Takeaways from MLB Week 12
Breaking news: The Chicago Cubs have lost four straight for the first time this season.
Well, OK, maybe this isn't hard breaking news. But given the fanfare associated with this team, one would think it was infallible.
A losing streak of any kind on Chicago's North Side has shock value and makes anything in baseball seem possible.
Heck (spoiler alert), maybe MLB would even bring a team to Las Vegas.
What else looked possible, impossible or fell somewhere in between during MLB's Week 12?
Cubs Lose Four Straight for the First Time This Season
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The longer the Chicago Cubs continued to win, the more realistic it seemed they would never suffer the pitfall of an extended losing streak.
But on Thursday in Miami, the Cubs lost their fourth straight game—marking the team's longest losing streak of the season. The streak was sparked by a three-game sweep at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
During the four-game stretch, the Cubs scored just nine runs.
Granted, the team is without leadoff hitter and center fielder Dexter Fowler, who was placed on the disabled list Monday retroactive to June 19, according to a team press release. First baseman Anthony Rizzo missed Thursday’s game due to back stiffness, which has been a recurring issue, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
Both could have been the difference in Thursday's 4-2 loss. But the hallmark of this Cubs team is its depth. Manager Joe Maddon has had success putting almost any player anywhere on the field.
Struggles, though, happen to the best of teams over the course of a 162-game season. As improbable as it may have seemed during the first three months of the season, something like this was bound to happen.
But the best teams are those that quickly end such streaks. There may not be a team in baseball more equipped to do so than the Cubs, who still had baseball's best record as of Thursday's loss.
Commissioner Includes Las Vegas in Expansion Discussion
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What happens in Vegas may stay there, but MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's declaration about the city reverberated throughout the baseball world.
In an interview Tuesday on The Michael Kay Show, Manfred called Las Vegas "a viable alternative" for MLB expansion.
This came on the heels of the NHL announcing Thursday it would be expanding to the city, which has never had a professional franchise in one of the four major leagues.
The city currently has the Las Vegas 51s, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets. A recent MiLB accounting of the 2016 attendance numbers for Pacific Coast League teams had the 51s ranked 10th with an average of 5,048 fans.
A potential move to Las Vegas would appear counter to MLB's longstanding effort to distance itself from gambling.
But Manfred's comments Tuesday could mark a change in direction by MLB. Sports gambling is legal in most of Europe, with betting windows available at many stadiums.
Should the day come when the United States recognizes the potential revenue from sports gambling and legalizes it, it would give MLB all the more reason to bring a team to Las Vegas.
Stephen Strasburg Scratched from Scheduled Start Against Clayton Kershaw
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A pitching matchup that highlighted the past week's baseball slate quickly dissipated when Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg was scratched from his scheduled start against Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw on Monday due to an upper back strain, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com.
Ladson later wrote that Strasburg had a "light bullpen session" on Friday and is on track to make his next scheduled start Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Strasburg is currently enjoying the best season of his career, boasting a 2.90 ERA through 14 starts this season—justifying his selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft.
He had an ERA of 2.91 in 2010 but only started 12 games. The following season, he had an ERA of 1.50 in five September starts in a return from Tommy John surgery.
So health combined with success on the field makes 2016 the gem of Strasburg's career to date. He is a big reason the Nationals sit atop the National League East.
With a four-game lead heading into Friday, there is no need to rush Strasburg back. The team will need him healthy for the playoffs.
As for a potential Strasburg-Kershaw duel, the Nationals play the Dodgers at home July 19-21, though it's too early to tell when or if either pitcher will start over the three-game set.
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Noah Syndergaard MRI Reveals No Structural Damage
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Breathe, New York Mets fans.
After leaving Wednesday's game with discomfort in the back of his right elbow, Mets flame-throwing ace Noah Syndergaard will face the Washington Nationals on Monday—his next scheduled start—according to Adam Rubin of ESPN.com.
Syndergaard underwent an MRI that revealed no structural damage. The right-hander was prescribed anti-inflammatory medication.
"When I come to elbows, I really don't like to screw around with those," Syndergaard said, per Rubin. "If something is bothering you, I like to speak up and voice my opinion about it. It turned out to be nothing. I couldn't be more thankful for that."
Syndergaard's 2.08 ERA ranks sixth in baseball, and his 0.99 WHIP puts him in a four-way tie for fourth.
For a Mets team fighting to keep pace in what has become a three-way race in the NL East with the Nationals and Miami Marlins, a long-term injury to Syndergaard would have been devastating.
According to Rubin, Syndergaard postulated that workload could have caused the inflammation in his elbow. So expect the Mets to monitor his situation closely.
Rockies Request Waivers on Jose Reyes
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According to ESPN.com, the Colorado Rockies requested waivers on shortstop Jose Reyes on Thursday afternoon.
Reyes served a suspension earlier this season after being charged with domestic violence for an incident with his wife in October. Prosecutors dropped the charges.
While Reyes was serving his suspension, rookie Trevor Story emerged as a potential cornerstone player at shortstop. Through Thursday's games, Story was hitting .263/.325/.544 with 18 home runs and 48 RBI.
Having Reyes on the roster could potentially affect Story's development. Thursday's news means Story won't have to look over his shoulder and can continue to grow in his role as the team's everyday starter at short.
As for Reyes' future, a return to the New York Mets appeared most likely as of Friday morning. Mike Puma of the New York Post cited sources as saying the team is interested in Reyes' versatility.
Though shortstop has been his primary position, he can also play second and third base. Reyes played his first nine major league seasons with the Mets. In 2011, his final season with the club, Reyes hit .337/.384/.493.
Numbers remotely close to those could seriously help the Mets' push to October.
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