It's Hump Day, which means Matt Snyder's latest MLB power rankings have hit internet newsstands. Make sure you check those out.
Now here is our recap of the day in MLB, which includes a full 15-game slate.
Wednesday's scores
- Phillies 5, Mariners 4 (box score)
- Giants 5, Rockies 3 (box score)
- Pirates 6, Rays 2 (box score)
- Nationals 8, Cubs 4 (box score)
- Blue Jays 4, Orioles 0 (box score)
- Royals 8, Tigers 3 (box score)
- Reds 4, Brewers 3 (box score)
- Twins 4, Red Sox 1 (box score)
- Indians 5, Rangers 3 (box score)
- Mets 8, Marlins 0 (box score)
- Astros 11, Athletics 8 (box score)
- Yankees 12, White Sox 3 (box score)
- Cardinals 4, Diamondbacks 3 (box score)
- Angels 3, Dodgers 2 (box score)
- Padres 7, Braves 4 (box score)
Bryant leaves with ankle injury
Because all the Miguel Montero drama and losing a game weren't enough, the Cubs also lost reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant to injury Wednesday night. Bryant took an awkward step on third base after catching a pop-up.
Here's the play:
Just a weird, fluky injury. That's all. The Cubs later announced Bryant suffered a "mild to moderate right ankle sprain," and he is day-to-day for the time being. Obviously the Cubbies will be cautious with their franchise player (well, one of them).
Not a good day for the Cubs. Not at all. Distractions off the field and losses on the field.
Andujar sets Yankees rookie record
The Yankees have struggled big time of late -- they lost 11 of their last 14 games prior to Wednesday's win -- though it's clear they're going to be very dangerous in the future. Luis Severino is emerging as an ace, Aaron Judge is putting up Triple Crown numbers, Gary Sanchez is one of the best hitting catchers in baseball, and their farm system is robust.
With Matt Holliday hitting the disabled list Wednesday, the Yankees called up another one of their prized young prospects: third baseman Miguel Andujar. He started at DH on Wednesday night and set the franchise record with four RBI in his MLB debut.
Andujar went 3 for 4 with two singles, a double, and a walk against the White Sox on Wednesday night. Judge hit his MLB-leading 27th home run in the game and was only the second most productive Yankees rookie in this one.
Knebel ties reliever strikeout record
Brewers righty Corey Knebel might be the best closer no one talks about. He went into Wednesday's game with 12 saves and a 0.96 ERA in 37 2/3 innings. He struck out 65 in that stretch. Sixty-five! That's a 15.5 K/9.
Wednesday night, Knebel tied a reliever record by striking out at least one batter in his 39th consecutive appearance.
I would have guessed someone like Craig Kimbrel or Aroldis Chapman held the record, not Bruce Sutter 40 years ago. Yeah, Sutter is a Hall of Famer, but there are so many more strikeouts today than there were back then. I figured it would be a modern reliever.
Alas, Knebel did not get the save Wednesday. He allowed a run in a tie game and took the loss.
Smoak's big season continues
It took longer than everyone expected, but Blue Jays first basemen Justin Smoak is finally living up to his potential. He crushed another home run Wednesday night, setting a career high in the process. Here is Smoak's 21st homer of 2017:
Smoak's previous career was 20 homers with the Mariners in 2013. Following Wednesday's game, he's now hitting .301/.367/.590 on the season. Amazing.
Rockies drop eighth straight
Things just keep getting worse for the Rockies. Despite a play of the year candidate from Nolan Arenado, the Rockies lost their eighth straight game Wednesday afternoon, this one completing a sweep at the hands of the last-place Giants. Colorado has been outscored 66-23 in the eight losses.
According to FanGraphs, the Rockies have seen their postseason odds drop from 90.1 percent before the eight-game losing streak to 70.0 percent following Wednesday's loss. Those are still pretty good odds! But Colorado has gone from a near lock to play in October to now having to sweat a little bit.
It's not all bad news though. The Rockies will get staff ace Jon Gray back from the disabled list Friday.
