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Today’s Headlines
Walk-off Wednesday
Kinda wacky ones, at that.
Ok well, actually this one isn’t very wacky at all. After a slugfest on an absolutely stifling summer afternoon, the Brewers managed to come out on top of the Twins 8-7 on this extra innings infield hit from Brice Turang:
WHEELS for the WIN!@BRiCEcTuRANG | #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/yRaaL9mDQs
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 23, 2023
But now it gets wacky, as we have the Chicago White Sox beating the Seattle Mariners 5-4 in the 10th on…well, just watch:
That’s an attempted Elvis Andrus bunt into an attempted pickoff into a Tim Anderson helmet doink into a very inexplicable win. The M’s still finished their road trip 8-2 and a game up on Toronto for the third Wild Card spot.
But that’s not all! Later in the night, it was the Rays’ turn to walk it off:
This was probably more fun anyway. pic.twitter.com/IWy9eNS1FF
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 24, 2023
I hear you already going “Hey Asher that’s just a Brandon Lowe single! I’ve seen plenty of those, there’s nothing wacky here at all!” and you would be technically correct, the best kind of correct. BUT! It only came to the 10th because this was called an out to end the 9th:
Called an out on the field and then upheld on review! I’m not sure what they’re putting in the umpires’ water this year but it seems strong.
Anyway, obviously the Rays overcame the imaginative officiating for their third straight win, putting them only a pair of games behind the O’s. Enjoy this clip of the team watching what looked like the conclusive angle on the jumbotron:
DeJong And DeRestless
When Bo Bichette looked like he may be missing some time with a leg injury at the beginning of the month, the Blue Jays scooped up Paul DeJong on deadline day to fill in. It seemed like a perfectly cromulent move, get a guy who can play SS and maybe be an average bat until Bo could make it back. Well, I guess they got half of that? DeJong was fine at SS, but hit a miserable 3–for–44, with a visually satisfying but not exactly performant .068/.068/.068 slash line. The Jays activated Bo on Monday and DFA’d DeJong as the corresponding move.
So, the Giants claimed him Tuesday, and he made his debut yesterday against the Phillies… at which point he matched his entire offensive production from his time in Toronto in a single game. That and more.
PAUL DEJONG WELCOME TO THE GIANTS‼️ pic.twitter.com/wLpriHeiMY
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 23, 2023
DeJong ended the day 3-for-5 with that two-run HR and another pair of RBI to go with it. Gonna be wild when he hits .600 for the rest of the season, right everybody?
Uncle Chuck
I dunno if you have heard about these Atlanta Braves, who are pretty good at baseball. But if you haven’t, they have this one dude named Charlie Morton who is, as it turns out, very good at baseball right now.
Charlie Morton has thrown 18 consecutive scoreless innings over his last three starts! pic.twitter.com/56rqEvrifr
— MLB (@MLB) August 24, 2023
Now, to be fair, one of those starts was against the Yankees (more on them below) but still. This brings his season ERA down to 3.37, which ain’t too shabby.
South Side Shuffle
The White Sox fired their GM and President earlier this week, but it sounds like they may have already known their replacements as soon as it happened:
Chicago #WhiteSox owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s patience runs out, fires Ken Williams, Rick Hahn; expected to promote Chris Getz to GM with #Rangers executive Dayton Moore likely joining team too. https://t.co/53U1tOsHwJ
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 23, 2023
These names are also being reported in stories on MLB.com and The Athletic (sub req’d), so there may be enough smoke here to see flames. One would have to imagine these are not the names Sox fans were hoping to hear after Tuesday’s headlines.
Shohei Back On Top
Ok so you learned about the Atlanta Braves just a minute ago, now let me tell you about this fella by the name of Shohei Ohtani.
and perhaps what is this? 🤯#GoHalos pic.twitter.com/voRQ7I4hLN
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 23, 2023
Oh, you’ve heard of him? I suppose that makes sense. Well, he’s back to being the MLB Home Run leader with 44 to Matt Olson’s 43. I am making the bold prediction that both of them will hit several more before the season’s over.
During yesterday’s doubleheader, he also got to spend some quality time with Elly De La Cruz, who did some experimental pokes to confirm that Shohei is indeed a real person. Ohtani counters by pointing out that Elly hit one 408 feet without much effort. Cool dudes. Good at baseball. I’m into it.
Elly De La Cruz gotta check if Shohei is real 😂🦄@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/JLcIHEhdr3
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) August 24, 2023
Best Moments From Yesterday
Pitchers Are Athletes, Too
Pitchers are just traffic directors on pop-ups, right? Well, not if you’re Garrett Whitlock last night in Houston…
GARRETT WHITLOCK WITH THE SLIDING GRAB! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/YBjXRiaEDA
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 24, 2023
You don’t often see a pitcher with that much dirt on their uniform…
Not Today, Satan
Going into Wednesday night’s game, the Yankees were already working through their longest losing streak of my lifetime. It’s been a season of lots of firsts for my lifetime with this franchise and none of them have been good. But last night was pretty decent.
Luis Severino chucked six and two-thirds scoreless innings and got a nice ovation (like a real one, not a Bronx cheer) heading back to the dugout:
Standing O for @LuisSeverino94 👏 pic.twitter.com/V0TywDPoL1
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2023
And the Yankees avoided tying a 110-year-old 10-game losing streak record thanks in part to a trio of long balls off the bat of who else but Aaron Judge. Please enjoy this cool angle of him hitting the third:
Judgeman, Judgeman, Judgeman. pic.twitter.com/3gYDZnEmn3
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2023
A casual 927 wRC+ night for Judge puts him at 247 career home runs, which puts him at… 247th all-time in dingers, tied with Mookie Betts! I’m going to add to my bold Shohei/Olson prediction here and say both of those dudes will also hit several more before the year is out.
Triple Is Best
And while we’re out here talking about history, have something more recent, although it’s still a whole 14 years ago…
There have been 15 unassisted triple plays in AL/NL history. The last one was turned in by @Phillies 2B Eric Bruntlett OTD in 2009 and it was a game-ender! pic.twitter.com/YDh9YCgOM8
— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2023
Injuries
Michael Kopech was removed from his start with “leg cramps” and is DTD.
Shohei Ohtani was removed from his start with “arm fatigue” but was back in the lineup as DH for the second game of the doubleheader, after which it was revealed he has a UCL tear that may require surgery. He won’t pitch anymore this year.
Mike Trout is going back on the IL due to the same wrist injury that sidelined him for the last two months. I am sad.
Stone Garrett appeared to severely injure his left leg trying to make a play at the wall last night and was carted off the field. There’s been no update from the team with any details.
Avisaíl García was placed on the IL with a hamstring strain that may sideline him for the rest of the season.
Articles You Should Read
How Reds’ Alexis Díaz Went From Longtime Minor-Leaguer to Elite MLB Closer Overnight – Jordan Shusterman, Fox Sports
‘The Sandlot,’ 30 Years Later: Remembering the Enduring Magic of a Baseball Classic – Rustin Dodd and C. Trent Rosecrans, The Athletic (sub req’d)
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
Reliever Ranks (Closers) (Holds)
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)