ATLANTA, GA MAY 04: Atlanta center fielder Michael Harris II (23) rests on the field following the last out of the inning during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on May 4th, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Did you think there were going to be days off? There are no days off. At least not yet. Maybe a partial day off? We’ll see.
This is the same lineup the Braves rolled out when they last had to face a lefty (8-4 loss to the Cubs). They also used this lineup in the opener against the Cubs, which they also lost. So, maybe that fortune changes here.
The Braves have a combined four, count ‘em, four PAs against Brandon Williamson. Two are from Ha-Seong Kim (strikeout, flyout), and one each comes from Michael Harris II (a homer), and Matt Olson (a homer). Kind of bizarre that the two lefties are 1-for-1 with a homer off a southpaw but… four PAs, y’all.
The Reds’ lineup is at least moderately interesting, or as much as can be for a bad team playing out the string.
Promoted pseudo-prospect Carlos Jorge, he of the 27 career PAs and a terrible line in them, starts at leadoff. He’s joined in the outfield by another promoted prospect, Hector Rodriguez, who also hasn’t hit at all but has had some more exposure.
The Reds’ quartet from two through five in the lineup has hit well this season. Everyone else has hit terribly. That’s not too different from how the Braves have gone through the season, though. Still, JR Ritchie has a tough test and should hopefully find it easier to loop through the rest of the lineup.
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Football may be getting most of the attention, but there's still plenty of MLB action worth watching. Tuesday's 16-game slate includes several teams fighting for postseason positioning, making it a good time to get involved with baseball using theScore Bet promo code YAHOOBONUS.
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Tuesday MLB Schedule and Moneyline Odds
6:35 p.m. ET
Blue Jays at Orioles
6:40 p.m. ET
Nationals at Tigers
Cardinals at Pirates
Brewers at Phillies
6:45 p.m. ET
Guardians at Red Sox
7:05 p.m. ET
Rays at Yankees — Doubleheader Game 2
7:15 p.m. ET
Reds at Braves
7:40 p.m. ET
White Sox at Royals
Marlins at Cubs
8:05 p.m. ET
Mets at Rangers
8:40 p.m. ET
Diamondbacks at Rockies
9:40 p.m. ET
Angels at Athletics
Astros at Mariners
9:45 p.m. ET
Twins at Giants
10:10 p.m. ET
Padres at Dodgers
Tuesday's MLB betting angle
With the regular season winding down, there are plenty of meaningful games across Tuesday's slate. Whether you're targeting a moneyline, run line or total, theScore Bet gives new users plenty of options to find a wager.
The Brewers at Phillies matchup stands out with Milwaukee bringing a 98-58 record into Philadelphia. The Phillies are 86-70 and in control of the final Wild Card spot.
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BILOXI, MS - SEPTEMBER 20: Josh Adamczewski #6 of the Biloxi Shuckers celebrates during the game between the Rocket City Trash Pandas and the Biloxi Shuckers at Keesler Federal Park on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in Biloxi, Mississippi. (Photo by Sierra Gatz/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
The Sounds just finished up their season this week, and the Shuckers will be done either Tuesday or Wednesday. You can expect the annual Minor League Season Roundup next Tuesday, but for now, here’s the final weekly roundup of the season.
Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Current record: 80-69 Record this week: 2-4 This week’s opponent: vs. Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals) Next week’s opponent: None
Standout performances:
Jonathan Ornelas: 7-for-20, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K Eduardo Garcia: 5-for-16, 2 RBI, BB, 7 K Brandon Lockridge: 5-for-18, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 6 K Akil Baddoo: 5-for-18, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Tyler Black: 5-for-22, 3 2B, RBI, BB, 4 K Bryse Wilson: 6 1/3 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Coleman Crow: 9 2/3 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Tate Kuehner: 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
The Sounds ended their season by dropping four of six games to the Memphis Redbirds, an inconspicuous ending to what was largely a successful season.
Infielder Jonathan Ornelas led the Sounds with a 7-for-20 performance that included his first two home runs as a Sound. Ornelas, who got a cup of coffee with the Brewers due to injuries earlier in the summer, is slashing .213/.327/.362 in 47 at-bats with Nashville.
Brandon Lockridge has now been in Triple-A for over a month. After this week’s 5-for-18 showing, he’s hitting .253 with a .701 OPS in the minors. Lockridge more than held his own in Milwaukee (.273 average, albeit with a .658 OPS), so while he’s not supplanting Luis Lara or Sal Frelick anytime soon, there’s a world in which he ends up on the bench in the playoffs as a pinch-runner and late-game defensive specialist.
Aside from Lockridge, Akil Baddoo, Tyler Black, and Eduardo Garcia each had solid weeks. None of the three appear to be in the Brewers’ future plans, but each has held his own this year in Triple-A. Black has put up a .755 OPS in 354 at-bats this year and seems like a candidate to end up somewhere else this winter.
As for the pitching staff, Coleman Crow got hit around a bit but managed to limit the damage, allowing 12 hits but only two runs over 9 2/3 innings. Tate Kuehner put together another solid start; since coming off the injured list last month, he hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his six appearances. In four of those outings, he’s allowed one or fewer earned runs, including this week’s start. Bryse Wilson was even better, tossing 6 1/3 shutout innings while striking out seven during his rehab assignment.
Double-A Biloxi Shuckers
Current record: 68-69 Record this week: 2-1 This week’s opponent: Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins) (Southern League Division Series) Next week’s opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels) (Southern League Championship Series)
Standout performances:
Matthew Wood: 5-for-10, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K Dylan O’Rae: 5-for-12, RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Damon Keith: 4-for-12, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 6 K Andrew Fischer: 3-for-13, HR, 3 RBI, 4 K Jesús Made: 3-for-13, HR, 2 RBI, BB Bishop Letson: 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K J.D. Thompson: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Josh Knoth: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Biloxi finished the first half with the best record in the South Division of the Southern League, so they’ve had a playoff spot secured for about half the season. This week, they finally got to prove their mettle and did not disappoint. The Shuckers swept a three-game set against the Blue Wahoos, winning the opener 6-3 and the clincher by an even more decisive 8-3.
