PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 01: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks prepares his equipment in the dugout before the MLB game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field on September 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Phillies Win Series, Separation from Diamondbacks It seems Corbin Carroll’s back is giving him issues, something that is going to need to be addressed in a hurry if the Diamondbacks are going to retain a playoff berth.
Diamondbacks Jockey with Padres, Marlins for Wild Card It would certainly behoove the Diamondbacks to get back to some winning ways sooner rather than later, especially with the Padres and Snakes facing off over the final three games of the regular season.
Corbin Burnes Return Still on Hold Fans will have to wait at least another week before there is a chance of Corbin Burnes returning to the roster. The Diamondbacks could help things along if they could get back to winning. At this point, the pressure to allow Burnes to return is going to be directly proportional to whether or not the Diamondbacks are still contending.
Injury Updates Corbin Burnes needs to build up a bit more. Ryne Nelson and Zac Gallen remain on the comeback trail.
Playoff Contenders’ Remaining Strength of Schedule The Diamondbacks are fortunate to be fifth out of seven in the National League. Unfortunately, the Padres are sixth and the Dodgers, who don’t matter at this stage, are seventh.
Stan Kroenke to Buy Angels The sports mogul owner of the Los Angeles Rams, Arsenal FC, the Denver Nuggets, and the Colorado Avalanche is buying controlling interest in the Los Angeles Angels for a reported $4 Billion.
Yes, Preseason Projections Still Matter The relevant question then becomes how much a few months of performance should change what we thought about a player in March. And as it turns out, it’s less than the folks who find projections frustrating might think.
The minor premiers face Hawthorn with the gap between first and fourth on the AFL ladder having noticeably narrowed over the past decade
For three decades, the AFL’s minor premiers received the McClelland Trophy. Now they get squeaky bum syndrome. Prior to the introduction of the pre-finals bye in 2016, there was a nine-year stretch where the minor premiers beat the fourth-placed team in the qualifying final. The average winning margin in those games was 45 points.
The bye saw a marked shift, however. In 2016, GWS bashed and bludgeoned the top-placed Swans at ANZ Stadium. Three years later, Collingwood jumped ladder leaders Geelong. They nearly did it again in 2022, narrowly going down in one of the great finals of the modern era. The top-placed Pies only just scraped through against Melbourne the following year, in a game remembered for Brayden Maynard’s high blow that ended Angus Brayshaw’s career. In 2024, the fourth-placed Giants lost to Sydney after being five goals up in the second half. And last year, Collingwood rolled into Adelaide like a band of hired assassins and beat the top-placed Crows.
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 01: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies bats in the first inning during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After a dominating 8-1 win over the Diamondbacks last night, the Phillies have won 15 of their last 17 games and are in search of their fifth series sweep of three or more games in their last six series. They are currently the top wild card team and suddenly just three games behind the Braves in the NL East.
They capped a 21-7 August by starting 1-0 in September and are the hottest team in baseball.
All of this has coincided with a 34-game on-base streak by Bryce Harper, who reached base in all five of his plate appearances last night (4-for-4 with a walk). Over that stretch he is hitting .345 with a .494 on-base percentage and a .588 slugging percentage, good for an OPS of 1.082.
There is a direct correlation between Harper’s hot streak and the Phillies’ run of success since the start of August.
It is not happening by accident.
While Kyle Schwarber has had a quiet time of it over that same stretch, hitting .222 with a .344 OBP, a .444 SLG and an OPS of .788. He’s had some very big home runs during that time, but Harper’s game-to-game consistency has been the true difference-maker for an improved offensive attack.
Make no mistake, the Phils’ pitching staff is the biggest reason for this 28-game stretch of insane baseball. Since they emerged from the Iowa corn in the Field of Dreams Game on August 13, they’ve posted 2.65 team ERA that is 2nd-best in MLB (San Diego). Their 10.00 K/9 are also 2nd (Los Angeles Dodgers), with an 18.5 K-BB% that is 2nd-best as well (Dodgers).
The starters’ 3.01 ERA is 5th-best and, hold onto your hats, but the much-maligned bullpen’s 1.93 ERA is the very best in baseball during this 28-game run. So, as always, the Phillies’ success is largely led by pitching.
But it should not be lost on anyone that Harper is playing at the kind of level Dave Dombrowski questioned he’d be able to reach again last off-season. I was among those questioning whether Harper had this kind of ability left in him, too. His numbers compared to last year are markedly improved.
Harper leads the NL in walks, has already surpassed last year’s WAR totals, and his .901 OPS currently ranks 6th among all qualified MLB hitters (Yordan Alvarez, Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, Shohei Ohtani, Junior Caminero). He is one of just seven players with an OPS over .900. His .844 OPS a season ago ranked 22nd.
That is the difference between very good and “elite.”
For the first time in what feels like forever, Harper doesn’t appear to be pressing. He doesn’t appear to feel like he needs to do it all. Perhaps the mental aspect of adding a player like Luis Arraez into the lineup behind him has been just as important as Arraez’ actual production, which has been solid in and of itself.
Harper appears more relaxed, not chasing the five-run homer. He’s been particularly hot on this west coast road trip through Seattle, Anaheim and now Arizona, hitting .483 (15-for-31) out west.
Bryce Harper in August:⁰.333/.496/.573 (194 wRC+)
Most times on base (63) in a month since Aaron Judge in April 2025 (64)
Harper’s OBP is 2nd in the National League, he’s 7th in slugging, and 5th in wRC+.
