Mariners Moose Tracks, 5/5/23: Matt Mervis, Corey Seager, and Cody Bellinger
Things are looking up for the Cubs.
Greetings everyone and happy Friday! Here’s what is happening around the world of baseball.
In Mariners news...
- Jonatan Clase has been named the Northwest League Player of the Month for a torrid April in Everett. Clase was supposed to play his first game as an Arkansas Traveler yesterday, but due to the rainout he is expected to make his Double-A debut tonight.
Around the league...
- The Cubs are promoting first base prospect Matt Mervis, finally satisfying the fans who have been clamoring for him to be called up.
- The Rangers provided some updates on key players: Corey Seager could be back in action next week when Texas plays the Mariners, while Jacob deGrom is expected to embark on a throwing program soon.
- An umpire forced Rays starter Zach Eflin to remove his wedding ring during his start.
- Michael Baumann at Fangraphs checks in on the A’s major offseason trade, which will hinge on the success of utilityman Esteury Ruiz.
- Jay Jaffe at Fangraphs takes a look at what is going right for outfielder Cody Bellinger this year in Chicago.
- Former Mariner Roenis Elías has signed on with Korea’s SSG Landers.
- The MLB prospect team chooses a potential future closer for each team.
- The Cleveland Guardians are 2010 Mariners level bad at hitting for power!
Lowest team slugging %, last 30 years
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) May 4, 2023
2013 Marlins: .335 (They went 62-100)
*2023 Guardians: .338*
2010 Mariners: .339 (61-101)
2014 Padres: .342 (77-85)
2022 A's: .346 (60-102)
2022 Tigers: .346 (66-96)
1993 Marlins: .346 (64-98)https://t.co/7ZZlPZA5xM
- Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays continue breaking records.
The Tampa Bay Rays are only the seventh team in baseball history to start a season 26-6 or better -- and just the second since 1939. Five of those teams won 100-plus games. Four of them won the World Series and another lost in the World Series.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 4, 2023
- The White Sox continue to find embarrassing ways to lose baseball games (the Twins won this game 7-3).
White Sox would have had a walk off HBP but Hanser Alberto swung the bat here pic.twitter.com/ht8rQO8ofw
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 4, 2023
- Grant Brisbee at The Athletic wonders just how crazy Major League Baseball will get when it comes to rule changes to the sport. ($)
- Kevin Baxter at the Los Angeles Times tells the story of the baseball academy the Dodgers have set up in Uganda, which they hope will provide them with a competitive advantage.
- In college baseball news, the Alabama baseball team has parted ways with head coach Brad Bohannon amidst a betting scandal.
- I know we hate the Astros, but this is pretty neat.
.@Astros player Mauricio Dubón's custom Jordan 1 cleats feature his dogs Marcelo and Cash pic.twitter.com/1fNjfuSAJi
— MLB Life (@MLBLife) May 4, 2023