ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 26: Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Alek Thomas (9) bats during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on August 26, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Dodgers minor league center fielder Alek Thomas on Monday was named Pacific Coast League player of the week for the final week of the regular season, after a strong five games for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Thomas joined teammate Jackson Ferris, who won pitcher of the week for last week.
Thomas had nine hits in 17 at-bats on the road at El Paso last week with two triples, two doubles, and four walks, hitting .529/.636/.882 with six runs scored, four RBI, and one stolen base. He finished off his season with four consecutive multi-hit games.
Thomas played five years for the Arizona Diamondbacks before getting designated for assignment in May. The Dodgers acquired him on May 12 for minor league outfielder Jose Requena. Thomas hit .305/.378/.537 with 36 extra-base hits in 68 games for Oklahoma City, his 131 wRC+ his best in the minors since 2021.
Oklahoma City plays for the Pacific Coast League championship in a best-of-3 series beginning Tuesday night on the road against the Las Vegas Aviators, an A’s affiliate.
The Chicago Blackhawks played their first home preseason game on Monday night. This was also the first time that they used a lineup filled with NHL players in 2026-27.
One of those players, Bowen Byram, made his preseason debut with the Blackhawks. Chicago acquired Byram ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, and he's already making a good first impression.
In the Hawks' 4-3 win, Byram scored a hat trick, including the game-winning goal in overtime. Although it's an exhibition game that doesn't count, you can see the difference he brings to the offense of a team that sorely lacked that skill.
"He was great," Nick Lardis said of Byram after the game. "Scoring a hat trick as a defenseman is not easy; a hat trick for anyone in this league isn't easy. He's going to be a special player for us this year - one of the leaders on this team."
Lardis was the other goal scorer in the game, and someone who knows how to find the back of the net regularly. Having someone like Byram in the same lineup has to be a breath of fresh air, as all of the offensive-minded forwards on the team have a guy back there who can make incredible plays and even join the rush.
It was noticeable that the Blackhawks looked faster on Monday compared to recent seasons. Of course, they battled against a Wild team dressing mostly AHL players, but the team-speed is definitely improved. Having Byram out there for over a third of the game plays a role in that.
"He's been really good every day, he's a really good player," Jeff Blashill said of Byram after the game. "We have a ton of belief in him as a player, person, competitor, as a guy who is going to help our team. Whether he scored or didn't score, that wouldn't change the level of belief in him."
Blashill went on to say that he is a very talented defenseman who is just coming into his prime. He is now doing it on a team where he can be the number one guy who gets the big minutes at that position. In his previous NHL roles, Byram was behind stars like Cale Makar and Rasmus Dahlin, but now he gets to be the main number one on a team so desperate for that level of play from the back end.
As Lardis said, scoring hat tricks is hard. Byram may not do that again in the regular season. What he is going to do, however, is help move the puck north. The forwards will receive better breakout passes, and the team as a whole will spend less time in their own end while he's on the ice.
There is a desire to prove himself worthy of this role in the NHL, which is adding to his success. A lot was given up to acquire him, and then the extension is worth a lucrative amount of money. Living up to that is important to him, and it shows in his work ethic.
Byram has been paired up with Alex Vlasic since the start of training camp. Vlasic is more of a quiet (on the ice) two-way defenseman who is always looking to make the smart play. There is no flashy offensive flair to his game, but he is almost always in the right place at the right time in all three zones.
With Byram's ability to generate offense and tendencies to take more risks, having Vlasic as his defense partner fits like a glove.
"It's been good," Byram said of his game paired with Vlasic. "We have a natural chemistry. I've been saying it all camp, but he's a really good player. He's so big, he closes quick, and extends plays. That makes it easy when you play the puck more, you have more opportunities. I thought we did a decent job defending and breaking the puck out tonight."
If Byram is going to be as special as his talents suggest he is going to be, the Blackhawks needed to give him the perfect partner. With Alex Vlasic, the early signs are there that they have done so.
Although Byram had a hat trick, they were unable to get the power play going, mostly because they were only given one chance. Once that operation starts to click, the team will really start going offensively under his leadership from the defense.
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BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Craig Breslow chief baseball officer of the Boston Red Sox with manager Chad Tracy #17, center, in the dugout before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park on September 7, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello and happy Tuesday, folks. Hope your hangover from celebrating the postseason berth wasn’t too bad yesterday.
The Boston Red Sox—your newly-minted Wild Card qualifiers (I wonder if they’ll hang a banner for that one)—are back in action today. They’ll be at home to take on the Cleveland Guardians, a team that’s fighting for their spot in the dance, in the first of a three-game set. First pitch from Fenway Park tonight is set for 6:45 EST.
My question to you all is simple: What questions do you want answered regarding the roster construction ahead of the playoffs? What have you got your mind on? Is it the confirmation that the pitching rotation will be Tolle-Gray-Suarez in the Wild Card round? Is it a matter of which arms fill out the rest of the pitching staff? Which position players will—and will not—survive the roster crunch? Let us know below!
