Sunday Notes: Giants Rookie Jonah Cox Took a Catcher Deep at Wrigley

Jonah Cox had by no means set foot in Wrigley Discipline previous to June fifth of this season. It turned out to be a day he received’t quickly neglect. Six video games into his MLB profession, the 25-year-old San Francisco Giants outfielder went 3-for-3 and left the yard for the primary time at baseball’s highest degree. In entrance of an introduced crowd of 39,060, the guests ran roughshod over the Chicago Cubs by a depend of 18-3.

His preliminary impression of the Pleasant Confines?

“It’s a type of stadiums you see in motion pictures, like Rookie of the Yr, so while you stroll on the market it’s like ‘Oh my gosh,’” the Colorado native instructed me earlier this week. “Figuring out the historical past and the fanbase, it’s only a actually cool place to play.”

“Oh man, the ball was flying,” Cox went on to say of the competition, which featured eight house runs, seven of them by the Giants, “It was a ton of enjoyable watching guys swing and have a lot success. Then I bought the decision to come back in and face Hoby Milner, the lefty [in the sixth inning with the Giants leading 9-0]. I used to be excited to get in there, and one factor led to a different.”

Did it ever. The rookie recorded his second hit of the sport — and simply his third within the majors — in that very same inning, which ended with the Giants on high 16-0. Then got here the highest of the ninth. With Cubs catcher Carson Kelly toeing the rubber, Cox cleared the ivy.

“It was sort of a working joke with a number of the buddies I used to be developing [through the minors] with,” Cox mentioned of the gopher. “After I first got here into professional ball, I used to be depressing towards place gamers. I used to be one thing like 0-for-7 with six strikeouts and a damaged bat towards them. However then final 12 months we had been dealing with a place participant and a coach got here as much as me mentioned, ‘Hey dude, simply attempt to hit a house run and see what occurs.’ I ended up doing it.”

His repeating the feat at Wrigley included a short second of confusion.

“I knew that I hit it effectively, nevertheless it was a man throwing 60 mph,” recalled Cox. “I used to be sort of simply working and considering, ‘Candy, it’s going to be a success.’ The group went louder, and after I seemed up the ball was already again on the sphere. I assumed it should have gone off the wall, however then the umpire instructed me it was a house run. [A fan in the bleachers had thrown it back.] I used to be like, Superior. Lets go!’”

Upon rounding the bases, he had equaled his father’s house run complete. Enjoying for the Montreal Expos in 1999, Darron Cox took Los Angeles Dodgers southpaw Onan Masaoka deep for one in all his six profession hits.

“I did tie him,” acknowledged the second-generation big-leaguer, whose ledger now consists of 10 hits in 43 at-bats. “However he may even have me beat, as a result of his was off of a man not throwing 60. There was somewhat trash discuss it after the sport. He was there, as was my spouse and another household.”

There’s extra to Cox’s rookie-season story. Every week earlier, he had recorded his first profession hit, a double, in a 19-6 Giants shellacking of the Rockies at Coors Discipline — and it got here towards Colorado catcher Brett Sullivan.

Had he been making an attempt to hit a house run?

“I used to be for the primary two swings,” Cox instructed me. “However then it bought to a full depend and panic set in. It’s sort of a lose-lose scenario. In the event you get a success towards a place participant, it’s just about, ’OK, that’s what you had been alleged to do,’ and in the event you strike out… I imply, that’s horrible. I didn’t wish to strike out, so I used to be simply making an attempt to hit the ball.”

———

RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS

Ed Armbrister went 3 for 16 towards Tommy John.

Steve Garvey went 3 for 16 towards Brent Strom.

Miguel Vargas is 2 for six towards Jackson Jobe.

Doc Cramer went 8 for 25 towards Ivy Andrews.

Paul Molitor went 6 for 23 towards John Farrell.

———

Which opponent has most impressed Torey Lovullo this season? I requested the Arizona Diamondbacks supervisor that query earlier this week.

“We performed the Chicago Cubs in the beginning of Might—- we haven’t seen them in awhile, however are on the point of play them once more — and I walked away from that sequence considering they had been a reasonably full staff,” mentioned Lovullo. “Clearly, they’re effectively run with Craig Counsell on the helm. The gamers knew their roles and had been taking part in at a reasonably excessive degree. They had been taking part in very quick. For me, that’s about prep, and in addition about expertise and execution. I might say they’ve been the very best.

