Author: Deesha Thosar

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Ranger Suárez is not a typical starting pitcher in today’s game. 

He’s not obsessed with spin rate. His 91.4 mph fastball velocity, a couple of ticks slower than in previous seasons, is ranked in the 13th percentile among all qualified pitchers. He fields his position so well, and so calmly, that murmurs of a Gold Glove award are cited during his starts. 

And what have those outings resulted in? Only the most victories in MLB. He’s also the only unbeaten pitcher with more than five wins, and the Phillies have won all eight of his outings heading into Wednesday’s start versus the Mets.

So, we have a middle-of-the-rotation starting pitcher who doesn’t throw very hard, relies on a six-pitch mix, has a 7-0 record, and is carrying the third-best ERA (1.50) in baseball, with the lowest WHIP (0.72) to boot. And to think, just a few years ago, Suárez pitched out of the bullpen in more than half of his appearances. The 28-year-old southpaw is a throwback, and he’s quickly becoming a household name whom we should all be paying more attention to.

“What’s impressive to me is he’s not a guy who’s throwing 95-100 mph, what the game is kind of moving toward,” Phillies starter Aaron Nola told FOX Sports. “He’s a left-hander that has 5-6 pitches, and he commands every single one of them. He’s got four strikeout pitches, and that’s what makes him tough. He’s never out of a count, he’s never out of an at-bat. That’s why he’s been good.”

Here are three reasons why Suárez is deserving of a brighter spotlight, and why he’s currently the most underrated pitcher in the sport. 

1. Location, location, location

It’s all about movement and finesse for Suárez. He paints the strike zone every five days. He dots the corners and gets hitters to chase. It’s also all about keeping opposing batters off balance for Suárez. He’s a case study on why throwing the ball with excellent command can be more effective than focusing mostly on high velocity. Suárez is bucking the trend, and it’s working. 

How is he doing it? He’s cut last year’s walk rate from 8.9% to 4.1% thus far, which is among the lowest in MLB. Consider: To put this dramatic drop in perspective: Through eight starts (43.2 innings pitched) last year, Suárez had walked 14 batters. He’s permitted just eight this year while already tossing 54 innings. He’s also just one of four qualified pitchers to sport a walk rate of 4.1% or better with a strikeout rate of 28.1% or better. His terrific strikeout-to-walk rate of 6.88 is tied for ninth in MLB.

Suárez spent time this winter focusing on his secondary pitches, with the goal of better locating them in the zone. That improved command has led batters to chase; they can no longer stay frozen with their bats on their shoulders, expecting the ball to roam out of the zone, in pursuit of drawing walks. The chase rate on all of his pitches has improved from 29.6% last year to 32.7%. 

He’s locating nearly half of his pitches on the edge of the zone (44.8%), whereas the league average is 39%. Moreover, his ability to continuously replicate his release point has created the perception that all five of his pitches have blended into one. Only a moment before the ball reaches the plate does the pitch reveal itself, which tends to be too late for batters to get a good read and barrel the ball. 

Speaking of which, Suárez has allowed just 5% of his balls in play to be barreled (the league average is 7%). That means opposing batters are connecting at an exit velocity of at least 98 mph only 5% of the time. In fact, the average exit velocity off of Suárez’s arsenal is 83.2%, which ranks in the top 2% of the league. That weak contact is just another product of Suárez’s improved command. Now, batters have to swing on Suárez’s many offerings, because if they don’t, those pitches will fall for strikes. 

2. He’s on pace for 200-plus innings

Manager Rob Thomson and the Phillies have loosened their leash on Suárez. They’re letting him pitch deeper into games, largely because Suárez is pitching fast, getting quick outs, and limiting his pitch count — all by design. Pitching into the seventh or eighth inning is a weekly objective for Suárez. Teammates who know Suárez best said he considers his outing a failure if he’s pulled before then. They say it’s possible Suárez’s new mentality derives from his days as a reliever from 2018 to 2021. Though he was effective out of the pen — he posted a 1.36 ERA across 106 innings and 39 games (12 starts) in 2021 — Phillies starters knew Suarez was always capable of going the distance.

Sure enough, Suárez’s 54 innings are only topped by pitchers who have already made nine starts, and his 6.75 innings per start leads the majors. Suárez and Nola are the only two pitchers with multiple starts spanning at least eight innings this year, and they’re two of five hurlers to toss a shutout. Suárez is also just one of four pitchers to throw 50-plus innings and surrender fewer than 10 walks. Only Suárez has registered 50-plus innings and 50-plus strikeouts while sporting an ERA under 2.00.

It helps tremendously that Suárez is a ground-ball pitcher with an elite sinker. As for that excellent command, Suárez throws his sinker in the strike zone 62% of the time. On average, his sinker moves 16 inches away from a right-handed batter and drops 29 inches. The league average is a 24-inch drop. But it’s not just the sinker; Suárez has multiple weapons to help him get out of jams, including an improved curveball that he only started throwing in 2022. Just three pitchers in baseball have a ground-ball rate higher than Suárez’s 57.7%, and all three have much higher walk rates. 

Since Suárez is already limiting walks, he hardly needs the double-play ball, and is just getting fast outs by way of the ground ball. His quick pace, and ability to pitch deep into games has the Phillies believing he could eclipse 200 innings for the first time in his seven-year career.

3. He’s a legitimate Cy Young candidate

Suárez’s 1.7 fWAR is tied with former American League standouts Tyler Glasnow and Dylan Cease for the NL lead. Right behind them is Suárez’s Philly teammate, Zack Wheeler, who is still seeking his first career Cy Young Award after finishing as the runner-up to Corbin Burnes in 2021. Sure, the company Suárez is keeping in most advanced metrics is telling of how elite his season has been. But his work thus far is rare even by historical standards. 

Suárez is the fourth pitcher in the modern era to have a WHIP of 0.72 or lower while his team won each of his first eight starts. The other three instances happened in the 1900s — as in the decade, and all three of those pitchers (Mordecai Brown, Addie Joss and Christy Mathewson are in the Hall of Fame. We can pump the breaks on Cooperstown for now, but the early Cy Young buzz around Suárez is valid.

“Stay healthy this year, and he’s got a chance,” Nola said of Suárez winning the NL Cy Young. “He’s got the makeup for it, for sure. For me, for guys to win the Cy Young, he’s gotta stay healthy all year. It’s a hard thing to do, and you gotta put a lot of emphasis on it, but he’s a guy who can. He’s a pitcher who can win it, in my opinion.”

Suárez isn’t the only one on his pitching staff going for his first career Cy Young, and that competition is leading to great achievements within the Phillies rotation. Philly’s 6.0 starting pitching fWAR prior to Nola’s shutout Tuesday was the best in MLB, and it wasn’t particularly close. Their 2.65 starting pitching ERA is ranked second in baseball, trailing only the Red Sox. The dominance — and length — from the rotation is leading to more ideal, low-pressure situations for the bullpen, which is the weakest part of the roster yet has managed to record a 1.9 fWAR that ranks third in MLB. 

A No. 3 starter in Suárez, pitching like he’s the best in the league, is paying dividends for a Phillies team that became the first club to eclipse 30 wins this season. Beyond Suárez’s ceiling as a Cy Young pitcher, he’s already proven to be an enormous weapon in October — he owns a 1.62 ERA across nine playoff appearances (seven starts) over the past two years. Suárez has been a true X-factor for the Phillies, but this year, he just might be a catalyst to another Fall Classic appearance.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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NEW YORK — The last time the Houston Astros traveled to the Bronx, they were 15 games over .500, No. 2 in the American League wild-card race and two games out of first place in the AL West. Their starting pitching was the catalyst in a tight four-game split with the Yankees, in the midst of Houston dropping just one of nine successive series. 

