MLB Weekend in a Nutshell: August 11th Edition
The best highlights along with some of the top storylines, here's a recap of the best baseball had to offer this weekend.
From Payton Tolle‘s eye-popping performance to Will Venable‘s shocking mistake and plenty in between, let’s take a look at the weekend in a nutshell, brought to you by Hampton Farms Peanuts.
Use code JUSTBASEBALL for 25% off when ordering the best peanuts in the game at Hampton Farms Peanuts.
Payton Tolle on a Roll
Red Sox lefty Payton Tolle decimated the Athletics on Friday, racking up 14 strikeouts over six innings of one-run ball. He racked up 24 total whiffs, bullying hitters with his fastball and cutter. And per OptaSTATS, Tolle’s 14 strikeouts on 84 pitches were the second-fewest pitches per strikeout in a start since pitches were first tracked in 1988.
The Jackson Jobe Return
Another 23-year-old who impressed on the mound this weekend was Tigers right-hander Jackson Jobe, who made his return to the mound 14 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Jobe looked like the budding key rotation piece he had been prior for the Tigers, averaging north of 98 miles per hour on his fastball while showcasing a nasty five-pitch mix on his way to a five-shutout-inning performance of one-hit ball.
Luis Lara Home Run Robbery
Luis Lara was the difference in a 4-3 win for the Brewers, and it was with his elite glove. As a prospect, people around the Brewers organization told me that they expect Lara to win multiple Gold Gloves, and it’s easy to understand why when you’re watching him in the big leagues.
The first catch was as good of a recovery as you’ll see in the outfield, while the second catch came in extras with no regard for his own body. He crashed into the wall, saving a run plus extra bases in the 10th inning before the Brewers walked it off in the home half.
Ryan Waldschmidt Plays Hero
Another top prospect turned heroic rookie is Diamondbacks outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, whose only hit of the weekend against the Dodgers could not have come at a better time.
Down one in the bottom of the ninth with one on and one out in a 2-2 count, Waldschmidt took Edwin Díaz deep to left center to walk it off and beat the Dodgers. It was only Waldschmidt’s second career homer, but he’s already made an impact for the D-backs in several ways in his early big league career.
Will Venable’s Big Mistake
Unfortunately, White Sox manager Will Venable was not a hero on Friday, putting his team in a brutal spot in the first inning when he walked out to the mound to chat with starter Noah Schultz.
What he didn’t realize is the White Sox had already used a mound visit a few batters earlier, meaning Schultz had to come out of the game after recording just one out.
As a result, first-rounder Hagen Smith was called up to make his MLB debut out of the bullpen the next day, because the bullpen had to wear it in that Friday game. Smith flashed his nasty stuff but also spotty command, and the Sox lost that game one but took the next two against the Guardians in a big series win.
Written by
Hi everyone my name is Colby Olson and welcome to Just Baseball! I have been around the game since I was 4 years old and have…