CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 01: BJ Murray Jr. #83 of the Chicago Cubs hits a single, his first MLB hit, against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on September 01, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Iowa activated right-hander Tyler Santana from the Development list and placed right-hander Grant Kipp on it.
Strong start for Andrew Wentz, who got the win after going five innings and giving up just one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out four.
Gavin Hollowell pitched 1.1 innings in a rehab appearance. Hollowell faced five batters and struck out four of them. He walked the other one.
Jaxon Wiggins relieved Hollowell with one on and one out in the ninth. He threw one pitch and got a game-ending double play.
The I-Cubs scored four runs in the first inning and never trailed afterwards. Left fielder Chas McCormick hit a two-run double in the first and later in the inning scored on a ground out. McCormick went 3 for 5 with the double.
DH BJ Murray hit a two-run single in the fourth inning. Murray went 2 for 5 and also scored on McCormick’s double in the first inning.
Shortstop Owen Miller was 2 for 5 and also scored on McCormick’s double.
First baseman Owen Ayers was 1 for 3 with two walks.
McCormick’s double went high off the center field wall.
Throughout the careers of most NHL players, there are, at least, a few different uniforms that they sport until the day they decide to hang up the skates. Some are NHL legends themselves, and some have the rare opportunity to suit up next to NHL legends on teams that folks talk about for a long, long time.
For new Pittsburgh Penguins Hendrix Lapierre and Trevor van Riemsdyk, having legends as teammates and being part of winning organizations is the only thing they've known.
The 24-year-old Lapierre was dealt to the Penguins from the Washington Capitals a few days prior to free agency this summer, which means he's had the opportunity to skate with the two biggest stars of their respective generation in Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. The same goes for the decade-older van Riemsdyk, who was the first confirmed signing of NHL free agency this summer with his two-year, $8 million deal and who also won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 during his rookie season.
Lapierre and van Riemsdyk are good friends, so when they learned they were both going to Pittsburgh - a very familiar foe - it eased the transition.
"It's always a nice thing to have a familiar face when you go somewhere new," van Riemsdyk said. "My first day here, I walked in with Hendrix, so I felt a little less... I don't even know how to describe it. But it's always good to have a buddy."
Granted, both just arrived in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, and they are still new to everyone and everything here. But, given the air of living hockey legends and the respective places Washington and Pittsburgh find themselves directionally, they see similarities between the organizations, their veteran players and their approach to competitive rebuilding.
After winning the Stanley Cup in 2018, the Capitals experienced four consecutive first-round exits before missing the playoffs in 2023 - the same year that Pittsburgh had their first miss since 2006. The Penguins were also ousted in the first round four times in a row beforehand, and when the early playoff exits became a pattern, both teams started to hold onto higher-value draft picks.
The Caps got a bit more ahead of it than the Penguins, as they selected Alexander Alexeyev (31st overall), Connor McMichael (25th overall), and Lapierre (22nd overall) in consecutive drafts from 2018-20, although none of them are still with the club. They traded their first in 2021 and have kept every first since, selecting left wing Ivan Miroshnichenko (20th in 2022), right wing Ryan Leonard (eighth in 2023), right wing Terik Parascak (17th in 2024), left wing Lynden Lakovic (27th in 2025) and center Oliver Suvanto (18th in 2026) consecutively.
The Penguins didn't start keeping their first-round picks with some consistency until 2022, when they took Owen Pickering 22nd overall. They selected center Brayden Yager with their 14th pick in 2023 - he was later traded to the Winnipeg Jets one-for-one for a different first-round selection in Rutger McGroarty - before dealing their 2024 first for Erik Karlsson, although they probably got first-round value out of one of their second-rounders in Harrison Brunicke (44th overall). Then, the last two years, they have selected Ben Kindel (11th overall) and Liam Ruck (22nd), both of whom figure to be part of their future.
Pittsburgh may be a bit behind Washington timeline-wise with how they're building out, but the approach is the same: Keep the NHL roster competitive with a few all-time great veterans and acquisitions, and make sure they're mining gold in the drafting, scouting and development departments along the way despite lacking lottery-zone picks.
Lapierre has confidence in the way Pittsburgh is building because he's seen it happen with some success so far in Washington, even if the Capitals missed the playoffs last season. He said that all the organizations have known is winning, so they know how to add playoff assets and grow young talent simultaneously.
"You can kind of see both teams trying to add some good players, some assets to try to make the playoffs," Lapierre said. "At the same time, I didn't know much about the young players here, and watching them play, I'm super impressed. And it was the same thing in Washington. So, I think it's two teams that are kind of doing the same thing, which is very good.
"In the last couple of years, the good trades that have happened around the league, or the good contracts, a lot of them involve these two teams. So, I think they're just very two well-driven, good-cultured teams, and they've had success for a number of years because of that."
Of course, the success the organizations have had in staying relevant and generally competitive as long as they have starts with the championship culture that has been cultivated in the last two decades.
And that tone is set by some of those NHL legends mentioned earlier.
"[The Penguins] have core players that have been here for 20-plus years. Same thing in Washington," van Riemsdyk said. "I think people probably expected both organizations to fall off maybe a little bit more than they have. I know, two years ago in Washington when we had a great season, I don't think many people were expecting that from us. And then, last year here in Pittsburgh, I don't think many people predicted the season that they had, and they had a ton of guys step up.
"It just shows with both organizations how much that culture can carry you even when there's a lot of turnover in players."
