{"id":801662,"date":"2018-03-29T02:40:32","date_gmt":"2018-03-29T06:40:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=801662"},"modified":"2018-04-02T05:27:33","modified_gmt":"2018-04-02T05:27:33","slug":"eight-milestones-to-watch-for-in-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/eight-milestones-to-watch-for-in-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Eight MLB Milestones to Follow in 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Eight<\/a>
\nFor the first time ever (yes\u2026ever!), all 30 Major League teams will be playing baseball on Opening Day.<\/p>\n

Sure, sure\u2026the Washington-Cincinnati game has already been postponed, but it\u2019s the thought that counts, right?<\/p>\n

Anyway, with a new season comes a lot of new questions. Questions like\u2026how many home runs will Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge hit? Will Ichiro find the Fountain of Youth in Seattle? And, naturally, will somebody ever buy Don Mattingly\u2019s car<\/a><\/strong>?<\/p>\n

Out of that uncertainty blooms a myriad of things that might (and might not) happen, so with that\u2026here are eight milestones to watch for in 2018.<\/p>\n

ALBERT PUJOLS<\/strong><\/p>\n

A season ago, Albert Pujols was on everyone\u2019s watchlist as he was approaching 600 career home runs. This season, with 2968 hits, it\u2019s all about dude\u2019s quest to become just the fourth player (Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez are the other three) with 600 home runs and 3000 hits. But, sadly, we might be waiting a while. It almost took Pujols until Mother\u2019s Day to get his 32nd<\/sup> base knock last season. By comparison, in 2008, Pujols\u2019 second MVP season, he had more than 32 hits by the last week in April.<\/p>\n

After Pujols gets to 3000 hits, he can focus on joining Aaron and Rodriguez as the only players with 3000 hits, 600 home runs and 2000 RBI. The Los Angeles Angels slugger enters 2018 82 shy of the milestone.<\/p>\n

Fun fact. Did you know that Albert Pujols has grounded into more double plays (362) that anyone else? It\u2019s true.<\/p>\n

GIANCARLO STANTON<\/strong><\/p>\n

Granted, when Giancarlo Stanton hits career home run number 300 (he\u2019s sitting at 267), he\u2019ll still be well behind Albert Pujols. Oh, and get this\u2026the new New York Yankees bomber just turned 28. In case you were wondering, Alex Rodriguez is the youngest ever to hit 300 home runs. He was 27 years and 249 days old. Futhermore, when Stanton reaches 300, he\u2019ll be just the 15th<\/sup> Major Leaguer to do so before turning 30<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

250 WINS<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been nearly a decade since a pitcher last won 300 games. Two pitchers enter 2018 on the cusp on winning 250. And while not out of the realm of possibility, it\u2019ll likely take a minor miracle for them both to get there. Bartolo Colon enters 21st<\/sup> big league season 10 wins shy. CC Sabathia is right behind him with 237.<\/p>\n

CRAIG KIMBREL<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even though Trevor Hoffman is entering the Hall of Fame this summer, closers traditionally have a hard time finding their way to Cooperstown. That said, you might want to start working on Craig Kimbrel\u2019s plaque. The Boston Red Sox fireballer enters 2018 nine saves away from the 300 mark. While 300 saves is an accomplishment (only 28 other closers have reached the milestone), should Kimbrel get his before May 28\u2026he\u2019ll be the only closer to have hit the plateau before turning 30. Last season, he got his ninth save on May 2.<\/p>\n

CHASE UTLEY<\/strong><\/p>\n

The next time Chase Utley gets hit with a pitch, it\u2019ll be the 200th<\/sup> time he would\u2019ve been plunked. Granted, he\u2019s nowhere near matching Hughie Jennings (287) and Craig Biggio (285) on the all-time list, but given he\u2019s been hit 78 more times than the next guy on the active list (Shin-Soo Choo), 200 is nothing to take lightly.<\/p>\n

EDWIN JACKSON<\/strong><\/p>\n

Edwin Jackson will start 2018 with the Washington Nationals, Why is this important? The Nationals are the 12th<\/sup> franchise the pitcher has played for since his big league debut in 2003. When Jackson ends up playing for another team on or around the July 31 trade deadline, he\u2019ll match Octavio Dotel\u2019s record by suiting up for 13 Major League teams.<\/p>\n

CHRIS GIMENEZ<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the collective eye of the baseball world will be on two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, some will be waiting for Chris Gimenez\u2019s eventual call up by the Chicago Cubs. Should the catcher make his way back to the bigs (likely, considering he was Yu Darvish\u2019s personal catcher in Texas), it\u2019ll only be a matter of time before he takes to the mound. And when he does, it\u2019ll be his tenth time to toe the rubber\u2026the most of any non-pitcher in baseball.<\/p>\n

500 HOME RUNS<\/strong><\/p>\n

It wouldn\u2019t be an annual milestone post without mentioning Adrian Beltre and Miguel Cabrera, right? So\u2026here goes. Both sluggers are 38 home runs away from adding 500 home runs to their already robust Hall of Fame resumes. And while both men reaching the milestone probably won\u2019t happen (injuries kept both of them to far less than 38 home runs in 2017), it could happen.<\/p>\n

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For the first time ever (yes\u2026ever!), all 30 Major League teams will be playing baseball on Opening Day. 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