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As MLBs stretch run gets under way, here are three things well be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout Jake Cave Jersey the day today: 1. Steele scratched from scheduled start: Cubs manager told reporters (including ) last night that ace southpaw had been scratched from his scheduled start today due to elbow sorene s. No information is currently available regarding the severity of the i sue or how much time the lefty is expected to mi s. Rogers indicated that the club expects to know more about Steeles situation today, while Steeles teammate told reporters (including Rogers) after yesterdays game that From everything [he] heard, were hoping its just a quick thing. Regardle s of if Steele only mi ses a start or two or is ticketed for a much longer absence, the news is a devastating blow to the Cubs as they struggle to remain relevant in the playoff picture. They currently sit 3.5 games back with just 3.7% odds at the playoffs per , and the lo s of their ace could snuff out any remote hopes the club has of putting together a September surge. Steele mi sed time with a hamstring injury earlier this year, but in 22 starts, the 29-year-old has posted a 3.09 ERA with a 3.14 FIP in 128 innings. Those results are right in line with what Steele has done for three years running now, and his 3.10 ERA since the start of the 2022 season is fourth-lowest among pitchers with at least 400 innings, bested only by , , and . 2. Cole exits start due to cramping: Steele wasnt the only ace to have an injury scare yesterday, as Yankees right-hander exited his start last night with what the club termed (as noted by ) a right calf cramp. The right-hander, who will celebrate his 34th birthday later this week, is set to be evaluated further today but told reporters (including ) that he isnt super concerned about the i sue. Cole likened the i sue to one he previously encountered against the Dodgers last season, when he avoided the injured list and simply made his next start on an extra day of rest before returning to his routine without further i sues. After mi sing almost the entire first half with injury, Cole returned in June but hasnt looked quite like himself over his 69 innings of work this year. His 4.12 FIP is the worst figure of his career, and his 3.65 ERA is the highest its been since the 2017 season during his time with the Pirates. Still, even that diminished level of production is quite valuable, particularly for a Yankees club that has seen its other starters put up a lackluster 4.65 ERA since the start of July. 3. MLBTR Chat Today: With the calendar now flipped to September, all eyes are on the push to the postseason, where the Mets, Cubs, Red Sox, and Mariners lurk on the periphery of the playoff bubble. Much of the intrigue is focused on the race to the top two seeds in each league, which earn byes through the playoffs and have little certainty headed into the seasons final month. If youre wondering about your teams hopes of a World Series championship this fall or how your club could approach the coming offseason, MLBTRs Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete. Seth Halvorsen Jersey |
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