Category: Baseball

Before the start of the season, Dodgers first base and infield coach Chris Woodward pulled Mookie Betts aside one day, and had him envision the ultimate end result.

“You’re gonna be standing at shortstop when we win the World Series,” Woodward told Betts, the former Gold Glove right fielder in the midst of an almost unprecedented mid-career position switch. “That’s what the goal is.”

Two months into the campaign, the Dodgers believe he’s checking the requisite boxes on the path toward getting there.

“I would say, right now he's playing above-average shortstop, Major League shortstop,” manager Dave Roberts said this week. “Which is amazing, considering he just took this position up.”

Read more:Shaikin: 'Another log on the fire.' Yankees eager to avenge World Series meltdown against Dodgers

Betts has not only returned to shortstop this season after his unconvincing three-month stint at the position last year; but he has progressed so much that, unlike when he was moved back to right field for the stretch run of last fall’s championship march, the Dodgers have no plans for a similar late-season switch this time around.

“I don't see us making a change [like] we did last year. I don't see that happening,” Roberts said. “He's a major league shortstop, on a championship club.”

“And,” the manager also added, “he's only getting better.”

It means that now, Betts’ challenge has gone from proving he belongs at shortstop to proving he can master it by the end of the season. The goal Woodward laid out at the beginning of the year has suddenly become much more realistic now. And over the next four months, Betts’ ability to polish his shortstop play looms as one of the Dodgers’ biggest X-factors.

“Getting to that, even when he’s as good as he is now, there’s still a lot to learn,” Woodward said. “He’s done good up to this point. So how do we maintain that [progress]?”

In Year 1 of playing shortstop on a full-time basis last season, Betts’ initial experience was marked by trial and (mostly) error. He struggled to make accurate throws across the diamond. He lacked the instincts and confidence to cleanly field even many routine grounders. In his three-month cameo in the role — one cut short by a midseason broken hand — he committed nine errors and ranked below-league-average in several advanced metrics.

“Last year,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said when reflecting on Betts’ initial foray to the shortstop position, “it was like a crash course.”

In Year 2, on the other hand, Betts has graduated to something of a finishing school.

Unlike last year, when the former MVP slugger switched positions just weeks before opening day, Betts had the entire offseason to prepare his game. Over the winter, he improved the technique of his glovework while fielding balls. He trained on how to throw from lower arm slots than he had in the outfield. He focused on keeping a wider and more athletic base in order to adapt to funny hops and unexpected spins. He established a base of fundamentals that, last year, he simply didn’t have; providing renewed confidence and consistency he’s been able to lean on all season.

“Preparation,” Betts said recently about the biggest difference in his shortstop play this year. “[I have been able] to prepare, have an idea of what I’m doing, instead of just hoping that athleticism wins. At this level, it doesn't work like that. So you have to have an idea of what you’re doing. And I work hard every day. I’m out there every day early. Doing what I can to be successful.”

Read more:Dodgers' bullpen melts down in eighth inning as trip ends with loss to Guardians

Such strides have been illustrated in Betts’ defensive numbers. He currently ranks seventh among qualified MLB shortstops in fielding percentage, his three errors to this point tied for the fewest among those who have made at least 50 starts. His advanced metrics are equally encouraging, ranking top-five in outs above average and defensive runs saved.

“He looks like a major league shortstop right now,” Roberts said, “where last year there were many times I didn't feel that way.”

A finished product, however, Betts is still not.

There are subtle intricacies he has yet to fully grasp, such as where to position on relay throws from the outfield. There are infrequent, higher-difficulty plays he’s yet to learn how to handle.

One important teaching moment came early in the season, when Betts' inability to corral a hard hooking one-hopper in a game against the Washington Nationals led to him and the coaching staff adding more unpredictable fungo-bat fielding drills into his daily pregame routine.

“It just kind of prompted a conversation of, ‘You’re gonna get different types of balls, and those are pretty rare. But what’s the process of catching that ball? And what do we need to practice?’” Woodward recalled, leading to changes that were enacted the very next day.

“The drills we do now, I don’t know if anybody else can make them look as easy as he now does,” Woodward added. “When he first started, you could tell, ‘Oh man, it’s uncomfortable.’ But now, I smoke balls at him … and he’s just so under control.”

