Josh Hader

Welcome to the second edition of our MLB Power Rankings for the 2024 regular season. There's been a lot of movement since the first edition was published Opening Day. 1. Los Angeles Dodgers Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 11-7 5-5 +12 1 (-) Shohei Ohtani's handled himself well despite off-field distractions involving his former interpreter. The Japanese star owns a 1.048 OPS, has eight multi-hit games, and ranks first in MLB in total bases. Pair his early work with impressive starts from Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hern ndez and it's clear why the Dodgers remain No. 1.2. Atlanta Braves Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 9-5 6-4 +19 2 (-) Atlanta survived some early adversity to sit atop the NL East, and it's all thanks to the bats. Despite Ronald Acu a Jr.'s slow start and Sean Murphy hitting the IL, six qualified Braves hitters own an OPS above .800, and their 130 wRC+ is tops in MLB. Of greater concern is pitching: Max Fried's early struggles loom even larger now that Spencer Strider's season is over.3. New York Yankees Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 12-4 7-3 +21 8 (+5) The Yankees relied on Aaron Judge to carry the offense heavily in recent years, so their racking up wins despite his slow start is encouraging. Anthony Volpe looks excellent, hitting .382/.477/.564 through 15 games, while Oswaldo Cabrera owns three homers and an .880 OPS in 12 games after posting a .574 OPS across 115 games last year.4. Milwaukee Brewers Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 10-4 6-4 +31 19 (+15) The Brewers are off to an excellent start thanks to a fun offense. Milwaukee sits second in the majors with an .838 OPS, trailing only Atlanta. The team's been at its best in the clutch, hitting .362/.413/.589 with RISP. Christian Yelich, Willy Adames, and William Contreras have already combined for 12 home runs and 35 RBIs.5. Baltimore Orioles Daniel Shirey / Major League Baseball / Getty Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 9-6 6-4 +14 5 (-) Camden Yards is going to need more cowbell. With all the attention on Jackson Holliday's arrival, it's been fellow rookie Colton Cowser who's stolen the show. The 24-year-old has a team-leading three home runs, six doubles and a 1.445 OPS through 14 games. Cowser terrorized the Red Sox at Fenway Park, driving in 10 runs in three games.6. Texas Rangers Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 8-8 4-6 +14 6 (-) Adolis Garc a's picked up where he left off last October. The 2023 ALCS MVP has powered a Rangers offense missing Josh Jung and Nathaniel Lowe, helping secure multiple wins over rival Houston and an early lead in the AL West. Texas is the only AL West club with a positive run differential, owing mostly to Garc a, their only qualified player with a .900-plus OPS and more than two home runs.7. Kansas City Royals Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 10-6 8-2 +37 26 (+19) The Royals are the surprising owners of MLB's best run differential after being outscored by 183 last year. Bobby Witt Jr. already has four home runs, six doubles, and three stolen bases in 16 games, while Brady Singer (0.98 ERA), Seth Lugo (1.45), and Cole Ragans (1.93) have been incredible through 10 starts.8. Pittsburgh Pirates Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 11-5 6-4 +24 24 (+16) The Pirates started 5-0 for the first time in 41 years. Mart n P rez has been great, allowing only four earned runs with one homer over 19 innings, while rookie Jared Jones looks like he'll be a rotation mainstay after recording 25 strikeouts over his first three starts. It's only a matter of time before top prospect Paul Skenes arrives in the majors, as he's posted an absurd 18.3 K/9 without allowing a run at Triple-A this season.9. Philadelphia Phillies Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 8-8 6-4 -13 4 (-5) The Phillies have been led by some unlikely players: Brandon Marsh owns a club-leading four homers with a .958 OPS, while Spencer Turnbull, who threw a no-hitter with the Tigers in 2021 before struggling after Tommy John surgery, has a 1.80 ERA with 15 strikeouts over his first three starts.10. Cleveland Guardians Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 10-5 7-3 +29 22 (+12) Shane Bieber's dominant start to his season was stopped cold by a torn UCL, and a thinned-out Guardians rotation has been ineffective at filling the void. Triston McKenzie's struggles are particularly concerning for a team that relies heavily on its starters. Luckily, Cleveland's bullpen owns the majors' second-lowest ERA (1.88).11. Chicago Cubs Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 9-6 6-4 +13 14 (+3) The Cubs may have found something in Michael Busch, acquired in an offseason trade with the Dodgers. Busch leads Chicago in slugging percentage (.694) and OPS (1.087) and homered in his fourth consecutive game Sunday (adding to his team lead in that category, too). He's one round-tripper away from tying the club record for homers in consecutive games.12. Cincinnati