The Yankees were walked off by the Twins, 5-4, in the 13th inning of Wednesday's series finale at Target Field.
Here are some takeaways...
-- The Yanks continue to be plagued by the injury bug. In just his seventh game back from his long IL stint, Aaron Judge was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth due to right lower leg tightness. The captain went 0-for-2 in his two at-bats before leaving, striking out both times.
-- To make matters worse, the Yanks offense wasn't able to solve Twins starter Zebby Matthews. The right-hander came into the day with nine runs allowed over his past two starts, but he limited New York to four baserunners (two BB, two hits) while striking out eight across six scoreless innings.
-- Carlos Rodon did a good job of keeping New York in it. The left-hander had to battle through traffic in a couple of innings, but held the Twins to two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five across six frames. He's now down to a 2.95 ERA through 15 starts this season.
-- Clarke Schmidt had an up-and-down first outing back at the big-league level. The right-hander struck out two batters but allowed a pair of singles in between, leaving with two in scoring position and two outs. Brent Headrick entered and struck Ryan Jeffers out to strand the pair.
-- The Yankees wasted a big opportunity in the eighth, but finally broke through in the ninth. Anthony Volpe continued swinging a hot bat, lifting a two-run double off the right-center fence, evening things up and handing Twins closer Yoendrys Gomez his first blown save of the season.
-- Both teams converted the free runner in the 10th and the 11th. David Bednar did a tremendous job of keeping this game alive for the Yanks, escaping a first-and-second nobody-out jam in the 10th, then stranding the winning run in scoring position in the bottom of the 11th.
-- New York wasted a bases-loaded threat in the 12th, but kept Minnesota off the board. The Yanks were held scoreless again in the 13th, and then the Twins made them pay. A Victor Caratini single snuck under George Lombard Jr's glove leading off the frame, bringing home a run and ending the marathon series-finale.
-- The two teams went a combined 7-for-30 with runners in scoring position on the afternoon.
The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin will not be in attendance when training camp opens on Thursday.
The Russian defenseman has been in a contract stalemate with the Hurricanes since the end of last season and without a new deal, he won't be with the team.
"Alexander Nikishin is not under contract currently, so he will not be at camp when we hit the ice on Thursday," said Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky in a press release. "We won't be commenting further at this time."
Reports also surfaced that Nikishin requested a trade in the offseason, so there's no telling what direction this all goes.
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During January 2025, wildfires ravaged much of the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles. Among the thousands of people affected and displaced by this disaster was Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, who lost his and his family’s home in the fires 20 months ago.
Since moving there in the summer of 2024, Redick has embedded himself in the Palisades community and signed up to coach his sons’ basketball team at the Palisades recreation center, which also burned down in the fires.
Earlier this week, a groundbreaking ceremony to unveil a new Palisades Rec Center — featuring indoor basketball and pickleball courts, and outdoor courts and playgrounds — was held, with Redick, who was critical to these rebuilding efforts, in attendance. LA Sports Strong, a foundation he co-founded, hosted various fundraisers to ensure the recreation center would come back to life and re-emerge as a pillar of the Palisades.
“This place was very special to us. It was special to our kids,” Redick said. “… My kids were here every day. I was here almost every day. This has always been sort of the hub of the Palisades.”
The fires devastated the Los Angeles area. The Lakers were forced to postpone games against the Hornets and Spurs and went nearly a week without playing.
“It didn’t really get normal again for a long time,” Redick said in January, via Dan Woike of The Athletic. “And I think a lot of people are still going through that. And that was the angst that we felt as a family. I know my boys felt it for months and months after. And it wasn’t until we felt settled again. And even that took two to three weeks of, ‘Oh, OK, we can actually turn off that valve of anxiety that we’ve had for the last 10 months.’”
Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, who has requested a trade, had announced plans this month to show up for training camp.
But he won't take part in early on-ice sessions for a different reason.
Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff announced on Wednesday, Sept. 16, that Larkin would miss the start of camp because of an upper-body injury he suffered while he was training during the offseason.
