PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 01: Starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo #44 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts during the MLB game at Chase Field on September 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No news is good news. That’s not always true (few fans feel this way during trade deadline season), but it’s arguably true during the final days of the campaign, where news can really mean only one thing: an injury. And this was so yesterday, as the Phillies placed Jesús Luzardo on the 15 day IL with the shoulder inflammation that had caused him to miss his last start. A return for the postseason is possible but certainly not guaranteed.
There’s no question that this is a major blow for the team. So today’s question is: how does it change your outlook for the rest of the season?
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 11: Didier Fuentes #72 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the eleventh inning during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on September 11, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’m shamelessly stealing from the comments, because it’s a long season and I had nothing else for today anyway.
Didier Fuentes is 12th among relievers with 2.0 fWAR. He also ranks in the top 15 in WPA, which isn’t really something he did alone, but is a bit of a tiebreaker when others are close.
He’s not going to win. There are five position player rookies in the NL with more than 2 fWAR, including JJ Wetherholt, who has 4.4 while underhitting his xwOBA by .030. (If he weren’t underhitting it, he’d probably ge some downballot MVP votes.) The Mets’ Carson Benge has 3.5 fWAR and hasn’t missed any time with injury. TJ Rumfield has a .375 wOBA / 125 wRC+, though the former is very Coors-addled and he’s outperforming his inputs. Sal Stewart has 31 homers.
On the pitching end, you have Nolan McLean as the “full-time starter as a rookie” option (3.1 fWAR, about 170 innings), as well as Logan Henderson as the “pitched super-well but only up for like half a season” option (2.3 fWAR, under 90 innings).
But, Fuentes is still ninth in the NL in rookie fWAR, so maybe he gets some recognition, even if it’s not much. He does actually lead all NL rookies in WPA, but again, I don’t expect that to carry the day. It is pretty funny, though.
What would you call the opposite of a baseball manager’s “circle of trust”?
Because that’s where the Cubs are probably going to have to send Jacob Webb after yet another blown save, yet another two-run homer served up, yet another game where it’s clear he can no longer be used in high-leverage situations.
The numbers are horrific. In his last eight appearances, Webb has thrown 6.2 innings and has a 14.85 ERA, 2.100 WHIP, 14 hits and four walks allowed and the worst part, four home runs — all of which either gave the other team the lead or tied the game. In those eight games, Webb had four blown saves.
Convert even two of those save opportunities and the Cubs are a lot more comfortable in the Wild Card race. Unfortunately, these games are in the books and they are, at the moment, not.
All right, that’s out of my system, let’s look back at the Cubs’ 6-3 loss to the Braves, all of Atlanta’s runs scoring via three two-run homers.
Kevin Gausman had a rough first inning — 25 pitches — but got out of it scoreless. The Cubs put two runners on in the bottom of the inning via a pair of two-out walks, but could not score.
The Cubs took the lead in the bottom of the second. Michael Busch led off with a single and advanced to second on a walk by Matt Shaw.
Miguel Amaya then sacrificed Shaw and Ramirez up a base, putting runners on second and third with one out. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a ground ball to second and Shaw was thrown out at the plate. Seiya Suzuki then struck out, so the Cubs had just one run to show for all that traffic.
Gausman settled down and retired 10 straight Braves from the last out of the first through the fourth. The Cubs extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Busch led off with a walk and Shaw’s infield single moved Busch to second.
That throw… what was that? That play should have resulted in at least one out. Instead, Busch scored to make it 2-0 and Shaw wound up on third, where he scored on this sac fly by Miguel Amaya [VIDEO].
About the Cubs’ two-sac night, from BCB’s JohnW53:
The Cubs went into Tuesday with nine successful sacrifice bunts, tied with the Braves and Twins for the second fewest. The Tigers had eighth; the Yankees, 10.
The Cubs were 11th in sacrifice flies with 43, one behind the Braves and Royals.
Tuesday’s game was the first this season in which the Cubs had at least one of each. They had not done it since May 26, 2025. They had played 260 games since then before Tuesday.
So it’s 3-0 Cubs going to the top of the sixth. Gausman had been sailing along, but a one-out single by Drake Baldwin followed by a two-run homer by Ronald Acuña Jr. made it 3-2. Gausman gave up another hit and a hard-hit line drive out and then was removed in favor of Daniel Palencia, who ended the sixth with a fly ball to right.
The Cubs did not score in the bottom of the sixth and that’s when Webb entered the game. Honestly, I was surprised Craig Counsell didn’t just leave Palencia out there — he’d thrown only two pitches to retire Mauricio Dubon to end the sixth.
