MLB Roundtable: Biggest questions heading into final month

Our MLB editors answer some of the biggest questions around the game as the 2022 regular season approaches its end.

What is the most compelling individual storyline down the stretch?

Albert Pujols pursuing 700: Nobody expected the 42-year-old to make a run at the 700-homer club. He entered the season 21 round-trippers shy of becoming the fourth player in MLB history to reach the hallowed mark. However, the Cardinals didn't sign him to be an everyday player, which meant at-bats would be limited, and Pujols hadn't gone deep at least 21 times in a campaign since 2019. But the three-time MVP turned back the clock with his best season since 2011. He's now just six homers away from the mark with under five weeks to go. Based on his play since the All-Star break (nine homers with a 1.207 OPS over 28 games), Pujols has a legitimate shot. - Tom Ruminski

Aaron Judge chasing Maris: The American League MVP front-runner is making a run at Roger Maris' single-season home run record by a Yankee, and he's in a good position to break the mark after hitting No. 51 Tuesday. It might sound like a tall task as Judge needs 11 more round-trippers to break the record with just 31 games left, but the 30-year-old has proven he's capable of going on streaks. Judge belted 12 homers in 27 contests in May and 13 over a 25-game stretch in July. This makes every one of his upcoming plate appearances appointment viewing. - Bryan Mcwilliam

Paul Goldschmidt winning triple crown: The Cardinals first baseman is looking to become just the second player in more than 50 years to lead the NL in average, home runs, and RBIs. With a well-timed power surge, Goldschmidt could be baseball's first triple crown winner since Miguel Cabrera accomplished the feat in 2012. The 34-year-old currently tops the NL in average (.332), sits tied for the lead in RBIs (105), and is second in homers (33). - Josh Goldberg

Which playoff team should be most concerned by their current play?

Blue Jays: The 2022 edition of the Blue Jays is consistently inconsistent. The team seems to follow every hot stretch with a cold one before getting hot again just to get cold immediately after. Maddening, right? Toronto still occupies a wild-card spot, but this type of streaky play can be dangerous, especially in the last few weeks of the season. If Mr. Hyde comes out instead of Dr. Jekyll at the end of the campaign, the Blue Jays could end up on the outside looking in for a second straight year. That would be a major disappointment for a club with World Series aspirations. - Ruminski

Padres: San Diego can feel the Brewers breathing down its necks for the NL's final wild-card spot. The Padres haven't played particularly well since making blockbuster deals for Juan Soto and Josh Hader, going 13-13 while losing series to the Dodgers, Marlins, and Guardians and splitting a four-gamer with the lowly Nationals. Soto has come as advertised, but Josh Bell and Brandon Drury have been letdowns, and Hader's been a disaster. The southpaw owns a 19.06 ERA in eight appearances for the Padres. - Mcwilliam

Yankees: After starting the season on a blistering and, at times, historic pace, New York crashed back to earth and now faces real questions as the postseason nears. The Yankees are a baffling 23-31 since the beginning of July, and they aren't receiving much from their trade deadline acquisitions so far. Right-hander Frankie Montas continues to struggle pitching away from the cavernous Oakland Coliseum. The long ball has plagued him in his first five starts in pinstripes, allowing five home runs in 25 2/3 innings. After Gerrit Cole, who is the Yankees' No. 2 starter in a playoff series? - Goldberg

Which non-playoff team can make the biggest impact on the postseason picture?

Red Sox: Before Boston heads home for the winter after a tough season, Alex Cora's club will have a chance to impact the playoff picture. The Red Sox will play 22 of their final 31 games against their four AL East rivals, three of whom are battling each other for wild-card spots and playoff positioning. Rivalries always get heated in this division, and you have to think Boston would love nothing more than to play spoiler for somebody down the stretch. They may not have too much hope left, but the Red Sox will have a hand in shaping the AL playoff picture, one way or another. - Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb

Orioles: The Orioles have been the biggest surprise of 2022, entering September seven games over .500 and in striking distance of a playoff spot. This comes after Baltimore lost more than 100 games in three of the past four seasons. If the Orioles' magic continues down the stretch, they could knock out one of the Rays, Mariners, or Blue Jays, which would send shockwaves through baseball. Baltimore has 10 contests left with Toronto, including a three-game set to close out the regular season. Get your popcorn ready. - Mcwilliam

White Sox: It's been a bitterly disappointing season on the South Side of Chicago. The White Sox entered the campaign with legitimate World Series buzz but have fizzled to a below .500 record. Although it finds itself on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, Chicago could still make some noise if it can right the ship. The White Sox have multiple series with the Guardians (four games) and Twins (nine) in September and are hoping they can put it all together to salvage an underwhelming season. - Goldberg

Which trade-deadline acquisition has been the most disappointing?

