NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 11: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees and Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets talk at second base in the first inning during the game between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday, September 11, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets and Yankees took the field last night on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The Bombers ended up getting the better of the Amazins, as Nolan McLean surrendered five runs in five innings en route to a 6-4 loss.
The Braves and Phillies began a crucial three-game series last night, and Atlanta won in dramatic fashion by coming back from one-run deficits in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh innings—finally winning on a walk-off double from Drake Baldwin.
As if losing in heartbreaking fashion wasn’t bad enough, the Phillies also announced that Jesús Luzardo is being scratched from his scheduled start today due to left shoulder stiffness.
(Circa Date) New York Yankee Charlie Keller Holding Bat
Before he was a star for the Yankees, Charlie Keller was a small-town boy on a Maryland farm. In a truly poetic life journey, that is exactly the life that he would return to after playing 13 years in the major leagues, with a gap year in there to serve as a merchant marine.
Charles Ernest Keller Born: September 12, 1916 (Middletown, MD) Died: May 23, 1990 (Frederick, MD) Yankees Tenure: 1939-1943, 1945-1949, 1952
Keller came of age working on the family farm and eventually became a standout athlete at Middletown High School, just a bit outside Frederick, Maryland. While at Middletown, Keller was a state champion in track while playing baseball, basketball, and soccer. With the book smarts to match his athletic ability, Keller went to the University of Maryland on scholarship. While in undergrad, Keller played both basketball and baseball at the varsity level, gradually turning into one of the greatest Terps to ever grace the diamond.
Baseball became the sport that the right-hand-throwing and lefty-swinging Keller would come to dominate. After an impressive showing both in school and during a semi-professional league, Yankees scout Gene McCann signed Keller to a contract just before the start of the 1937 season.
At 20 years old, Keller’s professional journey officially began as a member of the Newark Bears. Upon reporting to spring training, the Yankees informed Keller they planned to play him in right field, a new position. The Yankees also spent the 1937 season trying to get the stout lefty to focus on pulling the baseball. In his first taste of pro ball, Keller slashed .353/.431/.541 with 13 home runs, 14 triples, and 34 doubles. Keller ditched the pull approach ahead of the 1938 season and went on to win the batting title with a .353 average while also leading the league in runs and hits. For his efforts, he was named both the International League Rookie of the Year and Minor League Player of the Year of 1938.
Skipper Joe McCarthy and the Yankees gave Keller his first taste of pro ball in 1939. After missing the start of the season due to injury, the rookie, who was now primarily playing left field, finally made his debut at the end of April. The rookie struggled to find playing time over the first few months of the summer, but starting in August, the kid caught fire and would force his way into the lineup through the end of the regular season and into the Fall Classic.
New York swept the Cincinnati Reds in the 1939 World Series as Keller had a team-high .438 average, to go along with three home runs and six RBIs. The rookie’s triple in the ninth inning of Game 1 (as seen below) led to a walk-off hit by Bill Dickey and set the tone for the series. In the Game 4 clincher, he came around to score in the 10th inning on a chaotic play started by a Joe DiMaggio hit. An E9 enabled Keller to come home, and as he did so, he collided with Reds catcher Ernie Lombardi. The dazed Lombardi was slow to come to his senses and by the time he’d done so, DiMaggio had scored himself. The sweep was completed shortly afterward.
The 1940 season was the start of a legendary run for Keller. He was an All-Star in 1940, leading the league in base on balls while batting .286 with 21 home runs. The Yankees would miss the playoffs that season after finishing 88-66 and third in the American League.
Keller had one of, if not his best, seasons in 1941. He hit .298 and posted career highs in home runs with 33 big flies and 122 RBIs. Keller finished fifth in the MVP vote and was an All-Star for the second time. The Yankees found themselves back in the World Series and Keller impressed again, batting .389 while driving in five runs and scoring another five himself. In the most memorable highlight from that series, Yankees batter Tommy Henrich and Brooklyn catcher Mickey Owen both missed a wicked pitch from Hugh Casey, and what would have been a strikeout for the end of a series-tying Dodgers win in Game 4 instead continued with Henrich on first. DiMaggio singled and Keller became the one to really twist the screws with a two-run double that put the Yankees ahead, 5-4.
