Boston, MA - June 14: Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story. The Boston Red Sox played the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park on June 14, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Tonight’s game at Fenway Park was capital-B Baseball. Yesterday the Red Sox lost 16-1 to the Yankees in ways that were humiliating in line wit what losing to the Yankees naturally implies, especially around Labor Day. Just over a day later, they won as good a regular season game as you’ll ever seen. It was a 9-8 extra innings walk-off after several comebacks against the Mariners generally but specifically Randy Arozarena, who had a Randy Arozarena Game, and overtook all of Boston’s leads but the last one. The last one came on a Trevor Story single in the bottom of the 10th to end it. Before that, they played the hits: Mickey Gasper went deep again, because of course. Jarren Duran did too, because why not? Payton Tolle hugged a dude!
And yet all these feats were repeatedly and rudely refuted by the M’s, not just Randy but Cal Raleigh, whose sleeves are too short and seemed to have put it out of reach at 8-5 in the 7th:
But no. The Sox would and could not be denied. Story didn’t just have the hit to end it, he had the critical slap in the 8th to bring it within a run. After Aroldis did his thing in the top of the ninth (scare the crap out of us while being objectively impressive but [redacted]) Roman Anthony came out and hit a leadoff triple and scored on a sac to left to tie it. Once the Sox dispatched the top of the 10th and came back up, they moved the fake runner to 3d and the M’s walked ‘em loaded and went to a 3-1 count before this happened:
“Nine-eight in 10.” That’s great stuff, Obie. I can’t lie.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 31: Caleb Durbin #5 of the Boston Red Sox runs to first base during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park on August 31, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mariners 8, Red Sox 9
Staying home when you feel sick: Randy Arozarena, +0.49 WPA Going into the office and infecting your co-workers: George Kirby, -0.32 WPA
Manny Gonzalez worked four innings in 90-degree heat and humidity Monday night before his vision went blurry behind the plate.
The home plate umpire left the Padres-Reds series opener Aug. 31 at Great American Ball Park with heat exhaustion, MLB umpire supervisor Randy Marsh said. The game stopped for 14 minutes and finished with a three-man crew. MLB said Gonzalez suffered heat illness and was receiving care.
It was 90 degrees with 61% humidity at first pitch in Cincinnati.
As the Reds took the field for the top of the fifth, Gonzalez was in trouble. Third-base umpire Tom Hanahan got to him first. Reds head trainer Sean McQueeney followed, then medical staff from both clubs ran out. Gonzalez sat on the grass while they worked on him.
He walked off with the Reds' assistant trainer Tomas Vera, down to the medical area under the ballpark. He was also dehydrated and his blood pressure was up, according to reports.
Most of the delay was due to equipment change. D.J. Reyburn had been working first base. To call balls and strikes he had to put on the gear for working behind the plate, including his chest protector, mask and metal-toed shoes.
Hall of Famer Barry Larkin was calling the game on Reds' television and recalled an awful moment from his playing days.
On April 1, 1996, Opening Day at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium, the Reds and Expos were seven pitches in when home-plate umpire John McSherry called time. He said something to Reds catcher Eddie Tausbensee and started for the tunnel. He signaled for the second-base umpire to take his spot, and then collapsed, face down on the warning track. He was 51, and he was pronounced dead at University Hospital of a heart attack.
Larkin was 31 and playing shortstop.
"Scary stuff. Very hot and humid today," he said Monday night during the broadcast of teh Reds' game vs. the San Diego Padres.
Gonzalez left on his own feet and the game resumed.
He is 46 and in his 14th season on the MLB umpiring staff. He became the first full-time big league umpire from Venezuela when he was promoted in 2013 and has worked five postseason series and the 2017 All-Star Game.
"It just brings back some awful memories for me, when I was on the field and John McSherry was behind home plate," Larkin said on the broadcast.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Robert Stock hasn’t found much middle ground in his starts, so his early success Monday night was a good sign for the Mets.
By the time the 36-year-old journeyman’s outing concluded, he had pitched the best game of his major league career, helping the Mets win their latest matchup against a first-place team.
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Behind the right-hander’s 5 ¹/₃ scoreless innings, the Mets beat the Rays 3-2 at Tropicana Field.
The series is the Mets’ fourth straight against a division leader (White Sox, Brewers and Astros previously). The Rays began the night with the American League’s best record at 82-54.
Stock was torched for seven runs in his start against the Brewers last week but hardly resembled that pitcher on this night. Stock also had an outing in Pittsburgh last month in which he allowed eight earned runs.
Those two duds explain his 5.88 ERA even though he hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in any of his other four appearances since returning from surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.
Stock is fighting to remain in the rotation as other options become available. Most notably, Justin Hagenman will be added to start Wednesday, giving Christian Scott extra rest, and Jonah Tong has shown big improvement at Triple-A Syracuse.
Mets’ Mark Vientos reacts after his solo home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ian Seymour during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
The Rays managed only five hits against Stock, who struck out five without walking a batter. The win was his third in a career that has spanned 63 appearances (nine as a starter).
Mark Vientos, fresh off a three-homer game on a minor league rehab assignment, gave the lineup a jolt with a seventh-inning blast in his return from the injured list. Vientos rejoined the roster on the day Luis Robert Jr. was claimed off waivers by the Orioles.
The Mets defense put Stock in peril in the fifth before saving him with the bases loaded: Christopher Morel’s leaping catch on Jonathan Arnada’s shot to left, which ended the inning, kept the shutout intact.
Jonny DeLuca and Richie Palacios each reached on an infield single in the inning. DeLuca’s grounder deflected off Bo Bichette’s glove, and Palacios hit a chopper that Francisco Lindor mishandled. But with the bases loaded, Stock got Taylor Walls to pop out and struck out Yandy Díaz before Morel’s leaping catch allowed him to escape unscathed.
Robert Stock of the Mets pitches in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Monday, August 31, 2026. Getty Images
Morel had a big play to conclude the following inning, throwing out Chandler Simpson attempting to stretch a single into a double.
Vientos’ double-play grounder in the fourth gave the Mets a 1-0 lead after Bo Bichette doubled and Carson Benge singled in succession.
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In the seventh, Vientos delivered his 12th homer this season before Francisco Alvarez’s RBI single extended the Mets lead to 3-0. Morel and Marcus Semien each singled in the inning.
Liam Hicks and Simpson each stroked an RBI single in the eighth against Daniel Duarte that narrowed the Mets lead to 3-2. Chris Devenski retired Cedric Mullins for the inning’s final out with the tying run at third base. Kodai Senga earned the save with a scoreless ninth.
Ketel Marte apologized for going AWOL and creating days’ worth of drama around the Diamondbacks in his first public comments after all of it went down two weeks ago.
Marte no-showed a Diamondbacks game in Boston, sending the team scrambling and raising questions about his status, with skipper Torey Lovullo expressing frustration over the lack of communication with his player during the peculiar situation.
“In that instance, I failed him by not showing up,” Marte told reporters through an interpreter on Monday, according to the Associated Press. “That morning I woke up, my body was in pain and I just couldn’t react. No one made the decision for me. I’m the one who made the decision to not show up.”
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte throws during infield practice prior to a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in Phoenix. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
The Diamondbacks second baseman also planned on standing in front of his teammates and apologizing to them for everything that has happened with the situation.
“I’m going to stand in front of my teammates like a man,” Marte said. “I don’t want any of my teammates to go through what I went through that morning.”
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) runs to the dugout during a game at Truist Park on Sunday, August 16, 2026, in Cumberland, Georgia. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Marte told reporters that the decision to skip the game was his and he made it after waking up in significant pain and was frustrated.
“We’re human, we all commit mistakes,” he said.
The Diamondbacks had initially put Marte on the restricted list after he failed to show up for the game in Boston but later moved him to the 10-day injured list due to mild left knee inflammation.
The situation did have some bizarre twists and turns leading up to Monday night.
Amidst all the confusion surrounding his absence, Marte was spotted gambling at Talking Stick Resort casino near the team’s complex during the ball club’s Aug. 21 game.
Lovullo told reporters at the time that Marte was “free to do whatever he wants” and defended is player.
Addressing that moment, Marte said he had been at the casino on his “personal time.”
Aug 31, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Athletics pitcher Gage Jump (61) leaves the field after being relieved during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Athletics’ losing streak hit four games on Monday night. The team dropped their series opener in Texas against the Rangers 8-1. The starting pitching wasn’t great, the bats were silent against a generational talent, and that all adds up to another loss. The team is now 53-85 going into September. Pain.
Rangers jump on Jump
Lefty Gage Jump got the ball tonight, the 19th of the season for the rookie. The left-hander had an easy 1-2-3 bottom of the first but that was the highlight from his evening.
Texas would score in each of the next four innings, totaling seven runs. Jump clearly did not have his best stuff in this one and it became more evident the longer the game went. He’d ultimately make it to the fifth but was unable to finish that inning, departing with runners on the bases.
Not a great night for Jump. Not a lot to say but to try and learn from it and move on. He’s now sporting a 5.15 ERA in his rookie season and a personal goal of his should be to get that number below 5. He’s lined up to take on the Mariners in Seattle this coming weekend.
Bats silent against deGrom
On the other side of the ball, the A’s offense was listless against Texas’ future Hall of Famer Jacob deGrom. Right fielder Lawrence Butler collected a leadoff single in the second but that was literally the entirety of the Athletics’ offense through the first seven innings. deGrom showed why he’s ticketed for Cooperstown when he hangs his cleats up. A vintage performance and you can’t do anything but tip your cap to him.
The final frames
Righty Chris Roycroft came on for Jump and finished the fifth, then proceeded to pitch the sixth and seventh as well before Jose Suarez pitched the eighth and gave up that eighth run. deGrom departed after his seven strong frames and the Texas bullpen did their job. The A’s managed to push across a run in the top of the ninth to break up the shutout thanks to a pair of hits and an Darell Heraniz sac fly, but that was it for the A’s.
Not a good night in any facet. Jump did not look like he had his best stuff and got knocked around again. The offense managed one hit for the first eight innings before pushing across a meaningless run in the ninth. That’s not going to cut it against a team that’s in playoff contention and has more motivation to win. September can not come soon enough.
The series continues tomorrow night, same time same place. For the A’s, it’s still technically up in the air. The team doesn’t have a scheduled starter and it would be J.T. Ginn’s turn up in the rotation. He’s already far exceeded his career high in innings pitched though and the team is skipping him this time around:
J.T. Ginn will not make his scheduled start tomorrow. A’s want to get him a couple of extra days of rest, so he’ll likely pitch in Seattle. Tomorrow’s starter still TBD as of now.
The Rangers on the other hand know exactly who is getting the start in the middle game of the series. That’ll be lefty MacKenzie Gore, a high-upside southpaw who has had his ups and downs in his first year pitching in Texas. This’ll be his fourth start of the year against the A’s; he’s 1-1 and has allowed eight runs in 15 1/3 frames.
The Mets scratched out a 3-2 win over the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays in their series opener on Monday night.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Making the most out of his opportunity with New York this season, Robert Stock put together the best start of his career against the Rays, recording his first major league win since 2019 and his first win ever as a starting pitcher.
The 36-year-old, able to flip the switch after a terrible start against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field in which he allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits in four innings his last time out, was at the top of his game and managed to shut out the team with the best record in the AL for 5.1 innings.
-- As if that wasn’t impressive enough, it was also the first time Stock has thrown a pitch in the sixth inning as a starter. Of course, the right-hander has only made nine starts in his career (six of them coming this year), but if it wasn’t for interim manager Andy Green taking him out after just 72 pitches (50 strikes), Stock could’ve been out there even longer.
-- The excellent outing by the right-hander also came in the midst of a low-scoring affair with New York clinging to a 1-0 lead. Stock was put to the test in the fifth inning when a fly ball single and a ball deflected off of Bo Bichette’s glove at third put the first two batters on. Stock’s unlucky streak in the inning continued when Francisco Lindor, who made a nice play to end the third inning, couldn’t come up with an easy ground ball tailor made for a double play which loaded the bases with nobody out.
-- But Stock didn’t flinch at all and kept going, getting a pop out and a strikeout for the first two outs of the frame. With a chance for the right-hander to exit the inning unharmed, Jonathan Aranda lined a ball to left field that had trouble written all over it, but the former Ray Christopher Morel, not known for his glove, made a beautiful leaping grab to end the inning and save three runs. Morel made another great play in the sixth with an outfield assist at second base.
-- For good measure, Stock went back out for the sixth and struck out home-run hitter Junior Caminero as the icing on the cake of a well-deserved outing which lowered his season ERA to 5.88.
-- Offensively, the Mets didn’t have much luck in the beginning against Rays starter Ian Seymour who struck out seven batters his first time through the lineup. New York was able to put runners on first and third with nobody out in the fourth thanks to a leadoff double by Bichette and a single by Carson Benge and eventually pushed across a run on Mark Vientos’ double play.
-- That was it for the Mets until the seventh inning when Vientos, in his first game back from the IL, led off with a solo home run off Seymour to double the team’s lead. The home run was Vientos’ 12th of the year and came after he hit three in his final rehab game for Triple-A.
A single later in the inning by Morel chased Seymour out of the game and brought in Casey Legumina who Marcus Semien greeted with a pop fly single that landed in no-man’s land. Francisco Alvarez came through with an RBI single two batters later which gave New York a 3-0 lead.
-- Daniel Duarte gave both of those runs back in the eighth with his third straight appearance in which he’s been scored upon after nine straight scoreless appearances and a superb showing as the eighth inning guy.
-- Kodai Senga then came in for the save in the ninth of a one-run game and shut the door for Stock and the Mets, earning his fifth save in five tries.
-- Every single starter in the lineup had at least one hit, except for Lindor who went 0-for-4 from the leadoff spot. A.J. Ewing had two hits.
Game MVP: Robert Stock
The veteran journeyman recorded his first win in seven years.
Let’s keep it rolling like a runaway train Dub Nation, alllll through the divisions as we break down what these other franchises have been up to this summer. I remember back during the dynasty’s heyday I would smirk and chuckle as other teams spun the wheel of transactions looking for a prayer against the Golden Empire. Now, I peer with furrowed brows as the league tries to leave Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors in the dust. Let’s take a peek at the Southwest division. That’s where former Warriors hero and future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant is a part of that league wide effort to beat the Dubs, as his Houston Rockets took two of three from Golden State last season.
Currently, Houston is heading into Year 2 of the KD experiment. Last season ended in shambles for the Rockets (as it always has since 1995), this time with a first-round exit to a severely depleted Lakers team in what would be LeBron James’ final series victory in the Western Conference. But the Rockets were missing point guard Fred VanVleet and center Steven Adams, while KD missed a ton of time in the series.
Then Giannis hit the market and Houston had the assets to make a real run at him. In the end, a deal wasn’t made per ESPN:
Rafael Stone isn’t Daryl Morey. Back in Morey’s days as general manager from 2007 to 2020, the Rockets seemingly relished cycling through star players in pursuit of a championship: Dwight Howard, James Harden, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook all took turns.
Even though the Rockets were embarrassed by the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers in a first-round series loss, Stone resisted the temptation to blow up his coaching staff or roster. Instead, he retained Ime Udoka as coach, re-signed Eason, acquired veterans Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic, and shipped out Finney-Smith, who barely contributed last season.
Everything else this offseason is Houston choosing depth and continuity. Tari Eason got a five-year, $81.5 million extension, while Smart and Bogdanovic came in for toughness and shooting. Chip Engelland, the shooting coach who won two titles in San Antonio, got hired. Fred VanVleet is running it back after a torn ACL cost him all of last season.
"I think Houston is actually being a little under-rated. Now that Fred VanVleet is back, I think they jave a chance to win alot of games.." – Zach Lowe[@ZachLowe_NBA] on your Houston #Rockets
Steven Adams is also back after ankle surgery in January ended his season early. And when Laci Watson of Roundtable Sports published a Houston-centric priorities piece back in May and then graded it, there was some guarded confidence:
I questioned whether Fred VanVleet represented Houston’s long-term answer at the position. VanVleet remains under contract after exercising his player option, but the Rockets clearly wanted additional options. Smart’s another experienced ballhandler, Bruce Thornton gives Houston a developmental guard, and Reed Sheppard stays part of the equation.
So, did they solve the long-term point guard question? I’m not ready to give myself that one yet. But they certainly acknowledged it.
Of course, when a team has Durant they carry the immediate weight of championship expectations. The Warriors were the only franchise that was able to take that weight and use it to club their foes on the way to multiple championships, but that’s what they do. They did it before he was there, and after he left. For the Rockets trying to press the KD button and watch a championship materialize, this season could be the moment KD wins his first non-GSW title, or it’s another referendum on just how hard it is to win it all in the NBA.
If their young guard Amen Thompson provides the consistent two-way punch this team needs, that dream could be realized. He’s a guy who can be an absolute monster defensively and then give you 40 points on the other end.
Amen Thompson is listed as the 4th best SG in the NBA on this list:
I think this is the year he can make his first all star team….
Golden State knows exactly what this bet looks like from the inside. A team deciding the roster doesn’t need an overhaul, it just needs everybody healthy at the same time. Now Houston’s betting VanVleet’s knee, Adams’ body, and the roster they already had can prove Rafael Stone right. We’ll find out if that’s enough.
Devers hit a solo home run in the 1st inning, setting the tone for his Giants. He plastered the 87-mph cutting pitch from the Braves' Bryce Elder, sending it 403 feet to right field.
Both teams went back and forth with Atlanta taking a 3-2 lead through five innings before San Francisco notched four runs in the top of the sixth, including an Osleivis Basabe home run, to take a commanding 6-3 lead. Jonah Cox added a solo homer to extend the lead and seal the deal in the ninth.
The Giants record is 57-81 after their victory against the Braves.
Rafael Devers hits milestone in MLB career
It was the fifth time in Devers' 10-year MLB career that he has hit at least 30 home runs in a season, though the year marks the first time in his career with back-to-back seasons of 30 home runs or more.
Devers' career-high for home runs in a seasons is 38 in 2021 as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
Devers has now hit a 50 home runs in a San Francisco uniform during his time with the Giants.
Devers is batting .251 with splits of .328/.485/.814 in the 2026 season. He's added 131 hits and 78 RBIs.
The Giants have 24 games remaining on the schedule.
Robert Stock | (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
On the eve of the final month of their 2026 season, the Mets got the best start of Robert Stock’s career in their series opener against the Rays tonight in St. Petersburg. Having entered the game with a 7.40 ERA in five major league starts this season, Stock cut his ERA by well over a run by throwing five-and-one-third scoreless innings against the American League East-leading Rays.
Stock struck out four, didn’t walk anyone, and threw 72 pitches, 50 of which were strikes. He gave up five hits along the way, but the most impressive part of his outing was the fact that he got out of quite a jam in the bottom of the fifth inning. After giving up a leadoff single to Cedric Mullins, he gave up a smoked infield single to Jonny DeLuca, who hit a line drive that tipped off the end of Bo Bichette’s glove at third base and ricocheted to Francisco Lindor—who unfortunately couldn’t turn it into an out by air or via a throw to first base—at short.
That play was no fault of Lindor’s, but the next one was. Richie Palacios hit a chopper to the vicinity of second base, where Lindor was in perfect position to turn a double play. Instead, he botched the play and saw the ball bounce off his glove. Officially, it was ruled a hit, but even though you can’t ever assume a double play in official scoring, Lindor certainly should’ve been charged with an error.
That left the bases loaded, and that set things up for Stock to really shine. He induced a foul pop out and struck out the formidable Yandy Díaz for the first two outs of the frame. And he escaped the jam with an unexpected defensive gem by Christopher Morel, a bat-first player who managed to get back and reach a well-hit line drive that looked destined to go over his head, in left field.
As for the Mets’ scoring, Mark Vientos got them on the board when he grounded into a double play with nobody out and runners on the corners in the top of the fourth. Vientos plated the Mets’ second run of the night in much more convincing fashion when he drilled a home run to left-center field in the top of the seventh. And later in that inning, Francisco Alvarez brought home the Mets’ third run of the night with a single that plated Cristian Pache, who had entered the game as a pinch runner for Morel earlier in the inning.
And speaking of Morel and his unexpected defense, he notched an outfield assist to end the bottom of the sixth inning with Nate Lavender on the mound in relief of Stock. Chandler Simpson tried to stretch a single into a double, but Morel threw him out at second by a wide margin.
With a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth thanks to scoreless appearances by the aforementioned Lavender and Dedniel Núñez, the Mets’ bullpen bent but didn’t break. Daniel Duarte, who’s been excellent in his time in the big leagues this year, gave up two runs on three hits. He recorded just two outs and had runners on second and third before giving way to Chris Devenski, who thankfully got a ground ball back to himself that he managed to corral and turn into an inning-ending and run-saving out.
After old friend Steven Matz put up a zero in the top of the ninth, the Mets handed their one-run lead over to Kodai Senga. He issued a leadoff walk, but after getting a ground out and a fly out, he struck out Yandy Díaz looking to end the game and earn the save—preserving a win for Stock, his first since 2019.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — After doing what his manager told him to do and stealing two bases in the eighth inning of a six-run game Sunday, Jazz Chisholm Jr. woke up Monday morning in the center of a controversy.
The Yankees second baseman was labeled by Red Sox broadcaster Will Flemming as a “bush league player” who “plays the game the wrong way.” Flemming indicated that Chisholm was out of line because the Red Sox had elected not to hold him on at first base — which is the very development that led Aaron Boone to tell Chisholm to take off.
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Flemming later added that the Red Sox should throw at Austin Wells, who was at the plate when Chisholm took off, and that pitcher Jovani Moran should start a fight with Chisholm as retaliation for the steals.
“Lost for words,” Chisholm said Monday at Angel Stadium. “I did not expect that when I woke up. But people show you who they are.”
Flemming spoke with Boone on Monday to offer his apology and also posted one to social media, saying he “crossed a line.” Chisholm said he had not heard from Flemming and did not care to.
“The unwritten rules, they’re called unwritten rules because you’re not really breaking any rules,” Chisholm said. “You’ve seen teams — actually them, last year, do the same thing, where they were pouring on runs and we didn’t have nothing to say or do about it. That’s just showing how unprofessional he is. That’s all it is.”
Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) scores on first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s (48) two-run RBI single during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. Robert Sabo for NY Post
While Boone said he accepted and appreciated Flemming’s apology, he stood behind his decision to tell Chisholm to run. As first reported by Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay on his radio show Monday, Boone had initially told Chisholm not to run after he walked with no outs in the bottom of the eighth with, at the time, a 7-1 lead.
But once the Red Sox did not have first baseman Nick Sogard hold Chisholm on at first, Boone changed course and told him to run.
In between, Boone yelled over to Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy in the visiting dugout, telling him that he couldn’t have it both ways — and to either hold Chisholm on or he’d be running. When the Red Sox did not budge, Chisholm got the green light to run in what became a nine-run inning.
“It was important to know that this came from me,” Boone said. “I was not planning on running with that lead, had they played it straight. I was pretty animated and vocal with their dugout, just as far as, if they weren’t going to play it straight, I wasn’t just going to sit back. Absolutely not. I don’t think they were going to not take their at-bats in the ninth inning. So I kind of object to some people saying, ‘Well, that’s waving the white flag.’ So they weren’t going to try to score in the ninth?
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone reacts in the dugout in the eighth inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at Yankee Stadium. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Look, I’m an old-school baseball guy, I’ve been around doing this forever. I respect some of the unwritten rules, I really do. I think they’ve evolved and changed though some. At the end of the day, I got to do what’s right for my team and try not to get so caught up in what the other team’s doing. I felt like we did the right thing.”
At stake for the winner of Sunday’s game was the season series, meaning home-field advantage in the playoffs should the Yankees and Red Sox end the regular season tied. Plus, the Yankees bullpen had been on fumes of late, and tacking on runs gave Boone a better chance of not having to use David Bednar if the Red Sox started to threaten in the ninth, which was important for his availability in their next series that began Monday against the Angels.
While Boone took a measured tone on Flemming, the broadcaster’s comments irked Aaron Judge.
“[Flemming] needs to stay out of that and not be telling people to throw at players and injure players,” Judge said. “That’s not what this game’s about. A situation like that, that game determines home-field advantage in the playoffs. It’s a six-run game. They put a couple guys on and hit a big homer, all of a sudden, we’re getting our bullpen guys up in a tight spot. In a situation like that where they’re not holding on Jazz, if you’re not going to hold him on, what’s going on here? Conceding, not conceding? It’s a six-run game, still a close ballgame.
“Not too happy hearing broadcasters talking about trying to injure and hurt a player. He needs to clean that up.”
On Saturday, Stephen Curry became eligible for a two-year, $136.7 million contract extension, which would be added after the $62.6 million he will make this coming season. Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy has been unequivocal: Golden State wants Curry back at any price. While some fans have wondered if Curry would get a wandering eye and consider chasing a ring elsewhere, Curry told Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area he wants to stay right where he is.
"There's no question I want to be here the rest of my career, and I'm pretty sure that's going to happen," Curry said to NBC Sports Bay Area in an exclusive interview...
"The deal and the contract stuff will happen at the right time, and we're not letting it be a distraction from our preparation for the season, and the fact that the team we're coming back with has a lot of familiarity."
This only echoes what Curry has said all along. He has given no signs he's looking around.
The timing of the extension is where things get interesting — and could lead to more speculation. If Curry signs the extension before the start of next season, all the chatter goes away.
However, it may be more advantageous for the Warriors next summer if Curry waits. Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green are all in the final year of their contracts, and they make a combined $147 million this season. Take that off the books and the Warriors have the cap space to chase major free agents. They have more flexibility to make moves and hopefully not strike out like they did this past summer with LeBron James.
Waiting into the season or after it, however, will lead to increasing speculation around the league about whether Curry really is going to stay in the Bay. Even if he has every intention of doing so and keeps saying it, the deeper into the season it goes without his name on a piece of paper, the louder and louder the speculation will get. It would be a distraction for a team already not getting two key contributors — Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody — back from injury until midseason.
Ultimately, Curry is unconcerned about the extension, which means Warriors fans should be, too. People may be looking for drama where there is none.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 26: Elmer Rodríguez #71 of the New York Yankees stands for the national anthem before the game against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium on August 26, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees spent the previous week engaged in high-visibility home series against two of their most hated rivals: the Astros and Red Sox. They ultimately came out ahead in the aggregate thanks to grabbing three of four from Boston. And did they ever enjoy Sunday afternoon’s 16-1 drubbing. A happy flight across the country brought them to sunny Orange County, where they will engage in a decidedly less intense three-game set with the Angels.
The Perry Minasian Era in Anaheim ended with a decisive thud in June, when the Halos let go of their general manager of the past seven seasons as they trudged through another lost campaign. The Angels sit in the basement of the AL West once again, entering this series with a 52-85 record. The equally moribund Athletics have occasionally slipped past them in the race to the bottom every so often, but an active seven-game losing streak rectified that real fast. They remain the worst kind of bad team: a bad team that isn’t even fun to watch. Not to mention the fact that Mike Trout, All-Star that he was this season, is in year four of an extended decline from the ranks of the league’s elite players.
With all that said, tonight’s pitching matchup promises plenty of talent. Elmer Rodríguez, just a few weeks removed from his 23rd birthday, will make a second start in his latest big-league cameo. It’s easy to forget that this will only be the righty’s sixth start up in the Show, considering that MLB debut in Arlington came all the way back in April. All the while, he’s continued to pitch well in International League play, earning these additional opportunities when mainline guys like Max Fried have hit the shelf. Last time out against Houston, Rodríguez earned his first MLB quality start—though the offensive explosion which would have earned him his first MLB win came an inning later than it needed to. At least it happened at all. He gets another shot at it tonight.
Rodríguez’s opponent on the mound is a young man who has quietly pieced together a great rookie season: 22-year-old Walbert Ureña. Ureña made the Angels’ pitching staff out of spring training as a reliever, and pitched in their season opener before being optioned back to the minors. He came back in mid-April and quickly earned a spot in the rotation which he isn’t due to relinquish anytime soon. With September on the horizon, Ureña boasts a 2.94 ERA; and the peripheral stats back it up. Sure, he throws hard, but his changeup has been the X-factor: a dead fish-type offering which misses bats and avoids the barrel on contact. Batters have posted a meager .156 batting average and .251 slugging percentage against it.
In other words, this ain’t your average late-season battle between two young hurlers who were virtually unknown outside of prospect circles before 2026. It’ll likely be one worth staying up late on the East Coast for. Join us! Let’s have some fun.
Ureña will face a lineup that begins with a lefty stack; Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Luis Garcia Jr. will make up the top. Amed Rosario hits cleanup ahead of a second trio of lefties: Trent Grisham, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Spencer Jones. José Caballero takes shortstop and Austin Wells does the catching.
How to watch
Location: Angel Stadium — Anaheim, CA
First pitch: 9:38 pm ET
TV: YES, ABTV
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280; KLAA 830, Angels ES
Portrait of a Japanese tour group with Native American Indians dress in ceremonial clothing for an Indian dance in Rawhide, Arizona. (Photo by Nik Wheeler/Corbis via Getty Images) | Corbis via Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
PHILLIES
DIAMONDBACKS
Kyle Schwarber – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Trea Turner – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Bryce Harper – RF
Gabriel Moreno – C
Luis Arraez – 2B
Ketel Marte – DH
Alec Bohm – 1B
Lars Nootbaar – LF
Bryson Stott – 3B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Brandon Marsh – LF
Tim Tawa – 1B
Justin Crawford – CF
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Garrett Stubbs – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Aaron Nola – RHP
Brandon Pfaadt – RHP
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.
Reinstated from the 10-day injured list: INF Ketel Marte (left knee inflammation)
Optioned to Triple-A Reno: INF Jose Fernandez
Well, there is is. Not exactly the best-kept secret as far as roster moves go, but after the initial drama, followed by the resulting ripple of shock-waves through the organization, media and fandom, here we are. Marte is back. He spoke to the media before the game. I don’t have much to say in regard to his comments. They basically sound like what I would want to hear: “I’m going to stand in front of my teammates like a man. I don’t want any of my teammates to go through what I went through that morning… I’m going to stand up in front of them, ask for forgiveness. We’re human, we all commit mistakes.” But actions speak louder than words.
Some folk (on Twitter, natch) are Shocked and Appalled™ that Marte didn’t have anything to say to fans. I’m entirely unbothered by that. He didn’t “wrong” me, so I do not feel he needs to apologize. Torey Lovullo and his team-mates? Absolutely. But the amount of impact Marte’s actions had on me, personally? You would need an electron microscope to spot that. I was more bothered this weekend by putting together an elliptical machine, which took “Some assembly required” to previously unknown heights. If the company would care to offer an apology for that, my DMs are open. But Marte? Nah. We’re good.
It will, however, be very interesting to see what kind of reaction he gets from the crowd, when he comes to the plate in the first or second inning tonight. I’ve a feeling it’ll be a mix: if I had to make a prediction, probably equal amounts of cheers and boos, but a majority of polite applause and/or indifference. It’s going to be difficult to draw much conclusion, especially as I’ve a feeling there will be a lot of Phillies fans at Chase tonight, whose opinions on the topic are not exactly relevant. [Last time Philadelphia played here, the series averaged around 36,500, although that was a weekend set.] Hitting a home-run will probably help soothe any ruffled feathers!
