Wilson didn’t specify whether he was fired or was stepping down of his own volition, and he said that the Mariners had discussed another job with the organization.  In a statement from the Mariners, team chairman John Stanton confirmed that the M’s will “we work to identify a role in which we can continue to benefit from his experience and commitment to the Mariners and our community.”

President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto was also quoted in the team’s press release, saying “collectively we failed to meet our own expectations this season.  Dan and I both care deeply about this organization, these players, and the future of the Mariners.  After much discussion it was concluded that a new direction is best for 2027 and beyond.  I want to thank Dan for his efforts over the past two years and specifically recognize his role in our club advancing to Game 7 of the ALCS in 2025.”

Wilson has been Seattle’s manager since August 2024, when he was elevated to the full-time job (without an interim tag) after Scott Servais was fired.  It was the first time Wilson had ever managed or even coached on a big league staff, but the longtime former catcher was a familiar name in Mariners history, and he had spent the previous 11 seasons in a variety of roles as a roving catching coordinator and special assistant within the player development department.

The 64-64 Mariners went 21-13 over the rest of the 2024 campaign after Wilson’s hiring, and the skipper then led the club to 90 wins and the AL West crown in 2025.  The M’s also made the deepest playoff run in franchise history, coming painfully short of their first AL pennant after falling to the Blue Jays in seven games in the ALCS.  Still, expectations were high for the Mariners heading into 2026, making their lack of success even harder to swallow for the organization and its fanbase.

Just about every player on Seattle’s roster took a step backwards from 2025, with Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor having the most pronounced dropoffs within an overall lackluster lineup.  The rotation that so often buoyed the Mariners’ offensive shortcomings in the past uncharacteristically struggled, with the bullpen also failing to pick up the slack.  The result was a 76-86 record, and even a modest 82-win campaign would’ve been enough for another playoff trip given that the AL West champion Astros finished at the .500 (81-81) mark.

As always, a manager isn’t solely to blame for his team’s play.  Fingers can certainly be pointed at how Dipoto constructed the roster, or didn’t do enough to add the final touches to what Dipoto certainly thought was already a team capable of contending for a title.  Trade acquisition Brendan Donovan was the biggest new addition, yet Donovan spent most of the year on the injured list.

MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer writes that “multiple club personnel — including players, coaches and front-office officials — indicated to MLB.com on background at different stages of the season the Mariners notably lacked accountability, and that much of these issues stemmed from the top down.  That was especially true as the year reached its most perilous points, those sources said.”  While Wilson is again not the only one at fault for this situation, the manager obviously plays a key role in setting the tone within a clubhouse or within the staff as a whole.

Wilson’s contract status was never specified after his hiring, so it could be that his current deal was simply up after the 2026 season.  It is perhaps telling that the Mariners never announced any kind of extension for Wilson in the aftermath of the club’s 2025 success, though Seattle is a team that rarely publicly announces the terms of employee contracts.  For instance, an announcement was made about a multi-year extension for Dipoto in September 2021, but it isn’t known if Dipoto is still on that contract, or if he has since signed another new deal.

It appears as though Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander will both return, and Kramer reports that pitching coach Pete Woodworth and director of pitching strategy Trent Blank will also each be retained.  Some changes to the rest of the coaching staff are inevitable, as a new skipper will surely want some input in assembling the staff.

Despite the Mariners’ struggles, the job still has plenty of appeal for any incoming manager, given all the talent on the roster.  The M’s could opt for a more experienced manager this time around, as Servais and Wilson (the two managerial hires of Dipoto’s tenure) were both first-time skippers in the majors.  Hiring the new bench boss is the first order of business for Seattle’s offseason, which creates an added complication for Dipoto and little time for the new skipper to gel with his team, given how the expected lockout will freeze all baseball business on December 1.

This is the first time that Daniels has been connected at all to the A’s job, but the team is known to be exploring a wide range of candidates.  Such names as former Nationals president of baseball ops Mike Rizzo, former Astros GM James Click, Red Sox assistant GMs Mike Groopman and Taylor Smith, and A’s assistant GM Billy Owens have been linked to the Athletics’ search to date.  Nightengale reported two weeks ago that the A’s wanted to have a new front office leader hired before the end of the season, but while that day has now passed, one would presume the club would want to make its decision sooner rather than later.

