The Opener

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the day today:

1. Roster Expansion:

It’s September 1, which means MLB rosters are expanding from 26 players to 28 players. Each team in the league will be able to add one position player and one pitcher to their roster today. Various organizations will take different routes to filling those roster spots. Some will use the opportunity to promote a prospect, as the Nationals are with today’s starter Andrew Alvarez. Other clubs will dedicate those roster spots to a veteran who was available on waivers or in free agency, as the Cubs have opted to do by picking up Aaron Civale and signing Carlos Santana. While active rosters are expanding, 40-man rosters do not get extra spots in September. That means any players not already on the 40-man roster will need to be given a spot to be called up as part of today’s roster expansion.

2. Alvarez to debut:

As mentioned above, the Nationals are promoting lefty Andrew Alvarez to the big leagues for a start today. It will be the former 12th-round pick’s big league debut, coming against an as-of-yet unannounced Marlins starter. Alvarez, 26, has 25 starts at the Triple-A level this year with a 4.10 ERA and a 21.5% strikeout rate in 123 innings. The southpaw isn’t ranked within the Nationals organization’s top 30 prospects by either MLB Pipeline or Baseball America, but if Alvarez can maintain something close to his Triple-A numbers in the majors, he could join a number of young potential back-of-the-rotation arms like Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker, and Brad Lord that the Nationals will have competing for starts next year. The Nats will need to select Alvarez’s contract to the 40-man roster before he can make this afternoon’s start.

3. Heaney to sign in NL?

The other aforementioned way many clubs will use their expanded roster spots—bringing veteran players from outside the organization into the fold—stands to potentially benefit left-hander Andrew Heaney. Heaney was designated for assignment by the Pirates last week and released after he cleared waivers, making him eligible to sign with any of the league’s 30 clubs. Heaney’s 5.39 ERA in 120 1/3 innings of work this year isn’t exactly inspiring, but clubs in need of innings could still look to the southpaw as a legitimate option.

It’s therefore unsurprising that, according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, one NL club is poised to bring him into the fold. While it’s unclear which team will be rostering the lefty, it’s not hard to imagine either a contending club in need of innings picking him up or even a non-contending club that wants to ease the burden on some of its young arms down the stretch. Heaney has spent the majority of his career in the AL, but has pitched for the Marlins and Dodgers previously in addition to his stint with the Pirates earlier this year.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Sale to return:

The Braves are expected to activate ace lefty Chris Sale from the 60-day IL this weekend. The veteran southpaw has been sidelined since June due to a fracture in his ribcage, but prior to that he had been firmly in the conversation to win a second consecutive NL Cy Young award with a 2.52 ERA, a 2.69 FIP, and a 30.8% strikeout rate. While Atlanta has no hope of making the postseason at this point, Sale’s return to action is important for the lefty on an individual level, given his lost seasons from 2020 to 2022, when he made just 11 total starts due to a variety of injuries. If he can take the ball five times down the stretch, he’ll have reached 20 starts in three consecutive seasons since his days as the workhorse ace of the Red Sox back in 2017. The Braves have available space on their 40-man roster to accommodate Sale, so only an active roster move will be needed to activate him.

2. Tolle to debut:

While the former lefty ace of the Red Sox is set to return from the IL in Atlanta this weekend, fans in Boston are hoping they’ll witness the start of another lefty ace’s career at the same time. That’s because left-hander Payton Tolle is expected to be called up for his MLB debut today. The club’s second-round pick in last year’s draft, Tolle has sprinted through the minors, posting a 3.04 ERA in 20 appearances across three levels. He’s been even better since graduating from High-A, with a 2.36 ERA and a 34.2% strikeout rate in 42 innings of work at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Tolle’s rapid ascent will now culminate in a chance to impact a playoff race in the majors as the Red Sox jockey with the Yankees and Mariners for Wild Card positioning down the stretch. The lefty’s first assignment will be a tough one. He’ll be tasked with taking on Pirates ace Paul Skenes (2.07 ERA) at Fenway Park in a game scheduled for 7:10pm local time.

