For most of the Mets, taking on the Rangers in Texas this week just marks the second to last series of the season.
For two of them, though, it serves as a homecoming.
It’s an actual homecoming for Brett Baty, who was raised just hours away from Globe Life Field.
For Marcus Semien, the circumstances are a bit different.
Semien, of course, spent the last four years manning second base for the Rangers before being shipped to the Mets this offseason in the Brandon Nimmo deal.
While it’s two different situations, both had a very similar feeling after hitting big homers late to help the Mets pull ahead of the Rangers and play spoiler once again on Wednesday night.
“It was cool to go out there and greet the people who came to support me,” said Baty, who crushed a dagger pinch-hit grand slam. “You only get to play in Texas so many times in a year playing in New York, so it was really cool."
“Go-ahead homer in the eighth is obviously a good feeling,” Semien added. “Coming back here after four good years -- I really enjoyed playing here, it’s a place I love to play, so it felt really good doing that in that last at-bat.”
The 36-year-old Semien is now up to 15 homers and a .625 OPS in what he perfectly summed up as a “roller coaster” first season rocking the orange and blue.
He knows it’s much too late to salvage it, but is simply looking to finish the year strong.
That’s exactly what the red-hot Baty has been able to do over the past 50-plus games.
After an up-and-down start of his own, the lefty-hitting slugger has settled into a groove at the plate, hitting .282 with 21 extra base-hits and a .850 OPS since the end of June.
“He’s a weapon for us,” Semien said.
“This is who he is,” manager Andy Green added. “Our goal will be to get to that earlier in the season, but he’s having confident at-bats, has a ton of power, and is using the whole field -- he’s just had good at-bat after good at-bat.”
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 29: Gerrit Cole #45 and Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees talk before the second game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on August 29, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Over the past two seasons, Carlos Rodón has been one of the best pitchers in baseball. After winning 18 games and finishing sixth in Cy Young voting in an All-Star 2025, he’s been even better when healthy this year, posting a 2.67 ERA that would be fourth-best in the AL if he had enough innings to qualify. Since returning from the IL in mid-August, it’s 1.89. Come October, most teams would be thrilled to hand him the ball in Game 1 of any series. The Yankees are expected to bounce him to the bullpen for the Wild Card round. So deep is their rotation, fronted by Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, and Gerrit Cole, that Rodón is expendable.
When Aaron Judge went down last week with a calf injury, it was a gut punch. After holding the line without him for most of the year, the excitement of the Yankees captain returning for the stretch run was immediately punctured. Aaron Boone relayed that Judge is expected to miss the Wild Card round. While Judge himself pushed back on that assessment Wednesday, given the timing of his injury and narrow margin for recovery, it’s fair to question when he’ll be able to contribute. Judge is one of the premier difference-makers in the sport — by whatever metric you use, he’s been one of the two best players in the league for the past decade. When a team loses a player of that caliber, it’s easy to lose hope. But not only is this Yankees team still competitive, it should still be considered the favorites in the AL.
The rotation is the primary reason why. Schlittler has the Cy Young wrapped up and is squarely in the MVP conversation, leading the league in ERA while punching out 234 (and counting). He’s the kind of dominant hurler that can take over a playoff series—as he did last October—giving even a dormant offense a massive leg up. Fried, who won 19 games last year and finished fourth in Cy Young voting, has a 2.80 ERA through 20 starts and remains the game’s most consistent run preventer. And, despite concerns during a slump in early September, Cole has mostly looked like the same pitcher he was before missing a year and a half to Tommy John surgery. The Yankees’ bullpen, led by quietly elite closer David Bednar and boosted by reclamation projects Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn, has the second-lowest ERA in the game. On the strength of those two units, the team has allowed the fewest runs in baseball. If good pitching beats good hitting, the Yankees are already well on their way.
But let’s not bury the Yankees offense yet, either. To be certain, it’s been an uneven year. In addition to spending nearly the whole season without Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. has underperformed, Ryan McMahon has been an offensive black hole (even after last night, his season wRC+ is just 76), Yankees catchers have hit below the Mendoza line, and Anthony Volpe played his way out of the starting shortstop job. Still, among AL playoff teams, only the White Sox have scored more runs. Ben Rice is tied for the AL lead in homers with 41 and has been one of the best hitters in baseball, Luis García Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt form a strong platoon at first, and Cody Bellinger has been his usual All-Star caliber bat. Murderers’ Row, this lineup is not. But they stack up perfectly fine against the rest the AL has to offer, even without their best hitter.
Central to the Yankees’ chances is the state of their competition. The AL was taken to the woodshed this year by the NL, who dominated interleague play and stacked up four teams with a run differential above 100 to the AL’s one. That one is the Yankees, who came out 48 runs ahead of the Rays despite losing out on the AL East title. Eighty-five wins or so should carry the day in the AL Central while the AL West leader will likely land right around .500. The Rays’ extreme overperformance of their Pythagorean win total this year surely speaks to their ability to play together as a team and manager Kevin Cash’s knack for playing matchups. However, it also leaves open the question of how their style of play will transfer to October baseball, where they’ve really succeded with Cash just once (in the COVID-affected 2020).
The Yankees will face the Red Sox in the Wild Card round, a team that’s arguably also without its best playoff weapon, starter Garrett Crochet. At best, he’ll be in the bullpen, likely rusty. As Jon Morosi notes below, the Yankees’ pitching staff has held Boston at bay throughout their matchups this season.
Yankees fans are justified in worrying about Aaron Judge's injury. But remember:
NYY is 7-6 vs. BOS, and Judge played in 3 of those games.
The Red Sox have averaged only 3 runs per game vs. the Yankees.
The Yankees have given up the fewest runs in @MLB.@MLBNetwork
There’s also precedent for teams making deep playoff runs while their superstar watched from the bench. Ronald Acuña Jr. missed the entire 2021 postseason as his Braves (buoyed by six shutout innings from Fried in the decisive Game 6) took the title. The 1972 A’s lost Reggie Jackson to a torn hamstring in the ALCS while winning their first pennant in 41 years but still bested the Big Red Machine in the Fall Classic. The Yankees have also found ways to win in October without much from Judge. While his presence surely impacted how opposing pitchers tackled the Yankees’ lineup, Judge batted .161 through the first two rounds of the 2024 playoffs as the Yankees nonetheless won the pennant. And while they had a red-hot Giancarlo Stanton and another all-world hitter, Juan Soto, to pick up the slack that year, the Yankees also had a significantly weaker pitching staff.
A lot can happen quickly in the postseason, and a resurgent and hungry Red Sox squad is certainly a threat, particularly in a best-two-out-of-three series. The Rays loom as well, with the regular-season standings telling a compelling story about their winning formula, and whatever teams rise from the ashes of the Central and West cannot be dismissed. Teams like the 2006 Cardinals and 2023 Rangers prove that anything can happen if you just get into the dance. But the Yankees have a formula of their own that’s even more compelling, even without their captain. In a lackluster AL, the Yankees still have the strongest pitching staff and most talented roster overall. Let the games begin.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 14: Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles bats during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Monday, September 14, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning everyone!
The Mariners won a thrilling 6-5 extra-innings contest against the rival Astros last night. The team’s final series of the season begins tonight against the Angels with first pitch set for 6:40pm PT.
In Mariners news…
Cal Raleigh brought our favorite broadcaster a retirement gift.
Jackson Holliday, who has been hurt for much of the year, is getting wrist surgery in the next week.
Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who just returned from the injured list with a quad strain, is headed to the IL once more with a hamstring injury.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 23: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics hits a two-run RBI double against the Los Angeles Angels in the bottom of the six inning at Sutter Health Park on September 23, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Thursday A’s fans!
The team wrapped up its series with the Los Angeles Angels last night, finishing their rivals off with a convincing 7-3 win. That gave the club 63 wins on the year and we’ll avoid the worst-case scenario of a 100-loss season. We’re three games up on the Angels with four to go for last in the AL so one more win or loss from them and we’ll guarantee not-worst in the league. Good news, I guess?
Now the team is down to its final series of the season, a four-game set against the Houston Astros. The A’s division rival comes into this contest in a tie for first place in the AL West, with the loser almost certainly watching October baseball from home on the couch. Their in-state rivals the Texas Rangers are right there with them at 78-80 so this race is going to come right down to the wire. Houston needs every game in this series so the pressure is on them.
The A’s however are playing carefree baseball right now and are on a little two-game win streak coming into tonight’s series opener. The A’s can put their spoiler hats on and give the Astros a headache over the final weekend. If the A’s are able to take at least two games against the Astros, then that means that we could have been the ones to help send a team with a losing record to the playoffs. That’s a nice way to wrap up the season if you ask me.
We don’t know who any of the starters will be for the A’s yet so stay tuned there. The Astros have the likely AL MVP in Yordan Alvarez in their lineup so hopefully the A’s can stay away from him in the bandbox of Sutter Health Park this weekend. What would you like to see in the final series of 2026 before the long winter begins?
First pitch is at 6:40. Enjoy the final series of the year, folks! And have a great day A’s fans.
A’s catcher Brian Serven got hit hard last night so the team may need an extra catcher for the Houston series. Hopefully he’s alright, tough injury right before the end of the year:
A's catcher Brian Serven exited on his own power after getting hit in the face with a pitch while trying to bunt pic.twitter.com/6S7AmQ7gye
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Texas Rangers stands on the mound during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning! As Matt lays out today, there is a very slight possibility that the Red Sox fall to the third Wild Card slot, thus avoiding the first round Yankees matchup that has seemed all but inevitable for weeks now. Instead of Yankee Stadium, the Sox would head out west to face either the Rangers or the Astros, one of whom will win the division, quite possibly with a losing record. Moreover, falling to the third seed would likely mean facing either the White Sox or the Guardians in the divisional round, as opposed to getting the fifth seed and facing the Rays. There really is no question: the sixth seed presents the easier path to the World Series.
