PICKING UP THE PIECES: This is the 11th of the Cubs’ 52 series in which they lost the first two games. They are 7-3 in third games, including 3-2 at home. They beat the Pirates on April 12, the Braves on May 14 and the Cardinals on July 5. They lost to the Brewers and Astros in back-to-back series on May 20 and 24. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
DAY vs. NIGHT: The Cubs are just 34-33 in day games this season. A win today will assure them of finishing with a winning record in sunshine if they play one day game at Boston in their final series. They have finished below .500 in only one of the past 10 full seasons: 32-39 in 2021. They were 8-8 in the 60-game 2020 season. The Cubs are 23-17 in day games at home this year, including 11-5 in day games following night games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
WINNING ON THURSDAYS: The Cubs are 10-3 on Thursday, their best record on any day of the week. They are 15-10 on Saturday, 15-11 on Wednesday and 11-7 on Monday. At home the Cubs are 5-1 on Thursday. They are 9-2 on Monday, 8-5 on Saturday and 7-6 on Wednesday. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs lead 7-3 heading to the seventh, only to give up five to the Mets and trail 8-7. A two-run homer by Jody Davis gives them the lead back, but the Mets score in the eighth to tie the game 9-9. Bobby Bonds homers in the bottom of the eighth and the Cubs hold on for a 10-9 win. This brings them within three games of the NL East lead in that strike season’s “second half.” After the game on the WGN radio broadcast, Lou Boudreau complains that only 2,555 came to see the Cubs in a “pennant race game,” which was technically true, three games back with 10 remaining. The Cubs lost seven of those 10 and finished well out of any postseason play. That Cubs/Mets game happened 45 years ago today, Thursday, Sept. 24, 1981.
Matthew Boyd threw well in his last start, Saturday at Cincinnati, allowing the Reds just two hits and two runs (one earned) in five innings.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that he’s been much worse at Wrigley Field this year (5.53 ERA in 10 starts) than on the road (2.86 ERA in 11 starts).
He has not faced the Marlins as a Cub, either this year or last year. No current member of the Marlins has ever faced him, so maybe that’ll be a positive this afternoon.
The Cubs scored three runs in five innings off Tyler Phillips Sept. 6 at Miami, including Pete Crow-Armstrong’s 40th home run of the season.
Since then Phillips hasn’t gotten out of the fourth inning in two starts, and hasn’t thrown more than 68 pitches. Perhaps the Cubs can get to him early today.
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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.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 21: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers bats against the Baltimore Orioles during the tenth inning at American Family Field on May 21, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here we are, the last series of the regular season.
The Brewers, at 99 wins entering Thursday night’s series finale in Philadelphia, have four more chances to reach the 100-win threshold for the first time in franchise history. Their magic number for the No. 1 overall seed also sits at 2, meaning they need some combination of two wins and Dodgers’ losses to lock it up over these next few days. On the other side, the Cardinals, at 77-81, got off to a strong start despite low expectations entering the season. They’ve cooled off considerably over the last few months and now look like they’ll finish just below .500 but still ahead of the “Why aren’t we the Brewers” Reds at the bottom of the NL Central.
On the injury front, the Brewers are without relievers Grant Anderson and Bryse Wilson (both could be activated for Thursday’s series finale in Philadelphia), as well as Brian Fitzpatrick and Angel Zerpa (both out for season). Starters Quinn Priester (out for season) and Brandon Woodruff (slim chance of returning in the postseason) are also out.
St. Louis is without position players Blaze Jordan, Joshua Báez, and Everson Pereira. Pereira is the only player we could see this weekend, as he was on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis entering their postseason series this week. Pitchers Hunter Dobbins and Max Rajcic are also done for the year.
Jake Bauers, Jackson Chourio, and Brice Turang have anchored Milwaukee’s well-rounded offense this season, and all three of them are now at 20-plus homers. William Contreras has an outside chance at hitting the 20-homer threshold, sitting at 18 with four games to go. Garrett Mitchell, Andrew Vaughn, Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, Christian Yelich, and Joey Ortiz are the other regulars, with Sal Frelick, Gary Sánchez, and David Hamilton the first players off the bench. Bo Naylor has effectively served as the emergency catcher/travel day backstop since rosters expanded earlier this month. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .257/.339/.402 (.741 OPS ranks fourth), with 151 homers (tied for 28th), 810 runs scored (second), and 159 steals (fifth).
The Cardinals are led by Jordan Walker, who is wrapping up what will likely be a top five MVP finish as he’s hitting .273/.330/.470 with 28 homers, 100 RBIs, 94 runs scored, and 21 steals this season. Alec Burleson has added 23 homers and an MLB-best 112 RBIs, while Iván Herrera, Rookie of the Year candidate JJ Wetherholt, and Nathan Church also have double-digit homers. José Fermín, Leo Bernal, Nolan Gorman, Masyn Winn, and Bryan Torres are also in the regular mix, with Victor Scott II, Thomas Saggese, César Prieto, and Pedro Pagés rounding things out. As a team, the Cardinals are hitting .241/.315/.380 (.695 OPS ranks 26th), with 161 homers (25th), 709 runs scored (tied for 12th), and 99 steals (17th).
Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe have the late innings on lock for Milwaukee’s bullpen, while Aaron Ashby, Chad Patrick, and DL Hall have all taken on high-leverage roles. Deadline acquisitions Antonio Senzatela and JoJo Romero (a long-time Cardinal) have had their ups and downs, while Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison have both moved to the bullpen here late in the season. Lyon Richardson is the latest piece, replacing Colton Gordon after his long relief outing on Tuesday night. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.53 team ERA (second), including a 3.64 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.40 bullpen ERA (third). They’ve struck out 1,503 batters (second) over 1,410 2/3 innings.
All-Star Riley O’Brien has 38 saves this season, but he’s also blown eight saves and has a 4.08 ERA. Justin Bruihl (3.69 ERA over 75 2/3 IP), George Soriano (4.23 ERA over 66 IP), and Ryne Stanek (4.09 ERA over 61 2/3 IP) are the other anchors for the bullpen. Gordon Graceffo (2.76 ERA over 78 1/3 IP) has been one of the best arms for St. Louis, and rookie Luis Gastelum (4.29 ERA over 35 2/3 IP) has also been solid. Cade Winquest (4.63 ERA over 11 2/3 IP), Cooper Hjerpe (6.00 ERA over 9 IP), and Brycen Mautz (6.92 ERA over 13 IP) round things out. As a staff, the Cardinals have a 4.26 team ERA (21st), including a 4.10 starter ERA (11th) and a 4.50 bullpen ERA (24th). They’ve struck out 1,248 batters (25th) over 1,410 2/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, September 25 @ 6:40 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (5-5, 4.01 ERA, 4.32 FIP) vs. RHP Michael McGreevy (7-9, 3.84 ERA, 4.24 FIP)
Gasser has been a solid arm for the Brewers this season, particularly over the last couple of months, and he seems in line to be in the rotation for the postseason. He’s coming off arguably the best start of his young career, as he went seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 win over the Orioles, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out a pair. The left-hander has now allowed one run or fewer in four of his last five outings, lowering his season ERA from 4.79 to 4.01. Gasser has made three career starts against St. Louis, going 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA and 10 strikeouts over 16 2/3 innings. That includes a win in St. Louis back in July, when he went 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and striking out four.
