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The final game of a lengthy road trip is always a tricky proposition. Having already secured a winning record on their nine-game western swing, it was easy to envision the Phillies going through the motions in anticipation of boarding their flight back to Philadelphia.

Sure enough, the offense was silent against a bullpen game by the Diamondbacks. But it almost didn’t matter because rookie starting pitcher Andrew Painter delivered a gem, pitching seven shutout innings. Unfortunately, one mistake by reliever Jonathan Bowlan was enough to send the Phillies to a 1-0 loss.

Since his return from the minors, the first inning has given Painter some trouble. But after allowing a single to start the game, Painter got the next three hitters in the frame out…and pretty much just about every other hitter he faced after that.

From the second to the sixth, the Diamondbacks had one runner reach base, and that came via Bryson Stott error in the fourth. The Diamondbacks finally recorded their second hit of the game with one out in the seventh, but Painter rebounded to get the next two batters to finish his day.

Painter’s performance was perhaps more impressive because his offense did absolutely nothing at the plate. Facing an array of relief pitchers, they managed just three hits on the day – two of them by Bryan De La Cruz, who was the only player to get as far as second base. Bryce Harper had the other hit and walked twice to extend his on-base streak to 35, but the rest of the team had a collective 0-fer at the plate.

The Diamondbacks must have been ecstatic to see Painter leave the game. Jonathan Bowlan came in for the eighth and was greeted warmly by James McCann.

And that was that.

It was a disappointing if not unexpected end to an otherwise successful road trip. They’ll fly home and have an off day on Thursday before starting a four-game series against the Braves that may very well decide which team wins the National League East. Painter won’t pitch in that series, but hopefully his veteran rotation mates can duplicate his effort.

In the last game of a 16 day run where they played every day, the Nats did not have any juice. They came out flat before the rain delay and that continued when play resumed. However, given the context, it was a performance I can live with in a 162 game season.

This was still a successful home stand. After leaking oil for most of August, the Nats had a solid 6-4 run at home. Things reached rock bottom after they got humbled in a 13-1 defeat against the Rockies. However, after Blake Butera called out the team’s effort, they responded. They won 3 out of 4 against the Marlins and last night’s win over the Braves was one of my favorites of the season.

Today was a different story though. Even though James Wood was back, it just felt like a punt game from the beginning. Between the pitching plan and the lack of offense, they never felt in the game. It was Wood who got the first hit of the game in the 6th inning. This was just a sleepy performance.

Brad Lord actually did his part, firing 3.1 strong innings before a lengthy rain delay. After play resumed, Riley Cornelio got out of a bases loaded jam. That could have been the spark to ignite the Nats, but they just did not have it today. On the broadcast, they said that the Nats played 39 games in 41 days. With an off day and such a dramatic win last night, coming out flat was honestly understandable.

This game was pretty uneventful outside of a couple 3-run homers for the Braves and Max Kranick getting lit up like a Christmas tree. I want to circle back to last night though. That was one of the best wins the organization has had in some time.

I put it like that because the group accomplished a lot in that win. With their 67th win of the year, the Nats exceeded their win total from 2025. Heading into the season, there was real doubt about whether that would happen following the losses of MacKenzie Gore, Jose A. Ferrer and Josh Bell. 

However, they got it done with plenty of time to spare. That is due in large part to the impressive hitting infrastructure the new front office has put in place. Even in September, the Nats are still second in baseball in runs scored and have some real distance between themselves and third. The pitching development has been hit or miss, but it feels like almost every hitter in the organization has improved.

We saw that on display last night with Yohandy Morales. The 24 year old looked right at home in his MLB debut. He had three hits on the night, with his first being a home run which was an amazing moment. There are not a ton of massive names in this lineup, but everyone they bring up seems to be at least showing some promise offensively.

There have been some players who have taken massive leaps, while others are taking slow but steady strides. Some players like Curtis Mead immediately took to the new coaching and broke out right away. For others such as Luis Garcia Jr. and Andres Chaparro, it took a couple months for things to click, but when it did, the impact was loud. 

Brady House is another fun example. He showed he was better than last year at the plate right away, but still needed to make big improvements. House actually had to go to the minor leagues to do that. Since being recalled, he has looked a lot better on both sides of the ball. He has a second half OPS of .755. As a whole, his OPS has gone from .574 last year to .710 this year in a nearly identical sample.

While Dylan Crews has not taken the leap most were hoping for, he also had a big moment this home stand. One thing that dogged the Nationals all year long was late inning offense. Crews finally gave the boys their first walk off all season. It was a big moment for him and the team.

Crews has slumped since that moment, which is honestly on brand for how his career has gone. However, I do think the walk off still gave him extra confidence that could be helpful down the line.

It was ugly today, but this was honestly one of my favorite home stands of the year. The team looked pretty dead coming into it, but came out with more life. This season could have gone totally off the rails, but this home stand helped the Nats stabilize.

They finally have an off day now before going on a west coast trip. The boys better bring more energy this weekend because the Dodgers are no easy challenge. It is time for the Nats to finish strong and build momentum into next season. This home stand helped that goal tremendously.

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on the bump tonight, so I'm riding with him as part of our Cardinals vs. Dodgers predictions.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are massive 70-cent favorites at Polymarket, and we'll be focused on the run line to squeeze out some extra value as a result.

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Who will win Cardinals vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (51%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

When Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on the mound, it's tough to find an edge elsewhere. Yamamoto allowed just seven earned runs across 32 1/3 innings pitched in August (1.95 ERA), and is in a good spot against the St. Louis Cardinals, a team that owns a .176 average against him.

Yamamoto is having another fantastic season, with opponents rocking just a .213 xBA and .340 xSLG against him this year. He'll silence the bats, and with many questions surrounding who will be on the mound for the Cardinals, I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the Los Angeles Dodgers' offense.

COVERS INTEL: With the lowest walk rate of his career (5.9%), the Cardinals are going to have to earn it tonight. Expect Yamamoto to go deep against the team ranked 22nd in wRC+.

Cardinals vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (47%)

The Cardinals have yet to announce their starter, but while I think the Dodgers will do enough to cover, their offense has struggled recently. The Under has covered in four of their last five games, and that trend should continue with Yamamoto on the mound tonight.

St. Louis is also one of the best Under teams in baseball, hitting at a 54.2% clip this season.

Cardinals vs Dodgers home run prediction: Pick (16%)

At this price, Jordan Walker is the best bet on the board tonight. Walker owns the highest xSLG (.486) of his career and has an .821 OPS against righties.

Mistakes may be few and far between from Yamamoto tonight, but if there's one guy in the Cardinals' lineup that will capitalize, it's Walker.

Cardinals vs Dodgers weather

It's a perfect night for baseball in Los Angeles, with temperatures of 79 degrees Fahrenheit accompanying sunny skies.

Cardinals vs Dodgers odds

• Moneyline: Cardinals 31% | Dodgers 70%
• Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (50%) | Dodgers -1.5 (51%)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (54%) | Under 7.5 (47%)

Cardinals vs Dodgers trend

The Dodgers are 6-0 in Yamamoto's last six starts vs. NL Central teams. Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Dodgers.

How to watch Cardinals vs Dodgers and game info

Cardinals vs Dodgers latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, September 2, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the middle of a three-game set inside PNC Park against the San Francisco Giants.

On the mound for the Giants is Landen Roupp (8-13, 4.25 ERA), who is making his 27th start of the season. Roupp last pitched against the Arizona Diamondbacks at home on August 27, going five innings and giving up four hits and one earned run in a 6-1 victory. With the win, he snapped a six-game losing streak. Roupp pitched against the Pirates earlier in the season, giving up three hits and one earned run in a 13-3 loss back in May.

Jared Jones is getting the ball for the Pirates, where he hopes to bounce back after a tough losing streak of his own. In his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 28, he went 4.2 innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs in a 4-1 loss. The Pirates last won a game in which Jones pitched on July 18 against the Cleveland Guardians. Since then, they have dropped seven in a row when he takes the mound.

Perhaps September will bring some hope for Jones, but they will have to earn it against the Giants.

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Pitching Matchup: Landen Roupp (8-13, 4.25 ERA) vs. Jared Jones (2-6, 4.83 ERA)

BD community, this is your game thread against the San Francisco Giants. Chime off in the comments section below.

Mets lineup

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

SP: Justin Hagenman – RHP

Rays lineup

Yandy Diaz – DH
Jonathan Aranda – 1B
Junior Caminero – 3B
Liam Hicks – C
Chandler Simpson – LF
Victor Mesa – RF
Cedric Mullins – CF
Richie Palacios – 2B
Taylor Walls – SS

SP: Griffin Jax – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 6:40 PM ET
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

Wednesday notes…

• YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED: During the Cubs’ 6-10 slide, their starting pitchers have allowed no more than three runs in 11 games. The Cubs won only five of them. They lost once when a starter permitted up no runs, twice each when he yielded one and two, and last night, when Matthew Boyd gave up three. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• CUBS vs. BREWERS: With last night’s loss, the Cubs are 120-114 in games at home against the Brewers. In games of home series that began in the last week of August or later, they are 32-27, but in the last 10 such series, just 13-19, and in the last six, 6-13. They are 8-9 in all third games of the late-season series but 2-8 in the last 10 and 1-5 in the last six, with the win coming in the most recent third game, in 2023. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• HOME RUN NOTE: One day after hitting a team-record nine home runs, the Cubs did not hit any. On July 1, they hit eight; in their next game, two days later, none. Last year, they hit eight for the first time on July 4, then two the next day. The Cubs lost all three of the next-day games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Ryne Sandberg’s grand slam highlights a six-run eighth inning, bringing the Cubs back from a 5-4 deficit to an eventual 10-8 win over the Padres in San Diego. It happened 35 years ago today, Monday, Sept. 2, 1991.

Cubs lineup:

Brewers lineup:

David Peterson, LHP vs. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP

In eight starts and one relief appearance since that debacle against the Cardinals July 3, David Peterson has been outstanding: 2.35 ERA, 1.261 WHIP, although he struggled a bit in his last start, Friday against the Reds.

Peterson’s first start as a Cub was against the Brewers, June 27 in Milwaukee, and he turned in a creditable 5.2 inning outing with two runs allowed and no walks.

That’d work pretty well tonight.

So, Jacob Misiorowski. You all know what he’s accomplished and how hard he throws.

The Cubs have had some success against him, largely when they can work counts and foul off a lot of pitches. That’s about the only thing I can suggest for success this evening.

He has been slightly less fantastic since his ERA dropped to 1.34 on June 12. Since then: 2.25 ERA in 11 starts, with nine home runs allowed in 64 innings. That’s really good but not as otherworldly as before, with that 1.34 ERA in his first 14 starts and only four HR in 87 innings.

Good luck tonight, Cubs hitters.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Brewers market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Brewers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Prior to Wednesday night's rubber game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Mets interim skipper Andy Green talked about the team's starting pitching rotation moving forward and the health status of key players. 

Is a Jonah Tong call-up just around the corner?

With the MLB rosters having just expanded by two additional players, 23-year-old righty Jonah Tong is a strong candidate for a September call-up from Triple-A Syracuse.

In his last outing in the minors on Aug. 29th, Tong allowed just one hit through seven full innings, striking out eight batters and walking two.

Green told the media that Tong's potential addition to the team's pitching staff is "under discussion right now" and called the prospect of an extended starting rotation "definitely a possibility".

"We have been paying attention to Jonah's outings, we've seen where he's at, and we think positively about what he's done," he continued.

"When Jonah is in the strike zone, on the attack, letting his best stuff play, he usually has a lot of success," Green concluded.

However, it seems that Tong's potential first appearance with the big league club since June of this year might have to wait until after New York's three-game road set against the San Francisco Giants, as Green named Nolan McLean, Zac Thornton, and Christian Scott as the team's starters for that series.

Status of injured RHP Devin Williams

The Mets said they "hope and anticipate" that closer Devin Williams will return from his shoulder strain this season.

Accordingly, Green provided a brief update on the right-hander in his news conference.

"He's playing catch. I don't have a timetable yet, but he is throwing," he stated.

In Williams' place, Kodai Senga has been converted into an effective makeshift reliever. In August, Senga recorded five saves and 12 strikeouts across 10.1 innings, sporting a 1.74 ERA in the process.

Juan Soto's potential return to the outfield

The last time Juan Soto started a game in the Mets' outfield was Jul. 24 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the same game in which the star slugger exited early with a calf injury.

Since returning from that injury on Aug. 29, Soto has served as the team's designated hitter rather than taking his usual spot in left field.

However, Green had some positive news about Soto's potential return to the outfield.

"He'll definitely get back out there," Green shared. "We'll let how he feels daily dictate how often he's out there, since we'd obviously like him in the lineup every single day, so we'll do our best."

"There will be DH days, but how many depends on a number of factors," Green revealed.

The A’s managed to steal a win in Texas and avoid another sweep, beating the Rangers 9-2 to wrap up the series and snap the losing streak. Win #54 locked up.

More to come…