The Opener Soto Tigers Orioles Pitchers Due

With the final week of the regular season just over the horizon, here are three things well be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend: 1. Soto undergoing testing: Yankees superstar had a scary moment during the clubs game against the Mariners yesterday when he slid hard into the right field wall while making a catch in the outfield. Soto stayed on the ground briefly but got up and resumed play Dion Waiters Jersey shortly thereafter. As noted by , the initial diagnosis on Sotos knee was a contusion but the Yankees are still sending the phenom for x-rays to make sure there isnt a more serious i sue at play. The addition of Soto over the offseason completed transformed the Yankees lineup headed into the 2024 campaign, and the 25-year-old star has delivered with an incredible .286/.418/.575 slash line in 149 games this year. The Yankees clinched a spot in the postseason earlier this week, meaning theyll be able to afford the pending free agent plenty of rest ahead of the postseason should that prove nece sary. 2. Series Preview: Tigers @ Orioles The Tigers have emerged as baseballs most fascinating story this September as theyve surged to a 11-5 record this month thats allowed them to catch a flailing Twins club thats gone 7-11 since the start of the month, leaving the two teams tied in the final AL Wild Card spot. Minnesota won the season series over Detroit and holds the tiebreaker between the two clubs, however, meaning that if the Tigers are to close out their surprise run to the postseason theyll need to keep winning games, including a tough three-game set this weekend against the Orioles in Baltimore. Meanwhile, the Orioles have plenty of incentive to make the road as difficult as po sible for the Tigers as they could clinch a playoff spot in front of their home crowd this weekend with a sweep. Detroit has not yet announced their starter for tonights game, but the series will kick off at 7:05pm local time tonight with (3.06 ERA) on the mound for the Orioles. Tomorrow, right-hander (3.50 ERA) will take on lefty (5.74 ERA in 14 starts) and the series will wrap on Sunday with an as-of-yet undetermined starter on the mound for Detroit against breakout journeyman (3.60 ERA). 3. Pitchers Duel in Texas: Two of the leagues most talented starters are set to face off at Globe Life Field this evening when the Mariners send youngster to the mound to face in the veterans second start since returning from Tommy John surgery. Kirby, 26, has had a down year by his lofty standards thanks to a brutal six-start stretch that began in mid-August where he saw his ERA balloon from 3.13 to 3.77 thanks primarily to a whopping nine home runs surrendered in 31 innings of work. He bounced back from that rare tough stretch in his most recent start, however, blanking the very same Rangers club hes set to face tonight with seven scorele s innings that saw him allow just one hit in a 7-0 victory over the club in Seattle last week. Also making his second consecutive start against the same club is deGrom, who struck out four in 3 2/3 scorele s innings of work against Seattle during his season debut last week. It was just deGroms 33rd start since the start of the 2021 season as the veteran ace has battled injury after injury in recent years, but on a rate basis hes been the most effective starter in all of baseball over that time with a microscopic 1.99 ERA and an even strong 1.60 FIP in 190 1/3 combined innings of work that have seen him punch out 42.8% of opponents. George Mikan Jersey