Chelsea have not won this west London derby since Brentford’s first Premier League season. Each visit since October 2021’s 1-0 win, Ben Chilwell the scorer, has been a draw. This season has continued the divergence between the clubs’ respective approaches, Brentford’s solidity and continuity compared to Chelsea attempting their latest reboot. Kevin Schade, after two well-taken goals at Bournemouth, will fancy facing a defence not yet attuned to Xabi Alonso’s configurations. Only one team has won a Premier League title with a defensive trio: Chelsea’s last title team, in 2016-17 under Antonio Conte. Alonso’s attack has been rather more successful, presenting another challenge for Jannik Schuster. Replacing Nathan Collins, the 20-year-old central defender had a tough examination from Bournemouth’s Evanilson on his first Premier League start, emerging with credit. For Chelsea, João Pedro has registered three goals and three assists, but doubts surrounding his fitness could lead to Danny Welbeck’s first league start. John Brewin
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 05: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox looks on after a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 5, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox magic number has been stubbornly stuck at five for the last couple of days, and while there’s no real concern about them ultimately getting in, it would be nice to win tonight and knock that down to three (Red Sox win + Rangers loss).
Another reason it would be nice to win this game is because Sonny Gray is starting, and this is his second to last start before the postseason. Ideally, he’ll be locking in for an excellent outing at the end of the month. Despite the loss last time out against the Royals, he still boasts a 17-5 person record, which is 12 games over .500, and also the exact number of games the team is over .500 at 82-70. (Make of that what you will.)
Lineup wise, Nick Sogard is back at second base after Isiah Kiner-Falefa got a start there last night. Also, with Texas throwing lefty Cody Bradford, Jahmai Jones is at DH instead of Mickey Gasper. As usual, we’ll probably see a pinch hit to switch the platoon advantage there at some point in the game.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) defends Adam Pelech (3) during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in East Meadow, NY.
“I asked him, ‘What do you think? It’s done?’ ” Sorokin recalled Thursday. The “it” was Varlamov’s career. “He said, ‘No, I will come back.’ First thing he said.”
Somehow, some way, Varlamov looks on track to resume playing hockey games this season. He took the ice Thursday as the Islanders opened training camp, and if you didn’t know any better, you would have been unable to tell what he’d been through over the 22 months that have elapsed since he last took part in an NHL practice or game.
Varlamov never had a timeline for his return. As far as he knows, there’s no precedent for what he’s doing.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) defends Mathew Highmore during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Research by The Post turned up one professional athlete to undergo a partial knee replacement and return to competing at an elite level: Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. As for NHLers or professional athletes in team sports, we could find no comparable examples.
“The type of surgeries I’ve done, people [are] doing it, but not professional hockey players able to do it and try to come back,” Varlamov said. “That was kinda like a crazy idea. Very risky idea. I took a risk.”
A risk that might give him his career back.
“I wasn’t ready to retire,” Varlamov said. “Mentally, I wasn’t there. Definitely, some days it was in my mind when things were not going well. Rehab, we had a lot of setbacks, pushbacks. I was thinking, maybe this is it, I won’t be able to come back. But you wake up the next morning and just tell yourself that you’re not ready to retire. I’m not there yet, I guess.
“I still have a lot of respect and love for the game. I want to be around this team. This team is looking great with the younger guys now coming in, older guys. So this is very exciting, the whole thing. I pushed myself. I had a lot of motivation also, because the team is looking good. I want to be part of it longer.”
On a practical, hockey level, the implications for the Islanders are hard to fully unpack. General manager Mathieu Darche acknowledged that keeping three goaltenders on the active roster is a possibility, with Vitek Vanecek under contract, as well as Sorokin and Varlamov. Coach Pete DeBoer said that with an 84-game schedule, the Islanders will want close to 30 games from their backup goaltender, and given the club’s history of overusing Sorokin, they ought to be wary about doing so again.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov speaks with the media during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in East Meadow, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The nature of what Varlamov is trying to do makes it impossible to predict how this will go. One thing is obvious from Thursday, though: The Islanders, as an organization, are in a little bit of awe over the fact that he has gotten this far.
“It’s almost inspiring to our guys,” Darche said.
“When I got here and I heard about the surgery he had undergone, I was not counting on seeing him at all,” DeBoer said.
“I wanna say he’s probably the first in history to do it,” JG Pageau told The Post. “That’s pretty cool, and it’s all in his honor to be able to do that.”
There are still so many steps to go. Varlamov needs to get through camp and the preseason with no setbacks. If he does make it as far as a regular-season game, every period will be a test.
But he has come so far already. It took until the beginning of March for him to truly feel he would have a chance to play. He upped his skating from three times a week to four or five, successfully pushing to get into a couple of AHL games at the end of Bridgeport’s season — a massive, confidence-boosting step.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov looks on during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in East Meadow, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I feel like if I didn’t play those two games, there’s no chance the team would give me a chance to be part of this training camp,” Varlamov said.
He did, and now he’s here. If you could ever award the Masterton Trophy on the first day of the NHL’s calendar, this would be the time.
“I don’t want to jump ahead of things,” Varlamov said. “I’m just taking one day at a time and what’s the best thing I can do to be a better teammate? Just [be] the best version of yourself today. I can only control what’s happening today. I can’t think what’s gonna happen in 2-3 weeks. It’s not in my control.
“What I’m gonna play, how many games I’m gonna play, maybe I’m not gonna play. Who knows, right? We have a lot of good goalies here. I’m just focusing on today.”
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 16: Jeremy Pena #3 of the Houston Astros reacts after a double in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Daikin Park on September 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: With just 10 games remaining on their regular season schedule, the Houston Astros will continue their final homestand of the season tonight as they host the Kansas City Royals for a rubber game of their three-game series at Daikin Park.
Rookie RHP Miguel Ullola (0-0, 3.38 ERA) will serve as an opener for the Astros tonight opposite the veteran RHP Seth Lugo (7-8, 4.99 ERA) and the Royals.
THE POSTSEASON CHASE: The Astros and Rangers are locked in a tight race down the stretch for the AL West with the two teams entering play today with identical 76-76 records. The Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers with a season series victory (9-4 record).
TONIGHT’S OPENER: RHP Miguel Ullola served as an opener his last time out on Sept. 11 at TB, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning in his outing. Ullola has been great in his limited Major League action this season, posting a 3.38 ERA (3ER/8IP) with a .172 opponent average (5×29) and a 0.75 WHIP in six games. A longtime minor league starter, Ullola transitioned to a relief role this season and excelled to a 1.57 ERA (5ER28.2IP) in 29 relief appearances at the Triple A level.
