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Astros at Mariners Game Discussion: 9/22/2026

HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 20: Yainer Diaz #21 of the Houston Astros reacts after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Daikin Park on September 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (77-79) will begin their final road trip of the regular season with the first game of two-game series against the Seattle Mariners (73-83) at T-Mobile Park.

RHP Cristian Javier (2-6, 5.31 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros, opposite RHP Logan Gilbert (12-10, 3.69 ERA).

EL REPTIL: RHP Cristian Javier is making his 12th start and 17th appearance of the season tonight. In his last three starts, he’s recorded a 2.20 ERA (4ER/16.1IP) with 15 strikeouts, a 0.98 WHIP and a .161 opponent batting average. Has also had success against the Mariners in his career, posting a 2.87 ERA (12ER/37.2IP) with 37 strikeouts, a 1.09 WHIP and a .165 opponent batting average.

THE POSTSEASON CHASE: The Astros and Rangers are locked in a tight race down the stretch for the AL West with the two teams separated by just one game with six left to play. The Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers with a season series victory (9-4 record).

VS. THE M’S: This is the final series between the Astros and Mariners this season, with the two clubs last seeing each other from Aug. 14-16 at Daikin Park. The Astros have gone 2-9 vs. Seattle this season. The Astros also own an overall regular season record of 134-106 against the Mariners, including a 64-48 record at T-Mobile Park.

ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the first game of a six-game road trip for the Astros. Since going 1-9 on the first road trip of the 2026 season, the Astros have gone 37-28 (.569) on the road since April 14, which ranks third in the AL in that span.

SUNDAY RECAP: The Astros were defeated the Braves, 4-2 at Daikin Park on Sunday afternoon. RHP Hunter Brown allowed three hits and two walks with a season-high tying 10 strikeouts in five scoreless innings. DH Jose Altuve (2×4, HR, RBI) and C Yainer Diaz (2×4, HR, RBI) provided the offense for the Astros with both of them recording a solo home run.

GOIN’ DEEP: The Astros have hit 209 homers as a team this year and have hit 200-plus homers in a single season for the 10th time in franchise history (last, 222 HR in 2023). The Astros rank second in the AL in home runs this season behind only the Yankees (217).

TWO-OUT MAGIC: The Astros lead the American League in two-out runs with 307 on the season, trailing only the Cubs (329) in the Majors. 3B Isaac Paredes has led this effort, as he is tied for the Major League lead with 44 two-out RBI, with CHC CF Pete Crow-Armstrong.

FOR THREE!: 2B Jose Altuve went 3×4 on Saturday night for his 226th career three-hit game, which is the Astros franchise record. He surpassed Hall of Famer 2B Craig Biggio (225 three-hit games).

THE CASE FOR THE MVP: DH Yordan Alvarez is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award. Alvarez leads the American League in OPS (1.027), slugging percentage (.597), OBP (.430), batting average (.313), total bases (324), walks (105), IBB (32) and extra-base hits (73). He also ranks second in home runs (40), second in RBI (99), third in hits (170), tied for fourth in runs (98), and tied for fourth in doubles (32).

ROSTER MOVES:OF Jorge Barrosa has been outrighted to Triple A Sugar Land. He was designated for assignment on Saturday. Also RHP Mike Burrows was returned from his rehab assignment yesterday.

THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader has converted 26 consecutive save chances to open his season, which is the Astros record. Should Hader finish the season without a blown save, he would become the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save. The last Major Leaguer to do so was RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).

RACKING UP K’S: RHP Bryan Abreu has posted 527 career strikeouts, which ranks fourth among relievers in Astros history. He’s closing in on third-place RHP Dave Smith (529), needing only two strikeouts to match the Astros reliever from the 1980s. LHP Billy Wagner (694) and RHP Brad Lidge (557) sit atop that all-time list.

