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The second-to-last Saturday of the regular season has come and gone. Thankfully, it more than lived up to the billing. Atop it were the Cleveland Guardians, who’ve seemingly come back from the dead like Michael Myers. Once 64-66, the Guardians are now 84-71 after sweeping a doubleheader. They’re amazingly one game back of the once mighty Detroit Tigers and in a playoff spot for the first time in two months. Other playoff ramifications aside, Saturday also had its fair share of history-making moments. We’ll get to those later.
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Today’s Headlines
Cleveland’s Climbing Back
The Cleveland Guardians are rolling. With two wins against the Minnesota Twins yesterday — the first a 6-0 victory, the second an 8-0 clobbering — the Guardians are just one game back of the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. If that sounds impossible, it’s because it was once deemed so. After being 12.5 games behind Detroit on August 25, Cleveland has gone 20-5 over its last 25 and won 10 straight. They are a runaway train with a whistle like a banshee’s scream. Detroit, on the other hand, has gone 8-17 in that span and has lost five in a row. They are falling apart, and suddenly fighting for their playoff lives.
If that weren’t enough intrigue, the two will start a three-game series on Tuesday in Cleveland. What might happen then is anyone’s guess. But what matters today is that Cleveland is in control of a playoff spot for the first time since June 22.
Seattle Stays Ahead
The Houston Astros needed a win to keep even with the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. Sadly, Seattle had other ideas, winning 6-4. The M’s opened the affair with three runs through three innings. The last came via a Cal Raleigh solo shot, whose 57 home runs are now the most ever by a Mariner in a single season.
The Astros didn’t match Seattle in the first three innings or at all against Seattle pitcher George Kirby. Kirby confined the ‘Stros to just three hits after the first and kept them quiet. Reliever Emilio Vargas cannot say the same, surrendering a grand slam to make it a contest late. Closer Andrés Muñoz flirted with danger before getting some unreal defensive help from right fielder Victor Robles. With the win, Seattle is now two games up in the AL West while the Astros are out of the playoffs thanks to Cleveland.
Reds Rally
Though time is running out, the Cincinnati Reds are still fighting. Evidence of this came during last night’s 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. Cincy found itself trailing early, losing 1-0 following a towering solo shot from Cubs first baseman Michael Busch. Cincy responded in the same inning and found themselves tied 2-2 following the top of the fifth. First baseman Spencer Steer broke the stalemate with a solo homer not long after, and outfielder TJ Friedl followed suit in the seventh to double the Reds’ lead. Catcher Tyler Stephenson sauced a two-run bomb just for good measure. With the win, the Reds are now one game behind the New York Mets in the NL wild card race.
Arizona’s Still Alive
Don’t count out the Arizona Diamondbacks just yet. Behind a vintage Zac Gallen, the D-Backs handled the Phillies 4-3 last night. Though Gallen is the true star of the win, allowing just three runs over seven innings and striking out nine, Arizona first baseman Ildemaro Vargas vaulted them ahead late. Tied 3-3, Vargas blooped an RBI single to score catcher James McCann for the go-ahead run. The 78-77 Diamondbacks are just one game behind the Reds, and two behind the Mets for the final wild card.
The Giants Gaff
Losers of three straight with a 7-5 loss yesterday, the San Francisco Giants are slipping at the worst possible time. What’s worse is that yesterday provided a potential foothold. Ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 early, San Fran squandered the lead, and, in time, the game. Tommy Edman, Shohei Ohtani, and Teoscar Hernández put the game away, with the first two blasting solo shots and the third squeaking out an RBI single for LA’s seventh run. It’s a brutal loss that slides San Francisco four games back in the wildcard race with seven to go.
Story’s the Streetwise Hercules
The Boston Red Sox, like Bonnie Tyler, were in search of a hero — one strong and fast, and fresh from a fight. Shortstop Trevor Story was that man, singling home teammate Ceddanne Rafaela for the go-ahead run. Playing sidekick to Story were slugger Masataka Yoshida and closer Aroldis Chapman. The former singled home Alex Bregman to make it 5-3, while the latter sealed what became a 6-3 win. Boston will hold out for more nights like these if they’re to secure a playoff spot.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Hey, Victor
Here’s that game-saving and winning web gem from Victor Robles. Goodness gracious.
