Samwise MLB Newsletter
Friday, September 25, 2026
White Sox Clinch Playoff Berth with 9-1 Rout of Royals After Three Straight 100-Loss Seasons
The Chicago White Sox became the first team to follow three consecutive 100-loss seasons by reaching the playoffs, routing Kansas City 9-1 on Thursday to secure an American League wild-card berth. Kyle Teel homered and reached base five times, with five different White Sox driving in runs. Starter David Sandlin, drafted by the Royals out of Oklahoma four years ago, held Kansas City to one run over six innings. Chicago improved to 82-77 and still has a shot at the AL Central title with three games remaining. Salvador Perez homered for the Royals, his 20th of the year, a club-record 10th time reaching that mark in a season.
Sources: NBC Sports
Cubs Clinch Playoff Berth as Pete Crow-Armstrong Joins 40-40 Club
Pete Crow-Armstrong became the seventh player in major league history to join the 40-40 club, stealing his 40th base in the first inning of the Cubs’ playoff-clinching 2-1 win over Miami on Thursday. The 24-year-old leads the majors with 45 home runs, combining elite power and speed in one of the greatest offensive seasons in Cubs history. Seiya Suzuki also homered as Chicago (88-71) secured consecutive postseason appearances for the first time since four straight from 2015-18. In a historic afternoon, both the Cubs and White Sox clinched playoff berths on the same day for the first time in Chicago history.
Sources: CBS Sports
Guardians Clinch Third Straight Playoff Berth with 1-0 Shutout of Red Sox
The Cleveland Guardians clinched their third consecutive postseason berth with a 1-0 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night, staying one game ahead of the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central race. Angel Martínez hit his 18th homer in the second inning for the game’s only run. Starter Daniel Espino threw one inning before giving way to Joey Cantillo, who allowed one hit with four strikeouts over five innings. Closer Cade Smith, who leads the majors with 41 saves, struck out the side in the ninth. Cleveland hosts Kansas City to close the regular season with the division title still in play.
Padres Beat Dodgers 4-2 to Clinch Franchise-Record Third Straight Playoff Berth
The San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Thursday night to clinch their franchise-record third consecutive postseason berth. Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and finished with a season-high 11 strikeouts before giving up a hit. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ethan Salas contributed RBI singles in a three-run Padres seventh inning. Mason Miller earned his 38th save, holding off a late rally that saw Shohei Ohtani hit an RBI double in the ninth. The loss still brought good news for Los Angeles, which clinched a National League Division Series bye after Cincinnati beat Atlanta earlier Thursday evening.
Sources: Sports Illustrated
Brewers Reach 100 Wins for First Time in Franchise History, Clinch No. 1 NL Seed
The Milwaukee Brewers reached 100 wins for the first time in franchise history with a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, clinching the top seed in the National League and a first-round playoff bye. Jackson Chourio hit his 25th homer in the ninth inning. Milwaukee took the lead with three runs in the eighth, getting run-scoring singles from Jake Bauers, Cooper Pratt, and Joey Ortiz. The Brewers clinched the NL Central title for the fourth consecutive season. The loss left the Phillies still searching for their fifth straight postseason berth, with another chance Friday against Tampa Bay.
Sources: NBC Sports
Reds Top Braves 7-6 as Elly De La Cruz Hits 30th Homer; Dodgers Clinch NL Bye
Elly De La Cruz hit his 30th home run of the season, Héctor Rodríguez and rookie Carlos Jorge also connected, and the Cincinnati Reds rallied from an early deficit to beat NL East champion Atlanta 7-6 Thursday night at Truist Park. The Reds generated three home runs against the Braves despite Atlanta recording 12 hits. The Cincinnati victory had immediate playoff implications: with Atlanta losing, the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched a National League Division Series bye, earning a skip over the Wild Card round. The Braves, despite the defeat, had already secured the NL East title and remain firmly in the National League postseason picture.
Rookie Lucas Spence Hits First 3 Career Homers; Astros Tie Rangers for AL West Lead
Lucas Spence hit the first three home runs of his major league career, powering the Houston Astros to a 7-5 win over the Athletics on Thursday that kept the AL West race alive. The performance lifted Houston (79-80) into a tie with the Texas Rangers for the division lead with three games left for each team. The Astros hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after going 9-4 against Texas this season, meaning Houston controls its own destiny. Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes also homered for the Astros. An AL West title would give the winner a bye past the Wild Card round and home-field advantage in the Division Series.
Sources: CBS Sports
Aaron Judge Has Not Resumed Hitting; Yankees Star’s Postseason Status Uncertain
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has not resumed hitting and remains uncertain for New York’s postseason run after suffering a moderate right calf strain in mid-September. Judge received a platelet-poor plasma injection and as of Thursday had still not returned to batting drills, per manager Aaron Boone, who said he does not know if Judge will be available for the Wild Card Series. The injury-plagued slugger has played just 66 games this season, missing stretches with a fractured right rib suffered earlier in the year. New York (89-65) has secured a wild-card berth regardless, but faces a steep challenge without its franchise cornerstone in October.
Sources: NBC Sports
American League
| Team | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL EAST | |||
| Tampa Bay Rays | 96 | 63 | — |
| New York Yankees | 89 | 65 | 4.5 |
| Boston Red Sox | 84 | 73 | 11.0 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 76 | 79 | 18.0 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 75 | 80 | 19.0 |
| AL CENTRAL | |||
| Cleveland Guardians | 83 | 76 | — |
| Chicago White Sox | 82 | 77 | 1.0 |
| Kansas City Royals | 68 | 88 | 13.5 |
| Minnesota Twins | 67 | 89 | 14.5 |
| Detroit Tigers | 66 | 90 | 15.5 |
| AL WEST | |||
| Texas Rangers | 79 | 80 | — |
| Houston Astros | 79 | 80 | — |
| Seattle Mariners | 73 | 83 | 4.5 |
| Athletics | 61 | 96 | 17.0 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 60 | 97 | 18.0 |
National League
| Team | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL EAST | |||
| Atlanta Braves | 92 | 65 | — |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 86 | 71 | 6.0 |
| Miami Marlins | 76 | 79 | 15.0 |
| Washington Nationals | 73 | 83 | 18.5 |
| New York Mets | 71 | 85 | 20.5 |
| NL CENTRAL | |||
| Milwaukee Brewers | 100 | 58 | — |
| Chicago Cubs | 88 | 71 | 12.5 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 78 | 77 | 20.5 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 76 | 79 | 22.5 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 73 | 82 | 25.5 |
| NL WEST | |||
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 97 | 62 | — |
| San Diego Padres | 89 | 69 | 7.5 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 81 | 76 | 15.0 |
| San Francisco Giants | 64 | 91 | 31.0 |
| Colorado Rockies | 57 | 101 | 39.5 |
Every newsletter preserved and searchable
Curated by JD · samwise.agency