The Weekly Rundown: 9/1/24 - 9/7/24
The fourth no-hitter of the season, Matt Chapman staying in the Bay, and more.
Good morning and happy Sunday!
It’s the first NFL Sunday of the year, so it’s understandable if you’re pushing baseball to the side for a day dedicated to football. If that’s the case, you can check out my 2024 NFL season predictions here!
For the rest of you, we’ve got plenty of news to cover with less than a month left in the regular season. Another no-hitter, a huge contract extension, arguably the worst team in MLB history, and an All-Star shortstop calling it a career.
So grab your coffee and let’s jump into this week’s rundown.
Cubs combine for no-hitter
The Chicago Cubs combined to pitch the fourth no-hitter of the 2024 MLB season. Rookie left-hander Shota Imanaga got the party started with seven no-hit innings with two walks and seven strikeouts. He was pulled after 95 pitches.
Relievers Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge finished the job vs. the Pirates. Watch the highlights below:
It was the first no-hitter at Wrigley Field since 1972 and the 18th no-hitter in Cubs history.
Giants extend Matt Chapman
The San Francisco Giants signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million contract extension. The deal starts next year and replaces the last two years of the three-year, $54 million contract he signed in the offseason.
Chapman, 31, is slashing .247/.333/.446 with 22 home runs and 69 RBI while playing his usual Platinum Glove-caliber defense at third base.
"This offseason was a little strange with the free agent market, but I was willing to bet on myself," Chapman said during his Thursday press conference. "I believed in myself. I believed that the Giants would see my value as the season went on and what I bring every single day."
Chapman was an All-Star in 2019 and has earned four Gold Gloves (two Platinum) during his eight-year career.
White Sox making unflattering history
The Chicago White Sox are in the midst of perhaps the worst season for a team in MLB history. They enter today with a 32-111 record, putting them only nine losses behind 1962 New York Mets for the most ever. It’s the worst 143-game stretch of all time.
But wait, there’s more! The White Sox…
Have a -307 run differential.
Are on pace to finish 36-126.
Already clinched the worst record in franchise history.
Are projected to finish worse than the 2003 Tigers (43-119) and the 1962 Mets (40-120).
Are 6-44 in their last 50 games.
Elvis Andrus calls it a career
Two-time All-Star shortstop Elvis Andrus has retired after 15 MLB seasons. The 36-year-old officially retired with the Texas Rangers — the club he spent his first 12 seasons with — in a ceremony on Friday.
"Being in the big leagues was always a blessing, but the game has changed, players have changed, teammates changed," Andrus told the Dallas Morning News. "Everybody is in their early 20s. Everybody I grew up with is out now. The last five years, I've seen all the guys that were my closest friends retire. Over the last few years, I found myself thinking: 'When is it going to be my time?' I thought this was going to be a depressing journey, but it's been amazing. I really thought it was going to be harder to be away, but I've really been at peace and I'm at peace with the next decision about the next journey."
Andrus retires with 2,091 hits, 102 homers, 347 stolen bases, and a .269 batting average for his admirable career. He was a stellar defender at shortstop throughout his career and has the ninth-highest WAR in Rangers history (29.8).
After leaving the Rangers, he played for the Oakland A’s and Chicago White Sox.
Dominant on the Bump
Gavin Williams, Cleveland Guardians
7.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 6 K, 2 BB vs. Kansas City Royals
Cade Povich, Baltimore Orioles
7.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 10 K, 0 BB vs. Chicago White Sox
Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees
6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 11 K, 2 BB vs. Texas Rangers
Shota Imanaga, Chicago Cubs
7.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 BB vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Bailey Ober, Minnesota Twins
7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 7 K, 0 BB vs.
Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners
8.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 10 K, 1 BB vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Big Bombs
Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber belted three bombs in a game against the Blue Jays.
Gunnar Henderson’s 30th homer marked the most by an Orioles shortstop in a single season.
Parker Meadows hit a go-ahead grand slam for the Tigers in the ninth inning against the Padres.
Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford hit a walk-off grand slam vs. the Yankees.
Mark Vientos walked it off for the Mets vs. the Reds for their eighth straight win.
Web Gem of the Week
Wyatt Langford sealed a Rangers win with a home run robbery.
Welcome to The Show
Angels top pitching prospect Caden Dana made his MLB debut last Sunday vs. the Mariners. The 20-year-old right-hander allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out four in six innings.
White Sox top pitching prospect Jairo Irarte allowed one run on one hit and two walks and struck out one in one inning during his MLB debut vs. the Orioles on Tuesday.
Darren Baker, son of legendary manager Dusty Baker, notched his first career hit in his debut with the Nationals vs. the Cubs last Sunday.
Notable Injuries
Rangers right-hander Jon Gray is done for the year with a foot injury.
The Diamondbacks placed outfielder Lourdes Gurriel on the 10-day injured list due to a left calf strain.
The Cubs placed right-hander Jorge López on the 15-day IL due to a right groin strain and left-hander Justin Steele on the 15-day IL with left elbow flexor tendinitis.
The Rangers placed shortstop Corey Seager on the 10-day IL due to hip discomfort.
The Twins placed right fielder Max Kepler on the 10-day IL with patellar tendinitis in his left knee.
The Phillies placed third baseman Alec Bohm on the 10-day IL due to a left-hand strain.
The Dodgers placed righty Gavin Stone on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation.
The Giants placed left-hander Kyle Harrison on the 15-day IL due to an impingement in his throwing shoulder and his season is “likely over.”
Mets second baseman/outfielder Jeff McNeil will miss the rest of the regular season due to a fractured wrist.
The Angels placed outfielders Kevin Pillar and Jo Adell on the 10-day IL with a thumb sprain and oblique strain, respectively.
Rapid Fire
The Padres signed infielder Nick Ahmed to a minor-league contract.
The Orioles signed righty Adrian Houser to a minors deal.
The Braves signed lefty Tyler Matzek to a minors contract.
The Pirates released infielder/outfielder Josh Rojas and designated right-hander Domingo German for assignment.
The Red Sox DFA’d veteran lefty Rich Hill.
The Pirates DFA’d outfielder Billy McKinney.
The Braves acquired infielder Cavan Biggio from the Giants.