Chelsea have not won this west London derby since Brentford’s first Premier League season. Each visit since October 2021’s 1-0 win, Ben Chilwell the scorer, has been a draw. This season has continued the divergence between the clubs’ respective approaches, Brentford’s solidity and continuity compared to Chelsea attempting their latest reboot. Kevin Schade, after two well-taken goals at Bournemouth, will fancy facing a defence not yet attuned to Xabi Alonso’s configurations. Only one team has won a Premier League title with a defensive trio: Chelsea’s last title team, in 2016-17 under Antonio Conte. Alonso’s attack has been rather more successful, presenting another challenge for Jannik Schuster. Replacing Nathan Collins, the 20-year-old central defender had a tough examination from Bournemouth’s Evanilson on his first Premier League start, emerging with credit. For Chelsea, João Pedro has registered three goals and three assists, but doubts surrounding his fitness could lead to Danny Welbeck’s first league start. John Brewin
England made quick work of defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the second Twenty20 in Cardiff on Thursday to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in a three-match series.
A good night for Bournemouth and Palace but a miserable one for Celtic
TNT’s Connie McLaughlin asks Celtic boss Martin O’Neill to “talk to us about the thinking behind” replacing goalkeeper Sam Johnstone withViljami Sinisalo … and receives an unnecessarily abrupt and cranky response. “No I’ll not talk to you about the thinking behind that … he was always going to play … believe it or not, Connie, my job is not actually to explain every single situation to you … do you know what I’ll do? … I’ll tell the fans … through my Celtic TV.”
Would he like to talk about the other three changes? “No, absolutely not … I don’t want to be ruinous here of this situation … start again, and tell me all about it … give me the rest of the changes … [McLaughlin tells him] … I’m delighted you’re taking about James Forrest … he’s been a fantastic player … getting on a little bit … he’s been a fantastic impact sub … let’s see what he can do … can he last the game? … I doubt it very much … thank you.”
MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. -- It’s very uncommon for the opening of training camp
to showcase so many of the NHL players in one group and so many of
the prospects in the other.
Normally,
players are split up, mixed and matched until camp gets whittled down
to the end and those that are going to make the opening night roster.
But
with training camp this year lasting less than two weeks, and as St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery said, “four preseason games and we
have five
practices,” there is no time for formalities with the regular
season opener just 15 days away and the first preseason game on Saturday against the Dallas Stars.
The
Blues opened camp Thursday at Centene Community Ice Center with two
groups, and it was clear which was more established than the other:
The
Blues (37-33-12 last season) are not opening camp on this day looking
to get in a month’s worth of work. They’re banking that players
are all in shape, they’re all in hockey sense and that they’re
all beyond the pond hockey days.
Thursday’s
opening drills were more designed for things they would be doing a
couple weeks into camp, or even on the cusp of the season opening.
“By
the end of our fourth exhibition game, all we have is four games and
we have five practices. The feeling-out process that you used to have
in camp is gone,” Montgomery
said.
“Guys have to be on their toes, they’ve got to be ready, they
have to push each other, and we’re trying to put the lines that we
think might have a chance to start game one together right away.
“Our
objective
today was working on being a much harder team offensively getting to
the blue paint. We scored seven goals in the scrimmage. That I
thought was very successful. I thought we were creating more chaos. I
thought the energy and the pace was pretty good. I thought guys (had)
second and third effort. We started with 1-on-1 battles and right
away, guys were digging in and they were into it and they were
pushing each other to be better. I thought it was a very productive
Day 1.”
And
that’s why Group A pretty much resembled what a lineup will look
like on opening night against the Stars in Dallas on Oct. 2.
“Well
with my thinking, the Thomas line speaks for itself the way they
finished and they scored two goals out there today, so they picked up
kind of where they left off; they looked really good,” Montgomery
said.
“The second line, McTavish for us is a top-six player, McMichael
has played in the middle six his entire career and Buchy has played
pretty much. So let’s put those three together, see what kind of
chemistry we have today. I thought they did some good things
offensively. Defensively, we haven’t touched a thing yet. They got
scored against, but we still haven’t worked on our D-zone coverage
yet because just first day of camp. Third line that we had with the
Dvorsky line, I didn’t really notice, I wasn’t coaching that
team. I didn’t see an impact in the game. Fourth line looked really
good. ‘Torpo’ was flying, ‘Sutes’ is always supporting and
this Johnston, you can see how smart a player he is and very vocal on
the bench.
“A
couple of the D-pair that stood out for me. Fowler and the Carlo pair
were excellent, poise, gaps were really good and I thought Lindstein
and Parayko did a really good job on my bench as well.”
This
wasn’t an off-season where Montgomery and the coaching staff could
plan out this longer, drawn-out training camp. It was more compacted
and challenging to fit many things into a smaller window.
“There’s
a combination of things that influence the way it was. It was shoring
up what we didn’t think were strengths that should be strengths,
being hard at the offensive blue paint, being hard at the defensive
blue paint,” Montgomery
said.
“You’ll see that tomorrow. Committing battles in practices and
competition in those areas was important for us to get to those areas
and create the habits that we need. You saw a lot of driving back
posts today, you saw a lot of speed trying to get at the net. That’s
why we were doing all those 3-on-1s, 3-on-2s. And then the other
thing is the shortened … like I said, we’ve got four games, five
practices. That’s nine times on the ice together before we have our
team meeting before we have three practices before we play our first
game at Dallas. So there’s no time to waste. Once we get past this
CBA three-hour rule, we’re going to start having double video
sessions. It’s going to be more like NFL training. Those are things
that we’ve worked on so that we can be prepared in a three-week
camp and a 13-day camp.”
One
noticeable omission: the VO2 fitness testing that, well, nobody cares
to do but know it was always a must.
“The
coaches were really happy,” Montgomery
said laughing.
“Thank God I didn’t have to do the VO2 max this year. You would
like to have fitness testing just because … these athletes are so
well-conditioned now. It’s not an issue now like it was in the 70s
where camp was six weeks long so you can get in shape to start the
season. Now they have their own nutritionists, strength and
conditioning coaches, they have speed and acceleration coaches, so
they’re well-prepared. The thing is mentally, what you like about
having testing is the guys know they’ve got to come and they take
great pride in it, so they want to do well on the test to show
everyone I’m ready to go. We don’t have that option, but the ice
speaks for itself. Didn’t see a lot of guys hovering over sticks.
That was not an easy practice. First day of camp, there’s nerves
that are going because everybody wants to show well. So you usually
can tell just by skating, and you’ll see a bag skate at the end of
practice tomorrow that will kind of try and look for that.”
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The Buffalo Sabres face a number of challenges as they open their 2026-27 training camp on Thursday, with the most challenging being whether they can recover from the offensive deficit created by the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram.
After not making any additions to their forward group over the summer, the Sabres are relying heavily on a trio of first-round selected youngsters in Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, and Jiri Kulich to show some growth. One of the advantages they all possess is their ability to play both center and on the wing effectively. Something that head coach Lindy Ruff may have determined before the start of camp.
Sabres sign Ostlund to eight-year contract extension
"You always plot it out. Does it change during camp? It's possible, I would like to start (Tage) at center, but knowing that even in the playoffs, he ended up on the wing, and had a couple great nights," Ruff said. "You go back to that four-month run; he was in the middle of the ice for us that whole time. I mean, inside some games, there were games where, Ostlund and (Ryan)McLeod stepped in and played center. He played a little bit of wing, which will again happen for sure."
With a shorter exhibition schedule, many NHL clubs are putting together line combinations that they plan to use during the regular season. If Thursday’s practice is any indication, the Sabres plan to start the season with Thompson at center, as he played the middle with Peyton Krebs and Josh Doan. Helenius played the right side and McLeod on the left on a line with center Josh Norris, Östlund played pivot on a line with Zach Benson and Jack Quinn, while Kulich skated on left wing with Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn.
The club will practice on Friday and hold the Blue and Gold Scrimmage on Saturday morning at Key Bank Center.
Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Dodgers were overwhelming favorites to win the National League West, and they did so in convincing fashion, clinching the division with a week and a half still remaining in the season, the second MLB team this season to already clinch a division. But it didn’t always go as planned.
On Thursday in Cincinnati, the Dodgers had something old (Max Muncy two hits, including a two-run double; Freddie Freeman with two hits, a walk, and two runs scored), something new (Josue De Paula RBI single in his seventh game in the majors), and something borrowed (Seth Halvorsen, acquired by trade from the Rockies in July, getting the final three outs), which meant the NL West turned blue for the fifth year in a row and 13th time in the last 14 years.
Coming off consecutive World Series titles — the first MLB team to do so in a quarter-century — the Dodgers made big splashes in free agency, signing both the best closer on the market (Edwin Díaz) and best hitter on the market (Kyle Tucker) to record-setting contracts. Neither have worked out much at all in the first year. Díaz has been both terribleandinjured, with the latter certainly fueling the former. Tucker has been severely underwhelming, especially at home, and is having the worst full season of his career.
Tucker was not alone among struggling Dodgers corner outfielders, as Teoscar Hernández was under threat of getting platooned, and coupled with poor defense from both players, both Tucker and Hernández were hovering only slightly above replacement level for most of the season.
It’s also been a second straight rough year offensively for Mookie Betts, but he has also turned things around by hitting .327/.431/.618 with a 187 wRC+ thus far in September.
Andy Pages hasn’t played in four weeks after a fastball broke his left hand, though he could be activated at some point on the upcoming homestand.
Will Smith didn’t play in the division clincher, but is back after missing three months with a neck injury. The All-Star catcher is slowly rounding into form, with hits in six of his last seven starts, including doubles in each of his last two of his last three games.
