#HIGHFIVE | The Bro Show Was Live Last Week, These Ballers Were Poetry In Motion

#HIGHFIVE | The Bro Show Was Live Last Week, These Ballers Were Poetry In Motion

Mookie Betts danced his way to the top of the Week 19 #HighFive chart after hitting .444 and driving in six runs over his last seven games.  His Dodgers have won 10 games in a row and sit in first place in the National League West as they lock in on another playoff run.

 

1. Mookie Betts

“I feel really good at the plate,” Betts said in his postgame interview after Los Angeles won their 10th consecutive game Wednesday night.

“I am just trying to do good things for Freddie and Will Smith.  Our one through three spots in the lineup are really good, but this stretch of success has taken one through nine.”

 

August could end up being the best month of the year for Betts, which is perfect timing given that the playoffs are inching closer and closer.

 

 

In 15 games this month he is slashing .404/.469./.719 with four home runs, six doubles, 13 RBI and has scored 17 runs leaving him two away from joining Ronald Acuna Jr. and his teammate Freddie Freeman as the only players in the Majors to cross the plate 100 times in 2023.

 

The biggest highlight for Betts this week came thanks to a fan.

A few weeks ago, a guy told Betts he would name his child after him if he hit a homer in his next at-bat and he did exactly that.  

On August 7th, 2023 Francesca Mookie Mancuso was born.

 

2. Marcus Semien

Marcus Semien has reached base in a Major League leading 23 consecutive games heading into the Rangers weekend series against the Brewers. The 2023 season for Semien has a chance to go down as one of the greatest for a second baseman in Major League history.

 

Texas Rangers Are Rolling | Marcus Semien On Pace To Drive In More Runs Than Any Leadoff Hitter In MLB History

 

This season, he’s carried a career-high 33-game on base streak and a 25-game hitting streak, which was the third longest in Rangers franchise history. 

Semien was an All-Star starter, is the clear favorite to win both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards and is currently on pace to break Charlie Blackmon’s record for the most RBI in a season by a leadoff hitter (103).

Semien is tied with Shohei Ohtani for the highest WAR in the American League highlighted his week with a season-high five RBI performance against the Angels Monday night.

 

3. Josh Bell

After his historic Bro Bombs got him in last weeks #HighFive Josh Bell has continued to terrorize pitchers in his new threads.

 

On Monday, Bell became the 12th Marlin in franchise history when he hit one of the three back-to-back-to-back homers off of Dusty Baker’s Astros.

 

 

Since joining Miami just minutes before the trade deadline expired, Bell is hitting .309 with five home runs, 10 RBI, six walks and three doubles.

 

4. Stone “Cold Stunna” Garrett

Stone Garrett debuts on the #HighFive after having his first career two home run game Wednesday night against the Red Sox.

 

“I am just trying to stay on time,  stay the other way, stay inside the baseball and use the whole field,” Garrett told reporters.

“I am just trying to take advantage of my playing time.  Getting in a rhythm by playing everyday has really helped.”

 

 

Over his last seven games (before adding a three RBI night against the Red Sox on Thursday) Stone is slashing .391/.464./.739 with two home runs, eight RBI and has drawn four walks.

5. Cedric “The Entertainer” Mullins

Cedric “The Entertainer” Mullins put on an unforgettable show in Seattle Sunday afternoon.

With his Orioles up one in the bottom of the ninth and one out, Mullins made what might be the catch of the year, robbing Ty France of a game-tying home run.

 

 

After the Mariners tied the game with two-outs, Mullins came to bat in extras with a runner on third and proceeded to blast a go-ahead game-winning Bro Bomb over the right field wall, his 10th of the year.

Mullins’ Orioles will head into the weekend holding the best record in the American League ahead of their quick trip to the Bay to take on Lawrence Butler and the Oakland A’s.

The Addition Of Pitcher Jack Flaherty Adds More Soul To Baltimore’s Band Of Bros

The Addition Of Pitcher Jack Flaherty Adds More Soul To Baltimore’s Band Of Bros

Acquiring Jack Flaherty at the end of the trade deadline on Aug. 1 from the St. Louis Cardinals allowed the Baltimore Orioles to keep an MLBbro on their active roster. 

 

Baltimore began the season with just three Black players on its roster, Mychal Givens, Dillon Tate, and Cedric Mullins while adding veteran outfielder Aaron Hicks during the season.

 

 

Baltimore Bros In A MASH Unit

 

But with all four of these bros on the injured list, the Orioles made a move that’ll help them in their postseason push but also their diversity. The right-hander has tossed 109 2/3 innings, earning a 4.43 era and fanning 106 batters. 

 

“It’s exciting to be on a good team. It’s exciting to be on a team that’s in it. There was a lot of promise in St. Louis; things didn’t work out. Sometimes that’s the way it goes. You can’t do much about it, and now it’s about moving forward.

“These guys have been playing unbelievably all year.”

 

Black Jack Flaherty Is A Key Addition Trade Deadline Acquisition  

 

With excitement brewing with the added arm, Flaherty could also cash out if he performs under the bright lights in Baltimore as he will be a free agent after the 2023 season.

 

 

 

“We think this team has what it takes to go deep,” general manager Mike Elias said. “This bolsters us. It gives us a lot of security and a boost to the rotation down the stretch.”

 

The Orioles were looking for pitching at the trade deadline, and adding another starter in Flaherty allows the team to add another arm to the bullpen if needed. Due to injuries, he has not pitched a full season in the Majors since 2019, when he placed fourth in Cy Young voting. 

 

Having already surpassed 100 innings, the Orioles are now in a position to carefully assess the condition of his arm during the second half of the season. Considering this, they may opt to transition him into a bullpen role, ensuring that he can contribute effectively during the playoffs without overexerting himself. Additionally, this strategic move will enable him to be available for spot starts if the team requires it.

Although over his career in the Majors and Minors, Flaherty has only come out of the bullpen just seven times. 

 

“I just like the talent, I like the experience, I like what comes out of his hands,” Elias said. “Players are going to have some seasons that are better than others, and maybe we can get him hot here in the next couple months.”

 

True Baltimore fans know the legacy that has been left by players like Eddie Murray, Frank Robinson, Ken Singleton, and most recently, Adam Jones. 

 

 

Baltimore Orioles Have No MLBbros In Top 20 Minor League Prospects

 

In the current landscape of Baltimore, the Orioles’ roster predominantly features white players, and there are no Black athletes among their top-20 prospects. Despite this, the few distinct Black faces on the roster are determined not to be overshadowed or forgotten in the dynamic pipeline that the Orioles have carefully crafted.

 

The O’s will potentially have a majority Black outfield once Mullins and Hicks return from the 10-day IL. Additionally, the recent inclusion of Flaherty strengthens their pitching rotation, making him the team’s sole Black starting pitcher, complemented by two Black relievers in Givens and Tate.

 

In Baltimore, a diversity resurgence is taking place within a team that’s currently basking in the spotlight. Their eyes are firmly set on clinching their first playoff appearance since 2016 and securing their first postseason victory since 2014, the last time the Orioles won the American League East. 

 

“We are obviously out of our rebuild,” Elias said. “We are very competitive. But a step we have yet to take is to make the playoffs. Our goal is to win the division.”

 

Will Aaron Hicks Give the Orioles the Production the Yankees Wanted?

Will Aaron Hicks Give the Orioles the Production the Yankees Wanted?

This Major League Baseball season has gone by kind of quickly with quite a few under-the-radar storylines, particularly when it comes to the MLBbros holding down such a small percentage of representation this year. According to MLBbro columnist, David Grubb, Black representation is going in the wrong direction based on the numbers. In 2022, the MLBbros counted for 7.2 percent of the players in the big leagues. This year it’s at 6.2 percent.

As of late, the staff of MLBbro.com are starting to see the “Next man up” scenario when it comes to the injury bug affecting the bros. In New York, Giancarlo Stanton is being counted on to keep the Yankees offense afloat with the absence of Aaron Judge for a yet-to-be-determined period of time…

Can Giancarlo Stanton’s Hot Streak Get the Yankees Back In Contention Without Aaron Judge?

Now the light shines on Aaron Hicks, who is back in the starting lineup filling the center field position fellow MLBbro Cedric Mullins left vacant after being placed on the 10-day IL with a quad injury. The continued resurrection of his career will be a major storyline if the Baltimore Orioles can hold onto their magic carpet ride to first place in the American League East.

 

In baseball’s “Karma” story of the year, the last place New York Yankees are still paying for Hicks’ improved play to the tune of $27 million for the next three years of the seven-year, $70 million extension he signed back in 2019.

Since the Yankees release, Hicks has done very well in his first 38 games in the black and orange. Our MLBbro has a solid hitting slash of .270/.366/.467 with six homers, 20 RBI, four doubles and three stolen bases. Those numbers are better than most of his old team’s lineup. According to Hicks, the turnaround could be attributed to knowing his role and having more security with his playing schedule. His final days in New York were nothing like that.

“I felt I was playing one game and then I’d have two days off,” he said. “It seemed like a lot of off days were scheduled. I wanted to play every day and enjoy the highs and lows of being an everyday player. I like to get in a groove. I still have the mindset of an everyday player.”

“I don’t like watching baseball. I want to go out there and compete.”

“I wouldn’t play and then I’d have to think about it for a day and I was fighting battles I can’t win. I want to play every day. I don’t want to be a fourth outfielder. I’ve already done that and it doesn’t work for me.

“You want to get to the point of playing consistently for two months and that’s what I’m getting here.”

Hicks is also getting the chance to compete in a winning situation. The Baltimore Orioles are in first place in the AL East for the first time after the All-Star break since August 15, 2016. With the Tampa Bay Rays mired in a five-game losing streak as of this writing, the Orioles have erased a six and a half game lead in the month of July.

Even though Cedric Mullins is out of the lineup, fans should be comforted knowing Hicks has been solid at the plate going 7-19 in his last five games. Look for the consistency to continue due to the Baltimore hitting coaches making a slight adjustment to his swing by having him stand taller and a major shift in his mindset confidence-wise.

“They really helped get my confidence back,” Hicks said. “They said to focus on the little things and if you make solid contact, it’s all you can do. If I didn’t get a hit [with the Yankees], I knew I’d sit the bench the next day.”

For the time being with Cedric Mullins out for a while, Aaron Hicks has the chance to relax, get his rhythm and help the Orioles make a run for the postseason the only way he knows how.

With Cedric Mullins Ailing, Orioles Still Haven’t Been Swept In 70 Straight Series | Hunting Sole Possession Of First Place For First Time Since 2016

With Cedric Mullins Ailing, Orioles Still Haven’t Been Swept In 70 Straight Series | Hunting Sole Possession Of First Place For First Time Since 2016

Cedric Mullins is the veteran centerpiece for the young Orioles squad, but injuries have plagued his season in a year that Baltimore has the chance to get over the hump. 

 

The center fielder was drafted with the 403rd overall selection in 2015. A year later, Baltimore made its latest playoff appearance. An American League Wild Card loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016. 

 

Two years later, and three years after being drafted, Mullins made his debut with the Orioles. 

 

How A Decision At The Plate Changed Fortunes of Cedric Mullins’ Baltimore Orioles


Now, in his sixth season, Mullins has become widely known as one of the premiere leadoff center fielders in the league and the backbone of the Orioles throughout a rebuilding process. 

 

Earlier this year, the 28-year-old was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain and recently was re-added to the 10-day injured list with a right adductor groin strain, retroactive to July 16. 

 

“It feels like it’s getting really close,” Mullins said before finding himself back on the injured list. “Moments like this, I think especially if it’s near that same area, you have a stack of days where it just doesn’t want to improve to the rate that you want it to. But continuing to try to be smart every day, continuing to do everything I can, to stay hydrated, taking the necessary supplements, iron, and stuff like that, just to try to get the body going and see where I’m at day by day.”

 

Can Baltimore Orioles Still Make Playoff Run Without Cedric Mullins?

 


The Orioles are 42-22 when he starts and 15-15 when he does not.
Mullins is currently hitting .259 with nine homers, 47 RBI and 14 stolen bases. In his first absence, the Orioles went 11-9 and are currently one game behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. So far into Mullins’ second injury stint, Baltimore is 2-2.

After their 8-5 win over the National League West first-place Dodgers on Wednesday, the O’s were tied with the Rays for first place in the AL East. 

 

Three of the next four series could heavily impact the AL East race

 

The Orioles are set to travel for a four-game series against the Rays and potentially earn sole possession of first place in their division for the first time post-All-Star break since Aug. 12, 2016, and the last time they stood atop the AL East after April was May 20, 2017.

 

Following their trip to Tampa and a three-game series in Philly, Baltimore faces the Yankees and Blue Jays. 

 

The three-game series at Camden Yards against the Yankees, lacking their MLBbro phenom Aaron Judge, is an opportunity to further bury the Bronx Bombers, who are in sole possession of last in the division through 95 games for the first time since 1990.

 

The following four-game series in Toronto is crucial to keep the surging Blue Jays, just 5.5 games out of first place, off their back. 

 

Mullins becomes available to return in the last game of the Phillies series on July 26, right before the Orioles head to Tropicana Field. 

 

Placing Mullins on the injured list at this juncture reveals a strategic move that aims to provide him with additional time to rest.

 

This calculated decision acknowledges the significance of the upcoming series, which possesses the potential to shift the balance of momentum in the race for Baltimore’s first playoff appearance since 2016 and first postseason win since 2014, where the Orioles swept the Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series.

 

Before the 2012 AL Wild Card win over the Texas Rangers, the last O’s team to win a playoff game was led by MLBbro Jeffrey Hammonds, Cal Ripken Jr., and Mike Mussina in 1997, when they beat the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS. 

 

 

However, the yearning for Baltimore’s return to the World Series stage has been a protracted affair, with the city anxiously awaiting the taste of a championship once again.

 

This ardent desire fuels the ambitions of both the burgeoning Orioles squad and Mullins himself. In 1983, the O’s won their third World Series title, led by MLBbros Eddie Murray and Ken Singleton.


With Mullins eager to make his return and progressing steadily, the Orioles can be hopeful that their lone 30-homer and 30-stolen-base performer will rejoin the lineup just in time to catalyze a pivotal divisional stretch, propelling them closer to their ultimate objective