Thursday brings us a nearly full 14-game slate of big league action -- the Angels and Diamondbacks are enjoying an off-day, which is pretty much the only way to cool down Mike Trout right now -- with several afternoon contests on the schedule. Here is everything you need to know about Wednesday's MLB action.
Wednesday's scores
- Reds 5, Tigers 3 (box score)
- Blue Jays 5, Braves 4 (box score)
- Phillies 4, Cardinals 3 (box score)
- Indians 12, White Sox 0 (box score)
- Cubs 4, Dodgers 0 (box score)
- Athletics 12, Padres 4 (box score)
- Giants 6, Marlins 5 (box score)
- Orioles 3, Nationals 0 (box score)
- Yankees 7, Mariners 5 (box score)
- Twins 4, Red Sox 1 (box score)
- Astros 5, Rays 1 (box score)
- Rangers 3, Royals 2 (box score)
- Rockies 10, Mets 8 (box score)
- Brewers at Pirates - POSTPONED
Stanton, Yanks walk off against M's
Giancarlo Stanton is in a groove. He entered Wednesday hitting .318/.360/.636 with two home runs over the past six games.
Stanton added to those numbers on Wednesday by going 2 for 4 against the Mariners. He ended the night with an exclamation point in the form of a 453-foot walk-off home run:
WALK-OFF WIN!
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) June 21, 2018
Giancarlo Stanton gets his signature Yankees moment with this home run to win the game. pic.twitter.com/YIjuIAN9Dj
That's Stanton's 18th home run, but his first walk-off with New York. Insert your own jokes here about him now being a True Yankee.
Stanton's blast ensures the Yankees have won the series against the Mariners, who, in turn, have now dropped three consecutive games. The two sides will meet once more on Thursday. The Yankees and Luis Severino will try to sweep James Paxton and the M's out of town.
Dodgers, Cubs wrap up wild series
Been an interesting few days at Wrigley Field. Monday's series opener between the Dodgers and Cubs was rained out -- trouble with the lights contributed to that as well -- then, on Tuesday, Los Angeles mounted a ninth-inning comeback to steal the first game of the doubleheader. The Cubbies rebounded with a 10th-inning walk-off in the nightcap.
The 2017 NLCS rematch concluded Wednesday afternoon with the same result: a Cubs victory. Chicago was able to shut down the Dodgers, limiting them to six hits and zero runs. In L.A.'s defense, the Dodgers did hit a number of line drives off Jon Lester, but they found gloves rather than open field. That's the way it goes sometimes.
Javier Baez was the big producer at the plate for the Cubs. He went 3-4 with two doubles and a triple. He also scored two runs.
Wacha exits with injury for Cardinals
The Cardinals have been hit by injuries this season, and, on Wednesday, they lost another key player. Right-hander Michael Wacha exited his start with the trainer in the fourth inning.
Left oblique strain for Michael Wacha, per #stlcards
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) June 20, 2018
The good news: Wacha's arm is OK. He's had some arm issues in recent years, most notably a stress fracture in his shoulder. The bad news: An oblique injury can still be pretty bad. Depending on the severity, he may miss several weeks. Obliques are very tricky. They're easy to reinjure if not given enough time to properly heal.
The Cardinals currently have seven players on the disabled list, six of whom are pitchers: Matt Bowman (blisters), Paul DeJong (hand), Luke Gregerson (knee), Dominic Leone (nerve irritation), Tyler Lyons (elbow), Alex Reyes (lat), and Adam Wainwright (elbow). Wacha figures to make it eight Cardinals on the disabled list.
Wacha allowed three runs (one earned) in 3 2/3 innings before being removed with the injury Wednesday. He went into the start with an 8-2 record and a 3.24 ERA in 14 starts and 80 2/3 innings this season, putting him in position for an All-Star Game selection.
Fulmer melts down in the sixth again
The third time through the lineup has proven to be an issue for Michael Fulmer so far this season. The Tigers ace went into Wednesday's start with a .219/.290/.355 opponent's batting line the first two times through the lineup, and a .324/.398/.500 opponent's batting line thereafter. Ouch.
On Wednesday, the Reds went 2 for 16 (.125) with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and six strikeouts the first two times through the lineup against Fulmer. After that? They went 3 for 5 with a double, two homers, and a walk. Scooter Gennett and Eugenio Suarez hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning.
Fulmer didn't make it out of the sixth inning after cruising through the first five frames. On the season he now has a 3.44 ERA in innings 1-5 and a 9.19 ERA thereafter. Ouch. Once the lineup turns over, Fulmer has had a real problem getting outs this season. Surely potential trade partners have noticed.
Indians pound White Sox again
The Indians-White Sox intradivision rivalry has been very one-sided this season. Cleveland blew the ChiSox out Wednesday afternoon for their eighth win in 10 head-to-head games this year. Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis both swatted three-run homers and Corey Kluber fanned seven in seven innings.
As noted, the Indians are 8-2 against the White Sox this season, and they've outscored them 61-25. Geez. A one-sided AL Central rivalry this has been.
Rangers make history with starting battery
The Rangers are in last place and they will almost certainly be sellers at the trade deadline, so the Texas faithful don't have much to root for aside from good trades and the pure joy of baseball. Fitting into the latter category is this fun piece of name history the club will make Wednesday night:
Of course, Austin Bibens-Dirkx and Isiah Kiner-Falefa will form the first battery in major league history of players with hyphenated last names.
— John Blake (@RangerBlake) June 20, 2018
Kiner-Falefa is an infielder by trade but he did catch some in the minors, most notably 33 games in 2016 and another 33 games in 2017. Wednesday will be his first big league start behind the plate. Bibens-Dirkx will be making his ninth MLB start.
Quick hits
- In his latest podcast, CBS Sports' Jonah Keri discussed a variety of topics with former big league pitcher and current D-Backs front office executive Burke Badenhop.
- The Cubs placed closer RHP Brandon Morrow on the 10-day DL with lower back soreness. Morrow said he hurt his back taking off his pants earlier this week. RHP Justin Hancock has been called up a corresponding move.
- Giants RHP Johnny Cueto could begin a minor league rehab assignment as soon as Saturday, reports NBC Sports Bay Area. He'll play catch Thursday, then the team will come up with a firm plan. Cueto's been out since May 1 with an elbow injury.
- Cardinals SS Paul DeJong (hand), RHP Luke Gregerson (knee), and LHP Tyler Lyons (elbow) are all progressing well, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. DeJong could be cleared to hit next week. Gregerson and Lyons are throwing.
- Cubs RHP Yu Darvish threw a 51-pitch bullpen session Wednesday, according to MLB.com. He threw all his pitches. Darvish has been out since May 23 with triceps tendinitis.
- Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend, according to the New York Post. He resumed playing catch earlier this week. Syndergaard has been out since last month with a finger ligament injury.
- Padres OF Wil Myers could return this weekend, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. He's been limited to 10 games this season by an oblique injury. Myers last played on April 28.
- Padres OF Franchy Cordero may need surgery to remove a bone spur in his elbow, reports MLB.com. Cordero, who is currently on the disabled list with a forearm injury, felt something in his elbow during his minor league rehab assignment.
- Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman will rejoin the rotation this Saturday, reports Sportsnet. He has been out with shoulder fatigue since May 9. Stroman has thrown several minor league rehab games.
- Padres LHP Joey Lucchesi will rejoin the rotation Wednesday, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. He's been out since May 15 with a hip injury. Lucchesi posted a 3.23 ERA with a 48/15 K/BB in his 47 1/3 innings before the injury.
