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Stock Up, Stock Down: Cardinals, Phillies, Red Sox, Diamondbacks

By Scott Roche |
Sep 20, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
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It was an interesting week of baseball in terms of plenty of storylines on the field of play. A veteran pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals reached a milestone, some teams improved their postseason chances, while some hurt them. With just three series remaining, it’s going to be now or never for some teams in their chance for October baseball.

In the latest edition of Stock Up, Stock Down, a well-deserved pitching milestone is reached, while another pitcher is struggling and more.

Stock Up: Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals

There was some talk in August about the St. Louis Cardinals possibly taking veteran pitcher Adam Wainwright out of the starting rotation. At the time, I wrote about how that would be a mistake and they owed it to their right-hander to keep him in there as the playoffs were not going to happen in 2023. The reason for keeping him there? So he could have a chance to get career victory No. 200.

Mission accomplished.

In Monday’s 1-0 win over the National League Central Division leader the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals’ 42-year-old threw 7.0 innings allowing just four hits and striking out three. It was his best outing of the season and it came at the right time as the veteran is playing his final season and reaching a milestone win was big instead of leaving it for his final start.

Wainwright became the 38th pitcher in the National League history to win 200 games and he became the 24th pitcher to do it since 2000. It’s a nice way for one of the game’s best pitchers in his prime to go out with the Cardinals.

Aug 9, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (22) reacts after pitching a no hitter for a victory against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 9, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (22) reacts after pitching a no hitter for a victory against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Stock Down: Michael Lorenzen

At the trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies acquired pitcher Michael Lorenzen from the Detroit Tigers. He wasted little time in winning over the Phillies fans as he threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals on August 9 at Citizens Bank Park. Since then? Well, it’s not been good.

Tuesday night, the right-hander made his sixth start since throwing the no-hitter and he lasted just one-third of an inning against the Atlanta Braves. His line was as ugly as ugly can be for one-third of an inning.

He allowed just three hits, however, he gave four earned runs and walked three to continue his trouble following his win over the Nationals. Since that start in early August, he has struggled and allowed a whopping 27 earned runs.

After his outing against Washington, he was considered a steal at the trade deadline, but that has hardly been the case. Now the Phillies are faced with a decision on whether or not they are going to use him in the playoffs. Right now, it’s hard seeing them giving him the ball in the Wild Card round. They will get the series at home most likely and if they do give him the ball, he should be on a shorter leash than he was Tuesday night in Atlanta.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 19: Manager Torey Lovullo relieves Scott McGough #30 as Geraldo Perdomo #2 and Gabriel Moreno #14 of the Arizona Diamondbacks look on during the third inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on August 19, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 19: Manager Torey Lovullo relieves Scott McGough #30 as Geraldo Perdomo #2 and Gabriel Moreno #14 of the Arizona Diamondbacks look on during the third inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on August 19, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Stock Up: Arizona Diamondbacks

It has not been the greatest second half for the Arizona Diamondbacks since the All-Star Break. They have struggled and flirted around the line for the third and final Wild Card berth. When push came to shove this week, Torey Lovullo’s crew stepped up.

First, they swept the Chicago Cubs at home over the weekend and passed them for the second Wild Card spot behind Philadelphia. After the Cubs series, they swept the San Francisco Giants, who are fading fast on their own out of the wild card picture.

Against Chicago, they took a 6-0 lead into the top of the ninth and survived a four-run Cubs inning to win 6-4. Saturday, they won a wild 13-inning game, 7-6. Both teams scored one run in the 10th and 11th innings, neither team scored in the 12th and after the Cubs plated one in the 13th, the Diamondbacks scored two in the home half for the win. Sunday, they jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead on their way to a 6-2 win and sweep.

The case can be made that the Diamondbacks are a year ahead of schedule in terms of competing, but getting into the postseason would be a huge step for the organization which has spent a lot of seasons near the bottom of the National League West. They could be a dangerous team in October with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Stock Down: Boston Red Sox

Things are not good right now in Boston with the Red Sox and this happened a week ago, but the firing of general manager Chaim Bloom seems to be getting mixed reactions. Yes, most of the fanbase was happy to see him go, but still, it’s a questionable move by the ownership considering he did what he was brought in to do.

He traded Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020, he did not re-sign shortstop Xander Bogaerts and he left in free agency for the San Diego Padres. Those were the two biggest players that left town under his leadership. There is still the belief that he was told not to spend big, which he didn’t, and re-signing Betts or Bogaerts would have meant spending big, something ownership has not done since the 2018 World Series championship.

Last January, they locked up star third baseman Rafael Devers with a long-term contract, but it was more than likely handed out because of the backlash from the Winter Classic game at Fenway Park back in January when the Boston Bruins played John Henry’s Pittsburgh Pirates. Some fans let it known how they felt about the direction the Red Sox was heading in.

It’s widely known that Bloom and manager Alex Cora did not see eye to eye and it makes you think that ownership sided with Cora over Bloom heading into the offseason. It doesn’t mean Cora will be back in 2024, but it will be interesting to see who gets hired and how much money they will be able to spend. That will be the question.

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