MOVIN’ ON UP: On Sunday, C Yainer Diaz went 2×4 with a solo home run. Marked his 57th career home run as a catcher, surpassing C Martin Maldonado for the third-most home runs as a catcher in Astros franchise history.

STRONG SEPTEMBERS: 3B Isaac Paredes has a .950 OPS this month to go along with a team-leading 17 RBI, which ranks tied for second in the AL. C Yainer Diaz is also having a strong September, as he’s hitting .357 (20×56) with three homers, seven RBI and a .961 OPS in 17 games (14 starts) this month.

TUVE VS. THE MARINERS: 2B Jose Altuve has hit .312 (255×818) with 49 doubles, 21 homers, 99 RBI and an .827 OPS in 201 career games against the Mariners. He already ranks third all-time in hits vs. SEA, trailing only Cal Ripken Jr. (261) and Michael Young (259).

STARTING STRONG: In the Astros 18 games in September, their starters have combined for a 2.90 ERA (28ER/87IP), which is the third-lowest ERA in the American League for the month behind only the Yankees (2.64 ERA) and Rays (2.81 ERA) rotations.

POSTSEASON CREDENTIALS: All media who wish to cover potential Astros postseason home games in the Wild Card Series and ALDS must apply for credentials on MLB’s credentialing system. The events are now open with a deadline set for Sunday, Sept. 27. ALCS and World Series credential applications are also live online.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!: The Astros would like to wish IF Carlos Correa and IF Jeremy Peña a Happy Birthday today.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY:2019 – The Astros clinch their third straight AL West division title on a Sunday afternoon with a 13-5 victory over the Angels at Minute Maid Park. CF George Springer (3×5, 4RBI) led the way, as he smashed his way to just the 14th three-homer game in club history. RHP Justin Verlander picked up his 20th victory of the year by tossing 5.0 innings, allowing just two runs.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Tuesday, September 22, 8:40 p.m. CT

Location: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA

TV: SCHN

Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; KTRH 740 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

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Alex Bregman could return quickly after getting face smashed by ball

Alex Bregman

Alex Bregman won’t be going on the injured list after sustaining multiple facial fractures from a foul tip during Sunday’s game against the Reds.

And the Cubs third baseman hasn’t been ruled out of returning for the regular season. 

Chicago manager Craig Counsell updated reporters on Bregman’s status on Tuesday, noting that the three-time All-Star does have significant swelling around his left eye and face that will need to improve, but that his vision was in a good place, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

Third baseman Alex Bregman runs off the field after getting hit by a foul ball in the fourth inning of the Cubs’ blowout win over the Reds on Sept. 20, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“But all things considered, he’s in a good place,” Counsell said. “So we’re going to just have to progress over the next couple days and see where that takes us.

“I mean, he’s completely himself. He can’t sit still. He’s all over the room. Those are really good signs.”

For Bregman to return, he will need to run the bases, field ground balls, and take batting practice, all of which could take place over the next few days. 

A bloodied Alex Bregman walks off the field after getting hit by a foul ball in the fourth inning of the Cubs’ blowout win over the Reds on Sept. 20, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That would allow him to potentially return to the lineup by this weekend when the Cubs finish the regular season in Boston. 

“His pain is in a pretty good place right now,” Counsell added. “He says, ‘I feel really good,’ and you can’t fake that. His mood is good, so his pain is in a good place. … I think Alex is going to be fine, I really do.

“He’s going to do everything in his power, and as long as symptoms don’t increase or happen as he increases activity, I think you’re going to see him play.”

Alex Bregman is seen in a photo posted to his Instagram Story. Alex Bregman/Instagram

Bregman was standing in front of the on-deck circle on Sunday when Michael Busch fouled a ball off that struck the Cubs player in the fourth inning in a wild sequence of events. 

The infielder was taken to a local hospital in Cincinnati, but returned to Chicago the same day. 

Bregman has been an important piece of the Cubs lineup this season, hitting .292 and posting an on-base percentage of .378 along with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs in the second half.

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For Kawhi Leonard, things are looking pretty good. For Clippers, not so much

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers reacts during a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Image 2 shows Steve Ballmer sitting in the stands at the Intuit Dome

Right now, things are looking pretty good for Kawhi Leonard. 

He agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the Raptors on Tuesday, including a player option for the 2028-29 season. The 35-year-old, who’s now under contract for three years, is expected to finish his career with the Raptors, according to ESPN. 

Meanwhile, the Clippers — and their fans — have pretty much had a limb amputated. 

LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard reacts on the court during the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Jan. 7, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Following the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers and Leonard for violating salary cap circumvention rules when the team signed him to an extension in 2021, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was suspended for one year, the Clippers were ordered to forfeit five first-round draft picks and they were fined $30 million, among other penalties. 

As for Leonard? 

He got a $700,000 fine, which is pretty much a slap on the wrist, as well as having his uncle and former agent, Dennis Robertson, banned from all business dealings and league activities for five years. 

Leonard wasn’t suspended. HIs trade to the Raptors went through. So, now he gets a fresh start alongside a team that he carried to a championship in 2019. 

Not too bad. 

This isn’t entirely over, though. The Justice Department has opened a criminal inquiry into the Clippers’ dealings with Leonard, according to The New York Times. 

But as of now, Leonard gets to move forward while his former franchise will trudge through mud for the foreseeable future, an unfortunate situation for a team that has never won a championship while sharing a city with the 17-time champion Lakers. 

As for Leonard. there are complaints that he’s getting off relatively scot-free. It’s unclear how much Leonard knew when he profited from no-show sponsorship deals involving Ballmer and the Clippers. 

What we do know is Leonard signed a four-year, $28 million sponsorship deal with Aspiration and was given $20 million of equity in the company that went bankrupt. He also signed a deal with Boingo, Daktronics and Lockton, per the NBA’s findings. 

FILE – Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer sits on the sideline before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls on March 13, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP Photo/Ryan Sun

At the least, this raises a lot of questions. 

Should Leonard have received a harsher punishment? How much was his uncle to blame? How blameless was he? Does this set a bad precedent for players in the future? Were the penalties leveraged against Ballmer and the Clippers enough to prevent this kind of thing from happening again?

Without being privy to every interview in the NBA’s lengthy investigation of the matter, it’s impossible to know the answer to these questions. 

But all of it raises eyebrows. 

In the meantime, one of the best two-way players of the last decade will be able to finish his career with dignity. 

Instead of being mired in scandal, he’s going to be focused on carrying a franchise that hasn’t made it past the first round of the playoffs in the last six years back to relevance. 

The same can’t be said about the Clippers, whose fans are the biggest losers in all of this. 

They lost Leonard. Their future was dealt a debilitating blow. Their owner has been temporarily banished. 

The Clippers’ curse continues. 

And Leonard escaped its throes in the nick of time. 

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Chris Spatola, ESPN personality and son-in-law of Mike Krzyzewski, suddenly dies at 47

Chris Spatola, a former Duke staffer from 2007 to 2012 and the son-in-law of legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski, died suddenly at age 47 on Monday, Sept. 21, Duke and ESPN confirmed in separate statements.

Spatola, who was also a college basketball analyst for ESPN and SiriusXM for more than a decade, played college basketball at Army, where his father-in-law got his coaching start. Spatola was a four-year starter who served in the Army upon his graduation before joining Coach K's staff. The Blue Devils won a championship in that span, in 2010, with now-Duke head coach Jon Scheyer as part of that team.

Jason Evans of "The Duke Basketball Roundup" published a statement from the school on Spatola's death.

We write to you to share the incredibly difficult news that Chris Spatola passed away unexpectedly yesterday. Many of you have gotten to know Chris over the years as our funny and sharp witted K Academy emcee and hugely passionate and dedicated coach.

Chris was married to Coach K and Mickie's daughter, Jamie, and they shared 3 bright and delightful children. Chris served for the US Army, was a former member of our coaching staff, and a truly gifted basketball commentator. Chris was a huge part of our Duke Basketball and K Academy family.

Please see below for a statement from the Krzyzewski Family:

“There are no words to adequately express our heartbreak over the loss of our beloved Chris Spatola. Chris served our country, was a devoted husband and father, and was such an important part of our family. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, thoughts, and prayers we have received during this incredibly difficult time. We respectfully ask for privacy as our entire family, particularly Jamie and her three beautiful children, grieve and process this unimaginable loss.”

ESPN also published a statement on Spatola's passing.

“Chris Spatola brought a unique perspective to ESPN’s college basketball coverage, shaped by his experiences as a student-athlete, Army veteran, coach and broadcaster," the network wrote. "He was thoughtful, prepared and passionate about the sport, earning the respect of colleagues, coaches, players and fans alike. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones during this difficult time.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Spatola, ESPN personality and son-in-law of Mike Krzyzewski, suddenly dies at 47

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Ronald Acuna Jr. injury update: What we know as Braves star leaves game with shin contusion

The Atlanta Braves got quite a scare ahead of the playoffs Tuesday night as star Ronald Acuna Jr. exited the Sept. 22 game against the Cincinnati Reds with what the team called a left shin contusion.

Acuna's night ended in the bottom of the third inning after he fouled a ball off his leg. He was in obvious pain as he was tended to by a trainer. He walked off the field under his own power.

The Braves said that X-rays came back negative and Acuna is considered day-to-day.

Acuna has been plagued by injuries since his 2023 MVP campaign, appearing in 49 games in 2024, 95 in 2025 and 104 this year. Despite the 28-year-old 5-time All-Star's hampered availability, the Braves managed to capture the NL East championship.

They will keep their fingers crossed and all eyes will be on Acuna's status as the Braves prepare for a likely wild card series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ronald Acuna Jr. injury update: What we know as Braves star leaves game with shin contusion

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Giants post nude player in embarrassing social media mishap

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows SF Giants player Davidson (94) walks into a locker room where a blurred nude player is visible in the background, Image 2 shows Bo Davidson of the San Francisco Giants, wearing a helmet and orange batting gloves, holds a baseball bat

The Giants accidentally posted a nude player on social media.

In what was supposed to be a celebration video for rookie Bo Davidson, a nude Giants player was captured in the five-second clip. Blink once and you miss the mishap, but watchful viewers were quick to notice the camera’s purview of the Giants’ clubhouse.

A nude player was captured on video in a Giants social media post. X/@Orange_BlackPod

The clip has since been removed from social media but not before fans took screen recordings of the Instagram Story.

Davidson, the Giants’ No. 8 prospect, made his major league debut Monday against the Twins. In San Francisco’s 5-2 victory, the rookie recorded a hit in his first at-bat.

Davidson also made history as he became the first Giants player to steal a base, get a hit and score a run in a debut since 1931.

The performance earned Davidson several social media posts from the team account and rightfully so on such a phenomenal night. But the mishap came as a social media team member followed Davidson into the clubhouse, where the nude player was seen standing facing the double doors as they opened.

It’s not clear who the nude Giants player was, but thankfully Davidson’s arm and glove covered the nether regions. Of course, the clubhouse is a space for players to shower and change so nudity isn’t uncommon.

But the camera capturing the nudity was obviously a mistake.

Bo Davidson made history in his Giants debut against the Twins. Getty Images
Bo Davidson #94 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after he hit a single in his first at-bat during his Major League debut against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Oracle Park. Getty Images
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Flyers Suffer Another Injury as Dan Vladar Departs Early vs. Bruins

Through four preseason periods, the Philadelphia Flyers have already lost two key players due to injury, and seemingly innocuous ones at that.

On Monday, forward Denver Barkey left the team's first preseason game against the Washington Capitals with a lower-body injury after taking a hit from defenseman Martin Fehervary, though he did briefly return for the start of the second period before bowing out for the night.

Flyers assistant GM Brent Flahr had said during July's development camp that Barkey sat the scrimmage out to manage a hip flexor injury, though it's currently unclear if the new injury is related.

Then, on Tuesday, news got even worse for the Flyers, as starting goalie Dan Vladar suffered an apparent upper-body injury against the Boston Bruins and exited the contest after making six saves on seven shots in 13:31.

Vladar made a stick save on a bouncing puck before trying to lurch forward to corral the rebound, but lost his stick in the process with Tanner Jeannot skating on by.

Jeannot appeared to make very slight contact with the Flyers goalie, who was outside of his crease, but certainly nothing major that would indicate a serious injury.

Still, though, Vladar was clearly in pain and needed to remove himself from the game after the Bruins had scored and subsequently stopped play.

Heading into Tuesday night's contest, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said at morning skate that the plan was for Vladar to play the first two periods against the Bruins and for Aleksei Kolosov to play the third, mirroring the split Joseph Woll and Carson Bjarnason had against the Capitals the previous night.

Those plans were quickly dashed, though, and the Flyers announced that Vladar would be out for the rest of the game vs. the Bruins with an upper-body injury as the end of the second period approached.

Kolosov, at the time of this writing, has stopped all nine shots he's faced in relief of Vladar.

Kolosov, 24, has two seasons of NHL experience, posting a 5-11-1 record, 3.64 GAA, and .863 save percentage in 21 total appearances, and is set to be the Flyers' backup goalie to Joseph Woll if Vladar is to miss any time.

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3 Observations Through Five Days of Golden Knights Training Camp

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig has been saying for days that a shortened preseason means more urgency. Fringe players have less time to make their case for the few available spots. Veterans only play in two preseason games now, so they have less time to get their touches. 

The Golden Knights veterans prefer a shorter preseason.

“For me, personally, I’m excited with the way the camp is [this year]. I find that [training camps] drag on a little too much,” said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone on Thursday. “I want to play right away; I want to play the important games. The first [preseason game] is to get your feet wet, but now, let’s get going. That’s better for us.”

It’s hard to evaluate certain players based on their performance in meaningless preseason games. Still, after five days of camp and preseason action— everyone had Sunday off— there have been enough drills and scrimmages to draw some conclusions from.

Here are my biggest takeaways through five days of camp. 

1. The Howden–Karlsson–Marner line looks to be picking up right where they left off

William Karlsson spent the majority of last season dealing with various injuries. However, when he finally returned in Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs, he immediately reminded everyone just how valuable he is to the Golden Knights lineup. By Game 3, John Tortorella put him between Brett Howden and Mitch Marner, and that line became the cornerstone of the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. 

In the end, that line played 13 games together before Karlsson suffered a broken wrist. But in those 13 games, all three players put up excellent numbers. Marner led the way with seven goals and 20 points. Howden scored nine goals and provided three assists, and Karlsson scored three goals and nine points after missing exactly six months with a lower-body injury. 

That line began training camp together, and head coach Ryan Craig sounds like he plans to keep it that way. And why wouldn’t he? They all read off of each other like they’ve been playing together for years. And if the training camp drills are anything to go off of, they’re going to pick up right where they left off. 

2. Trevor Connelly looks like a safe bet to make the Opening Night roster

Trevor Connelly, the first-round pick of the Golden Knights back in 2024, has been the story of camp. 

Last year, Connelly was over a point-per-game in his first full season playing professional hockey. At just 19, he played 46 games and scored 14 goals and 49 points in a league made up mostly of players who are significantly older, bigger, and stronger than him. Now, he has his sights set on making the step up to the NHL. 

I really, really like his chances.

Both head coach Ryan Craig and general manager Kelly McCrimmon have said that Connelly gets the first crack at the vacant spot on the third line. He’s been on a line with Tomáš Hertl and Victor Olofsson since the start of training camp, and he seems to be passing every test that the coaching staff throws at him.

Connelly isn’t in the group heading to San Jose tonight, which actually bodes well for his chances of making the roster. The Golden Knights only sent two veteran players to their second preseason game– Marc Gatcomb and Braeden Bowman– so Connelly staying home to get more reps in with the big squad is probably a good sign.

3. The top power play unit probably won’t replicate last year’s success

On paper, this year’s top power play unit looks stacked. It’s almost identical to last year’s PP1 with one notable difference: without Pavel Dorofeyev, Shea Theodore moves back up to quarterback the top unit. 

There’s one problem with that. Without Dorofeyev, Jack Eichel, one of the best playmakers in the league, no longer has a left-handed one-time option in the right circle. Mitch Marner replaces Dorofeyev in the right circle, and he’s a player who rarely defaults to ripping a one-timer. Now, even if he wanted to, he physically couldn’t.

Is this the end of the world? No. Eichel, Marner, Theodore, Mark Stone, and Tomáš Hertl are all world-class players. Hertl has scored 14 and 13 power-play goals in the last two seasons, respectively. And no one is better below the goal line than Stone, who posted a career-high nine power-play goals and 27 power-play points. 

Losing that lethal one-time option is going to be a hard pill for the Golden Knights to swallow, and only time will tell how they go about replacing Dorofeyev’s team-leading 20 power-play goals.

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Game 158: Twins at Giants

Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins mascot T.C. Bear engages the crowd before the game between the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First Pitch: 8:45 PM CDT

TV: Twins.TV

Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App

Know thine enemy:McCovey Chronicles

If Taj Bradley gets a strikeout tonight he’ll reach the 200 strikeout milestone for the season. The last Twins pitcher to do so was Pablo Lopez in 2023 with 234 strikeouts.

I just hope everyone has a good time and doesn’t suffer any career altering injuries.

Giants lineup

Drew Gilbert – CF
Jonah Cox – 2B
Victor Bericoto – 1B
Turner Hill – LF
Bo Davidson – DH
Shay Whitcomb – 3B
Scott Bandura – RF
Drew Cavanaugh – C
Christian Koss – SS

Anthony Molina – RHP

Twins lineup

Luke Keaschall – RF
Brooks Lee – 3B
Kody Clemens – 2B
Josh Bell – DH
Walker Jenkins – CF
Emmanuel Rodriguez – LF
Royce Lewis – 1B
Victor Caratini – C
Ryan Kreidler – SS

Taj Bradley – RHP

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Ronald Acuña Jr. exits game with left shin contusion, is day-to-day

HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 19: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves runs the bases after hitting a Grand Slam during the seventh inning of the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on September 19, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welp, this was just about the absolute last thing that anybody wanted to see with the Postseason on the horizon. With two outs in the third inning and a full-count, Ronald Acuña Jr. fouled one off of his lower leg on one of the spots that wasn’t protected by padding. He was in obvious pain and the trainer attended to him while manager Walt Weiss went out to check on him as well. After a bit of a lengthy examination, Acuña limped off of the field and Brewer Hicklen came on to finish the at-bat.

Needless to say, losing Acuña for the Postseason would be a huge development and not in a good way, either. It would also stink for Acuña since he’s been doing so well in recent weeks and I’d imagine that on a personal level, he’d love to contribute to any type of deep Postseason run that the Braves could make.

For now, here’s hoping that this is just a substitution being made with a precautionary eye towards the Postseason and not anything serious. We’ll see what happens, though.

UPDATE [8:33 p.m. ET]: The Braves have possted on social media that the X-rays on Acuña’s lower leg were negative and that he’s currently listed as being day-to-day. That’s a big sigh of relief.

