Coming into Monday night, the Yankees were one win away from officially clinching a playoff berth. While that's obviously not the end goal of their season, getting into the postseason is the first step. They're now there.
Officially, the clinching came prior to the Yankees' game ending, as the Blue Jays losing to the Tigers was also enough to get the job done. However on the field, the Yankees got the job done too, eventually.
On the mound, Will Warren was pretty good but deserved better. He ended up going 5.2 innings, allowing two runs — both of which ended up unearned — on five hits and two walks. Thanks to some iffy defense and the offense struggling, he left the game in line for the loss, before the offense responded just in time. Thanks to a six-run eighth inning that included Aaron Judge's first home run since returning from the injured list, the Yankees flipped the game back in their favor. They didn't need the win to pop the champagne, but it still feels better to get in with it, as they downed the Twins 8-3.
After both teams failed to capitalize on some early runners, the Yankees broke the deadlock in the third. With two outs, José Caballero just cleared the left wall at Target Field for a solo home run, putting the Yankees up early.
On the mound, Warren was mostly very solid. He ended up giving up the lead in the sixth, albeit with some defensive miscues that weren't entirely on him. After Warren got the first out of the inning, Ryan McMahon let a Kody Clemens grounder through his legs for an error. Warren then got the second out, brining Josh Bell to the plate. Bell hit a liner to a leaping George Lombard Jr., who got a glove on the ball, but couldn't complete the catch. The ball got past him into center field, moving Clemens to third. That one was ruled a single as opposed to an error, as it would've been a very nice play had Lombard completed it.

#field #first #game

Aaron Judge hit his first home run in nearly four months … and it highlighted a night in which the New York Yankees secured a postseason berth.
Judge, who missed three months of the 2026 season with a fractured rib, hit a three-run home run off of Minnesota Twins left-hander A.J. Minter in the eighth inning of an 8-3 win on Monday, Sept. 14. It was Judge's first round-tripper since May 24 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Judge now has 18 home runs in 65 games played this season.
Since his return to the Yankees' lineup on Sept. 8, Judge had gone 3-for-17 in five games played before clobbering a cutter from Minter into the third deck at Target Field in Minneapolis on Monday.
The Yankees entered Monday needing a win over the Twins or loss by the Toronto Blue Jays against the Detroit Tigers to clinch at least a wild card berth. Detroit closed out a 6-5 win moments before the Yankees defeated the Twins, making the Yankees the second American League team to secure a playoff spot.
Judge said the injury traced back to a diving play in Houston in late April. He played through rib and shoulder discomfort for about a month before the team finally shut him down May 31. He was hitting .248 through 59 games at the time – a career worst – with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs.

#minter #sept

This one had everything. Troy Melton struggled and got knocked out early, but the bullpen managed to bend without breaking. Meanwhile, the young Tigers hitters were centre stage as they fought back repeatedly with good at-bats late in this one. Kenley Jansen picked up his 496th major league save to wrap up the victory.
Monday night's first of three at the Rogers Centre featured Melton against right-hander José Soriano. The Blue Jays have had almost as strange a season as the Tigers. Struggling through the first half, they moved long time top starter Kevin Gausman, but acquired Soriano at the deadline as well, and have kept themselves in the thick of the wild card race.
Things didn't start off too well as the Tigers quickly went 1-2-3 in the first, and Melton immediately dug himself a hole. Brett Bateman led off by slashing a single the opposite way past a diving Hao-Yu Lee for a leadoff single. Bateman appeared to be thrown out stealing second on a pitch that was called a ball and incorrectly challenged by Dillon Dingler to walk George Springer. So everyone was safe, and after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded out to advance the runners, Alejandro Kirk singled home Bateman for a 1-0 lead.
Melton didn't help his cause against Nathan Lukes by yanking a wild pitch to score Springer, but he retired Lukes and Kazuma Okamoto flew out to Clark to end the first inning. 2-0 Blue Jays.
A Dingler strikeout started the second inning, and Max Clark and Brett Callahan grounded out.

#melton #soriano #brett

The Los Angeles Dodgers, seeking a third straight World Series crown, booked their playoff berth Monday with a 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
With a 91-59 record and 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Dodgers are now ****** ured of at least a wild card series place, as they pursue a historic three-peat as MLB champions.
The Dodgers are currently in position for one of the National League's top-two seeds -- who receive first-round byes and hosting rights in the division series -- along with the Milwaukee Brewers, who are also ****** ured of post-season action.
Over in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays have already qualified.
The free-spending Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in the 2024 World Series and triumphed over the Toronto Blue Jays last year.

#series #World

The Diamondbacks claimed outfielder Jesus Sanchez off waivers on Monday, Sept. 14, adding another left-handed bat to a position-player group that has struggled against right-handed pitching.
Sanchez, who is expected to join the team on Tuesday, Sept. 15, will not be eligible for the postseason, but general manager Mike Hazen said the club is looking to jump-start the offense against righties.
"It's been an area of struggle for us this year, and most of the internal guys that we have to call up, they're all right-handed," Hazen said. "I think the additions of Pavin (Smith) and now Jesus are a way for us to try to spark the offense a little bit from the left-handed side.
"We face all righties all the way through, pretty much, projecting it out — unless something changes — and so we're looking for any sparks that we can get."
Sanchez, 28, hit .260/.318/.416 with eight homers in 269 at-bats for the Toronto Blue Jays before being designated for ***** ignment on Friday, Sept. 11. He hit .276/.333/.448 against right-handed pitching.

#hazen

The Arizona Diamondbacks are trying to clinch a postseason spot in the final two weeks of the regular season and are adding some help.
The Diamondbacks claimed outfielder Jesús Sánchez off waivers after he was designated for **** ignment by the Toronto Blue Jays. Sánchez is not having the worst season, but the Blue Jays designated him for **** ignment to call up Rudy Martin Jr.
Sánchez has a .734 OPS this season, but has hit much better against righties. The Diamondbacks will likely use him in a platoon role, hoping he can help them out the rest of the way. They are picking up the remainder of his salary for this season, and he is under club control for next season.
The Diamondbacks are 2 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres for a wild card spot, so they have some ground to cover the rest of the way. They finish the season with a three-game series against the Padres, which could decide who makes the postseason.
Looking for the perfect gift for a baseball player in your life? Check out our brand-new baseball lifestyle brand!

#season #diamondbacks #spot #Help

It's once again clinching season in Major League Baseball.
The postseason is rapidly approaching, and the field for this year's World Series race is starting to take shape. While much of the National League picture appears close to being settled, several American League races remain wide open, with division **** les, wild-card spots and postseason seeding still up for grabs.
Here's a look at every team that has clinched a playoff berth, which clubs are closing in and what the postseason bracket would look like if the season ended today.
MLB POWER RANKINGS: Can Vlad Jr., Blue Jays wake up in time for playoffs?

#league

MLB standings 2026: Updated playoff bracket, magic numbers through Sept. 12 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It will still take some time for the leaves to change colors, but the chase for October is upon us.
The MLB postseason, which actually begins in late September, will be framed as a battle between David and Goliath, with 11 Davids and one Goliath: the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While the Dodgers haven't looked unbeatable in the regular season, they have positioned themselves as the villains after following back-to-back championships with the trade deadline acquisition of Tarik Skubal.
Everyone else, whether in a big market or a small market, will enter the postseason as some degree of an underdog. After the Blue Jays nearly dethroned the Dodgers last fall, could 2026 be the year a different team climbs to the top?

#goliath #sept

Orioles 3 Jays 7
That was a much better game.
The Jays went up 2-zip in the first. Brett Bateman started the game with a walk, and scored on Vladimir Guerrero's double off the wall. Then Alejandro Kirk singled Vlad home.
And we got three more in the third. Bateman started this inning with a home run. George Springer singled and, an out later, Kirk homered. 5-0 and we could coast.
We got one in the sixth: Josh Smith was hit by pitch and Andrés Giménez doubled him home. We should have scored more that inning, but on a single Giménez rounded third, and, after Orioles third baseman faked a throw to first, tossed to SS Christian Encarnacion-Strand (covering third) and Giménez was tagged out. Not good baserunning, but that seems to be a theme lately.

