Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds preview, Friday 9/18, 5:40 CT

Today’s roster move: Here

Friday notes…

  • ROAD WARRIORS: Two wins this weekend will give the Cubs 42 for the season on the road, matching their total of last year, when they finished 42-39. They are 40-35 this year. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • MORE ON ROAD GAMES: This year vs. last year: First games of road trips: 7-5, 4-8. First games of series on road: 12-12, 9-17. First games on road after winning last game of previous series: 8-4, 4-10. Night games on the road: 30-19, 28-27. Road games on Friday: 7-5, 4-9 (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • RUN WATCH: The Cubs’ 817 runs scored are their most through 153 games in 91 years. They scored 846 in 1935, which is their third most since 1901, behind 965 in 1930 and 973 in 1929. The Cubs played 156 games in 1929 and 1930, finishing with 982 and a team-record 998 runs, respectively. They tallied 855 in 161 games in 2008 and 847 in 154 games in 1935. At their current rate of 5.34 per game, the Cubs will finish this year with 865, third most by 10 over 2008. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • WALK WATCH: The Cubs have 643 walks through 153 games. With nine games remaining, they need 14 more walks to break the franchise record of 656, which was set in 2016.

Cubs lineup:

Reds lineup:

Clay Holmes, RHP vs. Chase Burns, RHP

With one exception — a meltdown against the Marlins — Clay Holmes has been outstanding for the Cubs. He very well could be the Game 1 starter in a Wild Card series.

First things first, Holmes has not faced the Reds since July 19, 2025 in Citi Field, where they scored five runs (four earned) off him in 5.1 innings. Hopefully tonight will be better.

Current Reds are a small sample size 4-for-25 against him with five strikeouts.

Chase Burns is not only the Reds’ best starter, he’s been one of the best in the league this year, currently with a 2.80 ERA, 1.150 WHIP and 4.9 bWAR.

He held the Cubs to three runs (two earned) in 5.2 innings Aug. 30 at Wrigley Field. Pete Crow-Armstrong homered off him.

Burns has been held to three innings in each of his last two starts and the expectation tonight is that he’ll do the same, no more than about 50-55 pitches.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Great American Ball Park.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Reds market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

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Mets recall Ronny Mauricio, place Jared Young on 7-day concussion IL

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 17: Jared Young #29 of the New York Mets is carried off the field on a stretcher after a collision at first base with teammate Nolan McLean during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on September 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Mets have placed Jared Young on the seven-day concussion IL and have called up Ronny Mauricio to take his place on the roster. Unsurprisingly, Young’s 2026 season is over following a scary collision in which he took Nolan McLean’s knee at full force to the head while both players tried to field a ground out in Thursday’s loss.

Andy Green confirmed the news on Young but expressed optimism at his prognosis, saying Young is doing “as good as expected or could be hoped for.” The really great news is that Young has full motion of his arms and legs and is able to walk, according to Green, which seems to indicate that he has avoided a worst-case scenario. Green added that they got the “right kind of results” from the tests that they ran on Young, and that his sense of humor remains in tact, though he appears to be suffering from some short-term memory loss and bad headaches. The team will run more tests to “understand all that he is dealing with” and Green noted that there is optimism “from a recovery standpoint and a getting back on the field at some point standpoint”. He expressed relief at the prognosis.

Young enjoyed a really terrific campaign for the Mets and lamented the fact that he would not be able to finish strong to Green. The first baseman posted career-best numbers across the board, hitting nine home runs, driving in 39, and scoring 46 runs while slashing .266/.330/.429 with a 111 wRC+ with 1.7 bWAR in 103 games. The 31-year-old has positioned himself to be in the conversation for first base heading into the 2027 campaign, and hopefully for Young, the injury recovery will not derail that journey, as he finally seemed to find a good situation that allowed him to thrive and gave him space to contribute.

Mauricio will get the final week-and-a-half of the season to showcase his talents and try to fight for a spot on next year’s team. Mauricio has struggled at the major league level, posting -0.5 bWAR in just 17 games played. He’s hitting .180/.180/.26o with one home run in 50 plate appearances.

San Jose Sharks Sign Ryan Warsofsky to a Multi-Year Extension

The San Jose Sharks kicked off their 2026 Training Camp on Thursday, and didn't wait long to make a major announcement. Yesterday afternoon, the Sharks announced that they have signed head coach Ryan Warsofsky to a multi-year contract extension, but didn't elaborate any further.

Warsofsky was heading into the final season of his current contract and his status has been a major topic of debate on social media over the summer. Now, the Sharks have committed their future to the 38-year-old bench boss. Of course, as we saw with the Edmonton Oilers, there's little job security for an NHL head coach as they relieved Kris Knoblauch of his duties before his new contract even started. While the Sharks made it clear they think Warsofsky is their guy, results will be as important as ever moving forward.

Through 164 games as an NHL head coach, Warsofsky has a record of 59-85-20 for 138 points of a possible 328. 

Blackhawks Practice: Top Power Play Unit Exactly What You’d Expect With Connor Bedard Out

The Chicago Blackhawks were on the ice for day two of training camp on Friday. They continued to keep the NHL group separated from the non-NHL group.

They are also starting to get some strategies in order ahead of their first preseason game, which will come on Saturday night when they take on the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. 

One of those things that they worked on was the power play. Chicago struggled in this department in 2025-26, but they added a handful of players who will be able to help them with the man advantage. 

The first unit to get reps was the exact unit that you'd expect to see, knowing that Connor Bedard can't be a part of it due to his continued recovery from shoulder surgery. 

Tyler Bertuzzi 

Patrick Kane - Roman Kantserov - Anton Frondell

Bowen Byram

A few weeks ago, the Blackhawks started to hint at the idea of Kantserov getting some time at center. Well, he hasn't played the position yet at even strength in practice, but he is getting chances there on this top power-play unit. 

Tyler Bertyzzi is the net-front man, as he was elite at it last year; Bowen Byram is operating the point, and Patrick Kane and Anton Frondell are working the half-walls. Kane is a lot more creative with the puck when he has the time and space, but Frondell has a wicked one-time blast that he can bring from the dot. 

When Bedard comes back, either Roman Kantserov or Anton Frondell will come off and move to the second unit, which will likely feature guys like Nick Lardis, Frank Nazar, Ryan Donato, and Teuvo Teravainen, amongst others. The depth that this team is capable of having on the power play should give their overall percentage a boost. 

Although the new additions up front (Kane and Kantserov) are nice, it is Bowen Byram who will make the biggest difference. A puck-moving defenseman with his skills should open things up for every other player on the ice in that man-advantage situation. This is also his first opportunity to quarterback a number one unit in the NHL regularly, so there is motivation there.

The non-NHL group will travel to Minnesota, so this unit will have to wait to get some game action, but expect to see them at the United Center on Monday.

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The Washington Nationals make Cade Cavalli’s extension official

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 24: Cade Cavalli #24 of the Washington Nationals waits in the dugout for the start of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park on July 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After reports emerged last night that the Nats were closing in on an extension with Cade Cavalli, the team made it official this afternoon. The 28 year old right hander is signing a 4-year contract that includes a club option for a 5th year. Those first four years will cost $47 million and the team option is for $23 million.

This is not some super long term deal, but given Cavalli’s age and team control that makes sense. After this season, Cavalli had three more years of club control. That means that the Nats will be buying out at least one free agent year with a chance to buy out a second.

With that context, a five year deal always felt like the sweet spot. That is pretty much what this contract is. If the club option is picked up, it will be a 5 year $70 million deal. That is actually $10 million less than what I predicted this morning. 

That feels like a great length and takes Cavalli right through his prime years. By the end of the fifth season, Cavalli will be 33 years old. This deal means that Cade Cavalli will spend his prime years in DC. That should be music to Nationals fans ears.

In their announcement of the deal, both Paul Toboni and Mark Lerner were quoted. They spoke of Cavalli’s resilience and character, as well as his baseball ability. That resilience was really tested in Cavalli’s journey. As we know, his Tommy John recovery was less than smooth. About 18 months ago, this day felt very unlikely, but here we are.

This contract has been well earned and feels like a great deal for both sides. For the team, they lock up their ace for four to five years. Meanwhile, Cavalli gets long term security after his career looked to be in jeopardy only a couple years ago.

If Cavalli continues to pitch like he has this year, the deal will be a bargain. On the season, Cavalli has a 3.12 ERA with 194 strikeouts in 164.2 innings. The newly extended Cavalli will have a chance to get his 200th strikeout tonight against the Cardinals.

This is a massive day for both Cavalli and the Nats. It is a statement that the Nats are actively looking to keep core pieces in the building long term. You can question whether the deal should have been longer, but it is done and Cavalli will be a National for the foreseeable future.

Tonight will be a celebration of Cade Cavalli and his new contract. Hopefully he can continue to do what he has been doing all season and deliver another quality start. This is a big win for the Nats and hopefully this is the first of many extensions.

Texas Rangers lineup for September 18, 2026

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 12: Starting pitcher Kumar Rocker #80 of the Texas Rangers walks to the dugout during the second inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 12, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Texas Rangers lineup for September 18, 2026 against the Toronto Blue Jays: starting pitchers are Kumar Rocker for the Rangers and Dylan Cease for the Jays.

Its the beginning of a three game set at home against the team that is currently tied with the Rangers in the Wild Card race. Exciting September baseball is on tap.

The lineup:

Duran — 3B

Seager — SS

Jung — DH

Nimmo — RF

Langford — LF

Burger — 1B

Lopez — 2B

Diaz — C

Carter — CF

7:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +115 underdogs.

Mets' Jared Young doing 'as good as expected' after scary head injury

The Mets placed first baseman Jared Young on the injured list with a concussion and called-up Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse, but the news was positive after Young's scary injury in Thursday's game.

Interim manager Andy Green said Young is doing "as good as expected or we could have hoped for," ahead of Friday's game with the Philadelphia Phillies.

"All the tests that were ran, he got the right kind of results," Green said. "He has got his sense of humor in tact, I've texted back and forth with him quite a bit today, he also lamented not being able to finish the season on the active roster and continue playing; he was gonna finish strong.

"Mostly, he is doing pretty well."

It was a ghastly sight when Young's head slammed into the knee of pitcher Nolan McLean and the first baseman laying motionless on the ground. He would be taken off the field on a stretcher. 

The Mets announced Young had feeling in his extremities and was being taken to the hospital for further evaluation. He flashed a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was exiting the field on a cart.

