Because the common season winds down, listed below are three issues we’ll be maintaining a tally of all through the day:
1. Magic Numbers down to at least one:
It’s “Magic Quantity” season in baseball, as a number of golf equipment across the league look to clinch postseason berths and/or division crowns within the waning days of the 2024 season. Heading into play Wednesday, every of the Brewers, Phillies and Yankees have a magic variety of 1. Two of these golf equipment, the Brewers and Phillies, sq. off towards one another. Milwaukee sends Freddy Peralta (3.75 ERA) to the mound reverse longtime Phillies star Aaron Nola (3.52 ERA) in what must be a well-pitched matchup. Regardless that the 2 groups are dealing with each other, they will nonetheless each clinch playoff appearances tonight. The Brewers would clinch their division both by topping the Phillies or if the Cubs lose to the visiting A’s in at the moment’s early recreation. In the meantime, the Phils would clinch a postseason berth in the event that they greatest the Brewers or if the Braves drop their street recreation towards the Reds. As for the Yankees, they’ll ship lefty Nestor Cortes (3.90 ERA) to the mound reverse Mariners righty Bryce Miller (3.12 ERA) as they give the impression of being to punch their very own ticket to October baseball.
2. Steele to return to the mound:
Cubs left-hander Justin Steele went on the injured listing earlier this month with an damage scare that was ultimately recognized as elbow flexor tendonitis. On the time, it was unclear if Steele can be wholesome sufficient to return to motion this 12 months. Since then, he’s been symptom-free and even threw a 40-pitch bullpen session over the weekend, opening the door to a possible return. That risk will grow to be a actuality at the moment, because the lefty figures to take the mound in Chicago reverse A’s rookie Brady Basso (1.23 ERA in two begins) at 1:20pm native time.
Steele has been restricted to simply 22 begins between his most up-to-date journey to the IL and a hamstring pressure that occurred on Opening Day, however when wholesome sufficient to take the mound he’s turned in his third consecutive glorious marketing campaign with a 3.09 ERA (130 ERA+) and three.13 FIP in 128 innings. The Cubs might want to clear a spot on the energetic roster earlier than at the moment’s recreation.
3. Marlins 40-man transfer incoming:
Steele isn’t the one left-handed starter coming back from the injured listing at the moment. Marlins southpaw Ryan Weathers is scheduled to begin at the moment’s recreation towards the Dodgers, dealing with L.A. rookie Landon Knack (3.70 ERA in ten begins) at 6:40pm native time this night. Weathers, 24, posted a stable 3.55 ERA and three.93 FIP in 13 begins with the Marlins earlier this 12 months however has been on the injured listing since June because of a finger pressure.
The seventh general decide of the 2018 draft was transferred to the 60-day IL in July, which means the Marlins might want to clear each energetic and 40-man roster area previous to this night’s recreation. With lower than two weeks to go within the common season, it’s attainable the membership may merely switch an injured participant who gained’t return this 12 months to the 60-day IL in Weathers’ place. Vidal Brujan, Derek Hill, Max Meyer, Calvin Faucher and John McMillon are all on the 10-day or 15-day injured listing for the time being.
