His pay cut will also create significant cap space for the Warriors next offseason, after they spent this past offseason failing to land any big-name free agents.
According to Charania, the Warriors presented Curry with multiple options that included max deals and discounted salaries for the team that would build upside into next season. Ultimately, the two sides agreed to this deal that will potentially keep him with the team until his 20th NBA season.
Throughout the offseason, there was speculation the 2026-2027 season could be Curry’s final season with the team as he was entering the final year on his four-year, $215.3 million extension that started in 2022.
With the deal inked, the idea of Curry leaving the Warriors can finally be put to rest.
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors smiles after a game against the LA Clippers during the SoFi Play-In Tournament at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, on April 15, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Curry has been an iconic piece of the Warriors’ organization for the last 17 seasons as a 12-time All-Star, two-time NBA MVP, leading Golden State to four NBA titles.
In 2021, Curry cemented his name as the NBA’s greatest 3-point shooter when he surpassed Ray Allen’s all-time regular-season career record. Since then, he’s sunk 4,248 3s.
Last season, his time on the court was limited as he missed 39 games due to patellofemoral pain syndrome — causing him to average 30.9 minutes per game, which was the third lowest of his career.
Curry still managed to average 26.6 points and 4.7 assists per game last season.
On Wednesday, ESPN reported that Curry said his contract extension would “happen at the right time, once I have all the information I need to make the decision that is right.”
With the decision finally being right, Curry and the Warriors’ extension comes three days before he reports to the team’s training camp in Laie, Oahu, Hawaii.
The Yankees (93-68) scored first and the bullpen held on to take Game 2 of Friday's doubleheader, 6-3, over the Baltimore Orioles (79-82).
Here are the takeaways...
-- Ryan Yarbrough served as the opener for the Yanks, striking out five Orioles over 2.1 scoreless innings of work. He allowed four singles overall and then passed the baton to Will Warren, who'll be a key bullpen piece in the postseason, in the third inning.
-- Warren let up a double in the third, but struck out two batters to keep it a scoreless game. He continued to pitch well in his long relief outing, allowing only three hits (no walks) over 3.2 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.
-- The Yankees' bats managed just one hit through four innings against Brandon Young, but found a way to get across in the fifth. Austin Wells worked a two-out walk and Ryan McMahon came through with an RBI double to the right-center field gap to go up 1-0.
-- After Heliot Ramos and Luis García Jr. walked against reliever Josh Walker in the sixth inning, Spencer Jones added an insurance run with an RBI single to go up 2-0. Anthony Volpe kept it going with a two-out ground-rule double to the right-field corner, making it a 4-0 game.
The offense stayed hot in the seventh inning as McMahon (single) and Ben Rice (double) gave them runners on second and third base with no outs. Ramos and García drove both runs in with back-to-back singles, extending the lead to 6-1.
-- Brent Headrick ran into some trouble in the top of the seventh inning, loading the bases with one out. Luckily, he only let up a sacrifice fly that cut the lead to 4-1.
-- Alexander Cornielle made his MLB debut in the ninth, but let up a homer to Dylan Beavers on his second pitch as the O's trailed 6-2. He walked Pete Alonso, let up a single to Coby Mayo, and then gave up a one-out RBI double to Leody Taveras. Cornielle settled down and struck out two straight Orioles to seal the deal.
Game MVP: The Yankees' bullpen
Yarbrough, Warren, Headrick, and John Schreiber struck out 15 Orioles, allowing just one run on eight hits and three walks combined.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 25: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers scores on a double by Brice Turang in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at American Family Field on September 25, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the Cardinals and Brewers kicked off the final regular season series of the season, I couldn’t help but think back to 2011 when the Cardinals ruined the season for a highly-competitive Milwaukee team that season and went on to win the World Series. How times have changed. Friday night, it was the Brewers who were the 100 win team while the Cardinals are just waiting for vacation time after Sunday. Michael McGreevy kept the Cardinals in the game, but would the offense break through against Brewers starter Robert Gasser? Even bigger question is what would the Cardinals bullpen do.
The Brew Crew were the first to strike Friday night as they jumped on McGreevy in the bottom of the 1st inning when Mitchell led off with a single and then scored when the next batter Turang doubled into the left-centerfield gap making it 1-0 Milwaukee. I feared that the wheels might come off of Michael’s start, but he was able to reel in the Brewers and didn’t allow them another run until the 5th. More on that later.
