Category: Sports News

Boston Red Sox @ Texas Rangers

Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

LHP Patrick Sandoval vs. RHP Jacob deGrom

Go Rangers!

The Atlanta Braves enter Tuesday night with a magic number of four to clinch a postseason spot and a magic number of seven to clinch the NL East.

They’ll look to cut into those respective numbers when they continue their series against the Chicago Cubs with a 7:40 p.m. EDT game at Wrigley Field which will be broadcast both nationally on TBS, locally on Atlanta News First and on BravesVision.

The Diamondbacks losing against the Marlins or the Phillies losing to the Nationals would also help those respective magic numbers drop regardless of the outcome of the Braves game.

Martín Pérez (8-9, 3.08 ERA) gets the start for Atlanta against one-time Brave Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.60), who was acquired by the Cubs ahead of the trade deadline.

Follow along and share your thoughts below as the Braves look to even the series and set up a Wednesday evening rubber match.

Game Info

Preview

Lineups

The Red Sox enter tonight with a record of 82-68. Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers enter tonight with a record of 74-76. However, thanks to a combination of MLB’s far too bloated playoff system and a wretched AL West, this game has much, MUCH higher playoff implications for the Rangers than it does for the Red Sox.

Texas finds itself just a game off their division lead (and 1.5 out of the third Wild Card spot) while the Red Sox are virtually locked into the second Wild Card spot (unless something historical happens). There’s something about this entire dynamic that just doesn’t sit well with me as the daylight grows shorter and we approach the playoffs, but alas, it’s what we’ve got.

As far as a tune up is concerned though, this game still means something to the Red Sox in terms of getter guys hot and the lineup clicking all at once. So on that note, here’s the lineup that will be facing Jacob deGrom this evening, and outside of missing Ceddanne Rafaela (who is still on the IL), it’s starting to look closer and closer to what the Sox might roll out there for Game 1 of the Wild Card series two weeks from tonight.

⚾️ First Pitch: 8:05pm — Arlington, TX

📺 TV: NESN

📻 Radio: WEEI

Join us in the game thread below!

Game Two against the Tigers. The latest in a series of what we’ll be told are ‘must win’ games. This one is a bullpen game. I don’t know what the plan is after Fisher.

So the bad news is that Trey Yesavage had a rough time throwing tonight in for Buffalo. He got just two outs on 34 pitches. The Jays are listing him to pitch against the Orioles on Sunday. I don’t know if that will change with this news. They figured on him for two ‘starts’ or bulk guy games. They weren’t worried about results, but then there is results you don’t worry about and there is not getting out of the first inning.

Getting the feel of the slider will take a bit I guess.

And Jameson Taillon is saying his season is over, with an elbow issue. He’s hoping there isn’t surgery in his future.

Lineups:

With the Mariners winding towards the end of another disappointing season, there’s some fun on the horizon with the promise of the Arizona Fall League, a unique monthlong league that’s often called “prospect graduate school.” The AFL is an opportunity for teams to get extra reps in for prospects who have missed regular-season time due to injury, are undergoing a position change, or for whom they just want to accelerate the developmental timetable. This year’s league starts on October 3 and runs all the way through November 14; you can see the complete schedule here.

This year the Mariners will be sending eight players to the AFL: C/OF Boston Smith,RHPTy Cummings; LHP Reid Easterly; 1B/3B Brandon Eike; C/1B Matthew Ellis; RHP Jose Geraldo; LHP Calvin Schapira; RHP Adam Smith

What’s unique about the Fall League is every team participates, meaning if you only ever go to Cactus League spring training, this is a rare opportunity to see players from Grapefruit League teams. The Mariners play as part of the Peoria Javelinas, along with their complex-mates the Padres; they’re joined by the Reds, Orioles, and Cardinals, the latter two of whom don’t usually play in Arizona.

If you have the ability to go, I highly recommend it; a trip to the Fall League is a unique experience. Smaller and less crowded than spring training (and therefore significantly less expensive), I’ve heard the AFL described as “what spring training used to be” – meaning there’s a real opportunity to meet players and interact with them. Exposure to players isn’t limited to those selected for the Fall League, either; the Mariners run various camps during this time in-between the end of the minor-league season and the ramp up to spring training, so there’s a good chance you’ll see other prospects from the farm system around on the backfields or in attendance at the games. If you can’t make it down, the games will be streamed on MLB.com.

And obviously, you’ll have a chance to see non-Mariners top prospects, as well. This year the highest-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline is Dodgers outfielder Eduardo Quintero (19), followed by former Dodger prospect now Tigers prospect (traded in the Tarik Skubal deal) outfielder Zyhir Hope (27). If you want to scout some AL West competition, the Angels are sending shortstop Arjun Nimmala (37), acquired in the Jose Soriano deal. The only top-100 prospect playing for Peoria will come from the Orioles, OF/1B Ike Irish, who just sneaks in at number 99.

The highest-ranked prospect the Mariners will be sending is catching prospect Boston Smith, who just misses Top 100 consideration, but should be in it after a strong season at Double-A split between Birmingham in the Southern League and Arkansas in the Texas League. Smith has posted some impressive power numbers and barrel rates, but there are also concerns about the amount of swing-and-miss in his game. But the main thing the Mariners are likely interested in is getting him more reps behind the dish to see if he can stick at catcher. He’ll also have the opportunity to spend time around his new organization and gain comfort with the staff and facilities before spring training (whenever that might be).

Now into some deeper cuts to round out the rest of the Mariners contingent. Besides Smith, the Mariners are only sending two other position players: 1B/3B Brandon Eike, and C/1B Matthew Ellis. Eike is a 2024 13th-rounder out of VCU who has been jokingly described as “Tyler Locklear Lite” as the two share an alma mater. After striking out over 30% of the time at High-A in 2025, the organization sent him to repeat the level to see if his aggressive style at the plate could be married with some better plate discipline, and he responded by cutting down his strikeouts and winning Northwest Player of the Month for August. Eike was likely due a promotion to Double-A at some time this season after smashing 24 homers in the bandboxes of the Northwest League, but instead he’ll get a chance to show off his power on a national stage. Eike is primarily a first baseman but did see about 200 innings at the hot corner this year for Everett. Similarly, Ellis split time between two positions, catcher and first base for the AquaSox this year, primarily because of a Luke Stevenson-shaped boulder at the catching position; expect him to get more reps at catcher in the AFL.

Everyone else the Mariners are sending will be throwing baseballs. The name you might be most familiar with is righty Ty Cummings, drafted by the Mariners and sent to the Rays for Randy Arozarena, and then re-acquired for Casey Legumina because the Mariners simply must possess every former Campbell Camel in professional baseball. The name I’m most interested in is lefty Reid Easterly, a Duke product signed as an UDFA last July, who came out of nowhere this year and shoved at High-A as a 24-year-old, winning the organization’s MiLB Reliever of the Month award in July. If his stuff plays against the advanced bats in the Fall League, I’m prepared to label him a spring training dark horse candidate for a fringe bullpen role.

Another lefty, Calvin Schapira, had a big uptick in his strikeouts this year at Everett, but an attendant uptick in his walks. Similarly, righty José Geraldo has been grinding in the low minors since being signed as an international free agent in 2021; he’s got strikeout stuff but command issues. Adam Smith is a former indy ball player who is probably the best professional baseball player who also shares his name with an 18th century Scottish father of economics.

It’s night two of the Pete Alonso Reunion Tour at CitiField, where Mets fans will continue to cheer on their team’s favorite former slugger. Expect their signs and camera phones to be held high every time Alonso steps to the plate as he seeks to mash his 300th career home run at his longtime home ballpark. And he’s not the only one — on the other side of the field, the Mets’ Francisco Lindor is also sitting on 299 career dingers. It’d be pretty neat if they both hit #300 in the same game, especially if the Orioles go on to win.

But yikes, the O’s are going to have their work cut out for them, if tonight’s starting lineup is any indication. Take a peek below. There’s Rece Hinds, leadoff hitter. There’s an entirely useless bottom four of the lineup (arguably bottom five, if you’re feeling particularly cranky about Gunnar Henderson). Rarely seen third catcher Yohel Pozo will make his first start since Aug. 16, almost a month ago. And lefty swingers Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, Heston Kjerstad, and Jackson Holliday are all on the bench against Mets southpaw Sean Manaea.

I just don’t get it. The Orioles are out of contention and the season is winding down, so why not let your young left-handers get some starts against lefties? How are they ever going to get better with their platoon splits if you don’t give them the opportunity? Why are you giving starts to guys with no future with the Orioles, like Hinds, Pozo, and Leody Taveras, instead of homegrown guys who might have a chance at being part of the future? The Orioles, as usual, make no sense.

Poor Shane Baz already never gets run support, and now this is the lineup that’s tasked with trying to help him out. Well, uh…good luck.

Orioles lineup:

LF Rece Hinds
1B Pete Alonso
DH Coby Mayo
3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand
SS Gunnar Henderson
2B Jeremiah Jackson
C Yohel Pozo
RF Leody Taveras
CF Colton Cowser

RHP Shane Baz

Mets lineup:

SS Francisco Lindor
LF Juan Soto
3B Bo Bichette
RF Carson Benge
1B Jared Young
2B Marcus Semien
CF A.J. Ewing
DH Brett Baty
C Francisco Alvarez

LHP Sean Manaea

First Pitch: 6:40 PM CDT

TV: Twins.TV

Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App, LosTwins.com

Know thine enemy:Pinstripe Alley

Bailey Ober will try to hold the Yankees in check as the Twins lineup faces lefty Max Fried. Good luck.

Go Rays!

The Dodgers are four for four against the Reds this year, all in the previous eight days. On Tuesday night they try a drive for five.

Tuesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Reds
• Ballpark: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
• Start time: 3:40 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Leave it to the White Sox to save all of the dramatics for the end of the season. The South Side offense finally came back to life in Monday’s series opener against the Guardians, allowing Chicago to not only secure a win when it severely needed, but give it the tiebreaker against Cleveland on the season series as the rivals battle through an AL Central division race that is way too close for comfort.

Of course, we as Sox fans can continue to relish even getting to play meaningful baseball games after three (four, really) disappointing seasons, but I’m sure many can agree that coming up short after such an exciting, magical season would be a gut-punch. Thankfully, the South Siders have put themselves in a great position to close out the division race with the tiebreaker, but defeating the Guardians outright is the best way to ensure they can snag a spot in the postseason.

Before we dive into the lineups for tonight’s game, let’s check in on some roster updates. After Monday’s game, the White Sox announced that righthander Tyler Davis was reinstated from the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency list, but was optioned back to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. The righty has been mostly solid out of the bullpen despite a rough few outings in June, and in 29 games (30 2/3 innings) with the big league club, Davis has posted a 3.52 ERA and a 1.174 WHIP alongside a .190 opponent batting average. He’s also scoreless in his last eight outings (eight IP) dating back to June 20, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we see Davis again this season.

The biggest news of the day is that the South Siders have recalled left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz from Triple-A and designated José Urquidy for assignment as the corresponding move. In six games (22 1/3 frames) for the White Sox the righty posted a 2-1 record and a 4.37 ERA, which looks much better on paper than the performance in real life. Despite a couple decent outings, and one incredible performance at Wrigley Field during the Crosstown Classic, Urquidy has been a bit of a loose cannon both as a starter and out of the bullpen. It’s unclear if Urquidy will clear waivers or what the next steps are there, but bringing Schultz up could be key with a struggling starting rotation.

In 15 outings with the White Sox, Schultz had accumulated a 6.06 ERA prior to being demoted to Triple-A, but in his last five starts for the Knights, he’s surrendered just three earned across his 21 2/3 innings with 10 Ks.

