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Through the ups and downs of a full 162-game season, it’s still hard not to be romantic about baseball.

As this afternoon’s game put a bow on the 2026 Colorado Rockies season, we want to hear about the things — big or small — that are on your mind. With the team marking a 15-game improvement and with several young players emerging as core lineup pieces, there were plenty of fun moments and strong individual or team performances.

As we head into the long offseason and immediately start the countdown to spring training, which 2026 memories are sticking with you?

• Is it an overall performance? Like Hunter Goodman’s hot start into the home run race, TJ Rumfield making a name for himself in the Rookie of the Year conversation, or Tomoyuki Sugano mastering Coors Field early in the season and getting up to double-digit wins.
• Maybe it’s a specific game or milestone? Back to Goodman, seeing him hit his 40th (and 41st) home run yesterday was big. Jake McCarthy had a day back on August 8th, becoming one of a few players with four hits, two homers, and two stolen bases in a game. Connor Norby notched his first career grand slam in the 13-1 win over the Washington Nationals on August 26th. The Rockies being on the right side of a 20-burger was nice too, when they beat the A’s 23-9 out in Las Vegas on June 14th.
• Maybe an overall vibes thing? The emergence of the purple home run jacket was a great time.
• Was it a Coors Field memory? Attending both the Larry Walker and Todd Helton statue unveiling games are up there for me, as is getting one last hot dog combo from Diamond Dawgs before Joyl Watkins’ retirement after being a ballpark staple for 31 years.

Let’s dwell on some of the good things from the year. Give us your favorite memories, moments, performances, and players in the comments!

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Twins 6, Rangers 4

• And that’s that.
• I wrote that Saturday’s win against the Twins was a reminder of what the Rangers can look like when they are playing well.
• Sunday’s season finale, though, was a reminder of what the Rangers looked like overall in 2026.
• The starting pitcher struggling physically, unable to give you innings.
• A makeshift bullpen leaned on too heavily, that ultimately couldn’t get the job done.
• A starting lineup missing a couple of key bats, that was quiet for much of the game before rallying late, only to see the comeback fall short.
• Having a chance until the end against underwhelming opposition, but still not being good enough.
• It was a minor miracle the Rangers were still in the race until the end. Not just in the race, but in control of their own destiny with a week left to go.
• And they lost two consecutive series against teams playing out the string.
• The Rangers never quit. You had guys playing hurt, guys battling to get back, a flawed team that hung in there and didn’t give up.
• They just weren’t good enough, even in a division where no one finished above .500.
• MacKenzie Gore hit 94.4 mph with his fastball, averaging 93.2 mph. Chase Silseth touched 97.5 mph with his fastball. Robert Garcia’s fastball maxed out at 94.6 mph. Tyler Alexander touched 92.2 mph with his sinker. Jakob Junis’s fastball hit 93.8 mph. Jordan Montgomery reached 92.6 mph with his sinker. Cody Bradford’s fastball maxed out at 90.0 mph.
• Brandon Nimmo had a 105.7 mph single. Elias Diaz had a 104.1 mph home run. Corey Seager had a 104.0 mph home run. Ezequiel Duran had a 101.1 mph groundout.
• 162 down, and none to go.

When news that Mariners manager Dan Wilson would not return in 2027 broke on social media, a significant portion of the fanbase was ecstatic, seeing Wilson as one of the primary culprits in the team’s dreadful season where they fell significantly short of expectations. (The portion that wasn’t celebrating was mostly complaining that the move didn’t also include firing Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto.)

But the mood inside the clubhouse was very different.

“I really haven’t wrapped my mind around it yet,” said Cal Raleigh.

Players were alerted that an announcement might be forthcoming when they got their daily schedule texted to them with an added team meeting prior to Sunday’s series finale, which the Mariners won 7-3. Wilson managed the game, knowing it was his last, including two mid-inning defensive changes to allow fan appreciation moments for both J.P. Crawford and Randy Arozarena, both of whom are set to become free agents this season.

Postgame, he read a statement to the media in which he called it a “very difficult day” – a variation on the oft-memed Wilson phrase “tough one tonight” – and said he was still processing the decision.

“We love this city, we love the community, and we appreciate the organization for what it has meant to the family since coming here as a player in ‘94,” said Wilson, on behalf of himself and his family.

He wasn’t the only one still processing the decision. Bryan Woo, normally one of the most eloquent clubhouse interviews, was uncharacteristically fragmented in his thought process.

“You build a relationship with a guy like that,” said Woo. “It’s really difficult to see him just wear everything this year. I know just by the interactions afterwards and right now, kind of, everyone’s going through the shuffle. The interactions with him and seeing the relationships that he meant to everyone in this clubhouse and the building…yeah, it’s hard to describe.”

“You never want to see people you love struggle, but people that you also know are very high character people, people that you know are about the right things, it goes hand in hand.”

Raleigh was more blunt.

“I feel terrible. I feel responsible. I think every guy in this clubhouse does,” said Raleigh.

For as shell-shocked as players seem to be, though, for most of them, this isn’t their first time seeing a manager fired. They understand the business of baseball.

“It’s a business, and that’s unfortunately what happens when you don’t perform,” said Raleigh.

“Big league managers, you wear so much of what goes on throughout the season,” said Woo. “If the team does well it’s because of the players; if the team struggles it’s because of the coaches or the managers. He wore it so much this year, and it’s tough, man…I think we as a group, we failed him much more than he failed us.”

Taking a slightly different approach on the business side of baseball, Julio Rodríguez took aim at those who consider themselves armchair managers.

“It’s a tough job. I feel like we can all just sit on the couch and think, oh, we can do this, we could have done that. There’s always a lot of things around that. But I think he’s a great guy who helped us get better in different ways. And I will always have love for him, the person that he is.”

Wilson, for his part, didn’t seem surprised, although he was visibly emotional, holding back tears while giving his statement.

“I’ve been in baseball a while, and this is what happens. Managers shoulder the blame, shoulder the responsibility. This is obviously difficult, and my family and I are still processing it.”

Him and his players, both. Today is for processing. Eventually, much further down the road, Wilson will look towards his future – he said there have been discussions of him remaining with the Mariners in a role, maybe similar to the player development work he was doing earlier – and the players will learn who their new manager will be. They hope whoever it is, that person will share some of Dan Wilson’s qualities.

“He always treated me with respect,” said Julio. “That’s how he was with the guys. I’m just happy I got to know him better as a manager and a person too, and I wish him the best.”

When Bryan Woo was asked about his favorite quality about Dan Wilson, he was quick with an answer.

“His authenticity. His genuineness.”

“The only thing that you can ask for in terms of a relationship like that is truth, and that’s what you got from him every day. I don’t want fluff. I don’t want bullshit. I want the truth, whether I like it or not, and he’s always there to give it to you. That’s a huge part. I think it is for everyone, but for me specifically, I just want truth. Whether I like it or not, or whether anybody hears it and they like it or not, that’s a big pillar for sure.”

For the youngest player in the clubhouse, losing the only big-league manager he’s known hits a little differently.

“It’s sad,” said Cole Young. “I had a lot of fun playing for him. Playing for him – it made me want to go out there and give it my all, every single pitch. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, but I can say I gave it my all and tried my hardest.”

For the player who has arguably the deepest connection with Wilson, Cal Raleigh has a different set of feelings to process, losing both his long-term coach and likely his longest-tenured teammate in J.P. Crawford.

“You spend so much time with these people and you invest yourself in them – Dan, J.P., these are all people I’ve known since I’ve gotten into the organization. It’s hard. It’s hard turning that page. Both these guys have meant so much to us, and it’s just…yeah. It’s hard.”

It has been a hard one this season. Hopefully whoever takes up the helm of the listing SS Mariner next year has an idea for how to get back on course – but in a way that still feels authentic and genuine, respects the players as people, and inspires players to want to go out and give their all and try their hardest, and doesn’t mind shouldering the blame when and if things go wrong. Tough job tonight (and every night).

It wasn’t pretty, but the Astros are back in the postseason. 81-81 was good enough to win the American League West for an eighth time in 10 years, so now the Astros will host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting on Tuesday.

The Astros will have to submit a 26-man roster Tuesday morning, and there will be some difficult decisions. Complicating matters further, the team doesn’t have a general manager, so who gets final say if there is a disagreement over who should be carried?

Here’s my pass at projecting the 26 players Joe Espada will have at his disposal:

Pitchers (12)

Hunter Brown, Hayden Wesneski, Peter Lambert, Ethan Pecko, Miguel Ullola, Josh Hader, Bryan Abreu, AJ Blubaugh, Bennett Sousa, Bryan King, Logan VanWey, Josh Hendrickson

Most teams carry 12 pitchers on their Wild Card Round roster. Some teams will carry as few as 11 pitchers, including the 2024 Astros, and there might be one team that carries 13. 

I have the Astros carrying 12, mostly because it looks like Game 1 will be a bullpen game after the team elected to use Peter Lambert for two innings on Sunday, and it’s not exactly easy coming up with 12.

Enyel De Los Santos and Cristian Javier are ineligible because of their recent placements on the injured list, while Ronel Blanco is ineligible after he was optioned to Triple-A before Sunday’s game. 

The last spot came down to Hendrickson and Tatsuya Imai. Hendrickson, who made his major league debut this week, threw pitches of significance, while Imai did not, so Hendrickson gets the nod.

Catchers (2)

Yainer Diaz, Cristian Vazquez

No explanation needed. 

Infielders (6)

Christian Walker, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Peña, Isaac Paredes, Nick Allen, Raynel Delgado

Outfielders/DH (6)

Yordan Alvarez, Cam Smith, Taylor Trammell, LaMonte Wade Jr., Nelson Velazquez, Lucas Spence

11 of the 12 were easy picks. Remember, Daulton Varsho is ineligible because he was placed on the IL this week, while Jorge Barrosa is ineligible because he joined the organization after the September 1 deadline. The last spot came down to Delgado and Joey Loperfido. I went with Delgado for two reasons:

1. Insurance for Isaac Paredes, who wasn’t moving great on Sunday after fouling a ball off his knee on Saturday. Delgado would give Espada a little extra flexibility to run for Paredes late in games, while still having Nick Allen available as a replacement for Jose Altuve.
2. The Astros might want to use Allen as a bat off the bench. He doubled in his only at-bat on Sunday, a game he entered slashing .333/.371/.491 in the second half. He posted a .308 batting average with an .821 OPS against lefties for the season, and he was 2 for 5 with a walk as a pinch hitter. He would seem to be a much better option against lefties than Nelson Velazquez.

We got extra baseball on the final day of the season — which afforded the Giants relief pitching enough space to revert to their well-established baseline. The story for 9 innings was that Game 162 was the least 2026 Giants game of the 2026 season, mostly because of how well pitched it was. Tied in the 9th, the romantics allowed themselves to daydream, envisioning a big fly, a slow rising final shot for Mike Krukow to narrate, his third home run call in 36 years as a color-analyst. 

That’s not the world we live in. A walk-off send-off blast just isn’t reality — at least not this year, not for this version of the Giants. Christian Koss, though he circled the bases in the 8th, thinking he tucked a solo shot inside the left-field foul pole, the call was walked back and ruled foul upon review. That phantom 2-1 lead faded from the board, like it never happened, like it wasn’t even close. 

That moment was the death rattle. The last, belabored gasp of this season. A home run turned into strike one. Strike two and strike three followed soon after. A couple innings later, with the Giants down to their final out, Koss was at the plate again, trying to swing out of a four-run hole.  

What was an uncharacteristically impressive all hands on deck performance by the bullpen for 9 innings went up in flames in the 10th. Two quick outs were followed by two quick cement mixers served up by Duncan Davitt and annihilated by Alex Call and Andy Pages. 

Before that four-run nail-in-the-coffin, the mighty Dodgers had been subdued by nine different arms. A slew of slingers picked from scrap heaps and called in from far off fields on the farm went off script and held their own.  

