NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 11: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets is seen during batting practice while wearing a hat in support first responders on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 before the game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets at Yankee Stadium on September 11, 2026 in The Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets Lineup
Francisco Lindor – SS
Juan Soto – LF
Bo Bichette – 3B
Mark Vientos – DH
Carson Benge – RF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Christopher Morel – 1B
A.J. Ewing – CF
Francisco Alvarez – C
Nolan McLean – RHP
Yankees Lineup
Ben Rice – DH
Cody Bellinger – LF
Aaron Judge – RF
Luis Garcia – 1B
Spencer Jones – CF
George Lombard – SS
Ryan McMahon – 3B
Austin Wells – C
Anthony Volpe – 2B
Carlos Rodón – LHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:05 pm EDT TV: WPIX Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App 92.3 HD2
25-year-old Guardians LHP Parker Messick made his MLB debut last August, and so far the results have been pretty spectacular. Even if they’re helped a little by a lucky batting average on balls in play (he’s at .264 for the season, the MLB average is .289). That’s not a crazy outlier though, I don’t think. Messick relies heavily on a 94-ish fastball and slightly slower sinker; that combo has been dynamite for him this season. He’ll frequently mix in a change, less frequently some breaking stuff.
75 years ago, Bill Veeck pulled one of his signature wacky baseball stunts. He signed 3’7” Eddie Gaedel to the Browns’ roster and had him pinch-hit in a game. Gaedel drew a walk — obviously his strike zone was small — and Veeck replaced him with a pinch-runner. The pinch-runner didn’t score
Now, Veeck owned the St. Louis Browns at that time, not the team in Cleveland. (So this is kinda the wrong week for this post. I thought this happened in Cleveland, until I started writing it.)
But Veeck had owned the Indians for four years, selling them in 1950 when he needed money for a divorce settlement. And had done some notable things with the team, like signing the first Negro League player to join the American League, Larry Doby. (When manager Lou Boudreau introduced Doby to the team, three players refused to shake his hand — and Veeck got rid of all three.) In 1949, Veeck signed Satchel Paige, the oldest rookie to ever play in MLB at the age of 41; he’d pitch 155.2 innings over two seasons for the team (and then became a two-time All-Star with the Browns).
Veeck claimed the idea of using a small person as a pinch-hitter was his own notion… however, there’d been a 1941 story in The Saturday Evening Post called “You Could Look it Up” by James Thurber, author of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” You can read the Thurber story here, if you like. It has paintings by Norman Rockwell which are very detailed and striking, as usual:
(By the way, if you think Rockwell’s paintings were all light-hearted Americana… that is not so.)
After buying the Browns, Veeck came up with the idea for a 50th-anniversary celebration of the American League. One concept for the promotion was kind of a “circus day,” which took place in between two games of a doubleheader on August 19th, 1951. There were acrobats, baseball clown Max Patkin, a band featuring Satchel Paige on drums, and finally, a birthday cake with Eddie Gaedel inside. (Veeck’s PR man had found Gaedel through his membership in the American Guild of Variety Artists, a performer’s union, and they’d smuggled Gaedel into the hotel room wrapped in blankets.) Apparently, sponsor Falstaff Beer was unimpressed by how blah “midget jumps out of birthday cake” was. They didn’t know what was coming next. (Neither did the Browns players.)
As leadoff hitter Frank Saucier approached the plate in the home half of the 1st inning, manager Zack Taylor signaled for a pinch-hitter, instead; it was Gaedel, in a uniform with the number “1/8.” Umpire Ed Hurley thought it was a joke, until Taylor showed him Gaedel’s contract. (For $15,400, which amounted to $100 per game, which was all Gaedel would get, and he knew it — but he liked the idea of the publicity.) Veeck had carefully instructed Gaedel before the game to NOT swing at anything (and he’d taken a $100,000 life insurance policy out on Gaedel in case anything bad happened.) Gaedel played the moment up; he even gave Saucier the customary butt slap as he headed to the dugout.
Of course, Gaedel took the four-pitch walk. When he got to first base, “he stopped two or three times and took his hat off, and bowed to the crowd,” Saucier remembered years later (per this story by The Guardian’s Frederic Frommer. “‘When he came back to the dugout, I said, “Eddie, you really kind of clowned that up a bit, going to first, didn’t you?” “And he said, “Man, I felt like Babe Ruth.’”
