ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: Isaac Paredes #15 of the Houston Astros celebrates after hitting a 391 ft. solo home run in the top of the first inning with Yainer Diaz #21 against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 12, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the end of April, the Astros were 12-20, the worst team in the American League. Since then, they have gone 63-55, the fourth-best AL record over that time. They have climbed back into contention in a laughably weak Western Division, and actually begin this series in first place, despite a .500 record.
Kansas City Royals (66-84) vs. Houston Astros (75-75) at Daikin Park in Houston, TX
The Astros have hit slightly worse at home than they have on the road, with just 47 percent of their home runs coming at Daikin Park. They have the fewest stolen bases in baseball, and the highest caught stealing rate (31 percent) in baseball.
Who’s hot:
Isaac Paredes is hitting .298/.403/.512 with six home runs over his last 34 games.
Salvador Perez has begun to heat up, batting .326/.383/.512 with two home runs in his last 11 games.
Who’s not:
Jeremy Peña is batting just .149/.200/.191 in 12 games in September.
Isaac Collins is batting just 2-for-28 (.071) in September, although he has drawn a team-high eight walks.
Interesting splits:
Yordan Alvarez is hitting .362/.472/.687 at home, by far the best home numbers by any hitter.
Jac Caglianone is third in the AL in OPS since the All-Star break, hitting .323/.352/.551.
Michael Wacha has given up three runs or fewer in nine of his ten starts since the All-Star break, with a 2.29 ERA in that time. Hunter Brown has a 8.82 ERA in four career starts against the Royals, including a start in 2024 where he gave up nine runs while recording just two outs.
Daniel Lynch IV has a 6.37 ERA as a starter in seven games. Cristian Javier has struggled this year, but had his best start in his last outing, giving up just one run in six innings against the Phillies.
Seth Lugo has a 5.76 ERA since the All-Star break, second-worst among qualified starters, but with a 3.79 FIP over that time. The Astros have not yet announced a starter for Thursday, but rookie Ethan Pecko is likely to pitch. He has given up just four earned runs in 15 innings over his last three starts.
The Astros have a 4.12 ERA from their relievers this year, with the eighth-best strikeout rate. The Astros have just 11 blown saves, the fewest in baseball. Josh Hader has 25 saves and has given up just one earned run since July 21, good for a 0.38 ERA in 21 innings over that time. AJ Blubaugh is just ten innings away from becoming the first reliever to throw 100 innings in a season since 2006. Bryan Abreu has a 1.65 ERA in 27 games since the All-Star break.
The Astros have dropped six of eight and are coming off a losing road trip. They are just 37-38 at home, a worse home record than the Royals.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 13: CJ Abrams #5 and Jorbit Vivas #84 of the Washington Nationals celebrate after a 6-5 victory against the Los Angeles Angels at Nationals Park on September 13, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With only 11 games to go and the Nats officially eliminated from playoff contention, we are officially in the home stretch. It would be easy to just play out the string here, but I do think there is one major goal the Nats should look to accomplish. They should make it their mission to beat the Mets to the 4th place spot and stay out of last place.
Right now, the Nats are 70-81, 0.5 games ahead of the Mets who are 69-81. I think that getting that 4th place spot would be a good way to spring board into the 2027 season. For most of the season, the Nats have been well above the Mets. Holding them off would be a good way to finish the year.
Since the Nats won the World Series in 2019, they have been in the basement of the NL East in 5 of the past 6 seasons. Nats fans have truly been in the trenches for a long time now. This season has been a step forward despite a disappointing last couple months. However, it would be a blow to the psyche to finish last again.
This epic battle for 4th place should truly come down to the wire. It is likely to be decided on the final days of the season. The Nats play the Mets in a 3 game series to finish the season from the 25th to the 27th. Blake Butera needs to pull out all the stops in order to get his team over the line here.
It would also be cool if the crowd got into it as well. We should back the team and help the boys get over the line. They deserve some love to close out this season. While it has not been perfect, this has been the most entertaining season of Nats baseball since 2019. The offense has been electric and Cade Cavalli has established himself as a top of the rotation arm.
How great would it be to send this highly paid Mets team into last place to close out the season? It would be quite the way to close out the season. The Mets have not been a last place team in a while. This stat surprised me, but the Mets have not had sole possession of last place in the division since 2003. It is time to change that over these next two weeks.
Last time they finished in last place in the NL East:
At this point in the season, you have to find meaning in these games. This is true both for the fans and the players. I am sure all these players’ bodies are aching and they can see the finish line. However, as we saw in the Angels series, they have not given up yet, especially at home.
Despite being out of the playoff race, there is still a lot to play for. They are two wins away from having the most wins since 2019 and three wins away from avoiding a 90 loss campaign. If they go 5-6 down the stretch, this team could get to 75 wins. Back in April, I would have 100% taken a 75 win season.
As we wrap up this season, there is still a lot on the line. There are milestones to be reached. It is time to fight to stay out of last place! Let’s keep the Mets in the basement where they belong.
BONUS EPISODE! Two great episodes for the price of, well, none, but it was a privilege to sit down with Cardinals 2025 4th round pick Cade Crossland and I was also very thankful to be joined by prospect evaluator Kyle Reis of thecardinalnation.com who really helped fill in some of the cracks where my prospect knowledge lacks.
I am also thrilled to say that I expect to have MORE player interviews in the coming weeks and months as the player representitive agency “Bellangee Group” reached out to me recently and selected our show as one to help highlight some of their young players, we, of course, will humbly oblige, and you, the listener, will be the beneficiary of all the great content planned in that regard. So, this isnt just a random one off, this is the begininng of something really exciting and we’re happy to be able to bring that to all of you!
