The Opener

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

1. Means to return:

Left-hander John Means is set to return to the Orioles for their home game against the Cardinals today. The 30-year-old southpaw will be starting opposite veteran righty Adam Wainwright (8.19 ERA) this evening for his first time on a big league mound since April 2022. Means is on the 60-day IL, but will not require a corresponding 40-man move as Baltimore’s roster currently stands at 39. While Means has been on the shelf rehabbing Tommy John surgery, the Orioles have transformed from a 100-loss team to a surefire playoff contender. After going 82-74 the rest of 2022 following Means’s injury, the club has posted a 91-52 record while surging to the top seed in the AL’s postseason bracket.

Means sports a 3.72 ERA in 353 1/3 innings of work since the start of the 2019 season, good for an ERA+ of 124. Though his FIP is a less impressive 4.59 ERA during that time, a healthy and effective return from Means could transform the complexion of Baltimore’s postseason rotation, joining Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez while perhaps taking pressure off the likes of Kyle Gibson and Dean Kremer. Means posted a 3.74 ERA in 21 2/3 rehab innings and built his pitch count as high as 86 in a recent Triple-A outing.

2. Seager approaching milestone:

Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is in the midst of a career year, slashing an incredible .337/.398/.651 (177 wRC+) with 5.7 fWAR in just 100 games this season. He’s also on the cusp of a personal milestone, sitting just one hit away from his 1000th knock in the majors. The milestone puts Seager, still in the midst of his age 29-season, at 62nd on the career hits leaderboard among active players, and eighth among players who debuted in 2015 or later. It’s possible that hit No. 1000 for Seager proves to be a pivotal one for the Rangers this year, as the club is in the thick of the AL Wild Card race. They hold control of the final spot over the Mariners by half a game while sitting half a game behind the Blue Jays for the second spot.’

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

The end of the season is fast approaching, and the league’s 30 clubs are all pushing full steam ahead into the stretch run. While some are already looking ahead to 2024, many are focused on the current pennant chase, with more than half the league either occupying a playoff spot or within two games of doing so. If you’re curious how your team will hold up over the season’s final weeks or what their plan for the future is, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is hosting a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

With less than three weeks to go until the 2023 regular season wraps up, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Will Wright return today?

The Braves are scheduled to play a doubleheader against the Phillies today, with veteran Charlie Morton set to take the ball against righty Taijuan Walker in game one. The Braves have not yet announced who will face off against right-hander Michael Lorenzen in Game 2, but manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Bowman) yesterday that one option to take the role is Kyle Wright. Wright is on the 60-day IL, so a corresponding 40-man roster move will be necessary to activate him.

The 27-year-old hurler has been on the injured list with a shoulder strain since early May and struggled to a 5.79 ERA in five starts to open the season, but was a dominant force in Atlanta’s rotation as recently as last year with a 3.19 ERA and 3.58 FIP in 180 1/3 innings of work. If Wright is healthy and effective in his return, he’ll provide a boost for a Braves club that already boasts the best record in baseball (93-49) as they look ahead to the postseason.

2. Conforto nearing return:

According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Giants outfielder Michael Conforto is on the verge of returning to the big league club. Conforto’s been on the 10-day IL since late August with a hamstring strain, but could return to the lineup for tonight’s game against the Guardians. After missing the entire 2022 campaign due to injury, Conforto has hit decently in 111 games this year, with a .251/.343/.405 slash line (107 wRC+) in 426 trips to the plate. While those numbers certainly aren’t bad by any means, they’re a far cry from the .265/.369/.495 slash line (133 wRC+) Conforto put together between 2017 and 2020 that gave him the look of an All-Star-caliber bat. A Conforto return would add a quality bat to a San Francisco offense that has gotten hot in recent days, with 34 runs scored in their past five games.

3. Series Preview: Marlins @ Brewers

A consequential series for the NL playoff picture kicks off today as the Marlins head to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers for four games. Miami sits just half a game back of the third NL Wild Card spot with a 74-69 record, while the Brewers are holding onto a three game lead over the Cubs in the NL Central division. While a strong performance from Milwaukee could give them additional breathing room in the division ahead of their final three-game set against Chicago to wrap up the regular season, this series holds even more importance for the Marlins as they stare down an impending three-game set against a fearsome Braves club, not to mention three more games against the Brewers during their homestand next week.

For game one this evening, Marlins lefty Jesus Luzardo (3.59 ERA) will take on Brewers righty Brandon Woodruff (2.30 ERA). The Marlins have not announced who will take on Freddy Peralta (3.89 ERA) in game two of the series, while the Brewers haven’t announced a starter opposite Braxton Garrett (3.82 ERA) for game three. Neither starter has been announced for Thursday’s series finale. Tonight’s game begins at 6:40pm CT.

As 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. Betts on crutches:

The Dodgers are facing an injury scare with superstar Mookie Betts, as Isaac Azout of Fish On First noted last night that the MVP candidate left loanDepot Park on crutches. Jack Harris of the L.A. Times echoed that report while also indicating that Betts underwent x-rays on his foot after fouling a pitch off of it earlier in the game. Those x-rays came back negative, with MLB.com’s Juan Toribio indicating that they were precautionary. Betts will be re-evaluated today.

With so little time left in the regular season, even a fairly short absence would impact both the NL MVP race and the Dodgers’ odds of catching the Braves for the top seed in the NL this postseason. Betts, teammate Freddie Freeman, and Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. are the favorites in the Senior Circuit’s Most Valuable Player race. Betts trails only Shohei Ohtani in wins above replacement this year, per both FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference, thanks to his sensational .314/.411/.609 batting line, 38 home runs and solid defense around the diamond (right field, second base, shortstop). Acuna is hitting .331/.411/.579 and is the first player to ever hit 30 home runs and steal 60 bases in the same season.

From a team vantage point, an absence of any note would be devastating for a Dodgers club that has leaned heavily on Betts and Freeman for offensive production throughout the season; the duo have combined for a whopping 14.7 fWAR this year, while the rest of L.A.’s 23 total position players used this season have combined for 15.0 fWAR.

2. Royals roster move incoming:

The Royals transferred lefty Daniel Lynch to the 60-day injured list yesterday and optioned infielder Matt Beaty to Triple-A yesterday, creating openings on both the 40-man and active roster. With a roster move necessary before tonight’s game in Toronto and 60-day IL moves typically followed by a corresponding 40-man addition, Kansas City seems likely add a player to the 40-man today. That could be an activation from the 60-day IL like right-hander Brad Keller, or it could be a contract selection of a player in the minors. Of course, it’s also possible that the club could leave the 40-man roster spot open and simply activate Nick Pratto from the 10-day IL to replace Beaty on the roster. Both Keller and Pratto have been on rehab assignments since August.

3. Means to be activated this weekend:

As noted on MLB.com, the Orioles intend to move to a six-man rotation upon the return left-hander John Means, whom Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Sun indicates will be activated off the 60-day injured list at some point this weekend. The Orioles have announced Kyle Bradish, Jack Flaherty, and Grayson Rodriguez as the starters for the club’s series in Boston this weekend, so it’s possible Means will pitch out of the bullpen as a long reliever rather than join the club’s rotation. Whatever role Means fills, he figures to help boost an Orioles pitching staff that recently lost closer Felix Bautista to injury and is looking to keep starters like Bradish, Rodriguez, and Kyle Gibson healthy ahead of the postseason.

As the stretch run of MLB’s 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Lawlar to debut:

The Diamondbacks are expected to promote top infield prospect Jordan Lawlar prior to tonight’s game against the Cubs. The club already cleared space for Lawlar on the active and 40-man rosters by designating Nick Ahmed for assignment last night, so no corresponding moves will be necessary to select Lawlar. A consensus top-25 prospect who even reaches the top-10 of some lists, the 21-year-old Lawlar was selected sixth overall in the 2021 draft and is widely considered to feature plus tools across the board. He’s had a particularly successful season in the minor leagues this year, slashing an impressive .278/.378/.496 in 490 trips to the plate between the Double-A and Triple-A levels despite facing much older competition. Going forward, Lawlar figures to slot into the Arizona lineup at third base. His first assignment will be taking on 25-year-old right-hander Javier Assad (2.69 ERA in 87 innings) at Wrigley Field this evening.

2. Garcia to undergo MRI:

As noted by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters following last night’s loss that outfielder Adolis Garcia is scheduled to undergo an MRI today. Garcia exited yesterday’s game with what was termed “right knee discomfort” after crashing into the outfield wall while trying rob a home run off the bat of Michael Brantley. With the postseason rapidly approaching and the Rangers now on the outside-looking-in of the playoff picture, half a game back of the Blue Jays for the final AL Wild Card spot, Garcia missing anything more than a couple of days would be nothing short of devastating for Texas.

A second-time All Star in 2023, Garcia has paired excellent outfield defense with a .244/.322/.494 slash line in 580 trips to the plate, good for a wRC+ of 118. His 34 home runs this season leave him with the third best total in the AL and tied for eighth on the major league leaderboard with Braves third baseman Austin Riley. Only the club’s big-money middle infield duo of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien have accrued more fWAR than Garcia for the Rangers this season. In the event Garcia misses significant time, the Rangers would likely have to turn to Travis Jankowski as a regular in their outfielder down the stretch or promote top prospect Evan Carter, who was only recently elevated to Triple-A after slashing .284/.411/.451 at the Double-A level.

3. Will Grichuk go unclaimed again?

The Angels have reportedly placed outfielder Randal Grichuk back on waivers, once again leaving the 32-year-old veteran’s future with the club up in the air. Grichuk was the only player to go unclaimed when the Angels placed half a dozen veterans on expiring contracts on waivers late last month, with Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Matt Moore, Dominic Leone and Hunter Renfroe each finding new homes.

While Grichuk is still just a league-average bat on the year and would be ineligible to join a club’s postseason roster, he’s gotten hot recently with a .333/.379/.630 slash line in eight games since first being put on waivers at the end of August. It’s at least conceivable that a team in the thick of the playoff race with a need for outfield help could claim him and look to ride his recent hot stretch through the remainder of the regular season. The Marlins, as one example, recently lost Jorge Soler to the injured list, while the Giants are in need of an offensive boost after posting league-worst figures since the All Star break. Grichuk has been particularly effective against lefties, slashing .314/.375/.559 in 112 plate appearances this season.

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.

We’ve already had one morning roster move, and here are three additional things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Ohtani to undergo testing:

On the heels of the two-way superstar’s agent discussing his client’s UCL injury with reporters, Shohei Ohtani exited yesterday’s game due to oblique discomfort. Manager Phil Nevin described Ohtani as “pretty sore” (as relayed by MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) and while Sam Blum of The Athletic notes that the club did some preliminary testing last night, Nevin didn’t have enough information to share much of anything else.

With Ohtani already done pitching for the year and his agent indicating that some sort of elbow surgery is inevitable for him, even a relatively mild oblique strain could potentially see Ohtani’s season come to an end with so little time on the calendar remaining and an impending surgery looming. Even if Ohtani has suited up for the final time this season, he’s a strong candidate for the AL MVP award; in 599 trips to the plate this season, he’s slashed an incredible .304/.412/.654 — all while also posting a 3.14 ERA and 31.5% strikeout rate in 132 innings while on the mound.

2. Eovaldi to return:

Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi is set to take the mound in Arlington for this evening’s game against the Astros. It will be Eovaldi’s first appearance in the big leagues since he went on the injured list with a forearm strain shortly after the All-Star break. The 33-year-old veteran’s return figures to be a massive boost to the Texas rotation, which added both lefty Jordan Montgomery and veteran ace Max Scherzer in his absence. In 19 starts prior to his injury this season, Eovaldi pitched like an ace in his own right, with a 2.69 ERA and 3.23 FIP in 123 2/3 innings of work. Eovaldi’s return could indicate the end of either right-hander Dane Dunning’s or lefty Andrew Heaney’s time in the rotation, though it’s also possible the Rangers could opt for a six-man rotation down the stretch in hopes of preserving the health of their veteran arms for a hopeful postseason run. Eovaldi himself could be on a pitch count early on; he’s been throwing bullpen sessions but is returning from a roughly six-week absence without making a minor league rehab appearance.

3. MLBTR Chat:

The end of the season is fast approaching, and the league’s 30 clubs are all pushing full steam ahead into the stretch run. While some teams are already looking ahead to 2024, many are focused on the current pennant chase, with more than half the league still boasting 20% or higher playoff odds, per Fangraphs. If you’re curious how your team will hold up over the season’s final month or what their plan for the future is, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is hosting a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Here are three things we’re watching on this holiday Monday…

1. Labor Day games:

It is Labor Day, which means the slate of games is a little more interesting than a typical Monday. There are 11 games on the docket today, starting at 1:10 Central with the White Sox and Royals, continuing all the way until 8:38 with the Angels hosting the Orioles. Some matchups with playoff implications include the Astros facing off against the Rangers while the Guardians host the Twins.

2. Giolito’s debut with Guardians:

The Guardians were able to claim three pitchers off waivers from the Angels recently, which was a salary-dumping move for the latter club. That allowed the Guards to bolster their pitching staff for the home stretch as they try to chase the Twins in the American League Central, with Lucas Giolito being the most significant addition. He’ll be taking the ball today in Cleveland as the club starts an important three-game set against Minnesota.

3. Holliday to Triple-A:

Jackson Holliday is jumping from Double-A to Triple-A, reports Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com. The 19-year-old shortstop is the consensus #1 prospect in the sport and will now be joining his fourth level of the year. He’s gone from Single-A to High-A to Double-A and will now jump to the top level of the minors, having hit a combined .333/.451/.517 this year. Despite his youth, will the Orioles consider a fifth level with a major league promotion in the final weeks of the season?

With the calendar now officially flipped to September, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the weekend:

1. September Call-Ups:

Today is September 1, which means that active rosters have expanded to 28 for the remainder of the regular season. That leaves each team to add two additional players to their active roster: one pitcher and one position player in most cases. Some teams, including the Tigers and Cubs have already indicated which players they’ll be adding to the roster, while others are waiting for today to make the announcement. Between the additional roster spots available and the fact that players who debut this time of year retain rookie eligibility headed into the following season, organizations often use this time of year to promote prospects and get their feet wet at the big league level. The Yankees are taking that route with both outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez and catcher Austin Wells, for example. Of course, other teams use the opportunity to add veteran players who were in the organization on a minor league deal such as the Dodgers who are expected to select second baseman Kolten Wong to the roster.

2. Angels roster reconstruction:

September call-up season for the Angels arrives on the heels of Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Matt Moore, Dominic Leone and Hunter Renfroe all departing the organization after being claimed on waivers yesterday. That left the club with a whopping seven spots to fill on the active roster last night. Two of those spots have already been filled by the recall of right-hander Jose Marte and the contract selection of outfielder Kyren Paris, meaning the club still has five open slots on the active roster that must be filled before tonight’s game against the A’s, which will begin at 8:40pm CT. The club’s 40-man roster stands at 36, giving Anaheim’s front office plenty of flexibility as they look to make the necessary additions.

3. Suarez to return:

When Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez hit the injured list in August with a hamstring strain, he told reporters that the strain was mild and he hoped to return not long after the 15-day minimum. It seems he wasn’t far off in that estimation, as Suarez is expected to return to big league action on Sunday against the Brewers in Milwaukee. As noted by Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, Suarez will pitch a final bullpen session today before plans for him to return this weekend are set in stone.

The 27-year-old southpaw’s return should be a noticeable boost for the Phillies as they look to secure the first NL Wild Card spot this September. In 17 starts this season, Suarez has posted a 3.88 ERA with an identical 3.88 FIP in 97 1/3 innings of work. That quality mid-rotation performance has helped the Phillies remain competitive despite a down year from right-hander Aaron Nola, who finished fourth in NL Cy Young award voting last year but has posted a lackluster 4.30 ERA in 27 starts this season.

As the month of August comes to a close, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Postseason eligibility for external additions ends today:

With several quality names currently on the waiver wire and more potentially useful pieces available through free agency, teams and players will have to match up by 11:59pm ET tonight in order for players to retain postseason eligibility with their new organizations. That won’t be an issue in the case of waiver wire players like Lucas Giolito, Matt Moore, Randal Grichuk, Hunter Renfroe and Harrison Bader, as the waiver period on those players ends this afternoon. Players who were recently released or elected free agency, such as Josh Donaldson, Adam Kolarek and Trey Mancini, will presumably look to find a new home before the end of the night. While they could sign with a club in September, they would only be eligible to participate in regular season games for the major league club.