McGreevy, 26, has turned in a solid season, making 30 starts with a 3.84 ERA, 4.24 FIP, and 113 strikeouts over 164 innings. He went four innings in his last appearance, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out one in an extra-innings loss to the Nationals. McGreevy’s two career appearances against Milwaukee both came this year, and he’s 1-1 with six runs allowed and 12 strikeouts across 10 1/3 innings.
Saturday, September 26 @ 6:10 p.m.: RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.67 ERA, 3.59 FIP) vs. LHP Quinn Mathews (2-3, 3.65 ERA, 3.80 FIP)
May, who started the season with the Cardinals and made 21 starts for them, was acquired by the Brewers alongside JoJo Romero at the trade deadline. He’s had an up-and-down tenure with Milwaukee, going 2-2 with a 5.61 ERA, 5.06 FIP, and 33 strikeouts over 33 2/3 innings. Despite those numbers, there are a few strong starts in there, including six scoreless against the Reds just two weeks ago. This is May’s first time facing the Cardinals since he was a Dodger back in 2023. He’s made two career starts against St. Louis, going 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 10 2/3 innings.
Mathews, 25, is a rookie who was called up right around the trade deadline. He’s made eight starts for St. Louis, going 2-3 with a 3.65 ERA, 3.80 FIP, and 39 strikeouts across 44 1/3 innings. He went seven solid frames against the Nationals in his last appearance, allowing three runs and striking out three. This marks his first career appearance against Milwaukee.
Sunday, September 27 @ 2:10 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (15-5, 1.86 ERA, 2.16 FIP) vs. RHP Andre Pallante (12-8, 3.61 ERA, 3.71 FIP)
Misiorowski has all but locked up his NL Cy Young candidacy, and Sunday will just be a tune-up outing for him ahead of the postseason. Across 169 1/3 innings this year, Miz is 15-5 with a 1.86 ERA, 2.16 FIP, and 247 strikeouts, leading the majors in all three of those stats. He went three scoreless in an intentionally shortened start against the Orioles on Sunday night, allowing one hit and no walks while striking out four on 44 pitches. Miz has made five starts against St. Louis, going 3-1 with a 3.25 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 27 2/3 innings. That includes two starts this year, going 2-0 with four runs allowed over 14 innings, striking out 23.
Another familiar foe, Pallante, 28, is in his fifth season with St. Louis and third as a full-time starter. This has been his best year as a starter yet, pitching to a 12-8 record with a 3.61 ERA, 3.71 FIP, and 106 strikeouts across 157 innings. The right-hander took a tough luck loss in his last outing, allowing one run and striking out two over six innings as the Cardinals lost 2-0 to the Pirates. Pallante has made 17 career appearances (five starts) against Milwaukee, with a 6.07 ERA and 24 strikeouts across 43 innings. That includes a pair of losses this season, as he’s totaled 11 innings with 11 runs allowed and five strikeouts.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, September 25: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, September 26: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, September 27: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
Neither of these two teams should have much to play for this weekend, but I can’t imagine Pat Murphy will let his team let up on the gas as they approach the postseason. Give me the Brewers to win two of three as the squad looks to turn things up a notch before next weekend.
NEW YORK — Ben Rice one-upped Aaron Boone. And then he two-upped the New York Yankees manager.
Boone predicted during spring training that Rice would finish with 39 home runs this season. Rice hit Nos. 40 and 41 in a 9-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, tying for the American League home run lead.
He smiled and pointed at Boone when he returned to the dugout after driving Mason Englert’s first pitch of the game into Yankee Stadium’s right field second deck. Rice grinned at Boone some more after another solo homer in the fourth.
“I think I said, `Hey, there’s 40 for you,’” Rice recalled. “I was joking with him after the 41st one, saying, `Hey thanks for inspiring me this year.’ But it’s all in good fun. Back in spring when he told me that, I knew that secretly meant he was hoping I’d hit 40.”
Rice is tied for the AL home run lead with Baltimore’s Pete Alonso, the Rays’ Junior Caminero and Houston’s Yordan Alvarez. He is hitting .263 and leads the Yankees with 97 RBIs and an .899 OPS, becoming a first-time All-Star and the biggest cog in an offense missing Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for most of the season.
Boone deliberately picked an odd total rather than a round figure.
“I was confident he was going to have a really big year,” he said. “Probably wanted to make sure it was just south of a number, maybe to maybe let him know that.”
Rice, who had three hits and a walk, became the 13th Yankees player with a 40-home run season but just the third to reach the milestone during his first three seasons after Joe DiMaggio and Judge. Rice’s plate appearances often prompt a rendition of Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets″ from the stadium’s organist, and Rice has sparked an often struggling offense with 16 go-ahead homers this year and three that have tied games.
“One thing I always tell guys the difference between minor leaguers and big leaguers is the consistency,” Judge said. “He’s one of the best. I can look up at the clock and I know exactly where he’s going to be in the cage. You know what he’s doing in the training room, the weight room. It’s just every single day, man, this guy’s a machine.”
A 12th-round pick in the 2021 amateur draft from Dartmouth, where he played just 30 games over three years due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rice mostly was a catcher but occasionally a first baseman in the minors. He made his big league debut in June 2024 at age 25 after Anthony Rizzo broke a forearm.
Rice hit .171 with seven homers and 23 RBIs in 50 games that year, then batted .255 with 26 homers and 65 RBIs in 138 games last year.
With Stanton sidelined for most of the season, the left-handed-hitting Rice has 93 games at DH this year and 52 at first.
“It’s tough to pull him off his back leg,” Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole said. “He’s really able to stay balanced and deliver high-efficacy strikes on various pitches in all parts of the zone.”
Rice was hitting .306 through May, then batted .196 in June. An 18-for-58 (.119) slide after the All-Star break dropped his season average to .248 on Aug. 22 but he’s rebounded to bat .333 (34 for 102) since.
“Went through a lull, which is inevitable, even in a great season,” Boone said. “Had a stretch in there where it was a struggle and he was grinding but kind of battled through that and feel like the last few weeks has been on a really good run.”
Rice’s potential was evident on July 6, 2024, less than a month into his big league career, when he became the first Yankees rookie with three home runs in a game and tied Lou Gehrig’s Yankees rookie record of seven RBIs. Consistency took time.
“A lot of it I always feel like is just experience-based,” Rice said. “You just see more pitching at the big league level, get exposed to guys who throw all different kinds of pitches from different angles and slots and all these things. I feel like I’ve always been a good learner in that way.”