More from around the AL West…

• One managerial change has already been announced within the division, but Angels skipper Kurt Suzuki hasn’t gotten any word about his fate.  Speaking with MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger and other reporters today, Suzuki said “honestly, there’s nothing happening right now.  Obviously, things can change in the next 24 hours, but as of right now, it’s still kind of status quo.”  Hired just last winter on just a one-year contract, Suzuki’s future has been a topic basically ever since that unusually short deal was announced.  The Angels’ loss to the Mariners today dropped the Halos’ record to a 62-100 and the first 100-loss season in franchise history.  It’s hard to blame Suzuki for these results given the flawed state of the L.A. roster, but since is technically a free agent already, it would be easy for the Angels to move on amidst the other upheaval within the organization.  Stan Kroenke’s purchase of the team is expected to be approved by the league but not for a few months’ time, plus John Mozeliak’s future as the Angels’ interim general manager remains unclear.
• J.P. Crawford had three stints on the Mariners’ injured list this season due to inflammation in his right wrist and left shoulder, plus a right hand contusion.  The injuries lingered beyond just Crawford’s absences, as he told the Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish that “I’m not the one that make excuses, but more than half of the season I was playing with one arm.  It’s tough to do, but these last couple weeks, my body’s finally good and you can see what I could do.”  Crawford finished the 2026 campaign with 14 home runs and a .221/.335/.352 slash line over 489 plate appearances, which translated to a 105 wRC+ that is perhaps even more respectable considering his health status.  With his contract now up, Crawford is headed for free agency and he reiterated his desire to remain in Seattle, though as of last week, the Mariners had yet to broach the topic of a new deal.
• The Astros won four of their last six games to win the AL West, despite an even 81-81 record.  Lucas Spence emerged as an unlikely hero of this late-season push, as the center fielder hit three home runs in the Astros’ 7-5 win over the A’s on Thursday, and totaled four homers and nine RBI in Houston’s final five games.  The Athletic’s Chandler Rome recently wrote about how the Astros signed Spence for $150K as an undrafted free agent in 2024, and the outfielder then performed well enough in the minors to have his contract selected to the active roster this past July.  Houston only just called Spence back up to the Show last Wednesday, and he now might be the team’s regular center fielder in the Wild Card Series, given the injuries and inconsistency plaguing the rest of the Astros’ outfield picture.  Over his 63 total PA in the majors, Spence has hit .218/.317/.509 with four homers and nine runs scored.

Mark P

• Is this the last chat of the regular season, or (since the games are now all over) technically the first chat of the postseason?  And, if this chat exists in both planes at once, could this be called….Schrodinger’s Chat?As we ponder these questions and more, let’s take some questions!

Alex

• Is this the perfect storm for the Braves to finally get the playoff Phillies monkey off their back?

Mark P

• Atlanta certainly would seem to have the edge, but you never know once the playoffs begin.  Just looking back to last year, the Guardians seemed to have all the momentum over the collapsing Tigers, but it was Detroit who advanced in the WCS

Peter Bendix

• WHO am I adding to the team next year? Extend Sandy, Eury, Mack?

Mark P

• Miami has virtually nothing on the books, so they could all of this with ease, from a financial perspective. Maybe for Mack, they wait until they see something from him as a hitter, and there’s no rush since Mack is still a couple of years away even from arbitration eligibility.
• Perez is only arb-eligible for the first time this coming offseason, and next season is his age-24 campaign.  Locking him up to something like a six-year deal gives the Marlins control over three FA years and still allows Perez to test the market heading into his age-30 season.As for Alcantara, the Marlins will obviously exercise their club option for 2027, and extending him again is a wise move. Miami may not be far away from making a real move into contention, and cementing Alcantara as the face of the franchise is a good idea for both baseball reasons and as a popular move with a beleaguered fanbase

Holly A

• Who is your biggest surprise of the post season

Mark P

• They’ve been good for so much of the season that it’s not longer quite as shocking….but it’s still wild that the White Sox actually made the playoffs.  Virtually nobody saw that coming back in March.

Kevin in Mo

• Arenado’s turn around season is fun to watch.  If he finishes his career with 400 hr’s would that round out his HOF election?

Mark P

• Arenado has 383 for his career, but frankly, I think he already has a clear path to Cooperstown as it is

Not Mo

• I’m thinking that Mike Soroka would be a good off-season target for the Cardinals.  Thoughts?

