Media by Associated Press – San Francisco Giants right fielder Luis Gonzalez makes a sliding catch of a sinking line drive by Colorado Rockies’ José Iglesias during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)
It’s been a busy few days around Major League Baseball, and one of the biggest notes is the return of Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg. He is set to make his season debut on Thursday against the Miami Marlins.
He’s not the only one returning. The Tampa Bay Rays said prized prospect Shane Baz will return to the rotation and make his season debut this weekend when they visit the Minnesota Twins. Baz was 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 13.1 innings in his first three starts last season.
The rookie had elbow surgery and was brilliant across four rehab assignments.
Cy Young and MVP returns
Longtime Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is due back this weekend. The former MVP and Cy Young winner has not pitched since May 7 against the Cubs due to inflammation. Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw will start the season finale against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.
Kershaw’s season started with seven perfect innings against the Minnesota Twins. It was the catalyst for a strong season in which he has a 1.80 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 30 innings across his first five starts.
Giants make moves
It’s likely catching prospect Joey Bart will not be available for that series. The Giants sent him down to Triple-A and traded for Austin Wynns from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Bart was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft. He was hitting .156 with a .596 OPS and struck out 49 times in 108 total plate appearances. He had four home runs and seven RBIs.
San Francisco gave Bart an opportunity to be the primary catcher since Buster Posey retired following last season.
Giants president of baseball operations, Farhan Zaidi, said, “In the broader scheme of things, we thought it made sense to get him a little bit of a reset,” noting that they still view Bart as an everyday catcher.
The 31-year-old Wynns has 115 games of MLB experience but spent the start of this season in triple-A.
No. 4 prospect to debut
One of the top prospects across all of baseball, Gabriel Moreno, is getting called up to the Toronto Blue Jays, MLB.com reports. Moreno is the organization’s top prospect and No. 4 overall. He is set to join the Blue Jays ahead of a weekend series with the Detroit Tigers.
He’s played 36 games at triple-A this season and is hitting .324 with a .784 OPS and has thrown out 54% of would be stealers.
Alejandro Kirk has been on a tear for the Blue Jays, so it’s likely Moreno is the backup, and Danny Jansen’s injury opens up an opportunity for him to debut.
Hernandez sidelined
Enrique Hernandez has been sidelined with a right hip flexor strain, and the Boston Red Sox placed him on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. Jonathan Arauz was recalled to take his spot.
The versatile Hernandez is hitting .209 with four home runs, 27 RBIs, and 24 runs scored in 51 games.
Fun in the struggle
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are in the midst of a 14-game losing streak and have turned to Canadian rock band Nickelback for their walk-up songs. They also tweeted out an Angels-themed Nickelback photo with the final score: 1-0.
The loss made it the Angels’ longest losing streak in franchise history, dropping them to 27-31. They sit 9.5 games behind the Houston Astros in the AL West.
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