Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day this Halloween:
1. Diamondbacks fall behind at home:
The Diamondbacks dropped the first game of the World Series homestand last night as the Rangers won 3-1. That leaves Arizona trailing in the series, two games to one, as they prepare for Game 4 this evening. As the club did in Game 4 of the NLCS, the Diamondbacks will once again turn to a bullpen game, opened by left-hander Joe Mantiply (4.26 ERA this postseason). Texas, on the other hand, will start lefty Andrew Heaney (6.00 postseason ERA) with righty Dane Dunning (6.00 postseason ERA) and southpaw Cody Bradford (1.35 postseason ERA) as potential piggyback options. Another point of intrigue surrounds second baseman Ketel Marte, who will look to extend his record-breaking playoff hitting streak to 20 consecutive games as he enters the day slashing .333/.362/.545 this postseason. Tonight’s game is slated to begin at 7:03pm CT.
2. Rangers dealing with uncertainty following injuries:
Even as the Rangers took a 2-1 lead in the World Series last night, however, they too face considerable uncertainty going forward. That’s thanks to injuries sustained by two of their key players: outfielder and ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia, who walked off Game 1 of the World Series with an 11th-inning homer but departed yesterday’s game with a left side issue; and veteran right-hander Max Scherzer, who departed his start last night after three innings due to back spasms.
While Garcia underwent an MRI last night, with Rangers manager Bruce Bochy indicating (as relayed by Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today) that the club is “optimistic” regarding their slugger, the chances of Scherzer making another appearance during the series appear far murkier. While Scherzer has indicated he’ll have a better idea of whether or not he can take the mound for Game 7 on Wednesday, it’s fair to wonder if Texas can afford to wait that long before bringing a fresh arm in to replace Scherzer, particularly given the fact that they club is scheduled to play both today and tomorrow.
3. Surgeries for Walls, Cobb could complicate offseason plans:
Both Rays shortstop Taylor Walls and Giants right-hander Alex Cobb were announced yesterday to be undergoing hip surgery. Cobb figures to miss at least the beginning of the 2024 campaign, while Walls is expected to resume baseball activities in February. That puts Opening Day 2024 into down for the infielder, though the Rays are reportedly optimistic about his chances of being ready for the start of the regular season. On the heels of those surgeries, both the Giants and Rays figure to have their offseason to-do lists impacted.
The Giants, now without any surefire starting options beyond Logan Webb for Opening Day 2024, figure to look for starting pitching options this winter aided by a deep class of starting options that includes NPB star Yoshinobu Yamamoto alongside the likes of Blake Snell and Aaron Nola. The Rays, on the other hand, figure to shore up their infield depth this offseason following the loss of Walls, though the free agent crop of shortstop-capable infielders is far less inspiring, with the likes of Amed Rosario and Paul DeJong among the available options.
Garcia and Seager are the Rangers entire team this playoff run, I am still amazed anyone pitches to those 2. Literally take their HRs away and they have 0 playoff wins. Pitch super careful and if you walk them that’s fine, without them hitting HRs you win every game. Not sure why teams don’t clue in on that. Even the announcers say the same thing.
Shhhh, don’t tell everyone, it’s time for the Rangers to get their first WS win lol
>Garcia and Seager are the
> Rangers entire team
Evan Carter waves frantically with a smile.
Evan carter didn’t do much in the ALCS on offense. A few nice catches, though. However without Garcia, Houston is likely representing the AL
Overall in the postseason Carter has a 1.001 OPS in a fairly large sample of 62 PAs. You don’t want to walk people in front of this guy. That said, I doubt that Garcia will be back for the remainder of the Series. Looks like he popped an oblique pretty bad.
You could say the exact same thing about the Astros though in that series. Just take away Yordan and you got pretty much nothing. I know Altuve hit that HR, but Yordan was the main threat in that lineup.
So what you’re saying is don’t pitch to hitters who hit key HRs in the first three games, under the assumption they’re going to be the driving force in the next few games? Doesn’t work that way. You start walking those two guys every time up, then that puts runners on and increases pressure on the pitchers, and suddenly Evan Carter, Josh Jung and Mitch Garver are your punishers.
AZ. better enjoy their cute little season because no one will be hearing from them next year. They’re like the NCAA bracket buster that goes right back to being the small conference team they really are.
Arizona, although I’m not a fan, have a good core of players to build around. Add some top of the rotation pitchers and a star bat you can have a contender for awhile. But what do I know.
Sounds like sour grapes there to me.
Kelly 34
Longoria 37
Pham 35
Seward 33
Peterson 33
All eligible to be put out to pasture
Carroll is overrated. Real stars can reach 30 hr and 100 RBIs. He hasn’t
Lovullo is nothing but a glorified first base coach that has read a few motivational books and plagiarizes them every press conference
The Dodgers, Padres, and Giants will all remind them where they belong next year. The best thing in Arizona will be the Coyotes and they won’t stick around
Nice bait
Idk man. I’d like to thinks, but that’s a good young core without primadonnas that will challenge til they hit free agency. Then of course, the snakes won’t pay em and will hafta rebuild yet again.
> I’d like to thinks
Dangerous idea.
It’s time for Bochy to get his 4th ring. 2 more wins!
Just read Tom Verducci’s account in Sports Illustrated of how Max Scherzer could barely move in the Rangers clubhouse after the injury. They had to pull him up out of a chair when the pain was too great. This guy isn’t pitching again in the Series.
Maybe not ever again. But he’s had a great career.
I’ll believe that when they replace him on the roster. As is it only seems he needs to be in the news everyday
Oh no, how will Tampa replace a 70 OPS+ player? Good thing they spend money!
I was a little surprised when I checked the numbers for Walls in 2023. His 79+ OPS was pretty tepid but Baseball Reference loved his defense. So he got 2.0 bWAR in just 99 games and 349 PAs. I’m not saying he’s any kind of star, but he’s a useful player. He’s the kind of underrated guy that Tampa Bay loves because he can play but doesn’t cost too much.
Overall for his three years Walls has put up 6.0 bWAR in 295 games. Not bad at all and the Rays front office knows it.
The beauty of baseball is found in an inability to immediately name someone on any of the 100 win teams you’d rather have start an important playoff game than Brandon Pfaadt or Max Scherzer
Strider?
The playoffs/world series so far has been a clear justification for automating the calling of balls and strikes. The umps are affecting the outcome of games with incorrect calls.
You’re not going to see anything in 2024 because Manfred wants to “let the dust settle” after all the rules changes this year. But a three-challenge-per-game system may come in 2025 or 2026. Baseball seems to like the challenge system they’re testing in the minors. I’d like to see it myself because it would add some interesting strategy to the game. Plus the entertainment value for the fans at the ballpark of watching the challenges on the scoreboard.
When do you use the challenges? You don’t want to lose them early on and maybe have none left for the late innings of a close game. And which players do you allow to challenge? Some guys would go nuts and challenge every call that went against them.
Having to use strategy and challenges to overcome umpires’ ineptitude seems like a poor solution.
“That puts opening day into down…” Say what?
Walls is a utility INF at best. His bat is stuck in AA. Rays have Basabe and Caminero. I get everyone fills their shorts over his defense but he’s the guy that went 2 for 6 with an Error in their 2 playoff games. Consider me not impressed and I’d say he’s not exactly going to be heavily missed.
Feel awful for Cobb and the Giants. Shame that Farhans injury discount and bargain bin shopping hasn’t worked out with desclafani manaea and stripling but hopefully we see Beck and Harrison show as presentable starters next season and hopefully they can pull off some magic and bring Yamamoto to town.