MLB News Today: Juan Soto leads Yankees to big win; Bregman continues red-hot form and more
The race for the postseason has intensified with MLB teams entering the third week of August. While some clubs were hit badly with injury news, others found their star hitters coming back to their best.
Juan Soto and Alex Bregman led their teams to victories, although the former's club learned a disappointing update on a fellow teammate. Let's gulp in the news from Tuesday.
Juan Soto had a career night in Yankees win over White Sox
For the first time in his career, Juan Soto homered three times in a game, driving in all four runs in the New York Yankees's 4-1 win against the Chicago White Sox. This comes after the Yankees suffered a 12-2 drubbing the other night.
Soto answered manager Aaron Boone's call, sending long balls in back-to-back plate appearances in the third, fifth and seventh innings.
His first two home runs came against White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon, while his historic third one, also the 33rd of his season, came against left-handed reliever Fraser Ellard.
“It locks me in every time I hit the ball that way,” Soto said. “I feel like that’s my strength right there. I feel really good about it.”
Alex Bregman goes deep in fourth straight game
One Houston Astros hitter who has been particularly hot in the last four games is Alex Bregman, who is in the last year of his contract. He showed why he deserves a lucrative extension after homering in the fourth straight game, the latest of which came on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays in a close 3-2 victory for the Astros.
In the top of the fifth inning, with the game tied 1-1, the third baseman smoked a go-ahead home run off starter Shane Baz in the fifth inning.
After a slow start to the season, Bregman has been one of the Astros' best hitters this season, behind Yordan Alvarez. Over the season, Bregman has been hitting .263, logging in 19 home runs and 59 RBIs.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. likely headed to IL
The Yankees' trade deadline acquisition from the Miami Marlins was out of Tuesday's lineup after he injured his left elbow during a slide in the fifth inning of Monday's game. After further testing was done on his elbow, it was found that Chisholm had suffered a UCL injury.
For now, things remain bleak as to how long the player will stay on the injured list with the team and the player contemplating whether surgery is needed. The Yankees are expected to place him on IL on Wednesday.