The Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins clearly do not like each other. This was made evident once again in Atlanta’s 9-5 come-from-behind win in Game 1 of their National League Division Series.

A lot of the tension centers around the way the Marlins pitching staff treats Braves lead-off batter Ronald Acuna Jr.

Acuna had a lead-off homer to start the game in the first inning, slowly walking to first base and tossing his bat as he watched the ball sail over the fence.

Then Miami starter Sandy Alcantara hit Acuna with a pitch in the third inning, a far too familiar scene when talking about these two teams. Acuna has now been hit by a Marlins pitcher five times in his career. He hasn’t been hit by pitchers from any other team more than twice.

The Braves claim that the plunking of Acuna woke up the team, and gave them the spark they needed to recover after trailing 4-1.

After Acuna was hit, the Braves got back-to-back doubles to cut the lead down to 4-3. They got two more singles in the seventh and Marcell Ozuna added another one to tie up the game. Travis d’Arnaud broke the game open with a three-run homer, putting the Braves up 7-4, after which Dansby Swanson added a two-run homer to seal the victory for the Braves.

The post Braves Defeat Marlins as Tensions Flare in Game 1 of NLDS appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Justin Verlander may have had his last appearance with the Houston Astros in their win against the Seattle Mariners in the season opener. The pitcher announced that he’s set to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair the damage in his elbow.

Verlander will be out for the remainder of the 2020 season and he only has two-years left on his deal with the Astros, making him a free-agent in 2022. Recovery from the surgery varies, but it usually takes 12 to 15 months to return, which could mean that the 37-year-old pitcher would miss the 2021 season as well.

Before attempting a comeback last week, Verlander hadn’t seen the field since July due to a forearm strain and in his most recent game, he felt “stiffness” in his elbow. He was advised by a doctor to have the procedure.

“I truly believe everything happens for a reason,” said Verlander in a video posted on social media. “And although 2020 has sucked, hopefully when this rehab process is all said and done, this will allow me to charge through the end of my career and be healthy as long as I want and pitch as long as I want and accomplish some of the goals that I want in my career.”

Since joining the Astros in 2017, Verlander has played some of the best baseball of his career. He’s earned two All-Star appearances and he won the Cy Young award in 2019. His record since arriving in Houston is 43-15 record with 2.45 ERA and 640 strikeouts.

The post Houston Astros News: Justin Verlander to Undergo Tommy John Surgery appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

The Oakland Athletics have a lot to celebrate after ending a six-season dry spell and clinching the American League West title!

Although they didn’t actually play on Monday, after the second-place Houston Astros lost at home 6-1 to the Seattle Mariners, the A’s were mathematically ensured the division crown. This loss dropped Houston to the .500 mark and 6.5 games behind Oakland.

The Astros were the 2017 World Series champions and they won the division in each of the past three seasons. They were also a favorite at the beginning of the season, but the Athletics dethroned them from the top of the division, surprising many in the process.

Oakland has posted a 3.64 ERA this season, which makes them baseball’s best bullpen by ERA. They happen to have one of baseball’s best pitching staffs and they’re a real threat to the other teams who move forward in the playoffs.

The A’s will be the league’s 2nd or 3rd seeds and the playoffs are set to start next week.

The post Oakland Athletics Clinch First AL West Title in 7 Years! appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

The Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins clearly do not like each other. This was made evident once again in Atlanta’s 9-5 come-from-behind win in Game 1 of their National League Division Series.

A lot of the tension centers around the way the Marlins pitching staff treats Braves lead-off batter Ronald Acuna Jr.

Acuna had a lead-off homer to start the game in the first inning, slowly walking to first base and tossing his bat as he watched the ball sail over the fence.

Then Miami starter Sandy Alcantara hit Acuna with a pitch in the third inning, a far too familiar scene when talking about these two teams. Acuna has now been hit by a Marlins pitcher five times in his career. He hasn’t been hit by pitchers from any other team more than twice.

The Braves claim that the plunking of Acuna woke up the team, and gave them the spark they needed to recover after trailing 4-1.

After Acuna was hit, the Braves got back-to-back doubles to cut the lead down to 4-3. They got two more singles in the seventh and Marcell Ozuna added another one to tie up the game. Travis d’Arnaud broke the game open with a three-run homer, putting the Braves up 7-4, after which Dansby Swanson added a two-run homer to seal the victory for the Braves.

The post Braves Defeat Marlins as Tensions Flare in Game 1 of NLDS appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Justin Verlander may have had his last appearance with the Houston Astros in their win against the Seattle Mariners in the season opener. The pitcher announced that he’s set to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair the damage in his elbow.

Verlander will be out for the remainder of the 2020 season and he only has two-years left on his deal with the Astros, making him a free-agent in 2022. Recovery from the surgery varies, but it usually takes 12 to 15 months to return, which could mean that the 37-year-old pitcher would miss the 2021 season as well.

Before attempting a comeback last week, Verlander hadn’t seen the field since July due to a forearm strain and in his most recent game, he felt “stiffness” in his elbow. He was advised by a doctor to have the procedure.

“I truly believe everything happens for a reason,” said Verlander in a video posted on social media. “And although 2020 has sucked, hopefully when this rehab process is all said and done, this will allow me to charge through the end of my career and be healthy as long as I want and pitch as long as I want and accomplish some of the goals that I want in my career.”

Since joining the Astros in 2017, Verlander has played some of the best baseball of his career. He’s earned two All-Star appearances and he won the Cy Young award in 2019. His record since arriving in Houston is 43-15 record with 2.45 ERA and 640 strikeouts.

The post Houston Astros News: Justin Verlander to Undergo Tommy John Surgery appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

The Oakland Athletics have a lot to celebrate after ending a six-season dry spell and clinching the American League West title!

Although they didn’t actually play on Monday, after the second-place Houston Astros lost at home 6-1 to the Seattle Mariners, the A’s were mathematically ensured the division crown. This loss dropped Houston to the .500 mark and 6.5 games behind Oakland.

The Astros were the 2017 World Series champions and they won the division in each of the past three seasons. They were also a favorite at the beginning of the season, but the Athletics dethroned them from the top of the division, surprising many in the process.

Oakland has posted a 3.64 ERA this season, which makes them baseball’s best bullpen by ERA. They happen to have one of baseball’s best pitching staffs and they’re a real threat to the other teams who move forward in the playoffs.

The A’s will be the league’s 2nd or 3rd seeds and the playoffs are set to start next week.

The post Oakland Athletics Clinch First AL West Title in 7 Years! appeared first on toppoptoday.com.