Devin Williamspitched a bullpen session at Citi Field on Thursday prior to the Mets' series opener against the Phillies and the closer made it through in one piece.
Interim manager Andy Green said Williams' stuff was "there as anticipated," but now they have to wait to see how he feels physically in the morning before mapping out next steps.
Williams was placed on the IL back on Aug. 10 with a right shoulder strain, and the team has slow-played his return. The right-hander has been throwing off the mound, but this is the first time he's thrown a BP, a good sign that he can appear in a big league game before the end of the regular season.
When it comes to when exactly that will be, Green prefaced that they have to make sure their closer is healthy and that it makes sense for the limited amount of games remaining in the schedule.
"His heartbeat is to pitch in games as quickly as possible. Ours is to ensure he’s as healthy as possible before he pitches in games," Green said of Williams' potential return date. "We’re trying to reconcile those two things and we need the information from tomorrow and how he feels before we make the next determination."
The next question was whether Williams will take back closing duties from Kodai Senga, who has closed games for the Mets in Williams' stead. Green didn't say one way or another, but explained that the most important part is getting Williams on a mound again.
After the Mets wrap up their home slate this weekend, they'll end the 2026 regular season in Texas and Washington D.C. And while many believed Williams could be ready for the Rangers series, Green said it's likelier we'll see Williams against the Nationals.
"Given where we’re at, the highest likelihood is…let’s say it’s in Texas. He’ll pitch Tuesday or Wednesday and we’ll try to get him an outing in D.C," Green said. "He’s not going to come back and pitch three out of four baseball games.
"It might be the eighth inning, it might be the seventh inning. If you’re not ahead one of those days, you want to get him on the bump so he can get going again."
Williams has made 42 appearances with the Mets this season, pitching to a 4.66 ERA while striking out 51 batters across 38.2 innings. He's also converted 16 of 19 save opportunities.
ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 16: Shay Whitcomb #13 of the San Francisco Giants hugs Osleivis Basabe #39 after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ali Overstreet/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Teams cannot carry players on their 60-day IL during the offseason, so that means the San Francisco Giants are about six weeks out from having a serious roster crunch. Or do they?
There are quite a lot of good players on that 60-day IL and so by sheer math the players on the 40-man who’ve taken their place are more fungible than not. They could always waive players and outright them to the minors or re-sign to an MiLB agreement — and that might be preferrable given the upcoming lockout, when players on the 40-man roster wouldn’t be able to play games in the minors. There’s also the case that with a Rule 5 draft likely, the Giants might want to protect some of their prospects, even if a lockout would prevent them from continuing their development. Still, with 17 dudes on that 60-day IL, is 42.5% of the current 40-man roster really so changeable? Let’s take a look.
I’ll do this using some criteria, too: position, age, contract, and MiLB options remaining. I don’t think I want to use the Giants’ roster page breakdown for positions, though, as they list Bryce Eldridge as Designated Hitter when we know he’s an infielder. Casey Schmitt is one of the outfielders, too. Anyway, let’s get into it, seeing if we can reduce the number of players currently on the IL before looking at the current roster. There are 57 players for 40 spots, and that’s before considering the prospects who’ll need to be added.
We can quickly reduce some of the thinking by listing the obvious keepers: Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Casey Schmitt, Daniel Susac, Randy Rodriguez, Adrian Houser,and Rowan Wick (whom the Giants signed specifically to carry him while he rehabbed from surgery and prepared to return in 2027). That leaves 10 players on the 60-day IL to sort through before getting to the 40-man.
So, let’s start with the easiest problem to solve.
Harrison Bader
Position: OF (8) 2027 age: 33 2027 contract: $13 million MiLB options: 0
Pros: None.
Cons: That’s a lot of money to simply cut, especially if the lockout ends with the players surrendering to a stupid salary cap. Jim Bowden’s owner-inspired figure is $245.3 million, which would make Bader’s 2027 contract 5.3% of a theoretical cap, which is meaningful. Still, there’s no value in rostering him. The Giants suspended him without pay for some extraordinarily unprofessional behavior and just from the vague descriptions of the accident that further injured him, it sounds like he’s lucky to still have two feet. It seems unlikely he’ll be close to the player the team will need him to be whenever the 2027 gets going — if he’s even able to go at all. Maybe they could claw back some of the salary for cap purposes in a grievance hearing (they’ll almost certainly get it all back in their pockets via an insurance claim), but the team shouldn’t be shy about cutting their losses even if that doesn’t come to pass.
Pros: There’s a hard-throwing red ass there who has shown flashes of being a good pitcher. He’s still young enough to figure things out, and maybe some consistency in the front office and coaching staff for once in his brief career can help him along. The two options make him very valuable, to the point that he might be tradeable in the 5-day window after the World Series before teams have to activate all of these 60-day IL guys.
Cons: Of course, a lockout won’t help him with that development, and he looked really bad before the injury. It’ll be a long layoff and it’s not as though his skillset can’t be found elsewhere in the sport. With his Tommy John surgery having happened in 2026, he’s not going to be available until near the end of 2027 anyway.
Verdict: Keep. Still, it’s not as though the Athletics or some other team wouldn’t claim him and just let him eat a roster spot all offseason, so there’s enough incentive to keep him, along with the talent upside. He’s one of the Giants’ interesting starting pitching prospects. If pitching development had gone better this season, I wonder just how secure his roster spot would’ve been.
Pros: He has the sort of sinker-slider combo the team likes and has a reverse platoon split for his career with righties hitting .249 off him and lefties .192. That’s thanks to an effective changeup (30+% whiff rate 2023-2025). He also has a curve and a sweeper. A real kitchen-sinker who can also provide a little length (15 career starts). He’d be a cheaper version of JT Brubaker. Having missed most of his platform year, he’s unlikely to win an arbitration case for very much more than what he made this season ($800k).
Cons: The blood clot that has effectively knocked him out this season is a fluke injury but it’s still an injury that makes it hard to know who the Giants might get next season. He also didn’t look great after they acquired him at last year’s trade deadline, posting a 4.39 FIP in 20 innings.
Verdict: Keep. It would be logical to retain a veteran reliever who might take the place of another veteran who would cost more (thinking specifically about Brubaker). Still, I think this is the trickiest case to decide.
Pros: Has been able to handle major league hitters long enough to make an impression. He has certainly pitched his way into being considered a reliever at worst. His slider (38.7% whiff rate in 2026, 36.4% last year) is good.
Cons: Not a starter and would be a shame if the Giants held onto him thinking he might be a #5 or long reliever. He also is in the same realm of Logan Webb and Landen Roupp — sinker slider pitchers who don’t get a lot of strikeouts, but do get a lot of groundballs and limit walks and home runs. There was a thought at some point this season that part of the reason why the pitching was getting hammered had everything to do with the team’s approach — less “not spending money in the bullpen” and more “what if all 13 guys were like Logan Webb?” McDonald being the less good version of Logan Webb or Landen Roupp should make him more expendable heading into the offseason.
Verdict: Try to pass through waivers. Look, he was able to make enough of an impression at the end of last season to get a longer look this season. His injury opened up an opportunity for another player to do the same thing and I think if someone comes along who was better at the end of this season than McDonald was all year (4.26 FIP on a 7.3 K/9), the Giants shouldn’t be too precious.
Cons: Not many strikeouts for all that velo and the player is often injured. He’ll be entering his 30s, too.
Verdict: Release. I’m sure there’s a strong case to be made that he’s the lottery ticket to hold onto here, so maybe I’ll revisit him at the end of this exercise.
Pros: The team likes his versatility and he’s shown in a small sample (58 MLB PA) some utility with the bat (104 wRC+). He profiles as a high-contact, low-strikeout guy. Maybe another Christian Koss type.
Cons: Hard to think of one. It’s just a matter of how many Christian Koss types the team wants to roster.
Pros: That changeup certainly does get swing and miss. Left-handed pitchers are usually able to find work at the MLB level for far longer than their right-handed counterparts. He’s miscast as a starter (5.90 ERA / 5.99 FIP in 58 MLB IP) but could be really good as a reliever.
Cons: If the team doesn’t view him as a reliever or he doesn’t buy in, then he’s just a hittable guy who sometimes gets swings and misses. I think the Giants are committed to finding out one way or the other and I can’t say they’d be wrong about that.
Pros: So much promise as the next great late inning bullpen arm. A fantastic fastball-splitter combo. Looks like a top reliever like ones you’ll see across the league…
Cons: … if healthy, which he rarely is. I’m not sure another year of Tony Vitello managing his workload will help him out. The Giants have tried kid-gloving and tough-loving him and no matter what, he doesn’t pitch much due to injury.
Verdict: Keep. Though he might be a candidate to be traded in the 5-day window before 60-day ILs must be emptied. Would the Rays want to acquire him and chew the rest of the flesh off his arm?
So, I’ve managed to get to 53 players for 40 spots. When I started this exercise, I anticipated it being a bit easier to simply delete 60-day IL guys, but it’s not! And, my main one might not even be cut because of the money involved. In any case, it’s very easy to see the problem the Giants face. But if we keep going through the 40-man, there are some other opportunities for roster reduction.
Verdict: Keep. They are desperate for starting pitching going into next season and he hasn’t been bad. Sure, he’s thrown 0.2 innings more than Jacob deGrom and been just 60% as valuable (2.5 fWAR vs. deGrom’s 4.2) but he’s just barely qualified for the ERA title at 155 IP (46th out of 47 qualified, but a professional high mark for him) and has generated more value with that fWAR (31 out of 48) than the likes of George Kirby, Michael Wacha, Foster Griffin, Michael King, Framber Valdez, Shota Imanaga, and Robbie Ray.
JT Brubaker
Brubaker has been effective in a no-leverage role and has helped alienate a segment of the fanbase from the team, but after earning $1.82 million this season, it’s illogical to retain such a fungible player (seriously, 0.1 fWAR in 60.1 IP — a 4.27 FIP) for even 1% of the fan-demanded salary cap. His veteran presence and experience is easily replicated by Jose Butto or other veteran relievers who will be looking for work in the offseason.
Verdict: Release. Even with the There is obviously the potential for some sort of grievance of governmental interference, but it’s going to require a degree of fiction writing to create the bad faith argument to compel a ridiculous enforcement action that my dumb brain can’t conjure at the moment. He and the team have fulfilled their contract and they should be able to walk away from him as a free agent.
Sam Hentges
This is much trickier than the Brubaker situation in that he’s arbitration eligible for 2027 and Zack Minasian has already gone on the record talking about the team’s belief that it takes at least two years after a player’s surgery before they begin to show improvement. Hentges is one of these guys, and he pitched well enough (3.43 FIP in 33 IP) that it’s highly unlikely they’d move on from him — by the way, that FIP is really high despite allowing zero home runs. FIP is a measure of the three true outcomes: walks, home runs, strikeouts. He walks a lot (6.3 per 9) but strikeouts out a lot (9.6 per 9), and doesn’t allow homers (0.7 per 9 for his career). If command is the last thing to lock in after surgery, then he ought to be even better next season. He will cost more in his final year of arbitration, but after all the crowing about how the team didn’t spend on the bullpen this past offseason, it seems as though they now have cover to spend money to retain him.
It’s hard to make an argument to keep him. He’s been bad on the field and bad off the field. He’s first time arbitration eligible and a year or two ago I might’ve thought he was a $3-$4 million guy first time out. He’ll be 31 at the start of next season and I would think that rather than tender him a contract and have to pay him more than the MLB minimum they would non-tender him, but the Justice Department’s open investigation might have an effect. He has 31 career saves in 235.1 MLB innings. He has, technically, had one bad season (2026: -0.5 fWAR). His agent might be able to make the case to investigators that the Giants are depriving him of his livelihood, even if non-tendering arbitration eligible players is standard industry practice.
Verdict: Release. Maybe the Giants will surprise me and agree.
Okay. 50 dudes for 40 slots. It’s crunch time. Let’s take a look at…
Everybody else
Most of these players are not on the 10-day or 15-day IL, but some are. We’ll start with the obvious keepers: Logan Webb, Bryce Eldridge, Willy Adames, Jung Hoo Lee, Drew Gilbert, Jonah Cox (star eyes emoji), Drew Gilbert, Victor Bericoto, Blade Tidwell, Marcelo Mayer, Matt Wilkinson, Anthony Molina, and Cesar Perdomo.
A quick recap as we head into the second act:
Current 60-day IL players kept: 12 Current 40-man players kept: 15 Players cut (running tally): 6 Players to be judged: 24 40-man spots available: 13
Zach Morgan
Called up but yet to make an appearance, he’s really only on the roster because of a lack of catching depth. Morgan’s role has been the emergency depth piece at every level of the organization. He has a career MiLB OPS of .685 (5 seasons, 1053 PA) so it’s not like the roster spot can’t be upgraded.
Verdict: Pass through waivers. That organization depth seems meaningful enough to keep him in the organization, but not so vital that they need the roster spot. That they see Jesus Rodriguez in a similar role (multi-positional, including backup catcher) but have already given him more playing time despite being from outside the organization originally and 2 years younger underscores the fragility of his situation.
Andrew Knizner
He has been a solid backup catcher the past two seasons now, so you could imagine a scenario where he survives the roster crunch to be the actual backup catcher on the 40-man roster (with Drew Cavanaugh as the third catcher). But at the same time…
Verdict: Release. The Giants currently list five catchers on their 40-man roster and this article makes a modest proposal to reduce that to three: Daniel Susac, Drew Cavanaugh, and Jesus Rodriguez (which is a cheat in that he’s multi-positional). The veteran backup catcher situation is one that can be addressed at any point in the offseason or Spring Training or in-season.
Christian Koss
I’m not sure what else he would have to do to make a stronger case for staying on the roster. He’s blossomed after finally getting some playing time and is slashing .346/.393/.519 here in September.
Verdict: Keep. I’m listing him at this point in the article because there are other players down the list that’ll be compared to him.