TONIGHT’S BROADCASTS: Tonight’s game will be televised by FOX with Adam Amin and A.J. Pierzynski on the call. The Astros English radio broadcast can be heard on SportsTalk 790 with Robert Ford and Steve Sparks behind the mic. Francisco Romero and Alex Treviño will call the Astros Spanish broadcast on TUDN 102.9 FM.
GIVEAWAY MADNESS: The Astros will have giveaways for their remaining four home games, including all fans receiving a Jeremy Peña Telenovela Bobblehead tonight, presented by H-E-B. The Astros will also give away a Jeremy Peña Retro Los Astros Jersey on Friday, an Orbit Sugar Skull Bobblehead on Saturday, and a Viva Los Astros Rally Towel on Sunday.
STARTING STRONG: In their last 12 home games, Astros starting pitchers have combined for a 2.29 ERA (16ER/63IP), while allowing two-or-fewer runs in 10 of those contests. Additionally, Astros starters have posted a 3.22 ERA (42ER/117.1IP) in their last 24 games dating back to Aug. 21.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have reinstated OF Taylor Trammell from the Paternity List and have optioned OF Joey Loperfido to Triple A Sugar Land.
TRIPLE THREAT: DH Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently ranks first or second in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories. He enters today leading the AL in batting avg. (.310), while ranking second in HR (39) and RBI (98). Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.022), SLG (.594) and OBP (.428). Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL):
NOTHING FINER THAN YAINER: C Yainer Diaz is hitting .372 (16×43) in the month of September with two homers, five RBI and a .971 OPS. Diaz has multiple hits in seven if his 11 starts this month.
STALKING 200: 1B Christian Walker is currently sitting on 199 career home runs and needs just one homer to become the 35th active Major League player to reach 200 career long balls. Walker has hit 25 homers this year for his fifth consecutive 25-plus homer season (2022-26).
THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader converted his 26th consecutive save opportunity to open his season on Tuesday night, which sets the Astros club record. Should Hader finish the season without a blown save, he would become just the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save and the first to do so since RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).
HADER’S HEART: LHP Josh Hader will host a group from Covenant House at tonight’s game as a part of his Hader’s Heart program. Tonight’s visit is just a small part of Hader’s charitable efforts, as the closer has been recognized as the Astros nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for MLB players.
ASTROS-ROYALS: The Astros and Royals have a memorable history, with the two clubs meeting each other in the 2015 ALDS, won by the Royals in five games. 11 years later, 2B Jose Altuve and C Salvador Perez remain on their team’s active rosters, while SS Carlos Correa, currently on the IL, also played in the series. More recently, the Astros are 10-5 in their last 15 games vs. the Royals, including a 3-2 record this season.
SCHIAVONE REACHES 30-30: Prospect C Jason Schiavone, the Astros 2026 Minor League Player of the Year, recorded three steals for Triple A Sugar Land last night, giving him 32 stolen bases on the minor league season. Schiavone has also hit 32 home runs this season, making him the first minor league catcher to post a 3030 season since C Willie Royster did so for the Charlotte O’s in 1981.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2017 – The Astros clinch the AL West with a 7-1 win over the Mariners on a Sunday in Houston. RHP Justin Verlander started for the Astros, in what was his first home start at Daikin Park since his acquisition, and picked up the win, tossing 7.0 innings and allowing just one run.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 17, 6:16 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: FOX
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; KTRH 740 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Mar 29, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; View of a camera with a Fox Sports logo before the game between the Houston Astros and the New York Mets at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Royals will try to win their series against the Astros with the rubber game airing on FOX tonight, not Royals.TV. Because when you have a chance to give a 67-85 team a regional audience, you take it!
But the Royals will have all their stars available tonight for the larger viewing audience. Cags returns to the lineup, Maikel Garcia is back, Jensen and Bobby are bopping the ball. Only Vinnie Pasquantino gets a day off.
The Astros will start rookie Miguel Ullola who is making just his second MLB start. The right-hander hasn’t gone more than two innings in any game, so expect a bullpen game. Houston did get outfielder Taylor Trammell back today, and he is in the lineup tonight.
Opener Abhishek Sharma hit a record T20 century off 30 balls to set up a crushing 127-run win for India in the third match against Afghanistan and sweep the series 3-0 on Thursday.
Hoops beaten again after chastening loss to Rangers
Juventus hammer NEC, Besiktas pile woe on Marseille
Celtic suffered another European embarrassment as the Scottish champions were beaten 3-1 at home by Ferencvaros in the Europa League. Just weeks on from crashing out of the Champions League qualifiers to Austrian side Lask, despite at one point holding a four-goal lead, Celtic’s defensive flaws were exposed once more.
Martin O’Neill’s team also suffered a chastening 3-0 defeat to rivals Rangers last weekend and failed to deliver on their manager’s promise to respond. Bamidele Yusuf opened the scoring for the visitors before Mika Baur equalised late in the first half. However Kristoffer Zachariassen quickly put Ferencvaros back in front before Daniel Arzani’s sensational strike, on his return to Celtic Park, capped a fine night for Ferencvaros.
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 26: James Wiseman #13 of the Detroit Pistons looks to pass the ball during the game against the New York Knicks on February 26, 2024 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks have two vacant roster spots heading into the season as they seek to defend their title, so they’re bringing in a group of veterans to compete for them in training camp. One of them is a former NBA champion and a familiar face to Golden State Warriors fans.
The No. 2 pick from the 2020 draft signed a training camp deal with the Knicks, who appear to once again be auditioning multiple players to fill out the back of their roster. It worked out pretty well last season, with Landry Shamet winning a spot in camp and going on to average 9.3 points in 23 minutes per game, then shooting 47.5% from three-point range during the playoffs.
The Knicks lost centers Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti in free agency this summer, with Andre Drummond stepping in to take the backup center position. It looks like they’re prepared to add a third center and a wing player, and if that’s the case, Big Jim Wiseman is competing with fellow camp invitee Drew Eubanks for that spot. New York is also bringing in Bruce Brown, John Konchar, and Ochai Agbaji, a veritable who’s-who of the summer’s “Best available free agents” lists.
At the beginning of the summer, Wiseman’s agent announced that he would continue his professional career in Europe. Clearly, the chance to play for the Knicks was more tempting than whatever European opportunities were available. It’s not a guarantee that the Knicks will add another center, but you’d think they’d want someone bigger than Mohamed Diawara to man the pivot, especially with starting power forward OG Anunoby standing just 6-foot-7.
