The Blue Jays have been dangerous but inconsistent. That’s to be expected from a team fueled by the youthful exuberance and unlimited potential of their young second-generation MLB stars (Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette, Vlad Guerrero Jr.).
20-something’s figuring it out along the way and doing a damn good job of it.
At 11-12 and sitting in third place in the AL East behind the Tampa Rays and the surprising Red Sox, you can’t be mad at the Blue Jays. They are only 4 games out of first and are gaining strength with a fortified roster.
Adding veteran Marcus Semien and George Springer in the offseason was supposed to elevate Toronto to contender status. Semien has been solid and holding down the fort as a veteran presence, but Springer was finally activated from the injured list, taking the field for the first time this season on Wednesday night against the Nationals.
The Blue Jays lost the game 8-2 and Springer took an 0-4 collar, but his presence on the field was reason for optimism about the future. Even in a game where MLBBros Josh Bell and Josh Harrison homered for Washington and overshadowed the three-time All-Star’s Blue Jays debut.
It was anticipated that Springer would play on Tuesday, but the Blue Jays wanted to give their $150 million man one more day to rehab the right quad strain that’s kept him out since April.
“I want to play. I’m tired of being on the IL and not being out there with the guys,” Springer said before Wednesday’s return.
Skipper Charlie Montoya was tired of it too.
Springer is arguably the best lead-off hitter in the game and he has championship experience as the MVP of the 2017 Houston Astros World Series win.
He’s a five-tool baller who is just a COVID season removed from 2019 when had an MVP-caliber season and clubbed 39 homers with 96 RBI. He’s only 30 years old and Toronto paid him a nice bag to be the clubhouse presence and electrifying force that he was in Houston.
Springer landed on the IL late in Spring Training with an oblique strain, and just as he was finishing his rehab from that injury, the three-time All-Star outfielder strained his right quad.
The Blue Jays want Springer to be healthy for the long haul, so they were purposely cautious with his rehab process. With underdogs like Boston elevating and favorites such as the Yankees and Tampa struggling to reach .500., Toronto believes it has a real shot at the playoffs.
With Springer finally, in the fold, those playoff chances have elevated quite a bit.
“Money” Michael Harris II is like wine, getting better with time. The second-year centerfielder for the Atlanta Braves is separating himself from the pack in the race for 2023 MLBbro.com Player of The Year thanks to him slashing .483/.515/.793 through the first few weeks of August and earning him the honor of being atop Week 18’s #HighFive List.
“Money” Michael Harris
The 2023 Atlanta Braves offense gives off Golden State Warrior dynasty vibes. Just like when the Splash bros start knocking threes and scoring at will, the Braves offensive outburst can feel like an avalanche with no end in sight.
The deepest lineup in baseball hit 200 home runs in their first 104 games this season, which is the second fastest a team has ever accomplished the feat in MLB history.
That total now stands at 215, 11 of which have come off the bat of the best nine-hole hitter in the game, “Money” Mike.
Last year’s National League Rookie of The Year has improved each month of the season. Over his last seven games, Harris is batting .462 with two home runs, five RBI, a .500 On Base Percentage and eight runs scored, including the game-winning run in the 8th inning of their Wednesday night win over Pittsburgh, where Harris tagged up and scored on a pop-fly to the second baseman.
“First he was telling me to tag, then he said fake it,” Harris said to reporters when they asked what third base coach Ron Washington told him during the play.
“In my head I was like “nah” I am getting to the plate and I am scoring the winning run.”
That win put the Braves five games ahead of the Dodgers for the best record in the National League heading into the weekend.
2. Mookie Betts
The most versatile player in the Majors claims the second spot on our #HighFive List in a week that was highlighted by a go-ahead grand slam Monday afternoon against the Padres.
Betts now has five career grand slams when batting leadoff which is tied for the most since 1900 with Jose Altuve, Brian Roberts and a trio of MLBbros in Marcus Semien, George Springer and Detroit Tigers legend Curtis Granderson.
Can You Feel The Heat?! Our @robparkerMLBbro Picks Mookie For MVP. Did He Get Mad Dog In This Segment?
He is currently fourth in the MLB in both home runs with 31 and runs scored with 93.
