Category: Baseball

As October draws near for teams in playoff contention, they are starting to use this time to put their bullpen in a pecking order. They have had a season’s worth of data and observation to determine which of the players in the bullpen are worthy of logging those high stress innings that come with pitching in the postseason. Maybe there were some recent callups that they would like to see in bigger spots to check for resiliency, to check to see how the nerves will hold up when the lights get a little brighter. Nothing can replicated the pressures of playoff baseball until the situation actually comes up, but in some games, there are ways to get players as close as possible, so that’s what teams try to do.

The Phillies are no strangers to this. Recently, they have begun trying things out with Alex McFarlane, putting him into spots that are at least close to mirroring those that he could be used in in October. At times, he has responded with aplomb:

Other times, he has not succeeded:

What has become more obvious is that the coaching staff has preferred that McFarlane come up in those spots instead of another young right hander that has good stuff.

The Phillies did not lose Friday night’s game against the Braves thanks to Orion Kerkering. When he came into the game that night, the team was already down a run, so his job was simply to hold the fort. The offense was stifled for most of the evening, even though they had a few chances to do damage against Braves starter Chris Sale. Yet when the team was in a higher leverage spot, it was McFarlane that called upon to get the more difficult part of the Braves’ order (Michael Harris, Ronald Acuna, Drake Baldwin, Ozzie Albies), making Kerkering’s job of simply holding down the fort a bit easier. He wasn’t facing slouches that would slot into the order against him, but it’s not the same quintet that McFarlane faced.

And yet, once again, Kerkering came up short, allowing a two run home run to Mauricio Dubon that essentially salted the game away for Atlanta and gave them a series opening win.

This has become something of a regular pattern for Kerkering of late. He has struggled when put into games late, positing a 4.50 ERA in innings seven through nine. That’s 23rd among pitchers that have between 35 and 50 innings pitched in those final three frames, but they are skewed slightly by his only throwing four innings in the ninth inning. For his season, Kerkering has allowed:

• 4.70 ERA in 15 1/3 innings pitched in the seventh inning
• 4.72 ERA in 26 2/3 innings pitched in the eighth inning

He has not pitched well when called on late in games. The trust that he will be able to right the ship in time for more meaningful games has dwindled to the point where one should openly wonder the coaching staff would trust him.

They should not. Orion Kerkering should not be put in high leverage situations any longer.

The problem is that there are issues the Phillies are having in those spots. Prior to the season, Brad Keller was signed following a highly successful 2025 season in which he was one of the best relievers in the game in those same innings with the Cubs. Giving Keller those big spots in front of Duran gave the Phillies, at least on paper, an edge when it came to closing down games. Once Keller got off to a slow start then eventually succumbed to injury, the Phillies were forced into plan B. Luckily for them, Jonathan Bowlan has had a very good season in a trade with the Royals, becoming Don Mattingly’s preferred option in the eighth when the team has a lead.

However, Bowlan cannot pitch every game and has himself shown signs of weariness of late, giving up home runs in three of his last four outings. That’s why the team has been looking elsewhere for someone to start handling those high leverage spots. At first it was Kerkering, but he has not demonstrated with any kind of consistency that he is an answer in those situations. Does that put the Phillies in a sizeable disadvantage? Of course it does. Going to October thinking that only a few options currently sitting in the bullpen can handle any kind of leverage situation has to be frustrating. They will continue to try out McFarlane thanks to his superior stuff and the fact that many teams probably haven’t seen much of him yet thanks to his newness to the league.

One thing that they can’t do is put Kerkering in those spots. Handling the fifth, sixth innings, when there is still time to make things change in the game? Those are the places where he needs to live for the forseeable future.

So long as it’s not a high leverage spot, that’ll do just fine.

Morning, all!

The Ranger have used an off day to tweak their rotation to maximize the number of starts for their hottest hand, Cal Quantrill

Both Josh Jung and Nathan Eovaldi are nearing returns from the IL in time to participate in the Rangers’ last, desperate push for a playoff spot.

Evan Grant has whipped up a recipe to get the Rangers into the playoffs but the number one ingredient is ““stop sucking on the road.”

Skip Schumaker sent a message to the team leaders Tuesday, telling them they only have one chance at 2026.

The message must have landed as the Rangers opened their series against Seattle yesterday with a 10-5 win.

And finally, here’s a baseball joke about chorale that Adam wanted me to share.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers get the chance to tee off on Cincinnati Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder tonight, and the Over for that contest headlines our MLB expert picks on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

A trio of moneyline predictions round out our MLB picks for the slate, with action kicking off this afternoon and rolling all the way to the wee hours of the night.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Probability
Josh Inglis: ATH ML	37%
Jon Metler: ATL ML	54%
Neil Parker: TEX ML	43%
Joe Osborne: CIN/LAD o8.5	50%

Probabilities courtesy of Polymarket. For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: A's moneyline

Price: 37¢ at Polymarket

Do the Toronto Blue Jays deserve to be a bigger favorite today than yesterday, going from Jose Soriano to a bullpen day?

This offense still can't pull away from bad pitching, and now it has to get on a plane and head home to open a circled series against the Orioles.

Braydon Fisher gets the start but will go one or two frames before likely handing the ball to Michael Lorenzen, Brendon Little, and/or Paul Sewald. There is no good Toronto arm to piggyback and eat big innings.

The Athletics are going with the same approach, but at least I'm getting 13 percentage points better than a 50% probability with them against the Jays. I don't see this as a 63/37 game when both teams will be using a ton of arms and the Jays are in a tough schedule spot.

This isn't much different than the Dylan Cease start price. I see this as 60/40, at best, for Toronto.

Ethan Diamandas has more with his Blue Jays vs. Athletics predictions.

• Time: 3:05 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Sportsnet, NBC Sports California

Jon Metler's expert pick: Braves moneyline

Price: 54¢ at Polymarket

The Atlanta Braves are trading as 54% favorites on Polymarket in their matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays, and I see an edge because I price Atlanta closer to 57%. 

Two things I particularly like about this matchup for the Braves will help neutralize Tampa Bay's speed and running game.

First, Reynaldo Lopez isn't afraid to challenge hitters with velocity at the top of the zone, making it more difficult for the Rays' slap hitters to put the ball on the ground and beat out plays at first base. Second, Sean Murphy has a quick transfer and an elite pop time, limiting Tampa Bay's running game once the Rays get runners on base.

For an opposing angle, check out Jason Wilson's Rays vs. Braves predictions.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Rays.TV, BravesVsn

Neil Parker's expert pick: Rangers moneyline

Price: 43¢ at Polymarket

While big things are ahead for Seattle Mariners prized prospect Kade Anderson, he lands in a tough matchup against the rolling Texas Rangers.

Texas ranks fourth in wOBA against lefties for the season, and also sits eighth in the overall metric and sixth in xwOBA over the past two weeks while averaging 5.6 runs per game.

Anderson has also underwhelmed at the highest level with a 5.14 xFIP, negative pitch values on both his fastball and changeup, and an unintimidating 24.1% called-plus-swinging strike rate.

With the Mariners ranking last in wOBA against lefties, 24th in the overall metric, and 23rd in xwOBA over the past two weeks, I recommend the Texas moneyline up to 44%.

For more on this game, Neil has a complete set of Rangers vs. Mariners predictions waiting for you.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: RSN, Mariners.TV

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Reds at Dodgers Over 8.5

Price: 50¢ at Polymarket

The Los Angeles Dodgers are heating up at the right time and are in a great spot to tee off on the Cincinnati Reds pitching staff.

Rhett Lowder has been obliterated on the road, where he owns a 6.79 ERA. He's backed by a struggling bullpen that has a 6.23 ERA over the past two weeks.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a tougher assignment, but Cincinnati’s lineup is red-hot, ranking first in OPS over the past week and should make him work.

With the Reds capable of contributing and Los Angeles positioned to do serious damage, expect the teams to combine for at least nine runs.

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Reds.TV, SportsNet LA

More MLB best bets for today

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The Toronto Blue Jays go for another important win against the Athletics this afternoon, and Sutter Health Park gives their lineup one of the best hitting environments in baseball.

Toronto is a -180 favorite, with first pitch set for 3:05 p.m. ET. Both clubs are using openers, but the Blue Jays have the deeper pitching setup and enter in much better form.

Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Athletics predictions and MLB picks for this Wednesday, Sept. 9 matchup.

Blue Jays vs A’s predictions

Blue Jays vs A’s best bet: Blue Jays -1.5 (-115)

The Toronto Blue Jays enter Wednesday 7-3 over their last 10 games, scoring 52 runs while batting .277 with a .347 OBP. Five of those seven wins came by multiple runs, and I like Toronto to create that separation again against baseball’s worst pitching staff.

Brady Basso will open for the Athletics, but he hasn't worked more than three innings in any appearance this season. That puts a large portion of this game on an Oakland staff that has struggled badly to keep the ball in the yard at home.

Toronto is also opening with Braydon Fisher, but John Schneider has the better bullpen situation. Fisher owns a 3.20 ERA, while José Soriano worked seven innings yesterday and Spencer Miles handled the final two. With an off-day Thursday, Schneider can be aggressive with his available relievers.

At the same -115 price as Over 9, I’d rather back the better team to win by two than rely on Oakland to do its share of the scoring.

COVERS INTEL: Oakland’s pitchers own a 6.33 ERA at Sutter Health Park and have surrendered 135 home runs in 70 games there.

Blue Jays vs A’s same-game parlay (SGP)

For the SGP, I’m leaning into Toronto’s middle of the order. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk both draw a favorable start against left-hander Brady Basso and should get multiple cracks at an Athletics staff that's struggled badly at home.

Guerrero is batting .283 with a .383 OBP against lefties this season, while Kirk has been even better from a contact standpoint at .308. Basso has allowed right-handed hitters to bat .305 against him with a 5.40 ERA in those matchups.

Both total base props also benefit from Sutter Health Park, which has played as the most hitter-friendly stadium in baseball this season. If Vlad and Kirk are both piling up bases in the heart of the order, it naturally supports the final leg of the parlay, a Toronto win.

Blue Jays vs A’s SGP

• Blue Jays -1.5
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total baes
• Alejandro Kirk Over 1.5 total bases

Blue Jays vs A’s home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+300)

Kazuma Okamoto is the shortest home run price on the board, and this is a spot where I’m willing to pay for the best power bat. Okamoto hit his 30th home run of the season Tuesday and appears locked into one of his power surges.

He also draws an excellent opening matchup against Basso, who's allowed all three of his home runs this season to right-handed hitters. Basso leans heavily on his four-seam fastball, throwing it roughly 44% of the time, and that plays directly into Okamoto’s strength. He owns a .562 slugging percentage against four-seamerswith a 52.6% hard-hit rate against the pitch.

The park only strengthens the case. Sutter Health Park carries a 129 home run factor, and Oakland has allowed nearly two homers per home game this season. I’d rather back Toronto’s best power threat in an ideal environment than chase a longer number on a weaker home run profile.

Blue Jays vs A’s odds

• Moneyline: Toronto -180 | Athletics +155
• Run line: Toronto -1.5 (-115) | Athletics +1.5 (-105)
• Over/Under: Over 9 (-115) | Under 9 (-115)

Blue Jays vs A’s trend

The Blue Jays are 7-3 over their last 10 games and have scored 52 runs over that stretch, while Oakland’s pitching staff owns a 6.33 ERA at Sutter Health Park. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. A’s.

How to watch Blue Jays vs A’s and game info

Blue Jays vs A’s latest injuries

Blue Jays vs A’s weather

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Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (71-67) lost 7-4 (BOX SCORE)

Weiss started for Sugar Land and went 3.1 innings allowing 2 runs while striking out 7. Sugar Land got on the board in the 7th inning on a fielder’s choice and Price sac fly. The Comets responded with 4 runs in the bottom of the inning to extend their lead. Cole connected on a 2 run home run in the 8th but that was it from the offense as Sugar Land fell 7-4.

