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The Chicago Cubs have spent much of this season searching for answers to their pitching problems. Injuries have forced Chicago to reshuffle its staff seemingly all year, and Ben Brown has been one of the more interesting examples of how much that situation has changed. Brown began the season in the bullpen, moved into the rotation when the Cubs desperately needed innings, and was pitching well in both roles before a neck injury shut him down in late June. He appeared to be making progress toward a return before Chicago recently made the decision to shut him down for the remainder of the season. According to manager Craig Counsell, the decision was ultimately about giving Brown more time to heal. “After consulting with doctors, it’s just more rest,” Counsell said. “There’s healing, but just not enough to allow the discomfort to go away. So, we just need to spend more time healing.” It’s undoubtedly a disappointing development for Brown, especially considering he had been sidelined since June with what was described as a stress reaction in his neck and had been on track to return before the end of the season. But while his 2026 campaign is officially over, the bigger question now becomes what his future looks like in Chicago. The good news is that Brown absolutely still has one. The Cubs may have spent much of this season dealing with injuries, but their pitching situation could look significantly different next year. Shota Imanaga and Kevin Gausman are both scheduled to reach free agency this offseason, potentially creating openings in the rotation. That could theoretically give Brown another opportunity to compete for a starting job when he returns. After all, he already proved this season that he can handle the role. Brown opened the year as a multi-inning reliever, working in two-to-three-inning bursts roughly twice a week. His first 12 appearances all came out of the bullpen, and he was extremely effective, allowing just six earned runs across 25 2/3 innings. Eventually, though, injuries to Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera forced the Cubs to get creative. Chicago needed starting pitching, and Brown had already shown that he could provide length. The Cubs moved him into the rotation, and he responded by allowing just eight earned runs over eight starts. That stretch was important because it demonstrated that Brown isn't simply a reliever who occasionally provides multiple innings. He can start, he can handle a workload, and when healthy, he has shown flashes of being effective in either role. The problem is that staying healthy has become the biggest question. This isn't the first time Brown has dealt with an injury in his neck; a similar issue caused him to miss the final 96 games of the 2024 season. At some point, the Cubs have to start considering whether repeatedly asking Brown to prepare for and maintain a starter's workload is worth the risk. That doesn't mean he can't return as a starter. Depending on what happens with Imanaga and Gausman this offseason, Chicago may not have the luxury of immediately placing Brown in the bullpen. The Cubs could have an opening, and his experience starting this season should at least put him in the conversation. But long-term, relief may simply be the better decision. Brown's stuff has always looked like it could play extremely well out of the bullpen. His four-seam fastball sits around 96 mph and features plenty of life, and there's reason to believe that velocity could tick even higher if he isn't being asked to conserve energy for five or six innings every five days. A fastball that regularly reaches 97 or 98 mph is a completely different weapon coming out of the bullpen. His curveball is also capable of becoming a legitimate put-away pitch. Brown has leaned on his upper-80s knuckle curve throughout his career, and being able to attack hitters for an inning or two at a time could allow him to use both pitches more aggressively. And notably, the numbers suggest that his stuff simply played better in relief. Brown's hard-hit rate was just 34.2% as a reliever this season, roughly 14 percentage points lower than his mark as a starter. His average exit velocity was also two miles per hour lower, while he generated ground balls at a significantly higher rate. It's difficult to look at that kind of difference and completely dismiss it as a coincidence. Brown may have proven that he can make it as a big-league starter, but his profile appears to fit particularly well in a multi-inning relief role. The Cubs wouldn't necessarily need him to become a traditional one-inning reliever, either. His ability to provide two or three innings at a time would still give Counsell valuable flexibility. That may ultimately be where Brown's future becomes most interesting. Chicago has seen firsthand how quickly pitching depth can disappear, and having a pitcher who can work multiple innings out of the bullpen while also being capable of stepping into the rotation in an emergency is an extremely valuable luxury. Brown doesn't have to be locked into one role forever. He could become the type of pitcher who gives the Cubs options depending on what their staff needs at any given time. Still, after another extended absence because of the same area of his body, prioritizing his health should come before trying to turn him into a full-time starter. For now, though, none of that matters as much as getting him through this latest setback. The Cubs have made the right decision by shutting him down and allowing his neck more time to heal rather than rushing him back for a few appearances at the end of the season. Brown's future in Chicago hopefully won't be defined by this injury. He has shown too much ability for that. The question is how the Cubs can best maximize that talent moving forward. And while another opportunity in the rotation may be waiting for him next season, his long-term future may be much brighter coming out of the bullpen. View the full article

Andruw Monasterio is in a slump, hitting just .111/.155/.130 in 58 plate appearances in his last 16 games, but the doubts of the Boston Red Sox are much more pressing in this final stretch of the season: how much can the team trust that he will return to offering the depth they need? Will he be able to get close to his July version at the plate, the only outstanding stretch this year? As the postseason approaches, there are more doubts than answers surrounding the versatile Venezuelan infielder. Monasterio has had a season plagued by inconsistencies. His swing has improved against fastballs and off-speed pitches compared to last season, but that has not been enough to avoid his inconsistency. During the first half of the season, Monasterio produced a puzzling .229/.280/.414, with 89 wRC+. Then July arrived and, for a moment, his swing caught fire and produced an offensive line of .338/.413/.631, with a 1.044 OPS and 185 wRC+. He added almost 100 points of wRC+ compared to the first half of the season. The improvements came with two key adjustments: he stopped chasing pitches outside the strike zone, reducing his O-Swing% rate to 22.9%, the lowest percentage in any month of this campaign. He also stopped hitting a large number of ground balls—his rate dropped to 21.2%—getting more optimal contact, which influenced the overall results deriving in a 49.1% Hard Hit%. Even so, Monasterio did not manage to extend his best adjustments. The small peak of offensive heat began to decline again. For four weeks, he had recorded more than his best peripheral numbers, the quality at-bats that the Red Sox needed. His problems against breaking pitches, which have been frequent all year, also began to worsen again. Monasterio had produced .395 xSLG in July, after carrying .223 and .210 averages in May and June, respectively. The inconsistency returned, falling to .266 in August and .037 this month of September. The problem went beyond offense and, being honest, that is what has complicated everything. Monasterio’s versatility has been an important part of his value to the team. That is undeniable. He has played most of the time as a shortstop this year, but he has also moved to second, first and third base. That has had a heat, especially when Monasterio took care of covering Trevor Story’s absence due to injury. On paper, it is difficult for a team to discard the contribution of a player capable of adding great defensive depth on his own. In many cases, offensive inconsistency can be forgiven. However, in Monasterio’s case this year, that ability to play several positions has not become a defensive strength at each of them. If we look at the offensive aspect, I think it is a little surprising that Monasterio has been able to provide his best production at such a demanding position as shortstop. In the 53 games he has played as a shortstop, he registers 99 wRC+, his highest average at any position this year. On the other hand, here is the point that the Red Sox should analyze the most as October approaches: Monasterio has -14 Outs Above Average this season, and he is the worst defender on the team in FRV. Much of that negative result comes from his regression with -9 as a shortstop, but he has also had a negative balance with -3 at second and -2 at first. His offensive collapse and the terrible season he has gone through on defense is going to put the Red Sox in a difficult position once postseason rosters need to be set. The final few weeks of the regular season will be decisive for Monasterio's immediate future with the team. View the full article