Josh Hader: There's no debate. The 28-year-old owns a 19.06 ERA, 7.00 FIP, 20.6 H/9, and 11.1 BB/9 since the Padres acquired him for four players. It took Hader all of five games to lose his closer's job, and he hasn't been any better since changing roles. The Royals lit him up for six earned runs in 1/3 of an inning on Aug. 28. It's beginning to look like he might be a bust, which seemed unfathomable earlier in the year when he went 19 consecutive outings before allowing a run. - Mcwilliam

Frankie Montas: The Yankees acquired the talented right-hander to fortify the rotation because of Jordan Montgomery’s departure to the Cardinals and Luis Severino’s injury. However, it’s been a rough ride in pinstripes. He owns a 7.01 ERA with 1.51 WHIP over five starts without registering a win after surrendering 20 earned runs over 25 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old will have to be much better for New York to make a deep run into October and November. - Ruminski

Whit Merrifield: The Blue Jays surprised many when they struck a deal to acquire the versatile Merrifield from the Royals. The 33-year-old didn’t look like a seamless fit in a right-hand dominant Toronto lineup and is already having difficulty fitting into interim manager John Schneider’s lineup on a consistent basis. In his first 19 games as a Blue Jay, Merrifield is slashing .208/.276/.264 with an elevated strikeout rate. With Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio capable of playing second base and a bevy of outfielders available, Merrifield will likely find himself on the bench often if he doesn’t start hitting closer to his career norm. - Goldberg

Which manager or GM needs a great September to save their job?

Craig Counsell: A whole bunch of bottom-feeding clubs have managers on the wobbly chair, but Counsell and the Brewers definitely need a strong final month. The 52-year-old certainly has some job security, though. He’s a Milwaukee legend and led the middle-market club to four winning seasons in the past five years - with the lone outlier being the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign during which the Brewers finished one game below .500 and in a playoff spot. This year, however, they’re hurtling toward missing the postseason for the first time since 2017. Milwaukee is just outside the playoff picture, and it'd take an epic collapse to fall beneath any team below it in the standings. But if the Brewers aren't at least playing for a wild-card spot in the final week, Counsell might find himself out after eight pretty impressive - though ultimately fruitless - years. - Michael Bradburn

Aaron Boone: It's crazy to think Boone might be on the chopping block after the Yankees got off to a historically great start. Yet New York has gone 14-25 since the All-Star break to see its once insurmountable lead in the AL East shrink to single digits over the Rays and Blue Jays. It'll likely only take a mediocre September for the Bronx Bombers to win the division, but the club should have way higher goals than that. The Yankees need to start playing well again to get some momentum going into the playoffs. Anything but a World Series appearance feels like a bust for this team, and it could cost Boone his job if there's another postseason stumble. - Ruminski

Rocco Baldelli: It's not that Baldelli is a bad manager. In just four years with the Twins, the 40-year-old already has both a 100-win season and a Manager of the Year award to his name. But Minnesota hasn't played up to expectations the last two years, and a midseason slump has now dropped them out of both the division lead and a playoff spot. The Twins can't seem to build momentum despite playing in a weaker division. If they slump again in September and miss the playoffs, there's a chance Baldelli could find his job in jeopardy. It might be unjust, but for managers, sometimes the results matter more than anything else. - Sharkey-Gotlieb

Which late-season call-up are you most looking forward to watching?

Gunnar Henderson: Orioles general manager Mike Elias resisted the temptation to promote the 21-year-old for most of the season, but Henderson is getting his shot down the stretch with rosters expanding. MLB Pipeline's No. 2-ranked prospect crushed a homer in his first big-league game after hitting a combined .297/.416/.531 with 19 homers, 24 doubles, seven triples, and 22 steals between Double-A and Triple-A this season. Henderson's energy and talent could be exactly what the Orioles need down the stretch. - Mcwilliam

Corbin Carroll: The D-Backs couldn't even wait until September to call up Carroll. The dynamic 22-year-old was on pace for a 30-30 season in the minors (split between three levels) when he got the call Monday. His speed may be his most important attribute and could be what makes him a superstar. He's stolen 52 bases as a professional and has been caught just seven times. Yes, the D-Backs aren't playing for much down the stretch, but watching Carroll get his feet wet in the majors is reason enough to tune in. - Sharkey-Gotlieb

Oswald Peraza: The Yankees' No. 3-ranked prospect has handled himself admirably at Triple-A thus far and could provide an infusion of talent at a position that could sorely use it. Isiah Kiner-Falefa hasn't provided much offensively but is a very steady presence with his glove. New York already promoted Oswaldo Cabrera and could make a similar move with Peraza as it looks to solidify its roster for what Yankees fans hope is a run to a 28th World Series championship in the fall. - Goldberg