ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 27: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning at Busch Stadium on August 27, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One reason why the Orioles are where they are right now is they just can’t keep up a consistent high level of play. This is playing out in miniature over the first two games against the Rockies. Monday’s game brought the highest of highs with Colton Cowser’s amazing game-ending home run robbery to give the Orioles a fourth straight victory. Last night brought frustration and disappointment as the Orioles lost a game against a starting pitcher they had no business losing a game against.
Now, the Orioles need a win in the series finale so that we can all feel a little better. Losing two out of three to the Rockies, one of MLB’s worst teams, would not be a very auspicious beginning to the September stretch run that the Orioles are going to have to make. You can’t go around scoring two runs per game in Coors Field, against the Rockies pitching staff and get anywhere good. They lost a game to the Guardians with last night’s loss, so now they’re 1.5 games back – tied with the Rangers – in the wild card race.
It’s maddening with these guys. They should be better than this, even with all of the challenges they’ve faced this season. They just aren’t. Maybe they can be better over the final 23 games. They probably need to go 14-9 from this point on. Or, you know. Maybe they can’t be at least as good as that.
We are running a poll this week that is asking Orioles fans which area of the team they are most worried about when it comes to postseason contention. Have you voted yet? I’ll make it easy for you and embed it right here:
The performance of the hitters over the first two games of this series may tilt the poll a particular way. We’ll see! Results will be shared on Friday or Saturday.
Orioles lineup
Jackson Holliday – DH
Pete Alonso – 1B
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Luis Robert Jr. – LF
Samuel Basallo – C
Coby Mayo – 3B
Dylan Beavers – RF
Blaze Alexander – 2B
Colton Cowser – CF
Trevor Rogers gets the start for the Orioles. As you all probably remember, he’s been pretty good since June 1, though he was also not good in his last start, giving up six runs in five innings. It did not help the season ERA. He’s going to need to have a good September in order to get that number down to 3.something before the end of the season.
I hope Luis Robert Jr. makes a nice first impression on Orioles fans in his first start. I actually don’t have any hopes but it would be nice if he did it anyway.
Rockies lineup
Jake McCarthy – LF
Connor Norby – 3B
Hunter Goodman – C
TJ Rumfield – 1B
Cole Carrigg – CF
Jordan Beck – RF
Adael Amador – DH
Ryan Ritter – 2B
Ezequiel Tover – SS
Familiar face Tomoyuki Sugano is starting for the Rockies. He has an ERA over five. These guys better score more than two runs. Preferably more than four.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 01: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers swings at a pitch during the third inning against the Athletics at Globe Life Field on September 01, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Athletics of some location out west @ Texas Rangers
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 31: Nico Hoerner #2 of the Chicago Cubs tags out Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers at second base at Wrigley Field on August 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the Trade Deadline behind us, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
First Place: Milwaukee Brewers (85-53)
Top Position Player: Brice Turang (4.2 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Jacob Misiorowski (5.7 fWAR)
After the trade deadline, I made my perspective known in these pages about the Brewers’ strategy — namely that winning on the margins without a cast of superstars is all well and good in the regular season, but tends to turn into a liability in October. Well, Milwaukee has unsurprisingly continued to win since then, including against their biggest NL rival. They took three out of four in Los Angeles against the Dodgers to secure the tiebreak and make the top seed in the NL just that little bit easier. If they stay the course in September, that first round bye is all theirs.
There are superstars on this roster, to be clear. Jacob Misiorowski leads MLB in ERA, FIP, WHIP, and strikeouts. He’ll obviously be a nightmare for opposing lineups to face. Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan have been capable complementary rotation arms, and their bullpen remains rock-solid.
On the hitting side, Jackson Chourio is finding his stride at the right time — he posted a .914 OPS in August. If he can continue to produce at that echelon, suddenly my argument against the Brewers gets ricketier. That said, one wonders whether Brice Turang, Jake Bauers, and Garrett Mitchell will be able to replicate the regular seasons they’ve had once they face the best of the best on the mound.
Top Position Player: Pete Crow-Armstrong (9.3 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Ben Brown (2.0 fWAR)
It felt like every game involving the Cubs this month had some fireworks. Sometimes, they were running up the score against the Mariners; other times they were blowing late leads to the Diamondbacks. In the last week of August alone, they lost 10-8 to the Reds, won the very next contest 17-5, and put up 17 runs against the Brewers in the final game of the month. The people having the most fun with this team are the impartial fans. Like me! I’ve been watching these guys a lot.
I don’t think the Shohei Ohtani industrial complex, powerful as it is, will be able to deny Pete Crow-Armstrong from claiming the NL MVP this year. He has made a habit of either beginning or ending games with home runs — sometimes, he’ll even do both, like in a crosstown bout with the White Sox. He’s the commander of the league’s best offense, which boasts a 117 wRC+, well above the Dodgers’ second place mark of 109.
The questions lie in the pitching staff. The Jed Hoyer-led front office did a solid job adding veterans Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes to shore up a rotation which has been bitten hard by the injury bug. (More bad news on that front: their biggest breakout arm, Ben Brown, suffered a setback in his recovery from a neck injury and will remain on the shelf.) The Cubs have 10 pitchers on the injured list — all but one of those guys are on the 60-day. Can they outslug their problems on the hill? They may have no choice.
Top Position Player: JJ Wetherholt (4.4 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Andre Pallante & Kyle Leahy (2.4 fWAR)
The Cardinals now reside in the mushy middle following a promising start to the year in which it appeared they may have been ahead of schedule. POBO Chaim Bloom’s project to reshape a team which was decidedly behind-the-times before his arrival is still a work in progress; St. Louis has the league’s 22th-ranked offense by wRC+ and the 20th-ranked pitching staff by ERA-. They’ve been playing above their weight class by doing the things the Cardinals always do well: induce soft contact, play good defense, and get hits in high-leverage spots.
The top of the St. Louis lineup seems to be largely set for the next few years: JJ Wetherholt as the toolsy tablesetter at the top ahead of Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson, two power bats with more contact chops than you’d expect. Joshua Báez announced his arrival bombastically with homers in his first three at-bats in the Show, something no one else has ever done. The construction zone begins after those guys. And this rotation won’t knock your socks off with high-caliber stuff or elite results anytime soon. They’re perfectly solid, not much more than that.
The future picture for the Cardinals is a bit of an odd one; with the Cubs and Brewers bidding to remain atop the food chain for quite a while, do they try to aggressively punch their way back into the playoff picture, or do they bide their time for regression to come for their rivals? Obviously, the upcoming offseason labor theater will also factor into these tough decisions as well.
Top Position Player: Brandon Lowe (3.6 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Paul Skenes (4.1 fWAR)
Were the season a little shorter, these Pirates may have stuck around in the playoff race a bit longer. But attrition has hit the Bucs rather hard, particularly in the rotation. Veteran Mitch Keller is out for the year with an injury to his teres major injury, Jared Jones and Bubba Chandler have been inconsistent, and Paul Skenes is having a down season by his stratospheric standards. Manager Don Kelly has moved to more of a six-man rotation to give Skenes more time between his starts, and that strategy has allowed him to rebound from a rough July. At the end of the day, the playoff odds for a team with the NL’s longest postseason drought continue to dwindle.
The Pirates were hitting their way to relevance this season with one of the highest scoring lineups, but that offensive production has waned. In August, they hit just .217/.398/.334 as a team. That’s a 50-point drop in average from the previous two months, and a 90-point drop in slugging from July. The dog days are not kind to this seafaring crew by the Allegheny. Not even Oneil Cruz hitting a home run off Mason Miller was enough to make up the difference.
I’m sure Pirates fans were chagrined by the news that Angels’ owner Arte Moreno finally took a hint and sold his team on Tuesday, sparking sudden optimism that one of the most moribund franchises in MLB — and the only one with a longer playoff drought than Pittsburgh — can finally turn the corner to relevance. Fans in western PA have been longing for Bob Nutting to do that very thing for a long time. I suppose they’ll keep on hoping.
Top Position Player: Elly De La Cruz (4.6 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Chase Burns (4.2 fWAR)
These Redlegs sure could use a break. Early in August it was announced that All-Star pitcher Hunter Greene would need to undergo a second Tommy John surgery, meaning Cincy will probably be without the former second-overall pick until 2028. The news cast a funerial pall over what was already a rough year in Queen City.
The youth movement that never seems to come to fruition did see some big strides this season. First baseman Sal Stewart deservedly made the All-Star team, as did fireballer Chase Burns — who, like Greene, was once drafted second overall. Elly De La Cruz hasn’t set the world on fire, but has remained a very, very good player. It just isn’t enough to make up for all the places where this team remains deficient. Cincinnati’s team wRC+ of 92 is the second-worst figure in baseball. Their 4.68 staff ERA is tied for fourth-worst.
This anecdote probably sums up the season as well as anything else: last week, the Reds placed veteran Eugenio Suárez and outfielder TJ Friedl on waivers. These decisions are often kept private due to the emotional nature of placing a well-respected player on waivers — and manager Terry Francona was irate that the news escaped the room. That both players ultimately went snubbed by the rest of the baseball likely only added to his consternation. In Suárez’s case, he’s got some more important matters at hand: the popular slugger will be stepping away from the team to take the naturalization test as he seeks to become an American citizen.
Salas, who is 20 years and 93 days old, made his MLB debut for the Padres’ road game against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. In doing so, he became the youngest catcher to play in an MLB game since the legendary Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez debuted at 19 years old in 1991.
This is good company for Salas to share, as Pudge Rodriguez was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017, on what was his first ballot.
Ethan Salas of the San Diego Padres bats in the first inning of his MLB debut during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. Getty ImagesSan Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas looks on during the second inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, in Cincinnati. AP Photo/Tony Wagner
Of course, Salas still has a very long way to go before being deemed a Hall of Famer. But the 20-year-old has plenty of time to make his mark in the big leagues.
The Padres signed Salas as an international amateur free agent in 2023, giving him a $5.6 million signing bonus. He was just 16 years old at the time, but wasted no time progressing through the Padres’ organization.
Salas was then promoted to the Padres’ big league roster on Tuesday and got his first start on Wednesday, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his first three plate appearances. He produced a .296 average and an .822 OPS in 96 games in the minor leagues this season, and is seen as an extremely gifted defensive catcher.
National League’s Ethan Salas reacts to hitting a single during the second inning of the MLB All-Star Futures baseball game against the American League on Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Philadelphia. AP Photo/Chris Szagola
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates after the match, Image 2 shows Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay raises his hands with his mouth open while wearing a headset, Image 3 shows Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke raises the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LVI
Why didn’t the Angels match the offer from the Dodgers that Shohei Ohtani ultimately accepted? Because Arte Moreno didn’t want to.
Why did the Angels blow $245 million on Anthony Rendon? Because Moreno said so.
Why didn’t the Angels finalize an agreed-upon trade in which they would have received Andy Pages from the Dodgers? Because Moreno didn’t want to.
Why did the Angels invest $240 million in Albert Pujols or $125 million in Josh Hamilton? Because Moreno believed in them.
Almost every major decision that resulted in the Angels missing the postseason for the last 11 years can be traced back to Moreno.
Under Moreno, the Angels’ most important decision maker wasn’t the general manager.
It was the owner.
The anticipated change in this dynamic is the primary reason the Angels will have a chance to return to prominence once Stan Kroenke officially takes over as the team’s owner. Kroenke, who owns the Rams, has agreed to purchase a controlling share of the Angels from Moreno.
Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke raises the Lombardi Trophy at the conclusion of Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The Los Angeles Angels have been sold to Kroenke, adding to the Walmart heir’s burgeoning and increasingly successful sports portfolio. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Judging by how Kroenke operates his other sports teams, expect baseball decisions to be made by baseball people rather than a super fan who happened to become wealthy enough to buy the team.
Unlike Moreno, Kroenke is not a micromanager.
Kroenke is what a sports team wants in an owner. He trusts the people under him to do what they were hired to do and provides them with financial support.
In football or soccer, a franchise’s vision is often provided by the head coach or manager. In baseball, the vision comes from the head of the baseball operations department.
But former general managers Jerry Dipoto, Billy Eppler or Perry Minasian were never granted the level of autonomy McVay and Arteta have received from Kroenke.
McVay was the driving force behind the Rams’ trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Arteta played a similar role in Arsenal’s acquisition of midfielder Declan Rice.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts after a touchdown by Dean Connors during the second half of a preseason game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Getty Images
Moreno stuck the Angels with Pujols and his massive contract, then tasked Dipoto, Eppler and Minasian to work around that mistake.
“But I would say this on Arte’s behalf,” interim general manager John Mozeliak said. “He cared about this team as much as anyone.”
The problem with Moreno wasn’t that he didn’t care.
The problem was that he cared too much and couldn’t resist making decisions he lacked the expertise to make.
His temper further complicated the situation.
“I get too pissed off to be on Instagram,” he once said.
While the joke demonstrated a measure of self-awareness on Moreno’s part, it wasn’t a laughing matter for the Angels, who were at the mercy of his impulses.
Perhaps the most egregious example of this came before the 2020 season. Wanting to clear payroll, the Dodgers agreed to send Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling to the Angels for infielder Luis Rengifo and two minor leaguers. As part of the deal, the Dodgers threw in a 19-year-old Pages.
But the trade was contingent upon the completion of a separate deal the Dodgers were making with the Boston Red Sox for Mookie Betts. In his impatience, Moreno scrapped his team’s trade with the Dodgers.
Whoops.
Moreno did Kroenke at least one huge favor by clearing the decks for the new owner to rebuild the team as he wants.
Rendon’s contract will be off the books, and the only players currently under contract for next season are Mike Trout and Yusei Kikuchi.
The challenge for Kroenke will be to find the person who will be to the Angels what McVay is to the Rams, what Arteta is to Arsenal – or what Andrew Friedman is to the Dodgers.
That won’t be easy.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates after the match on Monday, August 31, 2026, at Villa Park in Birmingham, Britain. REUTERS
Steve Cohen has committed significant resources to the New York Mets since he purchased them in 2020. Cohen thought he found his Friedman in David Stearns, but that Stearns’ appointment hasn’t translated into the kind of success the owner envisioned.
Kroenke knows there aren’t any guarantees. Before McVay, there was Jeff Fisher, and before Arteta, there was Unai Emery.
Nonetheless, Kroenke’s first step as owner promises to be a step forward for the Angels.
Moreno won’t be calling the shots for them anymore.
1902: Laurie Auchterlonie won the U.S. Open at Garden City Golf Club, setting a then-championship scoring record and capturing his lone major title.
1906: Chicago White Sox ace Ed Walsh threw a two-hit shutout against the Cubs in Game 3 of the World Series, striking out 12 and setting a World Series record at the time.
1911: Ty Cobb of the Tigers and Frank Schulte of the Cubs became the first recipients of Major League Baseball’s MVP honor, then known as the Chalmers Award.
1925: Washington Senators ace Walter Johnson threw a six-hit shutout to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 in Game 4 of the World Series, his second complete-game victory of the Series.
1927: Lou Gehrig was named American League MVP after helping power the Yankees’ legendary 1927 season.
1943: Spud Chandler pitched a 10-hit shutout as the New York Yankees defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 in Game 5 to capture their 10th World Series championship.
1948: The Cleveland Indians defeated the Boston Braves 4-3 in Game 6 to win the World Series, securing the second championship in franchise history.
1959: NFL commissioner Bert Bell suffered a fatal heart attack while watching the Philadelphia Eagles play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Franklin Field. Bell had served as NFL commissioner since 1946.
1960: John Fetzer, already a member of the Detroit Tigers’ ownership group, acquired majority ownership of the franchise and became its principal owner.
1967: Carl Yastrzemski, Reggie Smith and Rico Petrocelli homered in the fourth inning of World Series Game 6, making Boston the first team to hit three home runs in one inning of a World Series game, as the Red Sox defeated St. Louis 8-4.
1971: Baltimore’s Brooks Robinson reached base in five consecutive plate appearances during an 11-3 World Series victory over Pittsburgh, setting a World Series record.
1980: The Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA regular-season game, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 103-92 in the expansion franchise’s debut.
1984: Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Mario Lemieux scored on the first shot of his first shift in his NHL debut, beating Boston Bruins goaltender Pete Peeters 2:59 into the game.
1986: Lenny Dykstra hit a two-run, ninth-inning walk-off home run to give the New York Mets a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.
1991: Chip Beck shot a 59 during the Las Vegas Invitational, becoming just the second golfer to record a sub-60 round on the PGA Tour.
1992: Deion Sanders made sports history by playing for the Atlanta Falcons and joining the Atlanta Braves for that night’s National League Championship Series game on the same day, though he didn’t play in the Braves’ game.
1999: Pedro Martínez came out of the bullpen to throw six no-hit innings and strike out eight, leading Boston past Cleveland in the decisive Game 5 of the AL Division Series.
2004: Carlos Beltrán homered twice as the Houston Astros routed the Atlanta Braves 12-3 in Game 5 of the NL Division Series, giving Houston the first postseason series victory in franchise history.
2009: The United States defeated the International Team to win the Presidents Cup at Harding Park, with Tiger Woods completing a perfect 5-0 week and clinching the event in singles.
2010: Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre became the first player in NFL history to reach both 500 career touchdown passes and 70,000 passing yards in a game against the New York Jets.
2012: Buster Posey hit a grand slam as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 in Game 5 of the NL Division Series, completing a comeback from a 2-0 series deficit with three consecutive road victories.
2014: Dak Prescott accounted for three touchdowns as No. 3 Mississippi State defeated No. 2 Auburn 38-23, improving to 6-0 during a season in which the Bulldogs reached No. 1 for the first time in school history.
2015: The United States edged the International Team 15½-14½ to capture a sixth consecutive Presidents Cup.
2020: Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to win his record-extending 13th French Open title, earn his 100th Roland Garros match victory and tie Roger Federer’s then-record of 20 men’s Grand Slam singles titles.
2023: The Arizona Diamondbacks became the first team in postseason history to hit four home runs in one inning, using the record-setting third to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 and complete an NL Division Series sweep.
— USA TODAY Network
This story was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 01: Brandon Marsh #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammate Bryce Harper #3 after the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Here are the lineups for the series finale in Arizona. Let’s discuss!
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 21: Emil Morales #96 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a one-run single to tie the game in the first inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In the last 50 years, only four other Dodgers minor leaguers had at least 100 RBI in their age-19 season or younger — Mike Marshall (1979), Candy Maldonado (1980), Adrían Beltré (age 18 in 1997), and Cody Bellinger (2015).
Ontario first baseman and occasional third baseman Easton Shelton has 35 home runs this year, 15 more than any other player in the circuit. The 20-year-old Shelton has driven in 106 runs in 106 games this season. We’ll know by Sunday if Morales or Shelton can be the first Dodgers minor leaguers with at least 100 RBI and as many runs batted in as games played since Greg Brock knocked in 138 runs in 135 games for Triple-A Albuquerque in 1982.
In the last 50 years, the only other Dodgers minor leaguers with 100 RBI and at least as many RBI as games are Kelly Snider (139 RBI in 138 games for Class-A Lodi in 1977) and Mike Marshall (137 RBI in 128 games while inning Pacific Coast League MVP for Albuquerque in 1981).
Josue De Paula, the Dodgers top prospect, joined this group on Wednesday with Double-A Tulsa.
The last Tulsa Driller before De Paula to knock in 100 runs was Joe Koshansky in 2006 when Tulsa was a Colorado Rockies affiliate. De Paula had already scored 100 runs this season, and he’s just the second Tulsa Drillers player with triple digits in both runs and RBI, joining then-Rangers prospect Carlos Peña in 2000.
James Tibbs III, who was not called up to the Dodgers, is also sitting on 96 RBI for Oklahoma City with nearly three weeks to go in the Pacific Coast League season, so he could easily join this group, too.
EVERETT, WA - JUNE 07: Infielder Jhonny Level #23 of the Eugene Emeralds prepares to swing during a game between the Eugene Emeralds and Everett AquaSox on June 7, 2026 at Funko Field in Everett, Washington. (Photo by Henry Rodenburg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Minor League Baseball season is winding down, but there’s still a lot happening. Here’s what went down for the San Francisco Giants affiliates on Tuesday.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Lots of movement in the Minors, partially due to lots of movement in the Majors, as the Giants celebrated September call-up day by promoting catcher Zach Morgan, LHP Cesar Perdomo, and RHP Wilkin Ramos from AAA Sacramento. The River Cats lost a lot of their roster, as LHP Hayden Wynja and RHP Ryan Slater were returned to High-A Eugene, RHP Samir Chires was returned to Low-A San Jose, and infielder Zander Darby (who had been in Eugene), was sent to AA Richmond.
They did recoup some talent, though, as San Jose catcher Fernando Gonzalez was sent to Sacramento for emergency depth duty, while the organization signed Dusty’s son, infielder/outfielder Darren Baker, and assigned him to AAA.
RHPs Marty Gair and Niko Mazza were promoted from Eugene to Richmond, while Richmond RHP Ben Peterson landed on the 7-Day IL. Meanwhile, LHP Jordan Gottesman was promoted from San Jose to Eugene.
Catcher Scott Gell, who was an undrafted free agent in July, was assigned to San Jose, which brings us to our big news of the day … RHP Jackson Flora is headed there as well. July’s 4th overall pick has been assigned to Low-A and, per the beat reporters, will start on Friday.
AAA Sacramento (74-56)
Sacramento River Cats lost to the Salt Lake Bees (Angels) 4-1 Box score
The only real bit of good news from this game? That the next 3 games on the list get better. This was a capital B Boring game for Sacramento.
There were a pair of good offensive performances, from right fielder Will Brennan and first baseman Charlie Szykowny. Brennan, who was designated for assignment and outrighted earlier in the year, and will almost certainly sign elsewhere this offseason, hit 1-4 but smashed a solo home run in the 9th inning, which kept the River Cats from being shut out.
It hasn’t been a great year for the 28-year old, but he’s been solid in Sacramento, where he has an .801 OPS and a 107 wRC+. He’ll certainly be in Spring Training with someone come February, should we be lucky enough to actually have a Spring Training.
As for Szykowny, he hit 2-4 with a double. The 26-year old lefty, who was taken in the 9th round of the 2023 draft out of Illinois-Chicago, was brought up from AA recently thanks to Sacramento being fairly shy on players. Despite having a mediocre year with Richmond, Szykowny has fit right in with the River Cats through 4 games, as he’s hit 4-12 with 2 doubles and just 2 strikeouts. My guess is he’s here to stay.
The same cannot be said for catcher Fernando Gonzalez, who was brought up straight from Low-A to fill the catcher void (the Giants called up Zach Morgan on Tuesday as part of the expanding September rosters, leaving Adrián Sugastey as the only catcher in AAA). Gonzalez, a 20th-round pick in 2024 who was having a modest offensive season in San Jose, did collect his first AAA hit, as he went 1-3 with 2 strikeouts. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Giants try to sign a veteran backstop for Sacramento, but then again, with the season so close to concluding, they may just ride it out with Gonzalez before returning him to an appropriate level in 2027.
Rough days for the trio of top prospects at the top of the order: center fielder Scott Bandura went 0-3 with a strikeout, though he reached base via a hit by pitch and stole a base. Left fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) and third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) both went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts. Harber has really been scuffling lately, as in his last 6 games he’s hit just 1-24 with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts, bringing his OPS down to .781 and his wRC+ to 106.
It was a bullpen game on the pitching side, and while holding a team to 4 runs in Sacramento isn’t bad, it wasn’t a particularly inspired performance. RHP Darien Smith led things off, and while he shined in his AAA debut a few days ago, his follow-up performance didn’t go as well, as he gave up 2 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs in just an inning of work. It’s unclear if it was a scheduled bullpen game or if Smith — who worked as a starter for Richmond before hitting the IL in the summer — just had his day shortened by nature of having thrown 37 pitches in the 1st inning.
R.J. Dabovich was the bright spot in the bullpen, as he tossed a perfect 9th inning, while throwing 6 of 8 pitches for strikes. It’s so great seeing Dabovich healthy and on the mound again, and he’s making the most of it as he’s ending the year with a bang. Through 3 appearances with the River Cats, the 2020 4th-round pick has given up just 1 hit and 1 walk in 3 scoreless innings.
The Giants might have lost a dramatic game 13-12, but their AA affiliate won a dramatic game 13-12. Kind of funny!
And, just like the Giants, the Squirrels had to climb back into the game after a rough outing from their starter. And, just like the Giants, that rough outing resulted in allowing 9 runs in a single inning.
For Richmond, it was RHP Shane Rademacher, who had a 2nd inning to forget. The 25-year old UDFA, who has been having a difficult season, made it through the 1st inning with relative ease, giving up just a single. But here’s how his 2nd inning went:
Double Single Hit by pitch Single Hit by pitch Walk Single Grand slam
And that was it for him. 8 batters, 0 outs, and 8 runs scored.
The pitching obviously got better from there, but it still stumbled for a while, as RHPs Logan Martin and Dale Stanavich didn’t have very good outings, either. Finally things got buckled down late, thanks to RHPs Mitch White and Ryan Vanderhei. White gave up a single and a walk in 2.1 scoreless innings, with 2 strikeouts, while Vanderhei handled 2 no-hit, no-run frames, allowing just 1 walk while striking out 3. White, a 26-year old signed out of an indy league who is in his debut season, has struggled this year, with a 5.73 ERA, a 6.69 FIP, and as many walks as strikeouts. Vanderhei, a 25-year old taken in the 10th round in 2023, has had a strong season, with a 2.61 ERA and a 3.70 FIP following a midseason promotion, which came after tremendous High-A results.
The offense was where things really shined, though, and the Flying Squirrels did it in small ball fashion. Richmond scored their 13 runs despite having 0 home runs, and just 2 of their 18 hits went for extra bases. But 16 singles goes a long way, especially when paired with 7 walks and 4 stolen bases.
Second baseman Dayson Croes let the hit brigade, as he went 4-6 with a strikeout. It hasn’t been a very good 2nd season for the 26-year old lefty from Aruba, as he had modest numbers in AAA and was returned to AA, where he has a .704 OPS and a 91 wRC+. Croes has awesome contact skills, but unfortunately, there’s just not a lot else in his game.
Right fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL), playing in his 3rd game since returning from an IL stint that lasted over a month, hit 2-5 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Not surprisingly, strikeouts remain an issue for the exceptionally exciting 23-year old, as he has a 24.5% K rate in Richmond, with a sky-high 17.9% swinging strike rate. But he has so, so, so much talent, and through 12 games at the level has an .845 OPS and a 123 wRC+. Unfortunately, the injury took out enough of his season that he probably lost the opportunity to play his way into a AAA assignment to open 2027, but if he keeps hitting like this, he won’t have that long of a stint in the Eastern League. He also, excitingly, has 6 stolen bases in those 12 games, without yet getting caught.
Also lovely games for left fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL), catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL), and third baseman Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL). Diaz, who is starting to find his footing following a recent promotion, hit 3-5 with a sacrifice fly and a strikeout, raising his OPS to .622 and his wRC+ to 59 through 12 games; Ahuna went 2-5 with a walk and a whopping 4 runs batted in, while also swiping a bag, striking out, and committing 2 errors, which brought his OPS to .674 and his wRC+ to 87, with 30 stolen bases in 33 attempts; Villarroel who, like Diaz, had a slow start following his promotion, went 2-4 with 2 walks, a stolen base, and the go-ahead RBI single as part of a 3-run 9th, boosting his OPS to .589 and his wRC+ to 59 through 23 games, with 3 stolen bases in as many attempts; and Ceballos hit 3-4 with a walk and a sacrifice fly, bringing him up to a .739 OPS and a 104 wRC+.
Unfortunately the offensive explosion did not find its way to first baseman Zander Darby, who made his AA debut but went 0-6 with 4 strikeouts.
High-A Eugene (76-50)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops (D-Backs) 7-5 Box score
A pair of excellent performances in this game, one on each side of the ball. And, while we all love when less-heralded prospects break out and show things, there’s nothing quite like the star performances coming from the star prospects … which is exactly what happened in this game.
On the mound, it was LHP Henry Lalane, the exceptionally intriguing 6’7 southpaw whom the Giants acquired in the Heliot Ramos trade. Lalane was brilliant in Low-A for the Yankees’ affiliate this year, where the 22-year old posted a 2.74 ERA and a 2.64 FIP in 13 games, with 11.7 strikeouts per 9 innings. Things have been a little more difficult for him in High-A, but you wouldn’t know it if you watched Tuesday’s game, as he dealt 5 brilliant shutout frames, allowing just 3 hits (all singles) and 1 walk, while striking out 4 batters.
Lalane looked overpowering to the helpless Hops batters, and he did an excellent job pounding the strike zone, with 54 of his 79 pitches going for strikes. Even with the great game, Lalane’s numbers are quite poor since the trade: in 5 starts, he has a 4.57 ERA and a 4.82 FIP, with just 16 strikeouts in 21.2 innings. He’s really going to be a fascinating choice for the Giants when Rule 5 protection decisions need to be made in November … he’s far too talented to lose, but do the Giants really think he’ll get poached given how low in the system he is? And can they find space, given that their 40-man roster currently has 54 players on it?
In the batter’s box, it was shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) who shined, with his best game in quite some time. Level’s performance since moving to High-A earlier in the year has been absolutely fantastic, but he had been fairly quiet recently. He was not quiet in this game, though, as the 19-year old switch-hitter went 2-5 with a double and a 2-run home run in the 8th inning that provided what proved to be some critical insurance.
HERE’S JHONNY!
Jhonny Level hits a 2-run HR for his 18th HR of the season and his first since August 8th.
I should note that Level, who also struck out once, hadn’t been quiet in a bad way. It was more that he had been consistently decent (which is a tremendous skill for a young player), and hadn’t had his usual superstar games. Before going 0-5 on Sunday, Level had an 11-game hitting streak going, which is mighty impressive. But this was his 1st home run since August 8, and that’s something we certainly love to see.
Since getting promoted, Level has an .852 OPS and a 123 wRC+ in 65 games. He’s hitting for average (.305) and power (.183 ISO), while striking out just 17.4% of the time. There’s not much more we can ask of him, and there’s no doubt now that he’ll begin 2027 in AA.
While Lalane’s fellow pitchers didn’t do anything of note, Level’s fellow hitters had a few nice performances, namely from right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL) and designated hitter Walker Martin. Maldonado hit just 1-3 with a strikeout, but was hit by 2 pitches and stole a base, while Martin went 2-4 with a swiped bag and a strikeout. Maldonado has been absolutely other-worldly since a recent promotion, posting a 1.175 OPS and a 189 wRC+ through 18 games with the Emeralds, and stealing 4 bases. Martin has had his fair share of struggles throughout the year, and has a .736 OPS and a 93 wRC+, with 20 stolen bases in 23 attempts.
Low-A San Jose (76-51)
San Jose Giants beat the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 8-6 Box score
It was all about the offense in this game for the Baby Giants, and there was a quartet of stars who came about success in very different ways. Half of that quartet opted for the all-or-nothing approach, while the other half went for a more balanced attack.
The all-or-nothing pair was third baseman Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) and designated hitter Angel Guzman. Meola and Guzman only had 1 hit apiece, but that hit left the yard in both instances. For Meola, who finished 1-4 with a walk and a strikeout, the home run represented just another tally on a summer of extra-base hits. Last year’s 4th-round pick has really found both the hits and the juice since the summer sun came out. The splits are fairly stark for the 22-year old righty:
That’s pretty dramatic improvement! The cold water is that his heater pretty perfectly coincides with when pitchers started to get promoted from the Cal League to High-A, but still … those are mighty impressive numbers either way, and have brought his season line above the league average (.830 OPS, 105 wRC+). It’ll definitely be fun to see if he can continue building on this success in Eugene next year.
As for Guzman, he went 1-3 with a hit by pitch and a strikeout, as he has really started to figure out the level. After a slow introduction to Low-A (he was promoted in early July), Guzman has found his footing, and posted a .947 OPS in August. After opening September with a home run, the 20-year old lefty is up to an .849 OPS and a 120 wRC+ in 31 games with the Baby Giants. Very impressive stuff!
The other pair of hitters was shortstop Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) and right fielder Tanner Mally. González, as I’ve almost grown tired of typing, was particularly inspiring: he had 4 official at-bats and roped 4 singles, while also knocking a sacrifice fly and stealing a base (the lone bad part of his day was that he was caught stealing).
MLB's No. 17 prospect Josuar Gonzalez posts the second 4-hit outing of his career 🔥
You can talk about any number of elements of González’s game: his power is mesmerizing, his baserunning is must-see TV, he’s drawing walks like it’s going out of style, and his defense is truly magical. But I want to just stop for a moment and admire how impressive it is that he’s just getting hits. The top prospect in the organization is still just 18 years old, a full 3 years younger than the average hitter in the Cal League. And after this game (which gave the switch-hitter a 5-game hitting streak), he’s hitting a staggering 42-112 through 27 games.
There are 128 prospects who have logged 100 plate appearances in the Cal League this year, and González’s .375 batting average ranks 2nd among those 128 … behind only Kayson Cunningham, a 1st-round pick last year who is 20. It’s just absurd what González is doing.
As for Mally, he went 1-1 and drew 3 walks though, like González, he was caught stealing. Mally only has 5 extra-base hits through 21 games, but July’s 17th-round pick has a .400 batting average. That is damn impressive!
The pitching wasn’t good, but unfortunately, it was notable, as RHP Trey Seeley left the game in the 1st inning with the trainers, after only throwing 17 pitches. You never want to speculate on an injury, but Seeley was visibly distraught coming off the mound, with tears that appeared to be due to emotional rather than physical pain. His velocity was also down so … you can unfortunately put two and two together with a fairly high chance of being correct.
The one good pitching performance belonged to RHP Dylan Carter, an undrafted free agent from last year’s class. Carter gave up a hit in a scoreless inning, while striking out a pair, lowering his ERA to 4.91 and his FIP to 4.50. Not a very good season for the Arkansas alum, but he’s ending it on a high note: in his last 7 games, he’s pitched 13.1 innings and allowed just 10 hits, 2 walks, and 1 earned run, while striking out 18. Love to see players end the year strong!
RHP Ian Korn, July’s 10th-round pick, made his 2nd pro appearance. He struggled, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs in 1.2 innings, with 1 strikeout, but he did pick up his 1st professional win!
Home run tracker
18 — Jhonny Level — [8 in High-A; 10 in Low-A] 14 — Lorenzo Meola — [Low-A] 7 — Will Brennan — [AAA] 6 — Angel Guzman — [4 in Low-A; 2 in ACL]
Wednesday schedule
Sacramento: 6:45 p.m. PT vs. Salt Lake (SP: Joe Whitman) Richmond: 3:35 p.m. PT at Akron (SP: Miguel Mendez) Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Hillsboro (SP: Ubert Mejias) San Jose: 6:50 p.m. PT at Fresno (SP: TBD)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 28: Tomoyuki Sugano #11 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on August 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a much-needed victory on Tuesday night to snap a 10-game losing streak at Coors Field, the Colorado Rockies will aim for a series victory today. Unfortunately, they face a pair of obstacles that will make that task difficult: a left-hander on the mound for the Orioles and a bad record in rubber matches.
Tomoyuki Sugano (12-8, 5.23 ERA) starts for the Rockies against his former team. Sugano made 30 starts for the Orioles last season, posting a 4.64 ERA in 157 innings. August was a tough month for Sugano, particularly over his last three starts. In 12 innings, he has allowed 18 runs on 26 hits, including six runs on 10 hits against the Atlanta Braves last weekend. The main issue has been efficiency for the veteran righty, as he has been working behind in counts and relying too heavily on his fastball. His secondary pitches haven’t been working, and opposing teams have punished his mistakes and made him labor. The Rockies need Sugano to flip the script and get ahead in counts and go back to doing what he’s done well all season.
Trevor Rogers (9-9, 4.38 ERA) takes the hill for the O’s. After a slower start to the season, Rogers has mostly been excellent since the start of June. He came back down to earth in August, but still had three quality starts. His last outing was in St. Louis, where he allowed six runs on seven hits over five innings of work. Rogers gave up a home run in each of his five starts last month, but that was about all the damage he surrendered. He has excellent strikeout capabilities and doesn’t generally walk many batters. Keep an eye on his changeup, as that pitch has proven to be a tough one for the Rockies lineup when thrown properly.
First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
The Yankees (79-60) and the Angels (53-86) conclude their three-game series tonight in Southern California with the series tied at one game apiece following New York’s 7-3 win last night.
Spencer Jones and Jazz Chisholm Jr. went yard back-to-back in the first inning and the Yankees never looked back. Jones has homered in back-to-back games and Chisholm is 6-11 over his last three games with six runs scored. Zach Neto (2-4) and Wade Meckler (3-4) were the lone bright spots at the plate for the Angels in the game. The win was the Yankees’ fifth in their last six games. The Halos have now lost eight of their last nine games.
Two of the hottest pitchers in baseball take the mound tonight in this one as Cam Schlittler (12-6, 2.09 ERA) takes the ball for the Yankees opposed by Reid Detmers (4-8, 3.54 ERA) of the Angels. Schlittler was outstanding last Friday against the Red Sox silencing them over 5.2 innings. His previous three starts saw him allow just one run per game with Schlittler pitching at least into the sixth inning of each. Detmers has been at least as good over the same stretch of time. Last Friday, the southpaw pitched six innings and allowed one run. He blanked the Rangers and Royals in his previous two starts (14 innings).
While these teams live in alternate universes, the season series is tied at three games apiece.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Angels
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Time: 9:38PM EST
Site: Angel Stadium
City: Anaheim, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, YES, Angels.TV
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The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Angels – September 2
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Yankees (-163), LA Angels (+135)
Reid Detmers has struck out 5+ hitters in 10 of his last 11GP and 6+ in 6 of his last 9
Amed Rosario is 7-16 in his career against Reid Detmers
Cam Schlittler has struck out 6+ hitters in 9 of his last 10GP
Zach Neto has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games (21-50)
Ben Rice is 3-18 over his last 4GP
Trent Grisham went 1-5 last night snapping an 0-19 stretch
Cody Bellinger has hit safely in 5 straight games (9-20)
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Angels
The Angels are 69-70 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 68-71 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed an MLB-low 57 times in games involving the Angels this season (57-80-2)
The OVER has cashed 60 times in games involving the Yankees this season (60-75-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Angels for September 2
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Angels and the Yankees:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 28: Pitcher Patrick Sandoval #43 of the Boston Red Sox throws the ball while playing the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Benjamin B. Braun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TV: NESN
First Pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The Red Sox have not exactly dominated this series but still find themselves with a chance to take two of three from the Mariners. Boston needs better production on the mound after surrendering 17 runs in the first two games. Patrick Sandoval is in line to do that after a terrific yet run-support-less start last time out against the Yankees when he allowed just one earned run over 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts.
Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate behind him Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park.
The Mariners will counter with Bryce Miller, who could keep the Red Sox offense in rhythm as he’s allowed 16 runs (15 earned) over his previous three starts for Seattle.
PHOENIX – Andrew Painter turned in the best start of his young career and got nothing to show for it Wednesday afternoon.
The rookie right-hander pitched seven shutout innings and gave up just two hits in a 1-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Painter left a scoreless game after seven innings and 93 pitches. Reliever Jonathan Bowlan allowed a home run to James McCann on the first pitch he threw in the bottom of the eighth inning for the game’s only run.
The Phillies mustered only three hits on the day against seven Arizona relievers. Arizona only had three hits, as well. One of them just landed over the wall.
All in all, it was a solid trip for the Phillies. They won six of nine games and took over the lead in the NL wild-card race. They return home Friday night for a first-place showdown with the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.
Since returning from his Triple A makeover, Painter has a 3.12 ERA in seven starts.
Painter relied mostly on his fastball, changeup and sweeper. The fastball reached 98.7 mph and averaged 96.3 mph. The changeup produced six swing and misses and four strikeouts. Painter was economical. He threw 93 pitches and recorded a first-pitch strike against 18 of 24 hitters. He did not walk a batter.
PHOENIX – Andrew Painter turned in the best start of his young career and got nothing to show for it Wednesday afternoon.
The rookie right-hander pitched seven shutout innings and gave up just two hits in a 1-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Painter left a scoreless game after seven innings and 93 pitches. Reliever Jonathan Bowlan allowed a home run to James McCann on the first pitch he threw in the bottom of the eighth inning for the game’s only run.
The Phillies mustered only three hits on the day against seven Arizona relievers. Arizona only had three hits, as well. One of them just landed over the wall.
All in all, it was a solid trip for the Phillies. They won six of nine games and took over the lead in the NL wild-card race. They return home Friday night for a first-place showdown with the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.
Since returning from his Triple A makeover, Painter has a 3.12 ERA in seven starts.
Painter relied mostly on his fastball, changeup and sweeper. The fastball reached 98.7 mph and averaged 96.3 mph. The changeup produced six swing and misses and four strikeouts. Painter was economical. He threw 93 pitches and recorded a first-pitch strike against 18 of 24 hitters. He did not walk a batter.
Sep 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates after he singles during the fifth inning against the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
August and September are two of the most important months of the regular season for contenders. Rosters are galvanized in August following the trade deadline, and teams jockey for a higher postseason seed in September. There aren’t too many “punt” games this time of the year now that magic numbers are counting down and managers can be aggressive with expanded rosters.
The Rays find themselves comfortable in control of their destiny and in the lead to win the AL East – securing a first-round bye. There are four key metrics I’ll be following as they look to maintain their performance into October.
Outs per batted ball
This Rays team is built on run prevention before anything else. Pitching and defense will determine how deep they play into October. So far this year, the Rays have been one of the top run prevention teams in the league. Only the Dodgers (69.1%) convert more batted balls into outs than the Rays (68.6%) this season. However, the Rays have been roughly average in this area since the beginning of August. Some of that is skewed by their west coast trip in which their flyball-to-out conversion rate dipped significantly playing in Denver and Sacramento and should rebound as they’ve been one of the best defensive outfields in the league this year. The infield has steadily improved throughout the year, and they’ve had the 9th best groundball-to-out rate since 8/1.
I’d like to see the team converting close to 69-70% of batted balls into outs by the end of the month. They’re currently at 67.4% from August 1st through September 1st. This can be accomplished by playing better defense of course, but the pitching staff will need to continue to do their part and manage hard contact.
Save plus hold success rate
The back of the bullpen has been solid all year, and the addition of Tyler Wells at the deadline along with Manny Rodriguez return from injury only makes it better. The Rays bullpen has been the best in the league at holding leads since the beginning of August. Their 97.1% success rate for saves and holds is 3% better than the next closest team and about 10% better than league average. It may fluctuate a bit the rest of the season because baseball can be random, but the back of the bullpen is hitting their stride at the right time and will shorten games in October. I expect this to remain in the 90-95% range for the rest of the year and stay comfortably above average.
Reliever runs per batter faced
The overall performance of the bullpen has been negatively skewed by the performance of some middle relief options over the last month. Rather than just looking at just team reliever ERA, it can be beneficial to account for workload by factoring in total batters faced. ERA and FIP miss the workload aspect as they are calculated on a 9-inning basis.
Since 8/1, the Rays bullpen ranks 21st in the league in runs allowed per batter faced. Some of that is brought down by mop-up outings in blow outs, but that can’t really happen as we head into October. Despite ranking in the bottom 10 in this metric, the Rays bullpen is only slightly below average. Additionally, there are plenty of internal candidates that could improve the bullpen.
They’ll need at least one of Cleavinger, Booser, Sulser, Matz, or Legumina to step up and be the bridge to the back of the bullpen. I’m not concerned about this area; there’s currently a surplus in the rotation with multiple players who will need their workloads managed as we approach the end of the season. A postseason pitching staff really only needs three true starters, so whoever isn’t starting could transition to a relief role. Jax, McClanahan, and Seymour all make sense to move to multi or single inning relief roles to support the bullpen when fewer rotation spots are needed.
The Rays bullpen is currently at 0.126 runs per batter while the best bullpens are below 0.100. I’d like to see them closer to that number, so it’ll be something to watch as the middle relief roles get sorted out over the next few weeks.
Runs per base
While the Rays might not have the roster to out-slug some of the other contenders, they can make up for it by maintaining an efficient offense. One way to measure efficiency is by looking at how many runs a team scores for each base they earn.
The Rays have the 4th best offensive efficiency since 8/1 in terms of runs per base at 0.277 and the league average is 0.255. They move runners well by bunting, stealing, and having productive outs more than most other teams. This has helped them maintain an above average offense for the season as a whole with a 105 wRC+. I’ll be looking for them to maintain above-average offensive efficiency through October.
Overall, this team is in a good position with room to improve. I’d like to see the Rays get their outfield defense back to where it was earlier this season. The return of Mesa should help with that. I’d also like them to continue to hold leads and close games at the back of the bullpen while keeping games closer in middle relief. Rodriguez should help in that area, and I’m interested to see which of the current members of the rotation could transition to a relief role in October. I’ll also be watching the group of Cleavinger, Booser, Sulser, Matz, and Legumina for those roles. And lastly, I want the Rays to stick to their identity and continue to manufacture runs with productive outs and taking an extra base as much as possible. We already know what we have in this team – they’re legit World Series contenders, but performance in these four key areas is what will make or break their postseason run.
