ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 2: Andy Green #70 of the New York Mets looks on after a pitching change against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 2, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since being hired as the team’s interim manager, Andy Green has continuously stated that he was not interested in having the full-time gig, citing his family as the primary reason. Thus, the expectation has been that the Mets would conduct a complete search for a new manager in the offseason. Well, that impending search has ended before it even began, as the team has given Green a three-year deal to serve as the full-time manager.
Green, the former Padres manager who had been serving as Senior Vice President of Player Development in the front office, has been in the dugout since the team fired Carlos Mendoza at the end of June following a disastrous start to the season. While the team has not exactly been world-beaters in the time since then, they have generally played better with Green in charge (to the tune of a 37-38 record), and he has earned plaudits for his handling of the media and his willingness to challenge his players. In the press release announcing the deal, Green addressed his previous reticence to accept the full-time job:
I am excited and humbled to officially be named manager of the New York Mets. When I accepted the interim role, I didn’t anticipate it becoming permanent, but the more time I spent with our players and staff, the clearer it became that this is where my passion and experience could make the greatest impact. That realization led to many conversations with my family, and together we agreed this is the right opportunity at the right time. I want to thank Steve and Alex for the love, ambition and commitment with which they lead this organization, and David for the trust he has placed in me. I believe deeply in what we can build together, and I’m honored to continue serving our players, this organization and the amazing Mets fans.
It is worth noting, of course, that Green’s job next season will be fundamentally different than the one he has been doing these past few months. We will see how he handles the pressure of managing a team that is expected to win versus one that had virtually already played itself out of the playoff race and was just navigating its way through the end of the season. Nevertheless, the 2027 team will now have some familiarity in the dugout (this presumably includes a number of the new coaches the team hired this past offseason, who will likely stick around with Green) as they look to rebound from a disappointing campaign.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 19: Christian Scott #45 of the New York Mets leaves the game during their game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 19, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets placed one right-handed pitcher on the injured list and activated another before Tuesday night’s series-opening game in Arlington against the Texas Rangers. Christian Scott landed on the 15-day IL with left knee inflammation, ending his year, while Devin Williams returns after being sidelined with a right shoulder strain since August 8.
Scott returned from Tommy John surgery on April 23 and proceeded to put together a fine sophomore season for the Mets. In 23 starts, he posted a 3.85 ERA with 134 strikeouts and 47 walks in 110 innings pitched. As he soared past his previous career-high in innings during a professional season, the 27-year-old began to falter, as he put up a 5.30 ERA over his final seven starts. His last outing came on Saturday afternoon, when he allowed three runs in 4.2 innings in the Mets’ 10-3 win over the Phillies at Citi Field.
Williams’ first season in Queens has been a mixed bag. The Airbender-brandishing reliever struggled in mid-April, allowing eight runs while recording just six outs in a span of four appearances, but was dominant from that point through late June. He struck out 51 batters in 38.2 innings pitched with the help of a 39.0% chase rate and 34.9% whiff rate, and has successfully converted 16 of 19 save opportunities – all positive signs – yet his 4.66 ERA and 1.66 WHIP aren’t exactly what the Mets had in mind when they signed the veteran to a three-year deal last offseason.
In Williams’ absence, Kodai Senga has emerged as an interim closer of sorts, converting seven consecutive saves to begin his closing career before Pete Alonso took him deep last Tuesday night. In his most recent appearance on Sunday, Senga surrendered three runs while recording just one out against the Phillies. Senga has six games remaining (three in Texas and three in Washington) to bounce back and finish strong out of the bullpen, while Williams will get a final taste of big-league action before the offseason.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 19: Catcher Austin Hedges #27 celebrates with relief pitcher Slade Cecconi #44 of the Cleveland Guardians after the game against the Athletics at Progressive Field on September 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Athletics 12-6. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The playoffs are within reach and the Guardians are in the driver’s seat for the AL Central as they head into a tough place to play against a good team in the Boston Red Sox.
The Guardians are 81-75 with a +2 run differential, 21st in team wRC+ since the trade deadline at 96, eighth in baserunning runs above at 5.2, ninth in Defense at -8.2, eighth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.94 (3.93 FIP), and sixth in bullpen ERA at 3.55 (3.66 FIP).
The Red Sox are 84-72 with a +80 run differential, 16th in team wRC+ since the trade deadline at 100, 18th in baserunning runs above at -3.5, eighth in Defense at -5.4, ninth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.95 (3.74 FIP), and first in bullpen ERA at 3.09 (3.56 FIP).
One of our regular posters asked which of our hitters and pitchers have performed well at Fenway. I don’t generally consider park-specific stats as very predictive, but, for what it’s worth, Austin Hedges has a 159 wRC+ at Fenway, Jo Adell 133 wRC+, Nathaniel Lowe 128 wRC+, Steven Kwan 127 wRC+, Brayan Rocchio 120 wRC+, and Jose Ramirez 108 wRC+. If any of that makes you excited, good! Joey Cantillo has a 1.50 ERA in Fenway and Tanner Bibee 1.80 ERA. I REALLY would not read anything into pitcher stats at specific parks, but it is possible hitters may see the ball better at given stadiums.
Matchups: Tuesday, 6:45PM ET: Messick, LHP 2.59 ERA since 8/4 vs. Tolle, LHP, 2.36 ERA since 8/4 Wednesday, 7:10PM ET: Griffin, LHP 5.79 ERA since 8/4 vs. Gray, RHP 2.55 ERA since 8/4 Thursday, 6:45PM ET: TBD vs. Suarez, LHP 3.53 ERA since 8/4
Since August 4th, the Red Sox are led by Mickey Gasper 201 wRC+, Jahmai Jones 184 wRC+, Trevor Story 137 wRC+, Wilyer Abreu at 135 wRC+, Caleb Durbin 125 wRC+, Roman Anthony 113 wRC+ and Nick Sogard 108 wRC+.
Since 8/4, the Guardians are led by Chase DeLauter 159 wRC+, Angel Martinez 157 wRC+, Steven Kwan 138 wRC+, David Fry 118 wRC+, Travis Bazzana 114 wRC+ and Jo Adell 105 wRC+.
Gotta find a way to get one to make a playoff berth likely, two to keep the division title in sight.
Andy Green will manage the Mets in 2027, the team announced Tuesday. The interim tag he inherited when he took over for Carlos Mendoza earlier this year is gone, with Green signing a three-year deal.
The deal represents a pivot for Green and the organization, the former because he initially said he was reluctant to manage beyond this year since it would keep him away from his family, the latter because Steve Cohen and David Stearns said they planned to conduct a search for their next manager after this season.
But people in the organization, who were careful to speak anonymously so as not to complicate his decision, said they started sensing a change in Green’s mindset in recent weeks. They speculated that as a once turbulent Mets clubhouse seemed to coalesce around him, Green started warming to the possibility of balancing a dream job and his desire to by present for his daughters’ final year of high school.
In fact, multiple people pointed out that there might be no better time for a father of seniors in high school to take a job like this: Given that a lockout is a near certainty and a shortened spring training – if not a delayed start to the season – seems likely enough to plan around, he might never encounter a baseball spring that would let him stay home longer.
Still, exactly what changed and when is still unclear, though as of earlier this month, Green had not approached Cohen or Stearns about any change in plans, according to people familiar with the situation.
But by Saturday’s celebration of Carlos Beltran – when Beltran all but declared he was not interested in a managerial job for which he seemed like an early favorite – Green’s path seemed to have cleared. The Mets decided not to subject him to the rigors of a public search before committing.
Green, 49, managed the Padres to a 274-366 record over four years from 2016-2019. He was serving as the Mets senior vice president of baseball development when they approached him about taking over for Mendoza in June.
He said then that he took the job with the understanding it would be temporary out of a sense of responsibility to the organization. He, Stearns, and Cohen maintained that approach in the months that followed, though none of them fully ruled out the possibility that something could change any one of their minds.
And while the Mets did not exactly catch fire under Green – they were 37-38 under his watch at the time of the announcement – they did seem to find a more sustainable sense of self. Carson Benge flourished. Green challenged the young starting pitchers around whom the Mets must build next year. A surprisingly effective bullpen grew from the ashes of the one the Mets dismantled at the trade deadline. Bo Bichette seemed to find new comfort and spoke glowingly of Green’s people skills. Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, well, spent the last month or two acting like two superstars working toward shared goals on perfectly good terms.
New York Mets interim manager Andy Green (70) leaves the field after changing pitchers against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
“I have a lot of respect for Andy. I think he’s been good at the role that he’s got right now. Not necessarily the role of managing, because I didn’t see his role this year as to manage. His role, right now, was to come in and bring light, bring ownership, bring respect, and bring accountability. He’s succeeded at it,” Lindor told SNY last Saturday, at which point he said he had had not spoken to Green about changing his mind.
“In-game stuff, plays and all that stuff? He’s made good moves, but I don’t judge him on those things. I don’t really care about that. He was put in here more to bring light to the players, to bring accountability, to bring respect, to bring self-awareness. And that’s what he brought into the role he’s in right now.”
That role, of course, has been molded by the fact that the Mets have been effectively, if not mathematically, out of contention since he took over. The Padres teams he managed never played under the kind of scrutiny or expectations these Mets will next year.
But Green has passed the tests he has encountered with grace, particularly with his style of communication. His news conferences have blended candor with empathy in ways that are so far landing with both players and the public.
Last week, for example, Green navigated the emotional hurricane that was Pete Alonso’s return to Citi Field without discounting his players’ frustration with fans nor scolding fans for theirs. Presented with a fan base that operates with sometimes unparalleled, but often unregulated, passion, many Mets managers before him have struggled to do the same.
“I think he’s been good. Andy has his personality, he’s great. I feel like he’s a guy who is on top of everything. He pays attention to every single detail and stuff like that. I really like that,” Soto told SNY last weekend. “He’s been open with me and talking to me about a lot of stuff.”
