Major League Baseball

MLB Weekly Roundup: Blue Jays on the rise, Pete Alonso goes back-to-back

Updated Jul. 29, 2021 9:36 p.m. ET

By Ben Verlander
FOX Sports MLB Analyst

Being in Denver last week for the All-Star Game was an absolutely incredible experience.

So much work got done, and I talked to so many players, and it was the perfect end to an amazing first half of the season.

Not to mention — not sure if you’ve heard — but I MET SHOHEI OHTANI!

Now, the second half of the MLB season is underway, so let’s take a look at some of the highlights of the week that was and look ahead to some of the storylines for the coming week.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Our photo of the week comes from a walk-off grand slam on Saturday in Pittsburgh.

Down to the last out against the Mets, catcher Jacob Stallings came to the plate for the Pirates with the bases loaded, turned on an inside pitch well off the plate and muscled it out to left field, resulting in one of the most exciting plays in baseball: a walk-off grand slam.

The photo that came about right as he was about to touch home plate is just plain awesome.

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SIX-TOOL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

We're looking to early in the week for this week’s six-tool player. On Monday in Denver, Pete Alonso stole the show at the Home Run Derby — to the tune of 74 home runs that traveled a combined 33,523 feet.

He is now the back-to-back champion of the event and appears to be starting a Derby dynasty of sorts.

The Home Run Derby is a tough event. It can be very stressful and can tire you out quickly, especially at the high altitude in Denver. But Alonso was incredible in every round. He stayed loose by bopping his head to the music and pumping up the crowd during his rounds.

His was a Home Run Derby performance for the ages, and for that reason, Alonso is the six-tool player of the week.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

The Toronto Blue Jays came out of the All-Star break guns blazing.

Starting right where he left off in the first half, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went deep in his first at-bat after the break. He finished with two home runs Friday in Toronto's first game back.

The Jays went on to sweep the Texas Rangers, and not only did they win every game they played this week but they also got some incredible news: They’re finally heading home!

The Blue Jays haven’t played a game in Toronto since September 2019, but earlier this week, it was announced that they can resume play in their city on July 30. I can’t wait for this exciting team to head back home and finally play some games in its ballpark.

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

1. Shohei Ohtani’s start on the mound

On Monday in Oakland, Shohei Ohtani takes the mound for the Los Angeles Angels. Every time this guy is on the field, it is must-watch TV, and this time will be his first start since he pitched in the All-Star Game.

2. Red Sox at Blue Jays

This will be a huge series for the Blue Jays in particular. They've come out of the gates hot in the second half but still trail the first-place Red Sox by six games. The Jays appear to be the real deal, and winning the series against Boston would go a long way for them in the division. Plus, it would put them in position to be aggressive buyers before the deadline. This is one of those series in which if you win all three, you’re right there, and you go all-in. But if you lose all three, you are probably too far back and might be sellers.

3. Giants at Dodgers

What a massive series this is — if there can be such a thing in mid-July. The surprise first-place San Francisco Giants and the favorites to win the division, the Los Angeles Dodgers, face off in a four-game series in Los Angeles starting Monday.

THIS WEEK ON THE POD

Fresh off the All-Star Game, one of the best players in baseball, Nick Castellanos, is joining me this week on "Flippin' Bats." We discuss his rise to being one of the best players in baseball, his experience in his first All-Star Game, how his son drew a picture of him and he used it as his All-Star outfit, and much more!

Here’s to another fantastic week of Major League Baseball and a great second half of the season!

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the "Flippin' Bats" podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him on Twitter @Verly32.