HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 17: Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals smiles while pointing to fans during a game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on September 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals dropped the rubber game against the Houston Astros Thursday night. Despite scoring first, Kansas City falls 6-2 as Houston homered five times.
The game started off promising as the Royals loaded the bases in the top of the first on just nine pitches—two four-pitch walks to Carter Jensen and Bobby Witt Jr. before Houston opener Miguel Ullola plunked Jac Caglianone in the foot. Up came tonight’s cleanup hitter, Maikel Garcia, with a chance to do some real damage.
Real damage he did not inflict.
Instead, on the second pitch of the at-bat—Ullola’s last pitch of the evening—Garcia grounded into a run-scoring double-play. The Royals led 1-0 but the air had been let out of the balloon. Michael Massey couldn’t score Cags from third with two outs.
Houston wasted no time tying the game as Jeremy Pena led off the bottom of the first with his 20th home run of the season. In the bottom of the second, Daulton Varsho’s 12th homer gave Houston the lead it would never relinquish.
Before the Royals collected their first hit of the evening, LaMonte Wade Jr. (4) and Yordan Alvarez (40) also homered. Taylor Trammell (8) added another in the bottom of the 8th.
In total, the Astros hit more home runs tonight than the Royals had basehits.
That’s never a good sign.
Props to Jensen, though, as he remains the only good thing about this woeful offense recently. In addition to his walk, he broke up Houston’s combined no-hitter with a sharp single in the sixth before adding another in the eighth inning, this time driving in John Rave, who’d doubled, to make it a 5-2 game. With Witt up next and Cags after him, things didn’t look completely dire.
But then Witt struck out on a wicked slider nowhere close to the strike zone. Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu, who only faced Witt, made the Royals shortstop just look silly.
That was pretty much it. Trammell’s home made it 6-2, and then Josh Hader came in to lock it down. Can you believe this is already Hader’s 10th season? I shouldn’t have looked that up. It made me feel old.
Hader retired the Royals in order, getting Nick Loftin—pinch-hitting for Cags for some reason—to fly out to right, Garcia to ground out to second, and Michael Massey to ground out to first. Bingo bango bongo, ballgame.
The loss drops the Royals to 67-86. The Astros improve to 77-76, 1/2 game up on the Texas Rangers in the division. As of this writing, the Rangers lead the Red Sox, 3-0, in the seventh inning, so it looks like these two Lonestar teams will continue duking it out for the West.
Before ending this, here’s how Royals starter Seth Lugo fared: five innings pitched, eight hits allowed, four homers given up, one walk, five strikeouts. He’s now 7-9 on the year with an ugly 5.06 ERA. If he didn’t have guaranteed money lined up for 2027, one would be forgiven for thinking this was the end of his line.
DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 12: A general view of a John Deere tracker and the Welcome to MLB at Field of Dreams signage during the media batting practice at Field of Dreams movie site on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The offseason is approaching fast, which means we’ll have to find other things to fill our evenings. For me, I’ll probably get caught up on a lot of movies and TV shows I’ve been putting off. And some of those will probably getting caught up on baseball movies I haven’t seen.
I mean, I only saw Bull Durham for the first time a few weeks ago, and ashamedly watched A League of Their Own for the first time last year.
So tonight, I’d like to ask you all: What’s your favorite baseball movie? I’m always looking for recommendations!
The Mets mustered just four hits while falling to the Phillies, 3-0, in the opener of a four-game series on Thursday night at Citi Field.
Here are the takeaways...
- In his penultimate start of the season, Nolan McLean was sharp over the first four innings as he used his entire arsenal to keep the Phillies off balance.
While dancing around four runners in the first four frames, McLean pitched quickly and efficiently -- averaging 12 pitches per inning and retiring eight of nine batters spanning the second inning and end of the fourth.
McLean was victimized by soft contact in the fifth inning as the Phillies opened the scoring. Following a bloop single by Brandon Marsh and a pair of two-out walks, Bryce Harper hit a slow grounder to shortstop, with Francisco Lindor's throw to second base arriving a hair too late to nab Trea Turner. That resulted in Marsh scoring from third base to make it 1-0, Philadelphia, though McLean escaped further damage by getting Luis Arraez to line out to left field.
Overall, McLean allowed one run on seven hits while walking three and striking out five in 6.0 innings, lowering his ERA to 3.18. He threw 82 pitches (57 strikes).
Aug 17, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
- Philadelphia increased its lead to 2-0 in the seventh inning after Francisco Alvarez made a two-base error while throwing behind Turner at first base. Following the error, Arraez lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. The Phils tacked on another run in the eighth on a sac fly by Justin Crawford.
- Aaron Nola held the Mets hitless over the first five innings while facing the minimum (Nola picked Juan Soto off first base after a walk in the first inning, and erased Soto with a double play in the fourth).
The Mets, swinging early and often and not generating much hard contact, made Nola throw just 47 pitches over the first five innings.
- New York finally tallied a hit against Nola in the sixth inning, with Nick Morabito's line drive single to left field giving them runners on first and second with one out. But Lindor bounced into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
The Mets had another chance against Nola in the seventh inning, when back-to-back two-out singles by Carson Benge and Mark Vientos set things up for A.J. Ewing. But Ewing tapped out to shortstop to leave the runners stranded.
Nola finished with seven scoreless innings while allowing three hits, walking three, and striking out four.
Soto came to the plate as the tying run with runners on first and second and two outs in the eighth inning, but grounded out softly to first base on the first pitch he saw.
- In a scary scene in the sixth inning, first baseman Jared Young was taken off the field on a stretcher after being kneed in the head by McLean on a play at first base. On the play, the ball -- which was hit by Justin Crawford -- rolled slowly up the first base line with both Young and McLean pursuing it. As it got close to the bag, Young lunged to his right to attempt to field it as McLean arrived near first base, with McLean's right knee hitting Young in the head/face, resulting in Young lying face down and motionless.
Young was down for several minutes while being attended to by the medical staff. Young, who was surrounded by McLean and every starting position player while lying on the field, was eventually placed on a stretcher and removed from the field on a cart. He had feeling in his extremities and was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
What's next
The Mets and Phillies continue their series on Friday night at 7:15.
Zac Thornton gets the start for New York, while Philadelphia has not yet announced a starter.
The Mets’ top prospect launched his third homer in just his third game since being promoted to Triple-A.
In the third inning, with the game tied, 7-7, Rojas smashed a 364-foot blast off southpaw Tucker Davidson on a 1-0 slider over the plate. It was Rojas' third at-bat of the game after he was hit by a pitch in the first inning. He smoked a double, his first with Syracuse, to drive in a run in the second inning.
Rojas finished 2-for-4 with three RBI.
He is now 7-for-12 with the aforementioned three homers and seven RBI since being promoted.
Rojas' numbers since being acquired by the Mets at the deadline have been phenomenal. He first started in Double-A, where he immediately excelled. In 29 games with Binghamton, Rojas slashed .280/.336/.593 with an OPS of .929 to go along with nine home runs and 29 RBI, nearly doubling both season totals in a third of the games from when he was in the Cubs' system. Rojas hit 15 homers and drove in 57 runs in 91 games with Knoxville while slashing .270/.339/.461.
Catcher Kevin Parada had another great game, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. He raised his batting average in Triple-A to .310. Once a top prospect, Parada has had a strong 2026. After slashing .229/.315/.327 with an OPS of .642 in 64 games with Binghamton, he was promoted to Syracuse in May and really took off.
On the other side of the coin, pitching prospect Jack Wenninger struggled. He allowed five runs on six hits and two walks in 1.2 innings while striking out just one batter.
It's a setback for Wenninger, who was finding his groove. He had allowed two or fewer runs in his last five games (four starts) across 22.0 IP.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 08, 2026: Ryan Lasko #93 of the Athletics bats during the second inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Hohokam Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
On a day the A’s lost 10-1 you probably don’t much care to discuss the team anyway. We’ll save that for a day, hopefully tomorrow, when the A’s give a glimpse of being good in 2027 and not just flirting with 100 losses in 2026.
Baseball matters, but when an injury like Ryan Lasko’s occurs we are reminded that was truly matters is the lives of the men who take the field for our entertainment.
Yesterday brought some good news — and a sobering reminder of what constitutes good news these days with regard to Lasko. The A’s OF prospect headed home, but with the longest road still ahead in his quest to regain feeling and mobility in his entire body.
Lasko’s terrifying injury, incurred diving for a fly ball, brought to my mind another horrible incident back in 2009, when a drunk driving collision took the life of Angels’ pitcher Nick Adenhart just hours after his best career start — against the A’s. Two others in the vehicle also lost their lives, and only one of the four passengers survived.
The surviving passenger was Jon Wilhite, like Lasko an accomplished athlete who played for Cal State Fullerton. In the crash Wilhite suffered an “internal decapitation,” which is when the skull base detaches completely from the cervical spine, that left him initially paralyzed.