Shohei Ohtani is the Dodgers’ best player and they’ve gotten almost nothing from him since mid-August. His last home run was August 18, and in his 13 games played since had six hits in 49 at-bats with 21 strikeouts and 10 walks. He’s now on the injured list with right biceps inflammation, but could return as early as Tuesday, with five regular season games left to find his groove again.
Justin Wrobleski made the All-Star team this season as a starting pitcher in a breakout year for the left-hander, and will likely pitch in bulk relief in October. He started and pitched three innings in Thursday’s division clincher, and retired all nine batters he faced.
Just like in 2025, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow missed over half the season on the injured list but returned for the stretch run, seemingly setting the Dodgers up to have another formidable October rotation quartet like last year. But Snell left his start on Wednesday after only one inning with left groin tightness, adding another question the Dodgers must answer in the next two weeks.
There are several problems the Dodgers will need to solve to maneuver their way through October. But they will start from a familiar place, as division champions, even if it didn’t go exactly as they might have envisioned.
It was worth the wait for Crystal Palace. After being denied their rightful place in the Europa League last season, Pierre Sage’s side made the perfect debut by brushing aside Lech Poznan with a victory that will take some of the heat off their new manager.
The Frenchman has big shoes to fill in replacing Oliver Glasner after his predecessor won three trophies in 12 months and there had been some talk of disquiet behind the scenes following his decision to drop the teenager Jaydee Canvot at the weekend. But while Palace face a testing trip to face in-form Leeds on Sunday having conceded 11 goals from their opening four Premier League matches, they were given a big helping hand by their opponents here well before Radoslaw Murawski was sent off late on for a reckless foul on Canvot.
The Chicago Blackhawks held their first practice of 2026 Training Camp on Thursday at Blackhawks Ice Arena. Most of the players have been skating there for a couple of days now, but Thursday was the first official skate.
There are some new names, including Ian Cole, Bowen Byram, Cole Smith, Jordan Greenway, and Roman Kantserov. Of course, Patrick Kane is back as well. Connor Bedard is still out as he continues his comeback from shoulder surgery, which will leave a hole in the lineup for a little while longer.
Right off the bat, there were some line combinations forming. Jeff Blashill had them skating like this:
Kantserov-Nazar-Kane
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Lardis
Donato-Moore-Teravainen/Mangiapane
Smith-Greene-Greenway/Slaggert
Vlasic-Byram
Kaiser-Levshunov
Cole-Rinzel
Korchinski-Del Mastro
Knight
Soderblom
With Bedard out, Frank Nazar skated as the top-line center. Playing with Patrick Kane, a franchise icon, and Roman Kantserov, a superstar KHL goal scorer, is a great opportunity for Nazar while they wait for the captain to return.
Anton Frondell skated as the second-line center. Even before Bedard hurt his shoulder, the plan was for both Nazar and Frondell to operate as centers coming into camp. So far, the Blackhawks are sticking to that plan. If it works, they will be much deeper in the long-run than if they were forced to become wingers.
Skating with Frondell were Tyler Bertuzzi and Nick Lardis. For Frondell, that's two goal-scoring wingers to help him with that transition to the middle of the ice.
The bottom-six forward group is where things get interesting. Andrew Mangiapane and Landon Slaggert each rotated in and out with Teuvo Teravainen and Jordan Greenway, respectively. Ryan Donato, Oliver Moore, Cole Smith, and Ryan Greene were part of that bottom-six group as well.
When Bedard comes back, that will push a third player from this group out of the top-12. There are injuries and inconsistencies that will play a factor in these decisions throughout the year, but it is going to be a revolving door.
It should be noted that AJ Spellacy, who was incredibly noticeable at the Prospect Showcase and appears to be NHL-ready, did not skate with the NHL group on day 1 of training camp. Although he is a candidate to make his NHL debut at some point in 2026-27, it is not likely to come out of camp.
Sacha Boisvert, who played in the NHL a little bit at the end of last season but was less noticeable at the Prospect Showcase, is also likely to be in the AHL.
For Spellacy, this is a chance to dominate in the AHL and force the team to have no choice but to call him up. For guys like Boisvert and Marek Vanacker, playing in the AHL will be a great opportunity to advance their skills.
On defense, Alex Vlasic was paired with Bowen Byram to form the new top pair. If Byram's offensive game continues to improve, this could be an outstanding two-way pair that the Blackhawks can use against anyone.
Wyatt Kaiser and Artyom Levshunov, who skated together a lot last season, were back together while Ian Cole was paired with Sam Rinzel. The extra pair consisted of Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro. The Blackhawks are likely to carry a 7th defenseman, which should be Korchinski, while Del Mastro may be destined for waivers/AHL time.
In goal, it is Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom. Some are expecting Drew Commesso to get his chance, but he is with the non-NHL group for now. Due to the two-way contract that he has, becoming a one-way contract at the same time that Soderblom becomes a free agent, expect this to be the mold for the 2026-27 season. Adam Gajan is projected to back up Commesso in the AHL.
