The Opener News & Rumors

Three items on the morning docket, including one half of the World Series matchup being finalized…

1. Rangers win the AL pennant:

The Rangers held a 3-0 lead after the first half-inning of Game 7, and an 8-2 lead after the top of the fourth.  Ergo, there ultimately wasn’t much drama as Texas vanquished the Astros by an 11-4 final in the deciding game of the American League Championship Series.  While many of the Rangers’ bats were cooking in the game, the club was led once again by Adolis Garcia, who went 4-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs.  Garcia captured ALCS MVP honors for hitting .357/.400/.893 with five homers and 15 RBI over 30 plate appearances in the seven games, setting a new MLB record for most RBI in a single postseason series.

The road team won all seven games in the unusual series, as the Rangers had to fight back from a 3-2 series deficit by winning both Games 6 and 7 in Houston.  Texas has to hope this road-team trend doesn’t continue, as the Rangers will now hold homefield advantage in the World Series over whichever team comes out of the National League.  The Rangers are 0-2 in their two previous trips to the Fall Classic (in 2010 and 2011), and are still looking for the first championship in franchise history.  As for the Astros, the disappointing loss might lead to some major change heading into 2024, as manager Dusty Baker has indicated that he might be retiring.

2. Mitch Garver‘s status:

One downside for the Rangers was a possible injury to Mitch Garver, who was hit in the ribs by a Bryan Abreu pitch in the sixth inning. Garver was in obvious discomfort after the HBP but remained in the game and scored on Nathaniel Lowe‘s home run, though he was replaced by a pinch-hitter in his next at-bat.  Garver seemed to be feeling okay when interviewing with Ben Verlander following the game, though the designated hitter underwent some x-rays.

There hasn’t yet been word on the outcome of those tests, but needless to say, there will be some nervousness in Arlington unless Garver is cleared for the World Series.  Acting as the Rangers’ regular DH throughout the playoffs, Garver has hit .294/.368/.529 with two homers in 38 PA, continuing his hot hitting from the regular season.

3. NLCS Game 7:

With one league champion decided, we get to enjoy some more nail-biting Game 7 action tonight when the Phillies host the Diamondbacks in the final game of the National League Championship Series.  Trailing 3-2 in the series heading into yesterday’s Game 6, the D’Backs stayed alive with a 5-1 victory, built on the strength of a three-run rally in second inning.  Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Tommy Pham each hit solo homers, and Ketel Marte continued his bid for NLCS MVP by going 2-for-5 for his fourth multi-hit game of the series.

Brandon Pfaadt (5 2/3 scoreless innings) and Ranger Suarez (5 1/3 shutout frames) each looked very sharp in Game 3 of the NLCS, and they’ll face off again as the scheduled starters for Game 7.  That said, both teams figure to have relatively quick hooks, as pretty much every pitcher on either roster will be available for some usage in the winner-take-all showdown.  On a historical note, this will be the first time in the Phillies’ 141-year franchise history that the club will play a Game 7 of a playoff series.

Here are three things worth monitoring in baseball today, with a chance for the World Series matchup to be locked in by day’s end. It will be the last day of the year with more than one MLB game, so enjoy!

1. NLCS Game 6:

After the Phillies took Game 5 in Arizona, they have a chance to end the series tonight, with Game 6 starting at 4:07pm Central. Doing so would punch their ticket to the World Series for a second straight year. Of course, the Diamondbacks will be looking to take this game and live to fight another day. Aaron Nola will take the ball for the Phils and will be hoping to extend his outstanding postseason run, having thrown 18 2/3 innings over three starts with an ERA of 0.96. As an impending free agent, it feels like he’s earning himself millions of future dollars each time he climbs the hill this month. Merrill Kelly starts for the Snakes, having registered an ERA of 3.00 in his two playoff outings this year.

2. ALCS Game 7:

After a deflating loss in Game 5, the Rangers bounced back with an emphatic victory in Game 6, pushing the series to a seventh game. Strangely, this will be the first winner-take-all game of this year’s postseason, since every Wild Card series was a two-game sweep and none of the Division Series went to five games. Max Scherzer will be starting for the Rangers, making his second appearance after returning from injury. The first one didn’t go so well, as he allowed five earned runs in four innings, but he’ll obviously be hoping for better results tonight. If he and the club are successful, the Rangers will head to the World Series for the first time since 2011. The Astros counter with Cristian Javier, who has an ERA of 1.69 in his two starts this postseason, continuing his trend of clicking in the spotlight. In 43 1/3 playoff innings in his career, his ERA is just 2.08. If the Astros take it tonight, they will return to the World Series for a third straight year and their fifth appearance in the past seven Fall Classics.

As of right now, it’s unknown if Bryan Abreu will be available for the Astros after he received a two-game suspension for Game 5’s fireworks. Abreu appealed that suspension, allowing him to pitch in Game 6 last night, but that appeal will be heard today. Game time is 7:03 pm Central.

3. Managerial musical chairs:

There was a surprising twist out of California yesterday, with the Padres giving manager Bob Melvin permission to speak with their division rivals in San Francisco about their open managerial position. The Giants are one of four clubs with an empty skipper’s chair, along with the Guardians, Mets and Angels, but it seems the Padres might be replacing them on that list. The Brewers could be added as well, with Craig Counsell‘s contract set to expire at the end of October, which is just over a week away now.

As the 2023 postseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Astros tie up the ALCS:

The Astros secured their second consecutive ALCS victory last night, pummeling the Rangers in Arlington for a 10-3 win. The victory for Houston ties up the series at two, with one more left to play at Globe Life Field this afternoon before the teams return to Houston for Game 5 on Sunday. Veteran second baseman Jose Altuve carried the night for the Astros, recording three hits with two doubles and a walk, scoring three times and knocking in one. Shortstop Corey Seager and outfielder Adolis Garcia tried to keep things competitive for the Rangers, as both went 2-for-4 with a home run, but the Astros bullpen shut down the rest of Texas’s lineup after a shaky 2 1/3 inning start from right-hander Jose Urquidy.

The Rangers will look to avoid being swept out of their three ALCS home games this evening, with the first pitch of Game 5 scheduled for 4:07pm CT. Tonight’s game will feature a rematch between left-hander Jordan Montgomery (3.20 ERA, 2.08 this postseason) and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander (3.22 ERA, 1.42 this postseason). Montgomery won the pitching duel between the pair in Game 1, during which Verlander allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings of work while the southpaw silenced Houston’s bats for 6 1/3 scoreless frames.

2. DBacks stay in the NLCS with walk-off:

Much of last night’s game was dominated by a pitchers’ duel between Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez and Diamondbacks righty Brandon Pfaadt, who went 5 1/3 and 5 2/3 scoreless innings, respectively. Pfaadt was particularly impressive, striking out nine while issuing no walks and allowing just two hits. As the game was handed over the the clubs’ bullpens, the game stay relatively low scoring, with first baseman Bryce Harper scoring on a wild pitch to represent Philadelphia’s lone run of the game. In the end, Arizona managed to walk it off on a single off the bat of Ketel Marte as veteran closer Craig Kimbrel struggled for the Phillies, allowing two walks and two hits while recording just one out.

Looking ahead to this evening’s game, which is poised to start at 7:07pm CT, Arizona will try to keep the momentum going and tie the series against Phillies Game 4 starter Cristopher Sanchez. The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, will counter with a bullpen game started by left-hander Joe Mantiply. Right-hander Slade Cecconi is likely Arizona’s best long-relief option ahead of today’s bullpen game, while Sanchez will be backed up by a handful of multi-inning options, including regular season starters Taijuan Walker and Michael Lorenzen.

3. Offseason Outlook Chat:

The Rays installment of of the 2023-24 edition of MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series was published yesterday, as the club faces a choice between a record payroll in 2024 and radically altering a team that won 99 games this year. If you have any questions about the coming offseason in Tampa following the club being swept out of the Wild Card series at the hands of the Rangers, you can tune in at 11:00am CT for a live chat with MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald. This link will allow you to submit a question in advance, participate live, or read the transcript afterward.

As the 2023 postseason continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. ALCS Game 3:

Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer is set to take the mound tonight for the first time since September 12, when he posted 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on 72 pitches. The Rangers will hope for a similar outcome tonight as the ALCS heads to Globe Life Field for Game 3 today, as manager Bruce Bochy has indicated that Scherzer’s “baseline” for tonight could be around 70 pitches as he makes his first competitive appearance in more than a month, taking the mound against Astros righty Cristian Javier. Scherzer sports a 3.77 ERA and 4.32 FIP in 27 starts this season, though those numbers (3.20 ERA and 3.41 FIP) are far more impressive in eight starts since joining the Rangers.

Javier, meanwhile, posted mediocre numbers during the regular season with a 4.56 ERA and matching 4.58 FIP. That being said, Javier is an accomplished postseason pitcher with a career 1.91 ERA in 37 2/3 innings of work, including 16 1/3 scoreless innings across three career postseason starts. The clubs have also indicated that changes to their starting lineups may be in the cards tonight, with Astros manager Dusty Baker suggesting a move down the lineup could be in play for outfielder Kyle Tucker, who’s marred in an 2-for-22 slump this offseason. Meanwhile, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News relays that, per Bochy, rookie outfielder Evan Carter could move up to the third spot in the lineup for this evening’s game. The rookie has torn the cover off the ball this postseason, with a .350/.536/.700 slash line in 28 trips to the plate.

