Baseball Roundtable

Once again, it’s time for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.

On July 2, Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw – a three-time Cy Young Award winner in his 18^th MLB season – notched his 3,000^th career strikeout. The victim was White Sox’ 3B Vinny Capra and the historic strikeout was the final out of the sixth inning (and the final batter Kershaw faced in the game).  Since that game, Kershaw has made two more starts and added five whiffs to his total.

A few things caught my eye: First, Kershaw became just the 20^th MLB pitcher to reach the 3,000+ strikeout mark.  However, the tidbits the Roundtable seeks are grounded in rarity.  So, two, he became just the fifth MLB pitcher to record 3,000 strikeouts for one team during his career. Three, Kershaw became just the third pitcher to record 3,000 or more strikeouts for one team and have those be the only strikeouts of his MLB career.

Three-thousand strikeouts for one team: Walter Johnson, 3,509, Nationals; Bob Gibson, 3,117, Cardinals; Steve Carlton, 3,031, Phillies; John Smoltz, 3,084, Braves; Clayton Kershaw, 3,005, Dodgers.  All of the 3,000+ strikeouts for the same team: Johnson, Gibson, Kershaw.

Of course, with The Roundtable, one thing always seems to lead to another.  So, I took a look at MLB pitchers to record at least 2,000 strikeouts with one team. There were 90 in that group, but I also found my “unicorn” for this post.  Randy Johnson is the only MLB pitcher to record at least 2,000 career strikeouts for two different teams. He notched 2, 162 whiffs for the Mariners (1989-98) and 2,077 for the Diamondbacks (1999-2004/2007-08). Along the way, the Hall of Famer led the AL in strikeouts in four seasons and the led NL in five. In eight of those nine seasons, his whiff total led MLB.

Johnson, a five-time Cy Young Award winner, had 300 or more strikeouts in six seasons and led his league in strikeouts per nine innings nine times. His final MLB stat line was 303-166, 3.29, with 4,875 strikeouts in 4,135 1/3 innings pitched. A few other Johnson facts:  ten-time All Star;  pitching triple-crown winner (24-5, 2.32, 334 strikeouts for the 2002 Diamondbacks); perfect game (May 18, 2004 versus Braves); no-hitter (June 2, 1990 versus Tigers.)

 

Bonus Tidbit. 

PITCHERS WITH 3,000 OR MORE CAREER STRIKEOUTS.

Nolan Ryan                  5,714

Randy Johnson           4,875

Roger Clemens           4,672

Steve Carlton               4,136

Bert Blyleven               3,701

Tom Seaver                  3,640

Don Sutton                   3,574

 Gaylord Perry               3,534

Walter Johnson          3,509

Justin Verlander         3,483 (still active)

Max Scherzer              3,431 (still active)

Greg Maddux              3,371

Phil Niekro                  3,342

Fergie Jenkins            3,192

Pedro Martinez          3,154

Bob Gibson                  3,117

Curt Schilling              3,116

CC Sabathia                 3,093

John Smoltz                3,084

Clayton Kershaw       3,005 (still active)

Primary Resource:  Stathead.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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P 1126

Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday.  Well actually, I am a day late, due to some family medical issues.  Even on a Wednesday,  I hope you are enjoying this weekly (Tuesday) presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.

This post in the series looks at a couple of longball unicorns. Keith McDonald, who holds the all-time mark for the most career home runs by a player whose every MLB hit went yard, and Daniel Camarena, the only player whose lone MLB career hit was a Grand Slam.  Side note, Camarena was a pitcher … 16 of the 29 hitters (to date) whose only MLB hit was a home run were moundsmen.  

So, let’s get started with Camarena. The southpaw was a 20^th-round MLB draft pick (Yankees -2011), out of Cathedral Catholic High School (San Diego, CA). To shorten a long story, Camarena’s path to the major leagues was not a “quick and easy” one.  His MLB debut came in his tenth professional season and his path included Tommy John surgery (2015) and time in the Yankees’, Giants’, Twins’ and Padres’ minor-league systems.

Camarena made his MLB debut with the Padres on June 19, 2021, giving up three runs in 2 2/3 innings in a Padres’ 7-5 win over the Reds.  His next appearance came on July 8 with the Padres facing the Nationals in San Diego. The game featured a pair of “aces” on the mound – three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer starting for the Nationals and Yu Darvish for the Padres. The pitchers’ duel, however, was not about to materialize.  By the close of fourth inning, both starters were on the bench (or in the showers) and the score was Nationals 8 – Padres 7.

Camarena relieved Darvish in the top of the fourth inning, with the Padres already down 6-0. The first batter he faced was Scherzer, who fanned on four pitches. In the course of the inning, Camarena gave up a two-run homer to SS Trea Turner to run the Nationals’ lead to 8-0.

The wheels came off for Scherzer (who came into the game at 7-4, 2.10 on the season) in the bottom of the inning. It started with a Fernando Tatis, Jr. home run and then went strikeout, hit by pitch, single, hit by pitch, walk, strikeout. This brought up Camarena with the Padres trailing 6-2, the bases loaded and no outs. Retire the rookie pitcher, in just second MLB plate appearance, and Scherzer escapes with a six-run lead.  Didn’t happen. Camarena took a 1-2 offering from Scherzer 416-feet to right field for a Grand Slam – his first (and what would prove to be his only) MLB hit. It made Camarena just the second pitcher in MLB history whose first MLB hit was a Grand Slam.  For unicorn status, it also makes him the first hitter (to date), any position, whose only career MLB hit has been a Grand Slam. (The 2021 season was Camarena’s only one in the major leagues. He was released by the Padres in November 2024 and pitched in Mexico in 2025.  His MLB stat line as a pitcher was 0-1, 9.64 in six games and, as a hitter, he was one-for-three (.333), with one home run and four RBI. (Side note: Scherzer gave up a double to to Padres’ LF Tommy Pham after Camarena’s  Slam and was replaced on the mound by Kyle Finnegan. )

Spoiler Alert:  At the end of this post, you will find charts of players whose only MLB hits were home runs.  At the top of that list would Keith McDonald.

Keith McDonald has the most home runs of any MLB player whose every hit went for the distance.

McDonald was a star athlete for Esperanza High School (Anaheim, California).  He was a three-year starter at quarterback – throwing for 31 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons.  He also was a three-year player on the school baseball squad. How good was he? In his senior season, McDonald hit .406 and put up a 1.90 ERA (4-0, with three saves).

Selected in the 18th round of the 1993 MLB Draft, McDonald chose instead to accept a scholarship to the University of Utah; where he would be able to play both football and baseball. Things didn’t work out at Utah, however, and – after a difficult period of adjustment, a “red shirt” season in football and a challenging year on the diamond – McDonald chose to return to California.  He transferred to Cypress College (Cypress, CA), where he combined his studies with a .353-8-37 line in 55 games (and, as a catcher, threw out 34 of 62 base runners attempting to steal).  In 1994, it was on to Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA), where he hit .266, with seven home runs and 24 RBI in 48 games.

The St. Louis Cardinals selected the 6’2”, 215-pound, 21-year-old in the 24th round of the 1994 draft – and McDonald’s pro career was underway.  From 1994 to 1999, McDonald worked his way up through Rookie ball, A, High- A, Double -A and Triple-A.

As he started the 2000 season at Memphis, McDonald had little idea he was on the brink of MLB history. He was hitting .246, with one home run and 17 RBI for the Memphis squad as the season moved into July – and, more important, precisely when Cardinals’ backup catcher Eli Marrero injured his hand attempting to steal a base. On July 2, McDonald was called up to the big club to replace Marrero.

He got his first taste of MLB action on July 4, before an Independence Day crowd of 46,022 (in St, Louis). McDonald came to the plate as a pinch hitter (for SS Edgar Renteria) in the bottom of the eighth inning – with the Cardinals ahead by a 13-3 score.  It was a good opportunity to provide a rookie with a low-pressure first MLB at bat.  After hitting just one home run in 177 at bats at Triple-A that season, McDonald sent a 2-2 pitch out of the park to left-center.  The blast made him the 79th player to homer in their first MLB at bat.

McDonald did not play in the Reds/Cardinals July 5 tilt, but on July 6 – this time before a crowd of 43,287 – McDonald started at catcher against the Reds, batting in the number-eight spot.  He got his first at bat in the bottom of the second, with the Cardinals trailing 3-2. He tied the game with a home run on a 1-0 pitch – becoming just the second MLB player ever to homer in their FIRST TWO plate appearances. He finished the day one-for-three with a walk and two RBI.

In McDonald’s next MLB game (July 8) – with the Cardinals hosting the Giants – McDonald replaced Matheny at catcher in the top of the ninth, with the Giants up 7-6. McDonald came to the plate in the bottom of the inning and drew a walk. He didn’t take the field again until July 13, when he again entered the game as a pinch hitter (this time in the top of the ninth with the Cardinals up 13-3 on the White Sox in Chicago).  He grounded out to second.

Two days later (July 15), still in Chicago, McDonald pinch hit again. This time, it came in the top of the ninth of a game in which the Cardinals trailed 15-5. McDonald popped a 3-1 pitch for a two-run home run. (Attendance 40,681.) At this stage of his MLB career, he was three-for-six – with all three 0f his hits leaving the yard and all before crowds in excess of 40,000. McDonald got only one more major-league at bat that season, a ninth-inning, pinch-hit fly out against the Twins on July 15.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it was over. On July 21, McDonald was sent back down to Memphis, where he finished the season .263-5-30 in 83 games.  He appeared in just two more major league games – in September of 2001 – going hitless in two at bats.   McDonald then spent the next five seasons at AAA; playing in the Cardinals’, Cubs’, Pirates’, Rangers’ and Yankees’ systems.  He played a total of 13 minor-league seasons, hitting .264, with 78 home runs and 418 RBI. His final MLB line was .333 (three-for-nine), with three home runs and five RBI.

 

Primary Resource: Stathead.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1125

Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.

Today’s tidbits focus on unassisted triple plays (there have been fewer of those than perfect games).  In this case, the usual disclaimers come into play. Due to the changing shape of the game and potential challenges with early game recordkeeping, I am limiting this to the Modern Era (post-1900). Game-by game records for the Negro Leagues from 1920-48 (now officially major leagues) have not been fully integrated into the MLB record books).

Today (July 8) marks the 31st anniversary of Red Sox’ shortstop John Valentin’s unassisted triple play – turned in the sixth inning of a Boston 4-3 win over the Mariners (in Fenway). It came in the bottom of the sixth, with the Red Sox trailing 2-0.  Mariners’ 1B Mike Blowers opened the inning with a ground ball single (off Chris Nabholz), followed by a walk to RF Keith Mitchell. Next up was DH Marc Newfield who lashed a 1-1 pitch on a line right at Valentin (with the runners moving on the pitch). Valentin snagged the drive, stepped on second to force Blowers and then tagged Mitchell who had been on his way to the second base bag. Boom! Inning over. Valentin earns unicorn status, as he was the first batter in the bottom of the inning and he took Mariners’ pitcher Dave Fleming deep to left field for a home run. It made him one of three batters (to date) to homer in the same game that they turned an unassisted triple play, one of only two batters to homer in the same inning as they turned an unassisted triple play and the only MLB batter to homer when coming to the plate immediately after turning a triple play.

It was Valentin’s sixth homer of a season in which he would go .316-9-49.  Valentin played in 11 MLB seasons (1992-2002 … all but his final season with the Red Sox. (He finished his career with the Mets.)

The only other player to homer the same inning in which he turned an unassisted triple play was Cleveland Naps’ SS Neal Ball, during a July 19, 1909, 6-1 win over the Red Sox (in Cleveland). The Naps had a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, when Red Sox’ SS Heinie Wagner opened the frame with single to center (off Cy Young, who had been traded from Boston to Cleveland that February). Red Sox’ 1B Jake Stahl then beat out a bunt to put runners on first and second with no outs. That brought 2B Amby McConnell to the plate and he lashed line drive over the head of Young that appeared headed for the grass in center field. Ball, however, made a leaping, run-saving catch, to retire McConnell. He the stepped on the keystone sack to force out Wagner and tagged Stahl, who had been on the move toward second.  Ball came to the plate (two outs, bases empty) in the bottom of the inning and hit the first pitch he saw from Charlie Chech to deep centerfield. Ball scampered (Do people still scamper?) around the bases for an inside-the-park home – making him the only player to hit an inside-the-park homer and turn an unassisted triple play in the same game.  It was Ball’s first career home run, only home run of the season and one of only four he would hit in his career (three were inside-the-parkers).

Ball played in seven MLB seasons (1907-1913 … Yankees, Naps and Red Sox), going .250-4-151.

The only other player to homer in the same game in which he turned an unassisted triple play was Athletics’ 2B Randy Velarde. His moment came on May 29, 2000, as the A’s lost to the Yankees 4-1 in New York. It happened in the bottom of the sixth inning and was set up, in part, by his own error.

With the Yankees ahead 1-0, New York RF Paul O’Neill opened the inning by drawing a six-pitch walk from Omar Olivares.  CF Bernie Williams than tripled O’Neill home. Next, 1B Tino Martinez was hit by an 0-2 pitch. Next, an error by Velarde allowed Williams to score, Martinez to go to second and the batter (C Jorge Posada) to reach first. Then, with the runners moving with the pitch, DH Shane Spencer lined out to Velarde, who did things in a bit of reverse order: First tagging Posada, who was approaching second from first and then stepping on the bag to force Martinez. Velarde waited awhile to join the Homer/Triple Play Club. He took Andy Pettitte deep with one out in the top of the ninth for the A’s only run of the game.

For those into Trivia(l) Tidbits:

• Being in the middle of the diamond is ideal when it comes to unassisted triple plays. All but two of the 15 unassisted triple killings have been accomplished by middle infielders (eight by shortstops, five by second baseman.) The other two belong to first sackers.
• Only two unassisted triple plays came on the final play of a game. On May 31, 1927, in the top of the ninth, with the Tigers up 1-0 over the Indians in Detroit, runners on first and second (walk and bunt single), Tigers’ 1B Johnny Neun turned a line drive by Homer Summa in a triple killing, ending the contest contest; on August 23, 2009, with his Phillies up 9-7 over the Mets in New York, runners on first and second and nobody out, Eric Bruntlett turned a liner by Jeff Francoeur in a game-ending unassisted triple killing.
• Cleveland has turned the most unassisted triple plays (three) and also been victimized an MLB-leading three times by unassisted triple plays.
• Indians’ 2B Bill Wambsganss turned the only post-season unassisted triple play – in Game Five of the 1920 World Series (versus the Brooklyn Robins). The Indians won the contest 8-1 and won the Series four-gams to three.

  Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; “July 19, 1909: Neal Ball’s unassisted triple play and homer propel Cy Young to win over former team,” by Bill Marston, Society for American Baseball Research

 

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1124

It’s July 1, and that means it’s time for Baseball Roundtable’s June Wrap up – a look at the stats and stories that caught The Roundtable’s attention over the past month, as well as The Roundtable’s Players and Pitchers of the Month, Trot Index and more.  Just a few of May’s highlights that you will find in this post:

• A pair of third basemen – Manny Machado and Nolan Areando rapping thier 350th MLB home runs;
• Shohei Ohtani returning to the mound and hitting his 250th MLB home run;
• A starting pitcher not name Ohtani (Trevor Rogers) batting twice in a game;
• One batter with 40 hits and a .400 average for the month (Yandy Diaz), a pitcher (Zack Wheeler) with a 0.58 ERA in five starts and a pitcher (Tarik Skubal) with five wins in five starts;
• Bruce the Bat Dog called up to the big leagues from Triple-A;
• A team (Brewers) scoring 26 runs over two games, without the benefit of a single home run;
• Steve Matz‘ four-strikeout inning;
• Wilyer Abreu hitting a Grand Slam and an inside-the-park homer in the same game;
• Five Astros‘ southpaws combining for a shutout;
• The Nationals’ James Wood drawing four Intentional Walks in a single game; and
• Much more.

See the Highlights Section for these stories and more.

Note: For those looking for a Baseball Roundtable Tuesday Trivia(l) Tidbit, you’ll find a few in the Highlights section.

—-PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH … MAY 2025—-

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Player of the Month – Ketel Marte, 2B, Diamondbacks

Marte put up a .330-9-24 line in June. His nine home runs tied for third in the NL, his 24 RBI tied for second and his .330 average was eighth among NL hitters with at least 75 June at bats.  In addition, his 33 hits tied for second in the league and his 24 runs scored tied for third.  Marte had eight multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games during the month.

Honorable Mentions: Dodgers’ 3B Max Muncy put up a .333-7-24 line in June.  His .333 average was fifth in the NL (75 at bat minimum), his seven homers tied for sixth, and his 24 RBI tied for second. He also scored 22 runs – fifth in the NL. In addition, Muncy drew 19 walks (versus 17 strikeouts), giving him June’s fourth-best NL On-Base Percentage (among hitters with at least 75 June at bats) at .459. Diamondbacks’ 3B Eugenio Suarez hit .315 for the month, led the league in RBI (27) and tied for the NL lead in June in home runs (10). He lost a few points with The Roundtable due to the fact that he drew just two walks, versus 33 strikeouts.

Only three NL hitters scored 20 or more runs and also drove in 20 or more runs in June. Max Muncy, Ketel Marte and Juan Soto.

Pitcher of the Month – Zack Wheeler, RHP, Phillies

Wheeler was about as dominant as you can be in June, putting up a miniscule 0.58 earned run average (MLB’s lowest among pitchers with at least 25 June innings) over five starts.  Wheeler gave up just two earned runs in 31 innings – and fanned 42 batters, while walking just seven. Those starts produced a 2-1 record for Wheeler, while the Phillies won four of the five games.  His final start of the month – June 30 against the Padres – was his best – eight scoreless innings, no walks and ten strikeouts in a 4-0 Phillies’ win.

Honorable Mentions: Wheeler’s Philadelphia teammate, LHP Ranger Suarez, put up a 1.30 ERA, while pitching an MLB-leading 41 2/3 innings (six starts).  Suarez went 3-2 on the month and fanned 36 batters, while walking seven.  RHP Logan Webb of the Giants went 2-1, 2.23 in six June starts and led the NL in June strikeouts with 43 (just seven walks).

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Player of the Month – Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners

Raleigh hit .300-11-27 for June, with 22 runs scored and three steals (in four attempts). He led the AL in June RBI, and tied for first in both home runs home runs and runs scored. Raleigh also continued his Gold Glove defense behind the plate. June marked Raleigh’s continued assault on power records for catchers.  He ended the month leading all of MLB in home runs (33) and RBI (71). You’ll find more on Raleigh in the Highlights section. Raleigh was the only AL player to both score and drive in more than 20 runs in June.  He had eight multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI contests during the month. (On June17, he drove in six of the Mariners eight runs in an 8-0 win over the Red Sox.)

Honorable Mentions: Wow?  You can’t leave off Rays’ 1B Yandy Diaz, who hit an MLB-best .400 in June (a nice even 40-for-100).  His 40 June base knocks led all of MLB.  His line on the month was .400-5-13, with 16 runs scored. Diaz hit safety in all but three of his 25 July games and from June 6 through June 25 enjoyed a 15-game hitting streak, during which he went .476-4-10.  If he had racked up at least 20 RBI or 20 runs scored, he may very well have pushed Raleigh out of the top spot. The were a few others in the running: Tigers’ 2B Riley Greene (.360-6-23); Angels’ CF Jo Adell (.293-11-19, with 20 runs scored); and Twins’ CF Byron Buxton (.310-9-21, with 17 runs scored and six stolen bases).

Pitcher of the Month – Tarik Skubal, LHP, Tigers

Gotta go with five starts, five wins and a 1.89 earned run average. That was the month for Detroit ace Tarik Skubal. In addition, his 39 strikeouts tied for third in the AL, and he walked just seven in 33 1/3 innings. Skubal pitched at least seven frames in three of his starts and gave up two or fewer runs in four of the five. He was the only MLB pitcher with five June wins.

Honorable Mentions. Hard Luck Hunter Brown has got to get a shoutout here. The Astros’ righty put up a sparkling 1.19 earned run average in June (best in the AL among pitcher with at least 25 innings pitched) – and got only one win (no losses) to show for it. The Astros won all five of his starts and he left the game with a lead in four games and with the score tied in one. Finally, kudos to Astros’ closer Josh Hader, who appeared in 14 games and picked up four wins (one loss) and nine saves; put up a 1.98 ERA; and fanned 22 (one walk) in 13 2/3 innings.

 

—MLB Surprise of the Month—

Quinn Priester, RHP Brewers

Priester could also have been an Honorable Mention for NL Pitcher of the Month, but we’ll give him his own spot here. The 24-year-old righty was a Pirates’ first-round MLB Draft pick (out of high school in 2019). Before joining the Brewers this season, he pitched in the Pirates and Red Sox minor-league systems (as well as brief MLB stints with the Pirates and BoSox).  His minor-league record was 26-17, 3.61 (six seasons). His major-league record, before June of this year, was 8-11, 5.15 (37 games/22 starts). In June, Priester went 4-0 in five starts, with a 1.98 earned run average and 29 strikeouts (just five walks) in 27 1/3 innings.  In his final June start (a win over the Rockies), he gave up one hit and two walks, while fanning eleven and shutting out the Rox for seven frames.

____________________________________________________

THE TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE FEATURE

Through June  30,  34.5% of the MLB season’s 95,357  plate appearances ended in a trot (back to the dugout, around the bases, to first base). We’re talking about strikeouts, home runs, walks, hit by pitch and catcher’s interference – all outcomes that are, basically, devoid of action on the base paths or in the field. Here’s the breakout: strikeouts (21.9%); walks (8.5%); home runs (2.9%); HBP (1.1%); catcher’s interference (less than 1%). 

The 34.5% matches  the 34.5% through June  in 2024 (perhaps we’ve plateaued and the Index no longer serves a purpose). I also looked into full-year Trot Index figures for the years I have been a fan: 34.9% in 2024; 30.3% in 2010; 29.9% in 2000; 31.7% in 1990; 23.1% in 1980; 27.0% in 1970; 25.1% in 1960; and 22.8% in 1950.

__________________________________________________

Only one team played .700 ball in June – the Astros .731 (19-7)  and their pitching led the way.  The Astros’ staff put up an MLB-lowest June earned run average(2.93, the only team under 3.00), lowest batting average against ( .214) and lowest WHIP  (1.08). They also  had MLB’s highest strikeouts per nine innings (10.49) and held opponents scoreless in the most games (five). All of  this enabled them to put up MLB’s best June record despite finishing in the middle in runs scored (eighth in the AL, 13th in MLB). The leading Astros’ starters were Hunter Brown (1-0, 1.19, five starts); Framber Valdez (4-0, 1.74 in five starts); and  Colton Gordon (3-0, 2.14 in fiye starts). Further,  Josh Hader saved nine games in nine opportunities, picked up four wins (one loss)  and put up a 1.98 in 14 games. Also coming in from the pen: Bennett Sousa gave up just one run in nine outings (12 1/3 innings); Bryan Abreu had a 1.28 ERA in 13 appearances; and Shawn  Dubin was at 1.86 in nine appearances.

——-Team Statistical Leaders for June 2025 ———

RUNS SCORED

National League – Diamondbacks (143); Dodgers (137); Cardinals (131)

American League – Rays (151); Orioles (136); Red Sox (132)

The fewest runs in June were scored by the Guardians (72). In the National  League, it was the Nationals at 102. 

AVERAGE

National League – Marlins (.268); Brewers (.266); Pirates (.251)

American League – Rays (.280); Mariners (.270); Tigers (.269)

The lowest team average for June belonged to the Guardians at .206 – the only team under .224.

HOME RUNS

National League – Mets (45); Cubs (45); Diamondbacks (43)

American League – Angels (41); Twins (40); Orioles (38); Tigers (38)

The White Sox had the fewest home runs in June at 19.  The Pirates were at the bottom, of the NL at 20.

TOTAL BASES

National League –Dodgers (402); Cubs (397) Diamondbacks (396)

American League – Tigers (4020); Rays (411); Mariners (401)

The Tigers led MLB in June Slugging Percentage at .476.  The Diamondbacks led the NL (.449)

DOUBLES

National League – Marlins (52); Rockies (49); Dodges (45); Padres (45)

American League – Red Sox (55); Rangers (48); Tigers (47); Orioles (47)

TRIPLES

National League – Rockies (10); Dodgers (6); Diamondbacks (6)

American League – Tigers (11); Rays (6); White Sox (5); Red Sox (5)

The Mets and Cardinals had zero triples in June.

STOLEN BASES

National League – Cubs (26); Marlins (21); three with 20

American League – Rays (27); Mariners (26); Guardians (24); Rangers (24)

The Dodgers stole the fewest sacks in June at seven – in ten attempts.  The Blue Jays stole the fewest June bags in the AL – nine in fifteen attempts.  

WALKS DRAWN

National League – Giants (105); Braves (97); Dodgers (92)

American League – Yankees (102); Athletics (95); Rangers (95)

The Rays led MLB in June on-base percentage at .345. The Brewers led the NL at .336. The Guardians had MLB’s lowest June OBP at (.276).  The Cubs anchored the NL at .301.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

National League – Rockies (263); Pirates (234); Braves (228)

American League – Yankees (251); Athletics (250); Angels (247)

Blue Jays’ batters fanned the fewest times in June (158). The Nationals fanned the fewest times in the NL at 184.

 

Bonus Stat

 The Mariners’ Cal Raleigh drew seven intentional  walks in June, only three other TEAMS drew that many: Yankees (nine); Nationals eight); Rangers (seven). The Mariners led MLB with ten.  Raleigh, in fact, drew more IBB than the Rockies, Athletics, Twins, Marlins,  Astros and Cubs combined.  

 

EARNED RUN AVERAGE

National League – Phillies (3.01); Brewers (3.20); Pirates (3.32)

American League – Astros (2.93); Yankees (3.19); Rangers (3.61)

The Twins had the highest June ERA at 6.07.  The only other team over 5.00 was the Rockies (5.30).

STRIKEOUTS

National League – Braves (258); Brewers (239); Padres (238)

American League –Astros (272); Rays (250); Orioles (243)

The Astros averaged an MLB-best 10.49 strikeouts per nine innings in June. The Braves averaged an NL-best 10.13.  Six teams averaged nine whiffs per nine or better.

FEWEST WALKS SURRENDERED

National League –   Cubs (57); Phillies (65); Marlins (68)

American League – Rangers (67); Astros (69); Orioles (74); Tigers (74)

The Rangers walked an MLB-lowest 2.52 batters per nine innings in June.  The Red Sox walked an MLB-worst 3.99 batters per nine frames.

SAVES

National League – Dodgers (10); Brewers (9); Diamondbacks (9

American League –Astros (11); Red Sox (10); Orioles (8); Angels (8)

The Mets. Rockies and Angels tied for the most blown saves in June– seven (the Mets in 13 opportunities, the Rockies in 14 and the Angels in 15).  The Dodgers were the only team to not blow a save in June – ten saves in ten opportunities.

Walks+ Hits/Innings Pitched (WHIP)

National League – Pirates (1.10); Phillies (1.16); Brewers (1.20)

American League:  Astros (1.08); Mariners (1.14);Yankees (1.15)

Bonus Stats:

• The Mariners gave up an MLB-high 43 home runs in June. The Guardians gave up an MLB-low 22 home runs.
• Astros’ pitchers held opponents to an MLB-low .214 average in June. The Twins’ staff was touched for an MLB-high .276 average.
• The Astros’ strikeouts-to-walks ratio for June topped MLB at 3.94. The White Sox had MLB’s worst ratio at 2.10.

—-JUNE 2025 HIGHLIGHTS—-

A Manny Milestone

On June 5, Padres 3B Manny Machado popped a two-run home run with two outs in the third inning of the Giants 3-2 win over the rival Padres. It was not only a big home run in a tight game, but also a big one in Machado’s career – his 350^th career MLB roundtripper. Machado, in his 14^th season, has seven seasons of 30 or more home runs.

Well, That’s 100

On June 6, Angels’ 35-year-old righty Kyle Hendricks notched his 100^th MLB victory – giving up four runs in six innings, as the Angels topped the Mariners 5-4. The 100^th win came in Hendriks’ 12 MLB season and 273rd start. At the close of June, Hendricks career record was 102-87, 3.74.

Well, That’s One

On June 10, Reds’ 26-year-old southpaw Andrew Abbott pitched his first MLB complete game – and recorded his first MLB shutout – in a tight 1-0 win over the Guardians in Cleveland. Abbott allowed just three his and one walk, while fanning five in the 110-pitch outing. The shutout came in Abbott’s third MLB season and 57^th career start. Abbott, who came into the season with a 18-16, 3.78 MLB career record, has been a pleasant surprise for the Reds. Through June, he is 7-1, 1.79 on the season.

I Thought the Dog Days of Summer Were in August

On June 14, Bruce the Bat Dog – a southpaw Golden Retriever recently called up from Triple-A Rochester Red Wings – made his MLB debut for the Washington Nationals. Bruce’s MLB debut coincided with the Nationals’ Pups in the Park Day.  Despite the 4-3 loss to the Marlins, all reports say that Bruce was a “hit.”

State of The Game

This is a state of the game highlight.  On June 14, Mets’ southpaw David Peterson threw his second career complete game and first career shutout (in his sixth season and 98^th career start. Sign of the times:  Peterson’s shutout (also his first complete game of the season) tied him for the 2025 NL lead in complete games and shutouts. Peterson ended June with a 5-4, 3.30 record on the season.

Shohei Shows Up

On June 14, as the Dodgers toppled the Giants 11-5 (in LA), DH Shohei Ohtani went two-for-three, with two solo home runs. The pair of blasts gave Ohtani 25 on the season and 250 in his MLB career (2018-25).  Ohtani, by the way, did have 48 home runs in Japan before coming stateside.  More #InBaseballWeCountEverything, Sonja Chen at MLB.com, noted that the pair of home runs made Ohtani the fastest MLB player to reach 250 or more home runs and 150 or more stolen bases (928 games), usurping Alex Rodriguez (977 games).

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother

On June 14, as the Cardinals were besting the Brewers 8-5 in Milwaukee, the brothers Contreras both enjoyed the final frame.  In the top of the ninth, Willson Contreras (playing 1B and batting cleanup for the Cardinals) hit a solo home run (off Rob Zastryzny … gotta be the only MLB name with two z’s and two y’s in it).) Not to be outdone, brother William Contreras (catching and batting third for the Brewers) homered in the bottom of the inning (off Ryan Helsley … he of two e’s and two l’s).

According to the Elila Sports Bureau, it was just the second time brothers have homered as opponents in the same inning in the Modern Era (post-1900) and the eleventh time overall that brothers have homered in the same inning of the same game.  The other brothers to homer in the same inning as opponents are Rick and Wes Ferrell in an Indians at Red Sox matchup on July 19, 1933.  They each went deep in the fourth inning of that one, won by the Indians 8-7 in 13 innings.

Roundtable Extra

On April 10, 2024, as the Guardians hosted the White Sox, brothers Josh and Bo Naylor celebrated National Siblings Day in style. In the fourth inning, Josh (playing first base and batting cleanup) hit a solo home run off Erick Fedde.  Three batters (and one brother) later catcher Bo hit a solo shot of his own off Fedde.

But the brothers Naylor were not done yet.  In the bottom of the tenth, with the Guardians trailing 6-5, Josh hit an RBI double to retie the game and Bo drove Josh home with a single to win it. 

#InBaseballWeCountEverything

On June 15, Red SS Elly De La Cruz went three-for-five, with three runs scored and three RBI, as the Reds toppled the Tigers 8-4. In the game, Cruz rapped his 16^th home run of the season – and it marked his fourth consecutive game with a dinger. Now for that counting thing.  The only other Reds, age 23 or younger, to homer in four straight games is a pretty impressive list – Johnny Bench, Frank Robinson and Eric Davis.  The franchise record for consecutive games with a home run is seven, by Joey Votto (July 24-30, 2021).  De La Cruz’ streak stopped the next day, with a zero-for-three in a 6-5 win over the Twins.  De La Cruz finished June hitting .xxx-xx-xx, with xx steals on the season.

Shohei Show Closer to a True Double Feature

On June 16, Shohei Ohtani made his first regular-season mound appearance since elbow surgery in September of 2022. As expected, his time on the bump was short – just one inning. Notably, Ohtani did reach 100.2 MPH with one pitch – a wild pitch – and he was at 95 MPH+ on several offerings. He gave up two hits and one run in his outing. At the plate he went two-for-four with a double and two RBI.

Side note:   The game was the most watched in MLB.TV history.

Ohtani was back on the mound on June 22, with better results. Still only one inning, but this time he retired the Nationals (in LA) 1-2-3 in the first frame, tossing 18 pitches (12 strikes) and recording a pair of strikeouts. At the plate, Ohtani went two-for-four, with a walk, a triple and a home run (three runs scored, five RBI).

He returned to the hill on June 28, for a two-inning scoreless stint (one hit one walk, one strikeout), during which he hit 101.7 MPH on the radar gun (the fastest pitch by any Dodger to that point in the season). He didn’t fare as well at the plate … zero-for-four with three strikeouts.

So, will Ohtani return to past pitching form?  For your consideration:  In 2022-23, he went 25-14, 2.69 with 386 strikeouts in 298 innings; while going .287-78-190 at the plate. And let’s not forget 2025’s 54 homer-59 steal season, when he hit .310, led the league in homers (54), runs scored (134) and RBI (130).

Lucky Seven for the Rox

On June 17, The Rockies came into their game with the Nationals (in Washington D.C.) without much to be happy about a 16-56 record, the most runs surrendered and the fourth-fewest runs scored in MLB. To say the least, the season had not been pretty.

Still, there was reason for hope. The Rox were on a two-game winning streak, with a chance to match their longest win streak of the year (three) – and the Nationals were on a nine-game losing streak. Note: The 2025 Rockies, to that point, had endured seven losing streaks of five or more games, including four eight-game losing streaks).

The Rockies did get that third consecutive win, topping the Nationals 10-6.  In the process, they tied the club record for home runs in a contest (seven). Going deep for the Rockies were: 2B Thairo Estrada (his first of the season); 1B Michael Toglia (two homers that day); C Hunter Goodman; 3B Ryan McMahon; LF Sam Hilliard; and DH Mickey Moniak. Moniak’s long ball, in the eighth inning, was the seventh and final home run for the Rockies. (This will come to play a bit later).

In a bit of #InBaseballWeCountEverything, the Rockies collected ten hits in the game, making them just the second team in the Modern Era to hit seven home runs in a game, while collecting ten or fewer hits.  The only other time that has happened was August 4, 2022, when the Angels had nine hits and seven home runs in an 8-7 loss to the Athletics in LA. Here’s the kind of coincidence that often catches the Roundtable’s eye.  In that game, the seventh homer for the Angels also was hit by Moniak – playing CF for the Angels.  Other Angels with homers were: DH Shohei Ohtani (two); C Kurt Suzuki; RF Taylor Ward; LF Jo Adell; and 1B Jared Walsh.

Rally Behind Raleigh

On June 17, as the Mariners bested the Red Sox 8-0 in Seattle, Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh continued his assault on MLB pitching. Raleigh went three-for-four, with a home run (his MLB-leading 27^th of the season) and six RBI (tying him for the AL lead at 60).  Couple that with his defense (he was a Platinum Glove winner in 2024) and we are looking at a remarkable season for a backstop. For those who like to know such things, the most home runs by a catcher in an MLB season is 48 (Salvador Perez, Royals, 2021) and the most RBI by a catcher in a season is 148 (Johnny Bench, Reds, 1970).

But wait, there’s more. On June 21,  Raleigh hit his 30^th roundtripper of the season:

• Setting a new record for most homers by a switch hitter before the All Star Break (passing Mickey Mantle, Jose Ramirez and Lance Berkman); and
• Passing Johnny Bench for the most homers by a primary catcher before the break.

Raleigh finished June with a .xxx-xx.xx – and there’s still about two weeks left until the break.

Walk (Off) This Way

On June 18, 53,568 fans showed up at Dodger Stadium to take in the latest episode in the Dodgers/Padres rivalry – and they were treated to a great matchup.  The home squad carried a 3-1 lead into the top of the ninth, thanks in great part to a two-run, fifth-inning single off the bat of rookie C Daulton Rushing (starting in place of regular catcher Will Smith). The Padres, however, came back to tie it at three in the top of the ninth – moving the LA faithful to the edge of their seats.

After Dodger 2B Tommy Edman popped out (off Robert Suarez) to open the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers sent regular catcher Smith to the plate in place of LF Enrique Hernandez. Smith fell behind 0-2 (including a drive into the stands just to the left of the left-field foul pole) and then took Suarez deep to RF for a game-winning, walk-off home run. Why is this a highlight? Well, it was Smith’s third career pinch-hit, walk-off home run, setting a new franchise record for pinch-hit, walk-off dingers. For those who like to know such things, the MLB record for pinch-hit, walk-off homers is six – by Jason Giambi. The record for most total walk-off homers is 13 by Jim Thome.

Smith, by the way, is having a career season.  He ended June with a .xxx-x-xx line on the campaign.

Coming Back – All the Way Back

Going into the bottom of the third inning on June 18, the Rays (at home) trailed the Orioles 8-0. The Orioles had eight runs on seven hits (three home runs), while the Rays had two walks and a pair of singles.  Things turned around at that point, as the Orioles did not collect another safety over the final seven innings, while the Rays plated 12 runs on 16 hits (three homers) for a 12-8 victory. The comeback from an eight-run deficit tied for the largest comeback in Rays’ franchise history.

Nine days later, the Orioles did a pretty good job of “returning the favor.”  In a Rays/O’s matchup in Baltimore, the Birds trailed 6-0 going into the bottom of the second inning.  Baltimore then scored 22 of the next 24 runs in the game, to record a 22-8 home victory. It was the second most runs scored in a game in Orioles franchise history.

Rolling a Four – The Hard Way

On June 19, the Cardinals’ Steven Matz, in the second inning of a 5-4 win over the White Sox, became the 95^th MLB pitcher to throw a four-strikeout inning – and it was an adventure.  The inning started with the Cardinals and White Sox tied at two and Matz taking the mound in place of starter Erick Fedde.  Matz first faced pinch hitter Lenyn Sosa, who struck out swinging on a 0-2 pitch, but reached first as the wild pitch evaded catcher Ivan Herrera. Next, pinch hitter Austin Slater fanned on an 0-2 pitch (looking) in a four-pitch at bat. Then, LF Michael Taylor gave the ChiSox the lead, taking Matz deep (for a two-run homer) on a 2-2 pitch. RF Michael Tauchman then fanned (looking) on an 0-2 pitch and SS Chase Meidroth went down looking on a 1-2 offering.  Matz came out again to open the seventh and gave up two singles and a walk (with a double play sandwiched in) before being relieved by Andre Granillo.

A few four-strikeout inning tidbits for those who like such things:

• Chuck Finley has thrown the most four-strikeout innings (three) and is the only MLB pitcher with two four-strikeout innings in one season (1999);
• Four-strikeout innings have become more commonplace. Sixty-six of the 103 four-whiff frames have occurred since 2000;
• The 103 four-strikeout frames have included two multi-pitcher innings;
• 36 of the four strikeout frames have been accomplished with only four batters coming to the plate;
• In the first inning of the fifth (and final) game of the 1918 World Series, the Cubs’ Orval Overall (great name) became the first – and still only – pitcher to strikeout four batters in a single World Series inning. (Overall went the distance in a 2-0 Cubs win in Detroit.)

Pete Crow-Armstrong on the Fast Track

On June 19, Cubs’ 23-year-old CF Pete Crow-Armstrong popped his 20^th home run of the seasons in an 8-7 loss to the Brewers. It’s in these highlights because it was Crow-Armstrong’s 20th home run in 73 games played this season. Combined with his 23 stolen bases, it marks the quickest in a season that any Cub reached the 20-20 mark (73 games). The previous leader was Sammy Sosa (in his 96^th game in 1964).  Clearly, Crow-Armstrong is “feeling it” this season. In 2024, he went .237-10-47, with 27 steals in 123 games.  As this June closed out, he was .xxx-xx-xx, with xx steals in xx games.

This achievement also makes the highlights because it gives me a chance to recognize one of my favorite (and I think underrated or at least under-talked about) players, Eric Davis.  In 1987, the Reds’ outfielder reached the 20-20 mark in a record-low 46 games played (at which point he was .327-20-55, with 23 steals). While Davis was just a two-time All Star, he topped 20 stolen bases in seven of his 17 MLB seasons (a high of 80 in 1986) and hit 20 or more home runs eight times (a high of 37 in 1987).  His best campaign was probably 1987, when he hit .293, with 37 home runs, 50 steals, 100 RBI and 120 runs scored in 129 games.

350 homers for Nolan – 1,000 hits for Juan

On June 19, in separate games, Cardinals’ 3B Nolan Arenado, a ten-time Gold Glove winner, launched his 350^th MLB career home run (in an 8-6 Cardinals win over the White Sox).  That same day, Mets’ RF Juan Soto picked up his 1,000th career base hit in a 7-1 loss to the Braves.

Fun, Fun, Fun in the Warm California Sun

In June 19, In the final inning of a four-game Padres/Dodgers series in Los Angeles, the mood went from California warm to quite “hot.”  In the top of the ninth, Padres’ star Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch (with one out and no one on). In the bottom of the frame, Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani was hit by a pitch.  Long story short, the benches cleared and both managers (and Padres’ closer Roger Suarez) were ejected. (Side note: The Padres won 5-3.)

The melee probably came as no surprise. Just two days earlier (in a Dodgers 8-6 win), Tatis, Jr. was plunked in the top of the third inning and, coincidentally (?), Ohtani was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the frame.   Perhaps as significant, in the four games series (won three games-to-one by the Dodgers), there were a total of eight HBP.

Good Timing Mr. Judge

On June 20, the Yankees lost to the Orioles 5-3 in New York, but the 47,034 fans did get a bit of a treat anyway. It happened to be Aaron Judge Superman Bobblehead Night and, in the top of the third inning, Judge celebrated the give-away with his 27^th home run of the season.

