MLB Rumors: Fernando Tatis Jr. doesn't get it
The San Diego Padres have a virtual All-Star team on the roster, yet sit four games under .500 and in fourth place in the loaded NL West. The Diamondbacks, Dodgers and Giants are all ahead of them, leaving many to question — What's going on with this team?
Yes, Manny Machado just came back from injury. But the rest of the roster should be excelling.
Prior to Saturday's win over the Chicago Cubs, Fernando Tatis Jr. pondered that question himself, and didn't have a good answer.
If the baseball gods are punishing San Diego, as Tatis Jr. suggests, it's likely because of his doing. Tatis Jr. has wasted away his potential in recent years, in part due to motorcycle accidents and injuries, but also due to performance-enhancing drugs. Tatis tested positive in August of 2022, and was suspended for 80 games.
Now fully recovered from offseason surgery and back in the fold, Tatis has looked much like his old self. He hit two home runs in the Padres win over the Cubs on Saturday.
But, yes, if the baseball gods have a problem with San Diego, Tatis surely has plenty to do with that.
MLB Rumors: Aaron Judge thinks his catcher could've been better
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge made an incredible catch in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, crashing into the bullpen fence at full force and making one of the grabs of the season so far.
That poor door will never be the same.
Yet, because it's Aaron Freakin Judge, he thought the play should have been even better. Judge was upset that the baserunner at first base was able to advance on the play. Yes, seriously.
"There was quite a bit of give, but I wasn't too happy with Muncy getting second base there. I felt like I tumbled over and went out of play because the fence broke. I would've had an issue with that if they would've scored," Judge said. "I'm feeling good. I think the fence got most of it. Thankfully, it was that part of the wall where there's some give, so I think that saved my quite a bit. If it was a solid wall, I think we might be saying a different story."
Thankfully, Judge's Yankees teammates were willing to heap plenty of praise on him for yet another memorable moment in pinstripes. It's something fans (and Judge, apparently) take for granted, but we're watching greatness with No. 99.
"He's amazing, man. There's some great players in this series, no doubt; a couple of Hall of Famers on the other side as well. But he's just on another level. There's not a weak part of his game. Gosh, what a blessing to have him on my team," Yanks ace Gerrit Cole said.
After a very tough start to the season, New York has righted the ship somewhat. The excellent play from Judge and Cole is a primary reason for that turnaround.
MLB Rumors: Is Mets manager Buck Showalter feeling the heat?
Despite the highest payroll in baseball at his disposal, New York Mets manager Buck Showalter has yielded a team just one game over .500 to this point in the season. It's a long year, and by no means is Showalter's job in jeopardy right now, but Steve Cohen does not strike me as a patient man.
In all likelihood, this Mets team will manage a turnaround and perhaps a postseason appearance. This roster was constructed with World Series aspirations, but injuries and downright poor decision making from the top-down has kept them from reaching those goals. Showalter is not immune to this, either, as his choice to pitch to Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on Saturday night likely cost the Mets the game.
With a runner on second base in the ninth inning and first base open, New York could have intentionally walked Guerrero Jr. Instead, Showalter surprisingly decided to pitch to him, and the Mets paid the price.
"Just trusted Robbie (David Robertson) there. Also, looked at the 10th inning a little bit, too, what it sets up. He hit a groundball where we couldn't catch it," Showalter said. "It didn't work out, so it's something that's going to be critiqued. If it had, we'd have been in a really good situation."
David Robertson defended his manager postgame, despite the decision to pitch to Vladdy with Cavan Biggio and his .610 OPS on deck.
"It's not like anybody is an easy out in this league," Robertson said. "Doesn't really matter who you're facing, the guys can hit the ball. They get paid to hit. It's on me for not making a quality pitch there and not finishing that at-bat."
Eh, except it does matter who you're facing when that player is a perennial AL MVP candidate. Showalter bet on his bullpen, and that backfired. Now he has to suffer the consequences, which in New York City is a whole lot of ridicule.
