PHOENIX (AP) — Ezequiel Duran had a two-run single and Wyatt Langford hit a solo homer during a six-run fifth inning to lead the Texas Rangers over the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 on Saturday night to even the three-game series.
The Rangers improved to 73-76 and are just two games back of the final American League wild card despite a sub-.500 record.
Arizona fell to 79-70 and is 1 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild card.
The Rangers took advantage of a close replay call that went in their favor during the decisive fifth.
The D-backs thought they were out of the jam with the score tied at 1-all after turning an inning-ending double play, but first base umpire Bill Miller ruled Corey Seager safe at first, signaling that pitcher Brandon Pfaadt's foot was off the bag. Arizona challenged the call, but the video review proved inconclusive and Miller's call was upheld.

#final

After an epic 11-inning win Friday night against the Phillies, the Braves were hoping to finish them off in the division race. They got a bit of a boost from the Phillies scratching Jesus Luzardo with long-running shoulder soreness.
Tyler Mahle cruised through the first two hitters before Bryce Harper hit a monster homer and took a comical amount of time rounding the bases, clearly hitting back at the controversy from Zach Wheeler's comments about Ronald Acuna's home run celebrations last week. The Phillies had to be feeling good with a 1-0 lead for a couple innings there, until the Braves essentially ended the game with 8 runs in the fourth inning. Ronald Acuna kicked things off with a towering homer (and a normal home run trot).
La Bestia mode activated 🔥#LocalFordDealer | ronaldacunajr24 pic.twitter.com/blKPAhoG0w
The Braves then got a walk, single, single, single, error, wild pitch, walk, double, and single to score another 7 runs. Drake Baldwin provided the double before things got all the way back around to Acuna for the last single, bringing home the last run of the inning.
Mahle continued to cruise after that Harper homer, finishing 7.0 innings of 1-run ball with no walks, even though he only had 7 whiffs and 3 strikeouts. The Braves added another run on in the sixth with a Ronald ABS strikeout-turned-walk, an error on an Olson ground ball, and an Ozzie sac fly. The Phillies got one back with a solo homer from Crawford in the eighth against Brent Suter. The Braves got another 3 runs against the position-player pitcher for Philly in the eighth, as Kiersey singled, Albies doubled, and Harris hit a homer off the right field foul pole. Suter finished off the Phillies in the ninth, as the Braves only needed to throw Mahle and Suter on the night. The Phillies' bullpen is in rough shape on the other side, after the 11-inning game Friday and the blowout bullpen game they suffered today.

#Phillies #home

Rafael Devers' recent tear, especially when the San Francisco Giants slugger is driving ****** out to right at Oracle Park, makes it impossible not to think of Barry Bonds.
The at-bats share that don't-go-to-concessions-yet vibe. Opposing pitchers are handling Devers as carefully as they can - All-Star closer Mason Miller walked him in the ninth inning Friday - and there's a general buzz when Devers is up with men on base. Saturday, he lasered a low 1-1 sweeper from Michael King out in the first, a two-run shot in the Giants' 7-6 loss to the Padres.
San Francisco again demonstrated some mettle with a late push after Devers' grand slam the previous night cut the deficit to two and the Giants mounted a two-out rally against Miller that came up just short. Saturday, power was the key: rookie catcher Drew Cavanaugh went deep to right in the eighth, the first of his career, 50 games in. Two batters later, Drew Gilbert crushed a two-run shot to cut the deficit to one before lefty Adrian Morejon entered and struck out Devers and Bryce Eldridge.
Earlier in the day, Shay Whitcomb also went deep for San Francisco, which recorded all its runs via homers.
With 13 games remaining, Devers has 37 homers, one shy of his career high. He has a realistic shot at 40, something no Giants hitter has done since Bonds belted 45 in 2004. Devers has 98 RBIs, too, so 100 is well within reach. The last San Francisco player with 100 RBIs was Buster Posey, the man who traded for Devers last year; Posey recorded 103 RBIs in 2012.

#francisco #rbis #shot #drew

The Washington Nationals bullpen blowing games is nothing new and we saw that today. However, the offense bailing out the bullpen and fighting back in the late innings was something different. That fight late in the game helped the Nats get their second walk off win of the season and win the series against the Angels,
As we have discussed, CJ Abrams has really been struggling lately. However, this series has seen a much more lively version of Abrams. While the Angels are not a good team, you cannot solely attribute this improvement to just seeing bad pitching. Walbert Urena was averaging over 99 MPH, but Abrams was still able to get the Nats on the board with an RBI double in the 1st.
cj x abi run collab pic.twitter.com/eWgugX0ZfM
These last couple of weeks are very important for the Nats shortstop/second baseman. His OPS is still a ways off what it was a couple months ago. However, if he can stabilize these last couple of weeks, he can end the season on a positive note. There are still plenty of milestones for CJ to reach. He is one stolen base away from a 30-30 season and 4 RBI's away from 100.
His 29th stolen base was perhaps his most important of the season. In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Nats had runners on first and second with 1 out. Abrams noticed that the pitcher was not paying enough attention to him and took off. He swiped third base without a throw. That stolen base ended up winning the Nats the game.

#season #base #still

Los Angeles Dodgers two-time World Series champion Miguel Rojas is set to have an emotional day on Sunday, September 13th, as he plays in what may be his final game for his longtime team.
Rojas has not played this series against the Marlins since they faced two different right-handed pitchers, with Alex Freeland taking all of the looks at second base.
Despite facing yet another righty, Roberts said Rojas will start and get his moment.
"He'll start tomorrow… For that reason. I talked to him about it; he's excited, and I'm excited to have him in there tomorrow," Roberts said.
Aug 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) and first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) react after the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

#rojas #angeles #roberts

1900
The White Sox beat the Cleveland Blues, 12-4, in Chicago to clinch the franchise's first pennant. (The American League would not be recognized as an official major league until 1901, however.) Roy Patterson got the win in the game.
The season seemed to set the tone for the franchise, with exceptional pitching and defense — and just enough hitting to win games. Cleveland manager Jimmy McAleer said as much after the Sox clinched against his club: "It's the strangest thing that ever happened. A club with no good batsman to win a flag! Why, such a thing was never heard of before. [Dick] Padden has done most of it. He has been the whole works, and has shown himself a born general. The pitchers did the rest, with special credit to that lad Patterson."
Brett Ballantini devoted an episode of South Side Sox's Flashback to this win, back in 2019.
1908
Ultimately, the White Sox did not prevail for the pennant, but don't say they didn't put up a fight. Arriving at Detroit's Bennett Park for a five-game set against the first-place Tigers and behind by three games, the White Sox won the opener, then played four consecutive extra-inning games to finish out the series, splitting them. On this day, the White Sox got back to just two games out with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings. Frank Smith not only went the distance for his 12th win on the season, he singled in the game-winner in the top of the 10th.
The White Sox continued a three-way fight for the pennant (with Cleveland as well), and the season came down to the last day, hosting Detroit. Had the White Sox not been blown out in the finale, they would have finished tied with (but percentage points ahead of) Cleveland and a half-game in front of the Tigers for the pennant.

#white #season #patterson #league

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

Justin Martinez was immaculate on Friday.
To be more specific, the Arizona Diamondbacks reliever threw an immaculate inning against the Texas Rangers, striking out three hitters on three pitches each in the sixth frame. Six of those pitchers were faster than 100 mph.
The victims: Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and Jake Burger.
Justin Martinez pitches an IMMACULATE INNING! pic.twitter.com/UzNjg4Tu4y
With only 123 immaculate innings in MLB history, it remains a feat more rare than a no-hitter, though there have been far more in recent years as pitchers dial up their velocity and throw fewer complete games.

