Max Fried's impressive run and Tarik Skubal's ‘Maddux': MLB's top 10 storylines

Fox Sports

7 days ago

Wondering what you may have missed last week in the busy world of baseball? We've got you covered.
This year, we started a new series where we spotlight the 10 best storylines that happened in MLB each week. Here's a look at last week's standout stats and thrilling performances, including a peek at the competitive American League Cy Young race and the threats of the NL East.
10. Halos are red-hot
Remember when the Angels went through a brutal 5-16 stretch? Well, they suddenly woke up – putting up an eight-game winning streak that was snapped on Saturday against the Marlins. If eight straight wins don't impress you, consider the context. This was the Angels' longest winning streak since 2014, also known as the last time they went to the postseason. And they've been doing it all without Mike Trout, who is working his way back from the injured list with a bone bruise in his knee. As always, the Angels need to put up wins more often and more consistently in order for us to buy into their recent run. Now that they have our attention, can they continue surprising us?
9. Judge's first time at Coors = a win for the Rockies. Wait, what?
You just knew Aaron Judge making his first appearance at the hitter-friendly Coors Field would be a sight to see. And it was… just not for the reasons you might have expected. Judge did his part, crushing his 17th home run of the season in the series opener Friday, but the rest of the Yankees offense fell asleep. So the Rockies (who, as a reminder, are by far the worst team in baseball) took that opportunity to charge ahead and win just their ninth game of the season. If it felt like an alternate dimension, baseball can do that sometimes. The Yankees entered the game with a .612 winning percentage, while the Rockies' was .160. The Bronx Bombers remembered who they were by the end of the weekend, outscoring Colorado 20-8 and winning the series as Judge blasted his 18th homer on Saturday. And the Rockies, well, they remembered who they were, too.
8. Grand night for PCA and Cubs
Pete Crow-Armstrong blacked out. That's what a first career grand slam can feel like, apparently. The Cubs superstar outfielder has a penchant for dramatic moments, and his seventh-inning go-ahead grand slam against Cincinnati was no different. He sparked a six-run rally and the Cubs, who absolutely cannot be stopped, came from behind to win, 13-6, on Friday. PCA's breakout season is everything the Cubs could've dreamed of after the numbers he's putting up this year. The 23-year-old has the team lead in home runs (14), and that's after Chicago traded for Kyle Tucker. Plus, his .576 slugging percentage is tied for the fifth-best in MLB. Keep watching, because PCA is proving he's the real deal.
7. Cardinals are on a surprising run
Speaking of a team that can't be stopped, here come the Cardinals. St. Louis has won 16 of its last 20 games, including a nine-game winning streak over that dominant strech. The Cardinals carry an impressive 30-23 record into the week, just two games behind the first-place Cubs. Nobody saw this coming, and there's a lot of season left, but as things stand, Nolan Arenado has a legitimate shot at making the postseason, and he didn't even have to go anywhere to play for a competitive club. While the future Hall of Famer continues making all the right moves this season, including another jaw-dropping defensive play at third base on Sunday, Arenado's teammates are playing hard enough to support him, making for a well-rounded Cardinals offense that's ranked in the top 10 in baseball. St. Louis just swept the Diamondbacks, and they have a cushy schedule against Baltimore and Texas on tap this week, so they should have no problem adding on.
6. Phillies move into first place
The Mets had a strong hold over the NL East all season — until last Monday, that is. The Phillies look like they're having the most fun in baseball right now after their first nine-game winning streak since the team fired Joe Girardi and Rob Thomson took over as manager in 2022. Kyle Schwarber continues to obliterate home runs, once again tying Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani for the MLB lead with 18. Still, the Phillies are winning during the weakest part of their schedule. This month, they've won the series against the Rays, Guardians, Pirates, Rockies, and Athletics. Who wouldn't have a blast facing those basement dwellers? Still, all that winning helped Philly get its confidence up, and with reasons for the Braves' optimism, the NL East is, once again, as competitive as ever.
5. Wacky NLCS rematch
We were all hyped for the spicy Dodgers-Mets series this past weekend, particularly to see how these top contenders would fare in a repeat of the 2024 NLCS. But this, no one could've expected. The series opener on Friday included a weird collision between Juan Soto and Tyrone Taylor in right field, with Taylor holding onto the ball while runners (controversially) advanced. Then came the rain. After a one-hour and 38-minute delay, there were a couple of obstruction calls at third base. Max Muncy said that's a play that hasn't been called in over 30 years. The Mets came back and tied the game in the ninth, which led to a 13-inning game that's unheard of in the extra-innings free-runner era. After both managers emptied their bullpens, the Dodgers finally won the five-hour and 46-minute match. It was the most innings played by the Mets since their 2-1 loss in 14 innings on Aug. 23, 2019 vs. Atlanta. The Mets eventually won the series on Sunday by taking the rubbermatch, 3-1. There will be no shortage of storylines if these two clubs meet again in October.
4. Ohtani's first time facing hitters
Two-way dominance is on its way back to the major leagues. Are you hyped, or what? Shohei Ohtani took the mound on Sunday to face hitters for the first time since he became a Dodger. Even though it was just a live batting practice, it had all the hype of a real outing as a crowd including players, coaches, staffers and media formed at Citi Field hours before the series finale between the Mets and Dodgers. Ohtani, loose and laughing throughout, threw 22 pitches and touched 97 mph with his fastball. By all accounts, it was a successful return to the mound — his first time facing hitters in nearly two years after a second major elbow surgery. Buckle up, because the reigning-champion Dodgers expect him in their rotation sometime after the All-Star break.
3. It's time to talk about Max Fried
Anytime anyone makes history with the Yankees, it's a big deal. Some of the greatest players in the history of the sport have pitched in pinstripes, and outshining Hall of Fame talents, let alone being in the same conversation as them, is no small feat. So give new Yankees ace Max Fried his flowers for allowing just two runs or fewer in 10 consecutive starts, the longest such streak in Yankees history. The last Yankees pitcher to record a starting streak that was this successful was Ron Guidry back in 1978, which is considered the best season by a starter in franchise history. Fried is vying for the American League Cy Young award after entering the week with the best ERA in baseball (1.29). But he's got stiff competition…
2. Skubal, even better than a 'Maddux'
I mean, what can't this guy do? Tarik Skubal once again put on a dazzling performance on Sunday afternoon, and this was his best trick yet. The reigning AL Cy Young winner not only pitched a "Maddux" — a complete-game shutout in under 100 pitches — but he became the first pitcher in MLB history to strike out at least 13 batters while throwing a nine-inning, complete-game shutout, needing just 94 pitches to get it done. But wait! That's not all. Skubal's final pitch of the outing was also his fastest; Detroit's right-hander dialed it up to 103 mph to end the game with his 13th strikeout and deliver a 5-0 win. And he still looked like he had more in the tank. At one point, he retired 15 consecutive batters. What's next? The first perfect game in Detroit Tigers history?
1. Ronald Acuña's LOUD return
If there was ever any concern about what type of player Ronald Acuña Jr. would be when he returned from an ACL injury that forced him to miss a year of game action, he erased any and all doubt the moment he dug into the batter's box on Friday. Acuña sent the first pitch he saw since May 26, 2024 into the left-field seats at Truist Park. After the game, he said he expected something like that to happen. Of course he did. For good measure, Acuña reminded us of his all-around skills when he unleashed a couple of powerful throws from right field and added another home run on Saturday. His throw home on Sunday clocked in at 104.9 mph just before Manny Machado slid in safely. Welcome back, Ronald. Baseball sorely missed the flair and raw talent of Acuña, but the Braves missed him the most. Atlanta looks imposing again; it just needs to break free of hovering around .500.
Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. Follow her on X at @DeeshaThosar.
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