Each MLB team has only played three or four games thus far and only one MLB doesn’t have a win yet (the Baltimore Orioles). Considering that the Orioles might lose more than 105 games again this year, that’s not surprising.
But that doesn’t mean that there weren’t some teams (or players) that played really poorly or really well. Considering the sample size of the year so far, here are five overreactions to the play this weekend.
1) The Los Angeles Dodgers need to designate Cody Bellinger for assignment
For this one, it’s really not a small sample size. Since 2019, Cody Bellinger could not hit water if he fell out of a boat as we recently discussed in this article.
He went 0-for-4 on Friday, 0-for-4 with two punchouts on Saturday, and 2-for-3 with a walk on Sunday. You might say “well, he got two hits” on Sunday and, yes, he did. That doesn’t mean that he can’t hit at the MLB level. Look at the first hit he had on Sunday.
That did not exactly breaking the sound barrier with the speed of that screamer to third.
Since 2020, Bellinger has hit .192 with an OPS+ of 70. In 2019, he won the NL MVP award after hitting .305 with a 1.035 OPS, 47 homers, and 115 RBI. That’s the only reason why he is still on the team.
At this rate, the Dodgers need to either DFA him or trade him because he’s not very good. It’s as simple as that.
2) The Colorado Rockies are the real deal
The Dodgers lost two of three to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. It was the first time since 2018 that the Dodgers lost a series at Coors Field. That was the year when the Rockies and Dodgers had to play Game 163 to determine the winner of the NL West.
Most people projected them to be in fourth or last place in the NL West. It was an easy bet to take the over on them for their 2022 win total but they could be good enough to be a playoff team … if things continue.
3) Steven Kwan might be the next Manny Ramírez (without steroids)
The Cleveland Indians have had an awful offensive outfield for two decades but Steven Kwan may change that. In fact, the last time they had a power-hitting outfielder who was consistently healthy was Manny Ramírez played for them in 2000.
Kwan, who is a rookie, went 8-for-10 in the first series of his career with two doubles and three walks. He had an OPS of 1.857.
4) Kyle Gibson might be the best pitcher in MLB
There’s only one pitcher that has thrown at least seven innings with double-digit strikeouts through the first series of the year. That is Philadelphia Phillies starter Kyle Gibson.
On Saturday, Gibson went seven scoreless innings while only allowing two hits and striking out 10 on just 82 pitches against the Oakland A’s. The Phillies won 4-2 (because the Phillies bullpen has to give up runs because it’s the Phillies bullpen) but Gibson is off to a great start.
5) The Arizona Diamondbacks might have the worst offense in recent memory
In the first two games of the season, the Arizona Diamondbacks had exactly zero hits in the first six innings of the game.
In the four-game series against the San Diego Padres, the D-Backs had a total of 15 hits. They only were able to win one game of the series was because the Padres only had two runs and four hits on Opening Day (the D-Backs had four runs and three hits).
For 2022, they definitely will have a bad offense but at this rate, it may be one of the worst in recent memory.