Turner Hill
An IF/OF limited to the corners who’s finally making his big league debut at the age of 27 is the kind of thing Septembers in a lost season are made of, and a corner guy who doesn’t hit for power is especially fungible in the grand scheme of things. It’s a credit to the Giants’ minor league season and dip down to get a high average high on base guy at all, though.
Verdict: Pass through waivers.
Grant McCray
He hasn’t been able to make it happen. His MLB line as it stands is .175/.237/.332 in 240 PA (96 G). He’s hitting .155 this season with a 30% strikeout rate. He’ll turn 26 in December, so, it’s not over yet, and with 2 options available, he could plausibly have value to some MLB team out there, but he’s been outplayed by Drew Gilbert; and, with Victor Bericoto and Jonah Cox grabbing attention plus Casey Schmitt moonlighting as an outfielder, it doesn’t make sense for the Giants to continue to roster him. There are more important players to hold onto.
Verdict: Pass through waivers. He is more than likely claimed, but I can’t see a team trading for him, either.
Osleivis Basabe
Do the Giants want to keep Basabe over Christian Koss, Jesus Rodriguez, and the other infielders getting a moment in this final month? And what utility does he have once Casey Schmitt returns? While he had some big moments when nobody was watching, .202/.262/.353 in 131 PA (.209/.268/.335 in 225 MLB PA) doesn’t seem like something you fight for when it comes to a roster crunch.
Verdict: Release.
Scott Bandura
You can take some of the Turner Hill stuff and apply it here, but Bandura found a power stroke in the minors this season (.480ish slug across AA and AAA) and he’s two years younger. Bandura also has the speed, but a better pedigree (drafted by Giants versus undrafted). If you’re choosing between the two and between another left-handed hitting outfielder like McCray (who is already bullied out of CF by Jonah Cox and Drew Gilbert), Bandura probably comes out ahead still. Higher batting average, on base, then the speed and defense.
Verdict: Keep.
Shay Whitcomb
His potential upside is Christian Koss with more power, but he’s had trouble carrying his minor league success (.810 OPS) to the majors. If you’re talking about holding a 40-man spot for a guy who spent some time in the Korean League this season, then you’re talking about a team that’s desperate for talent, which isn’t the case for the Giants — even the 2026 team. They needed some warm bodies and looked around for those who don’t projected to be total embarrassments. Nary a d’Arnaud in the bunch.
Verdict: Release.
Brett Harris
The Other Shay Whitcomb?
Verdict: Release.
Nate Furman
I do tend to believe that front offices are much more inclined to dump guys they didn’t acquire and so Furman coming over in the Alex Cobb trade of 2024 would certainly make him a target; however, he’s been a high average guy in the minors and effectively been the kind of player the team wants going forward so I don’t think that applies in this situation. Also, he doesn’t turn 25 until next July. Even if he has a bad September, I don’t think they’re looking to push him off the roster this offseason.
Verdict: Keep.
Our final act: all those pitchers. Here’s where the count stands:
Current 60-day IL players kept: 12 Current 40-man players kept: 18 Players cut (running tally): 13 Players to be judged: 11 40-man spots available: 10
Tristan Beck
Oft-injured and not really effective (4.47 FIP in two seasons and 70.2 IP since a blood clot derailed his 2024 season). He turned 30 back in June and has spent most of this season unable to pitch in the majors due to injury and ineffectiveness (1.4 WHIP and 4.99 ERA in Triple-A).
Verdict: Release.
Joel Kuhnel
He was a warm body hired to help the team get to the end of the season. His 2.84 ERA in 6.1 innings is nice and he picked up the save in last night’s win over the Cardinals.
Verdict: Release.
Dylan Smith
Next year, he’ll be a 27-year old making the major league minimum who throws 95+ and has a 10.5 K/9. He’ll also have 1 option remaining. This isn’t hard.
Verdict: Keep!
Trent Harris
Dave Flemming and Javier Lopez rained superlatives down on him in last night’s game as well and he has been outstanding since his callup, a 2.33 ERA in 19.1 IP and — a 1.60 FIP — has been one of those in-season finds we expect the Giants to have every season. I’m sure unearthing treasures like this along the way was the plan going into the season, too. I would say he and Dylan Smith qualify.
Verdict: Keep!
Braxton Roxby
Miguel Mendez
Yunior Marte
I’m going to bunch these acquisitions together. These are players acquired by the new front office with options available and the right age to think that they still have upside (on top of not playing in the majors much).
Verdict: Keep.
Seth Lonsway
Duncan Davitt
Verdict: Keep. They’re not cutting these guys. Given the conversation in the comments below, I’m compelled to expound on this a little bit more. Lonsway has been org depth as a starter, essentially, for his entire Giants career, but all the while being occasionally good at minimizing walks, consistently good at limiting home runs, and frequently good at striking hitters out. His K/9 by MiLB season: 11.3, 7.9, 7.8, 8.2, 5.7… now this 5.7 is from his most recent season in the minors (2026) and at the age of 27. But all that signals to me is that the next step is to take him out of the rotation and see if he can swim as a reliever for a while.
Indeed, as a sinker-sweeper guy with a fastball that ranges 92-93, this would seem to be the kind of reliever the Giants have sought out recently. Now, is it the most effective profile? Maybe not, but as a cheaper, younger, optionable Matt Gage replacement? There might be something here, particularly if the strikeout rate gets a bounce from the new relief role.
It’s similar reasoning for Duncan Davitt. Young-ish for a reliever (he turns 27 in 6 days), optionable, and has a career 9.4 K/9 in the minors (449 IP) along with a 2.9 BB/9. The 1.2 HR/9 isn’t great, but it’s not terrible and with the Oracle Park factor, maybe it all works out. I think the Giants could go either way here, and I’m landing on keep if for no other reason than the Giants might want to keep some of their 40-man depth until better options present themselves.
Philip Abner
Reiver Sanmartin
Both have been solid, but I suspect the Giants will either cut 1 and keep the other or cut both of these lefty relievers. Problem is, I can’t figure out which one it should be, nor could I hazard a guess. Abner averages 90 mph with his fastball, but he’s 24 with multiple options. Sanmartin is more of a Matt Gage type. I have to imagine actual performance would matter a little, but at the same time, a roster crunch is a roster crunch.
If the Giants were to move on from both, that would leave a left-handed contingent of Matt Wilkinson, Carson Whisenhunt, Cesar Perdomo, Seth Lonsway, and Sam Hentges. With Whisenhunt likely out for all of 2027, it probably doesn’t make sense to shrink the number of lefty relievers on the roster.
So, having reasoned that all out, I think they stick with Abner, who is younger, has more options, and adds a different look out of the bullpen. Plus, they can feel good knowing that Sanmartin pitched well enough to find a job elsewhere.
Verdict: Keep Abner, cut Sanmartin.
That leaves 2 spots for these final two players. If I had my druthers, the team would cut them both, but…
Carson Seymour
He has done well for himself in transitioning to a reliever, and even though I think he’s a gas can with his penchant for giving up home runs — 14 in 62.2 MLB innings — I suspect the Giants might see a development success in the making a la Trent Harris.
