Love Sosa
Edmundo Sosa (PHI): 3-5, 3 HR, 3 R, 5 RBI.
It was a night of breaking records for the Philadelphia Phillies in their 11-1 victory over the Marlins on Wednesday, lead by a three-HR game from an unlikely source, Edmundo Sosa. The 29-year old utility man, who came into the game with just seven HRs on the season, became the first Phillies shortstop to ever hit three HRs in a game, and yes that includes the likes of Jimmy Rollins and Trea Turner. Philadelphia as a team set a single-game record with eight HRs as they clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs. Wednesday was actually Sosa’s first game since September 12th, as he was placed on the Injured List with a right groin strain, and he returned to the lineup in the strongest of fashions. After the game Sosa said, “I’m a firm believer that if you work hard, if you do things the right way, if your heart’s in a great place, and if you play with 100 percent of your effort, great things are bound to happen to you.” You have to Love Sosa for that.
Let’s see how the other hitters did on Wednesday:
James Wood (WAS): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
James Wood continued his outstanding 2025 season by reaching the 30 HR milestone with two blasts to lead Washington to a 4-3 win over the Braves on Wednesday. He joined some elite company by becoming the third Nationals player to hit 30 home runs in their age 22 season or younger, matching the likes of Bryce Harper and Juan Soto.
Brandon Lowe (TB): 2-5, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI.
The Rays scored a run in each of the first three innings against Baltimore starter Tyler Wells, including a solo HR by Brandon Lowe in the third, on their way to a 6-2 win. The HR was Lowe’s 31st of the season, his most since his breakout 2021 campaign when he hit 39.
Tyler Stephenson (CIN): 4-5, HR, 2B, R, RBI.
Tyler Stephenson stepped up big time for the playoff-hopeful Cincinnati Reds with four hits, including a game-tying solo HR in the ninth inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Pirates escaped with a 4-3 victory in 11 innings. Stephenson has 13 HRs now in just 292 at-bats this season and he could be an interesting buy-low candidate in fantasy drafts next season if you think he can sustain that power over a full season’s worth of at-bats.
Kyle Schwarber (PHI): 4-5, 2 HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Kyle Schwarber blaster home runs 55 and 56 in the Phillies’ rout of Miami and he is closing in on Ryan Howard’s single-season team record of 58 homers. He is hitting .281/.406/.702 with seven blasts in his last 15 games, but the question will be how much game action will he see over the last four games with Philadelphia having clinched a first-round bye.
Aaron Judge (NYY): 3-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB.
Aaron Judge joined Schwarber on the 50 HR plateau with his 50th and 51st in the Yankees’ 8-1 win over the White Sox. Judge is certainly having another MVP caliber season (.328/.455/.681), but he has a very worthy adversary in Cal Raleigh, who we will hear from later.
Masataka Yoshida (BOS): 2-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI.
The Boston Red Sox are on the verge of clinching a postseason birth thanks to a dominant start from Garrett Crochet and a big day at the plate from Masataka Yoshida. The 32-year old former Japanese star hit the third HR of his injury shortened season in the fifth inning after ripping an RBI double in Boston’s three-run first.
Michael Busch (CHC): 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
The Chicago Cubs snapped a five-game losing streak with a huge 10-3 win over the Mets to extend their lead over the Padres to 2.5 games for home-field advantage in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Michael Busch continued his incredible 2025 season out of the leadoff spot with his 31st HR coming off New York lefty Sean Manaea.
Matt Shaw (CHC): 3-4, HR, 3 R, RBI, SB.
Former top prospect Matt Shaw did it all for the Cubs in the win over the Mets, hitting his 13th HR and stealing his 17th base at the Major League level. Shaw has turned it on over his last seven games, hitting .320/.393/.640, and he now has 19 HRs and 22 stolen bases between the Majors and AAA this season.
Corbin Carroll (ARI): 2-3, 2B, R, RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB.
Corbin Carroll isn’t getting enough credit right now for the season he is having, as he went two for three with his 32nd double and stole his 31st and 32nd bases in the Diamondbacks loss to the Dodgers. Carroll is one of only two players in MLB history to record 30+ HRs, 30+ SBs, 30+ doubles and 15+ triples, along with Jimmy Rollins in his 2007 NL MVP season and Carroll is doing it at the age of 24.
Cal Raleigh (SEA): 3-5, 2 HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI.
Seeing Aaron Judge hit two HRs on Wednesday, Cal Raleigh said I can do even better, hitting his 59th and 60th HRs while adding a two-run double to give Seattle a 9-2 win over Colorado and their first AL West division title since 2001. You can make a very compelling case for both players, but in my opinion what Big Dumper has done this season, not just his play on the field but what he has meant to the Mariners and the game of baseball, he is deserving of the 2025 AL MVP award.
Julio Rodríguez (SEA): 2-4, HR, R, RBI, BB.
Julio Rodríguez went back-to-back with Raleigh in the first inning of Seattle’s win, hitting his 32nd HR of the season and 18th since the All Star Break.
Shea Langeliers (ATH): 4-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI.
The Athletics helped Seattle clinch the AL West by taking down the Astros 6-0, thanks to a huge game from Shea Langeliers. Outside of Cal Raleigh, there may be no more impressive hitting catcher in baseball as the 27-year old raised his line to .266/.316/.527 with 31 HRs.
Tyler Soderstrom (ATH): 2-4, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI.
Tyler Soderstrom continued his fine 2025 season as well, hitting an RBI double in the bottom of the third and cementing the win by going back-to-back with Langeliers in the seventh inning for his 25th HR of the season.