3. JP Crawford
J.P. Crawford is checking all boxes necessary to keep Seattle in contention for a wild card spot.
The Mariners were dead in the water before the All-Star Break.
The pitching staff has been solid throughout the season but now that their bats have come alive, they find themselves just two games out of the final American League Wild Card spot and have a 9-1 record over their last 10 games.
A large portion of the credit for the Mariners resurgence can be attributed to Crawfords offense, defense and leadership over that span.
His .379 On Base Percentage is the third highest in the American League and his batting average over his last seven games is at .308 and he has one home run, which came on the first pitch of the game in their win Saturday afternoon over the Angels.
4. Marcus Semien
Despite being down four All-Stars since the All-Star Break, the Texas Rangers have followed Marcus Semien’s lead as they currently hold the best record in the American League West.
Along with fellow #HighFive member J.P. Crawford, Semien was named the Rangers recipient of the Heart & Hustle award for his work on the field and in the DFW community.
Last week Semien visited the Rangers Youth Academy and not only donated $5,000 for gear and apparel, but he also sat in the dugout with the team during their RBI tournament.
He finished the week slashing .280/.419/.600 with two home runs, six walks and seven runs to stretch his American League leading total to 93.
5. Josh Bell
The Marlins made some of the biggest splashes over the trade deadline adding Jake Burger and Josh Bell to their squad and they already have been rewarded with a historic performance from one of their new additions.
Wednesday afternoon against the Reds, switch hitter and 2022 Silver Slugger winner Josh Bell became the first player in franchise history to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game.
It was a feat that Bell had not accomplished since he was 11-years old.
“I have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Bell told reporters.
“I have had multi-home run games from the left and right side but I have not done both since I was 11-years old. It feels good to get the win first and foremost but it is great to cross that off my bucket list.”
Since joining the Marlins, a week ago, Bell is hitting .306 with a 1.077 OPS, three home runs and seven RBI.
Since its founding MLBbro.com has been committed to promoting the game of baseball and Black and brown players that have helped contribute to its enduring legacy and eternal appeal.
At the end of each season, we celebrate the very best of those players with the naming of our annual All-Bro Team.
The All-Bro Team includes one player at each infield position, three outfielders, two designated hitters, a starting pitcher and a reliever.
The team is led by American League MVP Aaron Judge and includes four all-stars, the 2022 All-Star Game MVP, and a Gold Glove winner.
2022 All-Bro Team:
CATCHER
Chuckie Robinson, Reds
Former 21st round draft pick Chuckie Robinson became the first Black catcher to play since 2018 and the first in more than 20 years to spend significant time behind the plate for a major league team, appearing in 25 games for the Reds.
After batting .266 in AA/AAA for the Red, Robinson was called up on Aug. 24. He smacked his first big-league home run on Aug. 29 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Chuckie Robinson had a solid defensive season, but will have to improve with his bat in order to stick with the Reds next season.
Bell split time between Washington and San Diego, but whether he was on the East Coast or the West Coast, Josh Bell provided power at the first base spot all season long.
In 2022 Bell played in 156 games, the second most of his career. His 552 at-bats were a career-high. Bell got off to a great start with the Nationals. In 103 games in the nation’s capital, Bell batted .301, with 14 home runs, 57 RBI, and a combined 41 extra base hits.
After being traded to San Diego to help the Padres’ playoff push, Bell’s numbers weren’t the same. However, once the playoffs began, Josh Bell was at his best. In five games, he batted .353, collecting six hits, driving in three runs, and scoring two more. Now, Bell will take his bat to Cleveland to help boost the Guardians’ offense.
The 2021 MLBbro Player of the Year didn’t match his record-breaking totals in 2022, but there’s still no question that Marcus Semien is one of the elite middle infielders in the game today.
Semien got off to a slow start after making the move from Toronto to Texas, but still the finished the season with a slash line of .248/.304/.733. Playing in 161 games, Semien hit 26 home runs, drove in 83, scored 101, and stole a career-high 25 bases.
He’s topped 100 runs scored and 161 games played in three of the past for seasons and has at least 30 doubles in four of the past five. As long as Semien continues to stay healthy, it looks like he’ll continue to put up numbers.
Crawford’s biggest achievement this season was helping to lead the Mariners back to the postseason for the first time in two decades though he provided plenty of individual highlights throughout the summer and into the fall.
Injuries limited Crawford to 145 games this season, though he still managed to hit 24 doubles, three triples, and drive in 42 runs for Seattle.
In the playoffs, the Mariners eliminated Toronto before falling to the eventual champion Astros. Crawford had four hits in five games, including a pair of doubles and a homer, and had four RBI.
THIRD BASE
Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pirates
Hayes may already be the best defensive third baseman in the major leagues. Plays like this make it easy to see why so many have such a high opinion of his work with the glove.
He committed only 12 errors all season and has only 15 in 255 career games. Hayes was first in Defensive Wins Above Replacement in the National League (3.0) after finishing fourth in 2021. He also led all NL third basemen in putouts and assists.
With the bat in his hands Hayes isn’t quite as dangerous, though his offensive game continued to expand in his second season. Ke’Bryan stole 20 bases in 2022, good enough for ninth in the National League.
OUTFIELDERS
Aaron Judge, Yankees
All Aaron Judge did in 2022 was put together one of the greatest offensive seasons in MLB history.
Appearing in a career-best 157 games Judge was the driving force behind the American League’s best offense. He set career highs in batting average (.311), OBP (.425), slugging (.686), OPS (1.111), hits (177), runs (133), doubles (28), stolen bases (16), and of course home runs (62), and RBI (131).
His 62 home runs set the new Yankees and American League record and Judge nearly claimed the triple crown. He did take home the American League MVP with 98 percent of the first place votes to go along with three AL Player of the Week awards and three AL PLayer of the Month awards.
His reward? A nine-year, $360 million deal to stay in The Bronx and try to help bring the Yankees that elusive 28th world championship.
He's baaaacckkkkk!
After slugging 62 HRs and being named the AL MVP in 2022, Aaron Judge is reportedly heading back to the Yankees on a 9-year deal. pic.twitter.com/UJ71AT5BI7
The discussion surrounding who the best all-around player in the game had started to move away from Mookie Betts. This past season, he re-entered the conversation.
Betts was named an All-Star for the seventh time, won his sixth Gold Glove, his fifth Silver Slugger, and finished fifth in the balloting for National League MVP after leading the Dodgers to their greatest regular season in the history of the franchise.
MLBbro 2022 Season Rewind | Mookie Betts Was Producing Home Boi Highlights All Seasonhttps://t.co/H6qzlBDvj5
Betts batted .269 and slammed a career-high 35 home runs while driving in 82, his highest total since 2017. He topped 40 doubles for the first time in three years and led the NL with 117 runs scored.
George Springer, Blue Jays
When healthy, there aren’t many more dynamic lead off hitters than Toronto’s George Springer. Once again the versatile outfielder put up solid numbers that also left fans wondering what could have been.
What Springer was, was highly productive, earning an All-Star selection for the first time since 2019, though he missed the game due to injury. He did play in 133 games, the most he’s seen since 2018.
When he played, the Jays were 76-57, when he didn’t they were 16-13.
Springer finished the year with 25 home runs, 76 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 89 runs scored as the Blue Jays made it back to the playoffs for just the fourth time in the last 28 years. If they’re going to make it back in 2023, Springer will once again have to be the five-tool star all of baseball knows he is.
DESIGNATED HITTERS
Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees
Andrew McCutchen, Brewers
Stanton and McCutchen continued to provide experienced bats for potent offenses in 2022. Stanton was named as an All-Star for the fifth time in his career and his first in the American League since joining the Yankees in 2018. Though he batted a career-low .211, he still slugged 31 home runs and drove in 78 runs in 110 games.
Our own @1stladyofsports goes First To Third on the return of Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Injuries haven’t stopped @Giancarlo818 from putting together another All-Star season. With him back in the fold, the @Yankees lineup is more formidable. pic.twitter.com/P51LAu4chM
“Cutch” made the move from Philly to Milwaukee and almost pushed the Brew Crew into the playoffs. At age 35, McCutchen hit 17 home runs and 25 doubles, his 13th season with at least 25 two-base hits. His 69 RBI gave him a career total of 1002, moving him into 297 on the all-time standings.