He said the hope is Larkin can return before the end of camp, which runs from Thursday through Sunday, but he doesn't have a timeline at the moment.
Larkin, who is signed through 2031, made the trade request early in the offseason after the team missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, but he announced on Sept. 11 that he would report to camp. The team said it would start this season without a captain, a role that Larkin had held since 2021.
Horcoff was mum about the trade request and said his priorities were a new deal for unsigned restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson and an extension for forward Alex DeBrincat.
Here are more updates as training camps are ready to get underway:
Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said defenseman Cale Makar has been dealing a lower-body injury recently and the team will play it safe and keep him out of the first day of practices. Bednar said Makar should be back soon.
Makar became the NHL's first $20 million player with an eight-year extension this month. The deal, which makes him the NHL's highest-paid player, begins in 2027-28.
Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell said the team has increased its offers to its No. 3 scorer after the offer sheet to Leo Carlsson changed the market, but the sides haven't been able to get a deal done. He said he expects to send another offer to agent Pat Brisson in the next 24 hours. "I feel pretty confident it's going to get done," Waddell said.
The New York Islanders announced that Mathew Barzal will not skate the next two weeks because he had aggravarated a previous injury and was dealing with inflammation.
Barzal led the team last season with 72 points.
The Islanders open the season at Toronto on Sept. 30, two weeks from the announcement.
Rugged NHL forward Ryan Reaves announced his retirement after playing for 16 seasons with seven teams.
"I never thought this day would come. I thought I was invincible," he wrote on social media. "I thought I could play forever, but like all good things, it must come to an end."
He finished with 66 goals, 74 assists, 140 points and 1,137 penalty minutes in 962 regular season games.
"You can rest easy knowing the corners are a little safer today," he wrote. "Mic drop, gloves drop. Reavo out."
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 07: Kris Bubic of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks with the media prior to a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on August 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bubic is a starting pitcher by trade and made the All-Star team in 2025, but has been sidelined since mid-May with elbow soreness, and during his rehab also experienced shoulder soreness. In six rehab appearances for Triple-A Oklahoma City, Bubic did not allow a run in 5 2/3 innings, allowing only two singles and two walks, and struck out nine of his 21 batters faced, a 42.9-percent strikeout rate.
Last week he checked off the usual reliever boxes of pitching on back-to-back days (last Wednesday and Thursday) and pitched in parts of two innings (1 1/3 innings on Sunday).
Paul Gervase was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room on the active roster for Bubic. Gervase was just called up on Monday, but did not pitch in either of the last two games, especially with Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto each throwing seven scoreless innings in their starts.
Ward hit .218/.283/.455 with three home runs, four doubles, and 12 RBI in his 60 major league plate appearances with the Dodgers. For Triple-A Oklahoma City this year — his fourth season with the Comets, which included winning Pacific Coast League MVP in 2025 — Ward hit .249/.349/.429 with 18 home runs in 105 games. He started at designated hitter in Wednesday’s day game for Oklahoma City in El Paso, but was pinch-hit for in the sixth inning, facilitating this roster move.
He gets that Celtics fans were not excited to see him come to town. It's not personal, but he was the big contract and big name who came to Boston when Celtics president Brad Stevens sent the much-beloved Jaylen Brown to a rival in Philadelphia. That trade — made for financial reasons because of the tax aprons, Stevens said — left a bitter taste in Celtics fans' mouths. One week, those fans thought they were in the mix for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a few weeks later, the man who finished sixth in MVP voting a season ago was gone and replaced by the 36-year-old George.
"Listen, I understand the circumstances. I understand how huge J.B. was, not only for the organization but here in the city. So I didn't take it, personal, to be honest..." George said of his reception. "To be honest, it's fair, but just one foot in front of the other. Hopefully, with how we start this year, they understand this is a new team and something that they can be proud of."
George, who played just 78 games across two seasons in Philadelphia due to injuries and a suspension, said he feels "like I've turned that corner" and his body is right again.
