In a scary scene at Citi Field on Thursday night, Mets first baseman Jared Young was taken off the field on a stretcher after being kneed in the head by Nolan McLeanon a play at first base in the sixth inning against the Phillies.
The Mets announced shortly after Young was injured that he had feeling in his extremities and was being taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
On the play, the ball -- which was hit by Justin Crawford -- rolled slowly up the first base line with both Young and McLean pursuing it. As it got close to the bag, Young lunged to his right to attempt to field it as McLean arrived near first base, with McLean's right knee hitting Young in the head/face, resulting in Young lying face down and motionless.
Young was down for several minutes while being attended to by the medical staff. Young, who was surrounded by McLean and every starting position player while lying on the field, was eventually placed on a stretcher and removed from the field on a cart.
As Young was being taken through the opening in the left center field fence, he gave fans a thumbs-up.
“It was really scary," interim manager Andy Green said after the game. "Since he’s got to the hospital, he’s had a CT scan and the results have come back negative. Still experiencing real concussion symptoms right now. Likely avoided the scariest outcome. It was a terrifying moment on the baseball field."
McLean, who was visibly shaken as Young was being taken care of, returned to the mound after Young was removed from the field and recorded the final out of the inning.
Young was replaced at first base by Mark Vientos.
The 31-year-old Young, who has become the Mets' regular first baseman this season, is hitting .268/.332/.431 (.764 OPS) in 102 games this season. It has been a breakout year for him after playing just 44 games for the Mets and Cubs between his big league debut in 2022 and 2025.
The San Diego Padres’ Low-A affiliate, Lake Elsinore Storm, pummeled their way to the California League Championship on the backs of their newest players, with some assistance from some of their other highly ranked young prospects.
After struggling through most of the second half of the season, the Storm put on a postseason surge after suffering an 11-game losing streak during the last three weeks of the season. There was a hint of the turnaround during the last week of the regular season when Lake Elsinore finished with a winning series against Inland Empire, showing increased effectiveness on both offense and with their pitching.
After going 39-30 in the first half of the year, winning a spot in the playoffs, the Storm finished the second half with a 27-35 record and barely had a winning season at 66-65. Their first-half success was fueled by multiple players who earned themselves promotion to Single-A Fort Wayne. The Storm players that were promoted to Lake Elsinore from the Arizona Complex League were not able to sustain that success.
On Aug. 4, the Padres organization started adding the newly signed 2026 draft picks to the Lake Elsinore roster. Over the course of the month, outfielder Alex Conover (4th round), infielder Nu’u Contrades (6th round), infielder Elliot Lascelles (2nd round), C/1B/DH Augie Lopez (10th round), and infielder Joe Tiroly (7th round) all made their professional debuts.
They joined infielder Dawson Willis, who was promoted from the ACL when that league finished but had been injured and was activated shortly before their arrival. It took most of August and into September for the new Storm teammates to adjust to the major changes in the roster. Their prolonged and frequent losses attest to the time it took for them all to become a cohesive team.
Divisional playoffs
The Ontario Tower Buzzers (Dodgers) were the first to discover the Storm had found their footing. After dominating the second half, Ontario finished 10 games over .500. Playing a divisional playoff series, the Storm swept the best-of-three by winning the first two games.
RHP Jesus Castro, 19, had a stellar start in the first game, with six innings of two-hit and one-run ball. The pitching staff had been reinforced at the beginning of September with some more 2026 signees, including lefty relievers Rob Evans (12th round) and Andrew Wright (UDFA), both contributing. LF Conover went 4-for-5 with two RBI, and DH Contrades had three hits in four at-bats. 1B Joe Tiroly went 1-for-4 with two RBI.
In their clinching game on Sept. 10, LHP Kruz Schoolcraft had his best outing of the year. Finishing five innings, Schoolcraft allowed two hits and no runs with eight strikeouts. He was followed by 2026 first-rounder Coleman Borthwick, whom the Padres sent to Lake Elsinore from their Bridge League to pitch in the playoffs. The 18-year-old, who tops out his fastball in the high-90’s, threw two innings of two-hit ball, allowing a run with two walks and four strikeouts, making his professional debut in a playoff atmosphere. The last two innings were covered by 19-year-old Lan-Hong Su, who registered his first professional save by shutting out Ontario on a walk and three strikeouts.
DH Nu’u Contrades had two hits in three at-bats with two RBI while CF Dawson Willis hit 2-for-4, upping his average to .375. Canadian SS/2B Elliot Lascelles, 18, hit a double, drove in a run, and had an RBI.
Using all starters to cover nine innings, the Storm allowed only four hits and recorded 15 strikeouts in their 6-1 win.
Winning a Championship
Advancing to the Championship series, the Storm had to face off against the team with the best record in the league.
The San Jose Giants (SF Giants) finished their season at 80-52, 11 games up on the second-place Fresno Grizzlies. They led the league in both hitting and pitching stats for the regular season.
The best-of-three series kicked off on Sept. 13 in Lake Elsinore with a rout by the Storm. Scoring 12 runs to the Giants’ one run, the Storm had 13 hits, with 2B Lascelles going 3-for-6 with three RBI, including a double. 1B Joe Tiroly had three hits in five at-bats, with a run scored and an RBI. He also hit a double as part of his offensive effort. LF Conover went 2-for-4 with four RBI, including a two-run home run.
The game was started by RHP Tyler Schmitt, who went 4.1 innings, allowing four hits and no runs with three walks and three strikeouts. He was followed by RHP Jack Pineau, a 22-year-old Canadian who was signed as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) in July. Pineau completed the fifth inning with no hits and a strikeout. LHP Adler Cecil got the win with three innings of two-hit pitching, issuing two walks and striking out five.
LHP Ben Stubbs (2026, ninth round) finished off the game, allowing the only run on two hits with two walks. Overall, the pitchers issued seven walks and had nine strikeouts.
After an off day, the second game was played in San Jose, with the Giants showing why they were the best team in the league. Their pitching staff no-hit the Storm over nine innings, with the Storm scoring a run on a Dawson Willis walk followed by a balk and then a passed ball, scoring on a double steal (with Lascelles).
RHP Jesus Castro threw 4.2 innings of two-hit, two-run baseball with a walk and three strikeouts. The effort by the bullpen included UDFA RHP Tyler Pitzer, who allowed three runs in 0.1 innings, and 2026 12th-rounder Rob Evans, who pitched 1.1 innings with two hits and a run allowed.
Besides being no-hit, the Storm hitters only managed two walks while striking out 11 times.
The deciding game of the series was played the next day, Sept. 16, in San Jose. Lake Elsinore liked the effort made by first-rounder RHP Coleman Borthwick so much in the Ontario series that they started him in the deciding game for the championship.
Shutting out the Giants over two innings, Borthwick struck out two while using his fastball/slider combo, proving effective in four innings of playoff pitching, while leading the Storm to a 13-2 decisive clincher and a championship.
Borthwick was followed by RHP Lan-Hong Su for three innings of work. He gave up four hits and a run but struck out eight hitters. The last four innings were finished by Jack Pineau, Andrew Wright and LHP Sean Fitzpatrick, who combined to limit San Jose to one run on six hits with a combined 15 strikeouts.
The offense went to town on Giants pitching, amassing 13 runs on 13 hits while the pitching staff held the Giants to two runs.
Second baseman Lascelles was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. 1B Tiroly went 2-for-4 with two RBI, including a double. DH Contrades had two hits in four at-bats with three RBI, including a double and a home run. RF Qrey Lott, 21, who had a good season with a .272 average and a .805 OPS, went off in the postseason. In the five games, Lott had 18 ABs while hitting .444/.524/.944 with two doubles, two triples, a home run, and five RBI.
The surprising turnaround for the Lake Elsinore Storm shows what a team can do when talented players start playing together. I watched all three of the championship series games, and the Storm played at an intensity not seen in prior games. The Storm won their last California League Championship in 2021.
PHOENIX — There always was the understanding that there would be some bumps along the road in Gerrit Cole’s first season back from Tommy John surgery, as there are with any pitcher returning from major elbow surgery. Yet, for most of his first 20 starts back, he looked like the Cole of old.
The last two, however, have started to ring some moderate alarm bells at an inopportune time — or, if viewed through the Yankees’ pinstriped glasses, a decent time so that he can get himself straightened out over his final two starts before the playoffs.
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That quest begins Friday, when Cole will take the mound against the Diamondbacks having allowed seven home runs over his last two starts, the most in any two-start span of his career.
“I expect him to be right next time,” manager Aaron Boone said after Cole’s last start against the Mets.
Cole has insisted throughout that he is feeling good physically, 115 ¹/₃ innings into the season after missing all of last year.
The metrics on his pitches over the last two starts against the Mets and Padres have mostly stayed in line with where they have been over the course of the full season, including his fastball velocity, which averaged 97.1 mph and 96.9 mph in those two starts (both faster than his season average in 2024).
Except all of a sudden, that four-seam fastball has become a lot more hittable. Dating back to Cole’s last four starts, hitters are batting 16-for-48 (.333) against the pitch, compared to 32-for-173 (.185) across his first 16 starts. Perhaps even more concerning is that hitters are not just hitting the fastball — they are hardly even missing it.
Gerrit Cole reacts on the mound during the second inning of the Yankees’ blowout loss to the Mets on Sept. 12, 2026 at the Stadium. Bill Kostroun for NY Post
Over his last three starts, Cole has generated just eight whiffs on 69 swings against his fastball (11.6 percent), including zero on 16 swings last time out against the Mets, compared to a 22.8 percent whiff rate on the pitch in his first 17 starts (which is still down from the rest of his career).
Former American League Cy Young Award winner and current YES Network analyst David Cone, speaking this week on “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman,” theorized that Cole often has been in between on which secondary pitch to use, which has allowed hitters to wait and attack his fastball.
“To me, that just leans back to they’re not respecting your secondary stuff, they’re sitting on your fastball,” Cone said. “You got to get some protection for your fastball, and you got to do something about your secondary pitches and get your slider tunneling again on that same plane off of that fastball. That will give you what you’re looking for.”
Of the seven home runs Cole has given up in his last two starts, four have come on his fastball.
Gerrit Cole reacts during the fifth inning of the Yankees’ blowout loss to the Mets on Sept. 12, 2026 at the Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post
During those two starts, hitters have put 22 fastballs in play, with 15 of them registering as hard-hit balls, meaning they have come off the bat at exit velocities north of 95 mph. The average exit velocity on Cole’s fastballs during those two starts has been 98.3, compared to 92.7 in his first 18 starts.
All of that suggests that hitters are seeing Cole’s fastball well. Whether that is because of a lack of deception, he is not getting it to the spots he wants, or they simply are sitting fastball and unleashing their best swings when they get it is a matter of opinion.
Now, it is on Cole to adjust back in his final two starts of the regular season (lined up to come against the Diamondbacks and Rays). Prior to the clunkers against the Padres and Mets, he had pitched to 3.29 ERA across 18 starts, looking very much like the kind of pitcher the Yankees would want to start in a potential AL wild-card series along with Cam Schlittler and Max Fried.
While the concerning last two starts probably still are not enough to make the Yankees change course and start Carlos Rodón over him, Cole could go a long way in offering some reassurance by solving his home run and fastball problem before the postseason arrives.
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.
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.
SPRINGFIELD, MO - APRIL 08: Liam Doyle #19 of the Springfield Cardinals pitches during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Springfield, Missouri. (Photo by Kaylee Vaughan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
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.
Sep 15, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson hits a double against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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)
On a Mission: Erick Fedde looks to get the White Sox back on track after a series loss dropped them a half-game behind Cleveland. | Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images
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.
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 15: Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates with Max Clark #15 after scoring a run on a single by Riley Greene #31 in the fifth inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 15, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The White Sox and Tigers are playing tonight and Ron Y. Asked for a game thread. Ask and ye shall receive. Geaux Tigs
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 12: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves speaks with Paul Byrd of BravesVision after the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on September 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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
Sep 16, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Ezequiel Duran (20) hits a single and drives in two runs against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 05: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox looks on after a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 5, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
Mar 29, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; View of a camera with a Fox Sports logo before the game between the Houston Astros and the New York Mets at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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.
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.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 16: Jeremy Pena #3 of the Houston Astros reacts after a double in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Daikin Park on September 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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)
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Zac Veen #13 of the Colorado Rockies is unable to catch a ball off the bat of Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres that allowed two runs to score as Merrill ran to third for a triple in the second inning at Coors Field on September 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 15: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
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)
