July Game Thread

jon abbey

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The nose-diving Phillies were poised to take a much needed game from the red-hot Nats tonight, until Juan Soto hit a two run HR with 2 outs in the 9th to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead, and WAS held on to win again.

June 8:

PHI 37-27
WAS 28-35

Since then:

PHI 10-18
WAS 21-7
 

jon abbey

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Trout with another HR, he’s been so hot lately.
Obviously there's no actual direct connection, but he hit this within minutes if not seconds of Bellinger's in the Sox game, as if he was getting update alerts in his ear, heh. I didn't write down the numbers at the time, but I think both HRs flipped the MLB OPS lead at that moment, Bellinger finished the night at 1.128 and Trout at 1.124. We are all witnesses.
 

sean1562

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The Nats healthy could be dangerous. Their bullpen was just so atrocious it dug them into that huge hole. Juan Soto is a legit superstar and Anthony Rendon is such an offensive force. If Robles can keep up what he has been doing for the last month, they could make a run at the NL East crown in the second half
 

jon abbey

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The Nats healthy could be dangerous. Their bullpen was just so atrocious it dug them into that huge hole. Juan Soto is a legit superstar and Anthony Rendon is such an offensive force. If Robles can keep up what he has been doing for the last month, they could make a run at the NL East crown in the second half
Also if they make it to the NLDS (they are the #1 wild card currently by 2 games and 6 behind ATL in the NL East), Scherzer/Strasburg/Corbin is a really good top 3.

I don't follow the NL nearly as closely, but it seems to me all three of those NL East teams should be adding relief help this month if at all possible. For WAS, ahead of Doolittle is still yikes and even he is not nearly as invulnerable as he used to be. It would be funny if the year they finally won a playoff series was the first year post-Bryce.
 

shawnrbu

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The Phillies are 4-17 since June 8th when you take out the 6-1 against the stinkin Mets.

The Braves lineup is disgusting. 7 of the 8 starters have an OPS over .800. Not seeing any signs of the Braves giving up the lead in the East. Would love to see a Braves/Nats NLCS to break up the Dodgers/Cubs dominance in the NL.
 

Soxfan in Fla

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Obviously there's no actual direct connection, but he hit this within minutes if not seconds of Bellinger's in the Sox game, as if he was getting update alerts in his ear, heh. I didn't write down the numbers at the time, but I think both HRs flipped the MLB OPS lead at that moment, Bellinger finished the night at 1.128 and Trout at 1.124. We are all witnesses.
As great as these two have been their seasons to date are basically an average Ted Williams season. Just shows how absurdly great he was.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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In a must-win game for Cleveland, MLB is doing everything they can to guarantee a Twins victory. Shane Bieber and the Indians have been screwed over twice in the same inning ruling that Twins batters have been hit by pitches that bounced off the knob of their bats. The first one very clearly hit only bat as the hitter was choking up on the bat. It was ruled a HBP on the field and inexplicably upheld by review. The second time it happened was hard to tell, as the batter's finger was at the end of the bat and moved either from contact or vibration, but it was called a foul ball on the field and then overturned by review.

Cleveland is clinging to a 3-2 lead in the 7th, but the Twins have the bases loaded and only 1 out.

*
 

Sad Sam Jones

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A bloop single ties the game at 3, but the next two Twins hitters couldn't get close enough to a pitch to get another HBP call and strike out instead.

*
 

DeadlySplitter

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13-0 Giants in game 1 of a doubleheader at Coors. Marquez, a breakout guy last year, gave up 11(!) ER in 2.2 IP.

the Rockies' rotation has nosedived terribly this year after being a huge strength in their WC run last year.
 

jon abbey

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The Dodgers are headed for another October disappointment with Jansen. Coughs it up to the lowly Phillies.
That was after the Phillies coughed it up themselves allowing 3 in the top of the inning, every NL contender except maybe Milwaukee seems short two quality relievers.
 

DeadlySplitter

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Will Smith, potential hottest reliever commodity this deadline, hasn't been as sharp lately and just blew a 3 run save.
 

Yelling At Clouds

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Are we certain the Giants will sell? They're only three games out! They're as close to a playoff spot as the Red Sox.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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75% of the NL is within 8 games of being .500. Other than the Dodgers, Braves and Marlins, everyone else is a few lucky or unlucky breaks away from being the same team.

*
 

Sad Sam Jones

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Cleveland is now 11-1 against Detroit this year. It's only taken them 24 games to knock the Twins 11 game lead down to 4. Jose Ramirez's 10-month slump is over. Last 25 games: .316/.367/.561.

*
 

nattysez

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Are we certain the Giants will sell? They're only three games out! They're as close to a playoff spot as the Red Sox.
They would be insane not to sell. They are still a below .500 team, and losing MadBum at the end of the year for nothing just so they could squeeze into the second WC spot would be unconscionable. Not to mention that they have a ton of bullpen arms that should be worth a king's ransom.

I also think it's highly unlikely that the likes of Baby Yaz, Dickerson, et al. are going to keep hitting like this for an extended period.

By the way, this from today's MFY game is hilarious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbSfJLF_0-8
 

jon abbey

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By the way, this from today's MFY game is hilarious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbSfJLF_0-8
Their hat brims hit a little bit a couple of times, so MLB will likely suspend Boone a game or two, but it should be noted that the rookie umpire was much better following that and his performance before that was as bad as you will see (first season as an occasional replacement, only his 5th game in the bigs). I have had lots of doubts about Boone since he was hired and even early this season he seemed about the same, but he has been great the last few months and this was pretty memorable.
 

jon abbey

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Mets and Giants going to the 14th still tied at 1, Jeff McNeil led off the 1st with a double and ended up scoring, and they have been scoreless since, 1-1 since the 4th. This was originally Syndergaard (who went 7) against Bumgarner (who went 9 on just 94 pitches), but that was a while back.
 

Gdiguy

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Alonso (who else?) with a HR in top 16 to put them up 2-1. Mets were on their last pitcher in the 15th (a rookie who already pitched 2 innings yesterday), we'll see what happens in the bottom
 

jon abbey

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8 shutout innings from the Mets bullpen until they took the lead, then they did not get an out. Double, double, HBP, single, single, finally it’s seagull time.
 

axx

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Strasburg was 3-3 last night including two hits in one inning, the second one a dinger.
 

Soxfan in Fla

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Their hat brims hit a little bit a couple of times, so MLB will likely suspend Boone a game or two, but it should be noted that the rookie umpire was much better following that and his performance before that was as bad as you will see (first season as an occasional replacement, only his 5th game in the bigs). I have had lots of doubts about Boone since he was hired and even early this season he seemed about the same, but he has been great the last few months and this was pretty memorable.
It appears Gardner was being his typical red ass prick self. Too bad he didn’t nail himself with the bat like he did with the helmet recently.
 

jon abbey

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It appears Gardner was being his typical red ass prick self. Too bad he didn’t nail himself with the bat like he did with the helmet recently.
Heh, you'd love him if he was on your team and he cared that much, but to be clear, it wasn't just about one bad call. The rookie ump totally squeezed German in the first inning when he was struggling, then he seemed to go the other way against Yankee hitters. There was a terrible call on Judge, then this call on Gardner, and then the very next pitch to LeMahieu was also decidedly outside and called a strike. When an ump causes three different players (Sanchez, Gardner, LeMahieu) to react in a way they never do otherwise in the space of two innings, the problem is almost certainly with the exceptionally incompetent ump.
 

heavyde050

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They would be insane not to sell. They are still a below .500 team, and losing MadBum at the end of the year for nothing just so they could squeeze into the second WC spot would be unconscionable. Not to mention that they have a ton of bullpen arms that should be worth a king's ransom.

I also think it's highly unlikely that the likes of Baby Yaz, Dickerson, et al. are going to keep hitting like this for an extended period.

By the way, this from today's MFY game is hilarious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbSfJLF_0-8
Couldn’t the Giants just re-sign MadBum? I mean it isn’t like they don’t already have a ton of $$$$ committed to veterans next year and beyond.
I definitely agree on selling some of the extra bullpen arms.
If the return isn’t good enough, it could be equally foolish to give up MadBum for nothing. He will turn 30 on August 1, he isn’t 35. His best days are most likely behind him, but he could still be a good to very good pitcher for the next 4 or so seasons.
 

jon abbey

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Mike Minor has given up 4 solo HRs in the first three innings to the Astros tonight, that can't help his trade value (plus he said today he doesn't want to be traded).
 

jon abbey

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NatsTown with a huge two run HR from Robles in the top of the 9th against the division leading Braves to tie it at 3, and then they send out a 93 year old Fernando Rodney for a second inning to try to keep it tied. 5 pitch walk/single/4 pitch walk so far, bases loaded, no one out. So many good NL teams need more relievers, the NL East ones especially.
 

jon abbey

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Donaldson up next, takes two pitches too low and hammers the third one to the warning track, ball game.
 

jon abbey

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Mike Minor has given up 4 solo HRs in the first three innings to the Astros tonight, that can't help his trade value (plus he said today he doesn't want to be traded).
Minor ends up getting through 7 innings with no more runs allowed, 7 7 4 4 1 10, so not bad in the end.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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Man, Kimbrel is an adventure. He has made 9 appearances for the Cubs so far. He’s had a 1-2-3 inning only twice. Walked two in the 9th today but got out of it.
 

jon abbey

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Man, Kimbrel is an adventure. He has made 9 appearances for the Cubs so far. He’s had a 1-2-3 inning only twice. Walked two in the 9th today but got out of it.
No one is hitting him after those two bad outings though, 6 1 0 0 5 9 in his last six games, 5 saves.
 

Lowrielicious

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https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1152754212540952576
Uhhhh..... is this seriously a screwball?? I don't think I knew of anyone in the league throwing one these days. This pitch from Oliver Drake is just absolutely filthy.
It’s a nasty pitch. But I don’t think it’s anything revolutionary. Isn’t it just a changeup with armside run?
Here’s Strasburg throwing a similar one a couple of weeks ago and you get a decent look at the grip on this one:
https://mobile.twitter.com/pitchingninja/status/1146757790553296896
 

heavyde050

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Mets pitcher almost hits Posey, but gets a foul ball as Posey ducks to avoid the ball hitting him in the head.
Then he promptly drills Posey in the chest/forearm on the next pitch.
Looked very intentional or just horrible lack of control.
Weird sequence.
 
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heavyde050

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And Mike Yastrzemski with the walk-off homer for the Giants (led to the stat that his grandfather had 14 walk-off RBI).

Edit - 14 seems low for the elder Yaz, but that is what I think the box on the TV said.
 
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DanoooME

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B H Kim

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I generally object to baseball media making such a big deal out of players hitting for the cycle, but I did find this factoid amusing. Rockies pitchers gave up a cycle tonight for the first time since April 25, 2017. That cycle was by Trea Turner. Tonight’s was by Trea Turner.
 

E5 Yaz

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Roberto Osuna today ... 1 inning, 2 hits, 1 run ... 7 pitches
 

Sad Sam Jones

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Shane Bieber with a 1-hit, 10 K shutout of the Jays... an Eric Sogard lead-off double in the 7th that hopped over the fence. He also walked one and (for the 3rd time in his last 2 starts) questionably hit a batter at the knob of the bat. He was supposed to be the #5 starter this season but has been their best pitcher. Unless the Twins mount a comeback, the AL Central race will be at 2 GB at the end of the night.

*
 

DeadlySplitter

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we have a marathon game in Anaheim just reaching 6 hours. going to the 16th tied at 8, each team scored 3 in the 15th. O's reliever walked three in a row in front of Trout...
 

jon abbey

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we have a marathon game in Anaheim just reaching 6 hours. going to the 16th tied at 8, each team scored 3 in the 15th. O's reliever walked three in a row in front of Trout...
Ha, I had an eye on this on Gameday, I wish MLBN was showing it. Both teams hit solo HRs in the 9th also, then no one scored until the 15th...
 

Brand Name

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Glad I turned this on, amazing Villar even got to swing this inning. Severino had a slapped single that escaped the Bermuda Triangle of fielders, falling between the three of them.

This being Baltimore, I wouldn’t be shocked to see this coughed up.