The week that was in Major League Baseball was headlined by controversy.

 

Mets slugger Pete Alonso suggested that Major League Baseball manipulates the baseball each season depending on the upcoming free agent class (in an attempt to keep salaries down).

 

Pete Alonso said he does not like that MLB is cracking down on pitchers using illegal sticky substances: "I don't care what they use."

"The biggest concern is MLB manipulates the baseballs year in and year out depending on the free agency class," he said.

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) June 9, 2021

 

Spider Tack controversy: Substance used by pitchers around the MLB gaining attention. Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole struggled to give a straight answer when asked about the substance.

 

Gerrit Cole on if he ever used Spider Tack while pitching:

"I don't quite know how to answer that, to be honest…If MLB wants to legislate some more stuff, that's a conversation that we can have" pic.twitter.com/2fR1AUeOQX

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 8, 2021

 

Jacob deGrom knocked in two runs while throwing six shutout innings in a a win over the Padres. The Mets ace now has more RBI (five) this year than earned runs allowed (four). His ERA is 0.56.

 

🗣 M-V-P pic.twitter.com/Y2wDMCabhS

— New York Mets (@Mets) June 12, 2021

 

Jacob deGrom is the first pitcher to have more RBI (5) than earned runs allowed (4) in any 10-start span in a single season since RBI became an official stat in 1920.

h/t: @StatsBySTATS pic.twitter.com/m6U7YX5XUK

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) June 12, 2021

 

The Blue Jays hit eight home runs against the Red Sox yesterday. It is the most homers by a visiting team in Fenway Park history.

 

This is a public service announcement:

If you missed any or all of the #BlueJays 8 home runs today, we’ve got you covered. Jays win 18-4. pic.twitter.com/d4dCN6ooOA

— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) June 13, 2021

 

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Power Rankings

1. Tampa Bay Rays (42-24) | PREV: 1

2. Chicago White Sox (41-24) | PREV: 3 (+1)

3. Los Angeles Dodgers (39-26) | PREV: 6 (+3)

4. Oakland Athletics (40-27) | PREV: 7 (+3)

5. San Francisco Giants (40-25) | PREV: 5

6. Boston Red Sox (39-27) | PREV: 2 (-4)

7. Chicago Cubs (38-27) | PREV: 8 (+1)

8. San Diego Padres (38-29) | PREV: 4 (-4)

9. Milwaukee Brewers (38-27) | PREV: 9

10. Houston Astros (37-28) | PREV: 10

11. New York Mets (32-25) | PREV: 11

12. Toronto Blue Jays (33-30) | PREV: 13 (+1)

13. Philadelphia Phillies (32-31) | PREV: 17 (+4)

14. Los Angeles Angels (33-32) | PREV: 21 (+7)

15. Cleveland Indians (34-28) | PREV: 14 (-1)

16. New York Yankees (33-32) | PREV: 12 (-4)

17. Cincinnati Reds (32-31) | PREV: 18 (+1)

18. Atlanta Braves (30-33) | PREV: 15 (-3)

19. St. Louis Cardinals (32-33) | PREV: 16 (-3)

20. Seattle Mariners (32-35) | PREV: 20

21. Kansas City Royals (30-34) | PREV: 19 (-2)

22. Miami Marlins (29-36) | PREV: 23 (+1)

23. Washington Nationals (27-35) | PREV: 22 (-1)

24. Minnesota Twins (26-39) | PREV: 24

25. Detroit Tigers (26-39) | PREV: 25

26. Colorado Rockies (25-41) | PREV: 26

27. Texas Rangers (25-41) | PREV: 28 (+1)

28. Pittsburgh Pirates (23-41) | PREV: 27 (-1)

29. Baltimore Orioles (22-42) | PREV: 29

30. Arizona Diamondbacks (20-46) | PREV: 30