Both the Yankees and Keller had a bit of a disappointing year, for their standards, in 1942. Keller posted a .292/.417/.513 slash line behind 26 home runs and a career-high 14 stolen bases. The Yankees made the World Series but lost to the Cardinals 4-1; Keller was held to four hits in five games, though two were homers.
The 1943 campaign saw Keller get his third All-Star selection as he led the league in base on balls again and OPS with a .922 and OPS+ of 168. The Yankees again found themselves facing the red bird of St. Louis in the World Series. This time, the Yankees prevailed in five games, giving Keller his third ring in five seasons.
Then, in January of 1944, everything changed for Keller as he was commissioned into the U.S. Maritime Service. Keller would serve in the Pacific for the next 20 months. In August of 1945, Keller returned to the Yankees for the final stretch of the season. Despite still having his sea legs under him, Keller hit .301 with 10 home runs in 44 games as the Yankees finished third in the league.
The 1946 Yankees also finished in third place and missed the playoffs, but Keller returned to his pre-war form and was again an All-Star. On the season, Keller launched 30 home runs, driving in 101, and drawing 113 base on balls to give him his fifth career season to exceed 100+ walks.
Keller was still in top form for the first third of the 1947 season. Entering June, he was leading the league in several offensive categories and would earn his fifth All-Star selection in just a few weeks. Little did anyone know, but a small tweak of his back while taking a swing forever changed his career. Keller ended up having surgery to remove a slipped disk in July. Keller missed the rest of the season and had to watch from the dugout as his teammates took down the Dodgers in seven games to win the 1947 World Series.
The legendary swing from King Kong Keller was never the same. Despite trying to work his way back into form, Keller struggled in 1948 and 1949. Over those two campaigns, he slashed .262/.378/.405 with only 9 home runs in 143 games. The man once a lock for 600 at-bats and 100 walks was no more. In another bittersweet moment, Keller watched his teammates win the 1949 World Series.
As a Yankee, Keller finished his career with a slash line of .286/.410/.518 with an OPS of .928 and a WAR of 42.3 in 1066 games. His .410 career OBP ranks him top 5 all-time in Yankees franchise history. Keller also averaged roughly three walks for every two strikeouts, which is crazy for a slugger like him.
The Tigers signed Keller after the Yankees released him in 1949. Keller spent the 1950 and 1951 seasons mostly appearing as a pinch-hitter for the Tigers. In limited action over those two years, Keller hit .283 with five home runs. The Yankees brought Keller home for the 1952 season. However, after only one at-bat in 1952, the Yankees released Keller and his playing career was over.
After his playing days ended, Keller returned to Maryland and started Yankeeland Farm. He remained on the farm for the remainder of his days except for when the Yankees asked him to don the pinstripes again as a coach during the 1957 season. Keller stuck with the team under Casey Stengel through the end of the 1959 season. While he served as the team’s first base coach, the team lost the 1957 World Series but get revenge and win the 1958 World Series in a rematch with the Milwaukee Braves. That ring gave Keller his sixth as a Yankee.
Though it was cut short, Keller’s peak was one remarkable run. Three modern players who can help put his career into perspective, according to Baseball Reference’s Similar Batters, are Juan Soto, Josh Hamilton, and Cody Bellinger. Another comparison is Bryce Harper as the athletic, converted catcher, super-slugging lefty. In an organization with some of the greatest of all time, Keller might truly be the greatest what-if in pinstripe history.
Happy birthday, Charlie!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
The Detroit Tigers won their second game in a row for the first time since early August with a 6-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Comerica Park on Friday night. Riley Greene’s 3-for-4 performance fueled the good guys on offense and dodged danger on several occasions for a quality start while earning his 10th win of the 2026 campaign.
