AVOIDING BEING SWEPT: The Cubs have not been swept in a series at Milwaukee since June 28-30, 2021. This is their 12th series there since then. They avoided being swept with third-game wins in five series, including their first series a year ago. They are 26-34 in games at Milwaukee in the last week of August or later, including 7-14 since 2018. The Cubs are 7-2 this season in third games of series after losing the first two. They are 4-0 on the road, with wins at Atlanta and Pittsburgh in May, Colorado in June and Seattle in August. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THAT THIRD GAME: At 11-12 in third games of series on the road, the Cubs already have lost more such games than they did all of last season, when they finished 15-11. They are 24-22 in all third games, home and road.. They ended last year 27-23. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
WEDNESDAY, THE GOOD DAY: The Cubs are 14-9 on Wednesday, their best record of any day of the week, ahead of 13-10 on Tuesday and 13-11 on Saturday. They ae 8-4 on the road on Wednesday, also their best, ahead of 7-5 on both Tuesday and Friday. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
ITEM FOUR: Jon Lester, Hector Rondón and Aroldis Chapman combine on a seven-hit shutout and Kris Bryant’s two-run homer in the fifth provide all the runs the Cubs would need in a 2-0 win over the Astros. It happened 10 years ago today, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016.
Here’s the third and last pitching rematch from last week’s series at Wrigley Field.
Kevin Gausman was absolutely nails in the game last Thursday, allowing just five hits and one run, with nine strikeouts. Gausman usually isn’t a strikeout pitcher, either. Do that again, Kevin. For whatever it’s worth, the Cubs are 5-1 in Gausman starts.
Logan Henderson was also very good last week, giving the Cubs just three hits. Fortunately for the Cubs, one of those hits was a two-run homer by Pete Crow-Armstrong. Do that again, PCA.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 04: Cristopher Sánchez #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts in the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves during a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 04, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the lineups for today’s matchup against Houston. Let’s discuss!
FREDERICK, MARYLAND - APRIL19, 2026: Vance Honeycutt #7 of the Frederick Keys bats during a South Atlantic League game against the Hudson Valley Renegades at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Frederick, Maryland. The Renegades beat the Keys, 7-6 in 10 innings. (Photo by Rodger Wood/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Vance Honeycutt might be in the running for the best career of any position player to ever play baseball for North Carolina, but he hasn’t had an easy time of it since being drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2024. Through a season and a half in High-A ball, it looked like the concerns around his swing-and-miss and strikeout rate were going to end up overpowering all the tools he brought to the table, as he was striking out on over 40% of his plate appearances and thus not really giving himself a chance to put up any numbers. It looked like he might have turned a corner in spring ball, when he hit home runs in four straight at-bats and appeared to have reworked his swing into something more repeatable. But when he went back to the High-A Frederick Keys, it was unfortunately more of the same: 43% of his plate appearances ending in strikeouts and a dismal slash line of .182/.285/.359. He’d slipped from 5th to out of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 prospects for the Orioles and was looking at a steep climb uphill if his big-league dreams were to be realized, because the list of players who have recorded that many strikeouts as a minor leaguer and become successful in The Show is basically empty.
Those stats and that situation don’t scream “guy ready for promotion,” but who knows what the Orioles organization was seeing under the hood. Maybe they were tinkering more with his swing. Maybe they thought he just needed a change of scenery. Or maybe they were just letting him sink or swim, giving him the opportunity to prove he’s still worth putting resources into developing. Whatever it was, they decided to promote him to their AA affiliate, the Chesapeake Baysox, on August 17th.
And whatever it was, it’s paying dividends. Honeycutt looks like a completely different player against AA pitching — through four-ish weeks, 16 games, and 65 plate appearances, he’s slashing .339/.431/.661 with 3 home runs, 11 RBI, and 10 stolen bases, and an OPS over 1.000, compiling a high-but-manageable 21.5% K rate (and is 2-5 with two home runs and a stolen base in his 17th game as I’m writing this, basically in my backyard no less). I don’t know if new coaching and a new environment has unlocked something for him, if AA pitchers are just giving him more opportunities to swing at something in the zone, or if the independent coach who recently posted about working with him during the month of August has something to do with it, but it’s a near-unprecedented turnaround for a minor league prospect and has Honeycutt looking like a bona fide prospect again.
