SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES 7/26
FROM THE BILL CHUCK FILES
The season ends on September 27. There are 63 days of regular season play remaining.
The trade deadline ends at 6:00 PM Eastern, a week from tomorrow.
TW3
For many teams, including today, there are seven days/nights of games left to determine the direction of the season. At no other point in the regular season is such a small sample more critical. This last week and this coming week will determine which teams:
Buy.
Sell.
Buy and sell.
Stand pat.
That Was The Week That Was 7/18-7/25
You might have been surprised to see Arizona on the top of the leaderboard. The D-backs’ 10-3 (.769) record since July 9 is the NL’s best and second in MLB, behind the Red Sox (11-2, .846). Arizona is led by Gabriel Moreno, who has reached base safely in 22 straight games, MLB’s longest active streak, and 41 straight starts since June 2 (C: 32, DH: 9). Since June 2, he is hitting .356 with a .940 OPS with 8 doubles, 4 homers, 20 RBI and 26 walks. Since May 15, Moreno’s .347 AVG leads the majors, ahead of Luis Arraez of the Giants (for now), who is hitting .342.
THE DEALS WILL HAVE STARTED
Last evening, after Dylan Cease threw a masterful one-hitter against the Red Sox at Fenway, Boston dealt left-hander Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead.
Early is currently on the 15-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation and is expected to head out on a rehab assignment shortly. The 24-year-old Early has a 3.24 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 122 strikeouts in 21 career starts spanning 111 innings.
Mead is hitting .256 with 17 homers and has an .856 OPS. He primarily plays third but has also played second and first. Mead will be Boston’s second baseman once he joins the team.
“Sometimes, the best trades are the ones you don’t make.” - Red Auerbach
HED TO BED TO ….?
The American League remains uniquely unimpressive this season, but the Bronx Bombers may decide that the best way to get to the World Series this season is by pitching their way to it. There are no indications if/and/or when Aaron Judge will return. Giancarlo Stanton has been out since April. But you know who’s back? Max Fried. He joins Gerrit Cole, who continues to pitch his way back to health. And they both join the current AL Cy Young Award leader, Cam Schlittler, to create the best top three starting pitchers of any team in baseball, although the Dodgers’ threesome of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Justin Wrobleski, and Roki Sasaki (replacing Shohei Ohtani in the top three) arguably could be the best.
The Yankees’ team ERA is 3.33, the best in the majors. They are followed by the Brewers (3.44), the Dodgers (3.53), the Red Sox (3.59), and the Tigers (3.60). I think the Yankees will want to get even better on the mound, particularly since I think Cody Bellinger will hit the IL with a hamstring issue.
Right now, coming out of their bullpen to close down the games, setting up, they have Paul Blackburn, who hasn’t allowed a run in his last five appearances. Brent Headrick, who hasn’t allowed a run in his last six appearances. And their closer, David Bednar, who hasn’t allowed a run in his last 20 appearances. Headrick leads the majors with 44 scoreless appearances this season. I think the Yankees will offer Jasson Dominguez or Spencer Jones, a pitcher like Ryan Weathers, and a prospect for Mason Miller, the Padres closer and the preeminent closer in baseball. And then, they will say bring it on.
WHAT THE “H?”
My job is to read as many and as varied baseball columns, blogs, and stories, and listen to and watch as many podcasts, videos, and ball games as I can so that you don’t have to, and if I find anything really interesting, I share it with you. Sooooo, I was reading an article by Zach Crizer in The Bandwagon, and he shared something so minutely interesting, I definitely had to waste your time with it.
