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There are days I ask myself, while writing the MLB News & Moments article, What should the lead story be? Sometimes it’s obvious, and other times there are more than a few worthy leads, as is the case with today’s piece. Do I begin with Paul Skenes’s dominant performance against the defending World Series champs? A performance that should all but cement his first Cy Young Award? Or, do I lead with Thursday’s rubber game between the two best teams in the National League, or, perhaps, begin with Tampa Bay winning their seventh straight contest to pull within two games of an AL wild card spot? Oh, the possibilities. As I’m writing this now, I still don’t know. I’m thinking a coin flip should decide it. Let’s see what happens.
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Today’s Headlines
Suárez and Phils Get the Best of Peralta’s Brewers
We’re beginning with the best squads in the NL. Entering Thursday, the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies had split their first two contests at American Family Field, while scoring a combined 27 runs. The Brew Crew led by 5.5 games over Philly for the top overall seed in not only the National League, but all of baseball. This felt like a must-win for the Phillies if they had any hopes of catching Milwaukee with just under one month to go in the regular season.
Unlike the previous two contests, this one was the very definition of a low-scoring affair. Freddy Peralta, the reigning National League Pitcher of the Month, took the ball for the first time in September with hopes of potentially making a run at Skenes for the NL Cy Young Award. On the other side was Phillies SP Ranger Suárez, who, despite giving up 10 knocks over five innings in his last outing versus Atlanta, had pitched great over his previous two starts.
Neither starter disappointed on Thursday. Peralta allowed two hits and struck out eight over five scoreless frames. Unfortunately for the Brewers right-hander, he didn’t factor in the decision and was unable to increase his NL-best wins total to 17. Instead, it was Suárez who claimed the win after tossing six shutout innings. The Phillies’ southpaw left in a scoreless tie, but after a one-out triple by third baseman Alec Bohm in the top of the seventh set up a scoring opportunity for Trea Turner, the shortstop delivered with an RBI single to left for the first run of the contest. Second baseman Bryson Stott added an insurance run in the ninth on a two-out double to give Philadelphia a 2-0 advantage.
The road team’s bullpen held Milwaukee scoreless from the seventh inning on, ending with closer Jhoan Duran fanning Sal Frelick for the final out of the game. However, the defensive gem of the contest came on the second out of the ninth on a beautiful catch at the wall by Phillies centerfielder Harrison Bader, robbing Andruw Monasterio of the homer.
Philly’s 2-0 victory increased their lead in the National League East to six games over the idle New York Mets. The loss for Milwaukee dropped their record to 86-55, but they are still ahead of Chicago by 5.5 games in the NL Central and 4.5 games on Philadelphia for the top record in MLB.
Skenes Leads Pittsburgh to Sweep Over Dodgers
After Peralta’s magnificent August for the Brewers, in which he went 4-0 with a 0.32 ERA, part of me was giving him a shot at winning this year’s NL Cy Young Award if Pittsburgh’s second-year ace were to shut it down for part of September, or maybe post a few subpar outings to end the season. However, after Thursday’s start against the struggling Dodgers, I see no path for Peralta anymore.
Skenes tossed six scoreless innings for his 10th win, allowed two hits, struck out eight, walked only one, and left with his team comfortably ahead 5-0.
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Blake Snell couldn’t match his opponent and was pulled after yielding four runs in the fifth. Snell took the loss and dropped to 3-4 on the year, including 0-3 over his last three outings, finishing with a line of 5 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 6 K, and 3 BB.
The Dodgers attempted a late rally by scoring three runs in the ninth to cut the Pirates’ lead to 5-3. However, with two outs and the tying runs aboard, Pirates reliever Colin Holderman struck out catcher Ben Rortvedt to end the contest and complete the three-game sweep.
Despite the poor play, the Dodgers still have a two-game lead in the NL West on the idle Padres. San Diego enters Friday on a four-game slide and will begin a three-game set in Colorado this weekend. Meanwhile, Los Angeles heads to Baltimore for a trio of contests against the Orioles. It’s been a favorable schedule for both franchises lately, but that doesn’t seem to be helping their results.
Rays Increase Winning Streak to Seven Games
Admittedly, as I’ve done so often in the past with the Tampa Bay Rays, I wrote them off a bit too early. It was only a week ago today that the Rays were 7.5 games back of Seattle for the final AL wild card spot. Their season looked about over. Fast forward to Thursday’s first contest with the playoff-hopeful Cleveland Guardians, and Tampa was only 2.5 games back of a playoff berth.
Going for their seventh straight victory, and a chance to cut their wild card deficit to two games of the idle Mariners, the Rays wasted little time letting the Guardians know that they aren’t the only team hunting for a postseason spot right now. After a Christopher Morel two-out single began the scoring in the first, the Rays added another run in the fourth and scored twice in the sixth by properly executing the little things. By “little things,” I mean driving home a runner from third with no outs courtesy of a grounder to second by Josh Lowe, ending with a fielder’s choice.