Justin Foscue of the Texas Rangers swings at a pitch during the game between the New York Mets and Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on September 22, 2026. (Photo by Seth Garber/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for September 24, 2026 against the New York Mets: starting pitchers are Kumar Rocker for the Rangers and Zac Thornton for the Mets.
The Rangers this afternoon try to finish their home schedule with a win, avoid a sweep, keep alive their hopes of a winning record, and keep afloat in their battle with the Astros for the A.L. West.
The lineup:
Foscue — 2B
Seager — SS
Jung — 3B
Burger — 1B
Nimmo — RF
Langford — LF
Duran — CF
Diaz — C
Jansen — DH
1:35 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -131 favorites.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 22: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates warms up in the bullpen before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will face the Pittsburgh Pirates for the final time this season Thursday when they’ll face Paul Skenes. The Cardinals will counter with Kyle Leahy who will pitch at least the first few innings depending on his pitch count limitation. First pitch scheduled for 11:35am at PNC Park and the game broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
Detroit Tigers broadcasters Jason Benetti (left) and Dan Dickerson (right) before a spring training game between the Tigers and Boston Red Sox on Thursday, February 27, 2025, in Lakeland, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Detroit Tigers announced today that broadcasters Dan Dickerson and Jason Benetti have signed long-term extensions with the club. This keeps them locked in as the lead voices for Detroit SportsNet and the Tigers Radio Network for years to come. The duo has worked as a team the past few seasons already, with Dickerson handling the television broadcasts when Benetti’s national obligations take him away from the Tigers for certain events.
The length of the deals wasn’t made public, but the Tigers continue to draw high marks both nationally and locally for their broadcasts, and the rollout of Detroit SportsNet this season has seemingly gone quite well, so getting them locked up long-term makes sense. In the wake of their independent regional sports networks collapse after the long saga of Bally Sports and then FanDuel Sports trying to hang onto the old model, the Tigers are in a pretty good place in terms of their broadcast production and on air talent, and things will remain consistent for a while.
Dickerson has now been one of the voices of Tigers radio since 2000 and the lead play-by-play voice of their radio broadcasts since 2003 after he succeeded one of the all-time greats in Ernie Harwell. He’s on his way to a similar place in Tigers broadcast history, though catching Harwell’s 42 year career as the voice of Tigers baseball will be difficult. His appearances handling the television broadcast will be expanded somewhat next season in support of Benetti, who continues to be one of the most sought after all-around voices in sports.
2026 was Benetti’s third season in Detroit after coming over from the Chicago White Sox for the 2024 season. He remains the play-by-play voice for NBC Sports “Sunday Night Baseball” while also handling some college football and basketball, including working some NCAA tournament games during March Madness.
The Tigers had prepared for the eventual RSN collapse by hiring Dickerson and Benetti as team employees, rather than as employees of Bally or FanDuel. So the transition out of the RSN model went pretty smoothly, with the Detroit SportsNet rollout this season a pretty successful one. Dickerson and Benetti will be the center of the team’s broadcasts for several more years to come. The duo also collaborates to host the Have a Seat podcast on the Detroit Tigers YouTube channel, interviewing players and coaches throughout the season.
“We’re incredibly proud to have Jason and Dan as the voices of Tigers baseball, and grateful for their eagerness to make an even deeper commitment to our organization,” said Ryan Gustafson, President and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “Several years ago, we made a deliberate decision to improve how we engage with our fans, and building a broadcast worthy of them was central to the effort. Jason and Dan, alongside many others, continue to deliver an entertaining and informed broadcast that is among the best in baseball.”
Detroit Tigers Sign Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson to Long-Term Contract Extensions
DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers today announced multi-year contract extensions with television play-by-play voice Jason Benetti and radio play-by-play voice Dan Dickerson, keeping the pair at the…
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 13: Fans head up a ramp during a rain delay before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park on September 13, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The plan as of right now is for the Red Sox and Cubs to play a double header on Friday with start times of 1:05pm and 6:05 pm in an effort to get as much baseball in as possible before the onset of this weekend’s nor’easter. This is going to be a highly interesting scenario because while all models have come into agreement on the idea of there being strong, slow moving, and retrograding nor’easter, there’s actually quite a bit of disagreement on the initial timing and position of the low.
Let’s take a look at a couple of examples with both of the following maps valid for 4:00pm on Friday afternoon. First up, the RGEM (short range Canadian model):
This one has the low moving much quicker to the north initially before stalling and running into the block. If correct, harsh, full blown nor’easter conditions would arrive during the first game of the double header and we’d be in big trouble in trying to complete all three over the weekend.
But then there’s other short range models like the HRRR that handle things completely different:
Here, we see the low much further south during that same late Friday afternoon timeframe. As a result, the initial push of moisture into eastern Massachusetts is actually falling apart as it comes north in favor of newer, more powerful bands forming to the south closer to the low.
And you know what? If I had to guess based on all the data I’m looking at right now, I think the HRRR is closer to to the bone here. This makes me think we’re going to be dealing with a situation where they try and play baseball in some rain (maybe even on and off rain) Friday afternoon and evening to get these first two games in the books. A lot of this depends on what type of conditions MLB is willing to play through, but given what’s coming on Saturday, my guess is their tolerance is going to be pretty high and they push to get the games in.
In addition to the rain though, there will be wind, and despite the uncertainty in the exact timing and intensity of the moisture moving in on Friday before conditions further deteriorate over the weekend, I have a high degree of confidence the wind will be howling well before any rain gets there. The National Weather Service has already issued a High Wind Watch for Boston calling for gusts up to 50mph through Saturday evening. During the late Friday afternoon and evening timeframe, I would expect northerly gusts top 35 mph even before the precipitation arrives.
This means you should have incredibly blustery conditions blowing in from left field during whatever baseball is played on Friday. It won’t be great for fans, but it could be good for Patrick Sandoval’s ERA assuming he takes the mound at some point tomorrow.
Either way, this has the potential to get messy if all three games are needed to determine playoff seeding, and given that likelihood (the Cubs are a game behind the Padres for the top Wild Card spot while holding the tiebreaker), we’re probably going to see baseball played in some pretty crazy conditions at some point.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 11: Jordan Beck #27 of the Colorado Rockies makes a leaping catch over the wall during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 11, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball highlight’s are most commonly filled with a mixture of home runs and defensive plays in which the fielder must do something particularly spectacular in order to make up for a mistake earlier in the play. The skill required for those is both easily visible in the confines of television camera frame. Efficient outfield catches, however, are difficult to appreciate unless you happen to be at the ballpark and able to see the whole field.
So, as the 2026 Colorado Rockies season comes to a close, let’s take a moment to marvel at the most highlight-worthy plays for each Rockies outfielder as estimated by Catch Probability from Statcast.
