This year’s National League Wild Card race has seen quite a few twists, and this latest turn of events puts several MLBbros in each other’s crosshairs for the final few weeks of the season.
The Chicago Cubs have lost control of the second WC spot that they once held by a three-game lead over Tommy Pham and the Arizona Diamondbacks. After going 2-8 in their last 10 ball games, Marcus Stroman and the Cubs now find themselves staring down Jazz Chisholm Jr and the streaking Miami Marlins for the final spot.
Hunter Greene and the Cincinnati Reds have managed to wiggle their way back into the picture as well and sit just a half game back of the Cubs and Marlins headed into Monday’s slate of games.
Let’s take a look at how we got to this point.
Stroman Looks to Stop Bleeding
Marcus Stroman was a key piece in the Cubs rotation, going 10-8 with a 3.85 ERA in 23 starts this season for the North Siders before he went down with inflammation in his right hip along with a rib cartilage fracture.
Stroman garnered early Cy Young consideration, but the injuries would cause his performance to drop off before he went to the IL. Now, with his team looking for something to spark one final push for the stretch run, Stroman is ready to do whatever it takes to help his team win.
And yes, that includes going to the Pen.
“Marcus has a proven track record, and getting him back was an important step,” said Cubs manager David Ross. “He’s on a journey to try and build back up, but right now, he’ll help us out in the bullpen. Then we’ll read and react and see how everything goes these last couple weeks.”
His first outing out of the bullpen was a solid one, going two scoreless in a tough loss against Tommy Pham and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Jazz Heats Up Little Havana
Meanwhile down in Miami, Chisholm and the Marlins have been playing inspired baseball of late. MIami has won six of their last 10 games, including a sweep of Michael Harris II and the Atlanta Braves over the weekend.
Miami took advantage of Ronald Acuna Jr being out with calf tightness the final two games, and Jazz made sure of it. Chisholm became the first player in the clubs 32-year history to hit a grand slam in consecutive games, hitting one in the 8th inning of game two and then again in the third inning of game three.
“Our team is here to fight,” Chisholm said. “I don’t care about the team we go up against because I know my team is going to go out there and battle every single pitch. I felt every pitch today, and everybody was ready.”
Over his last 15 games has hit .286 with four homers, 12 RBI and a .915 OPS. They have a three-game set with Minnesota that on paper stands to be their toughest test the rest of the season, although the inconsistent Mets will have an opportunity to play spoiler to their division rival.
Greene and the Reds Lurking
The media frenzy around rookie Elly De La Cruz may have quieted, but this young ball club is still looking to make waves come postseason. Now Cincy may be 5-5 in their last 10 ball games, but of all the teams vying for the final WC spot they have the easiest remaining schedule.
Can Hunter Greene and Cincy finally give those fans a glimpse of a bright future after years of futility? The next two weeks will tell us everything we need to know.
The San Diego Padres advance to the Divisional Round after defeating the New York Mets 6-0 in a decisive Game 3 of the Wild Card round. Centerfielder Trent Grisham had himself an impressive series for the Padres. During the three games, the 25-year-old went 4-for-8 with two home runs, three RBI, and five runs scored.
In Game 3, he went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. He made a significant impact on offense, and he looked really comfortable out there at the plate. Grisham has extraordinary talent, but he’s been inconsistent at times this season. Grisham hit 17 homers and provided some superb defense, but he hit a career low .184 and had a career-high 15 Ks.
None of that matters now as Grisham was locked in during this three-game series, proving to be the brightest bat amongst a team full of big names and proven game. His web game was still working overtime as well.
Fellow teammate and bro, Josh Bell also had a productive series as he collected three hits and a home run during the series. Grisham will play a key role as the Padres take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. The organization has been waiting for this talented MLBbro to put it all together. It’s been coming.
He couldn’t have picked a better time to break out. The Padres have never won a World Series in franchise history, despite having two chances in the past. The team has overcome a ferocious NL West and the loss of superstar Fernado Tatis Jr. to a PED suspension. The Padres could have hurled themselves into a downward spiral after embarrassingly losing their MVP candidate, but instead they pulled off a block buster trade to acquire Josh Bell and Juan Soto and with All-stars such as Manny Machado already in tow, the Padres advanced to their first playoff series win of the last decade and they have an MLBbro to thank for that.
Names like Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom would make most hitters shutter. Grisham wanted all the smoke. And if he can continue to stay hot at the plate, the Padres could have a shot at playing in the Championship Series.
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers advanced to the National League Division Series (NLDS) thanks to consistent hitting from Mookie Betts, who went 2-4 at the plate on Wednesday night, as Chris Taylor connected on a 2-run home run for the win over the St Louis Cardinals.
As unsettling as an elimination play-in game could be, the leadership of Betts along with several others in the clubhouse provided an energy that comes with previous playoff experience as they prepared for this moment.
“These games are — you get nervous and butterflies and all those type of things, but I think that’s what makes it fun. I think everybody kind of feels that,” Betts explained.
“I don’t want to speak for everybody, but it just kind of seems like the butterflies and whatnot are going, and I think that just means that we love it.”
The late Nipsey Hussle once rapped, “I owe myself, I told myself back then that I would do this.”
The swagger of a winner, the mentality of the mamba and the wind behind his back, and overcoming many obstacles this season. No one would deny Betts and the Dodgers their moment to shine and show out.
The Dodgers right fielder prepared to enter his 40th career postseason game healthy, however throughout the season there were peaks and valleys due to injuries for him.
Betts missed a sizable portion of the season with a hip injury he suffered in July, along with missing more time in August as he was eventually placed on the 10-day DL.
With him being in a significant amount of pain, the team wondered if he would be able to return this season, as surgery was also an option that was explored at one point.
When September arrived Betts returned from injury and contributed every game of the regular season. He’s been remarkable since his return, yet his impact was felt in the clubhouse even when he wasn’t on the field.
“You look back a couple months — I can’t believe we’re here with him (Betts) playing every day,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
This Dodgers team is a very close knit unit, with everything that they’ve gone through this season. Injuries, the Trevor Bauer drama. Betts blocked the noise with a sharp focus, determined to be the great player we have seen in times past.
“Even once I was somewhat healthy, I still didn’t play that well. I’m not blaming anything on any injuries or anything. It’s just purely me just not playing well,” Betts said before the Wildcard game at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.
”But you know, we’ve got the guys, they all just picked up my slack, and that’s why we are where we are. Obviously the Giants played really well. Got to tip your cap. They won 107 games. We’ve played really well and kind of picked up for each other, and that’s just the name of the game.”
Many will focus on the incredible and vibrant walk off homer by Taylor, but make no mistake Betts’ contributions early in the game paved the way for the Dodgers make plays in order to be victorious.
The team moves on the face the Giants in San Francisco, a match up we all desire to witness.
Betts has been successful this season against their rivals from the north at plate and in the outfield.
His defense will be on display and needed for every game. Expect this defensive technician to come through like an Amazon delivery.
It was also recently revealed that Betts had the top selling jersey in MLB for the 2021 season, another reason why he’s not only a top tier talent, but a true fan favorite.
Wednesday night is for all the marbles as the St. Louis Cardinals will travel to LA LA Land to face the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in a one-game National League Wild Card matchup.
With line-ups already set for this star-studded marquee, where does the Cardinals’ vigorous five-quadrant pitcher Jack Flaherty fit in after returning from a right shoulder strain?
Manager Mike Shildt indicated that Flaherty would be on the NL Wild Card roster.
He told MLB.com that the right-hander would benefit from the one-game scenario due to the limitations of his current workload due to a plethora of injuries which consisted of a left oblique tear earlier this season and the strained shoulder mentioned above.
Before making his initial return, fans and pundits around the situation wanted Flaherty to sit out for the remainder of the year. But hope crept in after seeing a glimpse of the ace warming up in the bullpen in the bottom of the 10th inning vs. the Chicago Cubs last week.
The uproar was a prelude as the 25-year-old was the sigh of relief in the sixth inning on the season’s final game as he showed he could pitch in back-to-back days. Flaherty threw 18 pitches during the outing in which 12 were strikes with two punchouts in one inning of service.
That nonchalant performance a day later was only Flaherty’s second stint out of the bullpen in his young career.
He proved to himself and the organization that he is willing to take on a more efficient workload as he and the red birds are in the hunt for Red October.
Shildt told the press that the Cardinals are reminiscent of a tightrope walker as they are currently a balancing act.
He said, “We are going to give him the opportunity to go out and compete, but we also recognize that we are about to head into the postseason, and it is time to put the guys out there that can help us the most and Jack is clearly a guy that can help us, but we’ve got to make sure we are carrying a group that does not have limitations in that setting.”
All reports indicate that Flaherty, if called upon, would be the first one ready to rock out of the bullpen during Wednesday’s win-or-go-home scenario in his first taste of playoff pressure.
The mere mind twist of having an actual ace up their sleeve equipped with an array of weaponry in his repertoire would strike fear in any opponent.
Black Jack has an upper 90s fastball and many off-speed knee bucklers, amongst other dominating features, to impose his will.
Speaking of going home, the matchup with the Dodgers will be a homecoming for the California native.
Imagine it’s a close ball game, and the starter is struggling to make it to the finish line.
Sealed away is Flaherty, who embraces the Mamba mentality and puts on a performance masterpiece worthy of Flaherty’s childhood idol, the late great Kobe Bean Bryant, with the game on the line. In a perfect world with family & friends surveying the situation, he dominates. He will surely have to get past MLBbro Mookie Betts in a tight situation or two.
That would be the stuff of legend. Or at least something to talk about over Thanksgiving dinner.
Jack Flaherty, back home in LA, is rocking purple and gold Kobe Bryant-inspired cleats with "RIP Mamba" written on the side pic.twitter.com/C048TwCdme
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