Both Jeff Blashill and Kyle Davidson admitted after practice that the NHL group that skated today is likely where the opening day lineup is coming from.
With training camp being so short, it will take a lot longer than that for someone from the non-NHL group to earn their way up. Spellacy, Boisvert, and Vanacker may not like hearing that, but they will get some good work in with the Rockford IceHogs to boost their confidence and prepare for when their name is called.
For Spellacy specifically, he can go to Rockford and play so well that the decision makers decide it is finally time to play him over an NHL forward who isn't as impactful as him.
On Friday, each group will practice again. On Saturday, the non-game group will have a practice at Blackhawks Ice Arena, followed by the game group having a morning skate. Then, the game group will make their way up north for that night's preseason tilt against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena.
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NHL training camps are officially back in session.
But, for the Pittsburgh Penguins and everyone else, everything looks quite a bit different.
Per the NHL's new Collective Bargaining Agreement - which took effect on Sept. 16 - there are several changes to how training camps operate with the new 84-game season. For one, camps are much shorter, as more than a week has been eliminated from the drop of the first puck at the open of camp to the drop of the puck on opening night.
Within those 12 or so days, players cannot access camp practices and meetings for more than three hours per day, there are only a small handful of actual camp practices for players to make themselves stand out, and the team cannot exceed four pre-season games, which - for most clubs - are all condensed into a week's time.
In addition, NHL players with more than 100 games of experience can only play in up to two pre-season games.
So, in a nutshell, the three initial practice days during training camp and the first two pre-season games - the first on Sept. 21 against the Buffalo Sabres and the second a day later against the Detroit Red Wings - will hold much more weight than they have in previous years, and not everyone is going to earn an opportunity to appear in a game.
"The practice days probably carry more significance for guys," Penguins' assistant general manager Jason Spezza said. "I think you see a little extra level of urgency, [and] we saw it with guys reporting to Pittsburgh earlier. They're used to having a longer camp. They want a shorter camp, and then, they want to make sure they're up and running as well.
"So, for us, we're going to try to have some intersquad mixed in. There's only four pre-season games. There's not going to be opportunity for everybody in the pre-season like we normally would have, so it's a matter of rewarding the guys that have kind of shown that they are getting closer by giving them games and seeing where they are. But, also, [with the] understanding that it is a short camp."
But it's not just the player side of things where adjustments must take shape: There is also a whole lot to digest for NHL coaches and front offices, and from an evaluation standpoint, it presents a whole new set of challenges.
"There's not going to be massive decisions made based on a couple days of how you play," Spezza said. "We've talked through these things, sat with [head coach Dan Muse] and talked as a management group... But, really, it's new for all of us. Dan's been very intentional with his practices and how he's planned the pre-season games."
And while Muse himself understands the challenges and demands a shorter camp brings, he tries not to emphasize that difference when it comes to trying different combinations and giving players opportunity.
"Over the summer, we talked about things that we want to see," Muse said. "And I say 'we' in terms of all of us - coaching staff, management - and conversations we've had, things that we've discussed. Different things that could be a fit. But, right now, it's a "could be." ... It's going to be fluid, especially early on."
He added: "It's an opportunity for people to make an impression. They have a little bit of a shorter window to make it, to do those things, and it's the same for everybody. I'm not, honestly, going to get too hung up on it or think about it at all. It's the first time for everybody having the camp in this format, and it's the same for everyody throughout the league.
"I think, for us, we wanted to outline things that we wanted to make sure we accomplished over the course of camp. Going into it, [I'm] feeling strongly that we will be able to do that. So, for us, it's just going to be taking it each day looking to execute that plan, looking to provide that opportunity for players to go out there and make the impression that they want to make."
TONIGHT’S GAME: With just 10 games remaining on their regular season schedule, the Astros will continue their final homestand of the season tonight as they host the Royals for a rubber game of their three-game series in Houston, TX.
Rookie RHP Miguel Ullola (0-0) will serve as an opener for the Astros tonight opposite the veteran RHP Seth Lugo (7-8) and the Royals.
THE POSTSEASON CHASE: The Astros and Rangers are locked in a tight race down the stretch for the AL West with the two teams entering play today with identical 76-76 records the Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers with a season series victory (9-4 record).
TONIGHT’S OPENER: RHP Miguel Ullola served as an opener his last time out on Sept. 11 at TB, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning in his outing.
Ullola has been great in his limited Major League action this season, posting a 3.38 ERA (3ER/8IP) with a .172 opponent average (5×29) and a 0.75 WHIP in six games.
A longtime minor league starter, Ullola transitioned to a relief role this season and excelled to a 1.57 ERA (5ER28.2IP) in 29 relief appearances at the Triple A level.
TONIGHT’S BROADCASTS: Tonight’s game will be televised by FOX with Adam Amin and A.J. Pierzynski on the call.
The Astros English radio broadcast can be heard on SportsTalk 790 with Robert Ford and Steve Sparks behind the mic.
Francisco Romero and Alex Treviño will call the Astros Spanish broadcast on TUDN 102.9 FM.
GIVEAWAY MADNESS: The Astros will have giveaways for their remaining four home games, including all fans receiving a Jeremy Peña Telenovela Bobblehead tonight, presented by H-E-B.
The Astros will also give away a Jeremy Peña Retro Los Astros Jersey on Friday, an Orbit Sugar Skull Bobblehead on Saturday, and a Viva Los Astros Rally Towel on Sunday.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Astros dropped the middle game of their series with the Royals last night by a score of 5-2.
SS Jeremy Peña (3×4) led the offense with his second consecutive three-hit game.
RHP Cristian Javier (2ER/5.1IP) started for Houston and was handed the loss.
STARTING STRONG: In their last 12 home games, Astros starting pitchers have combined for a 2.29 ERA (16ER/63IP), while allowing two-or-fewer runs in 10 of those contests.
Additionally, Astros starters have posted a 3.22 ERA (42ER/117.1IP) in their last 24 games dating back to Aug. 21.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have reinstated OF Taylor Trammell from the Paternity List and have optioned OF Joey Loperfido to Triple A Sugar Land.
TRIPLE THREAT: DH Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently ranks first or second in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories.
He enters today leading the AL in batting avg. (.310), while ranking second in HR (39) and RBI (98).
Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.022), SLG (.594) and OBP (.428).
Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL):
NOTHING FINER THAN YAINER: C Yainer Diaz is hitting .372 (16×43) in the month of September with two homers, five RBI and a .971 OPS.
Diaz has multiple hits in seven if his 11 starts this month.
STALKING 200: 1B Christian Walker is currently sitting on 199 career home runs and needs just one homer to become the 35th active Major League player to reach 200 career long balls.
Walker has hit 25 homers this year for his fifth consecutive 25-plus homer season (2022-26).
THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader converted his 26th consecutive save opportunity to open his season on Tuesday night, which sets the Astros club record.
Should Hader finish the season without a blown save, he would become just the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save and the first to do so since RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).
HADER’S HEART: LHP Josh Hader will host a group from Covenant House at tonight’s game as a part of his Hader’s Heart program.
Tonight’s visit is just a small part of Hader’s charitable efforts, as the closer has been recognized as the Astros nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for MLB players.
ASTROS-ROYALS: The Astros and Royals have a memorable history, with the two clubs meeting each other in the 2015 ALDS, won by the Royals in five games.
11 years later, 2B Jose Altuve and C Salvador Perez remain on their team’s active rosters, while SS Carlos Correa, currently on the IL, also played in the series.
More recently, the Astros are 10-5 in their last 15 games vs. the Royals, including a 3-2 record this season.
SCHIAVONE REACHES 30-30: Prospect C Jason Schiavone, the Astros 2026 Minor League Player of the Year, recorded three steals for Triple A Sugar Land last night, giving him 32 stolen bases on the minor league season.
Schiavone has also hit 32 home runs this season, making him the first minor league catcher to post a 30- 30 season since C Willie Royster did so for theCharlotte O’s in 1981.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 17, 6:15 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: FOX
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
The Mets are making a move to bring in a fresh arm for Thursday's series opener with the Phillies.
Cameron Weston has been recalled from Syracuse, while Xzavion Curry has been optioned back down.
Weston, a right-handed reliever, joined the Mets after being claimed off waivers from the Orioles this month.
The 26-year-old had a rough Triple-A season with the Norfolk Tides but has been pitching well since joining Syracuse, allowing just one hit while striking out eight over his three appearances.
He made his big league debut earlier this season with Baltimore, throwing a scoreless frame.
If/when he gets into a game down the stretch, Weston will be the 40th pitcher the Mets have used this season.
Curry, of course, joined the club on Wednesday to start in place of the injured Robert Stock and he was knocked around for six runs on six hits and three homers over just three innings of work.
Co-owner of the Vancouver Canadians, Jeff Mooney, shows off his three North-West League championship rings before the start of the game between the Vancouver Canadians and the Everett Aquasox at Nat Bailey Stadium. (Photo by Christopher Morris/Corbis via Getty Images) | Corbis via Getty Images
The Jays are in the thick of a slapstick caper of a wildcard race, but with today being an off day I thought I’d look at the minor leagues as their seasons wrap up. The International League (AAA) goes through this weekend, so the Buffalo Bisons have a few more to play, but the other levels’ seasons came to a close over the course of the last couple of weeks.
The Vancouver Canadians won the Northwest League championship in a 12 inning thriller on Friday night. You can read a full recap here, but it involved a three run comeback in the ninth to force extras and plenty of other drama. It’s the Canadians’ sixth league championship since they became a Blue Jays affiliate in 2011, and their second since the Northwest League was converted from short season ball to A+ in the minor league reorganization.
