Record: 49-30 (15-10 for the month)
1st place AL East, 7 games up on Toronto
We came into June with a 7-game lead and exited with that same lead, off a decent but not great month, closing it out with three losses in the last four games (14-7 looked a lot better). We were fairly injury-free during the month with the only IL stint one for
Triston Casas who pulled an abdominal muscle and set to miss the minimum 10 days. Otherwise it was as you were with the Rays still in command of the division.
Nothing not to like here, except perhaps the baserunning which might be too aggressive, giving us negative value despite being 1st in steals. Also we should be doing better than 49-30 according to Pythagoras. It doesn't seem the bullpen is an issue, rather we've won quite a few blowouts but are 9-10 in one-run games. The pitching is stellar, the hitting is very good, and the defense is fine, so no notes.
As we're essentially at the midway mark, it's time for YTD stats:
The big three of Wander, Elly and Chourio continue to carry the team while
Luisangel Acuna has filled in admirably for
Carson Williams (who just went on a rehab assignment at the end of the month), and
Kevin Alcantara has been holding his own getting to play most every day of late as well. Our lefty 5-6 hole guys Casas and Mitchell have been lousy though and they're not going to get too much more time to turn it around.
Some outstanding pitching here and the staff is about to get lefty setup guy
Garrett Cleavinger back as he's currently on a rehab assignment. Only Seranthony and Springs struggled in June but that's in relative terms.
Joe Quelch had been floated as a callup possibility but he strained an oblique and won't be back until mid-July. Japanese signing Hirata is an interesting guy but we're really deep in the MI (Williams, Acuna, Winn) so there's little chance he gets recalled.
Next post will be a mid-July update with All-Star Weekend and the draft.