“We’ve seen the Dodgers with some banged-up athletes,” Lovullo went on to say. “They’ve had some guys out, so we haven’t seen them as a whole staff. I do know they’ve had some good and dangerous moments. I feel they’re but to play their finest baseball.”

The D-Backs went 7-6 versus the Dodgers this season. The Cubs, who go to Arizona for a three-game sequence starting tomorrow, swept the aforementioned three-game sequence again in Might.

———

A quiz:

The Giants moved from New York to San Francisco in 1958. Since that point, 4 gamers have a batting common of .300 or larger whereas logging 2,000 or extra at-bats with the staff. Who’re they? (A touch: two are within the Corridor of Fame.)

The reply may be discovered under.

———

NEWS NOTES

Marlene Vogelsang has been honored with the 2026 SABR Founder’s Day Award, which acknowledges a member who has contributed vital or enduring service as a pacesetter of a regional chapter or analysis committee. Vogelsong is the president of the Bay Space-based Lefty O’Doul chapter.

Baek In-Chun, the one participant to log a batting common of .400 or larger in a full KBO season, died final weekend at age 83. Baek batted .412 over 298 plate appearances for MBC Chungyong (now the LG Twins) in 1982.

———

The reply to the quiz is Corridor of Famers Orlando Cepeda (.308) and Willie Mays (.301), and non-Corridor of Famers Barry Bonds (.312) and Buster Posey (.302). In the event you guessed Will Clark, he batted .299 as a Large. Jeff Kent, at .297, additionally simply missed.

———

Cody Bowker got here house to Maine and impressed Roman Anthony. Pitching towards the Double-A Portland Sea Canines on Thursday evening, the 22-year-old right-hander took the mound for the Studying Fightin’ Phils and allowed simply two hits and one run over 5 innings. The rehabbing Boston Crimson Sox outfielder grounded out in every of his two at-bats versus Bowker.

“He threw very well,” Anthony mentioned of the 2022 Maine Gatorade Participant of the Yr, whom the Philadelphia Phillies drafted within the third spherical final 12 months out of Vanderbilt College. “He’s bought a cool arm, for certain. He sort of stored us in all places. It was his Double-A debut, and I’ve been there. Issues can have a tendency to hurry up on you while you’re taking part in in entrance of all of your family and friends. Hats off to him.”

Shortly after these phrases had been shared with a small group of reporters — together with yours actually — I let the younger pitcher know that Anthony had been impressed with not solely the standard of his stuff, but in addition his demeanor.

“Meaning loads,” responded Bowker who was born in Massachusetts and performed his highschool ball at Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine. “Particularly with me being a Crimson Sox fan. I’ve their video games on each evening, in order that’s further particular.”

At present ranked twenty first within the Phillies system with a 40 FV, Bowker has a 4.48 ERA, a 3.58 FIP, and 33.9% strikeout price over 80-and-third frames throughout three ranges.

———

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Bobby Dalbec has 20 house runs to go along with a .256/.323/.462 slash line and a 135 wRC+ over 443 plate appearances for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.The 31-year-old erstwhile Boston Crimson Sox and Chicago White Sox nook infielder additionally has NPB’s highest strikeout price at 32.6%.

Misho Nishikaw is slashing .302/.368/.421 with seven house runs and a 131 wRC+ over 446 plate appearances for the Chiba Lotte Marines. The 23-year-old outfielder batted .281 with a 108 wRC+ final 12 months in his first NPB season.

Min Seok Choi is now 11-3 with a 2.72 ERA over 115-and-two-thirds innings for the KBO’s Doosan Bears. The best-hander, who celebrated his twentieth birthday final month, is the youngest participant in Bears historical past to have a double-digit-win season.

Hao Wei Ghang is slashing .347/.396/.429 with 4 two-baggers and a pair of triples in 107 plate appearances for the Chinese language Skilled Baseball League’s Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions. The 21-year-old infielder/outfielder has stolen six bases in as many tries.

———

Claire O’Sullivan has been spectacular on each side of the ball for the WPBL’s New York Heights. The 31-year-old Maroubra, Australia native has gone 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA throughout three mound appearances, and is 8-for-16 with a house run on the plate.

Suzuka Yamamoto is 6-for-10 with a double and two walks for the WPBLs Boston Hunters. The 27-year-old shortstop from Setouchi Metropolis, Japan is graduate of graduate of Kwansei Gakuin College and a founding member of the Hanshin Tigers Ladies’s staff, which was established in 2021.

———

Final week’s column led with Bryce Rainer, the topic at hand being his no-longer-in-play prowess as a pitcher. Previous to his being drafted eleventh general by the Detroit Tigers in 2024, the 21-year-old shortstop prospect confirmed ample promise on the mound, with some scouts seeing two-way potential. Left on the cutting-room ground from my dialog with Rainer was what he mentioned about his ongoing growth as a place participant.

“There are issues all of us work on every single day, simply because every single day is a brand new day,” mentioned Rainer, who ranks twenty fifth on The Board with a 55 FV. “For me, there have undoubtedly been issues over the course of the previous 12 months, particularly with the [shoulder] damage, that I’ve sort of needed to maneuver round. However now, I feel we’re at a degree the place the most important factor for me is sort of simply going on the market and making an attempt to assist [the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps] win video games. I’m not likely worrying an excessive amount of in regards to the ins and outs, the extra detailed stuff.”

Prompted for any particular tweaks he’s made to his left-handed stroke, Rainer was equal components elusive and easy.

“Truthfully, the extra I used to be making an attempt to sort of change the swing, the more serious it appeared to get,” he instructed me. “As soon as I began to only come out right here and have enjoyable, and not likely give it some thought an excessive amount of, all the pieces sort of cleaned up by itself. My dad has a saying that he’s repeated to me for a really very long time: “A light-weight thoughts is a fast bat.’ I’ve taken that to coronary heart, and it’s working for me.”

The numbers again that up. Lower than two months faraway from celebrating his twenty first birthday, Rainer is slashing .274/.382/.484 with 15 house runs and a 128 wRC+ over 377 plate appearances versus Midwest League pitching. Furthermore, he just lately went deep in 5 consecutive video games, setting a West Michigan file.

———

FARM NOTES

Tai Peete is slashing .281/.348/.545 with 11 house runs and a 121 wRC+ over 267 plate appearances between Excessive-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield (plus 10 hitless at-bats in a short rehab stint within the FCL). The recently-turned-21-year-old outfielder was acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals over the offseason within the commerce that despatched Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners.

Jaiden Lo Re has 23 stolen bases to go along with a .344/.447/.463 slash line and a 146 wRC+ over 314 plate appearances between the Florida Complicated League and Low-A Delmarva. The 19-year-old outfielder was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles within the fifth spherical final 12 months out of Tempe, Arizona’s Corona del Sol Excessive Faculty.

Grady Emerson made his skilled debut earlier this week with the Low-A Charleston RiverDogs and has since gone hitless in 9 at-bats, with one stroll and one strikeout. The 18-year-old shortstop was drafted second general this summer time by the Tampa Bay Rays out of a North Richland Hills, Texas highschool.

Ace Reese is 16-for-33 with 4 doubles, a pair of house runs, and 9 walks for the Low-A Inland Empire 66ers. The 21-year-old third baseman was drafted twenty fourth general this summer time by the Seattle Mariners out of Mississippi State College.

———

A random obscure former participant snapshot:

Barney Schultz was a significant contributor to a St. Louis Cardinals membership that captured the Nationwide League pennant, and subsequently a World Collection title, in 1964. Seemingly out of the race in mid-August — they had been 11 video games out of first on right this moment’s date — the Playing cards caught hearth and went on to blow previous the fading Philadelphia Phillies within the ultimate days of the season. Schultz was entrance and heart. The 38-year-old knuckleballer earned saves towards Gene Mauch’s snakebitten aspect on September 28 and 29, culminating a five-saves-in-as-many-days stretch. Furthermore, all 14 of the saves he garnered that season got here from August 6 onward. Regardless of showing in simply 30 video games all 12 months (he additionally took the mound 4 instances within the Fall Traditional], Schultz acquired a down-ballot vote for NL MVP.

All instructed, the right-hander made 227 appearances whereas seeing motion for 3 groups — the Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, and Detroit Tigers — from 1955-1965. His ledger features a 20-20 won-lost file, 35 saves, and three.63 ERA over 346-and-two-thirds innings. Humble as that could be, Schultz — for one season a hero in St. Louis — performed an enormous half in probably the most notorious collapse in Phillies historical past.

———

LINKS YOU’LL LIKE

Donovan Casey spent 5 days within the majors, all with the Washington Nationals in 2022, however by no means appeared in a recreation. Jesse Dougherty has the story at NOTUS.

Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is energetic in his help of pediatric healthcare. MLB.com’s Thomas Harding wrote in regards to the younger infielder’s efforts.

The Athletic’s Tim Britton wrote about how the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies have been baseball’s finest staff for the reason that commerce deadline.

A Gorham, Maine native named Horace Wilson introduced baseball to Japan in 1870. Ray Routhier wrote about it for The Portland Press Herald.

Johnny Ray was a strong performer for the Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels throughout the 1981-1990 seasons, then performed for NPB’s Tokyo Yakult Swallows in 1991 and 1992. Madison McEntire chronicled the erstwhile second baseman’s profession for SABR’s BioProject.

———

RANDOM FACTS AND STATS

On Friday, Logan Webb grew to become the twenty fifth pitcher in Giants franchise historical past to make 200 profession begins. Per the staff’s press notes, that tied the membership with the Cincinnati Reds for probably the most in MLB historical past.

In Monday’s 11-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Crimson Sox had all 9 hitters within the beginning lineup file a minimum of one RBI with none of them placing out. The final time a staff completed that feat was on June 25, 1949, when the Crimson Sox outscored the St. Louis Browns 13-2.

The Cincinnati Reds are 62-68 and have a minus-92 run differential.The Detroit Tigers are 61-68 and have a plus-77 run differential.

The Tigers have had 4 gamers file a success of their first MLB plate look this season. They accomplished a cycle whereas doing so. Ben Malgeri singled, Kevin McGonigle doubled, Brett Callahan tripled, and Eduardo Valencia homered. The Tigers final had 4 gamers file a success of their first plate look in the identical season in 1963: Willie Horton singled, Alan Koch and Don Wert doubled, and Gates Brown homered.

Mason Miller has a 0.83 ERA over 54 1/3 innings throughout 52 reduction appearances.Brayan Bello has a 0.85 ERA over 52 2/3 innings throughout 11 reduction appearances.

On right this moment’s date in 1989, Rick Dempsey took Dennis Martinez deep to finish a 22-inning marathon and provides the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 win over the Montreal Expos. L.A.’s Alfredo Griffin went hitless in 9 at-bats, which is 2 in need of the most important league file. On Might 1, 1920, Boston Braves infielder Charlie Decide went 0-for-11 in a 26-inning affair towards the Brooklyn Robins. That recreation was known as in account of darkness with the rating knotted at 1-1. Each pitchers went the space.

Bob Feller made his first profession begin on right this moment’s date in 1936. Simply 17 years previous on the time, the flame-throwing right-hander from Van Meter, Iowa fanned 15 batters whereas going the space in a 4-1 Cleveland Indians win over the St. Louis Browns.

Gamers born on right this moment’s date embody Dale Mitchell, whose .312 batting common ranks eighth finest in Cleveland franchise historical past amongst gamers with a minimum of 4,000 plate appearances. An outfielder whose Indians tenure spanned the 1946-1956 seasons, Mitchell recorded 1,237 hits and was fanned simply 116 instances. Twice an All-Star, he was a key member of the final Cleveland staff to seize a World Collection title, in 1948.

Additionally born on right this moment’s date was Cowboy Jones, a southpaw who toed the rubber for the Cleveland Spiders in 1898, and for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1899-1901. The primary from his house state of Colorado to play within the majors, the Golden native additionally spent a number of years on the farm. His first skilled membership was the Western League’s Milwaukee Brewers, who had been managed by Connie Mack, and he later toiled for groups such because the Adrian Fencevilles, Meridian Ribboners, and Paducah Polecats.

Baseball annals embody an outfielder named Tommy Johns, whose MLB profession comprised one recreation for the Nationwide Affiliation’s Baltimore Marylands in 1873. Per his SABR BioProject entry, Johns went hitless in 4 at-bats versus the Baltimore Canaries — a.okay.a. the Lord Baltimore Baseball Membership — whose pitcher that day was Sweet Cummings, who’s credited by many because the inventor of the curveball.