LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 18, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Dodger Stadium on September 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Tyler Glasnow on Friday night struck out 10 Giants in his six innings, his most in a start this season. Aside from securing Los Angeles-area folks a free Jumbo Jack with a purchase of a large drink for the 130th time this season and the 27th time in the last 28 days, Friday affirmed the Dodgers’ unique spot in double-digit strikeout games this season.
The Dodgers now have a dozen individual 10-strikeout games this season. That’s not the most, it’s tied for fourth-most with the Toronto Blue Jays, behind the Milwaukee Brewers (16), Cleveland Guardians (15), and Philadelphia Phillies (14).
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 5: Félix Bautista #74 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the ninth inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Look, it’s not like the reasonable among us expected to win every game against the Brewers, current owners of the MLB’s best record. But last night was frankly a bummer. The Orioles had loads of baserunners and yet—that old saw—couldn’t drive them in. The Baltimore Sun reports today that GM Mike Elias and manager Craig Albernaz expect to be back to with the team next season. Fine, but I hope the approach to hitting with runners on base gets a major overhaul—it needs to.
Baltimore belatedly announced that today’s starter (stopper) would be Trevor Rogers (10-10, 4.22, 143 SO in 157.2 IP). The lefty last pitched on Sept. 13, six days ago, a blah outing against the Blue Jays where he allowed four runs in six innings in a loss. But before that, he had two strong starts against Cleveland and Colorado. Rogers’ pre-All Star Break ERA is 4.48; post it’s 3.88.
In pitching news from the back end of the bullpen, the Orioles just reinstated closer Félix Bautista, who hasn’t appeared in a game in over a year. It’s too late in the season to make much of a difference, but man, it’ll be good to see The Mountain trotting out to the mound in late innings instead of guys like Alex Hoppe or Andrew Kittredge. The O’s skipper hasn’t committed to using Bautista as a closer yet, so perhaps expect in him a bridge role.
Starting for the Brewers today is Robert Gasser, initially one of four arms the Brewers acquired in 2022 via the trade for closer Josh Hader. Now in his third season with Milwaukee, it’s a little soon to assess Gasser’s value, as he missed long stretches due to Tommy John surgery. This season, he started out with Milwaukee’s Triple-A team and since joining the team in late May, has been pretty much average, with a 4.30 ERA in 18 starts.
As our own Mark pointed out in the series preview, Gasser’s Statcast peripherals fail to inspire confidence. Gasser has a five-pitch mix, but his sweeper, his most-thrown pitch, has a -6 run value, his worst of any. His fastball is also below-average, per Statcast. He doesn’t throw the ball hard, he doesn’t get a lot of whiffs, and he doesn’t get batters to chase outside of the strike zone very often.
Gasser is left-handed, so the Orioles have stuffed their lineup with righties… not that you will necessarily love all the names. Jeremiah Jackson makes a rare appearance in the leadoff spot, and the bottom four hitters include three righties in Rece Hinds, Christian Franklin, and Leody Taveras (switch-hitter). Well. At least Alonso and Mayo, in the second and third spots, are hot right now.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 13: Robert Gasser #54 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field on September 13, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After scraping out a victory in last night’s series opener against the Orioles, the Brewers are one game closer to securing the best record in baseball — and the top seed heading into the playoffs.
On the mound to try to secure another series win for Milwaukee is lefty Robert Gasser, who has become the Brewers’ third-most-reliable starter behind Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson. Gasser is a former top prospect who, almost immediately after reaching the majors in 2024, tore his UCL. This season is his first full season back from that injury, and he’s been pretty good, all things considered. Gasser has a 4.30 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP through 19 appearances (18 starts), although he’s pitched better than those numbers suggest for stretches.
Pitching for the Orioles is Trevor (not Taylor, nor Tyler) Rogers. For the most part, Rogers has been for Baltimore what Gasser is to the Brewers: a dependable, if not spectacular, lefty who will at least keep his team in the game. He comes into today’s game with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 28 starts.
Although it’s Saturday, Brewers manager Pat Murphy is rolling out a lineup that would fit right in on a Sunday. Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, Sal Frelick, and Christian Yelich will all get the day off after yesterday’s extra-inning thriller.
Jackson Chourio, the Brewers’ hottest hitter right now, leads off, followed by Garrett Mitchell and William Contreras, who will serve as the designated hitter today. The middle of the order consists of Andrew Vaughn, Joey Ortiz, and catcher Gary Sánchez. Rounding out the lineup are Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, and David Hamilton, who will play second base in Turang’s absence.
As usual, today’s game will be broadcast on Brewers.TV, WTMJ 620, and the Brewers Radio Network. First pitch is set for 3:05 p.m.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 12: Sebastian Walcott #1 of the Texas Rangers looks on in the first inning during the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers infielder Sebastian Walcott is being promoted from AA Frisco to AAA Round Rock today, per Scott Lucas. With Frisco’s season having ended with yesterday’s loss in Game Three of the Texas League Division Series, Walcott is now joining Round Rock for the final two days of the AAA season.
Walcott likely would have been at Round Rock long before now had he not had to undergo internal brace surgery this spring. Walcott returned to action for the Frisco Roughriders in mid-July, slashing .322/.398/.586 for the Roughriders in 171 plate appearances over 37 games, all but one of which were at DH. Walcott will be DHing for the Express tonight.
The 20 year old shortstop is a consensus top 25 prospect in the game, and could be in contention for a major league job next spring, most likely either at third base or right field. And its possible that he could be looking at major league playing time even before that, as with Joc Pederson sidelined, the Rangers don’t have a real DH against either lefties or righties right now. Depending on how the team feels about the readiness of his bat and the risk of him missing development time during a potential extended lockout this winter — if Walcott isn’t added to the 40 man roster, he would continue to get to work with organization’s coaches and staff during any work stoppage — Walcott could be an option for the major league roster for the final week of the regular season.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 15: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Globe Life Field on September 15, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Is today the day? The magic number is 2. As Bob outlined, there are multiple paths to clinching, but they all require the Sox to win today and it’s the mysterious Brayan Bello climbing the bump.
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 18: Texas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez (33) scores a run during the MLB game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers on September 18, 2026 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for September 19, 2026 against the Toronto Blue Jays: starting pitchers are Cal Quantrill for the Rangers and Jose Soriano for the Jays.
Cal Quantrill will try to keep his magical 2026 run going against the Jays. Corey Seager gets the DH slot, with Joc Pederson apparently still not ready to hit.
The lineup:
Duran — SS
Seager — DH
Jung — 3B
Nimmo — RF
Langford — LF
Burger — 1B
Lopez — 2B
Jansen — C
Carter — CF
6:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -117 favorites.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 07: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated by Jackson Merrill #3 after scoring a run during the third inning against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on September 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With eight games remaining in the regular season, the San Diego Padres are up five games on the Arizona Diamondbacks for the last Wild Card spot in the National League. They play five of their last eight games at home, where their record is nine wins better than on the road.
By winning 10 of their last 11 and having 12 wins out of 15 games in September, their odds for making the postseason have crept up to 96.0% (per Fangraphs). They are also tied with both the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs for the fourth and fifth playoff positions.
Baseball is crazy and unpredictable, but there are probably few Padres fans who saw this team bouncing back from the awful offensive performance we saw in the early months of the season to accomplish what we are seeing now.
The Dynamic Duo
A major reason for that change of fortune is the performance of two of the best players on the team who weren’t playing like they were capable of until after the All-Star break.
Both Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill had subpar starts to their year. And that start lasted until mid-July and the All-Star break.
Pre-break, Tatis was hitting a healthy .277 but notoriously lacked power, with his first home run not coming until May 30. He had a total of five from then to the break. Post-break, Tatis has hit .300 with a .989 OPS while clobbering 18 home runs. He has stolen 35 bases out of 48 attempts for the season and has more steals than in any other season of his career. With two more home runs, Tatis will be a member of the 25 homers and 25 steals club for the fourth time in his seven-year career.
Merrill had a much worse start to the season than Tatis. He appeared to be searching for his groove while chasing outside the zone at a high rate. His 98 strikeouts in 360 at-bats were the most on the team by a wide margin. He still strikes out more than any other Padre, but his 21% rate post-break is down from 27%.
More importantly, he is hitting the ball in the zone more, and his post-break .314 batting average beats his pre-break .219 average. Merrill has a .943 OPS after July 17 compared to a .628 OPS before the break. With his 26 home runs and 26 stolen bases in 30 attempts, Merrill has already become a member of the 25/25 club for the first time in his three-year career.
Few teams have two five-tool players, much less having them both playing at their peak at the same time. The success of Tatis and Merrill in the second half of the season goes a long way toward explaining the surge the Padres have had since July 17.
The core performs
The Padres’ core of Tatis, Merrill, Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts are all contributing to their winning over the past couple of months. Although Machado is still only hitting .220 for the season, his post-break numbers show improved performance. Machado is hitting .248 with a .739 OPS in the second half. They are the worst numbers of his career, but he still has 28 home runs and 84 RBI. Machado still leads the team in homers but was passed by Merrill in RBI during the past series in Colorado, 85 to 84. Machado’s defense has been elite this season with 10 OAA (Outs Above Average), the 95th percentile of all third basemen.
Bogaerts has hit well below his career norm or his previous career low. With a .226 average and .661 OPS, Bogaerts has done one thing well this year offensively. He is still getting on base at a normal rate. His .325 OBP is close to his career average OBP of .348. Bogaerts was a single short of the first cycle of his career in the final game versus Colorado. His tendency to finish strong is also playing out this season. For September, Bogaerts is hitting .302 with an .856 OPS, his best month of the season so far.
Bogaerts’ defense remains above average, and he is a steadying influence in the middle of the infield. His 3 OAA is in the 85th percentile for shortstops.
Bogaerts’ lack of production is less noticeable because of Ty France’s outstanding performance. The first baseman is having the best season of his career both offensively and defensively. It’s no stretch to say he deserves a Gold Glove for the second straight season. His .299 average and .879 OPS are better than any other season of his career outside of the shortened 2020 COVID season.
France has 21 home runs for the first time in his eight seasons with his second-most RBI. He has achieved all that without the benefit of playing in as many games. If France finishes by playing every day the rest of the regular season, he will have 133 games played, the least of any full season of his career.
Ethan Salas has a day
After being called up to the Padres on September 1, catcher and top prospect Ethan Salas went 1-for-16 in his first seven games with a triple as his first MLB hit. In those games, he caught both Michael King’s and Nick Pivetta’s starts. They both commented in their post-game interviews on his game prep along with his pitch receiving.
Salas started Sept. 16, catching Robbie Ray for the first time, and it was the best start of his time with the Padres. Salas improved Ray’s chances of a successful game with a dramatic ABS challenge that turned a walk to load the bases into a strikeout.
The real excitement for Salas occurred in his first at-bat in the second inning, when he sent a fastball 426 feet over the center field wall for his first major league home run. He followed that in the fifth inning with a blast over the right field wall for the second home run of his career. His three RBI and eight total bases contributed to the Padres’ 9-3 win and made history as the youngest catcher ever to homer twice in a game.
He also joined Machado as the only Padres to have homered twice in a game in their 20-year-old season. That list includes active players Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. Miguel Cabrera, Jose Reyes, Andruw Jones, and Ken Griffey Jr. complete the list of players to have achieved that feat.
Rest for the weary
Besides putting themselves in a solid playoff position with the series against the Rockies, the Friars also succeeded in scoring enough runs to allow their tired high-leverage relievers to have three days off in a row.
Mason Miller, Adrián Morejón, and Bradgley Rodriguez have worked extensively and were especially taxed in the San Francisco series, right before going to Colorado.
Giving them those rest days sets the bullpen up for the final eight games of the season.
Bradgley Rodriguez, 22, has not pitched this much in his professional career. It shows in that we have seen his velocity drop in his last two appearances.
Morejón has been used so extensively that he has 82.0 innings pitched with eight games remaining in the regular schedule. That is by far the most he has thrown in his career, with many of those appearances consisting of more than one inning, and he has appeared in 72 games. No other regular reliever comes close; Wandy Peralta is second at 73.1 innings. Morejon has a 2.85 ERA with 101 strikeouts.
His willingness to pitch no matter the circumstance is remarkable in light of his free agency this offseason. Morejon was quoted in Kevin Acee’s Padres Daily newsletter on Sept. 13.
“I’m ready every day. Doesn’t matter the situation. In the fifth (inning) every time, doesn’t matter the score. I’m moving around.”
Mason Miller is in his fourth MLB season. He has never pitched more than 65 innings over the course of a year. In 61 games and 37 saves, Miller has pitched 64.1 innings and leads the team with a 1.12 ERA.
Rotation shuffle?
The starting rotation, as it stands now, would have Robbie Ray start the first game against the Dodgers next Tuesday. The off day on Monday would allow the team to switch Ray and King, the new order making King available the last game against the Diamondbacks, if needed. If a playoff berth is clinched before then, King could be saved for the first game of the playoffs. The Los Angeles Dodgers would see King-Ray-Pivetta, with Arizona seeing Mize-Buehler-King if those games remain important to the outcome.
The new No. 2 hitter
Outfielder Dustin Harris appears to have assumed the No. 2 spot in the batting order on the days that he starts. With no clear player stepping up to fill the role, Harris has come on strong of late. Since being called up to the Padres after being signed on Aug. 7, Harris has hit second as well as fifth through ninth in the order. Overall, he is hitting .314 with a .776 OPS while contributing two doubles, two triples, and 13 RBI. Hitting second, Harris has a .373/.406/.475 line, albeit in a small sample size of 20 games.
Roster changes and injury updates
France was away from the team for three days during the Giants series for the birth of his twin girls. Infielder Mason McCoy was called up to cover for his absence but never entered a game.
RHP Jason Adam began a rehab assignment with El Paso on Sept. 13. He was roughed up in his second appearance, allowing five runs on four hits and a walk. He could join the team next week.
Miguel Andujar is also on a rehab assignment with El Paso and is likely to rejoin the Padres this weekend against the Miami Marlins.
Gavin Sheets and Lucas Giolito are both in Arizona playing in the instructional league.
Joe Musgrove continues to try to recover from the setbacks occurring over the course of this season. His inability to bounce back after pitching has put a stop to his rehab progression. There has been no reported timeline for his next rehab step.
Bronx, N.Y.: New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott on the mound during his game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York on Sept. 13, 2026. (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
Mets lineup
Francisco Lindor – SS
Juan Soto – LF
Bo Bichette – 3B
Carson Benge – RF
A.J. Ewing – CF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Brett Baty – 1B
Francisco Alvarez – C
Ronny Mauricio – DH
SP: Christian Scott – RHP
Phillies lineup
Kyle Schwarber – DH
Trea Turner – SS
Bryce Harper – RF
Luis Arraez – 2B
Alec Bohm – 1B
Bryson Stott – 3B
Brandon Marsh – LF
J.T. Realmuto – C
Justin Crawford – CF
SP: Andrew Painter – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 4:10 PM EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
Sep 18, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Edmundo Sosa (33) hits a double in the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 18: Samad Taylor #0, Jackson Merrill #3 and Dustin Harris #29 of the San Diego Padres look on during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park on September 18, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres continued their winning ways on Friday night, taking their series opener versus the Miami Marlins with another commanding performance from the offense. San Diego scored eight runs, hanging a six-run frame in the bottom of the fifth. It’s the third consecutive game where the Friars have scored eight-plus runs.
More than that, San Diego took advantage of a day where the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies all lost. That moves San Diego into a three-way tie with the Cubs and Phils for the top NL Wild Card spot. After their loss to the New York Yankees on Friday night, Arizona is now five games back in the Wild Card standings.
Taking the mound
Eury Pérez (MIA) v. Casey Mize (SD)
Pérez has struggled on Miami since his bid for a perfect game came up short earlier this season. The righty has pitched to a 5.19 ERA in his last seven starts. Pérez has also surrendered 14 runs in his last three starts. That seems likely to continue with the Friars’ offense playing white-hot baseball lately.
That said, Pérez has shown an ability to command his pitches well. The problem lately has been minimizing hard contact. Pérez has allowed 23 hits in his last three games. That started to turn for the better in his most recent start versus the Los Angeles Dodgers (4 H, 5.0 IP), but he may still struggle against San Diego.
Despite his tough track record with the Padres, Mize has pitched quite well in his last few starts. The righty is coming off a five-inning gem in Colorado, having surrendered just two runs to the Rockies. He did so allowing eight hits and two walks, but worked through the base traffic.
Mize has given up five runs in his last two starts (10.2 IP). However, he gave up just one run in his start against the Washington Nationals before departing. The other two runs came when Randy Vásquez entered the game in the sixth and allowed the inherited runners to score on a double. Since then, Mize has looked electric and should pitch well against Miami’s middling lineup.
