Alejandro Kirk lifts two-run homer

It was nice for Jax to quell the concerns after his rough return from the injured list last week with a strong start here, but he still wasn’t completely back to form. His command was off in general and he hung far too many breaking balls, the Braves just didn’t do much with those mistakes. His velocity was also still down about a tick compared to his season averages and he only forced four total swings-and-misses. Back to those breaking balls, the Braves found it easy to spit on practically every one that Jax threw out of the zone and he’ll need to get more whiffs on them if he wants to truly return to form. He’s scheduled to face the Athletics at home next time out.

Recently back off the injured list, Mesa Jr. continues to hit. This home run was his 11th on the season in just 189 at-bats. He was also docked for a caught stealing in this game, but that was on an odd play where he tried to scamper home after a pick-off throw to first and was thrown out. Regardless, he’s a strong deep league option to close the season in an everyday role for the Rays hitting near the middle of their order.

Baldwin turned on a sinker low and in from Griffin Jax for a 419 foot moonshot in the fourth inning. Otherwise, the Braves struggled to get anything going against Jax or the Rays’ bullpen. Nevertheless, that was Baldwin’s 23rd home run of the season to go along with 71 RBI, a .271 batting average, and .805 OPS as one of the most productive catchers in the game.

Back after a six week layoff with a knee injury, López was hit hard by the Rays. They rallied for two separate three-run innings where López struggled to end the threats. In the second, Liam Hicks hit a solo home run with one out before allowing a single then brutal two-out walk followed by a double-steal and flare from Jorge Mateo that plated two runs that should never have scored. After that, he let the first batters he faced in the fourth reach base and three wound up scoring. He leaned more so on his slider than usual as he often fell behind in the count and was chasing whiffs, but it didn’t help much. Next up is a matchup with the Cubs in Wrigley Field.

Schwarber turned this game on its head with his grand slam. In what was meant to be a pitcher’s duel between Hunter Brown and Cristopher Sánchez, the Phillies trailed 6-4 after four innings. Then they rallied off reliever Bryan King before he was pulled and AJ Blubaugh walked in a run before Schwarber golfed a sweeper off the facing of the second deck in right field to give the Phillies a five-run lead. It looked more like a beer league softball swing where Schwarber followed through with just one hand, but his power is truly effortless. His 44 home runs lead baseball as he looks to close the season on a hot streak. Also, it was Schwarber’s fifth start at first base over the last 29 games, giving him eligibility at that spot in certain leagues.

The Astros really got around on Sánchez here. In total, he allowed nine hard-hit balls, three doubles, and two home runs – both of which traveled at least 400 feet. Most of that damage came against his sinker which he left over the middle of the plate far more often than usual and he paid for those mistakes. It was the fifth time this where Sánchez has given up at least 10 hits in a single outing and his six earned runs are the most he’s allowed at home in two years. He’s lined up for a two-start week coming up against the Nationals and Mets with both starts coming on the road.

Paredes punished a 3-0 slider from Cristopher Sánchez that was at his letters for a two-run shot during the Astros’ four-run third inning. He chipped in an RBI single in the seventh as well and now has 19 home runs, 82 RBI, a .260 batting average, and .787 OPS in what’s been another strong season.

This was a frustrating start by Brown. As far as the first three earned runs he gave up, they all came in the third inning and it was a lot of timely hitting and well-placed knocks by the Phillies with an error mixed in by right fielder Cam Smith. Then, Trea Turner took him deep in the fifth. That was his last frame and reliever Bryan King immediately blew the game in the sixth after Brown left with a lead. Regardless, he struggled to command his breaking balls consistently as has been a trend lately. Turner’s home run came on a hanging slider as did an RBI single from Luis Arraez. That’s been a huge hindrance in Brown trying to find his groove over the last month and will likely keep less reliable than we’d hope start-by-start to close the season. Next up, he’s scheduled for a two-start week against the Royals and Braves with both coming at home.

Warren was on point here in his return to the rotation after a brief hiatus as a reliever last weekend. His eight strikeouts were his most in a single start since June 20th and he forced 12 total swings-and-misses with all six of his pitches accounting for at least one. A key development for Warren, his changeup was a weapon against the Rockies left-handed batters. He spiked a few, but commanded most well off the low and outside corner as his key put-away pitch against them. Finding more consistency with that pitch has held him back as a starter, so this is an encouraging development late in the season. He’s scheduled for a two-start week coming up against the Twins and Diamondbacks both on the road unless the Yankees alter his role again.

Lombard delivered the big blow in this game with a grand slam off Rockies’ starter Tomoyuki Sugano in the third inning. Apart from being the first grand slam of Lombard’s young career, it was the Yankees’ first grand slam this season. It was his third total home run, but his first since his fourth game as his bat has gone cold lately. Hopefully this can help to get him going before the playoffs.