New York Yankees' Trent Grisham throws during batting practice before a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York.
PHOENIX – Trent Grisham could be on the Yankees’ playoff roster, but he almost certainly will not play in a regular-season game before then.
The Yankees are not planning to activate Grisham off the injured list during the final week of the regular season, partly because he still has boxes to check off in his return from a hamstring strain and partly because of complications in how they construct their playoff roster.
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“I know he’s trending to be close, but the activation might be a little complicated,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday morning at Chase Field.
The issue is that if the Yankees activate Grisham during the regular season, they would either have to option a player to Triple-A or designate someone for assignment to clear a spot on the active roster.
Optioning a player would make them ineligible to be recalled for 10 days (or 15 for a pitcher), meaning the Yankees would not have access to them for the AL wild-card series and potentially the ALDS.
Max Schuemann is expected to be sent back to Triple-A to make room for Jazz Chisholm Jr., who could come off the IL as early as Tuesday, but clearing another spot gets more difficult if everyone stays healthy.
New York Yankees’ Trent Grisham throws during batting practice before a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. AP Photo/Noah K. Murray
The question then becomes whether the Yankees want to have Grisham on their playoff roster fresh off missing three-plus weeks on the IL, coming back to an uncertain role.
Spencer Jones has taken over center field duties in his absence and hit well (even with some hiccups defensively), especially against left-handers.
With Aaron Judge trending toward missing the wild-card series, Heliot Ramos figures to start in right field against the Red Sox’ left-handers. Could Grisham start in center field against a righty like Sonny Gray, with Jones moving to right field, or be a left-handed pinch-hitting option off the bench?
Before the Yankees have to make that decision, Grisham needs to finish off his running progression to be cleared physically.
“He’s been doing quite a bit,” Boone said. “He’s pretty deep into his running progression, hitting and doing baseball activities. So he’s getting pretty close.”
I’ve written virtually every Sunday gamethread this year as some variation of, “hey, the Sox have a chance to win this series! That would be pretty cool!”
I love the competition of the race, but I’m also kind of sick of it, simply from inexperience. I can’t be the only one who bit their nails to the nub with every pitch of that Cleveland series thinking to myself that I truly couldn’t remember the last time White Sox baseball made me that nervous. I love it, but I also forgot the unmistakably unique type of crushing that comes from being on the wrong side of “Team A gets cold and Team B gets hot at the most important point in the season.”
As I wrote last week with regards to the Sox pitching, I’m comfortable with dancing with who brought us here, which in this case is Davis Martin, who’s looked quite solid since his August IL stint. The length that we were getting from him earlier in the season isn’t there, but he’s still allowed just three earned runs in 16 innings since his return. Every game is a must-win at this point, and I suspect that if the White Sox can pull through, it’s going to be because Sean Burke and Martin nutted up when it counted, as they did for so much of this season.
A.J. Hinch isn’t exactly putting a Murderer’s Row out there, especially with another game tomorrow. If the Davis Martin Hype Train is once again picking up steam, this shouldn’t be too much of an impediment to what could be his first quality start since June.
That last quality start of Martin’s also came against a pre-deadline Detroit lineup that still had designs on the playoffs. The Sox will also have the potential advantage of seeing starter Troy Melton for the second time in a month or so, after dinging him around a fair amount back in August to end his Cinderella start to the season.
Time to take care of business. If they can’t, it’ll be hard to argue that they deserve to keep playing beyond this coming week.
First pitch was scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT, but has been indefinitely delayed due to rain doing rain things. Whenever it does get going, it’ll be broadcast on CHSN with Len Kasper and Darrin Jackson on the call over the radio waves on WMVP AM 1000. See you in the comments!
I’ve written virtually every Sunday gamethread this year as some variation of, “hey, the Sox have a chance to win this series! That would be pretty cool!”
I love the competition of the race, but I’m also kind of sick of it, simply from inexperience. I can’t be the only one who bit their nails to the nub with every pitch of that Cleveland series thinking to myself that I truly couldn’t remember the last time White Sox baseball made me that nervous. I love it, but I also forgot the unmistakably unique type of crushing that comes from being on the wrong side of “Team A gets cold and Team B gets hot at the most important point in the season.”
As I wrote last week with regards to the Sox pitching, I’m comfortable with dancing with who brought us here, which in this case is Davis Martin, who’s looked quite solid since his August IL stint. The length that we were getting from him earlier in the season isn’t there, but he’s still allowed just three earned runs in 16 innings since his return. Every game is a must-win at this point, and I suspect that if the White Sox can pull through, it’s going to be because Sean Burke and Martin nutted up when it counted, as they did for so much of this season.
A.J. Hinch isn’t exactly putting a Murderer’s Row out there, especially with another game tomorrow. If the Davis Martin Hype Train is once again picking up steam, this shouldn’t be too much of an impediment to what could be his first quality start since June.
That last quality start of Martin’s also came against a pre-deadline Detroit lineup that still had designs on the playoffs. The Sox will also have the potential advantage of seeing starter Troy Melton for the second time in a month or so, after dinging him around a fair amount back in August to end his Cinderella start to the season.
Time to take care of business. If they can’t, it’ll be hard to argue that they deserve to keep playing beyond this coming week.
First pitch was scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT, but has been indefinitely delayed due to rain doing rain things. Whenever it does get going, it’ll be broadcast on CHSN with Len Kasper and Darrin Jackson on the call over the radio waves on WMVP AM 1000. See you in the comments!
The saga between Vezina and Hart Trophy Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets has reached critical mass, as the Olympic gold medal-winner failed to report to training camp, and was subsequently suspended by the Jets. The 33-year-old goalie reportedly requested a trade after the regular season, but GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has been unable to get an offer that he deemed equal value.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and TSN’s Pierre LeBrun indicated last week that the Florida Panthers pursued Hellebuyck, but traded assets that were offered in the proposed trade to Ottawa for winger Brady Tkachuk and to New Jersey for goalie Jacob Markstrom. They also reported that three clubs; the Buffalo Sabres, Utah Mammoth, and Carolina Hurricanes are still in the mix for the veteran netminder, who has five years left on his contract at $8.5 million per season.
The Sabres reportedly came closest to pulling off a trade for Hellebuyck, but as to how close they came, is open to interpretation. Friedman said on this week’s 32 Thoughts podcast that the Jets wanted the fourth overall pick that Buffalo obtained in the Bowen Byram deal, and did not want to give up the eighth overall pick, which they used to select Swedish forward Viggo Bjorck.
The biggest potential impediment to a deal now is that Friedman believes that Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has put the Jets on his five-team no-trade clause, and with Winnipeg wanting a goalie in return in the deal for Hellebuyck, that would seem to put Buffalo as a longshot as his final destination.
But on Sunday, a pitcher from his high school alma mater scaled the mound at Dodger Stadium.
Yuuri Teramoto, a first-year student at Hanamaki Higashi High School, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Dodgers’ series finale against the San Francisco Giants. Teramoto plays on Hanamaki Higashi’s girls baseball team.
Teramoto was one of 50 high school students chosen by Iwate prefecture to visit the United States as part of an exchange program. This is the 150th anniversary of Iwate’s founding, as well as the 15th anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani spends time in the dugout against the San Francisco Giants on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
Teramoto’s first pitch was caught by Iwate native Roki Sasaki, who is from the coastal town of Rikuzentakata and lost his father in the tsunami.
Teramoto is from the southern island of Kumamoto but said she was in part inspired by Ohtani to attend high school in Iwate, which is on the northern part of Japan’s mainland.
“He’s someone I admire,” Teramoto said in Japanese.
Like Ohtani, she added, “My dream in the future is to go to the United States.”
Hanamaki Higashi is also the high school alma mater of Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi and Miami Marlins prospect Rintaro Sasaki.
Teramoto said her team practices using a pitching machine donated by Ohtani.
“We used the machine every day and we’re very grateful,” she said.
Among the homegrown arms in the Mets rotation, Jonah Tong still has the most to prove.
Flashes of dominance have emerged from the 23-year-old rookie, but consistency is lacking. This was evident again Sunday, when the right-hander fell into an early hole, and his team never recovered in a 7-2 loss to the Phillies at Citi Field.
“I think I need to do a better job,” said Tong, who allowed two runs in the opening frame. “Especially, that first inning set the tone, but I feel like I competed well through it. But my job is to limit the damage and go out there and keep competing.”
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Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton have all performed at a high enough level to begin next season in the rotation. The wild card is Tong, who has pitched to a 4.21 ERA in six appearances this season. In three starts since his recall this month from Triple-A Syracuse, he’s pitched to a 4.60 ERA.
On Sunday, he allowed four earned runs on five hits and four walks over 4 ²/₃ innings, departing after 95 pitches. It followed a start against the Orioles in which he did not surrender an earned run over six innings.
“I don’t think he was far off today,” interim manager Andy Green said. “The changeup has been really good for him since he’s been up. He’s got a lot of strikeouts with it. … Even if he doesn’t have the greatest feel for that, we have got to find a way to reintroduce that and keep that a part of the mix. That pitch is very important for him.”
Green was asked about Tong’s chances of cracking the rotation to begin next season.
“He definitely has a chance,” Green said. “I think we have kind of painted the landscape for a lot of young guys that [the front office] is likely to go sign some people. We’ll have a lot of guys who have established themselves at that point in time, so the chance is heightened if he pitches really well, if his stuff gets better, if the strikes are there. I think all those things are possible for Jonah.”
New York Mets pitcher Jonah Tong (21) is knocked down by Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) as he tags him at first base on a groundout to end the top of the first inning at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The Mets, who split the four-game series, completed their 2026 home schedule at 36-45. They will play at Texas and Washington this week, with six games to conclude the season.
Tong walked Kyle Schwarber in the first inning and watched the Phillies DH score the first run on Luis Arraez’s sacrifice fly. Alec Bohm’s RBI single widened the Mets deficit to 2-0. Bryce Harper also singled in the inning.
Trea Turner’s RBI double in the third inning extended the Phillies lead to 3-0 after Schwarber walked leading off. Arraez’s RBI single gave the Phillies their fourth run.
“Some credit to Schwarber’s two walks,” Green said. “They weren’t walks where the pitcher has lost it. They are battle walks where he fouled off a number of pitches. The first and third [innings] started that way, and that’s where the runs came.”
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) strikes out looking during the third inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The Mets were overmatched by Cristopher Sánchez, a National League Cy Young Award candidate who allowed two earned runs on six hits over 6 ¹/₃ innings with six strikeouts. Sánchez began the day with a 7.5 bWAR this season — the highest among all pitchers.
Bo Bichette homered in the sixth for the first run against Sánchez. Brett Baty delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the seventh that sliced the Phillies lead to 4-2.
Kodai Senga allowed three runs in the eighth and was removed after recording only one out. The right-hander’s appearance was his first since Tuesday, when he surrendered Pete Alonso’s 300th career homer — a game-tying blast in the ninth inning.
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 14: AJ Smith-Shawver #32 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Monday, September 14, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With a chance to secure the division title, the Braves had a challenging pitching matchup, with Martin Perez on the mound vs Hunter Brown and the Astros.
Baserunners were scattered early, with a Baldwin walk leading off the game and an additional error in the top of the first, followed by three soft singles in a scoreless home frame. The scattered baserunners continued with no runs until Jose Altuve drew first blood with a solo homer in the 4th inning.
Ronald Acuna created a chance for the Braves in the fifth that Olson was unable to convert and the Astros came right back with two singles and a walk against Perez to load the bases with one out. Unfortunately, that was the end of Martin’s outing, as Victor Mederos entered the game and escaped with a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning. A walk from Harris and a very fortunate double from Dubon gave the Braves a huge chance to make good on Mederos’ good work with men on second and third with no outs in the sixth. Ozzie made good on that threat with an RBI single, before Mike Yastrzemski broke things open with a three-run homer.
Mike Yastrzemski gives the Braves a 4-1 lead with a three-run homer in the sixth. Atlanta would clinch the NL East with a win today. pic.twitter.com/RauMITSGSA
Next out of the bullpen for Atlanta was one AJ Smith-Shawver and he looked quite good. AJ touched 100 on the radar gun and struck out two Astros in a 1-2-3 frame. He got the seventh and once again recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless frame, this time working around a ground ball single. An effective Smith-Shawver out of the bullpen would be a nice addition to the Braves’ bullpen, especially as a multi-inning option, as they only have two real playoff starters.
Ray Kerr entered the game in the eighth and allowed a shallow homer but otherwise kept the Astros off the board with one strikeout and two groundouts. Dylan Dodd got the ninth with no further run support and a 4-2 lead.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 28: Iván Herrera #48 of the St. Louis Cardinals grounds into a double play during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium on June 28, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’re a St. Louis Cardinals fan, you’re going to miss this no matter if you’re willing to admit it today or not. The final home game of the season wrapped up Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium and in a few weeks, many of us will long for the days when there was the potential for a Cardinals game to hang out at. Quinn Mathews gave the home fans a great start to the game and Herrera and Wetherholt provided some offensive support, too. However, baseball games are 9 innings and not 5 which has been a problem for St. Louis the second half of this season. This time, though, there would be offensive heroes later in the game to save the day.
While Quinn Mathews was flashing the pearls on the mound, the St. Louis Cardinals bats didn’t wait until the late innings to score for a change. In the bottom of the 1st inning, Iván Herrera did something he hasn’t done much of since the All-Star break. He turned on a 93 mph four-seam fastball from Nationals starter Irvin and sent it flying 375 feet barely above the left field wall for a 1-0 St. Louis Cardinals lead.
The Washington Nationals would play some small ball in the top of the 2nd inning as Lile and Ford hit back-to-back one out singles giving Washington runners at first and third with just one out. Lile scored when Young hit a sacrifice fly to center tying the game at 1-1.
The Cardinals were given a gift that resulted in getting the lead back in the bottom of the 3rd inning when José Fermín led off with a double. After Nathan Church popped out, Fermín would advance to third on a wild pitch from Irvin with JJ Wetherholt at the plate. JJ would follow that with a solid single to right-center scoring Fermín and giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
If each of us had a nickel when a Cardinals game has gone south in the 5th or 6th inning this season, well we’d all have a lot of nickels and one would be added to that jar Sunday afternoon. After Quinn Mathews had a very efficient first 5 innings, the 6th would jump up and bite him. He gave up a leadoff single to House. JJ Abrams of the Nationals made that hurt when he turned on an 84 mph Mathews slider and blasted it 397 feet into the right field stands for a 3-2 Washington lead. It could have been worse if not for the rifle disguised as a throwing arm on Jordan Walker. Lile ripped a double into the right field corner that he tried to turn into a triple. Big mistake as Jordan Walker nailed him at third base for the second out of the inning.
The St. Louis Cardinals would not have another runner in scoring position after the 3rd inning until the bottom of the 7th inning when Leo Bernal drew a leadoff walk. Three batters later, he was advanced to second on a single from Fermín giving St. Louis runners at first and second with two outs. Unfortunately, Nathan Church flew out for the final out of the inning with no runs scored.
Manager Oli Marmol chose Luis Gastelum to handle the top of the 8th inning after Quinn Mathews completed 7 full innings for the Cardinals. Quinn gave up 7 hits, 3 earned runs while striking out 3 and walking 2. Gastelum had no problem taking care of the Nationals in the 8th shutting them down with a flyout and two strikeouts.
The Cardinals would pull even in the bottom of the 8th inning. It was Iván Herrera again who would catch up to a 97 mph four-seam fastball jolting it 439 feet over the left field fence tying the game 3-3.
After the Nationals walked Jordan Walker, Leo Bernal made them pay with as he took the 7th pitch he saw from Washington reliever Tolman and launched it 424 feet into the right field seats for a 5-3 Cardinals lead! Welcome to the emerging new St. Louis Cardinals core, Leo Bernal!
Riley O’Brien came in to try and lock down the home finale in the top of the 9th inning and he was assisted by defensive replacement Victor Scott II in left field who made a diving grab on a line drive off the bat of Crews for the first out. Riley then got Lile to pop out to short for the second out. Ruiz grounded out for the last out of the game in a no-drama (for once) 9th inning for St. Louis.
Just 6 games to go for the St. Louis Cardinals this season. Tuesday night, it’s the beginning of a 3-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Andre Pallante will get the start for the Cardinals while the Pirates will give the ball RHP Jared Jones. First pitch at PNC Park in Pittsburgh is scheduled for 5:40pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Michael Wacha #52 of the Kansas City Royals pitches in the first inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on September 20, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day at the office, another pitiful performance by the Kansas City Royals. For the third straight game, the bullpen coughed up a late lead and they were defeated, this time 4-3 by the Pirates.
Michael Wacha did everything he could, going 5.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 runs, walking 4 and striking out 5, he also threw 113 pitches.
The Royals jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone hit back-to-back one out singles, to make it 1st and 3rd for Salvador Perez. The Captain came through, singling to center, making it 1-0 in the top of the first.