Obviously, Honeycutt’s Double-A numbers come from a much smaller sample size than the problematic High-A ones. But he never even approached having a month like this in High-A, and we’re starting to get to a point where the sample size is big enough that it can’t be ignored entirely. Maybe this pace ends up being unsustainable for the former Tar Heel, but I think seeing him fall all the way back down would be even more surprising than the turnaround has been. As it is, he’s putting himself in a great position to maybe be looking at Triple-A at some point next year, if after a likely lockout, and resuming the trajectory that he put himself on as he wrote his legend at Boshamer Stadium.
Plenty of other recent Tar Heels are doing pretty well in the minors — including Kane Kepley, who’s the Chicago Cubs’ fifth-ranked prospect in his second year as a pro — and we’ll likely have a roundup of all of them once the minor league season is over in a few days. But this potentially career-saving stretch from Honeycutt was certainly worth covering on its own.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 20: Will Brennan #7 of the San Francisco Giants gets ready in the batters box against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Four games for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates on Tuesday, and half of them were playoff games. Let’s dive into the action!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Just a little bit of news, as catcher Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) and outfielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35 CPL) are scheduled to begin rehab assignments with AAA Sacramento.
AAA Sacramento (77-59)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Las Vegas Aviators (A’s) 11-1 Box score
This was about as dominant of a baseball game as you’ll see, and it certainly didn’t feel as close as the not-close-at-all score would suggest.
It was a stunning offensive performance which, well … tends to happen in Las Vegas, though that doesn’t negate the impressiveness of the day for Sacramento’s offense, which featured 18 hits, half of which went for extra bases.
There were a trio of offensive stars, but none bigger than right fielder Will Brennan. The lefty was tasked with hitting cleanup, and he played the role perfectly.
All in all, a 3-5 day with a trio of home runs and a strikeout, which brought Brennan’s OPS all the way up to .820 … a single-game raise of 31 points, which is pretty darned impressive this late in the season! It also raised his wRC+ to 111.
While Brennan was the biggest star, it’s understandable if you’re not as excited seeing him succeed as you are with some of the other players on Sacramento’s roster, given that Brennan is a 28-year old with MLB experience who was designated for assignment earlier in the year and will almost certainly be playing for a different organization next year.
So, if prospects are what you’re looking for, then allow me to introduce you to a pair who joined Brennan on the podium of offensive stars on Tuesday: center fielder Scott Bandura and left fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL). The 2026 season has been an unequivocal success for the pair of outfielders from the 2023 draft class, the former a 7th-round pick and the latter an undrafted free agent. And they’re making sure to end the year on a high note, following brief dips in performance as the season neared an end.
For Bandura, it was a game where he did a little bit of everything, as he hit 3-5 with a solo home run, a double, a sacrifice fly, and a stolen base. My word!
As for Davidson, he went a sensational 4-5 with both a triple and a double, with 1 strikeout. As we’ve grown accustomed to, the contact for Davidson (who is 93rd percentile in both average exit velocity and 50th percentile exit velocity), was loud: a 107.3-mph single, a 102.7-mph single, a 95.9-mph double, and a 101.3-mph triple.
It seems unlikely that Bandura (who has a .901 OPS and a 136 wRC+) or Davidson (who has a .912 OPS and a 135 wRC+) will debut this year, as we’re running out of time and the Giants are wanting to take a long look at Jonah Cox, Turner Hill, and Drew Gilbert, to make no mention of Grant McCray or Victor Bericoto (No. 35 CPL), the latter of which is starting a rehab assignment. But I certainly expect both players to be rostered as Rule 5 protections, and to show up to Spring Training (if it occurs) with a chance to win an Opening Day job.
Also nice days for designated hitter Eddys Leonard, who hit 2-4 with a walk and a strikeout; shortstop Aeverson Arteaga, who went 3-5 with 2 strikeouts; and catcher Fernando Gonzalez, who hit 1-3 with a triple, 2 walks, and a strikeout. It was a particularly impressive performance from Gonzalez, given that he’s been called up from Low-A San Jose for emergency duty (he’ll likely head back to San Jose now that Zach Morgan has been optioned to AAA).
