The Opener

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.

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

1. Brantley nearing return:

Astros veteran Michael Brantley hasn’t played in a major league game since June 26 of last year due to difficulties while rehabbing from right shoulder surgery he underwent last summer. The 36-year-old outfielder appears to be on the brink of returning, however, with signs pointing to Brantley’s 2023 debut coming as soon as today. When Brantley takes the field, it will mark his fifteenth season as a big leaguer. Brantley is on the 60-day IL, meaning the Astros will need to make room for him on both the active and 40-man rosters before he can return to action.

The veteran outfielder will add an additional left-handed bat to the Houston lineup alongside Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker, and could prove to be a potentially impactful one as well; Brantley sports a .306/.368/.464 slash line with a 128 wRC+ since joining the Astros in 2019. With the exception of an injury-marred, 11-game season in Cleveland back in 2016, he hasn’t had a below-average offensive campaign since 2011. Brantley’s return seems likely to cut into the time at DH available to young catcher Yainer Diaz, which could in turn mean Diaz takes more starts behind the plate away from veteran Martin Maldonado going forward.

2. Harris teases external 40-man add:

As noted by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris spoke to 97.1 The Ticket yesterday morning about the club’s vacancy on the 40-man roster after infielder Isan Diaz elected free agency. Harris suggested that he is “going to try to fill that spot soon,” though he also added that the roster-move “would not be a call-up” of a prospect not yet on the 40-man roster like Colt Keith or Justyn-Henry Malloy. Petzold suggests that a recently DFA’d veteran like Noah Syndergaard or Jurickson Profar could receive a big league deal from the club, similar to the club’s addition of catcher Carson Kelly earlier this month.

3. Acuna approaches history:

Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has long been considered the favorite in the NL MVP race, even as teammate Matt Olson, former teammate Freddie Freeman, and fellow right fielder Mookie Betts have made strong cases for themselves in recent weeks. Acuna had another big night yesterday in spite of a wild incident in which a pair of fans rushed him on the field in Denver, hitting his 29th home run of the season while stealing two bases.

Acuna now sits at 61 stolen bases on the season, having extended his major league lead in the category over Oakland’s Esteury Ruiz to 10, and his NL lead over Arizona’s Corbin Carroll to a whopping 21. With a 60-bag season already secured, Acuna is just one home run away from becoming the first player in major league history to post a 30-60 season. Overall, Acuna is hitting .335/.418/.572 with a wRC+ of 166 in 601 trips to the plate this season.

As an eventful month of August winds down, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Who will replace Thor?

The Guardians designated right-hander Noah Syndergaard for assignment yesterday, ending his tenure in Cleveland after just six starts. Upon announcing the move, the club indicated that a corresponding move would be made today, before this evening’s game against the Twins in Minnesota. Syndergaard’s departure leaves the club with just four pitchers in the starting rotation: right-handers Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee and Xzavion Curry as well as lefty Logan Allen. Left-hander Joey Cantillo and righties Peyton Battenfield and Hunter Gaddis are the club’s starting options already on the 40-man roster, though with Syndergaard’s depature the club will have the opportunity to explore other options as well without the need for a 40-man roster move.

Of course, with an off-day on Thursday and right-hander Cal Quantrill nearing a return from the shoulder inflammation that’s kept him off the big league mound since early July, the club could simply decide to wait on adding a starter until Quantrill is ready or the schedule forces the issue. In that case, a reliever currently at Triple-A like lefty Tim Herrin or righty Cade Smith could be called up for the interim to help out in the club’s bullpen.

2. Giants getting healthy:

The Giants are expecting to welcome back a pair of outfielders into the mix during the club’s series against the Reds, which starts today. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area relayed yesterday that both Mike Yastrzemski and Mitch Haniger are nearing a return, with Haniger having participated in what could be his final rehab game last night while Yastrzemski ran the bases. Both players will be welcome additions to a beleaguered offense in San Francisco; as a team, the Giants slashed just .209/.289/.343 in July, and their slash line of .230/.299/.348 in August is only marginally better.

Yastrzemski has been a slightly better than league average bat with the Giants this year, slashing .233/.314/.439 in 77 games before going on the IL with a hamstring strain. Haniger, on the other hand, struggled badly to a .230/.281/.372 slash line in 40 games with his new club before he was sidelined due to a forearm fracture that required surgery. The Giants will need both Yastrzemski and Haniger to play closer to their career wRC+ numbers of 113 and 119 respectively if they are to get back into the NL Wild Card mix, as the club has fallen a game and a half behind the Diamondbacks for the last spot in recent days.

3. Brewers head to Wrigley:

The Cubs and Brewers will meet for their third series of the season today. The three-game set will have major implications for the NL Central race headed into the season’s final month. Milwaukee, riding an eight-game winning streak, heads to Chicago with a four-game lead over the Cubs in the division, meaning even a sweep by the north siders wouldn’t end their reign at the top of the division standings. That being said, a series win by the Brewers would put the club firmly in the driver’s seat for a division title headed into the season’s final month, as they’d extend their lead over the second-place Cubs to five or six games with only three more games against Chicago on the schedule this season. Brewers lefty and former Cub Wade Miley (3.18 ERA) will take the mound at 7:05pm CT this evening opposite Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon (5.60 ERA) for the first game of the series.

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. Jansen to be re-evaluated:

Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen was pulled from Wednesday night’s game due to tightness in his right hamstring. Per MLB.com, the club plans to evaluate Jansen further upon returning to Boston today. Jansen told reporters that he “felt great” yesterday and was hoping to avoid a trip to the injured list. The 68-60 Red Sox are still in the hunt for the playoffs, with a 3.5 game deficit to make up for in the Wild Card standings. A healthy and effective Jansen will be key to the club’s playoff aspirations, as the four-time All Star has posted a 2.81 ERA while racking up 29 saves in 46 appearances this season. Should Jansen require a trip to the shelf, Chris Martin seems like the most likely candidate to take over for Jansen in the ninth inning.

2. Who’s starting for the Cubs this weekend?

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer announced yesterday that the club plans to move left-handed Drew Smyly to the bullpen going forward, raising questions regarding who will take the ball for Smyly’s previously-scheduled start on Sunday. Right-hander Hayden Wesneski (4.46 ERA) made 11 starts for the club earlier in the season, but has excelled in a multi-inning bullpen role with a 2.45 ERA in 22 innings since leaving the rotation.

If the club doesn’t want to change Wesneski’s role, they could look to the minor leagues where 2021 first-round pick Jordan Wicks has posted a 3.55 ERA in 91 1/3 innings between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this year. One intriguing option would be right-hander Shane Greene, a long-time big league reliever who has been stretched out to longer appearances at Triple-A since joining the Cubs on a minor league deal. In his most recent appearance, Greene posted five scoreless innings with the club’s affiliate in Iowa, striking out six while walking just one.

3. Where will Garrett land?

The Guardians granted left-hander Amir Garrett his release yesterday, allowing the veteran southpaw to return to the open market. With one week remaining before September 1, after which point players who join a new organization will no longer be postseason eligible, time is of the essence as Garrett looks to catch on with a new team.

The 31-year-old posted a solid 3.33 ERA in 24 1/3 innings with the Royals earlier this season, though he also walked a whopping 17.9% of batters he faced during that time. While he only recorded 4.2 innings of work with the Guardians at Triple-A, his wildness didn’t appear improved there, as he walked four in that time. Still, given the scarcity of external relief options this time of year, particularly ones who throw from the left side, it seems reasonable to expect Garrett to find a new home in the coming days. The Cubs, Astros, Red Sox and Twins are among the clubs who might benefit from an additional lefty arm in their bullpen.

On the heels of last night’s disappointing news for baseball fans everywhere, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Will Ohtani require surgery?

As previously alluded to, Angels GM Perry Minasian indicated to reporters yesterday that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will not pitch again this season after suffering a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Ohtani, of course, is in the midst of his third-straight sensational two-way campaign and appears to be the front-runner for the 2023 AL MVP award even in spite of his injury. Ohtani and the Angels are, as noted by Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, looking for second opinions before any decision on surgery is made. Tommy John surgery would wipe out Ohtani’s chances of pitching in 2024, though an internal brace procedure could leave the door open for him to pitch next year. Any such decisions will depend on the severity of the tear and its placement on the ligament, and all of baseball will be awaiting updates from the Angels as they gather more information.

2. What’s next for Suarez?

Padres right-hander Robert Suarez was thrown out of yesterday’s game against the Marlins before throwing a pitch following a foreign substance check. First base umpire Todd Tichenor explained after the game that the righty’s left wrist was the area at issue, though Suarez countered that he had simply applied sunscreen for protection during the day game in San Diego. Given players who are ejected after a foreign substance check are automatically subjected to a 10-game suspension, it’s all but certain Suarez will receive one from the league today. The 32-year-old has the right to appeal the suspension, a course of action he told reporters he’s considering. Should the suspension go through, it would be a major blow for the Padres, who will not only lose a solid reliever for ten days but will be unable to replace him on the active roster.