On Saturday afternoon, left-hander Andrew Sears will try to make it three in a row while clinching the team’s second straight series win. The 24-year-old put up a fine performance last time out, tossing 5 1/3 frames of one-run ball against the Guardians in Cleveland on four hits and two walks while striking out four and hitting a batter for a no-decision in an eventual 4-3 loss in extras.
For the Rockies, right-hander Tanner Gordon will make his 10th start of the 2026 campaign, having bounced back and forth between a starting and relieving role this summer. Over the 28-year-old’s last four appearances — all starts — he has posted a 3.63 ERA and a 3.96 FIP, but gave up five runs in two of those games and just one run in the other two.
Gordon allowed 18 hits (two home runs) and three walks while striking out 10 across 17 1/3 innings over that stretch, plus a balk. Will the Tigers see the good or bad version of the former sixth-round pick? Find out on Saturday afternoon.
Detroit Tigers (68-79) vs. Colorado Rockies (55-92)
Time (ET): 1:10 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Purple Row Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 148: LHP Andrew Sears (0-1, 4.38 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Gordon (1-4, 5.40 ERA)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 11: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals and Kyle Isbel #28 of the Kansas City Royals celebrate after winning a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 11, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Edward Monigan IV/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Once the Red Sox lost the final game of the four game set at Yankee Stadium in late August, the team found themselves in a strange state of affairs. Four games behind the Yankees (five if you include the tiebreaker), they pivoted to getting healthy for October. The team is without six significant players who should be available for the postseason: Willson Contreras, Ceddanne Rafaela, Curtis Mead, Tyron Guerrero, Justin Slaten, and Garrett Crochet.
In the meantime, all of September feels like a second Spring Training. Losing two of three against the Mariners and Angels, and the first game against the Royals, all of which are at home, feels a bit anticlimactic after witnessing separate win streaks of fifteen and nine games in the months of July and August. And yet there is no concern of losing out on a playoff spot as Boston is seven games clear of Toronto (the first team out of the playoffs), and five games ahead of Cleveland for the second Wild Card spot. At the end of the day, we are somehow still 17 days away from the next relevant baseball game for the Boston Red Sox.
So, how concerned are you about these performances at home over the past two weeks? Is it a case of prioritizing health, or are you seeing any bad habits from the hideous first half of the season starting to creep in? Discuss in the comments, and be good to each other.
The Tides used a late comeback to win this one, tying the game in the eighth on a Bryan Ramos RBI single and then scoring two in the top of the ninth on a Creed Willems sac fly and Payton Eeles single. Nearly every Tides hitter contributed to the victory, led by Enrique Bradfield Jr. atop the order, who had two hits, stole a base, and scored two runs. Jud Fabian homered for the third time in the last two days. The Tides’ lineup was facing Cardinals prospect Jurrangelo Cjintje, who was drafted as a switch-pitcher but now appears to be exclusively right-handed.
Cade Povich turned in a quality start for the Tides — six innings, three runs — and the bullpen followed with three scoreless frames. The 27-year-old righty Jake Dykhoff was summoned all the way from High-A Frederick to Norfolk, and he responded by throwing two scoreless innings in his Triple-A debut. Left-hander Andrew Magno worked around two walks in the ninth to notch his 10th save.
As usual, a Baysox starting pitcher turned in a stellar performance. Right-hander JT Quinn twirled five scoreless innings in his final start of the year, allowing six baserunners and striking out three. He finished the season with a 1.96 ERA in five starts for the Baysox after a 3.75 mark in 20 starts at High-A.
Unfortunately, Quinn’s effort went criminally unsupported by the Baysox offense, which managed only four hits (all singles) against three Richmond pitchers. Wehiwa Aloy had one of them. Vance Honeycutt went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Left-hander Jacob Bresnahan, the Giants’ #9 prospect, worked seven shutout frames. The game’s only run came on a solo homer by Gavin Kilen, the Giants’ #6 prospect, off Baysox reliever Brandon Downer in the sixth.
