The Moffitt family had two very athletic children in Randy and Billie Jean. (Photo by New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Randy Moffitt, a longtime MLB reliever and the younger brother of tennis legend Billie Jean King, died in his hometown of Long Beach, California, on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. He was 76 years old.
The cause of death was reportedly an extended illness.
After a college career at Cal State Long Beach, Moffitt was drafted 18th overall by the San Francisco Giants in the regular phase of the 1970 MLB Draft. He waited only two years to make his MLB debut and ended up playing 10 seasons for the Giants, accruing 83 saves and a 3.68 ERA. Moffitt was steady enough across 459 games for the Giants that he received a spot on their Wall of Fame in 2008.
The #SFGiants are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former San Francisco Giants pitcher Randy Moffitt.
His career took a hard turn downward in 1979 after he reportedly contracted a rare and sometimes deadly intestinal parasite, which resulted in frequent nausea and the loss of roughly 25 pounds.
The parasite hounded Moffitt through the end of his Giants career in 1981, a span of time in which he posted a 7.00 ERA across three seasons. However, he recovered enough to finish his career with two solid seasons in 1982 with the Houston Astros and 1983 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
In an Instagram post from earlier this year, King, a foundational figure in both tennis and women’s sports in general, described herself and Moffitt as “competitive kids, right from the start.”
That sibling rivalry later became another layer of the Giants-Dodgers rivalry when King purchased a minority stake of the Dodgers in 2018.
Per the AP, Moffitt is survived by two daughters â Miranda Harrah and her husband, Rusty, and Alysha Gosse and her husband, James â and four grandchildren.
The Moffitt family had two very athletic children in Randy and Billie Jean. (Photo by New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Randy Moffitt, a longtime MLB reliever and the younger brother of tennis legend Billie Jean King, died in his hometown of Long Beach, California, on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. He was 76 years old.
The cause of death was reportedly an extended illness.
After a college career at Cal State Long Beach, Moffitt was drafted 18th overall by the San Francisco Giants in the regular phase of the 1970 MLB Draft. He waited only two years to make his MLB debut and ended up playing 10 seasons for the Giants, accruing 83 saves and a 3.68 ERA. Moffitt was steady enough across 459 games for the Giants that he received a spot on their Wall of Fame in 2008.
The #SFGiants are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former San Francisco Giants pitcher Randy Moffitt.
His career took a hard turn downward in 1979 after he reportedly contracted a rare and sometimes deadly intestinal parasite, which resulted in frequent nausea and the loss of roughly 25 pounds.
The parasite hounded Moffitt through the end of his Giants career in 1981, a span of time in which he posted a 7.00 ERA across three seasons. However, he recovered enough to finish his career with two solid seasons in 1982 with the Houston Astros and 1983 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
In an Instagram post from earlier this year, King, a foundational figure in both tennis and women’s sports in general, described herself and Moffitt as “competitive kids, right from the start.”
That sibling rivalry later became another layer of the Giants-Dodgers rivalry when King purchased a minority stake of the Dodgers in 2018.
Per the AP, Moffitt is survived by two daughters â Miranda Harrah and her husband, Rusty, and Alysha Gosse and her husband, James â and four grandchildren.
Kyrie Irving will miss most, if not all, of the coming season due to a torn ACL, which has Dallas wanting to bring in some point guard depth behind D’Angelo Russell. Specifically, the Mavericks plan to re-sign Dante Exum, who has been with the team for a couple of seasons but is now a free agent.
This was not a surprise. Dallas is hard-capped at the second apron and was within $1.5 million of that line, it needed to clear cap space to sign Exum, even to a veteran minimum contract. The team had tried to trade Prosper, but other teams wanted a second-round pick attached to take on his $3 million contract. Dallas could create enough space to sign Exum by waiving and stretching Prosper, spreading his $3 million over three seasons on the books.
Once Prosper clears waivers, expect the Mavericks to announce the deal with Exum.
Prosper becomes a free agent and has shown enough flashes in Dallas to garner interest from other NBA teams.
If the San Diego Padres are going to win the NL West, they’re going to have to do it without Xander Bogaerts.
The All-Star shortstop hit the 10-day injured list due to a non-displaced fracture in his left foot, the team announced Friday. Infielder Mason McCoy was called up from Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move.
Bogaerts sustained the injury by fouling a ball off the foot in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners. He stayed in the game, but subsequent testing apparently revealed the fracture.
With Bogaerts out, utility man Jose Iglesias is the natural choice to take over at shortstop for San Diego.
Even if he does return for the playoffs, losing the 32-year-old is a tough blow for the Padres as they fight the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West title. San Diego entered Friday two games behind the Dodgers, who also own the tiebreaker.Â
Xander Bogaerts had a painful and costly final at-bat on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Since the start of July, the Padres have managed to shrink an 8.5-game deficit and even took the division lead at a couple of points, but with one month left, they still have some work to do.
Regardless of the Dodgers’ fortunes, San Diego is positioned to make the playoffs, as the Padres hold the second NL wild-card spot and are three games ahead of the Mets for the third and final wild-card.
While Bogaerts so far has not lived up to his 11-year, $280 million contract, his combined .292/.353/.431 hitting in June and July helped keep the division competitive. He was slumping again before his injury, but the Padres were probably going to be fine betting on a bounce back.Â
Now, they have to wait until at least October for Bogaerts’ return.
If the San Diego Padres are going to win the NL West, they’re going to have to do it without Xander Bogaerts.
The All-Star shortstop hit the 10-day injured list due to a non-displaced fracture in his left foot, the team announced Friday. Infielder Mason McCoy was called up from Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move.
Bogaerts sustained the injury by fouling a ball off the foot in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners. He stayed in the game, but subsequent testing apparently revealed the fracture.
With Bogaerts out, utility man Jose Iglesias is the natural choice to take over at shortstop for San Diego.
Even if he does return for the playoffs, losing the 32-year-old is a tough blow for the Padres as they fight the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West title. San Diego entered Friday two games behind the Dodgers, who also own the tiebreaker.Â
Xander Bogaerts had a painful and costly final at-bat on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Since the start of July, the Padres have managed to shrink an 8.5-game deficit and even took the division lead at a couple of points, but with one month left, they still have some work to do.
Regardless of the Dodgers’ fortunes, San Diego is positioned to make the playoffs, as the Padres hold the second NL wild-card spot and are three games ahead of the Mets for the third and final wild-card.
While Bogaerts so far has not lived up to his 11-year, $280 million contract, his combined .292/.353/.431 hitting in June and July helped keep the division competitive. He was slumping again before his injury, but the Padres were probably going to be fine betting on a bounce back.Â
Now, they have to wait until at least October for Bogaerts’ return.
Finland is now 2-0 in group play, having beaten Sweden and Great Britain, with Markkanen is averaging 35.5 points a game. Jazz fans â and you can be sure some other front office personnel around the NBA â have taken notice. Next up for Finland is winless Montenegro.
There were some other NBA big men who had good days at EuroBasket.
Alperen Sengun had 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting with 12 rebounds and nine assists as his TĂźrkiye team continues to look strong in a win over the Czech Republic.
As the calendar turns to September, we enter the final stretch of the 2025 MLB regular season. And while it seems like this yearâs postseason participants are pretty much set, there is still some jockeying for seeding left to be done. And there could still be a team that surprises us by sneaking into the postseason.
With that in mind, here are six series to keep an eye on over the regular season’s final month.
For more than two months, the same six teams have been in playoff position in the National League, but one team that has an outside shot to make things interesting over the final four weeks is the Cincinnati Reds. The team just ahead of them in the wild-card standings is the New York Mets, who lead by four games. Granted, four games is a significant lead at this point in the season, but a three-game series between these two squads makes that lead feel much smaller.
For the Reds, this series will be their last real opportunity to gain ground on the Mets and put some pressure on the team from Queens. For the Mets, a series victory, and especially a sweep, would essentially secure their wild-card berth and end the Redsâ hopes of getting to October.
Yes, baseballâs most famous rivalry is also a big series to watch in September, and itâs not just because these two storied franchises are facing off. The Red Sox and Yankees currently sit in the first and second AL wild-card spots, respectively. But with just a half-game separating them entering play Friday, the fight for seeding and home-field advantage in the first round is very much up for grabs.
One of the things that makes this series extra compelling is that the Yankees haven’t played well against their AL East rivals this season. Boston has an 8-2 record against New York this year, and with the Yanks having struggled in general lately, the Sox have all the momentum on their side entering September. The winner of this series will likely be hosting the loser one month from now, with a trip to the ALDS on the line.
The San Diego Padres are in an interesting position as September begins. They have a solid hold of the NLâs second wild card, with a chance to pass the Cubs for the top spot, and they still have a shot at wresting the NL West title away from the L.A. Dodgers. That said, unfortunately for the Padres, when they had head-to-head opportunities to really make the Dodgers panic, they were unable to do so.
Coming with less than two weeks left in the season, this series between the Padres and Mets will be pivotal for seeding in the NL wild card, and it represents a playoff stress test, with two potential postseason teams squaring off for three important games.
