The Sportsletter - All Rise for #60

BY JEFF YODER

SEP. 21, 2022  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  REFER  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning,

The Yankees were about to lose to the Pirates, then Aaron Judge hit a milestone jack and Giancarlo Stanton called game. A wild finish in the Bronx puts Judge on the brink of history. Plus, we've got NFL Week 3 Power Rankings and a flurry of NHL news prior to the 2022 season. Let's close the door on the last official day of Summer. 

Letter Rip!

DAILY PNUT

Want more than just sports? Subscribe to Daily Pnut and get all your news in a nutshell. 

MLB

All Rise for #60

Photo: Elsa / Getty Images

Yankees Explode in 9th Inning With Aaron Judge’s 60th HR, Giancarlo Stanton’s Walk-Off Grand Slam

Big bats in the Bronx! The Yankees looked destined to drop a stunner to the Pirates Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium when they trailed 8-4 entering the 9th inning. But no fear, Yankee fans. Aaron Judge was the leadoff batter, and he went yard for his 60th home run of the season. That tied Babe Ruth for the eighth-most in a single season. Only six players have hit 60-or-more in a season (see below). Now trailing 8-5, the Yankees put Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres on base before Josh Donaldson placed a bloop-single. Bases loaded with no outs, enter Giancarlo Stanton. With a 2-2 count, Stanton punched a line-drive, walk-off grand slam. It was the 11th walk-off grand slam in Yankees history, and New York scored five unanswered without an out in the 9th inning.

Most HRs in Single Season

Barry Bonds (SF): 73

Mark McGwire (STL): 70, 65

Sammy Sosa (CHI): 66, 64, 63

Roger Maris (NYY): 61

Babe Ruth (NYY): 60

Aaron Judge (NYY): 60

Judge’s HR Projected Pace: 66

Watch: Aaron Judge Hits 60th Home Run

Watch: Giancarlo Stanton Hits Walk-Off Grand Slam

MLB Quick-Hitters

Braves Clinch Playoff Bid: A 3-2 win over the Nationals was enough to put the Braves in the postseason picture for the fifth straight season, but they’re not done yet. While the No. 1 Wild Card is in the bag, they’re just 1.5 games back of the Mets in the NL East battle.

Lindor Launches Grand Slam: Francisco Lindor smashed a grand slam in the 7th inning to lift the Mets over the Brewers (7-5). It’s New York’s sixth straight win.

Wild Cards Run Rampant: The Blue Jays and Phillies combined for 29 runs in a shootout last night, but it was Toronto that got the win (18-11). Both clubs are fighting for their postseason lives.

NFL

Week 3 Power Rankings

Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images

Only 6 Teams Are Unbeaten Through 2 Games

The 2022 NFL season is two weeks old, and we’re still figuring out who’s who. Six teams are undefeated through two weeks. Two of those teams face off in Week 3 with an AFC East showdown — Bills vs. Dolphins. A number of other divisional clashes will headline Week 3, including Steelers-Browns, Eagles-Commanders, Lions-Vikings, Rams-Cardinals and Cowboys-Giants. Week 3 will certainly separate the men from the boys. Five of those unbeatens now reside at the top of our Week 3 Power Rankings, but the Giants still have something to prove. Here’s a look at how we see each team through a pair of games.

NFL Power Rankings

1. Bills (2-0)

2. Chiefs (2-0)

3. Buccaneers (2-0)

4. Eagles (2-0)

5. Dolphins (2-0)

6. Rams (1-1)

7. Packers (1-1)

8. Ravens (1-1)

9. Chargers (1-1)

10. Giants (2-0)

Teams 11-20: 11. Bengals (0-2) | 12. Cardinals (1-1) | 13. Vikings (1-1) | 14. 49ers (1-1) | 15. Saints (1-1) | 16. Broncos (1-1) | 17. Patriots (1-1) | 18. Cowboys (1-1) | 19. Lions (1-1) | 20. Raiders (0-2)

Teams 21-32: 21. Steelers (1-1) | 22. Browns (1-1) | 23. Jets (1-1) | 24. Commanders (1-1) | 25. Jaguars (1-1) | 26. Seahawks (1-1) | 27. Titans (0-2) | 28. Bears (1-1) | 29. Panthers (0-2) | 30. Colts (0-1-1) | 31. Falcons (0-2) | 32. Texans (0-1-1)

NFL Week 3 Schedule

Additional Storylines

NFL: Biggest Week 2 Takeaways: QB Changes Coming?

SI: Which of the Winless NFL Teams Can Still Save Their Season?

The Athletic: NFL Power Rankings: Bills, Chiefs on Top; Dolphins, Eagles on the Move

NHL

MacKinnon's Monster Deal

Photo: Dave Sandford / Getty Images

Avalanche & Nathan MacKinnon Agree to Record-Setting 8-Year, $100 Million Contract

The Colorado Avalanche dominated the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2022, and now they have their guy locked up for the long run. Nathan MacKinnon signed an eight-year, $100.6 million deal to stay in Colorado through 2030. The team’s captain logged 32 goals and 56 assists in 2022 and a team-best 13 goals in the postseason run. At 27 years old, the budding superstar now owns the richest contract in the NHL.

Top NHL Salaries

1. Nathan MacKinnon (COL): $12.6M / Year

2. Connor McDavid (EDM): $12.5M / Year

3. Artemi Panarin (NYR): $11.6M / Year

4. Auston Matthews (TOR): $11.6M / Year

5. Erik Karlsson (SJ): $11.5M / Year

The former No. 1 pick in 2013, MacKinnon’s 1.33 points per game in the playoffs ranks third all-time behind Wayne Gretzky (1.84) and Mario Lemieux (1.61). Now, he’s an Av until his mid-30s.

Additional Storylines

SportsNet: Avalanche Make Nathan MacKinnon Highest-Paid Player in NHL

Yahoo!: How Nathan MacKinnon's Contract Stacks Up With NHL's Best

THE STORYLINES

🏀 NBA Top-100 Player Rankings

The talent level in the NBA is at an all-time peak, and with that comes its own set of problems with regard to deciphering and determining the best of the best. How does one choose the best sentence in a literary masterpiece? (CBS Sports)

🏒 NHL Defenders Retiring

Three prominent defensemen -- two award winners and a record-setting one -- announced their retirements from the NHL on Tuesday. Zdeno Chara (45), Keith Yandle (36) and P.K. Subban (33) are hanging up the skates. (USA Today)

🏈 NFL Week 3 Picks & Predictions

We like the underdog in a fun Week 3 that gives us another installment of Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady, Ravens vs. Patriots, Carson Wentz taking on the Eagles and the surprising Lions going to Minnesota with a chance at the NFC North lead. (Sporting News)

📰 THE HEADLINES

• Future NHL Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara Announces Retirement After 24 Seasons (CBS Sports)
• Short-Handed Buccaneers Sign WR Cole Beasley (ESPN)
• HBO Announces New Documentary on Jeremy Lin, 2012 Knicks Season (SI)
• NHL Defenseman P.K. Subban Announces Retirement After 13 Seasons (B/R)
• Former Dodgers Star & 1962 MVP Maury Wills Dies at Age 89 (Yahoo! Sports)

• Browns Ban Fan Who Hit Owner Jimmy Haslam With Bottle During Week 2 Loss (CBS Sports)

• LIV Golf Owner Greg Norman Asked to Not Attend QBE Shootout He Founded in 1989 (USA Today)

NFL PICK 'EM

Week 3 Picks

Let’s reset the points! We’ll keep track of our season-long leaderboard as the year rolls on, but you can join the fun at any time for a shot at weekly prizes. Week 3 picks can be made until Sunday.

Thursday Night Football Games Not Included to Allow Players to Make Picks Until Sunday Morning

Support The Sportsletter Team

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Product Manager: Matthew Cahill

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Technical Lead: Kevin Lonergan

Did Someone Forward You This Email? Subscribe Here
Feedback? Contact Our Editor: Jeff@TheSportsletter.com
Not Loving The Letter? Unsubscribe
Follow us on Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Copyright © 2022 The Sportsletter
717 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103