3. Dodgers, Guardians to complete suspended game:

Yesterday’s Dodgers-Guardians game was suspended in the top of the third inning due to rain, and will resume at 11:10am CT this morning. Once the suspended game is completed, the clubs will square off in a today’s regularly scheduled game later in the afternoon. The makeshift doubleheader opens the door for Dodgers right-hander Ryan Pepiot, who made his season debut with the big league club over the weekend, to take the ball in today’s second game opposite Guardians righty Gavin Williams as the club’s 27th man. Since a club’s 27th man is not subject to minimum stays in the minors when optioned, the Dodgers will have the opportunity to start Pepiot today and then option him back to the minor leagues without losing the ability to use him in the next turn through the rotation. Fans with tickets to yesterday’s game can find information about ticket exchange options here.

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. DeJong to join the Giants:

The Giants inked shortstop Paul DeJong to a big league deal yesterday, and MLB.com notes that DeJong’s deal with the club is expected to be made official today, at which point he will formally join the club’s roster. The Giants will need to open a spot on their 40-man and active rosters to accommodate DeJong. The 30-year-old infielder spent his entire professional career with the Cardinals until this year’s trade deadline, when he was flipped to the Blue Jays in the midst of an injury scare for Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette. When Bichette was ready to return after just a couple of weeks on the injured list, the Jays opted to designate DeJong for assignment after he went 3-for-44 at the plate with no walks or extra base hits during his time with the club.

While his numbers in Toronto were brutal, they came in a small sample of less than 50 plate appearances and followed a mostly successful bounceback stint in St. Louis earlier this year. In 306 trips to the plate with the Cardinals this year, DeJong slashed .233/.297/.412. That offensive performance was right around league average by measure of wRC+ (95). Combined with DeJong’s strong glove up the middle, that made him a generally a productive player for the Cardinals this year. If DeJong can regain that form, he should be an asset to a Giants club that’s currently relying on Casey Schmitt and Johan Camargo at shortstop with Brandon Crawford on the injured list.

2. Garcia exits with hamstring strain:

Marlins outfielder Avisail Garcia exited yesterday’s win over the Padres with a left hamstring strain, as noted by MLB.com. While Garcia is expected to undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue, a trip to the injured list seems likely for the 32-year-old veteran, who has dealt with multiple hamstring injuries throughout his career. It’s been a second consecutive miserable season for Garcia, who has slashed a combined .215/.260/.316 in 498 trips to the plate as a member of the Marlins. In addition to that weak performance, Garcia has struggled to stay on the field, as he’s appeared in just 37 games this season thanks to a back injury earlier in the season. With Garcia likely headed to the shelf, a bench spot in Miami could be available for a player such as Garrett Hampson, Xavier Edwards, or Dane Myers.

3. Reds @ Angels Doubleheader:

The Reds and Angels are set to partake in a doubleheader this evening after Monday’s series opener was postponed. The pair of games comes on the heels of a 4-3 win by the Reds last night in Mike Trout’s first game back from the injured list. Game 1, which is scheduled to begin at 3:07pm CT, is slated to feature a pitchers’ duel between left-handed rookie Andrew Abbott (2.99 ERA) and two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani (3.17 ERA). Cincinnati has not announced who will take the ball in game two opposite Angels lefty Reid Detmers (4.93 ERA). Fans who had tickets to Monday’s game can use them to attend tonight’s second game, which is slated to begin at 8:38pm CT. More details can be found here.

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. Harrison to make Giants debut:

The Giants are poised to promote left-handed pitching prospect Kyle Harrison today prior to his planned start against the Phillies on the road. Harrison, 22, was a third-round pick in the 2020 draft by the Giants and came into the 2023 campaign as a consensus top-40 prospect in baseball, pushing as high as the top-20 on some lists. While Harrison’s run-prevention numbers at Triple-A this year haven’t been anything to write home about (4.52 ERA in 67 2/3 innings of work), between the inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League and Harrison’s fantastic 35.6% strikeout rate at the level, it’s easy to see why San Francisco thinks it’s time to give the youngster a shot. Harrison is not yet on the 40-man roster, meaning the club will have to make a corresponding move to clear space for him.

2. Houck to return:

Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck is poised to return from the injured list for tonight’s game against the Astros in Houston, as noted by Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. It will be Houck’s first return to a big league mound after being struck in the face by a comebacker, resulting in facial fractures that ultimately required surgery. Houck, 27, has had a difficult season to this point with a 5.05 ERA across 13 starts, though a 4.21 FIP, 4.16 SIERA, and 3.82 xFIP all could indicate better days on the horizon. Houck’s return likely spells the end of fellow righty Nick Pivetta’s return to the rotation, with the 30-year-old hurler presumably heading back into the relief role he dominated in earlier this summer.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

September is fast approaching, and the league’s 30 clubs are all pushing full steam ahead into the stretch run. Although we’re nearly into the season’s final month, just over half the league still has 10% or better odds at a playoff spot, per Fangraphs. If you’re curious how your team will hold up over the season’s final months, what their plan for the future is, or have a question about one of the many deals that went down at the deadline last week, 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.