High-A: Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pirates) 7, Frederick Keys 5
Sadly, the Keys’ playoff run has come to an end. After winning Game 1 of the best-of-three North Division Series, Frederick dropped the last two, including a heartbreaker in this win-or-go-home finale. The Keys carried a 5-4 lead into the top of the seventh before Greensboro rallied for three runs against relievers Twine Palmer and Braeden Sloan. The Frederick offense couldn’t respond in the final three frames, and the Keys’ magical season is over.
Jaiden Lo Re contributed a pair of hits in the game, and Andrés Nolaya powered a pinch-hit homer. Ty Head went 0-for-2 but drove in a run on a squeeze bunt. Enddy Azocar took an 0-for-4. Starter Christian Rodriguez gave up four runs (two earned) in 3.1 innings, giving up two home runs to Pirates #5 prospect Wyatt Sanford.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 10: Fans cheer as Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks back to the dugout after being relieved in the eighth inning during the game between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, September 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Trevor Hayes/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In these next few weeks, as the season winds down and playoff teams are put into their proper place in the bracket, a lot of words will be spoken about home field advantage. Our own John Stolnis will be talking about this in a little bit and you have probably already seen some things pop up regarding the Phillies and holding the advantage once their playoff season begins.
The question is: do you really even care about it?
Does home field advantage really matter to you as much as it may matter to others? The players probably prefer to have it, but the Phillies haven’t exactly set the world on fire when playing in Citizens Bank Park of late in October. There are probably a bunch of reasons for this, so maybe having the ability to bat last in a game isn’t truly that big a deal.
Maybe it is, I don’t know, but what do you think about it?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 11: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates his walk-off double with Ha-Seong Kim #7 during the eleventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on September 11, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you missed last game, where were you? Let’s fast forward to the bottom of the eleventh in a tie game with two outs, with Ozzie Albies on second base and Ha-Seong Kim at the plate.
Kim has come alive in September to help push the Braves over the line. Let’s look at this again. First of all, this is a pretty standard 106.3 MPH off the bat for a .670 xBA in left field. Pretty standard for most people not named Kim, however. Second of all, Ozzie’s helmet didn’t come off. That feels like a party foul, but I’ll allow it.
But have a look at this. Hang it in the Louvre already.
So much going on here. You have Kim with the smooth finish. You have tense moments in the crowd.
Yeah, I don’t know what’s going on here.
We have neutrals making scouting reports and taking it all in.
Kim? Hit the ball?
How good does that feel? After the last six months? My. Word.
Then you have the winning hit to bring Kim home.
This is your standard 101.2 MPH off the bat and .490 xBA for a double. Only not so standard for a week period for Drake Baldwin, I guess. He went from August 30th to September 6th without a pulled fly ball or line drive. They’re starting to come back now, even after reaching across the plate to reach this one.
Bullpen is waving them home before this double lands.
All right, the batting helmet is off five steps after hitting second base. This is just good technique. 11/10 no notes.
And the hair is flying. This is what you want to see.
Get down lol jk.
Come at me with that bubble gum.
Wait, where’s Kim?
There we go.
Y’all, we’re almost home. This feels like the Braves are right there and able to put this to bed by the middle of September. Almost there. And Ha-Seong Kim is just getting started.
Walt Weiss on Ha-Seong Kim: “All the stuff he’s been through, then you fast forward into later in the season and he has two of the biggest hits of our season. You love when guys persevere and the game rewards them for it.”
The Palestinian flag-waving idiot who sprinted onto the field at Yankee Stadium during the 9/11 25th Anniversary game after posting an unhinged rant about the terrorist attack is a self-described “revisionist-Marxist,” according to his OnlyFans page.
Kelly Marcucci, of Long Island, is facing misdemeanor charges for interference with a professional sporting event and trespassing, according to the NYPD.
Marcucci, 38, allegedly jumped from the stands onto the baseball field, cops said.
A man carrying a Palestinian flag disrupts the game at Yankee Stadium on Friday and was stopped by security. Robert Sabo for NY Post
He charged the field in the seventh inning of the Yankees-Mets Subway Series game in The Bronx on Friday at exactly 9:11 p.m. — before quickly getting tackled in centerfield by security, video showed.
Fans immediately broke out into chants of “USA!” when the man was brought down onto the grass.