And let it not be lost on the consumer that Harper is doing all this while switching from first base to right field, a position he has not played since the first half of 2022. His defense has not been an issue, and one could say the overall defense of the team has actually improved since Bryson Stott went to third base, Arraez arrived to play second and Alec Bohm went to first. So much for the hand-wringing!
Keep in mind, this is Bryce Harper’s FIFTEENTH year in the Majors. 15!!! At 33 years old, he’s putting together the type of season prime Mike Schmidt would be proud of. He’s already matched last year’s home run total (27), and is likely to find himself as an MVP finalist along with Crow-Armstrong and Ohtani if he keeps this up.
So yes, Harper is once again elite. And as a direct consequence, the Phillies are the hottest team in baseball and steaming upward in the standings as the calendar flips to September.
Ah, yes. That time of the year when you can start to feel the sands of time running out. We root so hard hoping that the series of moves they make from somewhere around November 1 through somewhere around September 1 have built and prepared a team to win a championship. In fairness, 29 of 30 teams fall short of that goal every year. Some of the teams will be rewarded some pretty fun, though still sometimes agonizing, consolation prizes. Depending on just how long you’ve been a Cub fan, you’ve had a whole variety of flavors of consolation prizes. Every decade or so, the rug pull is pretty harsh and leaves some scarring.
This one is probably not one of those, unless this team really pulls together in October unexpectedly. This one should probably feel like getting to the end of Game of Thrones. You really enjoyed the trip. At times, you could really see what they were trying to pull together, the majesty of it all and the intricate storylines being woven together. But by the end, you realized that the artist didn’t know how to satisfyingly finish the painting.
You can certainly feel it. I certainly don’t think it is crazy to think it. If you could somehow pick through the carnage of what feels like hundreds of injuries and have enough guys healthy and effective at the right time that they had enough talent to win it all. Not better than the Dodgers, but good enough to hang with them and capitalize if they aren’t on top of their game when it matters. I’m not and I wouldn’t take anything away from this Brewers team. They are ruthlessly efficient and do so many things right. That’s one excellent team. If their pitching could get really hot, they could win.
So you can feel it coming. You don’t know exactly how or when it will end. When things are going good, this team makes me think about the 2015 Cubs. An ascending team that hadn’t put it all together. I think at this point, that’s the best possible future for this group. That this is the team coming together. That some good percentage of this team comes back and runs it back and wins it all next year. You know, if they come back and play baseball after a work stoppage.
But I think for this year, this team is going to most echo to 2008. A very good team, built to crush the regular season and powered by a hyper-dynamic offense. I’ve said this so many times. The regular season, particularly in the modern game, is won with depth. You need an army to get you through 162 and healthy and geared up to win three or four series to win a championship. But you win in the postseason on the backs of guys who can turn in superstar performances.
The 2016 roster had so many role players. If you listened to the Lovable Reunion, you heard them talk about how every player, every coach, so many front office members had a role to play in getting them to the end. But along the way, you had heroic performances by Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and Aroldis Chapman. There were a lot of guys who could just win a game. Or change a whole series. Who are your 2026 Cubs that have that ability? After Pete Crow-Armstrong, maybe Alex Bregman, maybe Clay Holmes. 2026 Kevin Gausman is a supporting piece. Same as Michael Busch.
We’ve seen it all year. Get out of whack? This team pounds you into oblivion. Execute your plan? Yeah, it’s probably not going to be great. The Brewer bullpen just fire hosed the Cub lineup in this game. Meanwhile, rather than putting out the fire, the Cub bullpen was throwing accelerant on it. Matthew Boyd was pretty good, but as soon as he faltered, the Brewers feasted on a bunch of mediocre Cub relievers. This pitching staff is a lot of not ready for prime time players.
85 runs in the last 10 games and the team is 4-6. That says so much about everything. And not that I’m advocating for holding back your offense, but the Cubs played right into the hand of the Brewers and blew that first game out and didn’t force them to use actual relievers to finish the game after they’d gotten a little knocked around over the weekend.
There was a bright, shining moment after the trade deadline where I was in the afterglow of a flurry of moves that did make this team better. But the afterglow has faded and the post euphoria clarity is setting in. At the end of the day, all of the smoke and mirrors billow away and this is the same flawed team it has been all year long.
The countdown to Wait Til Next Year is well under way. The only question is exactly when the clock strikes zero.
Three Positives:
Tyrone Taylor stayed hot. He had a two-run double and also scored a run before being lifted from the game.
Matt Shaw had a double and drew a walk.
Matthew Boyd probably deserved better than a line of 5.1 innings, three runs allowed. He left with two on base and both ended up scoring. It was a difficult night to
pitch
Game 139, September 1: Brewers 9, Cubs 4 (78-61)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Tyrone Taylor (.139). 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Hero: Michael Busch (.091). 1-4
Sidekick: Nico Hoerner (.088). 1-4, R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Daniel Palencia (-.396). 0.2 IP, 4 BF, 2 H, 2 R, BK (L 2-2)
Goat: Ryan Zeferjahn (-.113). 0.2 IP, 4 BF, 2 H, 2 R, K
Kid: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.109). 0-4
WPA Play of the Game: Christian Yelich’s two-run homer in the sixth gave the Brewers the lead and they never looked back. (.243)
Cubs Play of the Game: Tyrone Taylor’s two-run double in the fourth gave the Cubs their first two runs. (.169)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 138 Winner: Clay Holmes received 51 of 86 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Up Next: Game three of the four-game series. In the larger picture, the team is 2-3 to start their 13 games in 13 days. David Peterson (7-7, 5.11) starts for the Cubs. He’s 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA over his last seven games (six starts). Last time out, he allowed two runs in five innings against the Reds.
The Brewers will start ace Jacob Misiorowski (14-5, 1.73). He’s 4-1 with a 2.03 over his last seven and has won his last three starts, allowing three runs over 18 innings. Two starts against the Cubs this year, 12 innings, one run. 16 strikeouts and five walks.
The Miz is without question one of the premier starters in the game today. It is hard to have any optimism at all about this one.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA - FEBRUARY 16: Houston Astros manager Joe Espada, left, talks while he walks alongside general manager Dana Brown during workouts for pitchers and catchers at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fl. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
While making the rounds on his post-firing tour, former Astros GM Dana Brown has only good things to say about the team’s current manager Joe Espada on the Foul Territory podcast:
Former Astros GM Dana Brown has nothing but positive things to say about Joe Espada, with whom he shared a great relationship.
The most important aspect of this was that Brown stated Espada was both liked and respected by the players.
Whether that proves to be enough for Espada to hang on to his job after the season is yet to be determined, but it does offer some insight as to perhaps why team owner Jim Crane decided to keep Espada on while letting Brown go before the season ended.
While fans can be frustrated by the team’s inconsistency, injuries and roster construction (as well as the fact there are too many players on the roster who perhaps shouldn’t be) are more to blame for that than the manager.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 30: Sal Stewart #27 of the Cincinnati Reds rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field on August 30, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Reds fans and fans across the country.
Stat-heads know the familiar feeling of opening up player pages at Baseball Reference and seeing numbers leaning right, boldfaced and italicized.
It means a player is currently leading not just his own league, but all of Major League Baseball in a particular category.
Flipping open the page of Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart lends you that opportunity. He has played in all 139 games in which the Reds have participated so far in 2026, his rookie year, and that’s obviously the most anyone could have played. His 105 runs batted in also sit atop the MLB leaderboard – 105, I should have said.
En route to a 3+WAR season on the backs of a 127 OPS+ (and rising), Sal is putting together the kind of rookie campaign that may very well lead to him winning the National League Rookie of the Year honors. He’s already popped 30 homers, and while that RBI total is currently leading all of Major League Baseball, it has also already eclipsed the previous record for runs batted in by a Cincinnati Reds rookie.
Plain and simple, he’s having a truly remarkable season. The question is, though, where it ranks among the great rookie seasons in Cincinnati Reds history.
Jonathan India took home the award back in 2021 as a member of the Reds. Scott Williamson’s bulldog 1999 season earned him one, too. Chris Sabo, Pat Zachry, Johnny Bench, Tommy Helms, Pete Rose, and Frank Robinson similarly earned the award, with Frank’s 38 homers back in 1956 the benchmark total in that category that Sal will still try to clear before season’s end.
And those are just the guys who won the award as rookies. Lest we forget Joey Votto’s deserving rookie season in 2008 when he posted a 125 OPS+ with 24 homers only to finish 2nd.
This week’s MLB Reacts question is almost a litmus test for the way we evaluate big leaguers these days. As mentioned in the latest rundown of rookies in the running for the award at MLB.com, each and every rookie who has swatted at least 30 homers and driven in at least 100 runs since the award was founded has won it in that season, placing the kind of special value on those stats moreso than, say, defensive runs saved and overall WAR. So, if you’re of the opinion (much like baseball arbitration metrics) that dingers and ribbies just mean more, you may well fall on the side of saying that Sal is having one of the best – if not the best – rookie seasons in Cincinnati Reds history.
The Tampa Bay Rays have pummeled teams at home all season long, posting a remarkably strong 47-24 record at Tropicana Field.
Facing a pitcher set to throw his first major-league innings of the season, my Mets vs. Rays predictions and MLB picks are banking on more of the same in today's series finale, with Tampa a significant home favorite on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Who will win Mets vs Rays today: Tampa Bay Rays (60%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
The Tampa Bay Rays have a clear pitching advantage this afternoon.
Griffin Jax held opponents to just one run in four of his last five starts before missing a month with an elbow injury, and posted a strong .264 xwOBA overhis past six.
New York Mets right-hander Justin Hagenmanrecorded a 4.44 xFIP and 1.93 HR/9 over three minor-league starts during his ramp-up. He will have a difficult time jumping on a moving train against a Rays team that puts a ton of pressure on opposing arms with elite contact skills.
The first two games of this series featured eight runs or fewer, and I see another low-scoring game in the cards today.
Despite their recent improvements, the Mets are 27th in OPS vs. righties this season. Jax has sliced and diced the eight Bottom-10 opponents he has faced, posting a sparkling 2.17 ERA.
The Rays rank 24th in barrel percentage and 28th in hard-hit rate against right-handed pitching over the last month. They’re not producing much power, making it difficult to string together huge innings.
Play to 57%.
Mets vs Rays home run prediction: Junior Caminero (23%)
Junior Caminero hits lefties and righties well, but he has produced more power vs. the latter, with a .262 ISO.
Hagenman relied primarily on cutters, sliders, and sinkers when pitching in the majors last season. Caminero has a strong track record facing those pitches, recording an ISO of .225 or higher against each of them.
