Category: Baseball

The Los Angeles Dodgerscelebrated another National League West Division crown after defeating the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 on Thursday, Sept. 17.

It's the Dodgers' fifth straight NL West title and 13th in the last 14 years. 

The San Francisco Giants are the only team to interrupt the streak, winning the division title in 2021.

“There are a lot of unforeseen things, but I'm proud of all the contributors,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told SportsNet LA after the game. “… It's another box that’s checked, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

The Dodgers' 14 straight playoff appearances is tied for the most in MLB history with the Atlanta Braves (1991-2005). The magic number to clinch a first-round bye is six.

“(We) just keep going and eliminate distractions,” Roberts said. “(We have to) keep the blinders on.”

There are still plenty of hurdles Los Angeles will have to overcome before securing a third straight World Series title.

Only two other organizations have accomplished the feat: The New York Yankees and the Athletics. The Yankees have achieved at least a three-peat three times in their illustrious history.

The Yankees won four straight from 1936-39, five consecutive titles from 1949-1953 and most recently completed a three-peat from 1998-2000. The Athletics won three straight titles from 1972-1974.

Here's the four biggest questions facing the Dodgers as they prepare for the playoffs:

When will Shohei Ohtani be healthy?

Ohtani’s status remains uncertain as the postseason approaches, due to knee and biceps issues. He started his swing progression off a tee on Sept. 15. He could make his return to the lineup as a designated hitter as early as Sept. 23.

Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, told reporters on Thursday that Ohtani is “progressing well.”

The two-way star is expected to return in time for the playoffs but remains unlikely to pitch this season. Despite an effort to try and get him back on the mound, he’s been unable to progress further.

The Dodgers had declared Ohtani not healthy enough to take the mound after he participated in a short bullpen session on Aug. 28 and threw close to 20 pitches.

Will Dodgers' roster age and injuries be a concern?

The average age for the Dodgers' roster is 30.6 years old, which is the highest in MLB, just ahead of the Chicago Cubs (30.4) and Atlanta Braves (30.3).

Pitcher Blake Treinen is the oldest player on the roster at 38 years old. Miguel Rojas is the next oldest at 37 years old. Rojas has already stated this will be his last season as an active player.

The Dodgers have managed to add some younger talent to the roster to help finish out the season and gain experience.

They've leaned on Josue De Paula, who was considered the team’s top prospect, to serve as the designated hitter in Ohtani’s latest absence.

The 21-year-old made his major-league debut on Sept. 11 at LoanDepot Park, becoming the youngest Dodgers player since Alex Verdugo on Sept. 2, 2017.

De Paula's bat could become a necessity depending on the status of several other veterans, including Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Kiké Hernández.

Freeman has produced big moments for the Dodgers in the World Series, but the 37-year-old's status in the days leading up to the postseason is worth monitoring. He's considered day-to-day with right knee soreness caused by patellar tendinitis.

Pitcher Edwin Diaz and outfielder Andy Pages could be inching closer to a return and could be activated during the team's upcoming homestand.

Who will make up Dodgers' pitching rotation?

The Dodgers made a big splash, acquiring Tarik Skubal ahead of the trade deadline.

Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow project as the starters for the first four games of a seven-game series.

Yamamoto has remained fairly healthy throughout the season, posting a 14-8 record with a 2.51 ERA in 27 starts.

There are injury concerns, though.

Skubal was placed on the injured list in May 2026 due to loose bodies in his left elbow that required surgery. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has produced a 10-7 record with a 2.70 ERA in 24 starts.

Snell also had loose bodies removed from his elbow that caused him to miss three months before returning in early August. He also missed some time earlier this season with shoulder fatigue. His latest start was cut short after one inning on Sept. 16 due to groin tightness.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner has a 4-1 record and a 1.86 ERA in eight starts.

Glasnow went on the 60-day injured list this season due to a lower back spasm. He returned to the rotation in late August. He did not have an opportunity to participate in the 2024 World Series run due to right elbow tendinitis, but he played a vital role in winning the title in 2025.

Who could Dodgers play in postseason?

The Atlanta Braves or San Diego Padres appear to be the Dodgers' most likely first opponent in the MLB playoffs. The Braves have gotten the best of the Dodgers this season, winning five of six games.

