Daily Dose: Sore hammy sidelines Young - MLB

Texas’ playoff chances took a big hit Wednesday, as Michael Young was diagnosed with a strained left hamstring that’s expected to sideline him at least two weeks. Not only does losing Young hurt because he’s hit .322/.376/.524 with 59 extra-base hits, the Rangers’ alternatives at third base are underwhelming. Chris Davis got the start Wednesday, with Hank Blalock at first base and Julio Borbon at designated hitter.
However, manager Ron Washington indicated that he’d prefer to leave Davis at first base while playing Omar Vizquel or Esteban German at third base most of the time. Davis will be in the lineup one way or another and has gone 11-for-35 (.314) with two homers, nine RBIs, and “only” 10 strikeouts in nine games since returning from the minors. Aside from a little speed, Vizquel and German are without fantasy upside.
While the Rangers try to stay in the playoff picture without their most valuable player, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* Brad Penny followed in John Smoltz’s footsteps by getting released by the Red Sox after flopping in Boston and then fleeing back to the NL. He stayed down the Smoltz path Wednesday with eight shutout innings in his Giants debut. Penny had been 0-4 with a 9.11 ERA in his last five starts, so at first glance he looks just the latest guy to thrive in the NL after struggling in the AL, but he beat the defending champs in Philly.
* Scott Kazmir was sharp in his Angels debut Wednesday, allowing two runs over 6.1 innings while striking out eight and walking just one. He retired 18 batters in a row at one point, and showed good velocity and control, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a loss because Felix Hernandez tossed eight shutout innings. King Felix tied a career-high with his 14th win and sliced his ERA to 2.65, which trails only Zack Greinke at 2.32.
* Florida’s double-play combo “openly argued” in the clubhouse Wednesday as Dan Uggla accused Hanley Ramirez of not caring about the team enough to play through injuries because of his $70 million contract. Meanwhile, not only is Ramirez hitting a league-high .355 while leading the team in RBIs, runs, steals, and OPS, he’s played 124 of 133 games despite battling various leg injuries all year. Uggla should shut up.
AL Quick Hits: Adam Jones could miss the remainder of the season with a sprained ankle suffered Tuesday, leaving Felix Pie to man center field … Mariano Rivera was unavailable Wednesday because of a strained groin … Josh Beckett struggled again Wednesday and has now served up 14 homers in his last five starts … Joe Nathan wasted Brian Duensing’s seven scoreless innings Wednesday by serving up multiple homers for the first time in six seasons … Brett Gardner (thumb) is slated to begin a rehab stint Thursday at Triple-A … Rick Porcello needed just 80 pitches to record 21 outs Wednesday, giving up two runs … CC Sabathia became the AL’s first 16-game winner Wednesday by allowing one run over seven innings … Brian Bannister exited Wednesday’s start in the second inning due to shoulder fatigue … Josh Hamilton left Wednesday’s game with lower back soreness … Ian Kennedy threw batting practice Wednesday for the first time since undergoing May surgery for an arm aneurysm.
NL Quick Hits: Stud catching prospect Buster Posey joined the Giants for the stretch run Wednesday, but likely won’t see a ton of starts … Ubaldo Jimenez turned in his 11th straight Quality Start with eight innings of two-run ball Wednesday … Ted Lilly and Carlos Marmol combined on a five-hit shutout Wednesday … Miguel Tejada was hitless Wednesday to drop his batting average below .300 for the first time since May 8 … Chris Carpenter won his 10th straight game Wednesday, improving to 15-3 with an NL-best 2.28 ERA … Carlos Beltran (knee) went 1-for-3 with a walk in a rehab game Wednesday at Single-A … Tony La Russa said Wednesday that impending free agent Troy Glaus is unlikely to see much playing time down the stretch … Corey Hart (appendicitis) is slated to start a rehab assignment Thursday at Triple-A … Neil Walker went 0-for-4 with an error Wednesday in his first MLB start … Jason Giambi knocked in the go-ahead run Wednesday for his first Rockies hit.

ATLANTA – Given a seven-run lead in the first inning, Atlanta right-hander Spencer Strider could relax and keep adding to his majors-leading strikeout total.

“That game felt like it was over pretty quick,” Strider said.

Ronald Acuña Jr. drove in three runs with four hits, including a two-run single in Atlanta’s seven-run first inning, and the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-4 on Sunday night to split the four-game series.

