DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 18: Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) walks off the field after a strike out in the fifth inning during a game between the Seattle Mariners and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I missed that one in the Chinese New Year list of animals. I remembered the sheep, rabbit, and snake, and then completely overlooked the “didn’t see that one coming” creature (possibly symbolized by a dead chicken in the road who crossed not noticing the approaching Toyota).
When anyone refers to baseball as “the most unpredictable of games,” 2026 provides a fine template. It also offers a useful reminder of the limited value pre-season predictions, projections, and prognostications hold. You may not have cared for the last sentence but please, give p’s a chance.
Exhibit A: The AL West
Much has been made of the AL West’s mediocrity and it reached a crescendo Friday night when both the Astros and Rangers lost (to teams with over 90 losses). Each club suffered its 81st loss in the process, ensuring they will not finish the season with a winning record.
What one of them will finish with, however, is a division crown. This means had the A’s been able to assemble a .500 team they would lining up their post-season rotation as we speak.
Exhibit B: The Sunken Mariners
Missing from the AL West showdown are the Mariners, who were practically unanimously picked to waltz away with the division title. Most projections had them winning somewhere between 88-94 games and had they gone, say, 91-71, they would have taken the division by 10-11 games.
Instead Seattle sputtered, treaded water, and sunk like the Holey Mariner, entering the final weekend 74-86. Inexplicably, Cal Raleigh followed up his historic 60 HR season by batting .169/.271/.310 in the first half of 2026, including a woeful May in which he hit .056/.128/.056 (2 for 36 with 2 singles) and a 41% K rate.
#2: Seattle Mariners (90 wins) #4: Toronto Blue Jays (88 wins) #6: New York Mets #8: Detroit Tigers #12: Baltimore Orioles (86 wins) #15: Kansas City Royals #17: San Francisco Giants (83 wins)
#21 on the list with a projected record of 79-83? That would be your Tampa Bay Rays, predicted to finish in the AL East cellar and offered a 23% chance of making the post-season at all.
In fact the Rays hold the American’s League’s best record at 97-63, sitting 18.5 games ahead of the Orioles and 19 up on the Blue Jays — the team ESPN figured would win 9 more games than the Rays). So they were only off by 28 games.
Individual anomalies also abound. I could have made quite the fortune had I been gutsy, flown to Vegas, and put my life savings on Carlos Cortes out homering Vlad Guerrero Jr. I mean there’s still 2 games left but the A’s LFer/reliever is leading 10-9. That’s partly because Guerrero Jr. is getting “out homered at home” 2-1 by Alika Williams.
So next spring, or whenever MLB and MLBPA cry “PLAY BALL!!!”, don’t be too quick to assume you know what’s going to unfold in 2027. Expect the unexpected and only then will you be right. It might just be the Rockies’ year.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 23: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers and Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies look on during a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 23, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are all aware of the reputation Philadelphia has when it comes to underperforming athletes in this city. There are “boo birds” out en masse if a player does something that the city thinks isn’t up to their standards. Last night, against Tampa Bay, the fans were restless as scoring chance after scoring chance went wasted, frittered away by an offense that is so clearly pressing it’s barely funny.
When that ire is thrown from the stands, the suspects are usually the ones that have underperformed seemingly since the day they arrived. Trea Turner has been the subject of many a negative comment both in these parts and at the stadium in person. Alec Bohm frequently hears from the people when one of his cold streak appears out of nowhere. Much people’s current distaste has been directed at the currently 0 for his last 32 J.T. Realmuto, all of that completely justified.
However, there needs to be some criticism lobbed at the leadoff hitter. Kyle Schwarber has not just been ineffective lately, he’s been pretty ineffective for a while now.
The supposed fulcrum of the Phillies offense has been off for not just a little bit now. If we’re looking at recent runs, Schwarber’s last 14 days has seen him hit .143/.345/.262 with one home run. Stretch that back even 28 days and the line doesn’t really get all that much better (.185/.333/.380). His basing his entire offensive profile on hitting home runs is great and worth all the accolades he has been given in the past, but his dry spell is costing the team dearly.
Now, the entirety of the offense is currently to blame for their predicament. Meant to clinch a playoff spot earlier this week, they have found themselves in the position where missing the playoffs entirely is truly on the table and the cluster of the roster to blame is the offense. They have simply disappeared. When an All-Star starter disappears from the planet as far as production at the plate (Brandon Marsh’s wRC+ since 7/1 is 33), that is going to have an effect on the offense. When the catcher joins him in offensive ineptitude (Realmuto’s during that same time is a very not nice 69), that’s two hitters of nine that are just anchors on a lineup and what they can do.
But having a leadoff hitter that doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do is also a weight that is hard to ignore. Schwarber since 7/1 has hit .205/.336/.413, a paltry amount compared to what we have seen from him in the past. He’s hit 15 home runs in that time frame, which is great since the rest of the lineups has seen little power outside of him, but again, it’s not up to his standard.
And there are the strikeouts.
Holy cow, the strikeouts. He’s not nearly as strikeout prone as someone like Colson Montgomery, the young White Sox slugger that just whiffed his way to the MLB strikeout record for a season. But Schwarber truly looks lost at times at the plate, that he’s just unable to make contact when it is needed most. Two things that have been noticeable is that he’s not squaring the ball up
and he’s hitting the ball on the ground a lot more often.
It’s enough to make one wonder if there is something deeper at play, some kind of injury that he has been hiding that will require something done in the offseason.
There could be a few changes in mind to help with the malaise of the offense as a whole. Batting order changes, substitutions, something that can be used to shake up what looks to be a dormant group of hitters. Something in these final two games that maybe kickstart something drastic. Panicking? Maybe, but panic mode is probably in order right now.
