ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi is likely done for the season because of a rotator cuff strain.
Chris Young, the team’s president of baseball operations, made the announcement Tuesday, a day before Eovaldi’s scheduled start against the Los Angeles Angels when he had another opportunity to take over as MLB’s qualified ERA leader. He is 11-3 with a career-best 1.73 ERA in 22 starts.
Eovaldi has been one of baseball’s best pitchers all season, but was left off the American League All-Star team and hasn’t been among the qualified leaders after missing most of June because of elbow inflammation.
He was MLB’s official ERA leader for one night, after he allowed one run in seven innings against Cleveland on Friday. That put him at 130 innings in 130 Rangers games, and put him ahead of All-Star starters Paul Skenes (2.07) and Tarik Skubal (2.28) until the Texas played the following day – pitchers need one inning per team game to qualify.
This is Eovaldi’s third consecutive season with at least 11 wins since joining his home state team, and last December he signed a new $75 million, three-year contract through 2027. The 35-year-old Eovaldi and Hall of Fame strikeout king Nolan Ryan are the only big league players from Alvin, Texas.
Eovaldi has a 102-84 career record and 3.84 ERA over 14 big league seasons with six teams, and was of World Series championships with Boston in 2018 and Texas in 2023. He made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-12), and later pitched for Miami (2012-14), the New York Yankees (2015-16), Tampa Bay (2018), Boston (2018-22).
NEW YORK — St. Louis pitcher Zeke Wood was suspended for 80 games and Houston catcher Emilio Gonzalez for 56 on Tuesday by Major League Baseball following positive tests for performance-enhancing substances under minor league drug programs.
Wood tested positive for GW1516 and was disciplined under the minor league drug program. Gonzalez tested positive for Boldenone and was penalized under the drug program for minor league players assigned outside of the United States and Canada.
A 25-year-old right-hander, Wood signed a minor league contract with St. Louis in June and had an 8.49 ERA in 12 relief appearances for Class A Palm Beach and High-A Peoria.
Gonzalez, 17, agreed to a minor league deal with the Astros in January for a $67,500 signing bonus and hit .209 with no homers and seven RBIs for the Dominican Summer League Astros. He has served two games and will finish the penalty during the 2026 DSL season.
Thirteen players have been suspended this year for positive tests, including 11 under minor league programs. Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended for 80 games on March 31 and Philadelphia Phillies closer José Alvarado for 80 games on May 25 under the major league program.
After striking out looking at a ball that zipped across the middle of the plate, Contreras began to walk toward the Cardinals’ dugout before turning back to have a talk with umpire Derek Thomas.
From there, the exchange got heated, and Cardinals coaches came out to calm Contreras while pulling him away from Thomas. By this time, Contreras had been ejected, but he wasn’t done. Contreras went to toss his bat back toward the field of play and accidentally struck one of his own coaches in the face, and then proceeded to throw a bucket of candy on the field, which had to be cleaned up by Cardinals staffers.
Contreras said after the game that he wasn’t sure why he was actually thrown out of the contest, though he admitted that he “struck out on a good pitch” and he apologized to his coach for the bat throw.
“I was surprised because [the umpire] threw me out for nothing,” Contreras said.
The suspension handed down by MLB feels like it’s two-fold. Showing up umpires (or any league official) is always a no-no. And if a player or manager acts too aggressively or says anything disparaging about an umpire, some type of discipline is likely to follow.
Another factor in Contreras’ case is the bat toss, which struck one of his coaches. While it was clearly accidental, the coach — or anyone else in the vicinity — could have been seriously injured. Once that bat left his hand, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that a suspension would follow.
Contreras is batting .261 this season (three points above his career average) with 19 home runs and 72 RBI, which is a career high. So, his bat will be sorely missed in the lineup for fourth-place St. Louis, which is 65-67 this season.
After striking out looking at a ball that zipped across the middle of the plate, Contreras began to walk toward the Cardinals’ dugout before turning back to have a talk with umpire Derek Thomas.
From there, the exchange got heated, and Cardinals coaches came out to calm Contreras while pulling him away from Thomas. By this time, Contreras had been ejected, but he wasn’t done. Contreras went to toss his bat back toward the field of play and accidentally struck one of his own coaches in the face, and then proceeded to throw a bucket of candy on the field, which had to be cleaned up by Cardinals staffers.
Contreras said after the game that he wasn’t sure why he was actually thrown out of the contest, though he admitted that he “struck out on a good pitch” and he apologized to his coach for the bat throw.
“I was surprised because [the umpire] threw me out for nothing,” Contreras said.
The suspension handed down by MLB feels like it’s two-fold. Showing up umpires (or any league official) is always a no-no. And if a player or manager acts too aggressively or says anything disparaging about an umpire, some type of discipline is likely to follow.
Another factor in Contreras’ case is the bat toss, which struck one of his coaches. While it was clearly accidental, the coach — or anyone else in the vicinity — could have been seriously injured. Once that bat left his hand, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that a suspension would follow.
Contreras is batting .261 this season (three points above his career average) with 19 home runs and 72 RBI, which is a career high. So, his bat will be sorely missed in the lineup for fourth-place St. Louis, which is 65-67 this season.
It’s nearly crunch time. The marathon that is Major League Baseball’s regular season is coming to a close. As the calendar flips from the dog days of August to the heightened stakes of September, each and every roster spot carries a little more weight, particularly on teams with postseason ambitions.
This week’s power rankings shine a spotlight on one player from each team who needs to step up his game down the stretch, with a focus on players whose seasons have been uneven to this point, for one reason or another. For playoff hopefuls, these are the players looking to prove they can be counted on as October contributors. For teams outside the postseason picture, these are players looking to solidify their status as pieces of the team’s future.
It’s unfair to hold any Rockies pitcher to too high of a standard, considering the circumstances, but as someone who strongly believed in Chase Dollander’s potential as a frontline arm coming out of the 2023 draft, I would greatly appreciate a more encouraging finish to his rookie season than the 6.91 ERA he currently harbors.
29. Chicago White Sox (48-83)
Rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery’s epic power surge in recent weeks has been a thrill to watch but has also come with a boatload of whiffs. Whether Montgomery can stave off some potentially harsh swing-and-miss regression and continue to slug in September could tell us a lot about just how excited we should be about his future entering 2026.
28. Washington Nationals (53-78)
In his handful of starts since returning from elbow surgery, Cade Cavalli has looked like an impact arm worthy of co-headling a rotation alongside MacKenzie Gore. As Washington pushes forward with a new front office and likely new coaching staff, identifying more no-doubt building blocks on both sides of the ball will be paramount if the Nationals want to be competitive anytime soon. Cavalli seems to fit the bill.
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (57-75)
Pittsburgh boasts a playoff-caliber rotation but a meager offense that barely resembles a team that could be playing in October. With that in mind, any meaningful steps forward in September from homegrown hitters such as Jared Triolo, Henry Davis and Nick Gonzales would be welcome developments for this organization that is starved for run production.
26. Minnesota Twins (59-72)
It wasn’t that long ago that we were talking about Royce Lewis as a budding superstar, but he has been a comfortably below-average hitter for more than a year now. A lot is going to have to go right up and down the roster for Minnesota to bounce back in 2026 after this year’s dramatic deadline overhaul. Lewis’ ability to rediscover his impact form is pretty high on the list.
25. Athletics (61-72)
The A’s have an astonishing collection of hard-hitting position players who could soon form one of baseball’s best lineups, but run prevention remains a massive struggle for this team. As such, talented young arms such as Luis Morales have the opportunity — and responsibility — to help form a more competent pitching staff worthy of supporting this standout offense.
24. Miami Marlins (62-69)
Just because Sandy Alcantara wasn’t traded at the deadline doesn’t mean we won’t be talking about him as a candidate to be dealt this winter, and how he looks in September could impact interested organizations’ willingness to pony up the necessary prospect package to pull off such a deal. And even if he isn’t traded this upcoming offseason, Alcantara looking sharper in his final few starts of 2025 could sway our level of optimism for the upstart Fish entering 2026.
23. Baltimore Orioles (60-71)
Kyle Bradish finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting in 2023 and looked fantastic to start 2024 before he went down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He’s scheduled to rejoin Baltimore’s rotation this week and represents the most obvious candidate to restore some much-needed optimism about the Orioles’ rotation plans for 2026, beyond the spectacular, unexpected breakout of left-hander Trevor Rogers.
22. Los Angeles Angels (62-69)
Of all the young players who make up the offensive core in Anaheim, Logan O’Hoppe’s development is the most pivotal for the Angels, as his ability to impact both sides of the ball — for better or worse — carries more weight than that of any other young hitter. That his bat has backslid for a second season in a row is concerning on its own, but his defensive decline is even more troubling. He’s really talented and only 25 years old, but the production needs to start matching the raw ability sooner rather than later.
21. Atlanta Braves (59-72)
One of the most disappointing non-injury-related subplots of this lost Braves season has been Ozzie Albies’ poor performance at the plate; his 76 wRC+ ranks 151st out of 154 qualified hitters. His $7 million club option for 2026 still seems likely to be picked up, but Albies’ longstanding status as a centerpiece of Atlanta’s position-player group is clearly in jeopardy.
20. Cleveland Guardians (64-66)
Cleveland ranks 28th in wRC+, which means there is no shortage of non-Jose Ramirez position players who have underperformed. That said, while fixing the offense should be the top priority for this organization, reliever Cade Smith is another key Guardian to watch over the final month. Smith hasn’t been nearly as effective since he assumed the closer role in the wake of Emmanuel Clase’s placement on the restricted list, and it’d be good to see him rattle off some scoreless outings to finish his sophomore season, especially if Clase isn’t coming back anytime soon.
19. San Francisco Giants (63-68)
Incredibly, the Giants have the worst record in MLB since they acquired Rafael Devers, but it’d be unfair to label Devers the primary reason for their skid. There’s evidently a lot wrong with this San Francisco roster, but one troubling development that stands out has been the sharp decline in production from Heliot Ramos. A breakout All-Star in 2024, Ramos appeared to be on track for another stellar season, with 10 homers and a .846 OPS through the end of May, but it has been pretty ugly since then (5 HR, .642 OPS in 72 games). How Ramos finishes should help clarify San Francisco’s corner outfield plans for 2026.
