May 19, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals hitting coach Alec Zumwalt during the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
The offense struggled at key points. The Royals got off to a slow start this spring with a 22-37 record entering June. The club posted a .650 OPS in May as the offense couldn’t get into an early season rhythm.
Things started to turn around down the stretch. Rookie catcher Carter Jensen began to ascend behind the plate and Jac Caglianone tapped into his immense power. Both players won the American League Player of the Month award.
Yet, the Royals couldn’t overcome their early strugles. It’s easy to point to down seasons from Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino, among others. The trio dealt with injuries at different times, which zapped their production.
What I believe this move signals is that the Royals feel there’s more to come from their offensive performance. I can’t disagree there, but the club would be better served to finding two or three productive bats from outside the org. The Picollo Era has been marked by awarding too many plate appearances to too many sub-mediocre hitters.
Zumwalt has been in the sights for a segment of this fan base for the better part of two seasons. I get it. When a team underperforms—and the Royals have certainly underperformed—there needs to be accountability. Owner John Sherman’s guy is Picollo. Picollo’s guy is Quatraro. So someone on the coaching staff needs to take the fall. Or be reassigned.
Philip Ruo at Royals Keep evaluates Royals hitters the Royals picked up last season, like Isaac Collins.
In one respect, Collins succeeded in solidifying left field. Collins accounted for 78% of the plate appearances from Royals left fielders in 2026. He also provided a noticeable improvement in offensive production with a slash line of .214/.321/.324 with an 84 wRC+ and 0.2 fWAR. However, his wRC+ and fWAR rank second-to-last and last among qualified primary left fielders. Collins was brought in for his on-base skills and plate discipline, but he saw a noticeable decline in his xwOBA from .322 in 2025 to .294 in 2026, which places him in the 15th percentile in the majors.
After taking the first game of the series in dominant fashion, the Yankees look to take care of business tonight in the Bronx. The Bombers hand the ball to veteran lefty and ace Max Fried. What can Fried do to follow up on Schlittler’s gem in the opener and send Boston home for the winter? Let’s preview Game 2 of this Wild Card Series.
Fried’s body of work was spectacular, but limited in 2026. In 20 starts this season, he posted a 2.80 ERA and a 0.994 WHIP, racking up 104 strikeouts over 112.2 frames while holding opponents to a meager .201 average. In his last two starts of the regular season, Fried dominated Minnesota, going seven strong innings of one-run ball on September 15th, before stumbling slightly against the Rays on September 22nd, when he took a loss after allowing four runs over 6.2 innings.
The 32-year-old Fried squared off with the Red Sox twice during the 2026 regular season. Back on April 22nd, he abandoned his windup mid-game to pitch entirely from the stretch and went eight dominant innings in Boston, striking out nine and giving up only three hits.
Fried’s most recent encounter with the Beantown Boys was on August 29th, when he was coming off the injured list. In that game, he tossed 3.2 frames of one-run ball to help the Yankees to a 9-2 victory. Even though it was last year, we’d also be remiss if we didn’t note that Fried fired 6.1 innings of shutout ball against Boston in the 2025 Wild Card Series opener.
When facing left-handed starters like Fried, the Red Sox usually counter with a lineup heavily anchored by switch-hitters Adley Rutschman and Nick Sogard, alongside right-handed bats Willson Contreras, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Trevor Story. With Roman Anthony leaving Game 1 with an injury, we will have to wait and see what the Red Sox do to try and get some offense. Few Red Sox hitters have many at-bats vs. Fried, but Story has gone 5-for-22 with two home runs off Fried.
Boston counters with right-handed Sonny Gray. The former Yankee has put together a great season as a 36-year-old. After logging an 18-5 record over 29 starts with a 2.72 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 149 strikeouts in 169 innings, many Red Sox fans would argue “their guy” should be in the down-ballot Cy Young race. Gray is coming off a masterful performance against the Guardians on September 23rd, firing six scoreless innings while earning his 18th win. Over his last three starts, he has surrendered six earned runs across 18.1 innings. Gray attacks hitters with a heavy dose of four-seam fastballs paired with hard-sweeping sliders and multi-quadrant breaking balls.
Gray had one meh start and one really, really good start against the Yankees in the regular season. His numbers ended up at 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two starts. He outlasted the Yankees in the Stadium on June 5th, giving up three runs over 6.1 innings for a 5-3 win, though the Bombers did tally eight hits in that game. He followed that up on June 28th with a big personal performance, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning and recording his 2,000th career strikeout.
However, Gray has not faced this Yankees lineup and arguably faced the Yankees this season when they were at their worst.
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ playoff roster is finally the chess board Brian Cashman has tried to provide Aaron Boone with for years, even if the team is still missing the most important offensive piece on the roster. With a right-hander on the bump to start the game, I expect the Yankees to roll a lefty-heavy lineup out of the starting gate despite Gray’s splits showing he has been just as effective versus lefties as righties.
My bold prediction is that Boone will start two right-handed bats tonight in George Lombard Jr. and Amed Rosario. Rosario is 7-for-24 lifetime vs. Gray, while Ryan McMahon is 1-for-11 — though the contact-oriented Fried has generally preferred to have the more defensively adept McMahon at the hot corner. The good news for the Yankees is Trade Deadline acquisition Luis Garcia Jr. is 4-for-10 with a home run, and Game 1 hero Ben Rice is 3-for-7 with two home runs. Those are good for a 1.200 and 1.841 OPS, respectively. Trent Grisham might not start, but he has also hit Gray well, sitting at a .500 average in 10 at-bats with a home run and a 1.445 OPS of his own. The cherry on top is Spencer Jones is also batting .500 against Gray with a double sprinkled into those three hits. Maybe this is all Small Sample Theatre, but it’s worth considering.
The Red Sox have lefties galore on their staff and, in an elimination game, will have to lay all their cards on the table. If you decide to keep score at home, I would recommend a pencil tonight and be ready for lots of scratches through the lineup card, as each pitching change could very well be met with a counter in the batter’s box.
SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 29: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates at home plate after scoring in the seventh inning during Game One of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Jefferson Rojas is nearing the majors, but his hopes could be stalled by a potential lockout.
Joel Sherman wrote a guide to the Mets’ offseason, covering the big questions and potential targets.
Freddy Peralta won the American League Pitcher of the Month honor for September, and David Stearns credited Tampa Bay for doing what the Mets were unable to achieve with Peralta.
Around the National League East
The Phillies announced their complete Wild Card series roster.
The Braves beat the Phillies 5-3 in the first game of the Wild Card series. Austin Riley hit a three-run home run off of Phillies closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning to seal the victory.
Paul Casella compiled a list of four key takeaways from the first game between the Braves and the Phillies.
Around Major League Baseball
The White Sox beat the Astros 6-3 in the first game of their series and made it look easy.
The Yankees completely dominated the Red Sox 9-0 in the first game of their Wild Card series, with plenty of help from Massachusetts natives Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice.
The Padres bashed their way to a win in a 8-0 beatdown of the Cubs, and Michael King’s seven innings of one-hit baseball sealed the deal for the Padres to take the lead in the Wild Card series.
Britt Ghiroli is dreading this postseason, as the looming lockout could stop games for an indeterminable amount of time.
After years as baseball’s worst hitter, Austin Hedges has been experiencing an offensive renaissance at 34 years old.
The Minor League Baseball award winners were announced Monday evening.
There’s a way each postseason team could eventually go the distance and win the World Series.
Aaron Judge was officially left off the Yankees Wild Card series roster, but he’ll continue his rehab in hopes of being activated for a potential American League Division Series.
Giancarlo Stanton and Garrett Crochet could perform some postseason heroics after being added to their respective teams rosters.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
A Pod of Their Own returned with their 2026 season postmortem.
Linus Lawrence listed the different former Mets playing in this year’s postseason.
Lawrence also wrote a guide to the postseason with reasons why a Mets fan might want to root for each team.
Steve Sypa published the Prospect Report Card for September.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves hits a three-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning in game one of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was an exciting afternoon at Truist Park as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 to take Game 1 of the National League Wild Card. Chris Sale got the start and was brilliant. In 6.1 innings, he recorded nine strikeouts and issued one walk. He was charged with three earned runs.
The Atlanta offense had some tough breaks and was unable to put together timely hitting until later in the game. However, that changed when a Michael Harris II single and a hit by pitch had two on for Austin Riley. Riley launched a homer to right center field to give the Braves the 5-3 edge.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 29: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox walks back to the dugout after being pull against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning in game one of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 29, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday, OTM! If you’re reading this, that means the sun did rise once again after a horrific game one loss to the New York Yankees last night. My question to you today is simple: do you still believe? The offense is putrid, Roman Anthony is hurt again, and the Yankees have Max Fried lined up to start. Signs are bad, but as Payton Tolle said, he hasn’t heard a fat lady sing. I’m sure if he walks around New York City for long enough, he’ll find one, but he probably wouldn’t find one who’s omniscient and only sings in conjunction with the end of a baseball playoff series. If he did, he should bring her to American Idol or something. America’s Got Talent, maybe? I don’t know, I’m just vamping.
Are we going to win tonight? Do we have any chance at pulling this series out? Talk about this and whatever else you want, and as always, be good to one another.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Josue De Paula #95 of the Los Angeles Dodgers singles during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on September 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While eight teams battle it out to see who will advance to the Division Series, the Dodgers are among four teams using this time off to prepare for October baseball.
After winning an even 100 games in the regular season, the Dodgers secured a first-round bye and will await the winner of the NL Wild Card matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. While the Dodgers continue to add the finishing touches to their postseason roster, there are some lingering questions as to which players will be a part of the team’s depth chart.
21-year-old outfielder Josue De Paula made his presence known while filling in for the then-injured Shohei Ohtani, slashing .323/.500/.581 across 42 plate appearances before he was sent down to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Sonja Chen of MLB.com believes that both De Paula and utility man Hyeseong Kim can make an impact on the postseason roster, with the former being relegated to pinch-hit opportunities due to his lack of big-league experience in the outfield.
Of course, De Paula is capable of playing the corner outfield, but we only saw him play six innings in left as a Dodger. And given how important defense is in the postseason, I doubt we will see him in the field unless it’s an emergency.
The month of September has given Shohei Ohtani plenty of time to prepare for his third consecutive postseason run with the Dodgers. The Dodgers still have another three days to prepare for the NLDS, and Ohtani is using this time to get his swing in the right place, per Chen.
“Everything is feeling great physically,” general manager Brandon Gomes said on a Zoom call with the media on Tuesday. “The swings, once he came back, overall were in a good place. And using these five days to continue to get reps and feeling good into this series is really important. But feels like he’s in a great spot.”
Freddie Freeman had his power zapped in the second half of the regular season, hitting just one home run while posting a slugging percentage of .339. Freeman dealt with patellar tendonitis in his right knee, but entering the NLDS, he said that he’s feeling a lot better, reports Jack Harris of the California Post.
“I truly feel good right now, physically,” Freeman said on Tuesday, during a video conference with reporters ahead of the Dodgers’ first pre-National League Division Series bye week workout. “So it’s on me now to figure out the mechanics of the swing in the next five days. And I have all the confidence in myself that I will figure that out by [Game 1 on] Saturday.”
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 25: Cole Carrigg #16 of the Colorado Rockies at bat against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on September 25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jayden Mack/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Greetings, friends!
The postseason is officially underway after the first day of Wild Card action. The games were electric, but it’s also interesting to see how teams constructed their rosters. Injured pitchers who hadn’t started for a while made rosters, while Aaron Judge was left off the roster for the New York Yankees. It’ll be interesting to see if any teams can move on to the division round today.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies got some good news to cap off the 2026 season as MLB announced Cole Carrigg was named the National League Rookie of the Month for September. It was the third time a Rockies rookie earned the award this season after TJ Rumfield won the award twice.
Now, here’s what’s going on for the Rockies and the league.
Yankees traded TJ Rumfield to Rockies — And he matched 1926 MLB record | heavy.com — Rumfield’s rookie season was definitely one for the record books as he led the National League in OBP, the first rookie to lead his league in that category in 100 years. It’s interesting to think that because of Ben Rice’s breakout for the New York Yankees last season, Rumfield’s opportunity opened up in Colorado.
Affected by Altitude Episode 227: 100 Once More | Rocky Mountain Rooftop — Evan Lang and I recap the end of the 2026 and what went wrong and right. We also talk about the great seasons for Hunter Goodman and Rumfield before saying goodbye to Kyle Freeland and naming our September Players of the Month!
Around MLB
Here is why each playoff team could win the World Series | MLB.com — The beauty of the chaos of the MLB postseason is that truly anything can happen. Every team that makes it to the dance has a chance to win the whole thing, so the writers at MLB.com share those reasons.
O’s to renovate LF upper deck at Camden Yards, add social space | MLB.com — Every offseason, teams turn their attention to renovations and alterations that could be made to the ballpark. The Baltimore Orioles, who have moved the outfield walls a couple of times over the years, are building what I can mostly relate to a “Party Deck” in left field.
Would Jose Iglesias ever return to the MLB? Yes, with 1 condition | Today.com — Former Rockies infielder Jose Iglesias has transitioned his music career into a stint on Broadway. While his post-baseball pursuits are going well, he’d still be interested in returning if a team ready to compete for a title came calling.
Despite once seemingly having no path toward big league playing time, Ethan Anderson’s impressive 2026 campaign saw him rise to the top of Baltimore’s catching prospects and put him on the doorstep of the major leagues.
This time last year, catcher was perhaps the most logjammed position of any in the Orioles organization. Adley Rutschman was the established starter coming off his fourth (albeit injury-riddled) season in the majors. Samuel Basallo had arrived in Baltimore at the end of August to start his promising big league career. Backstop was simply not a major position of need for Baltimore, and as such, it seemed like there was no real path forward for any minor leaguer.
Fast forward a year, and things have changed in a big way. Rutschman suffered through another injury-laden first half before being shipped off to Boston in a blockbuster trade. Basallo missed some time with his own injury issues and only projects as a part-timer behind the plate going forward. Injuries to the established catchers mean the Orioles once again cycled through backstops, with Chadwick Tromp, Sam Huff, Carlos Narváez, Yohel Pozo and Jake Rogers all seeing action behind the plate for Baltimore.
While Pozo and Narváez are still under team control for a couple more seasons, their lackluster offensive games mean that the role of Basallo’s running mate should be an open competition. And no minor leaguer, after 2026, is better positioned to take advantage of that opportunity than Anderson.
The former 2024 second-round pick out of Virginia spent most of the year with the Baysox in Double-A and established himself as the heartbeat of Chesapeake’s lineup. Compared to what he’d become, the 23-year-old switch-hitter got off to a relatively quiet start. Over the first month of the season, he hit a strong .302, but only put up one home run and four total extra-base hits en route to a SLG (.397) lower than his OBP (.429)
In May, those numbers would flip. Anderson started showing off his power stroke during the second month of the season, swatting 7 homers along with 3 doubles as he put up an improved .484 SLG. However, his average dipped down to .220, while his OBP dropped to .317. Overall, his first two months of the year reflected a respectable minor league hitter, but one who was still figuring some things out offensively.
Everything truly clicked for Anderson starting in June. In 21 games that month, he again launched 7 long balls, but added to that power with a .286 average, a .368 OBP and a strikeout rate that decreased from 26% to 14 percent.
Throughout the second half of the season, Anderson continued to wear out minor league pitchers. After missing most of July with an ankle injury, he returned in August and embarked on an epic hot streak. Over his final 25 games of the season (split between Frederick, Chesapeake and Norfolk), Anderson slashed .333/.390/.604 (.995 OPS) while hitting another 8 home runs and continuing to keep his strikeout rate under 20 percent.
Perhaps most encouraging was the cup of coffee Anderson had in Norfolk to end the season. In five games, the former Virginia Cavalier picked up a hit in all five contests, hit his first two Triple-A home runs and proved even a step up in competition couldn’t slow him down.
Anderson finished the season with a final triple slash of .288/.375/.544, a .919 OPS, 14 doubles, 24 home runs, 55 RBIs and a 22.1% strikeout rate. Of his 344 ABs, 303 came for the Baysox and 21 of his 24 long balls came against Double-A pitchers. Of the Orioles’ Top 30 prospects, only Wehiwa Aloy and Aron Estrada (25 each) hit more home runs than Anderson.
The switch-hitting Anderson also shows promise from both sides of the plate. He has more power against left-handed pitching, with 18 of his 24 homers coming from the right side and a slugging percentage that’s nearly 100 points higher. However, as a LHB against RHPs, Anderson hit .306—compared to .280 against LHPs.
Having already made his way up to Triple-A, Anderson will likely split time with Creed Willems behind the plate to begin next season. Both Anderson and Willems have the same problem; each has a strong offensive profile for a catcher, but questionable defensive skills that make it uncertain if they can stick behind the plate long term.
Anderson did play 500 defensive innings at catcher this past season, compared to 207 innings at 1B. If he can continue to hold his own behind the dish, Anderson should be first in line to replace Narváez in Baltimore next season. The Orioles have had some success in developing catchers defensively, as Basallo was graded as a below-average defender in the minors but showed major strides as a receiver over his first big league season.
A year ago, Anderson would not have been worth monitoring going into 2027, as he’d likely just be another Willems—stuck in Triple-A all season. But with Rutschman gone and the need to pair Basallo with a catcher who can play 75+ games, Anderson is now on a short list of players who could make their debut in 2027.
Happy Wednesday, everyone! The postseason is officially here and Wild Card games are underway. While we wait to see how the final postseason picture develops, we’ve got loads of little news tidbits, including deep dives into how all the teams are shaping up, and how all the different MLB experts predict things going as we head towards the World Series.
Plenty to get into so we know which storylines to keep an eye on this October, so let’s just dive right in.
Zack Gelof is suing the Detroit Tigers after missing “30 days of work” following an injury from attempting to catch a fly ball
The lawsuit says that the collision tore his uniform and caused a deep laceration beneath his right kneecap that missed his patellar tendon. He was… pic.twitter.com/k7cTemOkRD
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 11: An overall view of Yankee Stadium during God Bless America during the game between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees on September 11, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The National League and American League Wild Card series continue today, with all four series playing the second of three potential games.
Because I live in the past and have to write these before the games have been played, you have a better idea of how the series are going than I do. But here’s what’s on deck for today. I’m going to do these by time instead of league because that makes more sense. Also, rather than repeating myself, all of the games will have national radio coverage on ESPN Radio.
First up, we have the visiting Philadelphia Phillies against the Atlanta Braves, in which Atlanta has a 1-0 lead in the series. This one starts at 11:00 a.m. PT and airs on NBC/Peacock.
After that, we have the visiting Chicago White Sox playing against the Houston Astros at 2:00 p.m. PT, and airing on Peacock/NBC Sports Network.
Then it’s the visiting Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees at 5:00 p.m. PT, airing on NBC/Peacock.
And then finally, we have the visiting Chicago Cubs playing the San Diego Padres at 7:00 p.m. PT, airing on Peacock/NBC Sports Network.
The 2026 MLB playoffs kicked off with a bang, setting the stage for a full slate of matchups Wednesday, Sept. 30, with pivotal second games in the best-of-three wild card round.
The day’s action begins with the Atlanta Braves, fresh off a come-from-behind victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1. Up 1-0 in the series, the Braves are looking to clinch a spot in the next round, while the Phillies fight to keep their season alive.
In the late afternoon, the American League takes center stage as the Chicago White Sox look to end their series against the Houston Astros.
Later, all eyes will be on the rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. The Red Sox, on the brink of elimination, need a Game 2 win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The night concludes with the San Diego Padres taking on the Chicago Cubs. After a dominant Game 1, the Padres have a chance to close out the series at home as the Cubs try to force a decisive Game 3.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 29: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees celebrates as he walks back to the dugout after closing out the top of the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox in game one of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 29, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last year, Cam Schlittler put in one of the most memorable Yankees’ playoff pitching performances of the century in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox. With the series tied at one and everything at stake, he went eight innings, striking out 12 batters while scattering a couple hits and no walks. While anyone who had seen him pitch in the weeks leading up to that start could see that there was something there, that start exceeded almost everyone’s expectation. Adding to that, he was born and raised in Massachusetts, and hasn’t been afraid to go at Boston fans on social media, clearly coming in with a chip on his shoulder, even against the team he grew up rooting for.
Flash forward a year, and Schlittler has very much looked like the pitcher he was that day in 2025, except for the entire season. With a season ERA under 2.00 and a bunch of other excellent numbers, he’s the current favorite for the AL Cy Young Award. While starting a rookie in a do-or-die game last season was something of a risk, this year he was the no-doubt choice to take the mound in Game 1 as the Yankees and Red Sox met in the Wild Card Series again.
While just on raw numbers, Schlittler wasn’t as good as he was last year, his start in Game 1 against the Red Sox looked pretty similar to 2025.
In 6.1 innings on Tuesday night, Schlittler kept the Red Sox off the board, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out 10. Both the hits he allowed were just singles and none of any of the runners even got into scoring position while he was in the game. You always feel somewhat on edge during close playoff baseball games, but there wasn’t much actual reason to be while Schlittler was in the game. Other than maybe going eight innings like he did last year, you couldn’t really ask for much more from him.
Between his performance this year and last year, he’s writing himself quite a legacy in this rivalry.
Then there’s Ben Rice. While Rice grew up a Yankee fan in enemy territory, he grew up in Massachusetts all the same. He’s probably not going to get the award love that Schlittler will, but he’s arguably been just as important this year. With 41 regular season home runs, he’s carried the offense at points, especially with Aaron Judge injured for much of this season.
On Tuesday night, he carried the offense once again. Rice went 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI. He turned a close game into a more than comfortable one.
While he wasn’t involved in the first of the Yankees’ nine runs, he played a part in a whole chunk of the rest. In the fifth inning, he hit a home run to double the Yankees’ lead with the game still very close. As the Yankees started to tack on some insurance runs, he drove home one with a single as part of a two-run seventh. However, the big blow was still yet to come.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, the Yankees led 5-0 with Rice at the plate. At five runs, they had a comfortable lead, but still one you’d probably expect them to turn to closer David Bednar for, if not only to erase any doubt. With one swing, Rice put the cherry on top of the game and insured they could save some bullpen bullets for future games.
The Yankees getting these performances in big moments is always great. It’s even better when you factor in that both Schlittler and Rice are homegrown prospects. Then you add in the fact that they’re from Red Sox territory and it adds a layer of humor. That being said, no matter where they’re from, I’ll take performances like what they provided on Tuesday night.
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado hit first-inning home runs for the Padres in the opener and San Diego never looked back, going on to win 8-0 as starter Michael King took a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
Kevin Gausman will start Game 2 for the Cubs while Nick Pivetta takes the mound for the Padres, hoping to put away Chicago and get some revenge for last year's loss at this stage in the postseason. The Padres have not reached the World Series since 1998 and have never won a championship.
The Padres-Cubs winner advances to the best-of-five NL Division Series, where it will face the Milwaukee Brewers, who finished with MLB's best regular season record. If the Cubs win Game 2 on Wednesday, the winner-take-all Game 3 will be played on Thursday in San Diego.
Where to watch Cubs vs Padres: TV channel, streaming
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
Likely Cy Young Cam Schlittler was lights out at Yankee Stadium and Ben Rice hit two home runs, including a back-breaking grand slam in the eighth inning in front of a raucous crowd.
"You could feel that energy, it was electric and so many guys played so well, you enjoy it for a minute," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters after the win.
"But it's getting right back after it tomorrow knowing that we'll have a chance to close it out ... It's one win. So we've got the blinders on. But it's a confident group in knowing that we can, if we play our game we can beat anyone.
Lefty Max Fried will start for the Yankees and Sonny Gray goes for the Red Sox trying to stave off elimination. The winner of this best-of-three series advances to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Division Series.
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 08: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at American Family Field on September 08, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The regular season is over, and with that, one of the great regular seasons in the history of the franchise has also come to an end. Jacob Misiorowski, the 24-year-old flamethrower who hadn’t yet reached 75 regular season innings in his career before the season started, had a breakout campaign for the ages. Before moving on to the next phase of Misiorowski’s 2026 season, let’s look back on what he did and place it in some historical context.
In his first season in the big leagues, Misiorowski was pretty good and certainly showed flashes of greatness, but he was far from a finished product. Across 15 games (14 of which were starts) in 2025, the big righty had outstanding highs, like when he started his second big-league outing by retiring the first 18 Twins he faced before a walk and a two-run homer ended his afternoon, or when he struck out 12 in six innings in his fifth start, leading to an unlikely All-Star appearance after just five major league games. But there were also lows: command, which had been an existential question mark for Miz as a minor leaguer, sometimes got away from him, and he finished the season with a too-high 4.2 walks per nine innings. He tended to fold under pressure; when things started to go bad, he would find it difficult to stop the bleeding. While there was plenty to like, Miz finished the regular season in 2025 with a 4.36 ERA (96 ERA+).
But if anyone was worried about Misiorowski’s long-term upside, the 2025 postseason was an affirmation of belief. He pitched three times, all out of the bullpen; in two outings against the Cubs, he went seven innings, allowed four hits and one run, and struck out seven. Both appearances came in wins, including four innings in the series-clinching Game 5, which Milwaukee won 3-1. By the time Misiorowski entered the first inning of Game 3 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, Los Angeles already had the lead. But with two men on and one out, Misiorowski struck out Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernández. He pitched another 4 1/3 innings, struck out a total of nine batters to just one walk, and allowed only one earned run. Milwaukee’s offense was unable to overcome Tyler Glasnow and Milwaukee lost, but across 12 innings in his first postseason, Misiorowski struck out 16, walked just three, and had a 1.50 ERA.
While some (like me) were guarding themselves against too-high expectations coming into the 2026 season, it turned out we need not worry. The pitcher who we saw in the 2025 postseason was the pitcher we got in 2026. On Opening Day, Misiorowski gave up a home run to the first batter he faced… and then allowed only one more hit while striking out 11 over the next five innings. On April 7, he struck out 10 Red Sox in 5 1/3 innings. He had back-to-back starts with nine strikeouts at the end of the month.
When the calendar turned to May, he got even better: 5 1/3 shutout innings, eight strikeouts, two walks against the Nationals on the May 1. May 8 served as a coming out party of sorts; he blew by Aaron Judge and the Yankee lineup, nearly throwing an immaculate inning in the first as he sat well above 100 mph, and finished with 11 Ks, two walks, and two hits allowed in six shutout innings. The Brewers lost on May 13, but not until after Misiorowski, who struck out 10 and walked none in seven shutout innings, left the game. Eight strikeouts, one walk, three hits, no runs in six innings against the Cubs on May 19. Twelve strikeouts, one walk, two hits, and one run in seven innings against St. Louis on May 25. He capped his historic May with seven shutout innings, eight strikeouts, and no walks against the Astros on May 31.
Misiorowski’s May was the stuff of legend, one of the great pitching months in the history of baseball. Across six sparkling starts, he went 38 1/3 innings and allowed one run for a 0.23 ERA. He struck out 57 and walked six. It was as unhittable as any pitcher has looked over a month as I have seen in my lifetime. The streak wasn’t done, either; Colorado snuck a run across on June 6, but it was unearned.
Then, on June 12 against the Phillies, we got Misiorowski’s masterpiece. He struck out Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper swinging in the top of the first, and it was clear immediately that Philly had no chance. He went for efficiency in the second in another perfect inning. Three more strikeouts (all swinging) in the third. Schwarber knocked a single to left to start the fourth, but Turner struck out and Harper hit into an inning-ending double play. The Phillies didn’t get another runner on base all night. When he struck out Justin Crawford on a 103.1-mph fastball to end the game, Misiorowski had faced the minimum, struck out 15, walked none, and thrown the first shutout of his career. He’d thrown the fastest pitch ever tracked by a starting pitcher at 104.5 mph. It was the best start in the history of the franchise, and one of the best of all time.
It was the greatest pitching performance I’ve ever seen and is tied for the eighth-highest game score in any nine-inning game in baseball history. In eight starts between May 1 and June 12, Misiorowski had a 0.17 ERA, 80 strikeouts, and nine walks in 54 1/3 innings. It was a stretch that had me asking irresponsible questions and concluding that no matter what happened over the rest of his career, Misiorowski over the month’s first couple months had shown us pitching that put him amongst the greatest of all time.
After the showcase on June 12, Misiorowski, the bum, took his foot off the gas: between mid-June and the end of August he had “only” a 2.25 ERA, 91 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 64 innings. He had a little hiccup against the Cubs — but the team still won — in early September and took his foot off the gas a bit as the season neared its conclusion… but, surprise, over his last four outings, Misiorowski, even when clearly in “cruise until the end of the season” mode, allowed one run for a 0.46 ERA in 19 2/3 innings.
When all was said and done, Misiorowski had an eye-popping stat line: 30 games (all starts), 16-5, 1.80 ERA, 232 ERA+, 2.17 FIP, 252 strikeouts, 0.802 WHIP, 4.9 H/9, 13.0 K/9, 2.3 BB/9. He earned 6.5 WAR via Baseball Reference and led all pitchers with 6.6 WAR via FanGraphs. His 4.9 hits allowed per nine innings and .157 opponent batting average are both all-time records in a major league non-Negro League season. And he obliterated every record for velocity that we’ve ever had from a starting pitcher. A few more fun tidbits via Sarah Langs:
He was the third-youngest pitcher to lead qualified pitchers in ERA and strikeouts since earned runs became official in 1913, older only than Dwight Gooden in 1985 and Hal Newhouser in 1945 (when most of the league’s regulars were in the military).
His 0.80 WHIP was the second lowest in any qualified season since the Dead Ball Era ended in 1920, behind only Pedro Martínez’s legendary 2000 season.
He is just the fourth pitcher since 1950 to lead baseball in strikeouts, ERA, and opponent batting average, joining Mike Scott in 1986, J.R. Richard in 1979, and Sandy Koufax in 1965.
Misiorowski became the eighth pitcher since 1913 to have an ERA of 1.80 or lower and 250 strikeouts or more, joining a list that includes Gooden in 1985, Martínez in 2000, Koufax in 1966, Jacob deGrom in 2018, Tom Seaver in 1971, and Bob Gibson and Luis Tiant in 1968 — seven of the most legendary pitching seasons of all time.
Misiorowski threw “only” 174 2/3 innings this year; he is a product of his time. (Even as the Brewers protected his innings, only 22 pitchers threw more than Miz this season.) Because of that relatively low inning count, Misiorowski’s season isn’t going to immediately pop up if you’re sorting historic seasons by WAR.
But make no mistake: this was a historic season. We already mentioned that he set records for H/9 and opponent batting average. His 232 ERA+ is the 14th highest by a qualified pitcher in AL/NL history, six of the 13 seasons in front of him came more than 100 years ago. His 13.0 K/9 are the fourth most by a qualified pitcher in a full 162-game season. By most rate-related measures, it was the greatest season by a pitcher in the history of the Milwaukee Brewers.
He will surely become the fourth Brewer to win a Cy Young Award, joining Rollie Fingers, Pete Vuckovich, and Corbin Burnes. The only question is whether he is the unanimous selection, something none of his three Milwaukee compatriots managed.
Behind the lanky, goofy kid who loves Pokémon is an absolute assassin who turned in a magical, almost unbelievable season. Miz’s towering presence at the top of the rotation gives Milwaukee an edge over essentially anyone they could face this postseason. Sure, on any given day, there are other great pitchers in the league who could out-pitch Misiorowski, but there is no pitcher in the league who is better than Misiorowski. And given the way that he tends to get jacked up for big games, I am excited to see what he will offer us when he is back on the hill in the postseason beginning this Saturday.
