Category: Sports News

Before Wednesday’s game against the Rays, Aaron Boone insisted Ryan McMahon could contribute in the postseason. 

Even with his bat a mess for most of the season and his glove not being as solid as it has been in years past, Boone said he was still confident in McMahon. 

“Defensively, I have tremendous faith in him moving forward,” Boone said. “I understand he’s had a couple misplays here along the way, but I view it as, ‘I want him in the game with the ball hit to him in a big spot.’” 

And even as Boone noted, “Offensively, it’s been a struggle, especially in the second half,” he added, “We’ll try to get more out of him offensively. Last year, he went into the postseason and right away had some big hits for us. You never know how that can switch, especially when a guy has the ability like [McMahon] does.” 

The Yankees hope it switched Wednesday, as McMahon powered the offense, first with a run-scoring, two-out single in the second and then a grand slam with two outs an inning later in a 9-2 win over Tampa Bay in The Bronx. 

The home run was McMahon’s first since Aug. 3 and just his second since July 11. 

“I’ve been grinding in the cage, working to get ready for the playoffs,’’ McMahon said. “This game is tough. You try to figure it out. To get results is good. We’ve got four more days to get locked in.” 

Even McMahon’s homer didn’t come easy on a windy night at the Stadium, as it nearly blew it foul. 

Boone said he was impressed with the at-bat, as McMahon worked the count full against right-hander Mason Englert. 

“He put a charge into it,’’ Boone said. “It was good to see him get into one there.” 

The questions surrounding how the Yankees will handle third base in the playoffs added another wrinkle Wednesday, when Anthony Volpe took grounders at third base. 

José Caballero had started at third in two of the Yankees’ previous three games. 

But McMahon was back there again Wednesday as the Yankees try to get him right before the playoffs. 

And Boone insisted it’s still possible, despite what’s been a rough year. 

According to Fangraphs, McMahon’s defensive runs saved have dropped from 10 last season to -2 this year. 

And scouts who have watched McMahon have noted a drop-off in his range, glove and overall fielding throughout the season. 

“I get why they’re still trying to make it work,’’ one American League scout said. “The other options [at third] aren’t great, especially as you’re staring at the playoffs. But if he’s not going to be not just reliable, but stellar, then the issues with his bat are even worse.” 

Complicating matters is the lefty-swinging McMahon’s issues against left-handed pitching, which could open the door for Caballero or Amed Rosario, especially if they face a Red Sox team that’s filled with southpaws. 

Caballero has done well at third, but is valued for his ability to come off the bench, while the Yankees have continued to believe that Rosario, who has hit lefties well in recent years, will get back to that after having a hard time against them this season. 

McMahon entered Wednesday with a .614 OPS, which was 224th of 232 players with at least 350 plate appearances. 

And versus lefties, McMahon has an OPS of .518, also among the lowest in the majors. 

That doesn’t figure to lead to too many good matchups for McMahon. 

Boone, though, said McMahon has “gotten a lot of big hits for us along the way. Defensively, not much has changed, in that I view him as top-shelf over there.” 

A year ago against Boston in the wild card, McMahon started just one of the three games, but then had a solid series in the ALDS against Toronto. 

As for the Volpe experiment, Boone said he wanted to get the converted shortstop over to third “a time or two” before the end of the regular season. 

Volpe played three games at third with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season and would be “ready to go” if called upon. 

The San Diego Padres are on the verge of clinching a postseason berth for the third consecutive season. However, the club has been through plenty of ups and downs in 2026.

With three-fifths of the starting rotation out for nearly three months, the Padres stumbled into the All-Star break with a 48-49 record. Their playoff hopes seemed lost, as they sit 13.5 games back in the National League West standings. 

However, with the blink of an eye, the Friars went on a 39-12 run since July 17. It has tied them with the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record since the start of the second half. The hot streak has allowed the Padres to separate themselves from the Arizona Diamondbacks over the last 10 games.

But more work remains in the final week of the regular season. The Friars are tied with the Chicago Cubs for the top Wild Card berth. The Cubs hold the advantage, as they took the season series. To claim home field advantage in the Wild Card round, San Diego will have to finish one game ahead of them in the standings at season’s end.

Home field advantage is important

The Padres have been dominant at home this season, carrying a 49-29 record that vastly outshines their 38-40 mark on the road. Yes, the playoffs are a different story, but the team has an all-time playoff reccord of 8-6 at Petco Park.

You want home-field advantage in the Wild Card round because all three games are played at the higher-seeded team’s stadium. If the Friars meet the Cubs again, it is better to host them at Petco Park.

The Padres dynamic duo

What an incredible turnaround for the bats, as they have been sizzling since the All-Star break. The lineup has maintained an impressive .348 team OBP, 373 hits, and 153 walks during this stretch.

Fernando Tatis Jr. has fueled the surge, batting .290 with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs. Tatis Jr. is poised to have a better postseason than 2025. He was silent, going 1-for-12 with zero RBIs vs. the Cubs in the Wild Card round. 

Another contributor is Ty France (.324, 9 HRs, 30 RBIs, and a .924 OPS), who has exceeded all expectations at the plate. It seemed like every game-tying or game-winning hit came off his bat during the second-half comeback. No question, France can raise his free-agent value with a productive October. 

Naturally, the Friars will rely heavily on their production to advance in the postseason. 

King has been dominant from start to finish

Michael King struggled to find consistency in the first half, posting a 7-7 mark in 19 starts. But he has found himself and is finishing the season strong. Disregard his hiccup in Los Angeles last night; King allowed just five earned runs in his previous five starts.

Over that span, he went 4-0 with a 1.38 ERA and struck out 24 batters across 32.0 innings pitched. King set the tone for a starting rotation determined to lead the team into the postseason.

The next step for him is to pitch better in October and become a fearless performer who quiets strong playoff lineups. That was why the Padres brought King back to San Diego. 

The 2026 season has not been easy, but the Friars have met every challenge put in front of them. Now, the club is on the cusp of playing October baseball.

Our last game against Los Angeles for the year. The A’s have won seven of their 12 games against the Angels this year and that’s been the difference between the fourth place in the AL West, or last in the division and the entire American League. Another win tonight guarantees the Athletics won’t lose 100 games, and puts another game between us and the Angels. Got to finish the job though and get win #63 tonight.

Taking the ball for what is likely his final time for the Athletics is left-hander Jeffrey Springs. Acquired two years ago, Springs came to the A’s with high hopes he could unlock the potential he showed while in Tampa Bay. We saw flashes at times but overall Springs’ time in the Green & Gold was a disappointment. Over his 58 starts (60 appearances), the southpaw is sporting a 5.03 ERA. This year was even worse for the 34-year-old as he’s limped to a 6.18 mark. While he’s blamed part of those struggles on the ballpark that couldn’t have been the only factor in his struggles this past season. He’ll try to finish his A’s tenure on a high with a strong outing tonight and take that into the offseason and look for a better home than Sutter Health Park.

Here’s how the lineup behind Springs looks this evening in Sacramento:

The A’s are mixing things up a bit with a different handed pitcher on the mound tonight. Firstly, rookie leadoff man Henry Bolte is back in center field tonight and he’ll be followed in the lineup by right fielder Lawrence Butler and then our DH Shea Langeliers, who are swapping lineup spots. The lefty-swinging Jeff McNeil returns to the starting lineup, playing first and batting cleanup. Third baseman Zack Gelof drops a spot in the order and batting behind him will be veteran Donovan Walton, manning the keystone. A nice mix of R-L-R-L-R-L for the first half of the lineup tonight.

Carlos Cortes draws the start partially thanks to his massive game last night where he went 2-for-2 with a triple, homer, and three RBI’s. He probably would have been in there anyway against a right-handed starter but still. And rounding out tonight’s lineup is Alika Williams and Brian Serven, tonight’s shortstop and catcher who are batting eighth and ninth, respectively.

As for Los Angeles, they have ascending young righty Walbert Urena making his final start of his rookie campaign tonight. Urena began the year in the Angels’ bullpen before stretching out in Triple-A during early April. From there he joined the Angels’ starting five and hasn’t looked back since. The 22-year-old is wrapping up a season that has seen him make 26 starts with a 2.74 ERA to show for it. That’s the second-lowest ERA from a full-time rookie starter in the AL this year, behind only Cleveland’s Parker Messick.

It’s going to be a tough task for the Athletics’ bats tonight. Urena has already faced the A’s three times this year, tossing two gems but getting absolutely crushed for seven runs his last time out against us down in Anaheim. That was far and away his worst start of the year and the A’s will be hoping to replicate that success, this time in Sacramento.

And the Angels’ starting nine shapes up like this:

Fairly standard lineup for the Halos tonight but one can’t help but wonder: Is tonight the last time the A’s see Mike Trout in an Angels uniform?

We don’t need this win. We want it. Take tonight’s game and we avoid 100 losses this season. Win and we make it all but certain we’ll finish in fourth place, out of the AL West and AL cellar. It’s go time. Let’s go A’s!

Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA

Listen:
Athletics -Talk 650 KSTE, KVMX 92.1/105.5, A’s Cast

After taking over as the closer the last two months, Kodai Senga proved to the Mets that he can pitch out of the bullpen, something that was completely foreign to him until this year.

The right-hander had some bumps along the way, of course, but for the most part Senga was a reliable arm as a reliever and went 8-for-9 on save opportunities, including shutting the door on Tuesday night in New York’s 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers.

However, with Devin Williams reinstated from the IL, Senga’s role on the team is now in a bit of limbo.

Manager Andy Green expressed his appreciation for what Senga has been able to do out of the bullpen, but when asked whether the Mets view him as a starter or a reliever for next year’s team, Green couldn’t say.

“We will make the determination based on what we feel is best for the team and where he fits best,” the skipper said. “That’s impossible to answer at this moment. We’ve gotten a good look at him in this role and he’s done a lot of really good things and we’re excited about the possibility of that, but you can flip the calendar back just a few years ago before he had a hamstring issue or a leg issue and he was one of the most interesting starters in baseball and doing some really good things and obviously had an unbelievable rookie season. 

“So he’s got a lot to hang his hat on in that regard. I think there’s a real decision point there and it’s not one we’re ready to make today.”

Before Senga’s tumultuous 2026 season as a starter, he was 20-13 with a 3.00 ERA in 52 starts across three seasons for New York. He even placed second in the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year voting after successfully making the transition from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Since then, injuries have been a major factor in his career before he completely fell off this year while pitching to a 9.66 ERA in eight starts and going 0-7. But after Williams went down with a right shoulder strain in early August, the Mets made the bold decision to make Senga the new closer.

Senga quickly took to his new job and got the save in his first seven opportunities and pitched to a 1.74 ERA in August. Aside from a rough outing against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 20 (in a non-save opportunity), Senga has been rock solid at the backend of the bullpen.

“I think we have an idea of how he fits in the pen now, which is really, really helpful,” Green said.

However, with so much uncertainty surrounding the team in the ways it can go after a disastrous season, the Mets aren’t ruling anything out just yet.

“We don’t know the depth of our rotation going into ‘27 right now,” Green said. “There’s a free agency period, there’s a lot of uncertainty that could unfold in the offseason and he’ll fit into the spot that he fits the best for us because that’s how we should move forward at this point in time.

“And we won’t be able to know that until we know what we sign, what we bring in, where we’re at and that’ll make the picture clearer and we’ll figure out where the puzzle piece fits the best.”

If it were up to Senga, who will be entering the final year of his five-year, $75 million contract he signed before the 2023 season next year, he would choose being a starter – the only thing he had ever known before this year.

“I think he has been really good expressing to us his passion resides in the rotation,” Green said.

Of course, a starting pitcher is also more valuable than a reliever, especially one that isn’t a closer, as Williams is signed through the next two seasons and figures to remain in that role. Still, it’s hard to get over how badly Senga struggled in the rotation despite all the chances in the world to figure it out.

For what it’s worth, though, the manager mentioned that he and the Mets will take into account what Senga wants. The 33-year-old has earned that. But at the end of the day, it’s their call.

“Somebody who has accomplished what he’s accomplished in his career, the type of teammate he’s been, that matters a lot to us,” Green said. “It will not be the ultimate determining factor, but it will have weight and we’ll value it accordingly.”

#NotDeadYet Yesterday’s results bumped up our playoff odds to 7.4%. Arizona currently sits four games back of the three-way tie for the NL wild-card spots, so needs to make up one game on the Padres, today or tomorrow, in order to hold their own destiny. Who better on the mound than Merrill Kelly? Well, given his ERA of exactly five, you might have a few answers to that question. On the other hand, his only complete game, in two hundred major-league starts, came against this opponent earlier this year – and, more remarkably, at Coors. Since the end of 2015, he’s one of only four visiting pitchers with a nine-inning CG in Denver. Same again, please.

Last night was Kevin Ginkel’s 71st appearance out of the bullpen for Arizona. Only four pitchers have surpasses seventy games for Arizona since the before-COVID times. Ginkel previously did it in 2024, along with Joe Mantiply, while Miguel Castro reached 75 in 2023. It’s likely Taylor Clarke, currently on 69, could join Ginkel by the end of the year. In addition to 2024, since 2008 Arizona has had two relievers > 70 outings in 2012 and 2018. The latter campaign actually saw three: Archie Bradley, Andrew Chafin and Yoshihisa Hirano (and all of them got to 75 or more!). Juan Morillo currently sits on 67, so I doubt we’ll be able to repeat that this season.

Won’t be around much for this one, since Mrs. SnakePit and I are off to dinner and then on to see The Phantom of the Opera at the Gammage in Tempe. Should be fun. I may be forgiven for sneaking an odd-peek or two at my phone when permitted. Good news in the early going from Philadelphia, where the Brewers are up 4-1 over the Phillies in the fourth inning. The Cubs are just under way in Miami, and the Padres face the Dodgers in the last game of the day. May I return home with the D-backs still not eliminated!

BALTIMORE — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn’t afraid to admit it: His 14-year, $500 million contract absolutely weighed on him during this, his most unproductive season of his decorated career.

Guerrero signed that megadeal in March 2025 and then drove the Toronto Blue Jays all the way to Game 7 of the World Series with a fantastic postseason. Yet he followed that with the worst season of his career, most notably failing to hit a home run in his own ballpark until the 75th home game of the season.

After the Blue Jays were officially eliminated from 2026 contention with a 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, Sept. 23, Guerrero came clean: Every weak grounder, every strikeout, every Blue Jays loss weighed significantly on him.

As did the notion of living up to his contract.

“I’ve got to be honest with you: Of course. Every at-bat that I fail, I think about my contract,” Guerrero said via club interpreter Hector Lebron between games of a split doubleheader at Camden Yards. “I know all the people who go to (Rogers Centre), they pay to see me being successful, to do something good every at-bat.

“Every time, I think about my contract, mentally. So, it is what it is.”

The Colorado Rockies reached 100 losses for the fourth straight season with last night’s defeat at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The loss felt fitting for the unfortunate milestone, as the Rockies managed only three hits (compared to Arizona’s 13) and struggled to get much going on either side of the ball.

They’ll look to rebound tonight in the penultimate home game of the year.

Promising rookie Mason Adams gets his sixth start, bringing in an 0-1 record, a 5.09 ERA, and 23 strikeouts to 12 walks. His last three starts have been a bit of a rollercoaster in terms of traffic on the basepaths, as Adams gave up eight, two, and then eight hits in those respective starts. He’s also surrendered at least one home run in each of his six starts. Adams’ last outing was the worst of his young career, with six runs allowed on eight hits with only one strikeout to three walks in a 9-3 loss to the San Diego Padres.

The Diamondbacks try to slither up the Wild Card standings, currently sitting four games behind the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Padres. The Phillies found a win last night, while the Cubs and Padres both lost, knotting all three clubs at 87-70.

Arizona will roll out Merrill Kelly, currently 9-14 through 28 starts and a 5.00 ERA. This will be Kelly’s third time facing Colorado in 2026, picking up a win in a 9-1 victory back in May and a loss in a 6-4 game in August. Kelly is on the same rollercoaster as Adams, giving up seven, two, and seven hits in his last three games. The back end of the season has been difficult for Kelly, who took losses in five of his last seven starts.

Tuesday night’s matchup was lopsided. With both of tonight’s starters reeling over the last month, the game presents an opportunity for both offenses to get lots of baserunners on and make it more of a battle. We’ll see if the Rockies’ bats can cash in.

First Pitch: 6:40pm MT

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Diamondbacks SB Nation:AZ Snake Pit

Lineups:

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