TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 30: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners pitches in the first inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 30, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The potential Seattle Mariners Pie Stroll September met an early end with game one against the Athletics yesterday, but alas, the season persisted. The Mariners have perhaps found themselves in less of a playoff conversation recently, but that hasn’t stopped one of their star players in Julio Rodríguez from appearing in conversations surrounding possible bird murder. Today they try to bounce back with a win behind starter Logan Gilbert.
Lineups
Lazaro Montes is in the starting lineup batting eighth, and who doesn’t love them some Brock Rodden?
Injury Update
GM justin Hollander provided injury updates on Matt Brash, confirming he will be out for the rest of the season. You can read more details in our coverage here.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 01: The Washington Nationals celebrate after the 9-5 victory against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on September 01, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After finally getting a day off, the Nats are back and have a tall task. They head to LA to square off with the mighty Dodgers. This will be a good challenge for a young squad. They are going to face off with the Lions of baseball. However, the Dodgers main man is not in the lineup.
James Wood will stay in the lineup, but he goes from right to left field. CJ Abrams plays his second consecutive game at second base, with the team finally committing to the move. Those are the only two lefties in the lineup though. Daylen Lile will be out and Dylan Crews will play right with Jacob Young in center. Harry Ford will do the catching. Jackson Kent will take the mound at Dodgers Stadium.
As we hinted at, Shohei Ohtani is out of the lineup in this one. He is dealing with some nagging injuries. Freddie Freeman is also getting the day off, so this Dodgers lineup looks less intimidating than usual. However, the Nats still have to deal with the likes of Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and the struggling but talented Kyle Tucker. Old friend Alex Call is also in the lineup. The decorated Blake Snell will be on the bump.
The Nats have the ultimate litmus test this weekend. Even if they don’t have the best record, we all know the Dodgers are the best team in baseball. The Nats will get to test themselves against this veteran group. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 04: Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale #51 pitches the ball during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves on September 4th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Through the first seven innings of this game, it had the feeling of a true battle between teams with margins as thin as paper. Both starters, Chris Sale and Cristopher Sánchez, labored through five innings at exactly 88 pitches, faced sixth-inning jams before escaping unscathed with a 3-2 Braves lead for the late innings. Both teams even brought in rookie right-handed flamethrowers who threw scoreless seventh innings on eight pitches. It’s sort of crazy when you think about it.
Sometimes the differences, even if they only last for a single game, are defined by a few moments.
The second inning would feature several of these moments. The Braves failed to capitalize on a leadoff Ronald Acuña Jr. double in the first but were ready to rally aninning later. Lane Thomas started it off by working a six pitch walk, then Mauricio Dubón pulled a changeup right past the gloves and Edmundo Sosa and Trea Turner for a base hit into left field.
After a Sean Murphy strikeout, Austin Riley was ready to punch a changeup into a vacated hole between first and second base to bring Thomas home, the ball went right under Bryce Harper’s glove in right field, leading to Dubón taking third base.
That moment would matter when Ha-Seong Kim, who entered the game hitting .120 with a .344 OPS, did what he could against a Sánchez changeup for a groundout that scored a run.
On the very next pitch, Acuña took a first pitch changeup to center field for a base hit that brought in a third run to make it 3-0.
The Phillies answered right back in the bottom half, Luis Arraez punched a single into left field and on the very next pitch, Alec Bohm took a hanging slider to the center field wall to cut the Braves lead down to two.
After Edmundo Sosa got hit with a backfoot slider, the Phillies were just not able to capitalize off Sale. Bryan De La Cruz grounded into a double play, then JT Realmuto went down swinging on a backfoot slider.
These were not the last situations each of the aces had to escape from but in the in-between, Alec Bohm smoked a fastball for a line drive home run to cut the Braves lead in half.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Phillies had the chance to build on their budding momentum over the last few innings. Sánchez escaped the top half of the fifth by getting Matt Olson to flyout after an Ozzie Albies two out double.
After a Realmuto walk and a pair of flyouts, Trea Turner took a high fastball near the foul line in left field that put runners on second and third with two outs and Bryce Harper to the plate. Harper, who entered tonight with a 35 game on-base streak, was unable to deliver and hit a pop up to Austin Riley at third base.
The sixth inning is probably what will haunt the Phillies the most for the night. Arraez smoked a hanging slider off the wall in right field for a leadoff double with three straight right-handed hitters behind him to face a tired Sale.
Alec Bohm, who had seen Chris Sale very well in his first two at-bats, grounded out to third base, keeping Arraez at second. Edmundo Sosa swung at two backfoot sliders in a row and walked back to the dugout. Bryan De La Cruz had a clear plan against Sale, looking for a high fastball but fouling the 1-0 heater. He took consecutive down-and-in sliders but one of them was barely a strike. After an uncompetitive slider made the count 3-2, De La Cruz was late on a hanging slider and went down swinging to end the inning.
After scoreless seventh innings from two rookie relievers, Alex McFarlane and Didier Fuentes, Orion Kerkering came in for the eighth to try and keep the game close. With one out, Kerkering walked Mike Yastrzemski on eight pitches that sent Mauricio Dubón up. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Kerkering hung a sweeper that Dubón crushed, into the left-field seats, sealing Atlanta’s fate.
After Fuentes and Raisel Iglesias were able to retire the next hitters, the Braves muscled a 5-2 victory to start the wraparound Labor Day series.
The gaps between these teams look thin, but maybe that is just because of the starting pitching matchup. Whatever it is, the Phillies will need them to break their way for three straight games if they want to have any real chance at their third straight division title.
Sep 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Mauricio Dubón continues to be a lethal and versatile weapon for the Atlanta Braves.
Making a fairly rare start in center field for Friday’s series opener at the Philadelphia Phillies as the Braves elected to sit Michael Harris II against a left-handed starter, Dubón paid off that decision with a leaping catch in the outfield and, more importantly, an insurance homer late in Atlanta’s 5-2 win over the Phillies.
With the Braves clinging to a 3-2 lead after escaping a few jams where the Phillies threatened to tie the game or take the lead, Dubón followed Mike Yastrzemski’s one-out walk with a 390-foot two-run blast to left for his 11th homer of the season.
Dubón finished the night with two hits, two runs and two RBIs.
The Braves (84-57) didn’t end up needing the insurance as a rested bullpen didn’t allow a single baserunner over the final three innings after Chris Sale’s strong start. But it still allowed for some breathing room which made for a less stressful conclusion
The win pushed the Braves’ record against the Phillies to 6-1 and their NL East lead to five games. It also means that if Atlanta wins one of its final six games against Philadelphia, it will hold the head-to-head tiebreaker should the teams end up tied in the standings.
The Braves came up empty in the first inning despite Ronald Acuña Jr.’s first-pitch double to right-center to lead off the game.
But Atlanta would not be denied in the second inning. After Lane Thomas walked and Dubón singled to begin the inning, the bottom of the order came through with some situational hitting. Austin Riley opened the scoring with an RBI single to right, and Ha-Seong Kim followed with an RBI groundout to make it 2-0.
Acuña then came through for the second time in as many innings, this time with a two-out RBI single to score Riley and extend the Atlanta lead to 3-0.
Unfortunately for the Braves, that proved to be all they could manage against Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez. Starting with the final out of the second inning, he faced 13 of the final 16 batters he faced, giving up three runs on five hits over six innings with five strikeouts and three walks.
Still, Sánchez took his second loss to the Braves in as many starts this season, accounting for 40% of his five losses this campaign.
The Phillies gradually chipped into that deficit behind a pair of moments from Alec Bohm, who delivered an RBI double in the second inning and a wall-scraper of a solo homer in the fourth inning — the first homer Sale had allowed since July 4.
Sale, though, ensured Atlanta would remain ahead when he exited the game after six innings thanks to some impressive resolve.
The Phillies put two runners in scoring position with two outs in the fifth, but Sale got Bryce Harper to pop out to third base to end the threat.
