ARLINGTON, Texas — Being even is good enough for the Texas Rangers to lead the AL West going in the final week of the regular season.
With six games left in a somewhat strange season, the 78-78 Rangers have a one-game lead over Houston. They have stayed near the top of the division all year, never trailing by more than three games or ahead by more than two.
“A weird one for sure,” first baseman Jake Burger said. “The positive side is we’ve been in the race the entire time. ... We’ve kind of held our head above water, even if it’s just barely at times. We’ve given ourselves a chance to do something special, and that’s all you can ask for out of a team.”
The Rangers haven’t been to the playoffs since winning their only World Series title in 2023, when they were a wild card after Houston matched them at 90-72 on the final day of the regular season. The Astros had the division tiebreaker then, and do again this year when there might not be an available wild-card spot for a second AL West team.
“We’re in position to make the playoffs. It doesn’t matter what the record is, that’s the goal,” first-year Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “So if you would have told me that this date in spring training that you had a chance to get into the playoffs, I would have signed up for it.”
It’s a good thing Texas is in the American League
With their .500 record, the Rangers already would be eliminated from playoff contention in the National League.
They went into their off day eight games behind Philadelphia, the NL’s third wild card, and far behind division winners Milwaukee (20 games), the Los Angeles Dodgers (18) and Atlanta (14).
The Rangers have been close to top of AL West all season
No big league team has stayed within such a tight margin of their division lead like the five-game gap for Texas. The league average between biggest leads and biggest deficits nearly is 16 1/2, with Houston (nine) and Minnesota (9 1/2) the only other teams under 10.
“The good part is we haven’t gotten too far away,” right fielder Brandon Nimmo said. “I feel like we’re playing good baseball, and if you can get your foot in the door, then that’s a dangerous thing.”
Nimmo was on the Mets in 2024 when they overcame a 22-33 start and being 17 1/2 games out of the division lead. They made the playoffs with a late comeback win in the opener of a makeup doubleheader at Atlanta a day after every other team had finished the regular season.
New York then won the NL Wild Card and NL Division Series before losing the NL Championship Series in six games to the now two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers.
“Most of the time it’s just better to be the hot team,” Nimmo said.
Texas also has stayed close to even
The Rangers never have been too far from .500 this year after going 81-81 last season, the only break-even record for the franchise that began as the Washington Senators in 1961 and moved to Texas in 1972.
The low mark was six games under at 25-31 on May 28, when all five AL West teams had losing records. Texas was last three games over .500 at 55-52 on July 28.
Even with a loss in their series finale against Toronto, the Rangers have won nine of 13 games. They had been first alone in the AL West only one day since the end of July before passing Houston.
Texas, which won its last division title 10 years ago, missed a chance for a two-game lead when the Astros were swept by Atlanta in their final home series.
The Rangers open a a three-game home series against the Mets, then play three games at Minnesota. Houston has two games in Seattle, then four against the Athletics.
“It doesn’t matter what the macro view of it has looked like. We’re in the micro moments of making or breaking a season,” Burger said. “As far as we’re concerned, we’re playing playoff baseball, backs-against-the-wall type mentality. It doesn’t matter what the record was the first 140 games.”
"There was not as much discussion around Seattle as there was around Las Vegas," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said of the expansion discussion at last week's Board of Governors' meeting in New York. There were a few reasons for that, primarily Las Vegas has more potential ownership groups in the mix, there are questions about where this new team will play, and the Vegas franchise is expected to fetch a higher price.
The latest report on the topic, from Mike Vorkunov at The Athletic, expands on this and how Las Vegas is on a faster timeline than Seattle.
It seems as if the league is taking a different approach with Las Vegas than it is Seattle... It could name a winning bid in Las Vegas before it moves on to Seattle, according to industry sources with knowledge of the process. The NBA, however, has not yet revealed its hand.
The NBA hopes that this process — which includes a second, more detailed round of bids turned in last week — creates a bidding war for Las Vegas that could push the price for an NBA franchise there into the $10 billion range, according to reports. That said, Las Vegas has a lot more questions, including where the team might play. While the NBA has hosted its NBA Cup Finals at T-Mobile Arena just off the Las Vegas Strip the past two years, Silver said that arena would need "significant improvements" for an NBA team to move in. Other ownership groups are proposing new arenas. Silver said Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont — the CEO and chairman of Las Vegas Sands — took charge of that part of the discussion.
"I'll say that there was a discussion led by Patrick Dumont, of course, who is a Las Vegas resident, enormous operating experience there in Las Vegas, just sort of as an independent objective party," Silver said. "[Dumont] led a discussion around the various sites, potential sites, in Las Vegas."
While there is the T-Mobile Arena just off the Strip — the home to the WNBA's Aces, the NHL's Golden Knights, and it has been home to the final rounds of the NBA Cup the past couple of years — Silver said "it needs some significant improvements" before an NBA team could move in. Some ownership groups are proposing building new stadiums, Silver added.
A group led by Nancy Walton Laurie — a scion of Walmart founders Sam and Bud Walton — and her husband, Bill Laurie, is believed to be a leading contender. [Bill] Foley, the Golden Knights owner, also is very much in the mix. An ownership group called the Las Vegas Jacks — with Jerry Colangelo and Vinny Del Negro as named NBA emissaries and including former Turner Broadcasting president David Levy — also is in contention. That list is not exhaustive with at least another yet undisclosed bidding group additionally in the running.
