Kuzul

Though we've yet to see our first no-hitter of the season, there have already been a number of truly dominant pitching performances.From Yu Darvish nearly throwing a perfect game in his first start of the season, to Anibal Sanchez striking out 17 against the Braves, pitching has reigned supreme in the early stages of 2013.In the past week alone, four different pitchers allowed just one hit over nine innings of play. However, not all one-hitters are created equally.Here are the four outings from the past week that we will take a closer look at to see who threw the most dominant one-hitter. Jon Lester (vs. Toronto Blue Jays)Date: May 10Full Stat Line: 9 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 118 PitchesGame Score: 90After a disappointing season last year in which he went 9-14 with a career-high 4.82 ERA, Jon Lester has once again pitched like an ace here ...

We have reached the one-quarter mark on the 2013 MLB season, and it has been a season largely dominated by starting pitching to this point.That said, there have been a number of players, and teams for that matter, putting up impressive offensive showings here in the early going.As one would expect, American League lineups tend to generate more runs thanks to the presence of the DH. The gap isn't all that significant, though, as NL teams have averaged 4.08 runs per game in 2013, while AL teams have averaged 4.43 runs per game.So as we pass the quarter pole on what has already been an exciting season, here is an updated look at where all 30 MLB lineups current rank. *All stats courtesy of MLB.com and current as of May 13.Begin Slideshow

The Boston Red Sox got off to a terrific start, with the best record in baseball through the first month of the season at 18-8.However, issues in the bullpen could pose a major problem moving forward, as the closer position appears to be up in the air.Last offseason, the team dealt a package of players to the A's for Andrew Bailey to replace the departed Jonathan Papelbon, who had signed with the Phillies as a free agent.After posting a 2.07 ERA and 75 saves through his first three seasons in the league, Bailey battled injuries in 2012 and struggled to a 7.04 ERA in just 19 appearances last season.Though Bailey was healthy to open the season, the team opted to go a different direction in the ninth inning. Two-time All-Star Joel Hanrahan was acquired from the Pirates for four players, and immediately became the closer.Many believed that gave the Red ...

Braves right fielder Jason Heyward underwent appendectomy surgery on Monday night, and as a result the Braves will need to find a short-term replacement in their lineup.The timetable for his return is unknown as of now, but he shouldn't be out more than a couple weeks at the most. Matt Holliday and Adam Dunn both underwent appendectomies in 2011, with Holliday missing nine games and Dunn missing seven (h/t CBSSports), so that gives at least some idea of a potential time frame for his return.The Braves have won despite Heyward in the early going, as he's hitting just .121/.261/.259 with two home runs and five RBI, so replacing his production won't be hard.The team is not likely to sign anyone or try to swing a trade, but they do have a handful of in-house options to chose from in the short-term. So here is a look at some potential replacements ...

The MLB has become more and more of a pitcher's league over the past few seasons, and that is as much a result of moving past the Steroid Era as it is due to an impressive crop of pitching talent.With so many good arms, there is no shortage of dominant individual pitches, and what follows is my attempt to name who throws the best fastball, cutter, changeup, slider, curveball and splitter.While some pitchers rely on one overpowering pitch, others simply have a deep arsenal of pitches at their disposal. As such, guys like Felix Hernandez and Jered Weaver don't appear on the following list for having any one great pitch, but they rank among the best in baseball nonetheless.With that, here is my take on the MLB's top five pitchers, pitch by pitch. Take a look at the notes below for a better understanding of the statistics that are presented, ...

Whether it is a young player taking the next step forward or a veteran putting it all together for the first time in his career, making the MLB All-Star team for the first time is a huge honor.Every season, a number of players unexpectedly turn in big first-half performances and earn their place in the Midsummer Classic.Here is a look at 15 players who are off to hot starts and could turn that into a first-time All-Star selection come July.Begin Slideshow

Much has been made about the need for expanded instant replay in Major League Baseball, but as long as there are human umpires on the field, there will always be a certain level of human error. That was never more evident than during the Rays-Rangers game Monday night, when Texas closer Joe Nathan wrapped up his 300th career save with a strikeout of Ben Zobrist looking.With the Rangers clinging to a 5-4 lead and a runner on first base, Zobrist worked a full count before home plate umpire Marty Foster rung him up looking on a called third strike.The called strike was nowhere near the zone, as low and outside would be putting it mildly, but see for yourself (via ESPN). Obviously, the Rays were none too happy about the way the game ended, as Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon and Zobrist both pleaded their case to Foster after the game, to no ...

With the regular season underway, the free-agent market has understandably cooled down and is not something that will be talked about much over the next several months.That said, last season saw veterans Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Roy Oswalt all find homes after Opening Day.Here are my rankings of the top 15 MLB free agents still up for grabs.Begin Slideshow

A number of players enjoyed big games on Opening Day, but Clayton Kershaw bested them all in his first start of the new season for the Dodgers.The left-hander shut out the Giants on Monday, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out seven. If that wasn't enough, he also hit a solo home run off of Giants reliever George Kontos in the bottom of the eighth to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. L.A. went on to win 4-0.It was another dominant performance in what has been a dominant career to this point for the 25-year-old. He currently sits at 62-37 with a 2.77 ERA and 9.3 K/9 for his career, and he's captured the NL ERA title each of the past two seasons.A member of the Dodgers' rotation at the age of 20, it's scary to think Kershaw is just entering his prime with what he has ...

While they aren't the July trade deadline or the winter meetings, the final days of spring training are also a time for trade activity throughout the league, as teams put the finishing touches on their rosters.This is not a time for superstar players to be on the move. However, those who are out of options and unlikely to make their respective roster or veterans who have been beaten out for a job are another story.Here is a quick look at some players who have been rumored to be on the move as we wrap up spring training. Ramon Hernandez, Catcher, Colorado RockiesLast offseason, the Rockies signed veteran catcher Ramon Hernandez to a two-year, $6.4 million deal to help bridge the gap to prospect Wilin Rosario.However, Rosario stepped forward sooner than expected and launched 28 home runs in 396 at-bats last season to finish fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.Yorvit ...