The first seven days are in the books. And man, what an opening week we enjoyed. Here is all of the information you need to know in 30 bullet points
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Ketel Marte leads the NL with 12 hits and is tied for the most valuable player with Nick Castellanos (0.7 fWAR)
ATLANTA BRAVES: Reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman is the only player to have been issued two intentional walks this season. The superstar first baseman has five walks, two strikeouts and two hits.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES: No team has struck out more than the Orioles (77 times), although Cedric Mullins is a one-man hitting machine with .480 batting average.
BOSTON RED SOX: Despite Garrett Richards‘ 27.00 ERA and Josh Taylor‘s 18:00 ERA, the Red Sox are the only team yet to allow a home run.
CHICAGO CUBS: This was the final stat I found, but I think I like it best. 17 Cubs hitters have had plate appearances, but not one is hitting above the Mendoza Line (0.200 AVG).
CHICAGO WHITE SOX: Everyone’s favourite under-the-radar player, Yermin Mercedes, leads the league with .565 AVG having gone 13-for-23.
CINCINNATI REDS: Nicholas Castellanos (or Nick to his friends) has a league-leading 1.610 OPS. And he is the only player to receive a two-game suspension.
CLEVELAND INDIANS: Despite making his first start in the snow, Shane Bieber leads all pitchers with 24 strikeouts (at a rate of 17.5 SO/9).
COLORADO ROCKIES: Three players are tied for the lead with four home runs: Reds’ Nick Castellanos and Tyler Naquin, and the Rockies Ryan McMahon who went deep three times in one game.
DETROIT TIGERS: Any time you are ahead of Mike Trout on a leader board means you must be doing something right. Robbie Grossman leads MLB with nine walks, ahead of Mike Trout with eight. Grossman is hitting .125 AVG whereas Trout has a more impressive .368 AVG after the first week of action.
HOUSTON ASTROS: Unperturbed by the trash can-themed abuse from the crowd, Jose Altuve is tied as the top run-scorer with the Reds duo of Nick Senzel and Nick Castellanos.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS: The Royals are one of only five AL teams with a winning record after the first week. All 11 hitters with more than one plate appearance have scored runs.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS: The list of players who have homered, tripled and swiped a couple of bags is just one name. Shohei Ohtani. It’s incredible that I don’t even need to mention pitching and he is already unique this season.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS: Super-utility Chris Taylor has the best on-base percentage in the league. The rest of MLB can do without one of the lesser Dodgers getting on-base at a .591% clip. Although Max Muncy and Corey Seager tie for the most times on-base with 17.
MIAMI MARLINS: Hands up if you predicted that after the first week Tigers’ Akil Baddoo would have as many home runs (two) as the entire Miami Marlins roster.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS: First baseman Keston Huira could not have started the season worse. He is yet to register a hit in 20 at-bats, and has struck out 10 times.
MINNESOTA TWINS: Nelson Cruz, Albert Pujols and Rich Hill are the only 40-somethings to get at-bats this season. Cruz is hitting .479 AVG with 1.059 OPS.
NEW YORK METS: I can’t improve on the following stat …
NEW YORK YANKEES: I may have underestimated the Yankees pitching. As a team, they lead MLB with 33.5% strikeout rate, and they also have the lowest walk rate of just 5%
OAKLAND ATHLETICS: With only 22 swiped bags in his career coming into 2021, it is somewhat surprising to see outfielder-extraordinaire, Ramon Laureano, leading MLB with four stolen bases.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: Who leads MLB with three pitcher wins? Connor Brogdon, obvs.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES: I like watching Chad Kuhl, but it has been a tough start to the season for him. With eight walks allowed, he is tied for the lead with Rockies’ German Marquez and Mariners’ Justin Dunn
SAN DIEGO PADRES: Poor Fernando Tatis Jr.. Not only is he out indefinitely with a subluxation of his left shoulder, but he also leads the league with five errors in five games. His teammate, Jake Cronenworth, leads the league with seven double-plays.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: The Giants like to mix-and-match, and are using the closer-by-committee philosophy. Unfortunately, the mixing and matching isn’t going to plan and Tyler Rogers is the only player in MLB with two blown saves to his name.
SEATTLE MARINERS: Ty France hit five home runs in spring training as part of 1.135 OPS. He has connected to one long ball during the regular season, and the rest of his team have gone deep once between them. Two home runs in total!
ST LOUIS CARDINALS: With 12 strikeouts, Tyler O’Neill is tied atop the leader board with Rangers’ Leody Taveras, Twins’ Miguel Sano, and the White Sox pair of Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu.
TAMPA BAY RAYS: In six games, Brandon Lowe is yet to drive in a run, but he has an impressive 144 OPS+. In five games, Yoshi Tsutsugo has one RBI, but his OPS+ of -3 is less impressive. The league average OPS+ is 100.
TEXAS RANGERS: This could be the most amazing stat of the first seven days. In six games, totalling 26 plate appearances, Nick Solak has been hit four times. Although maybe it is not as surprising when you see that two Rangers pitchers (Kyle Cody and Brett de Geus) lead MLB by inflicting three HBP each.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS: Much was made preseason about the power potential of catcher Alejandro Kirk and first baseman/DH Rowdy Tellez. Both guys are searching for their first hit as they have combined for 0-for-23.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS: The delayed start and disrupted preparation wasn’t ideal for Max Scherzer who is the only pitcher to have allowed four home runs this season. And he did it in a solitary start of six innings.
- Also, 36 pitchers have recorded a save, although Mark Melancon is the only player with three
- Also, Oakland’s Reymin Guduan has already thrown four wild pitches
- Also, Diamondbacks’ Madison Bumgarner leads the league with 11 earned runs
- Also, Rangers’ Nate Lowe leads MLB with 14 RBI
- Also, Yankees’ Gleyber Torres has had 27 plate appearances without an RBI
If you enjoyed the article, hit the share button and give Gav feedback @GavTramps if you didn’t, don’t.
- Link to iTunes podcast feed (rate and review us please)
- Follow us on Twitter @BatFlips_Nerds
- Find us on the Facebook
- Support us on Patreon
- Contribute an article
- Email us admin@batflipsandnerds.com
- Listen to the latest podcast