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Today’s Headlines
Another Atlanta Ailment, Riley Out 6-8 Weeks
It has been a season to forget down in Georgia, with injuries plaguing the campaign for a seventh straight NL East title to a point of no return. Reigning MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is done for the year with an ACL tear, ace Spencer Strider is done for the season with an injury to his UCL and subsequent Tommy John surgery, Ozzie Albies fractured his left wrist a month ago, and now star third baseman Austin Riley is done for the rest of the regular season with a broken hand.
Riley suffered the injury on Sunday night as Atlanta was finishing up a series against the Los Angeles Angels, he took a pitch inside the caught him on the hand. It was the first inning, but he immediately left the game.
Austin Riley has been removed from today's game after getting hit by this pitch. pic.twitter.com/uRoiOKSjuw
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) August 18, 2024
The injury has reopened conversations about the frequency of these up-and-in pitches coming from players who potentially lack the control to keep from hurting batters, but certainly do not lack the velocity to break bones. There’s no easy answer, but if players continue to get seriously hurt, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the MLB attempt to combat one of the reasons it continues to lose superstar talent to the IL.
Freddie Freeman To Play Through Finger Fracture
It was revealed on Monday that Dodgers star first baseman, Freddie Freeman, suffered a fracture in his finger on Saturday. He was fielding a routine ground ball that struck his hand in a weird way. He got the out, but you could see the discomfort.
Freddie Freeman was removed from the game after injuring his finger on this play pic.twitter.com/DYiGhyrCZM
— Victor Weiland (@Baseballvic11) August 18, 2024
Here’s the thing about a guy like Freddie, he isn’t going to stop playing unless he physically can not do so. He’s opting not to miss games and to play through the discomfort. It is purely a pain tolerance type of battle, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Freeman get rest depending on how a series is going or miss a game or two in the next week to help further the healing, but if the Dodgers need their first baseman out there – he’ll push through it and help the team win.
Freeman went 0-for-4 in his first game attempting to battle through the injury yesterday, and it would make some sense to see the pain impact his ability to swing and make good contact – time will tell if it’s severely hampering his ability and if he isn’t able to produce, he might change his mind about resting. Especially with Max Muncy returning to the lineup for Los Angeles last night.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Francisco Alvarez Crushes First Career Walk-Off Slam
It’s been a tough month for the Mets’ rookie catcher, as entering Monday’s game Francisco Alvarez was hitting at an OPS below .600 in the last month. In 21 games he had only gotten on base 15 times with just two extra base hits and four RBI in the span. That didn’t stop him from absolutely gobsmacking a home run out of Citi Field against newly anointed Orioles closer Seranthony Domínguez to walk it off against Baltimore on Monday night.
IT'S OUTTA HERE!!
FRANCISCO ALVAREZ #WALKOFF HOMER 😤 pic.twitter.com/eSI9cstlc4
— MLB (@MLB) August 20, 2024
Basically a no-doubter, this one was expected to leave the park in all but one stadium, Arizona’s Chase Field. There, of course, could be some arguments made that the difference in air quality in Arizona would have meant this ball carried further there and it might have actually left… it’s almost disingenuous to just slap a batted ball’s path into different environments and say they would have gone the same distance to rate if a ball had left a different park, but I digress.
It was a big moment for Alvarez, who, as a member of the new generation of baseball stars, clearly showed enthusiasm for what he accomplished. I’m sure there are some ‘purists’ out there who were rubbed the wrong way by the flashy celebration coming from a guy struggling to stay above the Mendoza line this summer… but who cares? These moments make baseball fun. The Mets are hoping this awakens Alvarez, who was a big part of their early July “Grimace-fueled” success.
Yainer Diaz’s Redemption Walk-Off Blast
Every night in the MLB there’s always something new or interesting that’s never happened in the sport before, or at least happens rarely. That’s exactly what fans experienced when watching Yainer Diaz bat with a man on second, and a chance to tie the game up against the Red Sox. Instead of driving the run in, or even putting the ball in play, Diaz accidentally took a second time out in the at-bat with two strikes…
If you’re still new to the MLB’s timeout/pitching clock rules… you can’t do that! It’s an automatic strike assessed to the hitter if they take a second time out, and with two strikes in the at-bat already, Diaz was called out to end the 7th inning, stranding a runner on second base without even seeing a final pitch.
Personally, I hold the belief that there’s a correlation between players who make mistakes and then contribute in major ways later in the game. In the same way that if a player makes a phenomenal defensive play, they appear to lock in at the plate later in the contest. Well, Diaz made sure to solidify my belief, making right for his mistake in a big way.
The Astros tied the game in the eighth, and then in the ninth after Josh Hader held the game at a tied standstill, Diaz delivered and all was forgotten as the mistake was wiped away in walk-off fashion. How can you not love baseball?
GAME OVER 🚀
Yainer Diaz calls game for the @Astros! #Walkoff pic.twitter.com/ZJ2J6qSZkY
— MLB (@MLB) August 20, 2024
Seager Double Dips
There are few better hitters against right-handed pitching in baseball than Corey Seager, and the Texas Rangers star reinforced that fact on Monday night, going yard twice to help usher in a big win for his club. Of the young star’s 28 home runs this season, 22 of them have come against righties and the difference in OPS for Seager is almost 300 points better when not facing a southpaw.
Seeing double 👀
Take a look at both of Corey Seager's home run swings. pic.twitter.com/bWHDiDY8SQ
— MLB (@MLB) August 20, 2024
The Rangers, coming off a brutal 1-3 series against the Twins, need all the help they can get as they attempt to keep their playoff hopes alive. The defending champions are on track to miss the playoffs just a season after lifting the trophy.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Ketel Marte was placed on the IL with an ankle sprain after attempting to battle through the injury he sustained a week ago. He had been in and out of the lineup, and after a re-aggravating it Sunday, will officially take time to heal.
⚾ Justin Verlander is set to return to the Astros rotation this week and start against the Red Sox on Wednesday, he has been on the IL since early June with a neck injury.
⚾ Cleveland placed Alex Cobb on the IL with a broken fingernail. It’s been a battle for Cobb to stay healthy over the last year, from hip issues, surgery, shoulder discomfort, and setbacks, he will look to recover from this minor ailment quickly and return to help the Guardians with their playoff ambitions.
⚾ Ke’Bryan Hayes was placed on the 10-day IL with lower back inflammation.
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