Big day today in the Major League Baseball postseason. Wednesday is the last time four playoff games are scheduled for the same day.
Four games on the docket means four opportunities for heartbreak.
With that, let’s take a look at the biggest disappointments so far in the MLB playoffs.
Be seated
The New York Yankees lineup performed quite well in the AL Wild Card Series against a tough Boston Red Sox pitching staff despite not having Aaron Judge available because of a calf injury.
But with the exceptions of Ben Rice and Austin Wells, the Tampa Bay Rays pitching staff has made easy work of Yankees hitters in the ALDS. Rice and Wells have combined to go 4-for-6, but the rest of the Yankees are a combined 1-for-52 in the ALDS. ONE-FOR-FIFTY-TWO! The hit was a 90.3 mph single from Cody Bellinger in Game 2.
It’s up to you, New Yorkers, if you want the series to extend beyond Tropicana Field.
Wispy with RISP
When watching the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NLDS, brace yourself for disappointment if anyone gets on base. The batters for both teams have combined to go 1-for-29 with runners in scoring position in the first three games of the series.
Mauricio Dubon knocked in the first run of Game 2 with an RBI infield single in the top of the 1st inning. It came off the bat with an exit velocity of 83.7 mph, yet it made a big difference in the Braves 3-2 victory.
And it’s not like Shohei Ohtani is hitting the ball hard into bad luck. He’s got an expected batting average of .205 to go with a .258 expected slugging. The Dodgers said before the postseason they liked how Ohtani was swinging the bat despite having few opportunities in September to ramp up because of injurers. It could have been manager Dave Roberts just trying to make everyone feel better.
Jose can you see, or not?
Cleveland Guardians slugger Jose Ramirez is 0-for-6 with three strikeouts heading into Game 3 of the ALDS against the White Sox. Sample sizes don’t get much smaller than that, but this isn’t the first time he’s been handled come playoff time: Ramirez is a .225/.313/.353 hitter in 198 career postseason plate appearances.
Something’s brewing: Something stinky
Even when you get a leg up in the postseason, it can seem like you’re treading water. The Milwaukee Brewers will take the Padres to the brink again tonight, yet their offense has yet to perform well in the NLDS. Milwaukee has put 38 runners on base by hit, walk, hit-by-pitch and error through three games, but they’ve scored only 10 runs and left 27 on base.
At least the players mentioned so far still have opportunities for redemption.
These disappointments will have to wait for next year.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs: Went 0-for-7 with four strikeouts against the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card Series, and is 5-for-34 with 16 strikeouts and zero extra-base hits in his postseason career.
The Cubs led the majors in runs scored during the regular season, but their lineup was neutralized by Padres pitchers. Cubs batters went a collective 8-for-62 (hitting seven singles) with 19 strikeouts and one run scored in two games.
Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies: In 13 plate appearances against the Braves, he hit .091 with an expected batting average of .162 and expected slugging of .223.
The Phillies making major changes this offseason has already been discussed, and doing something about the top of the lineup should be at the top of the list.
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