The MLBbros were impactful and present in the various opening games of the 2024 MLB Wild Card series.
Justyn-Henry Malloy: Detroit Tigers
Justyn-Henry Malloy hit second for the surging Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the franchise’s first postseason appearance in 14 years.
Malloy went 1-for-2 with a walk in a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros. It’s all coming together at the right time for AJ Hinch’s Detroit crew, which recovered from a sub .500 first half to snatch a Wild Card slot in the American League. The franchise survived the growing pains of All-Star Riley Green, rookie JHM and the injury to Kerry Carpenter and other key figures and now they are a team nobody wants to face.
By his second time up he was striking out to end a three-run explosion in the second inning by the Tigers. It was all they needed.
When you can trot out a Cy Young ace such as 18-win wonder Tarik Skubal, a triple crown pitcher, you always have a chance. His fastball and change ups were dominant as usual and he exited after six innings of no-run ball.
Malloy was up and down in his rookie season, showing some pop with 8 bro bombs in 202 at-bats. He has the potential to explode in a game and for AJ Hinch to give him the start in the opening Wild Card game is a huge indication that he believes the young outfielder is a part of the Tigers’ future.
Tommy Pham: Kansas City Royals
There’s that man again. Playoff Tommy Pham, who always plays his best when the stakes are high. He’s been a consistent catalyst for teams looking to either get out of the doldrums or seeking a veteran spark who can bring, energy, a loud bat and a competitive, winning spirit to a possible contender.
Adding Pham to a Royals team that is built around Bobby Witt and veteran catcher Salvador Perez was a genius move. Pham helped the Arizona Diamondback make a fairy tale run to the World Series last season. Pham is a .313 career playoff hitter with 36 hits and 6 homers and 10 RBI in 115 postseason at-bats.
Pham was 0-for-3 in his first playoff game on Tuesday with the Royals, but they managed to win a 1-0 pitcher’s duel over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of the Wild Card series.
Pham played just 23 games with the Royals in the regular season after stops in Cry-town and St. Louis. He impacted the team’s late season run to the Wild Card and will be counted on heavily as he batted seventh and played right field in Game 1.
Cedric “CM Storm” Mullins: Baltimore Orioles
Cedric Mullins has been here before with the Birds. He’s no longer the catalyst of the offense, the 30-30 leadoff guy that he was in 2021, but he’s still a leader on this team and a very productive player with the glove and at the plate.
Mullins led the Orioles with two hits in the franchise’s Game 1, 1-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday. During the season, CM Storm hit 18 homers and stole 32 bases. He’s a weapon in the eighth spot for the O’s, who probably should have the veteran hitting higher in the order during the playoffs.
Tyrone Taylor: Mets
Tyrone Taylor has found a home with the NY Mets after spending the first six years of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers who drafted him in the second round in 2012.
Taylor got over 300 at-bats for just the second time in his career and the 30-year-old only hit 7 bro bombs but he provided a combination of durability (130 games played), speed (11 steals) and solid defense for the Mets, who creeped into the postseason with a 360 degree turn in the second half behind shortstop Francisco Lindor and a host of steady role players like Taylor, who started and batted eighth for the Miracle Mets in Game 1 of their Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
In that game, Taylor went 1-for-4 with a run scored to help lift the Mets to an 8-4 win in Game 1. In the last 15 games of the season with the Mets fighting tooth and nail for an NL Wild Card, Taylor hit .298 and slugged. 447.
Michael Harris II: Atlanta Braves
Entering Game 1 of the Wild Card series against San Diego Padres, Michael Harris II was 1-for-27 over eight games in two postseasons for the Atlanta Braves. He enters these playoffs on fire, coming off a streak of five homers in seven games to end the regular season. Harris was able to collect two of his team’s seven hits in a 4-0, Game 1 loss to the Padres, continuing his torrid hitting.
After batting over .290 in his first two seasons, including his 2022 NL Rookie of the Year campaign, Harris struggled mightily throughout most of this season, but was able to find his groove in the last two months of the season and salvage a respectable .264 batting average with 16 homers.
Now, he’s firmly cemented as the Braves’ leadoff hitter and he looks poised to finally have his breakout playoffs, which would make the growing pains he experiences this season worthwhile.
He’s sure to produce a web gem or two as he is among the best centerfielders in the past 20 years, and we are yet to see the best of him at the plate…that’s a scary thought.
Atlanta — It took them 14 innings, but the real Michael Harris II and the Atlanta Braves have finally arrived to their matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series.
Despite finishing the season with the best record in the National League and one of the most prolific offenses in MLB history, the Braves bats were silent against Philadelphia in Game 1.
The best offense in baseball suddenly couldn’t buy a run, recording their first shutout loss at home since the middle of summer.
Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler was dominant to begin Game 2 Monday night, holding the Braves hitless through five innings before second baseman Ozzie Albies recorded a single in the 6th inning that sparked the Braves offense.
Atlanta Finally Gets Bats Going
Atlanta wasn’t finished after finally breaking through in the 6th, scoring again in the 7th and eventually taking the lead on a two-run homer by Ron Washington disciple Austin Riley.
As for Harris, he hasn’t been able to translate his regular season success to postseason glory just yet at the plate but still found a way to help his team secure the victory.
With one out in the ninth, Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos sent a deep drive into right centerfield between Harris and Ronald Acuna Jr that sent Money Mike flying through the Atlanta sky and into the wall, to take away an extra base hit that would have potentially tied the game in the 9th.
The MLBbro and 2022 NL Rookie of the Year, fired the ball back into the infield, and third baseman Austin Riley made the perfect fundamental play, backing up the cutoff man Albies to double off Bryce Harper to end the game.
Harris is 0-7 at the plate so far this series, but that catch and throw will be talked about for years to come.
The play was a true example of how multifaceted he is and the game-changing talent he can bring to the game even when his bat is a bit cold.
Jordan “Sky” Walker continued his high level of hitting this week, boosting his career-high hitting streak to 17 games with a single up the middle against the Astros on Thursday night.
The Cardinals top prospect has been a force since being recalled to the Majors in early June and caps off the month by earning the top spot in Week 13 of our #HighFive List.
1. Jordan “Sky” Walker
Walker’s 17-game hitting streak is the longest going in the Major Leagues and bests his previous career-high of 12 he set at the beginning of the season.
Jordan “Sky” Walker extends his rookie hitting streak to 17 games passing Erik Pappas and tying Albert Pujols for the third-longest in team history. pic.twitter.com/aw9lGa2yxr
After falling into a slight cold spell once the streak ended, Walker spent a little over a month with the Cardinals Triple-A affiliate in Memphis before rejoining the club on June 2nd.
“I had some of the toughest times of my life down there,” Walker told MLBbro.com. “Most of what I learned was mental. I felt the worst I ever have at the plate. But I realized no matter what you are going through at some point you will get out of it.”
Walker will end this month hitting over .330 while adding four home runs, nine RBI and a .418 on base percentage.
He looks to extend the streak to 20 after a three-game series against the Yankees this weekend.
2. “Money” Michael Harris II
Michael Harris recovered from a Rookie of the Year hangover and became the best nine-hole hitter in baseball in a month’s time.
This is the third consecutive week Harris earned his way into the #HighFive after posting a .385 average over his last seven games, but that does not do him full justice.
Through the last 15 games Harris is hitting an unprecedented .456 with four home runs, 11 RBI, a .458 on base percentage, .772 slugging and 13 runs scored.
3. Devin “The Airbender” Williams
Devin Williams is in a different mode on the mound.
Line his resume this season up with anyone and you will find Williams is one of if not the best closer in the Majors.
On June 13th Williams blew his first save of the season, but aside from that outlier performance where he gave up four earned, he has not given up a run since May 7th!
Over that span he has 22 strikeouts in 17.1 innings and has a batting average of .118 in June.
Williams is fourth among closers in the National League in saves and his 12 hits allowed are the lease for any qualifying closer.
4. Josh Naylor
Josh Naylor has been mashing baseballs this season and he got an emotional boost this week after his brother Bo was called to the Majors.
Tuesday night the Naylor brothers became the third pair of brothers to record two hits each in the same game and the first since 1955.
Josh, who is hitting .300 in his last seven games has collected hits in 22 of his last 26 games and ranks 8th in the American League in average and is 5th in the Majors in RBI.
The competition at first base for All-Star berths is steep, but taking names away from statistics Naylor is hands down a cut above the rest.
5. George Springer
George Springer’s leadoff home run last Sunday gives him 55 for his career and moves him to second All-Time trailing only the legendary Rickey Henderson who had 81 in his career.
Last night, Michael Harris II and the NL East leading Atlanta Braves opened up a three-game home set with Mookie Betts and the NL West leading Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.
Dodgers Strike First
After a 40-minute rain delay, the Braves and Dodgers finally got to work. The Braves put up four runs in the bottom half of the first, but it was mostly Mookie and the Dodgers from there on out.
The Dodgers would put up eight runs when it was all said and done, going home with the 8-6 victory. Michael Harris went 0-4 with two strikeouts while Mookie was 1-4 with a hit, walk, run and RBI. Harris and the Braves will look to even the series tonight.
These teams have faced off in two of the last three National League Championship Series, so the excitement around this matchup could be felt from both fan bases. Albeit early in the season, it’s always good to see how your squad fares against a team that potentially stands between you and a trip to the World Series.
Now Bleacher Report blessed us with an exclusive conversation between Betts and Harris before their teams matched up Monday night, but let’s take a closer look at this clash between these two baseball titans who reside 2,189 miles apart.
Braves Continue to Build A Contender
The Braves have continued to be one of the most consistent franchises in North American professional sports, cultivating a culture that has created one of the most fun teams to watch in all of baseball.
Even Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts took note last summer while showing some love to center fielder Michael Harris II. “They can pitch, they can catch it. That Harris kid out there in center field, he’s a game changer out there. They have some slug. They have a lot of guys that play the game the right way. It’s just fun playing against those guys.”
Harris came into this season looking to build on his rookie campaign and has packed on an additional 10 pounds of muscle to his six-foot frame in order to endure the rigors of a 162-game season. Harris has struggled to find his form from last season, but the Braves haven’t missed a beat.
Atlanta is 29-18 as of Tuesday (May 22) and have dominated an NL East division that was expected to be highly competitive. The Mets are five games behind Atlanta in the standings with 10 head-to-head matchups remaining this season.
Dodgers Payola Continues to be Fruitful
Despite numerous injuries to key players on their pitching staff as well as the lineup, the Dodgers have been able to power through it all to remain atop the NL West.
A major reason for their success despite these setbacks has been the play of their Gold Glove outfielder turned utility infielder Mookie Betts. Betts’ versatility has come in clutch for LA, who have used their superstar in spot starts at short.
Even with the added pressure of playing a premier defensive position, Betts has continued to shine at the plate for the Dodgers. One aspect of his game that has remained elite is his patience at the plate. According to baseballsavant.com, Betts is currently ranked in the 89th percentile in walk percentage, 85th percentile in whiff percentage and the 99th percentile in chase rate.
His average has dipped to .250, but his xBA of .281 gives us hope that some of these balls he has hit directly at defenders will eventually start falling for hits.
MLBbro.com goes into extensive detail on a daily basis about the journey Black ball players must take in order to make it to The Show. Over the years, while the number of players making it has dwindled significantly, one thing has remained consistent; The state of Georgia continues to produce some of the best Black baseball players on the planet.
Now there are more players from Georgia scattered around the Minor Leagues as well as College Baseball, but here is a list of the nine most notable and current Black major leaguers who hail from the Peach State.
Jason “J-Hey” Heyward – Outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers
The OG of this group, ironically enough Heyward made his Major League debut in a Braves uniform. Jason burst into The Bigs in April 2010 and wasted no time making his presence felt. Heyward homered in his first major league at-bat, adding even more fuel to the fire sparked by the greatest Brave of all time; Henry “Hank” Aaron. While he didn’t live up to the hype placed on him by the former home run king, Heyward has carved out a great MLB career that includes five Gold Gloves and a World Series title.
Mullins was born in North Carolina but played his high school ball in Georgia. Drafted in the 13th round of the 2015 draft, Mullins has made it clear that he is an essential part of the Orioles Rebuild. Cedric has already made an All Star game and won a Silver Slugger award, along with becoming a member of the vaunted 30/30 club.
“Money” Michael Harris II – Outfielder, Atlanta Braves
The Braves shocked some when they called Harris up from double A last season due to injuries on the big league club, but Money Mike has done nothing but show up. Harris quickly became one of the most reliable bats in the Braves loaded lineup, and has played a Gold Glove caliber centerfield since day one. Harris’ spectacular season was rewarded by Major League Baseball, as he was named the National League Rookie of The Year.
Kyle Lewis – Outfielder, Arizona Diamondbacks
Can #MLBbro Kyle Lewis Regain His Rookie of the Year Swagger in Arizona?
Now with his second team, it wasn’t too long ago that Kyle Lewis received the same type of praise we see the aforementioned Michael Harris receives.
Lewis made his debut in 2019, but it was his 2020 season (his first full season in the bigs), that saw him hit 11 home runs and maintain an OPS of .801 en route to winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Injuries have derailed Lewis’ progress, and he will look to revive his career out in the desert.
Jordan ‘Sky’ Walker – Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals
One of the biggest prospects in all of baseball, both figuratively and literally, Jordan Walker has shown Cardinals fans early and often that he could be a future cornerstone of this ball club. Walker started his career by posting the longest hit streak by a rookie in 111 years.
His bat has cooled off lately, but fans can expect more fireworks from Jordan as the season progresses.
The number one prospect in what has historically been on of the most successful farm systems in the bigs, the 22-year-old Bradley is poised to make a name for himself on the big stage. The AL starter for the All-Star Futures game in Los Angeles last season, Bradley broke camp this year with the big league club and has impressed. Bradley is 2-0 with 2.66 ERA so far with Tampa, striking out 17 batters along the way.
CJ Abrams – Shortstop, Washington Nationals
Once one of the top prospects in the Padres farm system, Abrams found himself a part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to Southern California. Now in DC, Abrams looks to cement his place as a part of the Nationals young core.
Akil Baddoo – Outfielder, Detroit Tigers
Baddoo has the most service time on this list after Mullins and Heyward, with this season being his third year of big league experience. He hit 13 home runs and had an OPS+ of 112 in 2021.
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