Category: MLB

Today’s Reflections

Well, if you have a burr under your saddle about how a player is doing, send me a note. I’ll write a few paragraphs about how bad they are doing. Then in the next game, he will explode (i.e. PCA, Monday night). You’re welcome.

In the meantime, I’ll work my “magic” on Seiya Suzuki. PCA’s problems were prominent as the lead-off hitter. Suzuki’s troubles were slightly covered up by PCA and Alex Bregman’s successes, but actually are worse.

Suzuki cruised through August, where he hit .303 (33-of-109), 25 R, 10 2B, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 17 BB, 26 K, 2 SB. September has been a totally different story. Suzuki is hitting .170 (8-of-47), 7 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 12 BB, 11 K, 0 SB. My calling on PCA was that he having a lack in power — this is a much better example of that. Eight hits, just three XBH, and a drastic decrease in runs scored or driven in. Come on, Seiya, prove my “lucky” comments does work out for you in the next few games.

The Cubs split two games with the Braves Monday and Tuesday, and had a 50% success percentage while having two excellent starting pitching performances, one marred by the One-Bad-Pitch error. I’m sure that every team has this problem, especially sporadically, or in short bunches. This has been an entire-season event for the Cubs.

If not for PCA’s big game, David Peterson would be the easy winner of Player of the Game Monday — I just might name him so, because it was his biggest performance thus far with the Cubs. Six innings of one-run ball, three hits, three walks and seven strikeouts, with 56 of his 85 pitches for strikes.

Kevin Gausman was on his way to an even better game. He entered the sixth inning Tuesday, having allowed just two hits, no walks and five strikeouts before it became unraveled. After his sixth strikeout, Gausman gave up a single, a two-run homer and an infield single before leaving with a 3-2 lead.

Daniel Palencia did his job, stranding the inherited runner and got the out to end the inning. But Jacob Webb and Edward Cabrera imploded, having each given up a two-run home run to put the game out of reach.

Offensively, outside of PCA’s 4-for-5 night with a double, home run, stolen base and four RBI, there wasn’t much there. The closest to having a good two games this weekend was by Michael Busch, who was 1-for-6 with three walks and three runs scored.

On Monday, Nico Hoerner went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two RS. Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly had RBI hits. Tuesday, Matt Shaw was 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Pedro Ramirez had a hit and RBI, and Miguel Amaya had an RBI.

Tuesday, the Cubs didn’t get a runner in scoring position after the fourth inning and managed just five hits in the game.

Peterson, Gausman and PCA were definitely the stars of the two games. They just needed a bit more help on Tuesday.

I appreciate your reading.

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Tuesday’s Game Stories:

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ latest bullpen blow-up stark reminder that without reliable relievers ‘we’re not going to survive’. “The Cubs’ relief corps couldn’t deliver once more Tuesday, with Jacob Webb and Edward Cabrera coughing up homers in a loss to the Braves, showing the team might not last long in. the playoffs if it can’t get its pitching issues ironed out.”

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Bullpen woes resurface for Cubs in heat of Wild Card race. “The Cubs will have to wait another year to try to unseat the rival Brewers as the National League Central champions.”

• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): 3 Chicago Cubs who need to step up over the final 10 games after a blown lead in a 6-3 loss. “The Cubs managed just five hits in the loss and didn’t put a runner in scoring position after the fourth inning, managing only one base runner (a single) in the final five frames.”

Monday’s Game Stories:

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): PCA joins Hall of Famer Williams with 42nd homer on 4-hit, 4-RBI night. “Dating back to his early days with the Cubs, Pete Crow-Armstrong always showed a level of respect for the team’s icons when they would visit Spring Training or make a stop by Wrigley Field.”

• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong inches closer to MLB’s 40-40 club with another big night at Wrigley. “Crow-Armstrong put on a show in the Chicago’s 7-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.”

• Andy Martinez (Chicago Tribune ($): Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong hits another HR — and steals another base — in 7-3 win. “The two-run blast in the sixth was his 42nd, tying Billy Williams’ 1970 campaign for the most home runs hit by a left-handed hitter in a single season in franchise history.”

Assorted Pitching Stories:

• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Nothing the Cubs Have Tried with Edward Cabrera Has Worked. “When the Cubs acquired Edward Cabrera from the Marlins over the winter, everyone agreed that the team would make some interesting changes to his pitch mix. Unfortunately, none of the ones they’ve implemented have turned out well.”
• Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs Injury News: Losing Two More Possible Bullpen Arms, Dansby Swanson Update. “The Chicago Cubs were hoping to get some last-minute help in the bullpen, but they may be stuck working with what they have.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Jacob Webb’s Water Needs to Find Level Before Cubs Drown. “If the Cubs had the benefit of an even moderately reliable bullpen, Jacob Webb might have to be worried about finding a red tag in his locker soon.”
• Zoe Grossman (Chicago Cubs on SI): 3 Takeaways After Cubs’ Bullpen Problems On Full Display in Crucial Loss to Braves. “The Cubs looked well on their way to clinching the series win against the Braves before the bullpen imploded.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Phillies’ Jesus Luzardo injury update could clear Cubs’ path in Wild Card race. “This could change the NL Wild Card conversation.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs shut down Shelby Miller’s comeback, taking him out of potential playoff bullpen mix. “Miller attacked his rehab process with an intensity that impressed club officials, putting him in the conversation for a possible promotion from Triple-A Iowa.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Projecting Cubs’ playoff pitching staff reveals just how concerning bullpen has become. “Mapping out the Chicago Cubs’ pitching staff, considering the questions that exist in both the starting rotation and bullpen.”

Assorted Hitting Stories:

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Swanson’s ‘wild 48 hours’ ends with simulated rehab at Wrigley. “Shortstop on track to return Friday in Cincinnati.”
• Conor Liquori (Sporting News): How Alex Bregman ‘unleashed’ MVP-caliber season for Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong. “”The mentorship he provided Pete Crow-Armstrong early in the year about plate approach and swing decisions helped unleash PCA’s MVP-worthy year,” Castrovince added.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): The Cubs’ Farm System Grade is Passing, But Barely. “There are always bright spots and hopefully some longer-term progress, but it’s inarguable that the system, on paper right now, doesn’t look like it’s one of the better ones.”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Can Pete Crow-Armstrong Resist the Temptation to Try to Save the Cubs? “It’s not selfishness. At this point in the season, it might not even be voluntary. One way or another, though, Pete Crow-Armstrong is back in swing mode, trying to single-handedly win games that must be won, instead, as a team.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Swanson’s rehab pushed back by rainout; Miller to return in 2027. “The specific plan has now been altered a bit due to rainy conditions in Omaha, Neb.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): PCA Sets Several New Precedents in Monday’s Win. “He set or tied at least two team records, joined an elite group of franchise superstars, and essentially created a new category for repeated offensive excellence during Monday’s win.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs see Alex Bregman being himself, rather than his ample playoff experience, as difference-maker in October. “Bregman has played in more playoff games than nearly any player in major-league history. But it’s the kind of player he is, regardless of the month, that makes the Cubs confident he’ll deliver in October.”

