By Ron Kaplan, contributor
Are you kidding me?? Two innings into the first game of their doubleheader against the host Washington Nationals, Atlanta’s Max Fried gets hit by a line drive off the bat of Spencer Keiboom (Kaboom?) and winds up on the disabled list!
(Damn, he’s thin.) Fried allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two in his two-inning appearance. You may remember he just came off the DL, but you could be forgiven if you didn’t because so many MOTs have been there this season. The Braves (61-49) lost that game 8-3, but won the nightcap 3-1.
Too bad it couldn’t have been a five-run homer. Kevin Pillar (who came off the DL last week) launched a two-run job in the bottom of the 10th against the visiting Boston Red Sox (sans Ian Kinsler, who’s on the –shocker — DL). The Toronto Blue Jays (51-61) ended up losing 10-7 after Boston (80-34) put five across in the top of the frame. It was the only hit for Pillar in five at-bats.
By the way, Pillar received the top nod for MLB.com’s best defensive play of the year (so far, of course).
Ryan Braun (also on the DL in 2018) doubled in two official at-bats and walked as the Milwaukee Brewers (65-51) lost to the visiting San Diego Padres, 11-5. He came out of the game after the seventh in some pitching/defensive changes.
Robert Stock pitched a scoreless inning for the Padres (45-70), allowing a walk, a hit, and striking out one.
Alex Bregman was 1-for-5 batting out of the leadoff spot as the Houston Astros (73-42) beat the host San Francisco Giants, 2-1.
Joc Pederson doubled as a pinch-hitter, stayed in the game, and struck out in a subsequent at-bat as the LA Dodgers (63-51) beat the host Oakland As, 4-2.
Danny Valencia did not appear for the Baltimore Orioles (34-79) in their 4-3 loss to the host Tampa Bay Rays.
Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies (64-49) beat the host Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-2.
Dean Kremer — the first Israeli-born ballplayer to be signed by a Major League team — gets a nice write-up here. He was in the recent trade that sent him and four other prospects to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Manny Machado. (Editor’s note: Ryan Braun’s father was born in Israel.)
Could 37-year-old Craig Breslow — now in the Blue Jays’ minor league system — be on his way back to the bigs? Hope so. If not with Toronto, then somewhere else.
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Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.
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