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Tag: Major League Baseball

  • Don’t check in late for Cubs-Brewers NLDS decider. This series is all about the first inning

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    Working as a starting pitcher in the NL Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers has been one tough job.

    Twenty-one of the 35 runs in the series have been scored in the first inning. The series concludes on Saturday night with a winner-take-all Game 5 to determine which of these NL Central rivals will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.

    “I think it’s way more common than you think, for pitchers to be vulnerable in the first inning,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Friday. “Everybody’s geeked up. The atmosphere is way different. And I think that’s something that is noted.”

    So perhaps it’s no surprise that neither Murphy nor Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced their Game 5 starting pitchers a day in advance.

    The Cubs have the option of turning to Game 2 loser Shota Imanaga on four days’ rest, but he posted a 6.51 ERA in September and has allowed six runs over 6 2/3 innings in two appearances this postseason.

    “With the exception of (Game 4 starter) Matt Boyd, everyone’s going to be available,” Counsell said. “And so it’s a cliché here, but we have 11 pitchers to figure out how to get 27 outs. That’s how we’re treating it.”

    Milwaukee could use a similar approach to its Game 2 strategy, when seven different pitchers contributed to a 7-3 victory. Murphy noted that Aaron Ashby would be available after throwing 32 pitches in the Brewers’ Game 4 loss on Thursday.

    Murphy listed Ashby, Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick and Jacob Misiorowski as guys who are “going to probably pitch.”

    “A lot of those guys are rookies, a lot of those guys are not very experienced, but that’s how we’ve won all these games and come together,” Murphy said. “Now we’re playing in a way bigger environment, and it’s a bigger task. But I’m confident that we’ll have enough pitching.”

    The Cubs are trying to become the 11th team to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games. The last team to do it was the New York Yankees against Cleveland in the 2017 AL Division Series.

    Saturday’s winning team would open the NLCS on Monday. The Brewers would host the Dodgers for the start of the series, while the Cubs would travel to Los Angeles.

    Chicago has reached this point by winning each of its last three elimination games, though all of them were at home. The Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 in the decisive third game of their Wild Card Series, and they brought this series back to Milwaukee by winning 4-3 in Game 3 and 6-0 in Game 4.

    “I feel like it’s an even slate,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said after the Game 4 victory. “Game 5. Both teams have had great moments in this series. I love where our group’s at.”

    Milwaukee is trying to change its recent history of postseason frustration.

    The Brewers are in the playoffs for the seventh time in the last eight seasons, but their last postseason series win was in the 2018 NLDS. They lost Game 7 at home to the Dodgers in the NLCS that year and are 4-13 in their last 17 playoff games.

    Murphy remains confident in the Brewers’ chances as they look to bounce back from two straight losses in Chicago.

    “We’re five wins away from the World Series,” Murphy said. “I’ve learned a lot about this team, and one thing it is, it’s resilient, and they bounce back.”

    Milwaukee suffered one of its most heartbreaking playoff exits last year, when the Brewers led the New York Mets 2-0 heading into the ninth inning of Game 3 in the NL Wild Card Series before Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer off Devin Williams as part of a four-run rally.

    Losing this series would be just about as painful for Brewers fans because it’s against one of their biggest rivals and Counsell, the longtime Milwaukee manager who grew up in the area but left his hometown team to join the Cubs.

    Counsell has downplayed the personal aspect of this matchup throughout the series.

    “I’m just thinking about how do we advance,” Counsell said. “It’s almost like the opponent doesn’t matter right now. How do we advance? Because who you play and all those stories around that, that doesn’t matter. How do we advance? That’s really been my focus.”

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • No Guts, No Glory – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Watching the Phillies in the playoffs the last three seasons has been excruciating. Anyone hoping for something different this season, think again. It ended in a complete disaster. It’s tough not to feel for Kerkering a little bit, but that is an inexcusable error. He has struggled with runners on base all season. It was unfair to bring him in there. The worst part is he ended up making the pitches and got the ground ball. But instead of a calm cool collected throw to first Kerkering panicked. One of the most gut wrenching things I have witnessed. 

    What Really Went Wrong

    We can look up all the stats, splits, and percentages we want. But the eye test tells you all you need to know. The bats failed to show up. Turner, Schwarber, and Harper showed up for one of the four games. But that’s why you lose a series right? The big players didn’t produce. So now they go home. What puzzles me about the offense is their inability to adjust. Now, four straight seasons of chasing pitches at bat after at bat. Every batter wanting to win the game in one pitch. The goal should have been to have the best at bat for the team. Instead guys are up there hacking away trying to have a moment. 

    The Phils made Glasnow throw 19 pitches in the first inning. Even though they didn’t score, that’s a successful inning and part of winning baseball games. You have to make pitchers work. Obviously, the Phillies did the opposite. Glasnow cruised through 6 innings. If the Phillies kept grinding away he should’ve been on the ropes by the 5th inning. There are many ways to blame the offense for the losses. But overall it was their inability to make anything happen. JT and Kepler were really the only two guys to hit, The stars and the bats let the fans and the pitching staff down. 

    Topper, Topper, Topper

    I have many gripes with Rob Thomson. Yes, he has done a great job at bringing this group together. He has the Phillies playing great regular season baseball. They are fun to watch again and in an Eagles city, when the Phillies are good it’s a baseball town. But then, the playoffs. Whatever happened in 2022 is not there anymore. The players have to win the game, but there have been countless decisions from the manager that have hurt the club in the postseason. 

    Game One

    With a fully rested bullpen Thomson decided to bring Robertson back out for the 7th inning. This forced Strahm to come in with multiple runners on. The decision to bring Robertson back out is what cost them. A reliever comes into a high leverage situation with their adrenaline pumping. He did his job and got out of the jam, he should have never gone back into the game. Topper overthinking the bullpen once again.

    Game Two

    The Phillies had life. With no outs Nick Castellanos doubled in Realmuto and Bohm. The offense was finally rolling. Three straight hits. Zero outs. Ninth inning. Citizens Bank Park going absolutely nuts.

    Bunt – ball one. Bunt again – Castellanos gunned down at third. 

    This was one of the worst decisions I have ever seen. The Dodgers couldn’t buy an out in that inning. Even Castellanos doubled on that outside pitch he strikes out on all the time (you know the one).

    All the momentum in the world was on the Phillies side. And then he gave them an out. Rob said here you go a free out and the Dodgers said thank you. In your last at bat in the game, the manager gave the other team an out. I was stunned. Topper has no feel for the game going on around him. He even admitted in his press conference he was playing for the tie. A shocking statement to hear. That is the complete wrong mindset coming from the manager.

    Stott has had multiple playoff moments for the Phillies. He’s come up with big hits each post season. Thomson should trust him to come through. Do you think Dave Roberts would have made Tommy Edmunds bunt in that situation? No chance. Stott wasn’t even given an opportuninty to hit. No doubt in my mind the Phillies win that game if Stott doesn’t bunt.  

    Those were the two big decisions that cost the Phillies in this series. Although, all of this is not on Rob Thomson, I believe this team has gone as far as they will with him. He doesn’t have quite the right feel of how to manage postseason games. He never seems to pull the right strings. It may be time to move on at the end of the season. 

    What’s Next

    This team is clearly in need of a shake up. I am not sure if blowing it up is the right call. Dombrowski should prioritize Realmuto, Schwarber, and Suarez. They haven’t shown up recently, but I believe the core of Turner, Schwarber, Harper, and Realmuto can get the job done. They need to step up in the playoffs, but I believe in those guys. 

    There are a couple of spots the Phillies need to address. They need to find a clean up hitter. The front office should look to upgrade in right and at third. It’s time to move on from Castellanos and Bohm. It would be nice to see Bader back in center. The ship has run its course for some of this crew and hopefully the roster looks a little different next season.

    Photo Credit: Matt Slocum/AP Photo

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    Liam Mahoney

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  • Book Talk: My Big Red Machine, with author and journalist Terence Moore

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    Moore’s “My Big Red Machine” is available in paperback and hardcover. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Major League Baseball’s postseason has begun, and for the teams and fan bases involved, there will be a chance to win a World Series title. One of those teams involved was the Cincinnati Reds; decades ago, in the 1970s, that franchise was one of the perennial favorites to win championships. 

    That team, nicknamed The Big Red Machine for its efficiency and power, had fans all over the country. One of those fans was sports writer and author Terence Moore. During Moore’s youth and later as a young reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer, he had the unique opportunity to get close to the stars of The Big Red Machine, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Ken Griffey, Sr., Tony Perez, and, of course, Pete Rose.

    Moore visited The Atlanta Voice to discuss his inspiration for his latest book, “My Big Red Machine,” walking the thin line between fandom and journalism, and his lifelong love for baseball.

    The Atlanta Voice: Good morning, Terence. Is this your first time inside The Atlanta Voice office?

    Terence Moore: Yeah, I can feel the history as we sit here right now. You can feel the history of the people that this paper represented through the years and decades. Black publications were so huge to the Civil Rights Movement in general, but particularly here in Atlanta.

    AV: How long have you been thinking about writing this book? I know you grew up in Cincinnati and had worked at one of the local daily newspapers. This book must have been special to report on.

    TM: It’s been forever. I would tell people different stories, and they would say that I needed to write about it. The Big Red Machine is the greatest team in baseball; that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. The Reds of the 1970s won more games than anybody in baseball in that decade. And in 1975 and 1976, they won back-to-back world championships. This is the 50th anniversary of the first of those back-to-back championships. I figured the timing is perfect.

    Moore said, “My Big Red Machine” is about more than baseball. “It’s sort of a memoir about me as a young person idolizing this team and having another goal in life: becoming a journalist. It’s an interesting journey,” Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    AV: But this book is about more than baseball, correct?

    TM: The thing that I am very proud of about this book is that people are shocked that it’s not just a baseball book. It’s not just about The Big Red Machine; it’s not just about sports. It’s sort of a memoir about me as a young person idolizing this team, and also having another goal in life: becoming a journalist. It’s an interesting journey.

    AV: If you had to describe this book in a sentence, what would that sentence be?

    TM: It’s a riveting tale with great storytelling. The storytelling gives the reader the journey of not only my life, but the life of anybody who was passionate about anything in his or her life. And then having it come to fruition. 

    AV: How did it feel to be telling parts of your life, family, and career in this book? You have done this in your previous books, like in The Real Hank Aaron, but this went deeper.

    TM: It was an out-of-body experience. After I wrote this book, and then I read the proof, I was like, ‘Who wrote this?’ It was the strangest thing. There were passages that I know I obviously remember writing, and then there were other passages that I was like, ‘This was unbelievable.’ 

    Moore revealed that the entire project came together -from start to publication- in 13 months. “Somehow I was able to get this done,” he said.

    AV: On page 63 in chapter 3, you vividly describe the smells inside the old Crosley Field on your first visit with your family. The recall of the many personal and professional moments was so interesting. How did you remember so much detail?

    TM: A lot of people ask me that. Even before I was a reporter, I was a reporter. I’m very much my mother’s son; she never threw away anything. I save everything. It’s just unbelievable the stuff that I’ve saved through the years.

    One of the things I teach my journalism students is the big three: reporting, interviewing, and angles. It’s a must in anything that you do.  

    AV: In the book, you describe writing the first story ever on Ken Griffey, Jr. in the Cincinnati Enquirer in July 1978. Did you see anything special about the boy that told you he would become a future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee?

    TM: I’m at Riverfront Stadium in the summer of 1978, my first year of working at the Cincinnati Enquirer. One of the groundskeepers came up to me and told me I should do a story on Ken Griffey. I told him I had written tons of stories on Ken Griffey, and he said no, not the father, the son. I said ‘How old is he?’ and he said he’s eight years old. I said, ‘Ok.’

    Moore said that when he finally decided to look into how good Ken Griffey, Jr. really was, he was astounded that the groundskeeper’s tip was spot on. “He was the greatest eight-year-old kid I ever saw,” Moore said. 

