Crone Show
Not all that long ago the San Diego Padres were looked at as one of the 2026 season’s biggest disappointments. Now they are looking like the team nobody wants to face in the postseason. Thanks to a big day against the Marlins from veteran Jake Cronenworth, who went 3-5, with 2 HRs, 2B, 3 R, and 5 RBI, San Diego has now won 13 of its last 14 games and is closing in on the top wild card spot in the NL, and with it a chance to host a Wild Card series.
The 32-year old Cronenworth has been a stalwart in the Padres lineup for half a dozen years now, but he has never quite matched the production levels of his breakout 2021 season when he hit .266/.340/.460 with 21 HRs and a 117 wRC+. 2026 has been by far his worst offensive season, as he has hit .229/.310/.327 with seven HRs and an 84 wRC+ in just 403 plate appearances. Cronenworth has certainly turned it on of late however, riding a ten-game hitting streak and hitting .464/.516/.786 over the last week. If (looking more like when) the Padres clinch a playoff spot, it will be their third consecutive trip to the postseason, a first in the team’s history. How Cronenworth fits into their postseason lineup remains to be seen, but if he continues on this tear the utility man could play a big role in how far San Diego makes it in October.
Let’s see how the other hitters did on Sunday:
Kyle Schwarber (PHI): 0-1, 2 R, 4 BB.
Kyle Schwarber found an unconventional path to this list, especially for him. While he did not record any hits or drive in any runs, he did set the table for the Phillies 7-2 win over the Mets by walking four times and scoring on two of those. Schwarber has now reached the 100 walk mark in four consecutive seasons.
Rafael Flores Jr. (PIT): 2-3, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB.
Despite missing the playoffs yet again, the Pirates have seen a number of surprise players experience breakout seasons in 2026. The latest is C/1B Rafael Flores Jr., who was the headliner in the David Bednar trade in 2025. Flores has produced several clutch hits for Pittsburgh of late, none more so than his go-ahead two-run HR in the bottom of the eighth on Sunday, giving the Bucs a 4-3 win and series sweep over Kansas City. There will no doubt be a lot of excitement surrounding Flores heading into 2027, as he has hit .286/.354/.556 with ten HRs and a 143 wRC+ in just 133 at-bats this season.
Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC): 3-5, HR, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB.
Just another day at the ballpark for Pete Crow-Armstrong, as he propelled the Cubs to a 9-1 win over the Reds with his 45th HR and 38th stolen base of the season. PCA has certainly cemented himself as the NL MVP, but it is time to start talking about where his 2026 season ranks among the all-time greats.
Mike Yastrzemski (ATL): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI.
Atlanta clinched another NL East crown thanks to a game-winning three-run HR by Mike Yastrzemski in the sixth inning, completing a sweep of the Astros with a 4-2 win. Young Yaz has been a solid depth piece for the Braves, especially over his last 15 games, hitting .273/.333/.523 with three HRs in that span.
CJ Abrams (WAS): 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, SB.
CJ Abrams built on his first career 30/30 season with his 31st HR and 33rd stolen base on Sunday, although the Nationals fell to the Cardinals 5-3. It is setting up to be an interesting offseason for Abrams, who was a hot name at the trade deadline and will surely garner a lot of interest during the Winter Meetings.
Ivan Herrera (STL): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Ivan Herrera ripped a pair of solo shots in the Cardinals win on Sunday, giving the team an early lead in the bottom of the first and tying the game at three in the bottom of the eighth. While his team behind the plate has dwindled in 2026, Herrera has appeared in a career-high 155 games this season, which is the good news. The bad news is that his .247/.358/.388 line and 112 wRC+ have fallen quite a bit short of his .284/.373/.464 line and 137 wRC+ from 2025.
Alan Roden (MIN): 3-5, HR, R, 4 RBI.
My apologies Alan Roden, I was unfamiliar with your game. The 26-year old former Creighton Blue Jay powered the Twins to an 8-0 win over the Angels with his first HR of the season, a three-run shot in the seventh to seal the game. I would love to see the 26-year old Roden get a shot right out of Spring Training for Minnesota next season, as his elite approach at the plate could make him a very interesting sleeper candidate in fantasy in 2027.
Chase Meidroth (CHW): 1-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB.
Chase Meidroth led the White Sox to a crucial 8-1 win over Detroit, hitting his 15th HR and stealing his fourth base of 2026. It has been a solid sophomore season for the fiery 24-year old, as his 112 wRC+ is tied with All-Star Travis Bazzana for fifth among qualified second basemen.
Nolan Arenado (ARI): 1-4, HR, R, 4 RBI.
All of a sudden Nolan Arenado is back to hitting like he plays for Colorado again. The eight-time All-Star crushed a go-ahead Grand Slam in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Diamondbacks took down the Yankees 8-4. The 35-year old Arenado has been on an absolute heater of late, hitting .358/.443/.736 with six HRs over his last 15 games. He is now up to 27 HRs on the season, his most since he finished third in the NL MVP voting in 2022.
