Game Day - April 10th
New York Yankees @ Cleveland Guardians
I saw the start of this game and I have to admit, I thought the game was over after the Stanton double in the first inning. Those first four at-bats looked Yankee scary and this was the Guardians’ ace on the mound. The story of this game was the quick recovery for Bieber and the never giving up from the Guardians’ lineup.
Fangraphs Game Chart
How the Guardians Won: Pitching tried to lose this game, but pitching ended up winning Cleveland the game. The total WPA doe the lineup was barely positive. The pitchers averaged .157 WPA, struck out 8 Yankee batters, and walked only one batter after the second inning. The Yankees had 5 3 up 3 down innings after their quick start. More impressive was the 8th inning where the Yankees led off with a triple and got stranded. Incredible job by the starter to settle in and the bullpen to hold the score while the bats found a way. The Guardian hitters had one 3 up 3 down inning and got a runner into scoring position in 6 of their 8 at-bats. I don’t think this is what you want to call a signature win but this was a win to hang your hat on.
How the Yankees Lost: Simple explanation, the bats did not meet the minimum today. The pitching was good. The WPA will say otherwise, but the Yankees’ pitchers kept the game close and the bast never found a rhythm after the second inning. This was just one of those games that happens and you hope to only see it once in a series. Gerrit Cole takes the mound next for the Yankees, get the win with him on the mound and take this series to a rubber match.
Boston Red Sox @ Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are good. I’ve looked for all the fluky reasons they could be winning their games but they are winning games against the teams they should be beating in ways they should be beating them. 10-0 is a historic start and yes, they have played 4 teams with a combined 13-27 record, but the Rays were beating those teams by 4 runs every game until this one against the Red Sox. I’m not going to lie, I’m glad the Jays get a reduced schedule against the Rays this season and the Yankees for that matter.
How the Rays Won: Pitching pitching and more pitching. All the throwers scored a .657 WPA. They struck out 10 batters and allowed two walks. This was a signature Rays win. The pitching keeps the game close until the offense is able to scratch out a run. Even if there is some form a regression in the lineup, the pitchers are in control and making the lives of hitters miserable. We will see what happens when the Rays go to Toronto later in the week. For now, they are the best team in baseball.
How the Red Sox Lost: 3 total hits isn’t going to get the job done. After all those track meets, the Sox ran into the Rays pitchers and the story changes right away. I don’t think the season will be any less fun for the fans of the Red Sox. There will be a lot of action on the field, but this game serves as a reminder that they don’t have the talent on the roster as currently constructed to do real damage in the division.
Oakland A’s @ Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles had youth lead the way and the A’s are terrible. I wish I knew what the A’s were waiting for to be a more active team in the win spending money department. If I was a fan of their team, I would no longer be a fan of their team. Credit to the diehards and whenever they finally do win the World Series, the high will be incredible. For now, that result feels like it is more than a lifetime away.
How the Orioles Won: The pitchers struck out 11 and never let the A’s bats get on track. The bats did enough when they had to. 4 runs aren’t special but it doesn’t have to be when the other team is striking out in 33% of their plate appearances.
How the A’s Lost: They had a wet rag of a game. The pitching scored a negative WPA as a group and the hitters did the same. I hate to pile on, so I won’t, they are a team that is waiting, for what I don’t know but the front office has a lot to answer for.
Los Angeles Dodgers @ San Francisco Giants
This game was the Muncy and Urias show. Urias threw a quality start and Max Muncy threw the Muncy and Martinez trackers into disarray by getting 3 hits, 2 of which went over the wall, no strikeouts, a walk, and 7 rbi. It helps some when the other team strikes out 40% of their at-bats but this game was 100% about two players, both of whom wear Dodger Blue.
Roberts Sticks with His Guys Tracker: Martinez has been delivering the hits but has also been delivering strikeouts. Outside of Muncy’s monster game against the Giants, there isn’t a lot to hang your hat on. They are still bringing positive game scores, that’s the funny thing about baseball. The question I’m asking with this tracker has become more relevant with the emergence of Outman and the sluggish start for the Dodgers. How long can the Dodgers give the 4 & 5 spots in the lineup to mild performers with occasional big games for better statistical production?
78 AB 18 Hits 18 RBI 11 BB 33 K .230 AVG .315 OBP WPA Pos/Neg 12/9 Games
