Julio Rodriguez (hamstring) returns to M’s lineup

After a nice May, Arenado came into this one having hit just .167/.220/.202 with no homers in his previous 23 games. Tonight’s homer was legit, though, traveling 397 feet to left. He has nine in 79 games on the season, putting him on the same pace as last year, when he had 12 in 107 games.

One would think for Rodriguez to be 7-1 with a 2.21 ERA while sporting the worst strikeout and walk rates of his career, the left-hander would at least have to be producing an extraordinary amount of soft contact. That’s not what’s happening, though. He gave up 12 hard-hit balls tonight, and his hard hit and barrel rates are about a little higher than his career averages. It just hasn’t mattered for a full three months now. He surrendered three barrels tonight, all of which turned into outs. Two were off the bat off Rafael Devers and would have been homers in 17 and six ballparks, respectively. Rodriguez ranks fifth in the majors in ERA. He’ll take on the Brewers next.

Brought into a 5-2 game, Sewald allowed a leadoff homer to Heliot Ramos to start the ninth and then gave up two more hits to score another run before Drew Gilbert and Matt Chapman popped out to end the game. Sewald also gave up three ultimately harmless runs last time out, so his ERA has suddenly jumped from 3.18 to 4.50. Still, he’s blown just one save all year, and until that changes, there isn’t much reason to speculate about his job.

It’s pretty much all or nothing from Mahle this year and more of the latter than the former; he’s pitched scoreless ball in four of his 13 starts and given up at least four runs seven times. Just twice has he allowed one, two or three runs. His velocity and strikeout rate are both up a little from last year, so there’s reason to think he’ll be adequate the rest of the way. It’s just hard to expect more than that. He’d due to make his next start Sunday in Colorado.

Young hit a 412-foot homer off Ryan Johnson in the third and then a 406-foot bomb to right off Match Farris in the sixth. It’s his first career two-homer game. Six of his nine homers this season have come in his last 27 games. His fantasy ceiling remains low while playing in a pitcher’s park and not being much of a basestealer, but he’s been about as effective as any American League second baseman to date this season.

Kirby struck out seven and allowed no runs over the final five innings of his second eight-inning start of the year. He’s turned in four straight quality starts while trading four-seamers for sinkers of late. That’s especially been the case his last two starts, both of which were wins. With the Mariners having Wednesday and Monday off, Kirby might not start again until next Tuesday. Or it’s possible he’ll be part of a piggyback tandem on Sunday.

The two unearned runs came in the fourth. Johnson retired the first two batters of the inning, but a HBP and a Denzer Guzman error followed. After that, Cal Raleigh flipped a little 74-mph flyball into shallow left to plate two runs. The Angels could activate Grayson Rodriguez this weekend, with either Johnson or Sam Aldegheri getting sent to the bullpen or, more likely, Triple-A. Johnson helped the cause a little tonight, but he’s still 1-3 with a 7.40 ERA in four starts and three relief appearances.

Neto is up to 18 homers, though as a leadoff man for a team with a weak bottom of the order, he’s knocked in only 40 runs. Of course, his own .226 average isn’t really helping there, either. He does have 40 walks in 83 games, however. Tonight’s moved him past his previous high of 39 in 155 games in 2024.

The triple, which gave him all three of his runs batted in, was a grounder down the right field line that Troy Johnston wasn’t especially quick to get to. It was Sanoja’s first triple of the year. He drove in more runs with that one hit than he had while batting .227/.239/.295 with two RBI in his previous 16 games.

There could have been more runs, but Alcantara benefitted from Hunter Goodman getting caught stealing home in the third, a line drive double play in the fourth and then Michael Petersen stranding two runners after replacing him in the sixth. The win makes Alcantara a perfect 6-0 in June, even though his 3.35 ERA was more good than great. Back in 2021, he had a season in which he posted a 3.19 ERA in 33 starts and wound up 9-15. Alcantara will go from Coors Field tonight to perhaps the game’s next friendliest ballpark for hitters in Sacramento in his start Saturday against the A’s.