Acuna, Soto stay hot; Wright set for last game
Arizona Diamondbacks
Retaining center fielder A.J. Pollock looks like a long shot this offseason unless the Diamondbacks bend their future payrolls. Pollock can become a free agent and will command a raise on his $7.75 million salary. He’ll be 31 in December.
Atlanta Braves
Just when it looked as if the Braves might be stumbling, they won six consecutive games to take their National League East lead over the second-place Phillies from 21⁄2 games to 71⁄2 games. Rookie outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was especially good during the streak, going 10-for-22 (.455) with six extra-base hits.
Chicago Cubs
Pedro Strop will miss the remainder of the regular season because of a strained right hamstring, forcing the Cubs to go to a closer-by-committee approach. Manager Joe Maddon said he planned to use left-handers Jorge De La Rosa and Justin Wilson and right-handers Jesse Chavez and Steve Cishek. Closer Brandon Morrow, out since July 16 because of a sore elbow, was set to return this week, but Maddon said he wouldn’t use him in high-pressure situations right away.
Cincinnati Reds
Right-hander Tyler Mahle’s disappointing rookie season is likely over. Mahle was scratched from his scheduled start Sept. 16 against the Cubs at Chicago because of right shoulder fatigue and was expected to be shut down. He is 7-9 with a 4.98 ERA in 23 starts and was demoted to Class AAA Louisville (Kentucky) in early August for a month. Mahle raised expectations last year when he went 1-2 with a 2.70 ERA in four late season starts.
Colorado Rockies
Can ace Kyle Freeland maintain his form despite having exceeded his rookie-year total by 262⁄3 innings entering this week? The left-hander was penciled in to make three more starts, including the 161st game. Colorado was 21-9 in Freeland’s starts before his outing Sept. 18 at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles Dodgers
A pennant race is a tough place to find a groove after a lengthy hiatus, but that’s the challenge for three relievers who recently came off the disabled list. The best candidate might be left-hander Julio Urias, who has regained nearly all of his velocity in a comeback from shoulder surgery. Righthander John Axford and lefthander Tony Cingrani were scheduled to return this week.
Miami Marlins
The Marlins have overhauled their amateur scouting since the June draft, and they’re doing the same with the player-development system. Class AAA manager Arnie Beyeler and Class AA manager Randy Ready were among about a dozen staffers whose contracts were not renewed.
Milwaukee Brewers
Right fielder Christian Yelich became the ninth player in Brewers history to hit 30 home runs and score 100 runs in a season when he connected for his 30th on Sept. 15.
New York Mets
David Wright will play third base for the Mets one final time, on Sept. 29 at Citi Field against the Marlins. Wright, out since May 2016 because of injuries, isn’t expected to officially retire because his contract runs through 2020 and the Mets can collect insurance to offset it, but he has admitted that his health issues will keep him from playing again beyond this season.
Philadelphia Phillies
Manager Gabe Kapler had Carlos Santana start at third base six times in the first 13 games of September. Santana played some third base for Cleveland in 2014, but that was his only prior major league experience at the position. Playing Santana at third allowed Kapler to use Justin Bour or Rhys Hoskins at first.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Several players are getting an opportunity to play right field in place of Gregory Polanco, who might be sidelined until June after he had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Manager Clint Hurdle plans to look at Adam Frazier and Jose Osuna and rookies Jordan Luplow, Kevin Kramer and Pablo Reyes.
St. Louis Cardinals
Veteran catcher Yadier Molina, 36, was attempting to play through a strained left hamstring while the Cardinals compete for their first postseason berth in three years. He sat out six games in a row before returning to the lineup Sept. 13. Molina was told to be cautious running the bases.
San Diego Padres
The Padres will enter the offseason with Baseball America’s top-ranked farm system, headed by shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. at second overall and lefthander MacKenzie Gore at 21.
San Francisco Giants
Solace to the 11-game losing streak to begin September was that it might lead to the Giants’ second consecutive year with a top-10 draft pick. The last time they had high picks in consecutive years, the Giants took future All-Stars Will Clark and Matt Williams second and third, respectively, in 1985 and 1986.
Washington Nationals
Juan Soto continues to do things few teenagers have ever done in the major leagues. Soto became the youngest player ever with three steals in the same game (breaking Rickey Henderson’s record) and also the third teen since 1920 (with Mel Ott and Mickey Mantle) to reach base in at least 20 consecutive games.
Contributing: Danny Knobler, John Perrotto, Tom Krasovic, wire reports