# MLB: May 2023

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Tags:** baseball-mlb\
**Created:** [May 1, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431 "2023-05-01T20:10:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2023, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/101 "2023-05-18T19:39:40Z")

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In baseball, at least. The NBA’s Hawks have that beaten by one city, at least, and the Kings by half a city.

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/102 "2023-05-19T14:28:28Z")

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The Mets are calling up Gary Sanchez from Triple-A Syracuse, where he had a hot start hitting but showed signs of reverting to form more recently, going 1-9 at the plate.

Hopefully this is just a temporary expedient while multiple ailing catchers are out of the lineup, and the Mets don’t do something stupid like trading Nido, who’s been reliable for them despite not being a power bat.

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/103 "2023-05-20T13:08:14Z")

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Couple of moves by the Cubs:

1. Cody Bellinger was sent to the IL with a knee contusion
2. Nico Hoerner was activated from the IL
3. RP Keegan Thompson was sent to the minor leagues
4. Promoted IF Edwin Rios and OF Mike Tauchman to the big league team
5. Eric Hosmer has been DFA’d

Hoerner was certainly missed; his first game back, he had a pair of 2-run doubles and helped Chicago snap a 5-game losing streak, beating the Phillies 10-1.

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/104 "2023-05-20T15:25:16Z")

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A curiosity from the Cloudy Crystal Ball archives: a Boston Post cartoonist predicts [a disastrous 1918 season](http://www.deedy.com/blog/uploaded_images/Dec151917_BostonPost_cartoon_Jack_Barry-735720.jpg) for the Red Sox, since they were losing key players to the armed forces during WWI.

The Red Sox wound up winning the World Series, the last time that would happen for awhile.

\*with Harry Frazee running the club, they eventually did trade or sell off practically everyone but the bat boy.

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/105 "2023-05-20T15:25:53Z")

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Not a long enough time though if you ask me. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/106 "2023-05-20T17:04:31Z")

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Per ESPN, the following trade has occurred:

Yankees acquire OF Greg Allen from Boston in exchange for RHP Diego Hernandez and cash considerations.

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/107 "2023-05-20T17:33:15Z")

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That’s a rarity. A Yankees/Boston Trade.

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**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/108 "2023-05-20T18:54:33Z")

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> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> That’s a rarity. A Yankees/Boston Trade

From _The Athletic_:

> A trade between blood rivals? Well, this is weird. History reflects it. Prior to tonight, New York and Boston had only linked for trades five times since 1972.

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**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/109 "2023-05-20T18:58:21Z")

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Yankees also designated Aaron Hicks for assignment

> **[Yankees designate Aaron Hicks for assignment](https://theathletic.com/4537302/2023/05/20/aaron-hicks-yankees-assignment/?source=user_shared_article)**
>
> The left fielder is owed just under $30 million through 2025.

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/110 "2023-05-20T20:16:34Z")

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The N.Y. Post says the Mets are encouraged about the possible return of pitcher Jose Quintana from the injured list in July.

“Showalter said Quintana is probably “a little ahead” of where most pitchers are when they arrive at spring training.”

“His arm has been moving and his legs, everything that some people do peripherally in spring training, he’s been doing all that,” Showalter said."

I gather that most pitchers at this stage would be immobile lumps, so getting his arm and legs moving seems like a really big step.

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/111 "2023-05-20T21:09:59Z")

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Overdue.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/112 "2023-05-21T02:37:28Z")

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Blue Jays make an oopsie with a second mound visit and are forced to remove Alek Manoah and eventually lost the game.

> **[Blue Jays' Schneider takes blame for error that led to Manoah being pulled](https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/blue-jays-alek-manoah-pulled-from-game-after-error-from-manager-john-schneider/)**
>
> Alek Manoah was having one of his better outings of the season for the Toronto Blue Jays but was not able to finish it out after a mound visit from manager John Schneider.

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**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/113 "2023-05-21T05:49:49Z")

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Patrick Corbin has gone 6 straight games in which he’s surrendered 3 runs or less. He’s doing pretty well for mah Nats!

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**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/114 "2023-05-22T04:04:42Z")

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I was taking a look at the current MLB standings, and saw that the A’s continue to have the worst record in baseball, at 10-38. I took a look at their stats on Baseball Reference, and the futility of their pitching staff is breathtaking: they currently have a staff ERA of 7.00 (nearly two full runs above the next-worst MLB team), and a staff WHIP of 1.677; opponents are hitting .284 against them (almost 40 points above the league average).

They have guys who have started multiple games for them who have ERAs over 10 (Shintaro Fujinami, 4 starts, 12.62 ERA; James Kapriellan, 4 starts, 10.17 ERA).

I knew they were a bad team, but I hadn’t realized just _how_ bad.

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**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/115 "2023-05-22T04:19:51Z")

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Conversely, Baltimore is in second place in the AL East, but would be leading any other division, some by a quite a lot. And the last-place Blue Jays have the same record as the AL Central-leading Twins. Crazy.

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**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/116 "2023-05-22T06:51:53Z")

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Now that is Mets baseball! In a doubleheader, Scherzer and Verlander combine for 1 run allowed in 14 innings and the Mets have another late inning comeback. I think Pete Alonso said it best when he said “Let’s go fucking Mets” (the last time live on the air on SNY on Wednesday). But I actually said it first a few years ago. LGFM!

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/117 "2023-05-22T10:15:34Z")

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> [@Mike\_Mabes](#):
>
> But I actually said it first a few years ago. LGFM!

My friend’s fantasy baseball team name has been “LGFM” for about 8 years.

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**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/118 "2023-05-22T12:02:54Z")

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Can someone clarify the rule regarding doubleheader games and inning lengths for me? The Guardians and Mets played a DH yesterday; I thought that DH games were supposed to be 7 inning affairs now, but both games were the full nine.

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**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/119 "2023-05-22T13:19:19Z")

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We’re back to 9 innings, but everyone has a 26-player roster instead of the usual 25, for doubleheaders. More details here:

> **[What are MLB Doubleheader Rules in 2023? Listing changes that have come into...](https://www.sportskeeda.com/baseball/news-what-mlb-doubleheader-rules-2023-listing-changes-come-effect)**
>
> MLB doubleheader rules have changed recently. In the past few seasons, MLB has been tinkering with changes that they have either implemented and abandoned or stuck with for the foreseeable future.

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2023/983431/120 "2023-05-22T14:49:21Z")

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> [@ekedolphin](#):
>
> We’re back to 9 innings, but everyone has a 26-player roster instead of the usual 25

That article has it incorrect - rosters are now 26 players through Aug. 1, and 27 on a doubleheader day.

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