The 2022 Major League Baseball season is fully underway and so, too, is the debut season of the KayRod Cast. In the second installment of Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez's Sunday Night Baseball alternate broadcast, they watched the reigning champion Atlanta Braves take on the San Diego Padres.
Yu Darvish put in work to help the Padres earn a 2-1 win and split the series with the Braves. Darvish finished with 8 K's in what was the pitcher's first career win against Atlanta (0-4 with a 5.79 ERA in five previous starts). According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Braves were the only National League team he had never beaten.
Here are the best moments from A-Rod and Kay's time with Chris Russo, Brett Phillips, Steven Kwan and Jeff Passan:
Russo's lookin' at you, Kershaw ...
When it comes to Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw being pulled after pitching 7 perfect innings in his season debut against the Minnesota Twins, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo is pointing a finger directly at one person -- and it isn't Dave Roberts. Nope; according to Russo the decision to depart from the mound during a perfect game bid falls squarely on Kershaw.
"He's Kershaw, if he wants to stay in the game Roberts is going to let him stay in the game," the radio personality explained emphatically to Kay and A-Rod. "You're playing for history! Immortality!"
Kershaw had thrown 80 pitches with 13 strikeouts by the time he was pulled from what was trending toward the first perfect game of his illustrious career. Just six outs away from the history books? Point taken.
Bold prediction, A-Rod ...
Never let it be said that Rodriguez has a Yankees bias. A-Rod came in hot with a bold prediction about a New York team that is poised to win multiple World Series titles in the next 10 years, and it doesn't wear pinstripes. According to the former Bronx Bomber, the New York Mets have what it takes to get it done. His reasoning?
"They're a hybrid of analytics and old school."
Pitchers are athletes too ...
Brett Phillips was just trying to do pitchers a solid. When the Tampa Bay Rays outfielder became the second position player to pitch this season, he also made an impressive sliding catch. He might not really be a pitcher, but his display of athleticism should be good for their brand regardless.