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In the words of one Stephen Strange, Marvel’s cloak-wearing mage, “We’re in the endgame now.” There is but one week left of the MLB regular season. Seven more days where any team can do anything on any given night. Past that, the pool will be down to 12. But who might comprise that pool? Who will feature in October’s 14,000,605 alternate futures and permutations? Well, that’s what the last week of the season is for. To find out.
Today’s Headlines
Texas Tops Toronto
After a Friday loss to the Texas Rangers, the view only darkened for the Toronto Blue Jays. Saturday brought about a chance for some light. No such thing was found in a sleepy 6-2 defeat. There was only an infinite black. Toronto’s offense didn’t manage a hit until the sixth. And once it came, the pitching that somewhat kept them in the game slipped into the blind abyss. Texas scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to transform a manageable 3-1 game into a 6-1 struggle. Predictably, Toronto’s offense disappeared afterward. Davis Schneider slugged a solo homer, but otherwise, its eyes were shut. Texas is now in sole possession of first in the AL West. Toronto is three games back of the Chicago White Sox.
Chicago’s Keeping Pace
The Chicago White Sox aren’t going down without a fight. The club won yesterday 3-1 over the Detroit Tigers to keep their playoff hopes afloat. Their prizefighter in the matinee was third baseman Miguel Vargas. The 26-year-old operated on both ends. He delivered a defensive jab first, spearing a ball to stop a potential Detroit rally. The knockout punch then came at the dish, with Vargas belting his 33rd home run of the season to put the game away. With the win, they’re two games ahead of the Houston Astros for the third and final wild card spot. Keep punching.
Cleveland’s Closing In
The bad news for Chicago: Cleveland isn’t slowing down. Nor are they wasting time. The team opened its 12-6 victory over the Athletics with a five-run first and a five-run third. It was all gas early. DH Chase DeLauter opened the scoring with a three-run bomb to put them ahead. From there, it was all padding. Angel Martínez went deep himself two batters later and again in the fourth. He’d finish with 11 total bases and a triple shy of the cycle. Cleveland’s close. Real close. They need just five more wins to clinch a playoff spot.
With A Kiss, Baltimore Nears Death
Unrequited love is perhaps the most painful kind. It perpetrates a kind of longing and yearning all for naught. Just ask Baltimore Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers. He knows all about it after Baltimore’s 1-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Rogers tried to be Romeo: Eight innings pitched, three hits and one run allowed, 10 strikeouts. He was a knife to Milwaukee’s heart, save for a fielder’s choice in the first that plated a run. And yet that was enough to lose. Baltimore’s offense did nothing against an impressive Robert Gasser, notching just four hits and coming up empty. It was curtains, no matter what Rogers did to change the game’s heart.
It was a poisonous afternoon on the whole. Due to the loss, Baltimore is now last in the AL East. Worse, they’re four games out of the final wild card spot with a week to go.
Atlanta Eviscerates Houston
In Houston’s 6-3 loss to Atlanta, one moment sticks out. It’s the top of the seventh. Houston led 2-1, barely by a tether. Atlanta’s walked the bases loaded, forcing Houston to call on reliever Bryan Abreu. Across from him is Atlanta’s star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. The second pitch of the at-bat swirled toward the strike zone and exactly where Acuña wanted it. He swung and catapulted the ball 411 feet for a go-ahead, game-sealing grand slam. For Atlanta, it’s a feather in the cap. For Houston, every win counts, either for the West or the wild card. Losing one that was earlier in grasp is a thousand-pound slap to the side.
Salas Steals It
Some 20-year-olds are in college. Others are in the workforce. San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas is playing professional baseball and walking off the Miami Marlins 7-6. More impressive than the sheer feat is the situation. Salas entered as a pinch-hitter, no less, in the bottom of the 10th with runners on the corners. He could’ve just as easily hit an inning-ending double play as he did the walk-off single. Instead, Salas kept it simple with a soft dribbler that split the second baseman and shortstop. Three more wins, in whatever fashion, will clinch the Padres a wildcard spot.
Palacios Plops One Down
A dab’ll do you. Or in the case of the Tampa Bay Rays, a bloop will do best. Tied 1-1 with the Boston Red Sox and with two on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Tampa outfielder Richie Palacios shoved a ball into the air. It hovered and turned over, drawing the attention of two defenders. Neither, however, was close enough. The ball plopped down for a weird 2-1 walk-off win. Tampa’s all but captured the AL East crown, ahead of the New York Yankees by five games.
By The Numbers
⚾ 1,293. After last night’s win, the Los Angeles Dodgers have now won more regular-season games against the San Francisco Giants than they’ve lost, leading 1,293 to San Francisco’s 1,292.
⚾ 472. Cal Raleigh rocketed a 472-foot homer yesterday, the longest of his career.
⚾ 200. Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers became the first Angels pitcher to reach 200 strikeouts in a season since Shohei Ohtani in 2022. His 3.47 ERA this season is a new career-best.
⚾ 156. The New York Mets have a new rookie hits leader: Carson Benge. The outfielder hit a dribbler down the line to break Pete Alonso’s then-franchise record of 155 hits. One hundred and thirty-nine of these hits have come since May 1.
⚾ 11. The bright side in Boston’s loss? Pitcher Brayan Bello matched a career-high with 11 strikeouts. He’s got a 2.98 ERA and 55 strikeouts over his last 15 appearances.
⚾ 4. Despite a walk-off win, the Arizona Diamondbacks remain four games back of the final NL wild-card spot.
⚾ 1.94. New York Yankees stud Cam Schlittler’s ERA, with maybe one start left, is 1.94. He can start typing his Cy Young speech.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Fifteen Flies Forever
Hall of Famer Carlos Beltrán‘s banner year ends in Queens.
"I will always be proud to say I was, and I will always be, a New York Met."
Carlos Beltrán was inducted into the @Mets Hall of Fame and had his No. 15 retired by the team 💙🧡 pic.twitter.com/XSq8hsRr4w
— MLB (@MLB) September 19, 2026
Helton Skelton
There’s something about September and enshrinements, apparently.
The @Rockies unveiled their statue of Todd Helton outside of Coors Field 💜 pic.twitter.com/hhWUsvxaoc
— MLB (@MLB) September 19, 2026
Trey’s On His Way
Trey Mancini signed his one-day contract and is now set to walk off into the sunset.
"Getting to play in Baltimore was a dream come true for me and is something I never took for granted."
Today, #Birdland welcomes back Trey Mancini as he retires an Oriole 🧡 pic.twitter.com/FhW2i0HMe6
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 19, 2026
D-Backs Dance Again
The Arizona Diamondbacks brought back their 2001 World Series-winning team while hosting the, you guessed it, New York Yankees. Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words… pic.twitter.com/pSR2Fd2ocx
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) September 20, 2026
Simons Says
…Hit a dinger.
Ronny Simon's first Major League home run! pic.twitter.com/ZXyOeJGoGC
— MLB (@MLB) September 19, 2026
HIKE!
If Steelers center Zach Frazier goes down, Pittsburgh has an in-city replacement.
Ryan O'Hearn makes the play BETWEEN HIS LEGS 😱 pic.twitter.com/g2qHjV2kZt
— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2026
Let’s A-Go
Never did anyone think they’d see Wyatt Langford jump Alejandro Kirk like Mario does a pipe.
Wyatt Langford JUMPS OVER THE CATCHER AND SCORES 😮 pic.twitter.com/mMYkpcRmzg
— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2026
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ The Houston Astros have commenced Operation Barrosa. The team DFA’d infielder Jorge Barrosa while activating utility man Brice Matthews. Barrosa appeared in just four games for the Astros, hitting .143.
⚾ It’s a busy day in Baltimore’s arm barn. The team reinstated former All-Star Félix Bautista from the 60-day IL and shut down injured reliever Ryan Helsley. Likewise, they’ve optioned left-hander Cade Povich to Triple-A to add Bautista back to the Bigs. Not done there, the Orioles shifted outfielder Tyler O’Neill to the 60-day IL, reinstated outfielder Christian Franklin from the IL, and optioned outfielder Heston Kjerstad.
⚾ Rocky Mountain changes. The Colorado Rockies DFA’d infielder Vimael Machín in order to reinstate veteran starter Jose Quintana from the 60-day IL.
⚾ After a blow-up appearance last night, the Philadelphia Phillies demoted reliever Orion Kerkering to Triple-A. He has an 8.10 ERA in 22 games since the All-Star break.
Articles You Should Read
Each contender’s top player seeking 1st World Series ring — Manny Randhawa, MLB.com
‘Good chance’ Ohtani will be activated for next series — Sonja Chen, MLB.com
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