Carson Seymour didn’t give a homer in the 1st. Sam Hentges, in maybe his best moment in a Giants uniform, stayed focused and cut through the hubbub of Tony Vitello’s ejection by getting Mookie Betts to swing through an elevated fastball before fanning Freddie Freeman to end a threat in the 3rd.

Jonah Cox went horizontal behind Braxton Roxby to steal a single from Freddie Freeman in the 5th. Marcelo Mayer’s slick pick punctuated Jason Foley working around a lead-off double by Tommy Edman in the 7th.     

LA had gone hitless in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position. They managed just six hits and one run, unearned on a sacrifice fly way back in the 4th.

Unfortunately, one run, on a first career RBI single by Scott Bandura, was all the Giants offense could manage against the parade of LA relievers as well.

Opportunities to add on presented themselves, but Bandura’s knock was San Francisco’s only hit with a run in scoring position in ten at-bats. Singles by Bo Davidson and Victor Bericoto to lead off the 4th went nowhere. In the 7th, Marcelo Mayer’s first hit as a Giant set-up runners at the corners with nobody out, but another opportunity to inch out ahead slipped away as both Drew Cavanaugh and Turner Hill fell victim to Bobby Miller curveballs.

The second-coming of Camilo Doval carried the tie through to the bottom of the 9th, putting himself in line as the pitcher of record if the bats were to come alive before the 27th out. They didn’t, and by that time, all the pitching good will had been spent. Never give a good team more chances to beat you. The Giants did, and the Dodgers said thank you kindly and claimed their 100th win of the year while handing San Francisco their 97th loss. 

This is the first time in their 144 year history that a Giants team has finished a season with a 65-97 record. It’s their worst finish since 2017’s 98-loss season.

Today marks Jon Rauch’s 48th birthday.

Rauch served as our closer in the 2011 season, but it was a challenging year for him. He posted a 4.85 ERA with 11 saves (and 5 blown saves) over 53 games, surrendering 11 home runs in 52 innings. He issued 14 walks and struck out 36 batters in those 52 innings—numbers that fell short of expectations for a closer.

He missed time due to an appendectomy and torn cartilage in his right knee.

Still, he was easily the most intimidating reliever we’ve ever had. This was his most memorable moment as a Blue Jay:

At 6’11” and 290 pounds, I certainly wouldn’t have wanted him charging at me. John Farrell, not a small man himself, looked small trying to pull Jon away from the umpire.

It’s unfortunate that the most remembered moment from his 11-year career was so uncharacteristic for Jon, but such is life.

Rauch enjoyed an 11-year MLB career, playing for seven teams. He appeared in 556 games—just 11 as a starter—compiling a 3.90 ERA and recording 62 saves. His best stretch came with the Nationals, where he posted a 3.24 ERA in 245 games over five seasons.

Happy birthday, Jon. Hope it’s a great one.

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Len Matuszek celebrates his 72nd birthday today.

It’s understandable if you don’t remember his time as a Blue Jay. The Jays acquired him at the start of the 1985 season, and he played 62 games, hitting .212/.259/.318 with 2 home runs while splitting time between DH and first base.

In early July, he was traded to the Dodgers for Al Oliver. At 38 and nearing the end of a stellar 18-year career, Oliver didn’t fare much better, filling the same role as the left half of a DH platoon. He hit .251/.282/.374 with 5 home runs. That year, we made the playoffs for the first time, ultimately falling to the Royals in 7 games in the ALCS. Al had an outstanding series, batting .375/.444/.500.

Matuszek played seven seasons in the majors with the Phillies, Blue Jays, and Dodgers. Over 379 games, he hit .234/.309/.405—not the production you hope for from a first baseman.

Happy birthday, Len. Hope you have a great day.

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Jason Phillips turns 50 today.

Jason served as our backup catcher from 2006 to 2007, appearing in 80 games and hitting .219/.271/.302 behind Gregg Zaun.

He enjoyed a seven-year MLB career, hitting .249/.314/.370 with 30 home runs in 465 games, playing for the Mets, Dodgers, and finishing with the Jays in his last two seasons. I recall him as a good person and a solid defensive catcher who could also handle first base.

He later worked as a bullpen catcher for us in 2016 and also coached in the Yankees’ minor league system.

Happy birthday, Jason.

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Matt Shoemaker celebrates his 40th birthday today.

You know the story: Matt made five terrific starts with a 1.57 ERA before tearing his ACL, ending his season. If you need a reminder of the play (there’s a reason teams hesitate to involve pitchers in rundowns):

In 2020, Matt appeared in six games, posting a 4.71 ERA and missing a month of the shortened season with a shoulder injury.

Shoemaker signed with the Twins last winter, but things didn’t go well. After 16 appearances and an 8.06 ERA, he was released on August 6th. Soon after, he signed a minor league deal with the Giants.

Matt has pitched nine seasons in MLB, recording a 46-41 record and a 4.24 ERA across 128 games (115 starts).

Happy birthday, Matt. Hope it’s a great one.

WASHINGTON -- Maybe someday, if all goes to plan, the last few months of the 2026 season will read more as a preamble, rather than a coda.

Yes, missing the playoffs was a failure -- an unthinkable one, especially given it happened last year, too. Teams with the Mets’ payroll and star power and aspirations cannot miss the postseason two years in a row during the expanded postseason era. Publicly and privately, everyone in the Mets organization seems to agree about that.

Last year, they tried to address those failures by changing almost everything. This year, the emergence of some productive young outfielders, several promising young starters, and a more refreshing clubhouse dynamic mean this time, there is plenty worth preserving.

“We have some good pieces,” Francisco Lindor said. “Our relationships grew. Guys are getting used to being in New York. The coaching staff that was their first time coaching in the big leagues, now it will be year two. I think we are moving forward … I think we’re going to be in a much better spot.”

Almost every member of the Mets lineup that took the field for the final game of the 2026 season will more than likely be on their roster in 2027. In fact, unless someone is traded, every player in the Mets starting nine is under contract next year except for Bo Bichette.

Bichette has been noncommittal about whether he will opt out of his three-year, $126 million dollar deal, though he has been effusive in his support for new managerAndy Green and -- at the risk of sounding like someone who has spent too much time poring over the Zapruder film -- did not linger for any particularly emotional goodbyes Sunday afternoon.

“It’s going to mean a lot [to have him back in the lineup],” Juan Soto said when asked what it would mean to have Bichette back. “Definitely in the lineup, you want a guy who is like Bo who can drive the ball everywhere on the field, he can drive some guys in. It’s gonna be special. Tough year, first year in New York, but I think it’s going to be better for him the next couple years.”

If Bichette does opt in, the Mets’ projected lineup next season will probably look very much like their projected lineup for much of the last two months. The main difference would likely come on the right side of the infield, where the Mets could easily be comfortable with Jorge Polanco and Jared Young competing for first base at-bats initially, presuming both recover from their season-ending injuries.

A second difference could form at second, which has belonged to Marcus Semien for most of this season. Green made clear Sunday that the veteran must improve on his .214 average and.619 OPS to maintain his hold on it.

“Marcus and I talked at length the other day, and I think the crux of what he shared is that he believes much better baseball is inside of him than what’s come out of him,” Green said. “He wants to hold himself to that level of a standard and understands that has to happen to get the level of consistency he’s gotten from at-bats this year.”

A variety of young players will be in the market for second base at-bats in Semien’s place, including not-so-young Brett Baty, whose late-season surge provided reason to believe he might finally validate the Mets’ years of faith in him. But Baty’s tenure is also emblematic of the Mets’ recent willingness to bet players whose track records have not established them as sure things.

They do not seem willing to make the same mistake with their pitching staff next year. Green made clear Saturday, for example, that Jonah Tong’s hopeful September does not mean he will get innings for the Mets in April.

“Been forthright with him: What does an organization desperately need to win a World Series?” Green said. “You need guys that are six and seven starters that start the year in Triple-A that can come up and dominate. You don’t win a World Series with only five starters.”

Well, if the 2027 Mets are going to feature more than five starters not named Jonah Tong, as was the implication, they are all but certainly going to be shopping for some big-name starters this winter.

Whether they will chase Tarik Skubal with all Steve Cohen’s financial might is currently unclear. But clearly, they are planning for their rotation to look different next season than it did at season’s end.

Since they traded away several top relievers at the deadline, the Mets will probably need help in the bullpen, too. But after the emergence of middle-inning candidates like Kodai Senga and Nate Lavender, plus the planned return of Devin Williams, that unit will probably be somewhat familiar next year, too.

“I think we have everything that we need,” Soto said. “Just got to add a couple pieces in the offseason, and I think it’s going to be even better of a team.”

The obvious question, of course, is whether a team that finished 14 games under .500 should really plan to improve significantly without a major remodel. Perhaps, someday, if everything goes to plan, they will be able to say they spent the 2026 season undergoing just that.

On the final day of the Major League Baseball regular season in 2026 the Cincinnati Reds got to play the heel for a future Hall of Famer, one who may well have thrown his last big league pitch against them. They even made him look like his old self even though that had rarely been seen through his latest injury-plagued year.

Max Scherzer buzzed balls past Cincinnati batters into the 8th inning, fanning 7 in a turn back the clock outing that saw him inch just behind Justin Verlander on the all-time strikeout list. The veteran Toronto Blue Jays righty threw 114 pitches in an era where only he and Verlander still remember starting pitchers doing such things, and Toronto’s offense (5 runs) was more than enough to back him in a 5-1 Blue Jay victory.

It tied a bow on a horribly disappointing season for both clubs, who’ll each miss the playoffs.

For the Reds, they’ll finish in last place in the NL Central with a 75-87 record.

Sal Stewart slumped to the finish line so badly over the last two weeks that a) he didn’t end up leading the league in RBI and b) someone else will likely win the National League Rookie of the Year Award – the latter dinging the Reds future given the draft pick compensation (and bonus pool money) that comes with winning these days.

Elly De La Cruz crossed into the 30-30 threshold just barely, and heads into arbitration on the heels of his best overall season. He’s suddenly going to be incredibly not-cheap anymore, and that paired with dwindling team control and Cincinnati’s frugality means we get our first real taste of how the Reds will attempt to build around a star that’s actually making more than league-minimum.

Hunter Greene effectively missed all of this year, and he’ll effectively – if not definitively – miss all of next year. Don’t let the length of his absence go unmentioned when recapping just how far into the depths this franchise has fallen.

A non-descript, straightforward loss on Sunday is pretty much the most apropo way this season could possibly conclude. This team was bad, not in an epic sense but in a ‘line up with 10 men across from a side with 11 and try to run the ball’ sort of way. They have a couple very talented players but not nearly enough mediocre players, the purely awful among them more than enough to overcompensate for the brilliance of the few.

Their pitching staff at the start of the day was the second-worst by expected ERA. By the time the dust settles and today’s offensive marks are tallied, they might finish with the worst wRC+ offensively (the entered the day at 91, which was in a three-way tie for worst). They ranked among the very worst teams in several defensive statistics, too, meaning this season gets filed as a failure on all three of the most pertinent fronts that exist in this sport.

Still, it appears there’s no overhaul on the horizon. At least, not among those who make the decisions, and the idea that they’d make radical changes to their years-long slow-build project seems outlandish.

This was the Cincinnati Reds. These are the Cincinnati Reds. I’m not sure what more we should have expected.

The first season as a MLB manager for Tony Vitello was filled with "strikes and gutters" he said. In other words, there were good times and bad, ups and downs.

The San Francisco Giants concluded their disappointing season finishing with a 5-1 extra-innings loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, wrapping the season with a 65-97 record. But Vitello went out with frustration.

The Giants skipper was once again ejected from the ballgame in the top of the third inning after arguing a Mookie Betts check swing. It was called a ball, Vitello thought it should've been a strike and he let umpire Ryan Blakney know about it.

He sprang from the dugout immediately as the call went in favor of the Dodgers. As fast as Vitello could get to the field, Blakney was just as quick to kick him out.

In the final game of the year, No. 162, Vitello was handed his seventh ejection of the season, a league-high.

KRUK AND KUIP: Baseball's legendary Bay Area duo makes final call for Giants

Vitello isn't satisfied with the result of the regular season, he said.

"I think improvement is needed. There's a lot of information," Vitello said. "Information is power. You got to take it and you got to make it useful."

Year 1 is in the books. It's all a part of the growth process for San Francisco.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giants skipper Tony Vitello ejected in final game of the season

John Healy saw Ted Williams play left field at Fenway Park in the 1950s. He watched his beloved ‘Sawx’ end the Curse of the Bambino in 2004. But on Sunday, Sept. 27, he watched something he never could have imagined he would see.

Sunday morning, Healy got up early and drove the two hours from Ft. Myers to St. Petersburg and watched the Red Sox play Game 162 from an aisle seat five or six rows behind the dugout at Tropicana Field. He paid $32.

"It can't be any more fun than this," Healy said.

The game was supposed to be played Saturday night at Fenway. A nor'easter weather pattern heading for New England changed that, and Major League Baseball moved the game to St. Petersburg. It was the first time the Red Sox played a home game anywhere but Fenway since the 2019 London Series. The Cubs have been through this before, back in 2008, when Hurricane Ike pushed two games of their series in Houston to Milwaukee’s Miller Park.

 The Red Sox were still the home team. They just dressed in the visitors' clubhouse and used the visitors’ dugout that they are used to as the Rays division rival.

"I'm sure Tampa maybe doesn't want us in their locker room," Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said with a laugh.

Tracy said the Red Sox knew early last week this could happen. They'd made their peace with it. It still felt off."It's still strange," he said. "You're at the Trop. You're the home team."

The Rays' clubhouse staff had some fun with it.

They turned the Rays’ digital clubhouse sign into a welcome sign for the Cubs that featured the team logo and Wrigley Field ivy. The note on it read, "Hope you enjoy your short stay at Tropicana Field." The video scoreboard, new this season, was Fenway green and showed the score in the old-school fashion of the iconic Boston ballpark. The scoreboard played the traditional “Coming to America,” “Tessie,” and “Sweet Caroline” in the middle of the eighth for Red Sox fans.

Still, nothing was normal about this Game 162.The Cubs and Red Sox team planes landed in Florida early Saturday morning. For the Cubs, who face a cross-country flight to San Diego for the wild card round, it was “not great,” said right fielder Michael Conforto, “but what can you do?”

He had packed for this road trip his fall clothes for Boston and a potential wild card game in Philadelphia or San Diego. The Cubs didn’t pack for the beach, so the unexpected off-day on Saturday was spent resting at the hotel.

While the players rested, Rays head clubhouse manager Tyler Wall was supposed to be in Philadelphia with his team over the weekend. When word started spreading that the game might land at the Trop, he asked his staff if anyone had plans. Then he flew home before the Rays played Friday to get the place ready.

They cleared out every locker. Everything the Rays players left behind went into boxes or racks.

"The biggest part of it was honestly flipping our clubhouse, emptying it out, just to make it a blank slate," Wall said.The Cubs brought their home clubhouse guys and a bat boy. Their truck backed in around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. The Rays' crew was still unpacking it close to 5.

"The Cubs would have done this for us. The Red Sox would have done this for us," Wall said. "So we're happy to help."

Before the 3:05 p.m. first pitch, the Rays clubbies and Cubs clubbies posed for a “team picture” together out on the field to mark the occasion.

It was a fun atmosphere, as Red Sox and Cubs fans brought their signs and chants. Healy, who works at the Red Sox spring training facility, bought his ticket the day the move became official. He'd seen something about it online first and didn't believe it.

"I'm going, 'wait a minute, they're not going to Florida. Come on,'" he said. "Then they made it official, and I immediately said, 'where can I buy tickets?'"

Healy and a lot of fans found those tickets quickly.

The announced crowd was 20,411. That was better than 58 of the Rays’ 81 home games this season. They averaged 17,469 fans per game this season and two of their biggest crowds came against the Cubs and the Red Sox.

“The players after the game were talking about how many 'W' flags they saw,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “It was a pretty good crowd.”

With the traditional W from Wrigley flying in the stands at Tropicana Field, Bregman felt the energy.

“It was sweet,” Alex Bregman said of the Cubs fans that showed up. “Cool.”

That crowd saw Bregman, a week after suffering facial fractures, hit two monster home runs to lead the Cubs to a 6-2 win.

That meant Chicago finished 88-73 and Boston 87-75. It had no impact on the playoffs and was just a weird stop on their way to the wild-card series. Boston hoped it was a sign of things to come.

The Red Sox had celebrated clinching a playoff berth on this same field at the Trop last Sunday. If they win the Wild Card Series in New York, and they could be back next weekend.

"If everything goes according to how you want it to, it can end up being three weekends in a row," Tracy said. "So it's strange, but the weather's nice here."

The Cubs left Sunday night to fly off to San Diego to face the Padres and the Red Sox hopped on a plane and headed to the Bronx.

The Rays' clubhouse crew had one more long night ahead putting the clubhouse back together as their team left it. Tampa Bay has pitchers scheduled to throw on Monday and the American League Division Series to prepare for on Saturday. By then, Tropicana Field and the Rays clubhouse will be back to normal.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Game 162 in Florida: Ivy for Cubs, Fenway Green for Red Sox

Despite being eliminated from postseason contention weeks ago, the Los Angeles Angels did have something to play for down the final stretch of the regular season.

The Angels, one of the worst franchises in the big leagues over the last 15 years, somehow were the only team in MLB history to never lose 100 games in a season. They fought admirably to avoid that fate, but their 7-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners in their final game of 2026 ultimately sealed it.

But looking ahead to the offseason, there's a real sense that brighter days are ahead in Anaheim.

After the trade deadline, the pitching rotation found itself posting a collective 2.51 ERA in the month of August, the lowest among starting pitchers in franchise history since April 1982. Reid Detmers was spectacular and looked like the starter he's believed he could be since making his debut in 2021. Rookie Walbert Ureña emerged as another reliable arm, and finished the year with a 2.57 ERA and 1.227 WHIP. The trend of strong pitching continued into September, and the Angels are hoping that can carry over into 2027.

There's also the rising star of Arjun Nimmala, their No. 2-ranked prospect who they acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in the José Soriano trade. The 20-year-old shortstop has thrived in Double-A Rocket City, mashing eight home runs and carrying a .966 OPS in 27 games with the Trash Pandas.

But more than anything that transpired on the diamond over the last two months, the biggest reason for hope is the agreed upon sale of the Angels to Stan Kroenke at a reported $4 billion valuation. Kroenke is no stranger to success, having won championships in multiple sports as a team owner. The deal isn't official yet, but is expected to go through in early 2027 pending a vote of approval by MLB owners.

"It's super exciting," Mike Trout told MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. "The conversations that we had (with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Trout has not spoken directly with Kroenke yet), I'm obviously going to keep it in-house but it was very positive. And it gets me excited."

So, yes, the Angels just had their worst season in franchise history. Think of it as the final gasping breath of the Arte Moreno era.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angels had worst season in franchise history, but future is bright in Anaheim

Stop me if you’ve heard this a million times, but the Dodgers are trying to become the first team to win three consecutive World Series championships since the New York Yankees, from 1998 to 2000.

Those Yankees had a Hall of Fame closer. In 1998, Mariano Rivera got the final four outs of the clincher. In 1999, he got the final four outs. In 2000, he got the final three outs.

These Dodgers? Their closer? Your guess is as good as theirs.

“I do not know,” said Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations.

This might be a good time to know, no? The regular season is over. The postseason is upon us.

Read more:Dodgers defeat Giants in 10 innings to close out regular season with 100 wins

“I feel very confident that we’re going to be going into October with arguably the deepest and best pitching staff that we’ve had,” he said. “Exactly what their roles will be and how things will be ordered, I don’t know right now.”

Perhaps the Dodgers are overthinking this. They have done that before.

Tanner Scott converted 25 of 29 save opportunities this season, including saves Friday and Saturday.

But the strongest hitters on the Dodgers’ possible division series opponents are left-handed — Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin and Michael Harris II on the Atlanta Braves; Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber on the Philadelphia Phillies — and the Dodgers may not hesitate to use the left-handed Scott against those guys in the seventh or eighth inning.

In theory, these Dodgers have three candidates as closer: Scott, their marquee closer signing for 2025 and actual closer for most of 2026; Edwin Díaz, their marquee closer signing for 2026; and Roki Sasaki, their accidental closer last October.

Yet Friedman said he could envision scenarios where Evan Phillips could close, or even Brock Stewart, or perhaps Alex Vesia against a run of left-handed hitters. The Dodgers hope to activate Edgardo Henriquez for the playoffs. The starters could close, too, especially a well-rested Tyler Glasnow early in the first round.

Read more:Plaschke: The Dodgers cannot three-peat without 'That Guy'... but who is he?

“We’ve got a number of guys that we really trust,” Friedman said. “Depending on who we’re playing, how deep our starter goes, there are a lot of factors that would go into it. But, more than who will be that pitcher on the mound, is the fact that we have so many candidates we feel really good about.”

That the Dodgers have improvised an October relief corps, transformed a rookie starter into a postseason closer and run bullpen games in elimination games might lead you to conclude Friedman does not really believe in the concept of a designated closer. In a world where “high leverage” is the trendy jargon, maybe a closer is more of an anachronism than a necessity.

That the Dodgers invested $72 million in Scott and $69 million in Díaz in consecutive winters would lead you to conclude Friedman does indeed believe in the concept of a designated closer. In fact, he does.

“I think it’s extremely helpful,” he said.

The Dodgers do not hold splashy news conferences to introduce closer candidates. When the Dodgers introduced Díaz last December, Friedman proudly introduced the three-time All-Star as the closer.

“For us, we have a high bar,” Friedman said then. “To name someone the closer, you have to be one of the best. You have to be elite and dominant at what you do.”

Díaz’s season went awry, limited to 18⅔ innings after elbow surgery and then a neck injury. But in five September appearances since his activation from the injured list, he gave up no runs and one hit in five innings, striking out nine of the 17 batters he faced. (In the same span, Scott has given up no runs and two hits in five innings, striking out nine of the 19 batters he faced.)

“What we’ve seen out of Díaz recently has been really encouraging,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “What that ultimately means, we don’t know yet.

“Of course, if you have a reliever who is really hot in October, that can be extremely valuable. It doesn’t mean you use him exclusively in the ninth. But, by and large, that’s how you would use him.”

Roberts saluted Díaz for working hard to get back to an uncertain assignment.

“I’m really proud of Edwin, given the deal he signed, to work it out, to go to the minors, to come back and pitch in whatever role we ask of him, that shows a lot of character,” Roberts said.

“He could have mailed this year in. That’s something that has not gone unnoticed. And we’ll see how October plays out.”

Read more:Shaikin: Dodgers' three-peat hopes rest on their four aces — and bottom-of-order production

The Dodgers could be forgiven for believing it will all work out in the end. Their final pitcher in each of the World Series clinchers under Friedman, all starters: Julio Urías in 2020, Walker Buehler in 2024, Yoshinobu Yamamoto in 2025.

The pitchers to record a postseason save in those championship seasons: Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly, Brusdar Graterol, Blake Treinen and Urias in 2020; Alex Vesia, Treinen and Buehler in 2024; Glasnow, Sasaki and Treinen in 2025.

The organizational flexibility can lead to some uncomfortable discussions within the clubhouse, as Roberts and coaches keep the relievers updated on the latest plan for how they might be used.

