The Portland Sea Canine roster consists of three Prime 100 prospects, however neither Roman Anthony (15), Marcelo Mayer (42), nor Kyle Teel (83) has been the Double-A affiliate’s greatest participant up to now this season. That distinction belongs to a 23-year-old, shortstop-turned-left-fielder whom the Boston Crimson Sox drafted 69th general in 2019 out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy. Together with taking part in stellar protection at a brand new place, Matthew Lugo is slashing .306/.404/.653 with 10 house runs and an Jap League-best 191 wRC+.
Markedly-improved plate self-discipline has performed an enormous function in his breakout. Final yr, Lugo logged a 5.9% stroll price and a 27.6% strikeout price. This yr these numbers are 13.4% and 22.5%.
The important thing to his newfound potential to dominate the strike zone?
“Timing,” defined Lugo, who takes his cuts from the correct facet. “Final yr, I had a variety of motion with my fingers, which made me inconsistent being on time with the pitcher. My fingers have been very low, after which after I obtained to the launch place they have been very excessive; there was a variety of distance for my fingers to undergo. This yr, I’m nearer to my launch place earlier than I swing. I additionally had a [bat] wiggle and this yr I simply get to my spot with no wiggle. I’m stepping into my spot early and have extra time to see the pitch, so I’m making higher swing choices.”
The choice to maneuver Lugo off of his pure place and into an outfield nook wasn’t based mostly on defensive shortcomings, however slightly on the arrival of Mayer. The high-ceiling shortstop was promoted to Portland final yr on Memorial Day weekend, and given his first-round pedigree, he wasn’t going to be the one transferring.
That Lugo’s main place had been shortstop is itself notable. Ceddanne Rafaela was the displaced infielder’s teammate at a number of ranges developing by the Crimson Sox system, and it was he, not Lugo, who discovered himself shuttling amongst a number of positions. Together with being the perfect defensive centerfielder within the group, Rafaela is now arguably its greatest defensive shortstop apart from currently-injured Trevor Story.
Lugo was pragmatic when requested what he considers to be his greatest place.
“Left,” the Manati, Puerto Rico native instructed me. “My defensive numbers have been superb this yr, and I’m comfy on the market. I like taking part in the outfield, and hopefully I’ll get to play some proper subject, as effectively. I imply, I’m very athletic. I can play quick. I can play third. I can play wherever you place me, regardless of the supervisor wants.”
Positional versatility is not going to solely assist Lugo attain the large leagues, it befits his general skillset. Whereas not elite in anybody space, he does most issues effectively.
“I’ve all the time had a bit of little bit of the whole lot.” concurred Lugo, who’s comes off as equal components humble and assured. “I’m not a man that has essentially the most energy, however I do have energy. And I’m not the quickest man, however I can steal some bases (he has 9 this yr in 10 makes an attempt). I additionally really feel that I’m an clever participant who is aware of learn how to make changes; I’m very aware of what I have to work on.”
As for his probabilities of sooner or later taking part in in Boston alongside Rafaela — and/or some mixture of Story, Mayer, Anthony, and Teel — let’s simply say that his eyes have been firmly on the prize since his days as a younger novice.
“Once I was 12 or 13, I went to a recreation at Yankee Stadium,” recalled Lugo. “I bear in mind telling my dad, “I do know I’m solely 13, however I really feel like I can play right here, that I could make it to this degree.’ So, I’ve all the time felt in my coronary heart that I may do it. It was only a matter of figuring issues out, and this yr I’m feeling very comfy each offensively and defensively. There’s little question in my thoughts that, with God’s will, I’ll play within the huge leagues.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Aaron Choose is 5 for five towards Ryan Pressly.
Joe Choose went 8 for 9 towards Johnny Miljus.
Billy Jurges went 11 for 18 towards Orville Jorgens.
Arndt Jorgens went 9 for 23 towards Rube Walberg.
Rube Lutzke went 12 for 23 towards George Mogridge.
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Braiden Ward is having the most effective seasons within the Colorado Rockies system. The 25-year-old speedster slashed .340/.426/.550 in 115 plate appearances for Excessive-A Spokane, and since being promoted to Double-A Hartford earlier this week he’s gone 6-for-18 with a double, a triple, and a bunt hit. All instructed, his 5 three-baggers and 18 stolen bases are tops amongst Rockies farmhands, as is his 184 wRC+..
A Sixteenth-round senior sign up 2021 out of the College of Washington, Ward has simply seven house runs as knowledgeable, and at a listed 5-foot-9, 160-pounds he’s something however a bopper. The left-handed-hitting outfielder/second baseman is aware of that in addition to anyone.
“I’m not going to be an influence hitter, so I have to get on base any means I can,” stated Ward, whose 16 instances reaching base by way of HBP is essentially the most within the minors. “Getting on base and stealing baggage is my recreation. If I’m not doing that, I’m not within the recreation.”
Baseball America ranked Ward the quickest baserunner within the Rockies group, and also you received’t get any disagreement from the fleet-of-foot teenager. You may from a Triple-A outfielder whom the Rockies acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in alternate for Joe Rock throughout spring coaching, however that’s a part of the enjoyable.
“I’m the quickest man within the org,” stated Ward, who defined that he’s run the 60-yard sprint in a quick 6.18 seconds. “It’s between me and Greg Jones. He’s going to say it’s him. I’m going to say it’s me. We’d must race and see.
One thing that Ward’s organizational brethren have already seen is a clubhouse demeanor that differs from his no-nonsense method between the white strains.
“Off the sector, I’m Mr. Smile,” Ward instructed me. “I’m a goofball. I need to make my teammates snicker. And I additionally don’t play with a chip on my shoulder. I play calm and picked up. I’m not a man who’s going to bat-flip and present up the pitcher. I’m going to do my factor and let him do his factor.”
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A quiz:
Which pitcher has essentially the most wins in Milwaukee Brewers franchise historical past?
The reply might be discovered beneath.
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NEWS NOTES
The Detroit Tigers introduced two promotions and a hiring on Thursday.Ryan Garko has been promoted to Vice President, Assistant Common Supervisor, whereas Georgia Giblin has been promoted to Vice President, Baseball Efficiency Science. Andrew Thomas has joined the group as Vice President, Baseball Analytics.
Cuno Barragan, a catcher who appeared in 69 video games for the Chicago Cubs throughout the 1961-1963 seasons, died earlier this month at age 91. A Sacramento native who logged 33 big-league hits, Facundo Anthony Barragan hit his lone house in his first-ever plate look, a two-run shot towards San Francisco southpaw Richard LeMay at Candlestick Park.
John Upham, a local of Windsor, Ontario who performed in 21 video games for the Chicago Cubs throughout the 1967-1968 seasons, died on Wednesday at age 83. A two-way participant, he made 9 pitching appearances, began a recreation in middle subject, and was used as a pinch-hitter. Upham went 4-for-13 on the plate and allowed 5 runs in eight-and-a-third aid innings.
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The reply to the quiz is Jim Slaton, who was credited with 117 wins whereas pitching for the Brewers from 1971-1977, and once more from 1979-1983.
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The Crimson Sox received two out of three after they performed the Nationals at Fenway Park earlier this month, however Alex Cora was nonetheless impressed with Dave Martinez’s workforce’s younger expertise. After addressing the challenges that include controlling Washington’s operating recreation — the Nats at present have 77 steals, second-most in MLB behind Cincinnati’s 82 — Boston’s supervisor stated the next:
“They’re very athletic,” Cora instructed reporters in his postgame presser. “They’re superb at what they do. They’ve obtained one thing good happening over there… it’s only a matter of time. They’re going to compete. They are going to compete. They’re trending in the correct course.”
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LATE-MAY STATISTICAL SNAPSHOTS
The Cleveland Guardians have hit 59 house runs up to now this season. Right now final yr they’d 30 house runs.
The Kansas Metropolis Royals have been 15-37 presently final yr. This season, Matt Quatraro’s well-balanced membership — the KC offense has produced 53 house runs and 54 stolen bases — boasts the third-best report within the junior circuit at 34-19.
Kansas Metropolis’s Brady Singer has made 11 begins this season. In eight of them he has pitched 5 or extra innings and allowed one or fewer earned runs.
Washington’s Trevor Williams has made 10 begins this season. In seven of them he has pitched 5 or extra innings and allowed one or fewer earned runs.
When Boston’s Nick Pivetta fanned Milwaukee’s William Contreras within the third inning of yesterday’s recreation, he turned the sixth Canadian-born pitcher in MLB historical past to succeed in 1,000 strikeouts. Pivetta joins Fergie Jenkins, Ryan Dempster, Erik Bedard, John Hiller, and Kirk McCaskill.
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The interference name that ended Thursday’s Orioles-White Sox recreation was, by the letter of the regulation, right. Which isn’t to say the umpires ought to have enforced it. As anybody who has considered the video can attest, the “interference” was minimal at greatest and had zero bearing on the play itself. The pitch was popped up, an infield fly rule was known as, the Chicago runner casually retreated to second base, and the Baltimore shortstop effortlessly caught the ball. Once more, the infraction-as-ruled was irrelevant to what transpired on the play.
Would Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde have challenged — and even thought to problem — had interference not been known as? My guess isn’t any. As he instructed reporters after the sport, “[T]right here was a variety of confusion about it. We escaped there.”
One factor that hasn’t escaped is criticism of the decision. The ruling could effectively have been technically right, however when it comes to the spirit of the sport, it was additionally mistaken.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks routed the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in back-to-back video games this week, On Tuesday, Ryoya Kurihara homered twice and drove in six runs because the Hawks received 21-0. On Wednesday, Hotaka Yamakawa homered twice and drove in 5 runs to steer the 12-0 shellacking.
Shosei Togo threw the one hundred and first no-hitter in NPB historical past on Friday because the Yomiuri Giants beat the Hanshin Tigers 1-0. The 24-year-old right-hander is 4-2 with a 1.84 on the season.
Yomiuri infielder Hayato Sakamoto hit his 450th profession double earlier this week and is simply the second participant in NPB historical past to succeed in that mark. Kazuyoshi Tatsunami had 487 two-baggers with the Chunichi Dragons from 1988-2009.
Ronnie Dawson is slashing .369/.424/.581 with seven house runs in 224 plate appearances for the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes. The 29-year-old outfielder performed in three video games for the Houston Astros in 2021, and in a single recreation for the Cincinnati Reds in 2022.
Tae-in Received is 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA in 57-and-a-third innings for the KBO’s Samsung Lions. The 24-year-old right-hander, who performed for Korea within the 2023 WBC, has 47 strikeouts and simply 16 walks.
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Left on the cutting-room ground from Wednesday’s function story on Tampa Bay Rays reliever Kevin Kelly have been his ideas on a potential post-playing-career job. Requested what he majored in at James Madison College, Kelly instructed me that it was pc science.
“I like video video games, and my mother obtained her masters in pc science, so it was sort of a pure,” Kelly added. “Possibly I may very well be [an analyst in a front office] sometime. That will be cool. Hopefully it wouldn’t occur for a very long time, although.”
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
Tom Wiedenbauer completed his transient big-league profession with a .667 batting common. Born in Menomonee, Wisconsin and drafted out of a Tucson, Arizona highschool by Houston in 1976, the right-handed-hitting outfielder made his MLB debut with the Astros three years later at age 20. His success was each rapid and short-lived. Wiedenbauer got here off the bench to hit a two-run double in his first-ever plate look, performed in two extra video games with out coming to bat, then went 3-for-5 in his fourth and closing recreation at baseball’s highest degree. He then spent 4 years within the minors earlier than hanging up the spikes and turning into a coach and a supervisor down on the farm.
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FARM NOTES
Miguel Ugueto had back-to-back huge video games this week because the Excessive-A Greenville Drive beat the Greensboro Grasshoppers 15-2 and 14-12. The 21-year-old outfielder within the Boston Crimson Sox system went a mixed 7-for-10 with a double, a triple, a house run, six runs scored, 5 RBIs, and a stolen base. Ugueto is slashing .312/.356/.430 on the season.
Zebby Matthews is 4-0 with a 1.34 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 40-and-a-third innings between Excessive-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita. The 24-year-old right-hander within the Minnesota Twins system has issued only one stroll, that coming after his forty ninth Okay of the season.
Garrett Baumann is 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 40 innings for the Low-A Augusta GreenJackets. The 19-year-old right-hander was drafted within the fourth spherical final yr by the Atlanta Braves.
Spencer Giesting has allowed simply 20 hits and three earned runs, and has 46 strikeouts in 41 innings, for the Excessive-A Hillsboro Hops. The 22-year-old left-hander was the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eleventh-round choose within the 2022 draft.
Yasser Mercedes is 19-for-49 with three doubles, two triples, and 4 house runs with Minnesota’s Florida Complicated League affiliate. Signed by the Twins in January 2022, the 19-year-old outfielder has swiped eight bases in 9 makes an attempt.