With Seattle, it's more straightforward. There is a known, verified owner interested in Samantha Holloway, who also owns the NHL's Seattle Kraken and is the majority owner of the Climate Pledge Arena, where the team would play (and Silver said that venue appears nearly NBA-ready right now). Recently, a second group — BlackSun Private Equity partnering with the Tulalip Tribes — stepped forward, but it's early in the process for them, and the group proposes a new arena on tribal lands, about 35 miles outside the city.
Of course, this will all come down to money — who bids the most with a viable plan wins. The new report says the expectation is Las Vegas' expansion fee will be $9 billion or higher, with Seattle coming in below that by a few million. NBA owners reportedly were hoping to get at least $16-$17 billion between the two bids. A $16 billion total would mean a payout to each franchise of more than $500 million — half a billion dollars — that could go straight to the bottom line.
Chicago Cubs' Alex Bregman advances to third base on a double by Ian Happ during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar / Associated Press)
Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman has returned to Chicago a day after being hit in the face by a foul ball while standing in front of the on-deck circle during a road game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Bregman shared that information — as well as a photo that appears to show that his left eye remains swollen shut — Monday morning on his Instagram Stories.
“Back in Chicago,” wrote Bregman, who also appeared to have a cut and bruising near his left cheekbone where the ball off teammate Michael Busch’s bat made contact during the fourth inning of the Cubs’ 9-1 victory.
It was the second photo and update posted by Bregman since the gruesome injury occurred. On Sunday evening, the three-time All Star shared a photo that appeared to have been taken in the team’s clubhouse. In addition to his eye being swollen shut and cheek cut, Bregman also has gauze inserted in his left nostril, where some bleeding had occurred.
“Thanks for the messages yall,” Bregman wrote. “I’ll be back.”
Before the incident occurred, Bregman hit a run-scoring single in the first inning and walked and eventually scored in the third. He was standing several feet in front of the on-deck circle when Busch fouled off a pitch by Cincinnati’s Luis Mey on a checked swing.
Bregman lost his bat but maintained his footing as the ball struck him. He covered his face with his left hand and was able to jog toward the Cubs dugout, where a trainer helped him down the steps and into the clubhouse. The 11-year veteran was taken to a hospital for testing.
“It’s a terrible, terrible accident,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after the game. “We hope he’s OK.”
Bregman is batting .262 with 26 home runs and 89 RBIs in his first season with the Cubs. He is probably best known to Los Angeles fans as a member of the Houston Astros team that defeated the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series and were later found by MLB to have illegally used technology to steal signs during that season. Bregman and the Astros also won the 2022 World Series.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 21: Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green reacts to his second technical foul of the game while playing New York Knicks in 2nd quarter during NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. (Scott Strazzante/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Today, Marc Stein reported that New York expects to carry 14 standard contracts rather than 15. That means the five veterans brought to camp (Bruce Brown, John Konchar, Ochai Agbaji, Drew Eubanks, and James Wiseman) are effectively duking it out for one job unless the Knicks clear some cash.
From the latest Stein Line:
“It’s believed that the Knicks will only fill one of the two current vacancies in terms of the maximum 15 standard contracts they can carry starting Opening Night (Oct. 21) unless they make another roster move first that sheds salary.”
At present, New York sits only a little more than $3 million below the second apron, leaving enough room for one additional veteran-minimum contract but not two. With the Knicks needing more help at center than on the wing, it sure seems that Eubanks and Wiseman are frontrunners for the open gig.
But wait! There’s another wrinkle. Stein also reports:
“Brown, furthermore, is indeed a Wiseman fan. The newly crowned champs likewise do appear to have a clear need for a third big man behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.”
You’ll recall that Brown was an assistant coach for the Warriors when they selected Wiseman second in the 2020 draft. He must’ve helped to evaluate the young player out of Memphis, and perhaps he spotted potential that hasn’t yet been realized on the NBA court. The 6’11”, 240lb big man averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 21.4 minutes across 39 games (27 starts) as a rookie, but his year was cut short by a torn right meniscus. After that, the injury bug continued to chase him through Detroit and Indiana.
“James—he does stuff on a daily basis that makes you sit back and go, ‘Wow. Did he just do that? Am I seeing that?’ The sky is the limit for him. I don’t know if there’s anything that he’s not gonna be able to do when he reaches his peak.”
If Wiseman lives up to that high praise in New York’s training camp, his former coach is very likely to lock him down for the opening night roster. Meanwhile, while searching for a cover picture, your humble blogger found a few too many images of Mitchell Robinson dunking on Wiseman. Which stung.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 24: Cecil Fielder of the New York Yankees bats during Game Five of the World Series against the Atlanta Braves on October 24, 1996 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images
On August 22nd, during a divisional game between the Yankees and Blue Jays the YES Network invited to the booth a special guest: the retired slugger Cecil Fielder. Fielder had history with both franchises—he debuted as a member of the Blue Jays, and then later in his career came aboard with the Yankees after becoming a star, helping them win a championship in 1996.
Despite a brief detour in which he expressed befuddlement with modern hitting, Fielder’s conversation with Michael Kay and former teammate Paul O’Neill was ultimately a pleasant one. He spoke reverently about the 1996 team he helped bring to championship glory. “I didn’t have to do much; I just had to fit in,” he said. “All I had to do was come here and just play, and that’s what we did. We just went out, and if we play today we win today.”
Cecil Grant Fielder Born: September 21, 1963 (Los Angeles, CA) Yankees Tenure: 1996-97
Fielder grew up in La Puente, outside Los Angeles, and was so dominant an athlete during his youth that opposing parents continually accused his parents, Edson and Tina Fielder, of faking Cecil’s age. A three-sport star at Nogales High School, he enjoyed basketball more than football and baseball but chose to pursue baseball because he didn’t think his bulky frame would allow him to succeed at the point guard position he played. Concerns about his size, though, would follow him throughout the early portions of his budding baseball career.
After the Orioles took a flyer on him out of high school, Fielder played at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas—but only for one season. His college coach wanted him to lose a whopping 50 pounds; he quit the program two games into his sophomore year. Shortly afterward, in June of 1982, the Royals selected him in the supplemental draft—but they too had their doubts about Fielder long-term. In 1983 Kansas City traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays for veteran outfielder Leon Roberts.
Fielder made his MLB debut in the second half of 1985, the Jays’ first playoff season after a slow build. Over the next four seasons, he flashed the tantalizing power he was already known for, but couldn’t establish himself as a regular on a Toronto team which was perennially gunning for the World Series. So, Cecil went to Japan.
With Hanshin in 1989, Fielder overcame a sluggish start to become a fan favorite, wowing crowds with his prodigious pop. He hit 38 home runs and slugged .628 in his lone NPB season, earning some interest from a few MLB clubs. The Tigers brought him aboard on a two-year, $3 million pact, and were immediately rewarded, as Fielder tore the cover off the ball in a legendary 1990 season, once even demolishing a Dave Stewart pitch out of Tiger Stadium entirely. That was the kind of power that the man they called “Big Daddy” brought to the plate. His grand finale came in the Bronx.
On October 3rd, Fielder made history by hitting his 50th home run of the season off the Yankees’ Steve Adkins in the second inning. It had been nearly three full decades since an American League player last reached the 50-homer mark (and 13 years since George Foster for the Reds). Fielder pulled it off in his first season as a true big-league starter. He went on to hit his 51st homer of the season off Alan Mills in the top of the eighth. At this point, his pursuit of history was the only compelling storyline; Detroit and New York both finished well out of the playoff picture.
The next season, the Tigers improved substantially, and Fielder clobbered another 44 homers, but it was not enough to carry them to the playoffs—they finished tied for second in a crowded AL East, seven back of Toronto. That was as close as they’d come to the postseason while Fielder was under their employ—and by 1996, Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson was gone and the Tigers were back in the basement. Indeed, it was the middle of a nearly two-decade stretch of no playoff baseball in Detroit until 2006. Well on their way to 109 losses, they shopped Fielder, who had a season and a half remaining on his deal.
The Yankees, leading comfortably in the AL East, were an obvious fit. They would be willing to take on Fielder’s big salary (he was the highest-earning player in the league in 1996), and the offense lacked a true power threat from the right side of the plate. To that point, no one had hit more homers in the ’90s than Cecil, surpassing even Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Ken Griffey Jr. So on July 31st, they got their guy, sending Rubén Sierra—who Joe Torre wanted out of the clubhouse anyway—and preseason 12th-overall Baseball America prospect Matt Drews the other way in the deal.
Fielder’s production in pinstripes in the back half of the regular season was essentially consistent to what he did in Motown. He posted a 109 OPS+ before the trade, and a 108 after the trade. He socked 13 dingers to get to 39 on the season, and typically sat between O’Neill and Tino Martinez in the order. Despite Fielder’s quality play, the Yanks oddly scuffled to a 13-17 record in August before rebounding with a 16-11 September to clinch the AL East, their first division title in 15 years.
In the Yankees’ ensuing postseason run, Fielder made an immediate impact, hitting a home run in a 12-inning Game 2 win over Texas in the Bronx to even the ALDS. He added two more hits and RBI in Game 4 as the Bombers punched their ticket to the ALCS against the division rival Orioles.
Fielder provided quality over quantity in that five-game set. While he only grabbed three hits against Baltimore, one was a two-run homer against Mike Mussina in Game 2 which gave the Yankees some valuable insurance runs in a 5-2 victory. Then in the decisive Game 5, Fielder’s three-run jack was the first of back-to-back jacks with fellow powerhouse Darryl Strawberry.
It was easy to wonder whether that effort might be for naught when the Yankees fell behind the Braves two games to none to start the World Series as the series shifted to Atlanta. But the Bombers rallied heroically, first when David Cone outdueled Tom Glavine in a 5-3 win in Game 3, then when they overcame a 6-0 deficit to win Game 4 8-6 in extra innings. Fielder got the rally started with a two-run single to put the Yankees on the board. With no DH for the games at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Torre had been tasked with a tough decision of whether to play Fielder or Martinez at first base. With Tino slumping, Torre had gone with Fielder; it was the right call.
With the series tied back up, it was Fielder’s RBI double off an otherwise-pristine John Smoltz in the fourth inning of Game 5 which provided the only run of the entire night—the Yankees pitching, led by Andy Pettitte, shut down the Braves and allowed New York to take control of the Fall Classic once and for all.
Fielder grabbed one last knock in Game 6, his ninth of the series, as the Yankees won 3-2 to clinch their 23rd championship.
Fielder stuck around in 1997, and remained a regular in the lineup until a thumb injury sidelined him in mid-July. He returned a few months later in time for the end of the regular season, but saw a reduced role in the playoffs. He only appeared in two games in the Division Series and picked up one hit as the Yankees bowed out to Cleveland. Fielder’s power had declined—across the full year, he only managed to hit 13 homers, the same number he had hit after the trade the previous season. His slugging percentage was .410, the lowest he’d posted in a full season to that point.
The Yankees, retooling their lineup with the additions of Chuck Knoblauch, Scott Brosius, and Chili Davis, let Fielder walk in free agency at year’s end. He signed with the Angels, and put together a solid first half near his hometown before struggling mightily after the All-Star Break. In August, the Angels released him—undeterred, he quickly joined up with Cleveland for one last opportunity to reach the postseason. But his steep decline continued there, and the AL Central champs cut bait after 14 games. Unable to catch on with Toronto the following spring, Fielder retired in 1999 with 319 career home runs: the exact total his son Prince would rack up in his own terrific career.
Cecil’s retirement was far from easy—he and Prince were estranged for a time and a purported gambling habit led to the collapse of his marriage. But by the time he joined the YES booth this August, he had repaired his relationship with Prince, remarried, and was able to reminisce about the good times with O’Neill, with whom he captured championship glory 30 years ago.
Happy birthday, Cecil.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 01: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers reacts against the Golden State Warriors at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on November 01, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s pretty difficult to imagine that it was just 15 short months ago when the Indiana Pacers had the OKC Thunder in a dangerous place in the 2025 NBA Finals. Everything that happened to this franchise from that moment through the end of the 2026 season felt disastrous. Heck, even this offseason the luck was not in their favor, as they lost a statistical coin flip in the NBA Draft Lottery, which saw them forfeit the fifth overall pick to the LA Clippers.
However, the bad vibes can’t overshadow what this team could look like when healthy. The Ivica Zubac trade, even with the draft loss, should net out to be a big win for the team. Tyrese Haliburton will be back from his achillies tear, and as the year progresses, he should look more and more like the player he was just a season ago. The depth of this team remains solid with guys who got extended burn last year during the injury-doomed year. And lastly, the coaching staff, led by Rick Carlisle, remains one of the best in the league.
Indiana Pacers: Over/Under 43.5 wins (-120/-105)
Last season: 19-63, 14th in the Eastern Conference:
Key additions: Ivica Zubac (trade with LA Clippers), Tyrese Haliburton (achillies)
Key losses: None
It seems like this team is primed for a bounce back, even if the Eastern Conference is much harder than it was when they won it in 2025. The starting lineup should be one of the ten best in the league, in my opinion. Zubac should fit nicely with Haliburton, as their two-man game should develop into a real weapon over the course of the season. Andrew Nembhard, Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin return off the Finals team as well.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JUNE 11: Pascal Siakam #43, Obi Toppin #1 and T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers high five during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Three of the 2025 NBA Finals on June 11, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I really like the depth of this group, especially in the backcourt. TJ McConnell is one of the better backup guards in the league. Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith got to show off what they can do last year, and I expect the team at large to benefit from the growth they showed last year. The addition of Jay Huff last year could return dividends this season, as well. Plus, maybe Jarace Walker can continue to build off of last year’s growth.
The Pacers didn’t get a real chance to defend their crown last year, and naturally the rival Knicks took home the title in their absence. Redemption will be on Indiana’s mind this entire season, and I think that helps them return to their winning ways.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 5: A general view as Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the first inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 5, 2026 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight the Jays start their second-to-last series of the season. Six games remain, with a mathematical chance of making the playoffs, but math occasionally lies. But a series sweep would make things a little more interesting.
Tuesday, 6:35 start time: Max Scherzer (3-8, 6.07) vs. Chris Bassitt (8-5, 4.64).
Wednesday, 6:35 start time: TBD vs. TBD.
Trey’s last rehab start wasn’t exactly something to build our confidence, but then I doubt there is a direct correlation between rehab starts and the major league return.
Rain is in the forecast for Baltimore this week, but the league will get the games in no matter what it takes. There isn’t time to reschedule.
The Orioles are two games back of the Jays, not quite officially eliminated, but they likely will be in the next couple of days.
The Orioles rank sixth in the AL in runs/game at 4.44 (the Jays are second-to-last at 4.01). They are 11th in runs allowed per game at 4.64 (the Jays are sixth at 4.30).
The Orioles have some excellent batters and fielders:
Pete Alonso: .264/.358/.500 with 38 home runs, a league-leading 105 RBI, 78 walks and 163 RBI for a 4.3 bWAR.
Gunnar Henderson: .223/.308/.397 with 23 home runs, 65 walks and 151 strikeouts, 3.0 bWAR. Outs Above Average has him at a +2, but I think his defence is better than that.
Colton Cowser: .224/.313/.367 with 13 home runs, 43 walks and 118 strikeouts for a 2.4 bWAR. Outs above average have him at a +7 in center field.
Samuel Basallo: .223/.292/.408 with 18 home runs, 32 walks and 104 strikeouts for a 1.7 bWAR. He’s just 21, has a great arm behind the plate, throwing out 26.2% of basesteals (league average is 22.7).
The bullpen isn’t their strong point:
Andrew Kittredge: 3.61 ERA, 10 saves, 5 blown saves, 9 holds. Batters are hitting .274/.311/.416 against him.
Rico Garcia: 3.18 ERA, 9 saves, 6 blown saves, 18 holds. Batters are hitting .185/.261/.343 against him.
Anthony Nunez: 3.90, 3 saves, 3 blown saves, 7 holds. Batters are hitting .204/.304/.322 against him.
Grant Wolfram: 4.35, 1 save, 1 blown, 13 holds. Batters are hitting .261/.327/.397 against him. He’s a lefty, but lefties are hitting .284/.348/.382 against him.
Yennier Cano: 3.00, 3 saves, 2 blown, 13 holds. Batters are hitting .214/.273/.280 against him.
They also have former Jays lefty Josh Walker in the pen. He has a 1.57 ERA in 29 games.
England v Sri Lanka ODIs come a year before World Cup
Harry Brook is hopeful that Brydon Carse will break back into his England white-ball teams once the fast bowler is clear of his ongoing disciplinary, describing him as a “very good mate” who is “working on a few things behind the scenes”.
Carse has recently discovered he will not face a criminal charge for the late-night incident in Derby last month that led to him being briefly handcuffed. But while technically available for selection, the 31-year-old has not featured in England’s squads since that night as he awaits the outcome of an investigation by the Cricket Regulator.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Jesús Luzardo #44 of the Philadelphia Phillies speaks with William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are set to wrap up their last road trip of the 2026 regular season this week, as they’ll visit the Philadelphia Phillies for three games. A pair of playoff teams (barring a final week collapse by Philadelphia), the Brewers sit at 98-58 with the best record in baseball, while the Phillies are 86-70 and currently sit in the final NL Wild Card spot, four games ahead of the D-backs with six games to go. Last time these teams met, back in June, the Brewers took two of three in Milwaukee with a pair of shutouts.
The Brewers injured list currently includes relievers Grant Anderson (on rehab assignment), Bryse Wilson (on rehab assignment), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season). They’re also without starters Quinn Priester (out for season) and Brandon Woodruff (potential late postseason return).
Philadelphia is without pitchers Jesús Luzardo (aiming for postseason return), Caleb Kilian (out for season), and Brad Keller (out for season). Outfielders Johan Rojas and Adolis García are also out for the year. Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan is also considered day to day with a mild groin strain.
Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio lead the way for Milwaukee’s offense, with Brice Turang a homer and a steal away from a 20-20 season. William Contreras has also been a key producer over the last month or so, and Joey Ortiz has been a leader offensively in the second half. Andrew Vaughn, Garrett Mitchell, Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, and Christian Yelich have also been regular producers, with Gary Sánchez, David Hamilton, Sal Frelick, and Bo Naylor serving as depth. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .258/.341/.403 (.744 OPS ranks fourth), with 149 homers (tied for 28th), 802 runs scored (second), and 156 steals (fifth).
Kyle Schwarber is tied for the major league lead with 45 homers this season, driving in 95 and also walking 101 times, just behind Bryce Harper’s 104. Harper has slugged 28 homers, while Trea Turner is a homer away from a 20-20 season (19 homers, 21 steals), and Brandon Marsh, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, and Bryson Stott also have double-digit homers. Deadline acquisition Luis Arraez is hitting “just” .285 since joining Philadelphia, and Justin Crawford rounds out the usual starters. Bryan De La Cruz, Derek Hill, Garrett Stubbs, Edmundo Sosa, and Rafael Marchán round out the bench. As a team, the Phillies are hitting .241/.312/.397 (.709 OPS ranks 22nd), with 179 homers (tied for 14th), 697 runs scored (tied for 13th), and 102 steals (15th).
Milwaukee’s bullpen is anchored by closer Trevor Megill, setup man Abner Uribe, and high-leverage arms in Aaron Ashby, Chad Patrick, and DL Hall. Ashby’s 3.27 ERA is actually the worst of that group, while Megill leads the team with 29 saves this year. Shane Drohan has rejoined the bullpen after working as a starter for most of the year, as has the struggling Kyle Harrison. Deadline acquisitions JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela are also in the ‘pen, as is Colton Gordon, who hasn’t yet made an appearance with Milwaukee (more on him later). As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.54 team ERA (second) including a 3.64 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.41 bullpen ERA (fourth). They’ve struck out 1,492 batters (second) over 1,393 2/3 innings.
