The Opener

With the playoff field in both leagues now set, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on today:

1. Wild Card Series to begin in both leagues:

The Wild Card Series is set to begin today for both leagues, with things kicking off at 1:32pm CT in Houston as the Tigers come to town after a September surge made them this year’s most surprising postseason entrant. The Astros and ace left-hander Framber Valdez (2.91 ERA) will have their work cut out for them, as they’ll face likely AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal (2.39 ERA). Later in the day at 3:08pm CT, the Royals will held to Baltimore to face the Orioles in a duel between two more of the AL’s top pitchers: lefty Cole Ragans (3.14 ERA) and righty Corbin Burnes (2.92 ERA).

In the late afternoon and evening, the NL will get things started just 24 hours after the playoff field was set by a doubleheader between the Braves and Mets that sent both clubs to the postseason (and left the Diamondbacks home to watch from the sidelines). Newly-installed Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns heads back to his old stomping grounds of Milwaukee today for a matchup between Luis Severino (3.91 ERA) and Freddy Peralta (3.68 ERA), while the Braves head to San Diego without a clear starter in place. Likely NL Cy Young award winner Chris Sale (2.35 ERA) was expected to start Game 1 for Atlanta but is unlikely to be available due to back spasms, leaving the club to consider emergency options such as AJ Smith-Shawver and Ian Anderson to face off against Padres righty Michael King (2.95 ERA).

2. End-of-season pressers taking place around the league:

For teams that aren’t in the postseason mix, the offseason is getting off to an early start. Most clubs kick off their offseason with press conferences that reflect upon the prior campaign and look ahead to the coming winter, and a few clubs are scheduled to do just that today—including both World Series teams from 2023. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News noted yesterday that Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young will hold a press conference today, and the Diamondbacks announced that GM Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo will do the same at 1pm CT this afternoon. On the heels of replacing Farhan Zaidi with longtime franchise catcher Buster Posey at the helm of baseball operations, the Giants are also among the teams expected to hold an end-of-season presser sometime to day, as noted by The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

The season is now over for 18 of the leagues 30 teams, all of which are now looking toward Spring Training 2025 with hefty offseason to-do lists to complete. Whether your team figures to be active in free agency and on the trade market over the winter, figures to spend the early part of the offseason hunting for a new manager, or remains in the hunt for a World Series championship this year, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at noon CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

With the regular season now over for 28 of the league’s 30 clubs, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. NL Wild Card race reaches finish line:

MLB was forced to postpone the final two games of a three-game set between the Braves and Mets last week due to the impact of Hurricane Helene, but with the final two NL Wild Card spots still up in the air after the scheduled end of the regular season, those games will be made up as part of a doubleheader today. If either Atlanta or New York get swept in today’s doubleheader, they’ll miss the playoffs as the winner moves on to face the Padres in San Diego during the Wild Card Series, while the Diamondbacks head to Milwaukee for a match up against the Brewers. If the two teams split the series, the Braves will head to San Diego while the Mets head to Milwaukee, leaving Arizona out of the playoffs and unable to defend their status as the reigning champs of the NL.

Game 1 of today’s doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1:10pm local time in Atlanta. Rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (3.47 ERA in 20 starts) will be on the mound for the Braves in Game 1, and The Athletic’s David O’Brien was among those to note that veteran southpaw Chris Sale (2.38 ERA in 29 starts) will take the mound in Game 2 if the Braves are facing elimination. In the event that Braves win Game 1 today, however, Atlanta appears poised to push Sale back to tomorrow so he can face San Diego in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. As for the Mets, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com notes that right-hander Tylor Megill (3.98 ERA in 14 starts) is set to face Schwellenbach in Game 1 while Luis Severino (3.91 ERA in 31 starts) will start Game 2 if the Mets are facing elimination. Like Sale, Severino would be held back for the start of the Wild Card Series should New York emerge victorious in Game 1.

2. Cardinals to hold presser amid organizational changes:

As noted by MLB.com’s John Denton, the Cardinals are set to hold a press conference at 2pm local time in St. Louis this afternoon on the heels of a disappointing 83-79 season where the club missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. The presser comes on the heels of plenty of news in the rumor mill regarding the Cardinals’ future over the weekend. That includes a report that the club will part ways with longtime first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and look to deal veteran players over the winter in an effort to cut payroll, with veteran right-hander Sonny Gray among those who could be shopped. While president of baseball operations John Mozeliak and manager Oli Marmol are both set to remain in their roles with the club in 2025, former Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom figures to take a much larger role in the club’s front office going forward.

3. Red Sox to hold end of season press conference:

The Red Sox announced last week that manager Alex Cora, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and team president Sam Kennedy are scheduled to hold a press conference together later today to discuss the club’s plans for the offseason as they look ahead to 2025. Boston finished the year with an 81-81 record and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season, though they did enjoy breakouts from young members of their core like Tanner Houck, Jarren Duran, and Wilyer Abreu. Veteran starter Nick Pivetta, closer Kenley Jansen, set-up man Chris Martin, and slugger Tyler O’Neill are among the club’s outgoing free agents this winter.

Ahead of the 2024 regular season’s final weekend, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Freeman nursing injury:

While the mood surrounding the Dodgers was largely celebratory last night in the aftermath of the club clinching their 11th NL West title in 12 seasons, there was one possible cause for concern: first baseman Freddie Freeman, who departed last night’s game against the Padres during the seventh inning due to an ankle injury. As noted by MLB.com’s Juan Toribio, Freeman was in a walking boot and on crutches following last night’s game but seemed optimistic after telling reporters that x-rays came back negative, revealing a sprain.

Freeman noted that while his ankle is swollen, club officials are “optimistic” he’ll be ready to go in time for the playoffs when the NLDS kicks off next Saturday. Freeman joins Miguel Rojas as the second member of Los Angeles’ everyday starting lineup who won’t be participating in the club’s final series against Colorado in hopes of getting healthy enough to participate in the upcoming playoff run. The Dodgers appear likely to shift Max Muncy over to first base while Freeman is out, thereby opening the hot corner up for Enrique Hernandez.

2. Twins facing elimination:

The Twins are staring down elimination after dropping four of their previous five games to the Marlins and Red Sox, leaving them with a disastrous 9-15 record that has allowed the Tigers to surpass them in the AL Wild Card race. Just one season removed from breaking their lengthy drought without a playoff series win, Minnesota now sports a 82-77 record headed into the season’s final series. Both the Tigers and Royals have identical 85-74 records, leaving the Twins in need of a miracle to return to the postseason at this point.

They hold the tiebreaker over both of their rivals, but the club would need to not only sweep the Orioles in their final series of the season but also benefit from either Detroit or Kansas City getting swept in their final series of the year in order to make it into the playoffs. Of those two possibilities, the Royals getting swept by the Braves appears to be more likely than the Tigers getting swept by the White Sox, although Chicago has plenty of incentive to do everything it can to sweep considering they’d avoid taking sole possession of the modern era’s all-time loss record if they can extend their current winning streak from three games to six. Minnesota’s last stand begins at 7:10pm local time this evening when Pablo Lopez (4.11 ERA) takes on Baltimore rookie and former Twins prospect Cade Povich (5.59 ERA in 15 starts).

3. D-backs look to clinch:

The Padres have already clinched an NL Wild Card spot, but their final series of the regular season will still have major playoff implications as they head to the desert to face the Diamondbacks in a three-game set. Arizona currently holds an NL Wild Card spot with an 88-71 record that leaves them essentially tied with the Mets (87-70) and one game up on the Braves (86-71). Still, their playoff hopes aren’t quite as solid as it might seem at first glance after the final two games of this week’s series between Atlanta and New York were rescheduled for Monday. That leaves the Snakes in need of a sweep this weekend in order to punch their ticket to the postseason without waiting on the results of Monday’s doubleheader, as both the Mets and Braves hold the tiebreaker over them.

