Historic Chases · 2026-09-18

Overnight: Kyle Schwarber (PHI) added 1 strikeout. Schwarber has struck out 214 times, projecting to 225. Mark Reynolds' record is 223. That pace would be the most strikeouts in any season since 1901. League strikeout rates have roughly doubled since 1980, so the all-time list is not an even comparison. But he's doing damage too: he leads MLB in home runs (45) — one every 12.3 at-bats. The strikeouts are the price of the power.

The AL West is a coin flip: Astros (77-77) and Rangers (77-77) are even in the standings — zero games back.

Seasons on a historic footing: Jacob Misiorowski (MIL), 13.15 strikeouts per nine innings, 5th among the 9,603 qualified seasons on file, behind four seasons, led by Gerrit Cole's 13.82 in 2019; Dylan Cease (TOR), 12.73 strikeouts per nine innings, 6th.

What changed from last season: Jackson Merrill (SD) — stolen bases up from 1 in 115 games in 2025 to 26 in 151 this season; Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC) — walk rate up from 4.7% to 11.6% (29 in 620 plate appearances in 2025, 78 in 675 this season); Nolan Arenado (AZ) — strikeout rate up from 12.2% to 22.5% (49 in 401 at-bats in 2025, 113 in 502 this season); Taylor Ward (SEA) — home-run rate down from 6.2% to 1.4% (36 in 579 at-bats in 2025, 7 in 495 this season). 4 of 796 rate comparisons across 154 qualified hitters and pitchers, corrected for having looked that many times.

Also last night: Joey Cantillo went 6.0 scoreless ▶︎ watch; Cade Cavalli (WSH) went 5.0 scoreless ▶︎ watch; Chad Patrick has not allowed a run in his last 12 innings.

Went deep more than once: Mookie Betts hit 2 home runs.

Lines of the night: Elly De La Cruz (CIN) stole his 27th base — two homers and three steals from a 30/30 season; Spencer Horwitz's tiebreaking single in the 7th put the Pirates ahead for good in a 8-5 win over the Royals ▶︎ watch; Sal Frelick's tiebreaking single in the 10th put the Brewers ahead for good in a 6-5 win over the Orioles ▶︎ watch; Connor Prielipp allowed two hits over 7.0 scoreless innings (8 K) ▶︎ watch; Tyler Glasnow struck out 10 over 6.0 IP.

For the second straight night: Chandler Simpson (TB) took over the stolen bases lead at 45, passing Nasim Nuñez (WSH)

The so-what: Kyle Schwarber (PHI) has 45 home runs through 154 team games, a 47-homer pace — 23 behind Bonds's 2001 total at the same point (68 of his eventual 73). That gap is the whole story: it closes, or the chase does.