Category: MLB

Pete Alonso, the Mets’ all-time home run leader, made his return to Citi Field on Monday as the Baltimore Orioles came to town for the start of a three-game series. 

“When the schedule came out, it’s one of those days where I knew it was coming, but we’ve been playing a lot of important ball down the stretch,” Alonso said. “I knew it was coming, but it definitely came quicker than expected. I obviously lived a lot of life here.”

A second-round pick of the Mets in 2016 out of the University of Florida, Alonso made his major league debut in 2019, when he cracked the Opening Day roster. He went on to play seven seasons with the Mets, slugging a franchise-record 264 home runs, perhaps none bigger than his game-winning homer against the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2024 Wild Card series, which he called his “moment” with the franchise, also declaring that the 2024 season was his favorite year as a pro.

“It’ll be definitely different, but there are so many good memories here,” Alonso said of his first game back in Queens. “I played with so many good people, talented people. It’s going to be interesting to see what kind of emotions bubble up, because you can never really anticipate things that happen, but the entire time I’ve just been super gracious because there’s some great people over on the other side.”

Alonso re-signed with the Mets following the 2024 season, but after posting a career-low .788 OPS, he returned on just a one-year contract rather than a multi-year extension. Then, after a much better season in 2025, Alonso cashed in as a free agent, inking a five-year, $155 million deal with Baltimore. 

“For me, I’m so stoked to be an Oriole and be a part of this organization,” Alonso said. “I’m happy, family’s happy, teammates are incredible, staff is incredible. I feel very, very fortunate to be here, and I also feel very fortunate to play all the years I have with the Mets. 

“Two things can be true at the same time. I’m very happy and appreciative of my time that I spent as a Met, and I’m beyond grateful and appreciative for the Baltimore Orioles.”

Alonso is starting at first base and hitting second in the Orioles lineup on Monday night, and he’s sure there will be plenty of emotions evolved as he’s reintroduced to a Mets fan base that supported him for quite some time. 

“Honestly, I’m very gracious and appreciative of all the years of support,” Alonso said of Mets fans. “It’s really special to have that. … I’ve been an Oriole now for almost a complete year, and to still have that support, it really means a lot. So, I’ll always much appreciate it.”

It’s no accident that a team with a losing record might reach the postseason for the first time in a full Major League Baseball season.

You have to have a lot of terrible play to pull that off. And, more specifically, a significant number of teams that greatly disappointed in 2026.

Oddly enough, many of them are still in playoff contention with roughly a dozen games remaining. That doesn’t mean they haven’t significantly underperformed, though, not unlike an NFL team canning its coach even if the bottom’s not falling out.

With that, we examine the six most disappointing teams this season – even if one or two still have a decent shot at the playoffs:

6. Toronto Blue Jays

Projected win totals (USA TODAY Sports, betting consensus): 91, 91.5

Record: 75-75

In a sense, the Blue Jays have played their way off this list, back at .500 and just a game out of the final American League wild-card spot. But they were expected to do much more than simply tread water.

Injuries have not helped, of course. They lost starter Cody Ponce for the season during his first start, waited three months for Shane Bieber to return from offseason arm woes and twice lost playoff hero Trey Yesavage to the injured list. Catcher Alejandro Kirk’s 63-week absence due to a left thumb fracture might have been the biggest blow, though somewhat amazingly, Toronto is 35-35 with Kirk in the lineup, 40-40 without him.

Still, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s mysterious power outage has been shadowing the team all season long. He finally hit his first homer of the year at Rogers Centre in the club’s 75th home game and still has just eight homers and a .700 OPS, nearly 10% below average.

There’s still time for Vlad and Co. to rewrite the script, particularly with the Blue Jays’ sell-but-upgrade maneuvering at the deadline that landed them starter José Soriano. But the window to prove they’re more than just a frustrating .500 team can’t narrow much more.

5. San Francisco Giants

Projected win totals: 82, 82.5

Record: 62-88

For all the furrowed brows and moderate takes regarding Tony Vitello’s leap from Tennessee to the Giants’ dugout, the season itself should have been relatively nondescript. All Vitello had to do was win between 79 and 81 games and the difference would have been virtually indistinguishable from predecessors Bob Melvin and Gabe Kapler.

Gentle reader, that’s not what happened.

It’s been a disaster by the Bay, most of the fingerprints on this crime scene belonging to club president Buster Posey but Vitello not exactly putting out the fire with his bullpen usage and lineup decisions. All of that’s to be expected from a first-year manager, but a franchise with a $200 million payroll was unwise to entrust such a steep learning curve to a coach conditioned for 70 games to be the entire season, not the 40% mark.

Now, thanks to injuries and trades, the Giants lineup looks largely like a Class AAA bunch, particularly now that Rafael Devers’ season was unfortunately halted due to a core injury as he closed in on a 40-homer campaign. Yet he’s proven he’ll be the lineup cornerstone the Giants envisioned when they dealt for him in June 2025.

Beyond that? Vitello will be back. Posey will be back. Bryce Eldridge, finally given runway at midseason, has an .814 OPS and looks like a potential star at 21. Yet a large portion of the rotation must be reconstructed and turnabouts in health and performance will be needed from veteran Posey signees Willy Adames and Matt Chapman.

The good news is the Giants won’t likely be on this list in 2027, simply because the expectations will be appropriately low.

4. New York Mets

Projected win totals: 87, 88.5

Record: 69-80

It’s easy to forget about these guys, given that it’s been nearly three months since the club mercifully fired manager Carlos Mendoza and some five months since a disastrous start that laid bare club president David Stearns’ questionable offseason.

Yeah, it’s true that he basically tried to replace Pete Alonso with Jorge Polanco, guaranteed Bo Bichette $42 million per year to switch leagues and positions and burned a decent chunk of prospect capital to acquire starter Freddy Peralta.

Nobody quibbled with that last move, because nobody expected Peralta’s hits per nine innings to soar by 51% from year-to-year, his ERA a ghastly 4.99. Peralta has been a little better after a trade to the Rays – posting a 0.97 WHIP in a much-smaller eight-start sample – though not so drastic that the water in Queens or the advanced info they shared with him somehow made him forget how to pitch.

On one hand, the 2026 outcome is a disaster relative to the $301 million invested in this roster. Perhaps the early injuries to Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto doomed them, though the confirmation that Brett Baty and Mark Vientos are below-league average hitters showcased that their organizational depth wasn’t what they thought it was.

Still, though, there were bright spots: Carson Benge is having a Rookie of the Year-caliber season. Fellow rookie A.J. Ewing’s speed and defense are useful in the outfield and on the basepaths. Soto is a machine, posting a 156 adjusted OPS and 25 homers in 98 games despite his calf and back woes. Jared Young, the 30-year-old first baseman, got to play more than 22 games for the first time in his career and flourished.

And Nolan McLean more or less established himself as the ace, or at least a rotation fixture for years to come. Christian Scott’s late-season showing displayed he might be ready to join McLean in that group. The rest?

