Mets players react to Andy Green officially becoming manager: 'Everyone's happy'

Andy Green was announced as the Mets' 26th manager in franchise history, removing the interim tag that he's held for months, and the players are on board with the decision.

“I’m glad they did. Everyone’s happy," Marcus Semien said prior to the team's series opener with the Rangers on Tuesday. "You look at our entire season, not great. But since Andy stepped in, he’s helped a lot of guys be a better version of themselves. We’ve been playing a good brand of baseball. Glad to have that continuity moving forward. Extremely happy for him and his family."

Since Green took over for Carlos Mendoza, the team is 37-38 entering Tuesday but is 31-28 since the All-Star break.

A big part of that turnaround has been the improving health of the team, but also Green's managing style. As many players pointed out Tuesday, Green isn't afraid to hold players accountable, and that has led to better play overall.

"He’s a guy that is straight up with you," Semien said of Green. "Whatever he sees, whatever he may be feeling, he communicates it in a way that you react to well, and you want to work hard for that guy."

"Felt like he’s done a good job and you don’t want to go into the offseason thinking about what’s going to happen," Francisco Lindor said of Green's hiring. "A familiar face that’s been around for a couple of years now, and in the clubhouse with us. It’s a wise decision; it’s a good decision. And looking forward to the next couple of years."

Lindor is one of those players whose improving health has coincided with the team's better play, but the Mets shortstop said that Green brings the "light, joy and accountability" to the team, and that has impacted the clubhouse.

"He’s someone from day one said he would hold players accountable, so if he says something, for better or worse, you have to listen," Lindor said. "He can be a guy that can blend in and stand out as well. With that, that gives him the ability to call people out and the ability to tap someone on the back and say good job." 

As Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said in Green's introductory presser ahead of Tuesday's game, continuity was a big reason for the decision to keep Green as the manager. But it couldn't be just anyone, it had to be the right person for the job.

"It has to be the right voice, and we have the right voice with Andy," Stearns said. "A lot of the players pulled me aside after we informed them earlier today. And that familiarity is helpful. The ability to go into the offseason understanding what this is going to look like from a leadership perspective when we all get back in the same room is important for players. It’s comforting for players and allows us as an organization to all move ahead together."

"It’s valuable not only for the manager, but for the guys in here," Semien said of the continuity. "To come back strong, understand what this year was. Learn from it and come back hungry as a group. We want to finish strong here first…and work hard in the offseason. Show up ready to improve."

Andy Green details rekindling 'passion' to manage, expectations for Mets in 2027

Andy Green said he “didn’t expect” that he would take the reins as the Mets’ full-time manager, but over the last few weeks it became “more and more obvious” that his days with the interim tag next to his job title were numbered. 

“Simply put, I think Andy’s the perfect person for this job,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said at a news conference announcing Green as the permanent manager on a three-year contract Tuesday in Texas, adding he is “thrilled we got to this day” and is “looking forward to parenting” with Green going forward.

“Certainly, when I came down here three months ago I didn’t anticipate this day at all,” Green said. “Wasn’t anything I was thinking could happen, but that does not take away from my level of excitement and passion that I’ve felt over the last three months with this group of guys.”

Green, who spent four seasons managing in San Diego, said he wasn't going to look to get back in the dugout full time until his two youngest daughters graduated from high school. With them as seniors this year, Green said the timing was right, and that his family has “pivoted over the last three months as they’ve seen my passion rise.”

But “above anything else,” Green acknowledged the players in the clubhouse for influencing his decision to take on the full-time role.

“They’ve rekindled in me a love I had for being in the dugout, and I’ve enjoyed believing in them, encouraging, and challenging them,” he said. “At times, holding them accountable and being a mirror for them, and seeing themselves for what they’re doing. I have been grateful for how they have responded

“Certainly know that we have not met the level of expectation of what we want to do in a win-loss capacity, but I am excited to go forward with that group. I have a ton of belief in that group and what we can do together and what we anticipate doing together.”