Young was discharged from the hospital sometime in the early hours of Friday morning and able to go home. He has "full motion of his arms and legs," and is dealing with a concussion, the manager said on Friday, adding he is experiencing some "short-term memory loss" and a "pretty bad headache."

"More tests over the next few days to really understand all that he is dealing with," the skipper added. "But everything we have heard has been really optimistic from a recovery standpoint, from getting back on the field eventually standpoint.

"Relieved, I think everybody is. His family, all in all, about as good as we could hope for."

Young, 31, was having a breakout year for the club. In 103 games, he has tallied 29 extra-base hits (nine home runs) with a .266/.330/.429 slash line for a .759 OPS (112 OPS+ and 111 wRC+). Before the 2026 season, Young had played just 44 big-league games for the Mets and Cubs since his MLB debut in 2022.

The Mets plan to use Mark Vientos and Brett Baty at first base for the remainder of the season. Christopher Morel could also see time at first, Green added. 

Mauricio, 25, has played 17 games this year for the Mets, with nine hits in 50 at-bats (.180) for a .440 OPS. In 71 games with Syracuse, he has 18 home runs and 57 RBI while batting .261 with a .795 OPS. 

Since making his big league debut in 2023, Mauricio has posted a .226/.278/.345 slash line for a .623 OPS in 104 games. A natural shortstop, he has also spent time at second base and third base.

Matisse Thybulle fills a desperate defensive need

DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 6: Matisse Thybulle #4 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on April 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After the Lakers’ four presumed starters, all other spots in the rotation are up for grabs as training camp begins. A summer defined by change and considerable turnover moved in a hopeful direction toward more defense with some key acquisitions.

​Veteran Marcus Smart walked to Houston in free agency, leaving behind a clear position of need. Enter Matisse Thybulle, who on arrival instantly becomes the highest-pedigree perimeter defender on the roster. Health permitting, he brings elite disruption ability with an improved outside shot for much-needed two-way play around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

​Thybulle entered just 30 games last season for the Trail Blazers and 15 the season before that. That’s why he was available to LA to sign on a minimum contract. While still just 29 years old, he’s a player LA will need to manage throughout the regular season.

​When he’s on the floor, he’s no short of a defensive monster. The 6’5” wing boasts a 7’1” wingspan to terrorize offensive players. He made Second Team All-Defense in 2021 and 2022 as a Philadelphia 76er.

​One of the league’s most chaos-inducing defensive playmakers. His excellent hands help obstruct diverse offensive actions. Watch below as he defends the guard-to-guard screen against superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The screener slips the screen to counter the switch. Thybulle not only reads it, but also times it to put his hand out, deflect the pass and catch the turnover.

He can also prey on unsuspecting offensive players. Watch below as Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to take advantage in the post near the baseline. Thybulle quickly rushes over to swarm and his cat-like swipe pokes the ball out of his hands before he can begin his attack.  

For players averaging under 20 minutes per game, Thybulle led the league with 3.9 deflections per game. Alex Caruso came in second with 3.1. He also led the Blazers’ talented perimeter defensive personnel with two steals per night.

​Throughout his career, Thybulle has been a thorn in the side of the league’s top ball-handling playmakers. In his limited games, Portland matched him up on all types of stars and he held his own. Whether it’s against isolation or ball screen actions, his wingspan and textbook technique give him the tools to be an elite on-ball defender.

​In the clip below, he’s matched up with Jaylen Brown. He chases him around the screen, negating any first-step advantage. While attached to the hip, he contests with his right hand and blocks the shot, forcing a jump ball.

In the next clip, he does the same to Jamal Murray coming off a dribble handoff action. Thybulle goes under the screen, beats Murray to the spot, and gets the block.

Thybulle gave up just 0.54 points per possession when defending pick-and-roll ball handlers, putting him in the 100th percentile league-wide. He has a knack for getting timely blocks on contests from behind when players think they’ve created separation.

Portland had a 113.5 defensive rating, good for 12th in the league last year. It shifted to an elite 99.8 when Thybulle was on the floor, where he led the team in overall net rating at a +9.

​Not only the numbers, but his reputation and resume have Thybulle as one of the best defenders on the roster, if not at the top behind big-man addition Walker Kessler. The offense is where he, like many others vying for minutes, will need to be serviceable to earn ample playing time.

​He will not be asked to do anything outside of his comfort zone. Playmaking and shot creation are accounted for, allowing him to do what he does best. He shot 38.8% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season, including 44% on wide-open attempts.

​Thybulle should get more of those attempts than he could dream of on this roster. Defensive schemes haven’t caught up to or respected the percentages, and he will likely still be the guy teams leave wide open when given the choice.

​He has limited offensive versatility, as 69% of his shot attempts came from behind the arc. He drives less than three times per game and doesn’t get to the line often.

​Even with those offensive limitations, the Lakers desperately need a player with his skill set and playoff experience. With the offensive load Luka and Reaves will carry, finding defensive talent to pair around them was crucial this summer. Thybulle slides in as an elite option…if he can stay relatively healthy.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu.

Yankees Mailbag: Lining up for the postseason

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees prepares to pitch during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

IndyAnaJones asks:If the Yankees lose the division, at whose feet might you lay the blame, without resorting to excuses such as… injuries, or lack of options at the trade deadline, or too high prices for options that were available at the trade deadline, or even further back, last offseason?

The Rays have just been the better team in the regular season, is what it boils down to if you want to wave all of those other reasons off as just “excuses.” Frankly, with the team losing Aaron Judge after May and not getting him back until just recently, I’m amazed that they’ve held firmly onto the top Wild Card spot and have even been in a position to challenge for the division. But the team did punt away a handful of games over the summer due to their struggling offense and the Rays simply haven’t gone on as terrible a stretch, syncing up with the Yankees’ latest hot streak to prevent them from gaining any ground. If there’s any culprit to pin the blame on, collectively its the lineup as a whole — but sometimes you have to tip your cap and say that another team’s success is just legitimate this season, and at this point I’m not going to diminish the fact that the Rays are a contender that pulled ahead. It’s on the Yankees now to run the gauntlet that they couldn’t last year and beat them when it matters most, assuming that the standings don’t dramatically flip from their upcoming showdown in the Bronx.

golfhog54 asks:In lining up the pitching for the post season, against Boston, it’s probably Schlittler, Fried, and Cole. How does the Tampa Bay series line up after that?

I agree that it will probably be Schlittler, Fried, and Cole should the Wild Card Round go to a third game, but worries have certainly crept in about Cole’s spot there. The ace is in need of a get-right game after his last two outings have seen seven long balls launched over the last 11.1 innings he’s pitched, and if that carries over into a third consecutive start that officially becomes a capital-c Concern. Cole’s one of the best pitchers in the sport still when he’s right, but the home run derbies he can spawn from time to time are his biggest weakness and an elimination game is the worst possible timing to throw a pitcher like that out there. Cole has insisted that it’s a visibility issue with his pitching that he can tweak rather than an injury concern, but time is of the essence with only a handful of starts remaining in the regular season.

The Yankees have another viable postseason starter in Carlos Rodón, who could also line up as their Game 1 starter for the ALDS should they advance similar to how they pitched Luis Gil against the Blue Jays to open last year’s Division Series. Rodón could instead be the Game 3 Wild Card starter if Cole continues to look like a gamble, letting Cole rest until the ALDS instead where they could let him set the table and potentially steal back home field advantage from Tampa. I doubt they’d do this though, for two reasons: one, the Yankees believe in Cole and so long as he’s not running three-plus homer games all the way to October then he’ll be penciled in there, and two running Rodón has its own risks right now as his fastball velocity has dipped in September. The Sox offense would probably get woken up more facing Los’ heater right now than they would Cole’s, and so the status quo seems the most beneficial, with the rotation resetting for Schlittler grabbing a potential Game 2.

lidbit asks:A lot was seen this year of the potential of 18 year old center fielder Yostin Pena. He has shown hitting for average and power with excellent baserunning skills albeit in the lower minors. Is he a five tool prospect that can reach the Bronx in a few years? How excited are the Yankees’ player development personnel?

Pena turned a lot of heads with his performance down in Tampa this season after getting the promotion stateside following just 37 games in the Dominican Summer League. His bat stayed scorching, turning in a .941 OPS in 24 games with six homers and 10 steals. His discipline at the plate is still a little wild but that’s to be expected for the massive leap he’s made already, and he displayed an elite ability in several key facets of the game already. He’s also got a cannon of an arm, something that’ll play well in any portion of the outfield but would especially pair well with covering the deepest parts of Yankee Stadium’s center field should he make it to the majors. His trajectory is a complete unknown considering how quickly he appeared on the map in the first place — this could simply be the pace that he blazes through the minors and we could be talking about the possibility of seeing him a year or two from now, or he may get adjusted to as he faces older competition and take some more time. One thing for certain is that he’ll be gracing some top prospect rankings after the rise he’s had, and there’s potential for him to be the organization’s biggest name on the farm by the end of next season.

Cubs roster move: Dansby Swanson activated, BJ Murray Jr. optioned

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson was supposed to have two rehab games with Triple-A Iowa and then rejoin the team Friday in Cincinnati. Best-laid plans and all, both Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s I-Cubs games at Omaha got rained out.

So instead of action with Iowa, Swanson reported to Wrigley Field Wednesday. So did two Cubs pitchers currently on rehab assignments:

The Cubs then held a sim game for Swanson at Wrigley Field Wednesday afternoon, with those two serving as pitchers.

And so, Swanson will indeed be activated from the 10-day injured list for tonight’s game in Cincinnati against the Reds. To make room for Swanson on the active roster, infielder B.J. Murray Jr. was optioned to Iowa.

While the Cubs have a capable backup infielder in Pedro Ramirez, and Nico Hoerner can play shortstop, the Cubs defense is not nearly as good without Swanson at short and Nico at second, where they are both elite fielders. Swanson left the game against the Cardinals Aug. 16 with an oblique injury during his first plate appearance that afternoon, so he’s been out exactly a month. The Cubs were 72-52 entering that game against the Cardinals and they have gone 13-16 in Swanson’s absence, including that day.

I’m not suggesting that poor record since Swanson’s injury is cause-and-effect, but clearly, they have missed his defense. Hopefully he’s 100 percent (or close) and can provide some spark to the lineup as well as defensively. Swanson had been on something of a hot streak before the injury, batting .278/.409/.528 (10-for-36) in the 11 games prior, with three doubles, two home runs, seven walks and 10 runs scored.

As always, we await developments.

The 2026 MLB Season from A to Z: Yordan Alvarez, PCA, Jacob Misiorowski and more

Many fans rely on numbers to tell the story of a baseball season. For 2026, I’m going with letters. Here’s the story of the regular season from A to Z.
           
