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Tigers clinch playoff berth with 2-1 win over Red Sox in Game 161, avert September collapse

BOSTON — The Boston clinch party moved across the diamond.

Less than 24 hours after the Red Sox drenched the home clubhouse at Fenway Park to celebrate their postseason berth, the Detroit Tigers were spraying Champagne in the visitors’ locker room Saturday after beating Boston to earn a spot in the American League playoffs.

“They didn’t forget to celebrate, I’ll tell you that,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters as he ducked into a hallway to try to get away from the postgame mayhem. “We’re having a good time because we’ve earned it. But it’s very rewarding to get to the postseason, no matter how you do it.”

After blowing a 14-game lead in the AL Central and an eighth-inning lead on Friday night that would have secured their spot a day earlier, the Tigers beat the Red Sox 2-1 on Saturday. Assured at least a wild card, Detroit can still win the division and host a first-round series — but only with help from Cleveland.

The victory with one game to play averted a collapse that would have been among the biggest in baseball history. The Guardians, who were in fourth place and 15 1/2 games back on July 7, can still post the biggest comeback ever if they win their last two games (or one if Detroit loses on Sunday).

“We’ll be watching and paying attention to what’s going on around the league,” said Hinch, who will save ace Tarik Skubal for the Wild Card Series opener on Tuesday instead of using him to try to win the division on Sunday.

“Our guys earned this celebration,” the manager added, “and because of how good we were for the majority of the season, we were able to withstand a really tough stretch and finish with a couple of wins.”

Will Vest retired Carlos Narváez on a groundout to third for the final out, pumping his fist in celebration before his teammates joined him at the mound. Before returning to the raucous clubhouse, the Tigers donned blue “October Baseball” T-shirts – just like the red ones the Red Sox wore the night before.

“I absolutely hated it” watching Boston celebrate the night before, designated hitter Jahmai Jones said. “I hate losing. So when you feel like it’s going to happen on night one, and it didn’t, everybody kind of understood the kind of taste that left in our mouth.

“But we knew that we had a great opportunity the next day,” he said. “And we really focused today on trying to get that win.”

Inside the clubhouse, Hinch tried to pull reporters away from the commotion, but Skubal tracked him down and sprayed him so enthusiastically he broke an exit sign hanging from the ceiling (which he then fixed).

The team surrounded owner Chris Ilitch and — after giving him a chance to get his goggles on — drenched him with beer and Champagne. They made a circle and sang along to the music blasting through the room, then posed for a team picture.

“Baseball, it’s not a straight line,” Ilitch said. “It’s a long baseball season. There’s going to be ups, and there’s going to be downs. We had a lot of ups and we had some downs, but here we are.”

Even Red Sox manager Alex Cora, whose brother Joey is the Tigers’ third base coach, was feeling the tension before the game.

“It’s been tough to watch, to be honest with you. It’s the total opposite of last year,” when Detroit was 16 games back in July but rallied to earn a wild-card berth and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

“They’re a really good team. We’ll see what happens in the upcoming days. But talking to my brother throughout, it’s been a grind for them. Yesterday was tough for them. So we’ll see.”

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Mets ready to embrace Game 162 as playoff hopes remain in the balance

The Mets have been here before.

It was just under a year ago that the Mets went into Atlanta the day after the regular season ended, needing a victory to make the postseason. Mets fans know what happened that day: Francisco Lindor powered the Amazin's to a win in the first game of their doubleheader with the Braves, en route to a playoff run that culminated in an NLCS berth.

This year was supposed to be different. They weren't supposed to need Game 162 to determine their playoff fate. But here they are, in Miami, hoping they can book a ticket to Los Angeles for a date with the Dodgers in the Wild Card round. Although the Mets don't have control of their playoff destiny anymore, many in the locker room are upbeat after their crucial 5-0 win over the Marlins on Saturday.

"You feel good, obviously not ideal. We put ourselves in that position," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the feeling after the win. "You got to 162 with a chance to clinch a playoff spot. Enjoy today and get ready for tomorrow."

After a deflating 6-2 loss to the Marlins on Friday, the Mets bounced back in a big way, getting six strong innings from Clay Holmes while Pete Alonso provided the offense. The slugger drove in the game's first run in the first inning and tacked on with a solo shot in the third, and the Mets didn't look back.

"Just felt good today, felt like I had good at-bats all day," Alonso said of his performance. "Hopefully, I carry this feeling into tomorrow. It's our last day and want to be at my best."

Alonso was donning eye black on Saturday, similar to what Lindor does every game. The right-hander told SNY's Steve Gelbs after the game that he took something from his teammates to the field with him. 

"I'm wearing Juan Soto's socks, I put on Francisco Lindor's eye black, and then I used Brandon Nimmo's lotion," he said. "All my teammates, really thankful for the good vibes." 

Alonso spoke to the media after Friday's loss and was eerily calm and chipper, considering the opportunity his team had lost. Now they have to hope the Reds lose a game in the final two days. Of course, they'll need a win on Sunday and hope to get a similar performance from Sean Manaea as they got from Holmes. But as Alonso put it, "just get it done, no matter how."

