With the final week of the regular season just over the horizon, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:
1. Soto undergoing testing:
Yankees superstar Juan Soto had a scary moment during the club’s game against the Mariners yesterday when he slid hard into the right field wall while making a catch in the outfield. Soto stayed on the ground briefly but got up and resumed play shortly thereafter. As noted by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, the initial diagnosis on Soto’s knee was a contusion but the Yankees are still sending the phenom for x-rays to make sure there isn’t a more serious issue at play. The addition of Soto over the offseason completed transformed the Yankees’ lineup headed into the 2024 campaign, and the 25-year-old star has delivered with an incredible .286/.418/.575 slash line in 149 games this year. The Yankees clinched a spot in the postseason earlier this week, meaning they’ll be able to afford the pending free agent plenty of rest ahead of the postseason should that prove necessary.
2. Series Preview: Tigers @ Orioles
The Tigers have emerged as baseball’s most fascinating story this September as they’ve surged to a 11-5 record this month that’s allowed them to catch a flailing Twins club that’s gone 7-11 since the start of the month, leaving the two teams tied in the final AL Wild Card spot. Minnesota won the season series over Detroit and holds the tiebreaker between the two clubs, however, meaning that if the Tigers are to close out their surprise run to the postseason they’ll need to keep winning games, including a tough three-game set this weekend against the Orioles in Baltimore. Meanwhile, the Orioles have plenty of incentive to make the road as difficult as possible for the Tigers as they could clinch a playoff spot in front of their home crowd this weekend with a sweep.
Detroit has not yet announced their starter for tonight’s game, but the series will kick off at 7:05pm local time tonight with Corbin Burnes (3.06 ERA) on the mound for the Orioles. Tomorrow, right-hander Reese Olson (3.50 ERA) will take on lefty Cade Povich (5.74 ERA in 14 starts) and the series will wrap on Sunday with an as-of-yet undetermined starter on the mound for Detroit against breakout journeyman Albert Suarez (3.60 ERA).
3. Pitchers’ Duel in Texas:
Two of the league’s most talented starters are set to face off at Globe Life Field this evening when the Mariners send youngster George Kirby to the mound to face Jacob deGrom in the veteran’s second start since returning from Tommy John surgery. Kirby, 26, has had a down year by his lofty standards thanks to a brutal six-start stretch that began in mid-August where he saw his ERA balloon from 3.13 to 3.77 thanks primarily to a whopping nine home runs surrendered in 31 innings of work. He bounced back from that rare tough stretch in his most recent start, however, blanking the very same Rangers club he’s set to face tonight with seven scoreless innings that saw him allow just one hit in a 7-0 victory over the club in Seattle last week.
Also making his second consecutive start against the same club is deGrom, who struck out four in 3 2/3 scoreless innings of work against Seattle during his season debut last week. It was just deGrom’s 33rd start since the start of the 2021 season as the veteran ace has battled injury after injury in recent years, but on a rate basis he’s been the most effective starter in all of baseball over that time with a microscopic 1.99 ERA and an even strong 1.60 FIP in 190 1/3 combined innings of work that have seen him punch out 42.8% of opponents.
Troy Percival's iPad
The Red Sox should trade Tanner Houck. This season, he’s thrown 1,116 Sweepers, 664 Splitters, and 861 Fastballs. This is a career year where his value is at his highest, assuming he can make one more start this year without getting pulled (he got scratched today). His arm will fall off some 5 to 10 starts into next season. Get value for him now so y’all aren’t jerking around saying “He’ll be back in 2027 though!!!”
inutero
breslow will just get somebody like alex Cobb or Tyler Anderson and call it a day, ownership already said they don’t care if they win. all about the revenue
bigfoot675
Detroit just took 2 of 3 from Baltimore on the road before sweeping KC. Bring it, Comerica will be electric. They have exceeded all expectations. A team playing without expectations is dangerous for any opponent. Let’s go boys!
