Category: MLB

Today is a big day for me. Well, not for me but in my orbit. It’s the first time in seven and a half years that both of my spawn are at some semblance of school. It means that I can sit and write this post without someone trying to crawl over me. It’s a feeling akin to not knowing what to do with your hands when someone is taking a photo of you, but more relaxing. Anyway…

Today is also a big day for the Braves. Kinda. After splitting four games in Philadelphia last weekend such that a four-game lead stayed a four-game lead… albeit with four games off the dwindling calendar and the tiebreaker secured (which is kind of like a one-game lead in and of itself), the Braves now take on those same Phillies at home in a three-game set. Even if they get swept, they’ll retain a one-game (but kinda two-game) lead. If they win a game, it’s a three-game (but kinda four-game) lead. If they win or sweep the series, well, that’ll be even more metaphorical weight off our shoulders.

On the flip side, the current playoff format renders the three and four seeds pretty similar, in that both host a three-game series at home. Sure, you’d probably play the Diamondbacks or Padres rather than the Cubs, but in three games, the difference between those teams (and really any teams in MLB) isn’t very large in terms of what you should expect as far as advancement likelihood. So even if the Braves do somehow collapse out of the division lead, it’s functionally not very different, just kind of annoying.

Both the Braves and the Phillies are 4-5 so far in September. The Braves are once again June-ing, albeit in a different way, with the league’s worst offensive and position player performance by both outputs and inputs over these nine September games. But, the Phillies aren’t really much better, as they’re bottom ten in both inputs and outputs, and fourth-worst once you add defense into the mix in terms of value. The pitching is one place these teams are differentiated — the Phillies are sixth in fWAR in September, while the Braves are 23rd. (Phillies are fourth by xFIP-, Braves are 16th.) But, all of that just gets to the point where, again — the Braves keep winning mucho games on and above their production. If they keep doing that — and they haven’t stopped yet — they’ll probably coast to the division title, though it won’t look pretty.

One thing that might make you feel better is that the Braves lined up Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle for this series, while the Phillies had to use Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler in their prior series. The Braves will still have to contend with Jesus Luzardo, who dominated on Monday, and I hope they’re cooking up a completely different approach against him than anything they’ve tried while he’s been in his Phillies uniform.

Me, I’m hoping they actually turn around the offense in a way they can build on going forward, but that’s unlikely to happen considering they’ve spent the last three-ish months wandering in the proverbial wilderness of offensive strategies, and their most recent win came as a result of bleeders through the infield while they got outhomered.

But, all that said, how are you feeling about this series?

Leave it to the Orioles. With just fifteen games left in this season, and the postseason most probably out of reach, this team has come up with one new, creative way to make headlines: on September 10, word came down that Matt Blood, vice president of player and staff development (and one of Mike Elias’s longest-tenured and most trusted lieutenants), was out. The Sun’s headline called it a “mutual” parting. MASN reported that Blood was at the ballpark for Wednesday’s homestand, and now today, he’s gone.

So what happened? Nothing is on the record just yet. But there are several possible explanations (plus other likely ones I haven’t thought of).

Recall that Matt Blood was one of Elias’s first hires back in September 2019. Seven years a scout with St. Louis, Blood brought in to run the minor leagues from the ground up. He was promoted in October 2023 to vice president of player development and domestic scouting, and again in November 2025 — less than a year ago — to vice president of player and staff development, a title that explicitly expanded his job to include supporting new manager Craig Albernaz and overseeing major-league staff development, not just the farm system. That is a potentially relevant detail: as recently as last winter, Blood was getting promoted, an expression of trust in his judgment, not a demotion. So, something may have changed in ten months.

Was the front office unhappy with the farm system? This doesn’t seem to hold water. Yes, Baltimore’s system tumbled from No. 1 for three straight years (2022–24) to 14th by last season. But arguably that’s the life cycle of a loaded system finally cashing in on its prospects—Connor Norby, Kyle Stowers, Joey Ortiz, Caden Bodine, Slater de Brun, and others shipped out in trades—not to mention guys like Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, Coby Mayo, and Cade Povich all aging out of prospect eligibility.

Besides, not much has happened in the span of this season to give a reason to think Blood lost favor for that—if anything, the farm system has gotten healthier at the last two trade deadlines, with last year’s deadline bringing new faces like Boston Bateman or the power-hitting Victor Figueroa, and this year’s Rutschman trade bringing in prospects like Anthony Eyanson, who immediately became Baltimore’s new No. 1 prospect, and Enddy Azocar. A thin farm system just isn’t the smoking gun.

Was the front office unhappy with player development, full stop? This could have some merit. Blood’s November 2025 promotion tied his name directly to the major-league product for the first time—and in the last two seasons, that product has looked rather suspect.

Currently Baltimore sits 71-76, 16.5 games back of the first-place Rays, looking likely to miss the playoffs for the second year in a row. It’s not just bad luck; all season we’ve been complaining of recurring lapses on the bases and in the field, plus the fact that plenty of former top prospects aren’t hitting (Gunnar and Colton Cowser come to mind), and that Elias’s administration has yet to develop a homegrown starter other than Brandon Young. If ownership was looking for someone to answer for any of that, it could have been Blood.

Could the split be about Blood himself—friction with the new staff, or wanting a different job than the one he got? I can’t verify this hunch either way, and neither has anyone else writing about it so far. The “mutual” framing in the Sun’s headline could cover everything from an amicable split to a forced-out executive being handed a soft landing.

Was this just fallout from a miserable, dissent-filled season? The organizational mood certainly supports it. This was the summer the Orioles looked at a roster sitting 2½ games from a Wild Card spot and sold anyway: Adley Rutschman to Boston, Dean Kremer to Minnesota, Taylor Ward to Seattle, Tyler Wells to Tampa Bay. Elias himself called the moves ones that “require some short-term heartache,” and said he wished “some of these seasons hadn’t gone the way that they had.” National graders were harsher: CBS Sports handed the deadline a C and suggested Elias’s own job security was now in question. The sell-off felt like an admission of sorts that Plan A had failed, and that seemed an indictment of the Orioles leadership.

None of this tells us definitively why Matt Blood is gone. But it tells us the Orioles may have a real morale problem in the back of the house. In sum, the team enters the 2026–27 offseason with a GM under pressure for the first time in his tenure, a roster that can’t crack the playoffs ceiling, and a player-development pipeline about to be led by someone other than the person who ran it for seven years. Whatever is going on in the Orioles organization, we’ll probably find out the same way we found out about this—quietly, unofficially, and only once someone else is already gone.

The Mets open a three-game Subway Series against the Yankees in the Bronx on Friday night at 7:05 on PIX11.

Mets Notes

• To honor the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Mets and Yankees will wear first responder caps with team logos during batting practice and in the game
• A.J. Ewing is hitting .424/.474/.606 with a homer and three doubles in 38 plate appearances over his last nine games
• Nolan McLean has a 1.87 ERA in 72.1 innings over his last 12 starts

Today's Lineups

Good teams win the games they should win, and the Yankees certainly looked the part early this week. In a three-game set against the lowly Rockies, New York swept ‘em winning by multiple runs in all three contests. Solid ball over the last month has allowed the Yankees to stay within striking distance in the East, and maintain a healthy lead in the American League’s crowded wild card race.

After their set with the last-place squad in the NL West, they’ll continue a gettable stretch by hosting the fourth-place team in the East, the Mets. While the Mets have been playing better baseball of late, the Bombers will have every chance to take a couple of games in the Subway Series.

Friday: Carlos Rodónvs. Nolan McLean (7:05 p.m. EST)

The series opens with the Yankees sending Carlos Rodón to the bump, set to make his 14th start of the 2026 season. After a bumpy patch through the middle of June, the lefty has been excellent since returning on August 18th, a stretch that has seen him pitch to the tune of a 2.55 ERA in four starts, while striking out 18 batters in 17.2 innings. On the whole, the 33-year-old has put together a very solid fourth season in pinstripes when healthy, and will undoubtedly be a significant part of his team’s October run. He’ll look to continue his solid post-injury run on Friday.

He’ll square off with the Mets’ excellent rookie Nolan McLean. After an impressive eight-start debut in 2025, the righty has backed it up with a 3.06 ERA in over 160 innings this season. Relying mostly on his sinker and a pair of breaking balls to get the job done, the righty has been dominant over his last five outings, allowing just four earned runs in 31 stellar innings of work. He has also completed at least six innings in 13 of his last 14 outings, so the Mets will likely be leaning heavily on their talented young starter in this one.

Saturday: Gerrit Cole vs. Zac Thornton (1:35 p.m. EST)

Saturday will see Gerrit Cole taking the mound, hoping to bounce back from what has been a rough few starts. He still is posting a respectable season, despite missed time to start the year, with a 3.70 FIP in 11 innings. But, over his last three outings, the six-time All-Star has surrendered 10 earned runs in 18.1 innings. His most recent was the worst of the bunch, a seven-inning start in which he gave up four solo homers to the Padres. The Cole Train will look to get back on the rails in the second game of the series.

The Mets are slated to start a second consecutive rookie this weekend, with lefty Zac Thornton getting the nod on Saturday. He made his debut on May 20th this season, and has been a solid addition to the rotation much of the way through. His worst outing, however, was his latest, when he gave up six earned runs to the Giants, including four long balls. Both starters on Saturday will be trying to shake the homer bug.

Sunday: Cam Schlittler vs. Christian Scott(1:35 p.m. EST)

The Subway Series will conclude with Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler on the mound. As if the righty needed much to bolster his case, he’s allowed one run or less in each of his last six starts, and with another good outing on Saturday, could drop his ERA below 2.00 for the season. Schlittler has been a treat to watch in 2026, and he’ll be in prime position to keep the good times rolling to close out the season. He most recently struck out ten in seven strong innings against the Rockies.

Right-hander Christian Scott will close things out for the Mets on Sunday. In his most substantial big league season to date, he’s been good, striking out nearly 28 percent of opposing batters across 21 starts for the Metropolitans. In his most recent outing, against the Giants, Scott failed to complete five innings, allowing a pair of earned runs to score, though he did strike out seven in the start. With Judge back and the Yankees coming off of a sweep Scott and the entire Mets staff could very well have their hands full in the weekend series.

Meet the Mets

Tyler Kepner wrote about how the Mets have kept their 9/11 promise 25 years later.

Mike Lupica discussed how the lifeline the Mets and Yankees threw New York City after 9/11 is a powerful, indelible memory.

Matt Monagan shared the story of a Mets shirt flying from a 9/11 memorial in Ireland.

Will Sammon spoke with those who shared the booth with Howie Rose to find out what they learned from the radio legend.

Jon Heyman explained why the Mets’ managerial search could hinge on the Phillies’ World Series chances, as Don Mattingly could be a person to watch.

Jonathan Santucci turned in his best start at the Triple-A level to reclaim a share of the Minors K lead.

The Mets released Joe Jacques.

“When America Took the Field”, which was produced by MLB Network and former Met Todd Zeile, debuted last night on MLB Network. The two-hour documentary is also streaming on MLB.tv and MLB+.

Around the National League East

The Braves scored three in the eighth and held on to beat the Rays 3-1, which helped them cushion their lead in the NL East race.

The Phillies fell 2-1 to the Astros, as their chase habits led to their untimely series loss to Houston.

Around Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball will mark the 25th anniversary of September 11th with tributes and services.

Jeff Passan provided some early MLB free agency intel. Among the tidbits in his article, he thinks Bo Bichette will opt out, but thinks it’s a coin flip.

The Dodgers have placed Shohei Ohtani on the injured list to rest his left knee and right biceps injuries. To take his place, Los Angeles is calling up top prospect Josue De Paula.

The Yankees are placing Jazz Chisholm on the IL and calling up Anthony Volpe.

Mark Feinsand looked at 11 intriguing trade candidate for the offseason.

Dennis Lin analyzed how Fernando Tatis Jr. found his swing, which could prove to be the difference for the Padres come October.

The Cubs have the best hitting and best defense in baseball, but Mike Petriello wonders if it’s enough to overcome their pitching, which is their biggest weakness.

Brandon Sproat was sent back down to Triple-A after he allowed four runs in the ninth inning against the Cubs.

Salvador Perez is going “year by year” with his meajor league career.

Jacob deGrom turned in a vintage performance, striking out 12 over six one-hit innings, but the Mariners came back to beat the Rangers 4-3.

The Yankees put up a six-spot in the seventh to defeat the Rockies 10-3 and complete a sweep. Volpe, who was in the Yankees’ lineup when he was unsure if he would ever make it back, had a grand return.

The Pirates blanked the White Sox 2-0. After getting punched in the mouth by Pittsburgh in the form of a three-game sweep, the White Sox, who have seen their AL Central lead shrink to 1.5 games over the surging Guardians, are prepared to fight back.

This Date in Mets History

John Olerud hit for the cycle on this date in 1997.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Lane Thomas was scratched from Thursday’s lineup and is headed to the injured list. Manager Walt Weiss called it an intercostal strain and noted that Thomas could be out for the remainder of the season. 

Thomas, who has averaged .171 for Atlanta in 21 games, makes the second Brave to hit the injured list this week. Thomas’ absence could lead to some playing time for Brewer Hicklen as the Braves navigate the final stretch of the regular season.

More Braves News:

The Braves avoided a sweep from the Tampa Bay Rays after Thursday afternoon’s 3-1 win.

Brett Sears recorded a 10-strikeout night for the Gwinnett Stripers on Wednesday. More in the minor league recap. 

The Braves reportedly discussed going after Jacob deGrom in exchange for Spencer Strider.

MLB News:

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-hander Braxton Ashcraft on the 15-day injured list due to arm discomfort. The move is retroactive to September 7.

Cleveland Guardians righty Andrew Walters underwent an internal brace procedure and may miss the entire 2027 season.

The New York Yankees have officially placed Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the injured list with a thumb sprain. The move is retroactive to September 9.

From the Feed:

How many games do you think the Braves will win over the Phillies in their final clash of the regular season?

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The first-place Atlanta Braves are priced as a massive 63% favorite tonight against their NL East rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, in the series opener at Truist Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. 

Chris Sale has already carved up Philly several times this season, so my Phillies vs. Braves predictions back the hosts to take the first game of this three-game set. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, Sep. 11. 

Who will win Phillies vs Braves today: Braves (64%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Aaron Nola has been solid lately, posting a 3.10 FIP over the last month, but his road profile is more vulnerable with a 4.60 FIP this season.

The Atlanta Braves also have plenty of familiarity, hitting .285 across 410 at-bats against him, and tagged him for six earned runs earlier this year.

Chris Sale gives the Braves the stronger starting edge. He owns a 2.36 FIP at home and a 2.77 xERA over his previous four outings with minimal home-run damage.

Sale also has a 1.42 ERA against the Philadelphia Phillies in 2026 across three starts and has held current Phillies hitters to a .221 average over 154 career at-bats.

Take Atlanta. Play up to 65%, but look to the run line if it moves higher.

COVERS INTEL: Sale has allowed just 0.33 BB/9 over the last month. That's compared to his season average of 1.74 BB/9. The left-hander is consistently pounding the strike zone. 

Phillies vs Braves Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (48%)

I expect both starters to hold their own, but the bullpen profiles are hard to ignore.

While the Phillies and Braves aren’t exactly flourishing at the plate — Atlanta’s wRC+ sits at 45 over the last week, while Philadelphia’s is at 82 — both bullpens are struggling.

The Braves’ bullpen has a 5.23 FIP over its last 24 frames with 2.22 HR/9 allowed. Philadelphia’s pen also owns an FIP above five over the last seven days with significant home-run damage.

It’s not a slam-dunk angle because of the offensive form of these two teams, but the late-game pitching vulnerabilities are difficult to overlook.

Play this pick up to 50%.

Phillies vs Braves home run prediction: Kyle Schwarber (24%)

Sale may be dominant, but Kyle Schwarber has four homers in his last seven games, and the slugger also has two career home runs off the left-hander.

Atlanta’s bullpen has been vulnerable lately as well, giving Schwarber another path once Sale exits.

Schwarber’s ISO sits at .444 over the last week, supported by a 50% hard-hit rate and 20% barrel rate. He may not be hitting for average right now, but the quality of contact remains elite.

Play this pick up to 25%.

Phillies vs Braves weather

Weather could be a factor tonight at Truist Park, with warm, humid conditions and possible thunderstorms around first pitch. Rain chances sit around 50% early on, before gradually easing later in the evening, so there is some delay risk. Winds look fairly light, limiting any major carry impact.

Phillies vs Braves odds

• Moneyline: Phillies 38% | Braves 63%
• Run line: Phillies +1.5 (57%) | Braves -1.5 (44%)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (49%) | Under 7.5 (52%)

Phillies vs Braves trend

The Philadelphia Phillies have hit the Game Total Under in 30 of their last 50 away games (+10.40 Units / 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Braves.

How to watch Phillies vs Braves and game info

Phillies vs Braves latest injuries

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The Rays have to figure it out against left-handed pitching or with the bases loaded, ideally both, or it will be another quick exit in October.

With how well Tampa Bay right-hander Nick Martinez threw today, going 6.1 IP and only allowing two hits and no runs, the offense appeared to have had too much Waffle House before the matinee in Atlanta.

In the top of the first, the Rays offense had their chance at an All-Star Special early on Braves lefty Martin Perez. 

Bases loaded, one out, and Chandler Simpson grounds out into a rare 3-2-3 double play to end the inning.

From the bottom of the first through the bottom of the fifth, both the Rays and Braves traded off frames of five batters or less with nothing to show for it. Scoreless and steamy on an 83-degree, partly cloudy day in Cobb County, we fast forward to the eighth.

Good old-fashioned BABIP luck came to bite Kevin Kelly, as an Ozzie Albies triple and an Austin Riley backside single gave the Braves a 1-0 lead, and who other than Ha-Seong Kim to provide the insurance with a two-run RBI single.

Tampa Bay would threaten in the ninth with a Victor Mesa Jr. solo shot off Raisel Iglesias followed by a Chandler Simpson walk, but it went all for naught as the Rays drop the finale from Truist Park.

Tampa bay returns home to face the AL West-leading Astros with a magic number of 1 to clinch a playoff spot.

The Dodgers bullpen contains pitchers who’ve bounced back after a rough first season in Los Angeles— i.e. Tanner Scott— and those who have struggled since first donning the Dodger blue— i.e. Edwin Díaz.

For a closer signed to a three-year, $69 million over the offseason, Díaz has come nowhere near close to meeting expectations, as the right-hander has an ERA at 11.85 over just 13 2/3 innings when he’s been healthy. The majority of his season was lost after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies elbow in April that kept him out for three months and being placed on the injured list in August due to neck inflammation.

Jared Greenspan of MLB.com notes that Díaz is starting to reach the finish line for his rehab assignment, as he appeared in back-to-back games for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, but he will not return to the closer role once he rejoins the big league club.

When Díaz does eventually return to the big league club, he is not expected to slot right into the closer’s role. He will be eased back into lower leverage situations where he can continue to refine his mechanics, like raising his arm angle that has fallen significantly from last season. 

Shohei Ohtani’s goal of being a two-way player for a full season came crashing down on Wednesday with the news of him landing on the 15-day IL, as he continues to nurse injuries to his left knee and right biceps.

Although Ohtani was in the lineup on Monday against the Cincinnati Reds, it was the only game he played in the three-game set, and an awkward swing was a key culprit for the Dodgers’ decision to place him on the IL, notes Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.

“It was more just really huddling up and saying, ‘Hey, how are you going to feel on Friday? How are you going to feel on Saturday, talking to the doctors and training staff?’” Roberts said. “There was not much certainty that he’d be in a much better place. With that, just taking it off the table seemed like the best course of action.”

In place of Ohtani on the active roster is the Dodgers’ no. 1 prospect, 21-year-old outfielder Josue De Paula, who will make his big league debut on Friday against the Miami Marlins. Jack Harris of the California Post gives an insight to what fans can see out of De Paula, who has received high praise from the Dodgers brass after a star-studded season with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers.

“We’ve seen him in camp for two or three years. He doesn’t run from velocity. He controls the strike zone,” Roberts said. “I think this is just a good opportunity for him to kind of cut his teeth in the big leagues … We can get him some major league at-bats and see how that looks.”

Entering this season, Adael Amador had played in 51 games for the Rockies since making his MLB debut on June 9, 2026. During that time, Amador yo-yoed from Triple-A Albuquerque and Colorado, putting up impressive numbers for the Isotopes, only to struggle with the Rockies.

In June, Purple Row’s Skyler Timmins even wrote about what the Rockies should do with their highly touted prospect who couldn’t seem to crack the MLB code. Skyler discussed the value of trying out Amador in the outfield in addition to second base, giving more versatility to the switch hitter. It seemed more likely than trading Amador, especially without a Rockie having locked down the starting spot at second base and the team valuing utility players.

Perhaps all Amador needed was more time to develop with the Isotopes. Still just 23 years old, Amador hit .264/.367/.428 with 21 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, and 62 RBIs while drawing more walks than strikeouts — 61 to 48 — in 94 games. A seasoned second baseman who can also play shortstop, Amador also added some time in left field to his resume.

After just 12 games, in 40 plate appearances, Amador has posted 12 hits — including three homers and two doubles — with 10 runs scored, 10 RBI, seven strikeouts and four walks. He’s hitting .333/.400/.639 with a 1.039 OPS.

It’s a night-and-day difference from his previous stints with the Rockies.

After parts of two seasons in 2024 and 2025, in 164 plate appearances, Amador combined for 26 hits, including eight doubles and one homer, scored six runs, drove in 10 runs, struck out 33 times and walked 12 times. He hit .176/.242/.250 with an OPS of .492.

In nearly every metric, Amador’s 2026 numbers reflect a completely different player.

Obviously, 12 games isn’t very many in a season known for the grit required to grind out a 162-game marathon. But Amador has done better in this set of games than he has during any other time in his MLB career. After posting a strikeout rate of 21.1% in 2025, Amador has dropped it to 17.5% this season. He’s also increased his walk rate exponentially each season from 2.8% in 2024, to 8.6% last season to 10% in 2026.

Another big change is in the power. After hitting one homer in 148 at-bats in his first two seasons, Amador has connected for three in 32 at-bats this year. That includes a solo shot off New York Yankee Cam Schlittler on Tuesday.

Amador has provided much-needed depth as the Rockies have faced some infielder injuries in August and September. He was first called up on Aug. 12 when Kyle Karros went on the 7-day concussion list. Before being sent back to Albuquerque on Aug. 21, Amador went 3-for-10 with five runs scored, a double, a homer, six RBIs and three walks and five strikeouts in five games.

After a short stint back with the Isotopes, Amador was called up again thanks to MLB’s expanded September rosters. He then benefited from the opening created by Willi Castro’s left heel inflammation that put him on the 10-day IL on Sept. 2. In seven games in September, Amador has gone 9-for-26 with five runs scored, four RBIs, two homers, a double, three strikeouts and one walk. It started with a bang with a solo homer in his first game back.

The next day, Amador scored the winning run when Brett Sullivan hit a walk-off single against the Orioles.

Amador’s bat has been so effective that Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer slotted him in at DH on Thursday night in New York vs. the Yankees. He went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in the 10-3 loss.

Embodying a true “next man up” mentality, Amador has taken advantage of his opportunities. With 16 games remaining this season for the Rockies, Amador is trying to prove that 2026 represents the real Amador. In doing so, he may be auditioning for second base and utility for next season.

He’s battling Connor Norby, who’s had an impressive start with Colorado since being acquired in the Victor Vodnik trade with the Miami Marlins on Aug. 3. Norby was called up on Aug. 10 when Tyler Freeman went on the IL. As of now, they’ll be contending with Castro — who has one year remaining on his two-year, $12.8-million deal — for second base and utility jobs.

If Amador can keep up his impressive August and September, he’ll be one step closer to proving he was worth the hype when the Rockies signed him out of the Dominican Republic in 2019 when he was just 16.

On the Farm

Triple-A: Reno Aces 3, Albuquerque Isotopes 2

After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, the Isotopes struck back to tie the game in the second when Chad Stevens walked, Bryant Betancourt singled and Conner Capel hit a sacrifice fly to plate Stevens. Reno rallied back to score runs in the bottom of the third and fifth innings to go up 3-1. In the sixth, Roc Roggio hit a two-out single and moved to second when Stevens walked. Betancourt, who recorded two of Albuquerque’s five hits, followed with an RBI single to cut Reno’s lead to one. But that was the end of the would-be comeback. Eiberson Castellano suffered the loss, dropping to 4-4, after giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 3.1 relief innings.

Double-A: Somerset Patriots 3, Hartford Yard Goats 0

Little did the Yard Goats know that when Braylen Wimmer singled on a ground ball to right field to lead off the second inning, it would be their only hit for the night. The second frame seemed promising when Wimmer then stole second, but then Wimmer was picked off. Dyan Jorge then reached base on a fielding error and also stole second base, only to be stranded when Jack O’Dowd struck out. Matt Antico was hit by a pitch and stole second in the sixth, but was left there. O’Dowd drew a walk and Antico was hit by a pitch again to give Hartford two more base runners, but they were also stranded. Hartford was outhit 13-1 by the Patriots. Jackson Cox took the loss (2-4) after giving up two runs on four hits with three strikeouts in three innings.

Quintana, Freeland pitch scoreless ball in Double-A rehab outings | MLB.com

The lefties are coming back. Jose Quintana hasn’t pitched for the Rockies since May 24, while Kyle Freeland hasn’t been on the mound for Colorado since Aug. 19. Quintana has missed most of the season with a left elbow strain, while Freeland was sidelined with cervical radiculopathy. Both played for the Yard Goats with Quintana throwing two scoreless innings and Freeland adding three more on Wednesday night. Freeland is expected to rejoin the Rockies soon, while Quintana is expected to have at least one more rehab start.

Diamond Dawgs vendor retiring after 31 Rockies seasons | Denver Westword

As long as the Rockies have played at Coors Field, which started in 1995, Joyl Watkins has been serving up hot dogs at the corner of 19th and Wynkoop. But this season will be his last as the vendor has decided to call it a career.

MLB Power Rankings Week 24: AL contender rising in mid-September | ESPN.com

The Rockies aren’t last. Thanks to a better offense, especially on the road, the Rockies have finally crawled out of the basement to No. 29.

A Vibe of Their Own: With dynamic players, the WPBL is establishing its culture in inaugural season | Kick the Concrete

With the Women’s Pro Baseball League playoffs in full swing, I just wanted to share some articles I wrote after making the trip to Springfield, Ill. to see some games in August. This one is about the swagger of the league and comes with a playlist of walk-up songs. Here’s another one on some women’s baseball history.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

The Rays are in the midst of one of their most successful seasons. As the road trip continues at “The Trop”, we sit down exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes with a familiar face and friend, the one and only Dewayne Staats. He’s  called over 7,000 games and has been with Tampa Bay since their inception back in 1998.

Q: How much have the Rays benefited this season being pushed in their divisional race by New York? 

A: I actually think the Yankees benefit from being pushed by the Rays. Regardless of how the race ends, I really think this club has been focused on its own performance: self critical, self pushed, self accountable.  It very well may come down to the final week in the Bronx.

Q: This upcoming weekend should feature some quality baseball from both sides who each are expected to reach and play significant games in October. What do you expect this weekend?

A: Astros are a test every series they play. The Rays play the schedule one series and one game at a time. There is plenty of respect for the Astros talent, which serves as a motivation for the Rays.

Q: Are there any weaknesses on this Rays club beyond starting shortstop? 

A: This roster has been really interesting as and perhaps a throwback a decade or two ago.  Not just home runs and strikeouts, but a roster depending on a variety of baseball talents.  The top three or four hitters in the lineup sport extra base hit power/production. Beyond that is a ‘manufacturing’ of runs utilizing a variety of skills including speed, moving runners, being smart and aggressive.  Like most teams, overcoming injuries is always present. Athleticism and versatility has helped this team.

Q:     Finally, what would say to Houstonians who grew up with you in their living rooms back in the 70’s & 80’s calling Astros Games?

A: My years in Houston were a dream come true.  I was a Colt45/ Astro fan growing up in the Midwest listening to Gene Elston. Gene answered my letters and was a major figure in me pursuing a Major League Baseball career.  He was a very special force in my life.  My daughters were born in Houston.  We own a place there as well as Florida, and still have great family and friends there including Todd Kalas.

Twenty five years ago today, the world irrevocably changed. There was “the world before 9/11” and “the world after 9/11”. On September 10, 2001, the Minnesota Twins played their last game in that old world.

Opening up what was to be a four-game series at Detroit’s year-old Comerica Park, the Twins sent Joe Mays to the mound to oppose the Tigers’ knuckleball-ing starter Steve Sparks.

The visitors got on the board first in the top of the second inning when a Corey Koskie triple was paid off via a David Ortiz sacrifice fly. 1-0 MIN.

A similar sac from Brandon Inge tied the contest in B3, plating Damion Easley. 1-1.

In a sequence that probably would have netted some early defensive work with manager Tom Kelly the next day were the world’s trajectory not about to wobble, errors from Koskie at 3B & Cristian Guzman at SS gave DET a 2-1 lead in B5.

Fortunately, a T8 leadoff single from Luis Rivas eventually came around to score on a Koskie RBI knock. 2-2.

After Mays finished eight strong frames (4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K), the Twins would complete the comeback in T9. This time it was Torii Hunter hammering a leadoff triple and trotting home on a Matthew LeCroy sac fly.

“Everyday” Eddie Guardado entered for the save and punched out both Tony Clark & Randall Simon before inducing a game-ending fly out from Shane Halter.

Your Final: Minnesota Twins 3, Detroit Tigers 2.

That night, 19,456 fans attended a baseball game. They ate hot dogs, peanuts, & Cracker Jack and guzzled soda & beer. They were treated to a tight back-and-forth sporting contest. The Twins moved to within 6 games of AL Central front-running Cleveland (spoiler alert: MN wouldn’t catch them).

The next time the Minnesota Twins baseball club assembled on a diamond was September 18, 2001—and it was a different world.

Twenty five years later, let’s remember that monumental moment in history, reflect on its significance, and hopefully learn the right lessons going forward so as not to let that particular strand of history ever repeat itself.

Good morning, baseball fans!

The San Francisco Giants are playing a home series this weekend, which means it’s time to take a look at what Oracle Park has on deck for fans.

Oddly enough, they have no events or giveaways posted for tonight’s game. That’s kind of unusual. If I missed something, please feel free to weigh in down in the comments.

However, Saturday will feature Dog Days Part 2 as the special event for the day. Fans with special event tickets will be able to bring their canine buddies to the park to partake in an on-field parade. Also, I don’t know if I’m interpreting this wrong or if this is how it’s always been done, but their website says, and I quote, “All dogs must have a ticket to enter the ballpark and sit in the designated Dog Days section.” I kind of always assumed that the dogs got in on their owners’ ticket. (Since, you know, they are dogs and completely unaware of the concept of tickets and money.)

Anyway, there will be a giveaway for Saturday’s game as well. The first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Willy Adames long sleeve jersey giveaway.

Sunday is a big one, as it is Pediatric Cancer Awareness day at the park. This requires a special event ticket as well, and those attending with said tickets will receive a beanie giveaway for both themselves and for a child who is going through cancer treatment.

Additionally, the first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Logan Webb football jersey giveaway.

If you’re headed to a game this weekend, have fun!

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants begin this weekend series against the San Diego Padres tonight at 7:15 p.m. PT.

I think the Brewers are now officially close enough to clinching a postseason berth — they can do so as soon as this weekend — that we can start talking about plans for the postseason without jinxing anything.

So, who is going to pitch? What is going to be the plan? I’m going to take a look first at the starting rotation, then the bullpen.

First: a quick reminder on postseason roster rules. Anyone who was either on the Brewers’ 40-man roster or their 60-day injured list as of September 1 (at 12 p.m. ET, technically) is eligible for the postseason roster. Players who were in the minor league system but not on the 40-man roster on August 31 need to be injury replacements, and they need approval from the league, but are likely also postseason eligible (for example: the Dodgers are calling up Josue De Paula from Double-A today, and presumably the league would approve him for postseason eligibility because he’s replacing Shohei Ohtani on the active roster). The Brewers haven’t added anyone since September 1 (aside from minor leaguer Ben Moore, who will not be eligible), so they don’t have to worry about this. Rosters in the postseason are 26 players, and teams can replace players who are injured within a round with approval from the commissioner’s office (though the injured player then cannot return during that round).

The Starters

The Brewers would need four starters (with caveats about bullpen games) in both the NLDS and the NLCS; the schedule is such that in both series, the first four games happen within five days. There are two guys who we will unquestionably see start games this postseason: Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson. After that, things get murky.

If we’re assuming that Brandon Sproat’s adventure on Wednesday night eliminated him from any real consideration for the rest of the season (he was optioned on Thursday morning), that means that there are four healthy players currently on the Brewers who could conceivably pitch in a postseason starting rotation. Here are those players’ numbers since the trade deadline on August 3:

• Dustin May: 6 games (all starts), 23 1/3 innings, 6.17 ERA, 5.20 FIP, 21 strikeouts, 10 walks
• Robert Gasser: 6 games (all starts except one injury replacement outing when he pitched 5 1/3 innings), 29 innings, 4.34 ERA, 4.20 FIP, 29 strikeouts, 13 walks
• Shane Drohan: 6 games (five starts), 26 1/3 innings, 6.15 ERA, 5.53 FIP, 26 strikeouts, 15 walks
• Kyle Harrison: 6 games (all starts), 27 innings, 5.67 ERA, 6.91 FIP, 33 strikeouts, 13 walks

When three of the four options for your number three starter have an ERA above 5.60, that’s not ideal. Harrison in particular doesn’t look like an option right at this moment — after he returned from about a month on the injured list in early August, he allowed just four earned runs in his first four starts back. In his last two, he’s been crushed: nine earned runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Cubs on August 31 and six runs (four earned) in 3 2/3 innings against the Reds on September 6. Even in his good outings earlier in August, he was routinely struggling with velocity and command.

The Brewers might like Drohan more as a multi-inning bullpen guy. As a starter this season, Drohan has allowed a .777 opponent OPS. His command is better. His WHIP is way better — 1.414 as a starter versus 0.975 as a reliever. He has a 4.83 ERA in 87 2/3 innings as a starter and a 1.69 ERA in 26 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. Drohan has been valuable as an innings-eating starter this season, but he’s pretty clearly more effective as a reliever.

May has been an enigma as a Brewer. His first two starts were excellent: he combined for 13 innings and three runs allowed. Then he gave up seven runs in two innings against the Mariners, took a line drive off his back on the first pitch in his next outing and left early, then had two shaky outings in which he couldn’t complete five innings against the Rangers and Reds, combining for eight innings and six runs allowed between them.

At times this season, May has looked like a guy who could start in the postseason, but right now, it doesn’t look that way. He has very little experience out of the bullpen, though: he’s only got 14 appearances out of the bullpen in his entire career, and 12 of those came in 2019 and 2020, when he was a brand-new major leaguer.

The last guy here is Gasser. His overall numbers this season are mediocre; he owns a 92 ERA+ and a FIP and ERA that are exactly the same (a pedestrian 4.43). But while his numbers since the trade deadline are overall not great (even if they’re better than any of these other options), he’s trending in the right direction. Over his last three outings, Gasser has a 2.51 ERA and 3.38 FIP in 14 1/3 innings, and as we reach the end of the season, his velocity is actually going up.

Based on the data we have here, Gasser is the one who has looked the best lately. Of course, we could see some shifts in how we feel about any of these guys between now and the end of the regular season. Right now, I’d expect Misiorowski and Henderson to be the one and two guys and Gasser and May as three and four, though with extremely short leashes on the latter two.

The Relievers

A big part of the reason why the Brewers can afford to be aggressive with their somewhat shaky back end of the rotation in the postseason is that they’ve got a lot of options, particularly amongst pitchers who could go more than an inning. As we saw during last year’s postseason, this type of reliever is critical in the way the game is played these days.

If we assume that Miz, Henderson, Gasser, and May all make the postseason roster, that leaves nine more openings for pitchers. Here’s who we’ve got as options:

• Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe are obvious no-brainers at the back of the bullpen.
• Aaron Ashby is also a no-brainer, and DL Hall has pitched well enough lately that he’s also moved into the “no-brainer” category. Both players could pitch two innings if you needed them to.
• Antonio Senzatela’s numbers haven’t been great since he came to the Brewers, but he seems certain to have a role in this bullpen in the postseason; if nothing else, he’s an extreme groundball pitcher who could be used in a spot where you really need a double play.
• JoJo Romero has only pitched five times for the Brewers, but he’s a veteran, and he’s been fine. I wouldn’t categorize him as “high-leverage,” but I think he’s got a spot.
• Chad Patrick was excellent out of the bullpen last postseason. He hasn’t been great this season, but he’s been fine, and I think he’s certain to be included.

That’s seven, and then we have to address the two guys who were chopped from the rotation. Drohan is almost certainly going to be in the bullpen if he’s not in the rotation. That leaves a question mark for Harrison. He could probably play a role out of the bullpen, but I think we need to see what happens with him between now and the end of the season — I could see him pitching well in a couple more starts and getting him back into the rotation conversation, or I could see him ending up on the injured list. Those two things seem about equally likely to me.

If it’s not Harrison, then we’ll have some question marks. Bryse Wilson is on the injured list, but even if he were healthy, ideally you don’t want to have a mop-up guy on your postseason roster. Grant Anderson has been part of the squad all year, but he’s on the injured list currently and hasn’t looked good lately. We’re likely to see a few options from Triple-A Nashville get cycled through between now and the end of the season, particularly in the wake of Sproat’s demotion on Thursday. Potential options could be a starter type, like Coleman Crow, Garrett Stallings, or Colton Gordon, who are all already on the 40-man roster, or a reliever. Potential options there:

• Why not Jared Koenig? Koenig is also on the 40-man roster already, and he’s been good for the Sounds, to the tune of a 2.50 ERA in 18 innings. But his velocity is still way down — his fastball has averaged just 92.8 mph in the minors this season, compared to 95.9 mph last season. Not a lot of faith that this would go well.
• Blake Holub, who has a 2.13 ERA in 50 2/3 innings out of the Nashville bullpen this season. He throws in the mid-90s and has some Brewers-y traits.
• Cameron Wagoner started the season at Double-A Biloxi and earned a promotion after he had a 2.03 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. He’s been good at Triple-A, too: just one run allowed in 10 outings that cover 11 1/3 innings, though his peripherals have taken a bit of a step back. Wagoner can reach the upper 90s, and he’s good at limiting walks, which is certainly a plus.
• There could be a surprise, like Rob Zastryzny, who has been hurt all year but is currently on a rehab assignment with the Sounds.

If Holub or Wagoner were to be the option, the Brewers would have to get permission from the league (at least as far as I understand the rule) to include them on the postseason roster, since they weren’t on the 40-man on September 1. Zastryzny would require a 40-man slot — and I believe they could just leave him on the 60-day IL until the end of the season if they choose not to activate him, because he didn’t start his rehab assignment until there were fewer than 30 days (the maximum allowed for a rehab assignment) remaining in the season.

Guesses

This will probably change before the end of the season, whether that’s because some pitcher who has been poor shows us something or because someone gets hurt. But here’s my best mid-September guess at what the postseason pitching staff will look like:

Starters (4): Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, Dustin May

High-Leverage Relievers (4): Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall

Middle Relievers (2): Antonio Senzatela, JoJo Romero

Long Relievers (3): Shane Drohan, Chad Patrick, Kyle Harrison

I’d also expect the hooks to be exceptionally quick for Gasser and May, with those games looking almost like bullpen games, just with a starting pitcher at the beginning. I’m thinking three-ish innings for each.

I’m least confident about the Gasser/May/Harrison situation. Harrison and May in their last couple of outings have looked essentially unusable in a postseason situation, but it seems likely that at least one of them will need to make a start or two for the Brewers this postseason. That’s the biggest spot to keep an eye on for me.

If one or both looks unplayable, then my attention turns to the likely revolving door of relievers (in the Sproat roster spot) that we’re likely to see over the next couple of weeks. Might one of those guys be able to make a big postseason impact?

What do you think?

Ever wonder how a sportswriter can end up with 50 pairs of new underwear and two overstuffed suitcases on a short scheduled reporting trip?

I traveled to San Diego in September 2001 to interview and write about Tony Gwynn’s Hall of Fame career coming to an end weeks later.

It was early Tuesday morning, Sept., 11, when the phone rang in my hotel room at the Mission Valley Marriott near Qualcomm Stadium. I groggily reached for the phone, answered, and it was a friend from Atlanta.

“Did you hear what happened in New York?" she breathlessly said. “A plane just crashed into the World Trade Center."

OK, I figured someone accidentally crashed their private plane, thanked her for the call, and went back to sleep.

The phone rang 15 minutes later.

A second plane crashed, into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

This time, I stayed awake, glued to the TV set like the rest of America.

Commissioner Bud Selig postponed all 15 games that day, extended the postponements until Friday, and then again for three more days until Sept. 17. It was the longest regular-season stoppage, outside of a players’ strike, since World War I shortened the final month of the 1918 season.

Sitting in my hotel room that morning, unable to take my eyes off the TV, I was contemplating what to do next when the phone rang.

It was Gwynn.

He knew I had traveled into town to do a cover story on him for “Baseball Weekly” and we were set to talk at the ballpark.

He asked how I was doing, if I needed anything, and whether I still wanted to do the story.

I assured him I still did, so he invited me to come by his house in suburban Poway, and we’d have lunch.

I pulled up in my rental car the next day, and Gwynn greeted me at the door with blue shorts, a gray shirt, and an orange cap. He plopped down on the recliner in his living room. And we talked.

And talked. And talked. And talked.

We talked for hours. There was no better interview in baseball than Gwynn. There may never have been a better person, either. He was an absolute joy to cover. If you wanted to talk about baseball, Gwynn was there to talk as long as you desired.

You could be a pimple-faced kid from a local high school, or a grizzled veteran from “60 Minutes,’’ and Gwynn would treat each reporter with identical respect. It didn’t matter how big your newspaper’s circulation was, or whether you were local or national, Gwynn would provide the same access.

He was everyone’s favorite.

This day, with the living room TV showing the heartbreaking devastation in New York, Gwynn had all the time in the world.

“It’s just unbelievable what happened,” Gwynn was saying. “You see it over and over, and still can’t believe it. Life as we knew it before, is over. Life is going to change. And now that it’s going to change, you want to be in a little more control in your life."