Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

Probable pitchers: RHP Brandon Young (9-3, 3.38 ERA, 103 Ks) vs. LHP Jake Bennett (9-6, 3.27 ERA, 74 Ks)

Where to watch: FOX/FOX ONE

Usually when you win six out of nine games on a road trip, you return home feeling good about the direction of your team. With the Orioles, however, they come into tonight’s game against the Red Sox having to shake off the disappointment from their last two losses in Colorado. 

Had the O’s offense not gone completely silent in Coors Field (the most offensive-friendly park in baseball), they could have swept the Rockies and would currently be in the last Wild Card spot. Instead, after losing an 11-inning heartbreaker Wednesday, they come into this series against Boston 1.5 GB of Cleveland for the last AL playoff berth. 

Tonight, Birdland will also be fending off the emotions of seeing Adley Rutschman return to Baltimore in a Red Sox uniform. In 15 games with Boston, Rutschman is struggling, slashing .170/.254/.245 with only two extra-base hits and 15 strikeouts. The former Baltimore backstop is hitting .271 with a .826 OPS at Camden Yards this season, though he last played in OPACY back on July 11th. 

The O’s turn to Brandon Young as they try to start a new winning streak. The big Texan has been Baltimore’s most reliable starter all season, with the O’s going 18-5 in games started by BY. Young has only faced the Red Sox once previously this year, getting the win back in April after putting up a line of 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB and 5 Ks. 

Opposing Young is rookie left-hander Jake Bennett. The 25-year-old out of Oklahoma has pitched one other time in Camden Yards, putting up a solid start of 5.2, 9 H, 3 ER, 0 BB and 4 Ks in a 6-3 Boston win. Christian Encarnacion-Strand tagged Bennett for a home run that day, while Pete Alonso went 2-for-5 with a double. The lefty-masher Coby Mayo will also in the two hole for the first time all season, tonight. Mayo will look to build on his MLB-leading 15 home runs vs. LHPs—though Bennett has only allowed 7 long balls in 93.2 IP.

Orioles lineup

1. Blaze Alexander (R) 2B
2. Coby Mayo (R) DH
3. Luis Robert Jr. (R) CF
4. Pete Alonso (R) 1B
5. Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
6. Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R) 3B
7. Leody Taveras (S) RF
8. Dylan Beavers (L) LF
9. Carlos Narváez (R) C

Red Sox lineup

1. Roman Anthony (L) DH
2. Mickey Gasper (S) 1B
3. Adley Rutschman (S) C
4. Wilyer Abreu (L) RF
5. Nick Sogard (S) 2B
6. Caleb Durbin (R) 3B
7. Jarren Duran (L) LF
8. Eli White (R) CF
9. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R) SS

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of reading and writing about Guardians’ losses. They dropped a critical series to the Blue Jays today, losing 5-3.

Tanner Bibee had an awful fifth and the Guardians went 2 for 10 with Runners in Scoring Position. As a cherry on top, Travis Bazzana made an error and got lifted for David Fry as a pinch-hit option in the fifth (Fry took a walk. Throw a parade).

The stadium was full of Blue Jays fans who are, from my experience, the most obnoxious fans who visit Progressive Field. I say this as a Canada fan. They are not sending us their best.

Steven Kwan had two hits, Austin Hedges hit a clutch two-run single, Angel Genao had an RBI single and a walk. They need to hit homers but don’t expect to see Ralphy Velazquez anytime soon because he is probably too young to help, anyway.

The White Sox lost so the Guardians still have a path to the playoffs, somehow. They need to find a way to take at least three of four from the Tigers this weekend.

Stephen Vogt pitched Carlos Hernandez in the 9th, probably thinking bringing a rested pen to a doubleheader against Detroit tomorrow was a better chance to steal wins than this lineup vs. Louis Varland in the 9th. I guess I can’t disagree with that.

Foster Griffin and Logan Allen will pitch tomorrow. So, that could go quite poorly

Over the first five months of his tenure as San Diego Padres manager, Craig Stammen offers the perfect poker face when answering questions about his team’s play. But his unshakeable composure might be tested in the season’s final month.

Coming off a memorable 21-7 hot streak out of the All-Star break, the Padres limped into September with a 2-7 mark in their last nine games. That recent slump has sparked restlessness among the Friar Faithful. 

It has not been easy for Stammen to keep the Friars playing consistent baseball all season. He faces another challenge in seeking a path to a Wild Card berth. 

