Category: Sports News

The Royals have won just 2 of their last 9 games since the hot stretch ended. Last series they were able to salvage game three to avoid the sweep and will attempt to do so again. tonight. On paper it looks like a very lopsided pitching matchup with Daniel Lynch IV facing Zac Gallen, but at this point Gallen has not been very good for a couple of years. So far in 2026 he has posted a 6.34 ERA across 19 starts with a shocking 5.6K/9. I do not know what happened to Zac. I do know that both lineups are probably licking their chops in a series where both have struggled to score runs until the very end of the game.

Jac Caglianone is not headed to the injured list, but he also still is not in the lineup today. Nothing really shocking about the starters today.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s pain is Anthony Volpe’s gain. 

Chisholm was diagnosed Wednesday with a right thumb sprain that will require a stint on the injured list, opening the door for Volpe to be called up to replace him on the active roster Thursday, a source confirmed to The Post, as the Yankees head down the stretch. 

It remains to be seen whether Volpe will get everyday playing time at second base — the position he began playing regularly after the shortstop was demoted to Triple-A last month — while Chisholm is out (potentially the rest of the regular season) or be part of a group effort with José Caballero and Amed Rosario. 

But after going on a red-hot tear at the plate in recent weeks with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the 25-year-old Volpe now has his lifeline back to The Bronx. 

“I just know that I have a ton of respect for the person and the player,” manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday afternoon, before the Yankees landed on Volpe as Chisholm’s replacement. “I know he’s been a complete pro and completely got after it down there in everything they’ve thrown at him, whether it’s moving and playing some second base, introducing some third base, making sure his swing’s dialed in. He’s obviously swung the bat incredibly well. 

“That’s not an easy thing to do when you’ve been in the big leagues and you’ve been the guy in the big leagues and you got to go back [to Triple-A]. I’ve seen a lot of good players go there and not perform and struggle. So I think it’s a testament to his makeup and who he is and the kind of player he is.” 

Chisholm will be shut down from baseball activities for seven to 10 days, Boone said, which jeopardizes his ability to play again in the regular season with fewer than three weeks remaining. 

It is brutal timing for Chisholm, who suffered the injury while diving into second base Tuesday night during Aaron Judge’s first game back from the IL in three-plus months as the Yankees inched closer to full strength. The second baseman was just starting to turn the corner over the past month in what has been a largely disappointing contract year, batting .295 with an .832 OPS and 10 steals over his past 29 games. 

“I feel like he has been really putting together some of his best at-bats of the season for an extended stretch,” Boone said. “So definitely a blow, but hopefully one that the time down here gets this thing right and puts him in position to impact us moving forward.” 

Boone indicated that Luis García Jr., who previously played second base but was a liability defensively, would likely remain at first base instead of moving positions, though he regularly takes pregame ground balls around the infield. 

Volpe, meanwhile, arrives back in the big leagues on the heels of a heater at Triple-A after being replaced by George Lombard Jr. as the Yankees shortstop last month. Over his past 17 games at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Volpe was batting .333 with eight home runs and a 1.218 OPS. That included a stretch of five home runs in five games last week, leading fellow former top prospect Jasson Domínguez (who rejoined the Yankees as an injury replacement Saturday) to joke that Volpe had become Barry Bonds. 

Now, Volpe will try to prove that the changes he made offensively were real, and not just a product of offense being up across the International League. After coming back from offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, he was batting .240 with a .646 OPS in 56 games with the Yankees — and was the target of plenty of fan ire — before being sent back to the minors. 

Of course, he will also have to handle second base, the position that may be his future home, especially if he remains with the Yankees beyond this year, with Chisholm set to become a free agent. 

“For us,” Boone said, “it’s about trying to win and put the best guys out there that we think give us that opportunity.”

Rollie Sheldon, a two-time World Series champion pitcher with the Yankees, has died, the team announced Wednesday.

He was 89.

According to an online obituary, he died in Lee’s Summit, Mo., on Aug. 31. No cause of death was given.

“The Yankees mourn the passing of Rollie Sheldon and extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones,” the Yankees said in a statement on social media.

A Putnam, Conn., native, Sheldon served in the United States Air Force before spending time at Texas A&M and UConn. With the Huskies, Sheldon was an athlete on the baseball and basketball teams.

The right-hander signed with the Yankees before the 1960 season — with a scout believing he was 20 when he was in fact 23 — and flourished in the New York Penn League with a 15-1 record and a 2.88 ERA.

