MLB Monday (September 14-20, 2020)

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your MLB highlights for the week of September 14-20, 2020:

Mazel tov

P Ryan Sheriff (Rays) earned his first career save on September 18, pitching a perfect inning of relief on just 9 pitches to preserve a 2-1 win. The southpaw has yet to give up an earned run this season.
Ryan Braun (Brewers), the all-time Jewish home run leader, hit his 350th career round-tripper on September 16 (see video). Jewish Baseball News contributor Ethel H. assembled some relevant facts:
- Braun’s 351 HRs rank fifth among active players, behind Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Edwin Encarnacion and Nelson Cruz
- His first home came off Padres right-hander Justin Germano, on May 26, 2007
- 111 of Braun’s home runs have come with the score tied
- Braun has had two three-homer games
- So far in 2020, Braun has homered 7 times in 117 appearances, or 6.0%, the third highest home-run percentage of his career

Stats to share

As of today, ESPN’s Cy Young Predictor has Max Fried (Atlanta) tied with the Cubs’ Yu Darvish for the N.L. lead. Fried leads the Majors with a 7-0 record, and according to Forbes, his schedule is tougher than Darvish’s (7-3).
Meanwhile, Darvish’s 2020 salary ($22-million) is 39 times Fried’s ($565,000). After prorating for the shortened 2020 season, Fried will be paid just $216,000.
After 55 innings this season, Fried has yet to give up a home run. No other MLB pitcher with at least 23 innings under his belt can say the same.
P Dean Kremer (Orioles) is only the second pitcher in MLB history to notch the following stats in each of his first three career starts: 5 or more innings, one or fewer runs, 4 or fewer hits, and 6 or more strikeouts (see article).
After hitting just .170 in August, Ryan Braun (Milwaukee) is hitting .400 in September, with 5 HRs, 8 extra-base hits, and 16 RBIs in just 40 at-bats.
After recording a 5.79 ERA in August and allowing batters to hit .300, Richard Bleier (Marlins) has a 1.17 ERA so far in September, bringing his season ERA down to 2.35.

At the plate

OF Ryan Braun (Brewers) hit .409 last week (9-for-22) with 3 HRs, 2 doubles, 9 RBIs, one walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a .458 on-base percentage.
OF Kevin Pillar (Rockies) hit .409 (9-for-22) with a double, one RBI, a walk, and a .435 OBP. Since joining Colorado on Sept. 1, Pillar is hitting .290 (18-for-62) with a home run, triple, 2 doubles, 8 RBIs, and a .323 OBP.
3B Alex Bregman (Astros) hit .222 (4-for-18) with a double, 2 RBIs, 4 walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a .391 OBP.
OF Joc Pederson (Dodgers), who spent part of the week on the paternity list, hit .000 (0-for-6) with 4 strikeouts.
1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) remained on the injured list with a right knee strain.

On the mound

Dean Kremer (Orioles) pitched 5 innings of one-run ball on September 17, yielding 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out six. After three starts, the rookie has a 1.69 ERA.
Max Fried (Braves), back from the injured list, improved his record to 7-0 on September 18. The 26-year-old pitched 5 innings of one-run ball, yielding 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 and hitting one batter. His ERA is a slim 1.96.
Ryan Sherriff (Rays) tossed 3.1 innings of scoreless ball across 3 games, yielding 3 hits and a walk while earning a save.
Richard Bleier (Marlins) tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless ball across 3 appearances, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 2.
Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals) pitched 0.2 innings of relief on September 15, yielding an earned run on 2 hits and a walk in an 18-3 loss to Milwaukee. St. Louis later sent the rookie — who has a 1.93 ERA across 5 appearances — to the team’s alternate training site.
Robert Stock (Red Sox) tossed 4 innings of scoreless relief across 2 games, yielding a hit and 2 walks while striking out 3.

Miscellanea

Cardinals pitcher Rob Kaminsky faced off against Brewers batter Ryan Braun with the bases loaded on September 15. C Yadier Molina was called for interference when Braun’s bat struck his glove hand, forcing in a run (see video).
In an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, John Thorn, the official historian for Major League Baseball, talks about being born to Holocaust survivors in a displaced persons camp, going to an Orthodox Hebrew school, and how Judaism is “a central part of my life and my worldview, though I am no longer religious.”

Minor League notes

Several athletes who have played in the Majors this season are now at their team’s so-called alternative training site:
- Ryan Lavarnway (Marlins)
- Garrett Stubbs (Astros)
- Rob Kaminsky (Cardinals)

Injured list

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