HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 30: Chase Meidroth #10 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates after hitting a three run home run against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Daikin Park on September 30, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wednesday’s games have come and gone, and two other teams were sent packing along with the Red Sox as Boston’s season ended unceremoniously at the hands of the Yankees. Plenty more ex-Red Sox made impacts on their respective games, and the playoff picture for the divisional round is now set…. on the AL side, anyway. To borrow my usual Minor Lines segueing line, let’s get into it.
The only series to get tied up in game 2 did so in dramatic fashion as this game is also the only game of the postseason thus far to reach extra innings. Things looked bleak for the Phillies’ season when they gave up two runs in the seventh; the Phillies had Christopher Sanchez putting in work but his production was just a hair under that of the Braves’ Tyler Mahle. But, Mahle couldn’t stay in forever, and after 7 innings of allowing just one run, he was pulled and Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper took full advantage in the 8th with back-to-back homers. Alec Bohm then got in on the action with a solo shot of his own in the 10th off of Didier Fuentes. Game 3 begins at 8:00 PM tonight.
The White Sox’s first playoff advancement in more than 20 years came with another decisive victory including some heavy offense in the first inning. The White Sox, who led the league in 1st inning runs this season, got Hunter Brown for four runs before the frame was over. This included a two-run knock by Andrew Benintendi followed by another RBI by Tristan Peters. The Astros answered with a lead-off home run by Jeremy Pena, and stayed in the game due to an unusual outing by Sean Burke wherein he struck out eight but allowed three home runs; thankfully for him, those were all solo shots.
The reaper’s kiss for Houston came from Chicago’s Chase Meidroth, who belted a three-run shot to put this game, and the series, out of reach. And, yes, Meidroth was part of the return for Garrett Crochet, who also saw some playoff reps on Wednesday. Chicago will now head to Cleveland to begin their divisional series on Saturday afternoon.
Xander Boegarts was involved in both defining plays for the Padres on Wednesday night as they advanced to the divisional round. He hit an RBI single in the second inning and was also on base when Gavin Sheets tore the game open (or, as it was only the fourth inning, at least put it on notice) with a two-run shot. The inning could have gotten even uglier for Chicago, but Pete Crow-Armstrong had one last leaping catch at the wall in him for 2026 to end the inning. The rest of the game rolled on without incident or too much clamor, and the final score stayed 4-1. The guy who started the game for San Diego? You might recognize him – it was Nick Pivetta. The Padres now head to Milwaukee to face a pretty powerful contender for their best-of-5.
HOUSTON — Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable already was looking ahead just minutes after his team won its first playoff series in 21 years by sweeping the Houston Astros in their AL Wild Card Series.
“I can tell you right now that the group isn’t satisfied with this,” he said.
The White Sox used a big first inning and a three-run homer from Chase Meidroth to propel them to a 7-3 victory and series win.
It’s the first time Chicago has won a playoff series since beating Houston in the World Series in 2005. Under the direction of Venable, the second-year skipper, and with a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, the White Sox advanced to face AL Central champion Cleveland in the AL Division Series beginning in Cleveland.
They’re thrilled to give their fans in Chicago at least a couple of home playoff games after playing their first two postseason games on the road. Their first game at Rate Field will be Game 3.
“They have been incredible all year,” Meidroth said. “So, the main thing was getting back to Chicago for some postseason baseball, and so we’re really blessed that we get to do that.”
The White Sox, who lost 100 games in each of the last three seasons, are the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth.
It’s an improbable and swift turnaround that most people — not even owner Jerry Reinsdorf — saw coming.
“I didn’t think it would come to fruition this fast, I really didn’t,” he told reporters postgame. “I really thought 2027 was the year that we would contend. But nobody told the players that they couldn’t do it.”
The White Sox were expected to be the worst team in their division again this season but instead made a 24-game jump to go 84-78 and capture a wild-card playoff spot.
Meidroth shared the important qualities that allowed them to defy expectations.
“Belief, energy, those are the two things,” he said. “Confidence. We got a young, hungry group, some veteran guys that we lean on. But, yeah, it’s been the same all year. We believe we can win every game.”
Entering this season, it had been an awful stretch for the White Sox, who set the record for most losses since 1899 when they dropped 121 games in 2024. It was a year that Reinsdorf reflected on as “depressing.”
He lauded the work general manager Chris Getz did to build a strong foundation for the team to grow. And pointed to the blockbuster trade of left-hander Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox after that dreadful season that netted them Meidroth, catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Braden Montgomery as a turning point.
Venable, the 43-year-old who is in his first managerial role, is glad to have helped bring the White Sox back to respectability after their years in baseball’s basement.
“I’m really proud and I’m really just happy for everybody who over the last few years had experienced White Sox baseball when it obviously wasn’t at its best,” he said. “And it’s such a storied franchise and Jerry puts so much into this team, loves this team so much, and to be able to reward him and the city of Chicago who have been in our corner and supported us from day one that I’ve been there, it just feels really good.”
After the teams combined to use seven pitchers in Wednesday's 10-inning thriller, the state of the respective pitching staffs is the biggest question mark going into the winner-take-all showdown.
The two teams didn't announce their Game 3 starters immediately, but we can look at the rosters, see who's already pitched and make some educated guesses about who's available for tonight's game.
To reset the stakes, the winner of the Braves-Phillies series will travel to Los Angeles to face the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers in the NL division series, which starts on Saturday.
