After the Yankees and Brewers punched their tickets to the postseason yesterday, listed here are three issues we’ll be maintaining a tally of across the baseball world as we speak:
1. Ohtani approaches 50-50:
$700MM man and two-way celebrity Shohei Ohtani entered the 2024 season unable to pitch after present process elbow surgical procedure final September, leaving him to behave as a pure DH this season (for now, no less than). That actuality seemingly prompt that the remainder of the Nationwide League would be capable to keep away from being overshadowed by the Dodgers’ new star within the first 12 months of his contract, however Ohtani seems poised to make historical past in a brand new method: by changing into the primary MLB participant to hit 50 house runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.
It’s a feat that might propel Ohtani to a different sort of historical past—the primary MVP award win for a full-time DH—and with ten video games to go within the common season Ohtani is tantalizing near the milestone with 48 house runs and 49 steals. He’ll look to take one other step towards historical past this afternoon in Miami, with first pitch scheduled for 4:40pm native time.
2. Key matchups for NL Wild Card contenders:
The NL Wild Card race has tightened up, with the Mets (84-68) and Diamondbacks (84-68) now tied within the standings whereas occupying the second and third spots. The Braves (82-70) are additionally nonetheless within the thick of the race, at present sitting two video games behind Arizona and New York. Right this moment might present Atlanta the chance to make up floor within the race, as each the Mets and Diamondbacks are scheduled to start collection in opposition to robust opponents.
The Snakes are headed to Milwaukee for a set in opposition to a Brewers membership that simply clinched the NL Central, whereas a Phillies membership that hopes to punch its personal ticket to the postseason is headed for a night recreation in Queens. In the meantime, the Braves could have ace Chris Sale on the mound for a recreation in opposition to the Reds and rookie Julian Aguiar (4.88 ERA in six begins). The 35-year-old Sale shall be seeking to put the ending touches on his resume for the NL Cy Younger Award and inch nearer to a doable pitching triple crown: Sale leads the majors with a 2.35 ERA and is tied for the foremost league lead with 17 wins this 12 months. He’s simply two strikeouts in need of the MLB lead with 219 to Tarik Skubal’s 221, and only one behind Dylan Stop’s 220 strikeouts for the Nationwide League lead.
3. Twins barely holding on:
The Twins (80-72) have struggled badly down the stretch this 12 months with a 5-10 document of their final 15 video games. These struggles have opened the door for a surging Tigers membership (80-73) to drive its method into rivalry for the AL Wild Card spot with an precisely inverted 10-5 document in their very own final 15 video games. With Detroit off as we speak, the Twins will both both prolong their result in a full recreation or fall right into a tie. Though Minnesota does maintain the tiebreaker after profitable the season collection between the 2 golf equipment, the Twins certainly don’t need the race getting any tighter.
To stop that, they’ll should finest an 88-65 Guardians crew that has began to run away with the AL Central and seems prone to enter the postseason with a bye by the Wild Card spherical. Cleveland received yesterday’s recreation between the 2 golf equipment in a one-run heartbreaker that prolonged to further innings. The Twins will ship rookie Simeon Woods Richardson (4.08 ERA in 26 begins) to the mound in opposition to struggling Guardians rookie Joey Cantillo (4.99 ERA in six begins). The sport is scheduled for 1:10pm native time.