He enters play riding a 15-game hitting streak and is clearly seeing the ball very well. I want to ride the hot hand.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 96-88, -11.76 units
Over/Under bets: 94-84-6, -2.02 units
Mets vs Rays weather
This game will be played indoors.
Mets vs Rays odds
Moneyline: Mets 41% | Rays 60%
Run line: Mets +1.5 (60%) | Rays -1.5 (42%)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (47%) | Under 8.5 (55%)
Mets vs Rays trend
Tampa Bay has hit the moneyline in 27 of their last 40 games (+8.75 units, 15% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Rays.
How to watch Mets vs Rays and game info
Location
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Date
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
SNY, Rays.TV
Mets starting pitcher
Justin Hagenman (2025: 0-1, 4.56 ERA)
Rays starting pitcher
Griffin Jax (6-9, 3.63 ERA)
Mets vs Rays latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
When the Atlanta Braves swept the Dodgers it resulted in them having the most wins against teams above .500 in MLB, but they have since lost two games to sub .500 teams. The lineup has been one of the main reasons why there has been this rollercoaster of losing games that the Braves should win.
On the season, only eight teams have scored more runs than the Braves, but since the All-Star break, only seven teams have scored fewer runs. The pitching has been keeping the Braves afloat, and that needs to change. The Nationals have one of the worst pitching staffs in MLB this season, so hopefully the offense can get the spark they need.
Over the past two weeks Michael Harris has been on fire with a 200 wRC+, with Sean Murphy not being far behind with a 181 and Drake Baldwin with a 126. Other than Ha-Seong Kim doing well in his very limited action of five games, everyone else has been struggling. To be fair, they did play the Dodgers for three of those games, but they also played the Rockies in that span as well.
Speaking of Kim, he does have a 135 wRC+ since he started getting some playing time, so the question of if he would get the start, especially after gong 3-3 last night, was definitely there. Players like Austin Riley could sure use a night off, so it would have made sense for Mauricio Dubón to fall back into his super utility role.
Brian Snitker was very predictable with his lineups. Walt Weiss is quite the opposite. He is obviously trying to shake things up to see what works, so it always makes it fascinating to wait and see what the lineup will be. Not many people had Mauricio Dubón ever hitting cleanup on their bingo card, for example.
Walt Weiss opted to let Dubón be the player to get some rest today. The other two decisions of note are that with Dubón resting it was a no brainer to put Kim back in the lineup after his solid performance last night, and Weiss also decided to play the hot hand and move Sean Murphy up to hitting sixth.
It looks odd at first having Albies hit cleanup against a righty, but he does own a .929 OPS against Lord, plus Lord is likely only an opener so the traditional making a lineup based on the SP is not as important.
The Nationals have scored the second most runs behind the Cubs this season. They have faded a little losing tow of their best bats to trades or injuries to scoring the eighth most since the trade deadline.
James Wood also returns to the lineup for the Nationals, giving them a huge boost.
Holmes needs to keep an eye out for Dylan Crews and James Wood. Both a HR against him in six at-bats, although their average is only .167. Daylen Lile has been his nemesis with two HRs off of him in only four at-bats.
The key today is to score early and score often to get to the bullpen and stave off an offense that has not slowed down much as the season has progessed.
It must have been my birthday yesterday, as I hit the double dinger and cashed +5.68 units. However, I'm not blinded by the lights. My eyes are set on the home run and the MLB player props board today, and I want more.
The Orioles might have the best chance at homers today vs. Tomoyuki Sugano at Coors Field, and Mickey Gasper's hot bat meets Bryce Miller's cold arm.
These are my favorite MLBhome run props for Wednesday, Sept. 2.
MLB home run props for today
For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Player to hit a HR
Chance
Gunnar Henderson
19%
Mickey Gasper
13%
Home run prediction: Gunnar Henderson (19%)
I want any piece of the middle of the Baltimore Orioles order at 3.8x or better against Tomoyuki Sugano, and that brings me to Gunnar Henderson. Sugano has the 15th-worst HR/9 in baseball this season, and his xERA is 1.72 points higher than his actual 5.23 ERA. He gets just 32% ground balls and has allowed five or more runs in three straight starts. He has been a home run target all season long.
Henderson might not be Baltimore's hottest bat, but at this price, I'll take a 22-HR hitter who ranks third in slugging over the last two weeks and costs nearly double Pete Alonso's price.
Coors Field is the second-best HR park today, per BallPark Pal. Winds are blowing out to left field, and 90-degree temperatures should help the ball fly. If Sugano doesn't get it done, the Rockies bullpen can, with its No. 26 xFIP and No. 28 xERA on the season.
Time: 3:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, MASN
Home run prediction: Mickey Gasper (13%)
This is the best bat over the last two weeks vs. a pitcher who was demoted to the bullpen, owns a 7.18 ERA since the break, and is starting because of injuries.
Mickey Gasper is slugging 1.077 over his last 11 games with five dingers over those last 14 days. His damage is coming vs. right-handed pitching, with 100% of his dingers coming vs. them. Since being called up, he is slashing .394/.565/1.121, which is ridiculous. Today's matchup should be circled for Mickey and all bettors.
Bryce Miller was demoted to the pen but didn't throw a pitch there because of other injuries. He threw a season-high 104 pitches in his last outing on August 23 and has given up a home run in all but one of his last 12 starts, with multi-HR games in 33% of those. Miller has been one of the worst starters in baseball per ERA in the second half of the season.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 21: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Adam Serwinowski (73) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox in a Spring Breakout Game on March 21, 2026, at Camelback Ranch at Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tightly contested games across the board, including disappointing defensive efforts from both the Loons and Tower Buzzers, stood out on the first day of September.
