The San Diego Padres punched their playoff ticket in dramatic fashion Monday — to the delight of a jubilant Petco Park.

Catcher Freddy Fermin hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th that scored Bryce Johnson to give the Padres a 5-4 victory and clinch a spot in the NL playoffs. 

The Padres are currently in position to secure the second wild card and the No. 5 seed in the postseason. San Diego (86-71) is 2.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West with five games remaining, all at home for the Padres. 

Sean M. Haffey via Getty Images

Trailing 4-3 in the 10th Monday, the Padres tied it up when Gavin Sheets brought Luis Arraez home on a fielder’s choice. 

The Brewers, who already clinched the NL Central and are in the driver’s seat for the NL’s No. 1 seed, missed a chance to break the game open in the 11th. With the bases loaded, Jackson Chourio grounded out into an inning-ending double play.

The Padres took it from there in the bottom of the frame. Jose Iglesias hit a sacrifice that advanced Johnson to third, setting up Fermin for the winning hit. 

San Diego is in the playoffs for the second straight season and fourth time in six years. 

Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies left Monday’s 11-5 win over the Washington Nationals after he fractured a bone in his left hand.

Albies fouled off a pitch from Konnor Pilkington in the third inning at Truist Park. He remained in for the next pitch, but didn’t take a cut, and then waved his team’s training staff over while shaking his left hand in clear discomfort.

After a few moments, the Braves pulled him from the game. Nick Allen came in to finish the at-bat, and then he replaced him at second base in the next inning.

The Braves quickly announced that he fractured the hamate bone in his left hand. Considering the Braves have already been eliminated from the postseason and have just five games left, Albies’ season is now likely over.

Albies entered Monday’s game with a .240 batting average, 16 home runs and 74 RBI this season. The 28-year-old fractured his left wrist last summer, too, but he’s been available for the Braves this entire season without issue.

Despite losing Albies, the Braves had no issue rolling to the six-run win. They put up five runs in the third inning alone, thanks in part to RBI singles from Michael Harris, Marcell Ozuna and Drake Baldwin, and then they added three more in the sixth inning to pad their lead. It marked the team’s ninth straight win, which moved them to 74-87 on the season. The Braves, however, will miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.

The MLB postseason is a week away, and every team with World Series aspirations still has a lot left to play for.

Let’s break down the playoff picture, what’s at stake and who’s facing whom heading into Monday.

Who has clinched a spot in the playoffs?

The Blue Jays clinched a postseason spot on Sept. 21, making them the first American League team in the field. They’re in line to win the AL East and secure the No. 1 seed in the AL.

The Dodgers clinched a postseason spot on Sept. 19. They are in line to win the NL West and secure the No. 3 seed.

The Cubs clinched a postseason spot on Sept. 17. They are in line to secure the top wild card in the NL and the No. 4 seed.

The Phillies clinched a postseason spot on Sept. 14. They won the NL East and are in line to secure the NL’s No. 2 seed.

The Brewers clinched the first spot in the playoffs on Sept. 13. They won the NL Central and are in line to secure the NL’s No. 1 seed.

A team-by-team look at the latest on the playoff field

Jump to a team by clicking on the links below:

• Blue Jays | Yankees | Red Sox | Tigers | Guardians | Mariners | Astros

• Mets | Phillies | Brewers | Cubs | Reds | Dodgers | Padres | Diamondbacks 

Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays clinched a playoff berth Sunday with their victory over the Royals, making them the first AL team in the postseason. They have a two-game lead on the Yankees in the AL East. Toronto’s 90 victories lead the AL, which has it in position to clinch the No. 1 seed and secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the division series. The Jays’ magic number to clinch the East is four.

Up next: The Jays conclude the regular season with a six-game homestand, with three vs. the Red Sox starting Tuesday and three vs. the Rays starting Friday.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners swept the Astros this weekend to put them in the driver’s seat for their first AL West title since 2001. They also own the tiebreaker over the Astros. They’re currently in line to secure the No. 2 seed in the AL and a bye to the division series.

