Around the Diamond: Majors streaking; Wright returns

The Majors, winners of 6 in a row, enter the weekend tied for top spot in the IBL; Taylor Wright returns after pro stint; Fernando gets his shot; And more! Catch our latest news & notes …

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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1) Going streaking. No sooner did the Majors lose a third consecutive game earlier this month (for the first time since pre-pandemic days), they flipped the script and began a streak in the other direction. Entering action Friday, Fergie Jenkins Day, against the Hamilton Cardinals (following two straight weekend sweeps), the Majors are riding a season-best six-game winning streak.

That has their record up to 22-8, tied with the Welland Jackfish for top spot in the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) standings. It’s the same record they posted in a COVID-condensed 30-game regular season in 2021 – before famously going on to win their first league championship in decades. 

In fact, you have to go back to 2017 to find a winning streak of six games or more for the Majors. That year they opened the season with an eye-popping 13 straight wins (a franchise record). And while reaching that number seems improbable, London can definitely extend its current run this weekend. Friday and Monday offer up games against the Cardinals, who’ve lost 13 in a row, and the last-place Brantford Red Sox, respectively.

Sunday will present arguably the biggest challenge. The Majors will play a road double-header against Kitchener (12-18). It’s hard enough to sweep a weekend, even harder still to take both ends of a double dip on the road. But London will have ace Jose Arias and last year’s ace, Pedro De Los Santos, on the hill for those two games, so it’s not out of the question. But before those games …

2) Fernando gets a shot. After their three primary starting pitchers, including Owen Boon and the aforementioned Arias and De Los Santos, the Majors don’t have a defined fourth starter. In the two instances so far when a fourth starter was needed, it was Daniel Gore who took the mound. He got the job done in those outings, both wins for London (over Hamilton and Brantford). In a combined 11 innings, the righty allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits. He walked six and struck out 14.

Friday night, Fernando Fernandez will get his chance at starting. The left-hander has had mixed results so far this season, but he was lights out in his most recent outing, striking out all six batters he faced to finish out last Saturday’s 12-6 win in Brantford. 

In part due to a rough outing against Welland June 24 (5 earned runs in 2 innings), his overall numbers are bloated (a 7.29 ERA in 12 1/3 innings on the year). He’s appeared in 10 games overall, allowing 18 hits and seven walks while striking out 13. Majors manager Roop Chanderdat is hoping Fernandez carries the momentum from last weekend into Friday against Hamilton, and the goal is to get five innings out of the lefty.

Taylor Wright returns to the Majors’ lineup this weekend. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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3) The Wright Stuff. Despite a successful stint with the Ottawa Titans of the Independent Frontier League, infielder Taylor Wright was released by the club earlier this week. It was a numbers game, with the team having too many left-handed bats. The good news for Majors fans? Wright has returned to London and will finish out the year with the Intercounty club. 

It’s no small (re-)addition. The 25-year-old is a difference-maker both at the plate and in the field – and he’s coming off a stint in pro ball in which he hit a respectable .257 with a .333 on-base percentage, three home runs and 20 RBIs in 28 games. His versatility in the field allows him to play third base, first base and shortstop, which is where he’ll play Friday with Keith Kandel getting a breather.

In his 13 games with the Majors earlier this year, Wright hit .392 (20-for-51) with four homers, 10 RBIs and 16 runs scored. He also walked more times (8) than he struck out (7). Wright’s return will likely move Gibson Krzeminski to the outfield. There will be plenty of moving parts, both in the infield and outfield, as Chanderdat continues to try and get everyone at-bats. Offensive depth? It’s a good thing to have. 

Wright aside, the Majors weren’t too active before the deadline to sign players passed earlier this week. Earlier this month, though, pitcher Anderson Acevedo joined the club, replacing Cesar Cabral on the roster. Cabral pitched well in a Majors uniform, but because he’d be leaving the team for playing commitments in the Dominican before the IBL playoffs ended, it made sense to acquire an arm who’ll be able to help London in the postseason.

Acevedo, 28, also a native of the Dominican Republic, was hit hard in his first two appearances, but Chanderdat is confident he’ll be an asset in the bullpen down the stretch. The Majors also added youngster Eric McLellan, 19, who will serve as a bullpen catcher and depth at the position.

4) Dan doing damage. He may not be facing the opposition’s top starting pitchers regularly, at least not yet, but Dan Perrier has been feasting on plenty of other pitchers around the league when he’s gotten his opportunities this season. Case in point: He sat against Frank Garces last Friday when London beat Barrie 4-3, but he was in the lineup Saturday and Sunday against Brantford and Hamilton, and he hit home runs in both games, going a combined 6-for-9 with 8 RBIs.

The 6-foot-9 first baseman has certainly made the most of his playing time this season as he learns the ropes in the IBL. He’s seen action in 22 games and batted an impressive .393 in 61 at-bats thus far. He’s hit five long balls and driven in 27 runs, which is actually third most on the team (behind Cleveland Brownlee and Robert Mullen), despite many fewer plate appearances than London’s everyday starters.

Byron Reichstein and Taylor Wright may get the bulk of the playing time at first base down the stretch, but Perrier will continue to get at-bats, and if he continues to make strides at the plate, he could be a wild card bat for the Majors heading into the playoffs. That type of power coming off the bench? That’s a pretty good secret weapon.