Player of the day
It’s not every day you see a pitcher covering eight innings in the minor leagues; it’s not every day you see that anywhere, and Adam Serwinowski accomplished that feat in a close win for Tulsa at home over Wichita, helping this dominant Drillers team to go 31 games over .500 and secure their most wins ever (79).
Shortly after setting a career high in innings pitched as a professional, Serwinowski momentarily put behind what has been a disappointing campaign with an ERA north of 5.00 to toss an outstanding start. Serwinowski allowed just two runs in eight innings, dominating in a game in which the Drillers needed no less than that, narrowly beating out the Wind Surge.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Neither starting pitcher was on his game, with Christian Romero and David Davalillo both allowing four runs, but the Comets’ bullpen was as dominant as you’d want by covering 5.2 frames and conceding just a single hit in a 7-4 win. Involved in that great effort from the bullpen, Kris Bubic impressed in his first appearance on a rehab assignment, punching out two.
Matt Gorski and Ryan Fitzgerald hit solo shots in the second and ninth, respectively, but what really made the day for the Comets was a five-run fifth with contributions from all over the order—it included a Fitzgerald then game-tying two-run double, while the go-ahead hit came from Hyeseong Kim, also an RBI double.
Much like Eric Lauer in the majors, Adam Seriwnowski also allowed a pair of solo shots, but the similarities in these two outings end there, as Seriwnowski otherwise dominated the Wind Surge across eight two-run innings. Serwinowski had been more dominant in a pair of seven-inning outings, but by length, this was his best performance. Serwinowski allowed the Drillers to come from behind and win this game while recording only four hits to score their three runs.
Offensively, Logan Wagner was the big factor for Tulsa, first putting them on the scoreboard with a solo shot in the second and then securing the go-ahead RBI single in the sixth.
Responsible for scoring one of Tulsa’s runs, Kole Wagner didn’t record a hit but caused a lot of problems by drawing three walks in the game.
High-A Great Lakes
When you commit as many errors as you score runs, the chances of winning are rather slim, as it was on display in a Loons 4-3 loss against the Captains. Mairo Martinus, who has had such a nice start to his Great Lakes career, encountered some problems on the field, committing two of those three errors, and in the end, the only earned run allowed by the Loons staff came against the losing pitcher of record, Robby Porco.
Ninth-hole hitter Victor Rodriguez, who came into this game with one home run this season in over 250 at-bats, was responsible for two of the Loons’ three runs, hitting a two-run bomb in the seventh. For a brief moment, that gave the Loons the lead before handing it right back by allowing runs in the seventh and ninth.
Class-A Ontario
Much like the Loons, the Tower Buzzers also didn’t play clean defense and surrendered a late lead en route to a loss, beaten 8 to 6 by the Quakes, who scored all of their runs from the sixth inning onwards. This bullpen collapse, which included three separate blown saves from Camden Wimbish, Accibias Morales, and Devin Bell, meant that Jack O’Connor left his start empty-handed despite tossing five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.
Relying almost exclusively on the long ball to make something happen, the Tower Buzzers scored four of their six runs via homers, including a Caleb Johnson two-run bomb and solo shots from Joendry Vargas and Jose Gonzalez. Meanwhile, Bryan Gonzalez Garcia and Easton Shelton struggled heavily, with 3 strikeouts each.
Transactions
Outfielders Kyeler Thompson and Jose Gonzalez were assigned to Ontario. The Comets were assigned Alek Thomas as Alex Freeland received a call-up to the bigs, and lastly, Kris Bubic began a rehab assignment with the Comets.
Tuesday’s scores
Round Rock 4, Oklahoma City 7
Tulsa 3, Wichita 2
Lake County 4, Great Lakes 3
Ontario 6, Rancho Cucamonga 8
Wednesday’s schedule
10:05 a.m. PT: Tulsa (Wyatt Crowell) vs. Wichita (Chris Vallimont)
3:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Will Gagnon) at Lake County (Joey Oakie)
4:45 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Round Rock (Winston Santos)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Rancho Cucamonga (Trey Gregory-Alford)
The Boston Red Sox (75-64) wrap up their series against the Seattle Mariners (65-74) this afternoon at Fenway Park. Seattle knotted the series at a game apiece with a 9-6 win last night. The Mariners jumped on Jedixson Paez early scoring once in the first on a Dominic Canzone blast and five times in the second including Randy Arozarena’s 22nd home run of the seasonand the Sox never truly recovered. Lazaro Montes made a splash in his big league debut with a couple hits including his first home run to add to the party for Seattle. Boston attempted a comeback late, but it was snuffed out in time to preserve the win for Seattle. The win snapped the Mariners’ five-game losing streak and pulled them to within five game of the first-place Astros in the AL West.
Boston is sending left-hander Patrick Sandoval (1-3, 4.20 ERA) to the bump today. In his most recent start against the Yankees on August 28, Sandoval turned in one of his better outings of the year. He worked 5.1 innings, allowing just one earned run on three hits. Boston lost that game 1-0 and have now lost three of Sandoval’s last four starts. Seattle counters with Bryce Miller (4-8, 4.12 ERA). The righthander’s most recent start came against the Cubs on August 23. He lasted just 4.1 innings and allowed six earned runs. For those who are history fans, Millerfaced the Red Sox on June 19 and allowed one run on just three hits over five innings.
Bottom line: The Red Sox pitching staff needs to be better. The Sox have allowed 42 runs over the last FOUR games. Sure, their spot in the playoffs is all but locked up but to make a run in October they need more from their hurlers. Meanwhile, Seattle can wait no longer to push for the playoffs. They are five back in the West and 5.5 back in the Wild Card with 23 games to play. Their schedule is favorable, but the clock is ticking.
Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Mariners vs. Red Sox
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Time: 4:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Mariners.TV, NESN
Peacock offers one of the most comprehensive live sports streaming lineups available today, bringing together the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Premier League, NCAA football, NCAA basketball, golf, motorsports, and major global sporting events in a single service.
The Latest Odds: Mariners vs. Red Sox
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Seattle Mariners (+114), Boston Red Sox (-137)
Probable Starting Pitchers – Mariners vs. Red Sox for September 2
Red Sox: Patrick Sandoval Season Totals: 45.0 IP, 1-3, 4.20 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 48K, 22 BB
Mariners: Bryce Miller Season Totals: 94.0 IP, 4-8, 4.12 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 92K, 25 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Mariners vs. Red Sox
Jarren Duran is 2-11 (.182) in his career against Bryce Miller
Bryce Miller faced the Sox on 6/19 allowing 1 run on 3 hits over 5 innings
Bryce Miller has struck out 5+ hitters in 3 of his last 4 starts
Julio Rodriguez is 4-11 including 2 HRs in his career against Patrick Sandoval
Randy Arozarena and Josh Naylor have also homered against Sandoval in their respective careers
Cal Raleigh has 8 RBIs in his last 8GP
Mickey Gasper has homered in his last 2GP and is 3-9 over his last 3GP
Trevor Story is 6-12 in 3GP since returning from the disabled list
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Mariners vs. Red Sox
The Mariners are 53-86 on the Run Line this season
The Red Sox are 67-72 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 71 times in Seattle’s 139 games this season (71-61-7)
The OVER has cashed 66 times in Boston’s 139 games this season (66-69-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Mariners vs. Red Sox for September 2
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Mariners and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Red Sox on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 8.5
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
After winning seven straight games, to include sweeping the Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves have lost two games in a row to subpar opponents. With the Phillies on their tale, the Braves need to win games that they are supposed to win to keep the lead, and the game today against the Nationals is one of those games.
Grant Holmes will be taking the mound to face the Nationals for the third time this season. In his first outing in late May he pitched 5.0 innings and surrendered two earned runs on six hits and recorded a season high ten strikeouts on two walks. His second outing, which took place at the end of July, went 4.2 innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits to include three HRs. He only had four strikeouts in that game.
Holmes should be watching out for Jorbit Vivas and Dylan Crews who both have a HR against him in six at-bats. Daylen Lile has two HRs in four at-bats, so it will be interesting if this because a nemesis scenario as time goes on.
For the season, Holmes has been a reliable arm for the Braves having amassed 128.2 innings of 3.71 ERA ball. If he could get to 6.0 innings today, the bullpen would sure appreciate it.
Brad Lord will be pitching for the Nationals and the players on the Braves roster have mixed against him. Ozzie Albies has a .929 OPS in nine at-bats, Ronald Acuña has a HR and 1.125 OPS in eight at-bats, Drake Baldwin has a .777 OPS in nine at-bats, and Michael Harris has a HR and 1.000 OPS in nine at-bats. However, Matt Olson leads the team with eleven at-bats against him but only has a .182 OPS. Yes, OPS, not batting average, and no other player with at least four at-bats against Lord has an OPS above .600.
Lord has arguably been one of the bright spots for the Nationals pitching this season with an ERA of 3.75 in 69.2 innings. His underlying metrics show that he has been a bit on the fortunate side with a low strikeout rate of 21.5 percent, a high walk rate of 9.4 percent, and an expected ERA (xERA) of 4.12.
Lord has already faced the Braves twice this season. His first outing was in April where he pitched 2.2 innings in relief. He gave up a run on two hits. His second outing was in late May where he came in on long relief where he pitched 3.0 innings and struck out three and gave up zero runs.
Of his thirty-three appearances, only four have been starts, and they have all been in the opener capacity, so the odds heavily favor that happening again today.
Even with injuries it was very apparent last night that the Nationals are still a formidable force on offense. The Braves need to get to Lord early and force him to stay as an opener style performance to get to the weak Nationals bullpen.
This is clearly not a “must win” game, but the Braves really need to win this one with the Phillies being one of the hottest teams in MLB right now playing against a struggling Diamondbacks squad.
The Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox wrap up a three-game set at Fenway Park with the first pitch of the rubber match set for 4:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
While it’s been a high-scoring series through the first two games, my top Mariners vs. Red Sox predictions and MLB picks call for Boston to cash in as a home favorite while Seattle struggles at the dish.
Who will win Mariners vs Red Sox today: Red Sox moneyline (56.5%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
The Seattle Mariners rank 29th in xwOBA with just 3.6 runs per game over the past 30 days, and starter Bryce Miller’s underlying numbers skyrocket away from pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park.
So, with the Boston Red Sox ranking second in wOBA, fourth in ISO and seventh in xwOBA while averaging 5.4 runs per game over the past 30 days, I’m happy to back them to 57.4% this afternoon.