No Need to Buy a Vowel

On June 20, 23-year-old Brewers’ righty Jacob Misiorowski started for the Brewer’s against my hometown Twins. “The Miz” (saving myself some typing here) was coming off an MLB debut in which he pitched five no-hit (four-walk/five-strikeout) innings in a start against the Cardinals. (The Miz got the win, as the Brewers triumphed 6-0.)

In his start against the Twins, he picked up a second win, giving up two runs on one hit and one walk (six strikeouts) over six innings.  Importantly for the highlights, The Miz pitched six perfect innings before the Twins touched him for a walk (Byron Buxton) and a two-run home run (Matt Wallner) to open the seventh. He is the first MLB pitcher (Modern Era) to begin his career in the Show with eleven hitless innings.  (Elias Sport Bureau).  For those who like to know such things, in his outing against the Twins, The Miz threw 29 fastballs that hit triple digits.

Just five days later, June 25, 42,774 fans showed up at American Family Field in Milwaukee (the largest Milwaukee crowd of the season) to see The Miz go up against the Pirates’ ace and last year’s Rookie of the Year and NL All Star Game starter Paul Skenes. Misiorowski was up to the task, getting the win after tossing five shutout innings (two hits, two walks, eight strikeouts) in a 4-2 Brewers’ triumph.  Side note:  The Miz set the tone early, reaching triple-digits on 12 of 23  first-inning offerings.  The Miz ended June with a 3-0, 1.13 record on the season.

Misiorowski was signed in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Crowder College, where he sent 10-0, 2.72 in 15 starts (fanning 136 in 76 innings) in his only college season. In four minor-league seasons, he was 11-9, 3.04, with 320 strikeouts in 233 2/3 innings.

A Little Good Old-Fashioned Hardball

On June 20 and 21, the Brewers put up 26 runs in topping the Twins (in Minnesota) by scores of 17-6 and 9-0. The highlight?  They did it the old-fashioned way, plating 26 runs without the benefit of a single home run. In the 17-6 win (June 20), Christian Yelich drove in a career-high eight runs without scoring a run – becoming the first MLB player in the Modern Era to drive in that many tallies without scoring one himself. Stathead.com also shows 168 player games of eight or more RBI since 1901 (by 152 different players) –  and only three of those were accomplished without a home run. Yelich, Gavvy Cravath, Phillies (August 8, 1915) and Bill Kiester, Orioles (June 29, 1901).

Move Over Han Solo … A Star Wars Kind of Bombing

On June 21, as the Mets topped the Phillies in Philadelphia by an 11-4 score, the New York squad hit seven home runs. That tied the record for solo home runs in a game. Going deep were SS Francisco Lindo; LF Brandon Nimmo (two homers); RF Juan Soto (two homers); DH Jared Young; and C Francisco Alvarez. Seven was a lucky number, as the outburst helped the Mets snap a seven-game losing streak and made the Mets the seventh team with seven solo homers in a game and the fourth whose seven solo shots comprised all of their home runs in the contest.) A nod to Sarah Lang on this one.

Burns Off to a Hot Start

Okay, consider this.  You are a 22-year-old righthander in your first professional season – and, with just 13 minor-league mound appearances under your belt, you’re called up by the Reds. Your first assignment?  Start on the mound (on June 24) against the AL East-leading Yankees – with the likes of former MVP’s RF Aaron Judge, LF Cody Bellinger, 1B Paul Goldschmidt. So, what do you do?  You become (Elias Sports Bureau) the first MLB pitcher in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to strike out the first five batters faced in your MLB debut – and the three former MVPs noted above are each among the batters you send back to the dugout on strikes. After those five strikeouts, you give up a single (3B Jazz Chisholm, Jr.), but come back to fan the seventh MLB hitter you face (SS Anthony Volpe) to notch six strikeouts in your first wo MLB innings.

Okay, so it wasn’t you, it was Reds’ prospect Chase Burns, who ultimately gave up three runs over six innings in a no-decision – but, oh, that blazing start to his career.

It was, by the way, not a total surprise. Burns was a first -round (second overall) pick in the 2024 MLB Draft (out of Wake Forest University),  after going 23-6, 3.21, with 408 strikeouts over 252 1/3 innings pitched (over three college seasons … for Tennessee and Wake Forest). This season, his first professional campaign, he was 7-3, 1.77, with 89 strikeouts in 66 innings at High-A, Double-A and Triple-A before his callup.

Moore Power to Ya!

On June 24, Angels’ 22-year-old 2B Christian Moore played his 12^th major league game – batting in the nine-hole as the Angels hosted the Red Sox. At the time, Moore was hitting just .156, with one home run and three RBI. In that June 24 contest, Moore homered (on an 0-1 pitch from Greg Weissert) in the eighth to tie the game at 1-1 – and and smoked a two-run homer in the tenth (on a 1-1 pitch from Justin Wilson) to give the Angels a 3-2 walk-off win.  Here’s a little #InBaseballWeCountEverytning.”  Sarah Langs at MLB.com reports that Moore is the first player “at least in the expansion era” with multiple game-tying or go-ahead home runs in a single game in the eighth inning or later in his first dozen MLB games.

Moore was a first-round pick eighth overall) in the 2024 MLB Draft – out of the University of Tennessee, where he hit .338-61-160 over 186 games (three seasons). In two minor-league seasons, he went .302-11-52 in 79 games (A, Double-A, Tripe-A). I think we can expect Moore power from this young man going forward.

The South(paws) Will Rise Again

On June 25, the Astros started rookie left-hander Colton Gordon against the Phillies in Houston. The southpaw picked up his third win – tossing five shutout innings (four hits/four strikeouts), as the Astros prevailed 2-0.   Gordon got plenty of help from fellow lefthanders, as four southpaw relievers (Steven Okert, Bennett Sousa, Bryan King and Josh Hader) combined to toss four shutout innings (one frame each) – preserving the shutout and notching three holds and a save. It was clearly a good day to be a lefty.

The Almost Game

On June 27, despite the Red holding an 8-1 lead over the Padres after seven innings, the 26,000+ fans at the Great American Ballpark were still on the edge of their seats. You see, at that time, Reds’ starter Nick Martinez was tossing a no-hitter and Reds’ 1B Spencer Steer was one homer shy of tying the all-time, single-game record of four roundtrippers (and was due to lead off the bottom of the eighth.)

Martinez kept the suspense alive, retiring the Padres in order in the top of the eighth frame. Steer, unfortunately, fanned on five pitches to open the bottom of the frame. Still a good day, three-for-four, with three home runs and four RBI – and the fans still had that looming no-hitter to look forward to.

Unfortunately, after walking the first batter in the top of the ninth (DH Trenton Brooks, hitting .182 and batting in the eight-hole, Martinez gave up a double to C Elias Diaz – and the no-hitter was gone.  After the hit, Martinez was replaced on the mound by Taylor Rogers. The Reds eventually won 8-1 and fans narrowly missed seeing a bit of baseball history.

A long Time A’Comin’

On March 28, Pirates’ righthander Mitch Keller got his first start of the 2025 season.  He went five innings and gave up just one run (five hits, one walk four strikeouts) – picking up the win, as the Pirates topped the Marlins 4-3. It would a day short of three month and 16 starts later before Keller again saw a “W” next to his name.  Between March 28 and his June 27 win over the Mets, Keller would start fifteen games and go 0-10, 4.19.

You Did That On Purpose

On June 28, as the Nationals topped the Angels 7-4 (11 innings), the Nats’ 22-year-old LF James Wood (in just his second MLB season/163^rd MLB game) joined a pretty elite group, led by Barry Bonds, who was intentionally walked four times four times. (Not a typo, just had to get that in here.)  See the chart for details.

Wood came into the game hitting .281-22-64 on the season, leading the Nationals’ regulars in home runs, RBI, base hits; doubles, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and total bases.

Woods day went like this;

First Inning – One out single to left (on first pitch he saw from Jack Kochanowicz);

Fourth Inning – Ground out second to first, leading off, with Nationals down 1-0;

Fifth Inning – Intentional Walk (from Jose Fermin) with runners on first and second and one out;

Seventh Inning – Intentional Walk (from Reid Detmers) with a runner on first, one out and the game tied 2-2;

Ninth Inning – Intentional Walk (from Kenley Jansen) with a runner on third, two outs and the game tied 4-4;

Eleventh Inning – Intentional Walk (from Connor Brogdon), with a runner on third, one out and the Nationals up 7-4.

Line ‘Em Up and Mow ‘Em Down

On June 29, Tigers’ ace Tarik Skubal started against Twins in Detroit – and pretty much baffled the opposing batsmen. He gave up just one hit and one walk over seven innings – and notched a career-high 13 strikeouts.  Notably, every member of the Twins starting lineup fanned at least once and all but one of the 13 strikeouts came on a swing. The 3-0 win ran Skubal’s 2025 record to 10-2, 2.15

Home Run Extremes

On June 30, as the Red Sox topped the Reds 13-6 in Fenway, Boston RF Wilyer Abreu became just the sixth major leaguer to hit (separately) an inside-the-park home run and a Grand Slam in the same game.  The inside-the-parker came in the fifth inning (Abreu led off the frame) on an 0-2 pitch from Joe La Sorsa. The Grand Slam was delivered in the eighth on the first pitch Abreu saw from Connor Phillips. Others with both an inside-the-parker and Grand Slam in a game include:  Jocko Fields (1890 Pittsburgh Burghers, Players League); Everett Scott (1923 Yankees); Charlie Gehringer (1930 Tigers); Jim Tabor (1939 Red Sox); and Roger Maris (1958 Athletics).

A Rare Plate Appearance (or two) Indeed

In an Orioles 11-inning 10-6 win over the Rangers in Texas, Orioles’ starting pitcher Trevor Rogers came to the plate bat-in-hand twice – just the third starting pitcher not named Ohtani to come to the plate since the National adopted the Designated Hitter rule in 2022.  Rogers didn’t do much with the stick – striking out on three pitches to lead off the fourth inning and repeating the results to close sixth.

It all came about due to an injury (lower back) forced the Orioles’ starting catcher Chadwick Trump to leave the game in the bottom of the third. Baltimore backup catcher Gary Sanchez was already in the game at DH.  Moving Sanchez to catcher meant the Orioles had to give up the DH – and that put Rogers, now in the nine-spot in the order – on the hot seat. Rogers batted twice before being relieved on the mound – after which as series of pinch hitters and pitching changes kept Orioles hurlers out of the batter’s box.

 

—INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS FOR JUNE—

 

BATTING AVERAGE (at least 75 at bats)

American League: Yandy Diaz, Rays (.400); Jeremy Pena, Astros (.361); Riley Greene, Tigers (.360)

National League: Tyler Freeman, Rockies (.373); Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (.360); Elly De La Cruz, Reds (.344)

The lowest June average among players with at least 75 June at bats belonged to Giants’ CF Jung Hoo Lee at .143 (12-for-84).

HITS

American League: Yandy Diaz, Rays (40); Riley Greene, Tigers (36); Jeremy Pena, Astros (35); Ernie Clement, Blue Jays (35)

National League: Luis Arreaz, Padres (34); Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks (33); CJ Abrams, Nationals (33); Elly De La Cruz, Reds (33); Andy Pages, Dodgers (33)

The Mariners’ Cal Raleigh led all MLBers in June extra-base hits with 17 – six doubles and eleven home runs.  

HOME RUNS

American League: Jo Adell, Angels (11); Cal Raleigh, Mariners (11); Byron Buxton, Twins (9); Aaron Judge, Yankees (9)

National League:  Juan Soto, Mets (11); Eugenio Suarez, Diamondbacks (11); Ian Happ, Cubs (9); Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks (9)

The Rockies’ Hunter Goodman led all hitters with at least 75 at bats in June slugging percentage at .734. The Mariners’ Cal Raleigh the AL at .690.

RUNS BATTED IN

American League: Cal Raleigh, Mariners (27); Riley Greene, Tigers (23); Trevor Story, Red Sox (223)

National League: Eugenio Suarez, Diamondbacks (27); Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks (24); Max Muncy, Dodgers (24)

RUNS SCORED

American League:  Cal Raleigh, Mariners (22); Brandon Lowe, Rays (22); Junior Caminero, Rays (21)

National League: Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (26); Juan Soto, Mets (25); Elly De La Cruz, Reds (24); Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks (24)

DOUBLES

American League: Ronald Arozarena, Mariners (9); Riley Greene, Tigers (9); Vlad Guerrero, Jr., Blue Jays (9); Jeremy Pena, Astros (9); Marcus Semien, Rangers (9); Taylor Ward, Angels (9)

National League: Matt Olson, Braves (10); Willson Contreras, Cardinals (9); Kyle Tucker, Cubs (9); Xander Bogaerts, Padres (9)

TRIPLES

American League:  Zach McKinstry, Tigers (5); Jarren Duran, Red Sox (3); four  with two

National League: Jung Hoo Lee, Giants (4); Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (3); Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (3)

STOLEN BASES

American League:  Jose Caballero, Rays (10); Maikel Garcia, Royals (8); Zach McKinstry, Tigers (7); Joe Ramirez, Guardians (7)

National League: Oneil Cruz, Pirates (9); CJ Abrams, Nationals (8); Pete Crow-Armstrong (8)

The Nationals’ CJ Abrams stole the most June bases without getting caught (8).

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

American League:  Aaron Judge, Yankees (42); Lawrence Butler, Athletics (37); three with 32

National League: Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (38); Oneill Cruz, Pirates (37); Ryan McMahon, Rockies (37)

WALKS

American League:  Mike Trout, Angels (22); Corey Seager, Rangers (22); Aaron Judge, Yankees (20)

National League: Juan Soto, Mets (25); Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (23); James Wood, Nationals (20)

The Highest on-base percentage among players with at least 75 June at bats belonged to the Braves’ Ronald Acuna, Jr. at .491. The AL leader was the Rays’ Yandy Diaz at .469.  

PITCHING VICTORIES

American League:  Tarik Skubal, Tigers (5-0); seven with four wins

National League:  Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (4-0); Quinn Priester, Brewers (4-0); eleven with three wins

The Cardinals’ Erick Fedde (0-4, 5.93), Nationals’ Trevor Williams (0-4, 5.55) and Nationals’ Michell Parker (1-4, 4.60) tied for the lead in June losses.

