Category: Baseball

The Cubs took a nice early lead in this game, but then, as has been the case so many times in recent days, simply could not bring many baserunners in to score, going 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. (If it makes you feel any better — it didn’t for me — the Red Sox went 2-for-13 with RISP.)

Anyway, all that added up to a frustrating 4-3 loss to Boston at Fenway Park and another setback in the effort to have some home games at Wrigley Field next week.

The Cubs got on the board right away in the top of the first. With one out, Seiya Suzuki walked, then one out later, Tyrone Taylor smacked an RBI double off the Green Monster [VIDEO].

The Cubs put two more on the board in the second. Matt Shaw led off with a double and stopped at third on a single by Michael Busch. Dansby Swanson hit a ground ball to thirdon a contact play that resulted in Shaw being thrown out at the plate [VIDEO].

Busch stopped at second on that play, and then Miguel Amaya drove in both runners with this double [VIDEO].

The Red Sox put a run on the board in the third. Roman Anthony led off with a walk and, well, those are always trouble. Adley Rutschman singled, with Anthony taking second.

Then this happened [VIDEO].

That’s a very rare error by Swanson as he tried to make an off-balance throw to complete a double play. Instead, a run scored to make it 3-1.

The Red Sox tied up the game in the fifth. A leadoff single by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and double by Anthony put runners on second and third with nobody out. Clay Holmes retired Mickey Gasper, but then Craig Counsell summoned Caleb Thielbar to turn Rutschman around to batting right-handed. That’s statistically the right move this year as Rutschman has been much worse vs. LHP in 2026.

Welp. Didn’t work. Rutschman hit a two-run single to tie the game.

While all this was going on, the Cubs were leaving runners in scoring position — again, leaving RISP in the fifth and seventh. The first of those was PCA after his 41st steal of the year. Fun facts about the 41st PCA stolen base from BCB’s JohnW53:

MLB batters have hit at least 45 home runs in 166 seasons since 1901.

Pete Crow-Armstrong is the third with at least 41 stolen bases.
Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers had 54 homers and 59 steals in 2024.
Alfonso Soriano of the Nationals had 46 homers and 41 steals in 2006.

The fourth-most steals is just 33, by Larry Walker of the Rockies, who hit 49 homers in 1997.

The Red Sox took the lead in the seventh. Anthony tripled with one out off Aaron Civale and scored on a double to left by Connor Wong.

That was it, pretty much. The Cubs went down 1-2-3 in the eighth and ninth and with this loss, dropped to 88-72, which is 1.5 games behind the Padres for the top wild card spot and only half a game ahead of the Phillies, who currently inhabit the third wild card spot. Let’s hope the Cubs can take the nightcap.

Alex Bregman returned from his frightening injury from Sunday and was the DH in this game. He went 0-for-4, but at least hit the ball hard several times. Hopefully, some of those hard hits will fall in going forward.

We don’t yet have any confirmed information about the third game of this series, currently scheduled for Fenway Park Saturday at 6:15 p.m. CT. The weather is supposed to deteriorate quickly in the Boston area late tonight and multiple reports have both teams’ planes scheduled to fly to Florida this evening, and that the game will be played Sunday at Tropicana Field. If and when this is made official I will post separately on the front page.

Also, please note: Due to the starting time of this game, I will post a recap this evening when it’s over. Heroes and Goats for both games of the doubleheader will run tomorrow morning.

There are no lineups for Game 2 at the time this recap posted, so check BCB social media for the Game 2 lineups. Here’s all the rest of the info you’ll need for the nightcap of today’s doubleheader.

David Peterson, LHP vs. Brayan Bello, LHP

David Peterson’s last two outings have been quite good — 12 innings, six hits, two runs, 14 strikeouts.

He last faced the Red Sox Sept. 4, 2024 at Citi Field and allowed one run in six innings, striking out 11. Among current Red Sox players, only Willson Contreras (2-for-11) has faced him more than five times.

Brayan Bello’s 2026 season has not been nearly as good as his 2025, though in his last start, Sept. 19 vs. the Rays, he threw eight innings and allowed one run, striking out 11.

He last faced the Cubs July 19, 2025 at Wrigley Field and allowed three runs in six innings, including a home run by Michael Busch.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Fenway Park. It still looks like they’ll be able to get this game in before the nor’easter hits the Boston area.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Red Sox site Over The Monster. If you do go there to interact with Red Sox fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

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.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Prior to today’s game against the Nationals, the Mets called up Justin Hagenman. To make room for Hagenman on the roster, the team optioned Jack Weisenburger to the FCL Mets. The team also announced that Xzavion Curry cleared waivers and has been outrighted to the FCL Mets.

