Category: Baseball

You don’t need a piece on TheGoodPhight or somewhere else to tell you the Phillies look different. Simply reading the lineup and seeing several players change positions will tell you enough. It’s very different.

Since the start of August, the Phillies are 22-8, roughly when the trade deadline came and went. They were active at that deadline, trading one of their best pitching prospects for Luis Arraez and Caleb Killian, then making a smaller trade for Brooks Raley. You would think that is why the Phillies have taken a massive step forward.

But what if I told you that those moves haven’t really helped them at all? Yes, Luis Arraez, even with an 80 wRC+ in a Phillies uniform, is a big indirect upgrade over Gabriel Rincones jr, Adolis Garcia, and whatever else the Phillies were trying. However, he still has an 80 wRC+ with solid but not world-beating defense. On top of that, Caleb Killian looked like a disaster in four outings before hitting the injured list and Brooks Raley looks like a serviceable middle reliever but nothing more.

In total, the Phillies trade deadline acquisitions have been worth a combined 0.0 fWAR so far, there is still plenty of time for that to change but it shouldn’t be labeled as a success at the moment.

So how did a team that went 57-53 over the first four months of the season balloon to 79-61? Here are some of the big steps forward from the Phillies’ most unlikely contributors.

Aaron Nola and Andrew Painter solidifying the rotation

Arguably, the Phillies most pressing need five weeks ago was to find one or even two more viable starting pitchers. Aaron Nola had an ERA over 6 prior to August while Andrew Painter was in AAA because his first 65 innings in the majors were a disaster. Alan Rangel and Brian Keller were getting bulk innings or starts at one point, without anyone on the injured list, because the Phillies back of the rotation had been such a mess.

There has been a little smoke and mirrors for Nola thanks to a 95.2% left on base rate (LOB%) but a 2.65 ERA in 34 innings is worth a lot.

Andrew Painter is now getting a more reliable fastball shape thanks to some delivery tweaks and has been working with a new changeup grip, ditching his unreliable splitter in AAA. Hitters are hitting just .075 on the new changeup, without any extra base hits and are whiffing at it 32.2% of the time.

It’s obviously not just those two who have taken a step forward. Jesús Luzardo and Cristopher Sánchez have ERAs well below 2 but frontline-caliber starters have stretches like this. The Phillies issue was that two of every five days had big question marks about the starting rotation. That isn’t the case right now, even if Zack Wheeler hasn’t looked sharp.

Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm transforming in new positions

It’s unfair to not mention Bryce Harper playing like an MVP candidate in August and walking 25% of the time. So it’ll be mentioned here.

Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm did not have the biggest challenges in the world moving down the defensive spectrum to new positions. Stott has specifically taken to third base extremely well, already recording four outs above average there. Bohm’s first base has generally looked stable and just getting him off third has helped things.

Offensively, they’re both providing bottom half of the lineup offense the Phillies were lacking for months. Stott has hit a cold stretch but still has a 119 wRC+ in his last 124 plate appearances. Alec Bohm has started swinging nearly 2 mph faster on average with a slight decrease in groundballs. It has lead to an .851 OPS first baseman, which is significantly better than before.

Those are the two biggest surprises but Justin Crawford also deserves praise as a regular that is coming through. Even with a recent cold streak, Crawford has still looked roughly like a league average hitter since the start of August without a massive BABIP spike. For someone that is probably batting 8th or 9th in October, it’s a huge jump.

Alex McFarlane already looks like the Phillies second or third best reliever

A fastball over 100 mph with a sinker, and two very good horizontal breaking pitches, McFarlane has looked nasty since rejoining the Phillies. With every outing, he looks a little more comfortable and composed. His last outing, escaping a first-and-second-with-no-outs situation unscathed, probably gives him plenty of runway as a leverage arm down the stretch and into October.

The bullpen trust tree obviously starts with Jhoan Duran at the top and Jonathan Bowlan should absolutely factor in right behind him, even with the solo home run he allowed Wednesday (on a back-to-back after doing an up-down the day before). McFarlane is probably the third guy even if he might just walk the bases loaded in a playoff game, he also might just strike all of them out.

An upgraded bench

When Edmundo Sosa, Bryan De La Cruz, and Derek Hill have played this month, they do something. Whether it’s Sosa hitting a three-run bomb in the ninth to give the Phillies the lead, Bryan De La Cruz hitting .294 with 9 RBIs or it’s Derek Hill drawing a big walk, hitting a walk-off, or making a diving catch. It’s kind of the perfect bench, each player just finding a way to do something whenever the manager calls on them.

So even with an underwhelming trade deadline so far, the upgrades the Phillies have seen internally have completely changed the club’s expectations and performance. Just off recent trends, the Phillies look like a World Series threat with everything clicking at the right time. They might even mess around and win the division.

Jac Caglianone and Noah Cameron just became the first pair of Royals teammates to win AL monthly awards in the same month since 1985, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco give the milestone its full due even as the season around it has slipped back into disappointment. Cameron’s August was more than enough to earn Pitcher of the Month honors despite modest strikeout totals, while Caglianone led the AL in batting average, slugging, OPS, and RBI in a breakout that now feels like genuine league-wide recognition rather than a stats-driven argument.

The September call-ups told a different story. Nolan Hoffman, Easton McGee, and Drew Waters headline a group that left both hosts underwhelmed, and the conversation turns to whether the front office should have used this stretch to evaluate younger players like Gavin Cross or Carson Roccaforte instead. The Royals’ fading playoff odds add an edge to the discussion, particularly as broadcast optimism around the team’s chances has started to feel out of step with reality.

Cameron’s rougher outing against Miami still showed signs of progress rather than regression, even as the Marlins series brought its share of chaos, including a balk reversal and Matt Quatraro’s animated ejection that left the broadcast crew disagreeing about what actually happened. Seth Lugo’s future and the uncomfortable reality of needing multiple new starters heading into 2026 round out the pitching conversation.

The broader baseball landscape gets attention too. MLB’s proposed free agency changes and the meaningful difference between a delay and a full transaction freeze draw real concern, while Arte Moreno’s sale of the Angels reopens the conversation about team value, spending, and Royals ownership specifically. Joe Sheehan’s sharp criticism of John Sherman gets a direct read, and Jacob and Jeremy float their own creative fix for position players pitching, proposing an emergency pitcher spot filled by an undrafted college player or a retired arm.

Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online:

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– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com
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If you were writing the script of the Cubs season, I’m sending it back for re-writes. My son, not particularly a baseball fan, has found the path to conversation is being the sounding board for what I’m going to write. He’s always asking what the gist of my story is going to be about. Given that he’s not much a baseball guy, I often use non-baseball analogies. Here, I explained my thinking: “It is Empire Strikes Back for too long. You have to eventually get to Return of the Jedi.” If we’re at the movies or binging this on Netflix, you eventually leave or change the proverbial channel. No one wants to be watching the villains winning ad infinitum. The worm needed to turn.

Elsewhere, on social media I said it that the last 13 games was basically useless time. If you are a daily follower, you’ll have seen me recently yawning about a blowout win. Over the previous 13 games, the Cubs had lost nine games and had four blow-out wins. Totally useless. First off, there probably aren’t going to be 17-2 games in the playoffs. It’s not going to get that sideways. But if it does, we can do that. The Cubs are incredibly adept at piling on when the other team starts going sideways. They’ve been good at that for years and with souped up Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman post-fountain of youth, they are elite at it now. They can pile fast. And their pitchers seem to thrive in that environment. Yeah, who among us is surprised that marginal pitchers become good pitchers when they can pitch downhill and attack?

Ironically, this was exactly the game I was talking about yesterday. Offense bad, pitching good. For one, that’s where the Brewers try to take the game. They don’t want to slugfest with anyone. They want to play fundamental baseball and beat you with pitching and defense. Their offense, is incredibly adept at playing downhill. They are a quintessential sum of the parts better than the individual pieces offense. I’m sure I’m being equal parts flippant and naive, but it feels like they’ve got one maybe two players at best that the Dodgers or Yankees would chase from a position player standpoint. And yet, year after year that offense produces. And produces better than anyone expected.

This game matters because they beat the Brewers at the Brewers’ game. The Cub pitching was a little better which is saying something given that the Brewers held the Cubs to three hits. Three hits, one walk, no hits after the third inning. That’s elite. And the Cubs found a way to win. Here’s the thing, from a practical standpoint, the Brewers did what they needed to do in this series. Four days off of the calendar, no ground yielded. The division is over. The Brewers will never self destruct the way it would take to blow this lead. That’s the reality. They are going to win the division. Their battle is finishing the adventure and getting the No. 1 seed. In a world where the seeds hold, they get the Wild Card winner while the Dodgers and Braves have to slug it out against each other. That’s their objective. Don’t have to beat both the Dodgers and Braves to get to the Series.

But I will say this. The Cubs got everything they needed out of this series. They left a lot that they wanted behind. No question. It’s not an exciting pill to swallow a split and the cold reality of having to go the Wild Card route and risk not getting into longer series. But check these things out.

On Monday, the Cubs posted 17 runs. The first eight of that was in a competitive game against a guy who will probably start playoff games. On Monday, Clay Holmes shoved. The Cubs got good starting pitching. That pitching stifled the Brewer offense. And it got lopsided so the Cubs didn’t have to use their leverage guys. On Tuesday, Matthew Boyd was up and down. His line wasn’t great at the end of the day. Also, that game was 3-1 Cubs after four. Now that pitcher probably throws long relief for the Brewers in the postseason. So not HUGE. But there were positives in that loss. On Wednesday? They hung the worst start of the year on the Miz. Of course, for the second straight day, their pitching staff just gave it all away.

For three days, the Cubs offense showed it could score runs against the vaunted Brewers starters. Check. Now Kevin Gausman, the other big trade deadline addition, you know, the one with World Series experience, finished this series. He finished the series with an exclamation point. Seven innings of one run ball. Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Nine strikeouts against a contact oriented team. Yes, please. More of that. And then the Ryans, Zeferjahn and Rollison came in and closed the door.

The Brewers split the series and that’s a win for them. But there were silver linings. Survive the back six of this 13 straight, then lock down the top Wild Card spot in the sprint to the finish. Take care of business against a Marlins team that is fighting to stay alive. It feels like we always catch them when they are playing with extra motivation. Oh yeah, now that we got this 2-1 win in the bag, feel free to get another blow-out win over the weekend. I’m sure after three days of fighting for inches that a good old fashioned clobbering would feel excellent. Though I’ll still be back here hoping there’s another 3-2 or 2-1 win in there.

Holmes and Gausman and throw a roster full of relievers at them. That can win a Wild Card round series. Hopefully Boyd and David Peterson can keep two other games close. You’re going to have all four of them on short leashes and that fleet of relievers. Also, don’t mess up. Get Javier Assad onto the playoff roster. I know what the metrics and your instincts tell you about him. I see it loud and clear. There’s going to be a game that’s skidding out sideways. Hand him the ball and turn him loose. Over and over again through his career he’s outproduced what your numbers and your instincts tell you to expect. If he fails? It was already skidding out, right?

Three Positives:

• Kevin Gausman. The last time he threw seven innings and struck out nine or more batters was a complete-game shutout against the Astros last September. Everything the team needed, right when they needed it. I’ve seen him say he might retire. I respect a guy who doesn’t want to hang around, but I see a guy who can pitch at least one more year.
• Pete Crow-Armstrong. We needed two runs to win and Pete gave them to us. “Perils” of playing on a strong offensive team, but I believe this to be the first time Pete has driven in all of the runs in a Cub win since May 1, 2024. He drove in the only run in a 1-0 win against the Mets in New York. One more iconic achievement in his season. His next iconic moment should be his 40th homer.
• Ryan Zeferjahn. It says a lot about the start to his Cubs career that I was much more comfortable with Ryan Rolison of the two late relievers. But Zeferjahn has struggled more AND got to face the three most dangerous Brewer hitters and got them all. Rolison had a save before, we remain at 13 different Cubs with a save. But Zeferjahn is a candidate for No. 14. Justin Steele or Edward Cabrera are other off the wall options now entering the radar. Or Shelby Miller. Another pickup that was laughed at when it was made.