That’s up to Stearns, who must have a better winter (or spring, given the lockout) than he did the last time around.

3. Baltimore Orioles

Projected win totals: 85, 77.5

Record: 72-78

The thinking was that a young position-player nucleus simply needed to be supported by reliable starting pitching and a veteran slugger with clubhouse presence. Pete Alonso absolutely delivered on the latter. The pitching? Eh, Baltimore’s starter ERA dropped from 4.65, 24th in the majors, to 4.38 (20th) with the additions of Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt and the emergence of right-hander Brandon Young.

Yet that young nucleus continued an unsettling pattern of injury and regression and eventually was busted up after the startling Aug. 3 trade of catcher Adley Rutschman to the division rival Boston Red Sox. The club maintained the sheen of contention for the next month – until Rutschman came back to Baltimore, crushed two homers in his first game as a Camden Yards visitor and jump-started a four-game Red Sox sweep.

So now what?

You wonder if club president Mike Elias has the answers to that or is wondering the same thing himself. Is the club close enough to continue fortifying the core? Or is he eyeing the free-falling production of franchise shortstop Gunnar Henderson – whose weighted runs created plus has dropped from 154 in 2024 to 120 in 2025 to 100 this year – and thinking Henderson will get the Rutschman treatment at the deadline in 2027 or ’28?

Elias certainly seemed bent on getting something for Rutschman while he could. Henderson, a Scott Boras client, isn’t likely to agree to a club-friendly extension like teammates Samuel Basallo, Baz and Kyle Bradish did. And so what seemed like a limitless future when the club won 101 games in 2023 only brings more franchise inflection points.

Sure, the club’s failures this year aren’t too far off what some might have predicted. Yet the lackluster present and cloudy future makes this a decidedly disappointing campaign.

2. Detroit Tigers

Projected win totals: 90, 86.5

Record: 70-79

Much like the Mets, it’s easy to memory-hole how bright 2026 looked. And it’s easy to blame much of it on Tarik Skubal’s six-week absence to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. And to accept at face value that they “had” to deal him when they were just 2½ games out of a wild-card spot at the trade deadline.

But Skubal alone can’t account for the 13-26 record they posted while he was gone, nor the 23-24 mark while he was on the active roster. And all of that came with a Rookie of the Year effort from Kevin McGonigle, who’s banged out 151 hits and a .798 OPS.

It did not help that the large, go-for-it investment in lefty Framber Valdez was a mild disaster. Or that veteran Justin Verlander lasted just one start. And a lineup that had too many holes and punches out way too often (1,295 times, sixth in the AL) sputtered for much of the season.

Now, after World Series aspirations, the Tigers find themselves in the middle. The good news? McGonigle and rookie outfielder Max Clark are good enough to build around. All-Star Riley Greene still has two more seasons before free agency.

And perhaps the fruits of the Skubal deal – starter River Ryan, most notably – bubble up to Detroit in 2027. It still doesn’t seem right, though, that the Chicago White Sox are playing for the division title this week while the win-now Tigers are picking up the pieces.

1. Seattle Mariners

Projected win totals: 92, 90.5

Record: 70-80

The phrase “World Series hangover” gets tossed around pretty easily when it comes to the defending champion – and even the runner-up – in a given year. Yet it’s hard to recall a club’s LCS loss following it around like the Mariners’ seven-game elimination at the hands of Toronto a year ago.

George Springer didn’t just prevent the Mariners from their first World Series berth with a go-ahead three-run seventh-inning homer. The fallout has lingered, from the man who gave up the go-ahead shot (Eduardo Bazardo, who has a 4.04 ERA) to the manager pushing the buttons (Dan Wilson, beloved in Seattle yet seemingly exhausting fans’ patience).

Still, that doesn’t explain the travails of Cal Raleigh, who went from a 60-homer season to a .180 batting average and .660 OPS. Nor the weak production from Josh Naylor, a 2025 hero who re-signed for $92.5 million yet has 10 homers and a league-average OPS. Nor the enduring struggles of several members of the vaunted rotation, most notably Bryce Miller (4.56 FIP) and Bryan Woo, who has a 5.23 ERA in 16 road starts compared to 2.36 in 12 outings at home.

The Mariners have teased and frustrated plenty of times in recent years. Yet an underperformance this significant typically comes with consequences. Whether that’s simply a coaching staff shakeup or managerial or front office adjustments remains to be seen.

Amazingly, the Mariners aren’t totally out of it, entering play Monday, Sept. 14 five games out of the AL West lead with 14 to play. Yet they’d have to go 11-1 simply to get to .500 – an unlikely act from a club that’s been a big letdown all season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking MLB's 6 biggest disappointments of 2026 regular season

The Texas Rangers have announced their minor league award winners for 2026. They are:

Tom Grieve Minor League Player of the Year: Rafe Perich

Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year: Dalton Pence

Reliever of the Year: Louis Marinaro

Defender of the Year: Yolfran Castillo

True Ranger Award: Evan Siary

Perich, a 24 year old switch hitting corner infielder who was the Rangers’ 7th round pick out of Lehigh in 2024, had a middling 2025 season, splitting the year between low-A and high-A, ultimately slashing .231/.347/.330 in 398 plate appearances. Starting at Hub City this year, Perich has had a breakout campaign, slashing .315/.401/.586 with 27 homers, 59 walks and 104 Ks in 551 plate appearances between Hub City, where he played 38 games, and Frisco, where he played 78 games. Perich has primarily played third base, and after the Texas League playoffs wrap up, I wouldn’t be surprised if he joins Round Rock for the end of the AAA season.

Pence, a 24 year old lefthanded pitcher who the Rangers took out of the University of North Carolina in the 11th round in 2024, split the 2025 season between low-A and high-A, putting up a 2.73 ERA in 82 innings spanning 18 starts and 13 relief appearances. Returning to Hub City to start 2026, Pence ended up moving to Frisco after five starts, then to Round Rock after 11 appearances with Frisco. In 114.1 innings over 22 starts and two relief appearances, Pence struck out 117 batters, walked 45, and recorded a 2.44 ERA.

Marinaro, a 22 year old lefthander signed as an undrafted free agent last summer out of St. John’s, spent the season at low-A Hickory. He had a 3.08 ERA in 52.2 innings over 36 appearances, with 70 Ks against 22 walks and just one homer. Over his last fifteen appearances, Marinaro allowed just two runs over 26.1 innings, striking out 34 and walking 11.

Castillo, a 19 year old shortstop out of Venezuela who was part of the Rangers’ 2024 J-2 class, signing for $647,500. After a strong debut that year in the Dominican Summer League, Castillo came stateside in 2025, spending most of the year in the Arizona Complex League before moving to low-A Hickory once the complex league season ended. Castillo is described by Baseball America as being the organization’s best defensive infielder. For the season, Castillo is slashing .288/.390/.416 in 542 plate appearances over 119 games with Hickory and one game with Hub City, with 70 walks, 74 Ks and 55 steals in 65 attempts.

The True Ranger award honors a player who represents the core values of the organization on and off the field, per the release from the team. Siary, a 22 year old righthander selected in the 8th round out of Mississippi State in 2025, had four appearances with Hickory after signing last year. This year, he made 22 starts covering 109 innings, with a 3.30 ERA.

The players will be honored and presented with their awards before Saturday’s game against Toronto.

Ahead of Monday's series opener against Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles at Citi Field, the Mets got up close and personal with two of the organization's most promising prospects, infielder Mitch Voit and starting pitcher Jonathan Santucci.

Voit and Santucci were brought to Citi Field after it was announced on Sunday that they were each recipients of the Mets' 2026 Player Development Awards, with Voit securing Player of the Year while Santucci took home Pitcher of the Year.

"It's a credit to our minor league scouts and coaches, because they've been able to hunt for moments, and see how they respond to everything," Andy Green said of the organization's two award winners, who sat amongst the crowd of reporters during his pregame presser. "Once you get to a certain level, they're all talented, but it's about their mentality and perseverance."

Voit echoed Green's praise for the organization.

"Credit to the staff; in every single area of my game, I'm significantly better than I was a year ago when I was here," Voit declared. "It's iron sharpening iron, and it's what has allowed me to be here [accepting the award] today."

Still just 21 years old, Voit is No. 5 overall in SNY's latest ranking of the top 30 Mets prospects.

"In Mitch's case, he can do a lot of impressive things on the baseball field, but what has really impressed me is learning about the type of person he is when things aren't going his way," Green said of the versatile infielder. "I believe in and gravitate toward people who are wired that way because those types of people help you win baseball games at the big league level."

Voit has slashed .347/.430/.517 with two home runs and 18 RBI since being promoted from High-A Brooklyn to Double-A Binghamton in late July, and has been spending the lion's share of his games playing shortstop.

He spoke to the media in the news conference room just across from the big-league clubhouse with a big smile.

"We were with him during spring training, and he gave these incredible speeches. He really has the ability to inspire," Voit said of Green, who was solely the Senior Vice President of Baseball Development before taking on the Mets' interim manager role in late June. "Coming from him, it's an incredible honor. He knows how hard we work, and we'll continue working so one day we can be here."

Meanwhile, Santucci has been carving up hitters at Triple-A Syracuse as of late. The Mets' top pitching prospect in SNY's aforementioned top 30 rankings, the southpaw has recorded 37 strikeouts and completed 29 innings in seven starts at the highest level of minor-league baseball since he was promoted on July 28.

"Santucci has been outright dominant in his last three outings," Green lauded. "The stuff is real."

Santucci himself has been inspired by fellow left-handed starter Zac Thornton. This season, the 24-year-old rookie has emerged from the Mets farm system and has already established himself as an effective member of the team's starting rotation.

"It's awesome to see him and all of his success," Santucci beamed. "Being with him in [High-A] Brooklyn last year and [Double-A] Binghamton to start this year, I love the way he attacks hitters... he goes right at them and good things happen when you do that, which has shown when he's been on the mound [with the Mets] given what he's done so far."

Of course, Green refused to let the young guns have their moment in the sun without reminding them that the hardest part of their prospect development - the potential transition and adjustment to the big-league level - is still to come.

"There's still more of the mountain to climb before the opportunity at the highest level belongs to them," Green concluded.

"I'm excited to see where their journey will take them."

It was a nail biter, but the San Diego Padres came away from it with a seven-game win streak and back-to-back sweeps for the third time this season. It was a great game to cap off the sweep. Ethan Salas finally notched his first big-league hit with a triple in Oracle Park, Fernando Tatis Jr. went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Manny Machado launched his 27th home run of the season.

The Friars will now turn to the Colorado Rockies to round out their penultimate road trip of the 2026 season. It’s a four-game set in the hitter-friendly environs of Coors Field. With the way the Padres have been swinging their bats lately (37 runs in their last six games; 6.2 runs per game), they should have no problem keeping the good vibes rolling.

Taking the mound

Tomoyuki Sugano (COL) v. Casey Mize (SD)

Sugano has been surprisingly good in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. That said, he’s still pitched to a 5.30 ERA. But that number goes down to 4.96 at home compared to 5.64 away. It’s an interesting split to have when Colorado is known for being a hitter’s dream.

The righty has been particularly awful recently. In his last seven starts, Sugano has pitched to a 7.71 ERA across 35 innings pitched. In his last three starts, he’s surrendered a whopping 14 runs (16.0 IP). If San Diego’s recently potent lineup can take advantage of that, they would be well on their way to their eighth straight win.

Since joining the Padres, it’s no secret that Mize has struggled. He’s posted a dismal 6.34 ERA in his first seven games. Much of that is believed to be due to a groin injury that Mize has been pitching through. It was reported earlier this week that that injury was the reason many scouts decided against Mize, lowering his trade stock.

But Mize is coming off of a pretty decent start. He hurled five innings of one-run ball against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. He entered the sixth inning and allowed two to reach base before manager Craig Stammen pulled him for Randy Vásquez. Vásquez promptly gave up a two-run double, allowing both of Mize’s runs to score. If not for that, it would have been viewed as a gem.

Batter up!

The ball was flying out of the stadium in San Francisco. The Padres’ lineup went a blistering 34-for-113 in the series with 11 walks. Of that group, none has been hotter than Jackson Merrill. The center fielder has been on an insane tear lately, hitting .429/.433/.929 with a 1.362 OPS.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
2. Dustin Harris, RF
3. Manny Machado, 3B
4. Luis Campusano, C
5. Jackson Merrill, CF
6. Austin Hays, DH
7. Xander Bogaerts, SS
8. Jake Cronenworth, 1B
9. Samad Taylor, LF

It seems likely that Ty France could return this series from the paternity list, though the Padres haven’t announced if that will be for the series opener. It very well could be, with France slotting back into the fourth spot in the order. If it does, it would likely bump Campusano down to the sixth spot.

Relief corps

Nick Pivetta worked a solid four innings, giving up two runs. After that, it got shaky. Kyle Hart pitched a two-run fifth inning before David Morgan struggled to get out of the sixth. Wandy Peralta finished the sixth and pitched a perfect seventh inning. Randy Vásquez endured a shaky eighth inning before Yuki Matsui slammed the door in the ninth.

The Friars got exactly what they needed: rest for their high-leverage relievers. The group had been taxed after pitching in Games 1 and 2. That will leave them available for the series opener in Colorado. Griffin Canning, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez will be the freshest arms for San Diego, with Canning first out of the ‘pen if Mize doesn’t make it through at least five innings.

I spend a lot of my spare energy trying to defend Stephen Vogt in my mind, but I was at a loss after the Guardians’ loss on Saturday to the Twins.

Ok, so, the Guardians decided prior to the game that they wanted to get through three innings with Daniel Espino and Franco Aleman. Aleman has been the worst reliever on the roster and just got demoted today. The point of an opening reliever is to make sure a good reliever gets a chance to pitch meaningful innings, not to make sure your worst reliever faces the bottom of the order, but ok, I get it. Aleman came in to face #8, #9 and #1. If he gets into trouble, you have Cantillo hot and get Aleman out right away.