Eddie Gaedel was born June 8, 1925 in Chicago. Both his parents and his sibling were regular-sized. Per this SABR article by Brian McKenna and this one by Eric Robinson, while Gaedel did graduate from high school, he wasn’t comfortable traveling far from home, and instead worked various jobs in the region. Like riveting, since he was able to crawl into tight spaces. He’d also perform in traveling rodeos, circuses, do store openings, that sort of thing. In 1945 the music label Mercury Records opened in Chicago, and hired Gaedel for some publicity stuff as the “Mercury Man.” Here’s a picture of the old Mercury logo, along with the only known signed photo of Gaedel. It was sent by Gaedel to a fan for free, and later sold at auction for $6,960.
Gaedel did pretty well off the attention from the game, making $17,000 over the next few weeks for various appearances and promotions, including a minor-league at-bat in Syracuse, Illinois. Hollywood was interested and Mercury Records liked the idea of Gaedel touring California, but he didn’t want to go that far for that long. He would do other promotional appearances for Bill Veeck later, after Veeck bought the White Sox. One involved appearing via helicopter with several other little people dressed as Martians; they then used “ray guns” to capture the Sox’s shortest fielders, Luis Aparicio and Nellie Fox.
Gaedel died on June 18, 1961, after going to a bowling alley. At home, his mother discovered him unconscious and covered in horrific bruises; he’d been badly beaten. He wouldn’t regain consciousness. One of the SABR writers suggests that Gaedel was a aggressive sort (he was known to drink quite a bit), but it’s impossible to know if he was just cranky overall or cranky towards bullies and insulters; one incident arose when some policemen called him “a little boy.” Chicago police never found whoever killed him.
At Gaedel’s funeral, Bob Cain showed up — the pitcher for the Tigers who’d walked Gaedel that day. Asked later why he’d flown in for the funeral (Cain never met Gaedel), he said, “because, I’ve been a goodwill man and speaker for all these years and the midget was my best story. I owed him that one.”
Sometimes the HOF has a Gaedel jersey on display, sometimes it’s a life-size cutout, like here. Guess who the other jersey belonged to? That’s right, Nick Punto. (It was not Nick Punto.)
Twenty-five years ago, Victor Saracini was on United 175 when it hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Patrick McGuire was working on the 84th floor of the same tower.
Their kids didn't know each other yet. Brielle Saracini, whose father had been the plane's pilot, and Sean McGuire met years later, as grieving 10-year-olds, at a camp for children who lost a parent on Sept. 11, 2001. They later fell in love, got married, and Friday night, they threw out the first pitch together at Yankee Stadium.
Brielle Saracini and Sean McGuire both lost their fathers on 9/11.
They met in 2003 at Camp Better Days, which was established to support families affected by those tragic events.
The whole night, with the Yankees and Mets playing each other, was built around the anniversary of the terrorist attacks that hit 13 miles south of the stadium, the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing 2,977. The Yankees planned a pre-game ceremony with honor guards from the NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority Police, plus a group of 2001 Yankees alumni.
Current players laid a wreath at the 9/11 memorial in Monument Park earlier in the day. A giant flag covered the outfield for the anthem, sung by the opera tenor James Valenti, with Lee Greenwood following him with "God Bless America." FDNY Lt. William Arce gets the seventh-inning stretch. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Tuesday's Promise are being honored too.
The Mets and Yankees have been tied to 9/11 for 25 years
Members of the 2001 New York Yankees are in the Bronx to commemorate 25 years since 9/11.
Members of the 2001 Yankees are on hand tonight in the Bronx: Joe Torre, Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter. pic.twitter.com/0LdFbVidTu
2001 Yankees Jorge Posada, Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter - along with manager Joe Torre - are on the field before tonight's Mets-Yankees game pic.twitter.com/EctjH0590v
The nation anthem was dedicated to Valenti's father and a friend who died on 9/11.
Internationally acclaimed opera tenor James Valenti performs the national anthem prior to the Mets-Yankees game in the Bronx. pic.twitter.com/CCbc523VL4
The Yankees and Mets continue to support 9/11 charities 25 years later.