Unfortunately, all those hits couldn’t find the bat of third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), whose recent scuffling continued. Harber was the only player in the lineup who failed to record a hit, as he went 0-5 with a walk. Over his last 11 games, the righty has hit just 4-46 with 1 double, 6 walks, and 17 strikeouts, which came after a red-hot start to his AAA tenure. Hopefully he can find a little rhythm and end the year on a high note, because he’s dipped down to a .739 OPS and a 97 wRC+.
So, I mentioned earlier that the game was in Las Vegas, where baseballs tend to fly. It’s easy to use that as a reason to pump the brakes on any strong performances … but what happens when those performances are on the mound?
You can decide that the offensive environment is, indeed, ludicrous, and then be extra impressed by the pitching, or you can decide that the offensive environment is more tepid than we thought, and then be extra impressed by the hitting. Or heck, do both!
That’s a long-winded way of saying that LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) put on an absolute show in a bandbox. Just a week after an 8-inning start, the southpaw went 7 innings in this one, and didn’t allow a single run. 7 scoreless innings! In the Pacific Coast League! In Las Vegas!
The 2023 comp-round pick wasn’t overpowering, as he only struck out 3 batters on the day, but he limited the Aviators to just 5 hits, all of which were singles, and only walked 1 batter. He needed just 91 pitches to get through the day, and threw 63 of them for strikes.
Whitman, who turns 25 next week, had a bit of a rude introduction when promoted to AAA earlier this year, which resulted in spending some time operating out of the bullpen. But lately he’s really started to figure things out, which perhaps is the natural progression of adjusting to a new level, or perhaps is a chip on his shoulder after watching LHPs Matt Wilkinson and César Perdomo, and RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL) get promoted to the Majors ahead of him.
Either way, Whitman is on one hell of a 5-start run: 31 innings, 28 hits, 4 walks, 6 earned runs, and 24 strikeouts. Suddenly, his ERA in AAA is all the way down to 3.84, which is a delightful number in the PCL (his FIP is lagging behind, at 4.79). And while he’s not striking out a ton of batters (63 in 73 innings), he’s doing a magnificent job at limiting walks (21).
Unfortunately, the shutout was lost by RHP Ryan Walker, who made his Sacramento return after being optioned. Walker gave up 2 hits, including a solo home run, while striking out 2 batters in 2 innings.
AA Richmond (73-58)
Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Chesapeake Baysox (Orioles) 11-3 Box score
The Squirrels are really ending the season with a thud, as they’ve been piling up both losses and uninteresting performances. This game was, sadly, an exception to neither rule.
How bad was this game? Well, the best performance belonged to catcher Onil Perez … who didn’t catch at all, but instead tossed a perfect 9th inning in his role as reliever, a gig he’s now reprised thrice in the last handful of games.
That was easily the best pitching performance, as 4 of the 5 arms who came before Perez gave up runs, and the 5th (RHP Tyler Vogel) allowed 3 baserunners in 1.2 innings. Most notable, unfortunately, was how much RHP Miguel Mendez struggled, as the 24-year got knocked out in the 2nd inning after allowing 6 hits, 2 walks, and 5 runs, while recording just 5 outs (3 by way of strikeout, though). Mendez, who was part of the Robbie Ray trade, had pitched well in his 1st 3 outings for Richmond, so this game was hopefully an outlier. But it sure was an ugly outlier!
The offense mustered just 3 hits on the day, all of them singles. Only 1 player reached base multiple times, as third baseman Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL) hit 1-3 with a walk and a strikeout. I think we can move on now.
High-A Eugene (0-1)
Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 8-7 Box score
Into the playoffs we go, but Eugene immediately finds themselves in a hole after losing the 1st game in the best-of-5 championship series. The good news is, after tonight, the games return to Oregon for the rest of the series.
As was the case with Richmond, this loss was largely due to a rough start by an exciting talent acquired at the deadline, LHP Henry Lalane. The 6’7 22-year old, who came over in the Heliot Ramos trade, couldn’t find the strike zone in this one, as he threw just 51 of 91 pitches for strikes, while walking 6 batters in just 4.2 innings. Lalane only allowed 3 hits in the game but, paired with those 6 walks, that put 4 runs on the board for the Canadians.
