Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Harrison to make Red Sox debut:
After being acquired back in June as the centerpiece of the Rafael Devers trade, former top prospect Kyle Harrison has spent the entirety of his Red Sox career so far in Triple-A. That’s set to change later today, as MassLive’s Chris Cotillo writes that Harrison is set to be recalled to the big league roster today. Lefty Chris Murphy will be optioned to the minor leagues in the corresponding move, according to Cotillo.
Fellow young lefty Payton Tolle is listed as the probable starter for today’s game against the Athletics, so it’s possible that Harrison will be ready to piggyback after Tolle threw just three innings in his last start. Another possibility, of course, is that Tolle will be scratched from his start and Harrison will fill in to give Tolle additional rest after a tough outing against the Diamondbacks last week, or even that Harrison is being called up early for a start later this week. The lefty has a career 4.48 ERA across parts of three MLB seasons in San Francisco, and a 3.75 ERA in 12 starts with Triple-A Worcester.
2. Raleigh chases Mantle:
Cal Raleigh is in the midst of a historic season that may well win him the AL MVP award. As the Mariners wrap up their series against the Cardinals later today, he’ll be chasing another exciting piece of history. Raleigh currently has 53 home runs on the season, which puts him just one long ball behind Mickey Mantle for the single-season home run record among switch-hitters and two away from taking sole possession of that record. Cardinals rookie Michael McGreevy, who has a 4.68 ERA in 73 innings of work this year, will be tasked with keeping Raleigh from reaching that milestone today. In 142 games this year, Raleigh has slashed .240/.349/.574 and leads the AL with 113 RBI in addition to his MLB-leading home run total.
3. Pitchers’ Duel in Texas:
The Brewers are looking to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Rangers in Dallas today, and they’ll do so with ace Freddy Peralta on the mound amid a career season. Peralta has pitched to a 2.50 ERA with a 27.1% strikeout rate. On the mound opposite Peralta is a formidable foe, however, as the Rangers will be starting veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly. Kelly has a 3.16 ERA on the year across 29 starts, but he’s been even better since joining the Rangers at the trade deadline. He’s on a five-outing streak of quality starts, during which he’s pitched to a combined 2.23 ERA across 32 1/3 innings of work. While he’s struck out just 20.3% of his opponents in that five-start stretch, he’s made up for that by walking a microscopic 3.3%. The two right-handers are scheduled to square off at 1:35pm local time this afternoon.
Wow people reallllly reach on made up records every year? Most HRs by a switch hitter in history? Seriously? I really hope they put that up on the Jumbotron at T-Mobile Park, because wow, what a historical accomplishment
it’s quite a big deal, since the player that holds the record, Mickey Mantle, is one of the greatest hitters of all time, he’s even in the hall of fame. Plus, Cal is doing it as a switch-hitting catcher, even more impressive.
Did everyone make this big of a deal when Luis Gonzalez passed Mantle? No. If they actually broke a real record like if Raleigh hit the most home runs in a season sure
Oh no, it’s not made up. It’s real. Mickey Mantle was a real person. Cal Raleigh is a real person. The Baseball Hall of Fame is a real place. You should check it out. Maybe then you would understand what a historical accomplishment is.
I’m all for historical accomplishments and this switch hitting one is pretty legit. But I would say some of these “first player to…” accomplishments are getting a little thin.
Media types (in and out of sports) are always trying to push historical happenings just so they can say they were “there.”
You mean like “First player ever to have at least 17 home runs, 27 stolen bases, 6 errors, 120 hits, 120 strikeouts, and 48 walks by August 27th”?
Try to explain some of baseball’s most famous records to a non-sports fan and you’ll soon realize how made up and silly they all are. This is a glass house stone throwing situation
Connelly Early had a nice game for the Red Sox last night. Sure, it was against the A’s but got to start somewhere.
With the positive debuts of Tolle and Early,I can see why Breslow was so reluctant to include them in any deadline deals. Early was electric last night. 11 K’s , 5 shutout innings. Can the Sox actually produce some home grown pitching?? . Bello is coming into his own as a top of the rotation guy. When was the last time the Sox had this kind of young pitching talent?? Lester, Bucholz,Suppan……
Bring on the lefties!!!
Early looked fantastic last night. Once (if?) Tolle can reel in his secondary stuff, he’s gonna be solid. It’s awesome they developed these two promising arms.
Sounds like Harrison just needs to get the ball over the plate. We don’t need a LH Walker Buheler.
Anyone remember Rickie Weeks?
Who would have thought the Sox would have as many wins as the Dodgers at this point in the season……?