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Milwaukee supervisor Pat Murphy shared a pet-friendly anecdote previous to Friday’s recreation at Fenway Park. The affable skipper associated the next when speaking about Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick:
“In the future in spring coaching, there was a cat or a canine — it was a canine, I believe — within the advanced parking zone. They tried to search out the proprietor. They regarded round. They put indicators up. This was after an entire day of spring coaching. He ended up taking the canine house. [Later], he took it to the rightful proprietor. Or one thing. I imply, he spent hours with this canine. He took it house and fed it… he’s an incredible child. I bust his balls frequently, however he is a superb human being.”
The “or one thing” caveat provided by Murphy proved prudent. MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy caught as much as Frelick yesterday and discovered that the canine’s proprietor was by no means situated. With spring coaching coming to an finish, man’s greatest buddy was subsequently taken to a shelter.
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Listening to a latest recreation on Royals radio, I discovered that Ryne Stanek holds the report for many “begins” of two innings or much less. Now with the Seattle Mariners, the 32-year-old right-hander made 56 such appearances whereas serving as an opener for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018-2019.
Which pitcher holds the non-opener report for many begins of two innings or much less? The reply is Corridor of Famer Early Wynn, with 40 (he made 611 begins in all). Three pitchers — Tommy John, Johnny Podres, and Nolan Ryan — are tied for second-most with 35.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Two years after formally retiring, Andrew Miller has graduated with a Masters in Enterprise Administration from the College of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Enterprise Faculty. Jerry Crasnick wrote about the erstwhile big-league southpaw’s accomplishment for the MLBPA’s web site.
Winter Haven, Florida’s Chain of Lakes Park — the previous spring coaching house of the Boston Crimson Sox and Cleveland Indians — has been torn down. Kevin Reichard has the story at Ballpark Digest.
Pitcher Listing’s Carson Picard wrote about how Dylan Stop may need essentially the most ridiculous pitch in baseball.
Does lightning-rod umpire Angel Hernandez deserve his villainous repute? Sam Blum and Cody Stavenhagen teamed as much as deal with that query at The Athletic (subscription required).
A gaggle in South Texas is on a mission to protect the historical past of a semi-professional offshoot of the Negro Leagues.that existed from the Forties into the Nineteen Seventies. Juana Summers has the story at NPR’s All Issues Thought of.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
The Crimson Sox and Tigers each joined the American League in 1901. Boston batters have hit 14,405 house runs. Detroit batters have hit 14,400 house runs.
There have been 11,111 house runs hit at Tiger Stadium (1912-1999). There have been 13,457 house runs hit at Fenway Park over that span.
Manny Ramirez had 555 house runs and a .338 BABIP
Harmon Killebrew had 573 house runs and a .254 BABIP.
Frank Robinson had 586 house runs and 1,757 singles.
Mark McGwire had 583 house runs and 785 singles.
In 2007, Ryan Howard had 26 doubles, 47 house runs, and 199 strikeouts. In 2008, Howard had 26 doubles, 48 house runs, and 199 strikeouts.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds is a mixed 25-for-58 (.431) with eight house runs towards the Crimson Sox and Yankees. He’s a mixed 15-for-84 (.179) with no house runs towards the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Rays.
On right now’s date in 1959, Pirates left-hander Harvey Haddix took an ideal recreation into the Thirteenth inning earlier than permitting successful, and finally a run, in a 1-0 loss to the Milwaukee Braves. Lew Burdette surrendered a dozen hits in a complete-game effort for the successful facet.
On right now’s date in 1994, Lance Parrish hit a Thirteenth-inning walk-off single to present the Pirates an 11-10 win over the New York Mets. Parrish had three of Pittsburgh’s 18 hits, together with a house run.
Gamers born on right now’s date embody Jason Bere, who threw 1,111 innings whereas pitching for 5 groups from 1993-2003. Now a particular assistant in participant growth for the Toronto Blue Jays, Bere was at his greatest early on, going a mixed 24-7, 3.64 with the Chicago White Sox in 1993-1994.
Additionally born on right now’s date was Stoney McGlynn, a right-hander who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1906-1908. Thirty-four years outdated when he debuted, Ulysses Simpson Grant McGlynn went 14-25 with a 2.91 ERA in the course of his three MLB seasons. He’d beforehand excelled with the Tri-State League’s York Penn Parks.