Up next: The M’s end the regular season with six games at home, beginning Tuesday against the Rockies with a three-game series. Their final series is a three-game set against the Dodgers beginning Friday.

Detroit Tigers

They were swept by the Atlanta Braves this weekend, falling 6-2 on Sunday. That marked their third straight series in which they’ve either been swept or lost two of three. The Tigers are now clinging to a one-game lead in the AL Central after having a double-digit lead for much of the season.

Up next: On Tuesday, they’ll be in Cleveland for a critical, three-game series against the Guardians, who trail by one game in the division. Detroit finishes the regular season at the Red Sox, who currently hold the second wild-card spot.

New York Yankees

The Yankees took three of four games against the Orioles this weekend in Baltimore. They trail the Blue Jays in the AL East by two games with six remaining, and Toronto owns the tiebreaker with New York. The Yankees are currently the top wild-card team in the AL, with a three-game lead over the Red Sox.

Up next: The Yanks have a six-game homestand that begins Tuesday, starting with the Chicago White Sox for three games. The Yankees’ regular season concludes with three more games against the Orioles.

Boston Red Sox

Amid the chaos around them, the Red Sox have been holding on to the second AL wild card and the No. 5 seed for most of the past two months. They’re currently in line to face the Yankees for three-games in the Bronx to begin the playoffs.

Up next: The Sox play a three-game series in Toronto that will get a lot of divisional attention. Boston enters the week trailing Toronto by five games, and the Yankees are just two back in the division. The Sox will conclude the regular season by hosting the Tigers in a three-game series.

Houston Astros

The Astros just got swept by the Mariners to put the division title largely out of reach. They’re now three games back of Seattle and fighting for the third wild card in the AL. They’re tied with the Guardians in the wild-card race, and Cleveland has the tiebreaker, so Houston will be sweating it out over the final week.

Up next: The ‘Stros finish the season on the road but against teams that should hand them wins. They have three in West Sacramento against the A’s before they visit the Angels for three games to conclude the regular season.

Cleveland Guardians

Their 10-game winning streak was snapped Sunday with a 6-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins, a defeat that kept them one game behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. They are a game back of the Red Sox for the second wild-card spot and tied with Houston for the last wild-card slot. They own the tiebreaker against the Astros.

Up next: Starting Tuesday, the Guards host a three-game series vs. the Tigers with massive division implications. They’re 6-4 overall against Detroit this season. Cleveland closes out the regular season with a three-game series vs. Texas at home.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers are cruising to the No. 1 seed in the National League and the best record in baseball. They’ve already clinched the NL Central title.

Up next: The Brewers finish the season against NL wild-card contenders battling for their spots. First, they visit the Padres for three games starting Monday. Then they host the Reds for three to finish the regular season.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have been one of the top teams in baseball all season, and they were the first to claim a division title, leaving the Mets in their wake as they won the NL East on Sept. 16. They’re in line to claim the No. 2 seed in the National League and, with it, a bye to the division series.

Up next: The Phillies finish the regular season with six games at home against teams with nothing to play for. They host the Marlins for three to start the week, followed by three against the Twins next weekend.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are in line to win yet another NL West title, sitting three games up on the Padres with six games to play. They’re in line to get the No. 3 seed and host a wild-card series.

Up next: The Dodgers finish the season on the road against contenders. First, they visit the Diamondbacks for three games, and then they finish the regular season with three games in Seattle this weekend.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs have already clinched their first postseason berth since 2020. Even though they have one of the top records in the sport, they’ll claim a wild card and finish behind the Brewers in the NL Central. The Cubs are in line to get the No. 4 seed and hosting duties in the wild-card round.

Up next: The Cubs finish the regular season at Wrigley field, first hosting the wild-card-contending Mets for three games during the week and then hosting the already eliminated Cardinals for three games this weekend.

San Diego Padres

The Padres currently hold the NL’s second wild-card spot. The postseason appears certain, given their five-game lead over the Mets and Reds with six games remaining. If that holds, San Diego will finish as the No. 5 seed and face the Cubs in the wild-card round.

