September 2025

There were 1,641 posts published in September 2025 (this is page 38 of 165).

Texas Rangers 2025 offseason preview: With one of the top rotations in baseball, can the Rangers get back to the playoffs in 2026?

With the Rangers eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was in Texas, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?

The Rangers will likely finish the season with the lowest team ERA in MLB. Their rotation was as effective as any in the sport, and despite a lack of high-priced relievers, their bullpen was terrific as well.

Everyone expected Jacob deGrom to pitch well on a per-inning basis, but few would’ve predicted that he would make 30 starts. The 37-year-old no longer averages 99 mph on his fastball, and he won’t rank among the league’s strikeout leaders, but he continues to limit baserunners as well as anyone. And until he went on the IL in late August due to a rotator cuff strain, Nathan Eovaldi could make a case that he was even more valuable than deGrom. The 35-year-old was steady in recent seasons but enjoyed an outstanding 2025 that included a memorable streak of allowing one or fewer runs in 13 of 14 starts from April 25 to Aug. 5. 

Behind them, Tyler Mahle was also outstanding, albeit over just 14 starts before he landed on the 60-day IL due to a shoulder injury. Finally, Patrick Corbin and Jack Leiter were useful innings-eaters, and Merrill Kelly arrived at the trade deadline to make a good group even better.

Most fans would’ve needed help identifying the relievers at the start of the season, but this group deserves plenty of credit for exceeding expectations. Robert Garcia led the team in saves and was among the leaders in holds. Hoby Milner and Chris Martin were terrific setup men, as were Jacob Webb and Shawn Armstrong. Phil Maton and Danny Coulombe were acquired at the trade deadline to give manager Bruce Bochy plenty of options in late innings.

The Rangers’ offense got off to a slow start and ranked 22nd in runs scored at the All-Star break. The lack of production was a big reason the team was playing catch-up with a last-gasp wild-card push down the stretch. A crew of youngsters — dubbed the “Little Rascals” and consisting of Cody Freeman, Michael Helman, Alejandro Osuna and Dustin Harris — kept the Rangers in the hunt the first few weeks of September. But in the end, these unheralded players couldn’t replace the expected production from big-name veterans who were injured or ineffective.

Corey Seager might’ve been the only hitter to meet expectations, though he also endured two first-half IL stints due to a right hamstring injury and underwent an appendectomy in late August. Marcus Semien was hoping for a bounce-back season; instead, he sunk to even greater depths before a broken foot on Aug. 21 ended his season early. The same can be said for Adolis García, who owned a .655 OPS when he landed on the IL due to an ankle injury in the middle of August.

Acquired in an offseason trade, Jake Burger was expected to provide power in the bottom half of the lineup. Instead, he was hitting .190 with three homers when he was optioned to Triple-A on May 2. He fared better after being recalled on May 12 but still didn’t make a notable impact. Josh Jung was also expected to contribute but fared so poorly that he owned a .648 OPS when he was sent to Triple-A on July 2. But offseason signee Joc Pederson was arguably the biggest disappointment. After producing 23 homers and a .908 OPS with Arizona last year, Pederson reached the All-Star break hitting .131 with two homers and six RBI in 122 at-bats.

A pair of young outfielders were disappointing as well. Wyatt Langford wasn’t awful, but he didn’t make the improvements expected from a 23-year-old who was once an elite prospect. And Evan Carter endured a second consecutive frustrating season, as he logged time in the minors and endured three IL stints for separate injuries.

The Rangers have plenty of pieces in place for 2026, but they need many of them to fare better than they did this year. The club has a solid pair of catchers in Kyle Higashioka and Jonah Heim, who are each under contract for one more year. The rest of the infield is set, with each player hoping for a bounce-back year. That includes Burger at first base, Semien at second, Seager at shortstop and Jung at the hot corner. Ezequiel Duran gives Bochy a versatile utilityman off the bench, and Pederson will likely exercise his player option to return as the primary DH.

The ideal outfield setup will consist of Carter in center field, Langford in left and García in right. Of course, to make that a reality, García will need to play better, and Carter must be more durable. The front office will need to make a decision on García, who is heading into his last year of arbitration on the heels of two disappointing seasons.

The 2026 Rangers will be able to match the aces of any opponent, assuming deGrom and Eovaldi continue their late-career success. Leiter will be counted on to take another step in his development, which must include lowering his walk rate. Corbin, Mahle and Kelly are headed to free agency, which means Texas’ front office needs to add at least one starter this winter. Kumar Rocker could help the situation by becoming a reliable starter, as he still has the upside that made him the third overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft. Cody Bradford is another name to remember. He posted a 3.54 ERA in 2024 before missing all of this season due to an elbow injury that required internal brace surgery in June.

The bullpen requires a massive makeover. Martin, Milner and Armstrong are heading to free agency, while Coulombe and Maton were available because their contracts are up at the end of the season. That leaves Robert Garcia and not much else. On a positive note, the team will lose Jon Gray, who failed to meet expectations after signing a four-year contract in 2022.

[Get more Texas news: Rangers team feed]

In Sebastian Walcott, the Rangers have one of baseball’s best prospects knocking on the door. Just 19 years old, Walcott held his own in Double-A this year. Players of his pedigree tend to improve quickly, and Walcott could open next season in Triple-A before debuting in Texas during the summer. His clearest path to playing time would be to displace Jung at third base.

The other two prospects nearing their debuts are pitchers Jose Corniell and Winston Santos, perfect fits for an organization looking for depth in the rotation and bullpen. Corniell has looked terrific since returning this summer from Tommy John surgery. Santos hasn’t pitched since April due to a back injury, which makes him more of a question for 2026.

The Rangers will enter 2026 with postseason aspirations. However, they are in a unique spot, as the strength of their team (pitching) is losing several players, while their weakness (hitting) is counting on many returning players to improve.

To catch up to the Astros and Mariners in the AL West, multiple hurlers will need to be signed. There’s also a scenario in which general manager Ross Fenstermaker shakes up the roster by trading away some underachieving position players. But with Seager, deGrom and Eovaldi on the roster, Texas will surely remain in win-now mode.

The Rangers have some star power, which means we will see some Texas players in the early rounds of 2026 drafts. Seager and deGrom will be the first Rangers off the board, likely in the range of Round 4. They both come with injury concerns but are among the top options at their respective positions.

Langford was a bit of a disappointment this year, but there’s no doubt that he has a terrific skill set for fantasy contests, which will make him an exciting option in Round 5. Eovaldi will be valued as a No. 2 fantasy starter and will come off the board in Round 7-8. The rest of the Rangers are best suited as boom-or-bust picks in the late rounds of drafts. That group includes Carter, Burger, Semien, Jung, Rocker and Leiter.

Texas Rangers 2025 offseason preview: With one of the top rotations in baseball, can the Rangers get back to the playoffs in 2026?

With the Rangers eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was in Texas, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?

The Rangers will likely finish the season with the lowest team ERA in MLB. Their rotation was as effective as any in the sport, and despite a lack of high-priced relievers, their bullpen was terrific as well.

Everyone expected Jacob deGrom to pitch well on a per-inning basis, but few would’ve predicted that he would make 30 starts. The 37-year-old no longer averages 99 mph on his fastball, and he won’t rank among the league’s strikeout leaders, but he continues to limit baserunners as well as anyone. And until he went on the IL in late August due to a rotator cuff strain, Nathan Eovaldi could make a case that he was even more valuable than deGrom. The 35-year-old was steady in recent seasons but enjoyed an outstanding 2025 that included a memorable streak of allowing one or fewer runs in 13 of 14 starts from April 25 to Aug. 5. 

Behind them, Tyler Mahle was also outstanding, albeit over just 14 starts before he landed on the 60-day IL due to a shoulder injury. Finally, Patrick Corbin and Jack Leiter were useful innings-eaters, and Merrill Kelly arrived at the trade deadline to make a good group even better.

Most fans would’ve needed help identifying the relievers at the start of the season, but this group deserves plenty of credit for exceeding expectations. Robert Garcia led the team in saves and was among the leaders in holds. Hoby Milner and Chris Martin were terrific setup men, as were Jacob Webb and Shawn Armstrong. Phil Maton and Danny Coulombe were acquired at the trade deadline to give manager Bruce Bochy plenty of options in late innings.

The Rangers’ offense got off to a slow start and ranked 22nd in runs scored at the All-Star break. The lack of production was a big reason the team was playing catch-up with a last-gasp wild-card push down the stretch. A crew of youngsters — dubbed the “Little Rascals” and consisting of Cody Freeman, Michael Helman, Alejandro Osuna and Dustin Harris — kept the Rangers in the hunt the first few weeks of September. But in the end, these unheralded players couldn’t replace the expected production from big-name veterans who were injured or ineffective.

Corey Seager might’ve been the only hitter to meet expectations, though he also endured two first-half IL stints due to a right hamstring injury and underwent an appendectomy in late August. Marcus Semien was hoping for a bounce-back season; instead, he sunk to even greater depths before a broken foot on Aug. 21 ended his season early. The same can be said for Adolis García, who owned a .655 OPS when he landed on the IL due to an ankle injury in the middle of August.

Acquired in an offseason trade, Jake Burger was expected to provide power in the bottom half of the lineup. Instead, he was hitting .190 with three homers when he was optioned to Triple-A on May 2. He fared better after being recalled on May 12 but still didn’t make a notable impact. Josh Jung was also expected to contribute but fared so poorly that he owned a .648 OPS when he was sent to Triple-A on July 2. But offseason signee Joc Pederson was arguably the biggest disappointment. After producing 23 homers and a .908 OPS with Arizona last year, Pederson reached the All-Star break hitting .131 with two homers and six RBI in 122 at-bats.

A pair of young outfielders were disappointing as well. Wyatt Langford wasn’t awful, but he didn’t make the improvements expected from a 23-year-old who was once an elite prospect. And Evan Carter endured a second consecutive frustrating season, as he logged time in the minors and endured three IL stints for separate injuries.

The Rangers have plenty of pieces in place for 2026, but they need many of them to fare better than they did this year. The club has a solid pair of catchers in Kyle Higashioka and Jonah Heim, who are each under contract for one more year. The rest of the infield is set, with each player hoping for a bounce-back year. That includes Burger at first base, Semien at second, Seager at shortstop and Jung at the hot corner. Ezequiel Duran gives Bochy a versatile utilityman off the bench, and Pederson will likely exercise his player option to return as the primary DH.