He also said he understands he is not the star of this team. Jayson Tatum — returning from his own injury — is that guy.
"We have a superstar, and that's J.T.," George said. "I'm not here to necessarily steal the shine or try to reinvent who I am....
"I'm here to help J.T. And he's the guy, right? I played alongside another superstar wing (Kawhi Leonard, when Paul was with the Clippers), and we co-existed beautifully. I see myself and that with J.T., being able to play off him, being able to help him."
If he can stay healthy, what George brings to Boston is a high-IQ game, defense, and a scoring threat opponents have to respect. He may not be at his peak, but this is still a nine-time All-Star and four-time All-Defense player.
George and Mike Conley, the other veteran introduced in Boston Tuesday, both said all the right things about Boston's winning culture and wanting to be part of it. Neither has a ring, both said that potential is part of what drew them to Boston.
George gets it if Celtics fans need some time — and some proof of concept — to talk themselves into this team (otherwise those fans spend time trying to dissect Joe Mazzulla's facial expressions during a September press conference). George also knows he has to stay healthy and on the court, telling NBC Sports Boston it would be "unacceptable for me, from a personal level, to not be able to play at least 50 games, 60 games in a season."
While the Celtics have interesting younger players — Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., just-drafted Chris Cenac Jr. — if this team is going to look like a threat in the East, it's because George recaptured much of his form.
It's just a September press conference, few things will mean less when the games start, but George at least gets it.
"I'm all in and I'm happy to pull along and do my part to try to lead this group back to where I think everybody here feels and wants," George said.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: The sneakers worn by Wendell Moore Jr. #54 of the Orlando Magic during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 18, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers bats during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tenley Wright/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for September 16, 2026 against the Boston Red Sox: starting pitchers are MacKenzie Gore for the Rangers and Jake Bennett for the BoSox.
Texas looks to extend their winning streak to four games this evening. They are facing Jake Bennett, whose name reminds me of Josh Beckett, and who I thus feel should be a righthanded pitcher, but who is instead a lefthanded pitcher. The righthanded-heavy lineup is being utilized.
The lineup:
Foscue — 2B
Seager — SS
Jung — 3B
Burger — 1B
Nimmo — RF
Langford — LF
Duran — CF
Diaz — DH
Jansen — C
7:05 p.m. Central start time. The game is a pick ‘em.
Former Australian captain Steve Smith says he is still traumatised and is triggered by camera shutters as he prepares to return for a Test tour of South Africa for the first time since the infamous Sandpaper incident ruined his reputation and cost him the captaincy.
MANCHESTER, NH - AUGUST 09: Mason White #52 of the Portland Sea Dogs celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the fifth inning during the game between the Portland Sea Dogs and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Delta Dental Stadium on Sunday, August 9, 2026 in Manchester, New Hampshire. (Photo by Olivia Faulkner/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
A pair of key members of Arizona’s 2025 College World Series team will be making their return to the Grand Canyon State this fall as they work their way toward the big leagues.
Former UA standouts Brendan Summerhill and Mason White are on rosters for the Arizona Fall League, a 6-week developmental league for Major League Baseball’s top prospects. Summerhill will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions and White for the Mesa Solar Sox.
Summerhill, a supplemental 1st round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025 MLB Draft, hit .251 with five home runs and 45 RBI in 85 games this past season, splitting time between Tampa’s Rookie, Single-A and High-A clubs. He played primarily in center field after being a right fielder at the UA.
White, a 4th round pick of the Boston Red Sox, split time between High-A and Double-A and hit a combined .251 with 18 homers and 55 RBI in 101 games. The Tucson native was used at both second base and shortstop after being Arizona’s everyday SS for three seasons.
The 6-team Arizona Fall League runs from Oct. 3-Nov. 14 with most games in the Phoenix area, but on Oct. 10 a doubleheader is set for Tucson’s Kino Stadium. White’s Solar Sox will face the Peoria Javelinas at 12:30 p.m. PT and Summerhill’s Scorpions take on the Salt River Rafters at 3:30 p.m. PT.
A third prospect with UA connections is also set to play in the Fall League. Infielder Demetrio Crisantes, who was signed to play for the Wildcats before the Arizona Diamondbacks took him in the 7th round of the 2022 draft, is on the Salt River roster.
The last former UA player to compete in the Fall League was catcher Daniel Susac, who played in six games for Mesa in 2024. Susac made his MLB debut this season with the San Francisco Giants, hitting .243 with three homers and 22 RBI in 53 games.
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Ethan Del Mastro has agreed to a $1.9 million, two-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.
The 23-year-old Del Mastro, a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft, had been a restricted free agent.
The Blackhawks start training camp Thursday and play their season opener on Sept. 29 at Vegas.
Del Mastro had one assist in 19 games with Chicago last season. He also posted two goals and 16 assists in 45 games with Rockford of the American Hockey League.
The 6-foot-4 Del Mastro made his NHL debut in April 2024. He has two goals and five assists in 45 career games with the Blackhawks.
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 24: Eric Nachtsheim #80 pitches during the 2026 Draft Combine at Chase Field on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
And then there were three. The seasons are over in the Dominican Summer League, the Arizona Complex League, and for the High-A Eugene Emeralds. The seven Minor League Baseball affiliates for the San Francisco Giants has been dwindled down to three. After tonight, it will be down to two.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
AA Richmond made a few transactions in preparation for the playoffs. A pair of players from the 2026 trade deadline were promoted from High-A Eugene to Richmond: LHP Henry Lalane and infielder Kaeden Kent. To make space for that pair, utility player Jean Carlos Sió (No. 44 CPL) and LHP Charlie McDaniel were placed on the Development List.
Somewhat hilariously, the Low-A California League released their All-Star team on Tuesday, and San Jose had no players on it, despite having the best record in the league. Kind of funny, though in no small part due to how many of the team’s best players were either promoted, or joined the team after the conclusion of the ACL season. While they didn’t have any players make the team, Ydwin Villegas was named Manager of the League for the 3rd straight season. Very deservedly so!
AAA Sacramento (78-64)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) 9-2 Box score
Some potent offense for the River Cats in this one. So much so, that it’s kind of surprising that they “only” scored 9 runs, since they ended the day with 17 hits, 3 of which cleared the fence (and those 3 were in a span of 4 batters!).
The biggest days belonged to a pair of right-handed hitters who may be using the end of the year to audition for roles in other organizations: shortstop Aeverson Arteaga and designated hitter Eddys Leonard. Both players hit 3-4 with a home run, with Leonard adding a double and Arteaga striking out once.
Leonard, who was briefly added to the roster earlier this year for his MLB debut, but has since been designated for assignment and outrighted, has shown some serious power in AAA this year, with 17 home runs in 94 games across 2 different organizations. That said, the ability to simply get hits — not just home runs — continues to be an issue, and it’s one of the main reasons that he ran out of options before making his debut. Leonard has just a .267 batting average this year (and that mark is only .211 since joining Sacramento), and that’s despite rocking a sub-20% strikeout rate. He just has a hard time finding hits that aren’t homers.
LEONARDS LAUNCHES ONE
Eddys Leonard gets us on the board tonight with a 2-run homer!
Still, there’s plenty of talent in the bat, and he can play multiple spots on both the dirt and the grass, and he’ll only turn 26 this offseason. That’s the perfect type of player to have in AAA as emergency depth and a low-stakes breakout candidate, and Leonard will have no shortage of suitors when it comes time to sign a Minor League deal with a team in the coming months.
As for Arteaga, he’s putting the bow on what has to feel like a pretty successful season. The 23-year old, who is still very talented with the glove, basically lost all of 2024 due to injury, and when he returned it was as though he had never swung a bat before in his life. In 134 games with AA Richmond in 2025, Arteaga had a paltry .508 OPS and a 49 wRC+.
But he hit the brakes off the ball in the 1st month this year after returning to Richmond, and was quickly rewarded with a bump up to AAA. He’s struggled in AAA, which isn’t surprising for a glove-first 23-year old whose sample size of success in AA was just 23 games. But his struggles still represent a dramatic improvement over where he was this time last year, and they’re certainly something to build on for 2027. Last year he looked like a player with no offensive abilities whatsoever; this year he looks like a player who is trying to figure out a new level, and the jury is still out on if he ever will.
MAKE THAT THREE 🫨
Aeverson Arteaga hits our THIRD homer this inning!
The swing is damn pretty when it connects, though.
Like Leonard, Arteaga — who signed in 2019 out of Venezuela — will be a Minor League free agent, and I’m guessing he’ll have plenty of suitors. It’s a long shot that the bat will ever play enough for him to be an MLB regular, but young defensively-talented shortstops are always in high demand to stash in AAA with a “break glass in case of emergency” sign strapped to them.
Rounding out the home run party was someone who we will hopefully see make an MLB debut before the end of the year: catcher Zach Morgan. The 26-year old, who was taken in the 7th round of the 2022 draft out of Fresno State, went 2-4 on the day, and smashed a solo home run.
Morgan has really struggled with the bat this year and, if we’re being frank, his entire Minor League career. But he’s risen the ranks on the back of decent defense, tremendous intangibles, and being liked and respected by his peers and coaches. That earned him a late-season spot on the 40-man roster when Daniel Susac suffered an injury, and while Morgan has been called up twice, he’s yet to get into a game on either side of the ball.
Hopefully the Giants change that. With the team’s massive roster crunch meaning they need to designate for assignment/non-tender 20+ names this offseason, Morgan will almost certainly be cut when the season ends. He’s not the type of prospect where a return to the roster is ever guaranteed, so there is a chance that this is his lone shot at getting into an MLB game. Hopefully the Giants make it happen; it’s more important than getting a few extra at-bats for veteran Andrew Knizner.
That trio accounted for all of Sacramento’s extra-base hits, but other players hit well too. Third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) is starting to swing a better bat again after a brutally cold stretch, and he went 3-5 in this game. While Harber did strike out twice, he once again hit the ball hard, with singles that left the bat at 105.1 and 99.3 mph. Also having a 3-hit game was rehabbing left fielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35 CPL), who went 3-5 with a strikeout. Hopefully he gets back into the Majors before the year ends, but we’ll see.
On the mound, it was another mostly-excellent start from LHP Seth Lonsway. Like Morgan, Lonsway was added to the roster late in the year for some emergency depth, and will almost certainly find himself getting an unfortunate phone call when the season ends (though both players are likely to clear waivers and be outrighted to AAA). But unlike Morgan, Lonsway did make it into a game for his MLB debut. And while the 27-year old, who was taken in the 6th round in the 2021 draft, hasn’t put up good numbers in AAA this year, he’s been on a tear since getting optioned.
This was another such game, as Lonsway threw 6 innings while giving up just 1 hit, though that hit was admittedly a home run (the only run he allowed). It wasn’t an elite display of strike-throwing, as Lonsway threw just 57 of 97 pitches for strikes and walked 4 batters, but any time you give up 1 hit in 6 innings, while also striking out 6 batters, you’ve done something very well.
Since getting optioned, Lonsway has made 3 starts and pitched 17.2 innings, allowing just 10 hits and 4 runs, albeit with only 12 strikeouts and 9 walks. Like Morgan and Arteaga and Leonard, he’s a good player to have as emergency depth in AAA: southpaws who can eat innings always are!
After Lonsway it was a pair of rostered RHPs whose time in the organization may be coming to and end: Ryan Walker and Tristan Beck. The Giants might choose to keep Walker, given how nasty his stuff is and that he has 2 more option years remaining, but it’s no sure thing. He’s been dreadful in the Majors this year (after struggles last year), and his time in AAA hasn’t been particularly encouraging, either. That included this game, where he allowed 3 hits and a run in 2 innings, with 2 strikeouts.
