Tuesday’s schedule has already shifted, with Cleveland and Cincinnati now set for a day/night doubleheader after Monday’s washout pushed their matchup into the afternoon.
The biggest jolt Monday came from Miami, where a team that had dropped 12 straight finally found a way to stop the bleeding. Down two runs in the ninth, the Marlins put together five straight baserunners against Jhoan Duran and turned the game on its head.
Griffin Conine finished it with a walk-off single, giving Miami its first victory since July 9. The win knocked the Marlins out of the final NL Wild Card spot, but they’re still only two games back of the Pirates and Diamondbacks.
The problem is the traffic jam around them, with the Nationals, Cardinals, and Padres all sitting ahead in the crowded NL race.
Pittsburgh took advantage of that congestion by beating Arizona in walk-off fashion of its own. Brandon Lowe tied the game with a run in the eighth, then singled in Billy Cook in the bottom of the 10th to send the fans home happy.
The result leaves the Pirates and Diamondbacks tied for the last playoff spot in the National League. Arizona has now lost three in a row after dropping a series to the Nationals over the weekend, and the road only gets tougher from here.
After leaving Pittsburgh, the Diamondbacks are headed into a stretch that includes the Guardians, Padres, and Dodgers.
Monday also brought Max Scherzer back to Washington, and the scene felt familiar from the start. The veteran right-hander, returning after six weeks out with a back injury, took the mound against the Nationals and was greeted with an ovation before and after his third-inning exit.
Scherzer needed 75 pitches to record eight outs and allowed one earned run. The 42-year-old won a World Series with Washington in 2019, and he said the night meant a lot to him: “ It’s special,” Scherzer said (h/t Shi Davidi of Sportsnet).
“ I’ve got a lot of great memories here in D.C., so the fans, I wanted to show them respect as well because they were cheering the whole time, even when I was warming up. Very appreciative of the fans here.”
In Other News...
Pirates Suddenly Have A Bigger Outfield Concern Than Fans Realized
Esmerlyn Valdezs exit with a left hand injury landed at an awkward time for a Pirates club that has been trying to sort out its outfield depth on the fly. The rookie was hit by a pitch and had to leave the game, and the timing matters because Pittsburgh had just added another outfielder in Johnathan Rodrguez, a move that sent him to Triple-A after the club brought him over from Baltimore.
The roster shuffle did not stop there, either. To make room, the Pirates designated catcher Shawn Ross for assignment and reinstated Endy Rodrguez from the injured list, a reminder that these small transactions can ripple quickly when injuries hit. There is also a more celebratory note coming to PNC Park in August, when Josh Harrison will be honored in a retirement ceremony, but for now the immediate concern is how Pittsburgh handles another outfield question while waiting for more information on Valdez. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Just Got The Oneil Cruz Update They've Been Waiting For
Oneil Cruz is moving closer to a return after fractures in his left hand sidelined him on June 6, and the Pirates finally have some encouraging momentum on one of their most important injured players. General manager Ben Cherington said Cruz is progressing well in his rehab, with soreness continuing to decrease as he works back toward full baseball activity.
Cruz remains on the 60-day injured list, so the club still has to clear the final steps before he can rejoin the lineup. The expectation is that he will finish a rehab assignment and be back in early August, giving Pittsburgh a clearer timeline on a player whose absence has lingered long enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Just Got A Brutal New Setback With Spencer Horwitz
Spencer Horwitzs return hit another snag this week, and it comes at a time when the Pirates were hoping to get some stability back at first base. Horwitz is still on the 10-day injured list, and the club has been checking on him daily as it tries to map out a possible path back, with Ryan OHearn continuing to handle first in his absence.
The setback matters because Horwitz had been working through a rehab assignment when the issue surfaced, leaving Pittsburgh to wait longer than expected for a player it had planned to fold back into the lineup. For now, the Pirates are left balancing caution with need, and there is still no clear timeline on when Horwitz will be ready to rejoin the mix. [Read more 🡒]