Verdict: Keep (though, should be pass through waivers).
Jason Foley
Somehow, he still has an option remaining? He’s also arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason. Who knows how the system will change in a new CBA, but supposing it stays roughly the same, Foley oughtn’t be projected to get much more than the $2 million the Giants paid him this season. While an arb panel would take into consideration his prior track record (3.18 ERA in 189.1 IP from 2022-2024, +2.7 fWAR), he has been rather pedestrian (+0.1 fWAR, 4.15 ERA) in his platform season, two years removed from surgery.
Although — and this is a big, important note — he has a 3.63 ERA (3.21 FIP) since August 1st. In 16 appearances, he’s struck out 11 (though, walked 8) and allowed 0 home runs in 17.1 IP. I have to imagine those 28 saves he recorded in 2024 loom large for the Giants. Rather than drop Randy Rodriguez into the closer role to start the year, maybe Foley being an option to begin 2027 makes more sense?
Verdict: Keep.
So, there it is. I’ve whittled down 57 players for 40 spots to 40 players for 40 spots. To me, Keaton Winn, Carson Seymour, and Jason Foley look like possible cuts (either via trade during the 5-day window after the World Series or simply DFAing) which would free up 3 spots for prospects who’re Rule 5 eligible, and there’s probably a fourth to be gained from cleaning up some of the infield logjam. The power of DFAing for the purpose of sneaking through waivers shouldn’t be discounted. This might be the one offseason where it’s easier to do that because of all the other teams needing to make 40-man decisions related to both the lockout and Rule 5.
But, if you’ve made it this far, what do you think?
May 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Phillies travel to New York to begin a four-game series against the Mets on Thursday night.
Aaron Nola will start for the Phillies. The righthander has faced the Mets twice this season, with a 4.09 ERA to show for it.
CINCINNATI — Amid a champagne-spraying, speaker-blaring, beer-soaked clubhouse scene on Thursday afternoon, there was one matter of on-field business for Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to address.
How was Shohei Ohtani doing in his recovery from right arm and left knee injuries?
Well enough for the two-way star — who was rehabbing back in Los Angeles during the club’s division-clinching road trip — to return before the beginning of the playoffs?
“I expect him back in the regular season,” Friedman declared.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates a 14-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds next to Dalton Rushing at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. Getty ImagesAndrew Friedman, President of the Los Angeles Dodgers, celebrates in the locker room after defeating the Cincinnati Reds to clinch the NL West Division title at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Getty Images
Indeed, by all accounts from team officials over the last couple days, Ohtani has been taking encouraging steps forward as he aims to return from the injured list when eligible next Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Ohtani took his first swings since being removed from the active roster, beginning a hitting ramp-up with reps off a batting tee.
And after a day off from activities Wednesday, manager Dave Roberts said before Thursday’s game that the four-time MVP will advance to coach-pitch batting practice later this week.
“There’s no pain. He’s doing everything he needs to do,” Roberts said. “I still don’t know when [the] time to return to play is. But everything that I hear is really positive.”
Roberts described Ohtani as feeling “normal-ish” so far in his recovery work. He noted that the slugger has reported no recurrence of discomfort in his arm as he has begun building back up to a return to the field.
Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers smile after a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Getty Images
The ship on that likely sailed after he tried playing through his injuries, at least as a hitter, during the second half of the season — until it reached the point where he was showing visible signs of pain in multiple games earlier this month.
The Dodgers already know Ohtani won’t be able to pitch in the playoffs, after he endured repeated setbacks in his pitching progression despite not making an actual start since July 3.
They know he might still have to battle through his ailments at the plate in the playoffs, as the team attempts to complete a World Series three-peat.
Still, even having a relatively healthy version of Ohtani could weigh heavily in the team’s championship ambitions.
Not until he returns to action will they know exactly where he is at healthwise, after he suffered a 6-for-52 slump leading up to his IL placement.
But for now, they remain hopeful — of not only having Ohtani back by the start of the playoffs but increasingly likely even before then.
Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Dodgers were overwhelming favorites to win the National League West, and they did so in convincing fashion, clinching the division with a week and a half still remaining in the season, the second MLB team this season to already clinch a division. But it didn’t always go as planned.
On Thursday in Cincinnati, the Dodgers had something old (Max Muncy two hits, including a two-run double; Freddie Freeman with two hits, a walk, and two runs scored), something new (Josue De Paula RBI single in his seventh game in the majors), and something borrowed (Seth Halvorsen, acquired by trade from the Rockies in July, getting the final three outs), which meant the NL West turned blue for the fifth year in a row and 13th time in the last 14 years.
Coming off consecutive World Series titles — the first MLB team to do so in a quarter-century — the Dodgers made big splashes in free agency, signing both the best closer on the market (Edwin Díaz) and best hitter on the market (Kyle Tucker) to record-setting contracts. Neither have worked out much at all in the first year. Díaz has been both terribleandinjured, with the latter certainly fueling the former. Tucker has been severely underwhelming, especially at home, and is having the worst full season of his career.
Tucker was not alone among struggling Dodgers corner outfielders, as Teoscar Hernández was under threat of getting platooned, and coupled with poor defense from both players, both Tucker and Hernández were hovering only slightly above replacement level for most of the season.
It’s also been a second straight rough year offensively for Mookie Betts, but he has also turned things around by hitting .327/.431/.618 with a 187 wRC+ thus far in September.
Andy Pages hasn’t played in four weeks after a fastball broke his left hand, though he could be activated at some point on the upcoming homestand.
Will Smith didn’t play in the division clincher, but is back after missing three months with a neck injury. The All-Star catcher is slowly rounding into form, with hits in six of his last seven starts, including doubles in each of his last two of his last three games.
Shohei Ohtani is the Dodgers’ best player and they’ve gotten almost nothing from him since mid-August. His last home run was August 18, and in his 13 games played since had six hits in 49 at-bats with 21 strikeouts and 10 walks. He’s now on the injured list with right biceps inflammation, but could return as early as Tuesday, with five regular season games left to find his groove again.
Justin Wrobleski made the All-Star team this season as a starting pitcher in a breakout year for the left-hander, and will likely pitch in bulk relief in October. He started and pitched three innings in Thursday’s division clincher, and retired all nine batters he faced.
Just like in 2025, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow missed over half the season on the injured list but returned for the stretch run, seemingly setting the Dodgers up to have another formidable October rotation quartet like last year. But Snell left his start on Wednesday after only one inning with left groin tightness, adding another question the Dodgers must answer in the next two weeks.
There are several problems the Dodgers will need to solve to maneuver their way through October. But they will start from a familiar place, as division champions, even if it didn’t go exactly as they might have envisioned.
For the 13th time in the last 14 years, the Dodgers are division champs. The team was evidently ready to celebrate in the visiting clubhouse at Great American Ball Park as champagne showers and loud music ensued.
Kiké Hernandez pulled off one of the funniest stunts when he shoved a bottle of champagne down Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s shorts. Hernandez caught Yamamoto by surprise with latter unable to stop the prank from transpiring.
The Dodgers pose for a team photo after they clinched the playoffs after a win against the Reds. AP Photo/Tanner Pearson
It appears Kiké Hernández shoved a bottle of champagne down Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s shorts during the Dodgers division title celebration pic.twitter.com/zE3vycFEaj
The Dodgers have the most division titles out of any MLB team with a total of 24. The Braves and Yankees trail the Dodgers with 23 and 21 division titles, respectively.
While LA is taking Thursday to celebrate, a roster full of veterans understands clinching the division is only part of the ultimate goal.
“It’s a big deal. It’s not easy,” Roberts said pregame. “I think a lot of people think it’s easy, it’s a rite of passage. But it’s not easy to win a division when everyone is gunning for you, to keep everyone motivated to play over the course of 162. It’s something we’re all really proud of. But that’s not the end goal.”
The Dodgers have their eyes set on a third consecutive World Series with postseason baseball quickly approaching. Though the juggernaut is considered the favorite to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy, everyone is waiting to see if the Dodgers will actually pull it off.
Clinching the division is a step in the right direction and hopefully Thursday isn’t the final champagne shower of the season.
The Dodgers clinched the division for the 13th time in the last 14 years. USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectMiguel Rojas hit a home run in the Dodgers’ 8-2 win over the Reds. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
TONIGHT’S GAME: With just 10 games remaining on their regular season schedule, the Astros will continue their final homestand of the season tonight as they host the Royals for a rubber game of their three-game series in Houston, TX.
Rookie RHP Miguel Ullola (0-0) will serve as an opener for the Astros tonight opposite the veteran RHP Seth Lugo (7-8) and the Royals.
THE POSTSEASON CHASE: The Astros and Rangers are locked in a tight race down the stretch for the AL West with the two teams entering play today with identical 76-76 records the Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers with a season series victory (9-4 record).
TONIGHT’S OPENER: RHP Miguel Ullola served as an opener his last time out on Sept. 11 at TB, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning in his outing.
Ullola has been great in his limited Major League action this season, posting a 3.38 ERA (3ER/8IP) with a .172 opponent average (5×29) and a 0.75 WHIP in six games.
A longtime minor league starter, Ullola transitioned to a relief role this season and excelled to a 1.57 ERA (5ER28.2IP) in 29 relief appearances at the Triple A level.
TONIGHT’S BROADCASTS: Tonight’s game will be televised by FOX with Adam Amin and A.J. Pierzynski on the call.
The Astros English radio broadcast can be heard on SportsTalk 790 with Robert Ford and Steve Sparks behind the mic.
Francisco Romero and Alex Treviño will call the Astros Spanish broadcast on TUDN 102.9 FM.
GIVEAWAY MADNESS: The Astros will have giveaways for their remaining four home games, including all fans receiving a Jeremy Peña Telenovela Bobblehead tonight, presented by H-E-B.
The Astros will also give away a Jeremy Peña Retro Los Astros Jersey on Friday, an Orbit Sugar Skull Bobblehead on Saturday, and a Viva Los Astros Rally Towel on Sunday.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Astros dropped the middle game of their series with the Royals last night by a score of 5-2.
SS Jeremy Peña (3×4) led the offense with his second consecutive three-hit game.
RHP Cristian Javier (2ER/5.1IP) started for Houston and was handed the loss.
STARTING STRONG: In their last 12 home games, Astros starting pitchers have combined for a 2.29 ERA (16ER/63IP), while allowing two-or-fewer runs in 10 of those contests.
Additionally, Astros starters have posted a 3.22 ERA (42ER/117.1IP) in their last 24 games dating back to Aug. 21.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have reinstated OF Taylor Trammell from the Paternity List and have optioned OF Joey Loperfido to Triple A Sugar Land.
TRIPLE THREAT: DH Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently ranks first or second in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories.
He enters today leading the AL in batting avg. (.310), while ranking second in HR (39) and RBI (98).
Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.022), SLG (.594) and OBP (.428).
Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL):
NOTHING FINER THAN YAINER: C Yainer Diaz is hitting .372 (16×43) in the month of September with two homers, five RBI and a .971 OPS.
Diaz has multiple hits in seven if his 11 starts this month.
STALKING 200: 1B Christian Walker is currently sitting on 199 career home runs and needs just one homer to become the 35th active Major League player to reach 200 career long balls.
Walker has hit 25 homers this year for his fifth consecutive 25-plus homer season (2022-26).
THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader converted his 26th consecutive save opportunity to open his season on Tuesday night, which sets the Astros club record.
Should Hader finish the season without a blown save, he would become just the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save and the first to do so since RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).
HADER’S HEART: LHP Josh Hader will host a group from Covenant House at tonight’s game as a part of his Hader’s Heart program.
Tonight’s visit is just a small part of Hader’s charitable efforts, as the closer has been recognized as the Astros nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for MLB players.
ASTROS-ROYALS: The Astros and Royals have a memorable history, with the two clubs meeting each other in the 2015 ALDS, won by the Royals in five games.
11 years later, 2B Jose Altuve and C Salvador Perez remain on their team’s active rosters, while SS Carlos Correa, currently on the IL, also played in the series.
More recently, the Astros are 10-5 in their last 15 games vs. the Royals, including a 3-2 record this season.
SCHIAVONE REACHES 30-30: Prospect C Jason Schiavone, the Astros 2026 Minor League Player of the Year, recorded three steals for Triple A Sugar Land last night, giving him 32 stolen bases on the minor league season.
Schiavone has also hit 32 home runs this season, making him the first minor league catcher to post a 30- 30 season since C Willie Royster did so for theCharlotte O’s in 1981.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 17, 6:15 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: FOX
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
The Mets are making a move to bring in a fresh arm for Thursday's series opener with the Phillies.
Cameron Weston has been recalled from Syracuse, while Xzavion Curry has been optioned back down.
Weston, a right-handed reliever, joined the Mets after being claimed off waivers from the Orioles this month.
The 26-year-old had a rough Triple-A season with the Norfolk Tides but has been pitching well since joining Syracuse, allowing just one hit while striking out eight over his three appearances.
He made his big league debut earlier this season with Baltimore, throwing a scoreless frame.
If/when he gets into a game down the stretch, Weston will be the 40th pitcher the Mets have used this season.
Curry, of course, joined the club on Wednesday to start in place of the injured Robert Stock and he was knocked around for six runs on six hits and three homers over just three innings of work.
Co-owner of the Vancouver Canadians, Jeff Mooney, shows off his three North-West League championship rings before the start of the game between the Vancouver Canadians and the Everett Aquasox at Nat Bailey Stadium. (Photo by Christopher Morris/Corbis via Getty Images) | Corbis via Getty Images
The Jays are in the thick of a slapstick caper of a wildcard race, but with today being an off day I thought I’d look at the minor leagues as their seasons wrap up. The International League (AAA) goes through this weekend, so the Buffalo Bisons have a few more to play, but the other levels’ seasons came to a close over the course of the last couple of weeks.