Another moment of frustration came last Sunday in New York, when Betts athletically snared a bouncing ball on his forehand up the middle … but then airmailed a backhanded, off-balance flip throw to second base while trying to turn a potential double play.

“That was the first time ever in my life I’ve had to do that,” Betts said days later, prompting him to seek out more advice from Woodward and veteran shortstop teammate Miguel Rojas. “Miggy was telling me I can’t stress about it, because he got to mess that play up in high-A [when he was first learning the position]. Woody told me he got to mess that play up in double-A. I’m messing this play up for the first time ever in my life — in the big leagues.”

For Betts, it can be a frustrating dynamic, having to endorse inevitable such struggles as he seeks his desired defensive progress.

“I definitely feel I’ve grown a lot, just from the routine perspective,” he said. “But I don’t want to hurt the team, man.”

Which is why, in the days immediately afterward, he then incorporated underhand flip drills into his pregame work as well.

“You’re going to have to go through those moments to learn, to understand,” said Rojas, who has been a sounding board for Betts ever since last year’s initial position switch. “I don’t consider that an error. I consider it a mistake that you’re gonna learn from. Because that play is gonna happen again.”

“It’s like life in general. It’s about learning from your mistakes,” Freeman echoed. “And not that that [flip play] was a mistake. But it’s like, ‘Now I know how to adjust off of that.’ If he was not even trying to attempt things, then you’ll never know what you can really achieve out there. I think he’s learning his limits of what he can do. And I think that’s the key to it.”

Such moments, of course, also underscore the inherent risk of entrusting Betts (who still has a grand total of only 132 career MLB games at shortstop) with perhaps the sport’s most challenging position.

It’s one thing for such a blunder to happen in a forgettable late May contest. It’d be far less forgiving if they were to continue popping up in important games down the stretch.

There’s also a question about whether Betts’ focus on shortstop has started to have an impact on his bat, with the 32-year-old currently hitting just .254 on the season while suffering incremental dips in his underlying contact metrics.

The root of those struggles, Betts believes, stems more from bad habits he developed while recovering from a stomach virus at the start of the season that saw him lose almost 20 pounds. Then again, even though he has been able to better moderate his daily pregame workload compared with the hours he’d spend every day fielding grounders last season, he is still “learning a whole new position at the big-league level,” Freeman noted, “and all his focus has been on that.”

It all creates a relatively tight needle for Betts and the Dodgers to thread the rest of the year. Betts not only has to make continued strides on defense (and prove, at a bare minimum, he won’t be a downgrade from the team’s other in-house options, such as Rojas or Tommy Edman), but, he also needs to get his swing back in a place to be an impact presence at the top of the lineup.

“It’s a lot to take on, to be a shortstop in the big leagues,” Freeman said. “But once he gets everything under control, I think that’s when the hitting will pick right back up.”

Read more:Max Muncy, Michael Conforto come alive on offense as Dodgers defeat Guardians

It figures to be an ongoing process, one that could have season-defining implications for the Dodgers’ World Series title defense.

Still, in the span of two months, Betts has shown enough with his glove for the Dodgers not to move him — making what started as a seemingly dubious experiment into a potentially permanent solution.

“People around baseball should be paying a little more attention to the way he’s been playing short,” Rojas said.

“He's had a lot of different plays that he's been able to kind of see in games,” added Roberts. “He's a guy that loves a challenge, and he's really realized that challenge and keeps getting better each night."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees continue their West Coast road trip by taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series starting on Friday...

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Preview

World Series rematch

A lot of baseball fans had this series circled on their calendars. It’s a rematch of the 2024 World Series, which the Dodgers won in five games. Of course, it’s how they won that made the series a classic for Dodgers fans and a nightmare for the Yankees faithful.

While this isn’t the World Series, this weekend will be a good barometer of where both teams are at this point in the season. For the Yanks, it’s a very different team. It’ll be intriguing to see how this new-look Yankees team plays against a Dodgers team that has been a bit of a disappointment, considering their high spending this offseason.

The Yanks also have a chance to stick it to the Dodgers, who criticized New York's World Series team.

Can Aaron Judge leave error in the past?

Speaking of last year’s World Series, Judge had one to forget.

Although he was just 4-for-18, Game 5 saw him smash a home run that was going to cap off a great win. Unfortunately, Judge’s error in center field sparked the Dodgers’ comeback and helped cause the Yankees' elimination.

How will Judge play against the Dodgers? Could he leave that error in the past? The fans will surely get on the reigning AL MVP, and the best way to silence them is with his bat.

Can Yankees get to Yoshinobu Yamamoto?

The Yankees were in hot pursuit of Yamamoto during the 2023 offseason, but the right-hander chose the Dodgers. Now, in his second season, the 26-year-old has dominated the league, with a 1.97 ERA. 

In his rookie campaign, he owned the Yankees. In his one regular season start, he allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings. In his start against the Yanks in the World Series, he allowed only one run on one hit in 6.1 innings pitched.

The Yankees will see Yamamoto this weekend, and New York will want to get to him in this matchup. If for nothing else, to prove they can if they were to meet again in October.

Max Fried's biggest test yet

Fried continues to be near perfect with the Yankees. He’s 7-0 and has a minuscule 1.29 ERA entering Friday’s start, but the series opener against the Dodgers will be a test for Fried.

Fried has 10 career starts against the Dodgers and has a 3.18 ERA, which includes a 3.21 ERA at Dodger Stadium. Last season as a member of the Braves, Fried allowed seven runs in 13 innings against the Dodgers, so the reigning champs know the southpaw very well. The Yankees need their ace to pitch well to have a chance to win this series.

Ryan Yarbrough or Carlos Rodon?

For the series finale, the Yankees have yet to announce their starter.Yarbrough pitched on Monday while Rodon pitched Tuesday, which means either starter could start on Sunday.

Manager Aaron Boone has a decision to make, but both have been excellent of late. Yarbrough has allowed just five runs in his four starts (20 innings) since moving into the rotation from the bullpen. Rodon has dominated, allowing five runs over his last four starts (24 innings) and striking out 33 batters over that span.

The Yanks have a great chance to win with either one on the mound.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Aaron Judge

The Yankees captain usually steps up when the team needs him, and they'll need him this weekend.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Max Fried

Until proven otherwise, Fried is the safest bet.

Which Dodgers player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

Freddie Freeman

The World Series MVP burned the Yanks last October and he can do so again. The 35-year-old is having an amazing season, batting .359 with a 1.044 OPS, nine home runs, and 36 RBI

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Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Rockies play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

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5 things to watch

When will the hits start to fall for Juan Soto?

The frustration building from fans over Soto's start is understandable.

Soto is hitting a paltry .224/.352/.393 in 247 plate appearances over his first 55 games as a Met. In addition to the numbers not being there, Soto hasn't looked like himself at the plate. He seems to be lunging at times, is not displaying his trademark confidence, and looks a bit off overall.

While Soto doesn't look quite right yet as he gets acclimated to a new team, a new league, and the pressure that comes with signing the biggest contract in the history of North American professional sports, he has also been almost impossibly unlucky on the balls he has put in play.

Soto's BABIP is a career-low .239, which is 62 points below his career BABIP of .302. That unluckiness bears out when you look at his advanced stats via Baseball Savant.

In the 13 main batting stats tracked by Baseball Savant, Soto is near the top of the league in 12 of them, including xBA (90th percentile), xSLG (95th percentile), average exit velocity (94th percentile), barrel percentage (84th percentile), hard hit percentage (95th percentile), chase percentage (100th percentile), and walk rate (98th percentile).

For Soto, two things can be true -- he doesn't look like himself yet, but he's also been wildly unlucky. That means it's fair to believe that his breakout is around the corner, whether it's this weekend against Colorado's woeful pitching staff or soon after.

The Rockies are an abomination

It will likely take just one season for the 2024 Chicago White Sox to be cleared from the record books after they became the worst team in baseball history.

Chicago's futility will almost certainly be exceeded by the Rockies, who enter this series with a horrendous 9-47 record. That's an 18-94 pace. Extrapolate it a bit more and you get a team that is on track to finish with around 130 losses, which would make the 2025 Rockies the worst team in modern baseball history by a wide margin.

This really shouldn't be too surprising, when you consider that their ownership won't spend enough to support the team, that their front office can't get out of its own way, and that they have a farm system that is in the bottom half of the league despite bad records (and high draft picks) year after year. The recipe for disaster was there, and now it's an actuality.

