MIAMI, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: Justin Wrobleski #70 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Miami Marlins in the seventh inning of the game at loanDepot park on September 12, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a de facto bullpen game because of Blake Snell’s early exit, the Dodgers require length from Justin Wrobleski in an early start against the Reds.
The Boston Red Sox are still sitting comfortably in the second Wild Card spot, but there are several issues they must resolve before they start thinking about playoff baseball.
Boston is a mediocre 11-11 over its last 22 games. While that’s been good enough to sustain its playoff position, its play hasn’t exactly inspired optimism for a deep postseason run.
Most of the Red Sox’ problems can be linked to their underperforming lineup. Key hitters like Roman Anthony, Willson Contreras, Adley Rutschman and Wilyer Abreu have been concerningly inconsistent.
A deeper dive into the numbers suggests the struggling Sox will have their work cut out for them in their presumed Wild Card Series rematch at Yankee Stadium. Here are the club’s five biggest areas of concern with 10 games remaining:
Roman Anthony is ice-cold
The Red Sox need Roman Anthony to be one of their best offensive players to have any chance of a deep postseason run. If the former No. 1 prospect continues to play the way he has for most of September, that will be problematic.
Anthony is hitting just .149 (7-for-47) with one home run and a .428 OPS over his last 11 games. He has struck out 18 times in 51 plate appearances.
The 22-year-old’s struggles beg the question: should he still be the leadoff hitter in the postseason? Interim manager Chad Tracy will have no choice but to reevaluate Anthony’s spot in the lineup if his woes continue. The problem with that is there aren’t any exciting alternatives. The leadoff spot has been a glaring issue all season long, regardless of who has been thrust into the role.
The Red Sox offense has been inconsistent no matter who’s on the mound, but it has mostly struggled against pitchers with high velo. Here’s how some of Boston’s regulars have fared this season against pitches greater than or equal to 97 mph:
The Red Sox’ top performer against high velocity (97 mph and above) has been Caleb Durbin (.364 BA, .912 OPS, 161 pitches).
Being so vulnerable against high velocity will especially be a problem for Boston in its expected Wild Card Series matchup against the New York Yankees. Cy Young frontrunner and likely Game 1 starter Cam Schlittler averages 98 mph with his four-seam fastball, which he uses 44.5 percent of the time. Gerrit Cole averages 96.9 mph with his four-seam, using it 49.3 percent of the time.
Leaving runners stranded
Boston has been below average all season at capitalizing on runners in scoring position. It currently ranks 17th in batting average (.250) and 21st in OPS (.731) with RISP. They’re hitting just .212 in such situations through 14 games so far in September.
The Yankees’ elite pitching staff probably won’t provide the Red Sox with many scoring opportunities in their short series, so it’s imperative that they come through when given the chance. Lately, Boston hasn’t had anyone in its lineup to feel confident about when they step to the plate with runners on.
Role players regressing
As great as guys like Willson Contreras, Caleb Durbin, and Wilyer Abreu were throughout the Red Sox’ incredible midseason turnaround, it was the role players who powered their surge. Mickey Gasper, Jahmai Jones, Nick Sogard, Anthony Seigler, and Andruw Monasterio were instrumental in resurrecting Boston’s season.
Gasper has cooled off, though no one expected him to sustain his Barry Bonds-like run. Jahmai Jones is 4 for his last 22 (.182) with nine strikeouts, suddenly making him a playoff roster cut candidate. Sogard is still hitting, but his .758 OPS so far in September suggests regression to the mean. Seigler is hurt. Monasterio posted a .578 OPS in August and is 0-for-11 so far in September, putting him on the playoff roster bubble.
That group deserves immense credit for getting the Red Sox here, but it cannot be counted on to propel the club through the postseason.
Erik Miller experiencing command issues
Boston’s bullpen is arguably its biggest strength heading into the postseason. The back end with Garrett Whitlock, Tyron Guerrero, and Aroldis Chapman is elite.
We would’ve included trade deadline addition Erik Miller in that group last month, when he allowed only one earned run with 20 strikeouts and just three walks across his first 11 appearances with the Red Sox. His performance so far this month, however, has been alarming.
Miller, acquired from the San Francisco Giants in the Marcelo Mayer trade, has allowed four earned runs with six walks and six strikeouts through five appearances (4.1 IP) in September. His command struggles were a question mark upon his joining the club, and it appears that issue has reemerged with less than two weeks until the playoffs.
After Wednesday’s poor outing against the Texas Rangers (2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB), Miller attributed his recent struggles to his mechanics. The Red Sox will hope that whatever the problem is, it’s a quick fix, because Miller will be counted on to be their most reliable left-handed reliever not named Aroldis Chapman.
CINCINNATI –– Even after watching Roki Sasaki complete the final checkmark in his recovery from a blister on Wednesday afternoon, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts couldn’t say for sure how the team would use the 24-year-old phenom pitcher.
