As one of the most merchandisable film franchises ever made, Star Wars figures regularly and prominently in the promotion-friendly world of Minor League Baseball.
This year, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia and company have been called up to the big leagues.
On Saturday—Star Wars Day, so designated because of its pun on “May the fourth be with you”—Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson showed off a special bat for the occasion ahead of a game against the Cincinnati Reds.
The bat—designed to mimic trademark Star Wars lightsabers—is red with Darth Vader and Death Star designs on one side, and blue with Luke Skywalker and Yoda designs on the other.
Gunnar Henderson’s Star Wars bat goes insanely hard 🤯
In the opening game of a series in Baltimore between the two teams jockeying for the lead of the AL East -- the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles -- Baltimore walked away with a win that nearly could have been lost.
In the top of the ninth inning on Monday, Yankees utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera hit a ball deep to left field. The ball, launched 379 feet, would have been a home run in six parks in the majors according to Statcast, but not Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
It was noted by Yankees commentator Michael Kay that it would have been a home run three years ago, calling out the fact that the Orioles reconfigured the stadium to move the left field back a distance.
Instead, it was an easy flyout that led to an Orioles' win.
Wednesday, for the third game in the four-game set, Cabrera hit another ball that went 352 feet to right field. This one was ruled a home run because it got lodged in the right-field foul pole fencing.
"At the moment that I hit the ball, I know it that I hit really well, but I didn't know where was the ball. So if you see my running to first I was like, 'where's the ball?'"
One night, falling short to the dimensions of the field. A few days later, getting past the same park's dimensions, just by the skin of the ball, both events playing into the final scoreline directly.
Going into Thursday's matchup, the Orioles lead the series 2-1, with both teams locked in a tie for the top spot in the AL East.
Orioles star Gunnar Henderson launched a leadoff home run in the first inning of Baltimore's 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Monday night, making history in the process and improving his already hot start. Henderson, who is two months' shy of celebrating his 23rd birthday, is now the youngest player to hit 10 home runs before May 1.
That's a very specific stat, of course, but it's a great jumping-off point to look at the way the infielder has leapt out of the gates in what is already his third Major League season, and second in full.
The reigning American League Rookie of the Year is slashing .289/.352/.632 and leads the AL as the only player to break double-digits in the longball department. He's also the leader in runs and total bases. Henderson has stolen six bases, only four off his mark from all of 2023. His WAR already sits at 2.0, highest among AL position players and his slugging percentage is at the top of the charts.
His 10 April round-trippers are the third-most for any Oriole in April, trailing only Brady Anderson (11 in 1996) and Frank Robinson (10 in 1969).
Henderson's contributions have helped Baltimore build up a 18-10 record and positioned them atop the American League East with the New York Yankees. They've also helped ease the pain of Jackson Holliday's rough start and build excitement that this could be a special season for the O's.
UPDATE: Juan Soto's MRI came back with only inflammation, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman. His AL MVP odds have still dropped to +450 at FanDuel Sportsbook -- but they have rebounded after falling as low as +650.
The initial prognosis on Juan Soto's MRI is that it's only inflammation and he should be ok, per @JonHeyman
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 7, 2024
What follows is the initial story of the odds movement following Soto's exit from Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Twins. His odds have remained the same at DraftKings Sportsbook (+235) throughout this process.
New York Yankees fans everywhere held their breath on Thursday night after Juan Soto was lifted from the team's win with what the Yankees called, "left forearm discomfort."
However, MLB insider Jon Heyman revealed on Friday that the Yankees are "nervous" when it comes to Soto and his injury and his odds have fallen since the injury occurred.
"The Yankees have their fingers crossed, they're nervous."
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) June 7, 2024
Soto is slashing an impressive .318/.424/.603 with 17 homers on the season. He was right behind teammate Aaron Judge in the odds as the No. 2 favorite for the AL MVP.
That has since changed at FanDuel Sportsbook, a sign that Soto could be looking at a stint on the injured list. Even if Soto plays, oddsmakers may be taking their chance on him being less effective with his forearm bothering him, at least in terms of his ability to win AL MVP.
Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. and Baltimore Orioles star Gunnar Henderson have leapfrogged Soto in the latest AL MVP odds. Soto dropped from +210 to +650 since being removed from Thursday's game, a massive falloff that signals oddsmakers believe he's at least expected to miss some time or be less effective in the MVP race.
The other important note here is Judge has jumped to a clear favorite in this market. After posting an OPS over 1.400 in May, Judge is now hitting .289 on the season and leads baseball in homers (21), doubles, and walks drawn.
Despite the movement at FanDuel, that isn't the case everywhere in the betting market.
In this case, oddsmakers still believe in Soto's AL MVP case, although Witt Jr. and Henderson are right on his heels for the No. 2 spot.
Until the Yankees officially announce a roster move, Soto's status is truly up in the air.
The star outfielder addressed the media on Thursday, saying he's been dealing with the ailment for a couple of weeks. While he's been able to play through it, there has to be some concern that this has been building over time.
Juan Soto says he's felt the forearm tightness for a couple weeks but it hasn't impacted his baseball related activities at all pic.twitter.com/UuyC2ATyyA
Soto didn't have to make many throws against the Twins on Thursday, and it's unclear if there is a specific spot where he could have aggravated his forearm that led to his removal from the game.
If the injury isn't bothering Soto when he hits, he theoretically could stay in the AL-leading Yankees lineup as a designated hitter.
The problem? That spot is usually manned by slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who has been injury-prone in the past and is certainly risky to play in the field. For now, the Yankees and their fans -- and Soto bettors -- are hoping for some positive news about his injury in the coming days.
I think this helps Judge's MVP case the most, as the Yankees would rely even more on the 2022 AL MVP if Soto can't play for any period.
Judge has finished in the top five in MVP voting in three different seasons in his MLB career.
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