Category: Around the World

International news, world events, society, travel, and stories beyond the other editorial categories.

Padres Outlast Rockies to Win 8th Straight Game

The San Diego Padres extended their winning streak to a season-high eight games with an 8-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Monday night. The win maintains San Diego’s 2½-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the National League’s final Wild Card spot, a cushion that now stands at three games in the loss column.

Padres survive late rally in familiar fashion

The contest followed a pattern established during the team’s weekend sweep in San Francisco: a commanding early lead followed by a tense finish. San Diego jumped ahead 6-1 after three innings, powered by home runs from Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. The Rockies, however, chipped away steadily, twice pulling within a single run in the later innings.

“It’s just the time of year where you’ve got to win,” said Ty France, who went 3-for-5 with a crucial two-out RBI single in the seventh. “Especially with the position that we’re in, being in this tight of a race — wins are all that’s important. And it doesn’t matter how you do it. You’ve just got to win.”

France, activated from the paternity list earlier in the day, delivered the go-ahead hit after Colorado had cut the deficit to 6-5. His two-out single scored Luis Arraez and provided a critical insurance run. The Padres added another in the eighth on a two-out double by Dustin Harris, but the Rockies answered again in the bottom of the frame to make it 8-7.

France emerging as one of baseball’s top hitters

The veteran first baseman continues to author one of the most remarkable contract-year stories in recent memory. Signed to a minor league deal, France entered Monday ranked 11th among qualified hitters with a 142 wRC+, just ahead of Shohei Ohtani, and 12th in OPS, ahead of Elly De La Cruz and Kyle Schwarber. Because he began the season in a platoon role, he does not yet qualify for the official leaderboards, but he is on pace to reach the threshold before the regular season concludes.

“No other way to put it: France is one of the signings of the season,” the broadcast noted. He has also provided Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base, adding further value to a clubhouse that has embraced him.

Miller survives comebacker, Machado ends it

Closer Mason Miller took the mound for the ninth inning with a one-run lead. The first batter, Kyle Karros, hit a sharp comebacker off Miller’s calf. The right-hander stayed in the game and later reported he felt fine, but the infield single brought the tying run to the plate with one out.

With two outs, Adael Amador hit a high chopper toward third base. Machado charged, fielded the ball cleanly, transferred quickly, and fired a strike across the diamond for the final out.

“That was a sick play,” Miller said. “I thought there was no chance. But when you’ve got an arm like his, always possible.”

“Coors Field special right there,” said manager Craig Stammen.

Five straight winning seasons, chasing a third straight playoff berth

The victory secured the franchise’s 82nd win, guaranteeing a fifth consecutive winning season — a first in Padres history. While the organization has larger ambitions, the milestone reflects a cultural shift.

“We’re proud to be a part of something like that, where the expectation is to play playoff baseball,” Stammen said. “Part of that is playing over .500 every year.”

San Diego now sits one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies and 1½ games behind the Chicago Cubs for the top two Wild Card seeds, though both clubs hold season-series tiebreakers over the Padres. With ten games remaining, San Diego controls its path: gaining one more game on Arizona in the loss column would clinch a postseason berth before the season-ending series at Petco Park.

For now, the Padres will take the wins however they come.

10/13/2020
Jesús Luzardo throws shutout vs. Braves

Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski enters the conversation as the frontrunner for the National League Cy Young Award, yet Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo is mounting a compelling late-season charge to secure a top-three finish.

Luzardo Delivers Career-First Shutout Against Atlanta

Luzardo authored a masterful performance in Monday afternoon’s 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park, recording the first shutout of his major-league career. The southpaw dominated across nine innings, striking out 12 batters while issuing just a single walk.

Series Split Keeps Phillies in Contention

The victory allowed Philadelphia to split the critical four-game series against the division-leading Braves. Atlanta maintains a four-game advantage over the Phillies in the National League East with 18 games remaining on the schedule. Luzardo’s outing improved his season record to 14-5 and lowered his earned run average to 2.87.

Schwarber’s Solo Shot Provides Lone Run Support

Kyle Schwarber’s solo home run to right field in the eighth inning proved to be the decisive blow, providing the only run Luzardo would require on a day when the Phillies’ offense managed just enough to support their ace’s historic outing.

10/13/2020
Eugenio Suárez and TJ Friedl Placed on Waivers, Source Says

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez and outfielder TJ Friedl cleared waivers and will remain with the team, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon on Thursday. The Reds have not confirmed the report.

By placing Suárez and Friedl on waivers, Cincinnati gave the other 29 clubs an opportunity to claim either player before the waiver period expired.

Eugenio Suárez remains with the Reds

Suárez returned to Cincinnati on a one-year, $15 million contract after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Reds. However, the 35-year-old has struggled this season, posting a .705 OPS in 103 games while hitting 19 home runs.

TJ Friedl enduring career-worst season

Friedl has experienced an even more difficult campaign, recording a career-worst .476 OPS in 76 games. That is the lowest OPS among the 274 hitters with at least 250 plate appearances this season.

The figure is well below Friedl’s career .725 OPS and the .742 OPS he posted over 152 games last season. The outfielder also spent much of June in the Minors while working through his struggles.

Source: www.mlb.com

10/13/2020
Astros Prospect Anthony Huezo Hits Another Home Run in Breakout 20-40 Season

Astros prospect Anthony Huezo has joined an exclusive group of Minor Leaguers after recording a season with at least 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases.

Huezo is one of only five Minor Leaguers over the past two seasons to reach the 20-homer, 40-steal mark, alongside Konnor Griffin, Joshua Báez, Eric Hartman and Theo Gillen. The other four players are either in Major League Baseball or ranked on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, while Huezo has remained relatively under the radar since the Astros selected him in the 12th round of the 2023 Draft.

Anthony Huezo delivers another three-hit game

Huezo reached 20 home runs last Wednesday, then added two more since, including one during a three-hit performance Sunday in High-A Asheville’s 7-2 loss to Frederick at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.

The 20-year-old outfielder opened the game with a double, added another double and scored in the sixth inning, then launched a deep home run to right-center field in the seventh. It was his third homer in four games and increased his season total to 22.

Despite playing his third full Minor League season, Huezo is still just 20 years old and is enjoying a breakout campaign in the healthiest season of his career. He has played 104 games across two levels, batting .262 with an .859 OPS, 22 home runs, 72 RBIs and 43 stolen bases.

Huezo has appeared in 33 games at High-A, his longest exposure to the level, and has posted a .865 OPS there.

Astros prospect combines power and speed

There are still swing-and-miss concerns in Huezo’s profile, but his combination of 55-grade power and 55-grade speed makes him an intriguing prospect. His name is also increasingly difficult to overlook alongside the high-profile Minor League players who have reached the 20-home-run, 40-stolen-base threshold over the past year.

Source: www.mlb.com

10/13/2020
Padres Manage Mason Miller’s Workload in Season’s Final Games

Workload management has remained a primary consideration for the San Diego Padres when deploying ace closer Mason Miller. The club has walked a fine line with their All-Star right-hander throughout the season.

Miller Embraces High-Leverage September Role

“It’s meaningful baseball in September, that’s all you ask for as a baseball player,” Miller said. “Regardless of what is happening and how we got here, this is the situation we’re in.”

With the Padres pushing for a postseason berth, the possibility of a fully unleashed Miller—one who regularly exceeds his standard one-inning save role or appears on consecutive days for the game’s most critical outs—has moved from hypothetical to reality. Recent usage patterns strongly suggest the coaching staff is leaning on their elite reliever at an elevated rate as the games gain magnitude.

Increased Usage Signals Trust

Miller’s last three outings occurred within a four-day window. That stretch included a two-inning appearance against the New York Yankees last Friday, where he secured the win in the 10th inning after entering in the ninth—just the second time he has pitched two full frames this season. He also logged four appearances in five days from Aug. 21–25, marking the second such instance this year (previously June 5–9). Prior to 2024, Miller had never endured a stretch of that intensity in his career.

Dominant Statistics Underpin Heavy Reliance

The heightened trust is hardly surprising given Miller’s absurd level of dominance. His 1.17 ERA leads the Majors, and his astronomical 48.5% strikeout rate is the highest in baseball by a margin of over 10% (minimum 60 innings pitched). Additionally, his 34 saves rank second in the National League, trailing only the Cardinals’ Riley O’Brien (36).