The Dodgers have produced better results against the Padres, winning seven of 10 games this season. The Dodgers will host the Padres for a three-game series Sept. 22-24.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Dodgers have won the NL West again. Now what? 4 biggest questions entering playoffs

The Springfield Cardinals are playing game 2 of their playoff series vs the Tulsa Drillers Thursday night. Liam Doyle is on the mound for the Cardinals. You can watch the game for free here.

Detroit Tigers (72-79) vs. Chicago White Sox (77-75)

Time/Place: 7:40 p.m., Rate Field
SB Nation Site:South Side Sox
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (10-10, 4.01 ERA) vs. RHP Erick Fedde (8-9, 3.97 ERA)

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

153/162

⚾️ 7:40 PM ET
📺 @WatchDSN
📻 @971theticketxyt
🏟️ Rate Field pic.twitter.com/k8YNtnZO0g

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 17, 2026

Tonight's lineup for Return of the Southside pic.twitter.com/gPukhRpeiE

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 17, 2026

After a 2-1 series loss in Cleveland against the Guardians (78-75), the White Sox (77-75) are trying to recover in Chicago against the Tigers (72-80). This will be the series opener of a four-game series, and it is crucial in terms of the South Siders’ playoff chances.

Right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde will start on the mound for the South Siders. Fedde, 33, enters this game with a 3.97 ERA and a 5.12 FIP in 133 2/3 innings. Since FanGraphs bases its pitcher WAR totals on FIP, Fedde has still been below replacement level (-0.2 fWAR), although he has looked much better recently. In his past five games, Fedde has posted a 1.50 ERA and a 3.47 FIP in 24 innings.

The White Sox will go up against left-handed starter Framber Valdez, a two-time All-Star. Valdez, 32, has a 4.01 ERA and a 4.17 FIP, accumulating 1.8 fWAR in 163 2/3 innings. This will be his 12th career game against the White Sox, and in the first 11, he posted a 3.25 ERA in 63 2/3 innings.

Here are tonight’s starting lineups:

Interestingly, Tommy Pham will bat second. Granted, Pham homered yesterday, and he has the platoon advantage over the left-handed Valdez, but he is only slashing .056/.105/.222 (-13 wRC+) in 19 MLB plate appearances this season.

Returning to the stadium tonight is Tim Anderson, who received a warm ovation during pregame festivities. Anderson, who recently retired, is being honored, and rightfully so. We expressed our gratitude for the All-Star shortstop earlier.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on CHSN, and ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM will have the radio coverage. We look forward to discussing this matchup with you. With the Guardians off today, a win would move the White Sox back into first place, as they hold the tiebreaker over Cleveland.

The White Sox and Tigers are playing tonight and Ron Y. Asked for a game thread. Ask and ye shall receive. Geaux Tigs

Good evening, folks. We blinked and it’s mid-September.

The Braves are enjoying a much-needed off day after a stretch of thirteen straight games. This particular road trip finishes in Houston, where a win will clinch the Braves’ playoff berth as they inch toward that division crown.

Did we secure postseason tickets this morning? How are we feeling? I, personally, am staring at my Wild Card tickets with some dread.

There’s not too much for tonight’s slate of games for our scoreboard watchers. The red-hot Padres stomped Colorado while the Dodgers clinched the NL West in Cincinnati earlier today. But if I had to guess, most of y’all will be chatting amongst yourselves about the Phillies/Mets as they open a four-game set.

Either way, the floor is yours. I leave you with the Stripers’ new ballpark kitten, ChiPurr Jones, throwing out the first pitch in Gwinnett.

A member of the Braves Triple-A affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers, rescued a kitten from traffic in late August, and the team called on fans to help name the cute kitty …

ChipPurr Jones was the runaway answer and the kitten (with the help of treats) threw out the first pitch ☺️… pic.twitter.com/2j3LRz6WU4

— MLB (@MLB) September 17, 2026

Boston Red Sox @ Texas Rangers

Thursday, September 17, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

RHP Sonny Gray vs. LHP Tyler Alexander (followed by LHP Cody Bradford)

Go Rangers!

The Red Sox magic number has been stubbornly stuck at five for the last couple of days, and while there’s no real concern about them ultimately getting in, it would be nice to win tonight and knock that down to three (Red Sox win + Rangers loss).

Another reason it would be nice to win this game is because Sonny Gray is starting, and this is his second to last start before the postseason. Ideally, he’ll be locking in for an excellent outing at the end of the month. Despite the loss last time out against the Royals, he still boasts a 17-5 person record, which is 12 games over .500, and also the exact number of games the team is over .500 at 82-70. (Make of that what you will.)

Lineup wise, Nick Sogard is back at second base after Isiah Kiner-Falefa got a start there last night. Also, with Texas throwing lefty Cody Bradford, Jahmai Jones is at DH instead of Mickey Gasper. As usual, we’ll probably see a pinch hit to switch the platoon advantage there at some point in the game.

⚾️ First Pitch: 8:05pm — Arlington, TX

📺 TV: NESN

📻 Radio: WEEI

Join us in the game thread below!

The Royals will try to win their series against the Astros with the rubber game airing on FOX tonight, not Royals.TV. Because when you have a chance to give a 67-85 team a regional audience, you take it!

But the Royals will have all their stars available tonight for the larger viewing audience. Cags returns to the lineup, Maikel Garcia is back, Jensen and Bobby are bopping the ball. Only Vinnie Pasquantino gets a day off.

Going for the series in Houston! pic.twitter.com/2ivlnOL9IW

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 17, 2026

The Astros will start rookie Miguel Ullola who is making just his second MLB start. The right-hander hasn’t gone more than two innings in any game, so expect a bullpen game. Houston did get outfielder Taylor Trammell back today, and he is in the lineup tonight.

Rubber match.

⚾️: 6:15 PM
🏟️: Closed
📺: @MLBONFOX
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 & 740 AM | Spanish: 102.9 HD2#ChaseTheFight x @reliantenergypic.twitter.com/utf71hVOtS

— Houston Astros (@astros) September 17, 2026

Hey, just ten game threads left, enjoy each one we have left this year!

TONIGHT’S GAME: With just 10 games remaining on their regular season schedule, the Houston Astros will continue their final homestand of the season tonight as they host the Kansas City Royals for a rubber game of their three-game series at Daikin Park.

Rookie RHP Miguel Ullola (0-0, 3.38 ERA) will serve as an opener for the Astros tonight opposite the veteran RHP Seth Lugo (7-8, 4.99 ERA) and the Royals.

THE POSTSEASON CHASE: The Astros and Rangers are locked in a tight race down the stretch for the AL West with the two teams entering play today with identical 76-76 records. The Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers with a season series victory (9-4 record).

TONIGHT’S OPENER: RHP Miguel Ullola served as an opener his last time out on Sept. 11 at TB, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning in his outing. Ullola has been great in his limited Major League action this season, posting a 3.38 ERA (3ER/8IP) with a .172 opponent average (5×29) and a 0.75 WHIP in six games. A longtime minor league starter, Ullola transitioned to a relief role this season and excelled to a 1.57 ERA (5ER28.2IP) in 29 relief appearances at the Triple A level.

TONIGHT’S BROADCASTS: Tonight’s game will be televised by FOX with Adam Amin and A.J. Pierzynski on the call. The Astros English radio broadcast can be heard on SportsTalk 790 with Robert Ford and Steve Sparks behind the mic. Francisco Romero and Alex Treviño will call the Astros Spanish broadcast on TUDN 102.9 FM.

GIVEAWAY MADNESS: The Astros will have giveaways for their remaining four home games, including all fans receiving a Jeremy Peña Telenovela Bobblehead tonight, presented by H-E-B. The Astros will also give away a Jeremy Peña Retro Los Astros Jersey on Friday, an Orbit Sugar Skull Bobblehead on Saturday, and a Viva Los Astros Rally Towel on Sunday.

STARTING STRONG: In their last 12 home games, Astros starting pitchers have combined for a 2.29 ERA (16ER/63IP), while allowing two-or-fewer runs in 10 of those contests. Additionally, Astros starters have posted a 3.22 ERA (42ER/117.1IP) in their last 24 games dating back to Aug. 21.

TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have reinstated OF Taylor Trammell from the Paternity List and have optioned OF Joey Loperfido to Triple A Sugar Land.

TRIPLE THREAT: DH Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently ranks first or second in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories. He enters today leading the AL in batting avg. (.310), while ranking second in HR (39) and RBI (98). Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.022), SLG (.594) and OBP (.428). Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL):

NOTHING FINER THAN YAINER: C Yainer Diaz is hitting .372 (16×43) in the month of September with two homers, five RBI and a .971 OPS. Diaz has multiple hits in seven if his 11 starts this month.

