Because the 2023 common season continues, listed below are three issues we’ll be maintaining a tally of across the baseball world all through the day at the moment:
1. Betts on crutches:
The Dodgers are dealing with an damage scare with celebrity Mookie Betts, as Isaac Azout of Fish On First famous final evening that the MVP candidate left Dodger Stadium on crutches. Jack Harris of the L.A. Times echoed that report whereas additionally indicating that Betts underwent x-rays on his foot after fouling a pitch off of it earlier within the sport. These x-rays got here again unfavorable, with MLB.com’s Juan Toribio indicating that they had been precautionary. Betts will probably be re-evaluated at the moment.
With so little time left within the common season, even a reasonably brief absence would impression each the NL MVP race and the Dodgers’ odds of catching the Braves for the highest seed within the NL this postseason. Betts, teammate Freddie Freeman, and Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. are the favorites within the Senior Circuit’s Most Helpful Participant race. Betts trails solely Shohei Ohtani in wins above substitute this yr, per each FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference, because of his sensational .314/.411/.609 batting line, 38 house runs and stable protection across the diamond (proper subject, second base, shortstop). Acuna is hitting .331/.411/.579 and is the primary participant to ever hit 30 house runs and steal 60 bases in the identical season.
From a workforce vantage level, an absence of any notice could be devastating for a Dodgers membership that has leaned closely on Betts and Freeman for offensive manufacturing all through the season; the duo have mixed for a whopping 14.7 fWAR this yr, whereas the remainder of L.A.’s 23 whole place gamers used this season have mixed for 15.0 fWAR.
2. Royals roster transfer incoming:
The Royals transferred lefty Daniel Lynch to the 60-day injured listing yesterday and optioned infielder Matt Beaty to Triple-A yesterday, creating openings on each the 40-man and energetic roster. With a roster transfer essential earlier than tonight’s sport in Toronto and 60-day IL strikes usually adopted by a corresponding 40-man addition, Kansas Metropolis appears possible add a participant to the 40-man at the moment. That might be an activation from the 60-day IL like right-hander Brad Keller, or it might be a contract choice of a participant within the minors. In fact, it’s additionally attainable that the membership may depart the 40-man roster spot open and easily activate Nick Pratto from the 10-day IL to interchange Beaty on the roster. Each Keller and Pratto have been on rehab assignments since August.
3. Means to be activated this weekend:
As famous on MLB.com, the Orioles intend to maneuver to a six-man rotation upon the return left-hander John Means, whom Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Solar signifies will probably be activated off the 60-day injured listing in some unspecified time in the future this weekend. The Orioles have introduced Kyle Bradish, Jack Flaherty, and Grayson Rodriguez because the starters for the membership’s sequence in Boston this weekend, so it’s attainable Means will pitch out of the bullpen as a protracted reliever quite than be part of the membership’s rotation. No matter function Means fills, he figures to assist enhance an Orioles pitching employees that not too long ago misplaced nearer Felix Bautista to damage and is trying to preserve starters like Bradish, Rodriguez, and Kyle Gibson wholesome forward of the postseason.