    AV: What do you want readers to come away with from reading “My Big Red Machine”?

    TM: I want them to understand that you can bring stories alive through a lot of circumstances, situations, and experiences. That’s what I try to do. I try to bring stories alive by using myself as a vehicle to show different aspects of life. Because we can all relate to journeys, we can all relate to the journey of being a young person and having a fixation and passion for something. For me, it just happened to be this baseball team, this Big Red Machine. The greatest baseball team of all time.  

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • Phillies Top NLDS Moments – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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      |  

    Oct 2, 2025

    Philadelphia Phillies fans wave their rally towels during Game 3 of the World Series against the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022.

    Over the last two nights the Los Angeles Dodgers handled the Cincinnati Reds with ease to set up a date with the Phillies. The National League Division series starts on Saturday in South Philly. Let’s take a look at some of the top NLDS moments in Phillies history

    1981 First Ever NLDS vs Montreal Expos

    Did you know the Phillies played in the first NLDS ever? They fell to the Montreal Expos (3-2) in 1981. However, George Vukovich hit a walk-off homer run in the 10th inning of game 4 to send it to a game 5.

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    Liam Mahoney

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  • Netflix’s ‘Who Killed the Montreal Expos?’ Aims to Place Blame for Baseball Team’s Demise

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    A new Netflix documentary aims to get to the bottom of why the Montreal Expos struck out.

    The streamer has released the trailer for Who Killed the Montreal Expos? ahead of the film debuting on the platform Oct. 21. Who Killed the Montreal Expos? is set to premiere at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma in Montreal on Oct. 9.

    Director Jean-François Poisson’s film centers on the lingering questions and mysteries surrounding the demise of the Expos. The team was the first in Major League Baseball to call Canada home and remains popular with many Quebecois despite playing its last game in 2004.

    Hall of Famers and former Expos players Pedro Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Larry Walker are interviewed for the documentary, along with former manager Felipe Alou and a number of journalists, fans and team employees.

    “As good as we are in hockey, Montreal is a baseball city,” Martinez says in the trailer.

    “The Expos’ death is kind of like a big game of Clue,” one participant explains in the footage. “Lots of motives. Lots of suspects. We have a long list.”

    The Expos debuted as a part of the National League East division in 1969. After decades of ups and downs, the MLB purchased the team, and it moved to Washington, D.C., following the 2004 season to become the Washington Nationals.

    Who Killed the Montreal Expos? is set to make its streaming release three days before the 2025 World Series begins on Oct. 24. This year’s MLB playoffs begin Tuesday.

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    Ryan Gajewski

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  • Turner wins NL batting title, Schwarber leads league in HRs, RBIs as Phillies beat Twins in finale

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    Trea Turner won his second career NL batting title, Kyle Schwarber led the league with 56 homes and 132 RBIs and Nick Castellanos capped Philadelphia’s 96-win season with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the Phillies beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Sunday.

    Turner and Schwarber have a few days to enjoy the spoils of their outstanding individual seasons before the NL East champion Phillies play again. The Phillies are set to host Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Saturday.

    The Phillies will try to stay sharp during the layoff with an intrasquad scrimmage on Wednesday night.

    The Phillies finished at 96-66 and are looking to win their first World Series title since 2008. Loaded with All-Stars and an opening day payroll that reached almost $284 million, the Phillies have struggled in the postseason the last three seasons, losing in the 2022 World Series, the 2023 NLCS and last year to the New York Mets in the division series.

    Turner returned from a three-week layoff due to a hamstring injury and went 0 for 2, yet still finished a league-best .304 this season. Turner also won a batting title in 2021, when he led the major leagues at .328 for Washington and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s the first Phillies’ first batting champion since Richie Ashburn in 1958.

    Schwarber, eligible for free agency in the offseason, finished one homer ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani to lead the National League and four behind major league leader Cal Raleigh of Seattle, who hit 60.

    Schwarber fell two homers shy of matching Ryan Howard for the franchise record of 58 set in 2006. He closed out the regular season No. 3 in walks at 107.

    Cristopher Sánchez struck out eight and tossed two-hit ball over 5 1/3 innings — and tipped his cap to a roaring, appreciative crowd — in his final start before he takes the mound in Game 1 of the NLDS.

    Key moment

    Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers hit an RBI double off reliever Lou Trivino in the sixth, and Max Kepler tied the game 1-1 with a solo homer in the eighth. Castellanos drove in the automatic runner off Cody Laweryson.

    Key stat

    The Twins finished 70-92 and must decide if Rocco Baldelli will return as manager when they open the 2026 season March 26 in Baltimore.

    Up next

    The Phillies await their postseason opponent and the winner of the Dodgers-Reds first-round series.

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • Ex-Phillies prospect Mick Abel shuts down former team as Minnesota Twins blank Phillies 5-0

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    CBS News Philadelphia

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    Mick Abel struck out nine in six scoreless innings in his first start against his former team and the Minnesota Twins beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 on Saturday night, clinching home-field advantage for the Milwaukee Brewers throughout the postseason.

    Byron Buxton, James Outman and Ryan Fitzgerald homered for the Twins.

    Abel (3-4) allowed three hits and one walk. The 2020 Phillies first-round draft pick was traded to Minnesota at the deadline in July as part of a package for closer Jhoan Duran.

    Buxton led off with a solo homer against Philadelphia starter Ranger Suárez. It was Buxton’s 20th career leadoff home run and 11th this season, tying a franchise record set by Jacque Jones in 2002.

    Outman also homered off Suárez while Fitzgerald had a solo shot off reliever Max Lazar. Ryan Jeffers added an RBI double for Minnesota.

    Suárez (12-8) allowed three runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

    The loss locked the Phillies into the No. 2 seed in the NL playoffs. They could still finish tied for the best record in baseball with Milwaukee, but the Brewers have the tiebreaker.

    Key moment

    Jeffers hit a 106 mph line drive that hit Suárez on the inside of his left thigh. Suárez was doubled over in pain after trying to throw out Jeffers at first. After a moment, he got to his feet but was removed from the game. The team said Suárez had a contusion and would be evaluated further.

    Key stat

    Abel made his major league debut as a member of the Phillies on May 18. In that game, he also pitched six scoreless innings and struck out nine, outdueling Pittsburgh right-hander Paul Skenes in a 1-0 win.

    Up next

    Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (7-4, 4.27 ERA) starts against Philadelphia LHP Cristopher Sánchez (13-5, 2.57) in the regular-season finale for both teams.

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • Aaron Nola takes perfect game into 6th, moves to 2nd on Phillies’ strikeout list in 3-1 win over Twins

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    Aaron Nola took a perfect game into the sixth inning, moved into second on Philadelphia’s career strikeout list and proved he could have some postseason value for the NL East champion Phillies in a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

    Nola (5-10) allowed two hits and struck out nine without a walk over eight innings.

    He pitched through ankle and rib injuries and battled inconsistency when he has been healthy in easily his worst season since he broke in with the Phillies in 2015. Nola has made 16 postseason starts over the last three seasons with the Phillies but was not named as one of three scheduled starters in next week’s NL Division Series.

    Phillies manager Rob Thomson said ahead of Friday’s game that he would consider using Nola out of the bullpen in the playoffs.

    Nola has never made a relief appearance in 285 regular-season appearances.

    Nola struck out Edouard Julien to end the fifth inning for his 1,872nd career strikeout, putting him second behind Hall of Famer Steve Carlton on the franchise’s list. Nola snapped a tie with Hall of Famer Robin Roberts.

    The right-hander did not allow a baserunner until Christian Vázquez hit a solo shot in the sixth to make it 2-1.

    Edmundo Sosa, who hit three of Philadelphia’s team-record eight home runs Wednesday, added a solo homer off Twins starter Joe Ryan (13-10) in the fifth.

    Alec Bohm had a sacrifice fly in the first and Brandon Marsh had an RBI double in the sixth.

    Key moment

    Jhoan Duran retired Trevor Larnach with two runners on base in the ninth for his 32nd save.

    Key stat

    The Phillies celebrated Bobby Shantz’s 100th birthday. Shantz, the 1952 AL MVP with the Philadelphia Athletics, is the oldest living Phillie, the oldest living All-Star and second-oldest living MLB player. Bill Greason is 101.

    Up next

    Former Phillies pitcher Mick Abel (2-4, 7.36 ERA) makes his first start against his former team since he was traded to Minnesota at the deadline for Duran. Abel tied a Phillies high for a debut with nine strikeouts against Pittsburgh in May. The Phillies counter with LHP Ranger Suárez (12-7, 3.12 ERA).

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • Young boy at Phillies game gifts foul ball to fellow fan celebrating her 80th birthday:

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    Philadelphia — Just about everyone at a Major League Baseball game wants a foul ball, and 9-year-old Jameson Pennings is no exception. 

    Jameson so wanted a ball earlier this month that his parents, James and Eve Pennings, bought tickets to a Sept. 10 Philadelphia Phillies home game versus the New York Mets, with seats along the third base line, down near where the ball girl sometimes tosses foul balls into the crowd. 

    And sure enough, in the fifth inning, that is exactly what happened.

    “He sat and he cherished it and at one point he’s like, ‘Dad, is that where the bat hit?’” James told CBS News. “‘Oh, yeah, that’s where the bat hit.’”

    James thought Jameson would cherish the ball “forever.” But forever only lasted four more innings.

    “I’m still astounded,” James said of what his son did next.

    “I’m very proud of him,” Eve added.

    Unbeknownst to his parents, earlier in the game, Jameson overheard a woman talking to that same ball girl. The woman was hoping to get a foul ball for her mother, Donna Morey, who was at the game, celebrating her 80th birthday.

    Unfortunately, getting anyone on the field to toss you a foul ball is a charm offensive that heavily favors the young. Jameson knew the odds of an 80-year-old getting a ball were slim to none. So, he walked over to her, treasure in hand.

    “I was so shocked,” Morey told CBS News. “I just didn’t know what to say. It was unbelievable to me. It really was. And I said, ‘Why are you giving it to me?’”

    “I thought, she is way older, and she can’t come to many more games, and I can go to more, and get many more balls,” Jameson said.

    Donna accepted his gift.

    “It symbolizes goodness in this world,” Donna said.

    And Jameson says he is so glad she did, because he’s actually happier without it.

    “I will leave feeling really good about myself,” Jameson said. “So does it really matter that I left without a ball?”

    Steve Hartman

    Steve Hartman is a CBS News correspondent. He brings viewers moving stories from the unique people he meets in his weekly award-winning feature segment “On the Road.”

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  • Byron Buxton belts 2 homers, Ober shines in shutout as Twins blank Rangers 4-0

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    Byron Buxton hit two home runs, including a second-straight leadoff homer, Bailey Ober threw six innings with five strikeouts and two hits, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 4-0 on Thursday.

    The Twins (69-90) outhit the Rangers (80-79) 10-3, with Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien and Christian Vázquez each recording two hits.

    Ober (6-9) tied a season-low in hits allowed and did not allow a run for the first time this year. His last scoreless outing was Sept. 7, 2024, against Kansas City.

    Holding onto a one-run lead in the fifth inning with one on and no outs, the Twins converted on a strikeout double play as Kyle Higashioka went down swinging and Alejandro Osuna was caught stealing second.

    Kody Funderburk threw a hitless seventh with two strikeouts, and Cole Sands struck out one in the ninth.

    Tyler Mahle (6-4) threw five innings with five hits, one run, and four strikeouts.

    After Julien and Vázquez each reached on singles in the eighth inning, Buxton swung at the first pitch from Chris Martin and launched his second homer to center field. This one traveled 437 feet, and would be a home run in all 30 Major League ballparks.

    Buxton’s 10th leadoff home run of the season followed his leadoff homer in a 4-2 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. It’s the second time Buxton has had back-to-back games with a leadoff homer this season, also doing it June 18-19 at Cincinnati. Buxton reached 533 plate appearances, earning a $500,000 bonus.

    Texas: The Rangers visit the Cleveland Guardians, who are one game ahead of Detroit for first in the AL Central. Texas RHP Jack Leiter (9-10, 3.92) faces Cleveland RHP Slade Cecconi (7-6, 4.15).

    Minnesota: The Twins head to Philadelphia to face the NL East champion Phillies. Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (13-9, 3.47) starts opposite Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (4-10, 6.46).

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • Back End Decisions – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    As the playoffs approach the Phillies will be looking to see who earns a spot on the playoff roster. Topper and the staff will also be looking to shore up the playoff bullpen rotation. 

    Initially, when they acquired Duran there seemed to be a pattern of which pitchers were used when, but recently it has gotten back to what feels like more of, eh whatever, this guy can go in. 

    If Rob Thomson has one weakness I believe it to be his pitching management. He doesn’t have the gut feel of when to keep a guy in and when to pull him. He doesn’t have a great feel for which bullpen arm should be used next. Part of this comes from his lefty/righty match-up belief. This makes the games and innings pitchers pitch vary because they are coming in to face hitters, not pitch a certain inning. Although I see the value in the matchups, I lean to the old school style and wish Topper would set a “bullpen rotation”. 

    Obviously Lidge had an insane season, but the 2008 Phillies had the end of games on lockdown. JC Romero in the 7th, Ryan Madson in the 8th, and Brad Lidge in the 9th. I would like to see the Phillies implement a version of this with their roster. A realistic option is having Strahm pitch the 7th, Kerkering the 8th, and Duran the 9th. Ideally, you would be able to use Banks and Robertson in a high leverage situation to close out an inning. 

    For example, Thomsons style leans more to bring in Strahm to get a lefty in the 6th, after pulling a starter. I believe the Phillies will need to rely on the other arms to get that job done. Strahm is one of the best arms we have, and he should be throwing full innings in the playoffs. 

    Bullpen Outlook

    Even with the injury to Wheeler the Phillies have a strong pitching staff. Sanchez will be the Game 1 starter. The rest of the rotation hasn’t been set, but I can see Luzardo taking Game 2 at home and giving Ranger the road start for Game 3.

    I am more interested in how the bullpen will be used than the starters. Last playoffs the bullpen fell apart against the Mets. Against Arizona, Thomson brought in a clearly gassed Kimbrel causing the Phillies to lose a game. In the World Series loss to the Astros Thomson decided to pull Wheeler, leading to a Yordan Alvarez home run. (I am still livid that he was pulled. They were winning, Wheeler should have pitched until his arm came off). The use of the bullpen in the playoffs is Thomson’s biggest weakness, and it is key to the Phillies making a run this postseason. 

    As I mentioned earlier, I like the idea of a Strahm 7th, Kerkering 8th, and Duran 9th. It gives our three best arms three innings to close out the game. It should be the closest thing to a lock for our bullpen. The risk here is if one of them has an off night it likely costs you the game. 

    Instead, Topper has gone the matchup route. Which could be favorable because you are maximizing your “odds”, but if those guys get into trouble the game usually balloons. It is pertinent to set a line up and then use the other arms like chess pieces to get you out of jams. Both Banks and Robertson are great options to come in with one or two outs in the inning and men on base. You also have Walker Buehler at your dispense, who could start a game if needed or come out of the pen in big spots, like he did last season with the Dodgers. It will also be interesting to see if Taijuan Walker receives any playing time. Walker was a suitable 5th starter for most of the season, but he doesn’t belong on a playoff mound. 

    Looking Ahead

    With no Zack Wheeler (who has been historically good in the playoffs) and Nola not up to his usual level, the bullpen will be key to the Phillies playoff run. Duran has become shakier of late and he needs to settle in, but I fully believe in him to close out the 9th. My main worry is Orion Kerkering. He has been getting hit around and letting inherited runners score. The Phillies need him to be him again. He has series changing stuff, but if he is not on his game the bullpen becomes a lot weaker.

    The Phillies cannot afford a bullpen performance like last postseason. They will likely need one of their non-big names to step up in a big spot. That is how you win championships. I think a structure to the bullpen will give the Phillies starters and hitters a great idea of what needs to be done the first six innings. The Phillies also lead the league in runs scored in the 7th or later. They can rely on Strahm, Kerkring, and Duran to hold the fort down, while the offense has potential to score late runs. The bullpen has been a key factor in the recent playoff shortcomings. We will see if the bullpen can hold up this time around.

    Photo Credit: Hunter Martin/Getty Images

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  • Strong finale from deGrom helps Rangers top Twins 4-2, stop 8-game skid

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    Josh Smith homered, Billy McKinney drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Wednesday night to end a season-worst eight-game losing streak.

    Ezequiel Duran had a one-out single off Travis Adams (1-4) in the seventh before stealing his 11th base. McKinney hit an RBI single to left field and went to second on the throw home. Jonah Heim singled to put runners at the corners and McKinney scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead. Génesis Cabrera replaced Adams and threw a wild pitch that made it 4-1.

    Byron Buxton hit his career-high 32nd home run on the second pitch from Jacob deGrom — a 447-foot shot to center field for a 1-0 Twins lead. It was the 18th time in his career that Buxton led off a game with a homer.

    DeGrom allowed a single and a walk from there, striking out nine in five innings. He left his 30th start of the season after five innings and 74 pitches, finishing with a 12-8 record and a 2.97 ERA.

    Robert Garcia (4-7) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Shawn Armstrong allowed Royce Lewis’ RBI single in the eighth before Phil Maton pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save.

    Smith hit his 10th home run — a leadoff shot against Taj Bradley in the fourth to tie it 1-all.

    Bradley struck out nine and allowed one run on two hits and two walks in six innings.

    Kody Clemens drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, stole his fifth base and moved to third on a wild pitch, but deGrom struck out Trevor Larnach and Ryan Jeffers before retiring Brooks Lee on a flyout to keep it 1-0.

    The last time deGrom, 37, made 30 starts in a season was in 2019 with the Mets.

    Twins RHP Bailey Ober (5-9, 5.32 ERA) starts Thursday’s rubber game opposite Rangers RHP Tyler Mahle (6-3, 2.20).

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  • Major League Baseball will adopt an automated challenge system in 2026

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    Next year, baseball reasons will have one less reason to rage at the umpire. Major League Baseball announced today that it will introduce the Automated Ball Strike challenge system in the 2026 season for all spring training, championship season and postseason games. In other words, next year there will be a way for the players to attempt to overturn an umpire’s call about whether a pitch counts as a strike or a ball if they disagree with the initial decision. 

    ABS uses a network of a dozen camera to record every pitch thrown. The umpire will still call the pitch a ball or strike as usual, but under the new system, the pitcher, catcher or batter can immediately challenge that decision. Coaching staff and other players cannot offer input on whether or not a challenge is initiated. If the cameras show any part of the ball touching the batter’s strike zone, the pitch will be counted as a strike. All teams will begin a game with two challenge opportunities, and only lose them if they challenge unsuccessfully. For games that go into extra innings, a team will get an additional challenge if it has none remaining at the start of the additional gameplay.  

    Baseball has taken a gradual path to introducing this tech. ABS has been tested at the Triple-A level since 2022, and it finally got a chance in the majors during spring training and in the All-Star Game this year. Other sports have also been leveraging electronics to ensure that gameplay rules and scoring are consistent. Football/soccer has implemented a video assistant referee (VAR) system in several leagues, including FIFA and the UK’s Premier league. Tennis is also adopting electronic line calls at Wimbledon and other tournaments. Even the electronic systems are not infallible, but considering how much any high-level athletic endeavor can be won or lost by millimeters, having a backup for the human eye seems like a net positive.

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  • MLB approves robot umpires as part of challenge system next season

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    Robot umpires are getting called up to the big leagues next season.

    Major League Baseball’s 11-man competition committee on Tuesday approved use of the Automated Ball/Strike System in the major leagues in 2026.

    Human plate umpires will still call balls and strikes, but teams can challenge two calls per game and get additional appeals in extra innings. Challenges must be made by a pitcher, catcher or batter — signaled by tapping their helmet or cap — and a team retains its challenge if successful. Reviews will be shown as digital graphics on outfield videoboards.

    Adding the robot umps is likely to cut down on ejections. MLB said 61.5% of ejections among players, managers and coaches last year were related to balls and strikes, as were 60.3% this season through Sunday. The figures include ejections for derogatory comments, throwing equipment while protesting calls and inappropriate conduct.

    Big league umpires call roughly 94% of pitches correctly, according to UmpScorecards.

    ABS, which utilizes Hawk-Eye cameras, has been tested in the minor leagues since 2019. The independent Atlantic League trialed the system at its 2019 All-Star Game and MLB installed the technology for that year’s Arizona Fall League of top prospects. The ABS was tried at eight of nine ballparks of the Low-A Southeast League in 2021, then moved up to Triple-A in 2022.

    In 2019, Fred DeJesus became the first umpire in a regular-season game to use ABS. He remembers the first pitch he tested – it was a strike – and how he was hesitant about the new technology at first.

    “Initially, it was like, no way, we’re not doing this. I spent way too much money trying to learn the craft of calling balls and strikes,” he told CBS News in 2021.

    At Triple-A at the start of the 2023 season, half the games used the robots for ball/strike calls and half had a human making decisions subject to appeals by teams to the ABS.

    MLB switched Triple-A to an all-challenge system on June 26, 2024, then used the challenge system this year at 13 spring training ballparks hosting 19 teams for a total of 288 exhibition games. Teams won 52.2% of their ball/strike challenges (617 of 1,182) challenges.

    At Triple-A this season, the average challenges per game increased to 4.2 from 3.9 through Sunday and the success rate dropped to 49.5% from 50.6%. Defenses were successful in 53.7% of challenges this year and offenses in 45%.

    ABS was used in this year’s All-Star Game as well and has generally received positive reviews, CBS Sports reported. Four of five challenges of plate umpire Dan Iassogna’s calls were successful in July.

    Teams in Triple-A do not get additional challenges in extra innings. However, the proposal approved by the MLB on Tuesday included a provision granting teams one additional challenge each inning if they don’t have challenges remaining.

    MLB has experimented with different shapes and interpretations of the strike zone with ABS, including versions that were three-dimensional. Currently, it calls strikes solely based on where the ball crosses the midpoint of the plate, 8.5 inches from the front and the back. The top of the strike zone is 53.5% of batter height and the bottom 27%.

    This will be MLB’s first major rule change since sweeping adjustments in 2024. Those included a pitch clock, restrictions on defensive shifts, pitcher disengagements such as pickoff attempts and larger bases.

    The challenge system introduces ABS without eliminating pitch framing, a subtle art where catchers use their body and glove to try making borderline pitches look like strikes. Framing has become a critical skill for big league catchers. While there was concern that full-blown ABS would make some strong defensive catchers obsolete, not everyone considers the skill a good thing.

    “The idea that people get paid for cheating, for stealing strikes, for moving a pitch that’s not a strike into the zone to fool the official and make it a strike is beyond my comprehension,” former manager Bobby Valentine said.

    Texas manager Bruce Bochy, a big league catcher from 1978-87, maintained old-school umpires such as Bruce Froemming and Billy Williams never would have accepted pitch framing. He said they would have told him: “‘If you do that again, you’ll never get a strike.’ I’m cutting out some words.”

    Management officials on the competition committee include Seattle chairman John Stanton, St. Louis CEO Bill DeWitt Jr., San Francisco chairman Greg Johnson, Colorado CEO Dick Monfort, Toronto CEO Mark Shapiro and Boston chairman Tom Werner.

    Players include Arizona’s Corbin Burnes and Zac Gallen, Detroit’s Casey Mize, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and the New York Yankees’ Austin Slater, with the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ at Detroit’s Casey Mize as alternates. The union representatives make their decisions based on input from players on the 30 teams.

    Bill Miller is the umpire representative.

    The competition committee can unilaterally implement on-field rule changes with 45 days’ notice to the MLB Players Association, according to CBS Sports. 

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  • Robot Umpires Approved For MLB In 2026 As Part Of Challenge System – KXL

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s 11-man competition committee has approved use of the Automated Ball/Strike System in the major leagues in 2026.

    Human umpires will still call balls and strikes, but teams can challenge two calls per game.

    Challenges must be made by a pitcher, catcher or batter.

    A team retains its challenge if successful.

    Reviews will be shown as digital graphics on outfield videoboards.

    Adding robot umps could reduce ejections, as most are related to balls and strikes.

    The Automated Ball/Strike System has been tested in the minor leagues since 2019.

    The challenge system allows for ABS without eliminating pitch framing, a skill for catchers.

    This is MLB’s first major rule change since 2024.

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  • Twins stop Guardians’ 10-game win streak, keep Cleveland from tying for AL Central lead with 6-2 win

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    WCCO digital headlines: Morning of Sept. 21, 2025



    WCCO digital headlines: Morning of Sept. 21, 2025

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    Brooks Lee hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth, pinch-hitter Royce Lewis had a three-run shot in the seventh and the Minnesota Twins ended the Cleveland Guardians’ 10-game winning streak with a 6-2 victory on Sunday.

    The Guardians lost for only the fourth time in 20 games and missed a chance to pull even with Detroit in the AL Central after the Braves finished off a sweep of the Tigers with a 6-2 victory. Cleveland will host Detroit for three games beginning Tuesday.

    Minnesota, which never led and was outscored 20-2 in losing the first three games in the series, grabbed a 3-2 lead when Lee greeted reliever Matt Festa (5-4) with his 16th home run. Luke Keaschall reached base with a one-out double off Erik Sabrowski before Lee’s blast.

    Tim Herrin left after allowing two-out singles to Kody Clemens and Austin Martin in the seventh and Lewis greeted Hunter Gaddis with his 13th homer for a four-run advantage.

    Steven Kwan hit the third pitch from Simeon Woods Richardson for his 11th home run and Bo Naylor added a sacrifice fly to put the Guardians up 2-0. Naylor has an RBI in six straight games, the longest stretch by a Cleveland catcher since Victor Martinez had a seven-game run in 2007.

    Byron Buxton had a two-out double off Joey Cantillo in the third before scoring on a single by Clemens to cut it to 2-1. It was the Twins’ first run in 23 innings.

    Woods Richardson allowed two runs on three hits in a five-inning start. Kody Funderburk (4-1) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win.

    Cleveland (84-72) won nine of 13 games against Minnesota (67-89) this season.

    Lee’s homer gave the Twins their first lead in the series.

    Guardians starting pitchers had a run of 16 straight games of five-plus innings while allowing two runs or less end.

    The Guardians haven’t announced who will start the opener against the Tigers and LHP Tarik Skubal (13-5, 2.23).

    The Twins travel to play the Texas Rangers on Tuesday. Neither team has named a starter.

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  • Guardians beat Twins 8-0 for 10th straight win

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    Steven Kwan tied a season high with four RBIs, Logan Allen pitched a career-best eight innings and the Cleveland Guardians made it 10 straight wins by beating the Minnesota Twins 8-0 on Saturday to sweep a day-night doubleheader without giving up a run.

    Winners in 15 of their past 16 games, the Guardians are one game back of first-place Detroit in the AL Central after trailing by 11 on Sept. 4. The Tigers were beaten 6-5 by Atlanta on Saturday afternoon.

    The Guardians also are tied with Houston for the last American League wild card, a game behind Boston. They won the opener 6-0, hitting five home runs in a game for the first time since April 10, 2021.

    It was the 11th time Cleveland pitched shutouts in both ends of a doubleheader and first since Sept. 30, 1964, against Boston. The only other time the Twins went scoreless for 18 innings in a twinbill came against Cleveland on May 21, 1961.

    Minnesota was blanked twice in Oakland on April 20, 2021, but those were seven-inning games due to rules in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Limited to one hit through four innings, Cleveland sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth.

    A one-out single by Kwan scored Brayan Rocchio and Petey Halpin. With two outs, Kyle Manzardo and C.J. Kayfus had RBI singles around a two-run double by Gabriel Arias to the wall in right-center field.

    Kwan added a two-run single in the eighth.

    That was more than enough for Allen (8-11), who earned his first win since July 29 by scattering four hits and striking out seven.

    Guardians starters have allowed no more than two earned runs in 15 straight games since Sept. 5, the longest streak in franchise history.

    Bailey Ober (5-9) permitted six runs and eight hits in five innings for the Twins. After going 4-1 in his first seven starts, he is 1-8 in 19 starts since May 8. He missed 26 games from June 29 to Aug. 2 with a left hip impingement.

    Halpin’s single was his first career hit. The 23-year-old outfielder was called up from the minors earlier in the day when outfielder Nolan Jones was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique.

    The Twins had seven hits in the doubleheader, falling to 2-7 in their past nine games and 4-15 in September.

    Sunday’s series finale has Cleveland LHP Joey Cantillo (5-3, 3.27 ERA) scheduled to face Minnesota RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (7-4, 4.31).

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  • Let’s Finish Strong – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The 2025 regular season is quickly coming to a close. The Phillies locked up a second consecutive NL East crown on Monday, winning the division faster than any Phillies team before. The Phillies won a riveting back and forth affair in LA to clinch. 

    Now it’s time to clinch a first round bye and potentially home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Brewers currently hold a 3 game lead in the loss column. Milwaukee finishes the year against the Cardinals, Padres, and Reds. They likely end up with the one seed, but the Phillies still have a shot at it. The more realistic scenario is going for the first round bye. We hold a 5.5 game lead over the Dodgers for the two seed. Barring a collapse in the last three series the Phillies should be able to lock up home field for the NLDS. 

    Remaining Schedule

    • Sept 19th: @Diamondbacks
    • Sept 20th: @Diamondbacks
    • Sept 21st: @Diamondbacks
    • Sept 23rd: vs. Marlins
    • Sept 24th: vs. Marlins
    • Sept 25th: vs. Marlins
    • Sept 26th: vs. Twins
    • Sept 27th: vs. Twins
    • Sept 28th: vs. Twins

    On my Managing Expectations article I predicted the ballclub to finish the season with 96 wins. Going 41-25 in the second half. They are currently 36-21 since the All Star break. We are right on schedule. The Phillies have been one of the best teams in baseball since the break. Phils have been bitten by the injury bug a little of late and it has not mattered. The lineup has become – plug and play – and the team is thriving. Marsh, Wilson, Marchan, and Kemp have all stepped up. Turner and Bohm went down and you barely notice the difference. This team is starting to have a similar feel to the 2017 Eagles next man up. The role players have really come into their own down the stretch. 

    Looking Ahead

    Are we peaking at the right time? The Phillies limped into the playoffs last season. This time they are playing their best baseball of the year. They may have gotten hot a little early, but with three series left you have to feel great about how the club is playing. 

    The pitching has been phenomenal. Even when a starter gets tagged early, they have been able to keep the game within reach. This gives the best late scoring offense plenty of time to stage a comeback. Which they have done on multiple occasions, more recently against Milwaukee and LA.

    The bullpen has also been solid. Duran brings stability to the end of the game, allowing Topper to use our relievers in the most efficient and effective way possible. Tanner Banks has settled into his role beautifully and Matt Strahm has been lights out. I would like to see Kerkering sharpen up into the playoffs, but he still has great stuff and can get anyone out in a big spot.

    As the standings stand the Phillies would play the winner of the Mets-Dodgers series. The Brewers would play the winner of the Padres-Cubs series. You can talk all you want about trying to avoid the Dodgers or Mets or whoever. But honestly it doesn’t matter. You have to take the field and beat who is in front of you. Do what you can to get homefield and beat who you have to. Let’s go win a World Series.

    Photo Credit: Bill Streicher/Imagn Images

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  • Yankees survive another bullpen meltdown, beat Twins 10-9 after nearly wasting 9-run lead

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    David Bednar just held on to get the final three outs, and the New York Yankees held on to beat the Minnesota Twins 10-9 on Tuesday night after nearly wasting a nine-run lead.

    Anthony Volpe had two hits and an RBI in his return to the starting lineup after getting a cortisone shot in his left shoulder, and Trent Grisham hit a three-run homer in the second as every New York starter had a hit and the Yankees built a 10-1 lead by the second.

    Rookie Cam Schlittler allowed four runs, three hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings but the Yankees held on to reopen a two-game lead over Boston for the top AL wild card. New York remained five games behind first-place Toronto in the AL East.

    New York’s bullpen has a 5.49 ERA since the All-Star break.

    Volpe, in a 2-for-21 slide, made his first start since Sept. 9. Grisham hit his career-high 31st home run.

    Ben Rice added three hits and drove in a run for New York, which bounced back after losing Monday’s series opener 7-0.

    Mark Leiter Jr. (6-7) allowed one hit in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

    With the Yankees clinging to a 10-8 lead, Devin Williams pitched a perfect eighth. Bednar allowed Trevor Larnach’s one-out homer in the ninth, then retired Kody Clemens on a groundout and struck out Royce Lewis for his 25th save in 28 chances.

    Zebby Matthews (4-6) lasted three innings, allowing a career-high 11 hits and tying his career worst with nine runs,.

    The Twins got homers from James Outman off Schlittler and Ryan Fitzgerald against Ryan Yarbrough while scoring seven runs over the fifth and sixth innings.

    Larnach nearly tied the game in the sixth. With the Twins down 10-7 and two on, he hit a sacrifice fly that Aaron Judge caught just short of the right-field wall.

    Minnesota stole four bases and at 103 reached 100 for the first time since 2012. Bryan Buxton swiped two and is 24 for 24.

    RHP Luis Gil (4-1, 2.83 ERA) starts Wednesday evening’s series finale for New York, while Minnesota counters with RHP Taj Bradley (6-7, 4.88). Gil has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts.

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  • Minnesota Twins shut out New York Yankees 7-0; Woods Richardson strikes out 11

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    Simeon Woods Richardson struck out a career-high 11 over six innings and Austin Martin drove in four runs on Monday night to lead the Minnesota Twins over the New York Yankees 7-0.

    New York dropped five games back of AL East-leading Toronto with its second straight loss. The Yankees’ lead for the top AL wild card was cut to one game over Boston.

    Woods Richardson (7-4) walked three and gave up two hits against the AL’s highest-scoring team. Kody Funderburk, Travis Adams and Pierson Ohl each threw a scoreless inning in relief.

    Brooks Lee doubled and homered and Edouard Julien had two hits for the Twins, who scored five runs off Luke Weaver in the seventh inning.

    Weaver has a 6.21 ERA in 34 games since returning June 20 from a strained left hamstring. He had a 1.05 ERA in 24 games before he got hurt.

    Yankees relievers have a 5.45 ERA since the All-Star break, 28th among the 30 teams.

    Carlos Rodón (16-9) gave up two runs and five hits in six innings, losing consecutive starts since June.

    Paul Goldschmidt and José Caballero each had a hit for the Yankees, who did not advance a runner past second base.

    Jhonny Pereda doubled in the third and scored when Martin hit into a forceout, and Lee led off the fifth with his 15th homer.

    Minnesota blew it open off reliever Luke Weaver in the seventh.

    Trevor Larnach and Lee hit back-to-back doubles in the seventh, Martin had a three-run double and Luke Keaschall greeted Camilo Doval with an RBI single.

    Key moment

    José Caballero hit a one-out double in the fifth, but Woods Richardson caught him breaking early to third and Caballero was out in a rundown. Austin Wells then flied out.

    Key stat

    Woods Richardson tied his career high of eight strikeouts by the end of the fourth inning.

    Up next

    RHP Cam Schlittler (3-3, 3.05 ERA) of the Yankees will face RHP Zebby Matthews (4-5, 5.06) on Tuesday.

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