Worldwide Sports News

The back and forth has happened so often that it’s not even really disconcerting anymore. This team can be so good. But it’s really fragile. It can evaporate in a hurry. Tuesday night’s game was one that against a lesser opponent probably would have been a win going away. The Cubs generated a ton of traffic early and did produce three runs, but they just couldn’t get over the hump. Martin Perez’s start reminded me of a Javier Assad start. There were runners all over the place and you kept feeling like the Cubs would eventually punch through and win an easy one.

Kevin Gausman was very good early and so everything just felt right in this one. In his sixth inning of work, Gausman was victimized by a two-run homer by Ronald Acuña Jr. He certainly wasn’t the first and won’t be the last to be on the wrong end of one of Acuña’s homers. He couldn’t get out of the sixth and then this is where the game got weird.

Before I continue on, a couple of disclaimers. I am a big Craig Counsell supporter. Secondly, even if I were a moderate (or less) supporter of Counsell, I’d still recognize that the Cubs bullpen (and often their pitching staff in general) has been so bad that there aren’t really any great options. So I get it, he’s trying to figure out a way to stack his Jenga blocks in such a way that they don’t immediately fall over. I can remember some recent National and Phillie seasons where they had combustible bullpens. I can remember the Cubs having some season with really unreliable closers. But I can’t remember the last time where the Cubs didn’t really have anyone dependable down there. Even in the lean years, there is usually a dependable arm or two down there.

So I get it. But he used Daniel Palencia to escape the sixth. That was obviously a key out with just a one run lead. Then he went to Jacob Webb. Webb allowed a second Braves two-run homer, to Ozzie Albies. He’s victimized a few people in his day too. Webb is such a cautionary tale for not getting too locked into a guy too quick. Webb had about as good a two-month stretch as any reliever you’ll see. But since he blew his first save, he’s been a dumpster fire. You don’t really learn about relievers until after they’ve had that first failure. Relief pitching is all about bouncing back from disappointment.

Then Craig Counsell went to Edward Cabrera. Cabrera was exactly what he’s been this year. Tantalizing at times. But just not able to finish the job. He ultimately allowed a two-run homer to Drake Baldwin. The Braves safely executed the clear strategy against the Cubs. Make their starter work. Keep the game close. Beat them late. To the Braves credit, they went to infield in very early in the game and indeed got a ground ball and threw out a runner trying to score.

All this game needed was either Marcell Ozuna or Freddie Freeman to show up and homer to really drive home echoes of four or five years ago. Those guys are long gone, but this felt like so many games against the Braves in recent years. Of course, it really felt like a 2026 Cub game too. The pitching staff just giving up too many homers.

Anyway, back to my original point. I would understand if you didn’t want Cabrera’s first relief appearance to be in a messy spot. And yet, they did eventually bring him in with two outs and a runner on second. So you had Cabrera in the chamber and you were ultimately willing to use him with traffic. So why wasn’t he the first one out of the pen in this one? Had the three relievers the Cubs did use done their job cleanly, Ryan Zeferjahn would likely have been on an island by himself to close this game, having thrown the day before. The other Ryan, Rolison also threw Monday and also threw Saturday. I don’t love the sequencing of the bullpen. Also, when they all allow two-run homers (Palencia did not), it doesn’t matter a ton.

Three Positives:

• Matt Shaw was the clear offensive star in this one. He had two singles and drew a walk. He scored a run.
• Kevin Gausman threw 5.2 innings and allowed only two runs, striking out six.
• Michael Busch had a single and a walk and scored twice.

Game 152, September 15: Braves 6, Cubs 3 (84-68)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Matt Shaw (.136). 2-2, BB, R
• Hero: Pedro Ramirez (.135). 1-4, RBI
• Sidekick: Kevin Gausman (.110). 5.2 IP, 22 BF, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 R, 6 K

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Jacob Webb (-.363). 0.2 IP, 5 BF, 2 H, BB, 2 R (L 6-5)
• Goat: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.140). 0-5
• Kid: Nico Hoerner (-.124). 0-4

WPA Play of the Game: Ozzie Albies’ two-run homer with one out in the seventh gave the Braves a one-run lead. (.370)

Cubs Play of the Game: Pedro Ramirez batted with runners at first and second with no outs in the second, the game scoreless. He grounded to short and Mauricio Dubon fielded and tried to get the force at second but threw the ball away. A run scored and it put runners at the corners.