3. Tong to debut:

Tolle isn’t the only top pitching prospect set to make his MLB debut today. Over in the National League, the Mets are set to welcome right-hander Jonah Tong to the majors when he makes his big league debut against the Marlins this evening. The game is scheduled for 7:10pm local time and will see Tong take on another of the sport’s top young arms in righty Eury Perez (3.44 ERA). In 22 starts between Double-A and Triple-A this year, Tong has a dazzling 1.43 ERA to go along with an absurd 40.5% strikeout rate. With the Mets holding onto the NL’s final Wild Card spot at the moment, they’ll be banking on the 2022 seventh-rounder continuing his success in the majors.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Slaten to return:

The Red Sox are set to welcome right-hander Justin Slaten back from the injured list today. Slaten went down with shoulder inflammation back in May and has been sidelined ever since. Slaten made his big league debut with Boston in 2024 after being plucked from the Rangers in the 2023 Rule 5 draft and has been excellent. The 27-year-old touts a 3.09 ERA and 2.78 FIP in 78 2/3 big league innings. This year, Slaten pitched in 24 games with a 3.47 ERA and 3.09 FIP. While those numbers are a bit higher than last year, he should still be an asset to the Red Sox bullpen down the stretch. Slaten is on the 60-day injured list, but no 40-man roster move will need to be made to accommodate him after Abraham Toro’s recent DFA opened up a 40-man spot.

2. Chapman’s no-hit streak:

Sticking with the Boston bullpen, closer Aroldis Chapman is arguably having the best season of his 16-year MLB career — despite this being his age-37 campaign. He’s striking out 38.7% of his opponents with a sensational 1.04 ERA and 1.83 FIP across 52 innings of work and has picked up 26 saves. His 7.3% walk rate is considerably better than average for a reliever, and that’s the only way opposing hitters have been able to get on base of late. As noted by Tim Healey of the Boston Globe, Chapman has recorded 35 consecutive outs without allowing a hit. It’s an incredible stretch that dates all the way back to July 26. The Red Sox face the Orioles in the final game of a four-game series today. Chapman has already faced Baltimore three times during this no-hit stretch, including twice during this series.

3. Pitchers’ duel in San Francisco:

The Cubs and Giants are wrapping up a three-game set at Oracle Park later today, and it’ll end with an impressive pitching matchup. Right-hander Logan Webb is set to take the mound for the home team in the midst of an excellent season where he’s pitched to a 3.13 ERA with a spectacular 2.60 FIP. His 166 2/3 innings pitched lead the majors, and he’s striking out a strong 26% of batters faced while issuing walks at just a 5.4% clip. Webb’s opponent will be southpaw Shota Imanaga, who has a sterling 3.03 ERA in 19 starts this season. His 4.33 FIP leaves much to be desired, but he’s looked more like himself in August: 2.33 ERA, 3.01 FIP, 28.1% strikeout rate in his past four starts. This afternoon’s game is scheduled to begin at 12:45pm local time.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day:

1. Waiver activity incoming:

It’s become common in recent years for teams that have fallen out of the playoff race to place veteran players (especially impending free agents) on outright waivers late in the year, offering them up to possible contenders who would like to claim them. That process is typically done before September 1 to allow players claimed off waivers to participate in the postseason with their new club. With the start of September just a few days away, activity has already started to pick up. The Pirates designated veteran lefty Andrew Heaney for assignment yesterday, and Guardians first baseman Carlos Santana is on outright waivers at the moment. There’s a number of other players who could feasibly be offered up on waivers as soon as today if their club decides they’re too far out of the race and/or if they simply want to shed some payroll with an eye toward the offseason. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a look at a handful of players who could fit this bill last week in a piece for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers.

2. Can Quinn Priester and the Brewers extend their streak?

Milwaukee’s April acquisition of right-hander Quinn Priester from the Red Sox has been pivotal to their 2025 success. The right-hander’s 3.44 ERA and 4.37 FIP are both solid enough figures, but what really jumps off the page is the team’s success when he takes the ball. The Brewers haven’t lost a game where Priester took the mound since May 24. Since then, the twice-traded former top prospect has gone 10-0 in 15 starts. All five of his no-decisions in that span have ended in victory for the team. It’s a remarkable three-month stretch, even though his 3.01 ERA and 4.20 FIP don’t suggest quite that level of dominance. Today, the Brewers will go for a 16th consecutive win with Priester on the mound against Ryne Nelson (3.63 ERA) and the Diamondbacks.

3. Ben Cherington joins the MLBTR Podcast:

The latest episode of the MLBTR Podcast is available today, and it features Pirates GM Ben Cherington as a special guest. In the episode, MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald chats with Cherington about some of the challenges of being a small-market GM, the team’s conversations over Paul Skenes with the first pick of the 2023 draft, and the fact that Pittsburgh has not signed any free agents to multi-year deals during Cherington’s time at the helm. Today’s podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and it will also be published here on MLBTR later this morning.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day today:

1. Bradish to return:

Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish is set to make his first MLB start in more than a year today when Baltimore activates him from the 60-day injured list. The club will need to make a corresponding move to create space for Bradish on the 40-man roster before tonight’s game against Lucas Giolito (3.72 ERA in 20 starts) and the Red Sox. Bradish hasn’t impressed in six rehab starts this year in the minor leagues, but he looked electric in eight starts last year when he posted a 2.75 ERA (2.50 FIP) and a 32.5% strikeout rate before requiring Tommy John surgery. If he can log anything close to those numbers down the stretch this year, it would go a long way toward stabilizing the Orioles’ rotation ahead of the 2026 campaign.

2. Kikuchi goes for 1000 strikeouts:

Angels southpaw Yusei Kikuchi is in his first year with Anaheim, and the two-time All-Star is having a solid season. In 27 starts, he’s pitched to a 3.42 ERA with a 23.6% strikeout rate in 150 innings of work. He’s set to make his 28th start today against the Rangers and veteran lefty Patrick Corbin. Notably, Kikuchi is just 10 strikeouts shy of becoming only the fourth Japanese-born pitcher to reach 1000 career strikeouts in MLB, joining Yu Darvish, Hideo Nomo, and Kenta Maeda. While punching out ten hitters in a game is a tall order, it’s hardly impossible; Kikuchi has two ten-strikeout games this year, and nine total across his MLB career. The Rangers, meanwhile, have MLB’s tenth-highest strikeout rate against southpaws (23.6%).

3. MLBTR Chat today:

The trade deadline is in the rearview mirror, and the stretch run has officially begun. There’s no shortage of close postseason races, and it’s never too early to look ahead to the offseason and what free agency and the winter trade market might bring. MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be hosting a live chat this afternoon at 12:45pm CT to discuss it all. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Raleigh goes for 50:

Yesterday, star catcher and AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh enjoyed a multi-homer game where he crushed his 48th and 49th homers of the season. That pair of dingers saw him tie and then claim sole possession of the record for most home runs hit by a catcher in a single season, eclipsing the efforts of Salvador Perez back in 2021. With that record now claimed, the wait begins for Raleigh to establish himself as the first 50-homer catcher in MLB history. Seattle’s superstar is slashing .247/.353/.593 with a wRC+ of 160 so far this year, and his 7.3 fWAR leaves him tied with reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge for the MLB lead. Raleigh will look to reach the 50 homer plateau—and continue strengthening his MVP case—against the Padres and left-hander JP Sears this evening. The switch-hitting Raleigh has excelled from both sides of the plate in 2025 but has been better when swinging right-handed, with a .281/.337/.693 slash and 19 big flies in just 166 plate appearances.

2. Winn to undergo MRI:

Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his knee today, as relayed by MLB.com’s John Denton. Denton adds that Winn already underwent an MRI on that same knee back in July that showed “a little something,” but that Winn nonetheless hopes to play through what’s ailing him this season and save the possibility of an arthroscopic procedure on his knee for the offseason. The Cardinals are more or less buried in the NL Wild Card race at this point, and Winn has hit just .200/.259/.320 in August while playing through this knee issue. Despite that lackluster offense, Winn has remained one of the sport’s very best defenders at shortstop and could well be a finalist for an NL Gold Glove Award at the position if he can push through to the end of the season without heading to the injured list.

3. Series Preview: Phillies @ Mets

The Mets have fallen seven games back of the Phillies in the standings with just over a month left to play, which will make capturing the NL East title a tall order. Virtually any path to a division title runs through this coming series, when the Phillies will head to Queens for a three-game set. Cristopher Sanchez (2.46 ERA) will be on the mound for Philadelphia in tonight’s series opener, while the Mets will counter with Kodai Senga (2.58 ERA). That pitchers’ duel will be followed by a pair of lefties Tuesday, with Sean Manaea (5.15 ERA in eight appearances) on the bump for New York opposite Jesus Luzardo (4.10 ERA). The series will wrap with veteran righty Taijuan Walker (3.44 ERA) on the mound for Philadelphia against Mets rookie Nolan McLean, who has allowed just two runs over 12 1/3 innings pitched in his first two MLB starts (1.46 ERA).

