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A look at what’s going on around the majors today:
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JUDICIAL ALLEGATIONS
Mets hitter Pete Alonso unveiled a major allegation on Wednesday, accusing MLB of manipulating its baseballs to harm the earning potential of star free agents and umpire-eligible players.
Alonso, responding to a question about the supposed crackdown on sticky substances used by pitchers, instead blamed the league itself for a league-wide drop in offense.
I think the biggest concern is that Major League Baseball is handling baseballs year after year based on free agency class or guys being in an advanced part of their officiating, Alonso said.
The league has not commented on Alonsos’ charge. MLB informed teams in February that it plans to cushion baseballs slightly for the 2021 season after a rise in home runs for years. In 2019, 3.6% of home plate appearances ended in a homerun, a number that has fallen to 3.1% this year.
As for the original question, Alonso didn’t seem too concerned about what opposing pitchers might put on the ball.
Whatever they want to use to help control the ball, let them use it, because for me I go to the box every day, and I see guys throwing harder and harder every day, and I don’t don’t want 99 slipping out of someone’s hand, Alonso said.
OUT OF HOSPITAL
Minor league pitcher Tyler Zombro is released from hospital and is moving to outpatient occupational therapy and speech therapy in Durham, North Carolina, after being hit in the head by line workout last week.
Zombro, a Tampa Bay Rays right-hander with Triple-A Durham, was hit by a pointy liner from Norfolks Brett Cumberland in the eighth inning on June 3. The Rays said on Wednesday he was finally released from the hospital. , claiming his family will stay with him in Durham to help him recover.
ON A ROLL
Zack Greinke is aiming for his third straight win when the Houston Astros complete a three-game streak against the Boston Red Sox.
Greinke (6-2, 3.38 ERA) threw six hits in a 13-1 win in Toronto on Friday for his first full game since 2017. He is 4-1 with a 2.37 ERA. his last five starts. Eduardo Rodrguez (5-4, 5.59 ERA) throws for Boston. Rodrguez is looking for his first win since May 7.
IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME
Washington ace Max Scherzer faces San Francisco for the first time in exactly three years when the Nationals meet the surprising Giants.
Scherzer is 4-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 10 career starts against the Giants. The last time he saw them on June 10, 2018, the three-time Cy Young Award winner pitched seven effective innings in a 2-0 loss. Scherzer (5-4, 2.22 ERA) has registered 104 strikeouts in 77 innings so far this year. Anthony DeSclafani (5-2, 3.51 ERA) throws for San Francisco, leader of the NL West.
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