Reds Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 9-6 6-4 +22 17 (+5) The Elly De La Cruz show has been a roller coaster through the Reds' first 16 games, but the shortstop remains an entertaining watch. Three of his four homers have exceeded 110 mph off his bat, with his other round-tripper an inside-the-park job. He ranks second on the team in OPS (.962) and is tied for fourth in the league in steals (six).13. Arizona Diamondbacks Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 8-8 4-6 +21 7 (-6) The reigning NL champs are off to a mediocre start after early meetings with the Yankees and Braves. They've still played .500 ball with Corbin Carroll struggling (.233 AVG, .650 OPS), Eduardo Rodriguez injured, and Jordan Montgomery yet to make a start. E-Rod's rehab was recently paused due to a setback, but Montgomery's expected to make his debut April 19.14. San Diego Padres Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 9-9 6-4 +6 15 (+1) Early returns on Dylan Cease are great, and the Padres need the help with Joe Musgrove struggling (6.87 ERA, 1.75 WHIP). Cease struck out six or more in each of his three starts while allowing two earned runs or fewer. His 2.16 ERA and 0.84 WHIP are tops among Padres starters.15. Boston Red Sox John McCoy / Getty Images Sport / Getty Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 9-7 5-5 +12 16 (+1) Boston's excellent 7-3 road start was quickly forgotten once it got home. The Red Sox are 2-4 at Fenway Park and a brutal 5-17 at home dating back to last September. Boston looks extremely vulnerable defensively following Trevor Story's injury, ranking last in the majors with 16 errors. Still, the club's starters own the lowest ERA (2.05) in MLB.16. Tampa Bay Rays Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 9-7 6-4 -14 12 (-4) The Rays haven't taken advantage of a fairly light opening schedule. Splitting a four-game set in Colorado - with one loss coming on a walk-off grand slam following closer Pete Fairbanks' meltdown - isn't something you expect from a team with contention hopes. Fairbanks' early struggles, and starter Zach Eflin's, could be huge causes for concern.17. New York Mets Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 7-8 7-3 +1 18 (+1) Pete Alonso's displaying his prodigious power early in his walk year, sitting second in MLB with six homers in 15 games. The only problem: Five of those blasts came with no one one. Edwin D az is three-for-three in save opportunities in his return, striking out nine in six innings.18. Toronto Blue Jays Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 8-8 5-5 -18 10 (-8) Toronto came into the season banking on internal improvement from a number of players, but it hasn't happened so far. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.677 OPS), George Springer (.668), Daulton Varsho (.608), and Alejandro Kirk (.429) are struggling early. Luckily, the team signed ageless Justin Turner, and the 39-year-old's hitting .386/.481/.614 with a team-leading seven doubles and eight RBIs.19. Houston Astros Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 6-11 4-6 -13 3 (-16) It's shocking to see how poorly Houston's pitching. The team ranks 28th in WHIP (1.52) and 29th in ERA (5.32), though injuries are at least partially to blame. Josh Hader and Ryan Pressly have already allowed 10 runs in 13 innings, and Ronel Blanco - who only made the club because of injury issues - has started in half the team's wins (while also throwing the season's first no-hitter).20. Detroit Tigers Megan Briggs / Getty Images Sport / Getty Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 9-6 4-6 -2 21 (+1) Tarik Skubal's one of the few bright spots on a Tigers team with a solid record despite numerous mediocre early performances. The left-hander owns a 2.08 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in three starts. Spencer Torkelson's yet to homer in 63 at-bats, while it may be time to talk about Javier B ez's future. The shortstop's hitting .140/.152/.209 with 14 strikeouts and one extra-base hit in 13 games, and is still owed close to $100 million.21. San Francisco Giants Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 6-10 4-6 -12 9 (-12) Signing Jordan Hicks as a starter has been an early success. The right-hander owns a 1.00 ERA and 0.83 WHIP, with hitters batting only .194 against him through 18 innings. However, some of the team's other high-profile offseason signings are off to much chillier starts: Matt Chapman's hitting .200/.257/.369 across 16 games, while Jung Hoo Lee has three extra-base hits in 62 at-bats.22. St. Louis Cardinals Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 7-9 4-6 -9 20 (-2) The Cardinals spent much of the offseason addressing pitching, but their offense is letting them down so far. St. Louis ranks 21st in runs, 24th in OBP, and 25th in homers. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado combined for two homers and 29 strikeouts through 16 games.23. Seattle Mariners Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 6-10 3-7 -23 11 (-12) The Mariners' priority over the winter was remaking their offense, but a lot of the same problems remain. Seattle's struck out 167 times in 16 games, the third-worst mark in baseball. Making things worse: The team's .590 OPS ranks 28th - only the Marlins and White Sox are worse. Julio Rodr guez is off to a painfully slow start, hitting .186/.238/.203 with one extra-base hit and 21 strikeouts.24. Minnesota Twins Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 6-8 4-6 -7 13 (-11) Injuries and an anemic offense have killed the Twins early. Minnesota ranks 27th in runs, slugging, and OPS, and 30th in average, as Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, and Max Kepler all are on the IL. Byron Buxton - actually healthy to start the season! - is hitting .196/.240/.261 with no home runs or stolen bases and 18 strikeouts in 14 games.25. Los Angeles Angels Megan Briggs / Getty Images Sport / Getty Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 7-8 4-6 -9 23 (-2) Mike Trout's received some help from his supporting cast early this season, but it doesn't seem like it'll be enough to make the Angels contenders. The three-time MVP already has six home runs, but five came with no one on base. Anthony Rendon has no homers and one RBI in 13 games.26. Oakland Athletics Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 7-9 6-4 -22 29 (+3) Paul Blackburn is healthy again and off to an incredible start: the 2022 All-Star's thrown 19 1/3 scoreless innings. It's the longest scoreless streak to open a season for the franchise since it moved to Oakland in 1968.27. Washington Nationals Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 6-9 4-6 -14 27 (-) CJ Abrams appears to have taken another step forward: the 23-year-old's gone deep three times with nine RBIs and a .944 OPS. On the pitching side, left-hander MacKenzie Gore looks sharp, with a 2.81 ERA and 23 strikeouts across 16 innings.28. Colorado Rockies Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 4-12 3-7 -34 30 (+2) The Rockies are yet to win a series despite several hitters' hot starts. Ryan McMahon is slashing .373/.457/.559 with two homers and a team-leading 11 RBIs, while Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, and Charlie Blackmon have an .800 OPS or better. The pitching's been dreadful: Colorado has an MLB-worst 6.29 ERA.29. Miami Marlins Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 3-13 3-7 -35 25 (-4) The Marlins narrowly avoided becoming the seventh team in MLB history to open a season with 10 straight losses, and that's about the only positive to come out of Miami so far. While rookie starter Max Meyer's looked good, he's received little help from the majors' worst offense, which continues to lack any power.30. Chicago White Sox Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 2-13 1-9 -51 28 (-2) Eloy Jim nez, Luis Robert Jr., and Yoan Moncada are all on the IL, which is partly why the White Sox have scored the majors' fewest runs. At least Garrett Crochet's move to the rotation has been a success. The right-hander owns a 3.57 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings.Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Starting Lineup is a biweekly collection of reporting, observations, and insights from the baseball beat, published every other Friday during the regular season.Leading off Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrived from Japan with great fanfare this offseason - and a great payday from the Los Angeles Dodgers - but there's another first-year arm from the NPB making a big impact: Shota Imanaga.Imanaga's best pitch is something of a ghost story: MLB hitters can't seem to touch or see the Chicago Cubs lefty's fastball.In his first two major-league starts, Imanaga threw 56 total fastballs and batters are hitting .000 against the pitch. While it's very early, his fastball owns the second-best FanGraphs run value in the majors. Opponents are yet to score a run against him through his first 10 innings. He makes his third career start Friday in Seattle against the Mariners.The interesting thing is Imanaga doesn't throw particularly hard - he's averaging 92.4 mph according to Statcast, which is around the MLB average for a starting pitcher. So, what's his secret? Chris Coduto / Getty ImagesFor starters, he spins the ball exceptionally well at more than 2,400 RPM, which is well above average. And that spin helps Imanaga's fastball resist gravity - or fall less - to create a so-called rising effect through Magnus force or active spin.His fastball ranks 11th in vertical movement, or rise (18.7 inches), among 106 left-handers to throw at least 50 pitches through Wednesday's games."It's at the top of the rise charts," Cubs manager Craig Counsell told theScore at spring training. "That forces hitters to make an adjustment to it. They have to have the feeling of getting on top of it, 'I gotta get on top, on top.' And that opens up other pitches for him."Of course, a number of pitchers have above-average spin rates. What also makes Imanaga different is where he releases the pitch. He ranks 79th out of 106 lefties through Wednesday in vertical release point (5.55 feet), one of the lowest vertical releases in the game.Why that matters: Deception.It's unusual to produce that kind of vertical lift from such a low arm slot. Such pitchers usually throw balls that have more horizontal movement. There's only one other lefty who enjoys 18.7 inches or more carry from a vertical release point lower than the league average: Houston Astros closer Josh Hader. Shota Imanaga wins Round 1 vs. Shohei Ohtani! pic.twitter.com/JjWCe1GmCk MLB (@MLB) April 7, 2024 !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r

Starting Lineup is a biweekly collection of reporting, observations, and insights from the baseball beat, published every other Friday during the regular season.Leading off Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrived from Japan with great fanfare this offseason - and a great payday from the Los Angeles Dodgers - but there's another first-year arm from the NPB making a big impact: Shota Imanaga.Imanaga's best pitch is something of a ghost story: MLB hitters can't seem to touch or see the Chicago Cubs lefty's fastball.In his first two major-league starts, Imanaga threw 56 total fastballs and batters are hitting .000 against the pitch. While it's very early, his fastball owns the second-best FanGraphs run value in the majors. Opponents are yet to score a run against him through his first 10 innings. He makes his third career start Friday in Seattle against the Mariners.The interesting thing is Imanaga doesn't throw particularly hard - he's averaging 92.4 mph according to Statcast, which is around the MLB average for a starting pitcher. So, what's his secret? Chris Coduto / Getty ImagesFor starters, he spins the ball exceptionally well at more than 2,400 RPM, which is well above average. And that spin helps Imanaga's fastball resist gravity - or fall less - to create a so-called rising effect through Magnus force or active spin.His fastball ranks 11th in vertical movement, or rise (18.7 inches), among 106 left-handers to throw at least 50 pitches through Wednesday's games."It's at the top of the rise charts," Cubs manager Craig Counsell told theScore at spring training. "That forces hitters to make an adjustment to it. They have to have the feeling of getting on top of it, 'I gotta get on top, on top.' And that opens up other pitches for him."Of course, a number of pitchers have above-average spin rates. What also makes Imanaga different is where he releases the pitch. He ranks 79th out of 106 lefties through Wednesday in vertical release point (5.55 feet), one of the lowest vertical releases in the game.Why that matters: Deception.It's unusual to produce that kind of vertical lift from such a low arm slot. Such pitchers usually throw balls that have more horizontal movement. There's only one other lefty who enjoys 18.7 inches or more carry from a vertical release point lower than the league average: Houston Astros closer Josh Hader. Shota Imanaga wins Round 1 vs. Shohei Ohtani! pic.twitter.com/JjWCe1GmCk MLB (@MLB) April 7, 2024 !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r

Hader has allowed a run in three consecutive outings for just the fourth time in his career

We're back for another year. This is the first edition of "In Flight" for the 2024 campaign as the Toronto Blue Jays look to break through and make some noise in the postseason for the first time since 2016. It promises to be an interesting season for the Blue Jays with no shortage of storylines to follow all year.Moments that defined the stretch Logan Riely / Getty Images Sport / GettySchneider comes up clutch in HoustonIt hasn't exactly been a banner start at the plate for the Blue Jays as they've struggled to score runs in the early going. Toronto ranks 22nd in runs scored (36) and 24th in OPS (.626) through 10 games. Trailing 1-0 in the ninth inning in the middle game of the series in Houston, Davis Schneider hit a two-run home run against All-Star closer Josh Hader, who allowed just three homers in 61 games last season. Down to their last out ... Davis Schneider's BLAST gives the @BlueJays the lead in the 9th! pic.twitter.com/oPHMaMIcJc MLB (@MLB) April 3, 2024 Schneider's clutch homer gave the Blue Jays the lead and, ultimately, the win. The 25-year-old emerged as a surprising offensive force for the Blue Jays in the second half of the 2023 campaign and could be leaned on again to act as an offensive contributor this season.Clement delivers off the benchErnie Clement earned a roster spot after a strong spring performance at the plate. The versatile Clement emerged as something of a spark plug so far this season and showcased that element of his game in a big moment at Yankee Stadium. In a scoreless tie in the seventh inning, manager John Schneider pinch hit Clement for Cavan Biggio against left-hander Caleb Ferguson. (Western) New York stand up The Rochester kid just went deep! pic.twitter.com/xbkjS2vtv6 Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 5, 2024 Clement became the first Blue Jay to hit a go-ahead pinch-hit home run at Yankee Stadium since Rance Mulliniks in 1985, according to Sportsnet Stats. The 28-year-old was a bright spot in a 30-game stint with the Blue Jays last year, hitting .380 with an .885 OPS. Clement could be a factor in a multitude of roles for the Blue Jays all season.Stats that tell the story Although it's still early in the season, there have already been some interesting trends emerging for the Blue Jays through the first 10 games.2: The Blue Jays mustered only two runs in a series loss to the Astros. That meek offensive performance included becoming the first team in modern MLB history to be the subject of a no-hitter and a one-hitter within the first seven games of a season, per Sportsnet Stats.7.71: Chris Bassitt has struggled in his first two starts, dropping both outings while posting a 7.71 ERA and 2.14 WHIP. He's been victimized by hard contact, a .419 BABIP, and a 65.9% strand rate; both marks are well off his career norms. The veteran right-hander also struggled in the first month last season, amassing a 5.18 ERA in six April starts. He bounced back to finish 2023 with a 16-8 record and 3.60 ERA, reaching the 200-inning threshold for the first time in his career. Bassitt deserves the benefit of the doubt that his shaky start will be a blip on the radar when it's all said and done..596: It hasn't been a pretty start to the season for Bo Bichette. The All-Star shortstop has three doubles and is without a home run in 31 at-bats. Bichette has mustered a .596 OPS over eight games, though he closed the series against New York with three hits and three walks in the final two games. He's emerged as the engine of the entire lineup and will need to kick things into gear in short order if the Blue Jays are going to put their early-season offensive struggles behind them..197: The Blue Jays continue to struggle with runners in scoring position - a trend that dates back to last season. George Springer, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Daulton Varsho, and Clement are a combined 0-for-25 with RISP through the first 10 games of 2024.They said what? Jess Rapfogel / Getty Images Sport / GettyJohn Schneider after Blue Jays were no hit: "Give him credit, that's really hard to do. (At the same time), a no-hitter's an outlier, you know? I think we're going all right with where we hope to be in terms of what the offense is supposed to do. Tonight, it's just one of those nights. You give credit to a guy that does something really, really hard to accomplish. And a loss is still a loss. You move on."Ernie Clement on clutch home run: "We're grinding. It's no secret that we're trying to push runs across. (Schneider) did it the other night; now I'm just glad that I could get a pitch to hit and give them a little boost."Kevin Gausman on velocity dip during second start: "That's kind of the running joke, I'm 88 (mph) to 98 (mph). They don't know what they're going to get. I don't know what I'm going to get, either. I think it was just cold weather more than anything. My first two innings, if you're going to get to me, that's when you're going to get to me."Rays manager Kevin Cash on Guerrero's 450-foot home run: "He got that one pretty good. I mean, he's a big guy. He can hit balls a long way." Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits his 10th career Home Run of 450+ feet#TOTHECORE pic.twitter.com/CFsV9weqN2 Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) March 28, 2024 Water cooler conversation Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / GettyShould Davis Schneider be in the lineup every day?Schneider wasn't in the lineup the day after hitting that clutch homer against the Astros, sparking a lot of confusion among fans. The question is, should Schneider be an everyday player moving forward?On the one hand, Schneider provides power, an element the Blue Jays could sorely use. He hit eight homers in 35 games with a 176 wRC+ last season. He provides the lineup with much more of a threat to do damage than somebody like Kiner-Falefa or even Biggio.The biggest roadblock to Schneider emerging as an everyday option is his inconsistency against right-handed pitching. He struck out 27 times in 73 at-bats against right-handed pitching in 2023 and had issues getting on top of righties with good velocity. Schneider had a nearly 52% whiff rate against four-seam fastballs last season. He'll need to make some improvements against right-handers who throw hard if he wants to carve out more at-bats moving forward.How concerning are Guerrero's early struggles? It hasn't been a pretty start at the plate for Guerrero. The 25-year-old does have a pair of home runs and has been making a fair amount of hard contact but has also had far too many non-competitive at-bats where he expands the strike zone and makes poor swing decisions. The Blue Jays were betting on Guerrero to rebound after a disappointing 2023. The team simply can't reach its ceiling if Guerrero isn't able to find a level higher than he showed the past two seasons.!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r