Webb, as I noted above, did not have a good game. The two-run homer he allowed to Ozzie Albies gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead.
Still, that’s not insurmountable — usually. But the Cubs bats went silent. After Shaw led off the sixth with a single, the next 12 Cubs went down in order.
Meanwhile, Edward Cabrera made his Cubs relief debut. And actually, it was going along pretty well until a two-run homer by Baldwin in the ninth put the game out of reach. Cabrera threw 40 pitches — maybe too many for his first outing out of the bullpen? I do still think Cabrera can be a useful weapon in relief. He touched 99 with his four-seamer several times, and that, combined with his 94 mile per hour changeup, can record outs — but again, maybe in shorter bursts.
In that clip, Counsell doesn’t sound like he’s going to take Webb out of that circle of trust, and he really needs to. He notes that the team is giving up “too many home runs.” Ya think? This cannot keep happening:
Fortunately, all the other teams in Wild Card competition with the Cubs — the Phillies, Padres and Diamondbacks — also lost Tuesday, so no ground was lost and the Cubs still have the top wild card spot by half a game over the Phillies. The Cubs lead the Padres by 1.5 games and the Diamondbacks by four. Arizona’s loss reduced the Cubs’ magic number to clinch a postseason spot to 6.
The Cubs still have a chance at a series win over the Braves Wednesday evening at Wrigley Field. Shōta Imanaga will take the mound for the Cubs and JR Ritchie, just recalled from Triple-A by Atlanta, goes for the Braves. Game time is again 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 06: A young fan wears "McGoni Goggles" in support of Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 06, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Tigers 3-2. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday, everyone! We are enjoying a little unexpected winning streak, and I, for one, would like to see it go as long as possible, because winning baseball games is the most fun. We’ve got some little news bites to get you through your day, including looking at who the successes and disappointments of the Tigers’ season are (not a lot of surprises there) and Justin Verlander is the Tigers’ Roberto Clemente Award candidate for his work with veterans.
We also look at some controversial topics like whether now is the time the Braves should sell, and whether or not Shohei Ohtani should give up pitching for good.
So let’s just get into it!
Detroit Tigers News:
ESPN released a list breaking down the biggest successes and disappointments on each MLB team. For the Tigers, the results are unsurprising. Writer Bradford Doolittle singled out Kevin McGonigle as the biggest success of the season, and there aren’t many who would argue that the rookie’s breakout year has been magical to watch. He said:
McGonigle [has surpassed] the six-win mark on the way to a probable AL Rookie of the Year award. An even better race: Can McGonigle walk more than he strikes out as a 21-year-old rookie? He’s at 88 walks and 89 strikeouts, so it’s going to be close.
In terms of the biggest disappointment? The trade of Tarik Skubal. While most of us looked at the trade as inevitable, Doolittle pointed out how one-run games in particular—the extra-winnable games of the season—really went against the Tigers and could have given them a better opportunity to win, and as a result, potentially keep Skubal on their roster.
Given the circumstances, the Tigers did the right thing in trading Tarik Skubal. Still, it’s disappointing that Detroit’s struggles in close games left the team in that position. While you can point to pitching injuries and other factors for the Tigers’ disappointing record, it all still might have worked out if Detroit wasn’t a surreal 26 games under .500 in games decided by one or two runs.
MLB owners are being tight-lipped about the looming offseason drama.
Last week, I asked every MLB team to speak with its owner on camera. They’re less than three months from shutting down the sport via a lockout, and I wanted to hear their explanation for why they think a salary cap is worth the fallout that's bound to come. None agreed to talk. pic.twitter.com/dSKoE8Y7ms
Training camp for the Toronto Maple Leafs is nearly here, and with all the new faces around the organization, the roster and management, the lead-up to the 2026-27 season will be interesting.
It'll be an opportunity for new players to become accustomed to each other and build chemistry. It's also a chance for players to leave a good first impression on the ice with new head coach Jim Hiller. And for some, that early impression of the coach means more than for others.
Here are four players on the Maple Leafs who must have a great training camp to solidify their spots on the NHL roster. Especially for opening night on Sept. 29 against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.
Emil Andrae, D
Emil Andrae was the main get when Toronto traded Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers. The 5-foot-9 defenseman backs himself as a mobile player who likes to move the puck. That's a defenseman that the Leafs could've used in last year's back end as they struggled to move the puck out of their own zone efficiently.
The 24-year-old Swede has played a total of 107 career games, 61 of which came last year. Andrae averaged 15:20 of ice time per game, scoring two goals and 13 points, and finishing second on the team in plus-minus with a plus-15.
Easton Cowan, LW
Easton Cowan isn't really at risk of losing a job on the Maple Leafs' NHL roster. But how many minutes he gets throughout the year remains unclear.
If the Maple Leafs were in contention for the Stanley Cup playoffs, Cowan's young career to this point could look completely different. He wouldn't have received as much ice time or opportunity if the team had more to play for and had maintained their veteran players rather than trading them at the deadline (Scott Laughton, Bobby McMann and Nic Roy). Cowan didn't get an opportunity in the NHL just because some veterans got traded, but it definitely gave him some room in the lineup.
Nonetheless, with Hiller now overlooking the lineup, he'll need to prove that he's more than a player who benefited from a team that had little to play for. He's already a middle-six player on the team, but can he propel himself to a constant second-liner with a good first impression?
Dakota Joshua is another player who has a spot in Toronto's lineup. But his role is a little less solidified than Cowan's, per se.
He's projected to be the fourth-line left winger for opening night, with training camp still to happen between now and then. But for any fourth-line player, they can be taken out of the lineup the second the coach doesn't feel like they are fulfilling the role or having an impact on the game.
Joshua's challenge in camp is to show that he is a useful player who can be physical with his 6-foot-3 frame. If he can be that heavy player, as well as put up 10-plus goals in the year, that would be acceptable.
With all the bottom-six additions to the Maple Leafs this off-season, Steven Lorentz appears to be the odd man out in terms of the 12 forwards to dress for opening night.
Lorentz, 30, will be competing for a regular spot on this roster just as much as anyone else will be going into 2026-27. Training camp is the opportunity for him to showcase himself to Hiller and the rest of the coaching staff. It's the chance for him to set himself apart from his peers and those also jostling for a fourth-line role.
He has to show that he can do a little more than skate the length of the ice each shift. The fallout with Calle Jarnkrok was that he didn't provide many dimensions other than being an option on the penalty kill. Lorentz can't fall into that realm.
As a 6-foot-4 forward, he should be able to be a little more physical and bring some energy. With that, he's got decent speed and can make plays offensively, notching 18 points last season on an average of 11:52 per game.
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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) reacts after hitting a batter with a pitch during the MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2026 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Rangers 4, Red Sox 2
And that’s three in a row.
Oh damn…just realized that this has gotten us to the much feared and hated one-game-under-.500 spot again.
That’s been a bit of a stumbling block this season, hasn’t it?
But that is the next game’s problem, not this game’s problem.
This game featured some gritty gutty work from Jacob deGrom, who was originally scheduled to make his next start on Wednesday. But with the urgency of the Rangers’ current situation and Monday’s off day, the Rangers could move deGrom up a day and still have him start on regular rest.
Doing so also means that deGrom would be slated to start in the Sunday series finale against the Blue Jays.
Despite an ongoing groin issue which deGrom had to manage, he gave the Rangers five strong innings, with the blip being a two run Nick Sogard homer in the third inning.
deGrom has now allowed just nine hits in his last four starts, and just 16 hits in his last six starts.
Oh, and he struck out eight batters in the game, allowing him to pass Aaron Nola on the all time strikeout list.
deGrom is now tied with Dazzy Vance for 86th on the all-time K list.
There’s been not enough people named Dazzy in the world in recent years. Someone needs to look into that.
Rangers hitters didn’t do a lot in the game, but they did enough, putting up a four run inning in the second, with all the runs coming with two outs, and with the broadcast feed not working, so none of us watching at home were able to see what was happening.
I bet it was exciting, though.
Also exciting? A bases loaded situation in the fifth, an inning that started with deGrom’s first hit by pitch of the season, and was followed by a catcher’s interference. With two outs and the bases full, a seven pitch Adley Rutschman at bat ended with a 3-2 ground out, and also ended deGrom’s night at 92 pitches.
Meanwhile, in the eighth, an infield single, a fly out and a walk was followed by Robert Garcia being lifted for Jacob Latz, who was asked to get the final five outs. After a groundout moved the runners to second and third, Trevor Story was intentionally walked, leading to another lengthy at bat, this time by pinch hitter Andruw Monasterio, finally ending in a 3-2 swinging K.
I can say now that those bases loaded jams were exciting because things turned out okay. I’d use a different adjective if things had turned out poorly.
Corey Seager’s bloop single brought home the final two runs of the second inning for the Rangers. He was 2 for 4 in the game. Since returning from the injured list the first time in early June, he is slashing .280/.359/.511 in 206 plate appearances.
That’s pretty good, I think.
Cleveland won, so the Rangers are still a game and half back in the Wild Card race, and the Astros won so the Rangers are still a game back in the A.L. West. Toronto, however, lost, so the Rangers moved ahead of the Jays in the Wild Card chase, and now have no one between them and Cleveland.