STALKING 200: 1B Christian Walker is currently sitting on 199 career home runs and needs just one homer to become the 35th active Major League player to reach 200 career long balls. Walker has hit 25 homers this year for his fifth consecutive 25-plus homer season (2022-26).

THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader converted his 26th consecutive save opportunity to open his season on Tuesday night, which sets the Astros club record. Should Hader finish the season without a blown save, he would become just the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save and the first to do so since RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).

HADER’S HEART: LHP Josh Hader will host a group from Covenant House at tonight’s game as a part of his Hader’s Heart program. Tonight’s visit is just a small part of Hader’s charitable efforts, as the closer has been recognized as the Astros nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for MLB players.

ASTROS-ROYALS: The Astros and Royals have a memorable history, with the two clubs meeting each other in the 2015 ALDS, won by the Royals in five games. 11 years later, 2B Jose Altuve and C Salvador Perez remain on their team’s active rosters, while SS Carlos Correa, currently on the IL, also played in the series. More recently, the Astros are 10-5 in their last 15 games vs. the Royals, including a 3-2 record this season.

SCHIAVONE REACHES 30-30: Prospect C Jason Schiavone, the Astros 2026 Minor League Player of the Year, recorded three steals for Triple A Sugar Land last night, giving him 32 stolen bases on the minor league season. Schiavone has also hit 32 home runs this season, making him the first minor league catcher to post a 3030 season since C Willie Royster did so for the Charlotte O’s in 1981.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2017 – The Astros clinch the AL West with a 7-1 win over the Mariners on a Sunday in Houston. RHP Justin Verlander started for the Astros, in what was his first home start at Daikin Park since his acquisition, and picked up the win, tossing 7.0 innings and allowing just one run.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 17, 6:16 p.m. CT

Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX

TV: FOX

Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; KTRH 740 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

Hoping to get a series split in the final match-up against the San Diego Padres, the Colorado Rockies saw their opponent score seven runs in the top of the second to cruise toward a 9-2 victory. The Rockies are now just three losses away from their fourth consecutive year of 100 losses.

Gordon’s troublesome second inning

The Padres’ offensive aggressiveness claimed another Rockies victim in Tanner Gordon. After a pedestrian top of the first inning in which he allowed a couple of singles and had a couple of strikeouts, Gordon had a 1-0 lead to work with heading into the second inning.

Then the wheels fell off.

Xander Bogaerts led off the inning with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw to tie the game. Gordon then rebounded and struck out Luis Campusano for the first out. The home run must have rattled him, however, as he struggled to find the zone and throw a quality pitch. Jake Cronenworth singled, followed by back-to-back walks from Gordon to load the bases.

Dustin Harris, who has been bothersome in the series, collected a two-run single to make it a 3-1 Padres lead. Manny Machado then drove in the fourth run with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, Ty France singled to put runners on the corners with Jackson Merrill coming up to the plate.

Merrill hit a shallow fly ball to right field that turned into a two-run triple as Zac Veen ran a long way to try to catch it, but the ball hit him in the chest as he slid. On the very next play, Bogaerts hit a line drive to right field that Veen tried to dive for but was nowhere near, resulting in an RBI triple to make it a 7-1 game.

Gordon finally escaped the inning, having thrown 43 pitches in the inning. His 73 pitches through two innings the most thrown by a pitcher in a baseball season. He was also the third starting pitcher to throw at least 70 pitches in the first two innings in 2026, all of them Rockies.

He was able to get through the third inning unscathed after giving up a single and a double in the inning, ending his day after 86 pitches. He allowed seven runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Gordon generated 13 swings and misses, but as is typically the case, it’s never in the situation he needs to get the strikeout, and he left far too many hittable pitches in the zone.

“Today, other than having a tough time putting guys away … he had a two-strike count on Taylor with a walk there in the second, and then the two-strike knock to Harris was huge,” manager Warren Schaeffer said after the game. “I thought the pitch around of Tatís was fine, but just long counts. His changeup was working early. They took some swings and swung through it some, and then they started taking it. [There were] just foul balls, long at-bats, the pitch count rose tremendously and then some stuff in the field that didn’t go his way.”

Schaeffer also reiterated the area that Gordon needs to improve — putting hitters away after getting ahead in counts — and that they’re working on it.

“He gets ahead better than anybody on a typical basis,” he said. “It’s just finding a way to put hitters away late in counts with two strikes, and that’s where we need to find something.”

Bullpen carries the load

Zach Agnos took over for Gordon in the fourth inning in his mop-up long relief role. He worked three innings, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. The two runs came in the fifth inning when Cronenworth led off with a triple, followed by an RBI double for Samad Taylor. Harris collected another RBI single to extend the Padres’ lead to 9-1.

Jaden Hill took the mound for a scoreless seventh, followed by a scoreless eighth from Brennan Bernardino that featured a pair of punchouts. Needing some work, Jordan Romano took over the ninth inning and had two strikeouts against a walk.

King’s court

While the Padres hounded Rockies pitching, the home team couldn’t quite figure out Michael King.

The Rockies put up an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jake McCarthy hit a leadoff triple and came in to score on Connor Norby’s RBI single. Unfortunately, the offense wouldn’t score another run off of King until Kyle Karros hit an RBI single to score Cole Carrigg to make it 9-2. The Rockies threatened to score more in that inning when they loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout of Troy Johnston ended the threat.

King cruised through six innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks. He induced two double-plays and came away with 11 swings and misses. He showcased excellent command of his pitches, particularly the fastball and the slider, to limit the Rockies from doing much of anything.

Similar, but different, offenses

Overall, the difference in the offenses was stark. The Padres had 15 hits and went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position. They struck out nine times and had just three walks. Five players had at least two hits, three of which had three hits a piece, including Bogaerts, who fell a single shy of the cycle. Bogaerts also became the first player in Padres history to have a triple and a homer in the same inning, and the second MLB player this season behind White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters.

Meanwhile, the Rockies had nine hits while going 2-for-4 with RISP. They also struck out nine times and had just three hits. Two players had multi-hit games while TJ Rumfield managed to extend his on-base streak to a Rockies rookie record-tying 21 games.

The biggest difference was that the Padres had 11 extra-base hits while the Rockies had just one. The ability to get on base is great, but the inability to string together multiple extra-base hits and avoid double-play balls is a hurdle the team has to overcome in the future.

Up next

The Rockies welcome the Seattle Mariners Friday for a three-game series over the weekend. Bryan Woo (12-9, 3.88 ERA) will make the start for Seattle while the Rockies have not yet announced a starter.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 pm MDT.

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In what has been the “Season of the Rookie” across all of MLB, the Guardians are no different. Today we’re going to look at the 4 main rookies that have seen playing time for the Guardians in 2026, and what we’ve learned about them so far. The players we’re looking at today are Chase DeLauter, Parker Messick, Travis Bazzana, and Angel Genao. We’re going to look at the main thing we’ve seen from them in 2026 and what they can build on as the next step in their development. First, let’s go over what we’ve learned about Chase DeLauter.

Chase DeLauter can hit

I don’t really know how else to say it, but this dude can swing the bat. At the time of writing through 125 games, he has a 130 wRC+ (10th in the AL) and a .815 OPS (11th in the AL). He doesn’t chase outside the zone, he doesn’t swing and miss, and he doesn’t strike out. He takes his walks, and he hits the ball hard. His 3.2 fWAR shows he’s already producing at the level of a player who’d be a fringe All-Star candidate.

The biggest thing I think Chase can build on would be to see if he can find some more home runs. Almost all of his home runs have come off pitches Statcast counts as on the inner third of the plate. His barrel rate on middle and away pitches is considerably higher than on inside pitches, but those barrels are not translating into home runs consistently for him yet. The contact ability and the damage ability are there on middle and away pitches; he just needs to take that one last step to really boost his damage potential.

Parker Messick is a rock in this rotation

In 2026, Parker Messick has put together about as good a Rookie of the Year case that any starting pitcher can have. At the time of writing, he’s thrown 172.1 innings with a 2.51 ERA, 178 Ks, and has put up 4.5 fWAR. In 29 starts, he’s pitched fewer than 5 innings one time and given up more than 3 ERs just 3 times. It’s hard to imagine a more consistently productive season than the one Parker Messick is having.

There’s not really any major area for me to say Parker Messick should try to build on. His fastball velocity was a bit low, but in the later parts of the season it seems like he’s starting to find a little extra when he’s needed it, touching 96-97 in some key spots. I did a bit of digging, and one thing I think he could do to get a little more depth out of his starts on average is attacking the bottom of the order a bit more. This is really splitting hairs, but his BB% against hitters 3-6 in the opposing lineup is 5.2%, but to hitters 7-9 it’s 7.1%. The gap is small, but being able to reduce that down against the worst hitters in opposing lineups could go a long way to getting deeper in games.

Travis Bazzana can be “That Guy”

It’s been a very solid season for Bazz overall. At the time of writing, a 115 wRC+, .756 OPS, 14 HRs, 19 SBs, and 2.6 fWARin 113 games is nothing short of a successful rookie campaign. But the real reason I came to this conclusion is Bazz plays the game with a fierceness and intensity that’s truly infectious for everyone around him and for fans watching. He’s already shown he’s an elite baserunner, and he’s only going to get better at that given who his main tutor is. He has good plate discipline and takes his walks, and right now he’s showing the “That Guy” factor by heating up in the midst of the most important part of the season for the Guards.

The obvious place that needs improvement is his defense. His defense at second this season has been well below league average. If he can’t figure out second base, there’s always the potential he could be moved to the OF, but given he hasn’t shown a ton of arm strength, it may be best to delay those conversations for now. From the offensive side of things, I think just maintaining that consistency in approach and not being afraid to take walks will go a long way for him. During his torrid start in his first 46 games, when he had a 138 wRC+, his BB% was 12.3%. Then he hit the large cold spell of 58 games, with a 64 wRC+, where his BB% dropped to 10.2%. Now, since the start of the Detroit series, he’s back up to a 13.9% BB%. Being able to maintain that consistent BB% when the hits aren’t dropping can do a lot of work minimizing the negative effect of slumps that inevitably happen over a long season.

Angel Genao: The X Factor

I like this classification for Genao because we haven’t really seen that much of him at the big league level yet. There’s a lot to like. He squares the ball up, hits the ball hard, doesn’t chase out of the zone, doesn’t swing and miss, and doesn’t strikeout. He’s got great speed, a good arm, and defensive versatility in the infield. There have been some drawbacks though. His LASS% (Launch Angle Sweet Spot Percent) is so low, it’s one of the worst in the sport at just 20.2%. And his BB% is very low considering how much better his chase and whiff rates are than average.

When trying to decide what he could stand to improve on, these two things stand out the most. He’s got the eye at the plate and has shown the ability to take key walks in some high leverage situations. If he can do that more consistently throughout the game, that would be a big improvement. Likewise, getting more of his hard contact into launch angle ranges that produce high percentile outcomes should help him turn more of that contact into barrel-level damage and line drives into the outfield. 

The 2026 season has taught us a lot about this team, and while they may not look like a contender at the moment, the future is incredibly bright for this roster going forward. I hope none of you get tired of watching exciting baseball, because that looks to be what’s in store in Cleveland for the next several years.

(All photos are from the Guardians official Instagram page)

Mets lineup

Francisco Lindor – SS
Juan Soto – DH
Bo Bichette – 3B
Carson Benge – RF
Jared Young – 1B
A.J. Ewing – CF
Francisco Alvarez – C
Brett Baty – 2B
Nick Morabito – LF

SP: Nolan McLean – RHP

Phillies lineup

Kyle Schwarber – DH
Trea Turner – SS
Bryce Harper – RF
Luis Arraez – 2B
Alec Bohm – 1B
Bryson Stott – 3B
Brandon Marsh – LF
Justin Crawford – CF
Garrett Stubbs – C

SP: Aaron Nola – RHP

First pitch: 7:15 PM EDT
TV: FOX/FOX ONE
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

Andrew Friedman, the Los Angeles Dodgers' president of baseball operations, told reporters in Cincinnati that he expects Shohei Ohtani will return during the club's final nine games of the regular season.

Speaking after the champagne celebration that followed the club's 8-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds that clinched the National League West, Friedman said of Ohtani, "I expect him back in the regular season."

The four-time MVP and two-way superstar will not pitch this season due to right biceps and left knee injuries, and he has not been in the Dodgers lineup since Sept. 7, after which he was placed on the 15-day injured list. Ohtani sat out five games before giving that one a go, and he had just six hits in 49 at-bats (.122) with no home runs in his final 61 plate appearances.

Much of that span was spent trying to also return as a pitcher, before a bullpen session on Aug. 28 was cut short. The club is hoping his focus on playing one side of the ball enables his body not only to heal, but hold up as the Dodgers aim for a third consecutive World Series title.

For the season, Ohtani is batting .277 with 30 home runs and a .902 OPS, and will likely cede his two-year reign as NL MVP to the Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is Shohei Ohtani coming back? Dodgers reveal injury update

As steady as it gets, Aaron Nola's resurgence rolls on against Mets originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

QUEENS, N.Y. — With 10 games remaining and a likely postseason ahead, reliability matters more than ever.

For the last two months, the Phillies have been able to find it in Aaron Nola.

Each time he’s taken the hill lately, Philadelphia has given itself a good chance to win.

Like it did Thursday.

The 33-year-old faced the New York Mets for the 34th time across his 12th big league season. New York has certainly had multiple identities over that span, but Nola looked like he knew each Mets hitter like the back of his hand in the Phillies’ 3-0 victory at Citi Field.

In complete control, Nola worked fast and efficiently. He got ahead, fired first-pitch strikes at an outstanding clip and forced uncomfortable at-bats. Through four innings, he hadn’t allowed a hit and needed only 38 pitches.

You could tell he was in a groove.

But the Phillies, as they have for much of the season, opened the night struggling to provide run support for him.

They had a tough customer on the other side in Nolan McLean. The Phillies haven’t had any level of success against the second-year right-hander, who entered with a 0.47 ERA in three meetings against them.

With the way both pitchers were throwing, whoever scored first was going to grab some serious momentum.

In the fifth, the Phillies loaded the bases after a pair of two-out walks before Bryce Harper put them ahead. Already with two hits against McLean, Harper bounced one to the left side, where Francisco Lindor fielded it and chose the shorter throw to second instead of going across the diamond.

Except Trea Turner was flying into the bag.

Arguably, the extra length of Turner’s sliding mitt made the difference. He was initially called out, but the call was overturned and the Phillies had a 1-0 lead.

It wasn’t loud contact, but it was enough.

That’s all Nola needed.

After a nine-pitch, hitless fifth in which he continued to face the minimum, a scary moment unfolded in Queens.

With Alec Bohm on second, Justin Crawford bounced one to the right side. Mets first baseman Jared Young stayed near the bag and reached for the ball as McLean came over to cover. McLean’s knee struck Young in the head.

Young went face down and lost consciousness as medical personnel rushed onto the field. He was eventually placed on a stretcher and carted off, giving a thumbs-up as he left. The Mets later announced that Young had feeling in his extremities and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.

It was difficult to resume after a scene like that.

When play did, Nola didn’t lose his rhythm.

Nick Morabito broke up the no-hit bid with one out in the sixth, putting two runners aboard after Nola had opened the inning with a walk. That brought Francisco Lindor to the plate with a chance to do damage against a club he has hurt plenty of times before.

Nola got him to put the ball on the ground.

Luis Arraez backhanded it, made a strong feed to second and Turner completed the double play with a throw to first.

Whatever energy remained inside Citi Field disappeared.

It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Nola, who finished seven scoreless innings Thursday and extended his streak to eight consecutive starts allowing two earned runs or fewer.

For 23 straight starts earlier this season, Nola carried an ERA north of five. That came after a 2025 season in which injuries contributed to a 6.01 ERA.

After his 31st start of this season, his ERA is down to 4.49.

And over his last seven starts, Nola owns a 1.66 ERA — fifth-best among 48 qualified starters in that span.

That turnaround could become increasingly important.

There’s a possibility the Phillies could be without Luzardo if they enter a postseason series. That would obviously be less than ideal, but in a three-game Wild Card Series, two victories are all it takes to advance.

Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez would likely be the first two options if the Phillies can line up their rotation after clinching. If they need a third game, the way Nola is throwing right now shouldn’t drain anyone’s confidence in their chances.

October is often about riding the hot hand.

Right now, Nola’s right hand qualifies.

The Phillies gave themselves more breathing room in the seventh without even recording a hit. Turner took two bases on an errant pickoff throw before Arraez lifted a sacrifice fly.

They manufactured another in the eighth. Bryson Stott doubled, Brandon Marsh dropped down a sacrifice bunt and Crawford followed with a sacrifice fly.

It was the first time all season the Phillies had three sacrifice hits in a game.

One blemish in the victory came in the eighth, when Jonathan Bowlan exited with right groin tightness. The reliever has struggled lately, and the Phillies said an update will come later.

Philadelphia’s last two wins haven’t exactly been pretty, but they have been built around what tends to travel this time of year: starting pitching.

Wheeler gave them one. Nola followed with another. Both shutouts.

The Phillies’ magic number is now five, putting them in position to potentially clinch a fifth straight postseason berth before leaving Queens.