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 151: Pete Crow-Armstrong 46-45 over David Peterson. One person voted for Carson Kelly and might have robbed us of a split. Probably just about as rare of an occurrence as a unanimous vote.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Pete Crow-Armstrong +24.5
• Alex Bregman +24
• Carson Kelly +16.5
• Ben Brown +13.5
• Michael Conforto +13
• Jameson Taillon -13
• Seiya Suzuki -15
• Nico Hoerner -16
• Dansby Swanson -17
• Caleb Thielbar -17.5

Scoreboard Watching: Hat tip to the Brewers winning their fourth straight NL Central title. That is one of the most well run organizations in baseball. The Phillies lost and remain half a game behind the Cubs (and would lose a tiebreaker). The Padres lost, snapping their long winning streak. They remain 1.5 games behind the Cubs. The Diamondbacks lost a t0ugh one in extra innings and are four games behind the Cubs.

Up Next: The third and final game of the series, winner takes the series. The Braves will at least split the season series with the Cubs, having won three of the first five. The Cubs have been very good against NL playoff hopefuls. Only the Brewers have won their season series with the Cubs. The Cardinals and Brewers are the only NL teams who came in with winning records against the Cubs. The Braves join that group. The Rockies, Giants and Nationals all split their series with the Cubs. There is some illustration of the up and down performance of the Cubs in these numbers. Doing well against all but one of the best teams but only breaking even against the worst teams.

Shōta Imanaga (10-10, 3.88) starts for the Cubs. He’s won back-to back starts, bouncing back after several rough ones. He lost to the Braves in May despite allowing two runs over seven innings of work. 23-year-old righty JR Ritchie (1-2, 4.50) has appeared in 14 games, making eight starts. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since August 2. He went four innings and allowed two runs in that one, a start. He’s fully stretched out, twice pitching six or more innings this month in the minors. On September 6, he struck out 15 in 6.2 innings. He only walked one. So he is dominating at Triple-A. At the major league level, he’s allowed 36 walks in 58 innings. He started against the Cubs in May. He allowed a run on two hits and three walks in 4.1 innings.

It has the feeling of it all unraveling, doesn’t it?

First, it was the announcement by the Phillies on Tuesday afternoon that starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo, the very best pitcher in the sport for more than three months now, was being placed on the 15-day IL with shoulder inflammation that the team hoped would subside in time for him to make his next start.

While the team and Luzardo say they are confident he will be ready for the playoffs, it’s fair to be critical of that. It’s never good news when your best pitcher’s throwing shoulder is too sore to throw a baseball two weeks before the postseason.

The Phillies were 18-3 in his last 21 starts. Since May 14, Luzardo’s 1.93 ERA was second in the Majors, his 164 strikeouts ranked third, he was second in innings pitched (135), his .191 opponents’ batting average was fifth and his 0.98 WHIP was seventh-best.

It is a critical loss as the Phillies battle three other teams for one of the NL’s three wild card slots.

Then, the Phils followed that news by playing a dispiriting game against the last place Nationals in Washington. The bats were largely silent, Cristopher Sanchez had yet another lackluster start, and the bullpen gave up a big hit late in a 6-3 loss.

The Phillies are 4-8 in their last 12 games after a raucous August, further cementing the Jekyll and Hyde nature of this sometimes-great, sometimes-awful group of veterans.

They benefitted from outside help on Tuesday night, with the Cubs, Padres and Diamondbacks all also losing, but the whole thing feels exceedingly tenuous right now.

Is it time to panic?

Cristopher Sanchez, who earlier this year spun 50 2/3 scoreless innings, the third-longest mark in MLB history, has a 6.87 ERA over his last three starts and a 5.06 ERA in his last five. He has given up 8 or more hits in 4 of his last 6.

It’s a bad time for Sanchez to lose his way.

The lineup’s early-August dalliance with discipline has disappeared entirely, with a league-worst 6.4% walk rate in September, but this isn’t about one inopportune cold streak. The lineup has a season-long OPS+ of 90 that is the worst in baseball.

That’s right, according to that metric, there is no offense in baseball worse than the Phillies’. They have just three players with a slugging percentage over .400 (Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Brandon Marsh), and Marsh’s .412 is barely over that mark. He’s also been, statistically, the worst player in baseball since the All Star break. Only two players (Schwarber and Harper) have at least 20 home runs.

So if you’re expecting the Phillies to slug their way through October like they did in ‘22, think again.

