. That's what we need. Next two we can kind of go through quick. We got to get to the end. Now I don't even know how long this shows

I don't care. He doesn't care. I'm as a manmade. I want you to spend 20 minutes on Twins Astros. No, I don't. I don't. We don't need to The Twins win the bookend games here. I mentioned kind of a little bit what's going on with the twins is we are in a roster flux, like a transition here. Kentry Rojas is a young guy who we got for Louis Varland.

Kind of like him a lot, to be honest. I didn't know that trade. That's fun. Yeah, slang and like lefty. He's got Velo, got a nice little slider, tight little slider. And then Zebby Matthews, we get the loss in game too, but Zebby looks really good. and his kind of return to the rotation

over the last couple starts for him and that's great. And then Joe Ryan kind of did his thing. Astros were just kind of down bad with the offense. Tatsuya, Maya, a guy who we were really excited to see, like he's got the stuff, but he just throws that ball up there. Like he has no idea where it's going.

It's interesting. It's an interesting watch. And I haven't watched every single one of this starts, but I have watched a couple of them. And it just feels like if he just refined everything, and could somehow figure out how to command. Like, he could be very good.

But it just hasn't been that way so far. Josh Bell, a couple homers in this series. That's really all we got to get into unless he want to talk. I mean, there's Royce Lewis talk we can get into. Yeah, I wanted you get to a little bit on that. It's pretty shocking just considering, you know, his tracker get to this point. Although, you know, you pull up the stats, you get a little disappointed. But Royce Lewis, it just always feels like the talent is there.

and it's just a matter of staying healthy. He's been healthy this year. And it still hasn't come through. I mean, you have any insider. You know, he's just, I don't think he's been the same. I think the injuries, yeah, he's healthy. He's playing, but I don't think the legs are the same. Yeah.

And he's been, he's been struggling over the last couple of years. Like, the production just hasn't been there. And every time you think he's about to go on a run, it just hasn't happened for him. I do think this is a, he needed this. He needed to get sent out. he did hit a homer in his first game in AAA. I've suggested sending him down to like Fort Myers and get away from all the noise.

Okay, interesting. I don't think that's going to happen, but that's what I would have done. Another thing for the twins and maybe the rest of the league, if we're being honest, Ryan Jeffer goes on the IL with a hamate bone, and he has been nasty, dude, 295 with a 408 and a 541, seven homers, 26 runs driven for a,

catcher. Dang. Is he in a contract here? Yeah, he's a free agent. And he's like one of the best ABS challenge catchers in the league. And not many guys can say that right now. I've seen some bad challenges this past week, man.

Yeah, there's been a few. There's been a few. If the head is moving, don't challenge. I agree. Also, like, oh, your guy. I'm at the point where if it's before the fifth inning, man, don't challenge. Marcus Simeon had a bunt pullback.

What was that? It was horrible. That was horrible. Head was moving. But the head was right in the zone too. Like you're bunting. You can see the zone. They always say if you want to see a pitch long, like throw the bunt out there.

I mean, oh, Rob pulled up too quick, man. At the ready, huh? My guy, Marcus. Go twins go. I don't know, man. We don't have spent a lot of time. Ashos seem to be down bad, obviously. Is it time to start the fire sale?

Is that for the Ashos? I don't know. I don't know either, man. Don't say your dawn. Ashos fans will get pissed. I understand why he's the top three hitter in the sport. I wouldn't want my team to trade him either. Eddie Matthews kind of diced him up for being on.

That's enough Zebby Matthews for me. That's way too much Seby Matthews for me. Anyways, last series in the AL, the A's take three or four from the Angels. Kind of obvious. The best, I mean, it's not a pretty fun series. So I guess let's get into it a little bit. Game one is the JT. Ginn near perfect game. or excuse me no hitter.

And if you could be probably solid. If you watch ball, you're solid. Adam Frazier, because of course gets the knock. Zach Netto, three pitches later, walk off Homer. It's, gosh, what a crazy sport that we play. Dominate the entire game. Then I end up getting the loss. I don't mind him being out there.

I don't know if you have a different take on that. Cotsay, let him go. I'm fine with it. Yeah, I'm fine with it too. The A's bullpen isn't exactly a strong suit for their team right now. Let the guy try and finish something special there. I did like that the tarps off trend made its way to Angel Stadium for that moment. There was a TikTok that went around of a guy filming from the pit there.

So good for the Angels fans that, you know, they deserve some nice moments and what's otherwise been a miserable season for them. But, you know, that one decision might have been the separator from the A's getting a mop here and really pulling away in the West. Next game is just kind of a blowout for the A's. Nick Kurtz is doing just historical things. He's like there are some stats on this guy, you know. I had him up.

I lost them. Let's find it again. How about we do that? I mean, just in general, A's offense coming alive this series and it's kind of not been their foretale here. So it was good to say. After game two, he played in 162 career games in Major League Baseball. Here's the stat line 284, 398, 581.

Quick math, that's 979. know. Good math. Did I do it? I don't know. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Dude, I like the best math guy. 34 doubles, 44 homers, 115 runs driven in. 919 scored since RBIs became an official stat in 1920. Kurtz is just the third left-handed hitter with at least 30 homers, 100 RBIs, 100 walks through 162, joining who? Ted Williams and Juan Soto. I've heard. of them. I've heard of them. I mean, that's even with a slow start this year and a bad first month last year, dude. Like that's, I mean, he was drawn walks during the first month here, but the power wasn't really there. He's a special talent and he's another one of these guys that got drafted

very recently and is already becoming one of the best players in Major League Baseball. Since the start of 2025, he's second among all qualified hitters in WRC plus behind only judge, second to judge, and on base percentage at 398 and third in slugging percentage 581 by judge and Otani. So the names we just mentioned around him are Ted Williams, Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Joey O'Hawahey. Are we not talking enough about Nick Kurtz? 438 on base, dude.

You got drafted less than two years ago. It's nuts. Holy snikies, man. A's rally. When the next two and extra innings, I don't know how much we need to get into it. I think they just took care of business, man. Took care of business. Angel's fans down bad.

Shout out Swilly. Swilly to Portes. I'll be seeing you in a little bit. Today's episode is sponsored by Amazon. When life throws you a curveball, Amazon's everyday low prices on Essentials help you save the day. Amazon has everything you need whenever you need it. From planned purchases to unexpected moments, they've got everything in one place, saving you time and money so you can focus on what matters most. And for us, what matters most is having as much time every week to catch up.

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What do you say about that? Let's see it, baby. Let's see it. And we're going to start off with a day. Diamondbacks. They sweep the Giants. Someone get Dalton. A towel. Gross. Arizona outscores the Giants. 23 to 8 across the three games. It was me. It was Dalton. It was Aronado and Marte. What were we doing? I don't know. Game one, this is, I mean, the most insane thing I think that's happened in the league this year. Nolan Aronado hits a grand slam on the

sixth pitch of the game. Let that marinate. We're going to talk about that a little bit later. Then it's all Marte. Crushes a three-run walk-off bomb with two out. It's his first career walk-off homer for him. Then in game three, he neared the cycles, drops a perfect bump down in the fifth, open a three-run inning, and Arizona kind of pulls away.

Beavacks are, are they on the rise? Yes, they are on the rise, man. Happy for Dahl. Happy for Taylor Jackson as well. Let's move on. Sinci. They take two out of three. Man, Don Mattingly.