Mark P

• Would definitely help, sure.  Soroka’s bounce-back year will get him a lot of attention in free agency.  It’s a matter of whether or not his asking price puts him outside STL’s comfort zone, or if the Cardinals are willing to spend a little more on rotation help this winter.

offseason deadlines

• will deadlines such as non tenders proceed normally up  until the lockout?

Mark P

• Yep

Posting Windows

• do these freeze during the lockout?

Mark P

• Yep.  So if Sato, Taira and company haven’t signed with a new team by December 1, they’ve got to wait out the lockout like every other free agent.
• The latest reports indicated that NPB teams might post their players a little earlier than usual, to provide more time for the players to find a big league contract before Dec. 1.The possibility exists, however, that any of these players might get fed up with the wait and just decide to return to NPB for 2027

Read more

11:45AM: The Red Sox announced a slew of roster moves ahead of their season finale against the Cubs. Catcher Mickey Gasper is headed to the 10-day IL with a biceps strain. Right-hander Tyron Guerrero is on the 15-day IL with a shoulder strain. Utilityman Nate Eaton and righty Wyatt Olds were recalled to take their spots.

Boston also activated righty Tanner Houck from the 60-day IL. He had Tommy John surgery last season. Houck will get the start today in his return to the majors. Outfielder Eli White was moved to the 60-day IL to clear a 40-man spot for Houck, while Jedixson Paez was optioned to create room with the big-league club. White had season-ending foot surgery earlier this month.

Gasper was removed from the first game of Friday’s doubleheader with what manager Chad Tracy called a “significant” biceps injury. He’ll now miss at least the first round of the playoffs, and potentially the entire postseason. Gasper had cooled off after a massive two-week stretch to close August, but he’s been a regular against righties near the top of Boston’s lineup.

Boston won’t have Gasper at DH moving forward, but the lineup did get a boost on Sunday. Willson Contreras is hitting third as the DH. It’s the first time he’s played since September 17. Contreras was hit in the hand by a pitch and was still feeling pain this week. His appearance today is a great sign for his postseason availability.

Guerrero struck out the side in his most recent appearance, which came on Wednesday against the Guardians. He earned his 19th hold. The veteran righty had earned a prominent role in Boston’s bullpen, functioning as a key setup option behind Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman. It’s unclear if he’ll be able to return in the postseason. Boston would likely need to advance multiple rounds for Guerrero to have a chance to make it back.

Eaton has bounced on and off the roster multiple times this season. He’s compiled 58 plate appearances across his various stints with the club. The 29-year-old has big-league experience at third base, but he’s only played the outfield with Boston this year. Eaton has had a solid season with the glove, putting up 4 Defensive Runs Saved in 125 innings.

Olds has been excellent as a rookie. He’s posted a 1.20 ERA through his first 15 big-league appearances. The young righty has a double-digit walk rate, but a tremendous 31.3% strikeout rate. Olds could be a weapon in the postseason. He’s a candidate to pick up some of the high-leverage opportunities vacated by Guerrero.

Houck struggled mightily in 2025 before going under the knife. He scuffled to an 8.04 ERA over nine outings. That included two separate starts allowing 11 earned runs. Houck made four rehab appearances as he ramped back up to a return to the majors. He got up to 42 pitches over 3 1/3 innings in his most recent outing. Houck is unlikely to contribute in the playoffs, but he’ll be an option in 2027, either as a starter or reliever.

Paez was recalled for the doubleheader. He delivered the best outing of his brief career, shutting out the Cubs over five innings. Paez operated behind Brayan Bello, finishing off the 2-0 victory for his first MLB win.

Photo courtesy of David Butler II, Imagn Images

The Brewers recorded a league-high and team-record 103 wins, and have earned homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.  Milwaukee has once again fielded a high-quality team powered by starting pitching (particularly ace Jacob Misiorowski) and a potent offense that excels in every facet except the home run ball.  This is the eighth time in the last nine seasons that the Brew Crew has reached the postseason without a pennant to show for it, but maybe this is finally the year the Brewers can get over the hump and into the World Series.

Milwaukee’s first-round bye sets up an NLDS matchup against the winner of the Wild Card Series between the Padres and Cubs, which begins in San Diego on Tuesday.  The Padres were just 50-53 at the end of play on July 23, but 41 wins over their last 69 games ensured both a playoff spot, and homefield advantage in the first round.  Chicago finished with 89 wins after an up-and-down campaign that underscores the team’s clear strengths and obvious weaknesses.  The Cubs have an elite offense and defense but a very shaky pitching staff, so it remains to be seen if they can hold off a Padres lineup that has caught fire in the second half.