Up next: The Padres finish the season with a six-game homestand, beginning with a possible playoff preview versus the Brewers. (Milwaukee would be their opponent in the divisional round.) The Padres end the season with three games versus the Diamondbacks, who could be fighting for that last wild-card berth.

New York Mets

The Mets are nearing an egregious, late-season collapse, as they are now tied with the Reds for the NL’s final wild-card spot after losing 11 of their past 15 games. Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker based on head-to-head record, so the Mets have to finish ahead in the standings to make the postseason.

Up next: The Mets finish the season with a six-game road trip, facing the Cubs and Marlins. They might have to hope that the Cubs are more concerned with preparing for the playoffs than winning any more games. However, the Marlins might put up a fight with a chance to finish over .500.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds have won five straight games and six of their past seven to capitalize on the Mets’ slide and tie them for the NL’s final wild-card bid. With a 4-2 record against the Mets this season, Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker. However, both teams still need to win to stay ahead of the Diamondbacks.

Up next: The Reds finish their home schedule with three games against the Pirates (and Paul Skenes scheduled to start Wednesday). Cincinnati then visits Milwaukee for a three-game set. The Brewers might’ve clinched the NL’s best record by then and thus have nothing left to play for.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Lurking one game behind the Mets and Reds in the wild-card standings are the D-backs, who could seize the NL’s final playoff spot if the teams ahead of them falter. Arizona has won seven of its past 10 games to put itself in position to earn a surprise postseason bid.

Up next: Perhaps no team has a more difficult final six games than the D-backs. First, they host the Dodgers for their final three home games. Then the D-backs close out the season with three games at San Diego.

Who can clinch next?

The Padres’ and Yankees’ magic numbers are down to one.

On the NL side, the Padres have playoff odds above 99%, according to FanGraphs. The Dodgers are in position to win their division, while the Cubs currently hold the top wild card. The Reds are also in wild-card position via a tiebreaker over the Mets.

In the AL, the Yankees and Mariners have playoff odds of 99% or better. Also in playoff position are the Tigers, Red Sox and Guardians. The Tigers, Blue Jays and Mariners currently lead their divisions, with the Yankees, Red Sox and Guardians (via a tiebreaker over the Astros) making up the wild-card field. 

What else is up for grabs?

The Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in each league go to the division winners with the two best records. Those teams earn a bye through the wild-card round and hosting rights in the division series. Currently, the Brewers, Phillies, Mariners and Blue Jays are in line to claim those byes.

The No. 3 seed goes to the third division winner, and that team will host the three-game wild-card series against the No. 6 seed (which goes to the third wild card). The top wild-card team will earn the No. 4 seed and host the No. 5 seed (the second wild card) in the wild-card round.

The higher seed also gets home-field advantage in the championship series, once we get that far.

What are the tiebreakers?

No longer do teams play a Game 163 if they finish the season tied. Instead, tiebreakers are determined by head-to-head records first and, if needed, intradivision records second.

Here are the tiebreakers that could come into play:

• The Blue Jays have clinched the tiebreaker against the Red Sox, Yankees and Tigers.

• The Red Sox have clinched the tiebreaker against the Yankees.

• The Tigers have clinched the tiebreaker against the Astros.

• The Mariners have clinched the tiebreaker against the Tigers and Astros.

• The Mets have clinched the tiebreaker against the Phillies and Padres.

• The Phillies have clinched the tiebreaker against the Dodgers.

• The Brewers have clinched the tiebreaker against the Phillies.

• The Cubs have clinched the tiebreaker against the Brewers.

• The Dodgers have clinched the tiebreaker against the Padres.

• The Astros have clinched the tiebreaker against the Blue Jays.

• The Guardians have clinched the tiebreaker against the Astros.

• The Reds have clinched the tiebreaker against the Mets.

What would the playoff bracket look like if the season ended today?

American League

Wild card: No. 6 Cleveland Guardians vs. No. 3 Detroit Tigers
ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 2 Seattle Mariners

Wild card: No. 5 Boston Red Sox vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays

National League

Wild card: No. 6 Cincinnati Reds vs. No. 3 L.A. Dodgers
NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies

Wild card: No. 5 San Diego Padres vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers

What’s the schedule for the postseason?

