What a weekend. For all the talk about how the pitch timer would affect MLB’s Opening Weekend — and it certainly did, in ways that seem universally positive — the real story of the first four days of baseball was just how terrific the games themselves were. Riveting, joyous, stressful, surprising — baseball itself has already been pretty mind-blowing. Didn’t you miss it?
Every team learned something about itself too, even if the season has literally just begun. There have been surprises, breakouts and incredible debuts. Here are some way-too-early, completely rash, nevertheless compelling takeaways for every team so far.
Phillies shortstop Trea Turner was mic’d up when Rangers rookie Josh Jung hit a deep drive to right field. Based on Turner’s reaction, he knew that ball was not coming back.
It might not be how North Carolina left fielder Patrick Alvarez drew it up, but he robbed a home run against Notre Dame by reaching above the wall and tipping the ball to himself for an unlikely catch.
Four batters, four strikeouts is pretty good for a Major League debut. In fact, before Tim Herrin achieved the feat for the Guardians, it had not been done since at least 1893.