The ideal outfield setup will consist of Carter in center field, Langford in left and García in right. Of course, to make that a reality, García will need to play better, and Carter must be more durable. The front office will need to make a decision on García, who is heading into his last year of arbitration on the heels of two disappointing seasons.

The 2026 Rangers will be able to match the aces of any opponent, assuming deGrom and Eovaldi continue their late-career success. Leiter will be counted on to take another step in his development, which must include lowering his walk rate. Corbin, Mahle and Kelly are headed to free agency, which means Texas’ front office needs to add at least one starter this winter. Kumar Rocker could help the situation by becoming a reliable starter, as he still has the upside that made him the third overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft. Cody Bradford is another name to remember. He posted a 3.54 ERA in 2024 before missing all of this season due to an elbow injury that required internal brace surgery in June.

The bullpen requires a massive makeover. Martin, Milner and Armstrong are heading to free agency, while Coulombe and Maton were available because their contracts are up at the end of the season. That leaves Robert Garcia and not much else. On a positive note, the team will lose Jon Gray, who failed to meet expectations after signing a four-year contract in 2022.

[Get more Texas news: Rangers team feed]

In Sebastian Walcott, the Rangers have one of baseball’s best prospects knocking on the door. Just 19 years old, Walcott held his own in Double-A this year. Players of his pedigree tend to improve quickly, and Walcott could open next season in Triple-A before debuting in Texas during the summer. His clearest path to playing time would be to displace Jung at third base.

The other two prospects nearing their debuts are pitchers Jose Corniell and Winston Santos, perfect fits for an organization looking for depth in the rotation and bullpen. Corniell has looked terrific since returning this summer from Tommy John surgery. Santos hasn’t pitched since April due to a back injury, which makes him more of a question for 2026.

The Rangers will enter 2026 with postseason aspirations. However, they are in a unique spot, as the strength of their team (pitching) is losing several players, while their weakness (hitting) is counting on many returning players to improve.

To catch up to the Astros and Mariners in the AL West, multiple hurlers will need to be signed. There’s also a scenario in which general manager Ross Fenstermaker shakes up the roster by trading away some underachieving position players. But with Seager, deGrom and Eovaldi on the roster, Texas will surely remain in win-now mode.

The Rangers have some star power, which means we will see some Texas players in the early rounds of 2026 drafts. Seager and deGrom will be the first Rangers off the board, likely in the range of Round 4. They both come with injury concerns but are among the top options at their respective positions.

Langford was a bit of a disappointment this year, but there’s no doubt that he has a terrific skill set for fantasy contests, which will make him an exciting option in Round 5. Eovaldi will be valued as a No. 2 fantasy starter and will come off the board in Round 7-8. The rest of the Rangers are best suited as boom-or-bust picks in the late rounds of drafts. That group includes Carter, Burger, Semien, Jung, Rocker and Leiter.

Newcomers Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele on joining Knicks: ‘They’re playing for something’

Knicks training camp is underway, with the team taking the court together for the first time on Wednesday in Westchester.

After hearing from established Knicks like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on Tuesday, Wednesday offered a chance to hear from a couple of newcomers in Jordan Clarksonand Guerschon Yabusele, a pair of veterans expected to have important roles on Mike Brown’s squad.             

Clarkson, 33, is now on his fourth NBA team as he enters his 12th pro season, but he’s been able to score at a high clip every step of the way.

The Sixth Man of the Year award winner with Utah in 2020-21, Clarkson, who has averaged 16.0 points per game in his career, is ready to take on whatever role is needed as he begins his Knicks tenure.

“For me, I’m going to be myself within what’s going on already. …I’m going to make my changes or whatever I’ve got to do to fit in here and play the right way and figure that out,” Clarkson said. “It’s the first day of training camp, but I definitely feel like down the line all the guys know, you throw it to me, it’s going in there air. The majority of the time I feel like I’m open. But it comes with a grain of salt, and I know I have to take good shots and play the right way as well.”

Yabusele’s route to the Knicks is a different story. Originally selected by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft, Yabusele appeared in just 74 games with Boston before being waived and taking his career overseas.

But after helping France earn a silver medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Yabusele landed back in the NBA last season with the Sixers, averaging 11.0 points and 5.6 rebounds while playing in 70 games (43 starts).

“First and foremost I’m just really grateful to be here in this organization with everything that’s been done before,” Yabusele said. “Coming in here, my mindset was just really ty to play as a team, really try to be a good teammate first, on and off the court. Just try to bring all the energy possible, play every day with joy, bring the fun out there, and the rest is going to take care of itself.”

After winning 51 regular season games and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks kept their talented core together, upgrading in the margins instead of trying to make a huge splash. 

And with Brown now at the helm, Clarkson and Yabusele are ready to do whatever is asked of them to help the Knicks reach their ultimate goal of winning a title.

“The team is really good. They’re playing for something,” Clarkson said. “These guys I’ve watched a lot during the playoffs and during the year. …I just wanted to be here.”

“I just like the team, the spirit that they had on the court, the way they were playing tough every possession,” added Yabusele. “They were really playing together, you can really tell they were bonding together and they had a goal together. They just fight on the court. They give everything out there.”

Kansas City Royals 2025 offseason preview: After a step back this year, can the Royals reach October again in 2026?

With the Royals eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was in Kansas City, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?

The Royals achieved most of their success on the mound, as the club ranked among the ERA leaders throughout the season. There were plenty of successes in the rotation, particularly with Kris Bubic, who transitioned from the bullpen and became one of the most successful starters in the American League until a rotator cuff strain ended his campaign in early August.

Noah Cameron enjoyed a memorable debut on April 30, and though he won’t seriously challenge for the AL Rookie of the Year award, he will get a few votes. While Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha didn’t do anything special, they were reliable and effective throughout the campaign. And led by closer Carlos Estévez and setup men Lucas Erceg and John Schreiber, the bullpen exceeded expectations.

Although there were fewer success stories in the lineup, Maikel Garcia deserves plenty of credit for being the one hitter who took a massive step forward. Previously known as a light-hitting speedster who struggled to get on base, Garcia improved his walk rate, strikeout rate and average exit velocity this season. He made his first All-Star Game and became a consistent presence in the heart of the lineup.

After having an average offense last year, the Royals were expected to take a step forward with their group of young hitters. Instead, they spent the entire season ranked among the lowest-scoring teams in baseball.

Bobby Witt Jr. continues to be one of the best all-around players in the sport. He fields the shortstop position extremely well and is always dangerous at the plate. That said, there is no hiding the fact that Witt took a major step backward offensively this year. He continued to run the bases aggressively, but his batting average and home run total paled in comparison to his 2024 production.

Witt was far from the only cause of this offense’s struggles. Jonathan India arrived from Cincinnati in the offseason to give the team a stable, productive leadoff hitter. Instead, he experienced a major dip in his homer total, reached base at a lower rate and lost his ability to steal bases. The outfield was an even bigger problem, as the Royals ranked last in wRC+ from their outfielders by a wide margin. The organization tried several outfielders, including veterans Kyle Isbel, Drew Waters, MJ Melendez and rookie Jac Caglianone, but no one could find their stroke.

Cole Ragans would count as the one notable letdown on the pitching staff, as he got off to a slow start and made just 10 starts before landing on the 60-day IL due to a torn rotator cuff. Ragans owned a sparkling 2.33 FIP at the time of his injury, which should provide optimism that he can return to being an ace next year.

[Get more Kansas City news: Royals team feed]

The Royals’ roster provides plenty of reasons for optimism, especially in the infield, where every position is spoken for. Salvador Perez will continue to work primarily behind the plate while drawing some starts at first base and DH. Vinnie Pasquantino is wrapping up a solid season and has first base covered. India has one more year on his contract, which will make him highly motivated to bounce back from a down year as K.C.’s second baseman. Witt is secured at shortstop until 2037, and Garcia has established that he’s the team’s third baseman of the future.

The outfield is a completely different story. At 28 years old, Isbel is unlikely to ever become more than a below-average hitter. Still, his ability to play strong defense in center field could make him the regular No. 9 batter in the lineup. Isbel also benefits from the fact that the Royals have no one else in the picture, even in the corner spots. Mike Yastrzemski and Randal Grichuk arrived at the trade deadline to stop the bleeding but are both in their mid-30s and heading to free agency. Addressing this position in free agency will be Kansas City’s No. 1 offseason priority.

Having their preferred rotation members — Ragans, Wacha, Lugo, Bubic, Cameron and Michael Lorenzen — secured for next season puts the Royals in an envious position. Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek are also options after they contributed to the rotation down the stretch. This group is deep enough that the front office could trade someone for an outfielder, but the Royals are more likely to retain their depth and use Lorenzen as a swingman if everyone is healthy.

The relief corps is in a similarly good spot, as Estévez will return as the closer, with Erceg, Schreiber and lefty Angel Zerpa maintaining their roles as the top setup men. Hunter Harvey missed most of 2025 due a teres major strain, and he’ll make this group even better if he can stay healthy next year.

The Royals’ prospect group is highlighted by a pair of catchers, Blake Mitchell and Carter Jensen. The team’s first-round pick in the 2023 draft, Mitchell is just 21 years old and further away than Jensen, who looked like he belonged in the majors after debuting in September. Jensen has mashed, which likely contributed to the Royals’ willingness to trade Freddy Fermin to the Padres at the deadline.

There aren’t any sure things on the mound in the Royals’ minor-league system, but Ben Kudrna should debut next year. Kudrna grew up in the Kansas City area, which will make him a fan favorite when he arrives. He’ll need to succeed in Triple-A and have the Royals deal with some injuries in their starting staff to make that happen.

The Royals aren’t that far away from competing with the Tigers and Guardiansfor the AL Central crown. In fact, given their embarrassment of riches on the mound, Kansas City should strike more fear in the hearts of rival fans than their divisional foes.

The plan to take the next step is simple: The lineup needs to score runs at a league-average rate. The pieces are in place across the infield, and there are simple ways to fix the outfield. In fact, most general managers would probably rather head into the offseason needing corner outfielders than other positions. Still, it’ll be up to president of baseball operations J.J. Picollo to convince ownership to open the wallet for at least one slugger who plays the outfield.