Lalane is going to be a fascinating Rule 5 decision for the Giants. He’s certainly not a player they want to risk losing, but they have to feel like the risk is fairly minimal, given that he only made it to High-A recently, and has really struggled there: in 8 official starts at the level (5 with the Giants and 3 with the Yankees, and not including this playoff outing), Lalane posted a 3.86 ERA and a 4.78 FIP and, if you include the playoffs, had just 35 strikeouts to 18 walks in 42 innings. I suspect, given those numbers and the team’s roster crunch, that Lalane will go unprotected, but you could understand if the Giants have hesitations.
Unfortunately, Lalane set the tone, as the rest of the pitchers struggled as well.
The offense was quite a bit better, and once again led by just-signed catcher Charlie Muniz. The Giants signed Muniz — college baseball’s all-time leader in home runs — out of the Pioneer League a week ago, and he put up donuts in his 1st 3 games, before ending the year with his 1st hit: fittingly, a home run.
He was back at it again in this one, hitting 2-4 with a home run and a double, while striking out twice. Muniz, who is 24, was presumably signed to fill out the catching depth when the organization had a strong need for backstops, but I’m guessing the Giants are excited to have him in the system, and look forward to seeing what he can do next year, especially since they didn’t use any of their draft picks on catchers this year.
Muniz had the best game, but second baseman Kaedon Kent had the most hits, as the lefty, who just turned 23, went a nearly-perfect 4-5 with 2 runs batted in, though he did strike out once and was caught stealing. Kent, who was drafted in the 3rd round last year out of Texas A&M, spent the entire year in High-A, where he also spent his debut action a season ago. Across 86 games between the Giants and Yankees, he posted a .790 OPS and a 107 wRC+ in the regular season, with just a 16.0% strikeout rate. He’ll certainly head to AA next year, to play second next to Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL), who struggled in this game, hitting 0-4 with 2 strikeouts and a sacrifice bunt.
Right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL) and third baseman Isaiah Barkett both had strong games, with the former (taken in the 7th round last year) going 1-3 with a double, 2 walks, and a strikeout, while the latter (taken in the 10th round a year ago) hit 2-3 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base. Maldonado was sensational following a late-season promotion to Eugene, as he posted a 1.023 OPS and a 154 wRC+ in 22 games with the Emeralds. Barkett quietly had a strong season as well, with an .886 OPS and a 125 wRC+ with Low-A San Jose, then a 10-game stint in Eugene where he had a .786 OPS and a 114 wRC+. Barkett posted sub-10% strikeout rates at both levels, and showed some fantastic defensive versatility.
Low-A San Jose (1-0)
San Jose Giants beat the Stockton Ports (A’s) 10-5 Box score
A great start to the playoffs for the Baby Giants, who won the lone road game in their best-of-3 series, and now will get 2 chances to finish off the Ports at home, and earn a shot in the championship series. Then again, it shouldn’t be surprising that San Jose started the playoffs on the right foot, as they ended the year having won 20 of their final 22 games.
Sometimes things in baseball can’t be explained. Or perhaps that red-hot streak by San Jose is what explains things. When you’re hot, you’re hot, and it’s contagious.
All of that is to say that center fielder Andy Polanco, an 11th-round pick in 2024, wrapped up his 2nd pro season with 2 career home runs: 1 last year in the ACL, where he played 47 games, and 1 this year in Low-A, where he appeared in 98 contests.
And so, naturally, the 21-year old homered in his 1st at-bat of this playoff game. And then he homered in his 2nd at-bat, as well.
And another one. Second two-run home run in as many innings, this one off the bat of Andy Polanco, and the Giants lead 4-0! pic.twitter.com/upDUlnJrn6
It was a star showing all around for Polanco, as he ended the day 3-4 with a stolen base and an outfield assist. Hard to do much more than that! Polanco only posted a .728 OPS and an 83 wRC+ this year, but he played incredible defense, and stole 38 bags. There’s a lot to like there, but the power-to-strikeout ratio (1 home run in 393 plate appearances with a 30.5% strikeout rate) is deeply concerning. We’ll see what improvements he can make next year.
