Listen, we know it’s tough to catch up on everything happening in the baseball world each morning. There are all kinds of stories, rumors, game coverage, and Vines of dudes getting hit in the beans every day. Trying to find all of it while on your way to work or sitting at your desk just isn’t easy. It’s okay, though, we’re going to do the heavy lifting for you each morning, and find the things you need to see from within the SB Nation baseball network as well as from elsewhere. Please hold your applause until the end, or at least until after you subscribe to the newsletter.
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The Astros can’t officially, mathematically lose either the AL West or the final Wild Card spot this weekend in their three-game set with the Rangers. However, if they play against Texas anything like they did the last time the two met, when the Rangers swept a four-game series that sent Houston toppling from atop the division, they can make sure their season is effectively over before all 162 are played. As of Friday morning, the Astros are 3.5 back of the Rangers, and just 1.5 games up on both the Angels and the Twins. If Texas wins this series, it might be the last one the Astros begin while in possession of a playoff spot.
Mike Trout is hitting again, which means the Angels are winning again. While dealing with a wrist injury in August, the superstar batted just .218/.352/.337, and the Angels posted a 10-19 record for the month. Trout has hit .288/.407/.658 in September, though, and Anaheim has gone 13-8 -- while that’s not a surge by any means, coupled with Houston’s 7-14 month, it’s been enough. Well, almost enough: the Angels are still down by 1.5 even after taking 2-of-3 from the Astros this week. While the Astros try to get the division back from Texas, Los Angeles will take on the Mariners.
The Twins get to face the last-place Tigers, and this might be their last, best chance to finally get ahead of Houston. The Twins actually haven’t been any good since May, with a record of 48-55 since June began, but their 30-19 start bought them a whole lot of space for losing en route to a Wild Card victory. If Houston wasn’t cratering, the Twins would be well out of this thing by now, but Houston is, and the Twins have done just enough to hang around. Whether they’ll do more than that remains to be seen, but a sweep of the Tigers paired with a terrible showing by the Astros could make for a fascinating final week of 2015 in the AL.
- Even if the Astros do drop the Wild Card, you can hold off on grading the Carlos Gomez and Yoenis Cespedes trades. Gomez has an entire year left with Houston, and 2015 isn't over yet, anyway.
- The Royals don't have to worry about losing a playoff spot until they're actually participating in the playoffs, as they are the first team to clinch their division. It's the first division title for Kansas City since 1985, when Bret Saberhagen was just 21 years old.
- The Mets have cut their magic number to three, so unless they lose every game until next weekend while the Nationals win all of them until that point, that final matchup of the year between the two will lack real meaning.
- Fair warning: you are going to be sad if you read this piece about the late Ernie Banks and his final years.
- Tigers players reacted to the dismissal of teammate Bruce Rondon.
- The Mets might change their platoon strategy in the playoffs, even though it's part of what got them to this point in the first place.
- The Blue Jays have been misusing Aaron Sanchez, and it shows.
- The Red Sox found their replacement for former general manager Ben Cherington, as his assistant GM, Mike Hazen, was promoted to GM under new President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski.
- Don Orsillo could end up in San Diego now that Dick Enberg is planning to retire from the broadcast booth. It's a bit shocking that Orsillo isn't shooting for a national gig, because he's more than talented enough for one. He must just enjoy the regional scene.
- Five Johnny Cueto shimmies in one pitch.
- The Yankees honored Yogi Berra before Thursday's game.
- Babies are apparently baseball magnets for dads.
- Clayton Kershaw was not pleased with his manager's quick hook, and thanks to the modern technology of cameras, we know this.
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