A: Yordan Alvarez: He’s the only qualifier in baseball with an OBP of over .400. He’s leading the American League in batting, on-base, slugging, OPS, and walks. Where would Joe Espada’s Astros be without him? Yordan is still the favorite to win the American League MVP, despite his numbers falling off a bit down the stretch.

B: Bryan Baker: Tampa Bay scored 698 runs and allowed 618 in games through September 17. That would give them a record of 84-68 according to the Pythagorean Theorem. But they were 93-59, nine games better. Credit in part goes to their closer Baker, leading the league with 40 saves this season..

C: Pete Crow-Armstrong: When the Cubs suffered through a 10-game losing streak in May, Pete batted just .161 (5-36 AB) in those 10 games. In games through September 17, PCA in 85 Cubs victories: .357/.442/.740. He scored 89 runs in 85 Cubs wins. The NL MVP by a mile. You cannot tell the story of the 2026 season without talking about Pete Crow-Armstrong.

D: Jacob deGrom: On September 10, deGrom started against the Mariners in Seattle. In six innings, he faced just 19 batters, one over the minimum. He struck out 12, gave up one hit, walked none, and didn’t allow a run. He left the game with Texas leading by three runs. The bullpen flushed away the lead and Texas wound up losing the game. The story of deGrom’s career. Jacob is historically significant. He has started 277 games in his career, and three of his top 10 (ranked by Pitchers’ Game Score) have come in 2026.

E: Errors: There’s only been one season EVER with fewer errors per game than 2026. Of course, that would be 2025. No pitcher has made more than four errors this season. In 1969, Jim Kaat won a Gold Glove, despite making eight errors (tied for the MLB lead with Boston’s Ray Culp among pitchers). Gold Gloves were all reputation in those days. In fact, Kaat’s longtime Minnesota teammate, Zoilo Versalles, won a Gold Glove in 1965 despite making 39 errors!

F: Freddie Freeman: Freeman has hit 32 doubles this year and 579 in his career. Is 579 doubles a lot? Well, that’s 90 more than the next-closest active player, Paul Goldschmidt. And when Freddie legs out his 600th, he’ll become only the 19th player with at least 600 doubles. He’s a little more than a season away from passing both Hank Aaron (624) and Barry Bonds (601).

G: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Vlad Jr. hit a home run every 25 at-bats in 2025. He’s hit a home run every 58 at-bats in 2026. He didn’t hit his first home run at home this year until Toronto’s 75th home game. He had gone 84 straight home games without a homer.

H: Bryce Harper: In March, Harper hit a two-run game-tying homer in the 8th inning of the WBC Finals. This season, his wRC+ (139) has been one of the top dozen in the majors. In October, can he lead the Phillies to his first World Series championship?

I: Raisel Iglesias: The Braves have spent all season in first place, and Iglesias is a big part of that.In the last 10 years (2017-2026) only one player (Kenley Jansen) has more saves than Iglesias. He’s 33-for-36 in save chances this year for the Braves. But here’s the thing: over the last five years, he’s saved 130 games for the Braves, but only one in the postseason. That has to change.

J: Aaron Judge: #99 missed 99 days (84 games) this season with a rib injury, but the three-time MVP came back in mid-September with enough time to get his timing back at the plate. Yankees fans will have to hope that the leg tightness isn't a big deal.

K: Steven Kwan: There hasn’t been a hotter hitter in the American League since the start of July. Kwan is batting .350 since July 1, and .351 since the All-Star break. The Guardians have needed every bit of his offense, as José Ramírez has not been the same since returning from his broken left hamate bone.

L: Brandon Lowe: In his first season with Pittsburgh, Lowe has hit a career best 30 homers and has an OPS over .800. The Pirates offense was one of the big stories of the first half of the 2026 season, and Lowe was a big reason why. In the second half, injuries to Oneil Cruz and Ryan O’Hearn have sunk the Bucs but the offense was fun while it lasted.

M: Jacob Misiorowski: Milwaukee has the best record in baseball, and he’s a big reason why. Has any Brewers pitcher ever had a better season than the 24-year-old ace? Sorry, fans of Teddy Higuera. The answer is no. “The Miz” leads the majors in strikeouts (243). He leads the majors in ERA (1.89). He’s striking out more than 13 batters per nine innings! Misiorowski has had 1,053 pitches this season over 100.0 mph. No one else in pitch tracking era (2008-present) has had a season of 1,000 or more.

N: No-Hitters: On May 25,three Astros pitchers Tatsuya Imai (6 IP), Steven Okert (1 IP), and Alimber Santa (2 IP) combined to complete the Astros’ fifth combined no-hitter in franchise history. No one pitcher has completed a no-hitter since Blake Snell did it in August of 2024 for the Giants.

O: Shohei Ohtani: There are two players whose last name starts with “O” with more homers than Ohtani this season: Matt Olson and Kazuma Okamoto. But Ohtani made 14 brilliant starts (1.79 ERA) and his wRC+ of 142 is in the top 10 in the game.

P: Salvador Perez: The 36-year-old put up nearly 600 at-bats this season. And while most of them came as a DH or 1B, he did start 44 games behind the plate. In his 15-year career, he’s caught 1,427 games (1,396 starts) and nearly 12,000 innings.

