Worldwide Sports News

Goat has become a confusing sports term. Originally, it meant the person saddled with the blame for a defeat. It still means that, but capitalize it, and you get something much, much more positive. Today, the entire Hartford Yard Goats team were the goats. In the negative sense.

Syracuse 9, Lehigh Valley 1

The IronPigs offense was kept quiet tonight, as they put up just a single run on four hits. They had twice as many strikeouts as hits. Meanwhile, the Mets put together a steady drumbeat of runs. Brian Keller took the start, surrendering four runs on four hits, and walking five. Nestor Cortes pitched 1.2 innings, allowing a two-run homer. Andrew Hoffmann had four hits and three runs allowed in just two-thirds of an inning.

Reading 21, Hartford 4

No, that’s not a typo. In the first game of the Eastern League Divisional Series, the Fightin Phils put together one to remember. The Yard Goats got off to a fast start by scoring three in the second… and then saw the home club put up four times as many in their half. Not content with a dozen, the Phils scored four in the third. That wasn’t enough for them either, as they added on five more in the seventh. Shockingly, only one of those 21 runs came on a homer. Every member of the starting lineup joined the hit parade, and all but one had at least one walk and one RBI. Raylin Heredia and Pedro León led the way with three hits each; the homer belonged to Aroon Escobar. Bryan Rincon and five RBI, and León, Aroon Escobar, and Austin Murr had three each. Aidan Miller was one for five with a RBI, a walk, and three strikeouts.

Gage Wood had the start, with a four inning, two hit, three run, and four strikeout line. Evan Gates earned the win with a 1.1 inning, 1 hit relief performance.

Yesterday, the Athletics opened their final road-trip of the season with a 2-1 walk-off loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite the tough defeat, right-hander Jack Perkins’ quality start gave the team a positive take away.

With 11 games remaining, time is running out for the A’s to evaluate certain players before the offseason begins. For instance, center fielder Denzel Clarke, who is elite in the field, could pose a challenge to Henry Bolte in center field if he can get his bat to match his glove. Yet, the A’s will never know whether he has made improvements if manager Mark Kotsay continues to leave him on the bench.

In contrast, fellow outfielder Carlos Cortes has received plenty of at-bats, even with Clarke back. Cortes has not provided enough offense to offset his lack of speed and defensive ability. Rookie infielder Tommy White has similarly struggled to hit enough to make up for his defensive limitations. White has not lived up to his “Tommy Tanks” nickname, recording only two home runs and five doubles in his first 162 major league at-bats.

The Athletics are once again ranked near the bottom of the league in advanced metrics measuring defensive efficiency and runs saved. As a result, the new general manager must work with Kotsay to align the A’s defense in a way that helps, rather than hurts, the pitching staff moving forward.

If the A’s want an example, they should look to fellow small-market teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers, two organizations that have used strong pitching and defense to compete with bigger spenders in their respective divisions.

Speaking of those two teams, the fact that they were the first two to clinch playoff spots this season shows that parity exists without a salary cap. The Athletics were in a similar position a few years ago, but now have plenty of work ahead to escape this losing rut and return to playoff contention. The looming offseason lockout could further complicate matters, potentially creating a unique crunch for player movement and free agency.

How should the A’s approach this upcoming offseason? What do you think of MLB’s latest salary-cap and salary-floor proposal?

A’s Coverage:

• Rays Walk-off A’s, 2-1, in Series Opener
• Injuries Out Of Control, But Why?
• No. 2 prospect in baseball De Vries undergoes successful shoulder surgery
• 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
• A’s Win Series, Beat Mariners 8-7
• A’s Walk Off Blue Jays 6-5
• “Fast Movers” Might Be Key To Contention
• What the A’s Hiring Mike Rizzo would Signal and the Questions it Would Raise
• Bi-Polar Performance Arcs Make Evaluation Difficult
• A’s Designate José Suarez For Assignment
• Q&A: Clarke determined to finish strong with A’s after long IL stint
• It’s Been a Bummer Summer in Sacramento
• The A’s valuation rises with sales of 2 MLB clubs as Las Vegas move looms
• Your 2026 Hacktastic A’s
• Athletics Considering James Click For GM Vacancy
• Daejon Love case brings back Eric Byrnes’ bizarre story of an A’s bat boy impersonation
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
• How defensive whiz Clarke’s return will impact A’s
• How A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell brought taking a knee to MLB and what happened afterwards
• A’s Plan to Test Top Pitching Prospect Jamie Arnold at Next Level
• Separating The Wheat From The Chaff Not So Easy
• Amidst The Despair: The Position Player Talent Is There
• What Are The Next Steps For The A’s? ($)
• Where Each A’s Player’s Contract Stands Entering Offseason
• Why Athletics Will Have Scary Offense in 2027
• Underdog Athletics prospect Cole Conn playing like a big dog for Aviators
• Behind the Plate, the A’s Face an Offseason Reckoning
• Why The New GM Needs To “Clean House”
• A Seemingly Rock Bottomless Glass
• MLB Trade Grades: A’s Have Quiet Trade Deadline
• Fustercluck 2026: The Real Reasons For A Disappointing Season

MLB News and Interest:

• VOTE NOW: Here are the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award nominees
• Brewers clinch fourth straight NL Central title, with Miz right in the thick of it
• Who wrote this script?! Alonso slugs HR No. 300 at Citi Field
• On Roberto Clemente Day, MLB has a Puerto Rico problem
• Stock Watch: Biggest 2026 success, disappointment for all 30 MLB teams
• 14 straight! Dodgers tie MLB record for most consecutive playoff clinches
• Edwin Díaz Not Guaranteed Spot On Dodgers’ Playoff Roster
• Luzardo (shoulder) lands on IL in big blow for Phillies; postseason status TBD
• Yankees check first box, head to postseason for third straight season
• Rafael Devers To Undergo Core Surgery
• Terry Francona encouraged by reports of Reds leaders’ return
• Diamondbacks Claim Jesús Sánchez
• Padres win 8th straight, maintain lead over Arizona in Wild Card chase
• PCA joins Hall of Famer Williams with 42nd homer on 4-hit, 4-RBI night
• Peters’ 18-pitch walk keys White Sox’s win vs. Guardians
• Braves Likely To Place Reynaldo López On Injured List
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

The A’s AFL Contingent!

Not surprising at all.

What do you think of MLB’s latest economic proposal?

The Athletics search for their next general manger continues to expand.

This is an encouraging sign.

Hello folks!

The Mariners season continues unceasingly as the squad cemented a losing record in 2026 following a 2-1 loss to the Angels. If you’re still watching the conclusion of this season unfold, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Unfortunately, I cannot provide that to you. But, I can provide you with some news from around the league. I hope that will suffice.

In Mariners news…

• The Mariners are reportedly seeking $19 million in T-Mobile Park upgrades this winter. Hopefully they’re also seeking a sizeable investment in roster upgrades this offseason.
• Longtime Mariners front office member Alan “Moose” Clausen passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
• Get your submissions in to the latest edition of the Reverse MaiLLbag! This one is covering how the Mariners should approach this offseason.
• Over on The Feed, commenter BearInTheRiver put together a nifty graph demonstrating the importance of varying pitch locations.

Around the league…

• The Phillies have placed left-handed ace Jesús Luzardo on the injured list with shoulder inflammation.
• Orioles righty Shane Baz exited yesterday’s game against the Mets after taking a 105 mph line drive off his pitching arm.
• Astros infielder Carlos Correa will not be returning to the Houston lineup this season.
• Even after a down season, the Reds front office is expected to return in 2027 without casualty.
• Matthew Trueblood at Baseball Prospectus broke down a remarkable 18-pitch battle between Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams and White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi. ($)
• Dan Szymborski at Fangraphs gave his verdict on whether Williams is a bona fide ace for Cleveland yet.
• On Roberto Clemente Day, Jorge Castillo at ESPN wrote about how baseball on Puerto Rico is struggling because of the nation’s inclusion in the draft.
• Keagan Stiefel at Over The Monster made the case for rookie left-hander Payton Tolle to be the Red Sox Game 1 starter in the playoffs.
• Jay Jaffe at Fangraphs provided an update on the state of the Cy Young Award races.
• You’ve seen a dog give a first pitch, but now I must show you…

Good morning! Last night, Chad Tracy gave at-bats to two pinch-hitters in the 8th inning: lefty killer Jahmai Jones and utility infielder Andruw Monasterio. Jones did his job in the 8th, singling to start the inning in place of Mickey Gasper, but would subsequently strike out to end the game in the 9th. Jones was a platoon revelation when he first arrived in Boston, but he’s cooled off since then (a .200 batting average over his last 12 games), and his positional inflexibility makes him a difficult roster fit. Monasterio did not do his job last night. He struck out with the bases loaded, putting an end to the biggest threat the Sox had all night.

In light of last night’s events it’s time to ask: Is it time for Romy Gonzalez to get another crack? Romy theoretically combines the best of both Jones and Monasterio — he’s a lefty-killer and a utility infielder. He struggled mightily in his (rushed) return to the Sox earlier this year and has recently been battling a nagging injury lately, but his AAA line reads .344/.400/.505 with 3 homers and 6 doubles. He could inject some pop just as the Sox look like they could use a little extra juice.

Use this space to talk about bench bats and whatever else you want, and, as always, be good to one another.

Hall-of-Fame outfielder Tim Raines was one of the faces of Canadian baseball in the 1980s—an adroit hitter and fast-twitch baserunner whose 808 career steals ranks fifth all time. By the mid-90s, he had won a batting title, accumulated 2,295 hits, reached 50 steals in eight seasons, and been named an All-Star seven times in his prime with Montreal, before a strong yet less spectacular five-year stint in the South Side. But a taste of World Series glory had always eluded Raines until he came to the Bronx in 1996.

With his prime years behind him, Raines donned the pinstripes and brought his wealth of experience to a club on the rise; while the Yankees, for minimal cost, brought an additional marquee name into the fold alongside elder statesman Wade Boggs. Despite injuries which limited his playing time in New York, Raines won two World Series rings with the Yankees in 1996 and 1998.

Born: September 16, 1959 (Sanford, FL)
Yankees Tenure: 1996-98

Raines was, commensurate to his preternatural athleticism and agility, a three-sport athlete who played baseball and football in addition to running track for Seminole High School in Florida. He was selected by the Montreal Expos in the fifth round of the 1977 Draft, behind pitchers Bill Gullickson and Scott Sanderson. Raines, though, was the prize. The young switch-hitter broke out as a rookie in 1981, securing his first of seven straight All-Star selections in the National League and establishing himself as one of the most feared (and consistently successful) base stealers in the league.

In that strike-shortened season, the Expos defeated the Phillies in the expanded playoffs before falling in a five-game NLCS to the Dodgers. Raines, who went 5-for-21 in the series with no steals, would never make the playoffs with Montreal again. He would be 33 the next time he suited up in October—with the White Sox, who fell to the defending champion Blue Jays in the ALCS. His performance in that series was far more Raines-esque: 12 hits in 29 at-bats.

Raines took a step back offensively in his final two years with Chicago as he reached the end of his prime. Now in his mid-30s, his teammates and coaches wanted him stealing fewer bases, though Raines maintained he was still as quick as ever. The White Sox, unconvinced, dealt him away a few days after Christmas 1995. Minor league pitcher Blaise Kozeniewski was the lone player the Yankees parted with for Rock.

With a fresh start in a new organization, Raines relished the opportunity to play with an organization which had gone out of its way to bring him in for a championship quest. Yankees GM Bob Watson gave him a contract extension right after trading for him. He arrived right on time to bolster a roster poised to begin a dynastic run.

While Raines fractured his thumb and missed time from May to August in 1996, he proved a useful contributor for the Bombers when healthy, with a characteristically high .383 on-base percentage and 20 doubles bolstering his slugging percentage to .468. In a postseason timeshare at left field with slugger Darryl Strawberry, he contributed 11 hits in 13 appearances.

While he never plated a run himself, he scored seven times as the Yankees ran the table in the American League playoff. He started Games 2, 3, and 4 of the World Series, scoring the go-ahead run of Game 4 on Steve Avery’s bases-loaded walk of Wade Boggs in the 10th inning. Raines had himself walked to catalyze the two-run rally which wiped away the 2-0 series deficit into which the Yankees had fallen. Raines, who memorably made the final catch of that game while slipping and falling on the warning track, did not take the field again in the Fall Classic, but New York finished the reversal in six games, giving the veteran his long-awaited World Series ring in his 16th full season.

Raines returned for 1997, continuing to produce when he saw the field. His 74 games played constituted only a modest uptick from the year before, but he remained highly productive with a .321/.403/.454 slash line. However, despite hitting a three-run home run in Game 1 of the ALCS against Cleveland, the Yankees were denied their title defense, losing in six.

Raines re-upped with the Yankees ahead of 1998, a year in which he served as the top reserve player for one of the greatest teams in baseball history. Despite being more of a backup, Raines appeared in more games than he did in the previous two seasons, eclipsing the 100-game threshold for the only time in pinstripes. The reliable veteran continued to be an absolute pain for pitchers to get out, as his on-base percentage once again hovered close to .400 for the whole season. On June 10th, he picked up his 800th career stolen base in where else but Montreal’s Stade Olympique, where his star was born in the 1980s. He became just the fifth player in MLB history to reach that milestone.

Now 38, Raines was increasingly stashed at DH, then struggled in the 1998 playoffs and largely rode the bench, with Chili Davis getting the majority of the plate appearances there. Still, when he wasn’t on the field, he had a front-row seat to the finest incarnation of this Yankee dynasty—including all four games of their decisive World Series sweep in San Diego.

With two World Series rings in hand, Rock could easily have walked off into the sunset as a man with nothing more to prove—but like many a baseball lifer, he couldn’t give the sport up. Not even after he was diagnosed with lupus in the middle of the 1999 season did he hang up his spikes. The treatment he had to undergo for the autoimmune disease cut short his one-year cameo with the Oakland A’s—and while he attempted to rejoin the Yankees in 2000, he didn’t make the roster.

Still, he continued playing. In 2001, Raines, already inducted into the Expos’ Hall of Fame, returned to the club and played 47 games in his old colors before taking the field with his son, Tim Jr., with the Orioles at the tail-end of the season. Even after that, he snuck in one last season with the Marlins before finally retiring at age 43.

Raines’ late retirement meant a rather delayed start to his Hall of Fame eligibility, which began in 2007. Initially, he received little serious interest from voters, but as the 2010s wore on and he neared the end of his decade on the ballot, the sabermetric community—as well as his contemporaries—rallied for his induction, as they would later do for Edgar Martinez and Larry Walker in those players’ final year of eligibility. At last, in 2017, Raines got his plaque in Cooperstown.

While the man they called “Rock” finished his career as the most efficient base stealer of all time among those who even approached his body of work, Tim Raines was not that dynamic force at the top of the lineup once he came to the Bronx. But his other skills—his outstanding contact ability, discerning plate discipline, and the ability to plug gaps and pick up doubles—hadn’t gone anywhere. Those skills allowed him to assist the Yankees as they made the leap from franchise in limbo into an era-defining dynasty.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

None of the San Diego Padres pitchers could find an answer for Cole Carrigg of the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego State product had a huge night finishing 4-for-5 with a single, a double and two home runs with two runs scored and five RBI to hand the Padres a 9-3 loss at Coors Field on Tuesday.

