The Opener

As we enter the final week of the 2025 regular season, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on:

1. AL contenders prepare for a hectic week:

No teams in the American League have games scheduled for today, giving everyone in the league a breather ahead of a wild final week of the regular season. Only the Blue Jays have clinched a postseason spot among the AL’s teams, and even they haven’t clinched a division title. The Yankees and Mariners appear all but guaranteed a playoff spot at this point, but the Red Sox and Tigers are still facing realistic scenarios where they’re on the outside looking in come October. The Astros and MLB’s hottest club, the resurgent Guardians, are vying for that final spot in the playoffs. With series coming up between Cleveland and Detroit, Boston and Toronto, and Detroit and Boston before the regular season comes to a close, there are plenty of big games to watch throughout the week that will impact the AL playoff picture in a big way.

2. Series Preview: Brewers @ Padres

Over in the NL, one big series between playoff contenders is set to commence today when the Brewers head to San Diego. Milwaukee has already clinched the NL Central but will still need to fend of the Phillies to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Padres, meanwhile, have not yet clinched a playoff berth (although they’re very close to doing so), and they also sit just three games back of the Dodgers in the NL West.

San Diego would love a late hot streak to pry the NL West away from the Dodgers, but Brewers ace Freddy Peralta (2.65 ERA) stands in the way of that today. The Friars will counter with Nick Pivetta (2.81 ERA) opposite Peralta. Randy Vasquez (3.94 ERA) will take on an as-of-yet unannounced Brewers starter for Game 2. The series wraps with Milwaukee’s Quinn Priester (3.25 ERA) on the mound, while the Padres’ starter for that final game is still TBD. The set is scheduled to kick off at 6:40pm local time in San Diego this evening.

3. Star lefties face off in the NL East:

Neither the Braves nor the Nationals are a factor in the postseason race, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t intrigue to be found in their game this evening. One of the top up-and-coming lefties in the game, Nationals southpaw MacKenzie Gore, is set to take on reigning Cy Young winner Chris Sale in Atlanta. First pitch will be 7:15pm local time.

It’s been an up-and-down year for Gore, who looked like a Cy Young contender early on but started to slip during the summer months and wound up taking a trip to the injured list. He’s posted a 1.74 ERA in two starts since returning and will look to finish the season on a strong note. Sale had a chance to repeat as the NL’s Cy Young winner until a ribcage injury sidelined him over the summer. He’s been elite when healthy, posting a 2.35 ERA with a 32.3% strikeout rate, but he’s been limited to 115 innings and 19 starts this season.

Here are three things to keep an eye on around baseball this weekend…

1. Kershaw’s Dodger Stadium farewell:

Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw is officially calling it a career after the 2025 season, and Friday evening marks what will be the final home start of his storied career. In somewhat fitting fashion, it’ll come against the Dodgers’ archrivals from San Francisco — and not only that, but against another former Cy Young winner. The Giants will send left-hander Robbie Ray to the mound opposite Kershaw as the two teams clash in a series that carries major playoff implications. Kershaw and the Dodgers hold a three-game lead on the Padres for the NL West lead, while Ray and the Giants are clinging to the faint hope of closing a three-game deficit (and leapfrogging two other teams)  in the NL Wild Card chase with nine games left to play.

Of course, Kershaw could and very likely will take the ball at home for the Dodgers at some point during the postseason, but tonight’s game currently stands as the final scheduled appearance for the three-time Cy Young winner, five-time NL ERA leader, 11-time All-Star and 2014 NL MVP. Fans will surely greet him with a hero’s welcome and send him off with overwhelming adulation befitting of a genuine franchise icon.

2. Aces clash in a battle for the AL West:

The American League West is the most tightly contested division in baseball. Yesterday’s Mariners win bumped them to 84-69 on the season — the same mark held by the Astros. The M’s now travel to Houston for a three-game series that could very well determine the winner of the division, and it kicks off with a must-see matchup between each club’s best starter of the 2025 season. Seattle sends righty Bryan Woo (3.02 ERA, 26.8 K%, 4.9 BB%, 181 2/3 innings pitched) to the mound against Houston righty Hunter Brown (2.27 ERA, 28.2 K%, 7.8 BB%, 174 1/3 innings pitched). Brown was practically invincible at home in the season’s first three months, but he’s yielded four or more runs in three of his past seven starts at Daikin Park. Woo has been much better at home (2.44 ERA) than on the road (3.58 ERA) — but he also hasn’t surrendered more than three runs in a start since before the trade deadline.

The series will continue with another pair of high-profile starters Saturday, when Mariners righty George Kirby tangles with Astros lefty Framber Valdez. Sunday’s finale will pit Mariners righty Logan Gilbert against journeyman right-hander Jason Alexander, whose stunning 2.76 ERA in 11 starts for the Astros has been a season-saving godsend in the wake of injuries to Ronel Blanco, Spencer Arrighetti and Hayden Wesneski.

3. A red-hot … Polar Bear?

There’s something mildly amusing about one of the hottest hitters in baseball being nicknamed after an arctic animal, but the Mets’ recent opponents probably haven’t been laughing much. Pete Alonso is doing his best to singlehandedly stave off the Mets’ late-season collapse, homering in four consecutive games — three of which were Mets victories. It’s not just the past four games where the Polar Bear has been on a tear, however. Over his past 98 trips to the plate, Alonso is slashing a ridiculous .333/.367/.656 with eight home runs and five doubles. It’s a Herculean finish to a resurgent season for a player who’s been the National League’s most prodigious slugger dating back to his 2019 debut.

Alonso’s mammoth finish only further ensures that he’ll opt out of his two-year contract at season’s end. He’ll return to the open market on the heels of a much better season than his 2024 campaign — and do so without the encumbrance of a qualifying offer, as players can only receive one QO in their career. Alonso and the Mets currently hold a two-game lead over the Reds and D-backs (three games over the Giants) in the NL Wild Card race. They’ll host a home series against the last-place Nationals before heading to Chicago and Miami to close out the year with three game sets versus the Cubs and Marlins.

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

1. Guardians’ winning streak runs into Skubal:

The Guardians have won six games in a row and 11 of their past 12 to storm back into the conversation for a spot in the postseason. That includes taking the first two games of a three-game set against their division rival in Detroit, but now if they’re going to complete the sweep and extend their winning streak they’ll need to take down the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. Tarik Skubal has arguably been even better in 2025 than he was last year, with a 2.26 ERA and 2.45 FIP in 28 starts with a 32.1% strikeout rate, making him a strong candidate to win the award for a second straight year. Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bibee, who has a 4.44 ERA in 29 starts this year, will be tasked with keeping the Tigers in check.

2. Can the Mariners take advantage of Houston’s day off?

The Astros jumped out to a half-game lead over the Mariners in the AL West last night, but Houston does not play today while the Mariners face the Royals in Kansas City at 1:10pm local time. A win for Seattle would push them into a tie for the AL West, which would have massive implications on their upcoming weekend series against the Astros. While the Mariners would simply need to win the series to wrest control of the West if they win today, a loss to Kansas City today would mean they can only walk out of their set in Houston with a division lead if they sweep the Astros on their home turf. Veteran righty Luis Castillo (3.76 ERA) will be on the mound for Seattle. Kansas City will counter with deadline acquisition Stephen Kolek (3.71 ERA in 17 starts).

3. Pitchers’ duel between rivals:

The Dodgers and Giants clash in L.A. at 7:10pm local time and will send two of the NL’s best hurlers to the mound. Giants righty Logan Webb has a 3.34 ERA and 2.71 FIP this year — his fifth consecutive season with an ERA under 3.50 and a FIP under 3.20. The Dodgers will counter with Yoshinobu Yamamoto. His 162 1/3 innings handily trail Webb’s 188 2/3, but Yamamoto has the more dominant run prevention numbers. The 27-year-old has posted a 2.66 ERA with a 2.96 FIP in 28 starts while striking out an excellent 29.3% of his opponents. The Giants are two games back in the NL Wild Card race, while the Dodgers hold a two-game lead over the Padres in the hunt for the NL West title.

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

1. Giolito’s 2026 option:

As the Red Sox gear up for the playoffs, veteran right-hander Lucas Giolito is going to be a key part of their October rotation. His turnaround has also made it all but certain that he’ll be a free agent this winter. Giolito is now just four innings shy of reaching 140 frames on the season, at which point his $14MM club option will convert into a $19MM mutual option. Given his impressive 3.31 ERA in 24 starts for Boston this year, Giolito is a virtual lock to decline his end of that option and head back to the open market. He’ll be one of the more prominent arms in a free agent class that also features Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Ranger Suarez, Michael King and Brandon Woodruff.

2. Raleigh surpasses Mantle, goes for more history:

Cal Raleigh’s sensational 2025 season continued last night when he slugged two more home runs against the Royals in Kansas City. That puts him at 56 total long balls on the year, breaking the legendary Mickey Mantle’s record for the most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season. Mantle had previously owned the all-time mark with 54 round-trippers. Next on the list of milestones Raleigh hopes to reach is the Mariners’ franchise record for home runs, which he currently shares with Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey hit 56 homers in back-to-back seasons in 1997 and ’98, but if Raleigh can launch just one more ball over the fence before the end of the year, he’ll take sole possession of the record. He’ll look to do just that against Royals southpaw Cole Ragans in his return from the injured list tonight.

3. Cubs go for the clinch:

National League Rookie of the Year contender Cade Horton outdueled NL Cy Young favorite Paul Skenes yesterday to give the Cubs a 4-1 win over the Pirates and push Chicago to 87 wins on the season. That victory dropped the Cubs’ magic number down to one. Any Cubs win or Diamondbacks loss would guarantee that Chicago will still be playing in October. The Cubs will be wrapping up their series against Pittsburgh with Matthew Boyd (3.05 ERA) on the mound opposite Johan Oviedo (2.81 ERA in six starts). The D-backs will wrap up a three-game set against the visiting Giants when they send righty Brandon Pfaadt (5.31 ERA) to the mound against future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander (3.94 ERA).

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

1. Alvarez to undergo MRI:

The Astros were dealt a brutal blow yesterday when slugger Yordan Alvarez went down with an apparent ankle injury in the first inning. Alvarez is scheduled to get an MRI to determine the severity of the issue, though the star DH was already seen on crutches and in a walking boot in the clubhouse following last night’s game. Even a minimum ten-day stint on the IL would push Alvarez’s return right up against the end of the regular season, and the start of the Wild Card series is just two weeks from today.

If Alvarez does find himself sidelined into the postseason, perhaps the open DH slot in the lineup would make a return for injured infielder Isaac Paredes more likely. Paredes is rehabbing a significant hamstring injury in hopes of joining the team before their season comes to a close, and perhaps he could return sooner if at-bats at DH are available that wouldn’t require him to be healthy enough to get work in on defense.

2. Doubleheader today in D.C.: 

The Braves and Nats are set to play a doubleheader to make up for a game that was rained out back in May. As noted by Paige Leckie of MLB.com, ticket holders for the originally scheduled game will be able to use those tickets to attend game 1 of today’s doubleheader, which is scheduled for 1pm local time. An as of yet unannounced Braves starter will take on Nats righty Jake Irvin (5.70 ERA), while Game 2 will feature lefties Chris Sale (2.52 ERA in 18 starts) and MacKenzie Gore (4.14 ERA) with first pitch scheduled for 6:45pm local time this evening.

3. Young arms duel in the NL Central:

The Cubs are in Pittsburgh, and the front-runner for the NL Cy Young Award is scheduled to take on a hurler who has emerged as a potential favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. Paul Skenes is on the shortlist for the very best pitchers in baseball less than two years into his MLB career, and this year he’s dazzled with a 1.92 ERA across 30 starts. He’ll take on Cubs rookie Cade Horton, who debuted back in May and carries a 2.70 ERA in 21 appearances. Those season-long numbers are impressive enough as is, but Horton has found another gear since the All-Star break with a dazzling 0.84 ERA in his last ten starts. Tonight’s game is scheduled to start at 6:40pm local time.

Just two weeks left to go in the regular season! Here are three things we’re monitoring around baseball today…

1. Silver Boot series kicks off with huge implications:

The American League west is the tightest division in the majors. The Mariners took over the top spot this weekend and currently sit one game clear of the Astros. That leaves Houston in possession of the final A.L. Wild Card spot but the Rangers are just two games behind them. The Rangers are in Houston for three games starting tonight for a series that should play a huge role in the A.L. playoff picture.

It begins tonight with Jack Leiter taking the ball for Texas against Jason Alexander. The Rangers will turn to Merrill Kelly and Jacob deGrom in the next two games. The Astros don’t have starters listed beyond Alexander but Cristian Javier will likely start one of those contests. They might have to do a bullpen game in the other, with Luis Garcia recently hitting the injured list. Guys like AJ Blubaugh, Jayden Murray, Colton Gordon or J.P. France could cover multiple innings.

2. Division leaders face off in Los Angeles:

Over in the National League, a couple of division leaders are squaring off as the Phillies open a three-game series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers tonight. The Phils have the East division locked down with the Mets 12 games back. The Dodgers have more of a fight in the West, as they are only 2.5 games up on the Padres. The Phils are in a good spot to earn a bye through the first round as they are behind the Brewers but 4.5 games ahead of the Dodgers, though Los Angeles can tighten things up with a sweep in the coming days.

The Phils are going with Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo while the Dodgers counter with Emmet Sheehan, Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell. The Padres are off tonight but will be watching and rooting for the Phils, before they start their own important series against the Mets tomorrow.

3. Strahm on verge of vesting:

Circling back to the Phillies for one note of interest, left-hander Matt Strahm is on the verge of being locked up for 2026. His contract originally contained a $4.5MM club option for 2026 but he already bumped that up to $5.5MM when he reached 40 innings pitched this year and then $6.5MM when he got to 50 frames. If he gets to 60, it jumps another million to $7.5MM and becomes guaranteed, pending the result of a postseason physical examination. Strahm is up to 59 1/3 innings on the year now, meaning he’s two outs away from vesting that option.

Photo courtesy of Tim Heitman, Imagn Images

Here are three things to keep an eye on around baseball this weekend…

1. Trout chasing 400:

Mike Trout belted the 399th home run of his illustrious career last night, placing him just one round-tripper shy of becoming the 59th player in MLB history to reach the 400 milestone. Trout, currently in a three-way tie with Andres Galarraga and Al Kaline on the all-time leaderboard, is hitting .235/.368/.426 (119 wRC+) and has already secured the tenth 20-homer season of his career (plus 17 homers during the shortened 2020 season). He’ll square off against Luis Castillo, Bryan Woo and George Kirby this weekend as he looks to add another accolade to what’s already a surefire Cooperstown résumé.

2. Senga on the mound for Syracuse:

The Mets optioned Kodai Senga to Triple-A Syracuse last week upon calling up top prospect Brandon Sproat, hoping to get the former Cy Young runner-up back on track. Senga posted a 6.56 ERA over eight starts after returning from a monthlong IL stint due to a hamstring strain. His season ERA still sits at 3.02, but his mounting struggles at a time when the Mets are fighting for their postseason life became too severe for the team to ignore. Senga will make the first of what’ll be multiple Triple-A starts (barring an injury in the big league rotation) later today when he takes on the Red Sox’ Worcester affiliate in a game slated to begin at 6:35pm ET. Home runs (2.02 HR/9) and walks (12.9%) have been particularly problematic for Senga during this poor stretch, so it’ll be worth keeping a close eye on how the right-hander commands the ball during what the Mets hope will be a swift Triple-A reset.

3. Key Wild Card series abound:

The Mets have lost six in a row, shrinking their Wild Card lead to a mere 1.5 games over both the Giants and Reds. Things won’t get easier for the Mets, as they’ll be tasked with stopping their September swoon in a matchup with old friend Jacob deGrom, who’s pitched to a resurgent 2.78 ERA, 27.9% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate in 155 2/3 innings this year. The Rangers are in Queens for a three-game set that also has major implications in the AL Wild Card hunt as well; Texas sits just two games back of an also-reeling Astros club that is now tied with the Mariners for first place in the AL West.

Elsewhere in the NL Wild Card scramble, the Giants have a tough task keeping their hopes alive, as they’ll host the Dodgers for a three-game set pitting them against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow, each of whom has an ERA south of 3.30 on the season. The Reds, meanwhile, travel to West Sacramento to take on the A’s in a three-game series where they’ll face righties J.T. Ginn, Luis Severino and Luis Morales.

Both the D-backs and Guardians can keep their faint playoff hopes alive with series wins over retooling AL Central clubs; Arizona hosts the Twins for a three-game set, while Cleveland hosts the White Sox. The Diamondbacks have pulled to within three games of the Mets (though they’d also need to leapfrog the Giants and Reds). The Guards are 3.5 games back in the American League. The Cardinals are still within four games of an NL spot, but they’d likely need to sweep the Brewers in Milwaukee this weekend to truly stay afloat.

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

1. Gore to return to Nats

The Nationals placed left-hander MacKenzie Gore on the injured list a couple of weeks ago due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Thankfully, he’s coming back after a minimal stint and will start today’s game. Reliever Orlando Ribalta has been optioned as the corresponding move for Gore, per Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com. The Nats aren’t playing for much at this part of the schedule but it’s nice for the club and for Gore that he’s getting back on the mound before the winter kicks in. That will at least provide some assurance that nothing is lingering into the offseason. Gore is a speculative trade candidate this winter since he’s down to two remaining years of club control and the Nats don’t seem close to contending. His health is therefore of interest to other clubs around the league as well.

2. Detmers injured?

Angels lefty Reid Detmers departed yesterday’s game with an apparent injury. Per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, the southpaw said afterwards that he wasn’t in pain but his arm felt “dead” on the outside of his elbow. He’s getting an MRI today. Detmers is having a really good season out of the bullpen. The Halos will have to decide this winter whether to keep him in a relief role or stretch him back out as a starter next year. Perhaps the outcome of this MRI will play a role in that decision.

3. Mets sliding

As of a few weeks ago, it looked like the National League playoff race would be a real snooze. Going into the day on September 3rd, the Mets had the final Wild Card spot. The Reds and the Giants were each five games back. Fast forward to today and the Mets still have that final playoff spot but the situation is far less cozy. They have lost five in a row, which has shrunk their lead over the Reds and Giants to just two games, with the Diamondbacks and Cardinals also in the mix. It doesn’t get easier from here, as the Mets take on Jesús Luzardo and the Phillies today. The subsequent six games are also against tough teams, as the Mets host the Rangers and Padres for three each.

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

1. Harrison to make Red Sox debut:

After being acquired back in June as the centerpiece of the Rafael Devers trade, former top prospect Kyle Harrison has spent the entirety of his Red Sox career so far in Triple-A. That’s set to change later today, as MassLive’s Chris Cotillo writes that Harrison is set to be recalled to the big league roster today. Lefty Chris Murphy will be optioned to the minor leagues in the corresponding move, according to Cotillo.

Fellow young lefty Payton Tolle is listed as the probable starter for today’s game against the Athletics, so it’s possible that Harrison will be ready to piggyback after Tolle threw just three innings in his last start. Another possibility, of course, is that Tolle will be scratched from his start and Harrison will fill in to give Tolle additional rest after a tough outing against the Diamondbacks last week, or even that Harrison is being called up early for a start later this week. The lefty has a career 4.48 ERA across parts of three MLB seasons in San Francisco, and a 3.75 ERA in 12 starts with Triple-A Worcester.

2. Raleigh chases Mantle:

Cal Raleigh is in the midst of a historic season that may well win him the AL MVP award. As the Mariners wrap up their series against the Cardinals later today, he’ll be chasing another exciting piece of history. Raleigh currently has 53 home runs on the season, which puts him just one long ball behind Mickey Mantle for the single-season home run record among switch-hitters and two away from taking sole possession of that record. Cardinals rookie Michael McGreevy, who has a 4.68 ERA in 73 innings of work this year, will be tasked with keeping Raleigh from reaching that milestone today. In 142 games this year, Raleigh has slashed .240/.349/.574 and leads the AL with 113 RBI in addition to his MLB-leading home run total.

3. Pitchers’ Duel in Texas:

The Brewers are looking to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Rangers in Dallas today, and they’ll do so with ace Freddy Peralta on the mound amid a career season. Peralta has pitched to a 2.50 ERA with a 27.1% strikeout rate. On the mound opposite Peralta is a formidable foe, however, as the Rangers will be starting veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly. Kelly has a 3.16 ERA on the year across 29 starts, but he’s been even better since joining the Rangers at the trade deadline. He’s on a five-outing streak of quality starts, during which he’s pitched to a combined 2.23 ERA across 32 1/3 innings of work. While he’s struck out just 20.3% of his opponents in that five-start stretch, he’s made up for that by walking a microscopic 3.3%. The two right-handers are scheduled to square off at 1:35pm local time this afternoon.

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

1. Hoskins to be activated:

The Brewers are expected to activate first baseman Rhys Hoskins from the injured list today, as relayed by Sophia Minnaert. Hoskins, 32, hasn’t appeared in a game since July 5 due to a thumb sprain. At the time of his injury, he was hitting fairly well with a .242/.340/.428 line. He’d connected on 12 homers and 12 doubles in 318 plate appearances with an 11.8% walk rate. Hoskins’ role is not quite certain as he returns to the team given the performance of Andrew Vaughn since he joined the club on July 7. The former No. 3 overall pick has slashed .308/.370/.503 with a strikeout rate of just 14.8% in 209 plate appearances following his change of scenery. Perhaps Hoskins could get some time in at DH, but Christian Yelich returned to the lineup at the position yesterday after nursing a day-to-day ailment. If Hoskins makes it into today’s lineup, he’ll face off against right-hander Jack Leiter (3.74 ERA) of the Rangers later this evening.

2. King to return:

The Padres are welcoming a notable veteran from the injured list: right-hander Michael King. King has made just 11 starts this year due to injuries but has been fantastic when healthy enough to take the mound, with a 2.81 ERA and a 27.5% strikeout rate in 57 2/3 innings of work. As the Padres look ahead to the postseason in October, King is sure to be one of their top starters and could even get the nod for Game 1 of a playoff series. First, of course, he’ll be getting back into a regular rhythm in the final weeks of the regular season. His first opponent will be the Reds, who are sending Zack Littell (3.81 ERA) to the mound against King at 6:40pm local time in San Diego.

3. MLBTR chat today:

We’re just a few short weeks away from the postseason, and the teams that remain in the race are engaged in a mad dash to finish the season strong, whether that’s for playoff seeding or the right to play in October at all. Whether you’re invested in these final weeks of the season or already are turning your attention towards the upcoming offseason and free agency, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat at 1pm CT later today. 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.