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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Jac Caglianone is rejoining the Royals' starting lineup Sunday as the designated hitter against Boston after missing six games with a left flexor strain. The 23-year-old made a pinch-hitting appearance Saturday and now bats third in his return. Caglianone is struggling in September, going 4-for-18 with two doubles and four RBI, but boasts a strong .282/.331/.493 slash line with 23 homers and 70 RBI across 132 games this season.
Colorado Rockies right-hander Gabriel Hughes takes the mound Sunday against the Detroit Tigers seeking his first major league victory. Hughes enters his 13th start of the 2026 season with an 0-7 record, 5.81 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts across 57.1 innings pitched. Despite his high ERA, the righty holds a promising 3.81 FIP and 1.1 fWAR as Colorado looks to end a difficult road trip at Comerica Park.
Left-handed relief pitcher Tanner Banks has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list by the Philadelphia Phillies prior to Sunday's game against the Atlanta Braves. Banks' return provides bullpen depth for Philadelphia as they complete their road series in Atlanta.
Yordan Alvarez is rejoining the Houston Astros' lineup Sunday, batting second as the designated hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 29-year-old slugger missed the past two contests due to a right ankle injury. Alvarez will look to shake off a quiet start to September, having posted a .212/.350/.364 slash line with one home run and a .350 on-base percentage through his first nine games of the month.
Athletics pitcher Jamie Arnold is among a massive cluster of players sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a fluky, unpreventable injury after taking a line drive directly to the face, fracturing his cheek and sinus bones. Arnold's brutal injury represents part of an unprecedented wave of severe health setbacks that has decimated both Oakland's major league roster and minor league depth chart in 2026.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II is set to lead off in Sunday's series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies against right-hander Andrew Painter. Harris has dominated Painter in limited action, hitting 1.000 with a two-run double off him earlier this season. Atlanta seeks to complete a divisional series sweep as Harris anchors the top of the batting order.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker returns to the starting lineup Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, batting cleanup and playing right field. Walker missed Saturday's contest after leaving Friday's game early due to an ankle issue. The 24-year-old looks to bounce back from a recent slump, having gone just 3-for-23 with eight strikeouts and a double over his past seven games.
The Kansas City Royals have claimed 32-year-old right-handed reliever Spencer Bivens off waivers from the San Francisco Giants and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha. Bivens, who spent most of 2026 in the minors with a 4.92 ERA in 75.0 innings, takes the final open spot on Kansas City's 40-man roster. He owns a career 4.08 ERA across 85 major league relief appearances over three seasons with a 52.8 percent groundball rate.
Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman sits out Sunday's game against the Detroit Tigers amid a slump, posting a .122/.200/.286 slash line over his past 13 contests. Despite the recent struggles, Goodman has put together a remarkable season with 38 home runs to lead all MLB catchers by at least 11. Returning from an August shoulder injury, he seeks to become the first Rockies player to hit 40 home runs since Nolan Arenado accomplished the feat in 2019.
Aaron Nola has delivered a solid second-half performance for the Philadelphia Phillies, remaining a cornerstone of their rotation during a high-stakes division battle with the Braves. However, gopher balls continue to plague him, as his 34 home runs allowed are tied for the most in MLB. Statcast data suggests some bad luck at play, with an expected home run total of 27.3, partly exacerbated by pitching half his games in homer-friendly Citizens Bank Park.
Washington Nationals southpaw Andrew Alvarez made a major statement Saturday by tossing seven scoreless, one-hit innings with eight strikeouts and four walks against the Angels. The 27-year-old lefty secured the best start of his career, lowering his ERA to 3.35 across 102 innings this season with 99 strikeouts. Since August, Alvarez has posted a 2.44 ERA over 44.1 innings in eight starts, solidifying his role in Washington's 2027 rotation.
Seattle Mariners outfielder Taylor Ward has endured a deep offensive slump since joining the club at the trade deadline, managing just a 20 wRC+ and -0.8 fWAR in Seattle. Analysis shows Ward is among MLB's streakiest hitters since 2021; after adjusting his approach in Baltimore to draw walks at a 17.2% rate at the expense of power, Ward's walk rate in Seattle has regressed while expanding his strike zone, leaving his overall production severely diminished.
Detroit Tigers rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle went 2-for-5 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's 11-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Although McGonigle is batting .244 through 10 contests in September, his power has surged with three home runs over his past five games. On the season, the promising rookie is hitting .272 with 17 home runs as he approaches a potential 20-homer milestone.
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Cedric De Grandpre delivered an impressive start for Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday, tossing five innings and allowing just two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight batters. De Grandpre generated 13 whiffs throughout his outing, with his only blemishes coming on a pair of solo home runs. Despite his dominant display on the mound, Gwinnett fell 2-0 to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Luke Sinnard showcased elite swing-and-miss ability on Saturday for Double-A Columbus, striking out seven batters and generating 15 whiffs over 4.1 innings of work. Sinnard dominated early, recording all seven strikeouts on just 35 pitches through three scoreless innings before surrendering four runs in the fourth and fifth frames of a 5-4 extra-inning loss to Montgomery.
Chicago Cubs infielder Matt Shaw earned Superhero honors by drawing a crucial, game-tying walk as a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of Saturday's 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Shaw's disciplined plate appearance delivered a +26.9 WPA impact, capping a resilient Cubs rally that secured their 12th consecutive season-series win over Pittsburgh and boosted Chicago's postseason chances.
Seattle Mariners prospect Michael Arroyo recorded his first career MLB hits and home run during Saturday's historic 19-1 blowout victory over the Athletics in Sacramento. Entering the game without a big-league hit or home run to his credit, Arroyo broke through in a big way, finishing the contest with three hits—including a solo homer in the seventh inning—to highlight Seattle's largest margin of victory in franchise history.
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Joey Cantillo experienced a bizarre moment during his recent outing when he caught his spike on the pitcher's mound while attempting to deliver a pitch. Despite losing his footing on the play, the left-hander avoided a major misstep and finished his delivery. Cantillo continues to receive pitching opportunities for Cleveland down the stretch as he gains valuable major-league experience during the final weeks of the regular season.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder and first baseman Pavin Smith has returned to the big-league club as the team searches for answers and offensive production against right-handed pitching. Smith rejoined Arizona during a crucial stretch in the Wild Card race following a frustrating loss to the Texas Rangers, aiming to bolster the Diamondbacks' lineup depth for the final push of the regular season.
New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has surrendered seven home runs over his last two starts—the worst two-game stretch of his career—including three against the Mets on Saturday after delaying his first pitch until the exact 1:38 p.m. start time. Cole acknowledged regressions in his chase and swing-and-miss rates, though both he and manager Aaron Boone maintain health is not an issue as they work to fix the home run problem.
