Mega Thread MLB season 2024

[Dixie Flatline]

The Detroit Tigers are right in the mix for a wild card spot in the AL post-season and are bringing reinforcements for their pitching, promoting top pitching prospect Jackson Jobe to make his MLB debut when he's called upon by manager AJ Hinch out of the bullpen. The Tigers designated RHP Shelby Miller for assignment to create a roster spot for Jobe.

As the Tigers reached the trade deadline, they decided to cash in on some of their better trade chips, trading out Jack Flaherty, Andrew Chafin, Mark Canha and Carson Kelly and went all-in on the youth movement with two months of the season to go. Since the start of August, the Tigers have gone 30-17 to take a hold of a Wild Card spot, ahead of Minnesota (by a game) and the Mariners (by two games). With a week to go, the Tigers are looking to consolidate their position in the race for the postseason.

Jobe was the third overall pick by the Tigers in the 2021 draft, and was ranked the 79th prospect in all of baseball without pitching in the professional league by Baseball America. Jobe made 18 starts at Single-A in his professional debut season, with 61 2/3 innings, for a 26.3% strikeout rate and a 9% walk rate. He was promoted to High-A to finish his first season, making three starts for a 1.15 ERA. In 2023, Jobe suffered inflammation in his lower back that prevented him from pitching until the middle of June. He pitched 64 innings across multiple levels in the minors, with a combined 2.81 ERA, 32.6% strikeout rate and a walk rate of 2.3%. In 2024, he has pitched 91 2/3 innings across multiple levels, for a combined 2.36 ERA in 21 starts.

Currently, Jobe is ranked the second best prospect in all baseball, behind the Red Sox Roman Anthony. MLB Pipeline lists Jobe 6th and FanGraphs has him 15th.

Although Jobe was undoubtedly drafted as a starter, he'll make his MLB debut as a reliever, in order to take into account the number of innings he has already pitched this year. Jobe will not exhaust his rookie status in 2024, so the Tigers will be able to retain prospect promotion incentives for 2025 with respect to Jobe.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Former New York Yankee reliever RHP Ron Marinaccio has been claimed off waivers by the White Sox and sent to Double-A Birmingham. Marinaccio was designated for assignment by the Yankees last week, and the White Sox moved to fill a vacant spot on their 40-man roster by claiming the reliever. Marinaccio made his MLB debut in 2022 and pitched 44 innings for the Bronx Bombers that season, with a 2.05 ERA and a 30.9% strikeout rate. As major league hitters got to study the tape against Marinaccio, his results took a step back in 2023, as he pitched 47 1/3 innings for a 3.99 ERA and a 27.3% strikeout rate. In 2024, the Yankees have bounced Marinaccio between Triple-A and the majors, and he had been optioned five times already in the season (the maximum number allowed). The Yankees needed to reinstate Cody Peteet to the 40-man roster and Marinaccio was the odd man out.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Cincinnati Reds announced that they have fired manager David Bell after the Reds failed to make the postseason. Bench coach Freddie Benavides will act as the interim manager for the last week of the season. Bell had a winning record in three of the six seasons he steered the Reds, including a 31-29 record in 2020 that allowed them to reach the postseason, an 83-win season in 2021 and an 82-season in 2023. The latter season suggested that the Reds would be primed for a big season in 2024, as it was largely built off the back of the Reds' younger players, such as Elly de la Cruz. The Reds signed Bell to an extension in July 2023 that covered the 2024-2026 seasons.

The Reds started the season without Noelvi Marte, who was suspended for the first 80 games of the 2024 season through PED, and then the Reds lost Matt McLain in Spring Training to shoulder surgery that has cost him the entirety of the season. Christian Encarnacion-Strand did not play again after the first week in May due to a wrist injury that required surgery.

Further, other players took a step backwards in their production, with Spencer Steer and Alexis Diaz not thriving, while off-season acquisitions like Frankie Montas (now in Milwaukee) and Jeimer Candelario not succeeding.

With the Marlins poised to end the managerial tenure of Skip Schumaker, he is being linked with the role in Cincinnati, as a former Reds player (2014-2015).

Bell leaves Cincinnati with a lifetime record of 409-456, with one postseason appearance in 2020 (that led to a sweep).

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

American League wildcard battle very tight



Tigers had a couple of tough wins over the Orioles in their series to sneak ahead.

Finish with Tampa Bay and the White Sox, both at home

27-11 since sitting Javier Baez in early August.

 

[FreoRicci]

American League wildcard battle very tight

View attachment 2120933

Tigers had a couple of tough wins over the Orioles in their series to sneak ahead.

Finish with Tampa Bay and the White Sox, both at home

27-11 since sitting Javier Baez in early August.

Out of all the teams which I support, Detroit looks most likely to make playoffs. Go figure.

It’s mostly a solid bullpen. Skubal has been solid.

But yep, Baez out is definitely telling. Be interesting if he’s suddenly available for WildCard. Guy is a jerk. Awful player