Assorted Stories:

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs are inconsistent, but ‘still feel like we can absolutely be the last team standing’. “The Cubs have turned inconsistent at the worst time, throwing into question their ability to achieve their championship-level goals, but the team still thinks it’s capable of winning the World Series.”
• Leo Morgenstern, Joey Peterson, Taylor Greenhut (Just Baseball): Who Matches Up Best To Take Down the Dodgers in the Playoffs?. “Simply put, while there are questions surrounding the pitching staff, this is the one team that could get past the Dodgers thanks to its ability to hit better than anybody else.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs at make-or-break point of season as Brewers clinch another division title. “Until that postseason spot is clinched and the champagne bottles are popped for the clubhouse celebration, the Cubs are going to have to sweat it out.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Thrilling Chicago, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Caleb Williams ‘want to give people something to look forward to’. “With Crow-Armstrong in the middle of an MVP run and Williams sparking Super Bowl plans across the area, the duo might just be ushering in a new era in Chicago sports.”
• Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): The Biggest Winners and Losers in the Cubs’ Farm System in 2026. “From breakout performances to disappointing seasons, there was no shortage of storylines across the Cubs’ farm system this year. With the season nearly in the books, here are some of the biggest winners and losers from 2026.”
• Chicago Tribune {$}: Cubs and White Sox are in the hunt for playoff berths: Tracking the magic numbers for Chicago’s baseball teams, “The Cubs are all but assured of a second-place finish in the National League Central for the fourth consecutive season — with the first-place Milwaukee Brewers headed for their fourth straight division crown.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Cubs’ magic number offers hope but NL Wild Card race is far from comfortably settled. “Cubs are positioned to make the playoffs, but there’s a lot to be determined.”

Food For Thought:

Since making his debut on CD as a singer/songwriter, ‪John Fusco has proven himself to be as equally as talented a bandleader as he is a screenwriter and movie/TV producer. The filmmaker who gave us Young Guns, Hidalgo, Thunderheart and The Highwayman, he’s a storyteller with few peers as this disc, which delivers a blues-filled saddlebag of what he terms the “Wild West Soul of America” shows.

Raised in Prospect, Conn., Fusco spent his early adulthood in the South as a laborer and blues singer. He delivers a film-noire mix of blues and roots held together by gritty lyrics – in this case, the description of folks who find themselves trapped between past mistakes and an uncertain future. The songs unfold like a film script and are infused with coyote howls, mariachi horns and much, much more. Fusco plays keys throughout. His pleasant, well-worn voice fits perfectly with the theme of his material. Blues takes many forms, and John Fusco has a style that’s truly all his own. Check out this pleaser and I’m sure you’ll agree. It’s a winner on all counts.

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

PHOENIX − When they retire Sandy Alcantara’s jersey with the Miami Marlins, when they build a statue of him outside loanDepot Park, when fans tell their kids and grandkids about his legacy, they’ll talk about the night of Sept. 16, 2026

This was the night Alcantara, the Marlins’ 2022 Cy Young winner, one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history, who has thrown more innings than any pitcher in baseball this year, made the ultimate sacrifice for his team.

The last time Alcantara made a relief appearance

Alcantara, just two days after throwing 101 pitches as a starter, not only made his first relief appearance in nine seasons Wednesday, but produced the first save of his illustrious career Wednesday, preserving the Marlins’ 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Marlins’ season still is on life support, sitting 7 ½ games out of a wild-card berth with just nine games remaining, but thanks to Alcantara, they’re still alive.

“It’s a testament to him wanting to win,’’ Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said, “and keep us in this thing until there’s no pulse.’’

The Marlins players, clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth, actually couldn’t believe what they were seeing when Alcantara emerged from the bullpen. He hadn’t pitched in relief since his 2017 rookie season while he was with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was traded that winter to Miami with Zac Gallen and two other prospects for All-Star outfielder Marcell Ozuna.

Why Alcantara's save was a monumental moment

And never once did he pitch in relief with the Marlins, making 201 career starts and pitching 1,272 innings.

In fact, no pitcher in baseball history had ever recorded a save while leading the league in innings since Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser in May, 1987, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The only other pitchers to achieve the feat were Hall of Famer Phil Niekro in 1978 and Andy Messersmith in 1975.

Yet, he was, 48 hours after starting Monday, willing his body, his arm and his mind to secure the Marlins’ victory.

“When you’re a franchise player, and someone who’d been the face of your franchise for this many years and is willing to do that,’’ McCullough said, “it’s great for the rest of our group to see that. He’s creating his own legacy.

“He’s going to have his own wing one day at loanDepot, and rightfully so, for what he’s done.’’

How the Marlins players reacted to Alcantara's save

The moment the final out was made, the Marlins acted almost as if they just clinched a playoff berth, with McCullough saying he hadn’t felt such an adrenaline rush since his first day on the job.

The Marlins made sure they were going to savor this moment for posterity, with Alcantara climbing into a laundry cart after the game and getting sprayed with adult beverages before boarding their flight to San Diego.

“I think that was the best thing in the world for this team to watch him go out there and get the first save of his career,’’ Marlins starter Ryan Gusto said. “I can’t even explain how fired up we were. I mean, to be watching him in that situation on one day rest is insane. I mean, we were loving every single second of it. …

“The dude is an inspiration. He’s a leader in the clubhouse. Everybody loves him.’’

How this moment ranks in Marlins history

The Marlins certainly have had fabulous moments with two World Series championships, but this was a moment that will live in Marlins’ fame, with one of the biggest stars in their franchise history showing the ultimate sacrifice for his team.

“I think you saw the excitement from the group because of what he’s meant to this franchise,’’ McCullough said, “but also certainly to go out there at a moment like that. …

“Everyone in our organization and everyone in this clubhouse has an appreciation for Sandy and what he’s done, and this is just another way, with his unselfishness, and his desire to win, and win in Miami.’’

Will Alcantara spend the rest of his career with the Marlins?

Alcantara, who had been on the trade block in past winters, but not this last trade deadline, made it perfectly clear after the game that he wants to spend the rest of his career in Miami. This is the final year of his five-year, $56 million contract extension. The Marlins have a $21 million club option in 2027 on Alcantara that they plan to exercise, but if it’s up to Alcantara, he’d love to work out another extension and never leave.

“This is an organization that gave me an opportunity since 2017,’’ Alcantara said, “to establish myself as a starting pitcher. So, I trust and I believe everything this team has been doing. I want to be here for a long time. I just want to win for this team.’’

Certainly, the Marlins are slowly moving towards respectability, after losing 100 games just two years ago. And if they’re going to get back to the postseason, they’ll have to jump on Alcantara’s shoulders. He is 13-10 with a 3.84 ERA this season, pitching an MLB-leading 206 innings, and yes, with a save, too.

How did Alcantara do in his previous start?

Alcantara, who pitched five innings Monday, knew that the Marlins’ bullpen was fatigued after an 11-inning victory Tuesday. He told Marlins pitching coach Daniel Moskos when he arrived Wednesday afternoon that he would be available out of the bullpen if needed, the second time in two weeks that he volunteered. In the sixth inning, with the Marlins leading 4-2, he came into the clubhouse, put on his full uniform, changed into his spikes, and went to the bullpen.

He came into the game in the ninth with the Marlins clinging to a 4-3 lead against a team that leads the major leagues in comebacks and is still in the wild-card hunt. He gave up a towering fly ball to Pavin Smith that left fielder Heriberto Hernandez caught against the fence, and then a 396-foot blast by Tim Tawa that traveled to the warning track. He walked Laars Nootbaar, bringing up dangerous Ketel Marte, with speedy Jordan Lawlar inserted as a pinch runner. Marte fouled off the first pitch. Alcantara threw a 100-mph fastball that missed on the second pitch. Lawlar tried to steal second. Catcher Joe Mack threw a perfect strike to shortstop Otto Lopez, who applied the tag, and after the replay review was confirmed, the game was over.

And the celebration was underway.

There was no need for his teammates to even convince him to get into the laundry cart for the joy ride.

“It was a great experience,’’ Alcantara said. “I just get naked, get in the cart, and it was a good experience. We had fun together.’’

Said Gusto: “I mean, it was insane. There was much more celebration for his first career save than really any other win we’ve had this season.’’

When is Alcantara scheduled to pitch next?

Alcantara, who’s still scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Padres, says he’d be glad to keep volunteering for spot relief roles. The only difference is that he’d love his next future ones to be in the postseason, still admiring watching Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitch in relief in Game 7 of the World Series after starting Game 6. And it was in this same building at Chase Field 25 years ago that Hall of Famer Randy Johnson also achieved the feat, winning Game 6 against the New York Yankees, and then coming into relief and winning Game 7 for the D-backs first World Series title.