The Phillies have the luxury of having four solid starting pitchers on their active roster. So after using lefties Jesus Luzardo in Game 1 and Cristopher Sanchez in Game 2, they can turn to right-handers Aaron Nola or Zack Wheeler (or both) in Game 3.
Nola seems to be the logical choice. He's been excellent down the stretch, with a 2.93 ERA and 1.16 WHIP during his final 11 starts in the regular season. Plus, he'd make the start on his normal schedule after last taking the mound Saturday, Sept. 26 for one inning against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Wheeler, who delivered six strong innings in the regular-season finale on Sunday, Sept. 27 to get the Phillies into the playoffs, would presumably be available out of the bullpen on three days' rest.
Bullpen note: Andrew Painter's three stellar innings of scoreless relief in Game 2 allowed the Phillies to give closer Jhoan Duran the day off after he pitched two innings in Game 1. Duran should be fresh, if needed, for the late innings.
Who is starting Game 3 for Braves?
UPDATE: The Braves have selected left-handed reliever Ray Kerr to take the mound first in Game 3.
Atlanta's two best starters down the stretch – Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle – pitched in the first two games of the series, leaving an open question as to who gets the nod tonight.
Right-hander Grant Holmes would be the logical choice, since he last pitched on Saturday and would be on his normal four days of rest. Holmes made a career-high 29 starts this season, but he came out of the bullpen to toss four innings in that Sept. 26 appearance against the Miami Marlins.
However, the Braves could also use one of their four left-handed relief pitchers on the roster as an opener to try and neutralize lefty sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the first inning. Then after that, they could turn to Holmes for as long as he's able to last.
Bullpen note: Atlanta's best left-handed reliever during the regular season, Dylan Lee, has appeared in both of the first two games – entering in the eighth inning to face Schwarber and Harper. After pitching a 1-2-3 inning in Game 1, Lee gave up back-to-back homers to the lefty sluggers in Game 2. Would the Braves consider going back to him for a third consecutive game? Closer Raisel Iglesias has also pitched in each of the first two games, so his effectiveness may also be in question if he's called upon in Game 3.
NEW YORK — Yankees captain Aaron Judge remained unsure of his Division Series status following New York’s Wild Card Series sweep of the Boston Red Sox.
Sidelined since Sept. 16 by a strained right calf, Judge went to the Yankees’ Double-A ballpark in Somerset, New Jersey, for live batting practice as he tries to work his way back from a leg injury to be available later in the postseason.
“Saturday’s a long ways away, but I’m doing everything I can, all morning, night, during the game, everything to prepare myself to be ready to go,” Judge said after the 9-2 win. “So I want to be in there. So we’ll see what happens.”
Judge did not join teammates along the first-base line for introductions before the Yankees’ 9-0 win in the opener of the best-of-three series.
“I think he was getting treatment,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Judge ran in the outfield before Game 1 and before Game 2 went to Somerset to hit. He returned to the Bronx in time to watch Game 2.
A three-time AL MVP, Judge was limited to 66 games this season. The 34-year-old slugger hit .241 with 18 homers, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS, including .174 with one homer and three RBIs in September.
Left-hander Ryan Weathers, sidelined with a left forearm flexor strain since Aug. 22, was set to throw a bullpen at Yankee Stadium.
Boone said right-hander Clarke Schmidt won’t pitch again this year. The 30-year-old relieved on Sept. 16 at Minnesota in his first big league appearance since Tommy John surgery on July 11, 2025, then was put on the injured list with right biceps inflammation.
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1989: Roberto Kelly #39 of the New York Yankees poses for this portrait prior to the start of a Major League Baseball game circa 1989 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Kelly played for the Yankees from 1987-92 and in 2000. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 1990 season was not a banner year for the Yankees. The team lost 95 games, the most in their entire history (if you don’t count some moribund Highlanders squads around the turn of the previous century). Their manager, Bucky Dent, made it through only 49 games before getting the boot. Don Mattingly, struggling with back injuries, hit just five home runs. Tim Leary, the team’s best-performing pitcher, led all of baseball in losses (19) and wild pitches (23). Their brightest spot was a homegrown player coming into his own, playing elite center field defense while swiping 42 bags and appearing in all 162 games on a roster decimated by injury. By the time the Yankees returned to the mountaintop six years later, he’d be gone, but his ascent remained a critical piece of the team’s rebuild.
Roberto Conrado Kelly Born: October 1, 1964 (Panama, Panama) Yankees Tenure: 1987-92, 2000
Roberto Kelly grew up in Panama City, where he impressed from a young age with his athleticism. Fred Ferreira, the longtime scout who also signed Bernie Williams and Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, signed the 17-year-old Kelly in 1982. He was an immediate force on the basepaths and in the field but, initially, struggled at the plate, hitting below the Mendoza line in Rookie ball. By 1987, though, he’d developed some plate discipline and pop, slashing .278/.324/.435 with 13 homers and 51 stolen bases in 118 games at Triple-A. He got the call that year, joining a contending team in a lineup that featured Mattingly, Winfield, Willie Randolph, and Rickey Henderson.
The opportunities were limited at first, with Kelly appearing in just 61 games at the big-league level in his first two seasons. When Claudell Washington departed after the ‘88 season, Kelly took his place in center field. He was expected to play good defense and add an element of speed on the bases. What no one expected was that he would hit better with the Yankees than he had in the minors. Kelly hit above .300 in his first full season, flirting with a batting title in the early going and finding himself in the center of a mini-controversy when manager Dallas Green insisted on keeping him in the nine-hole despite his success.
Kelly’s 1990 season ended up grading out as the best of his career by WAR, largely on the strength of his speed and defense as well as the volume accrued by appearing in every game.
“I rely on my speed and instincts to get to balls that other outfielders can’t reach,” Kelly said of his defensive philosophy. “I play shallow in center field because I want to take away hits from batters and, to me, that’s rewarding. I take as much pride in making a great defensive play to save a game as I do in getting two or three hits in a game.” At the age of 25, he’d established himself as a major-league starter. “I proved I can play at the major league level,” he said after the season. “I’m not going to say I’m the best center fielder, but I’m up there. I still have some work to do.”
That “work” likely referred to strikeouts, as Kelly was punched out 148 times, sixth in the league. Kelly cut his strikeouts nearly in half in 1991 while hitting a career-high 20 homers. In ‘92, after a hot start, he made his first All-Star appearance. “I could sit here and say a lot of people think I’m going to be a superstar,” he said matter-of-factly after his selection. “But I’ve got to drive in runs. I’ve got to put it in writing. That is the only way I will be put in a group with the big guys.” Later that year, though, the Yankees called up Williams to replace Kelly in center, bouncing him to left, in what was likely the beginning of the end of his Yankees tenure. “I’m not going to talk about it now,” Kelly said when asked about the move. “It makes no sense to talk abut something that might get me upset.”
After the season, Gene Michael made one of the most consequential moves of his tenure at GM, trading Kelly to the Reds for Paul O’Neill. Michael called the decision to move on from the talented Kelly “gambling,” chalking it up to a desire to get more left-handed. The trade looked like a win-win in year one, with Kelly making his second consecutive All-Star team while hitting .319. But his season ended in early July due to injury and he found himself back on the trade block the following year, this time heading to Atlanta.
Thus began the former phenom’s second life as a journeyman. Between 1994-2000, Kelly played for eight teams, bringing value as a versatile outfielder and capable big-league hitter. His best season during this period came in 1998, when he hit .323 with 16 home runs in 75 games with the Rangers. Kelly returned home in 2000, signing a minor-league deal with the Yankees before the season and appearing in 10 games before hanging up his cleats at the age of 35.
After his career, Kelly went into coaching, serving as a base coach on the Giants’ 2010, 2012, and 2014 championship squads. He’s currently the manager of the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League, a team that won the league’s 2026 championship with help from former big leaguers Justin Turner, Wilmer Flores, and Luis Guillorme.
While Roberto Kelly never experienced playoff glory with the Yankees, his rise signaled a new era of homegrown talent to come, paving the way for the likes of Bernie Williams. More importantly, his talent convinced the Reds to part with Paul O’Neill, whose importance to the ‘90s Yankees goes without saying. Please join us in wishing a happy 62nd birthday to Roberto Kelly.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 26: Kazuma Okamoto #7 of the Toronto Blue Jays takes part in warm ups prior to play against the Cincinnati Reds ahead of their MLB game at Rogers Centre on September 26, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Jays signed Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract. He had played 11 seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League. He hit .322/.411/.581 with 15 home runs in 77 game there in 2025 and .280/.362/.505 with 27 home runs in 143 games in 2024. He had 248 career home runs.
There were questions about his defense at third base, but most thought he would be able to hit. Steamer figured him to hit .251/.323/.446 with 22 home runs in 130 games. I guessed a .250 ish average with 25 home runs and a .340 ish OBP.
Baseball Reference had him at a 2.5 WAR. FanGraphs at 2.9, giving him a value of $23.4 million to the Jays.
He had a .332 wOBA and a 113 wRC+.
His walk rate was up, 9.3% (the Jays team average was 7.6%). The strikeout rate was 28.8%. (team average wa 19.0%).
Kazuma line-drive rate was 17.0% (team 18.6). The ground ball rate was 35.6% (team 43.3). Fly balls 47.4% (38.1). 17.9% of his fly balls left the part (team average 9.2%).
Soft contact was 13.1% (team 16.3%), and hard contact was 39.9% (team 31.3%).
Okamoto hit LHP (.250/.339/.520) much better than RHP (..226/.299/.429). He should have been hitting high in the order against lefties and low against right-handers. We’ll see if he does better against RHP next year.
He hit better on the road (.323/.403/.498) than at home (.262/.360/.436), the opposite of last year.
Kazuma hit slightly better at home (.238/.323/.457) than on the road (.228/.297/.449).;’
And he hit better in the first half (.239/.319/.469) than the second half (.223/.295/.428). Perhaps tiring, perhaps teams pitched him better with more scouting.
Kazuma by month:
April: .218/.310/.373 with 5 home runs, 13 walks and 38 strikeouts in 30 games.
May: .210/.304/.470 with 11 home runs, 11 walks and 39 strikeouts in 28 games.
June: ..286/.353/.560 with 8 home runs, 8 walks and 33 strikeouts in 25 games
July: ..213/.271/.427 with 5 home runs, 6 walks and 24 strikeouts in 24 games.
August: .219/.290/.406 with 4 home runs, 10 walks and 26 strikeouts in 26 games.
September: .256/.344/.500 with 5 home runs, 11 walks and 23 strikeouts in 23 games.
If every month could have been like June…..
He hit .234/.301/.396 with 6 home runs, 16 walks and 43 strikeouts with RISP.
Okamoto was pretty much the same in high leverage (.286/.333/.437) as medium (.233/.310/.463) or low leverage spots (.203/.298/.450). Well, pretty much the same in OPS. His batting average was best in high leverage, but he hit with better power in other spots.
