The Milwaukee Brewers officially clinched the NL Central with yesterday’s Cubs loss. It’s been all but accomplished for months now, and I will grit my teeth to dust conceding that what they accomplished this year – despite all the injuries, despite Craig Counsell and David Stearns’ departures, etc. – is very impressive. That is simply an exceptionally well-run organization, the gears of which extend much deeper than one or two or three individuals. The Cubs should, once again, feel quite humbled.
Looks like fun …
Justin Steele felt good on and after the mound yesterday, so that’s most of what matters. I know some folks didn’t understand why it was worth even getting him back out there in a lost season, but if he’s completely free of symptoms, why wouldn’t he and the Cubs want him to add to his innings total for the year? Here’s how Steele put it (): “I just wanted to pitch. I’ve said it a few times, just the peace of mind and the clarity, and just going out there not thinking about anything else other than executing pitches, is good.” The guy wanted to know that he was actually fine. Seems the Cubs would have a strong interest in knowing that, too! I expect he’ll get at least one more start in these final ten games, but possibly not two.
Craig Counsell that Hayden Wesneski, who returned to the Cubs yesterday from Iowa, could/would be activated in the coming days if there’s a need (or, I am speculating, if the Cubs simply decide they want to get him a couple more appearances before the end of the year).
The Baltimore Orioles finally cut bait with Craig Kimbrel after a few weeks of awful performances, tacitly acknowledging that he wasn’t going to make their postseason roster anyway.
Not sure I agree with the conclusion, but the stats are absolutely crazy:
It was an 11.50 ERA over that stretch, which is terrible, but it’s BONKERS that it was enough to move his career ERA so much! Such is the life of a small sample size pitcher, I suppose (809.2 innings total in his career, half that of a guy like Kyle Hendricks, for example).
Is that it for Kimbrel? Well, even after that slump, he was still almost league average by the peripherals (strikeout rate over 30%, too), and given his career, I’m sure a team would be happy to bring him to Spring Training on a minor league deal. Will he go that route, though, or just retire? He turns 37 in May, and his fastball velocity was down TWO MPH this season. And short of adding to his save total or winning a title, I’m not sure how much more he can do to add to his Hall of Fame resume, and I’m not sure he’d get save opportunities next year anyway. A 1.91 ERA and obscene peripherals for the first nine seasons of his career (think better than Mason Miller for nine years), and a 3.90 ERA (and matching good-not-great peripherals) for the next six, starting with 2019 with the Cubs. We pretty much only got to see the decline.
So what I’m hearing is that PCA should pick up pitching:
I bet this has been fun for their fans to experience I’m not jealous and bitter and whatever eff the Mets:
The Mets have made that run entirely without Kodai Senga, who has made just one start this season (injuring his calf after the long rehab from the Spring Training shoulder issue). He’s close to returning and could impact the Mets in the postseason, but he had just kinda fallen off my radar after being so good in 2023. Injury concerns were part of the story on the Senga pursuit, but it was the elbow that had most of the focus (and terms built into his contract).
Meanwhile, Ronald’s little brother has come up like he was fired out of a cannon for the Mets:
Old friend making a great catch out in left field:
Gonna have to dive into this one today:
