Player news from trusted outlets
Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Josh Naylor made history last night for the Seattle Mariners during game 162 as the team concluded their season. Despite the team falling short of expectations this year, Naylor's historic performance provided a bright spot as the Mariners played their final game of the 2026 regular season at T-Mobile Park.
With the Philadelphia Phillies needing a win to guarantee a playoff appearance, reinforcements are arriving as Jesús Luzardo is being activated before today's game. He will be available out of the bullpen against the Tampa Bay Rays to help secure the team's postseason berth in the regular-season finale.
Connelly Early returned to a big league mound for the first time in three months, throwing three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out one batter against the Mets. Early finished his rookie season with a 3.33 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 94.1 innings, establishing himself as a key building block for the Washington Nationals moving forward.
Junior Caminero went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk, two RBI, and three runs scored in a 12-1 rout of the Phillies. He opened the scoring with a two-run blast off Aaron Nola, reaching 100 RBI for the second straight campaign. He became just the ninth player in history with multiple 40-homer, 100-RBI seasons within his first four years. Overall, he is slashing .277/.361/.526 with 42 home runs, 101 RBI, 100 runs scored, and three steals across 700 plate appearances.
Roki Sasaki is locked into the Los Angeles Dodgers postseason bullpen plans as the team prepares for October baseball. Sasaki is hoping to revamp his ferocity out of the relief corps, providing a vital weapon for the Dodgers' pitching staff as they navigate high-pressure playoff matchups and pursue a deep run following the conclusion of the 2026 regular season.
Tanner Scott is a confirmed lock-in for the Los Angeles Dodgers postseason bullpen, looking to make a strong impact in his first playoff run with the club. Emphasizing the high-stakes nature of October baseball, Scott noted that every single game is about winning regardless of the specific role assigned, as the Dodgers lean heavily on their relief depth heading into the first round of the postseason following the conclusion of their regular-season schedule.
Blake Snell wrapped up his final regular-season tune-up by tossing four shutout innings with three strikeouts and no walks in a 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants. Making his first start since exiting early on September 16 due to a groin issue, Snell expressed complete encouragement about his recovery and velocity. He is looking forward to a week of rest to refine his mechanics and prepare fully for his upcoming role in the Dodgers' October postseason pitching rotation.
Shohei Ohtani has performed decently over his first four games since being activated off the injured list, with the Dodgers expressing optimism that his best is yet to come. Manager Dave Roberts highlighted Ohtani taking a first-pitch slider for a ball as a sign of improved plate discipline, moving away from previous chasing tendencies as the team wraps up its regular season looking for its 100th victory and prepares for the upcoming postseason run.
David Peterson delivered a fantastic performance in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox, tossing five innings of shutout ball allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out six batters. Despite his stellar effort in the matchup, the Cubs ultimately suffered a 2-0 defeat, continuing an offensive deep freeze that dropped them out of control of their playoff destiny as they head toward the final stretch of the regular season.
Josh Naylor recorded a stolen base, a walk, and an RBI in Saturday's 8-4 win over the Angels, reaching 30 stolen bases for the second consecutive year. He is the first primary first baseman to accomplish the feat in back-to-back seasons since George Sisler (1920-1922). Despite his speed output on the basepaths, Naylor has struggled overall at the plate, posting a .261 average, a .667 OPS, 10 home runs, and 56 RBI across 151 games.
Randy Arozarena went 2-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, and a run scored in Seattle's 8-4 victory against the Angels on Saturday. The outfielder has five steals over his last 14 contests while batting .364 (20-for-55) in that stretch. On the season, Arozarena is 26-for-34 on steal attempts with a .281 average, .863 OPS, 26 home runs, 77 RBI, and an American League-leading 112 runs scored through 153 games.
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run, a double, and two runs scored in a 13-2 victory over the Athletics. His 42nd blast of the year puts him one behind Pete Alonso for the American League lead. Over his last 11 games, Alvarez is batting .400 with four homers and nine RBI, leading the majors in batting average (.316) and OPS (1.036) through 157 games in a standout campaign.
Alek Thomas hit a dramatic three-run double in the 10th inning to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Comets, to a 5-3 victory over the Rochester Red Wings in the championship game in Las Vegas. Thomas posted a .500 on-base percentage across four postseason games, capping a strong run for the Dodgers' minor league squad as they captured their first Triple-A national title in franchise history.
San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill went 2-for-4 with a walk, one RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored in Saturday's 10-7 win over the Diamondbacks. The performance ended an eight-game stretch without a multi-hit effort. Merrill is 27-for-31 on steal attempts this season and has recorded 26 home runs, 87 RBI, 86 runs, 26 doubles, and five triples with a .254 batting average and .743 OPS across a career-high 158 games.
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run in Saturday's 10-7 win over the Diamondbacks, reaching the 30-homer milestone for the first time since 2023. Machado has hit six home runs and driven in 15 runs over his last 20 games despite batting .195 in that span. On the season, he is batting .216 with a .710 OPS, 90 RBI, 82 runs, 22 doubles, and five stolen bases across 157 contests.
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno is expected to be in the starting lineup for Sunday's crucial regular-season finale against the Padres despite tweaking his hamstring. The issue first surfaced Friday, but Moreno started Saturday, going 1-for-3 with an RBI single before being pinch-hit for in the ninth inning. After receiving treatment following the 10-7 loss, Moreno is slated to play as Arizona makes one final push toward securing a postseason berth.
Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler will take the mound for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Rays after the team dropped a 12-1 defeat to the Rays on Saturday. With the Phillies' playoff fate coming down to Game 162 following a late-season nosedive, manager teams have had to burn their ace rather than saving him for the postseason opener. Wheeler will pitch Sunday, meaning he cannot start until Game 3 of the Wild Card Series if Philadelphia successfully qualifies.
Seattle Mariners left-hander Kade Anderson was removed from Saturday's start against the Los Angeles Angels after being struck in the left elbow by a 103.8 mph comebacker off the bat of Christian Moore in the fourth inning. He was subsequently diagnosed with a left forearm bruise, avoiding major injury. The 22-year-old finishes his debut big-league season with a 3.79 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across 35.2 innings over seven starts, providing positive momentum heading into the offseason.
Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick will make the start in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Kansas City Royals. The Guardians secured the AL Central division title and the No. 2 seed in the AL playoffs following Saturday's win over Kansas City and the White Sox's loss to the Rockies. Consequently, the 25-year-old southpaw is expected to make an abbreviated appearance as the team manages its pitching staff ahead of the upcoming postseason stretch.
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Owen Murphy has been recognized as a Triple-A All-Star for his strong performance with the Gwinnett Stripers during the 2026 International League season. After earning a promotion on May 2, Murphy made 18 starts, tossing 117.2 innings with a 3.07 ERA, a 4.23 FIP, and a 24.2 percent strikeout rate. The 2026 campaign marks a major step forward in his development as a reliable starting pitcher tracking toward the major league level.
