SnakeBytes 9/9: Demotions, nominations, rumors and more!

(Sports Illustrated) Diamondbacks option Tommy Henry to AAA Reno, recall Taylor Widener

Henry, 25, made 7 starts with the Diamondbacks. He went 3-4 with a 5.50 ERA with 25 strikeouts and 17 walks in 36 innings. Henry struggled to keep the ball in the yard, surrendering 6 home runs, 3 of them coming in his last start against the Padres yesterday. He will need to spend at least 10 days with Reno before being eligible to return, barring injury. He would be eligible to return for the Dodgers series when the team has a doubleheader on September 20th.

(Arizona Sports) Veteran reliever woes put damper on D-backs’ bullpen track record

The infusion of youth plus the torrid hitting of Christian Walker and Emmanuel Rivera have been major contributors to the success. However, the woes of veteran relievers have held the team back all season, with 13 of their 21 blown saves coming from relievers age-32 and older.

(MLBTR) The D-backs’ Promising Outfield Gives Them Plenty Of Offseason Flexibility

There are plenty of teams with outfield needs who’d love to acquire a controllable long-term player to step right onto the 2023 roster. Varsho is controlled through 2026, McCarthy through 2027 and both Thomas and Carroll through at least 2028. Speculating a bit, the Marlins are known to still be looking for their center fielder of the future and have plenty of pitching to dangle in talks with the D-backs.

(Arizona Sports) D-backs INF Josh Rojas nominated for Roberto Clemente Award

Diamondbacks infielder Josh Rojas was named Arizona’s Roberto Clemente Award nominee for the 2022 season on Thursday.

The award, established in 2002, honors a player each year who represents baseball through character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions on and off the field.

MLB News

(ESPN) Major League Baseball competition committee to vote on rule changes Friday with eye on quickening pace of play, sources say

The Major League Baseball competition committee is set to vote Friday on rule changes that would begin in 2023 and include a first-ever pitch clock, the elimination of the shift, bigger bases and a limit to how many times a pitcher can disengage from the rubber, according to sources familiar with the situation.

(Sports Illustrated) A Full Breakdown of the MLB Playoff Picture with One Month Remaining

There’s less than four weeks remaining in the Major League Baseball season, and there are a number of playoff spots and seedings still to be determined in the final month of the season.

Here’s a breakdown of where teams stand entering play September 9, with the final day of the season, October 5, quickly approaching.

(CBS Sports) Aaron Judge leads AL MVP, but is there an argument for another Shohei Ohtani win?

This is a phenomenal breakdown, without passing judgment, of what is probably the toughest awards choice in recent memory. Is the correct choice the big slugger who is putting up numbers that haven’t been seen in the Bronx in decades? Or is the the impossible player who does it all, and does it well? Or is the answer in the middle, and the vote is perfectly split and they become Co-MVP’s? That’s the least likely, but probably the best choice at this point