With Christian Scott hitting the injured list and missing his start tonight, the team has been expected to call up Hagenman. While it’s unclear if he will start, Anthony DiComo mentioned that the righty “should play a significant role in tonight’s game”. Hagenman has appeared in two games this month for the Mets and has allowed two earned runs on three hits, with two strikeouts and one walk issued. This comes after he pitched 23 2/3 innings for New York across five separate stints for the org in 2025. He finished last year with a 4.56 ERA and a 3.77 FIP in those nine appearances.

Weisenburger was really solid in his two stints for New York this year, which also happened to be his first two turns in the majors. Across 12 2/3 innings, he posted a 2.13 ERA and a 1.83 FIP. He struck out 14 batters, issued three hits, and surrendered 10 hits. He pitched in yesterday’s 3-1 loss to Texas, where he got into some trouble by allowing a walk and a hit before getting out of it with a double play to finish off his outing and his year.

While the Braves are taking a very passive approach to their pitching this weekend in order to best align for next week’s wild-card series at Truist Park, the lineup is being kept in top condition.

For Game 1 of its final regular-season series at Miami (Friday at 7:10 EDT), Atlanta is using a lineup that could very resemble the one it opens the postseason with next Tuesday.

Drake Baldwin leads off and will be the designated hitter against a right-handed starter, while
Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and Michael Harris II round out the top four in the order. Mauricio Dubón will hit fifth and play shortstop, while Sean Murphy is catching and hitting ninth.

First of 3️⃣ in Miami!#BravesCountrypic.twitter.com/Bc5r55924V

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 25, 2026

No real surprises in the lineup for the Marlins, who were only eliminated from playoff contention last Friday.

Closing out the season at home.

🤝: @PNCBank
📺: https://t.co/CoO4NlpS1G
👂: @MarlinsRadio, @radiomambi710, @1043wqam
⏰: 7:10 PM ET
🏟️: Roof status: CLOSED#FightinFish // https://t.co/HLOUFjJ1zSpic.twitter.com/JC93IYD16d

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 25, 2026

No one on the Marlins’ active roster has ever faced Braves starter Ray Kerr. But that shouldn’t matter a ton as he’s unlikely to go much past one time through the order before the bullpen game continues with a variety of arms in use.

The Braves have had quite a bit of success against Marlins starter Eury Pérez. They’re a combined 27-for-71 (.380) against the right-hander with four homers, six doubles and 15 RBIs, walking six times and striking out 16.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Drake Baldwin, Michael Harris II, Austin Riley and Dominic Smith are all hitting over .400 against Pérez in a small sample size of nine or fewer at-bats. Baldwin has two of the four Braves’ homers off of Pérez with a sterling 1.111 slugging percentage in the matchup.

As the Dodgers embark on their final series of the regular season, let us revisit the last series where both the Dodgers won and Shohei Ohtani had an RBI, which happened to be with my mother in Denver.

We’ve had a lot of fun this year, and the campaign flew by.

Before I knew it, it was over. I’m so glad you stopped to smell the pine tar with me along the way.

As an aside, Mom and a friend of mine from law school will be joining us for the penultimate game of the year.

Rocky Mountain High

Denver was the first stop on my second circuit around the league. Ultimately, a lot of people sleep on Denver, and they really shouldn’t, as it’s a lovely ballpark. The tour of the facilities confirmed that.

Also, on the Tour, I learned that the visiting team does not have a kitchen and thus has to order all meals while playing. Afterward, the Rockies pick up and pay for the orders, and get reimbursed once the visiting team leaves. Coors Field is surrounded by restaurants with its own plaza and hotel across the street from left field.

The main delicacy of Coors Field is the Rocky Mountain Oyster, a deep-fried, breaded bull’s testicle. I meant to try it during this visit, but I found my stomach was not agreeing with me after trying some of the local restaurants. For once, I decided that discretion was the better part of valor.

Now, did Hunter Feduccia become ill during Game 2 of the series because he had a Rocky Mountain Oyster or had a bad reaction to Denver takeout? I have no earthly idea; sadly, I’m not a credentialed reporter, so the big questions like this one get unanswered while everyone focuses on why Kyle Tucker dropped that fly ball.