UPDATE [8:42 p.m. ET]: Lindsay Crosby of Braves Today astutely noted that while the X-rays may be negative, a potential bone bruise wouldn’t show up on an MRI and you’d have to imagine that Acuña might end up needing one at some point. We’ll likely have more information in the postgame press conference and media availability, so stay tuned for more updates.

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Game #157: A’s vs Angels Game Thread

SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 04: Brady Basso #66 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Athletics and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Friday, September 4, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Athletics’ spoiler magic ran out last week, as the team dropped all six games of its final road trip against the first-place Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays. Tonight, the A’s open the last week of the season with the first of two matchups against the Los Angeles Angels, with both teams trying to avoid finishing at the bottom of the American League West standings.

Additionally, with a looming offseason lockout leaving the fate of the 2027 season up in the air, this week may mark the end of the Athletics’ time in Sacramento, which served as a placeholder while their new stadium in Las Vegas gets built. All the more reason for the A’s to try to close out 2026 with a winning homestand.

Roster Move

Before the game, the A’s made a roster move.

Rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer has recovered from a ruptured testicle to rejoin the Athletics for the remainder of the season. He spent the past few days on a rehab assignment with the franchise’s Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, who begin their quest for the Pacific Coast League championship today.

To make room for him, fellow infielder Max Muncy lands on the injured list with left knee chondromalacia, also known as runner’s knee. Additionally, J.T. Ginn, who was shut down for the season a couple of weeks ago, moves to the 60-day injured list.

Game Preview

Back to the game, left-hander Brady Basso will get the A’s final homestand underway. The 28-year-old enters his 25th appearance and seventh opener assignment of the season with a 1-3 record, a 4.50 ERA, a 1.48 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 40 innings.

Tonight will be Basso’s third consecutive outing as his team’s opener. Two starts ago, he pitched four scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. However, the southpaw struggled in his most recent outing against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing four runs on seven hits over 2 2/3 innings.

The A’s will hope Basso pitches as well as he did in his last home game. Yesterday’s off day means the team’s league-worst bullpen is well-rested should Basso’s second career appearance and first start against the Angels only last a couple innings.

Here’s the A’s lineup for the series opener:

At the very least, this lineup should ensure the A’s will be defensively sound, with no players being asked to play out of position. Kuroda-Grauer, who will hopefully remember his cup this time, immediately finds himself in the starting nine at second base. His MLB career was off to a hot start before he suffered the unfortunate injury. Will JKG pick up where he left off, or will he be rusty after spending weeks on the sidelines?

Further down the lineup, center fielder Denzel Clarke receives a rare start to showcase his athleticism on the baseball field. Everyone knows how good a fielder Clarke is, but the jury is still out on whether he will hit enough to warrant a full-time spot on a major league roster. If the A’s want to win, they will need offensive production from Clarke, shortstop Alika Williams and five-hole hitter Tommy White.

The A’s offense will face Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is finishing up an injury-plagued campaign. The 35-year-old enters his 13th start of the season with a 1-6 record, a 5.02 ERA, a 1.55 WHIP and 58 strikeouts over 57 1/3 innings.

Tuesday night will be Kikuchi’s first start against the Athletics this season. He has gone 3-5 with a 4.20 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 14 appearances vs. the A’s in his career. Last year, the veteran went 1-2 in three games against the Green and Gold.

And Los Angeles’ starting nine:

The Angels’ lineup quality drops dramatically after Zach Neto and Mike Trout at the top of the order. First baseman Vaughn Grissom has had a solid season, while catcher Moisés Ballesteros was one of the well-known prospects the team acquired during its trade-deadline selloff.

Time to start this final homestand strong and avoid another last-place finish in the division. Let’s go, A’s!

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Dodgers on Deck: Wednesday, September 23 vs. Padres

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 04: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on July 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Dodgers and Padres continue their series on Wednesday night, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound for his final start of an excellent regular season.

Yamamoto has lasted seven innings in each of his three September starts and leads the majors this season averaging 6.63 innings per start. He’s 2-1 against the Padres this season, with only three runs allowed in 20 innings, with 22 strikeouts against six walks.

Left-hander Robbie Ray starts for the Padres. The trade-deadline acquisition has struggled since moving south from San Francisco to San Diego in August, with a 5.22 ERA and 5.86 xERA in eight starts, with nearly as many walks (26) as strikeouts (31) in his 39 2/3 innings.

Wednesday game info

  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Padres
  • Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
  • Start time: 7:10 p.m.
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
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Dodgers manager squashes Blake Snell fears with latest update

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Dodgers Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, and Dalton Rushing sitting in the dugout, Image 2 shows Blake Snell pitching in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform against the Cincinnati Reds

Blake Snell has been penciled back into the Dodgers’ rotation.

Six days after Snell left an outing in Cincinnati after one inning with an initially concerning groin issue, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced on Tuesday that the two-time Cy Young Award winner is indeed expected to make one final regular-season start on Saturday in San Francisco.

A major bullet, it appears, has been dodged.

Los Angeles Dodgers, from left, Tarik Skull, Blake Snell and Dalton Rushing sit in the dugout against the San Francisco Giants Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
Blake Snell of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. Getty Images

When Snell exited last week’s game against the Reds following just 19 pitches, it came as a potentially critical blow to the Dodgers’ rotation.

Three times in the previous five years, Snell has suffered groin injuries. Each time he missed at least 3-4 weeks — a timeline that would now have put his postseason availability in doubt.

However, Snell was optimistic from the start that this episode was not as severe as his past bouts with groin problems. He resumed catch play over the weekend and said his groin felt like an “8 out of 10.”

Snell took another step forward on Tuesday, throwing a bullpen session before the start of the Dodgers’ three-game series against the Padres. Roberts said Snell is expected to throw one more bullpen later this week before getting a final green light to make Saturday’s start.

The Dodgers considered shutting down Snell for the rest of the regular season to give him a couple extra weeks of rest before the start of the playoffs. AP Photo/Tanner Pearson

The Dodgers considered shutting down Snell for the rest of the regular season to give him a couple extra weeks of rest before the start of the playoffs.

But that plan would have risked too long of a layoff for the 33-year-old left-hander. And the progress he has made in recent days was enough for the Dodgers to feel confident giving him one more start to prepare for October.

Barring any other unforeseen setbacks, the Dodgers should have their Big 4 starters — Snell, Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow — all available to feature in their playoff rotation.

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Hawks acquire Finney-Smith for Hield, Nembhard

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 29: Dorian Finney-Smith of Rockets warms up before the NBA playoffs game 5 between Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets at the Crypto.com Arena on April 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images

This trade has been rumored about extensively, as I detailed earlier this week.

Now, the final details have come in with the Hawks adding in a player they acquired earlier this offseason for money purposes:

From the Atlanta Hawks:

The Atlanta Hawks have acquired forward Dorian Finney-Smith from the Charlotte Hornets, in exchange for guards Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash considerations, the team announced today.

[…]

Hield was acquired by the Hawks on Feb. 5, 2026, from the Golden State Warriors, along with Jonathan Kuminga, in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis.

Nembhard was acquired by the Hawks on July 19, 2026, from the Dallas Mavericks, as part of a three-team transaction.

Finney-Smith is a veteran 3-and-D forward who can play multiple positions and provide defensive versatility. He’s coming off a season with the Rockets where he only managed 37 appearances due to a left ankle surgery last offseason.

He is owed around $14.2 million for this season with his next season’s $13.3 million figure completely unguaranteed. Hield and Nembhard make a combined total of around $11.8 million meaning the Hawks pushed themselves up towards the luxury tax line — but in the process they did shed $3 million in future money.

If Finney-Smith can rediscover his form he showed in previous stops in Dallas and Brooklyn, he could be a very valuable bench contributor.