The Rockies have scored the fewest runs in the majors (177) despite playing their home games in the thin air of Coors Field. They've also allowed the most runs in the majors (352), meaning they have a league-worst -175 run differential.

During this series, the Mets should be able to feast on Colorado's starting pitching trio of Kyle Freeland (5.86 ERA, 1.68 WHIP), Antonio Senzatela (6.50 ERA, 1.94 WHIP), and Carson Palmquist (8.78 ERA, 2.03 WHIP).

Kodai Senga and Clay Holmes have been the anchors

The entire Mets pitching staff has been a revelation this season, but it's Senga and Holmes who have stood out the most.

And with Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning starting to regress to the mean a bit -- while Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea areclose to returning but still at least a few weeks away -- New York might need to lean on Senga and Holmes a bit more.

Senga, who gets the start on Saturday, has a 1.46 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, and has allowed just two home runs in 55.2 innings over 10 starts.

Holmes, who toes the rubber on Sunday, has a 2.98 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 60.1 innings over 11 starts.

Not to be forgotten is David Peterson, who is building off his strong 2024 campaign. In 58.0 innings over 11 starts, Peterson has a 2.79 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. The left-hander gets the ball for Friday's series-opener.

Edwin Diaz is on a heater

Diaz has given up just one earned run since April 11 -- a span of 16.2 innings over 16 appearances.

During that time, he has struck out 24 batters, walked seven, and allowed only five hits.

The last hit Diaz gave up was on May 5, meaning he hasn't surrendered one over his last eight games.

For the season, Diaz has a 2.42 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 31 strikeouts in 22.1 innings.

Where is Luisangel Acuña?

Acuña hasn't been getting much playing time lately, with Brett Baty becoming a lineup mainstay and Jeff McNeil being in there pretty regularly as well.

New York's recent deployment of Jared Young as the DH (meaning Mark Vientos or Baty at third base) has helped to further shrink Acuña's lineup presence.

Earlier this week, manager Carlos Mendoza talked about Acuña's current role.

"This is a guy that doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low," Mendoza said. "Pretty mature for his age and he has a really good understanding of his role right now and the impact that he brings to the team.

"He knows that even though he’s not in the lineup, there’s going to be an opportunity for him to come in and impact it in a good game -- whether it’s by making a defensive play, by stealing a base, by scoring from first base on a ball in the gap, or by giving us a good at-bat, putting the ball in play. I think he obviously continues to develop. There’s a lot of tools there, but I like how he’s handled it so far mentally."

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Juan Soto

It's time.

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

Kodai Senga

Senga stymied the powerful Dodgers during his last start, allowing one run in 5.1 innings.

Which Rockies player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Michael Toglia

Toglia hasn't had a great season to this point, but his power is real.

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Harper out for Phils-Braves Game 1 after HBP, but doing ‘a lot better than we expected'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bryce Harper was absent from the Phillies’ lineup for Game 1 of the team’s split doubleheader Thursday vs. the Braves. 

However, Rob Thomson was encouraged by Harper’s progress since he took a Spencer Strider fastball to the arm Tuesday night and exited the game with a right elbow contusion. The Phillies’ manager was unsure whether Harper would be available to play Game 2. 

“He came in yesterday for treatment,” Thomson said. “He’s in there now, I believe. Still had swelling, still was in pain, but it was a lot better than we expected.” 

Thomson moved Alec Bohm to first base for Game 1 and put him in the cleanup spot. Edmundo Sosa got the start at third base and batted seventh. 

Could Harper be a pinch-hitting option Thursday? 

“He hasn’t even swung the bat yet, so I’m not really sure,” Thomson said. “I wouldn’t put him in a game until he’s comfortable swinging.”

Thomson was asked why the Phillies didn’t retaliate following the first-inning HBP.

“Because it’s not on purpose,” he said. “Simple as that. If I think somebody’s throwing at one our hitters, I don’t know what I’d do. But if it’s a pitch that gets away from a pitcher, which I believe it was and I think everybody in our clubhouse thinks it was, that’s baseball. It happens.”

When Harper does return, Thomson certainly wouldn’t mind seeing his right elbow protected at the plate with a guard.

“I think it’s a little uncomfortable for him,” he said. “I think he feels like it restricts him a little bit, but I hope he wears it.”

