If you couldn’t tell from the All-Star game festivities, Shohei Ohtani is one of the new faces of baseball. Not only did he participate in the Home Run Derby and bat leadoff for the American League in the All-Star Game on Tuesday, he became the first player in league history to start the All-Star Game as both a hitter and pitcher. And even though he lost in the first round of the derby, he drew the eyes of the entire baseball world with just his presence. He leads the league in home runs, triples and total bases, all while posting elite numbers on the mound.
The Japanese-born phenom has already broken Hideki Matsui’s record for the most home runs in a single MLB season by a Japanese player. It’s his MVP to lose and from what he’s shown through these last three months, he’ll be in the conversation for years to come.
MLB’s decision to begin inspecting pitchers for banned substances nearly halfway through the season hasn’t been smooth. When a pitcher walks off the mound following an inning, the umpires inspect him for sticky stuff that could be used to doctor baseballs and improve their grip of the ball. Naturally, pitchers had a wide array of reactions, including relief pitcher Sergio Romo nearly stripping off his entire uniform in protest and Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer engaging in a shouting match with Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi after Girardi asked for him to be checked multiple times in the middle of an inning.
One can only wonder why MLB waited until June to implement this rule. And is it really necessary to check a pitcher after he allows multiple runs? But with spin rates down after the new rule, there’s hope that this can ultimately improve the game. It might just take a little getting used to.
Judging from their 2020 seasons, these two elite franchises seemed destined for another year of a slight rebuild. The Red Sox, who finished in last place in the AL East after trading Mookie Betts to the Dodgers, were relatively quiet in the offseason. Stacked against the Bronx Bombers and reigning AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays, it seemed unlikely that they would compete, much less lead the division at the halfway point.
But the Red Sox bullpen, led by All-Star Matt Barnes, has Boston tied for the best record in the league. Even more surprising is that the Giants lead the 2020 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres heading into the break. The resurgence of catcher Buster Posey, who is batting .328, has the Giants offense clicking. And if Jacob deGrom wasn’t in the picture, Kevin Gausman might have himself a Cy Young-worthy year, with a 1.73 earned run average.
Three of the game’s most exciting players — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Ronald Acuña Jr. are now the face of the sport and none of them are older than 23. Even Ohtani, who spent the beginning of his career in Japan before coming to America, is 27 years old. Those four players are among the top five home run hitters in baseball.
But it’s not just their statistics that have viewers eager to watch them play. They each play the game with a bit of flare that the game had been longing for. Tatis and Acuña’s bat flips after game-winning home runs bring a new level of excitement and the young stars have challenged some of the game’s ridiculous unwritten rules. And unlike Mike Trout, who has dominated the game over the last decade but is not the most marketable superstar, these younger players don’t shy away from the limelight. The MLB should market these superstars while they have the chance.
Reporter Max Baker can be reached at max@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @Maxbaker_15.