The Cardinals briefly pulled even in the top of the 4th inning when Ivan Herrera ripped a 93 mph Gasser sinker over the left-centerfield wall for a total distance of 393 feet tying the game at 1-1.
The Brewers would regain the lead in the bottom of the 4th inning after McGreevy walked Christian Yelich to start the inning. He would advance to third when Ortiz singled to right and then scored when Frelick grounded into a fielder’s choice. 2-1 Brewers.
How many times has the 5th inning come back to bite Cardinals starters this season? You can add Friday night’s game to that list. It wasn’t an implosion (the bullpen would provide that later), but McGreevy would not make it out of the bottom of the 5th when Turang led off with a double. William Contreras then flied out to right moving Turang over to third. He scored when Jake Bauers singled to center upping the Milwaukee advantage to 3-1. It would continue to get messy after Yelich reached on an infield hit. Two batters later, Lara walked to load the bases and that would end McGreevy’s night as Oli Marmol brought in Brycen Mautz. Jackson Chourio pinch-hit for Frelick and Mautz promptly walked him gifting the Brewers another run making it 4-1. It could have been much worse as Brycen got behind in the count against Hamilton 3-1, but came back to strike him out and end the inning with minimal damage.
After Brycen Mautz shut down the Brewers in the bottom of the 6th in order, the Cardinals would come storming back in the top of the 7th inning when Jordan Walker led off with a monster 411 foot home run over the centerfield wall reducing the Brewers lead to just 4-2.
After Leo Bernal singled to center following Walker’s home run, they would eliminate the Milwaukee lead completely when Alec Burleson would be brought off of the bench to pinch-hit for Jose Fermin. He slammed a 414 foot Burly bomb high off the right field foul pole tying the game at 4-4.
The St. Louis Cardinals bullpen would need to keep the team in the game and Luis Gastelum did his job in the bottom of the 7th inning with only one walk to Ortiz as he didn’t allow any threat of a rally. The bottom of the 8th inning would be a different story. Gastelum gave up a leadoff hit to Chourio to start and he would be taken out of the game for Justin Bruihl. Bruihl’s first act would be to nail Hamilton with a pitch. Mitchell would reach first when his sacrifice bunt would be muffed by Justin loading the bases for Milwaukee. Turang then crushed the Cardinals with a 2-RBI single to left making it 6-4 Milwaukee. The worst was yet to come. Cade Winquest was brought into the game to try and keep the Brewers within 2 and he was not successful and that’s a massive understatement. Mitchell would be caught leaning off second base, but in the rundown Winquest heaved the ball over third base allowing both runners to advance to second and third. William Contreras followed that misplay with a single to left scoring another making it 7-4 Brewers. Bauers then flied out to left for a sacrifice fly giving Milwaukee another run upping the lead to 8-4 Brewers. Winquest would eventually get out of the inning, but the damage had been done.
Barring a miracle, you could sense the game was all but over with Trevor Megill coming in to close out the game for the Brewers. Leo Bernal led off the Cardinals 9th with a solid single up the middle. MLB RBI leader Alec Burleson was next, but all he could manage was a fly-out to right for the first out. Thomas Saggese flew out to center for the second out. Masyn Winn was the Cardinals final hope in what was really a hopeless game. He whiffed on 3 pitches and that was the game.
Final score – Brewers 8, Cardinals 4
The St. Louis Cardinals will invade American Family Field again Saturday night for game 2 and hope for better results against the Milwaukee Brewers. Quinn Mathews will put on the pearls for his final start of the season Saturday night for St. Louis while it will be former Cardinals starter Dustin May taking the mound for the Brewers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10pm central time Saturday night and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
Pete Alonso still has a bone to pick with David Stearns.
Ahead of one of the Orioles’ doubleheader games against the Yankees on Friday, Alonso was reportedly seen donning a shirt which included an explicit statement he made to Stearns while still on the Mets, according to Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner.
The shirt, produced by sports apparel brand BreakingT, mainly celebrates Alonso’s 300th career home run, but includes the quote: “When my career is being evaluated for the Hall of Fame years from now, you’ll still be fiddling with your f–king formulas.”