But you know what? I want the Yankees. I always want the Yankees. Baseball is better when the Red Sox and Yankees are playing each other. And that applies not just to TV executives, but to the fans of the respective teams. It’s fun! It’s been over 20 years since I’ve seen the Yankees on the schedule and felt any sort of trepidation. Now, I see them on the schedule and I get pumped for what I hope will be yet another memorable chapter of the rivalry. And, frankly, while being bounced from the playoffs by the Yankees would certainly sting, I’m not sure it would feel any better to get bounced by the first under-.500 playoff team in history, either.
So who do you want: the Yankees, or whatever crap team comes out of the west?
Use this space to talk about playoff matchups and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.
Sep 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers (9), third baseman David Hamilton (6), shortstop Joey Ortiz (3) and second baseman Brice Turang (2) celebrate win against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There are just four games left in the regular season, and the Brewers have a first-round bye locked up. While the pitching situation is more chaotic right now, the position player situation is much more straight-forward. Let’s take a look at how they compare to last year’s postseason players.
For this post, the assumption is that the 14 current position players will also be the 14 position players on the postseason roster. It’s strongly likely that 13 of the 14 players will be on the roster. Bo Naylor is one player that the Brewers could pivot on. They have barely used him since the start of September, with just a couple rare starts and late game substitutions so far.
The Brewers could pivot and grab someone else from the minors, but the only three position players on the 40-man roster currently are Akil Baddoo, Tyler Black, and Brandon Lockridge. There is also an open 40-man spot, if they choose to use it. However, this is discussing the 14th position player on the roster, so whoever they choose to go with likely won’t have much of an impact.
(Statistics are from FanGraphs are are through Tuesday’s games.)
Last season, Contreras spent most of the year dealing with a broken left middle finger. It affected his numbers at the plate, but despite that, he still put together a strong season. This season, even though he’s healthy, the overall numbers are not much different. He has seen a rise in his batting average and slugging percentage, though his on-base percentage is lower. His WAR is a little lower, but overall, the numbers are about the same. The one big addition to this season has been the ABS challenge system, which has been a point of difficulty for Contreras all year. We can’t say how he would have handled it last season, so that won’t be a factor here. Overall, Contreras is a very similar player to last year, so there’s no real advantage to either version here.
When looking at the overall numbers, this looks like an easy comparison. Bauers this season has been much better than he was last year. However, it’s important to remember that Bauers’ rise began late last season. He played so well in September (21 G, .360/.458/.560, 188 wRC+) that he took full control of the first base job, and basically forced Rhys Hoskins off the roster once he returned from injury. This year, he’s just continued that play and set himself up for a big contract this offseason. It’s still an advantage for Bauers this year, but it’s closer than the numbers would suggest.
The rise of Turang continues in 2026. While the offensive numbers are very similar, it’s his defense that is the big change. Last year, he was closer to neutral on defense. This year, he’s made a resurgence, and his defense has caught up to where it should be. He’s jumped from 7 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) in 2025 to 22 DRS in 2026, and his Fielding Run Value is up from 0 FRV to 13 FRV. This postseason, they will still have the same strong player on offense in Turang but will also get the better defense from past seasons.
Ortiz has helped stabilize the third base position, which was in disarray at the start of the season. Luis Rengifo barely provided any positive value before he was released. David Hamilton was OK at the position, but he was just holding it down. Meanwhile, Ortiz has really stepped it up in the last couple months. Since the All-Star break, he’s batting .327/.377/.544 with a 151 wRC+. That’s in addition to 7 DRS in just 372 innings at third base. The overall numbers would suggest that these two are near even over the course of the season. However, with Ortiz’s late-season resurgence and defensive prowess, I’d give a slight edge to him here.
While Ortiz has seen a boost at third base this year, it’s hard to think about his performance last season. He provided overall positive value, but his bat in the lineup was a regular problem. This year, Pratt has matched Ortiz’s production in less than half the games. It’s an impressive rookie season from Pratt, and he’s going to provide a boost at shortstop over what the Brewers had last season.
Realistically, you couldn’t go wrong with either choice here. Chourio last year was a great player. This year, he’s turned into a star. He’s boosted his numbers on both offense and defense. If he hadn’t missed a month of the season due to injury, his stats would be even better. Not only that, but he is healthy heading into this postseason, compared to last season when he was dealing with a hamstring injury. I’m looking forward to seeing what this year’s Chourio can do in the postseason.
