Welcome to a different version of 5 Issues I Appreciated (Or Didn’t Like) This Week. I took per week off to bask in slightly French Open binge-watching, and after one of many biggest finals of my lifetime, I used to be able to cost again into baseball. That feeling – charging forward – has been one thing of a theme throughout baseball of late. You need velocity? Chaos? Large instruments and do-or-die selections? This week’s checklist is for you. It begins, as regular, with a nod to Zach Lowe of The Ringer for originating this format. It additionally begins, as the whole lot appears to lately, with a green-and-gold blur.
1. The Flash
Should you activate a random A’s sport of late, you’re liable to see one thing like this:
And for those who’re fortunate, one thing like this afterward:
Denzel Clarke is on fairly the heater proper now. That spectacular play doesn’t even come near his biggest main league feat, this absurd residence run theft:
I can’t prime the nice Sam Miller’s article about it, so I completely recommend studying that for those who haven’t already, however Clarke’s protection is inarguably one of many issues I preferred most in baseball this week. His protection is likely one of the issues I’ve preferred most in baseball all 12 months. Watching him bolt across the outfield with eyes on each baseball and no idea of failure is a blast. Recreation-breaking protection like that is so uncommon and so pleasant that I make some extent of turning on the A’s as usually as attainable proper now.
The A’s wanted a plus defensive heart fielder badly. None of their nook guys are all that nice within the discipline, and no different pitching workers permits extra fly balls. They’d been operating JJ Bleday out in heart, and properly, JJ Bleday isn’t a middle fielder. Now Bleday is feeling the playing-time pinch – with loads of mouths to feed in left and at DH, he’s gone from on a regular basis starter to occasional fill-in.
It’s an unstable equilibrium, fairly frankly. Clarke in all probability can’t maintain enjoying protection like this, as a result of nobody performs protection like this. He’s prime 10 within the majors in outs above common in 1 / 4 of the innings that everybody else on that checklist has performed. He’s each getting extra alternatives than you’d anticipate and changing them at a daft clip.
Clarke is a reside wire within the outfield, immediate electrical energy each time the ball is hit within the air. He’s blazing quick and keen to sacrifice his physique for even a distant likelihood of getting an out — and people distant possibilities all the time flip into outs. In response to Statcast, he ranks first within the majors with a 98% Precise Catch Share and a Catch Share Added of 10%. After I watch A’s video games, I’m actively rooting for the opposite group to hit the ball towards Clarke so I can see one thing particular. However he’s not this good — not eight outs above common in 135 innings good. Even for those who assume he’s the most effective defensive heart fielder in baseball (and I’d?), this tempo received’t proceed.
Which is why it issues, at the least slightly bit, that Clarke is hanging out in half his plate appearances and batting .200/.228/.273. He hit loads within the minor leagues, so there’s motive to anticipate him to get higher right here, however proper now main league pitchers are simply flooding the zone and daring him to do one thing about it. The established order isn’t working; he has to get higher offensively. Fairly frankly, even with Clarke’s protection, this isn’t a great group; the A’s are 4-16 since he obtained known as up. They want each extra offense and higher protection at different positions.
In different phrases, get pleasure from this sorcery whilst you can. Nobody performs protection at this stage for lengthy, and nobody hits like this whereas remaining related within the large leagues both. Absolutely, we hope his bat improves at the least sufficient to be barely under common as an alternative of downright terrible, and his glove regresses solely as a lot as will enable him to stay the highest defender at his place, however that’s definitely not assured. So my recommendation for you is that this: Activate an A’s sport and watch Clarke roam heart discipline as for those who have been out on the again porch taking within the closing thunderstorm of the season.
2. The Chaotic Rays
Baseball may be monotonous at instances. Strikeout, stroll, grounder, line drive, rinse, repeat. A 2-1 rating within the fourth, a 3-2 sport within the sixth, a parade of relievers and pinch-hitters to comply with. I like that loop – that’s why I write about this sport for a residing and go to video games in my day without work – however the occasional breath of contemporary air is all the time appreciated. And for those who’re searching for a breath of contemporary air in 2025, I’ve a suggestion for you: Watch a Rays sport.
I’m not going to re-litigate the Nice Head Faucet Ejection that made Ben Lindbergh’s daring predictions look prescient. That was large theater, and it’s not even one of many two most ridiculous Rays sequences of June. First place, in my eyes, is the walk-off groundout:
I can barely perceive what occurred right here. Marcus Semien performed this like an everyday grounder. The remainder of the Rangers determined first base was lava. Even worse, Josh Smith was so befuddled that he simply form of frolicked listlessly in the course of the play, like a online game character with the controller unplugged. Junior Caminero was watching the chaos as he went from second to 3rd, and he took the chance to bolt for residence. Semien couldn’t get round Smith and make a great throw in time:
I’ve by no means seen something fairly like that earlier than. I’m undecided I’ve ever seen this one both:
Should you’re protecting rating at residence, good luck. The infield fly rule was in impact, as you possibly can see from the house plate umpire’s gestures, which suggests regardless that that ball dropped, it was a fly out and the runners have been free to advance as if they’d tagged up. Trevor Story didn’t know that, although. All he needed to do was keep the place he was and tag out the runner, however he stepped on the bottom after which instantly tossed it to second:
It’s a must to tag him! You’ll by no means see a runner so useless to rights get a reprieve like that for those who watch each sport the remainder of the season. Story simply forgot the foundations. Fortunately, Kristian Campbell wasn’t fairly positive what was occurring, so he did each — he tagged Jonathan Aranda and stepped on the bottom — as an alternative of choosing only one:
The Rays received this sport by scoring within the ninth, tenth, and eleventh innings. In fact they did. In fact this sport wasn’t regular the remainder of the way in which. Proper now, the Rays are the kings of bizarre baseball, and I really like them for it.
3. The Cannon Arm of the Regulation
Getting little or no Ronald Acuña Jr. in my life final 12 months was a profound bummer. After his sensational 2023 MVP marketing campaign, I used to be prepared for an encore, however as an alternative he struggled out of the gate, then tore his ACL and missed the vast majority of the season. He appears to have taken that damage to coronary heart – he hasn’t a lot as tried to steal a base this season, unthinkable for a man who swiped 73 two years in the past. However don’t mistake that for a decline in Acuña’s instruments. He’s nonetheless as a lot of a brilliant athlete as ever, and he clearly nonetheless loves to point out off his throwing arm:
That’s some form of throw. Heliot Ramos had jammed on the brakes already, and it’s a great factor, as a result of he would have been out by a mile. The Giants got here out of the gates with a plan of by no means ever testing Acuña. Runners held up at bases after they’d usually advance. Dwelling plate had a forcefield round it if the ball was hit to proper discipline. However don’t inform Acuña that; he simply carried on ripping beautiful throws. I beloved this one, from later within the inning. The Giants broadcast put Jung Hoo Lee in a picture-in-picture field like he was attempting to tag up, however Lee needed completely no a part of Acuña’s smoke:
And did you see his outfield help in his first sport again? I might watch this all day:
Of the canonical 5 instruments, arm is sort of definitely the least vital in relation to precise on-field worth. Most performs in baseball aren’t carefully contested matches between a thrower and a runner, the place a plus arm produces an out and a mean arm results in a base development. The margins of the sport simply aren’t that skinny; it’s far more vital to show batted balls into outs than to select off the occasional baserunner – and the instruments concerned in batting are extra vital nonetheless. However neglect on-field worth for a minute; in relation to on-field leisure, shut performs on the basepaths are my absolute favourite, and defenders with loud instruments make these shut performs occur much more often.
Baseball is simply higher with Acuña, even when he’s not swiping luggage. He’s demolishing the ball when he swings and spitting on robust pitches when he isn’t busy swatting homers. He appears to be like as assured as ever, all the time an excellent a part of the Acuña expertise. And now he’s terrifying opposing baserunners once more, exhibiting off among the finest throwing arms on the planet. Sure, please. Extra.
4. Having Two Shortstops
The Reds are proper within the mixture of a surprisingly crowded playoff race. They’re one in every of seven NL groups who’re .500 or above however not main their division. And Cincinnati hasn’t fairly hit its stride but, both. Elly De La Cruz hasn’t continued his development from final 12 months, Matt McLain can’t get it occurring offense, and Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario look cooked. However one factor you possibly can cling your hat on: fairly performs on the infield.