Harper out for Phils-Braves Game 1 after HBP, but doing ‘a lot better than we expected'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bryce Harper was absent from the Phillies’ lineup for Game 1 of the team’s split doubleheader Thursday vs. the Braves. 

However, Rob Thomson was encouraged by Harper’s progress since he took a Spencer Strider fastball to the arm Wednesday night and exited the game with a right elbow contusion. The Phillies’ manager was unsure whether Harper would be available to play Game 2. 

“He came in yesterday for treatment,” Thomson said. “He’s in there now, I believe. Still had swelling, still was in pain, but it was a lot better than we expected.” 

Thomson moved Alec Bohm to first base for Game 1 and put him in the cleanup spot. Edmundo Sosa got the start at third base and batted seventh. 

Could Harper be a pinch-hitting option Thursday? 

“He hasn’t even swung the bat yet, so I’m not really sure,” Thomson said. “I wouldn’t put him in a game until he’s comfortable swinging.”

Thomson was asked why the Phillies didn’t retaliate following the first-inning HBP.

“Because it’s not on purpose,” he said. “Simple as that. If I think somebody’s throwing at one our hitters, I don’t know what I’d do. But if it’s a pitch that gets away from a pitcher, which I believe it was and I think everybody in our clubhouse thinks it was, that’s baseball. It happens.”

When Harper does return, Thomson certainly wouldn’t mind seeing his right elbow protected at the plate with a guard.

“I think it’s a little uncomfortable for him,” he said. “I think he feels like it restricts him a little bit, but I hope he wears it.”

Harper out for Phils-Braves doubleheader after HBP, but doing ‘a lot better than we expected'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bryce Harper was absent from the Phillies’ lineup for both games of the team’s split doubleheader Thursday vs. the Braves. 

However, Rob Thomson was encouraged by Harper’s progress since he took a Spencer Strider fastball to the arm Tuesday night and exited the game with a right elbow contusion.

“He came in yesterday for treatment,” the Phillies’ manager said before Game 1. “He’s in there now, I believe. Still had swelling, still was in pain, but it was a lot better than we expected.” 

After his team’s 5-4 afternoon win, Thomson reiterated that Harper was “feeling better.”

Thomson moved Alec Bohm to first base for both legs of the doubleheader. Edmundo Sosa got two starts at third base.

Could Harper be a pinch-hitting option while out of the lineup?

“He hasn’t even swung the bat yet, so I’m not really sure,” Thomson said. “I wouldn’t put him in a game until he’s comfortable swinging.”

Thomson was asked why the Phillies didn’t retaliate following the first-inning HBP.

“Because it’s not on purpose,” he said. “Simple as that. If I think somebody’s throwing at one our hitters, I don’t know what I’d do. But if it’s a pitch that gets away from a pitcher, which I believe it was and I think everybody in our clubhouse thinks it was, that’s baseball. It happens.”

When Harper does return, Thomson certainly wouldn’t mind seeing his right elbow protected at the plate with a guard.

“I think it’s a little uncomfortable for him,” he said. “I think he feels like it restricts him a little bit, but I hope he wears it.”

Harper out for Phils-Braves doubleheader after HBP, but doing ‘a lot better than we expected'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bryce Harper was absent from the Phillies’ lineup for both games of the team’s split doubleheader Thursday vs. the Braves. 

However, Rob Thomson was encouraged overall by Harper’s progress since he took a Spencer Strider fastball to the arm Tuesday night and exited the game with a right elbow contusion.

“He came in yesterday for treatment,” the Phillies’ manager said before Game 1. “He’s in there now, I believe. Still had swelling, still was in pain, but it was a lot better than we expected.” 

After his team’s 5-4 afternoon win, Thomson reiterated that Harper was “feeling better.” He did note following a 9-3 nightcap loss that “there’s still some swelling in there and he’s still got some pain. We want to knock that out before we run him out there because he’s going to change his swing and it could lead to a lot of problems.”

Thomson moved Alec Bohm to first base for both legs of the doubleheader. Edmundo Sosa got two starts at third base.

Thomson was asked why the Phillies didn’t retaliate following Strider’s first-inning HBP.

“Because it’s not on purpose,” he said. “Simple as that. If I think somebody’s throwing at one our hitters, I don’t know what I’d do. But if it’s a pitch that gets away from a pitcher, which I believe it was and I think everybody in our clubhouse thinks it was, that’s baseball. It happens.”

As far as when Harper might be back, Thomson didn’t have anything definitive to offer.

“He’s going to miss a few games, I would think,” he said. “Moving forward, I don’t know. We’ll check it out tomorrow. It’s not an IL or anything like that. Not at this point.”

When Harper does return, Thomson certainly wouldn’t mind seeing his right elbow protected at the plate with a guard.

“I think it’s a little uncomfortable for him,” he said. “I think he feels like it restricts him a little bit, but I hope he wears it.”

What's gone right, wrong for Giants through first third of 2025 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — At the same time as the Giants were failing to get a runner in from third on Wednesday in Detroit, the Los Angeles Dodgers were watching their bullpen implode in Cleveland. 

It turned into a five-loss day for the National League West, which has come back to earth in May. Early on, it looked like the division could put four teams in the National League playoff field, but the Dodgers (13-12) are the only team in the West with a winning record in May.

Each team has its own issues, and it’s easy to pinpoint what has sunk the Giants. They have stopped hitting, failing to score more than four runs in each of their last 11 games, their longest streak since … 2024. This is what they have done quite often over the past four seasons, although this year they at least have some company. With the others in the West dealing with their own warts, the Giants are just three games out of first place after getting swept in Detroit. 

As they head for June, here are three things that went right for the Giants over the first third of the season, and three issues that they need to fix if they want to stay in the race:

Near the bottom

Having a rough 50-ish games would be one thing, but that’s not what’s most worrisome for Patrick Bailey and LaMonte Wade Jr. The real issue is that this is not just a 2025 development. 

Since the 2024 All-Star break, Bailey (.172) and Wade (.191) are in the bottom four in the majors in batting average (Joc Pederson and Michael Conforto are also in the bottom 15, so at least the Giants moved on before it got really ugly). Bailey is the only big leaguer hitting under .180 during that stretch, which covers more than 100 games, and has just two homers. 

The catcher’s Gold Glove defense at least allows him to contribute in some way on a nightly basis. Wade has been below league-average there, too, and it seems the Giants are preparing to move on. Marco Luciano got his first start at first base in Triple-A on Wednesday and Jerar Encarnacion should be back next week. 

There are no decisions to be made with the highest-paid player on the roster. Willy Adames is 3-for-20 on this road trip and his average for the year is down to .208, with a .621 OPS that’s the lowest of his career by about 100 points. After hitting 32 homers and driving in 112 runs last year, he’s on pace for 14 and 72. When you throw in some early defensive issues, he’s sitting at 0.1 Wins Above Replacement through his first 56 games in orange and black.

The Giants will address first base in the coming days, and if Bailey doesn’t turn it around, they can look for a better offensive option in the offseason. But Adames is just beginning a seven-year deal. There’s nothing to do there but wait and hope their shortstop finds his old form. 

Where did it go?

The Giants stole six bases on their successful season-opening road trip and then ran wild in their home opener. Adames, Jung Hoo Lee, Heliot Ramos and Tyler Fitzgerald all took off that afternoon, making the team 10-for-10 on the bases through seven games. They had at least one steal in each of the next three games, and it looked like — after years of talking about being more athletic — the Giants would finally be making an adjustment. 

Currently, they rank 28th in the majors.

The running game has been shut down, with just five stolen bases in 10 attempts in May. After stealing 13 bags in their first 10 games, the Giants have taken 13 over their last 46. They have been caught 11 times during that stretch, too. 

That percentage bothers manager Bob Melvin and has led to a change in strategy in the dugout, although when he was asked over the weekend about the lack of running, he first pointed to another area. 

“We haven’t had any baserunners and we go when we feel like there are opportunities to steal,” he told reporters in Washington D.C. “There was a period where we were too aggressive and got some guys thrown out, so we have to pick the right times.”

Given how slow it’s been offensively in general, the Giants need to be more aggressive the rest of the way. Fitzgerald, one of the fastest players in the big leagues, is six-for-eight. Lee has just one attempt since April 5

Hitting snooze

On May 18, Ramos crushed Jeffrey Springs’ first pitch of the game into the bullpen. The Giants didn’t pick up another hit until the seventh, and all too often, that’s been the norm.