#pitches

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - An unorthodox pitching plan worked about as well as the Houston Astros could have hoped Friday. Their offense could not capitalize against another American League contender.
Junior Caminero cranked a walk-off, two-run home run against Bryan Abreu to send the Astros to a 3-1 loss in the opener of a series against the Tampa Bay Rays, who became the first American League team to clinch a spot in this year's playoff field. Houston, which entered the day with a three-game lead in the AL West, ended it with a 75-73 record.
Using an opener, three Astros pitchers combined to hold the Rays to two hits before the ninth inning. Jonathan Aranda hit a one-out double against Abreu. With first base open, the Astros opted to face Caminero, the AL home run leader, who crushed a first-pitch fastball 417 feet to ignite a celebration at Tropicana Field.
The Astros totaled nine hits. But they were 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, with neither of the hits scoring a run, and stranded six men on base.
A 1-1 tie reached the ninth inning. The teams took different routes there. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen worked seven innings, navigating eight hits. One run against him scored on a fielder's choice. He threw 92 pitches before Tampa Bay turned to its bullpen.

#astros #houston #abreu #tampa

For the eighth time in nine seasons, the Milwaukee Brewers are going to the playoffs.
One of the game's most consistent powers ***** ured its spot in the postseason by flattening the Cincinnati Reds 20-0 Friday, Sept. 11 at Milwaukee's American Family Field. It's highly likely this won't be the final celebration before the Brewers finish the regular season: They hold a 10-game lead over the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central, with a magic number of three to clinch the division.
Milwaukee blitzed Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott for nine hits and eight runs in the first two innings Friday, scoring six times in the bottom of the second to build an 8-0 lead. Brice Turang hit a three-run homer and Jake Bauers a two-run shot, providing more than enough support for starting pitcher Dustin May.
Then, it got absurd. The Brewers rocked reliever Luis Mey for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, extending the lead to 17-0. Milwaukee registered eight hits in the fifth, two by Garrett Mitchell, including a grand slam.
Per usual, Milwaukee's proven greater than the sum of its parts. The club has a bona fide ace and budding superstar in right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, what with his 104-mph fastball and major league-leading 236 strikeouts. The club has a reliable No. 2 starter in fellow second-year man Logan Henderson, but its rotation faces question marks after that.

#Friday #league #three

It was a day of remembrance, but a night Nolan McLean might want to forget.
McLean's curveball spins at a higher rate than any other in baseball, but Friday night at Yankee Stadium, Cody Bellinger spun one over the short porch in right field into the stands. The three-run homer sank the Mets in a 6-4 loss to the Yankees.
It was the first time in more than a month McLean failed to go more than five innings, and only the second time in his last 14 outings. McLean was charged with five earned runs on a career-worst 10 hits over five innings in his ninth loss of the season (11-9). An NL Rookie of the Year candidate, McLean has looked like a seasoned veteran at times this season. But even the most dominant rookie starting pitchers have outings like the one McLean had against the Yankees.
Rookies slump, sputter and get knocked down, then figure out how to get up again.
No one knows this better than Bellinger, the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year. While his hitless stretches were few and far between with the Dodgers in 2017, there were bad strikeouts and bad games. Individually, they did little to put a dent in his candidacy. The overall body of work was too impressive. The same goes for McLean, who has carried a sub-3.00 ERA for most of the season and has quietly put up some of the best starting pitching numbers in the National League since June.

#five

As the Yankees' pitchers and hitters began their respective pregame meetings on Friday afternoon, the daily seminars opened with a twist.
Shown to them was what Aaron Boone called an "outstanding," three-minute video on the significance of Sept. 11, 2001. With Friday marking the 25th commemoration of the terrorist attacks that targeted the World Trade Center, Brett Weber, the Yankees' senior director of advance scouting and replay guru, put the clip together.
The intention was to give the Yankees a quiet moment to reflect before hosting the Subway Series and beating the crosstown-rival Mets, 6-4.
"This is a day that will be remembered forever," Weber said, "and at the end of the day, that was really the message."
Boone also made sure to talk to his players, who recently attended the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and a handful of local firehouses, about the importance of the day. Among other things, he wanted to make sure that they knew how vital baseball became in the aftermath of the tragedy, as the game helped the city and the country heal.