Philadelphia again put the tying run in scoring position with a leadoff double from Luis Arráez in the sixth, but Sale retired the next three batters, the last two by strikeout, to end his outing.
Sale gave up two runs on six hits, striking out seven and walking one.
Acuña added a third hit, an infield single, in the seventh inning. He now has three three-hit games in his last seven appearances after he had none in his first 81 games of the season.
Paired with the Dubón homer, Didier Fuentes and Raisel Iglesias ensured there would be no late-inning drama. Fuentes retired all six batters he faced over the seventh and eighth innings on 21 pitches (18 strikes). Iglesias worked a 1-2-3 ninth with a pair of strikeouts to register his 30th save of the season.
A win in the opener takes some of the pressure off for the Braves. They now need to win just one of the next three games to ensure a split with the Phillies in this road four-game set and keep their division lead at least as large as it was entering the weekend.
They’ll look to secure that Saturday night with Martín Pérez (8-8, 3.05 ERA) facing off against Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler (11-5, 3.31).
Los Angeles, - September 02: Pitcher Tyler Glasnow #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Dodgers and Nationals continue their weekend series on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.
Tyler Glasnow is on the mound for the Dodgers, making his first home start since returning from the injured list. Right-hander Cade Cavalli starts for the Nationals.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 1: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees pitches in a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on August 1, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All that Walker Buehler has done since the 2021 season has been a far cry from the best version of himself—dazzling as one of the sport’s most dominant starters in his early years with the Dodgers. Yet, it’s been in that period that Buehler, against the Yankees, has written his most important chapters. While the current offense may feel good about their chances against the Buehler we’ve seen in 2026, he doesn’t invoke good memories in this particular matchup given what happened in the 2024 World Series.
A year later, though, albeit in a far less impactful environment, the Yankees got their pound of flesh against Buehler—scoring nine runs in just four innings—twice beating him in the middle of a horrific one-year campaign with the Red Sox. They’ll look to replicate that and start off on the right foot in this weekend series versus the Padres.
Now back in the NL West, Buehler hasn’t struggled as heavily as he did with the Red Sox and is actually coming off a solid month of August, with a 3.16 ERA in six starts. Buehler will face off against Max Fried, which for the average baseball fan may cause a bit of dejà vu, reminiscing on those playoff duels between the two in 2020, back when they played for the Braves and Dodgers.
Another interesting aspect of this matchup is the vast difference in lineup construction between the two teams, with each already leaning to their natural tendencies, the Yankees flooding theirs with eight left-handed hitters and just a single righty, while the Friars roll out with seven right-handers and just two lefties against Fried. After presenting reverse splits last season, Fried has absolutely massacred the same-side hitters this season, yet to allow a home run against a lefty in 16 starts.
For the Yankees’ offense, don’t look now, but they come into this game having scored a total of 39 runs in their last five games. As promising as that stretch is, we must exercise caution considering how many of these runs came after the Red Sox inexplicably quit earlier than you’d expect in a crucial game—not to mention the benefit of facing the Angels, who aren’t likely to be confused with an outstanding pitching staff between now and the end of the season.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 30: Kade Morris #67 of the Athletics pitches during the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Sutter Health Park on August 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We got a win yesterday! A great way to start off the series in Seattle and the A’s are riding a two-game winning streak. They’ll hope to make it three in a row this evening in the second of four games against the division-rival Mariners.
Before we get to the starters and lineups, the A’s announced a notable roster move just an hour or so ago. The team is demoting pitcher Jack Perkins to Triple-A, replacing him with Joey Estes:
The move doesn’t have any direct impact on tonight’s game but it’s still notable. Perkins has been a starting pitcher for the better part of the past two months after beginning the year in a relief role. Neither situation seemed to work out for the right-hander as he struggled all season long. The A’s were content to let him try to work through things at the big league level but just couldn’t continue trotting him out there when he’s not ready. He’ll remain in Triple-A for probably the rest of the year before trying to regain his spot on the roster next Spring.