And then there’s the bullpen. Their 4.33 ERA is 21st in baseball, and there is no one you feel good about coming out of the ‘pen with a late lead and the game on the line, outside of Jhoan Duran. He’s not infallible, nor should he be expected to be.

Tuesday night’s game against the Nationals was a prime example of what ails this team. This was a matchup the Phillies simply had to win.

They had Sanchez, one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last two years, facing a decent but no longer spectacular Nationals lineup. The Phils’ offense, meanwhile, went up against a 23-year-old left-handed rookie named Jackson Kent, who after five innings had given up just three runs. He has a 6.40 ERA.

The Nationals have the worst bullpen in baseball, setting the all-time blown saves record last week. They pitched four shutout innings against the Phillies’ lineup of free swinging stars.

Sanchez vs. a rookie with a 6.40 ERA and the Major’s worst collection of relievers. In a pennant race.

The Phils had to win that one.

It’s fair to remember things felt like they were falling apart in September of 2022, too. They went 11-14 in the season’s final month and 3-3 in early October ahead of the playoffs, ultimately sneaking in as the third wild card. After a brutal three-game sweep at the hands of the Cubs in Wrigley Field in late September, the Phillies had lost 10 of 13 and appeared on their way to blowing a chance to break an 11-year postseason drought that had become the longest in the National League.

But they righted the ship at the last moment and snuck into the tournament. Magic happened.

That team succeeded in October without the weight of expectations on them. This team, even if they enter as a road wild card team, will not have the grace of being an underdog. No matter how they get into the playoffs, the only thing that will make anyone happy is a World Series.

The trend lines aren’t good. A season-long underachieving offense, a starting rotation that might be falling apart, and a bullpen no one trusts does not establish a championship foundation.

It is all so tenuous, and nothing is guaranteed.

Here’s a bold prediction: at some point in the next decade, we will have a pitcher who will break the record for most games started in a season. The record is currently 75, shared by Pud Galvin (1883) and Will White (1879.) Galvin threw 656 ⅓ innings, while White threw 680. The future record-holder will probably throw fewer than 150 innings.

They’ll be an opener.

Enough about the past and future, let’s instead focus on the recent past and the near future. White Sox manager Will Venable first deployed Grant Taylor as an opener this year on April 3. The White Sox won that game, to improve their early season record to 2-5. Venable had Taylor open again the next day – they won that game, too. Despite the early success, Venable’s tactics were met with skepticism by the fan base writ large. It was a mixture of “nerds are ruining the game” (balderdash) with a scoop of “anything the White Sox do is inherently a bad idea because it’s the White Sox doing it” (OK, understandable.)

The proof has since been found within the pudding. When the White Sox use any of their three best high-leverage arms to open a game, their record is 13-5. Openers work — when you have a good opener:

Chris Murphy is not on the level of Taylor, Hudson or Newcomb. So when he gave up back-to-back home runs in the first inning of Tuesday’s game to put the White Sox in a 3-0 hole, it’s totally reasonable to ask why he was opening. What isn’t in question is whether openers in general are a smart decision.

They are.

What’s the logic behind using openers in the first place? Like most ideas which lead to analytic nerds getting their heads dunked in toilets by the likes of Hawk Harrelson, there’s 100+ years of consistent data to back up the concept. Namely, starting pitchers see a precipitous drop in their effectiveness whenever they are facing a batting order for the third time. By using an opener, the opposing lineup’s best hitters do not get a third chance to see the bulk pitcher until late in the game, as opposed to the middle innings. And that’s if they get to see him a third time at all; when the strategy works as intended, the “starter” can tear their way through the middle innings and still hand over the ball to a late-inning, high-leverage arm.

This is where the anti-analytics people come out of their caves, wearing their leopard-fur loincloths and waving around crude hand tools in a blind fury, shouting, “Walter Johnson didn’t need an opener” like they’ve spotted an airplane flying over Pangaea. This is the only context where somebody can demand that Erick Fedde pitch as effectively as Johnson and receive widespread support. I’ll concede that Johnson did not use an opener during his career, and still did quite well for himself.

Let’s see how the OG Big Train did each time through the order:

Here’s the thing: A tired Johnson was still going to pitch better than any reliever. That’s why he has a career bWAR of 168.4. I am not saying that Johnson needed an opener. What I am saying is that any time a major league hitter gets a third chance to see the same pitcher in a game, they will always do better on average (I’m also saying that Johnson is better than Fedde, by the way). Openers aren’t a case of analytics running the game, but a case of adapting to facts that have been staring us in the face since the spitball.

If you want a more modern example, let’s look at Tristan Peters vs. Gavin Williams in the White Sox 7-3 victory over the Guardians on Monday.  His first at-bat was a one-pitch pop out on a high inside fastball. His second appearance was a five-pitch strikeout with two runners in scoring position, featuring two swings over the top of breaking balls that were closer to the dirt than they were to the strike zone.

Peters seemed overmatched. In the interest of that long-dead ideal known as “full transparency,” it was that at-bat which caused me to have a full-blown crash out on main:

The third at-bat, of course, was that 18-pitch epic that became the turning point of the entire game. Peters had now seen the fastball, curveball and sweeper. That experience allowed Peters to foul off those pitches with metronomic efficiency. By the way, it’s not like Williams ever gave in; I don’t think he missed his spot on any of his first 17 pitches. Peters simply wouldn’t be beaten. It was an at-bat you could only have in your third at-bat against the same pitcher.

Now, a modest proposal. The White Sox starting pitchers are gassed. It’s undeniable. That’s why Venable should use an opener for every game from now until the end of the season.

Yes. Every game.

I’ll go even further – most managers pull their opener after their first five or six hitters, reasoning that their “starter” can facing the bottom third of the order three times without significant risk. Last I checked, though, the bottom-three hitters in every major league lineup are still major league hitters. The White Sox also have a bullpen full of starting pitchers past (Newcomb, Hudson) and future (Taylor.) Let them face the entire lineup once through. Pass off the baton after a clean nine batters faced and let the bulk arm come in for the heavy work with a totally clean slate. If the club’s starters can only give you four innings, those innings should be four through seven, not one through four.

After all, No. 2 seeds only need to go 11-5 in October to win a World Series title.

Numbers don’t lie.  

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (72-72) lost 5-2 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Dezenzo RBI double. Alexander started for Sugar Land and allowed 5 runs over 6 innings. Schiavone connected on a solo home run in the 5th to get a run back. The pen tossed 3 scoreless innings but the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 5-2.

Note: Schiavone has 32 home runs this season.

• Pascanel Ferreras, SS: 1-for-4, 2B
• Cavan Biggio, 2B: 1-for-4, R, 2B
• Zach Dezenzo, RF: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB
• Jason Schiavone, 1B: 1-for-2, R, HR, RBI, BB

• Jason Alexander, RHP: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Alex Santos II, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Nic Swanson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

---

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (62-76) SEASON OVER

---

A+: Asheville Tourists (43-87) SEASON OVER

---

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (2-0) won 7-4 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning thanks to a Tryon grand slam. Fraide got the start and dominated tossing 5 scoreless innings with 6 strikeouts. Carrera relieved Fraide and allowed 2 runs but the offense scored 3 more in the 7th on an Alvarez 2 run single and a Luciano groundout. Cassedy allowed a 2 run home run in the 9th but struck out 6 over 2 innings as he closed out the Championship game. Find a more detailed Championship recap here.

Note: The Woodpeckers are the 2026 Carolina League Champions!

• Kam Durnin, SS: 1-for-2, 2 R, 2B, 2 BB, SB
• Logan Hughes, DH: 1-for-3, R, BB
• Kevin Alvarez, CF: 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI, SB
• Owen Nowak, LF: 0-for-1, R, 3 BB
• Ben Tryon, 1B: 1-for-4, R, HR, 4 RBI

• Juan Fraide, RHP: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (WIN)
• Jesus Carrera, RHP: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Brandon Cassedy, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

---

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Brandon McPherson – 7:05 CT

CC: SEASON OVER

AV: SEASON OVER

FV: SEASON OVER

I was lucky enough to be at The Greg Bird Game.

2017 ALDS Game 3 — a potential final game of the season for the Yankees, who of course dropped the first two of the series to Cleveland. We were sitting in the first row of the third deck, somewhere outside the right field foul pole. I remember the euphoria of Bird’s homer, off of a then-unbeatable Andrew Miller, was a feeling I hadn’t had at an in-person game before. I’m not even sure how this game holds up in recent Yankee memory, but it’s a mighty fine one in this fan’s mind.

I skipped a college presentation to make the pilgrimage to this game, my first postseason contest. I recall telling the professor, one of those cool ones that simply gets it, the opportunity that this was for me. She allowed it with little push back.

By this point, I was maybe a couple years removed from being a real “rah-rah” sort of fan, and had become more of an ardent observer of the game, happy to take in any information about any team or any player. But, when Aroldis Chapman came on to close that game, protecting just the 1-0 lead provided by Bird, it was difficult to remain in such a state.

My sister, who was the catalyst in even going to this game, at one point asked me if I was okay. Because, as Cleveland began to threaten in the ninth, all of the color had basically drained from my face. Although I wasn’t necessarily jumping out of my seat, it was, and is, a part of who I am.

I remember laying on the floor, as a much younger lad, deep into the night, ecstatically heading to bed after patiently waiting on Alex Rodriguez’s walk-off homer in the 15th inning of a random August game during the magic ‘09 season. We all have these moments, and I think the feeling sticks with us one way or another. I believe this sort of thing is a vital unifying glue for all of us.

I also remember when I heard that I’d gotten a spot contributing here at Pinstripe Alley, when I was coaching from a dugout.

Over the last four seasons I’ve had the privilege of covering everything from playoff runs, the WBC, and outrageous hypotheticals that had been floating around in my brain for years. From the procedural to passion projects, I always tried to keep in mind how cool it was that at least some people were reading things I had to say about the Yankees, and about baseball. What a dream!

Even more, it has been a privilege to work alongside so many smart and talented people here at PSA, who each do their part in making this site the best in the biz. Of course, a special thanks to Andrew, Madison, Jake, and now Dani, who do more work that you’d think to keep the train on the tracks.

As I’ve progressed in my life, I have only felt increasingly strong that one should spend their time on this earth with people and doing things that they love — little else matters. For most of my life, baseball has been a heavy hitter on my own personal list of those things, and I hope it always will be.

But, for now, as my life continues to be filled with these things, I have decided it fit to step away from contributing to this terrific site for now. For any and all who have read, I am grateful that you took the time, and hope I provided something in that transaction.

In the meantime, I will be keeping an eye on this game we love, and this site that provided me with such a cool outlet. But I’m also off to find more people and more things to care deeply about. It is my strong recommendation that you all do the same.

Thanks all, have good days out there.

There is only a little over a week left in the 2026 regular season for the San Diego Padres. With the team marching toward a playoff berth, this is a good time to look back at how they got here.

It is not a stretch to say that without the minor league free agents signed by A.J. Preller, both before and during the season, the Friars would be lost.

Free agent flyers

Padres fans don’t need to remember too far back in team history to recall some of the free agents signed in past seasons that did not work out for the organization — names like Yuli Gurriel, Jason Heyward, Nick Castellanos, Trenton Brooks or Connor Joe. Some were major league signings, and others were minor league contracts.

There were also some great additions that contributed to winning seasons, like Donovan Solano and David Peralta. Gavin Sheets was a minor league free agent signed last year who contributed significantly to the success of the 2025 Padres.

2026 class shines

None of those compare to the players that Preller and his scouting group identified and signed to the system before and during this season. The Padres would literally be nowhere without the additions made to replace the players lost to injury and poor performance this year.

Because payroll restrictions were in place for a team on the market to be sold, Preller had to resort to the proverbial “dumpster diving” to fill parts of the roster.

Prior to the start of the season, starting pitchers Germán Márquez and Walker Buehler were signed to contracts, with Buehler as a minor-league free agent. Two pitchers trying to resurrect their careers, Marco Gonzales and Triston McKenzie, also signed minor league deals.

They were all slated to compete to fill out a starting pitching rotation that had already lost both Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish for the start of the year or the whole season. Then, after the season began, Nick Pivetta was also lost to injury for an indeterminate amount of time.

As it turned out, nobody but Buehler stuck it out long-term, but Márquez did eat up some innings to start the season before being released. 

The signing of Lucas Giolito in April proved to be a waste of team money, with Giolito ineffective and then placed on the 60-day injured list.

The starting staff has been a patchwork group and continues to underperform outside of Buehler, Michael King, Randy Vasquez, and a hoped-for return to effectiveness for Nick Pivetta.

A patchwork roster

The real miracle, though, has been putting together an offense after the loss of Ramon Laureano early in the year, the fractured wrist of Miguel Andujar, the release of Castellanos, and the offensive underperformance of utility man Sung-Mun Song. 

Preller added outfielder Jase Bowen to the minor league system in November of last year, and he impressed in spring camp. Bowen got the call-up when Castellanos was DFA’d in June.

Second baseman and outfielder Samad Taylor was signed to a minor league contract in January and replaced Laureano when he was injured and required surgery.

DH and third baseman Miguel Andujar was signed to an MLB contract on Feb. 11 and started the season at DH/3B/LF. After breaking his wrist in late July, Andujar remains on the IL.

Luis Rengifo was signed to a minor league contract on June 29, as the Padres were losing players from the majors and depleting the El Paso roster rapidly. Rengifo barely got a chance to settle into Triple-A and was called up on July 8. On that same day, Preller signed outfielder Dustin Harris to a minor league contract. After working into regular playing time, Harris was released in early August but quickly re-signed with the team (reason unknown).

After hitting .350 with six home runs in his brief time with El Paso, Harris was called up to San Diego on Aug. 24, with the Padres suffering the prolonged lack of a reliable left fielder and Gavin Sheets having restricted use with plantar fasciitis.

On Aug. 30, Rengifo was placed on the injured list with a torn ACL, lost for the season. On Sept. 1, the Padres called up top prospect Ethan Salas to help with catching and DH duties.

To further add depth to a bench that has suffered multiple losses of valuable talent, Preller signed outfielder/DH Austin Hays to a minor league contract on Aug. 7 and added him to the roster when Song was optioned to El Paso for increased hitting opportunities. That didn’t last but six days. Song was recalled when Sheets and Rengifo went out to the IL.

Ty France reigns

All of those moves have proven to be vital to the success of this team. Where would we be without the contributions from all these players?

Preller and his scouts excelled in identifying and signing talent this season. Both before the start of the year and during it, players were added who have made a mark on this roster.

The crowning achievement in this free agent class has to be first baseman Ty France. 

Originally signed and developed by the Padres, France was traded to Seattle in the deal that brought Austin Nola to the Padres. He has had a good career, garnering an All-Star selection in 2022 with Seattle and a Gold Glove at first base last season in the American League. He chose to come back to San Diego after struggling with his hitting the past couple of seasons.

France has undoubtedly been the most consistent Padre in 2026 

Making the roster as a platoon partner for Sheets, France quickly showed his defensive talent and a resurgence in his offense. It was a true platoon to begin the year, with France getting 16 games in April and hitting .310 with a .975 OPS. His starts increased after that, with a mild swoon coming in June where he hit .239 with a .805 OPS.

As of yesterday, France is fourth in home runs with 20, fourth in RBI with 64, and leads the team in OPS with .879.

As a minor-league free agent signed on Feb. 15, France is by far the shining star of the offseason moves. This has been a season to remember for a scouting department that has frequently been criticized for bringing in over-the-hill veterans who contributed little to the Padres.

These younger, more talented roster additions are the primary reason the Padres are where they are today. Without them plugging those huge holes and adding spark and energy to the roster, no one can argue the core group would have been able to carry this team.

The Royals had high hopes for Carter Jensen after he raked in a September callup late in 2025. He has not disappointed, tying Bob Hamelin for the club record for most home runs by a Royals rookie with 24. While he still has two weeks to surpass “The Hammer,” he has already cemented his status as one of the best rookie hitters in Royals history. But how does he stack up against the best rookie seasons the franchise has ever seen?

For this ranking, I’m looking at what each player actually accomplished as a rookie, with performance taking precedence over what he went on to do in his career. George Brett was a Hall of Famer, but his rookie season pales in comparison to a rookie slugger like Hamelin. Here are the top hitting rookie seasons in Royals history.

10. Bobby Witt Jr., 2022

There was a lot of hype for Bobby after a monster minor league season in 2021. He had the game-winning hit on Opening Day and became just the second player in MLB history with a 20-home-run/30-stolen-base season in his debut year. However, he put up just a .294 on-base percentage and showed some shaky defense at shortstop, which hurt his WAR numbers. It was a solid season, but there were blemishes to his game that he would quickly correct to become one of the best players in baseball.

9. Mike Fiore, 1969

Fiore had a very overlooked season in that inaugural Royals campaign. Selected from the Orioles in the expansion draft, he was a semi-regular at first base who finished second on the team with a .274 batting average. He also had a very patient eye, finishing 13th in the American League in walks, despite only making 427 plate appearances. It is still the 11th-most walks by a Royals hitter in a season. Fiore hit .274/.420/.428 with 12 home runs, but the next year he clashed with new manager Charlie Metro, and was traded to Boston, where he was buried on the depth chart.

8. Eric Hosmer, 2011

Hosmer also had a highly anticipated debut, and he quickly showed why the Royals had been so high on him. Called up in May, the 21-year-old hit .293/.334/.465 with 19 home runs and 78 RBI in 128 games. He looked smooth scooping out throws at first base, showing the defense that would win him four Gold Glove Awards. He would finish third in Rookie of the Year voting that year, eventually earning All-Star honors and a championship in Kansas City.

7. Lou Piniella, 1969

“Lou Piniella has the red ass,” wrote Seattle Pilots pitcher Jim Bouton in his book Ball Four. The two had been teammates in spring training for the expansion franchise, but Piniella’s fiery temper got him shipped to the Royals before the regular season began. It was a trade Seattle would regret. Piniella had the first hit in Royals history and batted .282/.325/.416 with 11 home runs, earning MVP votes and winning American League Rookie of the Year.

6. Mike Avilés, 2008

Avilés had to overcome a lot to make the big leagues. Drafted as a senior out of tiny Concordia College in New York, he was offered a cheap “take it or leave it” $1,000 bonus. He made the big leagues at age 27 and impressed early on. In just his tenth game, he had a four-hit day with two doubles and a home run. He ended the year with a line of .325/.354/.480, a batting average that would have been sixth in the league had he qualified. He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, but his 4.7 rWAR was just behind winner Evan Longoria’s 4.8.

5. Angel Berroa, 2003

The Angel Berroa era in Kansas City ended poorly, but the future seemed bright in his rookie year. Acquired from the Athletics in the Johnny Damon trade, the Royals hoped Berroa could solidify a shortstop position that had been inconsistent since the days of Freddie Patek. He was a big part of why the team had a successful 2003 season, hitting .287/.338/.451 with 17 home runs, 73 RBI and 21 stolen bases. He edged out Hideki Matsui to win American League Rookie of the Year honors, but he never lived up to a long-term deal he signed with the club.

4. Bob Hamelin, 1994

Hamelin was 26 years old when he burst onto the scene in 1994. He didn’t look like a baseball star – he was chubby and wore glasses – but that was part of what endeared him to Royals fans that summer. Oh and the dingers. So many dingers. Hamelin smashed 24 home runs in just 375 plate appearances, finishing ninth in the American League. His bat helped propel the Royals during a hot streak where they won 14 in a row to climb into contention – he hit .354 with six home runs in those games. He finished fifth in the league in OPS and won Rookie of the Year, but just five years later he would retire from baseball.

3. Carter Jensen, 2026

Last night, Jensen set the Royals rookie record for most extra-base hits with 58, and he has flashed some promising power all season. The Kansas City native is hitting .232/.319/.452 with 62 walks and his 24 home runs are fourth-most among all rookies. He has had some mixed results behind the plate, but has shown a strong arm. He has gunned out 35 percent of attempted base stealers, fifth-highest for anyone with at least 10 caught stealing. The Royals are used to a power-hitter behind the plate, and Jensen is a worthy successor to Salvador Perez.

2. Carlos Beltrán, 1999

Beltrán got his Hall of Fame career off to a good start by making an immediate impact for the Royals in his rookie year. He exhibited a unique blend of power and speed, smashing 22 home runs and stealing 27 bases. He became just the eighth rookie to score 100 runs and hit 100 RBI. Overall, he hit .293/.337/.454 while playing spectacular defense in center. He was worth 4.7 rWAR and was a near-unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year.

1. Kevin Seitzer, 1987

All Kevin Seitzer did was hit. He got off to a blazing start, batting .382 in the month of April. He was named to the All-Star Game at third that summer and caught fire in August, batting .395 and tying a club record with a six-hit game against Boston. He led the league with 207 hits, at the time, the fifth-most by a rookie since 1900. He was a 5.5 rWAR player, hitting .323/.399/.470 with 15 home runs and 80 walks. But he did this in a home-run-happy year – the 1987 season saw a spike in power and slugger Mark McGwire and his 49 homers beat out Seitzer for Rookie of the Year.

Honorable mention: Pat Kelly, 1969; Bo Jackson, 1987; Jon Nunnally, 1995; David DeJesus, 2004; Alex Gordon, 2007.

This morning, Paul Toboni made a big revelation on the radio. He announced that Connelly Early is scheduled to pitch this season for the Nats. Toboni said that he expects Early to pitch the second to last game of the season for the Nats on September 26th. This will be a good chance for the Nats new lefty to make a strong first impression.

Paul Toboni expects that Connelly Early will pitch on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Nationals Park.
From @JunksRadio

— Nats.Talk (@TalkNats) September 16, 2026

When the Connelly Early for Curtis Mead trade was made, it looked like it could help both teams this season. While Early was hurt, he was expected to be back some time in mid to late August. On the other hand, Mead was supposed to be a big boost to the Red Sox lineup.

However, Early had a slight setback and Mead broke his wrist in his first game. So far, the trade has been a wash for both teams. When Early had forearm tightness, it made Nats fans very scared. Multiple arm injuries in short succession is never a good thing for a pitcher. It looks like Early has avoided the worst case scenario though.

He made his first rehab start in AAA yesterday. In that outing, he looked decent but rusty. Early struck out two hitters in a strong first inning. His 4-seam fastball was in the 93-94 MPH range while his sinker sat around 91-92. That is very slightly down from his season averages, but not worryingly so. It was his first outing back, so Early wanted to ease himself in. We saw enough velocity and sharpness on his secondary stuff.

Connelly Early gets first K on a curveball pic.twitter.com/XZkAuXRQXR

— Nats Of The Future (@NatsOfTheFuture) September 15, 2026

He showed all six of his pitches as well. After that first inning, Early hit a wall in the second. He gave up a walk and a hit to start the inning. Then he lost a 10 pitch battle and issued another walk. Early threw 4 pitches to the next batter, getting ahead in the count. However, he hit his 35 pitch limit and was replaced by fellow deadline addition Jack Cebert.

Cebert struck out that batter, but allowed all three inherited runners to score. That meant that Early’s overall statline was ugly. For a rehab start, I don’t really care about the statline. All that concerns me is the quality of the stuff and getting through the start healthy. Early’s stuff was fine and all indications are that he got through the start without any incident. 

As Jackson Kent puts the Nats in a quick 1-0 hole here in D.C. … up in Buffalo, Connelly Early has completed his rehab start for Rochester: Faced 7 batters over 1+ innings, allowed 2 hits and 2 walks, struck out 2, threw 23-of-35 pitches for strikes.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) September 15, 2026

Even though he was not at his best, this was still a successful day for him. He took the next step towards making his Nationals debut. The debut date that Toboni announced is still 10 days away, so I wonder what will happen from here.

Either Early will make another rehab start at AAA or he will just throw a live bullpen in DC. The AAA season ends this week, but Rochester should make the International League playoffs. Toboni will have to determine the next steps though and that will be something I can ask about today.

That final series against the Mets already had some intrigue with the two clubs looking to avoid last place. Early’s debut adds another element of excitement though. It gives Nats fans something to look forward to and a chance to get to know their new lefty.

This is totally unfair, but given how the season went down after the Mead trade, Early could use a good first start. I think he has the personality and talent to be a fan favorite one day. However, right now he is just the injured pitcher we traded Curtis Mead for. With a good Nationals debut, that can change very quickly. I am really looking forward to seeing Connelly Early on the mound at Nationals Park in 10 days.

Pete Alonso blasted his milestone 300th career home run on Tuesday night, helping lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-5 victory against the New York Mets at Citi Field.

After the game, Alonso met with the trio of fans who caught his historic home run ball, and they traded it for an assortment of signed memorabilia in a special moment.

Alonso went above and beyond to show his gratitude, gifting beers and offering tickets to future Orioles games in Baltimore to the three fans – Michael Shaw, Nick Maldarella, and Chris Makarius – that generously returned the prized home run ball.

"On the way here, we were saying we're going to catch his 300th home run," Maldarella told ESPN. "And sure enough, man. It's crazy."

The former Mets star's accomplishment drew a rousing standing ovation from the Citi Field crowd, displaying the admiration New York fans still hold for Alonso despite his move to Baltimore.

After the game, Alonso spent time signing each fan’s jersey, as well as a bat and ball for each of them. In addition to inviting them to Orioles games, Alonso also offered exclusive access to batting practice at Camden Yards next season. The first baseman brought out beers and posed for photos with the group, and he expressed heartfelt appreciation for their generosity in giving him back the milestone home run ball.

"Thank you so much, guys," Alonso said, embracing each fan. "You guys are so kind, and I appreciate it."

More: Pete Alonso launches 300th career home run, and it comes against the Mets

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pete Alonso brought the beer after Mets fans caught his 300th home run