Texas’ deGrom closes in on MLB history
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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jacob deGrom is set for another chance to become the second-fastest pitcher to 2,000 career strikeouts when he is scheduled to start for the Texas Rangers on Thursday night, a week after pitching only two innings in his previous game because of triceps fatigue.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Wednesday, which would have been the right-hander's normal turn in the rotation, that deGrom recovered well after a bullpen session the previous day, and will start the series finale against Washington.
"Feels good, so good to go," Schumaker said, adding that deGrom won't be on any specific limitations. "We'll watch it and just kind of talk to him in between innings to make sure everything's good."
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has 1,998 strikeouts in 1,660• innings over 271 starts since his big league debut in 2014. DeGrom has 147 strikeouts in 120 ª innings this season.
Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson got his 2,000th strikeout in his 262nd game for the quickest by games, ahead of Clayton Kershaw's 277. Chris Sale holds the record by innings at 1,626, with Yu Davish's 1,697• currently second.
At 38, DeGrom (8-8, 3.95 ERA) is trying to become the ninth active player and 94th all-time to reach the milestone. He would be the fourth this season, following Kevin Gausman, Sonny Gray and Aaron Nola.
DeGrom struck out three in the two innings he pitched in a 7-0 loss at the Los Angeles Angels last Thursday, when he gave up two runs and five hits in a 32-pitch second inning. He has also been dealing with left hip and glute issues over the past month or so.
Phils get closer
PHILADELPHIA -- Luis Arraez homered, Garrett Stubbs had two hits and an RBI and Aaron Nola tossed seven strong innings as the Philadelphia Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins, 4-1.
Arraez had a pair of hits, including a two-run homer, his sixth of the season, off Miami starter Sandy Alcantara. Stubbs, who had his first multi-hit game since April, drove in the first run of the game when he legged out an infield single with two outs and the bases loaded, scoring Arraez.
Trea Turner drove in the other Phillies run with an RBI double. Philadelphia won a season-best sixth straight game and closed within 4.5 games of the first place Atlanta Braves in the NL East.
Braves swept
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee had RBI singles in the seventh inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves 6-4 on Wednesday to sweep the three-game series.
Clemens drove in three runs and Kaelen Culpepper added three hits for Minnesota. Yoendrys Gómez earned his third save in as many games and 20th of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth.
A.J. Minter (2-2) got the last two outs of the seventh inning and Jeff Hoffman struck out three batters in the eighth. Ronald Acuna Jr., Lane Thomas and Ozzie Albies had RBIs for Atlanta.
Done for year
NEW YORK -- Jorge Polanco's challenging first season with the New York Mets likely ended Wednesday when he was placed on the 10-day injured list with left ankle bursitis.
Interim manager Andy Green said Polanco is slated to undergo surgery shortly. Polanco signed a two-year, $40 million deal Dec. 13 with the expectation he'd help replace the departed Pete Alonso at first base.
But Polanco, who had six stints on the injured list due to back and left knee ailments as well as strains to both hamstrings since 2018, was limited to just two starts at first base as he began dealing with bursitis in his left Achilles tendon in early April.