The Houston Astros were coming off perhaps their most devastating defeat of the season Wednesday, fearing it might have cost them the AL West title. They called up rookie Lucas Spence to replace center fielder Brice Matthews, who was placed on the injured list.
Certainly, they had no expectations but needed a body.
Spence, who wasn’t even drafted out of Southern Illinois, was hitting just .150 with one extra-base hit when he was sent back in April to Triple-A Sugar Land.
He came up Wednesday and didn’t collect a hit, but was back in the starting lineup Thursday − and just may have saved the Astros’ season.
He hit not one, not two, but three home runs with five RBI in the Astros’ 7-5 victory over the Athletics.
And just like that, the Astros are back tied with the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West with a 79-80 record and just three games remaining.
“That was fun, man, that was awesome,’’ Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters after the game. “I enjoy watching young players come up here. The biggest stage there is. We need some of these kids to step up and do big things, and (he) just delivered. …
“He hit three homers (in) a must-needed win.’’
Spence, who still was in disbelief after the game, had trouble describing his emotions on the Astros’ postgame show.
“That was really exciting,’’ Spence said. “It kind of helped me settle in after getting called back up. It’s nerves or whatever, and you take a good swing like that, it helps you settle in and build on the day and keep it going forward.’’
The Astros, coming off a deflating 10-inning defeat Wednesday night to the Seattle Mariners, couldn’t have asked for Spence’s heroics to come at a better time. He hit a three-run homer in the second inning, a solo homer in the seventh, and then led off the ninth with his third homer of the night.
“It means everything,’’ Spence said. “You know, you’re up here. You want to win. You want to get to the playoffs. It’s why we work every day. It’s everything to us.’’
The Calgary Flames took their preseason show on the road Thursday night, dropping a 4-3 decision to the Seattle Kraken in a shootout at Climate Pledge Arena.
Devin Cooley got the start in net for Calgary, making his second preseason appearance.
The Flames opened the scoring at 10:02 of the first period after a strong forecheck from Dryden Hunt forced a turnover behind the Seattle net. Brennan Othmann collected the loose puck and found Jonathan Costagna in front, who buried his first goal of the preseason past Philipp Grubauer.
Seattle answered late in the period. Jordan Eberle made a play from the slot while being knocked down, finding Bobby McMann for a quick one-timer that beat Cooley and tied the game 1-1.
Calgary outshot Seattle 14-6 through 20 minutes.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
The Flames regained the lead in the second when Rory Kerins found some open ice and took a pass from Alex Nylander before ripping a shot into the top corner for his first goal of the preseason.
After some physical play between the teams, Calgary went to a 5-on-3 power play and capitalized.
Aydar Suniev picked up the puck in the high slot and snapped a wrist shot over Grubauer’s glove for his third goal in two preseason games and fourth in his last three games, including the Next Gen rookie game.
The physicality continued, with Othmann throwing a big hit in the corner before being challenged by Ville Ottavainen.
Seattle appeared to cut into Calgary’s lead late in the period when Brandon Montour scored, but the goal was waved off for offside.
The Flames carried a 3-1 lead and a 23-9 edge in shots into the third.
Montour eventually got his goal just 1:26 into the final frame, pinching down from the blue line before taking a pass from Matty Beniers and beating Cooley with a wrist shot.
Seattle tied it at 7:31 when Ryker Evans drove down the left side and fired a shot into the top corner.
Neither team could find the winner in overtime, sending the game to a shootout.
Berkly Catton scored the deciding goal as Seattle completed the comeback with a 4-3 win.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images<br />
Three Takeaways
The Flames brought the compete
This was essentially a Wranglers-heavy Calgary lineup going up against a much more NHL-calibre Kraken group. The Flames played fast, physical hockey, outshot Seattle and answered when the game got chippy. They also continued to show plenty of pushback when their teammates were challenged.
Suniev keeps scoring
Suniev continues to make noise this preseason. His goal Thursday was his third in two preseason games and fourth over his last three appearances, putting him among the preseason scoring leaders.
Kerins needed to make an impact with limited preseason opportunities, and he did that Thursday. His second-period goal was an important moment for a player trying to stay on the Flames’ radar. It may not be enough to secure an NHL roster spot, but it gives him a strong performance to build on heading into the rest of camp.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 24: Cal Raleigh #29 and Bryan Woo #22 of the Seattle Mariners talk with manager Dan Wilson #6 of the Seattle Mariners against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park on September 24, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“When there’s nothing left to burn you have to set yourself on fire” – Stars, “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead”
“When there’s nothing else to fight for, let me fight for this” – Bryan Woo, on fighting to stay in a little too long in tonight’s Mariners game, a sloppy 6-4 loss to the Angels.
I’m trying to sum up some annoyance at Bryan Woo for arguing to stay in this game, and at Dan Wilson for letting him, and at Cal Raleigh for dropping a third strike (stupidest rule in baseball) leading to a Rube Goldberg-esque chain of events, and at the Mariners for going 1-for-8 with RISP tonight and generally blowing chances against literally the 2026 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Disneyland, USA, and I just can’t. There’s nothing to fight for, or against, just the slow march towards the end of this dreadful season.
The Angels got on the board in annoying fashion in the second inning, when Josh Lowe lofted a little two-out single into center field. Christian Moore then hit an even weaker parachut fly ball that Julio dove for and missed, causing Laz Montes to bluescreen momentarily as he scrambled to pick up the loose ball in what’s been his first real tough test as a big-league outfielder, allowing Lowe to score from first. Blech, and also unfortunately a tone-setter for the rest of the night.
The Mariners answered back in the bottom of the inning, though. Cal Raleigh worked a walk, and then Julio Rodríguez obliterated a terrible middle-middle fastball from Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez. I remember listening to Grayson Rodriguez pitch to Julio Rodriguez in 2019 when Julio was playing for the West Virginia Power and the other Rodriguez was with the Delmarva Shorebirds in the now-defunct South Atlantic League. Those games were always hyped up big time, top prospect vs. top prospect. Anyway, Julio won this outing.
451 feet is currently the longest distance a ball has been hit in baseball today, and I will miss saying that when there are no balls hit in baseball today because there is no baseball.
The Mariners had a chance to really break the game open here after Josh Naylor worked a walk and Cole Young singled to put two more on with no outs, but unfortunately Lazaro Montes reached out for a changeup and grounded into a double play to put two outs on the board. Leo Rivas then came through with a clutch two-out RBI, though, bringing home Naylor to make it 3-1 before J.P. popped out to end the threat.
The Mariners had some traffic against Rodriguez and a chance to add on more but frittered away their opportunities. A leadoff double from Randy Arozarena in the second was left stranded at third (Julio and Canzone both struck out) and in the fourth a clever challenge from Cole Young to turn a strikeout into an eventual walk followed by a laserbeam single off the bat of Lazaro Montes was also stranded when Leo Rivas, who is notably not Michael Arroyo, grounded into an inning-ending double play.
That opened the door for the Angels to tie things up in the fifth. Josh Lowe threw his bat at a curveball and was rewarded with a weakly hit leadoff double, and then some more sloppy play bit the Mariners as Cal Raleigh threw away what should have been out number two on a curveball Christian Moore chased after in the dirt, leading to Lowe advancing to third and Moore reaching on my absolute least favorite play in baseball, the dropped third strike rule. Lowe would then score on a groundout to bring the Angels within one.
Despite the curveball working well for him – he had already struck Neto out on the pitch twice – Woo went with a sinker in to Neto, who yanked the pitch into right for a game-tying RBI. I was perplexed as to why Woo moved off his curveball, which he was throwing particularly well tonight – he boosted its usage up to 14%, his most commonly-used secondary tonight, and of 15 thrown landed four for called strikes and got swings on another seven with four whiffs. I was going to ask him about it postgame, but instead we had to do the continued sad autopsy of slicing up the 2026 Mariners to see what parts are the most shriveled. So for now we will put Bryan Woo’s curveball in a box labeled “40 in 40s – 2027” and hope we get to unpack them this spring.
The Mariners jumped back in front in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of some shoddy command from Rodriguez, who walked two and then threw a wild pitch that allowed J.P. Crawford, who had led off the inning, to score. But again, the Mariners couldn’t do any more damage than that, and the Angels then went ahead in the sixth against a clearly tiring Bryan Woo.
Woo’s efficiency hadn’t been great all day, despite recording eight strikeouts against the strikeout-prone Angels. For those who have watched a lot of Mariners starters in 2026, the noncompetitive five-pitch leadoff walk to a hitter with a below-average walk rate who strikes out a quarter of the time appears like a canary in the coal mine that has been this season. Two batters later, Woo allowed another free pass by plunking Denzer Guzman, who walks even less and strikes out even more. With Woo pushing into the 80s with his pitch count, Dan Wilson came out to do a mound visit, at which point Woo was seen yelling forcefully in the face of his manager from behind his glove. Because there’s nothing left to burn but ourselves, Wilson left him in, and Woo immediately went to a 3-0 count against Christian Moore – who is currently running a 34% K rate – before serving up a fastball right on the plate that Moore tattooed into center for a go-ahead double. Just when you think the 2026 Mariners can’t get any more 2026 Mariners, they Mariners all over.
Michael Rucker came in and cleaned up the mess, everyone say thank you Michael Rucker, and Laz Montes helped him out with a great catch. And you know if we’ve reached the “defensive highlights” part of the recap we’re in dire straits.
Direness indeed. Cooper Criswell had the eighth and continued to look not as sharp as he did before going on the IL, walking – no come on guys, seriously, Denzer Guzman again? And of course that leadoff walk came around to score because baseball does still have rules, even meaningless baseball. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway – the Mariners failed to score again after that wild-pitch run in the fifth against the Angels bullpen. It’s the most not matters time in the most not mattering season. Why does it still hurt?
Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers in the first inning of a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images)
The Dodgers didn’t win a game Thursday. But they got something far more valuable before even taking the field for their 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.
With the Atlanta Braves’ loss to the Cincinnati Reds earlier in the day, the Dodgers clinched the second seed in the National League playoffs and the first-round bye that goes with it. That means the Dodgers will get five days off next week to prepare for their playoff opener, a godsend for a bruised and bloodied team that has stumbled to the finish of the regular season.
“I think we all know why it’s important,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said of the break. “There’s a lot of us kind of limping toward the end here, a lot of aches and pains this year.”
In addition to Freeman, who has been hobbled all month by a sore right knee, the Dodgers are rushing to get designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, starting pitcher Blake Snell and closer Edwin Díaz healthy.
Center fielder Andy Pages, who missed a month with a broken hand, returned to the lineup three days ago while Dalton Rushing, who is competing for a bench spot on the postseason roster, is expected to be activated off the injured list Friday.
All of them will benefit from some additional rest before their playoff opener, at Dodger Stadium, on Oct. 3.
And speaking of Dodger Stadium, the No. 2 playoff seed carries another important perk: the home-field advantage for the Division Series — and possibly the World Series, if the Dodgers make it that far. Home has certainly been an advantage for the Dodgers, who drew a sellout crowd of 53,027 Thursday, pushing the team’s total home attendance over four million for the second straight year.