Andruw Monasterio is in a slump, hitting just .111/.155/.130 in 58 plate appearances in his last 16 games, but the doubts of the Boston Red Sox are much more pressing in this final stretch of the season: how much can the team trust that he will return to offering the depth they need? Will he be able to get close to his July version at the plate, the only outstanding stretch this year? As the postseason approaches, there are more doubts than answers surrounding the versatile Venezuelan infielder. Monasterio has had a season plagued by inconsistencies. His swing has improved against fastballs and off-speed pitches compared to last season, but that has not been enough to avoid his inconsistency. During the first half of the season, Monasterio produced a puzzling .229/.280/.414, with 89 wRC+. Then July arrived and, for a moment, his swing caught fire and produced an offensive line of .338/.413/.631, with a 1.044 OPS and 185 wRC+. He added almost 100 points of wRC+ compared to the first half of the season. The improvements came with two key adjustments: he stopped chasing pitches outside the strike zone, reducing his O-Swing% rate to 22.9%, the lowest percentage in any month of this campaign. He also stopped hitting a large number of ground balls—his rate dropped to 21.2%—getting more optimal contact, which influenced the overall results deriving in a 49.1% Hard Hit%. Even so, Monasterio did not manage to extend his best adjustments. The small peak of offensive heat began to decline again. For four weeks, he had recorded more than his best peripheral numbers, the quality at-bats that the Red Sox needed. His problems against breaking pitches, which have been frequent all year, also began to worsen again. Monasterio had produced .395 xSLG in July, after carrying .223 and .210 averages in May and June, respectively. The inconsistency returned, falling to .266 in August and .037 this month of September. The problem went beyond offense and, being honest, that is what has complicated everything. Monasterio’s versatility has been an important part of his value to the team. That is undeniable. He has played most of the time as a shortstop this year, but he has also moved to second, first and third base. That has had a heat, especially when Monasterio took care of covering Trevor Story’s absence due to injury. On paper, it is difficult for a team to discard the contribution of a player capable of adding great defensive depth on his own. In many cases, offensive inconsistency can be forgiven. However, in Monasterio’s case this year, that ability to play several positions has not become a defensive strength at each of them. If we look at the offensive aspect, I think it is a little surprising that Monasterio has been able to provide his best production at such a demanding position as shortstop. In the 53 games he has played as a shortstop, he registers 99 wRC+, his highest average at any position this year. On the other hand, here is the point that the Red Sox should analyze the most as October approaches: Monasterio has -14 Outs Above Average this season, and he is the worst defender on the team in FRV. Much of that negative result comes from his regression with -9 as a shortstop, but he has also had a negative balance with -3 at second and -2 at first. His offensive collapse and the terrible season he has gone through on defense is going to put the Red Sox in a difficult position once postseason rosters need to be set. The final few weeks of the regular season will be decisive for Monasterio's immediate future with the team. View the full article

The New York Mets have been playing some respectable baseball in September, and that can partially be attributed to the hot streak of Brett Baty. The 26-year-old veteran is slashing .313/.393/.646 with a 1.039 OPS in his last 20 games. Combine that with the ability to play six of the nine spots on the field, and Baty is proving to be too valuable to move on from in the offseason. It can also be said that this point in his career, you know what you are going to get with the former top prospect, and it is up to president of baseball operations David Stearns on where his value lies. Since his debut in 2022, Baty’s problem has always been his inability to consistently elevate the ball. When he is in a slump, you will often see him going down 0-2 in the count and either striking out or grounding out. Baty has tried different things to try to make his swing better like switching from a one-handed follow through to a two-hander and planting his leg earlier to allow himself more time to swing. While those tweaks have yielded mixed results as a whole, they allow for the occasional hot streak here and there. When Baty is hot, he's elevating the ball to the pull side and hitting home runs and playing good defense. It's not an all-or-nothing proposition, but it does feel like the confidence in one aspect of his game affects all others. Case in point: his breakout season of 2025, when he finished with 3.0 WAR and a 111 OPS+ season. In 2026, Baty has not had the same luck. Last season, in Miami, Baty suffered an oblique injury that ended his season. A few nights ago in Miami, Baty left the game with an apparent leg injury (and missed Friday's action). He was hot last season before his injury and that played a part in the Mets missing the playoffs. The Mets and interim manager Andy Green hope this injury is not as serious as last seasons. While this hot streak is encouraging to see of the Brett Baty of old, the Mets would like to see him have these results over 162 games. At the very least, he's doing what he can to earn himself one more shot in Queens in 2027. View the full article

TRANSACTIONS No transactions on Friday for the Twins. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 4, Syracuse 10 Box Score This game was over almost before it started. The Saints gave up nine runs over the first two innings. The Saints scored in four different innings, but it was way too little. Lefty Aaron Rozek started. He’s been tremendous for the Saints this year. Not so much on this night. He gave up 10 runs (9 earned runs) on 11 hits (3 homers) and four walks in four innings. Matt Bowman struck out four batters over two scoreless, one-hit innings. Eric Orze then struck out two batters over two scoreless, one-hit innings. Marco Raya struck out two in a perfect ninth inning. It was not a good night for the Saints in general, but Aaron Sabato had a couple of nice moments. He went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and an RBI. The double was his 29th which sets the franchise record, one more than Jermaine Palacios had in 2022. The home run was his 24th of the season, tying him with Matt Wallner this year for the single-season Saints record. Not that the Twins season will not lead to a playoff berth, it would be great to see Jeremy Zoll and Company call Sabato. Cody Morissette went 2-for-3 with a walk and his 17th double. Emmanuel Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a walk. Rodriguez also had an outfield assist in the game. When #OldFriend Billy Amick was traded to the Mets, he was hitting .217/.338/.482 (.820) with 14 doubles, 23 homers, and 72 RBI. After the trade, he went to Double-A Binghamton. In 12 games, he hit .304/.396/.783 (1.179) with one double, seven homers and 22 RBI. He was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse. In 17 games, he has hit .222/.275/.556 (.831) with three doubles, six home runs and 11 RBI. So, combining all of that, he has hit .227/.335/.526 (.861) with 18 doubles, 36 homers and 105 RBI. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 2, Frisco 14 Box Score Frisco used a six-run third inning to take a huge early lead, and they scored in seven of their nine innings on offense. Riley Quick made his final Double-A start of the season, and it went about as well as most of his starts at the level. In four innings, he gave up eight runs (6 earned) on nine hits and two walks. He struck out two batters. Unless he makes a Triple-A start next week, his season comes to an end with 23 starts and 81 2/3 innings pitched. After pitching just three innings in 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, Quick pitched in 14 games and 62 innings at Alabama in 2025 before the Twins made him their Competitive Balance pick. One thing he did well was miss bats. He had 110 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings. Unfortunately, he walked 48 batters too. So while he did not pitch well after three games in Fort Myers (4.14 ERA, 1.31 WHIP in Cedar Rapids, 6.68 ERA, 1.73 WHIP in Wichita), the most important thing was keeping him healthy all season. Now he can go through a full, “normal” offseason and some back next spring ready to throw strikes with multiple pitches, miss even more bats and compete for a big-league job sometime during the season. Jaylen Nowlin came in and gave up an unearned run on one hit and one walk in the fifth inning. He struck out three batters. Chris Vallimont came on and worked the final four innings. He gave up five runs (4 earned) on five hits, two walks, and a hit batter. He struck out three batters. Wichita had just two runs on three hits and five walks. Khadim Diaw tied the game at 1-1 with a home run in the first inning, his fourth with the Surge. Marek Houston went 1-for-3 with a walk. He had two errors in the game, giving him 10 errors in Wichita and 19 errors overall this season. 18 of the 19 errors have been at shortstop. He had one error in nine innings at second base in Cedar Rapids. Jaime Ferrer hit his 14th double with the Wind Surge. Andrew Cossetti walked twice. PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter(s) of the Day Aaron Sabato (St. Paul): 3-for-4, 2B(24), HR(29), 2 R, RBI, K. Pitcher(s) of the Day Matt Bowman (St. Paul): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 25 pitches, 19 strikes (76.0%). PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects. See how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (Minnesota) - 0-for-3, K, SH (batted first, played CF) #3 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (Minnesota) - 1-for-3, RBI, K (batted second, played SS) #4 - SS Marek Houston (Wichita) - 1-for-3, BB, K, 2 E(10) (batted first, played SS) #5 - RHP Riley Quick (Wichita) - 4 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HBP, 79 pitches, 46 strikes (64.8%) #6 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, BB, RBI, K, CS(3) (batted first, played CF) #7 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 0-for-5 (batted second, played LF) #12 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 0-for-4, K (batted third, played 3B) #13 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 1-for-4, HR(4), R, RBI, K (batted second, played DH) UPCOMING PROBABLES Saturday, September 12 Syracuse @ St. Paul (5:07 pm CT) - RHP Ryan Gallagher (7-7, 6.35 ERA) Frisco @ Wichita (6:05 pm CT) - RHP Adrian Bohorquez (0-1, 1.50 ERA) CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 69-78 (Final Game 9/27) St. Paul Saints: 78-63 (Final Game (9/20) Wichita Wind Surge: 54-80 (Final Game 9/13) Cedar Rapids Kernels: 48-82 (Season Complete) Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 68-60 (Season Complete) FCL Twins: 33-26 (Season Complete) DSL Twins: 19-35 (Season Complete) Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! 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With just two of the San Diego Padres' full-season affiliates in action, they went 0-2. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas dropped a 9-4 decision to Tacoma and the Double-A San Antonio Missions were crushed 17-1 by Amarillo. Padres Minor-League Transactions San Diego Padres recalled 2B Mason McCoy from El Paso Chihuahuas. 2B Rosman Verdugo assigned to El Paso Chihuahuas from Fort Wayne TinCaps. Chihuahuas Subdued By 8-Run Eighth Inning A grand slam capped an eight-run fourth inning that sent the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas to a 9-4 loss to the host Tacoma Rainiers. Rehabbing Padres designated hitter Miguel Andujar did not play after starting the first three games. He is 2-for-12 with two doubles thus far. Marcos Castanon went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Nick Pratto 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Rodolfo Duran had a pair of doubles, driving in a run and scoring once and Carlos Rodriguez also had two hits. The Chihuahuas outhit the Rainiers 13-10, but did commit two errors. Chihuahuas right-handed starter Sean Boyle allowed six runs, but only two were earned in 3⅔ innings on five hits and three walks while striking out five. Right-hander Daison Acosta gave up three runs in 2⅓ innings. Right-hander Trevor Gott, originally a sixth-round pick of the Padres in 2013, made his return to the organization with the Chihuahuas, pitching a perfect seventh and striking out one. Right-hander Brent Honeywell finished with a perfect eighth. The Chihuahuas scored three times in the top of the fourth as Pratto doubled in Castanon and then scored on Duran's double. Duran would come in on Gage Workman's single. Workman drove in the other run in the eighth on a groundout. EP_0911.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Bryce Johnson, RF 5 0 1 0 0 3 Carlos Rodríguez, DH 5 0 2 0 0 2 Nick Solak, LF 5 0 1 0 0 2 Marcos Castañon, 3B 5 2 3 0 0 0 Nick Pratto, 1B 5 1 3 1 0 1 Rodolfo Durán, C 4 1 2 1 1 2 Gage Workman, SS 4 0 1 2 0 2 Anthony Vilar, 2B 1 0 0 0 2 0 Braedon Karpathios, CF 4 0 0 0 0 3 Totals 38 4 13 4 3 15 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Sean Boyle 3 2/3 5 6 2 3 5 0 Daison Acosta 2 1/3 5 3 3 0 2 1 Trevor Gott 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brent Honeywell 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 8 10 9 2 3 8 1 Missions Get Blitzed Early In Blowout Loss To Sod Poodles Right-handed starter Carson Montgomery's Double-A debut turned into a nightmare as he was thumped for 10 runs in the San Antonio Missions' 17-1 loss to the host Amarillo Sod Poodles. Montgomery allowed eight hits and three walks over 2⅔ innings, surrendering a pair of homers. His first nine pitches of the game were balls as the Sod Poodles got to him for three runs. After a run in the fourth, Montgomery gave up six more (five earned) in the third to end his day and his final game of the season. Offensively, the Missions mustered just three hits, including a double by Kerrington Cross, his first extra-base hit in his third game at Double-A, his third level this season. The Missions' lone run came in the seventh when Romeo Sanabria and Albert Fabian had leadoff walks and Jack Costello was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ryan Jackson then hit a grounder to second that brought in a run to make it 13-1. Player AB R H RBI BB K Tirso Ornelas, CF 2 0 0 0 0 0 Kai Roberts, CF 2 0 1 0 0 0 Romeo Sanabria, 1B 3 1 0 0 1 2 Albert Fabian, LF 2 0 0 0 2 0 Jack Costello, RF 3 0 0 0 0 1 Ryan Jackson, 3B 2 0 0 1 2 1 Kerrington Cross, DH 4 0 1 0 0 1 Luis Verdugo, SS 4 0 0 0 0 0 Wyatt Hoffman, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 0 Oswaldo Linares, C 3 0 1 0 0 0 Totals 29 1 3 1 5 5 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Carson Montgomery 2 2/3 8 10 9 3 1 2 Bernard Jose 2 1/3 3 1 1 0 2 0 Harry Gustin 1 3 2 2 0 1 1 Carlos Medina 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Will Varmette 1 5 4 4 0 1 1 Totals 8 19 17 16 3 6 4 Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: DNP Ryan Wideman: On injured list Coleman Borthwick: DNP Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Ty Harvey: DNP Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Jorge Quintana: DNP Alex McCoy: DNP Braedon Karpathios: 0-for-4, 3 K Lamar King Jr.: DNP Elliot Lascelles: DNP Tucker Musgrove: On injured list Jagger Haynes: DNP Jake Cunningham: DNP Truitt Madonna: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Winyer Chourio: DNP Jesus Castro: DNP Michael Salina: On injured list Rosman Verdugo: DNP View the full article