00:00 Introduction to Viva Elberto’s Podcast 00:12 Meet the Hosts: Jake, Gabe, and Scott 00:23 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:33 Cade Crossland’s Journey to Pro Ball 04:56 Pre-Draft Process and Emotions 07:12 College Experience and Technology in Baseball 10:36 Cade’s Pitching Style and Mental Approach 12:47 Changeup Success and Pitch Development 15:34 Analyzing Performance and Learning from Mistakes 18:32 Teammate Impressions and Opponent Challenges 21:04 Reflection on July Struggles and Promotion to Peoria 24:42 Offseason Goals and Training Plans 26:27 Quickfire Questions and Personal Insights
The Mets made a roster move on Tuesday, claiming infielder/outfielder Christian Cairo off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cairo was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Cairo was a fourth-round pick of Cleveland in the 2019 MLB Draft and signed a minor league contract with the Phillies this past offseason.
In 128 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Cairo had a .676 OPS with four home runs, 35 RBI, 66 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases.
Cairo, the son of longtime former MLB player Miguel Cairo, has played shortstop, second base, third base, center field, and left field for this season.
Ryan Lambert of the Syracuse Mets delivers a pitch during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
A league owned and operated by Major League Baseball that plays for a few weeks in October and November, the six teams of the Arizona Fall League are rostered by minor league players from all 30 affiliated MLB clubs. This season, the Mets will be supplying players to the Surprise Saguaros, along with the Cleveland Guardians, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, and Kansas City Royals.
Players are selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for a variety of reasons. Commonly, parent clubs send their minor league players to get more at-bats or accrue more innings due to injury or other issues that prevented them from playing during the regular season. Players are also sent to better evaluate changes that were made at the plate or on the mound. In some cases, it gives players who are being considered for spots on the 40-man roster additional time to showcase their abilities in front of the scouts and executives who will be making those decisions and in other cases, players are selected simply to showcase their abilities against the upper echelon of minor league prospects.
This season, the Mets will be sending three infielders, Bruin Agbayani, Boston Baro, and Cole Mathis, and five pitchers, Irving Cota, Brendan Girton, Ryan Lambert, Peyton Prescott, and Calvin Ziegler.
Bruin Agbayani, who was acquired earlier this season from the Minnesota Twins, spent much of the season injured and only appeared in 13 games for the entire season, 10 with the Fort Myers Miracle and 3 with the St. Lucie Mets. Likewise, Boston Baro, who was ranked the Mets’ 25th top prospect coming into the season, had a season beset by injuries and setbacks and only appeared in 11 games, all during a pair of rehab assignments. Mathis, who was acquired by the Mets from the Chicago Cubs, appeared in just 7 games for the Mets, and 21 in total.
Right-hander Irving Cota spent much of the early 2026 season bouncing up-and-down between the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies before effectively having his season end in mid-May. He appeared in 8 games in total for the two teams combined, 7 with the Cyclones and 1 with the Rumble Ponies.
Peyton Prescott, who was drafted in the 5th round of the 2025 MLB Draft, made just a single appearance this past season, with the right-hander throwing a single inning for the St. Lucie Mets at the end of the season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2025, just prior to being selected in the draft.
Calvin Ziegler, who was a top prospect in the system as recently as 2023, has lost most if not all of his prospect cache since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. After missing all of the 2025 season, the right-hander returned to the mound in rehab games at the beginning of the summer and then appeared in 12 games total, 11 with the Brooklyn Cyclones and 1 with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
Ryan Lambert, who was ranked 19th on the 2026 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Prospects List, dealt with some minor injuries that may or may not have affected him throughout the season. The right-hander appeared in 26 games for the Syracuse Mets in total and posted a 7.61 ERA in 23.2 innings, allowing 18 hits, walking 25, and striking out 31.
Brenden Girton also experienced limited injuries, mostly at the end of the season. He spent the entirety of the 2026 season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and appeared in 33 games, making 15 starts. He posted a 6.72 ERA in 83.0 innings, allowing 81 hits, walking 57, and striking out 81.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 11: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs looks on from the outfield against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on September 11, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the Trade Deadline behind us, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
We’ve reached the halfway point of September, several teams have now clinched postseason spots, and several more will soon. With just a couple weeks of regular season baseball left, let’s check in on the NL Central.
Note: Records and stats are through games played on September 13th.
First Place: Milwaukee Brewers (93-57)
Top Position Player: Brice Turang (5.2 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Jacob Misiorowski (6.0 fWAR)
The Brewers won the race to be the first team to clinch a playoff spot over the weekend, and they’re now closing in on the NL Central title. They’re in a good position to finish with the best record in all of baseball as well.
They have an obvious absolute star in Misiorowski, but the most remarkable thing about the Brewers is that they’re just generally solid at almost every spot. Only one of their hitters with over 400 plate appearances has a wRC+ below the 100 average, and that’s Christian Yelich, who’s still in the 90s. You could’ve said similar things about last year’s Brewers, and they ended up getting shoved aside by the Dodgers in the NLCS, so we shall see.
Second Place: Chicago Cubs (83-67, 10 GB)
Top Position Player: Pete Crow-Armstrong (9.8 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Ben Brown (2.0 fWAR)
Going into Monday, the Cubs would have the third best record were they an AL team. Instead in the NL Central, they’re way off the pace of the division lead. As of now, the Cubs are safely in the NL playoffs, but not so safe that they can rest on their laurels. They lost five of their last seven games going into Monday, so they can’t afford to let that skid continue.
As a team, the Cubs are incredibly reliant on their hitting and defense, while pitching has been a massive struggle for them. The two facets of the team are on such opposite poles that they’re going to go down as one of the most unbalanced teams of all time. They have the possible NL MVP in Crow-Armstrong, but can he and the rest of the lineup overcome that pitching? It’ll be fascinating to see play out.
Third Place: Pittsburgh Pirates (75-75, 18 GB)
Top Position Player: Brandon Lowe (4.1 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Paul Skenes (4.8 fWAR)
It was wild to realize when putting together this post that the Pirates are basically in need of a miracle run to get into the playoffs in the NL, but they would be a game out of contention with that record in the AL.
It’s probably too late for Pittsburgh to rally and make the playoffs, but there are some things they can take away from this season. They’ve gotten some good seasons out of some of their young, up and coming players. One of those players is Skenes, who has only been merely “good” instead of “Cy Young Award great.” It’s somewhat worrying that he’s taken a step back, but if the Pirates figure that out, they could be a team that is intriguing next year.
Fourth Place: St. Louis Cardinals (74-76, 19 GB)
Top Position Player: JJ Weatherholt (4.4 fWAR) Top Pitcher(s): Andre Pallante and Kyle Leahy (2.6 fWAR)
You can copy and paste some of what was said above about the Pirates and apply that to the Cardinals. Seven different St. Louis hitters aged 27 or younger have put up above average OPS+es on the season. Pallante and Michael McGreevy are both younger pitchers who’ve had pretty good years. They’re also gone nowhere in the standings, really.
Fifth Place: Cincinnati Reds (70-79, 22.5 GB)
Top Position Player: Elly De La Cruz (5.7 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Chase Burns (4.4 fWAR)
The good news for the Reds is that Burns looks like a possible stud worthy of the No. 2 overall pick that he was in 24. More good news is that De La Cruz remains an absolute freak of nature and a genuine star. Not a ton else has gone right for Cincinnati, though. Their 22.5-game deficit in the division is the most of anyone in the league besides the Rockies and Giants in the NL West, both of whom are very bad.
ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 22: Myles Bailey #12 of the Florida State Seminoles bats during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 2026 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field on February 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB announced the rosters for the Arizona Fall League Tuesday and here are the seven Cubs prospects who will play there beginning in early October.
You have likely not heard of many of these prospects, as most of them have not played above the lower levels of the system.
I noted Myles Bailey in the headline because he was the Cubs’ second round pick this year out of Florida State, where he batted .363/.582/.913 with 13 home runs in 26 games. He suffered a leg injury that ended his college season in April and he did not play in the Cubs system at all this year.
The Cubs clearly want Bailey to get some playing time this year, and that’s the story for many of the prospects listed above. That’s apparently the current organizational philosophy behind the Cubs sending players to the AFL, guys who they want to get more playing time due to injury or other issues that kept them out during the regular season.
I’ll let Josh weigh in on these players as he knows more about them than I do.
The AFL is comprised of six teams, each of which have prospects from five MLB organizations. Cubs prospects play for the Mesa Solar Sox, who have home games at the Cubs spring ballpark, Sloan Park. The other four teams that will send prospects to the Solar Sox are the Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays and Red Sox.
Here are the other five AFL teams and the MLB teams sending prospects their way:
The AFL begins play Saturday, Oct. 3 and concludes with the championship game at Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, Nov. 14. There will also be a Fall Stars Game at Salt River Fields on Sunday, Nov. 8. The Fall Stars Game and AFL championship game are generally televised on MLB Network, if you need a baseball fix in November (and who here doesn’t?).
Here’s the complete AFL schedule:
If you are in the Phoenix area during this time, attending an AFL game is fun and inexpensive ($14, or $12 for seniors 60+ and teens 11-17; kids 10 and under with an adult are free, get tickets here). There are usually a few hundred people at each game, many of whom are family members of the players. It’s an enjoyable baseball experience.
The Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees have all punched their tickets along with the defending back-to-back World Series champions, and though all three National League divisions are about as close to wrapped up as you can get with the Brewers, Dodgers and Atlanta Braves all leading by comfortable margins, the American League is still anyone's game.
Tampa Bay holds the largest lead in any of the AL divisions with a 3.5 game cushion over the red-hot Yankees, but the Bronx Bombers also clinched their playoff berth on Monday night to set up a climactic series beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22. While the Boston Red Sox are far behind in the AL East picture, they comfortably hold the second wild card spot.
The third American wild card is where things get interesting.
The Cleveland Guardians currently hold the third and final spot, but also trail the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central lead by 1.5 games. They're currently facing each other in a crucial three-game series that could have major implications in both the division and the wild card. The Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers are also right on their tails, trailing the Guardians by less than two games for that coveted third spot, with the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers further down in the mix as they sit three and 4.5 games behind, respectively.
The National League wild card picture might be even blurrier at the top.
The three current frontrunners - Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres - are all within one game of each other, so there's plenty of room for those cards to be shuffled around in the bracket. The Padres have been locked in a heated battle with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final wild card spot for most of the second half of the season, but the Friars are starting to pull away down the stretch as they enter Tuesday with a 2.5-game lead over their NL West foe.
Those two will finish off the regular season with a three-game series at Petco Park starting Sept. 25 that could end up being "win and get in."
MLB playoff format
The top two division winners (best overall record) in each league receive an automatic bye into the division series.
The third division winner in each league (as the No. 3 seed) hosts the third wild card team (the No. 6 seed) in a best-of-3 series.
The other two wild card teams (Nos. 4 and 5 seeds) play each other, with the higher-seeded team hosting all three games.
The winner of the 4 vs. 5 matchup plays the No. 1 overall seed in a best-of-5 division series, while the 3 vs. 6 winner plays the No. 2 seed.
The winners of those series face each other in a best-of-7 league championship series, with the winners advancing to the World Series.
MLB playoff tiebreaker procedure
If two or more teams finish tied with the same overall regular-season record, the ties are broken by MLB's predetermined formula:
Head-to-head record
Intradivision record
Intraleague record
Interleague record after the All-Star break
Interleague record after the All-Star break, plus one
If three or more teams tie for a spot, they go through the same tiebreaker procedure outlined above based on winning percentages. However, if one team has a better record against all the other tied teams, that team gets the highest playoff seed and the others restart the tiebreaker procedure.
MLB playoff schedule
The MLB postseason begins on Tuesday, Sept. 29 with Game 1 of each of the four Wild Card series. If necessary, a decisive Game 3 is set for two days later on Thursday, Oct. 1.
All four division series will start on Saturday, Oct. 3. If Game 5 is needed, those will be played on Friday, Oct. 9 in the National League and Saturday, Oct. 10 in the American League.
The National League Championship Series will begin on Sunday, Oct. 11 while the American League Championship Series starts the next day on Oct. 12. The LCS round is a best-of-seven with a 2-3-2 format. If necessary, Game 7 is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19 in the NLCS and Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the ALCS.
The World Series will begin on Friday, Oct. 23. A winner-take-all Game 7 would be played on Halloween, Oct. 31, if necessary.
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Ike Irish #91 of the Baltimore Orioles talks with third base coach Roberto Mercado during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On Tuesday afternoon, MLB announced the list of players heading out for the Arizona Fall League this season, with play beginning on October 3 and running through a league championship game on November 14. Eight Orioles prospects are going to be in action with the Peoria Javelinas alongside of players from the Cardinals, Mariners, Padres, and Reds.
The eight Orioles are: OF/1B Ike Irish, OF Vance Honeycutt, INF/OF Brandon Butterworth, RHP Braxton Bragg, LHP Kailen Hamson, RHP Kiefer Lord, RHP Patrick Reilly, and RHP Teddy Sharkey.
This is a fairly typical group of guys for the Orioles to send to the AFL in that most of them missed substantial development time either this year or last year or both due to injuries.
Irish, the team’s first round pick last year, had an excellent first full pro season interrupted by a torn meniscus in his knee; his season ended on July 22, when he was almost certainly closing in on a promotion to Double-A. The AFL assignment will hopefully help him hit the ground running at Chesapeake next season.
Butterworth, kind of a super utility guy who the team acquired in last year’s Laureano/O’Hearn Padres trade, was also sidelined for a decent chunk of this season, ending up with 75 level-appropriate games being played. He finished the season at Triple-A, which is probably a higher level of competition than what he’ll face in Arizona. He hit .269/.377/.497 in 52 games for Chesapeake, which is interesting.
Bragg, Lord, Reilly, and Sharkey are all guys who had Tommy John at some point in the last couple of seasons, whose development paths were thrown off as a result. This quartet of pitchers, all of whom were drafted from the college ranks in 2023, all become Rule 5 Draft-eligible this offseason.
Since they’ve missed so much time, the AFL assignment will allow the Orioles to have a little bit more information about how they’ve recovered and what kind of form they have after the elbow ligament surgery recovery, and they can hopefully make a better decision about who to protect. Except for Lord, they were all getting good or at least decent results at the level the Orioles had assigned them by season’s end, Frederick or Chesapeake.
Hamson makes the AFL cut, with the Orioles probably just wanting to get the Australian-born lefty some more action to try to help him work on severe command problems. Hamson walked 69 batters in 67.1 innings this season, and no, I didn’t mistype that. That’s more walks than innings pitched. It’s not nice.
Then there’s Honeycutt. He tantalized with his bevy of big league spring training home runs, then went on to do more of what he has done so far in his pro career when assigned to Frederick. That is, he struck out a whole lot and had extremely bad hitting numbers. The Orioles bumped Honeycutt up to Chesapeake for the final few weeks of the season anyway and he responded with a .288/.381/.616 batting line in 20 games, where he struck out only 25% of the time.
That’s a high rate for a Double-A player but it’s a low rate for Honeycutt. If he is able to put up a solid batting line in Arizona while limiting the strikeouts again, there will be a little bit of hope that he’s not a total lost cause.
Aug 6, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Martin Perez (33) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The start of Atlanta’s series at the Chicago Cubs didn’t exactly go to plan.
A short and ineffective Reynaldo López start ended with him going back on the injured list and dug the Braves an early hole. The offense showed fight late but couldn’t claw back into the game, resulting in a series-opening 7-3 loss.
The Braves will look to bounce back Tuesday night (7:40 p.m. ET) with veteran southpaw Martín Pérez (8-9, 3.08 ERA) on the mound against Chicago right-hander (and old friend) Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.60).
Pérez, who has been an unexpected inning-eater and rock in a tumultuous Braves rotation this season, has had a knack for not delivering back-to-back suboptimal starts.
In line with that, he bounced back from a Sept. 5 start at the Phillies which left something to be desired (3 2/3 innings, four runs on seven hits) with a stellar showing last time out against the Rays last Thursday (seven shutout innings, four hits and two walks).
Pérez’s limited experience against the Cubs hasn’t gone particularly well. The 15-year veteran has faced the Cubs just three times (two starts) and is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA, 11 hits allowed and eight strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.
In a smaller relief sample size earlier this season, though, he found more success against Chicago, tossing a 1-2-3 inning out of the bullpen in Atlanta’s 4-1 home win over the Cubs on May 13.
Gausman, who had one very good partial season with the Braves (2018) followed by one not particularly good partial season in 2019, restored his career first in San Francisco and more recently in Toronto.
However, his 4.60 ERA in 30 starts this season is his worst since that 2019 season (5.72) by nearly a full run per nine innings.
Things haven’t exactly gotten better since he was shipped to Chicago at the trade deadline. After he had a 4.38 ERA in 23 starts with the Blue Jays, he has a 5.31 ERA in seven starts since joining the Cubs.
Last time out against the Brewers, he had probably his worst start since the trade, getting tagged for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in four innings in an 8-6 loss last Wednesday.
Gausman is 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta. That lone loss came earlier this season when he was with Toronto, surrendering all four runs on five hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss on June 2.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15, 7:40 p.m. EDT
Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
TV/Streaming: TBS, Atlanta News First (locally), BravesVision
Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
EASTLAKE, OHIO - MAY 06, 2026: Charles Davalan #6 of the Great Lakes Loons bats during the fourth inning against the Lake County Captains at Classic Auto Group Park on May 06, 2026 in Eastlake, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Major League Baseball on Tuesday announced rosters for the 2026 Arizona Fall League, which will run from October 3 through November 13. Outfielders Eduardo Quintero and Charles Davalan, both top-100 prospects in baseball, are among the Dodgers slated to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs.
When Baseball America revised their prospect rankings after the trade deadline in August, Quintero was rated 16th overall and Davalan 89th. Both lead the Midwest League in several categories in leading the High-A Great Lakes Loons to the playoffs. Quintero and Davalan were promoted to Tulsa on Sunday, and Quintero homered in his first game in Double-A. Both will help the Drillers in the Texas League playoffs beginning Tuesday night, one night before Quintero’s 21st birthday.
Also included on Dodgers on Glendale’s roster are four pitchers and two position players, all of whom missed significant time this season on the injured list:
Luke Fox: Limited to just 27 1/3 innings with Tulsa, the left-hander missed nearly four months with a hamstring injury before returning in August, only to re-injure himself in his second start back and miss another week and a half.
Marlon Nieves: 21-year-old won California League pitcher of the week in April, then soon missed 10 weeks on the injured list until July. Had 5.22 ERA in 50 innings for Class-A Ontario with 57 strikeouts and 41 walks, but only two home runs allowed.
Third baseman Chase Harlan, the Dodgers’ third-round pick out of high school in 2024, will play for Glendale. Harlan split time between Ontario and Great Lakes, hitting a combined .298/.403/.509 with 14 home runs and a 132 wRC+ in 86 games, and just turned 20 in July. Harlan last played on August 8, and spent the final month of the season on the injured list.
— Great Lakes Loons (@greatlakesloons) July 11, 2026
Switch-hitting catcher Anson Aroz, drafted in the 19th round in 2025 out of Oregon, hit a combined .256/.395/.391 with a 110 wRC+ between Ontario and Great Lakes, with most of the damage coming with the Tower Buzzers in Class-A. Aroz also missed two months on the injured list from June to August.
The Glendale Desert Dogs play at Camelback Ranch and are comprised of prospects from the Dodgers, White Sox, Marlins, Pirates, and White Sox. Ontario manager John Shoemaker, the Dodgers’ captain of player development in his 50th year in the organization, will manage Glendale in the AFL.
Ryan Waldschmidt (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Inspiration.
This season, many Diamondbacks were injured. Some of them performed very well. Next season, assuming they avoid injury, these high performers will play in more games. By playing more games, they will make the team better, perhaps pushing the team into solid playoff contention. Which of these players will make the most impact fromincreased playing time?
Before continuing, honorable mention to Zac Gallen (ERA+ of 67), who will be a free agent and next season he will improve the team by playing zero games for the Diamondbacks.
Also, honorable mention to Geraldo Perdomo whose batting breakout in August shows potential for increased performance next season.
Two Mighty Outfielders.
The Diamondbacks have lost two outfielders (Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas).
Outfielder Jake McCarthy was traded away before the 2026 season. This season, the Diamondbacks miss his .822 OPS.
Alek Thomas was traded to the Dodgers. Although this season his OPS was .563 with the Diamondbacks and .513 with the Dodgers, there were high expectations for his batting to improve dramatically.
Ryan Waldschmidt. Ryan Waldschmidt is young (23 years old). This season was his MLB debut. He is a “5 tool player, 25/25 threat, good CF,…” per Diamondbacks Prospects.
His defense is very good in left field and center field. Details are in the following table (Data from The Fielding Bible and Baseball Savant):
In August & September (games thru 12 September) his OPS was .724 when he played left field (league average for left fielders was .716). His OPS when he played center field was .478, so perhaps left field should be his everyday position.
He hit walk-off homers on 7 and 25 August. That was record breaking.
First Diamondback rookie to pinch hit a walk off homer.
“Everyone wants to get the opportunity to be the hero and have a chance to win it for their team, and I think just being able to go in with a pretty relaxed mentality about it, not trying to put too much pressure on myself to obviously come up in those big moments. I think that’s just how the game falls sometimes, and the game’s going to find you, especially as a young guy, and you’re going to get those opportunities.” — Ryan Waldschmidt on his mindset.
Next season, Waldschmidt’s playing time will likely go up by at least 45%, contributing to a better Diamondbacks team next season.
Nootbaar. While not as young as Waldschmidt, Nootbaar is relatively young at 29 years old. The Diamondbacks acquired him at the trade deadline. Next season will be his last in arbitration before he becomes a free agent.
His defense is slightly above average, but falls short of Waldschmidt. For example, Fielding run value is 2 (Range 1, and Arm 1) instead of Waldschmidt’s 4.
This season, his OPS was .688 with the Cardinals and .765 with the Diamondbacks. Nootbaar bats left-handed, which adds value to the Diamondbacks.
Three Mighty Starting Pitchers.
Burnes. He won the Cy Young award in 2021. He is under contract through 2030.
He missed most of 2026 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Then a teres major shoulder strain delayed his return.
Next season, I’m confident he will anchor the rotation.
Pfaadt. He is under contract through 2030. This season he has started and been a reliever. His high potential is shown by his 1.15 ERA for his nine starts between 30 June and 14 August. For the entire season, his ERA+ was 111.
Ryne Nelson. His arbitration with the Diamondbacks lasts two more seasons. Last season his ERA+ was 125. Fans expressed the opinion that he will be the most valuable pitcher this season. With an 85 ERA+ this season, it is not much of a stretch to say he that next season he will bounce back to last season’s performance.
Two Mighty Relievers.
The bullpen was better this season than it has been for years. The Diamondbacks have finally figured it out! Beyond that, there are two relievers who performed well this season, and are expected to pitch in more games next season.
Dennis Santana. He was acquired on a minor league contract. Reasons that he might be called up were considered in an AZ SnakePit article. Five days after that article, he was called up.
His performance as a Diamondbacks was incredible! Pre-trade with the Pirates, his 74 ERA+ was poor. Post-trade with the Diamondbacks, his 482 ERA+ showed a remarkable performance breakout!
Justin Martinez. His fastball frequently tops 102 MPH. this season his average four-seam fastball was 101.5 MPH and his average sinker was 101.6 MPH. He missed most of this season recovering from Tommy John Surgery.
Top Level View.
The following table shows the increased games and a subjective level of performance next season (Data from Baseball Reference):
Summary.
Seven players could have great performances next season, and will likely play more games next season compared to this season. That would have a positive impact on next season. The players follow:
Roc Riggio (No. 13 PuRP) joined the Rockies organization as part of the Jake Bird trade with the New York Yankees at the 2025 deadline. The 24-year-old infielder was drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB draft out of Oklahoma State and moved his way up the Yankees’ system, maxing out in Double-A before being traded.
Riggio spent the second half of 2025 with the Hartford Yard Goats, where he slashed. 256/.346/.389, including six doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI, 13 runs scored, 14 walks and eight stolen bases in 12 attempts.
Making adjustments
At the beginning of 2026, Riggio repeated in Hartford where he spent April getting acclimated but took off in May.
“I started off really slow – I started off two for the my first 33 on the season, and I was struggling with the bat – and the hardest part of that was that I felt good,” Riggio recalled. “I felt good mentally and I felt good physically, so just being able to make my day-to-day adjustments has been a blessing but also the hardest part of my season.”
He also noted that this has been his first full year of professional baseball, as he’s dealt with injuries for the last three seasons.
He’s also made some adjustments that helped him perform well in Hartford as well as in Albuquerque after he was promoted on August 12th. In 23 games with the Isotopes, Riggio is slashing .297/.359/.527 with three doubles, six home runs, 18 RBI, 13 runs scored, nine walks, and one stolen base.
And he credits that to the coaches he’s worked with this year.
“I’ve worked with a handful of people this year – (Yard Goats hitting coach) Zach Osborne, (ACL hitting coach) MJ Rookard, (Rockies hitting coordinator) Nic Wilson, (Isotopes hitting coach) Matt Snyder, my former teammate Mike Antico – and there’s been a lot of adjustments that had to be made, but they’re very minor adjustments,” he said.
“We’ve just been trying to be a little more patient in the box, a little more picky with what I’m doing, and then mechanically just trying to stay consistent every day. And we’ve been tinkering the whole year to get to that consistency.”
And all of that consistency led to Riggio being named Rockies Organizational Player of the Month for July.
INF Roc Riggio has been named the Rockies Organization Offensive Player of the Month for July. The 24-year-old slashed .303/.465/.592 with 5 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 11 RBI and 7 SB in 22 games, leading the Eastern League in OBP and walks (23) during the month. Riggio was acquired from… pic.twitter.com/h7Q30HcoB3
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) August 1, 2026
“It was cool,” he said of the win. “I just show up every day, and I try to be present, and I try to be here through my teammates. I try to push everyone by doing my best every day and working my hardest every day. I look every year to the year, and I got an awesome award that I wasn’t expecting, anticipating or waiting for. And that’s just another blessing from God.”
Another adjustment Riggio has had to make since 2025 is getting used to playing at altitude — something the Tarzana, California, native hadn’t dealt with much with before.
“I’ll tell you what – my first time I had to go first to third on a base hit, I got to third base, and I could hardly breathe. The altitude’s no joke,” he chuckled.
“You’ve definitely got to be in good shape. You’ve got to get used to the dry air, and I think that surprised me a little bit. I was a little bit out of gas on my first full sprint, but the ball does move a little bit differently up here. It travels a little bit differently up here, so those are minor adjustments that are still being made right now.”
Season highlights
Riggio has had a lot of highlights this season, including Hartford winning the first half and playing in the WBC exhibition game as part of Team USA during spring training.
“It was great. I mean, that team was like playing for the modern-day Avengers,” he laughed. “And to see how those guys go about their business – how they handle their success, how they handle their failure – it’s just another blessing.
“I got to play with a couple of those guys – I got to spend some (time) training with Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt. I played on Team USA with Pete Crow-Armsgrong. I know Roman Anthony very well,” he continued. “So I knew a handful of those guys, which was cool. So I went in there and I felt comfortable. I didn’t feel like a foreigner. And it’s amazing because those (guys) are the best of the best, and they all treat everyone with the same utmost respect.”
And with Hartford, he said they knew early that they had a good crew capable of doing great things.
“I think the highlight of my season probably is when we clinched the playoffs in Hartford,” Riggio said.
“That was such a fun moment. We had a really great group of guys down there, and we set out at the beginning of the year. We were like, ‘Hey, we’re going to do something special this year. We’re going to go win something.’ And we clinched in the first half, and obviously I’m not there anymore, but I wish them the best of luck. But that was the funnest moment of my season for sure.”
Full-circle moments and looking ahead
At Oklahoma State University, he was able to learn from Rockies legend Matt Holliday.
“When I went on my visit (during) my sophomore year of high school, I went on a visit to Oklahoma State, and Matt Holliday was there on my visit,” Riggio recalled. “He ended up basically doing the whole visit with me, and then I got to spend two years there. And Matt put on a Bible study every Sunday night at his house that we had a lot of baseball players go to. And now leading to (the) current day, his wife, Leslie – who’s been a big part of my journey as well – is going to officiate (my) wedding coming up. So we have a really good relationship with the Holliday family.”
Riggio was also able to share the field with Ethan Holliday during the WBC exhibition, which was a fun moment for him.
Looking ahead, Riggio will be getting married in the offseason. But he’s also already looking forward to hitting the ground running for the 2027 season.
“I love this game,” he said. “I’ve played this game the whole entire year now, so come September 22nd, I’m hitting the ground running. I’m not stopping. I’m excited to get home. I’m excited to hit the cage. I’m excited to take ground balls. I’m excited to field. I’m excited to do everything. I’m excited to get stronger, get better, and come back a better version of me next year.”
After coming to the Rockies in the Bradley Blalock trade, Jake Brooks has been making a name for himself. This week was no different, as Brooks pitched twice and allowed just two runs (one earned) across 12 innings against the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks). He started the game on September 8th, pitching six scoreless innings with just two hits, two walks and a strikeout in the 3-2 victory. On September 13th, he came out of the bullpen behind José Quintana and Patrick Weigel, but once against pitched six innings while allowing only two runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts in the 10-5 rout.
Brooks had a bit of a rough stretch from July 23rd-August 9th, but since August 15th, he has not allowed more than three runs and has gone 6+ innings in five of his six appearances since then (he went 5.2 on August 27th).
⬆️ Stock Up: Sterlin Thompson
Sterlin Thompson (No. 16 PuRP) went 10-for-28 (.357) in six games against the Reno Aces. He also recorded two doubles, three home runs, eight runs scored, six RBI, three walks and only struck out three times (and also no more than once in a singular game). He had two three-hit games this week, which also both featured a home run. On Sunday, he went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, one run scored and three RBI in the 10-5 victory.
He is slashing .429/.520/.762 in September and .331/.476/.528 overall in Albuquerque in 2026. In 27 games at the big league level, Thompson hit .232/.312/.377 with four doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, seven runs scored, five walks and 21 strikeouts.
Upcoming
The Isotopes play their final week of games at home against the Salt Lake Bees (Angels).
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats (1-2)
⬆️ Stock Up: Jack O’Dowd
Jack O’Dowd had an excellent final homestand of the regular season against the Somerset Patriots (Yankees). The catcher played in five games and went 5-f0r-15 (.333) with two RBI, three walks and five strikeouts. He also stole a base. After a meteoric rise through the Rockies’ system, O’Dowd was also recently named to the Arizona Fall League.
Across all three levels, he hit .307/.383/.564 with 30 doubles, two triples, 23 home runs, 61 runs scored, 91 RBI, 49 walks, 107 strikeouts and four stolen bases in 107 total games.
In Hartford specifically, O’Dowd played 51 games and hit .254/.333/.434 with 13 doubles, seven home runs, 18 runs scored, 28 RBI, 20 walks, 63 strikeouts and three stolen bases.
⬆️ Stock Up: Cade Denton
Cade Denton made one final appearance in bulk relief this weekend, throwing 4.1 innings against the Patriots and only allowing one run on two hits with a walk and five strikeouts. This comes on the heels of his outing against the Reading Fightin’ Phils (Phillies) where he threw 5.1 scoreless innings with just three hits, a hit batter, a walk and three strikeouts.
Denton has worked primarily as a bulk reliever in the second half of the season, only pitching a single inning one time since June 20th. Eight of his last 10 outings have featured three or more innings of work. Overall in Hartford, Denton made 40 appearances (3 starts) and posted a 4-8 record with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.
Upcoming
The Yard Goats will face the Reading Fightin’ Phils for the Northeast Division Championship starting tonight in hopes of playing the Eastern League Championship Series next week.
Eight Mets prospects will be participating in the Arizona Fall League, including a few players who were acquired in trade deadline deals last month.
The AFL, which starts play in October, features some of the best prospects in baseball and serves as a way for young players to get additional development following the conclusion of the minor league season.
Here are the Mets who will be participating, along with their ranking on SNY's top 30 list:
Mathis was acquired from the Cubs in the deal that sent David Peterson to Chicago, while Agbayani was acquired from the Twins in the A.J. Minter trade.
Lambert, 24, opened eyes this past spring training as he showcased his high-octane fastball-slider combination, but he hasn't had much success in Triple-A Syracuse this season.
The 23-year-old Ziegler was once a heralded prospect, and recently returned after missing most of the last three seasons due to Tommy John surgery (which he had in 2024) and other injury issues.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 15: Randy Rodríguez #73 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oracle Park on August 15, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants season is, mercifully, almost over. But baseball never sleeps, and for you sickos who will miss this horrific season as soon as it ends, worry not: there’s more baseball on the horizon.
On October 3 — just six days after the MLB regular season ends — the Arizona Fall League will kick off their six-week season. And on Tuesday morning, the Giants announced the players that they will be sending to the desert to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions, a team comprised of players from the Giants, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Tampa Bay Rays.
As is the norm, the Giants are sending eight players to Arizona for the festivities, and unlike in some years, there are some pretty big names on the list.
Highlighting the octet is right-handed reliever Randy Rodríguez, and my goodness is that nice to see. It’s not often that teams send Major Leaguers to the AFL, but it makes perfect sense for Rodríguez. The flame-thrower, who likely will be San Francisco’s closer in 2027, hasn’t pitched since last August, when he underwent Tommy John surgery. Not only will it be good for Rodríguez to get into some games before next year, but it will be critical time for both the Giants’ coaching and medical staffs, since Rodríguez will not be able to have contact with either once the labor stoppage inevitably begins in early December.
There’s never any telling how a pitcher will recover from Tommy John, and Rodríguez still has a lot of hurdles to clear before he’s staring down batters in the ninth inning of a meaningful game. But the fact that his rehab has progressed well enough for him to head to the AFL is highly encouraging, and should give everyone optimism that he can hit the ground running next season.
The other big name who will don a Scorpions jersey is outfield prospect Dakota Jordan. A 23-year old who was taken overslot in the fourth round of the 2024 draft out of Mississippi State, Jordan has astounding raw physical talents, as he’s one of the fastest players in the system and arguably the most powerful. He spent most of the season with High-A Eugene, where he compiled phenomenal numbers, slashing .290/.346/.533 with 18 home runs in 81 games, good for an .879 OPS and a 125 wRC+.
He ended the year with a stint in AA Richmond, which was interrupted by an injury, and his numbers there were not so hot: he slashed .253/.330/.367 with one home run in 21 games, for a .697 OPS and an 87 wRC+. Jordan’s AFL assignment is likely about two things: working on contact issues, and making up for lost time. The slugger has had a hole in his swing his entire career (and in college), and struck out in 28% of his plate appearances this season. And injuries have interrupted all three of his years since getting drafted, as he’s played in just 192 career games.
In addition to Rodríguez and Jordan, the Giants are sending a pair of prospects that they acquired at this year’s trade deadline: right-handed pitcher Miguel Mendez, and infielder Kaeden Kent. Mendez, a 24-year old from the Dominican Republic, came over from the San Diego Padres in the Robbie Ray trade. He’s made just four appearances since joining the organization, all for AA Richmond. Across three levels and two organizations this year, Mendez — who is on the 40-man roster but has yet to make his MLB debut — posted a 5.62 ERA and a 3.74 FIP, with 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Like so many AFL players, he’s in the desert partially just to get reps that he lost during the season, as injuries limited him to just 49.2 innings this year, despite working as a starter.
As for Kent, he’s a just-turned 23-year old left-handed hitter who was drafted in the third round of the 2025 draft by the New York Yankees, and sent to the Giants in the Heliot Ramos deal. The son of the Giants’ newest Hall of Famer, Jeff, he’s a well-rounded, toolsy infielder who does everything well, but doesn’t particularly have a standout trait. He has also lost time this year due to injury, as he only played in 86 games. In those 86, which were all in High-A, the Texas A&M product hit .298/.350/.440 with eight home runs and 24 stolen bases, for a .790 OPS and a 107 wRC+. He plays quality defense at both shortstop and second base, and struck out just 16% of the time this year.
On the topic of recently-drafted infielders, the Giants are doing something that isn’t all that common: sending a player from this year’s draft class. Infielder Dalton Wentz, a switch-hitter who just turned 21, will rock a Scorpions jersey after making a brief pro debut. Wentz, who was drafted in the 16th round out of Wake Forest but given a bonus commensurate with a fourth-round pick, got into 13 games with High-A Eugene this year, and hit the ground running, posting a slash line of .265/.368/.429 with one home run and three stolen bases, for a .797 OPS and a 114 wRC+. Wentz was primarily a third baseman in college, and played a few games there for Eugene, but spend most of his time at second base.
Another intriguing name is right-hander Drake George, who turns 25 at the end of the month. George was a 13th-round pick in 2024 out of a small NAIA school, Lewis-Clark State. He posted very intriguing numbers in his debut season a year ago, with a 3.20 ERA, a 2.88 FIP, and 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 13 games for Low-A San Jose. But, like Rodríguez, George underwent Tommy John surgery, and hasn’t pitched since June 2025. It will be great seeing him work off the rust and prepare for the 2027 season, as he has a ton of potential.
Rounding out the cohort is a pair of right-handed pitchers who lost much of the year to injury: Alexander Fuentes and Darien Smith. Fuentes is a 21-year old from Venezuela who has really jumped onto the national radar, and started to appear on prospect lists (he’s one of four players in this group who made MLB Pipeline’s list of the top 30 prospects in the system: Jordan is No. 7, Mendez is No. 16, Kent is No. 20, and Fuentes is No. 26). Fuentes had a breakout season in the Arizona Complex League last year, when he posted a 2.62 ERA and a 3.97 FIP. He returned to the Complex League this year, but injuries limited him to 18 innings (plus 2.2 more with Low-A San Jose). In those 18 innings, Fuentes had just a 4.00 ERA and a 6.29 FIP, with a ton of walks, but he struck out 31 batters, showing the electrity in his arm.
Smith is a 26-year old who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2024 out of Southeastern. He dominated in his debut season last year, posting a 1.91 ERA and a 3.68 FIP across 20 appearances for Low-A San Jose and High-A Eugene. He began this season with AA Richmond before losing a few months to an injury, and now he’s closing the year with AAA Sacramento. Across 14 games (four with Sacramento, seven with Richmond, and three rehabbing in the Complex League), Smith has a 3.42 ERA and a 4.90 FIP, with 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
Notably, after sending Spencer Miles to the AFL last year, where he wowed scouts across the league, the Giants have opted against sending any players who will be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this year. That might be coincidental, but it might not be.
For those curious, here’s last year’s contingency: right-handers Miles, Jose T. Perez, and Ryan Murphy; left-handers Juan Sánchez and Ricardo Estrada; and infielders Parks Harber, Maui Ahuna, and Walker Martin.
In addition to the eight players, the Giants are sending High-A Eugene pitching coach Luis Pino to Scottsdale. He will be one of two pitching coaches for the Scorpions.