The NL East champion Braves host the Phillies in the other WCS, with Atlanta looking to avenge postseason losses to Philadelphia in both 2022 and 2023.  The Braves held the division lead since April 8, with Chris Sale carrying a solid pitching staff and Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, and Michael Harris II acting as stabilizing forces within a lineup that has been prone to cold streaks.  The Phils unfortunately know a few things about offensive dry spells, posting the league’s lowest wRC+ since September 1.  Philadelphia had to win its final game just to clinch a wild card berth, and this late push has left the rotation up in the air for the start of the postseason.

The two-time defending World Series champs lie in wait for the winner of the Braves/Phillies series in the NLDS.  The Dodgers cruised to another NL West title, and an 18-7 record in September brought the team to a 100-62 record and the 12th triple-digit win total in franchise history.  Though Shohei Ohtani’s health is a question mark heading into October, Los Angeles looks just about as dangerous as ever as the club tries for the threepeat.

A 98-64 record clinched the Rays both the AL East title, and the top seed in the American League bracket.  Homefield advantage is a key factor for a team that went 55-26 at Tropicana Field, but even with the bye, Shane McClanahan won’t be part of the postseason roster until the ALCS at the earliest.  Like the Brewers, the Rays are another lower-spending team that is above-average in pretty much everything except power, and Tampa is hoping its formula of speed and smallball is enough to earn another trip to the Fall Classic.

Tampa Bay will be facing a division foe regardless of whomever wins the WCS between the Yankees and Red Sox, with the two arch-rivals meeting in the Bronx in the first round of the second straight postseason.  Both clubs boast strong pitching staffs, with New York perhaps having the rotation edge and Boston ahead in the bullpen.  Aaron Judge’s health is far and away the biggest storyline, as it isn’t known if the calf strain that has kept Judge sidelined since September 16 will keep him off the Yankees’ playoff roster.

The other AL Wild Card Series is one of the most unusual matchups in years.  The Astros won the AL West but only with an 81-81 record, becoming the first team (in a non-shortened season) to ever each the playoffs with a non-winning record.  Yordan Alvarez’s MVP-caliber season helped carry Houston over the postseason line, and the Astros will now host the surprise team of 2026.  After losing at least 101 games in each of the last three seasons, the White Sox shocked the world with a 84-76 record and a playoff bid.  Miguel Vargas, Munetaka Murakami, and the rest of the upstart Sox will try to keep the magic going by knocking off a veteran Astros team with plenty of playoff experience.

The Guardians didn’t pull ahead of the White Sox in the AL Central standings until mid-September, but Cleveland won nine of its last 11 games to clinch its seventh division crown in the last 11 seasons.  The first-round bye will allow the club to rest and line up strikeout machine Gavin Williams and rookie Parker Messick as the likely top two starters for the ALDS.  As hot as the Guards’ bats have been in the last few weeks, offense is again the biggest question facing the team as it looks to end baseball’s longest World Series drought — Cleveland’s last championship came all the way back in 1948.

The six-year, $150MM contract Springer signed with the Jays in January 2021 is now up, and the veteran will become a free agent for the second time in his career.  Whether or not Springer signs anywhere or opt for retirement remains to be seen, as Springer told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi on Friday that he has yet to decide about his future.

“We’ll go into the offseason and I’ll see what happens….I’ll sit down with my wife at the end of this year and we’ll discuss whatever’s going to happen.  But I love my family and if that requires me to be with them, I’ll be with them,” Springer said.

Springer is just over a week removed from his 37th birthday, and he is wrapping up a season that saw him hit .249/.321/.405 with 15 home runs over 517 plate appearances.  He missed a couple of weeks in April due to a fracture in his left big toe, adding to a list of nagging lower-body issues in recent years that made Springer basically a full-time DH in 2026.  That injury and another toe fracture that didn’t require another IL stint surely contributed to Springer’s slow start, plus Davidi also alluded to Springer playing through a nagging shoulder issue.

Still, Springer hit very well from mid-June through the end of August before his bat cooled off in September.  He downplayed his physical status as any excuse for his play or as a factor in his future, saying “if my mind can say it, then my body can do it.  My body can do whatever I tell it to do, hopefully.  But I’ll cross that road once I get to it.”