“This is my first one,’’ Alcantara said, “so hopefully they keep giving me the opportunity. If we make the playoffs, I would do it.

“I’m here to win.’’

The man certainly proved that, in front of the entire organization, that will be talked about for generations.

“I think he’ll always remember this night,’’ Gusto said. “It was pretty special. I know I definitely will.’’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sandy Alcántara's stunning heroics save Marlins season – for now

The Red Sox are basically locked into the fifth seed in the American League and, at this point, I can’t help but build out postseason rosters to fall asleep at night. Today, I wanted to look at the bullpen, where there are still quite a few decisions to be made. News comes in fast and furious on many of the names in question, which I’ve included below.

Assuming health, Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray, Payton Tolle, and Jake Bennett will be the four starting pitchers needed in the postseason. While teams often go with a 12-man pitching staff (and just three starters) for the initial three-game series, I’d hope that the team has loftier goals than that this year, so we are trying to find 13 arms (nine relievers) for the numerous five- and seven-game series that follow.

Note: I’m including Shutdowns vs. Meltdowns as “SD” and “MD” in the statline. Fangraphs’ explanation is here.

Tier 1: High Leverage

Aroldis Chapman: 52 G, 50 ⅔ IP, 3-4, 34 SV, 1.95 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 21.4% K-BB, 31 SD, 6 MD

A Capital-C Closer who has plenty of experience pitching in Yankee Stadium. Chapman is quickly becoming one of the great Red Sox relievers of all time, whose 2027 option has vested, meaning he’ll return to Boston at a very reasonable $13M. I enjoyed @RedSoxPayroll holding everybody accountable on Twitter about that fact. 

This is the fourth time this season in national baseball writer has indicated Aroldis Chapman will be a free agent after 2026.

His vested option at 40 innings has already hit, he just needs to pass a physical after the season and he's under contract with Boston for 2027.

Weird https://t.co/W4c2OuAPX3

— Red Sox Payroll (@redsoxpayroll) September 10, 2026

Garrett Whitlock: 51 G, 49 ⅔ IP, 7-1, 3 SV, 1.81 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 27.4% K-BB, 25 SD, 5 MD

Only five pitchers in MLB (min: 40 IP) have a better K-BB% than Whitlock’s 27.4%. Those pitchers are Mason Miller, Jacob Misiorowski, Jhoan Duran, Josh Hader, and Mason Montgomery. Four of those guys are elite closers, and one is cruising to a Cy Young Award. Whitlock would have no issue taking over the closer role in 2027, however unlikely that may be. 

Erik Miller: 53 G, 47 ⅓ IP, 4-0, 4 SV, 2.28 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 19.6% K-BB, 20 SD, 7 MD

(With Boston: 15 G, 14 ⅔ IP, 2-0, 1.23 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 27.4% K-BB, 9 SD, 1 MD)

Speaking of K-BB, Miller was 16.2% with San Francisco and is 27.4% with Boston (identical to Whitlock’s). Lefties are hitting .173 and slugging .247 against Miller in 2026. By the way, Marcelo Mayer has not yet made an appearance for the Giants as he continues to rehab his injuries. 

Tyron Guerrero: 38 G, 38 2/3 IP, 1-2, 3.26 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 18.2% K-BB, 17 SD, 6 MD

Guerrero was unable to stay in the league beyond 2019 due to a 13.6 career BB%, but has remarkably cut that to 4.4% this season. It’s easy to forget that Guerrero didn’t even make his Red Sox debut until May 22nd of this season. Quickly entering the high-leverage picture, Guerrero has thrown ten games this season on no rest and entered with runners on base eleven times. His current IL stint was likely more about giving him some rest and getting him ready for October than a true shoulder injury. 

Between the acquisition of Miller via trade and the emergence of the 35-year-old Guerrero, having four power arms like this at the back of the bullpen is essential for October success, with two throwing from the left side and two from the right side. 

Tier 2: Have a spot, if healthy

Garrett Crochet: 6 G, 30 IP, 3-3, 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 18.8% K-BB (as a starter)

Crochet threw a 30-pitch bullpen session across two simulated innings at Fenway Park on Tuesday. Chad Tracy said, “Everything went well. That was the most volume he’s had, so we’ll see over the next couple of days how he feels and go from there.”

The Woo Sox season ends this Sunday, so it feels unlikely that he’ll go on a minor league rehab assignment. Personally, I’d feel better about things if Crochet made one relief appearance against the Cubs in the final weekend of the season. Sure, he’s “done crazy things before” and “isn’t Joe Schmoe” but I’d rather avoid a return in the seventh inning on the road at Yankee Stadium in a playoff game, if at all possible. 

Justin Slaten

I had every intention of putting Slaten into this tier before the news in the past couple of days. Slaten has a “degenerative” arm issue in the flexor (forearm), which can’t be good news in the short or long term.

Tier 3: Something to Prove

With six relievers in the top two tiers, the Red Sox would have needed to choose three arms from the remaining tiers to make up a 13-man pitching staff. Without Slaten, they’ll need to choose four, most likely from this group of six.

Brayan Bello: 24 G (9 GS), 104 ⅓ IP, 6-7, 1 SV, 4.74 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 9.6% K-BB, 8 SD, 3 MD

Jovani Moran: 48 G, 64 IP, 2-3, 3.23 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 14.0% K-BB, 12 SD, 4 MD

Greg Weissert: 60 G, 56 IP, 3-2, 1 SV, 3.54 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 24.2% K-BB, 13 SD, 10 MD

Alec Gamboa: 18 G, 29 IP, 1-0, 1 SV, 1.24 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 10.6% K-BB, 2 SD, 0 MD

Wyatt Olds: 11 G, 13 ⅔ IP, 1-0, 1.32 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 22.4% K-BB, 0 SD, 1 MD

Tanner Houck: Last pitched May 12, 2025

Bello, Gamboa, Olds, and Moran all pitched on Tuesday night while trailing, which gives you a bit of an idea of what their “B” bullpen is right now. There will most likely be four pitchers from this group, and it will unquestionably be a difficult choice. The final 11 games will be a continued tryout for all of these pitchers. 

Bello’s overall numbers are shaky, but in 63 ⅔ innings as a reliever, he has a 1.98 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 15.1% K-BB. An absolutely remarkable juxtaposition. 

After three poor outings in August, I had Moran on the outside looking in. He was likely overworked and has rebounded in September with five consecutive scoreless outings, totaling 5 ⅔ innings. 

Weissert’s overall numbers are decent, but it’s the meltdowns that stick out, and he has ten of them. Other than Slaten (out of the year), no other reliever on the roster has more than six meltdowns. 

Gamboa has been a pleasant surprise. He has started two games as the Opener, ahead of Bello. In recent weeks, he’s moved up the chain in leverage, partially due to injuries in the ‘pen, and partially due to success. Gamboa has given up just one run in 11 outings since returning to the team on 8/12 (16 innings). With Chapman, Miller, and Crochet as likely “locks”, it may come down to Moran vs. Gamboa as the final lefty. 

Olds had a lot of trouble throwing strikes at every level of the minor leagues, usually sitting between six to seven walks per nine innings. He got to the Big Leagues and has slashed that to 3.3 walks per nine. The strikeouts have always been there, thanks to a unique arm angle and a 113 Stuff+ rating. 

Houck was shaky at the start of his rehab but has locked in since. He threw three innings on Friday, allowing one run, and then struck out the side in an inning of work on Tuesday night. 

Hello, Tanner Houck.

He strikes out the side in the 7th. Worked around a 1-out walk. 4 Whffs. Leaned on Splitter. Averaged 92.2 on the Sinker. 94 on 4SFB.

It was planned to be a shorter outing, with one in the 40-50 pitch range coming later in the week. pic.twitter.com/w5CDfZLfoo

— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) September 15, 2026

Like Crochet, it would be great to see Houck throw at Fenway during the final week of the season to shake off the cobwebs.

