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29 Sep, BOS @ BAL, 3-0, win
We won! That's nice - I didn't think we did that anymore. Well, not in 2023 at least. But win we did. A meaningless win, but shouts of joy into an empty void are still shouts of joy. Beating the AL East Champions on their own ground felt good. Nick Pivetta doing good felt good. Trevor Story hitting a dinger felt good. The Yankees losing felt good. Bright sides? Well, all those things I just wrote down.
Nick Pivetta pitched a real gem. He struck out ten and gave up only two hits and one walk. And no runs, obvs. And he lasted seven innings, like a real starting pitcher!
Whitlock also had a wee two-inning gem, striking out three and giving up one hit. And that hit wasn't a dinger!
Trevor Story hit a two-run dinger! Still miss Xander (yeah, I know he didn't have a great first season with the Padres but that doesn't mean anything).
We won!
We could take a lead in the series tonight.
The Yankees lost!
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Events 9.19
634 – Siege of Damascus: The Rashidun Arabs under Khalid ibn al-Walid capture Damascus from the Byzantine Empire. 1356 – Battle of Poitiers: An English army under the command of Edward, the Black Prince defeats a French army and captures King John II. 1676 – Jamestown is burned to the ground by the forces of Nathaniel Bacon during Bacon's Rebellion. 1777 – American Revolutionary War: British forces win a tactically expensive victory over the Continental Army in the First Battle of Saratoga. 1778 – The Continental Congress passes the first United States federal budget. 1796 – George Washington's Farewell Address is printed across America as an open letter to the public. 1799 – French Revolutionary Wars: French-Dutch victory against the Russians and British in the Battle of Bergen. 1846 – Two French shepherd children, Mélanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, experience a Marian apparition on a mountaintop near La Salette, France, now known as Our Lady of La Salette. 1852 – Annibale de Gasparis discovers the asteroid Massalia from the north dome of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte. 1862 – American Civil War: Union troops under William Rosecrans defeat a Confederate force commanded by Sterling Price. 1863 – American Civil War: The first day of the Battle of Chickamauga, in northwestern Georgia, the bloodiest two-day battle of the conflict, and the only significant Confederate victory in the war's Western Theater. 1864 – American Civil War: Union troops under Philip Sheridan defeat a Confederate force commanded by Jubal Early. With over 50,000 troops engaged, it was the largest battle fought in the Shenandoah Valley. 1868 – La Gloriosa begins in Spain. 1870 – Franco-Prussian War: The siege of Paris begins. The city will hold out for over four months before surrendering. 1881 – U.S. President James A. Garfield dies of wounds suffered in a July 2 shooting. Vice President Chester A. Arthur becomes President upon Garfield's death. 1893 – In New Zealand, the Electoral Act of 1893 is consented to by the governor, giving all women in New Zealand the right to vote. 1916 – World War I: During the East African Campaign, colonial forces of the Belgian Congo (Force Publique) under the command of Charles Tombeur capture the town of Tabora after heavy fighting. 1939 – World War II: The Battle of Kępa Oksywska concludes, with Polish losses reaching roughly 14% of all the forces engaged. 1940 – World War II: Witold Pilecki is voluntarily captured and sent to Auschwitz concentration camp to gather and smuggle out information for the resistance movement. 1944 – World War II: The Battle of Hürtgen Forest begins. It will become the longest individual battle that the U.S. Army has ever fought. 1944 – World War II: The Moscow Armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union is signed. 1946 – The Council of Europe is founded following a speech by Winston Churchill at the University of Zurich. 1952 – The United States bars Charlie Chaplin from re-entering the country after a trip to England. 1957 – Plumbbob Rainier becomes the first nuclear explosion to be entirely contained underground, producing no fallout. 1970 – Michael Eavis hosts the first Glastonbury Festival. 1970 – Kostas Georgakis, a Greek student of geology, sets himself ablaze in Matteotti Square in Genoa, Italy, as a protest against the dictatorial regime of Georgios Papadopoulos. 1976 – Turkish Airlines Flight 452 hits the Taurus Mountains, outskirt of Karatepe, Turkey, killing all 154 passengers and crew. 1976 – Two Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantom II jets fly out to investigate an unidentified flying object, when both independently lose instrumentation and communications as they approach, only to have them restored upon withdrawal. 1978 – The Solomon Islands join the United Nations. 1982 – Scott Fahlman posts the first documented emoticons :-) and :-( on the Carnegie Mellon University bulletin board system. 1983 – Saint Kitts and Nevis gains its independence. 1985 – A strong earthquake kills thousands and destroys about 400 buildings in Mexico City. 1985 – Tipper Gore and other political wives form the Parents Music Resource Center as Frank Zappa and other musicians testify at U.S. Congressional hearings on obscenity in rock music. 1989 – A bomb destroys UTA Flight 772 in mid-air above the Tùnùrù Desert, Niger, killing all 170 passengers and crew. 1991 – Ötzi the Iceman is discovered in the Alps on the border between Italy and Austria. 1995 – The Washington Post and The New York Times publish the Unabomber's manifesto. 1997 – The Guelb El-Kebir massacre in Algeria kills 53 people. 2006 – The Thai army stages a coup. The Constitution is revoked and martial law is declared. 2010 – The leaking oil well in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is sealed. 2011 – Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees surpasses Trevor Hoffman to become Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader with 602. 2016 – In the wake of a manhunt, the suspect in a series of bombings in New York and New Jersey is apprehended after a shootout with police. 2017 – The 2017 Puebla earthquake strikes Mexico, causing 370 deaths and over 6,000 injuries, as well as extensive damage. 2019 – A drone strike by the United States kills 30 civilian farmers in Afghanistan.
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Yankees Drop Another To Tampa Bay As The "Bombers" Misfire Again
Yankees Drop Another To Tampa Bay As The “Bombers” Misfire Again
The Yankees now have one win in their last seventeen games against Tampa Bay. Looking listless again today, if a panic button exists, find it! If the Yankees don’t know it, by now, their fans surely do – this is serious, folks. Five hits produced only one run today, tallying yet another league-leading grounding in double plays (averaging one a game), with another throwing error by a suddenly…
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#Al East Standings#Yankees 2021#Yankees Bombers wilting#Yankees lose again to Rays#Yankees losing ground AL East#Yankees News#Yankees Rumors#Yankees slide grows#Yankees team batting
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2019 Regular Season Predictions
Opening Day is right around the corner, and Spring Training this year has been dramatically inclined with another crazy free agency in baseball. The off season has been a restless one as teams statistically get their rosters primed for the season. I feel that this is an acceptable time to make the bold preseason predictions for the 2019 season. For each division, I will name the potential champion and how they will fair in the post season, going all the way to see who will be raising the World Series trophy this fall.
AL East – New York Yankees
If there is one general “rule of thumb” that has been a pattern of a routine is the fact that the World Series Champion nurses the “hangover” and does not repeat going back to back as world champs. As the Red Sox became champions at the end of the season, the Yankees watched from afar , enraged that they saw an early exit in the ALDS. So what do you do when your rivals become champions? You go out and get bigger and badder pieces for the “Baby Bombers, Murderers Row 3.0, Evil Empire” Yankees. Adding pieces DJ LeMahieu and Troy Tulowitzki were big splashes the team was looking to contribute towards the recording breaking team that accumulated 265 team home runs. Trading for James Paxton to replace Sonny Gray was a tremendous upgrade. Expect this team to do more than enough damage to teams as they did last year and then some.
1st - NY Yankees
2nd - Boston Red Sox
3rd – Tampa Bay Rays
4th – Toronto Blue Jays
5th – Baltimore Orioles
AL Central – Cleveland Indians
What has been an unanimous agreement from baseball writers new and old across the country is considering the situation that the status of the American League Central has become the least entertaining division in baseball. The Indians attempted to break that tension by sending off Edwin Encarnacion to the Seattle Mariners that involved a trade to welcome back Carlos Santana to Progressive Field. The trade also included reeving Jake Bauers from the Tampa Bay Rays, who is a promising first baseman that will slide Santana in a mandatory designated hitter role. The trades may not stop for the Indians there, with the lingering chances of Corey Kluber, who has been going back and forth with the team since last season. Key departures also included Michael Brantley and Andrew Miller, but even without those pieces, they have a strong chance of repeating as division champions for the fourth year in a row.