Game 141, September 3: Cubs 2, Brewers 1 (79-62)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Kevin Gausman (.362). 7 IP, 27 BF, 5 H, BB, R, 9 K (W 4-1)
• Hero: Ryan Rolison (.166). IP, 3 BF (Sv 2)
• Sidekick: Pete Crow-Armstrong/Ryan Zeferjahn. (.123). PCA: 1-4, HR, R, 2RBI. Zeferjahn: IP, 0 R, K.

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Ian Happ (-.074). 0-3
• Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.058). 0-3
• Kid: Seiya Suzuki (-.043). 0-3

WPA Play of the Game: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s third inning two-run homer with one out for the game’s first two runs. (.200)

Brewers Play of the Game: Andrew Vaughn’s solo homer with two outs in the fourth cut it to one. (.105)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 140 Winner: Alex Bregman received 50 of 54 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Alex Bregman +27
• Pete Crow-Armstrong +26
• Ben Brown +13.5
• Javier Assad +12
• Carson Kelly +10.
• Edward Cabrera -12.5
• Jameson Taillon -13
• Nico Hoerner -15
• Dansby Swanson -17
• Caleb Thielbar -17.5

Scoreboard Watching: Brewers lost (8 up on Cubs). Everyone else except the Dodgers was off. So the Cubs gain half a game on everyone while they all get to rest. Hopefully a lot of them lose when the Cubs get their reciprocal day off because they had the same number of games played as just everyone. Now they’ve played one more than many teams. The Dodgers were losing early in the late game, staring down a potential sweep by the Cardinals. The Dodgers have a soft September schedule, but aren’t a lot more likely than the Cubs to catch the Brewers. The Braves are a bit of a toss up. The permutation you want is one where the Dodgers are the first Brewer opponent. Then you only have to beat one of them to get to the Series. Beating one is a monumental task. Beating both of them would probably take a miracle.

Up Next: The Cubs travel to Miami. The Marlins are 71-70 and actually only three back of the Wild Card.

I’ve not seen anything to suggest that Shōta Imanaga (8-10, 4.01) won’t be taking his turn in Miami. The numbers still don’t look as bad as it has felt, with 2-2 and a 4.33 over his last seven. Last time out, he allowed six runs in five innings of work while losing to the Reds. Miami should be a decent place to start for him.

The Marlins start 30-year-old righty Janson Junk (6-8. 4.11). Junk is 2-2 with a 2.15 over his last seven appearances, which includes one turn out of the bullpen. He’s thrown six innings once since the start of August, in a start against the Pirates. That was also his last win, back on August 12. He was a Brewers reliever in May of 2024 when he last pitched against the Cubs.

The Marlins are 10th in team OPS, making them a really far below the radar top third offensive team (by at least one metric). They are also 11th in team ERA. That’s a really narrow basket of stats, but suggests they should be a bit better than their record probably. The Marlins bullpen is 14th in ERA (two spots behind the vaunted Cub bullpen). Their bullpen is sixth in WHIP. So you’re not going to just roll them late. This is a solid, if unspectacular team and will be a good challenge this weekend.

Fangraphs has the Cubs with an edge in all three games this weekend, with the Friday one being by an eyelash and the Saturday one topping out at 55.7 percent. For what it is worth, FG had the Cubs winning this Thursday game against the Brewers. It most definitely does not like the Cubs at any point in the Milwaukee series ahead. But have to take care of business here and then try to slay some dragons.

Ceddanne Rafaela, who has mostly been a model of perfect health throughout his short big league career, missed last night’s win in Baltimore with a tight right quad. He’s not going on the IL at this point, but given that there isn’t that much on the line for the rest of the season, he’s going to get plenty of time off to get better. We’ll essentially be day to day,“ said Chad Tracy. ”He’s going to get treatment like crazy, and we’ll be day to day to see how he feels and how he’s progressing… we’ll get a better idea over the next couple of days of how much improvement you’re seeing, and that’ll be easier to answer. But right now, we’re not going to put them out there until we see good improvement.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)

Thankfully, the injury news isn’t all bad. Tanner Houck pitched in a Bridge League game this week (what the hell is the Bridge League?) and will throw another simulated game today. If everything goes well, he hopes to start a rehab assignment next week. Meanwhile, Garrett Crochet will also throw his first bullpen session today, but it sounds like he’s much further behind Houck. “I don’t think it’ll be an excessive amount of pitches,” Tracy said. “This is first time off the slope, actually pitching off the slope, not just playing catch. So we’ll see how that goes. Hopefully it goes well and we’ll progress him from there.” (Christopher Smith, MassLive)

I’m not getting my hopes up about either Houck or Crochet being big contributors down the stretch. But that said, the pitching does seem to need a refresher right about now. (Scott McLaughlin, WEEI)

If Tanner Houck does make it back and finds a way to contribute to the postseason, that that will have been quite the journey, considering that he’s been MIA for over a calendar year. But no Red Sox journey is more impressive than that of Mickey Gasper, who initially signed for just $5,000. The scout who signed him isn’t surprised at his ascent, though. “There’s certain things you’re drawn to as a scout, and one is this common thread of makeup, and the desire to be at the park and put the work in and just never give up,” said Matt Hyde. “Even getting sent back down to Worcester and then being brought back up and hitting another home run, it’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s no surprise.’” (Tyler Kepner, The Athletic)

Last night, though, it was Adley Rutschman, not Gasper, playing home run hero. Of course it was fitting that his breakout game with the Sox happend at Camden Yards. “The people of Baltimore have always treated me with an unbelievable amount of respect and love,” he said. “I always felt that when I was here.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)

Baltimore is where Rutschman started his big league career, but it’s not where he began in baseball. That would be Oregon, where he comes from a family of baseball legends. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)

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The Chicago Cubs are a sizable road favorite over the Miami Marlins ahead of the 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch at loanDepot Park on Friday, Sept. 4.

My top Cubs vs. Marlins prediction and MLB picks are calling for Chicago to win convincingly in the series opener. 

Who will win Cubs vs Marlins today: Cubs -1.5 run line (44%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

The Chicago Cubs have an advantage at the plate and on the mound over the Miami Marlins tonight.

Chicago ranks second in xwOBA and first is ISO across the past 30 days, while Miami respectively checks in ranked 27th and 25th. The Cubs also rank fourth in wOBA against righties for the season, and the Marlins are 20th in the metric against lefties.

Similarly, while Cubs starter Shota Imanaga has had plenty of peaks and valleys this season, his 3.89 xERA and 3.82 xFIP across his past 11 starts also reinforce the edge on the mound.

Marlins starter Janson Junk sports a ho-hum 4.28 xERA and 4.72 xFIP over his past seven starts, after all.

It all adds up to Chicago pulling away on the scoreboard tonight. 

COVERS INTEL: Miami Marlins righty Janson Junk has the second-lowest whiff percentage and 11th-lowest strikeout percentage among the 116 pitchers with at least 100 innings.

Cubs vs Marlins Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (56%)

In addition to the highlighted offensive struggles of the Marlins, they’ve played to the Under in 26 of their last 40 home games (+11.70 Units / 27% ROI).

This is also a potential letdown spot for the Cubs.

Chicago just split a key, four-game divisional series with the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Cubbies were held to just 11 runs over the final three games of the set.

Cubs vs Marlins home run prediction: Michael Busch (15%)

There’s been a considerable dip in Cubs first baseman Michael Busch’s ISO against righties this season. He posted a rock-solid .245 mark across the past two seasons but is all the way down to a .141 ISO in 2026.

So, with Junk allowing a healthy 16.7 blast-contact percentage at home, this is a long number for Busch to cash in on statistical correction and leave the yard tonight.

Cubs vs Marlins weather

The retractable roof at loanDepot Park is expected to be closed for tonight’s game, but the official decision won’t be announced until a few hours before the game on the @loanDepotpark X feed.

Cubs vs Marlins odds

• Moneyline: Cubs 60% | Marlins 43.5%
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (47.6%) | Marlins +1.5 (56.5%)
• Over/Under: Over 8 (52.4%) | Under 8 (52.4%)

Cubs vs Marlins trend

The Chicago Cubs have covered the run line in 12 of their last 18 away games (+7.65 Units / 37% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Marlins.

How to watch Cubs vs Marlins and game info

Cubs vs Marlins latest injuries

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Keider Montero has absolutely dominated the Cleveland Guardians over the course of his career, so I'm rocking with him as part of my Tigers vs. Guardians predictions.

The Detroit Tigers are a live underdog today at Polymarket, trading at 45 cents - we can't pass up that type of value.

 Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Friday, Sept. 4.

Who will win Tigers vs Guardians today: Tigers (46%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

I'm giving the Detroit Tigers the benefit of the doubt in this one, with Keider Montero historically finding success against this Cleveland Guardians lineup.

Across 73 plate appearances (we love to see this type of sample size), he's limited Cleveland to a .169 xBA and .223 xwOBA. That'll play.

On the other side, the Tigers have beat up on Logan Allen, owning a .355 average in 38 plate appearances. This includes a 5-for-8 mark from Spencer Torkelson. If Detroit is scoring, he's probably at the center of it today.

COVERS INTEL: Keider Montero is generating weak contact at the highest rate of his career (5.8%), which should put us in a good spot to cash this underdog play against a contact-first team like the Guardians.

Tigers vs Guardians Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (55%)

Not only is Montero having one of the best years of his career and is in a great matchup against Cleveland, but the trends are on our side, too. The Under is 7-0 in Montero's last seven starts as a road underdog, and you shouldn't expect Cleveland to smudge that perfect mark, either.

It helps us here that the Guardians are the worst-hitting team with runners in scoring position in the big leagues, owning just a .682 OPS in that situation this season.

All the numbers point toward the Under here - I'd play this up to 58 cents.

Tigers vs Guardians weather

We do have a risk of thunderstorms tonight in Cleveland, with temperatures at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Watch out for a potential delay before first pitch.

Tigers vs Guardians odds

• Moneyline: Tigers 45% | Guardians 56%
• Run line: Tigers +1.5 (62%) | Guardians -1.5 (39%)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (48%) | Under 8.5 (52%)

Tigers vs Guardians trend

The Under is 5-0 in Allen's last five starts vs. the American League Central. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Guardians.

How to watch Tigers vs Guardians and game info

Tigers vs Guardians latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The New York Mets (63-77) welcome the San Francisco Giants (58-83) for a three-game series at Citi Field. The Mets, coming off a 2-1 roadtrip to Tampa Bay, won their first series in the last three, getting walked off twice in Chicago, and being relatively manhandled by both the Brewers and Astros.

That said, the Mets have not looked terrible over this stretch, and continue to figure out how to win games after selling off most of their bullpen and two of their outfielders. The most recent departure is of Luis Robert Jr., claimed off waivers by the Orioles a few days ago.

But as has been the way things have gone, the Mets seemingly aren’t missing Robert too much, and that’s not just because of Nick Morabito’s excellent game on Wednesday night. Morabito collected his first two big league hits, driving in three runs on a double and making a fantastic catch in left field.

As for that remade bullpen, a few of the newbies have struggled here and there, but overall, folks like Daniel Duarte, Nate Lavender, Austin Warren, and Dedniel Nuñez have all been stepping up. It will be very interesting to see which of these players will be a part of the Mets’ bullpen next season.

But the story has really been the three young starters, all of whom will start against the Giants. While Sean Manaea has wilted as of late and Robert Stock is pitching like a 36-year old journeyman, the trio of Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton look like rotation mainstays for the foreseeable future. With Jonah Tong’s last few starts looking far, far better than most of his 2026, he will likely be joining the rotation shortly.

While the Mets’ season has been a disappointment, the Giants season has been fairly close to disaster. They’d be in the basement of the NL West if not for the truly astoundingly bad Rockies. While Mets fans like my good friend Chris McShane will be looking forward to watching Drew Gilbert, there really aren’t too many bright spots for the Giants right now. Their best player by bWAR, Luis Arraez, no longer plays for them. Their second best player by bWAR, Rafael Devers, is reportedly miserable.

While the Mets have their problems, the Giants make the Mets look like a respectable, functioning ball club. Thanks?

Friday, September 4: Nolan McLean vs Matt Wilkinson,  7:10pm EDT on SNY

McLean (2026): 155.2 IP, 172 K, 61 BB, 15 HR, 3.06 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 75 ERA-

Nolan McLean is garnering some Rookie of the Year discussion, and while he has had a few rough patches over the season, it’s hard to argue that he doesn’t belong there. Since his shaky start on August 6th, McLean has been phenomenal. In four starts, he’s tossed 25 innings, allowing just three earned runs, ten hits, 13 walks and 16 strikeouts. The walks have been a little more of an issue later in the season and his strikeouts are down, but the results haven’t suffered at all.

Wilkinson (2026): 11.2 IP, 6 K, 2 BB, 1 HR, 4.63 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 114 ERA-

The 23-year old rookie only has three stars under his belt, and for the first start he was acting as an opener. In his most recent appearance, he notched a quality start, allowing just two runs over six innings.

Saturday, September 5: Zac Thornton vs  Anthony Molina, 4:10pm EDT on SNY

Thornton (2026): 61.1 IP, 45 K, 14 BB, 7 HR, 2.93 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 72 ERA-

Thornton’s starts tend to look a little more like a tightrope walk than the other young pitchers on the staff, but he’s settling into a really impressive rookie campaign. The biggest highlight might be his walk rate; he’s only walked 14 in 11 starts, while only walking one or fewer batters over his last four starts.

Molina (2026): 14.1 IP, 9 K, 5 BB, 2 HR, 3.77 ERA, 4.07 FIP, 92 ERA-

The 24 year old Molina is the veteran of this trio of Giants starters. He came over from the Braves mid-season, and has made two appearances thus far for San Francisco. In his only start, he went five, giving up three run and striking out six.

Sunday, September 6: Christian Scott vs TBA, 1:40m EDT on SNY

Scott (2026): 94.2 IP, 113 K, 44 BB, 10 HR, 3.80 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 93 ERA-

Scott’s August wasn’t pretty at times, though in every appearance there have been moments of transcendence. In his last start against the Astros, walks were an issue, with five free passes to only two strikeouts. But in his first year back from Tommy John, Scott is doing a lot to establish himself as piece of this rotation after a lost season.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (69-65) won 11-4 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Salazar RBI double. Alexander got the start and went 5 innings allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, with 7 strikeouts. The offense rallied for 5 runs in the bottom of the third inning on a Cole 2 run home run, Dezenzo walk and Salazar 2 run single. The offense added 4 more runs in the 7th to extend the lead. The pen allowed a couple of runs but held on as Sugar Land won 11-4.

Note: Biggio has a .833 OPS in Triple-A.

• Zach Cole, LF: 2-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI
• Pascanel Ferreras, SS: 1-for-5, R
• Cavan Biggio, 2B: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, SB
• Joey Loperfido, RF: 2-for-5, R, RBI
• Cesar Salazar, C: 3-for-4, R, 3 RBI, BB

• Jason Alexander, RHP: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (WIN)
• Jackson Nezuh, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Julio Rodriguez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (59-70) lost 14-1 (BOX SCORE)

Tredwell started for the Hooks but struggled allowing 8 runs on 7 walks while retiring just three batters, despite not allowing a hit. The Hooks got a run in the 6th on a Janek sac fly but the pen allowed a few more runs and they eventually went to position players pitching. The Hooks ended up dropping this one 14-1.

Note: Salas is hitting .273 in Double-A.

• Tyler Whitaker, CF: 2-for-4
• Walker Janek, C: 0-for-2, RBI, BB
• Alejandro Nunez, LF: 1-for-3, BB
• Hector Salas, 2B: 1-for-3, R, BB

• Alonzo Tredwell, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 0 K
• Hudson Leach, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Marcus Brown, RHP: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Brandon Forrester, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (42-86) lost 6-5 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Powell 2 run single. Shoemaker got the start for Asheville and went 5 innings allowing 3 runs, 2 earned. The offense got a run back in the third on a Vasquez sac fly. They picked up another run in the 5th on a Monistere sac fly. Saunier pitched in relief but allowed 3 runs in the 8th as the Grasshoppers took the lead. Asheville got one back in the bottom of the inning on a Fielder groundout. The offense was unable to rally in the 9th as Asheville fell 6-5.

Note: Walker has 37 stolen bases this season.

• Kyle Walker, 2B: 0-for-3, 2 R, BB, 3 SB
• Anthony Huezo, CF: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, SB
• Caden Powell, DH: 2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, SB
• Nick Monistere, SS: 0-for-3, RBI
• Zach Daudet, 2B: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB
• Yosweld Vasquez, C: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
• Jadyn Fielder, RF: 2-for-4, RBI, SB

• Adam Shoemaker, LHP: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
• Jose Varela, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Grayson Saunier, RHP: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• Brandon Nigh, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (71-56) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the 5th inning on a Ramirez RBI single. Verdugo got the start and was pitching well but with 2 outs in the 5th, he allowed 3 runs. He finished allowing those 3 runs over 4.2 innings. The offense got a run back in the 8th inning on a Hughes solo home run. The offense was unable to rally in the 9th as the Woodpeckers fell 3-2.

Note: Hughes is hitting .333 this season.

• Logan Hughes, RF: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB
• Aaron Piasecki, 2B: 1-for-3, BB
• Owen Nowak, LF: 1-for-4, R
• German Ramirez, 3B: 1-for-3, RBI

• Ryan Verdugo, RHP: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 7 K
• Brandon Cassedy, RHP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Brady Thomas, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: TBD – 7:05 CT

CC: Andrew Taylor – 7:05 CT

AV: Kellan Oakes – 5:35 CT

FV: TBD – 6:00 CT

As we enter September, the Nationals are out of the playoff hunt. However, that does not mean these games are meaningless. There are three players whose future could be shaped by what they do this month. Dylan Crews, Harry Ford and Abimelec Ortiz all need strong finishes to the season to secure a spot on the team in 2027 and beyond.

Dylan Crews is the highest profile example of a player who needs a strong final chapter to the season. So far, Crews’ career has been defined by taking one step forward before taking two steps back. He has had some big moments, but has never been able to follow those up with consistent play.

His walk-off against the Marlins is the perfect example of this. That could have been a real turning point for Crews where he gathered momentum. However, in the three games since that walk-off, Crews is hitless. Honestly, that is the story of his Nationals career.

You can see flashes of the talent that made him the number 2 overall pick. However, they are not consistent enough and the end result is not good enough. For the season, Crews is hitting just .216 with a .643 OPS. That is pretty much the hitter he has been his whole MLB career now. In 741 career at bats, Crews is a .213 hitter with a .638 OPS.

Unless he has a strong finish to the season, Crews should not be given the sort of everyday playing time he has gotten this season. James Wood, Daylen Lile and Jacob Young have all proven to be better than him so far. This month is a chance for Crews to finish strong and prove to the club that he belongs.

In July, Crews posted an OPS over .800. If he can do that again in September, it would go a long way for him. However, time is running out for the former LSU star. I could see him being a potential trade chip this offseason as a change of scenery candidate. It could be the best thing for all parties if things don’t get better quickly.

Harry Ford has not had as much time to prove himself in the big leagues as Crews, but he has also had a tough year. When the Nats traded for Ford in the offseason, many people including myself assumed he would quickly establish himself as the Nats starting catcher. However, that has not been the case as Keibert Ruiz has re-established himself while Ford has not shown the power he did last year.

The 23 year old started the year in Rochester and got off to a brutal start. He posted a .531 OPS in April and it was an uphill battle from there. To his credit, Ford got better every month. His OPS was over .800 in both June and July. That earned him a big league call up.

So far in the big leagues, it has been a mixed bag. On the positive side of things, his defense has been about average, which is better than expected. He has also shown off his trademark plate discipline, with a chase rate of just 18.7%. That number is in Juan Soto territory and it is why he is walking over 12% of the time.

The plate discipline is the only thing propping up his offensive profile right now though. His .697 OPS is not terrible for a rookie, but the lack of slugging is a concern. Ford was seen as having average power before this year, but his quality of contact has fallen off a cliff.

In the big leagues, his average exit velocity is just 83.5 MPH. That is problematic for a player whose contact skills are just average. Right now, there is a lot of blue on his Baseball Savant page. He will need a strong finish to the season in order to establish himself as a full time big leaguer. At the moment, he is closer to Drew Millas than Keibert Ruiz.

I also think this offseason is very important for Ford. He needs to find a way to hit the ball harder and improve his bat speed. The plate discipline is great, but he needs to show more thump to keep pitchers from just pounding the zone.

For Abimelec Ortiz, thump is not the issue. The 24 year old first baseman has big power and bat speed. Those qualities, along with a solid hit tool helped him get off to a fantastic start in the big leagues. He burst onto the scene, hitting 5 homers and batting over .300 in his first 14 games.

However, Ortiz’s flaws have been brutally exposed lately. Right now he is chasing way too much and not working quality at bats. In the big leagues, Ortiz’s chase rate is 37.4%. That is way too high for a hitter of his profile. It leads to quick outs and causes him to do less damage than he should. 

Ortiz will never be a guy who takes a ton of walks, but he needs to walk more than 5% of the time. In AAA, Ortiz’s swing rate was just 45.6% but that has jumped to 51.4% in the show. This month, Big Abi needs to show an ability to make the proper adjustments if he wants to stick around long term.

After the way he started his career, the 1B job seemed like his to lose. However, he seems to be losing it right now. Ortiz can reclaim that spot if he can bounce back. The talent is there, he just needs to stop swinging so much.

Overall, there are a lot of players who have points to prove this month. Dylan Crews, Harry Ford and Abimelec Ortiz are on the top of the list though. All three are talented, but they need to show that talent more consistently down the stretch.

The Guardians are 6-1 against the Tigers this season. To have a good shot at the playoffs, they’ll need to make that 9-2 or 10-1 by Monday (weather-permitting).

Since August 4th, the Tigers are 29th in MLB in team wRC+ at 85, 19th in baserunning runs above average at -0.7, tenth in Defense at -0.9, ninth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.64 (4.67 FIP), and 26th in bullpen ERA at 4.88 (4.99 FIP).

Since August 4th, the Guardians are 12th in MLB in team wRC+ at 100, 19th in baserunning runs above average at -0.7, eighth in Defense at 1.2, 12th in starting pitcher ERA at 3.92 (4.25 FIP), and eighth in bullpen ERA at 3.28 (3.74 FIP).

Need to get into the Tigers’ pen early and take advantage.

Matchups:

Game One, Friday, 2:10PM ET: Montero RHP 3.24 ERA (3.86 FIP) vs. Allen LHP 3.77 ERA (4.98 FIP)

Game Two, Friday, 7:15PM ET: Sears 6.75 ERA (4.30 FIP) vs. Griffin LHP 3.96 ERA (4.42 FIP)

Game Three, Saturday, 6:10PM ET: Valdez LHP 4.36 ERA (4.24 FIP) vs. Messick LHP 2.46 ERA (3.06 FIP)

Game Four, Sunday, 1:40PM ET: Jobe RHP 4.63 ERA (5.37 FIP) vs. Williams RHP 3.81 ERA (3.58 FIP)

The Tigers have been playing lifeless baseball for a while but don’t be surprised to see them get fired up for this series. They have hit LHP much better than RHP as well lately (though still not particularly well), so Allen, Griffin and Messick will need to be careful.

Over the past month, the Tigers have been led by Hao-Yu Lee at 121 wRC+ and Brett Callahan 107 wRC+. Yep, it’s been bleak. Meanwhile, during that time period, the Guardians have been led by Chase DeLauter 166 wRC+, Angel Martinez 148 wRC+, Steven Kwan 133 wRC+, Patrick Bailey 129 wRC+, Jo Adell 118 wRC+ and Jose Ramirez 101 wRC+.

Today is the day the Guardians have to figure this thing out. This weekend is the series they have to win or sweep to start a run to the playoffs. If they do not, then we will definitively know what kind of team this is.

Wood you believe that a pitcher in his first full professional season could strike out 10 in four innings? That’s one way to Gage a prospect’s progress.

Scranton/Wilks-Barre 4, Lehigh Valley 3

The RailRiders walked off the IronPigs on an Oswaldo Cabrera single. Alan Rangel went 5.1 innings with four hits, two runs (one earned), and six K; Kyle Backhus had a blown save, and Kirby Snead took the loss. Gabriel Rincones Jr. was two for four with a double, and Carter Kieboom was two for two with a double after coming in to replace Alex Binelas, removed with an injury, at first base.

Reading 10, Hartford 5

The Fightin Phils had 14 hits on the night against the Yard Goats. Pedro León and Caleb Ricketts had three apiece, Dante Nori, Raylin Heredia, and Aroon Escobar had two each. Bryan Rincon had a rough night (0 for five, three K) in a rough stretch (his fifth consecutive game without a hit). Gage Wood had a whopping 10 strikeouts in just 4 innings, walking two and allowing two runs on four hits.

Hub City 2, Jersey Shore 1

The BlueClaws capitalize both halves of their compound name, but the Spartanburgers don’t. That’s not really important. What is important is turning your hits into runs. Both Hub City and Jersey Shore had six hits, but the Spartanburgers eked one more run out of their half-dozen knocks. Four of those six BlueClaw hits came from the duo of Nathan Humphreys and Daunte Stuart, who had two each; Humphreys also reached base on an HBP. Starter Ryan Dromboski allowed all six Hub City hits and both runs over five innings of work; though one of those runs was unearned thanks to an error from Scott Mudler at first. He struck out five and walked one.

Clearwater 9, Fort Myers 3

In game one of this doubleheader, the Threshers got the better of the Mighty Mussels thanks to a six-run fourth. Eight of the Clearwater nine had hits, with Reece Moroney and Matthew Ferrara having two each; the former also reached twice via the free pass. Tyler Spangler and Jonathan Hogart matched Moroney for walks, and Will Gasparino outdid them by taking three. Starter Sean Youngerman went five inning with three hits, one ER, and three K. Interestingly, all of the Thresher hits were singles; they had to push their baserunners home the old fashioned way (though with the aid of copious free passes and a few HBPs).

Clearwater 6, Fort Myers 5

Clearwater went into the seventh (and final, given the MiLB doubleheader rules) inning down five. They then proceeded to score six. A parade of singles, aided by a walk, a wild pitch, and an error, spelled victory for the Threshers. Jack Hopko’s single to center ended the memorable affair. As in the first game, Reece Moroney and Matthew Ferrara both had two hits. Starter Zuher Yousuf went four innings with five hits, 3 ER, and 4 K, surrendering two homers. Richie Cortese got the win thanks to pitching a hitless inning in the top of the seventh.

Happy Friday A’s fans!

Last night, the Athletics kicked off a four-game series against their division-rival the Seattle Mariners with a 7-4 victory.

With 21 games remaining, the team’s focus should be on building for next season while trying to avoid the dreaded 100-loss mark. The Athletics have a golden opportunity to play spoiler in upcoming matchups against the Mariners, Cleveland Guardians and Houston Astros, three teams vying for playoff berths. Given how tightly contested the American League West is, how the Mariners and Astros fare against the A’s could help decide who represents the division in the postseason.

When assessing what went wrong, individuals will justifiably single out the pitching staff, which for a second straight season failed to pitch effectively during home games at Sutter Health Park. That resulted in the dismissals of pitching coach Scott Emerson and general manager David Forst, while manager Mark Kotsay remains employed for now.

However, the A’s have enjoyed some positives. Top prospects Henry Bolte, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Tommy White and Gage Jump have made their MLB debuts, with Bolte and Jump particularly proving they have the ability to be pivotal pieces of the team’s roster moving forward. Right-hander J.T. Ginn emerged as the most consistent member of the club’s starting rotation, while Hogan Harris and Luis Medina became the most reliable members of the below-average bullpen.

Down on the farm, the Athletics’ top two picks of the 2025 MLB Draft, left-handed pitcher Jamie Arnold and outfielder Devin Taylor, showcased their vast potential in their first professional season. Additionally, fellow left-hander Wei-En-Lin’s Double-A dominance earned him a spot among MLB Pipeline’s Top-100 prospects before he suffered season-ending Tommy-John surgery.

Finally, in the low minors, recent international signing Breyson Guedez put his name on the map with a standout first season in the U.S., while this year’s first-round pick, Drew Burress, began his professional journey with a flourish at Single-A Stockton.

Despite all the losing, there remains hope that improved roster construction and better injury luck could help the Green and Gold return to prominence next season. That is, of course, if there is a season. How many games do you think will be missed because of the looming lockout?

A’s Coverage:

• A’s Outlast Mariners 7-4 in Wild Clash
• A’s Escape Texas With A Win, Beat Rangers 9-2
• A’s Designate José Suarez For Assignment
• White exits with back tightness as A’s injury woes continue
• A’s Rally Too Late in 8-5 Loss to Rangers
• Your 2026 Hacktastic A’s
• Athletics Considering James Click For GM Vacancy
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
• How defensive whiz Clarke’s return will impact A’s
• How A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell brought taking a knee to MLB and what happened afterwards
• A’s Plan to Test Top Pitching Prospect Jamie Arnold at Next Level
• Separating The Wheat From The Chaff Not So Easy
• Amidst The Despair: The Position Player Talent Is There
• What Are The Next Steps For The A’s? ($)
• Where Each A’s Player’s Contract Stands Entering Offseason
• Why Athletics Will Have Scary Offense in 2027
• Red-hot Bolte looking to build on lessons from rookie season
• ’Kid has been grinding’: Butler’s resurgence, leadership fuel A’s
• Underdog Athletics prospect Cole Conn playing like a big dog for Aviators
• Behind the Plate, the A’s Face an Offseason Reckoning
• Why The New GM Needs To “Clean House”
• A Seemingly Rock Bottomless Glass
• MLB Trade Grades: A’s Have Quiet Trade Deadline
• This key change(up) could unlock big success for A’s prospect
• Fustercluck 2026: The Real Reasons For A Disappointing Season

MLB News and Interest:

• MLB players on salary cap, CBA talks, potential lockout, more
• 250 for 250: Top 10 individual seasons
• MLB hot seat: Which managers and execs have jobs on the line this month?
• Rookie of the Year races in AL, NL coming to conclusion as favorites pull away
• Cheers, then TWO homers! Rutschman makes memorable Camden return
• New Rays Owner: Stadium Deal Should Lead To Significant Payroll Increase
• Each team’s hottest pitching prospect right now
• Ranking the 10 most impactful Trade Deadline moves, one month later
• Dodgers get Will Smith, Rushing, Wrobleski back from IL
• Mike Trout on ‘needed’ sale of Angels: It’s a ‘fresh start’
• Angels Notes: Stadium, Trout, Front Office
• Rays, Austin Slater Agree To New Minor League Deal
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

What do you think of this person’s take? If there is a season next year, which pitcher should the A’s target in free agency this offseason to strengthen their rotation?

Quite the Triple-A introduction for Devin Taylor. His rapid ascent through the minor leagues puts him firmly on the A’s radar as a potential impact call-up next season. Taylor could replace Brent Rooker as the team’s designated hitter, take over one of its corner-outfield spots or even be used as trade bait to acquire a talented pitcher for the Green and Gold.

An impressive turnaround for the southpaw.

With a mostly successful series against the Angels behind them, the Yankees had the benefit of a day off on Thursday, before heading down the coast to San Diego. As the American League playoff picture remains clustered, New York was able to make up some free ground in the division, while several other playoff hopefuls duked it out on a busy night of baseball.

Let’s take a look at what went down around the Junior Circuit.

Texas Rangers (70-71) 6, Tampa Bay Rays (83-57) 0

In case the title didn’t spoil anything, the Tampa Bay bats went cold in Texas on Thursday. They managed just three hits in their scoreless effort, as the Rangers earned a good all-around win to crawl closer to .500.

Things were scoreless through three innings in this one, before singles from Justin Foscue and Ezequiel Duran in the fourth and fifth respectively put the Rangers up 2-0. Later on in the fifth, Corey Seager delivered the big blow when he mashed a two-run shot for his 14th homer of the season.

While the bats had built a 4-0 lead, Cal Quantrill was giving it his all on the mound. The veteran right-hander ultimately tossed seven scoreless frames, allowing just a pair of hits while striking out five Tampa Bay hitters.

Quantrill’s efforts, along with a pair of scoreless innings from Jakob Junis and Chase Silseth, kept the Rays out of the run column all night, as they dropped one on the road. For good measure, a triple from Evan Carter and a sacrifice fly from Jake Burger plated the final runs of the night, as Texas cruised to a 6-0 victory. Despite sitting a game under .500, they are still just a half-game out of the final AL wild card spot.

Other Games

Houston Astros (72-69) 6, Chicago White Sox (73-67) 2

It was a busy night in the West, as the Astros maintained their lead with a win as well. After a Jose Altuve two-run homer had them up early, a pair of RBI knocks from the Sox had things squared up after two innings. In the bottom half of the fourth, extra-base hits from Isaac Paredes and Daulton Varsho scored three runs, before a Christian Walker single plated the fourth run of the inning. From that point, both squads were done scoring on the night, as Hunter Brown settled in to his solid six-inning outing, before the Houston ‘pen secured things in the latter portion of this one. With the win, the Astros maintain their two-game lead out west.

Boston Red Sox (76-65) 6, Seattle Mariners (66-75) 5

In an AL East battle, the Red Sox held on for a big win over the O’s in a close affair. Both squads plated a run in the first, before Baltimore jumped ahead in the third inning, with solo home runs coming from Luis Robert Jr. and Pete Alonso. From there, however, the Sox began to chip away. Adley Rutschman swatted his second homer of the game in the sixth (in his return to Baltimore), before Isiah Kiner-Falefa tied the game with a single an inning later. Finally, it was homers from Nick Sogard and Roman Anthony that decided this one, which put Boston up 6-3. The O’s fought hard, including another homer in the ninth that got them to within one run again, but it wouldn’t be enough.

AL Wild Card Rock Fight

Toronto Blue Jays (70-71) 6, Cleveland Guardians (70-70) 3

A four-run fifth inning was the difference-maker for the Jays on Thursday. A two-run double from Nathan Lukes was the big hit in the inning, and was part of his solid night that saw him tally a pair of hits. It was a shaky outing for relative newcomer José Soriano, who gave up three runs in 4.2 innings, but the Jays bullpen kept the game scoreless over the final 4.1 innings. The Guardians stay at three games back in the Central, while Toronto is fully entrenched in the hectic AL wild card picture.

Good morning everyone and happy Friday!

The Mariners dropped the first game of the Athletics series last night by a 7-4 score as the M’s pitching staff couldn’t quite stem the flow of A’s runs. They’ll get another opportunity to notch a win today with first pitch scheduled for 7:10pm PT.

In Mariners news…

• In case you missed it, right-hander Matt Brash suffered a setback in his rehab from a lat injury. Kate Preusser has the latest on that and other Mariners injury updates.
• Outfielder Connor Joe and right-hander Nolan Kingham cleared waivers and were outrighted to Tacoma.
• Joe Posnanski wonders what the heck is going on in Seattle this season.
• If you’d like to reminisce, the 1998 Turn Ahead the Clock night is available in full on YouTube.

Around the league…

• Twins outfielder Byron Buxton will undergo hip surgery but still hopes to be back in time for the playoff race, should they get that far.
• Andy McCullough at The Athletic checked in on several managers who are on the hot seat as the season draws to a close — including our own Dan Wilson. ($)
• David Schoenfield at ESPN discussed the 12 most disappointing players in 2026.
• The Tigers have been one of the unluckiest teams in recent memory. Jay Jaffe at Fangraphs marveled at the difference between their actual record and Pythagorean record.
• Lindsay Dial explains why a salary cap wouldn’t actually bring competitive balance to baseball.
• Hannah Keyser went to Driveline to learn what it’s actually like to be trained as an athlete at their complex.

Anders’ pick…

• In case you missed it, the Los Angeles Clippers were handed down several punishments for circumventing the salary cap to sign star Kawhi Leonard — an investigation initially launched by podcaster Pablo Torre. Matt Yoder wrote about the importance of unbiased journalism in an era where basically everyone is bought and paid for.
• Ray Ratto at Defector is highly amused by the billionaire class turning on itself over the Clippers scandal.