“If [scout Henry Hesse] thought I was 20,” Sheldon continued, “I wouldn’t say anything because I didn’t want to blow this opportunity to play pro ball. I interrupted my parents’ ‘coffee break’ and asked them to sign for me,” Sheldon said of his signing, according to the Society for American Baseball Research. “They knew I had always wanted to play pro ball but were surprised I would sign with the Yanks when I was a Red Sox fan…I believe anyone would have done the same thing…keep quiet.”

Sheldon was summoned to The Bronx in 1961, pitching to the tune of an 11-5 record with a 3.60 ERA over 35 games (21 starts). He also completed two shutouts, the most he’d ever throw in a season during his five years in the big leagues.

He was on Yankees teams that won back-to-back World Series crowns in 1961 and ’62, but did not pitch in either series. Sheldon did, however, pitch 2 2/3 scoreless innings in 1964 when the Yankees fell to the Cardinals in the Fall Classic.

Over three-plus seasons with the Yankees, Sheldon held a 23-15 record with a 4.14 ERA and 202 strikeouts over 389 1/3 innings.

Being able to play for the Yankees, even for someone who had grown up as a Red Sox fan, meant the world to Sheldon.

“Roland has a special place in his heart and is so grateful to manager Ralph Houk for believing in him and making his dream come true in 1961 of becoming a professional baseball player for the New York Yankees,” his obituary said.

He was traded in the middle of the 1965 season to the Kansas City A’s and ended his MLB career with the Red Sox one year later, though he continued pitching in affiliated baseball through 1970.

The Texas Rangers scored two runs but the Seattle Mariners scored three runs.

So the Rangers weren’t especially lucky today. Maybe you could say you make your own luck when you do things like go 11-15 against the Angels and A’s, but the Rangers are trying to right their wrongs and sneak into the playoffs so they’d gladly take any favors that they can get and none arrived this afternoon.

The Mariners were lucky to land baseball’s top pitching prospect Kade Anderson after moving up to No. 3 with just 0.7% odds in the 2025 MLB Draft. They were lucky Anderson was available at No. 3 when two braindead orgs above them opted for slot bonus shenanigans rather than taking the LSU College World Series-winning ace.

That windfall became bad news for the Rangers and today they got their first look of many more to come against Anderson in the fourth start of his young MLB career. As it would turn out, it would be the best outing for Anderson thus far.

Despite pinning ten runs on Seattle less than 24 hours ago, the Rangers were held to just two solo home runs — only one of which came off Anderson, who allowed one run in six innings — and couldn’t make use of an early 1-0 lead with the rookie starter on the mound. Despite some traffic in most innings today, the Rangers went 0-for-5 with RISP and left seven on base.

Meanwhile, Texas starter Cody Bradford allowed two, two-out RBI hits in two separate innings with the first coming after Cal Raleigh drew a walk and only advanced into scoring position on a foul out to the backstop wall which allowed Raleigh to tag up and scamper to second base. Taylor Ward followed with the two-out single that tied the game, a parachute blooper over the head of Justin Foscue.

A few of innings later, in a 1-1 game, Bradford got two quick outs and then a ground ball to a waiting Corey Seager for what appeared to be a sure inning-ender only for it to hit off the second base bag and go for a single to ignite a surprising rally. Ward followed the fortuitous hit with a walk and then Cole Young doubled them both in on a ball to right field that Brandon Nimmo couldn’t reach.

Two runs scored to put Seattle up 3-1 and the scored remained there until the top of the eighth when Seager smacked a solo home run to pull the Rangers to within a run. Unfortunately, a third run never came despite a couple of shots at it in the top of the ninth that ended in strikeouts.

Another opportunity to return to .500 wasted and there’s not terribly many chances left for opportunities to matter.

Player of the Game: Burger hit a second inning solo home run for his 26th dong of the year which broke a tie with Joc Pederson for the current team leader in long balls.

Up Next: The Rangers and Mariners close out this series with a rubber match featuring RHP Jacob deGrom for Texas against RHP Logan Gilbert for Seattle.

The Thursday afternoon finale first pitch from T-Mobile Park is scheduled for 3:10 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.

Time’s winding down on the 2026 regular season for the Yankees, and their long-stated goal of avoiding the dogfight of the Wild Card Round that hamstrung their hopes in 2025 is getting less and less likely. They’re just simply running out of time to make up their deficit to the Tampa Bay Rays, and even though they technically control their destiny with the four-game set later this month, they don’t want to have to sweep that to have a shot.

Looking to build on some great recent outings is Will Warren, who will be making his 27th start and first since his brilliant seven-inning gem against the Red Sox that secured the season series back in late August. He has since appeared in a relief role, tossing 2.1 shutout innings in San Diego against the Padres, but will return to a starting role for the rest of the regular season. He enters with a 4.16 ERA (101 ERA+) and 4.17 FIP in 136.1 innings.

On the other side is Tomoyuki Sugano, a familiar face from his time in Baltimore. The 36-year-old was forced to ink a deal with the Rockies after a lack of interest following his rookie year, but has honestly not done as badly as some expected, given how Coors Field makes low-stuff pitchers extremely hittable. Through 25 starts, he has a 5.19 ERA (95 ERA+) and 5.31 FIP in 131.2 innings. Despite being on the worst team in the National League, he has a winning record at 12-8.

Interestingly enough, he’s been worse away from Coors this year (5.46 ERA, .883 OPS allowed), especially in the slugging department. He’s once again struggled mightily with keeping the ball off batters’ barrels, among other things. In fact, his only positive attribute on Baseball Savant is an elite walk rate. The rest are bottom of the barrel. Sugano tossed five shutout innings against the Yankees last April, but then proceeded to allow 11 runs across 11 innings in the next three starts.

Ben Rice will once again lead off for the Yanks, followed by Cody Bellinger and a “rehabbing” Aaron Judge. Luis García Jr. cleans up at first, followed by Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr. Ryan McMahon, Austin Wells, and José Caballero round things out, with the latter replacing the injured Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Jake McCarthy once again leads off for the Rox, followed by Cole Carrigg and former Yankee prospect T.J. Rumfield. Hunter Goodman will clean up after his homer in the ninth last night, with former No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak and legacy big leaguer Kyle Karros behind him. We’ll see Brett Sullivan behind the plate, former Oriole Connor Norby batting eighth, and Zac Veen wrapping things up.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium — The Bronx, NY

First pitch: 7:05 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, Rockies.TV

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM (COL)

Online stream: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Mariners 3, Rangers 2

Fun: Cole Young, +.22 WPA; Kade Anderson, +.19 WPA

Unfun: Dominic Canzone and Julio Rodríguez, -.06 WPA each

Game Thread Comment of the Day:

It has been quite a series. After two late comeback victories in a row, the Milwaukee Brewers are looking for a sweep tonight of their rivals, the Chicago Cubs. Last night’s victory assured the Brewers of the season series and thus any tiebreaker, though their now-nine-game lead with only 16 games remaining means that tiebreaker should not matter. Still, Milwaukee is battling with the Dodgers and Braves for the top two seeds in the National League, so there’s still plenty to keep playing for.

On the bump for the Brewers tonight will be the guy who has developed into the Robin to Jacob Misiorowski’s Batman, Logan Henderson. Henderson has been nothing short of fantastic: he’s allowed fewer than three runs in 13 of his 15 starts this season, and more than three in zero of them. Henderson has also been a reliable source of innings lately: he’s completed seven innings in three of his last four outings after never having done it in any of his first 16 career starts. Overall, Henderson has pitched to a 2.48 ERA and an eye-popping 0.792 WHIP. He’s striking out 10 batters per nine innings while walking just 1.5 per nine; if he had enough innings to qualify, Henderson would lead major-league starters in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 6.64.

On the other side will be one of Chicago’s trade dealine pickups, Kevin Gausman. Gausman has pitched to nearly identical ERAs before and after the trade: when traded, he had a 4.38 ERA with Toronto, and he’s got a 4.37 ERA in six starts with the Cubs. Regardless of which you look at, FIP suggests he’s had bad luck—Gausman had a 3.50 FIP with Toronto and it’s at 3.83 with the Cubs. Gausman was fantastic against the Brewers last week, though: on Thursday, he went seven innings, allowed only one run on five hits and a walk, and struck out nine, his highest total since April 1st.

After his big night last night, Jackson Chourio is back atop the Brewers’ lineup. Joining him in the outfield tonight are Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick, while Andrew Vaughn, Brice Turang, Cooper Pratt, and Joey Ortiz make up the infield. William Conteras is catching, and Christian Yelich bats fifth as the designated hitter.

First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network. How about a sweep?

Game Summary

Leo Bernal broke a 1-1 tie with a 3-run HR. Andre Pallante spotted the Giants an early run, but was solid through five innings. The offense tacked on single tallies for a 6-1 lead, but no lead is safe with this bullpen. The Giants explode for six runs in the bottom of the eighth, aided by walks and HBP.

Pre-game notes

• Greetings from the west coast. It is a warm day today.
• Pallante goes for the Cardinals. Tidwell for the Giants.
• Walker gets today off. He will end up with close to three days, which I suspect he could use.
• That means Baez in RF, Torres in LF, Sags at 2B, Gorman at 3b.

The first innings

The Cardinals, as is their norm, start quietly. A double and an RBI single get the Giants out front in the bottom of the first. The Cardinals answer quickly in the top of the 2nd, with a Baez double and a Gorman single knotting the game back up. In the third, the Cardinals exploded quickly with a single, a walk and the Bernal 3-run HR breaking the tie. Pallante kept the ball on the ground in the early going, handcuffing the Gigantes. Cardinals up 4-1. Interesting, the rally was fueled by Herrera getting picked off, but the pitcher, running right at Herrera managed to interfere with Ivan, resulting in the runner being placed on second.

The middle innings

The game moved along quickly through the fourth. In the fifth, a similar script played out with a Torres single, a Herrera HBP (shocking!) and a Burly walk loaded the bases for Bernal. Time to have a day! Bittersweet, Bernal GIDP results in the Cardinals extending their lead to 5-1. AP kept things in order through the end of his start at five innings. Well done.

In the sixth, Saggese walks and Church bunt singles and the Giants throw it around resulting in runners on second and third. Fermin with a SacFly to tack on another run. These runs are needed with this bullpen. Bruihl Cardinals up 6-1.

The decisive and bitter end

The Cardinals went quietly in the seventh. Gastelum pitched a clean bottom of the seventh, looking sharp. In the fateful eighth, Winquest started off allowing a single, but earned a K. He then got the second out on a harmless fly out and things looked good. What followed? The seeds for any explosion inning. An HBP. A walk. An RBI single. Winquest out, Soriano in and things turned worse. Single, double, double results in four more run, handing the Giants a six-run explosion and a 7-6 lead. A ground out, six batters late, ends the inning.

In the ninth, a single is followed by a Walker GIDP (man, did he finish the trip poorly!) and a Herrera ground out closes out a very tough loss.

Post-Game Notes

• Be sure and check out “Tonight on the Farm – Wednesday 9.8” over at The Feed.
• The Cardinals end a grueling 9 game western swing with a 4-5 record, pretty much ending any hopes of a wild card run.
• They will return home and on Friday begin the long-awaited series against the White Sox.

Game Summary

Leo Bernal broke a 1-1 tie with a 3-run HR. Andre Pallante spotted the Giants an early run, but was solid through five innings. The offense tacked on single tallies for a six run lead, but no lead is safe with this bullpen. The Giants explode for six runs in the bottom of the eighth, aided by walks and HBP.

Pre-game notes

• Greetings from the west coast. It is a warm day today.
• Pallante goes for the Cardinals. Tidwell for the Giants.
• Walker gets today off. He will end up with close to three days, which I suspect he could use.
• That means Baez in RF, Torres in LF, Sags at 2B, Gorman at 3b.

The first innings

The Cardinals, as is their norm, start quietly. A double and an RBI single get the Giants out front in the bottom of the first. The Cardinals answer quickly in the top of the 2nd, with a Baez double and a Gorman single knotting the game back up. In the third, the Cardinals exploded quickly with a single, a walk and the Bernal 3-run HR breaking the tie. Pallante kept the ball on the ground in the early going, handcuffing the Gigantes. Cardinals up 4-1. Interesting, the rally was fueled by Herrera getting picked off, but the pitcher, running right at Herrera managed to interfere with Ivan, resulting in the runner being placed on second.

The middle innings

The game moved along quickly through the fourth. In the fifth, a similar script played out with a Torres single, a Herrera HBP (shocking!) and a Burly walk loaded the bases for Bernal. Time to have a day! Bittersweet, Bernal GIDP results in the Cardinals extending their lead to 5-1. AP kept things in order through the end of his start at five innings. Well done.

In the sixth, Saggese walks and Church bunt singles and the Giants throw it around resulting in runners on second and third. Fermin with a SacFly to tack on another run. These runs are needed with this bullpen. Bruihl Cardinals up 6-1.

The decisive and bitter end

The Cardinals went quietly in the seventh. Gastelum pitched a clean bottom of the seventh, looking sharp. In the fateful eighth, Winquest started off allowing a single, but earned a K. He then got the second out on a harmless fly out and things looked good. What followed? The seeds for any explosion inning An HBP. A walk. An RBI single. Winquest out, Soriano in and things turned worse. Single, double, double results in four more run, handing the Giants a six-run explosion and a 7-6 lead. A ground out, six batters late, ends the inning.

In the ninth, a single is followed by a Walker GIDP (man, did he finish the trip poorly!) and a Herrera ground out closes out a very tough loss.

Post-Game Notes

• Be sure and check out “Tonight on the Farm – Wednesday 9.8” over at The Feed.
• The Cardinals end a grueling 9 game western swing with a 4-5 record, pretty much ending any hopes of a wild card run.
• They will return home and on Friday begin the long-awaited series against the White Sox.

Anthony Volpe is returning to the Yankees.

According to YES Network's Jack Curry, in a corresponding move to placing Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the IL, New York will recall Volpe to the major league roster. The infielder will join the team Thursday while Chisholm is available to pinch-run Wednesday, per Curry.

Volpe, 25, was optioned to Triple-A back in early August after struggling offensively and defensively to make way for George Lombard Jr. at shortstop. 

In 56 games with the Yankees this season, Volpe was slashing .240/.325/.332 with an OPS of .647 and just one home run after starting the season on the IL after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery that affected Volpe's play in 2025. 

Ahead of Wednesday's game against the Rockies, manager Aaron Boone said he was confident putting Volpe at second base if needed.

"I know he's been a complete pro and completely got after it down there in everything they've thrown at him," Boone said of Volpe. "Whether it's moving and playing some second base, obviously introducing some third base to him, making sure his swing is dialed in, and he's obviously swung the bat incredibly well.  That's not an easy thing to do when you've been the guy in the big leagues and you gotta go back."

To Volpe's credit, the youngster has produced well in the minors. In 37 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Volpe is slashing .264/.345/.561 with an OPS of .906 to go along with his 11 home runs and 26 RBI.

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (74-71) and Philadelphia Phillies (81-64) will play the 2nd game of this 3-game set tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

RHP Hunter Brown (5-3, 3.31 ERA) will start for the Astros as he takes on the Phils’ LHP Cristopher Sánchez (16-5, 2.58 ERA). Tonight will be Brown’s 1st career appearance at Citizens Bank Park and his 3rd career appearance overall vs. PHI (2nd start).

REMATCH: RHP Hunter Brown and LHP Cristopher Sánchez faced each other on June 26 of last season in what was a pitcher’s duel at Daikin Park. Brown hurled 7.0 scoreless innings with 9 K’s and no walks while Sanchez allowed just 1 run in 6.0 innings with 11 K’s and no walks. HOU won the game, 2-1 (Brown had ND).

ASTROS-PHILS: The Astros have won 5 straight games vs. the Phillies. In those 5 wins, which include 3 shutouts, Astros pitchers have combined for a 1.00 ERA (4ER/36IP). Astros starters have a 0.83 ERA (3ER/32.2IP) in those 5 wins. The starters had gone 4 consecutive starts without allowing a run vs. PHI until last night. HOU swept a 3-game series vs. PHI at Daikin Park in the last meeting between the 2 clubs, June 24-26 of 2025. In those 3 games, Astros pitchers allowed just 1 run in 27.0 IP.

Last Visit to CPB: The Phils took 2 of 3 from HOU in the last series here in Philly, Aug. 26-28 of 2024. In the final game of that series, Yordan Alvarez went 4×4 with 3 HR in a 10-0 Astros win.

Postseason History: The Astros and Phils have met twice in the postseason, with PHI taking the 1980 NLCS and the Astros winning the 2022 World Series.

BROTHER BROWN: RHP Hunter Brown has pitched well as of late, posting a 2-0 record in his last 3 starts with a 1.96 ERA (4ER/18.1IP) and 21 strikeouts. Tonight will be his 17th start of the season as he missed several weeks due to a right shoulder strain.

Last Season: In 2025, Brown finished 3rd in the AL Cy Young voting after posting a 12-9 record with a 2.43 ERA and 206 strikeouts.

LEAD PROTECTORS: The Astros are 64-0 this season when leading after 8.0 innings. They are one of four MLB teams with a perfect record when leading after 8.0 innings this year.

BIG WES: With last night’s outing, RHP Hayden Wesneski is now 3-0 in his last 4 starts with a 1.57 ERA (4ER/23IP). For the season, he is 5-1 with a 3.35 ERA in 8 starts (Astros are 7-1 in his starts).

ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the 2nd game (1-0 thus far) of a 6-game trip (3g at PHI, 3g at TB). Since going 1-9 on the first road trip of 2026, the Astros have gone 36-24 (.600) on the road since April 14, which ranks third in the Majors in that span. More recently, they are 20-12 (.625) on their last 6 road trips combined (includes current trip).

ON THE OFFENSIVE: The Astros rank 2nd in the AL in HR (190), 1st in SLG (.408) and 4th in runs scored (653).

SLOW AND STEADY RECOVERY: Since starting the season with a 20-31 record after 51 games, the Astros are 54-40 (.574) in their last 94 games (since May 22). That is the second-best record in the AL in that span, behind only the Red Sox.

WINNING THE WEST: The Astros currently hold a 2.0-game lead in the AL West over the 2nd-place Rangers. HOU finished at 9-4 vs. TEX, so they hold the tiebreaker vs. them.

STARTING STRONG: In the last 8 games, Astros starters have combined for a 2.45 ERA (12ER/44IP). The Astros are 5-3 in that span. Additionally, the Astros are 9-5 in their last 14 games, during which the starters have posted a combined 3.03 ERA (24ER/71.1IP).

THE HIT MAN: Jose Altuve enters tonight just 1 hit shy of reaching 2,500 for his career.

Another Record: Altuve’s 3-hit game on Sunday vs. ARI was the 225th of his career, which ties Craig Biggio for the most in franchise history. Among active players, Altuve ranks 2nd in hits, trailing only Freddie Freeman (2,587).

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 tonight leading the AL in batting avg. (.311), while ranking 2nd in HR (38) and RBI (95). Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.022) and leads the AL in SLG (.593) and OBP (.428).

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 5-3 thus far while in the midst of a stretch of playing 4 consecutive teams that would be in the postseason if the season ended today (CWS, ARI, PHI, TB, respectively). They went 3-1 vs. CWS and 1-2 vs. ARI.

MEASURING UP: The Astros are 30-20 (.600) vs. teams currently at .500 or above, which is the 2nd best record in the Majors in that category.

STREAK SNAPPED: LHP Josh Hader had his consecutive scoreless innings streak snapped at 22.0 innings last night. This is the longest streak by an Astros hurler this season and had been 2nd-longest active streak in the Majors. Despite the end of the scoreless streak, in last night’s win, Hader did convert his 24th save in 24 chances this season. His 24 saves are the most in the MLB without a blown save.

DOWN ON THE FARM: Single A Fayetteville defeated Fredericksburg last night in game one of the North Division Carolina League playoff series.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY:1987 – In the Dome, Hall of Fame RHP Nolan Ryan has one of the most memorable nights of his career in a 4-2 win over the Giants. In addition to tallying 16 punchouts in 8.0 innings of work, Ryan also picks up his 4,500th career strikeout in the 7th inning when he fans Mike Aldrete.

1967 – In a 5-3 win over the Dodgers, Jimmy Wynn hits 2 HR and becomes the 1st player in frachise history to reach 100 RBI in a season.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Wednesday, September 9, 5:40 p.m. CT

Location: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

TV: Space City Home Network

Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; KTRH 740 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

Shane Baz starts have been a kiss of death for the Orioles this year. It’s not Baz’s fault. He has pitched fine this season, sometimes fantastic. But the Orioles do not win very often when he is on the mound.

Baz has one pitching win since June 12. He has made 14 starts since then, and has a 3.76 ERA/2.77 FIP. Those are good numbers! Baz is 1-9, and the Orioles are 2-12 in those games anyway. It defies logic.

They just don’t score runs for the guy. The 3.02 runs score per game for Baz this year is the worst in all of Major League Baseball. That’s not to say this lineup has been a model of consistency, particularly so far in September, for any member of the rotation. But you would expect them to figure it out at least occassionally for a pitcher that has been rather solid all season long.

