American MLB team; oldest continuous one-name franchise; NL East
This Date in Baseball, August 21 - Babe Ruth becomes the first major leaguer to hit 600 career home runs
This Date in Baseball, August 24 - Pete Rose is suspended from baseball for life for gambling
The Cubs’ star third baseman has suffered facial fractures after a foul ball struck him in the face near the on-deck circle. He has undergone hospital checks and is expected to fly back to Chicago. Cubs are contending for a playoff spot with one wild-card game left.
Colson Montgomery has set a new MLB single-season strikeout record, surpassing Mark Reynolds’ 223 Ks. He did so while also contributing 31 home runs and 87 RBIs as Chicago clinches a playoff berth after back-to-back 100-loss seasons, with two Colorado games remaining in the regular season.
The ABS challenge system has been used to overturn a close ball/strike call in the Phillies-Braves wild-card game, delivering a 4-3 win for Philadelphia. Realmuto challenged a ball that replays showed clipped the zone; the ruling change preserves the Phillies’ season. The moment marks ABS’s first playoff-game use to end a game.
MLB has ended its consideration of Grand Teton National Park as a potential site for a game after local opposition became clear. Commissioner Rob Manfred has stated that the league will not evaluate the park further, and previous reporting highlighted the lack of community support and environmental concerns. The development follows earlier exploration of other non-traditional venues and signals a shift back to traditional ballparks.
In Game 1 of the National League Division Series, heat is a factor as the 1 p.m. start meets 100-degree conditions. Dodgers and Braves face scorching conditions and dehydration risk, with players and fans adapting as pre-game temps push toward record highs.