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| Player |
Type |
Report |
Sale, Chris (P)
ATL |
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Sale had a brief outing against the Brewers on Wednesday, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) in 4.2 IP, allowing 9 hits and 2 BB’s while striking out 10. This was only the 2nd time in 21 starts this season that Sale failed to complete 5 IP, and only the second time that he has allowed more than 6 hits in a game. This was also his 10th consecutive start, and 16th out of 17, in which he has allowed 2 ER’s or fewer, and his ERA now sits at 2.75 along with a 2.57 xFIP. The fact that Wednesday’s outing was one of his worst for the year, and he still struck out 10 and allowed just 2 ER’s, shows how good Sale has been this season. With a 165:30 K:BB through 127.2 IP, Sale is firmly in the Cy Young conversation in the NL.
- mgreenfeld |
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Marte, Starling (OF)
NYM |
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According to the NY Daily News, "Starling Marte began a Minor League rehab assignment on Aug. 7 as the DH for Single-A St. Lucie and went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in his first game action since June 22. It's a major step forward for Marte, who is tentatively scheduled for five innings in the outfield on Aug. 8. If all goes well, Marte could advance to the upper Minors later this week and potentially rejoin the Mets during their nine-game homestand that begins Aug. 13.
“He looks good, and he feels good,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said." - newsreporter3 |
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Walker, Taijuan (P)
PHI |
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According to the Inquirer, "RHP Taijuan Walker allowed two hits and one run and struck out three in five innings on Aug. 7 in a rehab start with Double-A Reading. If he feels OK afterward, there is a good chance that he will rejoin the rotation Aug. 13 against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.
Walker, who began the season on the injured list with right shoulder soreness, had difficulty locating his splitter this season -- an issue that manager Rob Thomson said could stem from inflammation and a blister on Walker's right index finger. He was placed on the IL on June 23. Thomson said Walker’s velocity, command and splitter have been better in his rehab starts and recent bullpen sessions." - newsreporter3 |
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Muncy, Max (3B)
LAD |
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According to the LA Times, "Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Max Muncy will be going on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City either on August 9 or 10. Once Muncy reports, the third baseman will play a week of rehab games before being reevaluated. Given the time he's missed, Muncy will need to work through his timing and building back up before playing in big league games." - newsreporter3 |
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Gallo, Joey (OF)
WSH |
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According to the Nats' official website, "1B/DH Joey Gallo begin rehab assignment. Gallo (left hamstring strain) homered in the first game of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday. The plan is for him to DH in his next game. He has been sidelined since June 12." - newsreporter3 |
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Matz, Steven (P)
STL |
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According to the Cardinals' official website, "LHP Steven Matz allowed a run in 2 2/3 innings on Aug. 6 with Triple-A Memphis. He allowed three hits, walked two and 34 of his 50 pitches were strikes. Manager Oliver Marmol said he came out of the game feeling really good.
Matz has been on the injured list since May 3 with what he called a herniated disc in his back. Earlier this week, he increased his pitches to 50 after throwing 30 in an Aug. 1 outing. Marmol said that Matz is ramping up to return as a starter, but he could potentially be used as a reliever if needed when he’s ready to return to the Cardinals.
Matz had his rehab stint shut down twice when pain returned in his lower back. He’s pitched in five Minor League games -- three with Triple-A Memphis and two with Double-A Springfield -- and struck out 12 and walked four in 11 2/3 innings." - newsreporter3 |
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Musgrove, Joe (P)
SD |
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According to the San Diego U-T, "Padres manager Mike Shildt said there is "a high probability" RHP Joe Musgrove's next outing would come with the big league club, and the team initially planned for Aug. 11 in Miami. But when Dylan Cease's start on Aug. 6 was shortened to one inning due to rain, Shildt noted that Cease would start in Miami, which presumably bumps Musgrove's return to Aug. 12 against the Pirates at Petco Park. Musgrove is expected to be on a limited pitch count -- likely around 60. He hasn't made a start for the Padres since May 26 after landing on the IL for the second time with the same issue." - newsreporter3 |
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Reid-Foley, Sean (P)
NYM |
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According to the NY Daily News, "RHP Sean Reid-Foley has had mixed results in five Minor League rehab outings, prompting the Mets to tread carefully with him -- especially considering he missed time in March and April with the same injury. Team officials want to see Reid-Foley demonstrate additional durability in the Minors, which could take the form of back-to-back outings or an appearance of four-plus outs.
“He's been dealing with this pretty much the whole year,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We just want to make sure that he's 100%, and his ability to bounce back is important, too." - newsreporter3 |
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Turnbull, Spencer (P)
PHI |
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According to the Inquirer, "RHP Spencer Turnbull will throw off a mound this week in Clearwater, Fla. It is highly unlikely he will return as a starter, although the Phillies will try to build up enough arm strength so he can pitch multiple innings in relief.
“It’s going to be tough at this point,” manager Rob Thomson said when asked about bringing Turnbull back as a starter.
Turnbull made his return to the rotation on June 26, but he departed after just three innings after feeling a "little grab" on his second-to-last pitch. He was diagnosed with a right lat strain and placed on the 15-day IL the following day." - newsreporter3 |
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Garrett, Braxton (P)
MIA |
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According to the Miami Herald, "LHP Braxton Garrett was playing catch on Aug. 7 in Miami as he builds his throwing program. He told MLB.com he is about 1 1/2 weeks away from beginning bullpen sessions. Garrett, who has been playing catch in Jupiter, Fla., was transferred to the 60-day IL on July 30. He was placed on the IL on June 23 after he was scratched from his scheduled start." - newsreporter3 |
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Palacios, Joshua (OF)
PIT |
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According to the Tribune Review, "OF Joshua Palacios departed in the fifth inning on July 29 against the Astros, gingerly running back to the dugout after hitting into an out and playing the field that inning. He has been doing baseball activities since, and he started a rehab assignment on Aug. 7 with Triple-A Indianapolis." - newsreporter3 |
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Garrett, Reed (RP)
NYM |
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According to the NY Daily News, "RHP Reed Garrett struck out three batters in one inning during his second Minor League rehab appearance Aug. 6 for Triple-A Syracuse and came out of it "feeling good," according to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, who added that "there's a good chance" Garrett will rejoin the Mets for the start of their Aug. 9-11 series in Seattle." - newsreporter3 |
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Hall, DL (P)
MIL |
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According to the MJS, "LHP DL Hall, who'd been struggling to establish himself as a starter before he tweaked his left knee fielding a bunt on April 20, was supposed to make one final rehab start for Triple-A Nashville on July 9 before the Brewers considered bringing him back to the Majors.
However, Hall was struck on the pitching forearm by a comebacker and had to exit that outing, pausing his comeback once again. Hall resumed pitching on July 21 in Triple-A and pitched four more times, maintaining 96 mph in his most recent start against Indianapolis on Aug. 6, when he allowed one run on two hits and two walks in four innings on 64 pitches (39 strikes).
"We've got a decision to make. We'll talk about it," manager Pat Murphy said. "There's a chance we'll see him real soon."
Does the decision include starter vs. reliever?
"All of it," Murphy said." - newsreporter3 |
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Graterol, Brusdar (RP)
LAD |
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According to the LA Times, "RHP Brusdar Graterol placed on 15-day injured list. Graterol suffered a Grade 1 right hamstring strain on Tuesday night on the eighth pitch he threw this season, potentially ending his season after just one appearance. Initially, the Dodgers suspected Graterol had suffered a Grade 3 strain, which is the most severe, but further testing determined that it was just a Grade 1 injury for the right-hander. Given where the Dodgers are in the calendar, it’ll be difficult for Graterol to make a return this season, but L.A. kept the door open." - newsreporter3 |
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| Assad, Javier (P)
CHC |
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Assad lasted 4 IP against the Twins on Wednesday, allowing 2 ER’s on 3 hits and 2 BB’s with 1 strikeout. One of the biggest mysteries is how Assad has managed to keep his ERA so low; he’s currently at a 3.24 mark compared to a 4.68 xFIP. He strikes out few hitters and he walks many, yet he somehow manages to keep runs off the board. He has benefited from a .275 BABIP and 83.6% LOB% which would seem to be good luck, but those numbers are right in line with his last two seasons, and the discrepancy between his ERA and xFIP is roughly the same as it has been in the past. It’s unclear how he does it, but so far he’s managed to do it every year of his career. Even if he is able to somehow keep this up, Assad is not a great fantasy asset, as he has a subpar 1.36 WHIP, he doesn’t get strikeouts, and he doesn’t go deep into games - he has failed to complete 5 innings in 9 of his 21 starts, and he has only completed 6 innings four times - making wins and quality starts hard to come by. And of course there’s the possibility that the other shoe falls off eventually. - mgreenfeld |
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Edman, Tommy (2B)
LAD |
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According to the LA Times, "Tommy Edman, acquired by the Dodgers from the Cardinals on July 29, will be heading out on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City as early as Aug. 9, according to manager Dave Roberts. Edman will need at least a week of games and playing various positions before he’s ready to make his season debut." - newsreporter3 |
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Megill, Trevor (RP)
MIL |
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According to the MJS, "RHP Trevor Megill logged 20 saves with a 2.41 ERA while filling in for injured closer Devin Williams, only to land on the IL on July 29 -- a day after Williams returned to action. Megill was making good progress as of Aug. 7, with a series of bullpen sessions on the calendar that, barring a setback, would lead to pitching in a game -- whether Minors or Majors -- during the week of Aug. 11. Megill is eligible to return from the injured list beginning Aug. 13." - newsreporter3 |
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Fortes, Nick (C)
MIA |
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According to the Miami Herald, "Nick Fortes placed on 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 6) with right quadriceps strain; C Jhonny Pereda recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville. Fortes was pulled for a pinch-runner during the seventh inning on Aug. 5 against the Reds and hadn't appeared in a game since. According to manager Skip Schumaker, Fortes was likely four to five days away, so Miami would've been with just one available catcher (Ali Sánchez) on the active roster, with Jonah Bride serving as the emergency backstop. Pereda is hitless in five MLB at-bats this season." - newsreporter3 |
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Carroll, Corbin (OF)
ARI |
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Carroll went a combined 2-8 with a HR, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored, and a SB across a doubleheader sweep of the Guardians on Wednesday. Carroll has been one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy this year, as the first round pick is hitting just .215 with 9 HR’s through 111 games this season. While it’s too late for him to make up that first round value that fantasy owners were hoping for, Carroll has picked things up significantly over the past month or so. In his last 24 games, he has posted a .931 OPS with 7 HR’s, 18 RBI, 23 runs, and 6 SB’s. He can certainly still make an impact over the final two months of the season due to his ability to contribute in all areas, even if he will fall well short of last year’s numbers. - mgreenfeld |
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According to the Arizona Republic, "Last season, Corbin Carroll won the NL Rookie of the Year Award thanks to an electric season with his bat and glove.
While this season hasn’t gone as smoothly for the 23-year-old, his showing in the fifth inning of Arizona’s 7-3 win in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader at Progressive Field showed why his future is still as bright as any players in the Majors.
First there was his impact with the bat. With the D-backs already leading 2-0, Carroll launched a moonshot home run to right field that doubled Arizona’s lead against Guardians starter Ben Lively.
While the homer traveled just a Statcast-projected 349 feet (his shortest home run this year), it had a launch angle of 33 degrees, which allowed for it to carry out just enough to sneak over the right field wall. After hitting just three home runs across his first 92 games this season, Carroll’s now left the park six times in his last 18 games -- a span in which he has a .917 OPS.
“We revolve around him,” said D-backs starter Brandon Pfaadt. “He’s had his struggles, but regardless … we’re playing ball around him. He’s able to do it on both sides of the plate and that speaks volumes to the type of player he is.”
And then there was his glove. After already breaking through for two runs in the inning, the Guardians looked primed to do more damage when they had runners on second and third with only one out against Pfaadt.
But then Carroll made an impact.
Pfaadt got Bo Naylor to hit a pop fly to short right field that initially looked like it was going to fall between Carroll and second baseman Ketel Marte. But, at the last minute, Carroll went down to a knee to make a sliding catch before popping up and firing an 85.5 mph strike to home plate to nab Daniel Schneemann for the final out of the inning.
It was his fifth-hardest throw this year, and Statcast ranked it in the 90th percentile.
That inning was the only time Pfaadt stumbled, as he opened with four perfect innings before responding from the rough fifth inning with a scoreless sixth inning before retiring Lane Thomas in the seventh.
“They’re a good team,” Pfaadt said. “We limited damage but they got one hit and got momentum on their side.”
He now has a 2.66 ERA over his last seven starts for the surging D-backs." |
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Hassell III, Robert (OF)
WSH |
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According to the Nats' official website, "OF Robert Hassell III begin rehab assignment. Hassell, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Nationals’ No. 10 prospect, began a rehab assignment with High-A Wilmington on Tuesday in his recovery from a right hand injury. He was placed on the IL on June 12." - newsreporter3 |
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Mlodzinski, Carmen (RP)
PIT |
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According to the Tribune Review, "RHP Carmen Mlodzinski is throwing again, but he will not travel with the team as the Pirates embark on a six-game West Coast road trip that starts Aug. 9. He'll instead travel to Triple-A Indianapolis, though manager Derek Shelton did not commit to Mlodzinski appearing in games yet. The right-hander began experiencing symptoms after his last outing on July 29." - newsreporter3 |
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Jones, Jared (P)
PIT |
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According to the Tribune Review, "RHP Jared Jones is expected to join Triple-A Indianapolis and make a rehab start with the team this week. The expectation is he will start on Aug. 8 at Nashville, according to a source. Jones threw live batting practice on Aug. 3, facing 10 batters and using all of his offerings." - newsreporter3 |
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Pfaadt, Brandon (P)
ARI |
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Pfaadt had a solid outing against the Guardians on Wednesday allowing 2 ER’s on 4 hits and 1 BB in 6.1 IP, while striking out 6. Pfaadt has had an up and down season, but his overall numbers have been serviceable with a 3.92 ERA and 1.11 WHIP through 23 starts. He has posted an elite 1.90 BB/9 this season which has helped him produce an excellent WHIP.
His 3.31 xERA (entering Wednesday) and 3.74 xFIP both indicate that he’s been better than his ERA suggests, and the wide gap between his numbers with the bases empty (.619 OPS) and with runners on base (.755 OPS), and especially with RISP (.863 OPS), explain part of that discrepancy. The most disappointing thing about Pfaadt’s season has been his mediocre strikeout rate (8.11 K/9) which is a step back from last year's mark (8.81 K/9). He had excellent strikeout numbers in the minors, so there should be some upside there. The odds are higher that Pfaadt will take a step forward than take a step back.
- mgreenfeld |
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According to the Arizona Republic, "Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte each hit two-run homers as the surging Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in the opener of Wednesday's doubleheader.
They put a wrap on the three-game series sweep by taking the nightcap 5-3 as Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0) went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and four hits with a strikeout and two walks.
Game 1 starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (6-6) retired the first 12 batters before Josh Naylor homered in the fifth. He gave up two runs while striking out six in 6 1/3. He gave up four hits and walked one.
Guardians starter Ben Lively (10-7) allowed two homers among four hits and walked four in five innings for the AL Central-leading Guardians, who have lost a season-high four straight and just their third series at home.
Arizona stranded two runners in the first inning but came through in the second. After Lively issued a one-out walk to Alek Thomas, Perdomo cleared the right-field wall for his first home run since Aug. 13 of last season.
The Diamondbacks went up 4-0 in the fifth. Ninth place hitter Jose Herrera opened the frame with a walk and scored when Carroll lofted a 1-1 offspeed pitch into the right-field seats.
Cleveland finally got to Pfaadt during its half of the fifth when Naylor led off with his 25th homer that just cleared the right-field wall. Andres Gimenez and Daniel Schneemann delivered back-to-back one-out singles and Brayan Rocchio's double into the right-field corner made it 4-2.
That Guardians' rally ended when Schneemann was thrown out at the plate by Carroll on Bo Naylor's fly ball to right.
Arizona added some insurance in the eighth via Suarez's two-out RBI double off the 19-foot-high wall in left. The run proved helpful after Jose Ramirez lined a two-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the frame to get Cleveland within two runs.
However, with a man on in the ninth, Marte found the left-field seats for his 10th homer in 14 games and 29th overall.
In Game 1, Eugenio Suarez had a run-scoring double; in Game 2 Josh Bell slugged a pair of home runs for the Diamondbacks, who have won 12 of their past 14 and are 24-9 since June 29." |
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Wicks, Jordan (P)
CHC |
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According to the Sun Times, "LHP Jordan Wicks threw two innings of live batting practice on Aug. 6 and everything went well, per manager Craig Counsell. That step followed the lefty's 25-pitch live BP workout on Aug. 2. Counsell noted on Aug. 7 that Wicks is now slated to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Aug. 10.
