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Would you look at that: Chris Sale, everyone’s favorite lanky lefty curmudgeon (complimentary) threw a complete-game shutout against the Dodgers. Plus: A one-on-one with Tarik Skubal and the espresso machine he held captive, a near-amputee breaks through for the Nationals and the rookies who could make an impact in October.
I’m Spencer Nusbaum, coming out of the bullpen for Levi Weaver — welcome to The Windup!
Sale’s On: Sale delivers shutout in sweep of Dodgers
Intentional or not, Sale has been equal parts joker and ace this year.
Before the season even began, he was given a sword from Mizuno and became the face of the anti-ABS movement. This month, he ripped into umpires after a balk, and was then ejected before first pitch the next day. At the Little League classic several weeks later, he told ESPN he was “too old to be sliding down on cardboard.”
Last night, Sale hit 100 mph twice, a velocity he had not touched since 2018. Both came against Shohei Ohtani. Sale did so in a complete-game shutout, the 37-year-old’s first since 2019, and the Braves’ 1-0 win in a pivotal race for a first-round bye in the National League.
This all, of course, followed a statement from TWG Global — the holding company of embattled Dodgers owner Mark Walter — that tripled down on the assertion that the Dodgers were not for sale.
Maybe they were for Sale. Sorry, I’ll see myself out.
Just how incredible was the start?
Final line: 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
Old man strength: Per MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, Sale was the oldest pitcher to throw a shutout with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks since Randy Johnson in 2004.
L0ss Angeles D0dgers: The last pitcher to throw a complete game shutout against the Dodgers was … Rockies right-hander Chad Kuhl, who did so in June of 2022.
I’m no expert, but: The Dodgers swung at 57 percent of the pitches Sale threw in the zone and 48 percent of the pitches he threw outside of it, which is about as close as you’ll get to a big-league team closing its eyes and praying.
When asked how he threw 100 mph for the first time in eight years, he said: “With my arm.”
Try to act surprised: Ohtani has been here before, to be fair — he’s faced the highest average fastball velocity in MLB across the last three seasons.
You can probably guess which player’s son this is, captured when Sale headed back out for the ninth:
It is indeed Sale’s kid.
I’ll toss it to my boss for the final thought here:
(If you have no idea what this is about, here’s a reminder.)
Middle Relief: Skubal’s one last tie to Detroit?
Today, we have an excerpt from Fabian Ardaya’s exclusive chat with Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal, ahead of his return to Detroit today.
Skubal was not expecting to be in Los Angeles this season, which began with World Series hopes with the Tigers, the only team he’d ever known. He endured the most scrutinized arbitration case in recent memory, winning a record $32 million figure — then instantly becoming the subject of trade speculation.
While the Tigers scrambled to keep their season and hopes of retaining Skubal alive, the two-time All-Star was trying to return from elbow surgery in what ended up being an unprecedented 38 days. Every start he throws now comes with the expectation of being the guy after being added to a team that has won the last two World Series. Each start brings him a step closer to what could be the richest contract ever for a pitcher.
That is a lot, even if Skubal does not make it seem so. Even as he returns to Detroit tonight, Skubal said he hasn’t given much thought to starting against his former team.
“It’s playing baseball in a place that’s obviously special to me, right?” Skubal said when he sat down with The Athletic recently. “I spent eight years there. But I’m just trying to play baseball. That’s gonna be the challenge, just to keep the game the game.”
Skubal has managed to do just that. Only one element of his life in Detroit has come with him: an espresso machine he bought for the Tigers clubhouse that has accompanied him out West.
“That was my wife (Jessica),” Skubal joked. “I wanted to leave it and get a new one, but she wouldn’t let me. My wife was like, ‘’That was too expensive to just run the charge back.’”
Read the full story here.
Fresh Faces: Which debutants might ball?
We’re in call-up season.
That means guys like Nationals lefty Erik Tolman, who (self-plug here) is touching 99 mph three years after he almost had his leg amputated, following a freak injury. It also involves guys who may be called up for the stretch run.
On the same day I filed that story, Dan Hayes reported that the Twins will promote a slightly less injury-plagued, but far more famous Walker Jenkins to the big leagues as the team eyes a postseason push.
With September nearing, it seemed like a good time to thread the needle and write about the type of players that fans of losing teams are thinking of (rookies and prospects) while focusing on teams with postseason dreams.
Who exactly could be this year’s only-moderately-famous rookie who barrels towards stardom in October, à la Cam Schlittler or Trey Yesavage?
- Bradgley Rodriguez, Padres: Dennis Lin wrote about the Venezuelan righty with a high-effort delivery, wraparound glasses and a great changeup who is definitely not K-Rod but nevertheless has a very red baseball savant page. He seems to have it.
- Andrew Painter, Phillies: Painter’s fastball is playing the best it has since he underwent Tommy John surgery three years ago. Charlotte Varnes tackled Philadelphia’s best chance at a starter not named Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler or Jesús Luzardo working out.
- Tristan Peters, White Sox: Does it count as “moderately famous” if you were an All-Star in your rookie season? I’m saying it does, if you’re not even the most famous rookie on your own team. That said, owning a 1.169 OPS in August may nudge him in that direction. He rakes.
- Didier Fuentes, Braves: Ah, yes, another Brave who can hit 100 mph on the radar gun. Atlanta apparently views Fuentes as a starter for the long haul, but you can just picture the 21-year-old getting leverage outs in October, right? Right?
- Ralphy Velazquez, Guardians: If the Guardians make it into October, they’re effectively guaranteed to have one of their star rookies (Parker Messick, Chase DeLauter or Travis Bazzana) contribute. But when ink has already been spilled about their xDAWG, it is my duty to find someone else to tout. That would be Velazquez.Maybe Cleveland opts to do the roster math. As Zack Meisel wrote, his addition to the 40-man roster would prevent him from playing minor-league ball during a potential lockout. He’d either have to play left field, where he has limited experience, or serve as the designated hitter, a spot Ramírez, DeLauter and Jo Adell have been sharing. Also … he has 14 homers in August and a magnificent swing.
Handshakes and High Fives
Yesterday, MLB proposed a new offseason calendar. It would give free agents who leave their current team two choices, both seeking to greatly revise and limit baseball transactions.
Family > Skipper. It’s why Andy Green is reluctant to become the Mets’ permanent manager.
In some very unwanted history, Yankees rookie George Lombard Jr. is now the first MLBer since 1992 to be charged with an error in six straight games.
And Aaron Judge doesn’t plan on a rehab assignment before returning for New York. “Why waste at-bats?”
In a hit, the White Sox gave out Pope hats back on Aug. 11. Pope Leo wasn’t in attendance, but the team made sure the pontiff got one anyway. It’s officially made its way to Vatican City.
Most-clicked in our last newsletter: A very angry Pete Crow-Armstrong after a blown balk call. “I think (the umpires) find new ways to screw something up every day,” he said.
That’s all I’ve got. Thanks for letting the Nationals reporter take over this newsletter for the day. I figure this is roughly equivalent to letting the assistant to the traveling secretary for the Yankees give hitting advice to Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams.
But fans lined up around the stadium for George Costanza’s bobblehead years later. So if all goes according to plan, perhaps they’ll turn me into a figurine one day.
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