Five things to watch in MLB this week

The MLB season has started and now enters its first full week. Here are five things to watch this week.

Robot ump fallout

There have been interesting moments involving the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), an electronic system that determines whether a pitch is a ball or a strike, which MLB instituted this year. Players and umpires are still getting used to the technology, strategy and gamesmanship that comes with ABS.

While the expectation was that the use of “robot umps” would significantly reduce the number of ejections for arguing ball-strike calls or perhaps eliminate them. Alas, Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton was ejected from Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

The Twins were down by two runs with one out and a runner on first in the ninth inning when Josh Bell apparently drew a walk from closer Ryan Helsley on a full-count pitch. Instead, Bell struck out when Eric Segal’s call was overturned on a challenge.

Shelton said his argument was that Helsley was late in tapping his cap, the signal used to request a review under the ABS.

The ABS might already be playing on umpires’ psyches. Chad Whitson had seven ball-strike calls challenged in Saturday’s game between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. All seven calls were overturned by the technology. Ouch.

Can Dodgers go 162-0?

OK, the Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t going to win every game this season in their attempt to win a third consecutive World Series title. Right?

Yet they are 3-0 after sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks last week. The Dodgers host the Cleveland Guardians in a three-game series starting Monday night, then visit the Washington Nationals for a three-game set beginning Friday night.

The Dodgers are one of five teams off to a 3-0 start, along with the Yankees, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays.

Skenes looks for bounce back

Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates is scheduled to make his second start of the season against the Reds on Wednesday afternoon in Cincinnati.

Skenes will look to return to form after getting knocked out of the game in the first inning by the New York Mets on Opening Day, the shortest of his 56 career starts. Skenes is 4-0 with a 0.31 ERA in five career starts versus the Reds, allowing one run in 29 innings with 40 strikeouts and two walks.

AL heavyweight matchup

The Yankees visit the Seattle Mariners for a three-game series beginning Monday night at T-Mobile Park. The series features arguably the best two teams in the American League.

The probable pitching matchups are Ryan Weathers-Luis Castillo on Monday, Max Fried-Logan Gilbert on Tuesday and Cam Schlittler-George Kirby on Wednesday.

The Yankees won five of six games against the Mariners last year and are 36-16 against them since 2017.

The rich get richer

The Dodgers seemingly don’t need any more help. Yet they have one of the minor leagues’ hottest hitters at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Outfielder/first baseman James Tibbs III went 8-for-13 in the first three games of the season with three doubles, one triple, two home runs and eight RBI. The 23-year-old also homered four times in the Cactus League during spring training.