Here are your MLB highlights for the week of May 3-9, 2021:
Stats to share
- Last week was by far the strongest of the season for Jewish players:
- Jewish hitters stroked a combined .346 (28-for-81) with 3 HRs, 5 doubles, 12 RBIs, and a .379 on-base percentage. The performance brought their collective season batting average to .249, well above the Major League average of .234.
- Jewish pitchers went a combined 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA, fanning 18 batters while walking just 4. The encouraging week shrank their somewhat bloated collective ERA to 6.55, versus the Major League average of 4.02.
At the plate
- Back from the injured list, OF Joc Pederson (Cubs) hit .412 (7-for-21) with 4 RBIs and a .476 OBP, and that included a game-tying RBI in his first game back. Pederson also wowed fans by avoiding an almost certain out in a rundown. His performance may calm those Chicago fans who assailed Pederson’s lack of productivity at the plate and prematurely called for his ouster.
- 3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .400 (10-for-25) with a home run, 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, and a .423 OBP. He also made a diving stop that led to a game-ending double play on May 6.
- OF Kevin Pillar (Mets) hit .286 (8-for-29) with 2 doubles, a home run, 4 RBIs, and a .310 OBP. He also had one stolen base in 2 attempts and made a signature diving catch.
- Back from a brief demotion to the minors, 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) hit .273 (3-for-11) with a monster home run, one RBI, and a .273 OBP.
On the mound
- Back from the injured list, Max Fried (Braves) had his finest outing of the season, yielding one earned run over 5 innings on 4 hits, a walk, and 6 strikeouts to earn the win. The career .182 hitter — quite good for a pitcher — also had a pinch-hit sacrifice bunt on May 8.
- In 3 appearances that lasted one inning each, Richard Bleier (Marlins) went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, yielding 2 hits and no walks while striking out 5. The highlight came on May 4, when Bleier entered the game in the 8th inning with the bases loaded with no outs. He proceeded to strike out the side on 13 pitches and earned his second win of the season.
- Dean Kremer (Orioles) went 0-1 in two strong starts, yielding a combined 4 earned runs over 11 innings on 7 hits, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts (see video). Two of the four earned runs he was charged with were allowed by a replacement pitcher who had inherited Kremer’s baserunners.
Transactions
- 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) was recalled from Triple-A on May 7.
- P Max Fried (Braves) came off the injured list on May 5.
- OF Joc Pederson (Cubs) came off the injured list on May 3.
Other updates
- P Ryan Sherriff (Rays), who was on Tampa Bay’s opening-day roster this season, held opposing teams scoreless across 3 relief appearances for the Durham Bulls (Triple-A) last week. Sherriff yielded one hit and 3 walks while striking out 4.
- C Garrett Stubbs (Rays), who had a brief call up with the Astros earlier this season, hit .167 (1-for-6) for the Sugar Land Skeeters (Triple-A) last week, stroking a double and recording a .444 OBP, thanks to 3 walks.
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