Category: MLB

That was one of the more frustrating games of the year. That’s a reasonably high bar too as there have been a lot of lousy, frustrating games. Watching the Cubs rally on two different occasions after Jacob Misiorowski was given the lead by the Brewers offense only to eventually come up (well) short. Just another frustrating day at the ballpark. The Cubs were 74-53 after taking the first two games of the series versus the White Sox on August 18. They are 4-9 since. Not the worst stretch of the season for the Cubs, but definitely one of them.

This one was frustrating on multiple levels. I made a reference to a game feeling like a rerun the other day. This is one of those games that happens a handful of times every year. The Cubs hit the ball hard it finds a glove. The Brewers hit the ball soft, it finds grass. It was pretty clearly a difficult night to pitch at Wrigley Field, particularly early in the game. The Brewers relievers were more less able to figure it out, the Cubs relievers were more or less not. Though in fairness, all of the runs that lost the game were charged to starter David Peterson.

I always know that I’ve just about hit peak frustration with this team when I get to the point where they lose a game and my brain has a sour grapes response. As in, maybe this team shouldn’t make the playoffs, I wouldn’t enjoy it anyway. Yeah, that’s where I’m at right now. It all feels fatalistic.

I think it was right about that 13 games ago that I got comfortable with this team. I felt like they’d reached the point where they were kind of high functioning with all of their limitations. Like no lead was ever going to really be safe with the pitching staff. But also, they score a ton of runs so often that it’s just kind of okay.

I like to think of baseball sometimes as an X/Y axis with one axis being offense is bad/offense is good and the other axis is pitching is bad/pitching is good. Every team is dominant when you get good/good performance. Every team is putrid when you get bad/bad performance. So the first measure of how good your season is comes from having more games in the good/good section than in the bad/bad section. The Cubs have been very good at that.

The second measure of how good your season is comes from how well you do in the good/bad section and bad/good section. The Cubs do reasonably well when the offense is good but the pitching is rough. There aren’t a lot of pitching was good, offense was bad wins for this team. The whole saving grace for the team has been that the offense has been so good that the team is on the right side of the offense axis so consistently.

This funk right now arises from too many games when the pitching is rough. That contrasts earlier in the year when the team had that 10-game losing streak. The pitching didn’t do a ton of favors, but that streak largely saw the offense sputtering. They scored just 25 runs during that 10-game skid and eight of those were in one game (and five in another). They have 91 runs in this 13-game stretch. The problem is that it is massively stratified. 60 runs in the four wins in that stretch and 31 runs in the nine losses.

Long story short, not good enough.

Three Positives:

• Alex Bregman had two hits, one a homer, and drove in four runs.
• Pete Crow-Armstrong had a single and drew two walks. He scored twice.
• Ryan Rolison faced five batters and got five outs. He and Caleb Thielbar were the only two effective Cub pitchers on the night.

Game 140, September 2: Brewers 9, Cubs 5 (78-62)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Alex Bregman (.290). 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, R
• Hero: Ryan Rolison (.209). 1.2 IP, 5 BF, K
• Sidekick: Caleb Thielbar (.030). IP, 3 BF, 2 K

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: David Peterson (-.501). 3.2 IP, 23 BF, 7 H, 4 BB, 6 R, 4 K (L 4-2)
• Goat: Michael Busch (-.109). 0-4
• Kid: Nico Hoerner (-.096). 0-4

Note: Peterson’s WPA is 10th worst WPA game score of the season by a Cub. Year over year, those are mostly relievers, but occasionally a position player or starter will get in there. But this year all 10 of these are relievers. Recent reference, it was eight relievers and two starters in 2025. In 2024 it was three starters and seven relievers.

WPA Play of the Game: Alex Bregman’s two-run single in the second gave the Cubs a two run lead with two outs. (.185)

Cubs Play of the Game: William Contreras had an RBI-single with one out in the fourth, giving the Brewers a 6-5 lead. (.120)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 139 Winner: Tyrone Taylor received 43 of 65 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Alex Bregman +27
• Pete Crow-Armstrong +25
• Ben Brown +13.5
• Javier Assad +12
• Carson Kelly +10.5
• Nico Hoerner -12.5
• Edward Cabrera -12.5
• Jameson Taillon -13
• Dansby Swanson -17
• Caleb Thielbar -17.5

Scoreboard Watching: Padres lose (five back of Cubs). Braves win (five up). Phillies lose (one up). Diamondbacks win (four back). Brewers win (nine up, magic number 14). Dodgers lose (four up).

Up Next: The last of the four-game set with the Brewers. The Cubs will look to salvage a split. They are 2-4 to start this stretch of 13 games in 13 days. Kevin Gausman (8-11, 4.52) starts for the Cubs. He is 3-1 with a 5.14 as a Cub. Last time out, he won despite allowing five runs in five innings against the Reds. The Brewers scored three in five innings against him in April in Toronto.

24-year-old righty, Logan Henderson (9-2, 2.48) starts for the Brewers. He’s rolling, winning six of his last seven starts with a 2.09 ERA (43 innings). He last lost on August 10 at San Diego and had a quality start in that one (3 runs over 6.1 innings. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his 19 career starts. He only threw as many as six innings once before August, but then did so in all five August starts.

Once again, the matchup doesn’t look great on paper. Hopefully, Gausman keeps the team in the game. Many of the Brewers leverage relievers have now thrown in back-to-back games.

Today marks the one-month mark since the 2026 MLB trade deadline. The Phillies were very active at the deadline, as they acquired Luis Arraez, Caleb Kilian, and Brooks Raley. So far, the results have been a mixed bag. Arraez is obviously the biggest name, and although he’s been rather pedestrian, hitting .280 with a .678 OPS through his first month in a Phillies uniform, the lineup itself has excelled since his arrival. The Phillies offense ranked first in on-base percentage for the month of August, a dramatic difference from their dead last ranking from April through the end of July. How much of that which can be directly or indirectly attributed to Arraez is up for interpretation, but the numbers show the team has improved since he was inserted into the lineup.

The two new pitchers the Phillies acquired are a different story. Raley has been fine, but he’s regressed heavily from his previous numbers with the Mets this season. Kilian appeared in just four games before suffering an oblique strain and being placed on the injured list on August 10th. It’s quite possible he does not pitch again this season. For the rotation, the Phillies opted not to acquire another starter, choosing to give Andrew Painter another run at the fifth spot. That decision was maligned at the time, but it looks to have been a shrewd one, as Painter looks like a completely different pitcher since returning from his mid-season demotion to Triple-A.

But we’re not here to talk about who the Phillies DID trade for. So, let’s look at how some of the names connected to the Phillies whether by insider rumor or fan speculation have fared over the last month.

Taylor Ward

Ward has been a constant in the rumor mill surrounding the Phillies for the last few seasons. He was finally moved from the Angels in the offseason, heading to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Grayson Rodriguez. While with the Orioles, Ward’s previous power numbers from his past two years cratered, but his OBP jumped to what would have been a career-best .383. The 32-year-old found himself on the move again at this past deadline, this time heading to the Mariners in exchange for reliever Alex Hoppe and minor leaguers Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling. The package Baltimore netted for Ward appeared very light on the surface, leading to much consternation among the Phillies fanbase and others over why he went for so little.

