Aside from looking toward the future, the Chicago White Sox don't have a whole lot to play for these days. They sit at 55-86 on the season, good for the worst record in the American League, which is 30 1/2 games behind the division-leading Indians.
When the club was dealing away nearly all of its prized assets over the winter and throughout the first few months of the season, there was one player that they were adamant about holding onto and making a part of the rebuild process. Jose Abreu.
On Saturday, the White Sox got to have some fun on the diamond, and it was Abreu who was leading the charge.
The White Sox hung six runs on former teammate Jeff Samardzija en route to a 13-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Most of the damage was done via the long ball. Jose Abreu crushed a solo homer in the first inning. Tim Anderson launched one of his own in the second. Yolmer Sanchez belted a three-run shot in the fourth to increase the lead to 5-0. They weren't nearly finished.
Avisail Garcia joined the party with a solo blast of his own in the fifth inning. Yoan Moncada clobbered one over the boards in the seventh. Nicky Delmonico completed the barrage of homers with a two-run shot in the seventh.
The 30-year-old Cuban slugger wound up having the most memorable night of the bunch though.
After tagging Samardzija for the solo homer in the first inning, he lined a double into left field in his next at-bat in the third inning. Samardzija got a bit of revenge in the fifth, striking him out after an eight-pitch battle.
Abreu then singled and rode home on Nicky Delmonico's homer in the seventh inning, leaving him a triple shy of the cycle. He's surprisingly fleet of foot for a man of his size. Despite having just four career stolen bases to his name, Abreu had already tripled four times this season and 10 times in his big league career. All he needed to do was put one in the gap and run like hell.
He did exactly that in the eighth inning, lacing a ball into the gap in right-center. Abreu busted it out of the box, clearly thinking three the entire way, sliding in safely with his coveted three-bagger. Abreu admitted afterwards, "I was thinking the same thing that Avi [Garcia] told me seconds before, to hit the ball to the alley... I hit the ball to the alley and I was just thinking of the triple"
He became just the sixth player in club history to hit for the cycle and the first since John Valentin completed the feat in April of 2000.
He has been a rock in the middle of the White Sox lineup this season, despite the changing faces around him. With his 4-for-5 effort on Saturday, Abreu is slashing .300/.351/.545 with 29 homers and 87 RBI on the season.
Nelson gets Nixed
The Brewers' playoff hopes were dealt a major blow on Saturday when an MRI revealed that ace right-hander Jimmy Nelson had sustained a partially torn labrum and a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder. The injuries will sideline him for the remainder of the 2017 season.
Brewers' general manager David Stearns admitted that surgery is one of the options currently being discussed for Nelson, but they're also considering other treatment options.
Nelson sustained the injury while diving headfirst back into first base after he singled in the fifth inning of Friday's victory over the Cubs. Astonishingly, he remained in the game to throw another scoreless inning before alerting staff that something felt weird, prompting his exit.
The 28-year-old hurler was in the midst of a breakout season for the Brewers, posting a 12-6 record, 3.49 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 199/48 K/BB ratio across his 175 1/3 innings.
After thrashing the Cubs on Saturday, the Brewers sit three games behind the Cubs in the National League Central and three games behind the Rockies for the final Wild Card berth in the National League. They'll now have to run down those clubs and fight their way into the postseason without the benefit of their best pitcher.
Nelson will undergo a second opinion during the coming week before making a decision on his course of treatment.
The Cleveland Indians continued their magical run on Saturday, topping the Orioles 4-2 to win their 17th consecutive ballgame. They're just the seventh team in big league history to achieve a streak of 17 or more games.
Josh Tomlin surrendered just two runs over five-plus innings of work while Francisco Lindor clubbed his 28th home run to lead the attack for the Tribe in this one.
They'll send Trevor Bauer to the hill against Jeremy Hellickson on Sunday Night Baseball as the club looks to complete their sweep of the O's and win their 18th game in a row.
Studio 54
Giancarlo Stanton snapped a four-game homer-less streak on Saturday, blasting a Max Fried offering over the wall in straight-away center field for a solo shot in the first inning.
The home run was Stanton's 54th of the season, which paces all of major league baseball by 15 big flies. The next closest players are Khris Davis and Aaron Judge with 39 each.
The Marlins' postseason hopes and aspirations have fallen by the wayside, but Stanton remains a must-watch on a nightly basis.
Stanton has now crushed an astounding 28 home runs over his last 51 games. For the season, he's hitting .281/.377/.646 with 54 bombs, 109 runs scored and 113 RBI.
American League Quick Hits: Andrew Heaney was forced to leave his start against the Mariners due to shoulder soreness... Eduardo Nunez was removed from Saturday's game against the Rays due to an apparent hamstring injury... Jarrod Dyson continues to feel discomfort in his injured right groin... David Price (elbow) threw 32 pitches in a simulated game without issue... Steven Souza sat out Saturday's game, but an MRI on his injured knee came back negative. He's listed as day-to-day... Mikie Mahtook was a late scratch from the Tigers' lineup due to left groin soreness...Aaron Sanchez (finger) and Devon Travis (knee) aren't expected to return before the end of the season...Carlos Gomez was removed from Sunday's game with an apparent ankle injury... Jose Ramirez missed his third straight start due to a sore right wrist... Chris Sale racked up eight strikeouts over six shutout innings in an easy victory over the Rays... Chad Pinder belted a pair of homers as the A's crushed the Astros in the nightcap of Saturday's twin bill... Brandon Maurer worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn a save against the Twins. He could be the man to own in the Royals' bullpen for the time being... James Shields hurled seven innings of one-run ball to beat the Giants... Daniel Gossett struck out seven over six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Astros... Kevin Pillar went 4-for-4 with a homer, leading the Blue Jays past the Tigers... Ryan Tepera picked up a save there with Roberto Osuna unavailable... Andrew Casher fired seven innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against the Yankees... Luis Severino settled for a tough-luck no decision after allowing one run on just one hit while striking out 10 over his seven frames... Aroldis Chapman worked a perfect ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts to earn a save there... Miguel Cabrera clubbed a two-run homer in his first at-bat back from suspension.
National League Quick Hits: Nick Markakis (wrist) is expected to rejoin the Braves' lineup on Sunday... Dexter Fowler was diagnosed with a left knee contusion. He's considered day-to-day... Tyler Anderson (knee) is set to return from the DL on Sunday... Brad Ziegler was unavailable on Saturday due to a back issue... Jayson Werth (shoulder) will remain sidelined until at least Tuesday... Rhys Hoskins blasted yet another home run, his 14th of the season, in a victory over the Nationals. He also walked three times and swiped a base in the contest... Michael Taylor homered and plated three in a losing effort there... Juan Nicasio fanned two in a scoreless ninth inning, earning his second save in as many days against the Pirates... Hernan Perez homered and drove in five runs on Saturday as the Brewers clobbered the Cubs... Paul Goldschmidt (elbow) went 1-for-5 in his return to the D'Backs lineup on Saturday... Wil Myers crushed a pair of two-run homers as the Padres rallied late to beat the Diamondbacks... Andre Ethier launched his first home run of the year in a loss to the Rockies... Zach Godley punched out nine over seven innings of two-run ball against the Padres but had to settle for a no-decision after Fernando Rodney blew a save late
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