Entering this season, I didn’t have much faith in Mitchell. It wasn’t the talent, it was the injury history. Losing so many games to injury had soured his outlook. However, he’s proven me wrong this season, along with many other people. Mitchell has remained healthy and has shown what he’s capable of. Not only are his numbers on offense significantly better, but he’s matched what Perkins was able to do last season. It’s a much more complete package overall, and it’s a huge step up from where they were last postseason.
This one is a bit hard to pinpoint who is the primary starter right now, as both Lara and Frelick have been splitting time in right field. For now, I’ll go with Lara, who appears to be getting a bigger share of the starts there lately. Either way, the result is the same on this one. While Lara has shown a lot of promise so far, the overall numbers don’t back it up yet. Meanwhile, Frelick was an incredibly solid right fielder last season. Lara has the ability to eventually be better than Frelick, but for now, Frelick last season was the better right fielder.
There’s not much to say for Yelich, other than it’s been a disappointing season for him. Across the board, his numbers have been down this season. He’s barely been above replacement level, and he’s been trending the wrong way. Since the All-Star break, he’s batting .225/.295/.369 with an 83 wRC+. According to FanGraphs, he’s been worth 0.0 fWAR, which is right at replacement level (though he did hit a home run on Wednesday night). It’s still not a question of if he’ll be on the postseason roster — he definitely will be on it. However, the Brewers may have to think carefully about how they want to use the DH spot this postseason.
2026: David Hamilton (117 G, .241/.308/.329, 80 wRC+, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 30 SB, 0.2 fWAR, 1.7 bWAR)
Both players have been the infield utility player throughout the season. They bounced between second base, third base, and shortstop all year. Hamilton has been used more regularly this season. He was a regular starter earlier in the year, but is now behind Turang, Pratt, and Ortiz on the depth chart. He still can be a great bench player this postseason, particularly as a late game pinch-runner. He can also move runners up effectively and provides decent defense. He shouldn’t be the primary player at any position, but as a backup and overall utility guy, he has a lot of value. Monasterio had a better profile on offense, though Hamilton offers a lot of flexibility as a pinch-hitter, pinch-runner, or late inning defensive replacement. That’s good for the roster in the postseason.
Advantage: Even
Backup First Baseman
2025: Andrew Vaughn (64 G with Brewers, .308/.375/.493, 142 wRC+, 9 HR, 46 RBI, 1.9 fWAR, 1.3 bWAR)
It doesn’t feel fair to call Vaughn the backup first baseman here. He’s been getting a good amount of play time throughout the season. However, compared to Bauers, he is the clear backup. That’s still a good player to have as a backup, though. While the power numbers have been down this year, his on-base percentage is up. He’s been just as valuable this season, though part of that could be due to being more selective with his starts. He will be valuable on the postseason roster, and if he could get some extra starts while Bauers covers DH or right field, that will help the team. Overall, it’s about even with what he provided last postseason.
Advantage: Even
Backup Catcher
2025: Danny Jansen (25 G with Brewers, .254/.346/.433, 120 wRC+, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 0.4 fWAR, 0.7 bWAR)
2026: Gary Sánchez (84 G, .209/.352/.419, 117 wRC+, 11 HR, 36 RBI, 0.8 fWAR, 0.5 bWAR) & Bo Naylor
Last postseason, Jansen had next to no impact on the postseason roster. Contreras started every game and Jansen did not get a postseason at-bat. That will likely be a different story this postseason, especially if the Brewers carry three catchers as they are right now. Having two backup catchers gives the Brewers flexibility to use Contreras at DH or pinch-run for a catcher late. They could also choose to use Sánchez in either of those roles. Naylor will just be an emergency catcher and will see very little play time. It’s still a better situation than they had at catcher last postseason.
While it looks like Collins has the big advantage here, he was not much of a factor in the postseason. His numbers in September dropped to .191/.345/.319 with a 97 wRC+. He only received 10 plate appearances over six games between the NLDS and NLCS, and was relegated to a bench role. Lockridge was in a similar role, only playing in four games and getting two plate appearances. That still is better than Frelick’s numbers to finish up this season. The backup outfielder should hopefully have a smaller role in the postseason, but last year’s duo has the advantage.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning, all!
The Rangers have optioned Winston Santos and recalled right handed pitcher Gavin Collyer for the final, probably futile, push for the playoffs.
Aggressive bullpen usage wasn’t enough to keep the Rangers in the game last night and the ultimately fell 7-2 to the mets, leaving them 1.5 games behind Houston for the AL West title and 3 games behind the White Sox for the last wild card spot.
Skip Schumaker has got a lot of plates spinning trying to manage the Rangers’ pitching staff.
Evan Grant has a eulogy for the Rangers’ 2026 hopes and, likely, the core of this Rangers roster.
