MLB Bullets flips out

It’s September 10 and the Cubs have the best record in the National League. I just wanted to remind you all of that.

• Royals rookie right-handed pitcher Jorge Lopez took a perfect game into the ninth inning on Saturday before walking the leadoff hitter and then gave up a single to the next batter.
• Jonah Keri marvels at how lucky we are to live in the era of MLB.tv that allows us to watch potential history unfold as it happens.
• Sam Miller examines why almost every game starts with a fastball. Over 97% of the time, the first pitch of a game in 2018 is a fastball.
• Miller also has another terrific question: Why do players stand in the on-deck circle when there is zero chance of them coming to bat that inning? He’s talking about situations with the bases loaded, two out and the score tied in the bottom of the ninth or extra innings. Either the player is going to drive in the winning run or he’ll make an out to end the inning.
• How about a ghost story? R.J. Anderson profiles the players and the hotels that many insist are haunted.
• Heather Schwedel talks with Diamondbacks closer Brad Boxberger on how he came to be the first player to ever have emojis on his jersey during Players Weekend.
• Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen talks about his heart problems and how he’s dealing with them. Jansen stresses that every move he makes concerning his health is done in consultation with his cardiologist.
• Gabriel Baumgaertner talks to doctors about atrial fibrillation, which is what Jansen has.
• Bryan Curtis writes that while Hall-of-Famer Pedro Martinez never wanted a career in television when he retired, he’s become the best studio analyst in the game nonetheless. Curtis talks to Martinez about his journey to becoming a “talking head.”
• Jeff Passan makes the Cy Young Award case for Mets pitcher Jacob DeGrom, “because he deserves to win something” this season.
• Jay Jaffe presents the case why Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale still deserves the American League Cy Young Award despite missing a chunk of the season to injury.
• David Schoenfield looks at Red Sox left-hander David Price, his 2018 season, his importance to the Red Sox and his history of postseason failures that the Red Sox hope to avoid this year.
• Bob Nightengale writes about how first baseman Freddie Freeman sticking with the Braves through several lean seasons is finally being rewarded this year.
• Sheryl Ring speaks to Big League Advance CEO Michael Schwimer about his company and the lawsuit (now dropped) with Padres catcher Francisco Mejia.
• The family of the late Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn has reached a settlement with the smokeless tobacco company they were suing over Gwynn’s death.
• The Braves got over $400 million from Cobb County to build a new stadium. Now the Braves want $5 million more. Craig Calcaterra looks at the dispute and he has a somewhat unique take as he used to work at the law firm representing Cobb County. However, he has not worked there in ten years, so his knowledge is general and not specific to this case.
• The Angels will try to sign Mike Trout to a contract extension this winter. I’d say I’d go into the negotiations and say “Would you like all the money?” and see if Trout says yes.
• Mariners closer Edwin Diaz got his 54th save on Sunday. The MLB single-season record is 62, which seems in reach. At least he’s got a shot.
• White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss all of 2019. I figured you’d heard about that already.
• Buster Olney connects the number of pitcher injuries with the increasing velocity and maximum effort that goes into every pitch these days. (ESPN+ sub. req.) He also speaks with executives who are worried about all the relievers and the “three-true outcomes” approach at the plate but are at a loss on how to combat it.
• Twins pitcher Ervin Santana is out for the year with a finger injury. We’re at the point where any injury worse than a bruise is “out for the season.”
• Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia will not play again this year. They haven’t really missed him, but can you imagine how scary the Red Sox would be with a healthy Pedroia?
• Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco will miss the rest of the season with a knee and shoulder injury.
• Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk was injured running into a chair that a security guard was sitting on in foul territory.
• Richard Justice ranks the current talent at all eight positions on the diamond.
• White Sox outfielder Adam Engel tried to rob Angels DH Shohei Ohtani of a home run. Instead, he got robbed of his glove. He did get it back.
• There is an NFL player named Trevor Williams and the Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams was tired hearing from fans on Twitter who thought they were talking to the NFL player. So he decided to buy Williams’ Chargers jersey and pretend he was the football player. So the football player wore Williams’ Pirates jersey right back.
• And finally, from KBO in Korea. Park Suk-Min of the NC Dinos pulled of a behind-the-back bat flip that has everyone talking.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.