Author: Ben Verlander

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Two superstars and former MVPs returned to form over the past several days, which means they’re also making a return to my Team of The Week!

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees are two of the top five teams in baseball and have consistently been among the top five in my power rankings over the past several weeks, thanks to the contributions of some key role players on their loaded rosters. 

But there’s only one Bryce Harper and there’s only one Aaron Judge. When those former MVPs are rolling, their respective teams really take off, and we saw that this week.

With that, let’s dive into my latest Team of the Week!

Editor’s note: Stats and nominations for Ben Verlander’s Team of the Week are taken from the previous Sunday through Saturday.

Catcher: Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins.273 batting average, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 1.184 OPS

Just about everybody on the Twins has been raking lately as the club has caught fire over the past few weeks. Guys like Jeffers are the reason I’m still picking Minnesota to win a surprisingly competitive American League Central.

First Baseman: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies.375 batting average, 3 HR, 11 RBIs, 1.215 OPS

The Phillies are elite, but they can only reach their full potential when Harper is hitting like this, and we’re seeing the results. Philadelphia is 8-2 in its past 10 games, vaulting past the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East (and No. 1 in my power rankings!).

Second Baseman: Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers.375 batting average, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, .994 OPS

Yes, the Rangers were stunningly swept by a Colorado Rockies team that might be the worst in baseball. But Semien himself had a great week, and Texas is still just a half-game out of first place in the AL West.

Third Baseman: José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians.296 batting average, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 1.099 OPS

Ramírez is a bona fide superstar and maybe one of the most underrated players in all of baseball. I don’t know what more he has to do to get the love he deserves. He hits for average and power from both sides of the plate, he steals bases, he plays great defense at the hot corner, and he’s the engine that makes the Guardians’ offense run. It’s good to see him recover from a slow start to the season.

Shortstop: Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates.500 batting average, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 1.526 OPS

Paul Skenes was the biggest story in Pittsburgh, but Cruz deserves a ton of credit for how he absolutely raked this week. He played in only five games, but a .500 batting average won’t be ignored here.

Outfield: Kevin Pillar, Los Angeles Angels.438 batting average, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 1.438 OPS

Pillar has still been effective in spurts over the last phase of his career, and this past week with the Angels was one of those stretches for the Southern California native. The Angels desperately need all he can give them on offense and defense in the absence of Mike Trout.

Outfield: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees.350 batting average, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1.450 OPS

All rise for Judge, who’s making his first appearance this season on my Team of the Week! This is what Yankees fans envisioned when they saw projected lineups of Juan Soto and Judge hitting back-to-back. His slow start might have concerned some, but it was only a matter of time before the Yankees star returned to form. Now, the question becomes whether Judge can keep this up and contend with his teammate in the AL MVP race.

Outfield: Eddie Rosario, Washington Nationals.471 batting average, 3 HR, 5 RBIs, 1.609 OPS

My favorite part of Team of the Week is that we are able to highlight teams and players that might not get much shine otherwise. Rosario and Pillar — especially given the teams they are on — are two of those players.

Designated Hitter: Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves.444 batting average, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1.500 OPS

This spot on my list might just be a back-and-forth between Ozuna and Shohei Ohtani this year. Ozuna has not only been incredible in 2024, his play has been vital to a Braves team not getting the production it’s come to expect from the top of the lineup.

Starting PItcher: Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies1-0, 7 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 4 H, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts

I know Wheeler got roughed up — by the Miami Marlins of all teams — on Sunday, but that performance wasn’t factored into this list (see the editor’s note at the top). Wheeler was incredible against the Giants last Monday and has been pitching like he’s primed to win his first Cy Young Award.

Relief Pitcher: Trevor Megill, Milwaukee Brewers2 IP, 2 saves, 0 ER, 1 strikeout, 0 walks, 2 hits allowed

The Brewers have developed a pair of elite closers in recent years. Might they have another? With Devin Williams out for an extended period, Megill has emerged as the best option among manager Pat Murphy’s closer committee.

Player of the Week: Bryce Harper

The Phillies are rolling right now and Harper is front and center. The man was seemingly born to play baseball in Philadelphia. He still needs a World Series ring, though, and appears hungrier than ever to get one. This is where I remind you that the Phillies are my preseason World Series pick.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him on Twitter @BenVerlander.

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For most of my lifetime, the 1990s was considered the golden era of shortstops in MLB history. At one point in 1996, the shortstop position featured Cal Ripken Jr., Ozzie Smith, Barry Larkin, Nomar Garciaparra and Alan Trammell and my FOX Sports colleagues Derek Jeter and Álex Rodríguez. 

But we might be in a new golden era now. And it may be even better.

The aforementioned 1990s list includes five Hall of Famers as well as arguably the most talented shortstop of all time in Rodríguez. But look at the current crop of shortstops in today’s MLB. 

This list of stars is so expansive, we can break it up into two generations. On one side, you have the veterans: multi-time All-Stars Trea Turner of the Phillies, Corey Seager of the Rangers, Francisco Lindor of the Mets and Carlos Correa of the Twins. Bo Bichette is a few years younger, but we can throw the Blue Jays shortstop (and two-time All-Star) in this list, as well. 

And as if this list needed any more star power, the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts has somehow made an incredibly difficult transition from superstar right fielder to everyday shortstop while still hitting at an MVP level over the first month of this season.

But what gets me most excited is this current batch of up-and-coming star shortstops. Guys like Elly De La Cruz of the Reds, Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals, Gunnar Henderson of the Orioles, Oneil Cruz of the Pirates, Anthony Volpe of the Yankees and CJ Abrams of the Nationals. Take a look at both halves of that list again and try to convince me that the best MLB position talent-wise right now isn’t shortstop. We’re talking about some of the top young players in all of baseball alongside World Series MVPs and future Hall of Famers.

That is why it felt wrong to only include just one shortstop in my Team of the Month for April, even though the whole purpose of the exercise is to choose the best at every position. And Betts, who is my player of the month, certainly deserves that honor. 

But I wanted to give some shine to some of the other star shortstops shining brightest right now. So, without further ado, here are my top-five shortstops in 2024 thus far.

5. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
.314/.378.543, 4 HR, 19 RBIs, 31 runs, 10 doubles, 5 triples, 12 stolen bases

Witt’s combination of power and speed is what made him the No. 2 overall pick of the 2019 draft and the Royals’ prized prospect entering his MLB debut on Opening Day of 2022. But his defense has taken a massive step forward since a shaky rookie campaign, making the 23-year-old Witt one of the most well-rounded shortstops in the league. He also draws rave reviews as a teammate, including from Royals pitcher Michael Wacha during a recent appearance on “Flippin’ Bats.”

4. Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles
.274/.351/.563, 10 HR, 24 RBIs, 26 runs, 3 triples, 6 stolen bases

Henderson is cementing himself as a bona fide superstar in Baltimore, and recently as of Monday was tied for the MLB lead in home runs with 10. The Orioles’ ownership change has likely increased the chance that they can sign at least the foundational pieces of their young core to long-term deals, a group in which the 22-year-old Henderson obviously belongs. It’s early, but he has the opportunity to become an all-time great for a city and franchise plenty familiar with legendary shortstops.

3. Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies
.343/.392/.460, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 27 runs, 10 doubles, 10 stolen bases

The real Trea Turner has fully arrived in Philadelphia — the one who has been an MVP candidate, not the one who struggled for a majority of 2023 before that incredible standing ovation. Turner brings a rare combination of power, contact and speed that puts him among MLB’s best and turned him into a World Baseball Classic hero. Despite Turner turning 30 last year, the tools are not going anywhere — and neither is he.

2. Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
.271/.377/.551, 8 HR, 19 RBIs, 27 runs, 7 doubles, 19 stolen bases

Welcome to the biggest reason I made this list. De La Cruz narrowly missed out on my Team of the Month, but he deserves some love for the April he just had. The former top prospect struggled in 2023 after his electric first few weeks in the majors. Now, he is fully breaking out into the star I expected him to become. Way too many people wrote him off after the end of last season, which never made sense to me. How could you disregard a 22-year-old that talented, with every tool you could possibly want in an MLB player? De La Cruz is currently on pace for 40 home runs and almost 100 stolen bases. Even one month at that pace is incredible. Add in how he throws across a diamond at triple-digit speeds, and how can you not love watching this guy play baseball?

1. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
.356/.463/.575, 6 HR, 27 RBIs, 32 runs, 10 doubles, 8 stolen bases

We have come to pretty much expect Betts to hit like this, which is absurd in and of itself. Consider that he’s a 31-year-old superstar on a massive contract yet making an extremely difficult and abrupt transition to shortstop, where he’s not only playing solid defense but still hitting like this. While it’s easy to realize that we are watching an all-time great baseball player, it is also such a privilege.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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It’s the first full week of May, which means it’s time for my first Team of the Month for 2024!

Spoiler alert: There are some Dodgers on this list with two of their “Big 3” former MVPs showing up as advertised in April. But while the Dodgers are playing like their talent would have you expect, there are some players on this list from teams currently under .500, including the San Diego Padres, Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Without further ado, here is my Team of the Month for April 2024!

Catcher: Salvador Pérez, Kansas City Royals
.355 batting average, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 1.013 OPS

It’s been almost 10 years since Pérez had the game-winning hit in that classic wild-card game that sparked the Royals’ iconic 2014 playoff run. That 2014-15 run alone made him a Royals legend. Yet here he still is, an ageless wonder whose bat has developed into one of the best at his position for many seasons. At this point, how do you not say Pérez is the most underrated catcher in baseball? 

First baseman: Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks
.283 average, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 20 walks, .890 OPS

Speaking of most underrated, Walker may hold that title for first basemen despite playing in the World Series last year. This is a crucial start for a guy in his walk year (no pun intended), as Walker is currently set to be part of a loaded 2025 free-agent class. He could get paid like an elite first baseman next offseason if he keeps this up.

Second baseman: José Altuve, Houston Astros
.345 average, 7 HR, 16 extra-base hits, 1.010 OPS

And speaking of ageless wonders, my goodness. What a start to the year. The Astros can be in the midst of a massive rebuild in the mid 2010s, they can be in dynasty mode where they reach four World Series and seven straight American League Championship Series, or they can be mired in a brutal slump in April — and Altuve will just keep hitting like he always has.

Third baseman: Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies
.366 batting average, 4 HRs, 17 extra-base hits, 30 RBIs, 1.036 OPS

Bohm’s stats from the first month of the season are stellar, but my favorite is this: He went 11 straight games without back-to-back plate appearances where he made an out. In other words, every time he recorded an out in that stretch, he reached base his next time at the plate. That is so impressive.

Shortstop: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
.368 average, 6 HR, 23 RBIs, 1.101 OPS

It’s astounding that this was my toughest choice when you look at Betts’ statistics, but that is how loaded the shortstop position is across Major League Baseball right now. If not for Betts, both Gunnar Henderson and Elly De La Cruz have phenomenal cases to be featured at this spot. But Betts was just too good, especially when considering that he is hitting like this while adjusting to a new position at this point in his career and making it look easy. Betts was already a superstar, and his willingness and ability to do this speaks volumes as to what kind of person and teammate he is.

Outfield: Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres
.318 average, 4 HR, 19 RBIs, .917 OPS

No, this is not a typo. Profar has been stellar since returning to the Padres last season (and that has only continued over the first few days of May). The point of doing the weekly and monthly installments of this list is to shout out guys when they go on prolonged hot streaks like this, and Profar absolutely fits that bill after the April he had.

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Outfield: Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros
.300 average, 7 HR, 20 RBIs, .967 OPS

Tucker had some rough stretches in 2023, but he’s put that behind him in his start to 2024. A 30-30 season is in play for Tucker this year, and I will be rooting for him to get that done. The Astros’ saving graces this season have been Altuve and Tucker, and if Houston can turn things around, those two will be huge reasons why.

Outfield: Juan Soto, New York Yankees
.325 batting average, 8 HR, 25 RBIs, 1.019 OPS

Soto has been everything Yankees fans hoped for and more after the blockbuster trade that brought him to New York. Given the struggles of Aaron Judge and that lineup as a whole over the first month of the 2024 season, the Yankees are not where they are if not for Soto. 

Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
.336 batting average, 7 HR, 19 RBIs, 1.017 OPS

There is an argument for Marcell Ozuna here, but those of you who have followed me for a while know who is winning an argument between Shohei Ohtani and just about any other baseball player on the planet. Ohtani’s rocky start to the season both on and off the field feels a lot longer than a month ago, and he could be on this list again next month with three home runs in May already.