Just hours before the stunt, around 4:30 p.m., Marcucci posted an unhinged, rambling rant on Facebook.
Kelly Marcucci, of Long Island, is facing misdemeanor charges for interference with a professional sporting event and trespassing, according to the NYPD. AP Photo/Noah K. Murray
He went off on a nonsensical tirade about capitalism, Zionism, Saudi Arabia and 9/11, mentioning a string of high-profile people including President Trump and Joe Rogan.
Marcucci also posted a brief video of himself at the baseball game before he allegedly stormed the field, showing off his personalized “K. Marcucci” jersey from the stands.
A streaker with a Palestinian flag disrupts the game when the New York Yankees played the New York Mets on Friday, September 11, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The front of the shirt reads “No Kings,” a widespread anti-Trump sentiment.
Marcucci is a self-described journalist and “spiritual tactician” who graduated from Stony Brook University, according to his social media accounts.
His Instagram is flooded with bonkers conspiracy theories, posts about sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and reposts of videos of political commentators such as Candace Owens.
The demonstrator was tackled by NYPD in centerfield during the seventh inning, sparking “USA!” chants from fans. Robert Sabo for NY Post
In one absurd post, Marcucci appeared to spiritually analyze Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani ahead of the 2025 mayoral election.
“It’s not just about left vs right. It’s not just about two candidates. It’s about what kind of energy is being installed over New York City,” he wrote in his bizarre caption.
Marcucci posted a video of himself at the baseball game before he allegedly stormed the field. Kelly L. Marcucci/Facebook
His Instagram account also links to an inactive OnlyFans profile, where Marcucci claimed to have made the page “as a joke.”
“Politically, I identify as a revisionist-Marxist, and the core values of this expression are very important to me,” the bio reads.
Marcucci and representatives for the Mets and Yankees did not immediately return requests for comment.
Marcucci, 38, faces misdemeanor charges for interfering with a pro sporting event and trespassing in the Bronx. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The Yankees went on to beat the Mets 6-4 during Friday night’s Subway Series matchup.
Married couple Brielle Saracini and Sean McGuire, who both lost their fathers on 9/11, threw the ceremonial first pitches.
The jersey-wearing pair met at a camp for children whose parents were killed in the attacks.
Saracini shares a special bond with Yankees legend Derek Jeter, who was also at the game. After her father, Victor Saracini, a pilot of one of the hijacked flights, was killed, she wrote a letter to Jeter.
Jeter invited the then-10-year-old to the stadium to meet the team and feel a sense of normalcy amid the devastation.
“When we invited her to the stadium, you really don’t know what to say,” Jeter said during a news conference.
“So I don’t even know if I said ‘I’m sorry’ or anything like that. I just tried to make her day feel special…and you just try to make her feel as comfortable as you possibly can.”
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 11: The Tampa Bay Rays celebrate as Junior Caminero #13 scores after hitting a two-run home run to walk-off the Houston Astros at Tropicana Field on September 11, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. The Rays defeated the Houston Astros 3-1. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees kicked off the Subway Series with a win, scoring six on the Mets and managing to hold on despite the anomaly that was Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick both struggling on the same night. David Bednar came in for the five-out save and got the job done, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the eighth before getting a game-ending double-play out of Juan Soto in the ninth. While they were handling business in the Bronx, they were also scoreboard watching with several key games going on simultaneously — so let’s see what the result of those out of town scores were.
Tampa Bay Rays (88-59) 3, Houston Astros (75-73) 1
The Rays looked like they could’ve slipped up and lost this game ceding some ground to New York, but they came around to walk it off instead. Houston had their chances against Drew Rasmussen, scattering eight hits against the Rays’ ace, but the only run they managed to score came in the fourth inning when Isaac Paredes doubled with one out and Daulton Varsho singled to put runners on the corners. Yainer Diaz hit a ball hard to second base, and while Ritchie Palacios made a fantastic play on the ball flipping it to the shortstop quickly enough for the force out keeping the potential double play alive, Diaz managed to beat the throw letting the run count. However, several other innings were cut short by double plays that did get converted, and the Rays tied the game back up in the fifth when Victor Mesa Jr. launched a home run to lead off the inning.
Things stayed quiet until the bottom of the ninth, when the Rays got the winning run aboard on an Aranda double before Junior Caminero stepped up to the plate. Bryan Abreu chose to start him off with a fastball up in the zone and Caminero made him pay, ripping a walk-off two-run shot to left.
The win not only kept the Rays three games ahead of the Yankees in the standings, but it clinched a playoff spot for Tampa Bay — the first team to secure a spot in the 2026 Postseason. The Brewers would join them a little later in the night with a blowout win on their part, but the Rays are, for now, the only American League team holding a ticket to the dance.
Other Games
Boston Red Sox (80-68) 2, Kansas City Royals (66-82) 3: The Yankees did gain some ground on Friday, as the Red Sox fell behind early to Kansas City and couldn’t dig themselves out of the hole. Carter Jensen led off the game against Sonny Gray with a double and later scored on a Salvador Perez single to left, and then the Royals added to their lead in the third as Isaac Collins and Jensen hit back-to-back doubles followed by a Vinnie Pasquantino RBI single. Mickey Gasper got Boston on the scoreboard in the fifth with a solo shot, and after Adley Rutschman walked Wilyer Abreu doubled him in to cut the lead to 3-2. The Sox struck out from there though, and Boston would get just one hit the rest of the way stranding a Trevor Story double in the eighth.
Chicago White Sox (75-72) 3, St. Louis Cardinals (73-75) 7: The White Sox are squandering their advantage in the Central, losing their fourth straight game. The Cardinals scored a run in each of the first three innings, but they delivered the knockout punch in the fifth as Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, Joshua Báez, and Leo Bernal chained consecutive hits to drive in three runs. The Cardinal bullpen dealt with some traffic on the basepaths but managed to limit Chicago to just one run in the final 4.2 innings. Chase Meidroth showed up for the Southsiders, launching two home runs to briefly keep them within arm’s reach of St. Louis.
Cleveland Guardians (75-73) 5, Minnesota Twins (69-78) 2: Chicago’s faltering opens the door for Cleveland, who moved to within a half-game of first place after taking this one against the Twins. The game was tied at two in the ninth when a wild pitch and a two-run double from Brayan Rocchio put them up three in a heartbeat. Cade Smith entered looking for the save and got the job done quickly with a double-play ball to erase a one-out single from Trevor Larnach.
Toronto Blue Jays (73-75) 4, Baltimore Orioles (72-76) 7: The O’s jumped out to a 6-0 lead in this game, scoring five in the second inning with two-run hits from Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers leading the procession. Toronto had a rally in them in the ninth, scoring two runs on a Brett Bateman homer before George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit singles to bring the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately for Toronto this all came with two outs, and when Baltimore went back to their ‘pen summoning Rico Garcia to pitch he managed to get Alejandro Kirk to ground out to end it.
Texas Rangers (72-76) 1, Arizona Diamondbacks (79-69) 9: Two innings were all Arizona needed to put up a nine-spot on Texas in a rematch of the 2023 World Series. A trio of doubles in the fifth led to four runs scoring for the Diamondbacks, followed by Corbin Carroll and Nolan Arenado launching back-to-back homers in the sixth to drive the dagger home. Justin Martinez had the highlight of the night for the pitching staff, tossing an immaculate inning in the top of the sixth shutting the door on any potential response from Texas after Arizona took the lead.
Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.
Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”
To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.
For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 08: Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a two-run single in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 08, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Somehow, some way, the Guardians find themselves a half game out of first in the AL Central.
The Guardians won 5-2 over the Twins last night as covered here by Jakhob. Today they will do a bullpen game with Daniel Espino opening and Joey Cantillo and Slade Cecconi pitching at some point. The Twins will open with Connor Prielipp and use Bailey Ober as their length guy. Then, tomorrow is Tanner Bibee vs. Joe Ryan who will be on a pitch limit. The Guardians would actually have to sweep this series to take the season series from the Twins. How is this team still in position to win a division and even get a first round bye, again??
They need to go get someone from Triple-A to take at-bats from Jo Adell vs. RHP. It’s not working but I also understand he’s currently the best option Vogt has on the roster.
The Guardians also have a two-game lead for the third AL Wildcard. What a pathetic American League this year.
Around MLB:
The White Sox, Astros, Rangers and Blue Jays lost, and the Orioles won.
A.J. Ewing has had to battle through ups and downs during his first big league season, like any rookie would.
The young slugger recently endured a dreadful two-month slump at the plate that saw him uncharacteristically expanding the zone, leading to an uptick in strikeouts.
As he’s done throughout this terrific campaign, though, Ewing appears to have found his way out the other side.
Like everyone else in orange in blue, the lefty was set down pretty easily by Carlos Rodon, but he was able to break through later in the ballgame against the Yankee bullpen.
Ewing delivered a big two-out RBI single against former Met Paul Blackburn, keeping a rally going and cutting into the deficit in the top of the seventh.
He then led off the ninth by jumping all over a first pitch fastball from star closer David Bednar, crushing it high over the bleacher creatures into the second-deck in right.
The Mets still ended up dropping the opener, 5-3, but it’s been encouraging to see the 22-year-old rounding back into form down the stretch in the regular season.
Ewing’s blast was his second during his five-game hitting streak, and he’s also added nine RBI during that span.
Looking further, he’s hitting .316 with a .355 OBP and .829 OPS over his last 15 games.
“I’m just trying to win pitches right now,” Ewing said. “Not trying to do anything more that the plan I have -- that’s the mental side of baseball, it’s difficult to not try to chase results, but just trying to stick to the plan pitch-by-pitch.”
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 24: A detailed view of an MLB logo on an on deck circle is seen at Nationals Park on August 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One aspect of the upcoming labor battle this offseason, after the collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, is Major League Baseballs desire to expand from 30 to 32 teams.
MLB’s last expansion was in 1998, and Jeff Passan at ESPN in his outline of potential new cities notes that commissioner Rob Manfred wants the league to decide on one west coast and one east coast team by January 2029.
It will be at least three decades before MLB adds more teams, the longest stretch without expansion since the first 60 years of the American League (1901-60) saw eight teams in each league for a total of 16 teams. Since then:
1961: 16 to 18 teams (Angels, new Senators added)
1962: 18 to 20 (Mets, Colt .45s)
1969: 20 to 24 (Expos, Padres, Royals, Seattle Pilots)
It’s a bit surprising to me that baseball, which has so many unwritten rules about what players should and shouldn’t do when the game is out of hand, has settled on such a bizarre, asymmetrical surrender when it comes to position players pitching. The pitcher throws the single worst pitch he can. The batter then takes a massive overswing.
Bill Shaikin at the Los Angeles Times argues that Major League Baseball, the Players Association, and LA28 should figure out a way to come to an agreement on making MLB players available to play in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles:
The league says play ball, but not without the authority to punish players that do not wish to play.
The union says play ball, but not unless the league eases up on mandatory participation, and unless LA28, the international baseball federation and the International Olympic Committee provides major league players with flexibility in areas such as accommodations, tickets and marketing rights.
Sep 11, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Coby Mayo (16) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles kicked off their road trip with a 7-4 win in Toronto on Friday night, but unfortunately they did not get any closer to the AL’s coveted final wild card spot. That’s because the Guardians also won, beating the Twins 5-2. The gap to sneak into the playoffs remains at three games with 14 left on the schedule.
If you are still watching the Orioles at this point, you probably shouldn’t be pinning your joy on whether or not they make the playoffs. That’s been true of this team since the late-90s, and it continues today. Instead, try to find positives elsewhere.
For me, that starts with Coby Mayo lately. The guy hit another home run in the win, and this one was off of another right-handed pitcher. He is up to 23 long balls on the year and owns an OPS+ of 112. He has a .942 OPS since July 5 and has posted an OPS of .873 or better in each of the last three months. If he continues to show this promise at the plate, the Orioles will have to find a way to get his bat into the lineup most days in 2027.
Chris Bassitt was also good, allowing two runs over five innings. Since being activated off of the IL, the veteran righty has a 4.24 ERA and is averaging 5.2 innings per start. This isn’t earth-shaking stuff, but it’s solid, dependable production that the Orioles were hoping for.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand had three more hits. His OPS this season is up to .803. Maybe he needed to spend the first 3.5 months of the season in Triple-A working on some things, but it’s also worth wondering how much of a difference he would have made if he had been in Baltimore earlier in the year.
And it was a nice night for Dylan Beavers, leading the team with three RBI. The outfielder’s place in the lineup has come and gone throughout the season. So far in September he has been getting more consistent playing time, and maybe that is paying off. Getting him as many at-bats as possible down the stretch should be a priority, especially compared to someone like Leody Taveras.
The O’s and Jays are back at it today. First pitch is set for 3:07 in a matchup between Kyle Bradish (7-13, 3.91 ERA) and opener Spencer Miles (6-2, 2.77 ERA).
Links
Mulling over MVO candidates | Roch Kubatko Pete Alonso will run away with MVO honors, but who comes in second and third is less obvious. At least one starting pitcher should be in the mix. Trevor Rogers has probably been the most consistently good, though his season-long totals aren’t as appealing as some others. Shane Baz has thrown the most innings. Brandon Young feels like the savior of the group given where he began the year.
The Orioles’ front office shake-up speaks to their biggest challenge | The Baltimore Banner I cannot speak to what sort of influence Matt Blood had within the Orioles organization. Jon Meoli makes it seem like he was an important voice, and there is evidence to suggest he did some good work. But changes are clearly needed in Baltimore. Something has gotten stale. They need new perspectives to come in and explain what is working and what might need updating. It’s unclear if Blood leaving means that will happen, but it does indicate that there is some heat on the warehouse, as there should be.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Kyle Bradish turns 30 today. The righty is a real success story for the current regime. Acquired from the Angels as a modest prospect, Bradish developed into a Cy Young candidate in 2023, signed a big extension earlier this season, and has been solid in his return from Tommy John surgery this year.
Keith Hughes is 63 years old. The outfielder was a backup for the 1988 Orioles, hitting .194/.294/.324 that year.
Mark Thurmond turns 70. He spent two seasons on the Baltimore pitching staff from 1988-89, tossing 164.2 innings, mostly out of the bullpen with an occasional start sprinkled in.
The late Albie Pearson (b. 1934, d. 2023) was born on this day. From 1959-60 he was a reserve outfielder with the Orioles, accumulating a .621 OPS across 128 total games.
This day in O’s history
1964 – The Orioles beat the Athletics 1-0 in a game that sees both teams generate one hit each. The Orioles also set a record for the fewest at-bats in a nine-inning game with 19. John Orsino leads off the eighth inning with a double, is pinch run for by Bob Saverine, who then scores the lone run of the day.
1988 – Eddie Murray collects his 2,000th career hit, but the Orioles lose 6-1 to the Red Sox.
2009 – Brian Roberts hits a grand slam and his club-record 51st double of the season to lead the Orioles to a 7-3 win over the Yankees.
2014 – The O’s sweep a double-header from the Yankees, winning 2-1 and then 5-0, to step closer towards an AL East championship. It is also reported that Chris Davis will be suspended 25 games for testing positive for amphetamines, extending into the upcoming postseason.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 7: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants hits a double against the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park on September 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball comes to an end this weekend, so it’s time to make our picks for Player of the Week!
This week, as with many other weeks, my pick is going to be Rafael Devers! Over the last week (my week is including last Friday through this Thursday) had eight hits, four runs, three home runs and nine RBI, leading the team on offense once again.
I’m going to give an honorable mention to Bryce Eldridge as well, who has a six-game hitting streak going as of the time this is being written, and who knocked in seven RBI in that time as well.
Who is your pick for Player of the Week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this series against the San Diego Padres this afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT.
