As Major League Baseball heads into the final week, league officials are focused in on keeping teams healthy and free of COVDID-19 cases. An MLB team getting shut down due to COVID cases at this point in the season could be detrimental to the playoffs. Let’s dive into some of the news from around the league this week!
Top News This Week
- The Colorado Rockies are continuing their downward spiral, and it doesn’t appear to be stopping. Today, the team announced that they were placing Nolan Arenado on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. That move will shut down Arenado for the rest of the season, without the team expected to make it to the playoffs.
- Speaking of the Rockies, they have also continued to let their bullpen spiral as well. After letting Jake McGee walk to a division rival and thrive, Wade Davis has now been released by the team. Davis was designated for assignment by the team on Saturday. The Rockies signed Davis to a three-year, $52MM contract before the 2018 season. Since then, he has put together a 6.49 earned run average and been one of the least effective relievers in the league.
- The Milwaukee Brewers got a little bit of a scare this week when they had three people test positive for COVID-19 at their alternate location. Two players and one staff member tested positive, though the Brewers major-league club is not expected to be impacted at all. It is the team’s first positive of the season.
- The Orioles have decided that Chris Davis will NOT be activated off of the injured list for the remainder of the season. Davis was sent to the 10-day injured list. Left knee patellar tendinitis a week ago. He will end the 2020 season with yet another very disappointing stat line. Davis still has two years left on his massive $161 million contract.
- The Giants’ Alex Dickerson tested positive for COVID-19 prior to a game against the Padres last week. That positive test shut down the game for the day, and the two teams had to make it up with a double-header. As it turns out, the test ended up being a false positive.
- The Toronto Blue Jays announced that Ken Giles will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery that will also likely shut him down for all of 2021. Giles is set to become a free agent this offseason, though a team could still potentially pick him up on a two-year deal in hopes that he will bounce back after surgery.
Social News
On this day 23 years ago, Mike Piazza hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium that we’re pretty sure still has not landed quite yet.
23 years ago, @mikepiazza31 hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium. 😱 pic.twitter.com/mEZGVCnqFH
— MLB Vault (@MLBVault) September 21, 2020
The Angels’ Jared Walsh has been on an absolute tear as of late. The first baseman has 8 homeruns though just 27 games in the 2020 season.
Jared Walsh has been on an absolute tear.
(MLB x @HankookTireUSA) pic.twitter.com/2ia2QH8XJD
— MLB (@MLB) September 21, 2020
And finally, as we get down to the last games of the season, here is how the playoff picture is shaping out. Take a look at the National League, should be a good one down to the wire.
It’s crunch time.
This week is gonna be fun. #SeptemberBaseball
(MLB x @HankookTireUSA) pic.twitter.com/EIOCAL8kpC
— MLB (@MLB) September 21, 2020
All of that news and more, this week in MLB! Check back weekly with GMS Sports for the most up-to-date information on your favorite sports.