Wilhite eventually began the long, long road to trying to regain as much mobility as possible, similar to the journey now in front of Lasko. Wilhite’s recovery has been described as “miraculous” — it is miracle enough that he was able to throw out the first pitch at an Angels game in May, 2021 and today he works as a supply chain manager while maintaining close ties to the Angels’ organization.
One of Wilhite’s teammates at Cal State Fullerton was Kurt Suzuki. While with the A’s, Suzuki’s wife spearheaded a fundraiser for Wilhite’s recovery and I was able to link with her to use the AN platform to raise money from some of our generous and caring readers. Suzuki is now, of course, manager of the Angels.
No one yet knows what Lasko’s recovery will look like and so currently baseball is very much on the back burner of anyone’s thoughts around his future. A dream might be to once again play baseball, while a goal might be to once again walk without medical aid. Lives can change in an instant and rarely does that instant announce itself ahead of time.
One prospect I have thought about since the injury is Devin Taylor, who is moving up the ladder fast and whose bat likely will put him into the 2027 conversation for the big league club. Taylor is the outfielder Lasko collided with as they both chased that fateful fly ball.
Through absolutely no fault of his own, Taylor became the barrier Lasko’s neck hit in just such a way as to cause the paralyzing injury. I wonder how this has been for Taylor, as guilt is not a rational emotion and can strike the profoundly innocent. Taylor is one step from the big leagues now, while Lasko is just hoping to take one step.
I hate it when the A’s lose, even more so when it’s 10-1. And I would take 50 consecutive 10-1 losses in a New York minute if it meant seeing Ryan Lasko run in the outfield again. Best wishes in your recovery, Ryan, and here’s hoping we at least see you throw out the first pitch some day soon.
That the next three games are on turf is not ideal, given that the Yankees are often cautious using players who are dealing with any kind of soft-tissue leg injury on the artificial surface.
It is possible the Yankees use the weekend to make sure Judge gets healthy before deploying him for Tuesday’s showdown against the Rays, who now lead the American League East by five games with 10 to play.
While this weekend’s games are important in that race, the Yankees much rather would ensure Judge is ready for the playoffs instead of potentially making the injury worse by playing him in hopes of chasing down the Rays for the division.
In a hint of potential good news — or perhaps just avoiding the worst-case scenario — both Jasson Domínguez and Max Schuemann were in the lineup Thursday night at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, suggesting the Yankees at least were not immediately calling up an injury replacement for Judge, though that does not preclude them from doing so in the coming days.
Aaron Judge reacts after striking out during the third inning of the Yankees’ 13-inning loss to the Twins on Sept. 16, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
But if the Yankees believe Judge has a chance to play again before the regular season is over, it is unlikely he will go back on the injured list because doing so would keep him out through Game 161.
So if they have to play a man short over the next few days, they will, especially with rosters already expanded.
Before leaving Wednesday’s game against the Twins in the sixth inning, Judge was batting only 4-for-23 (.174) with a .513 OPS and one home run in his first seven games back from missing three-plus months with a right rib stress fracture.
After the Yankees had eased him back in, he essentially was expected to be a full go starting Friday, meaning plenty of consistent at-bats to get locked in, at least until the leg tightness popped up.
“I feel like you deal with this every spring training,” Judge said Wednesday. “Usually start of the season once you start ramping up again, things pop up and that’s where we’ve been — thankfully this whole time coming back, nothing’s really nagged us. So hopefully, it’s just one little thing and we’re back out there soon.”
New York Mets first baseman Jared Young was still experiencing concussion symptoms hours after he was carted off the field in the top of the sixth inning Thursday night at Citi Field after a scary collision with his pitcher. The Mets announced he was being taken to a hospital for examination and that he had feeling in his extremities and interim manager Andy Green told reporters that Young had undergone a CT scan.
"It was a terrifying moment on the baseball field. Took him a while to come to," Green said after the 3-0 loss to the Phillies.
The collision happened when Nolan McLean inadvertently kneed a diving Young in the head as he chased a ground ball to first base. Young's head snapped back and he went down hard.
Status alert: Jared Young (head) carted off field Thursday.
Young laid in the infield dirt for several minutes as his teammates gathered around him and the Phillies waited quietly in their dugout. Young was attended to by Green and the Mets training staff for several minutes before being carted off. He was conscious and moving as he was carried off.
The injury is a brutal turn for Young, who has been one of the more unlikely success stories on the Mets' roster this season. A 15th-round pick by the Cubs in 2017 out of Old Dominion, Young bounced through Chicago's system before a brief big-league cameo in 2022-23. The Cardinals claimed him off waivers in 2023, but rather than grind in their minor league system, he signed with the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization, where he hit .326 with 10 homers in 2024 and set a foreign-player record with eight RBI in a single game.
The Mets brought him back to the U.S. on a one-year split deal in December 2024 and he spent most of 2025 buried behind Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker. Young finished 2025 as a September call-up, brought up to replace Brett Baty, who was injured.
Young made the Mets' 2026 Opening Day roster off the bench in part because Mike Tauchman suffered a knee injusy. Young tore the meniscus in his left knee in mid-April and underwent surgery, an injury that cost him roughly six weeks. He returned hot, posting a 1.018 OPS over his first nine games back, and kept hitting his way into a bigger role. He entered Thursday's game hitting .267 with a .761 OPS, nine home runs and 39 RBI.
Phillies slugger Bryce Harper began his postgame remarks by saying "I hope he's OK, may God be with him and his family."
Lindor also thanked the medical professionals that helped his teammate.
"Respect for the paramedics and our training staff, they did a really good job, as well," Lindor said.
A terrible Mets season got even worse Thursday, as Jared Young suffered a frightening injury when he collided with Nolan McLean while attempting to make a play at first base during a 3-0 loss to the Phillies.
The first baseman was knocked unconscious and had to be stretchered off the field during the top of the sixth inning after he and McLean awkwardly went after a Justin Crawford chopper down the first base line.
Access the Mets beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.
Young first looked ready to field the ball but went back towards the bag as McLean also charged it.
With both players off-balance, McLean’s knee slammed into Young’s head.
Young immediately went to the ground and stayed there for several minutes as trainers rushed to his assistance.
Jared Young (below) gets hit in the head by the knee of Nolan McLean after the two collided in a play near first base during the sixth inning of the Mets’ 3-0 loss to the Phillies on Sept. 17, 2026 at Citi Field. Jason Szenes for New York PostNolan McLean (left) and manager Andy Green look on as Jared Young is stretchered off the field during the sixth inning of the Mets’ loss to the Phillies at Citi Field. Jason Szenes for New York Post
Paramedics quickly tended to Young, who was stretchered off the field in front of stunned players.
Young gave a thumbs up as he was carted off the field and received an ovation from the Citi Field crowd. The Mets announced Young was taken to a hospital and had feeling in his extremities.
Jared Young gets stretchered off field after scary collision with Nolan McLean pic.twitter.com/3knUG6jHrJ
After the game, interim manager Andy Green said a CT scan was negative.
“He’s still experiencing real concussion symptoms right now,’’ Green said. “At this point in time, it looks like he avoided the scariest outcome. … There are really good signs.”
McLean managed to finish the inning, while Young was replaced at first base by Mark Vientos.
Mets starter Nolan McLean (26) was shaken up after colliding with teammate Jared Young during the sixth inning of their loss to the Phillies. Jason Szenes for New York Post
“It’s scary to see one of our brothers, one of the most respected and loved teammates we have here, like that,’’ Francisco Lindor said.
McLean, too shaken by the play to speak after the game, knew how serious Young’s injury could be, according to Lindor.
Mets first baseman Jared Young is stretchered off the field after colliding with teammate Nolan McLean and taking a knee to the head during the sixth inning of the Mets’ loss to the Phillies. Jason Szenes for New York Post
“Seeing another great teammate [McLean] saying, ‘This is not good. I hit him with my knee,’ somebody that played football, that knows hits,” Lindor said of McLean’s reaction. “Life is bigger than this game, for sure, and seeing [Young] not reacting [and] then seeing the trainer holding his neck, it was a scary moment. You can only think about how quick life can get out of your hands and think about his family. It was a tough moment. Respect for Nolan to gather himself and finish the inning.”
It was after the inning that the players were able to find out more about Young’s injury.
Jared Young was taken to the hospital after suffering a head injury after his collision with teammate Nolan McLean during the Mets’ loss to the Phillies. Jason Szenes for New York Post
The 31-year-old has taken over the first base job thanks to Jorge Polanco’s season-long struggles with both his bat and health, as well as Vientos’ slump.
Lindor said of Young, “He’s always happy. He posts up. He’s somebody we all respect and appreciate. He’s been a big part of our team the whole year [and] probably one of the better hitters on the team. I can only imagine what he’s going through. … We’re all praying for the best.”
MEts merch shop
47 Brand logo cap
1986 eco tote bag
Mets fiber beach towel
14-ounce sculpted relief mug
Customizable jersey
Color block logo backpack
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.
