Category: Baseball

The New York Mets (69-83) began their 2026 home schedule on MLB Opening Day by beating up on 2025 NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, which filled fans with hope and excitement even beyond what we imagined was possible, for a team coming into the year with playoff expectations. The team will now conclude their home schedule with four games against the Philadelphia Phillies (84-68) after being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention and as a club just playing out rest of their schedule. For what little it’s worth, the Phillies lead the season series 5-4 and have won two of the three games at Citi Field.

The Mets are coming off one of the most surreal home series in recent memory, to say the least. Franchise Home Run Leader Pete Alonso took center stage in his return to Citi Field after leaving for Baltimore in the offseason, and the fan reaction sparked much lively debate on the radio waves, on podcasts, on social media, and everywhere else where sports discussion takes place. Mets fans, unsurprisingly, gave Alonso a hero’s welcome, but perhaps some, including the Mets’ players, did not expect just how resounding the applause would be. Alonso was cheered early and often, as his chase for 300 home runs seemed to be at the forefront of the fans’ mind.

In the end, he reached the feat at the most opportune time for his club, tying the game in the top of the ninth of Kodai Senga on Tuesday. The moment resulted in a standing ovation and a curtain call, which stunned many. For what it’s worth, I had very little problem with the Mets fans celebrating Alonso the way they did, and I thought it resulted in a nice moment with the fans who returned the ball, and that is the last we’ll say about that. Oh, and the Mets got swept, losing 2-1 on Monday, 7-5 in 11 innings on Tuesday, and 7-1 on Wednesday, which, at the very least, helped their tankathon odds. So it goes.

The Mets and their fans will go from celebrating and recognizing an icon who left the organization to two icons who remain within the organization during the final home weekend of the season. First, the club will recognize Carlos Beltran, who recently was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, by retiring his number and putting him in the Mets’ HOF on Saturday, September 19. On the following day, the team will appreciate long-time radio voice Howie Rose, who is retiring at the end of the season, with a special pregame ceremony on Sunday, September 20, which also represents the final Mets’ home game this year. The hopes are that, despite the bad record and despite being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention—this formality took place after Monday night’s loss to the Orioles—the Flushing Faithful will turn out to show their love for both Beltran and Rose, who each have a special place in Mets’ history.

The Phillies are in a completely different spot from the Mets, still fighting for their playoff lives but firmly in a spot at the moment. It’s a stark contrast between the two clubs, both of whom began the season pretty wretchedly. The two stories diverged when Philadelphia fired manager Rob Thomson on April 28, two full months before New York relieved Carlos Mendoza of his duties. The Phillies never looked back, and with Don Mattingly at the helm, they find themselves one game up in the Wild Card race. If the season were to end today, they would be the second NL Wild Card club, meaning they would travel to Wrigley Field for a date with the Cubs. However, both the red-hot Padres and the Diamondbacks, who sit on the outside looking in, are right behind them, so every game in this series is of the utmost importance to Philadelphia. The Phillies just split a two-game set with the Nationals.

Thursday, September 17: Nolan McLean vs. Aaron Nola, 7:15 PM EDT on FOX

McLean (2026): 166.2 IP, 184 K, 66 BB, 17 HR, 3.24 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 79 ERA-

For McLean to win NL Rookie of the Year, he basically had to end the year on a flawless run to make headway in the race. His chances took a big hit in his last start, as he allowed five earned runs on a career-worst 10 hits over five innings at Yankee Stadium. He only struck out five, which makes his quest for 200 Ks a bit challenging, as does his chance of reaching 180 innings. He likely has just one start left after this one against the Phillies, which means he’ll need to go 13 1/3 innings and strike out 16 across these two outings to reach two numbers that might make the voters take notice. In any event, he has been, by far, the best rookie hurler in the NL, though he still has a lot of things he can focus on fixing heading into his 2027 sophomore campaign, including his walks issued and his home runs surrendered.

Nola (2026): 161.1 IP, 165 K, 55 BB, 34 HR, 4.69 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 108 ERA-

It’s been a tale of two halves for Nola. In his first 21 starts of the year, he posted a 5.82 ERA and a 5.06 FIP in 108 1/3 innings. In nine starts since then, he’s posted a 2.38 ERA and a 4.44 FIP in 53 innings. Five of those nine outings have qualified as ‘quality starts’, and Nola has looked a little bit more like his old self. His last two starts have come against the Braves, and he went a combined 13 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on ten hits, with eight strikeouts and four walks. Despite the back-to-back quality starts, the Phillies lost both games, those Nola settled for a no decision in both. This is his third time facing the Mets this year and 33rd time in his career. He owns a 3.46 ERA with 230 strikeouts in his 32 appearances against New York.

Friday, September 18: Zach Thornton vs. Alan Rangel, 7:15 PM EDT on Apple TV+

Thornton (2026): 73.1 IP, 55 K, 16 BB, 12 HR, 3.44 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 83 ERA-

Thornton is coming off one of his most impressive major league start. In the hitter friendly Yankee Stadium, he limited the potent Yankees’ lineup to two earned runs on five hits. He struck out four, walked one, and tossed 75% of his 81 pitches for strikes. He peppered the strike zone all afternoon and kept the Yankees’ bats at bay, while the Mets’ offense did more than enough to get the left-hander his fourth career win. Thornton has two more outings left to showcase his stuff as he looks to improve his standing within the club in the hopes of securing a spot in the 2027 rotation.

Rangel (2026): 26.0 IP, 29 K, 13 BB, 4 HR, 5.88 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 135 ERA-

Rangel will step in for Luzardo, who hit the IL and will not pitch again in the regular season. He made three starts this year, all in July, with one of those outings coming against the Mets. New York treated him rather rudely, putting up five runs on seven hits in four innings to hand the right-hander a loss back on July 19. Overall, he’s given up eight earned runs on 13 hits over 11 1/3 innings as a starting pitcher in 2026.

Saturday, September 19: Christian Scott vs. Andrew Painter, 4:10 PM EDT on SNY

Scott(2026): 105.1 IP, 127 K, 46 BB, 12 HR, 3.76 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 91 ERA-

Scott was really impressive against the Yankees, completing six innings of work for just the third time since the All-Star break. He allowed two earned runs on three hits and struck out seven while allowing two walks. Unfortunately, two solo homers and a lack of offense against Cam Schlitter handed the right-hander his fifth loss of the season. Despite that, it was an encouraging outing for the right-hander, who looks to cement his spot in next season’s rotation with a strong finish to his first season coming off Tommy John Surgery.

Painter (2026): 115.1 IP, 100 K, 43 BB, 19 HR, 5.54 ERA, 4.76 FIP, 127 ERA-

The Phillies picked Painter in the first round (13th overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft, and he finally made his debut for the club this season. He’s had an up-and-down rookie campaign though has shown signs of promise as of late. He picked up a win in his first career start on March 31, as he held the Nats to one earned run on four hits with eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. From then on, he went 0-8 and posted a 7.06 ERA and a 5.53 FIP in 53 innings across 14 starts, which earned him a demotion to Triple-A. Since returning on July 31, he’s been much better, posting a 3.58 ERA and a 3.77 FIP over 50 1/3 innings in nine starts. His last time out, he held the Braves to one earned run on six hits over five innings as he settled for a no decision. This will be his first taste of the Mets-Phillies rivalry.

Sunday, September 20: Jonah Tong vs. Cristopher Sánchez, 1:10 PM EDT on WPIX

Tong(2026): 21.0 IP, 20 K, 9 BB, 2 HR, 3.43 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 83 ERA-

Tong is coming off arguably the most impressive start of his young career, for many reasons. For one thing, it was the first time going six innings while not allowing an earned run. For another thing, he had to deal with the unique situation of having Mets fans loudly cheer an opposing player, and he handled it about as well as could be expected without appearing rattled. In all, he finished the outing allowing just one unearned run on four hits, with six strikeouts and one Polar Bear-sized walk. With a strong finish, he could put himself in a place to earn a spot in the rotation coming into spring training.

Sánchez (2026): 193.2 IP, 215 K, 44 BB, 17 HR, 2.93 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 67 ERA-

Through the end of June, Sánchez seemed to be the NL Cy Young frontrunner. The left-hander had an 2.00 ERA and a 2.30 FIP, with 136 strikeouts in 117 innings heading into July, but after that, he’s been much more pedestrian, posting a 4.34 ERA and a 3.54 FIP, 79 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate has dropped from 28.6% in March-June, to 23.9% in July-September, while his HR/9 has jumped from 0.62/9 to 1.06/9 during those same stretches. He is also walking more batters, going from a 4.8% BB% from March-June to a 6.4% BB% in July-September. His struggles have been front-and-center across his last two starts, where he’s allowed 11 earned runs on 18 hits across 12 1/3 innings, with eight strikeouts, two walks, and three home runs allowed. With Luzardo hurt, it is imperative for Philadelphia’s World Series chances that Sánchez gets back to pitching like he did in the first half of the regular season.

Wednesday ended up producing one of the more frustrating Yankees’ games of the season. Having rallied to tie the game after being down to their last out, the Yankees took leads in the 10th and 11th innings, and had the bases loaded and nobody out in the 12, but couldn’t put up a crooked number on any occasion. That allowed the Twins to continue answering and then eventually walk the game off in the 13th. While the Yankees had already won the first two games of the series, that was another very winnable one that they let slip away.

While that was a missed opportunity, just how much did it end up hurting the Yankees? Let’s check in on action from around the AL playoff races on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay Rays (92-59) 4, The Athletics (61-91) 3

Well, New York didn’t get any help in the race atop the AL East, as the Rays scored four early runs and withstood an A’s charge to hang on and gain a game on the Bombers. They’re 4.5 ahead of the Yanks and could boost it to a full five with another win over the A’s this afternoon.

Tampa Bay seemed like they were going to walk away with an easy one early. They picked up two runs in the first inning on Jonny DeLuca and Chandler Simpson RBI hits. They then opened up a 4-0 lead in the second after Nick Fortes and Ryan Vilade drove home runs with hits of their own.

However, the A’s kept Tampa Bay off the board after that and got back into the game. Tommy White and Henry Bolte each hit solo homers in the third, halving the Rays’ lead immediately. A Shea Langeliers RBI single in the sixth then had the A’s within one.

After that though, the Rays’ bullpen kept the Athletics in check. The A’s managed just one more hit over the final three innings, and it was a single that didn’t lead to much.

Other Games

• Cleveland Guardians (78-75) 6, Chicago White Sox (77-75) 3: The Guardians have taken over first place of the AL Central after rallying to defeat the White Sox. Petey Halpin’s three-run home run helped Cleveland put up four runs in the sixth, taking the lead for good. The Pale Hose had gotten their own key three-run homer from Tommy Pham, but they couldn’t hold onto their edge and have now dropped to second place for the first time since July 3rd. Chicago is half a game behind Cleveland now and also only a game up for the last Wild Card spot.

• Texas Rangers (76-76) 7, Boston Red Sox (82-70) 3: The Red Sox failed to take advantage of the Yankees’ loss, while the Rangers — aided by the game below — won to draw even for first in the AL West (yes, at .500). The game was tied going into the seventh, where Texas scored three runs via RBI hits from Brandon Nimmo and Ezequiel Duran. Nathan Eovaldi also gave them four good innings out of the bullpen, helping the Rangers to a key win.

AL Rock Fight

• Kansas City Royals (67-85) 5, Houston Astros (76-76) 2: Meanwhile, the Astros failed to beat the lowly Royals, resulting in the aforementioned tie atop the AL West. Houston couldn’t muster much against KC starter Daniel Lynch IV, who allowed just two hits in five innings. The Royals themselves only managed two runs off Cristian Javier, but they tacked on some insurances runs late on, allowing them to hang on for the win. Houston does have the tiebreaker over Texas, but this division struggle should go down to the wire.

• Toronto Blue Jays (76-77) 5, Detroit Tigers (72-80) 1: Max Scherzer turned back the clock, allowing just one run in his five innings to help the Blue Jays to a win. The Tigers scored first, picking up a run in the top of the first, but that was all they got. Seven Toronto position players recorded at least one hit as the Jays overtook Detroit in the fourth inning and held on from there. The Jays are a game and a half back of the White Sox for the final Wild Card.

• Baltimore Orioles (75-78) 7, New York Mets (69-83): Pete Alonso homered against his former team again as the Orioles picked up a necessary win for their slim playoff hopes. Mets’ starter Xzavion Curry was crushed to the tune of six runs in three innings, as the O’s went up big early and never looked back. Baltimore is still alive at two and a half games behind Chicago, but there’s no margin for error as they welcome the NL Central-winning Brewers to town tomorrow.

Ethan Salas had been mired in an 0-for-15 slump since he was called up to the MLB roster by the San Diego Padres before he logged his first hit in the form of a triple against the San Francisco Giants. That slump is just a thing of the past for the top prospect who hit his first big league home run and led the Padres to a 9-3 win over the Rockies at Coors Field on Wednesday.

Salas connected on a solo home run to center field to lead off the top of the second inning, which put San Diego ahead of Colorado, 3-1. Two is always better than one, so Salas hit his second career home run and second of the game in the top of the fifth inning when he hit a two-out, two-run home run just over the wall in right field which put the Padres ahead, 8-1.

Salas had a career day at the plate and that was in support of his battery mate Robbie Ray. The veteran left-hander cruised through much of the game, holding the Rockies to one run on one hit until he reached the bottom of the sixth inning. Ray allowed his second hit of the game with a leadoff double to Connor Norby. He then allowed a one-out, two-run home run to Kyle Karros before completing the inning and finishing his day. Ray walked off the mound after the sixth inning with a 9-3 lead.

The Padres offense continued to hit Rockies pitching, adding another 13 hits in the game, which give them 37 hits over the first three games of the series. The main statistic for San Diego in their six-run win on Wednesday was 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Jackson Merrill stayed hot and finished the day 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored. Dustin Harris, Jake Cronenworth and Samad Taylor all finished with multiple hits in the game.

Ray was replaced on the mound by David Morgan in the seventh inning and he pitched two scoreless frames before handing the ninth inning over to Yuki Matsui to secure the win.

The Padres will try to win the series when they face the Rockies today at 12:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• With each day that passes the magic number for the Padres to clinch a postseason berth gets smaller and they may have a chance to clinch prior to the final series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

• A.J. Preller and his staff have had a successful year finding MLB talent on the cheap.

• Lake Elsinore got no-hit and suffered a disappointing playoff loss.

Baseball News:

• Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs and led the Chicago Cubs to a win over the Atlanta Braves.

• Pete Alonso homered and helped the Baltimore Orioles keep their postseason hopes alive.

• The Cleveland Guardians took over the top spot in the AL Central with a win over the Chicago White Sox.

• The Philadelphia Phillies topped the Washington Nationals with a solid start from Zack Wheeler.

• Sandy Alcantara got his first career save and helped the Miami Marlins hold on to a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Good morning! Last night, Jake Bennett was unable to hold the Rangers in check during the team’s 7-3 loss in Texas. Some of his numbers look good (seven strikeouts against just one walk), but he also surrendered eight hits in just 4.2 innings, which did in his evening.

With just ten games left in the season, the question now becomes how should the Sox use Bennett going forward? With some combination of Sonny Gray, Payton Tolle and Ranger Suarez likely to get lined up in a best of three Wild Card Series, do you just hold Bennett on the sidelines and hope he gets to come back into the fold as a fourth starter in the ALDS or even ALCS? Or do you start transitioning him to some sort of relief role?

It’s a bit of an awkward moment for Bennett. He’s been getting knocked around during his last two outings while Suarez is seemingly getting locked in. It almost certainly cuts him out of the Wild Card rotation, and if the Sox get some combination of Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck and Tyron Guerrero back to add to Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and Erik Miller in the bullpen, Bennett largely gets squeezed out of relevance.

So how do you want him used? Do those six shutout innings Bennett threw against the Yankees back on August 29th make you want the Sox to find a role for him if they play New York? Do you think he’s just a young pitcher who looks out of gas and want to hide him until the team needs a fourth starter?

Use this space to talk about Bennett and the rest of the difficult upcoming pitching staff decisions, and, as always, be good to one another.

Rangers 7, Red Sox 3

• Your Texas Rangers are back to .500 for the first time since August 24.
• Your Texas Rangers are in first place, also for the first time since August 24.
• This is thanks to a come-from-behind win against the hated Red Sox of Boston, with MacKenzie Gore and Nathan Eovaldi contributing four innings apiece as part of a Jakob Junis sandwich.
• MacKenzie Gore didn’t look right from the outset, walking Roman Anthony on four pitches to start the game, the first three of which were not close. Anthony came around to score when Willson Contreras pulverized a poorly located slider, with the ball ultimately coming down in the seats for a two run homer.
• Gore settled down for the next few innings, though his velocity was down, and Robby Ahlstrom was warming early, in apparent anticipation of having to come into the game.
• It turned out that Gore was dealing with back and shoulder spasms throughout the outing. Though he was able to navigate the second, third and fourth innings, a walk and a hard hit single off the glove of Josh Jung to start the fifth resulted in Jakob Junis coming into the game.
• With runners on first and third and no outs and the score tied at 2, Junis got a strikeout, a groundout, and a strikeout. Unfortunately, he also had the ball slip out of his glove while standing on the rubber, resulting in a balk which brought home a run to make it 3-2 Boston.
• All that did is make the game more the thrilling for those of us rooting for the home team, though.
• Nathan Eovaldi, summoned to pitch the sixth after the Rangers tied up the game in the bottom of the fifth, gave up a single to the first batter he faced, then hit the third batter he faced. Not an auspicious start.
• Eovaldi then retired the final 11 batters he faced, reminding us all of why we got his face tattooed on our backs that one time.
• Nailbiting though much of the game was, a three run rally in the bottom of the seventh allowed sphincters to finally relax a bit, with Corey Seager adding an insurance run in the eighth.
• It would have been fun if the Rangers had taken the lead with Junis in the game, and thus Eovaldi could have gotten a four inning save, but I’m sure he’s fine with the win.
• The Rangers were 7 for 16 with runners in scoring position. That seems like a lot of at bats with runners in scoring position, a lot of hits with runners in scoring position, and a very good success rate with runners in scoring position.
• In fact, I’m wondering how the Rangers didn’t score more runs, given that.
• Everybody in the starting lineup got a hit, which is fun. The Nicky Lopez fans out there — and I know that you are legion — got to see their hero enter the game as a pinch runner, which had to have been thrilling.
• The Rangers are now 9-6 in their last 15 games. They’ve been playing of late like, well, like we’ve thought they are capable of playing, and that they haven’t been doing much of this season.
• So now the Rangers are in first place in the American League West again, tied with the Houston Astros, after the Astros lost at home to the Royals. And yes, the Astros have the tiebreaker advantage, but I’m not going to worry about that right now, I’m just going to enjoy seeing the Rangers with a “—” next to their name in the games back column.
• Texas is a game back in the Wild Card standings, but because the Guardians beat the White Sox, the Rangers are a game back of Chicago rather than Cleveland, which is bad because the Rangers have the tiebreaker advantage over Cleveland but not Chicago.
• Toronto is a half game back of Texas and Houston the Wild Card race, and Texas has the tiebreaker over Toronto, and is also playing Toronto this weekend in a three game set which should likely be meaningful.
• Oh, and Baltimore, despite being sellers, are still just a game and a half behind Texas and Houston, and a game behind Toronto, for the Wild Card Three spot.
• Exciting, scoreboard-watching September baseball! Woo hoo!!!
• MacKenzie Gore touched 95.9 mph on his fastball, averaging 94.0 mph. Jakob Junis threw one fastball that was 93.0 mph. Nathan Eovaldi’s fastball topped out at 93.7 mph.
• Jake Burger had a 110.2 mph double. Brandon Nimmo had a 105.3 mph double. Justin Foscue had a 103.5 mph single. Josh Jung had a 101.6 mph single and a 100.3 mph double.
• Let us see a sweep in the finale, Rangers.

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees travel to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks in a three-game series starting Friday...

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5 things to watch

Latest on Judge

In the series finale against the Twins on Wednesday, Aaron Judge exited early with lower leg tightness.

While the Yankees and Judge himself are keeping things close to the vest, his status for the weekend series and the rest of the regular season is in question. The off day Thursday helps Judge and the Yankees potentially prevent an IL stint, but we have to wait until Friday to learn more about Judge's fate.

The Yankees do have Monday off, so New York could use the weekend to give Judge extra rest before the four-game series with the Rays when they return home Tuesday. 

AL East race

Speaking of the Rays, the Yankees will enter Thursday 4.5 games behind Tampa for the AL East crown. While the Yankees' chances of stealing the division away are slim, they'll need to continue stacking wins against Arizona to have a shot when the two AL East foes clash next week.

It won't be easy, though. The Diamondbacks are fighting for a Wild Card spot and will send three of their best starters (Bradon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez and Corbin Burnes) to the mound.

Can Cole rebound?

Gerrit Cole has struggled recently. He's allowed seven home runs over his last two starts, and after his loss to the Mets last weekend, he was left searching for answers. 

Cole has had a good season considering he's returning from Tommy John surgery, posting a 3.67 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in 20 starts, but the Yankees will need the former Cy Young winner to make a deep playoff run. 

Perhaps Cole can figure out what the issue is against the Diamondbacks. He said it wasn't physical, so it could be pitch-tipping or something more. 

In six career starts against Arizona, he's posted a 3-2 record and an ERA of 1.96. However, all of those starts have been with the Pirates and Astros. His last start (May 28, 2018) saw him pitch a complete-game one-hitter with Houston. 

Progressing Schmidt 

Clarke Schmidt made his return to the Yankees on Wednesday, allowing two hits while striking out both batters he faced against the Twins. 

Getting Schmidt back is a boon for the Yankees bullpen, but they'll need to get him rolling in the regular season before they can trust him in the postseason. He'll likely get an opportunity or two this weekend. We'll see how he does. 

Outfield production

If Judge misses time, the rest of the outfielders will need to step up. Aside from Cody Bellinger, who has been killing it at the plate, Spencer Jones -- who has seen the bulk of the CF playing time with Trent Grisham out -- will need to continue producing.

Jones is 9-for-30 (.300) with a home run and six RBI in his last seven games, and that's with the 0-for-6, five-strikeout game on Wednesday. 

Heliot Ramos will get the starts in right field if Judge is down, and the trade deadline acquisition will need to step it up. Although he's produced somewhat (5-for-18 with a home run) in limited playing time over the last seven games, he's looked more comfortable with his new team.

How these three produce this weekend could tell how much the Yankees need Judge the final week of the season.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Cody Bellinger

Bellinger continues his hot stretch this weekend. He's 13-for-28 (.464) with three home runs in his last seven games.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Cam Schlittler

Schlittler's Cy Young campaign continues with another strong start.

Which D-backs player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

Corbin Carroll

The outfielder has been clutch for Arizona this season.

Tonight, commemorating the great White Sox career of Tim Anderson upon his retirement on August 10, the White Sox are cracking out their original City Connect uniform “the Southside” as well as honoring the shortstop with a special pregame ceremony.

Over 10 years in the big leagues, Anderson established himself as a White Sox franchise icon, one of the game’s most unique offensive players and a true original on the field.

Immediately upon the news that Anderson was retiring and that the White Sox would be honoring his contribution to the franchise, we at South Side Sox felt compelled to honor him. What follows are the special remembrances from several on staff.

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Dante Jones
Tim Anderson is part of why I still love baseball. We are currently in an era featuring fewer black players than we’re accustomed to, and during his time in the spotlight Anderson was unapologetically himself, which meant unapologetically BLACK. You can see it in the black and Afro Latino players in the game today, with a freedom of expression that so many who came before weren’t allowed.

Anderson was also a damn good White Sox player.

“It’s just BABIP luck,” was the excuse for Anderson’s excellence — until he was too good to be denied his due. There were batting titles and cornfield walk-offs, and tosses of the bat after racists got mad; you’re not stopping Tim from playing the game his way. He was the face of a White Sox era that some will be happy to forget, but real fans know how important it was.

Plus, Tim was the only player who really looked cool in the Southside jerseys.

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Melissa Sage-Bollenbach
Tim Anderson deserves a tribute night, and I’m glad he’s getting his due. Bringing back the original Southside uniforms for the occasion is just icing on the cake. No one wore that uniform better than No. 7.

Anderson brought an energy and swagger that helped define an era of White Sox baseball. From 2016-21, as the Sox went from rebuilding to contending, TA was at the center of it all. He was the straw that stirred the drink, and after such an impressive start to his career, it seemed like he was destined to be a fixture on the South Side for a long time.

For me, though, my fondest memory of Tim will always be the Field of Dreams game in 2021. I was lucky enough to be there in person and watch Anderson walk off the Yankees, with one swing into the Iowa corn. The entire night already felt like a dream, and somehow TA found a way to write the Hollywood ending.

Tim Anderson never apologized for who he was or how he played the game. He brought joy, emotion and personality to the ballpark.

He WAS a South Sider. And for all the unforgettable moments along the way, thanks for the memories, TA.

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Nello Rubio
I will never forget how kind, fun and all-around great player and person Tim Anderson was. I got a chance to interview him at SoxFest in 2017, talking to him about how much his role would change as he evolved into a leader in his first full year in the big leagues. His awareness, and attention to detail in his answers, was something I found interesting. In fact, when I met again a day or two later, he remembered me. His sharp attention to detail is one of the things that made him such a truly remarkable player, and person.

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Brett Ballantini
His actions on the field spoke loudly enough: By WAR the 38th-best position player in White Sox history, buried deep on the rich list of franchise shortstops but the talent to watch on the White Sox as the teens segued into the 20s. Tim Anderson was one of the rare players in Chicago, and relatively rare players across MLB, who you tuned in to watch. What he would do in a game was most important, but how he would do it was nearly more so.

I only ever got to know Tim a little bit, and most of that via a Zoom screen in pandemic times, but what came through to me and what will always make him a personal favorite, was his humanity. His care for teammates, personality on the field, incredible skills that both played to type and stretched in unexpected directions. H

And, of course, his heart. TA was the motor who propelled the White Sox.

Right along with that was Tim’s sense of fun. Did he love baseball? Sure, although his first love was basketball. Did he love the challenge of the game? Of course, because he rose to meet those challenges over several starring seasons. But Tim just loved to be out there, playing the game his way: Jawing at opponents, joking with teammates. Somehow, one of the most soft-spoken people you’ll ever meet transformed into a master of ceremonies at the plate or lolling about shortstop.

And for as much as he was loved by teammates and was an irritant to foes, Tim was just, well, FUN. And as much as he could give it out, he could take it, too:

Of all the players you know over your lifetime as a fan, the math works out where there can’t be too many you truly love. And as you get older, that bar becomes even harder to cross — for one, all the players become younger than you, at some point. But Tim inspired pride in us as White Sox fans, in a package that both entertained and impressed. Undoubtedly, I love Tim Anderson.

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Year of the Hamster
Tim Anderson’s ascendance with the White Sox and in the majors coincided with my introduction to sportswriting, which just happened to be … here, at South Side Sox. So for me, TA was sort of my guide into the White Sox, and even to baseball itself. He was a character to latch on to, as well as an star to be wowed by and proud of.

So now, forgive the fact that what I most hold dear about Tim has nothing to do with baseball itself, because that is what really made me admire him. TA never really played it up, and seemed to tread cautiously, understandably, around social issues. And some, including our editor here, thought Tim should do even more with his platform for social causes — his flip attitude toward honoring the Negro Leagues at least in the purview of one question in one press gaggle, got under Brett’s skin and in fact lit a match on one of the few disagreements we’ve had about coverage here.

But the man as a whole, for some of his visible and perhaps even embarrassing faults, stood tall. And I first and foremost was impressed when he stood tall … by kneeling.

This was one of the sweetest, or at least most bittersweet, moments I have witnessed in my time covering this team. A pained Anderson, his own best friend a victim of violence, kneeling in support of Black Lives Matter on July 25, 2000, Opening Night of the pandemic season. And flanking him, in contact with Tim as family, manager Ricky Renteria and left-side infield partner Yoán Moncada.

Tim was not comfortable with such shows and stands, although he made them often. Sure enough, when Brett asked him postgame whether he would continue to honor the movement by kneeling during the National Anthem, a self-conscious Tim wanted the spotlight turned off.

In multiple ways not only restricted to the grander fortunes of the White Sox on the field, it’s a shame Tim’s career fell so far, so fast. He seemed to have more to give on the field, and definitely had more to give off of it. His first Roberto Clemente Award came in 2019, and there were multiple more such citations to come.

Almost assuredly, there were untapped aspects of Anderson, a leadership gear he barely got a chance to flash, as well as continued community efforts both in Chicago and back home in Alabama.

Tim represented all of the rest of us, who did not look like the typical baseball player, by gender or color or even orientation. Over the years under Brett at South Side Sox, we’ve had many such people on staff. I daresay he is every bit the hero to them as he is to me.

All the best in retirement, Tim. Thank you for always being you.

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Joe Kiang-Resis
Many will point to the Field of Dreams walk-off, and rightfully so, as that the iconic moment of Tim Anderson’s career. For me, though, his debut on June 10, 2016 captured my attention. The Sox had stumbled from 23-10 down to 30-30, and the vibes were dead. Then, TA stepped in for his first MLB plate appearance, fell behind 1-2, then sliced a tough pitch into the left-field corner for a double. He finished 2-for-3 in a win, and fans could feel the entire energy of the team shift immediately.

That debut was the ultimate preview of what was to come: an AL batting title, two All-Star selections, and three straight seasons with an .800+ OPS at shortstop. Even when the team was struggling, TA had a unique way of changing the momentum with sharp contact and pure fire. It was an absolute pleasure to root for him, and I will always look back on his time on the South Side fondly.

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Although they are no longer actively contributing with us here, there are additional memories to share from former staff.

Janice Valenzuela covered SoxFest for us in 2020, and from what I recall, TA was her first, or most significant, interview there. Whether reassuring her as a first-time player interviewer or swapping hoops stories as two former players, Anderson made her feel at ease and transition in real time from skilled newbie to seasoned pro.

Hannah LaMotta was a Paul Konerko girlie as a very young fan, but put together this Tim Anderson tribute when he left the White Sox.

Artist and writer Mitch Ransdell piloted our “Player of the Week” series for several seasons, contributing both art and essays. Anderson was the featured star on several occasions, and Mitch always had a unique take on a game scene.

Tom Borowski was with us for a brief time, but his artwork was absolutely delightful, including his take on the iconic “Stick Talk” moment against the Royals.

And speaking of Stick Talk, well, here’s the most popular T-shirt we ever sold in partnership with Breaking T. This came back at a time where we were more actively collaborating with the company, contributing edits or suggestions to their designs.

We sent some to the White Sox clubhouse, and what ho, Lucas Giolito was proud to show his off:

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But hey, this isn’t just about us!

Please share your Tim Anderson memories below.

Perhaps no one personifies the rollercoaster that has been the 2026 Phillies better than Cristopher Sánchez. The ace lefty has gone from breaking hallowed records to getting hit around and back again. Just look at his monthly splits so far for 2026:

Sánchez’s historic May coincided with the Phillies rise from their early season skid to find themselves back in contention. Conversely, his rough July came in conjunction with the Phillies 9-15 record that caused their lead for a postseason spot to dwindle. But yet again, Sánchez rebounded in August, and the team did with him as they went 21-7. Now in September, Sánchez is off to a rough start, and the Phillies are clinging to a postseason spot. His most recent outing on Tuesday ended up being a brutal loss to the Nationals in which Sánchez was charged with five runs and the Phillies failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity to give themselves more breathing room in the race. 

Not only is Sánchez giving up more hits than he did in his strong August, he’s also seen his walk rate slowly climb dating back to June. He’s struggled more and more to throw strikes as the season has worn on, leading him into deeper pitch counts than usual and preventing him from pitching as deep as is usually expected of a pitcher of Sánchez’ capabilities. Perhaps most concerning is the collapse in whiff rate against Sánchez, particularly on his signature changeup. It’s obviously a small sample for the month of September, but the whiff rate on the changeup has plummeted to 31.1%, down from 54.5% in August and even down from the 43.4% in July. As the season has worn on, Sánchez has thrown the pitch in the zone less and less, and it appears that now hitters are laying off of it and remaining disciplined. That’s depriving Sánchez of his out pitch and leading to those deep counts and innings where numerous seeing eye base hits get through. 

Sánchez’ recent struggles are amplified now not only because it’s the stretch run, but because the injury to Jesús Luzardo will force Sánchez and Zack Wheeler to carry a heavier load as the team tries just to get into the postseason. He has of course shown that he can rebound, but time may be running out for Sánchez to get himself right. The team can’t afford to wait another month for their ace to right the ship.

So, do you think Cristopher Sánchez will rebound in time?

It wasn’t exactly a banner day for JR Ritchie or Owen Murphy last night, as both got knocked around by the Cubs. Ritchie was coming off some really dominant outings in Triple-A, but that didn’t translate at all. They’re also not the only somewhat-promising arms that have floundered for the Braves this year.

• JR Ritchie: 23 years old, 62 2/3 IP, 119 ERA-, 135 FIP-, 116 xFIP-
• Hurston Waldrep: 24 years old, 10 2/3 IP, 200 ERA-, 203 FIP-, 140 xFIP-
• AJ Smith-Shawver: 23 years old, 26 IP, 164 ERA-, 145 FIP-, 136 xFIP-
• Owen Murphy: 22 years old, 9 IP, 119 ERA-, 133 FIP-, 126 xFIP-

Ritchie has gotten a fair bit of rope this year, and done very little with it. His xFIP- isn’t that bad but it’s still not a guy you really want throwing a bunch of innings in the majors, especially since he’s also been homer-prone. Waldrep had a lot of success down the stretch in meaningless games in 2025 (1.2 fWAR), but his career has been upended by injuries (surprise, surprise). Smith-Shawver at least looked okay at times last year before his arm blew up. Murphy has had very little MLB exposure, but isn’t showing much to dream on, either.

I think in some ways, Ritchie is the most disappointing to date, since he doesn’t have the injuries to blame like Smith-Shawver and Waldrep. I guess I’d say that he might end up with the best career among this quartet, but he’s really gotta figure out a way of pitching that actually works. He has some decent building blocks, but the command is so abominable that it’s almost hard to believe that he was getting 50 FVs and all the other accolades with mechanics in total disarray basically from the jump.

Anyway, what do you think?

The long-awaited debut of Emmanuel Rodriguez has finally arrived, and Emma is wasting no time cementing himself as a force in the Twins lineup. Through five games, he is 5-for-19 with a double, triple, and home run. Not only is he producing on the offensive end, but he has already picked up an outfield assist and has made a couple flashy plays on defense. His six years of minor league baseball showed Twins fans that he is capable of producing at this level, but I don’t think anyone could have imagined this kind of production in his first week in the majors. I want to say fun times are on the horizon, but they’re not. They’re already here.

Emmanuel Rodriguez with a 111 MPH bomb in his first career @MLB PA 👀💣🚀@Twins | #MNTwinspic.twitter.com/YAeXUVfNKe

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) September 12, 2026

Rare Power

The immense raw power has always been at the top of his scouting report and highlighted in bright yellow. Through five major league games, his power is already translating at an elite level. Out of 14 batted balls so far, 7 have been hit over 100 MPH and 9 have been hit over 95 MPH. His bat speed currently sits in the 97th percentile at 76.9 MPH, and he pairs it with an impressive barrel feel to all fields. In 49 Triple-A games this season, Emma’s 109.9 MPH 90th and 118.3 MPH max EV rank in the 99th and 100th percentiles league-wide.

He has only hit 22 homers in his last 162 minor league games, but his ability to make hard air contact to all fields results in a big gap power. The home run numbers have climbed this season as Rodriguez has increased his AirPull%. He is already one of the most powerful hitters in the world, and at 23 years old, he continues to tap into more and more.

Professional Hitter

The home runs and flashy exit velocities get all the talk, but Emmanuel Rodriguez does a lot of the little things at the plate that allow his tools to translate into real consistent production.

While the hit tool is fringy at best and Rodriguez runs high strikeout rates, excellent spin recognition and swing decisions relieve some of the contact concerns. In 49 Triple-A games this season, he ran a 20.8% chase rate against breaking pitches and 20.2% against offspeed. Both are elite marks that make it extremely difficult to get him out without throwing the ball in the strike zone. And if you throw the ball in the zone… watch out!

Emmanuel Rodriguez is getting it done on offense AND defense!

Minutes after lacing his first MLB triple, the @Twins' No. 5 prospect makes a sliding grab near the foul line. pic.twitter.com/FTGi8aGyox

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 15, 2026

Emma doesn’t have quite as much juice against lefties as he does against righties, but he has done a nice job slowing it down and staying patient. He projects to be passable against lefties, which would allow him to be a true everyday player unlike many of the Twins’ recent lefty outfielders.

Minor League Production

Not only does he possess elite raw tools, but Emma has been one of the best producers in all of the minor leagues over the past five years. Among players with at least 1,000 MiLB plate appearances since 2022, Emmanuel Rodriguez has the 2nd highest wRC+ at 155, only ranking behind No. 17 overall prospect Rainiel Rodriguez of the Cardinals.

While injuries have shortened almost every year of his professional career, he has remained an elite producer at every step. Emma’s worst statistical professional season was 2025, when he slashed .258/.429/.423 for a 134 wRC+ in his first year at Triple-A while dealing with a few different injuries. Every step of the way from rookie ball in 2021 to the majors this week has been accompanied by relentless production.

Emmanuel Rodriguez just hit for the CYCLE in order in 7 innings 👀🤯

1st Inning: Single
2nd Inning: Double (106.0 MPH)
6th Inning: Triple (92.0 MPH)
7th Inning: Home Run (102.4 MPH) @StPaulSaints | @MiLB | #MNTwinspic.twitter.com/iGumqD1rLW

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) September 2, 2026

How High is the Ceiling?

The bat is the prize here, but another part of what makes Emmanuel Rodriguez such a special player is that he can provide value on the bases and in the field. He is an average runner that can steal a handful of bases. Defensively, Emma has the potential to be an above-average center fielder. He has great instincts and good range paired with a plus arm. He is playing a mix of left and center, but has a real chance to be the Twins long-term center fielder after Byron Buxton.

The offensive profile is very similar to that of James Wood and Nick Kurtz if the tools translate, and there is potential for significantly more impact on the defensive end than those two. The big question, much like with Byron Buxton, is whether he can make it through a full major league season. From a pure talent perspective, Emmanuel Rodriguez is one of the most talented young players to ever wear a Twins jersey, and I am incredibly excited to see what he can do in Minnesota in the coming years.

The Cubs took advantage of the Braves deciding to save their ace Chris Sale for their weekend series against the Astros.

Instead, Atlanta sent minor-league callup J.R. Ritchie to face the Cubs. The Cubs had hit Ritchie pretty well when they faced him in Atlanta in May and they did so again Wednesday evening at Wrigley Field, touching him up for seven hits and six runs in 4.2 innings on their way to an 8-4 victory, taking the series two games to one. The game featured 12 Cubs hits, including Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman both hitting triples and home runs.

Once again, a Cubs starter struggled through the first inning. Shōta Imanaga allowed two hits but no runs in a 20-pitch first, but then he really settled down. More on this in a bit.

The Cubs got their offense going in the bottom of the first. PCA led off with a walk, but was erased when Seiya Suzuki hit into a double play. Michael Busch then also walked. He scored on this double by Bregman [VIDEO].

As you can see in the clip, Bregman got caught between second and third and was tagged out to end the inning.

Imanaga allowed a freak single with one out in the second when a ground ball that Bregman was about to field hit third base. After that, though, Shōta retired 11 Braves in a row before a leadoff double by Ronald Acuña Jr. in the sixth.

While all that was going on, the Cubs were posting a solid lead in the game. The 1-0 lead became 2-0 on PCA’s 43rd homer leading off the third [VIDEO].

That home run established a new Cubs franchise record for home runs in a season by a left-handed hitter, eclipsing Billy Williams’ 42 in 1970. And I can imagine no one was cheering louder for PCA’s record-breaker than Billy himself.

Another solo homer leading off the fourth made it 3-0. It was Bregman’s 26th of the year [VIDEO].

Then the Cubs blew the game open off Ritchie in the fifth. With one out, Carson Kelly singled.

PCA then tripled into the right-field corner, making it 4-0 [VIDEO].

On the next pitch, Suzuki got plunked. The crowd booed, though it almost certainly was not retaliation, just a young pitcher being wild. Busch struck out, but Bregman followed with the Cubs’ second triple of the inning, making it 6-0 [VIDEO].

That got me to wondering when was the last time the Cubs had two triples in an inning at Wrigley, so I asked BCB’s JohnW53 to look this up. It had been 15 years. Some of these names will amuse you:

The Cubs last hit two triples in the same inning at Wrigley Field in 2011— twice, both vs. the Cardinals:

May 11, fifth: Carlos Pena single, Starlin Castro triple, Alfonso Soriano single, Koyie Hill triple. Tyler Colvin groundout scored Hill to give Cubs 10-1 lead. They won, 11-4.
Aug. 19, seventh: Soriano groundout, Darwin Barney triple, pinch hitter Blake DeWitt triple to cut deficit to 4-3. Castro struck out and Reed Johnson grounded out. Cubs walked it off in 10th on one-out single by pinch hitter Tyler Colvin.

Tonight’s game was the Cubs’ 1,181th at Wrigley since Aug. 19, 2011.

Back to Imanaga’s game. He allowed a leadoff double to Acuña in the sixth, and Acuña scored on a couple of ground outs. But Shōta finished off that inning with a strikeout of Ozzie Albies, his eighth K of the night on his 100th pitch, an excellent outing in which he didn’t walk anyone and didn’t allow any home runs.

Here are the eight strikeouts [VIDEO].

Here’s more on Imanaga’s evening [VIDEO].

Imanaga has thrown well over his last three starts: 2.00 ERA, 0.778 WHIP, 16 strikeouts and only two walks in 18 innings, with just two home runs allowed. If he keeps this up over what will probably be two more regular-season starts, he’s got to be considered for a postseason start as well.

Just for fun, here’s the Japanese language call of Imanaga’s eight K’s [VIDEO].

Aaron Civale relieved Imanaga and allowed a run in the seventh, which the Cub got back in the bottom of the inning on PCA’s 44th long ball of 2026 [VIDEO].

Later in that inning, Bregman came to bat with a chance to hit for the cycle — he needed just a single. Unfortunately, he flied to center to end the seventh.

The Cubs completed their scoring for the evening in the eighth. Tyrone Taylor led off with a double and one out later scored on this single by Michael Conforto [VIDEO].

The Cubs loaded the bases on singles by Pedro Ramirez and Kelly, but PCA struck out and Suzuki grounded out to end the inning.

Here’s where I’m going to open the complaint department door just a bit. Ryan Rolison began the ninth by issuing a walk and allowing a hit, which prompted Craig Counsell to call on Ryan Zeferjahn, who immediately gave up a two-run double to Mauricio Dubon.

I mean… when you have a six-run lead, it should be easier than that to protect. Fortunately, Zeferjahn retired the next three Braves in order to end the game. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].

A couple more game notes from John:

This is just the third time in their last 15 games that the Cubs have hit multiple home runs. They have hit a total of 15. The 15-game span began Sept. 1, the day after they hit a team-record nine vs. the Brewers.

The Cubs have hit three homers in 20 games and more than three in 20 more. They have hit two in 35 games, one in 55 and none in 42.
…..
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s game tonight was the 18th since 1901 in which a Cub hit at least one triple and at least two home runs. In all games, the players had one and two.

PCA is the second Cub to turn the trick twice, joining Billy Williams. PCA did it April 13, 2025, at Los Angeles vs. the Dodgers. Williams did it June 17, 1964, and May 19, 1971, vs. the Giants, both at Wrigley Field.

The one-timers: Heinie Zimmerman (1910), Bill Nicholson (1944), Hank Sauer (1949), Walt Moryn (1956), Lou Brock (1963), Leon Durham (1982), Andre Dawson (1987), Shawon Dunston (1989), Todd Walker (1989), Kris Bryant (2017), Kyle Schwarber (2017), Seiya Suzuki (2024), Michael Busch (2025) and Dansby Swanson (2025)

Games like this should remove all doubt about PCA being voted NL MVP. The only question that remains, I think: Will that vote be unanimous? It really should, especially since the two-homer game put the Cubs center fielder just one home run behind Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber for the MLB lead. PCA is also now at 9.6 bWAR for the season, which gives him a chance to be just the fourth Cubs position player to ever have a 10 bWAR season (he’s already there per Fangraphs, which has him at 10.4 fWAR).

Here are PCA’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].

And here are Craig Counsell’s postgame comments [VIDEO].

To update you on the Wild Card race: The Diamondbacks lost, so the Cubs’ magic number to clinch a postseason spot is now 4. The Phillies and Padres also won, so the Cubs continue to lead the Phillies by half a game and the Padres by 1.5 games. The Phillies will open a four-game series against the Mets Thursday evening in New York while the Cubs are off, and so… and you’ll almost never hear these words here… let’s go Mets!

Walk watch: The Cubs walked three times Wednesday, giving them 643 for the season. They need 14 more walks in the nine remaining games to break the franchise record of 656. That record was set in 2016.

Run watch: The eight runs scored Wednesday give the Cubs 817 for the season. The most runs any Cubs team has scored since 1930 is 855, done in 2008, so 39 runs over the last nine games would surpass that for the most runs any Cubs team has scored in the last 96 years.

The Cubs will begin a three-game series against the Reds in Cincinnati Friday evening. At this writing the Cubs don’t have a starter officially listed, but it should be Clay Holmes’ turn. The Reds will go with Chase Burns. Game time Friday is 5:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and MLB Network outside the Cubs and Reds market territories).

The Mets open up the final home series of the 2026 MLB season with a four-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies, starting with Thursday night's 7:15 p.m. on FOX. Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

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Mets Notes

• Nolan McLean carries a 3.24 ERA and 1.176 WHIP over 166.2 IP into his 30th start of the season
• Despite a rough go his last time out, in 10 starts since the All-Star break, the right-hander has a 2.73 ERA in his last 59.1 innings, including six shutout innings of two-hit, 10-strikeout ball against Thursday's opponents
• A.J. Ewing went 5-for-11 in the three-game set with Baltimore and has started off slashing .383/.444/.617 for a 1.061 OPS in 13 games in September
• Ewing also recorded his 24th steal of the season on Wednesday night, tying Mookie Wilson's franchise record for most steals by a rookie 
• Aaron Nola has struggled this year with a 4.69 ERA and 1.370 WHIP in 161.1 innings over 30 outings
• Nola has been bitten by the long ball once again, allowing a league-leading 34 to give him 251 allowed over his 1,877 career innings. He's allowed five in 11 innings against the Mets this year: Juan Soto (2), Francisco Alvarez (2), Brett Baty (1)

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Dodgers catcher Will Smith was the team’s nominee for the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award, the annual honor that recognizes players for their contributions both on and off the field, named for the legendary Hall of Fame former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder.

Smith and his wife Cara founded Catching Hope, “a nonprofit organization working to help underprivileged children with critical skills needed for leadership, self-advocacy, and self-sufficiency.” Among the projects by the organization this year include an art installation at Marquez Elementary School in Los Angeles in April, a comedy night in Beverly Hills in May as part of the Netflix is a Joke Fest, a community clinic for an elementary school at Dodger Stadium in May, and a visit to UCLA hospital in August.

Will Smith stopped by the @UCLAHealth Santa Monica Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Clinic to surprise some special Dodger fans. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/3FpwRKY7Y0

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 17, 2026

Fans can vote on the Clemente Award through September 27, the final day of the regular season. The fan vote will count as one vote in a panel that also includes members of the MLB commissioner’s office, MLB.com writers, MLB television media partners, and members of Roberto Clemente’s family.

The winner will be announced during the World Series. Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts won the award last year.

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Old friend Justin Turner, who won the Clemente Award in 2022 and was also the Dodgers nominee for the honor in 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021 as well, won another title on Tuesday night. His Tijuana Toros beat the Tabasco Olmecas four games to two to win the best-of-7 Serie del Rey to win the Mexican League championship.

Turner hit .295/.395/.469 with 21 doubles and six home runs in 65 games in his age-41 season for Tijuana, which was managed by former Dodgers outfielder Roberto Kelly. The World Baseball Softball Confederation has more on Tijuana’s Tuesday triumph.

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.

Complimentary Starting Pitcher Solo Home Run*

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*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.

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.

Good morning, baseball fans!

We are on the second to last week of the season for the San Francisco Giants. There are any number of ways to feel about this. Relief, joy, freedom. That’s kind of how I feel about it. Around this time of year, I usually tend to feel the same, but I try to remind myself that come December or so, I would usually start to miss it. But I don’t think that will be the case this year.

But we’ll have plenty of time to give our introspections about this season once it’s over. For now, there is still one question mark hanging over us. And that is what I want to talk about today. As you’re all likely aware, the Willie Mac Award will be given out before next Friday’s game, as is tradition.

Usually I’m pretty decent at guessing who will win these, but I must confess that I have absolutely no read on it this year. That is partially because of how cruddy the season has been, partially because of how cruddy some of the players have been on a human level, and partially because most of the team is…well, gone.

I don’t usually ask you guys to make a prediction that I won’t counter, but I am stumped this season. Not as to who deserves it, I could probably make a couple of solid guesses. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that that is how the team voting will play out. I am trying not to become so cynical as to believe that they will hand the award to a player like Landen Roupp, as one last middle finger to the fans. But at this point, it would not surprise me.

So forgive me, this one time, for not wagering my own guess. Instead, I’d like to know who you think will win this year’s Willie Mac Award?

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants get a day off before heading to begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend. Gird your loins.