Most of his upcoming decisions will not be easy, as they will center on the pitching staff. And Stammen’s choices must put the team in position to win each night. 

Do the Padres have enough starting pitching?

No question, the Friars have a reliable five-man starting rotation. Everyone is in relatively good health after early-season injuries nearly decimated the staff. 

On the mound, Randy Vasquez has pitched like an ace. In August, he put together his best stretch of the season, posting a 4-0 mark with a 2.57 ERA in five appearances. The right-hander has put himself in the conversation for possible late-season starts. Stammen has a difficult choice between Vasquez and a proven commodity in Nick Pivetta.

Before any decision, Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla must determine whether Pivetta can contribute down the stretch. He has worked his way back from an elbow injury, but the jury is still out on whether Pivetta can thrive in the majors again. It will be a tough decision that may come down to arm strength and the ability to be effective every fifth day.

A surplus of starting pitching is a luxury in September. Unfortunately, arm injuries (Joe Musgrove’s setback) and subpar pitching performances come unannounced.

Whoever is chosen, Stammen has confidence in their ability. 

What is the state of the Friars’ bullpen?

The bullpen has been the one constant for the Padres in 2026. But the unit has hit a rough patch, being unable to protect late-inning leads. Closer Mason Miller experienced a brief hiccup, giving up a go-ahead home run and blowing a save during this bad stretch.

Stammen may need to shorten the circle of trust with his set-up relievers. It is time for him to judge which pitchers can excel in high-leverage situations. To secure a postseason berth, the workload will be excessive, with few days off on the docket. 

The goal is to stabilize the bullpen by identifying everyone’s role and recording big outs. 

With all that said, every Wild Card-contending team has blemishes of its own. It will be a sprint to the finish line. 

After a season of ups and downs, the Friars hope that a few more highs await them in September. 

Shohei Ohtani was out of the lineup Thursday and his availability is a “day-to-day situation,” manager Dave Roberts announced before the Dodgers’ series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ohtani’s health has been scrutinized for much of the season and even more over the last week. He hasn’t pitched since July 3 because of soreness and threw a bullpen session last Friday in hopes of pitching one inning Sunday against the Detroit Tigers. But, not feeling “100%,” as Roberts put it, Ohtani didn’t return to the mound, and his throwing progression stalled.

Though Roberts described Ohtani’s ailment as an overall issue, including his left knee and right biceps, he remained in the lineup. Roberts said then that he’d been given no indication that swinging the bat was affecting Ohtani, but if that changed, the manager would have no problem with sitting the superstar.

Wednesday, as Ohtani went 0 for 4 in the midst of a two-for-23 skid, seemed to be a turning point.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani doesn't look right to Dodgers manager after striking out four times in loss

“I saw the same thing that everyone saw,” Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 8-6 loss to the Cardinals. “I saw the shaking of the arm, I saw the wincing, and clearly the swings aren’t who he is. And so, obviously, there’s some compensation. So I’m going to talk to him, and then I’ll make a decision about his availability.”

Roberts said a stint on the injured list was unlikely “but not impossible.”

Ohtani has declined requests for comment through a team spokesperson and hasn’t addressed reporters in more than two weeks.

“He definitely doesn’t want to take the day [off],” Roberts said Wednesday. “Speaking for him, I know he feels that he needs to post and be in the lineup, and if he’s upright, he should play. I respect that. But if he’s feeling the way that it visibly looks, then it’s really not helping anyone. So that’s the conversation I’ll have with him.”

Managing Ohtani’s health will continue to be a priority for the Dodgers. He’s been dealing with lingering knee soreness and inflammation since at least mid-June, and his biceps issue has flared several times this season.

Ohtani’s buildup back to pitching has been halted twice since he received an Orthovisc injection to lubricate the knee joint over the All-Star break.

As valuable as Ohtani is to the Dodgers as a pitcher, his offensive impact is needed far more, especially with left-hander Tarik Skubal added to the rotation. If continuing to try to pitch jeopardizes Ohtani’s production with his bat, it may be in the team’s best interest to take pitching off the table for him.

Tommy Edman was penciled into the leadoff spot and will play center field, while Alex Call will be the designated hitter and bat eighth.

