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2017 – In a trade that beat the waiver deadline by seconds, the Astros acquired former Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander from Detroit for three minor league prospects. The Tigers also agreed to pay $8 million per season for the remaining years on Verlander’s contract. Behind Verlander’s 5-0 record and 1.06 ERA over the final month, Houston closed the year on a 20-8 run to post a 101-61 mark, one shy of the 102 wins of the 1998 squad and winning the American League West for the first time. 

ByTom

2017 – In a trade that beat the waiver deadline by seconds, the Astros acquired former Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander from Detroit for three minor league prospects. The Tigers also agreed to pay $8 million per season for the remaining years on Verlander’s contract. Behind Verlander’s 5-0 record and 1.06 ERA over the final month, Houston closed the year on a 20-8 run to post a 101-61 mark, one shy of the 102 wins of the 1998 squad and winning the American League West for the first time. 

In a flurry of deals to beat the September 1 deadline for postseason eligibility, the Tigers trade All-Star OF Justin Upton to the Angels in return for Grayson Long and a player to be named later, and then send ace P Justin Verlander to Houston for three prospects. Houston also claims OF Cameron Maybin off waivers from the Angels, while the Halos also 2B Brandon Phillips, acquired from Atlanta for Tony Sanchez. Finally, the Rangers get P Miguel Gonzalez from the White Sox.

ByBaseball

In a flurry of deals to beat the September 1 deadline for postseason eligibility, the Tigers trade All-Star OF Justin Upton to the Angels in return for Grayson Long and a player to be named later, and then send ace P Justin Verlander to Houston for three prospects. Houston also claims OF Cameron Maybin off waivers from the Angels, while the Halos also 2B Brandon Phillips, acquired from Atlanta for Tony Sanchez. Finally, the Rangers get P Miguel Gonzalez from the White Sox.

By homering with two outs in the 3rd, Whit Merrifield snaps a 45-inning scoreless streak by the Kansas City Royals, just three innings shy of the major league mark of 48. The Royals go on to beat the Rays, 6 – 2, as Eric Hosmer and Jorge Bonifacio also go deep later in the game.

ByBaseball

By homering with two outs in the 3rd, Whit Merrifield snaps a 45-inning scoreless streak by the Kansas City Royals, just three innings shy of the major league mark of 48. The Royals go on to beat the Rays, 6 – 2, as Eric Hosmer and Jorge Bonifacio also go deep later in the game.

Due to heavy rains flooding Houston, TX as a result of Hurricane Harvey, the series starting tonight between the Astros and Rangers is moved to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. If the flooding does not abate, the Astros are also considering playing their next series, against the Mets, in St. Petersburg as well.

ByBaseball

Due to heavy rains flooding Houston, TX as a result of Hurricane Harvey, the series starting tonight between the Astros and Rangers is moved to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. If the flooding does not abate, the Astros are also considering playing their next series, against the Mets, in St. Petersburg as well.

CF Byron Buxton has a career game, hitting three homers, scoring four runs and driving in 5 runs to lead the Twins to a 7 – 2 win over the Blue Jays.

ByBaseball

CF Byron Buxton has a career game, hitting three homers, scoring four runs and driving in 5 runs to lead the Twins to a 7 – 2 win over the Blue Jays.

Milwaukee Brewers minor leaguer Julio Mendez, playing for the AZL Brewers, suffers a heart attack when hit in the chest by a pitch during a game. He is rushed to hospital where he is listed in critical but stable condition. The game is ended prematurely after the accident, which takes place in the 9th.

ByBaseball

Milwaukee Brewers minor leaguer Julio Mendez, playing for the AZL Brewers, suffers a heart attack when hit in the chest by a pitch during a game. He is rushed to hospital where he is listed in critical but stable condition. The game is ended prematurely after the accident, which takes place in the 9th.

By homering off Kyle Hendricks in the 1st inning of a 17 – 2 loss to the Cubs, Phillies OF Rhys Hoskins becomes the fastest player to hit 10 homers in the majors, doing so in his 17th game. The previous record was 21 games, done by George Scott in 1966 and tied by Trevor Story in 2016.

ByBaseball

By homering off Kyle Hendricks in the 1st inning of a 17 – 2 loss to the Cubs, Phillies OF Rhys Hoskins becomes the fastest player to hit 10 homers in the majors, doing so in his 17th game. The previous record was 21 games, done by George Scott in 1966 and tied by Trevor Story in 2016.

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8/25/2017 – Although it was not actually a case of batting out of turn, the Red Sox had an amazing mistake in the 9th inning of their 16-3 loss to Baltimore on August 25, 2017. As is often the custom in such lopsided contests, the Red Sox put a position player on the mound in the top of the 9th. In this case, it was Mitch Moreland, who had played first base the entire game to this point. The Red Sox lost the DH for the remainder of the game and the new first baseman, Hanley Ramirez, entered the game in the 7th spot in the batting order, formerly occupied by DH Chris Young. They made no other changes. Moreland did well in his one inning as pitcher, allowing no runs on two hits and even collecting a strikeout.The trouble occurred in the home 9th. The first batter was Rafael Devers, batting in the 6th spot. He made an out and the proper next batter was Ramirez. However, Chris Young came to the plate and singled – even though he was no longer in the game! Because this was an illegal reentry and not an improper batter, the umpires should have noticed it and not allowed it. No one appeared to notice – not the umpires or either team. Since it was a 16-3 game with two outs to go, it is likely that Ramirez had not even thought about where he was batting. As for DH Young, he simply followed Devers to the plate as he had all night. The official remedy is to call Young a pinch-hitter for Ramirez, which causes all the official totals to come out right.

ByTom

8/25/2017 – Although it was not actually a case of batting out of turn, the Red Sox had an amazing mistake in the 9th inning of their 16-3 loss to Baltimore on August 25, 2017. As is often the custom in such lopsided contests, the Red Sox put a position player on the mound in the top of the 9th. In this case, it was Mitch Moreland, who had played first base the entire game to this point. The Red Sox lost the DH for the remainder of the game and the new first baseman, Hanley Ramirez, entered the game in the 7th spot in the batting order, formerly occupied by DH Chris Young. They made no other changes. Moreland did well in his one inning as pitcher, allowing no runs on two hits and even collecting a strikeout.The trouble occurred in the home 9th. The first batter was Rafael Devers, batting in the 6th spot. He made an out and the proper next batter was Ramirez. However, Chris Young came to the plate and singled – even though he was no longer in the game! Because this was an illegal reentry and not an improper batter, the umpires should have noticed it and not allowed it. No one appeared to notice – not the umpires or either team. Since it was a 16-3 game with two outs to go, it is likely that Ramirez had not even thought about where he was batting. As for DH Young, he simply followed Devers to the plate as he had all night. The official remedy is to call Young a pinch-hitter for Ramirez, which causes all the official totals to come out right.

2017 – A game between the Tigers and Yankees at Comerica Park is marred by a series of brawls and eight ejections. Things start to get ugly in the 6th when New York pitcher Tommy Kahnle throws a pitch behind Miguel Cabrera’s head. Kahnle gets ejected, as does manager Joe Girardi who comes out to protest, and C Austin Romine and Cabrera after they get into a heated argument that see the two exchange blows and end up wrestling on the ground as both benches empty. After both teams score three runs in the 7th, Dellin Betances hits Detroit’s James McCann with a fastball in the head, and Betances and coach Rob Thomson are both tossed. In the 8th, the Tigers’ Alex Wilson plunks Todd Frazier and is ejected as well, along with manager Brad Ausmus. When the dust settles, the Tigers win the game, 10 – 6. Five participants will receive suspensions as a result: 7 games for Cabrera for inciting the initial brawl, 4 games for Wilson, 1 for Ausmus, 4 games for Yankees player Gary Sanchez for throwing punches during the brawl, and 2 for Romine.

ByBaseball

2017 – A game between the Tigers and Yankees at Comerica Park is marred by a series of brawls and eight ejections. Things start to get ugly in the 6th when New York pitcher Tommy Kahnle throws a pitch behind Miguel Cabrera’s head. Kahnle gets ejected, as does manager Joe Girardi who comes out to protest, and C Austin Romine and Cabrera after they get into a heated argument that see the two exchange blows and end up wrestling on the ground as both benches empty. After both teams score three runs in the 7th, Dellin Betances hits Detroit’s James McCann with a fastball in the head, and Betances and coach Rob Thomson are both tossed. In the 8th, the Tigers’ Alex Wilson plunks Todd Frazier and is ejected as well, along with manager Brad Ausmus. When the dust settles, the Tigers win the game, 10 – 6. Five participants will receive suspensions as a result: 7 games for Cabrera for inciting the initial brawl, 4 games for Wilson, 1 for Ausmus, 4 games for Yankees player Gary Sanchez for throwing punches during the brawl, and 2 for Romine.

2017 – Rich Hill of the Dodgers pitches 9 no-hit innings against the Pirates at PNC Park – but has nothing to show for it. Carrying a perfect game through 8 innings, Hill loses that bid when the Pirates’ lead-off batter in the 9th, Jordy Mercer hits a hard smash to third that Logan Forsythe fails to field, being charged with an error. Hill retires the next three batters however, but the Dodgers having failed to score all day, he is back on the mound for the start of the 10th and Josh Harrison hits a walk-off homer that barely reaches the seats, handing him a 1 – 0 loss instead of a place in history.

ByThis Day in Baseball

2017 – Rich Hill of the Dodgers pitches 9 no-hit innings against the Pirates at PNC Park – but has nothing to show for it. Carrying a perfect game through 8 innings, Hill loses that bid when the Pirates’ lead-off batter in the 9th, Jordy Mercer hits a hard smash to third that Logan Forsythe fails to field, being charged with an error. Hill retires the next three batters however, but the Dodgers having failed to score all day, he is back on the mound for the start of the 10th and Josh Harrison hits a walk-off homer that barely reaches the seats, handing him a 1 – 0 loss instead of a place in history.