Green’s future with the club and if he would be a candidate for the managerial job was a topic just about every time Stearns spoke the last few weeks. And just about every time it was asked, the response from Stearns and Green was that he would be returning to the front office for the 2027 season. That changed with the manager calling the executive earlier this month.

“He gave me a call sometime in the first week of September, and wanted to let me know that his passions had changed a little bit,” Stearns said. “I think Andy was very careful to not assume anything, but he wanted me to know that if we wanted him to be a candidate, he was eager to do that. He was willing to serve the organization in whatever capacity we thought was best, but that his passion was in the dugout.”

Stearns admitted that call “got his head spinning a little bit,” but after digesting the change, there were a number of conversations leading to him giving his recommendation to ownership to go with Green.

For his part, Green said he started to feel that itch – what he later called "an overwhelming sense of joy and purpose" – in late July, which was a “tough time to start saying you’re feeling more passion for being in the dugout.”

“It was trade deadline time; we weren’t necessarily winning baseball games, there were a lot of conversations that had to be had with players to help walk them through difficult chapters,” Green said. “And I started thinking, if I have such a passion for the hard times, I’m looking forward to the good times.”

New York Mets interim manager Andy Green (center) stands in the dugout with bench coach Kai Correa (left) and third base coach Tim Leiper during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field
New York Mets interim manager Andy Green (center) stands in the dugout with bench coach Kai Correa (left) and third base coach Tim Leiper during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images

Green added that with August and moving forward with the new group after the deadline, it became “more and more clear,” and that once he reached the decision with his family, he made the call to Stearns.

Stearns said that the organization did "a significant amount of due diligence on external candidates" to uphold their "responsibility" to make sure they knew who else would be out there before Green put pen to paper on the contract, "but we never got to the point of interviewing an external candidate."

Green, who has a 37-38 record since he took over as interim following the firing of Carlos Mendoza, said he feels getting key pieces back from injury and the players have "gelled together and enjoyed playing together," which helped them play better baseball of late.

"This is a player-led business where they gotta take ownership of their careers and have the initiative to make this place great," Green said. "I think they've felt a transferring of that ownership and initiative. And I think they've risen up and played better baseball. Perfect baseball? No. And is there better baseball than we've played up 'til now? Yes.

But the newly minted skipper is "encouraged" by the way they have come together and "played with a better measure of freedom" since he came into the dugout.

"I think you see that on a pretty daily basis, so encouraged by those things," he continued. "We still have real strides to make to get to where we wanna go. We're very aware of that."

In making those strides for next season, Green told the clubhouse on Tuesday, after informing them of his new contract, that the "bright lights next year will reveal the work they did or didn't do in the shadows of the offseason."

"We have a lot of work to do on an individual basis," he said. "And each one of those guys is responsible for coming back as a better version of themselves and transferring that ownership to them was imperative to do, and it's why I'm so hungry to just get this announcement out of the way and move forward so we can have player meetings and talk to them individually about, 'Where's your next stride? Where's the next step? How do you get back to your best level of greatness?' And then try to set up an offseason where we're all collectively pushing in that direction.

"For me, there's a lot of work ahead. And the last three months there's been progress. Enough [progress]? No, we've got more to do."

Stearns added that he sees Green as having an ability to “connect the organization in ways that very few people could.”

“He allows us to connect front office to dugout, he allows us to connect minor league to major league, and he provides us a level of continuity that we need right now,” he said. “And a level of stability and belief that I think our players and our entire organization covet.”

And that his experience is a huge plus for the Mets heading into 2027.

“His experience throughout his career in this game, his experience in our organization over the last three years, our relationship that we’ve developed, and his ability to lead our clubhouse makes him the right choice,” Stearns said. “I’m thrilled that Andy has gotten to the point where this is the right choice for him and his family, as well. And I think we’re in very good hands in our dugout going forward.”

Stearns said that no decision had been made about the rest of the Mets coaching staff, and they would conduct a full review during the offseason, which is the organization's standard procedure.

Royals vs. White Sox 9/22 game discussion

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 20: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals takes the field prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

It’s the last homestand of the year.

