CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - JULY 26: Jackson Nezuh #35 of the Corpus Christi Hooks pitches during the game between the Amarillo Sod Poodles and the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field on Saturday, July 26, 2025 in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Photo by Vanessa Buentello/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (71-69) lost 8-0 (BOX SCORE)
McPherson started for Sugar Land and allowed 4 runs over 1.2 innings. He was relieved by Nezuh who tossed 3.1 scoreless innings with 6 strikeouts. The bullpen allowed four runs late and the offense had a rough game as Sugar Land was shutout in the 8-0 loss.
Jackson Nezuh, RHP: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (61-74) lost 5-3 (BOX SCORE)
Mancini started for the Hooks and allowed one run over 3 innings. The offense got on the board in the 5th on a Nunez groundout. Leach relieved Mancini but allowed 4 runs as the RockHounds took the lead. The offense got 2 runs back in the 6th on a Moss 2 run double but that was it as the Hooks fell 5-3.
Railin Perez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (43-87) SEASON OVER
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (2-0) won 8-1 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a Durnin RBI single and Alvarez sac fly. They got another run in the second inning on a Flores RBI single. Beck got the start and went 4.2 innings allowing one run while striking out 5. The offense got another run in the 5th with an Alvarez walk. In the 6th the offense scored 3 runs on a Ramirez RBI triple, a steal of home and a Durnin RBI single. Tryon added an RBI double in the 7th. Verdugo was fantastic closing it out as he struck out 6 over 4.1 scoreless innings as the Woodpeckers swept the series 2-0.
Note: The Woodpeckers are moving on to the Championship Series!
There’s been some pandemonic nights at Optus Stadium, but nothing that could match this. Fremantle is through to a preliminary final after a semi of the highest quality and the utmost tension. It was simultaneously free-wheeling and nerve-jangling – both high scoring and high pressure. It activated Wharfie Time for just the second time this year, but it wasn’t really needed. The noise was cacophonous, the tension excruciating and the result ultimately just.
There was a period midway through the third term where it looked like Geelong might skip away with this game, just like they did against Carlton a week earlier, just as they have so many times in big games over the years. The spring-heeled Ollie Henry was marking everything, Dangerfield looked menacing, and their fleet of runners were finding space and carving the Dockers up. But if this Fremantle side is truly the one to re-write history, the time-on period in the third quarter will be one of the defining reference points. In particular, Luke Jackson and Andrew Brayshaw were pivotal in this period, blunting the Cats at centre square stoppages and surging the ball forward. They kicked four goals in seven minutes and from that point the game was on their terms.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 23: Second baseman Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians waits for the throw as Royce Lewis #23 of the Minnesota Twins steals second during the eighth inning at Progressive Field on July 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day, another “Most Important Series of the Year So Far” as the Guardians arrive in Minneapolis.
The Guardians are 74-73 with a -16 run differential, since the trade deadline 14th in team wRC+ at 100, 23rd in baserunning runs above average at -0.9, sixth in Defense at 1.9, 22nd in starting pitcher ERA at 4.82 (4.30 FIP), and third in bullpen ERA at 2.86 (3.41 FIP).
The Twins are 69-77 with a -54 run differential, seventh in team wRC+ since the the trade deadline at 104, 11th in baserunning runs above average at 0.8, 25th in Defense at -9.8, 26th in starting pitcher ERA at 5.11 (4.38 FIP), and 24th in bullpen ERA at 4.37 (3.63 FIP).
What a disappointing year for the Twins as they actually bought at the deadline and didn’t trade Joe Ryan… only to fall apart again. Jerry-Seinfeld-That’s-A-Shame-Popcorn.GIF.
Matchups: Game One, Friday, 8:10PM ET: Messick, LHP 2.53 ERA vs. Bradley, RHP, 3.93 ERA Game Two is Saturday at 4:10PM ET and Game Three is Sunday at 2:10PM ET – Both teams have their starters listed as TBD at the moment. If usual plans proceed, it would be Gavin Williams vs. Bailey Ober on Saturday and Joey Cantillo vs. Joe Ryan on Sunday, but the Guardians have discussed getting an opener for Cantillo. The Twins are likely starting Ryan after an IL stint so he will be on a pitch limit, and may be considering a bullpen game on Saturday.
Since August 4th, the Twins are led by Luke Keaschall 150 wRC+, Josh Bell 138 wRC+, Austin Martin 137 wRC+, Alan Roden 130 wRC+, Ryan Jeffers 121 wRC+, Kody Clemens 118 wRC+, Kaelen Culpepper 112 wRC+ and Brooks Lee 108 wRC+.
Since the trade deadline, the Guardians have been led by Chase DeLauter 177 wRC+, Angel Martinez 132 wRC+, Steven Kwan 127 wRC+, Patrick Bailey 120 wRC+, and Jo Adell 104 wRC+. It would be great if Travis Bazzana continues his recent plate awakening.
The Twins are Murphy’s Lawed a bit lately, but this offense still has plenty of spunk. The Guardians need to come locked in and dedicated to get at least a series win and, preferably, a sweep to compensate for that disappoining finale in Baltimore. It’s been now or never time for a while, and it continues starting tonight,
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 10: Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers reacts during the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on September 10, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sep 5, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) reacts following a double play against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Welcome to Thursday A’s fans!
We got a brand new series on tap as the A’s welcome division rival Seattle Mariners to town for three games. Seattle is falling in the standings fast and has to be in panic and desperation mode right now. They can’t afford to drop a single game to the Athletics this weekend. That means they’ll be all tense and tight with the pressure of the playoffs bearing on them. The A’s meanwhile don’t have that expectation of a much-needed win. We can play care free and mess with the Mariners all we want. We’re playing with house money and any wins are gravy, especially against a division foe.
The pitching matchups this weekend are set beginning with tonight’s rematch between lefty Jeffrey Springs and righty George Kirby. Springs is in the final stretch of his A’s tenure as the flyball pitcher has made it known he doesn’t think his style of play is conducive to the Athletics’ current home ballpark. He’s not wrong as his ERA on the road is 4.76 compared to the 7.18 mark at Sutter Health. The 33-year-old just saw these guys last time out, firing seven shutout innings with just a pair of hits and walks allowed. That was in Seattle however and this’ll be in his home ballpark. Which Springs will show up tonight? If his season is any indication the A’s bats will have to show up tonight.
Kirby is going to be a tough task for them. The right-hander is in the midst of a solid if unspectacular campaign, sporting a 4.18 ERA through 27 starts. He hasn’t reached the peaks that the M’s envisioned for him when they made him a first round pick seven years ago but he’s settled into a reliable arm for them nonetheless. His most recent start, against our A’s, was the epitome of Kirby as he provided Seattle with nearly seven full frames and three earned runs allowed in a loss. It’s the reverse for Kirby compared to Springs: he’s pitched very well at home but struggles a bit on the road. Oh yea, expect a high scoring game tonight.