“It’s more turning of the turnstiles than any venue in the world,” Dodger manager Dave Roberts said. “The amazing thing is that it’s not just localized. It’s international. Everyone looks different at Dodger Stadium.
“It’s spectacular and our players certainly feed off of it.”
The Dodgers are one of five franchises in big-league history to draw more than 4 million fans in a season but just two others — the Toronto Blue Jays, from 1991-93, and the New York Yankees, in the final four years at old Yankee Stadium — did it in consecutive seasons.
Plus the Dodgers are the only team to do it since 2008. They also lead the majors in road attendance this season, having drawn 2.82 million, or 36,159 a game. And for some fans, it’s hard to separate their support from the team’s success.
“A synergy exists between we the fans and the players,” said Charles Flores, an associate professor at Cal State L.A. and lifelong Dodger fan who attended more than a dozen games this season. “One inspires the other.”
Russ Hoffman of Santa Clarita, a season-ticket holder for 40 years, agrees.
“The atmosphere created by drawing so many fans definitely contributes to their success,” he said. “Winning continuously drives the attendance and the current ownership has committed the assets to do that.”
That edge can be even bigger in the playoffs. The Dodgers lost just five of 16 postseason games at home — a .688 winning percentage — en route to World Series titles the last two years.
“During the playoffs Dodger Stadium is a tough place to play because it’s 56,000 crazed fans yelling on every play,” said Stan Brooks, an award-winning film producer and long-time season-ticket holder. “The fans are so loud and the environment is so intense every night.”
The Dodgers (97-62) will finish the regular season with three games this weekend in San Francisco, where they will continue their preparation for the postseason. Ohtani had a single and a run-scoring double Thursday. He also sent Jackson Merrill to the center-field wall to run down two long outs Thursday.
Mookie Betts, dropped to second in the lineup with Ohtani’s return, went three for three with a walk, raising his average for September to .347, while Freeman had two hits for the third time in four games.
But the Dodgers stranded eight runners, going 0 for 8 with men in scoring position through eight innings, avoiding their first shutout of the season at home on Adrian Morejon’s balk in the eighth.
On the mound, Tyler Glasnow, who will be the Dodgers’ fourth starter in the postseason, was perfect through three innings. He walked Fernando Tatis Jr. on four pitches to start the fourth, but didn’t allow another Padres batter to reach base until Ethan Sales singled with one out in the sixth.
That proved costly when Tatis singled on the next pitch, sending Sales to third, from where he scored on Dustin Harris’ sacrifice fly, putting the Padres ahead to stay.
Glasnow (5-2) got out of the inning by striking out Manny Machado, giving him a season-high 11 strikeouts on the night and 21 in his last two starts but San Diego then blew the game open in the seventh, chasing Glasnow and scoring three times off reliever Justin Wrobleski on run-scoring singles by Austin Hayes, Sales and Tatis.
Díaz pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two.
With the win, the Padres (89-70) clinched a postseason berth for the fifth time in seven seasons.
Staff writer Maddie Lee contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman (25) catches a throw as San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) slides into second base during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres on September 24, 2026 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Dodgers ended their final homestand on a whimper, as they managed to scratch across just two late runs against the San Diego Padres in a 4-2 loss on Thursday.
After a bullpen game from the Dodgers and a four-run outing for Yoshinobu Yamamoto over the first two games, Thursday night’s contest turned into a pitcher’s duel. Tyler Glasnow and Nick Pivetta both struck out five over their first three innings on the mound, with the former facing the minimum while not allowing a single baserunner.
San Diego broke up the perfect game bid with a leadoff walk to Fernando Tatis Jr. in the top of the fourth inning, but Glasnow prevented the Padres from striking further and did not allow a hit over his first five innings, racking up nine strikeouts. Pivetta, just like Robbie Ray on Wednesday, had his pitch count inflated early on and he was pulled after allowing a two-out single to Mookie Betts in the bottom of the fifth inning— his third hit of the game. Yuki Matsui allowed a single to Freddie Freeman to put runners at the corners but got Teoscar Hernández to strike out swinging, keeping the game scoreless.
After Glasnow struck out Samad Taylor for his 10th strikeout of the night, Ethan Salas broke up the no-hit bid with a single to left, promptly followed by an opposite-field single from Tatis. Dustin Harris hit a fly ball just deep enough to break the ice and plate Salas, giving San Diego a 1-0 lead.
Glasnow managed to pitch into the seventh inning, but his night was done after allowing a double to Jackson Merrill and a walk to Xander Bogaerts. Justin Wrobleski came on in relief, and San Diego countered with pinch-hitter Austin Hays, and the right-hander smoked an RBI single just past Betts to double the Padres lead. Salas’ second hit of the night plated Bogaerts, and Tatis cashed in Hays with his second hit in as many at-bats, making it a 4-0 lead.
Despite the complete lack of run support, Thursday proved to be a fine outing for Glasnow as he totaled a season-high 11 strikeouts on the night while being charged for the three runs on just three hits. In his six starts after being activated off the injured list, Glasnow posted a 4.46 ERA while striking out 49 and walking 12 over 34 1/3 innings.
It was another brutal night for the Dodgers offensively, as a night after leaving 12 men on base while going 1-9 with runners in scoring position, the Dodgers left eight men on base while going 1-9 with runners in scoring position. Their first run of the night came on a balk from Adrián Morejón that plated Mookie Betts in the bottom of the eighth, and Shohei Ohtani roped a double for his team-leading 81st RBI against Mason Miller in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Padres can thank the Dodgers for helping them secure their third consecutive postseason berth, doing so for the first time in franchise history.
The Dodgers head up to San Francisco for their final regular season series against the Giants beginning Friday (7:15 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Tarik Skubal faces rookie Yunior Marte.
Sep 24, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics second baseman Jeff McNeil (22) hits a three run home run during the third inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Fighting for the division title and a playoff spot, the Houston Astros tallied five home runs, three from rookie outfielder Lucas Spence, to defeat the spoiler-minded Athletics 7-5 in a back-and-forth opener to their season-ending four-game series.
Astros In Front Early
Both starting pitchers, Mason Barnett and Peter Lambert, tossed scoreless first innings. A’s center fielder Henry Bolte made a stellar diving catch for the second out of the game.
In the second inning. Spence hit his first major league home run against Barnett to give the Astros a 3-0 lead. Seeking an immediate response, A’s first baseman Jeff McNeil doubled to open the bottom of the second. Zack Gelof then drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. The Athletics failed to capitalize on the scoring opportunity as Lambert struck out the next three batters.
Squirrel Power: Tie Game!
Shea Langeliers, who kept his at-bat alive by winning an ABS challenge, hit a two-out single in the bottom of the third inning, bringing McNeil to the plate as the potential tying run. McNeil’s ninth home run of the season, a three-run shot to right center off Lambert, made it a brand-new ballgame.
Donovan Walton singled for the Athletics fourth consecutive two-out hit, knocking Lambert out of the game after just 2 2/3 innings. The Astros right-hander was one pitch away from ending the inning before suffering that two-out collapse. Left-hander Bryan King replaced him and got that elusive third out.
Athletics catcher Jonah Heim hit a one-out double in the bottom of the fourth inning, giving the A’s an opportunity to extend their lead. The hosts did not cash in on that scoring opportunity as King struck out two straight to strand Heim at second.
Barnett One Mistake Too Many
Pitching with the lead for the first time, Barnett pitched two straight scoreless innings, retiring eight in a row. In the sixth inning, Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes tied the game with his 24th home run of the season, a solo shot to left on a fastball down the middle.
The A’s right-hander rebounded to retire the next three hitters, completing a career-high six frames. Barnett will want those two home run pitches back, but otherwise it was a much-improved outing. He walked two while tying his career-high with eight strikeouts.
A’s Bullpen’s Struggles Continue
The A’s turned the game over to their bullpen as right-hander Scott Blewett entered for the seventh inning. With one out, Spence put the Astros back in front 5-4 with his second home run of the night. Houston had a chance to add on, but Blewett retired Paredes to strand two runners.
While the Astros surged ahead, rookie right-hander Miguel Ullola kept the A’s offense quiet with three scoreless innings of long relief. A night after recording four hits, Bolte struck out looking in his first four at-bats. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, A’s right fielder Lawrence Butler just missed a game-tying home run, settling for a double off the right-field fence. Ullola stranded the tying run at second by getting Langeliers to fly out.
Right-hander Chris Roycroft pitched the eighth inning for the A’s, looking to keep it a one-run game. With two outs, first baseman Christian Walker hit his 27th home run of the season and the Astros’ fourth of the game, extending their lead to 6-4.
Gelof On Fire
The Athletics got a run back in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Gelof hit his second home run of the night, a solo shot to left against Astros left-hander Bennet Sousa to cut the hosts’ deficit to one. On a night when he received the Catfish Hunter Award, Gelof recorded his second career multi-home run game.
Astros reliever Bryan Abreu replaced Souza and retired Heim to end the inning, stranding the game-tying run at second base. Tommy White put together another useless three-pitch at-bat as a pinch-hitter that inning.
In the ninth inning, A’s right-hander Elvis Alvarado gave up Houston’s fifth home run of the game. Spence hit his third home run of the night, restoring the Astros’ two-run lead. The unheralded rookie became the third player in MLB history to hit his first three career home runs in the same game.
In the bottom of the ninth, Butler collected his third hit to bring the tying run to the plate. The game ended one pitch later as Abreu got Langeliers to ground into his second double play of the game.
The Athletics will look to bounce back Friday. Left-hander Jacob Lopez will start for the Green and Gold, while the Astros will counter with right-hander Hunter Brown.
Mike Babcock iced a lineup heavy with AHL talent Thursday night, and the Edmonton Oilers still walked away with a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, who, in contrast, iced all of their big guns. The Oilers outworked their much more experienced opponent on the road and improved Babcock's preseason record to 3-0.
Babcock said, "Coming in, obviously we were undermanned and obviously outmatched, but our guys played with determination." He added that when you come in with the lineup they did, and you're not sure what's going to happen, it can go a number of ways. In this case, it was good to get through the opening five minutes, pick up the pace, and eventually the win.
Playing with pace is the Oilers' mantra. They've focused on it in practice and on-ice sessions. It's clear they're starting to work that pace into their games.
A Steady Jarry Thought "The Kids Played Great"
In net, Tristan Jarry looked sharp, stopping 25 of 26 shots and moving fluidly in the crease. Despite his poise, he credited the young guys. "I thought the kids played great tonight; they worked their butts off," Jarry said after the win. "Everything we've been going through in practice, they really implemented tonight."
When asked what it's like to play behind a group that's putting in that kind of effort, he responded, "It's awesome to stand back there and see that effort... They were working hard."
With Jarry, Max Jones, Spencer Stastney, and Ty Emberson the only established NHL regulars in the lineup, the group still showed a clear defensive identity. It was genuinely an encouraging sign, even in a preseason game.
Edmonton pressured the puck throughout the game, especially on the penalty kill. The kill was aggressive, pouncing on the puck carriers from multiple angles. It's a bit of a gamble if not done properly, but this is the style the Oilers want to play. The goal against showed where things can go wrong, but the non-NHLers did a solid job applying the coach's teachings, and you can see what they're trying to do. The veterans will have to keep that trend going on Saturday.
