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00:00Home stretch of this Major League Baseball season live right here on this Thursday on
00:09the early line on SportsGrid.
00:11Donny Rightside is here, I am here, and our MLB insider and a host of Newswire, Craig
00:17Misch is here as well.
00:20Craig, always glad to have you here on this Thursday.
00:22Listen, you're our local correspondent who on Tuesday did mention the weather this week
00:27in South Florida, expected to be gnarly.
00:30We'll get to everything around MLB in just a moment.
00:33But down there in the Miami area today, what's the weather looking like ahead of Thursday
00:37night football?
00:38Oh, it's bad.
00:40It's bad.
00:41And you know, that stadium, Hard Rock Stadium, has an opening in the middle.
00:44I know they made it more fan-friendly to cover the fans, but not the players.
00:50But I would say that that field, generally speaking, is A-plus in terms of turf over
00:54the course of the year at Hard Rock Stadium.
00:57So rain is not going to necessarily affect the turf, but it could affect the play.
01:01It is supposed to rain tonight, at least for the early part of the game.
01:04So, you know, maybe first take a look at some first halves, I would say.
01:09And also, it could affect games in college football this weekend, it's been raining a
01:12lot here.
01:13You know, FIU plays FAU this weekend in the Shula Bowl, and so that's something to keep
01:18an eye on as well.
01:20We will keep an eye on all of it, Craig Misch.
01:22We appreciate you, not only for your MLB expertise, but your weather as well.
01:29But of course, we must talk a little bit of Major League Baseball.
01:32Here down the homestretch, with just about two and a half weeks remaining.
01:35Do not run, walk around all of the daily bases.
01:42Craig!
01:45Although when it comes to running around the base path this year, Shohei Otani has been
01:51sensational.
01:52Last night, Craig, for the Dodgers, avoiding the sweep against the Cubs, Otani had a couple
01:56of RBIs, a solo home run, and a stolen base.
02:0047 homers, 48 stolen bases.
02:04He is three home runs and two stolen bags away from making an exclusive club around
02:09MLB, becoming the first player ever in the history of the sport to have 50 homers and
02:1550 stolen bases in the same season.
02:17The Dodgers have 16 games remaining.
02:20Will Shohei Otani start the 50-50 club in MLB?
02:23Oh, yeah!
02:24I mean, it's not a matter of if he's going to do it, it's when.
02:28And Ben, wouldn't you know where the Dodgers are next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday?
02:35They're right here, in my backyard.
02:38So I think I'm going to that.
02:41I don't think I'm going to...
02:42I mean, I think I've got to catch that in action.
02:45So, I mean, if we're looking...
02:47Yes, I'll be...
02:48Donnie.
02:49So, yeah.
02:50So, it's a little Havana, Donnie.
02:52It's a little Havana, okay?
02:55So back to your hoagies.
02:58It's a little Havana.
02:59There's only one road down there, Craig.
03:01It's A1A.
03:02It's A1A in South Beach.
03:03It's A1A, right?
03:04In South Florida.
03:05You know what?
03:06It's funny that you mentioned that.
03:07Do you know where that all started, the idea of South Beach and everything else?
03:10I mean, it may be too young for you, Ben, but Donnie, you would know, I think.
03:13Do you know where it all started?
03:16I know.
03:17Did it start with Vanilla Ice?
03:18Vanilla Ice?
03:19Like, where did it start down there?
03:20When was it?
03:21Vanilla Ice.
03:22Way before that.
03:23Way before that.
03:24The idea of showing those South Beach and those shots of the video, it all started with
03:27Miami Vice.
03:28That's where it started.
03:29Ah.
03:30Miami Vice in the 80s.
03:31That's where it started.
03:32Vanilla Ice?
03:33Miami Vice?
03:34Close.
03:35It should have ended.
03:36It should have ended there, too, honestly.
03:37But anyway, so Ohtani, he's two steals away from 50.
03:40I think he'll probably get that before he comes to Miami next week.
03:43But my guess is, Ben, I think he'll probably be sitting on 49 home runs heading here to
03:47South Florida.
03:48I think I'm going to witness history.
03:49Heck yeah.
03:50It is.
03:51I mean, a 50-50 season is absolutely incredible, and Shohei Ohtani, again, next year is going
03:55to add to the mound.
03:56Is the next 10 MVPs going to be Shohei Ohtani in the National League?
04:01We're certainly going to find out.
04:02But also, you take a look at the Atlanta Braves, trying to fight for their playoff lives right
04:06now.
04:07The hits just keep on coming.
04:08You're Ronaldo Lopez to the IL.
04:09It was an elbow before, now it's shoulder.
04:12You're going on the IL mid-September.
04:14This is devastating news.
04:15But also, Craig, is there a chance he comes back?