The lefty exited his start against the Cardinals on June 14 after 1 2/3 innings due to the oblique issue. The Cubs placed him on the injured list on June 15 after he underwent further testing, which revealed a Grade 2 strain, according to Counsell. Wicks’ start against St. Louis was his first since April 23 and his second appearance after returning from the 15-day IL on June 7 after dealing with a left forearm strain." - newsreporter3 |
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Faucher, Calvin (RP)
MIA |
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Faucher recorded his 2nd save of the season against the Reds on Wednesday, pitching a scoreless 9th inning, while allowing a hit, a BB, and a HBP. This was Faucher’s second save for Miami since former closer Tanner Scott was traded to the Padres, and he appears to be the Marlins closer at this moment. He has a respectable 3.38 ERA for the season, to go along with a solid 9.70 K/9 and 44.4% GB%, and he has not allowed a single HR all year. On the other hand, his 4.64 BB/9 is not at all ideal for a closer and has led to a bloated 1.50 WHIP for the season. Faucher shouldn’t be trusted for his ratios and is unlikely to pick up a ton of saves with a bad Marlins team, but if you’re searching for saves, he’s the guy in Miami’s bullpen to grab.
- mgreenfeld |
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| Merrill, Jackson (SS)
SD |
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Merrill had a huge game against the Pirates on Wednesday, going 4-6 with 2 HR’s, 3 RBI, and 3 runs scored, and is now up to 15 HR’s on the season. After a sizzling June, Merrill has cooled off a bit since the start of July, hitting just .247 with 1 HR in 26 games since July 1 before Wednesday’s output. He has had an uncharacteristic 26.7% K% during the aforementioned cold stretch, compared to 16.0% through the first three months of the season. Chances are Merrill will be just fine and will continue to be a 5-category contributor for the foreseeable future.
- mgreenfeld |
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According to the San Diego U-T, "Jackson Merrill is making a habit of this. The 2024 San Diego Padres are making a habit of this.
Down but not out, the Padres needed their remarkable rookie in the ninth inning on Wednesday night. Sure enough, Merrill did what he’s done all season: He delivered a big hit in a big spot.
Merrill’s second home run of the night was a game-tying, no-doubter in the top of the ninth, as the Padres rallied for a wild 9-8 victory over the Pirates in 10 innings at PNC Park. It moved San Diego to three games out of first place in the NL West standings, after the Dodgers' 9-4 loss to the Phillies.
It also marked the third time this season that Merrill has hit a game-tying or walk-off homer in the ninth -- the most in the Majors.
“He embraces it,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt. “He loves it, thrives on it. … He’s got that ‘it’ factor.”
Merrill’s ninth-inning homer was only the beginning of the drama. Robert Suarez and Tanner Scott combined to escape a bases-loaded mess in the bottom of the ninth inning, before the Padres rallied for three runs in the top of the 10th.
The Pirates clawed two runs back, but Adrian Morejon stranded the tying run on third base and the winning run at second for his first career save. The Padres -- the very same Padres who started the 2023 season 0-12 in extra innings -- improved to 5-1 in extras this year. They’ve won six consecutive series since the All-Star break.
“With that kind of crazy game -- the back-and-forth and the battle that we showed -- it just goes to show that we’re all on the same page,” Morejon said through team interpreter Danny Sanchez. “We’re all competing. We’re all battling. Really excited for that win.”
The Padres have had their share of late-inning rallies already this season, but this ranked among the wildest. The game seesawed through the middle innings, and the Pirates clung to a one-run lead after eight.
That set the stage for Merrill, who had launched a 442-foot moonshot in the second inning that dotted the “I” in Pirates in the center-field shrubbery. He came to the plate with one out against David Bednar. The former Padre threw a belt-high, first-pitch fastball. Mistake.
“I was just sitting on a heater,” Merrill said. “If he threw a splitter or a curveball, I was whiffing. I was selling out to the heater right there. Not trying to hit a homer. But trying to get the head out and do something, do a little bit of damage.”
Damage done. With the homer, Merrill became the sixth player in the expansion era (since 1961) to hit three game-tying or go-ahead home runs in the ninth or later in a single season, age 21 or younger. Francisco Alvarez had most recently done so for the Mets last year.
“I wasn't trying to hit a homer in that situation,” Merrill said. “But at least start something and do something to the point where they start thinking: 'Oh, they're not leaving.'”
In the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates loaded the bases with one out, when Suarez was charged with ball one to Ji Hwan Bae for a pitch-clock violation. That sparked a kerfuffle.
Manny Machado argued vehemently (and correctly, as it was later ruled) that the clock hadn’t reset and that Bae hadn’t engaged with Suarez at the correct time in the first place. Amid the fray, Shildt emerged to argue, then told his players to calm down. His bench was empty, after all.
“I want to make sure with all caution that nobody says anything,” Shildt said. “We might see [pitcher] Matt Waldron in the outfield. Don’t really want that.”
Home-plate umpire Andy Fletcher ruled that the manager instructing his team to calm down counted as a mound visit, Shildt said. That was the second visit of the at-bat, meaning Suarez would need to be removed.
Of course, the mound-visit confusion was only revealed by Shildt himself after the game. In the moment, none of this was apparent. Sure, it seemed a bit odd Shildt would lift his closer after six pitches. But the Padres have a lock-down bullpen with all sorts of options, post-Trade Deadline. Calling for the lefty Tanner Scott to face the lefty Oneil Cruz didn’t seem too far-fetched.
“The good news is, [Scott] gets hot quick,” Shildt said.
Scott got Cruz to bounce harmlessly to first. After the Padres’ three-run 10th, however, he struggled, walking the first three hitters he faced. Morejon would emerge to put out that fire. The Padres had earned yet another dramatic come-from-behind victory.
“Just a great team win,” Shildt said. “And obviously, Jackson was huge." |
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Schwarber, Kyle (OF)
PHI |
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According to the Inquirer, "This is the season Kyle Schwarber envisioned for himself.
But it might be better.
He went 4-for-4 with three home runs and seven RBIs in Wednesday night’s 9-4 victory over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. He hit a leadoff home run in the first inning, a two-run double in the fifth, a three-run homer in the sixth and a solo homer in the ninth. Schwarber’s career-best night helped the Phillies win their first series since they swept Los Angeles at Citizens Bank Park on July 9-11.
It was the second three-homer game of Schwarber’s career. He had one for the Nationals on June 20, 2021, in a game against the Mets. He had seven RBIs for the Cubs on July 28, 2019, in a game against the Brewers.
After his heroics on Wednesday, Schwarber is batting .261 with 27 home runs, 73 RBIs and an .894 OPS on the year.
He entered Spring Training hoping to hit for a higher average and reduce his strikeouts.
He has done both, as the Phillies have won three of their last four games." |
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Ramos, Heliot (OF)
SF |
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According to the SF Chronicle, "Heliot Ramos’ power was stirring, waiting for the right moment to manifest after the slugger entered San Francisco's four-game series with the Nationals having gone six games without a homer. In Wednesday night's bout against Washington, he smashed his second homer in back-to-back nights just four days after exiting a game due to swelling in his thumb.
The outfielder joined the Giants’ slugfest en route to their 7-4 win at Nationals Park.
“It felt like I haven’t hit homers in a minute before today,” Ramos said. “So it feels really good, and against a righty, too. I’m happy that it’s working. I’m trying to take good at-bats and try to be out there aggressive. Just gotta get things to hit.”
He got the pitches he needed to achieve some franchise history, as well. Ramos’ 17 homers are the most by a Giants player under the age of 25 in his first 76 games of a season since Will Clark in 1988.
Ramos jammed his finger the first time on a seventh-inning sinker from Justin Lawrence in the first game of the doubleheader against Colorado on July 27, then again in Saturday night’s 6-4 loss to the Reds. He was out for the following two days icing it while taking anti-inflammatories.
Ahead of Tuesday’s 11-5 loss to the Nationals, Ramos’ first game back from the injury, manager Bob Melvin said he was uncomfortable with how much Ramos had hit during pregame batting practice. Luis Matos made his way to the clubhouse in case issues arose. They never did.
With the time off, Ramos took the opportunity to change his approach at the plate.
“I'm just trying to stay aggressive. That’s it,” the right-handed batter said. “That's my mentality now. I don't want to be like, ‘Oh, I'm afraid of getting to him.’ You know what I mean? I'm ready to hit. They throw it right there, it’s gonna go places for sure.”
The shift in approach worked, and Ramos showed he was back in fighting form on Tuesday, smashing his longest dinger this season -- a Statcast-projected 428 feet -- in his first plate appearance of the night.
The Puerto Rican’s power display was not over. Ramos connected with an 82.9 mph curveball from Nationals starter Jake Irvin in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game, launching it 422 feet into the Giants’ bullpen at 109.5 mph off the bat. The homer was San Francisco’s second of the night, following right fielder Mike Yastrzemski’s game-tying long ball in the fourth inning.
While he is putting on a display of power, Ramos said that he is still battling through the pain he occasionally feels in his thumb while at the plate.
“I think the padding is a little bit different on the bat now, and he's more comfortable with that,” Melvin said. “So hopefully that's a good sign. He's swinging the bat well.”
Third baseman Matt Chapman then proceeded to put the exclamation point on the night two batters after Ramos' go-ahead blast. With two outs, he extended the Giants’ lead by hitting a homer just seven feet shy of where Ramos’ bomb had landed.
“It makes a huge impact when you’re not having to string a ton of hits together, and situationally we haven't been great lately,” Melvin said. “So those homers have a big impact on the game. Put a lot of energy in our dugout.”
Chapman leads the Giants with 19 home runs so far this season. Coming in at a close second is Ramos, who only needs two more to tie. The center fielder also trails Chapman by one RBI.
“We always back each other up,” Ramos said about the ongoing race. “I’m hoping we can both hit 30, 40, whatever home runs are hit. It will help the team a lot.”
With the second win of the series, San Francisco is now 3 1/2 games back from the final NL Wild Card spot. While most players and coaches try not to look at the standings, Ramos is keeping one eye on the races." |
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Rodriguez, Eduardo (P)
ARI |
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According to the Arizona Republic, "Wednesday was a day that D-backs fans waited 244 days to see.
Eduardo Rodriguez made sure to make the wait worth it.
After missing the first four months of the season with a lat injury, Rodriguez made his long-awaited debut for Arizona worth it, allowing just three runs on four hits across 5 2/3 innings in a 5-3 win against the Guardians at Progressive Field, completing a doubleheader sweep after a 7-3 win in Game 1.
“I was really happy and excited for Eduardo,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “The fact he came in and made quality pitch after quality pitch on a day where you need some length.”
General manager Mike Hazen and the rest of the front office spent most of the Winter Meetings negotiating with Rodriguez and his camp; so much so that the news of the signing officially broke after most of the D-backs representatives had left the Winter Meetings.
After having to throw a bullpen game in last year’s National League Championship Series and World Series, Hazen entered the Winter Meetings with starting pitching as a priority. In the end, that led them to a four-year pact with Rodriguez, who had a 3.30 ERA in 26 starts with the Tigers in 2023.
But it took them a long time to see their investment on the field. About halfway through Spring Training, Rodriguez went down with a lat injury that led to him starting the season on the injured list.
While Rodriguez was initially confident the injury wouldn’t keep him out for long, he aggravated it during the rehab process, which pushed his return back to August.
Rodriguez opened the game with seven straight fastballs in a 1-2-3 first inning. His first blemish came in the second inning when he gave up a home run to David Fry on a fastball that caught too much of the plate.
Then in the fourth inning he surrendered a run on a sacrifice fly. An inning later, José Ramírez sent a cutter 394 feet into the left field bleachers.
While Rodriguez undoubtedly wants those pitches back, it doesn’t take away from the fact that he pitched well enough to help the D-backs win their 12th contest over the past 14 games.
“I was very grateful he went into the sixth inning and gave us a chance to maneuver,” Lovullo said.”
Rodriguez came in with a pitch count of around 65 pitches and he ended up hitting that exact mark: 26 fastballs (40%), 16 changeups (15%), 10 cutters (15%), eight sinkers (12%) and five sliders (8%).
“It’s what I remember, it’s a very clean and easy delivery,” Lovullo said. “He knows right where it’s going. He takes it personally when it doesn’t go where he wants.”
His batterymate was rookie Adrian Del Castillo, who had about as smooth of an MLB debut as you could have. Not only did he immediately get his first hit out of the way with a booming RBI double to center field in the second inning, but he caught the entire game and helped an eight-year veteran navigate his first start back -- a performance that helped him earn a post game shower of beer, among other substances.
“Catching was a little more nerve-wracking,” Del Castillo said. “[Rodriguez] has his own plan and he’s a veteran guy -- he knows what he’s good at. We were talking in the dugout and getting on the same page. He was spotting almost every pitch and tunneling them exactly where he wanted them.”
That game plan earned him rave reviews from his skipper.
“He was so good,” Lovullo said. “After the second inning I took my eyes off of him.”
Rodriguez’s start was backed up by an offensive showcase from Josh Bell, who slugged two homers against Guardians starter Carlos Carrasco. He only hit two home runs in 50 games at Progressive Field during his stint with the Guardians last season.
The multi-homer game makes Bell the first player in D-backs history to have two multi-homer games within their first six games with the team.
With their win in Game 1, the D-backs secured their seventh straight series win for the first time since 2018, and now enter a crucial series against the Phillies in the driver’s seat in the NL Wild Card race.
“We’re ready to go from pitch one,” said Brandon Pfaadt, who pitched in the D-backs’ Game 1 win. “Our offense is putting up great numbers and our defense is following suit." |
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Thompson, Keegan (P)
CHC |
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According to the Sun Times, "RHP Keegan Thompson activated from 15-day injured list, optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Prior to Wednesday's game against the Twins, the Cubs activated Thompson from the IL and subsequently optioned him to Triple-A Iowa.
Thompson, 29, recently made four Minor League rehab appearances for Iowa, posting a 1.80 ERA with eight strikeouts and two walks in five innings, dating back to July 26. In his latest outing on Tuesday, the righty struck out three in one inning. Thompson been on the 15-day IL since June 28, retroactive to June 27, due to a rib fracture in his right side.
In 13 appearances for the Cubs this season, Thompson has logged a 3.50 ERA with 26 strikeouts against 10 walks in 18 innings." |
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Rojas, Miguel (SS)
LAD |
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According to the LA Times, "SS Miguel Rojas activated from the injured list; OF James Outman optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Rojas is back with the Dodgers after just one rehab game with Class A Rancho Cucamonga. The veteran infielder will be tasked with handling a lot of the shortstop responsibilities over the next week, but that’ll change when Mookie Betts is ready to return, which is scheduled to happen as early as Aug. 12 against the Brewers." |
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Fedde, Erick (P)
STL |
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According to the Cardinals' official website, "After struggling in his Cardinals debut, starter Erick Fedde admitted that the moment got big for him when things went sideways. Fedde made sure it wasn’t too big for him in start number two.
With runners on the corners and no one out in the third against the Rays on Wednesday, Fedde fielded Brandon Lowe’s bouncer back to him. Instead of throwing home for what looked to be a sure out of Alex Jackson, Fedde threw to second to try and get a double play. It ended up being a forceout and the run scored, but instead of letting the play snowball, Fedde escaped the inning allowing only that one run.
“I think that's the most important thing about being a pitcher is limiting big innings,” Fedde said. “My last start, I wasn't able to do that, but today, did a much better job.”
Catcher Willson Contreras came out after the Lowe force play to help Fedde reset.
“Just one of those things where before, I was thinking catcher on third and maybe wouldn't be going home, but they wanted to stay out of the double play,” Fedde said. “Just kind of a mistake by me, but one to learn from and at least it didn’t lead to a big inning.”
Fedde (8-5) found his groove from there, and the Cardinals bats picked him up for a 5-2 win. Fedde retired eight of the last nine batters he faced in a five-inning outing. He allowed one run on four hits, struck out six and walked two.
“This is a guy that, even through traffic, figures out a way to kind of limit damage,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “And that's exactly what he did.”
Fedde worked around a leadoff double followed by a walk in the second. He needed 75 pitches to get through the first three innings, but just 18 in his final two.
“Willson made a great adjustment with me, on getting his glove a little higher and getting my sweeper to play a little more away than down,” Fedde said. “And I think it started to get more swings earlier in the count and get swing and miss.”
With the game tied at 1, Nolan Arenado’s two-run double in the bottom of the third gave St. Louis the lead and Alec Burleson’s two-run double in the fourth made it 5-1 Cardinals. Contreras started the scoring with an RBI single in the first.
Arenado said regaining the lead immediately after Fedde limited the damage in the third was huge.
“It's all about momentum,” Arenado said. “And just knowing that we're in that ball game, and it didn't get out of hand. And a team like the Rays, you can't let it get out of hand with the pitching that they have, so he did a great job.”
The hits helped the Cardinals snap a runners in scoring position drought. St. Louis entered the game hitting .079 (3-for-38) in August in those key spots.
Contreras’ single in the first snapped an 0-for-19 skid with runners in scoring position and plated the Cardinals’ first run without coming from a homer in 28 innings.
“I liked our approach today a lot,” Marmol said. “We had some really hard contact, some for hits, some right at people, but I felt like we were aggressive in the zone, and I just like the overall feel of what we saw today. One through nine, I felt like our guys came out swinging hard, under control, but making solid contact through the middle of the field.”
St. Louis finished 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
“It's been real frustrating,” Arenado said. “You know me, I always take an ownership of that, of wanting to be better there, but we just got to keep pushing. I don't have the answers for it, but you got to keep hitting the ball hard.”