If Arizona manages to sweep the Padres, they’d finish with a record of 91-71. Either the Braves or Mets could reach that win total, but at least one club is guaranteed to fall short as the Braves would need to win all five of their remaining games in order to do so while the Mets would need to go at least 4-1. Anything less than a sweep, however, leaves Arizona’s fate in the hands of a doubleheader that will occur after they’ve wrapped up their regular season, a frustrating circumstance for the Diamondbacks that would leave them in limbo ahead of a potential NL Wild Card series on Tuesday. They’ll kick off their attempt to clinch at 6:40pm local time this evening with veteran righty Merrill Kelly (3.71 ERA) on the mound opposite Padres veteran Yu Darvish (3.18 ERA in 15 starts).

As the regular season nears its conclusion, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Oakland says goodbye:

After 57 years playing host to the Athletics franchise, the city of Oakland says goodbye to its beloved baseball team today as the club plays its final home game in the city. The club will move to Sacramento starting in 2025, though that stay is only temporary as they work toward construction of a new ballpark in their long-term home of Las Vegas. The club’s final few years in Oakland have been frustrating ones, as the club has slashed its budget amid a teardown that left the team to lose more than 300 games in the past three seasons.

The A’s leave Oakland on a sour note due to the team’s lackluster performance in recent years and ownership’s decision to pull out of stadium negotiations with the city in order to pivot to relocation. Even so, fans of the club can still look back fondly upon the club’s best years in the city. In all, the team brought home 21 playoff appearances, six pennants, and four World Series championships during its time in the Bay Area, including their 1972-1974 teams that accomplished the exceedingly rare feat of winning back-to-back-to-back championships. Today’s final game in Oakland, which will see the A’s pit rookie J.T. Ginn (4.40 ERA in seven appearances) against Rangers youngster Kumar Rocker (2.57 ERA in two starts), begins at 12:37pm local time.

2. Rojas nursing injury:

Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas exited last night’s win over the Padres with what he and manager Dave Roberts described to reporters (including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya and Rowan Kavner of FOX Sports) as an adductor issue that he’s been dealing with for several weeks. Rojas indicated that the plan is for him to get an injection in hopes of speeding up his recovery to allow him to get into a regular season game on Sunday, a path that would allow the Dodgers to make a more informed decision on whether or not he’s healthy enough to appear in the NLDS (or, should the Padres manage to run the club down for the NL West title, the NL Wild Card Series).

The 35-year-old Rojas began the season in a bench role but has emerged as L.A.’s starting shortstop, slashing a solid .283/.337/.410 to pair with his typical strong defense at the position. Tommy Edman figures to play shortstop in Rojas’ absence.

3. Orioles go for the sweep:

Both the Orioles and Yankees have clinched postseason spots, but that doesn’t mean the clubs have nothing to play for as the regular season nears its conclusion. The Orioles entered their series against the Yankees needing to win out for the remainder of the season while the Yankees lost out in order to run them down for the AL East crown. So far, they’ve taken the first two games of that series, keeping alive that long-shot possibility of Baltimore taking home its second consecutive division title. Today, the Yankees will look to finally clinch the AL East with ace Gerrit Cole (3.67 ERA in 16 starts) on the mound against Baltimore’s own ace, Corbin Burnes (2.95 ERA in 31 starts) in a game scheduled for 7:05pm local time. The winner of the AL East also earns a bye through the Wild Card round, raising the stakes of this evening’s contest even further.

As a number of postseason races go down to the wire in the final week of the regular season, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. NL West race tightens further:

The Padres punched their ticket to the postseason last night on a game-ending triple play against the Dodgers. While both clubs are now assured of a spot in the postseason, they both still have something to play for throughout this final week of the season. The Padres now sit just two games back in the NL West with two games to go in the head-to-head series. San Diego also holds the tiebreaker after beating L.A. in the season series, meaning that if they can complete a sweep of their division rivals they’ll exit the series tied in the standings but holding onto the NL West crown entering their final series of the season in Arizona. Tonight’s game will feature a battle of front-of-the-rotation arms for each club, with right-hander Dylan Cease (3.42 ERA) taking the mound against Jack Flaherty (3.40 ERA in nine starts with L.A.) at 7:10pm local time.