Starting pitcher: Shota Imanaga, Chicago Cubs
4-0, 27.2 innings pitched, 0.98 ERA, 28 strikeouts, 3 walks, .181 on-base percentage allowed

Whether it’s been his historic first month facing MLB hitting or his hilarious off-field quotes such as recognizing New York City from the Spider-Man movies, Imanaga has been one of the best stories of the 2024 season. How can you not love this guy? When your biggest challenge on or off the field while moving to a different country is adjusting to drivers being allowed to turn right at red lights, you are doing something right.

Relief Pitcher: Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics
13.1 innings pitched, 1.35 ERA, eight saves, 28 strikeouts, four walks, .149 on-base percentage allowed

Miller is the most dominant relief pitcher in baseball right now, and another one of 2024’s best stories. I wasn’t sure the Athletics would have eight wins right now, let alone Miller having eight saves? A ratio of 28 strikeouts to four walks is nuts to think about. 

Player of the Month: Mookie Betts

As I alluded to earlier, whoever was my shortstop of the month would have to be my player of the month. Betts is the most deserving shortstop and most deserving overall player for this honor, especially when you factor in the massive positional change he has made. Do not gloss over that fact. We just witnessed someone go from right field to second base to an adequate shortstop while still hitting at an MVP level. That speaks volumes to Betts’ work ethic. Do not take the ability to watch Betts for granted just because he’s been producing at this level for so long. We are witnessing an all-time great.

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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Welcome back, Shohei Ohtani.

He may only be a one-way superstar this year, but Ohtani looks as comfortable as ever as he ends a roller-coaster first month with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His performance at the plate has landed him back on my Team of the Week for the first time in 2024, along with one of his new Dodgers teammates who just became a “friend of the show,” and of course received a patented “Flippin’ Bats” bump in his performance.

Meanwhile, a Seattle Mariners star is on pace for more starts than walks allowed this season and a familiar face from the New York Yankees looks ready to turn the page on a dismal 2023.

It’s time for my latest Team of the Week!

Catcher: Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
.417 batting average, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 1.153 OPS

Let this be another reminder — if you are an MLB player who would like to play good baseball, coming on “Flippin’ Bats” will help you! This has been the case for years now. I don’t know what it is, but the results speak for themselves. Smith joined me in the middle of last week and has been lighting it up at the plate over the past several days. The Dodgers have rattled off a six-game winning streak as well. Coincidence? You be the judge.

First Baseman: Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees
.308 batting average, 4 HR, 6 RBIs, .987 OPS

This was a tough one for me because Smith’s teammate Freddie Freeman also had a really good week. But Rizzo gets the nod here thanks to his four homers. It’s great to see the 34-year-old veteran look like the Rizzo of old after that awful situation in 2023 where he played for several weeks with misdiagnosed concussion symptoms and had the worst season of his career.

Second Baseman: Edouard Julien, Minnesota Twins
.417 batting average, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 1.417 OPS

I’ve been beating the Edouard Julien drum since he starred for Canada in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He struggled mightily for the Twins to begin this season, but I still believed. Sure enough, he’s delivered and is a big reason the Twins have won seven games in a row.

Third Baseman: Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies
.567 batting average, 1 HR, 9 RBIs, 1.481 OPS

Like a lot of Phillies teammates, Bohm is there for his bat more than his glove, and boy has he been swinging a hot bat, with 17 hits — including seven doubles — for an average well above .500 over the past week.

Shortstop: Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles
.360 batting average, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 1.273 OPS

Trea Turner edged out Henderson last week, but not this week. Henderson has been great all season long and gets some well-deserved love here.

Outfield: Mark Canha, Detroit Tigers
.435 batting average, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 1.301 OPS

Canha was hardly the most hyped free-agent signing of the offseason, but he has been huge for that Tigers lineup, as several younger players have struggled, as has Javier Baez.

Outfield: Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels
.438 batting average, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 1.425 OPS

Adell may run the bases like a confused little leaguer, but at least he has been great in the batter’s box recently for an Angels team once again desperately looking for any help around Mike Trout.

Outfield: Alex Verdugo, New York Yankees
.409 batting average, 2 HR, 8 RBIs, 1.165 OPS

Just as everyone expected, the players representing the Angels and Yankees in this Team of the Week are … Jo Adell, Anthony Rizzo and Alex Verdugo. But when you rake, you get on this list, and Verdugo certainly fits the bill as much as anyone else included here.

Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
.308 batting average, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 1.417 OPS

Ohtani may have averaged more than 100 mph in exit velocity this week. His .308 mark actually brought down his season batting average, but he still crushed the ball all week long.

Starting Pitcher: George Kirby, Seattle Mariners
1-0, 12 innings pitched, 19 strikeouts, 2 walks, 7 hits, 0 runs

Kirby has started 62 games in his MLB career. He has issued 45 walks in his MLB career. I think that is one of the coolest stats in baseball. But the pressure is on Kirby and his fellow starters — with Seattle’s lack of lineup depth around Julio Rodriguez, the Mariners will only go as far as Kirby and the rest of that talented rotation will take them.

Relief Pitcher: Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics
3 saves, 3.1 innings pitched, 8 strikeouts, 0 walks, 1 hit, 0 runs

We will not be talking about the Athletics much this year, at least when it pertains to on-field things. But Miller’s stuff is nasty, and he is perhaps the one guy on this team who merits appointment viewing. Miller’s fastball touches 104 miles per hour. His slider has incredible bite. He may be the sport’s most dominant pitcher right now. Before you say anything, go back and watch what he did to Yankees superstars Aaron Judge and Juan Soto when he faced them this past week. Miller has loads of confidence and the ability to back it up. 

Player of the Week: George Kirby

Kirby has turned it around big time after a rough start to the year, showing how good he can be when he’s clicking. This is the Kirby I envisioned when I picked the Mariners as one of my preseason sleeper teams. I don’t usually select starting pitchers to be my player of the week, but Kirby was just that dominant.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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You never know what an MLB week will bring. 

The latest Team of the Week is light on household names — with a couple big exceptions, one of which is also my player of the week. But longtime listeners will know that some of my personal favorite players have made it back onto my list for the first time this season. 

