You know it’s an odd day in baseball when Alfredo Simon, who entered play with an unsightly 9.60 ERA and 2.06 WHIP in nine starts, pitches seven reasonably strong innings to win at Coors Field. It’s even stranger that all three dominant New York Yankees relief pitchers permit a run in the same game, for the first time, yet still win. And, finally, Mookie Betts did not homer! Indeed, a weird day. Here are five things we learned Thursday:
1. The next Valenzuela, eventually. Los Angeles Dodgers rookie lefty Julio Urias, often compared to fellow Mexican countryman Fernando Valenzuela from yesteryear, also should have a really bright future.