His first series lost. Game one, goes to Philly Bryson's stop with the go-head two-run shot in the eighth. Andrew Painter completes six innings for the first time in his career. Got to love that. And in game two, it was all Chase Burns. He's going to talk about him a little bit later. He gets hit in the nuts, no cup on.

Okay. He's fine. He's fine. He's got other protection there, people. Game three, Reds bottom of the order carries at South Stewart. Hey, what's up, dog? He goes four for five with his 12th Homer. Aaron Nola.

Dude, you got to talk about him. We'll see. Atlanta takes three out of four from Miami, and I think that's kind of obvious. Miami, I like you as a ball club, but man, the Braves are good. They do steal game one, Miami does. Max Meyer shuts out the Braves for six innings, and then Javier's to know how the Grand slam batting ninth. Got to love it.

That's Jake's favorite player. Love that. And then it's all Braves from there. Acuna's back. Martine Perez is back. Are doing it. Strikes out 10 for the first time in his 15-year career. Game three, Chris Sale.

you know what happened, guys. Michael Harris is there. Three out of four for the Braves. Texas at Colorado Rangers take two out of three. Yes, that's obvious. Colorado steals game one when Gore exits after one inning with lat tightness and the bullpen can't hold it. Game two, Kumar Rocker out of the bullpen for the first time. Kind of like that. Opener strategy. We'll see how that goes. Game three, down to the final out with two outs, trailing by one, catcher's interference, back-to-back singles and a pass ball. Ties it. Josh Young walks it off. Love that. Love that for the Rangers. I feel like I want to like them more than I do. Mets and Washington, they split the series. It had everything. Game one, I was texting you about your catcher being just not aggressive whatsoever. It's a little crazy. And then they go on to score 10 in the final frame.

Okay. Games two, James Wood hits an Inside the Park Grand Slam. Love that. Games three and four, split it. Even CJ Abrams, Homer's, Homer's, off a debuting pitcher for the fourth time in his career. You're going to talk about this series. I got to keep going here.

Milwaukee at Chicago. Brewer sweep at Wrigley. Oh my gosh. Are the Brewers just like the bad man? Are they the bad man? I think they are. Game one, Yelich and Bowers, both hit homers. Bowers went over the scoreboard.

Yelich off of it. Love that. First visiting teammates to ever do that in the same game. Game two, it's all Mizorowski. Game three, it's all Kyle Harrison. The Brewers are disgusting. be better. Just be better. LA at San Diego.

Dodgers take two out of three. Game three, a little something else. San Diego wins game one behind Michael King because he is absolutely disgusting. Game two, Freddie Freeman, Homer's twice to a race a four-two deficit. And then we have the Andy Pahas and bat. I think we're talking about that later.

And game three, it's all Otani, pitching and hitting again. First pitch of the game, Homer. Jackson Merrill got hurt on that play. Watch out. O'Tonnie. 0.73 E.E. Tatee's big double. play in that one to squash a rally. Pittsburgh at St. Louis. Pirates take two out of three. Cardinal Steel game one with an Ivan Herrera walkoff three-run bomb in the 10th. Electric. You were there.

I was in the city. Not that game, but I was in the city. Okay. St. Louis improved a seven and one in extra endings. Then Pittsburgh takes over. Game two, Maginsky throws five. Scorless. Griffin, our guy goes four for five. Brian Reynolds rakes with runners on, as always. Then game three, Brandon Ashcraft ties his career high with nine strikeouts and ended Bob ended

don't keep playing the music Pirates went two out three A lot of people talking to me Pirates shouldn't be above the Cardinals and the power rankings They're my power rankings You're getting feisty You're yelling at Bob

You're yelling at the fans I didn't like that from you I'm gonna give that burn a C plus I wanted to get snaps for being on time I'll give you snaps but to lash out at Bob that way. I'm sorry, Robert. Makes me look differently.

I do. We need to go golfing again soon. Jolly, give me the standings. I can give you the standings. I'm going to start in the east because the Braves run the world. All right?

They run the world and we just happen to live in that same world. They're 35 and 16. And why did we expect anything different? They already have a nine and a half game leading the division. That's fucked up. That shouldn't be a thing.

That's super effed up, man. The Phillies, though, back at 500. New manager, Don Mattingly. They did lose the series, but the 25 and 25. The Nats right behind them. Best offense in baseball. Some people are saying not many.

25 and 26. And the Mets bringing up the rear here, 22 and 28, just ahead of your Miami Marlins at 22 and 29. We got a seller battle this coming up on the weekend. Mets Marlins there. Central, the Brewers, they're inevitable. They went to Wrigley. They got to sweep.

They're 29 and 18. Why would you ever doubt them? They beat the Cubs who weren't losing at home ever. They're now 29 and 21. The Cardinals, not too, far behind. They keep playing good baseball, man. 28 and 21 on the year. Tarps were off all week. Pirates, 26 and 24 knotted up with the reds at the bottom, who are also 26 and 24, but they did get a big series win there on the road. So that's huge. The Dodgers stake their claim atop the West with the

series win in San Diego. They're 31 and 19. The Padres right behind him at 29 and 20. The Diamondbacks kind of resurrected five wins in a row. They're 26 and 23. And then the bad place. Both those teams at the bottom of the west the giants 20 and 30 they've lost three in a row the Rockies 19 and 32 and those are your standings in the National League nobody better except me jolly love that I agree I agree love that for us I think we do need to start off with the Brewers here all good for them all bad for the Cubs we got no pitcher with the quality no starting pitcher with the quality star although Edward Cabrera was on his way before coming out with the blister and

the Brewers get Zorowski and Harrison doing their thing. We got PCA kind of zoeing balls out there in the outfield. That's not a great look right now. He feels bad and he's going to be fine, people. But it was a big part of this series. Yeah, it's when the Brewers are firing on all cylinders, and what I mean by that is they're going to pitch.

They just have that, and especially when Mizorowski is doing what he's doing, I mean, just dominant. Still has a score of the street going, 24 and a third innings. That's over four straight. starts when he, I've said this for quite some time. It didn't look like a great take at the time. I said, we're going to be mentioning Mizorowski's name with Paul Skeens at some point. Yeah. And then he had big time command issues. And he just, you know, he needed to settle in and find himself as a pitcher. He's doing that now. And I think you can mention his name amongst,

you know, this NLSA young race, Chris Rose kind of pointed this out to me. It's going to be a really fun one. You got Otani doing, he wants to win it. He's doing great things. Miserowski's great Chase Burns is kind of a wild card their skeens is going to be in it then you got I mean is Kyle Harrison going to enter the chat Christopher Sanchez is there like it's going to be a dog fight for this but Mizorowski will be right there

when they're pitching like the way they can which is pretty much all the time and then they got their offense churning I don't what are you going to do what are you going to do we can make all the postseason jokes that you want but this is a very very good baseball team Jacob Mizorowski in the month of May

24 and a third Innings, no earned runs, 37 strikeouts to five walks. That feels pretty good. That feels Sion, caliber. We were in the building for game one. I got to see that Jake Bowers home run, clank off the scoreboard. Sight to behold. Oh, I thought that one went over.

When I was watching, they said it went over on the broadcast. No, we had a perfect view. We were a right field line. So they both went off like the tippy top of the scoreboard. But either way, they were both absolute bombs by the brewers. And that's really, I think, a telling sign for me is like, you know, they can pitch, You know, they have the depth there and you know that they can produce runs. But when they also slug like this, that's when they become, you know, arguably the best team in baseball.

