Atlanta Braves
The Braves took the major league lead in at least one category when they started Josh
Collmenter on Saturday against the Washington Nationals.
Collmenter was the 16th different pitcher to start a game for the Braves this season, the most of any big-league team.
The 16 starting pitchers equaled a franchise record set in 1911 by the then-Boston Rustlers and matched in 1936 by the Boston Bees and in 1945 by the Boston Braves.
Collmenter went five innings and got the win.
The 35 overall pitchers used are the second most in franchise history, topped only by the 37 the Braves used in 2015.
Collmenter, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ opening-day starter in 2015, was in the minor leagues with the Chicago Cubs when the Braves purchased his contract Sept. 14. That same day, they also acquired Joe Wieland from the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named.
“While it may be related on some level to a need created by injuries (to Mike Foltynewicz and Williams Perez) and the multiple minor league teams we have advancing in the playoffs, it’s also a testament to the relentless pursuit of talent by our front office,” general manager John
Coppolella told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
With Matt Kemp, Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis established in the outfield, rookie
Mallex Smith found himself on the bench when he returned after missing three months because of a broken right thumb.
Miami Marlins
Outfielder Christian Yelich took to Twitter to criticize Miami Dolphins players for kneeling during the national anthem.
“I don’t disagree with the message they’re trying to get across,” Yelich told MLB.com. “I agree that there needs to be change in this country. I actually agree with them with what they are protesting. I disagree on how they’re going about it, as do a lot of people in this country.”
Yelich has a brother in the Marines.
“The national anthem means a lot to me,” he said. “It means a lot to my family.”
Left- hander Wei-Yin Chen, the Marlins’ opening-day starter, return to the rotation Monday after recovering from a sprained elbow. He gave up three runs in 41⁄ innings against the Nationals. 3
New York Mets
The Mets were within a day of seeing right-hander Jacob de
Grom return to their rotation when they announced instead that he is likely done for the season.
Just after throwing the final bullpen session before what was slated to be a Sunday return, deGrom felt more pain in his elbow while throwing a ball in the outfield during batting practice.
He is expected to need surgery, although he told reporters it would be one with a quick recovery time that wouldn’t threaten his 2017 season. Even so, it appears there’s no chance he would be available if the Mets advance to the postseason.
DeGrom’s injury put another rookie into the Mets rotation — 23-year-old right-hander Gabriel
Ynoa was called on to make the Sunday start against the Minnesota Twins. Seth Lugo and Robert
Gsellman have been taking regular turns in a Mets rotation that lost Matt Harvey and Steven Matz to injuries and never got
Zack Wheeler back from Tommy John elbow surgery.
Matz is the only one of the injured starters who has a decent chance of returning, and even that is uncertain. Matz hasn’t pitched since Aug. 14 because of a left shoulder impingement.
Right- hander Bartolo Colon will turn 44 next May, but he told the New York Daily News he hopes to pitch for the Mets in 2017 and chase down Dennis Martinez’s 245 wins, the most by a pitcher born in Latin America. Colon has 232.
Philadelphia Phillies
Last winter, the question was how long the Phillies could keep top prospect J.P. Crawford in the minor leagues. The answer was all season, and Crawford’s year ended Sept. 14 with arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body from his left knee.
Crawford went into the season ranked by MLB.com as the fifthbest prospect in the minor leagues, but he had a disappointing season in which he hit a combined .250 with a .688 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) in 36 games at Class AA
Reading (Pa.) and 87 games at Class AAA Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Pa.).
While Crawford should be ready for spring training, the expectation is that he will open the 2017 season back in the minor leagues. Crawford has been considered the Phillies’ shortstop of the future almost from the moment the team made him the 16th overall draft pick in 2013, but
Freddy Galvis has impressed with his defense and power this season.
Manager Pete Mackanin changed his mind and decided to play Ryan Howard regularly down the stretch in what is almost certainly his final month with the Phillies. “I wanted to give him something,” Mackanin said.
Washington Nationals
Right-hander Joe Ross, out since July 2 because of right shoulder pain, returned to the Nationals rotation Sunday at Atlanta. Ross isn’t ready to throw many pitches, and the Nationals had him pitch only three innings against the Braves.
“Sort of like a spring training schedule that he is on right now,” manager Dusty Baker said.
With Stephen Strasburg’s status uncertain, the Nationals could use another starter for the postseason. It’s not clear whether Ross will have enough time to build up endurance or whether he would have a better chance of helping out of the bullpen.
“It’s just important to us that he’s on the mound in a game,” Baker said. “I think that’s before we start wondering, ‘What do we expect from him?’ ”
As for Strasburg, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 7 because of a strained flexor mass in his right forearm, he was able to play catch on flat ground Sept. 17.
Second baseman Daniel Murphy, who left the Mets last winter to sign with the Nationals as a free agent, hit safely in all 19 games the Nationals played against the Mets this season. Murphy went 31-for-75 (.413) with seven home runs and 21 RBI and became the first player to hit safely in 19 games against the Mets in a season.
“I told him I completely understand, that he has to put together a lineup that he feels gives us the best chance to win. But I also feel like I’m one of the best nine options as well.”
Mets outfielder Jay Bruce on discussing his slumping ways with manager Terry Collins