…Except Cantillo was throwing early in the pen and Aleman just. Kept. Pitching.

Started the inning by getting a pop-out, great. But, then he allowed a homer to debuting rookie Emmanuel Rodriguez. It turns out a 95 mph fastball down the heart of the plate was a poor decision.

Luke Keaschell then followed with a 5-pitch at-bat ending in an 80 mph line drive that just fell in front of Angel Martinez. I think this is where Vogt and I diverged. Surrendering an 111 mph homer and then a weak contact single is a nightmare to a rookie pitcher like Aleman who has shown some signs of not being able to maintain composure. Maybe Cantillo was not quite ready yet, but it sure seemed like this was the moment to go and get him.

Instead, Aleman throws a wild pitch… immediately… and then surrenders a 60 mph bloop single to Brooks Lee. Now, Vogt HAS to get Aleman out. From the wild pitch to the SECOND bad-BABIP event, it’s time. Yet, Vogt trusted Aleman getting weak contact and left him in to face Kody Clemens who crushes RHP. Clemens got an 83 mph line drives single in front of Kwan to score another run. Another weak contact single. Ok, surely, this is enough. Get Cantillo in here.

Folks, Stephen Vogt left Aleman in for FOUR MORE BATTERS. I just cannot for the life of me figure out why. Yes, he struck out Josh Bell which seems to have fooled Vogt into thinking he had righted the ship. Yes, his pitch count was still low. Yes, he did not surrender a hit over 93 mph after the Rodriguez homer. It still seems unconscionable to leave Aleman in after this run of events and allow him to HIT two Twins batters before finally getting Cantillo in to end the inning. By then, the damage was done and the Twins had scored the four runs they needed to win the game.

In order for the Guardians to make the playoffs and have a chance in those playoffs, Vogt cannot afford any more of these errors. He has to adjust to the game unfolding in front of him and not allow numbers to cloud his feel for the ability of his pitchers to handle a situation, or let his ideal plan get in the way of adjusting to new circumstances.

I think, as a whole, Vogt makes great pitching decisions as far as getting guys in and out of games. I know opener games are tricky. But, I hope what happened with Aleman on Saturday was a one-time mistake and that it will not be the one game the Guardians needed to make the postseason because I still can’t quite figure out how Cleveland’s manager was the last to realize that Aleman had to be removed.

Well, there’s not much to say about this lineup. David Peterson throws with his left hand. The Braves don’t have Lane Thomas on hand anymore, so it’s basically your standard lineup with Sean Murphy and Ha-Seong Kim bringing up the rear.

First of 3️⃣ in Chicago#BravesCountrypic.twitter.com/YDDJF8HlQq

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 14, 2026

This is the same lineup the Braves used in what ended up being that 12-2 game against the Phillies. Given that Peterson probably won’t last long given his inefficiency, the Braves may be hoping for a similar result.

I guess I’ll talk about Ozzie Albies. He’s hitting cleanup for the 21st time this season. His season is basically tanking. He started out with a near-.400 wOBA in April while running an average xwOBA, had a poor May, an okay-ish June, and then ran another huge xwOBA overperformance on a bad xwOBA in July. Since then, it’s been absolutely grim. In August, he had a .275 wOBA and .283 xwOBA. In September, he’s down to a .212 wOBA and .218 xwOBA. As has also been the case for a while, Albies is no longer terrorizing lefties. In his first seven seasons, he had five where he hit lefties super-well, and one of the ones where he didn’t was a tiny-sample 2020 where he was hurt. In both 2024 and 2025, his xwOBA against lefties dwindled to an okay .325ish. This year? He’s down to .282. He’s only posted an xwOBA at or above .300 against lefties this season in April and July. In September so far, it’s .171. There’s not really that much time for Albies to change the script of his season, but this is a really disappointing follow-up to 2025 and it’s going to be the third straight year where Albies turns in an underwhelming season.

Anyway, should we do batter versus pitcher while waiting for the Cubs to post their lineup? Sure, I guess. These guys are very familiar with Peterson, after all. Amazingly, neither Drake Baldwin nor Mauricio Dubon have ever faced Peterson, and Kim only has four PAs against him, but everyone else has somewhere between 12 and 30. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson have destroyed Peterson in their careers, and Riley’s been fine, but everyone else has struggled a bit. Add this all up, and you get a .318 wOBA and .347 xwOBA in 141 career head-to-head PAs.

As for the Cubs, well…

Most of these names are probably familiar to you — except perhaps Pedro Ramirez, a switch-hitting 22-year-old top prospect called up partway through the year. Ramirez hasn’t hit all that well (.290 xwOBA), but because he’s on this Cubs team, he’s massively outhitting it to an above-average batting line.

Bizarre baseball quirk: each team has only used their lineup for this game once before, and in both cases, that team had a 12-2 win when doing so.

Are the Cubs familiar with Reynaldo Lopez? Kinda, but not really. Everyone but Ramirez has faced him at least once, but only Alex Bregman has faced him more than nine times. The history, though, is brutal for Lopez — the lowest xwOBA among the octet is .349. Put it together, and it’s a .360 wOBA and .432 xwOBA… but in just 43 PAs. Let’s hope that head-to-head picture improves after today, though it could conceivably improve and still be a brutal beatdown by the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

After blistering through the minor leagues, Kade Anderson’s big-league career is off to a slower start. In his first three games, he gave up a combined nine runs and an uncharacteristic seven walks, struggling with command and playing more defense than offense in his at-bats. It’s unfamiliar territory for the champion collegiate who spent this past year setting records in the minor leagues, but for now, there’s nowhere to go but through. Anderson spent this year proving he hasn’t got anything else to learn at Double-A, and there’s little developmental value in sending him to the bounce houses of Triple-A; even if the Mariners wanted to send him to Triple-A for some seasoning against the hitters there, there’s only a week left in Tacoma’s season. With time running out on the Mariners’ own season, Anderson finds himself in a position those of us in the working world can relate to all too well: fake it until you make it.

The arrow is trending up after Anderson’s most recent outing against the Rangers, his best start to date as a big-leaguer: six innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts and just one walk. The single free pass is the metric to hone in on as an encouraging sign that Anderson is getting back to the version of himself that dominated at Double-A. At his best, Anderson gets ahead in the count early with his pinpoint command and ability to coax poor contact, forcing batters to react to him rather than the other way around. There were signs of that in his outing against Toronto, as well, where he was ahead of hitters for his first few innings despite not having perfect command of his four-seamer, missing armside up with the pitch a little too often.

Unfortunately, development often isn’t linear, and Anderson’s next outing against the A’s was his worst yet. He missed locations, one particularly egregious one to Gelof resulting in a first-pitch homer, shook his catcher Cal Raleigh multiple times (once resulting in a walk), got into some long battles with hitters, issued a four-pitch walk, and wasn’t able to land his curveball for strikes. A shell-shocked Anderson faced the media after his five-inning, four-run outing, calling his performance “unacceptable.”