What would really help is a leadoff hitter that was doing his job and right now, Kyle Schwarber is not doing that.
“But it turned out awful nice, I’ll tell you that — 16 years. You know, I lasted more than I thought I would. Boy, what a life. I really enjoyed every minute of it. Even when I was horseshit, I still liked it.”
As he approached his 100th birthday in 2025, Bobby Shantz took the opportunity to reflect on his career in baseball. More than 60 years since he’d hung up his cleats, he still had the mind of a ballplayer, reminiscing about the legends he played with and against with vividness and vibrancy. But he also had the perspective of a man who’d been on a long journey — and was grateful for every stop along the way.
Robert Clayton Shantz Born: September 26, 1925 (Pottstown, PA) Yankees Tenure: 1957-60
Shantz grew up in the suburbs in Pennsylvania. A small kid (his height peaked at 5-foot-6 as an adult), the young Bobby distinguished himself through pinpoint control and all-around athleticism. After his high school coach refused to let him pitch due to his size, a youth baseball manager saw Shantz working out his curveball and decided to give him a shot on the mound. He joined the Army in 1944 and continued to hone his craft on Army baseball teams while stationed in the Philippines, competing against big-leaguers and building confidence in his ability to go pro.
Upon his return to the States, Shantz continued to impress in semipro ball but struggled to find any takers among MLB teams due to his stature. Finally, after a couple of teammates with connections in the Philadelphia A’s organization put in a good word, Harry O’Donnell, a scout with the team, signed him to an A-Ball deal. He immediately impressed, winning 18 games in 28 starts and striking out nearly a batter an inning. The next year, at the age of 23, he made the leap all the way to the big leagues, where he would be managed by none other than Hall of Famer and baseball lifer Connie Mack.
In his first three seasons in Philly, the southpaw established himself as a strong contributor, pitching around league average and making his first All-Star team in 1951. But it was the following year that would be Shantz’s campaign for the ages. Seemingly out of nowhere, he emerged as the best pitcher in baseball, winning 24 games, posting a 152:63 K:BB ratio, recording a 2.48 ERA, 9.4 rWAR, and taking home the AL MVP. The career year was aided in part by the use of a knuckleball Mack had forbade him from employing but his new manager, Jimmie Dykes, encouraged.
In the ‘52 All-Star Game, Shantz struck out the side in his only inning of work, including punchouts of Jackie Robinson and Stan Musial. His newfound stardom even netted him a guest spot on the Ed Sullivan Show.
As is so often the case after a superlative season like Shantz’s ‘52, the pitcher took a step back in the years that followed. As he struggled with injury and inconsistency, he went 13-26 with a 4.42 ERA over the next four years, failing to recapture his peak form on floundering A’s teams as the franchise moved to Kansas City. After the ‘56 campaign, the A’s traded their former MVP to the Yankees as part of a 13-player trade. Shantz was a man reborn, leading all of baseball with a 2.45 ERA in ‘57 and earning his first All-Star berth since his MVP season.
Shantz also took home the very first AL Gold Glove for a pitcher, his first of eight such awards earned between both leagues. The man’s legacy as one of the greatest fielding pitchers has never been in question. “I’ll occasionally hear a guy introduce me and say, ‘He was the best fielding pitcher in baseball,’ and I’ll say, ‘No, Bobby Shantz was,’” said Jim Kaat, winner of 16 Gold Gloves himself. “He didn’t win a Gold Glove until ’57. Had they given them out starting in ’50, he would have had 16 or 17 as well.”
Shantz made the only World Series start of his long career that October, taking the ball in Game 2 against the Milwaukee Braves. He struggled, allowing four runs (three earned) in three innings, but rebounded well in Game 4, tossing three scoreless innings in relief to keep the Yankees in a game they’d eventually tie up in the ninth.
Shantz spent three more years in pinstripes, eventually transitioning to a bullpen role, where he pitched well as a proto-closer. Despite finding his greatest individual success in Philadelphia, Shantz would later recount that his time with the Yankees—who won a championship in 1958 and the pennant in three of his four seasons there—was the most rewarding of his career.
After the ‘60 season, the Yankees left him exposed in an expansion draft. Shantz was selected by the Washington Senators, who flipped him to the Pirates. He’d spend the final four seasons of his career in a state of perpetual motion, pitching for five different teams as a trusted reliever. After the ‘64 season, at the age of 39, Shantz retired. The 5-foot-6 non-prospect who was rejected repeatedly at the start of his career had stuck around for 16 years in the big leagues.
Shantz retired back to Pennsylvania, where he managed a restaurant and co-owned a bowling alley. In 2010, Pottstown High School renamed their baseball park Bobby Shantz Field in honor of their famous alumnus.
As the years have gone on and he’s passed the century mark, Shantz has increasingly become the “oldest living” designee in many areas — oldest living MLB MVP, oldest living A’s player, and on down the line. He’s accepted this status with grace and humor, giving colorful interviews and staying connected to the game he loves.
100-year-old former AL MVP Bobby Shantz autographs his baseball card 75 years later…pic.twitter.com/ZBDhqKw3HG
On the occasion of his 101st birthday, we celebrate the oldest living Yankee, Bobby Shantz. We’ll let him take us out in his own words: “I had a great life. Jesus, great life. Boy, I’d like to do that all over again.”
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
David Bernstein: a fine is not sufficient if appeal fails
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the Manchester City chair, has spoken for the first time since the club was found guilty on virtually all counts of breaching Premier League financial rules, saying “nothing has changed” and “our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began”.
News broke on Friday that City had been found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges laid by the Premier League in February 2023, charges the club have always strenuously denied.
SACRAMENTO, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Christian Walker #8 of the Houston Astros hits a home run in the fourth inning during the game between the Houston Astros and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Friday, September 25, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Don Collier/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Magic Number remains at two, with two games remaining. A’s 6 Astros 5
In front of 9,012, Hunter Brown wasn’t spectacular; in fact, he was slightly above average for much of the night. By the time Brown’s pitch count hit 100, he’d exit with a body of work showing four issued walks, one each during each of the opening three frames. Along the way, there were plenty of missed targets, a pair of hits and Brown’s visual frustration.
Brown would exit in the 6th inning with 2 on (courtesy of an error by Jose Altuve that sabotaged a double play) and 1 out for Bennett Sousa. However, they wouldn’t be stranded for long. Sousa faced three batters, failed to register any outs and the runs began to pour in. The initial damage coming on Michael Stefanic’s two run pinch-hit RBI single. The wheels came off after that.
At one point, the A’s strung together four consecutive hits. By the time it was all said and done, they’d send 10 men to the plate, scoring 6 runs and in the process, busting things wide open. Brown was charged with two runs.
There were a few bright spots, the first coming from the bat of Christian Walker. Walker would take an inside fastball 425 feet to left field in the fourth inning which initially gave Houston a 1-0 lead. For Walker it was his third home run on this current road trip, his 28th for the season.
Cam Smith also used the long ball, hitting his first homer in roughly two weeks, making things 6-2.
In the Top Of the 8th, things would get interesting. A’s reliever Geoff Hartlieb failed to find the strike zone to the tune of loading up the bases. LaMonte Wade & Isaac Paredes drew walks with an Alvarez single sandwiched in between.
Luis Medina was dreadful as the next reliever, validating the anemic nature of the A’s bullpen. Jose Altuve would bring home Wade on a sacrifice fly, his 47th RBI of the year. Yainer Diaz scored Alvarez with a single to left, giving him 44 RBI on the year. Medina would then throw a wild pitch, scoring Paredes. The Astros put three up on the board, but it wasn’t enough.
With the loss, Houston is now 79-81.
Odds & Ends:
Yordan Alvarez now has 109 walks on this season.
The Astros will face Jack Perkins on Saturday Night. First pitch will once again be 8:40pm CDT. Perkins has a record of 3-12 on the season with an ERA of 5.90.
Former Astro, Justin Verlander will make his final career start on Saturday for the Tigers. It will be Verlander’s 557th time taking the mound.
Pfaadt Battles Hard, Diamondbacks Close to Within One Game of Philly Brandon Pfaadt was far from his crispest, most dominant self on Friday. He worked most of his night with runners all over the bases. He still managed to gut out 7.2 innings, allowing only four runs in what will not go down as a quality start in the books, but was everything Arizona could ask for and then some to take game one of the season’s biggest series.
What Happened to Corbin Burnes and What is Plan B for Saturday? Burnes was throwing a bullpen between his last start on Sunday and scheduled outing on Saturday, but it just did not feel right. General manager Mike Hazen said Burnes was not feeling pain, but the ball was not coming out right to where Burnes felt he could help the team. Burnes underwent an MRI in Phoenix on Friday and will receive a second opinion after landing on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. The Diamondbacks, facing a do or die situation in game two of the series against the San Diego Padres, look likely to use Ryne Nelson as an opener for a full-on bullpen game on Saturday.
Diamondbacks’ Postseason Push Takes a Turn and a Moreno Update Diamondbacks’ backstop, Gabriel Moreno exited an Arizona rout of the Padres on Friday with tightness in his leg. Manager Torey Lovullo reports he expects Moreno to be fine and has pencilled him in as the team’s DH to rest the leg. Meanwhile, the team will be calling up another catcher to make sure they still have two available for the final two games of the regular season.
Sanchez DFA’d, Moreno Injured The Jesus Sanchez experiment did not last long. It may well have finished the season if Gabriel Moreno had not left Friday night’s game early, due to tightness in his leg.
Hear me out phillies fans…
We purposely lose out and let the dbacks make the playoffs, because with their hot bats they are GUARANTEED to sweep the braves in the wild card round. Even if the phillies make the playoffs, we aren’t winning shit anyways. So let’s purposely let the…
What to Watch for in MLB’s Final Weekend Playoff races will be determined. A Triple Crown is on the line. Gabriel Moreno tries to edge out Arraez for the NL batting title and more.
The updated NL Wild Card race with 2 games to go after the Diamondbacks win their 6th straight game.
Why Another 100-Loss Season is not Deterring Colorado Fans Colorado has lost 100+ games for the third season in a row now. However, despite crossing the century mark for losses yet again, the team also posted a doble-digit improvement in the winning ways.
How to Watch Justin Verlander’s Final Start Justin Verlander, future first-ballot Hall of Famer, one of only two players to ever tally a Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Cy Young Award, will make the final start of his career today. This is indeed the end of an era.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 25: Carter Jensen #22 of the Kansas City Royals hits a home run during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium on September 25, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Noah Cameron’s last start of the year did not go well, writes Jaylon Thompson.
Cleveland first pounded KC left-handed starter Noah Cameron. He surrendered seven runs (six earned) in five innings.
“I made some bad pitches,” Cameron said. “Some tough plays, which happens, since it’s baseball. But yeah, I think it just got out of hand a little bit there. Just need to make better pitches in big spots.”
With two more homers on Friday, Jensen notched his 61st and 62nd extra-base hits of the season, passing Piazza (61) for the most by a rookie catcher in MLB history since at least 1947. Jensen’s 27 dingers are already a franchise record for a rookie, and his five RBIs on Friday set a career high in a single game. The five came in three at-bats, tying the game each time.
“To me, that means the hard work’s starting to pay off. But understanding that this year for me personally has been a lot of growth, on the field and off the field as a person and as a player,” Jensen said. “Not letting it stop there is the biggest thing. Just continue to keep climbing and keep putting my best foot forward each day.”
Matthews has been in the booth for every single one. And after counting 86.6% of the total possible scorebooks in Royals history, it was discovered that Matthews will be calling his 8,000th game on Friday night against the Guardians at Kauffman Stadium.
“I don’t think I’ve really accepted that yet. It’s still just a number, and maybe when the season is over and I start thinking about that, it’ll take on a little different tone,” Matthews said. “But that’s a lot of foul balls.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 03: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors stands for the national anthem prior to Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs assistant coach at Rocket Arena on May 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite all the disappointment years ago when the Toronto faithful were so convinced the Raptors got it wrong at number 4, Scottie Barnes has done nothing but exceed expectations and lead the Toronto Raptors through an, at times, awkward rebuilding stage. Now, after a disappointing game seven exit, Toronto has swung for the fences in an effort to construct a team that will prove lightning can strike twice.
In order for that to happen, Scottie will have to continue improving again this year. First, let’s dish out expectations of Scottie. Then, talk about how he will meet them.
The Ceiling
Regardless of who he’s sharing the floor with, Scottie will need to spend at least part of the season as “the guy”. At his best, Kawhi might play 65 games and at his worst that could be closer to 50. When it comes to the playoffs, matchups and homecourt advantage are everything. This past year proved that. Making sure that easily winnable games are in the bag and they’re able to compete with teams above 0.500 when Kawhi is resting will be imperative. Scottie will have to be the key to that. Expecting numbers closer to 20-8-8 would be an adequate ceiling.
The Floor
We would need a Pascal Siakam version of Scottie. Now that might sound like an insult to PSkills, but the year the Raptors won the chip, he was only averaging 17-7-3 shooting 55% from the field and 37% from three. Compare that to Scottie last year, 18-8-6 shooting career highs of 51% and 30% from three. Fairly similar, with Siakam having the edge in efficiency but Scottie in overall numbers. Scottie also boasts better defence, so this feels like an easily manageable statline for him, especially when sharing the floor with Kawhi who will pull defenders aware from Barnes.
Of course, that range doesn’t allow much wiggle room for a rough start or dips statistically. Make no mistake, the expectations are extremely high. He has a habit of doing the expected though.
Scottie the scorer
Two seasons ago, approximately 58% of the points Scottie scored were on two-point makes. The following year that ballooned to 67% and in the most recent season was 80%. This drastic increase shows how Scottie is developing his game. His size and physicality make him a dominant force in and around the paint, something we have undoubtedly enjoyed watching.
Plays like that one prove his ability to overpower opponents, something that he wasn’t this confident doing at the beginning of his career, but now make him someone defenses have to be extremely worried about.
Becoming a human highlight reel with poster dunks like this is one thing, but Scottie has also consistently been developing a midrange over the last couple seasons. Two years ago 7% of his scoring came from the midrange, this past season that figure is now 12%. Now, when defences collapse on him in an effort to block paths to the basket, he has another option.
This low key feels like the Scottie Barnes "I need to get this midrange shot going" era. pic.twitter.com/4zC3Gob9av
His long range shooting is still a work in progress. The percentage of his points that come from beyond the three-point line is steadily decreasing from 25% two years ago to a mere 14%. In some ways, that’s not a bad thing as he’s taking more of the shots that he is more efficient at, but does hurt in the way of spacing.
His next stage as a scorer will hopefully be to continue to improve that shot. This past season was his career best at 30.4%, but if he could eventually improve that number closer to 33 or 35 that would be far more impactful, especially in minutes shared with Poeltl who has no long range either.
Having the gravity he does on the floor also opens up his teammates. Scottie has proven time and again to have a high basketball IQ and find the open man when he has drawn a second defender. This fits perfectly into the brand of basketball that Toronto has been playing the last two seasons under Darko.
Scottie the Facilitator
Last season, Scottie had a 2.26 assist to turnover ratio on almost 6 assists per game. Solid numbers for someone who isn’t even playing the point, but showing his skill and smart decision making as a facilitator nonetheless.
Some of them are plays almost no one would be able to see, like Ja’Kobe Walter sprinting the floor for a wide-open dunk:
With the face-paced ball-movement oriented system that is developing in Toronto, Scottie is the perfect prototype of what the Raptors need. Unselfish, smart basketball. If he can score, he does. If there’s a better shot available, he’ll pass. He makes things easier for everyone who shares the floor with him.
All of that before even mentioning his impact on the other end of the floor.
Scottie the defender
Last season, a lot of people (including me) felt like he was being snubbed from DPOY conversations. Not to say that Wemby didn’t deserve it, but to be left out of discussion entirely felt a little bit insulting. Then to be delegated to the Defensive Second Team was adding insult to injury.
He ranks 15th in the League for defensive win shares, but is one of only five on that list that played more than 60 games. He ranked ninth in the league for total steals, sixth for total blocks, and helped Toronto become the fifth-best defence in the League.
He leads the team in defensive rebounding, steals, and blocks per game. It’s unsurprising that you can find mixtapes just of his defense all over the internet proving his prowess at that end of the floor.
His timing, fearlessness, and effort make him able to guard virtually anyone. Including guys taller and longer than him:
This was enough of a case for First-Team last year, but hopefully if he’s able to put together another year like this he will finally get that nod.
Despite additions and changes to the roster, Toronto will undeniably have to rely on Scottie to continue to do what he is capable of. His role as a defender, facilitator, and scorer means that he is a critical piece of this roster as they seek their second title. If he is “the guy” or if he is the “Pascal” to Kawhi, either way Toronto won’t have another title this year without him.
The Mets' star shortstop has dealt with a number of different injuries over the past year, leading to him posting all-around one of the worst statistical seasons of his 12-year career.
Lindor underwent a procedure to clean up tissue in his elbow during the winter, he missed most of camp after arriving with a broken hamate bone, then was sidelined for two months after tweaked his calf just weeks into the season.
He’s shown flashes of the expected All-Star form since returning from the IL, but still hasn’t quite looked like himself at times at the plate, in the field, and even on the bases.
With just two games remaining this season, the 32-year-old carries a career-worst .731 OPS, has committed a career-high 11 errors at shortstop, and sits in the 41st percentile according to Statcast in OAA (-1).
You could potentially point at the slow start and injuries for the down offensive production, but the several mental mistakes on both sides of the ball have been very head-scratching.
Whatever the reasoning behind it, Lindor knows that he needs to be better next year.
“I have no other option,” he told Mike Puma of the NY Post. “I have to go back to being a plus-player at shortstop -- not only defensively, but running and hitting, too.”
That happening is a must if the Mets hope to get things turned around next year.
There are plenty of exciting pieces shining throughout the system as part of this developing young core, but they absolutely need their stars in Lindor and Juan Soto to stay healthy and lead the way at the top.
The Rangers assigned six more players to Hartford on Friday morning as they continue to cut their roster down ahead of the start of the regular season.
Among that group was forwards Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin.
The young duo were two of the biggest standouts throughout both rookie and pro camp and preseason play, but there weren’t many openings to be had on the NHL roster.
That doesn’t mean the organization isn’t excited about their potential.
In fact, head coach Mike Sullivan had nothing but good things to say about the both of them just hours after they received the boot from their first pro camp.
“We’re excited about them,” he said. “Great kids, very coachable, very talented -- big, strong, competitive -- they are two different players, but both have all of the attributes that are important to succeed at the NHL-level.
“They are players we believe have a ton of upside -- they are starting that journey, and I believe they have a chance to be impactful NHL players -- the energy and enthusiasm is contagious, they love hockey -- sky’s the limit for them.”
Both recently acquired prospects are heading into their first professional campaigns after enjoying successful careers with their respective clubs in the OHL.
Greentree, a scrappy high-skilled winger, has topped the 30-goal mark each of the past three seasons skating with the Windsor Spitfires and is just two years removed from a 100+ point campaign.
Beaudoin is a big center who has only continued developing his two-way game, and is coming off a season where he posted career-highs across the board with the Barrie Colts.
Though they’ll both start the season down with Hartford, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them make an impact at the pro-level this at some point now just one phone call away.
And if not now, the future is certainly looking very bright on Broadway.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 25: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers reacts to getting hit by a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on September 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung suffered a fractured hand when he was hit by a pitch yesterday, putting an end to Jung’s 2026 season.
This is the third time that Jung, who has been plagued by injuries during his professional career, has had a broken bone sideline him in the last four seasons. In 2023, he fractured his left thumb catching a line drive. In 2024, he went on the injured list the first week of the season with a fractured wrist that ended up costing him almost four months.
Jung was having the best offensive season of his career this year, slashing .299/.363/.462 with a 139 OPS+. Jung also missed around six weeks due to a calf strain suffered in July.
The loss of Jung hurts the Rangers as they continue to try to come back in the division race against the Houston Astros, especially given that they also are without Joc Pederson due to a fractured hand suffered on a hit by pitch. Both the Astros and the Rangers lost yesterday, dropping them both to 79-81. This guarantees that whoever wins the American League West will not have a winning record.
The Sabres will be down two of their presumed starters on defense. Olen Zellweger is in concussion protocol but expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, Lindy Ruff said. Mattias Samuelsson, however, remains week to week with his lower-body injury.
Buffalo signed veteran Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year deal on Friday, adding depth to the left side of the defense corps. Grzelcyk will make his team debut against the Penguins, drawing into the lineup along with Zach Metsa.
How the Sabres arrange their defense pairs minus Samuelsson and Zellweger remains to be seen. The team has worked with a variety of pairs at practice, including time spent by Louis Crevier alongside both Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power.
Ruff said he intends to stick with consistent power-play units to start the season in a bid to grow chemistry. We’ve seen the same two groups of five for the duration of camp, both of which will be fully intact for today’s game:
PP1: Doan, Thompson, Benson, Quinn, Dahlin
PP2: Helenius, McLeod, Ostlund, Norris, Power
The Sabres have made their power play a focus in camp. The organization’s analytics department did a deep dive on power plays around the league during the summer and produced a lengthy report for Buffalo’s coaches, who in turn whittled it down into digestible information for the players.
In their previous preseason game featuring the NHL lineup, the Sabres went 0-for-3 on the power play but had plenty of opportunity. Today offers one final tune-up for the two units ahead of the regular season.
Sep 25, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers fans react to the solo homer from Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) during the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Friday night, Oracle Park was far from the intimidating cave it may have once been in the SF-LA rivalry.
When the Dodgers from the south, along with their legion of supporters, arrived at the den of these Giants, their faces did not drain of color. They did not breathe dank air, nor pick their way through bones, the scraps of other intruders, as they tentatively descended into the darkness, dreading the fight that was soon to come.
No, when LA comes to the town, they arrive as the conquering army. Oracle Park is not hostile territory, but Dodger Stadium North. A team-owned retreat center, a spa center. Friday night’s game, the first of the final season series, felt, in tone, less like a contest for the Dodgers, and more of an opportunity to reset, relax, tinker a bit, and tune-up before a deep play-off run.
Dave Roberts’s line-up on Friday looked like the October line-up we’re all waaaaaayyyy too familiar with now. Shohei Ohtani was back at the top. Andy Pages was running down line drives in center field. Enrique Hernández, somehow, still out there, still patrolling some section of the diamond. And then there was Tarik Skubal on the mound. Reigning Cy Young, newest toy, ready to fulfill his sole purpose in a Dodger uniform: win in the postseason.
LA’s lead stayed at just two runs for the vast majority of the game, but there was never any measurable threat to it considering the Giants batting order isn’t much of a gauntlet, and Tarik Skubal is very good at pitching. The lefty needed just 75 pitches to complete 7 innings of work. He allowed just three singles. 13 Giant hitters were fed into the Skubal woodchipper between Bandura’s 3rd inning single and Davidson’s two-out, end of the bat nubber in the 7th. He didn’t just strike out 10, he blew them away, scattering as easily as leaves in an autumnal breeze.
Against the San Francisco Giant Flying Squirrels, this was a time to re-sharpen and embolden. Skubal went back-to-basics, ensuring the foundation of his arsenal was solid, the essential tools in working order. The scrape of a blade across a leather strop could be heard as he pitched. He upped his 4-seamer usage to 48% and just went right at the hitter. 21 of the 23 batters he faced saw a first pitch strike. Nothing he threw was errant. Anything out of the zone, tastefully and intentionally placed. He generated 21 whiffs in all, with both his fastball and change-up earning a 50% swing-and-miss rate. Skubal could’ve gone 9. Given how little stress he experienced, he probably could’ve pitched through the 11th or 12th — but that wasn’t needed. This was just a run-through, a dress rehearsal. Skubal walked off the stage for Roki Sasaki in the 8th, then Tanner Scott in the 9th — one iteration of many bullpen looks LA could show off in the coming weeks.
The game breezed by in under two hours. No pitcher broke a sweat. There were 10 total hits, and three of those hits turned into outs by outfield assists trying to stretch singles into doubles. Very little traffic on the basepaths for arms to navigate. The first time two consecutive batters for either team reached base and stayed there wasn’t until the top of the 9th. All the runs scored in the 2nd: a pair of solo shots courtesy of Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages in the 2nd inning. Both pounced on location mistakes by Giants starter, Yunior Marte, whose loopy pitch shapes can be devastating when dropping out of the zone,
Marte, the losing pitcher, still continued to show some levels of promise. Command of the splitter was mercurial at the start, but once he got some command of it(see Ohtani flail above), it helped prevent opposing hitters from ambushing his 4-seamer. Rather than focus on the outcome too, Marte celebrated the little victories. He pitched five complete, and struck out 4 while walking just one batter (his lowest game total in 5 starts). Mookie Betts knocked three hits off of Marte’s servings last Saturday, but after a 1st inning walk, coaxed two ground outs. He beamed, pumping his fist, as his fastball on the outside edge was overturned for a strike-3 against Ohtani to start the game.
After winning four of their first five games, the Giants have now lost six straight to the Dodgers. If the weekend continues as it has been, they’ll have a chance to tie the California-era streak of 8 on Sunday. The longest losing streak to the Dodgers in club history (limited to one season) is 10 games, back in 1953. 10 is also the Giants longest winning streak against the Dodgers. They achieved this twice (said under breath in 1938 and 1905), so…you know…that’s something.
One of baseball's greatest pitching careers took the mound for the last time Saturday, Sept. 26.
Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander is making the final start of his major league career, bringing an end to a journey that spanned more than two decades, multiple Cy Young Awards, MVP honors, championships and thousands of strikeouts.
Verlander emerged as one of the best pitchers of his generation, combining elite velocity, durability and postseason success while starring for several contenders throughout his career. Along the way, he built a resume that places him among the most accomplished starting pitchers in baseball history.
USA TODAY Sports will have live updates, highlights, notable moments, key statistics and reaction throughout the Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game. Follow along for coverage as Verlander takes the ball one more time.
Verlander and the Detroit Tigers will host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, Sept. 26, with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET at Comerica Park.
1-2-3 to start
01:20 PM ET, September 26 2026
Justin Verlander opened the final start of his career with a perfect first inning: three up, three down. His fastball topped out at 93 miles ab hour. That's well short of the 102 he hit during his 2007 no-hitter on the same mound, but it's plenty for a 43-year-old in his first big league outing since March 30.
As he walked off, home plate umpire and crew chief Laz Diaz check Verlander's glove and hands for substances, as is the norm now in baseball. They seemed to be wishing each other well. Diaz is also retiring after the season.
One last walk to the mound
01:11 PM ET, September 26 2026
Justin Verlander took the field for the final time by himself. His Tigers teammates let him go out on the mound at Comerica Park alone and the crowd cheer him. The moment lasted for nearly 40 seconds with the crowd on its feet and Verlander tipping his cap behind the mound before his teammates ran out on the field to join him.
Wearing the moment
12:56 PM ET, September 26 2026
Justin Verlander's teammates made sure that the day had some fun to it too. They showed up at Comerica wearing T-shirts with selfies Verlander had posted over the years, a nod to the 43-year-old future Hall of Famer from a clubhouse that knows its watching history.
Justin Verlander takes the mound for the final time today 🧡
His @Tigers teammates commemorated the occasion by coming to the ballpark with special shirts featuring Verlander 👏 pic.twitter.com/EJdwTeuTqc
It's a young Tigers clubhouse, and most of them were kids when Verlander threw his first no-hitter at Comerica in 2007. They are soaking it in.
All smiles
12:32 PM ET, September 26 2026
Justin Verlander arrived at Comerica Park for his final start in a tan suit and wearing a wide smile. It's his 557th career start and his first at Comerica since 2017. He looked like a man who has made his peace with the day. "I feel like I ran my race," he told reporters this week. "I feel like I gave it everything I could."
Justin Verlander arrives in style for his final career start in Detroit today 🤩 pic.twitter.com/L9bnn0PLfT
Tigers-Pirates lineups for Justin Verlander's final MLB game
12:31 PM ET, September 26 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates
Starting pitcher: Kirby Yates
Ryan O'Hearn DH
Brandon Lowe 2B
Bryan Reynolds LF
Oneil Cruz CF
Konnor Griffin SS
Spencer Horwitz 1B
Ronny Simon RF
Jacob Gonzalez 3B
Henry Davis C
Detroit Tigers
Starting pitcher: Justin Verlander
Max Clark CF
Hao-Yu Lee 2B
Kevin McGonigle 3B
Eduardo Valencia DH
Riley Greene LF
Dillon Dingler C
Spencer Torkelson 1B
Zach McKinstry RF
Javier Baez SS
What Justin Verlander has said about final MLB start
12:05 PM ET, September 26 2026
"It’s weird, because it’s almost like playoff anxiousness, but yet I’m not doing my headphones-on, normal routine, which usually helps assuage some of that. So, feel a little naked right now."
"I haven't really known what to expect this whole time coming into this weekend. And particularly (Friday), I started really noticing: I'm really on edge right now and have a lot of angst, in a good way. I enjoy it, but, I was like, 'Oh wow, this is more than maybe I anticipated.'"
"There’s no script. I want to go as long as I can. I skipped about a month’s worth of rehab to be able to do this, but I also don’t want to just go out there and throw 20 pitches. I think everybody feels comfortable with 20 pitches, and then after that, we’re kind of in a who-knows zone."
"We’ve been through a lot over the years. Your love and support has meant the world to me. … That love and support has solidified for me that I am, and always will be, a Detroit Tiger."
Justin Verlander's most memorable moments
11:40 AM ET, September 26 2026
MLB debut (2005)
Verlander made his major league debut with the Detroit Tigers on July 4, 2005, beginning a career that would span more than two decades. He threw 5⅓ innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts against Cleveland.
AL Rookie of the Year (2006)
One year later, Verlander helped lead the Tigers to the World Series and was named American League Rookie of the Year. He made 30 starts and had a 17-9 record with a 3.63 ERA in 186 innings.
First no-hitter (2007)
Verlander threw the first of his three career no-hitters against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 12, 2007. He struck out 12 and walked four in a 4-0 win.
AL MVP and Cy Young season (2011)
Verlander authored one of the greatest pitching seasons of his generation in 2011, winning both the American League Cy Young Award and AL MVP after leading the league in numerous categories, including wins (24), ERA (2.40), innings (251) and strikeouts (250). He also threw his second no-hitter during the 2011 season, blanking the Blue Jays in Toronto.
World Series championship (2017)
After being traded to the Houston Astros late in the season, Verlander played a key role (5-0 in five regular-season starts, ALCS MVP) in the franchise's run to a World Series title.
3,000th career strikeout (2019)
Verlander became just the 18th pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,000 career strikeouts on Sept. 28, 2019, further cementing his Hall of Fame credentials. He struck out Kole Calhoun of the Los Angeles Angels.
Third career no-hitter (2019)
He added another no-hitter to his résumé on Sept. 1, 2019, joining an exclusive group of pitchers with at least three no-hit games. Once again, the no-no came against the Blue Jays and Verlander recorded 14 strikeouts.
Return from Tommy John surgery (2022)
After missing nearly two full seasons, Verlander returned to win another Cy Young Award, one of the most remarkable comeback stories in recent baseball history. He made 28 starts for the Astros and went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA at the ripe ole age of 39. He also had 185 strikeouts in 175 innings.
Another World Series title (2022)
Verlander helped the Astros capture a second championship during his tenure with the club, knocking off the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.
Why is Justin Verlander retiring?
11:15 AM ET, September 26 2026
At 43 years old, Justin Verlander is in his 21st MLB season. Injuries plagued him this season as he's only made one start (March 30 at Arizona Diamondbacks).
Verlander was initially placed on the injured list with left hip inflammation after that start against the Diamondbacks. Later in the year, he suffered a hamstring injury, which further delayed his return to the mound.
Justin Verlander's career by the numbers
10:51 AM ET, September 26 2026
WAR: 82.3
Record: 266-159 (17-12 in postseason)
ERA: 3.33 (3.58 in postseason)
Starts: 556 (37 in postseason)
Complete games: 26 (2 in postseason)
Innings pitched: 3571⅓ (226 in postseason)
Strikeouts: 3554 (244 in postseason)
Walks: 1006 (74 in postseason)
WHIP: 1.13 (1.11 in postseason)
2006 American League Rookie of the Year
2011 American League MVP
American League Cy Young Award in 2011, 2019, 2022
2-time World Series champ (2017 and 2022 with Houston Astros)
2017 American League Championship Series MVP
Who is Justin Verlander facing in his final MLB start?
10:25 AM ET, September 26 2026
Verlander will face the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, Sept. 26, in what will be the last start of his Hall of Fame career. Verlander has faced the Pirates 10 times in his career, sporting a 5-2 record and 3.08 ERA in 61⅓ innings.
He's only faced the Pirates once since 2017, though, and that came last season on July 29, 2025. He worked five innings, allowing one run on six hits, one walk and seven strikeouts.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 2: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 2, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I am going to need a bit of time to digest the 2026 Cardinals season. The first half was largely defined by optimism and excitement, but the cruel forces of regression to the mean in the second half took much of the Bloom out of the Cardinals’ rose. The preseason ZiPS projected win total was 76 with an 80th-percentile projection of 82.8 wins. The Cardinals sit at 77 wins with two to play. If you take ZiPS as the gold standard, which I personally do, the Cardinals have marginally exceeded expectations. That is certainly better than marginally underachieving, but it is not the resounding success that looked like a real possibility in the early going. Today, I want to highlight a few of the things that I think I will remember when I look back on the 2026 Cardinals.
The Position Player Core Emerging and Fading
Through the first half of the year, the Cardinals were really mostly fun. And that was mostly because of the position player core. The defense was great, and the offense was solid and seemed to have a penchant for late-inning dramatics. The combination of the completely unexpected Jordan Walker breakout and the highly anticipated JJ Wetherholt excellence stole the show. Along with the two stars, Masyn Winn, Alec Burleson, and Ivan Herrera gave the Cardinals a legitimately excellent core. Through the first half of the season, the Cardinals had five players on pace for 3+ WAR seasons.
This group was producing at an elite level. Like, a “this position player core is good enough to compete for a World Series” level. I was curious how they stacked up against other teams’ core position player groups, so I pulled each team’s top five WAR players through June 27 and looked at the combined WAR production.
Through the first 80 games, the Cardinals’ quintet’s WAR of 10.3 was the fifth best in baseball. For reference, the Cubs had the best group of five with 11.5 combined WAR among Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson, and Ian Happ.
I think we were all braced for some potential regression from Jordan Walker in the second half, but regression and/or injury hit the group hard.
After the tepid second half, the Cardinals’ core five WAR total ranks 20th for the full season. I still feel really good about this group moving forward. Wetherholt and Winn dealt with injuries. Burleson only had a minimal step back. Herrera’s finish is slightly concerning, but with his track record, I expect this to be a minor bump in his career trajectory. Walker is, of course, the elephant in the room. This team looked completely different while he was obliterating baseballs in the middle of the lineup. Hopefully his second-half performance is his new floor and he can continue to build moving forward.
The Starting Pitching Stepping Forward
Part of the reason the starting pitching sticks out to me is just how fun the Kyle Leahy breakout has been. Leahy went from being one of my least favorite pitchers to watch to perhaps my favorite on the team. His second-half charge led a rotation that only got better as the year went on. At the end of April, they ranked 29th in MLB in WAR. They improved that ranking every month and have climbed to 12th in baseball for the full season. Here is how the first and second halves compare.
Despite trading away May, the Cardinals’ rotation has still improved in the second half, going from 4.8 WAR to 7.0. Pallante and McGreevy have remained steady by the underlying metrics throughout the season. Leahy had his coming-out party and Mathews has looked good in his first eight starts.
I am absolutely in agreement with those who argue the Cardinals should go after a top-of-the-rotation pitcher this offseason via trade or free agency, but the quality of the depth that emerged this season is going to give the team a lot of flexibility moving forward. The Memphis rotation going into next year could conceivably be Liam Doyle, Jurrangelo Cijntje, Tekoah Roby, Daniel Eagen, and Mason Molina (with a star-studded AA rotation behind them). The current rotation sets a high floor and the prospects on the way provide a high ceiling. Hopefully we look back on 2026 as the beginning of a decade-long run of starting pitcher excellence.
The Bullpen Woes
I did frame this article as the things I would remember from this year, so, unfortunately, the bullpen must be mentioned. I don’t want to dwell on the negatives too much, but other than Riley O’Brien pitching lights out for a month or so at the beginning of the year, not much went right for this unit. The surface statistics like ERA and WAR paint the bullpen as one of the five or ten worst pens in baseball, but it felt much worse. The 29 blown saves are the most the team has had since 2008. The LOB% of 68.4% was second-worst in baseball.
I don’t think it is reasonable to frame the bullpen as the reason the Cardinals missed the playoffs. Going by Win Probability Added (WPA), the Cardinals’ bullpen contributed -2.82 wins. The MLB average bullpen was around +2. So, an average performance would have ostensibly netted the team about five wins. Five additional wins would still have the team five games out of the last Wild Card spot. If you swapped in the No. 1 bullpen by WPA, Atlanta at +11.71, then you would have a team sneaking into the playoffs. This is not to make excuses for the pen, but just to illustrate how narrow this team’s path to the playoffs was.
I would love to see Chaim Bloom make some targeted acquisitions this offseason, but internal help is on the way too. The good news: things are unlikely to get any worse than this year.
A Glimpse Into the Future
To end on a positive note, we got some extremely fun debuts this year. Joshua Baez, Leo Bernal, Quinn Mathews, and Cooper Hjerpe have all been on the prospect radar for years and all of them acquitted themselves quite well in their limited St. Louis time. We will all remember Joshua Baez’s three-homer game at Wrigley as the signature moment of the season. But the thing that will make these debuts truly significant is what they do next. Baez and Bernal give the Cardinals two more players who could join the aforementioned core five to anchor the next great team. Bernal looked like a 10-year veteran (mostly) and has the on-field swagger and presence reminiscent of Yadier Molina. Baez hit 41 home runs across the minors and majors and could be the big power bat that the team has been searching for. Yes, they both have questions that they will need to answer, but the upside is tremendous and both should be penciled into the Opening Day lineup in 2027.
On the pitching side, Mathews and Hjerpe overcame a lot to make successful St. Louis debuts. There are still plenty of questions around health and strike-throwing ability, but both have the upside to be difference-makers in the rotation.
In addition to the big four prospects (and Wetherholt), Luis Gastelum, Cade Winquest, Brycen Mautz, Blaze Jordan, Jimmy Crooks, and Bryan Torres all made it to St. Louis for the first time. Not all of these gentlemen are likely to be impact big leaguers, but all of them made the 2026 season more exciting.
What I’ll Actually Remember
The harsh reality is that I probably won’t remember much of the 2026 season five or ten years from now. In St. Louis, we remember the teams that play and win in October. I am broadly supportive of the approach the Cardinals’ front office and ownership have taken in bringing in Bloom and focusing on a real reset. But I am ready to see winning baseball and monetary investment in the major league roster again. I am willing to trust the process for now, but the thing that would make 2026 truly stand out is if it is the last season in which the Cardinals miss the playoffs in the next decade or so.