#game

Ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, HoopsHype is releasing rankings at every position. While Fred VanVleet was rated rather low as a point guard, Rockets star Kevin Durant was recently ranked as one of the best in his position. In a list of the top 27 small forwards in the NBA, Durant placed fifth after averaging 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 ***** ists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks in 78 appearances last season.
The Duke duo of Jayson Tatum and Cooper Flagg were ranked first and second, respectively, before the newest member of the Philadelphia 76ers (Jaylen Brown) came in at No. 3. No. 4 is a much more controversial choice, as Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder was given the nod over Durant despite playing in just 33 contests last year. Kawhi Leonard (Raptors), Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers), Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic), Brandon Ingram (Clippers) and Brandon Miller (Hornets) rounded out the top-10.
For more NBA content, check out the BasketBaltes podcast:
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#season #ranked

Regular readers know that I've followed one of the great Cy Young horse races in recent memory, with Cam Schlittler going great start-for-great start with the Blue Jays' Dylan Cease. We got a little bit of separation this week, as the Athletics touched up Cease for four runs in five innings on Monday, and then Schlittler allowed just a solo shot in seven frames against the Rockies on Tuesday. Cam has crept just ahead by fWAR, enjoys a considerable lead in bWAR, and right now I think would end up at the top of most voters' ballots.
But something struck me in the aftermath of Cam's night against Colorado, the same night that Aaron Judge returned to the lineup. Cam Schlittler isn't just the Cy Young favorite, but he's built himself an MVP case. No pitcher has won the award since Clayton Kershaw for the 2014 Dodgers, and the last AL winner was 2011 Justin Verlander. Yordan Alvarez is in the hunt for the first Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera, Bobby Witt Jr. is probably the best overall player in the league, and if Junior Caminero tops the AL in home runs and plays on the Junior Circuit's best team, he probably gets his share of votes too.
And yet here's the thing: Cam stacks up fairly against all three of them!
Let's take Yordan, who I think has the inside track on the award right now. Schlittler's 0.1 fWAR back, a difference that is literally negligible, and more than three-quarters of a win better by bWAR. Alvarez's candidacy is based around the Triple Crown, probably being the best hitter in baseball, and dragging what we thought was a finally-deflated Houston Astros team to a division ****** le. ****** py AL West or not, that is exactly the blueprint for an MVP, if one for a slightly older voter.
Should Alvarez not win the Triple Crown, he loses a bit of his case, though he's likely still the best hitter in the game on a division winner, one who will have played in the neighborhood of 155 games. That's the big thing both undercutting Witt's MVP claim while bolstering his position as best all-around player — the Kansas City shortstop has only played 128 games at time of writing, yet leads the league in fWAR and bWAR among position players. With a solid-but-not-spectacular 18 homers and 124 wRC+, the parts of his game beyond hitting are doing the heavy lifting there as well. All that and the fact that the Royals are so bad work against him when it comes to end of season awards though, and Bobby seems cursed to be the Dave Stieb of shortstops.

#schlittler #young #cease

The Dodgers on Friday called up phenom Josue De Paula, their top prospect, and placed Shohei Ohtani on the 15-day injured list. Those were the expected moves, and took care of the active-roster component. But to make room on the 40-man roster for De Paula, the Dodgers transferred left-hander Eric Lauer to the 60-day injured list.
Lauer had been on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation since September 2, one day after allowing seven runs in three innings in his worst start since joining the Dodgers. Moving him to the 60-day injured list means Lauer won't be eligible to pitch in the postseason. His 2026 campaign has concluded.
The 31-year-old left-hander was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on May 17 after Lauer was designated for **** ignment by Toronto, with the Jays paying all but $600,000 of his remaining $3.1 million salary the rest of the way. The Dodgers won each of Lauer's first nine appearances with the team, a stretch in which he did not allow more than three runs in any outing.
Lauer had two blow-up starts — six runs in four innings on August 5 at Wrigley Field, September 1 at home vs. Cardinals — but mostly did everything that was asked of him, lasting at least six innings in seven of his 13 outings, including 11 starts. In all, Lauer had a 4.50 ERA and 4.48 xERA in 72 innings with the Dodgers. Combining his numbers with the Blue Jays, Lauer on the season had a 5.23 ERA and 5.03 xERA in 22 games, including 18 starts, with 72 strikeouts and 35 walks in 108 1/3 innings, with 26 home runs allowed.
Ohtani was officially placed on the injured list with right biceps inflammation, which is what manager Dave Roberts mentioned Ohtani aggravated on a swing in Monday's game against the Cincinnati Reds, the only one of an eight-game stretch in which Ohtani played.

#lauer #ohtani

Orioles 7 Jays 4
This one couldn't have gone much worse.
Dylan Beavers homered on the second pitch of the game.
Then, in the bottom of the first, the Jays had two on and one out, and Vladimir Guerrero was picked off first—just bad baseball. With a runner on second, he wasn't going anywhere. It looked like the Orioles put a play on: pitch low and outside to the right-handed-hitting Alejandro Kirk and catch Samuel Basallo throws straight to first. Vlad was out, and it wasn't close.
The second inning was even worse. The Orioles started the inning with four straight singles (2-0). Then a double (4-0). And another single (6-0). After that, Max Scherzer got the next 12 outs without giving up a hit. Barn doors and horse.

#second #straight #inning

We are coming down to the end of this thing. The Orioles still have a remote possibility of doing something fun, a decent possibility of doing something moderately interesting, and also a decent possibility of the wheels just coming off the wagon, like you tried to ford that shallow river in Oregon Trail and all that happened is you got stuck in the muddy water so you lost who knows how many days of travel while you tried to fix things, and winter is coming and you're running out of food, and the next person who plays the game is going to find your tombstone.
Sorry, where was I? There are 15 games left in the 2026 Orioles season. They probably need to go 12-3 over those 15 games. Maybe, if they're lucky, they can get away with 11-4. Which is to say that they have fewer than one hand's fingers worth of games that they can lose for the remainder of the season. Six of those games will be played against the Blue Jays, starting with this three-game series that begins tonight.
That's part of what gives the Orioles some slim hope, because that gives them the opportunity to pull back games directly against one of the three teams that they need to pass to get into the last AL wild card spot. If they are able to go 4-2 against Toronto, they take back the two games deficit to the Jays and they get the head-to-head tiebreaker. That might not be good enough; there's still the Guardians and Rangers to consider. Maybe they need 5-1, in which case, if they lose tonight, they're really screwed and needing to run the table here.
It's improbable! It's not impossible. All they have to do is play as good as they have played for short amounts of this season, and then do that for two and a half weeks instead of doing it for three games before taking a trip back to Stinkville.
Dylan Beavers – LF

#possibility #need #back

Rudy Martin Jr. spent 12 seasons in the minor leagues without reaching the majors. At 30 years old, he came closer than ever to walking away from baseball.
The newest member of the Toronto Blue Jays admitted he seriously considered retirement before getting his long-awaited call-up Friday. Martin said his family helped him through that difficult stretch and refused to let him give up.
MORE: Astros announce latest update on Yordan Alvarez's injury ahead of Rays game
"I wondered if it might be over after 12 minor-league seasons," Martin said, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. "My family helped me through some really tough times. They weren't gonna let me give up on it that easy."
Martin's promotion comes after a difficult month. The Blue Jays designated him for ****** ignment twice, but he continued to wait for another opportunity.

#family

I figured I wasn't going to post anything more until the Game Thread, but everyone is reporting that the Jays are calling up 30-year-old outfielder Rudy Martin. They picked up Martin off waivers from the Royals, back in July.
He was drafted by the Royals in the 25th round of the 2014 draft and he's played basically everywhere since, except for the major leagues, but that ends now (hopefully, I hope he gets into some games). I admire guys who keep playing, keep the dream alive.
This year, playing for three different minor league teams, he's hit .274/.394/421 with 11 home runs, 55 walks, 83 strikeouts and 45 steals in 369 at bats. He's played all three outfield spots in his career.
He's a left-handed batter.
And he's not on the 40-man roster, so there are a couple of moves that will have to be made.

#Royals #year #playing #game

After what has felt like the longest offseason in recent memory, the 2026-27 NBA season is right around the corner. In less than three weeks, all 30 teams will answer wide-ranging questions about their summer business and future expectations.
But why wait? Thanks to those of you who sent in inquiries of your own, let's get to it.
Yes, and more folks should be talking about this.
Do I think that the 56-win Celtics, after losing Brown to the rival 76ers, can replicate a similar model without one of the league's top-15ish players? Probably not.
Am I signing up for Mazzulla ball with an older, wiser Paul George (40% outside shooter on nearly seven attempts per game) bringing an efficient blend of creation, ****** ing and defensive versatility, Mitchell Robinson's possession-extending activity and Mike Conley's veteran savvy — with a healthy Jayson Tatum? Absolutely.

