SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Zack Gelof #20 of the Athletics hits into a fielders choice that scored a run against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park on September 26, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics faced the Houston Astros in the penultimate game of the 2026 MLB season. In a season full of blowout losses, how fitting that the A’s suffered another lopsided defeat, falling 13-2 as the team’s league-worst pitching staff once again failed to keep the ball in the ballpark.
Astros In Control Early
A’s starter Jack Perkins did not get through the first inning unscathed. With two outs, Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes hit his 25th home run of the season, a solo shot to left field that put the visitors ahead 1-0. Perkins rebounded to strike out the side in the second inning.
Houston increased its lead in the top of the third inning when shortstop Jeremy Peña’s 21st home run of the season, a two-run shot to center field off Perkins, made it a 3-0 game. Meanwhile, Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski needed just 20 pitches to complete three scoreless innings. The A’s obsession with double-plays continued, as Wesneski induced a double play to end two consecutive innings.
A’s Comeback Begins
The Athletics generated their first scoring chance against Wesneski in the bottom of the fourth inning, loading the bases with one out. The hosts caught a break when Peña mishandled a potential inning-ending double-play grounder.
Zack Gelof hustled down the line for an RBI force out, bringing home Lawrence Butler for the A’s first run of the game. Peña made another mistake on that play, as his throw pulled the first baseman off the bag and allowed Gelof to reach safely. The A’s had a chance to score more, but Donovan Walton grounded out to strand runners at the corners.
Perkins failed to complete a shutdown inning in the fifth. With two outs and two runners on, Houston’s superstar designated hitter Yordan Alvarez hit his 42nd home run of the season, a three-run shot to right field that extended the visitors’ lead to 6-1.
One pitch before, A’s catcher Jonah Heim failed to challenge a pitch that appeared to clip the bottom of the strike zone. Instead Alvarez crushed Houston’s third home run of the night and the 10th allowed by A’s pitchers through the first 2 1/2 games of this season-ending series.
Perkins allowed six runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out nine, but that was offset by the three home runs he allowed.
Jonah Heim opts not to challenge a ball call on Yordan Alvarez that would have gone for strike three, setting a career high in K's for Jack Perkins.
Right-hander Scott Blewett entered out of the A’s bullpen to pitch the sixth inning. Blewett quickly found himself in a jam after the first two batters he faced recorded hits, putting runners on second and third with zero outs. Blewett struck out the next two Astros before left-hander Drew Rom replaced him and completed the houdini act.
With a five-run cushion, Wesneski cruised through six innings on 60 pitches. The Athletics plated a second run against Wesneski in the bottom of the seventh on first baseman Tommy White’s two-out RBI single.
A’s Relief Struggles Continue
Rom remained in the game for the seventh inning, allowing four singles and two more runs. With two outs, Lucas Spence’s RBI double brought home the third run of the inning, the Astros’ ninth, and sent Rom back to the dugout.
Right-hander Yunior Tur continued to look overmatched against major league hitters. In the eighth inning, Peña’s second home run of the night, a two-run shot, extended his team’s lead to 11-2. Two more hits made it a dozen runs for the Astros. The following inning, Spence hit his fourth home run of the series, this one off Tur.
With a double-digit lead, Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco pitched a scoreless final two frames, preserving the rest of his team’s bullpen for tomorrow’s high-stakes matchup.
The Athletics will look to win the season finale to earn a series split and potentially knock the Astros out of the playoffs. Right-hander Seth Johnson will serve as the Green and Gold’s opener, while the Astros have yet to reveal their starter.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Jeremy Peña #3 of the Houston Astros reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Athletics during the third inning at Sutter Health Park on September 26, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It will come down to the final day of the season to decide the A.L. West, but Houston has inched closer.
Astros 13 A’s 2
The odd innings paid dividends all night for the Astros, as they’d score in the first, third, fifth and seventh and ninth, along with the eighth for good measure. Isaac Paredes started things with a solo shot to make things 1-0.
In the top of the third, Cam Smith drew a walk and then came around moments later on Jeremy Pena’s 21st home run of the season.
The fifth inning was the exclamation point of the night and on Yordan Alvarez’s MVP season. Alvarez launched his 42nd HR, a 3-run blast, making things 6-1. The lead expanded with three more runs in the seventh, highlighted by Jose Altuve’s 48th RBI.
Aside from the offensive output, largely driven by long balls, the night was really about Hayden Wesneski, who earned the win. Since emerging from a 449-day rehab from Tommy John surgery in a victorious effort back on July 29th, Wesneski has been a vital cog in pushing Houston to the brink of their 9th post season berth in 10 years. Saturday night marked his 11th start. Wesenski’s threw just 82 pitches, going seven innings with five strikeouts and 1 earned run. It was the third time this season that he’d go seven innings.
For good measure, Pena added to his impressive night, registering a fourth hit with his 22nd homer of the year. Pena has tied his career high. By the time 8th was completed, the Astros had 12 total runs on the board. Lucas Spence made it a baker’s dozen, hitting his fourth homerun of this A’s series in the 9th for the final run of the night.
Pitching for the first time in almost two weeks, Ronel Blanco would come on and secure two innings of scoreless relief.
Sunday will be a day of scoreboard watching. The Rangers will complete their season at Target Field, sending left hander MacKenzie Gore to the mound. With a win or a Rangers loss tomorrow, the Astros will host the White Sox on Tuesday at Daikin Park for the Wild Card round.
