MLB CONTENDERS WATCH FOR FATIGUE AS SOME STARTERS EXPERIENCE AN INCREASED WORKLOAD
CHICAGO (AP) — At age 34, Matthew Boyd is going back to what was once familiar territory for the left-hander. He has logged 130 2/3 innings so far in his first season with the Chicago Cubs, more than he totaled in the previous two years combined.
It’s a workload jump that goes against what had become conventional wisdom in the majors, where teams have frequently capped pitchers’ innings in hopes of keeping them healthy.
“Things have been going great,” Boyd said. “And I think it’s like none of us know what’s ahead. And that goes for everybody.”
Boyd’s workload is worth watching as the Cubs try to rally in the NL Central race and go on a deep October run. He is among a group of pitchers going through a spike in innings in the heart of the playoff picture.
After spending most of his career as a reliever, Clay Holmes has 117 1/3 innings going into his 23rd start for the Mets on Tuesday night. Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo is up to 127 innings after he finished with 66 2/3 last year. All-Stars Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox and Bryan Woo of the Mariners also are progressing toward major increases.
“That’s something we always monitor and watch,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “I know we’re in constant communication in-between starts.”
The days of predetermined innings limits, especially when it comes to young prospects and pitchers on losing teams, aren’t going away anytime soon. But more organizations appear to be going with a case-by-case approach.
“I think the reason why it’s changed a little bit and we don’t look at that either percentage increase or fixed innings increase is because it wasn’t working,” said David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the Mets.
“I think more and more we’re trying to treat each pitcher as an individual. And if a pitcher feels good both subjectively and objectively, we try not to artificially shut them down.”
Crochet, 26, helped show what might be possible last year. The 6-foot-6 left-hander, who had Tommy John surgery in April 2022, began last season with 73 innings in 72 appearances spanning four seasons with the White Sox.
He made his first big league start on opening day. With the White Sox closely monitoring his workload in the last part of the season, he finished with 32 starts and 146 innings. He is tied for the major league lead with 141 1/3 innings going into Tuesday night’s start against Kansas City.
“I think that I really set myself up for this season to go out there and for there really to be no leash necessary,” said Crochet, who was traded to the Red Sox in December and then agreed to a $170 million, six-year contract. “I’ve been feeling really good throughout the season and the five days in between my starts I really feel like I’m prepared and doing a lot to get my body in the right position to have success and to continue to give length throughout the year.”
Boyd was recovering from Tommy John surgery when he signed with Cleveland last year. He returned to the majors last August and went 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA in eight starts and 39 2/3 innings for the Guardians. He also pitched 11 2/3 innings for the AL Central champions in the playoffs.
That was enough for Chicago to give Boyd a $29 million, two-year contract in free agency. And he has delivered so far, making the NL All-Star team while going 11-4 with a 2.34 ERA in 22 starts.
Boyd pitched a career-high 185 1/3 innings for Detroit in 2019, but he hasn’t approached that territory since. The Cubs gave him nine days off between starts over the All-Star break, and Boyd has frequent conversations with manager Craig Counsell and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy about his workload and how he is feeling.
The Cubs also have rookie right-hander Cade Horton, who is up to 102 2/3 innings this season — including his time with Triple-A Iowa — after he totaled 34 1/3 innings in the minors last year.
“This is an area where the industry has not maybe figured out the answer, so you’re just trying to keep getting better answers,” Counsell said. “I think in the past, we were just relying on history. I think now we’re relying on the data we collect from the actual player.”
Communication is one thing, but an array of metrics and biomechanical analysis is at the center of the decision-making process when it comes to pitchers and rest.
“There’s tangible things that you just keep an eye on,” Boyd said. “You have your spin data, you have your velocity. We have biomechanics tracking. It’s like, ‘Hey, the mechanics are getting out of whack. … Is there something we need to address? How do you address that?’
“There’s so many different avenues you can go down and levers you can pull if you will. And it’s not as cut and dry as like 20% increase, 50% increase (in innings).”
PHILLIES’ JOSE ALVARADO SORRY AS HE NEARS RETURN FROM 80-GAME BAN
Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado apologized to his team and its fans Tuesday as he nears his return from an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
Alvarado wrote on Instagram that he did not intend to take a banned substance and is “fully aware that using prohibited substances is wrong.”
“I made a mistake and therefore, I have faced the consequences set forth by MLB,” he wrote. “Going forward, my focus is on working hard to help the team win.”
Alvarado was suspended on May 18 after he tested positive for exogenous testosterone. The left-hander is eligible to return to the Phillies on Aug. 19, however he is not eligible to pitch in the playoffs.
“Once again, I offer my deepest apologies to the Phillies organization, my teammates, my family, my country Venezuela, the City of Philadelphia and the fans who have always supported me, especially the children and young people,” Alvarado said.
“There is always a lesson to be learned in every mistake.”
Alvarado, 30, is 4-1 with seven saves and a 2.70 ERA in 20 relief appearances this season. He has 25 strikeouts versus four walks over 20 innings.
Alvarado is 19-26 with 52 saves and a 3.40 ERA in 400 career games (one start) with the Tampa Bay Rays (2017-20) and Phillies.
The Phillies (64-48) entered play on Tuesday holding a 1 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Mets (63-50) in the National League East.
Philadelphia acquired closer Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins prior to the trade deadline last week. The right-hander recorded saves in each of his first two appearances with his new team.
YANKEES DEMOTE STRUGGLING RHP JAKE BIRD TO MINORS
The New York Yankees demoted right-handed reliever Jake Bird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after another rough outing Monday night.
No corresponding move was announced Tuesday morning, although captain Aaron Judge is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list.
Manager Aaron Boone said after New York’s fourth consecutive loss — 8-5 to the Texas Rangers in 10 innings — that Judge would be rejoining the team “tomorrow (Tuesday).”
Bird took the loss Monday in Arlington, giving up a three-run homer to Josh Jung. Bird, 29, is 0-1 with a 27.00 ERA in three appearances since arriving in a trade deadline deal with Colorado on July 31.
He went 4-1 with a 4.73 ERA in 45 relief appearances for the Rockies this year before the trade that sent prospects Roc Riggio and Ben Shields to Colorado.
Judge has not played since July 25 due to a flexor strain in his right elbow. Boone said Judge will be the designated hitter when he returns, giving the team time to evaluate his arm before the two-time MVP returns to right field.
Judge, 33, leads the majors in batting (.342), on-base percentage (.449) and slugging (.711) and has 37 homers and 85 RBIs in 103 games this season.
REHAB ASSIGNMENT GETS RHP SHELBY MILLER CLOSER TO BREWERS DEBUT
Right-hander Shelby Miller moved closer to his Milwaukee Brewers debut after he departed on a minor league rehab assignment to Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday.
Miller was moved from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Brewers at last week’s trade deadline in a deal that also brought left-hander Jordan Montgomery to Milwaukee. Miller is recovering from a forearm strain and has not pitched since July 5.
In 37 relief appearances this season, Miller is 3-3 with a 1.98 ERA. Over 13 seasons with nine different clubs, the 34-year-old is 50-69 with a 4.03 ERA in 291 appearances (133 starts). Miller was an All-Star in 2015 as a member of the Atlanta Braves.
REDS PLACE LHP NICK LODOLO (FINGER) ON 15-DAY IL
The Cincinnati Reds placed left-hander Nick Lodolo on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a blister on his left index finger.
Lodolo left the series opener against the Chicago Cubs on Monday after just 1 2/3 innings. Five relievers went the rest of the way for the Reds, who won 3-2 and sit three games out of the National League’s third and final wild-card berth entering Tuesday.
Lodolo, 27, is 8-6 with a 3.05 ERA in 23 appearances (all starts) this season.
A first-round draft pick (seventh overall) by Cincinnati in 2019, Lodolo is 23-20 with a 4.02 ERA in 70 career appearances (all starts) with the team.
Also on Tuesday, the Reds recalled right-hander Yosver Zulueta from Triple-A Louisville.
Zulueta, 27, has a 3.86 ERA without a decision in two relief appearances this season with Cincinnati. He allowed one run on no hits over 2 1/3 innings. He made 12 appearances in 2024, his first major league season, pitching 16 1/3 innings and giving up nine earned runs with 20 strikeouts and seven walks. He has yet to register a decision in the majors.
MLB ROUNDUP: SHEA LANGELIERS (3 HRS) LEADS A’S TO BLOWOUT WIN
Shea Langeliers had five hits, including three solo home runs, and the visiting Athletics dismantled the Washington Nationals 16-7 on Tuesday night.
JJ Bleday had four hits, including a home run, and drove in six runs as the A’s pounded out 24 hits. It was the second career three-homer game for Langeliers, who added a double and a single. Luis Severino (6-11) earned the win, allowing three runs on five hits over six innings.
Luis Garcia Jr. had three hits and Nathaniel Lowe walked four times for Washington, which has lost six straight and given up 54 runs in its past four games. MacKenzie Gore (4-12) gave up eight runs on 12 hits in three-plus innings.
The A’s jumped on Gore in the first with five runs, with Langeliers leading the game off with a homer. Langeliers then led off the fifth with his second home run and homered to center in the sixth to increase the lead to 11-3. He has 22 homers on the season.
Rangers 2, Yankees 0
Rowdy Tellez’s two-run single in the eighth provided the winning runs and backed Nathan Eovaldi’s superb eight innings of one-hit pitching as Texas beat slumping New York in Arlington, Texas.
Tellez’s bases-loaded, game-winning hit off Yankees closer Devin Williams (3-4) drove in Adolis Garcia, who had doubled, and Joc Pederson, who had walked. Eovaldi (10-3) retired the first eight batters he faced until a two-out double in the third by Anthony Volpe. That was the only baserunner he would allow.
Yankees starter Will Warren was nearly as good over his five-inning stint Tuesday, allowing no runs on three hits. The Yankees, who managed just two hits despite the return of slugger Aaron Judge from the injured list, have lost five straight games.
Brewers 7, Braves 2
Freddy Peralta became the first National League player to reach 13 wins, leading visiting Milwaukee to its fifth straight win with a victory in Atlanta.
The veteran right-hander battled through five innings and threw 108 pitches, matching his season high. Peralta (13-5) allowed one run on four hits to improve his career record to 5-2 against the Braves.
Nick Mears followed with a scoreless inning, Aaron Ashby allowed one run in two innings, and Grant Anderson closed the game with a scoreless ninth. Atlanta starter Joey Wentz (2-3) worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed five runs, seven hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
Twins 6, Tigers 3
Luke Keaschall blasted his first career homer off former Minnesota teammate Chris Paddack as the Twins downed host Detroit.
Keaschall, who was activated from the injured list on Tuesday after recovering from a forearm fracture, added a run-scoring single. Ryan Jeffers had two doubles, scored two runs and drove in another. Winning pitcher Zebby Matthews (3-3) gave up one run on five hits while striking out six and walking one in five innings.
Paddack (4-10) was making his second start for Detroit after being acquired from the Twins early last week. He gave up four runs and six hits in four innings. Jahmai Jones had a two-run triple and Kerry Carpenter added two hits and an RBI for the Tigers.
Astros 7, Marlins 3
Yainer Diaz slugged a three-run homer, Jose Altuve added a two-run shot and Houston defeated host Miami. The Astros, who will look for a three-game sweep on Wednesday afternoon, also got a two-run triple from Jeremy Pena.
Houston went with a pre-planned bullpen game, with opener Steven Okert tossing 1 2/3 innings of one-run ball. Rookie reliever AJ Blubaugh (1-1) pitched five innings and was credited with his first major league win. He allowed two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out five.
Marlins’ starter Cal Quantrill (4-9) gave up nine hits, three walks and seven runs in 4 1/3 innings. He fanned two. In his three previous starts, he had allowed just one run in 16 innings. Jakob Marsee, Miami’s rookie center fielder, went 2-for-2 with his first major league homer and a walk.
Giants 8, Pirates 1
Logan Webb struck out 10 and allowed one run over six innings to lead San Francisco to an 8-1 victory over host Pittsburgh.
Jerar Encarnacion, who was called up from the minors on Monday, and Willy Adames, who was 2-for-3, each homered for the Giants. Every starter in San Francisco’s lineup recorded at least one hit.
Bryan Reynolds had two hits to lead the Pirates, who had a brief two-game winning streak snapped and lost for only the fourth time in their past 14 games.
Phillies 5, Orioles 0
Taijuan Walker pitched six solid innings and Max Kepler hit a two-run homer as host Philadelphia topped Baltimore.
Brandon Marsh also homered for the Phillies, who have won three games in a row. Kepler and Marsh finished with two hits apiece for the hosts, as did Bryson Stott. Walker (4-5) allowed four hits without a walk and struck out four batters in lowering his ERA to 3.53.
Baltimore managed only five singles — two by Jordan Westburg — in losing for the fifth time in six games. Dean Kremer (8-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings with six strikeouts and one walk.
Guardians 3, Mets 2
Steven Kwan delivered a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning for visiting Cleveland, which remained red hot with a come-from-behind victory in New York.
The Guardians have won the first two games of the three-game interleague series to improve to 18-7 since July 7 — the third-best record in baseball in that span behind only the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox. Cleveland has won six of its past seven games.
The Mets, who led 2-0 after two innings thanks to Pete Alonso’s sacrifice fly and Tyrone Taylor’s RBI single, have lost seven of eight, including four of the first five games on a six-game homestand.
Red Sox 6, Royals 2
Behind 2-for-4 efforts and a combined five RBIs from Wilyer Abreu and Trevor Story, Boston scored five runs across the sixth and seventh innings to beat visiting Kansas City.
The middle-of-the-order duo supported starter Garrett Crochet (13-4), who earned his sixth consecutive win after dealing seven innings of four-hit, two-run ball. Story drove in three with RBI hits in each of those multi-run innings, including a go-ahead, two-run single into center field in the sixth.
Maikel Garcia went 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a run for Kansas City. Ryan Bergert (1-1) lost his Royals debut despite allowing just two runs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Reds 5, Cubs 1
Spencer Steer belted a three-run homer and Zack Littell tossed seven strong innings in his debut, fueling Cincinnati past host Chicago. Steer had an RBI single in the fifth inning and launched his 13th homer of the season to snap a 1-1 tie in the seventh.
The offense was more than enough for Littell (9-8), who allowed one run on three hits and struck out eight batters. He was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays prior to the trade deadline last week.Littell’s lone blemish was Matt Shaw’s solo homer with one out in the fifth inning.
Andrew Kittredge (2-3) relieved starter Shota Imanaga in the seventh inning and yielded four runs on four hits in one-third of an inning.
Blue Jays 10, Rockies 4
Daulton Varsho homered twice, doubled and drove in a career-best six runs as Toronto beat Colorado in Denver.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered among his three hits, Nathan Lukes and Addison Barger also went deep for Toronto while Lukes, Bo Bichette and Alejandro Kirk had two hits each.
Hunter Goodman homered and singled for the Rockies, who have lost three in a row.