Fedde wasn’t the only escape artist for the Cardinals. Ryan Fernandez allowed just one run after pitching out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth.
Ryan Helsley, after giving up a run the night before, needed just 15 pitches to secure his MLB best 36th save.
“You always want to do that with relievers,” Marmol said. “Anytime they struggle through an inning, getting them out there and not letting them sit too long in the 'pen, thinking about it, is a plus." |
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Soler, Jorge (DH)
ATL |
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According to the AJC, "Jorge Soler helped the Braves end their 24-inning scoreless drought in an 8-5 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday night at Truist Park. But his defensive limitations tarnished Chris Sale’s night and increased concerns about his ability to be an adequate outfielder.
“We knew there was going to be some rough spots,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m not expecting him to be a Gold Glove right fielder. To his credit, every day since we’ve got him, when I’ve wanted to give him a day [off], he’s wanted to play, because he’s that guy. We’re hoping the [offense] offsets [the defense].”
This has been a frustration-filled four-game losing streak for the Braves, who now sit two games behind the Padres and D-backs for the top spot in the National League Wild Card chase. They also hold just a half-game lead over the Mets in the battle for the third and final Wild Card entry.
Things felt different last week, when the Braves won six of seven and acquired Soler from the Giants within this stretch.
Despite the fact Soler had served only as a designated hitter for San Francisco this year, the Braves were confident he wouldn’t be a liability in right field. He handled the position adequately for Atlanta in 2021. But three years later, the 32-year-old slugger is either rusty or less mobile.
“I don’t think it’s been a difficult process,” Soler said through an interpreter. “I just think I had a bad game today.”
Here’s the problem. Marcell Ozuna is the Braves’ designated hitter because he is a below-average defensive outfielder. So Atlanta can only hope Soler improves defensively, because utilizing him as an outfielder is the only way to keep him and Ozuna in the same lineup.
Sale allowed three runs -- two earned -- and nine hits while recording 10 strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. This is certainly not what the Braves wanted after rearranging the rotation to allow him to make this start with two extra days of rest. But each of the three runs could have been prevented with an average right fielder.
This marked just the second time Sale has pitched less than five innings this year. His bid for his first Cy Young Award remains strong, as he continues to lead the NL with a 2.75 ERA.
“This is baseball,” Sale said. “You’re not going to be perfect all the way through. I know what [Soler] can do and what he’s going to bring to the table. I look at it more as an opportunity to pick teammates up when something like that happens.”
Soler’s leadoff double helped the Braves construct a two-run first inning. But he helped the Brewers get on the board in the third, when he fumbled Joey Ortiz’s two-out double in the right-field corner. That allowed Gary Sánchez to score from first base, with what was deemed an unearned run.
Rhys Hoskins and Sánchez began Milwaukee’s two-run fifth with consecutive singles. Sánchez’s liner landed just in front Soler.
“At first, I thought I was going to be able to catch it, but it didn’t happen,” Soler said.
Sale followed the catchable Sánchez liner with two strikeouts. So he easily could have escaped that inning in scoreless fashion. Instead, he exited after Joey Ortiz tallied a go-ahead two-out single against an 0-2 slider that was in the dirt.
“It was just a tough night,” Sale said.
Austin Riley picked up Soler when he hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth. But Pierce Johnson and A.J. Minter combined to issue four walks during Milwaukee’s decisive three-run sixth.
Having to go to the 'pen in the sixth wasn’t what the Braves envisioned when they opted to have Sale make this start with two extra days of rest. He has produced a 3.21 ERA over the 11 starts he has made with one extra day of rest. His ERA with at least two extra days of rest rose from 2.09 to 2.26 (eight starts) with this outing.
“My job is to pitch,” Sale said. “They pencil me in and tell me when they’re going to hand me the ball. I don’t mind if it’s five days, six days or seven days.”
Likewise, the Braves will continue to send Soler to right field. They can only hope Wednesday wasn’t a foreshadowing of what he’ll provide as an outfielder for the rest of this season, and possibly all of next year." |
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Bellinger, Cody (OF)
CHC |
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According to the Sun Times, "Cody Bellinger out of lineup, day to day with left hamstring soreness. Bellinger was given a day off on Wednesday against the Twins after experiencing soreness in his left hamstring.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that the issue stemmed from Bellinger hitting first base awkwardly while hustling to beat out a grounder for an infield single in the first inning of Tuesday's 7-3 win. Counsell's hope is that it is a day-to-day setback, rather than something that costs Bellinger much time.
"Seeing it live, yeah, I was very concerned," Counsell said. "I think we're fine. I thought there was a knee thing, seeing it at first. But he's just got a little hamstring soreness, probably from hyper-extending it there."
Bellinger, 29, is currently hitting .273 with 11 homers, 16 doubles, 43 RBIs and a .751 OPS through 87 games this season for Chicago. He has been limited to the designated hitter role of late due to his ongoing comeback from a fractured middle finger." |
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Lindor, Francisco (SS)
NYM |
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According to the NY Daily News, "If Francisco Lindor is going to finish the season as a legitimate National League MVP candidate, he can’t just be productive for the Mets. At key parts of the season, he’ll need to carry them.
It’s the type of task that hasn’t always been easy for Lindor over his first four years with the franchise, but things do seem to be coming easier in general to him in 2024. When the Mets needed him Wednesday night, Lindor was ready.
The Mets’ shortstop hit a tiebreaking, two-run single on the first pitch he saw in the ninth inning at Coors Field, leading the Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Rockies. The hit capped a game that saw Lindor go 2-for-5 with two RBIs, a stolen base and a run scored, padding some of the statistics that have made him the most productive player in baseball -- at least in terms of WAR -- over the past 12 weeks.
Paul Blackburn delivered a second consecutive quality start since joining the Mets, and José Buttó pitched a pair of scoreless innings for the win." |
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Profar, Jurickson (OF)
SD |
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According to the San Diego U-T, "OF Jurickson Profar exits after HBP. Profar was plunked square on the right leg, just below the knee, with a 94.8 mph fastball from Pirates reliever Hunter Stratton in the sixth inning Wednesday. After spending several minutes on the ground while he was evaluated by a team trainer, Profar remained in the game initially. But he was clearly hobbled running to second on Xander Bogaerts' single, and Profar was removed immediately thereafter.
After the game -- a dramatic 9-8 Padres victory -- manager Mike Shildt said X-rays on Profar's leg were negative and called it "a day-to-day situation." |
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Friedl, TJ (OF)
CIN |
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According to the Enquirer, "With one swing in the top of the seventh inning, TJ Friedl changed the entire tenor of the Reds’ 6-4 loss to the Marlins on Wednesday night.
Until Friedl stepped to the plate, with two outs and bases loaded, Cincinnati was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position on the night and trailing, 6-0, after Miami posted a five-run first inning (which included a solo homer and a grand slam).
Friedl himself was 0-for-2 with a third-inning walk. His luck, though, was about to change. Friedl took an 84 mph slider in the middle of the zone for a strike, then fouled off an up-and-away 94.4 mph four-seam fastball.
In an 0-2 hole, what Friedl did with the next pitch could change the game, or it could end the inning and the Reds’ rally attempt.
Of course, it did the former. Friedl took the 94.9 mph fastball offering from Marlins reliever Andrew Nardi and sent it soaring 396 feet to right-center field, per Statcast, the second-longest homer Friedl has hit this season. (He hit a 429-foot homer on June 5 in Colorado.)
“That pitcher for the Marlins is really tough on left-handed hitters,” manager David Bell said. “That was a good pitch -- it was a fastball up, maybe out of the zone. TJ has the ability to do that. He has such a short, quick swing and got on top of that pitch. Not many guys can do that. Good fastball, just had a perfect swing on it.”
Friedl didn’t know the ball had even left the park until he was nearly to second base.
“Obviously I was ecstatic, but I think, you know, I turned and looked at [coach Collin Cowgill] at first base, and [then] I looked back and I saw the ball was on the field, and I saw [Jesús] Sánchez grabbing and throwing it in,” Friedl said, “so then I was kind of confused. So I put my head down and started running, and then I saw the umpires calling for a home run.
“Obviously, like, once I kind of saw it hit that back wall there, I was obviously really stoked. [I'm] just trying to make plays for the team and kind of [got] us back in the game there.”
It was Friedl’s first career grand slam, and while it didn’t reverse the damage done against starter Andrew Abbott (six runs on six hits, three of them homers, and three walks), it ensured the Reds wouldn’t be shut out and gave them some hope of a comeback.
Better yet, the slam was a sign of Friedl’s return to regular play. The outfielder has played just 38 games around three IL stints -- a right wrist fracture, a left thumb fracture and a right hamstring strain -- that have kept him on the injured list for over 90 days this season.
“For me, it kills me when I can't be on the field helping this team,” Friedl said. “Every time I come back, I just want to make an impact the best I can and help the team in any way that I can. So whenever I'm out there on the field -- whether it's in the outfield or at the plate, whatever it is -- all I want to do is help the team win. So, every chance I get, I'm gonna try and make that happen.”
The season, with all its setbacks, has been a harsh contrast for Friedl. In 2023, he played 138 games and led the Reds’ qualified players in average (.279) while hitting the second-most homers on the team (18) behind only Jonathan India (23).
Of course, there’s plenty more of the season left for Friedl to make an impact. With 48 games left to go, the Reds (55-59) are 5 1/2 games out of the third NL Wild Card spot.
“We miss TJ when he's not not with us, for sure,” Bell said. “But we have a long way to go. We have a couple months -- plus, hopefully -- and TJ is gonna be a big part of that. So he's still -- even though he missed some of the year, it's far from over and he can make the most of it still." |
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Crow-Armstrong, Pete (OF)
CHC |
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According to the Sun Times, "Without a true superstar anchoring the heart of the Cubs’ lineup, one key for Chicago’s order to be fully operational and performing at a high level can be found near the bottom. For the North Siders to churn out runs, the trio occupying the last three spots needs to produce.
That has been a problem area for much of this season for the Cubs, but the past month has featured steady improvement out of the lower third of the batting order. That was the case again on Wednesday afternoon, when Chicago used an 8-2 win over the Twins to claim a series victory at Wrigley Field.
“We’re just getting contributions from nine guys right now on any given day,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And that makes all the difference in the world, I think. It allows you to be consistent, which I think we’ve done a pretty good job of these past couple weeks. It’s the key to this team being good offensively.”
There were some important home runs at the top -- leadoff man Ian Happ launched a two-run shot in the fourth and No. 2 hitter Michael Busch belted a solo blast in the first -- but the bottom again did its part. Dansby Swanson (seventh), Pete Crow-Armstrong (eighth) and catcher Christian Bethancourt (ninth) combined to go 4-for-11 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored.
The progress in that department has played a clear role in the Cubs’ posting an 18-12 record since the Fourth of July, while averaging 4.6 runs per game. In the previous 61 games, dating back to a 17-0 loss in Boston on April 27, Chicago’s lineup went into a deep funk and managed 3.5 runs on average in that time period.
Last year, the Cubs posted a 97 wRC+ with a .724 OPS out of the Nos. 7-9 spots combined, helping Chicago finish sixth in runs scored in MLB. Entering play Wednesday, the Cubs had a 78 wRC+ with a .629 OPS from the last three spots combined.
“One difference between this year and last year is our lineup has felt more shallow,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said late last month. “We’ve had games where it felt like the bottom of the order wasn’t producing. And last year … we were pretty deep one through nine.”
The Cubs entered Wednesday with a 95 wRC+ and .697 OPS out of the Nos. 7-9 slots since the start of July. If the cut-off point is drawn at July 10, those marks climb to 110 wRC+ with a .752 OPS. As Chicago tries to pull itself back to the edge of the National League Wild Card picture, continued production out of the bottom of the order will remain crucial.
“It’s been a lot of guys that have kind of picked their years up and kind of got it going,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s at the right time, because we’ve still got 45 left and we’re only getting better as the season goes. And I think that’s such a promising thing, being able to pick it up when the months are starting to get harder.”
Counsell has used Swanson most often as his No. 7 hitter (40 starts), followed by Crow-Armstrong in the No. 8 hole (41 starts) and catcher Miguel Amaya (51 starts) in the No. 9 slot. Bethancourt was a recent addition to assume the backup duties for injured catcher Tomás Nido and has batted eighth or ninth in his four starts.
Swanson is batting just .230 with a .657 OPS in 106 games this season for the Cubs, but has been on an offensive roll of late. Dating back to July 10, the veteran shortstop has hit .326/.379/.430 with six extra-base hits in a 25-game span.
Crow-Armstrong’s .205 average and .578 OPS overall do now show the offensive strides he has been making recently, either. In his past 12 games, specifically, the rookie center fielder has hit .317/.333/.488 with three doubles and two triples.
Amaya (.575 OPS overall in 81 games) recently made some alterations to his batting stance and has enjoyed some encouraging results, too. In his past 18 games dating back to July 7, the catcher has turned in a .298/.365/.468 slash line.
Bethancourt’s two doubles in Wednesday’s win gave him a .429 (6-for-14) showing with four extra-base hits and five RBIs in his five games for the Cubs. Chicago has gone undefeated in all four of his starts.
“It’s always helpful when the bottom of the lineup can do stuff,” Bethancourt said. “PCA, Amaya, me, Dansby, we’ve been doing it lately." |
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| Marlins (T)
MIA |
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According to the Miami Herald, "Derek Hill was a first-round selection in the 2014 MLB Draft. He has played 861 games in professional baseball across 11 seasons, but just 132 of those have come at the big league level. He has experienced countless injuries and designations for assignment.
If there’s one thing Hill has learned throughout his journey is patience. Once the Marlins claimed him from the Giants on Saturday, he was eager to begin the next phase of his career. Mother Nature had other plans. Hill and his wife woke up at 5:30 a.m. PT on Sunday but didn’t fly out of San Francisco until 2:30 p.m. because of Tropical Storm Debby.
“What else am I going to do?” Hill asked. “I'm good at baseball, and God sent me on this plan, so I might as well fulfill it and do it to my best capabilities.”
After spending most of Monday introducing himself to his new teammates and coaches, Hill struck out in a pinch-hit at-bat. He bounced back with a two-run single on Tuesday, then outdid himself with his first career grand slam in Wednesday night’s 6-4 Marlins victory over the Reds at loanDepot park.
Miami struck first with a five-run first inning powered by two homers against lefty Andrew Abbott. With one out, Jake Burger tattooed a first-pitch fastball over the right-center-field wall for a solo homer.
Jonah Bride singled and Jesús Sánchez and Otto Lopez walked to load the bases for Hill. Following a mound visit, he deposited a four-seamer to straightaway center for his fourth homer of the season and eighth of his career.
With a southpaw starter on the mound, Schumaker elected to start Hill rather than left-handed-hitting newcomer Kyle Stowers, who has been struggling (2-for-24 with 13 strikeouts) since joining the Marlins via the Trevor Rogers trade. Hill entered Wednesday with a slash line of .304/.333/.474 in 141 career plate appearances vs. lefties.
The 28-year-old Hill, who is with his third Major League club in 2024, also pitched in on defense. He robbed Tyler Stephenson of a potential run-scoring hit to left field to end the fifth, helping right-hander Valente Bellozo go a career-high 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
“This is what it's all about, it’s, ‘Are you ready for your opportunity?’” Schumaker said. “There's going to be guys we said earlier that are going to get their first shot of playing a lot at this level, and Hill is one of them. He was a first-rounder years ago. He's a journeyman, but he hits the ball as hard as anybody. If he can cut down on his strikeouts a little bit and hit the ball as hard as he's hitting it, he's going to be OK up here.
“And he can play a really good outfield, made a good play tonight. It's hard to hit opposite-field home runs here, so it shows you what kind of pop he has. I really like -- not just because he hit the home run -- but I like how he is in the dugout, I like how he is in the clubhouse, the work, the personality, all of that works. But I obviously like home runs, so that obviously plays.”
Burger added another solo shot against Abbott in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-0, which proved crucial as TJ Friedl knocked a grand slam in seventh. The Reds then loaded the bases in the ninth only to see righty Calvin Faucher work out of his self-inflicted jam for the save.
It marked Burger’s fifth career multihomer game, and first since April 4 in his St. Louis homecoming. He has gone deep nine times in just 19 second-half games, one shy of his total from 73 games prior to the All-Star break." |
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Freeland, Kyle (P)
COL |
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According to the Denver Post, "LHP Kyle Freeland’s left index finger ‘a little tender’. Freeland left the Rockies’ series opener against the Mets on Tuesday with a blister on his left index finger. On Wednesday, manager Bud Black said Freeland’s finger was “better, but still a little tender.”
The club is hopeful that Freeland will be able to make his next scheduled start.
“We’re crossing our fingers that he’s going to be fine,” Black said. “We’ll probably know more in the next couple of days.”
Freeland struck out the first Mets batter in the fifth inning, then gave up a double to Tyrone Taylor before striking out Francisco Lindor.