“It is tricky,” Roberts said. “These are constant conversations. They are ever-evolving. They are ongoing.”

If all goes right for the Dodgers, those conversations will be ongoing for another month.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

SAN FRANCISCO ― Major League Baseball said goodbye to one of its most insightful, entertaining and inseparable broadcasting duos to ever call America's favorite past time: San Francisco Giants legendary voices Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper.

For 37 years together, they've become San Francisco's adored duo, affectionately referred to as Kruk and Kuip, and known for their insight and delivery of witty jokes and remarks all displaying their bond. Together they made their final Giants broadcasting call on Sunday, Sept. 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, officially sending Krukow into retirement.

All throughout the weekend, Krukow was deservingly showered with love and respect by just about everyone, including fans, Giants personnel, media members and, of course, his right-hand man, Kuiper.

"He's the best," Kuiper told USA TODAY Sports in an interview. "He's the best analyst I think that's ever done this game, and one of the reasons why is because he's such a good teacher. I mean, he's taught a lot of our fans many many things that they didn't know just by watching him on TV, and he just loves to teach.

"If he would have turned into a teacher for his profession, there would be a million kids out there that were Mike was his favorite teacher. So I mean that's just one little thing about him that's pretty amazing," Kuiper added. "A bunch of other things like sense of humor, and yeah what makes him laugh makes me laugh and we've always felt that if we can entertain each other we're probably doing a pretty good job of entertaining people at home."

Krukow rolled into Oracle Park, a humble, down-to-earth soul, yet with still a presence and charisma that's larger than life. All weekend there has been elation throughout the Bay Area. Flocks of fans waited their chance for an autograph from the Giants legend before Friday's game against the Dodgers. Kuiper stood and waited, they needed to get up to the booth for their pregame meeting, but he knew what the moment meant to both.

Krukow announced his retirement following the end of the season and described the support he's received as "intensely beautiful" in an interview with USA TODAY Sports.

"I had no idea how big this emotion would be, but it's been intense, and it's been one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen," Krukow said. "People have come to say goodbye, and and we have a lot in common. And they'll start crying, and I'll start crying, and that's kind of how we roll these days. But it's just beautiful. It's just been ever since we announced our retirement, my wife (Jennifer) and we've seen a lot of beautiful things. I've heard a lot of beautiful things."

The two became teammates on the Giants, and it began the start of a friendship that would go on to last a lifetime. Krukow and Kuiper will made their final call together on Sunday afternoon in San Francisco. While Krukow might make his final call on the broadcast, it won't be his final call to Kuiper. Their friendship will continue as it has which means vacations, dinners, hang outs and phone calls.

"Well, it means that our relationship is not going to end. It's just now it's going to be mostly probably by FaceTime and phone calls," Kuiper told USA TODAY Sports. "We talk on the phone every day. And one winter, about the third time that I talked to him in January on this day, my wife kind of looked at me and she was like, "Do you guys sleep together? And I said, "Well, what goes on on the road stays on the road." No, so they knew that we were going to talk, and we were going to talk a lot."

Kuiper is just as quick-witted as Krukow, it's what made them the perfect pairing. But nothing tops the various catchy sayings captured over the years otherwise known as Kruk-isms.

Giants fans Emily Booth and Brad Kranendonk were among many fans waiting in line for a chance at a Krukow autograph. They shared how their favorite Krukism was the Giants' old SpeeDee oil change service commercial. Booth recited Krukow's memorable line whenever the Giants needed a change at a position, "Time for a change, think SpeeDee oil change and tune up."

It was an emotional weekend for Krukow and Kuiper. They were showered with praise by those who have crossed the paths with them over the years.

Krukow was a former MLB starting pitcher who played 13 seasons for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies andGiants before he became one of the most beloved baseball announcers ever. Kuiper, another former player turned baseball voice, played 11 MLB seasons with the Cleveland Indians and Giants.

Three-time NL All-Star Chris Speier, who played 18 MLB seasons for the Giants, Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins and Cubs, recalled Krukow's personality and baseball prowess.

"He's got such a quick wit and a really nice dry sense of humor, and so we kind of meshed really well together because I would feed him little things, and then he would expound on them," Speier told USA TODAY Sports. "It was fun, you know, a lot of fun."

Speier recalled a time when Krukow pitched against Speier, as a member of the Phillies.

"A big right-hander with a really really good curveball. And my bat did not like curveballs," Speier said.

Giants former manager Bruce Bochy, now special advisor to baseball operations, reminisced on good of a pitcher Krukow was in his playing days.

"He's a really good pitcher and I had to face him," Bochy told USA TODAY Sports. "Believe me, he's a lot more fun to hang around than to face. He had a good fastball; he could locate it. Had a really good curveball, slider and a change."

However, nothing compares to the love for the game that was shared.

"Then you know you have to talk about his passion for the game. He just loves baseball. He would come early, come in my office, talk baseball," Bochy said. "He comes and talks to the players, and the last thing is how much he cares about the Giants and cares about the players and the fans. It's all genuine and like I've never seen"

Both Krukow and Kuiper are forever Giants. Bochy shared his favorite moment of Krukow happened to be when Bochy was introduced as manager in 2007.

"The way he welcomed me to the Giant family, and he had this giant handshake that he teaches everybody when they come up here, and it's pretty cool," Bochy said. "I'll never forget that. Being on the field, I didn't get a chance to listen to him a lot. But now I do, and I really appreciate how good he is. He's still incredible. He hasn't lost a step, and you get why this is a family type atmosphere because he brings the fans in; they're like part of the family as well."

The Dodgers and Giants are one of baseball's most historic rivalries, but when it comes to celebrating the careers of Krukow and Kuiper, all competitive spirits are out the door. Plus, former baseball pitcher Orel Hershiser goes back years with Krukow as they often played golf together. He spent 18 seasons in MLB and had a three-year stint as Texas Rangers coach.

But when Hershiser eventually found his way into the broadcast booth as a TV analyst for the Dodgers in 2014, he tuned in to his guys.

"(Krukow) He welcomed me in like family, and he's always been a sweetheart of a guy," Hershiser told USA TODAY Sports. "My favorite moments with them are just listening to their broadcasts because being a Dodger or being around the league and then going into broadcasting, when you want to learn from the best, it's great to just listen to how they bring the game alive, bring the stories alive, but also have such a great casual conversation going on at the same time.

"We're peers. I'm a little bit younger, but you know I would just say how much they are so comfortable in their own skin, and so that comes across. And when people are authentic and have integrity, and then have wisdom, you can just hear that come through the broadcast booth. And they're not afraid to laugh, they're not afraid to cry, they're not afraid to tell you a sad story, they're not afraid to tell you the truth. And so that's why they were so good and Kuip will still continue to be good."

The end of an era doesn't even begin to describe what the final call for Krukow and Kuiper together means, Dodgers play-by-play announcer Stephen Nelson said. He recalled the many iconic moments from their careers.

"I just think you can't really pick out one moment. I can name several. There was a Dodgers-Giants game. You know, Kruk does the Tarzan yawn sound effect, and they had it was a Dodger couple both yawning, and so they both did the sound at the same time," Nelson told USA TODAY Sports. "It's not just an end of an era for the Giants. I think it's (an end of an era) for baseball and sports broadcasting because those two are one. You can't have one without the other. Can't imagine one without the other.

Their impact on the way baseball is viewed in the Bay Area can't be denied.

"What they have done for this organization, this city, Bay Area, this can't be measured, man," Nelson said. "They raised a lot of people. They taught people without lecturing people. They entertained us, and I think they taught us what true, authentic chemistry is.

You can you can try to have chemistry. You can work to develop chemistry to have that level of genuine chemistry and charisma is wildly unique. ... I know there's no love lost between the Dodgers and Giants on the field, but there's nothing but love when it comes to the broadcast booth, and that rings true for me when I think about those guys."

Many media members and baseball fans believe that the duo should be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown together as broadcasters. The association typically only admits one broadcaster per year, but many are in favor of an exception.

"You're gonna put up a plaque of one of those guys? Like I said you can't have one without the other," Nelson said. "Kruk AND Kuip. It's not Kruk OR Kuip. So yeah, I would love to see it happen."

Give people flowers while they're still around to smell them," he added. "Dick Allen didn't get that chance. Dave Parker, God rest his soul. Thankfully, he knew at least he was going to be in Cooperstown before he passed. So, if when you have control over, we're not guaranteed tomorrow. ... I would love for there to be a little bit more of a proactive approach to that, so we could celebrate folks while they're here to party with."

When it's all said and done, both Krukow and Kuiper will have thousands of memories to reminisce on. Unanimously, they both said their favorite moments had to have been when it was their full broadcast team: Krukow, Kuiper, John Miller and Dave Fleming calling the postseason, notoriously the World Series years: 2010, 2012 and 2014.

"KNBR days, and it was the thing that we're most proud of to be able to cover those things, and that's we-that was the most fun we've ever had," Krukow said.

Winning a championship is hard. Let alone three in the span in five years. Are they comparable? Krukow doesn't compare. Kuiper appreciates the first one.

"The first one's always super special because they never been through it before," Kuiper said.

"It's like kids. They're all good books. They're all great feeling at the end," Krukow said. We we would have been very happy with one, and we got three. And guess what? We want more. It's just they're the greatest things ever. You think about the power of that that event, how it brought our community together, and and the celebration in Center City around City Hall, going down Market Street, where everybody was on the same team."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kruk and Kuip: Baseball's legendary Bay Area duo makes final call for Giants

Well, 162 games are in the books. The Red Sox have one day off before starting the playoffs on Tuesday and there are still a few questions marks about the roster. But one of those big question marks was answered today, with Willson Contreras making a surprise return to the lineup, albeit at DH instead of first base. Contreras only had two at-bats in the game and there was some concern that he may have reaggravated his hand injury, but everything appears to be a go for the playoffs:

Chad Tracy says Willson Contreras should be available for Game 1 of the Wild Card Round.

Music to my ears!!! pic.twitter.com/o505tIJzU5

— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) September 27, 2026

Unfortunately, the pitching staff took a hit this weekend. Fireballing reliever Tyron Guerrero suffered a lat strain and will be out for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs, should the Sox make it that far. It was just a few weeks ago that a bullpen consisting of Guerrero, Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, and Erik Miller was giving people flashbacks to the 2015-16 Royals. But with Guerrero out and Miller struggling to throw strikes, the pen is now officially a concern. “Like we’ve done so much this year with all the different guys that have landed in difficult spots with injuries, you have to move on and have to be ready for Tuesday,” said Chad Tracy. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)

Tanner Houck is one option to get a spot in the bullpen in Guerrero’s absence. But he didn’t exactly look ready to go against the Cubs today. He spoke after the game and sounded like a man gettin ready for next year as opposed to Tuesday:

Tanner Houck reflects on his start today and how it felt to be back on the mound for the Red Sox 👀@WBMasonCo 🤝 pic.twitter.com/0nENTZsT9f

— NESN (@NESN) September 27, 2026

It’s probably time to close the books on the “will Franklin Arias play in the postseason?” speculation. But, after one of the best minor league seasons in recent Red Sox history,* he’s keeping himself ready to go down in Fort Myers. “Obviously [the majors is] something that — with the work that I’m putting in — feels close,” he said through an interpreter. But I try not to focus on that. I try to just go there, do my thing, perform whenever I can. That’s why we’re down there in Fort Myers, because we want to stay ready. If the call comes, it doesn’t take you by surprise. You’re ready and you’re prepared.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)

Will we see an Arias-Caleb Durbin left side of the infield on Opening Day next year? TBD on Arias, but Durbin will almost certainly be in there, and he appreciates the fans sticking with him trough his dreadful start. “Just from social media, fans have reached out and definitely have given me that support and that love of, they’re proud I was able to stick through it,” he said. “I definitely feel that. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)