As the Orioles make a major splash by locking up one of their young hitters long-term, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Sandberg memorial today at Wrigley:

Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg passed away last month at the age of 65 following a battle with cancer, and Cubs fans will have the opportunity to mourn and remember the 1984 NL MVP today. As noted by Selena Kuznikov of the Chicago Sun Times, there will be a free-to-attend memorial for Sandberg at Gallagher Way outside of Wrigley Field from 9:30am until noon local time. That memorial will feature Sandberg’s funeral service streamed to the jumbo screen overlooking Gallagher Way. Attendees may leave tributes to Sandberg at his statue on Gallagher Way, and those who want to participate but won’t be able to make it to Wrigley this morning can watch the service on WGN and stream it online via the Marquee Sports Network app.

2. Celebration of Mr. Baseball’s life:

Bob Uecker was a catcher in parts of six MLB seasons who went on to have a legendary broadcasting career where he spent 54 years as the voice of the Brewers. The Hall of Famer passed back in January at the age of 90 following a battle with cancer, but the Brewers’ series finale against the Giants on Sunday will serve as an opportunity for fans in Milwaukee to mourn their longtime broadcaster and celebrate his storied life and career. As discussed by MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy back in April, Bob Costas will host a pregame program honoring Uecker, and there will be features during breaks in the game on the stadium scoreboard highlighting Uecker’s history. First pitch of Sunday’s game is scheduled for 1:10pm local time, and the pregame program celebrating Uecker will occur before that.

3. Rangers to unveil Beltre statue:

Longtime Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre was part of last year’s Hall of Fame class, and (as noted by NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, among other outlets) he’ll be celebrated by the club with a statue outside of Globe Life Field prior to today’s game against the Guardians. The dedication is open to the public, and fans interested in attending will be able to access the stadium’s parking lots starting at 2pm local time later today. A two-time Silver Slugger, three-time All-Star, and four-time Gold Glover across his eight years with Texas, Beltre hit .304/.357/.509 with 199 homers in 1,098 games as a Ranger. First pitch for tonight’s game is at 7:05pm ET, and the first 20,000 ticketed fans in attendance for the game will receive a miniature replica of the Beltre statue.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Players on Waivers:

The trade deadline has come and gone, and the most significant way for clubs to improve their roster or add depth has come off the table. There are still some ways to acquire players after the trade deadline, however, and one in particular appears to be in full swing at this point: the waiver wire. Players must be part of an organization prior to September 1 in order to be eligible to play in the postseason, and in recent years that’s led non-contending clubs to place a number of their players on waivers during the final weeks of August in order to make them available to contenders in exchange for salary relief.

Currently, Rockies southpaw Austin Gomber and Marlins righty Cal Quantrill are both known to be on waivers. Perhaps a contender in need of starting depth will take on the remainder of one of those salaries in order to bring either Gomber or Quantrill into their organization, though it’s also possible they go through waivers unclaimed and simply remain with their current clubs. Over the coming days, it’s likely that teams will put a number of other veterans on expiring contracts through the waiver process. In an original piece for Front Office subscribers yesterday, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco discussed 17 players across seven different organizations who could be placed on waivers before the end of the month.

2. Series Preview: Red Sox @ Yankees

One of baseball’s oldest rivalries is gearing up for a four-game set this weekend as the Red Sox head to the Bronx. The Yankees have been on a roll lately with five consecutive wins, while Boston’s scuffled lately with three straight losses and and a 3-7 record in their last ten games. The Red Sox have plenty of motivation to try and turn things around while they’re at Yankee Stadium, however, as the two clubs are rivals not only in the AL East (where both teams trail the Blue Jays by a significant margin) but also in terms of Wild Card positioning. While the Yankees are currently in the top Wild Card spot, the Red Sox are in a more precarious situation with just a half-game lead over the Mariners for the second of three Wild Card spots and just a three-game buffer between themselves and the Royals.

Game 1 of the set will begin tonight with Lucas Giolito (3.63 ERA in 19 starts) on the mound for Boston opposite reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil (5.14 ERA in three starts). Game 2 of the series pits Yankees ace Max Fried (3.26 ERA) against Boston youngster Brayan Bello (3.23 ERA), while Game 3 will see Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet (2.43 ERA) square off against Yankees rookie Will Warren (4.25 ERA). Boston has not announced their starter for Sunday’s series finale, but that pitcher will face veteran lefty Carlos Rodon (3.25 ERA).

3. Kim day-to-day:

As noted by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Rays shortstop Ha-Seong Kim was scratched from yesterday’s game due to low back tightness. Kim made a name for himself with the Padres thanks to Gold Glove caliber defense all over the infield that he combined with average to slightly above average offense and impressive stolen base totals. That led the infielder to sign a two-year, $29MM deal with the Rays this past offseason that affords him the opportunity to opt out following the 2025 campaign, but he’s made it into just 23 games due to rehab from offseason shoulder surgery and back issues.