They have outscored opponents by an MLB-best 34 runs from the seventh inning on, but they’re at plus-five in the first six innings of games, and in recent weeks, those early-game numbers have fallen off a cliff. Over their last 20 games, they have a .644 OPS in the first six innings and have just 45 runs in those frames, which are primarily against starting pitchers. 

The offense has been bad in general lately, but the early innings have been particularly ugly, especially against left-handed pitchers. The Giants have six walk-off wins already, but waiting for late-game heroics isn’t a sustainable approach. 

The best around

The Giants have played an MLB-high 42 games decided by three-or-fewer runs. They’re 21-21 in those games, but you can’t blame the guys pitching the late innings. 

The bullpen has a 2.48 ERA, the lowest in baseball and lowest in the NL by nearly half a run. 

It’s hard for relievers to make an All-Star team, but this group has three real candidates. Randy Rodriguez has a 0.73 ERA and is among the league leaders in both strikeout and walk rate. Hitters are batting .154 off his slider and .152 off his fastball. 

Tyler Rogers is doing Tyler Rogers things. He leads the Giants with 26 appearances and has a 1.78 ERA, but there’s a twist this year — he’s striking out nearly a batter per inning. 

Camilo Doval may now be the best bet to represent the bullpen in the All-Star Game, having been moved back to the closer role. Doval has a 1.16 ERA, has cut his walk rate in half, and hasn’t allowed a run since April 7. 

The bullpen has easily been the best unit on the team, which actually makes this first third of the year a bit disappointing. The Giants are 21-2 when they lead after six, but their lineup hasn’t been able to get many leads to this group lately. 

Double trouble

When the Giants traded for Robbie Ray, Farhan Zaidi said he viewed the lefty as an ideal long-term partner for Logan Webb. Ray needed some extra time to return to form — which partially led to the disappointing second half last year that cost Zaidi — but that trade looks like an absolute heist by the former president of baseball operations.

Ray is 7-0 and the Giants have won all of his starts but one. He has a 2.56 ERA and 3.19 FIP, and those numbers are 1.41 and 1.57 in May. Ray has said this is the best he has felt since 2021, when he won the Cy Young Award, and described a recent dominant start as being on autopilot. The return to Cy Young form has given the Giants perhaps the best one-two punch in baseball.

Webb has had a couple of off starts recently, but still carries a 2.82 ERA and league-leading 2.18 FIP. He is fifth in the NL in groundball rate and his strikeout rate is easily the highest of his career. Webb wants to check 200 strikeouts off his bucket list, and he’s well on his way to leading the league in innings for a third straight year. 

There has been inconsistency with the rest of the rotation, but Justin Verlander was throwing better before he got hurt and Landen Roupp had a 1.73 ERA in May. As expected, the Giants have one of the deeper rotations in baseball, with a top two that would give them a real shot in a short playoff series. 

Taking the leap

Matt Chapman and Lee lead Giants position players in WAR, and one of the cooler stories for the organization has been the full embrace of the center fielder at home games. Wilmer Flores briefly sat ahead of Aaron Judge atop the MLB RBI leaderboard, and he has seemingly won a half-dozen games with clutch hits. 

But if you’re looking for the best development with the hitters, it might be the fact that there’s been no sophomore slump with Ramos.

Alright, technically Ramos isn’t a sophomore. He has played in parts of four big league seasons, but this is his second as a full-time player, and he has taken a step forward in just about every respect. 

After slashing .269/.322/.469 last year, Ramos is at .288/.349/.486, and with 10 homers, he has a real shot at ending the 30-homer drought. He leads the Giants with a 133 wRC+ and he has slightly lowered his strikeout rate while fixing a huge hole in his game. 

There were times in the second half last year when it looked like Ramos might be headed for semi-platoon life, but his splits are just about even. He had a .673 OPS against righties last year but is at .838 this year with eight homers. 

There is still work to be done. Ramos went 25 games without a homer at one point, and the defensive metrics are disappointing. Given his background as a center fielder, he really should be a more reliable defender in left. 

But overall, Ramos has taken his game to a new level, giving the Giants a homegrown 25-year-old outfielder who is looking like a foundational piece. 

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