Andy Polanco again! Two at-bats, two home runs, as Polanco doubles his regular season home run total.
Designated hitter Drew Smith, a 15th-round pick in July who only got into 3 official games (but hit a home run), had a delightful introduction to the playoffs, as he went 2-5 with a 2-run home run and 2 strikeouts. Smith had 16 home runs for Oregon this year and a .280 isolated slugging percentage, so the Giants are certainly hoping to see a lot of that next year!
Drew Smith sneaks one down the right field line for the Giants FOURTH home run of the game. Giants lead 7-0 in the fifth. pic.twitter.com/uaXdLGbP14
Meola has to feel a little disappointed that he spent the entire year in San Jose, after also playing 16 games there last season following being drafted in the 4th round. He really struggled early on, but turned his season around in the second half, which was enough to push him past league average (.821 OPS, 103 wRC+). The glove plays, even if the bat is lagging, so it’ll be fun seeing him in Eugene next year, turning two with shortstop Josuar González (No. 2 CPL). Speaking of González, he had a solid game, hitting 2-4 with a walk and a stolen base. Between injuries and beginning the year in the Arizona Complex League, González had just a 31-game sample in San Jose (plus these playoff games). And I still think that was easily enough to get him to Eugene to open 2027.
While the 4 home runs from the hitters stole the show, it was a fabulous pitching performance from RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL). Cayama showed both the control and the electricity that make him such an exciting prospect, as he struck out 5 batters in as many innings, with just 1 walk. Cayama, who also allowed 4 hits and a hit batter, got tagged for just 1 run, which came on a solo home run.
It was great seeing Cayama have such a nice outing, because he ended the regular season with an absolute clunker of a performance. It was an odd season for the Venezuelan, who turns 20 next month, as he posted a 4.87 ERA and a 4.27 FIP, while missing a chunk of the season with an injury. But he also had 73 strikeouts in just 57.1 innings, with only 17 walks. That counts as a very nice year in my book.
RHP Eric Nachtsheim, the team’s 6th-round pick in July, made his 2nd pro appearance. He got roughed up in his pro debut, and the only official outing of the year, since postseason stats aren’t counted. But he sure responded with his playoff performance, as he retired all 5 batters he faced, with 3 strikeouts. Nachtsheim, a 22-year old out of McNeese State, threw 16 of 23 pitches for strikes.
Home run tracker
16 — Lorenzo Meola — [Low-A] 13 — Scott Bandura — [10 in AAA; 3 in AA] 10 — Will Brennan x3 — [AAA] 3 — Andy Polanco x2 — [Low-A] 2 — Charlie Muniz — [High-A] 2 — Drew Smith — [Low-A]
Wednesday schedule
Sacramento: 7:05 p.m. PT at Las Vegas (SP: TBD) Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Chesapeake (SP: Charlie McDaniel) Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Vancouver (SP: Jordan Gottesman) San Jose: Off day
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be viewed on MLB TV
Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be placed on the 10-day IL with a sprained right thumb.
"We just got an update that he does have a sprained right thumb that’s going to require an IL stint," Boone said Wednesday. "So, no baseball activities for the next 7-10 days, and then see where we’re at."
Chisholm was removed from Tuesday’s win over the Colorado Rockies in the top of the ninth inning after sliding head-first into second base in the previous inning when he tried to stretch a ball off the wall in right field into a double, hitting the bag hard with his thumb.
Boone did not announce any corresponding roster move, but did say that the Yankees would be comfortable with Anthony Volpe playing second base. Volpe has never played second base in the majors, but has played 19 games at second with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season since he was demoted from the major league roster.
"I know he's been a complete pro and completely got after it down there in everything they've thrown at him," Boone said of Volpe, "whether it's moving and playing some second base, obviously introducing some third base to him, making sure his swing is dialed in, and he's obviously swung the bat incredibly well. That's not an easy thing to do when you've been the guy in the big leagues and you gotta go back."
The 28-year-old Chisholm is hitting .232 this season with 19 home runs, 55 RBI, and 40 stolen bases.