Considering the follies that arose from our choice of hotel in Los Angeles in 2025, Mom finally listened to me and was willing to split and splurge on The Rally Hotel at McGregor Square.

The hotel was quite nice, and the service was excellent, but it was a little pricey for my budget. Yes, the convenience of just walking out the left field gate only to be right at the hotel is amazing when the weather is muggy and/or you are surrounded by fans.

The Mountain Ranch Bar and Grille is an interesting option if you want to eat at a buffet in the ballpark, overlooking batting practice. Again, best views are the effectively closed-off areas of the ballpark that open up two hours before first pitch.

Mom enjoyed herself both at the games and on the tour. Sometimes there is the temptation to try and make more of experiences than what they were at face value.

Sometimes a ballgame is just that, and I continue to remain grateful for the company.

But there are times one has to admit a personal truth, and if you are indifferent to me venturing into foul territory for a bit, you can stop right here.

No longer walking the line

I need to make a confession. For five years, I have steadfastly said that I walk that line between serious journalist and hardcore fan. But that sentence isn’t true anymore.

The cost of experience is wonder. At some point, I learned too much, experienced too much, and I somehow became more journalist than fan. I don’t know when it happened, but I do know when I realized it happened; the fact that this change did happen is noteworthy.

For most of my life, you could define a significant portion of my personality by my fandom of the Dodgers.

26 years ago, I attended a summer program at UCLA for business students. I had no desire to go into business, but I needed to do something to pad out my transcript as an underachieving A-student from a rural Central Valley town that I was desperate to get away from.

The highlight of the program was an outing at Dodger Stadium on July 20, 2000, where the Dodgers were set to face the Colorado Rockies. Before the game, I had cornered some Fox/Dodger executive, and I was peppering him with questions as I was genuinely thrilled to be there.

I fully admit that I have an awkward social manner, and it was much worse when I was younger. And maybe he was having a bad day. I think his last name was Chase, but I wouldn’t testify to it. Anyway, he blew his stack at me loudly, wondering why I didn’t just grow up, and finished his rant by saying, “It’s just a job, man. Grow up.”

I felt like I had been slapped. I must have looked crestfallen. The room went quiet. I apologized meekly, went to finish my dinner, and the silence of the room was broken up by Gary Sheffield hitting a first-inning homer.

Who says that my life lacks poetry? But the moment was transformative, as public humiliation often is. In some ways, I grew up.

17-year-old me would be appalled at that sentence. 43-year-old me, who has literally been around the world to cover this team and to every MLB ballpark to watch this team, would think I’m being ridiculous.

I’m not bona fide. And that’s okay.

Apart from some of the sponsored posts (…don’t stop, I need the money…), I have been proud of everything I have created during these five seasons.

I try not to revel in being right, because when I’m wrong, oh Lord, do I miss the mark.

As I described above, when I realized I was more journalist than fan at this point was when I told Melissa Myer of the podcast Talk Dodgers to Me that at some point, I became an actual journalist and columnist by feeling vindication about being right about the Dodgers’ handling of Ohtani. She was moderately appalled at my vindication.

Ms. Myer is adamant that she is always fans first, and her podcast with Jaclyn Ruiz reflects that approach. The lineup of people who have gone on, including players, broadcasters, and other luminaries, is impressive. It’s hard not to feel a little envy when I have to kick and scream to be noticed on even minor topics. You won’t see hard topics on that podcast, but if you want to indulge your inner fan, have at it.

I realized I know too much. I have spent too much time on the figurative slaughterhouse floor watching how the sausage gets made. I have no problem calling things as they are, including any health code violations in this metaphor, and having a Greek salad afterward.

When Eric Stephen hired me five years ago, he gave me one directive: write about the interesting stuff.

I had it in my head that somehow finishing the circuit and finishing five seasons would somehow confer clout or status on me. As if the heavens would part, and there would be some deeper meaning to all this with Stephen Nelson and Orel Hershiser saying “attaboy.”

It didn’t. At least, not yet, which may not help with the deflating delusions of grandeur.

More folks say hello to me when I’m on the road, which is both neat and confusing.

Dad’s final words to me were that he loved me and a request to have fun. He never got to see Ohtani as a Dodger, or Ohtani’s Perfect Day in Miami, or The Fifth Inning, or my madcap romp to Toronto last year. As I said at the beginning of the year, when you literally experience a high that cannot be topped, one either has to come to terms with it or go mad seeking a repeat.

