Samwise MLB Newsletter
Monday, August 31, 2026
Wells Homers Twice in One Inning as Yankees Rout Red Sox 16-1
Austin Wells became just the sixth player to homer twice in a single inning, connecting off Jovani Moran and off Andruw Monasterio’s 49.8 mph slider in a nine-run eighth as the New York Yankees routed the Boston Red Sox 16-1 on Sunday. Heliot Ramos hit a three-run homer in the fifth, and Paul Goldschmidt and Jose Caballero also went deep in the eighth. Starter Will Warren (9-6) held Boston to one run on six hits across seven-plus innings. New York finished with 18 hits and scored its most runs of the season, winning for the 10th time in their last 14 games.
Henderson Hits Two HRs, Orioles Overcome 5-1 Deficit to Sweep Athletics
Gunnar Henderson went 4-for-4 with two home runs, an RBI triple, and five RBIs as the Baltimore Orioles overcame a 5-1 deficit to beat the Athletics 8-5 on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep. Henderson’s three-run blast in the fifth inning erased Baltimore’s early hole, and his second home run — struck 413 feet — later gave the Orioles the lead for good. Coby Mayo added a three-run homer as well. The Orioles improved to 68-69, one game under .500 for the first time since April 30, and trail the third AL wild-card spot by just one game entering September.
DeLuca HR Ties It in 9th, Mateo Walk-Off Gives Rays Series Sweep
Jonny DeLuca hit a two-run homer off Mason Miller in the ninth to tie the game, and Jorge Mateo singled in the winning run in the 11th as the Tampa Bay Rays edged the San Diego Padres 5-4 to complete a three-game sweep on Sunday. DeLuca’s drive appeared caught by Samad Taylor in left, but the ball fell from Taylor’s glove as he hit the wall and landed over the fence, knotting it 3-3. San Diego retook the lead on Ty France’s sacrifice fly in the 11th, but a Padres error allowed the tying run before Mateo lined the first walk-off hit of his career to seal it.
Matthews Takes Perfect Game into 6th in Career-High Outing, Twins Top White Sox 5-1
Zebby Matthews took a perfect game into the sixth inning before completing a career-high 8 1/3 innings as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Sunday. The right-hander retired the first 17 batters before Drew Romo broke it up with a two-out single in the sixth, and Sam Antonacci added a double, but Matthews got Munetaka Murakami to fly out and escape the threat. Manager Derek Shelton praised Matthews’ work against a lineup he called extremely left-handed. The Twins snapped a four-game losing streak, with Matthews now having won five consecutive starts.
Glasnow Dominant as Dodgers Beat Slumping Tigers 6-1
Tyler Glasnow held Detroit to two hits and one run over seven innings, and Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run homer as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tigers 6-1 on Sunday. Freddie Freeman scored three times in the victory, and Detroit starter Framber Valdez allowed three runs on six hits over six innings. The struggling Tigers have scored just nine runs across their last six games and have now lost 12 of their last 15, falling to 63-73 in the AL Central. The Dodgers moved to 82-55 and lead the NL West by nine and a half games over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Wheeler Outduels Kikuchi as Phillies Win 13th of Last 15, Angels Drop 7th Straight
Zack Wheeler allowed four hits, struck out six, and walked three in seven innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 on Sunday, winning for the 13th time in their last 15 games. Edmundo Sosa led off the seventh with a solo home run off Yusei Kikuchi to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Luis Arraez and Brandon Marsh delivered pinch-hit RBIs in the eighth to add insurance, and Bryce Harper hit an RBI double in the ninth. Wheeler (11-5) outdueled Kikuchi, who also struck out six in seven innings. The loss extended the Angels’ losing streak to seven games.
Cardinals Lose Third Starting Infielder in One Week as Injuries Mount
The St. Louis Cardinals have lost three starting infielders to injury in one week. Rookie JJ Wetherholt joined the 10-day injured list with right wrist tendinitis, following shortstop Masyn Winn (left thumb fracture, injured August 18) and third baseman Blaze Jordan (left ankle sprain). Right-handers Andre Pallante and Hunter Dobbins also landed on the IL recently with elbow inflammation and forearm tightness, respectively. St. Louis, sitting at 68-70, recalled Cesar Prieto from Triple-A Memphis as a corresponding move for Wetherholt. The mounting injuries leave the Cardinals short-handed in their final month of the regular season.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors
Buxton Returns to IL for Third Time This Season with Hip Impingement
The Minnesota Twins placed center fielder Byron Buxton on the 10-day injured list with a right hip impingement on Sunday, the third time this season he has landed on the IL for hip-related issues. Buxton previously missed time in mid-July for a right hip strain and early August for the same impingement before returning August 13. General manager Jeremy Zoll said hip surgery in the offseason is ‘definitely a potential option as we sort through everything.’ Gabriel Gonzalez was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to take Buxton’s roster spot. Buxton, named an All-Star earlier this season, has been unable to remain healthy.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors
American League
| Team | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL East | |||
| Tampa Bay Rays | 82 | 54 | — |
| New York Yankees | 78 | 59 | 4.5 |
| Boston Red Sox | 74 | 63 | 8.5 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 68 | 70 | 15.0 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 68 | 69 | 15.0 |
| AL Central | |||
| Chicago White Sox | 72 | 64 | — |
| Cleveland Guardians | 69 | 68 | 3.5 |
| Minnesota Twins | 65 | 72 | 7.5 |
| Detroit Tigers | 63 | 73 | 9.0 |
| Kansas City Royals | 62 | 76 | 11.0 |
| AL West | |||
| Houston Astros | 68 | 68 | — |
| Texas Rangers | 67 | 70 | 1.5 |
| Seattle Mariners | 64 | 73 | 4.5 |
| Athletics | 53 | 83 | 15.0 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 52 | 84 | 16.0 |
National League
| Team | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL East | |||
| Atlanta Braves | 82 | 55 | — |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 76 | 60 | 5.5 |
| Miami Marlins | 69 | 68 | 13.0 |
| Washington Nationals | 65 | 74 | 18.0 |
| New York Mets | 61 | 75 | 20.5 |
| NL Central | |||
| Milwaukee Brewers | 85 | 52 | — |
| Chicago Cubs | 77 | 59 | 7.5 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 68 | 70 | 17.5 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 67 | 71 | 18.5 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 64 | 72 | 20.5 |
| NL West | |||
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 82 | 55 | — |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 73 | 65 | 9.5 |
| San Diego Padres | 72 | 65 | 10.0 |
| San Francisco Giants | 56 | 81 | 26.0 |
| Colorado Rockies | 52 | 85 | 30.0 |
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