Losing Chisholm is obviously a blow to a Yankees lineup that hasn't been at full strength for quite some time. Aaron Judge finally returned from a lengthy IL stint on Tuesday and is still ramping back up to being able to play every day, and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton remains on the IL after suffering a setback while rehabbing a calf injury.
Knoxville Smokies pitcher Edward Cabrera (11) pitches against the Rocket City Trash Pandas during a Minor League Baseball game on Aug. 11, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
A rare day in the minors where it’s all day games today.
Jordan Wicks started this game and took the loss after allowing four runs on six hits over 3.2 innings. Three of the four runs came on a three-run home run by Carlos Pérez. Wicks struck out five and walked three.
Edward Cabrera threw two innings of relief in a rehab appearance. Cabrera gave up one run on two hits. He struck out one and walked no one.
Catcher Owen Ayers went 2 for 4 with an RBI double. He also scored once.
First baseman Kevin Alcántara went 2 for 4 with an RBI double and an RBI single for two total runs batted in.
Starter Kevin Valdez gave the Smokies five solid innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Both runs scored on solo home runs. Valdez struck out four and walked one.
Frankie Scalzo Jr. came on to pitch the eighth inning and got out of that unscathed, but then he stayed in the game in the bottom fo the ninth. Scalzo gave up a one-out single and the runner then stole second and went to third on a bad throw. The winning run then scored on a wild pitch.
The final line on Scalzo was one unearned run on two hits over 1.1 innings. He walked one and did not strike anyone out.
Left fielder Andy Garriola was 2 for 4. He had an RBI single in the first inning and scored on a wild pitch in the fourth.
Center fielder Kane Kepley went 1 for 4 and was hit by a pitch. He stole two bases and scored once.
South Bend Cubs
Traveling back from Iowa. South Bend has to win tomorrow and Friday in South Bend to continue their season.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals runs to the dugout during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This road trip has been absolutely miserable. Last night, the Nats made history with their 38th blown save. Now they will look to actually win a game. They are 0-5 on this west coast swing and will look to at least win one game in sunny California.
Blake Butera will be making some lineup alterations. Andres Chaparro will play third base in this one. Nasim Nunez is back at shortstop which pushes the struggling CJ Abrams to second base. Keibert Ruiz and Jacob Young are also back in the lineup. Jackson Kent will be on the mound.
With a lefty on the hill, the Padres will make some changes. Austin Hays, Samad Taylor and Jase Bowen will all be in the lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr. will go from the outfield to second base. Luis Campusano goes from DH to catcher. Veteran Walker Buehler will be on the mound.
The end of the season has been hard to watch and very discouraging. However, we still have about 15 of these bad boys left. It would be great if the Nats showed any life at all down the stretch. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 31: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves prepares to bat during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Monday, August 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The lineups are out for tonight’s contest as the Atlanta Braves are looking to knot up the series with the Tampa Bay Rays at one run apiece. Manager Walt Weiss has decided to go with a top-of-the-order look that we last saw when the Braves were in Philadelphia, which means that Drake Baldwin is getting the nod at DH and leading off.
This’ll be the 55th time that Baldwin has led off for the Braves this season and so far through 54 games, he’s hit .305/.390/.500 in the leadoff spot, good for a wOBA of .388 and 146 wRC+. Compare that to his overall slash line for the season of .276/.352/.446 with a wOBA of .350 and a wRC+ of 121, it’s clear that Baldwin is pretty comfortable hitting in the leadoff spot.
Meanwhile, he’s swapped positions in the lineup with Michael Harris II as he’s gone from leading off on Tuesday to batting cleanup on Wednesday. There’s a bit of shuffling in the bottom half of the order but the names are the same — Mike Yastrzemski goes from eighth to sixth, Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley move down to seventh and eighth, respectively, and Sean Murphy will be the connector to the top half of the order in the ninth slot. None of these guys have an extensive amount of experience against Griffin Jax but I did mention in the preview that a handful of these guys did tag him for a few runs during a relief appearance in this ballpark for Jax back in 2025, so maybe they’ll continue that success here.
