by Bob Priddy, Missourinet Contributing Editor
(ROYALS)—Two words have not been heard together for a long time: Kansas City Royals and Sweep. The Royals beat the Twins Sunday 2-1 and for the first time last September, swept a series. Their opponents both times were the Twins. Ryan Yarbrough had his best game of the year, allowing the Twins their only run in a seven-inning outing to run his record to 4-5 and drop his ERA to 4.24.
It’s the Royals 32nd win of the year. They’ve lost 75.
(CARDINALS)—The Cardinals had to win to avoid being swept and Steven Matz gave them the game they needed. Matz and two relievers stopped the Cubs’ domination of the Redbirds with a 3-0 win. Matz is only 2-7 for the year but his recent performances have been encouraging. In his last three starts, totaling 17 innings, he’s given up one run since coming back from bullpen exile. He started the year 0-6 and sported a 5.72 ERA.that is now about to dip below four.
(TRADES)—-The Cardinals and the Royals finally have pulled the triggers on trades.
St. Louis President of Baseball Operations, John Mozeliak called Sunday “a day that we were hoping would never happen in the sense of having to break up our club,” but the season clearly points to the need to consider the future.
The Cardinals set left-handed starter Jordan Montgomery and reliever Chris Stratton to the Texas Rangers, getting some high-level prospects in return for left-handed pitcher John King, double-A pitcher T. K. Roby (a righty) and minor league infielder Tommy Saggese. The trade puts Montgomery in the hands of pitching coach Mike Maddux. Although Montgomery was only 6-9 for the Cardinals, he had a highly-respectable 3.42 ERA in 21 starts. He had struck out more than three times as many batters as he had walked. He’ll be a free agent at the end of the year.
Also gone is reliever Jordan Hicks. He’ll be throwing his 103 mph fastball for the Blue Jays for the rest of the year. He was 1-6 with eight saves in eleven opportunities and an ERA of 3.67 for the year. The Cardinals get a couple of right-handed minor leaguers for him—Adam Kloffenstein and Sam Robberse. Kloffenstein has been in double-A ball this year, is 5-5 in 17 starts with a 3.24 ERA. Robberse had 18 starts, as 3-5, with an ERA of 4.06.
The Royals swapped veteran infielder Nicky Lopez to Atlanta. They get lefty Taylor Hearne, who had been designated for assignment on July 19 by the Rangers who dealt him to Atlanta for cash. He made one appearance for the Braves and got one out.
As we were going to press, the Royals announced another trade, sending right-handed pitcher Jose Cuas to the Cubs for outfielder Nelson Velazquez, who will report to their Omaha farm team. Velazquez has 13 major league games of experience that have generated only 29 at-bats. He’s hitting .241.
From wheelin’ and dealin’ to just wheelin’:
(NASCAR)—Only four races are left before NASCAR’s playoff season begins and only two playoff slots are in play.
Chris Buescher locked himself into the 12th guaranteed playoff position with his win on the Richmond three-quarters of a mile Sunday. Two non-winning drivers, Kevin Harvick (sixth in the points standings) and Brad Keselowski (11th) appear to have enough points to make it.
Bubba Wallace and Michael McDowell have a tenuous hold on the 15th and 16th playoff slots based on points. But Ty Gibbs is only 18 points behind McDowell and A. J. Allmendinger is only 22 points back. Daniel Suarez is 34 back.
Also lurking are two buys who are familiar with the playoffs but can get in with a wind. Chase Elliott has missed seven races this year, six with a broken leg and one on suspension for an on-track incident. And Alex Bowman, who missed three races with a broken back, are hungry for a win that will make them part of the final 16.
NASCAR moves its show to Brooklyn Michigan next weekend.
(FORMULA 1)—Make it eight straight F1 wins for Max Verstappen, and ten victories in twelve races this year. Verstappen started sixth but quickly took the lead and beat teammate Sergio Perez by more than 22 seconds. Ferrari’s Charles LeClerc claimed the final podium position.
Verstappen heads into Formula One’s annual August recess on track to break his record of 15 wins in a single season, set last year. If he wins the next grand prix, he will tie Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine straight. Red Bull cars have won thirteen races in a row, including the 2022 finale.
(photo credit: Bob Priddy, WWTR, 2023)