With just over two weeks left to go in the regular season, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:
1. deGrom returns:
Jacob deGrom will pitch in the big leagues for the first time in more than a year when the Rangers activate him from the 60-day IL to face the Mariners in Seattle at 7:10pm local time. The 36-year-old is on the shortlist for the most dominant pitchers of the 21st century when healthy, but he’s struggled to stay on the mound in recent years. Dating back to 2018, deGrom sports a 2.08 ERA (191 ERA+) and 2.11 FIP with an eye-popping 35.6% strikeout rate. That dominance has come across just 108 starts, however, and things have gotten more drastic in recent years; while deGrom boasts a 2.03 ERA (198 ERA+) and 1.59 FIP with a comical 43.2% strikeout rate since the start of the 2021 season, that encompasses just 32 starts and 186 2/3 innings of work.
The right-hander will only get a few opportunities to pitch in the majors before the season comes to a close, but it’ll still be exciting for not only Rangers fans but baseball fans as a whole to have arguably the league’s best pitching talent on the mound again. The Rangers will need to make corresponding 40-man and active roster moves prior to deGrom’s start, although the former can be achieved by moving Corey Seager to the 60-day IL ahead of his impending sports hernia surgery.
2. Fitzgerald to undergo MRI:
In what has largely been another disappointing season for the Giants, the emergence of Tyler Fitzgerald as their regular shortstop has been a bright spot. The club’s fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, Fitzgerald made his MLB debut last year and opened the season as a utility option. The versatile hitter, who will celebrate his 27th birthday over the weekend, has taken on a larger role in recent months and pulled it off with aplomb. In 49 games since being installed as the club’s regular shortstop, Fitzgerald boasts a huge .304/.356/.571 slash line 12 homers, 13 doubles, and ten stolen bases in 13 attempts.
Given Fitzgerald’s emergence as a top contributor, it was a worrying sign for fans in San Francisco when he was removed from yesterday’s game after just three innings. As noted by Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle, Fitzgerald told reporters that his back locked up on him before the game began and worsened through the early innings. The shortstop added that he wasn’t particularly concerned about the situation given that he deals with similar back issues “every year,” but nonetheless noted that he’s set to undergo an MRI today.
3. NL Wild Card race heats up:
The race for the third NL Wild Card spot figures to get very interesting this weekend as the two most likely clubs to grab that spot, the Braves and Mets, are both staring down tough matchups. Atlanta is welcoming the 87-59 Dodgers to Truist Park for a four-game set that begins tonight, while the Mets are ticketed for a three-game set in Philadelphia against the 88-58 Phillies. With the Braves (79-67) just one game back of the Mets (80-66), both series against the NL’s top dogs are particularly pivotal.
It’s also worth noting that the Diamondbacks (82-64) and Padres (82-65) hold the top two Wild Card spots by margins that are hardly insurmountable, and a free-fall by either club could shake up the race in a big way. The only other club with even a 1% chance of winning a Wild Card spot per FanGraphs is the Cubs, who took two of three from the Dodgers earlier this week to stay alive but face a five-game deficit that leaves them needing a miracle to get back into the race.
braves seem pretty cooked. sorry, no team deserves the playoffs with arcia batting 5th. this season falls solely on olsen’s shoulders, even an avg year for him of 35-40 hr and 850 ops would have their spot locked up. that being said, the lolmets won’t make it out of the 1st round.
I find it fascinating how quickly AA managed to un-do the infinite goodwill he built in 2021 by going for it stead of trading everyone for “prospects.” This needs to be studied.
I’ve been saying it for years, AA got lucky in 21′ and has mostly been riding the coat tails of what Coppollela had built. The extensions were savy, and a couple of bargain FAs have worked, but ignoring the FA agent and Trade market of substance is finally catching up. Wait until next season when we patchwork the Starting rotation again smh. Here on out is on the shoulders of AA.
@braves homer: How did AA “ignore the FA and Trade market of substance” before the season? Traded for Sale and signed Reynaldo Lopez as a FA. Totally rebuilt the top of the rotation w/those 2 moves. The rotation isn’t “patchworked.” Several good options in the top of the minors to pair w/Sale, Lopez, Scwhellenbach, and Strider next year. He also traded for Kelenic to plug the hole in left field. It hasn’t worked as well as hoped, but that still doesn’t mean the attempt wasn’t made. Please name another FA he could have signed that would fit your “criteria” while keeping them under the 3rd luxury tax.
