Forward of the 2024 common season’s closing weekend, listed below are three issues we’ll be maintaining a tally of across the baseball world all through the day at the moment:
1. Freeman nursing harm:
Whereas the temper surrounding the Dodgers was largely celebratory final evening within the aftermath of the membership clinching their eleventh NL West title in 12 seasons, there was one potential trigger for concern: first baseman Freddie Freeman, who departed final evening’s recreation towards the Padres throughout the seventh inning as a consequence of an ankle harm. As famous by MLB.com’s Juan Toribio, Freeman was in a strolling boot and on crutches following final evening’s recreation however appeared optimistic after telling reporters that x-rays got here again adverse, revealing a sprain.
Freeman famous that whereas his ankle is swollen, membership officers are “optimistic” he’ll be able to go in time for the playoffs when the NLDS kicks off subsequent Saturday. Freeman joins Miguel Rojas because the second member of Los Angeles’ on a regular basis beginning lineup who received’t be taking part within the membership’s closing collection towards Colorado in hopes of getting wholesome sufficient to take part within the upcoming playoff run. The Dodgers seem more likely to shift Max Muncy over to first base whereas Freeman is out, thereby opening the recent nook up for Enrique Hernandez.
2. Twins going through elimination:
The Twins are staring down elimination after dropping 4 of their earlier 5 video games to the Marlins and Purple Sox, leaving them with a disastrous 9-15 document that has allowed the Tigers to surpass them within the AL Wild Card race. Only one season faraway from breaking their prolonged drought with no playoff collection win, Minnesota now sports activities a 82-77 document headed into the season’s closing collection. Each the Tigers and Royals have an identical 85-74 data, leaving the Twins in want of a miracle to return to the postseason at this level.
They maintain the tiebreaker over each of their rivals, however the membership would want to not solely sweep the Orioles of their closing collection of the season but additionally profit from both Detroit or Kansas Metropolis getting swept of their closing collection of the yr to be able to make it into the playoffs. Of these two prospects, the Royals getting swept by the Braves seems to be extra doubtless than the Tigers getting swept by the White Sox, though Chicago has loads of incentive to do all the pieces it will possibly to brush contemplating they’d keep away from taking sole possession of the fashionable period’s all-time loss document if they will prolong their present successful streak from three video games to 6. Minnesota’s final stand begins at 7:10pm native time this night when Pablo Lopez (4.11 ERA) takes on Baltimore rookie and former Twins prospect Cade Povich (5.59 ERA in 15 begins).
3. D-backs look to clinch:
The Padres have already clinched an NL Wild Card spot, however their closing collection of the common season will nonetheless have main playoff implications as they head to the desert to face the Diamondbacks in a three-game set. Arizona at the moment holds an NL Wild Card spot with an 88-71 document that leaves them basically tied with the Mets (87-70) and one recreation up on the Braves (86-71). Nonetheless, their playoff hopes aren’t fairly as strong because it might sound at first look after the ultimate two video games of this week’s collection between Atlanta and New York have been rescheduled for Monday. That leaves the Snakes in want of a sweep this weekend to be able to punch their ticket to the postseason with out ready on the outcomes of Monday’s doubleheader, as each the Mets and Braves maintain the tiebreaker over them.
If Arizona manages to brush the Padres, they’d end with a document of 91-71. Both the Braves or Mets might attain that win complete, however no less than one membership is assured to fall quick because the Braves would want to win all 5 of their remaining video games so as to take action whereas the Mets would want to go no less than 4-1. Something lower than a sweep, nonetheless, leaves Arizona’s destiny within the arms of a doubleheader that may happen after they’ve wrapped up their common season, a irritating circumstance for the Diamondbacks that would go away them in limbo forward of a possible NL Wild Card collection on Tuesday. They’ll kick off their try to clinch at 6:40pm native time this night with veteran righty Merrill Kelly (3.71 ERA) on the mound reverse Padres veteran Yu Darvish (3.18 ERA in 15 begins).