Use this space to talk about whatever you want, be good to each other, and go Sox.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Xander Bogaerts #2, Fernando Tatis Jr. #23, Jase Bowen #4 and Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres celebrate on the field after defeating the Miami Marlins at Petco Park on September 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres have done their part. They have put themselves in a position to reach the postseason as soon as tonight if they can beat the Los Angeles Dodgers and get a little help from the Colorado Rockies against the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Diego has a magic number of two, meaning that any combination of wins and Arizona losses sends the Padres to the playoffs for the third consecutive season. It would be a first for the franchise.
There is no one person to thank for the Padres’ second half turnaround. It’s been a collective effort from players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Ty France and at times some combination of Manny Machado, Luis Campusano, Dustin Harris or Samad Taylor on the offensive side. On the pitching side, Michael King has been looking like the ace the Friar Faithful have expected him to be. Walker Buehler looked like he was going to be off the team heading into the All-Star break, but he has rebounded with a solid second half and the return of Nick Pivetta has been impressive to say the least.
Of course, none of the second half success for San Diego would have been possible without the play of the bullpen. Mason Miller showed he is human in a couple of situations, but he remains an extraordinary human. Adrian Morejon looks like a lock to be the top-paid reliever in the offseason — and with new ownership that does not necessarily mean he is going to be with the Dodgers next season. Bradgley Rodriguez and Yuki Matsui have solidified their roles, and Kyle Hart has shown to be a dependable lefty who can provide length.
All of these players and more have helped the Padres pull even with the Chicago Cubs for the top National League Wild Card spot. It is also why they are a game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for the No. 2 spot and why they are five games clear of the Diamondbacks. There is still plenty to play even putting aside the possibility of clinching a postseason berth. San Diego could have a chance to HOST a postseason series, which would give the Friars the upper hand against any of the playoff contenders and would be a nice reward for the devoted fans of the Padres who have packed Petco Park night in and night out throughout the season.
The final step toward the postseason could come tonight, but San Diego will have to control what it can control and that is getting a road-win over the Dodgers tonight at 7:10 p.m.
Padres News:
Ty France has been an unexpected surprise this season and could easily be considered the team MVP in San Diego, but how did he get to this point?
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 18: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians watches a solo home run clear the right-field fence during the sixth inning against the Athletics for his 1,000th career RBI at Progressive Field on September 18, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been an incredibly bizarre season, and it’s not over yet.
“Parity” has been the word across the majors in 2026, and one that won’t go away any time soon. The owners say they need to increase it in the next collective bargaining agreement, and they’re willing to lockout the players in order to improve “competitive balance.” It’s not clear if that’s possible, or even desirable, following a year of extreme sameness.
On the one hand, broad competence has meant most teams have been reasonably competitive into September. Even fans whose playoff hopes were dashed weeks ago can still watch with an eye toward next year. On the other, the race for the middle means few (if any) teams have achieved true greatness, and we may even see a division winner with a sub-.500 record for the first time ever. The other word featured in think pieces this year has been “mediocrity.”
It hasn’t just been a weird year at the team level. There’s also extreme turnover at the top of individual leaderboards. Aaron Judge spent most of the year on the injured list and will not win his third straight MVP. Shohei Ohtani battled injury much of the year and will not win his fourth straight MVP. In their place are a smattering of post-hype superstars, unlikely veterans, and scintillating rookies. The breadth and depth of talent suggests the league remains as strong as ever.
With that in mind, here are a few storylines I’m following as we begin the final week of play.
Will anybody make the playoffs with a sub-.500 record?
The parity in the American League isn’t necessarily surprising. FanGraphs didn’t peg any team for greater than 90 wins in the preseason, and 12 teams had greater than 20% odds to make the playoffs. What is surprising is how bad the AL West wound up being — or rather, how bad the Mariners specifically wound up being. They were arguably the favorites in the AL in the preseason, and were supposed to clean house in a weak division. Instead, they were mediocre in the first half and have been simply terrible in the second, leaving the teams in Texas to slug it out in a race for .500.
The Rangers begin the week at 78-78, while the Astros are a game back at 77-79. The Rangers have gotten here with a general mediocrity, not really standing out in any aspect of the game, good or bad. That said, they do look a bit better these days with Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager finally healthy at the the same time. The Astros instead create their mediocrity from a frustrating mix of stars and scrubs. They have an elite top of the order in Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, and Isaac Paredes, and they have a great closer in Josh Hader. But there hasn’t been much success beyond them — they even fired general manager Dana Brown last month.
The Astros hold the tie breaker over the Rangers, having taken the season series 9-4. They also have a slightly easier schedule ahead, playing the Mariners and A’s, while the Rangers play the Mets and Twins. Still, the Astros are in a miserable stretch, having lost 7 of 10 with “three slaps in the face” over the weekend against the Braves
No team has ever made it to the postseason with a sub-.500 record in a full season. Both the Astros and Brewers earned Wild Card nods at 29-31 in 2020, though eight teams per league made the postseason that year. The 1981 Royals got to the playoffs at 50-53 in a strike-shortened season that was split into two halves. The worst team to ever make the playoffs in a full season was the 2005 Padres at 82-80.
Who will outlast in the AL Central?
The only other active race is the Guardians (81-75) and White Sox (80-76) for the AL Central. The Guardians, after falling way behind in the early summer, have suddenly pulled ahead. They’ve pitched well throughout the year and are now surging at the plate, making them a well-rounded and fairly dangerous team. They’re 12-7 in September and took two of three against the White Sox just last week. After sweeping the A’s over the weekend, they head to Boston and Kansas City to try to maintain their lead.
The White Sox, on the other hand, are struggling to regain their footing after fumbling what was once a 5 1/2 game lead on the division. Their early success was largely built on the long ball, but their bats have run cold at the wrong time. They’re 8-11 in September after dropping the series in Cleveland, though did well to take three of four from the Tigers over the weekend. They, too, play the Royals this week, and finish the season at home against the Rockies. The White Sox hold the tie breaker with a 7-6 record against the Guardians in the regular season.
Both teams figure to make the postseason, and each has playoff odds greater than 95%, according to FanGraphs. The winner will likely earn the second seed and a first round bye. The runner-up would instead play whoever wins the AL West.
Will the Brewers reach 100 wins for the first time?
Only the Brewers, Dodgers, and Rays have a chance to reach triple digits in the win column. The Dodgers, with their infinite payroll, are expected to do this every year, though haven’t since 2023. The Rays are never expected to do this, because they don’t spend like the Dodgers — another wrinkle in the looming arguments over parity.
The Brewers, meanwhile, have simply never done it, as one of just six teams to have never reached 100 wins in their history. In fact, at 98 wins, this is already their best-ever season, topping their previous high mark of 97 wins from just last year. Perhaps more importantly, the Brewers are on the cusp of finishing with the best record in the majors for a second straight season. This is looking like the beginning of a true dynasty.
I’m not even sure what’s left to say about the Brewers. They have one of the best lineups in baseball, led by Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, and Jackson Chourio. They have one of the best rotations in baseball, led by the league’s ace Jacob Misiorowski. Their high leverage bullpen is as deep and as clutch as they come. If greatness exists in the majors in 2026, it can be found in Milwaukee.
Will Pete Crow-Armstrong get to 40-40 in his MVP season?
There are plenty of reasons to watch Pete Crow-Armstrong the rest of the way. Will he lead the majors in home runs? He’s tied with Kyle Schwarber at 45. Will he set the all-time record for Fielding Run Value in a season? He’s at 27 FRV and one behind Nick Ahmed’s all-time mark of 28 from 2018.
But Crow-Armstrong is also at 38 stolen bases, putting him just two short of the illustrious 40-40 club, a distinction only six others have ever reached. To be fair, 40-40 is not what it once was, as new rules have made it easier than ever to steal bases — 40 homers while leading the league in defense is far more impressive, in my opinion. Regardless, 40-40 remains a figure of immortality, an irrefutable tagline that conveys greatness even beyond the NL MVP.
Who will take home the AL MVP?
The AL MVP race remains neck and neck without Judge in the mix. Bobby Witt Jr. has been great all around and leads the AL in fWAR, though it’d feel weird to give him the nod in what’s technically been a down year by his standards. Yordan Alvarez, on the other hand, is having his best-ever season, though it’s rare for the award to go to a DH. Just as rare is for the the award to go to a pitcher, but maybe Cam Schlittler has done enough to earn the honors. He makes his final start Thursday against the Rays. There’s also Junior Caminero, who leads the AL in homers and stars for the league’s best team. Perhaps a scorching final week could earn him the nod.
Head and shoulders portrait of Urban Shocker in his Yankees Uniform. (Photo by �� Bettmann/CORBIS/Bettmann Archive)
If you were to make a lineup of the all-time best Yankees based solely on having fun names, Urban Shocker would have a strong argument to be the starting pitcher, however he was also much more than that. While his best years didn’t come in the Bronx, Shocker was a very good MLB pitcher, including in six seasons across two stints with the Yankees. One of those stints came as part of the 1927 “Murderers’ Row” World Series-winning team.
Were it not for his health leading to his departure from the majors and eventual way too young death, he might’ve been able to pitch a few more years and make a case for the Hall of Fame. With today marking his 136th birthday, let’s look back on the life and times of Mr. Shocker.
Urban James Shocker Born: September 22, 1890 (Cleveland, OH) Died: September 9, 1928 (Denver, CO) Yankees Tenure: 1916-17, 1925-28
While he was known professionally as the name listed above, Shocker was born as Urbain Jacques Shockcor in Cleveland in 1890. His father was of French heritage, hence the name, but the pitcher’s name eventually became Anglicized as his baseball career progressed.
Shocker was raised in Cleveland as well, but he eventually made his way to Michigan, where his career began. After playing for semi-pro teams around the state, he made his professional debut with a Windsor, Ontario team in the Class D Border League in 1913. He got off to a bit of a bad start there, posting an ERA near five, but showed good “stuff,” striking out 90 baters in 121 innings.
With some more seasoning, that “stuff” began to show through, and Shocker got on the major league radar with an impressive 1915 with the Ottawa Senators — a baseball version — of the Canadian League. He put up a 1.99 ERA in 303 innings that year, and the Yankees went on to take him in that September’s rule 5 draft, a different version than the one we now know today. Shocker then spent most of 1916 with the Toronto Maple Leafs — again, a baseball version — but he did make his MLB debut in April and threw over 80 innings in the bigs that season. In Toronto, he posted a 1.31 ERA and had a 54.1 inning scoreless streak at one point.
Despite that and putting up better than average numbers in the bigs the next season, Shocker still remained a swingman guy for 1917. Miller Huggins then took over as Yankees manager for 1918, and looked to improve the roster. Looking to acquire Del Pratt to play second base, Huggins included Shocker in a package traded to the St. Louis Browns for Pratt.
With a bigger role, Shocker broke out in St. Louis. He was good in 1918, and then one of the best pitchers in baseball over the next couple years. From 1919-23, following a stint in the military during World War I, Shocker put up 24.3 fWAR, which trailed only Stan Coveleski and Grover Cleveland Alexander among all pitchers in baseball. He also won 104 games over those five seasons, including 20+ in four-straight years, and 27 in 1921. Shocker was one of a number of pitchers whose success came from the “spitball,” and was grandfathered in to using it, despite its 1920 banning.
The trade would probably be more remembered had the Yankees truly suffered from it, but they won a couple AL pennants in that period and then finally brought home the 1923 World Series. The Browns also weren’t able to capitalize on Shocker’s success at the team level to any great degree. They came close to winning the AL in 1922, finishing one game back of the Yankees. Every other year though, they ended up double digit games back behind the pennant winner.
In 1924, Hall of Fame player George Sisler took over as the Browns’ manager. He and Shocker did not always see eye-to-eye. Shocker also had a dip in numbers that year, and St. Louis decided to put the pitcher out on the market. Huggins and the Yankees decided to atone for their earlier mistake and traded Bullet Joe Bush and Milt Gaston for Shocker ahead of the 1925 season.
Individually, Shocker was pretty good in 1925, however the team dropped to seventh place with Babe Ruth limited to 98 games due to his “Bellyache Heard ‘Round the World.” Ruth returned the following year, and thanks in part to another good season from Shocker, they won the AL to go to the World Series.
Shocker made his World Series debut as the Yankees’ starter in Game 2, but allowed five runs in a loss to the Cardinals. He didn’t make another start, but did come out of the bullpen in Game 6. While none of them ended up getting charged as earned runs to him, Shocked was on the mound for four Cardinals’ runs, as St. Louis opened up a big league on route to a series-saving win. The Cardinals would win Game 7 the following day to take the series.
In 1927, Shocker remained a good pitcher for the Yankees, posting a 2.84 ERA in exactly 200 innings. He again helped the Yankees take the pennant. Shocker was on the roster, but he wouldn’t appear in the World Series as the Yankees swept the Pirates.
The following offseason, Shocker was one of a number of Yankee holdouts, looking for better contracts. Eventually as those discussions dragged on, the pitcher shockingly (sorry) announced his retirement. However, Huggins continued to try and get the pitcher back in the fold, and eventually got him to agree to a deal just before the regular season.
Once Shocker did begin to ramp back up to return to baseball, something appeared wrong. In addition to wrist problems, Shocker had also lost a dramatic amount of weight. His SABR bio says he was at 115 pounds, down from a normal 190, which would be a baffling amount for someone listed at 5-foot-10. Shocker appeared in one game for the Yankees in 1928, but passed out while pitching batting practice one day, leading to his release.
As it turned out, Shocker had battled heart problems for many years, which he had kept to himself for many years. He tried to battle through and pitched in some semi-pro games in Denver, but continue to have issues. He eventually checked himself into a hospital in August, but he soon took a turn for the worse. A couple weeks later, Shocked passed away at 37 due to a combination of his heart issues and pneumonia.
Urban Shocker’s 55.1 rWAR ranks fourth among all pitchers from 1916-28, which was the course of his major league career. He was probably better than a couple of the old timers that have been elected, and could’ve been even better were it not for the unfortunate circumstances that led to his passing.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 16: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates his first inning solo home run with Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles during the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 16, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Three years ago, at this time, the Orioles were wrapping up their first AL East title in nine years while on their way to an AL-best 101-61 record. Fast forward three years, and the O’s are back in the depths of disappointment that plagued this team for the entirety of the 2000s and the early days of the Mike Elias rebuild. Sure, this team isn’t going to lose 100+ or even 90+ games. But for a team many picked to win 85+ games, finishing this season with a losing record is perhaps even more disappointing.
And yet, this team doesn’t feel that far away, talent-wise, from the team that won the division a short while ago. In Pete Alonso, the Orioles have their biggest star since prime Manny Machado. Gunnar Henderson has almost inexplicably regressed, but has still managed to put up 50+ XBHs amidst his most disappointing professional season. And the rotation, although lacking a true bona fide star, is perhaps in the best position it’s been in since before Elias took over.
Assuming there is baseball in 2027, a presumably reimagined front office will have plenty of work to get this team over the hurdles it failed to clear in 2025 and 2026. With one eye now firmly on the future, I look at just how far apart the current Orioles roster is from the best team of the Elias era.
Infielders
2023: (C Adley Rutschman, 1B Ryan Mountcastle, 2B Adam Frazier, 3B Gunnar Henderson, SS Jorge Mateo, UTL Ramón Urías, UTL Jordan Westburg, DH Ryan O’Hearn)
Total bWAR: 17.9, Total OWAR: 17.8, Total DWAR: 2.6
2026: (C Samuel Basallo, 1B Pete Alonso, 2B Jackson Holliday, 3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand, UTL Blaze Alexander, UTL Jeremiah Jackson, DH Coby Mayo)
Total bWAR: 13.3, Total OWAR: 13.8, Total DWAR: 0.6
Only one spot in the infield shows the 2026 O’s beating the 2023 team: ‘26 Pete Alonso bests ‘23 Ryan Mountcastle by a full 2.2 bWAR, without factoring in the two home runs he hit last night against the Blue Jays. Christian Encarnacion-Strand also barely edges out ‘23 Jorge Mateo, despite having about 150 fewer PAs; such has been CES’s offensive impact since joining the Orioles in July. Blaze Alexander also outplayed Ramón Urías by 0.1 bWAR despite more than 100 fewer PAs.
The easiest way to bridge the gap between this year’s Birds and the ‘23 O’s is just to get a better version of Gunnar Henderson. Three years ago, Henderson was a 6.1 bWAR player and a Top 10 MVP finisher. This year, he’s down to 3.0 bWAR while seeing a noticeable drop both offensively and defensively. However, there is still the lingering question of “Who is the real Gunnar Henderson?” Over his first two full seasons, he averaged 7.5 bWAR. Over the last two seasons, that average has dipped to just above 4.0 bWAR.
Getting full seasons out of all their best infielders might also just be enough to pick up the slack. Alexander looked like an All-Star at times this year, but was limited to just 93 games thanks to hand and back injuries. Not factored into the 2026 Orioles’ final numbers is the 2.1 bWAR Adley Rutschman contributed before being traded, nor the 100+ games Jackson Holliday and Samuel Basallo missed with hand, shoulder and wrist injuries.
Coby Mayo also seemed to take a huge leap after being moved to full-time DH with part-time 3B duties after the emergence of CES. If you keep that dynamic going, get healthy seasons from Basallo and Holliday and replace Jeremiah Jackson’s ABs with a healthy Jordan Westburg and you have a completely remade infield. However, that’s a lot of big “ifs” that rely on an oft-injured team to suddenly stay healthy.
Outfielders
2023: (LF Austin Hays, CF Cedric Mullins, RF Anthony Santander, OF Aaron Hicks)
Colton Cowser was a reasonable facsimile for Cedric Mullins this year in CF, though Cowser leans even more heavily toward defensive value while still struggling to find offensive consistency at the big league level. The rest of the 2026 outfield was largely a disaster. Beavers failed to take a meaningful step in his full rookie season; Taveras was great during his first month in Baltimore but has failed to do anything meaningful since; O’Neill, as always, was strong in flashes but missed nearly half the season with injuries.
Both Austin Hays and Anthony Santander were more good than great in 2023, but both look like sure fire All-Stars when compared to the corner outfielders from this year’s squad. Even past-his-prime Aaron Hicks from 2023 would have given the Orioles better play than they got from most of their OFs this year.
However, it also must be taken into account that Taylor Ward’s 2.7 bWAR doesn’t get factored into the 2026 group’s total after he was traded to the Mariners at the deadline. Even Ward, though, was somewhat of a disappointment after the presumed power hitter posted a higher OBP than SLG with the O’s. Baltimore is thin on internal solutions, with only Enrique Bradfield Jr. and Heston Kjerstad as the only potentially impactful players in the minors. Short of making Alexander a full-time OF, the front office will have to pursue outside reinforcements once the lockout ends.
Despite putting up 2.0 fewer bWAR than their 2023 counterparts, the rotation is arguably in a better spot now than it was three years ago. The biggest difference is that Kyle Bradish produced at an elite level in 2023 (4.8 bWAR) and no one reached that high in 2026. The Orioles’ best two starters by bWAR this year (Rogers—2.2, Young—2.2) don’t even combine to equal Bradish’s 2023 campaign.
However, context is important when evaluating this year’s rotation. Baz had a 4.11 ERA, but a 3.61 FIP, and suffered from the constant pressure of having to pitch with terrible run support. This year’s Bradish had a 3.49 ERA through his first 20 starts, but then put up a 5.83 ERA over his last 9 starts in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery.
It was also a tale of two seasons for Rogers. Through his first 10 starts, he had a 6.84 ERA as he suffered from the effects of missing two weeks due to illness. In 19 starts since the beginning of June, Rogers has a 2.92 ERA, 115 Ks in 117 IP and has limited opponents to a .228 average.
The plan to make this rotation playoff-worthy is simple: re-sign Rogers and spend the $18.5M they gave Chris Bassitt on someone with more upside than a 37-year-old, 12th-year veteran. Fail to re-sign Rogers and the task of fielding a competitive rotation becomes exponentially more difficult.
Bullpen
2023: (RHP Félix Bautista, RHP Yennier Cano, LHP Danny Coulombe, RHP Brian Baker, RHP Mike Baumann)
Mike Elias has been largely successful at piecing together relief corps from the castoffs of other teams. Three years ago, it was relative no-names like Yennier Cano, Danny Coulombe and Brian Baker who formed the heart of the O’s bullpen. This year, we’ve seen guys like Rico Garcia, Josh Walker and Cam Sanders all step up to become fixtures in the O’s pen.