The Chicago Cubs have had an interesting season, to say the least. By record, theyâre still one of the best teams in MLB. But because they havenât exactly played their best baseball in the second half, it feels like theyâre in a worse spot than they actually are. With that in mind, it would benefit the Cubs greatly to find some consistency before they get to October. And in the process, they could spoil their division-rival Redsâ playoff chances.
As mentioned above, every game the Reds play in September will be important in their quest to make it to the postseason. With the Cubs being one of the three teams ahead of them in the NL wild-card picture, a series victory or a sweep of the Cubs would go a long way in boosting Cincyâs playoff chances.
Several division titles and final playoff seeding are still to be determined in the month of September. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)
Mariners versus Astros just might be the best series to watch in September. Not only is this a battle between division rivals, but thereâs also a good chance that the winner of this series will be in the driver’s seat for the division title. Seattle hasnât played as well of late and needs to find its footing before the playoffs. Meanwhile, Houston, which has dealt with more injuries than any other team in baseball, has started to get healthy at just the right time. With Yordan Ălvarez back in the middle of the lineup and Carlos Correa playing well since his return to Houston, the Astros look scary once again.
For Seattle, a series victory here could put them in position to achieve something they havenât done in more than 20 years: Win a division title. For Houston, defeating the Mariners would almost certainly give them the inside track on their fifth straight AL West crown.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Seattle Mariners: Sept. 26-28
The Dodgers have had moments this season when theyâve looked unstoppable. But theyâve also had moments when you wonder how a team that cost so much to put together could look so mediocre. Despite all of that, theyâve been able to hold off the Padres and retain their NL West lead, with a two-game margin entering play Friday. Fast-forward to the final weekend of the season, and this series could be huge for the Dodgers. If San Diego stays close, victories over the Mariners could be the difference between L.A. winning another division title and settling for a wild card.
The series will also be important for seeding in the postseason. Assuming the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers stay in position as the No. 1 seed, L.A. will be trying to finish with a better record than the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies in order to secure a bye and avoid the wild-card round altogether.
Seattleâs most important remaining series is still the three-game set with Houston noted above. But if they are to hang on for a place in the postseason, finishing the season strong against a quality opponent would be huge for the Marinersâ momentum going into October.
As the calendar turns to September, we enter the final stretch of the 2025 MLB regular season. And while it seems like this yearâs postseason participants are pretty much set, there is still some jockeying for seeding left to be done. And there could still be a team that surprises us by sneaking into the postseason.
With that in mind, here are six series to keep an eye on over the regular season’s final month.
For more than two months, the same six teams have been in playoff position in the National League, but one team that has an outside shot to make things interesting over the final four weeks is the Cincinnati Reds. The team just ahead of them in the wild-card standings is the New York Mets, who lead by four games. Granted, four games is a significant lead at this point in the season, but a three-game series between these two squads makes that lead feel much smaller.
For the Reds, this series will be their last real opportunity to gain ground on the Mets and put some pressure on the team from Queens. For the Mets, a series victory, and especially a sweep, would essentially secure their wild-card berth and end the Redsâ hopes of getting to October.
Yes, baseballâs most famous rivalry is also a big series to watch in September, and itâs not just because these two storied franchises are facing off. The Red Sox and Yankees currently sit in the first and second AL wild-card spots, respectively. But with just a half-game separating them entering play Friday, the fight for seeding and home-field advantage in the first round is very much up for grabs.
One of the things that makes this series extra compelling is that the Yankees haven’t played well against their AL East rivals this season. Boston has an 8-2 record against New York this year, and with the Yanks having struggled in general lately, the Sox have all the momentum on their side entering September. The winner of this series will likely be hosting the loser one month from now, with a trip to the ALDS on the line.
The San Diego Padres are in an interesting position as September begins. They have a solid hold of the NLâs second wild card, with a chance to pass the Cubs for the top spot, and they still have a shot at wresting the NL West title away from the L.A. Dodgers. That said, unfortunately for the Padres, when they had head-to-head opportunities to really make the Dodgers panic, they were unable to do so.
Coming with less than two weeks left in the season, this series between the Padres and Mets will be pivotal for seeding in the NL wild card, and it represents a playoff stress test, with two potential postseason teams squaring off for three important games.
The Chicago Cubs have had an interesting season, to say the least. By record, theyâre still one of the best teams in MLB. But because they havenât exactly played their best baseball in the second half, it feels like theyâre in a worse spot than they actually are. With that in mind, it would benefit the Cubs greatly to find some consistency before they get to October. And in the process, they could spoil their division-rival Redsâ playoff chances.
As mentioned above, every game the Reds play in September will be important in their quest to make it to the postseason. With the Cubs being one of the three teams ahead of them in the NL wild-card picture, a series victory or a sweep of the Cubs would go a long way in boosting Cincyâs playoff chances.
Several division titles and final playoff seeding are still to be determined in the month of September. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)
Mariners versus Astros just might be the best series to watch in September. Not only is this a battle between division rivals, but thereâs also a good chance that the winner of this series will be in the driver’s seat for the division title. Seattle hasnât played as well of late and needs to find its footing before the playoffs. Meanwhile, Houston, which has dealt with more injuries than any other team in baseball, has started to get healthy at just the right time. With Yordan Ălvarez back in the middle of the lineup and Carlos Correa playing well since his return to Houston, the Astros look scary once again.
For Seattle, a series victory here could put them in position to achieve something they havenât done in more than 20 years: Win a division title. For Houston, defeating the Mariners would almost certainly give them the inside track on their fifth straight AL West crown.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Seattle Mariners: Sept. 26-28
The Dodgers have had moments this season when theyâve looked unstoppable. But theyâve also had moments when you wonder how a team that cost so much to put together could look so mediocre. Despite all of that, theyâve been able to hold off the Padres and retain their NL West lead, with a two-game margin entering play Friday. Fast-forward to the final weekend of the season, and this series could be huge for the Dodgers. If San Diego stays close, victories over the Mariners could be the difference between L.A. winning another division title and settling for a wild card.
The series will also be important for seeding in the postseason. Assuming the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers stay in position as the No. 1 seed, L.A. will be trying to finish with a better record than the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies in order to secure a bye and avoid the wild-card round altogether.
Seattleâs most important remaining series is still the three-game set with Houston noted above. But if they are to hang on for a place in the postseason, finishing the season strong against a quality opponent would be huge for the Marinersâ momentum going into October.
MLB has reduced the punishment for Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles after a success appeal. Robles, who was originally suspended 10 games for throwing a bat at a minor-league pitcher, will serve a seven-game suspension that will start Friday, the team announced Friday.
Robles will miss the Mariners’ next two series, against the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays. He is eligible to return Sept. 6, partway through Seattle’s series at the Atlanta Braves.
Per Major League Baseball, outfielder Victor Robles will serve a 7-game suspension beginning today, Aug. 29.
Robles will be eligible to return on Sept. 6 at Atlanta.
The bat-throwing incident took place Aug. 18, when Robles was playing with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers, as part of a rehab assignment. Robles erupted after being hit by a pitch, throwing a bat at the pitcher and later launching a box of sunflower seeds onto the field. He was quickly ejected from the game and had to be held back by teammates.
Hours after the ejection, Robles posted a lengthy apology to his Instagram story, saying it had been the fifth time he was hit by a pitch in 15 at-bats and the past few months of rehab had been “physically and mentally challenging.” Additionally, he shared that his mother recently passed away.
“That’s not an excuse, but some context I feel you deserve to understand where I’m coming from,” Robles said as part of the apology before adding, “I’m committed to being better, not just as a player, but as a teammate and competitor.”
Robles returned to the Mariners on Saturday. He started in right field for three of Seattle’s past five games while he was appealing the league’s 10-game suspension. He recorded two hits and two RBI in 13 at-bats across those four games for the Mariners.
MLB has reduced the punishment for Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles after a success appeal. Robles, who was originally suspended 10 games for throwing a bat at a minor-league pitcher, will serve a seven-game suspension that will start Friday, the team announced Friday.
Robles will miss the Mariners’ next two series, against the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays. He is eligible to return Sept. 6, partway through Seattle’s series at the Atlanta Braves.
Per Major League Baseball, outfielder Victor Robles will serve a 7-game suspension beginning today, Aug. 29.
Robles will be eligible to return on Sept. 6 at Atlanta.
The bat-throwing incident took place Aug. 18, when Robles was playing with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers, as part of a rehab assignment. Robles erupted after being hit by a pitch, throwing a bat at the pitcher and later launching a box of sunflower seeds onto the field. He was quickly ejected from the game and had to be held back by teammates.
Hours after the ejection, Robles posted a lengthy apology to his Instagram story, saying it had been the fifth time he was hit by a pitch in 15 at-bats and the past few months of rehab had been “physically and mentally challenging.” Additionally, he shared that his mother recently passed away.
“That’s not an excuse, but some context I feel you deserve to understand where I’m coming from,” Robles said as part of the apology before adding, “I’m committed to being better, not just as a player, but as a teammate and competitor.”
Robles returned to the Mariners on Saturday. He started in right field for three of Seattle’s past five games while he was appealing the league’s 10-game suspension. He recorded two hits and two RBI in 13 at-bats across those four games for the Mariners.
