September 2025

There were 1,641 posts published in September 2025 (this is page 93 of 165).

Pete Alonso’s walk-off homer ends Mets’ 8-game losing streak with 5-2 win over Rangers

Pete Alonso ended the New York Mets’ eight-game losing streak with a walk-off homer in the 10th inning for a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday. 

With automatic runner Francisco Lindor on second base, Rangers reliever Luis Curvelo intentionally walked Juan Soto to face Alonso. That gave Curvelo a right-on-right matchup and presumably also created the possibility of a double play. However, Alonso may have taken that personally. 

Curvelo left a 96 mph sinker in the lower middle of the strike zone and Alonso took it to the opposite field for the game-winning dinger and his 34th home run of the season.

“That one felt amazing,” Alonso said after the game. “”I felt like I was surfing on top of a dragon there. That was sick!” 

[Get more Mets news: New York team feed]

More importantly, Alonso’s homer gave the Mets a desperately needed win, ending a downward spiral that has their postseason chances in jeopardy. New York had lost eight games in a row and nine of its past 10 coming into Sunday, adding to a 21-31 record since the All-Star break. Per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, the Mets had never lost nine games in a row and qualified for the playoffs. 

“Not going to lie, we needed that one,” said manager Carlos Mendoza afterward.

The Mets also got another excellent start from rookie Nolan McLean, who pitched six scoreless innings and allowed five hits with seven strikeouts. In his six starts this season, McLean has a 1.19 ERA, allowing one or fewer runs in four of those appearances. 

At 77-73 and 12 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies, the NL East is out of reach. But the Mets (77-73) went into the weekend with a narrow half-game lead over the San Francisco Giants for the National League’s third and last remaining wild-card playoff spot. 

However, with the Giants’ 10-2 loss to the Dodgers on Sunday, the Mets will take a 1.5-game lead into a six-game homestand versus the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals beginning on Tuesday. (The Mets also lead the Arizona Diamondbacks by two games and the Cincinnati Reds by 2.5.) 

Pete Alonso’s walk-off homer ends Mets’ 8-game losing streak with 5-2 win over Rangers

Pete Alonso ended the New York Mets’ eight-game losing streak with a walk-off homer in the 10th inning for a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday. 

With automatic runner Francisco Lindor on second base, Rangers reliever Luis Curvelo intentionally walked Juan Soto to face Alonso. That gave Curvelo a right-on-right matchup and presumably also created the possibility of a double play. However, Alonso may have taken that personally. 

Curvelo left a 96 mph sinker in the lower middle of the strike zone and Alonso took it to the opposite field for the game-winning dinger and his 34th home run of the season.

“That one felt amazing,” Alonso said after the game. “”I felt like I was surfing on top of a dragon there. That was sick!” 

[Get more Mets news: New York team feed]

More importantly, Alonso’s homer gave the Mets a desperately needed win, ending a downward spiral that has their postseason chances in jeopardy. New York had lost eight games in a row and nine of its past 10 coming into Sunday, adding to a 21-31 record since the All-Star break. Per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, the Mets had never lost nine games in a row and qualified for the playoffs. 

“Not going to lie, we needed that one,” said manager Carlos Mendoza afterward.

The Mets also got another excellent start from rookie Nolan McLean, who pitched six scoreless innings and allowed five hits with seven strikeouts. In his six starts this season, McLean has a 1.19 ERA, allowing one or fewer runs in four of those appearances. 

At 77-73 and 12 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies, the NL East is out of reach. But the Mets (77-73) went into the weekend with a narrow half-game lead over the San Francisco Giants for the National League’s third and last remaining wild-card playoff spot. 

However, with the Giants’ 10-2 loss to the Dodgers on Sunday, the Mets will take a 1.5-game lead into a six-game homestand versus the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals beginning on Tuesday. (The Mets also lead the Arizona Diamondbacks by two games and the Cincinnati Reds by 2.5.) 

Pete Alonso’s skid-snapping blast pushes Mets back into win column: ‘We needed that one’

“I’m not gonna lie, we needed that one,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.

That they certainly did. 

Things were looking bleak once again for Mendoza’s Mets on Sunday afternoon. After Nolan McLean delivered six shutout innings, for a second-straight day, hopes of bringing the brutal losing streak to an end appeared on the cards. But, for a second straight day, New York’s bullpen let a slim advantage over the Texas Rangers slip.

Brooks Raley entered and gave up a single and hit a batter while getting two outs in the seventh, before turning things over to Reed Garrett, who walked another to load the bases, before allowing a game-tying single to Joc Pederson.