1st - Cleveland Indians
2nd - Minnesota Twins
3rd – Chicago White Sox
4th – Kansas City Royals
5th – Detroit Tigers
AL West – Houston Astros
The season after bringing the first franchise World Series to the city of Houston, the Astros lost in the American League Pennant Championship Series to the Red Sox, who would go on and win the World Series. The Astros came close to become the first team to go back-to-back as champions since the Yankees did it nearly two decades ago. The downfall of staying competitive this offseason was losing three of their starting pitchers in their rotation with Dallas Keuchel, Charlie Morton, and Lance McCullers Jr. (not released, but is out for the year due to injury). Wade Miley signed to a one-year deal as a replacement and the club looks to promote pitching prospects from the farm system, like Forrest Whitley or Josh James. The competition of the West is getting closer to the Astros, they will definitely be giving a run for their money trying to return to the playoffs again.
1st - Houston Astros
2nd - Oakland Athletics
3rd – Los Angeles Angels
4th – Seattle Mariners
5th - Texas Rangers
NL East – Washington Nationals
Losing Bryce Harper to a division rival should hurt your team potentially, but in the wake of Harper testing free agency was the Washington Nationals’ gain in the end. Rookie outbreak star Juan Soto displayed a wonderful performance in his first call up year, and a promotion of Victor Robles will have everyone saying, “Who’s Bryce Harper?” once he makes the roster at the major league level. The Nats also won free agency with the best pitching asset on the free agent market by signing Patrick Corbin after a career year to a long-term contract.The addition of Brian Dozier to second base after the lingering issues of Daniel Murphy last season patches a hole in the middle of the infield and a better on base career hitter. A loaded, talented National League East makes the division more than entertaining and competitive. Was losing Bryce Harper the ultimate sacrifice for a team to be successful in the playoffs? Only time will tell.
1st- Washington Nationals
2nd- Philadelphia Phillies
3rd – Atlanta Braves
4th – New York Mets
5th – Miami Marlins
NL Central – Chicago Cubs
Say what you want about all the key acquisitions in the National League Central, the Chicago Cubs still have the best rotation in their division…that is when they’re healthy. After Losing Game 163 and an early exit from the playoffs in the Wild Card game, the Cubs licked their wounds in order to get healthy over the off season. The Cubs made no big splashes during winter and are starting to lift some eyebrows across the league and more importantly, with their division rivals who have loaded up on talent on each team. Javier Baez had a breakout performance year that gave him merits for almost the league MVP, but fell short to Christian Yelich. Baez’s supreme batting power will be great additions to Anthony Rizzo and a healthy Kris Bryant. The lingering problems for the Cubs come with an ailing bullpen, but with young players that are still under rookie-sized contracts, expect a mid-season move for the Cubbies to gain a solid closer who will have a stellar year.
1st- Chicago Cubs
2nd- St. Louis Cardinals
3rd – Milwaukee Brewers
4th – Cincinnati Reds
5th – Pittsburgh Pirates
NL West - Los Angeles Dodgers
Coming up short two straight years in row at the peak of competition always leaves a bad taste in your mouth, especially if you are trying to end a title drought for your franchise. The Dodgers are on the brink of facing the greatest competition yet in their division as they watched Manny Machado sign for division rivals, the San Diego Padres. With the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks displaying a great deal of farm talent, the Dodgers followed suit with displaying the flamethrower that is Walker Buehler; who displayed an ERA of 2.95 and a record of 9-5 in a promotional year. With a full season ahead of him, Julio Urias, and veteran Clayton Kershaw will lead the duties of the starting rotation. A returning Corey Seager after a season ending injury will also be a huge x-factor alongside the young bats of Max Muncy, Chris Taylor, and Cody Bellinger. The Dodgers have the right pieces moving forward, but they must hold their ground if they want to finally end their title drought.
1st- Los Angeles Dodgers
2nd- Colorado Rockies
3rd – San Diego Padres
4th – Arizona Diamondbacks
5th – San Francisco Giant
#journal#predictions#mlb#baseball#regular season#new york yankees#cleveland indians#houston astros#Washington Nationals#chicago cubs#los angeles dodgers
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Red Sox fall short, lose 10-1 in New York
By: James Pandolfo
(Via Getty Images/NY Post)
The champagne party was postponed once again for The Boston Red Sox last night in the Bronx. For the second consecutive night, the Sox fell to the Yankees with the chance to clinch the AL East Division crown with a win.
Despite being dominant since the beginning of the second half, David Price (15-7, 3.53 ERA) once again struggled in Yankee Stadium. Price navigated through a rough 5.1 innings, allowing 6 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits, 3 of which were home runs. He added 2 strikeouts and 4 walks along the way. It was a rare misfire for Price who since July 1st (when he allowed 8 earned runs and 5 HR in the Bronx) had the best ERA (2.22) and WHIP (0.88) in the American League (via Jared Carrabis).
Luis Severino (18-8, 3.38 ERA), who has followed an opposite path of Price in the second half, looked like the ace he started the season as for the Yankees. Severino went 7 strong innings, allowing 1 earned run while adding 6 strikeouts with just one walk.
The scoring opened with a solo shot from Yankee 3rd baseman Miguel Andujar in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Price was able to get 2 outs, but along the way loaded the bases for Aaron Judge. Price seemed to escape danger when he got the prolific power hitter to bounce a routine ground ball to 3rd base, but it went right through the legs of Eduardo Nunez and allowed 2 more runs to score. New York 1st baseman Luke Voit tacked on a solo home run in the 4th, and ended Price’s night with a 2 run homer in the 6th. The Yankees went on to score 4 more runs over the course of the night.
The lone offense for the Red Sox came in the 5th inning, when Sandy Leon singled down the right field line to score Eduardo Nunez from second base.
The Sox will be back at it for game 3 of the series in the Bronx tonight at 7:05 PM. Eduardo Rodriguez (12-4,3.53 ERA) will get the ball for Boston against Masahiro Tanaka (12-5, 3.47 ERA) for the Yankees, in hopes to get the win for Boston and clinch the 2018 AL East Division title.
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Events 9.19
634 – Siege of Damascus: The Rashidun Arabs under Khalid ibn al-Walid capture Damascus from the Byzantine Empire. 1356 – Battle of Poitiers: An English army under the command of Edward, the Black Prince defeats a French army and captures King John II. 1410 – End of the Siege of Marienburg: The State of the Teutonic Order repulses the joint Polish—Lithuanian forces. 1676 – Jamestown is burned to the ground by the forces of Nathaniel Bacon during Bacon's Rebellion. 1777 – American Revolutionary War: British forces win a tactically expensive victory over the Continental Army in the First Battle of Saratoga. 1778 – The Continental Congress passes the first United States federal budget. 1796 – George Washington's Farewell Address is printed across America as an open letter to the public. 1799 – French Revolutionary Wars: French-Dutch victory against the Russians and British in the Battle of Bergen. 1846 – Two French shepherd children, Mélanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, experience a Marian apparition on a mountaintop near La Salette, France, now known as Our Lady of La Salette. 1852 – Annibale de Gasparis discovers the asteroid Massalia from the north dome of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte. 1862 – American Civil War: Union troops under William Rosecrans defeat a Confederate force commanded by Sterling Price. 1863 – American Civil War: The first day of the Battle of Chickamauga, in northwestern Georgia, the bloodiest two-day battle of the conflict, and the only significant Confederate victory in the war's Western Theater. 1864 – American Civil War: Union troops under Philip Sheridan defeat a Confederate force commanded by Jubal Early. With over 50,000 troops engaged, it was the largest battle fought in the Shenandoah Valley. 1868 – La Gloriosa begins in Spain. 1870 – Franco-Prussian War: The siege of Paris begins. The city will hold out for over four months before surrendering. 1881 – U.S. President James A. Garfield dies of wounds suffered in a July 2 shooting. Vice President Chester A. Arthur becomes President upon Garfield's death. 1893 – In New Zealand, the Electoral Act of 1893 is consented to by the governor, giving all women in New Zealand the right to vote. 1916 – World War I: During the East African Campaign, colonial forces of the Belgian Congo (Force Publique) under the command of Charles Tombeur capture the town of Tabora after heavy fighting. 1939 – World War II: The Battle of Kępa Oksywska concludes, with Polish losses reaching roughly 14% of all the forces engaged. 1940 – World War II: Witold Pilecki is voluntarily captured and sent to Auschwitz concentration camp to gather and smuggle out information for the resistance movement. 1944 – World War II: The Battle of Hürtgen Forest begins. It will become the longest individual battle that the U.S. Army has ever fought. 1944 – World War II: The Moscow Armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union is signed, which officially ended the Continuation War. 1946 – The Council of Europe is founded following a speech by Winston Churchill at the University of Zurich. 1952 – The United States bars Charlie Chaplin from re-entering the country after a trip to England. 1957 – Plumbbob Rainier becomes the first nuclear explosion to be entirely contained underground, producing no fallout. 1970 – Michael Eavis hosts the first Glastonbury Festival. 1970 – Kostas Georgakis, a Greek student of geology, sets himself ablaze in Matteotti Square in Genoa, Italy, as a protest against the dictatorial regime of Georgios Papadopoulos. 1976 – Turkish Airlines Flight 452 hits the Taurus Mountains, outskirt of Karatepe, Turkey, killing all 154 passengers and crew. 1976 – Two Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantom II jets fly out to investigate an unidentified flying object, when both independently lose instrumentation and communications as they approach, only to have them restored upon withdrawal. 1978 – The Solomon Islands join the United Nations. 1982 – Scott Fahlman posts the first documented emoticons :-) and :-( on the Carnegie Mellon University bulletin board system. 1983 – Saint Kitts and Nevis gains its independence. 1985 – A strong earthquake kills thousands and destroys about 400 buildings in Mexico City. 1985 – Tipper Gore and other political wives form the Parents Music Resource Center as Frank Zappa, John Denver, and other musicians testify at U.S. Congressional hearings on obscenity in rock music. 1989 – A bomb destroys UTA Flight 772 in mid-air above the Tùnùrù Desert, Niger, killing all 170 passengers and crew. 1991 – Ötzi the Iceman is discovered in the Alps on the border between Italy and Austria. 1995 – The Washington Post and The New York Times publish the Unabomber manifesto. 1997 – The Guelb El-Kebir massacre in Algeria kills 53 people. 2006 – The Thai army stages a coup. The Constitution is revoked and martial law is declared. 2010 – The leaking oil well in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is sealed. 2011 – Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees surpasses Trevor Hoffman to become Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader with 602. 2016 – In the wake of a manhunt, the suspect in a series of bombings in New York and New Jersey is apprehended after a shootout with police. 2017 – The 2017 Puebla earthquake strikes Mexico, causing 370 deaths and over 6,000 injuries, as well as extensive damage. 2019 – A drone strike by the United States kills 30 civilian farmers in Afghanistan.
