Cubs eye free agency; Bell, Lovullo returning
NL EAST Atlanta Braves
From the All-Star break through Sept. 26, there were only 10 complete-game shutouts thrown in the majors. LHP Max Fried had two of them.
Fried also had a 1.78 secondhalf ERA, the fourth lowest ever by an Atlanta Braves starter behind only RHPs Kris Medlen (0.94 in 2012), Greg Maddux (1.62 in 1995) and Phil Niekro (1.74 in 1974).
❚ Ozzie Albies became the first Braves second baseman with a 30-homer, 100-RBI year.
Miami Marlins
RHP Sandy Alcantara reached 200 innings Sept. 25, becoming just the third major leaguer this season to get there.
The others: RHPs Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies and Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals.
❚ C Sandy Leon, who had never thrown a pitch in his first 14 pro seasons, made his fifth pitching appearance of the season Sept. 24. He had a 6.35 ERA.
New York Mets
The Mets officially were eliminated from the NL East race Sept. 25, guaranteeing a fifth consecutive season with no postseason after they made the playoffs in back-to-back years in 2015-16.
SS Francisco Lindor, acquired last winter and signed to a $341 million contract just before opening day, took some of the blame. “We have collapsed, and I haven’t performed, especially,” he said.
❚ LHP Aaron Loup, who had a 0.97 ERA in 55 2⁄3 innings, has a chance to become the first Mets pitcher ever with at least 20 innings and an ERA under 1.00.
Philadelphia Phillies
LHP Ranger Suarez was the Phillies’ closer at the end of July. He pitched in the ninth inning again Sept. 25, but only because he threw a four-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates to lower his ERA as a starter to 1.69 in 11 games.
“I didn’t really think about having a season like this one, obviously,” he said. “But I try to be an overachiever.”
❚ OF Bryce Harper collected his 46th extra-base hit of the second half, the most ever by a Phillie, in that Sept. 25 game.
Washington Nationals
OF Juan Soto set a Nationals record by reaching base in 12 consecutive plate appearances and another club record with his 131st walk of the season.
Through Sept. 26, Soto had 25 games in which he had reached base at least four times. The only players in major league history with more in a season are Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
❚ C Alex Avila, who played in 13 major league seasons with six teams, announced he will retire at the end of the season.
NL CENTRAL Chicago Cubs
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said the Cubs will be “really active in free agency” though he also said the club will “spend money intelligently.”
The Cubs will finish with a losing record for the first time since 2014.
❚ RHP Jason Adam was promoted from Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa on Sept. 24 to complete a comeback from a gruesome broken left ankle sustained in May.
Cincinnati Reds
Though a late season fade dealt a severe blow to the Reds’ postseason hopes, manager David Bell received a two-year contract extension that runs through the 2023 season.
Bell, 49, is finishing his third season with the Reds. He entered the week with a 187-191 career record.
❚ When the Reds beat the Washington Nationals Sept. 2425, it marked Cincinnati’s first consecutive home wins since sweeping a four-game series from the Miami Marlins on Aug. 19-22.
Milwaukee Brewers
Broadcaster Bob Uecker was honored for 50 years behind the microphone Sept. 25 in a pregame ceremony at Miller Park that included former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
Noted for his comedic timing, Uecker pulled the cover off a pitching machine in front of the mound in lieu of throwing a ceremonial first pitch.
❚ When the Brewers swept the Mets on Sept. 24-26, it improved Milwaukee to 14-1 in its last 15 home games against New York.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Rookie RHP David Bednar, who grew up in Mars, Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh suburb, is staking a claim to become the Pirates’ closer of the future.
Through 59 games, Bednar had a 2.15 ERA and three saves. He also had 74 strikeouts and 17 walks in 58 2⁄3 innings after being acquired from the San Diego Padres in an offseason trade.
❚ The Pirates have used 36 pitchers this season, breaking the club record of 34, set in 2019.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals, who entered the week with a club-record 16game winning streak, got more good news when RHPs Jack Flaherty and Dakota Hudson came off the injured list Sept. 24. Both pitched in a victory over the Cubs at Chicago in the second game of a doubleheader.
Flaherty had been out since Aug. 25 because of a right shoulder strain. Hudson was making his season debut after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery last September.
❚ RHP Adam Wainwright became the second pitcher in Cardinals history to record 2,000 strikeouts, joining Hall of Famer Bob Gibson, on Sept. 22 when he fanned the Milwaukee Brewers’ Luis Urias.
NL WEST Arizona Diamondbacks
Manager Torey Lovullo was given an extension for 2022 with a club option for 2023 despite one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
Lovullo has been lauded for keeping the Diamondbacks engaged despite their struggles and for his knack of working with young players. The Diamondbacks won a combined eight games in May and June and set a major league mark for longest road losing streak (24).
❚ 1B Christian Walker’s home run Sept. 22 was his first at home since June 23.
Colorado Rockies
1B C.J. Cron neared his career high in home runs (30) and eclipsed the 25-homer mark for the third time.
Cron’s chances of returning are boosted by Colorado’s lack of proven depth at first base. The other options in the organization are rookie Colton Welker and prospect Michael Toglia.
❚ Hall of Famer Larry Walker’s No. 33 jersey was retired. He is the second Rockie to be so honored.
Los Angeles Dodgers
LHP Clayton Kershaw is back in the rotation and building arm strength for the playoffs after being idle for two months.
But in his first three starts since his return, Kershaw gave up six runs on 13 hits in 13 2⁄3 innings. His worst outing of the three was Sept. 25, when the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks got to him for four runs (three earned) in 4 1⁄3 innings.
❚ The Dodgers are trying to join the 1927 New York Yankees as the only teams to have the majors’ top three pitchers in winning percentage. RHPs Max Scherzer (15-4), Walker Buehler (14-4) and LHP Julio Urias (19-3) lead the LA rotation.
San Diego Padres
SS/RF Fernando Tatis Jr. and 3B Manny Machado put their recent dugout dustup behind them, but it was yet another byproduct of the Padres’ epic second-half fade that knocked them out of playoff contention.
Machado, who calls Tatis his “little brother,” has had his share of controversial moments. But this time Machado claimed he was just trying to prevent Tatis from pouting.
❚ Machado hit his 12th career grand slam Sept. 25, leaving him three behind the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Albert Pujols for the most by an active player.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants got bad news heading into the final week when they learned that 1B Brandon Belt’s left thumb was fractured by a pitch Sept. 26.
Belt was hitting .349 with nine homers and 18 RBI in September. In his absence and with 1B Darrin Ruf also out, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores were expected to platoon at first base.
❚ The Giants hit their singleseason, franchise-best 236th homer Sept. 25.