Gio knows the right way

Put a ribbon and a bow on Lucas Giolito’s first foray with the Chicago White Sox.

White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper announced Tuesday that Giolito will be shut down before what would have been his final regular-season start this weekend in Cleveland.

“There’s nothing left to prove this year,” Cooper told Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com. “There’s nothing really to gain. It couldn’t have gone better. I don’t think his first trip to the big leagues with us could have went any better. He’s got his blueprint. You look at all of the games, just about every one of them have been really good.”

Giolito was indeed really good, registering a sparkling 2.38 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over his first seven starts with Chicago. He struck out 34 batters in 45 1/3 innings and walked 12.

The 23-year-old right-hander was acquired from the Nationals last offseason as part of the Adam Eaton trade. He struggled to a concerning degree over the first couple of months of 2017 at Triple-A Charlotte, but Giolito seemed to figure something out as the calendar turned to July and he earned his way to the major league level in mid-August.

Giolito ranked as a consensus top-five prospect leading into 2016, when he was still in the Nationals’ system, and even though his star faded somewhat over the following 18 months he did enough in the second half of this season to project as a high-upside fantasy option for 2018.

Giolito totaled 174 innings this year between Triple-A Charlotte and the South Side of Chicago, so he should be good for a full 200 innings next year. Start cooking up those draft boards.

Editor’s Note: Win a FREE trip to the World Series plus cash prizes!

Giants Shut Down Mad-Bum

Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced Tuesday afternoon that Madison Bumgarner won’t make another start in 2017 -- not because of any sort of injury, but because Bochy feels the 28-year-old left-hander has been through enough this season.

Bumgarner had been lined up to make his final regular-season start this weekend against the Padres in what would have been a juicy matchup for those still contending for fantasy championships. His spot will instead go to Matt Cain, who hasn’t pitched since August 31. It will likely be Cain’s final start in a Giants uniform given that he holds a $21 million club option for 2018 and is sporting a brutal 5.66 ERA and 1.70 WHIP over 119 1/3 innings this year.

Bumgarner ended 2017 on a high note, allowing just one run over 7 2/3 frames last Saturday against the rival Dodgers. He finishes with a 3.32 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 8.2 K/9 in 17 starts, having missed parts of April and June and all of July with an off-field shoulder injury.

His bargain $12 million club option for 2018 will be exercised in early November.

Bryce Back In Action For Nats

Bryce Harper returned to the Nationals’ starting lineup on Tuesday night against the Phillies after missing 41 games with a calf strain and a bone bruise in his left knee. He drew a four-pitch walk in his first plate appearance, struck out swinging in his second plate appearance, and popped out in his third plate appearance before getting lifted in the bottom of the fifth inning for Victor Robles.

The early exit was by design, with Nationals manager Dusty Baker explaining before Tuesday’s game that Harper will likely be on an at-bat or innings limit the rest of the way to ensure that he is fully healthy for the start of the NLDS next Friday. The situation will be treated much like the end of spring training, when most regulars hit the showers before the sixth inning.

Including his official 0-for-2 showing from Tuesday, the 24-year-old Harper is batting .324/.419/.611 with 29 home runs and 87 RBI in 107 games this season. If not for the August 12 leg injury, he would be among the favorites for National League MVP. And he might just get some votes anyway.

National League Quick Hits: According to reports, the Mets will tender a contract to Matt Harvey for the 2018 season … Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Clayton Kershaw's final regular-season start Saturday in Colorado will be an abbreviated one … Andrew McCutchen had a night for the ages Tuesday against the Orioles, going 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and a career-high eight RBI … Daniel Murphy (leg soreness) remained out of the Nationals’ starting lineup Tuesday … Yadier Molina (concussion) said he's hoping to play again this season, possibly as early as Thursday … J.D. Martinez went 3-for-4 with a grand slam and six total RBI in the Diamondbacks’ defeat of the Giants on Tuesday … Brewers closer Corey Knebel pitched around a hit to notch his 38th save of the season in Tuesday's win over the Reds … Cardinals closer Juan Nicasio recorded a four-out save in Tuesday's victory over the Cubs … Javier Baez was held out of the Cubs’ starting lineup Tuesday after fouling a ball off his right knee on Monday night … Noah Syndergaard is expected to throw just one inning in his final regular-season start this weekend against the Phillies … Tommy Pham was removed from Tuesday's game against the Cubs with a left side contusion … Phillies closer Hector Neris struck out the side to notch his 25th save of the season on Tuesday against the Nationals … Jose Martinez (thumb) is aiming to return to the Cardinals' lineup on Wednesday … Mets setup man A.J. Ramos was unavailable Tuesday due to right biceps tendinitis … Kolten Wong was held out of the Cardinals’ lineup Tuesday after experiencing renewed back tightness on Monday night … Wei-Yin Chen has been shut down for the season due to renewed left elbow discomfort … Albert Almora suffered a right rotator cuff contusion on Tuesday night against the Cardinals … Matt Adams (hamstring) is currently limited to pinch-hitting duties … Marlins right-hander Nick Wittgren underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow.

American League Quick Hits: Impending free agent Alex Cobb won’t make another start in 2017 … A CT scan taken Tuesday on Mookie Betts' left wrist showed no structural damage … Jose Altuve (forearm) was held out of the Astros’ starting lineup on Tuesday night … Josh Donaldson went 3-for-5 with a pair of solo homers off Boston's Chris Sale on Tuesday … Dustin Pedroia (nose, knee) remained out of the Red Sox starting lineup on Tuesday … Miguel Cabrera (back) was out of the Tigers' starting lineup again Tuesday night against the Royals … Brian Dozier finished 3-for-5 with a homer, a double, and three RBI in Tuesday's win over the Indians … Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez hit a pair of homers Tuesday to lead the Blue Jays past the Red Sox … Adam Jones (leg) sat out again Tuesday versus the Pirates … Mike Trout had a three-run homer and two walks as the Angels topped the White Sox on Tuesday … Tim Beckham (hamstring) said he's hoping to return to the Orioles' starting lineup this weekend … Jose Abreu homered twice and doubled against the Angels in a losing cause Tuesday … Red Sox utilityman Eduardo Nunez was held out of action on Tuesday after reaggravating his right knee injury on Monday night … Astros outfielder Cameron Maybin went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and three runs scored in Tuesday's victory over the Rangers … Mike Leake won't make another start this year … Jacob Faria will start for the Rays on Thursday against the Yankees … Andrew Heaney (shoulder) threw a successful bullpen session on Tuesday and could start Thursday against the White Sox … Athletics outfielder Boog Powell (knee) has been shut down for the year … Jeremy Hellickson has a sore back and may be shut down early … Bartolo Colon left his start Tuesday against the Indians after just one inning because of an illness … Yankees reliever Adam Warren (back) worked a two-inning simulated game on Tuesday and is expected to be activated before the end of the week … White Sox starter James Shields has been shut down for the year due to soreness in both of his knees … Guillermo Heredia is likely done for the season with a right shoulder issue … Yolmer Sanchez left Tuesday’s game against the Angels after suffering a right knee contusion.

Red Warning

Cincinnati Reds

2017 Record: 68-94

Last Place, NL Central

Team ERA: 5.17 (29th)

Team OPS: .761 (10th)

What Went Right

Joey Votto had an MVP-worthy season, batting .320/.454/.578 with 36 home runs and 100 RBI while becoming the first Reds player since 1975 to start all 162 games. He got on base 321 times, breaking his own franchise record of 319, set in 2015. Votto finished first in the National League in wRC+ (165) and OPS+ (168), which both account for the fact that he gets to play his home games at Great American Ball Park, one of the more offense-happy stadiums in the major leagues. Luis Castillo arrived in Cincinnati in June and showed the stuff of a front-line starter, posting a 3.12 ERA, 1.075 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts over his first 89 1/3 big-league innings. He can be locked into a rotation spot for 2018. Billy Hamilton played his usual brand of elite-level defense in center field and remained a menace on the base paths. His stolen base totals since the 2014 season are aesthetically pleasing: 56, 57, 58, 59. Scooter Gennett, a late-March waiver claim from the Brewers, put up a career-best .874 OPS with 27 home runs and 97 RBI. He had a four-homer game in June and hit four grand slams throughout the season, becoming the first player to accomplish both feats since Lou Gehrig in 1932.

What Went Wrong

Reds pitchers surrendered 821 runs, by far the highest total in the National League, and opposing hitters managed an .810 OPS against the Cincinnati pitching staff -- tied with the Tigers for the worst mark in the majors. Homer Bailey posted a 6.43 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over 18 starts in the fourth year of a six-year, $105 million deal. He is still owed $49 million. Amir Garrett made the Reds’ rotation out of spring training and looked great in his first three starts, but the wheels fell off from there and he wound up with a 7.39 ERA in 70 2/3 innings. Michael Lorenzen emerged as a top setup man last year at age 24 but struggled to a 4.45 ERA in 83 innings this year at age 25. Devin Mesoraco continued to languish on the disabled list with a variety of injuries, logging only 165 plate appearances and finishing with just six home runs and 14 RBI. Jose Peraza batted .259/.297/.324 in 143 games, after slashing .324/.352/.411 in 72 games as a rookie in 2016. The organization’s rebuilding effort showed little signs of significant progress, outside of an impressive June draft class.

Fantasy Slants

** Cincinnati’s offense was a source of some fantasy goodness. The obvious standout was Joey Votto, who got back into the power game this year with his highest home run total and RBI total since his MVP campaign in 2010. Billy Hamilton still can’t hit, but he remained highly valuable as a base-stealer and would have finished first overall in that category if not for an early-September thumb fracture. Adam Duvall produced 31 home runs and 99 RBI as the Reds’ primary cleanup hitter, despite batting just .249 with a .301 on-base percentage. Scott Schebler batted just .233 with a .307 on-base percentage, but he also reached 30 home runs. Eugenio Suarez managed a career-best .828 OPS, along with 26 home runs and 82 RBI. All of these players will be back in 2018 and so will Scooter Gennett, pending possible (maybe even likely) offseason trade activity.

** Zack Cozart is scheduled to become a free agent five days after the World Series and will almost certainly be changing cities. The 32-year-old shortstop posted an excellent .297/.385/.548 batting line with 24 home runs, 63 RBI, and 80 runs scored in 122 games this season, earning his first All-Star nod and finishing second on the team in WAR. Moving away from Great American Ball Park will probably hurt Cozart’s power projections for 2018, but he could also shape into a decent mid-to-late round sleeper if he lands in the right situation.

** Raisel Iglesias had a late-season fade, but he still finished with a strong 2.49 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 63 appearances, striking out 92 batters over 76 innings. Reds manager Bryan Price talked this spring about using a matchups-based approach to the ninth inning, but Iglesias got the call more often than not and tallied 28 saves in 30 opportunities. The 27-year-old right-hander is on a team-friendly contract that runs through 2020.

** Outfield prospect Jesse Winker made a strong first impression, batting .298/.375/.529 with seven home runs and seven doubles across his first 47 major league games. He wasn’t much of a counting stats compiler in the minor leagues, but Great American Ball Park can help that cause and the 24-year-old former supplemental first-round pick has turned in well-rounded slash lines at every level of professional baseball.

** Jose Peraza is going to take on a larger role next season, his poor output from 2017 be damned. Regular starts will yield regular stolen bases and if he hits well enough to claim a spot near the top of the Reds’ lineup the fantasy returns could be great. Peraza batted second 19 times in April before manager Bryan Price pulled the plug.

Key Free Agents: Zack Cozart, Scott Feldman, Drew Storen

Team Needs: Pitching, pitching, pitching, and maybe another high-OBP bat.

Perfect Season for Rookies

The 2017 season has been over for less than 24 hours, but we’re prospect folks, and us prospect folks never stop looking towards the future.

Here’s the top 10 prospects for the 2018 season. Keep in mind that these are not the best overall prospects, but like our weekly lists this past season, it covers the 10 prospects who have the best chance of making an impact in 2018, so things like proximity to the majors and positional availability matter here as well.

Without further ado, here’s the top 10:

1. Gleyber Torres, IF, New York Yankees -- With all due respect to the other players on this list, Torres is a pretty easy player to top this list. Even recovering from a freak injury that cost him most of his 2017 season can’t keep the former Cubs prospect from being here. He’s a shortstop who can hit for average with solid power, and he’s a savvy baserunner who can steal bases as well. While he’s a more-than-adequate shortstop, he’ll likely spend 2018 at third base with Chase Headley’s contract expiring. Torres has the talent to be a special baseball player.

2. Ronald Acuna, OF, Atlanta Braves -- If we’re just going by pure talent, Acuna would top this list. He’s one of -- if not the -- best prospects in baseball. The question is: how much time will he spend in Atlanta in 2018? He had a sensational season, but he doesn’t turn 20 until December, and the Braves may want to be extra cautious in his development. If he does see time in Atlanta, he’s a must-add, as he has all of the skills including plus-plus speed that make him an automatic stolen base threat anytime he’s on. He’s the only prospect who has a chance to match Torres in impact in 2018.

3. Francisco Mejia, C, Cleveland Indians -- Somewhat surprisingly, Mejia made his big-league debut in 2017. That surprise has to do with his projected timeline, as he clearly already has big-league ability. He’s a switch-hitter who can make hard contact to all parts of the field, and the power is coming along, as well. Mejia is going to the Arizona Fall League to play third base, so there’s a good chance he’ll be eligible for two positions next year.

4. Brent Honeywell, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays -- If there was one prospect that surprisingly failed to see time in the majors this year, it was Honeywell. He was one of the best pitchers in the minor leagues last year, and he showed a complete arsenal and the ability to command that arsenal exceptionally well. There’s zero reason to think he won’t be a part of the Rays’ rotation at some point next season.

5. Victor Robles, OF, Washington Nationals -- It might have been just as surprising that Robles reached the bigs, as it was that Honeywell didn’t. After all, he was a 20-year-old who started the year in High-A Potomac. When you consider his talent, however, it’s not that surprising. The only skill that doesn’t project as plus is his power, and 15 to 20 homer seasons are certainly possible. There might not be room in the Nationals outfield next year -- and he’s almost certain to start the year in Triple-A -- but Robles is an excellent speculative add for those who are looking for upside in 2018.

6. Scott Kingery, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies-- You’d be hard-pressed to find a prospect who improved his stock more than Kingery did. The 2015 second-round pick added some strength and loft to his swing, and that increased his power while keeping the same quality hitting talent he showed at the University of Arizona. He’s also a quality defender who has shown some versatility, which should allow him to play a solid amount of innings for the Phillies next summer.

7. Lewis Brinson, OF, Milwaukee Brewers -- Brinson’s time with Triple-A Colorado Springs was excellent. His time with the Brewers? Not so much. That’s a small sample size, however, and Brinson illustrated the talent that made him the focal point of the Jonathan Lucroy trade in the summer of 2016. The only question is whether he will make enough contact to tap into his impressive power/speed combination. I’m still betting he will.

8. Ryan McMahon, IF, Colorado Rockies -- It’s great to see McMahon reach this kind of status again, as there were many who wrote him off after his struggles in 2016. It was anything but a struggle for the left-handed hitting infielder in 2017. When you add his ability to the fact he’ll be playing in Coors Field, it’s a very intriguing situation. The only reason he ranks this low is there’s no obvious place for him to play right now.

9. Jeimer Candelario, 3B, Detroit Tigers -- As we wrote about several times, there was no prospect who needed a change of scenery more than Candelario. No longer blocked by Kris Bryant, the switch-hitting third baseman has a chance to be a solid regular with his ability to get on base and demonstrate his improving power. There are fits of inconsistency, but there are enough good moments to outweigh the bad. He should be a regular for the woeful Tigers next year from day one.

10. Walker Buehler, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers -- When the Dodgers took Buehler in the first-round of the 2015 draft, they knew they were getting a talented prospect. They likely didn’t know he was going to be this good. Buehler has outstanding stuff, and like Honeywell, he commands that stuff exceptionally well for being so inexperienced. There’s a strong chance he’ll force his way into the Los Angeles rotation next year.

Memories

I have these recurring memories of days gone by.  Those flashes of scenes flickering past me, like flashes out of time. Bob Gibson striking out Mickey Mantle, my mother cheering for the Yankees,and my Cardinals winning in 64'.

I can get them out of my head.

My head is full of memories,Curt Flood diving in Centre Field catching a liner hit off the Tom Tresh.
Gibby mowing them down, one by one.

October baseball, falling leaves, school days run into the Fall Classic, late afternoon World Series games. Coming home to find the game was on, my mother cupping a cigarette watching the Yankees drive in a run off a miscue by Tim McCarver.

Julian Javier line a double into the gap, Mantle collect it and toss it back into the infield, collecting up by Tony Kubek.  Later Tony would go onto call color with Curt Gowdy on the Baseball Game of the Week broadcast by NBC.

My weekly slice of Nirvana, baseball game of the week, Astros versus Dodgers, out there in Los Angeles, way out west. A distant land 3hours time difference,out where Mickey Mouse ruled the coast,where Johny Carson held court.

And it was Saturday again, and the Toronto Star Sports section had a half page of baseball statistics , batting averages from the zenith of Rod Carew down to Zoilo Versailes, through to the depths of mediocrity, all the way down to lowly Pete Geiger , who hit .198.

I would pour over the names, collecting as much info as I could,by osmosis , somehow learning th game by stats.

Back to the 64 ' Series again, CBC was showing high lights of the 5th game ,Yanks won but trailed in the Series.  Orlando Cepeda driving in runs right and left, Lou Brock showing flashes of brilliance in the outfield.

In the end,the Cards were victorious over the Yankees, my mother's team were defeated in 6 games. And Bob Gibson was the pitching star, Ray Washburn, chipping in.

Those Red birds, those red birds, in their white uniforms with red decorative Cardinals astride baseball bat logo.

Gone is my mother, succumbed to the dreaded cancer, but her Yankees are in the Wild card tilt against the Twins, who replaced the Senators in 61.

Aaron Judge is the new Mickey Mantle, socking home runs with regularity, their star slugger, and my Cards,well they did not make it in the National League.


Those memories, came a callin me last night , in a dream, mom sitting up on the couch cupping a cig, creating a waft of smoke that drifted out of the living room.

I can still smell her smoke and I am 61 now, with a wife and two grown children, with mates of their own. I can still make out her stale cigarette smoke trail, wafting through the hallway.

Memories...... 

Wild Ride

Does a team’s mastery over another in head-to-head matchups matter when it all comes down to a one winner-take-all game? It almost surely doesn’t, and the Twins are certainly hoping that’s the case.

The Yankees have an unfathomable 90-33 record in regular and postseason games against the Twins since 2002. That’s nearly a .750 winning percentage over a 16-year period and is easily the most lopsided head-to-head matchup over that span.

So what does that mean as the two clubs prepare for Tuesday’s American League Wild Card Game that will determine who faces the Indians in the ALDS? Well, as I previously alluded to, probably nothing. The Yankees are certainly viewed as the favorites Tuesday, though, even if it has nothing to do with what they’ve done versus the Twins over the last decade and a half.

Luis Severino will start for the Bronx Bombers and is coming off a regular season that saw him post a 2.98 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 230/51 K/BB ratio over 193 1/3 innings. Worth noting is that one of his worst starts of the season came against Minnesota just a couple weeks ago when he allowed three runs over only three frames. Severino will be tasked with facing a Twins lineup that’s been clicking since the All-Star break.

One guy that it appears Severino might not have to face is Miguel Sano. Sano returned to action this past weekend after missing 38 games with a stress reaction in his left shin, but he’s still not feeling 100 percent. Manager Paul Molitor is tentatively planning to start Robbie Grossman at designated hitter over Sano.

"It's been challenging trying to get him prepared in such a short window," Molitor said. "I think we're encouraged that he's going to be available tomorrow in some capacity. We're going to see how the workout goes today. Whether he's going to start or not, I still haven't inked it in yet, but I'm leaning toward having him on the bench."

Taking the ball for the Twins will be Ervin Santana. Santana had a regular season in which he pitched excellently at the beginning (1.75 ERA from April-May), poorly in the middle (5.46 ERA from June-July) and very good again at the end (3.12 ERA from August-September). He faced the Yankees just once, holding them to two runs over 5 2/3 frames last month in New York.

The Yankees ranked second in baseball in runs scored this season and the Twins weren’t far behind at seventh. We certainly have two offenses that are capable of putting runs on the board in a hitter-friendly stadium.

I’m looking forward to getting playoff baseball underway Tuesday. Thankfully, Phil Cuzzi isn’t on the AL Wild Card umpiring crew.

Gray vs. Greinke in the Desert

The National League Wild Card Game will go down on Wednesday, with two NL West foes squaring off as Colorado travels to Arizona.

The Rockies held off the Brewers for the NL’s second Wild Card spot and will go up against a Diamondbacks squad for the 20^th time since Opening Day. They went 8-11 in 19 regular season matchups versus the D’Backs.

Jon Gray will toe the rubber for the Rockies on Wednesday, and few in the game are throwing the ball as well as the young right-hander of late. Gray posted a 2.44 ERA, 1.12 WHP and 66/15 K/BB ratio over 66 1/3 innings in his final 11 starts of the season. He had a 2.10 ERA and 33/4 K/BB ratio over 30 innings in his final five outings.

That Gray has excelled down the stretch shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. He missed over two months of action during the first half with a stress reaction in his left foot, which means he’s throwing only 123 2/3 innings this season. At a time of the year when many pitchers wear down – especially younger hurlers – Gray’s arm is still fresh. Oh, and I should also probably note that Gray held a 3.50 ERA and 26/4 K/BB ratio over 18 frames in his three starts against Arizona this season.

Of course, the Rockies are going to have their hands full, as well, with former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke starting for the Diamondbacks. After an injury-shortened, disappointing showing in 2016, Greinke bounced back in a big way in 2017, putting up a 3.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 215/45 K/BB ratio across 202 1/3 frames.

Greinke held a 3.41 and obscene 37/2 K/BB ratio across 34 1/3 innings in his five starts against the Rockies this season. He’ll be making his 10^th career postseason start, having posted a 3.55 ERA and 54/9 K/BB ratio over 58 1/3 frames in his first nine playoff outings. Gray will be making his first career postseason start.

Quick Hits: John Coppolella resigned as Braves general manager on Monday following the revelation that Major League Baseball is investigating the team’s practices on the international player market. David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale hear that the Braves could lure back former assistant GM and current Royals GM Dayton Moore. O’Brien also says former Marlins GM Dan Jennings is a candidate … Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports has reported that former Marlins and Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has been linked "a lot" to the Tigers' managerial opening … Jose Bautista fully intends on continuing his playing career in 2018 … Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia has reported that it’s likely the Phillies shop Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez on the trade market this winter … Blake Treinen will have surgery later this week to have a cyst removed from his right middle finger … Eduardo Nunez (knee) ran the bases and did some hitting on Monday and still hopes to be cleared for the ALDS … Ketel Marte is hopeful of playing Wednesday after leaving Sunday's regular-season finale with hamstring tightness … David Peralta said he'll be ready to play Wednesday after leaving Saturday's game and sitting out Sunday's with a sore back … The A's will pick up Jed Lowrie's option and plan to keep him as their second baseman next year … Matt Carpenter will not require surgery on his right shoulder …

That was a powerful ending to the season

In a season where major-league hitters set a new record for total home runs, it's fitting that the final week was highlighted by some amazing achievements in slugging.

We'll run through these prodigious power-hitting accomplishments, as well as the rest of the biggest trending story-lines in fantasy baseball, as we send off the 2017 regular season:

 What a year for Giancarlo Stanton. With two home runs on Thursday he moved to 59 on the season, tying Babe Ruth's 1921 campaign for ninth on the all-time list. Stanton's total is the highest since Barry Bonds set the all-time mark in 2001, and he still add to it before the end of the weekend. Incredibly, 38 of Stanton's bombs have come since the beginning of July.

Stanton's trade candidacy will likely be a major storyline this offseason. Regardless of where he ends up, he should be one of the first players off the board in fantasy drafts next spring.

 Right up there with him will be Aaron Judge, who set a new rookie home run record with his 49th and 50th blasts on Monday, then padded it with No. 51 on Thursday. Mark McGwire held the previous MLB record at 49.

Following a monstrous first half, Judge endured a bit of a slump in August, but his bat has been reignited in September with 14 homers (including four multi-homer games), 31 RBI and an excellent 30-to-27 K/BB ratio. He's back on track as the Yankees look ahead to a Wild Card showdown against the Twins on Tuesday.

 Judge has enjoyed a spectacular final month, but it can't quite measure up to that of J.D. Martinez, who has been simply unconscious since joining the Diamondbacks ahead of the deadline. By going deep in five of his last seven games, Martinez has tied Ralph Kiner's 68-year-old record for home runs by an NL hitter in September (16).

Martinez missed all of April and the first 11 days of May due to a foot injury suffered in spring training, but has made up for lost time with an astounding 45 jacks in 112 games, including 29 in 60 contests since coming over to Arizona on July 18th. He's set to cash in bigtime as an impending free agent.

He might one day join these prodigious sluggers in chasing home run records, but for now Bryce Harper is just happy to be back in time for the playoffs. Sidelined since August 12th by a knee injury, he returned to the Nationals lineup on Tuesday, finishing 0-for-2 with a walk. Harper sat out Thursday and returned on Friday night but went 0-for-4 with a couple strikeouts.

The Nats will be feeling a lot more confident heading into the playoffs if Harper can find his rhythm in these next couple games.

 The Twins, too, are hoping their top slugger can find his timing over the weekend as they gear up for Tuesday's Wild Card Game in New York. Miguel Sano hadn't played since August 19th due to a stress reaction in his shin, but pronounced himself ready to play on Friday, and appeared that night as a pinch hitter. He's in Saturday's starting lineup as DH.

Minnesota has incredibly been one of baseball's top-scoring teams over the past six weeks even without their All Star third baseman. If he comes out of these tuneup games OK, he could be a big difference-maker against the Yankees.

 Matt Cain first arrived in the big leagues in 2005 – a sturdily built 20-year-old right-hander who threw the living hell out of the ball. From 2006 through 2013, he basically never missed a start, routinely logging 200-plus innings with strong results. He was the definition of a workhorse, and the Giants rode him, hard.

It took a toll. By the time he reached 30, Cain's arm had pretty much given out. His signature velocity had gone amiss, and his health was a constant concern. On Wednesday, he announced he'll be hanging up his cleats after his final start of the season on Saturday, one day ahead of his 33rd birthday.

Neither he nor the Giants likely harbor regrets. Cain contributed significantly to two World Championships, and earned well over $100 million during his 12-year career with San Francisco. Kudos to a great career.

This was a year full of promise for Danny Duffy. Following an outstanding 2016 campaign, he signed a five-year extension and was tabbed as Kansas City's Opening Day starter. The hope was that he'd settle in as a bona fide No. 1 starter.

But it didn't quite play out that way. His numbers sagged across most categories. He spent time in August and September on the disabled list. He had some issues off the field, with news of a DUI charge arising a month ago. And now, he'll end the season by undergoing surgery on his elbow.

As such operations go, this one is relatively minor, intended to remove loose bodies from the area and hopefully prevent further issues like the inflammation that sidelined him for a month. Duffy is expected to be good to go in spring, and will once again head into next season as the team's de facto ace.

When Cain arrived on the scene a dozen years ago, his 93 MPH fastball was a rarity. In his rookie season his velocity ranked sixth among starters. This year it would've ranked 20th.

Lucas Giolito is a specimen of the new breed. His heater frequently flashing 93 feels routine in an age where premium velo is the norm. The White Sox indicated on Tuesday that the 23-year-old would be forgoing his final start this weekend, thus concluding a successful first season in Chicago. Following his late-August promotion, the righty posted a 2.38 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over seven starts.

He should be locked in for a rotation spot next spring. We wouldn't be surprised to see his velocity and strikeout rate up in the early going.

It wasn't such a successful season for Matt Harvey in his first year back after thoracic outlet surgery. The right-hander was roughed up again on Friday night, surrendering four runs over four innings in his last start of 2017. He finishes with a 6.70 ERA in 92 2/3 innings.

Despite the horrendous results, the Mets indicated earlier in the week that they still plan to tender him a contract through arbitration in the off season.

The hope is that the 28-year-old will get back some semblance of his game as he moves further away from surgery. Hopefully that's the case. He's got a long way to go.   

That'll do it for this season of the Week That Was. To those who have checked out these weekly recaps regularly throughout the year, thanks for reading!

ALL OVER BUT THE CRYING

The field is set.

There will be no final-day drama this year, as all the remaining questions pertaining to the postseason were answered Saturday. We now know the who, what, when, where and why of the 2017 playoffs.

The Red Sox answered many of the questions with the first game of the day, besting the Astros 6-3 to clinch the American League East title, while also ensuring the Indians will hold the top seed in the AL. The outcome also guaranteed that the Sox and Astros will face off in the ALDS next week after closing the regular season against each other.

For the Sox, it was a historic feat, the first time in team history they've won American League East titles in back-to-back years. Despite the division crown, the club will start their postseason journey on the road, with the Astros holding home-field advantage for their matchup. The Indians will await the winner of the Yankees-Twins Wild Card matchup.

On the other side of the ledger, the second Wild Card spot was finalized in heartbreaking fashion for the Brewers. With the team trying to put some pressure on the Rockies heading into the season's final day, the Brew Crew led the Cardinals 6-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning before the Cards rallied to score three runs. The Brewers couldn't answer in the top of the ninth despite putting a runner in scoring position with two outs, watching their postseason aspirations fall just short.

Although it might take some time to gain perspective, being eliminated from playoff contention on the season's penultimate day is a wild success for a team not expected to sniff October in 2017. With unexpected contributions across the board -- from Jimmy Nelson to Chase Anderson to Corey Knebel, and Eric Thames to Travis Shaw to Domingo Santana -- the immediate future is suddenly much brighter in Milwaukee.

But it's the Rockies' day to celebrate, another team outperforming expectations on the backs of some household names, and some surprise ones as well. Charlie Blackmon may be the National League MVP when it's all said and done, and Nolan Arenado is having another elite offensive year. But ranking among the surprises are guys like Greg Holland, who has saved 41 games after not pitching an inning in the majors in 2016, and Mark Reynolds, a journeyman who hit 30 homers for the first time since 2011.

The Rox will have to get past the Diamondbacks if they want to get their shot at the Dodgers in the NLDS. The Nationals will host the defending-champion Cubs in the other National League series.

It's going to be a fun month.

Duffy Set For Elbow Procedure

The Royals may be saying goodbye to a number of regulars this winter.

Starter Danny Duffy is also preparing to part with some "loose bodies" next week.

The southpaw is set to undergo a procedure Tuesday to remove "loose bodies" in his elbow, Royals manager Ned Yost said Saturday. The procedure is being labeled as minor.

“I have what I have,” Duffy said in early September. “It’s something that is inflaming something in there. So we’ll get it looked at when we need to. But until then, right now, I could go. Nothing in my elbow is going to compromise my ligament.”

Duffy did pitch out the rest of the season, but it's a year the 28-year-old might prefer to forget. Duffy struggled in 24 starts, due in part to the elbow ailment, posting a 3.81 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 130/41 K/BB ratio.

Duffy just completed the first year of a new five-year, $65 million contract he signed with the Royals last winter.

Quick Hits: Max Scherzer left Saturday due to a right hamstring cramp, the Nationals said after the game. It's great news if that's all it is, but we'll have to wait and see if there are any lingering issues. While there haven't been any announcements, Scherzer is due to get the ball in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cubs ... Andrew McCutchen was scratched from the Pirates' lineup Saturday due to left foot discomfort. McCutchen fouled a ball off the foot Friday and was still sore. The Pirates obviously have no incentive to push him, so it's possible he's done for the season ... Chris Taylor (knee) was back in the Dodgers' lineup Saturday. Taylor sat out Friday after exiting Wednesday's game with a hyperextended left knee, but he's fine. He finished 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI in the Dodgers' win ... Eric Thames departed Saturday's game against the Cardinals after fouling a ball off his right foot. It's hard to be unluckier with foul tips than Thames has been lately, as this is the fourth time he's fouled a ball off the same foot. He's avoided any broken bones to this point but will likely be sent for X-rays ... Dee Gordon stole two bases and scored two runs while going 3-for-4 to help the Marlins pound the Braves 10-2 on Saturday. The stolen bases were the 59th and 60th of the year for the second baseman, putting him one ahead of Reds speedster Billy Hamilton with a game left to play.