July is finally over, and August is here. The trade deadline is over, and players are making their debuts for their new teams. Here are the 10 most significant stories this week in the MLB.
New Yankees slugger on a tear for his new team
Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been an absolute terror for his new team. Acquired on July 27, Chisholm has come in and has been an impact for the Yankees. The Yankees needed the boost, as they have been struggling since June. Chisholm has come in and hit .308 with four home runs and a 1.126 OPS. The Yankees are also trying out Chisholm over at third base. Chisholm had never played a game at third until he joined the Yankees, with most of his time coming in center and at second base. It’s a hot start for the new kid in the Bronx, as he is quickly earning his pinstripes.
Angels’ once-in-a-generation player ruled out for the season
What an awful week it has been for the Los Angeles Angels. First, they did nothing at the deadline and kept all of their short-term players instead of flipping them for prospects, and now Mike Trout is ruled out for the season after tearing his meniscus. Trout quickly rose to stardom when he entered the major leagues in 2011. The three-time MVP winner has been the face of the franchise for the Angels and has only been to the postseason once. Trout is a career .299 hitter and has a career .991 OPS. Injuries have played a factor in Mike Trout's career. Over the past two seasons, he has only played in 111 games. When missing out on Trout, we miss out on greatness. The Angels have failed to put the right pieces around him. Trout is 32 and is locked into the Angels until 2031. I don't think there's an answer for him to get out of LA.
Orioles Jordan Westburg to IL, calling up top-15 prospect Coby Mayo
Orioles infielder and all-star Jordan Westburg has been placed on the 10-day injured list after suffering a broken hand. Westburg was hit by a pitch from Yerry Rodriguez in the fifth inning of a 10-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Coby Mayo has been called up to play the infield for Baltimore. Mayo is a consensus top-15 prospect and has been a terror this season in the minors, batting .308 with a 1.003 OPS. The Orioles currently sit at 67-46 and at the top of the AL East. Mayo made his major league debut on Friday, and through nine at-bats, he has yet to get a hit.
Phillies hit August skid, and their all-star slugger is slumping at the plate
The Philadelphia Phillies have seemed to hit a wall the last couple of weeks. Going 2-8 in their previous 10 games, the Phillies have struggled since it turned to August. Many of the team's struggles point to the slump of all-star first baseman Bryce Harper. In his last 15 games, Harper is hitting .156 with a .569 OPS. The team goes as far as Harper goes, and the Phillies are looking for answers to the recent struggle. With Philadelphia having a record of 66-45, they are still in good shape to win the NL East and make the playoffs, but the recent struggles make you wonder if this will carry on into the season's final two months.
Orioles top prospect and consensus MLB top prospect recalled after a short stint in the minors
Jackson Holliday is back for another go-around with the Baltimore Orioles. Holliday had a brief stint with the Orioles in April, playing in 10 games and only getting two hits in 34 at-bats. Holliday is back after about two months in Triple-A and is willing to work on his mechanics. Holliday missed some time on the injured list in June dealing with an elbow injury but looks healthy now and is up in the majors for the Orioles playoff run. He immediately made his presence known, hitting a grand slam in his first game back with the team, leading them to a 10-4 victory. All seems to be okay with Holliday. Many thought the Orioles rushed him and didn't know if he could regain his confidence. The game seems a lot slower the second time around for Holliday, and he could be a significant addition to the Orioles lineup as they look to make a playoff push.
West Coast team, the hottest in baseball, jump into a wild-card spot
Has any team been as hot as the San Diego Padres? After getting off to a slow start and dwindling around .500 most of the season, a recent 11-4 resurgence has them back in a wild card spot. With series wins over Cleveland, Baltimore and the Dodgers, the Padres are showing that they have one of the most talented rosters in baseball and can play with anyone. This recent resurgence led AJ Preller to buy at the deadline, acquiring Tanner Scott and Jason Adam, two of the better relief pitchers on the market. The Padres now have one of the more complete rosters in all of baseball, and they are poised to make a wild card if they keep this winning up.
1962 expansion Mets record in jeopardy with this AL Central team continuing to lose
The Chicago White Sox have lost 20 games in a row. Yes, let me repeat, 20. The Longest losing streak is held by the 1889 Louisville Colonels, with them losing 26 games in a row. The Chicago White Sox are very close to making history in the wrong way. The 1962 expansion New York Mets held a record of 40-120. With that record still the worst, the White Sox will have to go at least 14-34 to not break the record for the worst team in MLB history. You'd think after about 10 or so games, it gets to a point where you're bound to luck into winning a game, not for the White Sox. They are on a historically losing streak we might never see again, and I recommend all tune in to their games to watch the product on the field. You will get a kick out of it.
Giants pitcher throws no-hitter for the first time in his career
Blake Snell has finally done it. A no-hitter on Aug. 2 against the Cincinnati Reds. Snell struck out 11 in the game, dominating from pitch one to pitch 124. Snell now gives the Giants the 18th no-hitter in franchise history. After getting off to a slow start after signing a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, Snell has been excellent in his last seven games, posting a 1.73 ERA with 55 strikeouts. The two-time Cy Young winner is finding his groove with a team in San Francisco that has been playing good baseball as of late.
World Series championship-winning pitcher shut down for the season for AL West squad
Thirty-year-old Lance McCullers Jr. has been ruled out for the season after dealing with a setback following surgery in June 2023. Mccullers signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the Astros in March of 2021. Since he put pen to paper, McCullers Jr. has only been able to pitch in 41 games, rounding out to 236 innings. He has not been able to pitch in the majors since 2022. 2021 was a career year for McCullers Jr., going 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA. This comes with Houston looking for answers at the pitching position. The Astros are poised to make a playoff run, but without McCullers Jr., they will miss out on a quality starting pitcher.
The case for AL MVP, Bobby Witt Jr or Aaron Judge?
The AL MVP seemed to be in the bag about a month ago. Aaron Judge is on a tear this season that we may never see again. Judge is hitting .322 with 41 home runs and a 1.157 OPS. Pretty good, right. But what if I told you there was a 24-year-old shortstop in Kansas City who is making it interesting as the calendar turns to August? Bobby Witt Jr. has been on fire as of late. In his last 30 games, he is hitting .437 1.222 OPS. Pretty good as well. These two superstars are putting up video game-type numbers. The power that Judge displays simply cannot be matched, but for Witt Jr. to have 20 home runs already makes things very interesting as we head into the season's last two months. Will Judge win his third MVP, or will the 24-year-old Witt Jr. take the crown in the AL?
Team of the Week
AL: New York Yankees
Maybe all the Yankees needed was Jazz Chisholm Jr., after all. Going 6-1 this week, sweeping the Phillies, and taking two out of three from the Blue Jays, the Yankees are bouncing back after what was a lackluster past couple of months.
NL: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks continue to win. Going 5-1 this last week, sweeping the Washington Nationals, and taking two out of three from the Pirates, the Diamondbacks are playing some of their best baseball. In their last 40 games, the Diamondbacks are 25-15. In that span, that is tied with the Astros for the best in the league.
Player of the Week
AL: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Has anyone had a better couple of months than Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? He has been an absolute terror over the last week. He is batting .609 with a 1.940 OPS and three home runs — absolutely ridiculous numbers. After a slow start to the season, he has seemingly picked it up over the last couple of months.
NL: Jose Ramirez
Jose Ramirez hit five home runs in six games. Enough said. The all-star third baseman for the Cleveland Guardians posted a .391 AVG with a 1.515 OPS this past week. Ramirez has been critical to the Guardians' success this season, as he has been the face of the franchise for the last few years.
