The St. Louis Cardinals will enter the gauntlet again Thursday night as it’ll be game 3 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Quinn Mathews will start for the Cardinals going up against the formidable Tarik Skubal for the Dodgers. First pitch scheduled for 9:10pm central time at Dodger Stadium and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.

Probable pitchers: RHP Brandon Young (9-3, 3.38 ERA, 103 Ks) vs. LHP Jake Bennett (9-6, 3.27 ERA, 74 Ks)

Where to watch: FOX/FOX ONE

Usually when you win six out of nine games on a road trip, you return home feeling good about the direction of your team. With the Orioles, however, they come into tonight’s game against the Red Sox having to shake off the disappointment from their last two losses in Colorado. 

Had the O’s offense not gone completely silent in Coors Field (the most offensive-friendly park in baseball), they could have swept the Rockies and would currently be in the last Wild Card spot. Instead, after losing an 11-inning heartbreaker Wednesday, they come into this series against Boston 1.5 GB of Cleveland for the last AL playoff berth. 

Tonight, Birdland will also be fending off the emotions of seeing Adley Rutschman return to Baltimore in a Red Sox uniform. In 15 games with Boston, Rutschman is struggling, slashing .170/.254/.245 with only two extra-base hits and 15 strikeouts. The former Baltimore backstop is hitting .271 with a .826 OPS at Camden Yards this season, though he last played in OPACY back on July 11th. 

The O’s turn to Brandon Young as they try to start a new winning streak. The big Texan has been Baltimore’s most reliable starter all season, with the O’s going 18-5 in games started by BY. Young has only faced the Red Sox once previously this year, getting the win back in April after putting up a line of 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB and 5 Ks. 

Opposing Young is rookie left-hander Jake Bennett. The 25-year-old out of Oklahoma has pitched one other time in Camden Yards, putting up a solid start of 5.2, 9 H, 3 ER, 0 BB and 4 Ks in a 6-3 Boston win. Christian Encarnacion-Strand tagged Bennett for a home run that day, while Pete Alonso went 2-for-5 with a double. The lefty-masher Coby Mayo will also in the two hole for the first time all season, tonight. Mayo will look to build on his MLB-leading 15 home runs vs. LHPs—though Bennett has only allowed 7 long balls in 93.2 IP.

Orioles lineup

1. Blaze Alexander (R) 2B
2. Coby Mayo (R) DH
3. Luis Robert Jr. (R) CF
4. Pete Alonso (R) 1B
5. Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
6. Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R) 3B
7. Leody Taveras (S) RF
8. Dylan Beavers (L) LF
9. Carlos Narváez (R) C

Red Sox lineup

1. Roman Anthony (L) DH
2. Mickey Gasper (S) 1B
3. Adley Rutschman (S) C
4. Wilyer Abreu (L) RF
5. Nick Sogard (S) 2B
6. Caleb Durbin (R) 3B
7. Jarren Duran (L) LF
8. Eli White (R) CF
9. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R) SS

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of reading and writing about Guardians’ losses. They dropped a critical series to the Blue Jays today, losing 5-3.

Tanner Bibee had an awful fifth and the Guardians went 2 for 10 with Runners in Scoring Position. As a cherry on top, Travis Bazzana made an error and got lifted for David Fry as a pinch-hit option in the fifth (Fry took a walk. Throw a parade).

The stadium was full of Blue Jays fans who are, from my experience, the most obnoxious fans who visit Progressive Field. I say this as a Canada fan. They are not sending us their best.

Steven Kwan had two hits, Austin Hedges hit a clutch two-run single, Angel Genao had an RBI single and a walk. They need to hit homers but don’t expect to see Ralphy Velazquez anytime soon because he is probably too young to help, anyway.

The White Sox lost so the Guardians still have a path to the playoffs, somehow. They need to find a way to take at least three of four from the Tigers this weekend.

Stephen Vogt pitched Carlos Hernandez in the 9th, probably thinking bringing a rested pen to a doubleheader against Detroit tomorrow was a better chance to steal wins than this lineup vs. Louis Varland in the 9th. I guess I can’t disagree with that.

Foster Griffin and Logan Allen will pitch tomorrow. So, that could go quite poorly

Over the first five months of his tenure as San Diego Padres manager, Craig Stammen offers the perfect poker face when answering questions about his team’s play. But his unshakeable composure might be tested in the season’s final month.