Big Jim earned a spot in the Indiana Pacers rotation to start the 2024-25 season, only to suffer an Achilles tear five minutes into his first game. He played four games for the Pacers last season, who had a huge amount of roster churn last year due to injuries. It got so bad they used seven hardship exceptions before Christmas, with Wiseman spending two brief stints with the team.
Wiseman may not seem like the missing piece for a team that blew through the NBA playoffs last spring, but it seems like he’ll only have to beat out Eubanks to earn a roster spot. Eubanks has played significantly more than Wiseman in the last few seasons, though those totals are trending downward. He suited up for 75 games in 2023-24, 61 games for two teams in 2024-25, and 42 games for the Sacramento Kings last year, tearing a ligament in his thumb late in the season after losing playing time to rookies Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell.
Eubanks, whose nickname is “The Shaq of Troutdale,” has a better track record of success, while Wiseman is four years younger and has a higher ceiling, though a far lower floor. With the general super-sizing of NBA front courts in recent years and the looming presence of Victor Wembanyama, the Knicks might be willing to gamble on Wiseman, who is still only 25.
At worst, Wiseman will get some training camp minutes to show off for other potential employees, in America or across the pond. He’s already proved he can cheer on a championship team from the sidelines in San Francisco. Here’s hoping he gets a chance to do in it NYC.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Zac Veen #13 of the Colorado Rockies is unable to catch a ball off the bat of Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres that allowed two runs to score as Merrill ran to third for a triple in the second inning at Coors Field on September 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hoping to get a series split in the final match-up against the San Diego Padres, the Colorado Rockies saw their opponent score seven runs in the top of the second to cruise toward a 9-2 victory. The Rockies are now just three losses away from their fourth consecutive year of 100 losses.
Gordon’s troublesome second inning
The Padres’ offensive aggressiveness claimed another Rockies victim in Tanner Gordon. After a pedestrian top of the first inning in which he allowed a couple of singles and had a couple of strikeouts, Gordon had a 1-0 lead to work with heading into the second inning.
Then the wheels fell off.
Xander Bogaerts led off the inning with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw to tie the game. Gordon then rebounded and struck out Luis Campusano for the first out. The home run must have rattled him, however, as he struggled to find the zone and throw a quality pitch. Jake Cronenworth singled, followed by back-to-back walks from Gordon to load the bases.
Dustin Harris, who has been bothersome in the series, collected a two-run single to make it a 3-1 Padres lead. Manny Machado then drove in the fourth run with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, Ty France singled to put runners on the corners with Jackson Merrill coming up to the plate.
Merrill hit a shallow fly ball to right field that turned into a two-run triple as Zac Veen ran a long way to try to catch it, but the ball hit him in the chest as he slid. On the very next play, Bogaerts hit a line drive to right field that Veen tried to dive for but was nowhere near, resulting in an RBI triple to make it a 7-1 game.
Gordon finally escaped the inning, having thrown 43 pitches in the inning. His 73 pitches through two innings the most thrown by a pitcher in a baseball season. He was also the third starting pitcher to throw at least 70 pitches in the first two innings in 2026, all of them Rockies.
He was able to get through the third inning unscathed after giving up a single and a double in the inning, ending his day after 86 pitches. He allowed seven runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Gordon generated 13 swings and misses, but as is typically the case, it’s never in the situation he needs to get the strikeout, and he left far too many hittable pitches in the zone.
“Today, other than having a tough time putting guys away … he had a two-strike count on Taylor with a walk there in the second, and then the two-strike knock to Harris was huge,” manager Warren Schaeffer said after the game. “I thought the pitch around of Tatís was fine, but just long counts. His changeup was working early. They took some swings and swung through it some, and then they started taking it. [There were] just foul balls, long at-bats, the pitch count rose tremendously and then some stuff in the field that didn’t go his way.”
Schaeffer also reiterated the area that Gordon needs to improve — putting hitters away after getting ahead in counts — and that they’re working on it.
“He gets ahead better than anybody on a typical basis,” he said. “It’s just finding a way to put hitters away late in counts with two strikes, and that’s where we need to find something.”
Bullpen carries the load
Zach Agnos took over for Gordon in the fourth inning in his mop-up long relief role. He worked three innings, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. The two runs came in the fifth inning when Cronenworth led off with a triple, followed by an RBI double for Samad Taylor. Harris collected another RBI single to extend the Padres’ lead to 9-1.
Jaden Hill took the mound for a scoreless seventh, followed by a scoreless eighth from Brennan Bernardino that featured a pair of punchouts. Needing some work, Jordan Romano took over the ninth inning and had two strikeouts against a walk.
King’s court
While the Padres hounded Rockies pitching, the home team couldn’t quite figure out Michael King.
The Rockies put up an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jake McCarthy hit a leadoff triple and came in to score on Connor Norby’s RBI single. Unfortunately, the offense wouldn’t score another run off of King until Kyle Karros hit an RBI single to score Cole Carrigg to make it 9-2. The Rockies threatened to score more in that inning when they loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout of Troy Johnston ended the threat.
King cruised through six innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks. He induced two double-plays and came away with 11 swings and misses. He showcased excellent command of his pitches, particularly the fastball and the slider, to limit the Rockies from doing much of anything.
Similar, but different, offenses
Overall, the difference in the offenses was stark. The Padres had 15 hits and went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position. They struck out nine times and had just three walks. Five players had at least two hits, three of which had three hits a piece, including Bogaerts, who fell a single shy of the cycle. Bogaerts also became the first player in Padres history to have a triple and a homer in the same inning, and the second MLB player this season behind White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters.
Meanwhile, the Rockies had nine hits while going 2-for-4 with RISP. They also struck out nine times and had just three hits. Two players had multi-hit games while TJ Rumfield managed to extend his on-base streak to a Rockies rookie record-tying 21 games.
The biggest difference was that the Padres had 11 extra-base hits while the Rockies had just one. The ability to get on base is great, but the inability to string together multiple extra-base hits and avoid double-play balls is a hurdle the team has to overcome in the future.
Up next
The Rockies welcome the Seattle Mariners Friday for a three-game series over the weekend. Bryan Woo (12-9, 3.88 ERA) will make the start for Seattle while the Rockies have not yet announced a starter.
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 15: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In what has been the “Season of the Rookie” across all of MLB, the Guardians are no different. Today we’re going to look at the 4 main rookies that have seen playing time for the Guardians in 2026, and what we’ve learned about them so far. The players we’re looking at today are Chase DeLauter, Parker Messick, Travis Bazzana, and Angel Genao. We’re going to look at the main thing we’ve seen from them in 2026 and what they can build on as the next step in their development. First, let’s go over what we’ve learned about Chase DeLauter.
Chase DeLauter can hit I don’t really know how else to say it, but this dude can swing the bat. At the time of writing through 125 games, he has a 130 wRC+ (10th in the AL) and a .815 OPS (11th in the AL). He doesn’t chase outside the zone, he doesn’t swing and miss, and he doesn’t strike out. He takes his walks, and he hits the ball hard. His 3.2 fWAR shows he’s already producing at the level of a player who’d be a fringe All-Star candidate.
The biggest thing I think Chase can build on would be to see if he can find some more home runs. Almost all of his home runs have come off pitches Statcast counts as on the inner third of the plate. His barrel rate on middle and away pitches is considerably higher than on inside pitches, but those barrels are not translating into home runs consistently for him yet. The contact ability and the damage ability are there on middle and away pitches; he just needs to take that one last step to really boost his damage potential.
Parker Messick is a rock in this rotation
In 2026, Parker Messick has put together about as good a Rookie of the Year case that any starting pitcher can have. At the time of writing, he’s thrown 172.1 innings with a 2.51 ERA, 178 Ks, and has put up 4.5 fWAR. In 29 starts, he’s pitched fewer than 5 innings one time and given up more than 3 ERs just 3 times. It’s hard to imagine a more consistently productive season than the one Parker Messick is having.
There’s not really any major area for me to say Parker Messick should try to build on. His fastball velocity was a bit low, but in the later parts of the season it seems like he’s starting to find a little extra when he’s needed it, touching 96-97 in some key spots. I did a bit of digging, and one thing I think he could do to get a little more depth out of his starts on average is attacking the bottom of the order a bit more. This is really splitting hairs, but his BB% against hitters 3-6 in the opposing lineup is 5.2%, but to hitters 7-9 it’s 7.1%. The gap is small, but being able to reduce that down against the worst hitters in opposing lineups could go a long way to getting deeper in games.
Travis Bazzana can be “That Guy”
It’s been a very solid season for Bazz overall. At the time of writing, a 115 wRC+, .756 OPS, 14 HRs, 19 SBs, and 2.6 fWARin 113 games is nothing short of a successful rookie campaign. But the real reason I came to this conclusion is Bazz plays the game with a fierceness and intensity that’s truly infectious for everyone around him and for fans watching. He’s already shown he’s an elite baserunner, and he’s only going to get better at that given who his main tutor is. He has good plate discipline and takes his walks, and right now he’s showing the “That Guy” factor by heating up in the midst of the most important part of the season for the Guards.
The obvious place that needs improvement is his defense. His defense at second this season has been well below league average. If he can’t figure out second base, there’s always the potential he could be moved to the OF, but given he hasn’t shown a ton of arm strength, it may be best to delay those conversations for now. From the offensive side of things, I think just maintaining that consistency in approach and not being afraid to take walks will go a long way for him. During his torrid start in his first 46 games, when he had a 138 wRC+, his BB% was 12.3%. Then he hit the large cold spell of 58 games, with a 64 wRC+, where his BB% dropped to 10.2%. Now, since the start of the Detroit series, he’s back up to a 13.9% BB%. Being able to maintain that consistent BB% when the hits aren’t dropping can do a lot of work minimizing the negative effect of slumps that inevitably happen over a long season.
Angel Genao: The X Factor
I like this classification for Genao because we haven’t really seen that much of him at the big league level yet. There’s a lot to like. He squares the ball up, hits the ball hard, doesn’t chase out of the zone, doesn’t swing and miss, and doesn’t strikeout. He’s got great speed, a good arm, and defensive versatility in the infield. There have been some drawbacks though. His LASS% (Launch Angle Sweet Spot Percent) is so low, it’s one of the worst in the sport at just 20.2%. And his BB% is very low considering how much better his chase and whiff rates are than average.
When trying to decide what he could stand to improve on, these two things stand out the most. He’s got the eye at the plate and has shown the ability to take key walks in some high leverage situations. If he can do that more consistently throughout the game, that would be a big improvement. Likewise, getting more of his hard contact into launch angle ranges that produce high percentile outcomes should help him turn more of that contact into barrel-level damage and line drives into the outfield.
The 2026 season has taught us a lot about this team, and while they may not look like a contender at the moment, the future is incredibly bright for this roster going forward. I hope none of you get tired of watching exciting baseball, because that looks to be what’s in store in Cleveland for the next several years.
(All photos are from the Guardians official Instagram page)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 11: Nolan McLean #26 of the New York Mets looks prior to the game between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday, September 11, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Mets lineup
Francisco Lindor – SS Juan Soto – DH Bo Bichette – 3B Carson Benge – RF Jared Young – 1B A.J. Ewing – CF Francisco Alvarez – C Brett Baty – 2B Nick Morabito – LF
Andrew Friedman, the Los Angeles Dodgers' president of baseball operations, told reporters in Cincinnati that he expects Shohei Ohtani will return during the club's final nine games of the regular season.
Speaking after the champagne celebration that followed the club's 8-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds that clinched the National League West, Friedman said of Ohtani, "I expect him back in the regular season."
The four-time MVP and two-way superstar will not pitch this season due to right biceps and left knee injuries, and he has not been in the Dodgers lineup since Sept. 7, after which he was placed on the 15-day injured list. Ohtani sat out five games before giving that one a go, and he had just six hits in 49 at-bats (.122) with no home runs in his final 61 plate appearances.
Much of that span was spent trying to also return as a pitcher, before a bullpen session on Aug. 28 was cut short. The club is hoping his focus on playing one side of the ball enables his body not only to heal, but hold up as the Dodgers aim for a third consecutive World Series title.
For the season, Ohtani is batting .277 with 30 home runs and a .902 OPS, and will likely cede his two-year reign as NL MVP to the Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong.
QUEENS, N.Y. — With 10 games remaining and a likely postseason ahead, reliability matters more than ever.
For the last two months, the Phillies have been able to find it in Aaron Nola.
Each time he’s taken the hill lately, Philadelphia has given itself a good chance to win.
Like it did Thursday.
The 33-year-old faced the New York Mets for the 34th time across his 12th big league season. New York has certainly had multiple identities over that span, but Nola looked like he knew each Mets hitter like the back of his hand in the Phillies’ 3-0 victory at Citi Field.
In complete control, Nola worked fast and efficiently. He got ahead, fired first-pitch strikes at an outstanding clip and forced uncomfortable at-bats. Through four innings, he hadn’t allowed a hit and needed only 38 pitches.
You could tell he was in a groove.
But the Phillies, as they have for much of the season, opened the night struggling to provide run support for him.
They had a tough customer on the other side in Nolan McLean. The Phillies haven’t had any level of success against the second-year right-hander, who entered with a 0.47 ERA in three meetings against them.
With the way both pitchers were throwing, whoever scored first was going to grab some serious momentum.
In the fifth, the Phillies loaded the bases after a pair of two-out walks before Bryce Harper put them ahead. Already with two hits against McLean, Harper bounced one to the left side, where Francisco Lindor fielded it and chose the shorter throw to second instead of going across the diamond.
Except Trea Turner was flying into the bag.
Arguably, the extra length of Turner’s sliding mitt made the difference. He was initially called out, but the call was overturned and the Phillies had a 1-0 lead.
It wasn’t loud contact, but it was enough.
That’s all Nola needed.
After a nine-pitch, hitless fifth in which he continued to face the minimum, a scary moment unfolded in Queens.
With Alec Bohm on second, Justin Crawford bounced one to the right side. Mets first baseman Jared Young stayed near the bag and reached for the ball as McLean came over to cover. McLean’s knee struck Young in the head.
Young went face down and lost consciousness as medical personnel rushed onto the field. He was eventually placed on a stretcher and carted off, giving a thumbs-up as he left. The Mets later announced that Young had feeling in his extremities and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.
It was difficult to resume after a scene like that.
When play did, Nola didn’t lose his rhythm.
Nick Morabito broke up the no-hit bid with one out in the sixth, putting two runners aboard after Nola had opened the inning with a walk. That brought Francisco Lindor to the plate with a chance to do damage against a club he has hurt plenty of times before.
Nola got him to put the ball on the ground.
Luis Arraez backhanded it, made a strong feed to second and Turner completed the double play with a throw to first.
Whatever energy remained inside Citi Field disappeared.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Nola, who finished seven scoreless innings Thursday and extended his streak to eight consecutive starts allowing two earned runs or fewer.
For 23 straight starts earlier this season, Nola carried an ERA north of five. That came after a 2025 season in which injuries contributed to a 6.01 ERA.
After his 31st start of this season, his ERA is down to 4.49.
And over his last seven starts, Nola owns a 1.66 ERA — fifth-best among 48 qualified starters in that span.
That turnaround could become increasingly important.
There’s a possibility the Phillies could be without Luzardo if they enter a postseason series. That would obviously be less than ideal, but in a three-game Wild Card Series, two victories are all it takes to advance.
Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez would likely be the first two options if the Phillies can line up their rotation after clinching. If they need a third game, the way Nola is throwing right now shouldn’t drain anyone’s confidence in their chances.
October is often about riding the hot hand.
Right now, Nola’s right hand qualifies.
The Phillies gave themselves more breathing room in the seventh without even recording a hit. Turner took two bases on an errant pickoff throw before Arraez lifted a sacrifice fly.
They manufactured another in the eighth. Bryson Stott doubled, Brandon Marsh dropped down a sacrifice bunt and Crawford followed with a sacrifice fly.
It was the first time all season the Phillies had three sacrifice hits in a game.
One blemish in the victory came in the eighth, when Jonathan Bowlan exited with right groin tightness. The reliever has struggled lately, and the Phillies said an update will come later.
Philadelphia’s last two wins haven’t exactly been pretty, but they have been built around what tends to travel this time of year: starting pitching.
Wheeler gave them one. Nola followed with another. Both shutouts.
The Phillies’ magic number is now five, putting them in position to potentially clinch a fifth straight postseason berth before leaving Queens.
Devin Williamspitched a bullpen session at Citi Field on Thursday prior to the Mets' series opener against the Phillies and the closer made it through in one piece.
Interim manager Andy Green said Williams' stuff was "there as anticipated," but now they have to wait to see how he feels physically in the morning before mapping out next steps.
Williams was placed on the IL back on Aug. 10 with a right shoulder strain, and the team has slow-played his return. The right-hander has been throwing off the mound, but this is the first time he's thrown a BP, a good sign that he can appear in a big league game before the end of the regular season.
When it comes to when exactly that will be, Green prefaced that they have to make sure their closer is healthy and that it makes sense for the limited amount of games remaining in the schedule.
"His heartbeat is to pitch in games as quickly as possible. Ours is to ensure he’s as healthy as possible before he pitches in games," Green said of Williams' potential return date. "We’re trying to reconcile those two things and we need the information from tomorrow and how he feels before we make the next determination."
The next question was whether Williams will take back closing duties from Kodai Senga, who has closed games for the Mets in Williams' stead. Green didn't say one way or another, but explained that the most important part is getting Williams on a mound again.
After the Mets wrap up their home slate this weekend, they'll end the 2026 regular season in Texas and Washington D.C. And while many believed Williams could be ready for the Rangers series, Green said it's likelier we'll see Williams against the Nationals.
"Given where we’re at, the highest likelihood is…let’s say it’s in Texas. He’ll pitch Tuesday or Wednesday and we’ll try to get him an outing in D.C," Green said. "He’s not going to come back and pitch three out of four baseball games.
"It might be the eighth inning, it might be the seventh inning. If you’re not ahead one of those days, you want to get him on the bump so he can get going again."
Williams has made 42 appearances with the Mets this season, pitching to a 4.66 ERA while striking out 51 batters across 38.2 innings. He's also converted 16 of 19 save opportunities.
ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 16: Shay Whitcomb #13 of the San Francisco Giants hugs Osleivis Basabe #39 after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ali Overstreet/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Teams cannot carry players on their 60-day IL during the offseason, so that means the San Francisco Giants are about six weeks out from having a serious roster crunch. Or do they?
There are quite a lot of good players on that 60-day IL and so by sheer math the players on the 40-man who’ve taken their place are more fungible than not. They could always waive players and outright them to the minors or re-sign to an MiLB agreement — and that might be preferrable given the upcoming lockout, when players on the 40-man roster wouldn’t be able to play games in the minors. There’s also the case that with a Rule 5 draft likely, the Giants might want to protect some of their prospects, even if a lockout would prevent them from continuing their development. Still, with 17 dudes on that 60-day IL, is 42.5% of the current 40-man roster really so changeable? Let’s take a look.
I’ll do this using some criteria, too: position, age, contract, and MiLB options remaining. I don’t think I want to use the Giants’ roster page breakdown for positions, though, as they list Bryce Eldridge as Designated Hitter when we know he’s an infielder. Casey Schmitt is one of the outfielders, too. Anyway, let’s get into it, seeing if we can reduce the number of players currently on the IL before looking at the current roster. There are 57 players for 40 spots, and that’s before considering the prospects who’ll need to be added.
We can quickly reduce some of the thinking by listing the obvious keepers: Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Casey Schmitt, Daniel Susac, Randy Rodriguez, Adrian Houser,and Rowan Wick (whom the Giants signed specifically to carry him while he rehabbed from surgery and prepared to return in 2027). That leaves 10 players on the 60-day IL to sort through before getting to the 40-man.
So, let’s start with the easiest problem to solve.
Harrison Bader
Position: OF (8) 2027 age: 33 2027 contract: $13 million MiLB options: 0
Pros: None.
Cons: That’s a lot of money to simply cut, especially if the lockout ends with the players surrendering to a stupid salary cap. Jim Bowden’s owner-inspired figure is $245.3 million, which would make Bader’s 2027 contract 5.3% of a theoretical cap, which is meaningful. Still, there’s no value in rostering him. The Giants suspended him without pay for some extraordinarily unprofessional behavior and just from the vague descriptions of the accident that further injured him, it sounds like he’s lucky to still have two feet. It seems unlikely he’ll be close to the player the team will need him to be whenever the 2027 gets going — if he’s even able to go at all. Maybe they could claw back some of the salary for cap purposes in a grievance hearing (they’ll almost certainly get it all back in their pockets via an insurance claim), but the team shouldn’t be shy about cutting their losses even if that doesn’t come to pass.
Pros: There’s a hard-throwing red ass there who has shown flashes of being a good pitcher. He’s still young enough to figure things out, and maybe some consistency in the front office and coaching staff for once in his brief career can help him along. The two options make him very valuable, to the point that he might be tradeable in the 5-day window after the World Series before teams have to activate all of these 60-day IL guys.
Cons: Of course, a lockout won’t help him with that development, and he looked really bad before the injury. It’ll be a long layoff and it’s not as though his skillset can’t be found elsewhere in the sport. With his Tommy John surgery having happened in 2026, he’s not going to be available until near the end of 2027 anyway.
Verdict: Keep. Still, it’s not as though the Athletics or some other team wouldn’t claim him and just let him eat a roster spot all offseason, so there’s enough incentive to keep him, along with the talent upside. He’s one of the Giants’ interesting starting pitching prospects. If pitching development had gone better this season, I wonder just how secure his roster spot would’ve been.
Pros: He has the sort of sinker-slider combo the team likes and has a reverse platoon split for his career with righties hitting .249 off him and lefties .192. That’s thanks to an effective changeup (30+% whiff rate 2023-2025). He also has a curve and a sweeper. A real kitchen-sinker who can also provide a little length (15 career starts). He’d be a cheaper version of JT Brubaker. Having missed most of his platform year, he’s unlikely to win an arbitration case for very much more than what he made this season ($800k).
Cons: The blood clot that has effectively knocked him out this season is a fluke injury but it’s still an injury that makes it hard to know who the Giants might get next season. He also didn’t look great after they acquired him at last year’s trade deadline, posting a 4.39 FIP in 20 innings.
Verdict: Keep. It would be logical to retain a veteran reliever who might take the place of another veteran who would cost more (thinking specifically about Brubaker). Still, I think this is the trickiest case to decide.
Pros: Has been able to handle major league hitters long enough to make an impression. He has certainly pitched his way into being considered a reliever at worst. His slider (38.7% whiff rate in 2026, 36.4% last year) is good.
Cons: Not a starter and would be a shame if the Giants held onto him thinking he might be a #5 or long reliever. He also is in the same realm of Logan Webb and Landen Roupp — sinker slider pitchers who don’t get a lot of strikeouts, but do get a lot of groundballs and limit walks and home runs. There was a thought at some point this season that part of the reason why the pitching was getting hammered had everything to do with the team’s approach — less “not spending money in the bullpen” and more “what if all 13 guys were like Logan Webb?” McDonald being the less good version of Logan Webb or Landen Roupp should make him more expendable heading into the offseason.
Verdict: Try to pass through waivers. Look, he was able to make enough of an impression at the end of last season to get a longer look this season. His injury opened up an opportunity for another player to do the same thing and I think if someone comes along who was better at the end of this season than McDonald was all year (4.26 FIP on a 7.3 K/9), the Giants shouldn’t be too precious.
Cons: Not many strikeouts for all that velo and the player is often injured. He’ll be entering his 30s, too.
Verdict: Release. I’m sure there’s a strong case to be made that he’s the lottery ticket to hold onto here, so maybe I’ll revisit him at the end of this exercise.
Pros: The team likes his versatility and he’s shown in a small sample (58 MLB PA) some utility with the bat (104 wRC+). He profiles as a high-contact, low-strikeout guy. Maybe another Christian Koss type.
Cons: Hard to think of one. It’s just a matter of how many Christian Koss types the team wants to roster.
Pros: That changeup certainly does get swing and miss. Left-handed pitchers are usually able to find work at the MLB level for far longer than their right-handed counterparts. He’s miscast as a starter (5.90 ERA / 5.99 FIP in 58 MLB IP) but could be really good as a reliever.
Cons: If the team doesn’t view him as a reliever or he doesn’t buy in, then he’s just a hittable guy who sometimes gets swings and misses. I think the Giants are committed to finding out one way or the other and I can’t say they’d be wrong about that.
Pros: So much promise as the next great late inning bullpen arm. A fantastic fastball-splitter combo. Looks like a top reliever like ones you’ll see across the league…
Cons: … if healthy, which he rarely is. I’m not sure another year of Tony Vitello managing his workload will help him out. The Giants have tried kid-gloving and tough-loving him and no matter what, he doesn’t pitch much due to injury.
Verdict: Keep. Though he might be a candidate to be traded in the 5-day window before 60-day ILs must be emptied. Would the Rays want to acquire him and chew the rest of the flesh off his arm?
So, I’ve managed to get to 53 players for 40 spots. When I started this exercise, I anticipated it being a bit easier to simply delete 60-day IL guys, but it’s not! And, my main one might not even be cut because of the money involved. In any case, it’s very easy to see the problem the Giants face. But if we keep going through the 40-man, there are some other opportunities for roster reduction.
Verdict: Keep. They are desperate for starting pitching going into next season and he hasn’t been bad. Sure, he’s thrown 0.2 innings more than Jacob deGrom and been just 60% as valuable (2.5 fWAR vs. deGrom’s 4.2) but he’s just barely qualified for the ERA title at 155 IP (46th out of 47 qualified, but a professional high mark for him) and has generated more value with that fWAR (31 out of 48) than the likes of George Kirby, Michael Wacha, Foster Griffin, Michael King, Framber Valdez, Shota Imanaga, and Robbie Ray.
JT Brubaker
Brubaker has been effective in a no-leverage role and has helped alienate a segment of the fanbase from the team, but after earning $1.82 million this season, it’s illogical to retain such a fungible player (seriously, 0.1 fWAR in 60.1 IP — a 4.27 FIP) for even 1% of the fan-demanded salary cap. His veteran presence and experience is easily replicated by Jose Butto or other veteran relievers who will be looking for work in the offseason.
Verdict: Release. Even with the There is obviously the potential for some sort of grievance of governmental interference, but it’s going to require a degree of fiction writing to create the bad faith argument to compel a ridiculous enforcement action that my dumb brain can’t conjure at the moment. He and the team have fulfilled their contract and they should be able to walk away from him as a free agent.
Sam Hentges
This is much trickier than the Brubaker situation in that he’s arbitration eligible for 2027 and Zack Minasian has already gone on the record talking about the team’s belief that it takes at least two years after a player’s surgery before they begin to show improvement. Hentges is one of these guys, and he pitched well enough (3.43 FIP in 33 IP) that it’s highly unlikely they’d move on from him — by the way, that FIP is really high despite allowing zero home runs. FIP is a measure of the three true outcomes: walks, home runs, strikeouts. He walks a lot (6.3 per 9) but strikeouts out a lot (9.6 per 9), and doesn’t allow homers (0.7 per 9 for his career). If command is the last thing to lock in after surgery, then he ought to be even better next season. He will cost more in his final year of arbitration, but after all the crowing about how the team didn’t spend on the bullpen this past offseason, it seems as though they now have cover to spend money to retain him.
It’s hard to make an argument to keep him. He’s been bad on the field and bad off the field. He’s first time arbitration eligible and a year or two ago I might’ve thought he was a $3-$4 million guy first time out. He’ll be 31 at the start of next season and I would think that rather than tender him a contract and have to pay him more than the MLB minimum they would non-tender him, but the Justice Department’s open investigation might have an effect. He has 31 career saves in 235.1 MLB innings. He has, technically, had one bad season (2026: -0.5 fWAR). His agent might be able to make the case to investigators that the Giants are depriving him of his livelihood, even if non-tendering arbitration eligible players is standard industry practice.
Verdict: Release. Maybe the Giants will surprise me and agree.
Okay. 50 dudes for 40 slots. It’s crunch time. Let’s take a look at…
Everybody else
Most of these players are not on the 10-day or 15-day IL, but some are. We’ll start with the obvious keepers: Logan Webb, Bryce Eldridge, Willy Adames, Jung Hoo Lee, Drew Gilbert, Jonah Cox (star eyes emoji), Drew Gilbert, Victor Bericoto, Blade Tidwell, Marcelo Mayer, Matt Wilkinson, Anthony Molina, and Cesar Perdomo.
A quick recap as we head into the second act:
Current 60-day IL players kept: 12 Current 40-man players kept: 15 Players cut (running tally): 6 Players to be judged: 24 40-man spots available: 13
Zach Morgan
Called up but yet to make an appearance, he’s really only on the roster because of a lack of catching depth. Morgan’s role has been the emergency depth piece at every level of the organization. He has a career MiLB OPS of .685 (5 seasons, 1053 PA) so it’s not like the roster spot can’t be upgraded.
Verdict: Pass through waivers. That organization depth seems meaningful enough to keep him in the organization, but not so vital that they need the roster spot. That they see Jesus Rodriguez in a similar role (multi-positional, including backup catcher) but have already given him more playing time despite being from outside the organization originally and 2 years younger underscores the fragility of his situation.
Andrew Knizner
He has been a solid backup catcher the past two seasons now, so you could imagine a scenario where he survives the roster crunch to be the actual backup catcher on the 40-man roster (with Drew Cavanaugh as the third catcher). But at the same time…
Verdict: Release. The Giants currently list five catchers on their 40-man roster and this article makes a modest proposal to reduce that to three: Daniel Susac, Drew Cavanaugh, and Jesus Rodriguez (which is a cheat in that he’s multi-positional). The veteran backup catcher situation is one that can be addressed at any point in the offseason or Spring Training or in-season.
Christian Koss
I’m not sure what else he would have to do to make a stronger case for staying on the roster. He’s blossomed after finally getting some playing time and is slashing .346/.393/.519 here in September.
Verdict: Keep. I’m listing him at this point in the article because there are other players down the list that’ll be compared to him.
Turner Hill
An IF/OF limited to the corners who’s finally making his big league debut at the age of 27 is the kind of thing Septembers in a lost season are made of, and a corner guy who doesn’t hit for power is especially fungible in the grand scheme of things. It’s a credit to the Giants’ minor league season and dip down to get a high average high on base guy at all, though.
Verdict: Pass through waivers.
Grant McCray
He hasn’t been able to make it happen. His MLB line as it stands is .175/.237/.332 in 240 PA (96 G). He’s hitting .155 this season with a 30% strikeout rate. He’ll turn 26 in December, so, it’s not over yet, and with 2 options available, he could plausibly have value to some MLB team out there, but he’s been outplayed by Drew Gilbert; and, with Victor Bericoto and Jonah Cox grabbing attention plus Casey Schmitt moonlighting as an outfielder, it doesn’t make sense for the Giants to continue to roster him. There are more important players to hold onto.
Verdict: Pass through waivers. He is more than likely claimed, but I can’t see a team trading for him, either.
Osleivis Basabe
Do the Giants want to keep Basabe over Christian Koss, Jesus Rodriguez, and the other infielders getting a moment in this final month? And what utility does he have once Casey Schmitt returns? While he had some big moments when nobody was watching, .202/.262/.353 in 131 PA (.209/.268/.335 in 225 MLB PA) doesn’t seem like something you fight for when it comes to a roster crunch.
Verdict: Release.
Scott Bandura
You can take some of the Turner Hill stuff and apply it here, but Bandura found a power stroke in the minors this season (.480ish slug across AA and AAA) and he’s two years younger. Bandura also has the speed, but a better pedigree (drafted by Giants versus undrafted). If you’re choosing between the two and between another left-handed hitting outfielder like McCray (who is already bullied out of CF by Jonah Cox and Drew Gilbert), Bandura probably comes out ahead still. Higher batting average, on base, then the speed and defense.
Verdict: Keep.