Wild-card series (best of three)

Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 30
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 1
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 2*

Division series (best of five)

ALDS

Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 4
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 5
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 7
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 8*
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 10*

NLDS

Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 4
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 6
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 8
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 9*
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 11*

Championship series (best of seven)

ALCS

Game 1: Sunday, Oct 12
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 13
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 15
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 16
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 17*
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 19*
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 20*

NLCS

Game 1: Monday, Oct 13
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 14
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 16
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 17
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 18*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 20*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 21*

World Series (best of seven)

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 24
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 25
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 27
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 28
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 29*
Game 6: Friday, Oct. 31*
Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 1*

(*if necessary)

Cal Raleigh’s historic 2025 season has seen him reach the 50-home run threshold, marking the most homers in a season by a primary catcher in MLB history. He has also become the first player in MLB history to hit at least 20 home runs from each side of the plate in one season.

Raleigh stands alone with both the MLB’s single-season record for a switch-hitter and the Seattle Mariners’ single-season franchise record, having hit both milestones in September.

And the catcher is still going. Raleigh hit home run No. 58 on Sunday against the Houston Astros, sending a two-run blast into deep right field.

Raleigh is now only four homers from the AL single-season record of 62 home runs, set by New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge in 2022.

[Get more Seattle news: Mariners team feed]

How Raleigh got here

The Mariners catcher’s road to home run history began on the final day of March, with his first dinger of the season, and he has continued the power surge ever since. Raleigh has hit blasts in consecutive games eight times and recorded 10 multi-homer games this season.

In addition to threatening Judge’s record, “Big Dumper” has already passed Mickey Mantle for most homers by a switch hitter, and adds on the Mariners’ franchise record as well.

As Raleigh approaches more history in his MVP-worthy season, we are tracking his notable 2025 home runs all the way through Game 162.

MARCH

Home runs hit: 1

March 31: Raleigh opened his 2025 home run account in the Mariners’ fifth game of the season, a 9-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers. His 358-foot blast came six days after he signed a six-year, $105 million extension.

APRIL

Home runs hit: 9

April 11: The history-making started early for Raleigh. During the Mariners’ 14th game, he launched his third blast of the season off Texas Rangers pitcher Chris Martin and set the franchise record for career home runs by a catcher with his 96th.

MAY

Home runs hit: 12

May 2: Raleigh’s first grand slam of the season came on a two-homer, five-RBI night in a 13-1 rout of Jack Leiter and the Rangers.

May 27: Raleigh’s third multi-home-run game of the season put his total up to 19 on the year and set an MLB record for home runs by a catcher in a team’s first 53 games of a season. Both dingers came against Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker.

May 30: Raleigh became the first catcher in MLB history with 20 home runs before the end of May with another multi-blast night that saw him knock in five runs in a 12-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

JUNE

Home runs hit: 11

June 20: A prolific May continued into June for Raleigh, as he reached double-digit home runs again and set the MLB record for homers by a catcher before the All-Star break with his 29th of the season at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs.

June 21: Still at Wrigley one day later, Raleigh hit No. 30 to become the first switch-hitter in MLB history to do so before the All-Star break, moving ahead of of Mickey Mantle, José Ramírez and Lance Berkman. He also became the first player to hit 30 home runs in his team’s first 75 games since 2001, when Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez achieved that feat.

Gene Wang – Capture At Media via Getty Images

JULY

Home runs hit: 9

July 14: By the time the baseball world descended on Atlanta for the All-Star Game, Raleigh had 38 home runs. He brought his power to Georgia, where he became the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby, edging Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero in the final. Raleigh is the second Mariner to win the event, joining Griffey, who won the Derby three times. Raleigh is also the first switch-hitter to win the Derby outright, as Rubén Sierra, the only other switch-hitter to win, shared the title in 1998.

