Here are three things for MLBTR readers to watch out for throughout the day:
1. Alvarado to return:
Phillies southpaw Jose Alvarado served the 80th game of his PED suspension yesterday, meaning he’s set to be activated for today’s game against the Mariners. While Alvarado won’t be eligible to participate in the postseason, if he can continue to produce anything close to the 2.70 ERA with a 29.8% strikeout rate and 1.84 FIP that he posted in 20 innings of work prior to his suspension back in May, he’ll be a major asset to the Phillies’ bullpen down the stretch. Alvarado will join what’s become a fearsome back of the Phillies bullpen after the club picked up Jhoan Duran and David Robertson to complement Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm. That deep bullpen mix should serve the Phillies well as they look to wrap up the NL East and angle for a bye through the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Corresponding moves to accommodate Alvarado’s addition to both the active and 40-man rosters will be necessary before he can be activated.
2. Guerrero to undergo MRI:
The AL-leading Blue Jays suffered a major scare yesterday when star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the team’s loss against the Pirates due to a hamstring injury. As noted by MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson, Guerrero is set to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the issue. Matheson adds that the MRI seems to be viewed as “precautionary” at this point.
With just six weeks left in the regular season, it would be understandable if Toronto exercised an abundance of caution with the face of their franchise and sent him for a brief stint on the injured list rather than risk letting him play through the issue and further aggravating the hamstring. Ty France and Joey Loperfido are among the club’s potential first base options to fill in for Guerrero in the event that he misses time.
3. MLBTR Chat today:
The trade deadline is in the rearview mirror, and the stretch run has officially begun. There is no shortage of close postseason races, and it’s never too early to look ahead to the offseason and what free agency and the winter trade market might bring. MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be hosting a live chat this afternoon at 1pm CT to discuss it all. 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.
Joey Loperfido has played a total of 3 innings at first base in his career. I would hardly call him a first base option
He’s played more 1B than anything but CF so far in his career. Maybe not in the Majors, but he’s absolutely spent some real time there in the Minors.
The Jays went out and got France because they didn’t have a legit backup first baseman. He’s looked good since coming over and will almost certainly get most if not all of Vladdy’s playing time in the short term.
Having said that, Loperfido does make sense to bring back up and use at first because A) he does have minor league experience, and B) he was hitting so well and would act as a nice lefty platoon partner for France.
Injuries are never ideal, but this a great opportunity for both France to make more contributions to his new team and for Loperfido to maybe carve out a new niche and add more versatility to his profile.
Wow you really are that guy
Speaking of PED suspensions, it isn’t talked about enough that Jurickson Profar is the first player in MLB History to come out of his suspension after doing what everyone who got suspended should do while suspended, which is two more cycles of juice and then take the third “month” of the suspension to keep staying in shape without any extra help so that the juice can clear your system.
I have to imagine that you can’t drug test anyone who is suspended without pay. Something about that sentence feels like something a Union would rightfully fight.
Anyway, Profar is hitting like he’s 4 months behind on rent and about to get evicted. I’m curious to see if Alvarado pitches the same way.
He’s hitting well, but I’m most delighted with his ability to consistently walk – a dire need for this lineup (esp. if/when Ozuna leaves in FA next year). He took a 10-pitch walk the other day, and many when starting out 0-2 count. Granted, that’s a lot of money if he’s only walking, but also a nice security blanket if kept up.
Do you have a link for that, or is it just your speculation written as fact?
Big shoutout to Trea Turner, given he’s not getting recognition here, for his 1,500th HR of his career. All-time HR king. Babe Ruth couldn’t do it against part-time players and Barry couldn’t do it while he was all juiced up.
x.com/charlottevarnes/status/1957583389160247593
Technically, according to the sign, he got 1,500 Home Runts
Maybe that’s just the kids new slang for a hit, like little home runs… home runts.
@Canuckleball
Little league HRs.
Last I checked he had about 145, 150… sounds like he had a big month!
@Gwynning
Just crushing it! Seems he hit 1,316 HRs in August.
He’s been a consistent 2:1 SB:HR ration in his career so I’ll avoid looking and assume he has 3000 SBs to go along with those homers.
If anyone can still access the Kikuchi trade article, you would think the Astros gave up the second coming of Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio rolled into one player (Loperfido). That was wild.
The best pitcher in the world is still available for league minimum (!)
@Backinthebleachers
Guy’s cooked and should retire and go play softball to pass his time…
Hasn’t posted an ERA higher than 2.59 in more than half a decade.
Trevor Is Waiting.
@Backinthebleachers
He’s in triple-A and posting a 4+ ERA as a 34 year old. No MLB owner is giving him another contract, even if it’s league minimum. Too old and has lost a lot of control over his pitches. One fake 2020 season where he won the Cy Young and hasn’t been good since. Typical overperform with sticky stuff and then stop performing after the big payday.
Thumbs up for acknowledging that 2020 was a fake season.
Reminder to MLBTR users:
“Backinthebleachers” (recently “Boycottsidneysweeney”) is an infamous known troll who keeps changing his name and profile to evade bans and mutes. His previous usernames are TheOpener, The Voices, Evan Stanleyson, TrojanToss, oi0ewt98er, TheFormerPlayer, Fan of the Umpires, VoiceofREASON, soulefh, Owensboro, 88 Brooklyn Dodgers, BinHenders, California 8, Alvo Sumatro, tikiagedola, Masculinetimwaltz, and rachelmaddowishot.
I know this because he uses the same schticks. Lately he’s been using controversial and irrelevant political references while also making the occasional “trade top 4 prospects” and the “10 teams are better than this team” thing going, hoping to start long-winding reply chains.
Some of you may be familiar with him, as a reminder, his past schticks are:
– “The next time they’re referred to as the “Trashtros” there’s going to be a problem.”
– “underrated city/team in all of sports, you can ask anybody”
– “Rome, Starke, Verducci, etc.”
– “Saw (injury) before seeing the rest of the headline and immediately figured it was about Mike Trout. Fragile guy.”
– “Outside chance at the hall of fame, (exaggerated percent) chance”
– “The joke is on the “A’s” if they leave Oakland like the pathetic cowards that they are.”
– If Joe Mauer got into the Hall of Fame which is laughable then it will be an outrage if they really do actually end up rejecting (player)”
– “Not 1 single other player from (veteran)’s rookie season is still playing for the (subject team). Almost unbelievable.”
– “Sign Trevor Bauer. Trevor is Waiting.”
– “Votto should be brought back for a 1 or 2 year retirement tour”
– “Did Toronto really sign a bad bodied first baseman to 500+ million?”
At this point, just mute him, report him or ignore him, because this type of trolling is the worst, it has compelled me to call him out like this. He’s the absolute worst, and I’ll keep calling out with this format every time until Tim or someone installs an IP block if possible.
@Backinthebleachers
There was no season in 2020. It was scripted so sports fans got their fix of sports.
@Steinbrenner2728
The worst? Have you been on social media or is this your first time? Serious question…
@steinbrenner2728 – Thanks. I don’t want to be on here often enough to recognize these notorious idiots, but I am learning…slowly…to simply recognize them by tone and then move on.
It is a shame that we cannot manage this in the reverse way – compile a list of the very good posters that are authentic and relatively knowledgeable as a baseline and then go from there.
tikiagedola, Masculinetimwaltz, and rachelmaddowishot. are not me and I don’t think oi0ewt98er is either and I have never used political references.
And yes, it is almost unbelievable that not 1 single player from Wieters’ debut season is still playing for the Orioles. Not one (!)