As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Pitchers’ duel in Detroit:
Two of the AL Central’s very best starting pitchers are set to clash this evening when Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez takes the mound in Comerica Park against Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal. Lopez, 28, is coming off a strong 2023 campaign that saw him make the first All-Star appearance of his career and finish seventh in AL Cy Young award voting after posting a 3.66 ERA and 3.33 FIP in 194 innings of work. He’s performed admirably in his first two starts this year since stepping into the role of staff ace vacated by Sonny Gray, with a 2.84 ERA and 3.05 FIP in 12 2/3 innings of work to this point.
Meanwhile, Skubal is coming off a dominant second-half in 2023 after his midseason return from elbow surgery. In 15 starts last year, Skubal pitched to a sterling 2.80 ERA with an even better FIP of 2.00 while striking out a whopping 32.9% of batters he faced. The southpaw has continued rolling so far this year, with a 32.6% strikeout rate to go with a 2.92 ERA and 3.37 FIP in 12 1/3 innings. Detroit has outperformed Minnesota in the early going this year, posting a 7-4 record (1.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central) that gives them an early lead on the 4-6 Twins. This afternoon’s game is set to begin at 6:40pm local time.
2. LeMahieu to be re-examined:
Veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu has spent the entire 2024 campaign to this point on the injured list, prompting the Yankees to lean on Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti at the hot corner. It’s possible LeMahieu could be getting closer to a return, however. Per MLB.com, manager Aaron Boone recently told reporters that LeMahieu will undergo a fresh round of imaging today in order to determine whether or not he’s ready to head out for a rehab assignment. The 35-year-old veteran was roughly league average at the plate in a down season last year but has a strong .285/.358/.430 slash line since joining the Yankees prior to the 2019 season.
3. Cardinals to activate Nootbaar:
The Cardinals’ outfield was hit particularly badly by the injury bug in spring training, as each of Lars Nootbaar, Tommy Edman, and Dylan Carlson opened the season on the shelf. Fortunately for Cardinals fans, that’s about to change. Per The Athletic’s Katie Woo, Nootbaar is set to be activated from the injured list prior to tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks, which is scheduled to begin at 6:40pm local time. A corresponding move will be necessary to make room for Nootbaar on the active roster, and Woo reports that the Cardinals will accomplish that by optioning third-string catcher Pedro Pages to the minor leagues.
Nootbaar carries a .247/.356/.430 slash (120 wRC+) and an excellent 14.5% walk rate in 225 games for the Cardinals over the past two seasons. If the 26-year-old can replicate that past production, he’s sure to provide a major boost to a beleaguered offense in St. Louis that has seen its current outfield mix of Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, and Alec Burleson all get out to slow starts. They aren’t the only ones who have struggled so far. Veterans Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado have hit a combined .194 with just four extra base hits in 108 trips to the plate.
DJM “entire 2024 season? It’s been two weeks since the Yankees opening season pitch.
Well..its a true statement and the rest of the sentence states ” to this point” likley acknowledging its early…
It just seemed unnecessary to use the word “entire”.
Hurt your feelings to diss the great DJ?
I thought the same as Dewey so I don’t know why you have to say something that antagonistic.
If I praised some no name player for having an OPS of 1200 despite mentioning the small sample size I would still get ran over on these message boards. This isn’t so different.
Astros getting destroyed by the Royals the past two days and swept. The fact that two days ago, the Astros brought up their top pitching prospect only to see him get shelled for 7 runs in 3 innings and then last night to see Brown get shelled for 9 runs in 0.2 innings is telling of how terrible their farm system is. I called the downfall of the Astros last season and we’re seeing the decline. That Big Money contract for a closer isn’t really working out for them. Can’t really use him when you’ve given up 9 runs in the 1st inning. Haha!
Also, Rangers looked pretty bad against the Triple-A A’s last night. Seager struck out 4 times.
Hat tip to Sears, he looked like Blake Snell Jr.
He was throwing a whole catalog of pitches at the Rangers.
@Gwynning
Snell only goes 4 or 5 innings. Sears actually went into the 7th inning and got one out before being pulled.
I meant more in the fact that he was tossing nasty stuff from the southpaw side, albeit a couple ticks off Snell’s velos.
Old York: White Sox pitchers are going 6-7 innings because, whoever they bring in, it doesn’t really make a difference.
Old York I’m not counting the Astros out yet. Not only is it very early, it’s not like the Rangers or Angels are running away with the west.
@Joe says…
I have already. I’ll eat my words at the end of the season when they’re 120-42. But until then, I don’t see them doing well this season.
Fair enough. They’ve just beaten the Yankees so much in recent years it’s got me where I just can’t do that.
Joe: And if the Astros don’t do anymore than that I’ll be their biggest fan.
Not only did K.C. wallop the Astros, the A’s won 1-0 over the Rangers in Texas. As for the Astros, they’re an aging team. I don’t know what they have in the minors, but they better start looking at them, trades and FA if they don’t want to go through a rebuild. I can’t see them falling that low, though
Last year I won picking the Yankees to miss the playoffs. This year Astros are the big pick to miss out on October
@ohyeadam
Yeah, I called their downfall last spring and I see it’s coming to be so far. Based on how they’re built this year, I don’t see them making it.
I have important information regarding the ippei and shohei scandal
Ippei: hey shohei
If your credit card number was how much money you had and the 3 numbers on the back is how many houses u had, how many houses would you have and how much money?
Shohei: oh
xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx and xxx
Ippei: thanks pal follow up question if your social security number was how many hot dogs Joey chestnut can eat what would the number be?
Shohei: oh
xxx-xx-xxxx
Ippei: thanks pal one more
If your bank account number was how many dog treats you had and you were to name your dog your bank password then would would your dogs name be and how many treats would you have
Shohei: oh here you go pal. Why all these questions?
Ippei: oh no reason
Ippei: hey shohei
If your credit card number was how much money you had and the 3 numbers on the back is how many houses u had, how many houses would you have and how much money?
Shohei: it would be this!
Ippei: thanks pal follow up question if your social security number was how many hot dogs Joey chestnut can eat what would the number be?
Shohei: oh it would be this!
Ippei: thanks pal one more
If your account number was how many dog treats you had and you were to name your dog your pw then what would your dogs name be and how many treats would you have
Shohei: oh here you go pal. Why all these questions?
Ippei: oh no reason
Do you have that on tape?
I heard it through the grape vine, Ippei said ohtani’s money will be mine.
@ ws suck
i have a question, how do does shohei have a ssn he isn’t even a us citizen?
In his case he’d need a TIN instead of SSN
that makes more sense good joke still i got a chuckle out of it
Personally speaking, I think as hoping this article was about an actual pitchers duel between DJ LeMahieu and Lars Nootbaar.
With all the injuries being reported, I guess I’m in need of a distraction.
Bart: Yeah, Lopez vs. Skubal is hardly Mathewson vs. Johnson.
My favorite Japanese-American with a Norwegian first name and Dutch last name is back! Noot Noot!
Technically, only his mother is Japanese-American. Lars himself is fully American with Japanese and Dutch ancestry.
Lanidrac: And he can’t play for the Netherlands because he doesn’t have any relatives from Curaco.
There’s only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other people’s cultures… and the Dutch.
Agreed Dutch people suck
@Gwynning
What’s wrong with people who are intolerant of other people’s cultures? When in Rome, do as Romans do…
Nigel Powers! I knew that had to be you.
There’s only two things that scare me, and one of them is nuclear war.
Good to have Noot back. Cards, while hardly soaring have stayed competitive, during a tough early stretch. Pitching hasn’t really been the issue. Carlson shouldn’t be far behind, and maybe Edman by May.
It is great to have Noot back especially if he’s healthy enough for center. Scott needs to go to Memphis for more development ASAP. He’s not ready for big league pitching.
They sent Pages down instead. I don’t think the Cardinals are comfortable with Nootbaar playing CF full time until Carlson returns.
Pages is no longer needed with Contreras ready to play.
Certainly, but with Scott still on the roster, he’s going to continue to start in CF. If they wanted Nootbaar to to do it, they would’ve sent Scott down, possibly as part of two moves with Pages joining him.
Besides, last night, they did indeed start Nootbaar in LF and Scott in CF.
Maybe Noot starts in CF a few times when they want to put someone else at DH and Donovan back in LF, but Scott still needs regular PAs either in the Majors or in AAA.
the good lord finally hit OJ with a BFT that’s got everybody sayin…..
L A KNIGHT YEAH!
CR
Muted
filihok
Muted for being a bore
Chooch: Finally got what he deserved: A slow, painful death.
Not sure how LA Knight fits here, but I love his shtick so much I’ll give this a Like anyway. YEAH!!!
(LA Knight is a wrestler who performs for World Wrestling Entertainment, for I am guessing the most of you who don’t know.)
We like LA Knight, Yeah!
Cardinals need to send VSII down now that Noot is back. He’s struggled mightily, and Noot can cover CF until Carlson or Edman return.
I don’t want to agree but he needs help at the dish. Successful ABs will make him complete. I want a whole player.
When he gets sent back down, I want him to go with a “Hurry back” attached to his paperwork.
I wish he could stay too. I hate having Edman in CF.
The longer this wrist injury lingers with Edman, the more I worry about him long term.
He should’ve been a pure reserve utility player the last two years.
Maybe last year, but Edman was pretty good offensively along with his great defense in 2022.
If they could afford to, Walker could use a AAA refresh as well. His swing looks afwful. His EV is up and HardH% as well but he needs to learn how to lift the ball. I know a lot of people are high on him, but he really hasn’t shown much to date and he’s a -WAR player. Time will tell
Yeah, I’ve not been impressed by him. Even last year left a lot to be desired, though he is young and projectable.
There’s no reason Walker should prohibit experimenting with an OF of
Donovan-Carlson-Noot or Noot-Edman-Carlson.
Walker is still quite young. He does need some development. He’s still going to be a good to great hitter once he learns to elevate the ball a bit more.
He could be a great hitter, but I don’t think its a foregone conclusion yet.
As far as the pitching duel in Detroit goes, the forecast calls for sustained winds of 25 mph out to left and gusts to 40 mph. Any decently hit fly ball will be a threat to leave the yard tonight.
Throw breaking balls.
Two seam fastballs and change ups.
Arenado and Goldy are guess hitters these days and they are not good at guessing