Welcome back to Top of the Order, where every Tuesday and Friday I’ll be beginning your baseball day with some news, notes, and ideas about the video game we enjoy.

The vacation provided me a chance to do a couple of things: (a) consume an entire lot of food, (b) view an entire lot of baseball, and (c) have a look at the hurt list and determine some gamers from around the league who should be valuable down the stretch or into the playoffs. Here are a couple of to watch on.

The Dodgers Get Their Game 1 Starter (Hopefully)

Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman lastly have their complete supporting cast back, as Max Muncy, who missed out on 3 months due to a specifically bothersome oblique stress, rejoins a group headlined by Teoscar Hernández, Will Smith, and Gavin Lux.

But while the lineup has actually supported, the pitching stays far less settled, particularly as we expect how the Dodgers may build a postseason rotation. Jack Flaherty makes sure to be a member, and Gavin Stone is a strong alternative towards the back of a 3- or 4-man rotation. Beyond those 2, nevertheless, things get quite bleak. Walker Buehler‘s return from Tommy John surgery has been difficult. It would be unfathomable for him to be left off the playoff roster if he’s healthy, however the degree of his schedule is uncertain. Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw’s very first 7 draws back from shoulder surgical treatment were up and down, and now he’s back on the hurt list with huge toe swelling associated to a bone stimulate that he’s been handling for many years. Even when he returns, Kershaw is getting in the complementary stage of his profession; he’s insufficient on his own.

Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto might definitely offer an effect in the playoffs, however Dave Roberts‘ latest update was uninspiring, at least as it pertains to Glasnow. Reading tea leaves, it sure looks as if Glasnow will once again fail to qualify for the ERA title, something he’s yet to achieve in 9 years in the majors. I can’t state for sure that his barking elbow is the cause, however he pitched to a 5.29 age in his last 6 starts previously striking the hurt list for the 2nd time this season.

Yamamoto sounds as if he’s closer to returning, and was most likely having a much better season than Glasnow in his very first 14 big league begins anyhow. His starts were typically truncated, as he balanced simply under 5.2 innings per start even when neglecting his one-inning getaway in South Korea, however he likewise tossed 100 pitches in each of his 4 starts prior to the two-inning getaway before his journey to the IL. A real workhorse would benefit the Dodgers considerably in October, decreasing the load for a bullpen that, no matter the workers, constantly appears to be beleaguered come the playoffs.

It might be a little overdramatic to state that the Dodgers’ playoff hopes depend upon Glasnow and Yamamoto making a reliable return, however at the exact same time, wouldn’t you much rather have actually Glasnow/Yamamoto/Flaherty/Kershaw as your playoff rotation than Flaherty/Kershaw/Stone/Buehler?

The Arizona Three

The Diamondbacks have continued to carry out quite well recently, with a series loss to the Dodgers over the vacation stopping a good run throughout which they’d won 7 of 8 video games and two-thirds of their 27 video games in August.

That they won a number of those video games without Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, and Gabriel Moreno is even more outstanding, however that naturally doesn’t imply that they haven’t missed out on those 3. Josh Bell has actually carried out all right at the plate in Walker’s stead and novice Adrian Del Castillo has actually done the exact same for Moreno, however Bell’s fielding is a huge action down from Walker’s Gold Glove very first base defense and Del Castillo has actually thrown away simply among 22 tried base thiefs. Marte, naturally, has actually been the club’s finest and most constant entertainer all season, with his 150 wRC+ connecting a profession high and his 5.3 WAR buoyed by strong defense at the keystone.

Walker was restored from the IL on Tuesday, with Marte’s return a possibility on the team’s current road trip and Moreno anticipated to take a bit longer, though the group is positive he’ll be all set before the routine season ends.

But as one gamer returns from the IL, another takes his location, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. laid up due to a calf stress; the hope is that it’ll just keep him out 10 days. That leaves Jorge Barrosa and Randal Grichuk to cover left field, with Bell now most likely to get DH plate looks versus lefties while Joc Pederson sits.

Once Moreno is back, Del Castillo will, like Bell, shift to being an important bench bat. Bell’s worth as a switch-hitter is particularly helpful to Torey Lovullo’s in-game technique.

Baltimore’s Bevy of Bats

The Orioles won’t be getting a lot more assistance on the mound than they have currently. Zach Eflin simply returned from shoulder discomfort and Grayson Rodriguez might return eventually, however Kyle Bradish, John Means, Félix Bautista, and Tyler Wells are all out for the season. The soon-to-return Jacob Webb and Danny Coulombe work relief arms, however they aren’t a remedy to the club’s bullpen concerns of late.

Fortunately, the Birds may simply have the ability to outhit everyone as soon as all their bats are healthy. Speedster Jorge Mateo is out for the remainder of the season following elbow surgical treatment, leaving Cedric Mullins and Gunnar Henderson as the group’s just huge basestealing dangers, however there truly aren’t any other holes to poke in a full-strength O’s offense as soon as Ryan Mountcastle, Jordan Westburg, Ramón Urías, and Heston Kjerstad return. In truth, there may be a lot of choices for 13 areas, not that that’s a bad thing.

Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander, Westburg, and Colton Cowser must remain in the lineup every video game throughout the playoffs, though Cowser might sit versus a hard lefty. Backup catcher James McCann, righty masher Ryan O’Hearn, Mountcastle, and Mullins make certain to be on the lineup no matter what, as supervisor Brandon Hyde can blend and match depending upon the opposing starter. That leaves simply 4 areas (unless they choose 14 players, which is possible) for the still irregular Jackson Holliday, lefty-mashers Austin Slater and Eloy Jiménez, Kjerstad, and leading possibility Coby Mayo, who’s yet to discover his footing in the majors however effectively might in the staying weeks. These things typically have a method of arranging themselves out, and the very first agenda for Hyde is winning the AL East, with the additional September position gamer area valuable in assessing prospects for the playoff lineup.