July 26: Nearly two weeks after Raleigh’s Derby win, he hit No. 40 to become the seventh catcher in MLB history to post a 40-homer season, joining Salvador Perez, Johnny Bench, Javy López, Todd Hundley, Roy Campanella and Mike Piazza. It was the 133rd blast of Raleigh’s career, putting him ahead of Ken Griffey Jr. for the most by a Mariner in his first five MLB seasons.

AUGUST

Home runs hit: 8

Aug. 15: Homer No. 46 was launched during a win over the New York Mets that also saw Raleigh reach 100 RBI on the season. That matched his career high, set in 2024, and made Raleigh the first catcher since Mike Piazza in 1999 and 2000 with 100 RBI in consecutive seasons while playing at least 50% of his games behind the plate.

Aug. 24: An 11-4 win over the Athletics delivered yet another multi-homer game from Raleigh — one that saw him tie and then break the MLB record for home runs hit by a catcher in a single season when he hit Nos. 48 and 49 to leapfrog Salvador Perez.

Aug. 25: Raleigh reached 50 home runs before any other MLB player this season, getting there with a first-inning dinger during a win over the San Diego Padres. He is the only primary catcher to ever hit 50 blasts in a single season.

September

Home runs hit: 7 (and counting)

Sept. 2: Raleigh hit his first homer of September in a 6-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen left a 96 mph fastball high and over the middle of the plate, and Raleigh launched it into the right-field stands at Steinbrenner Field.

Sept. 14: After a one-week home run drought, Raleigh hit his 54th home run of the season to tie Mickey Mantle for the most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season.

Sept. 16: Raleigh hit two milestones with a two-homer night against the Kansas City Royals. The catcher started off by hitting his 55th blast of the year in the third inning, breaking Mickey Mantle’s MLB record for homers by a switch-hitter in a single season. Mantle set the record with 54 homers in 1961.

Then, in the fourth, Raleigh hit home run No. 56 with a two-run shot to center field, tying Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. for the franchise single-season record.

With the two-homer performance, Raleigh became the first player in MLB history with a multi-home run game against 10 different teams in the same season.

Sept. 17: Raleigh smacked a solo homer, his 57th of the season, to pass Ken Griffey Jr. for the Mariners’ single-season home run record. Griffey hit the 56 mark twice, in 1997 and ’98, but Raleigh now stands alone on top.

The New York Mets are in jeopardy of missing the 2025 MLB postseason after their 3-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday. 

With that defeat and the Cincinnati Reds’ 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs, the two teams are tied for the third and final wild-card playoff berth in the National League, at 80-76. If the Mets and Reds finish the regular season with the same record, Cincinnati wins the tiebreaker via its 4-2 record versus New York this season.

[Get more Mets news: New York team feed]

The Mets finish the season with a six-game road trip visiting the Cubs and Miami Marlins. Meanwhile, the Reds play their final six games in a home series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates and a visit to the Milwaukee Brewers to close out the regular season.

Facing a nearly must-win situation Sunday, the Mets fell behind 3-0 in the second inning with Jorge Alfaro driving in Daylen Lile on a one-out single. Sean Manaea then got Brady House to ground out and looked like he might escape the inning with only run allowed. However, he grooved a 91-mph fastball down the middle of the strike zone, which Nasim Nuñez hit for a two-run home run. That was Nuñez’s third homer of the season.

The Mets managed a scoring threat in the third with Luis Torrens and Cedric Mullins leading off the frame with consecutive singles, resulting in one run. But Francisco Lindor then hit into a double play. That especially hurt when Juan Soto followed with a double but was stranded when Brandon Nimmo lined out to left field.

Lindor cut the Mets’ deficit to 3-2 with a solo home run to lead off the sixth. Soto then walked to put the tying run on base, but he was out at second on a grounder from Nimmo. Pete Alonso singled to give the Mets two runners on. Reliever Mitchell Parker came in to get Jeff McNeil to pop out and struck out Mark Vientos.

The Mets appeared to score the tying run in the ninth when Francisco Alvarez hit a deep drive to left-center field. But Jacob Young made a leaping catch above the fence to rob Alvarez of a home run. 

It was the Nationals center fielder’s second highlight grab of the game. In the fifth, he got a glove on Brett Baty’s fly ball to straight-away center field. Young initially didn’t catch the ball, but it caromed off his foot without touching the ground, and then he secured the out. 

The Mets, who led the NL East by 1.5 games on July 27, have lost 11 of their past 15 games to endanger their postseason chances. 

“We have to keep going,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “… A lot can happen.”

Tigers hang on to one-game lead atop AL Central

Another team that faces missing the postseason after a late-season free fall is the Detroit Tigers. Detroit is close to squandering what was a 15.5-game lead in the AL Central on July 8.

With a loss Sunday combined with a win by the Cleveland Guardians (84-72), the Tigers (85-71) could have been tied atop the division with six games remaining. Not only was losing the division lead a very real possibility, but Detroit could get squeezed out of the postseason altogether by missing out on one of the AL’s three wild-card spots if they finish behind the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros.

Yet for one more day at least, the Tigers are still in first. They lost to the Atlanta Braves 6-2 on Sunday, getting swept at home to a 73-83 Atlanta team. Detroit starter Casey Mize allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings, and the Tigers lineup couldn’t score against Spencer Strider across five innings. 

The Braves put the game out of reach with three runs in the ninth off reliever Tanner Rainey, who didn’t record an out.

Detroit was spared losing its division lead by the Guardians’ 6-2 defeat to the Minnesota Twins. That ended the Guardians’ 10-game winning streak and marked only their fifth loss in September (16-5), showing the Tigers some temporary mercy. 

Cleveland allowed three runs through seven innings, but Royce Lewis hit a three-run, pinch-hit homer off Hunter Gaddis in the eighth to put the game out of reach. Sunday’s game was only the second in September in which the Guardians’ pitching staff allowed more than three runs.

The Toronto Blue Jays clinched a postseason berth with an 8-5 win versus the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the Blue Jays and made them the first American League team to earn a playoff bid this season. 

An AL East title, which would be the franchise’s first since 2015, is also within reach. Toronto (90-66) holds a two-game lead over the New York Yankees (87-68) with six games remaining in the regular season. The Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 7-1, on Sunday to stay alive in the division race. 

Toronto opened the scoring in the second inning with an RBI single by Andrés Giménez. That was followed by a safety squeeze bunt from Tyler Heineman that brought in another run and a run-scoring double by George Springer. 

[Get more Blue Jays news: Toronto team feed]

The Royals cut their deficit to 3-2 in the fourth inning on a 2-run single from Carter Jensen. The Blue Jays responded in the fifth with singles by Heineman and Daulton Varsho, who were both driven in on a double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Guerrero came around to score on a follow-up double from Addison Barger. All six Toronto runs were charged to Royals starter Michael Wacha. 

Kansas City scored two runs in the bottom of the frame on consecutive RBI singles by Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez. The Royals then cut Toronto’s lead to 6-5 in the sixth on a triple from Jac Caglianone and pinch-hit single by Randal Grichuk. But the Blue Jays put the game away with two runs in the eighth on an Ernie Clement RBI single and Giménez triple. 

Giménez and Guerrero each drove in two runs, hitting a combined 3-for-9. That was enough to overcome a rough start by Trey Yesavage, who struggled after an impressive MLB debut last Monday. The rookie allowed 4 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings. He struck out two after notching nine strikeouts in his previous start. 

The Blue Jays finish the season with a six-game homestand against the Boston Red Sox (also in line for a wild-card spot at 85-70) and Tampa Bay Rays (75-80). The Yankees’ final six games are against the last-place Orioles (73-82) and Chicago White Sox (58-98). 

Brandon Woodruff‘s comeback season for the Milwaukee Brewers has encountered a setback that the team hopes is a brief one.

The right-hander went on the 15-day injured list with a right lat strain on Sunday. Woodruff is scheduled to be evaluated by a doctor in St. Louis. Those results will be sent to renowned orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister, who performed shoulder surgery on Woodruff in October 2023. 