2. Sale makes final push for Triple Crown:

After their win over the Mets yesterday, the Braves are lined up to send their two best pitchers to the mound for games two and three of a pivotal series. In tonight’s game (scheduled for 7:20pm local time), veteran lefty Chris Sale will not only be pitching for his team’s playoff hopes but also to put the finishing touches on a sensational campaign that appears likely to earn him the first Cy Young Award of his career.

That’s not the only plaudit within reach for Sale, however, as he currently leads the majors by measure of ERA, has won 18 games to put him in a tie for the MLB lead with Tigers southpaw Tarik Skubal, and has struck out 225 batters this year, second only to Skubal’s 228. A strong start against the Mets would not only greatly improve Atlanta’s chances of returning to the postseason but could also wind up being what pushes him over the edge as he pursues a pitching Triple Crown. If he manages to overtake Skubal by season’s end and finish first in the majors in all three categories, he’d be the first pitcher to win an MLB-wide Triple Crown in a 162-game season since Johan Santana pulled off the feat in 2006.

3. Offseason managerial market taking shape:

Over the weekend, the Reds became the latest team to part ways with their manager when they fired David Bell after six seasons at the helm of the club. They join the White Sox and Mariners in having fired their managers this year, while it’s been a poorly kept secret for months that Skip Schumaker is likely to depart the Marlins at the end of the season after the club voided their 2025 option on his services to allow him to explore other options this winter.

The Mariners seem unlikely to jump into the managerial market this winter, as Dan Wilson replaced Servais without the “interim” label being attached to his title. But the Sox, Reds, and Marlins could be joined by more clubs looking for new management if other teams part ways with their managers as the regular season comes to a close. The Rockies have reportedly not yet made a decision on Bud Black’s future with his contract set to expire after the season, while there have been reports of potential changes looming in St. Louis as well.

With the 2024 regular season nearing its end, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. White Sox on the cusp of history:

With their 120th loss of the season on Sunday, the 2024 White Sox took sole possession of the all-time record for losses in the American League away from the 2003 Detroit Tigers. A loss in the opener of today’s series against the Angels, which is set to feature right-hander Jonathan Cannon (4.61 ERA) against Angels youngster Jack Kochanowicz (4.56 in nine starts), would break Chicago’s tie with the 1962 Mets for the most losses by any team in the modern era.

That’s a record that seems all but guaranteed to be shattered sooner or later as the Sox would have to sweep their final six games of the regular season to avoid it, but there are other records that could be in play as the club’s disastrous season winds down. Namely, winning at least three of their remaining six games would allow the club to avoid breaking the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics’ modern era record for worst winning percentage of .235. Meanwhile, winning even one more game before the end of the season would allow the White Sox to avoid tying those aforementioned A’s, as well as the same club’s 1919 season, for the fewest wins in the modern era excluding the shortened 60-game campaign in 2020.

2. Mets, Braves clash over Wild Card:

The Mets are in Atlanta this evening for a three-game set against the Braves that could determine the makeup of the playoff picture in the National League. After a loss by the Diamondbacks yesterday while both Atlanta and New York were off, the Braves now sit just 1.5 games back of a Wild Card spot. The Mets hold a half-game lead over the D-backs for the second NL Wild Card spot. While the Braves and Mets clash, Arizona will continue its home series against the Giants.

A sweep by the Braves would vault them ahead of the Mets, and even taking two of three would be awfully significant as it would not only cut the club’s deficit in the standings but hand Atlanta a victory in the season series (which is currently split 5-5) and the accompanying tiebreaker. Given the fact that the Braves already hold the tiebreaker over the Diamondbacks this year, winning even two of these three games would put them in a much stronger position to make the postseason headed into the season’s final series over the weekend. Things are set to get started in Atlanta at 7:20pm local time when the Braves send rookie Spencer Schwellenbach (3.61 ERA in 19 starts) to the mound opposite righty Luis Severino (3.79 ERA).

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

As the regular season winds down, there’s still plenty of chaos in the Wild Card races as on top of this week’s pivotal series for the NL race there’s a whopping six teams still in play for the final two AL Wild Card spots, including four that are within 1.5 games of a playoff spot. If you’re wondering about how your team stacks up headed into October or how your club could approach the coming offseason, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

As the final week of the 2024 regular season kicks off, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. AL Wild Card race tightens:

The American League has put the “wild” in Wild Card this weekend. After months of the Royals and Twins consistently holding the final two Wild Card spots behind the Orioles, things got more interesting over the weekend as the red-hot Tigers knocked Minnesota out of playoff position entirely. Now, Kansas City and Detroit are tied for the last two playoff spots in the AL with identical 82-74 records, with the Twins just one game behind at 81-75. Should things come down to a tiebreaker, the Twins would benefit as they hold the tiebreaker over both Kansas City and Detroit, while the Royals won the tiebreaker over the Tigers.

The Wild Card isn’t limited to AL Central teams, though, and the Mariners notably lurk just one game back of Minnesota at 80-76 though all three Central clubs hold tiebreakers over Seattle. Meanwhile, neither the Red Sox nor the Rays have technically been eliminated at this point, but it would take a miracle for either 78-78 club to squeak into the postseason. Of all the potential Wild Card contenders in the AL, only the Mariners play today as they start a three-game set against the Astros that could either officially eliminate them from the AL West or vault them back into a playoff spot. That series kicks off at 7:10pm local time in Houston tonight, with youngsters Bryce Miller (3.06 ERA) and Hunter Brown (3.57 ERA) set to face off.

2. Phillies could clinch division:

The Phillies lost out on an opportunity to clinch the NL East against their division rival this weekend when they dropped the final two games of their series against the Mets, but that doesn’t have to stop them from clinching in front of the home crowd. The club will start their final regular season home series at 6:40pm local time this evening against the recently-eliminated Cubs, and winning any game in the three-game set would clinch the division. Meanwhile, sweeping Chicago would guarantee for the Phillies that they’ll land a bye through the NL Wild Card series. Their series against the Cubs kicks off tonight with right-hander Aaron Nola (3.54 ERA) on the mound opposite a likely bullpen game for Chicago that’s likely to be started by Nate Pearson (3.13 ERA in Chicago).

3. Moreno undergoing MRI:

The Diamondbacks are set to wrap up their regular season at home this week, hoping to clinch a playoff spot with six games to go against the Giants and Padres. While the reigning NL champs appear likely to make their second consecutive playoff run this October, it’s up in the air who will be behind the plate for them during that run after the club announced (as noted by Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic) that Moreno exited yesterday’s game against the Brewers with left adductor tightness.

Piecoro notes that the injury affects the same side as the groin strain that sent him to the IL for more than a month recently, and D-Backs reporter Jody Jackson notes that Moreno is set to undergo an MRI today. The loss of Moreno for the postseason would be a tough one for Arizona to stomach, as he not only won the Gold Glove for his work behind the plate last year but also has posted a 108 wRC+ in 92 games this season. Glove-first backup Jose Herrera and hot-hitting prospect Adrian Del Castillo (who batted .313/.368/.525 in 87 plate appearances in his first taste of MLB action this summer) would take over catching duties if Moreno misses time.

With the final week of the regular season just over the horizon, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Soto undergoing testing:

Yankees superstar Juan Soto had a scary moment during the club’s game against the Mariners yesterday when he slid hard into the right field wall while making a catch in the outfield. Soto stayed on the ground briefly but got up and resumed play shortly thereafter. As noted by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, the initial diagnosis on Soto’s knee was a contusion but the Yankees are still sending the phenom for x-rays to make sure there isn’t a more serious issue at play. The addition of Soto over the offseason completed transformed the Yankees’ lineup headed into the 2024 campaign, and the 25-year-old star has delivered with an incredible .286/.418/.575 slash line in 149 games this year. The Yankees clinched a spot in the postseason earlier this week, meaning they’ll be able to afford the pending free agent plenty of rest ahead of the postseason should that prove necessary.

2. Series Preview: Tigers @ Orioles

The Tigers have emerged as baseball’s most fascinating story this September as they’ve surged to a 11-5 record this month that’s allowed them to catch a flailing Twins club that’s gone 7-11 since the start of the month, leaving the two teams tied in the final AL Wild Card spot. Minnesota won the season series over Detroit and holds the tiebreaker between the two clubs, however, meaning that if the Tigers are to close out their surprise run to the postseason they’ll need to keep winning games, including a tough three-game set this weekend against the Orioles in Baltimore. Meanwhile, the Orioles have plenty of incentive to make the road as difficult as possible for the Tigers as they could clinch a playoff spot in front of their home crowd this weekend with a sweep.

Detroit has not yet announced their starter for tonight’s game, but the series will kick off at 7:05pm local time tonight with Corbin Burnes (3.06 ERA) on the mound for the Orioles. Tomorrow, right-hander Reese Olson (3.50 ERA) will take on lefty Cade Povich (5.74 ERA in 14 starts) and the series will wrap on Sunday with an as-of-yet undetermined starter on the mound for Detroit against breakout journeyman Albert Suarez (3.60 ERA).

3. Pitchers’ Duel in Texas:

Two of the league’s most talented starters are set to face off at Globe Life Field this evening when the Mariners send youngster George Kirby to the mound to face Jacob deGrom in the veteran’s second start since returning from Tommy John surgery. Kirby, 26, has had a down year by his lofty standards thanks to a brutal six-start stretch that began in mid-August where he saw his ERA balloon from 3.13 to 3.77 thanks primarily to a whopping nine home runs surrendered in 31 innings of work. He bounced back from that rare tough stretch in his most recent start, however, blanking the very same Rangers club he’s set to face tonight with seven scoreless innings that saw him allow just one hit in a 7-0 victory over the club in Seattle last week.

Also making his second consecutive start against the same club is deGrom, who struck out four in 3 2/3 scoreless innings of work against Seattle during his season debut last week. It was just deGrom’s 33rd start since the start of the 2021 season as the veteran ace has battled injury after injury in recent years, but on a rate basis he’s been the most effective starter in all of baseball over that time with a microscopic 1.99 ERA and an even strong 1.60 FIP in 190 1/3 combined innings of work that have seen him punch out 42.8% of opponents.

After the Yankees and Brewers punched their tickets to the postseason yesterday, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Ohtani approaches 50-50:

$700MM man and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani entered the 2024 season unable to pitch after undergoing elbow surgery last September, leaving him to act as a pure DH this season (for now, at least). That reality seemingly suggested that the rest of the National League would be able to avoid being overshadowed by the Dodgers’ new star in the first year of his contract, but Ohtani appears poised to make history in a new way: by becoming the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.

It’s a feat that could propel Ohtani to another kind of history—the first MVP award win for a full-time DH—and with ten games to go in the regular season Ohtani is tantalizingly close to the milestone with 48 home runs and 49 steals. He’ll look to take another step toward history this afternoon in Miami, with first pitch scheduled for 4:40pm local time.

2. Key matchups for NL Wild Card contenders:

The NL Wild Card race has tightened up, with the Mets (84-68) and Diamondbacks (84-68) now tied in the standings while occupying the second and third spots. The Braves (82-70) are also still in the thick of the race, currently sitting two games behind Arizona and New York. Today could provide Atlanta the opportunity to make up ground in the race, as both the Mets and Diamondbacks are scheduled to begin series against tough opponents.

The Snakes are headed to Milwaukee for a set against a Brewers club that just clinched the NL Central, while a Phillies club that hopes to punch its own ticket to the postseason is headed for an evening game in Queens. Meanwhile, the Braves will have ace Chris Sale on the mound for a game against the Reds and rookie Julian Aguiar (4.88 ERA in six starts). The 35-year-old Sale will be looking to put the finishing touches on his resume for the NL Cy Young Award and inch closer to a possible pitching triple crown: Sale leads the majors with a 2.35 ERA and is tied for the major league lead with 17 wins this year. He’s just two strikeouts short of the MLB lead with 219 to Tarik Skubal’s 221, and just one behind Dylan Cease’s 220 strikeouts for the National League lead.

3. Twins barely holding on:

The Twins (80-72) have struggled badly down the stretch this year with a 5-10 record in their last 15 games. Those struggles have opened the door for a surging Tigers club (80-73) to force its way into contention for the AL Wild Card spot with an exactly inverted 10-5 record in their own last 15 games. With Detroit off today, the Twins will either either extend their lead to a full game or fall into a tie. Although Minnesota does hold the tiebreaker after winning the season series between the two clubs, the Twins surely don’t want the race getting any tighter.

To prevent that, they’ll have to best an 88-65 Guardians team that has started to run away with the AL Central and appears likely to enter the postseason with a bye through the Wild Card round. Cleveland won yesterday’s game between the two clubs in a one-run heartbreaker that extended to extra innings. The Twins will send rookie Simeon Woods Richardson (4.08 ERA in 26 starts) to the mound against struggling Guardians rookie Joey Cantillo (4.99 ERA in six starts). The game is scheduled for 1:10pm local time.

As the regular season winds down, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the day:

1. Magic Numbers down to one:

It’s “Magic Number” season in baseball, as several clubs around the league look to clinch postseason berths and/or division crowns in the waning days of the 2024 season. Heading into play Wednesday, each of the Brewers, Phillies and Yankees have a magic number of 1. Two of those clubs, the Brewers and Phillies, square off against each other. Milwaukee sends Freddy Peralta (3.75 ERA) to the mound opposite longtime Phillies star Aaron Nola (3.52 ERA) in what should be a well-pitched matchup. Even though the two teams are facing one another, they can still both clinch playoff appearances tonight. The Brewers would clinch their division either by topping the Phillies or if the Cubs lose to the visiting A’s in today’s early game. Meanwhile, the Phils would clinch a postseason berth if they best the Brewers or if the Braves drop their road game against the Reds. As for the Yankees, they’ll send lefty Nestor Cortes (3.90 ERA) to the mound opposite Mariners righty Bryce Miller (3.12 ERA) as they look to punch their own ticket to October baseball.

2. Steele to return to the mound:

Cubs left-hander Justin Steele went on the injured list earlier this month with an injury scare that was eventually diagnosed as elbow flexor tendonitis. At the time, it was unclear if Steele would be healthy enough to return to action this year. Since then, he’s been symptom-free and even threw a 40-pitch bullpen session over the weekend, opening the door to a potential return. That possibility will become a reality today, as the lefty figures to take the mound in Chicago opposite A’s rookie Brady Basso (1.23 ERA in two starts) at 1:20pm local time.

Steele has been limited to just 22 starts between his most recent trip to the IL and a hamstring strain that occurred on Opening Day, but when healthy enough to take the mound he’s turned in his third consecutive excellent campaign with a 3.09 ERA (130 ERA+) and 3.13 FIP in 128 innings. The Cubs will need to clear a spot on the active roster before today’s game.

3. Marlins 40-man move incoming:

Steele isn’t the only left-handed starter returning from the injured list today. Marlins southpaw Ryan Weathers is scheduled to start today’s game against the Dodgers, facing L.A. rookie Landon Knack (3.70 ERA in ten starts) at 6:40pm local time this evening. Weathers, 24, posted a solid 3.55 ERA and 3.93 FIP in 13 starts with the Marlins earlier this year but has been on the injured list since June due to a finger strain.

The seventh overall pick of the 2018 draft was transferred to the 60-day IL in July, meaning the Marlins will need to clear both active and 40-man roster space prior to this evening’s game. With less than two weeks to go in the regular season, it’s possible the club could simply transfer an injured player who won’t return this year to the 60-day IL in Weathers’ place. Vidal Brujan, Derek Hill, Max Meyer, Calvin Faucher and John McMillon are all on the 10-day or 15-day injured list at the moment.