SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres hits a solo home run against the Miami Marlins during the seventh inning at Petco Park on September 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (87-69) at Los Angeles Dodgers (96-60), September 22, 2026, 7:10 p.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV
Location: UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles, Calif.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 15: Brock Rodden #90 of the Seattle Mariners picks off Taylor Trammell #26 of the Houston Astros as he attempts to steal third base during the seventh inning at Daikin Park on August 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With a tragic number of two and still six games to go, all that’s probably left for the Mariners in 2026 is to play spoiler for others. Though the Mariners will be staring elimination in the face Tuesday night (and every subsequent night they can manage to survive), they could still potentially do some damage to the Houston Astros’ playoff hopes in the first of a final pair of games in 2026 between the two teams. The Astros currently trail the Rangers by a game atop the AL West, but hold the head-to-head tiebreaker if they manage to make up that deficit in the final week.
Lineups
Lázaro Montes and Brock Rodden will continue to receive some valuable major league reps as they round out the Mariners lineup.
Game Information
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. PDT
TV:Mariners.TV, with Aaron Goldsmith, Ryan Rowland-Smith and field analyst Angie Mentink
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs (beginning his final homestand!) and Gary Hill Jr.
Alex Bregman won’t be going on the injured list after sustaining multiple facial fractures from a foul tip during Sunday’s game against the Reds.
And the Cubs third baseman hasn’t been ruled out of returning for the regular season.
Chicago manager Craig Counsell updated reporters on Bregman’s status on Tuesday, noting that the three-time All-Star does have significant swelling around his left eye and face that will need to improve, but that his vision was in a good place, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Third baseman Alex Bregman runs off the field after getting hit by a foul ball in the fourth inning of the Cubs’ blowout win over the Reds on Sept. 20, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“But all things considered, he’s in a good place,” Counsell said. “So we’re going to just have to progress over the next couple days and see where that takes us.
“I mean, he’s completely himself. He can’t sit still. He’s all over the room. Those are really good signs.”
For Bregman to return, he will need to run the bases, field ground balls, and take batting practice, all of which could take place over the next few days.
A bloodied Alex Bregman walks off the field after getting hit by a foul ball in the fourth inning of the Cubs’ blowout win over the Reds on Sept. 20, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
That would allow him to potentially return to the lineup by this weekend when the Cubs finish the regular season in Boston.
“His pain is in a pretty good place right now,” Counsell added. “He says, ‘I feel really good,’ and you can’t fake that. His mood is good, so his pain is in a good place. … I think Alex is going to be fine, I really do.
“He’s going to do everything in his power, and as long as symptoms don’t increase or happen as he increases activity, I think you’re going to see him play.”
Alex Bregman is seen in a photo posted to his Instagram Story. Alex Bregman/Instagram
Bregman was standing in front of the on-deck circle on Sunday when Michael Busch fouled a ball off that struck the Cubs player in the fourth inning in a wild sequence of events.
The infielder was taken to a local hospital in Cincinnati, but returned to Chicago the same day.
Bregman has been an important piece of the Cubs lineup this season, hitting .292 and posting an on-base percentage of .378 along with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs in the second half.
Acuna's night ended in the bottom of the third inning after he fouled a ball off his leg. He was in obvious pain as he was tended to by a trainer. He walked off the field under his own power.
The Braves said that X-rays came back negative and Acuna is considered day-to-day.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has left the game tonight after fouling a ball off his left leg pic.twitter.com/qGYJGX8xTr
Here is a look at the foul ball that hit Acuna between the shin guard and his left knee. He was in some pain, but got off the field under his own power pic.twitter.com/UofEhDBXpi
Acuna has been plagued by injuries since his 2023 MVP campaign, appearing in 49 games in 2024, 95 in 2025 and 104 this year. Despite the 28-year-old 5-time All-Star's hampered availability, the Braves managed to capture the NL East championship.
They will keep their fingers crossed and all eyes will be on Acuna's status as the Braves prepare for a likely wild card series.
The Giants accidentally posted a nude player on social media.
In what was supposed to be a celebration video for rookie Bo Davidson, a nude Giants player was captured in the five-second clip. Blink once and you miss the mishap, but watchful viewers were quick to notice the camera’s purview of the Giants’ clubhouse.
A nude player was captured on video in a Giants social media post. X/@Orange_BlackPod
The clip has since been removed from social media but not before fans took screen recordings of the Instagram Story.
Davidson, the Giants’ No. 8 prospect, made his major league debut Monday against the Twins. In San Francisco’s 5-2 victory, the rookie recorded a hit in his first at-bat.
Davidson also made history as he became the first Giants player to steal a base, get a hit and score a run in a debut since 1931.
The performance earned Davidson several social media posts from the team account and rightfully so on such a phenomenal night. But the mishap came as a social media team member followed Davidson into the clubhouse, where the nude player was seen standing facing the double doors as they opened.
It’s not clear who the nude Giants player was, but thankfully Davidson’s arm and glove covered the nether regions. Of course, the clubhouse is a space for players to shower and change so nudity isn’t uncommon.
But the camera capturing the nudity was obviously a mistake.
Bo Davidson made history in his Giants debut against the Twins. Getty ImagesBo Davidson #94 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after he hit a single in his first at-bat during his Major League debut against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Oracle Park. Getty Images
Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins mascot T.C. Bear engages the crowd before the game between the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
First Pitch: 8:45 PM CDT
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App
If Taj Bradley gets a strikeout tonight he’ll reach the 200 strikeout milestone for the season. The last Twins pitcher to do so was Pablo Lopez in 2023 with 234 strikeouts.
I just hope everyone has a good time and doesn’t suffer any career altering injuries.
Giants lineup
Drew Gilbert – CF Jonah Cox – 2B Victor Bericoto – 1B Turner Hill – LF Bo Davidson – DH Shay Whitcomb – 3B Scott Bandura – RF Drew Cavanaugh – C Christian Koss – SS
Anthony Molina – RHP
Twins lineup
Luke Keaschall – RF Brooks Lee – 3B Kody Clemens – 2B Josh Bell – DH Walker Jenkins – CF Emmanuel Rodriguez – LF Royce Lewis – 1B Victor Caratini – C Ryan Kreidler – SS
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 19: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves runs the bases after hitting a Grand Slam during the seventh inning of the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on September 19, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welp, this was just about the absolute last thing that anybody wanted to see with the Postseason on the horizon. With two outs in the third inning and a full-count, Ronald Acuña Jr. fouled one off of his lower leg on one of the spots that wasn’t protected by padding. He was in obvious pain and the trainer attended to him while manager Walt Weiss went out to check on him as well. After a bit of a lengthy examination, Acuña limped off of the field and Brewer Hicklen came on to finish the at-bat.
Here is a look at the foul ball that hit Acuna between the shin guard and his left knee. He was in some pain, but got off the field under his own power pic.twitter.com/UofEhDBXpi
Needless to say, losing Acuña for the Postseason would be a huge development and not in a good way, either. It would also stink for Acuña since he’s been doing so well in recent weeks and I’d imagine that on a personal level, he’d love to contribute to any type of deep Postseason run that the Braves could make.
For now, here’s hoping that this is just a substitution being made with a precautionary eye towards the Postseason and not anything serious. We’ll see what happens, though.
UPDATE [8:33 p.m. ET]: The Braves have possted on social media that the X-rays on Acuña’s lower leg were negative and that he’s currently listed as being day-to-day. That’s a big sigh of relief.
OF Ronald Acuña Jr. left tonight’s game due to a left shin contusion. X-rays were negative and he is day-to-day.
UPDATE [8:42 p.m. ET]: Lindsay Crosby of Braves Today astutely noted that while the X-rays may be negative, a potential bone bruise wouldn’t show up on an MRI and you’d have to imagine that Acuña might end up needing one at some point. We’ll likely have more information in the postgame press conference and media availability, so stay tuned for more updates.
Not to be a pessimist, but we're not out of the woods yet.
A bone bruise won't show up on an X-ray, only an MRI. He'll likely get one after the game and that read, combined with how he feels in the morning, will likely determine when he gets back into the lineup https://t.co/DcWjoYs8yq
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 04: Brady Basso #66 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Athletics and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Friday, September 4, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Athletics’ spoiler magic ran out last week, as the team dropped all six games of its final road trip against the first-place Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays. Tonight, the A’s open the last week of the season with the first of two matchups against the Los Angeles Angels, with both teams trying to avoid finishing at the bottom of the American League West standings.
Additionally, with a looming offseason lockout leaving the fate of the 2027 season up in the air, this week may mark the end of the Athletics’ time in Sacramento, which served as a placeholder while their new stadium in Las Vegas gets built. All the more reason for the A’s to try to close out 2026 with a winning homestand.
Rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer has recovered from a ruptured testicle to rejoin the Athletics for the remainder of the season. He spent the past few days on a rehab assignment with the franchise’s Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, who begin their quest for the Pacific Coast League championship today.
To make room for him, fellow infielder Max Muncy lands on the injured list with left knee chondromalacia, also known as runner’s knee. Additionally, J.T. Ginn, who was shut down for the season a couple of weeks ago, moves to the 60-day injured list.
Game Preview
Back to the game, left-hander Brady Basso will get the A’s final homestand underway. The 28-year-old enters his 25th appearance and seventh opener assignment of the season with a 1-3 record, a 4.50 ERA, a 1.48 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 40 innings.
Tonight will be Basso’s third consecutive outing as his team’s opener. Two starts ago, he pitched four scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. However, the southpaw struggled in his most recent outing against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing four runs on seven hits over 2 2/3 innings.
The A’s will hope Basso pitches as well as he did in his last home game. Yesterday’s off day means the team’s league-worst bullpen is well-rested should Basso’s second career appearance and first start against the Angels only last a couple innings.
At the very least, this lineup should ensure the A’s will be defensively sound, with no players being asked to play out of position. Kuroda-Grauer, who will hopefully remember his cup this time, immediately finds himself in the starting nine at second base. His MLB career was off to a hot start before he suffered the unfortunate injury. Will JKG pick up where he left off, or will he be rusty after spending weeks on the sidelines?
Further down the lineup, center fielder Denzel Clarke receives a rare start to showcase his athleticism on the baseball field. Everyone knows how good a fielder Clarke is, but the jury is still out on whether he will hit enough to warrant a full-time spot on a major league roster. If the A’s want to win, they will need offensive production from Clarke, shortstop Alika Williams and five-hole hitter Tommy White.
The A’s offense will face Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is finishing up an injury-plagued campaign. The 35-year-old enters his 13th start of the season with a 1-6 record, a 5.02 ERA, a 1.55 WHIP and 58 strikeouts over 57 1/3 innings.
Tuesday night will be Kikuchi’s first start against the Athletics this season. He has gone 3-5 with a 4.20 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 14 appearances vs. the A’s in his career. Last year, the veteran went 1-2 in three games against the Green and Gold.
The Angels’ lineup quality drops dramatically after Zach Neto and Mike Trout at the top of the order. First baseman Vaughn Grissom has had a solid season, while catcher Moisés Ballesteros was one of the well-known prospects the team acquired during its trade-deadline selloff.
Time to start this final homestand strong and avoid another last-place finish in the division. Let’s go, A’s!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 04: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on July 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers and Padres continue their series on Wednesday night, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound for his final start of an excellent regular season.
Yamamoto has lasted seven innings in each of his three September starts and leads the majors this season averaging 6.63 innings per start. He’s 2-1 against the Padres this season, with only three runs allowed in 20 innings, with 22 strikeouts against six walks.
Left-hander Robbie Ray starts for the Padres. The trade-deadline acquisition has struggled since moving south from San Francisco to San Diego in August, with a 5.22 ERA and 5.86 xERA in eight starts, with nearly as many walks (26) as strikeouts (31) in his 39 2/3 innings.
Los Angeles Dodgers, from left, Tarik Skull, Blake Snell and Dalton Rushing sit in the dugout against the San Francisco Giants Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA PostBlake Snell of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. Getty Images
Three times in the previous five years, Snell has suffered groin injuries. Each time he missed at least 3-4 weeks — a timeline that would now have put his postseason availability in doubt.
However, Snell was optimistic from the start that this episode was not as severe as his past bouts with groin problems. He resumed catch play over the weekend and said his groin felt like an “8 out of 10.”
Snell took another step forward on Tuesday, throwing a bullpen session before the start of the Dodgers’ three-game series against the Padres. Roberts said Snell is expected to throw one more bullpen later this week before getting a final green light to make Saturday’s start.
The Dodgers considered shutting down Snell for the rest of the regular season to give him a couple extra weeks of rest before the start of the playoffs. AP Photo/Tanner Pearson
The Dodgers considered shutting down Snell for the rest of the regular season to give him a couple extra weeks of rest before the start of the playoffs.
But that plan would have risked too long of a layoff for the 33-year-old left-hander. And the progress he has made in recent days was enough for the Dodgers to feel confident giving him one more start to prepare for October.
Barring any other unforeseen setbacks, the Dodgers should have their Big 4 starters — Snell, Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow — all available to feature in their playoff rotation.
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DENVER , CO - JULY 20: An RTD shuttle drives on the 16th Street Mall in Denver, Colorado on Monday, July 20, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
ROCKIES
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Jake McCarthy – CF
Ketel Marte – DH
Connor Norby – 2B
Gabriel Moreno – C
TJ Rumfield – 1B
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Hunter Goodman – C
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Cole Carrigg – SS
Jordan Lawlar – CF
Kyle Karros – 3B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Mickey Moniak – DH
Tim Tawa – LF
Troy Johnston – RF
Jose Fernandez – 1B
Zac Veen – LF
Michael Soroka – RHP
Kyle Freeland – LHP
We’re now into the final week of the season, and we are still playing somewhat meaningful baseball. Admittedly, Baseball Reference gives us just a 3.2% of making the post-season. That seems about right, because we need help elsewhere: either from the Brewers, who are visiting the Phillies (and down 3-1 in the fifth), or the Dodgers, who are being visited by the Padres. Yeah. It does not do my soul good having to cheer for either Milwaukee or Los Angeles, but that is the situation in which we find ourselves. Though if Arizona doesn’t do its part, it won’t matter for much longer into the week.
Here’s how our playoff odds compare to each season at this point (156 games in) in the Mike Hazen era. I’m going off Baseball Reference, because it’s a hell of a lot easier to see the numbers there!
2026: 3.1%
2025: 15.8%
2024: 55.8%
2023: 80.2%
2022: <0.1%
2021: <0.1%
2020: <0.1%
2019: <0.1%
2018: <0.1%
2017: >99.9%
I’m not quite sure why Baseball Reference is reluctant to commit to a cold, hard zero or one hundred percent. Perhaps they’re holding out hope that MLB might find the Dodgers in breach of financial regulations, pull a Glasgow Rangers on them, and send the franchise to start again in A-ball. Which would open up a playoff spot for the Diamondbacks, yay! But if you don’t think that Mike Hazen and Torey Lovullo have done a much better job of figuring things out of late, the above chart should kinda put things into perspective. Admittedly, the recent trend is down, but the final week this year is still better than any one in the dark days of 2018-2022.
This will be Michael Soroka’s fourth start of the year against the Rockies, and he has done well. While only 1-0 with a pair of no-decisions, he has allowed only three runs over sixteen innings against them. The one start at Coors was also his one win, pitching 5.2 innings of two-run ball. Meanwhile, Arizona lit up Kyle Freeland in May at Chase Field, torching him for seven earned runs and chasing him in the fourth inning. Here’s to more of that tonight from our hitters, though the usual concerns about any lead at Coors will naturally apply.
Zack Wheeler walked out to the mound at Citizens Bank Park Tuesday night needing three strikeouts to reach 2,000. It took him 12 pitches. Garrett Mitchell went down first. Then Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang were rung up as Wheeler reached the milestone against the Milwaukee Brewers.
But, Wheeler kept going.
William Contreras, Jake Bauers and Christian Yelich struck out in the second. Luis Lara struck out to lead off the third inning. Wheeler struck out seven straight Brewers to start the game, something no Phillies pitcher had done to start a game. Cooper Pratt finally ended it by grounding out to third.
Wheeler, 36, is the 96th pitcher in major league history to reach 2,000 strikeouts and only nine got there faster.
It came almost a year after a surgeon in St. Louis removed his top rib to address the circulation problem in his arm.
The trouble started after a start in Washington on Aug. 15, 2025. Wheeler felt some heaviness in his right shoulder. By the next morning doctors had found a blood clot near it. The diagnosis was venous thoracic outlet syndrome, meaning a vein was getting pinched between his collarbone and rib cage. The fix was taking out the first rib and some of the muscle around it. He missed the rest of the season and the playoffs.
He came back April 25 against Atlanta, capped at 90 pitches. He hasn't looked back. Wheeler entered Tuesday 13-5 with a 2.99 ERA and 177 strikeouts in 150½ innings. In his previous four starts he had allowed three runs in 26 innings.
Aaron Nola still owns the Phillies' mark for strikeouts in a row at any point in a game. He struck out 10 straight Mets in June 2021, matching Tom Seaver's major league record from 1970. The modern record for starting a game that way is nine, set by Miami's Pablo Lopez against Atlanta in 2021.
Wheeler finished with 11 strikeouts Tuesday night in 5⅔ innings.
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blade Tidwell (46) exits in the 4th inning during an MLB game against the Minnesota Twins at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
The San Francisco Giants run of brutal pitcher injuries has, unfortunately, continued. During Monday’s win over the Minnesota Twins, starter Blade Tidwell left the game with elbow soreness. That usually means one very bad thing and, unfortunately, Tuesday’s news does nothing to dispute that. Prior to the second game of the series, the Giants placed Tidwell on the 15-Day Injured List with a UCL sprain.
That obviously ends Tidwell’s season, but the bigger issue is that it will likely end his 2027 season, as well. A UCL sprain usually means Tommy John surgery, which would put Tidwell in line to return to the mound shortly before 2028 Spring Training.
According to Tidwell, it was a “high grade” sprain, which certainly doesn’t lend itself to optimism. The righty is scheduled to meet with a specialist today, and could seek a second opinion. But unfortunately, pretty much all roads lead to Tommy John at this point.
If that ends up being the case, Tidwell will join Carson Whisenhunt, Trevor McDonald, and Hayden Birdsong as Giants starters to need Tommy John this surgery, after reliever Randy Rodríguez had the operation late last year.
Taking Tidwell’s spot on the roster is reliever Braxton Roxby, who has been called up from AAA Sacramento. Roxby made his MLB debut in late August and pitched in two games for San Francisco, giving up four hits, no walks, and two runs in two innings, with two strikeouts. He’s auditioning for a spot in next year’s bullpen, which really means he’s auditioning for the right to remain on the roster through the offseason.
The Giants likely have another set of moves incoming, as they announced on Tuesday that Landen Roupp’s season is over. Roupp said that he is healthy, but since the Giants have nothing to play for and he’s already set a career high in innings, there’s no need for him to take the mound one last time.
San Francisco has three rostered pitchers in the Minor Leagues that they can call up, presuming Roupp is placed on the IL: Ryan Walker and Seth Lonsway in AAA, and Miguel Mendez in AA. They also could add southpaw Joe Whitman to the roster for his MLB debut, if they’re planning on protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft.
Sep 15, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tonight’s game is important for a number of reasons.
The top reason, of course, is that the Colorado Rockies currently have 99 losses. If they fall tonight, it will officially cement another 100-loss season. Additionally, it could mark Kyle Freeland’s final start at Coors Field as a member of the Colorado Rockies. Freeland has been a stalwart in the Rockies rotation and a leader in the clubhouse since he debuted on April 7, 2017, against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field.
The Denver native’s contract is up at the end of this season, and there have not been any indications one way or another if the Rockies plan to bring him back in some capacity in 2027. He is one of four pitchers to have played 10 Major League seasons with Colorado (also Antonio Senzatela, Germán Márquez and Aaron Cook).
That all said, the Arizona Diamondbacks also have something to play for. Their magic number is “3” as they push ahead to the postseason, four games behind the third-place Philadelphia Phillies (who are only one game behind the San Diego Padres and two games behind the leading Chicago Cubs). The Snakes’ chances of making the postseason are slim, but they are still very much alive in this race.
Freeland has made 24 starts this season after spending two separate stints on the injured list. The Thomas Jefferson High School product was diagnosed with left shoulder inflammation in April, and cervical radiculopathy in August. Known for being a fiery competitor, Freeland pitched four innings in his last outing, but gave up three runs (all home runs) on eight hits to the San Diego Padres on September 15th. The Colorado Kid has faced the D-backs 23 times in his career — the fewest of NL West opponents — and has a 4-10 record and 6.28 ERA. In 2026, he has a 4-10 record and 6.38 ERA, but ranks second in the rotation with a 0.9 fWAR.
He will be up against D-backs’ right-hander Michael Soroka. Soroka signed with the Snakes as a free agent in the winter and has been one of their better pitchers when not dealing with injuries himself. He went on the 15-day IL on June 20th with a left glute strain (returned August 4th) and returned to the IL with right arm inflammation on August 23rd (returned September 9th). In his last start against the Miami Marlins, Soroka pitched five innings and allowed just one run — a home run — on two hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Soroka has faced the Rockies five times in his career (four starts) and is 1-2 with a 3.20 ERA. In his last (and only) outing at Coors Field on May 17th, Soroka allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts across 5.2 innings.
Can the kid who grew up 15 minutes south of Coors Field get one final win in his home ballpark and end his storied career on a high note by spoiling the Snakes’ playoff push? Tune in to find out!
Plus, play along at home tonight with a special edition of Rockies Broadcast Bingo!
Miguel Vargas is leading off tonight, fresh off AL Player of the Week honors. The White Sox could use another big week from him. | (Grace Hoppel/Getty Images)
Last week was tough for the Chicago White Sox, who could have practically shut the door on the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central race but couldn’t finish the job. With six games remaining in the regular season, the Good Guys start the week with a three-game road trip to face the Kansas City Royals. At this point in the season, the White Sox still control their fate by simply winning games, but the first-round bye that accompanies the division title sounds a whole lot better.
The good news is that the Royals have been struggling again lately, going 3-7 in their last 10, and the South Siders are coming off a rest day and a 3-1 series win over the Detroit Tigers. But let’s not ignore the fact that the one loss was devastating; yes, the one where they blew a 6-0, then 8-2 lead that dropped Chicago out of first. You know the one.
After a day off, the bullpen should be more rested ahead of these final six games, though it would be most ideal for left-handed starter Anthony Kay to own at least five innings. The southpaw looked solid in his last start after a rough stretch. Though two runs scored with Kay on the mound, neither was earned, and the Guardians managed just two hits off him before he was pulled after four frames.
It’s understandable that manager Will Venable keeps a shorter leash on Kay, who owns a 6.00 ERA in his last seven starts and has surrendered 22 earned runs across 33 innings, but there’s also room to evaluate each situation accordingly. Kay relies on a six-pitch arsenal, but tends to throw the sweeper (23.1%) and four-seamer (22.1%) most often; when it’s on, the sweeper is a knockout pitch, drawing a 33.7% whiff and holding opponents to a .238 batting average and a .217 xBA.
With lefthander Daniel Lynch IV on the mound for the Royals, the White Sox are rolling with a classic righty/lefty matchup for the batting order. While Randal Grichuk typically takes the DH role against lefties, he will remain in left field while Tristan Peters takes another day to rest after colliding with the outfield wall in Friday night’s game. Before you ask, yes, Venable does in fact have the ability to play left-handed hitters despite facing a southpaw, but instead of doing that and letting Sam Antonacci play, you will get 38-year-old Tommy Pham batting second, and you will like it.
Your AL Player of the Week, Miguel Vargas, will take over for Chase Meidroth in the leadoff position, which is totally fair considering he posted the seventh-highest OPS (1.250) in MLB over the last seven days, slashing .313/.500/.750 in 16 at-bats. Brenton Doyle has also been getting more playing time with Peters out, but he’s been excellent over the past seven games with a .364/.364/.500 slash line.
Lynch will make his ninth start of the season and his 54th appearance in 2026, and he’s been great for Kansas City this year. The lefty has pitched most of the season out of the bullpen (46 IP as a reliever), but has also shifted into a starting role (30 2/3 IP) since mid-August. As a bonus for the South Siders, Lynch owns a 5.28 ERA as a starting pitcher, and batters are hitting .241 against him compared to a 1.96 ERA and a .185 opponent BA as a reliever.
Even with a lefty on the mound, the Royals will stick with the five left-handed hitters in their lineup, though it’s not like Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, and Salvador Perez are players to scoff at. The biggest threats in the lineup are Carter Jensen (.773 OPS), Witt (.799) and Jac Caglianone (.821).
We’ve been hoping for meaningful baseball for years, and now we have it. I can’t say I don’t wish we’d already clinched; however, we’re probably all collectively losing our minds game by game. Temperatures in Kansas City are in the low 70s and upper 60s, so it should be a beautiful night for some baseball that can only get better with a White Sox win. Tune in to CHSN for the TV broadcast, or ESPN Chicago AM 1000 for the radio and we’ll catch you here after the game.