The Rangers are not yet mathematically eliminated, but “not yet mathematically eliminated” is usually a phrase that precedes a failed season.
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 22: Parker Messick #77 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With a playoff berth just one magic number away, the Guardians will have to make some interesting decisions regarding their pitching options.
The Guardians can make certain tonight of at least a wildcard appearance with a win, but they also hold a one-game lead in the AL Central. One more win would also guarantee that the winner of the division will be given the 2nd seed in the American League and a bye for the first round of the playoffs. This would be huge for either Cleveland or the White Sox as they could rest their bullpen and reset their starters for the opening game on October 3rd. Whoever makes the wildcard will play their first of a best of three series on September 29th.
Currently, Daniel Espino and Joey Cantillo are set to tag-team start today, Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee and Parker Messick are set to start the final three games. As the rotation currently aligns, Foster Griffin would start game one of a wildcard series on regular rest, Gavin Williams game two on regular rest and then Parker Messick would be on short rest for game three as needed. None of this is ideal. The team wants Williams and Messick starting games one and two of their series on regular rest.
If it is possible to get the #2 seed, then you take the risk and allow Williams and Messick to both pitch this week as planned. It is simply THAT valuable to get the bye. However, if the Guardians would happen to lose tonight to Boston while the White Sox happen to beat the Royals, and yet Cleveland clinches a playoff berth, they should absolutely readjust their thinking with the White Sox headed to Colorado to play the Rockies to end the season.
You cannot assume anything for certain in baseball but the odds are very good that the White Sox take at least two of three from the Rockies and the Guardians will not sweep the Royals. If the Guardians are tied with the White Sox and yet sure of a playoff berth by the end of tonight, then it is time to give Williams a short leash on Friday and to hold Messick in reserve to start both at their best in an incredibly likely Wildcard series. These two pitchers are the most valuable assets the team has in terms of highest playoff impact and have to be leveraged for maximum impact for a playoff run to be reasonable.
The good news is that if there is still more room to doubt after today, the team can start Williams tomorrow and then reevaluate before Sunday’s start. If they are tied with the White Sox entering Sunday but assured of a playoff berth, they CANNOT start Messick on Sunday. He must be held for game one of the wildcard so Williams can start in game two.
To make all this happen, the team may have to go get Austin Peterson or Logan Allen to make a spot start. Perhaps Slade Cecconi can do it, but, if not, demoting Espino and then calling him back up for the playoffs makes sense (he does not have to wait the usual ten days to return when the season ends).
A lot depends on today – if the Guardians beat the Red Sox and the White Sox somehow lose another game to the Royals, then it is time to go full bore after that #2 seed. If, however, things don’t quite go to plan, the Guardians will need to stay nimble to adjust to make sure their best pitchers are positioned to keep them in the playoffs as long as possible.
Coming into this brief three-game homestand, the last regular-season games at Wrigley Field for 2026, the Cubs needed to win only one of them to punch their ticket into the postseason tournament and also to bolster their chances for hosting the first round of that tournament.
Well. Here we are two days into that three-game homestand and the first of those things is still true and the second might be fading away.
The Cubs lost to the Marlins 3-2 on another wind-blowing-in night at Wrigley Field. With the Diamondbacks defeating the woeful Rockies and the Padres beating the Dodgers, the Cubs did not clinch a wild-card spot — and if everyone wins out now, the Cubs would find themselves traveling to San Diego for a Wild Card Series on Tuesday.
Sheesh. This is not going the way anyone connected with the Cubs had hoped.
Let’s look at what happened in this one.
Kevin Gausman and Ryan Gusto matched zeroes for five innings. The Cubs had RISP in the first and fourth but failed to score. Yes, you have heard this song before. Way too many times. It didn’t help that Nico Hoerner got picked off in the second [VIDEO].
You can hear Jim Deshaies in the clip say, “Hopefully he’s okay” about Gausman, who left the game after that play. Gausman was at 101 pitches so he likely wasn’t going much longer anyway, but…
Kevin Gausman banged his left shoulder “pretty good” when he lunged to tag runner at 3B.
He dislocated the same shoulder in HS. Gausman said he “didn’t necessarily do the same exact thing” though his shoulder feels pretty weak right now. “Hopefully it’s just a couple day thing.”
Javier Assad got out of the inning by inducing a ground ball to short.
The Cubs then got some offense going in the bottom of the inning. Michael Busch led off with a single. One out later, Ian Happ doubled, with Busch stopping at third. Hoerner was hit by a pitch, loading the bases, but Pedro Ramirez then struck out.
So now the game’s tied heading to the seventh. Unfortunately, it would not be tied for long. Ryan Rolison entered to throw the seventh. With one out, Agustin Ramirez and pinch-hitter Esteury Ruiz singled. Ramirez took third on the Ruiz hit, which would turn out to be very important.