Pete Alonso was also seen wearing the shirt at Camden Yards earlier this month. BreakingT/X
Alonso was also seen wearing the shirt at Camden Yards earlier this month, photos from BreakingT’s social media show.
He said the quote — which was first reported by The Post’s Jon Heyman back in May — to Stearns during heated negotiations following the 2024 season.
The five-time All-Star was coming off a down season in 2024, posting a slash line of .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs, the lowest of Alonso’s career in a full season, and the Mets were looking to pay him roughly $40 million for two years.
Stearns and Mets owner Steve Cohen responded to Alonso’s comment by suggesting they would try and work out a deal, per Heyman.
David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the Mets, speaks at a press conference when the New York Mets played the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 4, 2026, at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y. Robert Sabo for NY Post
On the same day as wearing the controversial shirt, Alonso belted two home runs during the Orioles’ 10-2 win over the Yankees, including a 471-foot blast in the seventh inning — tied for the second-longest of his eight-year career.
Despite a slow start, Alonso has enjoyed a relatively successful first year in Baltimore, putting up a slash line of .267/.363/.522 and currently is the American League leader in home runs (43).
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) hits a two-run home run during the third inning of game one of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. on Sept. 25, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Alonso made his return to Citi Field earlier this month, where he was met with enormous cheers when he hit his 300th carrer home run off ex-teammate Kodai Senga to tie the game in the ninth inning — prompting a curtain call from the Mets crowd.
“I am beyond thankful for all the support and it was really fun to play,” Alonso said following the Orioles’ series against the Mets. “I feel like New York will always be a place where it feels like homecoming – it doesn’t matter whether it’s here or at Yankee Stadium.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 26: Jose Barrero #54 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on from first base during the fourth inning against the New York Yankees in game two of their doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on September 26, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After beating the Yankees in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader by a 10-2 score, the Orioles came out for the nightcap with a lineup that featured Jeremiah Jackson as the cleanup hitter, Rece Hinds as the right fielder, and included Yohel Pozo and José Barrero at the bottom of the order. As you already know, it did not go very well. The Orioles lost the game, 6-3.
The players who were given the assignment of playing the game were trying to win. I believe this is true every day and has been true every day of this disappointing Orioles season. Yet it is hard to escape the conclusion that the people who make the decisions on who plays where and when were not all that interested in whether or not they won the second game. This may end up being the last game of the season, with the possibility of the same rain that led to the Friday doubleheader washing out the meaningless Sunday contest.
The particulars almost don’t matter. It was another one of those dumb games. Not only dumb but dumb in a way that was brought about in part by guys who don’t even belong on any major league roster anywhere, even a bad team’s roster. It feels bad to pile on them sometimes. It’s not their fault that Mike Elias screwed things up to the point that they were needed.
It wasn’t all bad. Brandon Young put a nice bow on his season by holding the Yankees to one run over five innings. If you want to pick nits, sure, he walked too many guys with three free passes, but he only gave up two hits and he struck out six batters. He finishes the year with a 3.56 ERA. Coby Mayo had two hits. So did Christian Franklin. Pete Alonso was on base twice and scored a run on a sacrifice fly. He’s good, you guys.
Also, Pozo stole a base when he took off running on an 0-2 count to Dylan Beavers where he probably figured Beavers was about to strike out, and Pozo was super excited about it. That was fun. It was the first stolen base of Pozo’s MLB career. Beavers hit a garbage time home run in the ninth inning, his second homer of the day after a grand slam that blew open the first game.
Then, there was everything else. It’s not like the Orioles lacked for chances. They kept getting guys on base. They just weren’t bringing them home. The team left 13 men on base, went 1-13 with runners in scoring position, and struck out 17 times. Hinds had multiple bad plays in the field that led to an inning continuing and runs scoring. He also went 0-5 with five strikeouts. Josh Walker had a rough outing, not helped by Hinds. Anthony Nunez had a rough outing that had nothing to do with Hinds.
The Orioles have lost a lot of games like this over the course of this season. Perhaps either due to rain or due to playing better, this will be the last one that we have to watch.
