The season was just a week old when the 1-3 Phillies arrived in Chicago for a quick two-game weekend set with the host Cubs. Mike Schmidt had already homered once, but he was as cold as the team, hitting just .167 with just three total hits over his first 21 plate appearances.
Wild final week looms in MLB postseason races
As of the start of play on Monday, September 25, there was just one final week remaining in the 2023 MLB regular season. For at least half of the 30 clubs, the test results are going to result in a failing grade. Well, that is, at least if postseason contention is your measuring stick.
An unforgettable 1979 slugfest at Wrigley Field
No one watching on TV along with me here in Philly, or any among the 14,952 in attendance that afternoon at the venerable ballpark on Chicago’s North Side, had any clue as to the historic insanity we were about to witness.
MLB flashback: Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley won 197 games and saved 390 over 24 seasons. The righty pitched in 1,071 games and threw 3,285.2 innings with 2,401 strikeouts. At the time of his retirement, Eck had appeared in more games than any pitcher in MLB history.
MLB 2020 Wildcard round: Why all lower seeds can win
There are legitimate reasons why every single one of the lower ranked teams could win and advance. The biggest is that those lower-seeded teams will all send starting pitchers to the mound who can win. And remember, each is only a best-of-three series.
MATT VEASEY 