VICTOR ROBLES GAME-SAVING CATCH TO END IT
(via @Mariners)pic.twitter.com/F0WrhXr3ts
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 21, 2025
J-Ram Regales
How’re the Guardians surging? Well, it helps when José Ramírez becomes one of four players with 30/40 multiple seasons.
José Ramírez smacks his 30th homer of the season!
The @CleGuardians lead early 👀 pic.twitter.com/7HUcbkyKQq
— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025
Lile Runs 4 Miles
Now that’s a game-winning hit.
DAYLEN LILE, INSIDE-THE-PARK HOMER IN EXTRAS 🤯 pic.twitter.com/QUmqYNemFQ
— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025
450 Stantonian Blasts
Forty-one players in MLB history recorded 450 homers. And now Giancarlo Stanton is one of them.
Giancarlo Stanton swats career home run No. 450 and gives the @Yankees an early lead 👏 pic.twitter.com/KdIGtLSzxi
— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025
Trout Too
Mike Trout wanted in on the history-making day, launching the 400th homer of his career yesterday in Coors.
BREAKING: MIKE TROUT HITS CAREER HOME RUN NO. 400 ‼️ pic.twitter.com/2sn9SjtPFr
— MLB (@MLB) September 21, 2025
No Trouble for Tauchman
There’s the can-do attitude we know and love about the 2025 Chicago White Sox.
Mike Tauchman leaps into the net to make an outrageous play 😮 pic.twitter.com/YfLmVwcLmP
— MLB (@MLB) September 21, 2025
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ And the hits keep coming to the Los Angeles Dodgers and catcher Will Smith. Manager Dave Roberts announced that the All-Star is suffering from a hairline fracture in his injured hand. The injury definitely ends Smith’s regular season, but more crucially, Roberts says Smith’s availability for the start of the playoffs is “up in the air.” With Smith in the midst of a career year offensively, his absence would be sorely felt.
⚾ The Seattle Mariners are Lady Luck’s good side for a change. Star pitcher Bryan Woo is okay following further examination and is day-to-day with minor inflammation in his right pectoral. So, crisis averted after all.
⚾ The Minnesota Twins will limp toward the finish line without starter Pablo López. The veteran will end his season on the 15-day IL due to a right forearm strain. With him out, the Twins will turn to Mick Abel.
⚾ Good news, Boston. Outfielder Wilyer Abreu is back and expected to take to the field on Sunday. Abreu, who’s missed almost a whole month, could provide a much-needed boost to a muted Boston offense.
⚾Low back inflammation is sending Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt to the 15-day IL. The injury, which is retroactive to September 19, would prohibit Bassitt from appearing in the Wild Card should the Blue Jays slip out of a bye. Regardless, Toronto will turn to Mason Fluharty in the meantime.
⚾The can’t-stop-winning Cleveland Guardians will be without outfielder Nolan Jones for the final week of the season. A right oblique strain will sideline the 27-year-old and lead to the promotion of outfielder Petey Halpin.
⚾ It was a busy Saturday in Sacramento. The A’s, as expected, placed third baseman Zack Gelof on the IL after dislocating his shoulder on Friday. Not as expected is that Gelof will be joined on the IL by pitcher Sean Newcomb, who’s dealing with AthleticsPR/status/1969481228165243227″>left elbow inflammation. To compensate for the losses, righty Scott McGough is up from Triple-A, and infielder Max Muncy was activated from the IL.
⚾ The Milwaukee Brewers DFA’d reliever Joel Payamps on Saturday. Payamps, once a dependable arm, hasn’t produced this season. In 28 games, he touts a 7.23 ERA and 1.606 WHIP. Southpaw Bruce Zimmermann will replace Payamps on the 28-man and 40-man roster.
⚾ Following a DFA from the New York Mets, right-handed pitcher Dom Hamel is bouncing to Baltimore. A former 2021 third-rounder, Hamel never found his step in the Bigs. He and the Orioles hope that’ll change as he trades the blue-and-orange for the black-and-orange. In other Mets news, reliever Richard Lovelady is back, while Wander Suero was DFA’d.
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