Defensively?
He had a league leading 20 errors at third base, with a .935 fielding average (league average at third was .358). Outs Above Average had him at a -3.
He played 95.2 innings at first base, with 1 error, and a .990 fielding average (league average is .995). Outs Above Average had him at a 0 at first.
Baseball Savant had him at a 23 percentile for range and a 27 percentile for arm.
Fangraphs had him at a -3.1 runs as a baserunner. Savant has him as a 26th percentile for sprint speed.
He stole one base (almost as amazing as Kirk stealing a base) and was caught once.
By Batting Order Position Okamoto hit:
Batting 2nd: 5 starts, .250/.375/.450.
Batting 3rd: 20 starts, .247/.310/.481.
Batting 4th: 48 starts, .213/295/.377.
Batting 5th: 36 starts, .157/.272/.378.
Batting 6th: 24 starts, .292/.333/.629.
Batting 7th: 19 starts, .338/.392/.559.
By defensive position:
1B: 13 games: .311/.354/.622.
3B: 151 games: .227/.307/.442.
DH: 12 games: .200/.333/.300.
PH: 2 PA, 2 strikeouts.
His longest hitting streak was 10 games.
His longest on-base streak was 16 games.
The longest he went without a home run was 17 games.
His longest hitless streak was 7 games.
The team was 73-79 in his starts.
Kazuma’s favourite team to face? He hit .318/.423/.727 in 6 games against the A’s. Also .313/.389/.688 in 5 games vs the Guardians.
Least favourite: White Sox .048/.200/.048 in 6 games.
Times facing a starter:
First: .261/.333/.552
Second: .254/.359/.410
Third: .247/.318/.506
He had 1 PA against a starter for the fourth time and was hit by pitch.
Swinging at the first pitch of an at bat he hit .375 .393 .696 with 5 home runs.
A very nice rookie season. He’s likely to get some RoY votes, but Kevin McGonigle is going to win it.
Baseball Savant says he is very good at Barreling the ball (89th percentile). And good at hard hit percentage 71st percentile. But ‘squared-up’ percentage isn’t good (29th percentile).
He had an excellent rookie season, and I’m expecting he’ll improve over the four years of his contract, as he gets more comfortable with the game here.
In a perfect world, he’d likely play first base. I’d imagine, next year, without George Springer (presuming they will be without him, never know I guess), Okamoto will likely get more turns at DH, hopefully helping him stay rested for the season.
TORONTO, ON - JULY 18: The Toronto Blue Jays' World Series Commissioner's Trophy is seen before an MLB game between the Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays on July 18, 2026, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Earlier this week, we did a couple of World Series polls — specifically, who would advance to the World Series from the American League and from the National League.
After last night’s game, almost 25% of you are already wrong in regards to your American League picks, as Houston received 11.9% of the vote, and Boston got 11.3% of the vote. Both teams got swept in the Wild Card round.
The top two vote getters, Tampa and Cleveland, are still around, and are, not coincidentally, the two American League teams that received byes. Tampa got 40.4% of the vote, while Cleveland got 25.2% of the vote. The Yankees, who bounced the Red Sox, were the pick of 9.3% of voters, while the ChiSox got just 2% of the vote.
In the National League, the Brewers got a majority of the vote, with 59.8%. The Dodgers were the best of the rest, at 17.1%. The Phillies, who stayed alive with their late comeback last night, were the pick of 8.5% of voters, followed by the Cubs, Padres and Braves at 6.1%, 4.9% and 3.7%, respectively.
And just like that, the season comes to an end with barely a whimper. Over two days, the Cubs looked completely and totally over matched. If you’re a decades long Cubs fan, you’ve seen this before. There were exceptions along the way in the playoff era, but generally the Cubs have a really good season, then get trashed in the playoffs. Here’s the thing though. The Red Sox? Got trashed. The Astros? Showed some fight against the White Sox, but got trashed. By the White Sox of all teams. But then, the Astros were an 81-win team winning a division and reaching the playoffs. I only half jokingly feel like if you can’t win a majority of your games that they should replace your division with another Wild Card for the playoffs. Of course, interleague play was so lopsided this year that you’d only be sliding in another team that barely had a winning record.
So it happens. The playoffs can take a hypothetical two to five percent difference between two teams and make it look like one of the teams is scrimmaging against its Triple-A affiliate. I’ve no doubt that if the Cubs had ever found their footing in this series that it could have looked very different. But the moment can swallow you when it goes bad. The team finishes the season with 53 regular season games and two playoff games since they last won a game where they didn’t homer. That’s a mighty long stretch.
From where I sit, there are exactly three ways to break down methods of winning. First, you can hit a lot of home runs. Second, you can have a really good pitching staff. Keep the score low and you don’t need to score as many runs. This is aided by having a really good defense to make your pitching even better. Third, you can find other ways to manufacture runs. Taking walks, aggressive baserunning and situational hitting.
Hit a lot of homers. Check. This Cub team was built to do that. They spent nearly the entire year at or near the top of the home run leaders as a team. What do I think their long term prospects are there? That’s a tricky question. I felt some of their players underachieved here. Most obviously was Michael Busch. So I’d expect a few guys to post higher numbers next year. But can either Pete Crow-Armstrong or Alex Bregman do what they did again next year? Is Seiya Suzuki back? What do you do with your two corner outfield spots and your designated hitter position? All three of those spots are historically slugger spots in MLB. It doesn’t mean they have to be. The Cubs championship team didn’t actually end up getting great power numbers from the corner outfield and, of course, that was pre-NL designated hitter.
