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MLB News & Moments: A Special Day in New York

Just like it was 25 years ago, baseball remains the best.

Pablo Figueroa
MLB Morning News 9 Hours Ago

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

 

Today’s Headlines

 

New York State of Mind

On the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on New York, baseball was again a beacon of hope for the city and the country. With several memorials and ceremonies prior to the game, the Mets and Yankees took the field in an emotional scene, and then delivered on the diamond with a surprisingly competitive game. With Carlos Rodón posting a quality start (one earned run over 6.1 innings), Nolan McLean was not able to keep up for the Mets, allowing a couple of long homers as part of a five-run outing. The Yankees opened a 5-1 lead that looked secure until the Mets started to chip away, scoring one run in each of the last three innings and having the tying run at the plate in the ninth. However, closer David Bednar was able to shut the door in a five-out effort, forcing Juan Soto into a game-ending double play. Regardless of the 6-4 final score, this game meant much more to the heart of baseball than anything in the standings.

Walking Off And Running to October

In a battle of AL division leaders, the Rays appeared to have the upper hand with Drew Rasmussen on the hill versus a planned bullpen game for the Astros. Tampa Bay had the possibility of clinching a playoff spot with a win, but things would not come easy as Houston’s barrage of arms kept pace with Tampa’s ace throughout the game. Rasmussen allowed only one run over seven frames, but it would be matched by three Astros pitchers, as bulk man Ethan Pecko stayed out of trouble and allowed one run over 5.1 innings. As the game entered the ninth tied, the Rays called on their elite closer Bryan Baker, who pitched a clean inning, while the Astros countered with setup man Bryan Abreu, who would not have the same fate. After allowing a Jonathan Aranda double, Junior Caminero stepped up to the plate with a chance to be the hero. Caminero had never recorded a walk-off hit, but he corrected that anomaly emphatically, blasting a two-run homer that secured the 3-1 win and sent Tampa Bay to the playoffs. As the first AL entrant, the Rays will now try to earn their first AL East title since 2021, as they are three games clear of the Yankees.

An October Tradition

The Milwaukee Brewers have been on a path towards the playoffs for several months now, as they have been relentless in showing they could be the team to beat in the NL. With the chance to clinch a playoff spot, they decided to do it in the grandest of fashions. Milwaukee scored twice in the first and then six times in the second, punctuated by a couple of two-run homers from Brice Turang and Trevor Bauers. From there, the rout was on, as Dustin May delivered his best outing since joining the Brewers (six Ks over six scoreless), while the offense never stopped scoring. Milwaukee scored eight runs in the fifth and then three more against a position player in the eighth, securing their eighth playoff spot in nine seasons with a whopping 20-0 victory. All Brewers starters got at least one hit and one run scored, with a 23-hit effort that included four doubles and four homers. Milwaukee now has the goal of earning the best record in the NL, with the Dodgers keeping pace in the win column.

I Get Knocked Down, But I Get Up Again

With the recent spat involving Ronald Acuña Jr. and the continued battle for the top of the NL East, Atlanta and the Phillies have given us some of the most entertaining games in September. This time around, they may have outdone themselves, with a thrilling contest that ended with a 6-5 Atlanta win. Despite a slow start on offense, a rare solid start from Aaron Nola saw Philadelphia mount an early 3-2 lead that carried until the ninth, when Sean Murphy took advantage of a fielding error to tie things up at three and send the game to extras. The Phillies scored their ghost runner in the tenth, but Atlanta matched it again, this time with a Mauricio Dubón sac fly. In the 11th, it would happen again, with the Phillies taking yet another lead, only to be matched by Atlanta. The difference is that this time, they would find a way to finally overtake the Phils. With two outs, Ha-Seong Kim hit an RBI single to tie, immediately followed by a Drake Baldwin RBI double to send the crowd into a frenzy. Now with a 4.5-game lead, the division crown looks like a matter of time for Atlanta.

Last Train to The Playoffs

In a matchup that amounts to a loser-goes-home series, the Orioles and Blue Jays began a crucial set in Toronto. With a combined age of over 80 years, Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer took the ball, tasked with keeping their teams alive for the playoffs. While Bassitt was mostly effective (two runs over five innings), Scherzer just did not have it this time around. The game started with a Dylan Beavers lead-off homer, but the second frame became a disaster, as the Orioles had six consecutive hits to start the inning, with five runs scoring. This would be too much to overcome for the Blue Jays, who mounted a late rally but fell short as Baltimore prevailed 7-4. With Cleveland keeping their winning pace, Toronto is now two games back of the last AL playoff spot, while the Orioles are three games behind it.

