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MLB News & Moments You Should Know: 9/23/2024

The 1962 Mets have some company in the cellar.

Pablo Figueroa
MLB Morning News 9/23/2024

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

 

The Bad Kind of History

 

In something that became inevitable but is still baffling, the Chicago White Sox tied baseball’s modern record for losses in a season, taking an L for the 120th time in 2024. This ties the 1962 Mets, who were long considered the worst team of all time, and now the White Sox still have six games left to go and extend this dubious entry into the history books. Today’s loss was a typical one for the team, as a young pitcher kept them competitive for most of the game, but a late bullpen implosion and a lack of offense converged to produce a 4-2 score for the Padres, as Chicago lost its 20th straight road series and suffered a sweep for the 24th time this season. With fewer incentives to tank and an overall sense of parity in baseball, it will take a truly monumental effort to challenge this record in the foreseeable future.

 

Chaos Central

 

With a steady climb that had been building up through September, the Tigers will wake up tomorrow holding a playoff spot and setting up what should be an exciting final week. As the Royals suffered a surprise home sweep by the Giants and the Twins took a rough double-header loss in Boston, Detroit’s win in Baltimore pushed them ahead of Minnesota while tying with Kansas City. All three Central foes have an off day and will be back on Tuesday, as scoreboard-watching will become a nightly obsession. There are no remaining direct matchups between them, but the three of them have something in common, as they are primed to face a bad team and a competent one. Detroit (home against the Rays and White Sox), Kansas City (on the road vs Washington and Atlanta), and Minnesota (home to face Miami and Baltimore) do not appear to have any kind of marked advantage, outside of maybe the Twins benefiting from a final series against an Orioles squad that should have clinched by that point. Also, the Twins hold the tie-breaker against both rivals, while Royals also have the upper hand over the Tigers. After years of irrelevancy, suddenly the Central will command our attention.

 

Playoff Vibes

 

In a national broadcast that lived up to the billing, the Phillies and Mets gave us a great preview of October baseball with a nail-biting 2-1 win for New York. Philadelphia came into the game with a chance to secure the NL East title, but Zack Wheeler was barely out-dueled by Tylor Megill and a stout bullpen, as the potent Philly offense was held without an extra-base hits while striking out 12 times. Wheeler took the hard loss after a Brandon Nimmo sixth-inning homer, which provided the margin of victory. The sense of urgency was such that Edwin Diaz came in for a rare six-out save that was not without drama, with the tying run being stranded on third to close out the game. The win ensured that the Mets will hold a two-game advantage ahead of their massive series against Atlanta, and also provided a nice regular-season farewell for the fans in Queens, who have enjoyed an unexpectedly fun 2024.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

The Brew Crew is Never Through

 

Coming into today with a three-game losing streak, the Brewers were trying to keep their status as the only team in 2024 that hasn’t lost four in a row. For a moment, that distinction looked all but gone, as Milwaukee fell behind 8-0 by the third inning to the Diamondbacks. Slowly and steadily, Milwaukee started to climb out of that hole, pushing the score to 8-6 by the seventh. Even as Arizona scored what looked like an insurance in the next frame, the Brew Crew mounted a decisive four-run rally to take the lead. The Brewers accomplished this 10-run burst despite not hitting a homer, instead relying on a 16-hit effort that includes five two-out RBI. A game like this and the playoff atmosphere should remind us that Milwaukee can become a true dark horse in the NL bracket.

 

 

Back-to-Back? Comeback!

 

After a brief start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto that left the Dodgers on a 4-0 early hole, it looked as if the Rockies would go on to spoil LA’s weekend just a little bit. But for a team that has been spoiled with feel-good moments and achievements in the past week, the early deficit was only part of the script. Homers from both Hernández, Kiké and Teoscar, closed the gap and left the door open for a late comeback, as the ninth inning would open with only a one-run disadvantage and the top of the lineup on deck. As he has been wont to do recently, Shohei Ohtani provided the first bout of heroics with a solo homer that tied the game. Before the home crowd could even get over that excitement, Mookie Betts decided to send everyone home with a blast of his own. The win kept LA three games ahead of the Padres heading into their three-game set this week, and now a single win might be enough for the Dodgers to secure yet another division crown.

 

 

No One Like Yu

 

While the attention of today’s game between the White Sox and Padres was focused on Chicago’s quest towards infamy, there was an important subplot happening on the mound. Yu Darvish entered the game with 1,994 career strikeouts and just as the White Sox loss seemed inevitable, the Japanese-born’s milestone number also did. Facing such a weak lineup, Darvish had no issue and cruised to a nine-K performance in 6.1 innings, adding another chapter to his incredible career. While playoff success may be the only missing piece, he appears ready to make a difference this time around.

 

 

The Future’s so Bright, I Gotta Wear an Eye Patch

 

While the existence of Jackson Merrill may prevent Paul Skenes from winning the NL Rookie of the Year, the young phenom may end up becoming the most memorable rookie of his class. Despite pitching in hitter-friendly Cincinnati, Skenes made quick work of the Reds with five shutout innings that included nine strikeouts, en route to his 11th win of the season. The impressive outing lowered Skenes’ ERA to 1.99, with 167 Ks in only 131 innings. His emergence has made the Pirates relevant again, and they could become contenders as early as next season.

 

 

In the Park(er)

 

If the Tigers end up making the playoffs, they will be able to point to several moments or key performances in their improbable run from afterthoughts to contenders. Today featured one of those moments, as a 3-3 tie game appeared ready to turn on its head when Colton Cowser hit a deep fly ball to center field that appeared to give Baltimore the lead. Instead, Parker Meadows tracked the ball perfectly and timed his jump to make a catch that preserved the tie. Detroit would go on to win 4-3 in the end, as they are now in control of their playoff hopes.

 

Injuries and Other Moves

 

⚾ The Mets have confirmed that Kodai Senga will not be activated for the rest of the regular season, as the starting pitcher suffered a setback in his recovery from a triceps injury. Senga has been limited to only one start in 2024, though the Mets have found a way to stay in playoff position despite missing almost a full season from their presumed #1 pitcher. There is a possibility for Senga making a return during the postseason, but it appears unlikely. 

⚾ Sonny Gray will also miss the final week of the season, as the Cardinals have placed him on the 15-day IL with flexor tendinitis in his pitching arm. With St. Louis eliminated from playoff contention, it makes sense for the team to be cautious and aim for a fresh Gray in 2025. While his production could match the elite numbers posted a year ago, he was still the best starter in the Cardinals rotation, finishing his inaugural season with a 3.84 ERA. 

 

Articles You Should Read

 

Orioles Run Out of Time to Fix Kimbrel — Jay Jaffe, Fangraphs

11 Amazing Ohtani Facts — Sarah Langs, MLB.com

 

Fantasy Baseball Coverage

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Week 26: Hitters to Start and Avoid

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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