Oh, and Martin Perez won his 100th career game. That’s neat.
Jacob deGrom topped out at 98.8 mph with his fastball, averaging 97.0 mph. Chase Silseth hit 97.3 mph with his fastball. Tyler Alexander touched 92.7 mph with his fastball. Robert Garcia’s fastball reached 92.1 mph. Jacob Latz maxed out at 97.5 mph with his fastball.
Corey Seager had a 108.8 mph single. Brandon Nimmo had a 106.3 mph single. Ezequiel Duran had a 105.3 mph single. Danny Jansen had a 103.9 mph single. Jake Burger had a 101.9 mph groundout. Wyatt Langford had a 101.9 mph fly out.
Trevor Lewis never had the chance to play for his hometown team.
For most of his 17-year NHL career, that team simply didn't exist.
The Utah Mammoth played their inaugural season in 2024-25, the same season Lewis was preparing to close the book on a career that saw him win two Stanley Cups, play more than 1,000 NHL games and establish himself as one of the most accomplished hockey players Utah has ever produced.
Now, though, Lewis finally has a place within his hometown club.
Just not in uniform.
The Utah native has joined the Mammoth staff as a part-time video scout and youth and amateur hockey ambassador, bringing nearly two decades of NHL experience back to the state where his love for the game began.
“Trevor Lewis fell in love with the game of hockey right here in Utah,” Mammoth president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said. “He went on to win two Stanley Cups over the span of his 17-year NHL career, retiring as the most accomplished player ever from this state.”
Lewis retired following the 2025-26 season, ending a career that began when the Los Angeles Kings selected him 17th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft. He spent the bulk of his career in Los Angeles, helping the Kings capture the Stanley Cup in 2012 and again in 2014.
His résumé extends well beyond those championships.
Lewis played 1,034 NHL games, the most in league history by a player from Utah, and finished second among Utah-born players with 237 career points. His draft position also remains the highest ever for an NHL player from the state.
Those accomplishments now give Lewis a unique perspective to bring into the Mammoth organization.
His role will extend beyond video scouting and hockey operations. Lewis will also work to help grow youth and amateur hockey throughout Utah, returning to the same community where his own journey in the sport began.
For a state whose hockey profile has grown considerably in recent years, having one of its most accomplished players involved at the grassroots level gives Lewis an opportunity to influence the game long after his playing career has ended.
“Being able to tap into the mind and championship experience of someone who cares so personally and so deeply about the continuous growth of hockey in Utah, and who knows what it would mean to bring a Stanley Cup to the fans here, is both a rare opportunity and a natural fit for us,” Armstrong said.
Lewis never got to wear the jersey of Utah's NHL team.
But after spending 17 years building a career that made him one of the state's hockey pioneers, he now gets to help build what comes next.
The Warriors haven’t had much luck with their first-round draft picks in recent years, dating back to 2020. James Wiseman didn’t pan out in Golden State, but the former No. 2 overall pick is getting another opportunity with the reigning NBA champions.
The New York Knicks have signed Wiseman to a non-guaranteed training camp contract. The former No. 2 overall draft pick will compete for one of the team’s remaining open regular-season roster spots.
Wiseman is a former second-overall pick who hasn’t quite panned out, averaging just 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 152 games (56 starts) over five NBA seasons.
He appeared in a combined five games over the past two years with the Pacers after tearing his left Achilles in the 2024-25 season opener.
The University of Memphis product showed flashes of his athleticism during his time in the Bay, highlighted by a career-high 30-point performance against the Nets.
James Wiseman career high performance of 30 points in 2022.
If he can still play like this it will push the other centers to play better. The idea of him competing with two other bigs makes me happy.
Wiseman averaged 9.9 points and 5.0 rebounds with the Warriors. Steve Kerr tried to get the most out of the big man, but ultimately, things didn’t work out in Golden State.
“We just didn’t have a sense of how raw he would be because we only had three college games of his,” Kerr stated on 95.7 The Game years ago.
In three career games at Memphis, Wiseman averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Unfortunately for the 25-year-old, his game has yet to translate to the next level.
Wiseman still brings a large frame to a team coming off an NBA title and can earn his keep if he plays efficiently.
With Mitchell Robinson departing for the Boston Celtics this offseason, there’s a realistic chance that Wiseman could add value to the Knicks.
The Anaheim Ducks have reached an agreement to sign left wing Cutter Gauthier to a six-year, $81 million contract extension ($13.5 million average annual value), securing his place with the team through the 2031-32 NHL season.
Gauthier was selected fifth overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers before being acquired by Anaheim via trade for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round selection in early 2024. Last season, Gauthier tallied 41 goals and 69 points as the Ducks' leading scorer. His offensive production helped lead Anaheim to its first playoff appearance since 2018, ending an eight-year postseason drought.
"We are pleased to get Cutter signed to a long-term deal and have him in camp on time," said Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek in a statement Tuesday, Sept. 15. "He’s a major part of our young core, a pure goal-scoring talent that will continue progressing into an elite NHL player."
Gauthier’s contract was finalized in the final hours of the previous NHL collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Under the new CBA, which took effect at midnight, teams can now offer a maximum of seven years to re-signing players and six years to free agents. The updated agreement also changes the structure of signing bonuses and limits how much can be paid upfront, reducing the prevalence of front-loaded contracts.
"This is a very exciting day for my family and I," Gauthier said in a statement. "I'm so pleased to be able to sign long-term with the Ducks and be part of what I believe is a great future."
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 10: Philadelphia 76ers Public Address Announcer Matt Cord smiles during the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
You just knew this was too big of a Sixers season to not have Matt Cord on the mic.
After initially retiring following the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign, Cord will instead return as public address announcer at Xfinity Mobile Arena for Philadelphia 76ers’ home games for the upcoming season. It will be his 29th year in the role in South Philadelphia.
The team took to social media to announce the change of plans for the longtime announcer.
(There is no in-arena announcer more deserving of a hype video than Cord also, in my opinion.)
Cord likely felt he had initially gone out on the best note possible, calling the home games of the Sixers’ seven-game takedown of the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs last season before Philly was eliminated in the second… That was until the Sixers had their blockbuster summer, featuring game-changing additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
So now, Cord returns for his 29th season at the helm to call out the names of the Sixers’ newest stars (in addition to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the other returners) for Philadelphia in what will likely be a rocking, packed arena all season long.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to return to the mic as PA announcer for 76ers for one more season,” Cord said. “Serving in this role for the past 28 years has been a dream come true, and I have been fortunate to witness so many memorable moments from the best seat in the house. This is going to be a special year, and I can’t wait to be back at Xfinity Mobile Arena with you all. Let’s go, 76ers!”
According to the team, Cord has also agreed to take part in working with the franchise to help identify the next Sixers PA announcer through a tryout process slated to start this winter.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets lost to the Orioles 7-5 in the eleventh inning. The game winning runs were scored when Coby Mayo hit a ball just out of A.J. Ewing’s reach, which turned into a three-run inside-the-park home run.
The Phillies fell to the Nationals 6-3. Cristopher Sánchez had an uncharacteristically rough start, giving up fine runs in 6.1 innings, allowing eight hits and two walks while striking out five.
The Braves beat the Cubs 6-3 in Chicago. Ronald Acuña Jr., Drake Baldwin, and Ozzie Albies all drove in two runs each.
The Marlins beat the DIamondbacks 4-2 in eleven innings. Esteury Ruiz drove in the inning runs with a three run double in the top of the elventh inning.
Around Major League Baseball
MLB and the MLBPA have joined forces with multiple other major leagues to crack down on betting related harassment of players, coaches, and families and urged regulators to combat such harassment.
Pete Crow-Armstrong has joined an elite group in baseball history, with his season WAR passing 10.0.
It was Roberto Clemente Day yesterday, and the celebration has overshadowed MLB’s shrinking Puerto Rican player representation, with the number being just 27 this year, half of what it was 25 years ago.
Carlos Correa won’t be rejoining the Astros this season after his ankle surgery in May.
Reds manager Terry Francona was encouraged by the reports of the front office leaders being expected to stay put in Cincinnati.
The Milwaukee Brewers clinched their fourth straight National League Central title behind another great Jacob Misiorowski start.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 15: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off home run in the ninth inning to defeat the Athletics 2-1 at Tropicana Field on September 15, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
History was in jeopardy for a bit when the Twins came into the Bronx earlier in the season and won a series against the Yankees, but the timeline course-corrected as the team has traveled up to Minnesota and won the first two games of the rematch. The Bombers’ perpetual punching bag have fallen out of the still-bloated race for the third Wild Card spot and that point’s been driven home by the Yankees taking a second-consecutive win with eight runs scored, this time only allowing a single run in exchange and getting their offense going much earlier than the eighth inning.
With their business handled, New York’s eyes drifted across the league to see what their rivals managed to do on Tuesday. The Rays and Red Sox were both in action, and there was a battle going on between the two top teams in the Central to check in on.
Tampa Bays Rays (91-59) 2, Athletics (61-90) 1
After taking consecutive series against Atlanta and Houston, the temporarily-relocated Athletics weren’t expected to put up much of a challenge to Tampa. However, after allowing an unearned run in the second inning on a passed ball the A’s buckled down and prevented the Rays from extending their lead, Jack Perkins going 6.2 innings without any more runs crossing home plate under his watch. Meanwhile, the A’s offense wasn’t managing much against Griffin Jax but Kevin Cash pulled him after just 67 pitches despite it being his third start back from the IL. The Athletics took advantage and pounced on the new pitcher Ty Johnson in the sixth, stringing a pair of singles before scoring the lead runner on a wild pitch to tie the game.
The Rays couldn’t be stifled forever though, and in the ninth inning they finally broke through. Elvis Alverado was brought on to start the frame facing Junior Caminero, and after getting a generous high strike to get ahead in the count Alverado threw two pitches middle-middle. Caminero fouled off the first one, but he wouldn’t get cheated on the second and drove it 345 feet for the walk-off homer. The big hit prevents the Yankees from gaining any ground once more, as they remain 3.5 games behind Tampa with 11 games left to play.
Boston Red Sox (82-69) 2, Texas Rangers (75-76) 4: The Rangers blitzed Patrick Sandoval in the second inning for all four of their runs, Elias Díaz and Corey Seager getting the RBI base-knocks with a double and single, respectively. Nick Sogard got two of those runs back in the third, but that’s all they could manage against Jacob deGrom as he struck out eight over five innings and ended his night by performing a Houdini act to prevent any runs from scoring after letting the first two runners aboard in the fifth. The Rangers’ bullpen held serve with Boston’s, working themselves out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth to secure the win and move to within a game of .500. The Sox now fall to six games behind the Yankees for the top Wild Card seed, and with New York owning the tiebreaker it’s looking all but guaranteed that the Yankees will have home field advantage for whatever their opening round of the playoffs are.
Cleveland Guardians (77-75) 7, Chicago White Sox (77-74) 6: Chicago’s opener strategy backfired as Chris Murphy gave up three runs on a pair of homers in the first inning, only recording two outs before getting pulled. The White Sox clawed a couple of those runs back before charging out into a lead of their own in the sixth inning as they plated four. Travis Bazzana got one of those back immediately with his second homer of the night, but Cleveland entered the ninth inning down a run and in need of a rally. Nathaniel Lowe started it with a single to lead off, and Kyle Teel walked to put the winning run on two batters later. A groundout brought Cleveland down to their last out, but Brayan Rocchio stepped up and delivered a double just out of the leaping Sam Antonacci’s reach to walk it off. The Guardians erased the previous night’s loss and move to within a half-game of Chicago again for first place, setting up a critical rubber match later today.
Toronto Blue Jays (75-77) 1, Detroit Tigers (72-79) 10: The Tigers punished the Jays for running a bullpen game, dropping five runs on Michael Lorenzen before adding at least one more run against each of the next three Jays pitchers. Toronto’s only offense came in the eighth when Kyle Finnegan entered and promptly gave up several hits with Alejandro Kirk getting the RBI single, but he quickly exited and the outs resumed without further incident.
Houston Astros (76-75) 4, Kansas City Royals (66-85) 2: Two hitters did it all for Houston, Jeremy Peña hitting a pair of solo shots to put the Astros up early before Yordan Alvarez launched his 39th homer of the year for a two-run shot that wound up as the game-winning runs. Hunter Brown struck out 10 over six innings with just one run allowed to earn the win, and Josh Hader continued his sub-1 ERA run with another clean inning for his 26th save.
Baltimore Orioles (74-78) 7, New York Mets (69-82) 5 (11 innings): Down 3-2 in the ninth inning, Pete Alonso hit his 300th career home run against his former team to tie things up and force extra innings. The O’s got one across in the 10th on a wild pitch but could muster no more and got matched by a Marcus Semien RBI double, but they exploded for three runs in the 11th as Coby Mayo hit an inside-the park three-run homer that he initially stopped to admire before actually running the bases. Fortunately for him A.J. Ewing wasn’t able to turn around in time to come up with the grab near the wall and the ball caromed into no-man’s land deep in center field allowing him to race home easily.
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 15: Martín Pérez #33 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves evened the series against the Chicago Cubs after Tuesday night’s 6-3 win. Martín Pérez got the start, lasting six innings and allowing three runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out four. Though a bit of a shaky start, Pérez ultimately got the win, the 100th of his career.
The Braves got some much needed insurance in the ninth, courtesy of Drake Baldwin’s two-run blast. Pérez kept the Braves in the game, the offense came through, and the magic number dwindled to 5.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 15: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 15, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers’ winning ways in September were briefly interrupted for two games against the Miami Marlins, but they have picked back up against the Cincinnati Reds, taking the first two games of a four-game set.
After Tarik Skubal shut down Cincinnati over seven innings on Monday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto continued the trend of marvelous results from the rotation with a seven-inning scoreless gem on Tuesday, working through a pair of lead-off walks while allowing just one hit while striking out seven. Yamamoto has amazed in his two most recent starts— both against the Reds— allowing just one run over 14 innings while racking up 17 strikeouts compared to just three walks.
Yamamoto held the Reds to just a 1-21 clip after walking his first two hitters of the game on Tuesday, and the right-hander managed to take a page out of Skubal’s playbook for his dominating efforts, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
Yamamoto was able to learn from how the Reds approached Skubal the night before, and Snell was no doubt gathering similar information on Tuesday.
“That kind of encouraged me to be aggressive and attack the hitters,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda.
The pitching has managed to hold their end of the bargain against Cincinnati this week, and Blake Snell looks to keep that trajectory in motion. On the offensive side of the ball, Teoscar Hernández has fortified the offense at Great American Ball Park, as the right-hander has crushed a pair of two-run home runs that put both games out of reach.
Hernández has once again found his stride that fans saw during spring training this year, and the Dodger outfielder’s recent success is the brainchild of hitting coach Aaron Bates, allowing Hernández to have a “twister tap” in his stride to the ball, per Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.
“It was a great meeting we had,” Bates said. “We all talked about it, and then he felt comfortable enough to do it, and then the rest is to his credit. He’s just been who he is.”
“When Teo’s hips are loose that way, and his front leg looks like an Elvis knee, it’s a good sign for us,” Bates said. “Because that means that he can open and close it without his upper body going with it.”
Update on Shohei Ohtani
It’s an unusual feeling watching the Dodgers without Shohei Ohtani in the everyday lineup. So far, rookie Josue De Paula has filled in at DH to a small degree of success in limited time (.143/.368/.429, 19 PA) while the reigning two-time NL MVP recovers from multiple nagging issues.
Jack Harris of the California Post notes that Ohtani was able to take batting practice on Monday, and the team is optimistic that he can potentially return from the injured list before the end of the regular season.
“Today was positive,” Roberts said, “and hopefully we can just keep building towards that.”
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 14: Starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano #11 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after giving up a two run home run to Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Coors Field on September 14, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the calendar turns to September, every Major League Baseball team deals with fatigue. Pitchers are pushing past their workload caps, arms are heavy, and the grueling 162-game slate takes its toll. But in Colorado, the September decline is hitting differently.
There isn’t just one simple thing to point the finger at for the team’s struggles over the last few weeks. Hitting has cratered in the clutch, and the defense hasn’t been up to standard. One of the constant question marks for the Rockies has been the approach to pitching this season. It’s still a mystery to understand exactly what they are trying to build on the mound, but the performance has been inconsistent at best throughout the season.
Rockies’ pitching has run into a proverbial brick wall of late and has been a significant factor as to why 100 losses have become an unescapable reality. Over the past few weeks, the pitching staff hasn’t just shown signs of fatigue—the bottom has completely fallen out. What was already a thin, heavily-taxed unit has cratered down the stretch, turning late-season games into painful endurance tests for the bullpen and starting rotation alike.
The Rockies, unsurprisingly, have the highest team ERA in the league this season at 5.59, just ahead of the Athletics, who play in a Triple-A ballpark and spent a horrid week in Las Vegas early in the season. The team has a 6.13 ERA from the starting pitchers, worst in baseball, while the bullpen has been solid for most of the season, albeit with an inflated 4.97 ERA, which is the fourth-highest in the league.
As the season winds down, let’s take a look at where things stand and why the Rockies are struggling so badly on the mound.
The starters
Let’s start with the starting rotation.
The rotation has been a struggle for the Rockies all season between injuries and lackluster performances. After a promising start to the year with a 4.60 ERA in April, the Rockies haven’t posted a rotation ERA under five since, including four months with an ERA over six.
September has been brutal, to the tune of a 6.47 ERA, which is the third-highest in baseball. There isn’t anything new as to why the rotation is struggling. They have allowed the sixth-most runs (43) on the third-most hits (71) while ranking 18th in strikeouts (51). They have also thrown the 10th-fewest innings (57.0).
Pitches fill up the strike zone, but the Rockies are generally in the middle of the pack when it comes to contact rates. It’s often death by a thousand cuts as the team deals with an abundance of traffic, foul balls, and elevated pitch counts.
The first time through the order, the Rockies’ rotation has a 5.56 ERA in September. Digging down further, the Rockies have a 3.75 ERA in the first inning that inflates to a 10.50 ERA in the second inning and a 9.00 ERA in the third. Despite an excellent ERA in the fourth, the team struggles in the fifth inning as well.
Rockies starter constantly laboring through four or five innings while digging a hole the team has a hard time getting out of isn’t a recipe for success. Two solid innings mean nothing when the surrounding ones are so catastrophic. Opposing teams are slashing .305/.355/.502 against the rotation in September and have faced just 256 total batters, one of the lower totals across the league. That would be a positive number by itself it wasn’t coupled with the other stats.
Aside from Mason Adams, the Rockies rotation hasn’t had much to celebrate this month and has to be one of the major points of focus in the offseason, heading into 2027.
The bullpen
Throughout the season, the bullpen has been one of the strong points for the Rockies. Tasked with taking on a heavy workload because of the failings of the rotation, they have thrown 609 total innings, the sixth-most in baseball.
They haven’t been without their bumps in the road; May and June were rough as the bullpen had an ERA over six those two months, but they have otherwise been solid overall.
Well, until September happened.
September has been the worst month for the bullpen by far.
Holding a 7.66 ERA, the Rockies’ arm barn trails only a historically bad Washington Nationals bullpen this month. They have thrown just 47 innings this month, good for 17th in the league, while allowing the most runs (42).
The inability to prevent runs has been most detrimental for the Rockies as a whole. It seems at time that the starting pitchers and offense at least keep the game close, or even work with a lead, only to see the bullpen immediately give things away.
In Detroit, Adams had a strong start through five innings, leaving the game with a 1-1 tie. The Rockies bullpen proceeded to give up four runs in the sixth inning and the team went on to lose 6-2. On Monday, the Rockies battled back and forth with the San Diego Padres, but ultimately fell 8-7 after the bullpen gave up runs in the seventh and eighth to put the game just out of reach 8-7.
A major issue for the pen has been the surge in walks as the Rockies have issued 30, third-most in baseball. Meanwhile, they have 41 strikeouts and opponents are .278/.378/.492 with eight home runs and 12 doubles. The abundance of traffic given up by the bullpen has led to devastating mistakes that have put too many games out of reach. The bleeding hasn’t been stopped, or they simply open up the wound.
Perhaps fatigue could be the reason for the bullpen’s struggles. Perhaps it could be overexposure. Perhaps it could be a lack of talent. Or perhaps, it’s all of the above. Either way, the way the bullpen has fallen flat in the final month of the season has been a major disappointment after everything they had accomplished this season.
Going forward
I hope that the new pitching minds at 20th and Blake have learned some valuable lessons this season about pitching in Colorado. It’s definitely frustrating to see everything collapse at once down the final stretch, but good teams have to be able to compete for all 162 games. There is plenty of talent and potential along with promising developments, but the Rockies have to find a way to win in the margins of pitching and take the next step forward to being a competent and competitive team.
September has proven the team still has a long way to go in that department.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Salt Lake Bees 7, Albuquerque Isotopes 5 (F/10)
The Albuquerque Isotopes took an early 4-1 lead in the second inning, but ended up falling 7-5 in extra-innings of the opener of their final series of the year. Edouard Julien hit a two-run double in the bottom of the second inning, followed by a two-run home run by Chad Stevens to take the lead. However, the offense couldn’t add on until Charlie Condon contributed an RBI single in the seventh inning. Unfortunately, due to costly errors, Parker Mushinski ended up giving up four runs on the top of the eighth to tie the game 5-5. Evan Shawver eventually took over the 10th inning, giving up a double and a triple to put the Bees up by two. The Isotopes threatened in the bottom half of the inning, but couldn’t score any more runs.
It was a forgettable night for the Hartford Yard Goats as they kicked off their playoff series with a devastating 21-4 loss. Connor Staine made the start and threw a scoreless first inning, and the Yard Goats then took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. Unfortunately, things went downhill after that; Staine gave up six runs on six hits without recording an out in the second inning.
He was replaced by Bryson Hammer, who recorded two outs but gave up another six runs on three hits with three walks. Fisher Jameson then tossed 2.1 innings, but allowed another four runs on six hits. After a few scoreless outings from other relievers, Nathan Blasick was tagged for another five runs, three earned, in the seventh inning. The pitching staff gave up 16 hits while walking 12 and striking out six. Oddly enough, they only gave up one home run.
Offensively, Cole Messina led the way with two hits, but Braylen Wimmer’s double was the only extra-base hit. The Yard Goats drew seven walks against 10 strikeouts, but went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
This week, Evan Lang and I discuss the struggles of the Rockies’ offense and defense over the last week. We then talk about the excellent play of Adael Amador since his call-up.