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The 2019 Favorites And Breakout Picks For The American League
Welcome to our two-part guide to the 2019 MLB season through the lens of our MLB prediction model. In each division, we’ll outline the key teams in the division race, discuss the incoming players who will make the biggest difference and classify the tanking teams you should ignore on principle. Here is our preview of the American League (click here for the National League):
How Elo is forecasting the AL East race
Avg. Simulated Season Chance to… Team Elo Rating Wins Losses Run Diff. Make Playoffs Win Division Win World Series Yankees 1569 97 65 +147 82% 47% 13% Red Sox 1562 95 67 +131 76 39 9 Rays 1525 86 76 +46 42 12 3 Blue Jays 1482 75 87 -55 9 2 <1 Orioles 1421 60 102 -198 <1 <1 <1
Based on 100,000 simulations of the 2019 MLB season
Sources: Baseball prospectus, Fangraphs, Clay Davenport
The division race: The New York Yankees didn’t sign Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. But they didn’t need to: They have Aaron Hicks (4.8 wins above replacement1 last season) and young, burgeoning stars Gleyber Torres (2.4) and Miguel Andujar (2.5). While they will be without staff ace Luis Severino (5.1) for some time, our forecast likes them just a bit more than the defending World Series champion Red Sox. The Yankees’ position players set the single-season record for home runs last year and could threaten their own mark this year. And in a game increasingly decided by bullpens, the Yankees might have the best ever. The Boston Red Sox have the reigning AL MVP in Mookie Betts (10.6) and another MVP-caliber bat in J.D. Martinez (6.1), leading a lineup that could pass for an All-Star team. If David Price (3.4) picks up where he left off in the World Series (1.98 ERA in 13 innings) and returns to levels he pitched earlier in his career, he could give the Red Sox another dominant ace alongside annual Cy Young contender Chris Sale (6.5). Fellow starter Nathan Eovaldi (who had 1.9 WAR and his best season in the underlying skills) gives the Red Sox another high-ceiling arm. The Red Sox have had success getting more out of pitchers like Eovaldi, Joe Kelly and Matt Barnes, which gives reason to believe they can overcome the losses of Kelly and Craig Kimbrel to free agency. Not only do the Tampa Bay Rays have the top farm system in the American League, according to Baseball America, but they won 90 games a year ago with the second-youngest position player group (27.1 years) in the league and the youngest pitching staff (27.1). The Rays have quietly put together one of the more talented rosters in the game that includes reigning AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell (6.2) and underrated star Tommy Pham (3.7). The Rays are a postseason sleeper team.
The difference-makers: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. There’s nothing left for Vlad’s son to prove in the minor leagues. He hit .402 in Double-A last season and .381 across all levels. Most rate him as the game’s top prospect with elite bat-to-ball and power ability. The only thing that could slow him down is injury — and maybe the Blue Jays’ front office. He and fellow top 20 prospect Bo Bichette should be franchise cornerstones for an up-and-coming Blue Jays team. Once a highly touted prospect in Pittsburgh, Tyler Glasnow (0.8 WAR in 2018) came over to Tampa in the second half of last season in the Chris Archer deal. He’s always had command trouble but trimmed his walk rate in August while retaining his high strikeout rates. He has breakout potential if the Rays can help him optimize and harness his stuff. The Rays actually paid (gasp) for a talented free agent in Charlie Morton (3.2), who has an elite spin breaking ball and a high-velocity fastball. Morton, when healthy, has quietly emerged as a top-of-rotation talent. Top Rays pitching prospect Brent Honeywell, and his diverse pitch mix that includes a screwball, could be ready to help early in the season. New York landed the top arm available this winter in trading for James Paxton (3.3). Since his breakout 2017 season, Paxton ranks ranks sixth in the majors in strikeouts per nine innings (11.1)2 and 13th in wins above replacement per 200 innings (5.0). The Yankees also added elite reliever Adam Ottavino (2.3) — who actually began his dominant 2018 campaign in a Manhattan storefront — to an absolutely dominant bullpen that averaged 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings last season, a record.
Gone tanking: The Baltimore Orioles The Orioles could be historically poor, but take solace in this, Orioles fans: Your club would still probably win the International League.
How Elo is forecasting the AL Central race
Avg. Simulated Season Chance to… Team Elo Rating Wins Losses Run Diff. Make Playoffs Win Division Win World Series Indians 1553 95 67 +133 82% 73% 8% Twins 1508 84 78 +26 36 20 2 White Sox 1457 71 91 -91 5 3 <1 Royals 1451 70 92 -103 4 2 <1 Tigers 1443 68 94 -119 4 2 <1
Based on 100,000 simulations of the 2019 MLB season
Sources: Baseball prospectus, Fangraphs, Clay Davenport
The division race: Because of an elite starting rotation, because Francisco Lindor (7.7 WAR) and Jose Ramirez (7.9) — if they can stay healthy — have become superstars by tapping into their pull-side power, because they reside in one of the weakest divisions ever … the Cleveland Indians are still heavy favorites in the AL Central despite one of the more disappointing offseasons in baseball. Only the Orioles and Reds spent less than the Indians’ $2.5 million in free agency. While the Indians can perhaps do nothing and still win the AL Central, they’ve been outclassed in the ALDS in each of the last two years — and the gap between the Indians and the Houston/New York/Boston super teams is perhaps growing. While the Indians are still slated to finish with the fifth-best record in baseball and 11 games ahead of the Twins in our projections, there are questions about their lineup after trading catcher Yan Gomes (2.5) and losing left fielder Michaely Brantley (3.5) to Houston in free agency. The Minnesota Twins are trying to close the gap with the Indians. Byron Buxton’s (-0.4) spring has offered hope that he could begin to tap into his offensive potential, and Eddie Rosario (3.5) is quietly emerging as a star. But third-year general manager Derek Falvey prides himself on developing pitchers, and that’s where the Twins are attempting to make up the most ground. The Twins’ starting pitchers ranked ninth last season in AL ERA (4.48) and fielding-independent pitching (4.54). (The top four AL teams in ERA and FIP all reached the postseason.)
The difference-makers: The Twins signed Michael Pineda in December 2017 to a two-year deal despite knowing that he would miss all of 2018 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. They hoped the wait would be worth it to enjoy his bat-missing ability: He ranked seventh in swinging strike percentage in 2015-17. Martin Perez and his velocity spike and new cutter also looks like a find for the Twins, and the club signed free-agent Marwin Gonzalez (2.0) to a favorable deal. White Sox uber prospect Eloy Jimenez was the best bat in the minors last year not named Guerrero. He slashed .355/.399/.597 in Triple-A 55 games as a 21-year-old. The 6-foot-4, right-handed hitting outfielder will likely begin the season in the majors after agreeing to a seven-year contract last week, ensuring that the White Sox don’t suppress his service time. Jimenez was acquired from the north side in the Jose Quintana deal; the Chicago Cubs could regret the deal for years.
