MLB Rankings: The greatest hits of the season’s final week
By Bill Felber
MLB Rankings: Greatest Hits of the Final Week
3. Matt Chapman, Oakland Athletics, 58 percent
From a standpoint of pure impact on the pennant race, Chapman delivered the week’s most significant stroke Wednesday night in Anaheim.
In the battle for the AL wild card, the A’s led Tampa Bay by just a half-game with Cleveland just one game back when the contest began. Plainly this qualified as an Oakland “must-win.”
Trouble was the A’s weren’t winning. Behind Andrew Heaney, they managed only a 1-1 tie through six innings, and that situation deteriorated when Kaleb Stewart doubled to score Jared Walsh in the Los Angeles seventh.
Hansel Robles took the mound to begin the ninth intent on dealing a blow to Oakland’s post-season hopes. Marcus Semien tapped him for a leadoff hit, but Ramon Laureano’s weak sacrifice bunt in front of the plate barely managed to move the runner, Laureano being retired for the first out.
At that moment, just two outs remaining to their credit, the odds of a successful Athletic comeback measured just 23 percent.
Chapman, however, rendered Laureano’s sacrifice a pointless gesture. He hit Robles’ first pitch over the wall in dead center field for a two-run home run that shot Oakland into the lead for the first time all night.
When A’s closer Liam Hendriks retired the Angels in order in the bottom of the ninth, Oakland had its victory. It turned out to be a decisive one for the Indians fell 8-3 in Chicago, Tampa Bay also won.