Here are four things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:
1. Yankees offense goes cold:
It’s been a tough few days in the Bronx, as the Yankees have lost five straight after getting swept by the Red Sox over the weekend. The culprit of this recent dry spell is clearly the offense, as New York has been shut out in each of its last three games with 29 consecutive scoreless innings. Virtually the entire team has been cold; Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the only player with more than three hits during this five-game stretch, and even superstar Aaron Judge has gone just 2-for-21 with 12 strikeouts. They’ll need to stop the bleeding soon, as they’ve fallen to just 2.5 games up on the Rays for control of the AL East, the team’s smallest lead in the division since May 11. They’ll try to break out of this offensive malaise later today against Angels youngster Jack Kochanowicz, who has a 5.53 ERA in 14 starts this year.
2. Nationals lose ten straight:
While the Yankees may be the contender struggling the most right now, they’re far from the team in the most difficult spot at the moment. The Nationals weren’t far from contention at the beginning of June but are currently in the midst of a ten-game skid that’s dropped their record to 30-43. They’ve been buried 15 games behind the Mets in the NL East, and even a Wild Card spot is falling out of reach as they sit 9.5 games back. If there’s a silver lining for the Nats, it’s that the Rockies are in town and they’ll get the opportunity to snap this streak today when right-hander German Marquez and his 6.62 ERA in 14 starts this year take the mound. Marquez has endured an extremely difficult season but is entering today after tossing one of his best starts of the year against Atlanta last time out. He struck out seven Braves across five-innings of one-run ball in that showing.
3. Verlander to return:
Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander hasn’t pitched in a month due to a strained pectoral muscle that sent him to the injured list. The 42-year-old righty is scheduled to be activated from the shelf and take the mound for the Giants at 6:45pm local time. Verlander’s on the 15-day injured list, so a corresponding move will only be necessary to clear an active roster spot for the veteran. His opponent today will be a Guardians club with plenty to play for, as they currently sit just half a game out of an AL Wild Card spot. Southpaw Logan Allen will be on the mound for Cleveland and sports a 4.28 ERA across 13 outings this year.
4. Sheehan back from Tommy John surgery:
Elsewhere in the NL West, the Dodgers are set to welcome an arm of some note back to their staff. Righty Emmet Sheehan, out since May 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, is listed as tonight’s probable starter for Los Angeles. He’ll need to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list, but L.A. has an open spot on the 40-man roster, so only a corresponding active roster move will be required. Now 25 years old, Sheehan ranked as one of the system’s top pitching prospects before making his debut in 2023, when he pitched 60 1/3 frames with a 4.92 ERA, 25.8% strikeout rate and 10.5% walk rate. He posted a 2.43 ERA with an outrageous 41% strikeout rate in a similar sample of minor league work that season, and he’s tossed 11 1/3 innings with a 44.7% strikeout rate on his current rehab stint. Sheehan isn’t fully stretched out yet, but he climbed to 63 pitches in his final rehab outing and is expected to join the Dodgers’ rotation.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The Opener: Yankees, Nationals, Verlander, Sheehan )
Also on site :
- A look at six bills in Albany awaiting Gov. Hochul’s signature
- This 'Iconic' Cereal is Finally Making a Comeback and Fans Going Wild: 'Holy Smokes'
- Canadian mining giant loses operational control in African state