Coming off a memorable 21-7 hot streak out of the All-Star break, the Padres limped into September with a 2-7 mark in their last nine games. That recent slump has sparked restlessness among the Friar Faithful. 

It has not been easy for Stammen to keep the Friars playing consistent baseball all season. He faces another challenge in seeking a path to a Wild Card berth. 

Most of his upcoming decisions will not be easy, as they will center on the pitching staff. And Stammen’s choices must put the team in position to win each night. 

Do the Padres have enough starting pitching?

No question, the Friars have a reliable five-man starting rotation. Everyone is in relatively good health after early-season injuries nearly decimated the staff. 

On the mound, Randy Vasquez has pitched like an ace. In August, he put together his best stretch of the season, posting a 4-0 mark with a 2.57 ERA in five appearances. The right-hander has put himself in the conversation for possible late-season starts. Stammen has a difficult choice between Vasquez and a proven commodity in Nick Pivetta.

Before any decision, Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla must determine whether Pivetta can contribute down the stretch. He has worked his way back from an elbow injury, but the jury is still out on whether Pivetta can thrive in the majors again. It will be a tough decision that may come down to arm strength and the ability to be effective every fifth day.

A surplus of starting pitching is a luxury in September. Unfortunately, arm injuries (Joe Musgrove’s setback) and subpar pitching performances come unannounced.

Whoever is chosen, Stammen has confidence in their ability. 

What is the state of the Friars’ bullpen?

The bullpen has been the one constant for the Padres in 2026. But the unit has hit a rough patch, being unable to protect late-inning leads. Closer Mason Miller experienced a brief hiccup, giving up a go-ahead home run and blowing a save during this bad stretch.

Stammen may need to shorten the circle of trust with his set-up relievers. It is time for him to judge which pitchers can excel in high-leverage situations. To secure a postseason berth, the workload will be excessive, with few days off on the docket. 

The goal is to stabilize the bullpen by identifying everyone’s role and recording big outs. 

With all that said, every Wild Card-contending team has blemishes of its own. It will be a sprint to the finish line. 

After a season of ups and downs, the Friars hope that a few more highs await them in September. 

Shohei Ohtani was out of the lineup Thursday and his availability is a “day-to-day situation,” manager Dave Roberts announced before the Dodgers’ series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ohtani’s health has been scrutinized for much of the season and even more over the last week. He hasn’t pitched since July 3 because of soreness and threw a bullpen session last Friday in hopes of pitching one inning Sunday against the Detroit Tigers. But, not feeling “100%,” as Roberts put it, Ohtani didn’t return to the mound, and his throwing progression stalled.

Though Roberts described Ohtani’s ailment as an overall issue, including his left knee and right biceps, he remained in the lineup. Roberts said then that he’d been given no indication that swinging the bat was affecting Ohtani, but if that changed, the manager would have no problem with sitting the superstar.

Wednesday, as Ohtani went 0 for 4 in the midst of a two-for-23 skid, seemed to be a turning point.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani doesn't look right to Dodgers manager after striking out four times in loss

“I saw the same thing that everyone saw,” Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 8-6 loss to the Cardinals. “I saw the shaking of the arm, I saw the wincing, and clearly the swings aren’t who he is. And so, obviously, there’s some compensation. So I’m going to talk to him, and then I’ll make a decision about his availability.”

Roberts said a stint on the injured list was unlikely “but not impossible.”

Ohtani has declined requests for comment through a team spokesperson and hasn’t addressed reporters in more than two weeks.

“He definitely doesn’t want to take the day [off],” Roberts said Wednesday. “Speaking for him, I know he feels that he needs to post and be in the lineup, and if he’s upright, he should play. I respect that. But if he’s feeling the way that it visibly looks, then it’s really not helping anyone. So that’s the conversation I’ll have with him.”

Managing Ohtani’s health will continue to be a priority for the Dodgers. He’s been dealing with lingering knee soreness and inflammation since at least mid-June, and his biceps issue has flared several times this season.

Ohtani’s buildup back to pitching has been halted twice since he received an Orthovisc injection to lubricate the knee joint over the All-Star break.

As valuable as Ohtani is to the Dodgers as a pitcher, his offensive impact is needed far more, especially with left-hander Tarik Skubal added to the rotation. If continuing to try to pitch jeopardizes Ohtani’s production with his bat, it may be in the team’s best interest to take pitching off the table for him.