Finally, it’s worth noting that Witt needs to be a bigger part of a postseason push than he was in 2025. A bad version of Witt is still very good, but the Royals need more than that. They need Witt to compete for the AL MVP award next year.

Although he’s coming off a down year, Witt still oozes potential and production. He’ll be a top-five pick in every 2026 draft. Garcia, Perez and Pasquantino will be heavily valued as well, likely in the range of Round 10.

There will also be several Kansas City pitchers who find their way onto fantasy teams. Ragans will lead the list, as he has ace potential if he proves in spring training that he’s past his shoulder woes. Managers will also select Bubic in the initial 10 rounds as long as he proves that his late-season shoulder injury is behind him. Lugo and Cameron will have their names called in the second half of drafts, while Wacha will be a late-round pick. And after a solid debut season with the Royals, Estévez will be valued as a top-10 closer.

Kansas City Royals 2025 offseason preview: After a step back this year, can the Royals reach October again in 2026?

With the Royals eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was in Kansas City, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?

The Royals achieved most of their success on the mound, as the club ranked among the ERA leaders throughout the season. There were plenty of successes in the rotation, particularly with Kris Bubic, who transitioned from the bullpen and became one of the most successful starters in the American League until a rotator cuff strain ended his campaign in early August.

Noah Cameron enjoyed a memorable debut on April 30, and though he won’t seriously challenge for the AL Rookie of the Year award, he will get a few votes. While Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha didn’t do anything special, they were reliable and effective throughout the campaign. And led by closer Carlos Estévez and setup men Lucas Erceg and John Schreiber, the bullpen exceeded expectations.

Although there were fewer success stories in the lineup, Maikel Garcia deserves plenty of credit for being the one hitter who took a massive step forward. Previously known as a light-hitting speedster who struggled to get on base, Garcia improved his walk rate, strikeout rate and average exit velocity this season. He made his first All-Star Game and became a consistent presence in the heart of the lineup.

After having an average offense last year, the Royals were expected to take a step forward with their group of young hitters. Instead, they spent the entire season ranked among the lowest-scoring teams in baseball.

Bobby Witt Jr. continues to be one of the best all-around players in the sport. He fields the shortstop position extremely well and is always dangerous at the plate. That said, there is no hiding the fact that Witt took a major step backward offensively this year. He continued to run the bases aggressively, but his batting average and home run total paled in comparison to his 2024 production.

Witt was far from the only cause of this offense’s struggles. Jonathan India arrived from Cincinnati in the offseason to give the team a stable, productive leadoff hitter. Instead, he experienced a major dip in his homer total, reached base at a lower rate and lost his ability to steal bases. The outfield was an even bigger problem, as the Royals ranked last in wRC+ from their outfielders by a wide margin. The organization tried several outfielders, including veterans Kyle Isbel, Drew Waters, MJ Melendez and rookie Jac Caglianone, but no one could find their stroke.

Cole Ragans would count as the one notable letdown on the pitching staff, as he got off to a slow start and made just 10 starts before landing on the 60-day IL due to a torn rotator cuff. Ragans owned a sparkling 2.33 FIP at the time of his injury, which should provide optimism that he can return to being an ace next year.

[Get more Kansas City news: Royals team feed]

The Royals’ roster provides plenty of reasons for optimism, especially in the infield, where every position is spoken for. Salvador Perez will continue to work primarily behind the plate while drawing some starts at first base and DH. Vinnie Pasquantino is wrapping up a solid season and has first base covered. India has one more year on his contract, which will make him highly motivated to bounce back from a down year as K.C.’s second baseman. Witt is secured at shortstop until 2037, and Garcia has established that he’s the team’s third baseman of the future.

The outfield is a completely different story. At 28 years old, Isbel is unlikely to ever become more than a below-average hitter. Still, his ability to play strong defense in center field could make him the regular No. 9 batter in the lineup. Isbel also benefits from the fact that the Royals have no one else in the picture, even in the corner spots. Mike Yastrzemski and Randal Grichuk arrived at the trade deadline to stop the bleeding but are both in their mid-30s and heading to free agency. Addressing this position in free agency will be Kansas City’s No. 1 offseason priority.

Having their preferred rotation members — Ragans, Wacha, Lugo, Bubic, Cameron and Michael Lorenzen — secured for next season puts the Royals in an envious position. Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek are also options after they contributed to the rotation down the stretch. This group is deep enough that the front office could trade someone for an outfielder, but the Royals are more likely to retain their depth and use Lorenzen as a swingman if everyone is healthy.

The relief corps is in a similarly good spot, as Estévez will return as the closer, with Erceg, Schreiber and lefty Angel Zerpa maintaining their roles as the top setup men. Hunter Harvey missed most of 2025 due a teres major strain, and he’ll make this group even better if he can stay healthy next year.

The Royals’ prospect group is highlighted by a pair of catchers, Blake Mitchell and Carter Jensen. The team’s first-round pick in the 2023 draft, Mitchell is just 21 years old and further away than Jensen, who looked like he belonged in the majors after debuting in September. Jensen has mashed, which likely contributed to the Royals’ willingness to trade Freddy Fermin to the Padres at the deadline.

