Kumar Rocker is getting comfortable in the Majors, and it’s starting to get scary for opposing hitters. He earns the top spot on our Week 8 #HighFive list after his career-best outing Tuesday night in Colorado.
1. Kumar Rocker
The Texas Rangers took a different approach with Rocker in his most recent start, and the end result ended with was the best outing of his Major League career.
Kumar Rocker Has Shown Flashes for Texas Rangers As He Makes His Name In MLB
He currently has an abysmal 11.25 ERA in the first inning, so manager Skip Schumaker decided to go with an Opener to retire the left- handed bats atop the Rockies lineup. Rocker entered the game in the second inning and finished with a career-high seven strikeouts while allowing zero runs on three hits and throwing a career-long 7.2 innings.
That marked his second consecutive scoreless outing after going five shutout innings in his last home start against the Arizona Diamondbacks. On the season, Rocker now has a 3.60 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 45 innings.
2. Chase Burns
The National League All-Star starting pitcher case for Chase Burns is getting stronger by the day.
Pitcher Chase Burns Is A Star For Cincinnati Reds
In his two starts this week, Burns went a combined 12 innings, striking out 16 while allowing giving up only one run on five hits and two walks. That makes seven consecutive starts for him where he has pitched into the sixth inning and allowed two or less runs.
In May, Burns has a 0.72 ERA with 25 strikeouts, six walks, with 12 hits allowed and a 3-0 record in four starts in May, with one more to come on Memorial Day in New York against the New York Mets.
3. Jazz Chisholm Jr. “The Bahamian Blur”
The month of May has been good to Jazz Chisholm Jr., and his most recent heater lands him on the #HighFive for the first time this season.
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Over his last seven games, Chisholm Jr. has a slash line of .500/.567/.731 with four RBIs, a stolen base and one home run, which was an opposite-field shot off of the left field foul pole at Yankees Stadium.
Recently, he has been wearing the baseball pants of his 6-foot-5 and 245- pound teammate Giancarlo Stanton, who is currently on the Injured List. Which may give a partial explanation for Chisholm Jr.’s success at the plate, that he will look to continue this weekend in a critical series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
4. Cedric Mullins
Things started slow for Cedric Mullins in his first season as a Tampa Bay Ray; however, the former 30/30 man has found his flow in May as he finds himself in the fourth spot of our Week 8 #HighFive list.
Cedric Mullins’ First Homer Of Season Powers Tampa Bay Rays
Mullins, who had a six-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday, has made up ground in an ongoing battle to get his average over the dreaded Mendoza Line, with a .286 batting average in May.
In his last seven games, Mullins is hitting .360 with three steals, three RBIs, seven runs scored and a home run.
5. James Wood “Up to no good”
The 2025 National League All-Star once again finds his name amongst the #HighFive —, this time in the fifth spot.
James Wood’s Inside-The-Park Grand Slam Sparks Rally, Helps Nationals Defeat Mets 9-6
Wood had another solid week at the plate, hitting .345 in his last seven games, includingwith three straight multi-hit games in a row.
He also hit the first inside- the- park grand slam in the Majors since 2022 after lining a ball off of the wall in left- center field.
Wood ranks in the National League’s top 10 for home runs, RBIs, doubles, On Base Percentage and OPS.
This weekend, his Washington Nationals travel to Atlanta for a series against the N.L. East- leading Braves before a trip to Cleveland to take on the Guardians.
