Padres’ Snell ‘Cy Young dominant’ in win vs. L.A.
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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — The National League Cy Young race was tightening up, the regular season was down to its final three weeks, a critical start against the Los Angeles Dodgers was on tap, and Blake Snell, the ace of a San Diego Padres team far removed from contention, needed to make a statement.
With six scoreless innings against one of the most menacing offenses in the sport, Snell established himself as the clear favorite for the award.
“He seems to be on a little bit of a mission,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said after Wednesday’s 6-1, Snell-inspired victory at Dodger Stadium. “This late in the season, you’re throwing as hard as he does, and all four pitches are working like that, he’s a tough customer to deal with.”
Snell allowed two baserunners, on a single and a walk, and struck out eight batters, lowering his ERA to a major league-low 2.43 in 167 innings. Justin Steele of the Chicago Cubs, perhaps Snell’s closest competitor for the NL Cy Young Award, holds a 2.49 ERA in eight fewer innings. Logan Webb and Zac Gallen have each surpassed 190 innings, but their ERAs are 3.40 and 3.50, respectively. Spencer Strider easily leads the majors in strikeouts with 259 — 42 more than Snell, who’s tied for second — but his ERA is up to 3.73.
The award appears to be Snell’s to lose if he can continue his recent surge for the three starts that remain in what has been a thoroughly disappointing season for his star-laden Padres. Snell, a free agent at season’s end, held a 5.40 ERA when he took the ball in Washington, D.C., on May 25. Since then he has a 1.33 ERA in 21 starts, more than a full run better than any other qualified pitcher during that stretch. His past four starts have seen him give up two runs and strike out 33 batters in 25 innings.
“Cy Young dominant, right?” Melvin said. “It’s what he’s digging for. He’s done it before. He knows what that feels like.”
Snell, who won the American League Cy Young Award as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, could be the seventh pitcher to win a Cy Young in both leagues, joining a decorated list that includes Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Roger Clements, Roy Halladay and Max Scherzer. He also could be the first pitcher in 64 years — and just the third overall — to do so while leading his league in walks.
“If you’re in that talk, it means you’re doing something right,” said Snell, who also has allowed the majors’ lowest opposing batting average. “It’s definitely something you wanna be at, and it’s definitely something you wanna try to get. That’s the whole goal. That and the World Series. That’s the two things you want.”
The Padres, seven games out of a playoff spot and without key rotation cogs in Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish, had been riding Snell hard throughout the summer. They recently presented him with the option of taking a couple of extra days of rest to start the Friday game against the lowly Oakland Athletics. He instead chose to remain on regular rest to face the Dodgers.
“I just enjoy the moment, enjoy the challenge,” Snell said. “It’s why you play — to play the best teams. And it’s the only way you can really tell how good you are.”
Mookie Betts led off Wednesday’s game with a single and then drew a walk in the third inning. Outside of that, Snell retired all 18 of the hitters he faced with relative ease, helping the Padres win their first regular-season series against the Dodgers in 13 attempts (San Diego also won last year’s NL Division Series). His fastball averaged 96 mph, half a tick higher than his season average, his curveball generated six swings and misses, and his slider and changeup were also working.
It was merely a continuation of Snell’s recent prowess, a run that seems to get more impressive with each passing start.
Asked whether he’s on a mission, Snell smiled.
“Some would say, yeah.”
Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.
Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.
The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.
If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.
Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.
“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”
Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.
“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”
Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.
The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.
“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”
The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.
Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.
The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”
Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.
San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.
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