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MLB News & Moments You Should Know – 7/27/23

It's Not A Phase, Mom!

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

 

Today’s Headlines

 

Texas-sized 13-5 There Good Buddy

The Astros managed to close the gap with Texas in the AL West, going into last night’s matchup only one game behind the Rangers. But the team with the state in the name was in no mood to let the team with the city in the name win.

Houston got out to an early lead thanks to a three-run shot from Alex Bregman in the first inning:

And somebody on the Houston social team was feeling it:

But apparently, nobody’s told these guys Careful, Icarus because after that opening salvo, the Rangers would go on to score 13 unanswered runs, capped off by an Adolis García grand slam in the eight-run fifth inning:

I have to admit I’m not entirely sure if I’m using “unanswered” correctly because the Astros did score two more runs on a Yainer Diaz dinger in the ninth inning but 13-3 to 13-5 doesn’t seem like a very forceful answer if it is one.

Either way, my fantasy pitching is in shambles after they blew up Framber Valdez like this, the Rangers’ prodigious offense continues apace, and they remain two games up in the divisional race.

Debuciano

Wednesday Rookie Debut season continues apace, as the Giants called up their top SS prospect Marco Luciano (our pre-season 50th-ranked Dynasty prospect).

He went 0-2 before being lifted for pinch hitter Joc Pederson, but MLB Pipeline has him rated with a 55-hit, 65-power combo, so I doubt that trend continues for particularly long.

People Are Being Traded!

There’s getting to be some more movement on the trade front as we approach August.

I mean, a lot of those names are weird, but they’re still people, and they’re still being traded.

First, we got the Marlins and Twins hooking up to swap RPs, with Dylan Floro heading up to the Land Of 1000 Rakes

…and in return, Jorge López is headed down to join Pitbull’s 305 army in Miami.

This means while the Twins still have 10,000 lakes, they now only have one López.

Meanwhile, it’s a homecoming in LA for Kiké Hernández, who’s back in a Dodgers jersey for the first time since 2020, and I think they’ve missed him:

But that’s not all for the Boys In Blue, as they also shipped out Noah Syndergaard to Cleveland,

And brought in Amed Rosario.

People Aren’t Being Traded!

You guys heard about this Shohei Ohtani fellow? Seems both good at baseball and also maybe a huge trade chip?

Well, maybe not that last bit anymore.

It seemed like this might have just been a bluff, maybe to extract a higher value for Ohtani in any ongoing talks.

Later on Wednesday, the White Sox were also dialling back the “We’re having a fire…sale!” talk:

However, it didn’t stop them from moving Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López to the aforementioned “Going for it” Angels:

So I guess we can believe one of these teams a bit more than the other.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

The Anti-Coughlin

No, I’m not talking about Ben McAdoo (I promise that’s the only real NFL reference I will ever make, Nick), I’m talking about Blue Jay Chris Coghlan’s iconic Superman dive over Yadier Molina all the way back in the hazy days of 2017:

Well, no, that’s not true. I’m really talking about Cleveland Guardian Gabriel Arias, who did the complete opposite of Coughlan and slid directly through Freddy Fermin’s legs to score on a Steven Kwan single:

Baseball is so graceful. Pablo highlighted a nutmeg pitch yesterday, so I guess this is a nutmeg runner?

Darude – Sandystorm

It’s been…not the greatest season for Sandy Alcantara overall, but the man’s still a workhorse:

Not only a second complete game but the most efficient one of the year:

The Bird Parade

When I was a young boy,

My father took me to Busch Stadium to see a baseball crew.

He said “Son, when you grow up

Would you wear a shirt featuring a weirdly suggestive Fredbird?”

I didn’t know what to tell him then, and I still don’t.

 

Injuries

 

Max Fried missed his scheduled rehab start due to illness, the Braves are going to reschedule it.

Aaron Judge will be back on Friday. Unless he isn’t. He’s been out for nearly two months and calling him straight back without any rehab starts seems quite aggressive.

Jesse Winker is on the IL due to back spasms.

Starling Marte will need longer than the minimum stay on the IL due to migraines and potentially paternity leave.

 

Articles You Should Read

 

Plotting Ohtani’s Path To 62 Home Runs – Mike Petriello, MLB.com

 

Fantasy Baseball Coverage

 

Starting Pitcher Roundup

Hitter Performances

Reliever Ranks (Closers) (Holds)

Starting Pitcher Streamers

 

Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)

Asher Dratel

Asher hails from Brooklyn, wears a 2008 Joba Chamberlain jersey to every Yankees game he attends, and pronounces BABIP funny. Appreciator of Beefy Lad dingers and beers. @asherd.xyz on Bluesky.

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