If I had to guess which four arms the Red Sox choose, I’ll say: Brayan Bello, Tanner Houck, Jovani Moran, and Alec Gamboa. You can make the case for, and against, any of them. 

Tier 4: Break Glass in Emergency

Patrick Sandoval: 12 G, 57 ⅔ IP, 1-6, 4.99 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, 12.4% K-BB

Tyler Samaniego: 20 G, 20 ⅓ IP, 0-3, 2.66 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 10.0% K-BB, 3 SD, 3 MD

Raymond Burgos: 6 G, 16 ⅓ IP, 0-0, 5.51 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 17.5% K-BB

Johan Oviedo: One appearance, out with an elbow injury since March 30th

Kutter Crawford: Last pitched Sept. 28, 2024

Oviedo and Crawford are on the 60-day IL, and the remaining three are the only other pitchers on the 40-man roster. Tommy Cassell reported yesterday that Oviedo and Crawford could pitch in Worcester this week, before the Triple-A season ends. It’s hard to imagine either of them leapfrogging the arms in the tier above. 

I’ve made the case for Samaniego in enough Minor Lines articles this year that I won’t do that again here, but I’m surprised we haven’t seen him up since June 2nd.

Raymond Burgos had my two favorite non-Tolle pitching moments this season. He threw three innings in relief on TWO consecutive days in early August when the bullpen needed a reset. Then, in his next appearance a week later in Pittsburgh, he pitched two innings in relief, sat through a 2-hour and 34-minute rain delay, and then threw two more innings to finish the game. Not all heroes wear capes. 

I wish Patrick Sandoval nothing but the best with a different franchise in 2027. 

Hello, friends.

What a weird series we just witnessed. I’m not sure that I’ve ever witnessed other team fans cheering so much for an Oriole and probably I never will again. The circumstances surrounding Pete Alonso and the Mets, and the fact that he came over to the Orioles afterwards, are not repeated just every year and the O’s aren’t likely to sign most of the players who are so beloved. I can’t imagine a fanbase-wide kind of warmth for a former Oriole. I don’t cheer in any way for a player on another team who used to play here when they are playing the Orioles. I don’t even clap for the “welcome back” video package.

Alonso homered again last night and the Mets fans were happy about it. I guess it helps that this season is a lost cause for them, so it’s not like it hampered their chances in any way. The Orioles finished off a sweep by taking a 7-1 victory on Wednesday. That’s the other weird thing. Or maybe it’s not so weird. Right after everybody gives up on the O’s, they go ahead and look like a competent baseball team for a few days, or maybe even several days.

It’s probably too late for it to matter, unless they just pretty much run the table, but as long as that possibility is alive, we might as well cling to it. Those slim hopes got a small boost yesterday, as on top of the Orioles winning their own game, Cleveland and Chicago flipped in the AL Central. That’s significant for the O’s because the Orioles have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the White Sox, which they do not against the Guardians. So, if the O’s do somehow run down the current wild card 3 team, they would have the edge in a tie.

There are also the Rangers and Blue Jays still to pass. That’s another reason why it’s so unlikely and why the Orioles probably have to run the table. Maybe they could spare a loss. Their last three series are Brewers, Jays, and Yankees. It’s a tough road. The Rangers are the only one of these teams to play today.

There were two bits of Orioles news yesterday. The team placed infielder Jackson Holliday on the 10-day injured list with left wrist inflammation. Since there’s not much season left, that means he’s probably done for the year, a disappointing end to a disappointing season. Posting a .921 OPS in July got people’s hopes up, but Holliday has sagged since, dropping a .495 OPS in August and .520 in September, tanking his season numbers.

Not much to do except hope this was connected to the wrist issue. That’s not a crazy thing to think, since players poorly play through injuries that should have them on the IL with some frequency. But it’s not guaranteed. The Orioles are really going to have to think hard about what Holliday will have to offer next year, and if that’s a roster space they need to improve. If he was a 2 WAR player, there’s something there, but this year he had a 0.2 bWAR.

Also announced yesterday was a diagnosis for injured pitcher Kyle Bradish. It’s a sports hernia for Bradish. Manager Craig Albernaz said they are exploring the next steps. Bradish’s season wrapped with a 4.12 ERA, or an exactly league average 100 ERA+. You may have had higher hopes. I certainly did. Hopefully next year is better for him as well, with Tommy John surgery farther in the rear view mirror.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Pete Alonso delivered. Too many Orioles hitters haven’t. (The Baltimore Sun)
This reaction to Tuesday’s big homer from Alonso is not wrong. Some guys just have not been carrying their share of the load.

Concerns for and about Samuel Basallo (Steve on Baseball)
Steve Melewski takes a look at Basallo, another Oriole who’s mightily slumping late in the season.

The very fun group of Orioles prospects going to the Arizona Fall League (Orioles On The Verge)
The prospect enthusiasts of the Orioles On The Verge podcast are enthused about the guys heading out to Arizona this year. It’s a more interesting group than some recent years.

Where should MLB add expansion teams? We asked the Orioles. (The Baltimore Banner)
Nashville? Charlotte? Honolulu? Let’s get weird.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Today in 1970, the Orioles clinched the American League East title. The O’s actually lost their game on this day, a 2-0 setback to Washington, but since the Yankees were beaten by the Red Sox, the Orioles clinched. They went on, as you know, to win the World Series.

In 1999, the Orioles team plane took off without Cal Ripken Jr. This incident was cited when GM Frank Wren was fired shortly after the season. In the O’s game that night, during the course of an 8-3 Orioles victory over the Twins, Jesse Orosco set a major league record with his 1,072nd appearance as a pitcher. Orosco finished with 1,252 games, still the recordholder. The active leader, Kenley Jansen, is in 19th place on the career list with 980 appearances.

There are a pair of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2025 reliever Kade Strowd, and 1979-81 infielder Wayne Krenchicki.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: Wild West outlaw Billy the Kid (1859), Marriott founder J. Willard Marriott (1900), author Ken Kesey (1935), baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda (1937), Hall of Fame basketball coach Phil Jackson (1945), Indian prime minister Narendra Modi (1950), Super Mario voice actor Charles Martinet (1955), and actress Danielle Brooks (1990).

On this day in history…

In 1630, the city of Boston was founded in what was then the Massachusetts Bay colony.

In 1787, the Constitution was signed at the end of a nearly four month long Constitutional Convention.

In 1862, the Union Army of the Potomac and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia clashed in the Battle of Antietam, with the Union driving off the invading army. The battle saw over 22,000 casualties, of which more than 3,500 were killed. This remains the single bloodiest day in the history of the United States military.

In 1908, nearly five years after its first flight, the Wright Flyer, being flown by Orville Wright, crashed. A passenger, Lt. Thomas Selfridge, was killed during the crash, making him the first ever fatality from an airplane.

In 1944, the Allied powers launched Operation Market Garden, a combined air-and-land invasion of the Netherlands meant to secure an invasion route into Germany. The 60-mile advance liberated much of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation; however, the main objective of securing a bridge over the Rhine was not accomplished with great losses suffered by the British paratroopers who were tasked with capturing and holding the bridge as relief never arrived.

In 1983, Vanessa Williams was named Miss America, the first Black winner of the pageant.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on September 17. Have a safe Thursday.

It was good to see the Phillies patient approach at the plate from August return, if only for a night. The team drew a season high 13 walks against the Nationals bullpen game. Unfortunately, you still have to drive those baserunners in somehow, as despite the platoon of baserunners, the Phillies only managed to score three runs thanks to a lackluster performance with runners in scoring position. They accomplished the first part of consistent offense in getting runners on base. They’re still working on the second part.

On to the links.

Phillies News:

• Kyle Schwarber and the Phillies know that nothing is guaranteed over these next two weeks. They will have to grind their way to a postseason spot. ($)
• If the Phillies are successful in earning that postseason spot, Andrew Painter’s role is still very much undecided. ($)
• Double-A prospect Bryan Rincon has impressed this season, and he’s carried it over into the postseason with Reading.

MLB News:

• The injury bug may have bitten Aaron Judge again so soon after his return, as the Yankees removed the star slugger in the sixth inning due to lower leg tightness.
• Blake Snell also exited yesterday’s game early, as he departed after just one inning due to groin tightness.
• This season may be over for these five teams, but how are their chances at a quick rebound in 2027?
• Whatever happened to the September pinch-runner? ($)
• Kazuma Okamoto may have been overshadowed by his fellow NPB-import rookie Munetaka Murakami for most of the season, but the Blue Jays infielder has unlocked himself and has started to pass the White Sox slugger. ($)

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (38-37/40-30)

SYRACUSE 5, LEHIGH VALLEY 4 (BOX)

Syracuse is continuing to keep their season alive as we come to the final few games of the season, with the season ending on September 20th. The win keeps them 1.5 games back of first place Rochester, who won their game as well.

Jefferson Rojas was far and away the star of the show. He homered for the second time in two games at the Triple-A level, providing serious firepower for the stretch run (and also, undoubtedly, putting himself on the 2027 map like Carson Benge and AJ Ewing before him). Rojas’s home run put them up 4-1 in the second, and they looked well on their way to a win. Jonathan Santucci, however, could not keep the lead safe, surrendering four runs (three earned), leaving the game tied at four in the sixth. Ryan Clifford, who struggled this year, had a feel good moment, homering to make it 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth. The Mets pen would hold that skinny lead, keeping their season alive.

• CF D’Andre Smith: 0-3, BB, 3 K
• 3B Jefferson Rojas: 3-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• SS Ronny Mauricio: 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, 2 K
• 2B Vidal Bruján: 0-3, BB, K
• 1B Eric Wagaman: 1-4, RBI, K
• DH Billy Amick: 0-4, 3 K
• LF Ryan Clifford: 1-4, R, HR, RBI, 2 K
• RF Jose Ramos: 1-3, R, 2 K, SB
• C Hayden Senger: 1-3, 3B
• LHP Jonathan Santucci: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
• RHP Kevin Herget: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, W (1-0), BS (1)
• LHP Cionel Pérez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, H (1)
• RHP Chayce McDermott: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, S (1)

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-42/34-34)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40/32-34)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (33-33/25-39)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

Rookie: FCL Mets (24-33)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Jefferson Rojas

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Billy Amick

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L, 6-9 vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp — at two games behind league-leading Indianapolis with four to play and Rochester also ahead, the RailRiders’ season is almost officially over (doesn’t help that they lost Oswaldo Cabrera to DFA limbo; alas)

CF Jarred Kelenic 1-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, 2 K — game-tying two-run blast in the fifth; Jacksonville quickly untied it and didn’t look back
RF Jasson Domínguez 3-3, HR, BB, 2 RBI, HBP, throwing error — a perfect effort from Jasson at the plate (including a 430-foot tank), but no cigar
DH J.C. Escarra 2-5, K
2B Marco Luciano 2-4, 2 RBI, K, SF
SS Max Schuemann 0-3, BB, K, GIDP, HBP — back-breaking double play ball in the ninth when he batted as the tying run with none out
3B Tyler Hardman 1-5, K, GIDP — flew out to end it
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-4, 2 K
LF Kenedy Corona 2-3, 2B, BB
C Abrahan Gutierrez 1-4, GIDP, catcher interference error

Brendan Beck 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 5 K — has really had a nice year at Triple-A but not a good day yesterday
Danny Watson 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Carlos Lagrange 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K — pretty good return from the IL, clipped below! topped 100 mph four times and also tried his slider, sweeper, changeup, and sinker in 19-pitch outing; probably too late to be trusted in the Yankees bullpen but you never know
Eli Morgan 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K (loss) — ack
Justin Topa 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 0 K — ack x2
Eric Reyzelman 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Double-A Somerset Patriots: Season over

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Season over

Low-A Tampa Tarpons: L, 0-1 vs. Jupiter Hammerheads — Tampa loses a heartbreaker in the do-or-die Game 3 of the Florida State League Championship Series; weather played in a role, and there was even a delay between innings with the game scoreless in the ninth … it was the third rain delay of the night

SS Dax Kilby 1-4, K — his year’s not over! check him out in the Arizona Fall League soon
CF Yostin Pena 0-3, K, 2 SB, HBP
RF Wilberson De Pena 1-3, BB, K — single in the sixth was only Tampa’s third hit (and final of the season)
3B Anthony Potestio 0-4, 4 K — tough way to end the season
1B Tyce Armstrong 0-3, 2 K, HBP
C Luis Puello 1-4, 2 K, passed ball
LF Diego Castellanos 0-4, 2 K
DH Luke Pettitte 0-2, BB, K — was Tampa’s last batter of the season as Hammerheads struck out side in the ninth, pre-rain delay
2B Luis Escudero 0-3, 2 K

J.T. Etheridge 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, WP — nails tough while keeping it scoreless; he’ll join Kilby in the AFL
Jose Ledesma 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, HBP
Rafael Arias 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB (1 IBB), 1 K — went from hopping around the mound with one foot to walking off in just a couple minute when Jake McCutcheon ending it on a double to left-center

Florida Complex League Yankees: Season over

Dominican Summer League Yankees: Season over

Dominican Summer League Bombers: Season over

The Detroit Tigers’ six-game winning streak came to an unceremonious end on Wednesday afternoon with a 5-1 loss to Max Scherzer and the Toronto Blue Jays. For the third straight time, Keider Montero only lasted four innings, but truly it was the lack of offense and some poor defense that led to the defeat.

The Motor City Kitties now move on to Chicago, where they will take on the White Sox in a four-game series this weekend starting on Thursday. Left-hander Framber Valdez will get the start in the opener looking to continue his streak of 13 innings without allowing an earned run this month.

The 32-year-old faced the ChiSox once before this season back on May 30, when he surrendered four runs on six hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out four and uncorking a wild pitch over 6 2/3 innings to earn his second loss of the season.

For Chicago, right-hander Erick Fedde will face the Tigers for the third time in his 15th start this season. Over the 33-year-old’s 8 2/3 innings of work against the Olde English D so far, he has four runs on eight hits (one home run) and four walks while striking out seven, earning a loss in the process.

Here is how the two hurlers match up for the series opener at Rate Field starting on Thursday night.

Detroit Tigers (72-78) vs. Chicago White Sox (77-75)

Time (ET): 7:40 p.m.
Place: Rate Field, Chicago, Illinois
SB Nation Site:South Side Sox
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 153: LHP Framber Valdez (10-10, 4.01 ERA) vs. RHP Erick Fedde (8-9, 3.97 ERA)

Player	G	IP	K%	BB%	GB%	FIP	fWAR
Valdez	29	163.2	17.0	8.4	54.8	4.17	1.8
Fedde	31	133.2	15.9	8.4	38.3	5.12	-0.2

VALDEZ

FEDDE

When I trained to become a lifeguard, one of the first lessons we learned was that a drowning swimmer is very dangerous. In their desperate flailing, they can accidentally take potential rescuers or nearby swimmers down with them.

That might explain what happened in St. Louis Wednesday afternoon, when the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals in 10 innings, putting the Cards on the brink of being eliminated from the playoffs. Just like the Giants.

Drew Gilbert delivered a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning and the Giants held on for a 6-5 win, taking a road series for the first time in three months.

DREW GILBERT. CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/RwhqzgE5G7

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 16, 2026

The Cardinals were already on the fringes of the wild-card race before losing to the Giants in five of their six games this month. They’ve fallen to 75-78 and their tragic number is down to two.

Gilbert spoiled a nice comeback by the Cardinals, who rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 9th off Dylan Smith. Leo Bernal delivered a game-tying single with his team down to their last strike, but at that point, the Cardinals had been sucked into the Giants’ whirlpool, like a lifeboat that stayed too close to the Titanic.

Anthony Molina bounced back from his worst outing of the season with his best, going 5.2 shutout innings and striking out two. He gave up only two hits, both of them to center fielder Nathan Church, who may now be his archnemesis. He left with a 1-0 lead which stretched to 3-0 in the 7th, when a Jonah Cox RBI single and a Jordan Walker era got the Giants two runs.

Jonah Cox helps extend the Giants' lead 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZQoPm3wJSR

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 16, 2026

Cox went 3-for-4 and moved to second base from center in the bottom of the 10th, which only featured fly balls to the outfield. He individually manufactured the Giants’s first run of the game by singling and stealing two bases before scoring on a weird double play where Cox raced home and beat the tag on Bryce Eldridge at second base.

We'll take it 😅 pic.twitter.com/JcJ9wQJ8Av

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 16, 2026

Andrew Knizner went 3-for-4 and was hit by a pitch — clearly the Cardinals are afraid of him. Shay Whitcomb went 2-for-5 and scored a run, bringing his average ever so close to the Mendoza line.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Giants game in 2026 without some very silly, costly baseball. The Cards got back in the game thanks to two rough defensive plays. Carson Seymour would have been out of the 7th unscathed if he’d managed to catch a simple toss from Eldridge as he covered first. Then Christian Koss kept the inning alive by air mailing the throw to first on a routine ground ball. To top it all off, Trent Harris relieved Seymour and let in another run when his first pitch was a wild one.

The managers each threw a bone to box score enthusiasts in the 10th, when a pinch-runner and a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the 9th led to four defensive changes for the Cardinals in the top of the 10th, including the DH coming in to catch. Not to be outdone, Tony Vitello made five separate defensive changes in the bottom of the inning, a true treat to anyone inexplicably scoring at home.

The Giants are still sinking, but they’ve lifted their heads closer to the surface thanks to climbing over the Cards. The dream of 70 wins is still alive. Watch out, Dodgers.

WASHINGTON — There are 12 former All-Stars and at least two future Hall of Famers occupying the Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse on a given day. This collection of well-paid, salty, accomplished stars will command most of the attention as the Phillies attempt, for the fifth consecutive year, to bring a World Series title home to Philly.

Then there is Jonathan Bowlan, an easygoing dude from Memphis, quiet and forthright, making his way through his first full season in the big leagues. Bowlan might not realize it yet, but he may have more to do with whether the Phillies raise a trophy in October than any of the superstars.

Bowlan, 26, has emerged as the Phillies’ primary set-up man, aiming, along with 25-year-old Orion Kerkering, to form a bridge between the club’s quartet of ace starting pitchers and their dominant closer, Jhoan Duran.

It is thankless work, and the sixth through 10th innings are exactly where the Phillies’ prior championship quests have gone awry. Lately, they’ve been trouble spots as the club staggers down the stretch to finalize a National League wild-card berth.

Bowlan has given up a run in five consecutive appearances entering Wednesday, Sept. 16, including late-game homers in three of those; Kerkering gave up runs in four of his last five games, including multiple-run outings in Phillies losses.

“Those innings,” says interim manager Don Mattingly, “are always the stressful innings.

“And you'd like to be able to lock down that end of the game when you get a lead or you're in a close game.”

Mattingly was speaking after Bowlan gave up a first-pitch, three-run, pinch-hit homer to Daylen Lile in the seventh inning of a 6-3 loss to Washington, the latest setback that imperiled the club’s wild-card standing. Oh, the team’s still on fairly firm ground, with a 95% chance to reach the playoffs, according to FanGraphs.

It’s just that the Phillies keep slipping down the pecking order and, with a rough combo of a flailing lineup and slumping bullpen, inspiring little confidence in their postseason chances.

For Bowlan, learning to cope has come before having to face the bright lights of the postseason. He’s found that in reflecting on failure, there’s a fine line between quickly moving on and interrogating what went wrong.

“There’s definitely times I lose some sleep at night, for sure,” Bowlan tells USA TODAY Sports. “But as soon as you wake up the next morning, it’s a new day. It’s a blessing. God woke me up to continue on. And you can’t live in the past. Because you can learn from your experiences, for sure. And that’s what I continue to try and do.

“It’s taken some time to learn that, about the short memory. But I’ve gotten to the point where, ‘Yeah, you can think about it a little bit.’ And there’s times where it was a tough thing to happen in that situation.

“But you live and you learn. All you can do is just keep chugging along. Keep moving.”

Red-faced October

That ethos certainly applies to the Phillies, who won’t glean any sympathy from rival fanbases, given their four-year run of success powered by an aggressive ownership group bent on winning their first World Series since 2008.

Yet every bite at the apple ends rottenly for all but one team every year. And October's late innings have been a long-running soap opera in Philly.

In 2022, it was Jose Alvarado, relieving ace Zack Wheeler in the sixth inning of World Series Game 6, the Phillies leading 1-0, only to give up a left-on-left three-run blast to Yordan Alvarez, enabling the Houston Astros to nail down the championship.

A year later, it was the rookie Kerkering – with just eight major league appearances under his belt – summoned to protect a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning of NLCS Game 3, the Phillies nine outs from seizing a 3-0 lead on the ostensibly overmatched Arizona Diamondbacks.

Instead, Kerkering gave up three consecutive hits, including Lourdes Gurriel’s RBI double, to tie the game and set the stage for closer Craig Kimbrel yielding a walk-off hit, one of Kimbrel’s many failings in that series. The Diamondbacks won in seven games.

In 2024, the goats were numerous – from Alvarado to Carlos Estevez to Jeff Hoffman, who yielded six earned runs and recorded four outs across three games – as the Mets pulled off a stunning NLDS upset.

And last year, it was Kerkering, aiming to keep the Phillies alive in the 11th inning of NLDS Game 4 at Los Angeles, but infamously fielding Andy Pages' two-out ground ball and throwing home instead of taking an easy out at first.

He was left to face the music.

Now, Kerkering realizes that staying true to himself is just as important in the aftermath as breaking down pitches that backfired or physical errors. And even his recent struggles have provided teachable moments.

“You look at some of those struggles you’ve gone through the last couple years and just try to learn a lot more,” says Kerkering, “since I came up through the system so fast and wasn’t able to really go through those downs. I think going through them now a little bit has been super-helpful. You’ll go on some great runs and some not-so-fun runs. But that’s what baseball is. It’s a game of failure.

“You just try to make sure you get back on who you’re supposed to be as a person.”

A 'whoa' moment

Bowlan’s recent struggles have overshadowed his excellent work most of this season. He’s blown five saves but also has a 1.04 WHIP and struck out 71 in 55 innings.

It’s been a startling rise for Bowlan, who admitted he was a bit stunned – “Kind of a whoa moment,” he says – when the Phillies acquired him over the winter for longtime lefty reliever Matt Strahm. The Phillies’ suggestion he lean more heavily on his four-seam fastball – its usage has risen from 33.6% to 48% - has paid significant dividends.

That will be his best friend come the postseason, waters he’s looking forward to navigating.

“I’ve heard that being in the playoffs is one of the best experiences you can have in this game,” says Bowlan. “Being in that situation, from what I’ve learned, you’ve got to just slow things down. You can’t let things overwhelm you. These guys have been through it. They’ve been through big situations.

“I’m just trying to learn from them to the best of my ability.”

Both Bowlan and Kerkering are operating a rung higher than the Phillies anticipated this season. They signed right-hander Brad Keller to a two-year, $22 million deal over the winter after his stellar 2025 with the Chicago Cubs. But Keller struggled into June, missed a month with forearm tendinitis and then tore the UCL in his throwing elbow in July.

Veteran lefties Alvarado, Brooks Raley and Tim Mayza balance out the bullpen, but aren't necessarily built for one-inning, high-leverage situations.

That's just one reason why Bowlan and Kerkering will be front and center this postseason.

Kerkering is now in his third full major league season, yet maintains he’s “still the pup” on a club with 10-year vets like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Zack Wheeler. He has been through the postseason fire, for better or worse, and knows what he’ll tell Bowlan before his October indoctrination.

“Think of it like you’re playing the Dodgers, you’re playing the Braves’ series – (multiply) that by five,” says Kerkering. “The intensity, how much people care, how much louder and the passion.

“But you still have to make your pitches. It’s a big moment for the pitcher, a big moment for the hitters. It doesn't matter how long they’ve been there. You’re battling each other out and there’s very few teams left.

“You’re highlighted, basically.”

And the spotlight is about to get a lot brighter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Phillies can't live in fear of another playoff bullpen debacle

Look, the Yankees are probably cooked in the AL East at this point. They had their opportunities, but the Rays have opened up a 4.5-game AL East lead with 10 games left for the Bombers, and they would need to sweep the four-game set coming up next week—one that features a doubleheader Tuesday—to even have a remote chance since that would give them the tiebreaker over Tampa Bay.

The odds are the odds at this point: a 5.9-percent chance per FanGraphs to win the AL East. Old friend Brandon McCarthy was more likely to get a hit in a given at-bat (.062 career batting average) than the Yankees are to pull this off. Bartolo Colon’s .084 average would be a dream in comparison. Hits did occasionallyhappen for McCarthy! But it ain’t lookin’ pretty for the 2026 Yanks.

So the Rays are almost certainly winning the division and the Yankees and Red Sox will almost certainly duke it out again in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. Great. Fabulous. The rest of the AL is a damn mess:

Yuck! The skinny on the teams still competing for division titles:

• The White Sox were once actually coasting a bit to that AL Central crown and even a first-round bye, but they’ve really begun to run out of steam.
• The Guardians are now just barely in front of Chicago for both of those, but if it ends in a tie, then the White Sox have the tiebreaker, so how comfortable can Cleveland really feel?
• The AL West is even more garbage, with the Rangers’ win and Astros’ loss last night bringing them even at .500 on the dot, in first place. I would say that I cannot believe how much the Mariners beefed this, but, well, they have a history. So does the division itself! All these AL West teams have negative run differentials, by the way.
• Back to the matter at hand, the Astros have the tiebreaker between those two, but with Yordan Alvarez looking hobbled … I don’t know.

Shooting from the hip, I trust Cleveland to eke out their third consecutive division title. They have a roster more accustomed to the chase this time of year and the White Sox have been surviving on some magic beans for much of the season anyway. This is not to imply that the Guardians are actually good, mind you; it was just always going to be a tough sell for the Pale Hose to go from 121 losses in 2024 and 102 last year to not only a winning record this year, but a division title as well. It could still happen, sure! I’d think it was more interesting. But my brain says Cleveland.

As for the AL West? Hooboy. Give me the Rangers, whatever. They’re oh-so-quietly getting healthier and Houston’s dropped seven of ten, including a clunker last night to the crappy Royals. Although the Astros get to end the season with four games against the awful A’s, I think Texas will take advantage of a not-so-tough slate of their own. Corey Seager has an OPS over .900 in his past month of play. He would love nothing more than to pants Houston again.

I know the Wild Card is its own mess that could allow for one of the two division contenders that loses out to sneak into October anyway if Toronto and Baltimore can’t heat up. But let’s focus on those two bye contenders. Which teams win the divisions? Who makes it to the ALCS? Sadly, one of them will, while two of the Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox will be stuck at home. Them’s the breaks.

---

Today on the site, Scott will discuss the RailRiders’ last-ditch effort this week to make the International League playoffs, Matt will run through the Rivalry Roundup, Jonathan will celebrate the 109th birthday of a wartime Yankee who had a film career as well, and John will muse on Giancarlo Stanton’s speed. (Yes, really! It’s a fun piece, I promise.) Later, Peter will break down an excellent strikeout from Max Fried for his Sequence of the Week.

Today’s Matchup:

Offday

Toledo Mud Hens 3, Louisville Bats 1 (box)

Left-hander Jackson Wolf continued his excellent run since coming over from the Padres in the Casey Mize trade, while Jace Jung provided the offense on Wednesday.

Wolf located his fourseam and sinker well in this one, and dropped in plenty of good curveballs to baffle the Bats. He scattered five hits and two walks, pitching into the sixth with five strikeouts on the day. His outings tend to feature a fair amount of traffic, but very little damage.

He holds an ERA under 2.00 since coming over, and hasn’t allowed a single home run. It’s only 27.2 innings, but it’s also notable that Wolf’s strikeout rate has spiked from 21.2 percent in the Padres system, to 31.8 percent in Toledo. I don’t really see any outstanding differences in his stuff, but the Padres are pretty poor at developing pitchers so hopefully the Tigers are helping him improving his approach, pitch mix, and location. With pitching depth always a key concern, it feels like the Tigers have a pretty nice sixth starter who can also pitch in as a lefty in relief if Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter, or Drew Sommers need backup in 2027.

The Hens didn’t have much going on offensively in this one, but in the bottom of the third, Andrew Navigato drew a one-out walk. Trei Cruz ripped a single to center field, and Jung launched his 21st home run of the season to right field.

Jace Jung launches a 3-run homer to right to put the Mud Hens on top. pic.twitter.com/M9unJIKz1H

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) September 16, 2026

That blow made it 3-0. Wolf gave up a run in the fifth, but came back out to collect two outs in the sixth before giving way to the pen.

Nick Sandlin and Jack Little got the Hens through the eighth. Tanner Rainey walked a batter but closed it out for his fifth save.

Our friends at Tigers Minor League Report voted Max Anderson their minor league player of the year this week. He posted a single and a double in this one. No doubt it’s been a frustrating year for him, as he improved his swing decisions as needed but never got the call to the big leagues. He should get his opportunities in 2027.

Our thanks to the PR staffs of @DetroitTigersPR and @MudHens for allowing us to present our Player of the Year award to Max Anderson. pic.twitter.com/jZpNzr8Z2Q

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) September 16, 2026

Max Anderson belts a double high off the wall in right, missing a homer by a few feet. But it goes as 23rd double and 40th extra-base hit with Toledo. pic.twitter.com/1Stux4YVzW

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) September 16, 2026

Anderson: 2-4, 2B

Jung: 1-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, K

Wolf (W, 4-1): 5.2 IP, ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Yahoo Sports: As you likely know by now, Aaron Judge exited yesterday’s game early when Heliot Ramos pinch-hit for him in the sixth. The Yankees announced it midgame as “lower leg tightness.” It’s some relief I suppose that Judge didn’t re-aggravate the rib fracture that kept him out for over three months, and Judge himself downplayed the seriousness of the ailment after the game.

“We’re still trying to ramp up so there’s still going to be little things like this that come up,” Judge said after the Yankees 13-inning loss to the Twins. “I just thought it would be best instead of pushing through it like I normally do.” Judge seemed to view his exit from the game as precautionary, and likened it to the type of thing that would happen in spring training when small, nagging things pop up as players get back into playing shape.

MLB.com | Patrick Donnelly: Clarke Schmidt came off the 60-day injured list yesterday, something we saw coming; he allowed two hits but got two strikeouts while facing four batters in his first MLB action since July 3, 2025. What we didn’t see coming was who was pushed off the roster to make room for Schmidt: fan favorite Oswaldo Cabrera. The utilityman Cabrera had spent most of the year at Triple-A, hitting .288 with 19 homers and a .790 OPS, but hasn’t spent much time with the big club ever since suffering a brutal ankle injury in a play at home plate last May. Cabrera seems likely to be claimed on waivers, meaning his time in the Bronx is likely to come to an end after being a member of the organization since signing at age-16 in July 2015.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) Spencer Jones has been a bit of a revelation for the Yankees this year, producing at a high level across the outfield throughout the summer. He’s benefited from shadowing another big lefty swinger in the outfield: Cody Bellinger. Bellinger is only 31, but has a very long and decorated track record for a player his age, something Jones has tried to tap into during his time with the Yankees. “As a young guy, I can’t help but watch every time he’s up there,” Jones said of Bellinger. “When we are in the dugout,” Jones said, “he’s one of those people I can go up to and ask, like, ‘Yo, what did you see?’ He’ll tell me bluntly what he saw, how he saw it, and essentially what he’s going to do next time.”

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Ryan Weathers cleared a key hurdle in his rehab earlier this week, tossing 15 pitches in a bullpen session and sitting 87-90 mph on his fastball. The hope, if things go right, is for the lefty to get into game action before the regular season ends. It’s a tight timeline, but with Weathers set to throw another bullpen on Friday before perhaps facing live hitters early next week, it’s doable. The Yankees could certainly use his arm in the bullpen as they try to sort out what their playoff relief corps will look like.

FanGraphs | Davy Andrews: This here isn’t news, but it is fun. Andrews discusses the Amazon TV show Reacher, in which the titular character tries to maintain a low profile by checking into hotels under aliases, which are always Yankees second basemen. The problem, of course, is that Reacher’s cover is often blown, because Yankee second basemen are frequently famous people with recognizable names (don’t choose “Starlin Castro” as your alias if you’re trying not to attract attention!). So, Andrews endeavors to help Reacher by finding players who played second base for the Yankees who would help Reacher stay undercover. Good aliases include second basemen from New York’s Higlander days, like Joe Ward, and Otis Johnson. The worst possible aliases Andrews found? Robinson Canó and Mickey Mantle.

Mike Krukow reflects on narrating MVP Baseball video game with Duane Kuiper originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants have struggled in 2026 and are out of the postseason chase for the fifth consecutive MLB season. Looking ahead to next season, the team is eager to bounce back and bring glory back to the diamond in San Francisco. But when the Giants take the field in 2027, longtime broadcaster Mike Krukow will not be a part of the journey after announcing that he will retire from the role at the end of this year.

And now that his retirement is official, Krukow has taken time to reflect on his storied broadcasting career — with multiple prestigious opportunities coming along the way. Sitting down with NBC Sports Bay Area Giants insider Alex Pavlovic, Krukow talked about the time he and Duane Kuiper provided commentary for the “MVP Baseball” video game series.

“We were really proud of that,” Krukow told Pavlovic. “It was a good project and we were involved with a bunch of engineers that put this thing together that really had a real passion for this project, and we had fun when we did it. And I found out what your voice is capable of because they give you a phonebook worth of dialogue that you had to talk about.

“A little tougher for Kuip because every time there was a line, it had to be inclusive of all the 600 players in the game. But you had about four hours of voice, and then you were done. That was it; you couldn’t go anymore. But they were so creative. We had one project where they gave us a game on TV, and it was like a video game with no sound. And the whole concept was just do the game, they set up the situation, talk about the game like you would talk about it. Talk about the elements of the weather, I mean, whatever. Talk about it like it’s a regular game.”

Doing commentary for the game required Kruk and Kuip to really channel their love for baseball, but the project gave the two a chance to add their own flair and give a whole new set of fans the chance to truly understand how the pair called games.

“It took us about 40 minutes to do nine innings,” Krukow told Pavlovic. “And it was really fun. But there were a lot of things that they did that were cutting edge. We would have chalk talks, and they would say ‘okay, what can we bring into this?’ And we would talk ball, we would talk ball for hours, and the next time we would gather, which would be in about a week or so, we’d come back and all these things we talked about were in the game.”

Krukow and Kuiper provided commentary for all three MVP Baseball titles stemming from 2003-05. While EA Sports stopped making the series ahead of the 2006 MLB season in favor of the MLB 2K franchise, the game left a lasting impact on Krukow’s legacy, cementing his status as one of baseball’s best announcers.

Krukow, who has been a Giants broadcaster for 36 years, has dealt with health related issues in recent seasons– most notably inclusion body myositis that has caused him to use a wheelchair. And while the disease has forced him to cut back both on his travel schedule and overall workload, he has continued to capture the hearts of many and provide moments that will live forever on in Giants history.

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I’m fairly convinced that baseball fans are a special breed. There aren’t that many sports fans that can watch their team lose in heartbreaking fashion and then show up less than 24 hours later to support the team. It’s just too bad those special fans weren’t rewarded with a better result or better play. Instead, they were treated to another tense, frustrating affair that ended with another one-run loss against a team that is functionally playing out the string of the season.

Merrill Kelly took the bump looking to bounce back from a shortened outing against the Rangers. Unfortunately, he looked like he needed another hour to warm up as the first two innings were a real slog. The first two runners of the game reached before he struckout the side in the first and he loaded the bases in the second inning on a double and a pair of walks. Heriberto Hernandez then grounded a ball sharply down the third base line that Nolan Arenado reached and then made a heroic attempt to throw Hernandez out that took Pavin Smith off the bag and allowed two runs to score. There’s certainly an argument to be made that Arenado could have held the ball, but there’s no other fielder I trust to make that judgement than Arenado who has been a revelation this season in the desert. The Marlins would tack on two more runs in the third when Jakob Marsee, who had an excellent series, launched a two-run shot into the right field bleachers to extend the Miami lead. Kelly would last into the fifth inning and collected a season-high nine strikeouts, but another short outing from their starting pitcher was one of the last things the team needed. Thankfully, the Arizona bullpen continues to shine with 4.1 scoreless innings from Ryne Nelson, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Dennis Santana to keep the team within striking distance.

Meanwhile, the Arizona offense continues to sputter. Yes, they scored three runs, but they were all solo home runs as the struggles with runners in scoring position. Tonight they were an inexcusable 0-for-6 in such situations and even when they loaded the bases with less than two outs in the home half of the first, Corbin Carroll couldn’t find a way to get the ball in play to even give the team the chance to score the runner from third. The team was particularly dependent on the home run ball in the series, scoring all but two of their 13 runs via the long ball. That’s not how the team is particularly constructed and it helps to explain why the offense was so mediocre.

It’s easy to point to the final play of the game with Jordan Lawlar’s unsuccessful attempted steal of second base as the reason the D-Backs lost this game, but there’s plenty of blame to go around for this loss. Kelly looked shaky early on and struggled to put hitters away at times which shortened his start, the top half of the lineup besides Moreno went a combined 2-for-15 with a couple walks, and the team failed to get a single hit with runners in scoring position. That last point is worth emphasizing again as it also includes an at-bat with a runner at third with less than two outs that wasn’t cashed in either. Yes, it’s frustrating that the attempted steal “took the bat out of Marte’s hands,” and it’s possible Lawlar scores from first on an extra-base hit anyway, but having a runner in scoring position is always preferable. And it took a near-perfect throw and tag from a rookie catcher in order to nab Lawlar. I’d prefer the team stick to its identity and roll the dice on something like that than rely on a home run or a double that could theoretically score Lawlar all the way from first base.

This was a particularly frustrating series to watch. It was against a team that has little more than pride left to play for on the road versus a team very much in the postseason hunt. And yet, the starting pitching for the D-Backs struggled to a 5.66 ERA and covered just 14.1 innings, forcing the bullpen to cover that much more of the game. Meanwhile, the offense scored just 13 runs, nearly all of them coming via home run as they went a pathetic 6-for-31 with runners in scoring position for the series. As a result, the team finds themselves going into their off day 3.5 games back of the Padres for the final Wild Card spot with just nine games to go. If they fail to make the playoffs, going 1-5 against a mediocre Marlins team on the season will be just one of many reasons. We can only hope that they have better things to think about instead.