That silent confidence Alonso exudes has been present with this team all season. Through the ups and downs, the veterans of this team understand what it takes to navigate a 162-game season, and it's starting to show in these final days. They handled business on Saturday, look to do the same on Sunday, and see where the chips lie after that. 

Many of this year's Mets, Alonso included, were on that 2024 squad that clinched a postseason spot on the final day. Perhaps that's why they seem ready to do it again this year. Mendoza believes the team can lean on that experience and is ready to go to battle.

"I saw it last night after the game when some of the guys were down, understandable," Mendoza said. "You saw those guys come in today. I’ve been saying it, there’s a sense of urgency. Obviously, we haven’t translated that onto the field. Here we are, 162, embrace it. Ready to go."

"Wouldn’t have it any other way," Alonso said of the season coming down to the final day. "This is exciting baseball. Everyone’s excited for the challenge tomorrow. We're excited to get to the yard tomorrow."

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Clay Holmes won't relish clutch six-inning shutout of Marlins until Mets 'finish the job'

Before the Mets embarked on their season-altering road series against the Marlins with fragile postseason hopes, manager Carlos Mendoza knew that Clay Holmes was going to take the ball for the first of two critical weekend games.

The high stakes were established. The pressure to perform was immense. No longer in full control of their playoff destiny, the Mets desperately needed their starter at his very best to ensure a meaningful Game 162 in Miami. And much to the team's delight, Holmes obliged.

While the Mets couldn't have reasonably expected flawlessness from Holmes, that wish was nearly fulfilled. The converted reliever shoved in his final start of the regular season, delivering six scoreless innings of one-hit ball in a clutch 5-0 win over the Marlins at loanDepot Park.

"It definitely felt good. It was a game we had to win today," Holmes said. "We just went out there and I kind of gave it my all. Once we finish the job and get here in the playoffs, it'll be a bit more satisfying."

Before taking the mound, Holmes was handed a lead that the Mets never relinquished. He faced the minimum through two innings, and didn't allow his first walk and lone hit until the third. While the Marlins mustered a pair of runners in scoring position against Holmes, they didn't pose a threat.

Not only did Holmes deliver quality length -- bettering the Mets' all-hands-on-deck pitching plan for Sunday -- but he also checked off performance boxes that seemed unattainable this summer. He produced his first six-inning shutout of the 2025 campaign, registered his first quality start since Aug. 23, and held the opponent to four or fewer baserunners across five-plus innings of work for a fifth time.

Holmes lowered his ERA to 3.53, a mark that places him in the top 10 among qualified NL pitchers. The 32-year-old also capped off a successful transition to the rotation, logging a career-high 165.2 innings with 129 strikeouts across 31 starts (33 games). His previous season-high was just 70 innings, set in 2021.

The gem from Holmes required just 78 pitches (46 strikes). He couldn't compile the punchouts -- his two were a season-low for a six-inning outing -- but with assistance from an effective sinker, he induced 11 groundouts and three flyouts. His teammates wasted no time giving him high-fives in the dugout. He, too, was all smiles.

After the win, Mendoza sang his praises for Holmes, who pitched one inning out of the bullpen on Sept. 24 and provided 3.2 innings of bulk relief work on Sept. 21. He hopes that the right-hander gets at least one more look once the calendar turns to October.

"Amazing, unbelievable," the Mets' skipper said of Holmes' effort. "For him to continue to take the baseball, not an easy transition when you look at the innings. For him to be feeling this good -- this time of the year and how much we've used him -- it says a lot about him and the work he put. Not only in the offseason, but throughout the season."

The Mets' bullpen also picked up right where Holmes left off, delivering three scoreless innings to complete an impressive one-hit shutout. The combination of Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers, and Edwin Diaz combined for three strikeouts on 37 pitches.

Holmes is no stranger to postseason-level tension. He spent three-plus seasons as a high-leverage reliever for the Yankees, and in five World Series appearances against the Dodgers last season, he delivered 4.1 scoreless frames with six strikeouts. The weight of Game 161 only fueled him.

"Whether it's the World Series or the second-to-last game of the season, those games mean a lot," Holmes said. "You can definitely feel that. Just going into the game, it took me back to last year, losing the World Series and how bad I want to be a part of that, especially with this group here."

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Mets' Sean Manaea to start Sunday with postseason berth on the line

After a much-needed win on Saturday against the Marlins, thanks to a herculean performance from Clay Holmes, the Mets will look to Sean Manaea to try and do the same in the regular season finale on Sunday.

The Mets announced Manaea will start Game 162 shortly after Saturday's win as New York looks to punch their ticket to the postseason. Barring the result of the Reds-Brewers game on Saturday night, the Mets will need a win and a Reds loss to grab the final wild-card spot. 

Pegging Manaea as Sunday's starter doesn't come as too much of a surprise. Manager Carlos Mendoza has already used all of the starters on the active roster, and the second-year skipper did leave the southpaw starting the final game of the regular season as an option when discussing Holmes' start before the series opener on Friday.

