Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. Skipping Home Run Derby

He is the MLB leader in home runs, and when the baseball world last met for an All-Star break in 2019, he delighted us with an incredible 91 home runs. But Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. says there will be no repeat of that performance in 2021, as he has declined to participate in the Home Run Derby next month in Colorado. 

Guerrero is the leader in All-Star votes and will play in the game that Tuesday. But he says that he is going to skip the festivities on Monday and use that time to refocus on the second half of the season.

Through Monday, the 22-year-old Guerrero was leading the majors in home runs, RBI, OPS, and total bases. He is the current front-runner for the American League MVP award, but he will not be adding Home Run Derby champion to his impressive resume.

His team, on the other hand, remains seven games behind the division-leading Red Sox and their +750 odds to clinch the AL East are in parallel with their division standing, in fourth.

As far as family rivalries go, Vladimir Guerrero, Sr. was the Home Run Derby winner at the 2007 All-Star Game in San Francisco. Guerrero, Sr. hit as many as nine home runs in a round that year, going on to win the title. Guerrero, Jr. hit a record 29 home runs in a round in 2019 but lost in the finals to Pete Alonso. 

Baseball’s Number One Prospect Makes His Debut Tuesday 

Vlad Guerrero, Jr. is only 22 and the best hitter in the American League. Fernando Tatis, Jr. is also only 22, the best shortstop in baseball, and the owner of a $340 million contract.

The stars of baseball are young, and another is being added to the mix in Rays infielder Wander Franco, who is just 20-years-old and set to make his Big League debut on Tuesday night against the Red Sox.

Franco has been baseball’s top-rated prospect for the last two seasons, and this year at Triple-A, he slashed .323/.376/.601. Those numbers include seven home runs and 35 RBI.

The switch-hitting Franco grades as a plus runner, above-average shortstop defense, and the hitting tools to be among the top-three in all of baseball. 

Jacob deGrom First Pitcher Checked for Foreign Substance 

Mets ace Jacob deGrom has pushed his scoreless innings streak to 30. In addition, he hasn’t allowed more than a single earned run in 12 straight starts - the longest streak since the earned run became an official stat in 1913. In other words, deGrom is being deGrom, which means he is the best pitcher in baseball for yet another season.

All starting pitchers will now be checked for foreign substances on the ball, and because of the timing of the Mets game on Monday, deGrom was the first to be checked. His glove, hat, and belt were examined by umpires, and everything was reported to be clean and legal. Much to the dismay of the rest of baseball. The best stuff in all of baseball is completely legitimate stuff.

With an ERA of 0.50 in 12 starts and 117 strikeouts to only 10 walks in 72 innings pitched, deGrom is the easy favorite to win another Cy Young. 

Mets Fire Two Executives 

The investigation of former Mets manager Mickey Callaway following allegations of inappropriate behavior toward several women has led to the firing of two high-ranking executives with the Mets, as well as an overhaul of the team’s legal and human resources department.

Chief legal officer David Cohen and senior vice president for human resources Holly Lindvall have been let go by the team for being told about the allegations but doing nothing to correct Callaway’s behavior.

Callaway is on MLB’s ineligible list through 2022. The Mets also fired general manager Jared Porter this season because of inappropriate texts sent to a reporter. In addition, Mets minor league hitting coach Ryan Ellis was fired over the winter for the harassment of three female Mets employees. 

Dodgers Lose as First-Time Underdog 

For the first time this season, and the first time in 150 games, the Dodgers went into Monday’s game with the Padres as the underdog paying +113. And the oddsmakers got things right, as the Padres won the game 6-2, dropping L.A. two games behind the first-place Giants.