Well, it looks as though the Orioles are actually the favorites to come out ahead of that deal, as Ward has been abysmal for Seattle. He’s hitting just .121 through 19 games with 21 strikeouts. Ironically, the Mariners have trended downward since the deal and are fading from the AL postseason picture while the Orioles are trending up and remain firmly in the mix for the third Wild Card in the mediocre AL.

Luis Robert Jr.

Robert is yet another name that has been oft linked to the Phillies over the past few seasons. The White Sox finally moved on from their former center fielder over the winter when they sent Robert to New York as part of Daniel Stearns’ offseason makeover of the Mets. But Robert was a total bust for the Mets, as he appeared in 27 games before suffering a lumbar disc injury on April 30th that kept him out of action until July 20th. His name floated around rumors at the deadline as part of the Mets’ sell-off, but New York did not or could not move him before the deadline passed.

Flash forward to August 29th, and Robert was waived by the Mets in an attempt to move off of the remaining $5M of his deal, assuming he would require the $3M buyout and his $10M option would be declined. The Orioles claimed Robert on August 31st, officially ending his tenure with the Mets after 58 games with a .223/.303/.399 batting line and 0.8 WAR.

Jo Adell

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Adell is another right-handed hitting outfielder that has seen his name connected with the Phillies at the last two trade deadlines. The 27-year-old saw a drastic drop in production from his career year in 2025, as he had a .682 OPS with Anaheim this year after posting a career-best .778 last season. Like his former teammate Ward, the Angels finally found a deal they liked for Adell, sending him to the Guardians at the deadline in exchange for catching prospect Jacob Cozart.

Unlike the previous two names so far on this list, Adell has been a boon for his team post-deadline. He’s hit .258 with an .815 OPS in 24 games with Cleveland and has seen his walk rate jump from a miniscule 3.5% to a more respectable 9.8%. Adell has been a huge addition for the Guardians as they try to chase down the White Sox in the AL Central.

Kevin Gausman

Gausman was a somewhat surprising addition to the deadline trade market, as the Blue Jays were coming off of a shocking World Series run that saw them come within literal inches of winning a championship in Game 7. But the magic quickly wore off in 2026, as Toronto found themselves 53-60 on August 3rd and 4.5 games out of a postseason spot. So, the Blue Jays opted to dismantle some of that AL pennant winning club, with Gausman’s name emerging as a possible option for clubs seeking rotation help, such as the Phillies.

The 35-year-old Gausman was in the midst of a down year himself when he was sent to the Cubs in exchange for outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene. Gausman is in the final year of a five year, $110M deal and had a no trade clause that blocked a move to all but eight teams. One of those teams where he could have been traded without his consent was the Phillies, but they opted to let him go to Chicago. The Cubs were hoping that Gausman could shake off the 4.38 ERA he had in 23 starts with the Blue Jays and recapture his form as a front of the rotation playoff caliber starter. That has yet to happen so far, as Gausman has a 5.14 ERA in five starts since the trade and has already allowed five home runs.

Clay Holmes

Holmes matches two ongoing themes of the trade deadline in that he was a starting pitcher that went to the Cubs as well as being a part of the Mets’ selloff. The converted reliever excelled in his first season as a full-time starter with the Mets in 2025, finishing with a 3.53 ERA across 165.2 IP in 33 games (31 starts). Holmes looked to have been off to an even better start to 2026, posting a 2.39 ERA across his first nine starts, but a tibia fracture suffered on May 15th shut him down until the middle of July when he began rehabbing in the minor leagues.

At the time of the deadline, Holmes was one of the more intriguing non-Tarik Skubal options on the market. His three year, $38M signed prior to last season includes a player option after this season, meaning that Holmes can once again test free agency following 2026. Considering his performance over the last year plus when healthy, Holmes is likely to exercise that option. That along with the uncertainty of his injury status at the time of the deadline (he had only appeared in rehab games to that point) made sure there was non-insignificant risk in acquiring him. The Phillies clearly chose not to take that risk while the Cubs did, and Chicago has reaped the benefits of it. Holmes has picked up right where he left off prior to injury, as he has a 1.55 ERA in five starts since the trade. His chances of opting out have likely increased even more, but the Cubs will be happy to employ him in the meantime.

Robbie Ray

Ray was yet another solid rotation option available in a trade at a time when the Phillies rotation was very much in flux. The 34-year-old was in the midst of a second straight renaissance season pitching in pitcher friendly Oracle Park in San Francisco, as he was pitching to a 3.08 in 22 games (21 starts) with the moribund Giants. The trifecta of Ray pitching well, his status as a rental still being owed a little more than $4M, and the Giants being long out of the race, made him ripe for a change of address at the deadline.

The Padres ended up being the ones to acquire Ray’s services, sending two prospects in Miguel Mendez and Joniel Hernandez to San Francisco with the Giants also agreeing to pay part of Ray’s salary. The lefty has been a good pickup for San Diego, as he’s made five starts and sports a 3.42 ERA as the Padres look to chase down the Phillies and others for an NL Wild Card spot.

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Yordan Alvarez is arguably the best hitter in baseball right now, but he doesn't force the issue and will take what's given to him.

With a 97th percentile walk rate, and a matchup against a pitcher he is 12-24 against in his career, Alvarez headlines my MLB player props and MLB picks for Thursday, Sept. 3.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Yordan Alvarez	Over 0.5 walks	-117
Lawrence Butler	Over 0.5 singles	+133
Jake Bauers	Over 0.5 hits	-156

Yordan Alvarez Over 0.5 walks (-117)

Yordan Alvarez is someone pitchers need to tread with caution against at the best of times. That holds even more true in today’s matchup against Luis Castillo.

Alvarez has hammered Castillo over the years, going 12-24 with five home runs and just two strikeouts.

The Houston Astros are not hitting well as a whole, making pitching to Alvarez an even more unnecessary risk than usual.

Alvarez has walked in 58% of games he faced a right-handed starter sitting in the 40th percentile or worse in K-BB%.

I’d play this up to -130.

• Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, SCHN

Lawrence Butler Over 0.5 singles (+133)

Lawrence Butler is sporting a .294 average over the last 30 games, and has reached safely in 16 of his past 17.

While his season numbers against lefties are nothing to write home about, he has quietly hit fastballs and sliders – which happen to be Kade Anderson’s two primary pitches.

Butler owns a .292 average facing LH fastballs, and .263 against the slider. Anderson throws one of the two pitches more than 87% of the time vs. lefties.

Nearly 71% of Butler’s hits against lefties were singles, and I like his chances of getting one today. 

Play to +110.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, SEAM

Jake Bauers Over 0.5 hits (-156)

Jake Bauers has hit .268 against right-handed pitching this season, and that number has climbed to .290 over the past 30 games.

Kevin Gausman ranks in the 27th percentile in batting average allowed to left-handed hitters, making this an appealing spot for Bauers to pick up a knock.

What really makes Bauers an attractive buy is how he’s handled the fastball-splitter combination.

Bauers has hit .330 or higher against both of those pitches, and they account for nearly 95% of what Gausman throws to lefties.

I’d back Bauers to -185.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FOX

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Team News

Diamondbacks bullpen has finest hour in shutout vs. Phillies: ‘We take pride in what we do’

Taylor Clarke, Derek Law, Kevin Ginkel, Jose Cabrera, Brandyn Garcia, Jonathan Loaisiga and Juan Morillo stymied the Phillies for three hits and two walks. It was the most pitchers used in a nine-inning shutout win in franchise history.

“It was cool to see everybody piece it together,” Garcia said. “I think that we’re just really close as a group.”
https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/diamondbacks-bullpen-has-its-finest-hour-in-shutout-win-over-phillies

McCann’s first-pitch go-ahead HR in 8th snaps D-backs’ 3-game slide
McCann knew Painter had gotten him out on breaking pitches in his previous two at-bats, but wasn’t necessarily sitting on a breaking ball in the eighth. He knew that Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is an excellent game-caller, so he was prepared for anything they might throw his way.

“It was definitely one of those games where really either way — they come up with a big hit and the momentum shifts in their favor, we come up with a big hit and [it shifts in] our favor,” McCann said. “That’s a good quality team over there. It was a great series.”

https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/james-mccann-hits-go-ahead-homer-in-diamondbacks-win

How D-backs Pulled Off Improbable Bullpen Game Shutout Over Phillies
https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/how-diamondbacks-improbable-bullpen-game-shutout-phillies

D-backs Give New Injury Update on Gallen, Burnes, Soroka and Morehttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/diamondbacks-new-injury-update-gallen-burnes-soroka-more

Other Baseball

The FBI investigation of Mark Walter, no matter the outcome, will have a negative impact on the perception of the Dodgers

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/the-fbi-investigation-of-mark-walter-no-matter-the-outcome-will-have-a-negative-impact-on-the-perception-of-the-dodgers-214433120.html

New Rays Owner: Stadium Deal Should Lead To Significant Payroll Increasehttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/09/rays-rumors-top-15-payroll-new-stadium.html

Pirates, Jose Herrera Agree To Minor League Contracthttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/09/pirates-jose-herrera-agree-to-minor-league-contract.html

Ranking the 10 most impactful Trade Deadline moves, one month later
https://www.mlb.com/news/best-mlb-trade-deadline-moves-2026

Crew bats back up Miz after streak of 3 ER or less ends at 25
https://www.mlb.com/brewers/news/jacob-misiorowski-five-earned-runs-brewers-cubs

Stewart a lock for NL Rookie of the Year? The numbers back it up
https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/sal-stewart-legendary-rookie-season-reds

Acuña Jr. fastest in MLB history to reach 200 HRs and 200 SBs
https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/ronald-acuna-jr-fastest-to-200-homers-and-200-stolen-bases

Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-3

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/September_3

25% of the oxygen we breathe is used by the brain.

This oxygen is used to help blood cells circulate the brain and allow it to function normally. The brain also uses three times as much oxygen as the muscles in the body do. 

Giraffes cannot swim.

A giraffe can maintain its balance on land due to its gait. However, research has shown that this balance is ineffective in the water. This makes them one of the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom.

Pepsi is named after indigestion.

When Caleb Bradham created Pepsi in 1965, he named it after the word “dyspepsia,” or indigestion. Bradham believed that his fizzy drink would help cure indigestion, hence the name, Pepsi. 

Two years ago if one said David Stearns would miss the playoffs two consecutive seasons there is no chance he would be still employed. What are the fans missing that he still has a job? Minor league development hasn’t been all that great either. -- @AndrewLiv

I don’t think fans are missing anything in the sense that in some markets, Stearns would be out of a job. I do think fans might be underestimating Steve Cohen’s patience and his willingness to give Stearns time to realize his vision -- I certainly underestimated that, to be honest.

More than anything, though, I think Cohen is deeply reluctant to duplicate the kind of front office churn he experienced in his early years. He wants to make the Mets a destination for smart baseball people, and he knows that smart baseball people believe growing an annual juggernaut takes time. 

Firing Stearns this year, or even last, would have signaled to anyone considering a job here that their leash is short and their process must work immediately. Whether fans agree with that argument is another thing. I think it’s fair to wonder whether, given this franchise’s budget, a head of baseball operations should be able to turn things around quickly.

Still, if Cohen deemed two down seasons and one miracle postseason was too quick a hook, I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides three amounts to leaving the starter in too long. If the Mets struggle to start next year and endure another mediocre summer, I expect Cohen to move on, but he has surprised us all with his patience before.

What the heck are the Mets gonna do at 2B for next season? -- @MichaelTConte

I know this is the underlying premise of the question, but I want to make sure I say it: Marcus Semien has been a good and durable player for a long time. He is as professional and tough as they come. But only one player in baseball has a lower OPS (.652) than he does since the start of last season, and the defensive metrics suggest the 35-year-old’s defense is diminishing, too.

That said, the Mets still owe Semien $26 million for 2027 and $20 million in 2028. I do not expect them to eat that money without first trying to get something out of him in those years -- so here’s what I expect:

I expect Semien enters spring training with a chance to be the starting second baseman, but I expect prospects like Jefferson Rojas, Mitch Voit, and Emilien Pitre to be in camp with him. I would expect Semien to split time at second, maybe with someone like Baty, until either one of them or one of the young guys seizes the playing time moving forward.

And whenever the Mets decide someone other than Semien should be starting at second base every day, I expect they will move him to a bench role because he has experience all over the infield, has played in big games, and is a sturdy veteran whose work ethic sets a tone. 

I wouldn’t be stunned if the Mets end up buying out his contract, but I also wouldn’t be stunned to see him finish it out -- particularly if more limited playing time improves his health, range, and offensive production.

Will Brett Baty flashes mean the Mets give him another year? Vientos a goner? Alvarez ever gonna fulfill his promise? -- @jimmyzcb1

I think Brett Baty gets another year, yes. I think the new coaching staff threw some things at him offensively that they are hoping will click, and I think his defensive versatility is treasured by Stearns and Co.’s models. He can be valuable to a winning team off the bench. I do not necessarily think he gets another year penciled into the starting lineup, however.

Vientos is a tough read. I think Andy Green’s firm words about his future recently -- implying, basically, that they aren’t going to clear a path for him to stay here and he’s going to have to clear one himself -- signal frustration. 

Even with uncertainty at first base next year, I do not see a path for him there. And if he is a right-handed power option off the bench, he probably won’t get enough at-bats to establish himself.

I think Vientos is a non-tender candidate this winter, though their loyalty to this generation of young Mets always exceeds my expectations. At least a few people I’ve talked to about Vientos think he could find more regular success elsewhere. Of the three guys mentioned in this question, I think he is most likely to depart this winter.

As for Alvarez, he is frustrating because he is so close to being a superstar -- he cares about what he does, his power is incredible, but he just can’t seem to: a) find offensive consistency, b) lay off the high fastball enough to make opponents change their plans against him.

I am not sure he will become a superstar, I think he will become a more valuable big-league catcher, in part because the Mets do not need him to carry a heavy workload while they have Luis Torrens. 

If Alvarez can be consistent enough to play four times a week and hit 15-20 homers while not being a liability defensively, that’s a valuable player. It might not be the player everyone wanted him to be, but in a league light on power-hitting catchers who can actually handle duties behind the plate, it’s not nothing. 

And maybe he still figures it out and pushes himself into a different tier of player, the talent is certainly still there.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (68-65) lost 2-1 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land went with a bullpen game as King got the start and tossed a scoreless first. The offense got on the board in the third on a Brooks RBI groundout. Weiss went 3 innings in relief allowing one run. The rest of the pen was solid too but the Aces picked up a run in the 8th. The Sugar Land offense was unable to get anything else going as they fell 2-1.

Note: Ferreras is hitting .318 in Triple-A.

• Trenton Brooks, DH: 0-for-2, RBI, BB
• Pascanel Ferreras, 3B: 2-for-4, 2 2B
• Lucas Spence, CF: 1-for-4, R, 2B

• Bryan King, LHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Ryan Weiss, RHP: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• Nic Swanson, RHP: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (59-69) won 4-0 (BOX SCORE)

Schiavone got the scoring started early with a 2 run home run in the first inning. Hertzler started for the Hooks and was solid tossing 3 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. The offense added a Janek solo home run in the 3rd and a Whitaker RBI double in the 4th to extend the lead. The bullpen was great tossing 6 scoreless innings as they closed out the 4-0 win.

Note: Schiavone has 31 home runs this season.

• Tyler Whitaker, CF: 3-for-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Jason Schiavone, DH: 1-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• Walker Janek, C: 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI
• Alberto Hernandez, SS: 1-for-4, 2B
• Marcus Brown, 2B: 0-for-2, R, BB, SB

• Cole Hertzler, RHP: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Joey Mancini, RHP: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)
• Colby Langford, LHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Andrew Marrero, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Amilcar Chirinos, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (42-84) lost 4-2 (BOX SCORE)

Perez starter for Asheville and pitched well allowing 1 run over 6 innings with 6 strikeouts. The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Monistere solo home run. In the third, Fielder connected on a solo home run to give Asheville the lead. Cruz relieved Perez but allowed 3 runs as the Grasshoppers took the lead. The offense was unable to respond as Asheville fell 4-2.

Note: Perez has 132 strikeouts over 110 innings this season.

• Nick Monistere, 2B: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI
• Jadyn Fielder, LF: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI

• Javier Perez, RHP: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Anthony Cruz, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• Max Martin, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (71-55) lost 5-4 (BOX SCORE)

Fraide started for the Woodpeckers and was solid allowing 2 runs, both unearned, over 4 innings while striking out 6. Fraide was relieved by Serrano who allowed 3 runs over 4 innings. The offense got on the board in the 6th on a Hughes RBI single. They scored 3 more runs in the 7th on Galloway RBI single, passed ball and a run on a double steal. The offense was unable to score again though as they fell 5-4.

Note: Hughes is hitting .333 this season.

• Logan Hughes, 1B: 2-for-4, RBI
• Ben Tryon, DH: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB
• Rashawn Galloway, C: 1-for-1, R, RBI

• Juan Fraide, RHP: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• Jose Serrano, RHP: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Jason Alexander – 7:05 CT

CC: Alonzo Tredwell – 6:35 CT

AV: Adam Shoemaker – 5:35 CT

FV: TBD – 6:00 CT

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It's a quiet nine-game slate across the majors today, and I've pinpointed my best MLB moneyline picks for every single matchup. 

See it all in my MLB picks for Thursday, Sept. 3. 

MLB moneyline picks for September 3

For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Matchup	Pick
Giants vs Pirates	60%
Blue Jays vs Guardians	50%
White Sox vs Astros	61%
Red Sox vs Orioles	56%
Brewers vs Cubs	52%
Marlins vs Royals	52%
Rays vs Rangers	47%
Athletics vs Mariners	66%
Cardinals vs Dodgers	73%

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 9-3.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for September 3

Giants at Pirates: Pirates

Pirates win probability: 60%

Pittsburgh has the cleaner full-game profile with Lake Bachar opening and a bullpen that’s been excellent lately, posting a 3.27 FIP over the last week with no homer damage.

San Francisco’s lineup has lacked power, while Blade Tidwell’s recent 5.81 FIP and 2.53 HR/9 give the Pirates a clear scoring path at PNC Park.

That makes Pittsburgh the side.

Blue Jays at Guardians: Blue Jays

Blue Jays win probability: 50%

Both starters here are in good form. Tanner Bibee sports a 3.35 FIP across his last two starts, while Jose Soriano owns a 3.51 FIP during that same span. 

However, Toronto's offensive form gives them the edge. The Jays have a 117 wRC+ over the last week, while the Guardians have struggled at the dish, posting an 86 wRC+. 

I'll comfortably side with Toronto. 

White Sox at Astros: Astros

Astros win probability: 61%

You can't ignore Luis Castillo's form right now. The White Sox trade deadline acquisition has a horrendous 11.05 FIP across his previous two appearances, allowing 5.40 HR/9 and a 51.6% hard-hit rate. 

Hunter Brown, meanwhile, is dealing for the Astros, compiling a 2.85 FIP over the last two weeks. Houston isn't thriving offensively lately, but Castillo's vulnerability is the perfect opportunity for them to wake up, and they're around the league average at home. 

Lock in the Astros. 

Red Sox at Orioles: Red Sox

Red Sox win probability: 56%

Jake Bennett is lights out for the Red Sox, carrying a 2.33 FIP into tonight's outing over the last two weeks. He's also given up minimal home runs while consistently pounding the strike zone. 

Brandon Young is in much worse shape, collecting a 4.99 FIP during that span with 1.42 HR/9 allowed. Boston's 103 wRC+ is 30 points higher than Baltimore's across the last seven games, too. 

The Red Sox are the clear pick. 

Brewers at Cubs: Brewers

Brewers win probability: 52%

The Brewers will be feeling confident with Logan Henderson on the bump tonight against the Cubbies. He has a 2.87 FIP across his last 13 innings of work, allowing minimal walks and home runs. 

That will be key against a red-hot Chicago offense, which has posted a ridiculous 180 wRC+ in the last week. But Henderson is in the type of form that can slow them down, even if it might not be a flawless outing. 

Kevin Gausman has shown vulnerability lately, collecting a 4.10 FIP with 1.61 HR/9 over the last month. Milwaukee is also crushing baseballs with a 137 wRC+ in its previous seven games. 

We could see lots of runs here, but the Brewers have the slight edge on the hill. 

Marlins at Royals: Royals

Royals win probability: 51%

Kansas City's offensive form is the decider tonight. The Royals have a 125 wRC+ in the last week, and although Sandy Alcantara has been impressive lately with a 2.40 FIP, he has struggled at times on the road, posting a 4.41 FIP this season. 

Michael Wacha owns a 2.37 xERA recently with minimal home runs allowed, and the Marlins are right around the league average offensively at the moment. 

Take the hosts. 

Rays at Rangers: Rangers 

Rangers win probability: 47%

Shane McClanahan has looked decent, but I really like the Rangers' offensive profile in this matchup. They're one of the few lineups that thrive against left-handed pitching, posting a 112 wRC+ this season. 

Cal Quantrill has also been fantastic lately for Texas, and his 2.93 FIP over the last two weeks will be sufficient to contain the Rays tonight. 

Texas is the play. 

Athletics at Mariners: Mariners

Mariners win probability: 66%

The Mariners are swinging it with authority, carrying a 109 wRC+ and 10% barrel rate over the last week into tonight's contest. They will face Jack Perkins, who has a 6.20 FIP recently, with major command and home run issues. 

Kade Anderson has had his problems as well lately, but his 2.29 xERA suggests he's been better than the numbers say, and he's limited opponents to a 32.1% hard-hit rate in his last two appearances.

Seattle will keep flourishing. 

Cardinals at Dodgers: Dodgers

Dodgers win probability: 73%

Obviously, the win probability doesn't scream value here, but you simply cannot go against Tarik Skubal. He sports a ridiculous 0.56 FIP over his last two starts with the Dodgers, not allowing a single home run. The Cardinals are right around the league average offensively lately, but Skubal's dominance is hard to ignore. 

Quinn Matthews has held his own as well with a 3.56 xERA recently, but his 40% hard-hit rate over the last two weeks shows vulnerability, and the Dodgers have an impressive 105 wRC+ against left-handed hurlers. 

Another win for L.A. here. 

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The Houston Astros beat the Chicago White Sox last night, and my White Sox vs. Astros prediction expects another win for H-Town.

Find out why in my MLB picks for Sept. 3, with first pitch set for 2:10 p.m. ET at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas.

Who will win White Sox vs Astros today: Houston Astros (61%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Hunter Brown has looked more like Hunter Brown over the past month, pitching to a 3.18 ERA and 3.28 xERA. 

That should continue against the Chicago White Sox, who rank 24th in batting average vs. right-handed pitching this season.

Brown has posted a clean 2.78 ERA over seven starts against opponents ranking Bottom 10 in batting average against RHP. He’s set up for success.

Luis Castillo has allowed at least three earned runs in seven of his past eight, and offers the Houston Astros an opportunity to jumpstart their offense.

Back Houston to 63%.

 COVERS INTEL: Luis Castillo has allowed a 46.1% hard-hit rate over the past month, second-highest among today's projected starters.

White Sox vs Astros Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (49%)

One area the Astros excel in is drawing walks. They sit 10th in walk rate against right-handed pitching, and that allows them to generate traffic even when the bats aren’t hot.

The Astros have already faced Castillo twice this season and caused him a world of problems. They scored 10 runs over nine innings of work while drawing four walks.

Brown is a very good pitcher but he has struggled with control, sitting in the seventh percentile in walk rate. That will lead to some extra baserunners and help Chicago chip in.

Play to 53%.

White Sox vs Astros home run prediction: Yordan Alvarez (27%)

Castillo allows a lot of power to left-handed hitters. He ranks in the 14th percentile in HR/9 and 12th percentile in SLG, which should have Yordan Alvarez chomping at the bit for this matchup.

Alvarez has hit .359 with a .369 ISO and .728 SLG against right-handed starters who sit in the 30th percentile or worse in those two categories.

His already ridiculous season outputs level up further, making him that much more enticing of a target.

White Sox vs Astros market trends

Here is how the smart money from Polymarket traders is coming in on this afternoon's White Sox vs. Astros matchup, with the Astros as the heavy favorite.

White Sox vs Astros weather

This game will be played indoors.

White Sox vs Astros odds

• Moneyline: White Sox 40% | Astros 61%
• Run line: White Sox +1.5 (59%) | Astros -1.5 (42%)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (49%) | Under 8.5 (52%)

White Sox vs Astros trend

Chicago owns a 78-61 O/U record this season. Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Astros.

How to watch White Sox vs Astros and game info

White Sox vs Astros latest injuries

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Today's baseball slate is a short one, but our MLB expert picks are ready to dive in anyway.

One analyst is bullish on the Baltimore Orioles to beat the Boston Red Sox straight up, while another likes both offenses to light up the scoreboard on Thursday, Sept. 3.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Probability
Josh Inglis: ATH/SEA u7.5	56%
Jon Metler: BAL ML	47%
Neil Parker: BOS/BAL o8.5	50%
Joe Osborne: STL/LAD o7.5	53%
Dustin Saracini: TOR ML	50%

Probabilities courtesy of Polymarket. For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: A's at Mariners Under 7.5

Price: 56¢ at Polymarket

This is about as tough a schedule spot as you can get for the Seattle Mariners offense today.

The Mariners were just in Boston yesterday and now open a weekend set with the Athletics at home. Returning home after a two-series East Coast trip with no day off works against the home side, and it's just enough to slow down an average offense coming off its best three-game offensive output.

Seattle gets Jack Perkins, who has allowed just two earned runs over his last three starts, while the Mariners should have a favorable matchup against the A's and their league-worst road scoring offense.

Twenty-two-year-old first-rounder Kade Anderson starts for Seattle and has struck out 135 batters in 93 minor-league innings this year. Neither bullpen has restrictions today, and the projections give this a 56% fair probability.

The schedule spot and the worst road offense are pushing this total down to a flat 7.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: NBC Sports California, Mariners.TV

Jon Metler's expert pick: Orioles moneyline

Price: 47¢ at Polymarket

The biggest reason I like the Baltimore Orioles in this matchup is the probability. The Orioles are trading at 47% on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 51% favorite.

We typically look to exploit edges of just 2-3%, so a 4% difference is certainly worth our attention. The Boston Red Sox will send left-hander Jake Bennett to the mound. While he's dominated left-handed hitters this season, he has been more vulnerable against right-handed bats.

That sets up well for an Orioles lineup with plenty of right-handed power from spots two through six, including Luis Robert Jr., whom Baltimore acquired on Aug. 31.

Small details can create an edge in these markets, and Robert's addition is particularly important here. He has historically hit left-handed pitching better than right-handed pitching, and his presence gives Baltimore another right-handed bat that profiles well against Bennett.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• How to watch: FOX

Neil Parker's expert pick: Red Sox at Orioles Over 8.5

Price: 50¢ at Polymarket

The Red Sox and Orioles rank fourth and fifth in xwOBA over the past 30 days while averaging 5.3 and 4.6 runs per game, respectively, and Camden Yards will have ideal hitting conditions tonight.

Additionally, Baltimore righty Brandon Young’s underlying 4.36 xERA and 4.47 xFIP are way above his 3.38 ERA, and the Orioles, as my colleague Jon Metler alluded to, have multiple impact right-handed hitters to counter Bennett.

Neil Parker breaks the matchup down further in his Red Sox vs. Orioles predictions.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• How to watch: FOX

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Cardinals at Dodgers Over 7.5

Price: 53¢ at Polymarket

The Over is the play in Los Angeles, with the St. Louis Cardinals on a 11-2 Over tear.

Tarik Skubal has been solid for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he hasn’t reached the unhittable level he displayed in Detroit, and the Cardinals rank fourth in OPS against left-handed pitching over the past month.

The bigger mismatch comes on the other side. Rookie Quinn Mathews brings a 5.03 ERA and 1.58 WHIP into just his fifth career start against a dangerous Dodgers lineup desperate to break out of a 2-6 slide.

With St. Louis’ bullpen posting a brutal 6.47 ERA over the past two weeks and winds blowing eight mph straight to center, Over 7.5 has plenty of paths to come through.

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Cardinals.TV, SportsNet LA

Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Blue Jays moneyline

Price: 50¢ at Polymarket

If the Toronto Blue Jays want to build momentum after their 11-0 win last night, Jose Soriano is the right man to do it.

Across 46 plate appearances (we love a good sample size), the Cleveland Guardians own just a .213 xBA and .332 xSLG against the righty, which includes limiting Steven Kwan to a .159 xBA.

His elite ground-ball rate is perfect for a contact-first team like Cleveland and should allow him to work deep into the ballgame. On the other side, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. might've finally woken up last night after going 3-for-4 with five RBI and a homer. He won't be slowing down today, either, rocking a .744 xSLG against Tanner Bibee.

All the numbers point toward the Jays in a must-win game here. I'd play this up to 55 cents at Polymarket.

Dustin Saracini has more analysis for this game in his Blue Jays vs. Guardians predictions.

• Time: 1:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Sportsnet, Guardians.TV

More MLB best bets for today

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At one point, leading by a dozen runs in what was a blowout win over the Captains, the Loons had a magnificent day at the plate, which naturally included our Player of the Day.

Player of the Day

Even in the middle of an outstanding campaign, Emil Morales had an individual performance that stood out, recording five hits for the first time in his career, one of them a home run—his 20th in 78 games at the High-A level, 26 overall this season.

Adjusting seamlessly to the demands of a higher level, the teenage shortstop has been the star of the show for the Loons since his call-up, crushing baseballs alongside the likes of Charles Davalan and more recently promoted Eduardo Quintero.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Both sides couldn’t record more than a single hit with a runner in scoring position; the difference was that the Loons left over twice the number of runners on base, needing an 11th-inning rally to beat the Express by a score of 7 to 3.

Although he recorded an RBI, James Tibbs III had what could be described as a nightmare performance from the leadoff spot, striking out five times in six at-bats. Alek Thomas was the reason the Comets had the opportunity to win in extras in the first place, hitting two solo shots in the third and seventh innings.

The rally in extras to take the win was started by Zach Ehrhard, who hit his third triple of the season before the bottom of the order joined in on the fun. Lastly, Jake Cousins, on his first rehab assignment, and Bobby Miller were involved as part of a five-inning scoreless effort from the Comets’ bullpen.

Double-A Tulsa

It’s a rare feat to see your opponent record more than three times your number of hits and still find yourself on the winning side of a close matchup. Three hits were all the Drillers needed to beat the Wind Surge’s 10 in a 5-4 game.

Multiple errors by the Wind Surge defense in the third allowed the Drillers to score a pair of runs. Elijah Hainline secured a game-tying sacrifice fly in the seventh before Jake Gelof had the decisive knock of the game, a two-run shot in the eighth, his 30th long ball of the season—it was the only extra-base hit that Tulsa would record in this one, and the only one that they’d need.

High-A Great Lakes

The Loons hammered the Captains in a 13-7 win, with shortstop Emil Morales coming a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, securing a team-high five hits and four RBI. Morales took full advantage of a top of the order in Charles Davalan and Eduardo Quintero, who reached base in front of him consistently, three times each.

It was an even bigger win than the final score would suggest, given that when the Loons scored their 13th run, they led by a dozen. Since Will Gagnon only covered four innings in which he struck out seven, the win was given to Maddux Bruns. The young left-hander had the odd achievement of striking out more players (5) than outs he recorded (4) since one of them reached base on a wild pitch.

Class-A Ontario

The quickest path to overcoming defensive errors is to score a boatload of runs, something the Quakes did in a 10-7 win over the Tower Buzzers, moving past their three defensive mistakes to Ontario’s one. While starter Paul Nieves didn’t have a particularly dominant outing, he was solid enough to be in the lead after four; the real troubles came when reliever Dailoui Abad took the mound, as he was picked apart in a five-run sixth, overall allowing seven runs in just two innings of work.

There was a comeback spark in the ninth when Oswaldo Osorio hit a two-run shot before an out was recorded—the Tower Buzzers’ second homer of the game alongside a first-inning bomb from Ching-Hsien Ko—but the following three hitters were retired to keep the game from any real drama. While Osorio reached base all five times, the hitter behind him, catcher Conner O’Neal, finished the game with a golden sombrero.

Transactions

The Great Lakes Loons activated right-handed pitcher Alek Makarewich off the injured list and transferred fellow right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Yean to the development list. Lastly, Jake Cousins began a rehab assignment with the Oklahoma City Comets.

Wednesday’s scores

• Round Rock 3, Oklahoma City 7
• Tulsa 5, Wichita 4
• Lake County 7, Great Lakes 13
• Ontario 7, Rancho Cucamonga 10

Thursday’s schedule

• 1:00 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Sean Patick) at Lake County (Jackson Humphries)
• Game 2: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) vs. Lake County (Will McCausland)
• 4:45 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Jackson Ferris) at Round Rock (Blake Townsend)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Aidan Foeller) vs. Wichita (Cory Lewis)
• 6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Rancho Cucamonga (Derek Clark)

When the Orioles made the controversial decision to trade Adley Rutschman to a division rival, it felt like they were throwing in the towel on 2026. Critics deemed the move to be an indictment of Mike Elias and his failure to establish a consistent winning window in Baltimore. The notion that Rutschman—a former first overall pick and top prospect in all of baseball—could leave the organization without a single playoff victory was unfathomable after the team won 101 games in 2023.

For many, that sentiment still rings true. But the narrative has evolved since last month. At the time of the deal, it felt like Rutschman’s return to Baltimore would mark one of the only meaningful events in September. That’s no longer the case. The Orioles will host the Red Sox with the third wild card spot still well within reach.

The Red Sox sent catcher Carlos Narváez along with prospects Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, and Enddy Azocar to Baltimore in the trade. The deal also included a player to be named later or cash considerations. Harold Rivas, and 18-year-old outfielder, was eventually named the PTBNL. The inclusion of Rivas was contingent on Rutschman returning from the injured list after missing three weeks with left wrist inflammation.

Rutschman returned but is clearly not 100 percent. The catcher missed the last three games for Boston, but Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said he was “hopeful” Rutschman could return Thursday, but noted that the team is trying to do their best due diligence. Rutschman has been bothered by a hyperextended right elbow. A recent MRI revealed swelling but no ligament damage.

Rutschman’s latest ailment adds another element to his emotional return. Fans want to wish the former Oriole well but don’t actually want his team to win. They’d like to see him healthy, but also want Baltimore to “win” the trade. At the end of the day, Orioles fans should cheer for their team while expressing appreciation for one of the greatest fan favorites since Cal. I’d expect a touching pre-game tribute and a warm reception at Camden Yards.

Boston will arrive in town with a firm grasp on the second wild card spot. The Orioles will return home after a nine-game road trip that started strong but ended with arguably their worst loss of the season. Baltimore will need to dig deep with a depleted bullpen that let the club down multiple times on Wednesday.

The Red Sox story is one of the more remarkable from the 2026 season. The team fired its manager and most of his staff after a disappointing start before winning 15 consecutive games in July. Baltimore eventually snapped the streak with a 5-1 win, but the Sox have remained hot in the second half of the season.

Game 1: Thursday, September 3, 7:15 — FOX

RHP Brandon Young (9-3, 3.38) vs. LHP Jake Bennett (9-6, 3.27 ERA)

If it weren’t for Pete Alonso, Brandon Young would be a favorite for Most Valuable Oriole. Young went from being assigned to minor league camp in spring training to Baltimore’s most consistent starter. He’ll take the mound in search of his 10th win of the season. Young delivered seven innings of one-run ball his last time out against the A’s, and the Orioles would absolutely love to see another deep outing from the 28-year-old.

Jake Bennett will be the first of three lefties that the Orioles face in this series. Bennett came to Boston in a prospect-for-prospect trade with the Nationals in December 2025. Boston optioned the lefty in May, but he’s been with the big club since June 10.

The Orioles will look to newcomer Luis Robert Jr. and lefty-masher Coby Mayo to do damage against Boston’s southpaws.

Game 2: Friday, September 4, 7:05 — MASN

RHP Shane Baz (5-14, 4.01 ERA) vs. LHP Ranger Suarez (5-4, 3.64 ERA)

The Orioles will look to provide Shane Baz some run support for the second consecutive outing. Baz picked up his first win of August last week when Baltimore scored five runs against the Athletics. The righty has been as advertised for the most part since arriving in Baltimore last offseason, but the O’s’ refusal to score has led to a lopsided record. Hopefully the offense will respond at Camden Yards after a disappointing series in Colorado.

The Orioles were linked to former free agent Ranger Suarez before he signed a five year, $130 million deal with the Sox. Suarez has impressed this season but has yet to face Baltimore in 2026.

Game 3: Saturday, September 5, 7:05 — MASN

RHP Chris Bassitt (6-4, 4.97 ERA) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (16-4, 2.82 ERA)

Veteran Chris Bassitt continues to occupy the fifth spot in Baltimore’s rotation since returning on August 14. Bassitt has looked slightly more crisp with his pitches during his latest stint with the Orioles. The organization signed the veteran in part because of his postseason experience, and the team will look for a big outing during some meaningful September baseball.

The Orioles will finally face a right-hander on Saturday, but he’s no slouch. Sonny Gray will enter the series with 16 wins an a sub-three ERA. Gray will take the ball on nine days rest after Boston elected to give the righty a few extra days. The 36-year-old said that he feels fine and that the scheduled layoff was planned to prepare him for “September and moving forward.”

Game 4: Sunday, September 6, 1:35 — MASN

RHP Kyle Bradish (7 -12, 4.01 ERA) vs. LHP Payton Tolle (8-6, 3.23 ERA)

Whether the Orioles are looking to take the series, salvage a split, or clinch/avoid a sweep, they’ll send out Bradish in Game 4. Bradish feels like the leader of the staff after signing a five-year extension in July. The Red Sox are obviously a tough opponent, but Baltimore cannot afford to drop this series. The organization will look for Bradish to deliver against another talented starting pitcher.

Bennett and Payton Tolle have both already surpassed their career highs in professional innings pitched. Maybe this will be the series that the talented rookies run out of gas? Tolle has won over the baseball community with his jovial personality and quality performance. The 23-year-old’s Baseball Savant page is littered with red, but he does allow batters to put the ball in the air. Look for the Orioles to swing for the fences in the series finale.

How many games will the Orioles win in this series against Boston? Let us know your prediction in the comments below.

The Mets did their crosstown rivals a huge solid taking two out of three from the Rays, meaning the Yankees closed the gap to 3.5 games with their extra-innings win over the Angels. Cam Schlittler authored another dominant start and Austin Wells supplied the game winner to ensure the team enters the off-day on a positive swell of emotion before heading to San Diego for three.

Here’s how the rest of the games involving the AL playoff picture shook out:

New York Mets (63-77) 10, Tampa Bay Rays (83-56) 4

Neither team’s starting pitching plans went according to script. Griffin Jax was only able to give the Rays 2.2 innings in his first start off the IL, allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks. The Mets meanwhile tried to get cute with a bullpen game, only to watch opener Justin Hagenman and reliever Chris Devenski combine to give up four runs on six hits and a walk in 3.2 innings.

New York scored the first six runs of this contest, starting with three in the first. Juan Soto singled and Carson Benge walked to set up a two-run single from Jared Young aided by a missed catch error by the catcher on a play at the plate. Marcus Semien then drove in Young with a double. Two innings later, they scored another three runs. Bo Bichette singled, Semien walked, and A.J. Ewing singled to load the bases with two outs. A Brett Baty double promptly unloaded them to make it 6-0.

Tampa Bay responded with four unanswered, starting with one in the third as Taylor Walls walked, Yandy Díaz singled, and Jonathan Aranda plated Walls with a single. Three more came the following inning, Chandler Simpson and Cedric Mullins reaching on singles to set up a three-run blast to right by Richie Palacios.

Then it was the Mets’ turn to score four unanswered. Three of those arrived in the seventh as Bichette doubled, Benge singled, and Semien was hit by a pitch to load the bases. They received their second bases-clearing double of the night, this one courtesy of rookie Nick Morabito, his first ever big league hit. Soto demolished a solo shot in the eighth to push the Mets into double digits.

Other Games

Seattle Mariners (66-74) 8, Boston Red Sox (75-65) 3

Bryce Miller was pulled after just 65 pitches despite no report of an injury — a curious decision given he had held the Red Sox to a run in 4.2 innings to that point. It was even more curious considering the Mariners had spotted hima 4-0 lead with a long rally in the third. Weston Wilson and J.P. Crawford hit a pair of leadoff singles and Dominic Canzone walked, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor then following with their own back-to-back singles as Seattle plated four with the help of a wild pitch and a Jarren Duran throwing error.

The lone damage against Miller came in the fourth on a Trevor Story RBI double. However, Seattle responded with another four-run inning in the sixth. Cole Young got plunked, Wilson walked, and Crawford singled to load the bases with no outs. Jhonny Pereda singled home a pair, Randy Arozarena another, and a Canzone double made it 8-1.

Roman Anthony grabbed a consolation run with a solo home run in the seventh and Mickey Gasper and Eli White added another with back-to-back doubles, but that would conclude the scoring. With the loss and Yankees win, the Red Sox fall five games back of second place.

Houston Astros (71-69) 2, Chicago White Sox (73-66) 3

We had a true pitchers’ duel on our hands, Davis Martin giving the White Sox 5.2 scoreless allowing five hits and a walk while Hayden Wesneski was even better for the Astros — seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball with two walks and five strikeouts. Houston had the first real chance to score, with runners on the corners with no outs after Yordan Alvarez led off the fourth with a double and Isaac Paredes followed with a single, but Martin buckled down to strand them in place.

Chicago squandered a golden opportunity in the eighth after Tristan Peters led off with a triple and Drew Romo drew a walk to put runners on the corners with nobody out. However, Peters got thrown out at home on a groundball. Munetaka Murakami singled to load the bases, but Miguel Vargas killed the rally with the inning ending double play.

Houston capitalized in the bottom of the frame, Alvarez singling, Paredes walking, and Jose Altuve getting grazed by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Nelson Velázquez supplied the game winning hit with a two-run single off Sean Newcomb.

AL Wild Card Rock Fight

Toronto Blue Jays (69-71) 11, Cleveland Guardians (70-69) 0

The Blue Jays bludgeoned Joey Cantillo for nine runs (four earned) in 5.1 innings. Those five unearned runs all came in the second when a throwing error by shortstop Angel Genao allowed two runs to score. The very next batter was Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and he completed the humiliation with a booming three-run blast. Dylan Cease kept pace with Schlittler in the AL Cy Young race, twirling six shutout allowing four hits and no walks with four strikeouts. Vladito would collect another pair of RBIs late and finish with three hits in this rout of the Guardians.

Colorado Rockies (54-86) 6, Baltimore Orioles (69-71) 5

Luis Robert Jr. drove in a pair on his Orioles debut while Trevor Rogers struck out eleven across 6.2 innings of two-run ball. However, the Rockies kept chipping away until a Zac Veen RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth sent the game to extras. In the 11th, Samuel Basallo and Blaze Alexander slapped a pair of RBI singles, but Colorado walked it off by scoring three in the bottom half on TJ Rumfield RBI single, Adael Amador ground-rule double, and the walk-off two-run single by Brett Sullivan.

Athletics (54-86) 9, Texas Rangers (69-71) 2

It was a home run parade for the Athletics in Arlington, four different players leaving the yard. Rookie Nick Bolte became the first player in franchise history to hit two home runs and steal a base from the leadoff spot as he went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Zack Gelof and Jonah Heim both hit solo shots while Alika Williams provided pop from the bottom of the order with a two-run blast and an RBI double. This was all after Texas jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on solo homers by Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue.

Good morning friends!

The Mariners are coming off their second straight high-scoring victory in Boston, as the team triumphed 8-3 to remain perfect in September. The M’s are back home tonight for a series against the Athletics, with first pitch set for 6:40pm PT. How are we feeling coming off those two wins?

In Mariners news…

• The Mariners have reportedly agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson.
• The Lookout Landing staff discussed the ramifications of a miserable series in Toronto and whether or not Dan Wilson will finally get canned for this.
• Zack Scott told the story of how the Red Sox very nearly acquired Félix Hernández during the summer of 2009.

Around the league…

• Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Shohei Ohtani remains without a timeline for a return to pitching after the two-way star felt discomfort in his knee during his bullpen session on Friday.
• In his MLB debut, Padres catcher Ethan Salas became the youngest player to catch a game since Iván Rodríguez.
• Joelle Milholm spoke to some WPBL stars to hear about their experience during this inaugural season for the league.
• The Awful Announcing staff unveiled voter rankings of all 30 local broadcast crews around the majors. Shout out to my former roommate Jake Eisenberg (Royals) for getting his flowers from the fans.
• Congratulations, Geno!

Rise and shine A’s fans! We got a brand new series to get started today up in Seattle.

The organization has had some massive hits in the first round of recent MLB Drafts. The team’s 2019-2024 picks have all made it to the major leagues with varying success but they really hit it big in recent years with Tyler Soderstrom, Jacob Wilson, and Nick Kurtz. Those three are anchor players among the position player side of things.

While the team has done well drafting position players, they’ve lacked in the pitching department due to a lack of trying. The Athletics did not select a pitcher with their first round pick in the last nine years. No wonder the big league squad has had pitching problems.

That nearly decade-long streak was snapped last year when the club selected southpaw Jamie Arnold, the first pitcher selected with the A’s top pick since another lefty in A.J. Puk way back in 2016. A product of Florida State University, Arnold was widely considered one of the top pitching prospects and one that could move through the system quickly.

Arnold has looked as advertised so far and his ascent up the minor league ladder has been quick. He didn’t pitch after getting drafted last year and began his professional career at Double-A, where he’s spent most of the year. In 23 starts he posted a 3.27 ERA but he was especially dominant in four August starts where he allowed just four runs in 23 innings. That earned him a promotion to Triple-A, where he made his Aviators debut a couple days ago.

Now 23, the left-hander has now arrived at the final stop of the minor leagues and he looked like he hasn’t skipped a beat. Facing Triple-A hitters for the first time Arnold pitched five shutout frames while allowing just four hits. He also punched out five batters compared to just two walks. It doesn’t get much better than that for a top prospect reaching that level for the first time.

That’s now put him on the radar of a possible promotion over the final month. The A’s have been aggressive in recent years with some of their youngest players and if Arnold continues to look comfortable in Triple-A, then the A’s could feel comfortable getting his feet wet in the big leagues in a relief role, or heck even a start before the year is up. That sure would give A’s fans something exciting to watch.

The more likely scenario is that Arnold wraps the year where he is and contends for a spot in the rotation next Spring. As of right now he’d have a decent shot to crack that top five but we’ll have to wait and see what the A’s do to bolster the starting rotation this offseason. Either way, it’s not much longer before we see Arnold donning the Green & Gold in a regular season game.

Have a great Thursday everyone.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s Rally Too Late in 8-5 Loss to Rangers
• A’s Designate José Suarez For Assignment
• White exits with back tightness as A’s injury woes continue
• Your 2026 Hacktastic A’s
• Losing Streak Hits Four, A’s Lose To Rangers 8-1
• Athletics Considering James Click For GM Vacancy
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
• How defensive whiz Clarke’s return will impact A’s
• How A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell brought taking a knee to MLB and what happened afterwards
• A’s Plan to Test Top Pitching Prospect Jamie Arnold at Next Level
• A’s Take Series With Finale Win Over Twins 7-4
• Separating The Wheat From The Chaff Not So Easy
• Amidst The Despair: The Position Player Talent Is There
• What Are The Next Steps For The A’s? ($)
• Where Each A’s Player’s Contract Stands Entering Offseason
• Why Athletics Will Have Scary Offense in 2027
• Red-hot Bolte looking to build on lessons from rookie season
• ’Kid has been grinding’: Butler’s resurgence, leadership fuel A’s
• Underdog Athletics prospect Cole Conn playing like a big dog for Aviators
• Behind the Plate, the A’s Face an Offseason Reckoning
• Why The New GM Needs To “Clean House”
• A Seemingly Rock Bottomless Glass
• MLB Trade Grades: A’s Have Quiet Trade Deadline
• This key change(up) could unlock big success for A’s prospect
• Fustercluck 2026: The Real Reasons For A Disappointing Season

MLB News and Interest:

• Rookie of the Year races in AL, NL coming to conclusion as favorites pull away
• New Rays Owner: Stadium Deal Should Lead To Significant Payroll Increase
• Dodgers get Will Smith, Rushing, Wrobleski back from IL
• Mike Trout on ‘needed’ sale of Angels: It’s a ‘fresh start’
• Angels Notes: Stadium, Trout, Front Office
• Rays, Austin Slater Agree To New Minor League Deal
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Arnold wasn’t the only one with a recent promotion to Triple-A:

Looking like it so far:

Very!

The injuries don’t stop: