Slow-starting stars: Patience or panic?

Plus: 7 straight walks as rare as you think

Sunday, May 03 View In Browser  TOP NEWS Evaluating 10 struggling stars: patience or panic?   Not all slow starts are created equal. While some prove to be mere blips, others are warning signs of what's to come. With May underway, we decided to take a look at 10 of this year's most disappointing players and determine if there's a reason for concern. Pirates' entire offense makes history with onslaught of walks, RBIs and runs 'He's a freak': Dominant Sale tallies 11 K's as Braves keep on rolling Belli homers twice in 4-hit, 4-RBI day as AL-best Yanks continue to roll Meyer, Marlins one-hit Phillies in dominant shutout Swing tweak helps Walker stay red-hot as Cards win 6th straight Imanaga's scoreless outing sends Cubs to 10th straight Wrigley win 300 steals! J-Ram 2nd to reach milestone in Cleveland franchise history Awaiting first child, Langeliers homers twice on wife Raegan's birthday Emotions released as Bazzana's 1st big league hit comes in the clutch Vargas' hit streak snapped at 27 games in D-backs' shutout loss MORE TOP NEWS PERSONALIZE STORIES TOP PERFORMANCES Longest Home Run Kazuma Okamoto   453 ft 6th Inning   Watch   Hardest Base Hit  Pete Alonso   114.6 mph 4th Inning   Watch   Fastest Strikeout Chase Dollander   100.5 mph 2nd Inning   Watch   Decisive Play Royals   44.3% WPA 9th Inning   Watch   Longest Home Run Kazuma Okamoto   453 ft 6th Inning   Watch   Hardest Base Hit  Pete Alonso   114.6 mph 4th Inning   Watch   Fastest Strikeout Chase Dollander   100.5 mph 2nd Inning   Watch   Decisive Play Royals   44.3% WPA 9th Inning   Watch   Konnor Griffin Career-high 4 hits; raised OBP 29 points to .324 Emerson Hancock 14 K's most by any pitcher in '26; 3rd 14-K game by a Mariner since 1997 Kazuma Okamoto 3rd HR in 2 games; 8th-longest HR in MLB this year (453 ft.) Sean Burke 0 runs allowed in last 14 1/3 IP; 13 K's, 1 BB in that span Drake Baldwin Leads NL catchers in HRs (8), RBIs (29), AVG (.312), OBP (.391) PLAY A SPORCLE BASEBALL QUIZ! MORE FREE GAMES AT MLB PLAY MUST-SEE PLAY Just another jaw-dropping play by Randy Arozarena. MORE TOP PLAYS STAFF PICKS The best free-agent signing? Execs see 2 clear winners We asked more than a dozen executives which free-agent deals have been the most impactful through the first month of the 2026 season. Two names stood out above all others. That's going to be one tall statue As part of his No. 51 retirement ceremony on Saturday, the Mariners revealed their plans to erect a statue outside T-Mobile Park recognizing Randy Johnson. Sheehan out to 'K ALS' Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan explains the reason for the custom message on his gloves -- and gifts one to MLB.com's Sarah Langs for her birthday. A feat not seen in 43 years Seven consecutive Pirates walked in the second inning on Saturday, tying a Major League record that has only happened twice previously. 'Grass Routes' docuseries returns The storytelling series that explores baseball through the Minor League Baseball communities that shape it, visits Asheville, N.C. MLB Pipeline expert Jonathan Mayo captures the city’s bounceback from Hurricane Helene in September 2024 at 1 p.m. ET on MLB Network. White Sox vs. Padres on MLB Network Munetaka Murakami and the White Sox are in San Diego as they clash with Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Padres at 4 p.m. ET (or Mets vs. Angels). MORE STORIES SCOREBOARD BAL 4 NYY 9 TOR 11 MIN 4 AZ 0 CHC 2 CLE 14 ATH 6 CIN 7 PIT 17 MIL 4 WSH 1 HOU 6 BOS 3 PHI 0 MIA 4 SF 1 TB 5 LAD 2 STL 3 TEX 1 DET 5 ATL 9 COL 1 CWS 4 SD 0 NYM 3 LAA 4 KC 3 SEA 2 © 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners. Please review our Privacy Policy. You (geoffgould.gr8iphone@blogger.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com. Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe  or log in and manage your email subscriptions. Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.