MLBbro Cedric Mullins Might Be Auditioning For Yankees This Weekend

MLBbro Cedric Mullins Might Be Auditioning For Yankees This Weekend

by | Apr 28, 2022 | THE LEAD OFF

Last season, Cedric Mullins became the first Orioles player ever to join the 30/30 club. After a slow start in 2022, he is putting himself back on the radar with his recent hot streak.

 

 

Mullins, AkA “CM Storm”, finished with exactly 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases last season – the only player in the Majors to do so.

That put him in rare company with some legends. Players such as Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds are just some of the 17 Black players in the club.  Other notable recent members include Mookie Betts, who did it with the Boston Red Sox in 2018, and Matt Kemp who did it in 2011 – and he would be robbed of what would have been his only MVP award.

 

 

As has been the case for many hitters around the Majors, last year’s Silver Slugger and first time All-Star got off to a slow start after the lockout-shortened Spring Training.

He started off hitting only .167 through his first nine games of the season but has since hit safely in seven out of his last eight games entering Wednesday night.

An April 18th triple against the Oakland Athletics may have been what got Mullins out of his slump.  He took the pitch dead to right center and the ball was estimated to have an exit velocity of 102.8 MPH with a protected distance of 382 feet.

This blast would have been good for a home run in a few other Major League parks that are not the size of the Coliseum outfield.

That triple came in Mullins final at-bat of the game. Since then, he has a .280 batting average, .419 on base percentage while slugging .440.  He also has drawn four walks and stole two bases from his usual leadoff spot.

This week Mullins will look to continue his success during a weekday series against a familiar foe: the New York Yankees. Rumors say the Yankees could be interested in adding C-M Storm to an outfield that includes two of the best power hitting Bros in baseball in Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, as well as Aaron Hicks who is looking for a bounce back year after missing a majority of last season with injury.

Around this time last season Mullins’ began introducing himself to fans around the game. It just so happened to be against the same Yankee team he’ll face off against this week.  On April 26, 2021, Mullins was 3-for-4 with two home runs, two RBI and a double.

In all, Mullins was 21-for-67 for a .313 average and five home runs in 16 games against the Yankees last season, so we’ll see if he can continue to rain in hits against one of baseball’s most noticeable franchises.