It’s the first Wednesday of the 2024 regular season, and here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around baseball today:
1. Jason Heyward to the injured list?
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) that outfielder Jason Heyward’s recent scans came back negative, but the team has not yet decided if he’ll require a stint on the injured list. That decision will come at some point today, presumably ahead of this evening’s series finale with the Giants. Heyward has been dealing with back stiffness and has not played since Saturday.
The Dodgers re-signed Heyward on a one-year, $9MM deal this winter following his bounce-back season in 2023. It was his first healthy campaign since 2020. While Heyward and the Dodgers are surely hoping he can skip the IL, his quick return could be bad news for Taylor Trammell, whom the Dodgers claimed off of waivers from the Mariners on Monday. Ardaya notes that Trammell was acquired specifically as a backup option in case Heyward misses time.
2. Tigers, Pirates, and Brewers looking to maintain perfect records
With nearly a week of regular-season play in the books, three clubs have yet to lose a game: the Tigers (4-0), Pirates (5-0), and Brewers (4-0). After sweeping the White Sox in their opening series, the Tigers took game one against the Mets on Monday night before rain canceled their matchup on Tuesday. Casey Mize will take the hill for Detroit this evening, looking to keep the win streak alive. Meanwhile, the Pirates and Brewers sit atop the NL Central. Pittsburgh will send its ace, Mitch Keller, to the mound tonight in Washington to take on Trevor Williams of the Nationals. Milwaukee will start Joe Ross against Chris Paddack of the Twins in what will be Ross’ first MLB appearance since August 2021. The Brewers are hoping to sweep their second consecutive series.
3. Mets, Marlins still seeking first wins
While things are rolling for the Tigers, Pirates, and Brewers, the same cannot be said of the Mets (0-4) and Marlins (0-6), both of whom are still seeking their first wins of the season. New York is hoping to rain on Detroit’s parade tonight, sending Adrian Houser to face off against Mize in his Mets debut. The actual rain, however, might have other ideas; the Mets and Tigers are at risk of getting rained out for the second day in a row. Meanwhile, in Miami, A.J. Puk will hope his second career MLB start goes better than his first as the Marlins try to avoid getting swept for the second series in a row.
So much for the Yankees perfect season. LOL.
I do think the clock has struck midnight for Cortez though. He definitely ain’t the pitcher he was in ’21 & ’22. The Yankees are going to need to make a trade by the deadline for a good starter.
Why don’t you try and not buy a title
It’s borderline amazing how teams spend upwards of $200M and wind up relying on other teams’ sloppy seconds for 1/3 of their rosters.
wind up relying on other teams’ sloppy seconds for 1/3 of their rosters.
=========================
There are no 100% complete teams.
In fact, it would probably be counter-productive. The last guy on the bench and the last two guys in the BP are usually cannon fodder.
All teams buy wins, Steve.
With the NIL even the NCAA buys wins.
The NIL is a disgrace. No issues paying athletes but if they are, call them professionals as they really are. So unfair to the true amateur athlete.
It absolutely is a disgrace anyone who thinks otherwise needs a reality check.
Are there any true amateur sports, or only sports that no one cares enough to pay for?
True “amateur” athletes also care about their education and receive theirs at the schools they’d still be at, anyway. NIL or no NIL…if you’re a D2 player…you’re a D2. There’s good baseball all over now.
So… Nestor festered?
That about sums it up Gwynning. It’s not just a bad result with him. His pitches have nothing on them. At least last year before he went down, gis first two times through the order was very good. It was the third time through when things got ugly. This year it’s all bad.
Indeed he did
Nestor seemed to settle in after a rough first inning in both of his starts but he definitely doesn’t look like a SP anymore. He’s going to the bullpen once Cole is healthy
Give everyone an opportunity. Two starts? Suppose they were both perfect games, would you be carving his bust for Cooperstown? Perhaps his shirt or cap but certainly not a bust.
dewey notice I said it’s not about a bad result. It’s about how his pitches look. They don’t look like they did in the past. I don’t know enough to know why but I know enough to see what they look like.
With the games he plays during his windup I wonder if the pitch clock affects him more than others
Shane Bieber is back before Texas Football. How about that.
lol at caring about teenagers playing football.
This is the best we’ve seen from Bieber in years. If CLE plays their cards right (no guarantees there), and Bieber maintains this otherworldly level of performance, they should be able to turn him into a righty power hitter by July. Knowing the FO they’ll probably turn him into yet another green as grass middle infield prospect who has tools, and that’s about it.
Tigers early surprises is how well Kelly and Canha are playing they really have surprised me. The pitching has been outstanding with maybe Maeda and lange a little shaky. The whole team has contributed so it’s been a fun ride so far. A good start is a good thing.
MPrck: It didn’t hurt the Tigers that they opened the season against the White Sox. It’s like getting a nice push down the hill to get off to a nice start. Maeda got roughed up for 2 Luis Robert HR, but they still won the game.
Pretty much any team playing WSox/Oak/Col should load up on cheap wins and misleading stat boosters in ’24.
Better to assess teams and individual player performance during the season against clubs that are somewhat designed to compete.
This is why owners approved Fisher’s request to move the A’s in 2028. They knew OAK would be super easy pickens for their teams for at least 3 more years AFTER this one.
They approved the deal to Vegas over receiving a MASSIVE expansion fee. Only MLB owners are that dumb. Standing offer for the team from the GS Warriors owner. MLB should have forced a sale. But when has MLB done much right. They’d have to apologize for the GOOD publicity.
Individual owners aren’t going to be forced to sell for being frugal and/or unlikeable. He is just the extreme low end vs Mets newish owner having spent on extreme high end for payroll.
They wont now. But there HAVE been forced sales.
Based on the Pythagorean Winning Percentage, this is what some of the records of teams should be, based on them either over or under performing their actual record.
Overperforming:
Pittsburgh Pirates: 4 – 1
Detroit Tigers: 3 – 1
Milwaukee Brewers: 3 – 1
New York Yankees: 4 – 2
Los Angeles Dodgers: 5 – 3
Los Angeles Angels: 2 – 3
Tampa Bay Rays: 2 – 4
Toronto Blue Jays: 2 – 4
Seattle Mariners: 2 – 4
Minnesota Twins: 1 – 3
Underperforming:
Cleveland Guardians: 5 – 1
Boston Red Sox: 5 – 1
Arizona Diamondbacks: 5 – 1
Atlanta Braves: 4 – 1
Baltimore Orioles: 4 – 1
Kansas City Royals: 3 – 2
San Diego Padres: 4 – 4
Houston Astros: 3 – 3
New York Mets: 1 – 3
Miami Marlins: 1 – 5
Based on fWAR:
Overperforming:
LAD: 5 – 3
CLE: 3 – 3
PIT: 3 – 2
MIL: 2 – 2
NYY: 3 – 3
BAL: 2 – 3
CIN: 2 – 3
BOS: 2 – 4
DET: 2 – 2
TOR: 2 – 4
LAA: 2 – 3
MIN: 1 – 3
PHI: 1 – 4
SEA: 2 – 4
STL: 1 – 5
Underperforming:
SDP: 4 – 4
HOU: 3 – 3
SFG: 3 – 3
WSN: 2 – 2
MIA: 1 – 5
So, yes, we’ll probably see the Tigers, Pirates, and Brewers come back down to reality and Miami is pretty much where they should be. Probably should have had 1 win by now, though.
Heyward got paid. Time to take a little injury break.
Billy eppler says Heyward is injured!
He called that in, btw, from a burner phone in an undisclosed location.
best of luck to Houser, and go brew crew!
Bucs and Tigers- Please go 162 & 0!
They’re going to play each other on the 28th & 29th of May so unless they decide to not play those games, someone is going to get an L.
You’ll have to forgive my ineptitude- I’ve only had one cup of coffee! This is bad news though; now I realize the Mets and Marlins won’t both go 0 & 162. Way to bring me down, Yorkie!
Ippei approved and wagered!
MLB looks forward to a PIT/DET World Series in which newly minted HOFer Jim Leyland will serve as master of ceremonies.
@solaris602
That would be a nice series. Got some bright stars on both sides.
I know this isn’t the right place for this but, what’s going on with Shohei Ohtani?
Is Shohei Ohtani to big to fail? Has the scandal been swept under the rug?
Seems like it has.
Pete Rose should be in the hall of fame. Stop letting nerds decide who goes in.
The only confirmation we have right now is the IRS is conducting an investigation. No parties should be commenting until they and any possible law enforcement agencies do their due diligence.
Rose should be out based on character.
Sleeping with underage girl , don’t get in , sorry not just the gambling
I look forward to the Brewers/Twins game tonight where everything will be on the line for those in both camps who, out of pure faith, claim confidently that Ross/Paddack can still bring it. Let the results speak for themselves.
Preseason prediction for muts was 70-92
I was way off
More like 55-107
What could have possessed stearns to hire mendoza? Not trade pete? Sign the worst garbage like wendle, bader, dj stewart, ji man choi? On what planet did cohen think they’d compete for. Playoffs??? Mauricio tore his acl. Senga went down with an injury before he threw a single pitch this yr. Ohtani rejected the mets . Yam rejected them. They are a disease that no one wants to go near
Probably closer to 12-150.
They could go 0-162 & still not get #1 pick lol
Bec of lottery & luxury tax penalty the most mets can hope for is a pick in the teens
Freak show