While a 105 wRC+ is respectable for a player of Springer’s age, it is far below the 166 wRC+ and .309/.399/.560 slash line Springer delivered in 2025, as his return to All-Star form was one of the chief reasons why the Blue Jays won the AL pennant.  Indeed, Springer delivered the key hit that sent the Jays to the World Series, as his three-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the ALCS put Toronto ahead 4-3 in what ended up as the final score.

After subpar years in both 2023 and 2024, Springer’s career seemed to be winding down before his big rebound in 2025.  His production this season may indicate that 2025 was something of an outlier, yet it would appear as enough Springer still has enough gas left in the tank to be a productive hitter.

While he’ll surely draw interest in free agency, Springer’s market will be limited as a 37-year-old who is essentially a DH-only player at this stage of his career.  With 13 seasons played, four All-Star nods, almost $200MM in career earnings, and a World Series ring (and a World Series MVP trophy) with the 2017 Astros on his resume, this may be enough for Springer to call it a career and spend more time with his wife and three young sons.

Choi was born in Incheon in 1991, but as a legal permanent resident of the United States, he bypassed the usual KBO draft system when he began his baseball career in 2010, and instead signed a free agent deal with the Mariners.  Choi didn’t reach the majors until 2016 as a member of the Angels, but the first baseman then appeared in parts of every MLB season from 2016-2023, suiting up for six different teams at the Major League level.

Over 1841 career plate appearances and 525 games, Choi hit .234/.338/.426 with 67 home runs, good for a solid 113 wRC+.  Most of Choi’s action and productivity came during his five-year run with the Rays from 2018-22, as he batted .245/.352/.431 in his 1545 PA in a Tampa uniform.  He slightly topped that overall production in the postseason, with a .221/.398/.412 slash line in 88 PA in the playoffs.

Choi played 26 games with the Mets’ Triple-A squad in 2024, and then in 2025 returned to South Korea for a new phase of his life.  South Korean men between the ages of 18-35 are required to complete between 18-21 months of military service, and Choi’s baseball career (and U.S. legal permanent resident status) only delayed this mandatory requirement.

As per Bong-Jun Ko of the JoongAng Daily, Choi “was discharged early” from his military duties as a social service work “after a chronic knee injury worsened.”  This enabled Choi to restart his playing career with a minor league club in South Korea, and give KBO scouts a chance to evaluate Choi after his long layoff.

The unique circumstances of Choi’s career still made him a rookie by KBO standards, and thus subject the league draft.  Drafting an experienced player like Choi is obviously more of a win-now move for the Wiz than a way of building for the future, but there’s plenty of short-term upside for the team if Choi can replicate any of his MLB success against a lower level of competition in the KBO League.  The Wiz are in first place in the KBO standings and (apart from a down season in 2025) have been perennial playoff contenders in recent years, so Choi could conceivably help the club as early as this season.

Manager Aaron Boone teased the reveal this morning, saying he had spoken to both Schlittler and Fried but wasn’t ready to share the decision publicly (h/t Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). New York’s rotation has been a persistent topic of conversation since the club locked up the top Wild Card spot. The speculation centered around Fried potentially starting Game 1 to afford Schlittler extra rest.

Schlittler last pitched on Thursday and will be on regular rest for the series opener on Tuesday. Fried would’ve had a full week between starts if he went in Game 1. He’ll now pitch on Wednesday.

As the top candidate to take home AL Cy Young honors, Schlittler is an easy choice to start the first game. He leads the AL with a 1.95 ERA across 33 starts. Schlittler has allowed one earned run or fewer in 25 of his appearances this season. It’s a truly elite campaign for Schlittler, who’s emerged as the ace of New York’s staff.

Schlitter, a Massachusetts native, is no stranger to facing the Red Sox in the playoffs. He posted eight dominant innings against Boston in Game 3 of the Wild Card series last year.  Schlittler struck out 12 in his postseason debut.

Fried would’ve been a worthy candidate to draw the start on Monday. He’s notched a crisp 2.80 ERA over 20 starts. The lefty has dealt with injury issues, but he’s been solid when available. Fried matches up nicely against a Boston offense that ranks 29th in wRC+ against lefties since the start of August.

Photo courtesy of Arianna Grainey, Imagn Images

River Ryan will get the ball for Detroit on Sunday. Flaherty is expected to cover some innings behind him. The veteran made two rehab appearances at Triple-A Toledo. Flaherty reached 39 pitches across 2 1/3 innings in his most recent outing.

Flaherty’s return amounts to a ceremonial sendoff as he prepares for free agency. It certainly won’t be the type of farewell franchise legend Justin Verlander received yesterday. Detroit inked Flaherty to a two-year, $35MM deal heading into the 2025 campaign. The club has gotten 50 starts of a mid-4.00s ERA out of him.

Detroit seemed to get Flaherty back on track when he first joined the organization. He came to the Tigers on a one-year, $14MM deal heading into the 2024 season after a disappointing year split between the Cardinals and Orioles. Flaherty put together a sub-3.00 ERA with a career-best 32% strikeout rate over 18 starts with the Tigers. Detroit shipped him to the Dodgers for catcher Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney at the trade deadline. Flaherty was solid in L.A., but came right back to Detroit in free agency.

Flaherty hasn’t been effective since that 2024 season, but at least he can show he’s healthy heading into the winter with today’s appearance. The soon-to-be 31-year-old might be looking at a prove-it deal once again this offseason.

Photo courtesy of Lon Horwedel, Imagn Images

Sept. 26: Dodgers right-hander Blake Treinen is done for the season after injuring his shoulder while warming up in the bullpen today, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. Manager Dave Roberts relayed that Treinen will go for imaging and inevitably go on the injured list, ruling him out for the Dodgers’ postseason run. “I don’t know if it was a complete blowout, but it’s really unfortunate,” Roberts told reporters, including Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.

The shoulder injury closes the book on Treinen’s season and the two-year, $22MM deal he signed with the Dodgers leading into 2025. The righty missed over three months in 2025 with right forearm tightness, then another two months and change in the current season for elbow inflammation. Treinen was clearly diminished when healthy in 2025, as he pitched to a 5.40 ERA in 26 2/3 innings with an elevated 14.7% walk rate and a career-low 33.3% ground ball rate. The latter is up to 44.4% this year, and Treinen’s ERA is down to 3.64 in 36 appearances. He’s cut his walk rate to a more manageable 10.0%, while his 23.8% strikeout rate is his lowest since the 2020 season.

The 38-year-old Treinen would have been in play for low-leverage spots in the postseason, but he’s now out of the equation entirely. Of course, the Dodgers are exceptionally well stocked with pitchers and won’t have any trouble filling the void from Treinen’s absence. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Tyler Glasnow, and Blake Snell are as formidable a rotation as they come. Snell threw four innings of one-run ball in his final postseason tune-up today.

Two of their starters – Roki Sasaki and 2026 All-Star Justin Wrobleski – will pitch in relief in October, adding to a stacked bullpen behind closer Tanner Scott, setup man Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez, and Jack Dreyer, among other solid arms. Edwin Díaz is also on hand, but he’s struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness this year. The Dodgers are not committed to carrying him on the postseason roster.

The specific details of Treinen’s shoulder injury and whether he will require surgery will be made clear once the imaging comes back. If he does go under the knife, it will be his fifth major injury absence in the last five seasons. He missed most of 2022 with right shoulder soreness, appearing in three games in April plus two more in September. That November, Treinen underwent surgery to repair his labrum and rotator cuff, causing him to miss all of 2023. He was relatively healthy in 2024, only missing two weeks with left hip discomfort and delivering a 1.93 ERA in 46 2/3 innings.

That said, with the forearm injury in 2025, plus this year’s elbow inflammation, and now a new shoulder injury, it’s fair to wonder if Treinen’s career is near the end of the line. Next year will be his age-39 season. He failed to reach the 30-inning mark this year and last, and any club that signs him for 2027 will probably expect him to miss some time. Someone may pick him up on a low cost flier, but it would be a gamble on Treinen’s long-term track record rather than a reflection of his recent performance and health.

In separate news, the Dodgers reinstated catcher Dalton Rushing from the 10-day injured list on Friday. Infielder Alex Freeland was optioned down to make room for Rushing on the active roster, per the team’s announcement. The 25-year-old Rushing is batting .248/.331/.464 with a 119 wRC+ in 251 plate appearances this season. He’d been out since September 6th what was later revealed to be a partially torn UCL in his throwing elbow. He is unable to throw and won’t catch in the postseason, but he should be available off the bench as a pinch hitter against right-handed pitching.