Tommy Edman was penciled into the leadoff spot and will play center field, while Alex Call will be the designated hitter and bat eighth.

Tonight's #Dodgers lineup vs. Cardinals: pic.twitter.com/77gpgH4iyi

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 3, 2026

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Mets made a roster move on Thursday afternoon before their three-game set against the Giants begins at Citi Field on Friday night, claiming right-hander Cameron Weston off waivers from the Orioles and designating catcher Shawn Ross for assignment. Weston was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Weston, who turned 26 years old last Thursday, was drafted by the Orioles in the eight round of the 2022 Draft and worked his way up through Baltimore’s minor league system. He has appeared in one major league game, tossing a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays on May 28 in his MLB debut. He struck out the first batter he faced — former Met Andrés Giménez — before allowing a walk to Brandon Valenzuela and inducing a double play from George Springer. Weston was subsequently optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk, where he has struggled to the tune of a 7.89 ERA in 51.1 innings pitched this season.

The Pennsylvania native sports a unique sidearm delivery, with a four-degree arm angle that would rank second-lowest among qualified right-handers behind submariner Tyler Rogers. Weston also averaged an impressive 19.9 inches of horizontal break on the seven sinkers he threw in his debut. For reference, no qualified pitcher is averaging over 18.7 inches of horizontal break on a sinker this season (Austin Warren, Sean Manaea, and Nolan McLean all rank in the top 20 on that leaderboard).

Ross was claimed off waivers from the Pirates on August 2. In 15 games with Syracuse, he hit .195 with one home run. Ross made his debut earlier this season for Pittsburgh, playing in two games and crushing a mammoth home run (110.6-mph exit velocity, 438-foot projected distance) in his second big league at-bat.

The Mets and Orioles have now each claimed a player off waivers from the other team in the past 72 hours, with Luis Robert Jr. currently in the heart of Baltimore’s lineup. When the the two clubs play a three-game series at Citi Field from September 14-16, it will already mark the return of Pete Alonso and Robert — but perhaps Weston will have a chance to join the party of players facing their former teams as well.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

We're rocking with Seattle's No. 1 prospect in our A's vs. Mariners prediction tonight.

The Seattle Mariners come into this one as 66-cent favorites, and for good reason — Jack Perkins leaves a lot to be desired for the A's. 

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Thursday, Sept. 3, and build that bankroll before the weekend.

Who will win A’s vs Mariners tonight: Mariners Moneyline (68%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Kade Anderson has been serviceable for the Seattle Mariners since his MLB debut, but he's in a perfect spot to finally put together a quality start against the Athletics, a team in the bottom 10 for wRC+.

While Anderson owns a 4.50 ERA through two starts, taking the hood off and looking underneath these surface stats indicates he's actually been better.

With a 2.28 xERA and .143 xBA, the Athletics may have a tough time stringing hits together tonight, leaving plenty of opportunity for Seattle's offense to stay hot after scoring 25 runs across its last three games.

Looking for more plays from the nightcap? Tap into my Cardinals vs. Dodgers prediction.

COVERS INTEL: Anderson throws a four-seamer-slider combo that's been getting the best of big-leaguers across his first two starts, with batters owning a .153 xBA or worse against each pitch.

A’s vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (55%)

I get it, these pitchers aren't household names, but Anderson's underlying metrics look good, and Jack Perkins has a strong history against the Mariners.

Across 27 plate appearances, he's limited this Seattle offense to a .173 xBA and is striking them out at a 33% clip. This includes Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, and Josh Naylor, who are a combined 1-for-6 against the righty.

I'd play this Under up to 58 cents.

A’s vs Mariners home run prediction: Cal Raleigh (26%)

Raleigh is coming off an August tear, where he hit six homers in the last week of the month. Can he continue that tonight against Perkins?

Well, Perkins' barrel rate is in the 26th percentile among qualified pitchers, and his given up nine bombs on his four-seamer, a pitch Raleigh has hit 11 of his 20 homers on. If anyone is hitting a bomb, Raleigh has a great chance tonight.

A’s vs Mariners weather

We'll see some cold and rainy weather in Seattle tonight, with some potential for a delay before first pitch. Temperatures will sit at 62 degrees Fahrenheit.