Carrigg connected on single in the first inning, but was thrown out attempting to steal second base. He hit a game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning and doubled in the bottom of the fifth. Wandy Peralta replaced Walker Buehler in the bottom of the fifth after the Carrigg double, which meant he would have to face a new pitcher in his next at-bat. That pitcher was Randy Vasquez and Carrigg turned in a 13-pitch turn at the plate that ended with a three-run home run to right field that gave the Rockies a 7-3 lead. Vasquez was able to strike Carrigg out in his final at-bat but the performance from Carrigg was all Colorado would need to snap the San Diego eight-game winning streak.

The Padres started the game with a bang when Fernando Tatis Jr. connected on a leadoff home run. They took a two-run lead in the top of the second when Luis Campusano connected on a solo home run. Carrigg hit the two-run home run to tie the game, but San Diego regained the lead with another solo home run, this time from Austin Hays, in the top of the fifth inning. That marked the end of the scoring for the Padres despite the fact that they finished with 11 hits in the game. San Diego was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position in the game while Colorado finished 4-for-10. Outside of Carrigg, that was the difference in the game, the Padres could not string hits together and did not get hits when they had opportunities to drive in runs.

Buehler lasted just 4.2 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. Peralta was abysmal and allowed four runs on four hits with a hit batter and one strikeout over 0.2 innings pitched. The only real positive to come from the game was Vasquez finished the final 2.2 innings and saved the high leverage bullpen arms for San Diego who have been taxed recently. He allowed three runs on five hits with a strikeout.

The Padres will try to start a new winning streak when they play the third game of the series against the Rockies today at 5:40 p.m.

Padres News:

• Lake Elsinore and San Antonio are heading in different directions this week.

• Padres prospect Alex McCoy was named to the Arizona Fall League roster.

Baseball News:

• The Milwaukee Brewers clinched the NL Central title.

• Pete Alonso returned to Citi Field as a member of the Baltimore Orioles and hit his 300th career home run against the New York Mets.

• The Atlanta Braves moved a game closer to clinching the NL East with a win over the Chicago Cubs.

• The Philadelphia Phillies lost a pitcher to the IL and lost a game to the Washington Nationals, 6-3.

• Esteury Ruiz hit a three-run double to lead the Miami Marlins over the Arizona Diamondbacks in extra innings.

The Mets conclude a three-game series against Pete Alonso and the Orioles at Citi Field on Wednesday night at 7:10.

Mets Notes

• Francisco Lindor enters play on Wednesday with 299 career home runs
• A.J. Ewing is hitting .380/.448/.620 with three homers and three doubles in 58 plate appearances over his last 13 games
• Robert Stock allowed three runs on five hits while walking two and striking out four in four innings against the Marlins in Miami during his last start on Sept. 9

Today's Lineups

Happy Wednesday, everyone! We are enjoying a little unexpected winning streak, and I, for one, would like to see it go as long as possible, because winning baseball games is the most fun. We’ve got some little news bites to get you through your day, including looking at who the successes and disappointments of the Tigers’ season are (not a lot of surprises there) and Justin Verlander is the Tigers’ Roberto Clemente Award candidate for his work with veterans.

We also look at some controversial topics like whether now is the time the Braves should sell, and whether or not Shohei Ohtani should give up pitching for good.

So let’s just get into it!

Detroit Tigers News:

• ESPN released a list breaking down the biggest successes and disappointments on each MLB team. For the Tigers, the results are unsurprising. Writer Bradford Doolittle singled out Kevin McGonigle as the biggest success of the season, and there aren’t many who would argue that the rookie’s breakout year has been magical to watch. He said:

McGonigle [has surpassed] the six-win mark on the way to a probable AL Rookie of the Year award. An even better race: Can McGonigle walk more than he strikes out as a 21-year-old rookie? He’s at 88 walks and 89 strikeouts, so it’s going to be close.

In terms of the biggest disappointment? The trade of Tarik Skubal. While most of us looked at the trade as inevitable, Doolittle pointed out how one-run games in particular—the extra-winnable games of the season—really went against the Tigers and could have given them a better opportunity to win, and as a result, potentially keep Skubal on their roster.

Given the circumstances, the Tigers did the right thing in trading Tarik Skubal. Still, it’s disappointing that Detroit’s struggles in close games left the team in that position. While you can point to pitching injuries and other factors for the Tigers’ disappointing record, it all still might have worked out if Detroit wasn’t a surreal 26 games under .500 in games decided by one or two runs.

• The Tigers celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

• Learn more about why Justin Verlander is the Tigers’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.

MLB News:

• Is Gavin Williams a legit ace?
• How Noah Cameron’s worst pitch actually made him better.
• Is it time for Shohei Ohtani to give up pitching for good?
• Chatting pitching with Sean Doolittle.
• Checking in on the likely leaders for Cy Young Award voting.
• And according to this poll, the likely winners might very well be unanimous selections. (Because MLB voters are notorious for voting for the most deserving candidate, right?)
• Why height actually matters a lot when it comes to baseball.
• The San Francisco Firebells are dominating the WPBL postseason.
• Arizona Fall League rosters have been revealed.
• Garrett Crochet could be on his way back, what could his return mean for the Red Sox?
• The Dodgers just clinched their 14th straight postseason berth, tying an MLB record.
• The wild story of a banned minor leaguer who changed his name to sneak back into the majors.
• Gerrit Cole needs to stop blaming the ABS for his pitching woes.
• Aaron Judge helped the Yankees clinch a postseason berth with his first home run after coming back from the IL.
• Some milestones we could see achieved in the final weeks of the season.
• Why are so few Puerto Rican players represented in the majors?
• Pete Alonso was moved by the warm welcome he received in his return to Citi Field.
• Why does one Braves’ investor think now is the ideal time to sell the team? ($)
• Major sports franchises need to do more to protect their players from the threats of angry bettors as sports betting increases.
• Terry Francona was relieved by reports that the Reds wouldn’t be doing any major shakeups in their front office.
• Jim Bowden offers the perspective of a former MLB exec when it comes to labor negotiations. ($)
• Yasiel Puig has been convicted, so why hasn’t he been sentenced? (S)
• What a wild at-bat

• Here are the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award Nominees.

• A good reminder on Roberto Clemente Day.

• MLB owners are being tight-lipped about the looming offseason drama.

What would you call the opposite of a baseball manager’s “circle of trust”?

Because that’s where the Cubs are probably going to have to send Jacob Webb after yet another blown save, yet another two-run homer served up, yet another game where it’s clear he can no longer be used in high-leverage situations.

The numbers are horrific. In his last eight appearances, Webb has thrown 6.2 innings and has a 14.85 ERA, 2.100 WHIP, 14 hits and four walks allowed and the worst part, four home runs — all of which either gave the other team the lead or tied the game. In those eight games, Webb had four blown saves.

Convert even two of those save opportunities and the Cubs are a lot more comfortable in the Wild Card race. Unfortunately, these games are in the books and they are, at the moment, not.

All right, that’s out of my system, let’s look back at the Cubs’ 6-3 loss to the Braves, all of Atlanta’s runs scoring via three two-run homers.

Kevin Gausman had a rough first inning — 25 pitches — but got out of it scoreless. The Cubs put two runners on in the bottom of the inning via a pair of two-out walks, but could not score.

The Cubs took the lead in the bottom of the second. Michael Busch led off with a single and advanced to second on a walk by Matt Shaw.

Pedro Ramirez’s single scored Busch to make it 1-0 [VIDEO].

Miguel Amaya then sacrificed Shaw and Ramirez up a base, putting runners on second and third with one out. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a ground ball to second and Shaw was thrown out at the plate. Seiya Suzuki then struck out, so the Cubs had just one run to show for all that traffic.

Gausman settled down and retired 10 straight Braves from the last out of the first through the fourth. The Cubs extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Busch led off with a walk and Shaw’s infield single moved Busch to second.

Then this happened [VIDEO].

That throw… what was that? That play should have resulted in at least one out. Instead, Busch scored to make it 2-0 and Shaw wound up on third, where he scored on this sac fly by Miguel Amaya [VIDEO].

About the Cubs’ two-sac night, from BCB’s JohnW53:

The Cubs went into Tuesday with nine successful sacrifice bunts, tied with the Braves and Twins for the second fewest. The Tigers had eighth; the Yankees, 10.

The Cubs were 11th in sacrifice flies with 43, one behind the Braves and Royals.

Tuesday’s game was the first this season in which the Cubs had at least one of each. They had not done it since May 26, 2025. They had played 260 games since then before Tuesday.

So it’s 3-0 Cubs going to the top of the sixth. Gausman had been sailing along, but a one-out single by Drake Baldwin followed by a two-run homer by Ronald Acuña Jr. made it 3-2. Gausman gave up another hit and a hard-hit line drive out and then was removed in favor of Daniel Palencia, who ended the sixth with a fly ball to right.

The Cubs did not score in the bottom of the sixth and that’s when Webb entered the game. Honestly, I was surprised Craig Counsell didn’t just leave Palencia out there — he’d thrown only two pitches to retire Mauricio Dubon to end the sixth.

Webb, as I noted above, did not have a good game. The two-run homer he allowed to Ozzie Albies gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead.

Still, that’s not insurmountable — usually. But the Cubs bats went silent. After Shaw led off the sixth with a single, the next 12 Cubs went down in order.

Meanwhile, Edward Cabrera made his Cubs relief debut. And actually, it was going along pretty well until a two-run homer by Baldwin in the ninth put the game out of reach. Cabrera threw 40 pitches — maybe too many for his first outing out of the bullpen? I do still think Cabrera can be a useful weapon in relief. He touched 99 with his four-seamer several times, and that, combined with his 94 mile per hour changeup, can record outs — but again, maybe in shorter bursts.

Here are Craig Counsell’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].

In that clip, Counsell doesn’t sound like he’s going to take Webb out of that circle of trust, and he really needs to. He notes that the team is giving up “too many home runs.” Ya think? This cannot keep happening:

Fortunately, all the other teams in Wild Card competition with the Cubs — the Phillies, Padres and Diamondbacks — also lost Tuesday, so no ground was lost and the Cubs still have the top wild card spot by half a game over the Phillies. The Cubs lead the Padres by 1.5 games and the Diamondbacks by four. Arizona’s loss reduced the Cubs’ magic number to clinch a postseason spot to 6.

The Cubs still have a chance at a series win over the Braves Wednesday evening at Wrigley Field. Shōta Imanaga will take the mound for the Cubs and JR Ritchie, just recalled from Triple-A by Atlanta, goes for the Braves. Game time is again 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.

I’m shamelessly stealing from the comments, because it’s a long season and I had nothing else for today anyway.

Didier Fuentes is 12th among relievers with 2.0 fWAR. He also ranks in the top 15 in WPA, which isn’t really something he did alone, but is a bit of a tiebreaker when others are close.

He’s not going to win. There are five position player rookies in the NL with more than 2 fWAR, including JJ Wetherholt, who has 4.4 while underhitting his xwOBA by .030. (If he weren’t underhitting it, he’d probably ge some downballot MVP votes.) The Mets’ Carson Benge has 3.5 fWAR and hasn’t missed any time with injury. TJ Rumfield has a .375 wOBA / 125 wRC+, though the former is very Coors-addled and he’s outperforming his inputs. Sal Stewart has 31 homers.

On the pitching end, you have Nolan McLean as the “full-time starter as a rookie” option (3.1 fWAR, about 170 innings), as well as Logan Henderson as the “pitched super-well but only up for like half a season” option (2.3 fWAR, under 90 innings).

But, Fuentes is still ninth in the NL in rookie fWAR, so maybe he gets some recognition, even if it’s not much. He does actually lead all NL rookies in WPA, but again, I don’t expect that to carry the day. It is pretty funny, though.

What do you think?