Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes I First Pitch Podcast 6/4/26

The First Pitch Podcast dives deep into a pivotal Wednesday in MLB, spotlighting Von Grissom’s breakout performance as the Angels’ first baseman explodes with a home run, elite contact rates, and a career-high 108.6 mph exit velocity—marking a complete transformation in his approach at the plate. Meanwhile, Christopher Sanchez’s historic 50.2-inning scoreless streak is hailed as one of the most dominant pitching runs since 1968, though the episode cautions against overvaluing his unsustainable command. On the flip side, Troy Melton’s 1.74 ERA is flagged as too reliant on weak contact and balls in play, making him a prime trade candidate despite his strong early results. The episode also highlights the chaotic bullpen landscape, with Alex Lang earning his first save amid Royals’ bullpen turmoil and Gregory Soto blowing his third save in a row. As the season progresses, the hosts emphasize that success built on one pitch—like Kai Wei Tang’s sweeper—won’t hold up long-term, urging managers to avoid overcommitting to such outliers. The episode closes with a sharp warning: don’t trust a pitcher’s ERA if their strikeout rate is below 10% and their walk rate is high—especially when they’re not getting outs on the mound. The core takeaway? Baseball’s early season narrative is full of flashes of brilliance, but sustainable success requires more than a single elite stat. Grissom’s contact mastery and power surge are legitimate, while Sanchez’s streak is historic but fragile.