Best things we saw this week: Tyler Duffey returns to the mound for Kansas City

Each week of the baseball season can offer something new and fun. Here are the best things we saw in week four of the 2024 MLB season.

Tyler Duffey returns to the mound after health scare

It’s never too early in the season for a feel-good story, and this week Kansas City Royals reliever Tyler Duffey delivered much more than his typical April relief appearance when he made his season debut for Kansas City on Monday. fair, after being recalled from Triple-One Omaha.

The 33-year-old right-hander was diagnosed with melanoma during spring training and underwent successful surgery to remove the cancer from his shoulder. Since then, Duffey has been working to rehabilitate himself and return to the mound.

Well, not only did Duffey return on Monday, but he also had a strong showing in his first game with Kansas City, throwing two scoreless innings and three strikeouts in the Royals’ 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays. In case you forgot, Duffey was one of the best relievers in baseball with Minnesota from 2019-21, with a 2.52 ERA over that span.

Of course, baseball is secondary to this story and the results of the game are not the most important thing. The important thing is that Duffey is healthy and cancer-free, a comeback we can all root for.

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s first hit is unforgettable

Chicago Cubs rookie outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has been one of MLB’s top prospects for a few seasons now, and after a brief cup of coffee last season, PCA returned to the big leagues this week, still looking for his first at-bat in the major leagues.

In a Thursday homer against the Astros, Crow-Armstrong made sure his first big league at-bat was even more special. The Cubs’ top prospect launched a no-doubt two-run shot off Houston reliever Bryan Abreu, sending a packed Wrigley Field into a frenzy and giving the Cubs the lead on the way to a 3-1 victory.

PCA — ranked 15th in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline — may have been called up due to Cody Bellinger’s broken ribs, but he clearly has talent that could be a huge asset to the Cubs in the interim.

Shohei Ohtani: doubles machine

During baseball season, it seems like not a day goes by without superstar Shohei Ohtani doing something that surprises, and lately, he’s been doing something we’ve never seen from him before. Heading into Friday’s game in Toronto, Ohtani had accumulated an MLB-leading 14 doubles in just over four weeks of play.

For perspective, his teammate Freddie Freeman set a career high with an MLB-leading 59 doubles last season, and in 26 games this season has hit five doubles. Ohtani’s start prepared him to overcome that. The two-time MVP is currently on pace to hit more than 80 doubles, which would break the single-season record of 67 set by Earl Webb in 1931.