2. AL West turns toward September:

Every team in the AL West has a day off today, leaving the Mariners, Astros, and Rangers bunched within half a game of each other at the top of the division as the calendar flips to September. Houston has something of an advantage headed into the season’s final month due to the easiest strength of schedule among the three clubs, including six games against the Royals and three against the A’s, though Seattle arguably has the most control over its own fate among the three clubs. The final three series of the Mariners’ schedule are on the road against the Rangers (3 games), at home against the Astros (3 games), and at home against the Rangers (4 games). Given the number of intra-divisional games at the end of the schedule with three teams still in hot pursuit of the division title, it seems likely that the AL West race will go down to the wire this season.

3. Series Preview: Braves @ Dodgers

The Braves have started their west coast road trip on a strong note to this point, taking two of three against the Giants at Oracle Park before sweeping the Rockies at Coors Field. Meanwhile, the Dodgers posted an identical record in taking two of three from the Red Sox at Fenway while sweeping the Diamondbacks at home. The two titans of the NL will clash in a four-game set starting today at Dodger Stadium. With both clubs already all but guaranteed a bye in the postseason, the coming series provides a possible preview of the 2023 NLCS, in addition to a rematch of the same series from both 2020 and 2021.

Right-hander Spencer Strider (3.46 ERA) will take the mound this evening against fellow righty Lance Lynn (5.56 ERA), who despite weak overall numbers this season sports a sterling 2.03 ERA in five starts since being traded to Los Angeles. While the Dodgers haven’t announced the starter who will take on right-hander Bryce Elder (3.50 ERA) on Saturday, Friday will see a matchup of southpaws Max Fried (2.85 ERA) and Julio Urias (4.41 ERA). On Sunday, 39-year-old veteran Charlie Morton (3.29 ERA) will face off against 24-year-old rookie Bobby Miller (4.00 ERA).

On the heels of a day littered with surprising transactions, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Waiver Wire Madness:

Yesterday saw multiple teams put quality players on waivers in somewhat surprising moves. The White Sox placed right-hander Mike Clevinger on waivers, while the Yankees and Tigers did the same with center fielder Harrison Bader and right-hander Jose Cisnero, respectively. The Angels shook things up the most by waiving right-hander Lucas Giolito, outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Randal Grichuk, and relievers Matt Moore, Reynaldo Lopez, and Dominic Leone.

Teams will get the opportunity to pluck each of these players off waivers for nothing but the remaining money on their contracts in reverse order of the standings. Teams out of contention who get some of the first cracks at the players in question, like the A’s and Royals, are unlikely to add salary to their books for pure rentals when they have no hope of a playoff run. That leaves contenders lower on the waiver priority order like the Marlins, Reds, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Giants and Twins most likely to add these players, though it’s possible a team like the Padres lower in the standings with a willingness to add salary could look to add some of these players in hopes of making a miracle run in the season’s final month.

If anyone from this the group goes unclaimed, their former team does not have to outright them to a minor league affiliate; the player can simply be retained on the Major League roster and continue playing out the season. The club could also choose to outright any of those players to a minor league affiliate, at which point they’d be able to reject the assignment in favor of free agency and retain their full salary (as is the right of all players with five-plus years of Major League service). Any player who does so and signs with a new team prior to 11:59pm ET on Aug. 31 would be eligible for his new club’s postseason roster.

2. Braves starter to make MLB debut:

The Braves are planning to hand the ball to right-hander Darius Vines for tonight’s start against the Rockies in Colorado. Vines, 25, will make his major league debut upon taking the mound this evening. A seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft, Vines put up solid numbers in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons but battled shoulder inflammation earlier this year. In the minors this season, Vines owns a 2.70 ERA across nine starts (43 1/3 innings) including a 2.86 ERA in five starts (28 1/3 innings) at the Triple-A level. Vines is already on the active roster, so no corresponding moves related to Vines will be necessary prior to today’s game.

3. Milestones approach for Harper, McCutchen:

There’s a race to reach the 300 home run milestone in Pennsylvania, as both Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper and Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen sit at 299 for their careers. 157 players in major league history have hit 300 home runs in their career, and both players will tie Hall of Famer Chuck Klein, who played for both the Phillies and Pirates as well as the Cubs during the 1930s, on the career home run leaderboard upon slugging No. 300. McCutchen is batting .249/.368/.389 with 12 home runs in the 15th season of his big league career, while Harper is slashing .309/.402/.497 with 14 homers during his 12th major league season.