After Freeland’s first pitch to the next batter, Brandon Nimmo, the lefty appeared to be looking at the index finger on his pitching hand with concern. Black came out with a trainer, but Freeland remained in the game. Nimmo ended up knocking a run-scoring single to center, and Black returned to the mound and removed Freeland after the at-bat." |
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Gonzales, Marco (P)
PIT |
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According to the Tribune Review, "By the time the 10th rolled around Wednesday, manager Derek Shelton’s only options left in his bullpen were Colin Holderman and Dennis Santana, the latter of whom was considered the multi-innings guy for the night. And for the fourth time in eight days, it was Holderman who would be taking the loss for the Pirates.
That is an oversimplification of what was one of the more wild nights on the North Shore of Pittsburgh this season, but the end result was the same: a third straight loss and the fifth over the past six games, four of which have been decided by one run. A shaky Marco Gonzales start and continued struggles from the high-leverage relievers was just too much to overcome Wednesday at PNC Park, as the Pirates would end up falling to the Padres in 10 innings, 9-8.
“We’re in every game,” Shelton said. “We’re battling. We’re battling back. We just haven’t been able to finish games, and we got to do that. To continue to do what we’ve done through the first 110 games, 120 games, whatever it is, we have to just continue to finish games. Unfortunately on this homestand so far, we have not. We’ve had leads in three of the losses in the seventh or later.”
Coming close is probably not much consolation when looking at the standings. The Pirates have now dropped back-to-back series against the Diamondbacks and Padres, both of whom are ahead of them in the NL Wild Card chase, and the Pirates (56-57) dipped below .500 for the first time since before the All-Star break. There’s still time to make a run at the postseason, but the path has become measurably harder with back-to-back series losses that very well could have been wins.
Gonzales was unable to complete the fifth inning, allowing five runs over 4 2/3 frames, which included home runs by Jackson Merrill and Kyle Higashioka. Gonzales is still building back up after missing three months with a forearm strain, so this marked the third time in four games a Pirates starter didn’t go at least five innings, with Mitch Keller and Bailey Falter being booted early from their outings due to lengthy rain delays.
"Physically I felt good,” Gonzales said. “Command-wise, I wasn't as sharp as I would've liked to be. I made a couple of mistakes over the middle of the plate and paid for it. Overall, I felt like we handled the top of the lineup well. It was the middle and bottom parts that hurt us tonight."
The Pirates' offense was able to pick him, rattling off six two-out RBIs, including a game-tying home run by Andrew McCutchen in the fourth and a two-run single by McCutchen in the sixth to give the Pirates a 6-5 lead. The three RBIs for McCutchen tied him with Ralph Kiner (802) for sixth place on Pittsburgh's all-time list.
The taxed bullpen was able to get the ball to David Bednar in the ninth, but the Pirates’ closer snapped a streak of 19 straight saves by serving up a home run to Merrill to tie the game at 6.
“[Bednar] tried to get a fastball above Jackson Merrill’s hands and he didn’t get it there, and [Merrill] hit it out,” Shelton said.
The Pirates had a chance with the bases loaded in the ninth, but Ji Hwan Bae and Oneil Cruz both grounded out to end the frame. They also had another chance to win it in the 10th, managing to rattle off three straight walks off Tanner Scott and moving runners to second and third with nobody out in a one-run game, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Connor Joe and Yasmani Grandal all failed to get that pivotal extra RBI.
As a result, the recurring themes of the past few weeks again played out the same. Relievers have taken Pittsburgh's last seven losses. The Pirates have played the most one-run games in baseball, but they are sub-.500 in those games (19-21). Their 23 blown saves are the second-most in baseball.
So how do they proceed with their season on the line?
"Show up and play the game tomorrow,” Gonzales said. “That's how we're wired. That's what we do. I know it's tough after some of these losses, but you have to find a way to turn the page, show up and compete." |
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Luciano, Marco (SS)
SF |
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According to the SF Chronicle, "Marco Luciano came into the season with a chance to cement himself as the Giants’ shortstop of the future, but he isn’t expected to see much time on the field down the stretch.
With Tyler Fitzgerald in the midst of a breakout campaign at short and Brett Wisely and Casey Schmitt splitting time at second base, Luciano is expected to draw most of his starts at designated hitter and help replace Jorge Soler, who was dealt to the Braves along with Luke Jackson last week.
“Obviously, this is really about getting him at-bats at the DH spot,” president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said. “I don’t think we’re putting in ink that he’s a career DH now. Obviously, he’s young. We talked about his defensive progress. So there may be spots where he moves around the infield, but this is the role for him right now.”
Luciano, the Giants’ No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, got a brief look at shortstop when Nick Ahmed landed on the injured list with a left wrist sprain in May, but the 22-year-old rookie committed five errors in his first nine games at the position, prompting the club to send him back down to Triple-A Sacramento.
Luciano began getting some exposure at second base when he returned to the Minors, but he ended up earning another shot with the Giants on the strength of his bat, as he hit .275 with a .921 OPS and six home runs over 21 games with the River Cats in July. Luciano tallied 18 walks and 20 strikeouts over that stretch, highlighting the improved plate discipline that gave the Giants the confidence to move on from Soler, who was in the first year of a three-year, $42 million deal he signed in February.
“I’m very happy that I’m here and very happy that they’re giving me an opportunity,” Luciano said in Spanish. “I’m ready for whatever the team needs.”
It remains to be seen where Luciano’s long-term defensive home could be if he ends up moving off shortstop in the future. The Giants could try to get him more comfortable at second, particularly following Thairo Estrada’s extended struggles this year, though they might also have an opening at third base if Matt Chapman declines his $17 million player option for 2025 and becomes a free agent this offseason. The outfield could be another option, but the Giants already have Jung Hoo Lee, Heliot Ramos and Luis Matos penciled in there for next year.
For now, the Giants believe the most straightforward solution is to simply have Luciano focus on hitting and try to build more confidence against big league pitching.
Luciano’s recent hot stretch hasn’t carried over to the Majors thus far -- he's only 3-for-17 (.177) with eight strikeouts over his last five games and wasn't in the starting lineup against the Nationals on Tuesday or Wednesday -- but the Giants have said they're committed to riding the growing pains and giving him a chance to stick for the remainder of the year.
“This season for us really has been about some breakthroughs by young players,” Zaidi said. “Oftentimes, those breakthroughs don’t happen until you give a guy a real opportunity.
“We talked a little bit about how [Luciano] can get put under a microscope because he’s been such a highly thought of prospect from the time he signed at 16. Sometimes you lose the zoom-out big picture of how much progress he’s made. We’ve really seen that over the last month." |
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Benson, Will (OF)
CIN |
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According to the Enquirer, "OF Will Benson returned from paternity list. Benson was back in the clubhouse on Wednesday following the birth of his second child, daughter Sophia. He received many congratulations from teammates who were extolling "B-man, the father of two." |
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Perkins, Blake (OF)
MIL |
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According to the MJS, "To get as far as they want to go in this surprise season, the Brewers might have to beat the Phillies’ Ranger Suárez or Cristopher Sánchez. There might be another matchup with the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw. If the D-backs keep surging, perhaps they’ll see Jordan Montgomery or Eduardo Rodriguez. And they might match up again with the Braves’ Max Fried or Chris Sale.
Left-handed pitchers, all of them. For two years, southpaws have been a problem for the Brewers, who looked a lot more formidable while wearing down Sale in Wednesday night’s 8-5 win over the Braves at Truist Park.
“It is changing a little bit,” said the Brewers’ longest-tenured pitcher, Freddy Peralta, who picked up a win even after yielding a fifth-inning lead on a night his ERA ticked north of 4.00. “In the past, everyone knew, ‘Ah, the Brewers are struggling against lefties.’ But we’ve been looking way different now.
“Especially with Sale, man. He’s no average pitcher. He’s a legend already, and we were seeing him good. We weren’t able to score a lot against him, but we were able to take him out of the game quick, and that’s the reason we won tonight.”
It was a case of the Brewers’ “lefty lineup” coming through. Blake Perkins led the way by driving in three runs on three hits, including one go-ahead single in the fifth inning, and then, after Peralta lost the lead on Austin Riley’s two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of that inning, another go-ahead two-run single in the sixth.
Perkins had plenty of backup from the Brewers’ right-handed hitters. Jackson Chourio, Rhys Hoskins and Joey Ortiz all had three hits of their own, and Gary Sánchez had two hits and scored twice as the Brewers, with back-to-back victories to start this three-game set, snapped a streak of three consecutive losing series.
“I would hope that lefties are a little nervous now, a little bit cautious with us,” Perkins said.
The Brewers won 92 games last season despite going 22-26 against left-handed starters. They thought they’d made some corrections going into this year with the free-agent additions of right-handed sluggers Hoskins and Sánchez, plus, if things broke right, young right-handed hitters like Chourio and Ortiz.
But with a combination of injuries and the expected rookie inconsistencies, the results have been similar. The Brewers went into Wednesday’s matchup against Sale with a 14-17 record in games started by opposing southpaws. That included a loss in a Sale start on July 31 at American Family Field, when the 35-year-old pitched into the sixth inning and held the Brewers to two runs in a no-decision.
Now, with Chourio surging since the start of July, Ortiz emerging from a neck injury followed by a slump (he has back-to-back multihit games for the first time since June 22-23) and Sánchez back from a month-long stint on the IL for a left calf injury, this version of Milwaukee’s lineup looks more formidable. It collected nine hits off Sale in the lefty’s 4 2/3 innings, then reclaimed the lead in the sixth on Perkins’ two-out single off another Braves lefty, A.J. Minter.
All together, the seven right-handed hitters in Wednesday’s starting lineup, plus the switch-hitting Perkins, combined to go 16-for-36 with eight walks. Three of the walks belonged to second baseman Andruw Monasterio, who reached safely four times in a rare start.
“There weren’t a lot of extra-base hits, but it was relentless,” manager Pat Murphy said. “Look at Ortiz, Perkins, Monasterio and Chourio. Ortiz, people were kind of worried about after that neck injury, and he’s just back to his form. He was tremendous tonight with four quality [plate appearances]. Perkins four quality, maybe five. Monasterio, four quality. Chourio, four quality. That’s what we’re looking for.”
Chourio, usually the leadoff hitter in the Brewers’ lefty lineups, finished 3-for-5 with a walk and has 11 multihit games in 15 games since the All-Star break. Ortiz went 3-for-4 with two doubles -- the Brewers’ only extra-base hits -- and a walk in his first three-hit game since May 17, when he was on the way to winning National League Rookie of the Month honors.
“You’re being mentioned as a Rookie of the Year candidate, and then all of a sudden you’re injured and you’re trying to play with it, then you go on the IL and you don’t know what to think,” Murphy said. “This whole thing is a mental game. I’m really proud of him breaking through.”
Ortiz wasn’t the only one.
“We forgot we faced Chris Sale, you know what I mean?” Murphy said. “This guy is one of the best in the game and he made big pitches at big times. But we just hung in there." |
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Wiemer, Joey (OF)
CIN |
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According to the Enquirer, "OF Joey Wiemer optioned to Triple-A Louisville. Wiemer, who was acquired from the Brewers at the Trade Deadline, did not start any games during his brief time up with the Reds, though he did make one pinch-hit appearance and relieved Spencer Steer in left field on Monday. Wiemer is a lifetime .201 hitter with 13 homers and 42 RBIs in 153 big league games. He was drafted by Milwaukee in the fourth round of the 2020 Draft." |
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Chapman, Aroldis (RP)
PIT |
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According to the Tribune Review, "Even 15 years into his Major League career, the Cuban Missile can still do things no other pitcher can. Case in point, a two-pitch sequence on Wednesday night during which Aroldis Chapman recorded pitches of 105.1 and 104.7 mph, the latter being a called third strike to complete a scoreless eighth inning.
The Padres managed to get two runners on base with one out in a one-run game, but the Pirates lefty was able to strike out Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado to preserve the Pirates’ lead.
The 105.1 mph pitch – a ball to Machado – is the hardest ever measured for any pitcher not named Chapman in the pitch tracking era (since 2008), and Chapman hasn’t thrown a harder pitch since 2016. The 104.7 mph third strike to Machado is tied with Ben Joyce – who also hit 104.7 mph to retire J.D. Martinez on Aug. 3 – for the hardest strikeout pitch in the pitch tracking era.
Chapman has been clicking in the second half of the season, allowing just one run with 13 strikeouts over eight innings since the All-Star break." |
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| Dodd, Dylan (P)
ATL |
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According to the AJC, "LHP Dylan Dodd recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett; RHP Bryce Elder optioned to Gwinnett. Elder was optioned after allowing seven runs over 3 2/3 innings against the Brewers on Tuesday night. His early exit led the Braves to promote Dodd -- the club's No. 14 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- to provide bullpen depth over the next few days. The 26-year-old Dodd made seven starts for Atlanta last season, going 2-2 with a 7.60 ERA." |
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| Astros (T)
HOU |
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According to the Houston Chronicle, "The Astros were back to their familiar form the last two games against the Rangers at Globe Life Field, where the bats came alive behind clutch hitting and fewer strikeouts, they continued to get terrific starting pitching and the bullpen got some key outs.
After suffering a gut-wrenching walk-off loss in Monday’s opener of the Lone Star Series, the Astros won the final two games to take the Silver Boot from Texas for the eighth year in a row. Houston beat Texas, 6-4, on Wednesday and went 7-6 against the defending World Series champions this year.
By winning the season series, the Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers, which came into play last year when both teams finished with 90 wins. Houston won the American League West because of its head-to-head record.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next [48] games,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We just want to put our club in a good position to win the West. Winning the Boot, it matters. Hopefully, it stays in Houston.”
Zach Dezenzo, called up after playing in only 11 games in Triple-A, shook off an 0-for-4 performance in his Major League debut Tuesday and went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored while starting at first base. For his work, Dezenzo’s teammates gave him the Player of the Game belt.
“Yesterday was yesterday,” he said. "There were a lot of emotions and it was pretty overwhelming. Today I felt a lot more like myself, just playing the game again and enjoying it and having fun with the guys. I was able to produce a lot today, so that was good.”
Dezenzo picked up his first Major League hit with a second-inning double to deep left field that would have been a homer at Minute Maid Park. He singled and scored in the sixth and walked and scored in the eighth.
“He put day one behind him,” Espada said. "He looked like he belongs out there. He looked really confident and he played really good defense. His at-bats were solid, man. He hit some balls hard, took some good hacks. He was aggressive, he was confident. I like it a lot." - newsreporter3 |
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Cobb, Alex (P)
CLE |
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According to the Plain Dealer, "RHP Alex Cobb was on track to return early in the 2024 season before his throwing shoulder started bothering him. Then, after making six rehab appearances in June and July, he finally had his eyes set on the big leagues when a blister pushed back his return yet again.
Cobb was traded to the Guardians on July 30 and made his first rehab start in his new organization on Aug. 3 at Triple-A Columbus. He allowed one run on three hits and two walks to go with five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. He will make his Guardians debut on Aug. 9 against Minnesota." - newsreporter3 |
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Correa, Carlos (SS)
MIN |
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According to the Star Tribune, "Carlos Correa jogged on the field for the first time on Aug. 3 as part of what the Twins described as a "ground-based return to play program," which also involved him taking ground balls from both his knees and his feet and going through his full routine in the batting cages. Correa said the pain in his heel took a significant turn for the better at the very beginning of August, and though he doesn't expect to be completely pain-free upon his return to the field, he hopes to get to a point where it's far more manageable and allows him to perform close to his best every day.
Manager Rocco Baldelli noted on Aug. 7 that Correa is ramping up his running, but he is not sprinting yet.
“When he’s able to sprint and run the way that he needs to, he’s going to go on a rehab assignment and go get some at-bats,” Baldelli said. “Then he’ll be on his way back at that point.”
Correa was placed on the 10-day IL on July 20, as the Twins began the second half of the season. Correa received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his right heel, where he is experiencing plantar fasciitis in the opposite foot from the lingering issue that held back his production throughout the 2023 season.
"I’m here to get back on the field, and sometimes I have to hold myself [back] because the way I feel right now is the way I played last year," Correa said. "The problem is, I don’t want to just be on the field, a body out there just taking at-bats and not producing and not helping the team. When I get back, I want to be able to play to my full capacity." - newsreporter3 |
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Buxton, Byron (DH)
MIN |
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According to the Star Tribune, "Byron Buxton (lower back) out of starting lineup for third straight game. Buxton remained out of the Twins’ starting lineup for a third straight game on Wednesday, for Minnesota’s series finale against the Cubs. Manager Rocco Baldelli noted on Tuesday that the center fielder is dealing with some lower back tightness, and he suggested that Buxton should be able to return after Thursday’s off-day.
“If by chance he's even not ready to go [Wednesday], I have no doubt he'll be out there on Friday,” Baldelli said on Tuesday of the Twins' doubleheader against the division-leading Guardians in Minnesota.
Monday was a scheduled day off for the center fielder, according to Baldelli, who noted pregame Monday that it was planned even before Buxton’s collision with the right-center-field wall in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 13-7 win over the White Sox." - newsreporter3 |
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O'Neill, Tyler (OF)
BOS |
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According to the Boston Herald, "Tyler O'Neill is headed back to the injured list.
Boston’s slugger, who had missed the past four games due to an undisclosed general illness, was placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to Aug. 4) pregame Wednesday with a left leg infection. Manager Alex Cora said the infection popped up during the club’s final game in Texas on Sunday.