Estes meanwhile looks likely to get another look in the big leagues as a starter. He’s made one start for the big league team this year, pitching 4 1/3 innings of four-run ball against the Rockies in Sacramento. The righty has otherwise spent the entirety of the year with the Aviators. In 17 starts he’s sporting a nasty 6.88 ERA with nearly as many walks (44) as strikeouts (65) in just 85 innings of work. Doesn’t hurt to take another look at him in the big leagues though. This might be his last chance to reestablish himself with the A’s.
Back to tonight’s contest. Taking the ball this evening for the Green & Gold will be right-hander Kade Morris. Considered one of the better pitching prospects in the Athletics’ farm system, Morris made his big league debut earlier this year. That did not go well at all for the young righty as Houston shelled him for nine runs in his first appearance. He was soon optioned but has returned a couple times to the big league team as a bulk reliever. Tonight he gets another shot at starting. How will he do in his second chance as a starting pitcher?
Here’s how the Athletics will line up for the second game in Seattle:
The usual top of the lineup these days with Henry Bolte, Jeff McNeil, Zack Gelof and Lawrence Butler occupying the top four spots in the order. McNeil and Gelof will make up the corner infield duo while Bolte and Butler remain in their usual defensive spots.
The left-handed Carlos Cortes draws the start in left field tonight against a right-handed starter on the opposing mound. Jonah Heim is back behind the plate after a half-day yesterday. Max Muncy is back in the lineup again as tonight’s DH. And our double play combo tonight is Alika Williams and Donovan Walton.
Meanwhile the M’s will have righty Logan Gilbert on the mound for them in this one. The 29-year-old has been consistently solid for Seattle this year, posting a 3.42 ERA through 27 starts. That’s solid production for them and he’s a big reason why they’re in the playoff hunt. He’s pitched twice against the A’s this season, first allowing three runs in just four innings way back in April before pitching six shutout frames at the end of May. Which pitcher will show up tonight to take on the short-handed A’s?
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Luke Weaver pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 3, 2026.
Luke Weaver has an explanation for his struggles since arriving in Pittsburgh.
And it’s a pretty good one.
The ex-Mets reliever, who was dealt to the Pirates at the trade deadline, revealed this week that he has been battling a “severe” case of poison ivy for nearly a month.
“I’ve had my own set of personal challenges over the last month, and I’ve kept them to myself, but at the end of the day, I’ve had almost a month worth of severe poison ivy,” Weaver told DK Pittsburgh Sports on Thursday.
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Luke Weaver reacts as he leaves the mound after pitching the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 1, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Weaver said the issue began in Miami in August, shortly after he joined the Pirates, when he brushed up against a bush.
“To the point where I’ve just been in hives over my entire lower body,” Weaver said. “Brushed up against a bush and my body went into a really bad state. I’ve been fighting my own personal battle with sleep. I haven’t slept in about a month, I wake up a lot. But that’s my own deal. I’m trying to find ways every single day.”
Before leaving the Big Apple, Weaver had a sparkling 1.84 ERA over 44 innings for the Mets.
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Luke Weaver pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 3, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“It’s been tough,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said, per MLB.com. “He got a really bad case of it. Just navigating that in a way, trying to help him. I know our medical staff has tried to help him as much as possible to get rid of it. It’s been tough to kick. It was a really tough case. He’s doing a lot better now.
Shohei Ohtani is again out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals amid lingering inflammation in his right bicep and soreness in his neck. It marks the first time all season that the Dodgers' two-way superstar has missed back-to-back games.
Manager Dave Roberts described Ohtani's off day in Thursday's 3-2 walkoff win over the St. Louis Cardinals as a "spa day" that provided just as much of a mental break – Ohtani went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in a loss Wednesday, Sept. 2 – as it did a physical one. With a second day off Friday, Sept. 4, Roberts mentioned he can possibly start moving his body without the pressure of having to prepare to hit leadoff.
"A lot of players, when they're not feeling well physically, it adds to the toll mentally and emotionally," Roberts told reporters pregame. "So I think that Shohei is just kind of like that, like most players."
Tommy Edman will bat leadoff for the Dodgers against the Nationals, with Alex Call sliding into the DH spot.
Roberts said he's in ongoing conversations with Ohtani, and the team's training staff, to figure out just how many days Ohtani would need to return to his MVP form. A stint on the injured list, though unlikely, isn't off the table. Right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller has been brought up from Triple-A Oklahoma City and is on the taxi squad in the event a roster move is needed.
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes told reporters Thursday, Sept. 3 that the hesitation behind putting Ohtani on the IL is the thought that there is more downside to having him not available at all for 10 days vs. just having him reset for a couple days. Roberts offered a slightly more nuanced perspective on Friday.
"The short answer is no," Roberts said. "It's not good to have that version of him. I'm sure what Brandon was saying is that in five or six or seven days, would the old version – the normal version, the regular version – of Shohei be there? We don't know that answer, but just to kick the can is an option."
Ohtani is batting just 2-for-23 with 11 strikeouts dating back to Aug. 27.
On the pitching side of things, Ohtani doesn't appear to be any closer to returning either. He was originally set to make his first start since July 3 in a game against the Tigers in Detroit on Aug. 30, but he was scratched after he threw a 20-pitch bullpen session. According to Roberts, Ohtani has stopped throwing plyo balls "for probably a few days," which would certainly delay his throwing progression.
On Thursday, Roberts was asked about the possibility that Ohtani may not pitch again this season.
New York Mets A.J. Ewing (9) strikes out in the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Queens, NY. (Corey Sipkin for...
A.J. Ewing got what interim manager Andy Green called a “reset” Friday, as the rookie center fielder’s season has gone a bit sideways in the second half.
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Ewing wasn’t in the lineup against San Francisco left-hander Matt Wilkinson, even though the lefty-swinging Ewing has better numbers versus lefties than righties.
Green said it was a “48-hour reset to get going again” coming off Thursday’s off day in the schedule.
Ewing said he understood the decision.
“I’m ready to go, for sure, but taking a second to watch and learn can help sometimes,’’ Ewing said prior to the Mets’ 10-6 win over the Giants. “You pick up things whenever you watch, so it can work.”
Ewing’s issues at the plate date back to right around the All-Star break.
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing reacts after striking out against the Houston Astros in the third inning at Citi Field on Aug. 28, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
After putting up an .805 OPS over his first 55 games following his May call-up from Triple-A Syracuse — where Ewing played just 12 games — the 22-year-old has been in a funk offensively.
Entering Friday, he had put up just a .494 OPS in his previous 44 games. Only Washington’s Namim Núñez has been worse.
He’s also struck out at a 28.2 percent clip in that stretch — a number that typically is more associated with power hitters.
“I think he’s going to come around,’’ one National League scout said. “His speed and athleticism are too good and with his defense, he doesn’t have to hit a ton. But the strikeouts are a worry. That’s not who he should be.”
Ewing has a few weeks to end his first season in the majors on a high note and insisted Friday his confidence hasn’t slipped.
New York Mets’ A.J. Ewing (9) strikes out in the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on Monday, August 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“One thing I understand is the person going through anything like this right now is the same person that was going the other way [in the first half],’’ Ewing said of his drop-off in production. “This stuff happens and as much as I want to say it’s never going to happen again, it’s going to happen again. But I’m going to get out of this.”
Green, who inserted another rookie, Nick Morabito, into the lineup Friday, struck a similar note regarding Ewing’s future — despite the prolonged slump.
“We know there’s more in there from him in the batter’s box than we’re seeing right now,’’ Green said. “We’ve seen it. Like anybody else, he’s trying to get hits and sometimes you have to take a breath and trust how good you are and the work you’ve put in. He’s a guy we believe in to an incredibly high degree going forward. This will serve him well in the long run.”
At various points of what’s been a lost season in Queens, the Mets could at least say they believed they had found long-term answers in both center and right field with Ewing and fellow rookie Carson Benge.
Ewing’s rough patch since the break has cast some doubt on that, but the NL scout said these could be natural ups and downs from a player who played just two full seasons in the minors before his MLB debut.
“Maybe it will serve him well,’’ the scout said. “Better now than when they’re playing for something.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: Julio Rodríguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after making the catch for the out on a hit by Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you are a Mariners fan, there’s a strong chance someone in your life has recently sent you a reel by the comic Jordan Jensen in which Jensen tells a story about being at the Sunday August 13th Yankees game and seeing Julio Rodríguez throw a ball into the stands and allegedly kill a pigeon. If you haven’t seen the reel yet, it’s worth a watch; you can see it, titled “The Perfect Throw” here.
As I watched the reel, my first thought – as I’m sure it was for many of you – was absolutely no way. It’s too good a story, too neat a parallel to the infamous Randy Johnson dead dove incident, and most importantly, too much Mariners as central character. Surely this was exaggerated for the bit. So because I am a Serious Journalist, I asked Julio about it, just hours after the reel was distributed to Jensen’s 822 thousand followers on Instagram.
Julio, who hadn’t seen the reel yet, watched through it with me, rolling his eyes at Jensen’s lengthy discussion of what a “Mariner” actually is (“that’s not funny”), but appreciative of the way Jensen characterized his throw and interaction with the crowd (“Of course I throw a ball to the kids. Of course I do that.”). But when we hit the actual part of the story with the pigeon, Julio had some corrections.
The first point of contention: the death of the pigeon.
“No way,” said Julio immediately at that part of the video. “No, no, no. No way.”
According to Julio, the ball did strike the pigeon—one of a flock circling around the outfield hoping to scavenge a snack in the late innings of a day game—and the pigeon fell, but it was concussed, not dead, and certainly not obliterated in a Randy Johnson-style poof of feathers.
Mariners bullpen catcher Justin Novak, who was in the bullpen at the time, backs up Julio’s story, saying the grounds crew came and picked up the pigeon and deposited it in a shaded spot in the Mariners bullpen, under an overhanging bit of wall, where the bird could let the shock wear off. It remained there through the end of the game, with members of the bullpen checking in on it occasionally.
“It was just sitting there like, bro, what?” says Novak.
“But as far as we know, that pigeon is fine.”
However, both Julio and Novak say the part about the crowd chanting “pigeon killer” at Rodríguez is accurate, and backed up by film. You can see him being playful with the crowd in the next inning after a routine flyout from Trent Grisham, the only ball that would reach him in the outfield for the rest of the afternoon:
“They were shouting ‘pigeon killer!’ said Novak. “And like, ‘we love pigeons!’”, proving the biggest liars in this story are the Yankees fans themselves.
So no, Julio Rodríguez did not kill a pigeon. However, this shouldn’t stop you from modernizing one of the greatest couples costumes of all time and going as Julio and the Pigeon this Halloween.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 26: Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run during the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Petco Park on August 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
New York Yankees (80-60) at San Diego Padres (73-67), September 4, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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Which is part of why much of David Stearns’ time Friday afternoon during his homestand availability was spent discussing what has gone wrong (plenty) and right (a bit) with the club’s infield.
With the exception of Bo Bichette — who would plug in as the everyday third baseman if he opts in for next season, a contractual decision that Stearns said he has not discussed with the infielder — Stearns provided hints at how the Mets’ infield could look next season, including:
Despite a rough defensive season, Francisco Lindor will be the everyday shortstop in 2027.
In just about every metric, from the traditional (10 errors in his first 82 games) to the more advanced (ranking 52nd among 62 shortstops who had logged at least 150 innings this season in Defensive Runs Saved), Lindor has taken a step back defensively.
Francisco Lindor watches his home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on September 1, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Getty Images
The position is mostly patrolled by younger kids, and Lindor turns 33 in November. The only players who are older and have spent most of their time at shortstop this year are Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Trea Turner.
Lindor’s glove has regressed, with several booted balls, including Tuesday at Tropicana Field, but perhaps more notably, his sprint speed is down for a third straight season, falling from 28.1 feet per second in 2023 in his fastest one-second window in 2023 to 26.8 feet this season.
But there is “no question” the normally steady and two-time Gold Glover will be the Mets shortstop next year, Stearns said.
“Certainly a few more mistakes than we’re accustomed to seeing,” Stearns allowed before the Mets began a series with the Giants at Citi Field. “I think a lot of the underlying stuff is still pretty good. And uncharacteristically, he just hasn’t completed some of the plays that he normally completes.
“I really don’t think there’s anything more in there than that. And I think we’re going to be looking at a shortstop next year who completes those plays at the rate we’re usually seeing him complete.”
Marcus Semien is a “steadying force” but has not been steady at the plate.
President of baseball operations for the New York Mets, David Sterns, before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 28, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Getty Images
In evaluating Semien’s season, Stearns praised the second baseman in just about every way except his bat.
The 14-year veteran is a “consummate professional” who “does post every day,” “works incredibly hard,” and is “still a really good defender,” Stearns said.
But such attributes are secondary considering Semien entered play with a .632 OPS that ranked 138th among 142 qualified hitters.
“The offensive performance in its totality this year hasn’t been what he wants, hasn’t been what we would want,” Stearns said. “We’ve seen flashes.”
Not enough of them in Semien’s first season in Queens after being swapped for Brandon Nimmo, who has hit better (.761 OPS) with the Rangers but had a lengthier contract and blocked outfield spots that are being used on Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing.
It is possible the Mets consider competition — either established major leaguers or rising prospects — for the second baseman next season, but Stearns did not sound as if he was about to recommend the club eat the $46 million due Semien over the next two years.
“Who he is as a person, how he’s contributed to our team, from a work-ethic standpoint,” Stearns said, “it’s been outstanding.”
Jorge Polanco’s status: “TBD”
Brought in to assume the bulk of the work Pete Alonso left behind, Polanco played two games at first base and will enter next spring as a mystery defensively.
Having undergone ankle surgery last month for an injury that hampered him all season, Polanco’s status defensively will be “TBD,” Stearns said, until the Mets see how he is moving and how he recovers.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Jorge is he’s going to work incredibly hard to do everything in his power to be a good player for us next year,” Stearns said. “I think he will be.”
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Owed $23 million next year, Polanco’s would be a difficult contract to move, especially because his bat — which most attracted the Mets — never awoke, perhaps because of the ankle, hitting .148 with a .431 OPS in 37 games.
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“Clearly it did not work out the way we anticipated this year,” Stearns said.
Polanco’s brutal season has opened a door that Young stepped through.
A 31-year-old who had not proven himself in the majors and played in South Korea in 2024, Young has held his own defensively at first base and hit well enough — particularly against righties, against whom he entered play with a .799 OPS and eight homers in 243 plate appearances — to make himself an option for next season, maybe as half of a platoon at first.
“This is a good hitter, and it’s someone who we thought of as a good hitter going back to last year,” Stearns said. “We just couldn’t get him the consistent runway at the big league level.
“But he’s done it for a prolonged stretch now. We think it’s real — he controls the strike zone well, he gives you constantly good at-bats, he understands game situations. He’s a good player, and I think he’s demonstrated that.”
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 05: Andre Pallante #53 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Amya Henley/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals head east from California, but not that far east as they’ll land in Denver on Friday for a weekend series against the Colorado Rockies. Andre Pallante returns from the injured list to the mound for the Cardinals while the Rockies will give the ball to Ryan Feltner. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
Oct 7, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A view of baseballs in the dugout during game two of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs between the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Stupid Tigers blow a 5 run lead.
Oh well, just win Jays and continue to win and it doesn’t matter what the stupid Tigers do.
Jameson Taillon is back up to start tonight. Tiedemann is back in Buffalo. I’m sad about that.
Daniel Lynch the 4th starts for the Royals (didn’t he do Twin Peaks?).
And Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage are both throwing on flat ground, throwing from the mound is the next step. And, as always, Anthony Santander is almost ready to play rehab games, until the next setback.
