Despite the Phillies’ crushing 6-2 Game 1 loss on Saturday, the highly anticipated NLDS between the New York Mets and the longstanding division rivals, the Phillies, looks to be a great one. The Phillies’ hopes of returning to the World Series for a second time in three seasons are being dashed by the Mets.
The unexpected turnaround for the Mets was undoubtedly unexpected. Before the All-Star break, the scrappy baseball team began to connect, and by September, they were breathing down the Atlanta Braves’ necks and, at the end of the season, both clubs were tied for second place in the National League East.
While the attention was focused on the Mets’ playoff quest, another team with much lower chances of making the playoffs fought its way into the American League Central Wild Card and is now targeting the ALDS.
As the trade deadline drew near, a lot of MLB insiders predicted that the Detroit Tigers were out of the picture, but manager AJ Hinch and his team were obviously not prepared to accept that theory. Despite having a roster primarily made up of young players, the Tigers managed to secure a spot in the postseason by finishing in a statistical tie with the Kansas City Royals. A former Phillies prospect had a major role in the team’s triumph.
Matt Vierling’s role in the Tigers’ incredible run begs the question of the trade of Gregory Soto.
In his second season as a Tiger, former Phillies prospect Matt Vierling had a career year. Vierling became a leader on a Tigers team devoid of star power and Major League experience when he was traded for pitcher Gregory Soto and utilityman Kody Clemens in January of last year, along with Nick Maton and Donny Sands.
Vierling batted during the season in 518 at-bats.257 with 133 hits, six stolen bases, 16 home runs, and 57 RBI. The Phillies’ fifth-round selection in 2018 demonstrated his positional versatility once more by playing both left and center field and on both infield corners.
In the Tigers’ unexpected Wild Card Series upset of the Houston Astros, the 28-year-old recorded two hits, two walks, and one RBI.
When Vierling was traded to the Tigers, the Phillies appeared to be the beneficiary of the deal at first. Vierling has, nevertheless, produced a steady line of stats in his two seasons in the Motor City, and the Phillies dealt former All-Star closer Soto to the Baltimore Orioles around the July trade deadline due to his attitude and personal issues.
While Clemens has recorded some clutch hits as a member of the Phillies over the last two seasons, roster dynamics and a necessity for right-handed batters have seen Clemens optioned back and forth between the Phillies and Lehigh Valley over the course of his Phillies career.
With Vierling emerging as a better-than-average position player and posting strong splits against left-handed pitchers, the trade that shipped him out of town is beginning to appear increasingly unfavorable.
For the majority of this season, the Phillies were without a reliable right-handed outfield bat to replace southpaws. As a result, they had to acquire Austin Hays from Baltimore around the trade deadline in order to cover that gap. The Phillies appear to have given up on Vierling’s bat a bit too soon, since he is hitting.275 with 15 RBI versus lefties this season.
Aidan Hutchinson Advocates for a Subtle Role with the Detroit Lions.
Aidan Hutchinson has been a force to be reckoned with on the defensive side of the ball for the Detroit Lions this season. Hutchinson is definitely leaving his mark as he leads the NFL in sacks with 6.5 through the first four weeks of the season and is now the obvious favorite to win the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year title. However, the third-year edge rusher wants to participate in the offensive action in addition to stopping opposing quarterbacks.
“Trust me, I’ve tried this before. They almost got me involved last year, but it didn’t happen. I never heard back,” Hutchinson explained in an interview with Claudette Montana. “I’m planning to talk to our offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, again and see if we can make it work. If we’re leading by a lot, maybe I’ll sneak in there, report eligible, and catch a little fade pass. We’ll see what happens.”
Hutchinson is clearly eager for his shot on offense and isn’t afraid to ask Johnson to make it a reality. Whether it’s in the red zone or just for fun in a blowout, he’s ready to shine on the offensive side. Given his athleticism and drive, who’s to say he couldn’t be a red-zone threat for the Lions? Keep an eye out, because if Hutchinson gets his way, fans might see him catching passes in addition to taking down quarterbacks this season.
