Rays Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
The Tampa Bay Rays have made the final week of the regular season interesting despite long odds. Three weeks ago, starter Zack Littell expressed their goal to play meaningful baseball until the last week. The Rays are still in contention for the American League Wild Card race with a record of 78-78, marking their 33rd time at .500 this season. They are four games out in the AL Wild Card race, trailing behind the Tigers, Royals, Twins, and Mariners.
The Rays completed a sweep of the Blue Jays with a 4-3 win on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field. This victory capped a successful home campaign with a record of 42-39. It marked their first four-game winning streak since mid-May and their first sweep of Toronto since May 2021. Jonathan Aranda homered in three consecutive games, providing crucial runs for the team. He hit a go-ahead two-run homer off reliever Zach Pop on Sunday. His performance against Toronto has been particularly strong, with six of his ten career homers coming against them.
Shane Baz delivered an excellent start, holding Toronto to one run on four hits and one walk over six innings while striking out six. He achieved his seventh quality start of the season with a fastball clocking at up to 98 mph. In Sunday’s game, Aranda’s two-run homer gave Tampa Bay a lead in the sixth inning. Yandy Díaz hit a pinch-hit double in the seventh inning; José Siri scored on Christopher Morel’s sacrifice fly after moving to third base on José Caballero’s single. Brandon Lowe added insurance with a solo homer in the eighth inning, his twentieth of the season.
Julio Rodríguez’s Milestone
Julio Rodríguez became one of two MLB players with at least 75 home runs and 75 stolen bases in the first three seasons of his career, alongside Bobby Witt Jr.. Rodríguez achieved three base hits at 111+ mph in a game, tied for the most by a player in a game under Statcast (since 2015). The only other Mariner to do so was Nelson Cruz on April 28, 2018, and September 14, 2017.
Paul Skenes’ Impressive Start
Through his 21st career start on Monday, Paul Skenes has accumulated 158 strikeouts. This is the fifth-most by any player in their first 21 career appearances since at least 1901. Skenes has a 2.07 ERA, the second-lowest ERA in a pitcher’s first 21 career appearances since earned runs became official in both leagues in 1913. Only Steve Rogers had a lower ERA (1.95) during this span.
Luis Arraez’s Streak
Luis Arraez went through 141 plate appearances without striking out before doing so on Monday. This is the third-longest streak of consecutive PA without striking out since 2000. The record for the expansion era (since 1961) is held by Dave Cash with 223 PA in 1976.
Bobby Witt Jr.’s Achievement
Bobby Witt Jr. registered his second consecutive season with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases as a shortstop. He is the first shortstop to achieve multiple 30-30 seasons and did so by age 24. Witt is also the first player with multiple 30-30 seasons through his age-24 season at any position.
Injury Updates
The St. Louis Cardinals placed Sonny Gray on the 15-day IL due to forearm tendinitis, ending his season. Gray signed a three-year, $75 million deal with St. Louis in the offseason and leads the team in ERA (3.84), wins (13), strikeouts (203), and WHIP (1.09). Kyle Leahy was recalled to fill Gray’s roster spot but will be used in relief. Michael McGreevy will take Gray’s turn in the rotation next week in Colorado.
The Atlanta Braves reinstated Ozzie Albies off the IL. Albies had been out since late July with a fractured left wrist. He was reinstated before Friday’s opener against the Marlins. Cavan Biggio was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to make room for Albies. During his two-game rehab stint with Gwinnett, Albies went 4-for-8 with a homer and a walk. He will exclusively bat right-handed due to discomfort while swinging from the left side.
Key Storylines to Watch
As the season nears its end with just over 10 games left for each team, every game is crucial for playoff hopefuls and teams fighting for specific playoff seedings. Several individual award chases could be decided in the next couple of weeks.
Shohei Ohtani is chasing the first-ever 50-home run, 50-stolen base season in MLB history. In his first season with the Dodgers, he has dominated despite not pitching this year. Through 149 team games, Ohtani has hit 47 home runs and stolen 48 bases. He is on pace to finish with approximately 51 home runs and 52 stolen bases. Ohtani could face competition from Francisco Lindor for the NL MVP but has a good chance to win his third MVP award in four seasons.
Aaron Judge started the season sluggishly but reached his stride during summer, hitting his 50th home run on August 25. After hitting his career-high of 62 home runs in the previous season, he experienced a homerless streak of 16 games this year. With recent performances, Judge is projected to finish short of his record with around 57 home runs.
Paul Skenes’ Rookie of the Year Case
Paul Skenes has risen from being the first overall pick in the draft to one of baseball’s top pitchers this season. Since debuting on May 11, he boasts a leading ERA (2.11) among qualified starters and ranks high in Wins Above Replacement (WAR). His impressive stats include a strikeout rate of over thirty percent and excellent command metrics. Skenes will pitch twice this week unless shut down by the Pirates due to innings limits.
Mets’ Wild Card Battle & Lindor’s Health
The New York Mets have turned their season around since late May and are now competing for a Wild Card spot after catching up with the Braves. Francisco Lindor has been pivotal to their success but recently faced lower back soreness and will undergo an MRI.
Tigers’ Playoff Hopes
The Detroit Tigers have dramatically improved since mid-August, boasting an MLB-best record over that period. They are currently close behind the Twins for a Wild Card spot with a slim chance of making it according to projections. Even if they fall short this year, promising performances from young players suggest potential future success.
Power Rankings
The Philadelphia Phillies have risen to the top spot in the power rankings, likely to clinch the NL East and possibly the top overall seed in the NL soon. The Los Angeles Dodgers follow closely despite rotation problems with Tyler Glasnow out for the season. The New York Yankees remain in third place, with Aaron Judge hitting home runs frequently. The Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians round out the top five, with the Brewers set to win the NL Central this week and the Guardians struggling with inconsistent offense.
In summary, the past week in MLB has been filled with exciting developments, key player performances, and crucial injury updates. As the season nears its end, every game and player performance becomes even more significant in the race for playoff spots and individual awards.
