Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:
1. Red Sox roster moves incoming:
The Red Sox are nearing a deal with first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who was designated for assignment by the Nationals last week. Once that deal is finalized, the Red Sox will need to make corresponding moves in order to accommodate the addition of Lowe to both the club’s 40-man and active rosters. That 40-man move could simply come by way of transferring infielder Marcelo Mayer to the 60-day injured list after yesterday’s announcement that he’ll miss the remainder of the season due to wrist surgery, but it’s also worth noting that bench bats like Abraham Toro and Ali Sanchez, whose roster spots could be at risk with Lowe set to join the club, do not have options remaining and would need to be designated for assignment if removed from the roster.
2. Series Preview: Brewers @ Cubs
The Brewers just saw their incredible 14-game winning streak come to an end, but they still hold an eight-game NL Central lead thanks to excellent pitching and timely hitting — not only from regulars like William Contreras and Christian Yelich but also surprise heroes like Andruw Monasterio. Their win streak has coincided with some weak play from the Cubs, who have scuffled to a 6-8 record so far in August and a 12-14 record since the All-Star break. Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong aren’t hitting like the superstars they were in the first half, and the bullpen has begun to show cracks after being carried by unexpected contributors like Brad Keller and Drew Pomeranz earlier this summer.
That leads into what could be the biggest series of the regular season for both clubs, with the Brewers headed to Wrigley Field for five games in four days — starting with a doubleheader today. Cade Horton (3.07 ERA in 16 outings) will face off against Freddy Peralta (2.90 ERA in 25 starts) in Game 1, followed by a second game with two as-of-yet unannounced starters. Tuesday’s game will feature southpaw Matthew Boyd (2.46 ERA in 24 starts) against longtime Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff (2.06 ERA in seven starts). The Brewers are slated to start rookie Jacob Misiorowski (3.89 ERA in eight starts) and righty Quinn Priester (3.48 ERA in 23 outings) for Games 4 and 5. Chicago has not yet announced its starters for those games. Former Brewer Colin Rea and ace Shota Imanaga would be on schedule, but the impending return of Jameson Taillon from the injured list could impact the club’s rotation at some point this week.
3. Pitchers’ Duel in Philadelphia:
The Mariners are in Philadelphia, and the their series against the Phillies will kick off with a particularly exciting pitching matchup. Seattle ace Logan Gilbert is scheduled to take the mound today amid a season where he’s posted a 3.31 ERA with a career-best 2.99 FIP across 17 starts. The Phillies counter with southpaw Ranger Suarez, who’s having a strong year himself ahead of reaching free agency this winter. Suarez sports a 3.28 ERA and 3.27 FIP across 18 starts, though he’s had a rough patch of late (6.59 ERA over his past five starts). With the Mariners just 1.5 games back of the Astros in the AL West and the Phillies tied with the Dodgers for the second playoff bye in the NL, it’s a high-stakes game — and series — for both clubs.
Bye bye Ali!!!!
Fen – Yeah I agree, he’s the one more likely to go. Seems like Narvaez is perfectly healthy now.
Three consecutive Red Sox articles …. love it!
They know how to get clicks here. Red Sox nation alive and well.
Gary – Agreed, and after 3 crappy seasons the fanbase is into it for the first time in a long time.
Quinn Priester is the RoY in the NL, what a coup by the Brew Crew. They stole Vaughn too. Brewers are something else.
bwmiller: I’m still amazed at how the Brewers took a guy like Vaughn, who the Sox couldn’t get to hit, and turned him into the player he should have always been. And so fast!
You’d crap the bed too if you played for a dumpster fire of a franchise like the wsox talent was always there for Vaughn, all he needed was to leave the Sox and come play for a winner like the brewers. Since about 2017 they’ve been very good.
Not a rookie — he entered the season with 99 2/3 MLB innings already — but quite the success story for their player development and analytics departments all the same.
Priester, local Chicago suburb kid—not a rookie, but certainly a coup. Sometimes it takes first rounders a little bit of time. That said, his ascent is not that unordinary. Wish the town kid well, except this week. Kind of like Suwinski—uggh.
I too from Chicago and didn’t know that Priester was local. I saw that Andrew Hoffman who the Royals traded to the D’Backs was from Plainfield and that Dennis Enns, who is now with the Orioles was from Lincoln Way and that made me happy, always good to see the some local success stories in regards to MLB.
As others have mentioned, Priester was a fantastic steal, but not eligible for RoY which is going to a different Brewer in Isaac Collins.
While kudos to the Brewers and Priester, let’s see what the return looks like in a few years. The same thing with the Yankees and Narvaerz
Red Sox need to take these two from Baltimore. Yanks are just 1/2 game behind and we’ve got a big four game set this weekend.
We’ll really see what’s going on by next Monday won’t we? Go Sox !!
If the Red Sox take 3 out of 4 against the Yankees, I would say that would end the Yankees season.
Fingers crossed !!
But admittedly, just a half a game behind us means they’re in the same boat we are?
It’s more of a collapse for the Yankees because they had just gotten so many pieces at the trade deadline and the Red Sox didn’t really do much and are playing better baseball than the Yankees.
Cora is keeping the Yankees close
Acoss – Yanks have a 3 1/2 game lead for the final WC spot ….. even if they lose 3 of 4, which team do you think is good enough to catch them? I can’t see Cleveland, who is only 5-5 in their last ten. Royals have been hot but they’ve been playing the ChiSox, Nats and Twins. And the Rangers have slumped badly.
AL is so crappy the Yanks could make the postseason.
@Fever Pitch Guy
To be fair, the NL really isn’t that much better either. Cincinnati is the team looking outside of the wild card spot and after that, the team below them is below .500 for a record. At least the Indians and Royals have winning records. But as we’ve seen lately, the WC team has just as much of a chance as the rest of them to play well in the postseason.
York – The Padres, Dodgers, Brewers and Cubs are all dangerous … Phillies would have been too, but the Wheeler injury really hurts them.
I just don’t see any formidable teams in the AL except Toronto and maybe Detroit.
@Fever Pitch Guy
No, I don’t see any decent team in the AL but I’m just saying the NL, outside of the Brewers, Phillies and Dodgers, there really isn’t that much of a threat from the NL. Cubs have fallen off a cliff and the Padres have been hot in the second half because they’ve been playing easy teams for the most part like the Cardinals, Nationals, Marlins, DBacks and Giants. Their only serious competition was against the Mets (sweep) and Dodgers (got swept). The Padres even have the second easiest SOS for the rest of the way so I’d imagine they do well.
But regardless, as we’ve seen, once the playoffs start, any of the WC teams can go on a run and win it. I’m not sure if the Jays are serious or if they’re peaking at the wrong time.
York – Heyyy …. you don’t consider the Red Sox serious competition? Padres beat them 2 of 3.
Jays lineup is one of the best top to bottom in MLB.
I’m not counting out the Cubs, nor the Phillies actually.
@Fever Pitch Guy
No, I don’t think the Sox are serious competition.
Jays lost 2 of 3 to the Dodgers
Fear not, Gary. Cora will bring in Isaiah Campbell for the save and,,,whoops!…0-2 right there.
Great article.
Speaking of pitchers’ duels, a lot of teams still in contention in mid August.
Signing the best pitcher in the world, who happens to be willing to play for league minimum(!!!), would certainly be a morale and competitive boost to whatever team has the common sense, courage, decency, and *class* to make the move.
Trevor Is Waiting.
Best pitcher in the world?! lol. He struggled so badly in Japan he got demoted.
@Backinthebleachers
He’s got a 4.20 ERA in AAA. That wouldn’t play well in the MLB. He needs to work on his command. He throws far too many balls for his first pitch.
Trevor Bauer and *class* are contradictory terms.
Also, he’s be pretty bad the last couple of seasons.
“Decency” (and “common sense” or “courage”) shouldn’t be used in the same sentence w/him either.
20 years and 850 new account names from now, this broken tool will still be talking about Trevor.
Brewers hot streak may be over but the Cubs have been playing such mediocre baseball that I’m not sure the Cubs can win this series against them.
They need to take at least 4, not just win the series.
Their hope for the division are pretty slim now. I don’t think they’re playing to catch the Brewers as much as keeping that first WC spot in sight.
Oh it’s looking like a tall order to even win the series let alone sweep the Brewers.
If the Brewers win two out of five, they basically wrap up the division. It’s nice playing with house money.
Ah the much anticipated Cubs-Brewers 5 game series. Wish it still meant something.
Aloha uncle, well at least we have hoyer around for more years now, please note an attempt at sarcasm. He was the biggest news at the tdl this year. Nothing against Tucker but I don’t think he profiles well in Wrigley. The fo needs to prepare for his departure and just accept only a comp pick in return. I hope in the future this organization can pick and develop talent better like their rival, Milwaukee. Especially pitching. Mahalo