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MLB News & Moments: the Angels find a new owner (finally)

Stan Kroenke now employs Mike Trout, Aaron Donald, and Bukayo Saka

Pablo Figueroa
MLB Morning News 9/2/2026

Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.

In a move that shocked the baseball world earlier on Tuesday, the Angels announced they are being sold to the Kroenke group of sports operations, who also own teams like the NFL’s LA Rams and the Premier League champions Arsenal. Angels fans have hoped for this moment for a long time, with the team going through the worst playoff drought in the sport and with no clear plan in front of them.

Departing owner Arte Moreno bought the team right after their lone World Series title, and while they were competitive through his first decade in charge, the Angels have since turned into one of the most confounding and scandal-ridden franchises in MLB. Moreno’s legacy will likely be tied to the fact that he was not able to build a roster to complement two of the best players in the sport’s history, as it is still shocking to think that Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani were teammates and never played in October together. Last year’s lawsuit following Tyler Skaggs ‘ death as a player for the Angels also shed light on several troubling aspects around the franchise, and could have played a role in Moreno’s final decision to sell the team, which he had been reluctant to do despite constant pressure from the fanbase.

While the consequences of this ownership change are years away from being clear, it should at least provide hope for a franchise that has gotten used to losing on and off the field. In true Angels fashion, they went on to lose 7-3 against the Yankees.

Today’s Headlines

 

Restoring Order

Despite the difference in the standings, Cubs fans started the week wondering if they could make a run at the division, especially as they still had a couple of series against the Brewers. Monday’s massive 17-3 win provided a path, while the hope was certainly amplified when Chicago put up a three-spot to open a nice lead in game two. However, Milwaukee was quick to respond and remind everyone why they remain the best team in baseball. A lone run in the fifth cut the lead to 3-1, while a statement four-run sixth was enough to flip the script, as a Christian Yelich two-run homer against former closer Daniel Palencia gave the Brew Crew a lead they would not waste. The Brewers continued their brand of small ball to score twice in the seventh and twice in the eighth, ending with a comfortable 9-4 win as their bullpen limited the Cubs to one run over the final 4.2 innings. With the win, the distance between these rivals is back at eight games.

Lucky 13

In a season where Dylan Cease and Cam Schlittler have garnered all of the AL Cy Young attention, it is important to give a shout-out to Gavin Williams. He may not have the name recognition or numbers to run for the Cy, but he deserves some praise for his continued efforts in going to extremes. Cleveland’s righty has had seven games allowing at least five runs, but also nine of them with one or zero, while also posting ten double-digit strikeouts. Last night, he was able to combine the latter two in a gem against the Blue Jays, as Williams finished his outing with only an unearned run allowed over seven innings, including a career-high 13 strikeouts. This was too much for a Toronto team running a bullpen game, as Cleveland rode three two-run homers to account for all their scoring in this 6-1 rout. Williams now has 13 wins, while the Blue Jays lost a prime opportunity to make up some ground in the AL wild card race.

Wacky Races

The Pirates are all but out of the playoffs, while the Giants have been seemingly eliminated for months now. Together, they gave us one of 2026’s most chaotic and entertaining games. Despite a presumed pitching duel between Logan Webb and Paul Skenes, both starters continued their inconsistent seasons from the get-go, as Webb allowed two runs in the first, followed by San Francisco putting a five-spot on Skenes in the second. Webb followed with a shutdown, 14-pitch inning, but that would be the end of normalcy in this game. Pittsburgh’s third frame was a true disaster for Webb, as he allowed the first seven Pirates to reach either via single or walk, while the bullpen would not stop the bleeding, ending the frame with a nine-run total. Webb’s final line of nine runs allowed over two innings became the worst of his career, but somehow he avoided taking the loss.

Skenes would later be removed after 4.2 frames having allowed five runs, adding to his woes in 2026. Despite the 11-5 deficit, the Giants persevered and scored two in the sixth and five in the eighth, while a Brandon Lowe solo homer in the seventh would account for all of Pittsburgh’s scoring after their initial outburst. This meant that a crazy 12-12 game was heading into the ninth, where closer Mason Montgomery worked around two hits to preserve the tie. In the bottom of the frame, two Pirates reached via singles, but a grounder with two outs gave the impression that extra innings were in order. Instead, a wild throw from Osleivis Basabe turned into a walk-off error for the Pirates, claiming a 13-12 win that includes all sorts of weird stats. Both teams combined for 35 hits, but only five went for extra bases. Two Pirates had four-hit games (Lowe and Oneil Cruz) while three Giants drew at least two walks. 18 different players scored at least one run, including all starters except for Shay Whitcomb. In the end, in a season that has been full of disappointment for both franchises, something good and entertaining came out of it.

White Hot

Seemingly every week there is some reason to believe the White Sox’s Cinderella run is about to end. Most point to their inexperience and lack of pitching depth, while others could look at their remaining slate and think they could vacate the top of the AL Central. Instead, Chicago has continued to silence all doubters at every step, just as they did last night to even up their series in Houston. Righty Sean Burke, who had not won a game since mid-July, had arguably his best outing of the season, limiting the Astros to four walks and a double through 5.2 scoreless innings, while the offense broke through with a three-run fifth to set the tone. Chicago’s bullpen was also clutch to close the game, as the Astros could only muster three hits in this 5-1 loss, while taking 12 strikeouts. The Sox remain three games clear of the Guardians atop the Central, as their playoff odds keep growing.

Bryce so Nice

For months, it looked like the race for the NL East was no race at all, as Atlanta jumped to a massive lead while its peers hovered around the wild card standings. However, the Phillies continue to do their best and create some chaos at the top, now riding a six-game winning streak following a commanding 7-1 victory over Arizona. Jesús Luzardo vs. Eduardo Rodriguez was an underrated matchup of crafty lefties, but while Rodriguez struggled through several high-traffic frames, Luzardo was in control through most of the contest, earning his 13th win with only one run allowed over 6.2 innings. While the Phillies did not benefit from a homer, they collected 13 hits, including a four-hit game from Bryce Harper, who has posted an impressive bounce-back season and leads the team with a .901 OPS. Philly is now only three games behind Atlanta.

 

By The Numbers

 

13 With an impressive offensive display, the Cardinals scored 13 at Dodger Stadium. It marks the highest-scoring game for St. Louis at that stadium in history, following 337 games including the playoffs. As a visiting team, the Cardinals had not scored that many runs against the Dodgers since 1960, when they scored 15 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

15 The number of players with a homer in their MLB debut in 2026, marking a new record. The previous one was established in 2022, when 13 players did it. With September call-ups and plenty of games to go, this number is almost guaranteed to increase.

13 In a memorable offensive sequence, the Pirates had nine batters reach base consecutively to start the third inning, including a couple of walks and seven hits, all singles. By the end of the third, they had amassed 13 singles, making it the first time in MLB history with a team having that many singles through the first three frames of a game.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

Rise, Lázaro

The Mariners are in a position where a miracle is needed if they want to return for the playoffs, but their fanbase is clinging to the hope that their final 22 games come against some of the worst teams in baseball. Before that, they need to finish a set against the very competent Red Sox, and they aced game two following a crushing loss in the opener. While a key first-inning homer from Dominic Canzone was a nice start and a massive blast from Randy Arozarena in the second was essential, it was the homer in the fifth that was the real memorable moment for Seattle. Already cruising with an 8-1 lead, rookie Lazaro Montes, who had already collected his first career hit earlier, decided to add an exclamation point with his first homer as well. The final 9-2 score showed just how good the M’s can be on any given night, and why their fans are clinging to the last shred of hope. Just like Lazarus, they still have a chance to rise.

A Perfect Throw

Junior Caminero is not known for his defense. In fact, several defensive metrics track him as one of the worst defenders at the hot corner, with most of his value coming from his offensive prowess. For a play, though, Caminero showed that he is at least capable of stellar defense. With New York’s Nick Morabito at the plate, a deep grounder to third looked like a sure infield single, especially as Caminero had to retreat and get the big bounce. Perfect footwork allowed Caminero to pivot and find enough time to get Morabito at first base, completing an all-around spectacular play in Tampa Bay’s 6-2 win over the Mets. This game also included some sweet revenge for Freddy Peralta, who dominated his former team to the tune of one run allowed over six innings.

Morales of the Story

With the Nationals falling out of the playoff race, they have few things left to play for. That is, except for the chance to play spoiler, especially within their division, with an offense that can be explosive and put up a bunch of runs. This was evident in the team’s 9-5 win over Atlanta, as Washington collected 12 hits and seven walks and commanded the game from the get-go. Amid all that offense, the only homer came from an unlikely source, as rookie Yohandy Morales made the most of his MLB debut by hitting a homer in the third, giving him his first career hit, run, RBI, and homer… all in one swing. With his family in attendance and quite excited, Morales would add a couple of extra hits to his ledger, as the Nationals hope that he can become yet another offensive contributor in their exciting future.

 

Injuries and Other Moves

 

⚾ September 1st is always related to expanded MLB rosters, as every team can now carry up to 28 players through the end of the regular season. In a combination of IL returns and minor league promotions, every organization has at least one addition. While it would be lengthy to list them all and their potential impact, MLB Trade Rumors provides an easy guide to all September call-ups so far.

⚾ Veteran umpire Will Little left last night’s game after taking a foul tip to the chin. The injury occurred in the sixth inning of the Seattle-Boston contest, as a Cole Young foul tip ricocheted off the catcher and straight towards Little’s throat guard, which was knocked out. While the ump managed to finish the inning, he was removed from the game as a precautionary measure, with the rest of the crew taking over after the top of the sixth. 

 

Articles You Should Read

 

Tristan Peters Has Gone Bananas— Jay Jaffe, Fangraphs

From High School Musical to the Red Sox — Matt Monagan, MLB.com

 

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Pablo Figueroa

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Pablo Figueroa is a Baseball Writer here at Pitcher List, with experience as a writer since 2013. He lives in Aguascalientes, Mexico - proud home of Los Rieleros. When he´s not thinking about baseball , he's a husband, owns two dogs, watches random episodes of The Sopranos , plays padel, and works on his day job to pay the bills.

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