José Alvarado leads Philadelphia with 65 appearances, though his 5.02 ERA over 57 1/3 innings isn’t ideal. Jhoan Duran is the closer, as he’s 32-for-34 in save opportunities, turning in a 1.76 ERA and 79 strikeouts over 56 1/3 innings. The aforementioned Bowlan (3.36 over 56 1/3 IP), Tim Mayza (3.46 ERA over 65 IP), and Chase Shugart (4.03 ERA over 51 1/3 IP) all play key roles, while deadline pickup Brooks Raley (8.71 ERA over 10 1/3 IP) has struggled. Tanner Banks (6.82 ERA over 33 IP) and Max Lazar (5.63 ERA over 8 IP) have also had a rough go, while Alex McFarlane (2.35 ERA over 15 1/3 IP) has been solid. As a staff, the Phillies have a 4.00 team ERA (11th) including a 3.79 starter ERA (seventh) and a 4.34 bullpen ERA (21st). They’ve struck out 1,510 batters (first) over 1,384 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, September 22 @ 5:40 p.m.: RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.61 ERA, 3.50 FIP) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (13-5, 2.99 ERA, 3.47 FIP)
May has had an up-and-down tenure in Milwaukee, with several strong starts and several short ones. After working six scoreless innings against the Reds on September 11, he went just 2 1/3 innings against the Orioles on Friday, allowing three runs on six hits, a walk, and a hit batter while striking out four, needing 70 pitches to do so. He’ll go on short rest after the shortened start, looking to bounce back against Philadelphia. May has faced 28 teams in his career, but the Phillies are not one of them (the other is Toronto).
Wheeler, 36, was nearly a Brewer as the return from the Mets in the Carlos Gomez trade, but that never came to fruition as Gomez ultimately headed to Houston. He remains one of the most consistent starters in the majors, as he’s 13-5 with a 2.99 ERA, 3.47 FIP, and 177 strikeouts over 150 1/3 innings this year. He’s allowed one run or fewer in each of his last four outings against the Angels, Braves, Astros, and Nationals, totaling 26 innings with three earned runs and 29 strikeouts. The veteran righty has made 11 career starts against Milwaukee, and he’s 5-2 with a 2.41 ERA and 78 strikeouts across 71 innings.
Wednesday, September 23 @ 5:40 p.m.: RHP Logan Henderson (10-3, 2.51 ERA, 3.30 FIP) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (7-10, 4.49 ERA, 4.78 FIP)
Henderson, who has quickly developed into Milwaukee’s No. 2 starter, has had a great rookie season, going 10-3 with a 2.51 ERA, 3.30 FIP, and 107 strikeouts across 93 1/3 innings. He’s coming off what he’d probably consider a “disappointing” start against the Pirates, going five innings with three runs allowed (tying a career-high mark) and eight strikeouts in a no-decision. This marks Henderson’s first career appearance against Philadelphia.
Nola, 33, is another veteran right-hander, having spent all 12 seasons of his career in Philadelphia. Nola is having a mediocre year, with a 7-10 record, 4.49 ERA, 4.78 FIP, and 169 strikeouts over 168 1/3 innings. He’s had trouble with the long ball, allowing an MLB-worst 34 homers this season. He’s looked better over his last several outings, though, allowing two runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts, totaling 48 1/3 innings with a 1.86 ERA and 48 strikeouts. Nola has made 16 career starts against Milwaukee, going 7-3 with a 3.22 ERA and 104 strikeouts over 95 innings. That includes a no-decision back in June, when he went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and striking out three.
Thursday, September 24 @ 5:05 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Neither team has announced a starter for Thursday’s series finale, and it’s hard to predict Milwaukee’s starter due to the recent shuffling e.g., Dustin May and Kyle Harrison. This seems like the perfect opportunity for Colton Gordon, who the Brewers acquired alongside Lance McCullers Jr. in exchange for Jadyn Fielder back in July. Gordon, 27, hasn’t yet appeared in the majors with Milwaukee, but he’s 6-4 with a 5.95 ERA and 83 strikeouts over 95 1/3 innings in MLB with the Astros. He’s made 10 starts with Triple-A Nashville since being acquired, going 1-5 with a 4.67 ERA and 48 strikeouts over 54 innings. The former eighth-round pick has made one career start against Philadelphia, which came last June while with Houston. He went five scoreless innings, striking out four to pick up the win.
Philadelphia will likely go with José Urquidy as the “bulk arm” in this game, as the last turn through the rotation, left-hander Tim Mayza opened the first inning before turning it over to the right-hander. Urquidy, 31, started the season with the Pirates and also spent time with the White Sox before being claimed off waivers by Philadelphia on Thursday. He’s made 12 appearances (one start) this year, totaling 33 2/3 innings with a 4.54 ERA, 3.84 FIP, and 27 strikeouts. In Friday’s loss to the Mets, he worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on five hits and six strikeouts. Urquidy has faced 26 teams in his career, but the Brewers are not one of them.
How to Watch & Listen
Tuesday, September 22: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, September 23: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Thursday, September 24: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Phillies have a lot more to play for at this point, as they’re fighting with the Cubs and Padres for home-field advantage in the NL Wild Card Series (whereas the Brewers are just fighting with the Dodgers for the top overall seed). Philadelphia hasn’t been consistent recently, though, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Brewers sneak away with two out of three.
That virus kept him away from the team for a short while, including skating with a red non-contact sweater with Group 3 on Thursday, the first day of camp on the ice.
Since then, he's been ramped up, joining Group 1 with the main NHL roster for the past couple of practices. On Friday, he was paired with Emil Andrae, but head coach Jim Hiller said not to look too deeply into that as a sign of things to come.
On Monday, he provided an update on how he was feeling.
"I feel good," the Leafs' blueliner said. "I felt good all along, it's just some kind of virus that I didn't really know I had that came up in blood work. We wanted to avoid contact for a couple of days, that's all."
The Maple Leafs opened their short pre-season campaign on Saturday, with a split-squad game against the Montreal Canadiens. One game was played in each arena of the two teams, one at the Bell Centre in Montreal and the other at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, but Rielly didn't feature in either contest.
At Monday's practice, he was skating on what could be identified as the team's top defense pairing with Darren Raddysh. After the session, Rielly was asked if he believes that he'll be ready to go for the Maple Leafs' final pre-season outing on Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators.
On Saturday, the Maple Leafs had Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Raddysh and Andrae as the defensemen from Toronto's Group 1 of training camp. Ben Danford and Marshall Rifai were the two on the bottom pair.
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Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were together on some memorable Detroit teams before moving on and winning championships elsewhere.
Will they eventually enter the Hall of Fame as part of the same class?
The first question is whether both will retire after this season. The 43-year-old Verlander already jas announced this is his final year. He’s made only one start in a reunion season with the Tigers, although Detroit fans are hoping he can return for another.
Scherzer’s future is less clear. The 42-year-old right-hander is slated to start at Baltimore, as the Blue Jays try to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive, but Scherzer has posted ERAs over 5.00 both this season and last. He’s on a one-year contract with Toronto.
Some other prominent players also may have made — or might be making — their last appearances in the major leagues. Trey Mancini signed a one-day contract to retire with the Orioles and was celebrated in Baltimore. Andrew McCutchen and Carlos Santana, both 39, were released in August. Craig Kimbrel, now 38, has pitched for 10 different big league teams in the last six seasons.
Paul Goldschmidt is 39, but his team — the New York Yankees — is heading to the playoffs. And he may be more important than expected if Aaron Judge is out.
With a lockout possible after this season, there could be some retirements we don’t anticipate. Rick Sutcliffe, Bo Jackson and Hall of Famer Goose Gossage, for example, never played again after the 1994 strike but didn’t actually retire until the following year.
Trivia time
Who is the most recent player voted into the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA whose primary team was the Tigers? (The drought likely will end soon with Miguel Cabrera and then Verlander.)
Performance of the week
Angel Martínez homered from both sides of the plate and had four hits in Cleveland’s 12-6 win over the Athletics. The Guardians have won five straight and are closing in on a postseason spot. They have a one-game lead over the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central, and it’s another three games back from the White Sox to Toronto and Houston in the race for the last wild card.
In the National League, Philadelphia leads Arizona by four games for the final wild card, so anyone rooting for chaos may be disappointed.
Comeback of the week
Detroit was down 8-2 in the fifth inning before scoring nine unanswered runs to win 11-8 over the White Sox. Kevin McGonigle hit a three-run triple, and both Hao-Yu Lee and Riley Greene added two-run homers during the comeback. Detroit’s win probability was down to 3.2% in the fourth inning according to Baseball Savant.
That’s the only game the Tigers have won out of their last five. They’ve been eliminated from the playoff race, the end of a frustrating season in which nothing seemed to go as planned.
Team of the week
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres both went 6-1, with the Dodgers posting the superior run differential. A three-game sweep of San Francisco leaves the Dodgers four games ahead of Atlanta for the second bye in the National League as they try for a third consecutive World Series title.
There still are health concerns for the Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani on the injured list and Blake Snell having left his last start after one inning.
Los Angeles did get Edwin Diaz back, and he threw scoreless innings on back-to-back days.
Trivia answer
Al Kaline, who was inducted in 1980.
George Kell, Hal Newhouser, Jim Bunning, Sparky Anderson, Jack Morris and Alan Trammell have been elected since then with the Tigers as their primary team, but they weren’t voted in by the BBWAA.
Hockey is officially back! The Pittsburgh Penguins will play their first preseason game of the year against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
The Penguins will feature some of their regulars on Monday, but younger players will also be in the lineup as they fight for roster spots.
The top line will feature Ben Kindel between Bryan Rust and Andrei Kuzmenko. Those three have played together throughout training camp and have looked comfortable. Now, it's time to see what they can do in game action.
Defensemen Harrison Brunicke and Owen Pickering will be paired together after practicing on a pair during camp. They've both had great camps and will have an opportunity to start the preseason on a high note.
Goaltender Sergei Murashov will play in the first half of the game, while Joel Blomqvist will get the second half.
Here are the expected lines and pairs:
Forwards
Kuzmenko-Kindel-Rust
Hallander-Lapierre-Brazeau
Dewar-Broz-Soderblom
Howe-Gustafsson-Hayes
Defensemen
Van Riemsdyk-Letang
Graves-Pietila
Pickering-Brunicke
It certainly appears that forward Carter Sanderson and defenseman Tomas Galvas will be the scratches.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
“That is one of several aggressive financial projections included in an investor presentation being circulated by Thrive Capital,” Toonkel and Maurer wrote. “… In the presentation, the buyers laid out plans to expand the storied National Basketball Association franchise, including through international growth and new opportunities in local media rights.
“Those moves would help boost the Lakers’ valuation to at least $30 billion in a decade, the buyer group said, assuming that TV and streaming rights double in value. More favorable assumptions for the same period would place the long-term valuation at $62 billion.”