Photo courtesy of William Navarro, Imagn Images

As previously reported, Luzardo will rejoin the club for Game 162. He’ll be an option out of the bullpen. The lefty went down with left shoulder inflammation earlier this month, but it’ll ultimately be a minimum stint on the IL. The Phillies are suddenly in a precarious situation, needing a win or a Diamondbacks loss on Sunday to secure a Wild Card spot. Zack Wheeler will get the ball as the club looks to avoid a major collapse.

With Wheeler forced to start Sunday, the Phillies will have to shuffle their playoff rotation if they get there. Cristopher Sanchez would likely start Game 1. Luzardo would be an option for Game 2 if he isn’t used in relief today.

Philadelphia picked up Urquidy off waivers from the White Sox last week. He was immediately inserted into the pitching mix, covering 4 2/3 scoreless innings behind an opener on his first day with the team. Urquidy’s second appearance didn’t go as smoothly. He gave up three runs over 2 2/3 innings in last night’s blowout loss to the Rays.

Urquidy will now head to the waiver wire. If he goes unclaimed, he has enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment. The veteran missed most of 2024 and 2025 after Tommy John surgery. Urquidy received interest the first two times he was DFAed this season. He’s likely to latch on somewhere again.

Photo courtesy of Eric Hartline, Imagn Images

The Giants traded Doval to the Yankees at last year’s trade deadline. He struggled down the stretch with the club, fading out of a high-leverage role. The first half of 2026 didn’t go much better. New York sent Doval to the Pirates at this year’s trade deadline. The righty managed a sub-4.00 ERA with Pittsburgh, but walked 14 over 19 innings.

Doval is under team control through 2027. He is making a little over $6MM this season after his second trip through arbitration. He’ll likely get a slight bump from that number next year. Doval is a non-tender candidate this offseason, but wants to remain in San Francisco.

“If it were up to me, I would stay here as long as I’m pitching in the big leagues,” Doval told reporters, including Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. “This is where I want to be, and this is where I want to get back to the Camilo I was before.”

The Camilo he used to be was a borderline elite reliever. Doval debuted with the Giants in 2021. By 2022, he was the team’s primary closer. The hard-throwing righty piled up 69 saves in his first three years as a big leaguer. He led the NL with 39 saves in 2023 and earned his first career All-Star selection.

The 2024 campaign was a turning point for Doval. His walk rate exploded to 14.4%. After three straight years with a 3.00 ERA or better, Doval posted a 4.88 mark in 2024. He blew five saves and lost the closer role before the end of the season. Doval was better from a run-prevention perspective to begin 2025, though his walk rate remained above 12% and his strikeout rate continued to trend down.

For the Giants, claiming Doval suggests they’re at least considering paying the $7-8MM price tag for 2027. The club could also be looking to trade Doval once again this offseason. San Francisco spent around $195MM on this year’s roster, per our Payroll Tracker. It’s a steep price for a club that will finish with the second-worst record in the NL. President of baseball operations Buster Posey might prefer to go cheaper at closer next season.

San Francisco’s bullpen ranks 25th in xFIP and 27th in SIERA this year. High-leverage relievers Erik Miller and Caleb Kilian were moved at the trade deadline. The current unit doesn’t have many obvious choices for the 2027 bullpen. Randy Rodriguez should be back next year after missing this season due to Tommy John surgery. Veterans Jason Foley and Sam Hentges remain under contract. If he remains with the club, Doval would likely open the year as the closer, at least until Rodriguez secures the gig.

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1. Phillies face win and in scenario

The NL Wild Card race seemed all but over heading into the final week of the season. The Padres, Cubs, and Phillies were sprinting to the finish line, with seeding being the only question. That’s no longer the case. Philadelphia has lost four straight, including a blowout defeat at home against the Rays last night. Arizona was riding a six-game winning streak heading into Saturday, but fell to San Diego. If the Phillies beat the Rays today, they can avoid a massive collapse and punch their ticket to the playoffs. If Philly loses and the D-Backs win, Arizona is in.

2. AL West will be decided on Sunday

The Rangers and Astros remain deadlocked atop the AL West after wins on Saturday. Houston holds the tiebreaker. The two clubs are 80-81. The division winner will have the worst record for a playoff team in MLB history (h/t Jeff Passan of ESPN). The Astros are bringing back Peter Lambert to start on short rest. He was knocked around for four earned runs over 2 2/3 innings on Thursday. Lambert will get another crack at the A’s lineup, at least for a couple of innings. The Rangers will turn to MacKenzie Gore against the Twins.