Gray's been out with a broken foot since mid April. He suffered the injury jumping off the mound to field a high chopper. Gray will start Friday's series opener against the Diamondbacks, one of the teams the Rockies are chasing in the NL West.
Another leadoff Springer dinger
For the ninth time this season, George Springer started a game with a home run for the Astros. He hit yet another leadoff home run Wednesday night. To the action footage:
Springer is closing in on the all-time single-season leadoff home run record which, believe it or not, is not held by Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson. Here's the list:
- Alfonso Soriano, 2002 Yankees: 13
- Alfonso Soriano, 2007 Cubs: 12
- Brady Anderson, 1996 Orioles: 12
- Bobby Bonds, 1973 Giants: 11
- Jacque Jones, 2002 Twins: 11
- Charlie Blackmon, 2016 Rockies: 10
Those are the only six players in history -- well, five players and six instances -- to hit double-digit leadoff home runs in a season. One more and Springer will join the list. He has roughly half-a-season to hit four more leadoff homers to tie Soriano's record. That seems very doable.
Hwang hits first MLB home run
Welcome to the big leagues, Jae-Gyun Hwang. The Korean slugger made his debut with the Giants on Wednesday, and his first MLB hit was a go-ahead solo home run. Check it out:
Unfortunately, Hwang did not uncork a monster bat flip. He was the bat flip king back home in Korea. Hwang said he's going to turn it down a notch since bat flips are frowned upon in MLB. Lame!
Diaz's struggles continue
It was around this time last year that the Mariners called up hard-throwing righty Edwin Diaz, who dominated in relief and quickly took over as the team's closer. He saved 18 games and struck out 88 batters in 51 2/3 innings. Goodness.
Things have not come as easily for Diaz this season. Wednesday afternoon he served up a game-tying home run to Tommy Joseph in the ninth inning, then was saddled with the loss after the Phillies took the lead later in the frame. Here's video of Joseph's game-tying dinger.
Diaz has now allowed a home run in three straight appearances and eight home runs in 31 innings on the season overall. He allowed five homers all of last season.
Wednesday's loss was the fourth straight for the Mariners, who are 39-41 on the season overall. Winning the AL West isn't happening. The Astros are too good.
Seattle is one of about nine AL teams within three games of a wild card spot, however. They're not out of it. Hardly. They will need Diaz to right the ship and soon to make a run, however.
Quick hits
- The Tigers could reportedly shop longtime ace RHP Justin Verlander prior to the trade deadline. Detroit is slipping out of the postseason race and Verlander would be one of their top trade chips. He is 5-4 with a 4.47 ERA in 2017.
- The Yankee placed DH Matt Holliday on the 10-day DL with a viral infection. He's been fighting the illness for several days now and they're still trying to figure out exactly what it is. Holliday is hitting .262/.366/.511 with 15 home runs this season.
- Mariners LHP Drew Smyly will undergo Tommy John surgery. Smyly pitched for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic this spring, though he did not pitch at all during the MLB regular season due to ongoing arm issues.
- The Cubs designated Miguel Montero for assignment after he blamed Jake Arrieta for a series of stolen bases Tuesday night. Anthony Rizzo stood up for Arrieta. Montero fired off some tweets following the roster move. Here's our Kangaroo Court ruling.
- The Giants placed closer RHP Mark Melancon on the 10-day DL with a pronator issue, the team announced. The injury sidelined Melancon earlier this season as well. RHP Dan Slania was called up to fill the roster spot.
- Nationals closer RHP Koda Glover has "severe" inflammation and two separate strains in his shoulder, reports MASN Sports. Glover has been on the disabled list since trying to pitch through a back injury three weeks ago.
- Athletics RHP Kendall Graveman (shoulder) and RHP Ryan Dull (knee) will both throw bullpen sessions this weekend, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Both could be activated off the disabled list shortly after the All-Star break.
- The Blue Jays signed OF Michael Saunders to a minor-league contract, the team announced. Saunders was released by the Phillies last week after hitting .205/.257/.360 with six home runs. The Phillies still owe him his $8 million salary.