MLB Hoosiers (Aug. 15): Historic Week, at Least By Volume, For Indiana Baseball

For the first time in major-league baseball history, there were six former Indiana players in the big leagues at the same time, a sign that the program is on the rise.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — It's never happened before, so many Indiana players in the major leagues all at one time. This week, there are now six former Hoosiers in the bigs. That's a first.

There were four Hoosiers — Kyle Schwarber and Josh Phegley of the Chicago Cubs and Alex Dickerson and Caleb Baragar of the San Francisco Giants — who made Opening Day rosters, and this week they got some company, with the Boston Red Sox called up Kyle Hart and the Tampa Bay Rays brought up Aaron Slegers.

We keep you updated with daily roundups on what the Hoosiers did, but on Sundays we'll take a bigger picture look back on the entire season, as well.

Here's what the Hoosiers in the pros did on Saturday, with their key statistics for the season thus far, where things stand with their team and some notes to know;

Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs

• Saturday's game: Schwarber started in left field and was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in the Cubs' 6-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
• Key statistics:  Schwarber is hitting .233 on the season (14-for-60), with three doubles and three home runs. He has 7 RBIs, but also 24 strikeouts.
• Team status: The Cubs are 13-5 and in first place in the National League Central. They have the best record in the league, despite losing two games in a row.
• Sunday skinny: Schwarber's numbers thus far run pretty steady to what he's done throughout his career with the Cubs. His power comes in handy at times, but he still strikes out too much. He's been better in left field this year, and has gotten most of his starts out there instead of at DH. The Cubs are playing really well so far this season, and Schwarber has been a big reason why. 

Josh Phegley, Chicago Cubs

• Saturday's game: Phegley didn't play in the Cubs' 6-5 loss to the Brewers.
  
• Key statistics: Phegley hasn't played much as the Cubs' third catcher, getting only 8 at-bats thus far. He still doesn't have a hit, and he's struck out three times.
• Team status: The Cubs are 13-5. 
• Sunday skinny: It's been hard for Phegley to get into any kind of groove with so few opportunities, and it'll be interesting to see if more come. The Cubs are winning, though, and that's always a good thing in a team game.

Alex Dickerson, San Francisco Giants

• Saturday's game: Dickerson pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth and walked, but was left stranded when shortstop Mauricio Dubon popped out to end the game in a 7-6 loss to the Oakland A's.
  
• Key statistics: Dickerson is hitting .265 on the season (13-for-49), with a double, a triple and two home runs. He's had four multi-hit games thus far.
• Team status: The Giants, who are in rebuild mode, are 8-14 and in last place in the National League West.
• Sunday skinny: Dickerson has started 12 of the Giants' 22 games in the outfield and has been a steady contributor. 

Caleb Baragar, San Francisco Giants

• Saturday's game: Did not pitch in the 7-6 loss to the A's.
  
• Key statistics: 8 innings pitched in 8 appearances. He has an 11.25 ERA, allowing 10 hits and 10 earned runs. He's had one walk and five strikeouts.
• Team status: The Giants are 8-14 and in last place in the National League West.
• Sunday skinny: It's been a tale of two seasons already for Baragar in his rookie season with the Giants. In four of his first five outings, he held opponents scoreless and hitless over 4 1/3 innings, but in his last three appearances out of the pen, he's been roughed up. He's given up seven hits and eight earned runs in just two innings of work, and his ERA has blown up in the slump.

Kyle Hart, Boston Red Sox

• Saturday's game: Did not pitch in the Red Sox's 11-6 loss to the New York Yankees.
  
• Key statistics: Hart made his major-league debut on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays, and got roughed up a bit. He allowed seven runs — five earned — in just two-plus innings. 
• Team status: The Red Sox are 6-15 and have the worst record in the American League.
• Sunday skinny: It was great news to see the Red Sox give Hart another shot, as he's scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. With the Red Sox struggling the way they are, they'll probably be a little more patient with their younger players in a season where the playoffs are likely out of the question. It's rare to see the Red Sox in rebuild mode, but that's certainly the case in 2020.

Aaron Slegers, Tampa Bay Rays

• Saturday's game: Slegers did not pitch in the Rays' game with Toronto, which was suspended by rain in the fourth inning and will be resumed on Sunday.
  
• Key statistics: Slegers made his first appearance of the season on Wednesday, and he pitched two scoreless innings before getting rocked in the third, allowing five runs, including a grand slam to Boston's J.D. Martinez.
• Team status: The Rays are 12-9 thus far, and in third place in the American League East. 
• Sunday skinny: Since his rough outing earlier in the week, Slegers has been on a bit of a roller-coaster in the Rays' injury-riddled bullpen. He was sent down on Thursday, but then recalled again on Saturday when another pitcher, Jose Alvarado, went down with an injury. The Rays have lost four bullpen arms to injury already this season.

MLB SCHEDULE ... CLICK HERE

MLB STANDINGS ... CLICK HERE