3. Goodman launches 40th HR

The Rockies played spoiler yesterday, beating the White Sox to seal the AL Central for the Guardians. Catcher Hunter Goodman led the way with a pair of home runs. His first blast was No. 40 of the season. Goodman is the first Rockie since Nolan Arenado in 2019 to reach 40 homers. He’s delivered a strong follow-up campaign to his breakout 2025 season. Goodman plays in the most favorable hitting environment in the sport, but he’s actually been better on the road this year. He’s hit 25 of his 41 home runs away from Coors Field. Goodman’s OPS is nearly 100 points higher on the road.

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Luzardo has thrown 178 2/3 innings over 29 starts this season. His 30.4% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate, 2.87 earned run average, and 48.3% ground ball rate are all career bests in a full season. FanGraphs values him at 5.5 wins above replacement, and Luzardo ranks fourth-best among qualified National League starters in that regard (his teammate Cristopher Sánchez ranking second with 6.2 fWAR). He’s been on the IL since September 12th with left shoulder inflammation but will now return after a minimum absence.

The Diamondbacks just lost 10-7 to the Padres, so they’ll enter tomorrow with an 86-75 record, with the Phillies at 87-74. If the Phillies win tomorrow, Arizona will be eliminated, but if the Phillies lose and the D-backs win, the Phillies would be eliminated as the D-backs have a better divisional record and thus hold the tiebreaker advantage.

Philadelphia has now lost four straight games, and they’ve had to get creative with their rotation with the season on the line. Aaron Nola started tonight on two days’ rest. He only lasted one inning and gave up three earned runs on four hits, including a home run by the Rays’ Junior Caminero. They surely would have liked to save Wheeler for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, but they’ll now be forced to burn him in the regular season finale.

If the Phillies hold on for the Wild Card, their playoff rotation will have to be sorted out as well. Sánchez threw 100 pitches yesterday and would be on normal rest for Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, or Game 1 on short rest. The latter might be a more appealing option than Andrew Painter on normal rest, as Painter has struggled to a 5.40 ERA in 126 2/3 innings this year. Theoretically, Wheeler could pitch well tomorrow and Luzardo won’t be needed in relief, leaving him free for Game 1. There’s a certain amount of risk there as well, as Luzardo hasn’t pitched since September 7th and could be rusty after that layoff.

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The MRI comes after Ortiz exited Friday’s game in the eighth inning with the aforementioned right knee bruise. According to Murphy, Ortiz had also been dealing with oblique and groin issues. David Hamilton slid over from shortstop to third when Ortiz left the game. He started at third in today’s 3-2 win over the Cardinals, going 1-for-3 with a double and a strikeout.

The 28-year-old Ortiz has batted .270/.328/.402 in 415 plate appearances, grading out 3% better than league average by wRC+. That’s a massive improvement over last year’s 67 wRC+, and Ortiz has backed it up with excellent defense. He started the season at shortstop and has mostly played the hot corner since Cooper Pratt was brought up to play short in the middle of June. Statcast values Ortiz at +8 Outs Above Average in almost 600 innings at short and +9 OAA in under 400 innings at third. The latter is tied with the Cubs’ Alex Bregman for second-best among third basemen, and Bregman has played almost 860 more innings there than Ortiz.

Nobody would confuse Ortiz for a star player, but he’s quietly been a solid contributor to the Brewers’ dominant regular season. A right-handed hitter, Ortiz has actually shown reverse platoon splits this year, putting up a 112 wRC+ against same-handed pitching versus an 85 wRC+ in 150 plate appearances against southpaws. Meanwhile, the lefty-swinging Hamilton is 16% worse than average at the plate by wRC+, and 30% worse than average against lefties. His defensive grades are more mixed than those of Ortiz, as Hamilton has been worth +7 Defensive Runs Saved, but -11 OAA across third base, shortstop, and second base.

The Brewers will monitor Ortiz’s abdominal swelling during their five days off between tomorrow and the Division Series. If he misses time during the playoffs, the team will have to pull from their third base depth, and there aren’t many good options there. Hamilton is currently the only backup infielder on the active roster. He would be a massive downgrade at the plate. Andrew Vaughn has a 133 wRC+ and should be back from the IL by October 3rd, but he’s only played 14 games at third base this year. That’s it for infielders on the 40-man roster. Jonathan Ornelas is in the organization on a minor league pact, but he hasn’t hit at all in limited big league action.

Photo courtesy of Bill Streicher, Imagn Images