But that was last August. In the first of a three-game set at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, the Bronx Bombers were on fire as they happily hosted a crestfallen Astros club. The barrage of runs was nothing new for the Juan Soto-powered Yankees, the team with the fourth-highest OPS in MLB. And the near-complete absence of activity from the Astros lineup was nothing new this spring, either.

Following a demoralizing 10-3 loss to the Yankees — on a night in which Justin Verlander took the mound, no less — Houston fell to 0-5 against its intraleague rival in 2024 and last place in its division. Right now, the only thing the Astros are competing for is the worst record in the American League.

“You don’t expect to see them in the standings where they are,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Houston. “But it’s baseball, and it’s a stretch. So you still expect them to get it going. Hopefully, we can push that off for a few days. But they have all the players and the talent and guys who have been through the grind and have been kind of the standard over the last several years. 

“They’ve had three-week stretches where they haven’t played really well, but it’s obviously magnified at the start of the season. And it’s probably a longer stretch than, certainly, they’ve been used to. But I know a lot of the guys they have over there, they’re built to get through this.”

Boone said it best. We just don’t expect the Astros to be basement dwellers at any point in the season, let alone a week into May, which must have rival executives beginning to wonder whether Houston will be a seller ahead of MLB’s July 30 trade deadline.

Sure, there’s more than two months remaining for the 12-23 Astros to make the answer to that question much clearer. Their track record alone — let’s not forget this franchise has appeared in seven consecutive ALCS — has convinced the Yankees and Boone that the Astros will turn it around. “I’m sure,” Boone said, “at some point we’ll see them flying high.” 

But when does it’s still too early to tell — a common sentiment around the league about the future of this Houston club — become it’s too late? 

“We haven’t executed enough as a complete unit,” Astros third baseman Alex Bregman told FOX Sports. “Some days we execute well at the plate, sometimes we execute well on the mound. Sometimes we execute well on defense. We just gotta put the whole thing together. We will.”

Typically, Memorial Day weekend is a good time to look at the standings with more purpose. For renowned baseball executive David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the Mets, the initial barometer for a team’s outlook is about 45 games into a given season. By that standard, the Astros have roughly 10 more games to show us who they really are — and likely will be — this year. They’re scheduled to face the Yankees, Tigers, A’s and Brewers in that stretch. They’ll then play the division rival A’s, Mariners and Angels 14 times before the calendar flips to June, creating a substantial opportunity to climb up (or continue to sink) in the AL West standings.

But even if they’re not contending by the summer, don’t assume they will part with any of their best players.

“No. No, I can’t envision that,” Astros general manager Dana Brown told MLB Network earlier Tuesday. “I think this team is too good. I think the production’s coming. I can’t predict any scenario where we become sellers.”

In their series opener versus the Yankees, that “production” consisted of three hits, matching a season low. It’s got to be odd for the former two-time champions to be facing immense pressure to elevate their performance just one week into May. But they’re certainly feeling it, with every game a new opportunity to win and begin building off a feeling that is something different from the one they experienced Tuesday in the Bronx. 

That feeling — the one that accompanies a pitching staff giving up double-digit runs for the fifth time this season — can only be described as tense. The Astros clubhouse was mostly empty and completely silent after their latest defeat to New York (and third in a row overall). Only a few players took interviews at their lockers, and when they spoke, it was in a whisper.

The way things are going, it seems like every result that ends in a loss will only put Houston more on edge and unnerved about its mediocrity, particularly because Tuesday night was presumed to be the game the club would win. 

“[Verlander] was not as sharp as previous starts,” Astros skipper Joe Espada said. “But his stuff is still good enough to get some good lineups out, for sure.”

Verlander was supposed to set the tone in the series opener. That’s what his first-year manager expected of the veteran ace. Espada said there was no other pitcher he would rather give the ball to than Verlander when the team needed a win most. Instead, it was Alex Verdugo who set the tone, crushing a three-run home run off the right-hander in the first inning. Verlander missed his location to Verdugo, and he lacked pitch deception throughout his entire outing — all of which contributed to its brevity. 

The three-time Cy Young winner’s streak of 19 consecutive regular-season starts going six or more innings was snapped as he was pulled after completing five innings (and allowing three home runs). For a clue into how he was feeling, Verlander charged into the clubhouse and threw baseballs against a couch in the clubhouse afterward.

Given his pending free agency and Houston’s rough start, there’s already been some early trade chatter surrounding Verlander. There have also been some concerning trends from his 22.1 innings this year. The man with the second-most career strikeouts among active pitchers registered just two strikeouts for a second consecutive start. His fastball velocity was down. Verlander wasn’t fooling anyone while he generated just six swings and misses. Last year, he tallied six or fewer swings and misses in just three of his 27 starts. This year, Verlander has already registered two such starts (out of four total).

So, yes, the tone was certainly set for the Astros, but it was one of misery. If their future Hall of Famer can’t get the Yankees out, who can? Perhaps Verlander’s ceiling, in his age-41 season, isn’t to be elite but rather good enough.

“If anything, I figured out that I need to be better,” Verlander said. “Starting tomorrow, I have a lot of work to do. Been here countless times in my career. I think one of the things about being a veteran is you know yourself, and you know when you’re right. You don’t just throw away games like this and say, ‘I’ll be better next time.’ There’s a reason. You gotta start turning over stones and find the reason.”

There are several reasons for Houston’s hapless start to 2024, and we’re approaching the point in the season where it’s no longer just a stretch. Around the league and within the Astros’ clubhouse, the thought of what they might do at the trade deadline is buzzing louder with every loss. Houston’s GM might not be able to envision this club being a seller, but after its lopsided loss to the Yankees on Tuesday, the rest of us sure can. 

“We’ll see what we’re made of,” Bregman said.

And who.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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First, there was shock. Then, there was delight. 

The shock emanated from Atlanta, after Braves general manager Alex Anthopolous traded away his young All-Star catcher for a top-five backstop. The delight came from Milwaukee, as Brewers fans realized their front office had just pulled off a heist.

In December 2022, William Contreras was part of a three-team trade that sent him from the reigning world champion Atlanta Braves, the only organization he had ever known, to the Brewers, where he has since become a beloved and essential piece of their roster. The Braves couldn’t pass up the opportunity to grab Sean Murphy from the Athletics, and the Brewers only gave up outfielder Esteury Ruiz in the swap.

No one would’ve faulted Contreras if he needed a few months, perhaps even a full season, with an unfamiliar team to adjust to his new role as the full-time catcher for Milwaukee. But Contreras embraced his opportunity, revamped his defense and immediately slugged from the top of the order as the trade, already favorable on paper for the Brewers, quickly became a jackpot.

With all due respect to Adley Rutschman, Will Smith, Salvador Pérez, Yainer Díaz and Willson Contreras, William Contreras has ascended to become the best catcher in baseball. Here are three reasons why.

1. He’s a pure, top-tier hitter

A catcher who can really hit? Say no more. Contreras has the best fWAR among all major-league catchers since the start of the 2023 season. And since 2022, the first season Contreras played at least 60 games in the majors, he ranks first in average (.292), on-base percentage (.370), slugging (.485) and OPS (.855) among 23 qualifying big-league catchers. Everything’s coming up Contreras, even his advanced metrics. Since 2022, he has the best average exit velocity (91.3 mph) and top hard hit rate (49%), too.

Now is around the time you might be thinking, uh, what about that perennial MVP candidate who plays catcher for the Orioles? Contreras has simply been more consistent and more effective at the plate than Rutschman — and all full-time catchers, actually. Only Pérez, who’s spending 40% of his time at first base or DH, has a higher OPS than Contreras (.958). No catcher comes within 10 of Contreras’ 28 runs scored or has walked as much (15). His .345 average ranks fourth in the National League and his 64 total bases sixth. 

These days, Contreras often flashes the ultimate flex: batting leadoff as a catcher. And he isn’t just elite at the dish because he’s a backstop. Contreras is in the 99th percentile in batting run value, the 98th percentile in hard-hit percentage, and the 96th percentile in average exit velocity — among all position players. Plus, he’s a master at timely hitting. Contreras has the most game-winning RBIs (24) among all catchers since 2022, and the most hits with two outs and runners in scoring position in that span.

When the pressure is at a boiling point, when a hit is needed the most, Contreras is a player every team would want at the plate. That’s the mark of an elite hitter, much less a premier catcher.

2. His defense is improving

Contreras isn’t just a glorified designated hitter moonlighting as a catcher. The 26-year-old’s defense has vastly improved under the Brewers’ catching lab, and while he thoroughly impressed us behind the plate in 2023, now he has the challenge of maintaining that consistency across multiple seasons.

Contreras’ transformation with his framing, blocking and throwing was eye-popping last year. In just a matter of months, the backstop evolved from a below-average defender in Atlanta to posting top-tier catching metrics in Milwaukee. He improved his strike rate from 45.1% in 2022 to 49.2% in 2023. He became an excellent framer, going from a below-average -3 framing runs in 2022 to an above-average seven framing runs in 2023. With the Brewers, he started effectively blocking all those breaking balls and led all catchers in blocking runs saved last year. His caught stealing percentage also jumped from 7% in 2022 to 17% in 2023 despite the new rules. 

To improve all of these defensive catching metrics — all at once, in just one year — is nothing short of spectacular.

Milwaukee, of course, has a strong track record of improving catcher defense, from Omar Narváez to Yasmani Grandal to Victor Caratini to, now, Contreras. But the magic of the Brewers’ coaching staff isn’t the only element to Contreras’ success. There must be a full buy-in from the catcher’s side, and Contreras has demonstrated the hard work, application, and repetition necessary to flaunt such a major turnaround behind the plate.

What’s most interesting is that the Braves gave up Contreras in large part because of his subpar defense. Atlanta traded for Murphy, another slugging catcher with a Gold Glove to his name, because he was a significant upgrade on defense without losing much pop on offense. With the Braves, Contreras was in the 20th percentile in framing and the 50th percentile in pop time. Murphy, meanwhile, had been in the 86th percentile in framing and the 96th percentile in pop time with the A’s.

But, perhaps, the Braves didn’t account for Contreras’ younger age and greater durability compared to Murphy. Contreras, three-plus years younger than Murphy, has played in 170 games compared to Murphy’s 109 since the start of the 2023 season. Murphy is currently sitting idle on the injured list, while Contreras is in the early-season conversation for the National League MVP award. 

3. He has the requisite drive

A player’s will to achieve is not something that can be taught. Contreras’ new teammates in Milwaukee have repeatedly noted just how much his work ethic stands out. He’s a student of the game, and he’s acing all of his tests. His determination to be the best, all while modeling his game after some of this sport’s best catchers, like Pérez and Yadier Molina, lends to his rise as the top catcher in MLB. 

And it’s not like Contreras is ascending during a dormant period for slugging catchers. In fact, it’s the opposite. Right now, catchers are all the rave again thanks to a cluster of young stars with lots of pop. Whether it’s Rutschman, Díaz, Francisco Álvarez or Gabriel Moreno, there are plenty of newcomers who could challenge proven veterans like J.T. Realmuto, Perez, Smith, Murphy and William’s older brother Willson for the title of best catcher. Young blood is mixing with vets at the top of their game, making for legitimate reasons to be excited about MLB catchers in the present and the future. 

It’s just that, well, no one is pulling ahead in the race quite like the Brewers’ special backstop. 

The backdrop of this loaded competition only makes Contreras’ two-way exploits that much more impressive. Another full season of stellar production should convince those who might not be paying close attention to the mid-market Brewers. But for the better part of a year now, Contreras has been wearing a crown fit for the game’s contemporary catcher king.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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Perhaps some of our attention was misplaced this winter. 

While Shohei Ohtani’s free agency warped into plane-tracking madness, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto received a visit in Japan from Mets owner Steve Cohen, there was 30-year-old Shōta Imanaga, who was Nippon Professional Baseball’s 2023 league leader in strikeouts, quietly awaiting his own Major League Baseball deal.

Ohtani and Yamamoto stole all the publicity on the way to mega deals with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Once those contracts, lucrative beyond imagination, were finalized in December, the attention turned to Imanaga. Soon, the Chicago Cubs swooped in and signed him to a four-year deal worth just $53 million.

An older rookie, scouts were concerned with how Imanaga would adjust to the less-tacky MLB baseball, and had him slotted as a back-end starter rather than a frontline ace. One month into his MLB career, the southpaw looks much more like the latter. Imanaga did not allow an earned run in his first 18.1 innings and has registered a 0.84 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 22 strikeouts through his first four starts (21.1 innings). He’s not only stepping up for the Cubs rotation in Justin Steele’s absence, he’s making sure we’re taking notice.

Imanaga was a bit of an afterthought this past winter. Now, he might just be the biggest steal in free agency. Let’s explore the three biggest reasons why Imanaga’s contract could be a major coup for the Cubs.

1. He’s bound to the Cubs for more than one year — but not too many years

Besides Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers, other top free-agent pitchers struggled to land the long-term deals they wanted. Blake Snell, the National League reigning Cy Young winner, wound up signing with the Giants on a two-year, $62 million deal following a free agency that trickled into spring training. But Snell’s contract allows him to opt out immediately after the 2024 season and test the market again. And since Snell rejected a qualifying offer from the Padres, the Giants will lose their third-round draft pick this year, as well as $500,000 of their international bonus pool money.

It’s the same story with left-hander Jordan Montgomery, another highly sought-after starter in free agency this past winter, who was coming off a dominant postseason performance before struggling to land the nine-figure deal he expected. In the final days of March, Montgomery wound up signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a one-year, $25 million pact with vesting options for 2025 that range from $20-25 million. Like Snell, Montgomery could also opt out of the deal and test the market again if he starts 10 games this year.

If Snell and Montgomery pitch well this year, they’re expected to opt out of their respective deals and the Giants and Diamondbacks will have only reaped the rewards of one year. If they falter — and Snell is off to an especially concerning start in the Bay — then they’re expensive busts. So, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword for San Francisco and Arizona. Compared to those risky and pricey arrangements, the Cubs are promised a bit more with Imanaga.

Imanaga’s contract guarantees $53 million over four seasons ($13.25 million average annual value). But the inexpensive pact also allows the left-hander and the club to spend more years together. After the 2025 and ‘26 seasons, Chicago will have the option to extend the deal to five years ($80 million total). If the deal is not extended in either offseason, Imanaga will have the option to elect free agency, at which point he will be 32 or 33 years old.

This was a shrewd deal by Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer that is so far pleasantly working out in the team’s favor. Imanaga’s contract terms were surprising even before he threw a single MLB pitch, because, one year prior, right-hander Kodai Senga signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Mets that also looked like a steal after he put together a dominant rookie season. Like Imanaga, Senga was a 30-year-old MLB rookie and thus was widely expected to command a similar, if not more lucrative, deal. But his market, as it was for effectually every pitcher other than Yamamoto, was cooler than anticipated. Credit to the Cubs for getting Imanaga to compromise and reaching an agreement that could span the rest of his prime. 

2. The adjustment period is sometimes longer for the league than the pitcher

Speaking of Senga, Imanaga is benefitting from being new in the league the same way that the Mets rookie did last year. Senga’s patented “ghost fork” routinely flummoxed opposing hitters, in part because of its filth, but also because batters had simply never seen that pitch before. By the end of September, Senga became the first Mets rookie to record 200 strikeouts in a season since Dwight Gooden in 1984. 

It’s common for pitchers from NPB to excel in the U.S., particularly at the outset of their major-league careers. Take Shohei Ohtani as an example.

In his final NPB season, Ohtani went 3-2 and posted a 3.42 ERA with 31 strikeouts, 20 walks, and 1.29 WHIP across 11 games (five starts). In his first MLB season, Ohtani went 4-2 and posted a 3.31 ERA with 63 strikeouts, 22 walks, and 1.16 WHIP across 10 starts. He was able to replicate near-identical results in his first MLB season (all while hitting 22 home runs and battling injuries throughout the year). 

Right-hander Masato Yoshii was 33 years old when he made his MLB debut for the Mets in 1998, and his rookie season wound up being his best in the majors, proving age doesn’t matter when the arsenal is that unfamiliar. Kenta Maeda also had a strong debut season in MLB, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting after going 16-11 and making 32 starts for the Dodgers in 2016. Yu Darvish was an All-Star and finished ninth in Cy Young award voting in his 2012 rookie season for the Rangers. Masahiro Tanaka was worth every penny of the seven-year, $155 million contract he signed with the Yankees, pitching at least six innings in each of his first 18 outings and recording a quality start in the first 16. 

So far, Imanaga appears primed for similar success. 

3. Imanaga is keeping the bases clean

The southpaw not only leads MLB with a .195 opponent on-base percentage, but he’s one of only two starters (minimum 20 innings pitched) to hold opponents to an on-base percentage under .200. Who’s the other guy? None other than Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, whose 0.74 WHIP ranks second in baseball and just ahead of Imanaga’s. And on the seldom occasions opponents do manage to get on base versus Imanaga, ensuing hitters have just two hits with runners in scoring position against him this season in nine chances (.222 average).

Imanaga’s early-season control primarily comes down to his four-seam fastball, one of the filthiest pitches in baseball right now. Opposing batters are hitting just .115 off Imanaga’s four-seamer, which is the second-lowest mark for any pitch with a minimum of 50 plate appearances. Imanaga’s fastball has a run value of eight, and if you’re wondering just how elite that statistic is, only Corbin Burnes’ cutter has been a better pitch, with a run value of nine. And even then, Imanaga is getting more swings and misses on his four-seam fastball than Burnes on his unhittable backdoor cutter. 

Free passes aren’t an option with Imanaga, either. He’s tied with Zach Eflin for the fewest number of walks issued (two) for starters with a minimum of 20 innings pitched. Imanaga’s 10.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio is best among NL starters and third-best in MLB. 

The Cubs are 14-9, right at the top of the NL Central with the Brewers, and playing well so far despite losing Steele and Jameson Taillon to March injuries. Imanaga, undaunted by the newfound pressure, has been a major boon to the Cubs rotation, pitching even better than most expected him to. While he started his MLB career in the shadows of other pitchers, he’s quickly proving that he deserved a bigger spotlight all along.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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NEW YORK — When top baseball executive David Stearns builds a roster, he tries to look for players who are spark plugs — guys who promote strong team chemistry. But it’s not always a winning formula. Chemistry, Stearns believes, is tough to predict. 

“Sometimes you get it right, and sometimes you don’t,” he said.

Through the Mets‘ first 18 games, which included a gut-punching 0-5 start, Stearns saw indicators from his players and coaches that he just might have gotten it right. He’s not the only one. Pete Alonso, now a six-year veteran, said this year’s group has a strong sense of individual accountability. Alonso said the 2024 Mets are receptive to criticism, routinely sharing information, and keeping an open dialogue. It’s a full team buy-in. New Met Harrison Bader, a self-described spark plug, noticed players are being themselves, with an organization-wide objective of doing what’s best, not just for the flashier superstars but for the collective group.

The Mets’ goal, since the start of spring training, was to collectively elevate in every facet of the game. Three weeks into the season, it’s working.

“More than anything, the energy coming from the team has been great for all of us to see,” Stearns said earlier this week. “That’s really tough to manufacture from a front-office perspective. It just has to sort of happen. It’s a product of the coaching staff working really hard to create an atmosphere. It’s a product of players believing in each other and genuinely enjoying spending time with each other.”

New York has the best record in baseball since April 5, winning 10 of 13 games as it begins a benchmark series at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday (Saturday’s game will air on FS1 at 4:05 p.m. ET). Stearns credited first-year manager Carlos Mendoza and his staff for promoting an atmosphere that allows the players to feel comfortable being themselves. In the early goings, it seems no one is benefiting from that welcoming climate more than the team’s two youngest players: Francisco Álvarez and Brett Baty. The fun-loving duo, who’ve shared a tight bond for years, is an integral part of the club’s upbeat energy.

“One thing about baseball is, it’s a game,” Álvarez told FOX Sports. “We have to play the game. We can’t make it too serious.”

Álvarez and Baty came up through the Mets’ minor-league system together, and while Álvarez got most of the attention for being a teenage slugging catcher, it didn’t take long for him to recognize a star quality in Baty. The self-confident backstop said he first noticed Baty’s leadership capability and preeminent presence at the plate as early as when they played for the high-A Brooklyn Cyclones in 2021. Álvarez has been hyping up Baty ever since. 

But this year, we’re seeing Baty come out of his shell, too. After Baty pulled into second on a two-run double in the Mets’ 6-1 win over the Royals last week, he stuck his tongue out toward the Mets dugout and pointed his pinky, ring, and middle fingers to his head. It was an homage to Carmelo Anthony’s “three to the head” celebration from his days on the New York Knicks. A few days later, DJ Stewart lined a single and duplicated Baty’s celebration. Stewart said he liked seeing that confidence from Baty, and it made him want to do it too.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor noticed Baty is a high-energy player who thrives off positivity. So far, the team has helped Baty keep up the attitude.

“Sometimes, he has a bad day, and I’m like, ‘Dude you can hit .300 with steady homers and 100 RBI. You are the best hitter I’ve seen in my life,'” Álvarez said, purposely exaggerating for his teammate. “You have to believe it. And this year he’s completely different. When I see how he plays, I want to keep playing. It’s infectious. Sometimes he’s low and I pick him up. I say, ‘Let’s f-ing go, man. Let’s go!’ He’s my friend. Like the other day, he got a base hit, then I got a base hit, and I sent him a kiss.”

As he spoke to FOX Sports, Álvarez reproduced that kiss by turning his body towards Baty’s empty locker and making the smooch sound with his lips. On the field, not only did Álvarez crack himself up with this playful gesture, but he got Baty to bust out a laugh because he wasn’t expecting it. Staying loose and flashing confidence aren’t the only things Álvarez is modeling. Baty said when he feeds off Álvarez’s energy, it’s not just fun and games from the youngest Mets. Baty also learned a key philosophy from Álvarez that the third baseman has carried into this season.

“One thing I have gotten from him is his love for winning,” Baty said of Álvarez. “He hates to lose. I think he hates losing more than he loves winning. I started the same way, but I felt like I kind of lost that a little bit in the minor leagues. It’s hard to have a winning mentality in the minors. You gotta learn how to do it. Especially for young guys coming out of high school, when the only things they see are lineups being set every single day, there’s no pinch hits, it’s harder for young guys to understand that winning is the only thing that matters. But part of development is learning how to win.”

The 10-8 Mets have done more of that lately. 

The club has responded to losing its first five games of the season by winning each of its next four series. The pitching staff, without ace Kodai Senga throwing a single pitch, boasts the best ERA (3.15) in the National League. The offense, without J.D. Martinez taking a swing, flashes the ninth-best OPS (.815) in MLB with runners in scoring position. In the past 10 days, the Mets overwhelmingly defeated the Braves in Atlanta, snapped the Royals’ seven-game winning streak, then swept the red-hot Pirates to close out their homestand. Their new manager just might have a lot to do with it. Amid the early-season ups and downs, Mendoza has stayed steady. There was never any panic from the rookie skipper. Rather, he kept his focus on the long season while remaining upbeat about the strong group inside the clubhouse.