I got to goof on the road with people I like, respect, or both. I was an accidental witness to some of the best moments in recent Dodger history. I had fun. Originally, this essay was going to be an “Adric’s Retiring” post, but he’s not. I still have four more Guide entries to write, and he’s featured in all of them. Plus, the first question from Mom would be “Where’s Adric?” if I kept him at home.

It’s not the end, even though no one is guaranteed a tomorrow; it’s just the end of the beginning. For this next act, there will likely be more of me, rather than our unofficial mascot. It’s scary, but it’s good and, in some ways, long overdue. That’s the fun part about the second trip around the circuit; there’s absolutely no rush to complete it in a hurry.

So until next time, once more into the breach, my friends.

Expected inclement weather of Saturday led to the Yankees and Orioles moving around their weekend regular season finale and playing two games today on Friday. Today’s opener will feature the CC Sabathia number retirement ceremony that was originally set for tomorrow. After that pomp and circumstance, the Yankees and O’s will get their three game set going.

In the first of today’s games, the Yankees will give the start to Brendan Beck, who was just called up alongside Yerry De los Santos with Luis Gil and Bradley Hanner farmed out last night. So far, Beck has made three MLB appearances since debuting earlier this season. He has an 8.22 ERA in 7.2 innings, including five runs allowed in 3.2 innings back on July 4th, which was his first career MLB start. Between the playoffs coming up and today now being a doubleheader, the Yankees more than anything will be hoping he can soak up some innings.

Backing up him, the Yankees will be running out their lefty lineup, sending out Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario. Ali Sánchez will be behind the plate before switching with Austin Wells for the nightcap.

With the lefty lineup starting, the Yankees will be facing, as you might guess, a lefty. Trevor Rogers will be going for Baltimore. He has a 4.07 ERA in 165.2 innings this season. This could be his last start with the Orioles after a very up-and-down tenure that began at the 2024 Trade Deadline, as he is a free agent at season’s end.

We hope that you’ll come join us in the game thread for all of today’s action, so here’s how to watch the opener today.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY

First pitch: 4:05 p.m. ET

TV broadcast: YES (NYY) | MASN (BAL)

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | 98 Rock 97.9 FM, WBAL 1090 AM (BAL)

Streaming: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Friday at the Stadium 🏟️#RepBXpic.twitter.com/Mnfq64AK7y

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 25, 2026

Game 1 in the Bronx.

📺 @masnOrioles & MASN+
📻 98 Rock 97.9 FM & WBAL 1090 AM pic.twitter.com/9sHthbQBsI

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 25, 2026

This is it. The final series of the 2026 Orioles season. And we’ll knock out two of the three games in one fell swoop as the O’s and Yankees play a doubleheader today.

Because of this weekend’s impending nor’easter, Saturday’s scheduled game was moved up to this afternoon, giving the Orioles their second straight doubleheader. Wednesday’s twin bill against the Blue Jays went very well indeed, with a pair of 4-2 O’s wins to sweep Toronto out of the postseason race, and now the Birds will try to repeat the feat against a Yanks team that has nothing to play for. The Yankees’ postseason spot is already secure, as the first wild card winner and #4 overall seed, so they’ll likely be resting most of their regulars this weekend to prepare for Tuesday’s Wild Card Series against the Red Sox.

The Orioles, who were eliminated by the White Sox win yesterday, also don’t have anything to play for, although they could finish the season with a .500 record if they sweep the three-game series. That’s something! But not really.

Trevor Rogers takes the mound in the opener, making what could be the final start of his Orioles career, a thought that makes me sad. After a sluggish start to the season, he’s been fantastic since the start of June, posting a 2.92 ERA and looking more like the 2025 Most Valuable Oriole version of himself. In his last start, he racked up 10 strikeouts and gave up just one run in eight innings, but still got the loss because the Orioles’ offense is dumb. To quote John Malkovich from Rounders: Pay that man his money.

The first game begins at 4:05, and the nightcap will begin about a half hour after the first one ends (but no earlier than 7:05). Brandon Young will start the second game. This thread will be the place to discuss both games.