Fortunately, development often isn’t linear, and Anderson followed up his worst performance as a big-leaguer with his best one yet. He credited his improvement largely to an improved mentality, inspired partially by his catcher Cal Raleigh, who said something to Anderson after he’d given up an early home run to the Rangers’ Jake Burger – Anderson declined to say exactly what, but said the adjustment allowed him to be more aggressive in the zone.

“The best pitchers trust their stuff, and the dudes that have the most confidence are the ones that are getting the most whiffs and getting deep into games,” said Anderson postgame. “It was more of a mentality [change], like, attacking guys. It felt like when I made that adjustment, my velo shot up, I was throwing things more aggressively in the zone. It felt like at some points I was trying to over-locate like throwing something by a dude, and I think that was the biggest game changer.”

“It felt like I was out there pitching again.”

“Fake it until you make it” maybe isn’t where the highly decorated pitcher expected himself to be a month into his big-league career, but Anderson is fortunate to have both Raleigh, his veteran catcher, to guide him, and a fellow former SEC pitcher who knows a little bit about struggling at the next level in Emerson Hancock.

“I mean, I’ve been through a lot,” said Hancock jokingly when asked about his mentorship of the young pitcher.

“It’s just part of every person’s journey of what they go through. Like y’all experience different things, whether it’s injury, success, failure. And that’s what’s cool about this game. It’s a challenge. It’s ongoing. It’s a daily commitment and practice. So it’s all just part of the journey.”

The uber-competitive Anderson is maybe not entirely soothed by Hancock’s reassurances that it’s all just part of the journey, but he’d do well to heed what Hancock has learned about managing his energy and not getting too high or too low – hard-won lessons for Hancock that have come through years of struggle and his own non-linear development before arriving this year as one of the steadiest hands in the Mariners rotation.

“There have been times when you get super fiery and focused, but I also think as you go on and you play more, you’re like, all right, I’m learning more about myself, and you ask yourself: What do I need? How am I feeling when I’m thinking this way, or when I’m flowing?” said Hancock. “So I think you learn that about yourself, but there’s also other games where you flip the switch and say, you know what, I want this one. I’m ready for this one. So it’s a balance.”

That’s a balance Anderson will continue to navigate over these last few starts remaining in the 2026 season. But he’ll have plenty of support in doing so, not just from the coaching staff, but from his peers, as well, pulling on relationships that began being built in the spring.

“It was fun getting to know him during camp, like with all the guys we draft,” said Hancock. “It’s fun. That’s what I think makes a good organization, that you can establish that relationship with the guys early on. That way when they get here, it’s not so crazy to them. I’ve leaned on the older pitchers that we have, and you try to pass it down and help the next guys out.”

Eventually, it will be Anderson’s turn to pass on his hard-fought knowledge to the next pitcher, his own understanding of the journey. For now, he’s just trying to take it one day at a time. Fake it until you make it.

The Brewers are at a difficult point with Kyle Harrison. The postseason is just two weeks away and one of their most trusted arms for the majority of the season is going through a rough patch that has weakened the team’s ability to trust him when he’s out on the mound.

In the first half, Kyle Harrison looked untouchable, and was maybe even on pace to earn some Cy Young votes, though still well behind the ace of this Brewers staff, Jacob Misiorowski. Harrison had a 3.01 ERA and it was looking like the Brewers had once again fleeced the Boston Red Sox for a quality starting pitcher.

Then, right before the All Star Break, Harrison landed on the IL with a bout of forearm tightness. He missed nearly a month and returned on August 5. Ever since returning, Harrison has not been the same.

The fastball, which generated elite movement and traits, lost some velocity but more importantly lost the vertical break and movement that made it so difficult for hitters to pick up. That has made him more reliant on secondary pitches, but those, especially his slurve, are most effective playing off the fastball. That combination has led to a lot of hard contact.

Over his last 7.1 IP, covering his last three outings, Harrison has allowed 23 hits and 17 earned runs. His ERA has jumped from 2.79 up to 3.98 for the season, more than a full run increase in just three games.

The Brewers, sensing that Harrison’s stuff had fallen off and he was not the same pitcher he was prior to the IL stint, tried to move him to the bullpen to keep him in shorter stints, protect him, and perhaps help the stuff tick up knowing he didn’t have to empty the tank for 80-100 pitches.

At least for the first bullpen outing, that plan didn’t work. On Saturday against the Reds, Harrison came out of the bullpen for the 8th inning with a 13-5 lead, a more than comfortable lead and low-leverage situation that should build confidence and give him some runway to work through problems. However, Harrison ran out of runway quickly.

The velocity ticked back up and was sitting 96-97 MPH for most of his outing, but the location and movement was still lacking and Harrison left a couple fastballs right down the middle and they were hit hard. He was able to generate some soft contact, but those balls fell and in four batters faced, all four batters reached base. Pat Murphy had to pull the plug.

“Look, Harry, we’ll get this straight. This will happen. You’re going through a rough patch, we’ll get it straight. I mean, he gave up two balls off the fist, he did give up two hard contacts with misplaced pitches, but we’ll get it straight.” Pat Murphy said of what he told Harrison after the outing.

Murphy still has confidence in Harrison, and pitchers certainly do go through rough patches. Though this is certainly a tough time to be going through one as Murphy has to evaluate his trust tree as he gets ready for a postseason run. Having one less pitcher you can trust puts the Brewers in a far more difficult position.

They do have some time to get him through this rough patch and figure things out, but not a lot of time. The move to the bullpen signifies that he’s not likely to be a length starter when it comes to a postseason series, nor should he be at this point. It’s hard to fathom almost considering how he looked in the first half of the season.

“It could point to a little bit of fatigue. It could be a delivery issue. It’s hard. It’s very, very, very hard. A basketball 3-point shooter, if all of a sudden he’s not hitting a shot, everybody goes into like ‘what is it?’ And then you find a little thing in the mechanics and maybe that’s really not it, but it’s an outgrowth of maybe a lack of confidence, and it affects your physical a little bit. So I think you got to suggest some things, you got to work through some things, and he’s got to get himself through it.” Murphy said.

As for where the Brewers go from here, an option down to Triple-A to figure things out appears to be off the table. The minor league season is ending soon and Harrison is in a far different situation than Brandon Sproat, who also struggled out of the bullpen when the Brewers were trying to find a way to make him effective. Plus Murph’s vote of confidence that they’ll straighten things out would lead one to believe they will stick with him.

The most likely answer is that Harrison continues in the bullpen, trying to find him some mop up duty in low leverage to build some confidence, especially while Bryse Wilson is still trying to come back from his back strain. Perhaps there could be some shorter starts, working in tandem with someone like Chad Patrick to make it through six innings or so with those two guys.

