LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres tags out Josue De Paula #95 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at home plate during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres were riding high after a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins, which followed winning three out of four against the Colorado Rockies. They took that momentum into UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium to face the Los Angeles Dodgers and got smacked in the mouth while being held scoreless on just five hits in a 7-0 loss on Tuesday night.
The loss was made worse when you factor in the San Diego ace, Michael King, was on the mound. The right-hander had been dominant over recent starts and was the unquestioned leader in the rotation — and he still is, but he took some lumps in his latest outing against Los Angeles. King was tagged for five runs on six hits in just four innings of work. He also allowed two walks, both of which led to runs for the Dodgers, and recorded five strikeouts.
The red-hot Padres offense which had been putting up runs and hits in bunches, went quiet — a story the Friar Faithful know all too well after recent playoff struggles against the National League West rivals. Luis Campusano was the only San Diego player to have multiple hits in the game and that was two. Fernando Tatis Jr. opened the game with a hit, but did not get anything else in the contest. Xander Bogaerts was the only other Padres regular with a hit and Ethan Salas recorded a pinch-hit single in his first plate appearance in the top of the sixth inning.
The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Rockies. The Miami Marlins beat the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers. The positive from all of that is the Padres have the same record as the Cubs and Phillies, but both teams have the tie breaker over the Friars. However, they remain in control of their destiny and the magic number to clinch a playoff berth remains at two. San Diego will try to move that number to one, and hope for some help from Colorado to knock off Arizona to claim a playoff spot.
The first step for the Padres is to beat the Dodgers and they will attempt to do that tonight at 7:10 p.m.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 20: Aroldis Chapman #44 of the Boston Red Sox and Ranger Suarez #55 of the Boston Red Sox react after clinching a playoff berth following a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 20, 2026 at at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday, OTM readers! For the Red Sox, this week’s games are largely meaningless. They’re all but locked into the fifth seed, with a trip to the Bronx waiting for them in the Wild Card round. So, are you watching the games this week? Last night, for the first time in a long time, I opted to watch the Cubs and Phillies to see how the NL playoff picture would shake out. I’ll be at the game tonight with my softball team, and I’ll be watching tomorrow to see how Ranger Suarez approaches things, but I really won’t care about the outcome.
Do you watch every game? Are you watching the next few nights? Are you an adult who has other things to take care of and doesn’t schedule your life around the Red Sox? Talk about this and whatever else you’d like in the comments. Be respectful to one another, and go Sox.
Although the 2026 season was an immense disappointment, it’s unlikely that there will be sweeping changes made to organizational leadership. The Royals extended manager Matt Quatraro on a new three-year contract that covers the 2027-29 seasons — with a club option for 2030 — back in February. General manager J.J. Picollo signed a five-year extension just 11 months prior. He’s under contract through 2030, with a club option for the 2031 season. Prolonged struggles can eventually jeopardize executives and managers even when they’re under contract, but it’s quite rare for those figures to be replaced so early in long-term contracts — and the Royals have historically been a franchise that’s very loyal to its top decision-makers.
The challenges for Picollo and his staff this winter will be significant. They’ll have multiple needs to address both on the pitching side of the roster and in the lineup. They’ll need to do so without a great deal of payroll space, barring a sudden hike in spending from owner John Sherman. One could argue that those facts, coupled with a last-place finish in a thin American League Central, signal there’s a need for a more forward-looking, long-term approach this offseason, but Kansas City’s activity at the trade deadline was indicative of the fact that a rebuild isn’t in the cards.
Being mediocre in the American League kept most teams in the postseason hunt, but the Royals couldn’t even manage that. However, the Royals can make life miserable for their division rivals. The race for the Central crown is between the Guardians and White Sox, and the Royals will play both teams this week at Kauffman Stadium. “I’m looking forward to playing these guys this week,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters Sunday after KC’s 4-3 loss to the Pirates. “We can have something to say about who wins the division, who goes to the playoffs, and I’m looking forward to competing.”
One reason to believe in next year: [Holds up a photo of Bobby Witt Jr.] What, are you gonna not watch this guy?
Count me among those with egg on my face when it comes to the 2026 Kansas City Royals. I expected them to compete with the Tigers for a division title. Let’s just check in on those standings …
Right. Neat.
So do you really want me to tell you what is coming in 2027? Probably not.
Instead, I’ll just say it’s always a pleasure to watch Bobby Witt Jr. play. Carter Jensen looks like a successful successor to Salvador Pérez at catcher, Jac Caglianone looks legit, and I think Noah Cameron has borderline-ace potential.
Will Vinnie Pasquantino come into his own as a star first baseman? Will Cole Ragans recover from a disaster season?
And what will they do about the bullpen? If you set the minimum number of innings to two — two innings — here are your bullpen ERA leaders:
36-year-old Anthony Gose (0.00, 9.2 innings) 32-year-old Jose Cuas (2.21, 20.1 innings) 31-year-old Randy Dobnak (3.02, 73 innings) That’s right. Not a single reliever who has thrown more than 21 innings has an ERA under 3.00. How common is that? This year, only three* other teams are in the same boat: the Twins, Mariners and Nationals (who set a new MLB record for blown saves in a season). — Weaver
*Daniel Lynch IV had an ERA of 1.96 as a reliever, but was moved into the rotation in early August. Since we’re looking forward to 2027, I’m not counting him.
**The Angels only had one guy, Chase Silseth, and they traded him. So … count them if you want, they’re 60-96.
This year, Roccaforte took that next step the Royals had been waiting for. While spending the majority of the 2026 season at Double-A, Roccaforte saw an even greater boost in his power. He belted 30 home runs and drove in 80 runs before being promoted to Triple-A Omaha in August, where he continued to rake. In 28 games for the Storm Chasers, Roccaforte put up an .862 OPS.
There is just one flaw that is holding back his offensive game. Like in his previous seasons, Roccaforte has continued to fall victim to the K. In 540 at-bats this season, he struck out 181 times. But as his power stroke develops at an encouraging clip, it may be something that the Royals will be able to live with.
With bats like Carter Jensen, Jac Caglianone, and Bobby Witt Jr. already in the lineup, Royals fans could see an exciting change coming in 2027. Paired with fellow prospect Blake Mitchell, the addition of Roccaforte could transform the ball club into an explosive offensive powerhouse. The Royals could be young enough and good enough to compete with the Chicago White Sox as the team to watch out for in the AL Central over the next several years.
If the concern is that small-market clubs cannot compete with big markets, then we must first understand that small markets receive billions of dollars in subsidies through central revenues, local revenue sharing, and the redistribution of luxury tax proceeds.
Beyond the finances, the MLBPA has identified additional paths to level the playing field. For instance, the argument is that despite the subsidies, small-market clubs cannot afford to acquire high-end talent in free agency and must rely heavily on the draft. Generally speaking, why not allow small-market teams to pick at the top of the draft to ensure they can acquire young, talented, and affordable players? Brilliantly run clubs like Tampa and Milwaukee should not suffer draft position as a result of their success, while big-market clubs reap the benefits of their failures. Does anyone believe it would be fair for the Mets to have the first pick in the draft, which is a possibility?
Additionally, there has been an influx of professional Japanese players, who have immediately contributed at the big-league level. History has shown that most, if not all, of these enormously talented players sign with big-market clubs. Why not make those players subject to a draft or available only to small market clubs?
(Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I have been steeling my heart all week to do the unthinkable, to uncork the ultimate turncoat take as a Boston Red Sox fan: in predicting the looming Wild Card series with the New York Yankees, I was ready to predict that the Yankees would win. Gasp.
Yes, it’s looking like Aaron Judge will not be available for the Yankees in the Wild Card round and potentially beyond, and no matter how you slice it, that’s a disaster for New York. Judge is the best hitter in the world, and their offense without him isn’t all that scary, particularly against left-handed pitching.
This will have major domino effects on the series, and I would wager that the Red Sox’s apparent decision to load up rookie left-hander Payton Tolle for Game 1 has a lot to do with Judge’s absence. Tolle is easily their highest upside pitcher, but he’s never been in anything close to that kind of spot in his life. He’s as competitive as they come, but a hostile Bronx crowd will be a serious pressure cooker.
Ok, now onto the mega preview. While it is theoretically possible that the Red Sox do not play the Yankees in a three-game all-the-marbles showdown in the Bronx in one of the American League Wild Card series, it would take an impossibly specific AL Central finish for Boston to somehow tank their way to an easier matchup. I feel confident publishing this now, and if I wind up being wrong … well, I’m just going to assume that’s what God wanted. The Yankees and Red Sox are currently fourth and fifth overall in FanDuel’s World Series winner odds, so it should be a pretty even matchup.
I wrote a lengthy breakdown of the pitching matchups in this series earlier this month, and speculated that Boston would go with Sonny Gray in Game 1 with Tolle in Game 2, while the Yankees would use Cam Schlittler and Max Fried in some order, though I wasn’t quite sure how healthy Fried was or if Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon would get the other nod. That was apparently wrong-ish, as we’ve since received word that Cole will indeed get a start in the Wild Card series, and the way the rest will work out, it’s possible manager Aaron Boone is lining him up for Game 1 with Schlittler in Game 2. That’s a real risk to potentially hang Fried out to dry if the Yankees get swept, but it’s possible he’s just not healthy enough to run out their early and risk needing too much from the bullpen. They will possibly have Rodon in the bullpen, though that wouldn’t be ideal for the rest of their playoff run (if such a thing occurs).
The Red Sox are going with their gut and Tolle, who has looked like a young ace in Garrett Crochet’s extended absence. It’s high risk, high reward, but with how little you can actually control in the MLB Playoffs, Tolle is the one guy with dominant swing-and-miss stuff that could get you a game singlehandedly. Meanwhile, it’s an open question if Crochet will be able to provide a bullpen role in the Wild Card, but as of last week he was throwing 92 miles per hour — still a ways to go. Gray is looking like the Game 2 starter with Ranger Suarez anchoring Game 3. All that seems fine.
Other than Crochet and reliever Justin Slaten, the Red Sox should be reasonably healthy for the series. They come with one of baseball’s best bullpens anchored by the late-30s Linsanity-run Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and new acquisition Erik Miller. They’ll have bulk relief options with Brayan Bello and could even choose to start him in longer series, but I’d be surprised if he had anything to do in the Wild Card series. Only Masataka Yoshida and Curtis Mead and perhaps Eli White would figure into the offense if healthy, and Boston hasn’t relied on any of them for major production all year. Even Tanner Houck is looking like he’ll be back in some capacity, an absolutely shocking development for all who follow his long road back from a UCL tear.
The Yankees, meanwhile, are not so healthy. Their bullpen is stacked, as is their starting rotation, and I grant them a notable pitching edge over the Red Sox. But their lineup is just decimated. Trent Grisham may not be on the Wild Card roster, and with both Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton out as well, the Yankees are going to be relying on players they’d rather avoid; Max Schuemann, Amed Rosario and perhaps even Anthony Volpe could mix in. That’s not anyone’s idea of Murderers’ Row.
So what’s at stake for everyone? For New York, it all hinges on Judge. If he’s not available at any point, it is borderline unserious to project the Yankees to win four rounds. But they really do have stacked pitching, and you can get pretty damn far on just pitching in the MLB Playoffs if you can get a few lucky hits. For the Red Sox, making it out of the Wild Card for the first time in 2021 is essential. They just canned the interim tag on now-official manager Chad Tracy and signed him to a three-year deal; the organization is committed to this team, this philosophy, and this season.
There’s also the emotional preview, which I will run through quickly: Red Sox/Yankees isn’t necessarily the same rivalry as it used to be, but it’s starting to work it’s way back into the cultural zeitgeist. This is two straight years of Wild Card action, and Boston’s last three playoff series came against the Yankees.
Here’s the deal: if all were fair and healthy, I would pick the Yankees. The three-man rotation of Cole, Schlittler and Fried is just out of this world, though I don’t necessarily agree that Cole deserves the start more than Rodon. But this is a cruel world, and Boston’s lineup is significantly better than New York’s. Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Adley Rutschman, Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu are a rock-solid one through five, and there’s no more black holes in the lineup with a major bench/pinch-hitting advantage. There’s still a chance they just get mowed down by Schlittler and Fried, but Boston’s rotation isn’t that much worse. But it’s a fascinating series, but I’m picking the Red Sox to win in three games. We’ll give Schlittler game two, and then Boston advances to play Tampa Bay. One day, I’ll pick the Yankees in this column. But it is not this day!
The Mets continue a three-game series against the Rangers at Globe Life Field on Wednesday night at 8:05 on SNY.
Mets Notes
Francisco Lindor enters play on Wednesday with 299 career home runs
Carson Benge is hitting .295/.357/.453 (.809 OPS) with 18 home runs, 20 doubles, and 77 runs scored in 130 games since April 23
Nolan McLean allowed one run on seven hits while walking three and striking out five in six innings during his last start on Sept. 17 against the Phillies
Today's Lineups
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RANGERS
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Jr. Ritchie #60 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park on September 22, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
JR Ritchie had maybe his best outing as a major leaguer last night against the Reds. I say maybe because, well, he did give up a homer, and also that the level of competition he faced from the Cincinnati attack was a lot lower than, say, what he faced in his MLB debut against the Nationals. But, I guess the main takeaway is that especially through the first nine batters, he was really good, in a way he often hasn’t been this season.
In some ways, the question of whether there’s space on the playoff roster for JR Ritchie isn’t really one about his merits, but more about franchise preference. The reality is that there’s just plenty of room for pretty much anyone on the pitching side. Across the 13 spots, you have:
Those guys alone leave six other spots. For those spots, you probably have:
Probably locks: Brent Suter, Dylan Dodd, Victor Mederos (3)
So then we’re down to three spots. I don’t see a reason why Ray Kerr wouldn’t get one. AJ Smith-Shawver is clearly being tested to be deployed in a bullpen role, so we’re down to one. And the candidates for that spot basically come down to JR Ritchie, and a recovered-enough Robert Suarez.
If Suarez is recovered enough to be trusted in a playoff situation, then it’s really Ritchie versus Kerr versus Smith-Shawver. I don’t see Ritchie winning that battle, necessarily, though Kerr may be redundant enough with Dodd and Suter that maybe the extra right-hander that works as a bulk-y mop-up type guy ends up on the roster instead.
So I guess it kind of comes down to how the Braves feel about Suarez when he gets his big league tune-ups, versus how they feel about Kerr with a bunch of lefties already in the bullpen, versus how they feel about Ritchie.
How do you think it plays out?
I should note, I guess, that this question is fairly academic. Teams tend to only use the same four-ish relievers in the playoffs, and I don’t know that any of the bubble guys mentioned here, save Suarez, really factor in. Ritchie would probably only pitch if the game were essentially decided, or it was a crazy extra-innings affair. I guess I should’ve made this question about Suarez, but that seems more clear-cut as a “if he looks recovered, yes, otherwise hmm.”
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a home run in the ninth inning during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Orioles, as a collective unit, have failed in 2026. Some players got hurt, some players struggled, and a few were traded away. The team will finish with a losing record and miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Few things have worked out, but there’s one thing that cannot be questioned—Pete Alonso delivered in his first season in Baltimore.
The organization entered the last offseason looking to make a splash, and they found their match with Alonso. The Orioles reportedly offered free agent Kyle Schwarber a similar deal, but Schwarber elected to return to Philadelphia at five years, $150 million. Shortly after, the Birds inked Alonso to five years and $155 million.
Schwarber has been as advertised in Philadelphia—he leads the NL in home runs and strikeouts—so the deal appears to have worked out just fine. However, the big slugger has only started 10 games in the field. Alonso, on the other hand, has developed into a plus defender at first base.
Baltimore entered the year with Ryan Mountcastle and Coby Mayo already on the roster. Injuries to Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg eventually created room on the infield, but the Birds never let a crowded unit stop them from acquiring a top talent.
The same cannot be said for the rotation. Baltimore sent a king’s ransom to Tampa Bay for Shane Baz, but they stopped short of acquiring one of the top starters on the market. The Orioles may have believed that Baz, Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers had the makings of a big three, but the unit never achieved that level.
Everyone can remember how they felt about the offseason at the time, but how do you feel now? It’s difficult to truly assess the moves when the team fell so short of expectations. Adding a true ace may have helped, but this team was more than one signing away from a successful 2026.
Before the Orioles were all but eliminated, many wondered why a struggling Gunnar Henderson continued to get at bats at the top of the order. Baltimore skipper Craig Albernaz said that this team would not get where it wanted to go if Gunnar Henderson didn’t play like Gunnar Henderson. He was right, but Henderson never came close to his 8.8 bWAR season from 2023.
As we approach the offseason, it’s fair to wonder if Gunnar Henderson is ever going to play like 2023 Gunnar Henderson. Maybe 2025 and 2026 Gunnar Henderson is the real Gunnar Henderson? Will the real Gunnar Henderson please stand up?
What if it’s not the right Gunnar Henderson? Can the 2027 Orioles get to where they want to go? The organization is shaking things up with Matt Blood moving on, but Craig Albernaz and Mike Elias appear positioned to remain with the club.
The Orioles will enter the offseason with money to spend under David Rubenstein, but the Alonso signing proved that one good deal is not enough to make a difference. However, Alonso’s success could say something about his approach and how it compares to that of the organization.
Alonso entered the clubhouse as an unquestioned star. There were never any reports that Alonso rebuffed the coaching staff, and he routinely received praise for his leadership traits. At the same time, Alonso was never in need of any coaching. He brought an approach that worked, and he deployed it night after night. The slugger described home runs as “happy accidents” and credited his dedication to hitting the ball hard to all fields. Alonso leads Major League Baseball with 17 opposite-field home runs.
Meanwhile, guys like Henderson, Jackson Holliday and Colton Cowser struggled to maximize their skills. Where does that blame go? Some falls on the player, but there’s a pattern here. Fans can speculate that it’s a pull-side approach, swinging for the fences, or all the platooning, but it’s probably a little more nuanced. I can’t tell you for sure, but I know that the Orioles need to find the root cause and make a correction.
It’s scary to think how much harder this season would have been to watch without Alonso playing every day. The former Met entered last night’s game with 16 more homers and 45 more RBIs than any other Oriole. Baltimore does deserve credit for giving the money to the Polar Bear and not another free agent. Bo Bichette has been worth only 0.7 WAR after slashing .263/.312/.392 with 17 homers. Kyle Tucker holds similar numbers with 17 bombs, a .234/.334/.393 line, and 1.1 bWAR. Alonso entered last night’s game with a 4.6 bWAR.
The Orioles should enter the offseason looking for outside help in the outfield, the bullpen, and the starting rotation. The team could struggle to attract top infield talent with Henderson, Alonso, and Jordan Westburg set to return, but a quality second baseman could play over Jackson Holliday and Blaze Alexander. Backup catcher Carlos Narváez has struggled at the plate when hitting for Samuel Basallo.
The team should know better than to tinker with Alonso after a borderline MVP season, but the team needs to rethink their development approach at the major league level. If the Orioles make that change, and whether they learn anything from Alonso’s success, could go a lot further than one big free agent signing heading into next season.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 10: Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the top of the first inning against the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park on September 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Zack Wheeler last night joined an exclusive club by vaulting past the 2,000 career strikeout number. He joins a list of names that includes fellow Phillies Aaron Nola, Roy Halladay, Jaime Moyer, Robin Roberts, Cole Hamels and Curt Schilling. It’s not a nothing stat that he has made it as it puts him in the company of the game’s greats and longest tenured starters.
It’s quite the accomplishment.
It made me think of today’s question: is Wheeler already among the franchise’s top three right handed starters in their long and storied history? The top two are probably Roberts and Grover Cleveland Alexander with an argument that Schilling is ahead of Wheeler, maybe Nola if longevity is something that still holds a lot of meaning to you. For me, my top five is (remember: right handed only):
Robin Roberts
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Zack Wheeler
Curt Schilling
Aaron Nola
You can talk to me about Jim Bunning and I’ll listen. I wouldn’t argue with those that maybe had him in the top five somewhere.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 9: Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers gets a live welcome at Oracle Park on August 9, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday, everyone! While the season might be winding down, we still have things to look forward to. First and foremost, this weekend the Tigers will bid farewell to Justin Verlander in the best way possible: with a confirmed final start on Saturday. It will be very poetic to see his career end where it began, and despite how the season has gone, the seats should be packed for the last weekend.
We look at what Verlander said about his last hurrah, and we also share how Dillon Dingler has won this season’s Heart and Hustle Award, why Paul Skenes is blaming the WBC for his pitching woes, and how the Yankees are going to manage in the Wild Card without Aaron Judge.
Let’s just jump right into it.
Detroit Tigers News
JV is ready to go!
A.J. Hinch said Justin Verlander completed his bullpen and walked into Hinch’s office “pretty excited.”
Verlander is officially “all set” to pitch Saturday, Hinch said
“Obviously we’ve gotten tantalizingly close a couple times, so we’ve been cautious with how we announce things this time. So to do that step, I felt really pleased about. It was like a breath of fresh air coming off the mound. Just don’t do anything stupid between now and Saturday, and we should be good.”
He opened up about how much it means to him to be able to end his career where it began, and what the fans mean to him.
“And I’ve been so thankful — I think thankful’s probably a word you’ll hear a lot here the last few days. I’ve been so thankful to be here back where it started, the love that these fans have shown me even when I’m not out there pitching, whether it’s this stadium, visiting stadiums, around the city, it’s meant so much to me and really helped me through this process to feel better about how this season has gone, to know that it means something not just to me, but to the fans too.
I think for that reason, that’s a large driving factor in this. I could’ve easily hung it up a month or two ago, but really pushed as hard as I possibly could, skipping a lot of steps, risking some serious injury potentially. But hey, that’s what I’ve done my whole career. I want to be out there. I want to pitch, to do it not only for myself but for the fans.”
Dillon Dingler is the Tigers’ Heart and Hustle winner.
If you missed this incredible moment from Monday’s game, we’re resharing it.
Jason Benetti gets absolutely roasted by his own production crew with the camera cut after his Austro-Turkish War reference. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/nXPsCi4LE7
Even a cool hype video can’t make me like this stadium name change.
We’re proud to introduce a new chapter in the history of our ballpark. Welcome to Fifth Third Park, home of your Detroit Tigers.
The name changes but what this ballpark represents does not. A gathering place for our community. A source of pride for our city. pic.twitter.com/PnK6MOJNoQ
Andy Green has agreed to a three-year deal to remain Mets manager after this season. Green took over as interim manager when Carlos Mendoza was fired in late June. He had insisted he wanted to return to the front office after the season, but he’ll continue in the dugout.
Let this stand as a monument to perhaps the worst Cubs defeat of the entire 2026 season:
I could just end the tale of the Cubs’ 8-2 loss to the Marlins Tuesday evening at Wrigley Field right there, because that’s basically the entire story. Runners all over the place, RISP left in the third, fifth, sixth (bases loaded, one out!), seventh, ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th innings.
Had enough? I sure did after four hours, 10 minutes of that.
Oh, and then there was Edward Cabrera getting pounded all over the place. If the Cubs could have had just one more key hit in several different situations, they win and Cabrera’s never even in the game.
Sigh. Let’s recap anyway.
The game went scoreless into the fourth, starters Shōta Imanaga and Janson Junk keeping most trouble off the basepaths, helped by a 12 mile per hour wind blowing in. Imanaga also helped himself by picking off Heriberto Hernandez in the third [VIDEO].
The play was close, ruled safe on the field, overturned on review.
The Marlins took the lead in the fourth. Kyle Stowers doubled off Imanaga with one out and two singles brought him in to make it 1-0. But Imanaga ran up a high pitch count in that inning and so was done after five, having thrown 91 pitches. More on Imanaga’s night from BCB’s JohnW53:
Shōta Imanaga’s start was the sixth by a Cub this season of exactly five innings with at least 91 pitches.
It was the third by Imanaga. Edward Cabrera has two and Kevin Gausman, one.
Imanaga gave up only one run in each of his starts. The first was 92 pitches at Cleveland on April 5 and the second was 102 pitches at Cincinnati on July 10.
Aaron Civale, who’s been so good in relief this year, wasn’t on this night. Stowers, the second batter he faced, hit a towering home run to left that sliced through the wind, making it 2-0.
The Cubs could do little with Janson Junk through five innings, but tied things up in the sixth. PCA hit a ground ball up the middle that went for a hit after review. A single by Seiya Suzuki moved PCA to third.
A poor throw to the plate allowed PCA to score and Suzuki to take third. Junk was removed (that’s a baseball move, not commentary) and reliever Cade Gibson struck out pinch-hitter Matt Shaw. (This is where the Cubs really miss Alex Bregman.)
Busch took third on the hit. Nico Hoerner was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.
This is where the Cubs offense should have broken this game open. But they did not. Pedro Ramirez hit a line drive to first and Carson Kelly struck out, leaving the game tied heading to the seventh.
Civale threw a scoreless seventh. With two out in the bottom of the inning, PCA doubled and Busch was intentionally passed. Shaw hit a line drive to right that was caught to end the inning.
Daniel Palencia threw the eighth, retiring all three Marlins he faced on just eight pitches, hitting 100 again several times. This is really good news. But the Cubs were retired in order in the bottom of the inning by Eury Perez, normally a starter. In this game, the first relief appearance of his career, he struck out Happ, Hoerner and Ramirez to send the game to the ninth.
Palencia recorded a strikeout to begin the ninth, then Ryan Rolison entered the game, allowing a single to the first hitter he faced, then retiring the side without incident.
So the Cubs now have a chance to walk things off. PCA hit a double down the right-field line with two out. But there he stood as Suzuki popped up to send the game to extras.
In the bottom of the 10th, Suzuki was the placed runner. Busch was given another intentional walk after running the count to 3-0. That walk set a franchise record. From John:
The intentional walk to Michael Busch in the 10th inning was the Cubs’ third walk of the game and 657th of the season, breaking the team record of 656 set in 2016. That had been six more than their previous high of 650, which had stood for 41 years, since 1975.
This is only the ninth season since 1901 in which the Cubs have reached 600 walks. The most recent had been 2017, with 622.
At their current pace, the Cubs will finish with 679. Only three teams have had more in the past 25 years: the 2003 Yankees, 684; 2007 Red Sox, 689; and 2004 Giants, 705.
Shaw attempted to bunt. This is not a bad strategy in the bottom of an extra inning with the game tied, a runner on second and nobody out. You want to get that winning run to third, where it could score on a fly ball. The thing is, bunting is becoming a lost art. After taking two pitches out of the zone, Shaw bunted a ball foul, then popped up another bunt to the pitcher.
Happ then flied to left, but Hoerner drew a walk to load the bases. Ramirez ran the count to 3-1. One more ball and the Cubs win! But Ramirez took strike two, then grounded to second.
In the 11th, Zeferjahn gave up a single, then struck out Stowers. But that was followed by a walk to load the bases. In came Caleb Thielbar, who retired the next two Marlins to end the inning.
Ramirez was the placed runner in the bottom of the 11th, but he went nowhere. Kelly and Dansby Swanson struck out and after PCA was intentionally passed, Suzuki grounded out to send the game to the 12th, making this the longest game by innings at Wrigley Field since May 7, 2023 — also against the Marlins. (The Cubs won that game 4-3.)
Here’s where the wheels fell off. Thielbar gave up a bloop single to left to Griffin Conine, scoring placed runner Esteury Ruiz to make it 3-2. A sacrifice bunt — see, someone does know how to do that! — moved Conine to second, where a single by Jacob Marsee made it 4-2.
Two runs is not an insurmountable deficit in extra innings, but Edward Cabrera entered the game and made it that way. I’ll spare you most of the carnage, but the first five batters Cabrera faced did this: walk, hit batter, walk, single, single and it’s 8-2.
This performance made one Cubs decision easy. Edward Cabrera’s not going to be on any Cubs postseason roster, not pitching like that. This had “Ryan Pressly’s nine-run extra inning” vibes all over it.
The Cubs then went down meekly 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 12th to end the game in four hours, 10 minutes, the first Cubs game to run four-plus hours since Sept. 16, 2023, a 13-inning game at Arizona.
After all that, this is still not the end of the world. The Cubs could have clinched a postseason spot with a win (since the Diamondbacks also won), but that will have to wait until at least tonight. The Padres lost and the Phillies won their games Tuesday, so now all three — Cubs, Padres, Phillies — are tied at 87-70. The Cubs have the tiebreaker in all situations with those two teams, including in a three-way tie. That means if the Cubs can win out, they’d still get the top wild card spot no matter what the other teams do.
But the Cubs are going to have to find ways to win games like these, or any postseason run this year is going to be short. Again, you can clearly see where the presence of a hot-hitting Alex Bregman might have won this one.
The Cubs will look to even up this series Wednesday evening at Wrigley Field. Kevin Gausman will start for the Cubs and Ryan Gusto goes for Miami. Game time is again 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
Justin Foscue of the Texas Rangers attempts a double play during the game between the New York Mets and Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on September 22, 2026. (Photo by Seth Garber/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Mets 6, Rangers 3
Sigh.
What an awful game.
Bad defense.
A bad relief appearance from Nathan Eovaldi.
Bad hitting.
As many Rangers batters reaching on HBPs as hits.
Just a miserable, disappointing game at the worst possible time.
And now Texas, who was in the driver’s seat and had control of their own playoff destiny, now have to win one more game than Houston in the last five.
Yesterday, I was super nervous.
Today? Today, I’m just really bummed.
MacKenzie Gore topped out at 96.0 mph with his fastball, averaging 93.9 mph. Nathan Eovaldi maxed out at 94.1 mph with his fastball. Robert Garcia’s fastball reached 94.9 mph. Jakob Junis touched 93.6 mph with his fastball. Peyton Gray hit 94.4 mph with his fastball.
Wyatt Langford had a 106.3 mph sacrifice fly. Elias Diaz had a 105.8 mph sacrifice fly.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Carson Benge #3 of the New York Mets gives the game ball to Kodai Senga #34 after a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets beat the Rangers 6-3 in the opening game of the penultimate series of the year. Sean Manaea allowed three runs (only two earned) in six innings while striking out nine batters.
Christian Scott was placed on the injured list with left knee inflammation, ending his season early as well as creating room for Devin Williams to return to the roster from the injured list.
Justin Hagenman will most likely make Christian Scott’s next start on Friday against the Nationals.
Andy Green signed a three year contract to become the Mets manager.
The decision to make Green the permanent manager was not made lightly, from both Green and the Mets.
By keeping Andy Green, the Mets get some continuity in the form of one of the few things that went right this season.
Ahead of his first time facing the Mets since being traded, Brandon Nimmo was dealing with a 24-hour stomach bug.
Around the National League East
Phillies starter Zack Wheeler notched his 2,000th strikeout against the Brewers last night.
Ronald Acuña Jr. exited last nights game with a shin contusion after fouling a ball off his leg.
The Nationals beat the Tigers 3-1, thanks in small part to a two home run performance by CJ Abrams.
The Phillies scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to hold off the Brewers in a 6-4 win. Zack Wheeler struck out eleven batters in 5.2 innings.
The Braves were shutout by the Reds 4-0. JR Ritchie took the loss even though he allowed just one run in five innings while striking out eight batters.
The Marlins beat the Cubs 8-2 after a twelve inning marathon. Kyle Stowers and Joe Mack each drove in a pair of runs.
Around Major League Baseball
Aaron Judge has a “moderate grade” calf strain and is not expected to be available for the Wild Card round.
Despite losing Judge for at least their first playoff series, all is not lost for the Yankees.
The Red Sox gave Chad Tracy a three year deal to officially become their manager, alongside extending Craig breslow’s contract.
Justin Verlander will make the final start of his career on Saturday in Detroit, a full-circle moment for the future Hall-of-Famer.
Even the teams outside of the playoff picture can find a silver lining in the 2026 season.
Former Met Tomás Nido joined the Red Sox taxi squad.
The Rays officially clinched the American League East title witha a win over the Yankees.
Despite losing to the Phillies, the Brewers have clinched a bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs thanks to the Braves loss to the Reds.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Steve Sypa published another edition of Mets Minor League Players of the Week.
This Date in Mets History
The 1969 Mets brought themselves within a single game of clinching the National League East.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 22: Atlanta right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) reacts after fouling a ball off his leg during the MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves on September 22nd, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was a rough day all around for the Atlanta Braves, who suffered a 4-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Not only were the Braves shutout, but Ronald Acuña Jr. fouled a ball off his shin and exited the game in the third inning. Fortunately, his X-ray was negative and he is considered day-to-day.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has left the game tonight after fouling a ball off his left leg pic.twitter.com/qGYJGX8xTr
While there is still a chance of a bone bruise that only an MRI would reveal, the Braves caught a major break and are hopeful Acuña Jr. will be healthy for a postseason run.
The Boston Red Sox’ 2026 regular season isn’t over yet, but we’re just about ready to turn the page to playoff baseball
Boston punched its ticket to the postseason earlier this week, completing a miraculous turnaround that included a 30-5 stretch after starting the season 32-46. Chad Tracy, who was officially named the 49th manager in franchise history on Tuesday, deserves immense credit for leading the club through adversity. He deserves an “A” grade for his performance as the Red Sox’ skipper this year.
How about the players? We handed out grades for each position player in our end-of-season report card:
Note: All grades are relative to players’ preseason expectations.
Catchers
Adley Rutschman
Grade: C
When the Red Sox traded four of their top prospects to Baltimore for Rutschman at the deadline, they hoped he’d look more like the elite switch-hitting catcher he was at the start of his career. His bat appeared to be returning to form with the O’s before he suffered a wrist injury that landed him on the injured list.
Offensively, Rutschman has been a major disappointment so far with Boston. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has hit just .214 with a .668 OPS in 28 games with the club, and he has played through an elbow issue for the last month. He remains an elite defensive backstop, but the Red Sox didn’t give up the farm for his glove. To be worth what they gave up, Rutschman has to be one of their most dependable bats.
Connor Wong
Grade: C-
Wong was better this season than last, but that isn’t saying much. While his offensive numbers were fine for a backup catcher, he was below-average defensively behind the dish. He and Carlos Narvaez’s struggles led Craig Breslow and Co. to overpay for Rutschman.
Infielders
Willson Contreras, 1B
Grade: A+
Contreras is one of the biggest reasons the Red Sox are a playoff team. He was acquired in the offseason as Boston’s much-needed right-handed bat, and he exceeded even the loftiest expectations with a team-high 27 homers through 129 games. The veteran also provided an emotional spark with his fiery passion on the field, and he has already emerged as a vocal leader in his first year with the team.
Nick Sogard, UTIL
Grade: A-
Sogard has gone from being labeled a “4A” player to a useful, impactful depth piece for Boston. His defensive versaility is his biggest strength, but he has also become an offensive threat with competitive at-bats throughout his time with the big-league club this season.
Trevor Story, SS
Grade: D
After playing in 157 games last season, the oft-injured Story spent most of 2026 on the injured list after undergoing sports hernia surgery. While he has been a bright spot since his return from the IL, his performance when healthy was mostly disappointing. His combination of unavailability and limited production — both offensively and defensively — gives him one of the lowest grades on our report card.
Caleb Durbin, 3B
Grade: A-
Durbin’s nightmare start to the season is the only thing keeping him from a solid A. Since June, he has been an above-average hitter and an elite defender at the hot corner. His contributions helped fuel Boston’s miraculous turnaround.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, UTIL
Grade: B-
Kiner-Falefa’s midseason injury hurts his grade, but he has largely delivered what the Red Sox needed from him after signing him to a one-year deal last winter. Boston wanted a reliable, versatile defender off the bench, and he has been just that when healthy. His offensive numbers are below-average, just as they’ve been throughout his big-league career.
Andruw Monasterio, INF
Grade: B
When the Red Sox acquired Monasterio from Milwaukee, he was expected to simply provide infield depth off the bench and perhaps jump between Triple-A and the majors. He exceeded those expectations by playing an enormous role during Boston’s historic turnaround.
Monasterio provided defensive versatility with starts at shortstop, second base, third base, and first base. He also posted an OPS above 1.000 while the Red Sox went on their incredible run, and had his own signature moment when he belted a game-winning two-run homer in the 10th inning against the Athletics in July.
His production over the final two months fell off a cliff, so that hurts his final grade. Still, it was a successful season for Mona.
Anthony Seigler, INF
Grade: B-
Seigler played in only 49 games for Boston this season, but the offseason addition gave the club a much-needed jolt when he was called up in June. His upbeat presence immediately made a positive impact on the team’s chemistry.
Performance-wise, Seigler did his part by helping to stabilize the second base position. He posted a 105 OPS+, which is more than anyone expected from him when he was acquired as part of the Durbin deal.
Mickey Gasper, DH/1B/C
Grade: A
Gasper wasn’t expected to be a meaningful contributor to the big-league club entering the season. Even a modest output would have given him a decent grade.
After becoming a lineup regular in May, he was sent back down in late June with unimpressive numbers. Boston gave him another shot in mid-August, and he went nuclear.
Gasper put up Ted Williams and Barry Bonds-like numbers for a solid 13-game stretch after being called back up on Aug. 17. He has cooled off since, but he has 10 homers and an .845 OPS in 64 games this season. That’s “A” worthy.
Outfielders
Jarren Duran, LF/DH
Grade: D
Duran ranks third on the team with 20 homers. He’s one stolen base shy of perhaps the worst 20/20 season in MLB history.
The 2024 All-Star was one of the club’s greatest disappointments in 2026. He was one of the worst qualified hitters in baseball, posting a 75 OPS+ with 163 strikeouts in 146 games. His solid defense keeps him from a failing grade.
Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
Grade: A+
Rafaela took another significant step forward at the plate in 2026, making him one of Boston’s best all-around players as his glove remained elite in center field. He set career highs in batting average (.282), on-base percentage (.317), and slugging percentage (.760), and he’s a no-brainer for his second straight Gold Glove award.
Wilyer Abreu, RF
Grade: A
Like Rafaela, Abreu has blossomed into an outstanding all-around player. He took another step forward this season with a career-high 24 homers and 74 RBI to go with his elite defense in right field. He also leads the American League with 37 doubles.
Abreu is a streaky hitter, but when he’s on, few are more dangerous. His defense is just the cherry on top.
Roman Anthony, LF/DH
Grade: D
After entering the season with MVP-level expectations, Anthony struggled mightily. The 22-year-old hit just .229 with one homer and a .675 OPS before suffering a torn ring finger ligament on May 4. He didn’t return until Aug. 30, and he hasn’t done much since to quiet the naysayers.
Anthony’s sophomore season was severely disappointing. He’ll look to make fans more optimistic about his future with a strong postseason performance.
Masataka Yoshida, LF/DH
Grade: C+
Yoshida entered the season without a defined role due to the club’s outfield/DH logjam. He was solid when given the chance, posting a .746 OPS in 87 games before going down with a season-ending hamstring injury. He just didn’t make enough of an impact to get inside the “B” range.
Eli White, OF
Grade: B
The Red Sox didn’t give up much to get White at the deadline, and he proved to be a useful depth outfielder with game-changing speed during his 27 games with the club. Unfortunately, his season is over due to a Lisfranc repair in his right foot.
Jahmai Jones, LF/DH
Grade: A-
Boston acquired Jones from the Detroit Tigers for a player to be named later, hoping he could return to form as a lefty masher. He did just that, hitting .321 with a 1.067 OPS in 34 games.
Ex-Red Sox
Marcelo Mayer, INF
Grade: F
The former top prospect entered 2026 with plenty to prove after failing to impress and suffering a season-ending injury in his rookie season. His sophomore campaign was even worse, as he hit .220 with a .594 OPS in 70 games before going down with yet another injury. He was shipped to the San Francisco Giants at the deadline in exchange for left-handed relief pitcher Erik Miller.
Carlos Narvaez, C
Grade: F
After breaking out with Boston in 2025, Narvaez hit just .187 with a .535 OPS in 62 games this season before being sent to Baltimore in the Rutschman deal.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers works out before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers received two key reinforcements making their returns from injury on Tuesday, as both Andy Pages and Roki Sasaki played a factor into the team’s 7-0 shutout win over the San Diego Padres.
The Dodgers are preparing to get the final Infinity Stone added to their gauntlet, as two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is expected to return from the injured list for Wednesday’s game against San Diego. Whether Ohtani will remain in the leadoff spot in the starting lineup is still up in the air, as Mookie Betts has been swinging a red-hot bat at the leadoff spot in his absence, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“I do think I should think through the Mookie vs. left situation, but I have to think about the entire lineup structure,” Roberts said. “That’s probably the way it’s going to fall out, but I haven’t totally decided yet.”
Roki Sasaki made his first bullpen appearance since the 2025 World Series on Tuesday, as he logged a scoreless top of the fourth inning while allowing just one hit and striking out two.
Although Sasaki has vastly improved in the second half this season before suffering a blister to his pitching hand— 5.33 ERA in first half, 2.97 ERA in second half— the plan is to once again have him out of the bullpen for the postseason for a second consecutive year, per Chen.
“It’s just showing that whatever it takes to help us win, knowing that any inning he throws in the postseason is going to be huge,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He clearly understands that.”
Josue De Paula is making a strong case for making the postseason roster, as the 21-year-old rookie is slashing .323/.500/.581 while becoming the first Dodger rookie with at least a .500 on-base percentage over his first 11 games since Corey Seager in 2015.
De Paula has spent the bulk of his time in the big leagues serving as the designated hitter, filling the void Ohtani left behind. With Ohtani expected to return from the injured list on Wednesday, the next test for De Paula is to see how he can handle himself in the outfield defensively, per Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.
“All the reports that we’ve gotten from our minor-league staff are right on cue,” Ebel said. “He’s been working, he’s bringing it right here to the major leagues. And it’s a pleasure for me, with some energy, coming out early every day — hasn’t missed. We’re working on game situations, ground balls, left, right, right at him, fly balls, shags during BP. So we’re on the right track.”