The Vancouver Canadians won the Northwest League championship in a 12 inning thriller on Friday night. You can read a full recap here, but it involved a three run comeback in the ninth to force extras and plenty of other drama. It’s the Canadians’ sixth league championship since they became a Blue Jays affiliate in 2011, and their second since the Northwest League was converted from short season ball to A+ in the minor league reorganization.
As Tom mentioned in his roundup yesterday, the rosters for the Arizona Fall League were released. The AFL is a developmental league that is mostly used to give prospects who missed time or otherwise need a little more work an opportunity for some additional reps. This year, it runs from October 3rd through November 14th. Because the number of players teams want to send is limited, especially on the pitching side, AFL rosters are blended. The Jays team up with the Cubs, A’s, Red Sox and Angels to form the Mesa Solar Sox.
Participation in the AFL can be a big opportunity for prospects. They get a chance to shine when there aren’t any other minor leagues going, with scouts from all 30 teams paying attention. Recent proof is Spencer Miles, who caught the Jays’ attention with 8.2 impressive innings in last year’s AFL.
The Jays prospects going this year are:
Brandon Barriera: The 2022 first round pick has alternated between injured and ineffective so far in his career. This season was more of the same, as he managed just 38.2 innings but walked 29 in that span. He’s managed just 66 innings over four pro seasons, so the Jays are likely both inclined to get him more action and not too concerned with sheltering him anymore.
Gilberto Batista: It was a rough year for Batista. He recorded a 7.86 ERA across 87 innings as a multi-inning reliever for Vancouver. He did show some promise last year with Dunedin, after being acquired from the Red Sox in the Danny Jansen trade.
Jake Bloss: Bloss is the exciting name from a Jays fan point of view. He came back from Tommy John surgery throwing 2mph harder than he had before the surgery, but then went down almost immediately with a teres major strain. If he can make a few healthy appearances, retain the stuff bump, and continue to rediscover his command after the surgery, he’ll be set up for a potential rotation role with the big league club next year.
Fernando Perez: The word for Perez’ season is mysterious. He ranked high on our prospect list last winter on the strength of his elite command and strong results across A+ Vancouver and AA New Hampshire, but had a disastrous start to his 2026, walking 10 in nine innings over his first three starts. He was placed on the Development List, a new addition to the minors since the 2021 reorganization that basically allows teams to take players off the roster indefinitely to manage workloads or to work on things outside of game action. He returned for three more appearances in August and September and didn’t look any better. Command is Perez’ whole draw as a prospect, so losing it so completely is concerning. The AFL will be a big opportunity to show that he’s righted the ship. He’s Rule 5 eligible, and coming into the season I’d have expected him to warrant protection, but that seems a distant concern now.
Yondrei Rojas: Our #32 prospect entering the season, Rojas struggled to build on his strong 2025 this year. He struck out just 20% of batters, mostly at AA, and missed fewer bats that last season. He’s 23 and Rule 5 eligible, so this might be one more chance to harness his plus fastball-slider combination and mark himself as a future Blue Jays bullpen hand.
Aaron Parker: 2026 was a breakout for the third year pro. He cut down his swing rate and went on a power binge at New Hampshire, launching 19 home runs in 87 games. He’s a below average defensive catcher and his 67% contact rate is scary, but plus power is plus power, and he may have a shot at the third catcher role at some point in 2027.
Jake Casey: The Kent State prospect has just hit since the Jays took him in the 15th round last year. This season, a broken hamate wiped out his first couple of months, but he managed 13 home runs in just 64 games. He still needs to show he can adjust to upper minors quality spin, and the results are iffy so far, but as long as he keeps producing he’ll warrant watching.
Jake Cook: Last year’s third rounder was just average in A ball, which would be concerning for most pedigreed college draftees. Cook is just two years into switching back to the field from the mound, though, and working to overhaul the pure slap, inside-out swing he used in college to try to develop a modicum of power. He did up his home run total over last year, from 3 to 5, in spite of switching to wood bats and facing better pitching, and he improved as the year went on. He was also 22 for 27 stealing bases, showcasing the athletic tools that convinced the Jays to gamble a top 100 pick on him. He needs reps, and the AFL will offer an opportunity against pitching a bit better than he’s seen so far.
Because they share a team with the Angels, the Jay’s prospects will get a chance to catch up with Arjun Nimmala. He finished the season red hot, clubbing four home runs and four doubles last week for the AA Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Baseball America has graded the year for each farm system. They give the Jays a B+ overall, which seems about right to me. When I reviewed the performance of the top 40 before the deadline, there were a lot of guys moving in different directions, but the overall trend seemed to be upwards.
There were several impressive breakouts, although many of those guys will miss next year’s list because they’ve already graduated. Miles, Brandon Valenzuela, and Brett Bateman have all already far exceeded their prospect expectations. Valenzuela has fallen off badly in the second half and Bateman is surely playing over his head offensively, but both still project as at least quality role players now. For Miles, his peripheral stats fully support his exceptional performance this year, and continued health seems like the only real question. Still on the farm is Nolan Perry, who returned from Tommy John and immediately torched three levels, striking out 117 in only 82.2 innings. Sean Keys, who raced through AA and AAA early in the season, is in between. He’s with the Jays right now but not seeing a lot of playing time. His early MLB results haven’t been good, but the underlying contact and power data remain tantalizing.
Of course, there were some disappointments as well. Bloss showcased improved stuff in his own TJ comeback, but remained healthy only briefly. Juan Sanchez, last year’s Dominican Summer League star, has so far failed to consistently translate his success in the US. Ricky Tiedemann, among others, continued to struggle with his health.
The farm’s ranking, in BA’s reckoning, rose from 17 to 15 between the preseason and the midseason update. That’s impressive given that a lot of the preseason value was tied to Trey Yesavage, who graduated soon after returning from his early season shoulder issues. They might dip slightly this winter, as they traded top prospect Arjun Nimmala and had fewer resources in the draft than most other teams, but the system produced new talent, fed the major league team, and allowed them to make major deadline acquisitions without moving backwards in overall talent. That’s a good year.
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) swings at a pitch during the MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2026 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for September 17, 2026 against the Boston Red Sox: starting pitchers are Tyler Alexander (opening for Cody Bradford) for the Rangers and Sonny Gray for the BoSox.
Texas will look to sweep the series against Boston this evening. Tyler Alexander will be opening for Cody Bradford (though not for Ed Sheehan, as he stands in solidarity with Macklemore). Joc Pederson is apparently still not ready to go, so Josh Jung is at DH, giving his calf some extra rest.
The lineup:
Duran — 3B
Seager — SS
Jung — DH
Nimmo — RF
Langford — LF
Burger — 1B
Lopez — 2B
Jansen — C
Carter — CF
7:05 p.m. Central time. Rangers are +105 underdogs.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 21: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers bats against the Baltimore Orioles during the tenth inning at American Family Field on May 21, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers, who have officially locked up the NL Central, have just three three-game series left this season, and they’re still looking to lock up the top seed in all of baseball at 95-58 this year, two games ahead of the Dodgers at 93-60. On the other side, the Baltimore Orioles sit at 75-78 and are surprisingly still in the AL playoff picture despite sitting in last place in the very deep AL East, sitting just 2.5 games behind the White Sox for the final AL Wild Card spot with nine games to go. Baltimore is coming off a series sweep of the Mets in New York.
Milwaukee’s injured list currently includes right-handers Grant Anderson and Bryse Wilson, both of whom started rehab assignments with Triple-A Nashville this week and hope to return before the end of the regular season. The Brewers are also without Brandon Woodruff (possible postseason return), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), Quinn Priester (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season).
Baltimore is without infielder Jackson Holliday (return TBD), outfielder Christian Franklin (late September), outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (TBD), utilityman Blaze Alexander (late September), first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (TBD), infielder Jordan Westburg (out for season), and outfielder Tyler O’Neill (TBD). Pitchers Zach Eflin (out for season), Keegan Akin (out for season), Colin Selby (out for season), Ryan Helsley (on rehab assignment), Félix Bautista (on rehab assignment), and Kyle Bradish (out for season).
Jake Bauers continues to pace Milwaukee’s offense with 26 homers, slashing .269/.394/.497 this season. Jackson Chourio is hitting .286/.343/.481 with 23 homers and 17 steals, putting him on the cusp of another 20-20 season. Brice Turang, William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, and Joey Ortiz have also been hot, with Gary Sánchez, Andrew Vaughn, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, and Bo Naylor also slotting in as regular contributors, especially over these last couple of weeks as Milwaukee hopes to rest their regulars. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .259/.342/.405 (.747 OPS ranks fourth), with 147 homers (tied for 28th), 792 runs scored (second), and 148 steals (fifth).
Pete Alonso paces Baltimore’s offense with 37 homers, 24 doubles, and an AL-best 102 RBIs this season, as he hit his 300th career homer earlier this week. Coby Mayo has 24 homers, and Gunnar Henderson has added 23 homers, while rookie catcher Samuel Basallo has 18 homers. Former Red Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser, and Leody Taveras are also regulars, with Rece Hinds, Heston Kjerstad, Jeremiah Jackson, José Barrero, Carlos Narváez, and Yohel Pozo rounding things out. As a team, the Orioles are hitting .234/.315/.396 (.711 OPS ranks tied for 22nd), with 188 homers (10th), 688 runs scored (13th), and 76 steals (25th).
Aaron Ashby’s 72 appearances pace the Milwaukee bullpen, though the best arms have been Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and, lately, clean-up man Garrett Stallings, who hasn’t allowed a run across 14 major league innings. Chad Patrick, DL Hall, and Shane Drohan (recently moved to the bullpen) have also been solid, and trade deadline acquisitions JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela have shown flashes of their previous successes. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.58 team ERA (second), including a 3.66 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.47 bullpen ERA (fourth). They’ve struck out 1,467 batters (second) over 1,365 2/3 innings.
Rico Garcia leads Baltimore’s bullpen with a 2.94 ERA over 72 appearances, picking up nine saves, second only to Andrew Kittredge’s 10 saves. Kittredge has a 3.66 ERA over 53 appearances, Grant Wolfram has a 4.56 ERA over 57 appearances, and Yennier Cano has a 3.06 ERA over 65 appearances. Anthony Nunez (3.97 ERA over 56 2/3 IP), Josh Walker (1.61 ERA over 28 IP), Alex Hoppe (1.42 ERA over 12 2/3 IP), Cam Sanders (3.00 ERA over 18 IP), Luis De León (2.45 ERA over 7 1/3 IP), and Brewer trade deadline acquisition Codi Heuer (no appearances) round things out. As a staff, the Orioles have a 4.14 team ERA (15th), including a 4.36 starter ERA (19th) and a 3.84 bullpen ERA (10th). They’ve struck out 1,229 batters (22nd) over 1,364 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, September 18 @ 6:05 p.m.: RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.49 ERA, 3.42 FIP) vs. LHP Cade Povich (2-1, 4.05 ERA, 4.81 FIP)
May has now made seven starts since joining Milwaukee at the trade deadline. He’s 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA, 4.46 FIP, and 27 strikeouts over 29 1/3 innings with the Brewers, and he’s coming off one of his best starts yet, going six scoreless frames and allowing just two hits and a walk, striking out six in Milwaukee’s 20-0 blowout victory over the Reds. May has made two career appearances (one start) against Baltimore, totaling eight innings with two runs allowed (2.25 ERA) and seven strikeouts.
Povich, 26, is currently with Triple-A Norfolk, though he was scratched from his scheduled start on Thursday and is expected to start this weekend. The left-hander has made just seven appearances (six starts) in the majors this year, with a 4.05 ERA, 4.81 FIP, and 25 strikeouts across 33 1/3 innings, and he’s been even worse at Triple-A, with a 6.28 ERA and 69 strikeouts across 61 2/3 innings. Povich has never appeared against the Brewers.
Saturday, September 19 @ 3:05 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (4-5, 4.30 ERA, 4.32 FIP) vs. LHP Trevor Rogers (10-10, 4.22 ERA, 3.63 FIP)
Gasser, who is still auditioning for a spot in Milwaukee’s rotation come postseason time, has made 19 appearances (18 starts) this season, pitching to a 4-5 record with a 4.30 ERA, 4.32 FIP, and 92 strikeouts across 96 1/3 innings. The former second-round pick looked solid once again in Sunday’s loss to the Reds, allowing one run on three hits and a pair of walks, striking out five in a no-decision. This marks Gasser’s first career appearance against Baltimore.
Rogers, 28, was the runner up in the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year race and was acquired by the Orioles at the trade deadline in 2024. After a great season last year (5.3 bWAR with a 1.81 ERA and 2.82 FIP over 109 2/3 innings), he’s regressed a bit this year, pitching to a 10-10 record with a 4.22 ERA, 3.63 FIP, and 143 strikeouts over 157 2/3 innings. He got roughed up by the Blue Jays in his last outing, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk over six frames, striking out five. Rogers had made five starts against Milwaukee, all of which came while with the Marlins. He’s 4-0 in those outings, with a 2.84 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings.
Sunday, September 20 @ 6:20 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Brandon Young (9-4, 3.65 ERA, 4.57 FIP)
The Brewers haven’t yet announced a starter for Sunday’s series finale, but it could be Jacob Misiorowski, Shane Drohan, a bullpen game, or somebody else. We’ll see.
Young, 28, made 12 starts with little success (6.24 ERA) last season, but he’s been much better this year, with a 3.65 ERA, 4.57 FIP, and 118 strikeouts over 145 2/3 innings through 26 starts. He went five frames against the Mets in his last outing, allowing one run on five hits and five walks, striking out six. This would mark Young’s first career appearance against the Brewers.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, September 18: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, September 19: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, September 20: Exclusively televised on Peacock/NBC Sports Network; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Orioles are still fighting for their playoff lives while the Brewers are looking to lock up the top seed in the National League (and all of baseball), making for an exciting late-season weekend set. I’ll take the Crew to win two of three.
HOUSTON, TX - JULY 01: Houston Astros left fielder Joey Loperfido (10) hits a single in the bottom of the sixth inning during the MLB game between the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros on July 1, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was great seeing you again, Joey. Sorry you have to leave so soon.
Recalled two days ago, Loperfido did get one pinch-hit AB. That is all it is going to be.
Recalled because OF Taylor Trammell was going on the Paternity List. Today, the Astros activated Trammell from the Paternity List, and optioned Loperfido back to Triple-A Sugar Land.
Barring an injury, Loperfido will have made his last appearance for the Astros this season due to the 10 day rule. Players optioned to the minors must wait 10 days before being recalled unless they are an injury replacement.
Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 11: Roman Anthony #19 of Boston Red Sox exits the field during the top of the ninth inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park on September 11, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Edward Monigan IV/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Garett Crochet wants to pitch in the postseason without making a single rehab appearance. That’s audacious enough, but how about playing in the postseason, without having ever played in the big leagues at all? That could be the situation Braiden Ward finds himself in. If you need to refresh your memory, Ward was the little speedster who was running wild all over Grapefruit League diamonds this spring. He hasn’t gotten a chance to show whether he can do that in the Majors yet, but Chad Tracy isn’t ruling it out. “Every time he gets on, he’s not afraid,” Tracy said. “That’s the thing. If he gets on base, he’s looking to go. That’s a unique trait. There’s a lot of guys who can run and steal bases and then there’s other guys who are, every single time they get on, almost regardless of the timing.” (Conor Ryan, Boston.com)
But a lack of speed on the base paths isn’t really the Red Sox problem right now as they muddle through a middling September. Strikeouts are. “The Red Sox are swinging and missing too much and not walking enough. This month, they have the eighth-most strikeouts and seventh-fewest walks. That doesn’t play in the postseason. Making contact does.” (Rob Bradford, WEEI)
After he initially returned to the big leagues with a bang, Roman Anthony is one of the Sox hitters who’s struggling to make contact right now. But he doesn’t sound worried. “I’m right where I want to be,” said Anthony. “I came back with enough time to get a good number of plate appearances, and to fail like I am right now and to succeed like I did in the beginning, and then kind of meet in the middle and continue to grind out every single day and get ready for what we want to be a long postseason run. [The playoffs are] what you play for after such a long year … At the end of the day, those few weeks are the only thing that really matters.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Unfortunately, the other big power threat in the Sox lineup is also struggling to get back up to speed. Willson Contreras homered last night, but he’s still dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. “I ran pretty good there on the ground ball to shortstop, but I need to manage my leg better,” he said. “I know it’s feeling good and it’s feeling alright, but on a hard-hit ball like that, I know I’m going to be out. I was just trying to put pressure on him, see if he made a bad throw or whatever. Next time, I’ll manage better.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
With Anthony and Contreras struggling in different ways, it’s important to remember that this team’s success has been built on depth, not individual star power. “Whether it was an expanded version of the trade that brought Caleb Durbin from Milwaukee to include Monasterio and Seigler, or waiver claims of Cheng and Gasper, or a minor league deal for Guerrero, the season has been a case study in the notion that perceived little moves can have a huge impact.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Fortunately, the Sox have some depth in the good guy department, too. After the departure of Liam Hendriks, who had been nominated for the Clemente Award seven times throughout his career for his charitable efforts, Garrett Whitlock has stepped in and picked up the baton. (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Sep 17, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson (14) hits a two rbi single against the Oakland Athletics in the fourth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On Thursday afternoon, the Rays were looking to complete a series sweep against the A’s before going into a weekend series against the Red Sox. To get the job done, they had Drew Rasmussen on the mound, up against Jeffrey Springs for the A’s. Old friend alert!
The A’s went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, though they gave up an ABS challenge pretty early in the game when the final called strike of the inning was confirmed. The Rays also went 1-2-3 for the inning.
Zack Gelof singled to start the second, but Donovan Walton grounded into a double play to eliminate the baserunner. Rasmussen got another ground ball out to end the inning. In the home half, Liam Hicks got a leadoff single, but three outs followed to end the inning.
In the third, Denzel Clarke got a two-out single, then successfully stole second. Henry Bolte walked. We got a good old-fashioned double steal as Clarke and Bolte both stole a base, but despite both getting into scoring position, the A’s weren’t able to capitalize on the baserunners. The Rays went three-up, three-down in the home half.
Lawrence Butler singled to start the fourth, but three outs followed to leave him stranded. In the home half, things opened up for the Rays in a big way. Jonathan Aranda got things started with a leadoff double. Junior Caminero walked. Liam Hicks then walked. Jonny DeLuca grounded into a force out that ended with Aranda out at home, but the bases safely loaded. Chandler Simpson singled, driving in two runs.
Ryan Vilade was hit by a pitch. Richie Palacios then doubled, but thanks to a fielding error by Heim, three runs scored and Palacios ended up on third.
Taylor Walls then singled, bringing in another run. That was all she wrote for Springs, sorry old friend, but not sorry. He was replaced by Geoff Hartlieb who got the next two outs in a row, but the Rays were suddenly up 6-0.
Ras had to be breathing a little easier going into the fifth inning. Clarke managed a two-out walk, then Bolte singled, but the A’s couldn’t manage to bring either of them home. The Rays went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Rasmussen was done after five innings with a final line of 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K on 76 pitches. Personally, I probably would have let him go another inning, but perhaps Cash has insights we don’t. Casey Legumina replaced him and immediately gave up a solo home run to Butler. Three outs followed, but the A’s had made their way onto the scoreboard. Joe Rock came out of the A’s pen in the home half and gave up a leadoff single to Simpson. Simpson stole second, and Vilade walked. Cedric Mullins replaced Vilade as a pinch-runner, then both Simpson and Mullins stole a base to put two runners in scoring position. Palacios walked to load the bases. Between a Rock and a hard place, the A’s went back to their bullpen for Chris Roycroft. Walls was walked, bringing in a run. With one out, Aranda walked to bring in another run. Two outs followed as the A’s finally got themselves out of their mess, but the Rays were now up 8-1.
Brody Hopkins was the new Rays’ pitcher for the seventh. Alika Williams got a leadoff walk. A wild pitch allowed Williams to advance to second. Hopkins got things back under control, though, and got the next three outs in order. Yunior Tur came in for the home half and got the Rays out in order.
Steven Matz came on for the eighth. With two outs, Gelof reached on a fielding error from Caminero, but it didn’t end up hurting the Rays as they got the final out in the next at-bat. In the bottom of the inning Palacios got a leadoff walk. Walls grounded into a force out to eliminate Palacios but keep a runner on. Aranda then reached on a fielding error to load the bases. Hicks then singled to score two more runs. Jake Fraley then walked. Drew Rom came in from the A’s bullpen to get the final out of the inning. The Rays now led 10-1.
Alex Cook took over for the Rays in the ninth and got the final three outs of the game to wrap up the Rays’ win and the series sweep.
