The Opener: Leiter, Gurriel, Red Sox, Mets

Happy Labor Day to all who celebrate! While fans across America enjoy a day of rest and relaxation, there are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the day in the baseball world today:

1. Head to be removed:

The Rangers will recall the second pick of the 2021 draft, the right-hander Jack Leitertoday to the major league club. While the 24-year-old was sent back to the minors as the club’s 27th man after pitching in a doubleheader against the White Sox last week, reports at the time suggested that the Rangers planned to give Leiter a longer look into the rotation in the closing stages. That look will begin today, and Leiter will have a difficult first task with Aaron Richter, Juan Sotoand the Yankees come to town for a game scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. local time.

Leiter struggled mightily early in his professional career despite putting up sensational numbers during his time in the SEC, but this year he’s managed to turn things around in Triple-A. He’s posted a solid 3.51 ERA with a 33.3% strikeout rate for the Rangers’ affiliate in Round Rock, a feat made even more impressive by the bloated offensive environment in the Pacific Coast League. He’s only started four times in the big leagues so far, and he’s had terrible results, but given his stellar minor league numbers, it’s easy to see why Texas would want to see what he looks like in a more consistent major league role.

2. Gurriel will undergo an MRI:

The Diamondbacks suffered a frustrating blow yesterday afternoon when outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was pulled from yesterday’s game after suffering a calf injury while attempting to hit a double play ball. Manager Torey Lovullo described Gurriel’s condition after the game as day-to-day, but also noted that the outfielder will need to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the problem. Gurriel’s second season in the Diamondbacks uniform was more or less identical to his first, as he posted a wRC+ of 104 with 1.9 fWAR after posting a wRC+ of 105 with 2.0 fWAR for last year’s NL championship team.

If Gurriel is out for a longer period of time due to the injury, it is possible that the club’s current DH team of Joc Pederson And Randal Grichuk could get more roles later, although the recently recalled youngster Jorge Barrosa would be another option to consider in Gurriel’s absence. The switch-hitting rookie has only 11 batting appearances in the majors to his credit, but has a solid career batting line of .272/.383/.444 in 181 games at the Triple-A level to this point in his career. If the club would rather keep Pederson and Grichuk in their current roles but doesn’t want to give up their regular job in left field to a 23-year-old rookie, he could also look to Pavin Smith to replace Gurriel. The outfielder has struggled in the major leagues in recent years, but hit a solid .250/.314/.434 in a part-time role this season.

3. Series preview: Red Sox @ Mets

An interleague series between the two clubs closest to a playoff spot in each division is scheduled to begin today when the Red Sox head to Queens for a three-game series. Of the two clubs, the Mets are much more secure in the playoff race at this point, trailing the Braves by just one game for the final NL wild-card spot. The Red Sox, on the other hand, are 4.5 games behind the Royals and Twins in the AL wild-card race as the final stretch begins. According to playoff odds at Fangraphs, Boston has a 15.5% chance of making the postseason, while the Mets have a 29.2% chance.

With the season now entering the home stretch, the series could be crucial for both teams as they vie for a place in the playoffs. Game 1 is scheduled to begin tonight at 7:10 p.m. local time, when the young Red Sox Brayan Bello (4.66 ERA) is on the mound opposite the experienced pitcher Luis Severino (3.96 ERA). Tomorrow, Righty Cutter Crawford (4.12 ERA) against left-handers David Peterson (2.83 ERA) and Boston’s top striker Tanner Houck (3.12 ERA) meets the Mets right-hander Thomas B. (4.82 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday.