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There are only six weeks left in MLB’s regular season. This is the time of year when schedules truly come into play. Some teams will have a better path to the postseason than others that are battling for the same playoff spot, but will the teams with the easier schedule capitalize on their advantage or misfire only to wonder “What if?” once Game 162 is in the books? It would be cool if all the teams faced each other down the stretch, but that won’t happen. I know interleague play has to happen with at least two teams every set of series, but MLB should do a better job of putting the projected lesser teams against each other. For instance, the A’s play nothing but teams battling for a postseason spot (as of this writing) in September except for two games against the Los Angeles Angels. Similarly, the Colorado Rockies‘ September is full of contending teams, but who could have predicted a White Sox-Rockies series at the end of the season would have meant anything? Anyways, some fan bases will cry over the schedule, but in truth, maybe your team should have won some more games in April or May.
Today’s Headlines
Henderson Bests Skubal As Brewers Prevail
Maybe the Milwaukee Brewers had their own version of Tarik Skubal all along. OK, that may be a wee bit of a stretch, but right-handed starter Logan Henderson certainly showed why the Brewers didn’t want to deal him for the two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner at the trade deadline. With Henderson squaring off against Skubal as the NL Central-leading Brewers faced the two-time defending World Series champions at Dodger Stadium in the finale of a four-game series, Milwaukee got the better pitching performance in a 6-2 triumph. The win not only kept the Crew with the best record in MLB at 77-48, but it gave the Brewers the season series and thus the tiebreaker for the postseason should that come into play. Jake Bauers, a left-handed hitter, went 4-for-4 with two RBIOs for the Brewers, all coming against left-handed pitchers, three vs. Skubal, while Jackson Chourio had three hits, including two doubles, and scored three runs. Henderson allowed just one run on three hits and a walk while going a career-high seven innings, striking out six. Skubal needed a season-high 109 pitches to make it through six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Leading 2-1 entering the seventh, Bauers doubled home Chourio and scored on Andrew Vaughn’s single for a 4-1 advantage. In the ninth and with the bases loaded, David Hamilton hit a potential inning-ending grounder at a drawn-in second baseman Tommy Edman, but he whiffed on the catch, allowing two more runs to score.
Tommy John, Pitcher And Surgery Icon, Dies At 83
Sometimes you get known more for something you didn’t really do than the things you actually accomplished. Such was the fate for Tommy John, who died Sunday at age 83 at his home in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. Everyone in baseball, from MLB all the way down to youth leagues, knows about John. After all, the left-handed starter has a surgery named after him. Not that he performed the reconstructive procedure on his injured left elbow. That was Dr. Frank Jobe, who was watching John pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers in July 1974 when he tore an elbow ligament, which at the time was a death sentence for a pitcher’s career. Jobe came up with a surgery that took a tendon from the 31-year-old John’s right wrist and transplanted it into his left elbow, performing the procedure that September. After missing the rest of the 1974 season and all of 1975, John returned in 1976 and pitched until 1989, when he was 46. John would notch 164 of his 288 career victories after the groundbreaking procedure, which now bears his name. After a 10-10 first season back, John was a 20-game winner in three of the next four seasons (1977, 1979, 1980). He had never won more than 16 games before the surgery. He had a 3.34 ERA in his 26-year career, yet never received more than 31.6% of the vote required for election into the Hall of Fame. Check out this obituary-retrospective by Tyler Kepner of The Athletic. Here is more reaction from around MLB.
White Sox Make Statement With Sweep Of Tigers
You can keep waiting for the Chicago White Sox to buckle. This upstart team just hasn’t shown that they are going to crack. Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas each hit their 28th homer of the year and Drew Romo added his seventh as the White Sox completed a three-game sweep of the equally surprising (for different reasons) Detroit Tigers with a 7-5 win. The White Sox took firmer control of the AL Central after back-to-back 100-loss seasons, now leading the second-place Tigers by 5½ games and third-place Minnesota Twins by six. It was Murakami’s two-run shot in the seventh inning that snapped a 4-4 tie. Perhaps the motivation for this series was that the Tigers swept the White Sox in Detroit, the site of this weekend’s series, a couple months ago. Vargas sealed the deal with his ninth-inning solo shot.
Rice Redeems Self Following Error With Homer
Ben Rice certainly isn’t in the New York Yankees‘ lineup for his glove. There is a reason why he can’t stick behind his natural position of catcher at the MLB level and is instead usually at first base (cue the Ron Washington line from “Moneyball”) or the designated hitter. His bat, however, is worth whatever defensive shortcomings he has. Well, both of those, um, skills were on display as he misplayed a ninth-inning grounder that led to the Toronto Blue Jays tying the game, then he atoned by hitting a two-run homer in the top of the 10th for a 4-3 Yankees victory. It was just Rice’s second homer of August, but his 33rd of the year for a Yankees team that has been scuffling offensively.
Cameron Dazzles With 1-Hitter
Kansas City Royals left-handed starter Noah Cameron hasn’t had the success of last year’s rookie season. Sophomore slump? Sure. Baseball is a game of adjustments. But his outing against the Los Angeles Angels in the series finale may kick him into a higher gear for the remainder of the season. Cameron pitched his first career complete game, allowing just a seventh-inning single in the Royals’ 3-0 victory over the Angels. Cameron walked one and struck out eight in posting the Royals’ first one-hit shutout since Zack Greinke’s on Aug. 30, 2009. Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Massey each hit solo homers.
By The Numbers
200 Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease recorded his 200th strikeout in a 4-3 loss to the Yankees, the sixth straight season he has hit the milestone. Cease struck out 10 in 6⅓ innings.
100 Seattle Mariners right-handed closer Andrés Muñoz notched his 100th career save in locking down a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros.
36 Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson clubbed his 36th homer of the season in a 5-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, avoiding a three-game sweep.
0-3 After winning all nine games of a road trip, the Tampa Bay Rays have lost the first three games of a seven-game homestand following a 10-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Not Three, Just A Triple
Not everyone can have the type of MLB debut that Joshua Baez had Saturday for the St. Louis Cardinals. But Brett Callahan of the Tigers certainly had a memorable first MLB game Sunday, tripling on the first pitch he saw, driving in two.
How Else To Pick Draft Order?
With fantasy football season rapidly approaching, the means folks on MLB teams need to figure out their draft order. This is how the Blue Jays did it.
Can’t Catch Me
Atlanta’s Michael Harris II did a version of the Dikembe Mutombo finger wave after stealing second.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson left Sunday’s game in the third inning after taking a big swing and will be placed on the 10-day injured list. The Cubs said it was left side discomfort, with more testing planned. Meanwhile, Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera (strained right hamstring) was activated from the 15-day IL and started the series finale vs. the St. Louis Cardinals.
⚾ Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado left Sunday’s game in the fourth inning with an injury that is in the “intercostal area.” More testing will be done to determine the extent of the injury.
⚾ Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski (left forearm inflammation) was placed on the 15-day IL following his start Saturday.
⚾ The Detroit Tigers promoted outfielder Brett Callahan, a 13th-round draft choice in 2023, to make his MLB debut.
⚾ Atlanta is set to release 40-year-old first baseman Carlos Santana from his minor-league contract. He hopes to land with a contender for the stretch drive.
Articles You Should Read
The Dodgers need Mookie to be Mookie — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times
Baez’s borrowed cleats headed to Cooperstown after historic debut — Zach Sweet, MLB.com
Consistent playing time leading to big results for Marlins slugger Conine — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
