The Boston Red Sox have clinched a playoff berth on the regular season’s final day and will host the New York Yankees in the AL wild-card game after coming back to beat the Washington Nationals 7-5 on a tiebreaking two-run homer by Rafael Devers in the ninth inning.
Max Scherzer struck out nine in six scoreless innings to move up to No. 21 on the career Ks leaderboard, and Alex Avila drove in the game’s lone run with one of his two doubles, helping the Washington Nationals edge the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0.
Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval drove a two-run homer to the deepest part of the ballpark off a Washington reliever who took over after Stephen Strasburg’s six scoreless innings to lift the Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Nationals and a doubleheader sweep.
I look forward to getting back to work in the next several days.”LESTER SURGERYWashington Nationals left-hander Jon Lester is leaving spring training camp to have surgery for the removal of his thyroid gland. He underwent chemotherapy treatments and returned to the Red Sox at spring training before the following season. Soto’s spring training start was delayed because he fouled a ball off his right foot in live batting practice Sunday. Martinez had two hits for a second straight game, driving in his first two runs of spring training. Jarred Kelenic, Seattle’s top prospect, hit a two-run homer and Taylor Trammell hit a solo homer.
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper, left, celebrates his home run with third base coach Dusty Wathan during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Washington. With Harper leading the way, and homers from Andrew McCutchen, Didi Gregorius and Andrew Knapp, too, the Phillies beat the Nationals 12-3 Wednesday night. “We’re at the part of the season where I need to be on the field," Harper said. TRAINER’S ROOMPhillies: 1B Rhys Hoskins (left elbow) is unlikely to be activated off the injured list before the regular season ends, Girardi said. UP NEXTPhillies: Off on Thursday, then finish the regular season with a three-game series at Tampa Bay that opens Friday.
Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer (1.80) is third and starts at home against the Brewers in a matchup of NL playoff contenders. Atlanta won its third straight NL East title with an 11-1 romp over the contending Marlins. After losses in 10 straight postseason appearances, the Braves are desperate to end the drought. There’s so much to be proud of from my point of view.”STUMBLINGThe Phillies have lost in four, dropping them out of NL playoff position. After getting in a doubleheader in Washington, they’ll try to regain their winning touch when Zach Eflin (3-2, 4.28 ERA) starts against Erick Fedde (2-3, 4.36) at Nationals Park.
Strasburg threw only 16 pitches before leaving with hand issue in the first inning of Washington's 15-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Martinez said Strasburg was feeling numbness in his thumb and that the sensation originated in the wrist. The Nationals withstood the injury to Strasburg after rebounding from a defeat that took five days to decide and weathering a lengthy rain delay. His first outing came against the Orioles in a game that was suspended Sunday at Nationals Park and completed Friday at Camden Yards with Baltimore winning 6-2. Orioles: Asher Wojciechowski (0-1, 3.95) makes his sixth career appearance against the Nationals, still looking for his first win against them.
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. Porcello (1-1) went seven innings, allowing one run and five hits and retiring the last 10 batters he faced. Scherzer threw 99 pitches on opening day against the Yankees, then an MLB season-high 112 in his next start. WHAT A STEALIn his Mets debut, CF Billy Hamilton stole his first base of 2020 and 300th of his career. Nationals: After Thursday's fifth day off in a week, they start a three-game series Friday against visiting Baltimore.
WASHINGTON Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer left his start for the Nationals against the New York Mets after just one inning Wednesday night. Washington did not immediately announce why Scherzer was taken out of the game after merely 27 pitches. Scherzer was not as sharp as usual at the outset Wednesday, going 2-0 counts against each of New York's initial two batters, walking one and giving up a single to the other. The Mets eventually went ahead in the first on Dominic Smith's sacrifice fly. Scherzer entered the game with an 0-1 record and 2.84 ERA this season.
The Blue Jays are the home team in the game. They love to win and they love to celebrate.Toronto batted in the bottom of each inning, wore its white uniforms, played its walk-up music and blared OK Blue Jays, the club's traditional seventh-inning stretch staple. The Blue Jays will be using a minor league ballpark Buffalo, but thats still being upgraded to host major league games. Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette (left hamstring) and OF Randal Grichuk (back tightness) sat out again. UP NEXTWith Stephen Strasburg out, RHP Erick Fedde (0-0, 2.25) will fill in again Thursday, facing Blue Jays LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-0, 5.79).
Washington Nationals' Victor Robles celebrates his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees at Nationals Park, Saturday, July 25, 2020, in Washington. Filling in for Strasburg, Erick Fedde allowed a pair of runs in four innings, including Giancarlo Stantons second homer in two games. With Max Scherzer and other Nationals starting pitchers although not Strasburg sitting somewhat spread out about 10 rows behind home plate, Fedde was followed by four relievers, who gave up three hits across five scoreless innings. The biggest was Robles two-run double. Robles added a two-run homer in the fourth, then singled in the sixth.
WASHINGTON World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg was scratched from what was supposed to be his first start of the season for the Washington Nationals on Saturday night because of a nerve issue with his right hand. Nationals manager Dave Martinez announced about four hours before the scheduled first pitch against the visiting New York Yankees that Strasburg would be replaced as his team's starter by Erick Fedde. We want to be cautious.He said Strasburg felt something was wrong with his hand during an exhibition game last week against the Baltimore Orioles. In 2019, Strasburg became the first pitcher to finish a postseason with a 5-0 record, helping the Nationals with the franchise's first championship. He then opted out of what was left on his contract and re-signed with Washington for $245 million over seven years.