In his third season Guardians pitcher Triston McKenzie established himself as one of the best players under the age of 25 in MLB, regardless of position.
McKenzie went 11-11 over 30 starts for Cleveland, racking up 191 innings and a 2.96 earned run average. He ranked in the top 10 for ERA, WAR, strikeouts per nine innings, hits per nine innings, and innings pitched.
“Dr. Sticks” is on his way to becoming both an ace and a workhorse.
The 2020 NL Reliever of the Year and Rookie of the Year may be the Brewers closer of the future after the 2022 season he put together.
Williams appeared in 65 games for Milwaukee, earning a 6-4 record, recording 15 saves, and posting a minuscule 1.93 ERA. He struck out 96 batters in 60.2 innings and was named to his first All-Star team.
An elite bro is flying under everyone’s radar.
Devin Williams has been on fire for the Brewers in his last two relief appearances. He struck out the side twice against the Braves, supporting 2 one-run wins.
Earlier this season we took a minute to highlight the MLBbros who were selected to the MLB’s Top 100 player list curated by mlb.com. Now that the season is finally winding down, let’s take a look at how the Bros received the honor have fared.
#98 – Marcus Stroman
Signing Marcus was one of the few big moves the Chicago Cubs made this offseason. Stroman signed a 3-year. $71 million deal to be a cornerstone of another rebuild effort in Chicago. The results have been a mixed bag so far. Stroman has continued to be elite on the road, but unfortunately for Stroman the “Friendly Confines” of Wrigley Field have been everything but friendly. In nine starts at home this season, Marcus is sporting a 7.11 ERA with a 1.534 WHIP.
#86 – Jack Flaherty
The St. Louis Cardinals are always mentioned amongst National League contenders, but they’ve done most of their damage this season without Black Jack. A re-aggravated shoulder injury held Flaherty back the majority of the season, but he recently rejoined the Cardinals and will be looking to help contribute to their World Series push.
#77 – Michael Brantley
“The Professional” (as we at MLBbro.com like to call Brantley) began the season as a major contributor to the Astros. He doesn’t hit for much power anymore, but his high average and clubhouse presence were beloved in Houston. Unfortunately, shoulder surgery will sideline Brantley for the remainder of the season and may have also ended his tenure with the Stros.
#61 – Giancarlo Stanton
One of the most feared power hitters in the game, once again injuries have been the only thing to stop Stanton from slugging at an outrageous clip. Despite those health setbacks, Giancarlo is on pace for the seventh 30-homer season of his illustrious career. He even scooped up an All-Star MVP in his return to Southern California.
#44 – Cedric Mullins
When it comes to personal accomplishments for a player, it’s hard to top a 30/30 season like Mullins had last season. While his numbers have dipped a bit, Cedric remains a key contributor for the Orioles on both sides of the ball. If CM Storm can take it up a notch the remainder of the season, look for Baltimore to challenge for a Wild Card berth. No, that’s not a typo.
#39 – Byron Buxton
The story on Buxton this season is the same as always, and he’s even acknowledged as much. When healthy, he’s one of the best in the game. The combination of raw power and Gold Glove defense are hard to match, and if the Twins are to make the playoffs this season it will be because Byron managed to stay on the field for the remainder of the season.
#33 – George Springer
The Toronto Blue Jays leadoff hitter continues to move up the all-time list in career leadoff bombs. His leadership has helped position a talented Toronto Blue Jays team for a Wild Card playoff bid.
#31 – Tim Anderson
The Chicago White Sox have underwhelmed the entire season and while TA’s numbers still look good on the surface, he struggled mightily before being placed on the IL with a torn ligament in his hand. Anderson could return from injury as soon as next week, so the verdict on his season is still being written.
#20 – Marcus Semien
After finally receiving the major payday he deserves, Semien has continued to be the best second baseman in the American League. He has already locked up a 20/20 season while playing Gold Glove defense, so despite their struggles as a whole the Rangers have to be please with their investment.
(@1stladyofsports) Rachel Hill goes First to Third on Texas @Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien’s elevation.
Judge has put together arguably the best contract year in MLB history. The Yankees tried to lowball him this offseason, and Aaron has responded by assaulting the Yankee record books. Judge is currently on pace for 65 home runs, which would be an AL record.
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