Q: Quick games: On September 7, in an afternoon game at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies beat the Braves 1-0 in a game that took 1:51 to play. On June 16 at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers defeated the Rays 1-0 in a game that took 1:52 to complete. And in early April, the Royals defeated the White Sox in games on April 10 and 11 that lasted in 1:54 and 1:55, respectively. Thank you, pitch clock.

R: Eduardo Rodriguez: The Diamondbacks have won 22 of E-Rod’s first 30 starts. Talk about valuable! He has a 2.62 ERA this season (it was 5.04 and 5.02 in the two previous seasons). This is his best year since 2019.

S: Cam Schlittler: Is he the AL MVP, or just the AL Cy Young? The Yankees won 20 of his 31 starts. The Yankees don’t need a lot of offense when he takes the mound. He has a 1.14 ERA in 16 road starts this season! Since earned runs became official in both leagues in 1913, Schlittler’s 1.14 road ERA is the fourth best (minimum 15 road starts). The top three: Bob Gibson in 1968 (0.81 ERA); Walter Johnson in 1913 (1.06 ERA); and Greg Maddux in 1995 (1.12 ERA).

T: Bruce Turang: What a player! His OPS has gone up in each of his first four seasons. He’s now a 20 HR/20 SB/100 runs/100 RBI player. The Brewers need him to improve his performance in last year’s NLCS vs. the Dodgers, when he went 1-for-15 (.067).

U: Uncle Charlie (curveball): The curveball is heading toward extinction, much like individual no-hitters. Curveballs have only accounted for 6.4% of pitches this season, the second lowest rate since first tracked in 2008 (2024: 6.1%). That’s pure curves, not including slow curves or knuckle-curves. Want to know which pitcher has thrown the most curveballs (including knuckle and slow curves) this year? Philadelphia's Aaron Nola, at 942.

V: Miguel Vargas: The White Sox have been one of the best stories this year, and we could have given the “V” to manager Max Venable. But Vargas’ 31 home runs and stealing 19 bases in 21 attempts makes him the choice. Vargas has a 4.7 WAR this season, up from 1.9 last year.

W: Willson and Wilyer, the heart of the Boston lineup. Right fielder Wilyer Abreu leads the American League with 36 doubles. He also leads the AL in outfield assists with 12. Willson Contreras has an OPS of .905, second in AL to Alvarez, even ahead of Rays slugger Junior Caminero. Remember, Boston was 14 games under .500 as late as June 24. And then the season turned around.

X: Xander Bogaerts: The Padres have played well down the stretch and now appear likely to reach the postseason. And X-Man has contributed, stealing 21 bases in 22 attempts this year. It’s no fluke, either. He stole 20 of 22 last season. In his four seasons with the Padres, he has stolen 73 bases in 81 attempts. That’s efficiency.

Y: Yoshinobu Yamamoto: The Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto has a 1.98 ERA in 10 starts after the All-Star break. He’s probably the key to the Dodgers’ chances of completing a three-peat. Who can forget what he did last October, when he went 5-1, with a 1.45 ERA in 37.1 postseason innings.

Z: Zack Wheeler: From July 21 through August 24, Wheeler had a stretch of seven starts that saw him give up 26 runs (25 earned) in 31.1 innings (7.18 ERA). He was terrific in the first half and recaptured his form down the stretch. If the Phillies are going to go deep into October, they’ll need Wheeler (and their other two aces) to be at the top of their game.

Editors’ Note: Elliott Kalb - dubbed “Mr. Stats” decades ago by Marv Albert and Bob Costas - is the former Senior Editorial Director at MLB Network and a longtime contributor of research and information to NBC Sports’ telecasts.

Analyzing Chaos

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 14: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out in the seventh inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on June 14, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We recently asked whether Dodgers fans had a preference as to which playoff seed (between top and second) they preferred. Overwhelmingly, the easier path on paper looks to be through the second seed. For most of the year, no one would have questioned this logic. However, as September has unfolded, an interesting wrinkle has become possible, if unlikely, involving both Chicago baseball teams.

At first, I only noticed it with the White Sox, but as the Cubs have dropped five of seven games to the Milwaukee Brewers over the past two weeks, all but conceding the NL Central to the Brewers, who clinched on September 15, a question now must be publicly asked.

What on Earth is happening in Chicago?

We’ll start with the moribund American League, which has looked mediocre, to be generous, for most of the year.

The Pope’s Baseball Team

Interestingly enough, there are scenarios where current American League division leaders Chicago and Houston end up watching the postseason from home if things go sideways over the next two weeks, adding to this essay’s theme of chaos.

While no one in these parts will bang on about the Astros season ending up in the trash can, a White Sox collapse would be a sour ending to what has otherwise been a fun story.

As is well known, the White Sox have been nothing short of a dumpster fire over the previous two seasons, setting the record for losses in the modern era in 2024. It’s said that every team is guaranteed to lose a third of its games and win a third of its games, and it’s the remaining third that tells the story.

If a team can’t even win its “guaranteed” third of games, that’s how you know you’ve sunk into baseball hell. What a time for some divine intervention, no?

Pope Mural. Rate Field. June 14, 2026.Pope Mural Selfie. Rate Field. June 14, 2026.
The Pope Mural at Rate Field on June 14, 2026

It is still mind-boggling that the current Pontiff is both American and a lifelong White Sox’s fan. The White Sox have clutched on to this unexpected event with gusto, with both a mural of the Pope in Rate Field to commemorate the fact that he went to Game 1 of the 2005 World Series and an official miter giveaway day.

