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MLB News & Moments You Should Know: 9/25/2024

The Astros are truly inevitable.

Pablo Figueroa
MLB Morning News 9/25/2024

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

 

Wild Wild Card

 

The much-ballyhooed series between Atlanta and the Mets lived up to its billing in Game 1, as a playoff atmosphere was felt from the first to the last pitch. Rookie hurler Spencer Schwellenbach was masterful in the biggest game of his young career, holding New York to only three hits, a walk, and a run over seven innings, while Michael Harris II provided enough heroics to carry the patched offense. After starting off the scoring with a double in a three-run third, Harris added a solo homer in the fourth, which was then followed by a Marcell Ozuna blast in the fifth to close the run tally for Atlanta. Two scoreless innings from the bullpen closed the game at a comfortable 5-1 score, leaving Atlanta only a game behind the Mets. However, there is still a chance that both could make it to October anyway, as Arizona’s sudden losing streak has left them only half a game up and barely holding on to the last wild card spot.

 


Death, Taxes…and the Astros

 

In a game that served as a microcosm of the whole season in the AL West, the Seattle Mariners jumped to an early lead only to stall offensively and leave way for the Astros. However, this particular loss was overly meaningful, as it officially clinched the division for Houston, marking their fourth straight title and seventh in the past eight seasons, even as they had to come back from a 10-game deficit as Seattle once appeared poised to take control of the West. Framber Valdez continued his hot streak and battled around several baserunners to earn his 15th win of the season, while Logan Gilbert’s 3.33 ERA has only been good enough for an 8-12 mark due to lack of run support, which will be the theme for how the Mariners squandered such a huge opportunity. While the Astros know they will need to navigate the wild card round, Seattle fell 2.5 games behind the final playoff spot, and their chances are becoming almost nil.

 

 

The Forgotten Collapse

 

Just as the NL Wild Card chase appears ready to go to the wire, the AL’s version may be bereft of drama in this past week unless the Twins can find a way to rebound. While most of the attention has gone to the Tigers (who again won behind a dominant Tarik Skubal) and their resurgence, it has come at the expense of the free-falling Twins. With a 6-14 mark over their past 20 games, Minnesota has seen its once-sure playoff spot disappear. Even as injuries have been the theme for the Twins, they cannot fully explain how this team has capitulated to the point where they are almost shut out by the lowly Marlins at home. Today’s feckless showing saw Miami score four times in the second to deflate the home crowd, while the Twins went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position to seal their fate. Holding the tiebreaker over both the Royals and Tigers provides a sliver of hope, but something needs to change… and quickly.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

WALK-OFF TRIPLE PLAY

 

With the Padres entering the ninth with a three-run lead and facing the bottom of LA’s lineup, it appeared that closer Robert Suarez would have enough cushion to secure the victory (and a postseason berth). Instead, he allowed three straight singles that brought in a run and had both tying runs on base. Over at the Dodgers broadcast, the announcers were salivating at the possibility of Shohei Ohtani coming up to bat against a shaky Suarez, as a win would probably secure the division title for Los Angeles. And then, the impossible happened. After initially trying to bunt, #9 hitter Miguel Rojas swung against Suarez’s second pitch, hitting it hard enough for Manny Machado to step on third, throw to second, and somehow, Jake Cronenworth had time to relay to first and complete the triple play. Outside of a game-turning homer at home, that may just be the coolest way to end a game, not to mention a playoff-clinching one. The job is not done for the Padres, though, as they are only two games behind the Dodgers with two more to play, and San Diego holds the tiebreaker.

 

 

Birdbath 

 

Despite their second-half swoon, the Orioles were never in real danger of missing out on October. While they will not repeat as division champs, today they finally made it official, as their win paired with Minnesota’s loss gave them a secure playoff spot. This will mark the first time in 27 years for the franchise making back-to-back postseason appearances, and they will certainly hope that it goes better than last year’s letdown. Today’s win over the Yankees needed all of manager Brandon Hyde’s repertoire, as he used six relievers to navigate the final four frames. Solo homers from Anthony Santander, Ramón Urías, and Colton Cowser provided enough spark for the 5-3 victory, as this version of the Orioles could be very dangerous next month.

 

 

Spoiler Alert

 

Every September, it seems like a team comes out of nowhere to ruin the fun for a contender. In 2024, the Giants are doing their best to do just that. After taking a series from the Orioles and then sweeping the Royals, they arrived in Arizona and have taken the first two games of the series to stun the Diamondbacks. Today’s win was a true shocker, as Logan Webb received an uncharacteristic run support from his offense, as the righty left after six scoreless innings with a 10-0 lead that became an 11-0 win when it was all said and done. Five different Giants hit a homer, highlighted by Heliot Ramos‘ four-hit performance, while Arizona will need to scramble fast unless they want to become the NL’s version of the Twins. After the series finale against San Francisco, they will host a Padres team who may still be hunting for a division crown.

 

 

Bittersweet Symphony

 

Outside of all the games with massive playoff implications, there is a significant series going on in Oakland, where the A’s are playing the final three games of their storied history at the Coliseum. With a 30,000+ crowd hoping to at least provide a proper send-off for the once-proud franchise, the team delivered in dramatic fashion. After a back-and-forth contest that entered the ninth inning tied, youngster Jacob Wilson had a chance to send everyone home happy, delivering a clutch RBI single that drove in the winning run. Even as the fans know that moments like this will soon disappear, it was sweet to enjoy and share a nice win at home.

 

Right Off the Bat

 

The Cleveland Guardians scored an easy 6-1 win over the Reds, which has put them only 1.5 games behind the Yankees for the top seed in the AL (though New York holds the tiebreaker). Either way, they clinched a deserved first-round bye and will enjoy some rest and home-field advantage in the ALDS. Things have gone so well for Cleveland, that even the Caped Crusader stopped by to take a look at this fun team, even as that goatee may give up his true identity sooner or later.

 

 

Injuries and Other Moves

 

⚾ A few notable veterans were demoted or released today, as the playoff-bound Orioles sent Eloy Jiménez to the minors while also releasing Craig Kimbrel, who is now a free agent. Both players struggled as the O’s regressed during the second half of the season, though Jimenez will certainly get another chance with the club in 2025. Over at Pittsburgh, the Pirates designated Rowdy Tellez and Michael A. Taylor for assignment, presumably to give younger players some at-bats during this final stretch. Both of them had signed as one-year free agents in the offseason, though their production was disappointing. The Tellez cut was notable as the hulking first baseman was only four plate appearances short of earning a $200,000 bonus.

⚾ Atlanta confirmed that Austin Riley has been ruled out for the remainder of 2024, after the team originally had hoped that he could return for the playoffs. Recent testing revealed that the third baseman’s fractured hand has not healed as fast as expected, leaving him no choice but to continue to rest and rehab into the offseason. If the team makes it into October, they will probably rely on a mix of Gio Urshela and Whit Merrifield to man the hot corner. 

 

Articles You Should Read

 

6 Potential Postseason Breakout Stars —  MLB.com

The Strongest Positions of NL Contenders — Jay Jaffe, Fangraphs

 

Fantasy Baseball Coverage

 

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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.

One response to “MLB News & Moments You Should Know: 9/25/2024”

  1. John B says:
    September 25, 2024 at 1:25 PM

    Really no love for the Tigers??? The kind of comeback the Tigers are attempting has only happened once in MLB history. The 1973 Mets stand as the only team to ever make the playoffs in a non-shortened season after being eight or more games under .500 in August.

    What the Tigers are attempting to do and seemed poised to do is historic…..they should really have their own article. How can you not love such a Cinderella team like this who had no business being where they are at right now.

    The Tigers are 28-11 since Aug. 11, the best record in baseball in that span, and have gone from eight games under .500 to nine games above at 83-74 with a 1½-game lead for the final AL wild-card spot after winning Tuesday.

    Cmon show them the respect they deserve. It’s been a long road for us Detroit fans.

    Reply

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