An inning-ending double play was called on the field, but as you can see, the runner at second was safe, and the call was overturned on review. That allowed the lead run to score.
Still, down 3-2 in the seventh, not insurmountable, right?
Wrong. The Cubs went down in order in the seventh and eighth. Jacob Webb and Colin Rea threw scoreless eighth and ninth innings, and then the Marlins used starter Sandy Alcántara to close, something he’d done a week ago against the Diamondbacks.
Pedro Ramirez led off with a single, but Swanson flied to left and Carson Kelly, batting for Amaya, hit into a game-ending double play.
You can clearly see how much this offense misses Alex Bregman’s bat. 1-for-8 with RISP in this one, making the team 2-for-26 in those situations over the last two days. That’s just not going to win many baseball games.
About this one, from BCB’s JohnW53:
This was the eighth loss of the season for the Cubs in which they rallied to tie but never led.
They have erased 72 deficits, in 64 different games. They are 41-23 in those games, but have lost four in a row, seven of eight and nine of 11 starting Aug. 21.
With the Padres’ win over the Dodgers Wednesday evening, that means the Cubs would have to win one more game than San Diego does over the season’s final four games to have home field — and also win at least as many games as the Phillies do going forward. Something that seemed a no-brainer two days ago now appears to be a tough hill to climb.
The Cubs can still get into the postseason tournament, of course, but they are looking at possibly having to play a road series at San Diego — or maybe at Atlanta, if things don’t shake out better than they have over the last two days.
One regular season game remains at Wrigley Field, Thursday afternoon at 1:20 p.m. CT. Matthew Boyd will start for the Cubs and Tyler Phillips goes for Miami. The game will be televised by Marquee Sports Network.
READING, PA - SEPTEMBER 15: Gage Wood #15 of the Reading Fightin Phils pitches during the game between the Hartford Yard Goats and the Reading Fightin Phils at FirstEnergy Stadium on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Reading, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cade Burdette/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Earlier this week, the Phillies decided to effectively end top pitching prospect Gage Wood’s season. They placed Wood on the development list despite the Reading Fightin’ Phils still playing in the Double-A Eastern League postseason, where they ultimately won the championship.
It was almost certainly a predetermined decision, as Wood has now pitched exactly 99 innings in the season after his start in the opener of Reading’s postseason. It’s very likely that the Phillies set an innings limit of 100 on Wood before the season, which is by far the most he’s ever thrown, with his previous high being 40 while in college at Arkansas in 2024.
The 22-year-old had a solid if unspectacular season in his first full season of professional baseball. Wood began the season at low-A Clearwater before earning a promotion to Reading in late May, with the Phillies opting to have Wood skip High-A Jersey Shore. He started 17 games in Double-A and pitched to a 4.72 ERA with 99 strikeouts to 18 walks, eventually even earning the start at the MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park during All-Star weekend. There was some thought that maybe Wood could have appeared as a late season reliever for the major league club, especially considering the Phillies struggles in the bullpen, but his placement on the development list ended that possibility.
The Phillies’ plans for Wood in 2027 remain to be seen, but the safe bet is that he at least starts the year in Double-A but could end in Triple-A. The innings restriction will likely be loosened as the Phillies will want to see how Wood handles a more traditional starting pitcher workload now that he’s made it through his first full season unscathed. In a normal offseason, it feels as though it would be likely that Wood would receive an invite to MLB camp in the spring to test him against MLB hitters, but the looming lockout and possible delay to the start of the season makes that situation murky.
So, how do you feel about Gage Wood after his first professional season? When do you think will be the earliest we could see him in Phillies pinstripes?
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 23: Brett Baty #7 of the New York Mets celebrates a grand slam during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on September 23, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s almost the end of the season, and while the Braves are safe from the mild insanity, it doesn’t mean it can’t take hold elsewhere.
In the AL West, or really the AL Texas division at this point, both the Rangers and Astros are two games under .500 and tied atop the division. The loser probably won’t make the final AL Wild Card spot. (The Astros hold the tiebreaker.) It’d be funny if both teams lost out, leading to probably the worst team, record-wise, to ever receive a playoff spot in MLB.
In the NL, the Diamondbacks are almost-eliminated, and the three teams currently in line for a spot are all separated by a game or less. It’d be funny if the Diamondbacks knocked the Phillies out. Really it’d be funny if the Diamondbacks knocked anyone out.
Or, failing that, maybe some sort of crazy three-way tiebreak situation that MLB somehow didn’t account for? That’d be really funny too. Wait, what about a four-way tiebreak situation?
I’d say something about the Guardians and White Sox here, but honestly, the Guardians doing this same thing late in the season every year is too repetitive to be funny anymore.
Every minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins has closed out their season, which means it is time to look back at who the top performers were. It was a mixed bag of a season across the organization. Many of the top prospects were riddled with injuries, but there was plenty to be excited about, especially on the rookie ball scene, which sets up for a fun group of young prospects infiltrating full-season ball in 2027. Without further ado, I present my seven 2026 Twins Minor League Awards!
Hitter of the Year
OF Walker Jenkins (A, A+, AAA, MLB)
73 G | .323/.417/.559 | 151 wRC+ | 14 HR | 17 SB
While Walker Jenkins missed a month with injury and spent the final month in the majors, 73 games of pure dominance was enough for me to name him the minor league hitter of the year. Everything came together this season for Jenkins, as he combined a plus hit tool and excellent swing decisions with consistent hard contact. His raw power is now looking borderline plus at just 21 years old with room for improvement still.
He earned his call-up on August 28th after the most dominant run of his career in August, slashing .411/.488/.795 for a 223 wRC+ with 8 homers and 7 stolen bags in 18 games. Now Jenkins is producing in the majors with the potential to be a franchise player for the Twins.
Honorable Mentions: SS Marek Houston, C/OF Khadim Diaw
Pitcher of the Year
RHP Riley Quick (A, A+, AA)
81.2 IP | 4.74 ERA | 4.94 FIP | 110 K
Riley Quick’s season numbers were damaged when he was thrown into Double-A after just 11 starts at High-A, but the righty hurler showed plenty of potential throughout the season. As the only pitcher in the system with a strikeout rate over 30% on 80+ innings, Quick showed off the diabolical stuff that made him a first round pick in 2025.
He struggled with command, posting alarming walk and home run rates. A 13.4% walk rate and 26.1% HR/FB rate were both top 4 in the system. Still, elite whiff and strikeout production was able to keep him afloat and produce respectable numbers. With improved strike-throwing, Riley Quick has the stuff to dominate the upper minors and crack the Twins rotation in 2027.
71 G | .267/.378/.386 | 103 wRC+ | 57 SB | 10 OF Assists
With 101 stolen bases in 135 professional games since Merphy Hernandez was signed out of the Dominican in 2024, he is one of the most prolific baserunning threats in minor league baseball. While there are lots of questions about the bat, Merphy has the best speed/defense profile in the Twins system.
With 51 steals in just 61 games at Single-A this year, no other player at the level came close to his level of effectiveness. The speed is evident as you watch him glide across center field. Hernandez played some corner outfield in 2026, but spend most of his time in center, where he showed off elite ground coverage and impressive instincts. His arm is also a weapon as he tallied 10 outfield assists in only 71 games, good for the third-most in the system behind Garrett Spain and Graham Brown. With such an impressive blend of range and arm value, the Twins would love to have his glove out in center field at some point down the road.
His bat showed promising signs towards the end of the season as well. Merphy just cracked my top 40 prospects list in September, and he has a chance to push much further up if we see some improvements offensively in 2027.
Honorable Mentions: SS Marek Houston, UTIL Ben Ross
Breakout Prospect of the Year
OF Luis Fragoza (FCL, A, A+)
83 G | .313/.408/.542 | 148 wRC+ | 14 HR | 24 SB
The 19-year-old outfielder came into the 2026 season as an afterthought. Luis Fragoza was signed out of Venezuela in 2024 and posted respectable numbers in rookie ball over his first two year, but nothing about his production suggested he would be a future major leaguer.
After 10 games in the FCL this spring, Luis Fragoza made his Single-A debut on May 20th and absolutely took off. In 59 games with the Mighty Mussels he was among the best teenage hitters at the level, posting a .322 batting average with a 1.007 OPS. While there are questions regarding his swing decisions and hit tool, the quality of contact was overwhelming as he showed off impressive raw power with an advanced barrel feel. He finished the season by playing 14 games at High-A with a .295 average and 122 wRC+, where he was one of 42 teenage hitters to reach the level this year.
Fragoza now ranks as my No. 22 Twins prospect and has a chance to really make a name for himself if he can build on this success in 2027.
Honorable Mention: OF Caden Kendle
System Player of the Year
1B Aaron Sabato (AAA)
113 G | .273/.349/.528 | 121 wRC+ | 25 HR | 5 SB
System Player of the Year is meant to be given to a minor leaguer who is not your traditional prospect, typically an older player, but a guy that is dominating the minor league scene nonetheless. Its hard not to be happy for Aaron Sabato, who recently earned an unlikely call-up to the Twins at 27 years old after a grueling 6 years in the minors. The former 1st round pick was nearing the end of the road until an offensive explosion in 2025 put him back on the map. He built on that success in 2026, working on his areas of concern and consistently producing at the highest step of the minors.
Sabato possesses plus raw power with an excellent barrel feel. Extreme chase rates and hit tool concerns limited him in the past, but he cut the chase rate close to league average this season and brought his strikeout rate down to a manageable 25.3%. His 55 extra-base hits and 25 home runs ranked top 10 in Triple-A. While he doesn’t hold much defensive value as a burly first baseman, Aaron Sabato has given himself a real opportunity to build a major league career.
Honorable Mention: OF Kyler Fedko, OF Matt Wallner
Sleeper Prospect of the Year
RHP Reed Moring (FCL, A, A+)
83.0 IP | 3.58 ERA | 4.10 FIP | 86 K
The 2025 15th round pick had a successful debut season. Not only was he able to hang in the lower levels, but Reed Moring showed off some legitimate big league stuff. He pairs a well-rounded arsenal with quality strike-throwing. Refined command is needed to consistently live around the edges, but the 8% walk rate in year one is a good sign.
He is my No. 31 Twins prospect, and further stuff or pitchability improvements as he moves into the upper minors in 2027 could push him firmly into the Twins long-term plans. His solid low-90s fastball with a quartet of enticing secondaries is a mid-rotation arsenal if his command continues to develop. He is all but a sure big leaguer, but he had a productive season, and all of the ingredients are there for Reed Moring to develop into a MLB starter.
Yovanny Duran played very well in the Dominican in 2025 after being signed out of Venezuela at 17 years old. This year, the switch-hitting outfielder took his bat to another level. The quality of contact drastically improved as Duran sacrificed some contact for more gap power, and he showed off a patient approach with excellent spin recognition and understanding of the strike zone. He complements the bat with quality center field defense and aggressive baserunning.
While his Single-A stint didn’t go particularly well, there is plenty of reason to believe that Yovanny will figure it out and cement himself as a big league prospect in 2027. His well-rounded profile has lots of potential to dream on, and the 18-year-old is only scratching the surface of what he could become.
Honorable Mention: OF Jhomnardo Reyes, OF Jendy Martinez
Just four days remain in MLB's regular season and there's a good chance at least one playoff spot − not to mention playoff seedings − won't be determined until the final outs are recorded.
That's just the way baseball fans like it. (Unless their team is the one that gets left out.)
One thing to keep in mind: The regular season won't go into extra innings.
If two or more teams finish tied for a playoff spot after 162 games, MLB now uses a tiebreaker formula instead of a one-game playoff to determine which team advances.
Here's how it could all play out.
NL wild card tiebreakers
The first tiebreaker is head-to-head record as four teams in the National League battle for the three wild card spots.
San Diego Padres (88-70): 1-5 vs. Cubs, 0-6 vs. Phillies
Chicago Cubs (87-71): 6-1 vs. Phillies, 5-1 vs. Padres
Philadelphia Phillies (87-71): 6-0 vs. Padres, 1-6 vs. Cubs
The Arizona Diamondbacks, who play the Padres in a three-game series this weekend, remain barely alive in the playoff chase. In order to claim a wild card spot, the D'backs will need to sweep and have either the Cubs or Phillies lose the rest of their games.
AL Central tiebreakers
The Chicago White Sox won the season series with the Cleveland Guardians 7-6, so they will win the Central division title if the teams finish with the same record.
The Central runner-up will most likely claim the AL's final wild card spot with the White Sox three games ahead of both AL West teams with four to play.
Chicago White Sox (81-77): 4-2 vs. Rangers, 2-5 vs. Astros
Houston Astros (78-80): 5-2 vs. White Sox, 9-4 vs. Rangers
Texas Rangers (78-80): 2-4 vs. White Sox, 4-9 vs. Rangers
AL West tiebreakers
The Houston Astros won the season series against the Texas Rangers 9-4, so they'll take the West division crown if the two clubs finish the regular season tied.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 23: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers watches a home run by Marcus Semien #10 of the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field on September 23, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets 7, Rangers 2
I don’t want to think about it.
Or talk about it.
At least the Astros lost.
Cody Bradford topped out at 90.4 mph with his fastball, averaging 89.1 mph. Tyler Alexander hit 92.5 mph with his fastball. Chase Silseth maxed out at 96.9 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz’s fastball touched 95.7 mph. Jordan Montgomery hit 90.2 mph with his sinker. Trevor Williams’ fastball reached 91.1 mph.
Ezequiel Duran had a 104.4 mph groundout. Danny Jansen had a 103.1 mph line out. Brandon Nimmo had a 100.8 mph single and a 100.6 mph fly out. Josh Jung had a 100.1 mph single.
Sep 23, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette (19) and third baseman Brett Baty (7) hug after defeating the against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Meet the Mets
The Mets launched three home runs to defeat the Rangers and take the series. Juan Soto, Marcus Semien, and Brett Baty all left the yard while Nolan McLean pitched seven solid innings. The Mets have an opportunity to sweep the series with Zac Thornton on the mound in the finale this afternoon.
Green’s past experience with struggle both as a manager and a player has made him the perfect person to take over managerial duties and put this season behind them.