It is not clear how much of the current Mets coaching staff will return, though Green helped assemble the revamped staff that worked with Mendoza to start the season and some of them are under contract beyond this year. Answers to those questions, and others, will come later.
For now, the Mets have certainty in the dugout entering an important offseason – one in which Bichette will be deciding whether to opt out and free agency will likely be condensed to a November frenzy ahead of the anticipated lockout in December. And that certainty comes in the form of Green, whose previous player development role means he knows better than anyone the young players who will carry the Mets’ future.
ATLANTA, GA MAY 04: Atlanta center fielder Michael Harris II (23) rests on the field following the last out of the inning during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on May 4th, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Did you think there were going to be days off? There are no days off. At least not yet. Maybe a partial day off? We’ll see.
This is the same lineup the Braves rolled out when they last had to face a lefty (8-4 loss to the Cubs). They also used this lineup in the opener against the Cubs, which they also lost. So, maybe that fortune changes here.
The Braves have a combined four, count ‘em, four PAs against Brandon Williamson. Two are from Ha-Seong Kim (strikeout, flyout), and one each comes from Michael Harris II (a homer), and Matt Olson (a homer). Kind of bizarre that the two lefties are 1-for-1 with a homer off a southpaw but… four PAs, y’all.
The Reds’ lineup is at least moderately interesting, or as much as can be for a bad team playing out the string.
Promoted pseudo-prospect Carlos Jorge, he of the 27 career PAs and a terrible line in them, starts at leadoff. He’s joined in the outfield by another promoted prospect, Hector Rodriguez, who also hasn’t hit at all but has had some more exposure.
The Reds’ quartet from two through five in the lineup has hit well this season. Everyone else has hit terribly. That’s not too different from how the Braves have gone through the season, though. Still, JR Ritchie has a tough test and should hopefully find it easier to loop through the rest of the lineup.
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Tuesday MLB Schedule and Moneyline Odds
6:35 p.m. ET
Blue Jays at Orioles
6:40 p.m. ET
Nationals at Tigers
Cardinals at Pirates
Brewers at Phillies
6:45 p.m. ET
Guardians at Red Sox
7:05 p.m. ET
Rays at Yankees — Doubleheader Game 2
7:15 p.m. ET
Reds at Braves
7:40 p.m. ET
White Sox at Royals
Marlins at Cubs
8:05 p.m. ET
Mets at Rangers
8:40 p.m. ET
Diamondbacks at Rockies
9:40 p.m. ET
Angels at Athletics
Astros at Mariners
9:45 p.m. ET
Twins at Giants
10:10 p.m. ET
Padres at Dodgers
Tuesday's MLB betting angle
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The Brewers at Phillies matchup stands out with Milwaukee bringing a 98-58 record into Philadelphia. The Phillies are 86-70 and in control of the final Wild Card spot.
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BILOXI, MS - SEPTEMBER 20: Josh Adamczewski #6 of the Biloxi Shuckers celebrates during the game between the Rocket City Trash Pandas and the Biloxi Shuckers at Keesler Federal Park on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in Biloxi, Mississippi. (Photo by Sierra Gatz/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
The Sounds just finished up their season this week, and the Shuckers will be done either Tuesday or Wednesday. You can expect the annual Minor League Season Roundup next Tuesday, but for now, here’s the final weekly roundup of the season.
Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Current record: 80-69 Record this week: 2-4 This week’s opponent: vs. Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals) Next week’s opponent: None
Standout performances:
Jonathan Ornelas: 7-for-20, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K Eduardo Garcia: 5-for-16, 2 RBI, BB, 7 K Brandon Lockridge: 5-for-18, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 6 K Akil Baddoo: 5-for-18, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Tyler Black: 5-for-22, 3 2B, RBI, BB, 4 K Bryse Wilson: 6 1/3 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Coleman Crow: 9 2/3 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Tate Kuehner: 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
The Sounds ended their season by dropping four of six games to the Memphis Redbirds, an inconspicuous ending to what was largely a successful season.
Infielder Jonathan Ornelas led the Sounds with a 7-for-20 performance that included his first two home runs as a Sound. Ornelas, who got a cup of coffee with the Brewers due to injuries earlier in the summer, is slashing .213/.327/.362 in 47 at-bats with Nashville.
Brandon Lockridge has now been in Triple-A for over a month. After this week’s 5-for-18 showing, he’s hitting .253 with a .701 OPS in the minors. Lockridge more than held his own in Milwaukee (.273 average, albeit with a .658 OPS), so while he’s not supplanting Luis Lara or Sal Frelick anytime soon, there’s a world in which he ends up on the bench in the playoffs as a pinch-runner and late-game defensive specialist.
Aside from Lockridge, Akil Baddoo, Tyler Black, and Eduardo Garcia each had solid weeks. None of the three appear to be in the Brewers’ future plans, but each has held his own this year in Triple-A. Black has put up a .755 OPS in 354 at-bats this year and seems like a candidate to end up somewhere else this winter.