Not a casual MLB fan
I truly admire what the Tigers have achieved so far this season. You can see how differently they’re carrying themselves now, and with such a strong sense of belief. I really hope they make it into the postseason this year.
t0bIe1CaN0bI
We took 2 of 3 in Comerica and tonight are playing in Baltimore. At this point with 9 games left I just want 3 things: luck, health, and a wild card.
bigfoot675
Good call, had that reversed. KC on the road was huge though! Same here…no more injuries, Just need a few things to go their way. MN is reeling. It’s ours to take IMO.
avenger65
I like it when a new face makes the PO. On the other hand, kind of sad to see the Braves probably not make it. Too many injuries.
gorav114
Tonight is a must win for Baltimore.
Motown is My Town
Regardless of what happens these last 9 games it’s been a surprising and fun run. Has also likely provided this young Tigers team with experience on handling late season high pressure games. Hopefully this incentivizes Chris I to invest in improving this team further in 2025, but doubt he’ll open his wallet since he prefers profit over winning
Roidville Slugger
The Orioles can clinch “this weekend with a sweep.” Hahahaha…they hurt my heart sometimes 🙁
inutero
they deserve all their struggles, Mike Elias put on his clown nose at the trade deadline and bargain hunted for Trevor Rodgers instead of tanner Scott or estevez. now their bullpen is cooked and they have no SP
gorav114
He brought in a #2 starter in Eflin and Seranthony was 9 for 9 in save chances before last night. The Rogers move was terrible but it’s ignorant to act like Elias did nothing or failed at the deadline
King Floch
Pretty sure Burnes, Eflin, Suarez, and Kremer are all SP, and generally pretty good ones, but don’t let facts get in the way of your feelings.
If you want to embarrass yourself, who am I to stop you?
jdgoat
Kremer and Suarez are pretty poor options in the postseason
King Floch
I would trust Suarez in any game at this point. He’s one of the most underrated guys in the sport right now and one of Elias & Co.’s best under-the-radar finds.
Kremer is steady but unspectacular, and while he does have some blowups here and there which skew his overall stats, he’s got that bulldog mentality and keeps the team in the game most times out.
Plus G-Rod is nearing his return, although he may work as a bulk/piggyback guy initially.
Old York
I was fairly surprised that only 15,000 fans showed up in Miami to see Ohtani hit 50 HRs and swipe 50 bags. Honestly, that franchise needs to be moved elsewhere.
Mikenmn
Ohtani is the most exciting player in the game, he was approaching an unheard of milestone, and the fans were uninterested. Maybe Florida just isn’t the right environment for baseball? Not a critique of the state, just a reflection of their acted-on preferences.
Fever Pitch Guy
Mike – Years of ownership neglect has taken away interest from the Marlins fanbase. The 50/50 is not a big deal because all stolen base records are now tainted due to the latest rules changes.
That’s one thing MLB doesn’t realize, you can’t change the rules and then expect records achieved with the help of said rules to be respected. The records are tainted, just like most every “record” in 2020.
Old York
@Fever Pitch Guy
But we’ve been doing that since MLB started. Look at the HR record that Ruth held. He did that is much less games than the current record holders. So, technically, Ruth is still the HR king, but then you got people saying that he didn’t play during integration and such. Add in the fact that the mounds were lowered in ’69 and on and on with all the different rule changes.
Do you think we should have separate stats and leaders based on when a new rule was implemented to the league? There have been so many rule changes since the 1800s.
MartialArtisan
Moscow? Pyongyang? Timbuktu? Beruit?
Old York
@MartialArtisan
London Marlins. Put a big ‘L’ on the hat.
The Saber-toothed Superfife
Det, NY, Min.
Its not a given Baltimore even makes the playoffs……
King Floch
The Oriioles really only need to win like 3 or 4 of the final 9 games and they should be in, and some of the important IL guys should start trickling back in over the next few days, probably starting with Coulombe and Urias this weekend, and Westburg should be ready by the start of the NYY series next week.
raisinsss
Re: Det, NY, Min
In this scenario with NY getting a WC and Baltimore missing the playoffs, are you seriously suggesting that the Red Sox with the AL East?
Fever Pitch Guy
There really should be a mention about Kirby’s home/road splits, his Road ERA is 34% higher than his Home ERA.
Manfred Rob's Earth Band
In other words Soto got an owie. Play on!