Tyler Rogers then put together a scoreless eighth, and Edwin Diaz worked out of a jam in the ninth, thanks to a tremendous play from Francisco Lindor,snagging a liner before throwing to third for a double play, nabbing the would-be go-ahead runner. 

Ryne Stanek followed that up with a strong inning of his own, striking out a pair to strand the ghost-runner in scoring position, then Pete Alonso delivered a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the tenth. 

It was Alonso’s first long ball in 11 games, and the fifth game-winning shot of his career. 

“Every walk-off homer is sick,” the slugger said. “There’s no way to rank that one, but awesome and a phenomenal feeling — obviously, there was a lot of meaning to that one for where we are right now, so just super happy I was able to help the team.”

The losing skid now officially comes to an end at eight games. 

That guarantees that New York will carry their slim advantage in the race for the third NL Wild Card spot heading into the second-to-last week of the regular season. 

They’ll look to build off of this when they open a series Tuesday against the Padres. 

“It was important, I’m not gonna lie, we needed that one,” Mendoza said.

“We need them all at this point,” Alonso added. “No matter if it’s today, tomorrow, or however many games we have left in the regular season, we need as many as we can — just gotta do the best we can to stack them, I’m really glad that we got this one.”

Minnesota Twins 2025 offseason preview: After trade deadline tear-down, can the Twins can back in the mix next year?

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

Read more: What’s next for the Rockies? | The White Sox? | The Nationals?

The Twins stayed in the hunt for a postseason berth until the All-Star break. Unfortunately, after the team opened the second half on a sour note, Minnesota’s front office sold off almost everything that wasn’t nailed to the floor at the trade deadline.

Byron Buxton was the offensive star, though his success came with his usual injury woes. Buxton missed a couple of weeks in the first half due to a concussion and landed on the IL in late July because of a rib injury. But when he was healthy, Buxton was one of baseball’s most dynamic players, which resulted in his second career All-Star Game appearance.

Joe Ryan was the star of the rotation, and the organization resisted heavy pressure to trade him at the deadline. The right-hander followed his typical script for success, racking up plenty of strikeouts, rarely issuing walks and generating easy outs on fly balls. Ryan easily counts as a staff ace, and most would agree that he’s a top-10 starter in the American League.

Out of the bullpen, Jhoan Duran did everything the team asked of him for the first four months. The hard-throwing righty helped keep the team in the race by being one of the most reliable closers in baseball, and he brought in a substantial prospect haul when management traded him to Philadelphia.

So many Twins had mediocre offensive seasons. Among the disappointments were several of those who were expected to make a real impact. That list is headlined by Royce Lewis, who was again injured and inconsistent. Lewis missed most of the first half due to a hamstring injury and had a .583 OPS in the 42 games he played. He picked things up a bit in the second half, with a .764 OPS through Sept. 13, but it was too little, too late.

Carlos Correa was the other potential star who fell far short of expectations. He produced just seven homers and a .704 OPS in 93 games prior to the trade deadline, when the front office made the decision to send him back to Houston. Given that the team wasn’t far out of the race at that point, it’s easy to see how the Twins’ season could’ve been completely different if Lewis and Correa had been impact players in the first half.

Even so, the most disappointing group in Minnesota was the rotation, in which several starters were injured or ineffective. Pablo López pitched well, but through just 11 starts before he spent the summer on the 60-day IL. Bailey Ober struggled throughout the season and also spent time on the IL in the summer. Twins fans spent spring training clamoring for David Festa and Zebby Matthews to get the chance to crack a crowded rotation. But when opportunities arose during the season, both proved they weren’t ready to help the big-league club.

[Get more Minnesota news: Twins team feed]

Despite trading away many players at the deadline, the Twins have some intriguing infield options for 2026. Catcher Ryan Jeffers is not a star, but he’s someone they can count on to log a heavy workload at a premium position. Luke Keaschall showed plenty of potential in the second half and should be the team’s second baseman. He will turn double plays with Brooks Lee, who will need to improve his on-base skills if he hopes to maintain a full-time role. And Lewis will try to finally put together a healthy, productive season at the hot corner. Minnesota’s front office will likely need to dip into free-agent waters to find a first baseman.

Buxton will lead the lineup and play center field as long as he stays healthy. Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach are basically the same player: lefty mashers who are effective against right-handers but usually belong on the bench vs. southpaws. Wallner plays right field, while Larnach spends his time in left. Unfortunately, Alan Roden, who arrived from Toronto at the trade deadline, is another lefty batter and therefore not a great complement to Wallner and Larnach. Management could consider bringing back Harrison Bader, who can play all three outfield positions and bats from the right side. He was a great fit prior to his trade to the Phillies.

With Ryan and López, the Twins can match the top two starters of any American League team. Things are murky after that, but a bounce-back season from Ober, who opened 2025 with a lifetime 3.76 ERA, would really stabilize the rotation. With Festa, Matthews and Simeon Woods Richardson, the team has three young starters who can battle for rotation spots in spring training. And Taj Bradley, who arrived from the Rays at the deadline and has already thrown more than 350 major-league innings, cannot be counted out. Put it all together, and it’s easy to see how this group could suddenly flip the script and become a strength.

But the bullpen was gutted in July, when Duran, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart, Louis Varland and Danny Coulombe were all traded. Cole Sands and Justin Topa are the only two remaining relievers who can be counted on. The front office will need to decide if it wants to sign multiple free-agent relievers or use the bullpen to promote some of its young pitchers. A combination of those two plans might be the best move.

Thanks in part to their moves at the trade deadline, the Twins have one of the best pools of prospect talent in baseball. Two of the team’s better prospects, Keaschall and Mick Abel, have already picked up some MLB experience. Keaschall will certainly be a starting player next year, and Abel will push the likes of Festa and Matthews for an Opening Day rotation spot.

The top two players in the farm system are both outfielders, Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez. Jenkins missed a couple of months early in the season due to an ankle injury but has since advanced to Double-A. The fifth overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, Jenkins is a natural center fielder with strong offensive skills in all areas. Rodriguez is also a center fielder, and he’s closer to his debut, given that he’s two years older and has already reached Triple-A. He could open 2026 on the Twins’ roster, and by next summer, the team could have an exciting outfield trio of Buxton and these two youngsters.

Although there are no sure things among the rest of Minnesota’s pitching prospects, there are several players who could contribute next year. That list includes Kendry Rojas, who arrived from Toronto at the trade deadline, Connor Prielipp, C.J. Culpepper and Marco Raya.

The Twins’ massive deadline selloff and deep prospect pool have created a wide range of possibilities for next season. There’s a strong chance the team finishes near the bottom of the American League, particularly if their young players are unable to make strides. But there’s also the best-case scenario, in which the Twins’ long list of 25-and-under players forms an exciting corps, and the club rejoins the postseason hunt. Of course, getting full seasons from the team’s few established veterans, notably Ryan, López and Buxton, will be a necessity.

There’s also a chance that the front office lengthens the rebuilding process by trading Ryan or Buxton this winter. Alternatively, team president Dave St. Peter and general manager Jeremy Zoll could hasten the return to contention by adding a first baseman and multiple relievers via free agency. Either way, it’s shaping up to be an exciting and pivotal offseason in the Twin Cities.

Ryan will be the most sought-after Minnesota player in 2026 fantasy drafts. He will be selected in the range of Round 4, with López coming off the board a couple of rounds later. The rest of the pitching staff will be late-round picks, including Ober and whoever emerges as the projected closer.

Buxton will be the first Minnesota hitter off the board. His exciting talent and lengthy injury history make him an annual boom-or-bust pick who is drafted in the range of Round 7. Keaschall showed enough potential late in the season to be a Round 10 pick in many leagues. Lewis still has enough upside to be selected late in drafts, and the rest of the team’s hitters will open 2026 on waivers in most leagues.

Minnesota Twins 2025 offseason preview: After trade deadline tear-down, can the Twins can back in the mix next year?

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

Read more: What’s next for the Rockies? | The White Sox? | The Nationals?

The Twins stayed in the hunt for a postseason berth until the All-Star break. Unfortunately, after the team opened the second half on a sour note, Minnesota’s front office sold off almost everything that wasn’t nailed to the floor at the trade deadline.

Byron Buxton was the offensive star, though his success came with his usual injury woes. Buxton missed a couple of weeks in the first half due to a concussion and landed on the IL in late July because of a rib injury. But when he was healthy, Buxton was one of baseball’s most dynamic players, which resulted in his second career All-Star Game appearance.

Joe Ryan was the star of the rotation, and the organization resisted heavy pressure to trade him at the deadline. The right-hander followed his typical script for success, racking up plenty of strikeouts, rarely issuing walks and generating easy outs on fly balls. Ryan easily counts as a staff ace, and most would agree that he’s a top-10 starter in the American League.

Out of the bullpen, Jhoan Duran did everything the team asked of him for the first four months. The hard-throwing righty helped keep the team in the race by being one of the most reliable closers in baseball, and he brought in a substantial prospect haul when management traded him to Philadelphia.

So many Twins had mediocre offensive seasons. Among the disappointments were several of those who were expected to make a real impact. That list is headlined by Royce Lewis, who was again injured and inconsistent. Lewis missed most of the first half due to a hamstring injury and had a .583 OPS in the 42 games he played. He picked things up a bit in the second half, with a .764 OPS through Sept. 13, but it was too little, too late.

Carlos Correa was the other potential star who fell far short of expectations. He produced just seven homers and a .704 OPS in 93 games prior to the trade deadline, when the front office made the decision to send him back to Houston. Given that the team wasn’t far out of the race at that point, it’s easy to see how the Twins’ season could’ve been completely different if Lewis and Correa had been impact players in the first half.

Even so, the most disappointing group in Minnesota was the rotation, in which several starters were injured or ineffective. Pablo López pitched well, but through just 11 starts before he spent the summer on the 60-day IL. Bailey Ober struggled throughout the season and also spent time on the IL in the summer. Twins fans spent spring training clamoring for David Festa and Zebby Matthews to get the chance to crack a crowded rotation. But when opportunities arose during the season, both proved they weren’t ready to help the big-league club.

[Get more Minnesota news: Twins team feed]

Despite trading away many players at the deadline, the Twins have some intriguing infield options for 2026. Catcher Ryan Jeffers is not a star, but he’s someone they can count on to log a heavy workload at a premium position. Luke Keaschall showed plenty of potential in the second half and should be the team’s second baseman. He will turn double plays with Brooks Lee, who will need to improve his on-base skills if he hopes to maintain a full-time role. And Lewis will try to finally put together a healthy, productive season at the hot corner. Minnesota’s front office will likely need to dip into free-agent waters to find a first baseman.

Buxton will lead the lineup and play center field as long as he stays healthy. Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach are basically the same player: lefty mashers who are effective against right-handers but usually belong on the bench vs. southpaws. Wallner plays right field, while Larnach spends his time in left. Unfortunately, Alan Roden, who arrived from Toronto at the trade deadline, is another lefty batter and therefore not a great complement to Wallner and Larnach. Management could consider bringing back Harrison Bader, who can play all three outfield positions and bats from the right side. He was a great fit prior to his trade to the Phillies.

With Ryan and López, the Twins can match the top two starters of any American League team. Things are murky after that, but a bounce-back season from Ober, who opened 2025 with a lifetime 3.76 ERA, would really stabilize the rotation. With Festa, Matthews and Simeon Woods Richardson, the team has three young starters who can battle for rotation spots in spring training. And Taj Bradley, who arrived from the Rays at the deadline and has already thrown more than 350 major-league innings, cannot be counted out. Put it all together, and it’s easy to see how this group could suddenly flip the script and become a strength.

But the bullpen was gutted in July, when Duran, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart, Louis Varland and Danny Coulombe were all traded. Cole Sands and Justin Topa are the only two remaining relievers who can be counted on. The front office will need to decide if it wants to sign multiple free-agent relievers or use the bullpen to promote some of its young pitchers. A combination of those two plans might be the best move.

Thanks in part to their moves at the trade deadline, the Twins have one of the best pools of prospect talent in baseball. Two of the team’s better prospects, Keaschall and Mick Abel, have already picked up some MLB experience. Keaschall will certainly be a starting player next year, and Abel will push the likes of Festa and Matthews for an Opening Day rotation spot.

The top two players in the farm system are both outfielders, Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez. Jenkins missed a couple of months early in the season due to an ankle injury but has since advanced to Double-A. The fifth overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, Jenkins is a natural center fielder with strong offensive skills in all areas. Rodriguez is also a center fielder, and he’s closer to his debut, given that he’s two years older and has already reached Triple-A. He could open 2026 on the Twins’ roster, and by next summer, the team could have an exciting outfield trio of Buxton and these two youngsters.

Although there are no sure things among the rest of Minnesota’s pitching prospects, there are several players who could contribute next year. That list includes Kendry Rojas, who arrived from Toronto at the trade deadline, Connor Prielipp, C.J. Culpepper and Marco Raya.

The Twins’ massive deadline selloff and deep prospect pool have created a wide range of possibilities for next season. There’s a strong chance the team finishes near the bottom of the American League, particularly if their young players are unable to make strides. But there’s also the best-case scenario, in which the Twins’ long list of 25-and-under players forms an exciting corps, and the club rejoins the postseason hunt. Of course, getting full seasons from the team’s few established veterans, notably Ryan, López and Buxton, will be a necessity.

There’s also a chance that the front office lengthens the rebuilding process by trading Ryan or Buxton this winter. Alternatively, team president Dave St. Peter and general manager Jeremy Zoll could hasten the return to contention by adding a first baseman and multiple relievers via free agency. Either way, it’s shaping up to be an exciting and pivotal offseason in the Twin Cities.

Ryan will be the most sought-after Minnesota player in 2026 fantasy drafts. He will be selected in the range of Round 4, with López coming off the board a couple of rounds later. The rest of the pitching staff will be late-round picks, including Ober and whoever emerges as the projected closer.

Buxton will be the first Minnesota hitter off the board. His exciting talent and lengthy injury history make him an annual boom-or-bust pick who is drafted in the range of Round 7. Keaschall showed enough potential late in the season to be a Round 10 pick in many leagues. Lewis still has enough upside to be selected late in drafts, and the rest of the team’s hitters will open 2026 on waivers in most leagues.

Washington Nationals 2025 offseason preview: After a disappointing season, how can the Nats get back on track?

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

Read more: What’s next for the Rockies? | What’s next for the White Sox?

Although this was a disappointing season for the Nats overall, the continued progress of budding superstar James Wood was a major highlight. In his first full season, Wood appeared in the All-Star Game and spent the first half of the campaign ranked among the league leaders in homers, OBP and OPS. Wood’s Statcast page is loaded with red bars, as he logs elite marks in Barrel Rate, Bat Speed and Hard-Hit Rate. The youngster is among the most patient hitters in baseball and will be even better once he reduces his rate of ground balls. Wood slowed down in the second half but has shown enough to be viewed as a franchise cornerstone player.

Wood was well-supported by shortstop CJ Abrams, who bounced back from an inconsistent 2024 season and became the lineup spark plug the organization expected him to be when he was acquired in 2022 alongside Wood in the Juan Soto trade. Abrams could stand to draw more walks, but he deserves credit for making strides with his strikeout rate.

[Get more Washington news: Nationals team feed]

Overall, this was a disappointing season for a team expected to ascend. The Nats instead took a step backward. This will be the fifth straight season Washington fails to win 45% of its games, which puts it far off the pace in an NL East that includes some elite teams.

Pitching was the biggest problem, with issues rampant throughout the staff. MacKenzie Gore looked like a frontline starter at the beginning of the season but regressed badly in the second half and landed on the IL near the end of August. Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker failed to take steps forward, Trevor Williams couldn’t find any success, and Michael Soroka was unable to turn some intriguing skills into a respectable ERA before he was shipped to the Cubs at the trade deadline.

The problems were just as plentiful in the bullpen. Both closer Kyle Finnegan and setup man Jose Ferrer produced uneven results while holding key roles, and then Finnegan was traded at the deadline. Ferrer does deserve credit for handling the closer’s role down the stretch. But overall, there were too many nights when the pitching staff left the offense with little chance to compete.

And beyond Wood and Abrams, the offense was unremarkable. Veteran sluggers Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell made little impact, and Lowe was designated for assignment on Aug. 14 before signing with the Boston Red Sox. Luis García Jr. took a small step backward, and when he was healthy, Keibert Ruiz continued to log poor results due to weak contact. Dylan Crews was supposed to become Wood’s sidekick, but he was hitting .196 on May 20 when he suffered an oblique injury that eventually landed him on the 60-day IL. He returned Aug. 14 but didn’t fare much better down the stretch.

The team was also one of the worst from a defensive perspective. Jacob Young can be left out of the criticism, as he made a big impact — and many memorable catches — in center field. But the situation was especially bad up the middle, as Ruiz, García and Abrams were all below-average defenders.

While the Nats need to see improvement from most of the players mentioned here, they have options at most infield positions. Ruiz remains the top choice behind the plate, but after watching him struggle offensively for two seasons, the team could reduce his workload by improving its second catcher spot. García and Abrams will definitely form the double-play duo, and 22-year-old rookie Brady House is trying his best to convince management that he’s the future at the hot corner. After walking away from Lowe, the team will need to find a first baseman.

Wood leads the outfield group, and he’s the only member of the trio who is an above-average offensive player. As previously mentioned, Young is one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball, which is an important asset for a team with pitching woes. But the speedster is a poor hitter and might eventually slide into a backup role. Crews will certainly be a starter on Opening Day 2026, whether it’s in center or right. Rookie Daylen Lile has been plying his trade in right lately, trying to show that he can open 2026 on the roster. His strong finish to the season will help his cause.

