Issue #605
The goal with The Baseball Buffet series is to provide the best daily dose of relevant baseball info in a smart-brevity format (mostly short bullets, getting to the point, with quick analysis/insights.) Think of it like what baseball fans of a certain age would look forward to in their morning newspaper’s sports section each day!
⚾ Welcome! ⚾
The below are some appetizers from today’s full Baseball Buffet newsletter. Paid subscribers receive the full edition. (Upgrade now at 30% off the annual rate!)
Yesterday featured a full slate of 15 games. Here are the results (link to all game box scores):
TEX 7, LAD 8 - Corey Seager hit a 3-run HR in the third off Tyler Glasnow (6 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K), and Wyatt Langford connected for his first HR of the year in the fifth. The Rangers tied the game at 7-7 in the top of the ninth with three runs off Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz, a 2-run HR by Evan Carter, also his first of the year. Andy Pages had a big game going 3-3 with a walk, a double, a HR, and 4 RBI, but the biggest story was Max Muncy who went 4-5 with 5 runs and 3 RBI from three HR, including a walk-off blast in the bottom of the ninth.
MIA 0, DET 2 - DET SP Keider Montero did well (6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K), and three Tigers relievers pitched scoreless innings to combine for a 2-hit shutout. This included veteran closer Kenley Jansen, who secured his second save of the year, which is number 478 for his career, tying him with Lee Smith for third all-time. On offense, the Tigers were up 1-0 when Javier Baez provided an insurance run with a solo HR in the fifth.
CWS 0, KCR 2 - KCR SP Kris Bubic was masterful (7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K), and two Royals relievers combined for a 2-hit shutout, including Lucas Erceg securing his fourth save. CWS SP Davis Martin did pretty well (7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K), but allowed a run in the fourth, then a HR to rookie Carter Jensen in the seventh.
COL 2, SDP 5 - Gavin Sheets and Luis Campusano each had a solo HR in the fifth inning off COL SP Tomoyuki Sugano, who otherwise had a good start (6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K). SDP Walker Buehler pitched well (6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K), but then the Rockies scored two in the top of the eighth to tie the game. Mason Miller struck out three in the ninth inning... because that is what he does (19 K in 7.1 IP so far this year). Colorado brought in Juan Mejia for the bottom of the ninth, but he gave up a single to Jackson Merrill, a walk to Manny Machado, and then a walk-off 3-run HR by Gavin Sheets, his second dinger of the day.
PIT 2, CHC 0
ARI 5, PHI 4
LAA 10, CIN 2
DET 4, TOR 10
ATH 4, NYM 0
NYY 3, TBR 5
SFG 6, BAL 3
CLE 5, ATL 11
WSH 7, MIL 3
BOS 2, STL 3
HOU 6, SEA 9
Today’s Trivia Question
One of today's Birthday Boys (see below) is Bret Saberhagen. In 1989 he led the AL with a 2.16 ERA. Who are the only other two pitchers for the Royals to have an ERA of 2.16 or lower (only including qualifying seasons of 162 IP or more)? I'll note that one of the two pitchers is relatively easy to guess, the other is a challenge... unless you are a diehard Royals fan I suppose.
(Trivia answers are provided for paid All-Star subscribers of the Baseball Buffet.)
🎂 Today’s Birthday Boys 🎉
Row 1: Bret Saberhagen, Mark Teixeira, Jason Varitek
Row 2: Barney McCoskey, Trot Nixon, Tetelo Vargas
Currently active players who were born on April 11 include LAD Alex Vesia, ATL Nacho Alvarez Jr., COL Adael Amador, HOU Jayden Murray, HOU Cavan Biggio, Kenta Maeda (free agent).
Today’s Matchups
Today we have another full slate of games (15), including the following interesting matchups (see also full list):
PIT Braxton Ashcraft vs. CHC Edward Cabrera - Cabrera has a 0.00 ERA for his first two starts with the Cubs
TEX Jack Leiter vs. LAD Emmet Sheehan - not too surprisingly, the Dodgers have the best record in baseball at 10-3
HOU Lance McCullers Jr. vs. SEA Luis Castillo - another game in this important AL West series, with both teams struggling to start the year
Other starters on the mound today include MIN Joe Ryan, NYM Kodai Senga, NYY Max Fried, SFG Logan Webb, and BOS Ranger Suárez
Baseball Quote of the Day
One of today's Birthday Boys (see above) is Jason Varitek, so here are a few quotes from him:
"I wish I had a formula. Everybody is different. I get to know them as pitchers, get to know what they can and can't do. That's my first job."
"You have to read umpires like human beings. Some umpires ask about a pitch often. Some umpires are too prideful and never ask."
"You know, catching the knuckleball, it's like trying to catch a fly with a chopstick."
⚾ Enjoy the games today!⚾
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The above was just some highlights from today’s full Baseball Buffet. Paid All Star subscribers receive all of the following, every day:
Longer game summaries for every game
Current MLB standings
Notable player transactions… injuries, call-ups, free agent signings, trades, etc.
Rotating statistical leader lists
Current hitting streaks of seven or more games
On this day in baseball history…
Career summaries for each of The Birthday Boys
Daily Hitter Watch and Pitcher Watch lists - who has historically done well or poorly against their matchup today?
Good Reads… my favorite recent baseball articles from other writers
… and the answer to the trivia question!
Become an All Star subscriber to The Baseball Buffet today for $7 a month, or the annual rate of $49 a year. That is less than 14 cents a day for baseball goodness delivered to your inbox every morning!
Did you know? I wrote a 600+ page book with the same title as this newsletter/blog? Now Taking the Field: Baseball’s All-Time Dream Teams for All 30 Franchises was published in early 2019, by ACTA Sports. It is available at Amazon and most other major booksellers.
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