For the second straight season, the Chicago Cubs are going to the playoffs.
Chicago locked up a spot in the National League field with a 2-1 over the Miami Marlins on Thursday, Sept. 24, locking up a National League wild card spot after fumbling clinching opportunities by losing the first two games of the series.
Chicago's calling card all year was the lineup. The pitching staff was something the Cubs had to survive. The Cubs led the majors in runs scored, powered by an MVP-caliber season from center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. He paired 40-plus home runs and speed on the bases with elite defense, and by Seiya Suzuki's steady production in the middle of the order. Alex Bregman gave the lineup another middle-of-the-order threat, but that was before he suffered multiple facial fractures after being hit in the face with a foul ball.
The pitching staff was the bigger question mark, and the front office spent the summer trying to answer it. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and general manager Carter Hawkins added Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes at the trade deadline to bolster a rotation and bullpen that had leaked home runs but in Holmes' case, that plan had blown up in September after a hot start. Manager Craig Counsell spent the stretch run mixing and matching to cover for it, leaning on the lineup to outscore Chicago's mistakes.
Chicago's last trip to October ended at Milwaukee's hands, a five-game NL Division Series loss to the Brewers last season, and that series hangs over this Cubs team every time the two clubs meet.
What's next for the Cubs?
Because Chicago finished as a wild card team rather than a division winner, it opens the postseason in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. It could potentially host that series if it finishes as the top wild card team.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 16: Clarke Schmidt #36 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game between the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Michael Turner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Injuries continue to plague the Yankees as they head into the final few games of the regular season, and this time the bullpen takes a hit.
The Yankees announced that reliever Clarke Schmidt was sent to the 15-day injured list with bicep neuritis, which means he will likely be left out of the postseason roster and unavailable for the upcoming Wild Card Series. They called up righty reliever Bradley Hanner from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take his place for the time being.
This situation puts the bullpen in a tighter spot and raises more questions about who will be shuffled around to take on a relief role in the postseason. Will Warren is expected to be a healthy weapon who can make an impact, and Carlos Rodón has a lot of potential if he doesn’t end up in a starting role, so the outlook isn’t as bad as it seems. Ryan Weathers is still up in the air as an option; it would’ve been nice to see him get some reps before the postseason officially begins.
After recovering from Tommy John surgery that kept him on the IL for most of the regular season, Schmidt made his return against the Twins, striking out two batters and allowing two hits. He was initially poised to make his second appearance on Sunday against the Diamondbacks, but halted his warmup from the bullpen due to bicep soreness. It seems that his injury is lingering longer than both Schmidt and the Yankees anticipated.
The Yankees postseason begins next week with the Wild Card Series, and hopefully, despite missing Schmidt, the bullpen will provide enough assurance to shut down Boston.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: The hot dog race in the fourth inning of game two of a double header between the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s finally over. The chance of the Orioles reaching the postseason for the 2026 campaign is officially zero. They were done in not through any last failure of their own that occurred today, instead getting eliminated on an off day because their miracle path involved the White Sox losing their final four games against the Royals and then Rockies.
The Chicago club put that to bed on Thursday, blowing out the Royals in Kansas City to win their 82nd game. The Orioles cannot possibly win 82. That’s it. The party ended when some guy named John Rave grounded out, second base to the pitcher covering first. The White Sox are guaranteed at least a wild card spot. They might even win the Central division. That’s to be settled over the season’s final weekend.
There is no way to view this season as anything other than a disappointment. After the team flopped to a 75-87 record last season, largely resulting from a horrible April and May that got then-manager Brandon Hyde fired, we got a lot of noise from Mike Elias on down about how it would be different this year. The players who did not live up to expectations last year would be stronger for the adversity, they were going to do everything in their power to assess what went wrong and what they can do to fix it, and other such platitudes.
The front office did try to fix one of last year’s weaknesses – the lack of home run power – by trading for Taylor Ward and eventually signing Pete Alonso to a big contract. Alonso delivered many dingers here. Ward did not. They tried to stabilize the rotation in a way that wasn’t done last year with one-year signings of Zach Eflin and Chris Bassitt. Eflin went down with a torn elbow ligament in the middle of his first start. Bassitt was not very good, got back surgery, came back, and was fine enough.
Still, we did not get a lot of evidence as the season went along that much had been done to fix some of the other issues. The core players who were supposed to be fueling the multi-year period of great Orioles baseball spent substantial parts of the season riding the struggle bus. Elias’s big trade for Shane Baz brought back a pitcher who has been exactly league average; he gave up at least one prospect who seems like a huge loss and others who may yet hurt. A bullpen that was only lightly reinforced went through difficult patches as guys who are unproven tried to go from that to “proven to be good” rather than “proven to be bad.”
All of this built up to the developments ahead of the trade deadline, when a variety of players, some we were invested in more than others, were moved at a time when it seemed clear the team was not going to be in the race. Indeed, two of the trades they made, Ward to the Mariners and Dean Kremer to the Twins, reinforced teams against whom, at that point, the Orioles were notionally competing in the wild card race. As things have turned out, the Orioles will finish ahead of those teams.
There was, of course, the ultimate indignity of a recognizable Orioles star being traded to the Red Sox. Adley Rutschman getting dealt to Boston still hurts. More than one of the players who came back in that trade went on to make a nice first impression in the organization, but still: It’s the Red Sox, and the Orioles gave up on a season where they weren’t that far out of the picture by sending a player who was the face of the rebuild off when he still had this year and next year left with team control.
Despite all of the season’s problems, and despite that trade deadline decision seeming like the front office was giving up on the season, the Orioles played their way through August to finish the month in a wild card position. Colton Cowser’s walkoff home run robbery in Colorado did it. They finally reached .500 again and with a good September, they could sneak in to the playoffs.
Instead, the Orioles lost the next six games, including four in a row at home to those same Red Sox. That made the eventual elimination start to feel inevitable; later being swept by the Brewers at home made it extra inevitable. They kept their chances alive a lot longer than I expected in April, in July, or even on Labor Day. At last, it’s over. Maybe next year.
Good things happened this year! Pete Alonso will finish with no fewer than 41 home runs and 110 RBI in the first year of his five-year contract. He should win a Gold Glove. That signing has gone better than anybody could have imagined, and after seeing it in action, all of the stuff about Alonso being a great person and a good leader does seem to actually have something to it.
Alonso’s season combined with the unexpected rotation emergence of Brandon Young is probably what kept this Orioles campaign from being a truly irredeemable slog. You can certainly find other fun stories, like Blaze Alexander blossoming into an intriguingly good player, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand coming off the reclamation project scrap heap to look like he deserves to be a part of next year’s Opening Day roster picture.
It sure was a slog at times. Inexplicably bad defense, weird lineup decisions, bizarre pinch hitting decisions, reliever choices that seemed to be based more on hope than on reality, all of these things contributed to a variety of stupid losses for the season. New manager Craig Albernaz threw players under the bus in postgame pressers on more than one occasion. For long parts of the season, the vibes around this team were not far off from the 100+ loss disasters of the early Elias years. In the end, they will lose no more than 84.
That’s not good. It’s not terrible either. Fix the defense and shore up a few spots on the roster in the offseason instead of July or August and this Orioles team could be right back in it. Maybe. Its chief architect and its disappointing dugout leader are both coming back, so it’s fair to wonder how much things will really change. Those are problems for next year. For this year, it’s over.
This will be remembered as the Chicago White Sox team that made history for all the right reasons.
Two years after losing a Major League Baseball-record 121 games and one year after their third consecutive 100-loss season, the White Sox are going to the playoffs. Their startling resurgence was completed Thursday, Sept. 24 when they defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-1 at Kauffman Stadium to clinch at least an American League wild-card berth.
The South Siders are still playing for a bigger prize. They pulled within a half-game of the Cleveland Guardiansin the AL Central with the victory. The Guardians were scheduled to play at Boston later Thursday and close the season with three games against the Royals. The White Sox finish with three games against the Colorado Rockies, who were set to lose their 102nd game Thursday. The White Sox hold the tiebreaker against the Guardians.
Chicago has held first place for 82 games this year and most of the second half, until the Guardians took over Sept. 17. But the White Sox erased no doubt Thursday that they'd nail down a playoff spot.
They scored six runs in the first two innings, thanks to a pair of hits and two RBIs from Miguel Vargas, and after Kyle Teel's fourth-inning homer the rout was on, as right-hander David Sandlin held the Royals to one run over six innings.
Chicago's 82 wins are the most for a team coming off three 100-loss seasons, and second-most after just one 100-loss season. The White Sox also clinched a winning record for the first time since 2021, when they won 93 games and qualified most recently for the playoffs.
Those White Sox were beat in four games by the Houston Astros in the AL division series. These White Sox have a chance to win the division and receive a bye into the ALDS, where they'd face the winner of the AL West champion and No. 3 wild card.
They got here on the strength of several breakout performances and one MVP-caliber level-up from Vargas. Acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team deal that also included the St. Louis Cardinals and sent Tommy Edman to the eventual World Series champions, Vargas put it all together this season, hitting 33 home runs, driving in 92 and posting an .842 OPS. He's also stolen 21 bases and needs just two walks to reach 100.
Rookies Tristan Peters and Sam Antonacci are hitting well above league average, with Peters providing 3.9 WAR thanks to excellent defense in center field. And with Teel returning from injuries, the return haul in the trade of Garrett Crochet to Boston is popping, with second baseman Chase Meidroth posting a .763 OPS and 4.3 WAR and Braden Montgomery part of a platoon in right field.
HARRISBURG, PA - JULY 19: Devin Fitz-Gerald #3 of the Harrisburg Senators looks on during the game between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the Harrisburg Senators at FNB Field on Sunday, July 19, 2026 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kyle Mace/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Devin Fitz-Gerald is one of the more fascinating prospects in the Nationals system. The switch hitting infielder is the 5th ranked prospect in the system according to MLB Pipeline and 4th according to Baseball America. Out of the 5 prospects the Nats received in the MacKenzie Gore trade, Fitz-Gerald looks like the best one at the moment.
However, there is more to Devin Fitz-Gerald than just the baseball player. This has been a difficult year for the Fitz-Gerald family. Devin’s mother, Colleen was diagnosed with a brain tumor and told she has about 18 months to live. This layer of personal tragedy has hung over the 21 year old’s season.
As Devin Fitz-Gerald became a top-100 prospect, his mom was diagnosed with brain cancer and told she had ~18 months to live.
Dad is searching for a way to pay for treatment. Mom is stuck at home. And Devin?
Fitz-Gerald, also known as DFG, has said he is playing for his mother this year and forever. To have this going on while also going through a professional baseball season is a major challenge for anyone, let alone a player in a new organization. For those curious, the Fitz-Gerald family has set up a Go Fund Me.
Now that we have discussed this very important context, I wanted to dive into Fitz-Gerald’s season on the field. It was an up and down year for DFG, who had a great start and great finish to the season. However, he faced some bumps along the way in the middle.
Fitz-Gerald is a second baseman who can do a little bit of everything. He is not the biggest, strongest or fastest, but DFG gets the most out of his tools. A big reason for that is because of his baseball IQ. That high level of on field intelligence comes from being the son of a high level high school baseball coach. His dad coaches at Stoneman Douglas High School, which has produced several big leaguers such as Roman Anthony, Coby Mayo and Jesus Luzardo.
Now the son of the coach is looking to be next in line. Despite not having jaw dropping raw power, Fitz-Gerald still found a way to put up 20 home runs this season between High-A and Double-A. He does a great job consistently elevating the ball and that allows him to outslug his average raw power.
THIRD-straight game with a homer for devin fitz-gerald 🙂↕️
DFG also has a very solid hit tool to go with that power. On the season, he struck out just under 22% of the time. He struggled with strikeouts early in his AA stint, but he gradually improved, as did his overall play.
In the beginning of the season, DFG took the prospect world by storm. In April and May, he was lighting it up with Wilmington. There was a stretch where Fitz-Gerald homered on a near daily basis. In that insane May, DFG homered 9 times.
However, when the calendar turned to June and the youngster got promoted to Harrisburg, he went ice cold. Fitz-Gerald struggled on the baseball field in a way I doubt he ever had before in his life. He went 10 for 88 in 22 games that month. Between the off field tragedy and struggling on the field, that must have been a very difficult time for him.
That tough month made him show resilience though. The turnaround did not happen overnight. In July, Fitz-Gerald was better, but still only hit .250 with a .639 OPS. By the time August and September rolled around, Fitz-Gerald had figured out his new level and was rolling. Seeing that growth after being dominated early on in AA was very encouraging to see.
Devin Fitz-Gerald’s month by month progression at Double A has been a joy to witness. Outside shot of making his debut in late 2027 at this rate, and a good chance at becoming a regular by 2028 pic.twitter.com/bzKnm08eJ7
By September, DFG was back in his flow state. He homered 4 times in 9 games to end his season. Even while going through an extended slump, Fitz-Gerald still put up solid numbers in his first year in the Nationals organization. He hit .251 with a .780 OPS and hit 20 homers while stealing 15 bases.
I still think the best is yet to come for Fitz-Gerald. The 21 year old will likely start next season in AA, but if he gets off to a fast start, I could see him getting promoted to AAA quite quickly. We will see if he can reach the big leagues in 2027, but I do not think it is impossible.
However, I think the most likely outcome is an early 2028 debut. Once Fitz-Gerald arrives, I think he has a good chance of making second base his long term home. I do not see super star potential, but he can be one of those players who quietly hits 15-20 homers, hits about .260 and plays solid defense. That is not a flashy profile, but it can get you to 3 WAR pretty easily.
Chase Meidroth of the White Sox is a player who I think profiles pretty similarly and he has 4.4 fWAR this season. Overall, Fitz-Gerald is a quality ball player and seems like a quality young man as well. Given his story, I will always be rooting for DFG.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies fields a fly ball with Brandon Marsh #16 the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park on September 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the lineups for the final game against Milwaukee. Let’s discuss!
Boston, MA - August 31: Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela smiles after making a diving catch in the sixth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park on August 31, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Keep those fingers crossed, but it looks like we may have dodged the worst case scenario in the Ceddanne Rafaela injury department. Ceddy spoke after the game last night and downplayed the severity of the incident, saying the he only experienced a little cramping, possibly due to dehydration. “Every time I get pulled out of the game, I’m not happy,” Rafaela said. “But hopefully it’s just something minor.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Rafaela did undergo an MRI today, but everything must have come back clean, as he’s already back in the lineup:
Tonight’s lineup for Guardians @ Red Sox:
1. Nick Sogard 1B 2. Mickey Gasper DH 3. Adley Rutschman C 4. Wilyer Abreu RF 5 Caleb Durbin 3B 6. Ceddanne Rafaela CF 7. Jarren Duran LF 8. Trevor Story SS 9 IKF 2B
Speaking of injury scares, Aroldis Chapman returned to the mound last night for the first time in 10 days, as he’s been battling a sore lat. It took him only 12 pitches to end the game, so it looks like he’s all good. “I felt good,” said Chapman through a translator. “I was happy to be able to go out there. I felt like my pitches and my stuff were very good today, so I’m happy to be back.” (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
There was speculation that, with a doubleheader scheduled for tomorrow, the Sox may attempt to use their extra roster spot to get Garrett Crochet into a game before the playoffs start. That’s not going to happen, but he is going to throw another bullpen session this weekend before the team decides what to do with him. “What is he able to give you?” Chad Tracy said. “Can he give you two games? Can he give you multiple innings? Can he go back to back? All those questions have to be answered, not only for his own health, but for our team and what puts us in the best position.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
If the Sox do make it to the World Series, Sonny Gray will have played a big part in it. And, in doing so, he’ll have proved a lot of people who thought he couldn’t hack it in Boston wrong. “When I left New York in 2018, I told myself that I’m going to go back to a big market at some point in my career. Especially after learning what I learned and having the experiences that I had [in New York], I knew I could [succeed] anywhere after that. So I always told myself that I was going to [pitch again in a large market].” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 22: Atlanta right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) reacts after fouling a ball off his leg during the MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves on September 22nd, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ronald Acuña Jr. is back in the Braves lineup and ultimately missed just one game after fouling a baseball off his knee during night’s contest against the Cincinnati Reds. Acuña is batting second in the order — sandwiched between Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson — and is playing in right field, an even more encouraging sign that he is feeling better after receiving treatment on his knee the last 36 hours. Here’s hoping Ronald continues to mash baseballs the way he was before exiting Tuesday’s game.
As for the rest of Atlanta’s lineup, Baldwin is serving as the DH with Sean Murphy set to catch Tyler Mahle. Mike Yastrzemski is back in there after sitting the past few nights against left-handed starters. Austin Riley finds himself batting eighth as he continues to battle his strikeout issues.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 18: Brock Rodden #90 of the Seattle Mariners prepares for the pitch in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The final series of the season for the Seattle Mariners will be without one of their rookie utilitymen. INF Brock Rodden was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to September 23rd, with left patella tendon inflammation. Correspondingly, Seattle activated INF Leo Rivas to fill the role for the final weekend of the regular season.
The move concludes what’s been a difficult debut for Rodden. After a spark of hot initial play on Seattle’s brutal August road trip, the diminutive switch-hitter cooled at the plate and struggled to compensate defensively. Despite impressive power in the minors, Rodden didn’t manage to get the barrel to the ball consistently in Seattle. His year concluded with a .197/.306/.279 line, a 77 wRC+ and -0.4 fWAR in 72 plate appearances and 30 games. Good plate discipline and switch-hitting helped him run a healthy walk rate, but he’ll enter his age 27 season in 2027 trying to find better timing against big league arms.
Much of what’s been said of Rodden could apply to the 28 year old Rivas in 2026. A good showing in Seattle a season ago did not translate forward, with the M’s sorely needing depth he struggled to provide early in the year. Losing favor to several debuting youngsters, Rivas was more competent in his return to the bigs back in August, but will likely receive sporadic play at most in the final few games of the regular season.
Yankees relief pitcher Clarke Schmidt delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Minneapolis.
Cross Clarke Schmidt off the list of potential bullpen options for the Yankees, at least for the early part of the playoffs.
The right-hander was placed on the 15-day IL Thursday with right bicep neuritis. The move is retroactive to Monday.
Schmidt came back from last year’s Tommy John surgery, but appeared in just one game.
Yankees relief pitcher Clarke Schmidt delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Minneapolis. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
The Yankees had hoped he’d be a valuable arm in the postseason as a reliever, along with lefty Ryan Weathers.
Weathers (left forearm flexor) could still make it back. He’s expected to throw live Friday.
Without Schmidt, the Yankees will have to look elsewhere to fill out their playoff bullpen.
Aaron Boone said Wednesday that hard-throwing righty Carlos Lagrange is “in the conversation for something,” even though he hasn’t pitched in the majors. He’s coming back from a sprained right shoulder.
To take Schmidt’s spot on the roster, right-hander Bradley Hanner was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Yankees in all likelihood will face the Red Sox starting Tuesday in The Bronx in a best-of-three series.
The Yankees will be operating without Clarke Schmidt again.
New York placed Schmidt back on the IL with right bicep neuritis before Thursday's game.
Because of the IL stint, the right-hander will not be a bullpen option for the Yanks for at least the upcoming Wild Card series.
Schmidt had been warming up to enter Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Diamondbacks when he first started experiencing bicep soreness.
He underwent testing earlier this week, and the team felt he was in a "pretty good spot."
The 30-year-old was set to play catch at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday to determine his availability, but he was unable to do so and now officially lands back on the IL.
Schmidt made just one big league appearance in his return from Tommy John surgery, striking out two of the four batters he faced last Wednesday against the Twins.
In his place, Bradley Hanner has been recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) looks on while a bug flies by his head during a game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, Aug 13, 2025, Bronx, New York, USA. Yannick Peterhans/NorthJersey.com | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The San Francisco Giants won their trade with the New York Yankees from last year’s deadline when they sent Camilo Doval to the Bronx in exchange for Jesus Rodriguez, Parks Harber, Trystan Vrieling, and Carlos De La Rosa. Well done, Agent Doval. And welcome home.
The Giants claimed Camilo Doval. A truly incredible way to set the MLB record for players used this year.
Yes, I’m aware that Doval was with the Pirates when the Giants claimed him, but the photo tool didn’t show me any pictures of him as a Pirate even though he pitched better for them than in New York (3.79 ERA / 3.73 FIP in 19 IP). His Yankees career was… not good. A 4.82 ERA / 4.10 FIP in 18.2 innings last season and a 4.54 ERA / 4.61 FIP in 39.2 innings this year. Walks and hits continue to be a problem for him — he’s still the warts and all pitcher we and the team grew frustrated with — but he’s still got that 98+ velocity and the slider is still fantastic.
He’s under team control for 2027 in what will be his final trip through arbitration and, well, cynically, I guess the Giants will be spending money on a reliever with 9th inning experience. It’ll just be Camilo Doval… who has 107 saves as a Giant (7th all-time). And it will be for significantly less than what they’d have to spend for a closer or quasi-closer on the open market.
This is just funny. It’s also the sort of things fans wish for all the time — the trade away and then return to us move — but rarely happens. The Giants have had so much turnover even in the time he’s been gone that it’s not a given they know him well enough to “fix” him, but gosh, for a team that values nostalgia above all else, this is sort of perfect.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on September 24, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Summary
Paul Skenes and a host of Pirate relievers shut down the Cardinals, holding them to only a solo HR by Alec Burleson. A likewise effective Cardinal starter-follower combination matched Skenes when Leahy and Hjerpe combined to give up one run. Consistent with the theme of the season, bullpen hijinks allowed the Pirates to capture the winning running without benefit of a hit.
Pre-game Notes
Leahy is the opener, to be followed by Hjerpe.
Skenes for the Pirates. Lots of hype around the narrative he’s not as good, but still a 4+ fWAR pitcher. Cardinals could use one of those.
Springfield closed out their season last night with a loss in the AA Texas League Championship finals.
Memphis continues their season for one more game with a lopsided win last night in the AAA International League Championship finals.
Let’s see. Day game. Check. Getaway day. Check. Eliminated. Check. I’m thinking quicker game with lots of swings today. A team has to grind against Skenes, so I think the scenario plays his way.
Today may be a new normal line-up. With the exception of Torres in LF and perhaps Saggese at 3B, this could be a form of line-up we see next year.
The first inning
Burleson gets the Cardinals off to an early lead with a long, solo HR (104.6 mph). Walker K’s on a well off the plate sweeper, notable only because this has been happening a lot lately (again). Contributor BigJawnMize likes to observe that AA is the level where hitters learn not to swing at outside sliders and sweepers. Seemed like he had muted that tendency, but it is disquieting to see this re-appear. The Pirates quickly respond, accumulating a double and two singles to net a run to tie the game at 1-1.
The middle innings
The game remained tied at 1-1 for much of the rest of the afternoon. Leahy departed after two innings and 3 K’s. Hjerpe followed with 3.1 shutout innings with 3 K’s. Three hits and three walks added traffic to his innings, but he worked around that well. Graceffo finished the sixth with a K. Mautz got through the seventh without drama.
Skenes pitched into the seventh, leaving only after accumulating his 200th K of the season (and eighth of the game). A line of Pirate relievers (Ramirez, Soto, Weaver, Montgomery) continued Skenes’ mastery.
The decisive and bitter end
Stanek relieves in the eighth. A quick flyball portends, but a walk quickly follows. A following wild pitch (which seems to be a Cardinal reliever specialty) combined with an ill-advised and poor throw puts the runner on third where he scored an unearned run moments later on a SacFly by Horowitz. Yet another walk continues the inning. But a ground out ends the inning with the Pirates leading 2-1.
Montgomery comes in to close the game out. He strikes out the side. Pirates win 2-1.
The eighth inning reminds me of a comment Oli made this spring about their margin for error being slim…that they needed to be really good at not missing opportunities or shooting themselves in the foot. Realistically, they will need more talent to give them more margin for errors and mistakes that naturally occur in this game. In the meantime, when it comes to cleaning up their play, it’s not clear to me that they’ve improved over the season.
Post-game notes
Cardinals on to Milwaukee for the last series of the season. I’ve always thought it would feel odd to finish the season on the road, but in reality, most of the players are on the road the whole six months. Tomorrow, they get to go home, wherever home is.
For what it is worth, it appears that the Cubs will have something to play for this weekend. They have still not clinched, which suggests that Cub fans have likely clenched. Their inconsistency appears to be rearing its ugly head at a bad time (for them).
Organizational meetings and off-season planning sessions begin in earnest soon.
Been lots of comments that the Cardinals need to acquire a TOR pitcher. Can’t disagree, but I keep coming back to … what exactly constitutes a TOR pitcher? Been considering an article on that, with a data deep dive. In comments, tell me what kind of stats you expect to see with a pitcher who is TOR.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 25: Clint Frazier #77 of the New York Yankees reacts against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at Yankee Stadium on May 25, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It began as a joke. Clint Frazier was commenting on his frequent shuttling between the New York Yankees and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre that he proclaimed himself a “RailRider for Life.”
Funny thing, though. The moniker stuck, and Frazier still embraces it to this day.
“I think it started around the time I got optioned to the minor leagues in 2019,” Frazier said. “I was doing relatively well at the big-league level. When I came down here, there was something in the media about September roster expansion and the Yankees were kind of vague on whether I was going to be coming back. I remember parking in a parking garage and seeing this sign that said ‘Scranton Life,’ and I was like, ‘Dude, I don’t want to be a Yankee. I want to be a RailRider for Life.’ It was a facetious comment and I ended up running with it because it was kind of funny. People obviously took notice to it because I put it on my Twitter bio and it’s been there for like 10 years.”
With Scranton/Wilkes-Barre rebranding for next season, the team brought Frazier back for what proved to be the final game as the RailRiders on Saturday night at PNC Field in northeastern Pennsylvania. He signed autographs for fans, posed for pictures and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
i’m soooooo back ! saturday i’ll be back in scranton — railriders for life ! https://t.co/ALTht0RT10
Frazier admitted he was a little surprised and a bit disappointed when he heard that the team was retiring the RailRiders nickname.
“I’m not a part of the Yankees anymore, and I’m not here in Scranton,” Frazier said. “So if they want to rebrand or it’s something the fans want, you give it to them. But other than that, I was kind of like, ‘Damn, I guess I won’t be a RailRider anymore. I’ll be whatever they are, but I’ll still be a RailRider at heart.”
Drafted fifth overall by Cleveland in 2013, Frazier joined the Yankees organization on July 31, 2016, in a trade along with Justus Sheffield, Ben Heller, and J.P. Feyereisen for reliever Andrew Miller. He was assigned to the RailRiders and helped them win the International League Governors’ Cup title, then capture the Triple-A National Championship with a 3-1 win over the Pacific Coast League champion El Paso Chihuahuas.
He wound up playing 213 games with the RailRiders between 2016-19 and batted .263 (213-for-811) with 55 doubles, nine triples, 33 home runs, and 96 RBIs. Looking back, he enjoyed his time in Scranton.
“This is a really good environment for a minor league facility,” Frazier said. “The revamped clubhouse, it looks a lot different now than it did then. I think it’s good for guys to be in an atmosphere like this because you have to go through Scranton to get to New York. They’ve done a really good job making this place feel like a major league clubhouse. The fans show up, the stadium is great. I don’t really have anything bad to say other than I lived above a funeral home all year my first go-round. That’s the one thing I remember the most.”
On July 1, 2017, Frazier made his MLB debut with the Yankees in Houston. After striking out in his first at-bat, he doubled in his second at-bat off Astros pitcher Francis Martes, leading off the top of the sixth inning for his first major league hit. In his next at-bat, leading off the top of the seventh, he hit his first home run off Tony Sipp.
“I think it’s really cool to be able to say my first moment in the big leagues, I was able to capitalize by hitting a home run and contributing to the game,” Frazier said. “I don’t know how I could really top that feeling. If you saw where I was from, to make it to the major leagues from Loganville, Georgia, to be with the New York Yankees and to homer in my debut. I was so young and so desensitized to what was actually happening. To look back on it from where I am now, the home run in my debut has to be the best thing I went through. It was awesome.”
Seven days later at Yankee Stadium, he hit his first walk0ff home run — a three-run blast off Corey Knebel of the Milwaukee Brewers to give the Yankees a 5-3 win. He was the second Yankee with nine extra base hits before his 15th game. The first? Joe DiMaggio.
Things took a turn, however, in February 2018. During spring training, he crashed head-first into an outfield wall and suffered a severe concussion. Then, in September 2020, he suffered a second concussion, again colliding with an outfield wall. This time, he kept it secret for fear of losing his roster spot. The lingering effects from both concussions impacted his career.
“That was a really tough time to go through,” Frazier said. “It was a very scary injury to have. It’s not like any other one, like getting Tommy John (surgery) or a sprained ankle. You know the exact time frame it’s going to take to fix it. A lot of the unknown is what I went through. I was pretty symptomatic in terms of having a lot of trouble being able to track pitches. I would get extremely dizzy or feel nauseous every single day. That was a really tough time to go through because physically I was fine. It was cognitively something that was affecting my ability to live my life and, even more so, play the game I played my entire life.
“As I sit here today, I feel significantly better. Time was the only thing that was going to heal the stuff I was going through. Unfortunately, in a baseball season or offseason, you don’t have a lot of time to be able to go through those certain things. I rushed sometimes to get back on the field. I was going with what my gut was telling me was the right thing to do. I’m just glad that, sitting here today, I’m not really hampered the way that I was when I was going through those issues.”
After five seasons with the Yankees (2017-21), Frazier was released. He played one season with the Chicago Cubs in 2022. Following a brief stint in the Texas Rangers organization, he played one season with the Chicago White Sox in 2023. He then spent 44 games in 2024 with the Charleston Dirty Birds of the independent Atlantic League before retiring in July. His seven-year major league totals read 29 home runs and 101 RBIs in 280 games with a .235 batting average (190 for 810), 45 doubles, and six triples.
Even though his career was cut short by the concussions, Frazier doesn’t think “What if?” and holds no bitterness on how it ended.
“In the moment I might think to myself, ‘I wish I didn’t run into that wall,’ but I don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about it,“ Frazier said. ”I certainly have moments. But I played baseball, and it always was about the next at-bat. So I get over things pretty quickly. I don’t know if it’s healthy or not, but it’s something I’ve learned about myself once I got out of playing. I don’t really spend a lot of time thinking about the past. I get over it pretty quickly.”
As for the next phase of his life, Frazier doesn’t have any aspirations to coach in baseball. He might do some broadcasting. But he said he has been offered a deal to potentially play professional pickleball.
“It’s a crazy thing to say, but dude, it’s so much fun! And they pay well. It’s some high-level stuff,” Frazier said. “I get very passionate about it because so much of what I’ve done in my baseball career translates so well to how that sport is played. I kind of feel like I have a little bit of a head start in terms of picking up on the way the new sport would be. The next time you see me, I could be in that world.”
No matter what he does, Frazier will always be a “RailRider for Life.”
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Jeremiah Jackson #82 of the Baltimore Orioles forces out Nathan Lukes #38 of the Toronto Blue Jays to start a double play in the fifth inning during game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is the last off-day of the regular season, before the series with the Reds.
I forgot that today was an off-day. I went to see what time tonight’s game was starting and whoops there isn’t a tonight’s game.
And there isn’t much for Jays news. Everything is about Vlad’s interview, and I think I said everything I need to yesterday. It was a clunky answer to a question, likely with a clunky translation. Everyone is stuck on that one answer.
He also said:
Every at-bat that I fail, I think about my contract, I know all these people who come to the games, they pay to see me being successful, to do something good every at-bat.
He said he’s disappointed in his season and in the team’s season.
Why do players hate doing interviews? Because they know one bad statement will be all that people will notice. I’ve only interviewed players a very few times and I always can see them trying to parse the question to see how I’m trying to screw them. It is hard to get them comfortable enough to get anything of interest. I understand that players don’t see the upside to doing interviews.
Anyway, I’m sure everyone’s tired of that particular story. Yeah, right.
Anyway, use the thread to chat about whatever you’d like. Baseball or not baseball.
