First to Home: July 3rd MLB News and Notes

Red Sox/ Mookie Betts Explode: Every single player in the Sox lineup contributed at least a hit on Sunday, leading them to a 21 hit, 15 run explosion. Mookie Betts went 4-6 with 2 Homers and 8 RBI’s. The contributions of young players such as Deven Marrero and Tzu-Wei Lin are promising as well. The Red Sox appear to be on course to run away with the AL East once again.

Jose Ramirez: Jose Ramirez, yes Jose Ramirez, has carried the Indians on his back this season. The switch hitting third baseman finished up the first half of this season on an absolute tear. He heads into the All-Star game as the starting third baseman, thanks to his .325 average and .963 OPS. The Indians can thanks him for their division lead.

Corey Dickerson, Justin Smoak earn All-Star Nod: I’m first to admit, that I often complain about the All-Star voting being a popularity contest. However, the presence of both Corey Dickerson and Justin Smoak reveals a careful examination of the performances of guys even in these small markets; the fans got it right this year.

Carlos Correa For MVP: Only a month ago it would have seemed that while Carlos Correa is a bright young star he was on no course to challenge for the MVP, especially with Aaron Judge starting the way he did. In his last 6 games he is 12-24 with 11 RBI’s. His OPS continues to climb every game and you can’t forget the defense he also provides.

Manny Machado Turnaround: Manny Machado might have the most misleading statistics in the MLB. He launched a linedrive homer into the leftfield seats on Sunday, which if you’ve seen his season line might make you say, “O he’s finally turning it around”. However, the reality is he statistically leads in most hard hit balls, which to me reflects a strong chance that his luck could turn and he could be in for a big second half.

Diamondbacks Walkoff: The D-Backs walked off against the Rockies on Sunday after Charlie Blackmon hit the game tying single off of Fernando Rodney in the 9th. The Rockies desperately need wins and it was certainly a heartbreaking loss for them, now losers of 9 of 10 and slowly creeping back towards other teams seeking a Wild Card, like the Cubs and Cardinals.

Written by Paul McGovern