It’s unclear if Kim will require a stint on the injured list due to this latest ailment, but with no additional infielders on the 40-man roster besides those already on the active roster the club will likely need to select someone from the minors if Kim does head to the injured list. Topkin suggests that utility infielder Coco Montes is perhaps the most likely replacement for Kim in that case, though top prospect Carson Williams would be a far more exciting possibility.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Messick to make MLB debut:

The Guardians are bringing southpaw Parker Messick up to the majors for his MLB debut today. The club’s second-rounder back in 2022 has climbed the minor league ladder fairly quickly to emerge at Triple-A this year, where he’s posted a solid 3.47 ERA and 29.1% strikeout rate across 98 2/3 innings of work. Those are impressive numbers for the 24-year-old, and now he’ll get the opportunity to see if his high strikeout rate can translate into the majors. The Guardians have managed to hang around the AL Wild Card picture despite soft selling this summer, but with Shane Bieber in Toronto and Tanner Bibee in the midst of a tough season they’ll need contributions from young arms like Messick if they’re going to stay relevant down the stretch.

2. Harper, Castellanos race towards milestone:

Phillies veterans Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos are both a considerable way into their respective careers at this point. While Harper’s status as a two-time MVP far eclipses Castellanos’s resume as a two-time All-Star, both have had impressive careers where they’ve generally served as above-average hitters across their combined 27 years in the major leagues. Now the two teammates are chasing the same milestone: 400 career doubles. They’ll likely become the 199th and 200th players in MLB history to reach that benchmark in the coming weeks, as Harper currently sits at 397 career doubles while Castellanos sits just one behind him at 396 two-baggers for his career. The pair will look to tee off of Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo (3.48 ERA) as the Phillies go for the sweep against Seattle this afternoon.

3. Royals pushing for Wild Card spot:

Kansas City made the somewhat surprising decision to buy at the trade deadline despite being slightly below .500 at that point and on the periphery of the AL Wild Card race, but that decision is paying off to this point. An 11-6 record in the month of August has put them just 2.5 games back of the Red Sox and Mariners in the race for a playoff spot with a 65-61 record. Deadline additions have improved the club considerably, with Randal Grichuk, Adam Frazier, and Mike Yastrzemski all injecting life into a previously weak offense while Ryan Bergert has settled in as a quality rotation arm with a 2.70 ERA in three starts for the club. Today they’ll go for their second consecutive series sweep when they face the Rangers and an as-of-yet unannounced starting pitcher. Whoever starts for Texas will have to contend with rookie Noah Cameron, who has a 2.47 ERA in 17 starts.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to watch out for throughout the day:

1. Alvarado to return:

Phillies southpaw Jose Alvarado served the 80th game of his PED suspension yesterday, meaning he’s set to be activated for today’s game against the Mariners. While Alvarado won’t be eligible to participate in the postseason, if he can continue to produce anything close to the 2.70 ERA with a 29.8% strikeout rate and 1.84 FIP that he posted in 20 innings of work prior to his suspension back in May, he’ll be a major asset to the Phillies’ bullpen down the stretch. Alvarado will join what’s become a fearsome back of the Phillies bullpen after the club picked up Jhoan Duran and David Robertson to complement Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm. That deep bullpen mix should serve the Phillies well as they look to wrap up the NL East and angle for a bye through the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Corresponding moves to accommodate Alvarado’s addition to both the active and 40-man rosters will be necessary before he can be activated.

2. Guerrero to undergo MRI:

The AL-leading Blue Jays suffered a major scare yesterday when star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the team’s loss against the Pirates due to a hamstring injury. As noted by MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson, Guerrero is set to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the issue. Matheson adds that the MRI seems to be viewed as “precautionary” at this point.

With just six weeks left in the regular season, it would be understandable if Toronto exercised an abundance of caution with the face of their franchise and sent him for a brief stint on the injured list rather than risk letting him play through the issue and further aggravating the hamstring. Ty France and Joey Loperfido are among the club’s potential first base options to fill in for Guerrero in the event that he misses time.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

The trade deadline is in the rearview mirror, and the stretch run has officially begun. There is no shortage of close postseason races, and it’s never too early to look ahead to the offseason and what free agency and the winter trade market might bring. MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be hosting a live chat this afternoon at 1pm CT to discuss it all. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.