Iger and Kushner believe they will simply be propelling an already prosperous franchise. According to Iger and Kushner’s investment group, Thrive Capital, the Lakers are tracking to produce $681 million in revenue this year — led by ticketing and media rights — with projections to hit $1.6 billion by 2037.
“Profits are expected to zoom up as well, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization set to more than triple from an estimated $129 million to more than $589 million over that span, according to the presentation,” Toonkel and Maurer wrote.
The key point with all of this news is what actually means for the fans and the on-court product. Fans do not care about billionaires bolstering their pocket books. If the Lakers are going to generate more revenue and explode in value as a franchise, ownership better invest a significant chunk (or all of it, really) back into the team or the fan experience.
Good owners spend, whether that’s enhancing TV production and in-arena pageantry, paying staffers a proper wage or ensuring finances aren’t an impediment for the Lakers’ team-building. Iger and Kushner seem confident and outspoken about their ownership tenure elevating Los Angeles to new heights monetarily. That won’t matter if such a development does nothing to benefit the Lakers’ on-court success or enjoyment for the fans.
BALTIMORE — The Milwaukee Brewers haven’t won more than five in a row all year. It hasn’t stopped them from setting a single-season franchise record for victories.
Milwaukee broke the mark it set last season, smothering the Baltimore Orioles 3-0 to improve to 98-58.
“We haven’t had these streaks of greatness,” manager Pat Murphy said. “We haven’t put it all together.”
Even without rattling off an extended run, the Brewers have the best record in the majors. They’ve already clinched their fourth consecutive NL Central title and will make their eighth postseason appearance in nine years. Twice in that span they’ve advanced to the NLCS, including last year, but they have not reached the World Series since 1982.
Milwaukee completed its ninth series sweep of the season while receiving help from all over the roster. The Brewers stole four bases, got a stellar diving catch from center fielder Garrett Mitchell in the seventh inning and had seven pitchers combine on a four-hit shutout for the record-setting victory with six games left.
“It means a lot,” said pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (15-5, 1.86 ERA), who gave up a hit and struck out four in three innings in an abbreviated start designed to manage his workload.
“It’s always a big deal to set a new record, a franchise record at that. Hopefully, we get a few more and get to a little bigger number.”
Milwaukee enters the final week of the season two games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the NL and needs only one more victory or an Atlanta loss to lock up a bye into the division series.
“It’s hard to be in this spot to begin with, and I don’t think it’s appreciated enough,” Murphy said. “I think people don’t realize how hard it is for any of the 30 teams to put themselves in this position, and that’s what makes me proud of these guys. We’re not the oldest team, we’re not the most experienced, we’re not the most talented. We’re not the most a lot of things, but for sure they’ve proven they’re a team.”
The St. Louis Blues have no shortage of NHL-caliber bottom-six players, but the simple fact is that not all of those players will make the opening-night roster, which is why the latest report stating the Blues are open to trades is unsurprising.
According to trusted NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Blues have made it known that they have plenty of NHL-caliber depth forwards who they are willing to part with.
“One thing I kind of heard is that in St. Louis, for example, they have a bunch of NHL guys who are kind of in the bottom six, and not all of them are going to make their team," said Friedman on his podcast, 32 Thoughts. "And I think the Blues have let it be known that if you want some NHL depth, deeper in your roster, guys who’ve played, we have extras.”
The veteran core the Blues are bringing into the season includes Jonatan Berggren, Pius Suter, Ross Johnston, Alexey Toropchenko, Dillon Dube, Nathan Walker, Oskar Sundqvist and Jack Finley.
This also includes younger players waiting for their opportunity, like Otto Stenberg, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Zach Dean, Justin Carbonneau and Dylan Peterson, although those players are unlikely to be traded.
From the veteran group, Ross Johnston is the least likely to be traded, as he was signed to a three-year deal in the off-season to be the team's physical presence and enforcer.
There are only so many spots, and realistically, there are just five spots to be earned from a group of 13 players. Stenberg, Carobonneau and Kaskimaki are likely out of the race due to being waivers exempt. Dean and Peterson are on two-way contracts, but the organization likely wants to see a bit more from them before calling them up.
Of the veteran group, Johnston likely has his spot locked down, and Suter should get the first run as the fourth-line center. Berggren showed he was capable of a middle six role last year and it would be shocking to not see him start on the third line.
That leaves Toropchenko, Walker, Sundqvist, Finley, and Dube fighting for one roster spot and one 13th forward spot. Three players will be sent on waivers and could be claimed by other teams. If the Blues don't see a future for them in the NHL, trading them and receiving a draft pick in exchange will help mitigate the loss.
Any of those players could be traded, but Suter's name could draw the most interest. He's a better player than a fourth-line center, but with the makeup of the roster, it's the role he's been reduced to. Suter earns $4.125 million for the remainder of this season before becoming a UFA.
NHL teams in need of center depth, especially someone with Suter's two-way versatility, could be willing to part ways with serious assets.
The Blues remain insistent on competing, and keeping Suter provides them with a strong lineup. But in the case where they think Kaskimaki or Dean could adequately fill that role, they could look to offload Suter.
Whichever direction the Blues go, they could be very active in the trade market.
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