“[O’Neill’s] been sick, and actually toward the end of the trip in Texas, he had this infection in his left leg. It’s gotten worse and he’s getting treatment,” Cora said. “He won’t be able to play in the next, probably three or five days. We’ll see how it goes.
“So we decided to put him on the IL. We got [Enmanuel Valdez] here, a left-handed bat, we can mix and match later in the game. He can play second, he played left, so I like where we are at roster wise.”
The club is unsure if the illness that had kept O’Neill out for the past four games was related to his leg infection, but the Red Sox expect him to return after the 10-day minimum stint. The club recalled Valdez, who is batting .226 with six homers in 56 games this season, as the corresponding move.
“I talked to [O’Neill] and he said, ‘Alex, I have no idea what happened,’” Cora said. “When J.J. [athletic trainer Jon Jochim] saw him in Texas, he was in bad shape. Then I think it was the last day that his leg was huge. He’s been getting treatment, doing everything possible with the medical staff to take care of this. … It just happened. He doesn’t know. He woke up in the morning and [his leg] was big.”
O’Neill’s third stint on the IL this season is a big blow to a Boston offense that has taken off since the All-Star break. The right-handed slugger has crushed 22 homers and driven in 45 runs while compiling a .901 OPS in 80 games this season. Since Boston traded for O’Neill in December -- sending RHPs Nick Robertson and Victor Santos to St. Louis -- the 29-year-old has landed on the IL with right knee inflammation and a concussion." - newsreporter3 |
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Boyd, Matthew (P)
CLE |
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According to the Plain Dealer, "In what is expected to be his final rehab start before joining the Guardians, LHP Matthew Boyd threw six scoreless innings for Triple-A Columbus against St. Paul on Aug. 7, allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts and no walks. He retired the first 17 batters he faced and ended the sixth inning with a pickoff.
The Guardians signed Boyd on June 29 to add to their starting pitching depth, but they knew it would be some time before he'd be added into the mix. That time appears to be nearing now." - newsreporter3 |
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Suarez, Albert (P)
BAL |
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With Grayson Rodriguez being placed on the IL on Wednesday, Suarez will presumably take his spot in the rotation for the time being. Suarez was used as the emergency starter on Tuesday when Rodriguez was originally scratched from his start, and he tossed 5 shutout innings with 6 K’s and 2 BB’s. Suarez has been a big surprise for the O’s this season, as he has compiled a 3.66 ERA over 15 starts. However, that comes with very mediocre strikeout and walk rates and a 4.62 xFIP. Pitching for a winning team may help his overall value, but don't expect him to help your ratios.
- mgreenfeld |
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Moncada, Yoan (3B)
CHW |
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According to the Sun Times, "Yoan Moncada is getting closer to returning to game action after his rehab stint was put on pause, manager Pedro Grifol said. The switch-hitting third baseman went 8-for-15 over five games with the Arizona Complex League White Sox, but he did not seem comfortable with where he was physically.
"He wants to err on the side of caution, and really, it's probably the right thing to do," Grifol said on Aug. 7. "Just make sure you're 100% when you come back so you don't reinjure this thing. We'll see how it goes. He should be getting into action here pretty soon."
Moncada was running to first on a grounder on April 9 when he doubled over in pain and had to be helped off the field. He was placed on the IL the next day." - newsreporter3 |
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Alvarez, Yordan (OF)
HOU |
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Alvarez went 1-3 with a HR and 2 BB’s against the Rangers on Wednesday, marking his 2nd straight game with a HR and his 22nd dinger of the season. Alvarez is coming off a 24-game stretch in which he hit just one long ball, but he still hit .280 with a 17.3% K% during that time along with a 92.3 EV, so it was only a matter of time before the power showed up again. He is aiming for his 4th consecutive 30-HR season, and with a career low 14.9% K%, he has a solid chance to hit .300 for the 3rd time in his career as well.
- mgreenfeld |
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According to the Houston Chronicle, "Yordan Alvarez snapped out of a season-long 13-game homerless drought by bashing homers in each of the wins on Tuesday and Wednesday, giving him 22 for the season. The All-Star slugger hit one homer in a 24-game stretch from July 4-Aug. 5, during which the Astros were 12-12.
“I had a rough series at home, and it feels good to be able to recover the swing again,” he said.
Alvarez’s third-inning homer to center field had an exit velocity of 117 mph, which is the second-hardest-hit homer by an Astro in the Statcast era (since 2015). He has the top eight hardest-hit homers by Astros hitters under Statcast tracking (postseason included). His hardest was 117.7 mph last Sept. 13 vs. Oakland.
His homer left the bat at a launch angle of 18 degrees, which is the lowest of any homer at Globe Life Field this season.
“I really didn’t think that was going to be a homer,” said Alvarez, whose 11 homers at Globe Life Field are the most by any visiting player, including the postseason. “I left the box running and I looked up and the ball was gone, and I was like, ‘Oh wow." |
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Farmer, Kyle (2B)
MIN |
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According to the Star Tribune, "Kyle Farmer began a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Aug. 6. He played seven innings, as scheduled, at second base and went 0-for-4. He had been dealing with his shoulder issue for "a long time" before being placed on the IL retroactive to July 11, manager Rocco Baldelli said. The injury got to the point where the Twins felt it was better to shut Farmer down in order to get him back to full health." - newsreporter3 |
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Rodriguez, Julio (OF)
SEA |
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According to the Seattle Times, "Julio Rodríguez (high right ankle sprain) jogs bases, takes on-field batting practice. Rodríguez participated in lateral exercises before the rest of the Mariners took the field for their daily pregame workout, then lightly jogged the bases during batting practice before taking part in his own round of BP. The club still hasn't scheduled when he might be activated from the 10-day injured list, where he's been since July 23. Mariners manager Scott Servais preferred not to comment on Wednesday's development until after speaking with Seattle's athletic training staff.
"The swinging really isn't the issue, from what he said," Servais said on Tuesday. "It's just more of the running and trying to get up to speed and taking the turns, things like that."
There's also a possibility that the club may opt to use him at designated hitter, if he's not at 100% to run soon. The Mariners have multiple players seeing time in that role -- Justin Turner, Mitch Haniger, Mitch Garver and Cal Raleigh on days he's not catching -- but they could ostensibly move Rodríguez there for 3-4 games per week, if they were to use Haniger more regularly in right field and Turner more at first base. Garver, in the midst of a career-worst slump, has essentially slotted into the backup catcher role.
The club may be more inclined to use Rodríguez at DH given the emergence of Victor Robles, who has played center field formidably. That said, Rodríguez would need to be cleared by the athletic training staff first -- which would likely involve him showing that he can at least capably run the bases.
Moreover, Rodríguez may need a Minor League rehab assignment, though doing so could pose further injury risk.
"The longer it goes, it's a discussion we'll have to have, I think, any time a guy is out for more than two weeks," Servais said. "We do have high-end pitching machines, the Trajekt machine. It's as close as you're going to get, probably better than what you're going to get in a Minor League rehab assignment. So we do have that to use here to get after that in the cage. So we'll just have to wait and see when it gets closer, when he's able to return." - newsreporter3 |
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Rodriguez, Grayson (P)
BAL |
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According to the Baltimore Sun, "RHP Grayson Rodriguez placed on 15-day IL (retroactive to Aug. 4) with right lat/teres discomfort. Rodriguez, who was scratched 10 minutes before his scheduled start on Tuesday in Toronto, returned to Baltimore to be evaluated before landing on the IL. The lat and teres muscles are responsible for shoulder movement as well as extension and adduction, all inherent parts of a pitcher's throwing motion.
Manager Brandon Hyde said on Wednesday that this is a mild strain. Rodriguez will be shut down for a while before returning to activities, but Hyde is hopeful the 24-year-old right-hander will rejoin the O's "sometime soon." - newsreporter3 |
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Webb, Jacob (RP)
BAL |
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According to the Baltimore Sun, "RHP Jacob Webb placed on 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation. Webb felt something in his elbow while playing catch before the O's game against the Blue Jays on Aug. 6 and again the following day. Initial testing showed inflammation, so the 30-year-old Webb was placed on the 15-day IL and returned to Baltimore for further evaluation." - newsreporter3 |
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Crawford, Kutter (P)
BOS |
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Crawford had another forgettable outing against the Royals on Wednesday, allowing 6 ER’s in 3.2 IP, as he gave up 5 hits while striking out 3 and walking 4. That makes four consecutive bad starts for Crawford in which he has allowed at least 5 ER’s in each turn. Wednesday’s outing was the first time that he struggled with free passes, but he has now allowed a staggering 13 HR’s over those 4 starts. He had allowed a total of 14 HR’s over his first 20 starts. His elevated 49.6% FB% (entering Wednesday) makes him susceptible to the long ball and he now leads the league with the 27 HR’s allowed this season. After such a promising start to the campaign, Crawford has posted a 5.54 ERA over his last 14 starts and now owns a 4.07 ERA and 4.31 xFIP, making him droppable in fantasy leagues. You have to wonder if his rotation spot with the Red Sox is in jeopardy with the team trying to chase down a playoff spot.
- mgreenfeld |
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According to the Boston Globe, "Kutter Crawford is hitting a rough patch at the wrong time.
The 28-year-old righty has allowed five or more runs in four consecutive starts, with his latest outing leading to an 8-4 loss to the Royals on Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium. Crawford allowed six runs and was unable to get out of the fourth inning as the Red Sox dropped to 1 1/2 games behind Kansas City for the third and final AL Wild Card spot.
It’s a concerning trend for Crawford, who was one of Boston’s most reliable arms in the first half of the season. He went into the All-Star break with eight straight outings of six or more innings, lowering his ERA to 3.04 after seven scoreless against the Royals on July 13.
But it has been downhill since.
Crawford’s ERA has ballooned to 4.11, and he has failed to go six innings in any of his four starts since the break. His 12 home runs given up in three outings prior to his start against the Royals were a record (since at least 1901), but he had a different problem against Kansas City:
Though Bobby Witt Jr. tagged Crawford for a solo homer in the first, after that, Crawford was able to keep Kansas City in the yard. It was his control that wavered. Crawford tied a season high with four walks, including an 11-pitch free pass to MJ Melendez that sparked the Royals’ five-run fourth inning.
“Four walks. Something he doesn’t do. And then the last two hitters he had them 0-2, right? Had Witt 0-2, his double down the line. Had the leadoff hitter 0-2, he was in a spot to put him away,” manager Alex Cora said. “Good at-bat by Melendez to start up the inning. 50-50 pitch right there [on ball four]. It was called a ball and we weren’t able to stop it.”
Crawford gets batters to 0-2 counts frequently -- it’s part of his game plan. He entered Wednesday by working 23.7% of batters to 0-2, which was 16th among players iwho have faced at least 400 batters. The White Sox’ Garrett Crochet (29.1%) leads the league.
“Leadoff walks are a Cardinal sin in this game,” Crawford said. “I tip my cap to [Melendez], he put together a really good at-bat. I thought I made some pitches and he fouled them off. I just couldn’t make that putaway pitch.
“I dug myself in the hole. And even in a couple of my [at-bats that] I did get ahead, they fouled off a bunch of good pitches. They grinded me out. But yeah, at the end of the day I can’t walk four guys.”
The recent dip in production from Crawford is troubling because of where the Red Sox are with their rotation. It was announced pregame that Nick Pivetta will be skipped in his next start after his velocity was down, and now Crawford, who has already set a career high with 131 1/3 innings pitched this season, is struggling to give the Red Sox a chance to win in the midst of a playoff race.
“It’s just a really rough stretch I’m going through right now,” Crawford said. “Probably the worst I’ve ever had in my career. But at the end of the day, we got to wake up tomorrow. We got to show up and just keep working.
“Body feels good. … I felt good, I’ve just been getting hit. So that’s kind of what makes it a little more frustrating. Feeling good, but still getting hit and giving up runs.”
Boston has been propelled by its explosive offense since the break, but it’s struggled to keep opponents off the scoreboard. The Red Sox are 29th in baseball with a 5.96 team ERA since the All-Star Game, with Crawford, Pivetta and Houck all hitting rough patches.
“I think as a staff right now, obviously, we’ve been struggling a little bit,” Crawford said. “Can’t say enough good things about the offense. Have been carrying us since the All-Star break. They’ve been swinging the [crap] out of it. As a staff we just got to get back to the drawing boards and just keep grinding. We’ll get over this hump.”
Despite the shaky starts, Boston still took two out of three from Kansas City, clinching the season series and playoff tiebreaker. The Red Sox have now won three straight series after dropping three in a row to begin the second half.
“We played well. You win two series on the road,” Cora said. “Now you go home and you got to take care of business." |
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Gil, Luis (P)
NYY |
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Gil tossed 5 shutout innings against the Angels on Wednesday, allowing 2 hits and 5 BB’s, while striking out 6. It was a typical Gil outing, as he posted a strikeout total, walked too many batters, and ultimately got the job done. His numbers have taken a step back after a sensational start to the season - over his last 10 starts, he has compiled a 4.84 ERA and 1.39 WHIP - but he has now allowed 1 ER or fewer in 4 of his last 5 turns, and has a shiny 3.06 ERA and 1.11 WHIP for the season. He’s still overachieving as his his xFIP sits at 4.10, and his WHIP is especially unsustainable considering his astronomical 4.44 BB/9. It’s also worth noting that Gil hasn’t been going as deep into games recently; he has completed 6 innings only twice in his last 10 starts following a stretch in which he pitched 6+ innings in 7 straight starts. The strikeouts are there, but everything else is kind of vulnerable.
- mgreenfeld |
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According to the NY Daily News, "There was steady rain throughout the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader between the Yankees and Angels at Yankee Stadium, but right-hander Luis Gil pitched long enough to help New York to a 5-2 victory.
It wasn’t Gil’s best game by any means. The Halos made him work throughout his five scoreless innings, as evidenced by Gil throwing 55 pitches in the first two innings and departing after throwing 107 pitches through five. His best inning was arguably his last, when he retired the side in order on 16 pitches in the fifth.
Gil, who had thrown 92 pitches entering the fifth, knew he had a short leash and would be taken out of the game if he made any mistakes.
“At that moment, I didn’t have many pitches left going into the fifth inning, so I just wanted to get to the best that I had at that particular moment of the game,” Gil said via interpreter Marlon Abreu. “Pitching that inning would be big for our bullpen.”
Gil acknowledged that the weather made it difficult to locate all three of his pitches (four-seam fastball, changeup and slider).
“You have to understand that it happens. You have to find it within you to be the best out there,” Gil said. “You understand that you find yourself in big-time competition and know we have a second game coming.”
The Yankees gave Gil plenty of run support to win his team-high-tying 12th game of the season. They scored two quick runs in the first off right-hander Davis Daniel, with Alex Verdugo scoring the first run on an RBI single by Austin Wells, while Aaron Judge came home on an RBI double by Anthony Volpe.
While everybody is talking about Judge and Juan Soto carrying the Yankees' lineup, Wells has been plenty reliable at the plate of late. Since July 21, he's 19-for-51 (.373) with two homers and nine RBIs. Wells is doing most of that damage as the cleanup hitter behind Judge.
“He doesn't change anything. He continues to have good at-bats, and [it was] more of the same today,” manager Aaron Boone said about Wells. “He is just looking like a real middle-of-the-order hitter, and it’s exciting to see him string these quality at-bats [together].”
Oswaldo Cabrera hasn’t seen a lot of playing time since the team acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Marlins, but Boone gave him a start at second base, and Cabrera came through with a solo homer in the second inning.
By the fourth inning, New York had extended its lead to 5-0. Verdugo's second hit of the day, a double to right-center field, brought in Ben Rice, while Judge drove in the fifth run with a single to left that scored Verdugo.
With the victory, the Yankees improved their record to 68-46 and sat one game ahead of the Orioles in the American League East heading into the nightcap." |
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Kjerstad, Heston (OF)
BAL |
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According to the Baltimore Sun, "OF Heston Kjerstad placed on 10-day IL (retroactive to Aug. 1) with a concussion. Kjerstad, who spent time on the 7-day concussion IL before being optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, returned to the IL to recover from a beaning he sustained in a game against the Yankees on July 12." - newsreporter3 |
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| Miller, Mason (RP)
OAK |
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Miller was activated from the IL on Wednesday and wasted no time in recording his 16th save of the season by pitching a scoreless 9th inning against the White Sox. Miller has been arguably the most dominant reliever in baseball this season with a 2.16 ERA, 1.97 xFIP, and 15.12 K/9 this season, and he appears to be good to go after missing a couple of weeks with a broken finger on his non-pitching hand. With Miller back in action, Tyler Ferguson can be dropped in fantasy leagues.
- mgreenfeld |
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According to the SF Chronicle, "After activating Mason Miller off the injured list on Wednesday morning, the A’s wasted no time getting their All-Star closer back in action in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the White Sox.
With the A’s taking the lead in a three-run seventh inning keyed by back-to-back RBI singles by Armando Alvarez and Zack Gelof and Lawrence Butler’s sacrifice fly, Miller was summoned in the ninth inning for his first appearance since fracturing the pinky on his non-pitching hand on a padded training table following a July 22 appearance.