As for Beck, he’s been repeatedly passed over for MLB opportunities, and is out of options, so the writing would seem to be on the wall. He’s still got a lot of talent to offer someone, though (maybe he’ll clear waivers and get outrighted), and he showed it in this game, as he struck out the side in the 9th inning, with just a walk allowed.
AA Richmond (0-1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) 18-6 Box score
The Squirrels ended the regular season scuffling, and that has, unfortunately, carried over into the playoffs. Richmond lost 9 of their final 10 regular season games, and they started the playoffs with a blowout loss in the best-of-3 division series. They now need to win back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday to keep their season alive, and advance to the championship.
The good news: both of those games are at home, and RHP Jackson Flora is expected to start on Thursday.
Well, I’ve prevaricated long enough. I suppose now I need to actually talk about the game that happened, and not just future outings and the current situation. We’ll start with the offense, because there actually were some good things there … in fact, there were some great things there. Namely, there were great things from the 2025 draftees who received midseason promotions to Richmond, shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) and center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL).
2026 will go down as strong full-season debuts for both players, drafted in the 1st and 3rd round, respectively. Kilen, a 22-year old lefty from Tennessee, had steady performance at both High-A Eugene and Richmond, posting a matching 112 wRC+ at each level. He followed that up with a stellar showing to open the playoffs, as he hit 4-5 with both a triple and a double, though he did commit an error.
Cohen, a 22-year old lefty from Rutgers, showed off tremendous contact skills with plus defense and baserunning this year. After having an .803 OPS and a 117 wRC+ in High-A, he cooled off to a .736 OPS and a 99 wRC+ with Richmond … but even that “cooling down” came with a .300 batting average and a 9.6% strikeout rate. Across the 2 levels, he stole 46 bases in 58 attempts. He positively showed out in his AA playoff debut, hitting 3-5 with both a home run and a double, while also recording an outfield assist at home. What a day!
Not too much else on offense. Second baseman Kaeden Kent got promoted when Eugene’s season ended, and the 2025 3rd-rounder, acquired in the Heliot Ramos trade, went 1-5 with a strikeout in his AA debut. Third baseman Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL), first baseman Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL), and designated hitter Dayson Croes all had 2-hit days, while right fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) had a tough game, hitting 0-5 with 2 strikeouts. Left fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL) had the only non-Kilen/Cohen extra-base hit, as he went 1-4 with a triple and 2 strikeouts.
But the pitching. Oh goodness, the pitching. On the one hand, it was an exciting pitching day, because it featured some exciting names. On the other hand, it was an awful pitching day, because … well … it was awful.
It was particularly awful for the pair of Richmond pitchers who were acquired at the trade deadline. Getting the start was RHP Miguel Mendez, who was brought over in the Robbie Ray trade. It’s been a struggle for Mendez, who posted an 8.44 ERA and a 4.91 FIP in 4 regular season starts with the Squirrels after the trade. Kilen and Cohen will be sad that postseason games don’t impact their season stats, but Mendez will be quite happy, because Tuesday was a day to forget. The 24-year old righty, who is a rostered player and headed to the AFL next month, got knocked out in the 1st inning. Here’s how it went down:
Single Walk Kilen error Strikeout Hit by pitch Grand slam Fly out
And with that, Mendez had thrown 30 pitches, given up 5 runs (4 earned), and recorded 2 outs. And his day was over.
After Ryan Vanderhei recorded the final out of the inning (but not before giving up 4 baserunners and 3 runs), the Giants turned to LHP Henry Lalane for the 2nd.
For Lalane, an extremely intriguing 6’7 prospect who came over in the Heliot Ramos trade, it was his AA debut. He opened the season with New York’s Low-A affiliate, where he was dominant, posting a 2.73 ERA, a 2.64 FIP, and 11.7 strikeouts per 9 innings before getting promoted to High-A shortly before the trade. It wasn’t the smoothest transition, as Lalane, a 22-year old, had a 3.86 ERA, a 4.78 FIP, and just 8.0 strikeouts per 9 innings in 8 starts between the 2 franchises.
But with Eugene’s season over — and with the Giants needing to make a Rule 5 protection decision with Lalane — they sent him to Richmond for a playoff outing.
And there he quickly learned that it’s a harder league. Like Mendez, Lalane was unable to get through an inning. Here’s how his night went:
Walk Double Balk Single Strikeout Single Double Single
Believe it or not, Lalane’s final line — 0.2 innings, 5 hits, 1 walk, 4 runs, and 1 strikeout — could have looked notably worse. The leadoff walk was out at the plate on a nice defensive play by Cohen, otherwise it would have been 0.1 innings and 5 runs, instead of 0.2 innings and 4 runs. Small victories.
Either way, Lalane has had a strong year and is one of the organization’s top pitching prospects. But this was certainly a reminder that development takes time.
I would love to say that the bullpen settled in after those disasters by Mendez, Vanderhei, and Lalane, but in reality, they were only good by comparison. RHP Shane Rademacher ate up some innings, but gave up 2 runs in 3.1 frames. LHP Esmerlin Vinicio gave up 3 runs while pitching just 1 inning. RHP Mitch White gave up 4 baserunners in just 0.2 innings, though he somehow only gave up 1 run. The only bright spots were RHP Marques Johnson, who pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout, and LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL), who struck out the only batter he faced.
Low-A San Jose (1-1)
San Jose Giants beat the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) 9-1 Box score
You knew they wouldn’t go down without a fight. The Baby Giants ended the regular season having won 20 of their last 22 games, and then kicked off the playoffs with a 2-game sweep over the Stockton Ports in the division series. But then they got crushed by the Storm 12-1 on Sunday, and suddenly were facing elimination in the best-of-3 championship series.
But after Tuesday’s win, they now get the best thing in sports: a winner-take-all championship game tonight.
And my goodness did San Jose get there in exhilarating fashion. They may not have pitched a shutout on Tuesday, but they did something even rare: a no-hitter!
It was a thrilling no-hitter, accomplished by one of the organization’s top pitching prospects and a pair of selections from July’s draft. It was RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL) who got the start, and not only did he play a huge role in a huge accomplishment in a huge win, but he did it while celebrating his 20th birthday! What a day!
Cayama took down the 1st 5 innings of the game, and was borderline flawless. He needed just 68 pitches to get through those 5 innings, and walked just 2 batters, while striking out 7. Just a stunning performance.
Despite that dominance, Cayama did give up a run, though it was an unearned run, and it happened through quite a sequence of small-ball events: Cayama walked the leadoff runner in the 3rd inning, then moved him to 2nd on a balk. After Cayama struck out a pair of batters, the runner moved to 3rd on a passed ball by catcher Rod Barajas Jr.
Cayama then walked his 2nd batter, at which point the runners at the corner executed a successful double steal, resulting in a stolen home. Funnily enough, at the time it gave Lake Elsinore the lead, so it looked like quite a harmful (and bizarre) series of events!
But of course, it would not be harmful. Those were the only baserunners Cayama would allow in his 5 innings, and when his season finale ended, he handed it off to a pair of youngsters who kept the good times rolling.
First up was RHP Ian Korn, the team’s 10th-round pick in July. Korn was unhittable for 2 innings, giving up just 1 baserunner on a hit by pitch, while striking out 1. He gave way to 6th-round RHP Eric Nachtsheim, who was thoroughly dominant. Nachtsheim threw 16 of 24 pitches for strikes, retired all 6 batters he faced, and struck out 3 of them.
Cayama, who had a 4.87 ERA, a 4.27 FIP, and 11.5 strikeouts per 9 innings for San Jose this year, will certainly be in High-A Eugene when the 2027 season starts, and I’ll be curious to see if Korn or Nachtsheim join him there. Neither did more than get their feet wet post-draft: counting the postseason, Korn pitched 8.2 innings, and Nachtsheim just 4.2.
The pitchers were obviously the heros in this game, but there were some good hitting performances as well. Second baseman Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) and center fielder Andy Polanco had the best days in the batter’s box, with the former hitting 1-3 with a double, a walk, a hit by pitch, and a strikeout, and the latter going 3-5 with 2 stolen bases. Both players struggled at times to hit this year, before really turning it on in the 2nd half of the season. Meola, a 3rd-round pick a year ago, was particularly successful in the 2nd half, as he absolutely dominated in July and August, which allowed him to finish with an above-average line (.821 OPS, 103 wRC+). With a fantastic middle-infield glove, and 135 Low-A games to his name, it’s all but guaranteed that Meola will open 2027 in High-A.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Conor Essenburg #34 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The official post-season All Star teams for A-ball have been released by Minor League Baseball, and five Atlanta Braves prospects made the teams for the Carolina League and the South Atlantic League – though you could also argue for one snub.
In Low-A Augusta in the Carolina League, Conor Essenburg and Luis Guanipa took two of the three outfield positions, while Daniel Brooks took one of the two reliever positions. Essenburg hit .286/.427/.564 with 14 homers in his first professional season, while Guanipa bounced back from two injury plagued seasons with a .303/.365/.452 slash and 11 homers to go with 37 steals.
Brooks, who has become one of the stories of the second half of the season in the Braves organization, had an 0.65 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts in 27.2 innings as he made 12 of his 13 appearances with Augusta as a reliever. Tate Southisene, who posted a .929 OPS in only 39 fewer plate appearances than Essenburg, was left off the team in favor of a player with a .844 OPS in more at bats, as was Davis Polo.
For High-A Rome in the South Atlantic League we saw Eric Hartman take one of the outfield positions and Cam Caminiti had one of the four starting pitcher spots. Hartman enjoyed a breakout that took him from sleeper prospect in the Braves system to Top 50 prospect nationally, hitting .273/.364/.525 with 24 homers and 38 stolen bases. Caminiti had a 3.89 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 93 strikeouts in 83.1 innings during his time in Rome.
DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Larkin will not skate with the Detroit Red Wings when training camp starts on Thursday due to an upper-body injury, according to interim general manager Shawn Horcoff.
Horcoff said Larkin was hurt earlier this week during off-ice training.
Larkin's future with the franchise is in limbo because he asked to be traded during the offseason.
"Our focus is getting Dylan healthy," Horcoff said Wednesday when asked about the timetable to potentially make a move with Larkin.
The Red Wings announced last week that Larkin would report to training camp, adding that he's no longer the team's captain.
Horcoff was named interim general manager on Tuesday, when former GM Steve Yzerman was moved into his new role as a senior advisor. Yzerman abruptly stepped down in mid-July, and the Red Wings said any decisions about Larkin's future would be made by the next person in charge of hockey operations.
Larkin has five seasons left on the eight-year, $69.6 million contract he signed in 2023. That deal includes a no-trade clause and he initially told the Red Wings he would only accept a move to Florida, Minnesota or Las Vegas.
The 30-year-old center has played his entire NHL career in Detroit, which took the former Michigan star with No. 15 pick in 2014. Larkin ranks 10th in franchise history in scoring with 643 points.
Larkin was an important role player for the U.S. when it won Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games in February.
The Yankees announced later that he left with lower right leg tightness and was replaced by Heliot Ramos for his sixth-inning at-bat.
The Yankees are easing him back after being out since May 31, but Judge had Tuesday off and generally when they are taking him out early for rest, the team waits until after his at-bat.
Judge entered Wednesday hitting .243 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs in 65 games. He missed 84 games with a fractured right rib, an injury he had suffered before in 2019 and then apparently reinjured in April of this season.
With less than two weeks left in the season and the Yankees chasing the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East, New York can replace Judge in right field. They cannot replace his bat.
There is no update on Aaron Judge as of this moment
