MLB Monday (May 27-June 2, 2019)

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 RBI single in his second trip to the plate, and ended the night 2-for-4. Meanwhile, teammate Alex Bregman contributed 2 home runs and 3 RBIs to the 9-6 win. The Houston Hebros? Maybe it’ll catch on…

Stats to share

  • Two MLB Jews are among league leaders in home runs. Alex Bregman (Astros) is tied for #2 in the A.L. with 17, and Joc Pederson (Dodgers) is tied for #4 in the N.L. with 18.
  • Pederson is homering once every 9 at-bats. If he continues on that pace, he’ll eclipse the Jewish record set by Hank Greenberg in 1938.
  • Pederson’s slugging percentage (.667) ranks #4 in the N.L.
  • Of all Major Leaguers with at least 100 at-bats, Bregman is one of just 7 to have more walks (41) than strikeouts (36).

At the plate

  • LF Joc Pederson (Dodgers) hit .421 last week (8-for-19) with 3 HRs, a double, 4 RBIs, and a .450 on-base percentage. For the month of May, Pederson hit .323 (21-for-65) with 7 HRs, 3 doubles, a triple, 13 RBIs, and a .405 OBP.
  • 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .320 (8-for-25) with 2 HRs, a double, 5 RBIs, and a .393 OBP. For the month of May, he hit .260 (27-for-104) with 12 HRs, 3 doubles, 24 RBIs, and a .363 OBP. Bregman’s 12 HRs were tied for #1 in the Majors and set an all-time Astros record for the month of May.

  • CF Kevin Pillar (Giants) hit .217 (5-for-23) with 3 doubles, an RBI, and a .250 OBP. For the month of May, he hit .224 (22-for-98) with a HR, 5 doubles, 6 RBIs, 3 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and a .260 OBP.
  • 2B Ian Kinsler (Padres) hit .200 (3-for-15) with a HR, RBI, and a .250 OBP. For the month of May, he hit .254 (18-for-71) with 5 HRs, 4 doubles, 10 RBIs, and a .303 OBP.
  • C Garrett Stubbs (Astros) hit .200 (2-for-10) with a double and an RBI.

  • LF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .182 (4-for-22) with 2 doubles and an RBI. Just one round-tripper away from surpassing Hank Greenberg as Jewish career leader, Braun hasn’t homered since May 14. For the month of May, Braun hit .363 (29-for-80) with 4 HRs, 6 doubles, 14 RBIs, and a .427 OBP.
  • 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .125 (2-for-16) with a double and a .176 OBP. For the month of May, he hit .247 (22-for-89) with 4 HRs, 5 doubles, 9 RBIs, and a .295 OBP.

On the mound

  • Richard Bleier (Orioles) had his best week of the season, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings across 2 appearances and yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 2 and earning his second save. For the month of May, Bleier was 0-0 with a 4.00 ERA, held opposing batters to 1.11 walks/hits per inning, and earned a save.

  • Max Fried (Braves) struggled in a May 28 loss, yielding 4 earned runs on 9 hits, 3 walks, and 2 hit batters over 5.2 innings. He redeemed himself somewhat the next day with a pinch-hit single. For the month of May, Fried went 4-2 with a 4.11 ERA and held opposing batters to 1.34 walks/hits per inning.

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