With simply over two weeks remaining within the common season, listed here are three issues we’ll be keeping track of across the baseball world at present:
1. Lopez to bear MRI:
Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez was pulled from his begin in opposition to the Nationals yesterday as a result of what the membership known as shoulder tightness. As famous by The Athletic’s David O’Brien, the right-hander’s velocity was down greater than 3 mph from his season common in the course of the abbreviated outing. Supervisor Brian Snitker advised reporters following the sport that Lopez is about to bear an MRI.
A transformed reliever who surprisingly was signed with the intent of becoming a member of Atlanta’s rotation, Lopez has been dominant since becoming a member of the Braves. He sports activities a 2.03 ERA and three.08 FIP in 128 2/3 innings of labor with a 26.3% strikeout price. The considered shedding a participant who has produced outcomes that robust is at all times worrisome, however it’s particularly so for a Braves membership that’s at present tied with the Mets for the ultimate NL Wild Card spot and might want to draw back from them to even get the possibility to make a deep run this October. Bryce Elder, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Ian Anderson are among the many arms at Triple-A who might be known as upon in Lopez’s stead down the stretch.
2. Schwarber coping with elbow problem:
Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber broke the single-season MLB file for leadoff house runs along with his 14th such dinger final night time, however the celebratory air surrounding his accomplishment didn’t final lengthy as he left the sport in the course of the fourth inning after struggling what supervisor Rob Thomson referred to (per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki) as a bruised elbow that suffered from “slightly bit” of hyperextension from diving again to first base on a pickoff try earlier within the recreation.
Whereas Thomson mentioned he plans to pencil Schwarber into the membership’s lineup in opposition to the Rays at present, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb notes that they gained’t make a closing choice on his availability till they see how the slugger is feeling at present. The lack of Schwarber’s presence can be a tricky blow for the Phillies, as he’s within the midst of top-of-the-line seasons of his profession with a .251/.372/.496 slash line with 35 homers and an NL-best 98 walks in 134 video games.
3. Breakout arms sq. off within the Bronx:
The Yankees and Royals are scheduled to wrap up a three-game set, and so they’ll achieve this with a pair of thrilling younger hurlers on the mound. Kansas Metropolis will deploy left-hander Cole Ragans, who loved a breakout with the Royals down the stretch final 12 months after being acquired from the Rangers and has continued that manufacturing over a full season in 2024. In 167 1/3 innings of labor this 12 months, the 26-year-old has pitched to a 3.33 ERA (128 ERA+) with a 2.94 FIP and an eye-popping 29.6% strikeout price that’s second to solely Tarik Skubal amongst AL starters.
Fellow 26-year-old Luis Gil missed all the 2023 season as a result of harm and entered 2024 with simply 33 1/3 large league innings on his resume. He received a chance within the rotation as a result of an harm that sidelined reigning AL Cy Younger award winner Gerrit Cole, nonetheless, and Gil has made probably the most of it with a 3.24 ERA (128 ERA+) and a 3.78 FIP in 130 2/3 innings. The one starters who’re 26 or youthful with a decrease ERA in at the very least 130 innings are Hunter Greene of the Reds, Javier Assad of the Cubs, and Bryce Miller of the Mariners.