Pitching coaches Chris Hook and Jim Henderson will continue to work with him and suggest some things and try to straighten things out. Even if they can’t get his fastball back to what it looked like pre-injury during this final stretch run, they can try to come up with some way to mix and match his arsenal to make him more effective. There’s two weeks left for the Brewers to determine how much they can trust Harrison before October comes around. If he can’t prove he’s trustworthy heading into October, there’s a good chance Harrison will get left off the postseason roster(s).

Ah, the Guardians and White Sox. For the AL Central Lead in mid-September:

The White Sox are 76-73 with a +34 run differential. Since the trade deadline, they are ninth in team wRC+ at 103, 18th in baserunning runs above average at -0.2, 17th in Defense at -3.8, 27th in starting pitcher ERA at 5.99 (5.35 FIP), and eighth in bullpen ERA at 3.46 (3.93 FIP).

The Guardians are 76-74 with a -7 run differential. Since the trade deadline, they are tenth in team wRC+ at 102, 19th in baserunning runs above average at -0.4, sixth in Defense at +2.3, 21st in starting pitcher ERA at 4.61 (4.21 FIP), and second in bullpen ERA at 2.99 (3.37 FIP).

These have looked like evenly matched teams through much of the year but the White Sox have eked out some close ones and lead the season series 6-4. Winning even one game this series gives them a great shot for the division because of the tiebreaker. Winning two all but guarantees it. No pressure, Guardians!

Matchups:

Game One, Monday, 6:40PM ET: Williams, RHP 3.73 ERA (3.40 FIP) vs. Opener Sean Newcombe LHP 2.61 ERA and Burke RHP 3.49 ERA

Game Two, Tuesday, 6:40PM ET: Griffin, LHP 5.94 (4.12 FIP) with Cleveland vs. Martin, RHP 4.62 ERA (4.12 FIP)

Game Three, Wednesday 1:10PM ET: Messick, LHP 2.60 ERA (3.18 FIP) vs. TBD but likely Fedde, RHP 3.92 ERA (5.24 FIP)

Since the trade deadline, the White Sox are led by Randal Grichuk 190 wRC+, Edgar Quero 188 wRC+, Tristan Peters 174 wRC+, Kyle Teel 146 wRC+, Miguel Vargas 136 wRC+, Sam Antonacci 115 wRC+, and Chase Meidroth 112 wRC+.

Since the trade deadline, the Guardians are led by Chase DeLauter 160 wRC+, Angel Martinez 144 wRC+, Steven Kwan 136 wRC+, Travis Bazzana 111 wRC+, and Jo Adell 104 wRC+.

Will José Ramírez be able to help at all this series? Will Jo Adell hit RHP? Will Foster Griffin turn in a decent start and Gavin Williams and Parker Messick continue to dominate? These are the questions for which the answers will determine this pivotal series for the Guardians. Get out to the ballpark and cheer on your team, Cleveland fans!

The Red Sox were on the cusp of the World Series in 2003. They made history in 2004. They lost to the eventual World Series Champion Chicago White Sox in the 2005 ALDS. Heading into 2006, with acquisitions like Coco Crisp, Mike Lowell (after the fact at least), and Josh Beckett, expectations were high.

As late as the week of August first the Sox were tied with the Yankees atop the AL East. However, over the final two months of the season a tough 9-21 August and bounceback 13-14 September would leave the club at 86-76. This would be good enough for third place in the AL East, one game behind the Toronto Blue Jays and 11.0 games behind the first place Yankees.

In 2006, the division winners in the AL would be the Yankees (97-65), Twins (96-66), and Athletics (93-69). The Detroit Tigers would snag the single Wild Card with a 95-67 record thanks in part to a strong debut season by Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander. The Sox clearly weren’t close to the Tigers that year. But what if there were two more Wild Cards?

Unlike a lot of years, the AL Central was really good two decades ago. The next best record in the league would be the defending champion White Sox at 90-72. Following them would be the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at 89-73. Then the Toronto Blue Jays finished at 87-75 and, finally, the Red Sox at 86-76. So the expansion to three hypothetical Wild Cards in 2006 would still have left the Jays and Red Sox on the outside looking in. But three or four more wins? Was that an impossible task? Especially if you know there are Wild Cards to be had?

Craig Breslow himself took the loss in a 7-5 defeat against the Yankees. The offense scored 5 runs off Randy Johnson while, uh, starting pitcher Julián Tavárez allowed just 4. Closer of the future Craig Hansen would get credit for a blown save and then Breslow would give up 2 more runs in 0.1 innings. Unlike the sweep in August at the hands of their rival the 2006 Sox took three of the four games this round.

Saturday September 30th was a 3-4 loss for Boston to the Orioles. Tim Wakefield allowed 3 runs in 6.0 innings. Lenny DiNardo and Bryan Corey each tossed as inning of scoreless relief. Mike Timlin was summoned for the save and allowed 2 runs while recording just 2 outs. This game wasn’t thrown away. And it’s one of the easier cases to be made for flipping around the record.

October 1st, the final day of the regular season was a 5.0 inning rain-shortened complete game “no-hit” outing for Red Sox legend Devern Hansack. It was, unfortunately for him, not ruled a no-hitter. Would they have figured out another starter? Tried to move because of the downpour?

Maybe the Sox simply weren’t ever going to pull it off in 2006, no matter how many Wild Cards were available. Every game could be looked at as a what-if if we wanted to. But this season would be a race in 2026. We’d have been following it at the start of September. Instead the story was the Sox were injured and slumping. The division is tight. The AL East is made up of too many good teams, they can’t all make the playoffs!

Someone on reddit was thinking the same thing. And their finding says it all:

Since 1994 the AL East has had 6 instances of 4th place team finishing at least .500 (rest of league has 8) and 5 times the 5th team finished with 75+ wins (rest of the league has 7)

As of today the Blue Jays are at .500 with a 75-75 record and the Orioles, while 6.0 games under .500, aren’t too far off the pace even in 5th. The other fourth place teams – Tigers, Athletics, Nationals, Cardinals, and Giants – are all under .500. The Houston Astros are leading the AL West with the same record that has the Blue Jays on the outside looking in for even the third wild Card.

Despite having the second best record in the American League, the Yankees would have claim to the Wild Card under the 2006 rules while the Sox would go home. The dramatic 15-game winning streak. The 9-game streak. The trade deadline. This year’s whole turnaround would be lost in the wash. Which isn’t to say the postseason is all that matters – it’s not. Baseball is great because of the regular season.

With 82 wins in the books and 12 games to go the 2026 Red Sox are likely to win more than the 86 games they won 20 years ago, but the race would have been over in August.

I’ll probably think about this during what could be a long lockout. All the baseball we’re missing.

There’s just 13 games left in the Yankees’ regular season, and they still remain four games behind Tampa Bay for the top spot in the American League. Failure to surpass the Rays would throw the Yankees down into the Wild Card Round for the second straight year, and into a gauntlet where they’d play against the Red Sox before getting a shot at Tampa again all for the rights to play in the ALCS. There’s still a four-game set with the Rays to be played in the Bronx next week, but if they can’t make up some ground beforehand it’ll require an outright sweep to move the needle.

Tampa’s results are unfortunately out of their control otherwise, but the Yankees have been doing their part by winning in bunches of late. The team handled the Rockies and took two of three from the Mets, all while welcoming back their captain Aaron Judge from the injured list. Now they’ll hope to get him enough time in the batter’s box to become the Aaron Judge of old in time for it to matter the most, but the rest of the lineup still has to play their part and the pitching staff has to make it to the finish line. Ben Rice has answered the call of late, hitting for a .934 OPS in his last 15 games with 12 runs scored, and Cam Schlittler continues to dominate as he puts the finishing touches on a historic Cy Young campaign for the franchise.

There’s still so much to figure out over these last two weeks of play, and it can’t be helped if eyes start drifting towards October with the postseason looming. How much can the Yankees afford to ease Judge back into the lineup if they want him ready to go for Game 1 of their first series? Is Anthony Volpe going to win himself a last-minute ticket back into the team’s plans with his play covering for Jazz Chisholm Jr.? And how concerned should we be that Gerrit Cole is dealing with a long ball issue again? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.

Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of September 17th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

CINCINNATI –– With his already career-worst season reaching nightmarish new depths, Kyle Tucker was pulled aside recently by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

The topic of conversation: The $240 million outfielder’s playing time over the rest of the season.

Externally, of course, calls had been mounting for Tucker to be platooned, if not outright benched, as his numbers continued to plummet amid an ongoing second-half slump.

Internally, however, the Dodgers had decided to double down on their faith in this offseason’s marquee free-agent signing.

Thus, the message Roberts delivered was simple.

“I told him, I’m gonna ride or die with him,” Roberts shared this weekend.

In that exact phrasing?

“I did,” Roberts joked. “That was my young term phrase.”

On this day, Roberts had reason to laugh. The previous two games, Tucker had finally offered signs of life at the plate, posting back-to-back performances with three hits and a home run. Over the last week, Dodgers hitting coaches believed they had finally found a breakthrough with the left-handed slugger’s swing, one that (at least temporarily) cleaned up some mechanical flaws that had hampered him all year.

Alas, in Tucker’s 2026 campaign, no turnaround was ever going to be that simple.

Over the two games since, he has gone 0-for-8 again, including a strikeout with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth on Sunday. On the season, his numbers remain unthinkably disappointing, with a batting average of .226, an OPS of .692 and an almost negligible 0.3 mark in wins above replacement.

At this point, it is all adding up to a lost season for the 29-year-old, who is threatening to become one of the biggest free-agent flops in at least the sport’s recent high-priced history.

And yet, the Dodgers aren’t wavering from their commitment to keep playing the four-time All-Star, rolling the dice “talent level” and “proven track record,” as Roberts cited, by keeping him in the lineup for the long haul.

“I was prepared, the organization was prepared, to give him as much leash as we possibly could to work through some things, and I do think that now we’re starting to see the fruits,” Roberts said. “So I see no other reason why we would pivot from running him out there every day.”

The only caveat Roberts offered: “I guess, to that same point, until you can’t, right?”

Trying to identify the root cause of Tucker’s dismal season has been about as easy as discerning his emotions through his stoic and reserved facade.

The one thing everyone has agreed on: “It’s purely mechanical,” as co-hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc told the California Post recently. “His swing plane is pretty unique, but it’s just not working the way that it used to.”

The problem, as Tucker himself conceded last month, has been finding an answer or adjustment that works. 

“I feel like I’ve tried just about everything,” he said. “And every time I feel like I’m turning a corner, I get hit with a roadblock.”

Tucker’s swing has always been atypical, both in the way he “lays the bat back” in his stance (which, according to fellow hitting coach Aaron Bates, leads to a longer path in which “his margin for error is a little smaller”) and how he strides through the ball (launching off his back foot with an almost Scottie Scheffler-esque follow-through).  

When it’s all synced up, it makes him one of the most consistent hitters in the game; reminiscent to some evaluators of a modern-day Ted Williams.

But when it’s not…

“I think it’s a slippery slope,” Bates said. 

Only now, the Dodgers are hoping they have found a way to potentially end the slide.

For much of the year, Bates said Tucker was struggling to replicate his old, inside-out swing path. Instead, he was “cutting down and across the ball,” preventing him from squaring up heaters or adjusting to off-speed pitches. According to MLB’s Statcast system, his rate of “barreled” balls has fallen almost in half as a result, from 10.8% last year (and 12.9% in 2024) to 6.3% this season.

Their initial attempt at a fix was having Tucker cycle through old drills and mental cues he had used in his career previously. Only this time, those old band-aids failed to make a difference, leaving a player who once always had offensive answers toiling with only growing mechanical questions.

Why that is still confounds the Dodgers. Theories have ranged from a slow adjustment to his new surroundings, to potential lingering side effects from the hand fracture he played through last season with the Chicago Cubs.

“It definitely seems like things kind of shifted after [that],” Van Scoyoc said, noting that Tucker also struggled down the stretch in 2025. “So it could be that, but it might not be. We don’t exactly know.”

What was clear was the need to try something different. Thus, there has been constant trial-and-error in Tucker’s elongated batting-cage sessions of late.

Last week, something finally clicked. As Bates described it, Tucker found comfort with the thought of a “no-roll swing” –– where instead of flipping his hands at the end of his follow-through, he keeps them more square to the big part of the field.

“Guys who throw right-handed but hit lefty, it’s something they struggle with sometimes, because the right side of their body is the dominant side,” Bates said, noting that the team has made similar adjustments with Tommy Edman, Alex Freeland and Dalton Rushing this season. 

In Tucker’s case, the cue helped flatten his swing.

“He was missing pitches he thought he needed to get on top of,” Bates said, “and needed to think about swinging high instead of swinging down.” It has also kept his barrel in the zone longer, allowing him to re-adjust to off-speed offerings (one of his great strengths as a hitter for most of his career) while better squaring mistakes left over the plate (like the hanging inside sweeper he belted for a grand slam on Friday).

“There’s a lot more room for error hitting the ball, because you can hit it deep and go the other way or catch it out in front and pull it a little bit more,” Tucker explained. “Just trying to be consistent with that and be as long through the zone as possible.”

Whether it proves to be a genuine breakthrough, or just another false start in a season that’s never gotten going, the Dodgers are willing to keep taking the time to find out.

After all, while Tucker’s regular season is beyond salvaging, Van Scoyoc maintained that “he can find it in one swing and then go on a run.”

Thus, they will “ride or die” with him the rest of the way, despite the dismal struggles the last five months have wrought.

“I mean, the numbers probably are what they are, but we’ve got a lot of important games coming next month,” Tucker said, eyeing what he hopes will be validation in the playoffs. “That’s the most important thing … As long as you win the game and kind of contribute to that in some way, that’s all you can really try and do.”

Added Roberts: “If you perform at the right time, all is forgotten.”

As we finish off this season, players are looking to establish themselves and make statements entering 2027. That is especially true on the mound, where there are only a few guys who have locked down spots for next season. One pitcher who has impressed in his late season audition is Riley Cornelio and I wanted to talk about him a little bit.

Cornelio has had a few different opportunities at points this season. In total, he has thrown 27.2 innings across 14 outings. Cornelio initially got called up in late April, but his only extended runs have been in July and now down the stretch in September. Early in his big league career, Cornelio looked a bit overwhelmed, but that is starting to change as he gets more experienced.

Riley Cornelio’s go-to pitch is his slider. It is a true bullet slider that looks like a fastball before dropping off the table. Everything about Cornelio’s arsenal is built around getting to that slider. When Cornelio can execute his slider, it is game over for hitters. We saw that in his excellent opener appearance yesterday.

The Great Cornelio, Nasty Sliders. 😨 pic.twitter.com/IFpAUgLzWr

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 13, 2026

When you look at the data on Cornelio’s slider, the numbers are pretty ludicrous. The pitch generates an insane 53.2% whiff rate. Among pitches thrown at least 200 times, Cornelio’s slider has the 4th highest whiff rate of any offering in baseball. Mason Miller’s slider, Adrian Morejon’s changeup and Erik Miller’s slider are the only pitches that generate empty swings at a higher rate.

That pitch is Cornelio’s crown jewel. He has always had a nasty slider in his bag. The key is making everything else work too. For most of this season, control has been a big issue for him. Cornelio’s 17.7% walk rate is a big reason why he has a 4.88 ERA despite having a premier swing and miss offering. He also allows a fair share of hard contact.

It is worth noting that Cornelio’s command has looked noticeably better since he was last re-called in early September. We only have a 3 outing sample, but Cornelio has only walked 2 hitters in 7.2 innings this month. Honestly, I think his 17.7% walk rate is a bit of an outlier.

Throughout Cornelio’s career, his walk rate has consistently been between 10 to 11%. That is not amazing by any means, but if he can replicate that in the big leagues, he will be effective. I also think there is one recent tweak he made that will make throwing strikes a bit easier.

For most of his career, Cornelio has been a two-pitch guy. His fastball and slider are both good pitches, with the latter being fantastic. However, it is tough to survive in today’s game with just two pitches. That is especially true given that Cornelio’s slider is more of a chase pitch.

Midway through this season, he added a cutter. We saw glimpses of the pitch at times, but he has fully unleashed it in September. This year, Cornelio has thrown his cutter 8.5% of the time. However, in September that number spiked to 23.9%. The pitch is used to bridge the gap between his fastball and slider, which is working wonderfully.

Riley "The Great" Cornelio, Nasty 90mph Cutter. ✂️ pic.twitter.com/86825hB1Em

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 9, 2026

That third shape makes the hitter’s decision much more difficult. The 90 MPH cutter sits right between his 85 MPH slider and 96-97 MPH fastball both in velocity and movement. It is a really good addition to his arsenal and I think it could take him to the next level.

I think Cornelio now has the arsenal to thrive as a 1 inning or multi-inning reliever. He looks really comfortable as a 2 to 3 inning opener, so that could be a home for him. However, with a whiff rate of 35.5% this season, I would like to see what he could do in late innings next year.

The ability to generate whiffs is the highlight of Cornelio’s game and he truly does it at an elite level. In his last 300 pitches, Cornelio has generated 56 whiffs, one of the best marks in all of baseball. For context, Cade Cavalli is right behind him at 55 whiffs.

SP Leaders – Last 300 Pitches Thrown

Most Whiffs:
Cristian Javier: 61 Whiffs
Jacob deGrom: 60 Whiffs
Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 60 Whiffs
Emmet Sheehan: 56 Whiffs
Riley Cornelio: 56 Whiffs
Ian Seymour: 55 Whiffs
Cade Cavalli: 55 Whiffs
Jared Jones: 54 Whiffs

— Jon Anderson (@JonPgh) September 14, 2026

As you can see, I am bullish on Cornelio, but he is far from a finished product. The command will need to be better for him in 2027. Issuing 22 walks in 27.2 innings is just not good enough. Given his history of mediocre but not awful command, there is some hope on that front though.

When Cornelio first came up, he felt overwhelmed by the moment at times. There were moments where his mound presence was shaky. If he wants to be a late inning arm, that cannot happen. To his credit, Cornelio has gotten a lot better at that and looks like a much more confident pitcher.

Riley Cornelio’s surface level numbers do not jump off the page, but I think he is a sneaky breakout candidate. What he has been doing in his last few outings is highly encouraging. In his last 7 outings, Cornelio has a 2.77 ERA. With his filthy slider, new cutter and hard fastball, Cornelio has what it takes to be a quality big league arm.

A lot of the guys who have been put in the Nats bullpen just do not have the necessary talent. I do not think talent is a problem for Cornelio. For him, it comes down to three C’s. The three C’s are command, confidence and cutter. All three of those things could lead him to a big year next season.

Mets closer Devin Williams continues to trend in the right direction, making inroads towards pitching again before the end of the 2026 season. 

Williams, who has been on the IL since Aug. 10 with a right shoulder strain, threw off the mound for the third time on Monday, saying that his next step will be to face live hitters on Thursday while noting that he doesn't foresee needing a minor league rehab assignment.

"Felt good, everything was coming out good," Williams said. "So, I was pretty pleased with that."

Signed to a three-year, $45 million contract this offseason to replace Edwin Diaz as the Mets' closer, Williams got off to a slow start. While he pitched to 3.41 ERA from April 26 on, his overall ERA of 4.88 paints a picture of inconsistency. 

And while the Mets are on the cusp of officially being eliminated from playoff contention, Williams still wants to get back on a major league mound by the regular season finale on Sept. 27.

"I wish I could have been out there this whole time competing with my guys and contributing in some form, but it didn’t work out that way," Williams said. "Finishing the season healthy and having a normal offseason is ideal."

With Williams out with an injury and just about all of the other high-leverage relievers (including Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, Huascar Brazoban, and A.J. Minter) traded at the deadline, the Mets bullpen has had a very different look since the beginning of August. But with change has come opportunity for pitchers like Nate Lavender,Daniel Duarte, and Kodai Senga, with Senga taking over the closer's role with terrific success. 

"For the most part they’ve been lights-out," Williams said. "I think moving forward it’s going to be really beneficial for a lot of these guys. They’ve been put in situations where, if we did have a complete bullpen, they probably aren’t in those situations.  But the only way to get good in those situations is by being in them. I think they’re all getting a lot of really valuable experience."

Asked specifically about Senga, who owns a 2.38 ERA since his first save opportunity on Aug. 10, Williams likes what he sees, though he doesn't know whether Senga wants to return to the rotation in 2027 or not.

"I mean, he’s [7-for-7], he’s punching tickets, throwing 100 with a nasty forkball," Williams said. "What else do you want?"

"I’d love to have him in the back end [of the bullpen]. I can’t really speak to what he wants. But I think that if he was in the bullpen he would be a great high-leverage arm to have."