To be fair to the guys, they ended up with the tying run at the plate in the ninth inning after Leody Taveras got an RBI double. They were battling to the end. The batter who came up next after that? It was Hinds. There was not a pinch hitter for Hinds with one out in the ninth inning when he was the tying run. He struck out for a fifth time. The players who played were trying. The people who put them on the field were perhaps less motivated to win than I would prefer.
The team is now 79-82. They are guaranteed a losing season. They are not guaranteed to finish in last place in the AL East. That depends on whether the Blue Jays win their final two games on Saturday and Sunday. They sit at 78-82 right now.
Shane Baz and Elmer Rodríguez are the scheduled starting pitchers for the 3:20 game on Sunday that may or may not happen. If this game is it, you could not write a better coda for the 2026 Orioles season.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 14: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gets set to throw a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 14, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers (97-62) open a three-game series against the Giants (65-94) Friday night in San Francisco, wrapping up the regular season.
Tarik Skubal (11-7, 2.85 ERA, 0.99 WHIP) makes his last regular season start for the Dodgers before he gears up for the postseason.
Yunior Marté (0-1, 4.66 ERA, 1.40 WHIP) starts for the Giants.
TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 25: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds steals his 30th base of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on September 25, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds have their own Tungsten Arm O’Doyle.
For those who didn’t let their brains rot on Twitter during the long, lonely COVID days, the fictionally dominant O’Doyle was a shooting star in 2021 as future Hall of Famers Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout languished on a Los Angeles Angels roster that was a full three levels beneath them.
every time I see an Angels highlight it's like "Mike Trout hit three homes runs and raised his average to .528 while Shohei Ohtani did something that hasn't been done since 'Tungsten Arm' O'Doyle of the 1921 Akron Groomsmen, as the Tigers defeated the Angels 8-3"
— ℳatt (matttomic.bsky.social) (@matttomic) May 18, 2021
Anyway, the Cincinnati Reds watched superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz swat the 30th homer of his season last night against the Atlanta Braves and then – with just a trio of games remaining – manage to swipe his 30th bag of the season tonight in Toronto. In the process he became the first Cincinnati Reds player to log 30 homers, 30 steals, and 30 doubles in a single season in 30 years since Hall of Famer Barry Larkin is the only other player in franchise history to have done so (back in 1996).
It also marks the first 30-30 (homer-steal) season the Reds have had since Brandon Phillips pulled that off back in 2007. Elly, BP, Larkin, and Eric Davis are the only players in the history of the Reds to go 30-30.
That was all well and wonderful as the Reds surged to a 5-2 lead over a Blue Jays club that was officially eliminated from postseason play earlier in the week. Except for the fact that Cincinnati’s bullpen blew that and the Reds lost 6-5.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 25: Brett Callahan #34 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates scoring a run in the second inning with John Peck #18 and Eduardo Valencia #32 while playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on September 25, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let out that breath you’re holding; the Tigers won their first game of the weekend over the Pirates 8-7.
The Tigers had a lot to win for going into this weekend. They might not be fighting for a place in the postseason, but with fans coming around to celebrate the final weekend of Justin Verlander’s career, the team definitely wanted to put on a good show. Jackson Jobe got the nod for the Tigers as a starter, up against Bubba Chandler for the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was nice to see that Justin Verlander, in his big farewell speech, took a moment to shout out former teammate and Pirates’ manager Don Kelly. Kind of a cool full-circle moment.
In the top of the first, the Pirates went 1-2-3. The Tigers also went down in order in the home half.
Oneil Cruz got a leadoff walk to open the second inning. With one out, Cruz stole second, his 30th steal of the season. Ryan O’Hearn then singled, bringing Cruz home for the first run of the game. After the second out, Spencer Horwitz doubled, bringing in another run. Jobe finally got the third out of the inning, but the Tigers were now in a two-run deficit. Eduardo Valencia got a leadoff walk in the home half, then with two outs, Brett Callahan singled, bumping Valencia to third. A Spencer Torkelson triple (his first of the season!) brought two runs in and clearly made Tork’s day.
Brandon Lowe got a one-out walk in the third, but two outs followed, leaving him stranded. In the bottom of the inning with two outs, Kevin McGonigle got a walk, then Valencia singled, pushing McGonigle over to third. Riley Greene walked, then a Dillon Dingler single brought two more runs in to put the Tigers in the lead. Callahan walked, then Torkelson struck out, but the third strike got away as a wild pitch and two more runs scored. That was it for Bubba, who was replaced by Evan Sisk, who came on and got the final out of the inning.