Note: Ferreras is hitting .328 in Triple-A.

• Zach Cole, RF: 2-for-5, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI
• Pascanel Ferreras, SS: 3-for-4, R, 2B, BB
• Joey Loperfido, LF: 1-for-5, RBI
• Collin Price, C: 1-for-4, RBI
• Zach Dezenzo, 1B: 1-for-4, BB
• Jake Meyers, CF: 2-for-4, R, BB

• Ryan Weiss, RHP: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Jackson Nezuh, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (60-73) won 6-4 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the second inning on a Nunez 3 run home run. They got another run in the 5th on a Huezo RBI double. Dombroski got the start and went 3.1 innings allowing 2 runs. He was relieved by Guedez who allowed 2 runs over 2.1 innings as Midland tied it up. In the 8th inning, the Hooks took the lead on a Call 2 run single. Marrero and Perez tossed scoreless outings in relief as they closed out the 6-4 win.

Note: Thomas has a .806 OPS in Double-A.

• Justin Thomas, DH: 1-for-3, BB
• Anthony Huezo, CF: 1-for-5, 2B, RBI
• Jack Moss, 1B: 1-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB
• Alberto Hernandez, SS: 1-for-4, R
• Alejandro Nunez, 2B: 1-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB
• Chase Call, LF: 1-for-4, 2 RBI

• Trey Dombroski, LHP: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• Andrew Marrero, RHP: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, o ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)
• Railin Perez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (SAVE)

A+: Asheville Tourists (43-87) SEASON OVER

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-0) won 4-2 (BOX SCORE)

Fraide started for the Woodpeckers and went 4 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the third inning on a Durnin RBI single. In the 7th, the Woodpeckers scored 2 runs on a Galloway single to take the lead. Piasecki added a sac fly in the 8th for some insurance. The bullpen was great tossing 5 scoreless innings as they closed out the 4-2 win in game one of the series.

Note: The Woodpeckers hold a 1-0 lead in the playoff series.

• Owen Nowak, LF: 2-for-4
• Kam Durnin, SS: 2-for-4, RBI
• Kevin Alvarez, CF: 1-for-4, R
• Aaron Piasecki, 2B: 1-for-3, RBI
• Ben Tryon, 1B: 0-for-3, R, BB
• Arturo Flores, C: 1-for-3, R
• Rashawn Galloway, RF: 2-for-3, R, RBI

• Juan Fraide, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• Jank Pichardo, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Charlie Weber, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (WIN)
• Brandon Cassedy, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (SAVE)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Jason Alexander – 12:05 CT

CC: Adam Shoemaker – 6:30 CT

AV: SEASON OVER

FV: OFF

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country.

The baseball season is often referred to as a marathon and not a sprint, but the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks appear to be in a sprint to the finish, which will likely decide who gets the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

The Padres have played 145 games, but the final 17 games will be some of the most important games played this season. San Diego has won two of the first three games against the Washington Nationals and have a chance to sweep the series this afternoon. This opportunity comes after the Padres took two of three in from the New York Yankees to start the current home stand.

The Diamondbacks have had similar success and have won the first two games of their current series against the Kansas City Royals. Both of the wins have come in extra innings and like the Padres, Arizona will have a chance to sweep the series this evening and will have the benefit of knowing the outcome of the San Diego game. Arizona also won the series against the Houston Astros 2-1 leading into the Kansas City series.

The Padres and Diamondbacks have put some distance between the other contenders in the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins, so unless both teams completely collapse the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies will occupy the top two Wild Card spots and San Diego or Arizona will take the third and final Wild Card spot. The two teams are scheduled to meet in the final series of the season at Petco Park on Sept. 25-27. That series has the potential to be a pre-postseason playoff series, but both teams have time before then to create separation from one another.

The Padres will go on the road after today with three against the San Francisco Giants and four against the Colorado Rockies. San Diego returns home for a three-game set against Miami then goes up to Los Angeles for three against the Dodgers before coming home to host Arizona. The Diamondbacks have three home series with games against the Texas Rangers, Miami Marlins and New York Yankees. Arizona then plays at Colorado for three before playing San Diego in the season finale.

There is a chance for one team to make a move in the remaining series before they meet at Petco Park, but they seem to be mirroring one another to this point. The Gaslamp Ball Reacts Survey this week asks respondents if they think the final series between the Padres and Diamondbacks will decide the postseason fate of the Friars.

The playoffs started for the Loons and Tower Buzzers with very different results, while some usual suspects led the way for wins by the Comets and Drillers.

Player of the Day

Other players might have had more impactful games, but efficiently producing at a high level, Zach Ehrhard gets our vote as Player of the Day. The twenty-three-year-old outfielder reached base safely in all of his four plate appearances, responsible for four of his team’s 11 hits.

After climbing through three different levels last season, Ehrhard showed enough to begin 2026 in Triple-A. It was a decision the Dodgers organization would not come to regret, with their outfield prospect joining the 20-20 club with his latest home run, not to mention scoring a whopping 107 runs in just 128 games.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Zach Ehrhard may not be the flashiest of highly touted Dodger outfield prospects, but his production in Triple-A speaks for itself, helping pave the way for Oklahoma City to beat Sugar Land 7-4.

James Tibbs III didn’t have as flashy a game as Ehrhard but reached twice on a single and a walk, with the only other Comets home run besides Ehrhard’s coming from Ryan Fitzgerald. All four of the Space Cowboys came against the Comets’ bullpen as veteran starter Cole Irvin navigated through five scoreless innings.

While Ben Casparius continues to struggle in the minors, responsible for two of these four runs, the veteran Jake Cousins earned a hold with this third scoreless appearance in September, having only recently returned from injury.

Double-A Tulsa

Big innings over scattered runs led to the Drillers’ win over the Naturals by a score of 7 to 5 despite getting outhit 10 to 6. Success rate on the basepaths played a big role in setting up this scenario, seeing as though the Drillers were successful in each of their four attempts—including Josue De Paula’s 31st stolen base of the season. On the flip side, the Naturals were caught in two of three attempts, all of them off Tulsa’s starter Adam Serwinowski.

De Paula didn’t record a hit or drive anyone in but reached successfully on a couple of walks and was the only Tulsa player to score multiple runs. Speaking of walks, Jake Gelof secured a team-high three of them, driving in a pair to take him to 96 RBI this season. Patient and also relying on evident poor command from the Naturals, the Drillers earned a dozen walks in this win on the road.

High-A Great Lakes

As far as complete displays of dominance, it doesn’t get much better than what the Loons did against the Dragons to open their Division Series matchup, shutting out the visiting club in a 6-0 win.

Three batters into the bottom of the first, the Loons already led by three thanks to homers from Eduardo Quintero and Emil Morales. Mairo Martinus brought some production to the bottom of the order with a second-inning solo shot, and by the end of two, the Loons had scored five of their six runs.

Starter Tyler Gough and the Loons bullpen shut out the Dragons by not allowing a single extra-base hit. The pitching staff as a whole managed to elevate its game any time the opposition threatened a rally, as opportunities were plentiful, conceding nine singles and another five walks.

Class-A Ontario

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Does anyone remember an outstanding comeback effort if it is ultimately unsuccessful? That’s the question we ask as the Tower Buzzers scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth, only to fall one short in a loss to the Storm, opening up their Division Series.

Unfortunately, what made Ontario’s life significantly harder was the struggles of Jholbran Harder, no pun intended, in the top of that ninth inning. The Tower Buzzers’ reliever allowed a three-run shot and four runs overall to put the game nearly out of reach.

After Joendry Vargas hit a solo shot to make it 10-9 with two outs in the ninth, there were probably no options you wanted more at the plate than Easton Shelton. Shelton had reached in three of his first four plate appearances—including a home run, his 37th of the season. However, the power-hitting first baseman was called out on strikes. This comeback effort that ended with Shelton began with Caleb Johnson hitting his second homer of the game, production out of nowhere from this shortstop who recently began his time at Class-A with Ontario, still short of 100 at-bats.

Transactions

The Drillers activated right-handed pitcher Christian Ruebeck from the IL and transferred lefty Wyatt Crowell to the Development List.

Tuesday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 7, Sugar Land 4
• NW Arkansas 5, Tulsa 7
• Great Lakes 6, Dayton 0
• Ontario 9, Lake Elsinore 10

Wednesday’s schedule

• 10:05 a.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Gavin Stone) vs. Sugar Land (Jason Alexander)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Aidan Foeller) at NW Arkansas (TBD)

Wins Above Replacement is a statistic that aims to give proper value to every part of what a baseball player does, be it defensively, at the plate, and on the basepaths. It even gives extra credit for players who are playing demanding positions. Bobby Witt Jr., meanwhile, is a shortstop who runs the bases like his hair is on fire, is a great hitter, and also just happens to be one of the best defensive players in the entire league.

As you might expect, Witt has accumulated a lot of WAR in his five seasons in the big leagues. Per Fangraphs’ version of the stat, Witt has 33.2 WAR. That total ranks fourth overall since 2021, with Witt only behind future Hall of Famers Shohei Ohtani (51.2 WAR), 15.7 Aaron Judge (44.6), and Juan Soto (33.3). That total is also, obviously, first among all Royals players during that time.

In fact, even though he’s only played five years, Witt has been the most valuable Royal if you move the bar further in the past. Since 2016, he ranks first, with second place being Whit Merrifield’s 17.3 WAR. Since 2006, Witt still ranks first, eclipsing the entire Royals careers of Alex Gordon (31.5 WAR) and Lorenzo Cain (20.9). Witt’s five years in Kansas City have also been more productive than the entire Royals careers of Zack Greinke (26.8), Carlos Beltran (24.9), Mike Sweeney (20.2), David DeJesus (19.7), Danny Duffy (16.3), and more.

You have to go all the way back to 1983 to find a player who has accumulated more WAR in that time than Witt’s five seasons with the franchise. That player, predictably, is George Brett, who accumulated 33.9 WAR from 1983 until he retired in 1993.

Why am I saying this? I’m saying this because I recognize that Witt is great. Everybody does. And yet, when I look at his 2026 and, heck, his 2025 campaign, I’m…disappointed, somehow.

This year, especially, it seems that Witt has not been himself. Witt hit a minimum of six triples a year every single one of his first four seasons; this year, he has one. Witt has never hit fewer than 20 home runs; this year, he’s at 17, with the lowest isolated slugging percentage of his career. His batting average has dropped significantly in two consecutive seasons.

And yet, when you look at his career averages, he is right on the money:

• 2026: .283/.360/.451, 124 wRC+, 3.02 steals per 10 games, 1.35 home runs per 10 games
• Career: .289/.343/.495, 128 wRC+, 2.47 steals per 10 games, 1.62 home runs per 10 games

This year is a little bit of a different mix; for the first time, Witt is walking over 10% of the time. He’s stealing bases at the second-highest clip of his career. He’s not hitting for much power, but he’s getting on base more, and so his overall offensive production is essentially what he’s done, in aggregate, over his whole career.

I think Witt’s monster 2024 season has warped everyone’s perceptions of what he is and what he can be. He posted a 170 wRC+, and we all thought that he could be an offensive powerhouse moving forward. But two years later, that is looking more and more like an outlier. I’m not going to say it was a fluke, because he earned it.

However, Witt’s 2024 was indeed an outlier. Really, Witt is more Francisco Lindor than Mookie Betts or Mike Trout: a consistently very good hitter and excellent shortstop. What Witt is not is a game-changing offensive force. He simply doesn’t hit for enough power, and I don’t think he will ever adjust his game to hunt for home runs.

Witt could prove us all wrong and put together another monster season. That would be fun. And, again, Witt is an incredible baseball player and Royals fans should thank the stars every time they see him. It’s just that we will walk down the road of disappointment if we’re hoping that he’ll be that game-breaking offensive force again. He is great as he is, and we’ll have to accept that rather than hunger for more.

The Washington Nationals did it! They made history last night and “accomplished” something no MLB team has ever done. Of course, I am referring to the 2026 Nationals setting the all time blown save record when they blew their 38th save late last night. This is a truly embarrassing feat that should stick with everyone involved for years to come.

From ownership to the front office to the coaching staff to the pitchers themselves, they all played a role in setting the worst kind of history. This bullpen has been an embarrassment all season long and now the record books show that. Entering this season, the plan was to build a bullpen on the margins and find enough hidden gems to have a mildly competent group.

As we know, that plan failed absolutely miserably. Teams like the Rays have shown this sort of plan can work. However, this front office is not the Rays front office. They have not shown a real ability to evaluate pitching yet, and it cost them dearly this season.

Don’t get me wrong, this front office has done some good things, especially on the offensive side of things. They have completely revitalized the offense. However, there has been more bad than good on the pitching side of things.

One example I keep going back to is a simple waiver opportunity they could have taken advantage of but did not. Bryan Hudson hit the waiver wire twice this offseason, but the Nats did not pull the trigger on the lefty. It might sound nit-picky to talk about one waiver claim they did not make. However, even at the time, it was something I wanted to happen.

While Paul Toboni was picking up just about anyone with a pulse on the wire, there was one name he did not pick up. On paper, Bryan Hudson would be a perfect fit. This regime has shown a love for low slot lefties with funk and that is exactly who Hudson is. He also had a 1.73 ERA in 62.1 innings in 2024 before a rough 2025.

This offseason he was on waivers twice. Toboni did not pull the trigger either time. For the season, Hudson has a 2.95 ERA in 61 innings in a variety of roles. He has 7 saves and has opened 8 times. This is the exact profile this front office was looking for and they missed their solution hiding in plain sight.

If you are going to build a bullpen the way Toboni wanted to build it, you cannot miss on the Bryan Hudson’s of the world. However, a big reason that Toboni even had to build a bullpen like this is due to ownership. Over the past 5 years or so, ownership has not given this team a shot.

Under Ted Lerner, this team consistently ran top 10 payrolls. Now, it has become a bare bones operation. For this franchise to get back to where it needs to be, the Lerner’s either need to spend money or give the team to someone who will. Hopefully this inglorious record is a wakeup call that spending is needed, particularly in the bullpen.

Adrian Morejon, David Bednar and Raisel Iglesias will be the top 3 relievers on the market this offseason. Given this franchise’s recent track record, I doubt any will be Nationals. However, if this organization wanted to be serious, one of them would be wearing the Curly W.

We just cannot go another season without proven high leverage options at the back of the bullpen. Orlando Ribalta can be part of the solution, but they need bigger guns behind them. This bullpen has been so bad, it has negatively affected development.

Honestly, if you do not laugh about this, you will cry. It has truly become comical to see this team even defend multi-run leads. When they get back home, maybe they could take out the rubber and give it to the Hall Of Fame.

While most of these relievers are obviously not up to the job, it is tough to place too much blame on them. Whenever you see quotes from these guys, they are obviously gutted. They are not trying to blow these saves, they are just not up to the task. Jared Simpson clearly did not have it in his first back to back and it cost this team. Clayton Beeter has not had it for months, yet this is all we have got right now.

Mass changes will need to come this offseason. It would probably be unfair to make Simon Mathews a one and done, but some tweaks need to be made to the staff around him. There just needs to be a different voice after the bullpen has failed this miserably.

This was a fun season, but between the deadline sell off and the bullpen woes, things got ugly in a hurry. It sure feels like the momentum heading into next season is gone. Maybe this team can just flip the switch after an offseason, but they need some help. 

The 2026 Nationals will be known for their high flying offense, but even moreso, their record setting bullpen. They set the all time record for blowing games. That is a stat that should make everyone in the building shiver. Cheers to 38 blown saves!

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The Philadelphia Phillies are home favorites over the Houston Astros ahead of the 6:40 p.m. ET first pitch at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

My top Astros vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks are calling for Philadelphia ace Cristopher Sanchez to lead the way to a convincing win in the City of Brotherly Love tonight. 

Who will win Astros vs Phillies today: Phillies -1.5 (41.3%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez has been next to automatic and draws a below-average Houston Astros offense ranking 16th in wOBA against lefties and 30th in xwOBA over the past 30 days.

Sanchez also probably has a splash of statistical correction coming to his unsustainably high .346 BABIP across his past 10 starts, considering he’s held opponents to a minuscule 2.4 barrel percentage.

Of course, the Philly offense is fifth in xwOBA while striking out at the third-lowest clip over the past 30 days, too. It’s a good recipe for success against Houston righty Hunter Brown. He’s sporting a solid but unspectacular 3.90 xERA and 3.99 xFIP with a concerning 12.7% walk rate across his past 11 starts, after all.

I’d recommend the Philly run line to 44.4%.

COVERS INTEL: Philadelphia Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez is the only pitcher in the majors with two pitches ranking Top 10 in whiff percentage and Top 20 in put-away percentage.

Astros vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (55.2%)

I’m anticipating a low-scoring game tonight at Citizens Bank Park. Brown’s been solid down the stretch, and Sanchez has pitched at an elite level all season. 

Additionally, both bullpens have shown off in the second half, with Houston ranking ninth in xERA and sixth in xFIP, while Philly respectively checks in 11th and 10th.

Finally, Philadelphia's recent strong offensive numbers also stand beside the Phillies ranking 16th in wOBA against right-handed pitchers for the campaign. 

This Under is the play up to 58.2%.

Astros vs Phillies home run prediction: Bryce Harper (17.4%)

Phillies star Bryce Harper has hit 23 of his 27 homers against righties, and his .300 ISO against right-handed pitchers is the third-highest mark among qualified hitters.

Plus, Brown has surrendered a healthy 45.7% hard-hit rate to left-handed hitters across his past 11 starts, and it’s been 11 games since Harper’s last long fly.

Astros vs Phillies market trends

Here is how the money is coming in on tonight's Astros vs. Phillies matchup from trusted traders at Polymarket.

Astros vs Phillies weather

The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies, warm game-time temperatures around 84°F dropping into the mid-70s, and a breezy 10-11 mph southwest wind blowing out toward right field at Citizens Bank Park tonight.

Astros vs Phillies odds

• Moneyline: Astros 41.7% | Phillies 61.5%
• Run line: Astros +1.5 (59.2%) | Phillies -1.5 (44.4%)
• Over/Under: Over 8 (52.5%) | Under 8 (52.5%)

Astros vs Phillies trend

The Phillies have covered the run line in 14 of their last 23 games for +6.45 units and a 25% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Phillies.

How to watch Astros vs Phillies and game info

Astros vs Phillies latest injuries

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The Seattle Mariners are home favorites over the Texas Rangers ahead of the 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

My top Rangers vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks are calling for Texas to pull off a second consecutive road upset over Seattle this afternoon.

Who will win Rangers vs Mariners today: Rangers moneyline (42.6%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

While expectations are high for Seattle Mariners prized prospect Kade Anderson, he lands in a tough matchup against the rolling Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

Texas ranks fourth in wOBA against lefties for the season, and the Rangers also sit eighth in the overall metric and sixth in xwOBA over the past two weeks while averaging 5.6 runs per game.

Anderson has also underwhelmed at the highest level with a 5.14 xFIP, negative pitch values on both his fastball and changeup, and an unintimidating 24.1% called-plus-swinging strike percentage.

With the Mariners ranking last in wOBA against lefties, plus 24th in the overall metric and 23rd in xwOBA over the past two weeks, I recommend the Texas moneyline up to 43.5%.

COVERS INTEL:The Texas Rangers have a 21st-ranked BABIP over the past two weeks despite ranking second in barrel percentage and fifth in hard-hit rate, so there’s potential statistical correction ahead of their already strong offensive numbers.

Rangers vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (54.1%)

The Mariners are also set up to do damage at the dish, even if their highlighted numbers don’t jump off the page. 

Texas lefty Cody Bradford was originally scheduled to pitch the series opener yesterday, but he had his start pushed back, and it’s also been a struggle across his six 2026 starts. 

Bradford sports a 5.48 xERA and 5.16 xFIP while allowing opposing hitters to tee off to the tune of a high-end .380 wOBA and 18.0% blast-contact rate.

I’d recommend this Over 7.5 at 55.6%.

Rangers vs Mariners home run prediction: Justin Foscue (14.3%)

The Rangers are giving Justin Foscue more opportunities to show off his power down the stretch, and he’s hit eight of his 11 homers off lefties for a mammoth .301 ISO.

So, with Foscue also sporting a high-end 1.087 OPS during an active 13-for-37 run at the dish, he’s an excellent target to leave the yard this afternoon.

Rangers vs Mariners weather

The forecast calls for mostly cloudy early skies giving way to pleasant afternoon sunbreaks, peak daytime temperatures reaching 73 F, and a consistent 6 to 7 mph northern breeze blowing at T-Mobile Park this afternoon. 

Rangers vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: Rangers 43.5% | Mariners 60%
• Run line: Rangers +1.5 (60%) | Mariners -1.5 (43.5%)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (52.5%) | Under 8.5 (52.5%)

Rangers vs Mariners trend

The Seattle Mariners have only won 17 of their last 45 games (-16.95 Units / -30% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Mariners.

How to watch Rangers vs Mariners and game info

Rangers vs Mariners latest injuries

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Davis Polo was a fringe prospect at best heading into this season, but with a blistering end to the year he has turned into one of the surprise breakouts of the second half. Polo marched into his Double-A debut and didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning, while striking out 17 hitters on the best lineup in the league. Polo was backed up by another great game for John Gil, who is leading the Columbus lineup with an 11-game hitting streak.

(70-68) Gwinnett Stripers 0, (70-67) Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 1

Box Score

Statcast

• Jim Jarvis, SS: 0-2, BB, .301/.400/.438
• David McCabe, 1B: 0-3, .283/.333/.472
• Lizandro Espinoza, CF: 0-3, .250/.338/.375
• Owen Murphy, SP: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 3.07 ERA

(71-68) Gwinnett Stripers 3, (70-68) Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 1

Box Score

Statcast

• Jim Jarvis, SS: 0-2, 2 BB, .301/.400/.438
• David McCabe, 1B: 1-4, .283/.333/.472
• Lizandro Espinoza, CF: 0-4, .250/.338/.375
• Tyler Uberstine, SP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 3.22 ERA
• Rolddy Munoz, RP: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 3.59 ERA

That was more like the Owen Murphy we’ve gotten used to seeing, even if his velocity is staying low to close out the season. Murphy averaged only 91.5mph on his fastball, which dropped to just over 90 mph in his final inning, but it was more important for him that his command was much better than his past couple of games. He was able to get some swing-and-misses, though he still did leave too many pitches in the middle of the plate. He gave up a few solid fly outs that the park managed to hold, but still overall pitched a fine game as evidenced by the scoreboard. Murphy did well with his breaking balls in limited usage, forcing four whiffs on seven swings between the two pitches, and he didn’t make as many over-the-plate mistakes with his changeup. Murphy was unfortunately not backed up by any offensive confidence as the bullpen for the Jumbo Shrimp ran through the Stripers in game one. Rowdy Tellez had two hits by himself, but no one else recorded a hit in the game and there wasn’t much of a case that Gwinnett deserved better. They had only two hard hit balls in the game (one from Tellez) and Tellez was the only player to advance into scoring position where he was stranded twice. He had some moments where he wasn’t at his best with control, but this game felt much more like a comfortable outing.

Game two was a boatload more fun for Stripers fans. It was deadlocked at one run each after five innings, but the Stripers showed much more life and were knocking on the door of taking a late lead. In the sixth inning they got down to two outs with no one on after a caught stealing, but then a fire took hold of their bats. A walk was followed by DaShawn Keirsey Jr. digging out a slider for a double, and they found themselves with two runners in scoring position and an opportunity to take the lead. Chuckie Robinson smacked one up the middle that slid just past a diving attempt by the second baseman and rolled into center field where two runs scored to give Gwinnett a huge advantage. The scoring stopped there and it was in the hands of the bullpen, but the pitching staff came to play in game two as well. Rolddy Munoz managed to keep the ball around the strike zone, and the Jumbo Shrimp helped him out with some chases to keep him cruising through the lineup. His slider dived them up and allowed him to throw two easy innings and send the game to Danny Young in the bottom of the seventh. Young had an easy go of it, with nothing even leaving the infield, and the Stripers managed a split of the opening double-header.

Swing and Misses

Owen Murphy – 11

Rolddy Munoz – 5

Tyler Uberstine – 2

(63-65) Columbus Clingstones 2, (68-65) Montgomery Biscuits 1

Box Score

• John Gil, 2B: 2-5, 2B, .325/.399/.452
• Eric Hartman, LF: 0-4, BB, .195/.317/.288
• Alex Lodise, SS: 1-3, BB, RBI, .308/.353/.487
• Owen Carey, RF: 0-4, .241/.333/.371
• Dixon Williams, CF: 2-4, 3B, .240/.321/.640
• Davis Polo, SP: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 0.00 ERA

Davis Polo walked into the home of the best second-half offense in the Southern League and he absolutely destroyed them. Polo retired 14 straight hitters to open the game before he lost a batter to a walk in the fifth inning to ruin his streak. He had a run of bad luck in the sixth inning with a leadoff error and a seeing-eye single putting two on with nobody out, but he locked down and forced weak contact from the next three hitters to preserve the shutout. So far, Polo’s trek through the minor league ranks has seen him do nothing but get better at each stop of the journey. His slider being a weapon is no big surprise, but it’s how the rest of his arsenal has rounded out that makes him so dangerous right now. He is in complete command of the bottom of the strike zone with three pitches, and his changeup has gone from solid to arguably his most effective pitch in recent weeks. Polo’s changeup was masterful from the first inning and the lefty bats in this lineup couldn’t find an approach to deal with it, which showed up with his churning out whiffs and ground balls. Polo has opened eyes in the second half of the season and put himself in lofty conversations with the other young arms in this system, and the Braves have no reason not to continue pushing the envelope with him. He is facing Rule 5 eligibility this winter, and that he has solidified himself as a stash candidate and someone who should get significant run at the upper levels next season. He’s still got quite a bit of learning to do in regards to his command and could serve to add some muscle to his frame, but the arrows are streaking upward for Polo as of the end of this season. It’s really just as impressive for him to hold his stuff this well into September given he is coming off of injury and never crossed 60 innings in a season before. To continue making upper level hitters look silly after 110 innings is an accomplishment that can’t be ignored, and one we’re seeing other pitchers in the system struggle to achieve.

John Gil continued his outstanding run with two more hits, including a double. That marks 11 games in a row with a hit for Gil, who is finally starting to see the results catch up to his profile. Gil’s approach and talent has always shown out, but this is the first time we’re seeing an extended run of Gil being as good as he has shown he is capable of being. He still needs to show he isn’t going to suffer through the long slumps he’s been prone to the last couple of season, but this has been a terrific second wind for him to close the season. The rest of the lineup hasn’t managed quite as much excitement for the past two weeks as the strikeout regression for Alex Lodise has set in and Eric Hartman’s good stretch has evaporated into a slump, but it’s not all negative by any means. Owen Carey has been a bit more willing to take walks and work deeper counts, and even if results don’t follow for him that alone is progress headed into next year. Dixon Williams has been solid in his first week and a game with the team as well, and added another big game to his register with two hits. Williams is somewhat keeping the strikeouts at bay, though you’ll have to excuse any skepticism I have that he can maintain that pace over a long period. He hasn’t shown that the hit tool is there yet, but he’s hitting the ball hard and that’s the main draw to Williams’s profile when he is playing well.

Swing and Misses

Davis Polo – 17

Tyler LaPorte – 4

The Yankees got their Captain back on Tuesday, and while Aaron Judge didn’t collect a hit in the contest the good mood around the team was surely felt. Cam Schlittler stepped up and continued adding to his Cy Young case by tossing seven innings of one-run ball with 10 strikeouts, and even though Tim Hill had some misadventures in the ninth they weren’t enough to override the baffling defensive play of the Rockies that gifted the Yankees their lead.

With the win in hand, let’s see what happened around the Junior Circuit as the Yankees continue to chase Tampa Bay for first place in the division while holding off the Red Sox for the top Wild Card spot.

Tampa Bay Rays (86-58) 7, Atlanta Braves (85-60) 1

While the Yankees were dealing with the lowly Rockies, the Rays had the task of taking on the first-place Atlanta Braves in Atlanta. Unfortunately, after the first inning everything skewed Tampa’s way.

Junior Caminero got the scoring started early with a solo shot in the first inning, but Atlanta countered with a rally in the bottom half fueled by singles from Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Drake Baldwin to tie the game right away. That was the only mark against Freddy Peralta’s line, as he went six innings and allowed just a pair of hits the rest of the way — he only struck out two batters, but he was efficient in collecting easy fly ball outs.

Meanwhile, the Rays weren’t satisfied with just one run. They struck for three runs in the third inning, Liam Hicks providing the big blow with a two-run shot before Victor Mesa Jr. singled in Michael Harris II, and after a throwing error gifted them a runner on third to start the fifth inning Yandy Díaz hit a ground ball in the right spot to bring the run in. Díaz flexed his muscles in the eighth inning, lifting a solo shot to make it 6-1 Tampa, and Richie Palacios tacked on the final run with a homer of his own in the ninth.

Other Games

Boston Red Sox (80-66) 1, Los Angeles Angels (55-90) 6: The Angels may be inept, but they can run into wins every now and then — especially against one of their former pitchers. Patrick Sandoval was an Angel for six seasons before missing all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Sox signed him before that season to a two-year deal to build him up for this year, and while he’s been mostly OK he’s had trouble keeping runners off the basepaths and that flared up big-time in this outing.

Los Angeles scattered 10 hits across six innings against Sandoval, a big chunk of the 15 hits they’d collect throughout the night, and managed to score four off of their former pitcher starting with a double play that converted a run in the second inning. Jose Siri and Vaughn Grissom singled in runs in the third to extend the lead to 3-0, and another double play ball that brought in a run made it 4-0 in the fifth — if it weren’t for the traded outs, Sandoval’s day could’ve looked a lot uglier.

Sandoval’s efforts to limit the damage hardly mattered though, because the Sox offense couldn’t solve Reid Detmers. Detmers matched Sandoval with six innings of labor, but he blanked Boston on the scoreboard as he allowed just a single hit and one walk against nine strikeouts. The Sox immediately got something going when Detmers was lifted for José Fermin to start the seventh, Trevor Story leading off with a double before Nick Sogard singled him in, but after Caleb Durbin walked the rally fizzled out and the spark never returned. The Angels added two in the ninth for good measure on a Zach Neto two-run shot, capping off a 4-for-5 day for the shortstop, but the insurance runs weren’t necessary as Boston stranded a leadoff single in the ninth.

Chicago White Sox (75-69) 3, Pittsburgh Pirates (72-73) 9: The Pirates scored all they would need in the very first inning, scoring five of the seven runs they’d get against Sean Burke right out of the gate. Konnor Griffin led off with a double, Brandon Lowe walked, and Bryan Reynolds doubled to start the scoring before Oneil Cruz doubled in both runners. Esmerlyn Valdez kept the double chain going with a ground-rule double that brought in Cruz, and Spencer Horwitz changed things up with a single up the middle to score the fifth run all before Burke could record an out. Horwitz would get up to bat in the second inning with runners on and single in two more to end Burke’s day after just 1.1 innings, and the White Sox never really recovered from there.

AL Wild Card Rock Fight

Houston Astros (74-71) 6, Philadelphia Phillies (81-64) 5: Don’t look now, but the Astros might be making a run to finally be the AL West team that breaks out of the Rock Fight. They’re a whopping three-games over .500 now after taking a narrow contest over a good Phillies team, fueled by four runs in the second inning as Christian Walker hit a three-run homer. Cam Smith added a solo shot in the fourth to make it 5-0 Houston, but Philadelphia answered back as Trea Turner hit a two-run shot in the sixth to pull within two runs. The Phillies got an RBI double from Edmundo Sosa to close the gap to one run and put the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, but a pair of fly outs and an easy pop up ended the comeback attempt.

Cleveland Guardians (74-72) 9, Baltimore Orioles (70-76) 5: Cleveland is right on Chicago’s trail after Tuesday’s contests, the Guardians winning thanks to an early outburst from their offense. A leadoff double was converted into a 1-0 lead on a Jo Adell RBI single in the first, and the second saw Cleveland plate four after Angel Martínez tripled and scored on a single before Travis Bazzana hit a three-run shot. Petey Halpin singled in one more in the third to make it 6-0, but Baltimore fought back with a run in the fourth before scoring four in the fifth capped off by a Pete Alonso two-run blast to close within a run. A run-scoring error on what would’ve been the second out of the seventh turned into a three-run frame for Cleveland though, putting the game back out of reach.

Toronto Blue Jays (73-73) 4, Athletics (58-88) 2: The Jays collected 11 hits against the A’s, but runs were still at a bit of a premium despite lifting a pair of those hits out of the park. Josh Smith and Kazuma Okamoto hit back-to-back homers in the second to give Toronto an early lead, the A’s cutting into that with a run in the fourth on a Carlos Cortes solo shot. The sixth saw them cash in the remainder of their scoring, Alejandro Kirk singling in one before a double play managed to still bring in another run. Donovan Walton lifted a solo shot in the seventh for the A’s, but the two blasts were all they could convert on.

Texas Rangers (72-73) 10, Seattle Mariners (67-78) 5: In the battle of disappointing teams out West, Texas came out on top thanks to a big five-run fifth inning where Wyatt Langford and Danny Jansen both homered to turn a narrow 4-3 lead into a comfortable 9-3 contest. Cal Quantrill turned in six innings of three-run ball for Texas, and the bullpen was able to limit Seattle to just two more runs over the last three innings to prevent this one from slipping back into the home team’s reach.

Playoffs have begun for at least one farm team. How did the kids do?

Lehigh Valley 5, Worcester 4

Otto Kemp.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

It was pretty funny that the Phillies thought they could make something out of Kemp when they haven’t properly developed a hitting prospect in years. Thinking that Kemp was more than deserving of the dreaded “Quad-A player” label was a miscalculation on their part, but at least now he’s where he belongs. Kemp homered last night with the IronPigs as they start to wind things down on their own season. The star of the offense though was Carter Kieboom, who had a one out bases loaded single to score two in the bottom of the tenth to walk off the WooSox, giving the IronPigs the dub. Tanner Banks threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief as he continues to make his case to have a role with the Phillies moving forward as a multi innings reliever that can help them deeper into October.

Erie 6, Reading 1

A whole lot of nothing for the Fightin Phils, who begin their final week of the season with a meek showing on offense and a tired pitcher on the mound. Bryan Rincon accounted for the lone run of the game for Reading, homering in the bottom of the third inning, his 24th home run of the season. What a year this young man has had. On the bump, Cody Bowker was roughed up a bit, allowing five runs over five innings. He’s approaching 100 innings on the year and might be hitting a wall a bit, but there is a bright future for him if he can build on this season’s success.

Tampa 2, Clearwater 0

The Threshers began their playoffs with a rehab start from Nestor Cortes where he allowed a run in a long inning of work, Brad Pacheco allowing only one run in his bulk inning role, throwing 5 2/3 innings where he walked four and struck out five…..and a whole lot of nothing at the plate. Maybe the Tampa Tarpons just want it more. Three total hits was all they could gather for themselves, not giving themselves a chance to take the first game of the three game series. Game two is Thursday.