Just two weeks left to go in the regular season! Here are three things we’re monitoring around baseball today…
1. Silver Boot series kicks off with huge implications:
The American League west is the tightest division in the majors. The Mariners took over the top spot this weekend and currently sit one game clear of the Astros. That leaves Houston in possession of the final A.L. Wild Card spot but the Rangers are just two games behind them. The Rangers are in Houston for three games starting tonight for a series that should play a huge role in the A.L. playoff picture.
It begins tonight with Jack Leiter taking the ball for Texas against Jason Alexander. The Rangers will turn to Merrill Kelly and Jacob deGrom in the next two games. The Astros don’t have starters listed beyond Alexander but Cristian Javier will likely start one of those contests. They might have to do a bullpen game in the other, with Luis Garcia recently hitting the injured list. Guys like AJ Blubaugh, Jayden Murray, Colton Gordon or J.P. France could cover multiple innings.
2. Division leaders face off in Los Angeles:
Over in the National League, a couple of division leaders are squaring off as the Phillies open a three-game series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers tonight. The Phils have the East division locked down with the Mets 12 games back. The Dodgers have more of a fight in the West, as they are only 2.5 games up on the Padres. The Phils are in a good spot to earn a bye through the first round as they are behind the Brewers but 4.5 games ahead of the Dodgers, though Los Angeles can tighten things up with a sweep in the coming days.
The Phils are going with Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo while the Dodgers counter with Emmet Sheehan, Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell. The Padres are off tonight but will be watching and rooting for the Phils, before they start their own important series against the Mets tomorrow.
3. Strahm on verge of vesting:
Circling back to the Phillies for one note of interest, left-hander Matt Strahm is on the verge of being locked up for 2026. His contract originally contained a $4.5MM club option for 2026 but he already bumped that up to $5.5MM when he reached 40 innings pitched this year and then $6.5MM when he got to 50 frames. If he gets to 60, it jumps another million to $7.5MM and becomes guaranteed, pending the result of a postseason physical examination. Strahm is up to 59 1/3 innings on the year now, meaning he’s two outs away from vesting that option.
Photo courtesy of Tim Heitman, Imagn Images
Trey Yesavage’s debut gets an honourable mention
here
It got its own article yesterday fyi
Strahm has put up good numbers, so that 7.5m option won’t be a problem for the Phillies.
At least the Phil’s will be in the playoffs. you can say that about any player, not worth his contract if he gets hurt, thanks for the insights
It says in the article “it is guaranteed, pending a post season physical.”
AL West tie-breakers come into play in Houston’s final homestand. Rangers hold a tie-breaker on the Astros and clinch it with 1 win vs. Houston. Mariners series at the weekend will decide their Astros tie-breaker; the last game of that series is ESPN’s Sunday-night game. Seattle holds the 3-way tie-breaker in the AL West.
As well, Phillies clinched postseason at the weekend and now need 1 more win to lock up the NL East.
Some really good baseball right now, this is definitely coming down to the wire. Good luck to everyone!
12 to 13 more games left in the regular season. It brings tears to my eyes knowing the season is almost done.
Tighten things up? What things?
Are you being obstinately obtuse today, bud? In the unlikely event of a Dodger sweep of the Phils the gap for the second seed would close to 1.5 games with 10 to play.
That would be ideal. Here’s hoping they can make it happen. They just need to make sure Yates and Scott don’t pitch.
Rooting hard for the Rangers to knock off the Astros as well.
Meaningful baseball had arrived. Every game matters in a season, but I love the rise of intensity in the final stages prior to the postseason.
Doc’s gonna continue to go to Scott. They made their bed and have to lie in it. But I expect we will see Vesia, Henriquez and Treinen in high leverage too.
Scott might be the mop up guy when they are up big. He will probably get a few now looks because his stuff doesn’t look terrible.
If he didn’t improve he’ll be the mop up guy in the playoffs.
Par for the course for him. Can’t see the forest for the trees. It’s always some petty commentary on the article.
Jobu, you and the point don’t share the same zip code. It’s okay to say you didn’t get it, instead of some, uh, petty commentary.
Hey, thanks! I wouldn’t have known the standings until you told me!
I am simply referring to the constant use of the word “things.” It’s a meaningless filler word. Just say what you mean.
The thing is…
The bird is the word.
“The thing of it is, is….”
Name that TV show.
This is a trick question.
Only The Shadow knows.
No, not a trick question, a ‘70s TV trivia question.
LA – Phillies should be a good series. LA will face the Phils’ best starters, but LA also has more on the line. Phillies missing a lot of guys.
Good to see Strahm doing so well. Always liked him back when he was a Friar.
Dude opens baseball cards on YouTube. Seems like a cool dude.
He was good with the Sox too. Too bad they didn’t keep him but he wanted to start and he wasn’t going to do that in Boston
Phillies own the Dodgers…
Dodgers need to make a statement this series…
Because it’s likely these two teams will meet in the playoffs…
It will be interesting how the Dodgers approach this series…
Some things are stupid, some things are really stupid, and then there’s MLB Transactions listing every player in baseball as changing his uniform number to 21 for Roberto Clemente Day.
Imagine anyone thinking that constitutes a really nice tribute to Roberto Clemente. Clemente was a tough guy. He would laugh at that kind of smarmy corn.
It takes a special kind of miserable to complain about this. It’s the players’ choice to change their number to 21 to honor Clemente for the day, stupid.
I believe only the nominees for the Clemente Award, one player from each team, wore 21 yesterday.
All of the Pirates wore 21 yesterday. As did Willi Castro and Kyle Tucker (Cubs), Justin Turner (Cubs), Carlos Rodon and Aaron Judge (Yankees) To name a few. Apparently players of Puerto Rican descent wore 21.
The Pirates are a special case, obviously. Some of the players you mention are nominees, some not. Evidently requests to wear the number are made to MLB. Kiké Hernandez is Puerto Rican and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t wearing 21 last night. Anyhow, it’s kind of sickening to hear someone complain about honoring Clemente this way. The times we live in.
You’re right Alan. Some things are just amazingly stupid. ^^^^
Roberto Clemente was tough guy who obviously had a soft side. Otherwise he’d probably still be with us, right?
He would laugh at you being offended on his behalf, as it’s not really necessary.