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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy is featured in the starting lineup for Monday's opener against southpaw David Peterson. With the Braves facing a left-handed starter, Murphy occupies his standard spot in the bottom third of the order alongside Ha-Seong Kim. Murphy carries extensive career head-to-head experience against Peterson as Atlanta seeks another offensive spark following recent 12-2 output performances.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Kyle Harrison is enduring a difficult stretch as the postseason approaches, seeing his ERA climb from 2.79 to 3.98 after allowing 17 earned runs and 23 hits over his last 7.1 innings. Following a stint on the IL for forearm tightness, Harrison was moved to the bullpen to build confidence, but surrendered four straight baserunners in his debut relief outing Saturday. Manager Pat Murphy remains committed to helping him adjust.
Washington Nationals pitcher Riley Cornelio has shown breakout potential down the stretch, posting a 2.77 ERA over his last seven outings. Featuring a slider with a 53.2% whiff rate—the fourth-highest in MLB for pitches thrown 200+ times—Cornelio has expanded his arsenal by increasing his cutter usage to 23.9% in September. Across 27.2 innings this season, he has generated 56 whiffs over his last 300 pitches while improving his command.
Kodai Senga has excelled since taking over closer duties for the New York Mets on Aug. 10 while Devin Williams has been sidelined with a shoulder injury. Senga is 7-for-7 in save opportunities while posting a 2.38 ERA, featuring a fastball reaching 100 mph alongside his signature forkball. Williams praised Senga's performance in high-leverage situations, noting his emergence has provided valuable late-inning reliability for the bullpen.
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo was out of the lineup again Monday against the Mets, having started just eight of 13 September games. Following earlier shoulder inflammation and wrist issues, Basallo has struggled immensely since returning from the injured list on Aug. 19, batting just .150 with a .467 OPS across 68 plate appearances. Pre-injury, he hit .241 with 16 home runs, but physical hurdles continue to plague his rookie campaign.
The Kansas City Royals recalled right-handed reliever Lucas Erceg from Triple-A Omaha on Monday, optioning Easton McGee in a corresponding move. Erceg was demoted on Aug. 18 after posting a 6.23 ERA, but he earned his way back by recording a 1.74 ERA with 13 strikeouts and three walks over 10.1 innings in Triple-A. Opponents have hit .333 against his fastball this season, but the 31-year-old will now get another shot in the big-league bullpen.
San Francisco Giants pitching prospect Jacob Bresnahan delivered his best Double-A start on Friday, firing seven scoreless innings for Richmond in a 1-0 win over Chesapeake. The 21-year-old left-hander allowed only four hits and one walk while striking out seven batters on 88 pitches (66 strikes). After allowing nine runs over his first nine Double-A innings, Bresnahan rebounded impressively to cap off a strong overall 2026 campaign.
San Francisco Giants pitching prospect Joe Whitman delivered another impressive start for Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday, tossing six innings while allowing just one run on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The 25-year-old left-hander has pitched at least six innings in five straight starts, compiling a 3.65 ERA in AAA. Over three September starts, Whitman has permitted only two runs across 21 innings while issuing two walks.
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain remained out of the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Dodgers, marking his third consecutive missed start. McLain landed hard on his left shoulder during a diving attempt Friday against Milwaukee. It is the same shoulder he underwent surgery on in spring 2024. McLain is considered day-to-day as he continues to experience occasional soreness on diving plays.
Athletics prospect Leo De Vries is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery this week to repair an anterior labrum tear, sidelining him for approximately eight months. The 19-year-old switch-hitter suffered the right shoulder injury sliding head-first into a base and tried to play through discomfort. De Vries, who batted .290 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI in 93 minor league games, will see his major league debut delayed until late in the 2027 season.
The San Diego Padres activated veteran first baseman Ty France from the paternity leave list on Monday. France missed the entirety of the Padres' weekend series in San Francisco but returned to action as the team opened a series in Colorado. He is enjoying a strong season for San Diego, sporting a healthy .294/.363/.510 batting line with 20 home runs across 120 contests.
Payton Tolle delivered a brilliant performance for the Boston Red Sox, tossing an immaculate inning—just the eighth in franchise history, the first since Chris Sale in 2021, and the first in the opening frame since Pedro Martinez in 2002. Tolle admitted he was thinking about the historic feat as it happened, sharing a smile with pitching coach Andrew Bailey before firing the final pitch. The standout rookie continues to captivate New England fans with his stellar play.
Detroit Tigers veteran starter Justin Verlander is working his way back from injury with the goal of making at least one final start before retiring. The 43-year-old future Hall-of-Famer, who announced earlier this summer that this would be his final season in MLB, is throwing hard off the mound recently. Manager A.J. Hinch aims for a celebratory end-of-September weekend start, asking 'What are we saving my arm for?' as he prepares to take the mound one last time.
Rays pitching prospect Brody Hopkins made his MLB debut over the weekend against the Astros, flashing elite stuff including a 100 mph fastball and a record-setting reliever proStuff+ of 136. Despite allowing two runs on a home run to Isaac Paredes, Hopkins displayed improved command in his new bullpen role. Transitioning to relief in mid-August, his simplified arsenal and outlier breaking stuff give him a chance to make an immediate impact for Tampa Bay's postseason push.
Ben Rice went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and two walks in a 2-0 win over the Mets, hitting his 38th homer of the season. His first-inning blast to right field continued a stellar September in which he is slashing .368/.467/.605 with three home runs, 10 runs, and four RBI through 10 games. Rice remains one of the league's top hitters, ranking ninth in OPS (.884), 13th in RBI (90), and tied for fifth in home runs among qualified major league batters.
Kris Bubic is scheduled to meet the Dodgers in Cincinnati following his latest scoreless rehab outing for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Acquired from the Royals at the trade deadline and sidelined since May due to a flexor strain and shoulder impingement, Bubic has tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts across six appearances. The 2025 All-Star is being groomed for a bullpen role, though the team will need to clear roster spots to reinstate him from the 60-day IL.
Tampa Bay Rays minor league outfielder Cooper Flemming has put together a stellar campaign with Single-A Charleston, batting .298/.379/.450 with 11 home runs, 16 stolen bases, and 126 wRC+ across 518 plate appearances. Ranked among the organization's top prospects, Flemming continues to showcase his all-around offensive and base-stealing toolset within a competitive Rays minor league development pipeline.
Chicago Cubs prospect Pedro Ramirez snapped out of a recent 0-for-18 slump by batting .250 with two home runs, two doubles, and seven runs scored over his past 20 plate appearances. Alongside his offensive contributions, Ramirez has continued to display solid defensive play, providing a welcome bounce-back performance as the Cubs navigate the final weeks of the regular season and prepare for the upcoming postseason push.
Chicago Cubs infielder Michael Busch is finding his offensive groove at a crucial time, batting .353 with a double, a home run, three walks, and six RBI over his last five games. The Cubs are hoping Busch can replicate his impressive power surge from last October's postseason, where he launched four home runs in eight games, as they solidify their position in the National League playoff picture down the stretch of the regular season.
Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman continues his exceptional second-half performance, batting .400 with three doubles, a home run, and three walks over his recent six-game stretch. Over his last 55 games, Bregman has surged to a .312/.391/.638 slash line with 17 doubles, 18 home runs, and 49 RBI while maintaining elite defense at third base, helping propel the Cubs to the top spot in the National League Wild Card race.
