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Three weeks. That’s it. Only 21 calendar days remain in the MLB regular season to decide the 12 playoff teams. Aside from the final game of the Atlanta-Philadelphia Phillies series, the most impactful series to begin this week is the Milwaukee Brewers hosting the Chicago Cubs. Barring a complete collapse, the Brewers will win their fourth straight NL Central championship. But the Cubs are playing for a better seed in the NL wild-card race. The Cubs have a half-game lead over the Phillies for the No. 1 wild card, with the Arizona Diamondbacks another 4½ games back. The San Diego Padres are a half-game behind the D’backs, currently on the outside looking in. But the Brewers do have something to play for, too. The Crew are 1½ games up on the Los Angeles Dodgers and 2½ on Atlanta for the best record in MLB. Only two of those teams will get a first-round postseason bye.
Today’s Headlines
Take A Bow: Acuna HR Helps Subdue Phillies
Atlanta superstar right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. feels right at home playing the bad guy. And when he comes through in enemy territory, he relishes those moments. Acuna hit an eight-inning three-run homer that tied the game and Austin Riley had a one-out triple in the top of the ninth that drove in the go-ahead run in Atlanta’s 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. In a battle of the top two teams in the NL East, Atlanta has won two out of three in the wraparound four-game series that concludes today. Atlanta is now up five games on the Phillies in the East with the two teams meeting at Truist Field for another three games this coming weekend in their final matchup of the season. The Phillies, meanwhile, flip-flopped with the Chicago Cubs as the two teams battle for the top NL wild-card spot, with Philadelphia now a half-game back. MLB home run leader Kyle Schwarber cranked his 42nd homer for the Phillies, a solo shot in the seventh inning that put Philadelphia up 4-1. Acuna, who had four RBIs, responded with a huge three-run shot to left-center, his 16th of the season, resulting in a chorus of boos from Phillies fans. To honor that reaction, Acuna gave himself a curtain call. It was also the 1,000th hit of Acuna’s career. Ozzie Albies led off the Atlanta ninth with a double and Riley tripled just over the head of Phillies right fielder Derek Hill.
Weekend Of Walk-Offs: Guardians Get Third Against Tigers
One walk-off win in a series is terrific. Two is tremendous. But three? Just ask the Cleveland Guardians how it feels. Thanks to Daniel Schneemann’s 10th-inning single, the Guardians walked off the Detroit Tigers for the third time in this four-game series, this one a 3-2 win. The second-place Guardians stayed 2½ games behind the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox, while taking a one-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays for the third and final AL wild-card spot and staying two games ahead of the Texas Rangers. The Guardians last had three walk-offs in a series in 2013. Guardians right-handed starter Gavin Williams struck out 11, allowing two runs over six innings. His 11th game of double-digit strikeouts is the best in MLB, breaking a tie with Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.
Facing Cole, Padres Go Back-To-Back-To-Back To Begin Game
The San Diego Padres have faced their share of aces this season, but have had a tendency to get shut down. Not this time. Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado opened the bottom of the first with consecutive homers off ace right-hander Gerrit Cole in the Padres’ 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees. The Padres remained a half-game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final NL wild-card spot, while the Yankees remained four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East while seeing their lead over the Boston Red Sox for the top AL wild-card berth trimmed to 2½ games. Padres right-hander Michael King, a former Yankee, tossed six shutout innings, while Luis Campusano had his second homer of the season and threw out his fourth base-stealer of the weekend. It was the second time in Padres history that they had three straight homers to begin a game. Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn and John Kruk did it April 13, 1987, in the Padres’ home opener against the San Francisco Giants. Cole had this happen to him one other time, June 9, 2022, vs. the Minnesota Twins. It was the 12th time in MLB history that it was done.
Chapman Notches 400th Save In Red Sox’s Sweep Of Orioles
Yes, Aroldis Chapman has done some unforgivable things off the field. But on it, he has been one of the best closers in MLB history, including having two of his best seasons the last two years with the Boston Red Sox. The Orioles, who flirted with postseason thoughts a week ago, have lost six straight. Chapman reached another milestone as the Red Sox completed a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 3-1 victory, securing his 400th career save. The 38-year-old Chapman is the ninth player in MLB history to reach that mark, getting his 33rd save this year. Red Sox rookie left-hander Payton Tolle struck out 12 over six innings, allowing a run. Eli White accounted for the Red Sox’s offense, belting a three-run homer in the top of the second inning.
Ohtani Set To Return Today, Unlikely To Pitch Again In 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is expected to return to the lineup today after not starting the last four games. Ohtani has been dealing with soreness in his left knee all season and right biceps since the All-Star break. However, don’t expect the two-way player to be taking the mound again this year. Manager Dave Roberts is hoping to pencil his left-handed slugger back in the leadoff spot for today’s game against the Cincinnati Reds for the first time since Wednesday’s four-strikeout game. When asked about Ohtani’s chances of returning to the Dodgers’ rotation, Roberts said, “If you’re looking at the calendar, how much he’s thrown in the last week, I think we can all do the math.”
Umpire Admonished By MLB Over Tilted Hat
Umpire Doug Eddings was told that he acted inappropriately by MLB after asking that St. Louis Cardinals right-handed reliever Hancel Rincon, making his MLB debut against the Colorado Rockies, straighten his hat in the middle of an at-bat Friday, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Eddings, the crew chief, appeared to apologize to Rincon as Cardinals relievers went to the bullpen in the middle of the first inning Saturday. Eddings told two reporters after Friday’s game that a Rockies player had complained, with Hunter Goodman’s name somehow attached to the complaint. Goodman denied making any such statement and Rosenthal reported that no Rockies player complained. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol was ejected following the incident. Rincon on Sunday was optioned to Triple-A.
By The Numbers
7 Pittsburgh Pirates ace right-hander Paul Skenes ended his seven-start winless streak with 5â…“ scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Skenes struck out two, allowing four hits and two walks.
4 The Texas Rangers, who got two homers from Jake Burger, erased two four-run deficits to pull out an 8-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
40 Chicago Cubs star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his 40th homer of the season in a 10-3 loss to the Miami Marlins.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Between-Pitch Workout
There is always time for a pushup. Just ask Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle.
Payton Tolle is the gift that keeps on giving ðŸ˜
For The Birds
Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz can do a lot of things on the diamond. You can add bird wrangler to that list.
The Reds' game was paused for a moment when a bird had trouble leaving the field until Elly De La Cruz came to the rescue
— Casey Drottar (@caseydrottar.bsky.social) 2026-09-06T17:11:51.763Z
Fountain Robbery
Sure, it was on a hop, but this Royals fan got a souvenir before it got wet.
Salvador Perez hits a home run and a fan grabs the ball before it gets into the fountain
Showing Hope
Teams around MLB turned the spotlight on the fight against childhood cancer, with various forms of celebrating the youngsters going through tough times.
Injuries and Other Moves
âš¾ All-Star Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela was put on the 10-day injured list with a strained right quadriceps.
âš¾ The Mariners promoted their top hitting prospect, outfielder-second baseman Michael Arroyo, from Triple-A to make his MLB debut.
âš¾ The Cardinals called up left-handed reliever Cooper Hjerpe up from Triple-A to make his MLB debut.
⚾ Orioles outfielder Luis Robert Jr. was placed on the 10-day IL with left hamstring discomfort.
âš¾ D’backs shortstop Geraldo Perdomo left the game in the third inning after being drilled in the head by a line drive off the bat of Ketel Marte. Perdomo was diagnosed with a head contusion.
âš¾ Outfielder Max Kepler, who began the season serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, was designated for assignment by the D’backs.
âš¾ Joe Morgan, who took over the 1988 Red Sox midseason and led them to the playoffs, died Saturday at age 95. Morgan managed the Red Sox for all or parts of four seasons, becoming the first skipper in team history two earn to trips to the postseason (1988, 1990).
Articles You Should Read
Before Walter’s companies faced inquiries, he kept low profile and built loyalty — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times
Nobody has hit more HRs in an MiLB season this century than Brewers’ Fischer — Brendan Samson, MLB.com
Tyler Kinley is one of the best Tigers pickups you might not know about — Chris McCosky, Detroit News
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