Bases Covered is a daily roundup of the most interesting stories in baseball.
Big Bird
Greg Bird recently earned his call-up to the Yankees, and the hope was that the 22-year-old would help the team overcome its offensive slump—Bird hit .277/.356/.469 between double-A and triple-A this season, with 12 homers and 52 RBI in 83 total games. On Wednesday, the rookie filled in for Mark Teixeira (the first baseman is suffering from a bone bruise in his right leg), and Bird came through in a big way, smashing two home runs in the Yankees’ 4–3 win over the Twins.
Power Rangers
The Rangers hit three successive home runs on Wednesday—three home runs in four pitches, in fact. Mariners reliever Joe Beimel was the sorry fellow on the mound; he saw Mitch Moreland hit a 379-foot homer, followed by Mike Napoli (379 feet) and Elvis Andrus (427 feet). Thankfully, Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon pulled Beimel from the game, but the Mariners would lose, 7–2.
There’s worse news for both Beimel and Seattle fans: there are reports indicating that the 38-year-old reliever has been suffering from pain in his throwing arm, and could be headed for the DL.
Hall of Famer?
David Ortiz hit his 492nd career home run on Wednesday. He’s been producing in a big way for the Red Sox this season, contributing 26 home runs and 75 RBI while slashing .268/.355/.518. But will Big Papi someday be a Hall of Famer? He has some strikes against him—including allegations of PED use, and spending most of his career as a designated hitter. So will voters overlook these concerns when it comes time to vote him in?
Norris homers
Tigers starter Daniel Norris blasted his first major-league home run in an inter-league matchup with the Cubs. Norris hit the long ball in his first MLB at-bat, though it wasn’t all good news for the 22-year-old; he suffered a strained right oblique and will head to the disabled list.
Syndergaard’s struggles
Mets righty Noah Syndergaard, who has struggled on the road this season, tried to mix things up on Wednesday ahead of his start at Camden Yards, warming up later than usual. But Syndergaard’s woes continued, allowing eight hits and three runs in five-plus innings. (At home, Syndergaard is 7-1, having posted an ERA of 1.82; on the road, he’s an alarming 0-5 with an ERA of 5.05.) The Orioles defeated the Mets, 5–4.