Tonight's #Dodgers lineup vs. Cardinals: pic.twitter.com/77gpgH4iyi

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 3, 2026

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Mets made a roster move on Thursday afternoon before their three-game set against the Giants begins at Citi Field on Friday night, claiming right-hander Cameron Weston off waivers from the Orioles and designating catcher Shawn Ross for assignment. Weston was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Weston, who turned 26 years old last Thursday, was drafted by the Orioles in the eight round of the 2022 Draft and worked his way up through Baltimore’s minor league system. He has appeared in one major league game, tossing a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays on May 28 in his MLB debut. He struck out the first batter he faced — former Met Andrés Giménez — before allowing a walk to Brandon Valenzuela and inducing a double play from George Springer. Weston was subsequently optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk, where he has struggled to the tune of a 7.89 ERA in 51.1 innings pitched this season.

The Pennsylvania native sports a unique sidearm delivery, with a four-degree arm angle that would rank second-lowest among qualified right-handers behind submariner Tyler Rogers. Weston also averaged an impressive 19.9 inches of horizontal break on the seven sinkers he threw in his debut. For reference, no qualified pitcher is averaging over 18.7 inches of horizontal break on a sinker this season (Austin Warren, Sean Manaea, and Nolan McLean all rank in the top 20 on that leaderboard).

Ross was claimed off waivers from the Pirates on August 2. In 15 games with Syracuse, he hit .195 with one home run. Ross made his debut earlier this season for Pittsburgh, playing in two games and crushing a mammoth home run (110.6-mph exit velocity, 438-foot projected distance) in his second big league at-bat.

The Mets and Orioles have now each claimed a player off waivers from the other team in the past 72 hours, with Luis Robert Jr. currently in the heart of Baltimore’s lineup. When the the two clubs play a three-game series at Citi Field from September 14-16, it will already mark the return of Pete Alonso and Robert — but perhaps Weston will have a chance to join the party of players facing their former teams as well.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Wednesday night that the team would consider giving a clearly ailing Shohei Ohtani some time off to manage his ongoing knee and biceps injuries.

For now, that will include at least one day out of the Dodgers’ lineup, with Ohtani absent from the team’s batting order for Thursday’s series finale against the Cardinals.

“Ideally, he takes it as a mental and physical day,” Roberts said Thursday. “And then I think it’s just getting together with him later today and seeing how the day of rest, how he responds to that. At that point in time, we can make a decision as far as tomorrow.”

Roberts said an injured list stint for Ohtani is still unlikely, and that for now he is simply “day to day.”

General manager Brandon Gomes echoed that sentiment, insisting that “nothing has indicated that it should be an IL at this point.”

“I think it’s just really hard to say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna knock something out in X amount of days,'” Gomes said. “Not having Shohei in the lineup for 10 days or whatever it would be is something that we would prefer not to do, and it really hasn’t even been something that we’ve discussed.”

That, of course, hasn’t stopped questions from mounting about the state of Ohtani’s health.

The two-way star has been sidelined as a pitcher since early July because of an ongoing knee problem. He has also battled bouts of discomfort in his right biceps, which is where he felt renewed pain again on Wednesday night.

During an 0-for-4 performance that saw him record a season-high four strikeouts in an 8-6 loss to the Cardinals, Ohtani “was not close to optimal” with his swing, as Roberts conceded afterward.

The most alarming sequence came in Ohtani’s final at-bat in the 10th inning, when he shook his arm and grimaced after all four of his swings.

“It was more the biceps, the neck, just kind of that region … it just wasn’t firing the way he wanted it to,” Roberts said. “That’s why I think you saw some grimacing and some kind of shaking of the arm, just trying to get it to fire and he couldn’t do that.”

Roberts said he texted Ohtani on Wednesday night to inform him he would not play Thursday.

Ohtani’s response: “A salute emoji,” Roberts quipped.

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After Wednesday’s game, Roberts said Ohtani hasn’t “been who he is” for a couple weeks now, with the four-time MVP mired in a 6-for-46 slump over the last 12 games with no home runs, 19 strikeouts and a .494 OPS (the worst mark in a continuous dozen-game stretch in his MLB career).

However, Gomes disputed the notion that Ohtani’s struggles have been caused by his physical ailments.

“We haven’t had any indication that he’s not feeling good enough physically to go out and play,” Gomes said, later adding: “I don’t think you can definitely say that any struggles have been because of how he’s feeling physically.”