Saturday will be another righty-versus-lefty matchup as the Athletics have young southpaw Gage Jump getting the ball for the 20th time this year. The rookie has seen the highs and lows that come with pitching at the big league level and he’s being given runway to work through those issues, which he’s having plenty of recently. The experience he’s getting right now, in these exact type of games, is going to be the building blocks of the future success he’s going to have helping get this squad back to October baseball.
Jump will be opposed by right-hander Bryan Woo. Now wrapping up his fourth season, Woo has been a lot like Kirby in that he’s been reliable to pitch every five days. But like Kirby he’s been more of a mid to backend type of pitcher this season. The 26-year-old has a solid 4.03 ERA but again, those home/road splits are crazy to look at. When pitching in Seattle he’s almost an ace with a 2.36 ERA, but on the road his 5.63 ERA makes him look more like a quadruple-A pitcher. He’s probably not looking forward to pitching in Sacramento.
Then we wrap the series and homestand on Sunday with a Jacob Lopez versus Bryce Miller matchup. Lopez has come all the way back from the lows he experience this summer to be one of the best pitchers over the past couple of months. The lefty has pitched himself back into the A’s plans for the offseason. Whether it’s been enough to guarantee him a rotation job or be more of a depth piece is something the front office will have to decide but for now he’s doing all he can to be a rotation front-runner next spring. He had his first hiccup since rejoining the rotation in his last start where he allowed four runs to the Blue Jays. Hopefully teams aren’t beginning to figure him out with winter around the corner.
Miller meanwhile missed the first month of the year due to injury and that might have thrown him off all year. He started strong enough but has faded back here down the stretch, part of why Seattle has too. He’s 0-4 over his past seven starts with a sky-high 7.22 ERA during that span. It’s going to be a long day at the ballpark all weekend and don’t expect that to change for Miller on Sunday.
And while most of the focus on tonight will be on the A’s versus Mariners, today also marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 attacks in New York. While the people that perpetrated that disaster sought to tear us apart baseball was one of the things that helped Americans come together during a difficult time. Today we should all remember those feelings of unity to remember those lost on that day.
First pitch is at 6:40. Who’s ready for a win to start our weekend?
Hearing that a number of members of the A's minor league staff were let go today. People in the organization seem reluctant to talk about it, but someone said it seems to have come from "the top" (wherever that is right now) and referred to it as a "purge."
Some A's minor league staff who've been let go: MiLB Hit Crdntr Todd Takayoshi, Asst Pitch Crdntr Craig Lefferts, Pitch Rehab Cdntr Bryan Corey, Catch Crdntr Gabe Ortiz, OF Crdntr Kevin Kuntz, Lansing Hit coach Ron Witmeyer,ACL A's coaches Craig Conklin/Ruben Escalera/John Foster https://t.co/SFLa4rttyZ
Jackson Finley is heading to Vegas. Super underrated RHP. 2.77 ERA, 1.253 whip and 51 Ks across 48.2 innings in 12 AA starts. Rule 5 elig this winter. 2023 8th rounder out of GT.
➡️The whole A's pitching staff has 4.28 ERA & 3.99 FIP (ranking 16th (& 9th) in MLB). ➡️The A’s bullpen with a 2.81 ERA (ranking 5th in MLB) while recording a league-leading 7 saves!
The Toronto Blue Jays return home tonight with a chance to gain ground in the Wild Card race, and my Orioles vs. Blue Jays predictions believe they're in prime position to pick up another win as -125 favorites.
Read on for my free MLB picks for this Friday, Sept. 11 matchup, with first pitch set for 7:07 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre.
Orioles vs Blue Jays predictions
Orioles vs Blue Jays best bet: Blue Jays moneyline (-125)
The Toronto Blue Jays have a clear opportunity to create separation against another club hanging around the playoff picture in the Baltimore Orioles tonight.
Toronto gets a favorable matchup against Chris Bassitt, who carries a 4.96 ERA and has struggled badly with left-handed hitters. Southpaws are hitting .322 against him, and eight of the nine home runs he's allowed have come from that side.
He has also been far worse away from Baltimore, posting a 6.43 ERA and 1.786 WHIP in nine road appearances.
Max Scherzer’s 6.03 season ERA is ugly, but his recent form has been considerably more encouraging (3.60 ERA last seven starts), and he doesn’t need to be vintage against a Baltimore lineup that has cooled off (28th by OPS in September).
Toronto has several left-handed bats capable of exploiting Bassitt, and I prefer backing the Jays outright at a manageable -125 rather than asking them to cover the run line. Play to -140.
I’m leaning into a Toronto-friendly offensive game without asking either lineup to completely explode. The Blue Jays moneyline anchors the ticket, while dropping the total to Over 7.5 gives us breathing room if Toronto does most of the scoring.
Nathan Lukes completes the parlay, and his matchup with Bassitt is the main attraction. Lukes is batting .294 with a .422 slugging percentage against right-handed pitching, and with lefties hitting .322 against Bassitt, he has a realistic path to cashing with either two singles or one extra-base hit.
Orioles vs Blue Jays SGP
Blue Jays moneyline
Over 7.5
Nathan Lukes Over 1.5 total bases
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Orioles vs Blue Jays home run pick: Jesus Sanchez (+675)
Jesus Sanchez is my favorite longshot on Toronto’s home run board because his power profile lines up perfectly with Bassitt’s biggest weakness. Bassitt has allowed eight of his nine home runs to left-handed hitters, and just one home run to a right-handed hitter all season, which makes Sanchez’s handedness an especially important part of the matchup.
Sanchez has also done his best work at home, batting .279 with a .522 slugging percentage and seven home runs in 136 at-bats at Rogers Centre.
The +675 price gives us considerably more upside than Toronto’s more obvious power bats. At this number, I’m comfortable taking a quarter-unit shot on the left-handed bat with the clearest matchup advantage.
2026 Transparency Record
Best bets: 16-16, -0.37 units
SGPs: 3-30, -4.56 units
HR picks: 4-28, -2.13 units
Orioles vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Baltimore +105 | Toronto -125
Run line: Baltimore +1.5 | Toronto -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Orioles vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays own a .625 win percentage since July 23 (25-15), tied for the best mark in the American League during that period. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Orioles vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Friday, Sept. 11, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Orioles starting pitcher
Chris Bassitt (6-5, 4.96 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (2-7, 6.03 ERA)
Orioles vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Orioles vs Blue Jays weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 01: Vinnie Pasquantino #9 of the Kansas City Royals strikes out swinging against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 01, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some Royals seasons suck. When a team is expected to be bad and finishes with a bad record, there isn’t much mystery to it. When Scott Elarton pitches on Opening Day, what do you expect?
But the truly painful seasons are the ones that begin with optimism, only for things to go terribly, terribly wrong. Injuries. Underperformance. Everyone hopes the team will turn the corner. Maybe it is the series they can get back on track? Then you look up and it’s late July and the team is a seller at the trade deadline.
This year has been that kind of gut-punch season. The team was hoping to be contenders, but everything just fell apart. How does this bad season compare with other miserable disappointments? Let’s be sadists and immerse ourselves in the pain.
10. 1997 (67-94)
The Royals began a rebuild after the work stoppage ended in 1995, banking on young hitters like Johnny Damon, Michael Tucker, and Joe Vitiello to lead them back to contention. They won 75 games in 1996, but finished dead last in runs scored. That winter, they found offense through some shrewd trades, acquiring veterans Jay Bell and Jeff King from the Pirates, designated hitter Chili Davis from the Angels, and young postseason hero Jermaine Dye from the Braves. Kansas City Star columnist Jason Whitlock called the team a “legitimate contender.”
By late June, the team was 36-38, just three games out of first place, and might have been even better had their awful bullpen not blown so many leads. But the team hit a wall, losing 12 in a row, part of a stretch where they dropped 18 of 20. Not even firing manager Bob Boone at the All-Star break would stop the losing. The team went 31-48 under new skipper Tony Muser after the All-Star break, the third-worst record in baseball. They finished with 94 losses, at the time, the second-worst record in club history.
9. 2001 (65-97)
The 2000 Royals had perhaps the best offense in club history. They scored a club-record 879 runs with a stable of dynamic young hitters like Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Carlos Beltrán, Mike Sweeney, Mark Quinn, and Joe Randa. They won 77 games despite an awful bullpen that finished with 26 blown saves. So the Royals figured, the solution was to trade some of that offensive depth for an established closer. With Damon nearing free agency, they shipped him to Oakland in a three-team trade that netted them former All-Star closer Roberto Hernández from Tampa Bay.
Hernández did stabilize the bullpen, but there weren’t many leads for him to protect. The starting pitching was hideous with All-Star José Rosado out the entire year after shoulder surgery. And without Damon setting the table, the offense took a huge step back. Dye was dealt away at the deadline, and the team lost 97 games, tying the franchise record and killing any momentum generated in 2000.
8. 2009 (65-97)
The Royals finished the 2008 season strong with an 18-8 September under first-year manager Trey Hillman. They won 75 games overall, the second year in a row the team had improved its win total. The team added veteran outfielder Coco Crisp and slugging first baseman Mike Jacobs to bolster the lineup, made improvements to the bullpen and finalized a four-year contract extension for star Zack Greinke.
The vibes were especially strong when the team got off to an uncharacteristically strong start. A week into May, they were 18-11, with a three-game lead in the division. But they quickly fell back to earth, losing 22 of their next 28. They went 7-19 in July, pushing them even further back in the standings. They even lost 9 of their last 11 games of the season, making that hot start a distant memory.
7. 2007 (69-93)
Dayton Moore was hired in the summer of 2006, tasked with turning around the worst team in baseball. He made a flurry of trades that July, and in the winter, signed free agent Gil Meche to a five-year, $55 million deal, the largest free agent signing in club history. The Royals were also expecting the debut of third baseman Alex Gordon, who was named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year the previous season.
The team had a thrilling 7-1 win in a nationally televised Opening Day win over Boston in which Meche left the game to a standing ovation. But Moore would soon discover the rebuild would not be immediate. The team lost 10 of 12 after the first win and soon fell to the cellar. They would end up with 93 losses, the sixth time in seven seasons they had lost 90+ games.
6. 2017 (80-82)
The Royals knew the 2017 season was their “last hurrah” with the championship core. Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, and Alcides Escobar were all eligible for free agency at the end of the season, and it seemed unlikely the team would retain them all. After a 7-16 start, it seemed like the “last hurrah” would be a dud. But as that core so often did, they got hot in the summer. The team went 33-18 in June and July and were in a Wild Card spot, just two games out of first by the trade deadline.
Then the team went into a funk. The pitching staff posted an ugly 5.89 ERA in August, and three pitchers acquired from the Padres at the deadline – Trevor Cahill, Brandon Maurer, and Travis Wood – were a big part of the problem. As late as August 23, they were just a half game out of a playoff spot, but a five-game losing streak where they went 45 innings in a row without scoring a run sealed their fate. The World Series stars were given an ovation in their last regular season home game, but it was disappointing their last time together in a Royals uniform couldn’t come in the postseason.
5. 2004 (58-104)
The Royals made a surprise run in 2003 with a hot 9-0 start that propelled them into first place for much of the summer. Although they fell short of the playoffs, it gave the team hope that the youth movement had arrived and that adding a few veterans could put the team into contention. GM Allard Baird added veterans Juan Gonzalez, Benito Santiago, and Matt Stairs, while bringing back Joe Randa, Brian Anderson, and Curtis Leskanic.
The team had a thrilling comeback walk-off win on Opening Day against the White Sox. But the pitching turned out to be just dreadful. Juan Gonzalez was injured in mid-May and never returned. By the end of the month, they had the worst record in the American League and were shopping star outfielder Carlos Beltrán. He was traded two weeks later. The team lost a then-franchise record 104 games.
4. 1983 (79-83-1)
The 1982 Royals won 90 games – fifth-most in baseball – but missed the playoffs for just the second time in seven years. They brought back much of the roster. The lineup featured four All-Stars from the previous season – George Brett, Frank White, Willie Wilson, and Hal McRae. The rotation was a very veteran staff with four starters all age 30 or older – Larry Gura, Paul Splittorff, Dennis Leonard, and former AL MVP Vida Blue. Dan Quisenberry had led the league in saves the previous season and earned Cy Young votes. According to Washington Post columnist Thomas Boswell, the team had “legitimate pennant hopes.”
But Father Time is undefeated and the pitching soon showed its age. Leonard got hurt, Gura was ineffective, and Blue completely fell apart and was released that summer. The team hovered around .500 and was only 1.5 games out of first in late July. But the White Sox caught fire, going 48-16 down the stretch to win the division, while the Royals finished under .500. To make matters worse, after the season Blue, Willie Wilson, Willie Aikens and Jerry Martin were arrested in an FBI drug investigation, eventually receiving jail sentences and suspensions from Major League Baseball.
3. 2026 (65-82, so far)
The season isn’t technically over, but the Royals’ playoff hopes are. And that’s enough to make this one of the biggest disappointments in franchise history. The Royals were coming off back-to-back winning seasons and featured one of the best players in the game in Bobby Witt Jr., plus a very solid starting rotation and the AL saves leader returning in Carlos Estévez.
But the offense struggled to begin the year, with Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez both in a funk. By the end of May, the team was already far out of it with a record of 22-37. Then the injuries hit. Cole Ragans. Kris Bubic. Vinnie Pasquantino. Maikel Garcia. Even Bobby Witt Jr. hit the Injured List for the first time in his career. Estévez has missed virtually the entire season, and the rest of the bullpen has been a complete mess. The Royals had hoped to contend this year, instead they’ll try to avoid hitting the 90 loss mark.
2. 1986 (76-86)
The Royals returned most of the 1985 championship team, and many figured that was good enough to make a serious run at a repeat. The Sporting News picked the Royals to repeat as division champs, and its survey of 210 baseball writers found a consensus on that prediction. But early injuries to Bret Saberhagen and Mark Gubicza and ineffectiveness by closer Dan Quisenberry caused the team to hover around .500 for the first three months. George Brett had been holding up an otherwise thin offense, and when he missed significant time in July, the team collapsed.
Players had also been noticing manager Dick Howser was acting differently, and was frequently suffering from headaches and neck pain. When he managed the American League in the All-Star Game that summer, his mental gaffes became apparent when he sent second baseman Lou Whitaker to left field, and called catcher Jim Sundberg “Sabes.”
It would be the last game Howser ever managed. Following the All-Star break, third-base coach Mike Ferraro took over the team. The next day, the Royals announced that Howser had been diagnosed with a tumor in his left frontal lobe. The diagnosis cast a pall over the team that it never really emerged from.
1. 1990 (75-86)
The 1989 Royals had finished tied for the third-best record in baseball, but because they were stuck in the same division as the “Bash Brothers” Oakland Athletics, they missed the playoffs by a good margin. They had a talented pitching staff led by reigning Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen, and decided to double down on pitching by signing the A’s 19-game winner Storm Davis. When free agent talks for Mark Davis fell apart with other clubs, the Royals swooped in and signed the reigning National League Cy Young winner.
Many publications thought they could challenge the Athletics. General manager John Schuerholz called them a “legitimate championship team.” The fans were excited about the $19 million plunge into free agency. “The anticipation of this season by our fans was more than I’ve ever seen before,” said manager John Wathan.
But the “Davis boys” turned out to be a bust. Storm put up a 4.74 ERA and taught everyone how run support impacts wins. Mark showed how volatile reliever performance can be by losing his closer’s job in May and ending with a 5.11 ERA. The Royals lost 86 games and finished in sixth place, their lowest finish ever in the standings.
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 28: The hat and glove of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers versus the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday August 28, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Regular-season wins for the Comets and Drillers. Playoff losses for the Loons and Tower Buzzers. That’s how a full slate of games on Thursday went down in the Dodgers’ minor league system.
Player of the Day
Jake Gelof wrote his name in the history books of the Tulsa Drillers when he left the yard for the 33rd time this season, helping Tulsa to a low-scoring win on the road.
HOMER NO. 33 FOR JAKE GELOF‼️
Gelof has now tied the Drillers franchise record for the most home runs in a season! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/L1gGgxIgZ0
As part of a 2-for-3 effort with a walk on top of it, Gelof tied a record that stood for over a decade, becoming the first Drillers hitter to record 33 home runs since Tim Wheeler did it back in 2011.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Production from top to bottom led to an 8-0 shutout win for the Comets. James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard both reached base a team-high three times—and catcher and ninth-hole hitter Chadwick Tromp contributed three RBI when the game was already out of hand for the Space Cowboys, hitting a three-run shot in the bottom of the eighth.
On the pitching side of things, it was smooth sailing for Knack and company, as the starter covered five, enough for the win. Edwin Díaz couldn’t prevent traffic, but he pitched around a hit and a walk to secure a scoreless inning. Kris Bubic also appeared for his second straight outing before Kyle Hurt wrapped up the ninth inning.
Double-A Tulsa
One Taylor Young RBI single in the second and a timely home run from Jake Gelof were all the offense that Tulsa would require to outlast NW Arkansas. Despite six of their nine hitters failing to secure a base hit, the Drillers earned the win thanks to terrific pitching from both the starter Myles Caba and the bullpen.
Caba struck out five in four innings, leaving the win for Payton Martin, who came in with two scoreless innings as the first man out of the bullpen. The sole blemish on Caba’s record was a solo shot allowed in the fourth to Spencer Nivens, the only Naturals starting hitter with an OPS north of .800.
High-A Great Lakes
One extra-base hit is not going to cut it, as the Loons took the loss even though their pitching kept them in it until the very end, dropping this one by the score of 3 to 1. The pitching staff did its best to keep them in it until the end, but the Loons’ problems against 6’6″ left-hander Kyle McCoy were just too big to overcome, no pun intended.
Brooks Auger and Will Gagnon were each responsible for covering four innings, as all three runs from the Dragons came against Auger in the early part of this game. Gagnon just allowed one hit and struck out five in four scoreless.
When catcher Gio Cueto managed to knock in a run with an RBI single in the seventh, the Loons brought the tying run to the plate in the form of leadoff hitter Eduardo Quintero, but he struck out swinging. Quintero finished the game 0 for 3 with a walk.
Class-A Ontario
It seems the Tower Buzzers spent all of their scoring in Game 1’s 10-9 loss. After going down by four in the first two innings of Game 2, Ontario didn’t come close to mounting a comeback effort in an eventual 6-1 defeat, now trailing 2-0 in the series.
It was a particularly challenging day for two of this team’s top hitters, Ching-Hsien Ko and Easton Shelton, as the pair combined for seven punchouts—including a golden sombrero for Ko. Shelton was at least responsible for the team’s sole RBI.
Walks and errors made this a more challenging outing for the Tower Buzzers staff than it should’ve been, allowing a pair of unearned runs and handing out more free passes (8) than hits allowed (6). Interestingly, although it should be noted that none of them—including starter Luis Gamez—covered more than one inning, the first four pitchers to take the mound for Ontario had in common the fact that they didn’t secure a single strikeout. Five of Ontario’s six strikeouts would come from Charlie West, who covered four scoreless.
Transactions
Right-handed pitcher Aidan Foeller was placed on the IL by the Drillers, who activated Payton Martin. Outfielder Agustin Acosta was assigned to Tulsa to replace Josue De Paula, who was called up to the bigs. Lastly, the Comets activated Bobby Miller.
Thursday’s scores
Oklahoma City 8, Sugar Land 0
NW Arkansas 2, Tulsa 3
Dayton 3, Great Lakes 1
Lake Elsinore 6, Ontario 1
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Cam Leiter) at Dayton (Mason Morris) – Division Series Game 3 (series tied 1-1)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Charlie Barnes) vs. Sugar Land (Bryce Mayer)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 10: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the eighth inning during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Truist Park on September 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a short day for Major League Baseball on Thursday, with only five games taking place around the league. With all of them having at least one American League playoff hopeful however, it was still an important day in the standings. The Yankees capped off a resounding sweep of the Rockies in the Bronx, while several of their leaguemates struggled to make much noise on the mostly quiet Thursday of baseball.
Short schedule at all, let’s take a look at what went down around the Junior Circuit on Thursday.
Atlanta Braves (86-61) 3, Tampa Bay Rays (87-59) 1
With the Yankees winning on Thursday, they benefitted greatly from a tough loss for the Rays. Starters Martín Pérez and Nick Martinez were both brilliant in this one, with the former tossing seven scoreless frame, and the latter doing the same across 6.1 frames. It was a classic pitcher’s duel, as both Atlanta and Tampa Bay managed six combined hits with those two on the mound.
With seven scoreless innings kicking off this game, the Braves finally kicked in the flood gates in the eighth inning against the Rays bullpen. An Ozzie Albies triple got the ball rolling, before Austin Riley’s single into right plated the first run of the ballgame. A pinch-hitting Mike Yastrzemski hit a ground-rule double to bring two more runners into scoring position, before Ha-Seong Kim’s single brought ‘em both home and put the Braves up 3-0.
The Rays finally made a little noise in the ninth, when Victor Mesa Jr. deposited a solo homer into right-center, but it was too little too late, as the Rays fell 3-1. The Yankees now sit three games behind them in the AL East, as the Rays host the Astros for three games this weekend.
Other Games
Pittsburgh Pirates (74-73) 2, Chicago White Sox (75-71) 0: The Rays weren’t the only AL squad to go quiet with the bats, as the White Sox failed to plate a run in their dance with the Pirates on Thursday. The Buccos opened scoring in the fourth when Oneil Cruz belted his 18th homer of the year, one of two RBIs the talented Cruz plated for his squad in this one. The Sox managed just a pair of hits in this one, as Jared Jones took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, before the Pittsburgh ‘pen closed things out. Chicago still holds a 1.5 game lead in the Central, with the Guardians lurking behind.
Houston Astros (75-72) 2, Philadelphia Phillies (82-65) 1: In a game that was knotted at one for much of the way, Cam Smith’s 20th homer of the season was the deciding blow for Houston. The game-winning solo shot in the ninth fueled the ‘Stros to their 75th win of the season, and bumped their lead in the West up to three games.
Seattle Mariners (69-78) 4, Texas Rangers (72-75) 3: After trailing 3-0 into the seventh on Thursday, the Mariners leaned on their superstar for the heroics. After plating a run early in the inning, Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez flipped this game upside down with a three-run blast off of Jakob Junis. His 21st home run of the seaosn propelled the M’s to victory, and delivered a major blow to the Rangers, who are now two games out of the party in the AL wild card.
COLUMBUS, GA - MAY 01: Drue Hackenberg #15 of the Columbus Clingstones pitches during the game between the Biloxi Shuckers and the Columbus Clingstones at Synovus Park on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Columbus, Georgia. (Photo by Natalie Buchanan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Drue Hackenberg put up his best start of the season, throwing eight innings of one-run ball for the second straight outing while striking out nine hitters. Hackenberg has been dominant in his time in Columbus this season, and led the team to another win over the Biscuits thanks to his improved slider. David McCabe hit a home run in Gwinnett to reach 20 for the first time in his career, and Jim Jarvis reached base safely four times in the Stripers blowout win. Garrett Baumann also had an impressive day, but a drop in velocity clouded what was an otherwise successful day across the system.
Garrett Baumann, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 7.48 ERA
An explosive offensive performance sparked a smooth and easy ride to a Stripers win, and gave Garrett Baumann plenty of cushion to work with to get through five easy innings. Jim Jarvis started this one off by hitting one off of the base of the wall in left field for a triple, though with as poorly as the ball was played by the left fielder it probably would be an out in most cases. Nevertheless a hit on the stat sheet, and one pitch late he scampered home on a wide slider to the backstop to give Gwinnett the early lead. David McCabe put the exclamation point on a three-run first inning with a 410-foot smash – his 20th this season in just 72 games played. In the top of the second inning the Stripers loaded the bases after Jim Jarvis’s one-out walk, and yet another wild pitch brought home the fourth run of the game. That was followed by a double that Lizandro Espinoza slapped the other way, just keeping it fair down the right field line, and two runs scored to make it 6-0 in favor of Gwinnett. Rowdy Tellez followed that with another double to score Espinoza, and with a 7-0 lead the Stripers hit the cruise control down the stretch. Jarvis kept adding on to his line in the early innings of the game, with a fly ball off of the warning track in the third inning driving in the next Gwinnett run and putting him on for the third time in as many innings. Gwinnett hit the ball harder than normal this game, and Jordan Groshans in particular had two hard hit singles and three hard hit balls overall.
Garrett Baumann pitched well on the scoresheet in this game, but he left after only 71 pitches and his velocity was down significantly. His hardest pitch of the day was 94.9 mph, which is lower than his average velocity in six of his nine Triple-A starts prior to this game, and in total he averaged only 92.1 mph on four seam fastballs and sinkers (actually lower due to some being miscategorized as sliders) this game which is a full two mph lower than his last start which was tied for his previous low in velocity. He threw three fastballs in the fifth inning at 89.2 mph, 90.0 mph, and 90.0 mph and though he did finish the inning strong with a couple of whiffs and a strikeout that was the end of his road. That’s a small sample but more than 4 mph below his baseline for the fifth inning and beyond in games this year and in spite of a good game that has to raise some alarm bells. Baumann also had by far his lowest spin rate on fastballs in this game, though otherwise this way a good outing for him. He did a great job commanding his fastball and his splitter and those pitches were effective, but that’s overshadowed by such a significant change in his velocity. His slider also showed a similar velocity drop compared to his baseline, though his splitter was within his prior range of velocities. Baumann is at a career high in innings pitch, so fatigue could be a factor here, but it’s definitely something to watch closely to close the season.
Drue Hackenberg, SP: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 0.96 ERA
Drue Hackenberg is still trying to make a successful transition to Triple-A, but when he is in Columbus he pitches lights out and was at his best all year on Thursday. It took five innings for the Biscuits to scratch together a hit off of Hackenberg, and when they did it wasn’t convincing contact though they were able to force home a run with a couple of well-placed grounders. Three of Montgomery’s four hits were infield singles, and Hackenberg never lost his momentum even when he had some bad luck on batted balls. Hackenberg was in his best form with his slider — biting, located off of the plate, and consistently kept low — and Biscuits hitters couldn’t lay off of it. He had success with right handed hitters primarily due to that being his go-to pitch this game, but even the left-handed batters struggled at times when he got it on their back foot. Hackenberg isn’t meaningfully throwing the ball in the strike zone more often at Double-A, so he may not be able to repeat his success once he gets another shot at Gwinnett, but in terms of finding a consistent swing-and-miss pitch his slider has developed into that. Early in his career it was his best pitch but one he couldn’t get around the strike zone enough (except in rare breakout games like his 16 strikeout performance in 2024) but he’s throwing it harder with a a shorter break and that changed has allowed him to command it just well enough to make it effective. At his best Hackenberg is an outstanding pitcher, but the consistency for him is coming so slowly and the flashes aren’t common enough to think that’s who he is or even could be.
It wasn’t going to take much offense to beat the Biscuits this game, and the Clingstones lineup top-to-bottom gave them enough to take the win. It was a quiet game for John Gil at the top of the lineup, as in his first three at bats he made three quick outs without hard contact and was in jeopardy of losing his hitting streak late in this game. He came up in a 2-1 game with a couple of runners on base in the seventh inning, and that was when he finally made himself known. He hid a hard liner through the left side of the infield to drive in two insurance runs for Columbus, and that extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He then stole second and third base, putting him at an even 60 stolen bases on the season. That gave him the system lead in stolen bases, and with Patrick Clohisy on the shelf he is likely to finish at the leader at the end of the year while also being efficient with only ten caught stealing. Eric Hartman had a two-outcome evening, drawing two walks and stealing two bases but striking out in his other three plate appearances. Hartman was able to maintain an acceptable strikeout pace in his first month at Double-A, but in his past six games he has struck out three times in four of those, and it’s no surprise that he only has two hits and no extra base hits in his past nine games. Hartman has drawn his fair share of walks in that span to keep some threat on pitchers, but he’s hitting the point where he’s not going to get many fastballs to hit and he needs to adjust to improve his results on secondaries.
Jun 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) misses a tag on Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (22) for a fielding error in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Of the 15 games left on the Orioles 2026 schedule, six of them are against these Blue Jays. That’s helpful because if the O’s are going to beat the odds and make a last-ditch run for the playoffs, they need to leap-frog the Jays in the standings before chasing down the Guardians team that they just took two out of three games from.
These two teams have not faced off since early June, when they finished playing one another seven times in a 10-game span. They split the series in Baltimore, and then the Jays took two of three in Toronto. Since then, both teams have had their ups and downs.
Toronto enters the series in the midst of a sudden cold patch. They’ve lost three of their last four against the Royals and Athletics. But that comes right after an impressive 23-12 stretch that lasted from late July through last weekend. So either this past week was a blip amidst a torrid run into the postseason, or it was a sudden downturn that will dash the hopes of the defending AL champs.
The Blue Jays have been one of the league’s best pitching staffs in the second half of the season. They have a 3.51 collective ERA, which ranks fifth in MLB. Both the rotation and the bullpen have been Top 10 units since the all-star break. Louis Varland has continued with his standout season at the back of the bullpen, compiling a 1.54 ERA in that stretch. Tyler Rogers, Spencer Miles, Mason Fluharty, and Paul Sewald all have ERAs of 2.05 or better in the second half as well.
The offense, on the other hand, has struggled. Toronto has averaged 3.86 runs per game in the second half. For comparison, the Orioles, who frustrate us all to no end, have averaged 4.28 in that same time.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (78 wRC+ in second half) has hit just two home runs since the break and has only eight on the year. Andrés Giménez (89 wRC+) and Ernie Clement (54 wRC+) have also struggled. George Springer (129 wRC+), however, has been as reliable as ever. Josh Smith (173 wRC+) has shown to be a great deadline addition, Alejandro Kirk (141 wRC+) has stepped up, and Kazuma Okamoto leads the team with eight second-half homers.
We won’t see several familiar names in this series due to injury. Trey Yesavage had meniscus surgery in August and is still building back up. Shane Bieber is dealing with teres major inflammation. Old friend Anthony Santander is yet to play this year due to labral surgery, but is currently on a rehab assignment. And Luis Urías, younger brother of old friend Ramón, is dealing with a quad strain that may keep him out for the rest of the year.
Game 1: Friday, September 11th, 7:07 p.m., MASN
RHP Chris Bassitt (6-5, 4.96 ERA) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (2-7, 6.03 ERA)
Bassitt has given the Orioles exactly what they hoped to get out of him ever since being activated off the IL a few weeks ago. In that time he has made five starts and has a 4.34 ERA while averaging nearly six innings per start. It’s steady and dependable stuff from the veteran. His last time to the mound against the Red Sox saw hime with his best velocity of the season and a whiff rate to match. You would imagine he wants to keep that trend going here against his former club.
The 42-year-old Scherzer has been limited to 62.2 innings this season due to ankle inflammation in late April and then back spasms suffered in mid June. Since being re-activated at the end of July, the future Hall of Famer has been quite good. Over eight starts he has a 3.76 ERA/3.96 across 40.2 innings in which he has struck out 34 and walked 16. His season ERA has dropped from 10.23 to 6.03 now.
Game 2: Saturday, September 12th, 6:10 p.m., MASN
Kyle Bradish (7-13, 3.91 ERA) vs. TBD
August (.510 SLG) and September (.528) have seen Bradish post the worst slugging numbers against of his season. He has allowed six home runs across 34 home runs. And has been noted many times, his strikeout rates are coming down. The righty was striking out 10.1 per nine innings back in June. In the three months since that number has been 6.5, 6.8, and 7.0. Maybe he will get a little extra juice on what will be his 30th birthday.
This would be Spencer Arrighetti’s turn in the rotation for Toronto, but he struggle in his most recent outing (4.2 innings, six runs, six hits, three walks, three strikeouts), so they may opt for another option, or perhaps an opener.
Game 3: Sunday, September 13th, 1:37 p.m., MASN
LHP Trevor Rogers (10-9, 4.15 ERA) vs. TBD
A switch flipped for Rogers going into June. Since the start of that month he has a 2.88 ERA/2.78 FIP over 103 innings. His last start against Cleveland was his longest of the year. Over 7.1 innings he allowed on run on six hits, six strikeouts, and no walks. At this point, the southpaw would be silly to not test the open market. He may not have the longest track record, but his last two seasons here in Baltimore have been darn impressive.
Dylan Cease, who is in the mix for AL Cy Young, would be on turn to start. But it’s possible that with the off day prior to this series that Toronto could try to move him up to Saturday on normal rest to see if they can get their ace into as many games as possible down the stretch. In either case it won’t be an ideal matchup for the Orioles offense.
How many games do you think the Orioles will win in this series? Let us know in the comments.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Cody Bellinger #35, Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets, Cam Schlittler #31 and Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees pose for a photo during MLB All-Star Week at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mets (68-78) look to build upon their recent success as they return to New York to battle the New York Yankees (84-62) in Round Two of the Subway Series. The Mets took two out of three games in the Citi Field edition back in May, with New York winning that dramatic Sunday game after Tyrone Taylor tied it with a three-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning.
The Mets dug themselves out of the National League East cellar for the first time since late May thanks to a three-game sweep of the Marlins, paired with the Nationals getting swept by the Padres. The Mets flexed their muscle, scoring 31 runs on 39 hits across the three-game sweep, which included a see-saw 15-14 win on Wednesday night, as well as a 9-4 victory on Labor Day and a 7-5 win on Tuesday. In each game, the Mets built big leads, and in each of them they allowed the Marlins to creep back in, but they were able to hold down the fort to secure three W’s. The most dramatic was Wednesday’s series finale, when the Mets grew their lead to 8-0 before Miami came all the way back to tie it up. The Mets put up a six-spot immediately after the Marlins’ equalizer, punctuated by Francisco Lindor’s three-run homer. The Marlins tried to climb back but fell one run short.
The Mets’ offensive heater has extended beyond just the series against the Marlins. Dating back to their 10-6 win against the Rays on September 2, they have put up at least nine runs in four of their last seven games, and their 60 runs during that span are the most in MLB. Meanwhile, they’ve collected the third-most home runs (14) and fourth-most hits (74) since September 2. Their 133 wRC+ is the best among all teams this month, and beyond that, they have the fourth-best BB% (10.7%) and K% (17.5%) among major league teams, so it’s been a really positive offensive showing all around for a team with little to play for beyond pride and proving themselves heading into 2027.
Brett Baty unfortunately exited the team’s last game with a knee injury—no word yet on if he will need to miss any time—because before exiting, he was on a real hater. Mired in another uneven season, Baty has contributed hits in six straight games, going 6-for-14 during the streak with three doubles, two homers, and a team-high 10 runs driven in. During that span, he leads the club with a 289 wRC+ and 0.5 fWAR. A.J. Ewing, following a long stretch without a run batted in, has broken out in a big way, posting a 226 wRC+ and 0.5 fWAR since September 2 while driving in seven runs and picking up 11 hits in 23 at-bats. The youngster has looked better at the plate to go along with his typically-stellar defensive play. Carson Benge, on the other hand, has struggled during the past week, picking up just five hits in his last 27 at-bats since September 2 while sporting a team-worst 72 wRC+, though his defense thankfully has not faltered. However, this ill-timed poor stretch could hurt him in the NL Rookie of the Year race.
Bo Bichette has been, unsurprisingly, hot during the month of September as well. Since the calendar turned to September, he’s hitting .313/.421/.531 with a 167 wRC+ (third on the club_, two homers, six runs scored, seven runs batted in, and 0.5 fWAR (tied with Ewing for the team best in September). It would be stunning to think back in April or May that Bichette’s incredible performance would be ‘unsurprising’ given how much he struggled in the first couple of months in New York. I suppose it would be unsurprising given his career success, but we have seen New York chew up and spit out plenty of great players in their prime.
Bichette, thankfully, has figured things out. Since June 3, Bichette is hitting .305/.351/.474 with 11 homers, 45 runs batted in, 43 runs scored, a 128 wRC+, and 2.3 fWAR (tops on the team). If we zoom out a bit, his wRC+ is 21st among the 80 qualified NL batters during that stretch, and his .825 OPS is 22nd. His offensive surge has helped push his SLG to right around .400 and get his wRC+ to 99, which is well below his career norm but much better than we could have reasonable expected in May. With an opt out looming, Bichette’s decision will pave the way for the team’s offseason strategy, though he still seems quite likely to opt in.
The Yankees enter this series coming off a dominant sweep of the Rockies, which helped bring them to within three games of the Rays in the American League East race. The Yankees have been chasing the Rays since June 28, when Tampa Bay took over first in the AL East ‘for good’, and they have fallen as far bas as 6.5 games back on August 15. However, with their pitching, and the return of Aaron Judge, they seem primed to make a move in the waning weeks of the regular season. The Bronx Bombers do have a commanding 10.5 game lead in the AL Wild Card, four games clear of the Red Sox for the second Wild Card spot, so they figure to, at worst, have a home playoff series to kick things off if they can’t surpass the Rays.
Ben Rice continues to put up an MVP-caliber season for the Yankees, with 36 homers, 91 runs scored, and 88 runs batted in over 140 games. He leads the club with a 141 wRC+ and an .866 OPS and is third with 3.3 fWAR. Meanwhile, the big news is the return of Judge, who has gone 2-for-7 in three games since his return. He missed 99 games, which unfortunately will prevent him from winning a third straight AL MVP award, but he’s a huge addition to the team’s lineup right before the playoffs, and should make them as formidable as any team in the majors as they look for their first World Series title since 2009. But the Yankees will go as far as their pitching takes them. Their rotation is fearsome, sporting the best ERA (3.30) and FIP (3.62) in MLB, and the Mets will get a first-hand look this weekend while facing three of their four top starters.
Friday, September 11: Nolan McLean vs. Carlos Rodón, 7:05 PM EDT on WPIX
McLean picked up his second straight win after limiting the Giants to two earned runs over six innings back on September 4. He allowed six hits and walked four while striking out seven, his highest total since striking out eight Guardians hitters back on August 6. Over his last five dating back to August 11, he has gone 31 innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on 16 hits, with 23 strikeouts and 17 walks, as he continues to bolster his case for NL Rookie of the Year.
Rodón’s season has been plagued by injuries, which has derailed any long-term success. His year began in May after he missed a little over month recovering from offseason elbow surgery, and then he missed over a month with left elbow inflammation. He has been limited to under 90 pitches in each of his four starts since returning on August 18, though he has been pretty solid in his four outings. In those games, he’s pitched a total 17 2/3 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits, with 18 strikeouts and eight walks. The Yankees have won three of those four starts. Rodón made his second start of the year against the Mets and picked up a loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits over 3 2/3 innings at Citi Field on May 16.
Saturday, September 12: Zach Thornton vs. Gerrit Cole, 1:35 PM EDT on SNY
Thornton endured his roughest start at the major league level against the Giants, as he surrendered a career-worst four home runs after allowing seven across his first 11 outings. He was charged with six earned runs on seven hits over five innings, and he struck out six while walking one. As a result, his ERA jumped by over a half-run. Prior to this start, he had been charged with nine earned runs over his last 27 innings spanning five starts.
Cole has not quite been ‘vintage Cole’ since returning from Tommy John Surgery, but he’s been a big help to the team’s rotation, and a welcome addition after missing the first two months of the year. In his last start, he picked up the loss after allowing four earned runs on six hits over seven innings against the Padres. Like Thornton, he was tagged for four home runs (a season high) after serving up 13 home runs across his first 18 appearances in 2026. Cole has been really good about limiting free passes this year, making him a tough pitcher to face. Among starters with at least 100 innings under their belt, his 4.9% BB% is the fifth-best mark in the majors, trailing Nick Martinez, Tarik Skubal, Drew Rasmussen, and Chris Sale.
Sunday, September 13: Christian Scott vs. Cam Schlittler, 1:35 PM EDT on SNY
Scott had a solid outing against the Giants, allowing two earned runs on four hits over 4 2/3 innings pitched. After walking nine batters across his last two starts, he made a big improvement by not walking anybody in his outing against San Francisco. He also struck out seven and threw 69% of his 80 pitches for strikes, which is his best percentage in quite a bit. It was an encouraging start after he allowed three earned runs or more in each of his five August starts.
Schlittler enters play on Sunday as the odds-on favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award. His 2.04 ERA is tops among AL starters, while his 2.62 FIP trails just Dylan Cease, who represents his stiffest competition for the baseball’s top pitching honor. He also leads all AL starters with 6.7 bWAR. He is coming off a dominant outing against the Rockies in which he limited Colorado to one earned run on three hits while striking out 10 over seven innings. Prior to that, he went eight innings against the Angels and allowed one earned run on two hits with nine strikeouts. After walking five in his start against the Red Sox on August 28, he has not issued a free pass in either of his previous two outings, and he’s generally pretty stingy with walks—his 6.2% BB% is tied for sixth among qualified AL starters. He also does not surrender a lot of homers, as his 0.79 HR/9 is third among qualified AL starters.
The Phillies lost Thursday, so now the Cubs trail them by one game for the top wild card spot. Both teams have 15 games remaining. As you know, the Cubs have the tiebreaker.
Oh, yes, the Pirates. They just completed a sweep of the White Sox on the South Side, holding them to just five runs in the three games. Since Aug. 24 the Pirates are 11-4, the best record in MLB. The Cubs are 6-10 since then.
For more on the Pirates, here’s Austin Bechtold, a writer at our SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout.
Don’t look now, but the Pirates are getting hot at the right time.
It’s been an uphill battle for the Bucs to erase a sizable deficit in the National League Wild Card race, but the team is looking to make this a September to remember.
The Pirates have won four games in a row and their last five series after sweeping the White Sox on the south side. They are over .500 for the first time since July 29.
Pittsburgh has won eight of its last 10 games and only the Dodgers (seven in a row) are hotter than the Bucs.
So what’s standing in their way? Shōta Imanaga, who pitches like 2025 second half Jake Arrieta against the Pirates… but better.
In 38 career innings facing Pittsburgh, Imanaga has allowed only one run for a staggering 0.24 ERA. He is the Pirates version of kryptonite despite having a season ERA of 3.92.
The Pirates placed All-Star Braxton Ashcraft on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with right arm discomfort and so he won’t start against the Cubs on Friday.
Wilber Dotel will begin the game, but this will likely become a bullpen game. Khristian Curtis and recently recalled Antwone Kelly are also available to pitch in bulk roles.
Refining Cy Young honoree Paul Skenes starts on Saturday against former Pirate Clay Holmes, who was acquired from the Mets at the trade deadline. Holmes owns a 3.51 ERA through his first six starts with the Cubs.
Bubba Chandler gets the ball opposite Matthew Boyd, on Sunday in the series finale.
The Pirates are 4.5 games back of the San Diego Padres for the final wild card with only 15 games left. It still feels like a nearly impossible feat for the Pirates to accomplish and dug themselves too deep of a hole after being six games under .500 on both August 13 and 23.
Oneil Cruz drove in both runs on Thursday, including a solo home run hit 117.4 miles per hour as the hardest-hit home run of the season.
Since returning to the team on August 18 after missing two months with a hand injury, Cruz is batting .315 with a .404 slugging percentage, four homers, and 18 runs batted in.
Konnor Griffin returned last weekend and first baseman/right fielder Ryan O’Hearn might be back this weekend.
The arrow is pointing up for the Pirates, but the rival Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are waiting for them. It may be too little too late for the Pirates as their race to the postseason continues to take full shape.
Fun facts
From June 8, 2018, through June 15, 2023, the Cubs were 31-10 at home against the Pirates, including six sweeps, one of four games. Since then, they are just 9-11 and never have won the first two games.
The Cubs dropped two of three in April, losing by 2-0 and 4-3 before winning, 7-6. Since the rivalry began, in 1887, the Cubs are 691-607 at home vs. the Pirates.
They have played more regular-season games against the Pirates, 2,631, than against any opponent. The second most are 2,539 vs. the Cardinals, then 2,439 vs. the Reds.
The Cubs have a .505 winning percentage vs. the Reds and .511 vs. the Cards. But they are .494 vs. the Pirates: 1,291 wins, 1,322 losses and 18 ties. Their wins are the most vs. another team, by four over the Cards. Their losses are the most, too, by 89 over the Cards.
Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Pirates market territories)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
If the Cubs don’t win at least two of three here, their postseason chances are in trouble. And especially with Braxton Ashcraft out and the Pirates using an opener Friday, and with the Cubs’ past success against Skenes, I think they can do that.
Up next
The Cubs host the Atlanta Braves in a three-game series at Wrigley Field beginning Monday evening.
The winners kept coming last night, and it's moving day with the MLB player props. I've dug myself out of a massive hole, and now I'm enjoying the late-season heater with the home run props.
Riley Greene at his price is that bat I want vs. the Rockies, who are finding themselves on the hit list every day, and Shota Imanaga is a perfect pitcher to fade with his home run numbers.
These are my favorite home run props for Friday, September 11.
MLB home run props for today
For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Player to hit a HR
Chance
Riley Greene
20%
Rafael Flores Jr.
16.7%
Home run prediction: Riley Greene (20%)
The Colorado Rockies pitching staff has made us some money this week, and I'm staying there again today with Mason Adams getting the ball.
This is a Triple-A arm who was a 13th-round pick. He has a 7.91 ERA in Albuquerque and will give way to arguably the worst bullpen in baseball. It's time to find a good bat at a good price for the Tigers.
It didn't take long to land on Riley Greene at 20%.
He owns a .710 slugging percentage over the last 30 days with a team-high three taters. That's the fifth-best slugging rate in baseball over that span, and his BlastContact% ranks in the top 25 as well.
Fade the Rockies until Game 162.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Detroit SportsNet, Rockies.TV
Home run prediction: Rafael Flores Jr. (17%)
Shota Imanaga is one of my favorite hit-list pitchers. He's good, but he gives up dingers, which can give us some hidden value. Just in the second half, 30% of his hits allowed have left the yard.
That's 11 dingers in 35+ innings. Over the last two seasons, only Zack Littell has allowed more homers than the Chicago lefty.
I'm going out on a limb a little on this one and settling on the lesser-known Rafael Flores Jr. at 16.7%.
He leads the Pittsburgh Pirates in slugging and home runs (7) over the last 30 days and is handling left-handed pitching well, which is getting him into the middle of the order.
It's an afternoon Friday game at Wrigley, which has been a shrine for dingers this year. Shota has been good to me all season long.
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marquee Sports Network, SportsNet Pittsburgh
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 38-178, -2.46 units
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An open neon sign is seen in Chicago, Illinois, United States, on July 28, 2026. (Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Now, will the Guardians walk through it? That’s the question.
The Guardians were off yesterday, but the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the White Sox again, leaving Cleveland trailing Chicago by only 1.5 games. Somehow. The Rangers also lost, and the Guardians still 1 game ahead for the third wildcard (the Blue Jays are in that next slot, Rangers are two back). The path to the playoffs is still there. I don’t see how this team has given anyone any confidence they will make this happen, but they certainly have the ability to change all that starting tonight in Minnesota.
CTC user Jurko67 caught Columbus Clippers’ play-by-play guy noting that Ralphy Velazquez has missed three games with “lower body soreness.” Hopefully nothing serious but explains his absence from the lineup. Kyle Manzardo also missed yesterday’s game. Still think the team needs to add a left-handed hitter with pop to pair with Adell, whether Ralphy, Cooper Ingle or even Manzardo, and demote Petey Halpin or Daniel Schneemann. Someone who can feasibly play in the outfield would be preferable.
Zack Meisel of the Athletic has a look at the Guardians’ playoff scenarios today in the Athletic.
COVERS INTEL: Lefties are batting 
Riley Greene
Rafael Flores Jr.