July 2, 2021
1. Trevor Bauer gets placed on 7-day administrative leave
Here’s the timeline of what’s happened over the past day, if you missed any part of it. First, before the game yesterday in D.C., Dave Roberts explained (per MLB’s recommendation) that Bauer would still be pitching this weekend, as normal:
Many people were upset, or at least thought it was the wrong decision, given the nature of the allegations, including many in the media — culminating in a column from Ken Rosenthal last night that blew up:
And so, this afternoon, MLB decided to change tack:
Brusdar Graterol will replace him in the rotation, Bauer will sit out for seven days as MLB tries to gather more information, and no one quite knows how the rest will play out. Here was the comment from Bauer’s camp:
And a statement from the Pasadena Police:
2. Meanwhile, the rest of the Dodgers went to the White House
Headlined by Joe Kelly, wearing the mariachi jacket he’d just traded his jersey for days ago at Dodger Stadium:
3. The plays of the day: Manny Machado and Jackie Bradley Jr.
First, in Cincinnati, textbook Manny launching a perfect throw across the diamond, from his knee:
And then in Pittsburgh, where the Brewers kept on with the incredibly hot streak (6.5-game lead in the NL Central now) — Jackie Bradley Jr. deked Jacob Stallings into thinking a ball was going over the fence, then caught it and sent a long throw to first base for the double play:
4. The All-Star Game starters have been announced
Vladdy Guerrero Jr. was the leading overall vote-getter, and his dad couldn’t have been more proud:
And Jesse Winker, batting .322 with 19 HRs for the Reds, got emotional:
5. Updates from the world of illegal substance checks
6. Joey Gallo is on an extreme hot streak this week
Taking a page from the Kyle Schwarber textbook, he’s got seven home runs in his last five games — and at least one in each of those last five.
7. This guy at the Astros game in Cleveland had the best sign of the year
The only one that could come close was this, from April, at Wrigley:
And for good measure, here were two more the Indians fans came with, in recognition of the Astros coming to town:
8. Deep HR of the week: Bryce Harper off the brick wall in center
Like a schoolyard feat, hitting a tennis or wiffle ball to the farthest school building wall, going down as the legend of fifth grade.
From the game two nights ago:
9. Sad news: Yermin Mercedes gets demoted to AAA
The hottest debut in recent baseball memory has cooled, and nationwide fan favorite Yermin Mercedes has, sadly, been sent down.
10. Jacob deGrom gives up three runs in the first inning
More earned runs than he’s given up in an entire game this year, that’s how good he’s been.
And what did he do after that first inning? Settled right back down into being Jacob deGrom:
11. And the Braves went on to win that game just barely
Those three runs off deGrom in the first inning were the only offense the Braves had all night — until Freddie Freeman knocked an infield single in the ninth, for the walk-off win (and 3.5 games back of the the Mets now):
12. Longtime catcher Alex Avila played infield for the first time
13. The rain storm at Nats Park was wild last night
“I don’t think the heavy stuff is coming down for quite a while…”
The whole scene included an ongoing tornado warning:
14. Nolan Arenado gets an ovation as he returns to Colorado
15. And lastly, there’s a new world record for cup snakes
The sensation that’s swept the nation, and a new winner:
See you tomorrow, everyone — and a very Happy 4th of July!
