Thanks to a doubleheader in Baltimore, the final Saturday of the 2018 regular season brings us an extra full 16-game slate of big league action. Here's an update on the postseason races and here's everything you need to know about Saturday's MLB action.
Saturday's scores
- Yankees 8, Red Sox 5 (box score)
- Cardinals 2, Cubs 1 (box score)
- Astros 4, Orioles 3, Game 1 (box score)
- Astros 5, Orioles 2, Game 2 (box score)
- Dodgers 10, Giants 6 (box score)
- Reds 3, Pirates 0 (box score)
- Rays 4, Blue Jays 3 (box score)
- Phillies 3, Braves 0 (box score)
- Brewers 6, Tigers 5 (box score)
- Mets 1, Marlins 0 in 13 (box score)
- Twins 8, White Sox 3 (box score)
- Royals 9, Indians 4 (box score)
- Nationals 12, Rockies 2 (box score)
- Diamondbacks 5, Padres 4 (box score)
- Athletics 5, Angels 2 (box score)
- Mariners 4, Rangers 1 (box score)
NL playoff matchups remain unsettled entering final day
Those who want baseball on Monday had a pleasant Saturday. The Cubs and Rockies lost while the Brewers and Dodgers won. As such, there are now ties at the top of both the NL Central and NL West entering the season's final day. We broke down all the possible scenarios -- and yes, there's a real chance of Monday having two tiebreaker games. Read more here.
Yelich threatening Triple Crown
Christian Yelich, whose Brewers will compete for a share of the division crown on Sunday, could well win the first NL Triple Crown in 81 years. Note that if Yelich's Brewers play on Monday, his numbers would count toward his regular-season totals. Read more about that here.
Dodgers clinch playoff berth
The NL playoff entrants are set with the Dodgers win on Saturday. Read more about that here.
There's still some seeding issues to be decided, but as of now, the Dodgers are set to meet the Brewers in the Wild Card Game, while the Cubs and Rockies are slated to win their respective decisions.
However, the Cubs lost on Saturday (more on that below), so the door is open for the Brewers to pull into a tie for the NL Central lead on Saturday.
We'll keep you updated with how the NL postseason matchups are shaping up throughout the night.
Wright starts one last time
David Wright made his final start for the Mets on Saturday, coming to the plate twice before being removed. Wright walked in the first inning, then fouled out in his subsequent trip to the plate.
Prior to the game, which might be the last Wright ever appears in, he was behind the plate for the ceremonial first pitch from his daughter Olivia Shea:
David Wright's daughter gets first pitch honors tonight pic.twitter.com/4TKXr2N5IS
— SI MLB (@si_mlb) September 29, 2018
Wright later joined the SNY TV booth, where Keith Hernandez paid him a compliment:
David Wright: You saying I could play for the '86 Mets might be the best compliment I've ever received@KeithHernandez: "You might hit seventh! You're not gonna hit third" pic.twitter.com/nvT4F3AeI6
— SportsNet New York (@SNYtv) September 30, 2018
All and all, it had to be a memorable night for Wright. Read more about that here.
Cardinals win, but are eliminated postseason race
The Cardinals are no longer alive in the NL wild card race following the Dodgers win. Still, thanks to a dominant performance from Miles Mikolas, the Cardinals staved off elimination earlier in the day with a 2-1 win at Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon. Talk about a clutch performance.
The Cubs took a 1-0 first inning lead and the Cardinals rallied to score one run in the fourth (Paul DeJong single) and one run in the fifth (Matt Carpenter single). Mikolas and Opening Day starter-turned-closer Carlos Martinez made the one-run lead stand up.
A record breaking Saturday for the Yankees
The Yankees broke several records Saturday afternoon. Gleyber Torres swatted the team's 265th home run of the season in the fourth inning against the Red Sox, breaking a tie with the 1997 Mariners and setting a new single-season MLB home run record. Here's the milestone blast:
New York managed to set the single-season homer record despite not having a 40-home run hitter. Giancarlo Stanton leads the team with 38 long balls (and he hit the team's 266th homer Saturday). Also, Torres hit that home run as the No. 9 hitter, and with that blast the Yankees became the first team in baseball history to receive at least 20 home runs from all nine lineup spots. That is bonkers.
In other record-breaking news, Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar smacked a two-run double in the fifth inning Saturday, giving him 45 doubles on the season. That is a new franchise record for a rookie. Andujar then added his 46th double later in the game. Here are the top five doubles totals among Yankees rookies:
- Miguel Andujar, 2018: 46 (and counting)
- Joe DiMaggio, 1936: 44
- Hideki Matsui, 2003: 42
- Bob Meusel, 1920: 40
- Earle Combs, 1925: 36
The American League rookie record is 47 doubles by Fred Lynn in 1975. Andujar has a shot to match that record before the end of the season Sunday, especially in an extreme doubles ballpark like Fenway Park. The MLB rookie record is 52 doubles by Johnny Frederick in 1929. That's (probably) out of reach.
Yankees become third AL team to 100 wins
Thanks in part of Torres' home run and Andujar's two doubles, the Yankees secured their 100th win of the season Saturday afternoon. It is their first 100-win season since they went 103-59 en route to a World Series championship in 2009.
With New York's win Saturday, there are three 100-win teams in one league for the first time in MLB history. The Yankees (100-61) joined the Astros (101-58) and Red Sox (107-54) in the 100-win club. The A's could finish the regular season with as many as 98 wins. We weren't too far away from four 100-win teams in one league this year.
Three teams in one league with 100+ wins.
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2018
Yeah, that’s NEVER happened before. pic.twitter.com/W5ZhPmgWM0
MLB has had three 100-win teams in one season -- the Astros (101-61), Dodgers (104-58), and Indians (102-60) did it just last season -- but never before have their been three 100-win teams in one league. Until now.
Quick hits
- Nationals RHP Max Scherzer will start against the Rockies on Sunday, but only if the game has postseason implications. The Rockies could clinch the NL West title as soon as Saturday. The race could linger into Sunday, however.
- The Orioles have shut 1B Chris Davis down for the season. He finishes the year with a .168 batting average, the lowest by a qualified hitter in major league history. There are still four years and $92 million remaining on Davis' contract.
- Yankees LHP CC Sabathia has been suspended for five games for hitting Rays C Jesus Sucre earlier this week. Rays RHP Andrew Kittredge was suspended three games for throwing at Yankees C Austin Romine. Both suspensions begin in 2019.
- Cubs RHP Pedro Strop will run and test his injured hamstring Saturday, reports the Chicago Tribune. Strop is aiming to return Thursday for Game 1 of the NLDS, should the Cubs make it. He injured the hamstring running the bases earlier this month.
- Yankees RHP Luis Severino will not make his scheduled start Sunday, reports the New York Times. The Yankees have clinched the top wild card spot and will hold Severino back for a potential Wild Card Game appearance Wednesday.