Game 1 was deadlocked at 0-0 as Pensacola starter, and Madison, Wisconsin, native, Jacob Kisting (10-0, 1.72 ERA) no-hit the Shuckers through four innings. However, things took a turn when Kisting opened the fifth with two fastballs that were much slower than his normal velocity, and Shuckers outfielder Damon Keith tagged the second one for a solo home run. Kisting was clearly in pain after the pitch and was immediately pulled from the game. Biloxi then hung five runs on his replacement, Nigel Belgrave, to take the first game of the series.
Damon Keith gives the Shuckers a 1 run lead in game one of their playoff series against Pensacola.
In Game 2, Biloxi took a quick 6-0 lead and never looked back thanks to three two-run homers from Jesús Made, Matthew Wood, and Braylon Payne. Payne’s was an absolute laser, clearing the fence while he was still in the batter’s box.
Braylon Payne’s first postseason dinger leaves his bat at 117 mph 🔥
Yeah, you read that right: 117 mph, which happens to be the hardest-hit ball by a Shucker this season. It’s not surprising that it came off the bat of Payne, whose 28 homers this season trail only Andrew Fischer (who’s had a record-breaking season) and Blake Burke.
After sweeping the Blue Wahoos, Biloxi advanced to the Southern League Championship Series, where they dropped Game 1 to the Rocket City Trash Pandas, 5-4, despite home runs from Josh Adamczewski and Andrew Fischer. Fischer went opposite field to give the Shuckers a 4-2 lead.
Starter Josh Knoth went six strong innings and put the Shuckers in a position to win, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Each of Biloxi’s starters this week — Bishop Letson, J.D. Thompson, and Knoth — went at least five innings and allowed no more than two runs. All three have had their fair share of ups and downs this year, but they’ve looked better as the season has gone on, and their playoff performances can only give Brewers fans more reason to be excited about their development.
Finally, Blake Burke was named the Southern League MVP (despite having been in Nashville since August 10). This season, he became the first player to hit 30 home runs in the Southern League since 2015, while his 91 RBIs broke the Shuckers’ single-season record of 90, set by Jackson Chourio in 2023. Burke slashed .285/.367/.603 (.970 OPS) in 375 at-bats with the Shuckers.
Biloxi will need to win each of its next two games to claim the first title in franchise history — and the first outright title by a Brewers Double-A affiliate since 1994. Game 2 & a potential Game 3 will be held in Madison, Alabama at the home of the Trash Pandas. Game 2 is set for 6:35 p.m. CT on Tuesday night, and Game 3 would also be at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday night.
Good ol' animosity. It's like an extra player roaming the field at Dodger Stadium as the San Diego Padres open play for a three-game series with their rivals to the north, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The National League West teams have a midweek turn that can go a long way to determining either team's plans for postseason glory. The Dodgers are four games in the black over the Atlanta Braves for the second-best record in the senior circuit, which would come with the benefit of a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Padres have their sights set on more than just October. San Diego remains on track to secure the top NL wild-card seed, carrying a five-game advantage over the Arizona Diamondbacks with only six games left in the regular season. The D-backs face a much steeper challenge, sitting four games behind the Phillies for the league's final wild-card berth.
If the standings were to remain, the Padres would open the postseason in a battle with the Chicago Cubs in a best-of-three series. Just one game ahead of the Phillies, San Diego could slide to the No. 6 seed in the playoff bracket, putting them in a wild-card series in Atlanta.
After that, the Dodgers.
One of the sport's greatest rivalries kicks off Tuesday with storylines aplenty.
Dodgers vs Padres previews possible playoff clash
The Dodgers are 14-3 over their past 17 games and are showing flashes of a team that is leaving the dog days of August behind them. Granted, much of the latest heat check has come at the hands of the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals.
Mookie Betts is again showing life as one of the best hitters in the league. His 1.214 OPS is good for third in all of baseball in September, and he has chipped in six home runs and 20 RBI in that span.
The team is getting healthier, with Roki Sasaki and Andy Pages returning for the Padres series, giving the Dodgers much-needed depth on offense and defense and time to acclimate.
Still, the Dodgers have cause for concern in a playoff collision course with the Padres. For one, San Diego has been just as hot, winning 14 of their past 16 games.
Fernando Tatis' resurgence and 1.083 OPS this month are big reasons San Diego feels hopeful, especially after the offensive doldrums he suffered earlier in the season.
Both teams are hot with the bats lately and are top two in OPS and home runs in September.
There remains the one sizable question in the form of Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers' previous World Series run was boosted by the star's two-way availability, pitching in four games in the 2025 postseason.
This year, the Dodgers will have to live with a percentage of Ohtani.
Dave Roberts gave hope that he might see action after his 15-day stint on the IL (biceps, knee). "There's a good chance next series we'll see him," Roberts said recently, pointing to this week's series with San Diego.
The Dodgers skipper continued, "It's going to be the best physical place he's been in in quite some time."
Clearly hampered by injuries, Ohtani has played in just nine games this month and batted .111 with six strikeouts.
The Padres meet the Dodgers in L.A. in the penultimate series for both teams before October baseball comes calling. These three games will be crucial to showing which team is more ready for prime time.
The Yankees shut out the Tampa Bay Rays in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader, winning by a score of 2-0.
Here are the key takeaways...
-- Carlos Rodon was at his absolute best on Tuesday afternoon, limiting the Rays to just three hits (all singles) and striking out eight in eight scoreless innings.
It was the longest outing by the left-hander this season and the first time he’s completed eight innings since July 11 of last year. In fact, since joining New York in 2023, Rodon has made it through eight frames just twice in 95 starts.
-- Rodon faced the minimum for the first 19 batters of the game thanks to two double plays turned behind him. The first twin killing came in the second when Jose Caballero started a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning after a one-out single.
The second was a little more unconventional. With Richie Palacios at the plate, Victor Mesa Jr. broke on the 1-0 pitch which was lined into left field and caught by Cody Bellinger. Bellinger fired the ball to first base and Luis Garcia Jr. placed the tag on Mesa who was scrambling back which ended the inning.
-- Aside from that, Rodon faced one over the minimum and was completely dominant from start to finish. He lowered his season ERA to 2.67 and has been excellent in September (3-0, 1.42 ERA in four starts).
-- Offensively, the Yankees had trouble with Rays starter Nick Martinez who was perfect the first time through the lineup. However, things changed in the fourth when Ben Rice led off with a double. On the very next pitch, Bellinger blasted one 382 feet to right field for a two-run homer to get New York on the board.
George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones added back-to-back, two-out singles later in the frame, but were stranded after Anthony Volpe struck out to end the inning.
-- The Yankees had another chance in the fifth after a bunt single by Caballero, followed by two steals, and a walk to Rice put runners at the corners, but Martinez got Bellinger to pop out and Heliot Ramos to fly out to end the threat.
-- New York wouldn’t get another baserunner after that, but it didn’t matter as Rodon kept the Rays off the board for eight innings before closer David Bednar came in for the save.
-- With a win in the first game of their doubleheader against their AL-East leading rivals, the Yanks are now 5.0 GB of Tampa Bay and at the very least delayed the Rays from clinching the division for a little while longer.
Game MVP: Carlos Rodon
It was perhaps Rodon's best outing of his career and came at a nice time.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 05: Cleveland Guardians mascot Slider runs a Guardians flag in the outfield following the Major League Baseball ALDS Game 1 between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians on October 5, 2024, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’re down to the last week of the regular season. The final few games are thankfully at Fenway Park after the Sox completed their final road trip of the year last week. First up are the Cleveland Guardians.
The Red Sox last saw them in May, when Boston took two of three while scoring 9 runs in each of their wins. It looked like The Turnaround. Of course it would be nearly a month before that would happen. The Guardians? They’ve displaced the White Sox atop the AL Central. Is the White Sox magical run going to come up short of the playoffs? Or just turn into a Wild Card berth? The Red Sox might play a role in deciding that.
Tuesday’s game has a pair of young, talented lefties facing off. Parker Messick is having a great year. He lost a game to the Sox in May but only allowed 1 run in 5.0 innings. The Sox picked up single runs in the 6th and 8th innings and then scored 6 in the 9th, for good measure. He’s matched up against Payton Tolle. Tolle, in his last start of the regular season, is perhaps lined up to start Game 1 of the Wild Card series. He didn’t face Cleveland earlier this year and he’s been cruising. The Red Sox have won four of his last five starts. He struck out 38 against 7 walks.
Foster Griffin returned to MLB after three seasons in Japan and was pretty good for the Nationals. Since being traded to Cleveland, he’s struggled. At least in terms of ERA. With Washington he out-pitched his FIP by a run, In Cleveland he’s almost two runs in the other direction. He’ll be looking to try and carry the Guardians to a win and secure the division. Sonny Gray will make his last regular season start live on ESPN. Yes, there’s a mid-week national TV game. Gray has pitched like the ace all season in place of Garrett Crochet. He’s put up four quality starts in his last five outings. He tossed the one win against Cleveland in May by allowing just a single run in 6.0 innings.
Cleveland currently has TBD listed for the Thursday finale. Last time through the rotation following Griffin, they used Daniel Espino (righty) as an opener for Joey Cantillo (lefty). Cantillo has made 30 starts this season so this isn’t a Brayan Bello situation. He’d been starting until the last two outings, when he came in for the second and third innings, respectively. Overall he has a 3.74 ERA / 4.02 FIP. He’s struck out 167 hitters in 154 innings but also leads the league in walks with 79. The Sox will send Ranger “Mr. October” Suarez to the mound for his tuneup before the playoffs. Ranger had a weird outing last time: 5.2 innings, 5 Ks, 5 BBs. The Sox did top the Rays 4-2 but he had a little trouble after issuing just three free passes total over the three previous starts. Suarez started the other win against Cleveland. He allowed 4 runs in 5.0 innings but struck out 10 and the bats piled up 0 runs to bail him out. Can’t complain there.
Rookie Travis Bazzana is hitting .246/.338/.407 with 15 homers in his 118 games.
José Ramírez has been their team MVP for a while but since he returned from the IL has hit just .234/.301/.315 for 48 games. Clearly he’s still struggling.
Since he was acquired from the Angels, Jo Adell has hit 6 homers.
After slashing just .225/.332/.282 during the first half Steven Kwan has been hot: .354/.440/.430 since the All Star Game.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Tuesday, September 22: Parker Messick (2.57 ERA / 3.11 FIP) vs. Payton Tolle (3.02 ERA / 3.04 FIP)
Wednesday, September 23: Foster Griffin (3.67 ERA / 4.07 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (2.82 ERA / 3.50 FIP)
Thursday, September 24: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Ranger Suarez (3.27 ERA / 3.12 FIP)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 22: Carlos Rodón #55 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The chances are now paper thin after a series loss in Arizona, but if the Yankees are to have any shot of chasing down the Rays in the final week of the season, they absolutely must sweep this four-game series. That required a dominant performance from Carlos Rodón facing one of the AL’s best starters in Nick Martinez. They certainly got that, Rodón running rampant for eight scoreless innings, achieving both the 1,500th strikeout and 100th win of his career as the Yankees took the first game of the day’s doubleheader, 2-0.
Rodón burst out of the gate like he had a point to prove, whiffing the first two batters of the game Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda on a pair of filthy sliders. Cam Schlittler and Max Fried are likely locks for the postseason rotation, meaning if the Yankees elect to stick with a three-man unit, that final spot comes down to Rodón and Gerrit Cole. Aaron Boone has affirmed his commitment to Cole as the Game One starter in a prospective Wild Card Series. This seemingly leaves Rodón on the bubble, which might explain the extra edge he was pitching with this afternoon.
His teammates didn’t do themselves any favors early, burning both ABS challenges in the first inning. I expect the Yankees to tighten the strings on who gets to challenge and in what situation come the playoffs as you cannot deprive yourself of such a vital tool with eight innings still to play.
Martinez entered this game with the lowest walk rate of any qualified starter and among the league’s best at limiting hard contact. He was true to form going the first turn through the order without allowing a base runner. He was helped by the collectively poor approach from the lineup, with four out of the nine batters including the side in the third striking out against a pitcher with the lowest strikeout rate among qualified starters.
That started to change the second turn through the order, the Yankees finally starting to do some damage against the high volume of pitches Martinez was throwing over the heart of the plate, starting with a Ben Rice double into the corner in right to lead off the fourth. The very next pitch Martinez threw rocketed out of the yard, Cody Bellinger blasting a first pitch sinker into the seats in right for a two-run homer — his fifth homer in the last 12 games.
George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones singled with two outs to put runners on the corners. Jones then stole second unopposed, but Anthony Volpe struck out swinging to strand the pair in scoring position. They kept up the pressure in the fifth, José Caballero reaching on a bunt single against his former team and then stealing second and third followed by a Rice walk to put runners on the corners with one out. However, Bellinger popped out and Heliot Ramos flew out as they stranded a pair in consecutive frames.
Rodón settled into an impressive groove after a Chandler Simpson single in the second, retiring the next ten batters in order until Victor Mesa Jr. led off the sixth with a single. After Rodón whiffed Jorge Mateo on a slider for his sixth strikeout, he got Richie Palacios to line out to left. Mesa was running on the play and momentarily forget he had to sprint back to first, allowing Bellinger to throw an absolute seed to Luis García Jr., who applid the tag for the inning-ending double play.
With Rodón’s pitch count standing at just 89 after seven, Boone decided to go batter-to-batter in the eighth. However, Rodón ensured his manager had no choice to make, completing the eighth inning on just seven pitches, including the 1,500th strikeout of his career. It’s tied for his longest start as a Yankee, matching the eight innings he pitched against the Cubs on July 11, 2025.
Rodón entered this start as perhaps the Yankees’ most in-form pitcher behind Schlittler. Including today, in his last eight starts, Rodón has a 1.67 ERA while holding batters to a measly .134 batting average against. He had all his pitches working today, but this really felt like a throwback to his peak years with Chicago and San Francisco. He got whiffs in bunches on the four-seamer above the zone and slider below it. In likely his penultimate start of the regular season, Rodón dominated for eight scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out eight to lower his ERA to 2.67 on the year.
The Yankees didn’t manage another base runner in the final three innings, but Rodón made sure that it wouldn’t come back to haunt them. David Bednar pitched a one-two-three ninth to secure his 35th save of the season. The gap to the Rays now stands at five games as the Yankees become the second team in the AL to 90 wins. At worst, they have clinched the four seed in the AL, guaranteeing home field advantage in a prospective AL Wild Card Series.
The Yankees have a few hours’ rest before taking the field again tonight. Max Fried starts the night game of the doubleheader against Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm ET with the broadcast remaining on YES, so stick around!
HARRISBURG, PA - MAY 21: Cayden Wallace #10 of the Harrisburg Senators bats during the game between the Akron RubberDucks and the Harrisburg Senators at FNB Field on Thursday, May 21, 2026 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kyle Mace/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
There have been all sorts of offensive breakouts throughout the Nationals organization. From Keibert Ruiz and Andres Chaparro at the big league level to Seaver King and Ronny Cruz in the minors, there has been a lot of success. However, one under the radar breakout has been Cayden Wallace who has put himself back on the map this season.
At one point, the 25 year old had some real prospect hype behind him. After starring for Arkansas, the Royals drafted Wallace in the second round back in 2022. Entering 2024, he was the third ranked prospect in the Royals system. Wallace was traded to the Nats in a deadline deal that sent reliever Hunter Harvey to Kansas City.
However, Wallace really struggled when he arrived in the Nats system. He missed a lot of time in 2024 due to injuries. When he came back in 2025, he did not have a very good year in AA. Wallace hit .242 with a .686 OPS and 10 homers in 121 games for Harrisburg. That led to him going unprotected and unselected in the Rule 5 draft and took him off the prospect radar.
At this point, Wallace was an afterthought who looked like nothing more than organizational depth. However, he has flipped the script this season. He lit up AA to the tune of a .300 average with 18 homers and a .915 OPS in 71 games. That was impressive stuff, but the real test was going to come in AAA. After all, you can only learn so much from a 24 year old performing well in AA.
When Wallace first got to Rochester, it took him a few weeks to settle in. After 19 games in AAA, Wallace was hitting just .207 with a .552 OPS. However, he has been lighting it up the last couple months of the season. Wallace hit .337 with a 1.015 OPS in August and followed that up with a .304 average and .879 OPS in September.
At the plate, Cayden Wallace has an interesting profile. He is an ultra-aggressive hitter who chases more than you would like but also rarely misses a chance to swing at pitches in the zone. That pairs nicely with his above average contact skills, average power and strong ability to pull the ball in the air.
Cayden Wallace is a no-brainer add to the 40-man for me. Chase is still a bit of an issue but he pulls the ball in the air and hits it hard. Big organizational win. pic.twitter.com/g5KjKQx5da
As mentioned, Wallace is now a strong candidate to be added to the 40-man roster now. He was exposed in the Rule-5 draft and went unprotected last year, but I do not think that would happen again. With his lights out play in Rochester, Wallace is showing that he is a big league ready asset.
One nice thing about Wallace is that he can play multiple positions. He has spent most of his time at third base in his career, but has also gotten run at second and shortstop this season. Wallace has a very strong arm and is a solid defender and athlete.
Nats hitters all across the organization have seen pick up ticks in power, and Wallace is no exception. After hitting just 10 homers last season, Wallace is up to 29 this year. He does not have James Wood type exit velocities, but he hits it plenty hard enough and elevates consistently.
I think Cayden Wallace has a chance to be a real piece on the 2027 Nationals. Having a utility guy who has the chance to hit for power and average while also playing solid defense is rare. When top 30 lists are updated this offseason, I think Wallace deserves to re-enter the Nationals top 30 prospect list. He is an older prospect now, but his production is undeniable.
Between two levels, Wallace is now hitting .300 with 29 homers and an .896 OPS. Those numbers also stayed relatively stable between AA and AAA. In Harrisburg, he hit .300 with a .915 OPS and in Rochester he hit .299 with an .872 OPS.
After falling off the map following two rough seasons, Wallace is now back on the radar. He will be one to watch in Spring Training and I think he has a chance to win a job out of camp. Wallace could easily take the Jose Tena at bats. In a season full of breakouts, do not overlook Cayden Wallace.
Sep 22, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In true “end-of-the-season battle of the titans” fashion, the Rays were going to be facing the Yankees in a Tuesday doubleheader. Both teams had secured their trip to the postseason, but the Rays really wanted to finally lock down their place as the AL East champions without question. To get the job done, they had Nick Martinez on the mound for game one, up against Carlos Rodon for the Yankees. One man they wouldn’t need to worry about for the whole series was Aaron Judge, who will miss the remainder of the regular season and is a big question mark for the Wild Card series.
The Rays started out by going 1-2-3 in the top of the first. The Yankees helped out by doing the same thing in the home half.
Chandler Simpson got the first hit of the game with one out in the second. However, Jonny DeLuca grounded into a double play to eliminate the baserunner and end the inning. Martinez kept Victor Mesa Jr. busy in the bottom of the inning with multiple flyouts, but managed to keep the Yankees off the basepaths as well, setting them down in order.
It was another three-up, three-down inning for the Rays in the third, and the same story for the Yankees in the bottom half. I never like to speak too soon on these things, but this was shaping up to be a good old-fashioned pitchers’ duel.
The Rays went down in order again in the fourth. I did indeed speak too soon about that whole pitchers’ duel thing, because Ben Rice doubled to start the bottom of the fourth, then Cody Bellinger homered, putting the Yankees on the board first. With two outs George Lombard Jr. singled, then Spencer Jones singled, bumping Lombard to third. Jones then stole second, putting two runners in scoring position. An Anthony Volpe strikeout ended the inning with no additional runs scored.
Another three-up, three-down inning didn’t do much to help the Rays get any runs back. Jose Caballero got a one-out single in the bottom of the inning, then he stole second. Ben Rice walked, and Caballero stole third. Martinez got the next two outs, though, once again nipping the threat in the bud.
Victor Mesa Jr. opened the sixth with a single, but a strikeout and then a double play off the bat of Richie Palacios ended the inning with no runs scored. Thankfully the Yankees had a 1-2-3 inning to keep things status quo.
In the seventh, Jonathan Aranda got a one-out single, but two outs followed to leave him stranded. The Rays were really going to need to get something going if they hoped to clinch the division today. Nick Martinez was done after six innings with a final line of 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR on 94 pitches. Aside from one unlucky inning it was a pretty good outing from him overall. Ty Johnson replaced him and got the side out in order.
The Rays once again failed to get a baserunner on in the eighth. The Yankees also went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
Rodon, who had made it through eight innings of really strong work, was out for the ninth, being replaced by David Bednar. The Rays did not make any effort at a rally, going 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth and dropping the first game of the doubleheader. Hopefully they were just keeping their runs for the evening game.
Apr 12, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages (44) reacts with pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) after a catch against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Tuesday got a few regulars back as reinforcements heading into the final week of the regular season and into October, activating center fielder Andy Pages and pitcher Roki Sasaki off the injured list.
Emmet Sheehan and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo were optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday.
Pages was an All-Star starter this season, and when he got hurt was tied with Yoshinobu Yamamoto for second-highest FanGraphs WAR (3.9) on the team, behind only Shohei Ohtani. By Baseball Reference WAR, Pages is still third on the team now at 5.4, trailing only Ohtani and Yamamoto. That’ll happen with a .272/.338/.458 batting line with a 118 wRC+ combined with plus-defense in center field.
Before getting hit by an errant fastball on August 21, Pages started 125 of the Dodgers’ 129 games, and led the team in plate appearances (550) at the time. Pages and Ohtani are still tied for the Dodgers’ lead with 80 runs batted in. With Pages out, Alek Thomas was first called up to start six games in center field, followed by Tommy Edman starting 17 games, plus three starts by Alex Call and one by Kiké Hernández.
With Edman moving to the outfield and once Thomas was optioned, Miguel Rojas (10) and Alex Freeland (eight) have covered all but one of the starts at second base in September.
Sasaki struggled earlier in the season, but improved as the season progressed. He has a streak of six straight starts with no more than two runs allowed until his blister start in Atlanta. On the season, Sasaki has a 4.46 ERA and 4.42 xERA, but since July 8 he’s down to a 3.25 ERA and 3.76 xERA in eight starts.
With Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow set for the postseason rotation, the Dodgers will see over the next two weeks if Blake Snell will be hampered by his left groin discomfort, and will have Sheehan at the ready. That allows them to use Sasaki in relief, as they did last postseason out of necessity.
“I could see multiples [innings], but it’s not going to be bulk as in four or five innings,” manager Dave Roberts said on Sunday.
Last season was a different situation for Sasaki, who struggled mightily as a starter and spend four months on the injured list before returning in the final week of the regular season. There was no room in the rotation, so he pitched in relief in the postseason. He wasn’t dominant — only six strikeouts among his 43 batters faced, with five walks — but he was effective, allowing only one run over nine appearances and 10 2/3 innings, the highlight his perfect three innings of relief in the Dodgers’ NLDS Game 4 clincher over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sasaki saved three games last postseason. Roberts said Sasaki probably wouldn’t get an opportunity in a save situation right away this week, but it could progress to that by the postseason.
“I trust Roki in any situation. I would say probably starting a clean inning,” Roberts said. “He’s done it, he’s really good. He’s a neutral pitcher, high-octane stuff. And you really just need four starters. So we’re in a good spot there, for now.”
Alfonzo made his major league debut against the Padres on July 5, and started nine games behind the plate. He had five hits in 28 at-bats with three doubles and four runs batted in.
Major League Baseball could have a division winner this season that doesn't finish with a winning record.
That's the state of the truly mediocre AL West, where the Texas Rangers began the final week of the regular seasson with a division-leading mark of 78-78. The second-place Houston Astros are close behind, with the Seattle Mariners clinging to a flicker of life in the event they can win out.
While baseball fans may not see excellence every night, they are very likely to see drama .... all the way to the very end.
The Astros can extinguish the Mariners' flame with a sweep of their two-game series to start the week. Then they'll travel to Sacremento to close out the regular season with a four-game set against the Athletics.
The Rangers, meanwhile, play three at home against the New York Mets, then head to Minnesota to face the Twins.
MLB no longer uses a one-game playoff if two teams end up with the same record. All ties are broken by a tiebreaker formula. The first step is head-to-head record. Here's how the AL West teams fare in that department (with the Mariners and Astros beginning a two-game series in Seattle on Tuesday):
The Cubs get lucky once again in this series and don’t have to face Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara, who went Sunday against the Padres. In fact, they’ll face the same three Marlins starters they took on in the series in Miami a couple of weeks ago, in the same order.
Since these teams last met two weeks ago, the Cubs are 6-6 — but 6-3, winning three straight series, since being swept in Milwaukee. The Marlins are 4-8 and just got swept by the Padres in San Diego.
For more on the Marlins, please visit the Marlins site Fish On First.
Fun facts
Good news! This is still the regular season.
The Cubs are 67-55 at Wrigley Field in regular-season games vs. the Marlins. They are 1-5 in the postseason.
The Cubs won two of three when they last hosted the Marlins on May 12-14, 2025. Today is the 495th day since then, during which the Cubs have played 274 games, including three at Miami on Sept. 4-6. They won the first two and lost the third.
The Cubs’ last sweep of the Marlins at home was on May 7-9, 2018. They did it on the road April 15-17, 2019. This will be their 13th series vs. the Marlins since then. They were swept twice, both at Miami, in 2021 and 2023. The Cubs have been swept at home by the Marlins only twice in 34 seasons: two games in 1997 and three in 2007.
NOTE: Thursday would be Clay Holmes’ turn, but MLB.com currently is listing “TBD,” so that’s what I’m showing here.
Times & TV channels
Tuesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Wednesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Thursday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
The Marlins are a much worse team on the road (31-47) than at home (45-33). The Cubs took two of three from them in Miami, and so ought to at least do that again, with a fair shot at a sweep.
Up next
The final series of the regular season, a three-game set vs. the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park beginning Friday evening. The weather forecast is a concern.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 20: Players of the Chicago White Sox celebrate after defeating the Detroit Tigers 8-1 at Rate Field on September 20, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jayden Mack/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last August, the White Sox were in the middle of a 102-loss season while the Royals were trying their best to stay on the fringes of the Wild Card race. The Royals would win 10 of 13 against the Sox, a big part of why they were able to finish with a winning record. The baseball world expected another trying season for the White Sox, but they grew up and found themselves in a pennant race this year. They go into this series just one game out of first place, and three games up for the last Wild Card spot. They have won 7 of 10 this year against the Royals, turning the tables on them.
Chicago White Sox (80-76) vs. Kansas City Royals (67-89) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
White Sox: 4.70 runs scored/game (6th in MLB), 4.43 runs allowed/game (15th)
The White Sox went from scoring the fourth-fewest runs in baseball in 2025 to the sixth-most runs this year. They added Munetaka Murakami, who is second among all rookies with 32 home runs. Outfielder Tristan Peters was acquired for cash considerations last December from the Rays and is now third among all rookies in fWAR at 3.9. Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery have also blossomed into 30+ home run hitters, and Sam Antonacci is tenth in the American League with a .363 on-base percentage.
Kyle Teel missed the first two and a half months with a hamstring injury and returned two weeks ago from an ankle injury. Brenton Doyle has not drawn a single walk in 37 games since the White Sox acquired him in July. Former Royals outfielder Andrew Benintendi is hitting just .167/.216/.229 in his last 18 games. Former Royals outfielder Randal Grichuk is hitting .318/.361/.618 against left-handers.
Anthony Kay has not pitched into the sixth inning in any of his last five starts. Lefties are hitting just .186/.251/.267 against him, and he has a 5.07 ERA on the road. Daniel Lynch IV has a 5.28 ERA in eight starts, but is coming off his best start, throwing five shutout innings against the Astros his last time out.
Erick Fedde has a 2.84 ERA in five career starts against the Royals, but Salvador Perez is 5-for-11 (.455) with a home run against him. He has a 1.57 ERA over his last six starts. Seth Lugo has a 7.35 ERA in nine starts since the start of August, but the Royals are 5-4 in those games. He has a 2.14 ERA against the White Sox in 46.1 career innings.
The White Sox have not yet announced a starter for Thursday, but it is David Sandlin’s turn in the rotation. The former Royals farmhand has struggled in his rookie campaign, giving up five runs in four innings in a loss to the Tigers his last time out. Randy Dobnak lasted just 3.2 innings in his last start, his shortest outing in 14 games with the Royals.
White Sox relievers have a 3.68 ERA, seventh-best in baseball, but they have 30 blown saves, third-most. The team traded closer Seranthony Domínguez away at the deadline, with Grant Taylor and Bryan Hudson sharing closing duties since then. Hudson was claimed off waivers in spring training and is 25th in fWAR among all relievers. Former Arkansas standout and first-round pick Hagen Smith has become a bullpen weapon, with opponents hitting .107/.242/.167 against him. Trevor Richards, who pitched in three games for the Royals in 2025, has the seventh-most relief innings in baseball this year at 77.2.
The White Sox just took three out of four from the Tigers in Chicago, but have a losing record of 8-11 in the month of September. They are 34-44 on the road, the worst road record of any team currently projected to make the postseason. The White Sox have flipped the script from a year ago, and with the postseason within reach, they’ll look to continue their dominance over the Royals this season.
Charlie Condon walks off the field | Credit: Albuquerque Isotopes
Charlie Condon (No. 2 PuRP) was drafted third-overall in the 2024 draft and has been a highly touted prospect ever since. Condon was a walk-on for the University of Georgia his freshman year, and ultimately won the Golden Spikes Award during his senior year before being drafted by the Rockies.
He has rocketed up the minors and was on the brink of breaking camp this past spring before ultimately being assigned to Triple-A right at the very end.
“Spring training was a great experience for me, just getting to spend time in the big-league locker room with (Warren Schaeffer) and the staff up there,” Condon recalled. “And then also just the guys that are in that locker room and creating relationships with them. It was a productive spring to kind of get a subtle vibe of the big league feel.
“And then coming into Triple-A, it’s different than your previous minor league levels,” he continued. “You’re facing guys that are up and down, guys that you’re playing with are up and down, so there’s always people coming and going. But it was a great experience. I feel like I learned a lot, just as far as how the game works up here at a higher level. I think it was just a good experience against good competition.”
Condon played 130 games with the Isotopes this year, slashing .273/.390/.514 with 25 doubles, seven triples, 27 home runs, 98 RBI and eight stolen bases in 13 attempts. He struck out 25.1% of the time, but walked 13.2% — all good for a wRC+ of 118.
But the biggest takeaway he had from his first season in Triple-A was the importance of being healthy.
“It’s hard to pick one particular moment,” he said, “but I think for me, just an all-encompassing thing was just being healthy this full year and playing as many games as I did – getting as many at-bats as I did, getting the reps that I had both at first base and the outfield. I think just the opportunity to play a full, healthy year of baseball was the highlight for me.”
However, there were certainly some plays that stood out. The first one, of course, is September 6th, when Condon hit two grand slams against the Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners).
“It was really cool. You don’t get that opportunity very often,” Condon said. “To come up with the bases loaded twice in one game and get the pitches that I got and put the right swings on them was great. But just to have those guys in front of me have a bunch of really good at-bats and load the bases… grand slams are a collective effort because if it’s just me out there, it’s two solo shorts. It doesn’t mean all that much. But props to the guys around me for making those things mean a little bit more.”
He also hit his first-career walk-off home run this year against the El Paso Chihuahuas on May 31st.
Defensively, Condon continued to split his time between first base and right field. He played 76 games at first (72 starts), 56 in the outfield (50 starts) and six as a designated hitter.
“It’s just a constant sharpening of all the positions,” he said of his preparation. “DH you don’t really need to prepare for all that much, other than how you get ready in the cage. And then as far as outfield and first base, I try not to make my preparation too different depending on what position I’m playing. I kind of just do a little bit of everything every day to just feel ready … It’s more like every day I’m going to go out and I’m going to ground balls. I’m going to get my stuff that I need to get in for first base, and then I’m going to go shag BP in the outfield. I’m going to get reads off the bat there, and so that way it just feels like I’m always ready for whichever position it may be that day.”
But like any player, Condon learned some lessons in his first season in Triple-A.
“I’ve been playing baseball for a long time. It’s the same game up here that you’ve played your whole life. There’s just different aspects to it,” he said. “I think a big thing I’ve learned is just keeping things simple and understanding it’s really not all that different. It just feels more important the closer you get to the big leagues, but it’s still just being able to maintain a slow heartbeat and not live and die with every good and bad thing that happens, and just being able to roll with the punches a little bit.”
He’s also made some minor adjustments, but really made sure to “listen to the game” along the way.
“The game’s going to tell you certain things about what you need to do that day to be ready,” Condon said, “what you’re feeling in the game, and you’ve got to be ready to listen, like, ‘Hey, I need to make a tweak here’ or ‘I need to keep riding with this because I think this is working with me.’ So it’s a constant game of just listening to what the game’s trying to tell you.”
One of the adjustments he had to make, like other players in the Rockies’ system, was to playing at roughly 5,100 feet above sea level.
“It’s a little harder to catch your breath every now and then,” he said. “But (it’s) nothing too crazy. Pitch shapes look a little bit different sometimes, but [I’m] definitely used to the coming and going of the traveling, for sure.”
But looking ahead, Condon is looking forward to continuing his work into the offseason.
“I’m excited to get in and get my body in good shape,” he said, “add a little bit of weight and just sharpen some tools this offseason. Rest a little bit, and hopefully just show up really ready whenever we get going.”
The Albuquerque Isotopes finished their season at home against the Salt Lake Bees (Angels). going 2-4 and being outscored 40-30. They finished 73-77 overall, and 34-41 in the second half.
⬆️ Stock Up: Sterlin Finish
Sterlin Thompson (No. 16 PuRP) made his MLB debut this season, but finished in Albuquerque after being optioned on August 18th. But he still played well, especially in the final week. In six games against Salt Lake, Thompson went 6-for-20 (.300) with two doubles, one home run (in the final game of the season), six runs scored, three RBI, six walks and just one strikeout. He also stole one final base on September 15th.
⬆️ Stock Up: Close the Brooks
Jake Brooks made his final start of the season on September 19th and pitched a gem. The right-hander threw seven innings, allowing just one run — a solo homer — on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. It was his longest outing in an Isotopes uniform, but he had done it twice before in Double-A Hartford before his promotion in July.
The Hartford Yard Goats went quietly in the Eastern League Division Series, as they were swept by the Reading Fightin’ Phils (Phillies) and were outscored 26-8. After being thrashed 21-4 in the opener, they bounced back and lost 5-4 in the second game. They finished 66-71 overall, and 27-42 in the second half.
⬆️ Stock Up: Young King Cole
Cole Messina finished the season on a high note. In the two games against Reading, Messina went 3-for-8 with two RBI, one run scored, a home run and two strikeouts. He attempted to steal a base in Game 1, but was caught. Messina’s three hits led the Yard Goats in the two-game series.
⬆️ Stock Up: Et tu, Jared?
Jared Thomas (No. 8 PuRP) played on two playoff teams this season — the ACL Championship team as well as the Yard Goats ELDS team. In Game 2 of the ELDS specifically, he went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored, one RBI and a stolen base. Thomas will continue action in the Arizona Fall League starting on October 3rd.
⬆️ Stock Up: Wimmer, Wimmer, Chicken Dinner
Braylen Wimmer had an outstanding season after being diagnosed with an astrocytoma (brain tumor) last fall. In total, he played 81 games for the Yard Goats and slashed .253/.352/.375 with 23 extra-base hits, 30 RBI, 36 walks and 97 strikeouts. He also stole 30 bases in 33 attempts. But in the ELDS specifically, Wimmer went 2-for-5 with two doubles (one in each game), three RBI, three walks, a strikeout and a stolen base.
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 16: Jr. Ritchie #60 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nick Loggarakis/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s tune-up time. The division is clinched, the chances of getting not-the-three seed in the NL are very low, and the Braves are presumably going to take it easy for their last two series before playoff action begins. For the first part of this week, they’ll host the Reds, and then complete the regular season down in Miami.
Much like the Braves are playing out the string, so are the Reds — though the latter’s been doing so for quite a while at this point. Fresh off a surprising playoff berth engendered by a Mets collapse in 2025, the Reds were not projected to be good when the season began (78 wins central estimate, playoff odds of about 17 percent). It turns out that they were unable to meet even that tepid wins mark, as they enter this series at 72-84. Last year’s squad pushed above .500 on the back of a top-five pitching staff; this year, both the position players and arms have been bottom ten.
On the position player side, the Reds have a superstar in Elly de la Cruz (6.3 fWAR in 603 PAs and counting), a guy who hit a lot of homers in Sal Stewart, and not much else. They have three guys with 200-plus PAs and -0.8 fWAR or more, which has been brutal considering they haven’t gotten good production from anyone but de la Cruz. The pitching is similar: Chase Burns has been phenomenal (4.3 fWAR in 154 1/3 innings and counting), but no one else has done much of anything.
Despite all that, the Reds started out blazing, with a 20-11 through April 30… but an eight-game losing streak immediately thereafter basically plunged their season into a mire they haven’t been able to clamber out of — even their monthly hitting and pitching performances have almost entirely been bottom half or far worse.
So, for both teams, this is basically just a prelude to things in the future. For the Braves, that’s the playoffs. For the Reds, it’s… next year? Burns and de la Cruz are some really nice building blocks, but a lot of the rest of the roster could use some work.
The Braves will give the ball to JR Ritchie, who could also use some work and a step in the right direction as he heads towards an offseason shutdown. The Braves could also carry Ritchie in the playoff roster as a mop-up guy, but they have enough guys that can fit that role. Still, maybe he makes it anyway. Ritchie has really struggled in the majors so far, with a 119/135/115 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) in nine starts and six relief appearances spanning 62 2/3 innings of work. He’s been up and down and has had a few nice outings (two in long relief against the Mets to come mind), but he’s still chasing the performance (and vibes) high of his MLB debut, when he put up a 7/2 K/BB ratio (and was tagged for two solo homers) against the Nationals back in April.
In some ways, Ritchie looks like a good candidate for a Kyle Wright-esque reinvention as a sinker-curve-changeup guy with less emphasis on his four-seamer. The problem, though, is that he’s shown very problematic command to date. He has some nice pieces (curveball shape, great seam-shifted wake on some pitches, some truly picture perfect spin mirroring on his fastballs vis-a-vis his curve), but the erraticism of his ability to make any pitch go anywhere — or, more to the point, clip the zone without getting into the meaty part of it — has made everything play down. So, today is a chance for him to take a step towards a better future, against a team that just can’t hit at all. (After accounting for park effects, and not considering that they’re underperforming their inputs a fair bit, the Reds have the worst batting outputs in MLB… which may be partly because the style of offense they’ve been coaching in Cincinnati is a very throwback small ball style that isn’t generating results.)
The Reds will counter with 28-year-old left-hander Brandon Williamson, who has been part of the problem this year. To be fair, it’s not necessarily Williamson’s fault, as he’s working his way back from multiple serious injuries. Acquired in the pre-2023 trade that sent Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez to Seattle, Williamson had a nice-enough rookie season for his new team (97/101/108, 1.8 fWAR in 117 innings), but then fell victim to shoulder and elbow injuries that saw him miss most of 2024, all of 2025, and have lingered in 2026. Williamson started the season in the rotation and got absolutely blasted through six starts, and then sat out four months with shoulder fatigue. He returned in September, had a so-so start, and has been working in long relief since.
The Braves beat up on Williamson in one of his few outings in 2024 before he went down with one of his recurring arm injuries. The Reds haven’t faced Ritchie yet.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, September 22, 7:15 p.m. EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV/Streaming: BravesVision, Gray TV
Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM