The miraculous Matt Carpenter comeback was put on pause last month when the infielder/outfielder for the Yankees fractured his foot. On August 10, it was reported that he would need surgery and be reevaluated in a month, with the club hopeful he could return in 6-8 weeks. Here we are almost a month later and Carpenter has made progress but not much. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports that Carpenter underwent some X-rays that showed healing but it isn’t enough to get him out of his protective walking boot. He’ll be reevaluated again in 10-14 days, says manager Aaron Boone.
That essentially eliminates any chance of Carpenter returning at the short end of that 6-8 time frame and even puts the longer end of it in doubt. By the time that next evaluation rolls around, it will already have been six weeks since the injury. Even if Carpenter gets good news at that point, he will surely need some kind of rehab assignment to get him back into game shape after such a long layoff. That could also be a challenge if the injury lingers, as most minor league teams will be winding down their seasons in the coming weeks. The Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are the Yankee affiliate that goes the latest, though their last scheduled game is September 28, three weeks from today.
Prior to the injury, Carpenter was on an absolute tear, hitting 15 home runs in 47 games and slashing .305/.412/.727 for a wRC+ of 218. It’s all the more remarkable given that Carpenter was hitting at a below-average rate in the previous three seasons. The club has seemingly missed that hot bat, going 10-13 since August 10. They have a 4 1/2 game lead over the Rays and a six game cushion on the Blue Jays in the AL East race.
Some other tidbits from around the league…
- Dodgers righty Tony Gonsolin was placed on the IL due to a forearm strain August 29, but since the move was retroactive to August 26, he’s eligible to come off in a few days. Gonsolin has been playing catch in recent days, which is perhaps a sign that he’s not far from returning. However, it’s not all good news, with Juan Toribio of MLB.com relaying word from manager Dave Roberts that Gonsolin isn’t progressing as quickly as they initially hoped for. The Dodgers are virtually guaranteed a bye through the first round of the playoffs and can take their time with Gonsolin, though it’s at least noteworthy that the plan isn’t on schedule so far. The righty had enjoyed a tremendous breakout season, throwing 128 1/3 innings with a 2.10 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate and 43.2% groundball rate.
- White Sox righty Michael Kopech landed on the IL August 23 due to a knee strain but was activated today after a minimum stint. After missing all of 2019 and 2020, Kopech threw 69 1/3 innings last year and has already jumped up to 110 2/3 here in 2022, coming into today’s action. He’s fared well overall on the season, registering a 3.58 ERA, though his 21.4% strikeout rate and 12% are both a bit worse than league average, with a .228 BABIP likely helping him keep that ERA down. The club will be looking for a strong finish from Kopech and the team overall, as they are currently three games back of the Guardians in the Central and 7 1/2 out of a Wild Card spot.
- The Rays have reinstated infielder Brandon Lowe from the IL, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Lowe landed on the shelf due to a right triceps contusion but has now returned after a minimum stay. It was the second IL stint of the year for Lowe, who also missed about two months due to a back issue. Despite the multiple ailments, he’s still hitting .234/.319/.405 on the season for a wRC+ of 114. That’s a bit of a drop-off from his previous seasons but still 14% above league average. Tampa is in the thick of all the American League action, sitting 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the East while grappling with the Mariners and Blue Jays for the top Wild Card spot.
If Gonsolin can get back and log another 2 or 3 good solid starts he might still have a shot at the CY.
Agreed. NL is close with Alcantara, Fried, Burnes, Urias, and Gonsolin.
Two CY contenders on one team = good for the team, bad for the players.
Re: Matt Carpenter
For the umptieth time…..
Older professional athletes get injured more often and take longer to heal.
Same as any other group of people.
Let’s just say I am not convinced his season is “miraculous”. While anything is possible, he hit 22 HRs in 763 ABs, or 17 per 600 ABs, over his preceding three season. This season, he’s on pace for 70 in 600 ABs. At a minimum of 150 PAs, this is the 32nd best wRC+ since 2000, out of 209 qualifiers. And the only one to have a better age 36 season was Bonds.
What are you saying, Joe?
I’m saying that there is a decent chance he is on PEDs. The sample size is not big enough to be sure, but he’s never been this good. Going back to 2015, 7 years, he’s 7 in a month 1x, 8 in a month twice, and 11 in a month once. So he’s had 4 big months in a period of 7 years.
And he absolutely blows away those records in roughly a month of ABs, at age 36? That’s incredibly unusual. Or another way of looking at is, he’s averaged 1 HR/28.31 ABs for his career, and i HR/8.53 ABs this year.
Shame on you.
Is this a Jack Handy impersonation?
“It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.”
“To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there’s no music, no
choreography, and the dancers hit each other.”
“To me, clowns aren’t funny. In fact, they’re kind of scary. I’ve wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad.” – Jack Handey
“To me, Matt carpenter’s season may be miraculous when compared to Matt carpenter’s prior output. But, when you see what he’s on a pace for across a full season without a full season to go then reduce that sample size back to the sample size he’s played in, he’s no Barry bonds”
-Jack Handey (probably)
It’s an adjective, no need to quantify it. His season could be miraculous in that he was a cast off and came to to relevance.
“I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus and a clown killed my Dad.” Hahahahahahaha I am rolling…
“If I ever get real rich, I hope I’m not real mean to poor people, like I am now.” – Jack Handey
“If the glove don’t fit, you must acquit.” -J. Cochran
Carpenter’s next AB will in ST.
Trumbo, 100 degrees and I pass out. Been there, done that. After a six hour run, after a three hour jazz gig, and the day after my surgery. Don’t go outside! Good lord.
Fink, resting and sleeping are number one on my list. Then there’s trash talking the Yankees. But to be properly annoying you need to be properly rested. I’m just the whole package.
Fire at will.
Which one’s Will?
Which one’s Will?
B-dum tisss.
I post a comment. It doesn’t show up. I refresh the page. Still not there. I repost. The first post shows up. I refresh the page. The second post shows up. Can’t delete or edit after refreshing the page. What a system.
What an incredible disappointment Moncado and Kopeck have been for the Sox, Boston won that trade bigly