Game 1 lineups

Orioles:

RF Dylan Beavers
1B Pete Alonso
SS Gunnar Henderson
DH Coby Mayo
3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand
CF Colton Cowser
2B Jeremiah Jackson
LF Christian Franklin
C Carlos Narváez

LHP Trevor Rogers

Yankees:

1B Paul Goldschmidt
DH Ben Rice
LF Heliot Ramos
RF Amed Rosario
SS George Lombard Jr.
CF Spencer Jones
3B Anthony Volpe
C Ali Sánchez
2B José Caballero

RHP Brendan Beck

The end of the line for a future Major League Baseball Hall of Famer comes on Saturday afternoon in Detroit.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander will make his final career start for the Tigers in a celebratory day against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 43-year-old righty pitched only one game in March this season due to left hip inflammation and a left hamstring strain, hampering an emotional return to Detroit. 

Verlander was one of the most dominant pitchers baseball has seen over the last 50 years, totaling a career 81.8 WAR, 266 wins, and a 3.33 ERA.

He’s a member of the 3,000-strikeout club and ranks eighth all time with 3,554 punchouts in 21 seasons.

Verlander won the Cy Young in 2011, 2019, and 2022, the latter two with the Houston Astros. 

A two-time World Series champion with Houston in 2017 and 2022, Verlander still consistently threw upper-90s with his fastball and was the Astros’ ace during two historic runs in the playoffs

The 2006 AL Rookie of the Year also won the ERA title twice, won the pitcher Triple Crown in 2011, and was a 10-time All-Star selection. Rob Manfred named Verlander an honorary All-Star for the game in Philadelphia this past summer.

Pirates manager Don Kelly told me he will not take it easy on his former team mate Justin Verlander when he pitches for the final time tomorrow. Hear the full interview in the comments! pic.twitter.com/apvqAjvOFg

— Jeremy Otto (@JeremyOttoPxP) September 25, 2026

The 2011 AL MVP pitched one of the most incredible seasons of all time, leading the AL in WAR (8.6),  starts (34), wins (24), innings (251),  ERA (2.40), ERA+ (172), WHIP (0.92), and strikeouts (250).

Verlander told AJ Pierzynski of Foul Territory that he’s going to throw “until my arm falls off” in his final appearance. The Tigers are honoring Verlander on Friday and giving away Verlander bobbleheads to fans coming to watch the Detroit great. 

First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. as baseball says goodbye to one of the game’s all-time great pitchers.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided some updates ahead of the team’s doubleheader against the Orioles…

---

No Lagrange

Consider any talk of Carlos Lagrange joining the Yanks shut down. 

Boone said that the righty could potentially be an option down the road, but he isn't on their radar at the moment.  

“It’s not real,” the skipper emphasized. “He had an injury and he’s just starting to throw lives again, he threw one just two days ago, so he’s not in play right now.”

Lagrange was expected to get a shot in the Yankees’ bullpen during the second half, before being diagnosed with a capsular sprain of the right shoulder in late-June. 

After a six-week shutdown he returned to throw an inning down in Triple-A last week. 

The 23-year-old has put together a bit of an up-and-down season when healthy, pitching to a 4.48 ERA while striking out 85 batters across just 64.1 Triple-A innings. 

Weathers on the mend

While the Yanks won’t be adding Lagrange, they appear to be close to getting another big piece back from injury. 

Boone said that Ryan Weathers looked healthy, touching up to 96 mph on his fastball while throwing a one-inning simulated game in the Bronx on Friday afternoon. 

Boone wasn’t ready to fully commit to the left-hander being ready for the Wild Card round, but it’s certainly another encouraging step in the right direction.

“He looked like Ryan stuff-wise,” he said. “He was a little scattered there in his inning, but from my vantage-point on the side his stuff looked good, look forward to flushing it out a bit.”

Weathers has been sidelined since late-August due to a left forearm flexor strain. 

Though there was big concern at the time, the Yanks have always expected him to be back contributing in some capacity before the season comes to a close. 

Rodon in the pen?

It appears Carlos Rodon could potentially be joining Weathers in the Yankees' bullpen. 

With the team only needed three starting pitching for the Wild Card series, we should expect to see some mixing-and-matching with the pitching staff. 

Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, and Max Fried will obviously be their three starters. 

With that in mind, Boone said that Rodon is "very much in the conversation" to work out of the bullpen if needed during the three-game series with the Red Sox. 

The left-hander has been tremendous for the Yanks since returning from another injury, allowing two runs or less in each of his last seven outings of the season. 

He’s made just five relief appearances over his 12-year big-league career. 

Stanton making the cut? 

Giancarlo Stanton was one of the batters who dug into the box to face Weathers during his sim game. 

Stanton has been sidelined since late April due to continued calf trouble, but Boone recently told reporters that he’s knocking on the door at a return. 

So, what exactly would it take for him to be an option in the WC round?

“A lot of that comes down to how many position players we decide to go with,” Boone explained. “Those are the conversations we'll be having over the next couple of days -- we’ll talk to G and see where he’s at physically and mentally, and then we’ll do the best we can to make the right decision.”

In what has been a tumultuous season with plenty of exciting highs and crushing lows, the last series of 2026 is finally here. With just two games separating these two clubs for the 4th and 5th spots in the National League East, the battle for the basement of the division has taken us all the way to games 159-162. It once looked like Washington could be in the mix for a playoff spot, but those dreams have been dashed in recent months. The Nats have won or tied their last 4 series (3-0-1 series record) and are looking to salvage a rough second half with one last positive mark before an offseason of uncertainty begins.

The Mets, once again sitting near the top of the league in payroll, will conclude the 2026 season without a playoff appearance. Their second half was more impressive than Washington’s, but their disastrous start to the year and myriad of injuries made October baseball impossible. They too have won each of their last 2 series, and are also in the market for moral victories as the season comes to a close.

Game One – Friday, 6:45 PM ET

WSH: LHP Andrew Alvarez (2-6, 3.16 ERA)
NYM: TBA

Alvarez’s season has been far beyond any expectations placed on him, and he has a chance to end it off with a fantastic exclamation point. The Mets are likely to throw multiple long relievers at the Nats’ lineup, giving Washington a chance to start the series off hot.

Game Two – Saturday, 4:05 PM ET

WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (2-9, 5.40 ERA)
NYM: RHP Jonah Tong (2-2, 4.21 ERA)

New York’s funky young righty has 1 super outing sandwiched by 2 4-run appearances since being called up in September, and is still working through the growing pains of being a rookie arm. With experience on their side, the Nats’ lefty hitters could jump on Tong and hopefully get backed up by some long-awaited stabilization from the veteran Irvin.

Game Three – Sunday, 3:05 PM ET

WSH: LHP DJ Herz (0-1, 9.00 ERA)
NYM: LHP Sean Manaea (6-7, 4.67 ERA)

Essentially a full reversal of the middle game, the matchup of righties going into Game 162 gives New York the veteran edge, although, once again, both pitchers haven’t seen much success this season. Herz could be an MLB option in the future for Washington, and it would be quite favorable for him to end his brief 2026 campaign on a high note.

The San Diego Padres have only three games remaining in what has been an unbelievable season. Rookie manager Craig Stammen has plenty of work ahead after securing a Wild Card berth. 

Several players are fighting for postseason roster security. They all have a legitimate opportunity to make a strong impression in the last series of 2026.

Which Padres have the most to gain? Because cuts are coming.

Casey Mize

Since the trade deadline, the Friars have given Casey Mize every opportunity to secure the No. 3 position in the starting rotation. But his brief time in San Diego has been disappointing. 

In nine starts, Mize has a 6.64 ERA and a 1.623 WHIP over 40.2 innings pitched. Yes, we have seen glimpses of greatness, most notably when Mize threw six shutout innings against the Cleveland Guardians in August. His struggles with the long ball have been a problem, as Mize has given up 10 home runs in the Brown & Gold. 

The organization will discuss how many starting pitchers are needed on the Wild Card roster. In his final start, Mize must prove he can back up Michael King, Robbie Ray, and Walker Buehler if a postseason emergency arises.

He must let his pitching repertoire be his best defense. If Mize finishes the season with a strong outing, he has made a case for postseason roster consideration.

Samad Taylor

In June, the Padres needed a boost to their lethargic offense. The team promoted minor-league journeyman Samad Taylor, and he made an immediate impact with speed and timely hitting.

Taylor is not a liability at the plate. He is hitting .324 with a .821 OPS over 168 plate appearances. The one concern is his strikeout rate (25.0%), which is higher than the major league average (22.4%). However, he puts the ball in play, and if Taylor continues to produce, the Corona native has a strong chance of making the Wild Card roster. 

His legs will be a major weapon in the postseason. With game-changing speed, Taylor will exploit pitchers who forget about him at first base. He has 10 stolen bases in 13 attempts. Taylor will be called upon as a pinch-runner to steal a base in close playoff games. 

Let’s not forget that he is an above-average fielder at multiple positions. Taylor can play all three outfield positions and has spent some time at both middle infield positions. In fact, he has made several outstanding defensive plays in his limited time with San Diego.

Whenever he is in the lineup, Taylor showcases his talents by getting on base and stealing a base.

Speed is a valuable weapon in October.

David Morgan

David Morgan is not exactly having a stellar 2026 season. He has a 4.11 ERA in 29 appearances. However, Morgan has been lights-out since Sept. 9.

The Good Captain has allowed one earned run over 6.0 innings, striking out seven. The right-hander’s four-seam fastball has been devastating of late; Morgan has regained velocity (97 MPH) since his recent call-up. And let’s not forget that his curveball has added more than two inches of vertical movement heading to the plate. 

Morgan is under consideration to work out of the bullpen in the Wild Card round. He may need a strong finish to the season. If Morgan can show that he is a multi-inning reliever, it gives Stammen another option out of the pen. 

Jase Bowen

The Friars have an abundance of outfielders on the 40-man roster. The everyday lineup is set: Fernando Tatis Jr. patrols right field, Jackson Merril in center field, and Dustin Harris roams left field. Unfortunately, Jase Bowen’s postseason status remains up in the air.

His .152 batting average does not make him an ideal pinch-hitter off the bench. But Bowen’s ability to steal a base and his versatility to play anywhere in the field offer Stammen another option late in games.

The Padres may have room on the Wild Card round roster for another positional player if a starting pitcher is left off. 

No decisions will be made until their opponent is set.

For the third season out of four, the Diamondbacks playoff hopes hinge on the final weekend of the series. Of the two other final weekends, one worked out, one didn’t. Tiebreaker time, I guess. This season, like in 2024, they come in without any control over their own destiny, this time needing the Phillies to lose at least twice, while they need to win two.

Neither side has it easy this weekend. The Phillies are going home to face the AL West winning Tampa Bay Rays, while the Diamondbacks have to go on the road to face the hottest team in baseball, the San Diego Padres. No pressure boys. On the other hand, the Padres locked up their Wild Card spot last night with a win against the Dodgers and now only have positioning left to play for.

Because of that, you’ll find that the Padres have not announced any of their pitchers yet. They get the luxury of moving their pitchers around and putting their best foot forward going into the playoffs. The Diamondbacks get no such luxury. They’ll play the cards they’ve been given and hope for the best.

Game 1 — 9/25, 6:40 PM: Brandon Pfaadt (1.7 bWAR, 7-3, 3.72 ERA/112 ERA+, 1.16 WHIP) vs TBD

Pfaadt is coming off a 4 1/3 inning outing against the Yankees where he only gave up one run. It was his shortest outing since returning to the rotation, but also his most successful since he went four starts and only gave up one run between them. You’ll see a similarly short leash in this outing, as Lovullo will be more than willing to get into the bullpen to avoid the One Big Inning.

Game 2 — 9/26, 5:40 PM: Corbin Burnes (-0.3 bWAR, 0-0, 7.84 ERA/55 ERA+, 9.00) vs TBD

Expect Corbin Burnes to be on the same short leash, if not even shorter. He hasn’t been stellar since returning from the injured list, nor does he seem to be getting stretched out. After throwing three scoreless in his initial return, he gave up five in 4 2/3 and then 4 in 2 2/3. The most startling number out of that is the five home runs he gave up in those two starts. It all comes down to him not having the feel for the control of his pitches. Evey analyst and former pitcher says that’s the last thing to come back after Tommy John Surgery and Burnes’ recovery is making that very clear.

Game 3 — 9/27, 12:10 PM: Michael Soroka (2.2 bWAR, 9-5, 3.31 ERA/126 ERA+, 1.08 WHIP) vs TBD

If you had told me at the start of the season that it would all rest on the final series of the season, and the final game of that final series would be started by Michael Soroka and I’d be okay with that, I don’t think I would have believed you. It’s almost like the people that are paid to put together baseball teams know more than me… No that can’t be it. Anyway, Soroka has had a great season, one of the very best in his career, and if it comes down to the final game, the starting pitcher will not be my concern.

Conclusion

Well, sorry, I spoiled the conclusion at the start of the article. It all comes down to this. Not a whole lot more to add, other than a reminder. After Sunday, we don’t know when the next Diamondbacks game will be. Make sure to take some time this weekend to enjoy it, even if it doesn’t go the way we’re all hoping it does. It’s going to be an especially long, cold offseason.