It's worth repeating that the Penguins are a few years behind the Capitals in terms of what they're trying to accomplish. Washington's hand was forced two summers ago when longtime veteran forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie both hit long-term injured reserve and, eventually, retirement, giving them cap room to acquire defensemen Jakub Chychrun and Matt Roy as well as forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. Those guys helped elevate them to a first-place finish in the East with 111 points during the 2024-25 season.
This summer - after taking a step back last season - Washington decided to take advantage of the rising-cap environment and use some of its assets and young players, including McMichael, to acquire high-end talent up front in veterans Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch and Boone Jenner. The Caps are at a point where they have infused their system with enough talent that they can begin to take swings in the trade market to help keep them competitive, perhaps even after Alex Ovechkin calls it a career.
As for the Penguins, they find themselves facing some decisions about moving on from key veterans in Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson in order to infuse a similar youth movement both internally and externally. They have some key complementary young pieces on the verge of full-time NHL minutes, but they still need some elite young talent at center and on defense in addition to promising young players in Kindel, Brunicke, and goaltender Sergei Murashov, who could be core pieces for them moving forward.
Like the Caps, eventually, they will probably need to say goodbye to some of their good young players and those veterans not named Crosby - like Ovechkin in Washington - in order to reach a point where their cornerstone generational talent marries with the organization's youth and high-end talent acquired via trade to build a true winner, hopefully, with said living legend still on the roster.
But the bottom line for both teams is this: Neither organization plans to go the traditional route of "tear-it-to-the-studs" in order to accomplish sustainable contention. They both have young pieces in place and plan to keep adding them as the timing, acquisition cost and market make sense.
And that culture of refusal to "lose in order to win" still makes both places a favorable destination for players - even if both teams, to different degrees, have some work to do in building toward consistent Cup contention, even if unconventionally.
"Obviously, when you get traded like me, you don't really have the option to choose which team you're going to. But, I think being a free agent, or even just getting traded, you're super happy to come [to Pittsburgh]," Lapierre said. "I've only been here for a week and a half or two weeks, but it seems like it's super well-ran."
And, as a 35-year-old free agent veteran who had a ton of say in where he ended up, there are a couple of reasons why van Riemsdyk signed with the Penguins so quickly: the organization's promising outlook for the future played its part, but so did the guys who have always made it a winner's destination - and could continue to.
"Obviously, I was part of a Cup team my rookie year. It's 13 years later now, and haven't gotten back," he said. "You realize how hard it is, and when you get older, you realize the chances are going to be limited. So you want to go places where success is on the forefront, and here, it is always like that. Sid is always pushing guys, Geno, Karl, Tanger... they've been part of great teams.
"As long as they're around, I think they're always going to be pretty damn successful."
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: Tarris Reed Jr. #10 of the San Antonio Spurs poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You don’t often see teams double down on rookies at the same position in the draft. It’s even rarer that you see a team make a trade to grab a player at the same position they just drafted. That either speaks to Tarris Reed’s value, the status of Jayden Quaintance’s knee, or how dire the San Antonio Spurs’ need for center depth was. Reed Jr. is set to be the most impactful Spurs rookie, according to a recent poll.
Reed Jr. is coming off his best college season, averaging 14.7 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. He’s a bit of a throwback player with his combination of size, strength, and touch at the center position. He’s more likely to score on an offensive rebound or in the low post than to run the break in transition and soar for a dunk, or knock down three-pointers.
In the summer league, Reed Jr. looked at his best when he was using his 6-foot-10, 260-pound frame around the basket to clear the glass on both ends, or score physically through traffic. His best skill was one that won’t show up in the stat sheet but will make a real impact: setting screens. He helped guards like Ja’Kobi Gillespie get downhill with ease by cutting off angles with his wide frame.
It’s those transferable skills that should make him an immediate impact player for San Antonio. At worst, he’s another big body that the Spurs can use when Victor Wembanyama or Luke Kornet need to rest. At best, he could fight his way into the rotation as a physical presence who can give San Antonio another look from the fundamentally sound Kornet and the genetic freak Wembanyama. Expect him to get a chance to show what he can do early, like Carter Bryant and Dylan Harper had last season.
Quaintance, the 20th pick in the draft, may have a higher ceiling than Reed Jr., but will be recovering from knee surgery to start the season. There has been no timetable for Quaintance’s return yet, and depending on when he’s healthy, it may make sense to shut him down for the season, so as not to thrust a rookie into a playoff push. If Quaintance can play, San Antonio could field one of the scariest defensive lineups in the league, pairing the rookie with Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Bryant.
Maliq Brown and Gillespie are underrated pieces of the puzzle. They’re excellent two-way depth who can play niche roles. Brown as a defender and rim runner, and Gillespie as a fourth or fifth guard along with David Jones-Garcia.
San Antonio has an influx of impressive young talent. They are all well behind more veteran players on the depth chart, but could all make an impact at some point in the season.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 18: Miguel Vargas #20 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field on September 18, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jackson Jobe threw a fairly good game on Saturday, matching his career high strikeouts. Unfortunately, the White Sox capitalized on their opportunities, while the Tigers had traffic all game long but couldn’t cash in their chances. They dropped the third of four on the south side by a 3-1 margin, and will look to split the series on Sunday.
Saturday’s matchup featured RHP Sean Burke against RHP Jackson Jobe. The game was originally a night game, but fears of rain this evening prompted them to move the game up to a 2:10 p.m. ET start.
Burke struck out Hao-Yu Lee and Colt Keith in a 1-2-3 top of the first. Jobe locked up Kyle Teel with a sinker that dropped just into the top of the zone for the second out in the bottom of the first. However, he walked Miguel Vargas, who promptly stole second pretty easily. Facing the dangerous Munetaka Murakami, Jobe got weak contact with a breaking ball, but the slugger blooped one in just in front of Brett Callahan in left, and Vargas scored to make it 1-0. A perfect back foot slider whiffed Andrew Benintendi to end the inning.
A sharp one-out single from Dillon Dingler in the top of the second gave the Tigers an opportunity to develop. That came to an abrupt end instead when Max Clark grounded one up the middle and into a double play ball to end the frame.
Jobe blew away Colson Montgomery with high heat and then whiffed Chase Meidroth with a good changeup. Braden Montgomery grounded out to end the second inning. Still 1-0 White Sox.
Burke was still cruising in the top of the third. Ben Malgeri struck out and Callahan and John Peck both made routine outs on the balls in play. Jobe was spotting his stuff pretty well, and he got the first two outs of the bottom half quickly, but Kyle Teel pulled a pretty routine grounder to first and Keith booted it. Fortunately, that only extended the inning for one pitch as Vargas flew out just short of the warning track in left. On to the fourth inning.
Kevin McGonigle was up first in the top of the fourth, and in a 1-1 count, Burke drew a pitch clock violation call. Will Venable wanted some clarification on that one, delaying the at-bat for a minute, but it stuck. McGonigle grounded out to Vargas at third, making that a moot point. Hao-Yu Lee, fresh off his monster four-hit performance on Friday night, lined a first pitch slider into center field for a single. Keith flew out to left, but Riley Greene pulled a single into right. Lee was caught dancing off first and hesitated a moment on the ball in play, so he only got to second base. Dingler ripped a ground ball to the pull side, but Vargas made a nice forehand pick on the one-hopper and retired him to end the threat.
Jobe whiffed Benintendi and Murakami with good back foot sliders to start the bottom half. The breaking stuff is really coming along, and he threw some good changeups as well early on. Montgomery battled through a nine-pitch at-bat but Jobe got him on a curveball fouled tipped into the glove for his seventh strikeout. This is looking very promising folks. A surprising lack of whiffs has dogged Jobe’s early major league work, but he’s racking them up now with a really nasty six-pitch mix.
With one out in the top of the fifth, Burke clipped Malgeri in the wrist on a 3-2 pitch. Callahan ripped a sharp single to center field, and the Tigers were in business with one out. Teel missed a 2-2 challenge on a high fastball, making it 3-2, and Burke walked him to load the bases. That brought McGonigle to the dish in a key spot.
Burke was nibbling a bit and fell behind 2-1, but McGonigle got a mashable heater and fouled it off. Another curveball missed to drive the count full and there was nowhere to put him. McGonigle lifted a 3-2 pitch to left for a sacrifice fly to score Malgeri and tie the game 1-1. Burke’s pitch count had been in excellent shape, but was now suddenly spiraling, and he had to face Hao-Yu Lee with runners on first and second. Burke fell behind, but Lee fouled off a pair of high fastballs and a good curveball got the whiff to turn the Tigers away. But, the ballgame was now tied up 1-1.
So we had ourselves a tie game, and Jobe started the bottom of the fifth at 66 pitches. Meidroth flew out, but Montgomery fouled off some tough pitches. He eventually got himself a sinker and banged it off the left field wall for a double. Brenton Doyle flicked a single to left off the end of the bat, and it was first and third with one out. Sam Antonacci flew out to left, but deep enough to get Montgomery home as Callahan threw in to second to hold Doyle at first. 2-1 White Sox. Teel flew out to Clark in center to end the inning on Jobe’s 80th pitch.
Riley Greene singled with one out in the top of the sixth. Dingler flew out, and Burke fell behind Clark 3-0. The right-hander spotted a fastball at the top of the zone to make it 3-1, and a good cutter got a whiff to push the count full. Another cutter missed away to walk him. Teel wasted the White Sox last challenge on a pitch that wasn’t very close, and so Malgeri dug in with two on and two out. The Sox had lefty Noah Schultz just starting to warm up while Burke fell behind again 3-0. Malgeri took a fastball to make it 3-1, and fouled the next one back, but Burke missed again, walking him to load the bases.
Venable and company were late to get the bullpen cooking, and so Burke stayed in to face Callahan. A 2-1 breaking ball drew a big whiff, but bounced away from Teel and Greene read it perfectly and scored from third. The White Sox challenged the play, and we saw that the ball had nicked Callahan’s back foot, and so the run didn’t count and it was 2-2 to Callahan. He fouled off another big curveball out of the zone, and the Tigers rookie took the next one and it dropped into the top of the zone to strand the bases loaded. Callahan’s aggressiveness got him there, as both curveballs he fouled off were balls inside.
Jobe had a long break in that inning, and the first pitch he threw was a slider to Vargas that got punished to left field for a solo shot. 3-1 White Sox.
Jacob Waguespack and Tyler Holton got up and warming in the Tigers’ pen as Jobe’s 86th pitch got a ground out from Murakami. He whiffed Benintendi again on a good slider for his eighth punch out and got Montgomery with a changeup to wrap up the inning.
6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 9 K isn’t the greatest line of all-time, but all through the minor leagues and the beginning of his major league career, Jobe was still feeling for the optimal shapes for his breaking stuff. The whiffs were always a little light considering his velocity and spin rates. They’ve made excellent progress in both shape and command, and now Jobe looks more likely to reach his frontline starter ceiling than not. His 16 whiffs in this one tied his career high.
Schultz took over in the top of the seventh, facing Peck, who struck out. The big lefty was pumping high 90’s heat with a nasty sweeper-cutter combo away from lefties. McGonigle was unphased, lining a single to right field. That was 256 times reaching base for McGonigle, one of the all-time best marks for a rookie.
Hao-Yu Lee bit on a cutter and struck out, and AJ Hinch turned to Spencer Torkelson hitting for Keith and taking over at first. Schultz tied him up with a good cutter and then spun in another one for strike three to end that at-bat, and we were on to the bottom of the seventh.
Waguespack took over from Jobe, and quickly hit Chase Meidroth. He bounced right back to coax a double play ball from Montgomery, and locked up Doyle with a high curveball for a pretty snappy inning. The strikeouts aren’t really there for Waguespack, and he has been hit hard at times, but outing for outing, he continues to give the Tigers quality innings.
Schultz missed 2-2 to Riley Greene to start the eighth, but it was a strike and the White Sox couldn’t challenge. The next pitch was a heater that sailed inside and clipped the Tigers’ outfielder to put the leadoff man on. Schultz punched out Dingler on three pitches. Max Clark wanded a 2-2 breaking ball and dumped a single into right field to amplify the threat, while closer Grant Taylor was warming in the Sox bullpen. Schultz jammed Malgeri with a cutter first pitch, and he popped out on the infield. Eduardo Valencia entered to pinch-hit for Callahan, and this felt like the whole ballgame right here as Venable countered with Taylor to get a right-on-right matchup. He did the job, jamming Valencia and getting a bouncer to first. The Tigers had now left 10 men on base in this one.
Waguespack tied up Antonacci with a changeup for a ground out to first, starting the bottom of the eighth. Zach McKinstry took over for Valenica, playing right field. Another good changeup whiffed Kyle Teel as the veteran right-hander continued to make his case for a return engagement with the Tigers in 2027. They avoided Vargas entirely, walking him on four straight, but now faced Murakami, who whiffed on another good changeup to strike out and send this to the ninth.
Peck was up first against the White Sox’s closer, and grounded out to shortstop. McGonigle grounded out as well, and that left it up to Lee. He fought off some triple digit heat from Taylor and then grounded a curveball for a single to keep the game alive for Torkelson. Taylor fell behind 2-0, but dropped in a curve and then got a whiff with the slider to even the count. Another slider was lifted out to Doyle in left center field, and that was that.
The White Sox creep back a half game behind the Cleveland Guardians, who play later tonight. The Tigers? Well, let’s just enjoy the final week of baseball. The story of the series so far has been trouble driving runners in, as the Tigers have 32 hits to the White Sox 16. They just haven’t made enough of them count.
Ichiro did not take it easy in what was supposed to be a fun exhibition against the Japanese top high school girl’s baseball team earlier this week. Apparently girl’s hardball is rapidly becoming more popular in the land of the rising sun, and I approve. Anyway, we needed some levity after this one.
Highlight package of a 52-year old Ichiro striking out Japan’s top high school girl baseball players wild. He legit does not give AF. Uses every pitch in his arsenal. https://t.co/InhFmQfTLWpic.twitter.com/NOe9DPCqpV
When the Los Angeles Dodgers were in Cincinnati on the second leg of their most recent road trip, manager Dave Roberts approached Josue De Paula.
"Just wait until we get back to LA," he recalled Roberts telling him. "It's different."
Sure enough, the raucous 48,000 fans -- a light crowd by Dodger Stadium standards -- packed inside Chavez Ravine for his home debut on Friday, Sept. 18 surpassed whatever the rookie's expectations were. Everything, from the environment to the deafening cheers that only seemed to grow louder as the Dodgers slugged their way to an 8-2 win over the hated rival San Francisco Giants, to the air itself, felt different.
"It's like a movie, man," De Paula told USA TODAY Sports.
De Paula, 21, has played his role perfectly through his first week in the big leagues.
The No. 6 prospect in baseball carries himself with a confidence that's rarely seen in someone as young as him. He's played in only eight games since being called up straight from Double-A Tulsa after Shohei Ohtani was placed on the injured list, or "just thrown into it" as he put it, but De Paula has relied on the skillset that got him here. He controls the strike zone, seeing the ball extremely well and is selective with what pitches he swings at, rarely chasing. That part of his game has transitioned seamlessly.
When De Paula does see a pitch he likes, his calm demeanor at the plate helps him stay centered and keeps him from jumping out ahead of the ball.
"I feel the adrenaline, but I feel like I just know how to pinpoint it and focus it," he said. "I'm so locked in, but I know how to calm myself down."
And when he does make contact, it's loud. So is De Paula.
That was seen in the bottom of the sixth inning on Friday. De Paula walked up to "Ima Boss" by Meek Mill (his third different walk-up song of the night by the way, this one was chosen by his mom). The triumphant horns on the 2011 anthem produced by Jahlil Beats had barely subsided over the loudspeakers when De Paula slapped a first-pitch slider from Giants reliever Jason Foley 107 mph into the gap in the right field for an RBI double that scored the go-ahead run from first.
Once he got to second base standing up, De Paula threw his hands in the air and hit the Dodgers' on-base celebration, swiveling his hips around before putting his own twist on it: pounding his chest and flexing toward his teammates in the dugout.
"He loves playing the game," Mookie Betts said. "He's full of life. When he gets on the field, it's like a quiet focus, but when he's off the field he likes joking ... and whatnot. He's a good kid."
"We got some swag in Brooklyn. We got some swag in the Dominican Republic. I just feel like I got a chip on my shoulder," De Paula said. "And it just comes out naturally."
That came out again in the bottom of the eighth when Giants reliever Philip Abner threw a first-pitch fastball up that was called a strike by umpire Louie Krupa. De Paula immediately tapped his helmet to challenge, and ABS showed the ball had missed the top of the zone 0.1 inches. The Dodger Stadium crowd got fired up as they watched the replay unfold on the jumbotron and the call was overturned to ball one, and De Paula nodded his head toward his teammates before working a two-out walk on four pitches.
Betts homered in the very next at-bat to break open a five-run lead. Will Smith then followed that up with the Dodgers' fourth long ball of the inning.
"Love De Paula," Roberts said. "I just love his at-bats. It's one of those things that we knew that coming up to the big leagues, he wasn't going to get overwhelmed, and it just helps when you control the strike zone. He takes his walks, when the ball is in the hitting zone, he can slug you, but he also knows how to get a base hit. It's been very professional."
De Paula finished his Dodger Stadium debut 2-for-3 with two runs, and RBI and a walk to bring his OPS up to .924. It's been a very small sample size, and baseball has a way of humbling even the most skilled hitters. It is, after all, a game of failure. But what he has been able to do in his first "trial run", filling in for the back-to-back National League MVP no less, might be indicative of something larger.
At the very least, he's played himself into the postseason roster conversation.
"To have (Roberts) believe in me so much," De Paula said. "I always have confidence in myself but to have someone like that believe in you, it just puts another oomph on your shoulder. It feels amazing."
For now, De Paula's just working. The weakest area of his game is his defense, and while the vast majority of this first stint in the majors will be as a designated hitter, he's using the opportunity get better. De Paula's taking advice from Roberts and the entire coaching staff. He's asking his teammates questions. He's shagging fly balls every day.
"I'm gonna shut a lot of people up with my defense very soon," he said. "It's gonna take some time."
That opportunity likely won't come for a while; Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker are both getting hot and settling into their rhythms in the corner outfield spots in the final two weeks of the regular season. If De Paula does make the postseason roster after Ohtani comes back, it would probably be as a lefty bat off the bench.
Whatever happens over the next two weeks before October, De Paula's focused on the now, enjoying every moment he can. He got the ball back from his first Dodger Stadium hit – a leadoff single to right field in the fifth inning – and he knows exactly where to put it.
"I'm gonna give it to my parents," De Paula said. "I might give it to them right now."
Prior to his induction into the Mets Hall of Fame and number retirement ceremony on Saturday, Carlos Beltrán spoke with reporters about his legendary career, time in New York, and future working for the team...
Decision to go into HOF as a Met
Earlier in the summer, Beltrán became the third player to enter the Hall of Fame with a Mets cap on his plaque. He opted to represent New York over the six other teams he played for during his 20-year career, having spent the most time (seven seasons) with the Mets.
When asked about that decision and what his time with the team meant to him, the nine-time All-Star called it his "best years" playing baseball.
"I would say it was my best years in baseball," Beltrán said. "Even though at times it felt difficult and it felt different. Meaning my relationship [with the fans], and sometimes how things went down. I don't know the message that was sent out about me as a person or about me as a player. It's hard to connect with a fanbase when the message out there is always negative.
"But being honest and having the experience to play for the Mets, I felt like playing in this organization, I kept saying this in my speech for the Hall of Fame, I grew the most as a person, as a leader. I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for the relationships I was able to build in the clubhouse with the players... Keeping those relationships has really been incredible and amazing for us."
Learning how to play in New York
After six-plus seasons with the Kansas City Royals and a half season with the Houston Astros, Beltrán signed a seven-year, $119 million contract with the Mets ahead of the 2005 season. He discussed why he chose the Mets that offseason and how it took some time to adjust to playing in a big market.
"Being a free agent, I was really looking closely what Omar Minaya at the time was doing for the Mets organization," Beltrán said. "He was trying to put a consistent team for the city. I think adding Pedro Martinez was a huge sign. Pedro choosing to come to New York, no doubt that him being one of the best pitchers in the game, you start considering the Mets as a team, probably I could be a good fit in for the organization. When they were able to visit me in Puerto Rico... I told my wife this could be a possibility and a legitimate one. And it happened.
"Coming from a small market team and all of a sudden being in New York, there were things I needed to learn that I didn't have those tools in Kansas City. Dealing with the media, dealing with the responsibilities, dealing with the expectations, dealing with the ups-and-downs of baseball in a city like New York is the real deal. I'm grateful. I'm grateful that when I look at my career, out of 20 years, I played 10 in New York. I think I did OK."
Beltrán was then asked if there was any lessons he learned to adapting to playing in New York, saying it helped make him a better person on and off the field. He added that he feels it's important to help new players become adjusted to playing in the city because of all that comes with it.
"I think my skin got thicker playing in this city, which is good," Beltrán said. "I'm grateful for everything, my friend. When you look back, there are moments that need to happen in life for you to grow. That's life. Because of the moments that I experienced here, I'm better, I'm better in every aspect. I want to use the experience to continue to share it with the next generation, share it with all of the people that might be feeling the same shoes I felt when I first came here."
Now, with the team expecting to have interim manager Andy Green return to the front office, Beltrán could potentially have another chance to manage his former club. Of course, Beltrán was originally hired as manager on Nov. 1, 2019, but later mutually agreed to leave the position in January 2020 before ever managing a game due to his involvement in the Astros sign-stealing scandal.
When asked about the possibility of becoming the next manager, Beltrán, who is currently a special assistant to David Stearns, said he is enjoying his current role and helping around the organization.
"Right now I love what I'm doing," Beltrán said. "I believe that the opportunity the Mets are giving me to be part of the organization and be able to comment on the things I experienced as a baseball player to hopefully continue to add value to the decisions they are making and bring perspective on how I see things from a baseball standpoint.
"... With that being said, I love what I do. Being a manager in Major League Baseball is a huge commitment. And I'm not saying I'm not willing to take that commitment. But right now, at the position where I am in life, I love to be a dad, I love to be a husband, I love to be involved with the Carlos Beltran Academy in Puerto Rico. And being a manager, you would not be able to do that full-time.
"With that being said, I will let the Mets go through the process. I think David understands that, probably, there's going to be a search. I hope with that being said that with whatever step forward we do, I know it's going to be for the benefit of the organization. Being honest, I think Andy has done a good job. He has done an incredible job for the Mets since he joined the team."
Beltrán was asked directly if he will try to interview, but again said he's comfortable with his current role, while leaving the door slightly open to managing in the future.
"Right now, I don't have an answer for that honestly speaking," Beltrán said. "I think today I'm more worried about the speech and what to say out there. I always say, in my heart, if I stay relevant in the game and hopefully I continue to be around baseball teams, I could think about that later on. Right now, I'm happy what I'm doing with the Mets and having this job where I get to connect with the baseball players, connect with the coaches... I try to learn as much as I can from that."
They were charged last November with wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy for a scheme alleging they shared information about the location and velocity of pitches in advance with bettors.
Clase and the others have pleaded not guilty to all counts, and jury selection for the trial is slated to begin in November.
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz arrives at federal court for a status hearing on Tuesday, April 14, 2015, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Gregory P. Mango for NY Post
“The government will only seek to prove that for one or more of approximately 18 of Clase’s pitches, and for two of Ortiz’s pitches, the defendants provided advance inside information about their pitches to others who bet on them,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella wrote.
Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates defeating the New York Yankees 4-2 in 10 innings in game two of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium in New York, Friday, October 14, 2022. Getty Images
The filing did not specify the pitches allegedly thrown by Ortiz, but two of his outings last year were flagged by sportsbooks for irregular betting activity on specific pitches.
Both Clase and Ortiz have been on leave since June 2025.
There’s a chance of storms in the Cincinnati area this evening (forecast link below). Here’s the area radar for you to keep handy.
Saturday notes…
LEADS, BLOWN CATEGORY: The Cubs let a 4-3 lead slip away last night. They have blown 67 leads this season, in 56 different games. They are 24-32 in those games and have lost three straight and 12 of 13 starting on Aug. 21. Before blowing their lead, the Cubs had erased two deficits, raising their season total to 70, in 62 different games. They have lost the last two, five of six and seven of nine starting Aug. 21. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
POWER OUTAGE: On Aug. 31, the Cubs set a team record by hitting nine homers against the Brewers. They have hit a total of 16 in their 16 games since then. Last night’s was the ninth game with one. They hit two twice and three once. They hit none in four games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
HAPP’S HOMER DIDN’T HELP: Ian Happ’s third-inning drive was the only homer by either team last night. The Cubs are 37-11 when they have hit more homers than they have allowed and 23-10 when they have not allowed a homer. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Kerry Wood throws seven shutout innings, striking out nine, and Rondell White homers and drives in four to lead the Cubs to an 11-0 win over the Reds. It happened 25 years ago today, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2001.
Matthew Boyd’s ERA is a victim of the Cubs bullpen.
In each of his last three starts, relievers allowed two inherited runners left by Boyd to score. So his pitching has been better than the numbers show, in my view.
Boyd’s only start against the Reds this year was July 12 in Cincinnati. He allowed four runs in 6.1 innings, two of which were on the traditional Eugenio Suárez homer off Cubs pitching. Keep Eugenio in the ballpark and good things should follow.
Nick Lodolo was the Reds’ first-round pick (seventh overall) out of TCU in 2019, and was a Top 100 prospect two years in a row.
Injuries and ineffectiveness have hurt him and he’s having the worst year of his career.
For him, that’s bad. For Cubs hitters, maybe it’s good. He did hold the Cubs to two runs in five innings July 11 in Cincinnati, then missed a few weeks with a blister issue. (Sound familiar?) Since his return last month he has a 6.09 ERA and 1.529 WHIP in seven starts, with 10 (!) home runs allowed in 34 innings.
Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: The sneakers worn by Vladislav Goldin #50 of the Miami Heat during the game against the Detroit Pistons during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 17, 2025 at the Pavilion 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor understands how momentous Saturday at Citi Field is.
The organization is honoring Carlos Beltrán by inducting him into the Mets Hall of Fame and retiring his No. 15. Beltrán is a player who not only represented the franchise as one of its best players, but as a fellow Puerto Rican, the honor hits close to home for Lindor.
"It’s very inspiring. Someone that was close to me and to every Puerto Rican. Anybody that’s Puerto Rican that makes it big, us Puerto Ricans feel like we made it as well," Lindor said in the clubhouse prior to Saturday's game. "To be on the biggest stages, playoffs, All-Star games and to see him come back to the island is very special. We always talk about guys like that, like the Beltráns, [Roberto] Alomar,[Carlos] Delgado, [Ivan]Rodriguez. Guys that set the path for a guy like me today."
Lindor looked up to Beltrán because he was also a switch-hitter from the island, who played hard and "had swag," but he wouldn't get a chance to build a relationship with one of his idols until 2016.
Lindor, playing with Cleveland at the time, just wrapped up a series with the Beltrán's Yankees right before the All-Star break. The young shortstop was heading to San Diego for his first All-Star Game and shared a plane with the outfielder and a few other Yankees who also made the Midsummer Classic. That's when he had an opportunity to speak with the future Hall of Famer.
"Anybody that's from Puerto Rico and makes it big, us Puerto Ricans feel like we made it, as well."
Francisco Lindor says it was "very inspiring" to see Carlos Beltrán's success in Major League Baseball: pic.twitter.com/5QX8pUuM4n
"He’s a mentor. Someone you can have a conversation with him, tell him the stuff I’m going through because he probably already went through it. He’s helped me for sure," Lindor said of Beltrán. "I look up to him growing up and to have an opportunity to share the field with him. To have moments to talk to him. It’s something I don’t take for granted."
That relationship came in handy when Lindor was traded to the Mets in 2021. It was an adjustment period for Lindor, who struggled on and off the field. Going from a small market to New York City was tough for Lindor, but he had Beltrán to help him.
Beltran got Lindor in touch with a realtor and helped him with the off-the-field transition, but also offered a shoulder when the on-the-field production wasn't there.
"When I first got traded here, I called him and I talked to him," Lindor said. "I didn’t play well. I sucked in the beginning and having him there to comfort me and say, ‘Hey, this stuff is going to happen. It’s ok. You’re going to go through stuff like this, but you’re going to come out on the other side. Stay true to yourself and play the game the right way.'
"Stuff like that early on was huge for me today."
Five years later, and Lindor has become an important part of the team on the field and as a locker room leader.
"I love Francisco. I admire him. I love the way he plays. I always watch the switch-hitters in the game," Beltrán said prior to his number retirement ceremony. "He will be in this position at some point in life. I’m grateful for the friendship that we have...We have a good relationship. We talk about baseball, we talk about hitting, life, family, we talk about kids, we talk about everything.
"The relationship I was able to build with him is a friendship more than anything else."
Could that relationship-building help Beltrán get a managerial job with the Mets or elsewhere? Lindor was asked and the shortstop is convinced the Hall of Famer will succeed in that realm if that's his desire.
"If he wants it. I believe he’ll succeed whenever he becomes a manager," Lindor said. "If the organization feels that’s the right fit for us…. If he decides to pursue, and if they feel he’s the best fit, he’ll succeed at it.
"To be a manager is not about respect, it’s about knowing the game, making the right moves at the right time and connecting with players. And I think he can do all those."
"I love Francisco. I admire him. I love the way he plays. Being a switch-hitter, I'm always watching the switch-hitters in the game. He will be in this position at some point in life."
Ahead of their first preseason game of 2026 on Monday, the Philadelphia Flyers did some major trimming to the training camp roster, cutting 15 players who will either head to the minors or go back to junior hockey.
The headliner of the 15-player group is 2026 first-round pick Maksim Sokolovskii, who practiced mostly with NHLers in Group A to start training camp.
Sokolovskii, 18, did not feature in Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage and instead skated with Group C, which has now been eliminated entirely with the exception of injured forward Nikita Grebenkin.
On Saturday, the Flyers cut Devin Kaplan, Alex Ciernik, Zayde Wisdom, Brady Berard, Nathan Quinn, KJ Sauer, Owen McLaughlin, Ilya Pautov, Luke Vlooswyk, Jackson Edward, Andrew Perrott, Marek Sklenicka, Martin Psohlavec, and Brek Liske from the roster, going from 57 players to 42.
From a prospects perspective, it is interesting that Devin Kaplan, who already has a game of NHL experience under his belt, did not even earn himself an opportunity to play in a preseason game.
Kaplan has been leap-frogged on the depth chart by Noah Powell, who survived the first round of cuts, as well as veterans (and some newcomers) like Garrett Wilson, Zach Aston-Reese, Danila Klimovich, and Nolan Foote.
Also of note, 2025 second-round pick Matthew Gard survived the first round of cuts. He's the only prospect the Flyers could have sent back to juniors but chose not to.
Additionally, Pautov, who could go to the QMJHL this season, is going to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' training camp for now.
Pautov, 20, signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers back on June 1, and while he can go play in the AHL, the Russian winger was drafted eighth overall by the Gatineau Olympiques in the most recent CHL import draft.
That's a high pick to burn on a player who may not play for your team, whereas someone like Adam Nemec, a 17-year-old eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft, went 13th overall to Brantford.
In any event, the Flyers have now clearly established which players are still in the running for an NHL job, as well as which prospects they are presently most interested in seeing in preseason action.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 18: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated by Matt Olson #28 after hitting a two run home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on September 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s still work to do after last night’s tasteful champagne toast to celebrate a return to the postseason. Walt Weiss, no stranger to tinkering with a lineup formula, has maybe found what he likes most to face RHPs. He will run with the exact same lineup from last night’s 6-2 win versus the Astros, where three two-run homers to the Crawford Boxes in left field secured the series opener.
Designated hitter Drake Baldwin leads off, followed by Ronald Acuña Jr. playing right field and aiming for home run number 20 on the season. Hitting third again, Matt Olson’s 3-for-5 evening with a home run yesterday was a sight for sore eyes. His lefty bestie Michael Harris II (with his own 3-for-5 night with a homer night) will hit cleanup and patrol center field. Houston’s beloved Mauricio Dubón will play shortstop and hit fifth. Ozzie Albies is penciled in to hit sixth and play second base. Left fielder Mike Yastrzemski, third baseman Austin Riley, and catcher Sean Murphy round out the bottom of Atlanta’s order.
The lineup for Houston has the same 1-4 as last night: shortstop Jeremy Pena, DH Yordan Alvarez, third baseman Isaac Paredes, and second baseman Jose Altuve. Catcher Yainer Diaz gets the start today in place of Christian Vázquez and will hit fifth and catch for starter Hayden Wesneski. Center fielder Daulton Varsho drops a spot to sixth, followed by first baseman Christian Walker. Cam Smith gets the start today in right field, and left fielder LaMonte Wade Jr. will once again bat ninth.
The Braves are looking to score early and often / avoid seeing Josh Hader in order to secure a series win at Daikin Park tonight. First pitch is at 7:10 pm ET.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 18, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Dodger Stadium on September 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Tyler Glasnow on Friday night struck out 10 Giants in his six innings, his most in a start this season. Aside from securing Los Angeles-area folks a free Jumbo Jack with a purchase of a large drink for the 130th time this season and the 27th time in the last 28 days, Friday affirmed the Dodgers’ unique spot in double-digit strikeout games this season.
The Dodgers now have a dozen individual 10-strikeout games this season. That’s not the most, it’s tied for fourth-most with the Toronto Blue Jays, behind the Milwaukee Brewers (16), Cleveland Guardians (15), and Philadelphia Phillies (14).
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 5: Félix Bautista #74 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the ninth inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Look, it’s not like the reasonable among us expected to win every game against the Brewers, current owners of the MLB’s best record. But last night was frankly a bummer. The Orioles had loads of baserunners and yet—that old saw—couldn’t drive them in. The Baltimore Sun reports today that GM Mike Elias and manager Craig Albernaz expect to be back to with the team next season. Fine, but I hope the approach to hitting with runners on base gets a major overhaul—it needs to.
Baltimore belatedly announced that today’s starter (stopper) would be Trevor Rogers (10-10, 4.22, 143 SO in 157.2 IP). The lefty last pitched on Sept. 13, six days ago, a blah outing against the Blue Jays where he allowed four runs in six innings in a loss. But before that, he had two strong starts against Cleveland and Colorado. Rogers’ pre-All Star Break ERA is 4.48; post it’s 3.88.
In pitching news from the back end of the bullpen, the Orioles just reinstated closer Félix Bautista, who hasn’t appeared in a game in over a year. It’s too late in the season to make much of a difference, but man, it’ll be good to see The Mountain trotting out to the mound in late innings instead of guys like Alex Hoppe or Andrew Kittredge. The O’s skipper hasn’t committed to using Bautista as a closer yet, so perhaps expect in him a bridge role.
Starting for the Brewers today is Robert Gasser, initially one of four arms the Brewers acquired in 2022 via the trade for closer Josh Hader. Now in his third season with Milwaukee, it’s a little soon to assess Gasser’s value, as he missed long stretches due to Tommy John surgery. This season, he started out with Milwaukee’s Triple-A team and since joining the team in late May, has been pretty much average, with a 4.30 ERA in 18 starts.
As our own Mark pointed out in the series preview, Gasser’s Statcast peripherals fail to inspire confidence. Gasser has a five-pitch mix, but his sweeper, his most-thrown pitch, has a -6 run value, his worst of any. His fastball is also below-average, per Statcast. He doesn’t throw the ball hard, he doesn’t get a lot of whiffs, and he doesn’t get batters to chase outside of the strike zone very often.
Gasser is left-handed, so the Orioles have stuffed their lineup with righties… not that you will necessarily love all the names. Jeremiah Jackson makes a rare appearance in the leadoff spot, and the bottom four hitters include three righties in Rece Hinds, Christian Franklin, and Leody Taveras (switch-hitter). Well. At least Alonso and Mayo, in the second and third spots, are hot right now.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 13: Robert Gasser #54 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field on September 13, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After scraping out a victory in last night’s series opener against the Orioles, the Brewers are one game closer to securing the best record in baseball — and the top seed heading into the playoffs.
On the mound to try to secure another series win for Milwaukee is lefty Robert Gasser, who has become the Brewers’ third-most-reliable starter behind Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson. Gasser is a former top prospect who, almost immediately after reaching the majors in 2024, tore his UCL. This season is his first full season back from that injury, and he’s been pretty good, all things considered. Gasser has a 4.30 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP through 19 appearances (18 starts), although he’s pitched better than those numbers suggest for stretches.
Pitching for the Orioles is Trevor (not Taylor, nor Tyler) Rogers. For the most part, Rogers has been for Baltimore what Gasser is to the Brewers: a dependable, if not spectacular, lefty who will at least keep his team in the game. He comes into today’s game with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 28 starts.
Although it’s Saturday, Brewers manager Pat Murphy is rolling out a lineup that would fit right in on a Sunday. Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, Sal Frelick, and Christian Yelich will all get the day off after yesterday’s extra-inning thriller.
Jackson Chourio, the Brewers’ hottest hitter right now, leads off, followed by Garrett Mitchell and William Contreras, who will serve as the designated hitter today. The middle of the order consists of Andrew Vaughn, Joey Ortiz, and catcher Gary Sánchez. Rounding out the lineup are Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, and David Hamilton, who will play second base in Turang’s absence.
As usual, today’s game will be broadcast on Brewers.TV, WTMJ 620, and the Brewers Radio Network. First pitch is set for 3:05 p.m.
