#HIGHFIVE (Week 6): Aaron Judge, Marcus Semien Turning Up

Marcus Semien put on a show in his first time back in the Bay Area as a World Series Champion, collecting 10 hits in a three-game span including the hardest hit homer of his career, earning him the Top Spot in our Week 6 #HighFive List.

1. Marcus Semien

 

Marcus Semien has been the best leadoff hitter in the Majors over the last few seasons.  No player in the league has more hits on the first pitch of an at-bat this year than him and he has already driven in 28 runs, which ranks fifth in the American League.

This week his Rangers traveled to the Oakland Coliseum for the second to last time ever: their last trip will be in September and is scheduled as the final game in the venue’s history.

Semien finished the four-game set 10-for-20 with seven runs scored, six RBI and two home runs, bringing his total to seven on the year.

That seventh blast came in the third inning of Wednesday’s double-header and left Semien’s bat at 112 mph, which was his hardest hit in the statcast era (since 2015).

In the second game of the series, Semien became the fourth player in Rangers history with four hits in the first four innings of  a game and the first since 2009.

2. Simeon Woods Richardson

The Twins have found a gem in Woods Richardson.

In four starts he has a 1.74 ERA with 21 strikeouts, only four walks and has never surrendered more than two runs.

 

Monday night’s outing against Seattle was pure domination for Woods. He threw six shutout innings of one-hit baseball and totaled eight strikeouts in a game Minnesota would go on to win.

 

“I think he was the MVP of the game,” said shortstop Carlos Correa.

“The way he dominated the lineup was pretty special.”

 

 

Woods Richardson’s next start will be Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

3. Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge was ejected for the first time in his career last Saturday and that lit a fire under him that burned all week, helping him earn the third spot on our #HighFive List.

 

As Judge was walking back to the dugout after arguing balls and strikes, the umpire threw him out the game.  In response, Judge homered in his first at-bat the next day to help the Yankees complete a sweep over the Detroit Tigers.

He is batting .349 with four home runs, 11 RBI with an OPS of 1.182 through his last twelve games.

It was a slow start to the year for Judge who now is slashing .236/.365/.844 with eight homers this year, but we all know that ultimately the Yankee success this year is dependent on their captain playing like his superstar self.

4. “Late night” LaMonte Wade Jr.

LaMonte Wade Jr. is one of a few bright spots for the San Francisco Giants this year and he has been a machine at the plate over his last seven games where he is slashing .337/.467/.412 with six walks and four RBI.

Wade does not have enough at-bats to qualify on the Major League leaderboard, but he has been one of the more underrated players in baseball dating back to last season.

He has reached base safely in 13 of his last 14 games and will look to continue that streak this weekend when the Cincinnati Reds visit The Bay.

5. Triston McKenzie “Dr Stix”

Triston McKenzie had another solid outing this week to earn his third appearance on the #HighFive this year.

It was the fourth consecutive start for McKenzie where he gave up two or less runs as he went five innings and surrendered just one earned run which came via a leadoff homer to start the game on six strikeouts, three hits and three walks.

When asked how he bounced back from what is the worst way for a pitcher to begin a game, McKenzie told reporters, “It is only one pitch.  You have got to get back in the saddle and keep going.”

His next start will come in Chicago Saturday against the White Sox.