That sentence brings no small measure of relief. This has been a trying season for the Royals, and it’s certainly been a trying last month for the Royals. They have lost 14 of their last 19 games. And unlike some past years where the Royals have pivoted to playing a young lineup, there is little potential excitement in this year’s squad. We know who’s good, and everybody who isn’t good probably isn’t going to have a job in Kansas City next year.

It’s also the last Royals game I’m covering as a member of the press this year. As it was the first game of the homestand, both Matt Quatraro and JJ Picollo did pregame press conferences in the dugout. Here are some takeaways from that and from a few interviews in the clubhouse:

  • Tony Gonsolin has been activated. Gonsolin has started 78 of his 86 career games—all for the Dodgers—but Q says he’s going to be in the bullpen for now. Next year, who knows; the Royals hold a 2027 club option for him, but he signed with the Royals because they offered him a job in the big leagues.
  • Carter Jensen is, to quote Picollo, a “baseball rat.” What a term; he said it endearlingly. Anyway, Jensen is “in the conversation” to continue his spot in the leadoff role next year, but it depends on personnel. Read between the lines there a little and I think the Royals are pleased at how he’s performed but might prefer a more traditional leadoff guy next year.
  • “This year’s work is going to be a lot different than last year.” Picollo knows that the team has to do more than just shore up some parts of the bullpen. I would expect a lot of moves.
  • Speaking of a lot of moves, Picollo was asked about how the offseason would move forward if there were a lockout. The most interesting thing that he said was about how the Royals are eager to get stuff done before a potential lockout; that he wants to “push the envelope” as much as they can when the season ends.
  • David Shields will start 2026 in Double-A. Kendry Chourio will play in Double-A sometime next year, too, but Picollo wouldn’t commit to him starting there at the beginning of the year.

Here we go:

White Sox lineup

Royals lineup

Game 157 Game Day Thread – New York Mets @ Texas Rangers

Jul 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (1) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New York Mets @ Texas Rangers

Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

LHP Sean Manaea vs. RHP MacKenzie Gore

The Mets can’t be assed to release a lineup. Here is Texas’:

Go Rangers!

Mets at Rangers, 9/22/26: Manaea vs Gore

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Sean Manaea #59 of the New York Mets takes the field prior to the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Mets lineup

Francisco Lindor – SS
Juan Soto – LF
Bo Bichette – 3B
Mark Vientos – 1B
Carson Benge – RF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Francisco Alvarez – DH
A.J. Ewing – CF
Luis Torrens – C

SP: Sean Manaea – LHP

Rangers lineup

Wyatt Langford – LF
Corey Seager – SS
Josh Jung – 3B
Jake Burger – 1B
Brandon Nimmo – RF
Ezequiel Duran – CF
Justin Foscue – 2B
Elias Diaz – DH
Danny Jansen – C

SP: MacKenzie Gore – LHP

First pitch: 8:05 PM EDT
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

The Suns might have six starters after all

PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 22: Collin Gillespie #12 and Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns look on after the game against the Toronto Raptors on March 22, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Many NBA teams can look you in the eye and say they have talented bench units, and they’d be right. The Oklahoma City Thunder, with Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Jaylin Williams; the New York Knicks, with Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, and Jose Alvarado; and the San Antonio Spurs, with Keldon Johnson and Dylan Harper, all have cases for boasting some of the deepest rosters in the league. But how many of them think they have six starters?

Steve Kerr used that term to describe the 2023-24 Golden State Warriors heading into the season after the team traded for Chris Paul. Paul was coming off a season in which he helped the Suns finish fourth in the West and ranked fifth in the NBA in assists per game. Despite their struggles on the road the season before, the Warriors had one of the best starting lineups in the league and were adding a player who had made his third straight All-Star appearance in 2021-22. While the Suns’ starting lineup during the 2025-26 campaign wasn’t as strong as the Warriors’ was before they added Paul, one major contributor to Phoenix’s surprising success last year is slated to start this season on the bench.

