Gamecock alums wrap up regular season, prep for MLB playoffs
Major League Baseball’s regular season came to an end Wednesday. Five former South Carolina baseball stars will continue playing in the postseason, while the rest will begin their offseason. Before the playoffs start Friday, here’s a look at how each Gamecock alum performed this year.
Jackie Bradley Jr.—Toronto Blue Jays
After a down first half with the Boston Red Sox, some may have thought a change of scenery would benefit Bradley. That hasn’t been the case. Since being signed by the Blue Jays on Aug. 9, he’s slashed .178/.250/.274 with one homer and nine RBI.
Bradley’s combined statistics show he batted just above the Mendoza Line (.203) with 70 hits in 344 plate appearances. It’s an improvement after last year with the Milwaukee Brewers, but it also could be a cause for concern moving forward. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the season ends.
For now, though, the Blue Jays are gearing up for a playoff run starting with the Seattle Mariners in the newly-added Wild Card round. Bradley, a former ALCS MVP with Boston, could have a chance to make an impact if he sees the field. The only problem is, he’s had 15 at-bats in his last 10 games, foreshadowing that he could be an off-the-bench player.
Jonah Bride—Oakland A’s
Bride got a big monkey off his back when he smacked his first big league home run off New York Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole on Aug. 26.
His play would decline after that. He’d go on to record seven hits in his next 21 games, with his average dropping 27 points. Overall, Bride batted .204/.301/.247 with a homer and six RBI in 162 at-bats.
For the most part, his defense was good, as he only made four errors in his time at three different infield positions. It’s possible that Bride finds himself in an everyday role next season with the A’s in a full-fledged rebuild.
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Wil Crowe—Pittsburgh Pirates
After a dominant July, Crowe’s numbers began to rise. He pitched in 10.2 innings in August and allowed three home runs, two of which came in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 7-5 loss to the Brewers on Aug. 29.
It would only get worse from there as Crowe found himself on the wrong side of baseball history on Sept. 10. With the Pirates beating the New York Yankees by four runs in the ninth, Crowe surrendered Aaron Judge’s 60th homer of the year, followed by a Giancarlo Stanton walk-off grand slam. He wouldn’t record a single out and the Yankees would win the game 9-8.
On Oct. 1, Pittsburgh placed him on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, ending his season. Even with two forgettable months, the former Gamecock right-hander still managed to pitch to a 4.38 ERA with 68 strikeouts and 38 walks. He also pitched the most innings (76) amongst his fellow relievers on the team.
Crowe, who turned 28 years old on Sept. 9, will look to find his groove in 2023 with the second-worst bullpen in the MLB.
Whit Merrifield—Toronto Blue Jays
Similarly to Bradley, Merrifield was another key acquisition by the Blue Jays at the trade deadline. In 44 games, the former 2010 College World Series hero slashed .281/.323/.446 with five homers and 16 RBI.
Over the final five weeks of the regular season, Merrifield batted .364 with 23 hits, showing flashes from his Kansas City Royals days.
When Toronto takes the field against the Mariners Friday, it will be Merrifield’s first playoff appearance. He didn’t make his big league debut until 2016, the year after the Royals won the World Series. Between 2016-21, Merrifield was a part of multiple 100-loss seasons. Now, his ability to play multiple positions gives him a chance to play in the Blue Jays’ lineup every day.
Jordan Montgomery—St. Louis Cardinals
Montgomery’s stint with the Cardinals got off to a great start, as he finished with a 4-0 record and 1.76 ERA in August.
His last six starts wouldn’t be nearly as impressive, but still respectable nonetheless. In 11 starts with St. Louis, the former Gamecock pitched to a 3.11 ERA with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 61-13. He helped his new club win the National League Central Division on Sept. 27.
At this time last year, Montgomery was pitching limitedly with the Yankees in the playoffs. With the Cardinals, Montgomery could be in a position to start against the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend.
Cody Morris—Cleveland Guardians
Morris, who played with the Gamecocks from 2017-18, was activated off the 60-day injured list and made his major league debut on Sept. 2. However, he struggled in his first start, allowing two runs and walks.
He eventually found his footing as a regular starter in the Guardians’ rotation. In seven appearances (five starts), he went 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA and struck out 23 batters.
Cleveland, the American League Central Division champions, will host the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card round Friday afternoon. It’s unclear what manager Terry Francona’s roster will look like, but Morris will likely slide into the bullpen after a solid first month.
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Clarke Schmidt—New York Yankees
Schmidt returned to the Bronx for good in late August and pitched well out of the bullpen. In 29 appearances, he went 5-5 with a 3.12 ERA and 56 strikeouts.
As the No. 2 seed, the Yankees won’t play until Oct. 11 in the AL Division Series. Their bullpen has taken some hits lately with injuries, so Schmidt plays well as the do-it-all reliever during the playoffs.
Christian Walker—Arizona Diamondbacks
On a fourth-place team, Walker had a breakout season in Arizona. The 31-year-old first baseman crushed 36 homers and drove in 94 runs, both career-highs.
Walker was also much healthier compared to last year, as he started a team-high 160 games. He will head into his second year of arbitration and won’t hit free agency until 2025. He’s set to turn 32 right before opening day next season. The biggest question now becomes if the former Gamecock can sustain this success for years to come.
Taylor Widener—Arizona Diamondbacks
Three months after his last big league outing, Widener returned to the Diamondbacks on Sept. 10, where he would pitch the rest of the season.
In a relief role, he brought his ERA down from 9.64 to 3.63 by season’s end. This was mainly due to a terrific month of September in which he finished with a 0.84 ERA in 10.2 innings.
After his late-season turnaround, Widener, a Gamecock from 2014-16, will look to translate his success into a full-time gig with the Diamondbacks’ bullpen in 2023.