18. St. Louis Cardinals (65-67)
Can the Cardinals just call up JJ Wetherholt already? Last year’s seventh overall pick has been demolishing the ball in Triple-A and would represent a much-needed jolt of energy and excitement for a fan base that is growing apathetic. A Wetherholt promotion would be small consolation amid another disappointing season for a franchise that isn’t used to being irrelevant in the standings this many years in a row, but it could hint that the near future might be brighter.
17. Arizona Diamondbacks (64-68)
Ineffective pitching has sabotaged this Snakes season despite a terrific offense, and Eduardo Rodriguez’s poor performance (5.67 ERA) is one of the biggest concerns for Arizona moving forward. With $40 million guaranteed to Rodriguez over the next two seasons, it will be crucial for the D-backs to find a way to get the veteran lefty back to a level of competence as part of their daunting quest to improve their pitching for next season.
16. Tampa Bay Rays (64-67)
With Taylor Walls and Ha-Seong Kim both on the injured list, top prospect Carson Williams was called up last week for his first taste of the big leagues. Williams is a sensational defender at shortstop and has big power, along with a concerning amount of swing-and-miss in his game. It’ll be fun to see what he can show over the final month and if it’s enough to project him as the starting shortstop for next season, even if it seems likely that Kim will pick up his $16 million player option for 2026 coming off an injury-marred campaign.
Jack Flaherty, Jacob Misiorowski and Aaron Nola are their teams’ X-factors heading into the final month of the MLB season. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)
15. Cincinnati Reds (68-64)
As a rookie in 2023, Matt McLain looked like a worthy co-star alongside Elly De La Cruz, but he has regressed to a troubling degree in 2025. I’m willing to offer McLain a mulligan, considering this is his first year back after he missed an entire season due to shoulder surgery, but it would be nice to see a strong finish provide some evidence that he can be a foundational piece for Cincinnati moving forward.
14. Texas Rangers (66-67)
It was looking like a lackluster follow-up to a promising rookie season for outfielder Wyatt Langford, but the 23-year-old has quietly been much better since coming off the injured list in early July. While his hot streak might not be enough to propel Texas to a playoff spot amid an otherwise miserable season for the team offensively, Langford’s positive development is critical for the Rangers as they determine what their lineup could and should look like in 2026 and beyond.
13. Kansas City Royals (67-65)
Seth Lugo has an 8.07 ERA in six starts since he signed a two-year, $46 million extension to stay in Kansas City and effectively remove himself from this summer’s trade market. As one of the teams trying to stay relevant on the outskirts of the AL wild-card race, the Royals need their ace to get back on track ASAP, especially with Kris Bubic out for the year and Cole Ragans still on the injured list.
12. New York Mets (70-61)
At this time a year ago, Sean Manaea was in the midst of a second-half surge as one of New York’s most effective rotation members. The lefty’s second year as a Met has not gone nearly as smoothly. An oblique strain cost Manaea nearly the entire first half, and he has a 5.15 ERA since being activated in July. On a starting staff in dire need of both stability and upside, Manaea needs to find his footing sooner rather than later if New York wants to play deep into October.
11. New York Yankees (71-60)
After missing the first four months of the season due to a lat strain, can reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil show enough in September to leapfrog Will Warren and/or Cam Schlittler on the depth chart? With veteran southpaws Max Fried and Carlos Rodon secure atop New York’s rotation, it’ll be fascinating to see which young right-handers emerge as the best options to take the ball for postseason games, especially if the Yankees are headed for a best-of-three wild-card series.
10. Seattle Mariners (71-61)
Seattle’s decision to bolster the lineup at the trade deadline rather than reinforcing the bullpen has put immense pressure on 27-year-old right-hander Matt Brash to serve as the high-leverage bridge to All-Star closer Andres Muñoz. Brash has generally been good since he rejoined the bullpen in May following elbow surgery that wiped out his entire 2024, but he hasn’t been quite as dominant as he was before the injury. Lefty Gabe Speier has also been sneaky great, but Brash will be the one manager Dan Wilson calls upon when he needs a big strikeout against the opposing team’s top righty sluggers. That’s a big responsibility for a pitcher still looking to fully rediscover his pre-surgery form.
9. Houston Astros (72-59)
This is a no-brainer: Yordan Alvarez has been a virtual nonfactor for Houston this year but is slated to finally return to the Astros’ lineup with a month to go in the regular season. Does he immediately reassert himself as one of the most terrifying hitters on the planet, or will his hand injury continue to hamper him and limit his impact? The Astros deserve monumental credit for getting this far without Alvarez, but it’s no secret that they are at their best with him starring in the middle of the lineup.
8. Boston Red Sox (72-60)
Expecting Jarren Duran to repeat his spectacular 2024 campaign was never realistic, but his underwhelming first half was disappointing even relative to more modest expectations. He then got scorching hot in July before a more middling August, so it’s unclear what to expect from him in September. Duran at his best can supercharge Boston’s lineup with a rare power-speed element, but his inconsistency leaves a lot to be desired. We’ll see which version shows up down the stretch.
7. San Diego Padres (74-58)
Luis Arraez is having the worst season of his career, and he has a .272 OBP in August. His superhuman ability to avoid strikeouts (2.7%!!!) is unquestionably a marvel in the modern game, but it’s difficult to argue that uncommon aptitude alone warrants his being San Diego’s No. 2 hitter, as he has been for much of this season. With minimal slug, speed or on-base skills beyond his unbelievable bat-to-ball ability, Arraez should be deployed further down the order. But as long as manager Mike Shildt is committed to keeping him at or near the top, it’ll be on the player to up his performance to ensure the Padres’ lineup is producing to its full potential.
6. Chicago Cubs (76-55)
For all that has understandably been made about the second-half struggles of Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki is another key Cubs bat who has been oddly quiet of late. Suzuki has just one home run and a .530 OPS over his past 33 games — a surprising power outage for a slugger of his caliber. The Cubs need Suzuki’s right-handed pop for their offense to fully function, so they’ll have to hope he heats back up soon.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (77-55)
Shane Bieber looked marvelous in his Blue Jays debut, lending immediate optimism that he could single-handedly change the complexion of a playoff series for Toronto upon arrival in October. Bieber is an X-factor on his own down the stretch, but how his presence on the Blue Jays’ staff enables (and/or necessitates) the maneuvering of other pitchers into different roles will also be crucial to monitor over the course of September.
4. Detroit Tigers (78-55)
While season-ending injuries to Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson necessitated the rotation additions of Charlie Morton and Chris Paddack at the deadline, Jack Flaherty is still the key man in the Tigers’ rotation behind super-ace Tarik Skubal. Flaherty has been racking up whiffs at a well-above-average pace, but run prevention has been a struggle; his 4.87 ERA ranks 49th among 57 qualified starters. Skubal can’t start every game for this team. Flaherty will need to avoid disaster outings like his eight-run clunker vs. Kansas City if Detroit wants to go deep in October.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (75-57)
Blake Snell sure has looked the part of a $182 million, two-time Cy Young winner since his return from a lengthy stint on the injured list earlier this month. He has been sharp in back-to-back starts against the rival Padres, and before that, he became the only pitcher this season to strike out 10 against the Blue Jays, the team with the lowest strikeout rate in MLB. These stellar regular-season showings have been refreshing to watch, especially for a Dodgers rotation that has dealt with so much uncertainty. But Snell was signed for more than just excellence in August; he’s here to raise L.A.’s ceiling in October. That’s when his impact will be judged the most.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (76-55)
Zack Wheeler being ruled out for the rest of the season is a devastating and disappointing development for the pitcher and a fascinating plot twist for the first-place Phillies. With three lefties who have shown varying levels of dominance in the rotation in Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo, veteran Aaron Nola suddenly looks like the weak link in Philly, given his struggles amid the first injury-marred season of his career. But there’s time left for him to flip the narrative. The first five months of Nola’s regular season could be completely forgiven and forgotten with a strong finish and some big outings in October.
1. Milwaukee Brewers (82-50)
It was a dream start to his big-league career for fireballing rookie Jacob Misiorowski, who seized the attention of the baseball universe over his first five starts en route to an All-Star appearance and a heap of hype entering the second half. But the 23-year-old has notably scuffled in his two starts since coming off the IL following a left tibia contusion, including a messy outing vs. the rival Cubs that manager Pat Murphy flatly deemed “not good enough.” Misiorowski’s supersonic talent is unquestionable, but now it’s about results, and it’s on the young right-hander to dial in his command and pitch deeper into games if he wants to be in the mix to start a playoff game for Milwaukee.
It’s nearly crunch time. The marathon that is Major League Baseball’s regular season is coming to a close. As the calendar flips from the dog days of August to the heightened stakes of September, each and every roster spot carries a little more weight, particularly on teams with postseason ambitions.
This week’s power rankings shine a spotlight on one player from each team who needs to step up his game down the stretch, with a focus on players whose seasons have been uneven to this point, for one reason or another. For playoff hopefuls, these are the players looking to prove they can be counted on as October contributors. For teams outside the postseason picture, these are players looking to solidify their status as pieces of the team’s future.
It’s unfair to hold any Rockies pitcher to too high of a standard, considering the circumstances, but as someone who strongly believed in Chase Dollander’s potential as a frontline arm coming out of the 2023 draft, I would greatly appreciate a more encouraging finish to his rookie season than the 6.91 ERA he currently harbors.
29. Chicago White Sox (48-83)
Rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery’s epic power surge in recent weeks has been a thrill to watch but has also come with a boatload of whiffs. Whether Montgomery can stave off some potentially harsh swing-and-miss regression and continue to slug in September could tell us a lot about just how excited we should be about his future entering 2026.
28. Washington Nationals (53-78)
In his handful of starts since returning from elbow surgery, Cade Cavalli has looked like an impact arm worthy of co-headling a rotation alongside MacKenzie Gore. As Washington pushes forward with a new front office and likely new coaching staff, identifying more no-doubt building blocks on both sides of the ball will be paramount if the Nationals want to be competitive anytime soon. Cavalli seems to fit the bill.
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (57-75)
Pittsburgh boasts a playoff-caliber rotation but a meager offense that barely resembles a team that could be playing in October. With that in mind, any meaningful steps forward in September from homegrown hitters such as Jared Triolo, Henry Davis and Nick Gonzales would be welcome developments for this organization that is starved for run production.
26. Minnesota Twins (59-72)
It wasn’t that long ago that we were talking about Royce Lewis as a budding superstar, but he has been a comfortably below-average hitter for more than a year now. A lot is going to have to go right up and down the roster for Minnesota to bounce back in 2026 after this year’s dramatic deadline overhaul. Lewis’ ability to rediscover his impact form is pretty high on the list.
25. Athletics (61-72)
The A’s have an astonishing collection of hard-hitting position players who could soon form one of baseball’s best lineups, but run prevention remains a massive struggle for this team. As such, talented young arms such as Luis Morales have the opportunity — and responsibility — to help form a more competent pitching staff worthy of supporting this standout offense.
24. Miami Marlins (62-69)
Just because Sandy Alcantara wasn’t traded at the deadline doesn’t mean we won’t be talking about him as a candidate to be dealt this winter, and how he looks in September could impact interested organizations’ willingness to pony up the necessary prospect package to pull off such a deal. And even if he isn’t traded this upcoming offseason, Alcantara looking sharper in his final few starts of 2025 could sway our level of optimism for the upstart Fish entering 2026.
23. Baltimore Orioles (60-71)
Kyle Bradish finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting in 2023 and looked fantastic to start 2024 before he went down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He’s scheduled to rejoin Baltimore’s rotation this week and represents the most obvious candidate to restore some much-needed optimism about the Orioles’ rotation plans for 2026, beyond the spectacular, unexpected breakout of left-hander Trevor Rogers.
22. Los Angeles Angels (62-69)
Of all the young players who make up the offensive core in Anaheim, Logan O’Hoppe’s development is the most pivotal for the Angels, as his ability to impact both sides of the ball — for better or worse — carries more weight than that of any other young hitter. That his bat has backslid for a second season in a row is concerning on its own, but his defensive decline is even more troubling. He’s really talented and only 25 years old, but the production needs to start matching the raw ability sooner rather than later.
21. Atlanta Braves (59-72)
One of the most disappointing non-injury-related subplots of this lost Braves season has been Ozzie Albies’ poor performance at the plate; his 76 wRC+ ranks 151st out of 154 qualified hitters. His $7 million club option for 2026 still seems likely to be picked up, but Albies’ longstanding status as a centerpiece of Atlanta’s position-player group is clearly in jeopardy.
20. Cleveland Guardians (64-66)
Cleveland ranks 28th in wRC+, which means there is no shortage of non-Jose Ramirez position players who have underperformed. That said, while fixing the offense should be the top priority for this organization, reliever Cade Smith is another key Guardian to watch over the final month. Smith hasn’t been nearly as effective since he assumed the closer role in the wake of Emmanuel Clase’s placement on the restricted list, and it’d be good to see him rattle off some scoreless outings to finish his sophomore season, especially if Clase isn’t coming back anytime soon.
19. San Francisco Giants (63-68)
Incredibly, the Giants have the worst record in MLB since they acquired Rafael Devers, but it’d be unfair to label Devers the primary reason for their skid. There’s evidently a lot wrong with this San Francisco roster, but one troubling development that stands out has been the sharp decline in production from Heliot Ramos. A breakout All-Star in 2024, Ramos appeared to be on track for another stellar season, with 10 homers and a .846 OPS through the end of May, but it has been pretty ugly since then (5 HR, .642 OPS in 72 games). How Ramos finishes should help clarify San Francisco’s corner outfield plans for 2026.
18. St. Louis Cardinals (65-67)
Can the Cardinals just call up JJ Wetherholt already? Last year’s seventh overall pick has been demolishing the ball in Triple-A and would represent a much-needed jolt of energy and excitement for a fan base that is growing apathetic. A Wetherholt promotion would be small consolation amid another disappointing season for a franchise that isn’t used to being irrelevant in the standings this many years in a row, but it could hint that the near future might be brighter.
17. Arizona Diamondbacks (64-68)
Ineffective pitching has sabotaged this Snakes season despite a terrific offense, and Eduardo Rodriguez’s poor performance (5.67 ERA) is one of the biggest concerns for Arizona moving forward. With $40 million guaranteed to Rodriguez over the next two seasons, it will be crucial for the D-backs to find a way to get the veteran lefty back to a level of competence as part of their daunting quest to improve their pitching for next season.
16. Tampa Bay Rays (64-67)
With Taylor Walls and Ha-Seong Kim both on the injured list, top prospect Carson Williams was called up last week for his first taste of the big leagues. Williams is a sensational defender at shortstop and has big power, along with a concerning amount of swing-and-miss in his game. It’ll be fun to see what he can show over the final month and if it’s enough to project him as the starting shortstop for next season, even if it seems likely that Kim will pick up his $16 million player option for 2026 coming off an injury-marred campaign.
Jack Flaherty, Jacob Misiorowski and Aaron Nola are their teams’ X-factors heading into the final month of the MLB season. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)
15. Cincinnati Reds (68-64)
As a rookie in 2023, Matt McLain looked like a worthy co-star alongside Elly De La Cruz, but he has regressed to a troubling degree in 2025. I’m willing to offer McLain a mulligan, considering this is his first year back after he missed an entire season due to shoulder surgery, but it would be nice to see a strong finish provide some evidence that he can be a foundational piece for Cincinnati moving forward.
14. Texas Rangers (66-67)
It was looking like a lackluster follow-up to a promising rookie season for outfielder Wyatt Langford, but the 23-year-old has quietly been much better since coming off the injured list in early July. While his hot streak might not be enough to propel Texas to a playoff spot amid an otherwise miserable season for the team offensively, Langford’s positive development is critical for the Rangers as they determine what their lineup could and should look like in 2026 and beyond.
13. Kansas City Royals (67-65)
Seth Lugo has an 8.07 ERA in six starts since he signed a two-year, $46 million extension to stay in Kansas City and effectively remove himself from this summer’s trade market. As one of the teams trying to stay relevant on the outskirts of the AL wild-card race, the Royals need their ace to get back on track ASAP, especially with Kris Bubic out for the year and Cole Ragans still on the injured list.
12. New York Mets (70-61)
At this time a year ago, Sean Manaea was in the midst of a second-half surge as one of New York’s most effective rotation members. The lefty’s second year as a Met has not gone nearly as smoothly. An oblique strain cost Manaea nearly the entire first half, and he has a 5.15 ERA since being activated in July. On a starting staff in dire need of both stability and upside, Manaea needs to find his footing sooner rather than later if New York wants to play deep into October.
11. New York Yankees (71-60)
After missing the first four months of the season due to a lat strain, can reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil show enough in September to leapfrog Will Warren and/or Cam Schlittler on the depth chart? With veteran southpaws Max Fried and Carlos Rodon secure atop New York’s rotation, it’ll be fascinating to see which young right-handers emerge as the best options to take the ball for postseason games, especially if the Yankees are headed for a best-of-three wild-card series.
10. Seattle Mariners (71-61)
Seattle’s decision to bolster the lineup at the trade deadline rather than reinforcing the bullpen has put immense pressure on 27-year-old right-hander Matt Brash to serve as the high-leverage bridge to All-Star closer Andres Muñoz. Brash has generally been good since he rejoined the bullpen in May following elbow surgery that wiped out his entire 2024, but he hasn’t been quite as dominant as he was before the injury. Lefty Gabe Speier has also been sneaky great, but Brash will be the one manager Dan Wilson calls upon when he needs a big strikeout against the opposing team’s top righty sluggers. That’s a big responsibility for a pitcher still looking to fully rediscover his pre-surgery form.
9. Houston Astros (72-59)
This is a no-brainer: Yordan Alvarez has been a virtual nonfactor for Houston this year but is slated to finally return to the Astros’ lineup with a month to go in the regular season. Does he immediately reassert himself as one of the most terrifying hitters on the planet, or will his hand injury continue to hamper him and limit his impact? The Astros deserve monumental credit for getting this far without Alvarez, but it’s no secret that they are at their best with him starring in the middle of the lineup.
8. Boston Red Sox (72-60)
Expecting Jarren Duran to repeat his spectacular 2024 campaign was never realistic, but his underwhelming first half was disappointing even relative to more modest expectations. He then got scorching hot in July before a more middling August, so it’s unclear what to expect from him in September. Duran at his best can supercharge Boston’s lineup with a rare power-speed element, but his inconsistency leaves a lot to be desired. We’ll see which version shows up down the stretch.
7. San Diego Padres (74-58)
Luis Arraez is having the worst season of his career, and he has a .272 OBP in August. His superhuman ability to avoid strikeouts (2.7%!!!) is unquestionably a marvel in the modern game, but it’s difficult to argue that uncommon aptitude alone warrants his being San Diego’s No. 2 hitter, as he has been for much of this season. With minimal slug, speed or on-base skills beyond his unbelievable bat-to-ball ability, Arraez should be deployed further down the order. But as long as manager Mike Shildt is committed to keeping him at or near the top, it’ll be on the player to up his performance to ensure the Padres’ lineup is producing to its full potential.
6. Chicago Cubs (76-55)
For all that has understandably been made about the second-half struggles of Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki is another key Cubs bat who has been oddly quiet of late. Suzuki has just one home run and a .530 OPS over his past 33 games — a surprising power outage for a slugger of his caliber. The Cubs need Suzuki’s right-handed pop for their offense to fully function, so they’ll have to hope he heats back up soon.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (77-55)
Shane Bieber looked marvelous in his Blue Jays debut, lending immediate optimism that he could single-handedly change the complexion of a playoff series for Toronto upon arrival in October. Bieber is an X-factor on his own down the stretch, but how his presence on the Blue Jays’ staff enables (and/or necessitates) the maneuvering of other pitchers into different roles will also be crucial to monitor over the course of September.
4. Detroit Tigers (78-55)
While season-ending injuries to Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson necessitated the rotation additions of Charlie Morton and Chris Paddack at the deadline, Jack Flaherty is still the key man in the Tigers’ rotation behind super-ace Tarik Skubal. Flaherty has been racking up whiffs at a well-above-average pace, but run prevention has been a struggle; his 4.87 ERA ranks 49th among 57 qualified starters. Skubal can’t start every game for this team. Flaherty will need to avoid disaster outings like his eight-run clunker vs. Kansas City if Detroit wants to go deep in October.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (75-57)
Blake Snell sure has looked the part of a $182 million, two-time Cy Young winner since his return from a lengthy stint on the injured list earlier this month. He has been sharp in back-to-back starts against the rival Padres, and before that, he became the only pitcher this season to strike out 10 against the Blue Jays, the team with the lowest strikeout rate in MLB. These stellar regular-season showings have been refreshing to watch, especially for a Dodgers rotation that has dealt with so much uncertainty. But Snell was signed for more than just excellence in August; he’s here to raise L.A.’s ceiling in October. That’s when his impact will be judged the most.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (76-55)
Zack Wheeler being ruled out for the rest of the season is a devastating and disappointing development for the pitcher and a fascinating plot twist for the first-place Phillies. With three lefties who have shown varying levels of dominance in the rotation in Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo, veteran Aaron Nola suddenly looks like the weak link in Philly, given his struggles amid the first injury-marred season of his career. But there’s time left for him to flip the narrative. The first five months of Nola’s regular season could be completely forgiven and forgotten with a strong finish and some big outings in October.
1. Milwaukee Brewers (82-50)
It was a dream start to his big-league career for fireballing rookie Jacob Misiorowski, who seized the attention of the baseball universe over his first five starts en route to an All-Star appearance and a heap of hype entering the second half. But the 23-year-old has notably scuffled in his two starts since coming off the IL following a left tibia contusion, including a messy outing vs. the rival Cubs that manager Pat Murphy flatly deemed “not good enough.” Misiorowski’s supersonic talent is unquestionable, but now it’s about results, and it’s on the young right-hander to dial in his command and pitch deeper into games if he wants to be in the mix to start a playoff game for Milwaukee.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns addressed several topics, including the starting rotation and the bats’ return to form.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the consistent quality of stuff in the zone,” Stearns said. “And when you don’t have the consistent quality of stuff in the zone, you tend to nibble a little bit more, and I think that’s what we’ve seen.
“We’ve had some count control challenges. I think he’s done a really nice job of minimizing damage. We’ve had a lot of traffic in his starts, but he’s generally kept us in the game and competitive.”
In seven starts since the All-Star break, Senga has gone just 31 innings while pitching to a 6.10 ERA, allowing 24 runs (21 earned) on 32 hits (seven home runs) and 20 walks with 29 strikeouts.
“He’s frustrated and he doesn’t think he’s pitching at his best right now,” Stearns continued. “And so we’re gonna continue to work with him and continue to do our best to get him back to a good spot.”
The second time through the order has been a bugaboo for Manaea this year. In the first three innings this year (21 total frames), he’s allowed just six runs. In innings four through six (13.1 total), he’s allowed 11 runs.
“I still think we’re building up stamina,” Stearns said of the left-hander whose second season with the Mets was delayed until the final game of the season’s first half in July. “We’ve seen periods of dominance with Sean early in games and then it seems like whether it’s one walk or one hit by pitch and things can spiral a little bit.
“The good news is we are still seeing the pitcher that we saw last year. We are seeing the pitcher who is getting very uncomfortable swings on his fastball, lot of swing and miss on the fastball. His sweeper has still showed really well. He’d certainly like to get deeper into games. We’d like him to get deeper into games. And my expectation is as we go forward, we’ll see that.”
Overall, in seven starts, he has pitched to a 5.40 ERA (4.44 FIP), but he has 38 strikeouts to just eight walks in 33.1 innings.
Ryan Helsley’s adjustment period
Stearns felt that the closer turned set-up man who arrived in a deadline deal with St. Louis threw the ball better in Monday’s scoreless outing, but said that the club is trying to keep the veteran from pressing to find the results
“There’s an adjustment period coming to a new team, we’re asking him to take on a new role, that’s certainly been well documented,” he said. “When you don’t have results immediately, it’s natural to press a little bit, and what we’re trying to do is help him exhale a little bit, take a deep breath.
“The stuff is still there. He’s been good in this league for a long time, and he’s gonna be good again.”
Aug 23, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; New York Mets left fielder Starling Marte (6) reacts after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
On Mets’ bats bringing the lumber
The results of late have been better with 71 runs scored in their last 10 games. The club’s .316 average, .386 OPS, and .573 slugging percentage (.959 OPS) in the last 15 days are all tops in MLB during that span. And that is more in line with what Stearns and the organization expected.
“Throughout the entire season, we thought we had a good offensive team,” he said with a smile. “We’ve talked a lot about the challenges earlier in the season in leverage spots and runners in scoring position, men on base. And some of that was maybe at times we were pressing a little bit, getting a little bit too aggressive.
“But a lot of that was misfortune. And some really unfortunate batted ball luck and that’s tough to stomach for all of us. That’s not a satisfactory answer for any of us. But we did try to focus on what we can actually control: Are we swinging at the pitches we should swing at? When we do, are we putting them in play in ways that we want to put them in play?”
Stearns added that for most, but not all, of the stretches when they were having trouble scoring runs, the club was sticking to that plan, but there were times “when we expand [the zone] too much, we were pressing.”
“But, especially early in the season when we were having offensive challenges, our approach was pretty good,” he said. “We weren’t getting the results, and sometimes that can steamroll on you. But it can also steamroll on you the other way now, and hopefully we get on that run.”
Why Mets went with Tong over Brandon Sproat
When Stearns spoke about potentially calling up some of the Mets’ top pitching prospects for their big league debuts down the stretch, Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat were the two most likely candidates. After Jonah Tong was handed a surprise call-up to join McLean in Flushing, the question of why not Sproat was asked.
Despite Sproat doing a “tremendous job” at Triple-A and “probably had as good a second-half a season as any pitcher in minor league baseball,” Stearns said it was more to do with Tong’s domination and timing.
“We talked about Brandon a lot, and this was really just what Jonah has accomplished, plus the timing of this, lining up, keeping [Tong] on turn, on his normal rest progression, and taking the start on Friday,” he said. “But we think Brandon’s got a really bright future and we’re excited about it.”
Yordan Álvarez returns to the lineup as Houston looks to fend off Seattle in a tight AL West race.
Michaela Schumacher via Getty Images
The Houston Astros are getting an upgrade in time for the stretch run.
Three-time All-Star slugger Yordan Álvarez has been activated from the injured list after missing nearly four months with a bone fracture in his right hand. He’s in the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies and will bat cleanup.
His return is timely as the Astros are engaged in a competitive race atop the AL West with 31 games remaining in their regular season. The Astros enter Tuesday at 72-59, with a 1.5-game lead over the Seattle Mariners for first place in the division. The 71-61 Mariners have a four-game lead over the Kansas City Royals for the final wild-card spot in the American League.
Alvarez was an All-Star in each season from 2022-24. He led the Astros in 2024 with a .308 batting average, 35 home runs and 86 RBI. He’s received MVP votes in each of the past three seasons and won a Silver Slugger in 2022 while finishing third in AL MVP voting.
Álvarez has also come up clutch in the postseason throughout his career. In 60 career playoff games, Álvarez has slashed .294/.393/.591 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI. He was named ALCS MVP in 2021 as the Astros defeated the Boston Red Sox to advance to the World Series.
Yordan Álvarez returns to the lineup as Houston looks to fend off Seattle in a tight AL West race.
Michaela Schumacher via Getty Images
The Houston Astros are getting an upgrade in time for the stretch run.
Three-time All-Star slugger Yordan Álvarez has been activated from the injured list after missing nearly four months with a bone fracture in his right hand. He’s in the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies and will bat cleanup.
His return is timely as the Astros are engaged in a competitive race atop the AL West with 31 games remaining in their regular season. The Astros enter Tuesday at 72-59, with a 1.5-game lead over the Seattle Mariners for first place in the division. The 71-61 Mariners have a four-game lead over the Kansas City Royals for the final wild-card spot in the American League.
Alvarez was an All-Star in each season from 2022-24. He led the Astros in 2024 with a .308 batting average, 35 home runs and 86 RBI. He’s received MVP votes in each of the past three seasons and won a Silver Slugger in 2022 while finishing third in AL MVP voting.
Álvarez has also come up clutch in the postseason throughout his career. In 60 career playoff games, Álvarez has slashed .294/.393/.591 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI. He was named ALCS MVP in 2021 as the Astros defeated the Boston Red Sox to advance to the World Series.
Labor Day sales are already underway in major retailers, including Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy. But if you’re looking for deals on major appliances, tools, or home furniture, Home Depot’s Labor Day sale will be a better fit for your needs. The sale is goes through the holiday on Sept. 1, and ends on Sept. 3. I used price-tracking tools to make sure these deals are solid and made a list of the best ones to make your shopping a little easier. Here are some of the best ones I’ve found.
Whirlpool 33 in. 22 cu. ft. French Door Refrigerator
$1,498.00 at Home Depot
$2,599.00 Save $1,101.00
$1,498.00 at Home Depot
$2,599.00 Save $1,101.00
Batteries are the lifeline of any drill, and you can never really have enough. If you’re Team Ryobi, which I’ve enjoyed being a loyal user for years, you know you can use these batteries for more than just drills (most brands do this as well). This is a great time to stack up on some batteries, with the 18V Lithium-Ion Starter Kit with 2.0 Ah Battery, 4.0 Ah Battery kit just $79 (originally $203.94).
The Ryobi ONE+ HP Brushless 4-Mode 1/2 in. High Torque Impact Wrench Kit is made for people who need power. Plumbers, mechanics, or anyone who uses a wrench often will appreciate a high-impact wrench. This one comes with a 4.0 Ah Battery and 18V Charger, which are powerful and last much longer than the basic battery. You can get it for $159 (originally $269).
For those looking for even more tools from Milwaukee, the M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit 9-Tool Bundle is $599 (originally $1,099). This nine-tool combo tool bag brings a lot of essentials for anyone getting ready to be a DIYer, including an impact driver, leaf blower, saw, multi-tool, two batteries, and more. This is a great bundle with a 45% discount.
Fall is around the corner, and those leaves are about to fall and cover everything around your house. My portable blower has been one of the best investments I’ve made. If you’re looking for one, you can get the M18 FUEL 120 MPH 500 CFM 18V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Handheld Blower for $149 (originally $199).
Being comfortable with a saw can save you a lot of money from hiring arborists. The M18 FUEL 8 in. 18V Lithium-Ion Brushless HATCHET Pruning Saw Kit is an 8-inch saw selling for $249 (originally $499) after a 50% discount. It comes with a battery that can last over 150 cuts from a 6-inch diameter branch.
Stainless steel is always a safe bet when it comes to appliances. Right now, the Whirlpool 1.9 cu. ft. Over the Range Microwave is $278 (originally $479) after a 42% discount. This microwave can steam cook and has a sensor that automatically sets cooking time based on what you’re warming up.
The best deal on a 33-inch fridge in Home Depot right now is the Whirlpool 22 cu. ft. French Door Refrigerator, currently going for $1,498 (originally $2,599). If this happens to be the size you need, you’re in luck. This is the cheapest this fridge has been in months.
