The Weekly Rundown: 4/21/24 - 4/27/24
The A's electrifying closer, a fan gets Aaron Boone ejected, and more.
Good morning and happy Sunday!
I hope you’re enjoying this year’s weekly rundowns as we approach the second full month of the 2024 MLB season. If you have any suggestions for what should be added or removed from these newsletters, feel free to leave them in the comment section or shoot me an e-mail at justinjleger4@gmail.com.
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Now, let’s jump into the final rundown of April.
Boone Booted in Hilarious Fashion
Monday’s Yankees-A’s matchup featured one of the funniest manager ejections you’ll ever see.
Just four pitches into the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone took issue with Esteury Ruiz being allowed to take his base on a hit-by-pitch when he appeared to swing. Ruiz indeed was hit on his right foot, but Boone had a reasonable gripe as Ruiz came awfully close to a full swing on the pitch. Nonetheless, first base umpire John Tumpane determined Ruiz did not swing.
On the next pitch, Boone could be heard chirping at home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt, “You can make that call too!” Wendelstedt yelled back at Boone, telling him “If you’ve got anything else to say, you’re gone.”
Then, hilarity ensued.
Boone shut his mouth, but a fan sitting behind the dugout yelled “Let’s go, home plate!” Wendelstedt responded by throwing Boone out of the game.
“I don’t care who said it, you’re gone!” he said.
You can watch the entire ordeal in the Jomboy breakdown below:
Wendelstedt’s explanation was almost as bad as the ejection itself.
“Apparently what he said was there was a fan right above the dugout,” he said of Boone. “This isn’t my first ejection. In the entirety of my career, I have never ejected a player or a manager for something a fan has said. I understand that’s going to be part of a story or something like that because that’s what Aaron was portraying. I heard something come from the far end of the dugout, had nothing to do with his area but he’s the manager of the Yankees. So he’s the one that had to go.”
MLB ruled it a “bad ejection” and Boone won’t be fined. It’s unclear how the league will discipline Wendelstedt, if at all.
It’s Miller Time
Just how electrifying is Mason Miller? Well, he has made the OAKLAND ATHLETICS of all teams must-watch TV whenever he steps on the mound. That’s no easy task.
Miller, 25, was a third-round pick in the 2021 draft. He debuted last season as a starter, appearing in 10 games and posting a 3.78 ERA through 33.1 innings.
The former top prospect has taken a massive leap this year as Oakland’s closer. In 10 appearances he has allowed just two earned runs while striking out 25 hitters in 12.1 innings. He has showcased some of the filthiest stuff in the game, including a fastball that’s consistently pumped into the strike zone over 100 mph.
It’s about time the A’s made headlines for positive reasons. Miller is a huge breath of fresh air for the organization and will be a key piece of their transition to the next chapter.
Dominant on the Bump
Mitchell Parker, Washington Nationals
7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 8 K, 0 BB vs. Houston Astros
Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles Dodgers
8.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 10 K, 0 BB vs. New York Mets
Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres
7.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 0 BB vs. Colorado Rockies
Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees
7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 K, 2 BB vs. Oakland A’s
Ranger Suarez, Philadelphia Phillies
7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 1 BB vs. Cincinnati Reds
Chris Paddack, Minnesota Twins
7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 10 K, 0 BB vs. Chicago White Sox
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 9 K, 0 BB vs. Tampa Bay Rays
JP Sears, Oakland A’s
6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 7 K, 1 BB vs. New York Yankees
Max Fried, Atlanta Braves
9.0 IP (CG), 3 H, 0 ER, 6 K, 0 BB vs. Miami Marlins
Erick Fedde, Chicago White Sox
6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 11 K, 0 BB vs. Minnesota Twins
Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals
7.0, 3 H, 0 ER, 9 K, 2 BB vs. Detroit Tigers
Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6 K, 1 BB vs. Cleveland Guardians
George Kirby, Seattle Mariners
7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 12 K, 1 BB vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians
7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 9 K, 0 BB vs. Atlanta Braves
Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 6 K, 1 BB vs. Texas Rangers
Ranger Suarez, Philadelphia Phillies
8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 0 BB vs. San Diego Padres
Big Bombs
Nolan Gorman crushed a walk-off homer for the Cardinals vs. the Diamondbacks.
Guardians star Jose Ramirez crushed a grand slam against the Red Sox.
Brewers slugger Gary Sanchez blasted a pinch-hit go-ahead homer off former Yankees teammate Aroldis Chapman, now with the Pirates.
Patrick Bailey propelled the Giants to victory with a walk-off homer vs. the Pirates.
Mariners slugger Mitch Haniger smashed a grand slam against the Diamondbacks.
Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez hit TWO 461-foot homers against the Rockies in Mexico City.
Mets slugger Pete Alonso collected the 200th homer of his career.
Andrew Benintendi hit a walk-off two-run shot for the White Sox vs. the Rays.
Web Gem of the Week
Royals right fielder Adam Frazier robbed Detroit’s Austin Meadows of a homer and threw out Javier Baez at first to turn an incredible double play.
Welcome To The Show
Dodgers outfield prospect Andy Pages crushed a three-run shot for his first MLB homer.
Cubs outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong belted a homer for his first big-league hit.
Notable Injuries
The Red Sox placed first baseman Triston Casas on the 10-day IL with a left rib strain.
The Brewers placed left-hander DL Hall on the 15-day IL due to a left knee sprain.
The Mets placed left-handed reliever Brooks Raley on the 15-day IL due to elbow inflammation.
The Astros placed right-hander Cristian Javier on the 15-day IL with neck discomfort.
The Rays placed right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks on the 15-day IL with a “nerve-related issue”.
Brewers left-hander Wade Miley will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the season.
The Reds placed right-hander Frankie Montas on the 15-day IL with a right forearm contusion.
Diamondbacks righty Merrill Kelly was placed on the 15-day IL due to a right shoulder strain.
The Cubs placed right-hander Kyle Hendricks and left-hander Drew Smyly on the 15-day IL. Hendricks has a lower back issue and Smyly has a hip impingement.
The Giants placed southpaw Blake Snell on the 15-day IL with a left adductor strain.
The Red Sox placed righty Brayan Bello on the 15-day IL with right lat tightness.
The Nationals placed outfielder Lane Thomas on the 10-day IL due to an MCL sprain in his left knee.
The Cubs placed outfielder Cody Bellinger on the 10-day IL with fractured ribs.
The Mariners placed shortstop J.P. Crawford on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain.
The A’s placed second baseman Zack Gelof on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain.
The Marlins placed lefty Jesus Luzardo on the 15-day IL with left elbow tightness.
Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon was diagnosed with a partially torn hamstring and there is no timetable for his return.
The Nationals placed first baseman/outfielder Joey Gallo on the 10-day IL with an AC sprain in his left shoulder.
Rapid Fire
Houston’s Alex Bregman collected the 1,000th hit of his career on Thursday vs. the Cubs.
The Rangers signed veteran righty Johnny Cueto to a minor league deal.
The Orioles sent top prospect Jackson Holliday back down to Triple-A. The 20-year-old slashed just .059/.111/.059 with 18 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances (10 games).
The Red Sox acquired first baseman Garrett Cooper from the Cubs in exchange for cash.
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