04:17Or is this basically shutting him down the rest of the way?
04:21It doesn't seem optimistic to me at this point, when you have a shoulder injury to a pitcher
04:25that's forced to go to the injured list.
04:27Because again, if you think about it, he's going to be gone for almost two weeks.
04:31Then there's a build back up.
04:32I mean, if the Braves, Donnie, were to get deep into the postseason, could he come back
04:37as a relief pitcher or something along those lines?
04:39Yeah, I mean, I guess that's possible.
04:41But I got to tell you that the Braves, whatever, I know Braves fans are upset they're not hitting,
04:47and that's another story.
04:48But if there's ever a season to give a mulligan to a team, it is the Atlanta Braves this year.
04:54I don't know any other team where you can lose the best hitter in the league, the best
04:58pitcher in the league, and then have all these other issues to injuries and everybody else.
05:01And we're talking about Acuna and Strider.
05:03The fact that the Braves are still even in this thing is remarkable.
05:06Snickers should get manager of the year votes.
05:08I know that the fans are upset.
05:10They have not hit.
05:11Riley has not hit the way they thought.
05:12Olsen has not hit the way they thought.
05:14Harris has not hit the way they thought.
05:15I can keep going.
05:16I got to give them a mulligan for the year.
05:19When you look at Reynaldo Lopez, even when he was healthy, he didn't go deep into games.
05:23He would flirt with the innings requirement to be included in the statistical leaders
05:28in MLB.
05:30But he has a 2-0-3 ERA.
05:31That would be the best in MLB by a large margin, and the Braves already have the ERA leader
05:37and the presumptive National League Cy Young Award winner in Chris Sale.
05:41Craig, when we look around MLB on this Thursday, only eight games.
05:45And in terms of that National League wildcard race, where the Braves are now a full game
05:49behind the Mets for that third and final spot, all of these teams except St. Louis, who is
05:54holding on by a thread, are off on this Thursday.
05:58But you see who they play this weekend.
06:00When we see you next week and on Monday following the weekend, will the National League wildcard
06:05standings look any different?
06:08Not much, but I don't think the Cardinals are getting in.
06:10So every other team is alive.
06:12Cubs were very good at this point last year.
06:14And they fell apart the last two weeks.
06:16I'll still keep them alive.
06:17But Ben, all those teams that you just listed there outside of St. Louis, I think, have
06:20a shot.
06:22If we are looking at games tonight here, interesting.
06:25Seattle climbing back into the AL West race, which is important for them to pick up a victory.
06:29But how about this?
06:30Kumar Rocker, the Texas Rangers, making his Major League Baseball debut tonight as an
06:34underdog.
06:35The expectations for Kumar Rocker for you, Craig.
06:38What are they?
06:39Yeah, it's the opposite for me.
06:40And I saw six and a half totals in some places, too.
06:43And Miller, who was pitching tonight for Seattle, last six starts three different times,
06:47no runs, and one other time with one run.
06:50He is too good.
06:51And again, you're backing a rookie pitcher here.
06:53I'm never a guy that's laying minus 150 virtually in anything, baseball, football, basketball.
06:58So I don't care.
06:59But if I had to do it, it would be taking Seattle today.
07:03I like the look, Craig.
07:04And thank you for not correcting me on Tuesday when I said Kumar Rocker was making his MLB
07:09debut on that evening.
07:11And I mixed up my words, and it's actually on this Thursday.
07:14You never know.
07:16You never know.
07:17Craig will be on South Beach watching the Dolphins tonight, that's for sure.
07:21More on the early line next.
07:23Both of these rivals walking it off last night.
07:26It's where we start our baseball breakdowns on this short Thursday slate.
07:30A ton of teams have the day off.
07:33Only eight games on this Thursday, half of them during the afternoon hours, but not in
07:38New York.
07:39We start in the Bronx on what should be a beautiful evening inside Yankee Stadium.
07:44A rivalry renewed between the Yankees and the Red Sox.
07:48Eight and a half is the total.
07:50Although rivals DRS New York was rooting for Boston this week in a midweek set against
07:55the O's, the Red Sox took two of three against Baltimore.
08:00The Yankees a game and a half lead as they took the rubber match last night in extra
08:04innings against KC in the American League East.
08:07What do you like in the opener between these two familiar foes?
08:10I think we can get some runs and also particularly the Yankees need some runs tonight.
08:14Yes, they won last night.
08:15They'll take that each and every night, but it hasn't been that explosive Yankees offense
08:19that we're used to.
08:20And I think they can get back to that tonight.
08:22If we're looking at the card, it's a very short card.
08:2414 pitchers, Ben, have pitched over the past 60 days with a minimum of 20 innings pitch.
08:29The worst pitcher on the card, that's Cooper Criswell, who's set to take the bump here
08:33tonight for the Boston Red Sox.
08:3540 innings over those past 60 days, 4.05 ERA, 5.15 XFIB.
08:41That should get him in trouble.
08:42Who does he struggle against?
08:43He's actually been very good on the season against left-handed batters.
08:46So yes, Juan Soto might have a good night.
08:48Austin Wells could have a good night here.
08:50They're both left-handed batters.
08:51We're focusing on those right-handed batters.
08:53We talked about the MVP this year.
08:54Of course, Aaron Judge, 70 at-bats over the last month, still very good numbers against
08:59right-handed pitching.
09:00Hasn't had those power numbers that we're so accustomed to, but maybe tonight is a chance
09:04where he gets back to it.
09:05An RBI prop, my favorite pick of this game, is probably going to be Aaron Judge to record
09:09that RBI.
09:10We're hunting right-handed batters to go up against Criswell, but I do think we can get
09:13over the 8.5, but I'm focused on the Yankees bouncing back at the plate, and that starts
09:17with Aaron Judge.
09:18Plus 250 for Aaron Judge to hit a home run.
09:22It has now been 15 consecutive games since No. 99 in pinstripes has gone deep.
09:28Tied for the longest drought in his MLB career.
09:32He has been stuck on 51.
09:34Shohei Ohtani giving him a run for his money when it comes to the home run leader.
09:40Plus 250, the number, it was well below two bucks when he was on that tear in the middle
09:45of August.
09:46Again, the Yanks, a game and a half lead in the American League East over the Orioles.
09:51Tyler O'Neal been adding it up in the home run and power department for Boston.
09:57The Astros, the ARS, just a three and a half game lead over the Mariners right now in the
10:01A.L.
10:02West.
10:03Houston has dropped three straight, including the first two of its set at home at H-Town
10:08against the Oakland Athletics.
10:10Trying to avoid the sweep today.
10:12Who do you turn to?
10:13Frambovaldez, who gets the start today against the A's.
10:16You can see the Astros booked as greater than a $2.00 favorite.
10:20Does Houston end their three-game skid and avoid the sweep today against the Athletics?
10:26Yes they do, and yesterday there were two RBI guys I loved on the Houston Astros.
10:29Neither one of those got an RBI and ended up losing that game, but I do think a bounce
10:32back is in order today.
10:33Why?
10:34Because it's Frambovaldez on the mound.
10:35You take a look at his last 60 days, Ben.
10:37A stellar 1.83 ERA and an XFIP of 2.53.
10:41That covers 59 innings.
10:42He's been nothing short of spectacular.
10:44If you look at his last 30 days, ISIL against an 0-12, which is microscopic through 96 batters.
10:50You take a look at the weighted on base percentage, 171.
10:52Strikeouts.
10:53How about this?
10:54He's a left-handed pitcher.
10:55Left-handed bats going up against him past month, 46% strikeout rate.
11:00That's astronomically good.
11:01You take a look at the Oakland lineup tonight and say, how can they fare?
11:03Forget about going up against Frambovaldez, one of the better left-handed pitchers in
11:06baseball.
11:07Just lefties in general.
11:08You have Lawrence Butler to lead off at a .308 ISIL power number to weighted on base
11:12percentage of .440, which is spectacular.
11:15After that, just about every single batter in that lineup really struggles with left-handed
11:19pitching.
11:20Run line for the Houston Astros today.
11:22They bounce back in a big way because Frambovaldez is absolutely elite.
11:27I was going to bet that.
11:28I was literally going to say, bet the run line.
11:31Frambovaldez has made 13 starts since the end of June, including his two final in that
11:37month.
11:38The Astros have won 12 of 13.
11:41Valdez himself has won nine of 13 in his last two starts, 14 innings of work, seven in each.
11:49He is allowed two hits and not a single earned run.
11:53I think the Astros avoid the sweep and I would not lay the heavy juice at minus .240, but
11:58minus one and a half with a much more valuable number.
12:02Tarek Skubal, the odds are not even available anymore to win the American League Cy Young
12:07Award.
12:08If Valdez was pitching like this all year long, maybe, but Skubal and the Tigers also
12:12playing good ball.
12:13A minus 290 favorite today, DRS in the Motor City against the Rockies.
12:18It's kind of funny the way you preface it there, because I actually thought maybe the
12:20number was taken down because this game will be so easy for the Tigers to win that sports
12:24books don't even want to offer the game tonight as how it plays out.
12:27Skubal, dominant left-handed pitcher.
12:28The one thing we know about the Rockies outside of Colorado, they typically can't hit and
12:32they certainly can't hit left-handed pitchers.
12:33I'm going to look for a dominant performance by Skubal.
12:35How about a run line Detroit Tigers today?
12:38How about that?
12:39I'm going to sprinkle a little parlay in that bad boy.