With just over two weeks left to go in the regular season, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. deGrom returns:

Jacob deGrom will pitch in the big leagues for the first time in more than a year when the Rangers activate him from the 60-day IL to face the Mariners in Seattle at 7:10pm local time. The 36-year-old is on the shortlist for the most dominant pitchers of the 21st century when healthy, but he’s struggled to stay on the mound in recent years. Dating back to 2018, deGrom sports a 2.08 ERA (191 ERA+) and 2.11 FIP with an eye-popping 35.6% strikeout rate. That dominance has come across just 108 starts, however, and things have gotten more drastic in recent years; while deGrom boasts a 2.03 ERA (198 ERA+) and 1.59 FIP with a comical 43.2% strikeout rate since the start of the 2021 season, that encompasses just 32 starts and 186 2/3 innings of work.

The right-hander will only get a few opportunities to pitch in the majors before the season comes to a close, but it’ll still be exciting for not only Rangers fans but baseball fans as a whole to have arguably the league’s best pitching talent on the mound again. The Rangers will need to make corresponding 40-man and active roster moves prior to deGrom’s start, although the former can be achieved by moving Corey Seager to the 60-day IL ahead of his impending sports hernia surgery.

2. Fitzgerald to undergo MRI:

In what has largely been another disappointing season for the Giants, the emergence of Tyler Fitzgerald as their regular shortstop has been a bright spot. The club’s fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, Fitzgerald made his MLB debut last year and opened the season as a utility option. The versatile hitter, who will celebrate his 27th birthday over the weekend, has taken on a larger role in recent months and pulled it off with aplomb. In 49 games since being installed as the club’s regular shortstop, Fitzgerald boasts a huge .304/.356/.571 slash line 12 homers, 13 doubles, and ten stolen bases in 13 attempts.

Given Fitzgerald’s emergence as a top contributor, it was a worrying sign for fans in San Francisco when he was removed from yesterday’s game after just three innings. As noted by Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle, Fitzgerald told reporters that his back locked up on him before the game began and worsened through the early innings. The shortstop added that he wasn’t particularly concerned about the situation given that he deals with similar back issues “every year,” but nonetheless noted that he’s set to undergo an MRI today.

3. NL Wild Card race heats up:

The race for the third NL Wild Card spot figures to get very interesting this weekend as the two most likely clubs to grab that spot, the Braves and Mets, are both staring down tough matchups. Atlanta is welcoming the 87-59 Dodgers to Truist Park for a four-game set that begins tonight, while the Mets are ticketed for a three-game set in Philadelphia against the 88-58 Phillies. With the Braves (79-67) just one game back of the Mets (80-66), both series against the NL’s top dogs are particularly pivotal.

It’s also worth noting that the Diamondbacks (82-64) and Padres (82-65) hold the top two Wild Card spots by margins that are hardly insurmountable, and a free-fall by either club could shake up the race in a big way. The only other club with even a 1% chance of winning a Wild Card spot per FanGraphs is the Cubs, who took two of three from the Dodgers earlier this week to stay alive but face a five-game deficit that leaves them needing a miracle to get back into the race.

With just 17 days until the regular season comes to a close, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1: Altuve day-to-day:

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was pulled from yesterday’s game due to what the club described as right side tightness. Manager Joe Espada told reporters (including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) that he wasn’t worried about the issue at the moment and that Altuve was day-to-day, but it’s nonetheless a worrisome development for the Astros as they look to lock down the AL West and return to the postseason for a ninth consecutive season.

Altuve, 34, hasn’t hit at quite the elite level that he did the past two seasons but has nevertheless enjoyed an excellent campaign with a .304/.359/.452 slash line, 19 homers, and 20 steals in 622 trips to the plate. If the veteran were to hit one more home run before the year comes to a close, it would be his first 20/20 campaign since his MVP-winning 2017 season. Those aspirations may be put on hold for the time being if the injury proves to be more serious than the club initially believed, however.

2. Rocker to make MLB debut:

One of the league’s most interesting top prospects is set to make his big league debut, as the Rangers have scheduled right-hander Kumar Rocker to start today’s game against the Mariners in Seattle. The 24-year-old was a top ten pick in back-to-back draft classes in 2021-22 when the Mets selected him tenth overall before declining to sign him due to injury concerns in his physical. That led Rocker to take the unusual path of pitching in the independent Frontier League ahead of the 2022 draft, where the Rangers surprising selected the righty third overall despite many believing his stock had dipped.

Rocker ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery but has been brilliant since returning to action. In seven starts between the Double- and Triple-A levels this year, the right-hander boasts a 0.91 ERA with a 34.9% strikeout rate in 29 2/3 innings of work. He’ll now get the opportunity to show off his stuff at the big league level tonight, when he faces Bryce Miller (3.18 ERA) at 6:40pm local time.

3. Series Preview: Red Sox @ Yankees

The Red Sox did what they needed to do in order to keep their remote playoff odds alive against one division rival this week when they took two games in their three-game set against the Orioles. They’ll now travel to the Bronx for a four-game set against their archrival Yankees in another critical series. For Boston, a strong performance in this series is imperative to stay alive in the race for the third AL Wild Card spot, where they trail the Twins by four games. Meanwhile, the series provides the Yankees not only an opportunity to bury their oldest rival but also to hold onto their lead over the Orioles for the AL East title and the bye through the Wild Card Series that likely comes with it.

The series kicks off this evening at 7:15pm local time with a match-up between righty Cooper Criswell (4.11 ERA) and lefty Nestor Cortes (3.97 ERA). Righties Tanner Houck (3.24 ERA) and Clarke Schmidt (2.34 ERA in 12 starts) are scheduled to face off tomorrow. Saturday will see youngster Brayan Bello (4.70 ERA) take on Gerrit Cole (3.36 ERA in 14 starts). The series wraps on Sunday with right-hander Kutter Crawford (4.09 ERA) facing southpaw Carlos Rodon (4.21 ERA).

With just over two weeks remaining in the regular season, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Lopez to undergo MRI:

Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez was pulled from his start against the Nationals yesterday due to what the club referred to as shoulder tightness. As noted by The Athletic’s David O’Brien, the right-hander’s velocity was down more than 3 mph from his season average during the abbreviated outing. Manager Brian Snitker told reporters following the game that Lopez is set to undergo an MRI.

A converted reliever who surprisingly was signed with the intent of joining Atlanta’s rotation, Lopez has been dominant since joining the Braves. He sports a 2.03 ERA and 3.08 FIP in 128 2/3 innings of work with a 26.3% strikeout rate. The thought of losing a player who has produced results that strong is always worrisome, but it’s especially so for a Braves club that’s currently tied with the Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot and will need to pull away from them to even get the chance to make a deep run this October. Bryce Elder, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Ian Anderson are among the arms at Triple-A who could be called upon in Lopez’s stead down the stretch.

2. Schwarber dealing with elbow issue:

Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber broke the single-season MLB record for leadoff home runs with his 14th such dinger last night, but the celebratory air surrounding his accomplishment didn’t last long as he left the game during the fourth inning after suffering what manager Rob Thomson referred to (per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki) as a bruised elbow that suffered from “a little bit” of hyperextension from diving back to first base on a pickoff attempt earlier in the game.

While Thomson said he plans to pencil Schwarber into the club’s lineup against the Rays today, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb notes that they won’t make a final decision on his availability until they see how the slugger is feeling today. The loss of Schwarber’s presence would be a tough blow for the Phillies, as he’s in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career with a .251/.372/.496 slash line with 35 homers and an NL-best 98 walks in 134 games.

3. Breakout arms square off in the Bronx:

The Yankees and Royals are scheduled to wrap up a three-game set, and they’ll do so with a pair of exciting young hurlers on the mound. Kansas City will deploy left-hander Cole Ragans, who enjoyed a breakout with the Royals down the stretch last year after being acquired from the Rangers and has continued that production over a full season in 2024. In 167 1/3 innings of work this year, the 26-year-old has pitched to a 3.33 ERA (128 ERA+) with a 2.94 FIP and an eye-popping 29.6% strikeout rate that’s second to only Tarik Skubal among AL starters.

Fellow 26-year-old Luis Gil missed the entire 2023 season due to injury and entered 2024 with just 33 1/3 big league innings on his resume. He got an opportunity in the rotation due to an injury that sidelined reigning AL Cy Young award winner Gerrit Cole, however, and Gil has made the most of it with a 3.24 ERA (128 ERA+) and a 3.78 FIP in 130 2/3 innings. The only starters who are 26 or younger with a lower ERA in at least 130 innings are Hunter Greene of the Reds, Javier Assad of the Cubs, and Bryce Miller of the Mariners.

As the 2024 regular season winds down, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Yamamoto to return:

Prized right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto last pitched for the Dodgers back in June. A rotator cuff strain sidelined the $325MM rookie 14 starts into his big league career, but he’ll return to the roster to take on the Cubs in L.A. at 7:10pm local time with another former NPB ace, left-hander Shota Imanaga (2.99 ERA), on the mound for Chicago. Prior to his injury, Yamamoto had pitched to a sterling 2.94 ERA with a 2.62 FIP in 74 innings of work while striking out 27.9% of opponents.

The 26-year-old hurler’s return to action is a welcome development for a Dodgers rotation that has recently lost Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, and Gavin Stone to the injured list. Yamamoto will spend the next couple weeks preparing for his first stateside playoff run as the Dodgers look to fend off the Padres and Diamondbacks in the NL West. Corresponding moves will be necessary on both the active and 40-man rosters to accommodate Yamamoto, who is returning from the 60-day injured list.

2. Series Preview: Padres @ Mariners

After dominating the AL West for the first half of the season, the Mariners have stumbled to a 21-25 record in the second half that’s allowed the Astros to run them down and take possession of the division crown. With less than three weeks to go until the regular season concludes, Seattle’s playoff hopes are looking unlikely but not impossible, as FanGraphs gives the club a 7.7% chance to make the postseason, highest of all AL clubs not currently in playoff position.

In order to make it to October for just the second time since 2001, the Mariners will have to take down a Padres club that’s firmly in playoff contention itself. San Diego is 5.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West but has a firm grasp on the top NL Wild Card spot with an 81-64 record that leaves them just a half game in front of Arizona but well ahead of the Braves and Mets as the two clubs battle for the third spot. The two-game set kicks off at 6:40pm local time this evening and will feature a pair of exciting pitching matchups, with veteran righty Yu Darvish (3.51 ERA) facing Mariners righty George Kirby (3.61 ERA) tonight. Tomorrow’s matchup will pit Michael King (3.10 ERA) against breakout youngster Bryan Woo (2.36 ERA).

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

With the calendar now flipped to September, all eyes are on the push to the postseason, where the Mets have recently pushed their way into the race with a torrid stretch and now sit just one game ahead of the Braves in the NL Wild Card standings. If you’re wondering about your team’s hopes of a World Series championship this fall or how your club could approach the coming offseason, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. 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.

As the march towards the postseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Castillo to undergo MRI:

Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo is scheduled to undergo an MRI after suffering a left hamstring strain in yesterday’s game against the Cardinals. It’s been a relative down season for Castillo by his lofty standards, as the 31-year-old has pitched to a 3.64 ERA (102 ERA+) with a 3.93 FIP in 175 1/3 innings of work through 30 starts. Castillo has still been a key part of Seattle’s playoff hopes as he forms a rotation (alongside Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, and Bryce Miller) that is arguably the finest in the entire sport.

That excellent rotation will be key to the club keeping the last vestiges of its playoff hopes alive. At 73-71, Seattle has just a 7.7% chance (per FanGraphs) of making it into the postseason with about three weeks to go in the regular season. That precarious positioning makes even a single missed start potentially devastating for the Mariners, but a longer absence could put a dent in their chances of success in the playoffs even in the improbable event that they manage to squeak into the postseason. Righty Emerson Hancock (4.76 ERA, 5.43 FIP in nine big league starts), would likely take over Castillo’s rotation spot were the veteran to go on the injured list.

2. Graterol to return:

As noted by MLB.com’s Injury Tracker, the Dodgers are expected to activate right-hander Brusdar Graterol from the injured list before today’s game against the Cubs. Graterol suffered a hamstring strain just over a month ago in his first appearance of the 2024 season after a season-long battle with shoulder inflammation. The club will need to make an activate roster move in order to activate Graterol.

The 26-year-old was dominant for L.A. last year with a 1.20 ERA and 3.03 FIP in 67 1/3 innings of work, and the Dodgers are surely hoping he can bring that kind of elite production to the back of their bullpen down the stretch and into the playoffs. After all, the club’s 4.35 ERA and 4.47 FIP out of the bullpen since the start of July are both below average, with the latter figure landing in the bottom six among all big league clubs. The club’s struggles to close out games have been largely solved by the deadline addition of Michael Kopech, but the return of Graterol should give the club another late-inning option alongside Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, and Daniel Hudson.

3. Will the Braves bring up Biggio?

The Braves acted quickly on the heels of news that their injury replacement for Ozzie Albies, veteran Whit Merrifield, had himself suffered a notable injury when he fouled a ball off his foot, resulting in a small fracture. While a visit with a specialist determined that Merrifield wouldn’t further aggravate the issue by finishing out the season and would be able to return to the field as soon as the pain in his foot allowed, that didn’t stop Atlanta brass from acquiring second baseman Cavan Biggio over the weekend. Though Biggio wouldn’t be eligible for the postseason, will the Braves nonetheless look to select his contract to the big league roster? Such a move would require the club to not only clear a spot on the active roster, but also make a 40-man roster move in order to accommodate Biggio.