And for the second straight week, the Baltimore Orioles have multiple entries that don’t even include young stars Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson (though Henderson is my co-host Alex Curry’s Player of the Week), showing just how much quality depth is in Baltimore’s loaded lineup.

With that said, let’s dive into this week’s team!

Editor’s note: Ben Verlander’s Team of the Week reflects players’ performances from the previous Sunday through Saturday, and statistics listed below are taken from that period.

Catcher: Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
.467 batting average, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 1.486 OPS

He might be Seattle’s beloved “Big Dumper,” but on a national level, Raleigh is one of the more underrated catchers in the major leagues. Raleigh has the most home runs by an MLB catcher since the start of the 2022 season and has led his position in that category in each of the past two years. He currently ranks second among catchers in home runs this season with five, this after launching two more longballs this past week.

First baseman: Vinnie Pasquantino, Kansas City Royals
.389 batting average, 3 HR, 7 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1.616 OPS

“Vinnie P” is a big reason the Royals are playing such exciting baseball right now (and cracked my top-10 power rankings for the first time in a long time). He’ll be a huge factor in how far the Royals ultimately go this season.

Second baseman: Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
.433 batting average, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 1.185 OPS

It’s not just the excellent numbers Marte put up this week, he had some incredibly clutch hits as well. His biggest one came in the ninth inning of a slugfest against the Cubs at Chase Field on Tuesday, when Marte hit a game-tying home run with two outs and nobody on to set up a Diamondbacks walk-off win in 10 innings. He followed that up by hitting another home run in his very first plate appearance Wednesday. Like Raleigh, Marte is a guy who has been a huge contributor to his team’s success for several years now yet remains consistently underrated.

Third Baseman: Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
.435 batting average, 10 H, 6 RBIs, 1.111 OPS

Westburg earns this spot for the second straight week, a testament to the incredible depth of these Orioles, especially their young, homegrown core of which Westburg is a part. The 25-year-old is quickly becoming a must-watch player in his own right.

Shortstop: Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies
.538 batting average, 14 H, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 1.500 OPS

Shortstop was a really tough call this week between Turner and Henderson, who likely would have easily made this list if he did not play the same position as the Phillies superstar. But Turner seems to be shaking off a slow start much earlier than he did last season, with seven of his 14 hits this week going for extra bases. Public service announcement to all MLB players out there: If you hit .538 with seven extra-base hits in a week, you are a lock for this list.

Outfield: Anthony Santander, Baltimore Orioles
.368 batting average, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 1.191 OPS

The 29-year-old Santander is one of Baltimore’s relatively older players, but he still plays an important role in what might be the best top-to-bottom lineup in baseball. He showed why this past week, reaching safely 10 times in 22 plate appearances.

Outfield: Daulton Varsho, Toronto Blue Jays
.353 batting average, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1.421 OPS

Given how key Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. were to the Diamondbacks’ unlikely run to the World Series last year, the consensus is that Toronto seems to have lost the trade that sent those two to Arizona in exchange for Varsho, who underperfomed in his first season with the Blue Jays. But after another slow start over the first few weeks of 2024, it appears Varsho might be nearing a long-awaited breakout with a slugging percentage of 1.000 and three home runs last week.

Outfield: Juan Soto, New York Yankees
.409 batting average, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 1.273 OPS

Soto is essentially carrying the Yankees’ lineup right now, while Aaron Judge continues to struggle. The young superstar registered another week with an average above .400, OPS above 1.000 and multiple home runs. The 2024 American League MVP race could be the most lopsided awards battle this year if Soto keeps this up.

Designated Hitter: Bryan De La Cruz, Miami Marlins
.286 batting average, 4 HR, 10 RBIs 1.086 OPS

Miami has been rough to watch this year, but De La Cruz continues to show off his power swing. He added four more homers, the last of which being a go-ahead two-run shot in Wrigley Field on Saturday to help the Marlins surprisingly split a series with the Cubs.

Starting pitcher: José Berríos, Toronto Blue Jays
2-0 (4-0 on season), 13 IP, 0.00 ERA, 13 strikeouts, 4 walks, 0.850 WHIP

Berríos’ resurgence has been a joy to watch. After an awful first full season with the Blue Jays in 2022 and a decent 2023, he finally looks like the ace they were counting on when they acquired him from the Twins at the 2021 trade deadline and then handed him a seven-year, $131 million contract extension the following offseason. Whether it was a mechanical fix or a mental one, Berríos looks better than he ever has in a Blue Jays uniform, starting the 2024 season on fire with a league-best 0.85 ERA, including 13 scoreless innings over two starts last week.

Relief Pitcher: Raisel Iglesias, Atlanta Braves
4 saves, 3.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 hits allowed, .100 OPS allowed

The Braves were a white-hot 6-1 over the past week, and when you’re a closer for a good team, you will get plenty of save opportunities. Iglesias knows the assignment. He did not miss any of his four save chances last week and did not even give up a hit.

Player of the Week: Trea Turner

Even when Turner stumbled out of the gate a bit offensively, I refused to believe the first half of his 2024 season would be like his awful first half of 2023. Sure enough, with the Philadelphia faithful behind him, Turner revved things up last week, proving that he and the Phillies are primed to make some noise in the National League.

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This week brought a return to form for several household names. 

The Los Angeles Angels might be going nowhere fast after the departure of Shohei Ohtani, but Mike Trout is reminding us all that he is still Mike freaking Trout. Meanwhile, Juan Soto finally made my Team of the Week for the first time this season, and I had a tough choice to make at designated hitter between the red-hot Ohtani and another one of my favorite players, Yordan Álvarez.

Several young players made the cut, as well, including two from the Baltimore Orioles — no, not Jackson Holliday, though I’m sure he will be on the list at some point this year — and a certain Cincinnati Reds sensation who looks like he might be ready to deliver on the incredible hype he entered the league with last year.

Let’s dive right in!

Catcher: Willson Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers
.423 batting average, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 1.308 OPS

Most of the Brewers’ lineup has been on a tear this past week, but Contreras stands out with a really impressive performance.

First Baseman: Josh Naylor, Cleveland Guardians
.467 batting average, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 6 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1.752 OPS

The Guardians have been playing really well at 10-5 on the season in spite of injuries and poor performance from key members of their seemingly vaunted pitching rotation. Naylor is a massive part of that surprising success, as he went beast mode this week. 

