Every MLB season brings its own set of surprises, some pleasant and others not. Two weeks after MLB opened its season in South Korea, here are 10 early surprises.
All records and stats are through Monday’s games.
Pittsburgh Pirates are hot
At 9-2, the Pirates sit atop the NL Central. Pittsburgh has not made the postseason in nine years or won their division in 32 years. It’s still super early, but there are plenty of encouraging signs for Pirates fans.
Shortstop Oneil Cruz and third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes could be the team’s best duo since Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Plus, the team’s young core is among the best in the majors.
…and so are the Yankees
New York’s 9-2 start has them tied with the Pirates for the best record in baseball. The Yanks went a pedestrian 82-80 and finished fourth last season in the AL East. The addition of Juan Soto was its lone big offseason move, but New York has quickly flipped the script on last season’s debacle.
The big question now is: Can star slugger Aaron Judge — who said last year’s toe injury still requires “constant maintenance” — stay in the lineup?
Ronel Blanco’s no-hitter
Pitching against the Blue Jays in only the eighth start of his career, the Houston Astros right-hander threw this season’s first no-hitter on April 1. His pitching mastery continued with his second start, no-hitting the defending champion Rangers into the sixth inning Sunday night for 15 consecutive innings of no-hit ball.