What is the story about?
Good
morning, foLLks, and happy Saturday! We apologize for the programming delay.
The Mariners played a surprisingly normal game in Kauffman Stadium last night, winning 2-0 over the Royals. What does the quintessential “normal” baseball game look like in your mind?
In Mariners news:
- Ken Rosenthal for The Athletic dove into J.P. Crawford’s willingness – and more importantly, him initiating – to move to third base with Colt Emerson’s arrival. ($)
- Minor league RHP Jose Zerpa got hit with an 80-game suspension for testing positive for stanozolol. The 21-year-old signed out of Venezuela in 2023 that included a $10,000 bonus, and has posted a 4.70 ERA over 23 innings for Low-A Inland Empire.
- With the American League a muddled, .500-ish mess outside of the Rays and Yankees, Jerry Dipoto is anticipating a trade deadline with few, if any true sellers.
Around the league:
- The Twins promoted outfield prospect Gabriel Gonzalez – who you may remember as one of the key pieces the M’s traded to acquire Jorge Polanco in 2024 – and he made his big league debut yesterday. The 22-year-old went 1-2 with a run scored and a pair of walks in Minnesota’s 8-6 win over the Red Sox.
- Gerrit Cole made his long awaited return from Tommy John surgery, tossing six scoreless innings, though only picking up two strikeouts against three walks.
- Utilityman Chris Taylor is calling it a career after spending twelve seasons in the big leagues. That sound you hear in the distance is probably ghug celebrating.
- Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors opines about the Angels and why they refuse to take an honest look in the mirror. ($)
- Ginny Searle at Baseball Prospectus examined the collective futility of the American League West. ($)
