MLB

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of August 19-25, 2019: Mazel tov Alex Bregman’s 2-run HR on August 22 marked the 119th Jewish home run of 2019, surpassing the 118 hit in 2018. Like the Majors as a whole, Jewish ballplayers are seeing a surge in HRs. Alex Bregman (32)…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of August 12-18, 2019: Mazel tov 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres), who joined the injured list on August 16 with a herniated cervical disk, played just one game last week, on August 12. It was a memorable one. Entering the game in the top…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of August 5-11, 2019: Mazel tov CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) recently talked to the Jewish News of Northern California about his bar mitzvah, a religious studies course he took in high school, and being one of the few Jewish players in the Major…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of July 29-August 4, 2019: Mazel tov C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) was called-up from Triple-A on August 2 to provide back-up for starter Robinson Chirinos, who reported soreness in his left shoulder. In an earlier stint with Houston this season, Stubbs hit .160…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of July 22-28, 2019: Mazel tov Israel’s baseball team took another step toward qualifying for the 2020 Olympics last week when it crushed Lithuania in a battle of B-Pool champions at the European Championships. Israel beat Lithuania 12-2 and 15-0 in the best-of-three…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of July 15-21, 2019: Mazel tov C Ryan Lavarnway signed a one-year Major League contract with Cincinnati on July 18 and wasted no time contributing. In his Reds debut the following day — his first Major League start since July 29, 2017 —…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the three weeks beginning June 24, 2019 and ending July 14, 2019: Mazel tov The 2019 Home Run Derby was 25% Jewish, with Joc Pederson (Dodgers) and Alex Bregman (Astros) filling 2 of 8 slots. After beating Bregman 21-14 in the first round, Pederson faced…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of June 17-23, 2019: Mazel tov Alex Bregman (Astros) was named a finalist for the 2019 All-Star Game. He led all A.L. third basemen with 2.3-million votes, blowing away #2 Gio Urshela’s 857,474 votes. Joc Pederson (Dodgers) was named a finalist for the…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of June 10-16, 2019: Mazel tov As of June 10, Alex Bregman (Astros) led all A.L. third basemen with 630,159 All Star votes, dwarfing #2 Gio Urshela’s 269,716 votes. As of June 10, Joc Pederson (Dodgers) was the #4 vote-getter among N.L. outfielders,…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of June 3-9, 2019: Mazel tov At least 16 Jewish players were selected in last week’s MLB draft, including one each in the 1st and 2nd rounds. Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit his 332nd career home run to surpass Tigers legend Hank Greenberg as…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 27-June 2, 2019, plus stats for the month of May: Mazel tov Garrett Stubbs (Astros) made his MLB debut on May 28, and it couldn’t have gone much better. The 26-year-old doubled on the second pitch of his first at-bat, stroked an…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Ryan Braun is one round-tripper away from eclipsing Hank Greenberg’s career record of 331 home runs. Because of his checkered past — Braun was suspended 65 games in 2013 for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy — Jewish Baseball News asked readers last week to weigh-in on whether the new record…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 20-26, 2019: Mazel tov! C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) was called-up to the Majors on May 26, which also happened to be his 26th birthday. Stubbs was in the same draft class (2015) as Astros teammate Alex Bregman. Stats to share Max…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 13-19, 2019: Stats worth noting Max Fried (Braves) is one of just four N.L. pitchers to reach 6 wins this season. Two MLB Jews are among league leaders in home runs. Alex Bregman (Astros) is #2 in the A.L. with 14,…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 6-12, 2019: At the plate 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .261 (6-for-23) with 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, and a .370 OBP. The highlight was a 2-HR performance on Mother’s Day, with mom Jackie Bregman in attendance. It was the third baseman’s…

By Scott Barancik, Editor It was a pretty amazing week for MLB Jews from April 29-May 5, 2019. Here are your highlights: At the plate LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) added 54 points to his batting average by hitting .462 (12-for-26) with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, a stolen base and a .481 on-base percentage. But…

By Scott Barancik, Editor So far this season, MLB Jews have had 524 at-bats, similar to a full season for a single player. Their collective power stats have been All-Star impressive: 31 home runs and 83 RBIs. Their batting average? A little thin, at .214. Oddly, the squad has hit just 18 doubles. Here are…

By Scott Barancik, Editor Here are your MLB highlights for week of April 15-21, 2019: At the plate LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .348 (8-for-23) with 4 HRs, 6 RBIs and a .444 on-base percentage. Highlights included a walk-off home run on April 15 and a 4-for-5 performance with 2 HRs on April 21. Pederson’s…