Yankees-Orioles Delayed Briefly Because of Watch Blinding Juan Soto

May 2, 2024 Jimm Sallivan

The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, locked in for a final game of a four-game set on Thursday afternoon to determine the sole leader of the AL East, were delayed briefly for a reason you probably haven’t heard before. A wristwatch was causing issues for Juan Soto in the third inning.

Soto complained to the umpire about something out near the batter’s eye. There was some confusion both in the stadium and among broadcasters of the game over what the complaint was. The umpire went to the Orioles’ dugout to have them make a phone call to the bullpen to communicate with the perpetrator in the outfield.

An official of some sort was sitting in a walkway near the batter’s eye in a white shirt, and he briefly moved back a few feet, thinking his shirt was the issue.

“Someone send him an orange shirt!” color commentator Joe Girardi joked on YES Network.

Shortly after, it was clarified that a police officer stationed nearby was the actual issue. His watch face was reflecting the sun toward home plate, making it difficult for Soto to see where the ball was.

We had a brief delay as Juan Soto complained about the badge/watch of a police officer stationed beyond the centerfield wall. That’s a new one!

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) May 2, 2024

The officer moved over a touch, and it ostensibly fixed the problem, as the game continued. Soto proceeded to strike out.

Another entry in the long list of why games have been delayed, which also got “bee colony” added in earlier this week in Arizona.

2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Aaron Boone Changed His Mind on Alex Verdugo’s Role in Lineup in Record Time

Year one with the New York Yankees has been good to outfielder Alex Verdugo thus far. The veteran is slashing .267/.358/.446 with four home runs and 13 RBIs a month into the season—all while riding the highest OPS+ of his career.

Verdugo has been good enough, in fact, to both get a lofty assignment from manager Aaron Boone and quickly have it yanked away.

In a Tuesday conversation with Talkin' Yanks, Boone was asked whether Verdugo would hit cleanup when he returned from paternity leave. He responded in the affirmative while implying Verdugo would likely only hit fourth against right-handed pitchers.

Boone says the cleanup spot is Verdugo's against righties from now on pic.twitter.com/nHfU4DAnpf
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 1, 2024

On Thursday, the Yankees were scheduled to tussle with the Baltimore Orioles. Where in the order, dear reader, was Verdugo in his return against right-handed Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish?

Sixth.

Annnnd Verdugo is batting 6th today https://t.co/4Y0KAYzSSU
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 2, 2024

In an even funnier twist, first baseman Anthony Rizzo—who Boone said he'd explicitly alerted about the lineup change—was tabbed to hit cleanup.

Don't be surprised if Boone changes his mind again, especially if Verdugo continues his tear at the plate following his return from paternity leave.

8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

MLB Best Bets Today, June 8th (Fade Kyle Bradish and Orioles?)

Who wants winners on Saturday?

With 15 Major League Baseball games on the docket Saturday, I'm going across the bigs to find three best bets on the card, including how to bet the Orioles vs. Rays game on Saturday, which features one of the hottest pitchers in baseball in Kyle Bradish.

Can Bradish keep it up, or will he come back down to Earth?

Here's my bet for that game, as well as the Nationals vs. Braves matchup and the Reds vs. Cubs matchup in a division-filled best bets slate on Saturday.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Braves vs. Nationals Prediction and Pick

MacKenzie Gore has been outstanding this season, striking out a career best 27.3% of batters with a career low 3.57 ERA.

The former Padres prized prospect is starting to see perform like it and now draws a Braves team that is struggling without Ronald Acuna Jr, who tore his ACL and is out for the year. Atlanta is hitting only .211 in June.

Atlanta's lineup is struggling and Charlie Morton may not be able to give enough help on the mound. He has a 3.88 ERA with a 3.94 xERA, but has a walk rate of nearly 11%. There are simply too many free bases given out in what may be a low scoring affiar.

Atlanta keeps getting priced like the team will stop its slide, but I'm going to take advantage and go against it.

Rays vs. Orioles Prediction and Pick

Both starters have missed time this season, with different results, but I’m betting on it going in a different direction on Saturday.

Kyle Bradish of the Orioles has made six starts and has been pitching the best baseball of his career. He is striking out 32% of batters, way above his career average, while allowing a hard-hit percentage of only 25%, 99th percentile in the big leagues.

While it’s a fantastic start for a league average pitcher, regression will come for him soon.

I’ll try here, on the road against a Rays team that has pop in the lineup and a pitcher who has a high ceiling in Taj Bradley. The hard throwing right hander hasn’t had good results this season, his xERA is hovering around 7.00, but i believe he can outperform expectations given the Orioles have the third fewest walks on the year.

Cubs vs. Reds Prediction and Pick

The Cubs’ skid has continued while the Reds have won six straight, so I’ll side with the hot home team.

It helps that Chicago is bottom 10 in OPS against left handers this season as the team faces Reds’ starter Andrew Abbott.

Cincinnati is playing its best ball now, second in the big leagues in OPS over the last 13 games and play in the hitter friendly Great American Ball Park. I don't see the difference between the two teams at the moment being neglible, like this line indicates, and I expect Cincy to win with ease at home for a seventh straight game.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

5 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Daily Dinger: Best MLB Home Run Picks Today (Gunnar Henderson’s Prime to Go Yard)

With baseball all day, we all want to know who is going to crack one deep.

Lucky for you, I've canvassed the board for some advantageous matchups for hitters across Major League Baseball, including MVP candidate Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles.

In addition to Henderson, I'm eyeing two other hitters that are in line ofr home runs, find out who below!

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Gunnar Henderson

Henderson is seeking his 20th home run of the season, and I love it to come on Wednesday.

Ranking in the 95th percentile or better in xSLG, average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage, per MLBStatcast. Henderson is rightfully inside of +400 to go deep against Jose Berrios, who has allowed hard contact on more than 44% of balls put in play, which is in the 18th percentile.

15 of his 19 homers have come against righties, and Berrios' looming regression due to hard contact makes Henderson a prime candidate to go deep on Wednesday.

Jeimer Candelario

Candelario is swinging a sweet bat at the moment, hitting .368 over his last 19 at bats with a home run while slugging .579. He draws a favorable matchup against Dakota Hudson of the Rockies at the hitter friendly Coors Field.

Hudson is struggling this season, posting a 5.02 ERA that balloons at home to a 7.43 ERA in five starts while allowing two home runs.

Candelario is slugging .444 against righties, far higher than his .397 mark against lefties while mashing six of his seven homers against righties, I'll back him in a good spot on Wednesday afternoon in Colorado.

Jake Cronenworth

A lefty batter, Cronenworth is a dangerous hitter against right handed pitching, mashing all of his eight home runs against that side while slugging .528. He is a disciplined hitter who is barreling up nearly nine percent of balls in play, which is in the 63rd percentile.

With the wind blowing out at Angel Stadium at about eight miles per hour, and a soft-tossing Jose Soriano set to start for the Halos, I like Cronenworth to crack his ninth dinger of the year.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Yankees-Orioles Delayed Briefly Because of Watch Blinding Juan Soto

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