Isaac Howard Had Himself a Game
While Jarry had a solid game in goal, Isaac Howard was the standout of the night. After a quiet start to camp as he pushed for a top-six role, Howard opened the scoring by pouncing on a bouncing puck, then added an assist. His game visibly shifted after the goal, as if a weight had been lifted, and he played much stronger over the final 50 minutes.
This was the kind of game he needed to have as the jury was out on him thus far in camp. Babcock said earlier in the day that they liked how Howard had been preparing, but they wanted to see him in a game where he got to possess the puck.
As for why he's the only player to play all of the team's preseason games, it's about opportunity. As a player trying to cement himself on the roster this season, Howard needs the looks.
Vancouver pushed for the equalizer in the third period and controlled more of the puck late, but Edmonton's counterattacks generated the better scoring chances down the stretch. Vancouver did not look strong. The fact that such a loaded lineup struggled to generate anything remotely dangerous is not a good sign for a Canucks team that had no excuses.
Meanwhile, this was the last game that most of Thursday's lineup will play this season. Babcock said of the guys who the team will send down, "The hardest thing about this league is that no one is giving their job to you." He said they should all feel good about themselves.
Now, the roster will be narrowed down to an exclusively NHL roster and the team will be get ready for their final exhibition game on Saturday.
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SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 24: Lazaro Montes #99 of the Seattle Mariners makes a catch in the outfield during the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, September 24, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Angels 6, Mariners 4
The guy I saw wearing a NOTHING IS REAL GO LET LOVE DESTROY YOU hat at the park: Julio Rodríguez, .19 WPA
The guy I saw wearing an Angels hat at the park*: Bryan Woo, -.52 WPA
ST. LOUIS -- Sure,
it’s the preseason. Sure, these games don’t count.
But
they actually do. They count to those trying to win a job.
And
if Adam Jiricek doesn’t win a job right out of training camp, it’s
not because the first-round pick (No. 16) in the 2024 NHL Draft isn’t
good enough or isn’t ready. It’s more because it’s a numbers
game, and it’s because the St. Louis Blues can afford to allow the
talented Czechia-born right-hander to simmer in the American Hockey
League and build minutes – huge minutes.
But
boy oh boy, did the 20-year-old really step to the plate and show
Blues management and coaching staff that
he’s putting his best foot forward to make the decision on a
seventh defenseman as arduous as possible.
Tyler
Tucker was all but locked in as the seventh D-man, but his recent
right knee injury, a knee tweak that coach Jim Montgomery called,
opened the door for Jiricek and Calle Rosen, who scored the lone goal
in a 1-0 preseason win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Enterprise
Center on Thursday.
Jiricek,
who has battled injuries in his young career but was able to have a
healthy season last year and play a ton, has played in preseason
games before. Last year, to be exact. But Thursday’s performance
was his best yet.
“I
would say I’m a step ahead,” Jiricek
said.
“I have like a whole year, almost like 100 games (playing) last
year. If you play 100 games, you just (are) building your confidence.
I’m like more experienced, I’m older, I’m heavier and just
everything together comes. I feel like I’m a couple steps ahead
than I was last year.”
On
Thursday, he
played 17:04 and was a plus-1 with four shots on goal (six total),
which was second on the team behind Aleksanteri Kaskimaki’s six; he
finished with two takeaways, including one that sprung Oskar
Sundqvist and Kaskimaki for a 2-on-1 that Blackhawks goalie Arvid
Soderblom made a terrific save on Kaskimaki, and Jiricek had zero
giveaways.
“I
felt good all over,” Jiricek
said.
“It’s great to play here. We have great players. When the great
players are also like good teammates, it feels good and I feel good
out there. Trying to do my best to play my best hockey and I think
it’s going good. I feel pretty good out there.”
Jiricek
played with Rosen, and it was evident how he demanded the puck,
craved the puck and made things happen with the puck when he got it;
whether it be moving it up ice, putting shots on goal, running the
second power play unit or making a pass setting someone else up for a
quality opportunity.
“His
ability make plays with time, without time, just his brain
offensively,” Montgomery described Jiricek’s game. “Thinks at a
high level. His deception. The move he made at the blue line to walk
in, let that wrist shot go. Just an exciting, young player.
“He
has a zest for the game. He loves the game. He looks at the game like
it's almost like he's an artist and the ice is his canvas. It's fun
to watch.”
Is
it fun enough to watch from the start of the season? The NHL deadline
for 23-man rosters is Monday 4 p.m. (CT) and Jiricek could be – and
the way he’s playing, should be – on it for the Blues. But is it
wise to do so? Only if he’s playing.
Depending
on the severity of Tucker’s injury, Jiricek could be here just to
soak up the NHL player life and get acclimated and go to Springfield
if Tucker’s injury is short-lived. Otherwise, it’s probably best
to have Rosen here as the insurance policy as the extra D. And Jiricek is waivers-exempt, meaning the Blues can send him to the AHL without waivers. It's the part of the business that stinks, but it's reality.
But
it’s been up to Jiricek to make this decision as difficult as
possible. Thursday’s performance all but certainly made sure that decision would be a difficult one.
The Blues traded for Brandon Carlo as an insurance policy in case Jiricek wasn't ready. Not only does he look ready, but they have depth with a solid addition in Carlo.
“It’s
my dream,” Jiricek
said.
“I’m doing everything I can do to do that as soon as possible.
It’s just to play my best hockey and the decision is not on me
anymore. I’m doing everything I can. It’s all I can manage.
That’s all I can do.”
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Well, the Pittsburgh Penguins are down to their final pre-season game, and given that Friday's practice has been narrowed down to one session - and the AHL opens its pre-season on Saturday - it's safe to assume that yet another small wave of roster cuts is coming in the next 24 hours.
Not every prospect will be cut quite yet, as injuries and veteran rules for the pre-season have resulted in necessity to keep a few extra bodies for the team's final pre-season tilt against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
However, when the rest of the roster is trimmed down to 23 or less, there is one name that absolutely deserves to be left on it.
And that's defenseman Owen Pickering.
Pickering, 22, has been put through the wringer in the past 24 months. After an impressive start to the 2024-25 season, his play began to wane a little bit, and he was ultimately sent back down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins after 25 games. He was called on again after an early-season injury to Caleb Jones last season, but he only stayed for four games after a less-than-ideal showing.
He didn't see another NHL game during the 2025-26 season, but by all accounts - including the accounts of GM Kyle Dubas, director of player development Tom Kostopoulos, and WBS assistant GM Amanda Kessel - Pickering experienced substantial growth in the latter half of the AHL season. He developed more consistency in his game and finally became the steady, shutdown blueliner the organization hoped he would be. This continued into the Calder Cup Playoffs, when he played on an injured foot.
Pickering finished the AHL season with seven goals and 28 points - as well as a plus-16 - in 68 regular season games, and he got better and better as the season progressed and the stakes rose.
So, he came into training camp this season with the same purpose as everyone else in the locker room: To earn a spot on the NHL roster. After all, Dubas has said in the past that young guys would have to earn spots but that veterans would also have to earn keeping them.
"If [the young guys] continue to push all the way - and it's very clear that they should be on the team - they'll make the team, and we'll deal with whatever the ripple effects of those are on some of the more veteran guys," Dubas said in his pre-season press conference prior to the 2025-26 season.
In that same presser, he added: "The message to the veteran guys is that, with where we're at, the young guys are coming, they're going to get opportunity, they're going to have to earn everything... but it's been very clear to them what the expectation is. And it's up to them to hold onto their jobs and hold onto their spots and their places with the Penguins and in the NHL."
Flash forward a year later, and Pickering has certainly earned it with his camp.
Not only does he look like a different player than the one who stepped foot into camp last season, he looks confident and poised. He's finally learned how to utilize his 6-foot-5, 213-pound frame to his advantage, using his long reach to disrupt plays and being hard to move at the net-front and in positional battles along the walls and in mid-ice.
His skating has vastly improved, and he actually looks relatively fast out there. His gap control is remarkably better, as is his defensive posture. He's making the right decisions. He's making good defensive reads. He knows when to join the play and when to stay back. He's not getting beat to pucks nor beat in many puck battles.
Credit where it is due, Owen Pickering is looking very solid and sound out there. He has been very noticeable with making well timed, smart defensive plays. I like what I have seen so far.
By almost all accounts, he looks NHL-ready right now. Even if Harrison Brunicke - his regular defense partner this pre-season - has had a nice camp, Pickering has had a better one.
Kaedan Korczak has looked perfectly fine in game action and in practices. Pickering has looked better.
Declan Carlile has shown his knack for physicality, which is a good trait to have, and he's been good defensively in his one pre-season game and alongside Erik Karlsson in practices. Pickering, though, has been better all-around.
Ilya Solovyov has put together a great camp, has improved his footspeed marginally, and excels on breakouts and in defensive positioning as usual. Pickering has, at least, equaled his camp.
And herein lies the problem: Pickering has outperformed presumed NHL regulars during this camp, even if the others have been fine. He has made himself stand out among them. But, there is a decent chance he will not be on this roster, barring injuries, when the season opens against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sept. 30.
Even assistant GM Jason Spezza's words regarding the youth push at the dawn of this year's camp sounded a fair bit different than Dubas's words one year ago — even if prospects like Pickering are a year older and a year better.
"What we would love to see is for the young guys to really push their way in," Spezza said on Sept. 18. "Everybody always wants finality at the end of training camp, that, 'This is the team. This is what it's going to be all year.' And I think there's going to be plenty of opportunity for young guys to establish themselves as NHL players as the year goes on. Whether that's on opening day or not, that will kind of sort itself out here over the next couple of weeks.
"We know we want to inject youth into the lineup. We know we have to. But, we have to make sure we do it when the guys are ready and when they're going to help the team."
Well, it appears a guy has proven he's ready, he's deserving, and that his play will probably help the team. So, what's next? What happens when a guy like Pickering - who happens to be waivers-exempt and who happens to be glued to Brunicke as if they're bound for the top pairing in WBS - exceeds expectations and outplays some of the guys who are supposed to be on the roster?
Yes, situations change. At this time last year, the Penguins were talking about rebuilding, not about making the playoffs again. Sure, it's not the worst thing in the world if Pickering and Brunicke begin the season in the AHL, getting top-pairing minutes, being deployed in key situations, and setting themselves up to be the first call-ups when injuries inevitably occur. No, the training camp roster is not the whole-year roster, and Pickering will most certainly have some opportunities this season. Exercising patience is equally as important as showing urgency with development.
But that's not the issue here. The problem is the precedent it sets for Pickering and the rest of the young players who truly do earn spots but fail to make the team: If they put everything they have on the line, perform at a high level, and are told they can earn or overtake spots but then don't get rewarded by actually securing those spots, what is the point of all of it?
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 9, 2025
Yes, players have to earn their spots, and yes, they have to overtake NHL players and placeholders in order to do so. But, if and when they actually do it, it's important for their development and for their psyche to be rewarded for those efforts. It's one thing to hand players spots when they haven't necessarily taken them with authority, but it's another thing to prevent deserving players from the NHL roster because of logistics like contracts, acquisition cost, NHL seniority, and waivers eligibility.