“Getting a lead first is big, especially when you get that big of a lead,” Strider said. “… When we’re putting up runs, my job isn’t to be perfect. My job is to get outs.”

Following the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker announced right-hander Michael Soroka will be recalled to make his first start since the 2020 season on Monday night at Oakland.

Matt Olson hit a pair of two-run homers for Atlanta, and Strider became the fastest pitcher in modern history to reach 100 strikeouts in a season.

“It’s incredible,” said Acuña through a translator of Strider. “Every time he goes out to pitch it seems like he’s going to strike everybody out.”

Acuña hit a run-scoring triple in the fifth before Olson’s second homer to center. Acuña had two singles in the first when the Braves sent 11 batters to the plate, collected seven hits and opened a 7-0 lead. Led by Acuña and Olson, who had three hits, the Braves set a season high with 20 hits.

Strider (5-2) struck out nine while pitching six innings of two-run ball. The right-hander fired a called third strike past Nick Castellanos for the first out of the fourth, giving him 100 strikeouts in 61 innings and topping Jacob deGrom‘s 61 2/3 innings in 2021 as the fastest to 100 in the modern era.

“It’s cool,” Strider said, adding “hopefully it’ll keep going.”

Olson followed Acuña’s leadoff single with a 464-foot homer to right-center. Austin Riley added another homer before Ozzie Albies and Acuña had two-run singles in the long first inning.

Phillies shortstop Trea Turner and left fielder Kyle Schwarber each committed an error on a grounder by Orlando Arcia, setting up two unearned runs in the inning.

Strider walked Kody Clemens to open the third. Brandon Marsh followed with a two-run homer for the Phillies’ first hit. Schwarber hit a two-run homer off Collin McHugh in the seventh.

LEAPING CATCH

Michael Harris II celebrated the one-year anniversary of his major league debut by robbing Schwarber of a homer with a leaping catch at the center-field wall in the second. As Harris shook his head to say “No!” after coming down with the ball on the warning track, Strider pumped his fist in approval on the mound – after realizing Harris had the ball.

“He put me through an emotional roller coaster for a moment,” Strider said.

SOROKA RETURNING TO ROTATION

Soroka was scratched from his scheduled start at Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, setting the stage for his final step in his comeback from two torn Achilles tendons.

“To get back is really a feather in that kid’s cap,” Snitker said.

Soroka will be making his first start in the majors since Aug. 3, 2020, against the New York Mets when he suffered a torn right Achilles tendon. Following a setback which required a follow-up surgery, he suffered another tear of the same Achilles tendon midway through the 2021 season.

Soroka suffered another complication in his comeback when a hamstring injury slowed his progress this spring.

Acuña said he was “super happy, super excited for him, super proud of him” and added “I’m just hoping for continued good health.”

Soroka looked like an emerging ace when he finished 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 2019 and placed second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in the NL Cy Young voting.

The Braves are 0-3 in bullpen committee games as they attempt to overcome losing two key starters, Max Fried (strained left forearm) and Kyle Wright (right shoulder inflammation) to the injured list in early May. Each is expected to miss at least two months.

RHP Dereck Rodriguez, who gave up one hit in two scoreless innings, was optioned to Gwinnett after the game to clear a roster spot for Soroka.

QUICK EXIT

Phillies right-hander Dylan Covey (0-1), claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 20, didn’t make it through the first inning. Covey allowed seven runs, five earned, and six hits, including the homers by Olson and Riley.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: 3B Alex Bohm was held out with hamstring tightness. … LHP José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) threw the bullpen session originally scheduled for Saturday. Manager Rob Thomson said there was no report that Alvarado, who was placed on the injured list on May 10, had any difficulty.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Following an off day, LHP Ranger Suárez (0-1, 9.82 ERA) is scheduled to face Mets RHP Kodai Senga (4-3, 3.94 ERA) in Tuesday night’s opener of a three-game series in New York.

Braves: Soroka was 1-2 with a 4.33 ERA in eight games with Triple-A Gwinnett. He allowed a combined four hits and two runs over 10 2/3 innings in his last two starts. RHP Paul Blackburn (7-6, 4.28 ERA in 2022) is scheduled to make his 2023 debut for Oakland as he returns from a finger injury.