Historic Chases · 2026-08-20

The Phillies have won 6 straight, and are 8-2 in their last 10.

CJ Abrams (WSH) is on a 30/30 pace — 29 HR and 24 SB, projecting to 36/30. Power and speed usually live in different bodies, which is why fewer than fifty players have ever managed both in one season. Both numbers have to land — that is what makes the club so small.

Seasons on a historic footing: Jacob Misiorowski (MIL), an ERA of 1.75, tied for 8th among the 4,338 qualified seasons since 1969 with Justin Verlander's 1.75 in 2022 and 13.60 strikeouts per nine innings, 2nd among the 9,603 qualified seasons on file and behind only Gerrit Cole's 13.82 in 2019; Dylan Cease (TOR), 13.14 strikeouts per nine innings, 5th. The earned run average rank is given from 1969 on because the lowest earned run averages were thrown before the mound was lowered in 1969, and a rank across those eras is not a comparison the numbers support.

What changed from last season: Jackson Merrill (SD) — stolen bases up from 1 in 115 games in 2025 to 24 in 125 this season; Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC) — walk rate up from 4.7% to 12.3% (29 in 620 plate appearances in 2025, 68 in 555 this season); Nolan Arenado (AZ) — strikeout rate up from 12.2% to 23.4% (49 in 401 at-bats in 2025, 96 in 411 this season); Taylor Ward (SEA) — home-run rate down from 6.2% to 1.6% (36 in 579 at-bats in 2025, 7 in 448 this season). (2 more cleared the same bar.) 6 of 799 rate comparisons across 156 qualified hitters and pitchers, corrected for having looked that many times.

Sweep watch: the Royals swept the Athletics (4 games). 1 other club was swept the same night.

Also last night: JJ Wetherholt's go-ahead error in the 9th put the Cardinals ahead for good in a 10-9 win over the Reds ▶︎ watch; Aaron Ashby (MIL) has not allowed a run in his last 12 innings; Gavin Williams (CLE) reached 200 strikeouts for the season — he is there in 154.2 innings, the fourth-fewest of the 604 200-strikeout seasons since 1920 — only Spencer Strider's 2022 (131.2), Garrett Crochet's 2024 (146.0) and Chris Sale's 2019 (147.1) were finished in fewer.

Lines of the night: Zach Neto (LAA) drove in 7 runs — seven-RBI games happen roughly 10 times a season — and went 5-for-6 — five-hit games happen roughly 20 times a season ▶︎ watch; Grant Holmes carried a NO-HITTER into the 7th — broken up by a single — and allowed one hit over 6.0 scoreless innings (3 K) ▶︎ watch; THE SAME GAME produced both: Matt McLain hit a grand slam; Jordan Walker (STL) drove in 4 runs ▶︎ watch. The Los Angeles Angels hung 18 runs on the Houston Astros (18-3) — a 15-run margin; Jacob deGrom struck out 10 over 6.0 IP — a season high, past his previous 3 — and combined with three relievers on a ONE-HITTER (15 K) ▶︎ watch.