Around the MLB: Sep. 22

American League Postseason Picture

The MLB regular season is coming to a close with 12 days to go until the first scheduled Wild Card game. The divisional and Wild Card playoff spots are falling into place.

In the AL East, on Sunday, Sept. 17, both the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles respectively clinched a playoff spot.

The Cleveland Guardians’ 9-2 victory over the Texas Rangers provided both the Rays and Orioles with a playoff berth. On Sunday, the Rays lost to the Orioles in an 11-inning game 5-4.

The Orioles have a two-game differential over the Rays. Closing out their season, the Orioles have zero of their 10 remaining games against a team with a record greater than .500. This is the Orioles’ first playoff berth since 2016.

On the other hand, the Rays face a team with a winning record in six of their last nine games.

The Rays also announced a new 30,000-capacity stadium to be built in St. Petersburg, FL, set to open in 2028 carrying a cost of approximately $1.2 billion. This ends the team’s 10-year search for a new stadium.

National League League Postseason Picture

In the National League, the Atlanta Braves have clinched the NL East with a 97-55 record and the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the NL West with a 93-58 record.

The Philadelphia Phillies, 83-69, hold the top NL Wild Card spot sitting 2.5 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Diamondbacks, 81-72, are just 1.5 games ahead of the Chicago Cubs, 79-73, in the Wild Card race.

The Chicago Cubs, 7.5 games behind their fellow NL Central divisional foe, the Milwaukee Brewers, 87-66, are still battling for the Central’s title.

Adam Wainwright Reaches 200 Career Wins

Adam Wainwright, the right-handed pitcher of the St. Louis Cardinals, reached 200 career wins Tuesday night in a 1-0 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers.

He pitched 7 innings and gave up four hits and two walks while recording three strikeouts in 93 pitches. This was his longest outing of the season.

He is the franchise’s third pitcher to reach 200 wins and the 38th for the National League.

Boston Red Sox Fire Chief Baseball Operator Chaim Bloom

Chaim Bloom was fired on Sept. 14, prior to a doubleheader against the New York Yankees. In his time as Chief Baseball Operator, the Red Sox have missed the playoffs three out of the last four seasons.

In 2021, the team reached the ALCS. In 2022, the team finished with a 78-84 season record. For the 2023 season, they currently sit 9.5 games out of a wild-card spot with nine games left to play.

Notable Stats

On Wednesday, Sept. 20, Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks’ outfielder, became the first rookie in MLB history to record both 50 stolen bases and 25 home runs in a 7-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves right-handed pitcher, also contributed to MLB history after pitching in Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He has recorded the most strikeouts, 435, in his first 50 starts as an MLB pitcher since 1900.

Luis Arraez became the fourth player in Miami Marlins franchise history to record a season with at least 200 hits. Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Braves is the only other MLB player to have also recorded this stat so far this regular season.

Julia Henry is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email jbh6443@psu.edu.