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Pennant races are a big focus as we enter the final weeks of the regular season. For good reason. But there is something else to be aware of: Which managers are fighting to retain their jobs? I don’t include front-office leaders in that because, frankly, those fates should already be determined even if they aren’t announced yet. Sure, something could change there, but all of the work is basically done for the front office in terms of getting their team to the postseason. But for managers, decisions bad or good in the final three-plus weeks can sway a front office’s or owner’s opinion of their bench boss. Already, there have been three manager firings (Alex Cora, Boston Red Sox; Rob Thomson, Philadelphia Phillies; Carlos Mendoza, New York Mets), while two front offices will be changed this offseason, well, maybe just one. Perry Minasian was fired by the Los Angeles Angels, who are likely to keep John Mozeliak as the front-office chief. The other is the A’s, with David Forst being let go early from his contract. Anyways, how many more managers are on the hot seat?
Today’s Headlines
Rutschman Homers Twice In Camden Return
Adley Rutschman said all the right things pregame during his return to Camden Yards. Then he went out and did things the Baltimore Orioles wished he had done more often before they traded him away to the Boston Red Sox. Rutschman hit two solo homers and scored three times in the Red Sox’s 6-5 victory over the Orioles. Nick Sogard and Roman Anthony also went deep for the Red Sox, with Anthony’s solo homer in the ninth proving very valuable. That is because the Orioles got a one-out, two-run homer from Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the bottom of the ninth off left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman, who then retired the next two hitters for his 31st save. After the Camden Yards faithful gave him a standing ovation as he stepped to the plate with two outs in the top of the first inning, Rutschman wasted no time in showing the Orioles what they are missing but launching a 1-1 pitch over the right-field wall for his 10th homer of the season. While back-to-back fourth-inning homers by newcomer Luis Robert Jr., in his second game since being claimed off waivers, and Pete Alonso put the Orioles up 3-1, Rutschman’s second blast of the game pulled the Red Sox within 3-2 in the sixth. Isiah Kiner-Falefa tied it in the seventh with an RBI single, then Sogard belted his fourth homer of the year, with Rutschman onboard, for a 5-3 Red Sox lead in the eighth. The Red Sox hold the No. 2 AL wild card, four games behind the New York Yankees, the wild-card leader, and 5½ ahead of the No. 3 Cleveland Guardians.
Adley Rutschman is the 2nd player since at least 1900 to change teams and homer multiple times in his first game against the former team in the same season, joining: Willis Otanez July 8, 1999, also against the O's (playing for the Blue Jays)h/t @EliasSports
— Sarah Langs (@slangsonsports.bsky.social) 2026-09-04T00:57:56.737Z
Gausman Shuts Down Crew, Salvages Split For Cubs
Much like the postseason, September is all about pitching and homers. Thankfully for the Chicago Cubs, they got exactly what they needed in the series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers. Right-hander Kevin Gausman struck out nine over seven innings and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a two-run homer as the Cubs won 2-1, earning a split of a four-game series with the MLB-leading Brewers. While the end result keeps the second-place Cubs at eight games behind the Brewers in the NL Central, the Cubs pulled within a half-game of the Philadelphia Phillies, who lead the NL wild-card chase. Gausman limited the Brewers to five hits and the one run, a solo homer by Andrew Vaughn in the fourth, then the rocky Cubs bullpen didn’t allow a hit in the eighth or ninth. Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson was as impressive, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out seven over seven innings. The only runs he allowed came in the third inning when Crow-Armstrong went down and got a 2-1 changeup and launched it for his 39th homer.
Astros Continue To Creep Up On White Sox
In what could very well be an AL playoff preview, the Houston Astros continued their push for a first-round bye. Right-handed starter Hunter Brown struck out seven over six innings and Jose Altuve homered as the Astros toppled the Chicago White Sox 6-2. The win, the third in this four-game series, pulled the AL West-leading Astros within a 1½ games of the White Sox in the battle for the AL’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye, while remaining two games up on the second-place Texas Rangers in the division. Daulton Varsho had a two-run triple for the Astros, who wrapped up the first of four straight series against teams currently in postseason position and five of their next six.
Jays Topple Guardians To Earn Tiebreaker
Tiebreakers are almost certainly to come into play when sorting out the crazy AL playoff field. So that is why the Toronto Blue Jays‘ 6-3 triumph over the Cleveland Guardians had double the impact of a normal victory. The Jays not only pulled even with the Rangers, a half-game behind the Guardians, who hold the final AL wild-card spot, but Toronto also won the season series over Cleveland 4-2, ensuring it holds the tiebreaker if it comes down to that. Nathan Lukes had a two-run double with the bases loaded in a four-run fifth inning and Brett Bateman had three hits for the Jays, who handed Guardians right-handed starter Tanner Bibee his MLB-worst 15th loss.
Dodgers Rescue Skubal With Walk-Off Win
Everyone not associated with the Los Angeles Dodgers keeps relishing every little crack in the armor of the two-time defending World Series champion. And then games like this happen. With prized acquisition Tarik Skubal matching his career worst by allowing 10 hits, he still battled and set the stage for Teoscar Hernández’s two-run walk-off double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Skubal walked one and struck out six while allowing both Cardinals runs in 5⅔ innings. But while giving up 10 hits, none of them were for extra bases, helping Skubal limit the damage to single runs in the first and third innings. L.A.’s bullpen allowed just two hits the rest of the way. The Dodgers, meanwhile, had just six hits, four by Tommy Edman, who hit leadoff as Shohei Ohtani was given the night off. The other two came from Hernandez, including the walk-off against Cardinals right-handed closer Riley O’Brien.
By The Numbers
20-20 Seattle Mariners superstar center fielder Julio Rodríguez swiped his 20th base in a 7-4 loss to the A’s. Combined with his 20 homers, J-Rod has now gone 20-20 in his first five seasons, the first player in MLB history to do so.
440 Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen hit a 440-foot homer while missing a cycle by only a single in a 7-3 victory over the Miami Marlins.
Best Moments From Yesterday
We’re Trying To Play Here!
There was an air show going on in Cleveland and planes flew right over Progressive Field, disrupting the Blue Jays-Guardians game.
RT @JomboyMedia: An air show flew over Progressive Field so loud everybody had to stop
— Talkin' Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-09-03T20:08:09.000Z
Hockey Or Soccer?
With the MLB season winding down for most teams, could some player be auditioning for a second sport?
Kick save and a beauty by Brandon Young
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ A slumping and banged-up Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was given the night off, a day after going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.
⚾ Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm settled his lawsuit over financial mismanagement against his parents.
Articles You Should Read
10 pressing questions about the shocking $4 billion Angels sale — Sam Blum, The Athletic
Cease’s durability continues to define his dominant year — Keegan Matheson, MLB.com
Ohtani isn’t healthy. How long do Dodgers let him play through that? — Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