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (minimum 25 June innings)

American League: Hunter Brown, Astros (1.19); Seth Lugo, Royals (1.26); Jacob deGrom, Ranges (1.41)

National League: Zack Wheeler, Phillies (0.58); Ranger Suarez, Phillies (1.30); Matthew Boyd, Cubs (1.78)

STRIKEOUTS

American League: Garrett Crochet, Red Sox (55 K / 40 1/3 IP); Yusei Kikuchi, Angels (41 K / 32 IP); three with 39

National League: Logan Webb, Giants (43 K / 40 1/3 IP); Spencer Strider, Braves (42 K / 35 IP); Zack Wheeler, Phillies (42 K / 31 IP)

Among pitchers who faced at lea 75 batters in June, Grant Holmes of the Braves had the highest strikeouts-per nine inning rate for the month at 13.68.

WALKS + HITS/INNINGS PITCHED (at least 25 May innings)

American League: Jacob deGrom, Rangers (0.72); Clarke Schmidt, Yankees (0.77); Hunter Brown, Astros (0.82)

National League: Matthew Boyd, Cubs (0.79); Michael Soroka, Nationals (0.81); Spencer Schwellenbach, Braves (0.83)

Among pitches with at least 25 June innings, the Nationals’ Michael Soroka held batters to the lowest average at .146.

SAVES

American League:  Josh Hader, Astros (9); six with six

National League:  Trevor Megill, Brewers (8); Tanner Scott, Dodgers (8); Camilio Doval, Giants (7)

Josh Hader of the Astros saved the most games without a blown save in June  (nine).  

If the season ended May 30, the post-season teams would be:

American League

Division Champs: Tigers, Astros, Yankees  Wild Cards: Rays, Blue Jays, Mariners

National League

Division Champs: Dodgers, Phillies, Cubs  Wild Cards: Mets, Brewers, Cardinals

 

Primary Resources: Stathead.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” those one-of-a-kind accomplishments or statistics.

This week’s Tidbit give me a chance to look back at one of my boyhood heroes. As a Milwaukee native and Little Leaguer, I was pretty excited when Joey Jay signed with the Milwaukee Braves and became the first former Little Leaguer to appear in the major leagues. That made him an MLB “first,” but (of course) he did not remain the only Little Leaguer to make it to the Show.  Still, he does hold “unicorn” status as the first and only pitcher (to date) to retire with exactly 99 MLB wins and 999 MLB strikeouts. Ten pitchers have retired with 99 wins (see chart). Jay is the only pitcher (no matter how many wins) to retire with 999 strikeouts. Bo Ewing (1902-12) and Bill Lee (1934-47) retired with 998 whiffs. Words of explanation:  The retirements noted in this post could have been voluntary or involuntary (released, not signed).  Also, a number of these players continued to play professionally (minor leagues) after their final MLB game.  

Jay had an interesting career along the way to forming the “99-999 Club.” Jay first played Little League ball in Middletown, Connecticut, as a 12-year-old. Since 12-year-olds were not allowed to pitch, he took the field at first base. Jay went on, however, to become a dominating pitcher in American Legion and High School ball. He was signed by the Braves in 1953 (their first year in Milwaukee) as a 17-year-old for a reported $40,000 bonus. He was immediately brought up to the big-league club (there was a rule at the time that players signing bonuses of more than $4,000 – termed bonus babies – could not be sent to the minors for two years without be subject to MLB’s unrestricted draft.

The 17-year-old Jay got his first MLB start on September 13, 1953, in the second game of a doubleheader (the last home game of Milwaukee’s season) and pitched 6 1/3 innings of scoreless ball in a 3-0 win over the Reds. The game ended early due to weather and Jay was credited with a shutout.  On the season, he went 1-0 in three appearances, giving up six hits and five walks – but no runs – in ten innings of major-league work.  In 1954, Jay went 1-0, 6.50 in 15 games (one start). With his two-year MLB “bonus baby” requirement fulfilled, Jay pitched primarily in the minor leagues from 1955-1957 (82 minor-league appearances, 12 with the Braves). After a 17-10, 3.31 season at Triple-A in 1975, Jay got a more extended MLB chance in 1958 (18 games, including 12 starts, for the Braves), going 7-5, 2.14, with six complete games and three shutouts. In 1959-60, he went 15-19, 3.67 for the Braves before being traded to the Reds, where his career took off.

Jay was 21-10, 3.53 for the Reds in 1961 (leading the NL in wins and shutouts – four) and 21-14, 3.76 in in 1962.  Those two seasons, he pitched 30 complete games in 71 starts.  The Reds won the NL Championship in 1961, but lost the World Series to the Yankees four games to one, with Jay getting the Reds’ only win (a complete-game, four-hit, 6-2 win in Game Two.)

From 1963 through his final MLB season (1966), Jay went 33-43, 4.13 to end with an MLB career line of 99-91, 3.77 in 310 appearances – with 63 complete games and 16 shutouts in 203 starts.

The Braves bookended Jay’s MLB career. Jay began his MLB career with the Braves in 1953 (the franchise’s first season in Milwaukee) and finished his career with the Braves in 1966 (traded from the Reds in June of that season), the Braves’ first year in Atlanta.

Side note: Five pitchers have retired with 99 MLB saves: (Jorge Julio (2001-09); Firpo Marberry (1923-36); AJ Ramos (2012-21); and Drew Storen (2010-17). No pitcher has retired with 999 MLB appearances. Lindy McDaniel is closest at 987 (1955-75). Nine pitchers have retired with 99 MLB starts – and nine have retired with 99 MLB complete games.   Russ Christopher (1942-48) retired with 999 2/3 innings pitched. 

Primary resources: stathead.com; Joey Jay, Last Living Player on First Milwaukee Braves Team, Dies at 89, by JR Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 6, 2024; Joey Jay, Society for American Baseball Research Bio, by Joseph Wancho.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1122

Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” those one-of-a-kind accomplishments or statistics.

This week, we’re looking at a one-of-a-kind event that I reported (in a monthly Wrap Up) when it happened – and which, after some reflection, I believe has to be among the mostly likely to retain its unicorn status over the very long haul.  This Tuesday’s Tidbit relates to “Immaculate Innings” – three up, three down, three strikeouts, nine pitches).

Now, these days, Immaculate Innings are not all that improbable – after all, there have been more than 100 such feats, 18 since 2020 alone. However, on June 15, 2022, MLB was treated to an “Immaculate” occurrence that is likely to remain “Divine” for quite some time.

Consider:

• On that day, as the Astros topped the Rangers 9-2 in Texas, the fans witnessed two “Immaculate Innings” in one game – an MLB first, and still only, occurrence.

But wait, maybe you could imagine that happening again.  However:

• The two Immaculate Innings were delivered by pitchers on the same team, raising the improbability factor even higher.

But there’s more:

• The same three batters were the victims in both Immaculate frames – putting us into very long-term unicorn status.

In that game, Astros’ pitchers Luis Garcia and Phil Maton pitched their way into the “Immaculate Innings” club.   It was, as noted, the first-ever MLB game in which two pitchers each tossed an Immaculate Inning and, of course, also made them the first and (currently) only teammates to toss an Immaculate Inning in the same game.

Garcia tossed his nine-pitch, three-whiff frame in the bottom of the second, while Maton achieved the feat in the bottom of the seventh.  The six strikeouts were among 14 recorded by four Astros’ pitchers. The victims in both Immaculate frames were Rangers’ 1B Nathaniel Lowe, 2B Ezequiel Duran and 3B Brad Miller (the 6-7-8 hitters) – making them, of course, the first and currently only three players to be victims in two Immaculate frames in the same game. Side Note:  Rangers’ CF Leody Taveras led off the bottom of the third by fanning on three pitches from Garcia, giving Garcia four consecutive strikeouts on a total of 12 pitches. 

Garcia finished the season at 15-8, 3.72 (28 starts) – with 157 whiffs in 157 1/3 innings pitched. Maton was 0-2, 3.84 in 67 appearances – with 73 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings.

Lowe finished at .302-27-76 (147 strikeouts in 157 games); Duran at .236-5-25 (54 strikeouts in 58 games); and Miller at .212-7-32 (70 strikeouts in 81 games).

 

Primary Resources:  Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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P 1122

Each year, since 2014, Baseball Roundtable has announced a John Paciorek Award (JPA) honoree. The JPA recognizes players who have had short, sometimes very short, major-league careers, but whose accomplishments, nonetheless, deserve recognition.  Past winners have included:  a player who collected at least one base hit in every MLB game he played; a player whose every MLB hit (three safeties in nine career at bats) was a home run;  a player who had only one MLB at bat, but earned  a World Series ring and a Purple Heart;  a war hero who pitched in the majors on one leg; and much more.  There are links to the bios of past honorees later in this post.

(Note: Information on John Paciorek’s career – the inspiration for the JPA – can be found at the end of this post. Paciorek’s day in the sun constitutes arguably the best one-game MLB career ever.)

This year’s John Paciorek Award honoree is 6′-4″, 255 lb.  155-lb. DH/1B Larry “Bucky” Jacobsen, whose active MLB career lasted 7 1/2 weeks (Mariners) in 2004, but whose perseverance, passion for the game, power and personality made a fan favorite in Seattle.

When  Jacobsen made it to the big leagues with the Mariners in mid-July or 2004, he had a look about him that made you anticipate power.  He was clearly a “big” big leaguer.   Conservatively 6’4” and 255 pounds, with a bald head, a red beard, broad shoulders, huge biceps and a big smile, he looked like he could be downing trees and selling Brawny(R) paper towels. And, it didn’t take nim long to show Seattle fans that he was in the “lumber” business. In his first three MLB games (in Seattle), he went five-for-eight (.625), with two home runs, four runs scored, five RBI, four walks (.769 OBP) and three strikeouts.

But, I’m getting ahead of the Jacobsen story.  The fact is, Jacobsen’s trip to the big leagues (and his brief stay) demanded perseverance and commitment.

Jacobsen was a seventh-round pick (Brewers) in the 1997 MLB Draft – out of Lewis-Clark State College (Lewiston, Idaho), where – in his final college season (1997) –  he hit .354-22-73 and was named the team’s most valuable player.

In six seasons in the Brewers minor-league system, Jacobsen hit .295, with 94 home runs and 501 RBI (in 550 games). He built a reputation as a big man, with broad shoulders and bulging biceps, a quick and friendly smile and the ability to launch baseballs into orbit. Yet, he still hadn’t gotten a taste of the big leagues. Along the way, he also suffered a knee injury (2001 collision with a tarp) that, while it may have hampered his mobility, did not seem to impact his ability to pulverize baseballs.  (That knee injury would eventually require multiple surgeries and cut short his career on the field.)

In mid-June, 2002, Jacobsen (hitting .253-11-39 for the Brewer’ Huntsville Double-A club) was released by the Brewers and quickly signed as a free agent with the Cardinals. He finished the season hitting .294-4-21 in 34 games for the St. Louis Double-A New Haven Ravens. The Cardinals released Jacobsen after the season (October of 2002), then resigned him in December. He  continued to persevere and had a great season for the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in 2003 (.298-31-84 in 131 games); leading the league in home runs, runs scored and total bases, finishing second in RBI. And third in slugging percentage.

Despite that performance, October, once again, did not seem to be a lucky month for Jacobsen, as the Cardinals released him in October of 2003. However, his luck, was about to change.

Jacobsen signed with a free agent with the Mariners on November 10, 2004 and his career skyrocketed with the Mariners’ Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. After 82 games with Tacoma, he had a .312 average, with 26 home runs and 86 RBI.  And, now in his eighth professional season, Jacobsen finally was called up to “The Show” – the night after he won the Pacific Coast League All Star Game Home Run Derby (where it was reported he launched one shot of more than 500-feet).    Side note: It wasn’t his first Home Run Derby win. In 2000, Jacobsen won the Southern League All Star Game Home Run Derby.

Show-time for Jacobsen was short,  but memorable – and deserving of a spot on the Baseball Roundtable John Paciorek Award honorees list.

Jacobsen made his MLB debut on July 16, 2004 (Indians at Mariners) for the 33-54 Mariners, whose fans were looking for some good news (beyond Ichiro Suzuki’s .320 average). They found it in Jacobsen, who in his first three games went 5-for-8 (.625), with four walks (.750 on-base percentage), two home runs, five RBI and four runs scored. He smacked his third home run in his sixth game (July 21) – a walk-off homer on the first pitch in the bottom of the tenth inning to give the Mariners a 6-5 win over the A’s.

Jacobsen quickly developed a fan following (and proved to be especially fan friendly– quick to sign autographs and talk to fans at the ballpark and outside of it.) Over his first 42 games, he also continued to show solid power (.275-9-28), hitting safely in 32 games and recording ten multi-hit and eight multi-RBI contests.  Ultimately, his power, performance, personality and ties to the region (while he was born in Wyoming, he went to high school in Hermiston, Oregon and college in Pendleton, Oregon and Lewiston, Idaho) made him and instant hero in Seattle (keeping in mind that he plied his baseball skills for eight seasons in the minors to get there.)

Unfortunately, that past knee injury caught up with him, benched him in September and led to multiple surgeries and an end to his big-league career.  (From 2005 through 2007, Jacobsen did suit up in Triple-A, High-A, Rookie ball, the Independent Atlantics League and in Mexico.)  Jacobsen is currently one of the hosts of “Chuck and Buck in the Morning” on Sports Radio 93.3 KJR (Seattle).

Primary Resources:  stathead.com; lcwarriors.com, website of the Lewis-Clark State College Warriors; Coaches Recall Big League Bucky, East Oregonian, August 7, 2004; Bucky Jacobsen Too Big to Ignore, By David Andriesen, Seattle-Post Intelligencer, July 15, 2004); Whatever Happened to Bucky Jacobsen?, by Geoff Bake, Seattle Times, January 21, 2007; Biggest Batter Blasts Most Homers at Derby, by Todd Shanesy, goupstate.com, June 20, 2000.