De La Cruz has the loud instruments that make him a pure match at shortstop: unimaginable velocity, quick-twitch reflexes, and an arm that rivals Acuña’s. He hasn’t persistently put all of it collectively but, however his highs are very excessive. McLain is a stable shortstop himself, however he switched to second base when De La Cruz debuted. He’s overqualified there, and man, it’s enjoyable to look at him play protection. This play, from earlier within the season, made me snicker out loud:
My goodness, that’s exhausting. The sheer variety of distractions on that play is exceptional. First, the ball went cleanly via Luis Mey’s legs:
And it kicked off the mound, as well, which means McLain was doubly screened from the ball, by the mound and the pitcher, virtually all the time he was enjoying it. It didn’t even hop cleanly for him. Then he needed to make a exact throw round a ducking pitcher to hit Austin Wynns on the fly:
That’s freak-athlete stuff proper there. And he confirmed his athletic bona fides once more final week with this ridiculous leap:
Only a few gamers are able to that mixture of vary and coordination: a high-point snag with no margin for error in any respect. The ball got here off Christian Yelich’s bat at 105 mph, an absolute rocket headed for the proper discipline energy alley and a transparent double. No time to assume consciously – that was do or die. There’s no instructing that form of play, you simply both have “it” or don’t. Within the discipline, at the least, McLain has it.
If he retains hitting like he has in 2025 – .184/.283/.309, 30% strikeout price – the protection is nothing greater than a silver lining on a really darkish cloud. However McLain remains to be getting back from main shoulder surgical procedure, and it will hardly be surprising to study his damage remains to be holding him again. If he can get again to his earlier offensive success, he is perhaps among the finest two-way second basemen in baseball, since you simply can’t faux defensive instincts this wonderful.
5. Decisiveness
It’s no secret I’m a fan of bunts, late-game defensive technique, and freelancing defenders. However even I used to be stunned by this play, and I needed to write about it because of this. With the Giants down by a run within the backside of the tenth, utility infielder Christian Koss determined to offer himself up. His sacrifice try was ok to advance the runner, nevertheless it was headed sharply foul. That’s, till Jose Iglesias entered the image:
Wait, what? That’s not one you see fairly often. That ball was about to roll foul, and defenses usually like letting sacrifice bunts roll foul. In spite of everything, the offense is attempting to maintain it honest. Why allow them to get what they need? However watch Iglesias once more. He hustled exhausting to get to that ball and maintain it in play:
Everybody knew this was the deal. Koss was bunting on the primary pitch of the plate look, the Padres performed it like a bunt the entire method, and Koss squared round earlier than the pitch — each groups agreed this was a bunting state of affairs. Why, then, did Iglesias assist the Giants out?
I puzzled about this one for slightly bit, however actually, I believe I is perhaps in Iglesias’ camp right here? Bunting wasn’t a tremendous alternative for the Giants. Bat-missing righty on the mound, two strikeout-prone righties due up subsequent (one in every of them an excellent hitter, to be honest), no pinch-hitters obtainable to change the matchup, so getting the primary out was essential. And it wasn’t even just like the Padres would lose if the runner scored – with a one-run cushion, the second run was simply as vital to defend as the primary. As long as Koss didn’t attain base, the Padres have been nonetheless in a great place.
I don’t assume I’d have the wherewithal to make that call at sport velocity. Years and years of instincts have been telling Iglesias to let the ball roll foul. That’s simply what you do when the opposite group is attempting to bunt. However actually, why? They’re attempting to offer you an out. Take it! Iglesias was laser-focused on getting outs, limiting baserunners, and transferring the sport towards its conclusion.
The mathematical actuality of the state of affairs is unclear to me. Bunting is a nasty transfer for the offense assuming league-average hitters, however Koss is a Quad-A man who strikes out lots. Alternatively, it was solely the primary pitch of the at-bat, and he’d in all probability handle to get a bunt down anyway even when Iglesias let it roll foul, and even worse, swing away and join. If Koss has, say, a .250 OBP after falling behind, it’s in all probability an in depth choice. Should you assume it’s worse than that, I’d in all probability let it roll foul.
Iglesias was positive, although. And he backed up his personal choice virtually instantly, with a reflexive snag that preserved the lead:
I’m undecided what calculus went via Iglesias’ thoughts whereas fielding that bunt. I’m fairly positive nothing went via his thoughts when he snared that rocketed grounder – there wasn’t time to assume. However nonetheless you take a look at it, Iglesias is enjoying some confident protection proper now. He’s not hitting this season – his 2024 run with the Mets appears to be like very distant now – however that doesn’t change how enjoyable it’s to look at him with a glove on.