MIAMI, FL — The dynamic of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup changes with the presence of Shohei Ohtani, who can "change the scoreboard with one swing." Playing without Ohtani on Friday night, that game-changing swing came from Kyle Tucker instead, whose grand slam made the difference in a 6-2 Dodgers win. Tucker, who signed a four-year, $240M contract over the offseason with the back-to-back World Series champions, hasn't lived up to that contract in year one. He came into Friday night's game slashing .225/.323/.361/.684 with 13 home runs and 60 RBI. However, he was excellent in the series opener against the Miami Marlins, going 3-for-3 with 5 RBI. He finished a double shy of the cycle. In the top of the seventh inning, the Marlins deployed Victor Vodnik, who after striking out Alex Freeland and Kiké Hernández for the first two outs of the inning, got into deep trouble. Vodnik walked Tommy Edman, surrendered a base hit to Max Muncy and walked Mookie Betts. He was taken out in place of Cade Gibson to face the aforementioned Tucker. On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Gibson served a 79.5 mph curveball which Tucker obliterated 395 feet to right field. That increased a 2-1 Dodgers lead to 6-1. "Tucker's a terrific hitter," Clayton McCullough said postgame. "Handles lefties well. Independent of how maybe this season is going, he's still a fantastic hitter and has been for a long time. He got a hanging breaking ball and turned the game for them." Ryan Gusto, who struggled in his last start against the Chicago Cubs, bounced back against the Dodgers, tossing six innings of two-run ball, allowing five hits and striking out three. He’s now allowed two earned runs or less in seven of his last eight starts. Overall, Gusto has a 4.14 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 7.47 K/9 and 2.87 BB/9 in 78 ⅓ innings pitched. "I thought his cutter was very good tonight, and mixed in his offspeed very well," McCullough said. "A really good start results-wise to go six and two runs. He continues, really for the last month-plus, of really throwing the ball well and giving us a great chance to win games." In the bottom of the sixth inning, Agustín Ramírez lasered a 107.5 mph double into right-center, allowing Javier Sanoja to score. Since rejoining the team after a stint in Triple-A Jacksonville, Ramírez has mostly been platooned, rarely being used as a catcher even when he's in the lineup. Friday was his first start behind the plate in more than a month. The double was only his fifth RBI in 28 games since being called up. "Coming off the off day, I wanted to have his bat in the lineup, and thought this would be a good time to get him back there behind the plate," McCullough said. "He got a caught stealing and had some good blocks tonight. Handled the guys well, so it was a good night for Gus. Credit to him. It's hard to not be back there for an extended amount of time, but put in the work required and be able to go back there and be ready tonight to go do and perform." With the loss, the Marlins drop to 72-76 on the season. They are officially eliminated from the National League East division title race. The Marlins have never won the NL East in their 34-year existence. Trying to halt the Dodgers' eight-game winning streak on Saturday, Tyler Phillips takes the mound opposite of Tyler Glasnow at 4:10 pm. View the full article

Box Score Taj Bradley: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Yoendrys Gómez (-.470), A.J. Minter (-.290), Luke Keaschall (-.140) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Dead, but still living. Walking, though without a clear direction. At some point, the reality of postseason odds will reach through the nether and snatch these Twins, relegating them to a forgotten footnote, cursed to gather dust in the annals of baseball teams deemed too good to laugh at, yet not good enough to care about. A common outcome. One that was seemingly avoidable a month ago. One that grew slowly and slowly and now stands readily apparent. Mark Buehrle isn’t retired; rather, he lives through Parker Messick, the newest vessel containing the fast-paced, crafty lefty gene. And he can move ass. MLB officially calls him 6’0” and 225 pounds. The eye says a few more pounds. Undeniably svelte, he dances on the mound with the grace of a gymnast half his weight. His command-oriented game has fueled a massive rookie breakout season, in which he made the All-Star game, and carries an ERA of 2.53 in 167 innings. And the lefty was on his game. Twins batters stood befuddled by his heaters. Babbled at his control. Three of his five strikeouts were of the staring variety; in which Minnesota never even attempted to swing at the ball. They broke from daze for a moment and struck for a run in the second, with Royce Lewis doubling in Kody Clemens. The run was needed, as Taj Bradley looked off. Well, he was off: the righty started each of his first three frames with a free pass, and had offered four of them before he could net nine outs. It was only with grit—and luck—that he shook loose from the malaise to hold Cleveland at bay, finding the strike zone just enough to nab outs and avoid the looming run spectre that constantly threatened him. And then he found himself. A Travis Bazzana singled in the fourth was later erased with a double play. Then he sat six down in order to breeze through the fifth and sixth, concluding his day with an emphatic 99.7 MPH fastball to strike out Jo Adell. Bradley gave way to A.J. Minter whose appearance sparked inspiration in a wilting Guardians lineup; Bazzana singled and Angel Martínez launched a devastating two-run blast, detailed with admiration and confident gait. We have a game. What would this be if the Twins and Guardians weren’t engaged, close, late? An Austin Martin hit by pitch, Walker Jenkins bunt, and a subsequent bizarre obstruction at second placed Martin at… second. Brayan Rocchio’s only punishment for committing the infraction was to be seen and judged, apparently. Never mind: Kaelen Culpepper singled in Martin anyways. An eighth. Nothing. A ninth. The deciding factor. Once more. As it always is with these two. Yoendrys Gómez fired wildly. The Guardians accepted their walks. A wild pitch. The few hittable pitches were knocked around for doubles. Three runs crossed the plate as the Twins closer failed to escape the frame, and Cade Smith entered in the bottom of the inning to silence any effort at a rally. Notes: Post-Game Interview: What’s Next? The Twins and Guardians meet again on Saturday, with first pitch coming at 3:10 PM. Connor Prielipp is set to pitch against the cool and collected TBD. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THUR FRI TOT Adams 0 0 42 0 0 42 Minter 0 23 0 0 17 40 Funderburk 0 0 22 0 15 37 Gomez 0 13 0 0 21 34 Nance 0 0 24 0 0 24 Hoffman 0 18 0 0 10 18 Rogers 0 0 16 0 0 16 Morris 0 8 0 0 0 8 View the full article

The Twins returned home after a tough road trip in Chicago and Detroit. Tonight, they will begin a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians. The Twins enter the series six games behind the White Sox and 4 1/2 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central. They're also 4 1/2 games behind Cleveland in the "race" for the third and final AL Wild Card. However, they need to pass the Orioles, Rangers and Blue Jays too while at the same time holding off the Mariners and Tigers. The Remaining Schedule 9/11-13: Home vs Guardians 9/14-16: Home vs Yankees 9/17-20: @ Angels 9/21-23: @ Giants 9/24: Day Off 9/25-27: Home vs Rangers And when Derek Shelton met with the media before Friday's game, he told the assembled media that Byron Buxton will be having season-ending surgery on the hip injury that has bothered him throughout the second half. Buxton played in 75 of the team's first 91 games but hurt his hip in a game in New York and was placed on the IL, strategically using the All-Star break to give him time. At the time, he was hitting .271/.328/.575 (.904) with 15 doubles and 25 home runs. He was voted in as a starter in the outfield for the All-Star game but didn't play. He returned on July 20th. He had another set of about 15 games from July 28th through August 12th. He returned on August 13th and played in 11 straight games. His final game was on August 25th. So, since that July 20th return, Buxton played in 18 games and hit just .172/.274/.203 (.477) with two doubles and one RBI. After crossing past 100 games played in both 2024 and 2025, Buxton will end this season with 93 games played. Buxton, who will turn 33 in December, has two years and $30 million remaining on his contract. Early in the season, he passed 10.000 years of service time. Does the decision of Buxton and the team doctors to have season-ending surgery on Monday signify that the team is throwing in the towel on the 2026 season? I guarantee no one in the organization will say that out loud, at least until the team is officially eliminated. But there does come a time when being realistic is important and getting that surgery done in the hopes that he'll be as ready as possible for 2027. It also tells us just how much pain that he has been in for the last couple of months. We will have an offseason to discuss what this means for Buxton and the Twins. I'm sure the question of him being traded will come up, but Buxton has been very, very clear that he has no plans of leaving the organization. Could this necessitate a move to a corner outfield position, hence opening the door wide open for Walker Jenkins to take the center field job and run with it? How much will he need to DH, or could that mean that the Twins aren't going to need to sign a DH type like Josh Bell. That's all for another day. Getting past this upcoming surgery and getting to the rehab process is important. Getting some time with his family will be important. Getting away from baseball for some time will be important. But just knowing how competitive Byron Buxton is, you know he's going to push himself to be ready to make another run in 2027. View the full article

The San Diego Padres are going to be without a clutch player for at least Friday and perhaps the entire weekend—for a good reason. First baseman Ty France was placed on the paternity list as his wife, Magdalena, is expecting twins. Infielder Mason McCoy was called up from Triple-A El Paso. France could be away for up to three days. The couple already have a son, 2-year-old Luka. After signing a minor-league contract at the beginning of spring training, France has slowly become the Padres' regular first baseman and is having a career year, posting a slash line of .294/.363/.510, matching his career best with 20 homers while also driving 63 runs and playing a terrific first base after winning the AL Gold Glove last year. McCoy will be making his first appearance in a Padres uniform this season, having spent the entire year at El Paso. There, he has a .284/.359/.408 slash line with 10 homers and 67 RBIs. He also has a Pacific Coast League-best 37 steals, surpassing his previous career high of 25 (2023-24). View the full article

An under-the-radar acquisition at the trade deadline for the Boston Red Sox is going to miss much of the stretch drive. Speedy outfielder Eli White was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday by the Red Sox due to an issue with a ligament in his right foot. Infielder Anthony Seigler was called back up from Triple-A Worcester. White was injured in Tuesday's 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels when he banged his right foot into a grate in center field. Since coming over from Atlanta on Aug. 3, White has a .276/.300/.379 slash line with a homer and 12 RBIs in 27 games. He has one steal in two attempts. Combining his time with Atlanta, White is slashing .246/.289/.398 with six homers and 29 RBIs in 96 games. Seigler has filled in nicely when injuries have struck the major-league roster. posting a .250/.331/.405, hitting three homers and driving in 13 over 48 games. View the full article

AJ Ramos, Kevin Barral and Isaac Azout have an extended discussion about the Miami Marlins pitching staff, the team's inconsistent approach to deciding when to call to the bullpen and the recent slippage in Sandy Alcantara's performance. They also preview the matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers and revisit Shohei Ohtani's brief stint as AJ's teammate with the Angels. You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. The Dodgers come to town riding a seven-game winning streak. On the other hand, the Marlins have lost six of their last seven. One more loss would officially eliminate them from the National League East division race. View the full article

Owen rides solo in this episode, breaking down concern with Dylan Cease, the Jays' ability to hold baserunners, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but finds positives in Kazuma Okamoto's huge rookies season, Spencer Miles, and José Soriano. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

If you took a good look at the lineup the San Diego Padres trotted out for their series finale against the Washington Nationals, you might have felt a little uneasy about the final third. While the top six are lineup stalwarts—Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, Ty France, Jackson Merrill and Luis Campusano—the bottom three were definitely not. In fact, if you had asked any Friars fan on Opening Day whether you thought the Padres were in contention if Austin Hays, Samad Taylor and Jase Bowen were starting on Sept. 9, the answers would have been a resounding "No!" But many didn't flinch when the lineup came out before the game. Taylor has been the best of the lot, now slashing .312/.390/.394 after having two more hits in that game. Hays has been serviceable since being picked off the scrap heap, going 10-for-40 in 18 games, including 2-for-2 in the aforementioned Nationals game. Bowen has been the least successful, but his forte is speed and defense, which is why he remains on the roster with a .161/.207/.276 slash line in 69 games. Another player should be added to this conversation and that is outfielder Dustin Harris. He came up from Triple-A El Paso on Aug. 24 has been a lineup regular, going 9-for-28 (.321/.345/.357) in 12 games. He has been released by two other MLB teams this year, the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros. These are the players who have helped the Padres at least tread water at their positions while injuries have hit expected key contributors. However, there are some better solutions that will improve the lineup's quality that should make an impact in the final 2½ weeks. Designated hitter Miguel Andujar, sidelined since July 20 with a fractured right wrist, began a rehab assignment this week at Triple-A El Paso, which means he could return next week when the Padres visit the Colorado Rockies, if not sometime this weekend vs. the San Francisco Giants. With the Padres struggling with offense from the No. 2 spot in the lineup, Andujar would resolve that issue hitting between Tatis and Machado. While Andujar is a valuable right-handed bat at DH, a left-handed hitter could also be returning soon. That would be Gavin Sheets, who has been battling plantar fasciitis in his left foot for a good spell. He is doing things like tracking pitches during pitchers' bullpen sessions. Whether he is taking swings is not known at the moment, but he would be a big bat off the bench with Ty France firmly entrenched as the Padres' starting first baseman. One other option for the lineup is left fielder Ramon Laureano. He was seen throwing down in Arizona last weekend. Laureano had right hip surgery and has been out since June 2. His return is much more in doubt. On the pitching side, right-hander Nick Pivetta has already returned to the starting rotation, while right-hander Joe Musgrove is unlikely to come back in a starting role, with a relief role a slight possibility. However, another right-hander could rejoin the bullpen. That would be Jason Adam, the Padres' primary setup man who has been sidelined since June 30 by a strained right shoulder. Adam threw a 30-pitch bullpen Monday, with a live batting practice Thursday in Arizona before a possible rehab outing Sunday with Triple-A El Paso. Adam could be activated quickly after that depending on how these next two steps go. Right-hander Jeremiah Estrada, who has a right shoulder impingement, hasn't started throwing yet, making his return unlikely. Hays, Taylor and Bowen have all made noteworthy contributions as the Padres have pulled into NL wild-card contention. The bullpen has also been rock solid and Adam will certainly be a welcome addition with the workload of some of the key arms. If things go well for the Padres from a health perspective, their lineup and pitching staff should get the reinforcements it needs ahead of October. View the full article

The Jesús Sánchez experiment has ended. He’s been a liability on defense, with routine fly balls being dropped. At the plate, he’s been a decent addition, hitting .260/.318/.416 with eight home runs, 24 runs, and 35 RBIs. However, with the Blue Jays fighting for a Wild Card spot, the poor defense couldn’t be ignored any longer, and he couldn’t be moved to DH, with George Springer implanted in the role. The Blue Jays have plenty of outfield depth, which made DFA'ing Sánchez an easier decision. In a corresponding move, Toronto has called up Rudy Martin Jr. for his MLB debut. He's a 30-year-old who has played 12 seasons in the minor leagues. He was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Baltimore Orioles on July 18. Two days later, he was DFA’d, and on July 23, the Blue Jays claimed him. Since joining Triple-A Buffalo on July 25, he’s posted a .730 OPS with three home runs, 16 runs, and 11 RBIs. He also has 12 stolen bases in 27 games. Martin brings more speed to a team that has improved its running game. In August, they stole successfully on 20 of 22 attempts, which was the first time they attempted more than 20 steals in a month since April 2025. The most important part of this move is that the defense drastically improves. Martin, a left-handed bat, will likely share a platoon role with Myles Straw. View the full article

You can listen by downloading us from: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, GleemanAndTheGeek.com, or by clicking this link, or by watching/listening below. 0:00 Welcome: Twins on life support after Chicago and Detroit 3:13 Which of the three end-of-year collapses hurt the most? 4:17 Rock-bottom fan expectations vs. the 78-win projection 15:11 Wasted season or treading water? Who actually stepped forward 16:33 Did the Twins find a core on which to build? 20:02 Still waiting on Byron Buxton's hip surgery decision 25:03 Playoff ticket presale email lands during a collapse 25:47 The 2009 $100 bet: 4.5 games back with 16 to play 30:19 Is the fan base any more optimistic than a year ago? 31:51 Tom Pohlad's grace period is over: why this offseason matters 48:39 Joe Ryan's return start and the Connor Prielipp piggyback 50:14 Austin Martin activated, Gabriel Gonzalez optioned 53:51 Ryan Jeffers' nine straight starts and the Victor Caratini contract 56:41 Walker Jenkins: great plate discipline, whiffing on fastballs 1:00:35 Matt Wallner tells the Star Tribune he's done in Minnesota 1:07:59 Five reasons the season went south (Aaron's article) 1:08:28 Reason one: post-hype prospects who didn't step up 1:23:46 The core has moved on: Keaschall, Culpepper, Jenkins, Jeffers 1:26:37 Reason two: the offseason. Five signings, $16M, 1.7 WAR 1:32:33 Reason three: the bullpen. This was the plan 1:38:37 Reason four: the defense by the numbers 1:42:50 Reason five: injuries. Yeah, but 1:49:49 Why the lineup isn't the problem but still might need to be a focus 1:54:48 Wrap: Sweep Cleveland or bust View the full article

George Springer only started one of Toronto's last four games, as he's been nursing discomfort in his non-dominant shoulder. However, he was able to pinch-hit on Sunday and again on Wednesday. Thankfully, it doesn't seem as if he'll need to go on the injured list. As manager John Schneider explained, the long season is starting to get to Springer, who turns 37 next week. Still, he can be available "if [the Blue Jays] need him." Springer hit .308 with a 144 wRC+ in July and August, and his strong second half is a big reason why the Blue Jays are only one game out of a Wild Card spot. Yet, he's gone just 3-for-24 in September. Playing through pain is nothing new for Springer, and indeed, his left shoulder has been bothering him for a while. So, hopefully, a little time to rest will help him to start producing again over the final weeks of the season. Here's a quick rundown of some more Blue Jays players who are dealing with injuries. In a best-case scenario, the Jays will soon get some reinforcements to help with their playoff push. Anthony Santander Anthony Santander played his first rehab game for Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday. The switch-hitter went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He did not play yesterday. Santander is working his way back from shoulder surgery, which has kept him out all season. Considering how the first two years of his Blue Jays career have gone (he also missed much of 2025 with injuries), the Jays should take every precaution to make sure he's at full strength in 2027. That means they won't be rushing him back. However, the fact that he's playing rehab games right now means the team thinks he has a legitimate chance to contribute down the stretch. As long as he's healthy, Santander should be a notable upgrade over a bench bat like Sean Keys or Charles McAdoo. At his strongest, he's a middle-of-the-order game-changer who could supplant the underwhelming Jesús Sánchez in Toronto's lineup. Trey Yesavage Trey Yesavage (knee) threw a bullpen session earlier this week. Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling reported that his next step would be facing live hitters for about 30 pitches on Thursday. I haven't seen any reporting yet about how that session went, but in this case, no news is probably good news. Presuming no setbacks, I think a rehab start next week and a return to the Blue Jays the week after is a reasonable timeline. He likely won't be stretched out to make a full start by that point, but even three or four innings from Yesavage would be an upgrade over the (lack of a) fifth starter Toronto has right now. Shane Bieber Last weekend, John Schneider told reporters that Shane Bieber (shoulder) could get back on a mound this week, but I'm not sure how optimistic he was about it. His exact words were: "in a perfect world.” On Monday, Bieber played more catch on flat ground. That's the last bit of reporting we've seen about his progress. Schneider also said over the weekend that Bieber is on track to return about a week and a half after Yesavage. If that's still the case, the soonest I can realistically picture Bieber back on the team is in the Wild Card Series – presuming the Blue Jays make it there. A Yesavage/Bieber piggyback could be an interesting plan for a Wild Card round game. Cody Ponce I'll admit that sometimes I forget Cody Ponce is on the Blue Jays. The 2025 KBO MVP signed a three-year deal with Toronto last winter, then suffered a devastating knee injury in his first start of the season. When he went for ACL surgery in April, his estimated timeline to return was six months. That meant he could play again in 2026 if the Blue Jays advanced far enough into the playoffs. It seems his rehab has progressed on schedule, and a mid-October return remains possible. Zwelling's report has a pessimistic tone to me; he seems to place the emphasis on the fact that Ponce could only return if the Blue Jays survive long enough. Yet, for me, his tweet was an important reminder that Ponce still exists and still has a chance to pitch for the Jays in 2026. More Updates Jameson Taillon (elbow) returned from the IL on Saturday... and returned to the IL on Sunday. He is now set to meet with Dr. Keith Meister (per Zwelling). I'm sure the orthopedic surgeon is good at his job, but no ballplayer ever wants to meet him. Luis Urías (quad) was about to start a rehab assignment, but he suffered a setback. He was really good for the Jays for a few weeks, but we've heard very little about him lately. I'm not counting on anything more from Urías this season. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins are getting a useful piece of their roster back at an important time of the season. The Twins activated Austin Martin from the 10-day injured list Thursday afternoon, putting the versatile outfielder back in the lineup after he missed nearly a month with a left hamstring strain. Martin's last appearance came on August 16, when he injured the hamstring trying to track down a fly ball near the left-field line. The Twins appear satisfied that he is ready to return after a brief rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul. Martin appeared in two games for the Saints earlier this week, going 3-for-8 with a triple and three RBIs. Rehab statistics don't carry much weight when evaluating a player, but seeing Martin run the bases and play in games without an apparent setback was an important step following a hamstring injury. Now, the Twins need to figure out how to use him. Martin isn't going to transform the Minnesota offense by himself. He is hitting .241 with three home runs, 21 RBIs and a .686 OPS, good for a 95 OPS+, across 110 games this season. Finding Martin At-Bats The Twins already have a crowded outfield, which means bringing Martin back creates another roster puzzle for Shelton. One potential solution is splitting time between Martin and Trevor Larnach. Larnach has been mired in an extended slump that dates back roughly a month, making it difficult to justify running him out there every day regardless of the matchup. Martin's return gives Shelton the ability to mix and match. That doesn't mean Martin needs to become an everyday player. His defensive versatility allows him to move around the outfield, and his ability to handle multiple spots gives the Twins flexibility from one game to the next. At this point in the season, that flexibility matters. Martin may not be the answer to all of those problems, but getting him healthy gives Minnesota another competent option and lengthens the lineup. The hope is that Martin can find a rhythm quickly and provide a spark over the final weeks. Gonzalez Heads Back to St. Paul To make room for Martin, the Twins optioned outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez to Triple-A St. Paul. Gonzalez appeared in seven games with Minnesota this season but received only eight at-bats. He went 2-for-8, with his other plate appearance resulting in a hit by pitch. That's hardly enough time to make a meaningful evaluation. Sending Gonzalez back to St. Paul makes sense if the Twins aren't going to give him regular playing time. Sitting on the bench at the major-league level doesn't do much for a young player who needs consistent at-bats. Gonzalez remains an interesting piece for the Twins moving forward. He could potentially compete for a fourth-outfielder role next season, or find himself in the mix for a larger role if injuries or poor performance create an opening. But the Twins need to see more from him before making that decision. The final games of the season should give Gonzalez an opportunity to play regularly and show the organization what he can do. Strong performance could strengthen his case for a role in Minnesota. For now, though, the focus returns to Martin. The Twins have another versatile defender, another left-field option and another bat capable of moving around the lineup. Martin may not be a star, but players who can do a little bit of everything become especially valuable when a team is trying to navigate the final stretch of a long season. Getting him healthy was the first step. Now Shelton needs to find a way to put him to work. View the full article

When healthy and on his game, Jesús Luzardo is an awesome pitcher. He already showed that during his Miami Marlins tenure. Since Luzardo was traded to Philadelphia, he has fully realized his potential. He has been injury-free during those two seasons while continuing to fine-tune his arsenal. Luzardo put an exclamation point on all that brilliance in his most recent start with a twelve-strikeout, complete game shutout—the first time in his MLB career going the distance. No pitcher in the National League has more strikeouts than Luzardo since 2025. The only one with more wins is his Phillies teammate, Cristopher Sánchez. Entering Friday, their club is a virtual lock to compete in the postseason yet again. Meanwhile, the prospects obtained in that trade are yet to do a single thing to help the Marlins win a baseball game. There is also plenty of time for Miami to see a return here, as headliner Starlyn Caba is already an elite defender and still only 20 years old. However, it does seem to safe to say that Miami should have held on to Luzardo longer rather than selling low coming off a back issue. Unfortunately for the Marlins front office, their franchise's spending constraints repeatedly pressure them to rush into decisions like this. Luzardo was two years away from free agency at the time of the deal. Despite his shaky track record of durability and effectiveness, he received a five-year, $135 million extension from the Phillies last March. Bruce Sherman would have never given the green light for such an investment...at least not under MLB's current financial system. So Peter Bendix made the trade to ensure he got something in return before Luzardo inevitably tested the open market. There could be a light at the end of the tunnel for Marlins fans as the league's collective bargaining agreement nears its expiration and owners are reportedly united around the framework of operating with a salary cap and corresponding salary floor. Raising the minimum on what teams must commit to their payroll could be enough to save Miami from the next Luzardo deal. If you're not trying to contend and have to pay someone anyway, players like him with extremely high ceilings would be the obvious ones to gamble on. It would provide more margin for error. Right now, Bendix has none of that, hence why the 2026 Marlins rotation was Sandy Alcantara surrounded by pre-arbitration-eligible arms under less than a million dollars apiece. This would not entirely level the playing field considering the massive gap in local revenues between large and small markets, but definitely a step in a more equitable direction. For the Marlins' sake, it's time for some reform to this broken system. View the full article

After a much better week against the Yankees and Nationals, there is plenty to be optimistic about. Randy Holt and Steve Drumwright recap the week that was, including a big weekend by Luis Campusano vs. the Yankees, then Nick Pivetta's surprising return to the rotation that kicked off a sweep of the Nationals. Randy and Steve then rank each of their top five most important players for the final 16 games of the regular season. After checking in on the top news items from the minors, including the Lake Elsinore Storm in the playoffs with first-round draft pick Coleman Borthwick on the roster and Miguel Andujar's rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso, Randy and Steve take a look at the weekend coming up in San Francisco and the four-game series vs. the Colorado Rockies after that, as each game becomes more important to the Padres getting to the postseason. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/padres-mission-podcast/id1896922834 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033xclmydmbLmEp0exYuYz Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-padres-mission-podcast-336930560 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@padresmission View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (September 10) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 72-63 One big inning was all Worcester needed to come out with a 7-4 victory against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies). The WooSox batted around the entire lineup in the first inning, putting up five runs in the meantime. Braiden Ward got it started with a leadoff walk, then immediately stole his 57th base of the season. Franklin Arias did what he does best: putting the ball in play. This time, it was a grounder up the middle into the outfield to bring in Ward. Allan Castro and Vinny Capra got on base, bringing up Tyler McDonough with one out, who then smacked an RBI single to make it 2-0. Nathan Hickey came through with a two-run bases-loaded single, then a groundout from Tsung-Che Cheng brought in McDonough to extend Worcester’s lead to 5-0, putting Lehigh Valley in a massive hole. McDonough continued to stay hot since returning to Worcester, hammering a solo blast in the third inning to make it 6-1. Arias, who has recorded an RBI in five of his last six games, put another on the board with a single, bringing in Hickey to give Worcester a commanding 7-2 lead. Blake Wehunt got the start on the mound for the WooSox and pitched solid through six innings. The 6’7” right-hander gave up two runs in the first three innings, but he cruised the rest of the way. Tyler Samaniego was outstanding in his relief appearance, tossing two perfect innings with three strikeouts. Osvaldo Berrios gave up two runs in the final inning but finished it off, ending it 7-4. Standout Performances: Tyler McDonough: 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI Franklin Arias: 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI Blake Wehunt: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 69-65 The Sea Dogs blew out the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets) 14-6 at home. Portland’s offense had a tremendous night at the plate, completing two six-run innings. Mason White gave the Rumble Ponies trouble all night, getting on base five times with three knocks, two walks and a stolen base, including a solo homer in the seventh. Binghamton was winning through three innings, as a matter of fact, but Ahbram Liendo snatched away their lead in the blink of an eye, crushing a grand slam over the green monster. Then came another bomb, this time a two-run homer from Ronald Rosario to put Portland up 7-3. Johanfran Garcia and Yoeilin Cespedes had just one hit, but they made it count in the eighth, each bringing home a run with hard-hit line drives. Caden Rose put this game completely out of reach with the lone hit he had, blasting a three-run bomb to extend their lead to 14-4. Devin Futrell was not at his best, but he still got through a reasonable outing, striking out five batters and allowing three runs (one unearned) through 3 ⅔ innings. Tyler Davis and Caleb Bolden were dominant, punching out eight batters and allowing just one unearned run through 4 ⅓ innings. Erik Rivera struggled a bit, giving up two runs in the ninth but still ended the game 14-6. Standout Performances: Mason White: 3-for-3, HR, 2B, 4 R, RBI, 2 BB, SB Ronald Rosario: 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI Ahbram Liendo: 1-for-4, HR (Grand Slam), R, 4 RBI Caden Rose: 1-for-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB View the full article

Kevin Parada hit a two-run home run and Jack Wenninger struck out seven over five innings as visiting Syracuse topped St. Paul 6-2 on Thursday to earn a split for the Mets’ minor-league affiliates. Parada lifted a drive to left-center field in the third inning, after a leadoff walk to Nick Lorusso, to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. It was his second homer at Triple-A this season and sixth overall. Eddinson Paulino drove in the Rumble Ponies’ other runs with a sacrifice fly in the seventh and a bases-loaded walk in the ninth. Binghamton Batting Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 5 1 2 1 0 1 Jefferson Rojas 5 1 1 0 0 3 Jacob Reimer 5 1 1 3 0 3 Chris Suero 5 0 1 0 0 2 John Bay 4 0 0 0 0 2 Corey Collins 3 1 0 0 0 0 Jamari Baylor 3 2 1 0 1 1 JT Benson 3 0 1 0 0 2 Eddinson Paulino 2 0 1 2 1 0 Binghamton Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Luke Gabrysh 3 1/3 3 4 4 3 5 0 Douglas Orellana 2/3 3 3 3 0 1 2 Calvin Ziegler 1 0 0 0 2 2 0 Dakota Hawkins 2 1 1 1 1 4 1 Parker Carlson 1 5 6 6 1 2 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jonah Tong: DNP Jack Wenninger: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, W Elian Pena: DNP Mitch Voit: 2-for-5, R, RBI, SB, K Ryan Clifford: 2-for-4, 2 2B, R, RBI, 2 K Nick Morabito: MLB Jonathan Santucci: DNP Carson Wiggins: DNP Jacob Reimer: 1-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBI, 3 K Aiden Robbins: DNP Randy Guzman: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Chris Suero: 1-for-5, 2 K Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-5, 2B, R, 3 K Will Watson: DNP Shane Sdao: DNP Eli Serrano III: DNP Antonio Jimenez: DNP Emilien Pitre: 2-for-4, 2B, R, BB Dylan Ross: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K View the full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Iowa Cubs Held To Four Hits In Loss To Toledo The Iowa Cubs were held to four hits and lost 9-1 to the Toledo Mud Hens at Principal Park. Iowa's only run came in the fourth. Owen Miller opened the inning with a single to center, Owen Ayers followed with a single to right, and Chas McCormick was called out on strikes. Kevin Alcántara then grounded out to third, scoring Miller and moving Ayers to third. Ayers was stranded there when Greg Jones struck out. The game got away from Iowa in the eighth. Toledo opened with two singles and two walks, the second of which forced in a run. A double drove in another run, though two Toledo runners were thrown out at the plate on the same play, and a two-run home run followed to make it 9-1. Connor Noland started and took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits over four innings with one walk and three strikeouts, including one home run. Justin Steele gave up two runs on four hits over two innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Shelby Miller worked one scoreless inning with one hit and one strikeout. Jaxon Wiggins recorded two outs and allowed four runs on four hits and two walks. Grant Kipp followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and one walk with three strikeouts. Miller, Ayers, McCormick, and Alcántara had Iowa's four hits, with McCormick's going for a double. Iowa drew four walks, struck out eight times, and left six runners on base. Iowa Cubs Notable Defense Iowa played the game without an error. Owen Ayers threw out two runners attempting to steal marking that number 38 and 39 on his season. Ayers was on the finish of the game's biggest defensive play, when Justin Dean caught a line drive in center and started a relay to Ben Cowles and then to Ayers that retired two Toledo runners at the plate in the eighth. Owen Miller and Ben Cowles each recorded two assists for good measure. Player AB R H RBI BB K James Triantos, 3B 3 0 0 0 1 0 Owen Miller, 2B 4 1 1 0 0 2 Owen Ayers, C 3 0 1 0 1 1 Chas McCormick, LF 3 0 1 0 1 1 Kevin Alcántara, RF 4 0 1 1 0 0 Greg Jones, DH 4 0 0 0 0 1 Ben Cowles, SS 4 0 0 0 0 2 Austin Wynns, 1B 2 0 0 0 1 0 Justin Dean, CF 3 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 30 1 4 1 4 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Connor Noland (L, 3-5) 4 4 3 3 1 3 1 Justin Steele 2 4 2 2 0 3 0 Shelby Miller 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Jaxon Wiggins 2/3 4 4 4 2 0 1 Grant Kipp 1 1/3 1 0 0 1 3 0 Totals 9 14 9 9 4 10 2 Brody McCullough And The Bullpen Carry Knoxville Past Birmingham The Knoxville Smokies beat the Birmingham Barons 4-1 at Regions Field, collecting 10 hits and getting eight scoreless innings from their first two pitchers. Knoxville broke through in the fifth. Alex Madera singled to center, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on Karson Simas's single to center. The seventh was the decisive inning. Edgar Alvarez, Ariel Armas, and Madera opened with three straight singles to load the bases with nobody out. Carter Trice struck out and Simas flied out to right in foul territory, but leadoff man Kane Kepley walked to force in Alvarez, and Alex Ramírez followed with a single to short that scored Armas. Madera was thrown out at the plate to end the inning with Knoxville ahead 3-0. Knoxville added a run in the ninth, when Madera walked, Carter Trice singled, and Ramírez singled to the catcher with two outs to bring Madera home. Brody McCullough started and worked five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts. Jackson Brockett followed with three scoreless innings, giving up one hit and one walk while striking out four, and picked up a hold. Yenrri Rojas worked one inning, allowing one run on two hits and two walks with one strikeout. Ramírez went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a walk, and Madera went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Knoxville drew three walks, struck out seven times, and left eight runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley, CF 4 0 0 1 1 1 Alex Ramírez, DH 4 0 3 2 1 0 Andy Garriola, RF 5 0 0 0 0 1 Miguel Useche, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 0 Edgar Alvarez, 3B 4 1 1 0 0 2 Ariel Armas, C 4 1 1 0 0 1 Alex Madera, 2B 3 2 2 0 1 0 Carter Trice, LF 4 0 1 0 0 2 Karson Simas, SS 4 0 1 1 0 0 Totals 36 4 10 4 3 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brody McCullough (W, 2-4) 5 3 0 0 3 7 0 Jackson Brockett (H, 2) 3 1 0 0 1 4 0 Yenrri Rojas 1 2 1 1 2 1 0 Totals 9 6 1 1 6 12 0 Knoxville Smokies Notable Defense Knoxville turned in an error-free game behind 12 strikeouts from the pitching staff. Alex Madera handled five assists at second base, including the final out of the game, and Ariel Armas threw out a runner attempting to steal. South Bend Cubs Strike Out 14 Times In Loss To Quad Cities The South Bend Cubs lost 3-1 to the Quad Cities River Bandits at Four Winds Field, managing five hits and striking out 14 times. Quad Cities scored on a double in the second and again on a double in the sixth to lead 2-0. South Bend answered in the seventh. Reginald Preciado singled to left to open the inning, and after Logan Poteet struck out, Caden Sorrell lined a single to left to bring Preciado home. Josiah Hartshorn grounded into a force out and Kade Snell flied out to left to end the inning with South Bend down 2-1. Quad Cities restored the two-run margin in the eighth, loading the bases on a single, a double, a fielder's choice that cut down a runner at the plate, and a walk, before a hit by pitch forced in a run. South Bend went down in order in the ninth. Nazier Mulé started and took the loss, allowing one run on two hits over three innings with two walks, one hit batter, and three strikeouts. Cole Reynolds gave up one run on two hits over 2 2/3 innings with one walk and three strikeouts. Yoendris Gonzalez worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and two walks with two strikeouts. Anhuar Garcia allowed one run on two hits over 1 2/3 innings with three walks and one strikeout. Adam Stone retired the only batter he faced. Preciado went 2-for-4 and Sorrell went 2-for-4 with the run batted in. Matt Halbach had the other South Bend hit. South Bend drew three walks, stole two bases, and left eight runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josiah Hartshorn, 1B 3 0 0 0 1 0 Kade Snell, DH 4 0 0 0 0 3 Angel Cepeda, SS 3 0 0 0 1 2 Jose Escobar, LF 4 0 0 0 0 1 Matt Halbach, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 1 Alexey Lumpuy, RF 3 0 0 0 1 2 Reginald Preciado, 2B 4 1 2 0 0 1 Logan Poteet, C 3 0 0 0 0 2 Brennan Hudson, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 Caden Sorrell, CF 4 0 2 1 0 1 Totals 33 1 5 1 3 14 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nazier Mulé (L, 0-1) 3 2 1 1 2 3 0 Cole Reynolds 2 2/3 2 1 1 1 3 0 Yoendris Gonzalez 1 1/3 1 0 0 2 2 0 Anhuar Garcia 1 2/3 2 1 1 3 1 0 Adam Stone 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 9 7 3 3 8 9 0 South Bend Cubs Notable Defense Logan Poteet threw out two runners attempting to steal and applied the tag at the plate in the eighth on Angel Cepeda's throw from shortstop, cutting down the lead runner with the bases loaded. Reginald Preciado recorded five assists at second base. Cepeda was charged with the only South Bend error. Top-20 Prospect Performance Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-3, BB Cade Townsend: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, HR Owen Ayers: 1-for-3, BB, K Kane Kepley: 0-for-4, RBI, BB, K Ethan Conrad: DNP Caden Sorrell: 2-for-4, RBI, K Kaleb Wing: DNP Myles Bailey: DNP Brooks Caple: DNP James Triantos: 0-for-3, BB Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Jostin Florentino: DNP Derniche Valdez: DNP Grant Kipp: 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Jose Escobar: 0-for-4, K Ariel Armas: 1-for-4, R, K Fernando Cruz: DNP Brandon Birdsell: DNP View the full article

Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews's outing on Wednesday in Detroit felt significant for all the wrong reasons. In just 2 1/3 innings, Matthews allowed two hits and four walks while giving up five earned runs. A couple of those runs scored after he was pulled, but when you exit the game with the bases loaded and only one out, that’s going to happen sometimes. Regardless of how you want to distribute the blame for those runs, it was another rough outing for a pitcher who hasn’t looked like himself for much of the 2026 season—or, rather, who has looked just like himself, which is the problem. Matthews owns an ERA just below 5.00 on the season, while his whiff and strikeout numbers are down considerably from where they were a year ago. He's also giving up too much hard contact. There's no key, fundamental pitching skill in which he's performed well lately. At some point, the Twins have to pivot. In Matthews’s case, that pivot might be a move to the bullpen—which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Plenty of successful pitchers throughout MLB history moved from the rotation to the bullpen and found another level. Even guys like Mariano Rivera and Dennis Eckersley began their major-league careers as starting pitchers, with Eckersley eventually winning a Cy Young Award as a reliever. I’m certainly not suggesting Matthews is going to become one of the greatest bullpen arms in baseball history, but I do think there’s a legitimate argument that his skillset could play much better in a one- or two-inning role. For starters, there’s still a lot to like about Matthews from a pure stuff perspective. His fastball has averaged around 95 MPH, while his breaking balls have shown the ability to generate swings and misses. He also has a six-pitch arsenal, giving him plenty of different ways to attack hitters. That could be a particularly intriguing combination coming out of the bullpen. If Matthews only has to throw roughly 25 pitches in an outing instead of trying to stretch himself toward 100, there’s a pretty good chance that fastball could become a 97- or 98-MPH heater. He wouldn’t have to worry about conserving his arm for the fifth or sixth inning. He could just let it rip, and that could have a trickle-down effect on the rest of his arsenal. If hitters suddenly have to respect a harder fastball, Matthews’s breaking balls could become even more effective. He could streamline his arsenal, too. Maybe that means junking his four-seamer, which is string-straight, and leaning into his sinker. Maybe it means ditching his weak changeup. We’ve already seen some evidence that Matthews’s stuff plays better when he’s able to throw with a little more freedom. He threw his four-seamer a mile per hour harder on average last season, and the underlying numbers across his arsenal were considerably more favorable. It’s impossible to know exactly why that velocity has dipped, but it’s hard not to wonder if his workload has played a role. It wouldn’t necessarily be about fixing a broken pitcher. It could be about putting Matthews in a position where his best traits become more important and his biggest weaknesses become less damaging. A shorter outing would mean fewer times through the lineup, fewer pitches thrown and more opportunities to attack hitters with his best stuff. And frankly, the Twins may not have much choice when it comes to making changes to their rotation, anyway. Right now, Minnesota has six starters on their roster who have a legitimate case to be part of the 2027 rotation. Along with Matthews, that group includes Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, Connor Prielipp and Dean Kremer. Unless the Twins make an offseason move, all six will be under contract for next season. Then there are Pablo López, Mick Abel and David Festa, all of whom are currently working their way back from injuries. Obviously, all nine pitchers aren’t going to be healthy for the entire season. Injuries happen, roles change and circumstances can shift quickly over the course of an offseason. But even with that uncertainty, there will be some difficult decisions to make. Someone will have to move. Matthews could be one of those players, and moving him to the bullpen might actually be the best outcome for everyone involved. As a starter, Matthews has been a disappointment. The Twins expected him to build on what he showed last season, and instead, he's taken a step backward in several important areas. But two things can be true at once. Matthews hasn’t been good enough as a starter this season, and moving him to the bullpen wouldn’t necessarily be a demotion. In fact, it could be the move that gets him back on track. The Twins don’t need Matthews to prove that he can throw six effective innings every fifth day if his arsenal is better suited to dominating hitters for 20 or 25 pitches at a time. They need to figure out how to get the most out of the talent they already have. That might mean letting him stop pacing himself and start letting it rip. There’s still plenty of talent here. Maybe the only way to unlock it is to stop asking him to be a starter. View the full article

For a lot of teams around the league, it’s officially crunch time. For the San Diego Padres, that might be putting it lightly. The Friars currently hold the lead for the final National League Wild Card spot, but the Diamondbacks are right on their heels. With the margin for error shrinking by the day, the Padres can’t afford to give away too many games over the final few weeks of the regular season. And unfortunately for them, their remaining schedule provides plenty of opportunities to do just that. So, which games remaining on the Padres’ schedule are absolute must-wins? Must-Win Padres Games That Will Determine Their Postseason Fate Well, it just so happens that San Diego’s final series of the regular season will come at Petco Park against the Diamondbacks. That series isn’t guaranteed to decide who gets the final Wild Card spot, but the odds are pretty good that it will. With two weeks still separating us from that series, neither team has announced its rotation plans, so it’s impossible to know exactly who will be taking the mound. But it really doesn’t get much more must-win than this. If the Padres and Diamondbacks are still battling for that final postseason spot when they meet on the final weekend of the regular season, San Diego will have home-field advantage and three games to potentially settle the matter. There’s a very real chance that everything the Padres do between now and then will simply be setting the stage for that series. Of course, before they get to Arizona, they’ll have to travel to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers. And I’m not going to sit here and say the Padres need to sweep the Dodgers if they want to make the postseason. That would be silly, and considering San Diego is just 3-7 against Los Angeles in 10 games this season, it would probably be a little unrealistic, too. But if the Padres can take two out of three, I think that has to be considered a major win at this point in the season. For starters, Shohei Ohtani recently landed on the 15-day injured list, meaning the Padres could potentially avoid facing one of the most dangerous bats in baseball during that series. That doesn’t suddenly make the Dodgers an easy opponent, but it certainly helps San Diego’s chances. More importantly, winning two of three in Los Angeles would give the Padres some much-needed momentum heading directly into that final series against Arizona. And before they get to either of those teams, San Diego has a stretch of games that lines up pretty well in its favor. The Padres will travel to San Francisco this weekend for a three-game series against the Giants, and they have Robbie Ray, Michael King and Nick Pivetta lined up to pitch. Knock on wood, but there’s a legitimate opportunity for San Diego to sweep this series. The Giants have had their moments this season, but if the Padres are serious about holding onto their Wild Card spot, this is exactly the type of series they need to win. Taking two of three would be perfectly acceptable, but there’s no reason San Diego shouldn’t be aiming for all three. After that, the Padres will head to Colorado for a four-game series against the Rockies early next week. Yes, the Rockies are a better team at Coors Field. Yes, playing in Denver always comes with some added variables. But let’s be honest here: they’re still the Rockies. Colorado has been the worst team in baseball once again this season, and a team fighting for its postseason life shouldn’t be afraid of a four-game series against them. Taking three out of four would be a great result. A sweep would be even better. And then, right before the Padres head to Los Angeles, they’ll return home to host the Marlins for three games. Miami was, at one point, entrenched in the Wild Card race themselves. That’s no longer the case, though, as they’ve gone just 3-7 over their last 10 games and now sit six and a half games out of the playoff picture. That doesn’t mean San Diego can afford to overlook them, but this is another series where the Padres should be looking to take care of business. The Giants, Rockies and Marlins aren’t necessarily must-win series individually. The Padres could drop a couple of games in those matchups and still make the postseason. But if the Friars want to make the final week of the regular season a little less stressful, going 7-3 or even 8-2 across those 10 games would go a long way. That would give them some breathing room before traveling to Los Angeles, and potentially allow them to enter that final series against Arizona with a little more room for error. Because once the Padres get to that point, there probably won’t be much margin left. View the full article