Oneil Cruz led off the bottom of the 4th, with a solo homer to tie the game at 1. Wacha got two quick outs in the bottom of the 6th, but a pair of back-to-back walks doomed him, as Spencer Horwitz blooped a go-ahead single making it 2-1.
In the top of the 7th, John Rave bunt singled to 3rd, and scored on Vinnie Pasquantino’s pinch hit go-ahead two run homer. 3-2 KC.
Nate Pearson got the bottom of the 8th for the Royals, allowing a leadoff single to Ryan O’Hearn, then Rafael Flores Jr. hit a long go-ahead two-run homer for the Pirates making it 4-3.
With two outs in the top of the 9th, Luke Maile hit a double off the wall in right, going to third on a fielding error by Jake Mangum. Isaac Collins pinch hit for Kyle Isbel and of course weakly flew out to right field and the Royals lost again.
The Royals finish their final road trip of the season, 2-7 and 28-53 on the road this season and are 67-89 on the season overall. They are off tomorrow before playing the White Sox and Guardians next week at home to end their season.
The Chicago Blackhawks played their first preseason game on Saturday night, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild. It was a mostly AHL lineup with a few NHL bubble players, so evaluation was the main purpose.
Now, they announced on Sunday that they have sent three players back to their respective major junior teams for the 2026-27 season.
Forwards Ryan Roobroeck (Guelph Storm - OHL) and Parker Holmes (Sarnia Sting - OHL), along with defenseman Ty Henry (Erie Otters - OHL), are all headed back up north for their upcoming campaigns.
All three players participated in the 2026 Prospect Showcase, and each worked on different things throughout the camp, practices, and games. None of them were involved in the preseason game, and they are now headed back to their teams.
Roobroeck was selected in the 2026 NHL Draft, so it will be his first post-draft season as he works toward becoming a professional.
Holmes scored a nice goal on the rush against the St. Louis Blues prospects last week and continues to build on his promising junior resume.
As for Henry, he was supposed to go to the NCAA this year, but he decided to head back to the Erie Otters of the OHL this year. After missing the entire 2025-26 season due to a scary leg injury that he sustained at Blackhawks rookie camp, he is working his way back from that tough situation. Skating in the OHL will be great for him.
Blackhawks' training camp roster now sits at 47 players. That includes 27 forwards, 15 defensemen, and 5 goalies.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 20: Bo Bichette #19 of the New York Mets hits his sixth inning solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on September 20, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets lost to the Phillies 7-2 Sunday in their final home game of the season.
On a rainy day in New York, the Mets lineup never got going against Philly starter Cristopher Sanchez. Mets starter Jonah Tong had a rough day, giving up four runs and four walks with five strikeouts.
The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a sacrifice fly from Luis Arraez and an RBI single from Alec Bohm. Tong gave up a walk and two hits in the first, then was knocked to the ground on a collision with Bryson Stott in the process of getting the final out at first base. Tong limped to the dugout but shook it off and returned to the game.
Tong bounced back with a 1-2-3 inning in the second, but gave up a pair of runs in the third with a steady rain falling at Citi Field.
The Mets had multiple baserunners in both the second and third innings but couldn’t capitalize against Sanchez, who finished with six strikeouts and two runs allowed. Sanchez settled in after giving up a pair of hits in the third, retiring nine straight Mets batters. Finally, Bo Bichette crushed a solo home run off Sanchez in the sixth inning to get the Mets on the board. Sanchez retired Mark Vientos and Carson Benge to get through the sixth inning for the 24th time this season.
Phillies manager Don Mattingly brought Sanchez out for the seventh inning, but pulled him with one out after giving up a single to Francisco Alvarez. The Mets briefly took advantage, getting back-to-back pinch-hit singles from AJ Ewing and Brett Baty against Phillies reliever Alex McFarlane. Baty’s single scored Alvarez to cut the deficit to 4-2. Unfortunately for the Mets, a popout from Francisco Lindor and a strikeout from Juan Soto ended the inning.
Jack Weisenburger and Jefry Yan combined for 2.1 shutout innings in relief of Tong, but Kodai Senga couldn’t keep it going. Senga gave up a three-run triple to Justin Crawford in the eighth inning to blow the game wide open and renew questions about Senga’s place on the team.
Beloved radio voice Howie Rose got his final broadcast in despite the rain. The Mets dugout walked out onto the field after the final out to raise their caps to Rose. He will get his official farewell next season.
The Mets have Monday off before starting a three-game road series with the Texas Rangers on Tuesday. With the Rangers in the thick of the Wild Card race, New York has a chance to keep playing spoiler.
This will be the first of four preseason games for the Penguins before they open the regular season against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sept. 30.
Monday's game will feature a mix of veterans and younger players who are trying to crack the roster. Here's the lineup:
Forwards
Andrei Kuzmenko
Filip Hallander
David Gustafsson
Justin Brazeau
Bryan Rust
Connor Dewar
Hendrix Lapierre
Elmer Soderblom
Tristan Broz
Tanner Howe
Carter Sanderson
Ben Kindel
Avery Hayes
Defensemen
Ryan Graves
Tomas Galvas
Owen Pickering
Chase Pietila
Harrison Brunicke
Trevor van Riemsdyk
Kris Letang
Goaltenders
Sergei Murashov
Joel Blomqvist
We could get our first glimpse of Ben Kindel centering Bryan Rust and Andrei Kuzmenko in game action since they've been on a line together to start training camp. They've had solid chemistry thus far.
The same can be said for Trevor van Riemsdyk and Kris Letang since they've been paired together throughout camp and look comfortable.
We'll see if both goaltender play or if one of them will get the entire game.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
Aug 25, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants television announcer Duane Kuiper before the game against the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports...
The Giants released a statement on behalf of Kuiper on Sunday morning. that ready, “I was recently diagnosed with throat cancer and began treatment last week with my doctors at Stanford Medicine. This cancer is unrelated to the one I experienced five years ago, and I’m optimistic that it will be successfully treated,” per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
San Francisco Giants television announcer Duane Kuiper is seen before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConSan Francisco Giants announcer Mike Krukow waves at fans during the sixth inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I’ll miss the broadcasts tomorrow and Wednesday as I continue treatment, but I’m looking forward to returning Tuesday and this weekend to celebrate my partner, Mike Krukow, and his remarkable career as he calls his final game before retirement. I’m incredibly grateful for the care I’m receiving and for the tremendous support from my family, the Giants organization, my broadcast partners and so many others,” the statement added.
As Kuiper alluded to, he underwent chemotherapy for a cancer diagnosis back in 2021, which caused him to miss much of that season for San Francisco.
This has already been a brutal season for Giants fans because of the team’s mediocre results on the field. And this news regarding Kuiper has made matters even worse.
Duane Kuiper of the San Francisco Giants prepares for a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on Sept. 9, 2026. Getty Images
The Mets went down early and couldn't muster enough of a comeback, dropping their final home game of the regular season to the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-2.
New York finishes the year with a 36-45 record at Citi Field.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Jonah Tong couldn't replicate his scoreless outing from last time on the mound, allowing four earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts and four walks over 4.2 IP (95 pitches).
Tong let up two runs in the first inning, surrendering a sacrifice fly to Luis Arraez and an RBI-single to Alec Bohm. Fans held their breath at the end of the first as Tong stumbled over first base while beating Bryson Stott to the bag for the third out. He limped to the dugout immediately but appeared to be fine and returned to the mound in the second inning.
After a 1-2-3 second, he walked Kyle Schwarber in the the third for a second time and gave up an RBI-double to Trea Turner. Tong got Harper to flyout, but Turner tagged up and later scored on Arraez's single up the middle, making it a 4-0 game. The right-hander hung around into the fifth inning, but exited with two on base and two outs. Jack Weisenburger was tasked with escaping the jam, getting Stott to hit a fly ball for the third out.
-- Carson Benge recorded New York's first hit of the day against lefty Cristopher Sanchez in the second inning, but he and Francisco Alvarez (single) were left stranded as Nick Morabito struck out to end the scoring chance.
Luis Torrens and Juan Soto gave the Mets another opportunity in the third, although Sanchez struck out Bo Bichette and Mark Vientos to keep them off the scoreboard.
-- After fouling off six straight pitches against Sanchez, Bichette lifted a slider to the second deck in left field for a solo home run, cutting the Philadelphia lead to 4-1. It's Bichette's 17th home run of the season and first since Sept. 6.
--New York attempted to rally in the seventh inning as A.J. Ewing and Brett Baty delivered pinch-hit singles, with Baty driving in a run to make it a 4-2 game. Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto couldn't follow suit, popping out and striking out to end the frame.
-- Kodai Senga struggled in the eighth inning, allowing a three-run triple to Justin Crawford that extended the Phillies' lead to 7-2. Senga recorded just one out, as he walked three and let up two hits. Austin Warren walked another to load the bases but prevented further damage by forcing a 6-3 double play.
Game MVP: Cristopher Sánchez
The left-hander kept the Mets offense relatively quiet, allowing two runs on six hits over 6.1 IP with six K's and no walks. His 18 wins are the most for a Phillies pitcher since Roy Halladay (19) in 2011.
Highlights
Jonah Tong limps off the field after colliding with Bryson Stott at first base for the third out pic.twitter.com/hv3xOx6aSX
After going 0-for-10 with four strikeouts in the first two games of this series, Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had himself another big day in the third contest. PCA singled, doubled, homered and stole a base and helped lead the Cubs to a 9-1 blowout of the Reds, a victory tempered by a freak injury to Alex Bregman. More on the latter anon, first let’s wrap this win.
The Cubs extended their lead in the third. PCA led off with a double. A note on that double from BCB’s JohnW53:
With his third-inning double, Pete Crow-Armstrong has at least 30 homers, doubles and steals.
Only one Cub had done that before: PCA, last year.
Forty players on other teams have done it, 12 of them also multiple times. PCA is among 10 with two. Alfonso Soriano did it four times; Barry Bonds and Jose Ramirez, three.
It was noted on the Marquee broadcast that PCA’s 40-HR, 30-double, 30-steal year is the first ever by a MLB center fielder — nope, not Willie Mays, not Ken Griffey Jr., no one, until now. I’ve said it before, but don’t ever forget what you are seeing from Pete this year — it is truly historic.
Anyway, PCA then went to third on a ground out by Seiya Suzuki. The Cubs then loaded the bases on walks drawn by Michael Busch and Bregman.
Now to the Bregman incident in the fourth inning. With two out, Busch hit a foul ball that struck Bregman, who was in the on-deck circle, in the face. Bregman immediately left the game and was replaced by Matt Shaw. Here’s what that looked like [VIDEO].
Per Craig Counsell’s postgame remarks, the ball hit Bregman in the cheekbone, which is swollen. There was also a facial cut, but we don’t know anything beyond that. Hopefully it’s not too serious and Bregman doesn’t have a concussion.
While all this was going on, David Peterson was sailing along, striking out seven over the first four innings. The Reds made it 5-1 on a solo homer by JJ Bleday in the fourth.
That blast tied PCA with Kyle Schwarber for the MLB lead. The Cubs also lead MLB in home runs with 217; as noted on the Marquee broadcast, the last time the Cubs led all of baseball in home runs was 1958, led by Ernie Banks with 47 in his first MVP season.
David Peterson’s quality start was his fifth as a Cub, fourth most on the team. Shota Imanaga has 14, as many as the next two combined: Matthew Boyd, eight, and Colin Rea, six. Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon both have four. Five others have one to three.
Peterson could be a valuable weapon in the postseason, either as a starter or out of the bullpen.
With their three home runs, the Cubs have hit nine in their last four games (three, one, two, three). They had hit 12 in their previous 14 games, since smacking a team-record nine at home vs. the Brewers on Aug. 31.
Edward Cabrera was given the eighth inning, a good low-leverage situation. He allowed a leadoff single and after retiring the next hitter, another Reds batter reached on an error by Ramirez. But Cabrera got Elly De La Cruz to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Colin Rea finished up with a 1-2-3 ninth, his first game action in 11 days, on just eight pitches. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].
The Cubs will clinch a postseason berth if the Yankees defeat the Diamondbacks Sunday, a game that’s just begun at the time of this recap. The Padres, tied with the Cubs for the top wild card spot with the Cubs holding the tiebreaker, are playing the Marlins in a contest in San Diego that’s also just underway. The Phillies defeated the Mets Sunday, so the Cubs still lead Philadelphia by a game. Thanks to the Mets for taking two of the four games from the Phillies over the weekend.
The Cubs have Monday off, then open the final regular season home series Tuesday evening against the Marlins at Wrigley Field. Kevin Gausman will start for the Cubs and Janson Junk will go for Miami. Game time Tuesday is 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
