Major League Baseball season is in full swing, as teams look to set themselves apart from the pack as the summer months approach. In this edition of MLB news and notes, we look at teams that are riding winning streaks to accomplish just that and some important injury news and a managerial milestone in the Majors.
Red Sox and Brewers Riding High
Heading into Tuesday’s action, the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers have been the two hottest teams in Major League Baseball. Boston has won five straight games, while the Brewers have won four straight contests. And those win streaks have helped both teams get into a better position in their respective division standings.
Boston finds themselves within a game of the Tampa Bay Rays at the top of the American League East, with the Red Sox in a prime position for a Wild Card spot early in the year. And the Brewers find themselves at the top of the National League Central, as they will look to build a lead to hold off other contenders in the division. While momentum can vanish in an instant in baseball, both teams have to be encouraged with their recent results.
Mike Trout Timetable Unknown
Mike Trout may be the best player in Major League Baseball, but his injury luck has been anything but the best during the 2021 season. Trout has been dealing with a calf injury that has left him out of action, with no timetable for his return just yet. The injury to Trout could end up costing the Angels another year without any postseason success during the Trout era.
The Angels find themselves four games below .500 heading into Tuesday’s action, in fourth place in the American League West. Despite the strong start to the season both on the mound and at the plate by Shohei Ohtani, the loss of Trout has severely impacted this team’s chances of winning ball games. If they are going to turn things around before it’s too late, they are going to need Trout back to help out.
La Russa Continues to Make History
Tony La Russa and the Chicago White Sox are off to a good start this season, as they are 13 games above .500 and at the top of the American League Central standings. And that success has helped White Sox manager Tony La Russa make more history in what has been one of the greatest managerial careers in the history of the sport.
On Sunday, La Russa picked up his 2,764th career win as a Major League Baseball manager, as the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 3-0. In doing so, La Russa passed John McGraw on the all-time managerial wins list to become the second-winningest manager in the history of the league. Only Connie Mack is ahead of La Russa on the all-time wins list now that the White Sox skipper has passed McGraw.
Of course, it is unlikely that La Russa will ever pass Mack for the top spot on the all-time wins list. Mack amassed 3,731 career victories as a Major League Baseball manager, and it would take La Russa well over a decade to pick up another 1,000 wins. Given his age, that is extremely unlikely to take place.
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