Because, if they're not rewarded - and that starts to become a theme - that could foster frustration and feelings of resentment, which is not something you want from your more promising young talent. The worst possible outcome for this organization is the possibility of deserving younger players wanting out because they don't feel they have a legitimate path.
Not every young player has been good enough in this year's training camp to force the organization's hand and actually take an opportunity. But Pickering has earned a spot on the NHL roster this season - from the start - because his performance has said so. The Penguins have an opportunity to show their young players that the door is, in fact, open to them if they actually go out and accomplish the tall task of stripping a spot in the NHL lineup from someone else.
With Pickering, let's see if they take it. If they don't, the potential ripple effects for other cases of similarity might leave a sour taste in the mouths of the very players the future of the franchise is supposed to start with.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 24: Ian Seymour #61 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, September 24, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The bad news? The Rays lost again. The good news? Well, it didn’t matter and they leave the Bronx healthy with three games remaining in the regular season. At the end of the day, what really matters at this point in the season is that the Rays stay healthy and rest up for October.
On Thursday night, they did just that and held a four-run lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning. Then, the Jake Woodford entered the game and it was downhill from there. In return, the Rays used none of their high leverage arms and got them some much needed rest. This is the benefit of clinching the East and the top seed in the playoffs five games to go.
Facing soon-to-be AL Cy Young award winner Cam Schlitter, the Rays jumped out to an early lead in the third inning, scoring a pair of runs on singles from Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero. Walls crossed the plate first, scoring from first on a throwing error by outfielder Heliot Ramos. Yandy later scored on the single by Caminero.
Schlitter only went three innings as the Yankees looked to get him some rest as well and line him up for the Wildcard series. Michael Fulmer followed and the Rays tagged him for another run in the fifth inning. Again, Caminero singled home Yandy.
In the sixth inning the Rays added on again the following inning when Vilade scored on a groundout by Liam Hicks.
After five scoreless innings from Ian Seymour, the Rays B-Bullpen took over and the rest is history. So, lets focus on Seymour for a second. Over five innings, he allowed just one hit, walked none, and punched out three. He threw 58 pitches and 41 of those for strikes.
Back to the pen… Woodford, who is up to eat innings, was tagged for three earned runs over 1.1 innings of work. He walked a pair and allowed three hits. The always electric but wild Hopkins entered in the bottom of the seventh with one out and a man on second who quickly advanced to third on a wild pitch. Hopkins then walked Volpe and Wells, recorded one out on a Jose Caballero ground out and allowed a game-tying single to Goldschmidt before being lifted for Matz.
With two outs in the eighth and the game tied 4-4, Matz allowed a single to Rosario and then a two-run go-ahead bomb to Lombard Jr. The 6-4 final score would hold and with the loss, the Rays record moved to 96-63.
The Rays will face the Phillies in their final regular season series of the season. Expect more of the same out of the Rays over the final three games — tune up appearances for the arms, some shortened appearances for Yandy, Caminero, Aranda, Hicks, etc. But, the Rays will also look to finish the season on a high note before heading into a five day break as they await their ALDS opponent.
The 2026 season was nothing like Juan Soto envisioned for himself or the Mets, and he put a lot of the team's woes this year on himself.
Speaking with Mike Puma of the NY Post prior to the Mets' 3-1 loss to the Rangers on Thursday, the slugger said he needed to play better to get the team where they need to be.
“It’s definitely not what I imagined in my head,” Soto said. “There is nothing I can do other than blame myself. I have got to be better. I have got to be at the level to take us forward.”
The slugger boasts formidable numbers despite playing in just 108 games (with three still left to play), but two stints on the IL due to separate calf injuries played a part in the Mets missing out on the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Following Thursday's game, Soto is slashing .274/.393/.522 with an OPS of .915 to go along with his 27 home runs and 68 RBI.
But Soto missed a couple of weeks in April for his first calf injury, and then a month for the second in July/August. By the time he returned, the Mets sold at the trade deadline and the team was on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention.
Despite missing the postseason, Soto told The Post he likes the direction the Mets are headed, especially with its young core of Carson Benge, Nolan McLean, A.J. Ewing and more.
“We have a young core, and we have got to maintain that young core and encourage them to the right way, the right path for the future,” Soto said. “I think we are going in the right direction.
“Look at the young core and what they have been doing their first year in the big leagues. I think it’s real special. It’s always the first and second years are probably the toughest ones of your career, so what they’re doing, I think is very special.”
But with expectations being high in 2027, Soto hopes the organization is active this offseason to add to the core of veterans that includes him and Francisco Lindor -- and potentially Bo Bichette if he opts in -- and the aforementioned young core so that Soto sees playoff baseball for the first time as a member of the New York Mets.
When Soto was asked about Tarik Skubal, a pending free agent and a fellow Scott Boras client, as a potential addition, the perennial All-Star said he wants to see the Mets bring in anyone who can help the team.
“We should go and get as much as we can,” Soto said. “We need as much help as we can get. It was a real tough year for us, so I think we have got to go out there and grab as much as we can.”
Vancouver Canucks forward Filip Chytil is dealing with another injury after a fluke collision during a Thursday, Sept. 24 preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers.
Chytil was forechecking in the first period when his skate blade got tangled with the skate of referee Riley Brace. Chytil went crashing into the boards shoulder first and appeared to hit his head on the ice. Brace also went flying.
Both got up, Brace slowly, though Chytil later went to the dressing room. The Canucks announced that Chytil wouldn't return to the game, and coach Manny Malhotra told reporters after the game that the forward is being evaluated for a shoulder injury.
Here's what to know about the injury to Vancouver's Filip Chytil:
Filip Chytil and referee Riley Brace clip each other in the corner. Scary moment, but both appear to be fine. #Canuckspic.twitter.com/7D9oDY5oeE
Chytil left the bench for the dressing room and didn't return.
"It's never good to see a guy leave the game," Malhotra said. "We're having his shoulder looked at and we'll know more (Friday) after the imaging."
Filip Chytil injury history
Chytil has been limited to 27 games over the past two seasons and to 10 games in 2023-24 because of injuries. He has suffered multiple concussions and dealt with migraines. He also suffered a facial fracture when hit by a puck in practice last season.
He was part of the return when the New York Rangers acquired J.T. Miller from the Canucks in January 2025.
The Chicago Blackhawks paid a visit to Missouri to take on the St. Louis Blues in their third preseason game of the year. They decided to bring a mix of their NHL lineup and AHL players for this one. That includes Patrick Kane, who played in his first and only exhibition game.
It wasn't a great game for the Chicago Blackhawks. They lost 1-0, and it would have been worse if it weren't for Arvid Soderblom. Chicago's goalie made 35 saves on 36 shots. The only goal he allowed was an early 3rd period tally to Calle Rosen.
Rosen's goal was the result of a Blackhawks turnover. Connor McMichael and Pavel Buchnevich made a nice play and then found Calle Rosen, who blasted it past Soderblom.
If Arvid Soderblom can play the way he did in this one and in the first preseason game he played, he will earn the full-time backup role and be more than competent throughout the year. Soderblom playing well behind Spencer Knight will be one of the keys to the team taking a jump in the standings.
Patrick Kane and his line with Frank Nazar and Roman Kantserov had some nice moments, but they were never able to solve Jordan Binnington. If this group stays together, they will produce in the regular season, but they are still working off some rust.
On the other hand, the rest of the lines were not at their best. Specifically, Anton Frondell's line with Nick Lardis and Ryan Greene was suspect. It's not a likely trio when things start to count, but those three individuals will all admit they have to be better.
During the 3rd period, Blackhawks prospect AJ Spellacy was ejected with a game misconduct (and a five-minute major) due to a headbutt. We'll find out later if the league is going to take a look at it.
Once again, Kevin Korchinski was one of the better-looking defensemen on the team. If he isn't one of the seven who make the team out of camp, he probably never had a chance to begin with. Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov haven't been bad by any means, but it's hard to say they've been better than Korchinski.
Did the management group learn anything from this game that will impact their roster decisions? It's hard to say because the Blackhawks were outplayed for most of the night, but Soderblom and Korchinski didn't hurt their cases.
Watch Every Chicago Goal
The Chicago Blackhawks did not score a goal in this game.
What’s Next For The Blackhawks?
The Chicago Blackhawks will wrap up the preseason with one final home exhibition game on Saturday night. This will mostly be an NHL-loaded lineup, with the exception of Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks are saving that excitement for the home opener.
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DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 24: Eduardo Rodríguez #57 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches during the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Thursday, September 24, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Arizona Diamondbacks stayed alive this afternoon as they were able to complete the 3-game sweep at Coors Field. This marks the first time since 2018 that the Dbacks have been able to complete a sweep at Coors, and it could not have come at a better time.
The story of the game was the offensive explosion to the tune of 6 runs in the first inning as the Dbacks first 6 hitters all reached. This was capped by a 3 run HR by the red hot Gabi Moreno and a 2 run shot by the veteran Nolan Arenado. Both guys have really broke out in the late season for this team and really put this offense on their back. I believe Arenado deserves a special shoutout in this one for really bouncing back from a couple of rough seasons to put up this kind of season at 35. Well done!
Eduardo Rodriguez was excellent today to cap off a steller 2026 regular season. ERod was able to put aside his traditional first inning struggles in this one and put up a 0 in the bottom of the first and get the Dbacks right back in the dugout after that big first inning outburst which at the time you felt like was the key to the game. Keep the momentum on the Dbacks side and get the Rockies pitching right back onto the mound and that is exactly what he was able to do for his team.
ERod would go on to allow just 2 ERs over 6 innings earning his 16th win of the season and finishing the year with a sparkling ERA of just 2.89. What an incredible bounce back season from ERod and someone who should certainly get many votes for Dbacks MVP of the 2026 season. Especially considering all of the injury they had earlier in the year. What an incredible way for him to step up.
The Dbacks offense was able to continue tacking on runs in just about every single inning. Worth noting Lars Nootbaar, Perdomo, and Arenado all picked up 3 hits. In addition, James McCann continued to hold his own collecting 2 hits of his own including a HR and an RBI single.
Everything was cruising pretty nicely up until the Rockies offense started making things a little bit too interesting in the 7th inning. In the 7th, the Rockies were able to jump all over Dennis Santana for 4 runs, and then continued to make things interesting in the 8th with 2 more runs against Taylor Clarke. Fortunately for the Dbacks, the veteran Kevin Ginkel was able to come in in the 9th and slam the door shut on the pesky Rockies offense with 3 strikeouts. Perhaps what was even more important about Ginkel being able to come in and shut them down was the fact that the Dbacks were able to save Garcia, JMart, Morillo, and Loaisiga for the Padres series.
The Dbacks have now won 5 consecutive games and will look to keep their season alive Friday night in San Diego. It has all come down to this! No matter how things wind up for this team, I think we can all be thankful we get so many fun meaningful games this late in the season. And the fact that they continue to fight continues the mantra this team has lived by all season long. They are the comeback kids, the never say diemondbacks… It shouldn’t come to anyone’s surprise that they aren’t going to go away without a serious fight.
