The Los Angeles Dodgers, deciding that Shohei Ohtani needs rest if he’s going to help them win their third consecutive World Series title in October, are placing the four-time MVP on the 15-day injured list for the first time since he joined the Dodgers.
“It’s the right thing to do,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday night after the Dodgers’ 14-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, their season-high seventh consecutive victory. “We tried to kick the can as much as we could.’’
Ohtani, who will be eligible to return Sept. 23 with five regular-season games remaining, will be replaced on the roster by prized outfield prospect Josue De Paula, who will primarily be the DH, but also play in the outfield.
“Let’s get (Ohtani's) body feeling well and then slowly ramp back up because now we do have time,’’ Roberts said. “I think that if it were a postseason game tomorrow, he would be in the lineup. So now you’re talking about two weeks, 14 days. I feel that’s substantial, and (he) will be in a much better place than he was today.’’
Ohtani, a two-way player who hasn’t pitched since July 3, has been bothered by left knee soreness and a right biceps strain, which forced him out of the lineup six times in the last seven games.
“Is it going to be 100%?’’ Roberts said. “Probably not. But I do think that with this time that we’re taking now, he’ll be in an adequate spot for the rest of the season and beyond.’’
The Dodgers were hoping that four consecutive days off would help Ohtani last week, but when he returned, he went 0-for-3 and complained of biceps soreness, prompting the Dodgers to keep him out of the lineup the next two games before deciding to place him on the IL.
“It was more just really huddling up,’’ Roberts said, “and saying, 'Hey, how are you going to feel on Friday? How are you going to feel on Saturday?' And talking to the doctors and training staff, there was not much certainty that he’d be in a much better place. So I think that with that, just taking it off the table, seemed like the best course of action.’’
The Dodgers, in hindsight, wish they had placed Ohtani on the injured list last week instead of waiting.
"I think if we look right now, here today, I would love to go back and put him on the IL," Roberts said. "But I did feel at that moment in time, we all felt that giving him four days was sufficient. He was agreeable."
Ohtani, who has not pitched since July 3, has also been badly compromised as a hitter, batting just .198 (19-for-96) with a .689 OPS and 34 strikeouts since Aug. 8.
Despite the injuries and struggles with Ohtani, who has just nine at-bats this month, the Dodgers have been steamrolling the opposition. They won all seven games on their homestand, and have a magic number of just six to clinch their 13th National League West title in 14 seasons.
Now, with a four-game lead over Atlanta, they want to make sure they retain their spot in the standings as the No. 2 seed in the National League. The Dodgers, who have the second-best record in the National League at 89-57, are in strong position to get a first-round bye in the postseason. They have four fewer losses than Atlanta (85-61), which has the third-best record behind the Milwaukee Brewers (91-56).
De Paula, 21, the Dodgers' top prospect and the sixth-best in all of baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, is scheduled to join the team Friday in Miami. He is the first Dodgers prospect in the Andrew Friedman era to be called up straight from Class AA Tulsa, skipping Triple-A Oklahoma City. He hit .303 with 27 home runs, 104 RBI, 31 stolen bases, and a .948 OPS, and established himself as one of the top 15 prospects in baseball.
“I know he’s a good kid,’’ Dodgers All-Star Mookie Betts said. “I’m excited to see him.’’
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 9: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates with teammates after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Kauffman Stadium on September 9, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After two tense, well-fought games between these two teams, I fully expected a laugher tonight where one side or the other could fully relax and coast to a victory. It seemed like the natural baseball thing to do to balance out a pair of games decided by two runs or less with a game in which a position player had to pitch. Instead, and thankfully for the fans, we got the trilogy in the series with many of the same dynamics: relatively low-scoring, excellent defensive plays, and late-inning drama. Unfortunately for the D-Backs, they were on the wrong side of each of those phenomenon as the Royals rode one big blast from superstar Bobby Witt Jr to a victory and avoided the home sweep. That result combined with a San Diego sweep over Washington to run their win streak to four means that the D-Backs end the night on the outside looking in of the postseason picture and continue to jockey with Padres for that final Wild Card slot.
Frustratingly, the D-Backs were in the unenviable position of sending out starting pitchers coming off injuries on consecutive nights with the associated, necessary limitations on their range in the game. After Corbin Burnes’ (mostly) successful return to the mound last night, it was Zac Gallen’s turn tonight and it was much of the same as we saw earlier in the year. He was able to throw plenty of strikes (62% of his 68 pitches), but struggled to generate much swing-and-miss, allowed far too many baserunners, and failed to keep the ball in the yard. Altogether, it wasn’t a bad outing and he certainly gave the team a chance to compete – even with a short leash from Torey Lovullo and some poor defense behind him – but any semblance of hope that he would be able to regain the ace-like form he had early in his career can likely be put to bed once and for all. Interestingly, Gallen did display a radically different pitching arsenal by functionally ditching his four-seamer (13% compared to a 37% average on the year) to instead lean on his slider (37% and 22%) and knuckle curve (22% compared to 19%).
The Royals struck first on the backs of consecutive singles from John Rave and Kyle Isbel before a double steal and a poor throw from James McCann to third base allowed the former to score. They added another in the home half of the third when Carter Jensen destroyed a lifeless slider that hung right in the middle of the plate and deposited it into the Kaufmann fountains. After Derek Law continued his strong season in the desert with another scoreless outing, the D-Backs turned to yet another pitcher returning from injury in Michael Soroka for his first relief outing of the year. He successfully saved a desperately depleted bullpen, but made one crucial mistake that was absolutely punished. In his first inning of relief, he gave up a one-out single to Isaac Collins and then walked Jensen on just six pitches ahead of Witt Jr who promptly pounced on the very first pitch he saw and sent it deep into the Kansas City night to give the Royals the lead for good. He rebounded from that debacle of an inning to provide four innings of solid relief work ahead of a much-needed off day tomorrow.
For their part, the Arizona offense did create a few threats throughout the game, but failed to break through on any of their opportunities, including from the very beginning of the game when they put two runners in scoring position with one out but failed to score off an excellent play from third baseman Nick Loftin. Overall, they were a woeful 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and failed to take advantage of nearly any of the scoring chances they had off Royals’ starter David Lynch or the gaggle of relief pitchers that followed. The offense will need to rediscover the magic that led them to such a strong offense earlier in the season if they have any hopes of making the playoffs and then making any noise once there. Maybe a long flight and an off day will help to reset the team on their final homestand of the season.
In this week's Closer Report, Aroldis Chapman becomes the ninth reliever in history to reach the 400-save milestone as he continues his stellar 17th season. And Kodai Senga has been excellent since moving into a high-leverage relief role. All that and more as we break down the last week in saves.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Miller struck out four over two innings on Friday to pick up a win against the Yankees. He then converted back-to-back saves on Sunday and Monday. The 28-year-old right-hander is up to 34 saves with a 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 113 strikeouts over 61 1/3 innings.With Miller unavailable on Tuesday, Adrian Morejon stepped in for a save against the Nationals.
Duran made two appearances against the Braves over the weekend. He pitched a clean inning on Saturday for a save, then took the loss after giving up a run on Sunday.
Smith earned two wins this week with a pair of scoreless outings. He struck out five of the six batters he faced over two innings against the Tigers on Sunday for his fifth win. The 27-year-old right-hander has a 2.22 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts over 65 innings while converting 35 saves.
Hader has perhaps been the best closer in baseball since making his season debut on June 3, with only Louis Varland converting more saves. He is up to 24 saves after recording three more this week while posting a 0.89 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts over 40 1/3 innings.
Baker left Friday's game with a trainer after walking two batters and displaying diminished velocity. He was apparently dealing with an illness. Baker returned to get some work in on Tuesday, pitching a scoreless ninth in a 7-1 win over the Braves.
Varland picked up two more saves this week with a pair of scoreless appearances before giving up a run in a tie game against the Athletics on Monday to take a loss. The 28-year-old right-hander has converted 33 saves with a 1.26 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 87 strikeouts over 71 1/3 innings.
▶ Tier 2
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Mason Montgomery - Pittsburgh Pirates
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Megill locked down a pair of saves for the Brewers. A solo homer on Monday snapped a 15-game scoreless streak. He then surrendered two more runs on Tuesday against the Cubs. The 32-year-old right-hander has converted 27 saves with a 2.59 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts over 55 2/3 innings.
Bednar struck out one batter in a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the Padres on Friday. He then recorded one out on Tuesday, striking out the only batter he faced to pick up his 32nd save.
It was a big week for Chapman. The 38-year-old veteran closer converted three saves this week, including his 400th career save on Sunday against the Orioles. He's up to 33 this season with a 2.03 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts over 48 2/3 innings.
Latz gave up two runs to take a loss against the Rays on Saturday, then bounced back with a scoreless inning on Sunday before Jakob Junis took the ninth for a save. Meanwhile, Iglesias eclipsed 30 saves, converting two this week to give him 31 with a 2.72 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 55 strikeouts over 53 innings.
Four more saves for Montgomery this week as he's fully settled in as Pittsburgh's closer. He's riding a 19-game scoreless inning streak. After a 4.14 ERA in the first half, he's given up just two runs over 23 2/3 innings since the All-Star break and has lowered his ERA to 2.82. And in Los Angeles, four different relievers picked up a save for the Dodgers. Scott gave up a run against the Nationals on Saturday before holding on for the save, then converted his 22nd save with a scoreless outing against the Reds on Tuesday.
▶ Tier 3
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds
Kodai Senga - New York Mets
Jordan Romano - Colorado Rockies
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers
Yoendrys Gómez - Minnesota Twins
Muñoz has retired 11 of his last 12 batters over four outings. He picked up a save against the Athletics on Sunday, then tossed a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts for his 26th save against the Rangers on Wednesday.
O'Brien blew a save and took the loss after giving up two runs against the Dodgers last Thursday. He bounced back with a scoreless inning against the Rockies on Friday for his 36th save before blowing another save on Monday in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Pagán added two more saves with a pair of scoreless appearances against the Brewers.
Senga converted a pair of saves for the Mets this week. He's up to seven saves and has posted a 2.03 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings since moving to the bullpen full-time at the start of August.
In Colorado, Romano gave up his first two runs in nearly a month, blowing a save against the Cardinals on Friday. He bounced back on Saturday with his 15th save. And Jansen added his 18th save with a scoreless inning against the Twins on Monday. And in Minnesota, Gómez made a pair of clean outings, picking up two more saves to give him 22 on the year.
▶ Tier 4
Ben Joyce - Los Angeles Angels
Jacob Webb - Chicago Cubs
Clayton Beeter/Erik Tolman - Washington Nationals
Grant Taylor/Sean Newcomb/Bryan Hudson - Chicago White Sox
Elvis Alvarado/Hogan Harris - Athletics
Things get incredibly bleak from here, with this tier only having marginally more upside than the next. Joyce pitched a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the Red Sox on Monday, then gave up a run before holding on for his fourth save on Wednesday in Boston.
It was a good run for Webb in Chicago. The 33-year-old right-hander is in the midst of a rough stretch, giving up nine runs over his last six outings. The rest of the Cubs' bullpen has provided little clarity on who could step up in his place in the ninth.
Beeter is also in a skid, giving up seven runs over his last three outings. Both he and Tolman were charged with a blown save this week. Meanwhile, Taylor gave up a run in back-to-back outings in non-save situations for the White Sox. And it was Harris who picked up two saves and a win for the A's.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with teammate Will Smith # 16 after hitting a solo home run in the third inning during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dodgers offense reawakened in a big way on Wednesday, as they completed a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with a 14-1 victory, extending their winning streak to a season-high seven games.
Both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Rhett Lowder were able to work around a single baserunner in the first inning, with Yamamoto in particular picking off Sal Stewart after reaching on a two-out single. The Dodgers got two consecutive singles from Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker to begin the bottom of the second before Hunter Feduccia reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases with no outs. The Reds turned a 4-6-3 double play on a ground ball from Alex Freeland, but Hernández scored on the play giving the Dodgers the first lead of the night.
Will Smith doubled against Lowder in the bottom of the third and Mookie Betts extended the lead to three with his third home run of the homestand.
Yamamoto had faced the minimum over his through his first 10 hitters faced with six strikeouts, as the Stewart single was the only blemish on his night up to that point. Then he ran into the red-hot Elly De La Cruz with one out in the top of the fourth inning, who tattooed a home run for a fifth consecutive game, giving him a career-high 26 home runs and putting Cincinnati on the board.
The Dodgers wasted no time getting that run back, as after Tucker and Feduccia led off the bottom of the fourth, Freeland brought home his first run since being called back up with an RBI double to left-center field. Kiké Hernández swatted the third double of the inning to left-center field, bringing home two, extending the lead to five and knocking Lowder out of the game after just 3 1/3 innings.
A wild pitch from reliever Luis Mey brought home Hernández, and the Dodgers would make it a six-run inning with a two-run single from Teoscar Hernández, making it an eight-run lead. The Reds had to face 10 hitters in the inning before getting their next shot against Yamamoto.
After failing to cash in any runs in the fifth inning, the Dodgers made it a 10-run lead with a two-run home run from Max Muncy, giving the Dodgers their first double-digit lead since the All-Star break. 11 runs were the most runs scored in a home game since the Dodgers scored 12 against the San Diego Padres on July 2.
As for Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, he finished his night with his first quality start of the month of September, finishing with seven innings across 90 pitches, with his three hits being the fewest in any start since allowing just three hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 8. Yamamoto now has five consecutive starts with at least eight strikeouts, racking up 44 over his last 32 2/3 innings, with his 10 strikeouts tying a career-high. With a winning decision on Wednesday, Yamamoto has now set a new career-high in wins with 13.
The Dodgers kept pouring it on Cincinnati against Tony Santillan in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Kiké Hernández blasted a two-run home run to give the Dodgers a 12-run lead. It was Hernández’s first home run since August 19, and it was his first home run of the year against a pitcher not named Kyle Freeland.
Mookie Betts finished Wednesday with a 3-5 performance, and on the nine-game homestand, Betts hit .375 with three home runs and 13 RBI, raising his season OPS from .698 at the start of September all the way to 742. Betts also extended his on-base streak to 18 games.
Teoscar Hernández added a pair of hits in what has been a torrid 10-game hitting streak. Hernández in those 10 games is now hitting .514 with two home runs and 14 RBI, raising his season OPS from .692 entering the final game of August to .761.
Kyle Tucker finished Wednesday with his first multi-hit game since Aug. 19, collecting a double, a single and a home run in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 13-run lead. It’s the first time all season that Tucker has collected multiple home runs in a single homestand.
With their seventh straight win, the Dodgers are now four full games over the Atlanta Braves for the second seed in the National League, still trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by 1 1/2 games for the top spot.
Game particulars
Home runs— Mookie Betts (19), Max Muncy (27), Kiké Hernández (3), Kyle Tucker (13); Elly De La Cruz (26)
The Dodgers are off on Thursday as they venture on a seven-game road trip beginning Friday in Miami against the Marlins (4:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Starters for both teams have yet to be announced.
Top Mets pitching prospect Jonathan Santucci had another strong start for Syracuse, another sign that the young left-hander could be figuring it out in Triple-A.
Wednesday against St. Paul, Santucci allowed one run on five hits (no walks) while striking out six batters across five innings. Santucci struck out two batters in the first before eliminating a runner with an inning-ending double play in the second. The third inning saw Santucci strike out one in a 1-2-3 frame before stranding a runner in the fourth, picking up two more strikeouts in the process.
Santucci's final inning saw his one mistake. After getting the first batter out, Santucci allowed a solo shot to Cody Morissette on a 2-2 slider way up in the zone. After Santucci struck out the next batter, he allowed back-to-back singles but bounced back by getting Emmanuel Rodriguez to ground out to end the threat.
Wednesday's game was the third straight start where Santucci went at least five innings and struck out six batters. It's also the third straight start where Santucci allowed two or fewer runs, bringing his Triple-A ERA to 5.28 after it was a season-high 7.71.
Santucci started his 2026 season in Double-A Binghamton and saw a lot of success. In 19 starts, he pitched to a 3.57 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He also struck out 120 batters across 90.2 innings. His performance the first few months of the season led to a promotion in late July. But the southpaw struggled to adjust to the new level, especially finding the strike zone. Santucci walked at least three batters in each of his first four starts with Syracuse and allowed 14 runs (12 earned) across 14.0 innings in that span.
After his performance Wednesday, Santucci's overall 2026 ERA is now 3.99 and he has struck out 157 batters across 119.2 innings.
TULSA, OK - SEPTEMBER 02: Josue De Paula #55 of the Tulsa Drillers celebrates with teammates after defeating the Wichita Wind Surge at ONEOK Field on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Sara Crosley/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
De Paula, who was rated the No. 4 prospect in baseball by Baseball America in early August, is hitting .303/.401/.547 this season for Tulsa, with 27 home runs, 37 doubles, and 31 stolen bases this season, and almost as many walks (81) as strikeouts (87). He homered and doubled for Tulsa on Wednesday.
Designated hitter is open for De Paula, and a way for regular playing time. He’ll start at DH on Friday in Miami, manager Dave Roberts told reporters Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
But sorting out where De Paula plays is a future puzzle to solve for Dave Roberts. For now, just know the Dodgers are taking a chance on their top prospect being ready for the big leagues, and their most anticipated call-up since Cody Bellinger in 2017.
De Paula, signed as an amateur in 2022, would have been eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter, and the Dodgers were going to add him to the 40-man roster in November anyway. This just accelerates the timetable.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 9: Jonathan Aranda #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays slides safely into second base beating the throw to Mauricio Dubon #14 of the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park on September 9, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Atlanta lost to the Rays again and while they remain in a strong position moving into the playoffs, the offense has been too bad for too long to feel good about this club going into October, especially with the questions that exist around the pitching staff.
Wednesday's game against the Marlins was a back-and-forth, topsy-turvy contest that saw the Mets blow a big lead, grab a big lead again and hold on for the 15-14 win.
But if you ask interim manager Andy Green, the Mets don't win that contest -- and complete the three-game sweep -- without Christopher Morel. And it's hard to argue.
After Brett Baty got the start at first base, the utility player had to exit the game with knee pain in the second inning. Morel came in and provided an offensive spark, going 3-for-4 with three RBI.
When he pinch-ran for Baty, he scored from first on a Luis Torrens double to put the Mets up 4-0. Then after the six-run second inning, Morel blasted his first homer as a Met, a two-run shot, to give New York a commanding 8-0 lead.
Then, after the Marlins tied it at 8-8 and A.J. Ewing broke the tie with an RBI single in the seventh, Morel followed with an RBI single of his own.
"The hardest part was the leap, first to home straight off the bench, that he didn’t pop two hamstrings right there was a minor miracle in itself," Green said sarcastically after the win. "Then he pops a homer the next time, then a double and single. You’re looking up and he has a shot at the cycle after coming off the bench. That stuff doesn’t happen.
"Credit to him. We don’t win that baseball game without him coming in and playing like that."
Morel began the season with the Marlins after spending the first four years of his career with the Cubs and Rays. The Marlins DFA'd Morel and the 27-year-old signed a minor league contract with the Mets in early July and was recalled a little over a month later.
“You need to be ready for whatever the team needs. I was prepared for when the team needed me," Morel told SNY's Steve Gelbs on the field after the game. "I gave my best and God helped me there to give something to the team."
Since his call-up, Morel has provided an offensive spark off the bench. In 10 games, he's slashed .300/.364/.500 with an OPS of .864.
With Baty's status unknown and Jared Young's sore foot, Morel could see some more playing time down the stretch. If Wednesday's game is any indicator, he'll be ready for when the Mets need him.
Davis Martin held his breath, but the White Sox offense never came up for air. | (Matt Marton-IMAGN IMAGES)
The bats have vanished at the worst possible moment.
Chicago squandered scoring opportunities in consecutive innings, went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and fell to the Pirates, 4-2, on Wednesday night. Pittsburgh takes the series, but at least the Guardians did us a favor by losing to Baltimore, so the AL Central gap holds at two.
It didn’t look good out of the gate when Davis Martin labored through a 16-pitch first inning, walking the first two batters he faced. Pitching coach Zach Bove visited the mound after the second free pass, and whatever he said appeared to work. Martin regrouped to retire Bryan Reynolds on a fly ball before inducing an inning-ending double play from Nick Gonzales.
The Sox teased Martin with a shot at a lead after Benintendi ripped a one-out double in the first. Naturally, he never left second base.
Martin received a generous offering from the baseball luck gods in the second. Oneil Cruz led off with a single, but Esmerlyn Valdez followed with a .960 xBA liner directly to Sam Antonacci at second. Antonacci doubled Cruz off first, quickly erasing the threat.
Chicago pieced together another two-out chance in the bottom half. Braden Montgomery worked a walk, and Tristan Peters stayed hot and dumped a curve into right. Enter old pal Brandon Eisert, who promptly fanned Teel and left both runners stranded.
Martin settled in from there, retiring the Pirates in order on nine pitches in the third. Brandon Lowe opened the fourth with a single and advanced to second on Reynolds’ fly out, but Martin stranded him by retiring the next two hitters.
The Pirates finally cracked Martin in the fifth when Valdez launched a leadoff solo homer. Jacob Gonzalez added a two-out single, but Martin held it down and completed five innings.
Martin’s final line — one run on four hits and two walks with one strikeout — gave the White Sox every opportunity to win. That generally requires scoring, however, and Chicago’s bats had no answers for Eisert or anyone else Pittsburgh sent to the mound.
Sean Newcomb replaced Martin in the sixth and escaped immediate trouble with some help from another double play. He surrendered a leadoff single and another one-out knock before getting Cruz to ground into an inning-ending twin killing.
The White Sox put two aboard with two outs in the bottom half after a pitch hit Munetaka Murakami and Randal Grichuk singled. Murakami’s plate appearance at least ended his run of eight consecutive at-bats with a K. Colson Montgomery, however, followed with a punchout to extinguish another threat.
Newcomb’s luck ran out in the seventh. He walked Valdez before a swinging bunt, and another single produced Pittsburgh’s second run. After a stolen base, Konnor Griffin drove in two more with a single, stretching the Pirates’ advantage to 4-0.
Chris Murphy entered and stopped the bleeding by striking out Lowe and retiring Reynolds on a grounder, but it was too late as the damage had been done.
The Good Guys finally scratched out a run in the bottom of the seventh. Braden walked, Chase Meidroth won a 10-pitch battle with an infield single and Teel drew a six-pitch walk to pack the sacks with one out.
Antonacci then hit a 103 mph grounder to first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Pitcher Camilo Doval failed to cover first, allowing Antonacci to reach and Braden to score while keeping the bases loaded. The mental mistake cracked the door open, but Miguel Vargas promptly slammed it shut by hitting into an inning-ending double play.
Tempers flared between innings when Antonacci seemed to stick out an elbow sliding into second. Lowe barked, benches and bullpens spilled out, but nothing came of it. Credit to Antonacci: With the bats offering no spark, the kid tried to create one himself.
The White Sox showed another glimpse of life in the eighth when Mune led off with a solo homer, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Grichuk followed with a single, and Braden doubled after Colson struck out, putting two runners in scoring position.
Peters followed by wearing one to load the bases for Meidroth, who smoked a 100.2 mph liner ( .800 xBA). Unfortunately for the White Sox, it went directly to the third baseman, who stepped on the bag for an unassisted double play. Of course.
Trevor Richards pitched two scoreless innings to keep Chicago within striking distance, but the Sox went quietly in the ninth.
Martin gutted out five solid innings and gave his team a chance. The bullpen kept the game manageable outside Newcomb’s meltdown. Even some of the White Sox’s contact deserved a better fate. None of that matters much, though, when an offense repeatedly fails to deliver with runners on.
The South Siders will have one more chance to salvage a game from Pittsburgh tomorrow night. Same time, same place — and, one would hope, a few more clutch hits.
MVP Davis Martin: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, K, L
Runners-Up Munetaka Murakami: 1-for-3, R, RBI, HR, 2 K Trevor Richards: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K Chris Murphy: 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K Sam Antonacci: 1-for-5, RBI, K Braden Montgomery: 1-for-2, R, 2 BB, 2B
Cold Cat Sean Newcomb: 1 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB
Runners-Up Colson Montgomery: 0-for-4, 3 K Miguel Vargas: 0-for-3, 2 K
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 07: Trevor Megill #29 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, September 7, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Brewers fans and fans across the country.
Welcome back to another edition of our Brewers Reacts Survey! In this week’s poll, we’re asking which area of the team fans are most worried about for the postseason: the offense, the starting rotation, or the bullpen.
While the Brewers boast the best record in baseball at 91-56 with just 15 games to go, there are still a few areas of concern in each facet of the game.
On offense, while the Brewers rank fourth in team OPS and third in runs scored, they still rank dead last in homers, meaning “the big hit” may be hard to come by in key situations this postseason (Jackson Chourio’s game-tying homer on Tuesday night notwithstanding).
For the starting rotation, after it looked like Milwaukee had a solid combination with Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Kyle Harrison, and some combination of Dustin May, Shane Drohan, and Robert Gasser, it suddenly looks more like Miz and Henderson are the 1-2 punch, but the rest of a potential playoff rotation is unknown. Harrison has struggled mightily over his last few outings (particularly on the road), while May hasn’t found much consistency, and Drohan and Gasser, while holding their own, are nothing flashy.
For the bullpen, it’s the middle-relief options. While the team has Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill to close things out (though Megill is also coming off a rough series against the Cubs), the guys who bridge from the rotation to them are a bit less clear. Aaron Ashby and Chad Patrick have both been solid but also had their share of struggles, as have deadline acquisitions JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela. DL Hall has also shown flashes of his potential. But still, plenty of question marks.
What worries you most as we head into the last few weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs? Weigh in below and stay tuned for results later this week!
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 07: (L-R) Tommy White #47, Jeff McNeil #22 and Carlos Cortes #26 of the Athletics celebrate McNeil' walk-off infield single scoring Donovan Walton to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 at Sutter Health Park on September 07, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At one time, Leo De Vries was on such a fast track that it seemed inevitable that he would be a big factor by the 2027 season. One torn labrum later (shoulder surgery scheduled this weekend) and he won’t even be back on a minor league field until mid-May.
So the presumptive starters along side Nick Kurtz become Zack Gelof, Jacob Wilson, and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, the latter two coming off of season ending surgeries. And where does the depth chart go from there?
Jeff McNeil
3 months ago, McNeil was a 2027 after thought who appeared, after a solid April, to have fallen off a cliff on his way to age-related obscurity. But the Squirrely one has rebounded in a big way, batting .335/.361/.484, 130 wRC+ since the All-Star break while providing valued veteran leadership in the clubhouse and on the field.
The A’s won’t exercise his $15.5M club option but they could decline it and then negotiate a one-year deal to bring him back. Would he be a good choice for a key bench piece in the infield mix at a modest salary? And will McNeil have superior offers that tempt him away or might he be interested in a one year deal worth around half of his club option?
Donovan Walton
After a career of consistently hitting terribly every season, something clicked with Walton. He was terrific with the Angels (.319/.354/.505, 141 wRC+), but they’re the Angels so naturally they let him go. With the A’s he’s put together some of the team’s best plate appearances, producing the rare profile of a batter who walks more than he strikes out (20 BB, 17 K).
With a nifty .400 OBP for the A’s, a 128 wRC+, and even improved defense on this home stand, Walton has shown considerable value and he is a LH batter opposite the Gelof-Wilson-JKG triumvirate. He’s also pre-arbritration and thus considerably cheaper than McNeil. Would he be the right complement to the regular starting infield?
Alika Williams
The slickest fielder of the bunch, Williams feels like the closest to a “sure thing” these days, but because he bats RH and doesn’t hit enough to start every day, it’s not necessarily clear how well he fits with the starting trio. If the A’s carry both a LH and RH infielder on the bench, Williams should have a place on the team.
But which is the real Alika Williams? The .262/.299/.421, 92 wRC+ hitter overall…or the guy who has hit all of .220/.270/.317, 64wRC+on the road?
Honorable Mention
Then there’s Max Muncy, who had half the A’s hits today and homered twice in Seattle, but can’t field worth a lick. And Darell Hernaiz, who unfortunately seems to be getting worse — and he couldn’t hit RHP to begin with.
How would you like to see the A’s set up their infield for 2027? There are many options, even absent De Vries for a while, but are any of them good enough? Or do the A’s need to set their sights on some new blood this off-season?
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 21: Randy Vásquez #98 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Petco Park on August 21, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
RHP Randy Vásquez seems to be working toward becoming the San Diego Padres’ Swiss Army knife in their pitching staff. Acquired from the New York Yankees, along with Michael King, as part of the Juan Soto trade, Vasquez came to the team as a starting pitcher.
That role was the only one he had with the Yankees. Debuting at the age of 24, Vásquez started five games for New York, pitching 37.2 innings with a 2.87 ERA. After being traded to the Padres before the 2024 season, the righty started 20 games for the Friars and pitched 98 innings. He had a 4.87 ERA as a back-of-the-rotation arm, with 62 strikeouts to 29 walks. The command of his stuff was not great, and he worked around a lot of traffic on the bases due to walks.
In the 2025 season, Vásquez threw 133.2 innings in 28 appearances and 26 starts. His ERA of 3.84 was significantly improved, with 78 strikeouts to 52 walks. He became known by the Strandy Vasquez nickname with his penchant for walks and skill at working to get outs with multiple runners on base.
Vásquez featured seven pitches during that season, relying mostly on his cutter/four-seam combination for 46% of his pitches. He threw his sinker 19% of the time and his sweeper 13%. His curve, changeup, and slider were all less than 15% usage.
Going into this year, Vásquez reported a change in his preparation for the season with weight training and working on his mental approach. He has had a mentor/mentee relationship with RHP Yu Darvish since joining the organization, and he credits Darvish with helping him in his preparation for games and his mental work.
Now in his age 27 season, Vásquez has shown significant growth as a starter. He can still lapse into the command issues seen earlier in his career. He had a stretch in July, after coming back from the injured list, when he looked a bit like the 2025 Vasquez.
Other than those 14 innings in July, Vasquez has a sub-4.00 ERA every other month of the season and has a 2.60 ERA in 45 innings pitched post All-Star break.
Besides his increased physical strength and increased focus and preparation, the player and his coaches have reworked his pitch usage this year.
Now, he throws his four-seam 31% of the time and it averages 95 mph, up from the 93 mph of last year. His cutter is now used 24% of the time, and his sinker at 16%. His changeup, curveball, slider, and sweeper are all now less than 10% usage. He walks hitters much less than in previous seasons. In 129 innings pitched, Vásquez has 81 strikeouts to 35 walks. That gives him a 6.5% walk rate versus a 9.1% from 2025.
His stats as a reliever are not as reassuring for this year. In 18 innings over six appearances, Vasquez has a 5.00 ERA versus his 3.81 ERA in 111 innings over 22 starts.
With the addition of Nick Pivetta back into the starting rotation, the Padres have put Vásquez into the bullpen, allowing the overworked relievers to get a little help. In his first relief outing since the change, Vasquez pitched 1.1 innings against the Nationals with one hit. Unfortunately, that was a double that allowed the two runners on base to score. Starter Casey Mize was charged with three earned runs because of that hit.
It appears this will be his role going forward. Vásquez will try to be a high-value reliever out of the bullpen and can pitch in length as well as piggyback a starter who is having a rough day. His acceptance of his role is not an issue, as he has stated on multiple occasions his willingness to do anything to help the team win.
His new focus and effectiveness should serve him well in his new role.
Sep 9, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Brewers, out for a big late-season sweep of the rival Cubs, got off to a great start today and, for eight innings, looked like they were cruising to victory. Milwaukee got homers from three of their biggest stars, jumped out to a big early lead, and got another good (if short) start from the guy we might have to start calling the co-ace, Logan Henderson. The Cubs (and the Brewers’ pitching staff) managed to make things uncomfortable late in this one with a big ninth inning, but in the end the Brewers hung on to complete the sweep.
It was a hot start for the Brewers on both sides of the ball. Henderson got things started by striking out the side in order in the top of the first. In the bottom of the inning, the Brewers were all over Chicago’s Kevin Gausman. Jackson Chourio followed up his monster day on Tuesday by blooping a single into left to get things started. After a Brice Turang fielder’s choice, William Contreras drew a walk to put a second runner on. Andrew Vaughn struck out, but with two outs Christian Yelich snuck onto the top of the wall in the left field gap, just out of the reach of Pete Crow-Armstrong, and it bounced over for a three-run homer.
Milwaukee didn’t score any further runs, but Sal Frelick and Joey Ortiz both added solid line-drive singles (Ortiz’s at a healthy 109.4 mph) before a Garrett Mitchell strikeout ended the inning. Eight Brewers came to the plate in the inning and Milwaukee had an early 3-0 lead. Henderson’s nice start continued in the top of the second when he went groundout, strikeout, groundout against the middle of the Cubs’ order.
After Gausman started his second inning by striking out Cooper Pratt, Chourio continued the Brewers’ assault on the Chicago pitcher. He got a first-pitch splitter way too high in the zone and absolutely crushed it, a majestic shot at 109 mph and 436 feet over the Brewer bullpen in left.
That was hardly it, though. Turang drew a walk, and on the first pitch to Contreras, he also got a splitter too high and yanked it down the left field line. The only question was whether it would be fair or foul, and it stayed safely within the foul line, and Contreras had his 100th career home run. Gausman worked out of the inning after that (with some help from the home plate ump) but the Brewers were up 6-0 after two and well on their way to a rare blowout.
Henderson kept his bid for perfection going through a third inning with a pop out, a shallow fly out, and another strikeout. Nine up, nine down, five strikeouts for Henderson on his first trip through the order.
The Brewers got a one-out baserunner against Gausman in the third when Mitchell reached on a throwing error by shortstop Nico Hoerner. Mitchell stole second—a result which held up after an unsuccessful challenge—and advanced to third when Pratt grounded out. With two outs, the blazing hot Chourio had a chance to drive him in, and of course he did, by going up to get a high 95 mph fastball that was a couple inches inside and pulling it into left. That made it 7-0, and then Chourio stole second, but Turang grounded out to end the inning. Through three innings, Chourio was 3-3 with a homer, two singles, two RBI, and a stolen base.
Jackson Chourio has seven hits in the last 24+ hours…
Crow-Armstrong finally ended Henderson’s no-hit bid when, after an eight-pitch at-bat in which he fouled off several tough pitches, PCA blooped a single into center. He moved to second on a pitch that got by Contreras, and then went to third on a fly ball to right (one on which Mitchell and Frelick came dangerously close to colliding). A Michael Busch groundout scored Crow-Armstrong from third, and Alex Bregman drew a walk to extend the inning, but after another lengthy battle Ian Happ grounded out to end the inning.
Gausman finally put up a zero and a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth, and the game settled down a bit at that point. Henderson was also back to his perfect ways in the top of the fifth, and Trent Thornton—who relieved Gausman in the bottom of the inning—retired Frelick, Ortiz, and Mitchell in order.
Henderson, who was effective but inefficient tonight, took the mound in the sixth with 94 pitches on the night. He threw one more, a changeup that Carson Kelly banged into left for a leadoff single, and Pat Murphy went to lefty JoJo Romero for the top of the Cubs’ order. Turang flashed some leather when he made a great play running to his left on a PCA grounder and spun around and threw to second to get the lead runner, Kelly, and three pitches later, Romero induced a tailor-made double play from Suzuki that ended the inning. That closed the book on Henderson, who finished with five innings, two hits and one walk allowed, six strikeouts, and one unearned run on his line. Henderson’s 2.34 ERA would be fourth in the league if he had enough innings to qualify.
After Pratt lined out against new pitcher Daniel Palencia to start the bottom of the sixth, Chourio was finally retired—just the second time in his last nine at-bats. A Turang ground ball should’ve ended the inning, but second baseman Pedro Ramírez made a bad throw to Busch at first, and Suzuki—who had run in the other direction on the ground ball—was way out of position to get the ball as it trickled down the right field line, which allowed Turang to get all the way to third. That gave Contreras a chance with two out and a runner in scoring position, and on this night, the Brewers weren’t letting chances go by. Contreras lined an RBI single to left, his second hit and third RBI of the game. Vaughn popped out to end the inning, but the Brewers had restored their seven-run lead.
Romero was back out for the top of the seventh and worked around a one-out Bregman double to hold the Cubs scoreless. Caleb Thielbar replaced Palencia in the bottom of the inning, and he had a quick 1-2-3 inning despite some good contact by Frelick and Ortiz.
In the top of the eighth, we saw the return of Brandon Sproat. Sproat, who was demoted on August 4th after a series of rough outings, appeared out of the bullpen for just the third time in 26 career appearances, and he didn’t have much trouble in the eighth: he hit Michael Conforto on the foot with one out, but erased him on a Kelly double play shortly after. Colin Rea shut down the Brewers in the bottom of the inning, but Sproat still had an 8-1 lead to work with as we headed to the top of the ninth.
Sproat’s control issues reared their head in a big way in the ninth—he walked Crow-Armstrong, threw away a ball when checking on PCA at first, threw a wild pitch, then walked Suzuki, putting runners on the corners with nobody out as Abner Uribe warmed up in the Brewer bullpen. Sproat walked Busch, too, though he got no favors during an at-bat in which two pitches were called balls that looked in the zone. (Use your challenges when you’ve got both in the ninth inning, William!) Murphy stuck with Sproat despite the three consecutive walks, and he struck out Bregman for the first out. Happ, though, drew another walk, and that was all for Sproat, who didn’t allow a hit tonight but did walk four and hit a batter.
Uribe was on with the bases jacked but with a six-run lead still in place and just two outs to get. Hoerner, the first batter against Uribe, lined a single into left that scored a run and left the bases loaded. Ramírez knocked in Chicago’s fourth run but crucially made the second out when he grounded out to second. The Cubs were determined to make this stressful, though, and Conforto lined a double into the gap that made it 8-6. Pinch-hitter BJ Murray Jr. replaced Kelly and represented the tying run—with Crow-Armstrong standing as the go-ahead run on deck—and Uribe fell behind 2-0. But the big Brewer right-hander dropped a couple of sliders in the bottom of the zone to even up the count, and after a foul ball and a ball three, he struck him out with a slider down and in, and the game ended with the likely NL MVP standing on deck.
This was a game that was easy for eight innings and extremely difficult for half of one, but even if some of the good vibes vanished before the last out, the Brewers had swept the Cubs.
Offensively, the team was led by their two Venezuelan stars, Chourio and Contreras. Chourio had three hits including a solo home run and an RBI single, while Contreras hit a two-run homer and an RBI single and drew a walk in four plate appearances. Yelich also had the big early hit in this one, his first-inning three-run homer. Everything went smoothly on the mound until the ninth, with Henderson and Romero combining to allow just one unearned run through the first seven innings.
The Brewers get a deserved day off tomorrow—their first since August 24th!—before looking to get a bit of revenge against the Reds, who just won two of three over the Brewers in Cincinnati, over the weekend.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 09: Christopher Morel #28 of the New York Mets high fives teammates after hitting a two run home run during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on September 09, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets came into Wednesday’s game looking to sweep a series for the first time since the middle of August. Robert Stock was taking the mound for the Mets, coming off a scoreless one-out appearance against the Giants. Janson Junk was starting in the midst a nice stretch of starts for the Marlins, having not given up more than two runs since July.
After a quiet first inning for both sides, the second inning started an offensive explosion for the Mets. Four consecutive singles from Jared Young, Marcus Semien, A.J. Ewing and Brett Baty drove in the first two runs of the game for the Mets. Baty was pulled from the game with a knee injury after his single, being replaced by Christopher Morel. Luis Torrens then drove in both remaining baserunners with a double to put the Mets ahead by four runs. Francisco Lindor was hit by a pitch to put another baserunner on, and Bo Bichette hit a one-out single to drive Torrens in as the Mets fifth run of the inning. Carson Benge hit into a groundout that allowed Lindor to score as the Mets sixth and final run of the inning, giving the Mets a nice wide lead early in the game.
The Mets made some more noise in the third inning. A.J. Ewing reached base on a one-out single, then stole second base for his 23rd steal of the year. It ended up not mattering much what base he was on, because Christopher Morel hit a two-run home run to drive him in as Morel’s first homer with the Mets. They didn’t score any more in the inning, but the Mets ended the inning with a huge eight run lead over the Marlins, a truly abysmal appearance for Junk.
Stock started to lose it in the bottom of the fourth inning. After three shutout innings, he started the inning with two baserunners from a hit-by-pitch and a single. After getting an out, he walked Owen Caissie to load the bases. Graham Pauley singled to drive in the Marlins first run of the game, and Joe Mack hit another single to plate two more runs and cut the Mets lead to five runs. Stock was able to get out of it after that but that was the end of his evening. He ended his night allowing three runs in four innings, with five hits and two walks while striking out four.
It completely fell apart for the Mets in the bottom of the sixth. Chris Devenski was brought in to pitch, and he immediately gave up a leadoff home run to Owen Caissie to cut the Mets lead to four runs. The home run was followed by two consecutive singles to put runners on before Devenski finally got the first out of the inning. Heriberto Hernández hit a single to load the bases, and Griffin Conine single to drive in another run for the Marlins fifth run, the Mets’ lead rapidly disappearing. That was the end of Devenski’s stint in the game, being replaced by Daniel Duarte. Duarte started by walking in a run and then allowing a two-run single to Jakob Marsee to tie the game. Duarte got two more outs but the damage was done, the eight runs the Mets had scored was simply not enough for the Mets pitching staff.
The Mets offense came to the rescue of the Mets pitching staff. Benge got hit by a pitch and Young and Semien both walked to load the bases at the start of the seventh and drive Josh Ekness from the game after facing the minimum three batters. Former Met Tyler Zuber came in and Ewing hit a sacrifice fly to put the Mets back ahead by a run. Morel and Torrens hit back to back singles to drive in two more runs and put the Mets into double digits. Lindor then put the exclamation point on the inning in the form of a three run home run to cap off the Mets second six run inning of the game, putting them back ahead by six runs with just nine outs to go.
Duarte came back out for the seventh inning, and gave up a two-out solo home run to Joe Mack to whittle away a piece of the newly minted Mets lead. Victor Vodnik came out for the Marlins in the eight, and had two runners on with two outs for Luis Torrens, who drove in his fourth run of the game for the Mets fifteenth run of the incredibly long game.
Jonathan Pintaro took the mound for the Mets in the bottom of the eighth, and he had a rollercoaster of an inning. He hit Otto Lopez with a pitch, but that baserunner was bookended by two pop outs in what looked to be a pretty easy appearance for Pintaro. But back-to-back singles by Javier Sanoja and Caissie drove in the Marlins tenth run of the game. Pauley then singled to drive in another run and cut the Mets lead to four runs with two runners still on. But Pintaro was able to escape the jam, stranding two runners with the Mets still clinging to a four run lead.
Nate Lavender came out in the bottom of the ninth to try and close the door on the resilient Marlins. Kyle Stowers led off the inning with a double but a Heriberto Hernández fly out provided the first out. The only out for Lavender, it turned out. Conine hit a double to drive in Stowers, and Lopez tripled to drive in Conine. Marsee broke his bat and got a single through to drive in Lopez and put the Marlins within a single run, driving Lavender from the game in favor of Tobias Myers. Myers gave up a single to Sanoja to put two runners on, but a strikeout and a pop out ended the game with the Mets clinging to their single run lead.
The Mets have a day off before heading back to New York to face the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Nolan McLean will be making the start Friday night on what will be a somber evening, it being the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
Big Mets winner: Luis Torrens, +16% WPA Big Mets loser: Chris Devenski, -24% WPA Mets pitchers: -36% WPA Mets hitters: +86% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Graham Pauley’s ninth inning pop out, +17.3% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Jakob Marsee’s two-run single in the sixth inning, -20.7% WPA
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo see pieces fueling the Mets now who could be the key to a successful future.
The guys cover the positive response to adversity shown by young players like A.J. Ewing and Jonah Tong, while also taking one more look at the National League Rookie of the Year cases for both Nolan McLean and Carson Benge.
The Mets Pod Answering Machine has questions about Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, the Mailbag has questions about Juan Soto's future and the coming offseason, and Down on the Farm checks in on the recent powerful performance by top prospect Jefferson Rojas.
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James Schiano
