Welcome back to Around the Horn! It’s been difficult to keep up with our usual baseball digest but I wanted to get this piece out in the midst of the Rangers playoff run. This week we will feature a devastating injury, an unlikely breakout, a welcome departure and a long overdue record update.

First Base

Braves Lose their Star: Injuries are undoubtedly the worst part of any sport and unfortunately this one is devastating for baseball. Ronald Acuna Jr. has long been one of leagues brightest stars but unfortunately he is going to lose another season to injury as he tore his ACL Sunday. The Braves have a ton of talent and can likely compensate for the loss, heck they won the World Series without him in 2021. But losing a player as exciting as number 13 is bad for the game. Hopefully Ronnie can return to and stay on the field next season.

Second Base

Seth Lugoat: I have to credit friend of the site Austin for that nickname as he used it when talking about Lugo back in his Mets days. In a surprising twist, Seth Lugo is dominating on the mound this year with a 8-1 record and a 1.74 ERA. The journeyman righty is enjoying his best season of his career and playing a key role in the Royals success, as they sit second in the Central at 34-21.

Don’t Let the Door Hit You: That’s what all baseball fans are saying to umpire Angel Hernandez as he announced his retirement Tuesday. Hernandez has long been one of the worst umpires in the game, and like his colleagues, has hardly been held accountable for it. The miserable work done by him over the years has garnered the hate of fans and broadcasters alike and we won’t be sorry to see him go. Chicago Bears hall of fame defensive lineman Steve “Mongo” McMichael perfectly encapsulated fans thoughts on Hernandez back in 2000. Now, hopefully CB Bucknor joins him in retirement soon.

Home Plate

Well Deserved Recognition: On Wednesday Major League Baseball announced that its record books will now include the stats from the Negro Leagues. This is something that has long been talked about and frankly is long overdue. The Negro Leagues featured some of the most fun and exciting talents the game of baseball has ever seen and they should be recognized for it. Now fans will get to know the stories of Josh Gibson and Buck O’Neil with even greater ease as they take their place amongst the league record book. O’Neil is covered eloquently here by the great Bob Kendrick, a baseball historian and President of the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame. Bob is one of the best people to listen to talk about this great game, so I recommend looking for more of his work.

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