Second Baseman: Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
.400 batting average, 10 H, 6 RBI, 1.004 OPS

Albies is lot of fun to watch as a do-it-all second baseman. He’s been huge for the Braves as they attempt to live up to those lofty preseason expectations while battling injuries of their own. Albies is one of the more underrated second basemen in all of baseball, between his switch-hitting ability, great defense and base-stealing prowess. I’m happy to give him some shine on this list.

Third Baseman: Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
.316 batting average, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1.093 OPS

Westburg is one of the lesser known members of the Orioles’ young core. A lot of people know Adley Rutschman or Holliday, but they also need to know the names of guys like Westburg. Red Sox fans sure do after his clutch home run over the center-field corner of the Green Monster in Fenway Park capped off a massive comeback for the Orioles this past weekend.

Shortstop: Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
.400 batting average, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 1.550 OPS

Seeing De La Cruz catch fire again brings my heart joy. A major reason I was so high on the Reds coming into this year was my belief that De La Cruz would take a massive step forward, given that he sort of fizzled out last season after his incredible first few weeks in the major leagues. We must not forget that he was the top prospect in baseball for a reason and hit incredibly well across every level of the minor leagues before his call-up. Of course, De La Cruz can hit at the MLB level, just give the man some time! He’s only 22 years old and 2024 marks his first full major-league season. Now, he appears to be putting it all together right when the Reds have really needed him to step up.

Outfield: Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles
.450 batting average, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 1.578 OPS

Here’s another underrated young Orioles player, and get ready, because the pipeline that has been built in Baltimore will keep churning them out. The beauty of a team with depth like the Orioles is it takes so much pressure off even a No. 1 overall prospect like Holliday, as he gets acclimated to the MLB level.

Outfield: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
.348 batting average, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 1.293 OPS

Trout is still good at baseball, in case anyone was wondering. His Hall of Fame case is already secure, but a week like this past one, back on another struggling Angels team, is a good reminder to all of us that he remains one of the best in the entire sport.

Outfield: Juan Soto, New York Yankees
.333 batting average, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 1.197 OPS

The newest superstar in the Bronx is having an unbelievable start to his Yankees career. He has made the biggest difference for New York compared to last year. Without Soto, and with Aaron Judge struggling mightily thus far, the Yankees would be in huge trouble. Instead, Judge now has time to settle in and improve as the season gets underway without the Yankees’ offense being as reliant on him as it was in the past, especially last year. It no longer feels like this team goes as Judge goes because of Soto’s ability to also carry a lineup.

Designated Hitter: Yordan Álvarez, Houston Astros
.440 batting average, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 1.308 OPS

If Álvarez is not the best pure hitter in the sport, he’s easily in the top three. Not just because of these gaudy stats in April, either, but also how he has continually shown up for Houston over the past several postseasons when the lights are brightest.

Starting Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles Dodgers
1-0, 7 IP, 3 hits allowed, 0 earned runs, 14 strikeouts

He just doesn’t miss, as the kids say. Glasnow has suddenly positioned himself as an early favorite for National League Cy Young (thanks in part to Spencer Strider’s season-ending injury) with a 3-0 record and 2.55 ERA over his 24 innings of work. His most recent start this past week was his best — no runs allowed, 14 strikeouts and not a single walk issued. That is dominance and certainly worthy of my starting pitcher slot.

Relief Pitcher: Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals
3.2 IP, 3 saves, 3 hits allowed, 0 earned runs (1 unearned), 3 strikeouts

Finnegan has been a sneakily good closer, but the Nationals don’t win enough games for him to get the attention he deserves. I don’t expect him to make many more appearances on this list over the coming weeks, not because I doubt his ability to finish games, but because I doubt the Nationals’ ability to put him in position often enough. With that said, he seems like a perfect candidate to start popping up in trade rumors once we head into the summer. 

Player of the Week: Elly De La Cruz

De La Cruz has been just as impressive off the field this year as he has been on it. I so admire his commitment to learning English so he can better communicate with the media and, most importantly, the fans. Plus, there are only a handful of baseball players alive with the ability to hit a 450-foot home run and an inside-the-park home run in the same game, which is exactly why De La Cruz is one of the most fun players to watch in the entire league. Not only is his success crucial for the Reds, it’s huge for the entire game of baseball.

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Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him on Twitter @BenVerlander.

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Earlier this week, I made it clear that I wholeheartedly believe the epidemic of injuries we have seen among MLB pitchers in recent years, and especially so far this season, is mainly due to how velocity and spin rate are overemphasized among all levels of the game in this current era, and any attempt to blame the pitch clock is a pathetic excuse.

But I never pitched in the big leagues. I’m only related to one of the best to ever do it in this era, who had his own thoughtful comments about this issue this week after a rehab start he made as he battles back from an injury himself. I also have the privilege of talking weekly with another legendary pitcher, lead MLB on FOX analyst John Smoltz. 

Smoltz is extremely passionate about this subject and has been for years. His conviction was evident in our first “Saturdays with Smoltz” interview of 2024, most of which was spent on this very issue. 

The Hall of Famer has thought and spoken a lot about this topic, even during his induction speech into Cooperstown 10 years ago. Below is a transcript of our conversation — it has been edited for clarity and length.

Verlander: There have been a slew of arm injuries around the league recently, including to stars like Spencer Strider, Shane Bieber,  Framber Valdez and Gerrit Cole, and before that you got Shohei Ohtani, Shane McClanahan, Jacob deGrom, and several others. We’ve talked about this before, I’d love to dive in again and ask, what do you think is the reason behind this? Is it one particular thing you can point to? Is it a combination of things? If you had to pinpoint one thing, what would you say it is?

Smoltz: “I’ve been talking about this for 10 years, since it first started — the introduction of prioritizing high velocity, spin rate and analytics. And they may not admit it now, but their slogan 10 years ago was, ‘We’re going to put players in the best position to be successful, we’re going to give them information, we’re going to allow them to really utilize their skill set, and we’re going to keep them healthy.’ You’ve never heard anybody talk about that since. You haven’t heard anybody talk about the root cause of these injuries. Everybody comes up with these nonsense excuses that mean nothing, and they get people to look the other way, when the root cause has been going on for 10 years.