Blaze Alexander was placed back on the IL with low back discomfort he suffered in last night’s loss. He is replaced on the roster by Jeremiah Jackson, who goes right into the lineup at second base. Jackson Holliday will swing over to shortstop to give Gunnar Henderson a day off after he left the game with a knee injury. Craig Albernaz described Henderson as “pretty banged up.”

The Orioles need to win at least 12 of the remaining 16 games on their schedule if they want to make the playoffs. That is a tall task that they are probably incapable of achieving. But I’m going to watch them try all the same.

Orioles lineup

1. Dylan Beavers (L), LF
2. Pete Alonso (R), 1B
3. Coby Mayo (R), DH
4. Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R), 3B
5. Jackson Holliday (L), SS
6. Rece Hinds (R), CF
7. Jeremiah Jackson (R), 2B
8. Leody Taveras (S), RF
9. Carlos Narváez (R), C

RHP Shane Baz (5-15, 3.91 ERA)

Guardians lineup

1. Steven Kwan (L), CF
2. Chase DeLauter (L), RF
3. José Ramírez (S), 3B
4. Jo Adell (R), LF
5. Travis Bazzana (L), DH
6. Nathaniel Low (L), 1B
7. Angel Genao (S), 2B
8. Patrick Bailey (S), C
9. Brayan Rocchio (S), SS

LHP Foster Griffin (15-4, 3.26 ERA)

The Colorado Rockies showed some resilience in their loss to the New York Yankees on Tuesday, but with another 100-loss season just 11 losses away, they will need to show even more resilience as they face another tough assignment.

Tomoyuki Sugano (12-8, 5.19 ERA) takes the hill for the Rockies on the heels of a quality start against his former club, the Baltimore Orioles. Sugano worked through six innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four against one walk. It was a nice return to form for the veteran righty after a trio of rough starts. Unfortunately, Sugano faces a tough match-up against another familiar foe.

He made four starts against the Yankees last season, posting a 6.19 ERA over 16 innings of work, giving up 11 runs on 23 hits with six home runs. At Yankee Stadium, Sugano has surrendered seven runs on 12 hits over eight innings, including four home runs. It’s going to be crucial that he keeps the ball in the ballpark and works on inducing weak ground ball contact, as well as limit walks, because he can get in trouble in a hurry if the Yankees start squaring up the ball.

Meanwhile, Will Warren (9-6, 4.16 ERA) makes the start for the Yankees. The 27-year-old has settled in as a solid back-end rotation piece for the Yankees since debuting in 2024. His success has fluctuated this season as he has given up a lot of contact and battled his command while getting stung by home runs. However, he also has a knack for racking up strikeouts when he’s on point. Warren finished August on a strong note, allowing one run over seven innings in his last start. His most recent appearance came as a reliever, when he tossed 2.1 scoreless innings against the San Diego Padres.

Warren has faced the Rockies twice before, posting a 9.00 ERA and allowing eight runs — seven earned — on nine hits over seven innings. He does have 13 strikeouts against three walks, however, which bodes well for him as the Rockies can get strikeout-prone. Last season, he fired four innings, allowing just two runs on two hits with seven strikeouts, in a start at Coors Field.

First Pitch: 5:05pm MT

TV: Rockies.TV

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

SBN Site: Pinstripe Alley

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1913
With a solo homer leading off the top of the second inning, Ping Bodie snapped a 26 ⅓-inning scoring drought for the White Sox. The streak began during a 1-0 win over the St. Louis Browns on September 5 and lasted through 4-0 and 1-0 whitewashes to the Browns the next two days and a goose egg in this game in Philadelphia. Ironically, the White Sox would win this game in shutout fashion against the 85-45 Athletics, 2-0. Reb Russell went the distance to win his 20th game, sidestepping six hits and six walks with help from Ray Schalk nabbing all three attempted steals in the game.

1917
It’s the only time the White Sox have ever won a forfeited game. In a game at Comiskey Park, Cleveland protested a close interference call that went against Jack Graney in the top of the 10th inning of a 3-3 game. 

When they took the field in the last of the inning, Cleveland players threw their gloves in the air, some rolled around in the dirt, and all in all, the argument lasted 10 minutes, White Sox pitcher Dave Danforth stuck out to lead off the Chicago half of the 10th, whereupon Cleveland catcher Steve O’Neill deliberately threw the ball into center field.

At that point, umpire Clarence “Brick” Owens had enough and declared the game won by the Sox, 9-0.   

1921
At Comiskey Park, the White Sox and Tigers set an AL record for most runs (35) and hits (42) in Chicago’s 20-15 win. The South Siders piled up 22 hits in the game, led by first baseman Earl Sheely going 5-for-5 with five runs, five RBIs and falling a double short of a cycle. (Sheely’s was the only homer for the 35-run game.) Johnny Mostil chipped in with four RBIs.

The 20 runs remain tied for the fifth-most ever scored by the White Sox in a game.

Dickie Kerr “earned” the win with four innings of nine-run (seven earned) relief. White Sox reliever Shovel Hodge was most responsible for restoring order, earning a save with two frames of scoreless, two-hit ball.

Perhaps most amazing is the fact that the 35 runs were all scored in the first seven innings of the game; the full eighth inning and top of the ninth all were scoreless.

And coincidentally, Brick Owens was the home plate umpire in this game, too.

1930
Acquired from the minor-league Atlanta Crackers on August 19, future Hall-of-Famer Luke Appling made it to Comiskey Park in time to see the last out of a 10-1 White Sox win over the Red Sox.

The next day, Appling made his major-league debut and notched his first of 2,749 hits for the White Sox, a single to center in a 6-1 loss; the shortstop went 1-for-4 in the game.

1931
At the Crosstown exhibition game between the White Sox and Cubs at Comiskey Park an infamous fan sat along the White Sox side of the field, in the front row. The fan was Al Capone, the head of the largest crime syndicate in Chicago (known as the “Chicago Outfit”). Capone took in the game with his son and a number of bodyguards who were seated directly behind them. They were part of a crowd of almost 35,000. The game was to benefit an unemployment relief fund established by Illinois governor Louis L. Emmerson, as the Great Depression strengthened its grip on the country. 

Less than a month later, Capone went to trial on income tax evasion charges, was found guilty, and sent to prison.

1958
One of the greatest debuts in White Sox history keyed a 4-1 win over the Red Sox: Johnny Callison went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a walk in his debut, becoming the first player ever for the club to get on base four times in his debut. Callison doubled but was stranded in the fourth, but his RBI double in the sixth tied the game, 1-1.

Callison stood alone in the record book until 2023, when Zach Remillard matched his sparkling debut.

1970
With two outs in the sixth inning of a doubleheader nightcap, left fielder Alex Johnson of the California Angels clubbed a solo homer to the center field bleachers at Comiskey Park. Such a clout was significantly more rare than a rooftop blast: 16 White Sox and opponent homers had cleared the Comiskey Park roof, while Johnson’s was just the third home run to reach the bleachers — and first such blast in 32 seasons.

The homer was Johnson’s 14th on the year, and did not prevent the 77-66 Angels from an embarrassing day at the ballpark: Getting swept by the atrocious White Sox, 11-4 and 3-1.

1983
The White Sox Express roared on, crushing former Sox great Tommy John and the Angels, 11-0. What was significant in this one was back-to-back-to-back home runs for the first time in team history, courtesy of Carlton Fisk, Tom Paciorek, and Greg Luzinski in the first inning. 

Not to be outdone, pitcher Britt Burns threw a one-hitter. Outfielder Mike Brown’s two-out single in the seventh inning was Burns’ only mistake. The southpawstruck out nine in the game.

And on this very day in suburban Homewood, future White Sox play-by-play broadcaster Jason Benetti was born.

2003
With one move, White Sox manager Jerry Manuel perhaps cost his team a postseason playoff berth and eventually led himself to be fired. 

In a game the Sox were leading Minnesota, 8-2, in the ninth inning, Manuelbrought in relief pitcher José Paniagua to get some work in. The Sox had a one-game lead over the Twins, and this was the second of a four-game series at U.S. Cellular Field. 

Paniagua allowed four runs, giving Minnesota momentum even though they’d lose this game, 8-6. The Twins promptly won the final two games, swept the Sox the following week in Minnesota, and won the second of three consecutive divisional titles. 

Paniagua, as he was leaving the field, made an obscene gesture at the home plate umpire and was released by GM Ken Williams the next day. Manuel’s dismissal would come a few weeks later. 

There has always been debate over the impact of this incident in the divisional race, but Twins players have been quoted as saying it was a difference-maker.

2017
White Sox slugger José Abreu became only the sixth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle, in a 13-1 rout of the Giants. José had a home run, double, single and triple, going 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs.