Here are a couple of items to monitor on Tuesday, plus a link to submit questions for a live chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
1. Mets’ losing streak
The last time the Mets won a game, the Artemis II crew was still in space. New York has dropped 11 straight after a sweep against the Cubs over the weekend. The club is back home tonight to face the Twins for a three-game set. Nolan McLean will get the ball with a chance to stop the skid. The Mets’ return to New York means we’re officially on Juan Soto watch. Manager Carlos Mendoza said the star outfielder would come back from his calf injury during the homestand.
2. Counsell bristles at Ohtani Rule
With pitching injuries mounting in Chicago, Cubs manager Craig Counsell shared his take on the two-way player rule, which allows teams to carry a pitcher who doesn’t count against the team’s total. “I’ve never understood it,” Counsell told reporters, including Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. “It’s an offensive rule, essentially. It’s a rule to help offense, more than anything, if you ask me. And then there’s one team that’s allowed to carry basically one of both, and he gets special consideration, which is probably the most bizarre rule. For one team.”
Players meet the two-way designation by pitching 20 innings and playing 20 games as the DH or in the field, with three plate appearances needed for those games to count. The requirements can be met in the current season or either of the two previous seasons. Teams are limited to 13 pitchers on the 26-man roster before September.
3. MLBTR chat today:
Our guy Steve Adams will be around at 1 pm CT today to discuss everything going on around the league in a live chat. If you have something to ask him, use this link to submit questions. Follow the chat using the same link, which will also provide a transcript of the conversation once it’s over in case you missed it.
Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images
