MLB Rewind: Collin McHugh Gets Lit Up
With a virtually full tilt of games yesterday, there were plenty of exciting plays and excellent performances. There were also some truly awful outings. Let’s take a trip around the MLB and review the action.
Yesterday may well go down as a truly historic day in MLB history. Kenta Maeda made his major league debut last night, and Trevor Story continued to assault the baseball at a historic pace. David Ortiz surpassed Eddie Murray on the all time home run list, and Victor Martinez became the first player in the modern baseball era to have a pinch hit home run in his team’s first two games.
There were also some terrible performances. Essentially anyone in a Houston Astros uniform who took the mound in their 16-6 defeat at the hands of the New York Yankees struggled. The San Diego Padres offense has continued to be non-existent. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves keep finding new and creative ways to lose.
So, which performances around baseball truly stood out? Let us take a trip around the game and, to borrow the title from the Clint Eastwood film from 1966, look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from yesterday’s action.
Next: An impressive debut
The Good – Kenta Maeda
One of the bevy of starting pitchers that the Los Angeles Dodgers signed over the offseason, Kenta Maeda put a lot of faith in his abilities. His eight year contract only had $24 Million guaranteed, but there were quite a few incentives that could boost the overall value. For one day, his belief in himself seemed justified.
Maeda became the third Dodgers pitcher to dominate the San Diego Padres, allowing only five hits in his six innings of work, striking out four. He had only one fly ball and did not go to a three ball count, demonstrating his phenomenal control. With that performance on the mound, and the Dodgers bullpen preserving the shutout, they joined the 1963 Cardinals as the only team to record shutouts in their first three games.
This excellent debut was not just limited to the mound. In the fourth inning, after being late to the batter’s box, Maeda ripped Andrew Cashner‘s 0-2 pitch with one out in the top of the fourth into the left field stands for a home run. He later lined out to first in the top of the sixth, showing that his home run may not have been a fluke.
Kenta Maeda, at least based on scouting reports, is not expected to be a top of the rotation starter like Masahiro Tanaka was. However, if his first start is any indication, those expectations may need to be adjusted.
Next: The more things change....
The Bad – A. J. Pierzynski
It is difficult to call a game where a player ends up going 1-4 with an RBI a bad game, even with two strikeouts, but that is the case with Atlanta Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski, whose two miscues may have cost the Braves the game.
The first mistake came on his RBI base hit. With runners on first and second and one out, Pierzynski singled to center. Nick Markakis scored, and it made sense to think that center fielder Michael Taylor would throw to third. Instead, Taylor threw to second, where Pierzynski was attempting to advance on the anticipated throw, being gunned down with ease. This was the second baserunner that Taylor had erased at second in the inning, shutting down a potential big inning for the Braves.
The second gaffe came in the seventh. With two out and a runner on second, Pierzynski attempted to call time before Bud Norris‘ 2-1 pitch. Time was not granted, and Wilson Ramos hit an infield single to short. With Ryan Zimmerman heading home, Freddie Freeman threw to the plate, a throw that Pierzynski just appeared to miss. Freeman was charged with an error, and the Nationals ended up scoring three times in the inning to take a 3-2 victory.
A.J. Pierzynski had two bad moments for the Atlanta Braves, and they may well have been enough to cost them the game. Yet, that was not the worst moment around baseball last night.
Next: Not how he wanted to start 2016
The Ugly – Collin McHugh
A year after a solid rookie season, Collin McHugh took a step towards being a top of the rotation starter for the Houston Astros. He posted a solid 19-7 record with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.277 WHiP, proving to be a decent counterpart to Dallas Kuechel in the Astros rotation.
As he looked to build off of his 2015 campaign, one could imagine that McHugh had an idea as to how he wanted his first outing to go. Well, the New York Yankees ruined those plans, battering McHugh for six runs, five earned, on three hits and two walks as he retired only one batter.
McHugh was his own worst enemy. After catcher’s interference allowed Jacoby Ellsbury to reach to lead off the inning, McHugh walked the bases loaded. A single by Mark Teixiera and a double by Brian McCann brought in three runs, before an RBI groundout plated a fourth. A base hit by Chase Headley ended up chasing McHugh, putting a merciful end to his night.
Next: Is Marcus Stroman ready to be an ace?
Overall, it was a rough night for any pitcher not named Ivan Nova, as the 16-6 final score would attest. However, Collin McHugh’s line, .1 inning, 6 runs, five earned, on three hits and two walks, was truly ugly.