Woodruff was placed on the IL retroactive to Thursday, but he will miss the remaining seven games of the regular season. However, the Brewers are likely to win the NL Central and earn a first-round bye through the wild-card playoffs. (They can clinch both with a win or a Chicago Cubs loss on Sunday.) So if Woodruff recovers quickly, he won’t miss more than two starts. 

[Get more Brewers news: Milwaukee team feed]

Woodruff sustained the injury while throwing a bullpen session on Saturday, feeling the strain after his 13th pitch. 

“Feels like déjà vu, doesn’t it?” Woodruff said to reporters, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg, on Sunday. That remark was in reference to being shut down before the 2023 postseason after reinjuring his shoulder that he strained earlier in the season and eventually requiring surgery. 

“If you look at the body of work I’ve done for the whole season in terms of the innings workload, probably I’ve gotten to a point where whatever projections or whatever limits were put on this year,” he added. “Who knows, maybe this is my body saying I’m to that point.”

Including his rehab starts, Woodruff has thrown 106 2/3 innings this season. 

The injury at least temporarily stalls a strong return for Woodruff, who missed the entire 2024 season following surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder. His debut was delayed by tendinitis in his right ankle and a bruised right elbow from a line drive. However, he returned in early July to pitch six innings, allowing one run and two hits over six innings versus the Miami Marlins.

Woodruff has been outstanding in 12 starts, compiling a 3.20 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings. His last appearance before going on the IL was in Wednesday’s 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. In five innings, he allowed one run and two hits with nine strikeouts. Woodruff skipped a turn before that start and pitched on 10 days’ rest.

The eight-year veteran can be a free agent after the season, but has a $20 million mutual option on his deal that both sides will likely agree to pick up. 

2025 season: Eliminated Sept. 20

With Atlanta eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was for the Braves, 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?

Things that went right

The return of Ronald Acuña Jr. was a major bright spot in an otherwise disappointing Braves season. The superstar returned from a torn left ACL on May 23 and immediately regained his place among the best hitters in baseball. Granted, the 73-steal player in 2023 has not yet recovered his base-swiping prowess, but the rest of his offensive game was as strong as ever in 2025.

The emergence of Drake Baldwin was another offensive bright spot for Atlanta. The 24-year-old got off to a strong start and remained consistent enough to push his way into a significant role. He cut into Sean Murphy’s time behind the plate for a while, and during the summer, Baldwin assumed more DH responsibilities in place of disappointing veteran Marcell Ozuna. Given Murphy and Baldwin, this is a rare organization with two No. 1 catchers.

On the pitching side, several hurlers had successful seasons interrupted by injury. Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach both delivered excellent results when they weren’t spending time on the 60-day IL. Spencer Strider had some effective starts but wasn’t at his best after two IL stints caused him to make just one start prior to May 20. Grant Holmes was a stabilizing force in the rotation until he landed on the IL in late July. In the end, this potentially elite rotation had too many pitchers who made 20 starts instead of 30.

Things that went wrong

There was no shortage of disappointments for a team that ended a string of seven consecutive postseason appearances with a clunker. The Braves lost their first seven games of 2025 and never logged the necessary winning streak to bring them close to a winning record. Another rough stretch near the beginning of July sealed their fate as the most disappointing team in the National League.

In two years, the Braves went from being the highest-scoring group in baseball to ranking below average in runs scored. And injuries were not a major problem for this group; instead, many players signed to long-term deals fell short of expectations for a second straight year. Michael Harris II picked things up in the second half but arrived at the All-Star break with the lowest OPS (.551) of any qualified player. Ozzie Albies has been on a downward trajectory since he produced 33 homers and 109 RBI in 2023. Austin Riley’s decline has been more gradual, but after being one of the most durable stars in baseball from 2021 to ‘23, he has spent significant time on the IL the past two seasons, and his performances when healthy have been solid rather than excellent. 

Meanwhile, Ozuna struggled to be a league-average hitter for most of this season before finally finding his groove in August, long after the team was out of the race. And Jurickson Profar left the team high and dry after signing a three-year deal in the offseason, as he was handed an 80-game PED suspension after playing in just four games.

The pitching woes were primarily caused by injuries, though Strider could not recapture his dominant form from 2022-23. Beyond the previously mentioned injuries to Sale and Schwellenbach, Reynaldo López followed a terrific 2024 season (1.99 ERA) by being shelved due to a shoulder injury after just one start. AJ Smith-Shawver was starting to come into his own before requiring Tommy John surgery. Finally, Raisel Iglesias had been effective throughout his Braves tenure, but he struggled in the first half (4.42 ERA) this season before finding his form after the All-Star break, when the team was already out of the race.

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Offseason outlook

Braves president Alex Anthopoulos has been aggressive in signing his young players to long-term deals, which means most of this team’s underachieving lineup will return next year. Murphy and Baldwin will continue to give Atlanta one of the deepest catching duos in baseball, while Matt Olson and Riley will handle the corner infield spots. Albies will still be the second baseman. Nick Allen plays excellent defense at shortstop but is usually overmatched at the plate and profiles as more of a backup player, which was likely the reason Ha-Seong Kim was claimed on waivers from the Rays on Sept. 1.

The outfield trio is also set. Acuña is the most important player on the roster. He will play right field, while Profar will work in left, and Harris will patrol center. In the second half, Profar returned to the form that resulted in an .839 OPS with the Padres in 2024. Harris fields his position well and showed with a late-season surge that he still has premium plate skills. But the Braves’ DH spot is wide open, with Ozuna heading to free agency.

With better injury luck, the Braves could have an excellent rotation. Strider, Sale and Schwellenbach all have ace potential and are under contract for 2026. López and Holmes are the preferred options for the fourth and fifth spots, but they will need to show in spring training that they’re past the injuries that ended their 2025 seasons early. Bryce Elder can eat innings when called upon, and Joey Wentz showed improvement in the second half of this season. Prospect Hurston Waldrep will also receive major consideration after he was outstanding in a late-season audition.

Rebuilding the relief corps will be a major offseason priority. Notably, Iglesias is headed to free agency. There are some useful arms who are under contract for next year, including Pierce Johnson and Dylan Lee. Joe Jiménez could be an asset after having his 2025 campaign ruined by offseason knee surgery. Adding an established closer would go a long way toward making this group a strength rather than a weakness.

Prospects on the horizon

After years of operating in win-now mode, the Braves understandably have one of baseball’s weakest prospect groups. Their only highly regarded prospect is Cam Caminiti, a 2024 first-round pick who recently turned 19 and won’t reach the majors for at least a couple of years.

Although they aren’t expected to be stars, there are, however, several Atlanta prospects who either debuted this season or have that milestone on the horizon. That group consists of Waldrep, Didier Fuentes, JR Ritchie and Drue Hackenberg. After his success with the Braves in the second half, Waldrep has moved to the front of that list.

Nacho Alvarez Jr. is the one minor-league hitter to note. He has had a couple cups of coffee with the Braves but has thus far looked overmatched. That said, he has plus speed and has shown a strong ability to get on base in the minors.

Goals for 2026

Atlanta’s front office has clear intentions to get this group back into contention in a hurry. And the Braves should be able to make that happen, as they have a deep group of talented veterans under contract. Reversing the two-year declines from Harris, Albies and Riley will be key to sparking the offense. Finding a bullpen anchor might be the biggest offseason task for Anthopoulos, and there figure to be plenty of options in free agency, including Robert Suarez, Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley and Luke Weaver.

In the NL East, the Braves won’t have an easy time surpassing the Mets and Phillies, who have talented rosters and deep pockets. But they could make it happen by regaining their offensive stature from two years ago, which feels possible given that many of their key hitters are still in the primes of their careers.

Fantasy focus

Fantasy managers will be excited to use valuable draft picks on several Braves. Acuña will be a first-round pick in most leagues and could become a top-five selection by making it known that he wants to regain his baserunning aggressiveness. Riley, Olson, Sale, Schwellenbach and Strider will all be selected in the range of Rounds 4-6. In the second half of drafts, some managers will take a chance on bounce-back years from Profar, Albies or Harris, and some will consider Baldwin and Murphy as inexpensive catching options.