#boone #aaron #World #trade

Carter Jensen hit a pair of doubles, drove in a run, and scored a pair to lead the Royals to their second straight victory and first win against Boston since August 6 of last year. The final score was 3-2 in favor of Kansas City.
It was kind of a weird start for Seth Lugo. I attempted to do a reverse jinx on him with the game preview, and he ultimately allowed only two runs in five innings. That's good enough for now. However, looking toward the future, allowing 7 hits and 2 walks, even while striking out 7, in 5 innings is not a recipe for sustained success.
He only threw seven of his pitches tonight and, perhaps most notably, eschewed the slow curve entirely. The curveball and four-seamer were both much more effective than they have been of late. Perhaps this is a sign he's on the rebound.
For a while it seemed like the jinx on Sonny Gray might work, too. Gray came into the game with a 1.74 ERA against the Royals, the best among any pitchers with at least 10 starts against the team. Jensen's first double led off the game. He advanced to third on a groundout from Bobby Witt Jr. and scored on a Salvador Perez single when Gray inexplicably threw Salvy a sinker in instead of the usual breaking stuff away.
In the third inning, it seemed like the Royals might just go ahead and knock out Gray then and there. Isaac Collins led off with an automatic double at 103.2 MPH down the right field line that hopped over the short fence near the pole. Carter followed up by smashing one at 102.6 off the monster in left to trade places with Collins. Bobby flew out to center at 103.3 to advance Carter to third and Vinnie Pasquantino hit one at 102.4 to give the Royals their final run. Sadly, Salvy grounded into a double play to end the inning and that was the last time KC would score.

#game #collins

The Colorado Rockies entered Detroit hoping to snap a seven-game losing streak on the road. Despite a solid start from their rookie pitcher and an offense that out-hit the Tigers, the Rockies bullpen collapsed in the middle innings, leading to a 6-2 defeat. They are now just eight games away from losing 100 games for the fourth season in a row.
Making his fourth big-league start, Mason Adams continued to impress in a Rockies uniform with a fairly quick and efficient outing.
The night started promisingly as Adams struck out the side in the bottom of the first inning. In the second, he allowed a leadoff single to Riley Greene and a one-out walk to Max Clark but managed to escape with a ground ball double play. He then worked a quick 1-2-3 third inning followed by a quick fourth inning where he faced the minimum.
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Through the first four innings, Adams had thrown just 52 pitches with four groundouts and looked primed to go the deepest into the game than he had previously. Unfortunately, he had to labor in the fifth inning with 25 pitches.

#game

Even without the help of their left-handed ace starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, the Boston Red Sox have held their own. They are currently 80-67, third place in the American League East and comfortably in the second Wild Card spot.
It has been well documented at this point that the team struggled out of the gate. Before their late June series at Fenway Park versus the New York Yankees, they were 32-46 and had the worst record in the American League.
All of the damage since has been done without Crochet. He pitched last on April 25 at the Baltimore Orioles, before being put on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation and a lat strain.
MORE: Red Sox swap spots for Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez ahead of Royals weekend series
Mar 26, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the third inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

#crochet #american #cincinnati #credit

In the wee hours of Thursday morning, catcher Jose Trevino was once again pitcher Jose Trevino as the Cincinnati Reds wrapped up a 14-1 drubbing at the hands of the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds managed just 6 hits in total on the night, their lone run coming off the bat of superstar Elly De La Cruz as he launched a moonshot off Yoshinobu Yamamoto to log a home run in his fifth consecutive game.
The loss sunk the Reds to the third worst run differential in the sport behind only the hilarious Colorado Rockies and homeless Athletics. Not exactly where you want to find yourself when you're supposedly on the upswing of one of Nick Krall's infamous rebuilds.
Now, the Reds head into Milwaukee to face the mighty Brewers, off whom they managed to take two of three in Great American Ball Park just last weekend. Safe to say, I expect there to be some revenge on the minds of those beermakers.
Lefty Andrew Abbott looks to turn the tide on his wayward season with the start in Friday's series opener at American Family Field that I still choose to call Miller Park. Dustin May takes the mound for the Beers, meaning this may well be Cincinnati's best chance to sock some dingers and actually take home a win in the series.
First pitch is set for 7:40 PM ET. Here's how the Reds will line up to start:

#park #take

Two injured Detroit Tigers pitchers are taking one step closer to returning.
Before Detroit's game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday, Sept. 11, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that right-hander Jack Flaherty will throw a simulated game on Saturday, at Comerica Park. Flaherty is expected to pitch 2-3 simulated innings against Tigers batters from the mound before the afternoon game against the Rockies.
Flaherty last pitched competitively for Triple-A Toledo on Sept. 6, allowing one hits and zero runs over 1⅓ innings in a rehab start in Toledo. The righty has been rehabbing from right flexor tendon inflammation and last pitched in the majors in a start against the Chicago Cubs on July 20.
Hank Greenberg won the World Series with the Detroit Tigers in 1935 and 1945. He's a Hall of Fame slugger and won the American League MVP award twice.

#right #simulated

The FSU baseball program has landed its fourth player in the 2028 recruiting class, and it is yet another in-state prospect, with two-way player Garrett Harper committing on Thursday.
"Officially committed to Florida State University! 🍢 Thank you to my parents, family, friends, coaches, teammates, and Brad for believing in me and helping me get here." he wrote on social media. "Thank you to FSU for the opportunity to continue my academic & baseball journey. Time to work!"
Harper is a left-handed pitcher and outfielder from Cocoa Beach, Florida. He was originally a member of the 2029 recruiting class, but reclassified to join the 2028 class in April. He has a great frame at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds.
He had a strong freshman season at Cocoa Beach High School and is looking to take another step as a junior after skipping his sophomore season. He finished the season hitting .442 with nine doubles, one home run, 19 RBI, and 27 runs in 29 games. He recorded a .509 on-base percentage, walking 11 times and striking out twice.
He made 12 appearances on the mound, going 3-0 with a 2.07 ERA in 44 innings. He held opponents to a .179 batting average, allowing 26 runs (13 earned) on 28 hits and 30 walks, striking out 69 batters. He faced 190 batters and did not allow an extra-base hit.

#class #harper #thank #cocoa

Rangers news: Jacob deGrom hits historic low point after bullpen meltdown vs. Mariners appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jacob deGrom had misfortune strike him once again in the Texas Rangers' clash against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday evening.
DeGrom is going through the 13th season of his career in the majors, his fourth with the Rangers. He typically shines as one of the best pitchers in the league, ****** isting Texas in their race for a playoff spot.
DeGrom was having a strong performance on the mound, serving in six innings. He struck out 12 batters while conceding a single hit but left the game due to injury. This ended up being costly for Texas as Seattle rallied back to secure the win, making history in the modern era, via OptaStats.
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#degrom #Mariners #clutchpoints

In 2026, the Cubs' starters have been a major storyline. While the bullpen's struggle is the biggest issue, the rotation has been concerning. The pitching struggles have severely impacted the team in the second half of the season. When looking at the playoff picture, their lead has diminished, and both San Diego and Arizona are within three games of Chicago. However, there is hope for the Cubs starters.
Chicago has had a very up-and-down year from their starters. Injuries have plagued the team, as nearly all pitchers miss time. A busy trade deadline had things looking promising. While a few have had good starts, the team has struggled to find consistency. That said, the Cubs' starter hierarchy has clearly shifted. If Chicago wishes to make a run in the playoffs, relying on the top three Cubs starters needs to be the move.
Clay Holmes has been the top Cubs starter since he joined the team. With Chicago, he is 2-3 with a 3.51 ERA. The ERA is inflated by his last start, in which he allowed eight runs in 4.1 innings. Without that game, he was showing his ace potential. Down the stretch of the season, Holmes will need to show his talent and give the Cubs valuable length.
The other newcomer, Kevin Gausman, has also been solid since joining Chicago. His most recent start against the Brewers was rough, allowing six earned runs. He has had mixed results in his seven starts, with a 5.31 ERA. However, he is giving good length, going six or seven innings in most starts. Additionally, his valuable playoff experience makes him a key piece of the Cubs rotation.
Of the three starters, Matthew Boyd is the only one who has been with them all year. Boyd has struggled with injuries and inconsistency, but still has given valuable innings. Like Gausman, he can go fairly deep into games. He is 8-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 109.1 innings. His experience with Chicago could see him start one of the first two games come playoff time.

#innings #playoff

Rangers news: Jacob deGrom's strong start ends with concerning injury update appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Texas Rangers star pitcher Jacob deGrom pitched well on Thursday against the Seattle Mariners. However, he was removed after throwing 92 pitches through six innings, a decision that Rangers manager Skip Schumaker later said was due to an injury concern, via Kennedi Landry of MLB.com.
"Skip Schumaker said that Jacob deGrom was dealing with groin tightness through much of his start today. That's what the mound visit was about in the sixth and that's also why he didn't come back out for the seventh," Landry reported.
deGrom was indeed terrific while on the mound despite battling groin tightness throughout the outing. The veteran right-hander struck out 12 Mariners through six innings while allowing no runs and only one hit. Disaster struck following deGrom's departure from the contest, as Jakob Junis allowed four runs. The Rangers were defeated 4-3, a loss that dealt a blow to a team that is competing for a postseason spot.
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#landry

So often pitchers' duels don't really stand up to the hype, but today's matchup between two former Stetson Hatters – the Mariners' Logan Gilbert and the Rangers' Jacob deGrom – delivered on all that promise and then some. The two pitchers combined for 23 strikeouts, and deGrom carried a perfect game through five innings. In true pitching duel style, it looked like the pitcher who blinked first would come out on the short end, but despite Logan Gilbert making a couple of mistakes, his offense was able to pick him up and deliver him the win. Bragging rights are fun; wins are better. (Gilbert also gets the honor of leading MLB in whiffs today: 24 to deGrom's 20, despite having one fewer strikeout than deGrom.)
This all being said, it was a slog for the Mariners early on. The best at-bat the first time through the order for the Mariners went to – surprise, surprise – Cal Raleigh, who battled deGrom for nine pitches before striking out on deGrom's fastest fastball of the day, a 99.6 mph heater (my campaign for decimal points on the ribbon board in the stadium, which read 100, continues unabated). But the Mariners did fight deGrom, getting themselves into good counts and forcing him into the zone; he finished the second inning at 37 pitches, compared to Gilbert's 24.
But it only took two pitches to offset that work in the third. Nicky Lopez was able to take 96 up and in from Gilbert and find a hole on the infield, and one batter later, with two outs, Joc Pederson jumped a first-pitch slider for a two-run homer. It wasn't a terrible pitch from Gilbert, away from Pederson but probably still too much on the plate; Gilbert had struck Pederson out on the slider in his first at-bat. The slider was particularly nasty today, with an eye-popping 75% whiff rate. He led with the pitch, throwing it 40 times, 12 times to start off an at-bat, which feels like a different sequence than he's used. Gilbert credits Cal for coming up with a good game plan, especially after he felt like he fell into some predictable patterns in his last time out against the A's.
"Like with Joc, we got him with the slider early, so he probably thought we were going to it next time," explained Gilbert. "But then also other guys, we went heavy spin, like with Duran, and then next time went three or four straight fastballs. So I think we did a good job there. They're trying to look at how we're probably scouting them, and then next time through, maybe pitch them different. I think Cal did a good job there."
But deGrom was just as tough on the other side. After striking out eight times in the first three innings, the Mariners hitters decided to try a different strategy the second time through the order. That also didn't work, as they let deGrom cruise through the fourth on nine pitches, keeping his perfect game intact.

#degrom #like #pitch

The Milwaukee Brewers improved to 91-56 on the season following their 8-6 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. Additionally, they increased their lead in the National League Central Division over those same Cubs to 10.0 games with 15 left play.
Unfortunately, the final contest between Milwaukee and Chicago was a great deal closer than it should have been. The Brewers entered the ninth inning with an 8-1 lead and it looked like they were about to cruise to an easy victory.
Brandon Sproat, though, walked four consecutive batters and Abner Uribe allowed all of the runners he inherited to score as well as allowed an earned run of his own.
Jul 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Garrett Stallings (31) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
After the game, Murphy was justifiably frustrated with Sproat's performance, calling it "unacceptable." It was clear then that this was going to be his final chance on the Major League roster in 2026.

#Chicago #francisco #lead #inning

With the Yankees looking to track down the Rays in the AL East while also maintaining the cushion they have on the Red Sox, this interleague matchup against the Rockies was a couple of must win games. Colorado is closing in on 100 losses and is as beatable an opponent as there is right now, sorry to them. Well so far, so good for the Yankees as they've taken the first two games of the series. Tonight, they'll go for the sweep.
To try and accomplish that sweep, the Yankees will give the ball to Max Fried. This will be Fried's third start since returning from the IL, and he's been decent enough so far, allowing two runs in 9.1 combined innings. He still hasn't gone over 72 pitches yet, so it's still unlikely that he'll be airing it out for 100 or anything tonight, but we'll see.
As for the rest of the lineup, the big news is the return of Anthony Volpe. With Jazz Chisholm Jr. going on the IL, Volpe has been recalled and will play second base. He has been hitting decently since getting sent back to the minors, so we'll see if there's any correlation now that he's back in the bigs. Aaron Judge will get a planned day off, his first since being reinstated from the IL on Tuesday as Aaron Boone will take it slow with his superstar outfielder especially after Judge returned without a rehab ***** ignment. Jasson Domínguez will start in right field instead and bat third, flanked by Cody Bellinger and Luis García Jr.
Meanwhile, Ryan Feltner will take the mound for the Rockies. Feltner has a 5.91 ERA and a 5.27 FIP in his 106.2 innings on the season. The 30-year-old right-hander was having a decent year by Rockies pitchers standards until about mid-July, when a 2.1 inning eight-run disaster outing against Cincinnati ballooned his ERA north of five and he's stayed there ever since. His latest start was a mediocre one, where he lasted five innings and gave up four runs to the Cardinals, but he's got some seven-run outings in recent memory as the Dodgers and Nationals took him to task a couple of weeks ago.
Here's all the information to know on how to catch tonight's action, and we hope you'll come join us in the game thread!

#yankees #Rockies #volpe

This article originally appeared in PGHBaseballNOW.com.
The Pirates starting rotation has taken a major hit as Braxton Ashcraft has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right arm discomfort. The move is retroactive to Sep. 7.
Ashcraft has emerged as the team's top starting pitcher this season, his first full year in the big leagues. The 26-year-old is 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 28 starts. In 165.1 innings, he's allowed 67 earned runs on 145 hits with 35 walks and 173 strikeouts.
The right-hander ranks fourth in the National League in wins, fifth in WHIP (1.09), seventh in innings, ninth in strikeouts and 12th in ERA.
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#ashcraft

Braves news: Martin Perez accomplishes jaw-dropping feat never seen before in Atlanta history appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Martin Perez is on fire with his starts on the mound, putting together another spectacular display in the Atlanta Braves' series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon.
Perez is going through the 15th season of his career in the majors, his first with the Braves. The pitcher has been a journeyman throughout the second half of his career since leaving the Texas Rangers after 2018. He has represented seven teams, including a brief reunion with Texas, with Atlanta being his latest stop.
Going into the matchup, Atlanta suffered a series loss after falling 7-1 in Game 1 and 7-2 in Game 2 against Tampa Bay. They needed a win to salvage the series, which required a quality performance on the mound from Perez.
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#martin #clutchpoints #game

Mariners rumors: Seattle starter may be traded after disappointing campaign appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Logan Gilbert has surfaced as a potential Seattle Mariners trade candidate this offseason as a disappointing 2026 campaign nears its end, barring a remarkable late-season playoff push.
Gilbert is approaching his final year of arbitration and remains scheduled to reach free agency after the 2027 season. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand included Gilbert among 11 intriguing offseason trade candidates Thursday, pointing to his contract situation, the Mariners' pitching depth, and the absence of a long-term extension as reasons the club may consider moving him.
"Could this be the offseason that the Mariners finally trade one of their starting pitchers? George Kirby might also be a candidate, but Gilbert is now only one year away from free agency and doesn't appear to be heading toward an extension with Seattle. Gilbert's 3.71 ERA in 28 starts is his highest since 2023, but he remains a rock in the rotation, ranking seventh in the AL with 165 innings pitched. Gilbert earned $10.9 million this season and will surely earn a raise in his fourth and final year of arbitration, making him a logical option if the Mariners want to trade from their pitching depth, which includes Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan – two of MLB Pipeline's Top 10 overall prospects."
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#Seattle #offseason

Padres news: San Diego pitcher gets big injury update as playoff push continues appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Diego Padres could be getting an important piece of their bullpen back at exactly the right time. Right-handed reliever Jason Adam continues to make progress from the right shoulder strain that has kept him on the injured list since the beginning of July.
According to MLB.com, Adam threw his third bullpen session off the Petco Park mound on Sept. 7 and is scheduled to face hitters in Arizona on Sept. 10. That's a big step toward a potential return.
Adam has been one of San Diego's most important late-inning relievers since joining the organization. When healthy, he's capable of handling high-leverage situations and serving as the bridge to the back end of the bullpen.
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#right

Phillies news: Pitcher headed for intriguing role after injury return appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Phillies are preparing for another postseason push. Their starting pitching is set to lead the way, but the Phillies do have some overall uncertainty on the roster. One pitcher who could make an impact in a specific role once he returns from injury is Tanner Banks. According to MLB.com, Banks, who is recovering from a left forearm strain, is being built up for a long man role in the bullpen.
While most relievers pitch one inning in games, Banks could give the Phillies multiple innings in this role. He would likely be expected to throw anywhere from two to four innings depending on the situation of the game. For example, if a starter struggles and exits the game in the third inning, Banks could potentially save the bullpen and pitch into the sixth inning.
So, why is this role so important? After all, it isn't exactly the closer or setup man role in the bullpen. Well, starting pitchers do not always pitch especially late into games this late in the season. Managers are much more likely to turn to the bullpen earlier in games during the postseason.
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#pitch #clutchpoints

Pat Mahomes Sr. has asked a Texas judge for permission to travel outside the state to watch his son play for the Kansas City Chiefs, a reason familiar to football parents everywhere. Mahomes Sr. is currently on probation following a 2024 DWI conviction.
According to court records reviewed by People and local station KLTV, the former MLB pitcher filed a motion on Friday, seeking approval to attend seven Chiefs games in Kansas City, Las Vegas and Cincinnati.
People reported that the 56-year-old is "hoping the court will allow him" to make the trips during the 2026 season. Notably, the filing does not ask the court to remove his supervision requirements.
Instead, Mahomes Sr. acknowledged that he would remain subject to urinalysis testing requested by his supervision officer before and after each trip.
The motion also states that Mahomes Sr. has completed 160 hours of community service and a 16-week outpatient treatment program.

#court #kansas #supervision #texas