Though he had turned a corner as a starter during the second half of this campaign, posting a 2.31 ERA in his first six outings after the All-Star break, he had still long looked like a superfluous piece of the Dodgers’ rotation, an excess arm stuck behind the four veteran superstars the club had penciled in to lead this fall’s World Series push.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki watches from the dugout during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Miami. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
However, Roberts remained non-committal about Sasaki’s plan on Wednesday, after the right-hander completed a four-inning, 48-pitch session of live batting practice in Cincinnati, in what was hoped to be his final step before returning from the injured list.
On the one hand, the skipper noted, the Dodgers could shift Sasaki to the bullpen now, give him time to re-acclimate to relief duties, and let him focus on just short-burst stints.
But on the other, “one can argue it’s best to [let him] take down a couple starts and keep him built up,” Roberts countered. “Because if something does happen, then he is built up.”
Hours later, the something Roberts was worried about might have suddenly happened –– with Blake Snell’s groin injury having direct repercussions on Sasaki’s potential task.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki warms up prior to a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, Friday, September 11, 2026. JC Ruiz/Sipa USALos Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) pitches in a live batting practice prior to a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, Wednesday, September 9, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In Wednesday night’s game, Snell left his start after just one inning because of left groin tightness. While he’s hopeful he avoided any serious injury, he has had bouts of groin issues in the past that have sidelined him for up to a month at a time.
If that were to be the case again now, Sasaki would be first in line to replace Snell in the Dodgers’ postseason rotation.
Mix in the uncertainty surrounding fellow starter Tyler Glasnow faced following his four-inning outing last weekend in Miami –– after which he conspicuously returned immediately to Los Angeles to limit extra travel on the rest of this road trip –– and Sasaki now seems like a valuable starting-pitching insurance policy the Dodgers might still need to utilize in the playoffs.
That’s why, by the end of Wednesday’s game, Roberts was able to at least be definitive about the team’s plan for Sasaki when he comes off the injured list, confirming he is likely to make a start sometime next week, perhaps during a visit from the San Diego Padres.
In a best-case scenario, that will be Sasaki’s last time starting a game this year, with an otherwise healthy rotation allowing the Dodgers to shift him to an equally banged-up bullpen.
But for now, the team can’t be certain of anything.
Which means, when it comes to Sasaki, all options remain on the table.
CHICAGO — As Pete Crow-Armstrong came up with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, the Wrigley Field crowd chanted “M-V-Pete! M-V-Pete!” — and not for the first time.
The fans serenaded the Chicago star after his first home run, his 43rd to break Billy Williams’ Cubs record for left-handed hitters. They made their feelings known after his RBI triple and after his 44th home run.
Even when Crow-Armstrong struck out on five pitches in the eighth, he still received a standing ovation on his way back to the dugout at the end of a 3 for 4 night with three RBIs and three runs in an 8-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves, his seventh multi-home-run game of the season.
With Shohei Ohtani still on the injured list with right biceps inflammation, Crow-Armstrong keeps hitting home runs, closing in on the first 40-40 season in Cubs history, putting the finishing touches on his MVP case, at least as far as Cubs fans are concerned.
“You’re shaking your head in amazement, sometimes,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “In amazement. You know, you don’t get to see this. That’s what I told Alex (Bregman): ‘We don’t get to see things like this.’ You spend your whole life in baseball and you just don’t see this happen on a baseball field.
“You’re grateful to be a part of it. You’re grateful to see things like this. And then you’re grateful the fans get to see a season like this. They’re going to talk about it. They’re going to tell their kids about it. They’re going to tell their grandkids about a season like this.”
Yet as he’s gone from breakthrough player to MVP candidate to MVP favorite, Crow-Armstrong has been unfazed by the pressure, his performance unwavering as the Cubs chase a wild-card spot.
“I keep it pretty simple,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I enjoy just kind of laying low, as I always do and always will. I’ve got a really nice support system.”
Only one home run behind Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber for the major league lead, Crow-Armstrong is hitting. 283 with 105 RBIs, 29 doubles and 37 stolen bases to go with Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field.
Crow-Armstrong’s breakthrough season at age 24 has him at or near the top of every offensive metric in the NL while also tapping out the vocabulary of Shota Imanaga.
“We can always say he’s great, or he’s excellent, but really there’s no words to describe him,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “So I’ll think of a new word in English for that.”
With the 2026 campaign in the books, let's open up the mailbag to discuss some of the Mets' top prospects...
Do you think Mitch Voit will have a similar opportunity to Carson Benge this upcoming spring to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster? – @metcov
In his first offseason after being drafted, the Mets and Voit remade his swing from college to allow him to more consistently impact the ball. The adjustment that he was working with could have led to a slow start to his pro career with High-A Brooklyn, hitting .219 with a .697 OPS in his first two months as a professional.
His season took off from there and went to even another level upon reaching Double-A Binghamton. The 21-year-old slashed .347/.430/.517 with 12 doubles, two home runs and 18 RBI in 29 Double-A games. He rose to No. 5 on SNY’s top 30 prospect list midseason and may end up a little higher when the system is re-ranked in the offseason.
Looking ahead to 2027, Marcus Semien is the incumbent at second base. Voit is a natural second baseman who has begun to play some shortstop this season to add defensive versatility. Right now, No. 13 prospect Émilien Pitre and No. 1 prospect Jefferson Rojas (more on him in a minute) have already made it to Triple-A and have also played second base. They could be ahead of Voit on the organizational depth chart heading into 2027.
Having competition for who takes a stranglehold on second base is nothing but a good thing. I would anticipate that when/if there is a spring training, all three of the names above will be in big league camp competing for a spot, assuming they are all still with the organization.
Voit told the media after accepting the Player of the Year award that his focus is on going to instructs in Port St. Lucie this fall and setting up a plan with the staff of how he can impact the big-league team in 2027.
I don’t think I would look at Voit as someone being on the Benge-like timeline of being the strongest candidate to start 2027 at second base. With that said, I believe he will get the opportunity to make an impact on the 2027 Mets, but it might be more on an A.J. Ewing type of timeline rather than Benge.
Given the power surge, do you see Jefferson Rojas as an important piece of the Mets going forward? Or is he the most valuable trade chip in the organization that can bring back a real difference maker? – @BrianLowe02
The Mets' No. 1 prospect Rojas has done nothing but hit since joining the organization in the Clay Holmes/Tyrone Taylor trade, including hitting his second home run in his second game with Triple-A Syracuse. The power has looked real. Rojas is up to 200 pounds, and his 90th percentile exit velocity of 104.2 mph shows there is above-average power in his bat.
There are multiple factors to consider with this question. Heading into the winter, the free agent class on paper is weak in comparison to past years. There is some thought in league circles that this could lead to an increase in the number of trades that occur in whatever type of offseason it ends up being with the pending lockout.
It is also possible that given the uncertainty surrounding what the sport’s financial system will look like, prospects could be even more valuable. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns was not shy after the trade deadline in saying that some of the prospects in the system could impact the Mets roster, and some could end up being used in trades.
While Rojas has played second base and shortstop, the near consensus from scouts I talk to is that Rojas fits best at third base. The Mets currently have Bo Bichette as their third baseman, though he possesses an opt-out each of the next two offseasons. If Bichette opts in and is with the Mets in 2027, pending health, Rojas' pathway to a near-term opportunity at third base is blocked. If Bichette were to opt out, that runway to opportunity at third base would be wide open.
If the Mets are going to consider a significant trade, given his season and proximity to the big leagues, Rojas is going to be a prospect teams around the sport are asking about.
If the Mets believe Rojas can profile as a second baseman, then he could be competing with Semien, Pitre, and Voit for a job on the Opening Day roster.
I hate to ride the fence, but Rojas is a valuable piece, however you slice it. He could be the long-term option at either third or second base depending on how the roster shakes out, or he could be a part of a package to make a significant trade this winter, perhaps for a starting pitcher?
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 30: Tyler Glasnow #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Sunday, August 30, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Zack Belsky/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After playing two series in two weeks against a lowly Reds team, the Dodgers have two of their final three series of 2026 against a bad San Francisco Giants squad, the first of which starts Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
Tyler Glasnow starts the series opener for the Dodgers, with left-hander Cesar Perdomo pitching for San Francisco.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 11: Wilber Dotel #66 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 11, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, September 17, 2026, 12:35 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping to avoid a sweep in the series finale hosting the NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.
The Brewers are giving the start to Kyle Harrison, who is making his 24th start of the season. In his first season in Milwaukee, he is achieving career bests for the Brewers.
Harrison is 10-4 with a 3.98 ERA. In his last start on September 6 against the Cincinnati Reds, he pitched 3.2 innings, giving up nine hits and four earned runs in a 12-8 loss. Harrison is looking for his first win in just over a month. The last time he pulled out a victory was on August 18 at home against the Seattle Mariners, when he went five innings and gave up two hits in a 22-0 blowout victory.
The Pirates are countering with rookie right-hander Wilbur Poeltl, who is making just his second career start. In his first start on September 11 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, he pitched two innings, giving up four hits and three earned runs in a 12-2 loss. Poeltl has primarily come out of the bullpen this season, and he has not pitched more than four innings in a game this season. This means the bullpen should get plenty of action today as the series comes to a close.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Kyle Harrison (10-4, 3.98 ERA) vs. Wilber Dotel (1-5, 4.84 ERA)
BD community, this is your game thread against the Milwaukee Brewers. Chime off in the comments section below.
Emeryville, CA April 5, 1955 - Allen Gettel rides a horse on opening day at Oaks Ballpark. (Russ Reed / Oakland Tribune Photographer)
(Digital First Media Group/Oakland Tribune via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Allen Gettel was born a ways south of the Bronx, down in Norfolk, Virginia. Growing up on the family farm, few could have predicted the journey his life would take. From pitching in Yankee Stadium to acting on the big screen, Gettel became his own type of renaissance man.
Allen Jones Gettel Born: September 17, 1917 (Norfolk, Virginia) Died: April 8, 2005 (Norfolk, Virginia) Yankees Tenure: 1945-46
Gettel graduated from Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach in 1936. The Yankees signed the young right-handed pitcher to a contract upon graduation after scout Gene McCann found the big 6-foot-3 hurler while scouting local high school games. This kicked off a nine-year stint in the Yankees farm system.
The first three years of his time in the Yankees system were spent in the lower levels of the minor leagues. Gettel’s debut campaign came with the Norfolk Tars, in the city where he was born. The following season in 1937, he split his time between the Butler Yankees and the Bassett Furnituremakers (another Virginia team). Then, in 1938, he had a standout performance for the Snow Hill Billies in the Class D Coastal Plain League, and that performance earned him a ticket to the Augusta Tigers for the 1939 season.
From 1940 through 1943, Gettel found himself in Double-A, playing for both the Newark Bears and Kansas City Blues. Following the 1943 campaign, the Yankees traded Gettel, Ed Levy, and $10,000 cash to the Philadelphia Phillies for Nick Etten. However, Gettel declared he would spend the 1943 season on the farm to ensure he could not be drafted into military service, and on the same note, Levy was classified as 1-A by the Selective Service System, meaning he was immediately eligible to be drafted into the military. The Phillies were essentially giving away a player for no one at that point and got the trade vetoed. The Yankees and Phillies later agreed to new players in the trade, and Etten became a Yankee (a very nice wartime one at that).
After the trade fell through, the Yankees assigned Gettel back to Norfolk. Back home, he could play baseball while maintaining his farm work. This is where Gettel spent the next two seasons, and he dominated. Gettel posted an incredible 1.38 ERA while going 11-11. Then, in 1944, he went 17-7 with a 1.81 ERA.
Prior to the 1945 season, the Yankees were depleted due to the war draft; the previous year had already been challenging as their streak of three consecutive pennants was snapped by the St. Louis Browns of all teams. Gettel was protected due to his farmer status, and after his performance the two years prior, the Yankees finally gave the 27-year-old a chance to play in the majors. Gettel made his debut on April 20th against the Washington Senators. Coming on in relief, he pitched four innings and allowed just one hit while striking out four to pick up a retroactive save.
Gettel went on to have a decent rookie year, tallying 154 innings with a 9-8 record and a 3.92 ERA for the Bombers. He followed that up in 1946 by going 6-7 with a 2.97 ERA in 103 innings. However, following the season and facing a roster crunch as the rest of the boys returned home from war, the Yankees decided to trade Gettel, and this time the trade went through.
On December 6, 1946, Gettel, Hal Peck, and Gene Bearden were traded to Cleveland for Ray Mack and Sherm Lollar. Gettel anchored Cleveland’s starting rotation in 1947, earning 11 wins to go along with a 3.20 ERA. In early June of the 1948 season, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox and thus could not celebrate with his old teammates when Cleveland won the World Series that fall, their most recent title as a franchise. Gettel stayed in Chicago for a year and some change before he was purchased by the Washington Senators. Gettel finished the 1949 season in Washington.
From 1950 through 1959, Gettel bounced around, playing mostly for the Oakland Oaks in the Pacific Coast League — though he did play in the majors in 1951 for the New York Giants and in 1955 for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Gettel officially retired from professional baseball in 1959 with 38 career major league victories and 196 minor league wins. Years later in 2001, Gettel and others admitted that the 1951 New York Giants used a system to steal signs from opposing catchers, including on Bobby Thomson’s famous “Shot Heard ’Round the World.” The cheating scheme had a spotter with a telescope buzzing down the catchers finger count to the bullpen who then had various ways to signal to hitters what was coming.
During his time on the Oaks, Gettel used his farm talents to land some roles in movies and television. A skilled horse rider, he appeared in Westerns such as The Tin Star. The acting roles earned Gettel his nickname “Two Guns.” Gettel embraced the nickname and even dressed like a cowboy and rode a horse in from the bullpen when the Oaks would allow.
Gettel continued farming throughout his long life. He passed away at age-87 in 2005 in where else, but Norfolk. Happy birthday to one of Hampton Roads’ great underrated sons!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Los Angeles, CA - August 12: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Landon Knack (96) reacts after allowing a hit during the seventh inning of an baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Since getting optioned to Triple-A on August 13, Knack had a 1.56 ERA with 14 strikeouts and seven walks in 17 1/3 innings over four appearances. His last outing was five scoreless innings with four strikeouts last Thursday against Sugar Land.
Miller allowed two runs on three hits and got seven outs in Wednesday’s loss to the Reds, with one strikeout. After spending over five months on the injured list to start the season with shoulder and back problems, Miller was activated off the 60-day injured list on September 5. Miller allowed a run in three relief innings on September 6 to earn the win, then was optioned the next day.
Miller spending five total days in the majors this month means his total time optioned to the minors fewer than the 20 days required to exhaust an option year. In other words, after using option years in 2024 and 2025 but not 2026, Miller will have one option year remaining in 2027.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 16: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers runs home to score on a single by Ezequiel Duran #20 (not pictured) against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning at Globe Life Field on September 16, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In non-Rangers news, Blake Snell left his start for the Dodgers yesterday after just one inning due to a groin issue, and Aaron Judge departed prematurely from the Yankees’ game against the Twins yesterday due to leg tightness.
Ken Rosenthal writes about some managerial situations that are potentially up in the air when the season ends, including sixty percent of the American League West.
