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MLB News & Moments You Should Know: 8/21/2024

More magic in San Diego; Guardians overwhelm Yanks in 12th

Scott Appleman
MLB Morning News 8/21/2024

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

Before we get to the big league action, let’s check in with the Little League World Series. The team from Tamaulipas, Mexico was down three with two on and two out. Antonio Guerrero and Ulises Ortíz belted homers and gave everybody on that team a new core memory. How can you not be romantic about Little League baseball?

 

Today’s Headlines

 

Clutch Homers Power Padres Comeback

 

I’ll have what the San Diego Padres are having. They just keep cooking up dramatic wins. Down 3-1, Manny Machado launched a two-run homer to tie it in the seventh. After Christian Vázquez gave the Minnesota Twins another two-run lead in the eighth, Jurickson Profar hit a three-run blast and Xander Bogaerts hit an RBI double. Robert Suarez earned his 29th save with a clean ninth inning, and the Padres won 7-5. They’ve lost six games since the All-Star break. It seems like they expect magic to happen almost nightly.

 

Cleveland Rocks New York In 12th

 

The New York Yankees fans who cheered Juan Soto and Aaron Judge going back-to-back in the bottom of the first sounded different 12 innings later. The pair of New York sluggers hit consecutive homers for the fifth time this season, but Cleveland broke a 3-3 tie in with a six-run rally in the top of the 12th. A Lane Thomas double and a José Ramírez single gave the Guardians a 2-run cushion, then David Fry slapped a ball past Soto and Judge for a bases-clearing triple. Judge gave the Yankees a little life with two RBI in the bottom of the inning, but the boos rained down for the final out. The win gave the Guardians the best record in the AL.

 

Atlanta Opens Important Series With a Win

 

The Philadelphia Phillies‘ post-All-Star break woes continued with a 3-1 loss on Tuesday night. Atlanta got 10 strikeouts from Reynaldo López in his return from the IL, a double and a triple from Whit Merrifield against the team that released him, and home run number 37 from Marcell Ozuna. The Atlanta designated hitter’s pursuit of the Triple Crown continues. He trails Shohei Ohtani by only two homers, leads Ohtani by six RBI, and leads Luis Arraez in batting average .309 to .303.

Atlanta sits six games behind Philadelphia in the NL East, and the two teams play six more times this season. Two seasons ago, Atlanta erased a 10.5-game deficit and overtook the New York Mets to win the division.

 

Brewers Stretch Streak to Six

 

The Milwaukee Brewers won their sixth straight game with a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Frankie Montas gave up a hit and a walk over seven innings, and Devin Williams closed out a tense ninth for his fifth save since his season debut on July 28.

The Brewers traded Corbin Burnes, lost GM David Stearns to the New York Mets, and saw manager Craig Counsell travel south to take over the Chicago Cubs, yet they’re right with the big-budget contenders down the stretch. This win puts them even with the Phillies for the second-best record in the league, just a win behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

Stroman Awards Inaugural Scholarships

 

Two Bronx high school students received the first scholarships awarded by The Marcus Stroman Height Doesn’t Measure Heart Foundation. Stroman is listed at 5’7″, and the foundation’s name refers to the 10-year MLB veteran’s mantra. Height is not listed as a requirement for the scholarship. It’s based on ambition, drive, and need for high school seniors from a Bronx high school with a 3.0 GPA. The scholarship is funded for the next four years.

 

Catch ‘Em All

 

We’re getting defensive today. So much good glove work on display. Enjoy.

Raisel Iglesias got the save for Atlanta, but Ramón Laureano saved the day in the bottom of the ninth. He recorded all three outs with increasing degrees of difficulty.

Daniel Schneemann laid out to take extra bases away from Oswaldo Cabrera.

Schneemann couldn’t corral this one, but the Guardians relay had him covered (with an assist from a slow turn around third).

I remember practicing tracking these down as a middle infielder. It feels so good to be in the right spot.

It looks like Jake Meyers feels pretty good about being in the right spot on that wall.

Tommy Edman debuted for the Dodgers in center field on Monday, then did this at shortstop on Tuesday.

 

Perfect at the Plate

 

Jarren Duran completed a 4-for-4 night with an opposite-field shot that put the Boston Red Sox ahead for good. Duran doubled, walked, scored three runs, and knocked in two in the 6-5 win.

 

The Fireman Brings the Gas

 

🔥🔥🔥 Statcast had these at 104.8, 104.5, and 103.2.

 

Injuries and Other Moves

 

⚾ Atlanta signed infielder Gio Urshela, placed third baseman Austin Riley on the 10-day IL, and transferred left-handed reliever A.J. Minter to the 60-day IL.

⚾ The Chicago Cubs released right-handed reliever Héctor Neris and called up right-handed pitcher Jack Neely from Triple-A.

⚾ The Washington Nationals reinstated first baseman/outfielder Joey Gallo from the 10-day IL and lefthander pitcher Robert Garcia from the Bereavement List.

⚾ The Arizona Diamondbacks signed infielder Luis Guillorme after second baseman Ketel Marte went on the IL with an ankle injury.

⚾ The Baltimore Orioles placed right-handed starter Zach Eflin on the 15-day IL. Lefthander Cade Povich was recalled from Triple-A.

⚾ The San Diego Padres placed infielder Ha-Seong Kim on the 10-day IL.

⚾ The St. Louis Cardinals released infielder Brandon Crawford and optioned outfielder Jordan Walker to Triple-A. They reinstated infielder Matt Carpenter from the 10-day IL and called up infielder Luken Baker from Triple-A.

 

Articles You Should Read

 

Dr. Brad Lidge? The former Phillies closer has found a new thrill — Alex Coffey, Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required)

Jackson Merrill Is Already a Star — Esteban Rivera, FanGraphs

 

Fantasy Baseball Coverage

 

Starting Pitcher Roundup

Hitter Performances

Reliever Ranks

Starting Pitcher Streamers

Scott Appleman

Scott Appleman is a utility infielder with a master's degree in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure, a JV MVP award and two career home runs. He writes Thrill Shot, a Substack newsletter about champions and contenders.

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