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The Rays lost to the Nats 4-3 last night, falling two games behind the Red Sox. On the bright side, the boys showed some pluck after falling behind early due to some (apparent) pitch tipping by Rich Hill.
"I was tipping," Rich Hill.
— Bally Sports Sun: Rays (@BallyRays) June 30, 2021
Hill said when you're tipping you're making it a lot harder on yourself to be successful, but he was happy they caught it for the next four innings. #RaysUp #MLB pic.twitter.com/qYumLClBUx
Also on the bright side, Wander Franco got his first left handed hit, meaning that’s one less thing we need to hear about. Now if we could just get him some BABIP luck, everything will be fine.
Chaz Roe is having season ending shoulder surgery today.
Hearing #Rays Roe's season is over as he is having surgery Wednesday on his right shoulder, which has sidelined him since early April. Pitched in one game on April 2.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 29, 2021
Also in Chaz Roe news, he shaved off his beard. This did not go over well with his daughter.
Chaz decided to shave his beard. And our youngest was not happy. pic.twitter.com/ALz2rI9SUC
— Sarah Roe (@Sarah03Brown) June 27, 2021
BPro on Shane Baz breaking out ($$$).
Ben Clemens of Fangraphs on what makes an unlucky pitcher. Ryan Thompson, Matt Wisler, and Shane McClanahan make appearances.
Adam Berry on how Rich Hill reinvented himself.
Adam Cimber and old friend Corey Dickerson are headed to the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays acquiring Corey Dickerson and Adam Cimber from Miami was actually them targeting Cimber and taking Dickerson’s money as the price for the RHP. Toronto strikes early in getting a solid reliever and paid about $4.5 million — Dickerson’s remaining salary — to do so.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 29, 2021
Britt Ghiroli on Davey Martinez’s All-Star snub.
The 2019 Washington Nationals went from 19-31 to World Series champs.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 29, 2021
Manager Davey Martinez and his staff would have loved to take part in the All-Star Game.
But no one has asked.
More: https://t.co/U4hoA5rAcN pic.twitter.com/QHFDTOwz2j
The family of the late Tyler Skaggs is suing the Angels.
BREAKING:
— Dan Lust (@SportsLawLust) June 29, 2021
This morning, the family of former LA Angels SP Tyler Skaggs sued the team and two former employees stemming from his overdose death two years ago.
The family claims that an Angels employee wrongfully supplied drugs to multiple players. https://t.co/cEmSpg5kgF
Mike Zunino’s 9th inning homer looked majestic even by his standards. And the data backed that up!
Mike Zunino hit one of the highest home runs you'll ever see.
— Andrew Simon (@AndrewSimonMLB) June 30, 2021
Since Statcast began tracking in 2015, only 12 other HR (including an IPHR) have been hit at 48+ deg. pic.twitter.com/1myKUJzASR
Former Rays farmhand German Marquez almost did a thing last night, until baseball decided to baseball.
German Marquez allowed just 1 hit over 9 IP. The one hit came in the 9th vs Kai-ai Tom, who is batting .129 this year.
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 30, 2021
pic.twitter.com/xjtcSaK9ph
Marquez finished with a Maddux, spinning a complete game shutout on just 92 pitches.
Trevor Bauer is under investigation for assault.
Trevor Bauer is currently under investigation for assault after a woman claims the Cy Young winner got physical with her, but the MLB star adamantly denies the allegation. https://t.co/4dUHPN1A1F
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) June 30, 2021
Bauer’s attorney released a response last night denying the allegations.
Following a TMZ report that police in California are investigating Dodgers star Trevor Bauer for an assault on a woman, Bauer's attorney, Jon Fetterolf, released a statement in which he denied the allegations. ESPN has chosen not to name the woman even though her attorney did. pic.twitter.com/jdSbmNtQma
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 30, 2021
Jomboy started a bit a thing yesterday — as he is want to do — tweeting that something looked “a little suspect” in the Orioles bullpen. The fairly swift explanation was that it was some kind of icy hot substance, which is a fairly standard and completely legal pitching practice. Much dunking on Jomboy ensured.
MLB questioned the Orioles and was told an icy hot-type balm was applied to Hunter Harvey -- standard practice among relievers loosening up and something that explains the use of a glove. Inspection of game footage showed Harvey never touched the spot. No discipline forthcoming. https://t.co/W1zrC5AWmY
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 29, 2021
Don’t you know that’s joomboi’s thing? Share a clip that he knows nothing about and claim he knows something about it and it suuuure looks suspicious.
— Collin McHugh (@Collin_McHugh) June 29, 2021
The Angel’s Dylan Bundy blew chunks on the mound Monday during a very warm night in New York.
His teammate Shohei Ohtani is doing ridiculous stuff.
This is a sweet story, even if it is the Yankees.
“Some dreams take longer than they should to be realized, but a goal attained should not dim with the passage of time.” https://t.co/iGZxiMA0it
— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner) June 29, 2021
As you probably know, the Mariner’s Hector Santiago was the first pitcher to ejected following the sticky stuff crackdown. He is appealing, and there is a lot of varied information and misinformation for what that means. Jeff Passan has probably the best breakdown of what to expect.
The Hector Santiago appeal should be fascinating. He says he used only sweat and rosin, not a foreign substance. His actions during the game don't necessarily fit the bill for someone using a banned substance, either. He licked his fingers. He caked his non-pitching arm in rosin.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 29, 2021
The suspension almost certainly will not be overturned because players are not allowed to have substances of any variety on their gloves. There is a chance it could be reduced on appeal. The upshot: The first foreign-substance suspension by MLB since 2015 is not a clear-cut case.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 29, 2021
Spin rates since the enforcement memo dropped.
Since the enforcement memo dropped:
— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) June 29, 2021
* 63 pitchers (17%) have dropped 2+ standard deviations (spider tack level, 230+ RPM)
* 145 pitchers (38%) have dropped 1+ SD
* 230+ pitchers (60+%) have dropped enough to call the drop ‘statistically significant’ via @choice_fielder
Finally, your fairy godpuppy.
puppy with fairy wings ♡ pic.twitter.com/Xd6eSavrQx
— ʚ kimi ɞ (@piinkimi) June 29, 2021