Collin Gillespie.

Gillespie started 70% of the team’s games last season and averaged career highs in nearly every statistical category. He’s now slated to be the Suns’ first man off the bench, with Jalen Green taking his place in the starting backcourt alongside Devin Booker. While the team had a better record when Gillespie didn’t start (Phoenix was 30-28 in his starts and 15-9 when he didn’t), he played an integral part in the team’s rotations and helped Phoenix reach the playoffs in a season expected to be marked by regression. The Suns also had a higher winning percentage when Gillespie started than when Green did, and their worst stretch of the season came while Green was starting.

Some of Gillespie’s best games of the 2025-26 season came in starts: his 28-point, eight-three-pointer game against the Lakers, his 30-point double-double against the Trail Blazers, and his 25-point outing against the Wizards. With Green out for most of the season, Gillespie took on many of his starting guard responsibilities and provided floor spacing and another ballhandler alongside Booker.

With Green playing a major role for the 2024-25 Houston Rockets, who finished second in the Western Conference with 52 wins, and averaging at least 17 points in four straight seasons, he has proven himself as a consistent scorer. While his efficiency remains a concern, his upside and experience as a starter helping teams develop put him firmly in the starting guard spot next to Booker. But this isn’t about comparing Green to Gillespie; it’s about whether Gillespie is a starting-level guard.

At the end of last season, Gillespie struggled mightily, averaging 7.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 34.1/28.1/85.7 shooting splits in his final 15 games of the regular season. But his body of work for the season is more important than how he ended it, considering the injuries Phoenix dealt with late in the season and the adjustment of reinserting Dillon Brooks and Booker into the starting lineup after their injuries.

The biggest difference for Collin Gillespie from last year to this year (outside of his paycheck) is that the team knows he’s capable of playing heavy minutes and contributing to winning. The question, however, is whether his performance a season ago showed he’s ready for a larger role and capable of consistently starting, rather than doing so out of necessity.


Lakers ‘Iron Man’ will land surprising starting 5 nod amid roster overhaul

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic in Lakers uniforms on a basketball court, Image 2 shows Los Angeles Lakers player Jarred Vanderbilt (2) running on the court, Image 3 shows A young man wearing a white t-shirt and tan shorts, with a black smartwatch on his left wrist, walks outdoors

When it comes to the Lakers’ lineup rotation for 2026-27, it’ll look a lot different for the team and coach JJ Redick compared to when the 2025-26 season ended just a few months ago. 

After an offseason roster reconstruction, over half of the players on the Lakers’ roster (nine players) will be new faces.

And that doesn’t include younger players looking to fight for more playing time, such as second-year forward Adou Thiero and third-year guard Bronny James. 

While there are multiple players guaranteed to be featured in the Lakers’ rotation as long as they’re healthy and available, there are still several spots to fill.

In light of training camp starting next week, and preseason games kicking off in 1 ½ weeks, here is the California Post’s best projection for what the Lakers’ rotation will look like once the regular season tips off in a month:

Starting lineup locks

Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are locks to start as the Lakers’ star players. NBAE via Getty Images

Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler

Let’s get the easy decisions out of the way. 

Doncic and Reaves are the Lakers’ star players, and were the league’s highest-scoring duo during the 2025-26 regular season.  

In addition to sending the Jazz two unprotected first-round draft picks and two protected first–round picks, the Lakers are paying Kessler at least $30 million in each of the next few seasons after having interest in him the last few years. 

They didn’t make that investment to bring him off of the bench. 

Doncic, Reaves and Kessler are sharpied as starters. 

Fourth, fifth starters for Lakers

Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia

From investment and skillset standpoints, the expectation is Grimes will be a Day 1 starter.

Grimes will be the Lakers’ fourth-highest paid player this season ($13.9 million salary) after signing a four-year, $60 million contract in July. 

New Lakers guard Quentin Grimes should be a starter because of his skills and the investment the franchise made to sign him. NBAE via Getty Images

And his complementary skills as a shooter and point-of-attack defender fill the needs the team has around their three marquee players. 