Now, how far Manaea will pitch is anyone's guess. The left-hander last pitched on Wednesday against the Cubs, allowing two runs on two hits in his one inning of work out of the bullpen. Prior to that, he started last Sunday's loss to the Nationals, allowing three runs in three innings. 

It's been an almost lost season for Manaea, who started the season on the IL and returned in mid-July. The southpaw returned but is pitching through a loose body in his elbow, which could be affecting his pitching. In 14 appearances (11 starts) this season, Manaea has pitched to a 5.80 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.

David Peterson was also a candidate to start Sunday's game, but Peterson was ineffective in his outing on Tuesday. He allowed five runs in 1.1 innings against the Cubs, continuing his troubling second half. 

With Sunday being the final regular season game, all hands are on deck. Fans should expect to see Peterson out of the bullpen as they look to lock down their 84th win of the season. 

The Mets will have to get to talented young right-hander, Edward Cabrera when they play the Marlins on Sunday afternoon.

 

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Mets' bats come alive in season-saving 5-0 win over Marlins

The Mets defeated the Marlins, 5-0, with a combined one-hitter in Miami on Saturday, assuring themselves of at least being alive on the final day of the season, as they wait to see if the Cincinnati Reds beat the Brewers in Milwaukee on Saturday night.

The game was relatively close at 3-0 before the Mets added two runs in the top of the ninth.

Clay Holmes and Pete Alonso were the stars of the game, as Holmes allowed only one hit over six innings and Alonso sparked the offense early with an RBI double in the first inning and a solo home run in the third.

Here are the takeaways...

-- With the Mets desperately needing a well-pitched game, Holmes came up big, delivering six shutout innings, allowing the Marlins’ only hit, a line-drive single to center by Xavier Edwards in the fourth inning. Holmes’ signature sinker was a dominant pitch, as he got 11 ground-ball outs among the 18 he recorded. He struck out two hitters while walking three. It was the first time Holmes had gone six innings since Aug. 23 and only the second time since June 7.

-- Overall, Holmes' final regular-season start finished off a successful transition from reliever to starter. His six innings on Saturday give him a total of 165.1 frames for the season, nearly 100 more than his next-highest total of 70 in his big-league career, which he reached in 2021. His ERA of 3.53 will put him in the top 10 in the NL.

-- The Mets got three hitless innings from their bullpen, as Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers, and Edwin Diaz finished out the one-hitter. Carlos Mendoza had Ryan Helsley warming up alongside Diaz as the Mets tacked on runs in the ninth, but decided the 5-0 lead wasn’t big enough to trust anyone but his star closer. Diaz threw only 13 pitches, so he should be available, if necessary, on Sunday.

-- Alonso is finishing his impressive season in style, as he hit his 38th home run of the season and his league-leading 41st double. His two RBI gave him 126 for the season, second in the NL to Kyle Schwarber’s total of 132. With one triple on the season as well, Alonso now has 80 extra-base hits, the second time in his career he has reached that number. The other was in his 2019 rookie season, when he hit 53 home runs.

-- Jeff McNeil broke out of a big slump to push the Mets’ lead to 3-0, lining a double down the right field line in the top of the sixth inning, driving home Alonso from second. McNeil was in a 3-for-40 funk at the time, his season average down to .246.

-- With two walks in the game, Juan Soto broke the Mets’ season record of 126, set by John Olerud in 1998.

Game MVP: Clay Holmes

Holmes not only delivered a gem when the Mets needed it most, but by going six innings, he also gave Mendoza more flexibility for Sunday, since the manager didn’t have to use either Sean Manaea or David Peterson -- the two most likely candidates to start the season finale.

Short starts have been at the root of the Mets’ problems over the last three months. Since the now-famous date of June 13, when they had the best record in the majors, Mets starters entered Saturday with 421 innings logged, the fewest of any team in baseball.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (83-78) will play their critical regular-season finale on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m.

The Mets have not announced a starter, but the Marlins will send out Edward Cabrera (7-7, 3.66 ERA).

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Phillies settle at No. 2 seed as Twins silence offense at home

Phillies settle at No. 2 seed as Twins silence offense at home originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies have seen former teammate Mick Abel pitch numerous times, from his stay in their minor league system to the seven starts for the big-league club this season. They are very familiar with what kind of a pitcher he is. They had not, however, ever faced the righthander. And as the old adage in baseball says, it’s always tough facing a pitcher for the first time. That held true on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

Abel, part of the package that brought the Phillies Jhoan Duran from Minnesota at the trade deadline, allowed just three hits and a walk in his six innings and struck out a career-high tying nine in picking up his third career win as the Twins downed the Phillies, 5-0. It was the eleventh time the Phillies have been shut out this season, the first time at home.

Abel’s mastery was a bit surprising as he had given up 22 earned runs in his last five starts encompassing 17 2/3 innings. That’s an 11.21 ERA. Still, the Phillies didn’t come close to solving him.

“He was fantastic. He was really good,” said manager Rob Thomson. “You’ve got to give him credit. Seventy three percent strikes, or something like that, throwing all his pitches for strikes. He kept guys off-balance, power fastball. He was really good.”

Phillies starter Ranger Suárez got hit hard most of the misty night as he allowed nine hits, including two home runs, and three earned runs in his 4 1/3 innings. The most damaging hit came to his left inner thigh off the bat of Ryan Jeffers in the fifth inning. Jeffers hit a 106 mile-an-hour screamer back to the mound that hit Suárez inches away from where it could have been much more serious. \

The lefthander was replaced by Max Luzar due to a contusion that will be evaluated. Suárez left the mound with a “that was close” type of smile. “I was lucky. All muscle (the ball hit),” he kidded after the game.

It wasn’t the best outing for Suárez, in fact, it couldn’t have gone much worse as the Twins were on top of just about everything he offered in his last start before the playoffs begin next weekend. Suárez did throw 57 of his 84 pitches for strikes and didn’t walk anyone, if you’re looking for a silver lining.

“Aside from the getting hit by that liner, that wasn’t what I wanted today as a whole, as a team tonight,” said Suárez, who set a career high with 157 1/3 innings pitched this season. “I feel good. Physically I feel fine as I’ve been saying for the past couple of outings and interviews. I don’t know what’s with it but the last outing of every year for the past two or three years hasn’t been good. But I’m ready to go. My cutter wasn’t landing where I wanted it to, and I was leaving the fastball in the middle of the zone. It’s always a tough night when your primary pitches aren’t doing what you want and you don’t have command of them.”

The Phillies eliminated themselves for a chance at the top seed in the National League with the loss. That spot will now go to the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Phillies will play the winner of the Wild Card Series between the No. 3 and No. 6 seeds beginning Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

Byron Buxton opened the game with a solo home run to start the scoring for the Twins. It was his 11th leadoff home run of the season. James Outman and Ryan Fitzgerald also went yard for Minnesota.

“Last couple of starts his command has been off a little bit, probably average for him,” said Thomson of Suárez. “Not the pinpoint command that he normally has. His stuff was good. He gives up the Buxton home run where he left that 3-2 cutter in the middle of the plate. The other two hits (in the first) weren’t really hit hard and he battled out of it and struck out the side. So, that was good to see.”

The lone bright spot offensively for the Phillies was third baseman Alec Bohm collecting two hits. That extended his hitting streak to eight. Since September 19, he is hitting .500.

Thomson did announce after the game that shortstop Trea Turner, who has been sidelined since September 7 with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, will start at shortstop for the team in Sunday’s regular season finale.

“Now, don’t be shocked if he comes out early,” Thomson said. “When that is, I don’t know. He’s wanting to play, one. And the trainers deemed him healthy.”

The series and regular season will conclude tomorrow when Cristopher Sánchez opposes Twins right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson.

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Yankees confident Cam Schlittler can start a playoff game after best outing of season

The Yankees are firmly in postseason position and are awaiting whether they'll play in the Wild Card round or win the AL East and get the first-round bye. 

However the playoff seedings shake out, the Yankees need a Game 3 starter and they may have one in rookie Cam Schlittler. The young flamethrower had perhaps his best outing of his short season against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon. He allowed just two hits and one walk across seven shutout innings while striking out nine batters in the Yankees' 6-1 win.

Schlittler's performance lowered his season ERA to 2.96 and put the pressure on the Blue Jays to keep up in the division race. 

"I thought he was great. Stuff was really good again out of the chute," manager Aaron Boone said of Schlittler's performance. "Good job mixing the secondary with the big fastball. Lost the zone in that inning when he hit a couple of guys and had some uncharacteristic misses by him. But dialed back in and finished great in the sixth and seventh."

Schlittler credited his outing to staying in the strike zone, feeling out his mechanics and taking a step from his last start. Pitching against these same Orioles on Sept. 21, Schlittler went just 5.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits. On Saturday, Schlittler made sure to stay on top of the ball and "finish through the catcher's mask."

And he wasn't affected by the pressure of Saturday's game. With the Blue Jays having the tiebreaker, the Yankees need to keep winning and get help from the Rays in their series with Toronto. Knowing the stakes, Schlittler embraced the pressure to pitch his best game of his young big league career.

"I knew the situation after yesterday. There’s a little bit of pressure, it’s something I do and something I want to pitch through," Schlittler said. "It’s high stakes, I don’t have experience in the playoffs. Take it day to day, but I’m aware of the situation. That’s over with, have to focus on next week. [The pressure] Locks me in a little more. I enjoy everything that comes with that."

That confidence exudes from Schlittler on the mound and the Yankees skipper knows it. When asked if Schlittler's confidence matches former Yankees starter Michael King's, Boone took a beat before playfully saying, "No one's as confident as King."

To Boone, King is at the top of the confidence list, followed by Clarke Schmidt and then Schlittler.

"You walk out there with that equipment, I’d be confident too," Boone quipped. "He definitely has that. But there’s a humility to him; he doesn’t think he has it figured out or anything like that. He does have confidence with a good competitiveness. Good combination."

With Max Fried and Carlos Rodon set to pitch the first two game of either the Wild Card of ALDS, Boone has a decision to make for Game 3. He can go with Schlittler or fellow rookie Will Warren, or 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, Luis Gil. 

Warren gutted out an uneven start in Friday's win with Gil pitching the regular season finale on Sunday with the division potentially on the line. Perhaps Boone will know after Sunday, but does he have the confidence to give Schlittler the ball to start a pivotal third game of a playoff series?

"Yes, absolutely." 

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Aaron Judge drives in three, Cam Schlittler tosses gem in Yankees' 6-1 win over Orioles

The Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-1 on Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

Here are some takeaways...

- It didn't take long for Aaron Judge to continue building on his AL MVP candidacy. The slugger gave the Yanks an early advantage with a two-out solo shot to left-center in the bottom of the first, now giving him 10 in September and a total of 53 on the season. 

Judge would deliver again a few innings later, smacking a two-run bases-loaded single to make it a 5-0 ballgame. A few pitches before that, Aaron Boone was ejected by home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus for a league-leading seventh time for arguing balls and strikes.

The captain finished the day 2-for-4 while driving in three of New York's six runs. 

- Two of New York's other runs also came via early blasts off of Baltimore lefty Tomyoki Sugano. After homering two different times in Friday night's game, Giancarlo Stanton lifted a solo shot leading off the bottom of the second, giving him 453 for his career (the 40th-most all-time).

Stanton reached base two more times on the day with a walk and a 102.5 mph infield single. The big slugger is heating up just in time for the playoffs -- hitting .333 with four home runs, 12 RBI, and a 1.392 OPS over his last seven games. 

- A few batters later, Ryan McMahon followed that up with his 20th homer of the season, fourth as a Yankee. 

- Cam Schlittler took advantage of the early lead and closed his spectacular rookie campaign on a high note. The young right-hander issued a two-out walk in the first, but then retired the next eight batters he faced before allowing a one-out double to Gunnar Henderson in the top of the fourth.

Schlittler got a lineout and strikeout to strand Henderson there. He hit two batters in the fifth to put another man in scoring position, but he was able to get Jackson Holiday to ground out to second to again escape without any damage on his line.

The youngster picked up two more strikeouts as he worked around a two-out single in the top of the sixth, then he put together a 1-2-3 seventh to end his day with just two hits (single, double) and a walk allowed while striking out nine batters across seven scoreless innings. 

Schlittler ends his campaign with a 2.96 ERA, the second-lowest by a Yankees rookie since 1981.

- Paul Blackburn entered and immediately broke up the shutout, allowing a leadoff solo homer to Coby Mayo. The right-hander rebounded to retire the next six hitters in order, securing the Yanks the series victory in their final set of the regular season. 

That earned run was the first one Blackburn has allowed in six appearances this month. 

- Jazz Chisholm left the game in the bottom of the fifth after being hit by a pitch on the left forearm. 

Game MVP: Cam Schlittler

The young right-hander certainly made a strong case for a playoff start, ending his rookie campaign on a high note.

Highlights

What's next

Luis Gil (4-1, 3.29 ERA) takes the mound against Kyle Bradish (1-1, 2.25 ERA) as the Yankees and Orioles close the regular season on Sunday at 3:10 p.m. in the Bronx. 

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. exits Saturday's game vs. Orioles after HBP; X-rays negative

The Yankees are preparing for a postseason run, so they can't afford potential injuries to starters in the final games of the regular season.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. exited Saturday's tilt with the Orioles after southpaw Grant Wolfram hit the Yankees second baseman in the left forearm with a 97-mph sinker in the fifth inning.

Chisholm dropped his bat, held his arm and immediately went into the dugout to be tended to. After a few moments, Jose Caballero came out to replace Chisholm on the bases and for the rest of the game.

The Yankees infielder finished the day going 0-for-2. 

An initial X-ray revealed there was no damage to Chisholm's forearm, and a later CT scan also came back negative.

“Early signs good," manager Aaron Boone said after the game. "X-rays are negative, going to get more tests just to be sure. We’re hopeful." 

Being hit by a pitch wasn't the only incident for Chisholm in this game. Back in the fourth inning, Tyler O'Neill hit a liner to Cody Bellinger in left field. The Yankees outfielder turned and fired to second base to try and double up Gunnar Henderson, who strayed a bit too far from second base, but overthrew Chisholm. Jazz lept for the ball and landed on a sliding Henderson. 

Both players came away unscathed. 

The Yankees have clinched a playoff spot and are tied for the AL East lead. If they can't capture the division from the Blue Jays, the Yankees will finish the regular season on Sunday and then host Game 1 of their Wild Card round on Tuesday.

This story is still developing...

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Dylan Ross bringing fearless mentality to Mets’ bullpen: ‘I don’t care who you are, I’m going to come after you’

It’s been a long journey for Mets prospect Dylan Ross. 

Ross was selected as a 13th-round pick out of the University of Georgia in the 2022 Draft, but he was forced to miss the entire 2023 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery and a revision procedure. 

He made his way back to the mound in 2024, but threw just one inning. 

The 2025 campaign has presented a huge bounce-back opportunity for Ross, though, and he’s emerged as one of the top relief arms in the system. 

After cruising his way through three different levels of the minors, he was officially recalled and has joined the Mets ahead of Saturday afternoon’s contest with the Miami Marlins. 

“I’m just taking it day-by-day,” Ross said. “Through rehab with two surgeries, you kind of just have to adapt that mentality -- the rehab and the group we had down in the minors really helped me establish that mindset.”

Ross pitched to a 2.17 ERA with 80 strikeouts across 49 outings on the season.

Now he’s tasked with helping the Mets, who are still fighting for a playoff spot with just two games left. 

Teams usually look for a bit of a soft landing spot for youngsters to come in and make their big-league debut, but with the club desperate for wins, Carlos Mendoza doesn’t expect that opportunity to present itself. 

The 24-year-old isn’t nervous about being thrown right into the fire, though. 

“I guess all the moments are the same,” he said. “Just have to take it as another day, another outing. I’ve always tried to have the mindset of whether you’re up 14 runs or a tie ballgame in extras just attack the zone and attack everybody I can -- I don’t care who you are, I’m going to come after you and attack you.”

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Mets place Brett Baty on IL with oblique injury; status for potential postseason to be determined

The Mets and Brett Baty were hoping for a different outcome, but the team decided to place the young infielder on the IL on Saturday, ending his season.

Baty injured himself on a swing-and-miss in the first inning. He would finish the at-bat and took the field, making an across-the-body throw to first base on a slow grounder to end the inning. That swing and the play in the infield were enough for Baty to speak with the coaches and training staff in the dugout between innings, and he was pulled for Ronny Mauricio to start the second. 

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Baty came to the stadium Saturday and he was tested and even got into the cages to swing a bat. Unfortunately,  Baty still felt his oblique while swinging and the team decided to shut him down.

“We’re looking at a guy who established himself in the everyday lineup, third base, second base. What he was able to provide for us, offensively, defensively," Mendoza said of Baty's impact on the team this season. "It's a big blow, but we've got other guys that are going to get an opportunity and they're going to have to step up."

Mendoza confirmed that Baty will undergo an MRI to see the severity of the injury, which would determine his availability if the Mets make the postseason.

The Mets enter Saturday's game needing a win and some help from the Milwaukee Brewers. A loss and a Reds win will eliminate the Mets from postseason contention. With two games to go, they need to win one more game than Cincinnati to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Baty was asked after Saturday's announcement how it felt not being able to play and help the team in their race for the postseason.

"It hurts a lot," he said. "But I'm going to root on my teammates and we're going to try to go to the postseason today and tomorrow."The Mets recalled Jared Young to take Baty's spot on the team for the final two games.

The 25-year-old infielder has had a breakout season with the Mets. He's slashing .254/.313/.435 with an OPS of .748 with 18 home runs and 50 RBI. All of those are career-highs for the infielder. Baty has also excelled at his natural position at third base and at second, giving him more versatility for Mendoza to use.

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Letters to Sports: Dodgers just can't get no consistent relief

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki, of Japan, warms up during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki made his return to the mound Wednesday as a reliever with some success. The team might have to count on him in the playoffs with a struggling bullpen. (Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

I hear they are soon releasing the movie "Groundhog Day II" in which Bill Murray portrays a Dodgers relief pitcher named “Tanner Treinen.” Every day he comes into a game in the seventh inning after the starter has pitched six innings of brilliant shutout ball and every day he gives up a combination of a bunch of walks with a couple timely hits to lose the game while his manager sits silently in the dugout with a blank look on his face. Don’t miss it!

Alan Abajian
Alta Loma

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then Dave Roberts is clearly certifiable. His continued reliance on Blake Treinen in late-inning pressure situations is truly head-scratching.

George Pisano
Rancho Palos Verdes

And just like that Roki Sasaki could become the Dodgers' post season MVP.

Fred Wallin
Westlake Village

Talking to reporters about his bullpen, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, "Our starters can't go nine every night." Fact is, the Dodgers starters haven't gone nine innings any night. To date, they have ZERO complete games in 2025.

Rhys Thomas
Valley Glen

Down memory lane

Great article on Bill Russell by Kevin Baxter. When I watched Dodgers games in the 1970s, my favorite infielder was Steve Garvey, but thanks to Kevin Baxter's very informative article, I am now a Bill Russell fan too. Well done!

Vaughn Hardenberg
Westwood

Stop there ...

Got very excited when I read Lakers GM Rob Pelinka declare, “We’d love if LeBron James retired …” then I noticed the last two words “with Lakers.”

Greg Nersesyan
North Hollywood

Not quite over

Yogi Berra got it right when he said "It ain't over till it's over." This was certainly true on two accounts in the Rams-Eagles game. First, thinking the Rams had it won when they went ahead 26-7 and secondly when the announcers proclaimed Joshua Karty the MVP of the game!

Mark Kaiserman
Santa Monica

Here we go again

Well, Bruin nation is once again suffering through a lost season. AD Martin Jarmond’s continued participation in a selection committee should be canceled and he should be escorted out the Westwood Avenue gates. Enough!

Felipe Hernandez
Glendale

UCLA's Martin Jarmond is more clever than I gave him credit. As is well known, the primary job of the athletic director is to pick the football coach (see Bill Plaschke column Sept 14). Jarmond, who will be paid $1.5 million per year for the next five years, has recruited five individuals who will help him do it for free. And, when it goes south he can blame them!

Jon Udell
Santa Monica

As UCLA embarks on its coaching search, some advice to the powers that be. Avoid a legacy hire at all costs. I can give you three good reasons: Karl Dorrell, Rick Neuheisel and DeShaun Foster!

Jack Wolf
Westwood

Gutty buddies?

Now that Tim Skipper is the interim UCLA football coach, perhaps his players should change their nickname from “the gutty little Bruins” to “the little buddies.”

Don Geller
Irvine

The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Email: sports@latimes.com

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Justin Verlander still optimistic about 300-win milestone after turbulent season

Justin Verlander still optimistic about 300-win milestone after turbulent season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Verlander is 555 starts into his MLB career, but he has been reminded over and over again this season that the learning never stops. Verlander spent much of his summer working on mechanical adjustments to try and be more deceptive, and the endless tinkering with his slider led to a breakthrough that pushed him to new heights down the stretch. 

But in the ninth inning of his final game of the season, it was a different tweak that needed to be made. With career win No. 266 on the line, Verlander watched nervously as the Colorado Rockies put the tying run on third against closer Ryan Walker. He pulled out all the stops.

“I found a different place to sit in the locker room than I had all season,” he said, smiling. “I had a different brand of beer. I just was doing whatever I could.”

Spencer Bivens entered and got a strikeout before loading the bases. When he induced a popup down the left field line, Matt Chapman chased it down and went into the netting to end the game and clinch a 4-3 win for Verlander and the Giants. This one got him into a tie for 37th on MLB’s all-time wins list, but the Giants and Verlander would have expected a lot more if you told them in the spring that he would make 29 starts. 

When he signed a one-year contract, Verlander made no secret of the fact that he hoped this season could give him a strong shot at pursuing 300 wins. He likely will be the last pitcher to ever have a real chance at it, although that effort has taken a big hit this year. 

The win on Saturday got him to 4-11, and while he was inconsistent early, a lot of this was out of his hands. Verlander finished second in the majors with seven starts in which he left with the lead and didn’t get a win. It didn’t help that he received three or fewer runs of support in 23 of his 29 starts. 

This is the first time in his lengthy career, which reached 20 years of service time recently, that Verlander made more than 20 starts and didn’t reach double-digit wins. He admitted Saturday that his odds of reaching 300 are much lower than they were in March. He currently sits at 266. 

Verlander will turn 43 next spring, but he said he doesn’t think 300 is now “out of the question.” Still, he said, “it’s more difficult, for sure.” 

“If you make 29 starts, you’d like to win 10, 15 games,” he said. “It wasn’t in the cards this year, but maybe this year wasn’t meant to be for wins. Maybe this year was meant to be kind of for health and refinding myself and getting used to taking the ball every five or six days and just kind of going out there and being able to log some innings. Maybe that’ll carry me where I need to go. I don’t know.”

The big question now is whether the pursuit will continue in orange and black. Verlander said that while this year was a struggle at times on the field, he loved being with this group of players and in the Giants’ clubhouse. He was a willing leader, and the Giants believe his impact will be felt for years to come. But he hasn’t given much thought to what’s next. 

Between the chaos of a big league season and the fact that he and his wife, Kate Upton, had their second child this summer, there hasn’t been much time. 

“I’ve been scratching and clawing and just trying to find anything to be successful and pitch well for the San Francisco Giants,” he said. 

If Verlander wants to come back, he still would fit well. The Giants have Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp locked into their rotation for next year, but they need multiple options behind them to bridge the gap to any younger starters who prove ready at some point. They were reminded this season of how easy it is to run out of pitching. 

Before Verlander’s final start, manager Bob Melvin said he’s hopeful a reunion is coming, but he noted that there will be a lot more interest from others this time around. Last year, Verlander was coming off a season wrecked by a nerve issue. This year, he posted a 1.96 ERA in his final seven starts. 

Melvin wondered if Verlander has pitched well enough to get multi-year offers, even as the oldest player in the big leagues. But that might not be something Verlander wants, anyway. He said at this point of his career, he probably prefers to go year to year. 

Whether it’s in orange and black or some other color, Verlander proved in the second half that he can still get big league hitters out. That was a big question in the first half, but Verlander will head into the offseason healthy, coming off a strong month, and hopeful that the chase for 300 can gain some steam in 2026. 

Perhaps, he said, this up and down 2025 season will end up helping in an odd way.

“I’ve always said that I look back at some of the toughest moments of my career — core surgery, Tommy John — and when I look back at those now, I look back at them really fondly,” he said. “I learned so much through those processes to allow me to sustain the success that I did after those instances took place and met people that have helped me along the way. I hope and look back at this first half as the same type of thing. 

“Maybe a few years from now you get that 300th win and it’s like, ‘Man, that first half that I really grinded through in San Francisco really taught me a lot and allowed me to get where I wanted to.’ You’ve got to have that mindset.”

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What we learned as Justin Verlander finishes season on high note in Giants win

What we learned as Justin Verlander finishes season on high note in Giants win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants didn’t do much to help Justin Verlander’s pursuit of 300 wins, but in what might be his final start in orange and black, they at least found a way to reward another strong performance. It wasn’t easy, though. 

Verlander’s six innings were backed by a Casey Schmitt homer as the Giants held on to beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 to get to 80-81 on the season. The victory was Verlander’s 266th in the big leagues, which moved him into a tie for 37th all-time. He finished 4-11 on the season.

Verlander’s year was defined in part by a lack of run support and help from the bullpen. He entered his final start with just one win across his 11 quality starts this season and only 2.34 runs of support in those games. On Saturday, he gave the Giants another quality start. They gave him four runs to work with, but that was enough.  

Ryan Walker had already blown three of Verlander’s potential wins this year, but he was given an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a double by Rafael Devers that got past a diving Brenton Doyle in center field. That disappeared right away on a homer by Jordan Beck.

After a double and a walk, Spencer Bivens took over for Walker. Bivens struck out Warming Bernabel but then plunked Ryan Ritter to load the bases. He clinched his second save when Matt Chapman chased down a pop-up and caught it against the netting down the left field line. 

Finishing Strong

Over his final seven starts, Verlander had a 1.96 ERA. Somehow, it was the 42-year-old who looked most ready for a postseason run when the season was on the line, although given that he’s a future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, perhaps that shouldn’t be a surprise. 

Verlander gave up two runs over six innings Saturday, both on solo homers. He finished the season with a 3.85 ERA and 3.85 FIP in 29 starts, which is incredible given his age, but also leads to one of the great disappointments of this season. The Giants got All-Star seasons out of Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, as well as a strong bounceback from their offseason addition (Verlander) to the rotation, but they still could not reach the postseason.

There are a lot of guys in the clubhouse who are hopeful that Verlander wants to return, but he should have more options than he did last offseason, when he was coming off an injury-marred campaign. Manager Bob Melvin said before the game that he thinks Verlander did enough to get a multi-year deal, and given that his wife just had a baby, that kind of security might appeal to the right-hander. 

The Giants figure to be involved regardless. Verlander was all they could have hoped for, on and off the field. 

Finishing Strong, Part II

Schmitt homered twice in the final game of his rookie season and had a solid final weekend as a sophomore. In Game 161 this time around, he launched a three-run homer to dead center to give Verlander a lead. 

The homer was Schmitt’s 12th of the season and bumped his wRC+ to 99, which is just about league-average. It was an odd season for Schmitt, who found himself as a man without a home in April. He picked up some first base on the fly and then became the starting second baseman after Tyler Fitzgerald struggled — while also sliding over to third when Matt Chapman twice went on the IL. 

Schmitt will go into this offseason knowing that second base is his position, and he plans to tailor his workouts for his new spot, dropping some of the weight he put on last winter.

Making His Case

The bullpen has been on fumes this month, and with Tyler Rogers, Camilo Doval, Randy Rodriguez and Erik Miller all gone or injured, Melvin has had to mix and match when handling a lead. Tristan Beck took advantage of the opening over the final week.  Beck threw 2 2/3 shutout innings in a loss on Monday, and that earned him a save opportunity on Wednesday, which he handled.

On Saturday, he was the setup man, and he breezed through the eighth with two liners to short and a pop-up to first. It’s been an inconsistent third big league season for Beck, but he has pitched well over the final days, and that will be remembered as the front office puts together a bullpen depth chart heading into the offseason.

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Livingston v Rangers: Pick of the stats

Livingston v Rangers: Pick of the stats
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  • Livingston are winless in their past 21 meetings with Rangers in all competitions (D2 L19) since a 1-0 league victory in September 2018. The Lions have scored just four goals in these last 21 clashes.
  • Rangers have won nine of their past 10 away games at Livingston in all competitions (D1), including their latest six in a row.
  • Livingston have lost three of their past four league games (D1), conceding 2+ goals in each of those defeats – including a 2-1 loss to Hearts in their last home match in the Scottish Premiership.
  • Rangers are winless in six league games (D5 L1), the joint-longest run in their entire history (level with six other runs of six, most recently in December 2005). The Ibrox side have also failed to win any of their opening five matches of a league campaign for only the second time, after 1978-79 (first six).
  • Rangers have the lowest xG per shot rate of any side in the Scottish Premiership so far this season (0.08), with their 66 shots resulting in an xG total of 5.6.