Samwise MLB Newsletter
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Scherzer Passes Walter Johnson for 10th All-Time in Career Strikeouts
Max Scherzer made history Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, passing Hall of Famer Walter Johnson for 10th place on MLB’s all-time strikeout list. The 42-year-old Toronto Blue Jays right-hander struck out Kyle Schwarber leading off the sixth inning for the 3,516th punchout of his career, surpassing Johnson’s Elias Sports Bureau-certified total of 3,515. Scherzer cruised through five scoreless innings before surrendering back-to-back home runs to Trea Turner and Bryce Harper that tied the game, ending his night. The Blue Jays ultimately won 7–5 in 11 innings. Gaylord Perry (3,534) now stands between Scherzer and ninth place on the all-time leaderboard.
Ohtani’s Go-Ahead Single in 10th Lifts Dodgers Past Diamondbacks 2–1
Shohei Ohtani delivered the decisive blow as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks 2–1 in 10 innings Saturday night in Phoenix. With two outs in the 10th, Hunter Feduccia drew a walk and automatic runner Kyle Tucker moved to third on a wild pitch. Ohtani then rolled a grounder to the right side that first baseman Tim Tawa knocked down but could not convert, allowing Tucker to score. Closer Edwin Diaz blew his second consecutive save opportunity, surrendering a game-tying rally in the ninth on back-to-back triples by Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll. Jack Dreyer earned his first save with two outs in the 10th.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Cole Collects 1,000th Strikeout as a Yankee in Old-Timers’ Day Win Over Braves
Gerrit Cole struck out nine batters over seven innings and became the 13th Yankee to collect 1,000 career strikeouts with the club as New York defeated Atlanta 5–4 on Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium. Cole reached the milestone when he retired Matt Olson to end the fifth inning. The day featured alumni from throughout Yankees history ringing the infield before the game. Rookie Spencer Jones drove in two runs with a single and his first career triple, while George Lombard Jr. homered in the seventh to give New York a 4–2 lead. Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, outdueled Atlanta’s Chris Sale.
Sources: MLB.com, CBS Sports
Athletics Snap Nine-Game Skid With 7–3 Win Over Red Sox, End Boston’s Streak
The Oakland Athletics snapped a nine-game losing streak with a dominant 7–3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday at Fenway Park, ending Boston’s own nine-game winning streak in the process. Gage Jump struck out a season-high 11 batters in six innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Tyler Soderstrom and Henry Bolte hit solo home runs, and Jonah Heim and Donovan Walton each added two-run doubles. Hogan Harris finished with four outs for his 10th save. The loss prevented the Red Sox from matching their historic 15-game winning streak from earlier this season, which tied a franchise record set in 1946.
Sources: CBS Sports, ESPN
Nola Reaches 2,000 Career Strikeouts, Then Exits With Knee Contusion After Comebacker
A milestone moment turned worrisome for the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. Aaron Nola struck out catcher Brandon Valenzuela in the second inning for the 2,000th career punchout of his career, becoming the 94th pitcher in MLB history to reach that mark, tying for 10th in fewest games to reach the milestone. But later in his start against the Toronto Blue Jays, Nola was struck by a 104.8 mph comebacker on his right knee and departed. X-rays came back negative, though Nola was undergoing further evaluation. The Phillies lost 7–5 in 11 innings and face pitching depth concerns heading into the stretch run.
Sources: MLB.com, Sports Illustrated
Rays Edge Mariners 3–2 Behind Palacios’s Go-Ahead Single
The Tampa Bay Rays maintained their commanding AL East lead with a 3–2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night at T-Mobile Park in front of 41,351 fans. Richie Palacios delivered the go-ahead blow with a two-run single in the sixth inning, and Victor Mesa Jr. added a solo home run. Seattle’s only offense came from Julio Rodriguez, whose homer accounted for both Mariners runs. The win kept Tampa Bay at 69–46, 4.5 games ahead of the second-place Yankees in the AL East. The Rays have now won seven of their last 10 games as they push toward securing postseason position.
Matt Chapman to Undergo Season-Ending Hernia Surgery, Giants Lose Third Baseman for 2026
San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman is set to undergo season-ending surgery for a hernia and core muscle tear. Chapman saw a specialist Sunday ahead of the scheduled procedure and is not expected to return in 2026. He has been sidelined since early July, when the Giants initially characterized his absence as an abdominal strain before the more serious diagnosis emerged. Chapman has played through the hernia for much of the season. There is no reason to believe he will not be ready for spring training in 2027. The Giants sit at 49–67, 20 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors, Sports Illustrated
Vaughn’s Tiebreaking Single Lifts Brewers Past Twins 4–3 in NL Central Showdown
Andrew Vaughn singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers held off the Minnesota Twins 4–3 Saturday night at American Family Field before a crowd of 40,625. The win extended Milwaukee’s hold atop the NL Central, where the Brewers lead the division with a 72–44 record. The Twins had pulled even earlier in the contest, but Vaughn’s timely hit in the eighth proved decisive. Milwaukee’s bullpen protected the slim lead in the ninth to secure the victory. The Brewers sit as the top team in the National League by winning percentage, ahead of the Atlanta Braves (70–46) and Los Angeles Dodgers (69–47).
American League
AL East
1. Tampa Bay Rays — 69–46, —
2. New York Yankees — 65–51, 4.5 GB
3. Boston Red Sox — 64–51, 5.0 GB
4. Baltimore Orioles — 56–60, 13.5 GB
5. Toronto Blue Jays — 55–62, 15.0 GB
AL Central
1. Chicago White Sox — 59–56, —
2. Minnesota Twins — 58–59, 2.0 GB
3. Cleveland Guardians — 58–59, 2.0 GB
4. Detroit Tigers — 56–60, 3.5 GB
5. Kansas City Royals — 48–69, 12.0 GB
AL West
1. Houston Astros — 60–57, —
2. Texas Rangers — 58–58, 1.5 GB
3. Seattle Mariners — 56–61, 4.0 GB
4. Los Angeles Angels — 45–71, 14.5 GB
5. Athletics — 45–71, 14.5 GB
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 70–46, —
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 62–55, 8.5 GB
3. Miami Marlins — 58–59, 12.5 GB
4. Washington Nationals — 57–61, 14.0 GB
5. New York Mets — 51–66, 19.5 GB
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 72–44, —
2. Chicago Cubs — 68–49, 4.5 GB
3. St. Louis Cardinals — 58–58, 14.0 GB
4. Cincinnati Reds — 56–59, 15.5 GB
5. Pittsburgh Pirates — 57–61, 16.0 GB
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 69–47, —
2. Arizona Diamondbacks — 62–55, 7.5 GB
3. San Diego Padres — 60–57, 9.5 GB
4. San Francisco Giants — 49–67, 20.0 GB
5. Colorado Rockies — 45–71, 24.0 GB
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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