As the final month of the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. When will Ohtani return?
Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani was out of the lineup again last night, though after yesterday’s game Angels manager Phil Nevin indicated to reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register and The Athletic’s Sam Blum) that Ohtani’s situation is day-to-day. Nevin added that while Ohtani was dealing with some inflammation in his oblique, he had avoided a strain. The frontrunner for the AL MVP award is expected to play again this season, and even wanted to return to the lineup yesterday. He’ll be evaluated before today’s game to determine if he needs further rest before returning to the field. Ohtani avoiding a more significant injury is surely a relief for Angels fans, as the pending free agent is putting together a historic campaign with a 178 wRC+ in the batter’s box and a 31.5% strikeout rate on the mound, though he’s been shut down from pitching for the rest of the season.
2. Marlins to recall Cabrera:
The Marlins are expected to recall right-hander Edward Cabrera to start this evening’s game against the Dodgers, as relayed by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 25-year-old Cabrera started the 2023 season as a member of the club’s rotation, but was then shelved by a shoulder impingement for a little over a month. Upon returning, Cabrera posted a 5.40 ERA and 6.06 FIP and struggled with stamina, pitching just ten innings across three starts. That led the club to option Cabrera to Triple-A, where he’s managed to build back up to 100-pitch outings while posting an impressive 2.22 ERA across five starts. If he’s able to continue his hot stretch in the major leagues, he could provide a spark for Miami, with the club just half a game back in the race for the final NL Wild Card spot.
3. Verlander and Scherzer face-off:
Future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were teammates for the second time in their careers just over a month ago, at which point both were traded to the AL West by the Mets. Scherzer, who was shipped to the Rangers a few days before the trade deadline, has dominated with a 2.21 ERA and 2.47 FIP across six starts since joining the club. Verlander’s reunion with the Astros has gotten off to a more pedestrian start, with a 3.86 ERA and 4.69 FIP in six starts. Despite the disparity in recent numbers, the pitchers’ duel is sure to make the season series’s rubber match between the two clubs an interesting one. The Astros currently sit half a game ahead of the Rangers in the AL West standings after taking the first two games in this three-game set.
1. No, he should not return. Get himself healthy and ready to play again in 2024 and get the surgery done on the arm so he can pitch again. No reason to make things worse for a nothingburger season.
2. Let’s hope he returns to being a quality starter and helps push them into the playoffs. Go Marlins!
3. Game will probably end up a 12-10 game with both pitchers being shelled for 8 runs. Time for them to go back to the retirement home…
Love September & October baseball
Ohtani ………………….. Play Again? Or Hit again?
he doesn’t really play a position, or field a position and therefore play
However, who am I, why am I here?
Seriously, though, I think Ohtani needs to pick
Be DH or Pitch full-time
I don’t think he can do both, it’s wearing his body down
He swings a bat 4 or 5 times a game. When he does, he usually jogs 360 feet. I doubt that’s wearing him down.
Well, why don’t other pitchers do it?
You would be surprised, while the ball ain’t heavy, there are other factors too
If he chooses not to pitch, he’s not going to DH.
Seriously? If he chooses not to pitch, he could easily be the best RF in the game.
Halos, to be fair you could say arguably the best. There are a few great ball players roaming the Of.
Mookie Betts and Ronald Acuna Jnr would like to have a word…
If he concentrated on playing, he could easily be the best RF in the game.
His agent has said that Ohtani sees himself as a two-way player regardless of what happens next year. I guess we’ll never find out how good of a RF he could be.
Its hard to know how well he would do as an everyday Outfielder since he’s played less than the equivalent of 1 full game in the OF in 6 Major League seasons, and none in the last two years. It’s hard to keep those skills intact when you never use them
He’s got a great arm, great speed, great work ethic and he’s one of the greatest athletes that has ever lived.
It’s not hard for me to guess how’d he do.
To me, that would be as close to a sure thing as you could find.
6 years with barely playing the field is a lot, regardless of who the athlete is
So what does playing middle infield, catcher have to do with playing outfield?
Yount and Biggio and Diwning had little problem.
I’d be shocked if he didn’t smoothly make the transition, but the point is obviously moot.
Every batter is playing the game. However, I think the DH is more of a role than a position.
The Rangers have to make the playoffs. It would be heartbreaking for their fans otherwise, especially leading up to All-Star festivities next year.
Beautiful new ballpark, needs to be in the postseason—but everything must be earned. Seager needs to carry them there.
Best player in baseball that hasn’t put together 162-game back-to-back seasons as of yet. Will probably prevent him from getting HOF consideration.
As the former Offensive Tackle Mark Schlereth used to say, “availability is your best ability.”
Plenty of career left to put him on hof consideration. Great player
Of course the game most bb fans want to see- Verlander vs. Scherzer – will not be televised. Thank you national media, for sparing us from another nyy/Detroit game. Maybe now and in the future you can cut down on showing the nyy at least three times a week and televise teams who are much better and in contention for a PO spot even if they aren’t in NY.
@briar-patch thatcher
Beautiful new ballpark? Ewww…! Even Camden Yards looks better than most of the so-called new ballparks that have been built as of late.
It’s dystopian and unfair to compare anything to the hallowed Camden Yards.
Obviously I want my Astros to win everything every year, but I agree; after playing SO well, just dominating up until 3 or 4 weeks ago, I’d be saddened for the Rangers & the fans if they didn’t make the post-season, and play well in it.
“The Astros currently sit half a game ahead of the Rangers in the AL West standings”
When was this written? Houston is 1 game ahead of Seattle and 2 games in front of the Rangers
Steven: Stand by. I don’t think either league’s current WC standings are set in stone. It’s so close that one game can turn things completely around. The only team I think is a lock is the Phillies.
He is referring to AL West standings nt WC.
‘Phil Nevin said Tuesday that Neto (back) will be out for several weeks, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Neto was placed on the 10-day injured list last Friday due to lower-back discomfort and further testing has revealed a bad case of inflammation.”
So inflammation is bad enough for Neto to go in the IL but for Ohtani it’s “better than a strain”? I’m a little confused with the Angels level of injuries.
Backs are complicated.
And oblique’s aren’t? I think this team has set an MLB record for total combined games missed w an oblique injury.
Ohtani- Oblique strain
Neto- Lower back strain
These are completely different injuries.
Completely different injuries. Also, no one is buying tickets to see Zack Neto play, however, if you tell Angels fans Ohtani is done for the season and there will be lots of great seats available for their remaining home games
Not comparatively. Obliques are still muscles.
So then Neto could be just as injured next year as this, or worse, and it would be foolish to pencil him in as the shortstop of the future.
Neto could have screwed up his back. But yes. It would be foolish to ink him in, not pencil him in
Rendon is pencilled in to play third. Schanuel, first.
I expect Neto to be the shortstop, but there better be a plan “B”.
Grich hurt his back in 77, was mediocre in 78, then was great for the next six years.
Backs are complex.