Because the early phases of the 2024 second half proceed, listed below are three issues we’ll be keeping track of across the baseball world all through the day at present:
1. IKF MRI:
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remained out of the lineup yesterday after being struck within the hand by a pitch over the weekend, they usually’re now coping with a second key damage within the lineup. Supervisor John Schneider advised reporters (together with Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet) that infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa “felt one thing” in his knee throughout pregame exercises yesterday, inflicting the membership to scratch the 29-year-old from the lineup and ship him for an MRI. Outcomes and additional particulars are anticipated later at present.
Kiner-Falefa has, considerably surprisingly, been the Jays’ greatest hitter other than Guerrero this 12 months, with a robust .292/.338/.420 slash line (117 wRC+). The infielder is hanging out simply 13.2% of the time, a career-low, and has proven a stunning quantity of pop. Kiner-Falefa has slugged seven dwelling runs in 281 journeys to the plate this 12 months, only one dinger shy of his career-best. That top-water mark got here throughout the 2021 season and took him a whopping 677 journeys to the plate, leaving him poised to shatter that non-public greatest with ease within the second half. This offensive uptick has come together with Kiner-Falefa’s typical regular glove throughout the infield, leaving him as one of many membership’s most respected gamers. Ernie Clement, Spencer Horwitz, and Davis Schneider are the highest choices to fill in across the infield with Kiner-Falefa and Guerrero ailing.
2. Collection Preview: Orioles @ Mariners:
Two AL golf equipment with considerably tenuous holds on the lead of their respective division races will meet at present for a three-game set that would shake up the standings forward of the commerce deadline. The 53-31 Orioles, mere share factors forward of the 54-32 Yankees, are set to move to the Pacific Northwest to tackle the 47-39 Mariners, who sit simply three video games forward of the surging Astros for management of the AL West. The collection will kick off at 6:40pm native time with a duel between gifted younger right-handers George Kirby (3.35 ERA) and Grayson Rodriguez (3.72 ERA).
The Orioles haven’t introduced who they’ll ship to the mound reverse Logan Gilbert (2.72 ERA) in Recreation 2 or Bryce Miller (3.88 ERA) within the collection finale at this level, although ace Corbin Burnes (2.28 ERA) may return throughout the collection after spending a couple of video games on the paternity record. It’s attainable that third begin may go to right-hander Dean Kremer (4.32 ERA), who has been on the IL since late Could with a triceps pressure however may make his subsequent begin within the majors, in keeping with MLB.com’s Injury Tracker. Kremer made his third rehab begin on the Triple-A stage on June 27.
3. MLBTR Chat Right now:
We’re now lower than a month away from the July 30 commerce deadline, and teams around the league have begun to tip their fingers relating to their plans for the summer season. When you’ve got any questions concerning the upcoming deadline or your group’s course with the All-Star break simply over the horizon, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will host a chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a query prematurely, and that very same hyperlink will let you take part on the chat as soon as it begins or learn the transcript after it’s accomplished.