2. NLCS Travel Day:

The Diamondbacks are heading back to Arizona licking their wounds today, as after sweeping the Brewers and Dodgers out of the playoffs en route to the ALCS the club was unable to recreate that magic against in Philadelphia. After losing 5-3 in Game 1 with ace right-hander Zac Gallen on the mound, the club turned to veteran Merrill Kelly and got an even more worrisome outcome, as the Phillies dominated in a 10-0 romp that sent them to Arizona with a 2-0 lead in seven-game set. Pending free agent Aaron Nola dominated the Diamondbacks over six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, while Kyle Schwarber slugged two of the club’s three home runs on the evening. Philadelphia has yet to announce the club’s Game 3 starter for tomorrow, while the Diamondbacks will go with youngster Brandon Pfaadt as they try to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole in the NLCS.

3. Braves Live Chat:

The Braves installment of the 2023-24 edition of MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series was published yesterday, as the club looks for answers following a second consecutive 100+ win campaign cut short in four games at the hands of the Phillies during the NLDS. If you have any questions about the coming offseason in Atlanta, you can tune in at 1:15pm CT for a live chat with MLBTR’s Anthony Franco. This link will allow you to submit a question in advance, participate live, or read the transcript afterward.

Here are three things we’re monitoring around baseball today…

1. NLCS Game 2:

The Phillies took the first game of the National League Championship series, winning last night’s contest 5-3 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. The second game goes tonight at 7:07 pm Central, with Merrill Kelly starting for the Diamondbacks and Aaron Nola for the Phillies. Can Arizona even the series or will the Phils take a 2-0 lead out west? Kelly tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his one postseason start thus far while Nola, an impending free agent, has a 1.42 ERA in his 12 2/3 innings so far in this year’s playoffs.

2. ALCS travel day:

The Rangers managed to hold on to a 5-4 victory yesterday, giving them a 2-0 lead in the ALCS. That puts the defending-champion Astros in a tight spot, heading to Arlington for three straight games there. They will need to win two of those three contests on the road just to stay alive and send the series back to Houston for Game 6. Game 3 is tomorrow night with Cristian Javier set to square off against Max Scherzer, who will be making his return from an injury that once seemed season-ending. A situation worth monitoring will be Yordan Alvarez, who has been sick and was almost held out of the Game 2 lineup. As relayed by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Alvarez insisted on playing and ended up hitting a pair of home runs yesterday. Ideally, the off-day will give him a chance to get over his illness but it certainly didn’t seem to hamper his performance.

3. What’s next for Kim Ng:

Yesterday brought the surprising news that the Marlins and general manager Kim Ng would not be continuing their relationship for another year. The club reportedly exercised a mutual option for 2024 but she did not trigger her end, seemingly motivated by the club being unwilling to give her a longer extension and because they planned to install a president of baseball operations above her. Given that the Marlins have fared well during her tenure, she figures to get interest from other clubs, but it’s unknown if she wants to immediately jump into a new job or take some time to mull things over. The Mets are looking for a general manager, but one that would work under president of baseball operations David Stearns. The Sox are also on the hunt for a GM but reporting indicates it’s not the most attractive job in the league, for various reasons.

Here are three things we’re monitoring around the baseball world today…

1. ALCS Game 2:

The American League Championship series began last night, with the Rangers taking the first contest. Thanks to 6 1/3 shutout innings from starter Jordan Montgomery and then 2 2/3 scoreless/hitless innings from the bullpen, Texas shut out Houston 2-0 and took a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 gets going this afternoon at 3:37 pm Central with Nathan Eovaldi taking the ball for the Rangers. He will be looking to lead the club to victory and therefore bring a 2-0 series lead to Arlington for Game 3. But Framber Valdez will be on the bump for Houston and looking to even the series up at a game apiece.

2. NLCS Game 1:

The second game of the day will see the National League Championship Series begin, with the Diamondbacks and Phillies getting underway at 7:07 pm. A couple of Cy Young candidates will be squaring off against each other, as Zac Gallen is on the hill for Arizona and Zack Wheeler on the other side. Gallen tossed 210 innings in the regular season with a 3.47 ERA and has since made two postseason starts with a 3.18 ERA. Wheeler tossed 192 innings in the regular season with a 3.61 ERA and has since made two playoff starts of his own with a 2.08 ERA in those.

3. Giants managerial search:

There are four clubs with managerial vacancies at the moment, with the Giants, Guardians, Angels and Mets all looking for new skippers. It’s possible the Brewers would make a fifth, with Craig Counsell‘s current contract only running until October 31 and uncertainty around whether or not he’ll be back. Of these clubs, the Giants have seemingly been the most active, at least in terms of public reporting. They’ve already interviewed a number of internal candidates, with bench coach Kai Correa, third base coach Mark Hallberg and assistant coach Alyssa Nakken having been questioned about the opening. They are also going to interview former player Stephen Vogt, who served as bullpen and quality control coach for the Mariners this year and played for the Giants in 2019.