There aren’t any sure things on the mound in the Royals’ minor-league system, but Ben Kudrna should debut next year. Kudrna grew up in the Kansas City area, which will make him a fan favorite when he arrives. He’ll need to succeed in Triple-A and have the Royals deal with some injuries in their starting staff to make that happen.

The Royals aren’t that far away from competing with the Tigers and Guardiansfor the AL Central crown. In fact, given their embarrassment of riches on the mound, Kansas City should strike more fear in the hearts of rival fans than their divisional foes.

The plan to take the next step is simple: The lineup needs to score runs at a league-average rate. The pieces are in place across the infield, and there are simple ways to fix the outfield. In fact, most general managers would probably rather head into the offseason needing corner outfielders than other positions. Still, it’ll be up to president of baseball operations J.J. Picollo to convince ownership to open the wallet for at least one slugger who plays the outfield.

Finally, it’s worth noting that Witt needs to be a bigger part of a postseason push than he was in 2025. A bad version of Witt is still very good, but the Royals need more than that. They need Witt to compete for the AL MVP award next year.

Although he’s coming off a down year, Witt still oozes potential and production. He’ll be a top-five pick in every 2026 draft. Garcia, Perez and Pasquantino will be heavily valued as well, likely in the range of Round 10.

There will also be several Kansas City pitchers who find their way onto fantasy teams. Ragans will lead the list, as he has ace potential if he proves in spring training that he’s past his shoulder woes. Managers will also select Bubic in the initial 10 rounds as long as he proves that his late-season shoulder injury is behind him. Lugo and Cameron will have their names called in the second half of drafts, while Wacha will be a late-round pick. And after a solid debut season with the Royals, Estévez will be valued as a top-10 closer.

MLB playoff races: Top storylines as Tigers continue to unravel, Red Sox make things interesting atop AL East

Fall is here, which means the MLB playoffs are nearly upon us.

The final week of the regular season is delivering plenty of drama, particularly in the American League, where one division is experiencing a historic turnaround and another might have an unexpected finish in the works.

Yahoo Sports is breaking down the top storylines Wednesday.

[MLB playoffs 2025 tracker: Standings, schedule, clinch scenarios and more with 5 games to go]

The postseason came early for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians. They’re in the middle of a three-game series with massive playoff ramifications. 

The red-hot Guardians took Game 1 after rallying in the sixth inning Tuesday against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal for a 5-2 victory. Cleveland has won 11 of its past 12 games and is 17-5 in September. The Guardians have moved into a tie for first in the AL Central with the Tigers, who were up 15.5 games in July but have lost 10 of their past 11 games, including seven in a row.

With the victory Tuesday, Cleveland clinched the head-to-head tiebreaker.

[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

Detroit, meanwhile, is in an absolute free fall. Even Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner who is a candidate for the award again this year, couldn’t catch himself Tuesday. He committed an embarrassing error while fielding a bunt from Angel Martínez, accidentally pelted a bunt-squaring David Fry with a 99-mph fastball to the face, whipped only the 11th wild pitch of his career to score a run and then balked for just the second time in his career. In the process, the Guardians plated game-tying and go-ahead runs before adding two insurance runs the following inning.

Detroit, which was swept by Cleveland in a three-game set Sept. 16-18, has scored more than two runs only twice during its seven-game skid.

On Sept. 10, before the Tigers lost 10 of their next 11 games, they had a 9.5-game lead in the division with 16 games to play. If the Guardians win the AL Central, they will have erased the largest deficit ever to take a division in MLB history, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.

The Seattle Mariners clinched a playoff berth Tuesday with a comeback win over the Colorado Rockies — and the New York Yankees’ win over the Chicago White Sox — and now they’re a win away from their first AL West title since 2001.

Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo will be on the bump Wednesday. His 3.63 ERA is far superior to the 6.00 ERA Rockies righty Tanner Gordon is sporting going into the late-season matchup at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.

If the Mariners can sweep the lowly Rockies, they’ll secure the No. 2 seed in the AL playoffs, meaning they’d have a bye in the wild-card round and home-field advantage for the AL Division Series.

The Mariners’ storybook 2025 season has featured a switch-hitting protagonist: Catcher Cal Raleigh has turned into a home-run-mashing sensation. He’s within striking distance of MLB’s 10th 60-homer season, and he needs four dingers to tie Aaron Judge’s AL record of 62, which the Yankees star set in 2022.

Trevor Story celebrates with Wilyer Abreu after Abreu scored on a double against the Blue Jays on Tuesday in Toronto. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Cole Burston via Getty Images

Somewhat quietly, the Boston Red Sox are holding steady for the second wild-card spot in the AL. They topped the Blue Jays 4-1 on Tuesday, shrinking their magic number to three.

The Red Sox can open a window for their archrivals with continued winning against the Jays. The Yankees, after all, clinched a playoff berth Tuesday with a walk-off win over the AL Central bottom-feeding White Sox and now are just one game behind Toronto in the AL East. That said, it’s important to note that the Jays own the tiebreaker over the Yanks.

Still, with the Red Sox pestering the Blue Jays — and with the Yankees finishing the season with two more games against the White Sox and a three-game series against the lowly Baltimore Orioles — a change atop the division isn’t out of the question.

Toronto has already secured a playoff spot and leads the AL with 90 wins, but it sure would like a division title and bye into the ALDS. The Blue Jays’ magic number to clinch the division is four. 

A two-run, eighth-inning home run from Francisco Alvarez lifted the New York Mets to a 9-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. With that, the Mets reclaimed the third and final NL wild-card spot, albeit just one game up on the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Both the Reds and D-backs have tiebreakers over the Mets. The Reds lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday, whereas the D-backs exposed a struggling Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen with a walk-off win.

Although Arizona has won seven of its past nine games, its final five are against the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. The Reds have two more games at home versus the Pirates before hitting the road for a three-game series with a Milwaukee Brewers team that’s eyeing the top seed in the NL.

The Mets’ win Tuesday was merely their fifth since Sept. 5. New York has dropped 11 of its past 16 contests.

Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Guardians, 6:40 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds, 6:40 p.m. ET
Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees, 7:05 p.m. ET
Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. ET
New York Mets at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m. ET
Colorado Rockies at Seattle Mariners, 9:40 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks, 9:40 p.m. ET
Houston Astros at Athletics, 10:05 p.m. ET

MLB playoff races: Top storylines as Tigers continue to unravel, Red Sox make things interesting atop AL East

Fall is here, which means the MLB playoffs are nearly upon us.

The final week of the regular season is delivering plenty of drama, particularly in the American League, where one division is experiencing a historic turnaround and another might have an unexpected finish in the works.

Yahoo Sports is breaking down the top storylines Wednesday.

[MLB playoffs 2025 tracker: Standings, schedule, clinch scenarios and more with 5 games to go]

The postseason came early for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians. They’re in the middle of a three-game series with massive playoff ramifications. 

The red-hot Guardians took Game 1 after rallying in the sixth inning Tuesday against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal for a 5-2 victory. Cleveland has won 11 of its past 12 games and is 17-5 in September. The Guardians have moved into a tie for first in the AL Central with the Tigers, who were up 15.5 games in July but have lost 10 of their past 11 games, including seven in a row.

With the victory Tuesday, Cleveland clinched the head-to-head tiebreaker.

[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

Detroit, meanwhile, is in an absolute free fall. Even Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner who is a candidate for the award again this year, couldn’t catch himself Tuesday. He committed an embarrassing error while fielding a bunt from Angel Martínez, accidentally pelted a bunt-squaring David Fry with a 99-mph fastball to the face, whipped only the 11th wild pitch of his career to score a run and then balked for just the second time in his career. In the process, the Guardians plated game-tying and go-ahead runs before adding two insurance runs the following inning.

Detroit, which was swept by Cleveland in a three-game set Sept. 16-18, has scored more than two runs only twice during its seven-game skid.

On Sept. 10, before the Tigers lost 10 of their next 11 games, they had a 9.5-game lead in the division with 16 games to play. If the Guardians win the AL Central, they will have erased the largest deficit ever to take a division in MLB history, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.

The Seattle Mariners clinched a playoff berth Tuesday with a comeback win over the Colorado Rockies — and the New York Yankees’ win over the Chicago White Sox — and now they’re a win away from their first AL West title since 2001.

Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo will be on the bump Wednesday. His 3.63 ERA is far superior to the 6.00 ERA Rockies righty Tanner Gordon is sporting going into the late-season matchup at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.

If the Mariners can sweep the lowly Rockies, they’ll secure the No. 2 seed in the AL playoffs, meaning they’d have a bye in the wild-card round and home-field advantage for the AL Division Series.

The Mariners’ storybook 2025 season has featured a switch-hitting protagonist: Catcher Cal Raleigh has turned into a home-run-mashing sensation. He’s within striking distance of MLB’s 10th 60-homer season, and he needs four dingers to tie Aaron Judge’s AL record of 62, which the Yankees star set in 2022.

Trevor Story celebrates with Wilyer Abreu after Abreu scored on a double against the Blue Jays on Tuesday in Toronto. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Cole Burston via Getty Images

Somewhat quietly, the Boston Red Sox are holding steady for the second wild-card spot in the AL. They topped the Blue Jays 4-1 on Tuesday, shrinking their magic number to three.

The Red Sox can open a window for their archrivals with continued winning against the Jays. The Yankees, after all, clinched a playoff berth Tuesday with a walk-off win over the AL Central bottom-feeding White Sox and now are just one game behind Toronto in the AL East. That said, it’s important to note that the Jays own the tiebreaker over the Yanks.

Still, with the Red Sox pestering the Blue Jays — and with the Yankees finishing the season with two more games against the White Sox and a three-game series against the lowly Baltimore Orioles — a change atop the division isn’t out of the question.

Toronto has already secured a playoff spot and leads the AL with 90 wins, but it sure would like a division title and bye into the ALDS. The Blue Jays’ magic number to clinch the division is four. 

A two-run, eighth-inning home run from Francisco Alvarez lifted the New York Mets to a 9-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. With that, the Mets reclaimed the third and final NL wild-card spot, albeit just one game up on the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Both the Reds and D-backs have tiebreakers over the Mets. The Reds lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday, whereas the D-backs exposed a struggling Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen with a walk-off win.

Although Arizona has won seven of its past nine games, its final five are against the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. The Reds have two more games at home versus the Pirates before hitting the road for a three-game series with a Milwaukee Brewers team that’s eyeing the top seed in the NL.

The Mets’ win Tuesday was merely their fifth since Sept. 5. New York has dropped 11 of its past 16 contests.

Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Guardians, 6:40 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds, 6:40 p.m. ET
Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees, 7:05 p.m. ET
Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. ET
New York Mets at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m. ET
Colorado Rockies at Seattle Mariners, 9:40 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks, 9:40 p.m. ET
Houston Astros at Athletics, 10:05 p.m. ET

It’s Time to Update Your Passwords, MLB Tickets Thefts Prove

Baseball fans from Los Angeles and Detroit to Miami and Boston saw coveted tickets to MLB games disappear from their accounts within the league’s Ballpark app earlier this month. Some faced disruptions while attempting to enter stadiums using tickets in the app, and many more got notices to update their account information. 

In a statement, MLB said it has uncovered “bad actors” who used leaked or stolen credentials from breaches of other websites to access fan accounts, adding that there is no evidence that MLB systems themselves were exploited and that its app is operating properly.

MLB’s Ballpark app was designed for fans attending baseball games, offering ticket storage and management capabilities, as well as other features such as stadium maps and weather alerts. Fans can also sell their tickets using a connection to SeatGeek or directly transfer them to other users.

“We are working tirelessly to address this matter and protect our fans,” the league said. “We want all of our fans to have a great experience when they come to the ballpark, and we are sorry that some fans have had to deal with an issue related to their tickets.”

While the frenzy seems to have been quelled with the league’s latest security updates, the issues highlighted the growing threat of identity fraud targeting sports fans, particularly within the frothy market for live event tickets. 

Reports of baseball tickets disappearing from the app spiked around the beginning of September, according to an MLB source granted anonymity to discuss the matter. Numerous fans took to Reddit to report similar issues.

One Philadelphia fan said seven tickets acquired for their brother’s bachelor party were swiped sometime before the day of the game. After the Phillies replaced their tickets, the group found people sitting in their seats, who said they’d bought the stubs online an hour before the first pitch. 

In many cases, fans were able to see that the tickets were surreptitiously forwarded to unrecognized accounts, presumably so they could be sold on third-party sites. In a legal complaint filed Thursday, an Illinois man said he missed the first hour of a Cubs tilt after his tickets vanished on the day of the game. The filing goes on to argue that “MLB’s data security obligations were particularly acute given the substantial increase in data breaches in various industries preceding the date of the Data Breach.”

The league declined to comment on ongoing litigation.

Fraud cost consumers more than $12.5 billion in 2024, a 25% jump over the prior year, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In 2024, a separate report found that so-called “account takeover attacks” were up 24% year-over-year. Often, consumers can recoup their losses, Merchant Risk Council CEO Julie Fergerson said, with companies facing both lost revenue and a potential deflation of customer confidence.

While experts, including those at MLB, urge buyers to use different, secure passwords for each of their accounts across different sites, surveys continue to find that a majority of Americans don’t practice pristine password hygiene. Consumers are also encouraged to set up multi-factor authentication for purchases when possible, but only some do. 

“Especially in the United States, we love convenience over security,” Fergerson said.

Following data breaches, hackers identify uses for the stolen information, occasionally selling techniques in manuals for others on forums dedicated to the practice. That explains how instances of fraud strategies can explode overnight before being dealt with. 

As live event get-in prices rise, ticket platforms become a more enticing target for illicit activity. The move to digital stubs has cut down on old-school forgery, but other avenues for concern have emerged. Prior to this month, multiple users have complained online about their credit card information being used to purchase game tickets on top ticket marketplaces. In the case of the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, a man in Northern Ireland allegedly racked up $100,000 in purchases for “Wicked” tickets using stolen card info.

A Ticketmaster data breach reportedly exposed up to 560 million North American customers in 2024. A Blue Jays fan appears to have lost control to his StubHub account, and the tickets within it, this July. For its part, MLB-owned Tickets.com has posted multiple job listings for a “fraud prevention analyst” this year, a position that a league source said is not new for the company (among the job perks: MLB tickets). At the same time, reports of speculative ticket sales—aka “ghost tickets”—have some potential buyers on edge. Others have attempted to set up automated bots that buy tickets from teams before humans can acquire them and then resell them at higher prices. 

MLB is unique among major leagues in operating its own companion app for game attendees across all its clubs. In other sports, teams typically work with different official ticket providers. Baseball’s proprietary platform allows it to roll out advances such as facial recognition-based stadium entry and in-app concessions purchases. On Apple’s iOS App Store, the app has 1.1 million ratings averaging 4.7 stars out of five. The league also touts the app’s “effortless ticket sharing” functionality, though for some, it proved too easy for tickets to change hands this month.   

Once hackers identified that some MLB Ballpark users were vulnerable to losing their account access due to having repeated or weak passwords—and that they held valuable assets that could be sold in relatively liquid markets—it makes sense that the apparent fraud accelerated quickly. But with the league now taking steps to mitigate the issue, it’s also likely that those involved have already moved on to focusing on their next potential target. 

“We hadn’t really seen something like it,” Binary Defense counterintelligence manager Jake Aurand said of the Ballpark exploit. “It blew up. … But if [MLB] make it difficult enough [for hackers], it’s likely threat actors will move on to the next thing.” 

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