The Opener: AL West Race, Cobb, Santana
On the heels of an early-morning transaction, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. AL West race tightens:
The AL West race tightened up yesterday, as the first-place Astros fell to the Orioles while the Mariners toppled the A’s and the Rangers bested the Red Sox. Houston holds the division lead as things stand, though their 84-68 record stands just half a game above their rivals’ identical 83-68 records. With the Rays already guaranteed a place in the postseason and the Blue Jays holding onto the second Wild Card spot as things stand, it’s wholly feasible that one of the three clubs contending for the AL West title misses the postseason when all is said and done. The Mariners, in particular, have total control over their playoff fate going forward; their final ten games come exclusively against Texas (three away, four at home) and Houston (three at home).
Seattle will send George Kirby (3.57 ERA) to the mound today to take on Oakland’s Joey Estes, who’ll be making his MLB debut. Veteran Jon Gray (4.05) will take the mound for Texas and square off against impressive young Boston righty Brayan Bello (3.71) in their contest. Houston will look to Cristian Javier (4.74) against Baltimore’s quietly excellent Kyle Bradish (3.12).
2. Cobb exits:
Giants right-hander Alex Cobb exited yesterday’s loss against the Diamondbacks just two pitches into the third inning due to a hip impingement. Cobb has been pitching through the issue since the middle of June, as noted by Evan Webeck of The Mercury News, and it’s unknown when or whether he’ll return to the mound this season with just 11 games left on the calendar. The Giants are rapidly falling out of the postseason race thanks to a 6-11 record in September. FanGraphs gives them just a 5.2% chance of making the playoffs at this point. Those odds figure to be even slimmer without Cobb, who pairs with Logan Webb as the only two regular starters San Francisco utilizes.
3. Santana approaching milestone:
As the Brewers close in on the NL Central crown, first baseman Carlos Santana is simultaneously closing in on a career milestone. The 37-year-old veteran currently sits at 299 career home runs after hitting his 21st home run of the season last week, and the slugger has 11 games left on the Milwaukee schedule in which he can become the 159th player in major league history to reach 300 homers. It would be an excellent capstone on a 2023 campaign that saw Santana reach the 20-homer mark for the first time since 2019, when he was an All-Star, received MVP votes, and won a Silver Slugger award. Since then, Santana has seen his production wane, hitting .215/.320/.373 (93 wRC+) while playing for five teams in four seasons.
The Opener: Rays, Correa, Rodriguez
As the 2023 season nears its conclusion, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Rays Stadium Announcement Incoming:
Yesterday, it was reported that the Rays are poised to announce an agreement to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg. That announcement is expected to come today, and with it more details on the coming ballpark can be expected. The stadium is expected to be ready in 2028, the year after Tampa Bay’s lease at Tropicana Field expires. The off-the-field victory for the club comes as the team on the field is enjoying an unprecedented run of success, with a 92-59 record so far this season and a fifth consecutive postseason berth clinched. With the Rays on the verge of settling their stadium situation and the A’s putting the finishing touches on a bid to move from Oakland to Las Vegas, the biggest hurdle for league expansion that commissioner Rob Manfred has publicly mentioned in the past has been cleared. Of course, expansion must be collectively bargained with the MLBPA, meaning there are still hurdles to clear before MLB welcomes its thirty-first and thirty-second teams.
2. Correa Exits:
Twins shortstop Carlos Correa exited yesterday’s game in the first inning after feeling a “pop” in his left heel, as relayed by The Athletic’s Dan Hayes. Correa, of course, has been playing through plantar fasciitis during most of the 2023 campaign. The injury has seemingly impacted the 28-year-old star at the plate, as he’s slashed just .230/.312/.399 in 135 games while leading the majors with 30 double plays grounded into. As Hayes notes, the Twins and Correa have opted against a trip to the injured list throughout the season because a full recovery would require several months of downtime.
That sort of lengthy absence would have been imprudent with the Twins in the midst of a tight race for the AL Central crown throughout most of the season. Though the club hasn’t yet mathematically clinched the division title, Minnesota enjoys a comfortable seven-game lead over the Guardians in the division with just 11 games left to play and none of them being head-to-head. That healthy lead in the division race could lead the club to contemplate a trip to the IL for Correa or, at the very least, resting their marquee shortstop more aggressively in the days ahead in order to help him stay reasonably fresh for the coming postseason push.
3. Rodriguez to undergo testing:
Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez exited yesterday’s 8-3 loss against the Dodgers in the fourth inning due to what the club has termed a scapula spasm. Over three innings of work last night, Rodriguez surrendered five runs on five hits and a walk while striking out just one. As noted by Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, the lefty is expected to undergo further testing before being re-evaluated today. While the coming update won’t have much impact on Tigers club that’s on the verge of being mathematically eliminated from the postseason, Rodriguez’s health could impact him as he looks ahead toward a likely return to free agency this coming November, having the ability to opt out of the three years left on his contract. With a strong 3.57 ERA and 3.65 FIP across 24 starts this season, the 30-year-old Rodriguez figures to rank fairly highly among starting options on the market this offseason, though it’s possible an injury that runs the risk of impacting him headed into 2024 could alter that perception.
The Opener: Wainwright, Rodriguez, Phillies/Braves
As the 2023 regular season enters the home stretch, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Wainwright goes for #200:
After securing his 199th career win in Baltimore last week, Cardinals veteran Adam Wainwright is slated to take the ball at home against the Brewers with a chance to become the 122nd player in MLB history to reach 200 wins in his career, joining the likes of Jon Lester and Chuck Finley. Pitching opposite Wainwright in what could be his final career start at Busch Stadium figures to be right-hander Freddy Peralta (3.79 ERA). The final season of Wainwright’s career has been a very difficult one, as the 41-year-old has posted a 7.95 ERA and 6.20 FIP in 94 innings of work across 20 starts. Wainwright’s Cardinals are struggling similarly, with the club facing just their second season below .500 since Wainwright debuted in 2005 with the possibility of their first 90-loss campaign since 1990.
2. Rodriguez heads to LA:
The Tigers are headed to Dodger Stadium for a three game set today. Despite the Dodgers having already clinched the NL West and the Tigers being all but eliminated from postseason contention, there’s still plenty of intrigue surrounding today’s game. That’s because left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who made waves in the baseball world at the trade deadline this year by using his no-trade rights to veto a deal that would have sent him to the Dodgers, will be taking the mound tonight against right-hander Lance Lynn, LA’s lone rotation addition at the deadline this year. With Lynn sporting an ugly 8.18 ERA over his last four starts and much of the Dodgers rotation injured ahead of the club’s impending postseason run, Rodriguez’s 3.99 ERA in eight starts since the trade deadline would surely have been a major boost to the club in the final weeks of the season and have given them a third veteran arm to pair with Lynn and Clayton Kershaw this postseason.
3. Series Preview: Phillies @ Braves
A pair of division rivals are set to begin a three-game set that could prove to be a preview of what’s to come this postseason as the Phillies make their way to Truist Park in Atlanta. It’s the second series between the clubs in as many weeks, with the Braves having clinched the NL East crown by taking three of four in Philadelphia last week. Since then, however, the Braves suffered a brutal sweep at the hands of the Marlins while the Phillies took a series win against the Cardinals over the weekend, indicating momentum may have shifted to favor the Phillies headed into this week’s series. The coming set has no shortage of intriguing pitching matchups, starting with righties Zack Wheeler and Kyle Wright facing off this evening. Tuesday will see youngsters Spencer Strider and Cristopher Sanchez clash, while the final game of the series will see Aaron Nola take the mound opposite Bryce Elder.
Cardinals Notes: O’Neill, Yepez, Romero, Flaherty
The Cardinals announced this morning that they have placed outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day injured list with a right foot sprain. First baseman Juan Yepez was recalled from Triple-A in the corresponding move. The sprain presumably brings O’Neill’s 2023 campaign to a close, given the limited time remaining on the regular season schedule.
Despite rampant speculation early in the season that the club could deal O’Neill following an incident back in April where he was benched by manager Oli Marmol for a perceived lack of hustle, no such trade materialized before the trade deadline on August 1. That could be thanks at least in part due to O’Neill’s difficult first half. The 28-year-old made it into just 29 games with the Cardinals prior to the All Star break thanks to a low back strain, slashing just .228/.283/.337 with a 34.3% strikeout rate in those first 99 trips to the plate this season.
While his season started off on a rough note, O’Neill has looked greatly improved at the plate in recent months. His .233/.329/.445 slash line in 167 plate appearances since returning from injury shortly after the All Star break is far more palatable than his early season numbers. His strikeout rate has plummeted to just 19.8% over that period, while his walk rate has ticked up to 12.6%, a considerable jump from the 7.1% rate he posted in the first half. With that improved discipline at the plate and the ability to play center field, O’Neill could be a valuable player to the Cardinals as he heads into his final year of team control in 2024, whether that be as a trade chip or as a piece of the club’s outfield next year.
With Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker presumably locked into every day playing time, O’Neill will have to fight for playing time with the likes of Yepez, Dylan Carlson, and Alec Burleson for playing time in the outfield and at DH, assuming trades aren’t made to clear the club’s outfield logjam. Thanks to O’Neill’s injury, Yepez will get his first extended opportunity this season to showcase his skills at the big league level. After a solid rookie campaign with the Cardinals where he batted .253/.296/.447 in 76 games, Yepez has made just 46 plate appearances in the majors this year, slashing a lackluster .214/.283/.381 in that limited playing time. That being said, Yepez has gotten on a heater at the Triple-A level in recent weeks with a .305/.356/.481 slash line over his past 45 games. If he can keep that sort of production up at the big league level in the final weeks of the season, Yepez could re-establish himself as a contender for more playing time in the majors headed into 2024.
More from St. Louis…
- The Cardinals will be without left-hander JoJo Romero for longer than initially expected, as noted by MLB.com. Marmol told reporters yesterday that Romero, who went on the injured list earlier this month due to knee tendinitis, is “still working on strengthening his knee” and that the current plan is for him to throw another side session today before determining when he’ll return to action. Romero has taken on a high leverage role in the St. Louis bullpen in the weeks since the club moved on from closer Jordan Hicks at the trade deadline, and the 27-year-old lefty has thrived in his new role. In 17 innings of work (12 appearances) since recording his first save, Romero has posted a 3.18 ERA with a microscopic 0.79 FIP. That incredible figure is thanks to a whopping 35.8% strikeout rate against a minuscule 3% walk rate during that time frame.
- St. Louis parted ways with right-hander Jack Flaherty at this year’s trade deadline, dealing him to the Orioles in a buzzer-beating deal that brought back a trio of youngsters. That deal coming to fruition was far from a guarantee, however. As reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal earlier this week, the Cardinals nearly came to an agreement with the Rays to send Flaherty to Tampa, though the deal collapsed in the medical review stage of the process. Since then, the Rays lost left-hander Shane McClanahan to Tommy John surgery, further weakening the club’s starting rotation. While it’s worth wondering if Tampa’s interest in the pending free agent could carry over into the offseason, it should be noted that Flaherty has struggled badly since joining the Orioles, with a 7.11 ERA in seven starts for Baltimore.
A’s Select Joe Boyle
The A’s selected the contract of right-hander Joe Boyle this afternoon, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, right-hander Freddy Tarnok was transferred to the 60-day injured list while lefty Sean Newcomb was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained left knee.
Boyle, who celebrated his 24th birthday last month, came over from the Reds as the return in the Sam Moll trade earlier this summer. Standing a massive 6’7” and weighing in at 240 pounds, Boyle has shown an impressive power arsenal with a triple-digit fastball and strong breaking stuff that has allowed him to strikeout a whopping 35.4% of batters faced as a professional. Unfortunately, that strong repertoire comes with little in terms of command, as the big righty has posted walk rates of 10% or higher at every full-season league he’s appeared in since being drafted by the Reds in the fifth round of the 2020 draft.
Boyle is now slated to get a chance to show off his big time stuff at the big league level, as he’ll start today’s game against the Padres. Boyle’s posted a solid 3.84 ERA across 25 starts split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this season. That’s a particularly noteworthy feat considering he’s posted an ERA of just 2.25 in three starts at the Triple-A level with the A’s, who play in infamously inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League.
Making room for Boyle on the active roster is Newcomb, who pitched quite well in a swing role for the A’s this season. Across 15 innings of work (seven appearances), Newcomb posted a 3.00 ERA with a 27.9% strikeout rate, though his whopping 14.8% walk rate indicates that the control issues that have dogged him ever since he made his big league debut with the Braves back in 2017 haven’t gone away. As for Tarnok, the right-hander underwent season-ending hip surgery toward the end of August, making today’s transfer to the 60-day IL nothing more than a formality.
AL East Notes: Montas, Jansen, Bautista, Mountcastle
The Yankees announced this morning that right-hander Frankie Montas will begin a rehab assignment at the Triple-A level this evening. Montas has not yet appeared in a professional game this year after undergoing shoulder surgery back in February.
Montas joined the Yankees at the trade deadline last year in a deal that sent a package of prospects headlined by left-hander Ken Waldichuk. The deal proved to be an ill-fated one for the Yankees, as Montas made just eight starts to the tune of a 6.35 ERA with a strikeout rate of just 17.8%. With just 12 games left on the regular season calendar and New York all but eliminated from postseason contention, the window is tight for Montas to return to the big leagues this year at all, much less for a full-length start. Nonetheless, with the 30-year-old righty poised to hit the open market this November, even a brief return to the big leagues where Montas can prove his health to clubs ahead of the offseason could be valuable as he looks to join a crowded free agent class for starting pitchers.
More from around the AL East…
- Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen has been on the COVID-19 injured list for the past week, but could be nearing a return. As manager Alex Cora told reporters (including The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey) that Jansen is playing catch and is currently expected to rejoin the team in Texas on Wednesday, as soon as he’s eligible to return from the IL. The 35-year-old closer has had a solid season in Boston, with a 3.63 ERA and 29 saves in 44 2/3 innings of work. Chris Martin, Garrett Whitlock, and John Schreiber have handled the late innings for the Red Sox while Jansen has been out.
- Orioles closer Felix Bautista has been on the IL since late August with a UCL injury, though the club hasn’t given up hope on the 28-year-old returning this year. That hope is still alive today, as manager Brandon Hyde told reporters (including Dan Connolly of Sportsnaut) this afternoon. Bautista threw a 20-25 pitch side session, which Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun was noted was his third consecutive day of throwing. Bautista was perhaps the most dominant reliever in the sport prior to going down with injury. In 61 innings of work this season, he’s posted a 1.48 ERA with an incredible 46.4% strikeout rate.
- Sticking with the Orioles, Hyde told reporters (including Jake Rill of MLB.com) that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who has been dealing with shoulder soreness in recent days, tried swinging a bat yesterday but that “it didn’t go great.” Hyde added that he still doesn’t consider Mountcastle as a candidate to hit the injured list. Mountcastle has slashed .269/.327/.453 in 459 trips to the plate this season. The Orioles have been relying on Ryan O’Hearn at first base in Mountcastle’s absence.
Marlins Announce Several Roster Moves
The Marlins announced a handful of roster moves this morning, activating outfielder Jorge Soler from the 10-day injured list and selecting the contract of right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez. In corresponding moves, the club optioned left-hander Josh Simpson and outfielder Dane Myers to Triple-A. Miami’s 40-man roster is now full following Gonzalez’s selection.
Soler returns after missing most of the month to this point with a right oblique strain. The 31-year-old is in the midst of his strongest season since 2019, having slashed .240/.329/.513 with 35 home runs and a wRC+ of 124 this season. Soler’s return should provide a boost to a Miami lineup that has posted a collective wRC+ of just 84 since Soler headed to the shelf. Soler has primarily played DH while mixing in occasional starts in right field throughout the 2023 campaign. Assuming that trend contributes, Soler figures to push Josh Bell from DH to first base, with Luis Arraez moving from first to second while Xavier Edwards heads to the bench, though Soler’s return could also cut into the playing time of corner bats Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez should he see more time in right going forward.
As for Gonzalez, the former first round pick made his Marlins debut earlier this season, posting 2 2/3 innings of work for the club. He allowed a 3.38 ERA in that brief cameo, striking out two while walking one. Gonzalez was designated for assignment back in May to clear room on the 40-man roster for top pitching prospect Eury Perez, but stayed in the Marlins organization throughout this season. His results at the Triple-A level have left something to be desired, with a 6.07 ERA and a strikeout rate of just 13% in 121 2/3 innings of work for the club’s affiliate in Jacksonville. Still, as a veteran in his seventh big league season, the 31-year-old righty can offer Miami’s bullpen a depth option with previous experience in both a relief role and as a member of the starting rotation.
Exiting the roster in favor of incoming veterans are Simpson, a 26-year-old lefty who has yet to make his major league debut, and outfielder Myers, who made his MLB debut earlier this year and has slashed .269/.286/.358 in 70 trips to the plate with the Marlins since then. Both players figure to return to Triple-A to act as depth options while Miami enters the home stretch of their push toward the club’s first playoff appearance in a full season since 2003.
Central Notes: Bibee, Madrigal, Yelich, Perez
Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee exited yesterday’s game due to right hip tightness in the sixth inning of yesterday’s win over the Rangers, as relayed by MLB.com. Bibee is scheduled to undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue.
It’s the latest negative development for a Guardians rotation that’s been plagued by injury woes all year. Right-handers Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie are both currently on the 60-day injured list, while righty Cal Quantrill also missed significant time with injury earlier this season. With the club’s three most established starters having spent time on the shelf this season, Bibee has become the rotation’s anchor during his rookie season. The 24-year-old youngster sports an impressive 2.98 ERA that’s 41% better than league average across 25 starts this year. While his 3.52 FIP and and slightly inflated 80% strand rate indicate there could be some regression in Bibee’s future, his solid 24.1% strikeout rate and strong 7.7% walk rate give him the look of a strong mid-rotation starter at the very least.
If Bibee’s injury ends his 2023 campaign, it will have certainly been a successful one that figures to garner some attention in AL Rookie of the Year voting. The Guardians are unlikely to be meaningfully impacted by his availability for the remainder of this season, however. Considering Cleveland sits seven games back of the Twins in the AL Central with just thirteen games left to play, it would take a miracle for the club to make the postseason even in the weak AL Central division.
More from around MLB’s Central divisions…
- Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal exited yesterday’s 13-inning marathon loss to the Diamondbacks with right hamstring tightness, as relayed by Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Madrigal’s balky right hamstring has caused him issues throughout his young big league career: it required season-ending surgery while he was with the White Sox back in 2021, and he missed just under a month with a strain earlier this season. A former top prospect who was selected fourth overall in the 2018 draft, Madrigal has slashed just .283/.311/.352 (83 wRC+) in 294 big league plate appearances this season. That being said, the 26-year-old has hit better since returning to the big leagues from an optional assignment in early June, slashing .271/.325/.379 with a minuscule 7.7% strikeout rate. With Jeimer Candelario already on the shelf, the Cubs figure to primarily rely on Patrick Wisdom at third base for the time being if Madrigal is out for an extended period.
- Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich has appeared in just one game since September 8 due to low back stiffness, and manager Craig Counsell (as relayed by MLB.com) indicates that the 31-year-old is still day-to-day despite starting Friday’s game against the Nationals. “At this point, we need 100 percent of Christian Yelich.” Counsell told reporters yesterday, “It’s not the time to go out there less than that.” Though Yelich is still nowhere near the level of production he enjoyed in 2018 and 2019 when he looked like one of the best players in the sport, the veteran outfielder has enjoyed a bounce-back of sorts in 2023, slashing a solid .272/.363/.432 with a wRC+ of 116. The club has utilized Joey Wiemer and Tyrone Taylor in the outfield alongside regular fixtures Sal Frelick and Mark Canha while Yelich has been unavailable.
- Royals catcher Salvador Perez exited yesterday’s game against the Astros after a foul ball off the bat of Jose Altuve struck his mask in the fifth inning. Perez began to feel lightheaded before exiting the game to undergo the concussion protocol, though the Royals later announced that Perez had avoided a concussion. Per MLB.com, manager Matt Quatraro told reporters that Perez “got his bell rung a little bit” but that Perez was feeling fine by the end of the game. It’s possible, then, that Perez returns to the lineup as soon as this afternoon. Perez has slashed .252/.291/.415 with a wRC+ of 84 in 551 trips to the plate this year while splitting time between catcher, first base, and DH.
