MLB Notebook: Jeter leads Hall of Fame class

We’re coming up on the final weeks of the Major League Baseball season, and there are plenty of headlines on and off the diamond. Let’s dive into this week’s MLB notebook!

Jeter Leads Hall of Fame Class

New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter took his rightful place among the game’s greats Wednesday, as he headlined the newest group of Hall of Fame inductees.

The four-person group also included outfielder Larry Walker, catcher Ted Simmons, and the late Marvin Miller, and fans flocked to Cooperstown, New York, for the occasion. Naturally, the crowd had a heavy presence of Yankee fans who showered their hero with chants and cheers.

Untimely Skid for the Yankees

While a former Yankee was celebrated, current Yankees are trying to regroup. As of press time, the Bronx Bombers have dropped five straight games (and nine of their last 11) and have fallen out of second place in the AL East.

Even worse, they’re just a game and a half ahead of the surging Toronto Blue Jays, who took the first three games of a four-game set with New York this week and have won seven in a row.

The NL West Battle Continues

The season-long duel between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers has stretched past Labor Day. The Giants responded to a four-game skid by winning six of their last seven games, including taking two of three from the Dodgers in a crucial series this past weekend. San Francisco sits two games ahead of the reigning World Series champions, and both teams have 22 games to go.

Cruz Makes History at Age 41

Nelson Cruz has continued to defy Father Time this season, and his 2021 campaign made history Tuesday night. The veteran hit two home runs in Tampa Bay’s 12-7 victory over the Boston Red Sox, and in doing so became the oldest player in MLB history to swat 30 homers in a season.

With the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Cruz has hit at least 30 round-trippers in every season since 2014, and he now sits at 447 for his career.