The 2026 White Sox are not what I would call a good team, but the turnaround is remarkable. When I first visited Rate Field, it was a drab and joyless experience, only made memorable by a decent chocolate milkshake.

Rate Field is still bad, but when the locals have something to cheer about, the facility is less drab.

The White Sox are the figurative C-student doing their best in a remedial class where all of their classmates are either going through issues at home (Minnesota), spectacularly underachieving (Kansas City, Detroit), or have skinflint parents (Cleveland). Accordingly, the White Sox have held the division lead since June and currently have the second seed in the American League.

However, the wheels have started to wobble and come off since the All-Star Break. As of the start of play on September 18, the White-Sox are 28-30 since the break, which is middle of the road, and 20-24 since August 1. As we recently covered, the Dodgers and White Sox have generally feasted on sub-500 opponents in 2026. The Dodgers have since rebounded against over-500 opponents, but the White Sox have started to lose to teams that a contending team should beat.

A final three-game series with then-second-place Cleveland just concluded with the White Sox falling out of the division lead for the first time since June. As the White Sox now are looking up at the Guardians, the precipice for flights to Cancun looms because the gaggle of mediocre teams clamoring for the sixth seed is right there, including Toronto, Texas, and, in the distance, Baltimore.

Yes, it would be the most Blue Jays thing ever for them to be basically unwatchable all year, having their fanbase whine that they should have won last year’s World Series, literally not be two games above .500 since the first week of the season, just to sneak into the sixth seed due to the sheer ineptitude of the American League.

Vlad Guerrero, Jr. hit his first home run at Rogers Centre on Game 150, which made the following near-miss from Game 7 even more darkly funny and emblematic.

The only way this scenario could get worse is if the Blue Jays end up in the ALCS, because they somehow waltz over the “happy-to-be-here” second-seed AL Central Winner.

Dodgers/Blue Jays 2: Poutine’d (Again)!, which would hopefully end in five games in Toronto with a third consecutive title, would be the sequel nobody wanted, but everybody in Los Angeles needed.

Yes, the American League has generally been a disappointment in 2026, but that fact should not obscure the renaissance happening in the South Side of Chicago.

Meanwhile, at Wrigley…

I understand losing to the Brewers in the regular season.

The Dodgers rolled over in spectacular fashion last year and in the home half of the matchup this year. Apparently, the Brewers changed their win song at the request of Manager Pat “Pocket Pancake” Murphy. I would not know, as the Dodgers took care of business while I was in attendance in 2026.

It happens, and when the Brewers are right, their brand of baseball makes most teams look slow and silly. Where most, including me, predicted that this year would be the year the Cubs finally won the NL Central, the Cubs were hell-bent on proving everyone wrong through what can be generously described as manic swings in quality of play.

Originally, I saw the Cubs start to wobble, but then over the last week, just about every lower seed but the Padres (really?!?) decided to go ice cold. For a split-second, I thought we might get both Chicago clubs staying home this October.

Now it just looks like potential heartbreak in the Southside and maximum chaos for the Wild Cards in the National League.

As of the start of play on September 18th, there is a 4-game gap between the fourth seed and going to Cancun.

  • 4) Cubs – 85-68, +1 game over the sixth seed, 4-6 over their last ten
  • 5) Phillies – 85-68, +1 game over the sixth seed, 5-5 over their last ten
  • 6) Padres – 84-69, 9-1 over their last ten
  • 7) Diamondbacks – 80-73, 4 games back of the sixth seed, 5-5 over their last ten

This essay started while trying to answer the question “Are the Cubs really going to cough it up?” Now, one must openly wonder whether the matchups we have considered a given for about a month are going to fall by the wayside.

Before anyone in San Diego starts preparing a coronation ceremony for the Padres, it’s helpful to remember who the Padres have played over their few series:

  • New York Yankees (at home), 2-1
  • Washington Nationals (at home), sweep
  • San Francisco Giants (in SF), sweep
  • Colorado Rockies (in Denver), 3-1

I see one decent test and ten games against opponents any playoff contender should win. (See also, the Seattle Mariners who somehow went 3-9 against the Sacramento Athletics and Anaheim Angels — yikes).

Whether we are witnessing the Cubs or Phillies slowly crashing out, or the Diamondbacks crashing in, will be resolved in the next week and a half.

Even while hoping for maximum chaos, Arizona needs to either find another gear or get some significant help from some mediocre also-rans while navigating the Yankees, Rockies (in Denver), and Padres (in San Diego). Yes, the Padres and Diamondbacks conclude the regular season by playing each other in San Diego.

The Padres play the Dodgers for their final road games of the regular season just before this showdown with Arizona, but that’s just one more element of this unfolding chaos.

Reds claim Oswaldo Cabrera from New York Yankees, promote Julian Aguiar

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 01: Oswaldo Cabrera #95 of the New York Yankees warms up before the game against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on July 1, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds made a series of interesting roster moves on Friday prior to the final home series of the season at Great American Ball Park.

Chief among them was claiming the versatile Oswaldo Cabrera off waivers from the New York Yankees, who had designated him for assignment earlier in the week. Now 27, Cabrera is a switch-hitter with experience all over the diamond, though his bat has yet to live up to the 108 OPS+ he posted in a 171 PA first cup of coffee at the big league level back in 2022. Since then, he’s hit just .232/.291/.328 in 778 PA across a trio of seasons, and he entered his arbitration years for the first time in 2026 at a modest $1.2 million salary.

He’s got an option remaining, though, and as a switch-hitter profiles as a pretty great final roster piece with at least a modicum of upside. He’s got an option remaining, too, so it’s likely this is a move the Reds made with eyes on 2027 as much as the final two weeks of this season.

That wasn’t the only action on the roster, however. Julian Aguiar was recalled for the first time since his Tommy John surgery, and he’ll be taking the spot on the roster previously occupied by Julian Garcia. The latter’s season is over as he is going to have surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow. Adding Aguiar brings another arm with starting experience (and length), and considering that was done a) on the day Chase Burns is set to start and b) after Brandon Williamson was already used this week, my best guess is we’ll see Aguiar in bulk after Burns exits early at his pitch limit tonight.

Spencer Steer was moved to the 60-day IL to free up the other needed 40-man roster spot.

Cleveland Cavaliers promote Brandon Weems to General Manager

Mar 30, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers executives Jason Hillman (left), Koby Altman (center) and Brandon Weems (right) watch a game against the Dallas Mavericks in the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers are not done making off season moves. This time the changes are coming in the front office. It was reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday morning that the Cavaliers are promoting Brandon Weems to the role of General Manager under President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman.

Weems, who has been with the Cavaliers organization since 2015, has taken the long road to becoming the Cavaliers GM. In the past decade, Weems has held the roles of director of scouting, director of player personnel, and most recently assistant general manager.

With Mike Gansey joining the Philadelphia 76ers this past offseason as their president of basketball operations, there became a vacancy for the Cavaliers GM role. Having served under Gansey, it became a natural transition for Weems as the team would look to continue the trajectory of the franchise and maintain consistency in their approach.

During the offseason there was the narrative that the Cavaliers would use Weems’s pre-existing relationship with LeBron James to lure him back to his third stint to Cleveland. This, as pointed out by Brian Windhorst, is a disservice to the body of work that Weems has put together and his standing within the organization. With LeBron taking his talents to the city of brotherly love, it only has become apparent that Weems’s rise in the organization is based on his own merit and not who he happened to play basketball in high school with.

Weems’s promotion already seems to be making waves across the local fan base.

Red Sox travel to Tampa to face Rays, move magic number down

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - MAY 20: Tampa Bay Rays mascot DJ Kitty poses for a photo prior to a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field on May 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Three. That’s what the Red Sox care about right now. Both as the Magic Number and the number worn by Ceddanne Rafaela. It’s also Ranger Suarez’s ERA. All of it.

The series with the Texas Rangers went, well, not great. However it ended on mostly a high note. Aside from Willson Contreras begin hit in the hand (initial x-rays negative, not follow up announced, 2026 medical curse perhaps behind us?). One thing lining up for the Red Sox: the Rangers are fighting to get into October. The Rays have clinched. They didn’t clinch the division, but they might be, ever so slightly, less pedal to the metal.

The problem: the bats.

Not the problem: Payton Tolle.

Ranger Suarez is pitching the first game. He hasn’t faced the Rays this year but Boston signed him with big games in mind and his sterling postseason stats (1.48 ERA / 3.02 FIP). Sitting at a Magic Number of 3 a win tonight gets that to 2 minimum. Ian Seymour will try to prevent this. He’s faced the Red Sox twice this season – 3.0 innings, 3 runs and 4.0 innings, 1 run. Since the start of August batters have nearly an .800 OPS against the lefty.

Tolle himself might pitch Saturday, but it hasn’t been announced as of writing. he could also pitch Sunday and sneak in another day of rest. Monday is an off day regardless. The Sox might be waiting to see if the Magic Number is 1 after tonight’s games to decide. Regardless, the rays will send newly repaired Mets castoff Freddy Peralta. He had an ERA of nearly 5.00 in NY and under 4.00 with the Rays. If you toss out his first start with Tampa (7 runs in 3.2 innings) he’s got a 2.66 ERA / 3.78 FIP with 30 Ks in 40.2 innings.

Likewise Sunday is up in the air for Boston. Bello? Sandoval? It might depend on the Magic Number. Griffin Jax continues to covert from relief to starting. After missing a month he got rocked for 6 runs in 2.2 innings in his first start but then tossed 10 innings allowing just a single run over his next two. His first start against Boston was in May where he allowed 3 runs (2 earned) over 4.0 innings. The second was during the sweep in July where he was hit for 7 runs in 5.0 innings. Lets see that again!

Junior Caminero leads the league with 41 homers.

Chandler Simpson is tied for the batting title at .311. He is also leading ins steals (44) and caught stealing (14).

Catcher Liam Hicks has hit .297/.390/.465 since being acquired from the Marlins. What a steal.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday, September 18: Ranger Suarez (3.33 ERA / 3.08 FIP) vs. Ian Seymour (4.27 ERA / 4.02 FIP)

Saturday, September 19: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Freddy Peralta (4.67 ERA / 4.39 FIP)

Sunday, September 20: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Griffin Jax (3.80 ERA / 3.86FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Friday, September 18: 7:10 PM ET on NESN

Saturday, September 19: 4:10 PM ET on NESN

Sunday, September 20: 1:40 PM ET on NESN