Innings Milestone Looms as Health Priority

However, an equally critical factor weighs on the decision-making process. Miller is approaching a career high in innings pitched, sitting just 3 2/3 frames shy of matching the 65 innings he threw in 2024. While he has appeared in more games overall both this season and last—following his acquisition from the Athletics at the 2023 Trade Deadline—he has yet to surpass that innings threshold. His current workload trajectory suggests he could exceed that mark before the regular season concludes.

Miller Reflects on Workload Evolution

“You take different years and you learn different things,” Miller said. “Two years ago was my career high in innings, but I only threw in 55 games. Last year I threw fewer innings, but I felt like I was pitching more, so it’s a little bit of a different animal. This year I feel like I’ve been able to keep my body feeling really good the entire season. It’s allowed me to pitch four out of five days for the first time, three days in a row.”

Bullpen Depth Provides Safety Net

San Diego’s ultimate priority remains keeping Miller healthy, and increased workload is rarely the optimal path to that goal. Padres manager Craig Stammen has spoken extensively about the challenges of preserving his All-Star right-hander while maintaining his dominance throughout the grueling season. Stammen has navigated a similar tightrope with left-handed setup man Adrian Morejon, who has already surpassed his previous career-high innings total and appeared in three consecutive games earlier this week.

Possessing one of the league’s most formidable bullpens has made distributing the workload significantly easier. Entering Friday, San Diego’s relievers ranked third in MLB with 618 2/3 innings pitched and fourth with a 3.42 ERA. Alongside current options such as Bradgley Rodriguez, Yuki Matsui, Wandy Peralta, and Kyle Hart, the Padres anticipate the return of rehabbing All-Star right-hander Jason Adam sometime over the final two weeks, further fortifying the group.

Miller on Bullpen’s Collective Mindset

“Sometimes it’s hard, you’re in a bullpen where guys are constantly getting the ball,” Miller said.

Given the team’s relief depth, the question arises: is it worth asking Miller to shoulder an even heavier burden during the pennant chase? Does it make strategic sense? Perhaps not. Yet, it is September, and the fundamental reality of this time of year is that teams need their best players on the field as much as physically possible. The rate at which the Padres have deployed Miller recently reflects that exact sentiment.

“We’ve kind of gotten here on the back of the bullpen, in a lot of ways,” Miller said. “It takes a complete team effort to win a game, but we’ve won a lot of close games, we feel comfortable playing in close games. I think we know more might be asked … but we’re prepared to go every night.”

10/13/2020
Rockies General Manager Josh Byrnes Discusses Team’s 2026 Performance Outlook

Rockies GM Josh Byrnes Addresses Mounting Losses and Path Forward

DETROIT — As losses accumulate, the instinct may be to shift focus toward the future. However, Colorado Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes insists that sanity isn’t the objective.

“I mean, you can’t be so future-focused that you’re not trying to win every day,” Byrnes said on Sunday morning. “This last month has been very frustrating, because we certainly could have and should have won more games. And in terms of progress, 100 losses is a sightline. It means something, but the White Sox [who entered Sunday leading the American League Central] lost 100 last year.

“I don’t ever think it’s good — in the Minor Leaguers, in the Major Leagues — to rationalize losing, ever. We’re trying to win. Yeah, in terms of how young our team is and some of the players we brought in, there’s talent and there is progress. But it’s about winning, and we’re not there yet.”

Byrnes spoke a day after a game slipped away in the Detroit Tigers’ final at-bat. Sunday’s 8-1 loss completed a three-game sweep and an 0-6 road trip, extending the losing streak to seven and pushing the season loss total to 94 with 13 games remaining. The defeat was cemented when rookie Gabriel Hughes required 70 pitches to navigate just two innings while allowing five runs.

Having dropped 20 of their last 25 games, the Rockies have exposed persistent weaknesses and revisited familiar ones. Here is an assessment of the club’s shortcomings — and one area of strength — from a front office that acknowledges the misery but promises clear-eyed remedies.

Offensive Production Stalls Despite Improved WAR

The Rockies’ cumulative offensive wins above replacement (WAR) of 8.2 entering Sunday, per FanGraphs, represents a significant improvement over last year’s -3.0 mark. That uptick should translate to a better record, yet offense remains a frequent reason the team falls short.

“Most of the year, until the last month, we did well with men on base — we cashed in runners from third and were opportunistic,” Byrnes said. “We produce offense against righties and lefties. But lately we’ve just left a lot of runs on the board.”

Defensive Lapses Compound Problems

Defensive miscues have been costly during the recent skid. On Friday, Riley Greene’s triple to center field would have required a standout play from rookie Cole Carrigg. On Saturday, a two-run deficit ballooned to four when right fielder Jordan Beck became entangled attempting a play on Hao-Yu Lee’s eighth-inning triple.

Carrigg and Beck belong to a young group capable of highlight-reel plays — Beck has delivered two outstanding throws recently — but they need to demonstrate a more consistent knack for game-changing defense. While range exists with Jake McCarthy and Zac Veen in the mix, and Mickey Moniak has been steady, thrown balls to wrong bases and other mistakes continue to prove expensive.

Byrnes emphasized that a blend of internal growth and external talent infusion is necessary.

“Some teams, their defense kind of carries their pitching,” Byrnes said. “The Cubs this year, their defense is more their run prevention than their actual pitching. Tampa [Bay] has really good outfield defense — the value they provide is at a premium. There are more plays and more bases that are in play in Colorado.”

Starting Pitching Struggles Early and Late in Games

Adael Amador, excelling in his trial at second base, gave the Rockies an early lead with a home run as the second batter of Sunday’s game. Yet after recording two outs in the bottom of the inning, Hughes surrendered a Colt Keith double and a Greene home run, never found his secondary pitches, and lasted only one more frame.

“Part of being a Major League pitcher is recognizing what you have that day and what you don’t, and working to fight through it to get to where you find whatever it is that you are consistently missing — and getting there quicker,” said Hughes, who fell to 0-8 in his first 12 Major League starts and exemplified one of the club’s core problems on Sunday.

Like Tanner Gordon, who lasted four innings on Saturday, Hughes could not put away hitters with two strikes due to a lack of early sharpness.

“We’ve gotten bitten most in the first and second innings — we give up way too many runs,” said Byrnes, whose team actually leads the Majors in runs allowed in each of the first four innings. “And the third time through the order, we give up way too many runs [6.13 ERA, ahead of only the Athletics’ 6.25]. So that is in our face.”

Byrnes indicated improvement could come from development among pitchers new to the rotation — such as Hughes, Mason Adams, and Gordon — and from identifying experienced arms who can serve as difference-makers. The front office is also examining relief staff models that could better support starters.

Manager Warren Schaeffer’s Approach and Front Office Remedies

Asked how the Rockies move forward, manager Warren Schaeffer struck a positive tone, citing the effort while acknowledging, “sometimes it’s just a bad stretch.”

Byrnes praised Schaeffer’s adaptability, whether maximizing matchups — a strategy that worked during stronger stretches — or adjusting bullpen usage, such as the addition of Jordan Romano prompting a less matchup-dependent late-inning relief corps. Schaeffer publicly backs his players and projects positivity, yet that does not signal a retreat from the ultimate goal.

“He sets a great tone, demands a lot of the players — we’re trying to build winning habits and standards of winning,” Byrnes said. “Even though we’re not winning enough.”

10/13/2020
Aaron Judge to Join Yankees for West Coast Trip

NEW YORK — Yankees captain Aaron Judge is joining the team for its six-game West Coast road trip, another significant step toward his return to the Major League lineup in September.

Judge will travel with the Yankees for series against the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres. The Southern California trip could allow him to expand his baseball activities, including potentially taking batting practice on the field.

“I’m sure it will be ramped up and a lot more involved,” manager Aaron Boone said before Sunday’s series finale against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. “Hopefully out there, [Judge will] start to get on velocity and things like that. He’ll be part of the pregame stuff and just get more entrenched into getting ready to come back.”

When could Aaron Judge return?

The Yankees have not provided a firm timeline for Judge’s return from a right rib fracture. He is unlikely to be activated during the West Coast trip, but a return during New York’s next homestand remains possible.

The Yankees will host the Colorado Rockies from Sept. 8-10 before facing the New York Mets from Sept. 11-13.

“I feel like if I tell them I’m ready to go play, I think we’re ready to go play,” Judge said earlier this week.

“I’m not a pitcher, I’m a position player. I can get my reps down here in the cage, and I’ve been at every game. I’ve been sitting there in the dugout watching every game, feeling the environment, feeling the energy. I don’t think there’s going to be much of a fight.”

Judge increases baseball activities

Judge suffered the rib fracture during a diving defensive attempt on April 26 in Houston. His most recent Major League appearance came on May 31.

He has not yet faced high-velocity pitching, but his workload has steadily increased. His recovery has progressed from pool work and outdoor running to tee-and-toss drills in mid-August.

More recently, Judge has taken overhand batting practice indoors, thrown from distances of up to 100 feet and shagged fly balls.

Judge said he could increase his hitting volume through a combination of Trajekt, machine work and sessions against pitchers who are also rehabbing. He added that regaining his timing should be “like riding a bike.”

“The toughest thing has been sitting out,” Judge said. “We’re healing up. Now it’s about getting the volume and getting the reps in.”

10/13/2020
Corbin Carroll Hits Walk-Off Home Run as Diamondbacks Beat Marlins

The Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for a dramatic 8-7 walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins at Chase Field on Monday night, keeping their National League Wild Card hopes alive. Corbin Carroll delivered the decisive blow, a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning that capped a comeback from a 7-4 deficit after seven innings.

Carroll’s Clutch Homer Shifts Momentum

The win carries significant weight in the tight NL Wild Card race. The San Diego Padres, who currently hold the final spot, defeated the Colorado Rockies earlier in the evening. Had Arizona lost, they would have fallen 3½ games behind San Diego with a crucial three-game series in San Diego looming to close the regular season. Instead, the victory may have shifted momentum in the Diamondbacks’ favor.

Manager Torey Lovullo described the win as a potential catalyst.

“We kept plowing away at it, and it was a great win,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We know what was going on around us. We haven’t been playing great baseball, and to win a game like that today is, in my opinion, one of those catalyst type of games that pushes you forward and gets you ready for the next day.”

Ninth-Inning Drama Unfolds

The rally began in the eighth inning when Jordan Lawlar launched a two-run homer to cut the Marlins’ lead to 7-5. In the ninth, Miami closer Pete Fairbanks walked Gabriel Moreno to start the inning. Fairbanks threw one pitch to Geraldo Perdomo before exiting with an injury, bringing Jack Ralston into the game.

Perdomo laid down a bunt to advance pinch-runner Tommy Troy to second base, setting the stage for Carroll. During the extended warm-up period for Ralston, Carroll prepared a specific approach.

“I had a lot of confidence Perdomo was going to do his job,” Carroll said. “So I had an idea that there would be a runner on second, and was just kind of thinking through his pitches and what he might be likely to go with.”

With first base open, Carroll stayed patient, hunting a pitch in the middle of the zone. On a 2-1 count, Ralston left a splitter up, and Carroll crushed it to right field for the game-ending home run.

Overcoming a Prolonged Slump

The home run was a significant moment for Carroll, who has been grinding through a difficult stretch at the plate while managing a lower back issue. Entering the at-bat, he was just 8-for-59 (.136) in his previous 65 plate appearances. Lovullo praised the outfielder’s resilience and commitment.

“We know what Corbin’s been grinding through,” Lovullo said. “We watch it every single day, you guys included. But he continues to fight, and he commits. He commits to what he’s going to do in the box. He commits to being present and engaged in the box, he commits to being a great teammate and coming through, and it was a good moment for him.”

Carroll Unaware of Padres Result

In a testament to his singular focus, Carroll revealed after the game that he was unaware the Padres had won earlier in the night.

“Honestly, I didn’t know they won,” Carroll said. “I didn’t know they won today. I missed that one.”

The hanging splitter, however, he did not miss. The walk-off keeps Arizona within striking distance in the Wild Card race and provides a much-needed confidence boost heading into the final stretch of the season.

10/13/2020
Padres’ Winning Streak Ends in Loss to Rockies

The San Diego Padres saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end Tuesday night with a 9-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The defeat carries significant weight in a tight National League Wild Card race and exposed the cumulative cost of recent bullpen management.

Winning Streak Snapped at Season-High Mark

The eight-game streak matched the season high the Padres previously set in April. It marks the first time in franchise history that San Diego has produced multiple winning streaks of at least eight games in a single season. However, for the second time this year, the team failed to extend a streak to nine games.

Wild Card Lead Shrinks Amid Missed Opportunities

The loss dramatically altered the playoff picture in a matter of hours. Late Monday night, the Padres were on the verge of expanding their lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final NL Wild Card spot to 3½ games. Instead, a walk-off home run by Corbin Carroll lifted Arizona over Miami, and San Diego’s own defeat Tuesday trimmed the advantage to just two games, pending the result of Arizona’s late contest.

Compounding the damage, both the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies lost on Tuesday, presenting a prime opportunity for the Padres to pull even in the loss column for coveted home-field advantage in the Wild Card round. Instead, San Diego trails the Cubs by 1½ games and the Phillies by one game—without the tiebreaker over either club.

High-Leverage Bullpen Usage Extracts a Price

The Padres have relied heavily on their high-leverage relievers during the winning streak, a strategy that earned eight consecutive victories but carried an inevitable cost. Over the previous four games, San Diego grabbed early leads only to endure stressful late innings each night. The bill came due against Colorado.

Starter Walker Buehler required 92 pitches to navigate just 4⅔ innings, forcing the Padres to turn to lower-leverage options for the middle frames. Wandy Peralta escaped a jam in the fifth but unraveled in the sixth, allowing four of the first five batters to reach base as the Rockies seized the lead. Randy Vásquez then engaged Cole Carrigg in a 13-pitch duel with two outs; Carrigg fouled off 10 pitches before launching a belt-high fastball into the right-field seats for his second home run of the night, pushing Colorado’s advantage to four runs.

The lone silver lining: the decisive deficit allowed the overworked high-leverage arms a much-needed night off.

Platoon Strategy at No. 2 Shows Early Promise

Manager Craig Stammen deployed Austin Hays in the No. 2 spot against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland, a matchup Hays has historically dominated. The move paid immediate dividends when Hays led off the fifth inning with a solo home run off Freeland, giving San Diego a 3-2 lead and chasing the starter from the game.

The decision highlighted the roster’s platoon flexibility. Had Colorado countered with right-hander Ryan Feltner, Stammen was prepared to counter with Dustin Harris, who has excelled against right-handed pitching. This approach ensures a favorable matchup whether facing the starter multiple times or attacking the opposing bullpen early—a “win-win” dynamic.

Critics argue the optimal strategy is simply slotting the four best hitters—Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Ty France, and Jackson Merrill—in the top four spots to maximize their at-bats. Yet the Padres have thrived with the current configuration: Tatis leading off, a versatile No. 2 hitter separating him from the three middle-order mashers. Without a permanent solution at No. 2, playing for daily matchup advantages remains a sound tactical choice, one that could gain further traction if Miguel Andújar and Gavin Sheets return from the injured list in the coming weeks.

10/13/2020
Pete Crow-Armstrong Hits Leadoff Home Run Against Reds

Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his historic power surge for the Chicago Cubs, launching a 98.9 mph fastball from Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns into the right-field seats at 108 mph exit velocity, according to Statcast.

The home run was Crow-Armstrong’s ninth leadoff homer of the season, moving him within three of Alfonso Soriano’s Cubs record of 12, set in 2007.

Crow-Armstrong Closing in on MLB Leadoff Home Run Record

Six of Crow-Armstrong’s leadoff home runs have come this month, giving him one of the most productive power stretches from the top spot in a lineup in baseball history. Kyle Schwarber, in June 2021, and Soriano, in September 2007, share the MLB record with seven leadoff homers in a single month, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Crow-Armstrong is the fourth player in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run one game after a three-homer performance. Schwarber on Sept. 4, 2024, Brian Dozier on Sept. 6, 2016, and Mookie Betts on June 1, 2016, are the other players on the list.

Earlier this month, Crow-Armstrong led off with a home run on Aug. 18, one game after homering on both the first and last pitches of a Cubs victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Cubs Outfielder Chasing Rare 40-Homer, 40-Steal Season

Crow-Armstrong now has 37 home runs this season, putting him within reach of a milestone rarely achieved by a left-handed Cubs hitter. Only one left-handed batter in franchise history has hit 40 home runs in a season: Billy Williams, who hit 42 in 1970.

With 30 home runs since the start of June, Crow-Armstrong has six more than any other Major League player during that span.

The Cubs center fielder also has 32 stolen bases, giving him a realistic chance to complete a 40-40 season. The feat has been achieved only six times in MLB history, most recently by Shohei Ohtani in 2024.

Crow-Armstrong is already the only player in Cubs history to record 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in consecutive seasons. He has also joined Sammy Sosa, who accomplished the feat in 1993 and 1995, as one of only two players in franchise history with two 30-30 seasons.

10/13/2020