Here’s the nine (plus pitcher) for the Tampa Bay Rays this evening:
Aug 22, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Kade Anderson (13) throws against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Mariners play a rare mid-series day game to accommodate the opening of the 2026-27 NFL season happening across the street at Lumen Field later tonight. Radio folks, take note of the change.
Lineups:
Cole Young, who is batting .304 in September, gets the start at second base even with a lefty on the mound for Texas. Kade Anderson makes his fourth big-league start.
Michael Arroyo, who isn’t in the lineup despite Texas starting a lefty, was taking outfield reps with coach Eric Young Jr. pregame.
Emerson Hancock threw a bullpen today which he described as a typical mid-week bullpen as he continues to work back from his adductor strain. The strain affects his landing leg, which made putting force on it difficult when he first felt the strain. He describes it as a “day-to-day” thing and says he needs to see how he feels tomorrow. “We’re just trying to do everything we can to keep building this thing up, and hopefully get a chance to come back and pitch.”
Today’s game information:
Game time: 1:10 PT
TV: Mariners TV, with Aaron Goldsmith and Ryon Healy
Radio: KTTH 770 AM with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 4: Starting pitcher Andre Pallante #53 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 4, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their west coast swing with a matinee game Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco against the Giants. Andre Pallante gets the start for the Cardinals while it will be RHP Blade Tidwell starting for the Giants. First pitch scheduled for 2:45pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 3: Blade Tidwell #46 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on September 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals this afternoon from Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Blade Tidwell, who enters today’s game with a 4.43 ERA, 4.40 FIP, with 36 strikeouts to 18 walks in 42.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates last Thursday, in which he allowed two runs on tow hits with five strikeouts and five walks in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante, who enters today’s game with a 3.51 ERA, 3.71 FIP, with 98 strikeouts to 45 walks in 141 innings pitched. His last start was in the Cardinals’ 7-6 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday, in which he allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout and four walks in five innings.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on September 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Washington Nationals (67-80) at San Diego Padres (77-68), September 9, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 08: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammates after beating the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on September 08, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Athletics pitching prospect Jamie Arnold was struck in the face by a comebacker in Triple-A on Tuesday and suffered multiple facial fractures, but the club said he will not require surgery.
The 11th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Arnold was making his second start for the Las Vegas Aviators since being promoted from Class AA and was hit by a ball off the bat of Sacramento's Bo Davidson in the top of the first inning.
Arnold came out of the game and the club said that the 22-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital in Las Vegas. A day after the scary incident, the club announced that Arnold had suffered intra-orbital and maxillary sinus fractures and that there was no timetable for the lefty's return.
Arnold is ranked as the Athletics' third-best prospect and 57th in baseball by MLB.com. He has a 3.50 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 25 starts across two levels in 2026, his first professional season.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 18: River Ryan #77 of the Los Angeles Dodgers participates in a bullpen session prior to a Spring Training game against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch on March 18, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve been waiting to get a look at right-hander River Ryan since the Tigers acquired him from the Los Angeles Dodgers as a key part of the Tarik Skubal trade. The 28-year-old has missed much of the season with a right hamstring strain that reoccured the first time he came off the injured list in the Dodgers’ system. On Wednesday, he debuted in the Tigers’ organization with two scoreless frames for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
As you’d expect after a hamstring injury, the Tigers didn’t push him in this outing. And as you’d expect if you’ve seen Ryan pitch, he looked really good. He allowed just two weak hits and struck out two in his two innings of work.
Ryan averaged 97 mph with his fourseam fastball, mainly pairing that with his 91-92 mph slider. He mixed in his 94 mph cutter, using his sinker, curveball, and changeup minimally in the short outing. In short, his arm looks as good as ever. Ryan is the most talented arm in the organization, and will hopefully be able to take his spot in the 2027 rotation. The Tigers got a really good one here. It’s just a question of whether he can finally put the injury bug behind him.
You can watch the full outing below. Look for him to stretch out with at least one more start for the Mud Hens before finishing the season with the Tigers.
That’s it for River Ryan. Two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts and two bloop singles allowed.
23 pitches, 17 strikes 4 whiffs on 15 swings
Fastball topped out at 98.2 MPH, and he used all six of his pitches. Here’s the whole outing: pic.twitter.com/zB9vDh6Tv4
