WEEK 24: MLB News and Rankings
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Mad Max to the IR
Max Scherzer, the star pitcher for the Rangers, will be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season due to a minor strain in his upper arm's teres major muscle. This announcement came directly from the team's general manager, Chris Young, who made it public on Wednesday.
Young expressed doubt about Scherzer's participation in the postseason, should the Rangers secure a spot. However, they intend to closely monitor his condition and do not anticipate the need for surgical intervention.
In a recent game against the Blue Jays, Scherzer impressively delivered 5 1/3 scoreless innings before leaving due to what was initially diagnosed as right triceps spasms. Earlier this month, he also exited a game against the Twins on September 1st due to tightness in his forearm, making him believe these two injuries may be interconnected.
Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, joined the Rangers following a trade with the Mets before the Trade Deadline. Despite a challenging start in New York, he managed to showcase his skills with an impressive 3.20 ERA across eight starts in Texas. Although his regular season journey had its ups and downs, Scherzer expressed gratitude that his injury didn't turn out to be more severe.
“In some ways, I was almost relieved that it's not worse,” Scherzer remarked. “It's not surgery. Talking about the doctors, I fully expect to make a full recovery.”
Now, with Scherzer out of action, the Rangers will need to complete their pitching rotation behind Nathan Eovaldi, Jordan Montgomery, Jon Gray, and Dane Dunning.
Week 24 - Power Rankings
- Atlanta Braves (96-50)
- Baltimore Orioles (91-54)
- LA Dodgers (84-54)
- TB Rays (90-57)
- Houston Astros (83-64)
- Seattle Mariners (81-65)
- Texas Rangers (81-64)
- Toronto Blue Jays (80-66)
- Milwaukee Brewers (81-64)
- Chicago Cubs (78-69)
Braves Clinch NL East
The Braves celebrated their sixth consecutive National League East championship with a resounding 4-1 victory over the Phillies. Austin Riley's early contributions, including a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly, set the tone for the Braves' success. Pitcher Spencer Strider was a standout performer, limiting the Phillies to just one run over seven impressive innings. This latest division title marked the Braves' 23rd overall, matching their second-earliest clinch date.
Looking ahead, the Braves have 16 regular-season games left. They currently hold the top spot in the NL division, positioning themselves for a first-round bye and a start to the NL Division Series on October 7th. The team has thrived thanks to MVP-caliber seasons from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson, even in the face of challenges such as injuries to key pitchers like Max Fried and Kyle Wright. Their dominance became apparent from June 3rd onwards, ultimately securing a commanding 17-game lead over the Phillies in the division race.
- The Braves clinched their sixth consecutive National League East crown with a 4-1 victory over the Phillies.
- Austin Riley's early contributions included a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly.
- Pitcher Spencer Strider impressed, allowing just one run over seven innings.
- This marks the Braves' 23rd division title, matching their second-earliest clinch date.
- They have 16 games left in the regular season, positioned as the top NL division leader.
- MVP-caliber seasons from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson have driven the Braves' success.
- Despite injuries to key pitchers, the rotation remained strong.
- The Braves dominated since June 3rd, ending with a commanding 17-game lead over the Phillies.