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Braves lose All-Star SP to IL as playoff hopes take hit
The Atlanta Braves are 6.0 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies and 2.0 games ahead of the third-place New York Mets in the NL East. More importantly, the Braves are only percentage points ahead of the San Diego Padres for the first NL wild-card spot and 0.5 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in a frantic playoff picture.
Atlanta's rotation took a serious hit on Monday, as All-Star starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez was placed on the 15-day injured list due to forearm inflammation.
As David O'Brien of The Athletic noted, the 30-year-old's recent MRI came back clean, and the situation could be a blessing in disguise. The downtime will give the Braves a chance to rest Lopez and keep his innings "more manageable," as he continues his transition to being a full-time starting pitcher for the first time since 2020.
The righty's 104 2/3 innings pitched are the third-most of his career and highest number since he completed 184 frames with the Chicago White Sox in 2019.
The move gives the #Braves a chance to rest López a few more days before he resumes throwing, and helps keep his innings more manageable. MRI was clean. There was no setback.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) August 5, 2024
Elder will start Tuesday’s series opener against Milwaukee, followed by Chris Sale and Charlie Morton.
Still, any amount of time that Atlanta doesn't have Lopez available is a blow to its already precarious playoff hopes.
The Braves haven't missed the postseason since 2017, one year before superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. debuted. The reigning NL MVP is out for the year due to a torn left ACL.
In a pitching staff that opened the campaign with two-time All-Stars Charlie Morton and Max Fried, eight-time All-Star Chris Sale and one-time All-Star Spencer Strider, Lopez has arguably been the second-best arm of the group.
Strider was shut down for the season in April after suffering a UCL injury.
Sale (a NL Cy Young contender) is 13-3 with a 2.71 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 155 strikeouts over 123 innings pitched covering 20 starts. Lopez has gone 7-4 with a 2.06 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings over 19 starts.
More must-reads:
- Phillies' bullpen woes threaten division lead
- Diamondbacks are looking like a threat in the NL again
- The 'Active 20-home run MLB seasons' quiz
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Which MLB prospect should be next to get long-term contract extension?
The Baltimore Orioles on Friday became the latest team to sign a prospect with little or no experience in the major leagues to a long-term contract extension. They signed top catching prospect Samuel Basallo to an eight-year, $67M contract extension not long after calling him up to the majors. It is a bold move, but not one that's totally unheard of in modern baseball. It's a way for teams to get some cost certainty on a player they anticipate being a star, it's guaranteed money for a young player who would spend the next six years playing for set amounts and it is also some security for that player in the event they do not pan out or get injured. Now that Basallo in the majors and signed, it is worth asking who the next prospect to get that sort of investment should be. It's actually a very easy answer: It's infield prospect Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Griffin has rocketed his way through the Pirates system and is already up to Double-A at the age of 19. He has also rocketed his way up MLB's prospect rankings and has become the top prospect in the game across pretty much every prospect-ranking publication. He's not just the best prospect in the Pirates system. He's the best prospect in baseball. If the Pirates were smart, they would be coming to him at some point over the next year and presenting him with several different long-term contract proposals. For one, Griffin is the type of prospect the Pirates do not typically have. He's a position prospect in an organization that is devoid of major league hitters, and he's the best one they have had come through their system in years. He's a potential superstar and franchise-changing player. Second, if he becomes the type of player the Pirates and the scouting world envision him to be, he is going to quickly play his way out of the Pirates' price range. The best chance they have to keep him beyond a couple of arbitration years is to get him signed as early as possible when he is still somewhat affordable. Is it a risk? Certainly, it is. He might not pan out. But he also might, at which point they will have a bargain on their hands and a potential core player locked in place. The biggest obstacle standing in their way would be the tight pursestrings of owner Bob Nutting. He is hesitant to give out any sort of long-term investment or pay players any sort of big money. He doesn't like spending big money on proven veterans in free agency. The thought of giving an unproven prospect that sort of contract probably sends him into a fit of rage. Sometimes, though, if you are serious about winning as a small-market team, you have to take the occasional risk. This would be a risk worth taking and would probably be a nice olive branch to a frustrated fan base that is infuriated with everything the team does.
Cowboys' Micah Parsons seen taking bizarre action in preseason finale
Micah Parsons showed up for the Dallas Cowboys' preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons in body only. The star pass-rusher showed no spirit and did not dress amid his hold-in for a contract extension. On Thursday, Parsons scrubbed the Cowboys from his social media feed. During Friday's game, he couldn't be bothered to be with his teammates on the sideline watching the whole game. Per a photo posted on X by The Athletic's Jon Machota, Parsons was seen lying down on a trainer's table during the contest. Parsons' actions come amid a turbulent week between his representation and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. In separate interviews, Jones told both Michael Irvin and ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that he did not plan to back down from his agreement with Parsons to work with agent David Mulugheta. During the pregame show on Friday, Jones boasted to 105.3 The Fan that defensive end is where the Cowboys have the most depth on the roster. "Frankly, our defensive ends may be the best depth, where we have the most talent of any position on the field," Jones said via Machota. "I'm excited about our depth and our numbers at pass rusher. ... I'm concerned because of having space on the roster to keep that many of our guys that have pass rushing ability." Following Friday night's game, the Cowboys' preseason is over. The situation between Jones and Parsons is not ideal for first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who is tasked with trimming the roster to 53 players by Tuesday. If Parsons is traded or chooses not to play in Week 1, Schottenheimer is going to have to decide to take away depth from what Jones sees as a weaker part of the team to boost a unit that is without their best player because he won't negotiate with Mulugheta.
Dallas Stars lock up one of the league's best players with massive extension today in hockey history
The Dallas Stars have had many defining moments in their history, but few symbolize loyalty and leadership like Mike Modano's contract extension in the early 2000s. On August 21, 2003, the Stars officially locked up their franchise icon with an extension that cemented his role as the face of hockey in Texas. The move wasn't just about keeping a superstar forward, it was about keeping the identity of the Stars firmly tied to one of the most respected players in the game. Mike Modano's extension showed his loyalty and lasting impact on the Dallas Stars At the time, speculation lingered about whether Modano might test the waters elsewhere. Instead, he reaffirmed his commitment to Dallas, the franchise that had drafted him first overall back in 1988 when they were still the Minnesota North Stars. "This team, this city, it means everything to me. Staying here was the only choice that felt right," Modano said during the press conference announcing the deal. Those words resonated with fans, as his decision represented stability during an era when star players often left in search of bigger contracts. The extension also ensured that Modano would continue climbing the NHL record books in a Stars uniform. He went on to become the all-time American-born leader in goals and points, a record that defined his Hall of Fame career. Looking back, the August 21 signing stands as a cornerstone moment in Dallas Stars history. I think it was one of the smartest moves the franchise ever made, keeping Modano in green not only secured wins on the ice but also preserved a legacy that still inspires players today.
Falcons HC speaks out after offensive starter gets carted off practice field with concerning injury
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