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 12: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Saturday, September 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
You need not dig too deeply through the annals of Major League Baseball history to discover a time when the Cincinnati Reds sported one of the finest collections of starting pitching in the land. In fact, you need only turn back the clock to last year to find the Reds, with 15.6 collective fWAR, ranking as the 2nd best starting pitching unit in the sport.
Oh, how times change!
Despite Chase Burns emerging as a legitimate ace prior to having his innings curtailed, Cincinnati’s starters sit with a meager 8.0 fWAR combined so far this season. That ranks 22nd overall, and given the rate at which they’ve been getting shelled lately there’s reason to believe that number could even shrink before season’s end.
(Where have you gone, Hunter Greene’s elbow? Reds nation turns their lonely eyes to you.)
As Cincinnati slumps its way towards game 162, it’s worth pointing out the meteoric fall of two starters in particular.
As of the morning of September 17th, there have been 52 big league pitchers to log 150 innings so far this season, and not a single one has a higher FIP (5.40) than Brady Singer, who’ll start this afternoon in the series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That’s the guy that the front office hinted might get a $23 million qualifying offer at season’s end after they didn’t deal him away at the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, you need not look far down that bad-news leaderboard to find a fellow Reds starter, as Andrew Abbott (4.90) ranks 3rd worst. So, Cincinnati has had a bit of durability from these arms – as I mentioned, fewer than two starters per club have reached 150 IP so far this season, on average – but the ones the Reds have had clear that mark rank as the guys who more likely than not shouldn’t be pitching that much after all.
It’s almost like they lost their pitching coach mysteriously in the middle of the season and couldn’t remember how to throw anymore.
With just over two weeks remaining in the 2026 season, it’s unlikely that either of these two finds a new gear, a new pitch, a new approach that rights their respective ships enough for it to matter in the larger sample. That’s work that will be reserved for the long, cold offseason when Cincinnati once again gets to lick its wounds while other clubs play meaningful postseason ball. Whether or not it’ll be a long enough winter for them to fix all the problems remains to be seen.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 12: Kyle Harrison #52 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch in the game against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field on September 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a come-from-behind win on Wednesday night, the Brewers are looking for a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Thursday afternoon, as the team is now just three wins away from setting a new franchise record and five wins away from a 100-win season.
Left-hander Kyle Harrison gets the ball for the Crew, and while his season stats still look solid — 3.98 ERA, 4.03 FIP, and 134 strikeouts over 110 2/3 innings — he’s really struggled in his last few outings. Spanning 7 1/3 innings over two starts and a relief appearance, Harrison has allowed a whopping 19 runs (17 earned) on 23 hits (including six homers) and six walks while striking out seven. That’s raised his ERA and FIP from 2.79 and 3.30, respectively. He’ll look to get back on the right track against a team he’s had plenty of success against — across 17 career innings against the Pirates, he’s allowed no runs and struck out 29. That includes a pair of wins this season, as he’s totaled 11 innings with 22 strikeouts against them.
Opposite Harrison is right-hander Wilber Dotel. Dotel, 23, has made 19 appearances this season, and this will be just his second start. Across 35 1/3 innings here in his rookie year, he’s 1-5 with a 4.84 ERA, 2.98 FIP, and 36 strikeouts. He pitched 2/3 of a scoreless inning against the Brewers in Tuesday night’s loss, allowing a hit and striking out one. His only other start came on Friday against the Cubs, when he went two innings and allowed three runs before Khristian Curtis (3 IP, 6 ER) and Antwone Kelly (3 IP, 3 ER) finished things out in a 12-2 loss.
In roster news, the Brewers have designated left-handed reliever Rob Zastryzny for assignment. Zastryzny, 34, made 35 appearances for the Brewers between 2024 and 2025, pitching to a 2.12 ERA, 4.09 FIP, and 25 strikeouts across 29 2/3 innings. He hasn’t appeared in any major league games this year as he’s dealt with multiple injuries and setbacks. He was sent on his latest rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville last week, but the Brewers activated and DFA’d him today. The move doesn’t open a 40-man spot, as Zastryzny was on the 60-day IL.
Brice Turang sits in the leadoff spot today, followed by Luis Lara and Jackson Chourio. Andrew Vaughn bats cleanup, with Gary Sánchez in the five-hole. Joey Ortiz, Sal Frelick, Bo Naylor, and David Hamilton round things out, as regular starters Jake Bauers, William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Cooper Pratt, and Christian Yelich all get the day off.
First pitch is set for an early 11:35 a.m. CT and will be on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
Jul 10, 2020; St. Petersburg, Florida, United States; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Sam McWilliams (64) throws a pitch during a simulated game at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
We need to come up with a cool nickname for Allan Castro. Clutchstro? The Bull Runner? Because, he’s running those Bulls (Rays AAA) out of town the last couple of nights. After capturing the walk-off knock Tuesday, he was right back at it again on Wednesday with two home runs including a 7th-inning shot that turned the game on its head. The WooSox went into that seventh inning down 5-3 and never looked back after taking the lead. Castro’s home runs were aided by Tsung-Tse Cheng. Franklin Arias and Braiden Ward really extending those innings in front of him; Ward had a three-hit night, Cheng had two, and Arias had two RBIs of his own.
Defensively, things weren’t pristine, as Blake Wehunt allowed four runs in his five innings of work and left the game in the loss column, but it was also far from a terrible start. The bullpen shoved. Seth Martinez struck the side out, Sam McWilliams again slammed the door to get his second save in just over a week, and overall this all led Durham to go 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. McWilliams is an interesting case for a “get him up to eat some innings” once the playoff spot is captured and the team is secure in their slot. A 2014 Phillies draft pick, the 6’7” 230 righty touches the high 90’s with his fastball, but, due to the 31-year-old imploding at the wrong times, he hasn’t touched an MLB roster. This includes being selected in the Rule 5 draft by the Royals in 2018 and promptly having an ERA of 15 in 7 appearances in Spring Training. Still, if you want a low-leverage, innings eater, mop-up guy for late September, look no further than McWilliams, who now hasn’t allowed a run since last month.
Another eyebrow-raiser is Romy’s OPS growing closer to that hallowed 1.000 mark in Triple-A and the possiblity of him being a guy that can help should one of these platoon guys need some rest. Gonzalez is hitting .462 in September. That’s good, right? It’s also good that the team has several “break glass in case of emergency” guys that are not a considerable step down from guys currently on the roster… or at least not guys the fanbase would collectively be quivering in fear to see on a line-up card. At least, not any more than usual…
I think it bears repeating as the Cubs split their season series with the Braves. The Cubs won the season series from seven teams, including the Dodgers, Phillies, Padres and Diamondbacks. They split the series with four teams, including, now, the Braves. They lost the season series to only the Cardinals and Brewers. Are the Dodgers definitely doing a thing where they coast through the regular season just trying to stay healthy for a postseason run? Absolutely. Were all of those other teams? Did any of those other teams think they had so much margin of error that they could just mail in their games with the Cubs? I don’t think so. The National League was the better league this year, by a decent margin. And the Cubs played better against the NL.
My point? This Cubs team is a flawed team. We’ve all seen that. We all know it. Heck, this was a pretty good game and it saw the Cubs bullpen allow three runs in three innings of work. And the three guys who threw have definitely been three of the better arms of late, regardless of what that says about the guys who didn’t throw in this one. So even in a nice win, we see the problem. And yet, when you have the presumptive NL MVP, a guy who is going to get a fair bit of downballot support for that same award and a deep cast of supporting characters, you do have a chance to be a pain in somebody’s butt. I see what you see. I know what has you nervous or disappointed about this team. I get it. But this team can play. They’re not going to shy away from anyone (even the Brewers who, yeah, maybe they should).
Oh and one more thing. You aren’t digging around the web and finding BCB and then finding what I write and then hanging around because you are a casual fan. You are looking for sports talk and getting in the weeds. You’re a smart baseball fan. Don’t be one of those people who’s still doom speaking and suggesting this team won’t even get into the playoffs. This team is going to be a playoff team. They’ll probably, but not definitely, be the first Wild Card. They’ll clinch a playoff spot early next week.
Can’t let Al have all of the fun. The big picture is fun, but what a fun game this was from the closeup view. This was pretty certainly the best combined game of the two best Cub hitters this year. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman each had three hits, all extra base hits. 20 total bases between the two of them. Seven runs driven in between the two of them. Four runs scored. With Bregman’s continued late push, he might finish in the top five in the NL in fWAR among position players.
PCA? He’s chasing Rogers Hornsby for the highest fWAR season in Cub history. With two more homers and a triple along with his usual excellent defense, he feels like a good bet to set that record. He’s already set new records for most homers and most extra base hits by a Cub left handed hitter. It is mind-boggling that if he doesn’t get a 40/40 season, it’s largely because he has too many homers. As if that’s such a thing. As if his season will be any less special at 44/37 (and counting). There are players in baseball history with 37 or more steals and 44 or more homers in a single season — PCA, Shohei Ohtani and Alfonso Soriano.
Simply remarkable. If we didn’t have PCA, we’d be talking a lot about the impressive season of Bregman. Pretty amusing for a guy who many suggested was a terrible signing for the first couple of months of the season, while he was working hard to work out a couple of issues. How many teammates do you think were paying attention when a savvy veteran with a couple of rings and an enormous contract was working his butt off trying to work out some issues? He could have just been satisfied and plodded along until he got things together. But we saw on Marquee several times early him going through the process of getting things worked out.
This has been the kind of season that makes you want to pull your hair out. But it has also been so much fun. I suspect we’re going to have a long offseason to digest all of the things that went wrong and try to figure out how to triage that and correct it in what will likely be a disrupted offseason. We know in some way or another there will be new economics going forward and the team will have to figure out how to navigate that new system while also trying to keep a talented team building while significantly upgrading the pitching staff. We know that they can’t solely depend on the returns of a number of guys who missed all or most of this year. But we also know that those guys might come back and have a lot to add too.
Let’s do our best to put the frustration aside and really enjoy these last few weeks of the season. I feel like there are probably some thrills still to be had before the ride comes to a full and complete stop. Do keep your hands inside the car until then. Wouldn’t want to lose anybody.
Three Positives:
Perhaps the wildest thing in this game was a Tommy Hottovy mound visit for Shōta Imanaga with no clear reason. Imanaga was terrific in this one. Four hits, no walks, one run. He struck out eight over six. The Cubs got terrific work from their starters in this series. I have to wonder if the Marquee broadcast was correct and Imanaga was tipping pitches and the Cubs rather than the Braves picked up on it. He’s so often good other than when allowing homers, you don’t need a lot of tinfoil to wonder if he has a consistent ongoing problem with tipping his pitches.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had two homers and a triple. If I heard right on the broadcast, this was his second such game. The all time record for such games is four by a couple of fellows named Ruth and Gehrig. Pete’s probably going to break that record eventually, too.
Alex Bregman joined the club of guys who have gotten the three hardest parts of a cycle but didn’t finish it. Bummer for Alex not to finish it. That’s one thing he’s never done in his very successful career. He might join some fun groups this offseason. Things like Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, MVP top 5’s, etc.
Game 153, September 16: Cubs 8, Braves 4 (85-68)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Shōta Imanaga (.266). 6 IP, 22 BF, 4 H, 0 BB, 1 R, 8 K (W 11-10)
Hero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.210). 3-4, 2 HR, 3B, BB, 3 RBI, 3 R
Sidekick: Alex Bregman (.199). 3-4, HR, 3B, 2B, 4 RBI, R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Seiya Suzuki (-.083). 0-4, HBP, R, DP
Goat: Michael Conforto (-.054). 1-3, BB, RBI
Kid: Pedro Ramirez (-.056). 1-4
WPA Play of the Game: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s solo homer with one out in the third inning increased the Cub lead to two. (.103)
Braves Play of the Game: JR Ritchie got Seiya Suzuki to ground into a double play with a runner on first and no outs in the first inning. (.072)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 152 Winner: Kevin Gausman received 22 of 50 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Pete Crow-Armstrong +26.5
Alex Bregman +25
Carson Kelly +16.5
Shōta Imanaga +15
Ben Brown +13.5
Jameson Taillon -13
Nico Hoerner -16
Dansby Swanson -17
Caleb Thielbar -17.5
Seiya Suzuki -18
Note: For the second time this week we see four of the top six (Conforto drops to sixth in the overall standings) on the podium. And Suzuki drops back into the cellar as his slump continues.
Scoreboard Watching: Blake Snell left a start early for the Dodgers in their loss to the Reds. The Phillies won and remain half a game behind the Cubs (but the Cubs own the tiebreaker). The Padres won for the ninth time in 10 games (1.5 back of the Cubs but Cubs own the tiebreaker). The Diamondbacks lost another close one (five back of the Cubs and Cubs the own tiebreaker). So the Diamondbacks would have to make up six games on the Cubs over nine games played. With full understanding that the Cubs do own a 10-game losing streak this year, they are going to be in a Wild Card spot. It’s only a matter of which one. That D-backs loss was notable because Sandy Alcántara got his first career save in the game. A team using a starter out of the pen late in the season probably wouldn’t raise eyebrows. But Alcántara was Monday’s starter for the Marlins. Now that is a throwback performance.
Up Next: The Reds will host the Dodgers again on Thursday afternoon while the Cubs have an off day. The Cubs can rest their bullpen and all of the players have a day to recharge and they don’t have any crazy travel. Of course, the Reds are staying at home, so no travel for them either. I’m sure the Reds would love to win two or three games from the Cubs here and play spoiler, but they are in last place in the division and very much playing out the string at this point. Heading into play Thursday, they’ve lost seven of 10.
We just covered this team at the end of August. They are 24th in OPS. They don’t really walk but they hit a lot of homers. This series features the first and third place teams in baseball in homers hit (and first and fifth in homers allowed). The Reds are 28th in ERA and 28th in WHIP. Their bullpen is 25th in ERA and WHIP, just slightly better than their starters. Keep the ball in the park and the team is very beatable.
Fangraphs still has the Reds as favorites in the first two games of this series. They have the Cubs as favorites in just four of the final nine games. Coincidentally, the four games the Cubs would need to reach the playoffs even if the Diamondbacks win out and the other two teams do enough to pass the Cubs.
The Cubs haven’t announced starters. But Clay Holmes (6-7, 2.85) is due. Clay is 2-3 with a 3.46 as a Cub in seven starts. Last time out, he got no decision as he allowed two runs over 5.2 innings versus the Pirates. He’s not started against the Reds this year. The Reds did beat him in New York once last year. So there are several Red hitters familiar with him.
Chase Burns (15-3) is scheduled for the Reds. He beat the Cubs a few weeks ago, allowing two runs on six hits over 5.2 innings. The Reds have him significantly pitch limited. He’s thrown three innings in each of his last two starts (at the Dodgers and Brewers). He allowed two runs over six innings and threw 100 pitches total in the two starts. So it’s essentially a bullpen day, regardless of how well he pitches (he had three no hit innings against the Dodgers).
Survive the Burns start and then beat the bullpen. Stay hot. Go Cubs.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 15: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves fields a ball in centerfield in the sixth inning of a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn) | Getty Images
Coming off a series where the Braves mostly sewed up the NL East by taking two of three from the Phillies, they then departed on a road trip consisting of the final part of their September gauntlet. The first part of that road trip had them go up to Wrigley Field to face the Cubs, who are in the midst of maybe the weirdest season (by one measure) ever. With Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle not deployed pitching-wise against the league’s best offense, things didn’t go well for the Braves… except for the one game where they donned their homer-hitting shoes and pulled off a really fun comeback win.
The Braves gave the start to Reynaldo Lopez, and it went pretty poorly. The Cubs plated three in the second (with an inning extended due to a non-double play on a slow-enough grounder hit by the Cubs’ catcher), and then two more in the third. AJ Smith-Shawver came out of the bullpen and finished up the rest of the game, but was taken deep by presumptive NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, who ended up going 4-for-5 and finishing a triple shy of the cycle in the game. For their part on offense, the Braves mostly just hit a bazillion grounders when they weren’t striking out against David Peterson. They plated three in the seventh, including two on a Mike Yastrzemski pinch-hit homer, but nothing else. There was a rally-killing double play in the eighth after the first two batters reached, and then Ronald Acuña Jr. hit into a game-ending double play while representing the tying run in the ninth.
For a while, this game felt like it was going to be similar to the first one. The Cubs plated a run in second, but the big blow came in the fourth: with two on and no out, Pedro Ramirez hit a routine double play ball to Mauricio Dubon at short, but the latter inexplicably threw the ball nowhere near second base. By the time the inning ended, Martin Perez and the Braves trailed 3-0.
That’s where things stayed until top of the sixth, when the Braves finally got to old friend/frenemy Kevin Gausman, thanks to Acuña drilling a two-run shot to pull them within one. The tormenting of old friends wasn’t done there, though. In the top of the seventh, Ozzie Albies exorcised his latest slump demons by mashing another huge two-run homer, this time off Jacob Webb. That turned the game around, and after two perfect innings from Didier Fuentes, Drake Baldwin added a third two-run homer in the top of the ninth. Raisel Iglesias shut the door, and the Braves had a fun comeback win where they actually hit pulled fly balls in the air to good results, instead of not doing that (which has been a theme for about the last six weeks with this team).
Crow-Armstrong was kept in check here, going 0-for-5 with a strikeout. Martin Perez had a fairly brutal outing with a 2/4 K/BB ratio, but danced through the raindrops successful-y-ish, aside from Dubon throwing that ball away.
Braves: .367 wOBA, .359 xwOBA
Cubs: .201 wOBA, .300 xwOBA
Wow, the Cubs underhit their xwOBA massively. Go figure.
The Braves gave JR Ritchie the ball in this one after he had a really good four-start run in Triple-A, and it went terribly. Meanwhile, Shota Imanaga, who’s been having a meh season due in large part to an incredible run of homers allowed since August, absolutely eviscerated the Braves.
Ritchie’s struggles were present from the get-go, with two walks and a run in the first. Crow-Armstrong tagged him for a homer on an 0-2 pitch in the third. Alex Bregman followed suit with a homer in the fourth, and the rout became apparent when the Braves left Ritchie in to face the lineup a third time, where it quickly became 6-0. Owen Murphy and Brent Suter mopped the game up, with the former giving up yet another homer to Crow-Armstrong. He finished 3-for-4 with two homers, a triple, and a walk in this one, while Bregman finished a single shy of the cycle. Combine that with Imanaga putting up an 8/0 K/BB in six innings, and the Braves didn’t really have a chance.
The Braves did score four runs in this game, through three game on RBI groundouts, which is a tough way to sustain a rally. Two of those runs came in the ninth, where the first three Braves batters reached, but the next three all made outs to end the game.
Ritchie finished with an awful 5/2 K/BB, two homers, one HBP in 4 2/3 line. Murphy was even worse with a 2/1 K/BB ratio and a homer allowed in 2 1/3. The Braves don’t need to do much to clinch the division, but this sort of stuff doesn’t help.
Braves: .257 wOBA, .247 xwOBA
Cubs: .513 wOBA, .400 xwOBA
I’m kind of surprised this game was only 8-4, to be honest.
The great news for the Braves is that the Phillies went 1-1 against the Nationals while the Braves were going 1-2 against the Cubs. So, they lost only half a game, and are up 4.5 with nine to play (including holding the tiebreaker, which is kind of like being 5.5 up). They’re also more or less assured a playoff berth at this point, as it looks like just one more win or one more Diamondbacks loss will secure them a playoff berth. It’s fine for the Braves to be coasting at this point in terms of the big picture, but it does make the games somewhat less watchable. On the flip side, this team hasn’t had much offensive success for weeks now, whether facing the Cubs’ league-worst pitching or anyone else: they’re 20th in xwOBA and 26th in wRC+ since the start of August.
So, hopefully the three-homer game that led to a win was more of a sign of things to come than the other two games. We’ll see.