Braves Select Dereck Rodriguez
The Braves announced this morning that they have selected the contract of right-hander Dereck Rodriguez. Left-hander Jared Shuster was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Rodriguez on the active roster, while lefty Dylan Lee was transferred to the 60-day injured list to make room for Rodriguez on the 40-man roster.
Rodriguez, 31, joined the Braves earlier this year when he was claimed off waivers from the Twins. He appeared in two games with the club earlier this season, posting 2 2/3 scoreless innings during that time, but was designated for assignment after the club acquired left-hander Taylor Hearn in late July. Shortly thereafter, Rodriguez accepted an outright assignment to remain in the Braves organization. In 44 2/3 innings of work with the club’s Triple-A affiliate this season, the right-hander has posted an ugly 6.45 ERA with a 21.1% strikeout rate against a 9.5% walk rate.
Rodriguez’s career in the big leagues began in 2018 as a member of the Giants. The then-26-year-old hurler pitched well in his rookie season, with a 2.81 ERA and 3.73 FIP in 21 games (19 starts) with San Francisco. Unfortunately, Rodriguez has struggled ever since that strong debut, with a 5.68 ERA and 6.04 FIP in 114 innings of work at the big league level since the start of the 2019 season. While it seems unlikely Rodriguez will return to the production he generated in his rookie season, he could nonetheless help a beleaguered Braves bullpen that has posted a 5.64 ERA since the start of September.
Shuster’s up-and-down role as a spot starter this season continues as he’s optioned back to Triple-A following his start against the Marlins yesterday. The 25-year-old has struggled to a 5.64 ERA in 52 2/3 innings of work (11 starts) this season, but figures to continue to act as starting depth for the Braves going forward. As for Lee, the lefty was placed on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation earlier this week. The injury was already expected to render him shut down until the 2024 campaign, so his move to the 60-day IL is entirely procedural.
The Opener: Scherzer, Bailey, Canha
On the heels of some early-morning news, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Scherzer to undergo MRI:
Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer exited his start against the Blue Jays in the sixth inning due to a triceps spasm. As noted by Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today, manager Bruce Bochy told reporters yesterday that Scherzer will undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of the injury. An injury to Scherzer, who owns a 3.20 ERA and 3.46 FIP in eight starts since joining Texas at the trade deadline, would be a brutal blow to the Rangers late in the season. The club is in the thick of the playoff race, sitting one game behind the Astros for the AL West crown and up half a game on both the Mariners and Blue Jays for the second of three AL Wild Card spots.
The Rangers’ potential playoff rotation would stand to take a hit as well, of course. Lefty Jordan Montgomery (3.62 ERA) and righty Nathan Eovaldi (2.90 ERA) have both had strong seasons to this point, but replacing Scherzer with one of Dane Dunning (3.91 ERA), Jon Gray (3.96 ERA), or Andrew Heaney (4.10 ERA) would be a downgrade.
2. Bailey nearing a return:
Giants catcher Patrick Bailey is eligible to return from the 7-day concussion-related injured list today. Both manager Gabe Kapler (per MLB.com) and Bailey himself (per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle) have indicated that he is likely to return as soon as he’s eligible, meaning he could be back in the lineup for this afternoon’s game against the Guardians. Bailey, 24, has solidified the catcher position for the Giants during his rookie season, pairing a decent .248/.304/.390 (91 wRC+) slash line with defense that has graded out as superb behind the plate. The Giants have been utilizing a tandem of Joey Bart and Blake Sabol behind the plate in Bailey’s absence. The return of San Francisco’s rookie catcher could provide a spark for a Giants club that sits just 1.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot but has gone just 4-7 since the start of September.
3. Canha to visit doctor:
After exiting yesterday’s game against the Marlins in the third inning, Brewers outfielder Mark Canha is set to have his ailing wrist evaluated, as noted by Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In conversation with reporters, Canha noted that he’s dealt with wrist issues before and that cortisone injections have been helpful in the past, but his treatment plan and path forward this season won’t be clear until after today’s testing. The 34-year-old Canha has slashed an impressive .303/.394/.459 with a wRC+ of 133 in 142 plate appearances since joining the club at the trade deadline, so any missed time will sting for the Brewers. Joey Wiemer appears to be the likeliest candidate to take over for Canha in the outfield, if necessary.