A’s vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: A’s 34% | Mariners 67%
• Run line: A’s +1.5 (54%) | Mariners -1.5 (47%)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (46%) | Under 7.5 (54%)

A’s vs Mariners trend

The Mariners are 5-1 in their last six games as a home favorite. Find more MLB betting trends for A’s vs. Mariners.

How to watch A’s vs Mariners and game info

A’s vs Mariners latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Rays win-loss record sits at 83-56 after Wednesday’s loss to the Mets, with the team holding a 3.5-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East and maintaining the best record in the American League.

With 23 games left, the magic number for a postseason berth is 9, but that could hit zero as soon as this weekend, even though the division magic number sits higher, around 20, reflecting the still alive chances to claim the division from New York.

Regardless, the Rays have pathways to clinch as early as Sunday, according to ESPN’s tracking, which noted, “The Brewers and Rays can clinch a postseason spot as early as Sept. 6.“

If this sounds like a “well duh” for the best team in the American League, move along this post isn’t for you — but I found it quite intriguing both that the magic number was so high but could also fall to zero so soon.

Magic Numbers

Per current standings and trackers, the Rays could theoretically punch their playoff ticket as soon as this weekend if results break right. A strong showing against the Rangers this series (starting tonight with Shane McClanahan on the mound) plus some help elsewhere would drop that number quickly.

Magic number calculations account for remaining games and the gap to the nearest competitors. For the postseason berth, it’s the combination of Tampa Bay victories and losses by the teams fighting for the third wild-card spot.

For the East title—and the top seed that comes with a first-round bye—the Yankees remain the primary obstacle. New York is 80-60; the Rays control their destiny, but a prolonged Yankees hot streak while Tampa Bay stumbles could tighten things, and this team has struggled lately against these Rangers.

After four games in Arlington, the Rays head to Atlanta for three against a strong Braves club, then return home for the Astros, Athletics, and a late stretch that includes the Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies.

Playoff odds reflect the strong position: well over 99% to make the postseason and roughly 78.7% to win the division with 95 wins, per recent projections at FanGraphs, and the same odds for a bye. (As a reminder: The top two division winners with the best overall records get a first-round bye. The third division winner gets the No. 3 seed and enters into a three-game Wild Card series.)

Playoff projections can shift with a bad week, which is why — for me — the focus will be on consistent pitching, and particularly on the returned McClanahan, the rebuilt Peralta, and the potential sixth man in the rotation Griffin Jax, both to make things easier on the offense and to not tax the bullpen in these late September nights.

Read More: Four Rays data points to watch into October

Personally, I hope you see this as the fun part of September — I’d much rather be tracking the numbers night by night while the team plays meaningful baseball that be stuck thinking about the lockout.

There’s a real chance of doom and gloom as I read some of the comments and reactions on X, particularly with this upcoming road trip, but the magic number for October is low enough that clinching feels imminent, and that’s exciting!

So if you’re headed to the grocery store, pick up some bubbly for the fridge and be ready to put some on ice as soon as Sunday. And either way, no matter how this road trip goes, remember the Rays are in excellent shape.

TV: FOX
First Pitch: 7:15 p.m. ET
Location: Oriole Park at Camden Yards

The Red Sox need to put their foot back on the gas during this weekend’s series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Boston has taken the long-term outlook on things over the last week — placing first baseman Willson Contreras on the injured list, taking every opportunity possible to get outfielders Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu off their feet, and building in some extra off days for starting pitcher Sonny Gray — which played something of a role in back-to-back series losses to the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners.

It’s not the worst thing the organization could have done considering they’re all but locked into their postseason spot, but it;‘s time to cut the shit as they kick off their penultimate series within the division on Thursday at Camden Yards.

Jake Bennett will start on regular rest for the first time this month, with his last outing serving as one of his best all season (six scoreless innings) after his first real skid (at least three earned runs in four consecutive starts) started things off in August. The Red Sox could use some length, which they have gotten out of the rookie in back-to-back outings where he has 13 strikeouts across 13.0 innings pitched.

Adley Rutschman will return following a three-game absence to face the team that selected him No. 1 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. Trevor Story will get the night off, as he is replaced at shortstop by Isaiah Kiner-Falefa. Rafaela will also sit in favor of Eli White.

Brandon Young could prove to be a formidable opponent, as he carries a 3.38 ERA into his second start against the Red Sox in 2026. The O’s won that first contest, 10-3.

Boston and Baltimore will continue their series throughout the weekend on NESN.