As for tonight’s game, lefthander Chris Murphy will be the opener in the second game of the series in Cleveland. The Good Guys are leveraging an opener in back-to-back games, as Davis Martin will own the bulk role on Tuesday. Using an opener while running a rough right-handed heavy lineup in a playoff race feels entirely unserious, but to Will Venable’s credit the White Sox absolutely suck at pitching in the first inning. As a team, the White Sox pitching staff ranks as the fourth-worst ERA (5.58), third-highest opponent SLG (.492) in baseball, and have surrendered the second-most home runs in the first inning of games.

When looking at every other inning, the White Sox hold the 10th-best ERA (3.92), opponent batting average (.237), and opponent SLG (.383). We can’t be sure what causes them to implode so much early, but perhaps we should just stop questioning the opener at this point, especially considering how great Sean Burke was in Monday’s matchup after a horrific outing in the start prior.

Murphy holds a 3.94 ERA in his 31 appearances (32 innings), and has worked as an opener two other times this season. Unlike the dominance that Sean Newcomb has displayed in pretty much every situation, Murphy hasn’t been as strong when used as an opener. While it’s a small, two-inning sample size, Murphy has posted a 13.50 ERA and surrendered three earned runs on three hits, including a home run and a double.

Righthander Davis Martin has solely pitched as a starter this season, holding a 4.05 ERA in 26 outings and 135 2/3 innings. Davis had started to struggled in July, and those struggles persisted into August, posting a 14.63 ERA in three outings before landing on the IL. Since being reactivated this month though, Martin holds a 0.84 ERA in his last pair of starts, tossing for at least five frames both times (10 2/3 total) and letting up just one run, on a solo homer against the Pittsburgh Pirates last week.

Given the left-handed Foster Griffin is making the start for the Guardians, the South Siders are rolling with their right-handed lineup — not their strongest. Chase Meidroth slots into the leadoff spot, essentially swapping places in the lineup with Sam Antonacci, who is batting sixth. Meidroth does hold the highest OPS (.859) among White Sox leadoff hitters, however, and is slashing .273/.359/.500 in 170 PAs.

The lefty-mashing Randal Grichuk will slide into the 2-hole, which is very apt considering his 1.061 OPS in 133 PAs against them, along with nine homers and 21 RBIs. After a bit of a rough week defensively, Colson Montgomery is getting a needed game off, and Luisangel Acuña will take over at shortstop and bat eighth. My one real gripe with tonight’s batting order is that Brenton Doyle is batting fifth in a playoff race, and he should really never bat higher than eighth, if at all, considering how he’s been at the plate.

Chicago White Sox Lineup

Griffin will make his 29th start of the season, posting a 3.65 cumulative ERA across 162 2/3 innings this season. Prior to getting traded to the Guardians, Griffin held a 3.06 ERA in 22 outings with the Washington Nationals. However, he’s not been as strong since being dealt to Cleveland. In his last seven outings with the Guardians, the lefty owns a 5.94 ERA in 33 1/3 innings with a 1.59 WHIP and elevated .299 opponent BA. Griffin is coming off a brutal outing against the Baltimore Orioles in which he yielded eight earned runs, so it would be fabulous if the South Siders could attack early and pile up some runs behind their pitchers.

For the most part, Cleveland’s batting order is similar to Monday’s series opener, though Travis Bazzana will DH today while Angel Genao takes over at second base. Chase DeLauter is also getting a night off after a tough offensive performance yesterday where he grounded into not one, but two identical double plays to bail the White Sox out of some jams. The Good Guys were able to hold off the top of the order quite a bit yesterday, but both Steven Kwan and José Ramírez are known to beat up on the Sox, so it’s still going to be a challenge to keep them from mashing the ball.

Cleveland Guardians Lineup

It looks like it should be a beautiful evening for an AL Central battle, with temperatures in the low-80s and clear skies. We have another earlier game lined up, with first pitch taking place at 5:40 p.m. CT at Progressive Field. Tune into CHSN for the TV broadcast, or listen in on the radio at ESPN Chicago AM 1000. Time to snag a series W.