As Tom mentioned in his roundup yesterday, the rosters for the Arizona Fall League were released. The AFL is a developmental league that is mostly used to give prospects who missed time or otherwise need a little more work an opportunity for some additional reps. This year, it runs from October 3rd through November 14th. Because the number of players teams want to send is limited, especially on the pitching side, AFL rosters are blended. The Jays team up with the Cubs, A’s, Red Sox and Angels to form the Mesa Solar Sox.
Participation in the AFL can be a big opportunity for prospects. They get a chance to shine when there aren’t any other minor leagues going, with scouts from all 30 teams paying attention. Recent proof is Spencer Miles, who caught the Jays’ attention with 8.2 impressive innings in last year’s AFL.
The Jays prospects going this year are:
Brandon Barriera: The 2022 first round pick has alternated between injured and ineffective so far in his career. This season was more of the same, as he managed just 38.2 innings but walked 29 in that span. He’s managed just 66 innings over four pro seasons, so the Jays are likely both inclined to get him more action and not too concerned with sheltering him anymore.
Gilberto Batista: It was a rough year for Batista. He recorded a 7.86 ERA across 87 innings as a multi-inning reliever for Vancouver. He did show some promise last year with Dunedin, after being acquired from the Red Sox in the Danny Jansen trade.
Jake Bloss: Bloss is the exciting name from a Jays fan point of view. He came back from Tommy John surgery throwing 2mph harder than he had before the surgery, but then went down almost immediately with a teres major strain. If he can make a few healthy appearances, retain the stuff bump, and continue to rediscover his command after the surgery, he’ll be set up for a potential rotation role with the big league club next year.
Fernando Perez: The word for Perez’ season is mysterious. He ranked high on our prospect list last winter on the strength of his elite command and strong results across A+ Vancouver and AA New Hampshire, but had a disastrous start to his 2026, walking 10 in nine innings over his first three starts. He was placed on the Development List, a new addition to the minors since the 2021 reorganization that basically allows teams to take players off the roster indefinitely to manage workloads or to work on things outside of game action. He returned for three more appearances in August and September and didn’t look any better. Command is Perez’ whole draw as a prospect, so losing it so completely is concerning. The AFL will be a big opportunity to show that he’s righted the ship. He’s Rule 5 eligible, and coming into the season I’d have expected him to warrant protection, but that seems a distant concern now.
Yondrei Rojas: Our #32 prospect entering the season, Rojas struggled to build on his strong 2025 this year. He struck out just 20% of batters, mostly at AA, and missed fewer bats that last season. He’s 23 and Rule 5 eligible, so this might be one more chance to harness his plus fastball-slider combination and mark himself as a future Blue Jays bullpen hand.
Aaron Parker: 2026 was a breakout for the third year pro. He cut down his swing rate and went on a power binge at New Hampshire, launching 19 home runs in 87 games. He’s a below average defensive catcher and his 67% contact rate is scary, but plus power is plus power, and he may have a shot at the third catcher role at some point in 2027.
Jake Casey: The Kent State prospect has just hit since the Jays took him in the 15th round last year. This season, a broken hamate wiped out his first couple of months, but he managed 13 home runs in just 64 games. He still needs to show he can adjust to upper minors quality spin, and the results are iffy so far, but as long as he keeps producing he’ll warrant watching.
Jake Cook: Last year’s third rounder was just average in A ball, which would be concerning for most pedigreed college draftees. Cook is just two years into switching back to the field from the mound, though, and working to overhaul the pure slap, inside-out swing he used in college to try to develop a modicum of power. He did up his home run total over last year, from 3 to 5, in spite of switching to wood bats and facing better pitching, and he improved as the year went on. He was also 22 for 27 stealing bases, showcasing the athletic tools that convinced the Jays to gamble a top 100 pick on him. He needs reps, and the AFL will offer an opportunity against pitching a bit better than he’s seen so far.
Because they share a team with the Angels, the Jay’s prospects will get a chance to catch up with Arjun Nimmala. He finished the season red hot, clubbing four home runs and four doubles last week for the AA Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Baseball America has graded the year for each farm system. They give the Jays a B+ overall, which seems about right to me. When I reviewed the performance of the top 40 before the deadline, there were a lot of guys moving in different directions, but the overall trend seemed to be upwards.
There were several impressive breakouts, although many of those guys will miss next year’s list because they’ve already graduated. Miles, Brandon Valenzuela, and Brett Bateman have all already far exceeded their prospect expectations. Valenzuela has fallen off badly in the second half and Bateman is surely playing over his head offensively, but both still project as at least quality role players now. For Miles, his peripheral stats fully support his exceptional performance this year, and continued health seems like the only real question. Still on the farm is Nolan Perry, who returned from Tommy John and immediately torched three levels, striking out 117 in only 82.2 innings. Sean Keys, who raced through AA and AAA early in the season, is in between. He’s with the Jays right now but not seeing a lot of playing time. His early MLB results haven’t been good, but the underlying contact and power data remain tantalizing.
Of course, there were some disappointments as well. Bloss showcased improved stuff in his own TJ comeback, but remained healthy only briefly. Juan Sanchez, last year’s Dominican Summer League star, has so far failed to consistently translate his success in the US. Ricky Tiedemann, among others, continued to struggle with his health.
The farm’s ranking, in BA’s reckoning, rose from 17 to 15 between the preseason and the midseason update. That’s impressive given that a lot of the preseason value was tied to Trey Yesavage, who graduated soon after returning from his early season shoulder issues. They might dip slightly this winter, as they traded top prospect Arjun Nimmala and had fewer resources in the draft than most other teams, but the system produced new talent, fed the major league team, and allowed them to make major deadline acquisitions without moving backwards in overall talent. That’s a good year.
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) swings at a pitch during the MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2026 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for September 17, 2026 against the Boston Red Sox: starting pitchers are Tyler Alexander (opening for Cody Bradford) for the Rangers and Sonny Gray for the BoSox.
Texas will look to sweep the series against Boston this evening. Tyler Alexander will be opening for Cody Bradford (though not for Ed Sheehan, as he stands in solidarity with Macklemore). Joc Pederson is apparently still not ready to go, so Josh Jung is at DH, giving his calf some extra rest.
The lineup:
Duran — 3B
Seager — SS
Jung — DH
Nimmo — RF
Langford — LF
Burger — 1B
Lopez — 2B
Jansen — C
Carter — CF
7:05 p.m. Central time. Rangers are +105 underdogs.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 21: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers bats against the Baltimore Orioles during the tenth inning at American Family Field on May 21, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers, who have officially locked up the NL Central, have just three three-game series left this season, and they’re still looking to lock up the top seed in all of baseball at 95-58 this year, two games ahead of the Dodgers at 93-60. On the other side, the Baltimore Orioles sit at 75-78 and are surprisingly still in the AL playoff picture despite sitting in last place in the very deep AL East, sitting just 2.5 games behind the White Sox for the final AL Wild Card spot with nine games to go. Baltimore is coming off a series sweep of the Mets in New York.
Milwaukee’s injured list currently includes right-handers Grant Anderson and Bryse Wilson, both of whom started rehab assignments with Triple-A Nashville this week and hope to return before the end of the regular season. The Brewers are also without Brandon Woodruff (possible postseason return), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), Quinn Priester (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season).
Baltimore is without infielder Jackson Holliday (return TBD), outfielder Christian Franklin (late September), outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (TBD), utilityman Blaze Alexander (late September), first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (TBD), infielder Jordan Westburg (out for season), and outfielder Tyler O’Neill (TBD). Pitchers Zach Eflin (out for season), Keegan Akin (out for season), Colin Selby (out for season), Ryan Helsley (on rehab assignment), Félix Bautista (on rehab assignment), and Kyle Bradish (out for season).
Jake Bauers continues to pace Milwaukee’s offense with 26 homers, slashing .269/.394/.497 this season. Jackson Chourio is hitting .286/.343/.481 with 23 homers and 17 steals, putting him on the cusp of another 20-20 season. Brice Turang, William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, and Joey Ortiz have also been hot, with Gary Sánchez, Andrew Vaughn, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, and Bo Naylor also slotting in as regular contributors, especially over these last couple of weeks as Milwaukee hopes to rest their regulars. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .259/.342/.405 (.747 OPS ranks fourth), with 147 homers (tied for 28th), 792 runs scored (second), and 148 steals (fifth).
Pete Alonso paces Baltimore’s offense with 37 homers, 24 doubles, and an AL-best 102 RBIs this season, as he hit his 300th career homer earlier this week. Coby Mayo has 24 homers, and Gunnar Henderson has added 23 homers, while rookie catcher Samuel Basallo has 18 homers. Former Red Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser, and Leody Taveras are also regulars, with Rece Hinds, Heston Kjerstad, Jeremiah Jackson, José Barrero, Carlos Narváez, and Yohel Pozo rounding things out. As a team, the Orioles are hitting .234/.315/.396 (.711 OPS ranks tied for 22nd), with 188 homers (10th), 688 runs scored (13th), and 76 steals (25th).
Aaron Ashby’s 72 appearances pace the Milwaukee bullpen, though the best arms have been Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and, lately, clean-up man Garrett Stallings, who hasn’t allowed a run across 14 major league innings. Chad Patrick, DL Hall, and Shane Drohan (recently moved to the bullpen) have also been solid, and trade deadline acquisitions JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela have shown flashes of their previous successes. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.58 team ERA (second), including a 3.66 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.47 bullpen ERA (fourth). They’ve struck out 1,467 batters (second) over 1,365 2/3 innings.
Rico Garcia leads Baltimore’s bullpen with a 2.94 ERA over 72 appearances, picking up nine saves, second only to Andrew Kittredge’s 10 saves. Kittredge has a 3.66 ERA over 53 appearances, Grant Wolfram has a 4.56 ERA over 57 appearances, and Yennier Cano has a 3.06 ERA over 65 appearances. Anthony Nunez (3.97 ERA over 56 2/3 IP), Josh Walker (1.61 ERA over 28 IP), Alex Hoppe (1.42 ERA over 12 2/3 IP), Cam Sanders (3.00 ERA over 18 IP), Luis De León (2.45 ERA over 7 1/3 IP), and Brewer trade deadline acquisition Codi Heuer (no appearances) round things out. As a staff, the Orioles have a 4.14 team ERA (15th), including a 4.36 starter ERA (19th) and a 3.84 bullpen ERA (10th). They’ve struck out 1,229 batters (22nd) over 1,364 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, September 18 @ 6:05 p.m.: RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.49 ERA, 3.42 FIP) vs. LHP Cade Povich (2-1, 4.05 ERA, 4.81 FIP)
May has now made seven starts since joining Milwaukee at the trade deadline. He’s 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA, 4.46 FIP, and 27 strikeouts over 29 1/3 innings with the Brewers, and he’s coming off one of his best starts yet, going six scoreless frames and allowing just two hits and a walk, striking out six in Milwaukee’s 20-0 blowout victory over the Reds. May has made two career appearances (one start) against Baltimore, totaling eight innings with two runs allowed (2.25 ERA) and seven strikeouts.
Povich, 26, is currently with Triple-A Norfolk, though he was scratched from his scheduled start on Thursday and is expected to start this weekend. The left-hander has made just seven appearances (six starts) in the majors this year, with a 4.05 ERA, 4.81 FIP, and 25 strikeouts across 33 1/3 innings, and he’s been even worse at Triple-A, with a 6.28 ERA and 69 strikeouts across 61 2/3 innings. Povich has never appeared against the Brewers.
Saturday, September 19 @ 3:05 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (4-5, 4.30 ERA, 4.32 FIP) vs. LHP Trevor Rogers (10-10, 4.22 ERA, 3.63 FIP)
Gasser, who is still auditioning for a spot in Milwaukee’s rotation come postseason time, has made 19 appearances (18 starts) this season, pitching to a 4-5 record with a 4.30 ERA, 4.32 FIP, and 92 strikeouts across 96 1/3 innings. The former second-round pick looked solid once again in Sunday’s loss to the Reds, allowing one run on three hits and a pair of walks, striking out five in a no-decision. This marks Gasser’s first career appearance against Baltimore.
Rogers, 28, was the runner up in the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year race and was acquired by the Orioles at the trade deadline in 2024. After a great season last year (5.3 bWAR with a 1.81 ERA and 2.82 FIP over 109 2/3 innings), he’s regressed a bit this year, pitching to a 10-10 record with a 4.22 ERA, 3.63 FIP, and 143 strikeouts over 157 2/3 innings. He got roughed up by the Blue Jays in his last outing, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk over six frames, striking out five. Rogers had made five starts against Milwaukee, all of which came while with the Marlins. He’s 4-0 in those outings, with a 2.84 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings.
Sunday, September 20 @ 6:20 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Brandon Young (9-4, 3.65 ERA, 4.57 FIP)
The Brewers haven’t yet announced a starter for Sunday’s series finale, but it could be Jacob Misiorowski, Shane Drohan, a bullpen game, or somebody else. We’ll see.
Young, 28, made 12 starts with little success (6.24 ERA) last season, but he’s been much better this year, with a 3.65 ERA, 4.57 FIP, and 118 strikeouts over 145 2/3 innings through 26 starts. He went five frames against the Mets in his last outing, allowing one run on five hits and five walks, striking out six. This would mark Young’s first career appearance against the Brewers.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, September 18: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, September 19: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, September 20: Exclusively televised on Peacock/NBC Sports Network; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Orioles are still fighting for their playoff lives while the Brewers are looking to lock up the top seed in the National League (and all of baseball), making for an exciting late-season weekend set. I’ll take the Crew to win two of three.
HOUSTON, TX - JULY 01: Houston Astros left fielder Joey Loperfido (10) hits a single in the bottom of the sixth inning during the MLB game between the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros on July 1, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was great seeing you again, Joey. Sorry you have to leave so soon.
Recalled two days ago, Loperfido did get one pinch-hit AB. That is all it is going to be.
Recalled because OF Taylor Trammell was going on the Paternity List. Today, the Astros activated Trammell from the Paternity List, and optioned Loperfido back to Triple-A Sugar Land.
Barring an injury, Loperfido will have made his last appearance for the Astros this season due to the 10 day rule. Players optioned to the minors must wait 10 days before being recalled unless they are an injury replacement.