Gone tanking: The Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox. While the White Sox’s collection of young talent might pay off down the road, they are unlikely to contend this season. The Royals have an even longer road ahead with no top 100 prospects, according to some analysts. The Tigers are also far from being relevant, but they hope they drafted a new ace and face of the franchise in Casey Mize, the No. 1 overall pick last June.
How Elo is forecasting the AL West race
Avg. Simulated Season Chance to… Team Elo Rating Wins Losses Run Diff. Make Playoffs Win Division Win World Series Astros 1577 98 64 +162 86% 74% 16% Athletics 1518 83 79 +26 32 11 2 Angels 1506 80 82 -7 22 7 1 Mariners 1493 79 83 -23 18 6 <1 Rangers 1459 70 92 -103 3 <1 <1
Based on 100,000 simulations of the 2019 MLB season
Sources: Baseball prospectus, Fangraphs, Clay Davenport
The Houston Astros remain the model franchise in MLB entering 2019. They are on the cutting edge of player development and have built a club that won the 2017 World Series, won 103 games a year ago and project to win 98 games this season, according to our model, all while maintaining a farm system that has ranked fifth or better by Baseball America in three of the past four years. The Astros might be the best team in the game, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon: They’ve locked up Alex Bregman (7.2 WAR) to a long-term deal, they feature a young core of Carlos Correa (1.7) and Jose Altuve (5.0) in their primes, and they have more riches on the way in outfield prospect Kyle “Ted” Tucker. They’ve become masters of acquiring pitchers, often high-spin-rate arms, and getting more out of them than other teams, including Justin Verlander (6.5), Gerrit Cole (5.5) and Ryan Pressly (2.0). The Los Angeles Angels and Mike Trout (10.0) essentially agreed to a lifetime contract earlier in March. While Trout has never won a playoff game, the second act of the Trout era in Anaheim is looking more promising. The Angels’ farm system is improving, and Shohei Ohtani (3.9) gives the club a second legit superstar if and when he can pitch and hit again. There’s work to do, but the Angels might have the most enviable pair of players in the game. You may not have heard of Oakland A’s third baseman Matt Chapman (7.3), but the two-way star was sixth in WAR for all batters last season. The A’s had the fourth-most efficient offense in part because no team hit fewer ground balls. Getting the ball off the ground is the A’s latest hidden edge. The big question for the A’s is what kind of production they’ll get from a rotation that lacks dominant, ace-type arms. In their bullpen, they have one of the most impressive arms in baseball in Blake Treinen (3.9).
The difference-makers: Astros pitching prospect Josh James wasn’t even on prospect radars last spring, but by the end of the season, he had taken his 100-mph fastball and wipeout changeup to the majors. James is one reason that the Astros were probably comfortable in allowing starters Dallas Kuechel and Charlie Morton to depart. James will begin the year in the bullpen, but he could become an important part of the rotation. The Mariners might hasten their rebuild with the offseason signing of Yusei Kikuchi, one of the best pitchers in Japan over the past several seasons. Kikuchi has a swing-and-miss slider, and his fastball sits at 93 mph but can reach 98. The A’s acquired Jurickson Profar (2.5 WAR) from Texas, one of a number of lower-profile but potentially useful additions. Profar was once the top prospect in the game, but he has dealt with a number of injuries. Still, he’s been effective when on the field, posting a .793 on-base plus slugging last season.
Gone tanking: The Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto restocked a weak farm system with the trades of Paxton, Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz this offseason, but the Mariners have a long way to go to compete with the Astros. While the Rangers are exploring some innovative practices with Driveline Baseball, they have a team that will be challenged at the major league level and a system that lacks a prospect that projects to be a future difference-maker. It’s a long road from the bottom of the AL West to the top.
from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-2019-favorites-and-breakout-picks-for-the-american-league/
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MLB roundup: A’s tie Astros atop AL West
Right-hander Trevor Cahill gave up only an infield single over seven innings Saturday afternoon, and the Oakland Athletics completed a 10-game climb into first place in the American League West with a 7-1 victory over the Houston Astros in Oakland, Calif.
Aug 18, 2018; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Trevor Cahill (53) pitches to the Houston Astros in the first inning at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Villa-USA TODAY Sports
With the win, the A’s are now tied for first in the division with the defending champions, who had held a solo lead in the division since June 14.
Khris Davis doubled twice and drove in two runs as the A’s knocked out Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (9-10) in the sixth inning en route to their second straight win against the Astros in the three-game series.
The A’s, who trailed the Astros by 10 games on July 10, moved into at least a tie for first place in the AL West in any month after April for the first time since Aug. 25, 2014. Cahill (5-2) faced 22 batters and got 21 outs.
Cardinals 7, Brewers 2
Miles Mikolas pitched six effective innings and won his fifth straight decision as St. Louis beat visiting Milwaukee.
The latest solid showing by Mikolas helped the Cardinals win for the 14th time in 17 games. St. Louis also improved to 21-10 since interim manager Mike Shildt replaced Mike Matheny on July 15 and inched ahead of Milwaukee for the second National League wild-card spot.
Mikolas (13-3) improved to 5-0 in his last nine starts since a 5-1 loss to Atlanta on June 29 by allowing one run on five hits. He struck out seven without a walk and threw 62 of 91 pitches for strikes.
Mariners 5, Dodgers 4 (10 innings)
A bases-loaded balk by Dylan Floro with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning brought home the winning run as Seattle defeated visiting Los Angeles.
Mitch Haniger led off the 10th with a single off Dodgers left-hander Caleb Ferguson (3-2). Cameron Maybin grounded into a fielder’s choice, just beating the throw to first to avoid a double play. Robinson Cano reached on an infield single, sending Maybin to second. The Dodgers brought on the right-handed Floro to face Nelson Cruz, who walked to load the bases.
With Kyle Seager, who homered earlier in the game, at the plate and an 0-1 count, Floro came set and then stepped awkwardly off the mound, with first base umpire Andy Fletcher calling the game-ending balk.
Rockies 5, Braves 3 (10 innings)
DJ LeMahieu hit a long home run to straightaway center field to highlight a two-run rally in the 10th inning and give Colorado another late victory at Atlanta.
In addition to LeMahieu’s 10th homer, the Rockies added another 10th-inning run on a single by Nolan Arenado and defeated the Braves for the third straight night. Wade Davis earned his 34th save by working a perfect 10th inning.
Atlanta led 3-0 going into the ninth, when the Rockies tied the score against closer A.J. Minter. After retiring the first two batters, Minter allowed a double to Trevor Story and a single to David Dahl. Ian Desmond doubled to left to drive home two runs. Gerardo Parra tied the score by lobbing a single to left field.
Padres 7, Diamondbacks 6
Pinch hitter Christian Villanueva singled home Travis Jankowski from second with two out in the bottom of the ninth to give host San Diego a walk-off victory over Arizona, snapping a five-game losing streak.
The loss reduced Arizona’s lead over Colorado in the National League West to a half-game.
Aug 18, 2018; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson (28) hits a double to send designated hitter Khris Davis (2) in for a run against the Houston Astros in the sixth inning at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Villa-USA TODAY Sports
Paul Goldschmidt tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the seventh with his fourth hit, a single that drove home A.J. Pollock for his fourth RBI.
Red Sox 5, Rays 2
Boston scored four runs in the first inning and added J.D. Martinez’s major-league-leading 38th home run later in defeating visiting Tampa Bay.
David Price (13-6) went seven innings in winning his fourth consecutive decision. He hasn’t taken a loss since July 1. Price gave up two runs on five hits with two walks. He fanned eight as the Red Sox won for the 13th time in their last 15 games.
Boston also maintained its 10 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East by going 52 games over .500 in running its record to 88-36.
Yankees 11, Blue Jays 6
Rookie Miguel Andujar homered, drove in three runs and fell a triple shy of the cycle as New York powered past Toronto in a matinee at Yankee Stadium.
Andujar became the fifth Yankee to reach 20 homers with one out in the fifth when he drove an 0-1 changeup from Sean Reid-Foley (0-2) into the left field seats to make it 8-0.
Giancarlo Stanton homered again when he connected on Reid-Foley’s 2-0 fastball, sending it into the Toronto bullpen beyond the left-center-field fence with two outs in the fourth. It was Stanton’s 32nd homer and seventh in his last 12 games.
Orioles 4, Indians 2
Jonathan Villar and Cedric Mullins each homered, and Alex Cobb went the distance as Baltimore defeated host Cleveland.
Villar’s three-run shot and the solo homer from Mullins — his first in the major leagues — gave Baltimore all of its offense and proved enough for Cobb, who turned in one of his best efforts this season as the Orioles ended the Indians’ six-game winning streak.
Cobb (4-15) gave up two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk. He needed just 100 pitches (69 strikes) for the complete game, his first since 2013 when pitching with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Pirates 3, Cubs 1
Joe Musgrove pitched seven strong innings for Pittsburgh in a win over visiting Chicago.
Adam Frazier was 2-for-4 with an RBI double, and Corey Dickerson was 3-for-3 with a walk and a double for the Pirates, who ended a five-game losing streak.
Ben Zobrist homered for the Cubs, who had their three-game winning streak halted.
Marlins 7, Nationals 5 (10 innings)
Isaac Galloway hit a two-out, two-run single in the top of the 10th inning, and JT Riddle drove in four runs to lead Miami to victory at Washington.
Drew Steckenrider (4-2), who blew a save chance in the ninth, picked up the win. Brett Graves pitched a scoreless 10th to pick up his first career save as a pro. The Marlins snapped a six-game overall losing streak and a 12-game road losing skid.
Slideshow (16 Images)
Riddle gave Miami a 5-4 lead with a solo homer in the top of the ninth, and Adam Eaton matched him with a solo shot in the bottom of the frame, setting up Galloway’s heroics.
Mets 3, Phillies 1
Jacob deGrom continued to make his case for the National League Cy Young Award, shrugging off a 41-minute rain delay and tossing his third career complete game to lead New York past host Philadelphia.
The Mets have won six of 10. The Phillies, who remain atop the NL wild-card race by a half-game, have lost six of 10.
DeGrom (8-7) allowed an unearned run — due to an error questionably charged to him — on seven hits and no walks while striking out nine. It was the third straight win for deGrom, who lowered his major-league-leading ERA from 1.81 to 1.71 while reaching 200 strikeouts for the second straight season.
Angels 11, Rangers 7
Albert Pujols had a solo home run and four RBIs, Shohei Ohtani hit a pinch hit three-run homer, Taylor Ward added his first career major league home run and Los Angeles won in a slugfest at Texas.
Pujols ended a 6-6 tie with an RBI single, Ohtani followed with his 13th homer of the season and Ward had a solo shot to complete a five-run top of the seventh against reliever Eddie Butler (2-3).
Rain delayed the start of the game by 2 hours, 26 minutes.
Tigers 7, Twins 5
Mikie Mahtook homered and drove in four runs, and Ryan Carpenter collected his first career victory as Detroit held off host Minnesota.
Mahtook’s second homer of the season, a three-run shot in the fifth, gave Detroit a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Ronny Rodriguez contributed a two-run double, and Jim Adduci added two hits and a run scored.
Carpenter (1-1), a rookie left-hander, gave up three solo homers but lasted 5 1/3 innings. Shane Greene got the last four outs for his 26th save.
Royals 3, White Sox 1
Alex Gordon homered, and Jorge Bonifacio drove in the go-ahead run as Kansas City held on at Chicago.
Nicky Delmonico homered for Chicago’s only run. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the White Sox.
Royals starter Brad Keller (6-5) limited the White Sox to one run on seven hits in five innings. He walked none and struck out five to collect his second win in as many starts.
Reds 7, Giants 1
Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera homered off Madison Bumgarner, and Matt Harvey took a shutout into the seventh inning as host Cincinnati downed San Francisco for a second straight night.
Harvey (6-7) retired the first 10 batters he faced and took a no-hitter into the sixth before Joe Panik beat out an infield single with two outs.
Bumgarner (4-5) went six innings and gave up six runs (five earned) and eight hits. He walked two and struck out six.
—Field Level Media
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Breaking down fantasy numbers by divisional pitching
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Baseball is usually about the true skill level of the player. We have great tests in every at bat. It’s pitcher vs. hitter and may the best man win. Contrast that to football where true skill level of the player is a secondary consideration to his environment and usage.
But location is not inconsequential just because 80-to-85% of a player’s baseball projection is based on his individual ability. There is the remainder that can elevate a player above or below players in his same skill tier.
Let’s start with the most obvious. This year, through Sunday, American League hitters have a .729 OPS and NL hitters .716. So all things being equal, you’d rather have the NL pitcher over the AL one. Note that this 1.8 boost is almost identical to the difference in OPS the prior 10 years (1.9% in favor of the NL).
This is a pretty faint tailwind for the NL pitchers, I admit. Sure, you don’t want to leave that kind of an edge on the table given the often slight differences between winning or losing a league. But it’s much less pronounced than what we might assume.
In baseball, however, teams play 76 games in their division (46.9%). This is huge. So division trumps league consideration. Let’s see how the divisions rank in OPS by their hitters this year, from most pitcher-friendly to least.
NL East: .700
AL Central: .712
NL West: .715
NL Central: .731
AL East: .736
AL West: .738
So now there’s a 5% difference in pitching in the worst division vs. the best (in those games; so technically 2.4% overall)
But some players overcome them because their skill level rises above their environment. Conversely, some just crater. And furthermore, some are pitching disproportionate division innings.
New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom throws against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Atlanta. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Jacob deGrom actually has a higher ERA in the NL East (1.72) than overall and his OPS allowed in the division is .554. That’s in 52.1 innings though. Max Scherzer only has 26.1 innings against the NL East (.605 OPS). So Scherzer hasn’t gotten his expected benefit yet from pitching in the league’s softest hitting division. (And, yes, deGrom doesn’t benefit from pitching against the Mets.)
As the season progresses, it’s important to target pitchers who are promoted into rotations in ideal division. In the NL East, you want pitchers on the Braves as they are sixth in OPS while the other four teams all rank 21st (Nationals) or lower (Marlins are last). While Anibal Sanchez has a tenuous hold on a spot in the rotation, he should be rostered today and is owned in only 29% of leagues. He’s been lights out, too. Another option coming off the disabled list imminently according to reports is Jeremy Hellickson, who was mixed-league worthy priory to hurting his hamstring. He’s just 26% owned. Braves rookie Mike Siroka (51%) owned may be available in your league too.
Our next target is the AL Central. Trevor Bauer has 56 innings in eight starts within the division (2.25 ERA). In seven starts (49 innings), Jose Berrios has a 2.39 ERA but only 39 hits plus walks. Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn have just 32.1 and 31.1 IP with a 2.51 and 2.30 ERA .515 and .641 OPS, respectively. Lynn, who we recommended last week, is still just 35% owned. He has three less starts against the division.
The NL West and NL Central are more neutral divisions. The ones we want our pitchers to avoid are the AL East and, somewhat surprisingly, the AL West.
But we can reasonably call these two AL divisions proving grounds. So J.A. Happ is just good — he has a 1.78 ERA within his division in 35.1 innings with 34 Ks and a .161 batting average allowed. He’s widely owned (but still just 85%). Yet people generally don’t seem as pleased with him as these numbers suggest they should be. Sure, there’s a division tax on Happ — but he’s not paying it.
Two pitchers who had some preseason buzz who are just getting annihilated in their division are Kevin Gausman (6.69 ERA) and Alex Cobb (10.13). Cobb’s OPS allowed vs. the AL East is 1.178. Basically Cobb turns every AL East hitter into “better than Mike Trout.” Yet Cobb is still 17% owned and Gausman is at 44%. Just cut these guys in mixed leagues. Their strikeouts are not worth it.
The AL West pitcher who is thriving despite the tough track is Tyler Skaggs who has a 0.74 ERA and .213 average allowed in 36.2 innings (36 Ks and .552 OPS allowed). Skaggs is up to 69% ownership but believe in him; he’s not a sell high despite his lack of any appreciable innings in recent years — his current upside seems real. Sean Manaea (2.73 ERA) has more than held his own and is worth the hit you take in Ks. But Daniel Mengden (40% owned) is probably not tenable given his ERA against the division is 7.86 with just 18 Ks in 34.1 innings).
The Astros are third in OPS (the Yankees and Red Sox hold the top spots). So if you could get an Astros starter, you’d be in good shape. Unfortunately for those shopping for starters, the Astros rotation seems locked up with five guys pitching well. However should an injury hit someone, see if the team promotes prospect Josh James, who could be a Jake deGrom-like late-bloomer from there fringe prospects ranks. The 25-year-old righty is also a converted position player and suddenly is throwing 97 mph after fixing a sleeping issue that made him too fatigued. Check out this video via Twitter:
Man, Josh James looks like J.R. Richard in that jersey. That fastball is sweet. @scott_pianowski https://t.co/ADfrh8qYsO
— Michael Salfino (@MichaelSalfino) June 15, 2018
#_author:Michael Salfino#_category:yct:001000854#_lmsid:a077000000CFoGyAAL#_revsp:54edcaf7-cdbb-43d7-a41b-bffdcc37fb56#_uuid:7f6383ce-6b53-3b80-b59d-baec09a8ec24
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DETROIT| Judge sets doubleheader K record as Yanks and Tigers split
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DETROIT| Judge sets doubleheader K record as Yanks and Tigers split
DETROIT — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge became the first player since at least 1920 with eight strikeouts in a doubleheader, including five punchouts in the nightcap as the Detroit Tigers beat New York 4-2 for a day-night split Monday.
