Yesterday was the first day of the 2023 postseason. On the American League side, the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-0; then the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 to snap an 18-game playoff losing streak. On the National League side, the Arizona Diamondbacks hammered Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes for a 6-3 Game One win, and then the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 4-1. The Rookies showed out yesterday, going 10 for 29 with a slash line of .345/.474/.724 with a 1.198 OPS; they had two doubles, three home runs, six RBI, 21 total bases, eight walks, and nine strikeouts. The veterans had a slashline of .231/.291/.315 with a .606 OPS; they had 11 doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI, 75 total bases, 20 walks, and 68 strikeouts. The rookies were led by Evan Carter, Royce Lewis, Sal Frelick, Corbin Carroll, and Johan Rojas showing out. Here’s how they did in their respective games.
Rookies Game 1 Performance
Evan Carter
Carter’s first at-bat saw him walk and steal second base in the second inning. In the Top of the Fourth, he would double off Tyler Glasnow, making it runners on second and third, but the Rangers couldn’t bring home the runs. In the Top of the Sixth, he led off the inning with a walk and would score later in the inning. In the Top of the eighth, in his final at-bat, he led off the inning with a double but did not score. He finished the game 2-2 with two doubles, two walks, and a run scored.
Royce Lewis
Lewis got his postseason off with a bang, hitting two home runs in his first two at-bats; the first a two-run shot and the other was a solo shot; he was responsible for all three Minnesota Twins runs. In the fifth, he drew a walk, and then in the eighth, he would ground out. He finished the game 2-3 with two home runs, a walk and three RBI.
Sal Frelick
Frelick made his postseason debut and had a decent day at the plate despite the Brewers’ loss. In his first at-bat, he would strike out, but in the Bottom of the Third, he would single to left field. In the Bottom of the Fifth, he was back at it again with another single. He would strike out in his fourth at-bat in the Bottom of the Seventh, and in his final at-bat, he flew out to center field to end the game. Frelick finished the game 2-5 with two strikeouts and two singles.
Corbin Carroll
Carroll is the favorite for the National League Rookie of the Year and showed why on Tuesday night. He got the game started in the leadoff spot and grounded out to get things going. In his second at-bat in the Top of the Third with a runner on first, he crushed a two-run home to right field to get the Diamondbacks within one of the Brewers early on. In the Top of the Fifth, Carroll drew a walk, and then in the Top of the Seventh, he would single but would be caught stealing a few batters later. In his final at-bat in the Top of the Ninth, he drew another walk and would later score on a Christian Walker double to make it 6-3 Diamondbacks. Carroll finished the game 2-3 with two runs scored, a home run, two RBI, and two walks.
Johan Rojas
Rojas this season appeared in 59 games for the Phillies this season and got the start in center field for Game One. In the nine spot, he got his first at-bat in the Bottom of the Third, and he would single to left field and would later score the first run of the game for Philadelphia on an Alec Bohm double. In the Bottom of the Fourth, he flew out to right field, then in the Bottom of the Seventh, in his final at-bat, he struck out. Rojas finished the game 1-3 with a run scored.