Since 2001, the New York Yankees Foundation has been honored to support five 9/11-related charities: @TuesPromiseOrg, @Tunnel2Towers, @nycpolicefdtn, the New York & New Jersey Port Authority Police Department, and the @FDNYFoundation.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 06: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros hits a home run in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Daikin Park on September 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (75-72) open a 3-game series tonight vs. the Tampa Bay Rays (87-59) at Tropicana Field.
Rookie RHP Miguel Ullola (0-0, 3.86 ERA) will make his 1st ML start at 6th appearance for the Astros as he takes on Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen (14-5, 2.88 ERA). Ullola is serving as an opener tonight.
9/11 REMEMBERANCE: Today, MLB is recognizing the 25th anniversary of the deadly terrorists attacks that took place on Sept. 11, 2001. Games being played at all ballparks will include special tributes and pregame ceremonies. All players, managers, coaches and umpires will wear special caps with a “We Shall Never Forget” side patch.
ASTROS-RAYS: The Astros took 2 out of 3 games from the Rays when they met at Daikin Park earlier this season, July 3-5.
Fourth of July Fireworks: The Astros defeated RHP Drew Rasmussen and the Rays, 10-8, on July 4th. HOU tallied 5 runs on 6 hits vs. Rasmussen in his 5.0 IP. Yordan Alvarez led the way with 2 HR and 6 RBI.
Astros-Rays History: The Astros are 45-49 all-time vs. TB in the regular season.
Postseason: The two clubs have met twice in the postseason, with the Astros defeating TB in the 2019 ALDS, 3-2, and the Rays topping the Astros in the 2020 ALCS, 4-3.
MIGGY’S FIRST TIME: Tonight will be the 1st Major League start for rookie RHP Miguel Ullola. He has made 5 relief appearances for the Astros, with his last coming on Sept. 6 vs. ARI when he hurled a scoreless 8th inning in a 3-2 Astros loss. Although tonight will be his 1st ML start, Ullola has experience as a starter in the minor leagues. 86 of his 152 career minor league appearances are as a starter. At Triple A Sugar Land this season, 10 of his 39 appearances were as a starter. Overall at Sugar Land, he tallied 90 strikeouts in just 66.1 IP while allowing just 45 hits for a .192 opp. avg.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP: The Astros edged the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park yesterday afternoon in a 2-1 pitcher’s duel. Cam Smith was the hero with a solo HR in the top of the 9th off closer Jhoan Duran to snap a 1-1 tie. RHP Cristian Javier was solid, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits in 6.0 IP. RHP Bryan Abreu (5-3) earned the win in relief while LHP Josh Hader earned his 25th save in as many chances with a scoreless 9th inning. With the win, the Astros took 2 of 3 from PHI in the series.
CAM CAN: Cam Smith has homered in his last 3 games, going 5×10 with 4 RBI in that span.
MR. CRISTIAN: Yesterday’s starter RHP Cristian Javier has been outstanding in his last 2 starts, posting a 1.64 ERA (2ER/11IP) while allowing just 4 hits and 2 runs over 11.0 innings of work with 13 K’s. Yesterday was Javier’s 1st app. at Citizens Bank Park since he started the combined no hitter in Game 4 of the 2022 WS. In his 2 starts at CBP, he has now allowed just 3 hits in 12.0 IP with 14 K’s.
ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the 4th game (2-1 thus far) of a 6-game road trip for the Astros. Since going 1-9 on the first road trip of the 2026 season, the Astros have gone 37-25 (.597) on the road since April 14, which ranks third in the Majors in that span. More recently, they are 21-13 (.618) on their last 6 road trips (includes current trip).
TOUGH DRAWS: Including tonight, in the last 3 games, the opposing starters that the Astros have faced have a combined win-loss record of 43-15. LHP Cristopher Sanchez (17-5), RHP Zack Wheeler (12-5) and RHP Drew Rasmussen (14-5). The Astros are 1-1 in those games thus far.
MEASURING UP: The Astros are 29-20 (.592) vs. teams currently at .500 or above. They own a winning record vs. several clubs that are in the AL postseason hunt: 5-1 vs. BOS, 5-2 vs. CWS, 4-2 vs. CLE, 2-1 vs. TB, 9-4 vs. TEX.
THE HIT MAN:Jose Altuve collected his 2,500th career hit on Wed. night at PHI, becoming the 103rd player in ML history to reach this milestone. Freddie Freeman was the last player to reach 2,500 hits, which took place on June 9 of this year at PNC Park vs. PIT. Freeman (2,587) and Altuve (2.502) are the 2 active hits leaders in the Majors.
ON THE OFFENSIVE: The Astros lead the AL in SLG (.410), rank 2nd in HR (193), 4th in OPS (.725) and T-4th in runs scored (662).
SLOW AND STEADY RECOVERY: Since starting the season with a 20-31 record after 51 games, the Astros are 55-41 (.573) in their last 96 games (since May 22). That is the 2nd-best record in the AL in that span, behind only the Boston Red Sox.
STARTING STRONG: In the last 10 games, Astros starters have combined for a 2.78 ERA (17ER/55IP). The Astros are 6-4 in that span. Additionally, the Astros are 10-6 in their last 16 games, during which the starters have posted a combined 3.17 ERA (29ER/82.1IP).
TRIPLE THREAT:Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently ranks 1st or 2nd in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories…he enters today leading the AL in batting avg. (.310), while ranking 2nd in HR (38) and RBI (96). Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.017), SLG (.590) and OBP (.427).
Rare Feat: Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL).
CHALLENGING STRETCH: The Astros are 6-4 thus far while in the the midst of a stretch of playing 4 consecutive teams (CWS, ARI, PHI, TB) with winning records, 2 of which are leading their respective divisions (CWS, TB), one that would qualify for the playoffs as a WC (PHI) and another that is 0.5 game out of a WC spot (ARI).
DOWN ON THE FARM: Single A Fayetteville has advanced to the Championship Round of the Carolina League playoffs after last night’s 8-1 win over Fredericksburg, which clinched their best-of-three series. They will await the winner of the Hickory vs. Kannapolis series.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2001 – Major League Baseball games come to an immediate halt for a full week following the deadly terrorist attacks. The Astros were scheduled to host the SF Giants on this night. The Astros would resume play on Sept. 18 at SF.
1999– In a 5-3 win over the Cubs in the Dome, RHP Jose Lima earns his 20th win of the season, hurling 7.1 strong innings. Tony Eusebio goes 2×3 with a HR and 2 RBI. Lima becomes the Astros first 20-game winner since RHP Mike Scott went 20-10 in 1989.
1967 – Jimmy Wynn sets a franchise record with his 37th and final HR of the season in an 11-10 win over the Cubs in the Dome. Wynn’s single-season, franchise HR record would stand until Jeff Bagwell hit 39 HR in 1994.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, September 11, 6:10 p.m. CT
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; KTRH 740 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Former San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey after 700 NHL games.
Klingberg, who rose to prominence as a member of the Dallas Stars in the mid-2010s, was one of the league's top offensive defensemen during his prime, which was unfortunately shortened by injuries.
“Bottom line is my body doesn’t allow me to do it anymore, and I’ve been trying everything to get it to a point where I can be the best version of myself, but I haven’t seen any positive feedback of my body wanting me to do it anymore," Klingberg told The Athletic's Eric Stephens. “When I had my last surgery, when I re-did my entire hips, (my doctor) said when they opened me up — he’s had like 5,000-plus surgeries — he said this is some of the worst hips I’ve ever seen, and you’re only 30 years old,”
Although he was a shadow of his former self after leaving the Stars organization, Klingberg leaves behind a strong legacy in Dallas. All things considered, at least in the offensive zone as his defensive play was difficult to watch at times, Klingberg had a respectable final chapter in San Jose as well. 27 points in 56 games is certainly no small feat for an offensive defenseman, even in this day-and-age.
Klingberg, 34, ends his NHL career with 700 games played, 92 goals, and 351 assists. According to Stephens, Klingberg is planning on returning to Sweden where he will become a broadcaster covering the Swedish Hockey League, NHL, and international play.
May 3, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; General views of the field and grounds crew during a rain delay before the start of the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Friday Night showdown for the NL East will commence after a brief delay. The Braves have announced that the start time for tonight’s contest will shift from 7:15 pm ET to 8:00 pm ET.
Due to inclement weather in the area, the start time of tonight's game will be at 8:00 pm ET.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 08: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays signs autographs for fans prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 28: A general view in the fifth inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies at Truist Park on August 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here we go, folks! The Atlanta Braves went up to Philadelphia and got a split in a four-game series against the Phillies last week and now they’ll have to hold serve against this same Philadelphia team a week later if they want to ensure that their hold on the NL East lead is as sturdy as possible as the calendar begins to wind down. Will Chris Sale continue to come up big for the Braves? Can Atlanta figure out a way to do some damage against Aaron Nola? Hopefully we’ll be talking about a win for the Braves once the night is over!
Shohei Ohtani was officially placed on the injured list on Friday.
After months of speculation surrounding a plaguing biceps and knee injury, the Dodgers conceded their two-way player isn’t 100%. The California Post’s Dylan Hernandez and Jack Harris discussed the seriousness of Ohtani’s absence with the former stating there’s a possibility the four-time MVP completely misses the playoffs.
“He’s done for the season,” Hernandez said on The Dodgers Post. “[The Dodgers] are just pretending he’s not. He’s done for like all intents and purposes.”
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts after fouling a ball off his foot during the seventh inning against the Reds. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Ohtani is just 6-for-52 since late August. That is not a typo.
And so, does Hernandez really believe Ohtani won’t return in 2026?
“I think there’s a decent chance that he won’t. I think that even if he does come back — you’re counting on like a Kirk Gibson type moment…” Hernandez told Harris, who was much more optimistic about Ohtani’s looming return.
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The California Post’s Dylan Hernandez and Jack Harris discuss Shohei Ohtani’s injury and potential playoff impact on The Dodgers Post.
“I think it’s possible he doesn’t play in the regular season,” Harris said. “There’s no chance he’s not going to play in the playoffs.”
The Dodgers have been extra cautious with a number of their star players as they nurse injuries throughout the regular season. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are prime examples of the Dodgers’ decision to limit their stars in the regular season in order to be fully healthy in October.
But a different approach was taken with Shohei Ohtani. Whether that was the right choice by the Dodgers remains to be seen.
“With every other player, their MO is to be cautious, is to shut them down, is to play for October. And the fact that they couldn’t do that with the most important player on their team is a failing either of the way they manage him, of the way the two sides work together,” Harris said.
The back-to-back World Series champions have seemingly sustained a self-inflicted wound by their mismanagement of Ohtani. Despite his ongoing struggles at the plate, the Dodgers were reluctant to admit anything was wrong with their two-way star.
Hernandez gave fans a piece of advice as the next few weeks unfold.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani sits in the dugout during a game against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, September 7, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
“The Dodgers have proven themselves to be horrible sources of information regarding Ohtani,” Hernandez said.
“So, don’t listen to anything that they say. Use your eyes.”
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Kazuma Okamoto #7 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after he hit a single against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park on September 08, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are starting a series with the Blue Jays tonight.
The team says Dylan Cease won’t be starting tomorrow, they will hold him back until Sunday. It will be some sort of bullpen day with Arrighetti being the bulk guy or starter.
The recap is likely to be late tonight, we are going out for my middle boy’s birthday and then coming back here for dessert.
No Rudy Martin in today’s lineup. I was wondering why Yohendrick Piñango wasn’t the choice, but I see that he’s having a hard time of it in September.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 05: Seth Lugo #67 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The only team Seth Lugo has a worse career ERA (min. three appearances) against than tonight’s opponent, the Boston Red Sox, are the Cleveland Guardians. And considering how poorly Lugo has pitched since the All-Star Break and how often the Red Sox get to him, it doesn’t take much imagination at all to see his ERA of 5.61 against them going higher than the 5.88 he has against the Guardians.
Add in that the only AL team the Royals have performed worse against in the past 3 years are the New York Yankees. Then slap some “Sonny Gray has dominated the Royals with a 10-2 record and a 1.74 ERA in 14 career starts” on top, and tonight’s game seems ripe for disaster for the good guys.
Honestly, I don’t think I have anything more to say about the pitching matchup.
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 05: Chris Bassitt #40 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 5, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are coming down to the end of this thing. The Orioles still have a remote possibility of doing something fun, a decent possibility of doing something moderately interesting, and also a decent possibility of the wheels just coming off the wagon, like you tried to ford that shallow river in Oregon Trail and all that happened is you got stuck in the muddy water so you lost who knows how many days of travel while you tried to fix things, and winter is coming and you’re running out of food, and the next person who plays the game is going to find your tombstone.
Sorry, where was I? There are 15 games left in the 2026 Orioles season. They probably need to go 12-3 over those 15 games. Maybe, if they’re lucky, they can get away with 11-4. Which is to say that they have fewer than one hand’s fingers worth of games that they can lose for the remainder of the season. Six of those games will be played against the Blue Jays, starting with this three-game series that begins tonight.
That’s part of what gives the Orioles some slim hope, because that gives them the opportunity to pull back games directly against one of the three teams that they need to pass to get into the last AL wild card spot. If they are able to go 4-2 against Toronto, they take back the two games deficit to the Jays and they get the head-to-head tiebreaker. That might not be good enough; there’s still the Guardians and Rangers to consider. Maybe they need 5-1, in which case, if they lose tonight, they’re really screwed and needing to run the table here.
It’s improbable! It’s not impossible. All they have to do is play as good as they have played for short amounts of this season, and then do that for two and a half weeks instead of doing it for three games before taking a trip back to Stinkville.
Orioles lineup
Dylan Beavers – LF
Pete Alonso – 1B
Jackson Holliday – 2B
Coby Mayo – DH
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Samuel Basallo – C
Christian Encarnacion-Strand – 3B
Heston Kjerstad – RF
Colton Cowser – CF
The Orioles were late putting out a starting lineup, much to this writer’s mild annoyance. That’s almost certainly because they were waiting as long as possible to figure out whether Gunnar Henderson would be able to play. It seems that he can. Or perhaps to be more accurate, I should say that he has convinced the team he is well enough to be in the starting lineup. They may not have taken much convincing.
Chris Bassitt is the starting pitcher for the Orioles. He has a 4.34 ERA since returning from the injured list on August 14. Nobody would celebrate the signing if that was his season-long performance, but there would probably be less lament about it.
Blue Jays lineup
Brett Bateman – CF
George Springer – DH
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
Alejandro Kirk – C
Nathan Lukes – RF
Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
Josh Smith – LF
Andrés Giménes – SS
Ernie Clement – 2B
Max Scherzer, who is 42 years old, is the Toronto starting pitcher for this game. Prepare for hearing about how it’s two old guys starting against one another, even moreso than when it was Bassitt and Sonny Gray in one of those Orioles-Red Sox games last weekend.
Sep 9, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) and shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) celebrate after defeating the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Today, of course, is the anniversary of an event that means so much more than baseball. Twenty-five years ago, the September 11th attacks rocked the US, especially in New York. There are commemorations of all sort taking place around the country today. While the tragedy of that day in 2001 means more than baseball, in New York, the two baseball teams will honor the day in their own way: playing baseball. Starting tonight, the Subway Series is back for a weekend set, beginning on the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
To go to the baseball for a minute, Carlos Rodón will get the start for the Yankees in this one. For the season, Rodón’s numbers are generally pretty good, but his habit of taking a little too long to put away batters tends to prevent him from going long. While the Yankees didn’t have to use too many crucial arms, the bullpen did have to pitch a decent amount of innings yesterday, so they could use a good day from Rodón.
As for the rest of the lineup, Aaron Judge is back after getting last night off, while Anthony Volpe is at second again after his five RBI performance.
For the Mets, Nolan McLean will take the mound. He’s been really good for them, posting a 3.06 ERA in 161.2 innings. Across his last dozen starts, the rookie has been even better, with an even lower ERA of 1.87.
Here’s everything to know on how to catch tonight’s action, and we hope you’ll come join us in the game thread.
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium — The Bronx, NY
First pitch: 7:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, WPIX
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App 92.3 HD2 (NYM)
Detroit Tigers designated hitter Riley Greene (31) avoids the ball at bat during the seventh inning against Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Detroit Tigers (67-79) vs. Colorado Rockies (55-90)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:Purple Row Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (9-10, 4.17 ERA) vs. RHP Mason Adams (0-0, 3.95 ERA)
