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With the postseason races heating up, many fanbases are excited for their teams to make a push toward a World Series title. For some teams, though, their playoff hopes have already been dashed, leaving them to look to the future.
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Angels could aggressively pursue Max Scherzer as free agent
The Spun
Max Scherzer was the biggest name on the move prior to this year’s trade deadline, as the Washington Nationals shipped him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though he’s off to an excellent start with the Dodgers, there’s no telling if he’ll re-sign with the franchise this offseason.
5 storylines to watch as the MLB season enters the home stretch
Clutch Points
The MLB season is entering its stretch run and things are heating up all over the place, thanks in large part to one of the most exciting trade deadlines of all time. Teams are surging, others are collapsing, and most of the divisions are still in play, aside from the dumpster fire that is the AL Central.
Famous major-league records, from most unbreakable to attainable
The Athletic
One of the wonders of baseball is there is a record for everything. You set the criteria, plug it into Baseball-Reference’s Stathead search feature and it’ll tell you who owns the record. The most starts to begin a career with three or fewer runs allowed? The record is 24 and belongs to Zac Gallen, who snatched it last year from Aaron Sele. The most successful stolen base attempts to begin a career? Tim Locastro’s 29, breaking a record previously owned by Tim Raines. And there are far more obscure records than that.
Ten players having surprisingly good seasons so far
CBS Sports
Major League Baseball's regular season is nearly 70 percent of the way finished. Every team has completed at least 110 of their scheduled contests as of Tuesday night, providing us with a good outline of what their years will look like, even if there are finer details left to fill in. It's that time of the year, then, when we feel more comfortable writing about broader concepts.
Fernando Tatis Jr enthusiastic about potential move to outfield
The Score
San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. responded enthusiastically about moving to the outfield for the remainder of the season, multiple people with the team told The Athletic's Dennis Lin.
Potentially Meaningful Hashtags on Juan Soto’s Instagram Post Are Noticed
The Big Lead
Juan Soto is the modern day Ted Williams. Very smart baseball people have said this. The 22-year-old phenom is in the last year of a contract with the Washington Nationals. Considering the franchise's recent moves, which sent tens of millions of dollars elsewhere, it certainly seems like the plan is to rebuild around Soto's bright star. But nothing in baseball, like nothing in life, is guaranteed. And when one starts speculating about different landing places, New York is always the first town that comes to mind.
How much longer will Shohei Ohtani be affordable to the Angels?
CBS Sports
Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani is, without a doubt, one of the most dynamic and entertaining players that Major League Baseball has to offer. Ohtani, who will likely win the American League Most Valuable Player Award this fall, is doing more than capturing the attention of the baseball world. He's doing more, too, than causing teams across the league to reconsider the viability of two-way players.
3 ways tangible progress is finally being made in the Detroit Tigers’ rebuild
Sportsnaut
All in all, the last four years have been a monotonous rebuilding period for the Detroit Tigers. For the first time in this rebuild, however, the Tigers are finally making tangible progress.
ESPN anchor accidentally drops n-bomb instead of saying ‘dinger’
Clutch Points
The MLB made some bad headlines after the Colorado Rockies game against the Miami Marlins on Sunday was overshadowed by what seemed to be an unfortunate incident regarding one of the fans. It appeared that he dropped the n-bomb. On Monday, reports came that he was actually screaming ‘Dinger’, the name of the Rockies mascot.
14-Team Expanded Playoff Has Been Discussed by MLB amid Expiring CBA
Bleacher Report
Major League Baseball may look to implement a 14-team postseason field during this offseason's collective bargaining sessions, Ken Rosenthal reported Monday on The Athletic Baseball Show podcast.
Padres made strong push to reunite with Trea Turner at MLB trade deadline
Clutch Points
The 2021 MLB trade deadline was a wild one and saw some big names go elsewhere. Among them, two of the biggest were Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. The talented duo went from the Washington Nationals to the Los Angeles Dodgersin a huge blockbuster deal, although the San Diego Padres were heavily interested in acquiring Scherzer.
How Zack Wheeler’s $118 million Philadelphia Phillies’ contract became a bargain
Sportsnaut
In December 2019, the Philadelphia Phillies rolled the dice on a $118 million contract with former New York Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler. Two years later, Wheeler has utterly out-pitched his contract.
Dodgers Ball Girl Gets Credit For Leveling A Fan That Ran Out On The Field During Game
Total Pro Sports
Los Angeles Dodgers fans have been going crazy in and out of the stands in 2021.
Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, tests positive for COVID-19
USA Today
Anthony Rizzo, who as a Chicago Cub said he chose not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine because he was “taking some more time to see the data,” tested positive for the coronavirus, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday.