MLB the ninth: Who stops Fried, Skubal and Ohtani?

ByDavid Mitchell
MLB the ninth: Who stops Fried, Skubal and Ohtani?

Max Fried justifies his contract with Yankees, Skubal dresses Maddux, Ohtani not to soprive and much more in AM850’s novena.

Max Fried and video game numbers not seen from Pedro Martínez

We all knew that Max Fried He is an excellent pitcher, but what he is doing in 2025 is so surprising, that the most recent comparison we have to understand what the pitcher is doing in his first year with New York Yankees, is the 1997 season of 1997 Pedro Martínez. Since MLB He decided to lower the mound in 1969, only two pitchers have had seven wins without defeats and an effectiveness of less than 1.50 upon arrival Memorial Daywhich was last Monday, May 26. One of them is Max Fried (7-0 with an era of 1.29) and the other was Pedro Martínez (8-0 with an era of 1.17) during the aforementioned year. That year of 1997 marked the first occasion, of three, in which “Pedro the Great” won the Cy Young Award And because of the rhythm that things carry at the moment, Fried is a solid candidate to achieve his first in 2025.

In a 24 -carat pitching exhibition, the Cy Young prevailing of the American LeagueTarik Skubal, launched the complete route last Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians to which he limited two hits, without a race. Thus, the left -handed completed the first game of his career in the big leagues. There were 94 launches in which he added 29 lines, 29 speed changes, 26 withoutkers, nine sliders and a knuckle curve to complete the masterpiece in what is known as a Greg Maddux, that is, to sign the bleached with less than 100 shipments. Three of his pitching exceeded 100 miles per hour. The ace of the rotation of the Detroit Tigers now has a 5-2 mark, with 2.49 of effectiveness, and is the leader of the Young circuitwith 92 strikeouts, and with 1.96 of FIP.

On Sunday, in the last game of the series against Mets, and Monday in the first of the confrontation against Guardians, Shohei Ohtani He opened Dodgers’ games with respective home runs. In 2025, the Japanese star has needed 21 games less than last year to reach 20 home runs. Last year it was not until his game 74 when he reached the two tens of flycases, this time he did it at number 53. From this Friday, the Dodgers are subtracted 106 games in the regular calendar, so, if he maintains the same rhythm as in the first 53, which looks difficult -although it seems that this is a word that does not exist in the dictionary of the Japanese -, the projection would be of another 40 To say, it would reach 60. However, Slumps are part of the game and, although the Japanese lives a good time, it is very difficult to maintain the same pace in the long season. Anyway, Ohtani presumes the 13 home run franchise record in May and will surely go on the record of more home runs in a month (15), imposed by Pedro Guerrero in June 1985 and Duke Snider In August 1953.

Ohtani takes a new step towards the mound

On May 25, Ohtani launched from the mound during the batting practice and was seen in form, in fact, he made shipments with great movement. So after having won his third prize to Most valuable player And his first ring of World Series Just in his first season with Dodgers, the Japanese is ready to return to the center of the diamond. After a shoulder surgery in the fall of 2023, last year he dedicated himself to hit and this time, with a fantastic starting start in the offensive numbers, Dodgers could put it in the hill for the first time with his colors. Since his arrival at the big leagues, the seasons in which he has not launched have been 2019, 2024 and the beginning of this 2025. We will see if his offensive numbers do not decrease once he goes up to the mound. His two best seasons since the hill have been with Angels: 2021 (9-2, .318) and 2022 (15-9, 2.33).

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Shohei Ohtani faced batters again

Dodgers’ Japanese star had a session as a pitcher before the game against Mets.