Mendoza’s buoyant spirit in the dugout is the antithesis to how former manager Buck Showalter preferred to celebrate his team’s accomplishments. Showalter would often hold the same pose — arms crossed over the dugout railing, chin resting on his wrists, stoically observant with an emotionless expression — from start to finish of a Mets game. Mendoza, green and enthusiastic, is the Energizer Bunny with a full drum set compared to Showalter. The Stearns hire is seen pumping his arms, clapping his hands, hollering and overjoyed alongside his players. Mendoza gets hyped at the big, score-altering moments just as much as he does at the smaller points, like when the opposing pitcher commits a balk to bring in a run or when the Mets pull off a double steal.

Mendoza seems to appreciate baseball for its entertainment value. He’s allowing young, developing players like Álvarez and Baty to be themselves and have fun. He doesn’t hold back when he wants to rejoice. Look no further than what he was looking forward to most ahead of his first Opening Day as a manager? “Honestly, the trumpets,” Mendoza admitted, referring to Edwin Díaz’s entrance song that turns Citi Field into a nightclub. The Mets look like a better team this year, and the swag and selflessness they’re carrying into each game has as much to do with their success as any other change from last season.

“Winning baseball is really good baseball,” Lindor said. “You bunt, you go first to third, you steal a base exactly when you need to steal a base. You take your glove out to your teammate, or when you see something on the field, you tell them. Then, after the game, you lift. You show up for the team in the training room. The little details — that’s winning baseball.”

Another big talking point within the Mets clubhouse has been the love from the Citi Field crowds. Take Lindor’s shoddy start to the season as an example. Lindor has a 38 OPS+, the second-worst BABIP (.156) among 188 qualified MLB hitters, and just 11 hits in 73 at-bats in his first 18 games. Contrasted against the death threats Lindor received on social media earlier in the year, Mets fans opted to remind the shortstop that he’s beloved at Citi Field by giving him standing ovations.

Through the team’s first two homestands, fans made it a point to cheer for Lindor every time he dug into the box. A year ago — really, for nearly all of Lindor’s four-year stint in Queens — it was a given that we’d hear booing and heckling as responses to the shortstop’s slumps. Rather than what we’ve seen and heard most recently from New York crowds, Mets fans flipped the script, à la the 2023 Phillies with Trea Turner, and opted to encourage their struggling star. Not only has that choice been noticed within the Mets clubhouse, but players said the support has allowed them to be less tense and have more fun.

“I’m not going to lie, everybody in here is feeling it,” Mendoza said. “The support from our fan base has been incredible.”

So many factors have gone into the Mets’ gripping 10-3 run after their 0-5 start. But it’s only April, and their embattled fan base has seen it all go downhill too often, and too fast. The Mets will need to keep this energy up through the long season to earn their flowers. They can prove their consistency as soon as this weekend, against yet another formidable opponent. A date with the superteam Dodgers awaits.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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A curious occurrence happened after Shohei Ohtani appeared in front of the media on Opening Day. There was Ohtani, answering a few questions in front of a sponsored backdrop in the middle of the Dodgers clubhouse at Chavez Ravine, surrounded by a throng of reporters that congested the room. And there was Will Ireton, a Dodgers employee since 2016 and Ohtani’s current interpreter, standing to the right of Ohtani. Ireton translated the slugger’s responses throughout a brief interview, and then he did the unimaginable.

Ohtani’s interpreter walked away.

Ireton had other responsibilities, more tasks to fulfill for the club that did not involve translating for a certain two-way superstar. The 29-year-old Ohtani, effectively, was on his own. 

These days, there is empty space in the spot Ippei Mizuhara used to be. That empty space is being filled by a cast of characters, from Ohtani’s teammates, to coaches, to Ireton, to reporters, to trainers, to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. The empty space is an opportunity for other individuals — surely, less nefarious folks who are not stealing Ohtani’s money — to fill the void. The empty space is a chance for Ohtani to grow, an opportunity to branch out, and perhaps for him to be more in control of his life.

Mizuhara had too much control, we now understand, in the several years he served as Ohtani’s interpreter and acted as his close friend. The federal government’s criminal complaint against Mizuhara outlines the interpreter’s access to Ohtani’s bank account, resulting in Mizuhara allegedly stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani to finance his gambling addiction and ensuing debt. Mizuhara was described by U.S. attorney Martin Estrada as Ohtani’s “de facto manager.” The scandal shines a light on how naive Ohtani was with his finances, and brings into question how his life was being managed.

It’s quickly appearing as though Mizuhara was also the biggest shield between Ohtani and the media. In the days after Mizuhara was replaced, reporters had easier access to the Dodgers newcomer. Rather than go through Mizuhara for a question, reporters just walked right up to Ohtani, asked him if he had a moment to talk, and the slugger, much to the media’s surprise, simply said, “Sure, what do you need?” Ohtani doesn’t speak English fluently, but he understands some words. Just three months ago, Ohtani accepted his second-career MVP award by reading a two-minute statement in English at the New York Baseball Writers’ dinner. So, for a brief period, he conducted a few interviews in imperfect English, trying his best without Mizuhara or Ireton at his side.

But that didn’t last long. 

Soon enough, reporters attempting to speak freely with Ohtani were stopped by Dodgers PR. Once again, it became an obstacle to ask Ohtani anything, and it remains unclear who exactly is limiting that access. Last week, when Ohtani was asked a question about Mizuhara, a Dodgers official stepped in and said he’s only answering baseball questions. No one seems to have any idea if Ohtani is making these directives, and if this lack of access is because Ohtani himself doesn’t want to talk. It’s clear that in the early goings, the Dodgers are still figuring out how to handle a player of Ohtani’s caliber. Roberts has noted that he prefers Ohtani to answer his own questions and be upfront with the media. So, the Dodgers still have time to create a better process, and avoid fumbling the bag completely with the high volume of interview requests for Ohtani. 

We can debate for hours who exactly is in charge of how much Ohtani engages with the media and when. It could be that it’s his agent, Nez Balelo, wanting to limit Ohtani’s media exposure. Or perhaps it’s Ohtani himself who has an aversion to the press conference room, leading to cramped interview sessions in the clubhouse that make it hard to hear his responses. Or it might be the Dodgers trying to get him to focus solely on baseball. In the end, it’s up to Ohtani to decide how private or in control he wants to be.

Will this whole ordeal cause Ohtani to be more closed off, or will it allow him to see the value in letting more people in? There’s more opportunity for Ohtani to help the Dodgers if he chooses the latter.

“Actually, I would argue that it’s going to help relations internally,” Roberts said of Mizuhara’s dismissal. “I think Shohei has been even more engaging with his teammates, and I think there’s only an upside with that.”

It’s unclear how much of his seclusion from people in baseball Ohtani attributes to Mizuhara. Roberts seemed relieved that he no longer had to go through Mizuhara, who the skipper referred to as a “buffer” obstructing direct communication with Ohtani. Roberts’ use of the word buffer indicates Mizuhara shielded Ohtani from Roberts and the Dodgers rather than simply acting as the instrument that would allow discussions to flow organically. Essentially, Mizuhara was in the way.

It’s all too easy to envision how Mizuhara’s omnipresence beside Ohtani could’ve created greater isolation over the next decade between the club and its biggest star.

At least one prominent player in the major leagues is currently following the Ohtani-Mizuhara blueprint of old. This player doesn’t speak English fluently, and he always has his personal interpreter following him around, acting as a shadow. In one recent incident, a reporter posed a question for the player, but rather than translating the inquiry, the interpreter answered the question himself. Reporters found it difficult to push back, because of the language barrier but also due to the security-guard presence of the interpreter standing in the way of the player. In the end, reporters walked away puzzled by the interaction, which is a concern considering an interpreter’s responsibility includes making things, well, clearer. If perplexing interactions like that are also happening between the player and his teammates and coaches, it’s more than a concern; it’s a problem.

Particularly at the onset of a star player joining a new team, managers and coaches encourage teammates to spend time together, get to know one another on a human level and find off-field commonalities and hobbies to better relate and connect. But Ohtani’s new Dodgers teammates have said they can speak the language of baseball with the Japanese phenom, and that’s about it. It was the same story in Anaheim, where his former Angels teammates didn’t have much insight into Ohtani’s personal, non-baseball-related life.

“We don’t know when he goes home how he feels,” Dodgers teammate Miguel Rojas said. “But at least at the ballpark, he seems to have a really good time with us.”

In these few weeks following Mizuhara’s gambling revelation, Ohtani has received praise from Dodgers staffers and players for his uncanny ability to focus solely on baseball. At least between the hours spent together within the confines of a Major League Baseball stadium, the Dodgers did not see Ohtani outwardly display any signs of stress or emotion that he could be feeling toward the situation involving Mizuhara. But will they truly get to know him off the field? Will Ohtani ever share his inner thoughts and feelings with his teammates, even if he doesn’t want to share those beliefs publicly?

Teammates tend to connect and form strong bonds when they understand each other well. The Dodgers certainly understand how talented Ohtani is at playing baseball, but it would help the team’s long-term chemistry if players and coaches got to know him on a deeper and more personal level, too. It would benefit Ohtani if he allowed his millions of fans across the globe more insight into what makes him tick. 

As always, Ohtani doesn’t have to reveal any details he doesn’t want to share. But being more plugged into his environment, beyond the act of playing baseball, would be the silver lining to this unfortunate saga.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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From being relegated to the nine-hole in his rookie year, to batting leadoff in his sophomore season, Anthony Volpe is showing us why he just might be the real deal. 

The promising shortstop has hit safely in 13 of 16 games this year, batting .373 with six stolen bases in that span. His 1.4 fWAR trails only Mookie Betts and José Altuve. Entering Tuesday’s play, Volpe had struck out just once in his past 28 plate appearances. He ranks first in the American League in pitches per plate appearance (4.54). A few months ago, these numbers would’ve sounded outlandish for the 22-year-old. He looks like a completely different hitter this year — the type of hitter the Yankees knew he could be when they signed him in the first round of the 2019 draft.

Are we seeing early signs of a leap into stardom from Volpe? Though he’s certainly playing like one of baseball’s best shortstops, only time will tell. For now, let’s dissect the three reasons why Volpe is turning heads around the league.

1. He has one of the best strikeout rates in MLB

Volpe’s patience at the plate in 2024 has been one of the most encouraging aspects of his game, particularly because he struggled so mightily with pitch selection as a rookie. He finished 2023 with the second-worst on-base percentage (.283) in MLB (among 134 qualified hitters) and the 13th-highest strikeout rate (27.8%). Ahead of this season, the Yankees boasted optimism about Volpe’s future in the lineup — generic proclamations like, “He’ll turn it around,” were declared frequently — but the shortstop is surpassing expectations by breaking out immediately upon the start of his second year.

Volpe entered Tuesday with a 14.3 strikeout percentage, an eye-popping number nearly slashed in half from his K% in 2023. Among players batting .300, only six players have a lower strikeout rate than Volpe. Volpe’s walk rate has also jumped from 8.7% in 2023 to 14.3% (the same as his strikeout rate) thus far.

Striking out less and lifting that on-base percentage was No. 1 on the Yankees’ wish list for Volpe’s big-league development at the plate. An adjustment to his swing that included flattening his bat path so that he could better control pitches in the upper quadrant of the zone has helped lead to Volpe becoming the hitter the Yankees always projected him to be, but sooner than we expected.

2. He is adapting on the fly

The shortstop’s hot start to the season has made for a vastly different Yankees lineup this year. Volpe needed just a handful of games to demonstrate he could be one of the best hitters on this team; his .373 batting average and 1.006 OPS lead the Yankees and rank third and 13th in the majors, respectively. While he’s obviously made quick adjustments to become a more patient hitter, he has also transitioned seamlessly into a much more important role for the first-place Yankees.

Just 11 games into the season, Volpe went from batting either sixth or seventh to the top of the lineup. Thanks in part to DJ LeMahieu being sidelined with injury and Gleyber Torres scuffling at the plate, Volpe has been tasked to be the table setter in front of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge — and he hasn’t missed a beat. In the five games he’s led off, Volpe is batting .368 (7-for-29) with five walks and just one strikeout. He’s also recorded three or more hits three times through these first two-plus weeks. Over 159 games last season, he collected three-plus hits on just two occasions. 

No one would’ve faulted Volpe if his adjustments came later in the year, after he fully caught up to the speed of big-league pitching and when the temperature was warmer on the East Coast. But he needed no time at all, becoming the first Yankee to hit at least .417 through 10 games since Robinson Canó posted a .421 clip in 2009.

Making such major adjustments, all before Volpe has eclipsed 700 plate appearances in the big leagues, is undeniably impressive. It’s also an indispensable trait to sustaining success as his career progresses. 

3. He has matured in Year 2

Volpe will turn 23 later this month, and already, he’s racked up a Gold Glove Award and recorded a 20-20 season. (For a different perspective, Aaron Judge split his time between Double-A and Triple-A as a 23-year-old. His 52-home run Rookie of the Year campaign came at age 25.) Despite last year’s overall underwhelming production, Volpe still managed to show off his pop (21 home runs) and speed (24 steals). Through the pressure of playing in the Bronx as a rookie, Volpe showed a unique ability to brush off the outside noise, which he’s carried into this year. 

Even when Volpe was playing below New York’s sky-high expectations for him, he was the same person he is now, only he’s enjoying the kind of success typically reserved for established All-Stars. That type of composure is highly sought after by major-leaguers, but harder to execute. Volpe’s level-headedness seems to come easy to him. 

The Yankees have always complimented Volpe for being extremely mature for his age, including when he was the top talent in the club’s farm system. It’s moments like these — Volpe’s offseason work that led to his red-hot first few weeks of the season – when that maturity is showing up. Volpe’s 1.154 OPS in his first 10 games was the fifth-highest mark by a Yankees player age 22 or younger (minimum 40 plate appearances), trailing Lou Gehrig (1.354 OPS in 1926), Derek Jeter (1.211 OPS in 1997), Bernie Williams (1.185 OPS in 1991), and Bobby Murcer (1.160 OPS in 1969). 

Even for a franchise as rich as the Yankees, Volpe’s start leaves him in rare company. Good for baseball, then, that his best is still ahead of him.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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The bad news was expected this past weekend, but Spencer Strider’s elbow injury will sting the Atlanta Braves for the rest of the year.

Strider’s season — one built on promise and prestige with the young right-hander dubbed by many the best starting pitcher in baseball and the National League Cy Young favorite — is over. Technically, Strider’s 2024 campaign ended the moment the Braves discovered that his ulnar collateral ligament was damaged, which came soon after he flagged the discomfort in his pitching elbow in early April. 

After long days of silence from Atlanta, the club finally announced the expected — and the worst — Saturday: Strider had already undergone elbow surgery and will miss the remainder of the year.

The injury does have a silver lining, however. That Strider was able to undergo the less-invasive internal brace procedure, rather than Tommy John surgery, indicates his UCL did not fully tear. Strider already had Tommy John surgery in 2019 while pitching for Clemson. Pitchers with less severe elbow damage, including partial UCL tears, are better candidates for the internal brace procedure, which has a shorter recovery time than Tommy John. 

In layperson terms, if Strider was forced to undergo a second Tommy John surgery, there was a greater chance of him missing the majority of 2025. Conversely, the Braves are optimistic Strider will return to the mound closer to the start of next season. 

Now, all eyes are on Atlanta to see how the club navigates losing the best strikeout pitcher in the game. There is no copy-and-paste replacement for Strider, not in MLB and certainly not on any level within the Braves’ organization. But it does help that the team, still flashing the best record in the NL East, has pitching options in the minor leagues and the offense, unsurprisingly, is the best in baseball. 

While reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. continues searching for his first home run of the season, the rest of the Braves offense has compiled the highest wRC+ (125) in MLB through the first two-plus weeks of the season. No lineup can be counted on more to lift its starting pitcher out of a shoddy start. And every fifth day, at least until the trade deadline, there will be more pressure on this offense to put up crooked numbers and support whoever is filling in for Strider. 

After winning the NL East six years in a row, the Braves are mostly taking care of business without fully clicking to start 2024. There’s still every reason to believe they will qualify for the postseason without their ace. It’s not inconceivable that when Strider returns to the mound in 2025, he’s pitching for the reigning world champions. That’s how strong the roster construction is in Atlanta. For now, the Braves’ record has allowed general manager Alex Anthopoulos more time to consider internal options for the starting rotation.

The veteran-laden group has stuff to figure out, as well. 

Max Fried, the 2022 NL Cy Young runner-up who will enter free agency this offseason, is most concerning after surrendering 11 earned runs in 11.1 innings (8.74 ERA) over his first three starts. The southpaw’s lengthy track record suggests he’ll turn things around. Chris Sale, meanwhile, is registering whiffs and, most importantly, is still intact and healthy. Charlie Morton merits further monitoring after two bad starts following a good one against the hapless White Sox. Reynaldo López (0.75 ERA) has been Atlanta’s best starter.

Who’s headlining Strider’s possible replacements? The guys that López defeated in a spring competition for the fifth starter spot. 

There’s right-hander Bryce Elder, who earned an All-Star nod last year after beginning the season in Triple-A. Elder recorded a 2.97 ERA in his first 18 starts of 2023 before fading in the second half. There’s also top organizational prospect AJ Smith-Shawver, who competed with López and Elder in spring. The 21-year-old righty has coughed up six earned runs in just three innings (two starts) at Triple-A Gwinnett, so it’s likely the Braves let him continue throwing in the minors before they give him an injury-induced promotion.

In general, the Braves at this early juncture of the season have the benefit of waiting until July’s trade deadline to fully commit to Strider’s substitute. As long as Atlanta is still leading the NL East, which is no sure thing with the Phillies looking to snatch the division crown, the rotation can dabble with its depth, implant a revolving door with the No. 5 starter, and hope for the best. 

That strategy will likely strain the Braves’ bullpen, a relief unit that’s ranked 14th in ERA (4.06). But if even one of those depth options works out, Anthopoulos can completely avoid picking up a pitcher in the summer. If not, the Braves can tap into their farm system to beef up the rotation at the deadline. 

A lot could change over these next few months, but it’s still good to be the Atlanta Braves. Despite a 5.50 rotation ERA that ranks 27th in MLB, despite Acuña sporting a .712 OPS through 14 games, Atlanta leads its division and has the third-best winning percentage in the NL. While the Strider injury is a loss for baseball, it’s not grounds to count the Braves out of the title chase. It’s not even a cause for concern about their immediate future. 

They earned the benefit of the doubt long ago. And their roster provides more reason(s) to believe they might still be inevitable.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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The Astros are only a winter removed from their seventh consecutive American League Championship Series appearance. But less than two weeks into the 2024 regular season, they already look like a club that could struggle to even make the playoffs.

While a slow start is nothing new for this organization (see, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2023), Houston’s current 4-8 mark is its worst to open a season since 2016, which is also when the club last failed to reach the postseason. 

Still, face of the franchise José Altuve is expressing optimism about the state of the Astros, stressing that there is plenty of time for them to turn things around. While that’s generally true, there are a few concerning trends that aren’t going to magically change. 

Here’s a look at three key reasons for the Astros’ underwhelming start, and why they might mushroom into season-long issues. 

1. The bullpen has been bad.

Houston’s bullpen was expected to be the best in baseball after the club won the Josh Hader sweepstakes, signing the All-Star closer to a five-year, $95 million contract this offseason. The combination of Hader, Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu was supposed to be the most threatening back-end triumvirate we’d see this year. Back in February, however, Pressly told reporters he was surprised the Astros dropped him from closer to setup man after Hader joined the club. Perhaps that was an early indication of just how south things would go.

Even after Tuesday’s 3.2 scoreless innings from the bullpen, Astros relievers sport a collective 4.95 ERA that ranks 22rd in MLB. The vaunted trio of Hader, Pressly and Abreu have combined to cough up 13 earned runs, representing more than half of the bullpen’s total (24). Hader is already responsible for two losses while surrendering four runs in six appearances. Pressly appears completely unsettled in the setup role and is allowing a lot of loud contact. With Framber Valdez landing on the injured list Tuesday with elbow inflammation, Justin Verlander not expected to debut until at least May and Luis García and Lance McCullers also opening the year on the IL, Houston’s relief corps will only be taxed further — and its problems more glaring.

It was surprising to see general manager Dana Brown and the front office mostly ignore middle relief depth this winter given how obvious a concern it was. The Astros lost relievers Hector Neris, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek to free agency before splurging on a closer when they already had a great one (and an alternative option in Abreu). They clearly assumed that by adding Hader, Pressly and Abreu could just slide into slightly lesser roles and the leftover innings could be cobbled up by the other relievers. It’s early, but that plan has backfired thus far.

2. José Abreu is batting and slugging .088.

The former MVP is just one piece of this mighty offense, but with Martín Maldonado no longer in the nine-hole, Abreu sure looks like Houston’s best candidate for an automatic out. In the second year of his three-year, $58.5 million pact with the Astros, the 37-year-old first baseman is once again flailing at the plate. His advanced metrics are especially alarming. Entering Tuesday, his expected slugging percentage (.158) and barrel rate (0.0) were in the first percentile, while he sported a -33 OPS+ and -0.5 fWAR. 

FanGraphs’ ZiPS figured Abreu would boost last year’s 86 wRC+ to 103, but he looks far from an average big-league hitter through his first 37 plate appearances. He’s popping out in critical at-bats and has been the Astros’ most frequent violator of leaving men on base. Former manager Dusty Baker batted Abreu cleanup or fifth for most of 2023, despite his struggles. Amid this early brutal stretch, new skipper Joe Espada has dropped Abreu to the bottom of the lineup for the first time in his 11-year career — he even pinch-hit for him in extra innings Tuesday evening — while publicly voicing his belief that the veteran slugger will bounce back. 

It’s becoming tougher to believe that Abreu will, and there isn’t a promising alternative in the organization. It’s unlikely that backup first baseman Jon Singleton is the solution. The Astros also don’t have an obvious minor-league option to promote. With Yordan Álvarez typically occupying the DH spot and spending less time in left field, presumably to reduce the risk of injury, there are fewer opportunities to even give Abreu a break from the field. Simply put, the Astros are in a pickle with their declining first baseman. He has to perform. They currently have no other options. 

3. The American League hierarchy is in flux.

For nearly a decade now, the Astros have been accustomed to being the de facto best team in the American League. Many years, there was hardly any competition, though the 2018 Red Sox were certainly an exception. Then last fall, an evenly-matched Rangers club emerged and rallied to eliminate Houston on its home field en route to winning the World Series.

Thanks in large part to the Astros’ sustained success and an offense that remains dominant, they’re still AL West favorites. Through Tuesday’s games, FanGraphs gives them a 51.8% chance of winning the division (the Rangers are at 21.4%). While a fourth straight AL West title is more than achievable for these Astros, the first two weeks of the season have shown that they’re moved down in the AL pecking order. The Yankees, Orioles and Rangers all came into the season with comparable talent and are enjoying much better starts to the 2024 season. The Yankees, who already took four games at Minute Maid Park to open the season, are an MLB-best 10-2 despite Aaron Judge hitting under .200 and Gerrit Cole on the IL. 

It’s still early April, and it’d be premature to discount the Astros from turning it around soon and looking more like the commanding club it’s been all these years. But it’d also be inaccurate to call them the team to beat in the American League.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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NEW YORK – As the baseball world wonders where one of its generational superstars wants to play long term, Juan Soto sure is dropping a lot of hints. 

There was Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” as his walk-up song. There was a hat tip and a full-fledged bow for the Yankees fan base during the roll call. There were those jazzy, LED-powered cleats he wore for his new team’s home opener Friday. The customized spikes were covered in New York City staples like the Manhattan skyline, a yellow cab displaying “SOTO,” the B and 4 subway lines that make stops at Yankee Stadium, plus an inscription that declared, “Soto loves New York.”

Then there was his haircut in the Bronx at 3 a.m. 

“I wasn’t tired,” Soto told FOX Sports. “So I was like, why not? Let’s get a haircut and get it over with, so I can enjoy my whole off day.”

Gleyber Torres, who’s spending a copious amount of time around Soto, posted a photo on his Instagram of the two of them at Jordan MVP Barbershop in Washington Heights. After the Yankees’ 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks in Arizona on Wednesday, Torres called the barbershop to let them know he’d be stopping by, with Soto in tow, late into the night.

The Yankees landed in New York around 1:30 a.m., but instead of going straight to the barbershop, Soto and Torres had a different priority. They were starving. So they swung by Legacy Bar & Grill, located about 100 feet from the barbershop, to load up on hearty Latin American food. On Wednesday nights, their kitchen is closed by 11 p.m. But, around three hours after the last call, Legacy made an exception for Soto and Torres and kept the restaurant open just for them. Only after the big meal did Soto and Torres walk down Broadway to get their haircuts. 

“I don’t even remember what we ate,” Soto said. “I was hungry. It was a little bit of everything.”

Soto and Torres downplayed whether there was deeper meaning behind the barbershop Instagram post. But it’s not like either of them are frequently and casually sharing updates about everything else they do together. Torres told FOX Sports he eats breakfast with Soto, and they shared a couple of dinners together in Houston amid the team’s Soto-powered sweep of the Astros to open the season. Torres and Soto text each other often, even if it’s just to ask, “What’re you doing?”

So, yes, the photo of Torres and Soto making a late-night trip to the Bronx, one day before their much anticipated home opener this past Friday, seemed intentional. It provided a small glimpse into the friendship they’ve forged, the camaraderie they’ve created, and how, even late into the night, there’s nowhere else they’d rather be than in the Bronx, eating Latin American food and getting fades together.

Soto doesn’t want to tip his hand before he hits free agency this offseason, but he’s being loud — through his swagger, hot start and all of those hints — about how much he loves playing in pinstripes. Behind the scenes, Torres has had a lot to do with Soto’s acclimatization with the Yankees. The Venezuela native, who is also playing in his walk year, believes there is value in Soto being confident, comfortable and happy at the outset of his Yankees career — a tenure the club is hoping stretches beyond just this year. Soto and Torres could help each other land long-term deals with the Yankees.

“As a player, when you know everybody and you feel confident, you play better,” Torres told FOX Sports. “He feels good with the team and all the boys. I’m just really happy for him. He’s capable of doing really special things. And in the lineup with everybody, he’s going to help us go where we want to go.”

Those who know Soto have said he has a hard time trusting people. At his last stop in San Diego, the Padres reportedly had a hard time reaching him. Some in the Padres organization believed it was best to leave Soto alone, while others thought it was better to check in with him daily and assess his moods, according to The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli. Adding to that turbulence, Soto didn’t look like himself at the plate at Petco Park. In his 1.5 years in San Diego, he seemed disconnected from the Padres and, most apparently, unhappy.

Since Soto reported for spring training seven weeks ago, there has been no such confusion from Yankees players and staffers about how to work with him or how to decipher what he’s thinking and feeling. Soto is enthusiastic about sharing what he’s learned, particularly during his 2019 championship run with the Nationals. 

“He’s bringing a lot of memories from the way they won the championship,” Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas told FOX Sports. “They were 19-31 in the regular season. He told me everything they went through in the regular season, and then the playoff push, then being in the playoffs, then being in the World Series against the Astros, all in terms of what we need to do. He’s like, ‘When you get to that point, you gotta do this.’ He’s a guy that only talks about winning. He’s here to win.” 

While individuals in the Yankees system continue getting to know Soto, Rojas has been awestruck by his maturity and assimilation into the organization. 

“He’s liking New York a lot,” Rojas said. “He’s liking the clubhouse a lot. He’s impressive from across the diamond, but being with him, I’m telling you, I’m amazed. I’ve been surprised of his personality at a young age. When I met [Aaron] Judge, I saw a similar type of attitude. Even though he’s not trying to be that guy, because Judge is team captain. We had a few conversations in spring where [Soto] would go, ‘Whatever he says,’ given Judge’s position on the team.”

Soto knows he’s a superstar, but he’s still deferring to Judge (another superstar) on team matters. It’s a small gesture with a big impact, signaling strong clubhouse chemistry and respect for his teammates. Even though he’s a four-time Silver Slugger and three-time All-Star, and has won a championship and a batting title, he’s still new to the Yankees. He’s so new that when he walked into the Yankees clubhouse four hours before Friday’s home opener, Soto took one step into the oval-shaped locker room and stopped. He didn’t know which locker belonged to him. Soto’s eyes searched the name plates in the room until he found his own, nestled between the lockers of Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton. He smiled, and went about clearing space and unpacking his accouterments. A clubhouse attendant quickly surfaced in case he needed help.

There’s usually a learning curve for players who walk into the beast that is the Big Apple. But, for Soto thus far, that slope has been more like an anthill. His superstardom taking over Yankee Stadium — pumping up the crowd, juggling a handwarmer and playing tricks to keep himself entertained in between outs in right field, and all those Dominican flags swarming the Bronx — is just another reason the Yankees figure to be the favorite to sign him in free agency in seven months. 

“They should probably do anything they can do keep him,” former Yankees infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa told FOX Sports. “He’s a great fit for that organization.”

“We feel like he could end up here long term,” Rojas said. “In your wish list, you want to keep him forever.” 

Consider Soto’s dynamite start and .873 OPS through his first 10 games with the Yankees as step one to potentially keeping him in pinstripes for the rest of his career. New York, now 8-2 to begin the season after taking two of three against the Blue Jays this weekend, just needs Soto to be Soto, ideally creating a ripple effect for the rest of the lineup and propelling the club back to a World Series. Either way, the Scott Boras client is estimated to command more than $500 million in free agency, a number that might rise if Soto has a sensational platform year. But from the moment he was traded to the Yankees four months ago, the 25-year-old has been planted in the present — and he loves it.

“Since day one, it feels really nice to be a part of this organization and get to see how great they are,” Soto said of his Yankees home opener. “It’s a great feeling to be a part of the whole history that they’ve had since day one. It’s really cool to be a part of it.”

Soto can be more than just a part of Yankees history. If he keeps being Soto, and the rest of the team does its part, Soto can be one of the biggest reasons the Yankees make history.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports