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Published Aug 3, 2020
Pro Hogs MLB Report - Aug. 3
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Andrew Hutchinson  •  HawgBeat
Managing Editor
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@NWAHutch

It wasn’t without some bumps along the way, but the 2020 MLB season is finally underway.

Here is a look at how the seven former Razorbacks who made the initial 30-man rosters have performed about a week and a half into the season…

Brian Anderson - Miami Marlins

Stats: 3 games, .300/.462/.600, 3 for 10, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 3 K/2 BB, 1 HBP

A broken hand ended Anderson’s 2019 campaign five weeks early, but he still managed a career-high 20 home runs and 66 RBIs. Coming into a shortened 2020, he was poised for a breakout season and got off to a solid start with one hit in each of Miami’s first three games, including a big three-run homer that helped it beat the Phillies.

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Unfortunately, that was the last game the Marlins played before it was revealed that numerous players on the team had tested positive for Covid-19. Their season was put on hold for a week and is set to resume Tuesday in Baltimore.

Jalen Beeks - Tampa Bay Rays

Stats: 4 games/0 starts, 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 8 IP, 7 H, 5 R/4 ER, 2 BB, 15 K

Working as a reliever for the Rays, Beeks is off to a pretty good start in 2020. His 4.50 ERA is skewed by one bad inning in which he allowed three earned runs. Take out that inning and his ERA drops to 1.29.

The best indicator of his improvement this season has been his strikeouts. He already has 15, which is tied for fifth in the AL, and is averaging 16.9 per nine innings. That is more than double his 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings last season. Beeks racked up seven in three innings against the Braves, helping the Rays break a franchise record with 19 strikeouts in the game.

Andrew Benintendi - Boston Red Sox

Stats: 8 games, .083/.333/.125, 2 for 24, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 10 K/9 BB, 1-2 SB

It took longer than he expected, but Benintendi finally recorded his 500th career hit with a ground rule double Wednesday. Entering the season with 498, he has been ice cold out of the leadoff spot for Boston. Benintendi did manage a couple of walks Saturday, but went 0 for 3 to drop his batting average to a minuscule .083 through eight games.

Dallas Keuchel - Chicago White Sox

Stats: 2 games/2 starts, 2-0, 3.38 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 10 2/3 IP, 10 H, 4 R/4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

In each of his first two starts with the White Sox, Keuchel has allowed two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. It was enough for him to earn the victory in both outings. Known as a ground ball pitcher, Keuchel has just three strikeouts.

James McCann - Chicago White Sox

Stats: 3 games, .400/.500/1.000, 4 for 10, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, 2 K/0 BB, 2 HBP

Coming off a season in which he was selected to play in the All-Star Game, McCann has split time behind the plate with Yasmani Grandal, who the White Sox acquired in free agency. McCann has made the most of his limited opportunities, launching a pair of home runs in his three games. He has also caught both of Keuchel’s starts, marking the first time they’ve been batterymates since the 2009 College World Series.

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Drew Smyly - San Francisco Giants

Stats: 3 games/2 starts, 0-0, 3.24 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8 1/3 IP, 7 H, 3 R/3 ER, 4 BB, 11 K

After missing two seasons because of injuries, Smyly returned to the mound last season and struggled to a 6.24 ERA. He landed a one-year deal with the Giants in January and has pitched well so far this season.

Smyly came out of the bullpen in San Francisco’s opener and pitched a scoreless inning. A couple of days later, the Giants used him as a starter and he gave up just one run in 3 1/3 innings against a powerful Dodgers lineup. That made him part of MLB history, as it was the first time every team was in action and no starter went at least seven innings.

On Saturday, he was charged with a couple of earned runs in a four-inning start against the Rangers, but he also racked up seven strikeouts.

Smyly left that start early after experiencing discomfort and was placed on the 10-day Injured List with a strained left index finger on Sunday.

Ryne Stanek - Miami Marlins

Stats: 1 game/0 starts, 0-0, 27.00 ERA, 4.00 WHIP, 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R/3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Another player who’s season has been on hold because of the Marlins’ Covid-19 outbreak, Stanek has made just one appearances so far in 2020 and it didn’t go particularly well.

Pitching the seventh inning in a game Miami trailed 3-1, he put a couple of runners on before allowing a three-run bomb to J.T. Realmuto that gave the Phillies some breathing room.

Additions

One side effect of the Marlins' outbreak that sidelined the seasons of Anderson and Stanek is that they were forced to bring in a lot more players - including a pair of former Razorbacks.

Miami signed Brett Eibner on Saturday and Logan Forsythe on Sunday.

Eibner, who is likely to report to the Marlins' alternate training site, has not been a member of an MLB organization since 2018. After making the big leagues as an outfielder with the Royals, Athletics and Dodgers, he attempted a comeback as a pitcher before going down with Tommy John surgery.

Although he's been a two-way player with Eastern Reyes del Tigre of the independent Constellation Energy League in Texas, Eibner is listed as a right-handed pitcher on Miami's transactions page.

Forsythe, who worked out with the Phillies during summer camp but didn't make the Opening Day roster, has been added to Miami's active roster. He has spent time with the Padres, Rays, Dodgers, Twins and Rangers.

In Texas last season, he hit just .227 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs in 101 games. However, Miami makes sense for Forsythe because of his versatility, having played every position except pitcher, catcher and center field.