5. Sandy Alcántara, the opposite of video game numbers

Speaking of a pitcher who is on a plane completely opposite to the one mentioned above Max Fried, we must necessarily point to the Rotation of the Miami Marlins, Sandy Alcántara. The right -handed Quisqueyano is in the middle of its worst season in the big leagues. The winner of Cy Young Award from the National League of 2022who comes from getting lost a year after a Tommy John surgeryhe has simply not being able to find any kind of rhythm in the first two months of the season. Alcantara on the mound has cost the Marlins, which is reflected in their -1.4 WAR. Additionally, it has an effectiveness of 8.47 in 51 inputs, as well as an era+ of just 52. These numbers are accompanied by an independent picheo of defense (FIP) of 5.36 and an average hits and bases per ball per input launched (Whip) of 1,667. In flat terms, 2025 has been, at least so far, a disaster for Alcantara.

6. Degrom breaks Game Raz 228 with at least a punch

The Rangers launcher, Jacob Degrom, had a weird game on Monday against Toronto Blue Jays, as he released 5.1 tickets and for the first time in his 12 -seasons career he compiled his first game without a punch, 229 launched (all as a starter). According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 228 Degrom games with a punch at the beginning of his career marked the tenth longest run of any pitcher since the mound moved at his current distance in 1893. The only active players with longer gusts are Aaron Nola (277) and Zack Wheeler (270). The streak of 349 consecutive appearances of Dwight Gooden With a punch at the beginning of his career it is the longest of this type in that period.

7. What Mexicans did not give Hit in the call to the big leagues?

The Sinaloense Alejandro Osuna became the position player-not pitcher-born in Mexico number 62 in the history of major leagues, after making his debut with the Texas Rangers last Sunday. On Monday he hit his first two hits in the great tent and with that he became the player 58 to achieve it, because only four of these 62 players born in Mexico could not give one. Who are they? In 1991, the Paracorto Ever Magallanes It was called by the now Cleveland Guardians to play three games and take two legal shifts without giving unstoppable. He had another appearance to the plate and received a passport. In 1995, the receiver Noah Muñoz He played a pair of clashes with Los Angeles Dodgers and had a turn to bat without connecting hit. In 2012 and 2014, the Román Ali Solís also played for San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively. With the former he went 4-0 in five games and with the seconds of 6-0 in eight games, with a race towed with a high sacrifice. The most recent to leave without Hit was Irving Lopez with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023, who has the record for Mexicans with more legal shifts without hitting 11, although like Solís he left with a race produced with elevated sacrifice.

8. Eric Hosmer, the player to whom parents and Red Sox pay him to play with the Savannah Bananas

If when I was a child, someone had told me that baseball would have its own version of the famous ‘Harlem Globetrotters’I would probably not believed them. If at that time they had told me that millions of dollars would pay me to simulate what game baseball, I would have started practicing my dance steps, pirouettes and my “maromas laps.” The same is doing the former MLB player, Eric Hosmerwho in February of this year announced his retirement from the big leagues, but recently returned to uniform already take a baseball ground with the Savannah bananas. It is not the first time that the team invites an athlete to participate in one of his matches, but the curious thing is that Hosmer did it, while he continues to receive a salary of $ 14 million from Boston Red Sox ($ 760,000.00) and San Diego Padres ($ 12,240,000.00). Good for Hosmer, who is enjoying his retirement and causing us a little envy to all of us who once dream of playing professional baseball.

9. Rockies continues on the street of bitterness with more negative records

There is no doubt that the Colorado Rockies walk along the street of bitter Louisville Colonels From 1895. Colorado has a record of 0-18 in series this season and also lost its last three in 2024. From Friday to Sunday they will play visitors against the New York Mets, where only a miracle will make them leave with at least two triumphs of Citi Field. His chance to cut the record will be from Monday, May 2 when they visit the Miami Marlins. When they were 55 games played until Tuesday, the rockies became the first team from the Washington Senators of 1904 with less than 10 victories in that period. Rockies compiled 9-46 in cattle and losses and senators 9-43 and 3 draws.

David Mitchell
David Mitchell

As a passionate sports journalist with over a decade of experience, I strive to uncover the heart and soul behind every game. Supported by a dedicated team of fellow enthusiasts and storytellers, I am committed to delivering insightful and engaging content that connects fans worldwide. Together, we celebrate the victories, challenges, and unifying spirit of sports through every article we craft.