Here are three things happening in baseball as we head into the weekend…

1. Phillies moving on:

Philadelphia knocked off their division rivals in Atlanta last night, which sends the Phils back to the NLCS for a second consecutive season. They now have a couple of days for rest and preparation, with the Diamondbacks coming to town for Game 1 on Monday night. Pitching matchups haven’t been officially announced but it’s possible that the series starts with Zac Gallen against Zack Wheeler. As for Atlanta, they now go into offseason mode earlier than hoped, with starting pitching likely to be a focus. Kyle Wright is going to miss all of next year, Max Fried is going into his final year of club control and Charlie Morton is undecided about continuing his career in 2024.

2. ALCS kicks off:

While the NLCS doesn’t get going until Monday, the American League counterpart kicks off Sunday night at 7:15 pm Central with the Astros and Rangers taking the Silver Boot series to the playoffs for the first time. It’s also the first time an LCS has taken place between two clubs in the same state. The Rangers are hoping to get back to the World Series for the first time since 2011. A victory for the Astros, on the other hand, would send them to the Fall Classic for an incredible fifth time in the past seven years. Justin Verlander takes the ball for Houston in Game 1 but the Rangers haven’t officially announced their starter yet.

3. Mariners Outlook:

MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series continues to take a team-by-team look around the league, with the Mariners getting a post later today. This will be followed by a team-specific chat so keep an eye out for both of those.

Two more Division Series concluded last night. The Diamondbacks finished off a sweep of the Dodgers with a 4-2 win, while the Astros held on to beat the Twins 3-2. Houston clinched a remarkable seventh consecutive trip to the AL Championship Series, where they’ll match up against their in-state rivals. The Rangers head to Houston this weekend.

The D-Backs, who are into the final four for the first time since 2007, join the rest of us in watching tonight’s matchup.

1. Braves/Phillies, Game 4

The Phillies went ahead in the remaining Division Series with a resounding 10-2 home victory yesterday. They hit six home runs — including two apiece from Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos — to secure a 2-1 lead in the series. They’ll try to clinch a second straight NLCS berth tonight at 7:07 CDT. It’s a rematch of the pitching matchup from Game 1, with Philadelphia lefty Ranger Suárez against Atlanta ace Spencer Strider. Suárez got the better of a pitcher’s duel on Saturday. If Strider and the Braves can fend off elimination, they’d head back to Truist Park for a decider on Saturday. The D-Backs await the winner next Monday.

2. Moreno update

In a celebratory night for Arizona, the only minor concern was an injury to catcher Gabriel Moreno. For the second straight series, Moreno was forced out early of the clinching game by injury. He left the Brewers series after being hit in the head on a backswing but passed concussion protocol and returned against L.A. Yesterday’s issue was a right hand injury that the D-Backs diagnosed as a contusion. Initial x-rays came back negative, Moreno told reporters during the postgame celebration (relayed by Sam Blum of the Athletic). He seems on track to return for the NLCS, although the club will surely monitor his progress over the next few days.

3. Mets Outlook

For all but five teams, we’re into offseason mode. MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series is nearly halfway complete. Darragh McDonald takes a look at what could be in store for the Mets in a post that’ll hit the website this afternoon.

As the playoffs continue, here are three things to look out for today…

1. Rangers moving on, potentially getting stronger:

The Rangers’ rollercoaster season it at a high point. After leading the West for much of the year, they faded in the second half and had to settle for a Wild Card spot. But they’ve gotten red hot at the right time, sweeping the Rays and now the Orioles to move on to the ALCS for the first time since 2011.

They could have some reinforcements in store for that upcoming series, which will be against either the Astros or the Twins. Both Max Scherzer and Jon Gray have a chance to return from their injuries and join the club, depending on how things progress in the next few days, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic laying out the details.

2. Division Series continue:

With the Rangers-Orioles series now done, there are three battles still going, and all three will be continuing today. The Braves and Phillies kick it off at 4:07pm Central, with each club hoping to win today and take a 2-1 lead into Game 4. The Astros and Twins follow at 6:07pm, with the Twins on the brink after losing Game 3 last night. Then the Diamondbacks will look to complete a sweep of the Dodgers, with Game 3 of that series starting at 8:07pm.

3. Padres chat:

MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook has been chugging along at a steady clip, with each club getting its own live chat as well. Yesterday, Anthony Franco took a look at what’s ahead for the Padres after a disappointing season and with some potential pay cuts on the horizon. If you have any questions about how that will play out, he will be hosting a chat specific to that club at 3:15pm Central. You can click here to leave a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to participate live or read the transcript of the chat after it’s completed.