Catch Probability is a simple concept at its heart that simply attempts to explain how difficult it would be for an outfielder to arrive where the ball is landing before it does. It does this with two primary inputs,
How far an outfielder needs to run.
How long they have to run that far.
Those factors are combined, and a resulting percentage of the time that the ball is caught in the Major Leagues is calculated. There’s some extra nuance, but the basic premise is incredibly simple.
To make it even simpler, comparing plays can be done by dividing their Catch Percentages into the following categories:
Technically both Braxton Fulford and Willi Castro have seen time in the outfield for the Rockies this season. Fulford has a total of two appearances on the outfield grass, and Castro has played parts of nine games out there despite having only started in the outfield twice.
While they both have played the outfield, neither has had enough opportunities to have made any catches that qualify for “stars” using Catch Probability. In fact, the only opportunity that either player has had that would have qualified if it had been caught was a play at the left field wall on June 7, which Castro wisely played on the bounce. If he had managed to make a miraculous grab, it would have been considered a five-star catch according to Catch Probability.
That, however, is the only chance either Fulford or Castro has had to qualify for this list, so the only fair thing to do is take them out of the running.
Two-Star Catches
Sterlin Thompson only had a few more games in a big league outfield this year than Fulford or Castro but he made the most of them.
In the 15 Major League games that Thompson took the field, he made two separate plays at the wall that qualified as two-star catches. The most visually impressive was one from June 3 that would have meant extra bases for Mike Trout had Thompson not been able to effectively backpedal and leap against the left field wall to make the grab.
Zac Veen’s most difficult catch of the season is similar to Thompson’s in that it required him to backpedal and judge a play against the wall. The difference between the plays is subtle, but Veen needed to cover four more feet with less time than Thompson did.
Mickey Moniak’s hardest catch of the season nearly resulted in a collision.
Moniak was making chase towards a ball deep in the right-center gap when center fielder Jake McCarthy slid in front of him in what could have been an ugly result if McCarthy had been just a step slower.
While Catch Probability doesn’t account for the nuances of needing to coordinate with and/or avoid fellow outfielders, the 93 feet of distance Moniak needed to cover in just over five seconds was enough to qualify this catch as only 60% likely.
Where Moniak’s best catch qualified primarily based on the distance he needed to cover, Jordan Beck’s most difficult was primarily due to how little time he had to react. In just under three seconds from the moment Brett Sullivan released his 57 MPH “fastball,” Beck needed to assess where the hit from Steven Kwan would land, run 31 feet, and slide to be at the correct height to be able to scoop the ball as it was landing.
Given that lack of available reaction time, it’s understandable why that August 21 catch from Beck is qualified as his most difficult on the season. That being said, Beck’s other three-star catch (which only has five percent lower Catch Probability than his most difficult catch) was far more impactful. I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind everyone of this early-season home run robbery against Nick Castellanos.
His best catch of the season wearing a Rockies uniform came on April 5 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Much like Beck’s home run robbery, Doyle needed both to cover a large distance (93 feet) and time a jump just perfectly in order to make the following beautiful play possible.
Troy Johnston isn’t exactly known for his defensive prowess, but he has managed a surprising number of memorable defensive plays in his first season with the Rockies. Johnston actually has two catches that are rated four-stars, but his least likely one came on April 23 on a line drive to shallow right field.
This dive forward towards short liners may be Johnston’s signature move as he had made a very similar play to end a game just four days earlier. While that catch obviously had a larger impact on the specific game than the first, it didn’t quite qualify as a four-star catch.
Cole Carrigg provides an illustration of a couple factors that Catch Probability does not take into account: sightlines and angles.
The following is Carrigg’s singular four-star catch per Catch Probability:
That is, for sure, an impressive catch that showcases Carrigg’s speed and range as he had to cover 46 feet in just over three seconds. What it isn’t, in my estimation, is Carrigg’s most difficult catch of the season.
This ball was in the air for nearly a full five seconds which limits its catch probability to two-stars, Carrigg needed to be sprinting towards the wall while looking over his right shoulder to reach his left arm forward at the right angle in order to make it.
Catch Probability attempts to account for needing to run backwards in terms of how doing so slows the fielder down and decreases the chance to reach the ball in time. What it doesn’t account for is how much more difficult it is to catch a ball a player can’t properly view. This Carrigg catch shows off a combination of coordination and dexterity in addition to the range that Catch Probability does a good job of assessing.
Five-Star Catches
What Jake McCarthy lacks in arm strength, he more than makes up for in sprint speed. He has limitations as a fielder, but his range in the outfield is obviously great. He often gets to balls with enough time to spare to make routine looking catches that would have required desperate diving plays by outfielders with average speed.
Given that, it should come as no surprise that McCarthy’s most difficult catch of the season doesn’t actually look particularly difficult.
In that July 20 play McCarthy had to cover 60 feet with just 3.7 seconds of reaction time from the moment the ball left Kyle Freeland’s hand.
This is a great example of an incredible catch that would be difficult to assess as such via the television broadcast. At the ballpark a scout may be able to pay attention to McCarthy’s starting point, his reaction time, and his route efficiency in order to appreciate how hard that really was. From home, being locked into the camera view that shows the pitcher and batter for the first few moments of the play, it’s implausible to recognize that that was McCarthy’s best catch of the year.
The same can not be said for Tyler Freeman’s best catch of the season.
This diving catch in which the tip of Freeman’s glove just barely manages to reach underneath the ball as it lands is a perfect counterpoint to the visual ease of McCarthy’s five-star catch above. Freeman needed to cover slightly less distance (53 feet) in slightly less time (3.5 seconds) than McCarthy did which equates to a roughly equal 15% Catch Probability score.
McCarthy made a 15% catch look easy. Against those same odds, Freeman clearly needed to use every inch of his range in order to match McCarthy’s success.
The end result of both plays was the same. The most difficult outfield catches of the 2026 Rockies season… so far.
There aren’t many Rockies games left, but we should all be sure to be on the lookout for a more spectacular catch and ready to give it the recognition it deserves regardless of whether the player is able to make it look easy.
ANAHEIM, CA - AUGUST, 1980: Infielder Eric Soderholm of the New York Yankees, during pregame warmups prior to a game in August, 1980 against the California Angels at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. (Photo by: Diamond Images/Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
A New Yorker by birth, Eric Soderholm was a right-handed third baseman who played nine seasons in the majors. Spending his final season in pinstripes, Soderholm’s calm and thoughtful personality was not indicative of the state of the team at the time, as George Steinbrenner was at the height of his rule and the other players in the clubhouse featured the likes of Reggie Jackson and Rich “Goose” Gossage. It turned out to be a 103-win division champ under skipper Dick Howser, but alas their October was short-lived.
Eric Thane Soderholm Born: September 24, 1948 (Cortland, NY) Yankees Tenure: 1980
Soderholm was raised in Florida and graduated from Coral Park High School in Miami. A shortstop in high school, Soderholm was not much of a prospect, appearing to most as just another skinny kid playing ball. He took a work-study scholarship to play baseball at South Georgia College, and after filling out and adding strength, Soderholm was selected by the Kansas City Athletics in the 11th round of the 1967 MLB Draft. However, he chose not to sign in June, so that opened the door for the Minnesota Twins to take him as the very top pick in January edition of the draft (which was held until 1986).
The Twins got Soderholm to sign on the dotted line, and he started his professional journey in 1968. Most of the 1968 and 1969 seasons saw Soderholm playing Single-A ball in Orlando. However, by the end of the 1969 season, Soderholm was promoted to Double-A Evansville and would eventually hit his way to the highest level of the minors in 1970.
When the 1971 campaign began, Soderholm was with the Portland Bears in Triple-A. After hitting .275 with 22 home runs, the Twins finally gave the kid the call. On September 3rd, Soderholm made his debut and hit a home run in his second career at-bat, swatting a solo shot off Diego Segui en route to a 9-4 Twins victory. He otherwise struggled though, and though he hit in opportunities in late 1973, it was hard for him to catch a regular rhythm. In fact, it took until the 1974 campaign.
In his first season as the Twins’ regular third baseman, Soderholm slashed .276/.349/.392 with 10 home runs in 141 games, good for 3.1 fWAR and a 114 wRC+. With the job secured following a successful season, Soderholm then followed that up in 1975 by slashing .286/.365/.415 with 11 home runs through mid-August. In 117 games, he’d posted 4.4 fWAR, higher than all but six players in the Junior Circuit.
However, on August 20th, Soderholm fell into an unmarked storm sewer while walking a property he was looking to buy in Minnesota. This fall broke several of his ribs and caused major damage to his knee, ending his season and costing him all of the 1976 season. The knee took two surgeries, and doctors gave him a 50/50 chance to play again.
Soderholm found Dr. Fred Allman, who put him on a strict rehabilitation program that centered around Nautilus exercise equipment. Becoming one of the first professional baseball players to use weight machines for rehabilitation, Allman declared a new and stronger Soderholm was bionic. The Twins did not want to risk the recovery and released Soderholm, who signed with the White Sox ahead of the 1977 season.
Defying the odds after his knee surgeries, Soderholm was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year during the 1977 season. The slugger played in 130 games, batting .280 with a career-high 25 home runs for a surprising White Sox team that zoomed from a league-worst 64-97 record in 1976 to a 90-72 mark the following year, a 26-game swing (though the Royals beat them out for the AL West). Chicago took a step back in 1978, but Soderholm himself proved his resurgence wasn’t a fluke by hitting another 20 home runs for the Pale Hose. In total, his memorable two-and-a-half-year stint on the South Side yielded 51 home runs and cemented his legacy as a fan favorite who would eventually land in the Chicagoland Hall of Fame.
As the White Sox entered a rebuilding phase during the 1979 season, they traded Soderholm to the Texas Rangers on June 15th in exchange for pitcher (and future longtime announcer) Ed Farmer. Because Texas already featured star third baseman Buddy Bell, Soderholm was utilized in a utility role across 63 games. Then, in November 1979, the Rangers dealt Soderholm to the Yankees for infielder Amos Lewis and pitcher Ricky Burdette.
The Yankees hoped Soderholm could be a reliable platoon designated hitter and backup infielder. He excelled in his role, appearing in 95 games and batting a productive .287 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs to help the Yankees secure the AL East division crown.
This led to Soderholm making his first postseason appearance during the 1980 ALCS against Kansas City. The Yanks had taken down the Royals in three consecutive playoff series between 1976 and 1978, and with much of the core still intact a couple years later, KC was ready for some revenge. They got it, sweeping New York away in three games, and Sodeholm was held to a 1-for-6 showing with a ground-ball single in Game 1 and nothing else.
After the season, Soderholm became a free agent. Before he could land a new deal in February 1981, Soderholm slipped on a patch of ice near his home in Chicago. The fall severely re-injured his knee, requiring the fifth major surgery on the chronically damaged joint. This one forced him into retirement following that lone season in New York.
The Cubs hired Soderholm as a scout following his retirement, and he also launched the Eric Soderholm Baseball Camps. This led to him opening a hitting school to mentor young players. Feeling like he needed some action, Soderholm eventually launched Front Row Tickets, which became a lucrative ticket resale platform.
Finding this line of work unfulfilling, in 1997, he and his daughter co-founded the SoderWorld Wellness Center & Academy in Willowbrook, Illinois. Soderholm uses his experiences working back from injuries to serve as a personal life coach and meditation teacher at the center.
Happy birthday, Eric. May it be even and balanced!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman is thankful he’s not a little shorter.
Sporting a discolored left eye after being struck by a foul ball in the on-deck circle, the three-time All-Star said it could’ve been worse.
“Super lucky it hit where it hit and just a lot of gratitude that it wasn’t a few centimeters higher,” he said before a game against Miami.
The ball, off the bat of teammate Michael Busch in Cincinnati, caused several facial fractures.
With the postseason approaching, the Cubs are glad the injury won’t require a stint on the injured list.
Bregman said he’ll likely start shagging ground balls in a day or so and will be trying out new styles of helmets to protect the eye.
“The whole left side of my face has been a little bit numb,” he said.
“He’s still got significant swelling in his face and his eye that needs to improve,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “But all things considered, he’s in a good place.”
Bregman was on deck in the fourth inning of a 9-1 win at Cincinnati when he was hit on the left side of his face by Busch’s check-swing foul. Bregman immediately jogged toward the Cubs’ dugout and covered his face before going back to the clubhouse with an athletic trainer.
“When everything was going down on Sunday afternoon, I think that we all thought the worst case might be a possibility,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “And all the news since then has been really good. He’s had a lot of different doctor’s appointments, and they’ve been positive. And I think we have to take it one step at a time.”
Bregman is batting .262 with 26 homers and 89 RBIs in 153 games during his first season with Chicago. He signed a five-year, $175 million contract with the Cubs in free agency.
The 32-year-old Bregman got off to a rough start in his new home, hitting just .229 with two homers in his first 20 games. But he has been one of Chicago’s most productive players since the All-Star break, batting .305 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs in his last 57 games.
Bregman also has excelled in the postseason in the past. He won two World Series championships with the Houston Astros. He appeared in at least two postseason games in each of the previous nine years.
NEW YORK — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hopes to return from a strained right calf for the playoffs and Giancarlo Stanton could be back after a 5 1/2-month absence.
New York manager Aaron Boone repeated he’s not counting on Judge to play in the AL Wild Card Series opener. Judge, sidelined since Sept. 16, said he’s trying to do all he can to be in the lineup.
“The Bronx is a magical place in October,” Judge said after a 9-2 win over AL East champion Tampa Bay. “I don’t want to miss out on that opportunity.”
Judge had a platelet-poor plasma injection. He was sidelined by a fractured rib from May 31 to Sept. 8 and played in just seven games before the latest injury.
“Any injection doesn’t feel too good that day, but I feel a lot better today and we’re going to keep making strides,” he said.
A three-time AL MVP, Judge is hitting .241 with 18 homers, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS in 66 games this season, including .174 with one homer and three RBIs since coming back from the rib injury.
“We are going to listen to the body and see how he heals,” Boone said. “If he is in a position to do that, obviously we are going to want him. So, no, I haven’t ruled anything out, of course.”
Boone said he wasn’t planning on having Judge available for the best-of-three series, likely against Boston.
“Obviously as a player, you don’t want to hear that but that’s out of my control,” Judge said.
Boone said Judge had a moderate strain.
“Everybody’s `moderate’ is a little different,” Judge said.
Stanton, trying to return from injuries to calf muscles in both legs, faced pitchers at Double-A Somerset along with center fielder Trent Grisham, sidelined since straining his right hamstring on Sept. 4. Both ran the bases and Stanton homered while taking six or seven at-bats.
“Putting them on the outskirts of the conversation,” Boone, bothered by a cold, said in a raspy voice.
Following the end of the seasons for Yankees farm teams, New York has minor leaguers working out at Somerset in nearby New Jersey.
Stanton hasn’t played since April 24 because of strained calf muscles in both legs after starting the season with a .256 batting average, three homers and 14 RBIs in 24 games. The 36-year-old former NL MVP had 38 homers and 100 RBIs in his first season with New York in 2018 but has missed 500 of 1,194 games since (41.9%), through the end of this regular season.
His other injuries included strains of his right biceps, right knee, left hamstring (three times), left quadriceps and both calf muscles along with right ankle inflammation, left Achilles tendinitis and tendon pain in both elbows.
“You’re looking more at a pinch-hit scenario,” Boone said. “We’ll see if that’s even a realistic option.”
Stanton is owed $25 million next year in the final guaranteed season of a 13-year, $325 million contract that includes a $10 million buyout of a 2028 club option.
Lagrange could be brought up for major league debut
Carlos Lagrange, a 23-year-old right-hander who reached 100 mph with 98 pitches at Triple-A this year, threw to batters at Somerset. He was out between June 28 and Sept. 16 because of a right capsule strain.
Lagrange was shifted to the bullpen at the start of June.
“He’s in the conversation for something,” Boone said.
Clarke Schmidt still out
Right-hander Clarke Schmidt, who returned Sept. 16 following Tommy John surgery in July 2025, played catch but remains sidelined by right biceps cramps. New York had hoped to use him as a reliever in the postseason.
“Today was better than yesterday,” Boone said. “If he’s not a real viable option by tomorrow, then we’ll probably go a different way.”
Postseason rotation
Boone said Cam Schlitter will start Game 1 or 2 of the playoffs. Max Fried appears set to start whichever game Schlittler doesn’t, with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón available for Game 3.
“Whoever goes 1 or 2 can pitch 2 and 5 in the next series,” Boone said.
Fernando Cruz throws a bullpen
Right-hander Fernando Cruz threw a bullpen and will throw another one.
He hasn’t pitched in a game since Aug. 25 because of right elbow discomfort caused by a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament.
“I’m in a really good position to be back I will say in the next couple of weeks,” Cruz said.
He took issue with the diagnosis of his injury.
“I had a real good inflammation, real stiffness and irritation,” he said. “People can say it’s a partial tear, but in my heart it’s not a partial tear.”
Volpe will see time at the hot corner
With second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. back from a sprained right thumb, Boone said Anthony Volpe will see time at third.
“I’ll probably get him on there a time or two,” Boone said.
Volpe entered Wednesday hitting .263 with one homer, seven RBIs and four stolen bases over 11 games since his recall from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He played three games at third base for the RailRiders.
“It didn’t feel that bad when I played there, but we’ll see,” Volpe said.
CINCINNATI, OH - OCTOBER 22: Owner and CEO Bob Castellini speaks as general manager Nick Krall looks on after David Bell was introduced as the new manager for the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on October 22, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The empirical data does enough heavy lifting for even the most casual observers to note just how bad the Cincinnati Reds are at the sport of baseball at the moment. They do rank dead last in their division, after all, and a glance at their ghastly -160 run differential this season just hammers that point home.
They’re tied for the worst hitting team in a game where you need to hit. Their 91 wRC+ binds them with their frequent cellarmates from Denver, the Colorado Rockies, in last place there.
Their pitchers walk more batters per 9 innings than any other club, fueling a FIP that’s better than only one club in the sport. Their xFIP – at 4.79 – is worsted only by those same Rockies, who just wrapped up a fourth straight 100+ loss season.
Defensive metrics are notoriously all over the place, but one – Defensive Runs Saved – tends to stand out as the most telling year over year. The Cincinnati Reds rank dead last in that metric this season with just four more games left to play.
The Cincinnati Reds cannot hit, cannot pitch, and cannot field in a sport where the three things you must do 162 nights a year are hit, pitch, and field. A more perfect recipe for being dead last in one’s division there must not be.
It’s simple to stare at the ends and point out the obvious. This is a bad baseball team that looked bad at the outset, played badly, and is now in a bad, bad place in the standings. More telling, though, is observing the means to which those ends were produced, and for the Reds those means are just as last place as the product itself.
‘Why aren’t we the Brewers?’ How the Reds remain in limbo while other small-market clubs succeed. With @ctrent, unlocked and free to read. https://t.co/XYoua5ZSFx
In a rather scathing expose from The Athletic, the disconnect between the Castellini-led ownership group of the Reds and the Nick Krall-led front office could not be laid more bare.
The owners could not be more obvious in their dreams of being successful while simultaneously being more oblivious to their own meddling. The front office, continually stubbing its toes in attempts to persuade the owners into making more practical moves, has been forced to pivot to their second and third backup plans, most all of which have blown up in their faces in spectacular failure. Yet here those factions are, familiar in a Butter Battle Book way, insistent that they be the only two voices that ever get the chance to steer the wheel of this once proud franchise.
Neither seems able to budge. The Castellinis won’t sell, won’t change, and won’t change a thing about the front office that can’t get out of its own way. That has become the Reds way, even though it has tanked any and all interest in the club despite the roster boasting a handful of the single most electric talents in the sport today.
The term dinosaurs often gets lobbed around about individuals who have simply been everpresent for so long they must be decrepit. Dinosaurs also need be used to explain how a whole sect of sentient beings went extinct due to an inability to adapt to the pressures around them, and for the Reds that latter definition rings more true today than perhaps at any point in their century and a half of professional existence.
The Reds are broken, and the only people capable of fixing that simply won’t.
Aaron Judge's mildly defiant stance on the health of his right groin prompted New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone to note that the club will "see where he's at" when the team opens its American League wild card series Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Boone, appearing on Sirius XM Radio Thursday, responded to Judge's comments to ESPN a day earlier that he has "no control" over Boone's assessment that the 6-foot-7 slugger will likely miss the wild-card round after suffering the calf injury Sept. 16.
"The bottom line is he got ruled out for the regular season as he tries to get going here. He’s doing everything possible he can to be an option," Boone said Thursday. "The reality is we have several days left and we’ll see where we are when that day comes.
"When we start the playoffs, the first round, hopefully we move on – I can’t answer that. Hopefully we move on. His body will tell us that and all I know is Judgey is doing everything he can to put himself in play as soon as possible."
Judge was diagnosed with a moderate grade right calf strain. The muscle is not torn, which offers up for a return during the playoffs, yet the range of recovery is significantly variable.
The Yankees will host the best-of-three wild card series in the Bronx, almost certainly against the rival Boston Red Sox.
TORONTO - JUNE 20: Fred Lewis #15 and John McDonald #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrate John McDonald home run against the San Francisco Giants at the Rogers Centre during a MLB game June 20, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images) | Getty Images
John McDonald celebrates his 52ndbirthday today.
John McDonald enjoyed a remarkable career, especially for someone with a lifetime .233/.273/.323 slash line. How does a player last 16 years in the majors with numbers like that? The answer: exceptional defensive ability. Several years ago, I asked Brian Butterfield about Mac.
Last year in Seattle, we watched fielding practice before the game, and John McDonald was out there to the very end. That’s why he’s so good at it?
That’s exactly right, he’s the best I’ve ever been around. I’ve told several people in the game that he has the best work ethic and gets himself into the right position, which is better than any infield that I’ve ever had. I’ve been blessed to be around some great ones. And it’s not a mistake for me when he makes a play in the hole that brings the house down. I don’t get as excited because it’s something I expect from him, and it’s something he’s rehearsed so many times. He’s rehearsed going into the hole and getting the ball in the air as quickly as he can. He rehearses it. He rehearses it at game speed. When you look at him after he takes ground balls,, he’s got a lather, he’s tired, and practices defense quickly at game speed the way you should. He’s the best.
I watched McDonald take infield practice many times and always enjoyed it. He gave maximum effort every time, making sure to throw every ball straight over the top—never sidearm or three-quarters. While he had natural talent, his greatness as a defensive player was rooted in his relentless work ethic.
That was part of his appeal—he made us believe that with enough effort, we could be like him. Of course, few are willing to work that hard, but the hope is there. It reminds me of a scene in Kill Bill, where Quentin Tarantino’s character explains he prefers Batman to Superman, because Batman represents the idea that anyone could become a hero with enough dedication, while Superman is just born with it.
He played seven seasons for us and quickly became a fan favourite, even though he never started regularly. There’s something about backups—they’re harder to blame when the team loses.
Another reason for his long career—despite his limited bat—is that he’s simply a good guy. Everyone seems to like him. When you see a player stick around longer than his numbers suggest he should, it’s usually because he’s a great teammate. There’s a life lesson in that: skills matter, but being someone everyone likes can only help. If he wanted, he could easily move into coaching or managing.
When Cito Gaston was managing, he worked with McDonald on pulling the ball more aggressively. For a while, it paid off—Mac hit six home runs in 152 at-bats, including a hot streak in August 2010 when he batted .382/.417/.765 with three home runs in 34 at-bats. Pitchers soon adjusted, throwing pitches harder to pull, and his numbers dipped to .200/.222/.300 in September. Still, it was a worthwhile experiment; those six home runs marked a career high. Given more time, I believe Cito could have helped him adjust to outside pitches as well.
John McDonald currently serves as a roving coach for the Cleveland Guardians.
His ‘Father’s Day’ home run remains one of my all-time favourite Blue Jays moments.
Happy birthday, John!
Today marks Jim Acker’s 68th birthday.
Acker served as a reliever for the Blue Jays from 1983 to July 1986, and again from 1989 to 1991. Had he stayed just one more year, he would have earned a World Series ring.
Originally the Braves’ first-round pick (#21 overall) in 1980, he joined the Blue Jays through the Rule 5 draft prior to the 1983 season.
As a Rule 5 pick, Acker remained on the Blue Jays roster throughout 1983 and quickly established himself as one of the team’s more reliable pitchers, finishing with a 5-1 record and a 4.33 ERA over 38 games (5 starts) as a 24-year-old rookie. In 1984, despite some injuries, he appeared in 32 games (3 starts) and posted a 4.38 ERA.
The Blue Jays used a closer-by-committee approach in 1985, and Acker had a strong season: 7-2 record, 3.23 ERA, and 10 saves in 61 appearances (our relievers racked up plenty of wins that year—Dennis Lamp went 11-0).
That season marked the Blue Jays’ first-ever playoff appearance. Jim pitched in two postseason games, covering six innings, and allowed just two hits with no walks and five strikeouts. In July 1986, Acker was traded back to Atlanta for right-handed starter Joe Johnson, who made 29 starts for Toronto over the next two seasons, posting a 10-7 record with a 4.42 ERA.
Acker played for the Braves until August 24, 1989, when they traded him back to Toronto for Francisco Cabrera and Tony Castillo. Cabrera would later become a postseason hero for the Braves with his series-winning hit in the 1992 NLCS, though Atlanta ultimately lost to the Blue Jays in the World Series.
Acker was outstanding down the stretch in 1989, posting a 1.59 ERA over 14 games and 28.1 innings, helping Toronto secure another playoff berth. In the ALCS against the A’s, he pitched in all five games and recorded a 1.42 ERA over 6.1 innings, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out four.
Acker followed up with a solid 1990 campaign (3.82 ERA in 59 games, 91.2 innings). 1991 was less successful, as his ERA rose to 5.20 over 54 games and 88.1 innings. The Blue Jays made the playoffs again, losing to the Twins in the ALCS; Acker appeared in one game.
After the season, he signed with the Mariners and pitched in 17 games, marking the end of his MLB career.
Acker appeared in ten big-league seasons, making 467 appearances (32 starts), with a 4.45 ERA, a 33-49 record, and 30 saves. Seven of those years were spent in Toronto. He wasn’t a strikeout specialist, averaging just 4.8 K/9, but that was a different era—relievers were used for multiple innings and pitched to contact to keep pitch counts down.
Happy birthday, Jim! Hope you have a great day.
Paul Spoljaric is celebrating his 56th birthday today.
Paul was a left-handed reliever for the Blue Jays, born in scenic Kelowna, BC. He joined the team as an amateur free agent, since Canadians were not included in the draft back in 1989.
He made the team out of spring training in 1994 but struggled in his first two appearances and didn’t return until 1996. That year, he fared much better, posting a 3.08 ERA in 28 games.