On the field, the Mets were held without a hit by right-hander Aaron Nola before rookie Nick Morabito singled to left with one out in the sixth, as they lost their fifth straight and sixth in their last seven games.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 19: Taj Bradley #26 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Target Field on August 19, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
FIRST PITCH: 838p Central TELEVISION: Twins.TV, still presented by Progressive RADIO: W-C-C-O 830 AM, KMNB 102.9 FM “The Wolf, rawr”, Danny Gladden Radio Network, Audacy Application KNOW YOUR FOE: none from SB Nation (Why? James tells us here.); alternatively, try Crashing the Pearly Gates
I thought the Minnesota Twins started this road trip in San Francisco, so I was going to put Scott McKenzie’s song “San Francisco” in and say the Twins should wear flowers in their hair and blah blah blah because the Giants are not doing well either and I dunno, man. But no, the Twins are going to Anaheim to play the Angels, another California team that is not doing well. I don’t know what you wear to Los Angeles though. Sequins?
It’s a meaningless late-season West Coast road trip against two teams that are also in the cellars of their respective divisions. What a party! The first series is a four-gamer against the Angels of Anaheim.
Walbert Ureña will get the ball for Los Angeles (A. L.) and he’s been pretty good this year. The rookie has put up a 2.88 ERA/3.68 FIP in 27 games (25 starts), does not give up many homers (nine on the season!), and strikes out two batters for every walk he issues. Also he has a cool name.
Taj Bradley gets the call for the Twins (A. L.) and he’s also been pretty good this year. He faced the Agnels on July 12 of this season, throwing seven innings of two-run baseball, both runs coming on homers – and both those hits were the only ones he allowed. He also struck out six and walked two batters. The Twins ended up winning 4-2 and he was awarded the W.
In a scary scene at Citi Field on Thursday night, Mets first baseman Jared Young was taken off the field on a stretcher after being kneed in the head by Nolan McLeanon a play at first base in the sixth inning against the Phillies.
The Mets announced shortly after Young was injured that he had feeling in his extremities and was being taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
On the play, the ball -- which was hit by Justin Crawford -- rolled slowly up the first base line with both Young and McLean pursuing it. As it got close to the bag, Young lunged to his right to attempt to field it as McLean arrived near first base, with McLean's right knee hitting Young in the head/face, resulting in Young lying face down and motionless.
Young was down for several minutes while being attended to by the medical staff. Young, who was surrounded by McLean and every starting position player while lying on the field, was eventually placed on a stretcher and removed from the field on a cart.
As Young was being taken through the opening in the left center field fence, he gave fans a thumbs-up.
“It was really scary," interim manager Andy Green said after the game. "Since he’s got to the hospital, he’s had a CT scan and the results have come back negative. Still experiencing real concussion symptoms right now. Likely avoided the scariest outcome. It was a terrifying moment on the baseball field."
McLean, who was visibly shaken as Young was being taken care of, returned to the mound after Young was removed from the field and recorded the final out of the inning.
Young was replaced at first base by Mark Vientos.
The 31-year-old Young, who has become the Mets' regular first baseman this season, is hitting .268/.332/.431 (.764 OPS) in 102 games this season. It has been a breakout year for him after playing just 44 games for the Mets and Cubs between his big league debut in 2022 and 2025.
The San Diego Padres’ Low-A affiliate, Lake Elsinore Storm, pummeled their way to the California League Championship on the backs of their newest players, with some assistance from some of their other highly ranked young prospects.
After struggling through most of the second half of the season, the Storm put on a postseason surge after suffering an 11-game losing streak during the last three weeks of the season. There was a hint of the turnaround during the last week of the regular season when Lake Elsinore finished with a winning series against Inland Empire, showing increased effectiveness on both offense and with their pitching.
After going 39-30 in the first half of the year, winning a spot in the playoffs, the Storm finished the second half with a 27-35 record and barely had a winning season at 66-65. Their first-half success was fueled by multiple players who earned themselves promotion to Single-A Fort Wayne. The Storm players that were promoted to Lake Elsinore from the Arizona Complex League were not able to sustain that success.
On Aug. 4, the Padres organization started adding the newly signed 2026 draft picks to the Lake Elsinore roster. Over the course of the month, outfielder Alex Conover (4th round), infielder Nu’u Contrades (6th round), infielder Elliot Lascelles (2nd round), C/1B/DH Augie Lopez (10th round), and infielder Joe Tiroly (7th round) all made their professional debuts.
They joined infielder Dawson Willis, who was promoted from the ACL when that league finished but had been injured and was activated shortly before their arrival. It took most of August and into September for the new Storm teammates to adjust to the major changes in the roster. Their prolonged and frequent losses attest to the time it took for them all to become a cohesive team.
Divisional playoffs
The Ontario Tower Buzzers (Dodgers) were the first to discover the Storm had found their footing. After dominating the second half, Ontario finished 10 games over .500. Playing a divisional playoff series, the Storm swept the best-of-three by winning the first two games.
RHP Jesus Castro, 19, had a stellar start in the first game, with six innings of two-hit and one-run ball. The pitching staff had been reinforced at the beginning of September with some more 2026 signees, including lefty relievers Rob Evans (12th round) and Andrew Wright (UDFA), both contributing. LF Conover went 4-for-5 with two RBI, and DH Contrades had three hits in four at-bats. 1B Joe Tiroly went 1-for-4 with two RBI.
In their clinching game on Sept. 10, LHP Kruz Schoolcraft had his best outing of the year. Finishing five innings, Schoolcraft allowed two hits and no runs with eight strikeouts. He was followed by 2026 first-rounder Coleman Borthwick, whom the Padres sent to Lake Elsinore from their Bridge League to pitch in the playoffs. The 18-year-old, who tops out his fastball in the high-90’s, threw two innings of two-hit ball, allowing a run with two walks and four strikeouts, making his professional debut in a playoff atmosphere. The last two innings were covered by 19-year-old Lan-Hong Su, who registered his first professional save by shutting out Ontario on a walk and three strikeouts.
DH Nu’u Contrades had two hits in three at-bats with two RBI while CF Dawson Willis hit 2-for-4, upping his average to .375. Canadian SS/2B Elliot Lascelles, 18, hit a double, drove in a run, and had an RBI.
Using all starters to cover nine innings, the Storm allowed only four hits and recorded 15 strikeouts in their 6-1 win.
Winning a Championship
Advancing to the Championship series, the Storm had to face off against the team with the best record in the league.
The San Jose Giants (SF Giants) finished their season at 80-52, 11 games up on the second-place Fresno Grizzlies. They led the league in both hitting and pitching stats for the regular season.
The best-of-three series kicked off on Sept. 13 in Lake Elsinore with a rout by the Storm. Scoring 12 runs to the Giants’ one run, the Storm had 13 hits, with 2B Lascelles going 3-for-6 with three RBI, including a double. 1B Joe Tiroly had three hits in five at-bats, with a run scored and an RBI. He also hit a double as part of his offensive effort. LF Conover went 2-for-4 with four RBI, including a two-run home run.
The game was started by RHP Tyler Schmitt, who went 4.1 innings, allowing four hits and no runs with three walks and three strikeouts. He was followed by RHP Jack Pineau, a 22-year-old Canadian who was signed as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) in July. Pineau completed the fifth inning with no hits and a strikeout. LHP Adler Cecil got the win with three innings of two-hit pitching, issuing two walks and striking out five.
LHP Ben Stubbs (2026, ninth round) finished off the game, allowing the only run on two hits with two walks. Overall, the pitchers issued seven walks and had nine strikeouts.
After an off day, the second game was played in San Jose, with the Giants showing why they were the best team in the league. Their pitching staff no-hit the Storm over nine innings, with the Storm scoring a run on a Dawson Willis walk followed by a balk and then a passed ball, scoring on a double steal (with Lascelles).
RHP Jesus Castro threw 4.2 innings of two-hit, two-run baseball with a walk and three strikeouts. The effort by the bullpen included UDFA RHP Tyler Pitzer, who allowed three runs in 0.1 innings, and 2026 12th-rounder Rob Evans, who pitched 1.1 innings with two hits and a run allowed.
Besides being no-hit, the Storm hitters only managed two walks while striking out 11 times.
The deciding game of the series was played the next day, Sept. 16, in San Jose. Lake Elsinore liked the effort made by first-rounder RHP Coleman Borthwick so much in the Ontario series that they started him in the deciding game for the championship.
Shutting out the Giants over two innings, Borthwick struck out two while using his fastball/slider combo, proving effective in four innings of playoff pitching, while leading the Storm to a 13-2 decisive clincher and a championship.
Borthwick was followed by RHP Lan-Hong Su for three innings of work. He gave up four hits and a run but struck out eight hitters. The last four innings were finished by Jack Pineau, Andrew Wright and LHP Sean Fitzpatrick, who combined to limit San Jose to one run on six hits with a combined 15 strikeouts.
The offense went to town on Giants pitching, amassing 13 runs on 13 hits while the pitching staff held the Giants to two runs.
Second baseman Lascelles was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. 1B Tiroly went 2-for-4 with two RBI, including a double. DH Contrades had two hits in four at-bats with three RBI, including a double and a home run. RF Qrey Lott, 21, who had a good season with a .272 average and a .805 OPS, went off in the postseason. In the five games, Lott had 18 ABs while hitting .444/.524/.944 with two doubles, two triples, a home run, and five RBI.
The surprising turnaround for the Lake Elsinore Storm shows what a team can do when talented players start playing together. I watched all three of the championship series games, and the Storm played at an intensity not seen in prior games. The Storm won their last California League Championship in 2021.
PHOENIX — There always was the understanding that there would be some bumps along the road in Gerrit Cole’s first season back from Tommy John surgery, as there are with any pitcher returning from major elbow surgery. Yet, for most of his first 20 starts back, he looked like the Cole of old.
The last two, however, have started to ring some moderate alarm bells at an inopportune time — or, if viewed through the Yankees’ pinstriped glasses, a decent time so that he can get himself straightened out over his final two starts before the playoffs.
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
That quest begins Friday, when Cole will take the mound against the Diamondbacks having allowed seven home runs over his last two starts, the most in any two-start span of his career.
“I expect him to be right next time,” manager Aaron Boone said after Cole’s last start against the Mets.
Cole has insisted throughout that he is feeling good physically, 115 ¹/₃ innings into the season after missing all of last year.
The metrics on his pitches over the last two starts against the Mets and Padres have mostly stayed in line with where they have been over the course of the full season, including his fastball velocity, which averaged 97.1 mph and 96.9 mph in those two starts (both faster than his season average in 2024).
Except all of a sudden, that four-seam fastball has become a lot more hittable. Dating back to Cole’s last four starts, hitters are batting 16-for-48 (.333) against the pitch, compared to 32-for-173 (.185) across his first 16 starts. Perhaps even more concerning is that hitters are not just hitting the fastball — they are hardly even missing it.
Gerrit Cole reacts on the mound during the second inning of the Yankees’ blowout loss to the Mets on Sept. 12, 2026 at the Stadium. Bill Kostroun for NY Post
Over his last three starts, Cole has generated just eight whiffs on 69 swings against his fastball (11.6 percent), including zero on 16 swings last time out against the Mets, compared to a 22.8 percent whiff rate on the pitch in his first 17 starts (which is still down from the rest of his career).
Former American League Cy Young Award winner and current YES Network analyst David Cone, speaking this week on “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman,” theorized that Cole often has been in between on which secondary pitch to use, which has allowed hitters to wait and attack his fastball.
“To me, that just leans back to they’re not respecting your secondary stuff, they’re sitting on your fastball,” Cone said. “You got to get some protection for your fastball, and you got to do something about your secondary pitches and get your slider tunneling again on that same plane off of that fastball. That will give you what you’re looking for.”
Of the seven home runs Cole has given up in his last two starts, four have come on his fastball.
Gerrit Cole reacts during the fifth inning of the Yankees’ blowout loss to the Mets on Sept. 12, 2026 at the Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post
During those two starts, hitters have put 22 fastballs in play, with 15 of them registering as hard-hit balls, meaning they have come off the bat at exit velocities north of 95 mph. The average exit velocity on Cole’s fastballs during those two starts has been 98.3, compared to 92.7 in his first 18 starts.
All of that suggests that hitters are seeing Cole’s fastball well. Whether that is because of a lack of deception, he is not getting it to the spots he wants, or they simply are sitting fastball and unleashing their best swings when they get it is a matter of opinion.
Now, it is on Cole to adjust back in his final two starts of the regular season (lined up to come against the Diamondbacks and Rays). Prior to the clunkers against the Padres and Mets, he had pitched to 3.29 ERA across 18 starts, looking very much like the kind of pitcher the Yankees would want to start in a potential AL wild-card series along with Cam Schlittler and Max Fried.
While the concerning last two starts probably still are not enough to make the Yankees change course and start Carlos Rodón over him, Cole could go a long way in offering some reassurance by solving his home run and fastball problem before the postseason arrives.
It's the Dodgers' fifth straight NL West title and 13th in the last 14 years.
The San Francisco Giants are the only team to interrupt the streak, winning the division title in 2021.
