Because the 2024 common season continues, listed here are three issues we’ll be keeping track of across the baseball world headed into the weekend:
1. Collection Preview: Padres @ Royals
An interleague set between a pair of playoff contenders is about to happen this weekend, because the Padres head to Kauffman Stadium in Kansas Metropolis to tackle the Royals. San Diego has loved an 8-5 document the previous two weeks as they’ve climbed right into a tie with the Giants for the second of three NL Wild Card spots with a 30-29 document. In the meantime, the Royals are coming off a tricky collection loss in opposition to the division-rival Twins however loved an eight-game successful streak not lengthy earlier than that, inserting them within the second AL Wild Card spot and simply three video games again of the Guardians for the AL Central lead with a 35-23 document.
The collection kicks off at 7:10pm native time this night with Padres ace Dylan Stop (3.29 ERA) dealing with off in opposition to Royals veteran (and former Padre) Michael Wacha (4.31 ERA). Saturday will see veteran righty Joe Musgrove (5.66 ERA) tackle Royals teenager Alec Marsh (3.24 ERA). Notably, if Musgrove can choose up seven punchouts, he’ll attain 1000 strikeouts from his profession — making him the 554th pitcher in MLB historical past to hit that milestone. The Royals haven’t but introduced who will take the ball reverse Michael King (4.09 ERA) on Sunday, although lefty Cole Ragans (3.49 ERA) seems to be the subsequent in line barring a shakeup of the membership’s rotation.
2. Yelich approaching milestone:
Christian Yelich’s dwelling run on Wednesday was the 199th of his profession, leaving him one round-tripper shy of turning into the 373rd participant in MLB historical past to membership 200 homers. Yelich’s subsequent huge fly will tie him with one other former MVP, Josh Hamilton, and 11-time All-Star Invoice Freehan on the all-time listing.
The 32-year-old Yelich appeared to be on the decline in 2021-22 earlier than a rebound marketing campaign in 2023, and the 2024 season has seen him bounce all the best way again to MVP-caliber type — at the least by a pattern of 128 plate appearances. (Yelich missed a bit greater than three weeks with a again pressure.) In 30 video games this yr, Yelich is hitting .297/.386/.532 (160 wRC+) with six dwelling runs, 4 doubles, a pair of triples and 7 steals (in eight tries). He’ll take intention at becoming a member of the 200 membership this weekend when the White Sox go to Milwaukee and ship Erick Fedde, Garrett Crochet and rookie Nick Nastrini to the mound.
3. Reetz to exit DFA limbo:
When the Giants signed lefty Drew Pomeranz to a giant league deal final week, the membership wanted to clear house on its 40-man roster to accommodate the newly-signed veteran. They did so by designating catcher Jakson Reetz for project, opening up a one-week window for the membership to both execute a commerce of Reetz or try to go him by waivers. That window expires immediately, that means that an announcement relating to Reetz’s future must be anticipated in some unspecified time in the future immediately. Reetz made it into 5 video games for the Giants in his first huge league motion since 2021, going 1-for-12 on the plate with a house run and 4 strikeouts.
The 28-year-old has bounced round a number of organizations as upper-level catching depth in recent times, and belting 29 homers and 36 doubles in precisely 600 profession Triple-A plate appearances (with an general .236/.334/.483 batting line). A workforce prepared to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to him may proceed to make use of him in that function, as Reetz has a number of choices remaining. In fact, for a participant that has repeatedly been obtainable on a minor league deal in recent times, it’s maybe extra seemingly that he’ll merely clear waivers and be outrighted to the minor leagues by the Giants. Reetz has been outrighted beforehand in his profession and would have the ability to reject such an project in favor of free company.
