-
Comment -
Wanna send me some of those pills Nasher? I could probably snag a starting job with the Cubs by the end of the week.Comment -
I have to say that the "Field of Dreams" game was a smashing success. I thoroughly enjoyed that game and it was just cool to see the ball fly into the cornfield like it did tonight. I'm sure MLB will continue to have a game here every year since it was a success this year.Comment -
Yu Darvish made a quick exit from tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks, lasting just 2 2/3 innings and allowing five runs. Darvish was removed after a mound visit from the team trainer, and the Padres announced that Darvish left due to lower back tightness.
With San Diego already short-handed in the rotation, the last thing the Padres need is an injury to Darvish, the team’s leader in innings despite a minimum 10-day trip to injured list in July (Darvish’s absence covered the All-Star break). Left hip inflammation was the cause of that IL visit, and tonight’s rough outing continues an inconsistent run for the right-hander since the start of July. Darvish had a 6.34 ERA over his previous six starts, though he seemed to have turned a corner with a very strong performance (7 IP, two ER, 12 K, no walks) in his last game on August 7, also against the Diamondbacks.
Darvish’s next scheduled start is on Tuesday against the Rockies at Coors Field, and it is possible the Padres could push Darvish back a couple of days even if an IL trip isn’t required. However, that only further hampers a rotation already down to four regular starters in Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Blake Snell, and Ryan Weathers. Craig Stammen is being stretched out for starter or opener duty in tandem with rookie Reiss Knehr, as San Diego continues to look for ways to fill innings with Chris Paddack and Dinelson Lamet still on the injured list.Comment -
I've given up on winning the NL WestComment -
Darvish wasn't pitching all that well anyways.Comment -
Surprised there were no kids on the other side of the fence to go through the corn to find Iowa's first MLB homer ball.
Comment -
You got a got a real good squad, still very young, what is it SD has 10 players on the current big league roster 25 years of age and under?
And you have a real smart owner and front office too, SD will be winning Division titles within two years
Look at the bright side, if SD doesn't win the Division at least it'll be SF and not the same old boring Dodgers.
Giants were on nobody's radar in spring training, they had a perfect storm so far.
Nobody could have imagined what SF has done so far.
As it stands now, it's still an all NL West Wild Card Series.
Reds were making some serious noise, but they've leveled off now.
SD has better than a two in three chance of making the playoffs
Giants 74 41 .643 0 99.5% Dodgers 69 46 .600 5 99.5% Padres 66 51 .564 9 68.5% Rockies 51 64 .443 23 0.0% Diamondbacks 36 80 .310 38.5 0.0% Comment -
Giants continue to roll, what a superteam!Comment -
Jacob deGrom hasn’t thrown since a July 30 setback in his recovery from elbow inflammation prompted a two-week shutdown. With that initial shutdown having passed, there’d been some hope deGrom could restart his throwing program in the coming days. That, however, won’t be the case.
Mets manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) that deGrom’s shutdown will last at least another two weeks. Rojas stressed that deGrom isn’t dealing with structural damage and that the inflammation is improving. That said, it’s apparently not progressing quickly enough for him to begin throwing again before late August, at the earliest.
Hope remains that deGrom will be able to return to the majors at some point this year. That window of opportunity’s dwindling, though, with just seven weeks remaining in the regular season. In a best case scenario, deGrom begins a throwing program two weeks from now. He’ll need some time to build up arm strength before he can embark upon a minor league rehab assignment.
The Mets could expedite that rehab process by building deGrom up to work in shorter stints, just as they’re leaning towards brining Noah Syndergaard back as a relief weapon. In such a scenario, deGrom could still serve as a starting pitcher, but scheduling constraints make it unlikely New York will have the luxury of building deGrom up to work 100+ pitches with regularity for the stretch run.
Needless to say, losing the best pitcher in baseball has dealt a tough blow to the Mets. deGrom looked to be coasting to his third career Cy Young Award (and potentially the NL MVP award) early in the season. Over fifteen starts, the 33-year-old tossed 92 innings of 1.08 ERA/1.74 SIERA ball.
Despite a series of injuries to key position players, the Mets remained in first place in the NL East for much of the early summer — thanks largely to deGrom’s absurd level of dominance. A bout of forearm tightness sent him to the injured list on July 18, though. The accompanying elbow inflammation is now set to cost him at least a significant chunk of the season’s second half.
The Mets have fallen on hard times in recent weeks. New York has gone 11-13 since placing deGrom on the IL, with the rotation posting a disappointing 5.71 ERA/4.74 SIERA over that time. The skid — coupled with the Phillies’ recent hot streak — has put the Mets a half game back of Philadelphia and a half game up on the Braves in a tightly-contested division race.
Obviously, there’s still plenty of opportunity for the Mets to take ahold of the division. They’ll have to go at least a majority of the stretch run without their ace, though, leaving New York relying on a starting staff including Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco, Tylor Megill, Taijuan Walker, Rich Hill and Trevor Williams.
That’s still a talented group, but there’s also a fair bit of uncertainty. Stroman has been excellent all year, and the unheralded Megill has stepped up with 45 innings of 3.20 ERA/3.80 SIERA ball over his first nine big league starts. (Tim Britton of the Athletic explored Megill’s rapid rise in the organization this morning in a piece that should be of interest to Mets fans). The veteran group at the back of the rotation comes with plenty of question marks, though.
Carrasco has only made three starts this year because of a hamstring tear. He’s a highly accomplished pitcher at his best, but it remains to be seen if the 34-year-old will be able to pitch at his peak level down the stretch. Walker began the year well but he’s been hit hard over his past five starts. Hill has pitched well overall but seen his swinging strike rate plummet recently, and Williams struggled with the Cubs and has only made a single MLB appearance for the Mets to date.Comment -
I don't know how they're doing it honestly but the truth is everybody for the most part on the team is having a good year. Usually teams that win and go deep in the playoffs have a bunch of guys have good years and in some cases career years. I hope they keep it up but I'm just happy Giants baseball is enjoyable again.Comment -
This is the part of the year where the bad teams give upComment -
Maybe MLB can learn a lesson from that televised Field of Dreams game. They need to promote more games to a national audience. Just take a page from the NFL where every shitty Cowboys game is must watch tv. It’s all in the promotion.Comment -
Man, for once in their life the MLB marketing people hit a grand slam (pardon the pun) with that idea.
The Field of Dreama angle was so successful it almost makes up for the 100 years of MiLB marketing blunders.
I read a couple of pieces in the sports business trades and the regular sports pages as well.
Every column I read yesterday from anybody in the sports or sports business field had nothing but glowing praise.
A shot in the arm baseball needed.Comment -
If Giants end up facing Rays in WS, they'll be up against Tampa's sports championship run nfl, nhl...Comment -
Oh no, Peavy got to be going nuts right now. D Bags No hitter in dude’s first start? What is going on?!?Comment -
The Dodgers have placed left-hander Julio Urias on the 10-day injured list due to a left calf contusion. The open roster spot will be filled by utilityman Zach McKinstry, who has been recalled from Triple-A.
Urias was hit by a pitch in his left calf during last night’s 6-5 Dodgers win over the Mets, though the southpaw went on to pitch two more innings after sustaining the injury. Assuming that this IL placement is only related to that incident, this could be a pretty minimal absence for Urias, who could end up missing only one start due to an August 23 off-day on the Dodgers’ schedule. It would leave Los Angeles even more short-handed in the rotation, but the team could conceivably cover Urias’ one missed outing with a bullpen game.
Amidst all of the Dodgers’ pitching injuries, Urias (whose 25th birthday was two days ago) has been a source of stability, tossing 139 2/3 innings over 24 starts. He has also has an above-average 26.4% strikeout rate and an outstanding 5.3% walk rate while posting a 3.29 ERA. After playing a huge role in the Dodgers’ championship run last October, Urias looks poised to deliver more important innings for the team this postseason.Comment -
Padres are done, Sorry Jake.Comment -
Red Sox putting up massive runs lately. Got to believe they crush the Orioles againComment -
Mets can beat Dodgers tonight.Comment -
Tatis still spectacular, what’s new.Comment -
Jesse Winker’s return to the Reds lineup was short-lived, as the outfielder left today’s game prior to the bottom of the third inning. Winker went 0-for-2 with two flyouts in his first two plate appearances before re-aggravating the mild intercostal strain that sidelined him for Cincinnati’s previous two games. A previous MRI didn’t reveal any damage, though manager David Bell told reporters (including The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans) that Winker will be re-evaluated prior to tomorrow’s game against the Cubs.
While the Reds are in the thick of the wild card race, the team will surely be careful with one of their top bats to prevent a longer-term injury. Winker has hit .307/.395/.560 with 24 home runs over 481 plate appearances this season, and he entered today’s action as the NL leader in doubles (32) and total bases (235). The Reds are in the midst of a grueling stretch of 29 games over 30 days, so there isn’t any built-in time for Winker to really get a break, and a trip to the injured list might be necessary to fully correct the issue.
More on other injury situations from around baseball…
- Francisco Lindor participated in just about a full range of baseball activities prior to today’s game against the Dodgers, and Mets manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including MLB.com’s Bill Ladson) that Lindor could potentially be activated off the injured list when New York begins its next homestand on August 24. Lindor will travel with the Mets on their road trip and continue to work out, so the club will monitor his progress and then determine whether a minor league rehab assignment is necessary, or if Lindor could return to the active roster without the benefit of any minor league tuneup games. A Grade 2 oblique strain sent Lindor to the IL on July 17, so even a return by that Mets homestand would be a pretty decent turn-around time for the shortstop, given how more severe oblique problems can sometimes linger.
- Zach Eflin (right knee tendinitis) threw a live batting practice session today, while Vince Velasquez (right middle finger blister) and Sam Coonrod (forearm tendinitis) threw live BP sessions yesterday. The Phillies pitchers are at different stages in their recoveries, and Velasquez and Coonrod will each begin minor league rehab assignments on Tuesday. Eflin’s next step could be another simulated session before he starts his own rehab assignment, though the right-hander told NBC Sports’ Jim Salisbury and other reporters that he “felt great” during today’s 28-pitch session.
- The Brewers are almost all the way out of a COVID-19 outbreak on their roster, and two of the remaining sidelined players (Adrian Houser and Jandel Gustave) are nearing returns. As Brewers manager Craig Counsell told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Todd Rosiak and other reporters, Gustave is working out with the team and Houser is expected to join the club when the Brew Crew begin a series with the Cardinals on Tuesday.
Comment