Have a really good pitching staff? Well, no. Two games is a very small sample size. And the day two pitchers were a fair bit more effective than the day one pitchers were. Poor Daniel Palencia. I didn’t see where the numbers ended up, but I know well into the season there had been just one homer on a Palencia pitch over 100 miles an hour. So he puts 101 right in the wheelhouse of Gavin Sheets and Sheets might never have squared a pitch better in his whole career. But for that one pitch, Game 2 might have been a really classic game. That cushion made everything easier for the Padres.
If one were to draw conclusions from those two games, they might decide pitching wins playoff games. That might feel like a sweeping generalization from just two games. But boy I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s ever heard a form of it. I always found an irony that from the moment Theo Epstein and crew came to Chicago they began drafting a slugger in the first round every year. And in those days, the picks were near the top of the round. It felt like they were putting together some slow pitch softball team designed to bludgeon their opponents to death. And in the end, that team was propelled by one of the best pitching staffs in the storied history of this organization. It was aided by an excellent defense.
This organization has got to get better on the pitching side of things. I have one theory on top of all of the obvious ones. The obvious ones being find more of those guys that can dial it up into the high 90s and more. Find more of those guys with the stuff that dances all over the place. Ryan Zeferjahn makes us all nervous because it feels like he doesn’t know where the ball is going when he releases it. I don’t know if he’ll ever fully harness his stuff. But I know that Ryan is exactly what the Cubs need more of. A lot more.
My theory? This team started fixating some years ago on strike throwers. It doesn’t like allowing walks. For all of the ire the pitching staff received, they only allowed the 12th most runs among MLB teams. That is actually pretty decent. Of course, they were significantly aided by the best defensive unit since the current defensive metrics were put in place. One reason for that: They were ninth in fewest walks allowed. Two guys who have been susceptible to allowing a ton of homers are Jameson Taillon and Shōta Imanaga. Both work a ton in the zone and neither has particularly elite stuff. I’d argue that in getting allergic to allowing walks, they’ve found guys who are susceptible to homers. Walks are almost always bad. I do like the idea of limiting them. But a bad pitch in the zone will get you killed.
That last point was a nod towards small ball. It’s a lost art. The Cubs do have a lot of team speed. They also had one of the more prolific base stealers in baseball. And yet, they were 10th in steals. They drew a lot of walks. And they probably led the league in singles that advanced all of the runners exactly one base. This team was so good at getting runners on base that they tended to wait around for one big hit. In the regular season, those hits often came. But there were still long stretches where the offense would vanish. This isn’t new, we’ve been saying it since 2017. I don’t watch other teams or deep dive them statistically. I suspect to some degree or another these things happen to all of the teams. So this is probably not something to overthink.
Still, when the margins decrease, being able to actually put down a bunt or hit the ball to the other side. Those are dying arts. I know that is widespread. Chalk that up to one of the negative side effects to numbers crunchers getting heavily involved with the sport. There is value to those soft skills. I will grant that so many pitchers throwing 98 plus really makes that complicated. It was definitely easier when you were seeing a lot of pitches in the 80’s back in the day when starters were throwing every three or four days and throwing regularly into the seventh and eighth innings.
The game evolves. That’s part of what keeps the game interesting. I definitely liked the old game where the starters were of paramount importance and guys who knew how to have productive at bats with runners on were more valuable. But it’s hard not to appreciate teams like the Padres and their next opponent, the Brewers, with all of their pitchers with really elite stuff. The game is changing. Some of the old stuff works. A three-run homer has been effective for all of baseball history and will likely never go out of fashion. But there are other ways for sure.
Happy Wait Til Next Year Day to all who celebrate.
Three Postives:
David Peterson faced five hitters and recorded five outs. He did allow a hit, but also picked off a runner. I would have probably had him start one of the games. I don’t expect it would have changed much.
Nico Hoerner had two more hits, one a double. Might want one or two more of these guys who handle velocity well.
Tyrone Taylor had a hit in his only at bat of the series. I’m not sure he’d have been in the lineup even if Alex Bregman had been able to play the field. It would have been nice to see Taylor and Conforto rather than Pedro Ramirez and Matt Shaw (particularly against right-handed pitching).
Game Two, September 30: Padres 4, Cubs 1 (0-2)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Nico Hoerner (.109). 2-4, 2B, RBI
Hero: Carson Kelly (.068). 1-3, HBP
Sidekick: David Peterson (.027). 1.2 IP, 5 BF, H, K
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Dansby Swanson (-.171). 0-3
Goat: Daniel Palencia (-.113). 1.2 IP, 7 BF, H, R, 2 K
Kid: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.104). 0-4
WPA Play of the Game: Gavin Sheets hit a two-run homer in the fourth, effectively ending the series. (.176)
Cubs Play of the Game: Nico Hoerner batted with runners on first and second in the top of the fourth and one out. He singled and a run scored. (.114)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 1 Winner: Nico Hoerner received 38 of 67 votes.
Up Next: Nobody really knows. The offseason looms after the rest of the playoffs unfold. I’ll be rooting for the Rays the rest of the way. I’m always going to throw my support behind the teams that excel in scouting and player development. After the playoffs? A work stoppage. The sides seem intent on this being a long one. Everyone is making a ton of money and baseball feels like it has made something of a resurgence in popularity. Definitely time for a work stoppage.
I’ve never been put into the position of a mediator, though I do mediate very regularly. Were I asked to mediate, I would give both sides an opening statement that would say that both of you do put forth some good arguments about why the other side frustrates you and is difficult to deal with. I get why the friction is there. I get where there are goals that are very much in contradiction to one another.
I’d tell them that you should have come to me with a very clear list of things you wanted. Then I’d tell you that you aren’t getting all of them. That’s the way mediation works. Neither side is going to get everything it wants. Ordinarily, you’d say that each side figure out their number one priority and try to satisfy that. I’m afraid that it would generally look like one side wants a much more formalized salary structure and the other wants no part of it. I guess I’d try to come up with some loosely formalized salary structure and a significant increase in the amount of revenue going to the players. You take this thing that you don’t want, but you get what you really want. At the end of the day, the players want an increasingly large amount of money. Shouldn’t we all?
That has to look like teams at the bottom spending (way) more. The players get a larger chunk of the revenues. The players share is absolutely indexed to inflation or a standard increase or whatever, so they don’t have to collectively bargain increases. And the owners get some very basic structure that is a bit more harsh than what exists now. I suspect this is the outcome. Or close to it.
How long will that take? Who knows. Until then, extra time to rest and recharge and remember all of the other things we do for fun. I’ll try to pop in from time to time in the offseason. Until then, thanks for your clicks, your comments and a kind word from time to time. They keep me going when the days seem to stretch without end. I wish all of you well in whatever comes your way.
As this is written—just before nine o’clock on Wednesday night— it is not yet clear who will start for the Phillies in the deciding game of their Wild Card series. The information is being held, kept close to the vest, perhaps not actually decided. Maybe they’ll sleep on it. Still, one thing is certain: Aaron Nola is going to pitch. Perhaps as the starter, perhaps in relief. But he will pitch. (UPDATE: he will start)
Despite a very solid second half of the season for Nola (3.33 ERA), this fact may prompt some consternation among the fanbase. He is not long separated from a stretch in which he was utterly out of sorts. Even in this late-season surge, he’s been tremendously homer-prone. In the postseason, when a single moonshot can spell the end of everything, it is entirely reasonable to be nervous about his presence. That being said: Aaron Nola is the perfect man for this moment.
Not necessarily in terms of how he will perform. Not being psychic, and being skeptical of fortune telling, crystal balls, horoscopes, and the reading of tea leaves, I do not propose to predict how his performance will go. But symbolically, nobody is more suited to this moment. Bryce Harper is the team’s biggest star, the one most associated with the city the team represents. Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez are the aces. But nobody, I would argue, represents the Phillies, and these Phillies in particular, than Nola. Being the longest-tenured member of this team, his career overlapping, if only just, with the Phillies’ tenures of Utley and Howard and Hamels, he is a bridge between eras. He was present when this era began, whether you wish to date it back to the signing of Bryce Harper, the 2022 pennant, or the finalization of this current core with Trea Turner’s arrival. If this era should end, with the Phillies being sent ungently into a less-than-good-night, it is fitting that Nola should be present for the curtain’s fall as he was for the rise. If it should continue, with the Phillies raging against the light, and against the hated Braves, it is fitting that Nola should be there as the trail goes on.
But it is not merely his seniority that makes him the most fitting representative of these 2026 Phillies. This year’s Phillies team has been erratic, up and down, magnificent and maddening. Capable in a short period of time of looking unbeatable and looking utterly vincible. And so, too, is Nola. At his best he pitches like a star, dicing and darting with his dervish of a knuckle curve. And his worst, he looks utterly lost, bereft and baffled. The same is true of his team. If the Phillies hack Atlanta’s chophouse to bits with a parade of homers today, it will not surprise. If the bats fall silent, it will not be a surprise. If Nola should demolish the Braves hitters (with, yes, perhaps a solo shot scattered in there somewhere), it will not be a surprise, and if his pitches should be tossed and batted around like a cat’s favorite toy, it will not be a surprise.
Bryce Harper is the icon of the Phillies, the poster boy. He, too, is Philadelphia. But his lows, while attention-grabbing, are not low enough to truly capture the up and down nature of this team, the essence of erraticism that suffuses it, makes their down periods feel endless and the best stretches feel eternal. Yes, he is not always elite. But he has never truly had the variance that Nola does. In Nola’s stretches of brilliance, in his periods of maddening struggle, he is the truest avatar for this team. He is not the anointed hero, and he is not the everyman, he is both and he is in between and he is neither. He is the potential for brilliant leaps and terrible faceplants. He is the embodiment of these Phillies. And no matter what he does in game three, it will be fitting.
Cubs pitcher Daniel Palencia enraged the Padres’ bench Wednesday night after plunking a batter immediately following a game-changing two-run homer in the 4-1 road loss in Game 2 that ended Chicago’s season rather unceremoniously.
One person on the Padres bench clearly shouted, “F–k you,” toward Palencia after Jake Cronenworth took a 100-mph 3-0 offering right in the back, while others seemed quite miffed.
A trainer attended to Palenica right after the hit by pitch, with one of the Peacock broadcasters noting they did not believe he hit Cronenworth on purpose.
The scene unfolded in the fourth inning after Palencia — a reliever — allowed a two-run homer to pinch-hitting Gavin Sheets that turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-1 hole.
Palenica then fired three balls to Cronenworth before his fourth hit him in the back, resulting in the latter staring down the reliever while the fans booed loudly.
Craig Counsell and medical staffers then checked on Palencia, who recorded the final out of the inning and then pitched a clean fifth inning.
The individual (second from right) screams an expletive toward Daniel Palencia. @JomboyMedia/X
That he would hit Cronenworth right in the typical spot for a beaning immediately after surrendering a homer certainly raised some flags, although the trainer coming out indicated something being amiss.
Tempers eventually cooled but the Cubs’ bats never heated up and they exited the postseason being outscored 12-1 over the two games.
Daniel Palencia hits Jake Cronenworth with a pitch. @JomboyMedia/X
Their lone run came on a fourth-inning RBI single by Nico Hoerner but the good vibes didn’t last long before Sheets took Palenica deep to make it a three-run game.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Daniel Palencia looks on after giving up a two-run home run in the fourth inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park in San Diego, California, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“It didn’t go well here. We just didn’t play well enough. They’re playing really well. We just couldn’t get anything going offensively obviously,” Counsell said.
“Look, it’s the end of the season is — when you’re in this position, you’re going to be disappointed. You’re going to feel unfulfilled, and you can’t — that’s just dominating everything you feel right now. Maybe as you reflect, I think I can get to some better places. Right now that’s all I feel.”
After a disappointing 93-loss season, Royals president of baseball operations J.J. Picollo said the team plans to be “aggressive in acquisitions.” But that aggressiveness, he cautioned, should not be confused with a willingness to spend aggressively on the payroll. He addressed the media along with manager Matt Quatraro in the team’s annual end-of-year press conference on Wednesday.
The season did not go as planned, with the team stumbling to a 12-19 start by the end of April. Picollo took addressed the slow start by saying “we’re responsible for the performance in April and May.” He did point out the World Baseball Classic kept some Royals players away from the team during spring training, making it more difficult to build team camaraderie. And injuries made it difficult for the team to climb their way out of the hole they had dug.
“We weren’t very good in April, and we weren’t very good in the beginning of May. I can’t sit here and tell you that I know we would have been good in June, July, August, and September, but if we had had those players on our roster and healthy and available, I think we could have made a better run.”
The Royals lost key players like Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino early in the year, in addition to having their pitching staff decimated by injuries over the summer. The Royals announced changes to their medical staff, although Picollo denied the injuries were the reason for the moves. He also contended that despite all the adversity, the team has to win.
“That being said, nobody feels sorry for you. You got to go out and win.”
Here is what Picollo had to say about how he plans to address team needs this offseason.
The bullpen
“The bullpen is going to be a focus for us,” said Picollo. “There’s no question.”
Royals relievers had a 5.07 ERA, second-worst in baseball, and a league-worst 6.65 ERA in the ninth inning. The team lost closer Carlos Estévez to injury after his first game, and got disappointing performances from Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm.
While Picollo expects the team to be aggressive, he added “I don’t want that mistaken for aggressive payroll spending.” He noted that the team was top five in spending on the bullpen over the last three years, but that spending on relievers may not be the solution due to the volatility of their performance.
“We have to look into ways at being more efficient,” he said, adding that they tried to look for that “diamond in the rough” late this year with waiver claims and small deals. They sought pitchers that presented different arm angles and pitches to give hitters varying looks.
“There’s not a clear, definitive answer on how to pull put a bullpen together. But I think the variety of ‘different looks,’ ‘different stuff’ type of relievers is the way we’re probably going to go.”
While Picollo highlighted the pitching of Steven Cruz and Nate Pearson down the stretch, the 2027 closer may not be on the roster right now.
“I don’t know if we’ll be able to sit here today and tell you we’ll have a closer. Internally, we don’t think we necessarily have it.”
Daniel Lynch IV, who enjoyed a breakthrough season in the bullpen, will be given a chance to compete for a starting spot next year. Lynch had a 1.96 ERA in 46 relief appearances this year, and a 6.53 ERA in 10 starts.
Starting pitching
Picollo said starting depth was their biggest priority after upgrading the bullpen. He admitted that the starting pitching depth he had amassed before the season was not nearly enough.
“It was as confident as I’ve ever been in starting pitching depth,” he said before discussing the injuries that hit the pitching staff. Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, Ryan Bergert, and Stephen Kolek all missed significant time this season.
“So we’re never going to take starting pitching for granted.”
Next year’s rotation will feature Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, and Noah Cameron, but the team will have to figure out who will fill the last two spots. The team expects to pick up the option of Tony Gonsolin, the former Dodgers All-Star pitcher who was signed late in the year and pitched in one game for the Royals. He could compete for a rotation spot along with Lynch, and Randy Dobnak, who impressed with a 3.51 ERA in 15 games.
Offense
As far as the offense, Picollo liked some of the underlying things they did, but ultimately the team did not score enough runs, particularly on the road. The Royals averaged 4.26 runs per game overall, finishing 21st in baseball. That was a slight improvement over their performance in 2025 when they scored 4.02 runs per game, 26th in baseball. But they finished dead last in baseball in runs on the road, averaging just 3.62 per game.
“It’s a combination of things. It’s getting on base at a greater clip. It’s running the bases well. It’s putting the ball in play when you need to with a man in scoring position. A lot is made of batting average with runners in scoring position – for us its more about ‘did you get him in?’”
He confirmed Ken Rosenthal’s report from Tuesday that hitting coach Alec Zumwalt has been reassigned to focus more on minor league development, but Picollo clarified that this was not a reflection of performance, and had been the plan all along. Zumwalt had worked with the current core of Royals hitters in the minors, and had ascended to the big league level with them. The team wants him back working with young minor league hitters, while assistant hitting coaches Marcus Thames and Connor Dawson work with the big league hitters. The Royals will likely hire another assistant hitting coach, but Picollo backed the work of Zumwalt.
“We’re not disappointed with his performance. We think he’s a very good hitting coach.”
The team will look for offensive upgrades in the outfield. Picollo noted the outfield defense regressed this season, despite the fences at Kauffman Stadium being moved in leaving less room to cover. Outfield prospect Carson Roccaforte could be in the mix, although he is left-handed and Picollo noted that the team is already very left-handed heavy.
The team will be “open to any and all ideas” on trades, even if that means trading players on the roster. Picollo added he is not interested in trading players for prospects, given their timeline and expectations to contend.
“We need to add players that help us at the major league level.”
Spending
Picollo said he does not have a specific payroll figure, but noted that ownership has approved additional spending when he has brought forward opportunities worth pursuing.
“I’ve always felt like it’s not my job to worry about the payroll. Our job is to get the most out of whatever we have,” said Picollo, noting there are teams in the playoffs with lower payrolls than the Royals, while many teams that spent a lot are sitting at home.
“I don’t think payroll is indicative of success on the field. I think success on the field comes with knowing your roster and how to get the most out of your roster and that’s our task. That’s what we need to do.”
Sherman said in August that the team is “freeing up some money” the team could invest, with about $30 million expected to come off the payroll with impending free agents.
When asked about potential long-term contracts for Jac Caglianone or Carter Jensen, Picollo deferred, saying that they typically don’t seriously consider such deals until after a player’s second year of service time. Both players just completed their first full season in the big leagues, finishing strong with each hitting over 20 home runs and posting an OPS+ over 120.
The Royals may have to work quickly to address their shortcomings simply because of the looming potential work stoppage. The collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, which could lead to an end to free agent signings until a new labor deal is worked out.
“The aggressiveness in November is going to be important for us, as we expect the entire industry to be fairly busy.”
But it is clear the Royals have a lot do before the next season begins. The Royals entered 2026 expecting to build on back-to-back winning seasons. Instead, they finished with the fifth-worst record in baseball and now face significant questions in the bullpen, starting rotation and outfield. Picollo acknowledged that the fans demand more.
“It’s refreshing to know that our fans have high expectations. We want them to have high expectations, because we gave them reason to have high expectations,” said Picollo.
“With that comes to responsibility of getting it done. I think we feel pressure every year to win.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the tenth inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning A’s fans!
Three of the four series of the first round ended with sweeps. The Yankees, Padres, and White Sox all vanquished their opponents and have punched their tickets to the divisional round. The Cubs, Red Sox, and Astros (yay) all saw their seasons come to an unceremonious end. None of them were huge favorites to win it all so their fanbases can only be so disappointed, but still never fun to see your team end the year with a loss.
The second round is now mostly set. After their dominance over one division rival, the Yankees now take on the #1 seed in the AL in another rival, the Tampa Bay Rays. This series could go either way and it’ll be one of the best of the second round.
The other matchup in the AL is, again, between two division rivals as the White Sox take on the Guardians. The upstart White Sox beat Houston in convincing fashion but Cleveland is a much better opponent. Can they keep the mojo going, or does their magic finally wear off?
In the NL, the Brewers now know they’ll be facing the Padres in their Division series matchup. Milwaukee was the only team to win 100 games this year and is one of the favorites to win it all. They’ve been here before though and always fall short. Is this the year for them? The same can almost be said exactly the same of the Padres: a great team year in, year out, but always falling just short of expectations. Milwaukee should be favored in this series but San Diego could be the pick if someone wants an upset in the second round.
The only team that couldn’t finish off the sweep was the Atlanta Braves. They were close, coming to within six outs of finishing off the Phillies. Their division rival managed a late comeback with back-to-back homers in the eighth to tie it and then they finished the comeback in extras, forcing one more game to decide the series. Winner-take-all. This is going to be some good baseball, and a mere taste of what’s to come in the later rounds of the playoffs.
Philly hasn’t announced their starter for the must-win game later today. They could turn to Zack Wheeler on short rest, which at this point in the year is kind of why he got that massive contract. Atlanta meanwhile has a bit more of a complicated decision for them on who starts today’s contest. It could end up being former A’s prospect Grant Holmes, who has blossomed with Atlanta. We’ll all just have to wait and stay tuned.
Meanwhile A’s fans are still waiting to find out who the new General Manager will be. There were rumors and reports that the organization wanted their choice installed before the end of the year but that deadline is long gone. The hope now is that they pick their person before the end of the playoffs so the new voice has an entire and full offseason at the helm. News could drop at any moment and any day now.
Phillies-Braves Game 3 first pitch is at 5:15 Pacific. Have a great Friday Junior everyone!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox walks off the mound against the New York Yankees during the third inning in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 30, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone!
Three of the four Wild Card matchups concluded last night, with one more left to go. We’ve got all of that and more in today’s batch of links.
The Yankees’ bats went off once again, teeing off Garrett Crochet in his first appearance back from injury in a 9-2 ballgame to punch their ticket to the ALDS.
The Phillies drew even with the Braves thanks to a trio of homers, including an extra-inning bomb from Alec Bohm, in a 4-3 win. They’ll play the deciding match this evening.
In Mariners news…
Ryan Rowland-Smith made his pitch for why the Mariners need to extend right-hander Logan Gilbert.