The Dodgers still haven’t pulled the plug on Ohtani pitching again before the end of the season, either, even after delaying his expected return to the mound last weekend following a bullpen session in which he reported not feeling 100%.

“At some point, if it’s a, ‘Hey, the upside outweighs the downside,’ then we shut it down,” Gomes said. “We’re not going to put his offensive performance [at risk] and compromise that. But right now, [we’re] not feeling that that’s necessarily a thing. We just don’t have enough information to feel strongly on that.”

That, effectively, was the Dodgers’ main message regarding Ohtani on Thursday.

Give him a night to catch his breath. Monitor how he feels in the coming days. And hope injury problems that have seemingly gotten worse lately will improve entering the final stretch of the regular season.

“I think it’s up to us to kind of figure out how we navigate these next 3 ½- 4 weeks,” Roberts said. “But I’m very confident that [by the time we get to the playoffs] we’ll see the guy we all expect to see.”

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Adley Rutschman homers twice in return to Baltimore as Red Sox outslug Orioles originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Adley Rutschman may be healthy after all.

Two days after interim Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said that the catcher’s elbow injury would likely present problems through the remainder of the season, and after Rutschman sat out for the entirety of Boston’s series against the Mariners, Rutschman returned to the lineup when the Red Sox visited Baltimore on Thursday night.

The start was important for the Red Sox, who traded away several top prospects to acquire Rutschman at the trade deadline, and for the city of Baltimore, where Rutschman came up as a No. 1 overall pick.

The fans in Baltimore welcomed Rutschman back to Camden Yards with a standing ovation in the top of the first inning. Those same fans weren’t quite so happy to see him three pitches later, when he crushed a hanging curveball deep to right field for a home run.

Rutschman’s home run may have looked familiar to the Baltimore crowd, but it’s been a rare sight during his Red Sox career, as it was just his second home run in 16 games with Boston.

That number would increase again, though, in the top of the sixth, when he turned on an inside fastball from starter Brandon Young. This homer was a no-doubter.

At the time of the second homer, the Red Sox still trailed 3-2, as Red Sox starter Jake Bennett surrendered two longballs himself — one to Pete Alonso, another to Luis Robert Jr.

Yet in what shaped up to be a battle of home runs, the Red Sox emerged victorious.

After an Isiah Kiner-Falefa RBI single tied the game in the seventh, Nick Sogard hit a two-run home run in the eighth to give Boston a 5-3 lead.

Roman Anthony homered for the second consecutive game in the top of the ninth to add an insurance run.

The homer was Anthony’s fifth extra-base hit since being activated from the injured list on Sunday, and the run proved to be quite valuable when Aroldis Chapman served up yet another home run — a two-run shot — in the bottom of the ninth.

Chapman managed to earn the save, his 31st of the season, in a 6-5 Red Sox win that featured seven combined home runs. The win snapped a rough stretch for the Red Sox, who had lost six of their last eight games.

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We're rocking with Seattle's No. 1 prospect in our A's vs. Mariners prediction tonight.

The Seattle Mariners come into this one as 66-cent favorites, and for good reason — Jack Perkins leaves a lot to be desired for the A's. 

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Thursday, Sept. 3, and build that bankroll before the weekend.

Who will win A’s vs Mariners tonight: Mariners Moneyline (68%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Kade Anderson has been serviceable for the Seattle Mariners since his MLB debut, but he's in a perfect spot to finally put together a quality start against the Athletics, a team in the bottom 10 for wRC+.

While Anderson owns a 4.50 ERA through two starts, taking the hood off and looking underneath these surface stats indicates he's actually been better.

With a 2.28 xERA and .143 xBA, the Athletics may have a tough time stringing hits together tonight, leaving plenty of opportunity for Seattle's offense to stay hot after scoring 25 runs across its last three games.

Looking for more plays from the nightcap? Tap into my Cardinals vs. Dodgers prediction.

COVERS INTEL: Anderson throws a four-seamer-slider combo that's been getting the best of big-leaguers across his first two starts, with batters owning a .153 xBA or worse against each pitch.

A’s vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (55%)

I get it, these pitchers aren't household names, but Anderson's underlying metrics look good, and Jack Perkins has a strong history against the Mariners.

Across 27 plate appearances, he's limited this Seattle offense to a .173 xBA and is striking them out at a 33% clip. This includes Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, and Josh Naylor, who are a combined 1-for-6 against the righty.

I'd play this Under up to 58 cents.

A’s vs Mariners home run prediction: Cal Raleigh (26%)

Raleigh is coming off an August tear, where he hit six homers in the last week of the month. Can he continue that tonight against Perkins?

Well, Perkins' barrel rate is in the 26th percentile among qualified pitchers, and his given up nine bombs on his four-seamer, a pitch Raleigh has hit 11 of his 20 homers on. If anyone is hitting a bomb, Raleigh has a great chance tonight.

A’s vs Mariners weather

We'll see some cold and rainy weather in Seattle tonight, with some potential for a delay before first pitch. Temperatures will sit at 62 degrees Fahrenheit.

A’s vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: A’s 34% | Mariners 67%
• Run line: A’s +1.5 (54%) | Mariners -1.5 (47%)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (46%) | Under 7.5 (54%)

A’s vs Mariners trend

The Mariners are 5-1 in their last six games as a home favorite. Find more MLB betting trends for A’s vs. Mariners.

How to watch A’s vs Mariners and game info

A’s vs Mariners latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Rays win-loss record sits at 83-56 after Wednesday’s loss to the Mets, with the team holding a 3.5-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East and maintaining the best record in the American League.

With 23 games left, the magic number for a postseason berth is 9, but that could hit zero as soon as this weekend, even though the division magic number sits higher, around 20, reflecting the still alive chances to claim the division from New York.

Regardless, the Rays have pathways to clinch as early as Sunday, according to ESPN’s tracking, which noted, “The Brewers and Rays can clinch a postseason spot as early as Sept. 6.“

If this sounds like a “well duh” for the best team in the American League, move along this post isn’t for you — but I found it quite intriguing both that the magic number was so high but could also fall to zero so soon.

Magic Numbers

Per current standings and trackers, the Rays could theoretically punch their playoff ticket as soon as this weekend if results break right. A strong showing against the Rangers this series (starting tonight with Shane McClanahan on the mound) plus some help elsewhere would drop that number quickly.

Magic number calculations account for remaining games and the gap to the nearest competitors. For the postseason berth, it’s the combination of Tampa Bay victories and losses by the teams fighting for the third wild-card spot.

For the East title—and the top seed that comes with a first-round bye—the Yankees remain the primary obstacle. New York is 80-60; the Rays control their destiny, but a prolonged Yankees hot streak while Tampa Bay stumbles could tighten things, and this team has struggled lately against these Rangers.

After four games in Arlington, the Rays head to Atlanta for three against a strong Braves club, then return home for the Astros, Athletics, and a late stretch that includes the Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies.

Playoff odds reflect the strong position: well over 99% to make the postseason and roughly 78.7% to win the division with 95 wins, per recent projections at FanGraphs, and the same odds for a bye. (As a reminder: The top two division winners with the best overall records get a first-round bye. The third division winner gets the No. 3 seed and enters into a three-game Wild Card series.)

Playoff projections can shift with a bad week, which is why — for me — the focus will be on consistent pitching, and particularly on the returned McClanahan, the rebuilt Peralta, and the potential sixth man in the rotation Griffin Jax, both to make things easier on the offense and to not tax the bullpen in these late September nights.

Read More: Four Rays data points to watch into October

Personally, I hope you see this as the fun part of September — I’d much rather be tracking the numbers night by night while the team plays meaningful baseball that be stuck thinking about the lockout.

There’s a real chance of doom and gloom as I read some of the comments and reactions on X, particularly with this upcoming road trip, but the magic number for October is low enough that clinching feels imminent, and that’s exciting!

So if you’re headed to the grocery store, pick up some bubbly for the fridge and be ready to put some on ice as soon as Sunday. And either way, no matter how this road trip goes, remember the Rays are in excellent shape.

The Dodgers have been scuffling without All-Star outfielder Andy Pages.

Pages landed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured hand after getting hit by a 100 mph fastball in a game against the Pirates on Aug. 21. However, the latest update on Pages bodes well for the slumping Dodgers, who are below .500 dating back to July 1.

Pages is reportedly pain-free in his fractured hand, according to Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates. He is expected to start swinging in the coming days after having surgery on his left hand just over a week ago.

Prior to going on the IL, Pages was averaging .272 with a .796 OPS. He began the 2026 season as one of the hottest hitters in baseball, which propelled him to earn the first All-Star selection of his young career.

The Dodgers desperately need a spark for their offense, which has been far from consistent this summer. On Wednesday night against the Cardinals, LA went 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.

Perhaps, Pages’ return can provide a boost for the Dodgers. Thus far in September, the back-to-back World Series champions have suffered two straight losses to St. Louis to open their nine-game homestand.

TV: FOX
First Pitch: 7:15 p.m. ET
Location: Oriole Park at Camden Yards

The Red Sox need to put their foot back on the gas during this weekend’s series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Boston has taken the long-term outlook on things over the last week — placing first baseman Willson Contreras on the injured list, taking every opportunity possible to get outfielders Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu off their feet, and building in some extra off days for starting pitcher Sonny Gray — which played something of a role in back-to-back series losses to the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners.

It’s not the worst thing the organization could have done considering they’re all but locked into their postseason spot, but it;‘s time to cut the shit as they kick off their penultimate series within the division on Thursday at Camden Yards.

Jake Bennett will start on regular rest for the first time this month, with his last outing serving as one of his best all season (six scoreless innings) after his first real skid (at least three earned runs in four consecutive starts) started things off in August. The Red Sox could use some length, which they have gotten out of the rookie in back-to-back outings where he has 13 strikeouts across 13.0 innings pitched.

Adley Rutschman will return following a three-game absence to face the team that selected him No. 1 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. Trevor Story will get the night off, as he is replaced at shortstop by Isaiah Kiner-Falefa. Rafaela will also sit in favor of Eli White.

Brandon Young could prove to be a formidable opponent, as he carries a 3.38 ERA into his second start against the Red Sox in 2026. The O’s won that first contest, 10-3.

Boston and Baltimore will continue their series throughout the weekend on NESN.

Last night, the Brewers not only survived Jacob Misiorowski’s worst outing of the year but emerged with a 9-5 victory over the Cubs that gave them a 2-1 series lead — and a nine-game lead in the NL Central — heading into today’s series finale.

Starting for Milwaukee will be right-hander Logan Henderson, who’s posted a 2.48 ERA in 14 starts this year. Somehow, it’s still been understated just how incredibly well he’s pitched; Henderson hasn’t given up more than three runs in a start, and the last time he went fewer than five innings was April 4. In his last three starts, he’s given up exactly one earned run each time while averaging 6 2/3 innings and three hits allowed per start.

Chicago will counter with veteran Kevin Gausman, whose 4.52 ERA this season would be his highest since 2019. Gausman has made five starts with the Cubs since they acquired him from Toronto, allowing 16 earned runs in 28 innings.

The top of Milwaukee’s lineup is slightly reshuffled from yesterday, but it consists of the same five players — Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Jake Bauers, and Andrew Vaughn. No surprises there. Christian Yelich will DH and hit sixth against the right-handed Gausman. Rounding out the order are Garrett Mitchell, starting in center tonight, Joey Ortiz, and David Hamilton.

Tonight’s game will be nationally televised, so you can tune in on FOX and FOX One or catch the radio broadcast, as always, on WTMJ 620. First pitch is set for 6:15 p.m.

Blue Jays 6 Guardians 3

That was an interesting game in a lot of ways:

• José Soriano was not good, but when he left the game, the Guardians only had one run. He gave up 6 hits and 3 walks, and yet when he left after 4.2 innings, the Jays were up 5-1. There was some luck involved. Some good defense and some ‘getting the out when you needed the out’.
• Mason Fluharty came in with two on and two out in the fifth, with a lefty due up. The Guardians pinch-hit a right-hander, David Fry. Mason got to 1-2 strikes and then walked him. Next batter, Austin Hedges, singled home two (going on Soriano’s tab). Fluharty finally got the third out on a strikeout, but it was 5-3.
• Vlad and Soriano combined on two 3-1 putouts at first. Both times, great job by Soriano to get to the bag in.
• One of the hits against Soriano, I would have called an error. Pop fly to center; Brett Bateman made a nice run and slide, but had the ball come off his glove. It didn’t cost us, even with a double following it, because José got a groundout, pop-out, pop-out, and strikeout.
• We got our first run in the fourth. Vlad walked. Jesús Sánchez grounded one right at the shortstop, but Vlad got to second fast enough that they just went 6-3 on the putout. Then, Sean Keys singled him home.
• And four runs in the fifth. Both Ernie Clement and Brandon Valenzuela walked (both after winning a challenge; Brandon’s would have been a strikeout without the challenge). Brandon got another challenge right in the ninth, getting a strikeout on a challenge. Anyway, two on and Bateman beats out a bunt single, dropping it straight down, so it bounced high. Nathan Lukes doubled home two. And Vlad hit a sac fly, bringing in another. Sánchez singled home our fifth run (pop fly to center, that Steven Kwan just about caught). Keys reached on yet another Guardians error and Smith walked, but a Giménez strikeout and a Clement pop-out ended the inning.
• And one more in the ninth: With two outs, Smith walked, Giménez singled him to third (and then stole second). And Clement singled home, Smith. 6-3.
• We should have had another run in the eighth. With one out, Valenzuela walked. An out later, Lukes doubled. Valenzuela (with two outs) slowed at second for some reason (John said after the game that he forgot the number of outs. This is why there are base coaches). Perhaps he lost where the ball was, but with two outs, you gotta be going for third. At the very least, if you are unsure where the ball is, look for the third-base coach. He really should have scored on the play, but in the end we didn’t need it.
• Spencer Miles got the last out of the sixth (after Fluharty got two pop-outs). And pitched a quick seventh.
• Tyler Rogers pitched a quick eight (with a hit batter in there).
• Louis Varland got the ninth: Ground out, single, strikeout (with a Valenzuele challenge), a walk (bringing the tying run to the plate) and a strikeout. Save 32 for Varland. Miles gets the win (6-2 now). Rogers gets hold #30.
• There was a weird play: Guardians’ pop-up short of third base; Smith was playing towards short, couldn’t get there in time for the catch, but the ball had a lot of spin and bounced foul—one of those strange moments.

We had nine hits, but only one extra-base hit, Lukes’ double and six walks. Bateman had 3 hits, Lukes 2. Vlad was 0 for 3 with a walk and the sac fly. Smith was 0 for 2 with 3 walks. Valenzuela was 0 for 3, with 2 walks.

Jays of the Day: Bateman (0.11 WPA), Keys (0.11), Miles (0.10), Soriano (0.09) and Rogers (0.09).

Other Award: Giménez (-0.11).

That puts the Jays just half a game back of the Guardians. Tomorrow, the Jays are in KC to play the Royals. 8:00 start time, Eastern. Jameson Taillon (6-2, 5.68) is expected to be the starter or maybe the bulk guy. Daniel Lynch IV (4-4, 3.06) for the Royals. I’d make fun. of the IV, but I’m the 5th (the Vth?) Tom Dakers of my line.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are probably goners with respect to reaching their first MLB postseason since 2015. They entered Thursday action 5.5 games back of Arizona for the final wild-card spot and had just a 1.5% chance of advancing, according to Fangraphs. 

The club might yet be able to save its general manager’s job, though. If manager Don Kelly and Co. can slip over the .500 mark to complete a winning season for the first time since 2018, then his boss, Ben Cherington, can still credibly point to progress toward another step in 2027 after six consecutive losing campaigns to start his tenure since his late 2019 hiring. 

Results have improved lately. With a 5-2 win against the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 3, the Pirates have won five of their past series to break a skid of seven consecutive series losses coming out of the All-Star break. 

Required reading: Pirates' lineup gets a boost with Oneil Cruz set to return vs. Tigers

They’re also getting healthier at some key spots. Power-hitting centerfielder Oneil Cruz returned from an extended injured list stint Aug. 18 and has hit well since returning with a .306 average, two homers and 10 RBIs in 13 games entering Thursday. 

Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin is back in Pittsburgh, too. He’s been out since July 5 with a finger injury but is expected to be in the lineup Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels after a rehab stint in the minors. 

"It's been driving me nuts watching the games on my phone," said Griffin, the organization’s former top prospect who signed a lucrative extension with the club early in the year. "It'll be fun to finally be back in there competing."

Ryan O’Hearn could soon join them. He’s been in Pittsburgh as well this week, so a rehab assignment is the natural next step back from a quad injury that’s had him out since July 31. He’s been a key piece of Pittsburgh’s offensive surge this season with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs. 

The Pirates sit three games back of .500, so a winning season is still eminently achievable with relatively good ball between now and the Sept. 27 season finale against Detroit. 

The question for owner Bob Nutting is whether that should be enough for Cherington to hold on for an eighth season. 

The highwater mark for his tenure so far was 76 wins in both 2023 and 2024. His teams have finished either four or fifth in the NL Central in each of his six full seasons in Pittsburgh so far, and in each of his last eight full seasons overall. He oversaw two last-place teams with the Boston Red Sox following a 2013 World Series victory. 

Ownership also did not soft pedal expectations in the offseason.

“Our goal is to make the playoffs. Period. Full stop,” president Travis Williams said in January. “That is the expectation of this organization."

Not meeting that goal after such a long track record of losing should come with consequences in most circumstances. That said, the circumstances facing the sport as a whole are exceptional. 

Many observers expect a lock out of the players for some portion of 2027. Owners are known to desire a salary cap system, and that’s especially true in a market like Pittsburgh. The Pirates are often facing teams with double and triple their payroll, so fans and ownership alike want a more equal playing field from a revenue perspective. 

Changing the direction of baseball operations while facing those headwinds and possible wholesale changes to the economic system could be more disruption than this franchise needs, if it can show some upward trajectory. 

That “if” is why the month ahead remains important, even if most Pittsburgh eyes will soon be diverted to the Steelers’ day-to-day across the proverbial parking lot at Acrisure Stadium. 

What fans will most want to see is the continued growth of starter Braxton Ashcraft and a return to form from rotation mate Paul Skenes. 

The former hit a rough path in the same portion of the schedule that tripped up the team as a whole in July. In August, however, he got back on the track that earned him an All-Star nod with a 2.13 ERA. The Pirates won five of his six starts, so a strong finish would make a statement that he can be every bit the building block that Skenes has been seen as. 

Speaking of him, the NL’s reigning Cy Young, is off to an inauspicious start to September after allowing five runs in 4.2 innings against the Giants this past Tuesday. His ERA has ballooned from 3.10 at the end of June to 3.97 through the end of August. 

If there is a 2027 for the sport, he’ll have to be much better for the Pirates, so a strong finish would be the encouraging sign Nutting may need to give Cherington one more chance to return this franchise to the sport’s biggest stage.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Pirates have gotten hot, and just might save GM Ben Cherington's job

Thursday notes…

• THURSDAY UNDER THE LIGHTS: This will be the Cubs’ 100th night game at Wrigley Field on a Thursday. They are 54-45 in the first 99. The Cubs have hosted by far the most games under the lights on Tuesday, 342, followed by Monday, 236, and Wednesday, 182. They have played far fewer on other days: Sunday, 62; Saturday, 52; and Friday, just 14. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• FOUR-GAME SERIES: Tonight’s game will be the Cubs’ sixth finale of a four-game series this year. They have won each of the previous five: at home vs. the Phillies and Reds, on the road at Pittsburgh, New York vs. the Mets and St. Louis. This is their first fourth game following a win and two losses. The Cubs were 3-2 in fourth games last season, including wins in their only two at home, over the Pirates and Brewers. They won their final two fourth games at home two years ago as well, so they take a six-game home winning streak into tonight. Their last fourth-game loss at Wrigley Field was to the Pirates, 3-2, on Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• SIXTY-THREE AND FIVE: Last night’s loss was just the Cubs’ 13th of the season when they have scored at least five runs. They have won 63 such games. They are 9-6 with five runs, 10-2 with six, 12-3 with seven, 8-2 with eight and a combined 24-0 with nine or more. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• THE HOT BREGMAN: Alex Bregman, last 25 games since Aug. 6: .320/.383/.738 (33-for-103) with four doubles, 13 home runs, 33 RBI and 22 runs scored.

Cubs lineup:

Brewers lineup:

Kevin Gausman, RHP vs. Logan Henderson, RHP

Kevin Gausman has been up and down since his acquisition at the trade deadline. Last week he had a great start against the Diamondbacks, then not so much against the Reds.

He allowed three runs in five innings to the Brewers April 14 in Milwaukee, including a home run by Jake Bauers. Tonight will likely have to be better than that.

Current Brewers are batting .198 (20-for-101) against Gausman with 32 strikeouts.

Logan Henderson has had an under-the-radar really good year for the Brewers, even while missing some time earlier this year with a back strain. He doesn’t walk guys — 4.9 percent walk rate — so Cubs hitters should look to put the ball in play.

This will be his first career start against the Cubs, so I hope the team has a good scouting report on Henderson.

Today’s game is on Fox-TV (regional — coverage map). A reminder that if you subscribe to MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game via those services even if it’s not on the Fox affiliate in your market.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Brewers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.