 

By The Numbers

 

20/20/15 After hitting his 20th homer of 2026, Arizona’s Corbin Carroll officially posted a season with at least 20 homers, 20 steals, and 15 triples. It is just the tenth such season in MLB history, and Carroll is the only player to feature on the list with multiple seasons.

23.18  At 23 years and 68 days old, Junior Caminero became the second-youngest player in MLB history with multiple 40-homer seasons. He is only surpassed by Eddie Mathews, who reached that milestone at 22 years and 347 days old.

0/7 After failing to extend the game despite having bases loaded in the ninth, the Giants failed in their seventh attempt to earn a four-game winning streak in 2026. They have seven separate three-game winners, but remain the only team to reach at least four. With upcoming series against the Cardinals, two more games versus San Diego, and six matchups with the Dodgers, it is unlikely that San Francisco will break this drought.

 

Best Moments From Yesterday

 

Just Immaculate

Following a two-year stretch in which he emerged as a high-leverage reliever and occasional closer, Justin Martinez has faced a rough 2026 filled with injuries. This has limited him to only eight games so far, but it has also allowed him to be fresh for Arizona’s critical stretch run. As the Diamondbacks routed the Rangers with a 9-1 score, Martinez was at his absolute best, tossing just the fifth immaculate inning in Arizona franchise history. Using a nasty combination of high-octane fastballs and splitters, Martinez cruised through the sixth as he fanned Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter, and Jake Burger, all on swinging third strikes. The Diamondbacks remain in a fierce battle with the Padres to determine the last NL playoff entrant, and having a weapon like Martinez could become the difference in the end.

A Whole Lara Defense

As the Brewers were routing the Reds with a 9-0 score, their playoff berth was just a matter of time. However, Luis Lara showed that there are no off plays when it comes to Milwaukee baseball. With Eugenio Suárez sending a ball deep to center, Lara delivered yet another highlight-reel catch to his extensive collection, timing his jump expertly to bring the ball back from what looked like a certain homer. It was all part of a banner day for the center fielder, as Lara also collected a couple of hits and was able to celebrate on the field as he will be part of his first October effort.

A’Spoiler

In a season that has not gone as planned, the Seattle Mariners were still confident that their soft final stretch would be enough to get them in playoff position. September has included impressive series wins over the Red Sox and Rangers, but the M’s are now virtually eliminated from the race following their fourth loss in five tries against the lowly A’s. In this series opener in Sacramento, Seattle battled after an early deficit and tied the game at four, sending it to extras where they scored their ghost runner. With a chance to extend the lead, a spectacular Denzel Clarke catch in center field saved two runs and set the stage for the bottom of the tenth, as Donovan Walton wasted no time with a two-run walk-off homer. This winning spree has seemingly assured that the A’s will not be the worst team in the AL, while the Mariners stand six games back of the last playoff spot.

 

Injuries and Other Moves

 

⚾ Oft-injured Twins star Byron Buxton will undergo hip surgery, following a season-long battle with ailments that sent him to a couple of IL trips. With Minnesota’s playoff hopes dwindling, it makes sense for the franchise to speed up Buxton’s timeline, as he is expected to be ready for the 2027 season. 

⚾ Pittsburgh’s rookie Esmerlyn Valdez was removed from yesterday’s game against the Cubs due to left hamstring tightness. The injury happened on a play in the sixth inning, and it is unclear if he will be able to return this season. As the Pirates’ playoff hopes are all but gone, it is likely that the team will play it safe with their powerful outfielder.

⚾ The Cubs are expecting shortstop Dansby Swanson to return next week, which would mean a quicker turnaround from his initially expected four-week absence. The plan now is to have Swanson play a couple of rehab games in AAA Iowa and then be activated to the big-league club on Friday. As Chicago prepares for the playoffs, having their starting shortstop back represents a nice boost.

 

Articles You Should Read

 

Walk-Off Balks and a Crazy August — Benjamin Hill, MLB.com

Mike Trout Talks Hitting — David Laurila, Fangraphs

 

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Pablo Figueroa

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

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