# MLB: September 2023 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [September 3, 2023, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543 "2023-09-03T10:51:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/21 "2023-09-14T02:24:06Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Texas Rangers just spanked the Blue Jays. This would have been a nice series for the Jays to win or at least split. They’re stumbling at the worst time. After this series, the Jays have only AL East teams left on the schedule as we head into the playoffs The Blue Jays lack coaching and leadership. No accountability, no hitting coaches. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/22 "2023-09-14T02:24:48Z")
The Cubs called up their top prospect, outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, earlier this week. He made his first MLB start yesterday, and made a couple of nice catches in the outfield. His parents, Matthew John Armstrong and Ashley Crow, are both actors, and were both in the cast of the TV show _Heroes_. 29 years ago, his mother starred in the movie _Little Big League_, in which she played the mother of a 12-year-old boy who suddenly becomes the owner of the Minnesota Twins. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/23 "2023-09-14T14:59:43Z")
Jackson Rutledge, pitcher for the Nats, made his MLB debut last night. It will forever be remembered, but not necessarily for his pitching performance. > ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/24 "2023-09-14T21:38:47Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > His parents, Matthew John Armstrong and Ashley Crow, are both actors, and were both in the cast of the TV show _Heroes_. 29 years ago, his mother starred in the movie _Little Big League_, in which she played the mother of a 12-year-old boy who suddenly becomes the owner of the Minnesota Twins. So could Pete Crow-Armstrong make _A Little Big League of Their Own_ ? I’ll show myself out. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/25 "2023-09-16T14:03:33Z")
Looks like Ohtani is done for the season even if the Angels won’t announce it. > **[Shohei Ohtani's locker all but cleared out; Angels offer no explanation](https://sports.yahoo.com/shohei-ohtanis-locker-cleared-angels-052118462.html)** > > Most of Angels star Shohei Ohtani's personal belongings were missing from his team locker after he sat out an 11th consecutive game because of injury. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/26 "2023-09-16T15:31:56Z")
Saying nothing but telling us everything. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/27 "2023-09-16T17:58:24Z")
And it’s official: on the IL for the rest of the season. > **[Ohtani out for rest of '23 with oblique injury](https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-will-miss-remainder-of-2023-season?partnerID=mlbapp-iOS_article-share)** > > Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique injury on Saturday. He will miss the remainder of the regular season. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/28 "2023-09-17T00:42:28Z")
With some luck, he will never play for the Angels again. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/29 "2023-09-17T06:02:13Z")
The Cubs seem to be willing to give up their Wild Card spot, with Arizona winning 4 of their (so far) 5 games against each other. Bad time for Candelario to go on the IL. The bullpen is tired, the starters are fading some. Hopefully the return of Stroman will be a shot in the arm. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/30 "2023-09-17T12:44:06Z")
And the Dodgers clinch the NL West again. Not a surprise, since the Padres laid an egg all season. I’m still hoping for someone other than the Dodgers or Braves to win the National League. > **['We're all on the same page': Dodgers do it again, clinch NL West title](https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-clinch-2023-nl-west-title?partnerID=mlbapp-iOS_article-share)** > > SEATTLE – The scenes of joy and streams of champagne washed through the visitors' clubhouse at T-Mobile Park on Saturday night as the Dodgers celebrated a National League West title. > They had beaten the Mariners, 6-2, in 11 innings to seal the... ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/31 "2023-09-17T15:14:07Z")
After the four game disaster against Texas, Toronto is back in a wild card spot; while they beat Boston twice, the three teams they can catch ALL lost twice. There are three teams in the AL West vying for the division title or a wild card and all of them over the last month or two have looked like they were destined for a division title but also at another point looked like they had forgotten how to play baseball. Fangraphs has the Jays as having roughly two chances in three of making the playoffs. While I assume they have their reasons, I don’t think it can be that high, can it? I would assume that number starts with the fact that there are two Wild Cards to be had (one is certain to be Baltimore or Tampa Bay so there are only two up for grabs) and Toronto will be one of three teams up for those two spots, since one of the other competitors gets in with the AL West division title. So, okay, they have to be one of the two teams out of three that make it, and those teams are all very close to tied. Makes sense. However, Toronto 1. Isn’t as good as those teams. They just aren’t. They have the worst run differential by a fairly meaningful margin, only win very close games, and have been surviving on the most astounding pitching that can’t sustain itself, and 2. They have a tough remaining schedule; after today, all their games are against Tampa Bay, an excellent team with a high motivation to win, and New York, a decent team the Jays have played very, very badly against, and then 3. Toronto does not have the tiebreaker against either Seattle or Texas. Toronto’s remaining opponents have a combined .535 winning percentage - by far the highest remaining strength of schedule of any AL team. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/32 "2023-09-17T15:14:44Z")
Orioles beat Tampa 8-0 giving them a 7-5 season series lead with one game between them remaining, giving them the tiebreaker which could very much come into play. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/33 "2023-09-17T16:07:43Z")
Somehow the Royals have managed two victories over Houston, thus opening the door for either Texas or Seattle. But the Rangers have also lost their last two games (to Cleveland), while Seattle dropped two games to the Dodgers. With two weeks to go, Houston leads Texas by half a game, and Seattle by a game and a half. As @RickJay just mentioned, two of these three teams will be in the playoffs, and possibly all three. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/34 "2023-09-17T17:05:15Z")
Incientally, Fangraph’s playoff odds for the remaining AL contenders: Orioles, Rays, Twins: all in. Well, the Twins are 99.9 percent. Astros - 93.1 Rangers- 77.8 Blue Jays - 65.8 Mariners - 62.4 This adds up to 74.8 percent per team so that makes sense as they have 3 playoff spots to win and you have to account for the fact a few other teams are not technically eliminated yet, even if their chances are tiny. I am not entirely sure why the Mariners get the shortest end of the stick. They ARE currently on the outside, but by half a game behind a team they hold the tiebreaker with. Incidentally, the idea of a team missing the playoffs because of a tiebreaker formula makes me sick. This is baseball, not some horseshit league like the NHL or NFL. Ties for in/out of the playoffs should be decided by playing a baseball game. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/35 "2023-09-17T18:44:25Z")
Rangers and Mariners play each other in 7 of the last 10 games; the last four of the season are in Seattle. ---
**Author:** ![ThatCanadianGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@ThatCanadianGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatCanadianGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/36 "2023-09-17T22:08:46Z")
Well, the Jays won again today in dramatic fashion. I think the chances of them making the playoffs hinges more on the fact that the Rangers and Mariners play each other seven times. One of them will go 4-3 at least. In that time, the Jays could go 3-4 and losing just one game against one of them. So they only need to be have more wins against the loser and right now, after sweeping the Red Sox, they have a full game lead on Seattle and half a game on Texas. The Mariners as I write this are behind 5-1 in the 7th against the Dodgers. If one team goes 5-2 or 6-1 against the other, that pretty much assures Toronto of the third wild card. They still have to win of course but it seems the algorithm thinks they can get enough wins these last two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/37 "2023-09-17T23:53:36Z")
Base on their run differential, the Padres (72-78) have an Expected W/L record of 84-66. They are 6-22 in one-run games and 0-11 in extra innings. Someone out there really pissed off the Baseball Gods. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/38 "2023-09-18T02:29:18Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Someone out there really pissed off the Baseball Gods. Can you spell S-O-T-O ? ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/39 "2023-09-18T10:02:52Z")
Cubs on a 5 game losing streak and got swept by Arizona this weekend. The Division is now essentially lost and they’re back to a tie with the Marlins for the 2nd/3rd place wildcard, but with the Reds and Diamondbacks just a half-game back. Remaining series - Pirates, then Rockies at home, followed by the Braves then Brewers on the road to close out the season. I remain slightly hopeful especially since the Braves have already clinched and the Brewers likely will have clinched by the time we play them. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543/40 "2023-09-18T10:47:05Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > Can you spell S-O-T-O ? That’s what he gets for forcing his way out of Washington. He was my favorite player, but I have no sympathy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-september-2023/989543.md?page=3)