Odds & Ends:
Yordan Alvarez now has 105 RBI on the season.
The Astros now lead all of baseball with 225 home runs.
Jose Altuve has moved into spot #100 on baseball’s all-time hit list with his pair of hits Saturday Night. He can leapfrog Todd Helton next.
The San Jose Sharks were back in action on Saturday night, as they closed out the preseason on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Sharks were defeated by the Golden Knights in a shootout at home earlier this week, so they were looking for revenge in the dress rehearsal for the regular season which saw both teams ice the majority of their NHL lineups, including the Sharks' new captain Macklin Celebrini.
Michael Kesselring blocked a Jack Eichel shot in the first period that appeared to leave him a little shaken up, but he didn't miss a shift. The Golden Knights were controlling play for the most part in the first half of the opening frame. Tyler Toffoli took the first penalty of the night when he tripped Brett Howden, giving the Golden Knights a power play with just over eight minutes remaining in the period. Askarov came up big for the Sharks on the penalty kill, helping the team survive the disadvantage.
Collin Graf had a breakaway attempt late in the period, but lost the puck due to the defensive play of Jeremy Lauzon.
Macklin Celebrini drew a hooking penalty when he was wrapped up by Mitch Marner with less than two minutes remaining in the first period, giving the Sharks their first power play of the night. Dmitry Orlov gave the Sharks the lead with just 40 seconds remaining in the frame, even though the game to this point had been widely controlled by Vegas.
The period wasn't over yet though, as Zack Ostapchuk was called for holding on Eichel in the neutral zone with just under 28 seconds remaining. The Sharks' penalty kill would continue to start the second period though, as they survived the remainder of the first.
The Golden Knights maintained heavy pressure for the remainder of the power play, but the Sharks were ultimately able to kill it off. Shortly afterwards, the Sharks were back on special teams, though this time they had the man advantage after Braeden Bowman was penalized for tripping Mason Marchment. Jacob Trouba had one play that was somewhat concerning on the breakout from the defensive zone, taking the puck through Askarov's blue paint with a defender attacking him. If he had lost the puck, it could have been disastrous. The Sharks were unable to convert on the power play, dropping to 50% efficiency on the night.
Captain Macklin scored his first goal with the "C" on his chest in the second period, shooting the puck over Carter Hart's blocker to extend the Sharks' lead to 2-0, despite trailing in shots 15-4.
Orlov gave the Golden Knights another power play opportunity late in the period, when he was penalized for hooking Jack Eichel. This time, Vegas cashed in on their opportunity and Tomas Hertl tapped in a loose puck in the crease, making it a 2-1 game. The Golden Knights' power play didn't get any time to rest either, as Marchment was called for slashing on the ensuing faceoff.
The Sharks killed off the penalty and maintained their lead heading into the second intermission.
Less than a minute into the final period, Celebrini took a high sticking penalty after he caught Ivan Barbashev up high, giving Vegas another power play opportunity. The Sharks were able to kill it off once again though, improving to 3-for-4 on the night. Moments after the penalty came off the board though, Nic Dowd tied things up as Vegas had a 3-on-2 rush.
The Sharks got a power play when Brett Howden got a four-minute double minor for cross-checking. At the same time, Kiefer Sherwood was called for roughing following a scrum. The Sharks were unable to convert on the man advantage.
Marchment restored the Sharks' lead halfway through the period, ripping a shot from inside of the faceoff circle to make it a 3-2 hockey game. Askarov made a big save with just over six and a half minutes remaining to help the Sharks' keep their lead.
A minute and a half later, Michael Misa broke Vegas's H(e)art by doubling the Sharks' lead with a glove-side shot from the faceoff dot.
Sam Dickinson tried to get involved with the offense by joining the rush with roughly three minutes remaining, but was denied by Hart. It was definitely a good attempt from a player who has struggled to this point in the preseason.
The Golden Knights were unable to score after pulling their goaltender, giving the Sharks a 4-2 victory to close out the preseason.
MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 26: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves high-fives teammates in the dugout after scoring in the first inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Brandon Pratt/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Well Atlanta is positioned pretty well for the playoffs, with their seeding locked up for a while now and the ability to line up their pitching that comes with that. They managed Saturday’s game well, despite the injury to Martin Perez, with Brent Suter covering the first 3.0 innings and no blowups to disrupt plans in the bullpen. Meanwhile, the Phillies can’t quite finish the deal for their playoff spot, with a 1 game lead on the D-Backs, but losing the tiebreak to Arizona. They resorted to starting Aaron Nola on 2 days rest Saturday, which went very poorly for them. This could work out favorably for Atlanta if they end up facing the Phillies in the Wild-Card round, with the Phils having to pull out all the stops on their pitching staff just to get there, or they could even watch their division rivals flame out and miss the Wild-Card entirely, which is its own type of fun.
After leading the Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years, Jalen Brunson had the honor of hosting the 52nd season premiere of "Saturday Night Live."
The Finals MVP received a warm welcome from the home crowd at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, joked about his cold-blooded demeanor, his "pretty good summer," and said he hopes his hosting duties will go like a Knicks' game -- "God awful" for the first three quarters and "amazing" for the final sketch like a fourth-quarter comeback win.
Brunson discussed his "pretty good summer" and then held a "news conference" with the audience, where he was pestered by silly questions from Knicks teammates Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart.
Anunoby got the biggest laugh by asking the point guard about missing the last-second shot in Game 4 of the NBA Finals -- which Anunoby famously tipped-in with 1.2 seconds left to pull off the miraculous 29-point comeback.
Brunson was even nice enough to bring the group on stage to close out his monologue, which you can check out here:
With pre-season games officially concluded and regular season rosters due at 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 28, the Pittsburgh Penguins and 31 other NHL teams will soon make final decisions regarding their NHL squads.
The situation for the Penguins has quickly become complicated on the forward front, as injuries are already piling up. Blake Lizotte, Oliver Okuliar, and Ben Kindel are week-to-week, while Justin Brazeau and Bryan Rust - injured in Pittsburgh's final pre-season game, a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres - are still being evaluated. On the blue line, Ryan Graves is also day-to-day and being further evaluated.
Prior to the plethora of injuries, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Pittsburgh would end up keeping 14 forwards and seven defensemen on their NHL roster at the end of camp. However, with less certainty regarding personnel on the forward front, there's no guarantee that they won't elect to keep eight defensemen instead.
And, right now, the Penguins have eight defensemen left on their roster — including 20-year-old Harrison Brunicke.
After a tumultuous first nine NHL games early last season, Brunicke dealt with a good deal of situational adversity while 19 and still ineligible for the AHL. He went on a five-game AHL conditioning stint later in the fall before heading off to the World Junior Championship to represent Team Canada. After a somewhat pedestrian showing there, he was sent back to the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL for the remainder of the season, posting 24 points in 24 games before joining Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) after Kamloops was eliminated from the playoffs.
There, he really took off. In 11 AHL regular season games, he had one goal and eight points and was a plus-8, but Brunicke was one of the team's very best players in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Playing top-pairing minutes and in all situations, he recorded two goals and seven points in 15 games along with a plus-four, and he was a force in all three zones.
Fast forward to this year's training camp, and Brunicke looks like a much-improved player who makes much better decisions. The problem is that the Penguins appear to be pretty set on their NHL blue line, as they have rolled with Declan Carlile and Erik Karlsson on the top pairing, Sam Girard and Kaedan Korczak on the second, and Trevor van Riemsdyk and Kris Letang on the third. Left blueliner Ilya Solovyov also appears primed to make the roster.
On the surface, it would seem logical to send Brunicke back to the AHL to get some runway next to Owen Pickering - his defensive partner through most of camp - on WBS's top pairing. Assuming he picks up where he left off, it wouldn't be long before he earned the call again, and it could help him start strong and start confident.
However, one big factor brings a good bit of complication to deciding Brunicke's fate out of camp: the uncertainty around Karlsson's situation.
Karlsson, 36, is entering the final season of his eight-year contract that the Penguins pay out $10 million for. Earlier in training camp, Karlsson confirmed that there have been no discussions regarding an extension with the team up to this point and that he's comfortable seeing where things go with the team to start the season before coming to a decision.
While that makes perfect sense in Karlsson's situation - and the Penguins' situation - it makes things a bit tricky for decisions regarding Brunicke.
No matter where things land regarding Brunicke, he's not far off. His Calder Cup Playoffs showed that, if he's not NHL-ready at this point, he's just about as close to it as he can be.
With a near-guarantee of inconsistent playing time at the NHL level out the gate, starting him in the AHL seems to make sense. But, should Karlsson decide mid-season he does not plan to re-sign with the team, GM and POHO Kyle Dubas will almost certainly look to deal Karlsson before this year's trade deadline.
If that happens? Barring catastrophic AHL results, Brunicke likely gets his ticket to full-time NHL minutes. But, if he spends most of the season in the AHL leading up to a Karlsson trade, would they be setting him up for failure in that scenario with the expectation to play full-time top-four minutes with little NHL experience?
That, right there, is where things get tricky. Yes, he can get full, first-pairing minutes in WBS. But, if he remains with the NHL club, there could be a way to ease him into a full-time role in preparation for the possibility that Karlsson may be departing mid-season.
Because, if Karlsson is dealt - and, assuming the Penguins do not acquire another right defenseman to replace him - who fills his role post-departure?
Letang is probably beyond the point in his career where he can handle top-pairing minutes on a regular basis. Korczak could, potentially, fill that role temporarily, but since he is a more shutdown defender, who drives offense from the blue line? Is Girard capable of being a top-pairing offensive defenseman alongside Korczak in that scenario?
It might actually serve the Penguins, and Brunicke, better to try executing some kind of three-way rotation between him, Letang, and Korczak just to see what Brunicke can offer at the NHL level and how the others respond, too. Letang could probably benefit from some load management. Korczak is a relative unknown in terms of how he'll gel with Pittsburgh.
This way, Brunicke can get some needed NHL runway, continue to learn NHL habits, and take as much as he can from veterans like Karlsson and Letang as he slowly transitions to full-time at the highest level. It's safe to assume that the main reason Karlsson would want out is if Pittsburgh is out of the playoff picture, so if that's the case, the Penguins would face a "sink or swim" scenario with Brunicke if he spends most of the season in the AHL instead.
There is not really an easy answer when it comes to how the Penguins should handle Brunicke's situation, but the good thing is that he's AHL-eligible this time around. If he would start the season with the NHL team and struggle in his minutes, they can re-assign him. If he excels, he can make some decisions tough for management once the roster begins to get healthier.
But, if he starts in the AHL and stays there through at least mid-season, the Penguins would be at the mercy of banking on a player being able to make the jump entirely if their best defenseman decides to leave Pittsburgh.
The Karlsson question could be the one thing that keeps Brunicke around to begin the NHL season. Thrusting Brunicke into a top-four role - or even regular NHL minutes, period - if he isn't quite ready for it could be detrimental to his development.
Regardless, this coming season will be a critical one for Brunicke, who is the Penguins' most promising defensive prospect. They very much believe that Brunicke will be a key part of their future on the blue line, so getting his development right is paramount.
Sep 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Empty seating area at Citizens Bank Park during a rain delayed start between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This game never stood a chance. Seeing a lineup posted that included putting Aaron Nola on the mound to begin the game on only two days’ rest meant this coaching staff had reached a level of panic they weren’t prepared for.
And that’s where I want to remain for this recap.
Nevermind the score, no one really cares. A loss is a loss and even as I write this with Arizona losing in the bottom of the fifth in San Diego, this game showed that major changes need to happen, either in personnel or in philosophy.
Thanks to a roster construction that borders on inept, the team had no real answers for an offense already in hibernation outside of switching Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner. This solution went 2 for 9. Yes, the minor league season ended a week ago and there really are no good options to help them on whatever taxi squad they have decided to patch together, but they still decided that a hobbled Luis Arraez, with no hope of playing in this game, remained on the active roster.
To me though, that’s not even the worst part.
Jonathan Bowlan last pitched on September 17. He has thrown multiple bullpens in the meantime, yet the team has continually decided that an injured list stint was not necessary. They have insisted that he will be ready for the wild card round even having not faced hitters since that date.
Yet in their most dire day, a day in which a panic had set in – if you are starting Nola on two day’s rest, you are panicking – they opted to pitch a bullpen game down one reliever thanks to Bowlan not being ready to face major league hitters.
To put it in a different light: they have willingly chosen to pitch for over a week, to have a bullpen game on a day where they badly needed a victory, where they were short one reliever.
How does that happen?
How does an organization that is in a complete and total freefall decide to have an active roster with three catchers on it and two guys that can barely walk and say they are ready to fight for a playoff spot? The hubris shown by the players in the lineup has been galling enough, but to seemingly taunt the fans with these rosters decisions that make absolutely no sense is insulting. Obviously we all want them to actually make the playoffs and they might fall ass backwards into doing so if this Arizona score holds and they are somehow able to cobble together runs tomorrow.
Yet with each passing day, each passing decision made by Don Mattingly, who quite frankly should never work again in major league baseball after this week’s debacle of what only he might call “major league managing”, each rolled over ground ball to the second baseman, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that a major shift in how this team is run, from the top of the chain down to the coaching in their Domincan academy.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 17: Jalen Brunson attends Rookie Kids: Runway On Broadway at Herald Square on September 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a week of preparation, NBA champion Jalen Brunson will walk the tightrope of hosting Saturday Night Live tonight. The newly crowned King of New York joins an elite club as one of the few NBA players ever to host the show, following Bill Russell, Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James. The fact that this is the 52nd premiere of the iconic show makes the honor even more special, and while Jalen might not kill like OJ Simpson (hosted in ‘78), he can least land a joke better than that knucklehead Travis Kelce (’23). Tune in and watch along with us!
Date: September 26, 2026 Time: 11:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 p.m. CT / 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC; streaming the next day on Peacock Musical guest: KATSEYE
Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be good humans. And go Knicks!
Well, if the pre-season is any indication, the Pittsburgh Penguins would finish the regular season 84-0 if they played the Buffalo Sabres in every game.
On Saturday, the Penguins concluded their four-game pre-season with a 3-1 win over the Sabres, giving them an even 2-2 split ahead of the regular season. Both wins came against Buffalo, and both wins came in pretty resounding fashion, too.
The score in this one actually could have swung more in Pittsburgh's favor, too, if not for two lost challenges.
Crosby opened the scoring in this one nine minutes into the first period when Tommy Novak fed him the puck in the neutral zone. Crosby broke down the left side, winded up for a slap shot and rocketed it top-shelf past Sabres' goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to give the Penguins the 1-0 lead.
Just two minutes later, Ville Koivunen finished a nice behind-the-net play from Bryan Rust, working hard at the net-front to poke it past Luukkonen on the backhand to make it 2-0. The Penguins had chances to add on early in the second period, but things didn't go their way.
First, Evgeni Malkin put a rebound in at the net-front, but minimal contact with Luukkonen - outside the blue paint - resulted in an overturn for goaltender interference after a challenge by Buffalo. A few minutes later, Rickard Rakell put home a rebound after a hard shot by Robertson, but it was called back after an offside challenge.
Still, that did not deter the Penguins, or Silovs, from coming away victorious. They combined to play a nice shutdown brand of hockey for the remainder of the game, even with a power play goal by Ryan McLeod cutting the advantage to 2-1 during the third period.
To seal the deal, Trevor van Riemsdyk disrupted a pass and stole the puck down low in the defensive zone during the five-on-six situation near the end of regulation, and he flipped it up ice for an isolated Rakell to retrieve below the goal line at the other end. He put one on a platter for Robertson at the net-front, and he redirected it in the net for the empty-net goal.
Here are some observations from the Penguins' final dress rehearsal:
- I said it on socials at least five times, and I'll say it here: Koivunen was great in this game.
He was making quick decisions. Driving the net. Effective on the forecheck. Showing 200-foot awareness. Good in transition. Winning puck battles. You name it, he was doing it.
This is the version of Koivunen that the Penguins got at the end of the 2024-25 season, when he registered seven points in his first eight NHL games. He looked like a natural on the third line with Bryan Rust and Hendrix Lapierre for a while until Rust went down, and then Filip Hallander fit right in, too.
If they can keep getting this version of Koivunen - and he can build on this performance - that eight-year contract will quickly look like a bargain.
- Speaking of Rust, he left during the second period and did not return. I'm not really sure what happened, to be honest. The Penguins did not offer an update on his status after the game, as he is still being evaluated.
If Rust is out for any period of time, he joins Ben Kindel - who is now week-to-week - Blake Lizotte, Justin Brazeau, Oliver Okuliar, and Andrei Kuzmenko, who is with family in Russia after the tragic death of his father.
That's not great news for a Penguins' team that is trying to win hockey games. However, it could open up opportunity for some others.
- And those others? Filip Hallander, Rutger McGroarty and Tristan Broz.
All of them were noticeable in this one. Before Rust went down, this trio made up the fourth line, and they were generating a fair amount of chances. McGroarty was a puck magnet all night long, and he had several chances and was consistently creating offense. Hallander showcased his hockey sense in all three zones, while Broz, as usual, played a cerebral, responsible game on both sides of the puck.
Roster decisions will need to be made in the coming days, and a lot of those decisions will hinge on whoever ends up on injured reserve to start the season. Hallander is probably a lock at this point, and it looks like Koivunen might earn a spot, but there's a chance both McGroarty and Broz could make the cut if the roster space is available.
- This was a strong performance from Silovs, who really needed a bounce-back after allowing seven goals against Detroit. He was all out of sorts in that game, and in this one, he was locked in for the full 60. He made several nice stops on high-danger chances, including a breakaway and a few two-on-ones.
Silovs can be hot and cold, but hopefully this outing can get him going to start the season on a high note.
- The first line was dominant in this game, and I really like what I'm seeing from Robertson with Rakell and Crosby. The sequence that led to the Rakell non-goal was a beauty from all three, as Robertson beat a Sabre to the puck and got it down low, Crosby did his usual outstanding work down low to get the puck back to Robertson in the left circle, Robertson slammed a shot to force a rebound, and Rakell - as he often is - was in the right spot at the right time.
That goal wasn't the only example of the trio working harmoniously, as the same was the case on Robertson's empty-net goal mentioned earlier. It happened at varying times throughout the game, too.
When (or if) this lineup is ever healthy, man, is it deep. If the first line can pick up even more momentum heading into the season, they're going to be a handful for opposing teams. Robertson's speed and forechecking bring a lot to the line, Crosby is Crosby, and Rakell's instincts and raw puck skills make for a dangerous combo.
- After the first period of play, the blue line was pretty solid. These are likely the three pairings we will see to begin the season, and each pairing had its small moments.
But, by and large, they did a nice job limiting Buffalo's high-danger opportunities and did their part in not really allowing them to sustain possession in the offensive zone. van Riemsdyk and Letang - on the third pairing together - were especially better as the game went on, and Letang made a few nice stick plays to thwart opportunities.
It will be interesting to see how the defensive minutes are distributed and how the rotation will work, especially if they opt to keep eight defensemen.
- One of the most impressive things about last year's Penguins was how aggressive they came out of the gate to get ahead and how hard they were to play against in third periods when holding a lead.
It's amazing what Dan Muse and the rest of the coaching staff has done to make this team buy into shutdown-style play late in games when they're leading. Buffalo had some chances throughout the game, but Pittsburgh limited them to four shots on goal in the final frame.
If they play this way with leads the entire season - and, especially if their offense can repeat what it did in 2025-26 - this team should have no problem making the playoffs unless their goaltending really, really falters.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Owen Murphy #73 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Cincinnati Reds during a game at Truist Park on September 22, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Minor League All-Stars have finally been unveiled for all of the affiliated levels, with the announcement of the Triple-A All-Stars capping off what’s been a bit of an extended rollout for these minor-league standouts. The Braves had a handful of All-Stars in Low-A and High-A, they had just one representative in Double-A and they once again will have a single representative at the Triple-A level.
Owen Murphy has been recognized as a Triple-A All-Star for his performances with the Gwinnett Stripers during the 2026 International League season.
Murphy earned a promotion to Triple-A pretty early on this season, as he made his debut with the Stripers on May 2. From that point forward, Murphy made 18 starts, pitched 117.2 innings and produced a 3.07 ERA (66 ERA-) along with a 4.23 FIP (90 FIP-) and a strikeout percentage of 24.2 percent. While Murphy’s still got a bit of a way to go before he can be considered a reliable big league hurler, he certainly appears to be on the right track based on how he performed for Gwinnett this season.
As Matt Powers’ season review for the Stripers noted, you could potentially give JR Ritchie an honorable mention for his efforts, as he threw 82.1 innings and produced a 3.17 ERA (68 ERA-) and a 4.35 FIP (93 FIP-) across 16 starts for the Stripers this season. I’d imagine that the fact that Ritchie didn’t clear 100 innings at the Triple-A level is what held him back from potentially getting the nod, as he did spend a fair amount of time helping out the big league Braves here in 2026.
Either way, congratulations are in order for Murphy on a job well done in the 2026 season. Hopefully we’ll see those results translate to the big league level at some point in the future!
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 26: Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the third inning during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies came together to work through the weekend on a high note. After a bleak August and September, the fight that this team flashed throughout the season was on display again tonight. With a strong opponent in the Chicago White Sox, playing for their division title, the Rockies held their ground and came away with a win. With several players facing off against their former teams on either side and with milestones being hit in the Rockies clubhouse, it was an emotional Saturday night game.
Blink and you’ll miss Davis Martin
Talk about a hot start for the Rockies.
Colorado has been on the wrong end of first- and second-inning beatdowns all season long. They flipped the script today and got the jump on the White Sox, ending starter Davis Martin’s day before the end of the first inning.
Leadoff hitter Jake McCarthy reached on an error by Martin before being moved to third on a Cole Carrigg single. Hunter Goodman struck out and it felt for a moment like Chicago might escape with Colorado running into their familiar problem of stranding runners. That worry proved to be unfounded, with TJ Rumfield hitting an RBI line drive to right.
Connor Norby drew a walk on five pitches that weren’t close to the zone, prompting a mound visit and showing the short leash for the starter. An Adael Amador single drove in two runs for a 3-0 Rockies lead.
With the AL Central on the line and the Sox feeling like Martin just didn’t have it today, he was pulled quickly after recording just two outs on 25 pitches and allowing three runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. Noah Schultz entered in relief to grab the final out before the Rockies recorded a 1-2-3 inning.
Winding down the season on some happy notes
Given that this year marked the Rockies’ fourth-straight 100-loss season, things were — obviously — not sunshine and rainbows. But with a marked improvement in their record compared to 2025 and a swath of fun, young players on the roster, there were plenty of good times to be had. The Rockies added to that list today.
Rumfield has been hitting well and hitting often this year. His RBI single in the first inning put his average at the .300 mark on the season. With that, manager Warren Schaeffer rewarded him with a nice early break to protect that number. Connor Norby shuffled to first base to replace Rumfield defensively, while Kyle Karros entered the game to bat fourth in Rumfield’s place.
The Rockies and White Sox traded some long ball blows in the early innings. In his first at-bat against his old team since the trade, Brenton Doyle hit a solo home run to put Chicago on the board. Luisangel Acuña would add another solo dinger for the White Sox in the bottom of the third inning.
But the biggest home run among them came for the Rockies in the top of the third. Goodman hit his long-awaited 40th home run of the season.
With the 381-foot shot to left field, Goodman joined a list of just seven other times a National League catcher has hit 40+ homers, joining the likes of Johnny Bench, Roy Campanella, and Mike Piazza. It’s the last 40-home run season for Colorado since Nolan Arenado reached that mark in 2019. Goodman caps off the best offensive season by a Rockies catcher in franchise history.
Starter José Quintana had an emotional day as well, facing off against the club where he spent nearly the first decade of his career. After a season of injuries, Quintana pitched a strong first and put the Rockies in a position to win before exiting after three innings of work, giving up two solo home runs as his only two hits allowed, alongside three strikeouts.
Ezequiel Tovar has found some good moments late in the season after a brutal start. He added a solo homer of his own in the fourth inning as he continues to rediscover his rhythm at the plate.
As the Rockies went up 5-2, the Cleveland Guardians led 5-3 in their matchup across the AL Central, making the situation more dire for the White Sox.
Steady as she goes through the seventh
After the early flurry of runs, both bullpens kept things where they were through the next few innings with little action.
Ryan Feltner entered for Quintana and immediately logged a 1-2-3 inning, including a four-pitch strikeout of Kyle Teel. He allowed a hit and a walk in the fifth, but remained unscathed, getting Randal Grichuk to pop up for the third out. His biggest challenge came in the sixth inning. After getting the first two outs, he allowed a single to Teel and grew frustrated after another single to Sam Antonacci. He responded with a strong strikeout of Colson Montgomery.
After Martin and Schultz, the various White Sox pitchers held their own, too. Jordan Hicks worked a scoreless, hittless fifth inning, before Sean Newcomb pitched a shutout sixth inning. Newcomb got the first two outs of the seventh, but a double by Carrigg led to a move to the bullpen for Huascar Brazobán, who worked out of the inning.
The offense flared back up in the bottom of the seventh inning. After a walk to Miguel Vargas, a ball got by Amador putting runners on the corners. Grichuk grounded for the second out, scoring a run in the process to bring the Sox within two at 5-3. Feltner was pulled there for Brennan Bernardino. Things got dicey, as the always dangerous Munetaka Murakami came up to bat. He hit a deep fly ball to the warning track that was, thankfully, just short.
With eyes on the scoreboard at Rate Field, the Guardians held an 8-5 lead heading into the ninth inning, putting the White Sox’ division hopes on the brink.
Closing time
The White Sox wouldn’t go down without putting another scare in the Rockies. Chase Meidroth entered the game to replace Braden Montgomery and kicked off the eighth inning with a double. A Teel single put runners on first and third with no outs and the White Sox still just down two.
Bernardino went into his bag for another clutch inning, one of many he’s put up this year. He logged the first out with a three-pitch strikeout on Antonacci, getting him to swing at a curveball outside. Next, he was fired up after getting Colson Montgomery to ground into a double play on one pitch.
As the Guardians extended their lead to 11-5 out in Kansas City, the Rockies picked up some insurance of their own and told the White Sox faithful, “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
Colorado started to close things out with some small ball. Jordan Beck doubled, before being moved to third on a Brett Sullivan sacrifice bunt. Tovar flew out for the second out, but McCarthy drew a walk on six pitches to keep things alive. Carrigg delivered a single to put the Rockies up 6-3.
Why stop there? Goodman added to the history books with his second home run of the night, his 41st of the year. The three-run shot put the Rockies up 9-3. Bernardino swung the game with 1.1 innings pitched and no runs allowed on two hits. In tandem with the Guardians result, it slammed the door on the AL Central divisional race.
The extra insurance paid off, as Jordan Romano struggled to end things. A wild pitch that would have been a strikeout for out number one instead put a runner on. Romano then walked Vargas, setting up a three-run homer from Andrew Benintendi to make it a 9-6 game. Romano settled down after that for three straight outs to put the game to bed.
Final thoughts
The Rockies came together as a team for a strong, well-rounded victory, one of their best over the last few months of the season.
In the postgame discussion, the emotion of the game was present. Goodman gave props to his team for not calling it quits this late in the year and continuing to fight and try to get better every day. He dished out compliments to Rumfield, Quintana, Feltner, and the rest of the bullpen for big nights all around.
Goodman himself deserves heaps of praise. His two-home run game pushed him past Johnny Bench for the most road home runs by a catcher in NL history. Schaeffer called it “an incredible feat by an incredible guy.”
Schaeffer spoke to the resilience of the team. “I thought there was redemption there.”
He pointed to Amador responding by getting a double play after a fielding error, to Quintana and Feltner battling, to Bernardino for locking down a double play after a rough start to the inning, and to Tovar finding his swing and finishing the year strong offensively.
Above all, Schaeffer pointed to the model that tonight’s opponent laid out. After dropping 100 games last year, the White Sox are a playoff team this year.
“It can happen. Nobody’s saying it can’t happen, and we feel like we’re on the right trajectory. It’s on the right path.”
Up Next
We bid farewell to another season of Rockies baseball with Game 162 on deck Sunday afternoon.
Kyle Freeland (4-11 in 25 starts, 6.58 ERA) is set for perhaps his last game as a Rockie as an unrestricted free agent. Anthony Kay (9-9 in 30 starts, 4.53 ERA) is the probable pitcher for the White Sox.
The Rockies and White Sox wrap up the series and the season with a rubber match scheduled for a 1:10 p.m. MDT first pitch.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 26: Brice Turang #2 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with Jackson Chourio #11 after hitting two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at American Family Field on September 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Brice Turang is charging hard toward 100 RBIs on the season and he doesn’t appear ready to take no for an answer as he helped lift the Brewers to their 102nd win of the regular season.
Dustin May was making his final start of the regular season and his final opportunity to show the Brewers that he’ll be a trustworthy arm for them in October. He started off well in the first inning, getting a pair of strikeouts while touching 99 MPH. Then it slowly turned to a struggle from there.
In the 2nd inning, he gave up a pair of singles and a walk, which led to a run and a 1-0 Cardinals lead. The Cardinals would tack on one more against May in the 3rd inning when Alec Burleson lifted a mammoth home run that was 111 MPH off the bat. That made it a 2-0 Cardinals lead.
The Brewers would answer in the bottom half of the 3rd inning. Brandon Lockridge in his first AB back, taking the roster spot of Andrew Vaughn who was placed on the IL with an illness, ripped a ringing double to right. David Hamilton dropped down a bunt that got him to third and then Lockridge came around to score on Jackson Chourio’s single.
That still wasn’t going to be enough to keep May back out there as his night was done after just three innings. He did strike out five, but made a couple of mistakes as well.
Pat Murphy turned the ball over to Kyle Harrison after that, another pitcher who is pitching for his chance to be trusted in the postseason. Harrison’s outing went much better. He covered two innings, striking out four and the only baserunner he allowed was a hit by pitch. The fastball velocity was good and the vertical break on his fastball was much better, around his usual season average. Murphy said on Friday he was seeing signs that Harrison was improving but needed to see the results match.
On Saturday night, the results matched for Harrison, which could be a massive development for his confidence and what his role could be going forward.
“Harrison was sharp. He wasn’t thinking, he was just attacking. He was sharp, didn’t matter righty, lefty. The ball had the explosion to it that it had early in the season. His breaking ball was way more convicted. I was impressed.” Pat Murphy said.
Then the Brewers continued to answer at the plate. In the 5th, after Lockridge and Hamilton struck out, Chourio singled and then Brice Turang blasted his 21st homer of the season and brought in his 98th and 99th RBIs.
Turang is still one stolen base shy of a 20-20 season and is now one RBI shy of 100 for the first time in his career.
“Yeah, that’s special. He’s such a baseball kid. He responds so well. That’s the thing that’s most impressive about our group. Brice epitomizes this. He can go through a lull and he doesn’t get too down, he just knows how to respond.” Murphy said.
That gave the Brewers a 3-2 lead, one they would not relinquish.
JoJo Romero, Antonio Senzatela, and Aaron Ashby combined to close out the final four innings in order. The Cardinals did not get a baserunner after that Harrison HBP of Bryan Torres back in the 4th inning.
The Brewers secured their 102nd win of the season, further setting their franchise record. The Cardinals drop to 77-84. There’s just one game left in the regular season. So much is still to be decided in the playoff picture, but the Brewers have everything they control locked up.
Some more good news came out postgame that Joey Ortiz’s MRI came back “all good” and that he doesn’t have a bone bruise. There’s some swelling in the abdomen, but overall nothing concerning popped up. Ortiz will sit out Sunday’s game but is overall fine.
WHAT A GAME!!! WHAT A SEASON!!! The offense has completely bailed out the pitching staff the last couple weeks, and tonight was no different. We got contributions from just about everyone. Multi HR games from both Patrick Bailey and Brayan Rocchio is just a hilariously beautiful way to finish the regular season. We also saw 3 hit games from both Steven Kwan and Travis Bazzana and a HR from Chase DeLauter.
The main difference between this Guardians team and every Guardians playoff team since 2017/2018 is that this team is capable of hitting in the playoffs. This is the most offensive talent they have had in years, albeit most of it young and inexperienced. I’m super happy about the first round BYE and the fact that we only have to beat one of the White Sox or Astros to reach the ALCS, but I am a little worried about rust considering how hot this lineup has been of late.
This has been such an awesome season and it has been so much fun to watch the development of our young players, and I can’t wait to watch how they play in the playoffs.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 26: Cody Freeman #39 and Jake Burger #21 of the Texas Rangers celebrate the win against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field on September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Rangers defeated the Twins 6-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, in their quest to aid major-league history and prevent a sub-.500 team from winning their division, the Texas Rangers knocked the Twins around in a rain-delayed, 6-2 victory on Saturday afternoon. With the Houston Astros just underway, the Rangers improve to 80-81, and give themselves a fighting chance of claiming the West with another win tomorrow afternoon; if they do, they will at least guarantee that their ticket to the playoffs will come on the back of an even record.
For the first time since 2009, the Rangers hit four doubles in the same inning, a four-run second that summed up most of Bailey Ober’s day. Nicky Lopez, Evan Carter, Alejandro Osuna, and Brandon Nimmo each had a two-bagger in the inning, which saw Ober give up four of his six earned runs, and five of his ten hits — all with two outs in the inning and nobody aboard.
It closed the book on Ober for 2026, leaving him with a 7-7 record and 4.47 ERA. He added five strikeouts and one walk to his final marks.
The Twins were not as successful in getting to Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi, who did not make it through five frames after tossing 71 pitches and booking it. Luke Keaschall doubled and scored in the first, but only three other Twins would tag Eovaldi for a hit, and the only other Twins run came after the white-hot Keaschall tripled and scored on a Josh Bell single in the bottom of the eighth.
The book is nearly closed on all the members of the Twins roster, with Dean Kremer scheduled to start Game 162 and finish off this season for good. Minnesota currently sits at 76-85, dead even with the Detroit Tigers; a win and a Tiger loss tomorrow would leave the Twins alone in third place to end the season.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani walks to the dugout after striking out against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
He is 1-for-9 with five strikeouts in two games at Oracle Park this weekend, the solitary hit being a ground-ball single on Saturday that went under the glove of Giants infielder Brett Harris, who could have been charged with an error on the play.
In his most recent game, Ohtani didn’t even swing the bat when he was on deck.
Is his right arm hurting again?
The Dodgers won’t acknowledge it, but Ohtani’s decline in form has to be a major concern for the organization, which not only has to figure out how to keep him healthy enough to withstand multiple rounds of the playoffs but also what it will do if he isn’t.
Ohtani still figures to be the designated hitter for the Dodgers in the National League Division Series, which will start on Oct. 3. As demonstrated by the caution exercised by the San Diego Padres when pitching to him earlier in the week, his presence alone is valuable.
Ohtani still figures to be the designated hitter for the Dodgers in the National League Division Series AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
But if the Dodgers advance to the next round, what happens then, especially if Ohtani continues to play the way he has in San Francisco?
He’s followed two promising games at Dodger Stadium with two games in which he’s once again looking like he did when he was in a crippling slump leading up to his IL stint.
For what it’s worth, manager Dave Roberts said he didn’t think any of this was health-related.
“I don’t see any wincing,” Roberts said.
Roberts blamed Ohtani’s approach.
“I thought there was just more chase today,” Roberts said. “I don’t know if he’s trying to get hits, find his swing, getting a little overanxious.”
Roberts also wondered aloud if Ohtani could be rusty after spending more than two weeks on the IL.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani sits in the dugout before the start of a game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He is right on the point that Ohtani isn’t seeing the ball well.
In his second at-bat on Saturday, Ohtani challenged a first-pitch strike call.
The Automated Ball-Strike System confirmed what home plate umpire Nick Mahrley saw, which is that Matt Wilkinson’s changeup was comfortably a strike.
Ohtani is in the situation he is now because the Dodgers wanted to believe that he wasn’t as hurt as he looked. By listening to him instead of believing their eyes, they let him push his body to a point of no return.
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Their task now will be to salvage whatever can be salvaged of Ohtani.
In the five days the Dodgers have between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs, Roberts said preserving his health will be prioritized over improving his swing.
“Just manage his workload,” Roberts said. “I know Shohei is good about managing his work. He’s not going to overswing. He’s very well aware of what it’s going to take. I’m not too concerned about that.”
The Dodgers can win a World Series without Ohtani being the version of himself who homered 50-plus times in each of the last two seasons.
Mookie Betts has continued to produce. Andy Pages has looked dangerous since his return from the IL. Teoscar Hernandez and Kyle Tucker have shown signs of life. Kiké Hernández could be gearing up for another heroic postseason run, as his ninth-inning home run accounted for the winning run on Saturday.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani stands in the on-deck circle during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
In the two games Ohtani played earlier in the week at Dodger Stadium, his home-run strength looked more like warning-track power, but he reached base four times in 10 appearances.
Roberts said he would take that.
“All day long,” he said.
Roberts said before the Giants series, “I’ll take this version of Shohei all the way through October and on every result.”
If the Dodgers aren’t careful, they won’t even have that.