#mazzulla #paul #george #jayson

Brennan's coaches saw it. College football recruiters believed it.
And now, two games into the 2026 season, everyone sees it - junior running back Jayshawn Mitchell is living up to the hype.
Mitchell, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound junior, has 294 yards and six touchdowns on 23 carries for the 1-1 Bears, who are No. 4 in this week's Express-News Power Rankings.
"He's kind of lit up the field and he's very capable and very talented," Brennan coach Steve Basore said. "We knew he was progressing and getting better. He's really started the season with a bang, and I would anticipate him to continue to do some great things and continue on this trend."
In last week's 63-0 victory against Reagan, he had 141 yards and scores from 2, 53 and 57 yards on six carries. He also threw in a 55-yard punt return for a score.

#season #junior #continue

The Baltimore Orioles (70-75) and the Cleveland Guardians (73-72) continue their three-game series tonight at Camden Yards. The Orioles opened the series last night with a 6-4 win to snap a six-game losing streak and pull them to within three games in the race with Cleveland for the final Wild Card spot.
Baltimore grabbed control early. Dylan Beavers delivered an RBI double in the second inning to score Samuel Basallo, giving the Orioles a 1-0 lead. In the third, the O's advantage increased to 4-0 thanks to a Coby Mayo solo homer followed by control issues for Cleveland's hurlers as evidenced by the fact they walked in a couple runs prior to the end of the inning. Mayo added a two-run blast in the sixth, extending the Orioles' lead to 6-1. On the mound, Trevor Rogers was excellent, working 7.1 innings, allowing just one earned run, six hits, and striking out six without a walk. The Guardians made things interesting in the ninth when Nathaniel Lowe blasted a three-run homer, but Baltimore closer Jordan Walker recorded the final out to preserve the win and arguably, Baltimore's season.
Tanner Bibee (5-15, 4.06 ERA) takes the ball for the Guardians tonight. His last outing came against the Blue Jays on September 3. As he has for much of the season, Bibee struggled, lasting only four innings while allowing five earned runs on four hits. Over his last five starts, Bibee has posted a 5.08 ERA. Brandon Young (9-3, 3.42 ERA) is expected to be on the mound for the O's. Young's most recent appearance came against Boston on September 3, when he worked 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits. Over his last five outings Young owns a 3.37 ERA.
Lets dive further into tonight's game and find a sweat or two.
We've got all the info and **** ysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

#game #Guardians

How Orioles' September call-up can capitalize on Luis Robert Jr.'s injury originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Baltimore Orioles are fading further away from the American League Wild Card race.
The AL East club is 4-6 in its last 10 games and needs a strong finish to overtake the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Cleveland Guardians.
Losing outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to the injured list won't help. Robert appeared in just three games with the Orioles following his waiver claim from the New York Mets.
He landed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain. To take his place, the Orioles promoted outfielder Heston Kjerstad from Triple-A Norfolk.

#robert #appeared #injured #september

Notre Dame football won its 2026 season opener on Sunday night, as the Irish used a huge second half to beat the Wisconsin Badgers in Lambeau Field, 41-13.
There was some bad news during the contest, as star safety Brauntae Johnson was seen walking off the field and into the locker room on his own power, then coming back onto the field in the second half wearing a walking boot. The hope was that the injury would not be a significant one, and that is looking like it will be the case.
Mike Berardino of the South Bend Tribune is reporting that Johnson's injury is minor, and is on his left foot. He goes on to say that he could miss more than a few weeks while recovering, but it is not believed to be a season-ending issue.
In another note that Berardino had, he mentioned that defensive tackle Jayson Onye's injury status has still not been determined, as he was also seen wearing a walking boot in the second half. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman will speak shortly on these two players, and we'll soon get confirmation on their injury status.
Contact/Follow us IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

#injury #field #second #walking

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Jeff McNeil legged out an infield single to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Athletics beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Monday night after blowing a four-run lead.
Henry Bolte homered and scored three times from the leadoff spot for the A's, who have won five of six following a five-game losing streak. The rookie drew three walks and stole three bases.
Andrés Giménez hit a tying solo homer in the ninth for the Blue Jays (72-73), who remained a game behind Cleveland for the last American League wild card. Alejandro Kirk also went deep but Toronto ace Dylan Cease gave up five runs — four earned — in five innings.
___
See AP's full MLB coverage here

#toronto #blue #game

Blue Jays 5 A's 6
I wanted to ***** le this 'Bad Pitching, Defense and Hitting Leads to a Loss' but that's too many words.
A bad moment on defense, in the first inning, turned out to be very costly. Dylan Cease was having a rough time in the first. A walk to Henry Bolte, who followed that with a steal. Then a ground rule double to score the first run of the game. A single gave the A's runners on the corners, with two out. Carlos Cortes went to steal second, Alejandro Kirk threw to second, and the runner on third came home. Ernie Clement threw back home in plenty of time to get the runner, but the runner stopped and turned around. Kirk chased him, and the runner seemed to be giving up, but Kirk threw to Kazuma Okamoto, and it wasn't a good throw, went off Okamoto's glove and the runner scored. 2-0 after half an inning. Just a bad play. Just chasing him back to third would have been fine.
Kirk homered in the bottom of the inning, making up for the mistake.
But the A's got two more in the third. Bolte again walked and stole season (maybe next year, Cease could come up with a way to hold runners?). After a popup, Bolte stole third. Next batter, Zack Gelof hit a ground ball to third, Okamoto came home but the throw was too late. Then Gelof steal second and third and a single scored him. 4-1 A's.

#Third #runner #threw #home

The Athletics faced the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series on Labor Day at Sutter Health Park. The Green and Gold got out to an early lead before allowing the Blue Jays to claw back late, only for the A's to win 6-5 in walk-off fashion.
After A's starter Jacob Lopez tossed a scoreless first inning, the A's generated their first scoring chance against Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease in the bottom of that inning. Athletics center fielder Henry Bolte drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third with one out. Zack Gelof knocked Bolte in with an RBI ground-rule double, putting the hosts ahead 1-0.
With two outs, the A's scored a second run when Toronto misplayed a rundown, allowing Gelof to slide home safely.
The Blue Jays immediately answered back. Catcher Alejandro Kirk led off the second inning with his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot just over the right field wall. If he had taken a better route, A's right fielder Lawrence Butler would have had a chance to rob the home run.
Lopez followed that by allowing two straight baserunners before retiring the next three hitters to preserve his team's 2-1 lead.

#jays #inning #home

There is a solid list of two-start options for a second straight week, as there are three pitchers who can be started in most leagues and a couple others who will make sense for managers who have some room to risk their ratios.
On the hitting side, managers will struggle to find streamers during the next four days, as most teams play three games and there is a lack of obvious matchup advantages. The Pirates and Phillies may be the best source of help.
Jacob Lopez, Athletics, 42% (vs. TOR, vs. SEA): Lopez limits quality contact as well as any player in baseball, which has enabled him to log a 2.36 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in the second half. He has worked at his hitter-friendly home park in five of nine starts over that stretch, allowing no more than two runs in each of those outings. Lopez is a great bet to stay hot this week, when he faces the Blue Jays and Mariners, who rank 27th and 30th respectively in runs scored.
Andrew Painter, Phillies, 33% (vs. HOU, @ ATL): We may have finally found a sustainable version of Painter. The former top prospect with a reworked **** nal has logged a 3.12 ERA and 0.89 WHIP across his past seven starts and has tallied at least six strikeouts in five of those outings. The right-hander can provide a double-digit whiff total for those who are starting the fantasy playoffs, and his matchups are only slightly harder than average, as the Astros and Braves rank 10th and 12th respectively in OPS versus righties.
Hayden Wesneski, Astros, 33% (@ PHI, @ TB): Wesneski has fared well in seven starts since returning from May 2025 Tommy John surgery (3.18 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 1.06 WHIP), and he has looked especially good while allowing one run over 17 innings in his past three starts. The right-hander is set to face two above-average offenses next week (Phillies, Rays), which slots him behind Lopez among the recommended options. But at this time of year, managers may opt to go with someone who has been pitching well over someone who has questionable skills and favorable matchups.

#whip #starts

SIOUX CITY, IA (KCAU) - The #10 Blue Jays hosted Tulsa for a Sunday afternoon volleyball match and lost 3-2.
Creighton won the fourth set, forcing a fifth, but they fell short, losing 15-10.
Next stop for Creighton is the Rice Invitational on Friday, where they will first take on UNI.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KCAU 9 News | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.

#kcau #creighton #sports

Sorry for the late recap, but the Guardians won yet another walk-off game from the Tigers, besting them 3-2 in the 10th inning.
Shoutouts to Steven Kwan and Travis Bazzana who had two hits a-piece, to Brayan Rocchio who found a way to hit a game-tying home run into a stiff breeze,
and to Daniel Schneemann for the walk-off single rifled to right.
Shoutouts to Gavin Williams, who had a bad first inning but shut the Tigers out for the next five innings, striking out 11, and to the electric bullpen of Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and CADE SMITH WHO WAS AS DOMINANT AS I HAVE EVER SEEN HIM STRIKING OUT FIVE OF SIX BATTERS.
This was a great series. They need, now, to find a way to win a series in Baltimore starting tomorrow and then in Minnesota following that. The Blue Jays lost so the Guardians, again, lead in the wildcard and the White Sox won, so they are still 2.5 back for the division.

#Guardians #inning #series

MLB standings 2026: Updated playoff bracket, magic numbers through Sept. 5 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It will still take some time for the leaves to change colors, but the chase for October is upon us.
The MLB postseason, which actually begins in late September, will be framed as a battle between David and Goliath, with 11 Davids and one Goliath: the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While the Dodgers haven't looked unbeatable in the regular season, they have positioned themselves as the villains after following back-to-back championships with the trade deadline acquisition of Tarik Skubal.
Everyone else, whether in a big market or a small market, will enter the postseason as some degree of an underdog. After the Blue Jays nearly dethroned the Dodgers last fall, could 2026 be the year a different team climbs to the top?

#goliath

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kazuma Okamoto had four hits and two RBIs, including a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, as the surging Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Saturday night to pull even with Cleveland for the final American League playoff spot.
Toronto (72-71) won for the seventh time in eight games and moved over .500 for the first time since the Blue Jays were 4-3 on April 3. The defending AL champions, who were 10 games under .500 on July 28, are tied with the Guardians for the league's third wild card.
Okamoto went 4 for 5 with a double and broke a 3-all tie in the seventh with an RBI single. In the third inning, Okamoto hit an RBI double that hit third base over a diving Josh Rojas and rolled into the left-field corner.
Nathan Lukes had three hits for Toronto, including an RBI single that made it 2-0 in the first.
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#okamoto #single #Third

Gabelli Investment Management Firm recently released its "Global Content & Connectivity Fund" second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Fund delivered a strong second quarter of 2026, with its Class I shares gaining 12.88%, more than double the 6.02% return of the MSCI AC World Communication Services Index, though trailing the broader MSCI AC World Index's 15.06% gain. The fund's performance reflected renewed investor interest in AI-related investments, easing tensions in the Middle East, and lower Brent crude prices, with Information Technology gaining 39.2% and Communication Services advancing 6.0% during the quarter. Over the past year, the fund gained 25.50%, compared with 13.06% for its communication-services benchmark and 24.16% for the MSCI AC World Index. Looking ahead, Gabelli remains constructive on the long-term opportunities created by AI adoption, expanding digital infrastructure, connectivity, and the continued growth of content and entertainment, while recognizing that higher interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and the sustainability of AI-related spending could create volatility. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Global Content & Connectivity Fund highlighted stocks like Rogers Communications Inc. (NYSE:RCI). Rogers Communications Inc. (NYSE:RCI) is a Canadian communications and media company with major wireless, cable, sports, and regional media businesses. The one-month return of Rogers Communications Inc. (NYSE:RCI) was 8.38% while its shares traded between $31.38 and $41.14 over the last 52 weeks. On September 3, 2026, Rogers Communications Inc. (NYSE:RCI) stock closed at approximately $38.00 per share, with a market capitalization of about $20.27 billion.
Global Content & Connectivity Fund stated the following regarding Rogers Communications Inc. (NYSE:RCI) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
Rogers Communications Inc. (NYSE:RCI) (3.2%) (RCI – $32.50 – NYSE) owns the largest wireless operator and the largest cable MSO in Canada as well as a media business with a focus on sports and regional TV and radio, including ownership of Toronto Blue Jays baseball club and a controlling interest in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). In July 2026, Rogers agreed to purchase the remaining 25% stake in MLSE (the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC) from Kilmer Sports for C$4.35 billion, which will increase RCI's interest in that entity to 100%. RCI continues focusing on unlocking value from its vast sports portfolio, with next steps likely including combining all sports and media **** ets into a single organization and selling a sizeable minority interest in that entity to institutional investors.

#NYSE