Spoljaric followed up with a strong 1997, recording a 3.19 ERA in 37 games. That year, the Jays traded him and Mike Timlin to the Mariners for Jose Cruz Jr., a former first-round pick and top prospect. Timlin and Spoljaric helped Seattle reach the playoffs, while Cruz went on to hit 122 home runs for Toronto over six seasons. It may have been Ash’s best trade for the Blue Jays.
After a difficult 1998 season in Seattle (6.48 ERA), Spoljaric was traded to the Phillies before 1999. In May, the Blue Jays brought him back, sending Robert Person to Philadelphia—the same Person Toronto had acquired from the Mets in the John Olerud deal.
Spoljaric appeared in 37 games for Toronto in 1999, making two starts and recording a 4.65 ERA.
After the season, Toronto traded Spoljaric and Pat Hentgen to the Cardinals for Alberto Castillo, Matt DeWitt, and Lance Painter—a trade that ultimately had little impact for the Jays. Spoljaric was released before the 2000 season, then signed with the Royals, where he pitched 13 games to close out his MLB career.
He played six seasons in the majors, including four with the Blue Jays. Across his career, Spoljaric appeared in 195 games (12 starts), posting a 5.52 ERA and recording four saves.
Happy birthday, Paul!
Kevin Millar is celebrating his 55th birthday today.
Millar spent his final big league season with the Blue Jays, brought in for his veteran presence. However, he hit just .223/.311/.363 over 78 games, and as a first baseman/DH, those numbers weren’t enough to secure his role—no matter how good he was in the clubhouse. After he left, it seemed most of his ‘veteran presence’ involved reminiscing about his time with the Red Sox.
He wasn’t one of my favourites.
Millar played 12 seasons in the majors, suiting up for the Marlins (5 years), Red Sox (3), Orioles (3), and Blue Jays. Over 1,427 games, he batted .274/.358/.452 with 170 home runs and a 14.2 bWAR (with -0.7 coming during his time with Toronto).
He earned a World Series ring with the 2004 Red Sox and played a key role in their legendary comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS. In Game 4’s ninth inning, down by a run, Millar drew a walk off Mariano Rivera. Dave Roberts pinch-ran, stole second, and the rest is history.
Happy birthday, Kevin!
Moisés Sierra turns 38 today.
Moisés was a top Jays prospect a few years back. He ended up playing 97 games with the Jays, over three seasons, hitting .229/.290/.368. We lost him on waivers to the White Sox. From there he went to the Royals, Marlins and Nationals.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: VJ Edgecombe #77, Tyrese Maxey #0 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Ever since the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown—and especially ever since they signed LeBron James a few weeks later—one question has repeatedly popped up: Who will take the last shot for them?
NBA teams typically have an established pecking order in crunch time. The Denver Nuggets are going to run their offense through Nikola Jokić, the Los Angeles Lakers are going to run theirs through Luka Dončić, so on and so forth.
The Sixers might be the rare outlier in that regard. When they have all five of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and Joel Embiid out on the floor, they’ll have five legitimate go-to options. Allocating one of them as the primary last-shot-taker would be a grievous misuse of their unique roster.
It would also be anathema to LeBron’s ethos.
As strange as this is to say about the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, LeBron’s greatest gift is his passing ability. He’ll likely be handling the ball and running the offense plenty during crunch time, but that doesn’t mean he’ll always be taking the last shot. Quite the contrary, in fact.
“You always make the right play,” James told reporters last December after his streak of 1,297 straight games with 10-plus points came to an end. (Instead of trying to extend his streak, he passed to Rui Hachimura for a game-winning three-pointer.) “That’s just been my M.O. That’s how I was taught the game. I’ve done that my whole career.”
The Sixers’ collection of talent this season should afford them a rare opportunity, particularly once the playoffs roll around. They’ll be able to mismatch-hunt like few (if any?) other teams.
When Jalen Brunson went into seek-and-destroy mode against James Harden in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals this past spring, he single-handedly flipped that game back in favor of the Knicks. An apathetic defender like Harden will have nowhere to hide against the Sixers’ starting lineup. They can hunt him with whomever he’s guarding, even if that changes on a possession-by-possession basis.
You’re guarding Edgecombe? Great! Oh, you’re gonna try to guard Maxey now? Good luck. You’re shifting over to Brown or LeBron? LOL.
If the Sixers are facing an overmatched frontcourt, they can funnel their offense through Embiid. If they’re going against a defensively challenged backcourt, Maxey and Edgecombe can take the reins. And if they’re matched up against a team without strong wing defenders, Brown and LeBron can take turns bullying their way to the basket.
The “who takes the last shot?” mentality is the exact wrong way to think about this year’s Sixers team. That’s the sort of ego-driven madness that they need to avoid like the plague.
They’re well aware of that, too.
“Obviously, on paper, we’re excellent,” Brown said during his introductory press conference in August. “We have a lot of talent compared to other teams in the league. But I’ve been around a long time, long enough to know that just what you have on paper don’t really mean nothing. It can, if you put the work in. But it also, if you allow distractions, if you allow the media to get into your locker room, if you allow certain things and personalities don’t work, it can be a detriment.”
Whenever the Sixers’ crunch-time offense bogs down, critiques are bound to come flooding in. Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins will be blabbing on ESPN about why the Sixers made the wrong choice—regardless of who actually takes the last shot—and why it means they’re doomed to fail. Given his well-documented hatred of LeBron, Skip Bayless’ part-time return to First Take could not be coming at a worse time.
Luckily, it’s easier than ever to entirely tune that nonsense out. Step 1: Just log off Twitter for a while. Your brain will thank you.
The good news is that the Sixers’ party line heading into training camp is all about sacrifice.
“As far as the chemistry off the court, guys are communicating, guys are having a good time doing it, guys are really pumping each other up, and guys are also willing to sacrifice,” Maxey told ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly. “It’s just what they’ve said. So when we step on the court, we have to kind of embody all those things that we’ve been talking about.
“Sacrificing, coming together as one, and going out there competing every single night. Those are the three things that we really have to focus on.”
The architect of this roster, Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, echoed that sentiment during an August appearance on Midday With Marks.
“It’s gonna be exciting just because we have so much talent,” Gansey said. “The guys, I think want to sacrifice. We’ve gotta get to camp. We haven’t even had a practice or played a game. So we’ve gotta see if this thing works, obviously. I like the pieces and the talent we have, but we’ve gotta get to a practice first to see how this works. I think it’s gonna work because these guys are gonna wanna be together, and they see the big picture, I think. And that’s what’s exciting.”
If the Sixers’ starters keep their egos in check this season, the last-shot question won’t be a question at all. There shouldn’t be a single go-to option in those situations. It should vary on a game-by-game basis depending on where their opponent is weakest, no matter what the likes of Smith, Perkins and Bayless will inevitably say whenever they come up short.
LeBron’s make-the-right-play mentality is the way forward for the Sixers this season. Trust the process.