Leonys Martin had two hits and scored twice for Detroit in the second game after New York took the opener 7-4 behind Luis Severino’s eight strong innings and a six-run fourth inning.
Judge struck out eight times in nine at-bats, a record for a doubleheader during the liveball era, according to STATS. Judge struck out in each of his five at-bats in the late game, including with a runner aboard in the bottom of the ninth.
The five strikeouts were a career high for Judge, who led the majors with 208 strikeouts while winning AL Rookie of the Year last season.
The doubleheader made up rainouts from April 14 and 15. Both teams wore No. 42 for the second game because they were making up their postponed Jackie Robinson Day showdown.
Mike Fiers (5-3) got the win in the nightcap, allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings. Three relievers finished, with Shane Greene striking out three in the ninth for his 15th save. Detroit’s pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts in the game.
Domingo German (0-4) allowed four runs in 6 2/3 innings for New York.
Martin doubled and scored on Ronny Rodriguez’s sacrifice fly in the second for Rodriguez’s first major league RBI, and Brett Gardner tied it with an RBI triple in the third.
Fiers plunked Giancarlo Stanton later in the inning, leading to a brief verbal exchange between the pitcher and slugger. Fiers then got Gleyber Torres to ground out to leave the bases loaded.
Stanton hit a 456-foot homer in the sixth, then pointed at Fiers as he crossed the plate.
Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez hit back-to-back doubles in the seventh to give Detroit a 4-2 lead. The Tigers have hit a double in 52 consecutive games, their third-longest such streak since 1908.
Severino and New York’s bats had given the Yankees a good start to the day.
“We sent our ace out there for the first game and counted on him giving us a big performance,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Severino did just that, striking out 10 to win his seventh straight decision and extend New York’s winning streak to five games.
Severino (9-1) allowed two runs — one earned — and four hits while walking none. He is 7-0 in 10 starts since losing at Boston on April 10.
Austin Romine hit a three-run homer, and Torres and Greg Bird each homered for the AL East-leading Yankees, who briefly moved 21 games over .500 for just the second time since ending the 2012 season at 95-67; the Yankees were 91-70 last year before losing their regular-season finale.
Drew VerHagen (0-2) allowed seven runs, seven hits — including three homers — and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.
“I didn’t get deep into the game, and I didn’t give us a chance to win,” VerHagen said after his first major-league start since August. “There’s not much to like about that game.”
Torres became the first Yankees player under 22 to hit 10 home runs in a season since Mickey Mantle from 1951-53.
Cabrera hit an RBI double in the first, but Torres tied it in the third when he became the fifth New York player to reach double digits in home runs this season; Candelario leads the Tigers with nine.
Sandy Baez, a 24-year-old right-hander making his major league debut for the Tigers as their 26th man, pitched 4 1/3 hitless innings of relief.
Baez hit his first batter, Bird, then struck out Stanton.
“I’m going to keep that ball wherever I go,” Baez said. “I’ll have it when I’m driving and when I’m at home.”
BIG MOMENT
The Tigers’ front office was probably not focused on Fiers’ first pitch of the nightcap. Twenty-two seconds later, they selected Auburn pitcher Casey Mize with the first pick in the MLB Draft.
FLIGHT DELAYS
The Yankees were delayed briefly in Baltimore after a radar problem on their charter and arrived in Detroit at 8:30 p.m. Sunday. On May 17, the Yankees were forced to spend a night in Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., after the plane had mechanical problems in bad weather. New York had another lengthy delay at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on May 24.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: Frazier was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to serve as New York’s 26th player in the doubleheader. He started both games in left field. . The Yankees activated RHP Adam Warren from the 10-day DL between games and optioned RHP Tommy Kahnle to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Tigers: C John McCann sat out the first game after leaving Sunday’s game with an intercostal strain. McCann warmed up pitchers between innings and was in the lineup for the nightcap.
UP NEXT
Yankees: New York travels to Toronto on Tuesday, where CC Sabathia (2-1, 3.73) pitches the opener of a two-game series against the Blue Jays’ Marco Estrada (2-6, 5.68).
Tigers: Artie Lewicki (0-0, 3.60) will make his first major-league start Tuesday as the Tigers visit Fenway Park for a three-game series. Steven Wright (1-0, 2.25) will start for Boston.
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By DAVE HOGG, By Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (A.S)
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#Detroit#Judge sets doubleheader K record#Leonys Martin had two hits and scored twice#TodayNews#Yanks and Tigers split
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Major League Baseball roundup: Culberson blast lifts Braves past Nats
Atlanta’s Charlie Culberson has two home runs this season, both of them for walk-off victories. He delivered his second game-winning shot on a pinch-hit homer with one out in the ninth inning to give the Braves a 4-2 victory over visiting the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
Jun 3, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves pinch hitter Charlie Culberson (16) is dunked by relief pitcher Peter Moylan (30) after he hit a two run game ending home run against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Culberson connected against reliever Tanner Roark (2-6), who was the starting and losing pitcher in the first game of the series on Thursday night.
Culberson’s homer scored Dansby Swanson, who reached second on a hustle double by sliding past the tag of Wilmer Difo. Swanson was originally called out, but the verdict was reversed on video review.
The Braves won three of four games in the series and retained first place in the National League East by 1 1/2 games over the Nationals.
Cardinals 5, Pirates 0
St. Louis’ Michael Wacha lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning against visiting Pittsburgh when pinch hitter Colin Moran hit a leadoff single to right on an 0-2 pitch.
Wacha (7-1) was up to 111 pitches. He immediately left for reliever Jordan Hicks, who preserved the shutout.
Marcell Ozuna hit a grand slam in the first for all the runs Wacha and the Cardinals needed, and they added another in the eighth. Wacha was bidding to throw the Cardinals’ first no-hitter since left-hander Bud Smith accomplished the feat against the San Diego Padres on Sept. 3, 2001.
Mariners 2, Rays 1
Felix Hernandez (6-4) pitched eight innings of one-run ball, and Seattle rallied to overcome a record-equaling start from visiting Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell to sweep a three-game series.
The Mariners scored both of their runs in the eighth inning off left-hander Jose Alvarado (0-2). Denard Span and Dee Gordon had RBI hits.
Snell fanned the first seven batters of the game, matching the AL record held by two Chicago White Sox pitchers: Joe Cowley (May 28, 1986) and Carlos Rodon (Sept. 30, 2016). Snell wound up striking out 12 in six shutout innings.
Twins 7, Indians 5
Eddie Rosario slugged his third homer of the game when he hit a two-run blast with no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning off Cody Allen as Minnesota beat visiting Cleveland with his family watching from the stands.
Rosario capped his second career three-homer game by driving a 2-1 fastball from Allen (2-2) 400 feet over the center field fence and into the lower rows of seats above the high scoreboard.
Rosario’s 13th homer occurred after Brian Dozier opened the inning with a walk on the ninth pitch. Minnesota emerged with a third straight win over the Indians. It was the third walk-off win for the Twins, who have sustained eight such losses already.
Giants 6, Phillies 1
Buster Posey’s go-ahead single in a five-run sixth inning gave Dereck Rodriguez his first major league win as host San Francisco beat Philadelphia to complete a three-game sweep.
Andrew McCutchen followed up Posey’s hit with a three-run homer to right field, his fourth of the season, two batters after Joe Panik’s RBI single tied the game. Posey added a solo shot in the eighth, his fourth.
Jun 3, 2018; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
Making his first major league start, the 25-year-old Rodriguez (1-0) struck out six over six innings of one-run ball. Phillies starter Jake Arrieta (5-3) knocked a home run and carried a shutout into the sixth on the mound before coughing up five runs.
Diamondbacks 6, Marlins 1
David Peralta homered for the third consecutive game, and Matt Koch struck out six in seven scoreless innings as Arizona completed a three-game sweep of visiting Miami.
Peralta had two hits in the game and homered in a three-run eighth inning, Ketel Marte had two hits and an RBI and Daniel Descalso drove in two as the Diamondbacks finished a 5-1 homestand and regained first place in the NL West.
Brian Anderson had two hits and Justin Bour added an RBI double in the ninth inning for the Marlins, who have lost six in a row.
Cubs 2, Mets 0
Jon Lester carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and earned the win by allowing two hits over seven scoreless innings as Chicago completed a four-game sweep of host New York.
The Cubs have won eight of 10. The Mets have lost 11 of 14 and 29 of 45 since an 11-1 start.
Lester (6-2) walked three and struck out seven. The Cubs rewarded Lester in the top of the seventh by scoring in unique fashion. Javier Baez led off the inning with a single and went to third on a single by Willson Contreras. When Mets starter Steven Matz (2-4) made a casual pickoff throw to first, Baez broke for home and crossed the plate easily with what was scored a stolen base.
Dodgers 10, Rockies 7
Justin Turner’s slow roller in the ninth drove in the go-ahead run, Yasmani Grandal added two more with a homer, and Los Angeles rallied to beat Colorado in Denver. Max Muncy homered twice and Tony Cingrani (1-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief for the win.
Ian Desmond homered for the Rockies, who lost catcher Chris Iannetta to an undisclosed injury in the top of the ninth. The Dodgers scored three times off Rockies closer Wade Davis (0-1) in the ninth.
Turner’s groundout to Davis drove in Logan Forsythe and Grandal followed with a two-run shot to center. Kenley Jansen got the last three outs for his 14th save.
Angels 3, Rangers 1
Tyler Skaggs gave up four hits over six scoreless innings and got just enough offensive support to lead Los Angeles to a win over visiting Texas in the rubber game of a three-game series in Anaheim, Calif.
The Angels had only four hits, but one of them was a two-run double by Luis Valbuena and another was a solo homer by Justin Upton.
Skaggs allowed two doubles to Shin-Soo Choo and also walked three batters but was able to make pitches when the Rangers threatened to score. Texas was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position when Skaggs (4-4) was in the game.
Slideshow (11 Images)
A’s 5, Royals 1
Matt Olson continued his hot streak with a three-run home run in a four-run eighth inning, and Oakland beat host Kansas City.
The A’s took two of three from the Royals. Olson has four home runs and nine RBIs in his past four games.
With the score tied 1-1, Oakland’s Dustin Fowler led off the eighth inning with a single and then stole second. Jed Lowrie brought Fowler home with a single up the middle to give the A’s a 2-1 lead and knock Kansas City starter Jakob Junis out of the game. Reliever Burch Smith walked the first batter he faced, Khris Davis, and Olson followed with his three-run shot.
Blue Jays 8, Tigers 4
Justin Smoak and Randal Grichuk each hit a two-run home run and drove in three runs, Aaron Sanchez allowed one run in six innings and visiting Toronto defeated Detroit to avoid a three-game sweep.
The Blue Jays ended a five-game losing streak with the victory. They completed a nine-game road trip at 3-6. Leonys Martin hit a solo homer for the Tigers, who had their four-game winning streak ended.
Sanchez (3-5) held the Tigers to two hits and three walks while striking out seven. He recorded his first win since April 30, a span of five winless starts.
White Sox 6, Brewers 1
Back-to-back homers from pinch hitter Daniel Palka and Adam Engel in the sixth inning powered host Chicago past Milwaukee in the rubber match of a three-game series.
With one out in the sixth, Palka delivered a tiebreaking, two-run shot, his sixth of the season, to right field. Engel followed with a solo blast, his second, to center.
The White Sox had lost seven of their previous nine games. Milwaukee scored its only run when an error by Chicago third baseman Yolmer Sanchez allowed Christian Yelich to reach on a force attempt and Manny Pina to score with one out in the top of the fifth.
Padres 6, Reds 3
Hunter Renfroe hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the fifth inning to power San Diego past visiting Cincinnati. The Padres took the final two games in the three-game series.
The Padres trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, and Reds starter Luis Castillo was working on a two-hit shutout.
San Diego starter Tyson Ross (5-3) allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Kirby Yates picked up his first save of the season, getting Joey Votto to ground out to end the game with two on.
Orioles-Yankees, ppd.
New York and host Baltimore had their series finale postponed due to inclement weather. They will make it up as part of a split admission doubleheader on Aug. 25.
The Yankees have been especially hard-hit by weather concerns this season, having already had seven games postponed. They travel to Detroit on Monday for a doubleheader against the Tigers to make up for two of those rainouts.
—Field Level Media
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Events 9.19
335 – Flavius Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle, Constantine the Great. 634 – Siege of Damascus: The Rashidun Arabs under Khalid ibn al-Walid capture Damascus from the Byzantine Empire. 1356 – Battle of Poitiers: An English army under the command of Edward, the Black Prince defeats a French army and captures King John II. 1676 – Jamestown is burned to the ground by the forces of Nathaniel Bacon during Bacon's Rebellion. 1777 – American Revolutionary War: British forces win a tactically expensive victory over the Continental Army in the First Battle of Saratoga. 1778 – The Continental Congress passes the first United States federal budget. 1796 – George Washington's Farewell Address is printed across America as an open letter to the public. 1799 – French Revolutionary Wars: French-Dutch victory against the Russians and British in the Battle of Bergen. 1846 – Two French shepherd children, Mélanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, experience a Marian apparition on a mountaintop near La Salette, France, now known as Our Lady of La Salette. 1852 – Annibale de Gasparis discovers the asteroid Massalia from the north dome of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte. 1862 – American Civil War: Union troops under William Rosecrans defeat a Confederate force commanded by Sterling Price. 1863 – American Civil War: The first day of the Battle of Chickamauga, in northwestern Georgia, the bloodiest two-day battle of the conflict, and the only significant Confederate victory in the war's Western Theater. 1864 – American Civil War: Union troops under Philip Sheridan defeat a Confederate force commanded by Jubal Early. With over 50,000 troops engaged, it was the largest battle fought in the Shenandoah Valley. 1868 – La Gloriosa begins in Spain. 1870 – Franco-Prussian War: The siege of Paris begins. The city will hold out for over four months before surrendering. 1881 – U.S. President James A. Garfield dies of wounds suffered in a July 2 shooting. Vice President Chester A. Arthur becomes President upon Garfield's death. 1893 – In New Zealand, the Electoral Act of 1893 is consented to by the governor, giving all women in New Zealand the right to vote. 1916 – World War I: During the East African Campaign, colonial forces of the Belgian Congo (Force Publique) under the command of Charles Tombeur capture the town of Tabora after heavy fighting. 1939 – World War II: The Battle of Kępa Oksywska concludes, with Polish losses reaching roughly 14% of all the forces engaged. 1940 – World War II: Witold Pilecki is voluntarily captured and sent to Auschwitz to smuggle out information and start a resistance movement. 1944 – World War II: The Battle of Hürtgen Forest begins. It will become the longest individual battle that the U.S. Army has ever fought. 1944 – World War II: The Moscow Armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union is signed. 1946 – The Council of Europe is founded following a speech by Winston Churchill at the University of Zurich. 1952 – The United States bars Charlie Chaplin from re-entering the country after a trip to England. 1957 – Plumbbob Rainier becomes the first nuclear explosion to be entirely contained underground, producing no fallout. 1970 – Michael Eavis hosts the first Glastonbury Festival. 1970 – Kostas Georgakis, a Greek student of geology, sets himself ablaze in Matteotti Square in Genoa, Italy, as a protest against the dictatorial regime of Georgios Papadopoulos. 1973 – King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has his investiture. 1976 – Turkish Airlines Flight 452 hits the Taurus Mountains, outskirt of Karatepe, Turkey, killing all 154 passengers and crew. 1976 – Two Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantom II jets fly out to investigate an unidentified flying object, when both independently lose instrumentation and communications as they approach, only to have them restored upon withdrawal. 1978 – The Solomon Islands join the United Nations. 1982 – Scott Fahlman posts the first documented emoticons :-) and :-( on the Carnegie Mellon University bulletin board system. 1983 – Saint Kitts and Nevis gains its independence. 1985 – A strong earthquake kills thousands and destroys about 400 buildings in Mexico City. 1985 – Tipper Gore and other political wives form the Parents Music Resource Center as Frank Zappa and other musicians testify at U.S. Congressional hearings on obscenity in rock music. 1989 – A bomb destroys UTA Flight 772 in mid-air above the Tùnùrù Desert, Niger, killing all 170 passengers and crew. 1991 – Ötzi the Iceman is discovered in the Alps on the border between Italy and Austria. 1995 – The Washington Post and The New York Times publish the Unabomber's manifesto. 1997 – The Guelb El-Kebir massacre in Algeria kills 53 people. 2006 – The Thai army stages a coup. The Constitution is revoked and martial law is declared. 2010 – The leaking oil well in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is sealed. 2011 – Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees surpasses Trevor Hoffman to become Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader with 602. 2016 – In the wake of a manhunt, the suspect in a series of bombings in New York and New Jersey is apprehended after a shootout with police. 2017 – The 2017 Puebla earthquake strikes Mexico, causing 370 deaths and over 6,000 injuries, as well as extensive damage.
