The hottest issue in the major leagues this summer is the ‘Otani trade’.
It is whether the Los Angeles Angels will give up on him, who is rising as the best baseball player in history. Several teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, are being discussed as potential destinations, but the results are difficult to predict as the Angels recovered their winning percentage in the 50% range in the second half and rekindled the fire of hope for fall baseball.
In the end, some say that the possibility that the owner of Art Moreno will keep him until the end of the season is not small. It means that ‘the empty cart is noisy’, and it may end with only useless rumors and instigation.
Next to Ohtani is Cody Bellinger, an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs. Bellinger was released as a non-tender from the Dodgers last winter, or became a free agent as if kicked out, and signed a ‘1 + 1 year’ contract with the Cubs. He received a $12 million salary this year and a $12 million mutual option for a buyout of $5.5 million next year. He is saying that he can become a free agent of his own will.
Bellinger injured his left knee against the Houston Astros on May 16 (Korean time) and stayed on the disabled list for a month before returning on June 16. Although he had a long hiatus, he had a period of adaptation for about a week, and in July he started wielding a fire bat.
Bellinger started as first baseman 4 times in the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on the 22nd and played a key role in the 4-3 victory with a home run, 3 hits, 2 RBIs and 1 run in 4 at-bats.
In 17 games in July, he has a batting average of 0.462 (30 hits in 65 at-bats), 6 homers, 15 RBIs, 17 runs scored, and an OPS of 1.293. The specific ranking will be known only at the end of the month, but it is highly likely that the batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS will all rank first in the major leagues in July.
However, it is difficult for the Cubs to advance to the playoffs this season unless they turn around on a dramatic upward trend. With the victory on this day, the win rate came close to 50% with 46 wins and 51 losses, but they are 8 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, who lead the NL Central District, and 6.5 games behind the 3rd place Wild Card Philadelphia Phillies, respectively. Pangrasp puts the Cubs’ playoff odds at 7.3%.
Anyone can see that the Cubs are sellers in the trade market, and the target product is bound to be Bellinger. After the game, MLB.com said, “The cohabitation of Bellinger and the Cubs is a question mark when the trade deadline is less than two weeks away. There are various prospects and rumors going around, but the former MVP is having the best month this year,’ he commented.
Bellinger hit a double in his first at-bat in the bottom of the second inning, trailing 0-1. He hit opponent starter Jack Flaherty’s 92.9 mile fastball in the middle and dropped it in the middle with a line drive. However, he could not advance further due to a follow-up hit.
And he hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third. Leading the team, Miles Mastroboni’s solo home run and Mike Tuchman’s double turned the tide of the game 2-1, and the Cubs had a chance to go 2 out and 3 base. After that, Bellinger entered the second at-bat and exploded a superior two-run four, widening the score to 4-1. Flaherty’s first pitch, 77 mph, pulled a body curve and flew over his right wall. His 13th home run of the season with a launch angle of 32 degrees, an exit velocity of 103.7 miles, and a distance of 400 feet.
Then, in the 5th inning, he hit a left-handed hit from 2nd base and 1st base, and in the 7th, he withdrew with a ground ball to the 2nd baseman. For the second time in his career, he fell short of a triple in his cycling hit.카지노
Cubs left-hander starter Justin Steel blocked 6 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts and 2 runs in 6⅓ innings, and climbed to the top of the season with 10 wins (3 losses).