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What. A. Day. Let’s dive in on what occurred, what’s subsequent — and what’s at stake in at this time’s Mets-Braves doubleheader. I’m Levi Weaver, right here with Ken Rosenthal. Welcome to The Windup!
Most chaos: Unlocked
The very first thing I learn yesterday morning was Jayson Stark’s breakdown of all of the remaining playoff eventualities. Within the NL, yesterday’s most chaotic final result was going to be if the Braves misplaced and the Mets and Diamondbacks each received.
Effectively: Royals 4, Braves 2. Mets 5, Brewers 0. Diamondbacks 11, Padres 2.
Meaning not solely will the Mets and Braves play at this time, but additionally each video games of the 1:10/4:40 p.m. ET doubleheader are of utmost significance:
- If both workforce sweeps the doubleheader, they’ll eradicate the opposite, with the Diamondbacks sliding into the third place.
- But when they cut up it, each the Mets and Braves are in, and the Diamondbacks are out.
After which one (or each) groups will fly out — to San Diego or Milwaukee, relying on the ultimate seeding — to start out a playoff collection the following day. It’s exhausting, chaotic and dramatic.
The AL had some upheaval as nicely. A win by the Tigers over the 121-loss White Sox or a loss by the Royals to the red-hot Braves would have cemented Detroit because the fifth seed and the Royals because the sixth. Baseball mentioned: completely not. White Sox 9, Tigers 5.
Meaning the Tigers and Cy Younger favourite Tarik Skubal — led by former Astros supervisor A.J. Hinch — will now fly to Houston as an alternative of Baltimore, and we’ll get a tongue-twisting Royals-Orioles collection.
Ken’s Pocket book: MLB ought to have prevented this scheduling wreck
From my newest column:
Subsequent time, don’t fiddle.
That’s the message Main League Baseball ought to derive from this unlucky finish to the common season, when the ultimate two playoff berths might be decided by a doubleheader by which the winner of the primary recreation may have zero incentive to win the second.
Clearly, there are higher issues on this world. However for baseball, this isn’t look.
I’m guessing the following time the league is confronted with an analogous state of affairs — and admittedly, this one is extremely uncommon — will probably be extra proactive, much less keen to bend to the need of the golf equipment. At the least, I hope that’s the case. The league was in a troublesome spot. However one thing like this could by no means occur once more.
The deference Rob Manfred usually exhibits homeowners is one motive he’ll find yourself serving 14 years as commissioner. However on this case, he ought to have dropped the hammer in the perfect pursuits of his sport. He seemingly had two options out there: The shifting of final week’s Mets/Braves collection to a impartial website. Or the rescheduling of the collection in Atlanta to incorporate a single recreation final Monday and doubleheader Tuesday.
By now, we’ve heard all of the the reason why the league, Mets and Braves selected to not act, even with a forecast of rain on Wednesday and Hurricane Helene to comply with. Initially, I assumed the league merited the good thing about the doubt. I’ve coated sufficient video games and seen sufficient forecasts go awry to know the way difficult predicting the climate might be.
Effectively, the worst-case state of affairs is upon us, reaching simply the alternative of what the league meant when it made the appropriate choice in 2015 to start out all video games on the ultimate Sunday on the similar time. And whereas the league is celebrating the “chaos,” this isn’t the sort of “chaos” a real fan ought to need. This can be a self-inflicted wound, and I cringe occupied with how Sport 2 on Monday goes to go down.
ICYMI: A number of ending touches
There have been a number of different end-of-season storylines as gamers and groups wrapped up their data and stats for the 2024 season.
- Astros-Guardians obtained rained out yesterday. Each groups had their playoff positions locked in, so it was a “meaningless” recreation. However there was one vital implication: Guardians third baseman José Ramírez got here into the day with 39 dwelling runs and 41 stolen bases — only one homer wanting changing into the seventh member of the 40/40 membership. Tough to see him miss the prospect.
- Celebrated and maligned, Luis Arraez went 1-for-3 for the Padres, successful his third straight batting title (assuming Marcell Ozuna doesn’t go 9-for-9 or higher at this time) together with his third totally different workforce (Twins, Marlins). Paired with Shohei Ohtani’s 1-for-4 day, that meant Ohtani got here up simply brief (.310 batting common) in his quest for a Triple Crown. He additionally got here up one base wanting turning the game’s first 50/50 season right into a 50/60 season. He stole one base to carry the overall to 54/59.
- Aaron Choose had the time off, which means his season finishes with 58 dwelling runs and a slash line of .322/.458/.701 (1.159 OPS). Of the seven gamers in historical past with a better mark after 700+ plate appearances, solely Sammy Sosa (2001, 1.174) did it extra just lately than 1936.
- The collapses of the Mariners and Twins had been sealed earlier than yesterday, however each groups will now have a protracted offseason to contemplate what’s subsequent. Seattle fired supervisor Scott Servais in late August. For Minnesota, Rocco Baldelli might be again in 2025, however president of baseball operations Derek Falvey acknowledged modifications are coming after a brutal collapse.
Previews: What to know for Spherical 1
Right here’s what’s subsequent for every of the ten at the moment identified playoff groups:
Dwelling-field byes: In a symbolic win for Cowboys and Lakers followers in all places, the Yankees and Dodgers every clinched home-field benefit all through the playoffs. For New York, there’s concern about Anthony Rizzo’s two fractured fingers, although he’s holding out hope he can return quickly. In the meantime, the Dodgers — as all of us anticipated in March, however, man, did it take longer than we anticipated — locked down the league’s greatest file. Meaning they’ll have home-field benefit via the World Collection, ought to they make it that far.
Different byes: Regardless of a 34-32 file within the second half, the Guardians rode a powerful first half to a first-round bye, after which they’ll tackle the winner of Astros-Tigers. Within the NL, the Phillies will do their greatest to remain sharp as they await the winner of the Brewers and whomever they find yourself taking part in.
Astros-Tigers: Within the second half, just one AL workforce received extra video games than Houston (38). That may be Detroit (39). Questions for the Astros dynasty as they search for their third World Collection in eight years: What’s going to Justin Verlander’s function be after a high quality begin to finish his common season? And can Yordan Alvarez be wholesome sufficient to play? For Detroit, Cody Stavenhagen has 5 questions right here, however probably the most urgent is the final one: Can the magic proceed?
Orioles-Royals: A matchup of the 2 most fun younger shortstops within the American League, and we now have tales on each of them at this time. Britt Ghiroli’s in-depth examination of Gunnar Henderson’s ascent to stardom, and 9 tales from Rustin Dodd and Jayson Jenks on how Bobby Witt Jr. turned “Bobby Baseball.” Ghiroli additionally took a take a look at how Kansas Metropolis’s success is the results of an whole tradition change.
Brewers-TBA: I can’t assist it: Even with the large surprises from the Royals and Tigers, the Brewers are my favourite regular-season shock. No Corbin Burnes, no Craig Counsell, Devin Williams injured for many of the 12 months, Christian Yelich out for the remainder of the 12 months … no drawback. They received the NL Central and can tackle *deep sigh* … I don’t know, man. Anyone.
Padres-TBA: San Diego made a late push for the NL West, however fell simply brief, settling for the highest wild-card spot. Regardless of the dangerous information on Ha-Seong Kim (he wants shoulder surgical procedure and received’t return for the playoffs), they’re nonetheless one of many sport’s most fun groups, and might be a frightening opponent for … whomever the chaos spits out at them.
Handshakes and Excessive Fives
(Prime photograph: Michael McLoone / Imagn Photos)
