Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:
1. Sale to return:
The Braves are expected to activate ace lefty Chris Sale from the 60-day IL this weekend. The veteran southpaw has been sidelined since June due to a fracture in his ribcage, but prior to that he had been firmly in the conversation to win a second consecutive NL Cy Young award with a 2.52 ERA, a 2.69 FIP, and a 30.8% strikeout rate. While Atlanta has no hope of making the postseason at this point, Sale’s return to action is important for the lefty on an individual level, given his lost seasons from 2020 to 2022, when he made just 11 total starts due to a variety of injuries. If he can take the ball five times down the stretch, he’ll have reached 20 starts in three consecutive seasons since his days as the workhorse ace of the Red Sox back in 2017. The Braves have available space on their 40-man roster to accommodate Sale, so only an active roster move will be needed to activate him.
2. Tolle to debut:
While the former lefty ace of the Red Sox is set to return from the IL in Atlanta this weekend, fans in Boston are hoping they’ll witness the start of another lefty ace’s career at the same time. That’s because left-hander Payton Tolle is expected to be called up for his MLB debut today. The club’s second-round pick in last year’s draft, Tolle has sprinted through the minors, posting a 3.04 ERA in 20 appearances across three levels. He’s been even better since graduating from High-A, with a 2.36 ERA and a 34.2% strikeout rate in 42 innings of work at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Tolle’s rapid ascent will now culminate in a chance to impact a playoff race in the majors as the Red Sox jockey with the Yankees and Mariners for Wild Card positioning down the stretch. The lefty’s first assignment will be a tough one. He’ll be tasked with taking on Pirates ace Paul Skenes (2.07 ERA) at Fenway Park in a game scheduled for 7:10pm local time.
3. Tong to debut:
Tolle isn’t the only top pitching prospect set to make his MLB debut today. Over in the National League, the Mets are set to welcome right-hander Jonah Tong to the majors when he makes his big league debut against the Marlins this evening. The game is scheduled for 7:10pm local time and will see Tong take on another of the sport’s top young arms in righty Eury Perez (3.44 ERA). In 22 starts between Double-A and Triple-A this year, Tong has a dazzling 1.43 ERA to go along with an absurd 40.5% strikeout rate. With the Mets holding onto the NL’s final Wild Card spot at the moment, they’ll be banking on the 2022 seventh-rounder continuing his success in the majors.
I get they have the space, but please open up another space by DFA-ing Cal Quantrill. JR Ritchie just had a 11-K performance at AAA. A Sept call-up should be expected. Hayden Harris and his 0.57 ERA in AAA would be great insurance from struggling Dylan Lee giving up a lot of long balls.
PHI won’t respect our Elder tonight.
They need to DFA the 3 pitchers who worked last night but I doubt they’ll call up any player not on the 40-man roster
Agreed, but all 4 (inc. position player Vidal Brujan who somehow had a better 1.1 IP (getting Schwarber out)) than Cox/Suero’s outings. Go figure.
They don’t need to call-up anyone, but it’d be nice to get Harris/Ritchie a taste before next year if they have some innings to spare.
Save ritchie’s service time. Why waste him during a lost season? Mayb he’ll get onto top 100 list & atl can earn ppi next yr?
Ritchie has a chance to be next schwelly
So does owen
Bring ’em up now. The best available players belong on the major league roster.
Elder handles the Mets well. No one else. Just the mets. Lol
“While the former lefty ace of the Red Sox is set to return from the IL in Atlanta this weekend …”
Uhhh, the Braves are in Philadelphia where Atlanta pitching served up 4 “Schwarbombs” on Thursday night. And the getaway game is the ESPN Sunday-night game of the week.
Yes, Cal Quantrill hasn’t been with the team 3 weeks nor has had a chance to unpack, but he’s “Atlanta pitching.” I appreciate you didn’t put Cal and Sale in the same paragraph. Enjoy Elder tonight. The gift that keeps on giving.
Tong’s numbers are berzerker! Not sure if it translates to MLB, but who doesn’t root for that?
Agree. I was familiar with him, but had never checked out his numbers. Mets fans have to be pumped for this.
They were also pumped for Nolan McLean until Miami came to Citi Field and provided another exhibition of LOLmets.
Bosox: The lefty’s first assignment will be comically easy (facing the Pirates AAAA lineup).
I’d say it’s by design. Plus getting him up before 9/1 lets him go the post-season.
Hey Swan, correct me if i am mistaken but all a player needs to be is with the organization prior to 9-1, example Jays just signed a guy to a minor league deal and the article says he will be eligible for the post season if needed.
Jays – They would also have to be replacing an injured player who has met the minimum activation time.
Hey Fever, This is from the article about the Jay’s signing: “Since he is signing prior to Sept. 1st, He’ll be postseason-eligible should he show enough to be selected to the big league roster at some point” Nothing said about having to replace an injured player
jays – Unfortunately many writers are not detail-oriented and leave out key parts.
mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-roster-ru…
A player who doesn’t meet said criteria for postseason eligibility can still be added to a team’s roster in the postseason via petition to the Commissioner’s Office if the player was in the organization on Aug. 31 and is replacing someone who is on the injured list and has served the minimum amount of time required for activation.
Hey Fever, I looked it up and you are correct!!!
Jays – I know!! LOL!!!
I’m very detail oriented ;O)
In all fairness to the writers, it gets tedious writing out every detail all the time. Sometimes even I leave details out, even though people have accused me of being too verbose. LOL
sh
Players have debuted in the postseason
share.google/VmT7U2H8HkeV0mpP5
They do not have to be up before 9/1
Game may end up being rained out. It’s raining in Massachusetts right now and will be wet on-and-off through the evening and possibly beyond.
Going head to head with the Cy Young favorite is a chefs kiss move tho. I’m stoked!
Players only need to be in the organization by September 1 to qualify for postseason. They don’t need to be on the major league roster. So Tolle could play postseason whether he was called up today or later in September.
Craig – Only as an injured player’s replacement.
Fever is correct.
The only players automatically eligible for post season play are those who are on the team’s 40 man roster, as of 11:59 pm on August 31.
A team may petition the Commissioner’s Office to add a non-rostered player, only as a replacement for a 40-man player who is both on the DL, and eligible (via sufficient time on the DL) to return. For example, an injured player on the 10 day DL, must have accrued the full 10 days of DL time, or he cannot be replaced by a non-rostered player.
For Tolle to be automatically eligible for the post season roster, he will need to be added to the Red Sox 40 man before Sunday, midnight.
Correct.
Pet peeve. Pitchers don’t “take on” or “go up against” or “face” the other team’s pitcher. They go up against the other teams batters.