Aaron Judge has 76 home runs since the start of last season and enters the weekend tied for the American League lead in homers after his clutch 9th inning bomb tied the game for his Yankees before they went on to beat Baltimore Tuesday night. For that, the King Of New York sits in his familiar throne at the top spot for my Week 8 #HighFive List.
1. Aaron Judge
The accusation of sign stealing by the Toronto Blue Jays a few weeks ago lit a fire under one of the most feared hitters in the Majors.
Over the last 15 games Judge has hit eight home runs including a span where he had five in five days.
Down one in the 9th inning of Tuesday night’s game with two outs and an 0-2 count while facing the most physically impossing closer in baseball: Felix Batista who stands nearly 7ft tall, Judge launched his 14th of the year over the left field wall.
His Yankees would go on to walk-off for the win and have a 7-3 record in their last 10 games as they welcome the Padres into The Bronx this weekend.
2. Cedric Mullins
Cedric Mullins displayed each of his five-tools this week on his way to earning the two spot on the #HighFive List.
In seven games Mullins hit .357 with a .419 on base percentage, six RBI, a stolen base and two home runs including one off Cy Young candidate Gerrit Cole of the Yankees.
He also showed why his defensive abilities are up to par with the best center fielders in the game over the weekend with a diving catch in the first to deny Vlad Guerrero Jr. of a hit.
Mullins and the O’s will take on Marcus Semien and the Texas Rangers this weekend.
3. Marcus Semien
Marcus Semien should be the favorite for the American League MVP award after his start to 2023. The 2021 MLBbro.com Player of the Year leads the Majors with a 3.1 batting WAR, is second with 45 runs scored and is fourth in the American League with 44 RBI.
After hitting a leadoff home run to begin Wednesday’s game against the Pirates, Semien has hits in 14 straight games and has been on base for 22 in a row. He has also reached safely in a MLB best 24 straight road games.
Marcus Semien Is Loving The Leadoff Spot And Producing Potent, Powerful Production With A Sick Glove
“All of us as hitters we just want opportunities,” Semien told me in an interview. “When guys at the bottom are getting on, I want to take advantage of it.”
4. Mookie Betts
Since debuting his podcast “On Base with Mookie Betts” Betts has reached another level at the plate and has his Dodgers sitting on top of the National League with the best record.
He is slashing .321/.424/.679 with six RBI, 10 runs, five walks and two homers in his last seven games. The 11th home run of the year came on Wednesday with his Dodgers trailing Atlanta 1-0 in the fifth.
He launched the ball into Los Angeles’s bullpen and although they would go on to lose, they still took two of three games over the Braves who they will be competing with all seasons for the top spot in the National League.
This weekend Betts and his Dodgers take on the Tampa Bay Rays in a 2020 World Series rematch and a battle of teams with the best records in the Majors.
5. Marcus Stroman
For the first time since July 21st of 2021, Marcus Stroman went eight full innings to get his fourth win of the season.
The “W” was even sweeter when you realize it came against Stroman’s former team, the New York Mets. Stroman allowed two earned runs on four hits and three strike outs in what was his Major League leading ninth quality start of the year. Stroman’s ERA is now at 2.95 which ranks eighth in the National League.
He also ranks top 10 in both innings pitched and pitching WAR. Stroman’s next start will come next Monday against the Rays.
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