Not only is Grimes a lock for the rotation, but it’s a safe bet he’ll be a starter, too. 

The choices for the Lakers’ fifth starting spot has been covered extensively, and LaRavia should be the player who slides that into slot. 

He played in all 82 regular season games for the Lakers in 2025-26, but started nearly half of the season when one (or multiple) of the regular starters were sidelined. It’s clear he won the trust of the Lakers’ coaching staff. And at 25 years old, he has room to grow as a player. His familiarity with Doncic and Reaves helps, too.

Jake LaRavia should be the Lakers’ fifth starter. NBAE via Getty Images

Rotation locks 

Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle

The Lakers made a significant investment in Mamukelashvili, signing the 6-foot-9 big man to a four-year, $52 million contract. He’ll be the first or second option off of the bench for the power forward or small-ball center looks. 

Sexton will be the Lakers’ top guard off of the bench.

Redick mentioned in May that the team needed to improve with dribbling, passing and shooting. 

Collin Sexton (left) and Jake LaRavia (right) should be locks for the Lakers’ regular rotation. REUTERS

Outside of Doncic and Reaves, Sexton and Mamukelashvili provide the best combination of all three skills. 

Williams, a lottery pick in 2021, has untapped potential entering his sixth season in the NBA. 

Thybulle is the Lakers’ best perimeter defender, even if there are questions about his durability after playing a combined 45 regular season games the last two seasons.

The Lakers have used nine- and 10-men rotations under Redick. 

If the plan is to have a 10-man rotation, there will be a fierce competition for the final spot. 

10th man contenders

Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Kevon Looney, Jarred Vanderbilt

Each player brings distinct strengths and weaknesses.

Vanderbilt is the best defender, but his lack of shooting can cramp the offensive spacing alongside a traditional big man. 

Jarred Vanderbilt should have a legitimate shot at being in the Lakers’ rotation as the 10th man. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Looney remains a high-level screener and rebounder, but he’s coming off of playing 21 regular season games for a Pelicans team that chose to have multiple big men ahead of him in the depth chart. 

Carr is the best shooter of the group and provides vertical athleticism, but needs to get stronger to be a reliable defender on the wings. 

Thiero is the best athlete but needs to refine his skills. 

Mamukelashvili’s ability to be a floor-spacing center opens up an opportunity for Vanderbilt to be the swiss-army knife defender the Lakers would benefit from in the frontcourt next to Mamukelashvili.

Thiero may be the Lakers’ long-term focus, but Vanderbilt should be ready to contribute more to winning from Day 1 and be in the rotation to start the season.

There should be opportunities for Thiero and Carr to get minutes, but they’ll have to earn that playing time, starting with next week’s camp.

Braves vs Reds chat and discussion: JR Ritchie vs Brandon Williamson

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 31: Eugenio Suarez #28 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates after hitting a home run in the 7th inning during the 6-4 win against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park on May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Playing out the string.

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Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves – Brandon Williamson vs. JR Ritchie

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 31: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds runs to third base during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park on May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Brandon Williamson gets the start on Tuesday night in Atlanta as the Cincinnati Reds begin their penultimate series of the season against the Braves.

JR Ritchie will start for Atlanta, and he’ll chuck out the game’s first pitch at 7:15 PM ET.

The Braves have already clinched the NL East and have the slimmest of chances to earn a 1st round bye, so this game is more likely than not nothing more than a footnote of history.

Here’s how both teams will line up to start, however:

Today’s Lineups

REDSBRAVES
Carlos Jorge – RFRonald Acuna – RF
Elly De La Cruz – SSDrake Baldwin – DH
Sal Stewart – 1BMatt Olson – 1B
Tyler Stephenson – COzzie Albies – 2B
JJ Bleday – LFMichael Harris – CF
Eugenio Suarez – 3BMauricio Dubon – LF
Dane Myers – CFAustin Riley – 3B
Hector Rodriguez – DHSean Murphy – C
Matt McLain – 2BHa-Seong Kim – SS
B. Williamson – LHPJR Ritchie – RHP

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Max Fried vs. Drew Rasmussen

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 15: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Earlier this afternoon, we saw the blueprint for what an Aaron Judge-less postseason run will have to look like: Incredible performance from the starter, good defense, and just enough hitting to get by. The Yankees will look to repeat that in the nightcap of today’s doubleheader, with a crackling starting pitcher matchup.

Max Fried toes the slab in the Bronx, having an excellent season albeit one twice interrupted by injury. He’s rounding out the regular season with one of my favorite statistical quirks, an identical 2.63 ERA and FIP. Had he avoided the IL with a year like this, the Yankees would have two of the likely top three finishers in Cy Young voting, but all we can ask of Max tonight is that he delays the Rays’ champagne celebration at least one more day.

Opposing him is a starter who will get his share of Cy Young votes, although he won’t sniff the award itself. Across 29 starts Drew Rasmussen has posted a four-and-a-half win year by fWAR, and a stellar 4.5-percent walk rate. If you wanna get on against Drew, you have to hit your way aboard, and even then he runs a 44-percent groundball rate. The Yankees are going to have to rely on one big swing a game for a little while, and that’s going to have to be the way they beat Rasmussen.

The Yankees’ lineup features a familiar presence returning from the IL, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back from his brief absence and will man the keystone. Max Schuemann was demoted to make room for Jazz on the active roster. If the man has a hot stretch ready for the end of his bumpy walk year, now would be the time to kick it off.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY

First pitch: 7:05 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, Rays.TV, TBS (out-of-market only)

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | WDAE 95.7 FM, WQBN/1300AM (TB)

Streaming: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

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GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs. Washington Nationals, 6:40 p.m.

Sep 11, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle (7) throws to first base after dropping the ball against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. McGonigle was charged with an error. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Detroit Tigers (74-83) vs. Washington Nationals (73-84)

Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park
SB Nation Site:Federal Baseball
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Drew Anderson (5-6, 3.62 ER) vs. LHP Jackson Kent (1-4, 6.40 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Anderson48102.025.19.949.14.190.7
Kent732.117.915.249.04.370.4

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GUARDIANS AT RED SOX: Messick vs. Tolle, discussion

CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 29: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a fly ball to left field for a home run, scoring Jo Adell (not pictured) to give Cleveland a 2-0 lead in the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on August 29, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here’s the Guardians lineup:

Here’s the Red Sox lineup:

Let’s go, Guardians!

Brandon Nimmo shares thoughts on Mets' new core, playing for New York, Pete Alonso's Citi Field reception

For the first time since getting traded by the Mets during the offseason, Brandon Nimmo gets a chance to play against his former team.

With New York in Texas for a three-game series against the Rangers, Nimmo was finally able to share his thoughts on playing for and leaving the Mets, what’s gone wrong for New York this season and recently, as well as the Pete Alonso situation at Citi Field that took the baseball world by storm last week.

To kick things off, though, Nimmo expressed excitement over playing his old club, a series that he circled early on after joining the Rangers and one that comes at a time when his team, at 78-78, is in first place in the AL West and leading the Houston Astros by one game.

“I obviously knew this series was coming up and it’s not like it surprised me or anything, so it’s gonna be fun to see those guys again and fun to play against them on the field,” Nimmo said. “It’s gonna be interesting.”

The Mets, of course, have already been eliminated from playoff contention after one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, but they’ll do their best to play spoiler against Nimmo and the Rangers and end the year on a high note.

In fact, New York has actually played much better since its fire sale at the trade deadline, which is something Nimmo has noticed and is not taking lightly.

“I think it’s been a tale of two stories,” he said. “I think that the team in the beginning, from what I’ve seen from the outside, is much different than the team that they are now. Not just because of the trade deadline, but they seem to be playing better baseball now and so I think it’s a real formidable team over there. 

“For us, we’re looking to really go play some good baseball against them tonight because we know that they’re very dangerous. It was obviously not the way that they drew it up for things to start, but that’s baseball. You can’t predict the future.”

It’s true, at 71-85 on Sept. 22, this wasn’t where the Mets pictured themselves before the season started. After trading Nimmo and moving on from a core that wasn’t able to get it done over the last few years, including Alonso, who they let walk in free agency, David Stearns and the Mets still had a plan to compete in 2026.

That plan included a bunch of fresh faces, some old and some new like Carson Benge, who made the team out of spring training and has been a ROTY candidate, as well as A.J. Ewing, who emerged as the team’s everyday center fielder and added a spark when New York desperately needed one.

“Benge seems like the real deal. What a great player all around,” Nimmo said. “…Ewing, seems like he’s got a lot of tools and seems like a great player – obviously playing center field is a really hard thing to do and he’s doing a great job of that. 

“From what I’ve seen from the young guys that they have over there, it seems like a really bright future, so I think that they definitely have that hammered down and seems like they’re doing great and good things to continue to come from them.”

From that aspect, moving on from Nimmo, who has four years remaining on his eight-year, $162 million contract, made sense and has worked out for the Mets.

Even Nimmo understands that.

“I honestly just think we weren’t thought of as the solution moving forward,” he said, referring to himself and Alonso. “I don’t think we were blamed for what happened in the past, I think we were just thought of as not the solution going forward. I tried not reading any more into that than that… For me, I didn’t look at it like ‘hey, we blame you guys’ that’s not how I looked at it.”

But while the Nimmo trade has been, for the most part, a clean break, the Alonso situation still looks like a bad breakup.

That was obviously on full display at Citi Field recently when Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles came to Queens for a three-game set which drew boisterous crowds all three nights and came to a head when Alonso hit his 300th career home run to tie the game in the ninth inning.

“There’s a lot of people that love Pete and there’s a lot of people that love what he did for that Mets organization,” Nimmo said about the circumstances. “…People are gonna go watch those franchise guys and root for them.”

Nimmo was also in awe of his former teammate’s performance during that series, but wasn’t surprised by it as he saw it time and time again with the Mets.

“I know Pete and he lives for those moments and there’s very, very, very few people that can live for those moments and come through in them and Pete’s one of them,” he said. “I think [the home run in] Milwaukee probably solidified that for most Mets fans, but I’ve seen it time and time again.”

He continued: “For me, I thought it was a really cool experience for them and the Mets fans and I just think it’s so Pete that like he would go back and do that and put on a show for the fans.”

Part of the reason why fans reacted the way they did during Alonso’s homecoming is because of Stearns' plan to replace him and the lack of production coming from first base this season. The other part was to show Alonso the love that they felt during his time with the Mets – the same love that they showed Nimmo, who spoke about what it’s like playing in New York.

“This is completely different,” he said, referring to the media and public scrutiny. “How much is looked into every single day and the exposure of every single day rather than kind of taking things in stride from month to month. [In New York], it’s like did you do it today or did you not? And you have to own up to that and it’s something that I learned really early on, way back in Brooklyn. I grew up in the system and I figured it out really early on, but when you come from other places and you go into it, it’s completely different.

“Playing in New York is a different animal and it’s good, it’s a really great thing and I think that the New York market is awesome and it’s a great place to win and I developed great relationships there, but it is not for everyone. That is for sure."

St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Discussion Tuesday

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 30: JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds second after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 30, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Just 6 games to go for the St. Louis Cardinals this season. Tuesday night, it’s the beginning of a 3-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Andre Pallante will get the start for the Cardinals while the Pirates will give the ball RHP Jared Jones. First pitch at PNC Park in Pittsburgh is scheduled for 5:40pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.

  1. JJ Wetherholt (L) 2B
  2. Iván Herrera (R) DH
  3. Alec Burleson (L) 1B
  4. Jordan Walker (R) RF
  5. Leo Bernal (S) C
  6. Bryan Torres (L) LF
  7. Thomas Saggese (R) 3B
  8. Nathan Church (L) CF
  9. Masyn Winn (R) SS

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