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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto exited Saturday's game against the Nationals after being hit on the right hand by a 91.7-mph sinker in the ninth inning. X-rays were negative, diagnosing Soto with a contusion. He reached base three times before leaving, hitting two singles. Soto closes his 2026 campaign with a .278 average, 27 homers, 68 RBI, and a .919 OPS across 110 games.
Detroit Tigers catcher Eduardo Valencia hit a dramatic two-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates to cap off Justin Verlander's retirement celebration. Valencia's clutch blast rallied the Tigers to a 4-3 victory, providing a storybook ending to an emotional day at Comerica Park honoring the legendary right-hander's final major league start.
Rookie Jonah Tong closed his season by allowing one run on three hits with a career-high nine strikeouts over five innings in the New York Mets' 7-1 win against the Nationals. The 23-year-old right-hander posted a 2.36 ERA across his final eight appearances and a 3.82 ERA in seven big-league outings in 2026. Manager Andy Green lauded Tong's long-term potential while noting he will likely begin 2027 in Triple-A Syracuse.
Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's penultimate game of the season against the Guardians. Garcia sits after going 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in Friday's contest, with Josh Rojas filling in at third base and batting eighth for the Royals.
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung suffered a fractured right hand after being hit by a pitch against the Minnesota Twins, placing him on the 10-day IL and ending his 2026 season. It marks the third time in four years a broken bone has sidelined Jung, who batted .299/.363/.462 with a 139 OPS+ in a career-best offensive campaign.
New York Mets rookie A.J. Ewing provided the decisive blow in Saturday's 7-1 victory over the Washington Nationals, launching a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning. Ewing's home run broke a 1-0 deficit, sparking a four-run rally for New York. The blast served as the game's highest Win Probability Added play (+49% WPA), helping secure the victory behind a strong pitching performance from starter Jonah Tong.
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer will wait until the offseason to decide whether to pitch a 20th MLB season in 2027. The 42-year-old three-time Cy Young winner is scheduled to start Sunday's season finale on short rest against Cincinnati. Scherzer holds a 3-9 record with a 6.14 ERA over 17 starts this season and sits ninth all-time with 3,550 career strikeouts. He signed a $3 million deal for 2026 and earned $2 million in performance bonuses.
Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober takes the mound Saturday against the Texas Rangers for his final start of the 2026 season. Ober aims to maintain an ERA+ of 100 or better to cap a 25-start, league-average campaign. In his sixth season with Minnesota, Ober crossed double-digit career bWAR, though potential off-season roster crunches and arbitration decisions leave uncertainty surrounding his future with the organization.
Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi takes the mound Saturday afternoon against the Minnesota Twins in Game 161 at Target Field. Eovaldi opposes Twins starter Bailey Ober as Texas seeks to bounce back following a 10-2 loss on Friday. Operating in the final weekend of the regular season, Eovaldi looks to deliver a strong outing for Texas after fellow starter Jacob deGrom struggled in his final start of the campaign the previous night.
Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (7-10) earned the win Friday after allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight over six innings in a 10-2 victory over the Texas Rangers. After enduring a difficult first inning, Ryan held Texas scoreless over his final five frames to end a winless streak dating back to July 11. He finished the 2026 season posting a 3.79 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 144.2 innings across 27 total starts.
Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom took the loss Friday against Minnesota, allowing eight runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out five over four innings in a 10-2 defeat. Despite matching a season high in runs allowed, deGrom recorded his 200th strikeout of the season, reaching the milestone for the first time since 2019. He finishes the 2026 regular season with an 11-11 record, 4.20 ERA, and 1.14 WHIP across 162.2 innings in 31 starts.
Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez reflected on a challenging 2026 campaign impacted by a July 3 concussion. Rodríguez batted .259 with a .424 slugging pre-injury, falling to .239 and .383 post-concussion alongside defensive struggles. Despite career lows in wRC+ and fielding metrics, Rodríguez stole over 20 bases to secure his fifth consecutive 20-20 season, becoming the first player in MLB history to start a career with five straight 20-20 years.
Switch-hitting infielder Alex Freeland was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City by the Los Angeles Dodgers to clear a roster spot for the returning Dalton Rushing. Freeland played in 17 games after his Sept. 1 call-up, batting .250/.413/.389. On the year, he led the Dodgers with 67 starts and 579 defensive innings at second base, posting a .234/.327/.325 slash line. Because of the timing, his 10 days will not elapse in time for the Division Series roster.
The Los Angeles Dodgers activated catcher Dalton Rushing from the injured list in a late-season effort to evaluate him for a potential specialized pinch-hitting role in October. Rushing missed four weeks in August with a partially torn UCL in his right elbow and re-aggravated it during throwing drills, limiting him to five games over the last 49. A strong 120 wRC+ over 200 plate appearances keeps him under consideration despite limited playing time.
Rookie starting pitcher Trey Yesavage takes the ball for the Toronto Blue Jays in a Saturday afternoon matchup against Rhett Lowder and the Cincinnati Reds. Yesavage has put together a strong 2026 campaign compared to his counterpart, anchoring a Blue Jays lineup featuring Vladimir Guerrero at designated hitter, Alejandro Kirk behind the plate, and Brett Bateman leading off in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Rhett Lowder takes the mound against fellow rookie Trey Yesavage of the Toronto Blue Jays, looking to close out a difficult 2026 season on a positive note. Lowder has struggled overall this year, while the Reds play out the final two games of a season that recently saw Elly De La Cruz reach the 30-30 milestone. Saturday's lineup also features Carlos Jorge leading off and Juan Brito starting at third base.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz was removed from Saturday's game against the Tigers in the third inning after appearing to injure his knee when his foot got stuck in the grass during a sliding catch in the first frame. With only one game remaining on the regular-season schedule following Saturday, Pittsburgh may choose to keep him sidelined regardless of the diagnosis. The team is expected to provide a formal update soon.
Dominic Smith served as the designated hitter in Atlanta's Saturday afternoon matchup against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Manager Walt Weiss adjusted the batting order to help jump-start the offense ahead of the postseason, moving Michael Harris II back to the leadoff role and shifting Austin Riley to the fifth spot to find late-season momentum as the Braves prepare for upcoming playoff action.
Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers missed his third consecutive start Saturday against Atlanta due to an ongoing abdominal injury. With the Marlins' season concluding Sunday, the team may choose to keep him sidelined as a precaution for the remainder of the schedule. Stowers' absence opened the door for Deyvison De Los Santos to draw the start at first base in a matchup with primarily draft-seed implications for Miami.
Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami became a viral sensation during the team's clubhouse celebration in Kansas City by paying tribute to countryman Munenori Kawasaki, inspiring a new T-shirt from BreakingT. Murakami has captured fan attention throughout his debut U.S. season as the White Sox made the postseason following three consecutive 100-loss campaigns, adding to the team's historic year with his unique energy and memorable moments on the South Side.