The incumbent starters can all return next year, which might not be a good thing. Gore will lead the rotation, while Irvin and Parker will eat innings at the very least. Williams has a year remaining on his contract but might not be ready for Opening Day after undergoing elbow surgery in July. Brad Lord had some decent moments as a swingman and is the youngest of the rotation options. Lastly, Josiah Gray should be ready for spring training after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer. This group could really use at least one skilled veteran to take some pressure off the young arms.

The bullpen is the weakest part of the Nationals’ roster, as there isn’t a single reliever on the team who showed above-average skills this year. Ferrer deserves some credit for stepping up and filling the closer role after the trade deadline. But in order for Washington to contend for a postseason berth in 2026, it is essential that the front office adds at least two relievers who can fill high-leverage roles.

The jewel of the Nats’ farm system is shortstop Eli Willits, chosen first overall in the 2025 MLB Draft. Willits is a future star but just recently finished high school and won’t arrive in the majors for a few years.

More immediate help could come from a trio of hurlers: Jarlin Susana, Cade Cavalli and Jake Bennett. Susana was acquired from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade and has thus far advanced to Double-A. A 6-foot-6 righty, he has outstanding swing-and-miss abilities but needs to harness his control before taking the next step. At age 26, Cavalli is unusually old for this list. He made one major-league start in 2022 before undergoing Tommy John surgery the following year. His recovery has been slower than anticipated, but he’s back in the majors now. Bennett also underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and returned to minor-league action this year. A 6-foot-6 lefty, he can’t match Susana’s strikeout upside but is more polished with his control.

There isn’t as much immediate help coming for the lineup. Outfielders Robert Hassell III and Christian Franklin could each contribute to some degree next season. Hassell had brief stints in the majors this year, while Franklin is wrapping up a successful Triple-A season, having arrived in July via the Mike Soroka trade.

The firing of general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez on July 6 highlighted the fact that ownership and the fan base have run out of patience. With that in mind, Washington’s new front office will need to push principal owner Mark Lerner to get more aggressive in free agency. Multiple starting pitchers and relievers are needed to spur this team into the postseason conversation, which is where the Nats should be after this lengthy rebuild. They could also use a veteran slugger who can play first base.

The Mets are among the biggest spenders in baseball, the Phillies have a roster full of talented veterans, and the Braves are likely to bounce back quickly from an injury-impacted 2025. Even the Marlins showed signs this summer that they are emerging from their rebuild. Washington will once again be the division’s cellar dwellers unless it adds quality depth to the roster this winter.

Wood is already a fantasy superstar, with even more room for growth. He will be selected in the first two rounds of most 2026 drafts. Abrams also has a skill set that’s great for fantasy managers, especially those in roto leagues. His potential to hit for average while compiling 20 homers, 30 steals and 90 runs makes him a viable option in the range of Round 4-5.

Unless the team adds via the free-agent market, Gore will be the only hurler who warrants much attention. The lefty’s strikeout skills will get him into the initial 12 rounds of drafts, but his tendency to carry a high WHIP keeps him squarely out of ace territory.

The rest of the Nats will be late-round options at best. That includes García, who could enjoy a bounce-back season in 2026. It also includes Crews, who could climb back into the middle rounds by turning heads in spring training.

Washington Nationals 2025 offseason preview: After a disappointing season, how can the Nats get back on track?

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

Read more: What’s next for the Rockies? | What’s next for the White Sox?

Although this was a disappointing season for the Nats overall, the continued progress of budding superstar James Wood was a major highlight. In his first full season, Wood appeared in the All-Star Game and spent the first half of the campaign ranked among the league leaders in homers, OBP and OPS. Wood’s Statcast page is loaded with red bars, as he logs elite marks in Barrel Rate, Bat Speed and Hard-Hit Rate. The youngster is among the most patient hitters in baseball and will be even better once he reduces his rate of ground balls. Wood slowed down in the second half but has shown enough to be viewed as a franchise cornerstone player.

Wood was well-supported by shortstop CJ Abrams, who bounced back from an inconsistent 2024 season and became the lineup spark plug the organization expected him to be when he was acquired in 2022 alongside Wood in the Juan Soto trade. Abrams could stand to draw more walks, but he deserves credit for making strides with his strikeout rate.

[Get more Washington news: Nationals team feed]

Overall, this was a disappointing season for a team expected to ascend. The Nats instead took a step backward. This will be the fifth straight season Washington fails to win 45% of its games, which puts it far off the pace in an NL East that includes some elite teams.

Pitching was the biggest problem, with issues rampant throughout the staff. MacKenzie Gore looked like a frontline starter at the beginning of the season but regressed badly in the second half and landed on the IL near the end of August. Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker failed to take steps forward, Trevor Williams couldn’t find any success, and Michael Soroka was unable to turn some intriguing skills into a respectable ERA before he was shipped to the Cubs at the trade deadline.

The problems were just as plentiful in the bullpen. Both closer Kyle Finnegan and setup man Jose Ferrer produced uneven results while holding key roles, and then Finnegan was traded at the deadline. Ferrer does deserve credit for handling the closer’s role down the stretch. But overall, there were too many nights when the pitching staff left the offense with little chance to compete.

And beyond Wood and Abrams, the offense was unremarkable. Veteran sluggers Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell made little impact, and Lowe was designated for assignment on Aug. 14 before signing with the Boston Red Sox. Luis García Jr. took a small step backward, and when he was healthy, Keibert Ruiz continued to log poor results due to weak contact. Dylan Crews was supposed to become Wood’s sidekick, but he was hitting .196 on May 20 when he suffered an oblique injury that eventually landed him on the 60-day IL. He returned Aug. 14 but didn’t fare much better down the stretch.

The team was also one of the worst from a defensive perspective. Jacob Young can be left out of the criticism, as he made a big impact — and many memorable catches — in center field. But the situation was especially bad up the middle, as Ruiz, García and Abrams were all below-average defenders.

While the Nats need to see improvement from most of the players mentioned here, they have options at most infield positions. Ruiz remains the top choice behind the plate, but after watching him struggle offensively for two seasons, the team could reduce his workload by improving its second catcher spot. García and Abrams will definitely form the double-play duo, and 22-year-old rookie Brady House is trying his best to convince management that he’s the future at the hot corner. After walking away from Lowe, the team will need to find a first baseman.

Wood leads the outfield group, and he’s the only member of the trio who is an above-average offensive player. As previously mentioned, Young is one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball, which is an important asset for a team with pitching woes. But the speedster is a poor hitter and might eventually slide into a backup role. Crews will certainly be a starter on Opening Day 2026, whether it’s in center or right. Rookie Daylen Lile has been plying his trade in right lately, trying to show that he can open 2026 on the roster. His strong finish to the season will help his cause.

The incumbent starters can all return next year, which might not be a good thing. Gore will lead the rotation, while Irvin and Parker will eat innings at the very least. Williams has a year remaining on his contract but might not be ready for Opening Day after undergoing elbow surgery in July. Brad Lord had some decent moments as a swingman and is the youngest of the rotation options. Lastly, Josiah Gray should be ready for spring training after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer. This group could really use at least one skilled veteran to take some pressure off the young arms.

The bullpen is the weakest part of the Nationals’ roster, as there isn’t a single reliever on the team who showed above-average skills this year. Ferrer deserves some credit for stepping up and filling the closer role after the trade deadline. But in order for Washington to contend for a postseason berth in 2026, it is essential that the front office adds at least two relievers who can fill high-leverage roles.

The jewel of the Nats’ farm system is shortstop Eli Willits, chosen first overall in the 2025 MLB Draft. Willits is a future star but just recently finished high school and won’t arrive in the majors for a few years.

More immediate help could come from a trio of hurlers: Jarlin Susana, Cade Cavalli and Jake Bennett. Susana was acquired from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade and has thus far advanced to Double-A. A 6-foot-6 righty, he has outstanding swing-and-miss abilities but needs to harness his control before taking the next step. At age 26, Cavalli is unusually old for this list. He made one major-league start in 2022 before undergoing Tommy John surgery the following year. His recovery has been slower than anticipated, but he’s back in the majors now. Bennett also underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and returned to minor-league action this year. A 6-foot-6 lefty, he can’t match Susana’s strikeout upside but is more polished with his control.

There isn’t as much immediate help coming for the lineup. Outfielders Robert Hassell III and Christian Franklin could each contribute to some degree next season. Hassell had brief stints in the majors this year, while Franklin is wrapping up a successful Triple-A season, having arrived in July via the Mike Soroka trade.

The firing of general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez on July 6 highlighted the fact that ownership and the fan base have run out of patience. With that in mind, Washington’s new front office will need to push principal owner Mark Lerner to get more aggressive in free agency. Multiple starting pitchers and relievers are needed to spur this team into the postseason conversation, which is where the Nats should be after this lengthy rebuild. They could also use a veteran slugger who can play first base.

The Mets are among the biggest spenders in baseball, the Phillies have a roster full of talented veterans, and the Braves are likely to bounce back quickly from an injury-impacted 2025. Even the Marlins showed signs this summer that they are emerging from their rebuild. Washington will once again be the division’s cellar dwellers unless it adds quality depth to the roster this winter.

Wood is already a fantasy superstar, with even more room for growth. He will be selected in the first two rounds of most 2026 drafts. Abrams also has a skill set that’s great for fantasy managers, especially those in roto leagues. His potential to hit for average while compiling 20 homers, 30 steals and 90 runs makes him a viable option in the range of Round 4-5.

Unless the team adds via the free-agent market, Gore will be the only hurler who warrants much attention. The lefty’s strikeout skills will get him into the initial 12 rounds of drafts, but his tendency to carry a high WHIP keeps him squarely out of ace territory.

The rest of the Nats will be late-round options at best. That includes García, who could enjoy a bounce-back season in 2026. It also includes Crews, who could climb back into the middle rounds by turning heads in spring training.

Phillies postseason bound for fourth consecutive season

Phillies postseason bound for fourth consecutive season originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Sunday might not have ended in a clubhouse champagne celebration and a clinch of the NL East for the Phillies but there’s still grounds to celebrate.

With the Dodgers’ 10-2 win over the Giants, the Phillies have officially secured their fourth straight trip to the playoffs.

They can send a quick thanks to the Dodgers before shifting gears Monday when the Phillies open up a three-game series in Los Angeles. There’s still a ton to play for, including a first-round bye, awarded to the top two seeds. The Phillies currently have a 4.5-game lead over the Dodgers for the No. 2 seed and are up 2-1 in the tiebreaker.

The Phillies’ magic number for securing the NL East sits at one. Clinching the division rests solely in the Phillies’ hands Monday as the Mets have the day off.

It’s simple, win and in. Or, since they’re already in … win and claim the division for the second straight season.

Mets rally to beat Rangers, snap losing streak on Pete Alonso’s walk-off three-run homer

The Mets rallied to walk off the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.

New York finally brought their eight-game losing streak to an end. 

Here are some takeaways…

– After going 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position on Saturday, the Mets picked up right where they left off in the early going of this one. Some wildness from Rangers lefty Jacob Latz gifted them a pair of golden opportunities in the first and second, but they were unable to take advantage and stranded five. 

Latz retired the next six Mets in order, but they finally manufactured a run in the fifth, as Francisco Alvarez led off the inning with a double and then hustled home two batters later on Juan Soto‘s RBI groundout to first. 

– Luckily for New York, Nolan McLean continued his tremendous start to his career. The young right-hander fell behind each of the first four batters he faced 2-0, but he rebounded nicely to limit Texas to just one baserunner while striking out four over the first three innings.  

McLean gave up singles to Joc Pederson and Rowdy Tellez in the fourth, but he used a double play and his fourth punchout of the afternoon to escape the threat. He then picked up three more strikeouts in the fifth, the last of which was on a curveball to Wyatt Langford with two men on and two outs. 

McLean found himself in danger after being handed the lead, as a hit by pitch and bloop single put runners on the corners with just one out, but he rolled another double play to end his day on a high note. He recorded another quality start, giving up five hits and a pair of walks while striking out seven across six shutout innings. 

– Brandon Nimmo gave the Mets what appeared to be some big insurance, leading off the bottom of the sixth with an opposite-field solo home run — it was Nimmo’s 23rd long ball of the season, but just his first extra-base hit since the calendar flipped to September. 

– For the second straight day, though, New York’s bullpen entered and gave the lead right up. Brooks Raley retired two around a single and HBP in the seventh, before turning things over to Reed Garrett, who issued a walk and then gave up a game-tying two-run single to the lefty-hitting Pederson. 

– Tyler Rogers put together a scoreless eighth, then Edwin Diaz came on and found himself in danger in the ninth. The Rangers pushed a man to third with just one out and Diaz somehow escaped, as Francisco Lindor plucked a liner just off the ground and threw to third for the double play. 

– After the Mets went quietly in the bottom half of the ninth, Ryne Stanek struck out two to strand the ghost runner in the 10th, before Pete Alonso crushed an opposite-field three-run homer to secure the victory. 

It’s Alonso’s fifth-career walk-off home run, the most in franchise history. 

Game MVP: Pete Alonso

The big man delivered the big blow to save the day after another bullpen meltdown.

Highlights

What’s next

The Mets have a much-needed off day on Monday before starting a three-game set with the Padres. 

Clay Holmes (11-8, 3.75 ERA) is set to take the ball against Michael King (4-2, 2.87 ERA) at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.