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One NL juggernaut punched back. The other did not. And now the three remaining wild-card teams (and the Twins) will get their home games. I’m Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal — welcome to the Windup!
Braves even series (spectacularly)
“Strike back like the empire“
The Athletic has live coverage of Phillies vs. Braves and NLDS Game 3.
When people ask why baseball is so special, you could just show them this: The final play of the Braves’ 5-4 win over the Phillies last night.
Except no, that really wouldn’t do it. The physicality of the play is spectacular, of course — Michael Harris II sprinting, soaring, snatching, slamming, slinging; the ensuing elegant choreography spun out of would-be chaos to get the out at first — but it’s the context that elevates it from “nice play” to an act of magic that draws both holy and profane words from the mouths of onlookers.
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Had the ball fallen, Bryce Harper very likely would have scored from first base, tying the game. The Phillies were already up 1-0 in the series against the heavily favored Braves, and had led the game until just an inning before, when Austin Riley’s home run gave Atlanta their first lead.
The series could have gone back to Philadelphia with the Phillies up 2-0, needing just one win to slay a giant and both of Atlanta’s top starters (Spencer Strider and Max Fried) already burned. Instead, Harris caught the ball, Riley backed up the throw, and the Phillies were left to ponder a million little “what-ifs.”
They’ll take a travel day today and pick things back up in Philadelphia on Wednesday with the series tied 1-1 and TBD (likely Bryce Elder) facing Aaron Nola.
Ken’s Notebook: Texas has reinforcements waiting in wings
The Rangers are one win away from reaching the American League Championship Series for the first time since their back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and ’11. And if they get there, their rotation could take on a dramatically different look.
When the team put right-hander Jon Gray on the injured list during the final weekend of the regular season, they knew they would lose him at least through the Division Series. But they expected Gray could return from lower forearm inflammation if they reached the ALCS, and he is on track to do just that.
The other potential addition is right-hander Max Scherzer, who continues to trend in the right direction in his recovery from a strained right teres major muscle. Scherzer threw 92 to 94 mph in a live batting practice session Friday, then went through a bullpen session Sunday that did not go particularly well because he was dealing with a stomach bug. The Rangers refrained from adding Scherzer to their roster for the Division Series because they believed he could give them only one or two innings no sooner than Game 4. By the ALCS, he could be in position to go deeper.
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Gray and Scherzer would join a rotation that already includes Jordan Montgomery and Nathan Eovaldi, who will seek to close out the Division Series against the Orioles tonight. Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning could then serve as bulk options along with Martín Pérez, giving the Rangers greater depth and versatility in their bullpen.
First, of course, the Rangers must finish off the Orioles, who could significantly alter the narrative of this best-of-five with a victory in Game 3. If the series continues, the Orioles could go with veteran Kyle Gibson in Game 4 or come back with Kyle Bradish on three days’ rest. The Rangers would return to the Heaney-Dunning combo they used for 5 2/3 innings in Game 1.
Both pitchers would be on three days’ rest, but Heaney threw only 56 pitches in Game 1, Dunning only 30. Cody Bradford, on two days’ rest, also would be available after throwing 51 pitches in Game 2. Pérez, who has yet to pitch in the series, could factor into the equation as well.
Lots of options, but lots of pressure, too. A return to Baltimore for Game 5 is the last thing the Rangers would want, even with Montgomery lined up to pitch on normal rest. True, they just beat the Orioles twice at Camden Yards. But a winner-take-all game on the road, coming off back-to-back losses, would be suboptimal.
Win one of the next two at home, get to the ALCS, and we might be talking about something else entirely. The returns of Gray and Scherzer to a hot club could transform the Rangers into a serious threat not only to reach the World Series, but to win it for the first time.
D-backs push Dodgers to the brink
“We found your weakness … and it’s right outside your door“
Evan Phillips ponders in the dugout after his 1 1/3 inning appearance in the Dodgers’ second NLDS loss. (Harry How / Getty Images)There was a moment when it appeared that the Dodgers were about to pull off a little come-from-behind magic of their own. With the Diamondbacks leading 3-1, the Dodgers had runners on first and third and Freddie Freeman — one of the best pure hitters in the game — at the plate. After missing with two off-speed pitches, Arizona starter Zac Gallen ran the count full.
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But the final pitch of the at-bat was a third straight knuckle curve, freezing Freeman as it looped right through the middle of the zone. The rally was over, and the Diamondbacks went on to win 4-2.
For the second consecutive game, Arizona’s early attack did the trick. They scored three in the first inning against Bobby Miller, who lasted 1 1/3 innings longer than Clayton Kershaw had a game earlier, but still exited before the second inning was over.
Now the teams travel a few hundred miles east to Phoenix, where Lance Lynn (with a 5.73 ERA and league-leading 44 home runs allowed this season) represents the Dodgers’ last hope at extending their season. But it could be a slugfest — Arizona will start rookie Brandon Pfaadt, who had a 5.72 ERA, and whose HR/9 of 2.1 was almost identical to Lynn’s (2.2).
The Diamondbacks are doing all the little things right, and thus far, it is paying off. For the Dodgers, there is but one option remaining: play better.
ALDS off-day stories
“This killin’ time is killin’ me”
The American League side of the Division Series is back at it today after a day off. Here’s a quick catch-up on what’s going on with those four teams:
• The Astros took their day off to make some front-office moves, parting ways with assistant GM Bill Firkus and farm director Sara Goodrum, reports Chandler Rome. It’s not uncommon for these sorts of moves to happen late in a season, but man, it has to feel super weird to be let go while the team you worked for all year is tied 1-1 in a playoff series.
• “Lefty relievers? Lefty relievers? We don’t need no stinking lefty relievers!” — the Astros, apparently.
• “October Correa” is real, and he is giving Twins fans real hope. As for his double-play partner Edouard Julien, Dan Hayes has a great story about the hard work it took to get him to a place where he had a defensive position (and the other work he put in to learn English, coming from Quebec, where he only spoke French and a little Spanish).
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• The Rangers, as Ken mentioned, have a chance to advance with a win tonight. They will be relying on a starting pitcher with a reputation for big-game success: Nathan Eovaldi, who appears to have fully overcome whatever ailed him when he was returning from injury late in the season.
• The Orioles, meanwhile, will lean on Dean Kremer, who was on the mound for both the playoff clincher and the AL East clincher this season. This will be his first postseason start, but he says he hopes the high stakes of those two games will help him tonight. “I’d like to think so,” Kremer said at media day yesterday. “Both those games had a pretty electric atmosphere. … (We’ll) stick to a plan that we come up with and just try to execute as best we can.”
Game 2 previews: Astros at Twins (4:07 p.m. ET) / Orioles at Rangers (8:03 p.m. ET), both games on Fox.
Handshakes and High Fives
Jim Bowden looks at the 18 non-playoff teams to see who’s in the best position for 2024.
Dansby Swanson isn’t the new Cubs GM, says Patrick Mooney, but his thoughts and opinions will definitely be heard by ownership and the front office.
If you’re not familiar with MLBbro.com, Jason Jones can tell you all about it and its founder Rob Parker, who started the site in 2021 to boost the voices of Black and Brown baseball players, journalists and fans.
Jayson Stark is at it again, Weird & Wilding out with all the things you never knew you didn’t know about the Braves’ comeback win and the Dodgers’ starters’ woes.
On Starkville, today’s guest is Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who talks about making tough in-game decisions, working with Kim Ng in Miami, and pranks with Adam Wainwright.
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(Top photo: Elsa / Getty Images)
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