Batter up!
The offense has been white-hot lately for San Diego. The Friars continued that in their series opener last night, going 12-for-35 with four walks. The Padres collected just eight hits, but they made them count. Ty France slugged a three-run homer in the crucial fifth inning and Jackson Merrill continued his torrid stretch with a long ball in the eighth.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Dustin Harris, LF
Manny Machado, 3B
Ty France, 1B
Jackson Merrill, CF
Luis Campusano, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Freddy Fermin, C
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Bogaerts has had a particularly hot few days at the plate. The veteran shortstop has gone a blistering 5-for-9 in his last two games. If Bogaerts can continue that surge in the box, it would mark a turn for the better in what has been a tough year for the Padres’ long-term shortstop.
Relief corps
With the Friars taking a five-run lead in the fifth inning, starter Nick Pivetta departed ahead of the sixth in place of Wandy Peralta. David Morgan, Adrian Morejon and Griffin Canning finished out the final 2 2/3 frames following Peralta. Apart from Morejon, the remainder of the relievers used were all lower-leverage.
That affords the Padres plenty of options for the remainder of the series. They’ll have an off day on Monday that will serve as the final reset before the Friars face the Dodgers next week. For Game 2, San Diego will have Kyle Hart, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Morejon, Bradgley Rodriguez and Vásquez available out of the ‘pen.
Sep 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) points after he hits a two run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the eighth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (73-81) vs. Chicago White Sox (78-75)
Time/Place: 2:10 p.m., Rate Field SB Nation Site:South Side Sox Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Jackson Jobe (2-2, 3.89 ERA) vs. RHP Sean Burke (9-7, 3.47 ERA)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 02: Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on September 02, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The recent news of the Nats extending breakout starter Cade Cavalli to a 4-year, $47 million extension is nothing but great news for Washington fans, and now many have their sights set on who the next extension candidate could be.
James Wood and CJ Abrams remain the far-and-away most deserving players, but getting either star to sign a long-term deal looks to be an uphill battle. Not saying that it won’t be completed, but it might be in the front office’s best interest to get creative with extending other players while waiting on a change of heart from their superstars.
LHP Andrew Alvarez (FA in 2032)
In terms of urgency, the Nationals don’t need much to get anything done with Alvarez any time soon. With that being said, what he’s done in 2026 to help stabilize the rotation has been nothing short of lifesaving.
It’s far from unheard of for teams to lock down consistent arms even with plenty of control left, and the upcoming CBA negotiations leave many discussions open as to how pre-arbitration players’ contracts will be handled moving forward.
If Washington believes that what Alvarez has shown this season isn’t a fluke, it might not be the worst idea to show a vote of confidence in the 27-year-old and buy out his arbitration years. A move like that would solidify his place in the 2027 starting rotation and beyond, as well as getting ahead of his market if he continues to perform as he has.
OF Daylen Lile (FA in 2032)
Lile looks like the definition of a player on the rise. His play this season has already been enough to pencil him down as a starting option for the future, and his ceiling could be that of an incredibly valuable everyday player. The defense has been his calling card, which is already enough to make him an asset in the outfield, but it’s been the development of his bat that has elevated him into extension conversations.
The home run power has really come along in 2026, mashing 21 long balls so far and teetering on the 90 RBI mark. Lile is a player that President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni could evaluate similarly to Red Sox rising star center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who was extended during Toboni’s time in Boston for 8 years and $50 million.
If Lile can take another step forward with his offensive approach, there should be no reason that Washington shouldn’t keep him in town for the foreseeable future, and he’s already shown enough to be considered for an extension going into this offseason.
SS Eli Willits (#1 Prospect via MLB Pipeline)
Willits’ rise through the Nats’ system has been simply meteoric. At just 18 years old, he’s already looking like a player who could make an impact at the MLB level within the next 2 seasons, if it even takes that long for him to break into the bigs.
The organization might choose to keep him in the minors for a longer period of time to work out any kinks in his development, but he might simply break the door down and force their hand sooner rather than later. If his trajectory continues, he could be in line for a massive payday years down the line, and one that could price him out of the city.
The Seattle Mariners navigated their own version of this situation by giving top prospect Colt Emerson an 8‑year, $95 million extension. That deal could become the framework for a future deal for Willits, and would prevent the Nats from finding themselves behind the curve with another one of their young talents.
RHP Jarlin Susana (#3 Prospect via MLB Pipeline)
What was looking like it could be a massive season for the flamethrowing righty was severely damaged by an injury that limited his time on the mound. Still, Susana’s timeline as both a contributor at the MLB level and an extension candidate could be accelerated in the near future.
Extending prospects, sometimes even before they see a single MLB inning, has quickly become the new wave across analytics-based front offices. Depending on how Susana’s development (and health) looks throughout the offseason and into 2027 Spring Training, the organization may deem it advantageous to give him a long-term extension.
This is another area where Toboni has experience, being a part of the Red Sox brass when they completed deals with top prospects Roman Anthony (8-year, $130 million) and Kristian Campbell (8-year, $60 million).
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 07: Grant Holmes #66 of the Atlanta Braves takes the sign from the catcher during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, September 7, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With last night’s win, your Atlanta Braves earned their 90th dub of the season and punched their ticket for the postseason. They were the fifth team to clinch a playoff berth, following the Rays, Brewers, Dodgers, and Yankees.
The job is not finished, however. The magic number is currently at three. Mets/Phillies starts at 4:10 pm ET. If the former feels like helping out a little, it would certainly be welcome.
To trim it down further, the Braves are looking for a series win tonight behind Grant Holmes.
Holmes (9-5, 3.49 ERA) continues to be an enigma. He looked intriguing in his rain-shortened start against the Nats on September 2, spun six innings of three-hit ball against the Phillies at their place on September 7, and was yanked after four innings after five hits and two earned runs when the Phillies were at Truist on September 13. Good defense kept things from being scarier with the amount of trouble he had finding the zone. What will today’s Grant Holmes Experience have in store for us?
Houston will send right-hander Hayden Wesneski (5-2, 3.70 ERA) to the mound to keep their chances to win the AL West alive. He’s been a stabilizer for the Astros rotation since his return from Tommy John in late July.
Wesneski started September with an absolute gem of an outing where he one-hit the White Sox for seven innings. The Phillies tagged him for three runs on five hits in six innings the following week, and his latest outing was his shortest of the season: 61 pitches, three innings, six hits, seven runs (only three earned) against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Wesneski has a signature sweeper that he supplements with a four-seamer, sinker, cutter, and changeup to throw a lot of strikes. He hasn’t thrown more than 91 pitches yet in his nine games this season and has been getting extra rest between starts.
The Braves should be prepared for Wesneski to attack them in the zone. Here’s hoping yesterday’s two-run homer barrage is the start of the offense getting on the right track at the right time.
First pitch for Game 2 is at 7:10 pm ET.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Saturday, September 19, 7:10 p.m. ET
Sean Burke has had plenty of time to think after his last home start ended in the second inning. | (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Eight games remain in the regular season, and suddenly the White Sox are fighting for their postseason lives.
The South Siders enter Saturday’s contest against the Tigers in second place in the AL Central and clinging to the third and final Wild Card spot. They lead the Texas Rangers by one game and the Toronto Blue Jays by two. Thankfully, Chicago holds the tiebreaker over both clubs, having won the season series against Texas, 4-2, and Toronto, 5-1.
Those advantages matter, but only if the White Sox start winning games again.
The pitching staff will try to redeem itself after completely blowing Friday night’s game. The Good Guys put six runs on the board in the first inning and carried an 8-2 advantage into the fifth. That should have been more than enough to push them across the finish line. Instead, the staff surrendered nine unanswered runs in an 11-8 collapse that ranks among the season’s most gut-wrenching losses.
Chicago began the night tied with Cleveland for first place in the division, but holding the tie-breaker. Of course, the Guardians beat the A’s, leaving the White Sox looking up from behind once again.
Can they flush that disaster and rebound this afternoon? Hopefully, Sean Burke can steady an increasingly unstable ship.
The righthander was solid in his last outing against Cleveland on Sept. 14, tossing five innings and allowing one unearned run on four hits. He walked two and struck out four while throwing 94 pitches.
The Baseball Savant numbers offer a fairly clear blueprint for Burke: Stick with what works. His fastball run value ranks in the 94th percentile, while his four-seamer and cutter sit in the 93rd and 89th percentiles, respectively. Those have been his two most effective weapons, and he will need to lean on them against a Detroit offense that is beginning to heat up.
Burke’s breaking pitches are a much different story. His overall breaking-ball run value ranks in the 18th percentile, with his slider in the 28th and his curveball all the way down in the 14th. His sinker hasn’t been especially effective, either, ranking in the 33rd percentile.
In other words, this probably isn’t the afternoon to get cute. Burke needs to establish the four-seamer, work the cutter off it and avoid falling behind in counts where he is forced to bring a lesser secondary pitch into the heart of the zone. His strikeout rate ranks in the 73rd percentile, but his walk rate is below average. Free passes against this lineup could quickly turn into trouble.
Spencer Torkelson is swinging a particularly hot bat, and the Tigers as a whole have posted a team .814 OPS over the last seven days, sixth best in baseball. After Friday’s bullpen meltdown, the Sox desperately need Burke to provide both length and stability.
Jackson Jobe gets the ball for the Motor City Kitties. The righty was Detroit’s first-round pick, No. 3 overall, in the 2021 draft. He has yet to pitch a full season in the big leagues and is coming off Tommy John surgery in 2025.
Jobe returned on Aug. 8 and owns a 2-2 record, a 3.89 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP over seven starts and 34 2/3 innings. He won his last outing against the Rockies after allowing one run on three hits over 6 1/3 frames, walking one and striking out eight.
Jobe brings premium velocity, ranking in the 93rd percentile, but velocity does not necessarily equal dominance. His four-seamer has been one of his least effective offerings, while his changeup has also produced poor results. His sinker has been considerably better and helps explain his 77th-percentile ground-ball rate.
That gives the White Sox hitters a plan of attack. They need to avoid chasing Jobe’s secondary pitches outside the zone, force him to bring the ball over the plate and look to elevate something they can drive. His chase rate is strong, but his whiff rate is not, suggesting hitters can make contact if they refuse to help him.
The Sox should also avoid pounding his sinker into the ground all afternoon. Jobe has allowed plenty of damaging contact when hitters lift the ball, with his hard-hit rate ranking in the 73rd percentile and his launch-angle sweet-spot rate in the 94th. If Chicago can hunt the four-seamer or a changeup left over the plate, there should be opportunities to do damage.
Brenton Doyle is back in the lineup this afternoon. He has found his offensive groove recently and is one of Chicago’s hottest hitters, slashing .353/.353/.529 with a .882 OPS over the last seven days. Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas and Sam Antonacci also continue to swing the bat well.
On the flip side, Colson Montgomery, Munetaka Murakami and Kyle Teel remain stuck in the mud. The White Sox have managed only a .663 team OPS over the past seven days. That will not be good enough during a stretch in which every game carries postseason consequences.
Eight games remain. The division lead is gone, the Wild Card cushion is shrinking and the Rangers and Blue Jays are close enough to make things uncomfortable.
Time to see whether the White Sox can pick themselves up off the mat.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised on CHSN and can be heard on ESPN 1000.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Michel Otanez #63 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers purchased the contract of righthanded pitcher Michel Otanez prior to Friday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. To make room for Otanez on the active roster, the Rangers optioned lefthanded pitcher Robbie Ahlstrom to AAA Round Rock. To make room for Otanez on the 40 man roster, the Rangers transferred pitcher Cole Winn from the 15 day injured list to the 60 day injured list.
The Rangers’ starters have not been going deep into games of late, and with the usage of the bullpen in the Boston series, the Rangers opted to get a fresh arm up. I had thought that Ahlstrom, who has struggled of late and pitched on Thursday, would be sent down in favor of Winston Santos, who would give the Rangers a multi-inning guy for length in case of a blowout.
Instead, Texas opted for Otanez, who had been claimed on waivers by the Rangers this winter, but who was designated for assignment in June, cleared waivers, and was outrighted. The 29 year old has an unimpressive 4.42 in 55 innings over 50 appearances for Round Rock this season, with 74 Ks against 42 walks, but since a 5 run outing in Tacoma in late June, Otanez has a 1.33 ERA in 27 innings, with 35 Ks and 13 walks. It may be he’s turned a corner.