___________________________

PAST JPA HONOREES

Here’s a look at – and links to – past JPA Award honorees:

2014 – Brian Scott Dallimore

In his first start (not his first game) for the 2004 Giants, Dallimore had two singles, a Grand Slam (his first MLB hit and only MLB home run), a walk and a hit by pitch.  For the full JPA take on Dallimore’s 27- game MLB career, click here.

2015 – Roy Gleason

Gleason played in just eight MLB games, had a double in his only MLB at bat – but also earned a World Series ring (1963) and a Purple Heart. Ultimately, he was the only ballplayer with MLB experience to serve on the front lines in Vietnam. For the full JPA take on Gleason, click here. Note: Gleason’s life is detailed in the book “Lost in the Sun – Roy Gleason’s Odyssey from the Outfield to the Battlefield.”

2016 – John Allen Miller

Miller played just 32 MLB games (during the 1966 and 1969 seasons), taking the field (at 1B/LF/3B/2B) for the Yankees and Dodgers. Miller collected ten hits in 61 MLB at bats (.164 average) and hit just two home runs – but he made those long balls count – becoming one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major-league batter’s box. For more on Miller, click here.

2017 – Chris Saenz

RHP Chris Saenz’ big day came on April 24, 2004 – when he was called up from Double-A Huntsville (where he was 1-1, 3.86) to make a spot start against the Saint Louis Cardinals, whose powerful lineup included the likes of Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders.   The rookie went six innings, giving up just two hits, three walks and no runs, while fanning seven. Two days after this debut, he was on his way back to Huntsville, where he suffered an elbow injury and never returned to the majors. Statistics before 1900 can be sketchy, but baseball-reference.com shows that Saenz is the only pitcher to complete a one-game MLB career of at least five innings pitched, without giving up a single run (earned or unearned). For more details on this JPA honoree, click here.

2018 – Keith McDonald

McDonald’s MLB career (Cardinals 2000-2001) covered just eight games and 11 plate appearances (nine at bats) and three hits – but he made them count.  All of McDonald’s safeties were home runs – making him the only MLB player with more than one career hit who can look back on major league career in which his every hit was a home run. .For the full story, click here.

2019 – Harley Hisner

Hisner’s MLB tenure encompassed the day of September 30, 1951. That’s when the 24-year-old righty faced the New York Yankees – and a lineup that included five future Hall of Famers: Mickey Mantle in RF; Joe DiMaggio in CF; Phil Rizzuto at SS; Johnny Mize at 1B; and Yogi Berra behind the plate. In his very first MLB inning, Hisner faced five batters, four of them future Hall of Famers, and gave up two singles and no runs.  His place in history? One of those singles was Joe DiMaggio’s last MLB safety. For more on Hisner and his ongoing involvement in and love of the game (he went on to earn the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association Colin Lister Award for “dedication to the game of baseball and its historic legacy,” click here.

2020 – Bert Shepard

Shepard set aside his baseball mound dreams in 1943 – after four minor-league seasons – to enlist in the U.S. Army, where he became a P-38 Lightning fighter pilot. Shepard was shot down on his 34th combat mission and, while a prisoner of war, his wounds resulted in the amputation of his right leg below the knee.  Upon his release (a prisoner exchange), Shepard did not surrender his dreams and fought his way to the major leagues. He made one major-league appearance (for the Washington Senators), pitching 5 1/3 innings of three-hit, one-run ball.  While Shepard’s MLB career consisted of that sole appearance, he did continue to pitch, coach and manage in minor leagues – and his story proved an inspiration for disabled veterans.  For more of Bert Shepard story, click here.

2021 – Henry Schmidt

Henry Martin Schmidt didn’t make it to the big leagues until eight seasons after his professional (minor-league) debut.  In fact, he was just two months shy of his 30th birthday when he first took the major-league mound.   Why did it take so long?  Simple answer – location.  He had considerable difficulty “locating” his pitches.  While it took a long time for Schmidt to make it to the major leagues, it didn’t take him long to leave MLB. He lasted just one season – and is the only pitcher in MLB history who was a 20-game winner in his only major league season. Why was his MLB career so short? Simple answer – location.  He did not care for the geographic “location” of major-league baseball. For more on Henry Schmidt’s unusual career, click here.

2022 – Karl Spooner

Southpaw Spooner holds a share of the record for strikeouts in an MLB debut (15) and also threw complete-game shutouts in each of his first two starts.  After earning a late September (1954) call-up (to the Dodgers), the 23-year-old rookie was thrown right into the fire – starting on September 26 against the league-leading and Dodgers’ chief rival Giants.  His  27 strikeouts in his first two appearances also remain an MLB record.   A shoulder injury suffered in 1955 Spring Training cut Spooner’s career short. He  didn’t get his first start of the 1955 season until May 15 and finished the season, his last in the major leagues, 8-6, 3.65 in 29 games (14 starts).   Spooner pitched for three more seasons in the minors, but never recaptured 1954 glory.  For the full Karl Spooner story, click here.

2023 – Glenn Williams

Williams had a 13-game major-league career – all in June of 2005 and all with the Minnesota Twins.  Over his 13-games in “The Show,” Williams hit a robust .425 and collected at least one hit in every game he played.  Williams holds the MLB record for the longest MLB career for a player who was never held hitless in any MLB game he appeared in.  For the full Glenn William story, click here.

2024 – Irv Waldon

Waldron, who played just one MLB  season (1901) ,  still holds the record for base hits (186), runs scored (102) and total bases (226) by a player who played just one MLB campaign.   Further, Waldron made his “jump” from the minor leagues to the majors without changing cities, teams or even leagues, For the full Waldron story, click here. 

—–INSPIRATION FOR THE JPA—–

John Paciorek – signed out of Saint Ladislaus High School in Hamtramck, Michigan (where he had starred in football, basketball and baseball) – appeared in his first major-league game on the final day of the 1963 season (September 29) at the age of 18.  The 6’ 1”, 200-pound outfielder had spent the 1963 season with Class-A Modesto Colts. The Colts’ parent club, the Houston Colt .45s (that was the current Astros’ franchise name back then), was suffering through a difficult season. The team was 65-96 going into that final game.  Looking to the future, Houston had, in fact, fielded an all-rookie lineup (average age 19) on September 27. Youth was still being served two days later when John Paciorek started his first MLB game. The results were surprising – and worthy of recognition.

Playing right field and batting seventh in a 13-4 win over the NY Mets, Paciorek ended up with three hits and two walks in five plate appearances, with four runs scored and three runs batted in.  Perhaps equally surprising is that it was not only Paciorek’s first major-league appearance, it was to be his only MLB appearance.  Back pain the following spring, followed by surgery (he played 49 minor league games in 1964 and missed all of the 1965 season), put an end to his MLB playing days. (Paciorek did play in four more minor-league seasons.)  Still, you will find John Paciorek in the Baseball Encyclopedia and his is arguably the greatest one-game MLB career ever.  Among one-gamers, he holds the record for times on base and runs scored, and shares the record for batting average, on base percentage and RBIs.

Paciorek, by the way, went on to become a high school teacher and multi-sport coach and is the author of the books (Plato and Socrates – Baseball’s Wisest Fans;  The Principles of Baseball: And All There Is To Know About Hitting; and If I Knew Then What I Know Now. You also can enjoy Paciorek’s prose (and expertise) at his blog “Paciorek’s Principles of Perfect Practice” by clicking here. You can find out even more about Paciorek in Steven Wagner’s 2015 book Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder.

And for a sample chapter of Paciorek’s upcoming book, “Simplicity – The Principle of Perfection in the Science of the Universe and World of Baseball,” click here.

A final note. John Paciorek’s insight into the national pastime should come as no surprise. Paciorek comes from a true “baseball family.”  He was the first born of eight siblings and was followed to the big leagues by younger brothers Jim and Tom Paciorek.  (Like John, Jim’s MLB career was short – 48 games for the Brewers in 1987. Brother Tom, however, achieved a .282 average over an 18-season MLB career.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1121

It’s early June, and that means it’s time for Baseball Roundtable’s May Wrap up – a look at the stats and stories that caught The Roundtable’s attention over the past month, as well as The Roundtable’s Players and Pitchers of the Month, Trot Index and more.   (The Roundtable usually publiches the Wrap Up on the first of the month, but a computer clash led to lost files   a delay.) Just a few of May’s ‘highlights that you will find in this post:

• A record-tying ten solo home runs in a game (Royals/Orioles);
• A “Maddux” – shutout of less than 100 pitches – with a Maddux-record 13 strikeouts (Tarik Skubal);
• A 21-0 shutout win (Padres/Rockies);
• A hitter with 100+ May at bats raking at a .400+ pace  (Freddie Freeman);
• A player (a rookie) becoming the first MLBer to achieve a three-homer game, a contest with homers both left- and right-handed, a Grand Slam and a walk-off homer in a single calendar month (Jasson Dominguez);
• 2025’s first Immaculate inning (Cal Quantrill);
• Bryce Harper‘s 1,000th RBI and Kyle Schwarber‘s 300th home run;
• A player tying the record for most times hit by a pitch in an inning and a game (CJ Abrams);
• Chris Sale becoming the quickest MLB hurler to reach 2,500 strikeouts;
• A team scoring nine runs before making the first out of a game (Nationals/Diamondbacks); and
• More

See the Highlights Section for these stories and more.

—-PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH … MAY 2025—-

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Player of the Month … Shohei Ohtani, DH, Dodgers

While I tend to assign some value to playing a defensive position, you cannot ignore Ohtani’s MLB-leading 15 May home runs.  He also drove in 27 May tallies (fourth in MLB, second in the NL) and scored an MLB-best 31 runs, while averaging .309 for the month. In addition. Ohtani ‘s 21 May extra-base hits (five doubles, one triple and 15 homers) led MLB and his .782 slugging percentage was second only to the Yankees’ Aaron Judge (among players with at least 75 May at bats). Ohtani’s month included ten multi-hit games and a thirteen-game span (May 3-16) during which he hit .404-9-19.

Honorable Mentions: Dodgers’ 1B Freddie Freeman hit .410 for the month (highest among players with at least 75 May at bats) and led MLB with 43 May hits. He hit safely in 22 of 27 May games. Cubs’ CF Pete Crow-Armstrong hit .269, with nine home runs and an NL-leading 29 May RBI. He also scored 20 runs and stole five bases in seven attempts. Nationals’ LF James Wood put up a .333-7-23 line for May.

Pitcher of the Month – Robbie Ray, LHP, Giants

I really thought Zack Wheeler would coast in with this one. After four May starts, he was 4-0, 0.68, with 31 strikeouts and only six walks. Then, in his final start of the month (May 29), he gave up six runs in 5 1/3 innings (with four walks and six strikeouts) in a 6-2 loss to the Braves and suddenly 4-0, 0.68 became 4-1, 2.24.  That opened the door for a close race between Robbie Ray and the Reds’ Andrew Abbott. Ray tied for the MLB lead in wins for the month at 4-1 (in six starts), while Abbott was 3-0 in six starts. Ray put up a solid 1.38 ERA, but Abbott was even better with an MLB-best (among pitchers with at least 25 May innings) 0.55.  Digging deeper, Ray bested Abbott in WHIP 0.87 to 0.98 and average against (.169 to .190).  Ray also had a slight edge in strikeouts to walks (45 K / 8 BB to Abbott’s 33 K / 10 BB.  Plus Ray went a little deeper in games (39 innings in six starts to Abbott’s 32 2/3 innings in six outings).  Overall, slight edge, for me, to Ray.

Honorable Mentions: Andrew Abbott, LHP, Reds (see paragraph above.) Zack Wheeler, RHP, Phillies (see paragraph above). Matthew Boyd, LHP, Cubs, who went 3-0. 3.54 in May, gets a nod for putting up 34 strikeouts against just two walks – in 28 May innings.

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Player of the Month – Rafael Devers, DH, Red Sox

Devers led all major leaguers with 33 May RBI, to go with a .356 average and seven home runs.  He was third in the AL hits with 37 and tied for the MLB lead in walks with 22.  Devers’ .468 on-base percentage was tops among players with at least 75 May at bats. On May 23, he went four-for-six, with two home runs and eight RBI, as the Red Sox topped the Orioles 19-8. It was one of his ten multi-RBI May games.

Honorable Mentions: The Mariners’ Cal Raleigh not only handled the heavy behind-the-plate duties, he led the AL in home runs with 12, while hitting .304 and driving in 26 runs. Yankees’ RF Aaron Judge hit .364 for the month, with eleven home runs (second in the AL), 18 RBI and an AL-leading 25 May runs scored. Guardians’ 3B Jose Ramirez went .386-5-14 for the month, with 22 runs scored and an AL-leading (tied) 39 base hits.

Pitcher of the Month – Tarik Skubal, RHP, Tigers

Skubal racked up an MLB-leading 59 strikeouts in 41 May innings (2-0, 2.20 record), while walking just two batters. His month include one shutout – a 94-pitch, no-walk, 13- strikeout, two-hitter in a 5-0 win over division rival Guardians.

Honorable Mentions: Kris Bubic, LHP, Royals, went 3-0 in five May starts and put up a miniscule 0.56 ERA (the lowest among AL pitchers with at least 25 May innings). He did not give up more than one run in any of his five starts. He fanned 33 batters (eight walks) in 32 1/3 innings. Twins’ reliever righty Jhoan Duran appeared in 15 May games and put up four wins (one loss) and seven saves – as well as a tidy 0.60 ERA (one earned run in 15 innings). Veteran Carlos Rodon, LHP, Yankees went 3-0, 1.47 in five starts and Rangers’ righty Nathan Eovaldi went 2-1, 0.68 in five stats.

 

Surprise of the Month – Carlos Narvaez C, Red Sox

Narvaez signed (Yankees) as a teenager, out of Venezuela, in 2015. In eight minor-league seasons, he hit .250-47-237.  He did have a brief call up to the Yankees in 2024 (.231-0-0 in six games). In December of 2024, Narvaez (noted for his defensive skills) was traded to the Red Sox, and most expected him to compete for the spot as Connor Wong’s backup.  He made the team out of Spring Training and a new door was opened when Wong fractured his left pinkie finger early in the season. In March/April, Narvaez flashed his defensive skills and hit .218-3-8 in 22 games. In May, his bat surprised a lot of people (and earned this spot) – as he went .356-2-9 in 22 games.

Honorable Mention: SS Jacob Wilson of the A’s was a 2023 first-round pick (sixth overall), so his success is less of a surprise.  What is a bit surprising is how quickly he found major-league success.  A little background.  In three seasons at Grand Canyon University, Wilson hit .361-22-155 in 155 games. Then, he hit .401 in two minor-league seasons (79 games) working bis way up from rookie-level to Triple-A. He was called up to the A’s in July of 2024 and hit .250-0-3 in 28 games.  This March/April, he turned it up a notch (.325-3-15) and, in May, he was even better (.366-4-16), with an AL-leading (tied) 39 base hits.  No surprise he’s living up to his promise, just surprising that he got there so fast.

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THE TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE FEATURE

Through May  30,  34.5% of the MLB season’s plate appearances ended in a trot (back to the dugout, around the bases, to first base). We’re talking about strikeouts, home runs, walks, hit by pitch and catcher’s interference – all outcomes that are, basically, devoid of action on the base paths or in the field. Here’s the breakout: strikeouts (21.9%); walks (8.6%); home runs (2.9%); HBP (1.0%); catcher’s interference (less than 1%). 

The 35.0% basically mirrors  the 35.1% through April in 2024 (perhaps we’ve plateaued and the Index no longer serves a purpose). I also looked into full-year Trot Index figures for the years I have been a fan: 34.9% in 2024; 30.3% in 2010; 29.9% in 2000; 31.7% in 1990; 23.1% in 1980; 27.0% in 1970; 25.1% in 1960; and 22.8% in 1950.

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A few random observations:

• The Giants and Rangers were the only teams with ERAs under 3.00 – and both had sub-.500 records for the month.
• The Cardinals were the the only team to play .700+ ball – and they did it despite scoring the 11th most runs and giving up the eighth fewest.
• The Twins’ 18 May wins included a 13-game winning streak (longest in the majors this season) in which they outscored their opponents 68-29.
• The Rockies went 4-24 in May (losing all eight series), leaving them 9-49 on the season – the worst start to a season in MLB’s Modern ERA. In May, the Rockies were outscored 192 to 85.
• The AL Central was the only division with four teams over .500 in May. (The AL Central is also the only division to have four teams over .500 through May.)
• Los Angeles was home to the home run kings.  The Dodgers led the NL with 44 long balls, the Angels led the AL with 42.

——-Team Statistical Leaders for May 2025 ———-

RUNS SCORED

National League –Dodgers (173); Cubs (150); Phillies (141)

American League – Tigers (150); Rays (137); Blue Jays (136)

The fewest runs in May were scored by the Pirates (84). In the American League, it was the Rangers at 93. 

AVERAGE

National League – Dodgers (.283); Diamondbacks (.269); Phillies (.265)

American League – Astros (.2785); Blue Jays (.268); Royals (.265)

The lowest team average for May belonged to the Rangers at .210.

HOME RUNS

National League – Dodgers (44); Diamondbacks (39); Cubs (37)

American League – Angels (42); Yankees (41); Blue Jays 38

The Pirates had the fewest home runs in May at 18.  

TOTAL BASES

National League –Dodgers (458); Diamondbacks (442); Phillies (419)

American League – Blue Jays (417); Astros (410); Yankees (410)

The Dodgers led MLB in May Slugging Percentage at .482.  The Yankees led the AL (.459)

DOUBLES

National League – Nationals (56); Diamondbacks (53); Reds (52)

American League – Yankees (50); White Sox (50); Athletics (49); Tigers (49)

TRIPLES

National League – Rockies (9); Diamondbacks (6); five with five

American League – Royals (8); Yankees (6); Red Sox (4); Guardians (4)

STOLEN BASES

National League – Brewers (40); Cubs (30); Nationals (26)

American League – Rays (49); Rangers (27); Orioles (25)

The Tigers stole the fewest sacks in May at seven – in ten attempts.  The Giants stole the fewest May bags in the NL – nine in fifteen attempts.  

WALKS DRAWN

National League – Dodgers (107); Mets (102); three with 95

American League – Yankees (109) Blue Jays (108); A’s (96)

The Dodgers led MLB in May on-base percentage at .357. The Blue Jays led the AL at .345. The Rangers had MLB’s lowest May OBP at (.279).  The Rockies anchored the NL at .280.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

National League – Reds (262); Rockies (257); Pirates (240)

American League – Angels (283); Red Sox (257); Tigers (247)

Padres’ batters fanned the fewest times in May (184). The Royals fanned the fewest times in the AL at 189.

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EARNED RUN AVERAGE

National League – Giants (2.64): Mets (3.08); Braves (3.08)

American League – Rangers (2.98); Twins (3.11); Royals (3.12)

The Athletics had the highest May ERA at 6.88.  Also over 5.00 were the Rockies (5.91); Diamondbacks (5.33) and Orioles (5.21).  All these teams were under .500, with a combined 31-80 record.

STRIKEOUTS

National League – Phillies (269); Braves (250); Dodgers (238)

American League –Astros (276); Tigers (257); Yankees (254)

The Astros averaged an MLB-best 10.24 strikeouts per nine innings in May. The Phillies averaged an NL-best 9.53.  Six teams averaged nine whiffs per nine or better. By comparison, the Mets led MLB in K/9 in 1990 at 7.61; The Indians led in 1970 at 6.67; and the Dodgers led in 1950 at 5.00.

FEWEST WALKS SURRENDERED

National League –   Cubs (63); Cardinals (69); Giants (71)

American League – Royals (60); Twins (60); Mariners (72)

The Royals walked an MLB-lowest 2.15 batters per nine innings in May.  The Angels walked an MLB-worst 4.30 batters per nine frames.

SAVES

National League – Phillies (12); Cardinals (11); four with eight

American League – Twins (10); Blue Jays (10); three with eight

The A’s blew the most saves in May– nine 13 opportunities.

Walks+Hits/Innings Pitched (WHIP)

National League – Giants (1.12); Cubs (1.15); Braves (1.18)

American League:  Twins (1.13); Blue Jays (1.15); Royals 1.16; Tigers (1.16)

Bonus Stats:

• The A’s gave up an MLB-high 56 home runs in May. The Giants gave up an MLB-low 17 home runs.
• Rangers’ pitchers held opponents to an MLB-low .218 average in May. The Rockies’ staff was touched for an MLB-high .300 average.
• The Twins’ strikeouts-to-walks ratio for May topped MLB at 3.95. The Rockies had MLB’s worst ratio at 1.81.

—-MAY HIGHLIGHTS—-

Wait for the Big Finish

On May 2, the Tigers came up in the top of the ninth innings in a 1-1 tie with the Angels, but ended the pitchers’ duel with an eight-run top of the final frame. Tigers’ DH Riley Greene scored and drove in the first run of the frame with a solo home run off Kenley Jansen. Nine batters later, Greene scored the final run and drove in the final three runs of the contest with a three-run homer off Jake Eder. It was the first time in AL/NL history a player had hit two ninth-inning homers in a game.

Who Did What?

Astros’ CF Jake Meyers came into the game on May 3 (versus the White Sox) batting ninth and hitting .262, with no home runs and six RBI in 30 games.  Those numbers changed in a hurry.  As the Astros prevailed 8-3, Meyers went four-for-four, with two homers, a triple and a double, collecting (a franchise record-tying) 13 total bases, scoring twice and driving in seven tallies.

Baltimore Flyover (The wall, that is.)

On May 4, as the Royals beat the Orioles 11-6 in an afternoon title at Camden Yards – the ball was flying.  The two teams hit a total of 11 roundtrippers in the game. The Royals launched a franchise-high seven and the Birds went yard four times. Further, ten of the 11 long balls were solo homers which, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, tied an MLB record. Overall, nine players went yard.  The Royals got two homers from 3B Maikel Garcia and one each from LF Jonathan India; SS Bobby Witt, Jr.; 1B Vinnie PasquaNtino; 2B Michael Massey; and C Luke Maile.  The Royals got two homers from 2B Jackson Holliday and one each from CF Cedric Mullins and RF Ryan O’Hearn. Massey’s ninth-inning two-run home run as the only one that wasn’t a solo shot.

Royals’ starter Michael Lorenzen gave up all four Orioles’ homers (over a 4 2/3-inning outing). The Orioles, on the other hand, had five different pitchers surrender long balls.

You Chose Well, Grasshopper

On May 4, the Texas Rangers dismissed Offensive Coordinator Donnie Ecker and on May 6 brought on Brett Boone as hitting coach. Well, on Boone’s first day on the job, the Rangers banged out sixteen hits in a 6-1 win over the Red Sox in Fenway (evening the Rangers’ 2025 record at 18-18). Six Rangers had multi-hit games and only the number-nine hitter in the starting lineup went hitless. An omen? Hard to say.  After all the Rangers did collect 12 hits in the game before Boone came on the scene (an 8-1 win over the Mariners in Texas).  But certainly, a good first day on the job for Boone.

Side note: Through May 4, the Rangers had scored three or fewer runs in 22 of its 35 games (63%). From May 6-31, they scored three or fewer runs in 14 of 23 games (58%).

Extra? Extra? Read All About it.

On May 6, the Cubs and Giants were locked in a tight one – tied at five apiece after ten innings. Then things loosened up a bit, as the Giants tallied nine in the top of the eleventh and eventually won 14-5 – the fifth largest extra-inning margin of victory in the Modern Era (post-1900).  It went like this:

Cubs’ Ryan Pressley pitching

• Giants’ pinch runner Christian Koss started the inning on second base (replacing LaMonte Wade, Jr.);
• LF Heliot Ramos doubled, Koss going to third;
• C Patrick Bailey singled to drive home Koss, with Ramos going to third;
• 2B Brett Wisely bunted, Ramos scored, Bailey went to second, and Wisely reached first;
• RF Mike Yastrzemski walked, loading the bases;
• SS Willy Adames was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run;
• CF Jung Hoo Lee hit an RBI single to right, bases remained loaded;
• 3B Matt Chapman singled to left, driving in two runs – runners now on first and second;
• DH Wilmer Flores hit an RBI single to left, runners now on first and third;

Caleb Thielbar replaces Pressley on the mound.

• Koss struck out;
• Ramos hit an RBI double to left, runners now on first and third;
• Bailey hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center;
• David Villar pinch hit for Wisley and struck out to end the carnage.

The inning: Nine runs on six hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.

For the who like to know such things, the most runs scored in any extra-inning was 12 – by the Rangers in a July 3, 1983, 14-inning, 16-4 win over the Athletics.   Notably, like the Giants (above), they accomplished the feat without the benefit of a home run … eight hits (three doubles), four walks, a wild pitch and an Athletics’ error.

200 for Bregman

On May 7, as the Red Sox topped the Rangers 6-4 in Boston, BoSox’ 3B Alex Bregman went three-for-four, with two runs scored and three RBI. One of his hits was a fourth-inning solo home run off Tyler Mahle – the 200^th roundtripper of Bregman’s 10-season MLB career. Bregman finished May at .299-11-35 on the season.

The Bronx Bomber Tradition

On May 9, 22-year-old (rookie-qualified) Yankee left fielder Jasson Dominguez went deep three times in a Yankees 10-2 win over the Athletics in Sacramento. It was his first MLB multi-homer game and included a first-inning solo homer (hit left-handed off Osvaldo Bido). He also drove in a run with a sac fly off Bido in the fifth; hit a solo homer, batting right-handed, off Hogan Harris in the seventh; and capped off his day with a Grand Slam (back to the port side) off Elvis Alvarado in the eighth.  Dominguez hit only one other home run in May – a walk-off game winner off Luke Jackson of the Rangers in a 4-3 Yankees win on May 21.

Dominguez is now the youngest Yankee with a three-homer game (22 years-91 days), edging out Joe DiMaggio (22 years-200 days). #InBaseballWeCountEverything. It was also reported that Dominguez became the first player to hit three home runs in a game, hit homers both right- and left-handed in a game, hit a Grand slam and hit a walk-off homer all in the same month.

Fedde Shutout – A Rare Bird

On May 10, Erick Fedde of the Cardinals tossed his first MLB shutout and first MLB complete game in eight MLB seasons. It came in his 137^th start.  Fedde gave up six hits and no walks (with eight strikeouts) in a 10-0 win over the Nationals in Washington. It was just the third single-pitcher shutout of the season. It was also the Cardinals’ first single-pitcher shutout since August 22, 2022. Fedde threw 109 pitches (68 strikes) in his outing.

Now that’s Embarrassing

The Rockies had a tough May, going 4-24, leaving them 9-49 on the season. The most embarrassing moment may have come on May 10, when the Rox lost to the Padres 21-0 in Colorado. Rockies’ batters tallied just five hits, while Rockies’ pitchers gave up 24 hits, including five home runs (RF Fernando Tatis, Jr.; SS Xander Bogaerts; 2B Jake Cronenworth; 1B Gavin Sheets; LF Jason Heyward.  The Padres missed the Modern Era (post-1900) record for runs scored when shutting out an opponent by just one run.  There have been two 22-0 whitewashings.  On September 16, 1975, the Pirates beat the Cubs (at Wrigley) by that score.  On August 31, 2004, the Indians trounced the Yankees 22-0 in New York. Pre-1900, the Providence Grays beat the Philadelphia Quakers (now Phillies) 28-0 on August 21, 1883.

Oh, and by the way, Padres’ pitcher Stephen Kolek threw a nine-inning shutout (don’t see those too often any more), giving up five hits, walking two and fanning seven.  It was Kolek’s first career complete game and first shutout (in just his fourth MLB start). Kolek made his MLB debut in 2024, getting in 42 games for San Diego (all in relief) and going 3-0, 5.21.  Through May of this season he was 3-1, 4.11 in five starts.

Let’s Change Things Up a Little

The Reds came into their May 10 game at Houston with a 20-21 record, having won only one of their last seven games and having scored a total of ten runs in their last six games. Then BOOM, the Reds matched their offensive output of the previous six games by plating ten runs versus Houston in the top of the very first inning. The Reds sent 14 batters to the plate that inning and scored tens runs on five hits (three singles, a double and a home run), while also benefiting from five walks and a hit batsman. They ultimately won the game 13-9. They then went on to lose their next three games, tallying a total of three runs. But in a see-saw month, after those three losses, they went on a five-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents 26-8.

1,000 for Freddy

On May 12, as the Brewers lost to the Guardians 5-0 in Cleveland, Brewer starter Freddy Peralta lasted 5 1/3 innings, giving up four runs and taking the loss.  He did, however, fan four batters and the third of those strikeouts – 2B Daniel Schneemann to end the fifth inning was Peralta’s 1,000^th career strikeout- making him the fastest pitcher to reach 1,000 Ks as a Brewer (187 games/804 2/3 innings).  Peralta is in his eighth season (all as a Brewer).

They Call Him The Streak

On May 14, as the Phillies won the first game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals by a 2-1 score, Phillies’ DH Kyle Schwarber took a zero-for-four collar. Hardly seems worth a highlight, unless you consider that it was the first time in 48 games that Schwarber failed to get on base. It was the fourth-longest such streak in Phillies Modern-Era (post-1900) history. The Phillies’ record belongs to Mike Schmidt at 56 games. The all-time record is 84 games by Ted Williams). Schwarber’s 46-game on-base streak went back to September 23, 2024.  During the streak, he went .262-16-37, with 33 walks.

One For the Money … Two for the Sho(hei)

Timing isn’t everything, but it is something.  On May 15, 51,272 fans packed Dodger Stadium for Shohei Ohtani Bobblehead Night … a bobblehead commemorating his “unicorn” 2024 fifty+ homer/50+ steal season). As usual, Ohtani did not disappoint, going two-for-six, with two home runs and six RBI in a 19-2 win over the Athletics.  Side Note: On April 2, the Dodgers handed out Ohtani bobbleheads commemorating his third unanimous NL MVP Award (2021-23-24). In that game, Ohtani went three-for-five and won the game with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth (Dodgers 5 – Braves 5). Nice timing.

A Nice Round Number

On May 16, as the Phillies topped the Pirates 8-4 in Philadelphia, Phillies’ 1B Bryce Harper went three-for-four (all singles) with two runs scored and two RBI. His first RBI of the game, coming in the fifth inning, was Harper’s 1,000^th career run driven in (coming in his 14^th season/1,697^th career game. More #InBaseballWeCountEverything – In an MLB.com report, Todd Zolecki noted that made Harper just the 14th MLB player to rack up 1,000 runs scored, 1,000 walks and 1,000 RBI before his 33^rd birthday.

Immaculately Done, Mr. Quantrill

On May 18, as the Marlins topped the Rays 5-1 in Miami, Marlins’ starter Cal Quantrill tossed five innings of one-run ball for the win (two hits, one run, two walks, six strikeouts). He carved out a little spot in MLB history in the top of the fourth – tossing 2025’s first Immaculate Inning (nine pitches, three outs, three strikeouts). The victims were the 5-6-7 hitters: 1B Jonathan Aranda, LF Christopher Morel and CF Kameron Misner.  For those who like to know such things, there have been more than 100 Immaculate Innings.  Dipping a toe into the research, I found that Baseball-Almanac.com reports 115 such occurrences; The Sporting News 116 and an article on MLB.com 118. One thing that is agreed upon is that Immaculate frames are becoming more common, with more nine-pitch, three-strikeout innings reported between 2000 and 2025 than from 1889 through 1999,

Not as Complete a Day as Hoped For

On May 18, in his 33rd MLB start, Pirates “phenom” Paul Skenes pitched his first MLB complete game – giving up just three hits and one rum (walking one and fanning nine) in eight innings. Unfortunately, all he got for that sharp outing was a loss, as four Phillies’ pitchers held the Pirates scoreless.  The loss put Skenes at 3-5, 2.44 (after ten starts) on the season.

Rolling a 300

On May 19, as the Phillies topped the Rockies 9-3 (in Colorado), Kyle Schwarber led off the top of the ninth inning with a 466-foor home run to right field (off Scott Alexander). It was his 16^th of the season and, perhaps more important statistically, his 300^th career dinger.  Schwarber finished May with a .232-19-43 stat line on the season.  Sidenote: Schwarber seems to have found a “home” in Philly. In seven seasons before coming to Philadelphia (2015-2021 … Cubs, Nationals, Red Sox), Schwarber hit a total of 153 long balls in 664 games.  In three seasons and change with the Phillies 2022-2025) he has hit 150 home runs in 523 games.

Breaking Out in the Eighth

On May 23, in a 19-5 win over the Orioles in Boston, the Red Sox dropped a “Baker’s Dozen” runs on the Birds in the eighth inning. (For you youngsters a “Baker’s Dozen” is 13.)  The Red Sox sent 18 batters to the plate in the frame – collecting 12 hits (five singles, five doubles, two home runs) and two walks.  Every player in the lineup scored at least once (four scored twice). DH Rafael Devers had a single and a Grand Slam (two runs, five RBI in the inning), while RF Rob Refsnyder had a three-run homer and a single (four RBI, two runs scored). Orioles’ pitchers Cionel Perez and Emmanuel Rivera (a corner infielder by trade) threw a combined 67 pitches in the inning.  For those who like know such things, the most runs ever scored by a team in the eighth inning of an MLB game is 16 – by the Rangers (also against the Orioles) in a 26-7 win on April 19, 1996. In that inning, the Rangers recorded eight hits, but benefited from eight walks and a wild pitch. The Orioles’ pitcher in that frame were Armando Benitez, Jesse Orosco and (infielder) Manny Alexander.

Out-Madduxing the Professor

On May 25, Tigers’ lefty Tarik Skubal threw a rare “Maddux” – a nine-inning shutout using less than 100 pitches (named such in honor of Hall of Famer Greg Maddux). In running his season record to 5-2, 2.49, Skubal shutout the Guardians in a 5-0 Tiger win.  Skubal fanned 13 batters in his 94-pitch outing (the most strikeouts ever in a “Maddux.”)  Maddux himself never fanned more than nine batters in a “Maddux.”

Don’t Be in Such a Hurry

On May 25, Braves’ starter Chris Sale pitched six scoreless frames (two hits, three walks, eight strikeouts), as the Braves topped the Phillies 9-3. His final strikeout – 3B Edmundo Sosa to end the sixth inning, was the 2,500^th of Sale’s 15-season MLB career. It made him the 40^th MLB pitcher to reach that milestone and he got there faster (in innings) than any other pitcher (2,026 innings). The previous pace-holder was Randy Johnson, who reached 2,500 strikeouts in 2,107 2/3 innings (in his 12^th MLB season).

How Things have Changed – A Complete Game is a Highlight

On May 31, The Rays’ Zack Littell – making his 59^th career start and 214^th mound appearance in eight MLB seasons, tossed his first MLB career complete game. He gave up three runs on ten hits and one walk (six strikeouts) in the 117-pitch outing (a 16-3 Rays win over the Astros in Houston).

Not A Great Day for the Home Crowd

On May 31, the Diamondbacks were in a deep hole even before many of the 29,434 fans at Chase Field were in their seats.  In the top of the first inning, the Nationals scored nine runs off pair of Diamondbacks’ hurlers before an out was even recorded.

It went like this.

Brandon Pfaadt on the mound.

• CF CJ Abrams hit by a pitch on an 0-2 count;
• LF James Wood singled to right, Abrams going to third;
• 1B Nathaniel Lowe hit an RBI double to left;
• 2B Luis Garcia Jr. hit a two-run double to right;

Hits to all three fields already.

• DH Josh Bell hit by a pitch on a 2-2 count;
• CF Robert Hassell III singled to center, loading the bases;
• C Kiebert Ruiz hit a two-run double to CF;
• 3B Jose Tena hit a two-run double to right;

With seven runs in, a runner on second and just 36 pitches thrown, Pfaadt was replaced on the bump by Scott McGough.

• RF Daylen Lile laced McGough’s second pitch for an RBI double to CF;
• Abrams hit by a pitch for the second time in the inning;

Side Note: Abrams tied the MLB record for most time hit by a pitch in an inning and was hit again in the sixth frame to tie the record for most times hit by a pitch in a game.

• Wood hit a ground ball, RBI single to CF;
• Lowe struck out swinging for the first out (nine runs already in).

The Nationals eventually went on to score one more run in the first inning and then hang on for a 11-7 win. According to the Elias Sports Bureau it was the second most runs ever scored by an MLB team before making its first out of a game. The Red Sox scored ten runs before the first out in the first inning of a 25-8 win over the Marlins (in Boston) on June 27, 2003.  The Nationals did tie the NL record for runs scored before making a first out.

200 and Counting

On May 31, as the Dodgers topped the Yankees 18-3, LA third baseman Max Muncy went three-for -six, with three runs scored, seven RBI and two home runs.  The first of the two long balls – a three-run shot in the second inning –  was Muncy’s 200^th career MLB roundtripper.

 

––INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS FOR MAY—

BATTING AVERAGE (at least 75 at bats)

American League: Jose Ramirez, Guardians (.386) Jacob Wilson. Athletics (.368); Ryan O’Hearn, Orioles (.365)

National League: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (.410); Heliot Ramos, Giants (.347); TJ Friedle, Reds (.344)

The lowest May average among players with at least 75 at bats belonged to the Red Sox’ infielder Kristian Campbell at .134 (11-for-82).

HITS

American League: Jose Ramirez, Guardians (39); Jacob Wilson, A’s (39); three with 37

National League: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (43); Trea Turner, Phillies (38); James Wood, Nationals (35)

The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani led all MLBers in May extra-base hits with 21 – five doubles, one triple and 15 home runs.  

HOME RUNS

American League: Cal Raleigh, Mariners (12); Aaron Judge, Yankees (11); Taylor Ward, Angels (10)

National League:  Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (15); Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (10); Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs (9)

The Yankees’ Aaron Judge all hitters with at least 75 at bats in May slugging percentage at .798. The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani the NL at .782

RUNS BATTED IN

American League: Rafael Devers, Red Sox (33); Taylor Ward, Angels (28); Cal Raleigh, Mariners (26)

National League: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs (29); Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (27); Seiya Suzuki, Cubs (27)

RUNS SCORED

American League:  Aaron Judge, Yankees (25); Zach Neto, Angels (23); Jose Ramirez, Guardians (22)

National League: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (31); CJ Abrams, Nationals (24); Mookie Betts, Dodgers (23); Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (23)

DOUBLES

American League: Lawrence Butler, A’s (10); Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles (9); Miguel Vargas, White Sox (9); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (9)

National League: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs (12); Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (10); Nico Hoerner, Cubs (10)

TRIPLES

American League:  Jarren Duran, Red Sox (3); Bobby Wit, Jr., Royals (3); four with two

National League: Jordan Beck, Rockies (3); Austin Hayes, Reds (3); nine with two

STOLEN BASES

American League:  Chandler Simpson, Rays (16); Jose Caballero, Rays (12); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (11)

National League: Jackson Chourio, Brewers (9); Francisco Lindor, Mets (8); Trea Turner, Phillies (8); Kyle Tucker, Cubs (8)

The White Sox’ Luis Robert, Jr.  and Jorge Mateo of the Orioles tied for the most May bases stolen without getting caught (9).

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

American League:  Zach Neto, Angels (39); Tyler Soderstrom, A’s (37); Taylor Ward, Angels (37)

National League: Michael Toglia, Rockies (40); Oneill Cruz, Pirates (38); Tyler Stephenson, Reds (37)

WALKS

American League:  Rafael Devers, Red Sox (22); Vlad Guerrero, Jr., Blue Jays (21); Gleyber Torres, Tigers (21)

National League: Marcell Ozuna, Braves (22); Juan Soto, Mets (20); Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (19)

The Highest on-base percentage among players with at least 75 May at bats was .468, by the Red Sox’ Rafael Devers. The NL leader was the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman at .462.

PITCHING VICTORIES

American League:  Zack Littell, Rays (4-0); Framber Valdez, Astros (4-1); Jhoan Duran, Twins (4-1)

National League:  Ranger Suarez, Phillies (4-0); Robbie Ray, Giants (4-1); Zack Wheeler, Phillies (4-1)

The Rockies’ Antonio Senzatela led MLB in May losses (0-6, 9.10) in six starts.

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (minimum 20 May innings)

American League: Kris Bubic, Royals (0.56); Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers (0.68); Carlos Rodon, Yankees (1.47)

National League: Andrew Abbott, Reds (0.55); Bailey Falter, Pirates (0.76); Chris Sale, Braves (1.11)

The highest ERA among pitchers with at least 25 May innings or four May starts was 9.10 by the Rockies’ Antonio Senzatela (0-6, 9.10 in six starts, 28 2/3 innings).

STRIKEOUTS

American League: Tarik Skubal, Tigers (59 K / 41 IP); Will Warren, Yankees (43K / 28 IP); Framber Valdez, Astros (42 K / 42 IP)

National League: Robbie Ray, Giants A (45 K / 39 IP); Sonny Gray, Cardinals (43 K / 34 IP); Dylan Cease, Padres (42 K / 34 IP); MacKenzie Gore, Nationals (42 K / 27 1/3 IP)

WALKS + HITS/INNINGS PITCHED (at least 25 May innings)

American League: Tarik Skubal, Tigers (0.59); Joe Ryan, Twins (0.72); Kevin Gausman Blue Jays (0.84)

National League: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers (0.80); Zack Wheeler, Phillies (0.81); Bailey Falter, Pirates (0.84)

Among pitches with at least 25 Mays innings, the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto held batters to the lowest average at .146.

SAVES

American League:  Jhoan Duran, Twins (7); Emmanuel Clase, Guardians (70; Carlos Estevez, Royals (7); Jeff Hoffman Blue Jays (7)

National League:  Ryan Helsley, Cardinals (9); Trevor Megill, Brewers (7); Kyle Finnegan, Nationals (7)

Ryan Helsley of the Cardinals saved the most games without a blown save in May (nine).  

Bonus:

Among pitchers who faced at least 75 batters in May:

• The Nationals MacKenzie Gore fanned the most batters per nine innings at 13.83;
• The Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman had the best strikeouts-to-walks ratio at 33.0. (He walked one batter and fanned 33 in 32 innings.)

 

Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; MLB.com

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