MLBbros Who We Regretfully Won’t Get To See In The Playoffs | These Black Knights Put It On For Their Squads

MLBbros Who We Regretfully Won’t Get To See In The Playoffs | These Black Knights Put It On For Their Squads

by | Sep 10, 2022 | THE LEAD OFF

The MLB playoff race is heating up and teams are competing at a high level to vie for position. There are several MLBbros positioned to be in the playoffs this year. Aaron Judge, Michael Harris II, Triston McKenzie, JP Crawford, Josh Bell, Trent Grisham and Mookie Betts are MLBbros that seemed destined to play big roles in October.

And while we can’t wait to watch these fantastic players lead their teams in the pursuit of a World Series championship, we also proudly recognize some of the exciting MLBbros whose teams are trending toward missing the postseason through no fault of their own. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Chisholm was one of the most dynamic and captivating MLB players and his absence is a huge loss to the game’s desire to connect with the younger generation. 

 

 

Jazz was a constant catalyst in the Miami Marlins lineup and the team has struggled mightily without him. A lower-back strain has kept him out since June 28 and has caused the Marlins to be one of the worst run producing teams in the league since. With Chisholm in the lineup the offense was much more threatening, and with their stellar pitching they were at least competing for a Wild Card spot. Marlins fans will have to hope for better health from their All-Star second baseman as the franchise pursues playoff ball next year.

Tim Anderson

MLBbro Tim Anderson is one of the top contact hitters in baseball. A charismatic and colorful player, he could be an exciting part of the postseason. However, his team, the Chicago White Sox is running out of time to surpass Minnesoita and Cleveland for the American League Central division. Not making the playoffs would not only be a blow to Anderson, but also to his team as there were high expectations for them entering the season. A return from the IL could help the MLBbro shortstop and his team make a late charge. If not, fans of Anderson can take some solace in the fact that the MLBbro will join Team USA in the WBC this offseason.

 

Team USA Is Looking MLBbro Formidable For World Baseball Classic Title Defense | Tim Anderson Is In The Building

 

Marcus Semien

This is probably the most disappointing entry in this article. The Texas Rangers spent a lot of money this offseason on their infield, and part of the included signing MLBbro Marcus Semien. He was brought in to help bring them back to relevance and perhaps back into the postseason. This has not come to fruition, due to many things going wrong for the club this season

MLBbro Marcus Semien’s First 20-20 Season Shows His Constant Elevation As An All-Star

 

Semien got off to a slow start with a .225 batting average over the first couple of months in the early season. He has since gotten on track posting 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, the latter a new career high. This is far from what the Rangers envisioned when signing him fresh off a career year but it’s a step in the right direction. His balance of speed, power and experience are still valuable traits that will be missed this postseason.

Top 10 Black Knights On Planet MLBbro So Far In 2022

Top 10 Black Knights On Planet MLBbro So Far In 2022

by | Jul 22, 2022 | 5TH SLOT

High Five Top 10 MLBbros of the first half of the season

Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge is earning one of the biggest bags in all of baseball with his 2022 season

His league-leading 33 home runs before the All-Star Break is tied for the most in franchise history and he has his Yankees on top of baseball with 64 wins.

 

 

Judge started in his fourth career All-Star Game, leading all players with 3,726,498 votes.

The American League MVP race will most likely come down to Judge and the Angels Unicorn Shohei Ohtani, who won the award last year.

Considering Vlad Jr. nearly won the Triple Crown and still lost the race to Ohtani last year, Judge will need to hit at least 60 home runs and have the Yankees with the best record in baseball in order to gain a leg up.

Mookie Betts

“We need more Black people in the stadium,” was the message on Dodgers superstar outfielder’s shirt during All-Star Game batting practice.

 

 

Those who have seen Betts at ballparks across the nation this year have been treated to a show on a nightly basis.

He’s having one of the best years of his career as he is on pace for a career-high number of homers with 20 already, and an RBI total that’s right in line with what he did in his MVP season in 2018.

Betts is batting .265 with an .863 OPS this season. His Dodgers lead the National League with 60 wins, which is important considering the team with the best record in each league gets a bye in round one of the playoffs.

Giancarlo Stanton

 

Stanton has been Aaron Judge’s right-hand man this season with 24 home runs, just two behind Astros’ Yordan Alvarez for second in the American League.

Stanton showed off his home run power in his hometown of Los Angeles during his fifth career All-Star Game, hitting a two-run home run into the same left field bleachers he sat at as a kid.

That homer won Stanton the game’s MVP and was the hardest hit ball ever recorded at the All-Star Game in the Statcast Era.

Tim Anderson 

Tim Anderson became the first White Sox shortstop to start an All-Star Game in 52 years, a well deserved accomplishment for one of the best hitters in the game, and he will only get better.

His .310 batting average is top 10 in baseball and he has been the most consistent player on a White Sox team that has struggled to reach preseason expectations so far.

MLB All-Star Game: Tim Anderson Talks Baseball Culture, Inspiring Next Generation Of MLBbros

The American League Central race will be one of the more interesting coming down the stretch, and Anderson’s play will be a huge factor for which team goes on an early vacation.

Devin Williams

 

 

Devin Williams has not given up a run since May 10th and is making his case to be the best reliever in baseball. The 2020 National League Rookie of the Year was a last-minute addition to the All-Star team but worked a clean inning in Tuesday night’s game.

Williams is leading the Majors in holds with a 1.77 ERA with 59 strikeouts this year. 

 

 

In June, batters hit only .032 against him, and in July that number stands at 1.43.

Byron Buxton

Getting to watch Byron Buxton in a pennant race is going to be something special.

The five-tool outfielder is one of the biggest playmakers with the bat and glove in the Majors and he proved it on the biggest stage when he went back-to-back with Giancarlo Stanton in this year’s All-Star Game.

Buxton’s homer turned out to be the decisive blow in the 3-2 win for the American League. Although he did not win the MVP award, he did win a fan a season’s supply of beer.

 

 

His 23 home runs rank fifth in the American League, but he will need to get his .216 average up if he wants to get his Minnesota Twins into the playoffs and over the hump of the Wild Card Game.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

 

On the back of a solid first full season in the Majors, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is putting up better numbers in almost every offensive category.

In addition to his personal highs, Chisholm also leads Miami in most hitting statistics and became the first ever Bahamian player to be named an All-Star and would have been the first starter had it not been for a back injury he suffered a few weeks before the break.

 

 

“The Bahamian Blur” will continue to crush baseballs after coming into the stadium with more swag and style than anyone else in the locker room, despite the direction where his struggling Marlins go.

Josh Bell

 

Josh Bell could end up being the biggest commodities when the Major League Baseball August 2nd trade deadline comes around. Bell leads all MLBbros with a .311 batting average and is in the top 5 for first baseman in multiple categories including hits, OPS, triples, hits and average.

This is the last year of Bell’s rookie deal, so he’ll be earning himself some cash if he gets the chance to play with a contender during the final part of the season.

 

 

Triston McKenzie

“Dr. Sticks” is having a great sophomore season but has done his best work in July.

In three starts this month McKenzie has gone 21 innings without giving up a run.  He has 23 strikeouts with just six walks and nine hits over that span as his Guardians sit just two games back of the Twins for the American League Central pennant.

This year McKenzie has a 3.20 ERA with 96 strikeouts and a 7-6 record.

His next start will come on the Southside of Chicago against Tim Anderson and the White Sox.

Michael Harris II

 

 

Michael Harris is the youngest player in baseball but has impacted his team maybe more than anyone on this list not named Aaron Judge or Mookie Betts.

The Atlanta native has proved to the Braves that the center fielder of their future is already patrolling their outfield ground.

He has already made some of the best defensive plays this season and will be fighting for both a Gold Glove and the National League Rookie of the Year award as this season comes to an end.

 

 

Honorable mentions:

Marcus Semien – The 2021 MLBbro of the Year got off to a slow start in his first season of his seven-year, $175 Million deal, but he has heated up over the last month.  Watch for him to find his way into the top 10 at season’s end.

Cedric Mullins– CM Storm is the leader on one of the most fun, young teams in baseball and the O’s will need big things out of him if they want to steal a playoff spot from one of the other American League East teams.

J.P.  “The Claw” Crawford- Was on his way to making his first career All-Star Game before a suspension for fighting put an end to that.  Despite that his Mariners won 14 straight to close out the first half.

Ke’Bryan Hayes – One of the best young defenders in baseball is going to be the best at the hot corner sooner rather than later.

Taijuan Walker – Walker is quietly having a better year than his 2021 All-Star season and will be a key member in the backend of the Mets rotation as they fight for the World Series.

MLBbro Home Run Leaders | These Black Knights Are So Thorough We Need A List

MLBbro Home Run Leaders | These Black Knights Are So Thorough We Need A List

by | Jun 30, 2022 | THE LEAD OFF

We all know how important the home run is in today’s game, and so far, these five bros have been the best Black Bombers this season.

Aaron Judge – 29 Home Runs

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge leads The Bigs this season with 28 bombs and counting, and he’s carried this lead for the majority of the season. Judge has cooled off as of late, with only two home runs and a .407 slugging percentage in his last seven games, but even when he’s off the Bronx Bomber still seems to hit timely bombs.

Yesterday it was in the first inning, when Aaron sent a 3-2 sinker 429 feet into the upper deck to give the Yankees an early lead against the Oakland Athletics. They went on to win the game 5-3 and for now added another half game to their staggering lead in the AL East.

Even with the recent slowdown from Judge, the Yankees are running away with the AL East and look poised to make one of their deepest playoff runs in recent memory.

Byron Buxton – 20 Home Runs

This season marks the first time in his career that Buxton has reached the 20 home run plateau in his career, and he managed to do so in 23 less at bats than it took him to reach 19 home runs last season.

So far this season, 20 of Buxton’s 50 hits have been home runs, and the Twins veteran has increased his production against breaking balls. Buxton is currently slugging .667 against breaking balls this season, a .062 increase from his output last year. Eight of his 20 home runs have come on breaking pitches.

Giancarlo Stanton – 19 Home Runs

Boom or bust has been the narrative for Giancarlo Stanton’s entire tenure in the Bronx, and this recent stretch is no different. Stantons last six hits for the Yankees have all been home runs, including a three run bomb Monday afternoon in their 5-3 victory we mentioned earlier.

Stanton’s .208 average and .321 on base percentage are nothing crazy, but his .833 slugging percentage over the same span show you the elite level of power Giancarlo adds to this Yankees lineup.

He remains in the top percentile for exit velocity and barrel percentage, so chances are more of those missiles will begin to find the seats instead of opponents gloves. It’s going to be a long summer in the Bronx.

Mookie Betts – 17 Homeruns

Mookie’s bounce back year was rolling along before this recent trip to the disabled list, and despite the 2-30 slump he was in before he made that trip, Betts had seen his power make a comeback.

Last season, Mookie battled through injury to hit 23 homeruns in 466 at bats. So far this season, he had cranked out 17 bombs in just 245 at bats. Betts was expected to return in two weeks, but Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts has extended that timeline.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. – 14 Homeruns

Jazz is another player on pace to set a career high in homers in almost half the at bats. The budding star has hit 14 home runs in 213 plate appearances, after hitting 18 in 464 last season.  Chisholm has remained in the 90th percentile of barrel rate all season, so he’s making some of the best contact of his career.

The National League’s leading vote getter at Second Base was just placed on IL after suffering a lower back strain on a check swing against the St. Louis Cardinals.