COVERS INTEL: The Red Sox rank second in bullpen xERA and third in xFIP while pitching the third-most innings in the second half.
Mariners vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (51.2%)
While there’s no sugarcoating Boston starter Patrick Sandoval’s 5.32 xERA and 4.59 xFIP across his past seven starts, he’s still allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of those outings.
Additionally, I’m anticipating statistical correction to his .356 BABIP, the ninth-highest mark among all starters with at least 30 innings pitched during the stretch.
Mariners vs Red Sox home run prediction: Wilyer Abreu (16.9%)
Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu has a single homer across his past 16 games, and he's a ripe candidate to kick the skid tonight. Abreu has posted a high-end .213 ISO against right-handed pitchers, and Miller has a .236 ISO vs. left-handed hitters on the road.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 48-21, +29.38 units
Over/Under bets: 22-19, +1.74 units
Mariners vs Red Sox weather
The weather forecast calls for comfortable temperatures hovering around 72 degrees with a crosswind in the 11-mph range. The elements will have little impact at Fenway Park this afternoon.
Mariners vs Red Sox odds
Moneyline: Mariners 46.5% | Red Sox 57.4%
Run line: Mariners +1.5 (63%) | Red Sox -1.5 (40.8%)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (52.4%) | Under 8.5 (52.4%)
Mariners vs Red Sox trend
The Boston Red Sox have won 34 of their last 50 games (+12.85 Units / 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Red Sox.
How to watch Mariners vs Red Sox and game info
Location
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Date
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Mariners.TV, NESN
Mariners starting pitcher
Bryce Miller (4-8, 4.12 ERA)
Red Sox starting pitcher
Patrick Sandoval (1-3, 4.20 ERA)
Mariners vs Red Sox latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Jun 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Balitimore Orioles right fielder Heston Kjerstad (13) takes a swing during an at-bat against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Orioles have not overwhelmed teams with their offensive firepower, but the team keeps finding ways to win games. Pete Alonso has generated some AL MVP chatter, and Coby Mayo looks like Barry Bonds against lefties, but the majority of the lineup has provided inconsistent production this season.
So how does a team filled with streaky hitters maximize its chances to win games? It turns to the hot hand at the right time.
The Orioles entered last night’s game in Colorado leading all of baseball with 34 RBIs by pinch hitters. Craig Albernaz, along with the big brains in the front office, have routinely put the right player into the right position at the right time. Guys like Leody Taveras, Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers and Tyler O’Neill do not boast above average stat lines, but they have all made the most of their opportunities when grabbing a bat late in games.
The late-inning magic led to Baltimore beat writer Jake Rill proclaiming that a pinch-hitting resurgence was fueling Baltimore’s playoff push. The story featured quotes from Albernaz discussing the mindset of players on the bench. He pointed out the work that players do to stay ready and shared that the team educates hitters on which pitchers they could face in late-game situations.
Rill’s story ran before O’Neill hit the injured list with a rotator cuff strain, but pinch-hitting remains a significant part of Baltimore’s strategy. In fact, Albernaz just picked up two more options to break a game open late.
The Orioles claimed former All Star Luis Robert Jr. to help out down the stretch. Robert Jr. fills a need as a right-handed outfielder with some pop at the dish. Robert Jr. can play all three outfield positions. He’s healthy, and he posted a 128 wRC+ over 75 at bats in August.
Baltimore doesn’t need Robert Jr. to match his 130 OPS+ from 2023, but they committed $5 million because they believe he can make an impact in September. He’s a career .285/.359/.497 hitter against lefties, and he represents a clear offensive improvement over recently acquired rookie Christian Franklin. The Orioles placed Franklin on the 10-day injured list when they activated Robert Jr.
Cowser was the top story in baseball yesterday after his walk-off robbery, but he entered last night’s game slashing .159/.255/.227 against southpaws. The Orioles have turned to Taveras against lefties, but his .203/.274/.244 falls well below Robert Jr. In a way, the move addressed one of Baltimore’s greatest weaknesses on the offensive side of the ball
But Robert Jr. wasn’t the only heavy hitter to join the club yesterday. The Orioles also recalled Heston Kjerstad to serve as a power bat off the bench. The Arkansas product may receive an occasional start in the corner outfield, but he won’t be used as a defensive replacement anytime soon. Baltimore added the former first-round pick to make an impact at the dish. And now, with Pete Alonso in need of extra at bats as the DH, Kjerstad could be limited to pinch-hit opportunities late in games.
With rosters expanding to 28, the Orioles continue to carry three catchers. Carlos Narváez has yet to inspire much confidence at the plate, so look for Baltimore to deploy the bench bats if/when Narváez finds himself in a late-inning situation. Christian Encarnacion Strand remains an intriguing option to deliver a clutch hit, and Basallo could grab a bat on days that Narváez gets the start.
Despite Baltimore’s success, pinch hitting is not the easiest task. It’s difficult for players to remain engaged and not overthink during their only opportunity of the evening. Robert Jr. is a veteran that has played in two big cities, but Kjerstad has less than 300 plate appearances under his belt. The 27-year-old has faced plenty of adversity during his time in professional baseball, and he must feel some extra pressure to perform now that he’s back in the big leagues.
The coaching staff will do its best to keep Kjerstad in the right frame of mind. At a minimum, it pays to have options at this point in the season. Albernaz has made a habit of maximizing his options in the second half, and the Orioles will need to keep riding the hot hand if they hope to make the playoffs.
Sep 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It got a little weird at times, but the Yankees had control for the vast majority of last night’s game in Anaheim, a welcome return to normalcy after an ugly 10-1 blowout loss on Monday. Homers by Spencer Jones and Jazz Chisholm Jr. got them off on the right foot, and while stranded baserunners and a shaky sixth from Gerrit Cole allowed the Angels to stay in the ballgame, the Bombers pulled away late with some key insurance runs. They thus regained the game they lost on Boston yesterday (they’re now four games ahead of the Red Sox), and remained 4.5 back of Tampa Bay.
Here’s what else was going on around the American League on Tuesday night.
Tampa Bay Rays (83-55) 6, New York Mets (62-77) 2
The Mets might have scored a surprising victory at the Trop on Monday, but for those who have been exposed to more than their fair share of the Mets over the years, the Tuesday night showdown against old friend Freddy Peralta went exactly as expected. The one-time Brewers ace was traded from Queens a month ago when that experiment went sour, and given the opportunity, he of course spun six innings of three-hit ball while fanning seven, getting burned on a Francisco Lindor leadoff homer but really nothing else.
Meanwhile, the Rays got to Sean Manaea via the ol’ “death by a thousand paper cuts” approach. They sprayed 11 hits on him in 5.2 innings, getting their first couple runs on RBI knocks from Junior Caminero and Ryan Vilade before breaking it open a bit with three in the sixth. Nick Fortes doubled down the left-field line to plate Chandler Simpson, Fortes scored on a sacrifice fly, and Yandy Díaz swatted a 396-foot homer to make it a 5-1 game.
Despite the deficit, the Mets did have a chance to get back into this game. Garrett Cleavinger walked the bases loaded with one out in the seventh, bringing Mark Vientos to the plate as the tying run. Kevin Cash called upon Tyler Wells, who got Vientos to foul out before walking Lindor to bring home one of the runners. The moment was there for Juan Soto … and he popped up.
Alas. The Mets never got another man on base, the Rays tacked on an insurance run, and that was that.
Other Games
Boston Red Sox (75-64) 6, Seattle Mariners (65-74) 9: Amid an 8-15 tailspin that may have finally put the nail in the coffin for their 2026 season, the Mariners began September on a better note. They’re gonna need more than a few Hail Marys to save themselves, but they at least had the decency to snap their skid against Boston rather than waiting until they left town. The M’s treated September call-up Jedixson Paez like a minor leaguer in his Red Sox debut, blasting him for eight runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings, with Dominic Canzone and the red-hot Randy Arozarena both going yard. Paez’s fellow rookie Lazaro Montes broke into the bigs in style with an RBI single off Paez in the third for his first career hit; he later took Wyatt Olds deep to check off his first career homer as well.
Bryan Woo tossed six solid innings with one earned run allowed, but because the 2026 Mariners are the 2026 Mariners, not even wins with nine runs scored come easy. Seattle led 9-1 entering the sixth, when Boston plated an unearned run with the help of an error by third baseman Brock Rodden. Eli White hit a two-run double a couple innings later and Yankees legend Jahmai Jones clobbered a two-run shot to make it a 9-6 ballgame in the ninth. So Seattle brought in Andrés Muñoz to slam the door, and he did the job for the final two outs.
Chicago White Sox (73-65) 5, Houston Astros (70-69) 1: The White Sox held serve on their three-game lead over the Guardians in AL Central by punching back after the Astros took the Monday opener. Ronel Blanco was effective in four scoreless innings for Houston, but 88 pitches forced him from the game early. The door was open for the Pale Hose to do damage against Kai-Wei Teng and Tatsuya Imai, and they obliged, with both Colson Montgomery and Randal Grichuk delivering two-run doubles. Sean Burke delivered 5.1 innings of one-hit shutout ball to lead the way for the White Sox on the mound.
AL Wild Card Rock Fight
Texas Rangers (69-70) 8, The Athletics (53-86) 5: Houston’s loss allowed the under-.500 Rangers to trim the Astros’ AL West lead back down to one game. Texas has been fortunate to draw the hapless A’s this week at home, and they’ve done what they’ve needed to do. The 8-5 final score belies the fact that Texas led this 8-1 through six thanks in great part in a 4-for-5, five-RBI night from Brandon Nimmo, and three of the A’s runs were scored off former Nationals righty Trevor Williams, who was only signed that day.
Baltimore Orioles (69-70) 2, Colorado Rockies (52-86) 4: It took the O’s just over four months to finally get back to .500 on Monday night with a miraculous catch by Colton Cowser to clinch it. Now they’re right back under after stumbling at Coors. A Jackson Holliday homer in his dad’s old stomping grounds tied it up at 2-2 in the seventh, but Baby Bomber alum T.J. Rumfield struck the decisive blow on a two-run homer after the stretch. The O’s had been just a half-game behind Cleveland for the Wild Card, but now they’re a game and a half back.
Cleveland Guardians (70-68) 6, Toronto Blue Jays (68-71) 1: The Jays entered a three-game set in Cleveland hoping to cut into the Guardians’ lead for the last Wild Card spot and instead took a step back (to 2.5 games behind). Gavin Williams dominated the opener, fanning 13 and allowing just two hits and an unearned run across seven brilliant innings. Patrick Bailey, Angel Genao, and Angel Martínez each hit two-run homers for the Guardians as they turned a 1-0 deficit in the fifth into a 6-1 final.
COVERS INTEL:
Gunnar Henderson
Mickey Gasper