Shay Whitcomb
His potential upside is Christian Koss with more power, but he’s had trouble carrying his minor league success (.810 OPS) to the majors. If you’re talking about holding a 40-man spot for a guy who spent some time in the Korean League this season, then you’re talking about a team that’s desperate for talent, which isn’t the case for the Giants — even the 2026 team. They needed some warm bodies and looked around for those who don’t projected to be total embarrassments. Nary a d’Arnaud in the bunch.
Verdict: Release.
Brett Harris
The Other Shay Whitcomb?
Verdict: Release.
Nate Furman
I do tend to believe that front offices are much more inclined to dump guys they didn’t acquire and so Furman coming over in the Alex Cobb trade of 2024 would certainly make him a target; however, he’s been a high average guy in the minors and effectively been the kind of player the team wants going forward so I don’t think that applies in this situation. Also, he doesn’t turn 25 until next July. Even if he has a bad September, I don’t think they’re looking to push him off the roster this offseason.
Verdict: Keep.
Our final act: all those pitchers. Here’s where the count stands:
Current 60-day IL players kept: 12 Current 40-man players kept: 18 Players cut (running tally): 13 Players to be judged: 11 40-man spots available: 10
Tristan Beck
Oft-injured and not really effective (4.47 FIP in two seasons and 70.2 IP since a blood clot derailed his 2024 season). He turned 30 back in June and has spent most of this season unable to pitch in the majors due to injury and ineffectiveness (1.4 WHIP and 4.99 ERA in Triple-A).
Verdict: Release.
Joel Kuhnel
He was a warm body hired to help the team get to the end of the season. His 2.84 ERA in 6.1 innings is nice and he picked up the save in last night’s win over the Cardinals.
Verdict: Release.
Dylan Smith
Next year, he’ll be a 27-year old making the major league minimum who throws 95+ and has a 10.5 K/9. He’ll also have 1 option remaining. This isn’t hard.
Verdict: Keep!
Trent Harris
Dave Flemming and Javier Lopez rained superlatives down on him in last night’s game as well and he has been outstanding since his callup, a 2.33 ERA in 19.1 IP and — a 1.60 FIP — has been one of those in-season finds we expect the Giants to have every season. I’m sure unearthing treasures like this along the way was the plan going into the season, too. I would say he and Dylan Smith qualify.
Verdict: Keep!
Braxton Roxby
Miguel Mendez
Yunior Marte
I’m going to bunch these acquisitions together. These are players acquired by the new front office with options available and the right age to think that they still have upside (on top of not playing in the majors much).
Verdict: Keep.
Seth Lonsway
Duncan Davitt
Verdict: Keep. They’re not cutting these guys. Given the conversation in the comments below, I’m compelled to expound on this a little bit more. Lonsway has been org depth as a starter, essentially, for his entire Giants career, but all the while being occasionally good at minimizing walks, consistently good at limiting home runs, and frequently good at striking hitters out. His K/9 by MiLB season: 11.3, 7.9, 7.8, 8.2, 5.7… now this 5.7 is from his most recent season in the minors (2026) and at the age of 27. But all that signals to me is that the next step is to take him out of the rotation and see if he can swim as a reliever for a while.
Indeed, as a sinker-sweeper guy with a fastball that ranges 92-93, this would seem to be the kind of reliever the Giants have sought out recently. Now, is it the most effective profile? Maybe not, but as a cheaper, younger, optionable Matt Gage replacement? There might be something here, particularly if the strikeout rate gets a bounce from the new relief role.
It’s similar reasoning for Duncan Davitt. Young-ish for a reliever (he turns 27 in 6 days), optionable, and has a career 9.4 K/9 in the minors (449 IP) along with a 2.9 BB/9. The 1.2 HR/9 isn’t great, but it’s not terrible and with the Oracle Park factor, maybe it all works out. I think the Giants could go either way here, and I’m landing on keep if for no other reason than the Giants might want to keep some of their 40-man depth until better options present themselves.
Philip Abner
Reiver Sanmartin
Both have been solid, but I suspect the Giants will either cut 1 and keep the other or cut both of these lefty relievers. Problem is, I can’t figure out which one it should be, nor could I hazard a guess. Abner averages 90 mph with his fastball, but he’s 24 with multiple options. Sanmartin is more of a Matt Gage type. I have to imagine actual performance would matter a little, but at the same time, a roster crunch is a roster crunch.
If the Giants were to move on from both, that would leave a left-handed contingent of Matt Wilkinson, Carson Whisenhunt, Cesar Perdomo, Seth Lonsway, and Sam Hentges. With Whisenhunt likely out for all of 2027, it probably doesn’t make sense to shrink the number of lefty relievers on the roster.
So, having reasoned that all out, I think they stick with Abner, who is younger, has more options, and adds a different look out of the bullpen. Plus, they can feel good knowing that Sanmartin pitched well enough to find a job elsewhere.
Verdict: Keep Abner, cut Sanmartin.
That leaves 2 spots for these final two players. If I had my druthers, the team would cut them both, but…
Carson Seymour
He has done well for himself in transitioning to a reliever, and even though I think he’s a gas can with his penchant for giving up home runs — 14 in 62.2 MLB innings — I suspect the Giants might see a development success in the making a la Trent Harris.
Verdict: Keep (though, should be pass through waivers).
Jason Foley
Somehow, he still has an option remaining? He’s also arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason. Who knows how the system will change in a new CBA, but supposing it stays roughly the same, Foley oughtn’t be projected to get much more than the $2 million the Giants paid him this season. While an arb panel would take into consideration his prior track record (3.18 ERA in 189.1 IP from 2022-2024, +2.7 fWAR), he has been rather pedestrian (+0.1 fWAR, 4.15 ERA) in his platform season, two years removed from surgery.
Although — and this is a big, important note — he has a 3.63 ERA (3.21 FIP) since August 1st. In 16 appearances, he’s struck out 11 (though, walked 8) and allowed 0 home runs in 17.1 IP. I have to imagine those 28 saves he recorded in 2024 loom large for the Giants. Rather than drop Randy Rodriguez into the closer role to start the year, maybe Foley being an option to begin 2027 makes more sense?
Verdict: Keep.
So, there it is. I’ve whittled down 57 players for 40 spots to 40 players for 40 spots. To me, Keaton Winn, Carson Seymour, and Jason Foley look like possible cuts (either via trade during the 5-day window after the World Series or simply DFAing) which would free up 3 spots for prospects who’re Rule 5 eligible, and there’s probably a fourth to be gained from cleaning up some of the infield logjam. The power of DFAing for the purpose of sneaking through waivers shouldn’t be discounted. This might be the one offseason where it’s easier to do that because of all the other teams needing to make 40-man decisions related to both the lockout and Rule 5.
But, if you’ve made it this far, what do you think?
