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In 143 games this season, the Colorado Rockies have 146 pinch-hit at-bats. While the PH lineup changes have only happened in 92 games, meaning there are often multiple pinch hitters per game, the approach marks a massive change in Colorado.

Over the last five seasons, the Rockies have trended upward on MLB leaderboards for pinch-hit at-bats. Since 2022, here’s where Colorado has ranked:

• 2022 — 30
• 2023 — 16
• 20204 — T-28
• 2025 — 14
• 2026 — 5

The difference is drastic to move from last in MLB to fifth.

Obviously, this coincides with Warren Schaeffer taking over as manager. Being put in charge after 40 games in 2025, Schaeffer immediately increased how often the Rockies used a pinch hitter. In his first season, in 122 games, plus the 40 from Bud Black, the Rockies did very well in the pinch-hitting department. As a team, they slashed .260/.325/.442 with 27 hits, five homers, and 16 RBIs.

This season, the Rockies have already pinch hit in eight more games and had 42 more at-bats than they did in 2025, but they aren’t quite seeing the same production at .233/.285/.308. Those numbers are well below Colorado’s team batting line of .254/.324/.417.

Season	G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2026	92	146	34	8	0	1	15	8	53	.233	.285	.308	.593
2025	84	104	27	2	1	5	16	9	33	.260	.325	.442	.767
2024	54	61	13	3	1	5	15	5	18	.213	.269	.541	.810
2023	75	98	24	6	0	1	24	6	36	.245	.280	.337	.617
2022	34	29	8	2	0	1	10	60	10	.276	.389	.448	.837

At the same time, the 34 hits are tied for the second-most in MLB, while ranking No. 5 in at-bats.

Across baseball, whether it’s the pressure or not being in the groove of the game or the fact that pinch hitters are usually bench players, pinch hitters don’t have as good of numbers as everyday players. The median batting average is .209. The Rockies batting average is in the top half at No. 11, the OBP and slugging are both in the lower half at No. 19.

Schaeffer has used 19 different pinch hitters this season, so the sample size is pretty small per player.

Troy Johnston is the most often-used pinch hitter and he’s gone 5-for-15 with two doubles, three RBI, two walks and seven strikeouts. The best pich hitter overall is the Rockies best hitter in TJ Rumfield, who’s gone 4-for-8 with a double and two RBI. No surprise there — whatever the situation is, Rumfield rakes.

Player	G	AB	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG
Troy Johnston	18	15	5	2	0	3	2	7	.333	.444	.467
Braxton Fulford	14	14	2	1	0	3	0	8	.143	.143	.214
Edouard Julien*	15	13	2	0	0	0	1	6	.154	.267	.154
Mickey Moniak	13	12	2	0	0	0	1	3	.167	.231	.167
Jordan Beck	13	11	3	1	0	0	2	4	.273	.385	.364
Tyler Freeman	10	10	2	1	0	1	0	1	.200	.200	.300
Willi Castro	8	8	1	0	0	0	0	4	.125	.125	.125
Kyle Karros	8	8	3	1	1	1	0	1	.375	.375	.875
TJ Rumfield	8	8	4	1	0	2	0	0	.500	.500	.625
Zac Veen	9	8	3	1	0	2	0	4	.375	.444	.500
Hunter Goodman	8	7	1	0	0	1	0	4	.143	.143	.143
Brett Sullivan	7	7	1	0	0	0	0	1	.143	.143	.143
Cole Carrigg	6	6	1	0	0	0	0	4	.167	.167	.167
Brenton Doyle*	6	6	2	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.333

In the Rockies 10-8 loss on Sunday, Hunter Goodman, Connor Norby, and Zac Veen all pinch hit and did fairly well. In the ninth inning, Goodman was hit by a pitch, and Veen singled. Both came around to score when Jake McCarthy hit a single. Norby went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts, but the pinch hitters did their job in the final frame.

Perhaps the best pinch-hit performance came on June 11 when rookie Sterlin Thompon connected for a PH single to help the Rockies walk-off the Cubs 3-2.

The Rockies have an impressive history when it comes to pinch hitters. John Vander Wal set the MLB record at the time when he recorded 28 pinch hits in 1995 for the Rockies. Pat Valakia became a fan favorite in 2017 when he posted 12 extra base hits and drove in 16 runs as a PH. In 2019, Raimel Tapia hit not one, but two pinch hit grand slams. For Vander Wal and Valakia, they were important pieces of playoff teams.

While the Rockies numbers may not jump off the board, they are decent. Perhaps more importantly, Colorado is establishing itself as a team that plays to analytics to favor the matchup and the moment by using pinch hitters. As they slowly improve as a team, perhaps they can find their next Vander Wal or Valakia. Maybe that guy is already in the Rockies organization.

Only more at-bats will tell.

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Let's kick off this Monday off with three of my favorite home run props and predictions for today's MLB slate.

Find out why I am backing Jackson Merrill, Kody Clemens and Rafael Devers. 

Here are my favorite MLB picks for Monday, Sept. 7.

MLB home run props for today

For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Home run prediction: Jackson Merrill (18%)

A guy I don’t think I have laid coin on since he was a rookie, but San Diego Padres young star Jackson Merrill is in a great spot this evening against Washington Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin.

Merrill looks ice-cold on the surface, but his underlying metrics suggest he is ready to explode. He owns a .750 xSLG while generating a near-70% hard-hit rate and a near-20% barrel rate over his last 10 games.

Against the last 60 left-handed hitters he has faced, Irvin is allowing nearly 60% hard hit and a 53.8% elevation rate, while those hitters have posted a .324 xBA and .475 xSLG 

I’m taking a shot on Merrill tonight.

• Time: 5:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SDPA, NATS

Home run prediction: Kody Clemens (17%)

That is right, we are backing The Rocket's son to leave the yard this afternoon. Minnesota Twins second baseman Kody Clemens finds himself in a boom spot against Detroit Tigers right-hander Troy Melton, who has struggled in his last three starts. Melton has a 5.71 xERA, allowing a 44%+ hard-hit rate and nearly 12% barrel rate during that stretch.

Over his last 10 games, Clemens has a .515 SLG, .710 xSLG and .273 ISO, while producing a 53.6% hard-hit rate and 14.3% barrel rate. The 30-year-old enters with an elite rating on Batters-Box, covering 95.8% of Melton's pitches.

This season, Clemens has homered in 30% of his 30 elite-rating games. With a sample that big, those are trends you can trust.

• Time: 3:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DSN, MNNT

Home run prediction: Rafael Devers (20%)

Easily one of my favorite overall looks this evening, as San Francisco Giants slugger Rafael Devers is in yet another boom spot against St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Michael McGreevy.

Devers enters with one of the highest matchup ratings on Batters-Box this evening, covering more than 87% of McGreevy’s pitch mix. The last 30 left-handed hitters McGreevy has faced are generating a 13% barrel rate and 30.4% ground-ball rate while owning a .282 xBA and .473 SLG.

The 29-year-old has been making a ton of hard contact as of late. He has also maintained a .923 SLG and .538 ISO while producing a near-70% hard-hit rate and 27% barrel rate over his last 10 games.

With all that being said, this is easily one of my favorite long-ball looks this evening. Take it down to 24%.

• Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC/Peacock

Best home run combo for Sept. 7

Want more baseball parlays? Check out our MLB parlay picks page!

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Jesús Luzardo put the Phillies on his back, as he tossed a two-hit, complete game shutout in a 1-0 win to split this four-game series with the Braves. It’s the first time Luzardo has ever even recorded an out in the ninth inning in his career, let alone throwing a complete game. He dazzled the Atlanta hitters with 12 strikeouts and allowed only two singles, a hit batter, and one walk in the way of baserunners. His sweeper was particularly devastating, as he collected 12 whiffs on 41 pitches. Meanwhile, Kyle Schwarber launched his 43rd home run of the season in the eighth to provide all the offense the Phillies and Luzardo needed on the day.

Masterful

Luzardo was in control right from the start of the game, as he didn’t allow a baserunner until hitting Austin Riley in the foot with a sweeper in the third inning. That baserunner was quickly erased though, as Luzardo struck out Ha-Seong Kim and got Ronald Acuña Jr. to fly out on one pitch. Atlanta got their first hit of the day in the fourth, when Matt Olson punched a two-out single up the middle. But once again, Luzardo promptly ended any sense of a scoring threat, as he struck out Lane Thomas on three pitches for his sixth punchout.

Jesús Luzardo, Painted 87mph Sweeper. 🖌️🎨

6th K thru 4.

18 consecutive strikes pic.twitter.com/aMPoF58Y5m

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 7, 2026

That strikeout started a string of ten straight hitters retired by Luzardo, with the next baserunner coming on a leadoff single in the eighth from Michael Harris II that just hopped over the glove of Luis Arraez at second base. Arraez quickly made up for not getting to that ball though, as he turned a crisp double play three pitches later on a Mauricio Dúbon ground ball. Luzardo punctuated the inning with another strikeout, his 11th of the day.

Jesús Luzardo's 11th K thru 8 ✝️🦎 pic.twitter.com/DQzFCk2Jtt

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 7, 2026

Didn’t waste it

While Luzardo was dealing, the Phillies offense was stymied by Braves starter Grant Holmes. They loaded the bases in the first on a Schwarber single and walks from Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm, but Bryson Stott lined out to center to end the threat with no runs scored. That would be the only scoring threat for Philadelphia until the fifth, when Brandon Marsh led off with a single to break up a string of ten straight retired. But a strikeout from J.T. Realmuto and a double play from Justin Crawford assured that the game remained scoreless.

Trea Turner ripped a double down the line in the sixth with one out, giving the Phillies their third hit of the day and first runner in scoring position since the first inning. But he too would not score, as Ozzie Albies made a nice play on a Harper groundout to the right side to prevent a base hit before Arraez lined out to end the inning.

Schwarber stepped to the plate with two outs in a scoreless game and the Phillies bullpen, which has struggled mightily this series, warming in preparation to enter. Braves manager Walt Weiss elected not to remove right-handed reliever Didier Fuentes for a left-hander, as Fuentes had already five Phillies in a row. Schwarber made him pay for that decision, as he smashed a center-cut fastball into the second deck for his third home run in three days and the only run scored in the game.

THERE GOES MY HEROOOOOO pic.twitter.com/TLJQ193jOk

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 7, 2026

Finish him

Despite the bullpen already being warm, Don Mattingly elected to send Luzardo back out for the ninth at 92 pitches. The crowd roared as Luzardo took the mound and retired Kim for the first out. Acuña was next, and he worked a six pitch walk to give Atlanta a gasp of air. But as was the theme all day, Luzardo allowed no more, as he struck out Drake Baldwin for his 12th and final K of the game before getting Albies to fly out softly for the final out.

Jesús Luzardo had never pitched into the 9th inning before today …

In his first time, he completes a 2-hit shutout! https://t.co/YoVrBfwQxlpic.twitter.com/Xzr91Vmdtq

— MLB (@MLB) September 7, 2026

Tomorrow’s matchup

The Houston Astros come to town for a three-game series, sending Hayden Wesneski (4-1, 3.18) to the mound against Andrew Painter (3-8, 5.55) for the Phillies. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40.

The Atlanta Braves took on the Philadelphia Phillies today a day after the dramatic win yesterday that secured the season series. If they won today they would also take this series 3-1 and take a large 6.0 game lead in the division. Grant Holmes who has been very good when he is good, and very bad when his not, took the mound for the Braves and All-Star Jesús Luzardo took the mound for the Phillies in the midst of his best season he has ever had.

The Braves were sat down in order in the first inning, but Grant Holmes was not able to reciprocate. Kyle Schwarber led off with a single. After a Trea Turner fly out, Holmes walked Bryce Harper. He got Arreaz to line out, and then walked Bohm to load the bases. This is uncharacteristic for Holmes, even with a top heavy lineup like the Phillies. It is normally the second time through that gets to him. Fortunately, he got Stott to line out to Harris who made a great read on the ball and made a difficult play look easy.

In the second, Matt Olson struck out on a challenge that was about as close to being a ball as it possibly could be. Thomas, who has four HRs against Luzardo in his career, grounded out followed by Harris also striking out on a challenge. Holmes looked much better in the second by retiring the side in order while picking up a strikeout along the way.

The Braves finally got a baserunner in the third inning due to Austin Riley getting hit by a pitch, but that was the only offense the Braves could muster. The top half of the order gave Holmes trouble the first time around so the second time was scary to think about. However, Holmes was settled in and struck out Schwarber, Turner, and Harper all in order. It is safe to say, the third inning was huge.

The Braves ended the no hitter in the fourth inning when Matt Olson had a single. before that hit, Olson only had five hits in his last forty-four at-bats. This was yet again the only offense the Braves could muster. Baldwin struck out, Albies grounded out, and Thomas struck out as well. Holmes came back out for the fourth with a vengeance striking out Arraez for his fourth strikeout in a row and then retiring both Bohm and Stott to make it ten straight hitters retired.

The fifth inning showed once again that the Braves have been a bottom five offense in the last two weeks when they were retired in order as Harris, Dubón, and Riley could not get it done. Holmes came out to pitch the fifth and his ten hitter streak ended when Marsh hit a single, but he then struck out Realmuto and got Justin Crawford to ground into a double play.

In a shocking development, the Braves were sat down in order again in the sixth when Kim and Acuña struck out, and Baldwin grounded out. Holmes stayed in the game to face the top of the order for the third time. He was able to hold his own. He got Schwarber to fly out, but then surrendered a double to Turner. He kept his composure and got Harper to ground out, which moved the runner to third, and then got Arraez to line out to end the sixth.

Yet again the Braves were sat down in order in the seventh. Lane Thomas was the final out of the seventh, which was disappointing considering the history he has had against Luzardo. Didier Fuentes replaced Holmes in the seventh. Holmes had one of the best starts of his career and tied his season high in innings pitched with 6.0. He gave up only three hits and had six strikeouts to only two walks. Fuentes struck out Bohm and Stott and then got Marsh to fly out, lowering his season ERA to 2.23.

The Phillies opted to leave Luzardo in to pitch the eighth inning, and it was the right move. Harris hit a single, but then Dubón hit into a double play and Riley struck out. Fuentes stayed in to pitch the eighth and struck out Realmuto and Crawford. Realmuto challenged the call, but it was upheld. Then, Schwarber did what he does best. He hit a HR on a pitch that Fuentes pitched right down the middle of the plate, to give the Phillies the lead. This was all it took. Turner flied out, but it did not matter.

In the ninth Luzardo stayed in the game and struck out Kim. Acuña walked, but then Baldwin struck out and then Albies flied out on the first pitch saw to end it.

Luzardo was able to pitch a complete game and only give up two singles while striking out twelve and walking one. The Braves are going to have a tough time in the playoffs if this keeps up on offense. This is not the first time the offense has wasted a stellar start from an SP.

The Braves are not getting in breaks as they will face the Tampa Bay Rays for three games starting tomorrow where the back end of their rotation will taking them on. Hopefully the offense can get going or this is going to be a long few weeks.

Entering Monday night, the St. Louis Cardinals have 18 games remaining in the regular season. A third of those games will be against the San Francisco Giants with the first set of 3 being in San Francisco.

Here are the pitching matchups according to MLB.com:

Monday night, September 7: Michael McGreevy (RHP 6-9, 3.97 ERA, 102 SO) vs Logan Webb (RHP 8-8, 4.21 ERA, 119 SO)

Tuesday night, September 8: Quinn Mathews (LHP 1-2, 4.38 ERA, 24 SO) vs Landen Roupp (RHP 8-13, 4.17 ERA, 137 SO)

Wednesday, September 9: TBD vs Blade Tidwell (RHP 0-2, 4.43 ERA, 36 SO)

Logan Webb is winless in his last 3 starts with the most recent a shelling he received at the hands of Pittsburgh on September 1 where he surrendered 9 hits and 9 earned runs over just 2 innings. Landen Roupp has fared better as he’s 1-1 over his last 3 starts although his most recent was a no-decision on September 2 against the Pirates as he threw 5 innings of 2-hit ball allowing just 1 earned run while striking out 4 and walking 2. Blade Tidwell is winless in his past 3 starts as he was given the loss on September 3 when he tossed 5 innings against the Pirates giving up 2 earned runs on 2 hits while striking out 5 and walking 5. While the Cardinals have not announced a starter for Wednesday as of this writing, I believe that would be Matthew Liberatore’s spot in the rotation.

Who are the San Francisco Giants players to watch?

Rafael Devers: By far the Giants most dangerous hitter as he’s slammed 35 home runs with 91 RBI’s and an average of .258, but he also leads the team in strikeouts with 158.

Willy Adames: Adames has 21 home runs with 51 RBI’s and an average of just .230.

Casey Schmitt: Schmitt also has 21 home runs on the season with 55 RBI’s and an average of .271.

Bryce Eldridge: Eldridge is having a solid season with 15 home runs, 45 RBI’s and an average of .262.

The San Francisco Giants have already been eliminated from playoff contention with a miserable record of 59-85. They are 4-6 over their last 10 games. The Cardinals, by comparison, have won 6 of their last 10 games and still have a tiny 1.7% chance of grabbing the final wild card spot. St. Louis had an inspiring comeback Sunday against the Rockies, but gained no ground in the wild card as the Padres, Marlins and Diamondbacks all won their games, too. There’s a lot to be optimistic about for those of us who are diehard St. Louis Cardinals fans with the strong debuts of Leo Bernal, Joshua Baez, Quinn Mathews and Connor Hjerpe over the past few weeks. If this young team wants to taste what it’s like to compete in the playoffs, they’re going to need to get red-hot over the final 3 weeks of the regular season and the 3 teams above them in the standings to stumble.

Detroit Tigers (65-78) vs. Minnesota Twins (68-75)

Time/Place: 3:10 p.m., Comerica Park
SB Nation Site:Twinkie Town
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (7-4, 2.20 ERA) vs. TBD

Player	G	IP	K%	BB%	GB%	FIP	fWAR
Melton	17	102.1	20.6	7.1	42.9	3.95	1.6
TBD	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

144/162

⚾️ 3:10 PM ET
📺 @WatchDSN
📻 @971theticketxyt
🏟️ Comerica Park pic.twitter.com/jqVCZNEhqP

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 7, 2026

Labor Day lineup

📺 https://t.co/UHffFx7FCspic.twitter.com/UMJNNwyty3

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) September 7, 2026

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

While there was some news regarding the Detroit Red Wings' general manager search on Monday afternoon, it wasn't the announcement of a new hire.

Instead, one name that had been receiving serious consideration for the position vacated by Steve Yzerman on July 15 has withdrawn from consideration.

Jeff Greenberg, the Detroit Tigers' assistant general manager, is no longer in the running for the Red Wings' GM job, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.

"Detroit Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg — citing his commitment and desire to finish what he’s started— has withdrawn from consideration for the vacant Red Wings position," Friedman reported. 

Greenberg's withdrawing from consideration was also confirmed by MLB.com Tigers beat writer Jason Beck.

"Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg, through a team spokesperson, said he is not pursuing a role running the NHL's Detroit Red Wings and is committed to Tigers," Beck wrote on X. "He indicated he was honored to be considered for the opportunity.

Greenberg, who was hired by the Tigers in 2023, had previously worked for over a decade with the Chicago Cubs and also spent a season working in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks as associate general manager. 

This means that with training camp for the 2026-27 NHL season just over a week away (Sept. 17), the Red Wings are still searching for a general manager nearly two months after Yzerman vacated the role he had held since April 2019.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

The Red Wings announced a major leadership transition in mid-July, marking the second piece of stunning news Detroit fans had faced over the summer after captain Dylan Larkin's eye-popping trade request became public in early June.

While Detroit announced in its initial mid-July news release that both "internal and external" candidates would be considered for the position, the organization has yet to officially disclose exactly who has been interviewed as part of its search.

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The hits keep on coming for the Nationals, dropping 3 close contests to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a series sweep. They’ve fallen to 11 games under .500, and desperately need to get things going again to have any sort of momentum heading into 2027. The bullpen continues its historically rough season, the offense has dissipated, and the starting pitching keeps revealing its flaws. There are a plethora of younger players on the roster, and much of the next 3 weeks will be spent evaluating the Nats’ internal options at the MLB level before any decisions are made for the future.

The schedule doesn’t get much easier after the Dodgers, with the West Coast trip continuing into San Diego for 3 games against the Padres. San Diego hasn’t been lighting the world on fire recently, but they sit 7.0 games above .500 and are right in the thick of the Wild Card race at just 0.5 games back. The Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks have been going back and forth for months, and the Nats have to face them when their games mean the most.

Game One – Monday, 5:10 PM ET

WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (2-8, 5.57 ERA)
SD: RHP Nick Pivetta (1-2, 4.50 ERA)

Irvin has been consistent for Washington, just not consistently very good. He’s looking to avoid getting closer to a 10-loss season and push his ERA below 5.50. Pivetta will be making his first start since April 12th, and he’s being thrown into the fire at the most important time of the year.

Game Two – Tuesday, 9:40 PM ET

WSH: TBA
SD: TBA

The middle game of the series is set up to be a full-blown bullpen game with no listed starter for either team at the moment. With how difficult things have been going for the Washington bullpen, this one could get ugly if the offense continues to stay dormant.

Game Three – Wednesday, 4:10 PM ET

WSH: LHP Jackson Kent (1-3, 5.55 ERA)
SD: TBA

The Padres are going with another undecided pitching decision, and the Nats have the young southpaw Jackson Kent on the mound for the finale. He showed flashes but was overall unimpressive in his last outing against the Dodgers, something the Nats hope to improve moving forward.

First Pitch (CT):2:10 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe:Bless You Boys

The playoff hunt isn’t over quite yet, but we’re just about there. For the sixth time in the past five seasons, the Minnesota Twins went into the trade deadline with a decent shot to make the postseason, and then fell apart in the second half.

That’s largely represented by their best players. Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan, and Carlos Correa have all had issues staying healthy and have missed large chunks of time late in the season and been ineffective when healthy. Pablo Lopez missed all of 2026 and most of 2025. Royce Lewis has missed plenty of time and simply hasn’t been a good enough hitter the past two seasons.

Now, we should add some caveats here. In most of those seasons, the past two in particular, the Twins came in projected to go about .500 and miss the postseason. They likely would have ended about in the same spot as they will this year if they hadn’t sold off every good reliever in their bullpen. Also, this season has come with quite a few positive signs that haven given Twins fans a glimpse at an exciting future.

Kaelen Culpepper looks like he can hold down shortstop for the foreseeable future and is plenty athletic enough to contribute in other places if he eventually has to move off of it. Luke Keaschall has been one of the 10 best hitters in baseball since his awful April. Brooks Lee still has plenty of questions about his sustainability on offense, but looks excellent defensively at third and has 23 homers despite his approach. Walker Jenkins hasn’t lit it up, but the at-bats look better than the results and is still only 21 years old. Zebby Matthews and Connor Prielipp have flashed great stuff throughout the season and would likely be talked about much better with a better defense behind them. Plus, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Alan Roden might be the two best hitters at AAA while 2026 draftees Vahn Lackey and Carson Tinney have been among the best players in the minors since debuting last month.

It’s hard to not be disappointed as the season winds down, but unlike the end of last season, this one has left me feeling very optimistic about the future of the Minnesota Twins. If Tom Pohlad sticks to his word and significantly increases the payroll, this team should be the AL Central favorites in 2027.

Today, we’ll get to see the Joe Ryan Experience make his grand return to the pitcher-friendly Comerica Park, a nice soft landing for the Twins’ ace. The bats will be facing Troy Melton, who may be the Tigers’ next ace, but the Twins have shown the ability to hit him the two times they’ve seen Melton earlier this season. Let’s see if they can do it again!

Lineups

Twins	Opponent
SP: Joe Ryan	SP: Troy Melton
1. Luke Keaschall, RF	1. Colt Keith, DH
2. Brooks Lee, 3B	2. Kevin McGonigle, 3B
3. Kody Clemens, 2B	3. Gleyber Torres, 2B
4. Ryan Jeffers, C	4. Riley Greene, LF
5. Josh Bell, DH	5. Dillon Dingler, C
6. Royce Lewis, 1B	6. Zach McKinstry, RF
7. Trevor Larnach, LF	7. Spencer Torkelson, 1B
8. Kaelen Culpepper, SS	8. Max Clark, CF
9. Walker Jenkins, CF	9. John Peck, SS

Remember the Midshipman’s Log? Good times, everybody.

There is something so satisfying about following the minor league teams and prospects. It makes a Brock Rodden debut more exciting and rewarding than it probably should (if Spencer Packard ever debuts, I can’t wait to reminisce about how he raked for Everett back in 2022), and in a season like this, we’re going to take every piece of succor we can.

Once again, Max is gone celebrating his graduation from graduate school (congrats Max!), so you’re going to have put up with a sub-Max quality write-up for one more week.

Tacoma Rainiers (66-72), 3rd in PCL West

The Rainiers won the first three of the series against the Albuquerque Isotopes, their fifth, sixth and seventh consecutive wins. Wednesday was an exciting win, as a wild pitch in the ninth inning scored Stuart Fairchild to tie the game up before Tacoma put up a 3-spot in the top of the 10th inning. They also won the fifth game of the series to claim a series win over Albuquerque in dramatic fashion – even deprived of Little Laz, they powered their way to victory as Victor Labrada, Ryan Bliss, Andy Ibañez and Nolan Jones all hit home runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

It was a great send-off series for Michael Arroyo, who has since been promoted to the big-league club in the latest jangling-key-maneuver from Seattle’s front office. Arroyo had six RBIs on seven hits with a pair of walks. His final line for the MILB season: .283/.359/.471, 18 HR, 17 SB. So close to a minor-league 20-20!

Top prospect updates:

Who’s even left? Well:

Ryan Bliss update:

Not to be outdone by his old middle-infield partner, Bliss also put up six RBIs on seven hits this series, with a TRIO of walks. As mentioned, he also got involved in the big comeback home run derby on Saturday night. Oh, how I wish Bliss wasn’t a Quad-A player.

Ryan Bliss blasts a go ahead 3-run HR! pic.twitter.com/axfagpWQIs

— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) September 5, 2026

Pitching update:

A little more Jekyll and Hyde for Tacoma’s staff – on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, they gave up a combined seven runs. On Thursday, Friday and Sunday, they gave up a combined 29 runs. Nothing new from the depleted Tacoma pitching team.

Arkansas Travelers (69-63), 3rd in the Texas League North

The Travs earned a split for their last home series of the season, though it was marred by a brutal 24-4 loss in the series finale to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. They walked-off the series opener with a three-run ninth, as Jonny Farmelo drove in the first run with a double, before scoring the go-ahead run himself on a Charlie Pagliarini double. Friday’s night game saw an offensive explosion for the Travs, a 13-5 win, with every batter reaching base at least twice except for Josh Hood.

The Travs have one more series left in their season on the road against Springfield.

Top prospect update:

Felnin Celesten: Felnin’s season came to an end on August 27, as he caught the groin bug that has plagued the big-league club this season. It’s unfortunate timing, as the promotion to Double-A was hard-earned and he surely would have loved a chance to excel at the challenge. However, the 20-year old top prospect re-established himself after being dropped from most top-100 lists this offseason, slashing .273/.363/.458 with 16 home runs and 25 stolen bases in almost 500 PAs between Everett and Arkansas.

Jonny Farmelo: 9 hits (including a pair of doubles) and 5 walks against just 3 strikeouts. Is that good? Yes, Farmelo had a good week after struggling since his promotion to Double-A, hitting sub-.200 for Arkansas in 34 games before this week. An encouraging step for him! He also continues to be electric in center field.

Jonny Farmelo runs it down. pic.twitter.com/3L5yJx9Lrx

— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) September 3, 2026

Boston Smith: Oh man, I am all the way in on Boston Smith. So, am I pretending I do not see this week where he went 1-for-20 with nine strikeouts.

Ryan Sloan: After an uneven August, Sloan had a forgettable start this week, lasting just 4.2 innings and giving up 4 runs.

Obligatory Teddy McGraw check-in: McGraw made two appearances over this series, going an inning each and giving up just one hit and striking out 3.

Everett AquaSox (67-65, second in Northwest League)

The AquaSox finished their season with a 4-2 series win over Spokane. They fell victim to the inane first-half/second-half playoff structure of the Northwest League, and failed to qualify for the playoffs despite finishing second in the overall standings.

Top prospect update:

Korbyn Dickerson was placed on the inactive list after the series opener.

Luke Stevenson has continued to be a real hot-and-cold hitter, and this was a hot week: 8 hits, 2 home runs, and 5 walks saw him power his team to their series win. A leadoff-hitting catcher? You just gotta love it.

Inland Empire 66ers (59-72, 7th in Cal League [out of 8, ouch]

The 66ers lost 4 of their last 5 games, as the season finale in Lake Elsinore was cancelled amidst a rainstorm that left the field unplayable.

Ace Reese absolutely rakes. Nine hits in four games this series, with as many home runs as strikeouts. Look at that swing! He is going to terrorize the Northwest League next year. He ends his first stint in professional baseball with a line of .440/.530/.667.

Ace Reese crushes a solo HR! pic.twitter.com/0P91UAV7Rb

— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) September 3, 2026

Nick Becker has not raked, and will probably need another pass in the Cal League, as he went 2-for-18 this series. There is still plenty of talent and tools in the tank here, and I am still in on Becker.

An 11:10 am first pitch on a Monday? What fresh hell is this? I know it’s Labor Day and all, but Monday is one of my days off anyway, so it makes no difference to me. I’m used to relaxing, watching a couple of movies, then sauntering towards a Gameday Thread in the late afternoon. Today though? No such luck. Even though it is one of the holidays “observed” by baseball, with an afternoon start time an option, it has been a long while since we’ve had one start this early in Arizona. Usually, we’re at home, or playing close to it. From what I’ve found, it’s the earliest Labor Day in SnakePit history. The last morning game was 2000, when Atlanta meant a 10:05 am start here.

So I’ll keep this brief. All told, it hasn’t been a happy holiday for Arizona. They are only 9-18 on Labor Day over the years (they had no game in 2001), and have just one win in six attempts this decade. They’ll be hoping for better today. It’s another bullpen game, so maybe it’ll be as successful as the last one. Though the line-up above shows Cabrera as the starter, he’s going to be the “bulk” pitcher, with Derek Law the opener. Plenty of options in the ‘pen, with five players who haven’t pitched in five days or more, and two more on three days rest. No Corbin Carroll, who is simply getting a day off, but good to see Geraldo Perdomo bounce back after the friendly fire incident yesterday.