As for the pitching staff, Coleman Crow got hit around a bit but managed to limit the damage, allowing 12 hits but only two runs over 9 2/3 innings. Tate Kuehner put together another solid start; since coming off the injured list last month, he hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his six appearances. In four of those outings, he’s allowed one or fewer earned runs, including this week’s start. Bryse Wilson was even better, tossing 6 1/3 shutout innings while striking out seven during his rehab assignment.
Double-A Biloxi Shuckers
Current record: 68-69 Record this week: 2-1 This week’s opponent: Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins) (Southern League Division Series) Next week’s opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels) (Southern League Championship Series)
Standout performances:
Matthew Wood: 5-for-10, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K Dylan O’Rae: 5-for-12, RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Damon Keith: 4-for-12, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 6 K Andrew Fischer: 3-for-13, HR, 3 RBI, 4 K Jesús Made: 3-for-13, HR, 2 RBI, BB Bishop Letson: 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K J.D. Thompson: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Josh Knoth: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Biloxi finished the first half with the best record in the South Division of the Southern League, so they’ve had a playoff spot secured for about half the season. This week, they finally got to prove their mettle and did not disappoint. The Shuckers swept a three-game set against the Blue Wahoos, winning the opener 6-3 and the clincher by an even more decisive 8-3.
Game 1 was deadlocked at 0-0 as Pensacola starter, and Madison, Wisconsin, native, Jacob Kisting (10-0, 1.72 ERA) no-hit the Shuckers through four innings. However, things took a turn when Kisting opened the fifth with two fastballs that were much slower than his normal velocity, and Shuckers outfielder Damon Keith tagged the second one for a solo home run. Kisting was clearly in pain after the pitch and was immediately pulled from the game. Biloxi then hung five runs on his replacement, Nigel Belgrave, to take the first game of the series.
Damon Keith gives the Shuckers a 1 run lead in game one of their playoff series against Pensacola.
In Game 2, Biloxi took a quick 6-0 lead and never looked back thanks to three two-run homers from Jesús Made, Matthew Wood, and Braylon Payne. Payne’s was an absolute laser, clearing the fence while he was still in the batter’s box.
Braylon Payne’s first postseason dinger leaves his bat at 117 mph 🔥
Yeah, you read that right: 117 mph, which happens to be the hardest-hit ball by a Shucker this season. It’s not surprising that it came off the bat of Payne, whose 28 homers this season trail only Andrew Fischer (who’s had a record-breaking season) and Blake Burke.
After sweeping the Blue Wahoos, Biloxi advanced to the Southern League Championship Series, where they dropped Game 1 to the Rocket City Trash Pandas, 5-4, despite home runs from Josh Adamczewski and Andrew Fischer. Fischer went opposite field to give the Shuckers a 4-2 lead.
Starter Josh Knoth went six strong innings and put the Shuckers in a position to win, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Each of Biloxi’s starters this week — Bishop Letson, J.D. Thompson, and Knoth — went at least five innings and allowed no more than two runs. All three have had their fair share of ups and downs this year, but they’ve looked better as the season has gone on, and their playoff performances can only give Brewers fans more reason to be excited about their development.
Finally, Blake Burke was named the Southern League MVP (despite having been in Nashville since August 10). This season, he became the first player to hit 30 home runs in the Southern League since 2015, while his 91 RBIs broke the Shuckers’ single-season record of 90, set by Jackson Chourio in 2023. Burke slashed .285/.367/.603 (.970 OPS) in 375 at-bats with the Shuckers.
Biloxi will need to win each of its next two games to claim the first title in franchise history — and the first outright title by a Brewers Double-A affiliate since 1994. Game 2 & a potential Game 3 will be held in Madison, Alabama at the home of the Trash Pandas. Game 2 is set for 6:35 p.m. CT on Tuesday night, and Game 3 would also be at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday night.
Good ol' animosity. It's like an extra player roaming the field at Dodger Stadium as the San Diego Padres open play for a three-game series with their rivals to the north, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The National League West teams have a midweek turn that can go a long way to determining either team's plans for postseason glory. The Dodgers are four games in the black over the Atlanta Braves for the second-best record in the senior circuit, which would come with the benefit of a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Padres have their sights set on more than just October. San Diego remains on track to secure the top NL wild-card seed, carrying a five-game advantage over the Arizona Diamondbacks with only six games left in the regular season. The D-backs face a much steeper challenge, sitting four games behind the Phillies for the league's final wild-card berth.
If the standings were to remain, the Padres would open the postseason in a battle with the Chicago Cubs in a best-of-three series. Just one game ahead of the Phillies, San Diego could slide to the No. 6 seed in the playoff bracket, putting them in a wild-card series in Atlanta.
After that, the Dodgers.
One of the sport's greatest rivalries kicks off Tuesday with storylines aplenty.
Dodgers vs Padres previews possible playoff clash
The Dodgers are 14-3 over their past 17 games and are showing flashes of a team that is leaving the dog days of August behind them. Granted, much of the latest heat check has come at the hands of the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals.
Mookie Betts is again showing life as one of the best hitters in the league. His 1.214 OPS is good for third in all of baseball in September, and he has chipped in six home runs and 20 RBI in that span.
The team is getting healthier, with Roki Sasaki and Andy Pages returning for the Padres series, giving the Dodgers much-needed depth on offense and defense and time to acclimate.
Still, the Dodgers have cause for concern in a playoff collision course with the Padres. For one, San Diego has been just as hot, winning 14 of their past 16 games.
Fernando Tatis' resurgence and 1.083 OPS this month are big reasons San Diego feels hopeful, especially after the offensive doldrums he suffered earlier in the season.
Both teams are hot with the bats lately and are top two in OPS and home runs in September.
There remains the one sizable question in the form of Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers' previous World Series run was boosted by the star's two-way availability, pitching in four games in the 2025 postseason.
This year, the Dodgers will have to live with a percentage of Ohtani.
Dave Roberts gave hope that he might see action after his 15-day stint on the IL (biceps, knee). "There's a good chance next series we'll see him," Roberts said recently, pointing to this week's series with San Diego.
The Dodgers skipper continued, "It's going to be the best physical place he's been in in quite some time."
Clearly hampered by injuries, Ohtani has played in just nine games this month and batted .111 with six strikeouts.
The Padres meet the Dodgers in L.A. in the penultimate series for both teams before October baseball comes calling. These three games will be crucial to showing which team is more ready for prime time.
The Yankees shut out the Tampa Bay Rays in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader, winning by a score of 2-0.
Here are the key takeaways...
-- Carlos Rodon was at his absolute best on Tuesday afternoon, limiting the Rays to just three hits (all singles) and striking out eight in eight scoreless innings.
It was the longest outing by the left-hander this season and the first time he’s completed eight innings since July 11 of last year. In fact, since joining New York in 2023, Rodon has made it through eight frames just twice in 95 starts.
-- Rodon faced the minimum for the first 19 batters of the game thanks to two double plays turned behind him. The first twin killing came in the second when Jose Caballero started a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning after a one-out single.
The second was a little more unconventional. With Richie Palacios at the plate, Victor Mesa Jr. broke on the 1-0 pitch which was lined into left field and caught by Cody Bellinger. Bellinger fired the ball to first base and Luis Garcia Jr. placed the tag on Mesa who was scrambling back which ended the inning.
-- Aside from that, Rodon faced one over the minimum and was completely dominant from start to finish. He lowered his season ERA to 2.67 and has been excellent in September (3-0, 1.42 ERA in four starts).
-- Offensively, the Yankees had trouble with Rays starter Nick Martinez who was perfect the first time through the lineup. However, things changed in the fourth when Ben Rice led off with a double. On the very next pitch, Bellinger blasted one 382 feet to right field for a two-run homer to get New York on the board.
George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones added back-to-back, two-out singles later in the frame, but were stranded after Anthony Volpe struck out to end the inning.
-- The Yankees had another chance in the fifth after a bunt single by Caballero, followed by two steals, and a walk to Rice put runners at the corners, but Martinez got Bellinger to pop out and Heliot Ramos to fly out to end the threat.
-- New York wouldn’t get another baserunner after that, but it didn’t matter as Rodon kept the Rays off the board for eight innings before closer David Bednar came in for the save.
-- With a win in the first game of their doubleheader against their AL-East leading rivals, the Yanks are now 5.0 GB of Tampa Bay and at the very least delayed the Rays from clinching the division for a little while longer.
Game MVP: Carlos Rodon
It was perhaps Rodon's best outing of his career and came at a nice time.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 05: Cleveland Guardians mascot Slider runs a Guardians flag in the outfield following the Major League Baseball ALDS Game 1 between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians on October 5, 2024, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’re down to the last week of the regular season. The final few games are thankfully at Fenway Park after the Sox completed their final road trip of the year last week. First up are the Cleveland Guardians.
The Red Sox last saw them in May, when Boston took two of three while scoring 9 runs in each of their wins. It looked like The Turnaround. Of course it would be nearly a month before that would happen. The Guardians? They’ve displaced the White Sox atop the AL Central. Is the White Sox magical run going to come up short of the playoffs? Or just turn into a Wild Card berth? The Red Sox might play a role in deciding that.
Tuesday’s game has a pair of young, talented lefties facing off. Parker Messick is having a great year. He lost a game to the Sox in May but only allowed 1 run in 5.0 innings. The Sox picked up single runs in the 6th and 8th innings and then scored 6 in the 9th, for good measure. He’s matched up against Payton Tolle. Tolle, in his last start of the regular season, is perhaps lined up to start Game 1 of the Wild Card series. He didn’t face Cleveland earlier this year and he’s been cruising. The Red Sox have won four of his last five starts. He struck out 38 against 7 walks.
Foster Griffin returned to MLB after three seasons in Japan and was pretty good for the Nationals. Since being traded to Cleveland, he’s struggled. At least in terms of ERA. With Washington he out-pitched his FIP by a run, In Cleveland he’s almost two runs in the other direction. He’ll be looking to try and carry the Guardians to a win and secure the division. Sonny Gray will make his last regular season start live on ESPN. Yes, there’s a mid-week national TV game. Gray has pitched like the ace all season in place of Garrett Crochet. He’s put up four quality starts in his last five outings. He tossed the one win against Cleveland in May by allowing just a single run in 6.0 innings.
Cleveland currently has TBD listed for the Thursday finale. Last time through the rotation following Griffin, they used Daniel Espino (righty) as an opener for Joey Cantillo (lefty). Cantillo has made 30 starts this season so this isn’t a Brayan Bello situation. He’d been starting until the last two outings, when he came in for the second and third innings, respectively. Overall he has a 3.74 ERA / 4.02 FIP. He’s struck out 167 hitters in 154 innings but also leads the league in walks with 79. The Sox will send Ranger “Mr. October” Suarez to the mound for his tuneup before the playoffs. Ranger had a weird outing last time: 5.2 innings, 5 Ks, 5 BBs. The Sox did top the Rays 4-2 but he had a little trouble after issuing just three free passes total over the three previous starts. Suarez started the other win against Cleveland. He allowed 4 runs in 5.0 innings but struck out 10 and the bats piled up 0 runs to bail him out. Can’t complain there.
Rookie Travis Bazzana is hitting .246/.338/.407 with 15 homers in his 118 games.
José Ramírez has been their team MVP for a while but since he returned from the IL has hit just .234/.301/.315 for 48 games. Clearly he’s still struggling.
Since he was acquired from the Angels, Jo Adell has hit 6 homers.
After slashing just .225/.332/.282 during the first half Steven Kwan has been hot: .354/.440/.430 since the All Star Game.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Tuesday, September 22: Parker Messick (2.57 ERA / 3.11 FIP) vs. Payton Tolle (3.02 ERA / 3.04 FIP)
Wednesday, September 23: Foster Griffin (3.67 ERA / 4.07 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (2.82 ERA / 3.50 FIP)
Thursday, September 24: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Ranger Suarez (3.27 ERA / 3.12 FIP)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 22: Carlos Rodón #55 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The chances are now paper thin after a series loss in Arizona, but if the Yankees are to have any shot of chasing down the Rays in the final week of the season, they absolutely must sweep this four-game series. That required a dominant performance from Carlos Rodón facing one of the AL’s best starters in Nick Martinez. They certainly got that, Rodón running rampant for eight scoreless innings, achieving both the 1,500th strikeout and 100th win of his career as the Yankees took the first game of the day’s doubleheader, 2-0.
Rodón burst out of the gate like he had a point to prove, whiffing the first two batters of the game Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda on a pair of filthy sliders. Cam Schlittler and Max Fried are likely locks for the postseason rotation, meaning if the Yankees elect to stick with a three-man unit, that final spot comes down to Rodón and Gerrit Cole. Aaron Boone has affirmed his commitment to Cole as the Game One starter in a prospective Wild Card Series. This seemingly leaves Rodón on the bubble, which might explain the extra edge he was pitching with this afternoon.
His teammates didn’t do themselves any favors early, burning both ABS challenges in the first inning. I expect the Yankees to tighten the strings on who gets to challenge and in what situation come the playoffs as you cannot deprive yourself of such a vital tool with eight innings still to play.
Martinez entered this game with the lowest walk rate of any qualified starter and among the league’s best at limiting hard contact. He was true to form going the first turn through the order without allowing a base runner. He was helped by the collectively poor approach from the lineup, with four out of the nine batters including the side in the third striking out against a pitcher with the lowest strikeout rate among qualified starters.
That started to change the second turn through the order, the Yankees finally starting to do some damage against the high volume of pitches Martinez was throwing over the heart of the plate, starting with a Ben Rice double into the corner in right to lead off the fourth. The very next pitch Martinez threw rocketed out of the yard, Cody Bellinger blasting a first pitch sinker into the seats in right for a two-run homer — his fifth homer in the last 12 games.
George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones singled with two outs to put runners on the corners. Jones then stole second unopposed, but Anthony Volpe struck out swinging to strand the pair in scoring position. They kept up the pressure in the fifth, José Caballero reaching on a bunt single against his former team and then stealing second and third followed by a Rice walk to put runners on the corners with one out. However, Bellinger popped out and Heliot Ramos flew out as they stranded a pair in consecutive frames.
Rodón settled into an impressive groove after a Chandler Simpson single in the second, retiring the next ten batters in order until Victor Mesa Jr. led off the sixth with a single. After Rodón whiffed Jorge Mateo on a slider for his sixth strikeout, he got Richie Palacios to line out to left. Mesa was running on the play and momentarily forget he had to sprint back to first, allowing Bellinger to throw an absolute seed to Luis García Jr., who applid the tag for the inning-ending double play.
With Rodón’s pitch count standing at just 89 after seven, Boone decided to go batter-to-batter in the eighth. However, Rodón ensured his manager had no choice to make, completing the eighth inning on just seven pitches, including the 1,500th strikeout of his career. It’s tied for his longest start as a Yankee, matching the eight innings he pitched against the Cubs on July 11, 2025.
Rodón entered this start as perhaps the Yankees’ most in-form pitcher behind Schlittler. Including today, in his last eight starts, Rodón has a 1.67 ERA while holding batters to a measly .134 batting average against. He had all his pitches working today, but this really felt like a throwback to his peak years with Chicago and San Francisco. He got whiffs in bunches on the four-seamer above the zone and slider below it. In likely his penultimate start of the regular season, Rodón dominated for eight scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out eight to lower his ERA to 2.67 on the year.
The Yankees didn’t manage another base runner in the final three innings, but Rodón made sure that it wouldn’t come back to haunt them. David Bednar pitched a one-two-three ninth to secure his 35th save of the season. The gap to the Rays now stands at five games as the Yankees become the second team in the AL to 90 wins. At worst, they have clinched the four seed in the AL, guaranteeing home field advantage in a prospective AL Wild Card Series.
The Yankees have a few hours’ rest before taking the field again tonight. Max Fried starts the night game of the doubleheader against Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm ET with the broadcast remaining on YES, so stick around!
HARRISBURG, PA - MAY 21: Cayden Wallace #10 of the Harrisburg Senators bats during the game between the Akron RubberDucks and the Harrisburg Senators at FNB Field on Thursday, May 21, 2026 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kyle Mace/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
There have been all sorts of offensive breakouts throughout the Nationals organization. From Keibert Ruiz and Andres Chaparro at the big league level to Seaver King and Ronny Cruz in the minors, there has been a lot of success. However, one under the radar breakout has been Cayden Wallace who has put himself back on the map this season.
At one point, the 25 year old had some real prospect hype behind him. After starring for Arkansas, the Royals drafted Wallace in the second round back in 2022. Entering 2024, he was the third ranked prospect in the Royals system. Wallace was traded to the Nats in a deadline deal that sent reliever Hunter Harvey to Kansas City.
However, Wallace really struggled when he arrived in the Nats system. He missed a lot of time in 2024 due to injuries. When he came back in 2025, he did not have a very good year in AA. Wallace hit .242 with a .686 OPS and 10 homers in 121 games for Harrisburg. That led to him going unprotected and unselected in the Rule 5 draft and took him off the prospect radar.
At this point, Wallace was an afterthought who looked like nothing more than organizational depth. However, he has flipped the script this season. He lit up AA to the tune of a .300 average with 18 homers and a .915 OPS in 71 games. That was impressive stuff, but the real test was going to come in AAA. After all, you can only learn so much from a 24 year old performing well in AA.
When Wallace first got to Rochester, it took him a few weeks to settle in. After 19 games in AAA, Wallace was hitting just .207 with a .552 OPS. However, he has been lighting it up the last couple months of the season. Wallace hit .337 with a 1.015 OPS in August and followed that up with a .304 average and .879 OPS in September.
At the plate, Cayden Wallace has an interesting profile. He is an ultra-aggressive hitter who chases more than you would like but also rarely misses a chance to swing at pitches in the zone. That pairs nicely with his above average contact skills, average power and strong ability to pull the ball in the air.
Cayden Wallace is a no-brainer add to the 40-man for me. Chase is still a bit of an issue but he pulls the ball in the air and hits it hard. Big organizational win. pic.twitter.com/g5KjKQx5da
As mentioned, Wallace is now a strong candidate to be added to the 40-man roster now. He was exposed in the Rule-5 draft and went unprotected last year, but I do not think that would happen again. With his lights out play in Rochester, Wallace is showing that he is a big league ready asset.
One nice thing about Wallace is that he can play multiple positions. He has spent most of his time at third base in his career, but has also gotten run at second and shortstop this season. Wallace has a very strong arm and is a solid defender and athlete.
Nats hitters all across the organization have seen pick up ticks in power, and Wallace is no exception. After hitting just 10 homers last season, Wallace is up to 29 this year. He does not have James Wood type exit velocities, but he hits it plenty hard enough and elevates consistently.
I think Cayden Wallace has a chance to be a real piece on the 2027 Nationals. Having a utility guy who has the chance to hit for power and average while also playing solid defense is rare. When top 30 lists are updated this offseason, I think Wallace deserves to re-enter the Nationals top 30 prospect list. He is an older prospect now, but his production is undeniable.
Between two levels, Wallace is now hitting .300 with 29 homers and an .896 OPS. Those numbers also stayed relatively stable between AA and AAA. In Harrisburg, he hit .300 with a .915 OPS and in Rochester he hit .299 with an .872 OPS.
After falling off the map following two rough seasons, Wallace is now back on the radar. He will be one to watch in Spring Training and I think he has a chance to win a job out of camp. Wallace could easily take the Jose Tena at bats. In a season full of breakouts, do not overlook Cayden Wallace.
Sep 22, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In true “end-of-the-season battle of the titans” fashion, the Rays were going to be facing the Yankees in a Tuesday doubleheader. Both teams had secured their trip to the postseason, but the Rays really wanted to finally lock down their place as the AL East champions without question. To get the job done, they had Nick Martinez on the mound for game one, up against Carlos Rodon for the Yankees. One man they wouldn’t need to worry about for the whole series was Aaron Judge, who will miss the remainder of the regular season and is a big question mark for the Wild Card series.
The Rays started out by going 1-2-3 in the top of the first. The Yankees helped out by doing the same thing in the home half.
Chandler Simpson got the first hit of the game with one out in the second. However, Jonny DeLuca grounded into a double play to eliminate the baserunner and end the inning. Martinez kept Victor Mesa Jr. busy in the bottom of the inning with multiple flyouts, but managed to keep the Yankees off the basepaths as well, setting them down in order.
It was another three-up, three-down inning for the Rays in the third, and the same story for the Yankees in the bottom half. I never like to speak too soon on these things, but this was shaping up to be a good old-fashioned pitchers’ duel.
The Rays went down in order again in the fourth. I did indeed speak too soon about that whole pitchers’ duel thing, because Ben Rice doubled to start the bottom of the fourth, then Cody Bellinger homered, putting the Yankees on the board first. With two outs George Lombard Jr. singled, then Spencer Jones singled, bumping Lombard to third. Jones then stole second, putting two runners in scoring position. An Anthony Volpe strikeout ended the inning with no additional runs scored.
Another three-up, three-down inning didn’t do much to help the Rays get any runs back. Jose Caballero got a one-out single in the bottom of the inning, then he stole second. Ben Rice walked, and Caballero stole third. Martinez got the next two outs, though, once again nipping the threat in the bud.
Victor Mesa Jr. opened the sixth with a single, but a strikeout and then a double play off the bat of Richie Palacios ended the inning with no runs scored. Thankfully the Yankees had a 1-2-3 inning to keep things status quo.
In the seventh, Jonathan Aranda got a one-out single, but two outs followed to leave him stranded. The Rays were really going to need to get something going if they hoped to clinch the division today. Nick Martinez was done after six innings with a final line of 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR on 94 pitches. Aside from one unlucky inning it was a pretty good outing from him overall. Ty Johnson replaced him and got the side out in order.
The Rays once again failed to get a baserunner on in the eighth. The Yankees also went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
Rodon, who had made it through eight innings of really strong work, was out for the ninth, being replaced by David Bednar. The Rays did not make any effort at a rally, going 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth and dropping the first game of the doubleheader. Hopefully they were just keeping their runs for the evening game.
Apr 12, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages (44) reacts with pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) after a catch against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Tuesday got a few regulars back as reinforcements heading into the final week of the regular season and into October, activating center fielder Andy Pages and pitcher Roki Sasaki off the injured list.
Emmet Sheehan and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo were optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday.
Pages was an All-Star starter this season, and when he got hurt was tied with Yoshinobu Yamamoto for second-highest FanGraphs WAR (3.9) on the team, behind only Shohei Ohtani. By Baseball Reference WAR, Pages is still third on the team now at 5.4, trailing only Ohtani and Yamamoto. That’ll happen with a .272/.338/.458 batting line with a 118 wRC+ combined with plus-defense in center field.
Before getting hit by an errant fastball on August 21, Pages started 125 of the Dodgers’ 129 games, and led the team in plate appearances (550) at the time. Pages and Ohtani are still tied for the Dodgers’ lead with 80 runs batted in. With Pages out, Alek Thomas was first called up to start six games in center field, followed by Tommy Edman starting 17 games, plus three starts by Alex Call and one by Kiké Hernández.
With Edman moving to the outfield and once Thomas was optioned, Miguel Rojas (10) and Alex Freeland (eight) have covered all but one of the starts at second base in September.
Sasaki struggled earlier in the season, but improved as the season progressed. He has a streak of six straight starts with no more than two runs allowed until his blister start in Atlanta. On the season, Sasaki has a 4.46 ERA and 4.42 xERA, but since July 8 he’s down to a 3.25 ERA and 3.76 xERA in eight starts.
With Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow set for the postseason rotation, the Dodgers will see over the next two weeks if Blake Snell will be hampered by his left groin discomfort, and will have Sheehan at the ready. That allows them to use Sasaki in relief, as they did last postseason out of necessity.
“I could see multiples [innings], but it’s not going to be bulk as in four or five innings,” manager Dave Roberts said on Sunday.
Last season was a different situation for Sasaki, who struggled mightily as a starter and spend four months on the injured list before returning in the final week of the regular season. There was no room in the rotation, so he pitched in relief in the postseason. He wasn’t dominant — only six strikeouts among his 43 batters faced, with five walks — but he was effective, allowing only one run over nine appearances and 10 2/3 innings, the highlight his perfect three innings of relief in the Dodgers’ NLDS Game 4 clincher over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sasaki saved three games last postseason. Roberts said Sasaki probably wouldn’t get an opportunity in a save situation right away this week, but it could progress to that by the postseason.
“I trust Roki in any situation. I would say probably starting a clean inning,” Roberts said. “He’s done it, he’s really good. He’s a neutral pitcher, high-octane stuff. And you really just need four starters. So we’re in a good spot there, for now.”
Alfonzo made his major league debut against the Padres on July 5, and started nine games behind the plate. He had five hits in 28 at-bats with three doubles and four runs batted in.