I was pretty shocked by this year. So I'm not going to lie. The Cubs have been playing really good ball as of late. They had maybe the best home field advantage in baseball, considering their win streak there. They had won 15 games in a row at Wrigley before the Brewers came in and it completely rained on their parade. Just really, I mean, the PCA stuff is a, that was a tough scene there. It was the first time that, you know, I had been field access for a Cubs thing and I didn't see PCA out there. So I think he was dealing with it in his own way, which was tough.

I wanted to say hi, but, you know, to each their own, obviously there. But the Brewers, man, they look like they have cultivated their identity. You saw every leg of the Kyle Harrison trade shine in the series between Joe Hahn and then David Hamilton had a big offensive game. So that's a tough scene for the Red Sox there, but I'm sure they're not thinking about that. The Brewers, though, it's kind of what we said about the Guardians and the Tigers. Like the Cubs are a great team, but it feels like the foil to all their flaws resides in their own division and the Brewers. And it's just, you saw it again here. It's a long season.

These two teams are going to match up again, but, you know, the Brewers kind of made the series a laffer. What is this Ed Walsh stat I'm looking at right now? You don't know about Ed Walsh, bro? There's just kind of like no context right here for 30, 30 plus strikeout. with no extra base hits and no runs allowed in a four outing span since 1900. It's Ms. and Ed Walsh. There was a page break. I didn't, I didn't zoom out. I got it. I got your back. Ed Walsh in 1910. Got to love that. He had Mizorowski just blowing cheese. He had three more strikeouts on pitches at 101 or above. He's got 28 in his career during the regular season and

postseason. It's one shy of a Hunter Green for the most in the pitch tracking era. So he's He's just throwing absolute cheese by guys. And the walk rate down over this, this, this stretch he's on. He mentioned five walks in those innings. That's big time, especially when you're cane guys, the way that he has, Cubs got to hit with runners in scoring position. They haven't been able to do that. And Brewers just, Brewers looking great, man.

And also, like, the Brewers have been protecting Ms. With his pitch counts, too. He threw 84 in his first outing, 90 plus in the middle two of May, but then 74 through six innings. and they still pulled the plug on him. So I think they're conscious of, you know, this is a young guy. I don't know if innings limits are still really a thing in baseball. I was thinking Steven Schroxberg when that pops into the brain.

But, yeah, they get a great performance from him. Kyle Harrison, we're going to talk about it a little bit later. So we'll save that. Cubs, biggest thing here, they beat themselves in the final game. Three errors. That is not the Cubs identity. They're one of the best defensive teams in baseball. And when that happens, you can tell they're shooting themselves in the foot a little bit.

Cubs will be fine, but, you know, you've got to find a way to be. the best in your division. Cabrera, as I mentioned, comes out with a blister. He's not worried about it. I mean, he might miss a day. He might get pushed back a day or two. It was definitely scary in the moment because the Cubs rotation has been hampered by injury

more than any other team in baseball. So if it's just one start, I think you take that as a Cubs fan. 5.55 ERA in his five most recent outings, 273 over his first five starts of the year for Cabrera. Let's move on to Dodgers Padres. Dodgers take two out of three. Padre has been that first game.

Miguel And Uhar, bottom of the first inning, homer off Yamamoto, and that's the only scoring of the game. Michael King is fantastic. One of my favorite pictures to watch when he's on. The sheer horizontal movement that guy can produce is just awesome. Yamamoto obviously very good in this game as well. But the Dodgers just couldn't. score essentially. Mason Miller locks it down. And then the Dodgers win the next two games. I know you're talking about the Andy Paix's situation. I mean, we can do it right here if you want.

Well, no, isn't that going to be later in the show? No, I did a pivot with Rob Sharaka. You pivoted it. Let's give it. Let's give it its justice right here. I mean, Freddie Freeman said it was one of the best at bats he's ever seen and I find I'm hard pressed to argue with him. Nine pitches, Andy Pa has, you know, goes down 02 immediately. And when you go down against Mason Miller, I can find the stats. That's no shocking part is that right there. Yeah, I'm going to try and find the split because I'm sure that was

probably the first like ball put in play from a guy down to O2 against Mason Miller. Let me see if I can pull this up. I tried to get this up. Don't know how to find it. It's got to be the most pitchers. Mason Miller is thrown in a bat. When you're in an O2 count against Mason Miller, hitters are one for 23 with 18 strikeouts this year.

So you're done. You're done. If you fall behind against Mason Miller to that extent, you are done. And the fact that Pahas was able to still muscle ball to the outfield. Obviously, there were some tough waist pitches here. He yanked a slider later in the about as well to even the count. But still, for the anti-Pas to stick in there and battle the way he did, it's probably the best at bat we've seen this year because all eyes have been on Mason Miller all year long.

Just a phenomenal job by the Dodgers to get back. Great at bat by Andy Pottis here. Will Klein retires the Padres in order in the next. 9th, like this showing bullpen depth there, which you know, I guess last year, if you look back at like what was expected out of the Dodgers bullpen and what

actually happened, it wasn't a strong suit for them. Will Klein ended up being a postseason kind of hero. I was at that game in the World Series. But they found a way to get it done this year. Tannish Scott's been great. Now Will Klein. Edwin Diaz has, you know,

obviously not been great for them. Doesn't matter. Like they just have it. I continuously say this and people are like, well, great hot take travel. Like, this is the best roster in baseball. It's not supposed to be a fucking hot titty. Real spicy. Super spicy. First of all.

You're really going for the clicks, man. I'd be so much richer if I was a hot take merchant, dude. Like, I get it. That's what sells. I don't, I don't have it in my body. Don't you have enough, man. I don't have it in my soul. No, I don't, Jolly. Prices are exorbitant around where I live.

$42 for a martini. Are you kidding me? It's not even get into gas. gas prices, Trev. My goodness. The gas station that I go to, I'm then a quick sidebar here. It's a shell station. It's in Calabasas. Shout out my guy, boss man. He works behind the counter. He's like my only reason I go there is for him because we just, we chop it up.

Every, like every time I go in there, you usually get a Celsius. They charge me way too much money for that. It's like 350 for a Celsius. I don't care because my guy, boss man behind makes my day. It's like routinely. I haven't seen it under $6 in years. That is insane. And you can go like down the street and get get gas for like, you know, sometimes like in the high force, I don't. That's your guy. I mean, I tried.

I think it was like last year you and Jake did a segment on like having a deli guy. It's like a power up in life. I have a deli guy now. Like a butcher. Yeah. Yeah. Like a butcher. And it's like it's so.

To walk in there and to immediately get recognized is like kind of makes your whole day. It's big time right there. It's big time. I don't know where. What's going on with? Padres bull. Excuse me, Dodgers bullpen. Game three, they pick up the slack there, too,

four scoreless from Edgardo, Henriquez, Blake Trun and Kyle Hurt, Will Kline. Not what you drew up in the preseason, but for the Dodgers, that depth is deep. Tough one for the Padres. Hernandez is just, he's cheese thrower. My goodness. And Otani is great.

I don't even know what else to say. I mean, what are we supposed to do? In a live ball era since 1920, Otani holds the sixth lowest ERA by a traditional starting pitch. through their first eight starts of the season. It's Fernando Valenzuela, Mike Norris in 1980s at Greenkey in 2009,

Al Benton in 54, and Jacob de Gromm in 2021. I remember watching that de Grom season. That was fun. He's also a hitter. Yeah. I don't know what else to say, dude. Fun fact, that's why you tune into talking baseball.

And yes, first pitch of the game off, Randy Vasquez, Homer. Is Jackson Mero okay? Check that out. I think he banged himself up on that play, right? Yeah, he stayed in the gate. I think a little bit after getting hurt and then they took him out. But hopefully he's okay. They took him out in the fifth. Let's move on.

Debeck's sweep of the Giants. And this is kind of, again, two teams heading in the opposite direction. Diamondbacks starting to rake a little bit. Zach Gallin with a nice outing here. I just had talked to Dalton about him, about like he has to be so precise at this point in his career. And he was in this first game against the Giants. offense is just it's putrid man and I don't I just don't understand kind of what they do with this

team they have their team the roster is set man yeah Bryce Eldridge who's got zero time is complaining about his playing time when he's getting plenty of playing time and not producing so there's just like stuff going on with this giant's team that it doesn't it doesn't feel like they're going to get out of it anytime soon still undecided on my Tony Betelow hate or love. In my mind, it doesn't really matter. They're not getting the job done. And now the debacks, the debacks are,

Cotel Marte really got going this series. And again, it's just two teams. I love Corbyn Carroll. How can you not? Great walkoff for him. Not a walk off, go ahead. He's a stud. Yeah, I mean, I'll start with debacks here before we do some giant's doom stuff.

But good on their offense for breaking through. They were kind of in a weird offensive spell for a little bit there. And now they're slowly getting back to normal status quo. Debacks lineup stuff. Ryan Walshman has another great game. Three for three with two doubles in the first one. Carrying on the Diamondbacks Schmidt Legacy.

Shout out, Paul. And I mean, like for them, the Robbie Ray inning in this series is something you may never see again. Six pitches in a grand slam. That is, I've never seen that before. It'll probably never happen again. It's unbelievable.

It will never happen again. It will never happen again. So like, you know, let's break it down. down six pitches jumping on him the least it could be is four yeah like how crazy is that six pitches in and you give up a grand slam to elon aronado it is it is shocking go watch it's it's insane and you know what i don't know if you looked at nolan aranado's numbers as a nice they're nice and honestly we were dumb for thinking he was just done he's i mean he's had an amazing career

He's a hard worker, man, and wants it, dude. Like, I follow him on IG, and there was just a ton of off-season kind of work holding. I kind of like when guys, it's not like you're flaunting. Like, to me, like, some guys flaunt their off-season work, and I don't like it. Nolan Aeronado was, like, holding, I feel like holding himself accountable to the grind. I don't know. There's something different. You can tell when it's earnest, you know what I mean?

And you can tell me the guys, like, addicted to it. It's paying off. He's always been that way. like he is that guy and to see his stats where they're at now is great um we have to continue to believe in Arizona I mean they with Aeronado specifically they kind of did this in 2023 with long ago like they brought in the vet that kind of nobody else wanted and he ended up being a huge piece of their team it feels like they're following a similar formula there with Aeronado um the reason I brought up the Robbie Ray first inning is because dimebacks you know six pitches four runs like

that they're getting strikes in the zone they're hitting them i wanted to bring it up because the opposite is what's happening with the giants lineup right now they rank dead last in the league for walk rate they have a 5.7 walk rate as a team it's 2% below 29th place there they've seen 43.3% of pitches in the zone which is the most in baseball what does that tell you pitchers are absolutely unafraid to throw strikes to anybody in this lineup because the giants are just unable to square up the ball right now no matter where they are in the order. And it's just, it's shocking because I was a little like,

I wasn't hugely into their roster, but I, it kind of felt like they would land where they've landed before, like 500 team, a couple games over. Their offense being as bad as it's been, has just been the story of their entire year. And they faced,

you know, a pretty weak D-BAC's pitching staff, a D-BAC's pitching staff that's been pretty vulnerable the entire year. They go two runs, three runs, three runs in the series. And that's just not going to, to get it done. I don't know, man. I feel like we say this. It's the same thing with the Giants every single year. Even with the extra big move last year, bringing endeavors, they just, they're a middling 500 team. And there's no way. Like for some other teams that are struggling,

there's pieces you can sell. There's ways to make the season kind of productive. And I just, I don't, I don't see that for the Giants right now. They're 10 games under 500 for the first time since July 2019. It's as bad as it's been in the past seven years. years for them. I keep humming and honing because I'm just, yeah, I don't, I don't believe in this Giants team. I'm struggling to kind of believe, I know I just said

we have to believe in the Diamondbacks. I'm struggling a little bit. I don't love the starting pitching but I am rooting for the Diamondbacks. I got to mash their way out. They have to mash their way out. E-Rod, nice. It's been good. He's been great. It's been great, Jolly. We've got to churn through

these a little bit faster, my friend. Let's go to the series that you were at Pirates Take 2 out of 3. We have a Cardinals team that what am I looking at? Oh yeah. Game one is the three run walkoff former by Ivan Herrera who had just a legendary

post game interview after that. Just talk about like I'm so excited. It was so pure and so beautiful. And I feel like that's kind of encapsulates the season with the Cardinals. Like, yeah, young guys finding their way having fun. winning baseball games. That sounds like what you want for your squad,

and they're doing that. Pirates end up getting the last two games behind some really good pitching for them, and that's what they can do. It's nice to see Connor Griffin really establishing himself. He's got a little hit streak going of eight games right now. I guess, yes, snaps for the Cardinals. That first one was a lot of fun.

Gorman had a two-run homer. Burleson had a solo homer to put them up. end up tying it with a pinch it single by Horowitz before Herrera hits that three run. So I guess I did have the pirates ranked above the Cardinals in my power rankings, even though the Cardinals have handled them this season so far, better head-to-head record, better overall record as well.

But are you, if you had to pick Cardinals or Pirates rest of the season, where are you going? I think I would probably still go Pirates, but for the Cardinals, like there are just things you like about them long term like the way they play defense even though in game one it was a pretty sloppy defensive game for them on the year they've been a well-rounded defensive team um their lineup feels pretty long right now they're working really long at bats here i think the thing with the cardinals that i like like a lot and it might be dumb is like the two things that i feel like define a lot

of successful teams is can you form your identity which i feel like they have and two can you get a rally and cry and they definitely have that now with the tarps off crew that's kind of spread throughout baseball. But the pirates kind of combated them with their own identity, which was pitching. I mean, they shut them down and came to Carmen Mijinsky, who was kind of like the odd man out because they wanted to try out Bubba Chandler, has fully reclaimed his spot. He is here to stay. The bigger one is Braxton Ashcraft, who's become quietly the number two in that rotation,

just as good as Paul Skeens, really. He has five starts of six and two thirds innings, which leads MLB right now in May, 28 and a third six earn runs for the one nine one e r a nine strikeouts in this game three this is how the pirates need to go i mean they have the offense that obviously the defense will be a concern for them for the remainder of the season it's not going to go away but if they can hit enough to compliment their great starting pitching i have no problem seeing them you know with a winning record at years end and possibly a playoffs about the nils very competitive so that remains to be seen um so for them to take care of business on the road with the cardinals team that was hotter than hot with all the

momentum in the world, I think is a, it's a big series win for the pirates. It's a massive series win, a big confidence builder for them. If they are already playing with that, I think we see that. You see that throughout the entire NL Central. I always say this, Charlie, this is what I want on my team, Cubans. Basically, I want Cubans and I want Mississippi boys. And that is, I just like them. They just like ball.

There's nothing else to do there. Trevor Ploof likes Mississippi boys. They have nothing else to do there. that's true they all they're all like kind of relatives of Elvis do with that what you will Connor Griffin and Jake Mangum both born and raised in Mississippi Jake mangum all play I've seen out of Connor Griffin

in that last or in game two goes four for five ties a career high and scored three runs in that in that game do you want to show Bob the the Brandon Lowe actually B. Lowe's first seeing homer of Destin May originally ruled a inside the park homer then they officially changed it to just a regular homer.

Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, I didn't know that. Let's check that out. I want to see it. Yeah, I mean, that trade is working out very nicely for the Pirates, my ad. He's been great for them, absolutely. At 3-10, I mean, Mike Burroughs hasn't been great for the Astros. I haven't heard much on the raise front there with Jacob Melton,

but Brandon Lau has been huge for the Pirates. this year. It's got a nice stroke. Okay. Left field line. Left field line. That's just a strain. Oh, yeah.

I think that is a homer. Can't really tell it comes back into the field of play. Where's the center fielder? Oh, God. Dude, he's, it's a long way to run there. I guess,

but still you've got to be backing up. I don't know. I never had an inside the park home run. I find that hard to believe. Oh, here you go. Here's the real highlight. So it hits off. Oh, did that get out?

I don't know if that got out. They ruled that a homer? Did that hit the cement? That looks like it hit the green. What the heck? Wait, why would they... Oh, never mind. I saw it better that time.

I think it comes down over the top and then rides over the wall. Oh, yeah. Either way, I feel like you didn't need to. I don't think you need to change it. That kind of feels like an over correction. I too like the Pirates better over 162 and mainly because of their pitching.

I mean, they'd have a chance to really run some games with those guys. So a great series of both these teams. again we got to kind of chew through this a little faster reds take two out of three from the Phillies i'm talking about chase burns in a little bit we do have to start talking about aranola and what they got to do with him he's under contract for like four more years that's a it's a tough one man we got a long way to go there we got to figure that one out um go andrew painter he goes six innings for the first time uh in his career uh the red socks or the reds bullpen

crumbles in that first game but they do in the next two um what do you got on this we can be I think we can be quick on this one. Yeah, real quick. I mean, Alec Bohm, ever since the day off, has a long hitting street going over his last 11 games, sitting 405. So it looks like that worked out for them there. South Stewart just keeps doing this thing, man.

RBI machine, they need him to go. If that offense is going to stay afloat, obviously you're talking about Chase Burns, so I won't go too much into that. But the bottom of the Reds lineup in that last game, I mean, guys whose names, you're not going to hear a lot. Blake Dunn, PJ Higgins, Dane Myers.

I know we love him on the show, but they get the job done there. Aaron Noah, I won't be the, mean Mets fans, so I won't comment on it too much, but that contract is looking not awesome for the fills. Swarber missed the entire series with a stomach illness, feel better, big, guys. There's nothing worse than that, dude.

There's nothing worse than. Just nothing you can do. Nothing you can do. How about this? Over the past two turns through the rotation, Sanchez, Wheeler, and Lozardo have combined to allow just three runs over 42 and a third. That's a 0.64. I feel like that's pretty good. That's been a reason why the Phillies have been able to turn it around. Go Reds go. We'll talk about Chase Burns a little bit. Atlanta takes three out of four from the Marlins. That is pretty dang obvious. Save game one where the Marlins just kind of blew them out. What was that? That was crazy. Yeah, they erupted for 11 runs over a two inning stretch in the fourth and the fifth. Joe Mack. What's up, dog? Great name. He drove in four runs on a ground out, a two runs single and a basis loaded watch. and then our guy, Javier Sonoha, the league's cheerleader.

That's what we like to call him. He capped the fifth of the Grand Slam off of Aaron Bummer. It's the first grand slam by a Marlins player batting ninth since Justin Bauer in 2016. You remember him, big lefty. I don't think I did. Oh, Justin Bore. Yeah, home run derby guy. It wasn't runner up one year.

No, he was not. Yes, he was. I'm pretty sure. I think it was the year judge won the home run derby. He was the runner up. No freaking way. Either him or Stan. I forget when, I think it was in Miami.

Completely different people. What are you talking? Hey, he's with that shit. Come on. Look at him. He's in donks. He's in Dongx. He's done Carlos Stan. He did it. What a beast. That's awesome. In front of the home crowd.

Come on. Okay. Now it all makes sense. Now we're starting to get. Martin Perez strikes out a career high 10 in five innings. He's a stud. How about that? I think I'm going to talk about him a little bit later, too. Acuna comes back, scores three times.

in that first game. Michael Harris continues to do it. Yistremski continues, you know, his big May, he goes three for three in that game four. It's, it's time. Atlanta, it is time.

They're going. I mean, Yaz was like really the only guy not going in April when they're winning all those games. Now he's going to. They just look, they look unstoppable. Today's segment is a special one. This weekend, Joe's is road tripping down to Atlanta

for the Braids versus Nationals. Thanks to national car rental. while he's there, we're tasking with not one but two important missions. Ronald Acuna Jr. are going to get the silver daisy chain. And then C.J. Abrams going to get a pedal, I believe. I don't know if Joe's going to be able to do that. I hope so, because that'll be absolutely electric content. Jolly, you just had a national trip going down to St. Louis and Chicago.

Swilly was also part of this. Talk to me about your experience. Yeah, shout out national car runs. We had a real fun, busy weekend down in St. Louis with our tarps off and then took the national car rental trip over to Chicago, four and a half hours, but they made it nice and easy to get us there. As for Joe's McFly, he just finds the way to make things happen. So I have my doubts, but at the same time, like, I just feel like he has a natural orbit to him. I feel like when he's on that field players are just going to gravitate to him. I think he'll be able to get it done.

I think Rob might have the clip of my tarp off, which hit National Airways. I didn't think it was going to happen. I didn't think I get peer pressure works. I've always said this. It really does. And I folded immediately. Was there a lot of peer pressure? It looked like you were just ready.

They started, they started chanting. What am I going to do? It was a crowd of 100 people chanting. Take it off. I got to take it off. You're like, guys, chant behind me, please.

Guys, please. Make this about me. Tune into Joe's social to see if he can complete the missions. I think he's got for sure, Acuna. I'm interested to see if Abrams wants to come out. He's got a good thing going right now. We'll see.

Thank you to National Car rental for sending Joe's to Atlanta and then Joe's, excuse me, Jolly and Silly as well. When it travel, rent today at Nationalcar.com. Mets, Washington split a four game series. Jolly Go. I mean, nationals could have mopped it. Mets could have mopped it. So it ends up being a split. I mean, that 10 run extra inning doesn't tell the story of what was a really close, tight game with good bullpen performances. Carson Benj continues to play great ball, had an outfield assist in this series.

someone finally tried to run on him and now they know not to. The Washington Nationals, they have one of the highest run scored totals in baseball, but pretty much everything else they're doing between pitching and defense has just been weighing them down completely to that 500 record. It's a shame because it feels like they have a nice, solid team. If they just invested more in it, it feels like they could compete this year. The Mets were getting hot. They were up five nothing in game two, two innings in.

Nolan McLean on the bump. It feels like it should have been a slam dunk. win and then all of a sudden there was a hit by pitch to the nine hitter drew millis which led directly to this inside the park grand slam nick moribito and his mbb debut almost makes that incredible catch just falls off the heel of his glove there ends up being a grand slam nationals win that game a shout out sack thornton who made his mbillb debut in game three did okay settled in after a rough couple first endings obviously you mentioned the cj abram stat where he just homers off guys making their debut like it's his business and then the mets were able to secure game four with some

really good bullpen work, navigated a pretty tight game there. This squandered bases loaded nobody out in the top of the night. It didn't matter because Devin Williams has been really good for them as of late. And that's pretty much it. You know, you split on the road. You try and win at home. So I think the Mets did their job here. Nats could have had a series win, but they let it slip.

Two things quick. Zach Thornton. I talked about this with Rosie, but as you mentioned, makes the debut. And his dad, Paul, he had surgery to remove a tumor from his spine. And during the surgery, there was some bleeding. it resulted in temporary lower body paralysis, but he's at the game, upbeat, watching his son. I don't know, man.

Stuff like that makes me think about life and what's important. And to see him sharing that moment with his son is really, really cool. So shout out the Thornton's there. Next question for you, just to bring it back. What's up, Paul? You stud. Boisette, we're back. He's got all of his homers against the nationals this year.

So if he shows up in Miami, then maybe. I'm taking it one day at a time with him. I think the bigger story is just Juan Soto is absolutely locked in right now. And he torches the Nationals every time he plays them. It's a good series for both of them. But I'm glad you brought up the Thornton story because that is really, really cool to see. Hopefully he gets another turn because I liked a lot of what I saw there after that first inning home run. I looked like he settled in nice.

Nationals fans are always mad that we don't talk about them enough. I don't really know what there is to say other than, yeah, they are doing it offensively. They're a ton of fun to watch. Kind of up and down the lineup. You know, we know what James Wood can do. And C.J. Abrams has been, I don't know if he's going to the casino more or less. I don't know. It could be either way.

Low blow trap. Crazy. Crazy show from you. They had some weird roster moves too. They demoted Joey Weimer even though he's been raking. And he's massive, by the way. I didn't realize that. I was watching this series like, oh my gosh.

Like, do you see? The way he swings the bat and runs is, so bizarre. I don't know if you take some running. I did see that clip. Like head first run like his arms don't move. It's super super strong. Someone said it looks like he runs like a bad child. Kind of.

Can we show that Bob? I mean if you get the stance too, his bat wiggle is like bizarre. He's moving around so much but he was hitting and he got demoted for Don Cruz. I found that very peculiar. That happened in the middle of the series. After he went like five for five in game one.

Yeah, six four for our guy, Joey Wemer, and I didn't have that. I'm not sure why. Last series that we're going to talk about before we get into the second half of the show, and I don't know how much we're going to spend on it. Texas Rangers take two or three from the Rockies. What do we need to say here? You know, I guess let's get into it a little bit.

Rockies held on to that first game. Rangers had a late rally there. Victor Vodnick enters in the eighth with a seven to three lead. and then didn't retire a batter. They made it 7-6 before Juan Mahia closed it out. Game two was the Kumar Rocker game. We'll see if they continued to use this kind of opener for him. Kumar has an 11-25 ERA in the first inning,

so they went with Tyler Alexander to open it up. Kumar goes then 7.2 scoreless innings after that. And man, that first inning can just get some people. O'Brien Bayo and the Red Sox had a good thing going with that and then they stopped doing it. I bet they start doing it again. We'll see if this is the way that the Rangers really attack what would be Kumar's start days. My guy, Ezekiel Duran kind of raking. I love that.

It's awesome. Brandon Nimmo with a two-run homer in game two. And then in that game three, down to the final two out, the top of the ninth, the Rangers, they rally for two runs to steal a win. I guess we can call that a material change. Yeah, we can. Sure. And it comes to the series. Yeah, I mean, good for the Rangers taking care of business on the road.

Nimmo left, I think game two or three with a little bit of hamstring tightness. We'll see what comes of that. Kumar, Rocker, the latest success story with the opener and the Mets were doing that with David Peterson as well. Yeah, I mean, you know, not too much here. Jock Peterson looks like he's coming out of his struggles a little bit. I had a four-hit game in game two. He's back above league average offensively. They need him if they're going to get involved in the season.

in a big way. And good for the Rangers. Just taking care of business. Yeah, a little catcher's interference there in that ninth inning rally. We were seeing that a lot for a while. Then we stopped seeing it. I think with ABS, catchers can go further back. Yeah.

I think it was just to steal strikes up in the box. Yeah, exactly. I think we saw a change when, it was two years ago when Wilson Contreras was buying the plate for the cardals. It got his hand, like, shattered by a, like, a check swing there. So I think, you know, I'm happy that catchers are moving back because it's a dangerous play. it is a dangerous play and who was

Jacobi Ellesbury that was really good at getting catchers interferences yes he was good wow good call draft yeah I just I at the time I was like damn maybe I should start trying that with two strikes I don't know

Can on base Ben? Does that do anything for on base It's an error right So it's a good question Yeah I think it doesn't do anything We need a super producer Rob can get on that for us I don't actually don't know

what it counts at for a hitter It can't go negative against you I know that I think it does. Because I think it's an error. I don't think it's an 0 for one. It might just be a non-played appearance with an error. Comment down below.

I'm curious. I don't know. That's kind of crazy. Okay. That's going to do it, man. We made it, Truff. We did it. And now, Jolly.

Let's start the second half of the show with standout performances. It's time for standout performances. Standout performances. This guy stood out for Trev. Say what? I mean, I know it says me. Do you want to go first? I can lead us off.

I mean, my Yankees bias is coming through here because I'm going with Trayy Savage. He's my standout performer. He just continues to impress me, man, with how quickly he shot up from the minor leagues, how big of games he's pitched in this early in his career. This was another big one, man. They kind of needed the series split bad. he goes out there six innings, no walks, no runs, two hits and eight strikeouts against a very, very good Yankees lineup who has never really had an answer for him or kind of the splitter in general. The Yankees lineup still struggling with that even from last year.

The Blue Jays, they haven't gotten a lot of expected performances from some of their guy guys this year. Trey Savage, I treated still as a wild card even with the great postseason last year. But he's showing up, man. In the month of May, he's been absolutely. I mean, honestly, the entire year, a 1.07 ERA through five starts this year, 25 and a third innings, eight walks to 29 strikeouts. He's been the guy, and he gets my standout performance. He's a nightmare with that high release point,

and actually has gone up one degree this year from 64 degrees to 65 degrees. Yeah, that's something. It's not a ton of extension, but it is the height. It's just a very, very difficult at bat. This year we got the fastball at 48%, the splitter at 34%, and the slider at 18, and all of them are nasty. I am going to go, Jolly, with another pitcher. I can't believe we did two pitchers.

That doesn't ever happen. But I'm going to go with Chase Burns of the Cincinnati Reds, goes six innings pitched, one earned run, 9Ks, zero walks. Now, I asked Rob to get up a video for me. Rob, play this video. It's from his tennis. sea days. Actually, first runner out of Wake Forest, I believe the next year, strikes a guy out and just goes absolutely ballistic. And I remember this. Oh, I do remember this clip. I didn't realize that was Chase Burns. And he just like, he keeps going. It doesn't stop. Oh, well, here's another one. Yeah, that's from Wake Forest. College baseball is just different, man. We've had a lot of this going on as a way of the guys yelling at hitters. And at the time, I remember saying like, Chase, like, what are we doing, bro? Like, it doesn't. work in pro ball. You can't do that in pro ball. And he doesn't do it in pro ball because you're a

professional. But he has been absolutely nasty, especially this year, man. He has 10 games, 59 innings pitch, 64Ks. He's pitching to a 183 fine. ERA. You might not like it, but it is nice when you have a good ERA. Kind of means something. Results still matter, people. The whip, that's where I always go to with these pitchers, ma'am. 0.9.9 whips. So he's got the sub 1 whip. The ERA plus is nasty. And if we're looking at K percentage,

is actually a little down for him this year because he was at such a great clip last year, 35.6 last year, but the walk percentage was up. So he's brought that down, K percentage down a little bit, but still above average. He looks to be, he's 23 years old. He's going to be a stud for a long time for what we think can be i mean the reds can have some of the best starting pitching in all the baseball

were you the one that took him in the si young draft oh maybe because whoever did that was brainiac i mean i'm pretty smart i don't know i like to think so i like to think so great pick triff oh thank you for that one man so those are the two guys it could have been anybody jolly you know we could have talked about junior camminero freddie freeman we talked a little bit about brandonimo randy a rosea rayna of the best to ever do it. Your guy, Carson Benj. Let's see if any of those guys are on Enfuego.

Dirt nasty's on Fuego. That means I'm on fire, baby, like Waco. Jolly, let's see if these guys are in Fuego. And Enfuego, brought to you by Amazon. It's time for Enfuego, powered by Amazon, just like how Amazon is there to save the day. When you're in a pinch, we're talking about the guys who have been doing everything they can to save their teams this past week.

Jolly. We're starting with my guys. guy, Bobauchette, is he coming out of it? 7 for 18 in the series with three homers and 9 RBI? What? My goodness, Bobbichet, keep it up, please. Jaron, speaking of keeping it up, 4 for 10, double, triple, two homers, four extra base hits.

The Red Sox need him to keep that going. Just looking 7.50 with runners in scoring position this year. That's second best in MLB. Didn't have that in my book. How about Justin Foske? Hope I'm pronouncing that right. It's seven for 12. Three doubles and a homer in this Colorado series.

He's a big time prospect for the Rangers. They need him as well. Your guy, Josh Bell. He's inevitable. Every year he just puts up numbers. Six for 11 in the series with a couple home runs and a walk. Then Ernie Clement, still doing it on that side of the ball, huh? Six for 12 in this series.

He loves playing the Yankees, three doubles and a homer. But what about the whole week, Trev? It's one thing to do it for a series. What about the whole week? How about Juan Soto? We just talked about him. 10 for 26 with four homers on the week. week six walks and yet this four stolen bases he's starting to do it again maybe that

calf is feeling a little bit better junior caminero you just gave him a shout two more homers on the week eight rbis and five walks i mentioned alec bone before ever since he got that couple days off he's been raking nine for twenty four on the week three doubles and two home runs and last but not least those big pants for jazz chisholm twelve for twenty seven a four forty four four clip with two doubles and a homer and five runs scored on the week. That is who is in Fuego. Thanks to our partners at Amazon. Shop Amazon. Save on essentials and save the every day. Jolly, excellent job there with Enfuego. And because it's me and you, we're basically like Carson, Benj and Ewing out there. Two young kids getting the job done. Did I say that right?

AJ Ewing, you got it. Nailed it. We're going to skip batters who are struggling. We don't need that. We don't need that in our life. Let's go straight to I.L, which isn't much better. I'll take this one. I'll take it for the teen jolly. Appreciate you. Thank you. Placed on the I.L. Jordan Beck, handsome. Left hamstring strain, three weeks.

Kelsey, I'll send the text to him. I've done a lot of hamstrings. Chris Boobit, the Kansas City Royals, left elbow soreness, TBD, expected only a few weeks. Very mild in nature. It's not something I want to push, give my history, and giving the timing of the year. So for him, that's good news, he said.

Okay. My guy, Kyle Farmer. Strained his right forearm. That's TBD on timetable there. Corey Seeger, lower back inflammation. I haven't seen him. No timetable set. I just didn't feel like pushing this thing with the back.

Like we said, backs are tricky. I'm not going to push it to where we'll then miss a significant amount of time. Smart. I like it. But we do need it. Seeks that kind of need you. Like sooner than later. Drake Baldwin, right, oblique strain four to eight weeks.

That's tough for them because Sean Murphy out as well. Well, if there's a silver line name, we get to replace Drake with a guy named Ronald the Coonier. Not many teams get to do that, so that's the good news there. That's for Walt Weiss quote. Don't love that from Walt Weiss. Yeah, but also they're 33 and 60. I know, but still, they're the braves.

It'll be fine. Speaking to catchers, Ryan Jeffers, left handmate bone fracture, weird swing. He did it on that six to eight weeks. Love you, Rye, miss you. Sad you're not going to be on the trip. Or maybe you will be on a trip. I don't know. Joe Mance Ply, left knee inflammation.

James McCann. Right, quad strain. four to six weeks. Lance McCullors Jr. right shoulder inflammation. No timetable set. Victor Voddinate. We talked about right ulnar nerve inflammation. He's TBD. Ben Williamson of the Tampa Bay raised lower backstrain four weeks. And Brenton Doyle left oblique contusion. I'll send the text two to six weeks depending on inflammation. That's a big timetable two to six weeks. Okay. Over that, let's talk about guys returning from the IL. We mentioned Ronald LeCunia Jr. He's back. Sean Armstrong relief pitcher for the guardians like they need.

it. Joe Boyle, starting pitcher for the race. Like, they need it. Jackson, Holiday's back. Okay. We'll see what they do with him. Jeremiah Jackson, where do you, I don't know. I'm curious. Jeremy Pena, back for the Astros. Patrick Wisdom, he can dance, by the way.

Back for Seattle. Dylan Dodd of the Atlanta Braves. Chris Martin. Jake Myers. Nate Pearson. How about him? Caliphobes need him. Cubs need him. Curve all from the heavens. Matt Brash. Speaking about, he's got the slide ball,

doesn't he? Just keep him healthy, man. He's nasty. Stephen Matt's of Tampa Bay and then Eli White of Atlanta. Jolly, let's start everybody's weekend off with award.

I'll let you lead it off, big dog. Shout out Kelsey. Shout out Kelsey. Quick thing on Akunia before we get to awards. He did get removed from the game yesterday

as a precaution with pain in his thumb. So keep an eye on that, everybody who's not. Brave sense. My award. goes to, well, I should probably name it first, right? That's how it works on this show.

I can do whatever. My award is the You Overthought It Award. Let me take you back. Let me take you back to midseason last year. This is brutal. This is a little mean, but I'm going to do it. Last year, the Red Sox stole headlines by trading Raphael Devers. Everyone thought, what are you doing?

This guy's a generational hitter. This award isn't really about Devers. It's about what the Red Sox got returned for Devers. They got James Tibbs, who was later traded away. They also got a left-handed pitcher, a former highly touted prospect who just never really could figure things out in San Francisco by the name of Kyle Harrison. Harrison also gets traded away in another big team deal. This time with the one team that you don't want to trade pitching to,

that being the Milwaukee Brewers. Kyle Harrison has fully emerged as a Scion contender in the big year of 2026, and he absolutely dominated the final game of this Cubs Brewer's series. 11 strikeouts, seven shutout innings, two hits allowed. He is the first Brewer's Southpaw ever to go into Wrigley, complete seven innings, and get at least 10 strikeouts, not even factoring in runs allowed. He's the first person to ever do that alone.

His last five games started, he's got an ERA below one. He's 4-0, 41Ks across 28 innings. The only Brewer's pitcher ever with a lower ERA, R.A through his first nine starts with the team is C.C. Sabathia, the guy who was pitching on three days rest routinely to break their postseason drought in his legendary 2008 season. Kyle Harrison is doing things we have not seen in Milwaukee for almost 20 years. The arm angle has changed. She's moved to the first base side of the rubber. Things you don't even think of to fix pitchers. That's what the Brewers are doing to make their guys aces. He has just been an absolute sensation from him.

They didn't even need him really to be as good as he is because they have so much depth. They have so much pitching. It doesn't matter. He's possibly the best pitcher in the rotation now. Sharing a rotation with the guy named Jacob Mizorowski. He's been unbelievable. And how different could the Red Sox season be if he was still on their team? I'm not going to speak too much to that because that feels like a twisting of the knife.

But he gets my word for this week because he's just an absolute joy to watch on the bump. I mean, that was a little mean to the Red So. It was a little mean. But like, what are you doing? Why would you train him? I mean, they're not happy about it. I was watching a little bit of Corobus and his guys talking about the Red Sox, and they were talking about you didn't want to trade Connolly early for Cotel Marte.

Yeah. But you end up trading Kyle Harrison for Caleb Durbin. That's a little bit. That's tough, man. Yeah, Caleb Durbin has, you know, he's got a chance. Hasn't shown it this season. How about that? I'm still holding out.

Love my short kings there. Great award, Jolly. And you know what? And if you stand in the middle of the rubber, stop. Like just go to one side. That to me, and like you said teams don't really think of it. And they should. It seems like very, very obvious.

I'm bringing it back to my pitching days. I was completely on the left side of the rubber, almost off of it. But yeah, it's just a different look. It's a different angle. What do we talk about all the time? Guess what, guys? This is advice for everyone. It's all about the angles, okay?

I am going to go with a legendary treat. Oh, okay. It's still the test of time. You know, like, if you're just talking about desserts, you know, you can get all these fancy things. But, like, in the end, like, isn't a cookie just, like, the best? It's always number one. You just, like, if you eat it with your hands, it's not too indulgent,

although sometimes one cookie turns into five cookies. A little oatmeal raves. You know, I don't put. at my body. On an airplane, I am a freaking garbage container. I put everything in my body and I don't know why. I ate a cookie last night. It's different.

It's like not real life. Yes. There's no loss 36,000 feet above, Jolly. Just on the road in general, man. Nothing counts. This award goes to Carlos Kraska. This guy is absolutely something else. He's been

up and down with the Braves from Atlanta to Gwinnett, like three different times this year. That's kind of what this award is about, but he's had big league innings every single, or acute service time, accrued service time, every year since 2009, Jolly. Crazy.

He didn't pitch in 2012 because he was hurt, but he still obviously gets service time for that. But since 2009, that's 17 years straight, This guy's been a big league pitcher, which is just phenomenal. I got to see some of his best years, 2015, Sy Young 13, 2017, Sy Young 4. That's just kind of the beginning of the story. He's 39 years old right now, which the Braus have taken up what I said you should do is just not ask people their age.

Because if you look at their roster right now, I mean, you have, as far as pitchers go, Yeah, Chris Sale, who's 37, Martin Perez, who look at his stats, 285, and six starts, 10 games for him. He's 35, like I mentioned, Ricella Iglesias, 36, Robert Swares, 35, Tyler Kinley, 35, and then Carlos Carrasco, and then Carlos Carasco. So, age is just a number, and I keep telling myself that as I approach 40. Here's what happened with Cookie Carrasco, born in Barquisimiano in Venezuela, which I love. I've been there. I've eaten the rapists in Venezuela, and Barquisimino. Yeah, no.

Signed by the Phillies is a 16-year-old in 2003. He was traded to Cleveland as a centerpiece of the Cliff Lee deal in 2009. He was a top prospect in the Philly system at the time. He debuts, shows flashes. He ends up blowing out his elbow. Misses all of 2012, recovering from Tony John. He comes back, fights his way back into the Cleveland rotation. And then 14 to 19, like, becomes like a dominant starter in the American League.

I talked about kind of his big years there. Then 2019, he's diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in June. That's a step away from the game. I think there's like blood transfusions that have to happen there. He returns later that year to the Cleveland bullpen and gets obviously gets a standing ovation from both dugouts, everybody, everyone yelling cookie. He wins a comeback player of the year and the Roberto Clemente Award in the same season.

This guy is an absolute stuff. that I've never heard anybody say a bad word about them. And then, you know, he went on. He's pitched for a bunch of different teams, including your Mets. And then this year he's 39 years old, still doing it, loves the game. He's been called up. This is what he's done in 2026. Started in the minors in a minor league deal.

He been called up. He pitched a perfect inning. Then he was DFAed. Then he was re-signed, goes to Gwinnett. Called up again, pitches another frame, DFA the next day, signed another minor league deal. And he's now back up for his third stint on the active roster. The cycle's going to keep going.

seem to have this kind of like agreement that hey like come pitch when we need you when the bullpen needs some rest you come up and do it he just keeps keeps doing it he's been uh has six starts in guinette he's posted a three er a he's not throwing as hard as he used to but like he's stretched out enough to give him bulk innings if they need him um i don't know man he's got nearly 1700 career strikeouts Tommy john leukemia five different organizations he just wants to pitch and there's just something magical about that. So cookie you get my award man. What an absolute stud you are. Love the shout man. I mean, he was so fun to watch in a Mets uniform. I got to watch him day in and day out in 2022. It was a big piece of that team. Just a good dude.

Like just a really easy person to root for. And I think when you have that on your team, it's special. For the Braves to kind of have like defined what his role is in the York, I think is really helpful to him as well. He's been bouncing around as of late. And hopefully this time he, he's, He just got recalled again, and hopefully this time he's here for the long haul, because that's the, like I said, just a really easy dude to root for. Five for 18 against Cookie, one double no homers, three runs down and six cakes. How can I make this about me, says Trevor Ploof. 649 OPS, not great. That's not, that's kind of nothing.

I mean, I faced him in his prime. I know. You faced prime cookie. I guess I was in my prime, too. What does that say? You faced like a freshly baked cookie out of the oven, whereas now it's a, it's a, not. I want to say stale, but you know, it's been in the cupboard for a little bit. Are you a gooey or a crunchy cookie guy?

I'm a crunchy cookie guy, which I know is a hot take. Relax, relax. Calm down. Easy with that. I'm also an oatmeal raisin guy, dude. I'm old fashioned. Oh, I love oatmeal raisin. Okay, thank you. We can agree on that.

That's good. All right. Let's get out of here. Jolly, you're an absolute treat to work with. You're my crunchy cookie to my gooey cookie. I don't know. I'm honored. That was beautiful, truth.

I really appreciate you coming on, Big Dolly. Jake sucks We could just kick Jake off the show We could I mean I need to revise my schedule a little bit We'll revise the schedule We'll talk about it Maybe Jake will do video essays

I'll see you in the slack I've never seen Jake edit though I don't think he has premiere in his computer I don't know how to edit either Alright but that's different I'm a big dummy I guess Oh come on You love you guys

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