Losing Acuna, Albies, Riley, Harris, Strider, Lopez and Minter for extended stretches would hurt any team.
Ignoring the trade market of substance? Sale, Kelenic, Lopez, Bummer and Kerr were all acquired in off-season trades and Soler, Jackson, Laureano, Merrifield, Brebbia and Biggio and Urshela have all been added throughout the season.
Aside from maybe Snell or Montgomery what free agent could the Braves have signed that would have a difference compared to what they already had?
Sale = CY
Brilliant signing
@Brew88: Brilliant, yes. He was acquired by trading Vaughn Grissom to the Red Sox.
@Rsox: Agree w/your comments. Lopez was a FA signing though.
Agree with all that, but the patchwork im speaking of in 25′ will have a Fragile Sale, a rehabbing Strider and Lopez that might be a flash in pan seeing how he’s breaking down with so many innings. Not to mention rookies that’ll be rushed again….once again the Trade deadline was not addressed with anyone of substance much like Free agency was not either. I never said AA hasn’t done anything at all successfully, but why do we think that’ll be different this off season? There’s going to be lots off holes to fill and taking on salary dumps for middling relievers or reclamation projects won’t equal a WS next season.
“By trading Vaughn Grissom”…That trade literally blew up in A.A’s face when Grissom went on to have an allstar season in Boston. Oh wait, that actually didn’t happen; never mind.
@braveshomer: All pitchers are fragile. Sale hasn’t missed a start this season, and the Braves have managed the rotation’s innings extremely well. Schwellenbach’s a rookie whose results don’t show that he’s been rushed. Two spot starts by Waldrep to fill IL stints in the rotation don’t mean he was “rushed.” His results weren’t satisfactory so he was sent back to AAA to continue developing. AJSS was given a chance to claim Strider’s rotation spot but was forced into an IL stint by an oblique injury in his only MLB start of the season. After he recovered, Scwhellenbach had claimed the 5 spot and AJSS has spent the rest of his season at AAA. No rookies have been “rushed.” Just a couple given (highest in the pecking order or because they lined up in their pitching order at AAA) spot starts due to rotation injuries. Your opinion on what AA will do this off season is noted. We’ll see.
Braves Homer, if healthy, the Braves are a World Series team. Injuries happen.
Brew, Braves traded for Sale. Not a signing.
yes I know. Brilliant trade
Solely on Olsen’s shoulders? Losing Strider and Acuña for the season is of secondary importance?
I mean, they just won a World Series without Acuña 2 seasons ago and Strider was lost so early that they could’ve adjusted for his absence at the trade deadline.
The Braves real mystery is how they went from the greatest offense ever from a year ago to what they’re doing now. Did everyone have a career year last season?
Yes, they did. That’s exactly what happened.
Fred: Olson.
@fred-3: No need to for the Braves to have traded for pitching to make up for the loss of Strider. Schwellenbach has been more than competent as a replacement. Braves pitching has kept them in the race. The games missed by Acuna, Riley, Albies, Harris II, and Murphy has ruined their offense. What other team could have competed as well as Atlanta has w/5 starters from their lineup missing 2 months or more?
Without the injuries to Acuna, Riley, Harris 2, Albies, Murph, Strider) it’s easy to imagine a 105+ win season.
Albies and Riley as well. That’s basically their whole core right there.
Dbacks getting healthy means Dbacks getting scary for the stretch run and postseason!
With the recent returns of Ketel Marte and Christian Walker the offense is cooking. Last two games they scored 8 and 14 runs.
Now Gabi Moreno, Lourdes Gurriel and Jordan Lawler are almost ready to return. They will bump some solid players off the active roster, in Jose Herrera, Pavin Smith and Luis Guillorme, and make the offense ridiculously deep.
All 6 pitchers in the starting rotation are finally healthy, with Montgomery bumped to the bullpen and picking up his first save.
The bullpen is better than last year, with the emergence of a dynamic Closer in Justin Martinez.
Dbacks ready for a return trip to the WS and a legitimate shot at winning it all this year. It’s all about which team gets healthy and hot at the right time, and the Dbacks are at the head of the list right now!
The Dbacks are definitely getting healthy at the right time. With Marte, Walker, Gueriel and Gabi back, the the Dbacks will no longer be susceptible to LHP and see every lefty in MLB. Just having Marte and Walker back has been a huge boost in that regard. My biggest fear right now is the SP. Nelson has been a stud for 2+ months. Gallen and Kelly are showing improvement of late, but Zac, in particular, needs to be more efficient and get deeper into games. Pfaadt is showing signs he may be a bit tired and ERod has yet to round into form. If Nelson, Gallen and Kelly pitch to their expectations, the Dbacks can go deep in the playoffs again.
DBacks vs the Orioles. My dream WS matchup this year.
Scottaz
“Dbacks getting healthy means Dbacks getting scary for the stretch run and postseason!”
LOL.
This bunch of chokers who have never won anything?
/Sarcastically throwing the dumb “logic” people use against the Dodgers back. If the Dodgers, who have actually won a WS, are chokers, what are teams that haven’t?
DodgersBro
Thanks for taking a thoughtful chain down your troll rabbit hole.
Mute.
Az
No. No.
Don’t mute me!
I’ve got so much to learn from you!
You can start with teaching me how the Dodgers, who
-won a WS
-lost multiple WS
-made the playoffs for a decade straight
Are “chokers”
But the DBacks who
-Didn’t win s WS
-lost in the WS
-Failed repeatedly to make the playoffs
Are “scarry for the stretch run and postseason”
At least teach me that first
The Dbacks have been a good story the last two years. But this year I think Philly avenges the loss of last year
the dodgers and dbacks have won the same number of WS since the dbacks existed (1) and dodgers have only BEEN to 1 more WS than dbacks since dbacks existed (3 to 2) Not sure what you’re on about with “Dbacks didnt win a WS”. Maybe you were born in like 2009 or something i dunno
To answer your question, the DBacks are scary for the stretch run because they’ve received above average offensive production from 10 players currently on the Active Roster (11 if you only count Bell’s DBacks contributions; his overall season line is a tick below average) and they’re close to getting 2 more above average offensive producers back from the IL (that also happen to be impactful defensively).
It’s quite possible that the DBacks roll into October with 12/13 position players having above average offensive production (and a 93 wRC+ from a BU MIF is more than passable). The fact that there are very little holes in the lineup is what makes them scary.
And as for the “chokers” statement comparing the teams, all I’ll say is that following the same processes and getting the same results suggests a trend. You’re free to take from that what you will.
The Mariners and it hurts to say it.
Phillies will be very hard to beat.
Nick it wouldn’t necessarily take a “free fall” for the Pads and/or Dbacks to be passed in the standings by both the Mets and Braves. All four teams are tightly grouped separated by just 2 games in the loss column, and all are playing well. The team that plays .500 rest of way might not get in, and that’s not a free fall.
It’s getting pretty close to that now. If the braves don’t get hot the padres would need to be very bad.
If the braves go 8-8 the padres would have to go 5-10.
On the flip side of the padres go 8-7 the braves have to go 12-4.
With the braves facing the dodgers the next 4 games. They may be in a really bad spot at least to pass the padres and dbacks.
Yeah I know, and if the Pads go 7-8 the Braves have to go 11-5.
A lot of pressure on the Braves to beat LA (games in Atl.) at least 3 times this series. Schwellenbach v Knack, Sale v Flaherty, Morton v Beuhler, Fried v Yamamoto. Things can change quickly here. Example, if Pads lose 2 of three to SF, and then go 6-6 rest of season, and Braves win 3 of 4 v LA and go 8-6 rest of the way (and they have a fairly light schedule), then we’re probably out of the playoffs.
Hard to root for LA to win but I am rooting for the Braves to lose!
I’ll be scoreboard watching while on vacation in Utah….
Yeah the way the braves have been playing it’s more likely they go 1/4 vs the dodgers. The dodgers need these games as well.
The only way the padres or dbacks can have any shot at the division is for the dodgers to throw up on themselves this weekend.
It’s much more likely if a team wins 3/4 it’s the dodgers not the Braves. With that said it’s baseball and you never know. There is a reason the padres have a 93% chance of making the playoffs.
The series is in Atl. and the Braves are a proud elite team and I frankly think they have a reasonable pitching match up advantage, so I’m not sure the Dodgers are favored to be the team to win 3 of 4 here. But we’ll see. Mind you I’m hopeful the Braves lose and lose (sorry my Braves friends!). Interesting how Fangraphs has the Braves playoff odds (57%) as slight better than the Mets (55%). ROS SOS weighs heavily on the odds.