Where the front office has failed is in replacing the irreplaceable force that was 2023 Félix Bautista. They tried to replace the once-again injured Bautista with former All-Star Ryan Helsley. He made 17 appearances before being shut down for the season at the beginning of July. Helsley’s role then went to Kittredge, who posted a -0.4 bWAR this season (compared to Bautista’s 3.0 from 2023). Short of signing Yankees’ closer David Bednar in free agency or getting an unexpected return to form from Bautista, closer may continue to be one of the team’s biggest holes in 2027.
May 20, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Former Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Pudge Rodr’guez walks on to the field before the game between the Texas Rangers and the Colorado Rockies at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Good morning.
Kennedi Landry writes that should the Texas Rangers reach the postseason, Jack Leiter might be ready as one final reinforcement.
Evan Grant writes that Ezequiel Duran has made a name for himself as The Solution for the Rangers after identifying the problem.
Landry writes that as goes Corey Seager so goes the Rangers as the team’s superstar shortstop is the player to watch in the season’s final week.
Russell Dorsey checks out what’s left to watch out for in the last week of the season, including the Rangers going for some history (fairly dubious history but they’d still print the t-shirts and hats, baby!)
And, Landry’s Rangers Beat newsletter checks out Jake Burger’s Burger Family Foundation breaking down barriers in regards to Down syndrome.
Aug 21, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) bats with a custom bat design during the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It’s hard to overstate just how far Brandon Marsh has fallen this season. On the eve of starting in his first All-Star game, Marsh was hitting .301, seventh best in the NL, with an .829 OPS and 15 home runs, one away from tying his career high. Now as we enter the last full week of the regular season, Marsh’s season numbers have fallen to a .260 AVG and .709 OPS. Those would be the worst season numbers for him since arriving in Philadelphia at the 2022 trade deadline.
That dramatic drop in his overall numbers is due to Marsh being arguably the worst hitter in baseball since the All-Star break. In fact, his 24 wRC+ and -1.4 fWAR in the second half are the worst of any qualified hitter in baseball. Marsh’s slash line of .180/.237/.238 clearly illustrates just how ineffective he’s been over the last two and a half months. He has just six extra base hits in 46 second half game after having 32 across 92 games in the first half. Marsh went from looking like he finally stepped out of a platoon and into a role as a starting caliber outfielder to regressing further than he ever has since putting on a Phillies uniform, so much so that a platoon has become mandatory and even his playing time in general should be questioned.
With this being the last week of the regular season, it would remain to be seen just how much would be gained from benching Marsh. There is not much that can be done to the roster at this point to provide a meaningful change heading into the postseason. But with that said, the Phillies could look to give either Derek Hill or Bryan De La Cruz more starts against right-handed pitching in order to try and find some more production than what Marsh is currently offering. The caveat there though is that neither of those two has a good track record of hitting righties particularly well, with Hill hitting .229 with a .656 OPS this season. De La Cruz has been good in limited opportunities this season with a .364 AVG and .924 OPS in just 37 plate appearances, but his career line against RHP is a much more pedestrian .248/.292/.412.
So, should the Phillies cut back on Brandon Marsh’s playing time? If so, who should get more at-bats? What would you do with Marsh in the postseason?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 3: Robert Suarez #75 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Truist Park on June 3, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, the Braves are likely in “rest and get ready for a short playoff series” mode. They clinched the division, but they have a very, very low chance of getting a bye. So, these final six games, both against no-longer-contenders, are essentially just forced appearances on the calendar.
That said, there are some things that the Braves could probably stand to learn from these games, and that we as fans can watch for as well. I’m guessing most of them are in the bullpen. Specifically, you have Robert Suarez returning and showcasing whether or not he should be on the playoff roster. I mean, he probably will be there anyway, because there are a lot of bullpen spots and not a lot of great candidates for the final few, but he’ll either look rusty and problematic, or he’ll look better than that. It won’t mean much of anything for his likely tiny-sample work in a playoff series either way, but it’s something to watch for. Dylan Lee’s recent struggles and the potentially-associated arm angle/release point issues are another thing that’s hanging out there.
I think I hit the big ones, but what else is there to take in during these six games?
during a game at Fenway Park on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. Fenway | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Tonight, the Guardians begin their final push for a playoff spot and an AL Central title.
They will face the Red Sox best three starters and the best two starters on the Royals. So, they’ll have to earn this. Good!
I found an interesting hypothetical… if I were a Red Sox fan, I think I would be rooting for my team to lose all six games so they could go to Houston or Texas instead of New York for round one. The bracket makes these kind of scenarios possible.
The Columbus Clippers roster will be hanging out in Columbus for a “stay hot” camp in case any of them are needed.
Around MLB
The Blue Jays lost to the Orioles which is good for the Guardians. Go Royals, Orioles, Mariners and Mets today
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 16: A detail shot of baseballs in a New York Mets equipment bag prior to the game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, July 16, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Trevor Hayes/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
For the last time in 2026, the Mets hit the road as they face the Rangers and the Nationals to close out the season.
Tim Britton examined what went the “most wrong” for the Mets in a season where, seemingly, everything went wrong.
Will Sammon wrote about what it would mean for Steve Cohen to add ‘certain voices’ to the Mets’ front office.
Laura Albanese wondered whether the Mets can convince Andy Green to stay on as manager.
In case you are looking for reasons to be hopeful heading into 2027, Will Leitch selected the Mets as one of his six candidates that will make their postseason dreams come true next season.
The Mets are sharing a behind-the-scenes look at their scouting process on Thursday with Search for Tomorrow.
Ahead of his last game in the radio booth, Howie Rose’s daughter shared a heartwarming ‘full circle’ moment.
Jonah Tong was selected as the “player to watch” on the Mets for the final week of the regular season.
Mitch Voit was named Minor League Player of the Year for the Mets.
Jonathan Santucci was named to the Eastern League All-Star Team!
Around the National League East
The Nationals were blitzed 9-2 by the Tigers.
The Phillies have quite the bullpen puzzle in front of them, but they’re letting it ‘play out’ ahead of the playoffs.
Mark Bowman analyzed how the Braves could set up their postseason rotation during the final week of the season.
Around Major League Baseball
The final MLB Power Rankings of the 2026 regular season reveal some familiar teams at the top.
There are a lot of things up for grabs in the final week of the regular season. Here are nine things to watch out for in the season’s final stretch.
Andrew Simon explained how a three-team tie in the NL Wild Card race would play out.
The Yankees welcome the Rays to the Bronx this week and are determined to keep their division rivals from celebrating an AL East title on their home turf.
Alex Bregman suffered some facial fractures after getting hit with a line drive while standing on the on deck circle. Incredibly, a postseason return remains possible for Bregman.
Dylan Cease is uncertain for the rest of the season after an MRI showed that he has right shoulder inflammation.
Comerica Park, the Tigers’ home stadium, will be renamed Fifth Third Park starting next year.
Yuri Teramoto, a freshman who plays baseball at Shohei Ohtani’s old high school (Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, nailed her first pitch at Dodger Stadium.
Pete Alonso hit his 40th home run of the season to lead the Orioles past the Blue Jays 4-3.
The Giants topped the Twins 5-2.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Linus Lawrence provided a Monday Stat Party that focused on, among other things, Pete Alonso’s return, Carson Benge’s rookie record, and Howie Rose’s final week.
With his flow flyin’ Miguel Vargas pocketed his second career Player of the Week honors on Monday. | (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Miguel Vargas has had a career year this year for the Chicago White Sox, with 33 home runs, 88 RBIs, 31 doubles, a triple and 20 steals, all while scoring 101 runs and slashing .251/.362/.482 with a 5.3 WAR and 135 OPS+. He’s become to become just the third White Sox player in history with at least 30 homers and 20+ steals in a season, and is the only player in White Sox history to add at least 20 doubles and 100 runs to the mix.
Quite simply, Vargas is the most important reason why the South Siders go into the final week of the regular season on the verge of their first winning season in five years, and have a shot at not only making the playoffs for the first time since then but possibly winning their first AL Central crown since then as well.
And Vargas is not coasting to the finish, continuing to lead the White Sox offense over the past week, as he hit .348 with a double, three homers, nine RBIs and two steals to take his second career MLB Player of the Week honors. The 26-year-old, first-time All-Star helped the White Sox to wins in four of seven games during that stretch.
Vargas’ full capabilities were on display in a key 3-1 victory for the White Sox this past Saturday, as he hit his team-leading 33rd homer to lead off the bottom of the sixth, an absolute blast to left field bleachers that finished off the eventual final 3-1 score:
While Vargas has not been as much of a standout on the defensive end, he’s held his own and routinely tears off all-out on balls hit anywhere near him. He’s also proven to have some cat-like reflexes when stationed right at home at third base, as evidenced in the top of the fourth of that Saturday win:
Undoubtedly, Vargas has been a crucial contributor on both offense and defense throughout this season, and is a primary reason why the White Sox are in prime position to make their first playoff appearance and have their first winning season in five years.
In a fun little coincidence, Chicago White Sox CHSN reporter Brooke Fletcher’s husband, Jake Cronenworth, was also Vargas’ Player of the Week counterpart in the NL:
Nicolas Batum announced his retirement from the NBA after 18 seasons on Monday, Sept. 21.
In a nearly 10-minute-long video posted to his Instagram account, the 37-year-old wing walked into Gym Even in Pont-l'Évêque, France – the same one where he started playing basketball exactly 35 years ago to the day on Sept. 21, 1991, when he was two-and a half years old, by his account. This time, Batum brought his son, Ayden, with him.
"You don't want me to retire?" Batum asked Ayden as they sat on the wooden bleachers.
"No," Ayden replied.
"Should I keep playing basketball?"
"Yes."
"No," Batum said with a sense of finality. "It's over."
The Frenchman's stat sheet won't make anyone's eyes pop. He was never an All-Star, let alone a star. But Batum had an undeniable respect from his peers in every locker room he stepped foot in.
He spaced the floor well with his shooting ability and his tendency to get the ball to his teammates and on the defensive side of the ball, Batum's 6-7 frame and 7-1 wingspan gave him the versatility to defend multiple positions. He was a crucial role player in his early years with a Portland Trail Blazers squad that made the playoffs in six of his seven seasons. Batum was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 2015, where he spent the next five years before signing with the Los Angeles Clippers in December 2020 on the minimum.
That's where Batum spent the remaining six years of his career – well, five and some change. He was briefly traded to the Philadelphia 76ers five games into the 2023-24 season as part of the James Harden trade and returned to L.A. the following summer on a two-year, $9.6 million deal.
In that time, Batum shot 40.3% from three, opening up the floor for star teammates such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Harden. He was also part of the Clippers' historic playoff run 2020-21 in which they reached the Western Conference Finals for the first and only time in franchise history.
His leadership was on display in its most public form in the Netflix documentary, "Court of Gold," chronicling the 2024 Paris Olympics basketball tournament. Batum, the captain for Les Bleus in his final Olympics, was featured prominently as he and the rest of team France attempted to dethrone the United States and win gold in their home country. He served as the heartbeat of the team, delivering fiery halftime speeches and advice to Victor Wembanyama.
As he explained in the video, Batum is ready for what's next. He's done sacrificing, he's done missing out on moments in Ayden's life. For the last 25 years, he chose the game. Now, he's choosing his life outside of that.
"When you've played as much basketball as I have, you have to know when to stop," Batum told his son. "... You spend 20, 25 years playing basketball, that's what you know yourself as. Right now, you practice all the time. That was my life, too. I practiced all the time. That's probably what I'll miss; the competition, the games. It's the life you've known for 25 years.
"I'll miss it, but that's not what I'm looking for anymore."
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 1: Jakob Poeltl #19 of the Toronto Raptors is introduced before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors have had a history of success with European centres: Jonas Valanciunas, Marc Gasol, and now, Jakob Poeltl. But, can the Austrian big man reach the same heights as those that came before him, or will his inability to stay on the floor condemn the Raptors to another season of mediocrity?
Big man in the middle
Starting with the positives: Yak is a very capable low post scorer, and acts as an imposing presence in the paint on both sides of the floor. In his best years, he’s giving you more than two stocks a game while averaging a near double double with points and rebounds. He’s got a nice touch around the basket, boasting a good floater game. He’s a very solid screener, and all together, contributes those fundamental things that a traditional centre does that impact the game in a big way.
In the 2024-25 campaign, arguably his best season, Poeltl averaged 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds, shooting 62.7% on more than ten shots a night. He played 57 games that year, and had a big role on a team that was going through a lot of growing pains and injury difficulties. Standing at seven feet tall, Poeltl is one of two players on the team taller than 6’11”, and with Nate Bittle still a rookie and 6’10” Trey Jemison on a two-way contract, he’s the player who ideally would be absorbing heavy minutes at centre for a wing-heavy roster. But, unfortunately, that might be easier said than done.
Mar 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On the court, off the court
Poeltl will be making north of 25 million dollars a year starting next season, and currently has the third-highest amount of guaranteed money coming to him on the team. This is less than ideal for a player who had struggled with a back injury throughout all of the last season, had a down year scoring and rebounding, and played less than 20 minutes per game in the playoffs.
It’s the last one that is especially concerning for the team, as this year, it’s all but guaranteed the Raptors are playoff bound after acquiring Kawhi Leonard. Playoff performance is what the Raptors really need now, and if Poeltl is still being hampered by back injuries into next spring, the Raptors will be much weaker than they should be stepping into the postseason. What raises some eyebrows, in particular, is the lack of communication from either Poeltl or the Raptors in regards to his health. While the adage might be that no news is good news, some reassurance as to what be can expected from Yak going into the next season would go a long way.
There are good reasons for the team to keep their cards close to their chest, ranging from wanting to preserve Poeltl’s privacy, to maintaining his trade value. Regardless, as the season inches closer, it will become clearer the state that Poeltl is in, and both the team and the fans will be able to get a clearer approximation of what the Austrian Hammer will bring to the team this year.
Is it fair for the Raptors to put so much weight on Poeltl’s shoulders? In some ways, yes. The man is being paid handsomely to perform well, and was unable to do so last year. At the same time, the Raptors haven’t prioritized putting together a ready-to-go lineup of backup big men, and are choosing to test the waters this year, rather than immediately address size concerns. History will tell us if that was a mistake.
Wants and needs
The folks over at Raptors Rapture raise an excellent point, citing reporter Sam Quinn, who said that “there are maybe like 16 or 17 centers in the entire NBA that are really reliably playoff-viable.” It’s true that the NBA is in an era where big men are once again prized, but relatively few and far in between when needed to perform at the highest level. Whether in the Eastern or Western Conference, you’re not getting far without a good centre (or two) and for all of the Raptors’ strengths, reliability at the 5 is not one of them.
Jakob Poeltl doesn’t need to be Nikola Jokic this year for the Raptors to succeed, but he does need to be playable. Availability is the best availability, and hopefully now with Kawhi Leonard bringing Poeltl down to the fifth scoring option, Yak can rest a little easier on offence and save his strength for when it really matters down the line.