“There are a lot of unforeseen things, but I'm proud of all the contributors,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told SportsNet LA after the game. “… It's another box that’s checked, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
The Dodgers' 14 straight playoff appearances is tied for the most in MLB history with the Atlanta Braves (1991-2005). The magic number to clinch a first-round bye is six.
“(We) just keep going and eliminate distractions,” Roberts said. “(We have to) keep the blinders on.”
There are still plenty of hurdles Los Angeles will have to overcome before securing a third straight World Series title.
Only two other organizations have accomplished the feat: The New York Yankees and the Athletics. The Yankees have achieved at least a three-peat three times in their illustrious history.
The Yankees won four straight from 1936-39, five consecutive titles from 1949-1953 and most recently completed a three-peat from 1998-2000. The Athletics won three straight titles from 1972-1974.
Here's the four biggest questions facing the Dodgers as they prepare for the playoffs:
When will Shohei Ohtani be healthy?
Ohtani’s status remains uncertain as the postseason approaches, due to knee and biceps issues. He started his swing progression off a tee on Sept. 15. He could make his return to the lineup as a designated hitter as early as Sept. 23.
The two-way star is expected to return in time for the playoffs but remains unlikely to pitch this season. Despite an effort to try and get him back on the mound, he’s been unable to progress further.
The Dodgers had declared Ohtani not healthy enough to take the mound after he participated in a short bullpen session on Aug. 28 and threw close to 20 pitches.
Will Dodgers' roster age and injuries be a concern?
The average age for the Dodgers' roster is 30.6 years old, which is the highest in MLB, just ahead of the Chicago Cubs (30.4) and Atlanta Braves (30.3).
Pitcher Blake Treinen is the oldest player on the roster at 38 years old. Miguel Rojas is the next oldest at 37 years old. Rojas has already stated this will be his last season as an active player.
The Dodgers have managed to add some younger talent to the roster to help finish out the season and gain experience.
They've leaned on Josue De Paula, who was considered the team’s top prospect, to serve as the designated hitter in Ohtani’s latest absence.
The 21-year-old made his major-league debut on Sept. 11 at LoanDepot Park, becoming the youngest Dodgers player since Alex Verdugo on Sept. 2, 2017.
De Paula's bat could become a necessity depending on the status of several other veterans, including Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Kiké Hernández.
Freeman has produced big moments for the Dodgers in the World Series, but the 37-year-old's status in the days leading up to the postseason is worth monitoring. He's considered day-to-day with right knee soreness caused by patellar tendinitis.
Pitcher Edwin Diaz and outfielder Andy Pages could be inching closer to a return and could be activated during the team's upcoming homestand.
Who will make up Dodgers' pitching rotation?
The Dodgers made a big splash, acquiring Tarik Skubal ahead of the trade deadline.
Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow project as the starters for the first four games of a seven-game series.
Yamamoto has remained fairly healthy throughout the season, posting a 14-8 record with a 2.51 ERA in 27 starts.
There are injury concerns, though.
Skubal was placed on the injured list in May 2026 due to loose bodies in his left elbow that required surgery. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has produced a 10-7 record with a 2.70 ERA in 24 starts.
Snell also had loose bodies removed from his elbow that caused him to miss three months before returning in early August. He also missed some time earlier this season with shoulder fatigue. His latest start was cut short after one inning on Sept. 16 due to groin tightness.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has a 4-1 record and a 1.86 ERA in eight starts.
Glasnow went on the 60-day injured list this season due to a lower back spasm. He returned to the rotation in late August. He did not have an opportunity to participate in the 2024 World Series run due to right elbow tendinitis, but he played a vital role in winning the title in 2025.
Who could Dodgers play in postseason?
The Atlanta Braves or San Diego Padres appear to be the Dodgers' most likely first opponent in the MLB playoffs. The Braves have gotten the best of the Dodgers this season, winning five of six games.
The Dodgers have produced better results against the Padres, winning seven of 10 games this season. The Dodgers will host the Padres for a three-game series Sept. 22-24.
SPRINGFIELD, MO - APRIL 08: Liam Doyle #19 of the Springfield Cardinals pitches during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Springfield, Missouri. (Photo by Kaylee Vaughan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Springfield Cardinals are playing game 2 of their playoff series vs the Tulsa Drillers Thursday night. Liam Doyle is on the mound for the Cardinals. You can watch the game for free here.
Sep 15, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson hits a double against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (72-79) vs. Chicago White Sox (77-75)
Time/Place: 7:40 p.m., Rate Field SB Nation Site:South Side Sox Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (10-10, 4.01 ERA) vs. RHP Erick Fedde (8-9, 3.97 ERA)