“You cannot, you will not, stay healthy if you throw the ball as hard as these pitchers are throwing it and spin it as much as they are. Now, I do not blame the players whatsoever. This is the reward system they are in. I’ve been banging this drum for so long, and people are looking at this phenomenon like it just happened. The claim that the pitch clock is the reason for this is just nonsense. Anybody who has never put a ball in their hand that talks about something they don’t know about is speaking nonsense on this issue. I will trust a pitcher who has thrown a million pitches, and when he tells me something’s wrong with the baseball four years ago, I’ll trust that because he’s got the ball in his hand, and he says he can’t get a real good grip. 

“The root cause has always been there. You cannot throw a ball at 100 mph and sustain that five, seven or 10 years. People don’t want to talk about it because they realize what they started 10 years ago has not been successful in the area of keeping guys healthy. But if I’m a young player today, my hands are tied. I’ve got to get drafted. I’ve got to get scouted. So, what am I supposed to do? I have to go to these entities that have definitely cracked the code on throwing the ball hard. 

“We’ve mastered throwing the ball hard and spinning it really, really tight. But we’ve not even come close to being able to be honest and admit that these arm injuries are not linked to that.  

“My era and the era before me, we were paid to play. We trained to have longevity, we trained for marathons. We’ve talked about this ad nauseam. And now all of a sudden, a few people come out and say the pitch clock is the reason guys are getting hurt? That’s when I can’t be quiet anymore. And that’s why I’m passionate about this. All these young players have no choice. What are they supposed to do? If the reward system is X and you don’t get punished for not pitching, then they’re going to keep trying the same thing and ask for different results to happen.

“That’s my been my biggest passion since I’ve been out of the game. I talked about it in my Hall of Fame induction speech. I talk about it everywhere with youth sports. No one is listening, because the reward system and management has not made a necessary adjustment to address it. If they’re not going to make that necessary adjustment, this will continue. Before we know it, we’re going to run out of every great arm that has ever thrown a baseball.” 

Verlander: I agree that placing the majority of the blame for this on the pitch clock is more of a shortsighted conversation than the one that needs to be had. But do you think the pitch clock has maybe accelerated this trend to any degree, or do you think it’s a nonfactor?

Smoltz: “In the scope of things, it’s a 10%, maybe 20% factor, and some people just have not adapted. But here’s the deal: Let’s say, hypothetically, we let every pitcher throw it as hard as they can and take as long as they can to throw it. First of all, the games would be five hours long. Second of all, my bet would be zero chance these guys would stay healthy anyway. 

“The reason the pitch clock came into play is because guys were taking so long to execute, and the game was suffocating. It was losing attendance and fans. So, when the pitch clock comes in — and the data shows guys weren’t even getting to 18 seconds, the reason they shaved two seconds off the limit with runners on base is data showed it wasn’t even a factor — and when three to five pitchers get out in front of it, they’re telling you something that’s about to happen that has no relevancy and data behind it. 

“I get it, and I know these guys are in a tough spot. But the pitch clock is a small spoke to the wheel, while the root cause has been there for a decade. For the past eight years, this has been a trend in the wrong direction. Now all of a sudden, something new comes along and we want to blame it on that? Sorry, that does not hold water.”

Verlander: So, John, this is the hardest question: What is the resolution? When I was in the minor leagues from 2013 to 2017, all pitchers would hear from the organization is how they need to be throwing 95 mph or harder. Teams are not even even drafting guys who can’t at least touch that speed. We want them to throw it as hard as they can — ‘look at these analytics, spin it a little bit faster doing this.’ And that’s how they get up to the big leagues and have temporary success and then get paid. They’re incentivized to do it, but then they’re getting hurt doing it. So, what do we do?

Smoltz: “Inevitably, there will be a rule change that affects philosophy on this, meaning the game has changed, because rule changes have caused clubs to either decide to change the way they play or not. That’s really what’s going to end up happening because, nothing has really shown that this issue going to self-correct. 

“This is all on management. I’m sorry, but it is. It’s all on management and what they want out of their players. If they think that there’s enough arms, that they can suffer the injury rate that’s happening, they’re going to keep doing it. But in my opinion, down the road, if there’s a rule change that encourages the team to look at it and go, ‘Hey, we might have a competitive advantage if we ask our starters to go a little bit longer, so let’s look at a different training mechanism.’

“If you’re addicted to the outcome that has been what you’ve normally known forever with everything in life, if you’re addicted to strikeouts, and an ERA around 1.9 to 2.1, and you only get to pitch when you’re healthy, then that’s what’s going to happen. We have to get used to a higher ERA and more innings if that’s the way they want to keep guys healthy and in the game. 

“We know for a fact — doctors have made this absolutely a non-negotiable — you cannot throw the ball this hard for this long and be successful. These guys trained to learn to throw it harder. Now, they might have to train to learn to be in seventh gear, eighth gear. But that’s the point. It all falls on the reward system.”

Verlander: Around the time I was high school to college age is when it really became popular — just so everyone knows, throwing a ball overhand is not a natural arm movement — for people to start picking up weighted balls bigger than a baseball and start throwing them backwards, throwing them as hard as they can into a wall. And in my mind, without any statistics behind it, without knowing the science behind it or any of that, I knew this can’t be good for for your arm in the future, it just can’t be. And sure enough.

Smoltz: “There’s no doubt. Again, if I were to just somehow be a young John Smoltz trying to make the big leagues today, I would not be able to be stubborn enough to throw it 94-93 mph where I was comfortable. I would be forced to throw 98-99 mph, which, based on my body composition — I mean I’m like Gumby anyway, things fall apart — I would not have a very long career. 

“Here’s the part I don’t understand. Without naming entities and without calling people out, why is everybody so eager to crush the person who speaks truth? We’re in this world where there’s going to be people who are going to attack this conversation and say, “Well, John Smoltz is still living in the 1980s.” 

“No, I want the guys that are talented to be able to have as long a career as they possibly want. And that is just not happening today.”

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MLB’s pitching injury epidemic seemed to hit its tipping point in the first full week of the new season.

Miami Marlins young star Eury Pérez is set to undergo Tommy John surgery. So will Shane Bieber, who was pitching like the Cy Young version of himself. Spencer Strider might join them after an MRI revealed he suffered damage to the UCL in his pitching elbow. 

All of these injuries in the first week-plus of the season are on the heels of Gerrit Cole‘s Tommy John scare in spring training, Shane McClanahan, Sandy Alcántara and Jacob deGrom undergoing the surgery over the past year, and Shohei Ohtani needing a second UCL repair that will keep him off the mound until 2025.

To me, the reason we’re seeing an uptick in pitchers needing elbow surgery is clear. And no, it’s not the pitch clock or the lack of sticky substances, which I’m sick of hearing about. 

For too many pitchers, especially the younger ones, every time they step on the mound, they throw the crap out of the ball and hit triple digits on the radar. And when they’re not throwing hard fastballs, they’re throwing curveballs or sliders and other offspeed pitches with as much spin as possible. 

It wasn’t always this way. John Smoltz relayed on “Flippin’ Bats,” last year that the way pitchers throw the ball has changed dramatically in just the past decade; they weren’t always looking to regularly touch 100 mph. My brother, Justin Verlander, had a 102 mph fastball in his back pocket when he came up to the majors. But he didn’t try to hit that mark with every pitch. He would sit at 92, 93 mph and ramp it up later in games.

These pitchers are coming up in the age of Driveline Baseball, a data-driven development program, and decide they want to pitch as fast as they possibly can all the time. I’m not trying to put Driveline on blast here, but these high school pitchers think they won’t get a scholarship if they don’t pitch in the mid-90s, or that they won’t get drafted if they can’t reach the high 90s. 

I know my brother agrees with me.

“I think the biggest thing is that the style of pitching has changed so much,” he told reporters Monday. “Everyone is throwing the ball as hard as they possibly can and spinning the ball as hard as they possibly can.

“It’s a double-edged sword. How can you tell somebody to not do that when they’re capable of throwing 100 mph? Something needs to change.”

We’re seeing that bear out in all levels of baseball now, with amateur pitchers feeling the pressure to rip it and spin it.

But the human arm can withstand only so much, and it’s not built to function this way. The root of the issue is so clear to me, and so frustrating because it’s taking out so many of the top arms. 

Baseball needs Strider. But since the day he was called up, he’s been trying to throw every pitch at 100 mph. It doesn’t work like that. 

So, how do we fix this? Well, point to the pitchers who’ve been able to make it work without having to throw as hard as possible. Verlander is going to be a Hall of Famer and is one of the best pitchers of all time. Watch his tape from when he came up to the majors and learn how you can put away hitters at 92, 93 mph. 

Strider’s one of the best pitchers in the world. He doesn’t need to throw 100 mph to put away hitters. Trust your stuff! Pitch in the low-to-mid 90s with your slider and new curveball and it’ll work. If you’re in a jam late in your outing, that’s when you can tap into your top-end stuff because you know you have a 100 mph fastball. You don’t need it for every pitch. 

As for what Strider’s injury means for the Braves, I think it’d be an overreaction to say that they’re not going to win the NL East this season. The Braves are still the best team in the division and one of the best, if not the best, in baseball. This club is loaded. I had Strider winning the NL Cy Young Award this year, so this is a huge blow, obviously. How many times have we heard, “UCL injury, we don’t know if it’s Tommy John, but there’s damage to the ligament”? It’s not a good sign. 

Strider will likely be out for an extended period, either way. For how long? Who knows, but I felt the Braves had the best rotation in baseball coming into the season. Without their ace, they still have a really good rotation. Max Fried is capable of being an ace, and I loved the addition of Chris Sale. Where Atlanta would especially feel his absence is in October. Baseball, meanwhile, will feel it every fifth day until he returns.

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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The first full week of the MLB season had plenty of notable firsts, from Juan Soto’s Yankee Stadium debut as a member of the home team to Shohei Ohtani’s first Los Angeles Dodgers home run.

It also had our first no-hitter of the young season, a phenomenal performance from the Houston Astros‘ Ronel Blanco. We’ll get to him and his special outing against the Toronto Blue Jays in a moment.

With a full week of games to evaluate for the first time in 2024, each player really had to earn their selection in this second iteration. I also want to remind everyone that the window of games I consider is between Sunday through Saturday.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

Catcher: Salvador Pérez, Kansas City Royals
.464 batting average, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 1.197 OPS

The 33-year-old Royals captain and friend of “Flippin’ Bats” showed he’s still got it with a monster week at the plate.

First Baseman: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
.381 batting average, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1.314 OPS

Harper did not have a hit on the season entering last Tuesday. He then hit three home runs that evening, which is one way to break out of a slump. The talented Phillies often struggle to click at the same time early in the season before figuring things out down the stretch and in October. But a healthy Harper locking in earlier this season could go a long way toward helping Philadelphia challenge the Braves for the NL East title.

Second Baseman: José Altuve, Houston Astros
.435 batting average, 3 HR, .500 OBP, 1.457 OPS

Freddie Freeman and Altuve are baseball’s two great staples of consistency. Altuve is already the best second baseman in Astros history and will go down as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. He’s an incredible person, too, and still playing like a star at 33 years old.

Third Baseman: Isaac Paredes, Tampa Bay Rays
.350 batting average, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1.209 OPS

Paredes is one of the most underrated players in baseball. It seems like every year we look up and wonder how the Rays got to the playoffs with a roster devoid of household names. Well, Paredes is a big reason why. He flew under the radar in 2023 with 31 home runs and 98 RBIs and seems well on his way to hitting at least 30 homers again this season. He’s crucial to the Rays’ hopes this year.

Shortstop: Jeremy Peña, Houston Astros
.381 batting average, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1.076 OPS

After winning LCS and World Series MVPs in his 2022 rookie season, Peña took a step back last year. I still believe he can be a superb everyday shortstop in the big leagues, and I think he is on his way to validating my faith in him this year. I’m excited to watch.

Outfielder: Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds
.500 batting average, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 1.046 OPS

This should be no surprise, as Steer has been doing it all for the injury-plagued Reds early in the season. After batting seventh in the Opening Day lineup, he’s earned a promotion thanks to his scorching-hot clutch hitting. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a 2024 breakout star.

Outfielder: Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox
.462 batting average, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1.077 OPS

The Red Sox have surprised early this season, with Duran also looking like a potential breakout candidate. If the Red Sox remain competitive — their roster makes this a big if — the exposure Duran receives could make him a household name.

Outfielder: Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs
.391 batting average, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 1.160 OPS

Suzuki quietly had a good second half last season and his raw talent is evident whenever you watch him. He flies under the radar despite his high profile in Japan and being a key player on a big-mark team. But he’s a major X-factor for these Cubs. 

Designated Hitter: Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves
.400 batting average, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1.263 OPS

Atlanta’s offense is so explosive, and Ozuna is a big reason why. While the stars at the top of the order understandably draw the headlines, players like Ozuna and Michael Harris II lengthen the lineup and help wear down opposing pitchers. It makes the Braves such a pain to pitch to.

Starting pitcher: Ronel Blanco, Houston Astros
1-0, 0 hits allowed, 0 earned runs, 7 strikeouts, 2 walks

What Blanco did last week is an early contender for one of the best MLB stories of this entire season. After barely making his first Opening Day roster — he found out as he exited the mound in his final preseason appearance — he began the week away from the Astros to celebrate the birth of his second child. Then, in his eighth career start, he threw a no-hitter. 

Relief Pitcher: Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians
3 IP, 3 saves, 4 strikeouts, 2 hits allowed, 0 walks, 0.00 ERA

The Guardians have gotten off to a surprisingly strong start, but Clase’s excellence as a finisher is expected. One of MLB’s best closers had a nearly flawless week over three appearances. He’s starting to get that reputation to where the game feels over as soon as he takes the mound with a lead. 

Player of the Week: Ronel Blanco

This has no bearing on Blanco being my player of the week — you throw a no-hitter, your spot’s pretty much secured — but what Blanco did in his second start of the year this past Sunday is also worth noting as he went another 5.2 innings before allowing his first hit of the season. That is 44 consecutive outs before allowing a hit. It’s the second-longest streak in Astros history. 

While he fell short of matching Johnny Vander Meer’s consecutive no-hitters, Blanco became just the third pitcher since 1901 to allow only one hit over a two-start span involving at least 15 innings (Max Scherzer in 2015 and Dennis Eckersly in 1977). What a historic stretch to add to Blanco’s incredible story.

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Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him on Twitter @BenVerlander.

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The first 10 games of the 2024 MLB season are in the books (for most teams).

There were some surprising results and sad injury news over the past week that might have long-term ramifications on the season. But for now, let’s rank the 10 best clubs in baseball. 

10. Boston Red Sox (7-3, last week unranked)
The Red Sox had a strong six-game swing in California this past week, winning five of six against the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels. Their starting pitching has been much better than expected to start the season, while their bats came to life on Sunday, scoring 12 runs in the series finale against the Angels. They were dealt a tough blow, however, with Trevor Story suffering a shoulder subluxation that could sideline him for the majority of the season. 

9. Milwaukee Brewers (6-2, LW 10)
After losing their manager in Craig Counsell and one of MLB’s best pitchers in Corbin Burnes this offseason, the Brewers have been a nice surprise thus far. Following their three-game sweep of the New York Mets, they split a two-gamer with the Minnesota Twins and took two of three from the Seattle Mariners. William Contreras is slashing .387/.444/.677 after collecting four hits and two homers Sunday. That’s why he’s one of the best catchers in baseball.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates (8-2, LW unranked)
Break up the Buccos! The Pirates are tied for the best record in baseball after taking two of three from the Orioles. Michael A. Taylor (.429 batting average) has been terrific in his new home, while Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz and Ke’Bryan Hayes are all off to strong starts to the season. Pittsburgh has also gotten a big lift from its starting rotation, which already has five quality starts (second-most in MLB). 

7. Cleveland Guardians (7-2, LW unranked)
The Guardians couldn’t have played better to begin the season, only to see Shane Bieber suffer a season-ending elbow injury. Bieber, who will need Tommy John surgery, was 2-0 with 20 strikeouts and just one walk across 12 scoreless innings. Just brutal. For what its worth, the Cleveland’s offense has done its part, averaging nearly six runs per game (5.89). 

6. Philadelphia Phillies (4-5, LW 5)
The Phillies collectively haven’t been great, but their strong individual performances portend to being a playoff team. Bryce Harper was tremendous this past week, launching three home runs Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds. Zack Wheeler still looks like one of the best pitchers in baseball. Aaron Nola rebounded from a rough season-opening performance with 5.2 innings of scoreless ball. Philadelphia should be just fine. 

5. Baltimore Orioles (5-4, LW 4)
The Orioles suffered two brutal losses over the weekend to the Pirates, falling in extra innings Saturday (after rallying from a three-run deficit) and blowing a ninth-inning lead Sunday. They’re better than their early record indicates. Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez have both been stellar in their two starts, giving Baltimore one of the best 1-2 pitching punches in the American League.

4. Texas Rangers (6-3, LW 6)
The defending champs have picked up where they left off last November, winning two of three in each of their three series (and all against playoff hopefuls). Corey Seager looks like he’ll be in the MVP conversation again and Adolis García has already mashed four homers. Nathan Eovaldi and Cody Bradford have been great atop the rotation, although Texas hasn’t gotten much from its starters beyond those two. 

3. New York Yankees (8-2, LW 3)
Juan Soto has been everything the Yankees expected, slashing .333/.438/.436 and making routine clutch plays. Fellow newcomer Marcus Stroman has been just as impressive on the mound, logging 12 scoreless innings through his first two starts. New York has also gotten more contributions from the back half of its lineup, especially compared to last year. Call it the Soto effect. No wonder the Bronx Bombers are tied for the best mark in baseball, despite opening the year against three teams that made the playoffs in 2023.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (8-4, LW 2)
The Dodgers’ lineup has been exactly as advertised. Five of their six hitters who’ve recorded at least 40 at-bats have an OPS north of .900. Teoscar Hernández is providing the right-handed pop they hoped for, matching Mookie Betts with four homers. Shohei Ohtani has busted out of a mini-slump and has eight extra-base hits, including his first two homers in a Dodgers uniform. Yoshinobu Yamamoto hasn’t allowed a run in his past two starts. Those free-agent additions are already paying major dividends.

1. Atlanta Braves (6-2; last week 1)
Spencer Strider’s elbow injury seemed to be the tipping point in baseball’s pitching epidemic to open the season. It might also swing the title race should Strider require Tommy John surgery, which would be his second. The good news for the Braves is that Chris Sale has resembled his old form in his first two starts and their lineup hasn’t shown any signs of regression upon sweeping the Diamondbacks.

Out: Arizona Diamondbacks (7), Seattle Mariners (8), Houston Astros (9)

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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