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MLB Magic Number Watch: Rockies wait to see if situation improves
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The Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins are in, leaving just one postseason spot up for grabs. The Colorado Rockies are the current favorite for the final National League wild card spot, and the teams trailing them are running out of time to make their move.
Though only one postseason spot is up for grabs, there are still some other interesting developments to keep an eye on. One division is unsettled, while home-field advantage can still be claimed.
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Each day this week, we’ll be running down the postseason storylines around MLB in our Magic Number Watch. Let’s get started:
The Rockies are off Thursday, but could still inch closer to a playoff spot. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
1. ROCKIES LOOKING TO PUNCH THEIR POSTSEASON TICKET Wednesday night was huge for the Colorado Rockies’ postseason chances. The team not only picked up a win, but their main competition, the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals, both lost. That lowered the Rockies’ magic number to two. The earliest they can clinch would be Friday, however, as the team is off Thursday night. They’ll start a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, where they’ll hope to clinch that final postseason spot. Both the Brewers and Cardinals are active Thursday night, so the Rockies magic number could improve before they play their next game.
2. AL EAST LOOKING LIKE BOSTON’S The only division still up for grabs is the American League East, where things look pretty good for the Boston Red Sox. Though the New York Yankees have won three straight games, Boston managed a win Wednesday night, preventing New York from picking up ground. The Red Sox still lead the division by three games. Their magic number for the AL East is two. They could clinch it Thursday night if they win and the Yankees lose.
The Indians are still playing for home-field throughout the American League playoffs. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
3. CLEVELAND LOOKING TO SECURE HOME-FIELD Most home-field advantage scenarios are locked up. But the few things that could move are all on the Cleveland Indians. With 99 wins, the team has a one-game lead over the Houston Astros for home-field through the American League Championship Series. Cleveland could still pass the Dodgers for the best record in baseball — which would give them home-field advantage in the World Series since the All-Star Game no longer counts. But that seems unlikely. Cleveland would have to win out, while the Dodgers would have to lose their final four games.
4. MILWAUKEE AND ST. LOUIS JUST TRY TO STAY ALIVE We’ve already outlined the scenarios for the Rockies to clinch, so you have an idea of what the Brewers and Cardinals need to do to remain alive in the postseason race. The Cardinals could be out as early as Thursday night. With a loss, they would be eliminated from the postseason. The Brewers can only see their magic number get worse. If they lose Thursday night, their magic number would drop to just one. They are the only two clubs fighting for postseason spots that haven’t officially been eliminated yet.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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MLB playoffs 2017: Updating the postseason picture
Where do the postseason races stand right now?
As the postseason inches ever-closer and the last divisional and wild card races sort themselves out, there will be a lot of updates about who’s in things and who’s out. We’re here to make following all of that easier with updates about the latest action around the league from now until the season ends.
Sept. 24: The Diamondbacks had a fun Sunday. First they clinched a playoff berth thanks to losses early in the day by the Brewers and Cardinals. Then, Arizona beat the Marlins in their game, ensuring that the NL Wild Card Game will be played in Phoenix on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
The Cubs got a shutout from Jose Quintana, who struck out 10 Brewers on Sunday, giving Chicago three wins in the four-game weekend series in Milwaukee to basically put the National League Central to bed. Chicago’s magic number to clinch the division is just two over both St. Louis and Milwaukee. The earliest the Cubs can clinch is Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Twins are closing in on the second American League Wild Card after finishing off a four-game sweep of the hapless Tigers. Minnesota leads both the Angels and Rangers by five games, with just a week left to play.
Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images
Sept. 23: Four of the five American League playoff teams are set, with the Yankees clinching a playoff berth on Saturday with a win in Toronto. New York is still four games back of the Red Sox in the AL East with eight to play, but assured of at least a Wild Card berth.
New York’s win officially eliminated the Blue Jays from playoff contention, but Toronto wasn’t alone. The Orioles were eliminated on Saturday as well.
In the National League, the Brewers were the only team in Wild Card contention to win on Saturday, with Travis Shaw delivering a walk-off home run in a 4-3 win over the Cubs in what has been a fantastic weekend series at Miller Park. Milwaukee is 4½ games behind Chicago in the NL Central, but just one game back of the Rockies for the second Wild Card spot.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
The Diamondbacks, owners of a six-game lead over Colorado for the first Wild Card spot, can clinch a playoff berth as early as Sunday, with either a win or losses by both the Brewers and Cardinals.
Sept. 22: The Cubs and Brewers continued their exciting series with a Chicago win in extra innings, extending their lead over Milwaukee in the NL Central to 5.5 games. Thanks to a Cardinals win over the Pirates, the Brewers are behind St. Louis in the division and Wild Card races. They are 1.5 games back of the second spot in the latter.
Since the Dodgers won LA officially clinched the division — which they would have also done the Diamondbacks had won but controlled their own destiny and took care of things by defeating the Giants..
Boston increased their hold on the AL East with a win and a Yankees loss, and they are up four games on New York with a magic number to clinch of six. However, thanks to other losses the Yankees’ magic number to clinch a postseason berth is 1. The Indians lost against the Mariners but the Astros won so the race for best record in the American League remains tight, with Houston only 1.5 games back.
The AL Wild Card race remains complicated, but is clicking more into focus with every game. With the Twins’ convincing win over the Yankees, a Rangers loss, a Royals loss, and an Angels loss, Minnesota finds themselves up 3.5 games, 4.5 games, and 3.5 games over each team respectively.
Sept. 21: Colorado is having some fun on Twitter about their current Wild Card situation — claiming to currently be fans of the Cubs and Reds. The Cubs because they played the Brewers on Thursday night and the Reds because they faced off against the Cardinals.
Both teams that are hot on the Rockies’ tail in the NL Wild Card race.
@Rockies/Twitter
The Reds didn’t live up to their end of the bargain on Thursday with the Cardinals besting them 8-5, but the Cubs did after rallying to beat the Brewers 5-3 in extra innings. The Cubs are now up 4.5 games in the NL Central over Milwaukee.
The Rockies didn’t practice what they preach though, falling to the Padres by a score of 3-0. After the night’s action, the NL Wild Card race sits at Colorado in the pole position, Milwaukee 1.5 games back, and the Cardinals 2 out of it. Feel the excitement!
The Dodgers came one step closer to clinching when they avoided a sweep at the hands of the Phillies. With the Diamondbacks off on Thursday, their magic number to clinch the division is at 1. The Astros lost, which puts the Dodgers’ magic number of clinching a better record than Houston at 7.
LA is still one game ahead of Cleveland in the pursuit of best record in the league and World Series home field advantage.
The Angels continued their losing skid with a fourth loss in a row (thanks to the Indians continuing their hot streak), putting them 2.5 games back of the Twins for the second Wild Card after Minnesota absolutely crushed the Tigers 12-1. They have 10 games left on the schedule, so their situation is getting bleaker.
The Rangers are now tied with the Angels at 2.5 games back of the second Wild Card spot thanks to their 4-2 win over Seattle. The Mariners now sit at six games back, and without all the teams in front of them collapsing and the Mariners going on a sudden win streak, the playoffs look to be out of reach for them. Meanwhile, the Royals helped their case with a win over the Jays and are 3.5 games out of it.
Sept. 20: The Dodgers had a chance to clinch the NL West, but failed to do it thanks to a loss to the Phillies. They’ll try again Thursday afternoon and hope the Diamondbacks lose Friday to seal the division for them. In a tight AL East race, the Red Sox and Yankees both won and New York remains three games behind the former for the division. Boston’s magic number is reduced to eight games.
As for the AL wild card, the Twins loss meant the Angels had a chance to gain ground on them, but instead, they dropped their game to the Indians, clinching the guarantee of at least a wild card for Boston. The Rangers defeated the Mariners, however, causing Seattle to lose their fifth straight and remain four back of the second wild card, while Texas shaved a game off their deficit and are now 2.5 behind Minnesota.
Over in the National League wild card race, the Brewers weren’t able to help themselves when they had the opportunity to do so and lost to the Pirates. The Rockies lost earlier in the afternoon, opening the door for Milwaukee to win and tie them for the second wild card slot.
Instead, the Brewers remain one game back with only 10 games left in the season, with the Cardinals hot on their tails at 2.5 games back from the second wild card spot after a win Wednesday night.
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