Tigers just scored 2 runs on a dropped third strike.
The last time a team scored multiple runs on a dropped third strike was April 30, 2021 (Phillies)
In the top of the fourth, the Pirates went 1-2-3. Max Clark got a leadoff single in the home half, but Hao-Yu Lee bunted into a force out that eliminated Clark at second. Lee then stole second. Valencia and Greene then got back-to-back walks to load the bases. Despite being in a great position to score more runs, the Pirates actually managed to get out of the inning without any additional runs scoring.
In the fifth, Jake Mangum got a one-out single. Once again, though, the Pirates weren’t able to convert the baserunner. Wilber Dotel was the new pitcher in the bottom of the inning. Torkelson got a one-out double, perhaps hoping to sneak in a cycle this game? Why not? Two outs followed, though, leaving Tork stranded.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Jobe’s day was done. His final line was 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K on 86 pitches. A really solid outing from him, showing some flashes of what to expect from him going forward as he hones his skills even further. Drew Sommers replaced him, and with two outs gave up a walk to Nick Gonzales before getting the final out of the inning. With two outs in the home half, Valencia walked, the seventh (!!) of the game. Greene then singled to put runners on the corners. Dingler reached on a fielder’s choice and thanks to a fielding error, one more run scored. They’d have to settle for just the one, but it gave them a 7-2 lead.
Andrew Sears was the new pitcher for the seventh. He got the Pirates out in order. Spencer Torkelson got a solo home run to start the home half. Officially only one single away from the cycle. John Peck then singled. A wild pitch allowed Peck to advance to second. The Tigers went down in order after that, though, failing to extend their lead.
Konnor Griffin was hit by a pitch to start the eighth, but a double play off the bat of Lowe quickly eliminated the baserunner. Bryan Reynolds walked, followed by back-to-back singles from Cruz and Gonzales, scoring another run for them. An O’Hearn single brought in a fourth run for Pittsburgh. Rafael Flores Jr. then homered, and suddenly it was a one-run game. Tyler Holton replaced Sears and got the final out of the inning. Brandon Eisert was the next Pirates pitcher and Valencia got a leadoff double against him. Unfortunately, the Tigers weren’t able to bring in any additional runs, or give Torkelson a chance to get the single he needed for the cycle.
Kenley Jansen came in for the ninth, hoping to keep the Tigers from extras. He did just that, getting the side out in order and collecting win 498.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 25: Jonathan Pintaro #91 of the New York Mets is pulled in the third inning by Manager Andy Green #70 after giving up two runs on two wild pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets fell to the Nationals by a score of 7-6 to open up the final series of the season. The Mets went with a bullpen game and most of the damage came in a disastrous third inning. It’s hard to say who was at fault but it certainly wasn’t a good look for Francisco Alvarez who was behind the plate for three wild pitches in the third. Two of them allowed a run to score and they came on back-to-back pitches with Jonathan Pintaro on the mound.
It was an ugly game for Alvarez all around. First he grounded out into a double play with the bases loaded in the first. He was 2-for-32 with the bases loaded in his career according to Gary Cohen. Next, in the second inning he attempted to throw behind a runner at second base and instead threw it into centerfield. Then came the nightmarish third inning. He did drive in the Mets’ sixth run with a sacrifice fly but overall it was a pretty poor performance by the catcher.
After the nightmarish third inning the Mets used the long ball to attempt to get back in it. Juan Soto just missed a home run that was knocked down by the wind but both Bo Bichette and Carson Benge managed to leave the yard to pull the Mets to within one. It was a milestone home run for Benge who became the first rookie in Mets’ history to join the 20/20 club.
Both the Mets and Nationals would add on another run, but the third inning was the turning point in the game. In the grand scheme of things this game means very little in a lost season but it would have been nice to pass the Nationals and get out of the cellar which is now impossible. Only two more games and then this season will mercifully come to a close.
Big winner: Carson Benge, +28% WPA Big loser: Francisco Alvarez, -30% WPA Total pitcher WPA: -40% WPA Total batter WPA: -10% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Carson Benge single in eighth, +14.7% WPA Teh sux0rest play: CJ Abrams’s RBI single in first, -16.4% WPA
PHILADELPHIA — Trea Turner flailed at a four-seam fastball well out of the strike zone and slammed his bat in anger after another strikeout.
Remember that time Phillies fans rallied in 2023 to give Turner a standing ovation and he used that moment to spark his season?
That wasn’t the case Friday night in Philadelphia.
Turner dropped his helmet in the third inning and was soundly booed by a restless crowd, as was Brandon Marsh after a similar ugly whiff in the fourth, and as were the Phillies after another punchless game at the plate cost them in a 2-0 loss to the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays.
Freddy Peralta and four relievers combined to throw four-hit ball in the shutout.
The plastic tarp that circles the top of the clubhouse lockers in anticipation of a champagne celebration remained rolled up as tight as the Phillies seem to be of late. A playoff berth that seemed a lock just days ago will come down to the final two games.
The Phillies entered the game leading Arizona by two games for the final NL wild-card spot with three to play. The Phillies would have clinched their fifth straight playoff berth with a win against the Rays and an Arizona loss to San Diego.
The Phillies instead dropped their third straight game and delayed a potential clincher at least until Saturday, when they will throw a bullpen game at the Rays. Should the race come down to Sunday, the Phillies will be forced to throw ace Zack Wheeler, which would burn him for potential Game 1 or 2 starts in the NL Wild Card Series.
If they get there.
Call it Dread October.
The Phillies high-priced sluggers usually wait until the playoffs start until their bats freeze up. They got a jump on it down the September stretch.
The gut punch came in the sixth when Turner and Bryce Harper led off with consecutive singles. Alec Bohm meekly grounded out but advanced the runners. Bryson Stott lined out to second base and pinch hitter Bryan De La Cruz lined out to shortstop against reliever Cam Booser.
Oh, and 35-year-old catcher J.T. Realmuto is in an 0 for 32 funk that’s dipped his average to .206.
The Phillies were shut out for the 12th game this season and have scored two runs over the last 27 innings.
All that has helped the Phillies spiral to 13 losses in the last 21 games.
It gets worse. NL batting leader and starting second baseman Luis Arraez is out indefinitely with a severely sprained left ankle. All-Star lefty Jesús Luzardo has yet to throw a simulated game as he tries to come back from a three-week absence with shoulder inflammation.
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly insisted ahead of the game his team wasn’t wilting from the pressure.
“These guys have been through it,” Mattingly said. “I feel OK. If we’ve got to tell guys at this point that it’s urgent that we win games, then we’re in trouble. The urgency, everybody knows. It’s pretty much right in your face. We’ve just got to go out and play good baseball.”
The Phillies — who had the fourth-highest opening day payroll at $282 million — are drumming up talk around the city of joining the short list of the most egregious collapses in franchise history.
Take your pick.
More modern? The 2023 Phillies were up 2-0 and 3-2 headed home for Games 6 and 7 in the NL Championship Series only to blow the series to Arizona.
Prefer a classic story? Consider 1964, when the Phillies lost 10 straight games to blow a 6 1/2-game lead and the NL pennant with 12 games left. They wouldn’t make the playoffs again until 1976.
Just win one more game this season, and the situation won’t be that dire.
Just watch the Phillies play this week and it’s getting harder to find when that next W might come.
Sep 12, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Michael Arroyo (96) hits a two-RBI single against Athletics pitcher Yunior Tur (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After some sloppy defense and less-than-ideal pitching (what else is new, amirite?) sunk the Mariners last night, they’ll have another chance to deal the Angels their 99th loss of the season. Please, baseball gods. We are asking for so little at this point.
Lineups:
If you groaned upon seeing Weston Wilson and Leo Rivas round out the M’s lineup, I can’t say I blame you, but on a happier note, Michael Arroyo will make his first career big league appearance in left field – and batting fifth to boot! Randy Arozarena will get a rare DH day, just the fifth time he has not played the field all season, while J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh both get the night off against Reid Detmers. Don’t be surprised to see some pinch-hitting in the later innings should Seattle make Detmers work a bit, though, and we all could use some more Lázaro Montes in the last couple days of the year.
As for the Angels, they’re rolling out a nearly identical lineup to last night’s, with the exception of Denzer Guzman hitting the bench as Vaughn Grissom moves across the diamond while Moises Ballesteros covers first base. Behind the plate is one Travis d’Arnaud, and if you’re surprised he’s still playing Major League Baseball, well, join the club.
News:
Andrés Muñoz’s season will end a few days before everyone else’s, as Seattle’s closer was placed on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation. Muñoz exited Sunday’s win against the Rockies with the injury and underwent an MRI that same day. Troy Taylor has been recalled to take his roster spot.
The Mets and Nationals went blow-for-blow, but New York could not overcome its early deficit as they fell 7-6 on Friday night in Washington, D.C.
The loss guarantees the Mets (73-87) will finish last in the NL East in a full season for the first time since 2003.
Here are the takeaways...
-The Mets offense got started quickly, with Mark Vientos driving home Juan Soto, who hit a one-out single, on a double. It's the first first-inning run Andrew Alvarez has allowed this season (17 starts). But it could have been more. After Carson Benge walked to load the bases, Francisco Alvarez was up in the count 3-1 before he grounded into an inning-ending double play.
New York would get more runs in the third inning, though, as a Bo Bichette RBI single and a Vientos sac fly put the Mets in front 3-2.
-Jefrey Yan got the start and had a tough time in the first. Yan allowed two baserunners on but was one out away from getting out of the inning when CJ Abrams hit a bomb to right-center field. It looked destined to be a home run, but the wind must have pushed it back in as it hit off the wall, scoring two, but keeping Abrams -- who was admiring his shot -- to a single.
Yan tossed 37 pitches (21 strikes), allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one batter.
-Jonathan Pintaro was the next arm out of the Mets 'pen and had a messy third inning. He allowed two runs to score on three wild pitches in the frame, including back-to-back, to give the Nationals the 4-3 lead. Cionel Perez was next and also threw a wild pitch, the fourth of the inning before the Mets recorded an out. A Daylen Lile sac fly pushed across Washington's third run of the inning. A Keibert Ruiz RBI single later, and the Mets finally got out of the third, allowing four runs and four wild pitches.
The Mets had to use five pitchers to get through Friday's game. Justin Hagenman was the long man out of the 'pen and the most effective of the pitchers used in the series opener. However, the home run he allowed to Dylan Crews proved to be the difference in the game.
Here's how the pitchers did:
Yan: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Pintaro: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB
Perez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB
Hagenman: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Nate Lavender: 1.0 IP, 1 K
-While the wind affected plenty of fly balls to the outfield, it couldn't knock down Bichette and Carson Benge's bombs in the fourth to pull the Mets to within one run. For Benge, it was his 20th homer of the season, and he became the first Mets rookie to have 20 bombs and 20 stolen bases. An Alvarez sac fly in the eighth gave the Mets their sixth run of the game, but that's all they would muster after A.J. Ewing struck out on a check swing that was called a swing by the third base umpire, leaving a runner on base. The rookie yelled at the umpire and was ejected, the first Mets player to be ejected this season.
Game MVP: Nationals bullpen
The much-maligned 'pen allowed just one run in 4.1 innings of work.
On Friday, it was announced that the San Jose Sharks have placed forward Jimmy Huntington and goaltender Eric Comrie on waivers with the purpose of reassignment to the American Hockey League.
Neither player is a surprise, as Huntington has been a mainstay at the AHL level in recent seasons. He served as an alternate captain for the San Jose Barracuda last season, recording 48 points (15 goals and 33 assists) in 71 games for the Sharks' farm team. During the preseason, Huntington played in three games for the Sharks, scoring a goal and adding a pair of assists.
Comrie on the other hand, has been an NHL regular in recent seasons. He served as the backup to Connor Hellebuyck with the Winnipeg Jets in each of the last two seasons. Prior to that though, he was often used as a "tweener," splitting time between the NHL and AHL, which will likely be the role he serves in San Jose. If either Yaroslav Askarov or Alex Nedeljkovic suffer an injury, Comrie will probably be the first player recalled to the NHL.
Comrie appeared in one game for the Sharks in the preseason, allowing two goals against on 16 shots in just over 30 minutes of ice time.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: A general view of the locked stadium gates before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park on September 08, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants begin their final series of the 2026 season tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
I have not been willing to give the Giants organization much credit this season, but I do have to hand it to them for making sure that tonight’s game is not being broadcast on Apple, Twitch, or like Venmo or something. I was legitimately concerned that was going to happen and that we would miss the Willie Mac Award ceremony. So they got that one right, thankfully.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Yunior Marté, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.66 ERA, 5.37 FIP, with 11 strikeouts to nine walks in 19.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 10-4 loss to the Dodgers last Saturday, in which he allowed six runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and three walks in four and two thirds innings.
As of the time this is being written, the Dodgers have not yet announced a starting pitcher for this game. Maybe it’s me, and the Giants might have a chance of winning! You’ll have to check down in the comments to find out.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Trea Turner #7 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after a strikeout in the fourth inning during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park on September 25, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Even when you’re watching on TV, you can tell the ballpark has no juice. The fans roared boos from time to time when the offense did nothing but there was just no energy the entire night. The 2026 Philadelphia Phillies do not deserve it. They entered this game with their magic number at two and once again failed to control their own destiny.
The Phillies have scored two runs in their last three games. An offense that already ranked as one of the worst in baseball is hitting a horrible cold streak at the wrong time. They just lost their cleanup hitter and replaced him with Edmundo Sosa, hitting ninth, who went hitless with a throwing error.
The first two innings for Cristopher Sánchez were not swimming in excellence; he allowed three straight two-out singles in the first to give the Tampa Bay Rays an early lead and a Nick Fortes home run in the second. However, that probably shouldn’t end the game.
Sánchez would do whatever he could to right those first two innings. He probably got a bit lucky when Junior Caminero’s 107 mph flyball died at the track on a windy night but he was nearly flawless beyond that. After a Jonathan Aranda walk in the fifth, Sanchez retired the next seven batters he faced on strikeouts, ending Jorge Matteo in the seventh inning with two unhittable changeups.
If the Phillies somehow finish this collapse and don’t get the chance to play a playoff game, there won’t be many players blameless. If there is one guy who doesn’t deserve criticism, it’s Sánchez. While the Rays have nothing to play for, striking out ten batters over seven innings against one of the best teams in the sport should lead to a win.
But his offense offered no support. Freddy Peralta took the ball for the Rays and it isn’t like he should be unhittable. He has performed a lot better for the Rays compared to his tenure with the New York Mets but that’s still a 117 ERA+ over nine starts. That’s good but nothing special.
The Phillies made him look a bit special. He allowed a Bryson Stott leadoff single in the second but nothing materialized. Brandon Marsh cannot escape the depths of sadness he is in and hit a lazy flyball to Jonny DeLuca in center field, followed by a Justin Crawford double play.
Even though it was a two run game, the Phillies carried three opportunities tonight where one of their top baserunners reached first base to leadoff the inning. Stott did in that second inning, Justin Crawford hit a Baltimore chopper in the sixth and Trea Turner took a Freddy Peralta fastball to right field in the sixth. The Phillies never tried putting a runner in motion, despite an offense that clearly needs some juice.
It’s hindsight but it’s worth a thought nonetheless.
The worst one of these innings has to be the sixth. Trea Turner reached based on that aforementioned single and Bryce Harper followed him up with a single of his own.
With two and no one out, Alec Bohm hit a worked a full count but hit the seventh pitch right to Jonathan Aranda at first base, who’s only out was to first base.
That still left runners on second and third with one out. Left hander Cam Booser came out of the Rays bullpen to face Bryson Stott, who fouled off a couple of well placed fastballs before hitting a soft line drive right at Ben Williamson at second base.
Don Mattingly called Bryan De La Cruz to hit for the struggling Brandon Marsh, and hit a line drive kind of hard but right at Jorge Matteo at shortstop to end the inning.
The Phillies would not have another reach base the rest of the night. Jhoan Duran pitched the eighth inning against the Rays top of the order but did not return for the ninth when the top of the Phillies order went down in order. Tim Mayza worked a meaningless ninth and the Phillies didn’t make Rays closer Bryan Baker work a sweat.
The Phillies do not need a Diamondbacks loss tonight but they could sure use it. A win from them only puts more pressure on a Phillies team that can’t string anything together. Remember, the Diamondbacks have the tie breaker so if both teams are locked with the same record, the Diamondbacks get in.