And by “little things,” I also mean perfectly executed sac bunts like the one laid down by shortstop Carson Williams with one out and men on the corners leading to the fourth run of the contest.
Cleveland attempted a comeback in the ninth after scoring their first run via José Ramírez’s 27th homer of the year. This was followed by a solo tater in the next at-bat by first baseman Kyle Manzardo to cut the Guardians’ deficit in half. But Tampa’s closer, Pete Fairbanks, set the next three batters down in order in a non-save situation. Final Score: Tampa Bay-4, Cleveland-2.
Ryan Pepiot earned his 11th win of the year after throwing five no-hit frames, while Morel led the Rays with three knocks and two runs scored.
Entering Friday, the Rays are two back of the Mariners for the final wild card position, while the Guardians fell to 3.5 games behind after their record dropped under .500 with the loss.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Yankees and Astros Distrust Continues
It’s been going on for years now, but the rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros remains one of the best in MLB. After splitting the first two contests of the series, Thursday’s rubber game saw Yankees nine-hole hitter Ryan McMahon take Houston’s starting pitcher Cristian Javier deep to break a 1-1 tie in the fifth.
The Yankees scored twice more in the fifth and added four runs in the eighth, highlighted by Trent Grisham’s 30th long ball of the season and 100th of his career. Grisham’s career high in homers heading into his seventh big league season was 17 in 2022; the same year he finished dead-last in MLB with a .184 batting average. New York’s current leadoff man is hitting .247 and, after his eighth-inning homer, has driven in a career-high 64 runs.
Then came some ninth-inning drama with the Yankees comfortably ahead 8-3. Astros centerfielder and former Yankee, Taylor Trammell, lined a two-bagger to left field. This led to Yankees manager Aaron Boone challenging that Trammel’s bat had some discoloration on the label. The game was delayed for a couple of minutes before the bat was confiscated. Trammel’s double was upheld, and despite Houston scoring one run in the frame off Yordan Alvarez’s fourth hit of the day and second straight four-knock performance of the series, the Yankees held on for an 8-4 victory.
Los Yankees pidieron a los oficiales que revisaran el bat de Taylor Trammel después de un hit
El bat fue confiscado
Lo curioso es que Trammel jugó con los Yankees el año pasado
— La Nación Red Sox (@lanacionboston) September 5, 2025
Carlos Rodón picked up win No. 16 after allowing one run over six innings. Rodon broke a tie with teammate Max Fried for the AL lead in the W department. New York enters Friday a half-game ahead of Boston for the top AL wild card spot and three games behind Toronto for the AL-East lead. Houston’s record dropped to 77-64 with the L, and its advantage over Seattle in the AL West is down to 3.5 games.
Kansas City Storms Back With Four Solo Homers
We’ve already mentioned Tampa Bay and Cleveland battling it out with hopes of catching Seattle in the AL wild card race. Two other teams with realistic opportunities to do so as well are the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals. The Rangers were off on Thursday before the start of a huge three-game series at home versus the Astros this weekend.
As for the Royals, they did not have an off day; instead, they tried to avoid being swept at home by the Los Angeles Angels. After Angels third baseman Luis Rengifo hit a three-run homer to put his team ahead 3-0 in the first inning, it looked as if the Halos were on their way to a surprising road sweep. That was until four solo homers scattered over the second, fourth, seventh, and finally the eighth led to a Royals comeback win.
In order of home runs hit: Adam Frazier (No. 8), Vinnie Pasquantino (No. 29), Salvador Perez (No. 24), and the game-winner by none other than their star shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr. (No. 21).
Closer Carlos Estévez shut the door in the ninth for his MLB-best 37th save. The Royals’ victory improved their record to 71-69. They enter Friday’s action tied with Tampa Bay at two back of a wild card berth.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. exited Thursday’s contest in the fourth inning against the Astros with contusions on both knees. Tests came back negative, and he’s expected to be ready to play in Friday’s massive series versus the Blue Jays.
⚾ Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City while he recovers from a right oblique strain. Muncy last played on August 12 and is expected to return to the big league lineup next week.
⚾ Royals SP and 2024 AL Cy Young runner-up Seth Lugo landed on the 15-day IL with a lower back strain. The move is retroactive to Sept. 1. Lugo has a 7.51 ERA in the second half, and is 8-7 with a 4.15 ERA on the year.
⚾ The Chicago Cubs are hoping to get SP Jameson Taillon (left groin strain) back on the mound soon after the right-hander made a rehab start with the Iowa Cubs. Taillon gave up three runs over 3.2 innings and said after the outing that he felt healthy.
Articles You Should Read
Yankees announcers biggest fear? Turning Cam Schlittler’s name into an expletive on air— Brendan Kuty, The Athletic
Jim Bowden’s Top 50 MLB prospects include Konnor Griffin, JJ Wetherholt and Kevin McGonigle— Jim Bowden, The Athletic
Early MLB free agency intel: Tucker, Imai, Schwarber, more — Jeff Passan, ESPN.com
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