The flamethrowing right-hander showed no signs of rust, finishing off Oakland's series finale victory by retiring all three batters faced for a perfect inning to notch his 16th save of the year. Of Miller’s 13 pitches, nine registered at 100 mph or faster, with his blazing fastball maxing out at 102.2 mph.
“He picked back up where he left off,” said A’s manager Mark Kotsay. “You don’t know what you’re going to get from a first outing [back]. He didn’t go on a rehab assignment, so there’s those thoughts going through your head of how he’s going to come out and enter into competition. I think it was a great first outing for him.”
Miller threw eight of his 13 pitches for strikes as he retired Andrew Benintendi, Lenyn Sosa and Dominic Fletcher in order -- all via flyout. He added to his ongoing Major League lead for most pitches of 100 mph or greater, bringing that total to 315.
“Not anything crazy,” Miller said when asked if he felt rust after not pitching in a game in over two weeks. “Obviously, you’re getting your sea legs back under you a little bit. But I felt good. That’s the only way you can [shake off rust] is to get back in there. … I’m just excited to be back and part of the group.”
The late-inning makeup of the A’s bullpen has changed a bit since the last time Miller had pitched. Back then, he and setup man Lucas Erceg had formed quite the formidable duo as high-velocity relievers. Erceg, of course, is now a member of the Royals after the A’s dealt him to Kansas City at the July 30 Trade Deadline in exchange for three prospects.
During Miller’s stint on the IL, the A’s identified another high-leverage option in Tyler Ferguson, who prior to debuting in May, spent eight seasons in the Minors along with some time in independent leagues such as the Canadian-American League and American Association.
Ferguson notched a pair of saves while Miller was sidelined and became a trusted option for Kotsay in late-game situations. With Miller now back, Ferguson has earned a chance to settle into that setup role once occupied by Erceg, which the 30-year-old right-hander performed flawlessly on Wednesday with two strikeouts in a perfect eighth to hold a one-run lead.
“We traded one of our leverage pitchers in Lucas Erceg,” Kotsay said. “With how Ferguson is throwing the ball and stepping up in those leverage roles, it’s an example of having someone come in that has built confidence in fulfilling that role.”
With Wednesday’s win, the A’s clinched their fifth series victory in their last seven tries. Their 18-12 record since the start of July is the best in the American League and third-best in the Majors over that span, keeping them on a good pace to achieve their team goal of finishing the season with a second-half record above .500.
Up next is a six-game road trip that begins on Friday in Toronto for three games and goes through New York for three more games against the Mets. That trek to the East Coast for the A’s will carry the boost of knowing they have their electrifying closer in Miller back and looking as dominant as usual." |
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| Holliday, Jackson (SS)
BAL |
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Holliday went 1-4 with a HR and 2 RBI against the Blue Jays, marking his 3rd straight game with a HR, and 4th HR in 7 games since rejoining the Orioles from AAA. Holliday struck out at a 50% clip during his first stint with the O’s back in April, but he has cut that to a more reasonable 25.9% in round 2, while improving his EV from 87.3 to 98.0. There may still be some streakiness form the 20-year-old, but he is quickly putting his early struggles in the rear view mirror, and he has the chance to be a difference for the Orioles and for fantasy owners who were patient enough to hold onto him.
- mgreenfeld |
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According to the Baltimore Sun, "Through a veteran jolt and a breath of fresh air, the Orioles found life.
Baltimore needed something to go its way on Wednesday night after some tough injury news and bad bounces on the field. The team found it in the trusted bat of Anthony Santander and the promising power of Jackson Holliday.
Santander homered twice in the O’s 7-3 win over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, once in the first inning and again in the eighth, but the most decisive swing of the evening was Holliday’s, who hit a two-run blast in the seventh to flip the score and give Baltimore a one-run lead.
In doing so, the 20-year-old Holliday became the youngest player in AL history to homer in three consecutive games. He’s also just the 16th player to achieve the feat before his 21st birthday.
Not to be outdone, Santander rewrote his own record books, reaching a new career high with 34 home runs in the season.
The final score does little to convey the levels of tension in this one.
After announcing that Grayson Rodriguez, Jacob Webb and Heston Kjerstad had all landed on the injured list, the O’s were met with a tight contest nearly all the way through. Santander’s first-inning two-run homer gave Baltimore a short-lived lead, as the Blue Jays scored once in the bottom half of the inning and added two more in the second.
Zeros piled up and frustration mounted in the middle innings until manager Brandon Hyde was handed his fourth ejection of the season for arguing balls and strikes in the top of the fifth.
But the O’s had some good bounces in them after all, riding Holliday’s fourth homer of the season and Santander’s second of the night to a series-tying win that prevented the Yankees from creating more separation in the AL East." |
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| Neto, Zach (SS)
LAA |
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Neto homered in both games of a doubleheader against the Yankees on Wednesday, going a combined 4-9, with the 2 HR’s, a double, and 8 RBI across the twin bill. Neto is quietly putting together a fantastic fantasy season with 16 HR’s and 20 SB’s through 111 games. After slumping a bit in July (2 HR’s and 6 XBH’s in 24 games), he is starting to heat up again with 5 XBH’s and 12 RBI over his last 4 games. His contributions across the board make him a worthwhile option in fantasy leagues.
- mgreenfeld |
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According to the LA Times, "Zach Neto has taken the opportunity of consecutive series against New York teams to introduce himself to the fans and the media in the sport’s biggest market.
The Angels shortstop hit a pair of home runs in a doubleheader against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, including a grand slam, three hits and six RBIs in an 8-2 victory in the second game.
Neto’s homer provided the Angels’ only runs in their 5-2 loss in the first game.
It all came a few days after Neto’s three-run homer put the Angels on top in a victory over the New York Mets at Angel Stadium.
In the four games since Manager Ron Washington moved Neto to the No. 2 spot, he’s 7 for 14 with three homers and 12 RBIs. Neto actually started on his current upswing a few weeks before. He’s now hitting .342 with an OPS of 1.083 since July 9.
“I can see a lot more patience,” Washington said of Neto after the first game. “I don’t see the big wild swing where his body is looking in the dugout. He’s staying on the field, and he’s getting results.”
Neto is now hitting .261 with 16 homers and a .781 OPS this season. The Angels have not had a shortstop produce a full season OPS better than .776 since Jim Fregosi in 1970.
“I’ve been seeing it pretty well,” Neto said. “I’ve been putting a good amount of work in the cages and BP and all that, just to be able to translate it to the game. I feel like it’s starting to come around a little bit.”
Neto came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the second inning of Wednesday’s second game. Yankees rookie starter Will Warren had just walked Nolan Schanuel to make it 2-0.
Neto worked the count full and then he got a fastball over the outer half and drilled it 412 feet, over the left field fence.
The next time he came to the plate, in the fourth inning, he punched a double into the gap in right-center, driving in two more runs to push the lead to 8-1.
“I was just locked in on what I needed to do,” Neto said. “I did everything I can to manufacture runs and get a win.”
Neto became the first shortstop to have six RBIs against the Yankees in the Bronx, in more than a century of games in the two ballparks.
Neto’s big day began with a two-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 1, although that came too late to help much because the Angels were down 5-0 at the time.
That game got away under the watch of starter Davis Daniel, who lasted 3⅓ innings and was charged with all the runs the Yankees scored.
Daniel has been good in two of his five starts – allowing one run in 13 innings in those games. His 6.04 ERA demonstrates how rough the other three starts have been.
The Game 2 starter, Carson Fulmer, allowed only two runs, but his problem was the Yankees drove up his pitch count. He needed 90 pitches for four innings, and did not qualify for the victory.
Fulmer, however, has given the Angels a chance in all five of his starts, posting a 3.60 ERA in those games.
Washington summoned Hunter Strickland for the fifth and sixth, and then José Quijada, Roansy Contreras and Mike Baumann blanked the Yankees over the rest of the game.
Although it ended up a blowout, Washington said it never felt that way.
“Tonight we needed everything that (Neto) gave us,” Washington said. “We won that game 8-2, but at no time were we comfortable." |
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| Langford, Wyatt (OF)
TEX |
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Langford had a productive day against the Astros on Wednesday, going 1-2 with 2 BB’s, 2 runs, a double, and a SB. After seeming to turn a corner toward the middle of the season, Langford has slumped over the past few weeks, slashing just .138/.205/.225 with 1 HR over his last 21 games prior to Wednesday. His K% has risen a bit to 23.9% during this time, but his 88.9 EV is right in line with his full season number. Overall, his 5.3% HR/FB is surprisingly low for a guy with a solid 41.6% HardHit%. At 22 years old, the odds are that Langford will get it going at some point, but it may be risky to assume that it will happen this season.
- mgreenfeld |
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| Meadows, Parker (OF)
DET |
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According to the Free Press, "Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal allowed a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
Besides that, Skubal shut down the Seattle Mariners through seven innings Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. The Tigers rode the momentum from Skubal's success to a 6-2 win over the Mariners in the second of three games in the series at T-Mobile Park.
In the eighth inning, center fielder Parker Meadows robbed what would've been a go-ahead, two-run home run from Cal Raleigh, who had homered off Skubal earlier in the game. Right-handed reliever Jason Foley tossed his arms in the air to celebrate as the ball came back into the field of play, and simultaneously, Meadows pumped his right arm with the ball nestled in the webbing of the glove on his left hand.
"It was a huge play and a game-changer," manager A.J. Hinch told reporters in Seattle. "It feels even bigger after we score a bunch in the ninth. It's all preparation. It's how easy he moves, he knows where the wall is, timely jump. He's really good out there, as we know, and he continues to make plays."
The Tigers (55-60) have won back-to-back games.
Skubal, a 27-year-old who owns a 2.57 ERA in 23 starts, retired the first 10 batters before Randy Arozarena hit a middle-middle changeup for a one-out infield single that shortstop Javier Báez stopped but couldn't field cleanly. And then Raleigh smacked a middle-middle sinker for a 427-foot two-run home run to center field. His 24th home run trimmed the Tigers' lead to 3-2.
From then on, Skubal found himself in a couple of situations where he could've faltered.
He succeeded in each challenge.
In the fifth inning, Mitch Garner hit a two-out double, but Skubal responded by striking out Leo Rivas for the third out. In the sixth, Skubal walked Arozarena with one out and Justin Turner with two outs, but he utilized a slider to induce a groundout from Jorge Polanco. Skubal fielded the grounder from Polanco near the third-base line and threw the ball to first base to end the inning.
It was a beautiful play.
"That was a huge play," Hinch said. "That's a tough play for anybody. We will hear more about that one as the days come, and we should, because in the world of helping yourself out, he did a lot to love, and that athletic play is one of them."
Skubal returned to the mound for the seventh and retired all three batters, but not with ease. Dylan Moore lined out on a full count, Mitch Haniger struck out swinging on an eighth-pitch slider and Garver struck out swinging on a fifth-pitch changeup.
The two strikeouts in the seventh inning pushed Skubal's total to nine vs. the M's. He struck out four batters through the first three innings. He generated 21 whiffs on 51 swings — a 41.2% whiff rate — with 12 changeups, four fastballs, three sliders and two sinkers.
His changeup was incredible.
The Tigers replaced Skubal with Foley for the eighth inning.
Foley took down the first two batters when Josh Rojas struck out swinging and Victor Robles grounded out. Arozarena injected life into the Mariners with a two-strike, two-out double to right field off Foley's sinker that leaked up in the strike zone.
Raleigh second long drive of the night came on a two-strike slider from Foley, clearning the wall in center field. But Meadows — an elite defender in center — stuck his glove over the wall.
Meadows robbed Raleigh of a two-run, go-ahead home run, ending the eighth inning. Injured outfielder Riley Greene was one of the first players to congratulate Meadows when he returned to the dugout." |
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| Guardians (T)
CLE |
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According to the Plain Dealer, "The Guardians are out in front because of what they do in the back. Arguably more than any element of this club, it is the bullpen, anchored by Emmanuel Clase and the Rookies Three (Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin), that has created the confidence it takes to make a big run up the division standings.
But after the Guards suffered a series and doubleheader sweep at the hands of the surging Arizona Diamondbacks this week, it has become difficult to deny the bullpen is bending in ways it has not all year. And that makes it all the more imperative that the experiment the front office embraced with the in-season acquisitions of Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd -- two veteran rotation arms coming off injury -- pays off.
With losses of 7-3 and then 5-3 in Wednesday’s twin bill at Progressive Field, the Guards have dropped five straight for the first time all year (even four straight after the opener was a first for them in 2024).
“Our guys,” said manager Stephen Vogt, “are grinding through it.”
They’ll have to continue to do so. Counting Wednesday’s action, Cleveland is in a 22-games-in-22-days stretch that includes three doubleheaders, including Friday at Minnesota after Thursday’s off-day.
So the bullpen will continue to be leaned upon heavily. And when leaned upon heavily of late, there have been late-inning letdowns.
Against the Orioles on Saturday, it was 3-2 Baltimore going into the eighth, when the O’s erupted against Xzavion Curry for four runs to put it away.
On Sunday, a Josh Naylor homer in the fifth cut the Guards’ 6-2 deficit down to 6-5. But Herrin and Nick Sandlin were ineffective in the O’s two-run sixth.
Then Monday, in the opener of this set with the Snakes, starter Logan Allen left with a 3-2 lead, but Smith coughed up the lead in a two-run sixth. When it was 5-4 Guards entering the eighth, Scott Barlow allowed a two-run homer to Joc Pederson.
In Wednesday’s doubleheader, it was a now-too-familiar pattern -- the starter departing early, the offense fighting to keep it close, the bullpen letting the opponent put it away.
Ben Lively allowed four runs in five innings in Game 1. But the Guards’ deficit was manageable until it wasn’t. It was 4-2 entering the late innings. Eugenio Suárez ripped a run-scoring double off Pedro Avila in the eighth, a red-hot Ketel Marte took newly promoted Anthony Gose deep with a two-run shot in the ninth, and that was that in a 7-3 loss.
Game 2, same deal. The veteran Carlos Carrasco, whose rotation spot (and perhaps roster spot) is in jeopardy with the pending arrivals of Cobb and Boyd, gave up four runs in 4 1/3. In the sixth, José Ramírez hit his 30th homer of the season to cut the deficit to 4-3. But Sandlin was taken deep by Randal Grichuk with a solo shot in the seventh, and the Guards did not recover.
Toss in an iffy ending to last Friday’s win over the Orioles, when Barlow allowed three in the seventh, and the bullpen’s ERA over the last six games is 5.71.
For a rookie skipper, especially, Vogt has done a masterful job of in-game management with his ‘pen this season. And the Guards have been ultra-careful with pitch counts and rest days and warmups and all the things baked into the big league calendar that can wreck a reliever.
“We know we've used them a lot,” said Vogt, “but they're also some of our best pitchers. And these guys work really hard to stay healthy. Our medical staff and strength and conditioning staff are tremendous in keeping these guys strong and fit.”
But no number of optionable arms or safeguarding strategy can overcome the fact that the Cleveland rotation has delivered the fifth-fewest innings of any starting set in MLB this season. It has led to the Guards being the only team with more than three relievers having made 50 appearances this season. In fact, they have five – Gaddis (56), Barlow (53), Clase (53), Herrin (53), Smith (53). The next time Sandlin (49) takes the mound, he’ll join the list.
Cleveland’s front office did not add to the ‘pen during a Trade Deadline in which relievers were flying left and right. And it took a calculated gamble on Cobb, who will make his Guards debut in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader with the Twins, and Boyd, who was terrific in what is expected to be his final rehab start after Tommy John on Wednesday, delivering meaningful innings down the stretch.
The Guards sorely need such innings. Because the bullpen has taken on a lot of them, to date. And for the first time all season, it is showing cracks." |
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Jung, Josh (3B)
TEX |
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According to the Dallas News, "The Rangers and Astros entered Wednesday tied in the season series at 6-6, with Texas seeking its first win in the Silver Boot Series since 2016 (15-4).
The final three-game set between the Rangers and Astros in the 2024 regular season opened on Monday night with a bang for Texas, when Josh Smith walked it off in the 10th inning. For less than 24 hours, it looked as if the reigning champs could pull through.
The series concluded with a bit of a whimper on Wednesday, when the Rangers fell, 6-4, to the Astros to finish the season series between the two in-state rivals. The Astros now hold the tiebreaker over the Rangers in the event that the two teams finish tied for a playoff spot -- last year, both teams won 90 games and Houston won the division because it held the head-to-head advantage.
At this juncture of the season, every game is important for the Rangers. It’s even more important when they’re facing one of the two teams they’re chasing in the AL West standings. This week was a big opportunity for Texas, no matter what way you look at it.
They couldn’t quite grab hold of that opportunity.
“We show up ready to play every day, no matter who it is,” said Marcus Semien, who had a solo homer on Wednesday. “Did we play our best baseball? No. They had our number this series. I think that that's a good team, but we've shown that we can be a great team. We just need to find it within ourselves.”
After nearly being no-hit the previous night, the Rangers had a little more offensive juice flowing on Wednesday, collecting nine hits and four runs. But they also went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position, stranding nine runners on base.
Texas had the winning or tying run up to the plate multiple times over the last few innings, but was ultimately unable to scratch enough runs across.
“I don't think -- it's definitely not lack of effort,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “You see these guys working every day and putting their time in to get ready for the game and their preparation. They’re just trying to get that mojo back. This team has it in them. I've seen it, and so I'm gonna keep believing that we're going to come out of this.”
Asked about the lack of energy in the dugout, third baseman Josh Jung was honest about the team’s disposition throughout the series, and even throughout losses all season long.
“I just feel like we get frustrated,” Jung said. “I think that's the biggest thing. We get frustrated with losing the [at-bats] or not winning the [at-bat] or not hitting the pitch we think we should, and that carries over. It felt like that. I mean, we were getting no-hit until two outs [in the ninth] last night. I think we were just frustrated with not executing.”
Though this is not the final nail in the coffin for the reigning World Series champs, the chance to repeat has been slipping away for weeks as the Rangers continue to struggle to get above .500 and close the gap between themselves and both the Astros and Mariners above them in the standings.
When asked if this was one of the more head-scratching seasons for him, Bochy agreed. The four-time World Series-winning manager has never been back to the postseason in the year following a trip to the Fall Classic.
The Rangers and Astros will not face each other for the rest of the regular season. But there is still a lot of baseball left. There is time for the Rangers to catch the Astros and Mariners, and put themselves in a position to win the division.
But none of that really matters unless Texas finds a way to go on a streak, sooner rather than later.
“Why do you need to look at the scoreboard when you need to win games?” Bochy said." |
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Rendon, Anthony (3B)
LAA |
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According to the LA Times, "Anthony Rendon was in the lineup at third base, batting sixth, for the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader. He had been out for 10 days with back stiffness. Washington said Rendon would be off for the second game, and would return to the lineup Thursday, either at third base or DH." |
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Rasmussen, Drew (P)
TB |
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According to the Tampa Bay Times, "RHP Drew Rasmussen (right flexor strain) activated off the 60-day injured list; RHP Joel Kuhnel optioned to Triple-A Durham. Rasmussen will be used in multi-inning stints out of the bullpen after missing nearly 15 months following elbow surgery. He last pitched in a Major League game May 11, 2023. The Rays have been impressed with his velocity during five rehab appearances in the Minor Leagues. The team said he topped out at 99.6 mph in one of those outings for Triple-A Durham.
“In all honesty, I’ve only had a couple real outings at this point, so I think there are still some things that do need to sharpen up,” Rasmussen said. “I think physically, I’m in a good spot. Stuff-wise, I’m in a good spot. I’d like to execute a little better, but if this organization deems that I’m good enough to pitch, it gives me all the confidence in the world." |
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Lively, Ben (P)
CLE |
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According to the Plain Dealer, "The Guardians and Diamondbacks are similar in a lot of ways. Both teams run the bases hard, play good defense and rely on timely hitting to give themselves chances to win games late.
But Arizona ranks 10th in the majors with 133 home runs, ahead of 15th-ranked Cleveland at 127.
On Wednesday, it was Arizona that played its brand of baseball to perfection, handing Cleveland a 7-3 loss in the opening game of a doubleheader at Progressive Field.
Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte each hit two-run home runs for the D-backs, and Cleveland could not come up with a big hit late, stranding multiple base runners after climbing back into the game in the eighth.
The Guardians lost their fourth straight and dropped to 2-4 with one left to play on their current seven-game homestand.
Cleveland trailed 5-3 when José Ramírez cut into Arizona’s lead by driving in Steven Kwan with a single in the eighth. It was Ramírez’s 95th RBI, trailing only New York’s Aaron Judge (103).
With Angel Martinez at third and two out, Ramírez moved into scoring position by collecting his 25th stolen base, but Josh Naylor grounded out softly to Josh Bell at first, ending the inning with the potential tying runs stranded on base. Manager Stephen Vogt said it seems like Cleveland’s offense gets the tying or winning run to the plate every night.
Anthony Gose, who joined the club from Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday, pitched for the first time in a major league game since July 2, 2022, against the Yankees. Gose worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed a pair of hits with a walk and a strikeout. After Cleveland trimmed Arizona’s lead to two runs in the eighth, Gose surrendered a two-run blast to Marte.
Cleveland starter Ben Lively ran into trouble with one out in the second when he walked Alek Thomas and Geraldo Perdomo took him deep for his first home run of the season to give the Diamondbacks a two-run lead. It was the 18th home run allowed by Lively, two shy of his career high.
Guardians hitters, meanwhile, were not able to get much going against Arizona righty Brandon Pfaadt early on. Pfaadt did not allow a hit and struck out four in his first time through Cleveland’s lineup. Josh Naylor had a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fifth. It was Naylor’s 25th of the season and second of the homestand.
After Pfaadt struck out Lane Thomas, Andrés Giménez extended his career-high hitting streak to 11 games with a one-out single to left, and Daniel Schneemann followed with a base hit to right. Brayan Rocchio’s RBI double into the right field corner scored Gimenez and put two runners in scoring position with one out for Bo Naylor.
But Naylor’s shallow fly ball to right was caught by Corbin Carroll with a sliding grab. Carroll got to his feet and threw a strike to the plate where Jose Herrera applied the tag to a sliding Schneemann for an inning-ending double play.
Ramírez extended his on-base streak to 16 games with a two-out walk in the sixth before Naylor grounded out to end the inning.
Arizona added a pair of runs in the fifth when Herrera drew a leadoff walk and Carroll followed with his ninth home run on a high drive to right field. Carroll entered the game batting just .213, but six of his nine homers have come in his last 17 games since July 13.
Pfaadt (6-6, 3.97) picked up just his second road win of the season. Arizona is 7-1 in his last eight starts. Lively walked four and struck out a pair, allowing four runs including two home runs. He dropped to 10-7 with the loss, his first since July 21 after picking up wins against Philadelphia and Baltimore." |
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| O'Hoppe, Logan (C)
LAA |
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According to the LA Times, "The Major League Baseball schedule provided a bonus for Logan O’Hoppe.
The Angels are in New York just at the time when the Angels catcher and his family are celebrating the anniversary of his father’s successful fight against non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Michael O’Hoppe, who was diagnosed in 2021 and underwent chemotherapy for the blood cancer, was there at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, along with about 350 friends and family members, all celebrating Michael’s health and Logan’s success in the majors.
“It’s a little overwhelming,” Logan O’Hoppe said before Wednesday’s doubleheader, which was scheduled after Tuesday’s game was postponed because of rain. “It’ll be really good to have everyone here. I feel like it’s a little bit of what I can pay him back for what they’ve done for us.”
Logan O’Hoppe, who grew up in Long Island, was playing in the Philadelphia Phillies’ farm system in 2021, when he learned his father had cancer.
“It’s terrifying,” Logan said. “Anyone that knows us, knows how tight knit we are. We’re all so close to each other. It’s scary. But it taught us a lot about life and really put things in perspective when you go through that. It seems that baseball doesn’t matter as much.”
O’Hoppe’s trip to New York also worked out for him to celebrate another friend, one who lost his battle with cancer.
Corey Phelan was one of O’Hoppe’s teammates in the Phillies’ system, as well as a fellow New Yorker. He was diagnosed with cancer in April 2022 and he died six months later at the age of 20.
Phelan’s family founded Corey’s Promise, an organization dedicated to helping ease the financial burden on families with children fighting cancer. O’Hoppe, who often wears a “Corey’s Promise” T-shirt at the ballpark, was able to attend their charity golf tournament on Monday.
“I went and saw a lot of people that I hadn’t seen in a while, obviously got to keep his name alive,” O’Hoppe said. “It’s an important day for everyone and I’m glad I got to do it." |
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Turner, Justin (1B)
SEA |
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According to the Seattle Times, "1B/DH Justin Turner (left hand) returns to lineup after exiting on Tuesday. The Mariners appeared to dodge another injury scare after Turner was hit by a 95.4 mph fastball in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Tigers. The veteran was back in the lineup the next day, batting cleanup and playing first base. Turner said in passing that he was "definitely better" than the night prior when he was pinch-hit for in his next plate appearance. He is still dealing with a contusion to the area.
"I think I got lucky. ... just treat the crap out of it and try to get swelling out and hopefully maybe be back in there tomorrow," said Turner, who took part in a full pregame workout." |
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Pivetta, Nick (P)
BOS |
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According to the Boston Herald, "The Red Sox received tough news Wednesday with starter Nick Pivetta. Cora said the club will skip the right-hander's next start because of low metrics and how he was responding to his last start. Pivetta, who has thrown at least 142 innings in each of the past three seasons, has a 4.44 ERA over 95 1/3 frames this year.
Pivetta missed parts of April and May when he was placed on the IL with a right elbow flexor strain. In his last start Sunday against Texas, the 31-year-old averaged 91.9 mph with his fastball, which was down from his season average of 94.1 mph.
“He’s not responding well out of this [start]. We do believe that skipping one, using the off-day, we’re going to reset him and he should be fine,” Cora said. “We don’t like the velocity of the fastball. The other pitches were OK, but we have to take care of him." |
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Kikuchi, Yusei (P)
HOU |
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According to the Houston Chronicle, "Astros starter Yusei Kikuchi, who was traded from the Blue Jays at the Trade Deadline last week, picked up his first win for his new club, which has won both of his starts. The lefty allowed two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out eight batters in 5 1/3 innings in a 6-4 win over Rangers on Wednesday. He carried a shutout into the sixth before giving up a leadoff homer to Marcus Semien.
“I feel like I’ve been settling in and getting used to my surroundings, but getting those two wins definitely eases the pressure,” he said.
Kikuchi threw 100 pitches and relied heavily on his fastball because he wasn’t getting much swing-and-miss from his breaking pitches. His velocity was down more than one mph on his fastball, slider and changeup, but he said he had more in the tank, if needed.
“I was more focused on where the pitches were going today,” Kikuchi said. “I was focusing on throwing up in the zone with the heater. I had faced them [July 26] and the balls were right around the middle with all my pitches, and I wanted to be cautious of the fact I wanted to locate my pitches." |
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| Bradley, Taj (P)
TB |
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According to the Tampa Bay Times, "Twenty-four hours before his first August start, the American League’s Pitcher of the Month for July sounded like a man who has learned that one month’s success doesn’t guarantee the next’s.
“Month to month, I always try to perform better for myself or beat my own expectations,” Taj Bradley said. “Awards like this are cool to come by, but I always think in my head there’s more ahead.”
It's a night like Wednesday that demonstrates the humbling nature of the sport.
Bradley couldn’t muster the nasty split-finger pitch that had helped him pile up strikeouts the previous calendar month. Even when he felt it was coming around, he struggled to get in counts where he could throw it. The upshot was his worst start since June 1 in the Rays’ 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Wednesday evening.
After a month in which three of his five starts were scoreless and he struck out 31 batters in 31 innings, Bradley didn’t make it out of the fifth inning against St. Louis.
“Any time you get behind in the count, it’s tough,” catcher Alex Jackson said. “You’re trying to make perfect pitches and they’re able to eliminate stuff. Even without his best stuff, he was still competing out there and able to get through it.”
The way the Rays’ lineup has sputtered much of this season, particularly in the clutch, pitching for this team can be an unforgiving task.
In the first two games of this series, the Rays have gotten one hit in 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Poor clutch hitting is turning into a pattern for a Tampa Bay team that ranks 28th in runs scored in MLB. While taking two of three games in Houston, they had just three hits with 20 runners in scoring position.
“I can tell you that’s not a good stat,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I would agree, we’ve got to be better with runners in scoring position, find a way to get that hit.”
A couple of impressive trends unraveled for Bradley on Wednesday night. He had been among MLB’s best road pitchers the past couple months, going 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in his last four road starts. And he came into Wednesday riding a streak of seven straight starts in which he had allowed five hits or fewer while going at least five innings.
The Cardinals took a 3-1 lead in the third inning, with Alec Burleson and Wilson Conteras leading off with singles and Nolan Arenado cracking a two-run double into the left-field corner. The Arenado hit was the Cardinals’ sixth of the game at that point, with one out in the third inning. St. Louis’s lead went to 5-1 after Burleson’s double into the right-field corner drove in two more runs the following inning.
Bradley’s three strikeouts were tied for his lowest total of the season and Wednesday was Bradley’s second-shortest outing this season, marking only the second time he has failed to get through five innings, as the Cardinals managed nine hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings against him.
The Rays’ recent tendency to strike out frequently scuttled a good scoring opportunity in the second inning. After the first two batters reached base, Jose Siri and José Caballero both struck out swinging before Curtis Mead hit a wickedly spinning grounder that went from fair to foul to fair again for the final out.
More futility in the clutch stung them in the sixth inning, when they loaded the bases with nobody out against Tampa Bay area native Ryan Fernandez. They scored one run on Caballero’s deep sacrifice fly, but even after both other baserunners tagged and advanced, they never budged from there. Curtis Mead hit a weak pop-up to first and pinch-hitter Ben Rortvedt lined out to left.
“We’re sitting bases loaded with no outs, you’ve got to get a little greedier than getting one run,” Cash said.
Siri’s center-field prowess saved the Rays from falling into a deeper hole in the early innings. He ran 99 feet to take a potential double away from Burleson in the first inning, snaring a slicing fly ball on the run near the left-center field wall. And, he ran even farther to catch Masyn Winn’s popup in shallow center field to end the second inning. Siri slid to make the catch at the last second after sprinting 129 feet straight in.
Siri ranks in the 98th percentile of MLB for range, with 11 Outs Above Average." |
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| Bibee, Tanner (P)
CLE |
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According to the Plain Dealer, "RHP Tanner Bibee (right shoulder soreness) progressing. Bibee has been dealing with right shoulder tightness, which caused him to miss his last start, but was cleared to play catch on Tuesday and is expected to throw a bullpen Thursday. The hope is that Bibee will avoid an IL stint and be ready to take the ball in Sunday’s series finale in Minnesota.
"We anticipate he'll be ready to go," manager Stephen Vogt said, "but we need to go through the proper steps." |
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Witt Jr., Bobby (SS)
KC |
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According to the KC Star, "Big hits in big games are becoming Bobby Witt Jr.’s thing.
The Royals shortstop homered twice and knocked a go-ahead two-run double in the Royals’ 8-4 win over the Red Sox on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium, salvaging the series with a victory over the team chasing Kansas City in the playoff race.
Chants of “MVP” are becoming a regular occurrence when Witt steps to the plate or comes through in a big moment. They filled The K as Witt circled the bases following his second home run of the night in the sixth inning, a 421-foot blast to straightaway center field.
Witt hears the chants, and he’s grateful for them. And he’s determined to not let it go to waste.
“They’re showing up,” Witt said. “... We’ve just got to keep doing our thing.”
It’s the Royals’ job to stay present on what they’re doing each day, not thinking too far ahead or dwelling on losses. No good can come from that still with 46 games to play.
In this space, though, we can say it: Wednesday was a big win.
Not only to finish the disappointing series with Boston on a high note going into an off-day, but also because of what else happened around the division. Cleveland suffered a doubleheader sweep. Minnesota lost.
That means the Royals, who are 12-7 since the All-Star break, are four games out of first place in American League Central while still holding onto the third AL Wild Card spot, a game ahead of Boston -- and only a half-game behind the Twins for the second Wild Card spot.
“I know I’m not supposed to talk about what’s going around the league, but in terms of what happened around the league today [with] the teams we’re close to, that was kind of a really big game for us,” Vinnie Pasquantino said.
The Royals needed an early lead Wednesday, and Witt provided it with his 21st home run of the season, a solo shot that hooked to the left-field corner. The Red Sox came back with a three-run third inning -- all unearned runs against Royals starter Cole Ragans because of second baseman Michael Massey’s error -- but the Royals remained relentless.
Kansas City flipped a two-run deficit into a three-run lead with five runs in the fourth inning. MJ Melendez and Massey both worked walks against Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford, turning 0-2 counts into free passes. Melendez saw 11 pitches, then went to third on Maikel Garcia’s single and scored on a wild pitch.
“When you’re down 0-2, you get in that swing mode because it’s a really uphill fight,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “At some point, when you start laying off some pitches, that means you’re pretty locked in on what the guy’s doing.”
Massey saw nine pitches, with his walk bringing Witt to the plate – exactly what the Red Sox didn’t want to have happen.
“With Bob behind me, I felt like they were going to come after me,” Massey said. “Sometimes in that situation, they’re not going to want to leave something in the middle, but that’s the benefit of hitting in front of Bob. I knew they were going to challenge me. So just battle.”
“Those are the little things we’re trying to do to make us a playoff team,” Witt said of the plate appearances in front of him.
Then it was Witt’s job to do the big thing.
Now hitting a Majors-best .349 with an OPS of exactly 1.000, Witt roped an elevated fastball into right field for his 33rd double of the season.
“That kid is special,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He's special. The way he conducts himself, the way he plays the game is a joy from our dugout. I hate it, but I love it.”
The Royals immediately tacked on with Pasquantino’s two-run homer, the first baseman’s sixth in his past eight games. During his 11-game hit streak, Pasquantino is hitting .362 with 17 RBIs. Ragans pitched a big shutdown inning in the fifth and got into the seventh before Lucas Erceg fired 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Witt calls Pasquantino the hottest hitter in the league right now. There’s at least two competing for that title, and they’re hitting back-to-back in the Royals’ lineup." |
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Skubal, Tarik (P)
DET |
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According to the Free Press, "Tarik Skubal was back in his element. Parker Meadows was the right guy at the right time.
Skubal, the front-runner for the American League Cy Young Award, pitched seven sterling innings in a return to the city where he played his college ball, helping the Tigers win, 6-2, over the Mariners on Wednesday night at T-Mobile Park.
But the left-hander -- and reliever Jason Foley -- got a significant helping hand from center fielder Meadows, who robbed Seattle slugger Cal Raleigh of a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning by jumping high above the wall to haul in the third out.
For Meadows, it was a redemption moment after he mistakenly allowed an easy flyout in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s victory.
And for Skubal, who starred at nearby Seattle University from 2015-18, it was another example of his electric body of work in 2024. The southpaw was overpowering at times and resilient when needed to earn his 13th victory of the season." |
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| Daniel, Davis (P)
LAA |
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According to the LA Times, "At least Davis Daniel kept Aaron Judge and Juan Soto from doing any serious damage.
Unfortunately for the Angels, Judge still scored a run after walking when the Angels pitched around him, and he drove one in with a single after Daniel was out of the game.
And the rest of the New York Yankees still did enough to beat Daniel and the Angels, 5-2, in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday.
“When he got the ball up, they didn’t miss it,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “Couldn’t make some pitches in some situations. Every time he got the ball up and out over the plate, they barreled it.”
Daniel has been good in two of his five starts – allowing one run in 13 innings in those games. His 6.04 ERA demonstrates how rough the other three starts have been.
“There’s definitely confidence knowing that I can have success up here,” Daniel said. “So just continuing to build off that. The other stuff, the not-as-good outings, we’ve got to figure it out, figure out some consistency if we want to stick up here.”
This one figured to be a challenge because of the opponent.
Before the game, Washington said he would be happy to put up four fingers to intentionally walk Judge – arguably the game’s best overall hitter right now – and make the rest of the Yankees beat them. In the eighth inning, the Angels intentionally walked Judge with the bases empty, down by three runs.
In the first inning, the Angels walked Judge, although not intentionally, and Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe each had run-scoring hits later in the inning.
No. 9 hitter Oswaldo Cabrera hit a homer in the second inning.
Judge led off the third with a single, and Wells followed with a double, but Daniel escaped that jam with two strikeouts and a pop-up.
In the fourth, Daniel walked No. 8 hitter Ben Rice and gave up an RBI double to Alex Verdugo, ending his day.
“I think I went out and battled,” Daniel said. “I obviously didn’t have my best stuff. I couldn’t land the breaking ball, so I ended up in a lot of 1-0, 2-0 counts. That’s a good lineup and they get a whole lot better when you’re working from behind.”
After Daniel was out, Judge singled against reliever José Marte, driving in the fifth run of the game. Washington said they were trying to pitch around Judge, with first base open and two outs, but Marte missed his location. That put the Angels in a five-run hole.
That was too big of a deficit on a day when the Angels faced Yankees rookie phenom Luis Gil. The Angels had opportunities against Gil, with five walks, but otherwise they managed just two singles.
Nolan Schanuel came up with two outs and two on in the second and fourth innings, and both times he came up empty.
Schanuel finally reached on a walk in the seventh, and he scored on Zach Neto’s 15th home run of the season. Neto is hitting .324 with an OPS of 1.019 in his last 24 games." |
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Robert Jr., Luis (OF)
CHW |
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According to the Sun Times, "There are myriad reasons why this 2024 season unraveled.
There’s the thin roster, one that got wafer-thin after the trade deadline. And injuries.
And sporadic defense to go with fundamental miscues.
Two players, Garrett Crochet and Erick Fedde, are having good years, and Fedde was one of six dealt away at the trade deadline.
Absent from the list is center fielder Luis Robert Jr., a 2023 All-Star and by most assessments a budding superstar. Robert, who missed two months with a hip flexor strain, is healthy again but is batting .208/.274/.416 with 12 homers in 61 game, and was 10-for-71 with one homer in his last 17 games after going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the Athletics’ 3-2 come-from-behind victory Wednesday.
Robert has sputtered along for the bulk of the Sox stretch of 25 losses in 27 games, including an American League record 21-game losing streak halted Tuesday that very well could have the manager Pedro Grifol’s job in danger.
Robert has 17 stolen bases, and his 14 since July 1 lead the AL. So he’s running well and demonstrating 30/30 home run and stolen base ability.
But Robert’s under-performance hindered any ideas the Sox may have had about dealing him in late July, and without Robert’s bat, an offense ranking last in baseball and runs and multiple other categories had no chance of being a threat.
“There have been days where I haven’t found that consistency that I want,” Robert, through translator Billy Russo, told the Sun-Times Wednesday. “I’m still trying to get that.
“It’s more about the mental part. When things aren’t going your way, you start thinking more, hesitate and doubt a little bit. That’s the hardest thing to fight. That’s what I’m dealing with.”
Robert has been prone to chasing pitches out of the strike zone, especially on balls in the dirt, and some indecision.
“I just think he’s pressing, I really do,” Grifol said. “He came in with all intentions of not chasing and he was doing a better job of that but he was also not swinging in the strike zone. His percentage of prime swings in the strike zone were down as well.
“He’s got abilities to be a superstar and people forget about how young [27] this kid is. He’s still learning.”
Robert says he’s not trying to carry a bad team on his shoulders but it seems a given he’s internalizing his struggles.
“It doesn’t matter the situation as a team,” he said. :”As a professional you go out and do your best and that’s what I’m trying to do. If you take care of the things you can take care of individually, you’re going to help the team. It doesn’t matter how the team is. You don’t have to put extra pressure on yourself.”
In 2023, when he hit .264/.315/.542 with 38 homers and 36 doubles, it came easy.
“That’s the thing. When you’re going well you don’t have to think about anything,’ he said. “When you’re struggling, that’s where the spiral goes. You have to get back to how things feel and your process.”
A day after stopping that horrendous streak, the Sox went back to losing in painful fashing, blowing the right-hander’s first career game of six innings with no runs allowed. Andrew Benintendi’s home run against Joey Estes in the second, his second in two nights and third in four games, gave Davis a 2-0 lead.
But the A’s scored three in the seventh against Touki Toussaint and Dominic Leone. So much for a second consecutive win for the first time since late June and so much for the first series win since taking the Rockies on June 28-30.
“Touki was a good matchup there with the split to that part of the order,” Grifol said of Toussaint, who gave up two singles and a walk and was charged with three runs.
It marked the Sox’ 28th blown save of the season, the 43rd loss after having a lead and 23rd loss when the Sox took a lead into the seventh inning or later, a reminder, Robert’s issues notwithstanding, that there’s plenty of blame to go around." |
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Carrasco, Carlos (P)
CLE |
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According to the Plain Dealer, "Storms knocked out power to thousands in northeast Ohio less than 24 hours before the Diamondbacks experienced a surge of their own, turning out the lights Wednesday as they left Progressive Field with a doubleheader sweep of the Guardians.
Josh Bell, who hit four home runs in 50 home games last year before the Guardians dealt him to Miami at the trade deadline, collected half that many in his first two at-bats, and Arizona sent Cleveland to its fifth straight defeat with a 5-3 loss in the nightcap. The Guardians lost the first game of the doubleheader, 7-3.
Bell, acquired by the D-Backs ahead of the trade deadline this year, smashed a solo home run off Guardians starter Carlos Carrasco to open the second inning and added a two-run blast in the third that put Arizona in front by three. It was the second multi-homer game of the season for Bell and the 10th of his career.
David Fry and José Ramírez homered for Cleveland, but the Guardians failed to capitalize on scoring chances in the seventh and eighth innings against the Diamondbacks’ bullpen. They suffered their first home series sweep of at least three games this season.
Ramírez reached 30 home runs for the third time in his career with a solo shot off D-Backs lefty Eduardo Rodriguez in the sixth. Rodriguez, who was making his first start for Arizona after recovering from a shoulder injury, moved to 7-0 lifetime in nine career starts against Cleveland.
Fry took Rodriguez deep in the second for his 10th home run, cutting Arizona’s lead in half. But Cleveland stranded seven runners and went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position, including a pop out by pinch hitter Daniel Schneemann in the seventh with Bo Naylor at second base, and Josh Naylor’s strikeout in the eighth with Lane Thomas at third.
Thomas, who had a pair of hits in the first game of the homestand against Baltimore, snapped an 0-for-21 skid with a base hit in the third.
Cleveland put the tying runs on base again in the ninth when Noel singled on a pop to center and Andrés Giménez reached on a fielder’s choice and error by pitcher Justin Martinez. But Martinez recovered to strike out Bo Naylor, and after walking Schneemann he whiffed Thomas for his second career save.
Manager Stephen Vogt said his club is grinding through a tough time, but there are bright spots in the way the Guardians are playing.
Fry, who snapped an 0-for-12 skid, is batting .302 against lefties with a 1.040 OPS. He said tough stretches like this will keep the Guardians focused on pushing ahead in order to reach their goals of winning games in October and beyond.
Carrasco, making his 21st start, dropped to 3-10 and has surrendered 19 home runs. He struck out five on five hits while allowing four runs, including an RBI double to Arizona rookie Adrian Del Castillo in his first major league at-bat in the second inning.
Vogt said he saw signs of good quality stuff from Carrasco at times, and a lack of command at other times.
“The homer got him today, and a walk before one, but again, Cookie continues to battle,” Vogt said. “He continues to go out there and fight, and we can’t ask for anything more.”
Rodriguez scattered four hits and allowed three runs with a strikeout and two walks. After a one-out walk by Josh Naylor in the fourth, Rodriguez allowed a base hit to Noel and an RBI sacrifice fly by Angel Martinez that allowed Naylor to tag and score from third.
The Guardians have been swept in both doubleheaders they have played this season and have been swept in five of their last six twin bills since the start of 2023. They went 2-5 on their seven-game homestand against Baltimore and Arizona after winning the first two contests against the Orioles." |
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Francis, Bowden (RP)
TOR |
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According to the Toronto Star, "There are plenty of job openings on the 2025 Blue Jays, and the remaining two months of this lost season will allow the team to get a good look at which young players might be able to play a significant role next year.
Bowden Francis was supposed to play a significant role this year, breaking camp as the club’s fifth starter, but a rough start to the season was followed by an injury, then a demotion.
The 28-year-old is back in the starting rotation, taking the place of the traded Yusei Kikuchi, and had the best start of his fledgling major-league career in the Jays’ 7-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre on Wednesday, though it did not begin well.
Francis walked the first batter of the game, then served up Anthony Santander’s 33rd home run of the season, putting the Jays down by a pair of runs before an out had been recorded.
Things got much better from there as the right-hander gave up just two more hits through his five-inning outing.
The six-foot-five Floridian matched his career high with seven strikeouts — including five in a row — and the two runs allowed were a career best for any start.
Francis left with a 3-2 lead, thanks to a first-inning sacrifice fly by Spencer Horwitz and a pair of second-inning runs on a Brian Serven single and a throwing error by Orioles rookie third baseman Coby Mayo.
The bullpen couldn’t hold it, though, as Ryan Burr served up a go-ahead two-run blast to rookie Jackson Holliday in the seventh. It was the 20-year-old’s fourth home run in the week since his recall from Triple-A, and third against the Blue Jays. Baltimore tacked on three more in the eighth, including another Santander homer.
Leo Jimenez had three doubles and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extended his hit streak, over which he’s batting .493, to 19 games with a first-inning single. He also made his first two errors at third base since 2019." |
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Raleigh, Cal (C)
SEA |
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According to the Seattle Times, "Tarik Skubal allowed two runs over seven innings, Parker Meadows made a homer-saving catch in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Wednesday night.
Skubal (13-4) was overpowering in stretches. The 27-year-old left-hander allowed three hits, struck out nine and continued to strengthen his resume in the AL Cy Young Award conversation.
But Meadows' catch will be the lasting image of the game as Seattle fell out of first place in the AL West, slipping a half-game behind Houston.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth and Seattle trailing 3-2, Cal Raleigh drove Jason Foley’s slider to deep center field. Meadows tracked the ball, timed his jump perfectly and was well above the top of the wall when the ball dropped into his glove.
Raleigh homered in the fourth inning, with Randy Arozarena aboard, for the only blemish on Skubal’s otherwise terrific outing.
Skubal retired the first 10 batters he faced and moved into a tie with three other pitchers for the most wins in baseball.
Wenceel Pérez led off the game with a home run and Jake Rogers added a solo shot in the fourth inning. Matt Vierling and Gio Urshela had RBI singles in the ninth inning as the Tigers scored three times on the heels of Meadows' catch.
Seattle's George Kirby labored to get through five innings, throwing 97 pitches, 65 for strikes. Kirby (8-8) struck out seven and gave up three runs.
“It is one of those games where you got to keep it close,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “We did everything right, they just made a play. It happens in the major leagues every once in a while. (Meadows) made an outstanding play." |
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Stroman, Marcus (P)
NYY |
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According to the NY Daily News, "RHP Marcus Stroman's next start pushed back. Stroman has allowed 24 earned runs in 31 2/3 innings over his past seven starts, prompting manager Aaron Boone to push Stroman's next start back from Thursday against the Angels to Sunday against the Rangers. Left-hander Nestor Cortes will make the start on Thursday vs. the Halos.
Boone said that Stroman is not injured and is simply trying to fix some mechanical issues. Boone also said he is not concerned about Stroman’s drop in velocity during those seven starts.
“He had a really good bullpen [session on Tuesday] and [we want him] to repeat it [on Thursday],” Boone said. “He is in a pretty good place right now as far as some of the things he has been working through. ... Physically, he feels good." |
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| Martin, Davis (P)
CHW |
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According to the Sun Times, "Few teams understand what the White Sox are going through in 2024 better than the A's, who have gradually taken a step forward this year after losing more than 100 games in back-to-back seasons.
Chicago dropped 101 games in 2023 and is already nearing the century mark in losses in '24 after Wednesday afternoon's 3-2 loss in Oakland dropped the South Siders to 28-89. At this point in the season, the White Sox are playing with an eye toward building for the future, a day-by-day experience that isn't always easy, which their opponents can empathize with.
“I think that you focus on the day and just try to win each day from here going forward. Get 1% better," A's manager Mark Kotsay said. "It’s tough to see it when you’re in it, that it’s going to pay dividends, but we’re starting to see the teaching and the work that we’ve put in with this crew have a lot of benefit.”
The bright spot amid the growing pains was clear in Wednesday's finale loss, as Davis Martin put together one of the best outings of his young career. The 27-year-old right-hander tossed six scoreless innings before the A's mounted a comeback against the bullpen to hand the White Sox their 10th straight series loss -- the longest streak since Oakland also lost 10 in a row to open the 2023 campaign.
Martin, making his third appearance (second start) since returning from Tommy John surgery, began his day with four hitless innings, allowing only two baserunners on a hit-by-pitch and a walk in that span.
The A's got a pair of base hits in the fifth, but that was all Martin allowed across six stellar frames. It was the longest scoreless outing of Martin's career, surpassing his previous high of 5 1/3 innings with no runs allowed on June 15, 2022.
"It’s the big leagues. TJ is hard, sometimes you don’t have the feel for stuff," Martin said. "The fact you can have some success in the big leagues post-TJ brings a lot of confidence the next week and the week after that. Just going forward, it’s a really good starting point for me to build off of and go from there."
Martin added a cutter before returning to the big leagues this season and has used it to great success so far. Entering Wednesday, he had thrown 22 without allowing a hit.
He gave up his first hit on the offering against the A's while throwing 36 cutters for 44% of his 82 pitches. Martin sees it as more of a pitch that can help him get back in counts, but he also collected one strikeout on the cutter.
"It keeps guys off-balance, especially left-handed hitters," manager Pedro Grifol said. "He can spin it so well that that's a pretty good pitch for him because it's disrupting the rhythm and the timing. … He's a bulldog. He's a competitor."
In his first two appearances this season, Martin had thrown his cutter about 16% of the time, so Wednesday marked the most he has thrown it in a game by far. The early returns have encouraged Martin to keep going, and he's built confidence with the pitch in every outing.
Most importantly, Martin has learned how to make adjustments with the new offering.
"Early on it was, 'Hey, it’s either really good and I don’t know how to fix it, or it’s really bad,'" Martin said. "Now, if we back one up, we can make the adjustment to get it in, and if we want to backdoor it, we can try to backdoor it. That’s what’s growing with that pitch, the feel for it and how to adjust pitch to pitch."
The three-team deal ahead of the Trade Deadline that sent Erick Fedde to the Cardinals, among other moves, created an opening in the White Sox rotation that was immediately filled by Martin.
While Chicago has several pitching prospects in its farm system who could be ready to contribute to the big league team in 2025, a strong finish to the season could give Martin a leg up in the eventual competition.
"He looks really good, man," Grifol said of Martin. "He's a piece in this organization moving forward." |
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Reyes, Gerardo (RP)
OAK |
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According to the SF Chronicle, "RHP Gerardo Reyes designated for assignment. Reyes was designated after appearing in three games for the A's following his callup on July 30." |
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Today's report was produced by
Fantistics'