Man Cease needs to have a great game tonight, it’s been a while.
Braves with their injuries are anything but an elite team.
Braves schedule after this series is much easier than the Mets. Who must play the Phillies and 4 more times.
If the Braves win 2/4 that would be them playing very well.
Braves not elite now, but proud because they entered the season very elite, and the guys still playing who aren’t hurt have post-season mentality. They’re up 5-0 on LA now and with Sale and Fried still to pitch, winning 3 of 4 on LA is very possible. Mets up 3-0 on Phillies. Hot teams are hard to beat.
And yes Braves have the easier schedule, that’s what I meant by ROS SOS advantage on Mets (and Padres)
Also, Fangraphs % doesnt factor in the SD Sport Curse. I on the other hand have a very intimate understanding of the Curse and it’s influence.
And now Mets now up 6-0 on Phillies. Padres will need to go 9-6 ROS.
I don’t factor in some curse. The padres on 2021 had no pitching they were atarting dick mountain.
With that said the Mets and Braves are off to a hot start. The dodger starting rotation is pretty bad right now.
At the end of the day the padres are in a great spot. They just need to take care of their own business.
I will add todays results have me a little more worried then before the dodgers and Phillies crapped the bed today.
I’m a man of science, reason and objectivity, and don’t believe in the supernatural. But with one exception…I’ve seen too much over the years, from the Holy Roller to Mike Ivey. If the Padres can break the Curse, like the Aztecs almost did in basketball 2023, then let it happen this year while we’re still alive.
But first thing first, they just need to win every game and other than White Sox, that seems doubtful but hey we’ll see.
They don’t need to win every game. If they win every series they will be in for sure.
Btw the Aztecs even making the finals was amazing. Now if you said Aztec football then yeah that would be a miracle.
Anyways your gloom has only brought be down a notch. The padres are a full team and won’t be easy for anyone to beat. They may win some lose some but they can play with anyone.
Got to have faith my brother.
Didn’t mean to bring you down. Im hopeful and will enjoy every level they can climb. I do think this is a great team and it would be ironic if they win 90 and don’t get in. But if that happens I’ll still say it was a great season.
And yeah, the 2023 Aztecs were something, I guess they sort of defied the curse. That 30-2 Covid cancelled team was hit by the Curse though. Could have been national champs.
You didn’t bring me down the sorry Phillies and dodgers crapping the bed did.
I don’t agree with 90 wins and missing the playoffs as being a good outcome. Sure 90’s based on projections would be good but at this point in the season anything other than a playoff appearance will be disappointing.
With that said I fully expect them to make it.
Time to watch my first mariners game in about a month, if degrom wasn’t pitching I wouldn’t watch
@sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Yeah, M’s really messed up that 1st inning last night. Guys on 2nd & 3rd with no outs and can’t be bothered to score a run. Honestly, they couldn’t even get a sac fly to score 1 run.
Old – I watched the end of last night’s game, fitting that it ended with their star player at the plate and the tying run on base, Seattle has to be one of the most disappointing teams this year.
And if JRod doesn’t get his act together, that contract could drag down the franchise for the next decade.
Cubs do need a miracle. While they have an easy schedule the rest of the way, they do still have to play the Phillies. Cubs are such a disappointment. Hoyer needs to go.
So you’re telling me there’s a chance. – Lloyd
Manfred: For cub fans, there’s always a chance. Poor, deluded souls.
While their souls remain deluded, at least the Cubs had 2016. Whereas Padre fans (and fans of all sports teams that have ever played in San Diego) have had their souls slow-burned and jettisoned into the forever neverlands of hopelessness.
Tyler will come back down to earth eventually
like auqino…or lewis…etc.
Man o’ man I like watching deGrom pitch. Hope he can stay healthy.
I like Tyler Fitz a lot, but his defense has been questionable, and the jury seems to be out still if his offense is every day starter quality. He has been fun to watch at times, especially that time he hit HRs five games in a row, first since Barry Bonds for the Giants.
Degrom is making his first start back in the right spot. If he is close to himself he will get 18 Ks in 6 innings. Was going to say 5 but then would get crap about not being able to count. The sarcasm would have flown over too many heads even though I thought it was funny.