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MLB Morning News – 9/27/23

Get caught up on everything you need to know from Tuesday's games.

Pablo Figueroa
MLB Morning News 9/27/2023

Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.

The last Tuesday of the regular season proved critical, as some teams clinch playoff spots while other are tumbling towards the finish line. Let’s get into it!

 

Today’s Headlines

 

Orioles get one step closer

Kyle Bradish continues to make his case as the biggest pitching surprise of the year, delivering the Orioles a crucial win in their quest to clinch the AL East. Gunnar Henderson’s lead-off homerun proved to be enough, as Bradish was masterful for eight scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and two walks against four strikeouts. His ERA fell to 2.86, the third-best number in the AL, as he will probably also be a top-3 finisher in Cy Young voting. Yennier Cano shook off some of his recent struggles to strike out the side and earn the save, as Baltimore is now only a couple of wins away from securing the division crown.


Mariners turn the tide

Almost in desperation mode following a 4-game losing streak, T-Mobile Park was in full playoff mode for the Mariners, sensing that this was probably a do-or-die game against the Astros. The home team delivered the goods, seizing control with a quick 2-0 lead and battling to the end with a 6-1 victory. George Kirby’s gritty six scoreless innings earned him his 12th win of the season, as the offense took advantage of three Houston errors to increase the scoring. With Texas pulling away and Toronto having a softer schedule, it all points to either Houston or Seattle being the odd man out come playoff time.

 

Seiya it isn´t so!

Battling for the final playoff spot in the NL, the Cubs held a commanding 6-0 lead against the Braves, and with Cy Young hopeful Justin Steele on the mound, it all looked rosy en route to a critical win. It all went downhill from there, as the Braves stormed back with five runs and threatened to take the lead in the eighth inning. With Austin Riley at the plate, a seemingly harmless fly ball was lifted to right field, where Seiya Suzuki appeared ready to make the catch…until he wasn’t. As the outfielder lost the ball in the lights or was afraid of a collision, the ball dropped, scoring two runs and giving the Braves a lead they would not relinquish. Chicago’s loss keeps hope alive for the Marlins (who were rained out) and the Reds (who won their game), while also securing the NL Central crown for Milwaukee.

 

 

The Phillies are back in October

 

The reigning NL champions are officially playoff-bound, as the Phillies earned a walk-off win against the Pirates to clinch the top wild-card spot. Despite being no-hit by Mitch Keller for five innings and then seeing Craig Kimbrel blow the save in the eighth, Philadelphia persevered and walked it off in the tenth, as a Johan Rojas single scored the ghost runner. As things stand today, they would host the Diamondbacks in the first round, which sounds like a very fun series.

 

Christian Masher

 

Following a tough loss to the Yankees on Monday, the Arizona Diamondbacks stared at a 3-0 deficit in the first inning against the White Sox. From that point on, the game was all Dbacks, as the offense exploded for 12 hits and 15 runs, highlighted by Christian Walker’s performance: a triple, two homers, three runs, and six RBI. It marked Walker’s fourth multi-HR effort of the season, as Arizona kept their hold of the NL’s second wild-card spot.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

A tribute to Miggy

With Miguel Cabrera set to play the final homestand of his career, the Tigers and their skilled lawn crew created a classy tribute for the future Hall of Famer. With his iconic number 24 and a fitting crown, Detroit will play the last week of 2023 with the added interest of Cabrera trying to add more memories. The first game of this curtain call did not go as well for Miggy, as he went 0-for-3 with a walk, though the Tigers still came out winners.

 

Give him a (Te)Oscar

 

The Mariners were reeling and faced a must-win game at home versus the Astros. They stormed out to a 5-0 lead behind George Kirby’s strong outing, but Houston’s offense can always turn things around quickly. With a runner on first, Alex Bregman hit a ball deep to right field, in what appeared to be a surefire extra-base hit. Teoscar Hernandez, known mostly for his bat, tracked the ball masterfully and made a sensational catch, holding on despite colliding face-first with the wall. The play turned the momentum of the game fully to Seattle, ultimately securing a 6-1 win that keeps them in the thick of the playoff race.

 

 

R.I.P, Brooks Robinson

 

The baseball world received some sad news, with the passing of Orioles legend Brooks Robinson. The all-world third baseman was an 18-time All-Star, 16-time Gold Glove Award winner, and helped lead the Baltimore Orioles to two World Series Championships. He was the 1964 AL MVP and the 1970 World Series MVP. His defensive exploits have not been matched since, and MLB put together a highlight reel worthy of his stature.

 

Injuries

While the season’s final week tends to be more tame in terms of injuries, we have a couple of players who have been ruled out for the rest of 2023. On one hand, the well-out-of-contention White Sox announced that Luis Robert Jr. has been placed on the 10-day IL with a mild left MCL sprain. He has been, by far, the best player for the Sox, and a top-20 hitter in MLB; the IL stint is mostly a precaution as Robert should be fine for Spring Training and still represent Chicago’s best hope for a better tomorrow. On the other hand, the still-in-contention Reds confirmed that Matt McLain is done for the rest of the year, as he will not be able to recover from the oblique injuries that have plagued him for the past month. Should Cincinnati make the playoffs, his absence could be crucial, as he has proven to be arguably the best Reds rookie, with 3.2 fWAR in only 89 games.

In more pleasant news, the Rangers are hopeful that Max Scherzer could come back and pitch in the playoffs, especially if the team can make a deep run. Scherzer, who has been out for several weeks with a major teres strain, has increased his throwing program with the goal of increasing his strength and stamina. While things are far from certain, and Texas has yet to clinch a spot, this is good news for a team that may be lacking reliability from its rotation.

 

Articles You Should Read

 

Which Teams are Best Built for Postseason Success? – Dan Szymborski, Fangraphs

The 10 Most Bonkers Stats of 2023 – Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com

 

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Pablo Figueroa

Pablo Figueroa is a Baseball Writer here at Pitcher List, with experience as a writer since 2013. He lives in Aguascalientes, Mexico - proud home of Los Rieleros. When he´s not thinking about baseball , he's a husband, owns two dogs, watches random episodes of The Sopranos , plays padel, and works on his day job to pay the bills.

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