I think they’ve got a chance to win this series. We won’t face the top of the Padres rotation, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see hitters and relievers get days off that they wouldn’t normally get. But the team has to execute. They’ve been playing solid baseball this week, and it’s paid off in the form of a five game winning streak. To have the very best chance of success, they have to see that winning streak go to eight games. It’s going to be a tall order, but… I think they can do it. Give ‘em hell, men. Go Dbacks!

We’ve reached the final weekend of the season and the 2026 NL East champion Atlanta Braves have officially locked themselves into the three-seed and will be starting their Postseason journey at home in the Wild Card Series.

What we already know

We do know what day these games are going to be played but we still don’t know the time. Game 1 will take place on Tuesday, September 29, Game 2 will be on Wednesday, September 30 and if it comes down to it, Game 3 will be on Thursday, October 1. If the Braves can get through the Wild Card Series then they’ll have at least one day of rest before jetting off to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers for another Postseason series.

We know that all of the games during the Wild Card Series will be airing on NBC/Peacock, so keep that in mind once we get closer to the event. We also know that since the Braves are in the three-seed, they’ll be hosting the series and hopefully that’ll turn into a serious advantage for the Braves during this particular Postseason run. If you’d rather hear the home slant on things, then you can mute the TV and turn on 680 The Fan so you can listen to Ben Ingram do play-by-play on the Braves Radio Network. Again, if you can’t stand the National broadcasts then I highly recommend going down that route during the Postseason run.

We know that the pitching will be a bit of a mystery after the first two games of the Wild Card Series. Chris Sale is very likely going to get the ball for Game 1 and I’d imagine that Tyler Mahle has pitched his way into being the Game 2 starter. After that, it’s anybody’s guess. It likely would’ve been Martín Pérez but unfortunately he’s been sidelined with a back injury. Bryce Elder would’ve been the next candidate, but he’s down while recovering from a procedure being done on his knee. It could be Grant Holmes or it could very well be a bullpen game — and we’ll have to see what the state of the bullpen is in after the first two games of the Wild Card Series.

So based off of that, we know that the Braves are very likely going to want to get this Wild Card Series done as soon as possible, as a third game could potentially throw everything into flux as far as Game 1 of the NLDS goes.

What we don’t know yet

We still don’t know when the Braves are going to be playing these games during their dates and we likely won’t know until the season ends. When it comes to the timing of these games, I’d have to imagine that maybe geography would play a role and that the Padres would get the “late” game if they host a Wild Card Series. I’d also guess that the Cubs would get a primetime slot no matter what, so I’m going to speculate that the Braves could be looking at a late afternoon/early evening slot for their Wild Card games. I have no clue how that’s going to shake out, so don’t hold me on that one.

We don’t know who the Braves will be facing during the Wild Card Series. We do know that it’ll likely be one of the Padres, Cubs, Phillies or Diamondbacks — and yes, the Diamondbacks are still alive after they’ve won five-straight games and there is a scenario where Arizona gets in and Philadelphia misses out. It’s a long-shot for the D-Backs but it’s still possible.

We don’t know the official rosters just yet but it’s pretty safe to assume that the usual suspects will be there. It’s only a matter of them staying healthy from now until the series begins and also filling out the edges of the roster. Will JR Ritchie make it onto the roster? Is DaShawn Keirsey Jr. going to play the Terrance Gore-type role as a crucial pinch-running option? Will the Braves load up on piggyback options to supplement their bullpen? It will be very fascinating to figure out how the rest of the roster gets filled out.

There are still a few questions to be answered but overall, the Postseason picture is starting to come into full focus. I’d imagine it’ll get clearer and clearer as the weekend progresses but for now, the Braves are in a pleasant holding pattern as they wait for their Postseason journey to begin. Let’s see what happens, folks.

On the latest episode of The Mets Pod, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo react to a new skipper and new voices in the front office. 

The guys cover the news that Andy Green is interim Mets manager no more, as he signed a three-year deal to be the permanent bench boss. 

Connor and Joe also discuss the addition of Derek Falvey as senior advisor, baseball operations, the promotion of Kris Gross to assistant GM, scouting, and whether or not there will be more new names added to the front office in the near future. 

The Mets Pod Answering Machine takes a call about the next steps for the organization, the guys take one more Scoreboard swing for the season, and the Mailbag delivers one more look at what "could have been" last offseason.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.