logo
Raleigh's 39th home run leads Mariners to snap Brewers' 11-game win streak

Raleigh's 39th home run leads Mariners to snap Brewers' 11-game win streak

Yahoo7 hours ago
SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 39th home run of the season, Logan Gilbert tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings and the Seattle Mariners snapped the Milwaukee Brewers' 11-game winning streak, 1-0 on Tuesday night.
Raleigh, who hadn't homered since July 11 against the Detroit Tigers, received an elevated fastball from Brewers right-hander Nick Mears (1-3) and hit it well past the right field wall.
The switch-hitting catcher, who won the All-Star Home Run Derby, provided all the offense on an evening headlined by the pitchers.
Gilbert (3-3) carried a perfect game bid into the fifth inning, and ended up yielding just two singles. The right-hander racked up 10 strikeouts against no walks while needing only 86 pitches to make it into the seventh inning, departing to a standing ovation.
Brewers' rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski was similarly brilliant. The righty struck out seven batters across 3 2/3 innings, yielding three hits while walking one. It wasn't until Misiorowski departed that the Mariners finally pushed a run across and set up closer Andrés Muñoz for his 22nd save of the season.
Key moment
Muñoz walked William Contreras and Jackson Chourio to put two runners aboard with one out in the ninth inning. But Muñoz struck out Isaac Collins and got Andrew Vaughn to ground out to end the threat.
Key stat
The Brewers' 11-game win streak was two victories shy of the Minnesota Twins for the longest win streak in the majors this season. The Twins won 13 consecutive games from May 3 to 19.
Up next
Brewers right-hander Quinn Priester (8-2, 3.33 ERA) will start the final game of the series for Milwaukee. Right-hander Luis Castillo (7-5, 3.21) gets the ball for Seattle.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

With Chargers back in San Diego, players hope to win back their traditional fan base
With Chargers back in San Diego, players hope to win back their traditional fan base

Yahoo

timea minute ago

  • Yahoo

With Chargers back in San Diego, players hope to win back their traditional fan base

As the Chargers' team bus rolled down the freeway past Poway and toward San Diego, Tony Jefferson couldn't help but smile. This feels like home. Eight years after the Chargers left San Diego, the organization is reintroducing itself to the city with two days of training camp this week. Fans who couldn't secure tickets to practice at the University of San Diego on Tuesday still clamored for a glimpse from the top of a nearby hill. Jefferson, a San Diego native who grew up rooting for the Chargers, has been happy to see the support grow after the franchise's contentious departure. 'With any sports team that leaves the city, [fans] feel empty when it comes to that spot,' said Jefferson, who signed with the Chargers last year. 'But I think we're gradually filling that void back.' Read more: 'The Harbaugh way': Even practice jerseys are a source of pride Coach Jim Harbaugh's numerous ties to San Diego and instantaneous winning appeared to smooth out a potential reunion with the city. When team executives approached him about returning to San Diego for training camp, the coach eagerly agreed. He suggested the University of San Diego campus, where he got his head coaching start in 2004 for the Toreros. More than two decades later, this week's practices are a homecoming for Harbaugh, but it's not an olive branch for the Chargers organization, he insisted. 'It is all about the great fans we have,' Harbaugh said in June. 'We want to go to our fans. We want to go to our Chargers supporters and they're everywhere.' Although the Chargers returned this week, they didn't throw the doors open to all fans. Both of their practices were limited in attendance. Tuesday's practice was open to only active-duty military and veterans. Wednesday's is reserved for season ticket holders. Players signed autographs for almost an hour after practice Tuesday. Quarterback Justin Herbert looped back twice in front of a swath of fans that ran three bus-lengths long. Safety Derwin James Jr., who never played in San Diego after getting drafted in 2018, was in awe of all the No. 3 jerseys he saw in the crowd. 'It made my heart warm just having so much support,' James said. 'I can't wait to give them something to cheer for.' Read more: Why Chargers are confident Justin Herbert will be able to 'attack down the field more' Harbaugh's history as a player has helped the Chargers tap back into their roots while celebrating their most iconic players. The coach who played two seasons for the Chargers called former teammate Rodney Harrison to inform the safety that he would be inducted into the Chargers' Hall of Fame in October. Legendary tight end Antonio Gates will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in less than two weeks. Five years after playing the final season of his 17-year career with the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Philip Rivers reversed course to put a more fitting punctuation mark on his career by announcing Monday that he would officially retire as a Charger. Doubling down on the nostalgia, the Chargers unveiled throwback alternative navy jerseys that were a hit among players and fans. Seeing the navy uniform with gold-lined white lightning bolts 'struck me at the core,' Jefferson said. It was just like the first NFL jersey he owned: a Junior Seau jersey he received for Christmas. The Chargers were at the center of almost all of Jefferson's core NFL memories growing up. He sat in the nosebleeds with his girlfriend at his first NFL game between the Chargers and Raiders. He played his last high school football game for Chula Vista Eastlake High in Qualcomm Stadium. But the stadium grew outdated, prompting the Chargers to relocate. Now when Jefferson drives south on Interstate 15, he still hates looking to his right because he misses the familiar venue. 'This type of stuff just happens,' Jefferson said. 'It happened to the Raiders. They're our rival and they're pretty big in what they represent organization-wise and they moved too. It's just the business.' The Padres are the only remaining major pro sports team in San Diego and the city pride runs deep. When the Chargers celebrated the Dodgers' World Series title last year, die-hard Padres fan Jefferson recoiled at the sight of a floor-to-ceiling congratulatory message in the Chargers practice facility. But with no pro football in the city, Jefferson, who still lives in San Diego, tries to remind fans that this team is still the Chargers. 'Us just being two hours away, SoFi is a perfect venue for fans, I don't see why we shouldn't have the San Diego fans,' Jefferson said. 'I think coming here is just opening up the arms again and letting them know.' Read more: With Mike Williams gone, Quentin Johnston confident he can deliver for Chargers Etc. Rashawn Slater missed a third consecutive day of practice and is 'working through something,' Harbaugh said. The coach characterized the undisclosed injury as minor, tip-toeing around suggestions that Slater is trying to wait out negotiations for a contract extension. … The Chargers signed running back Nyheim Hines to bolster a position that is still waiting for Najee Harris' return. Harris remains on the non-football injury list after suffering an eye injury from a fireworks accident, but has been attending team meetings. While signing Hines, the Chargers waived offensive lineman Savion Washington with a failed physical designation. Washington was on the physically unable to perform list. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The words that should fuel Giants coach Brian Daboll throughout training camp
The words that should fuel Giants coach Brian Daboll throughout training camp

New York Times

time3 minutes ago

  • New York Times

The words that should fuel Giants coach Brian Daboll throughout training camp

The results on the field have told the obvious story the past two seasons: The New York Giants have not been ready for Week 1. The Giants were embarrassed 40-0 in a season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys, which set the tone for a dismal 2023 season following their surprising success in 2022. The scoreboard wasn't as ugly, but the performance in a 28-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in last season's opener was equally demoralizing. Advertisement Adding insult to injury were the comments made by Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell after last season's victory. Addressing a jubilant locker room, O'Connell expressed pride that 'all day long, we looked more prepared. We looked better conditioned.' Again, the on-field results left no doubt that O'Connell was correct. But such words from an opposing coach should fuel Brian Daboll as he prepares for his fourth season. Daboll's return for a fourth year as Giants coach was in doubt as he oversaw the worst season in the franchise's 100-year history. But he's back under the shadow of co-owner John Mara making it clear that he's running out of patience with a regime that has seen its win total decrease by three in each of its first three seasons, bottoming out at 3-14 last year. Daboll can't hide from urgency required to turn things around. 'We have to hit the ground running,' Daboll said on the final day of minicamp in June. 'When training camp hits, I don't have much tolerance for mistakes during training camp. The season is getting close, so we have to be prepared mentally, and we have to be prepared physically.' It will be on Daboll to rediscover the formula that gets his players ready to go for Week 1. The Giants started fast in Daboll's first season, riding a 6-1 opening stretch to a surprising playoff run. The schedule will be a major obstacle. Six of the Giants' first eight opponents made the playoffs last year, including a pair of matchups with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. One of the opponents that missed the playoffs last season is the Cowboys, who have won eight straight over the Giants and 15 out of 16 in the rivalry. The positive vibes that exist entering camp will be extinguished quickly with another slow start. The Giants started 0-2 last season, just as they have nine times in the past 12 seasons. They finished with a losing record in all nine of those seasons. Advertisement With that in mind, it will be interesting to observe any changes Daboll makes to his approach during camp. Daboll has run a relatively light camp in past years, with the Giants placing an emphasis on health heading into the season. The benefit of that approach has been an avoidance of major injuries to significant players. The downside is the 68-6 result in the past two openers. The biggest change last offseason was Daboll taking over as the play caller after entrusting that role to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka in his first two seasons. That new role contributed to a calmer Daboll, who had frequent sideline eruptions during the 2023 season. The changes obviously didn't produce the desired results. All signs point to Daboll handing play-calling duties back over to Kafka this season. Daboll remained more even-keeled during practices this spring, but his comments indicate he may dial up the intensity this summer if he's unhappy with the team's performance. Whatever approach Daboll adopts, he needs to figure out how to get his players to the opener better prepared and conditioned. The Giants placed left tackle Andrew Thomas (foot) and running back Eric Gray (knee) on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after players reported for training camp on Tuesday. Additionally, outside linebacker Victor Dimukeje (pec) was placed on the Non-Football Injury list and safety Anthony Johnson (shoulder) was waived injured. Thomas' inclusion on the PUP list isn't a surprise since the team is taking a cautious approach with the vital piece as he returns from the Lisfranc injury he suffered last October. Thomas, who has missed 18 games over the past seasons, is on pace to be ready for Week 1, but don't expect a quick activation from the PUP list. The goal is to avoid any setbacks, so expect a gradual build toward practice participation with the target of an appearance in a preseason game or a joint practice to gear up for the season. Gray remains sidelined after missing the final three open practices of the spring. Any missed time is crucial for Gray, who has been pushed to the roster bubble by the selection of running back Cam Skattebo in the fourth round of the draft. It's notable that Dimukeje was placed on NFI because he has $1.03 million of his $1.17 million salary fully guaranteed. Those guarantees don't apply to players on NFI, however, so the Giants could cut Dimukeje and be left with just $167,500 in dead money from his signing bonus. Dimukeje, who reportedly tore his pec while training in the spring, counts toward the 90-man roster limit while on NFI. Players on the PUP list also count on the 90-man roster. Advertisement Johnson missed the entire spring with a shoulder injury. He was replaced by sixth-year veteran K'Von Wallace, who started seven games for the Tennessee Titans in 2023 when Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen had the same role in Tennessee. Wallace was a tryout participant in the Giants' minicamp in June and was signed after another workout on Tuesday. On the positive front, Skattebo, wide receiver Malik Nabers, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, defensive lineman Darius Alexander and linebacker Bobby Okereke aren't on the PUP list after missing time during the spring. The quiet time before training camp is typically only interrupted by the news of contract extensions. The most surprising extension of the summer came from a front office, with the Chicago Bears giving general manager Ryan Poles a three-year extension that runs through 2029. The Bears have a 15-36 record in three seasons under Poles, who was a finalist for the Giants' GM job in 2022. The Bears fired coach Matt Eberflus, who was hired in the same offseason as Poles, during last season. Poles' contract length is aligned with new coach Ben Johnson. Seeing Poles get an extension leads to obvious questions about the future of Giants GM Joe Schoen, who has an 18-32-1 record in three seasons. It would be unconscionable for the Giants to extend Schoen off a 3-14 season, but Poles' extension could foreshadow a similar commitment to Schoen after the season even if the results on the field aren't dramatically improved. More typical extensions were handed out to New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson and Kansas Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis in the final days before the start of camp. That trio joined 2022 draft classmate Derek Stingley, who signed a three-year, $90 million extension with the Houston Texans in March. This offseason was the first time 2022 draft picks were eligible for extensions. The Giants haven't extended any of their 11 picks from the 2022 draft, and it would be a surprise if any extensions are imminent. Advertisement There's no shortage of lists during the dead time of the NFL calendar between minicamps and the start of training camp. Most are good for a quick scroll while sitting by a pool, but the position-by-position top-10 list compiled every July by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is a notable exception. Fowler's rankings of the best players at every position are based on a survey of more than 70 league executives, coaches and scouts. That provides the best snapshot of top talent across the league because the lists are comprised by those who evaluate players for a living. The Giants had three players crack the top 10 at their position: Dexter Lawrence was voted the No. 1 defensive tackle; Malik Nabers was voted the No. 7 wide receiver; and Andrew Thomas was voted the No. 10 offensive tackle. Fowler includes an honorable mention section for every player who receives a vote at each position. The only other Giants to receive votes were Brian Burns, who finished 11th at edge rusher, and Jevon Holland, who finished 11th at safety. Lawrence jumped to No. 1 from No. 3 last year, unseating Kansas City's Chris Jones from the top spot. Thomas, who missed 10 games last season, clung to a spot in the top 10 after ranking eighth last season. Thomas' highest ranking was No. 1, so he clearly still has at least one true believer in the league after two injury-plagued seasons. Nabers cracked the top 10 on his first try, receiving at least one vote as high as No. 4. It wouldn't be a surprise if Nabers climbs into the top-three discussion with fellow LSU products Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson after his second season. When comparing the Giants to their NFC East competition, it's easy to see why they're lagging. Not surprisingly, the Super Bowl champion Eagles had a league-high 10 players ranked in the top 10. Philadelphia's talent is evenly distributed throughout the roster, but it's impossible to ignore its loaded offensive line. Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata ranked third and fifth, respectively, among tackles. Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens ranked fifth and 14th, respectively, among interior offensive linemen. The Commanders, fresh off a surprise run to the NFC Championship Game, matched the Giants with three top-10 finishers: No. 5 quarterback Jayden Daniels, No. 5 off-ball linebacker Frankie Luvu and No. 7 offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Washington has a deeper talent pool than the Giants, however, with seven players receiving votes outside of the top 10 at their positions. The Cowboys had four top-10 finishers: No. 2 interior offensive lineman Tyler Smith, No. 3 edge rusher Micah Parsons, No. 4 wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and No. 8 off-ball linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. Dallas added six more players receiving votes outside of the top 10 at their positions. Advertisement Most impressive about the Eagles' wealth of top talent is that they've been adding to their base while contending for Super Bowls. Since Schoen was hired during the 2022 offseason, the Eagles have added five of their top-10 players and three more players who received votes at their positions. That list of recent acquisitions obviously is headlined by No. 1 running back Saquon Barkley, but there are also five players included that have been drafted by the Eagles since 2022. In addition to Barkley, three players who have left the Giants since Schoen took over made the top 10: No. 3 safety Xavier McKinney, No. 6 defensive tackle Leonard Williams and No. 10 safety Julian Love. Meanwhile, Nabers is the only top-10 player added by Schoen (with Burns and Holland on the doorstep). It will be imperative for Schoen's most recent draft picks to grow into the type of players that garner inclusion on these lists in the future.

Historic Aaron Judge Run Leads Yankees To Top True Talent Team Ranking
Historic Aaron Judge Run Leads Yankees To Top True Talent Team Ranking

Forbes

time3 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Historic Aaron Judge Run Leads Yankees To Top True Talent Team Ranking

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates his solo home run against the Atlanta Braves in the ... More first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) It's time for my annual batted ball-based midseason team true-talent rankings —here's a quick refresher on the methodology. In a nutshell, league averages for each exit speed/launch angle "bucket" are applied to each team's population of batted balls, both for and against, to derive the production they "should have" achieved and allowed. Add back the Ks and BBs, and voila, each team receives an offensive and pitching rating, relative to league average of 100. For hitters, the higher number the better, for pitchers, the lower. Team defense is also measured, in a somewhat unique manner. Clubs' performance is compared head-to-head versus their opponent; the ratio of actual production versus projected performance for both clubs is compared to each other, resulting in a overall defensive multiplier that can also be spread among the individual batted ball types. In 2020, I added a new wrinkle. I introduced a team extreme ground ball-pulling penalty, similar to a concept I use for individual batters. It does not impact the overall team rating, but it more appropriately punishes a team's offense rather than its defense for shortcomings in this area. To qualify for such a penalty, a team had to both A) pull more than 5 times as many grounders as it hit to the opposite field, and B) post actual grounder production lower than the level it 'should have' posted based on its exit speed. The penalty is equal to the amount of that difference. Five clubs were subjected to this penalty, a fairly average number compared to recent norms. Yesterday we reviewed the bottom 15 clubs; today, it's the top 15. This includes 11 of the 12 teams in playoff position at the All Star break, but also three teams presently below .500. Here we go: After years of their subpar offense being carried by a stellar pitching staff, the Mariners offense steps forward……and their pitchers get hurt. Perhaps they can begin to click on all cylinders as the arms return. Led by a command performance from C Cal Raleigh, the M's actually hit 22 more homers than their opponents at the break. Outside of that, this was the epitome of a .500 club - the same exact 89.1 mph average exit speed both for and against, and a very modest -0.3 degree launch angle differential. Their net team K/BB profile is almost exactly neutral, and they put into play all of 33 batted balls fewer than their opponents. A healthy George Kirby and Logan Gilbert would make a big difference - only three MLB clubs had higher projected SLG against in the the first half. Team defense is a strength, particularly in the outfield (88.9 fly ball multiplier) where Julio Rodriguez roams. Sometimes an offense takes on the characteristics of its most distinguishable member - only the Brewers have a lower team average exit speed than the Padres, and only a handful of clubs hit more line drives, as the club mimics the tendencies of Luis Arraez. To deepen the comparison, only two teams have struck out less than the Padres, who put 167 more balls into play than their opponents. Unfortunately, the excess was wasted on the ground ball category, where the Padres were +191. This keyed a -3.6 degree launch angle deficit compared to their opponents, one of the the largest in baseball. The club's 89.9 mph average fly ball exit speed tied the Brewers for the lowest mark in the game in the first half, and their expected fly ball SLG ranked next to last. My method sees them as the third NL wild card. The Rangers very quietly have become a high floor team, respectable in all facets of the game. Unfortunately, there isn't a ton of ceiling here as presently constituted. This is a fairly neutral team across the board, with a level K/BB profile, and a mere +17 batted ball surplus with only one notable batted ball type differential. That one is a negative, however, as their +68 pop up surplus is quite a drag on their offense. That contributes to their +2.5 degree launch angle differential. The positive side of that advantage is borne out by their +14 homer edge. Their pitching is much improved, inducing plenty of grounders and issuing few walks. Infield defense has been a strength, with 2B Marcus Semien and SS Corey Seager keying a 81.3 grounder multiplier. Year after year, the Twins remain one of the Whole Is Less Than The Sum Of Its Parts teams. Their raw materials are solid, their connective tissue weak, kind of the anti-Brewers. Only four teams have a higher average exit speed than the Twins' 89.5 mph. Only three MLB clubs have drawn fewer walks, however. On the pitching side, no team has issued fewer walks or induced more pop ups (thanks, Joe Ryan - trade him at your own risk). Team defense, across the board, continues to be an ongoing, limiting issue. It's most acute in the outfield (113.4 fly ball multiplier), where the likes of Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner and Willi Castro have all had their problems. A very interesting and surprising ball club. My method sees them as the third AL Wild Card, one of four teams in the playoffs from their division. It's a very unique offense - they rank 4th best in baseball according to my method despite a -25 homer differential. They never strike out, but hit the ball reasonably hard, a rare combo. They put 205 more balls in play than their opponents in the first half, including a whopping +97 line drive differential, the largest in baseball. There are some real run prevention issues, however. Despite that huge batted ball differential, they actually allowed more fly balls than they hit, recording a large -4.4 degree launch angle differential. Team defense is also an issue, particularly in the outfield (111.5 fly ball multiplier), thanks in large part to the efforts of George Springer, Anthony Santander and Jonatan Clase. Our highest ranking sub-.500 club. This really shouldn't be surprising - they've scored more runs than they have allowed, despite being plagued by injuries to their best players all season. They're likely too buried to make the playoffs, but if any lagging team is capable of a run, it's these guys; according to my method, they're the second NL wild card. The Braves are at least somewhat above average in all respects - they've got a positive net K/BB profile, have measurable team exit speed and launch angle differentials, and have hit more (and harder) fly balls and line drives than their opponents. They uncovered a gem in C Drake Baldwin, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider are back healthy and performing, and Chris Sale should join them before long (though Spencer Schwellenbach might not). The near-term future remains bright. Interesting team. My method sees them as the best offensive ballclub in the game, led by prized offseason free agent acquisition Juan Soto. They hit the ball significantly harder (+1.0 mph exit speed differential) and higher (+1.3 degree launch angle differential) than their opponents, keying a +41 homer surplus, second only to the crosstown rival Yankees. Their run prevention efforts have limitations, with injuries churning through their starting rotation and team defense shortcomings all over the field. Soto's defensive struggles contribute to their 108.4 fly ball multiplier, while 1B Pete Alonso and 3B Mark Vientos are chiefly culpable for their 123.2 grounder multiplier. The most improved team in baseball according to my method, and the highest ranked club not currently sitting in a playoff spot. Their offense is largely unremarkable, despite the breakthrough of wunderkind Junior Caminero, but their +80 line drive differential is the second largest in MLB and is keeping them afloat. Their pitching staff kind of lives on the edge - they've allowed an MLB-highest 89.9 mph average exit speed, keying a -22 homer differential. Only three MLB clubs have walked fewer hitters, however, and quite a bit of that excess authority has been muted by the game's foremost team defense. Their infield defense (81.8 grounder multiplier) has been especially good, led by SS Taylor Walls and UT Jose Caballero. A fun, fun ballclub. No team hits the ball harder than the Sox' average exit speed of 90.6 mph. Their +2.2 mph exit speed differential is also the game's best, and their +2.1 degree launch angle differential is also an asset. These factors help drive their sizeable +31 homer advantage. On the other hand, their net K/BB profile is a slight negative, and they have a -46 line drive differential. My method, which doesn't sweat errors so much, instead prioritizing range, thinks much more highly of the club's defense than do more traditional metrics. That's especially true in the outfield (89.0 fly ball, 87.5 line drive multipliers), where Ceddanne Rafaela works his magic. One more key fact to consider - while Fenway is a doubles haven, that doesn't fully explain why the Sox are +75 in doubles. They are simply out-defending their opponents. Considering the Dodgers' massive current and future payroll commitments, anything less than a first place ranking has to be considered as at least somewhat of a disappointment. Their offense remains a clear strength. Despite having only a +86 batted ball differential, the Dodgers are +115 in fly balls (driving a +1.3 degree launch angle differential), and they make it count. Only the Yankees and Red Sox have higher average fly ball exit speeds, and only those two plus the Mets have higher expected projected SLG on fly balls - and none of those three clubs have hit as many fly balls. Their injury churn on the pitching side has given back a bit of their offensive advantages - they've walked a lot of hitters and allowed authoritative contact. Defense has been an issue overall, though Mookie Betts has done a nice job at short, keying a 87.1 grounder multiplier. A cursory look at some summary batted ball numbers might cause one to wonder why the Cubs rank so highly. Their offensive and defensive average exit speeds and launch angles are almost identical. They put only 70 more balls in play than their opponents, mostly due to a +74 walk differential. They are one of the six teams assessed an excessive grounder-pulling penalty, How then, are they +29 in doubles, +8 in triples and +25 in homers? Fly ball volume and impact outfield defense, that's how. Their 910 fly balls led the majors at the break, and their +113 fly ball differential was second to only the Dodgers. Their 76.1 fly ball multiplier was the best in MLB, and was obviously made possible by the stylings of Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field. The formula was always simple for this Tigers club - improve the offense to around the league average range, and find enough pitching help for Tarik Skubal to make the pitching staff truly elite. Mission accomplished. The club has used the same approach as the Cubs - hit the ball in the air, and pull it excessively on the ground, penalty be damned. They had +74 fly ball and +3.3 degree launch angle differentials at the break, keying a +19 homer advantage. Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson give this team just enough thump to be dangerous. That thump coupled with top-shelf starting pitching and solid all-around team defense also gave the club +23 double and +9 triple advantages at the break. I have a number of committed Phils' fans in my life, and from listening to them you'd think was a deficient ballclub. Sure there are some limitations, but they have a very sound foundation. The starting rotation, led by Zack Wheeler, is without peer. And the offense doesn't get enough credit. They never pop up, hit way more fly balls than their opponents (+69) and have a significant exit speed (+1.5 mph) advantage. (Of course, their 87.8 mph average exit speed allowed is MLB's best.) Team defense is a concern, particularly in the outfield (105.3 fly ball multiplier), where Nick Castellanos is the weak link. Their best players are as good as anyone's, but the connective tissue (and the bullpen) needs shoring up at the deadline. The Astros have for the entire season been what the Milwaukee Brewers have been for the last month or so - an elite run prevention outfit with just enough offense to win. And they've done it despite the loss of mainstays Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman prior to the season and a spate of starting pitcher injuries and turnover during the season. As usual, they put the ball in play (-178 strikeout, +240 ball in play differential) and that allows them to paper over mediocre team exit speed and launch angle differentials (and a mere +1 homer advantage). They're this efficient at bat - they have a -38 pop up differential despite all those extra batted balls. Team defense is also a strength, particularly in the infield (80.4 grounder multiplier), largely due to the fine work of SS Jeremy Pena and UT Mauricio Dubon. Yup, my method sees these guys as 10 games better than their record at the break, the largest such disparity in the game. It's not that surprising when you look at the underlying data - their 90.4 mph average exit speed is the game's second highest, and their +1.9 mph exit speed differential is the largest. No club hit their fly balls harder (92.5 mph), or with a higher expected SLG. They hit 111 more fly balls than their opponents, driving +39 doubles, +47 homer and +2.5 degree launch angle differentials, and were one of the six clubs assessed an excessive grounder-pulling penalty. Aaron Judge's fingerprints are all over all of this. But they're more than just a bunch of thumpers - their pitchers allowed the third fewest number of liners in either league, and their infield defense (93.6 grounder multiplier) has been stellar, led by Jazz Chisholm, Oswald Peraza and yes, Anthony Volpe.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store