Samwise MLB Newsletter
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Astros Blank Mariners 7-0, Tie Rangers for AL West Lead
Yordan Alvarez hit his 41st home run and drove in three runs, and the Houston Astros shut out the Seattle Mariners 7-0 Wednesday to pull even with the Texas Rangers atop the AL West. Alvarez took Carlos Vargas deep for a two-run blast in the eighth inning. Christian Walker followed with a three-run homer in the third, and Isaac Paredes added a solo shot in the sixth. Houston starter Cristian Javier was removed after two innings with right groin tightness, throwing 45 pitches. Miguel Ullola followed with two scoreless frames for his first major league win.
Sources: CBS Sports / NBC Sports
Padres Beat Dodgers 5-1, Take Sole Possession of NL Wild Card Lead
Manny Machado homered and drove in three runs as the San Diego Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 Wednesday night to take sole possession of first place in the NL wild-card standings. Machado’s home run off Yoshinobu Yamamoto was his 29th of the year and the 398th of his career, tying Dale Murphy for 62nd on the all-time list. The loss snapped the NL West champions’ 11-game home winning streak. San Diego now leads Chicago and Philadelphia by one game for the first NL wild-card spot, which carries home-field advantage throughout the best-of-three first round.
Sources: CBS Sports / NBC Sports
Rice Hits 40th and 41st Homers as Yankees Rout Rays 9-2
Ben Rice hit his 40th and 41st home runs, Ryan McMahon added a grand slam while matching his career high with five RBIs, and the New York Yankees routed the Tampa Bay Rays 9-2 on Wednesday. Rice opened the game with a leadoff homer off Mason Englert into the right-field second deck, his fourth career leadoff blast, and added a solo shot in the fourth for his fifth career multihomer game. He finished with three hits and is tied for the AL home run lead with Baltimore’s Pete Alonso, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, and Houston’s Yordan Alvarez.
Sources: CBS Sports / NBC Sports
Marlins Spoil Cubs’ Playoff Clinch for Second Straight Night
Kyle Stowers hit a two-run home run and the Miami Marlins prevented the Chicago Cubs from clinching a postseason berth for the second straight night with a 3-2 victory on Wednesday. Stowers’ 21st homer off Kevin Gausman in the sixth broke a scoreless tie. The Cubs drew level when Dansby Swanson laced a broken-bat single into left field for two runs. Joe Mack’s groundout brought home Augustin Ramirez with the go-ahead run in the seventh, and Miami retired the next nine Chicago batters. The Cubs also needed an Arizona loss to Colorado to clinch, but the Diamondbacks beat the Rockies 5-3, keeping Chicago’s playoff spot on hold.
Sources: CBS Sports / NBC Sports
Orioles Eliminate Blue Jays as Alonso Hits 41st Homer
Pete Alonso hit his 41st home run of the season and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Wednesday, eliminating the defending American League champions from the postseason race. Chris Bassitt took a shutout into the sixth inning. Alonso’s two-run shot in the fifth pulled him even for the AL home run lead with Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, and New York’s Ben Rice. The Blue Jays, who pushed the Los Angeles Dodgers to extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series last October, fall to 77-81. The Orioles swept the day’s doubleheader to keep their own faint playoff hopes alive.
Sources: CBS Sports / NBC Sports
Braves Edge Reds 3-2 in 10 Innings as Sale Reaches 200 Strikeouts
Chris Sale struck out 10 and reached 200 strikeouts for the ninth time in his career, while Mauricio Dubon delivered a walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning to lift Atlanta past Cincinnati 3-2 on Wednesday. Sale reached his 200th strikeout by getting Sal Stewart looking at a called strike in the sixth. The 37-year-old joins Randy Johnson as the only left-handed pitchers in MLB history with nine or more 200-strikeout seasons. Matt Olson and Austin Riley each hit solo homers for the Braves. Sale finished with a 2.16 ERA and 14 wins, with Wednesday marking his final regular-season start, per Atlanta.
Sources: CBS Sports / MLB.com
September Roster Moves: Javier to IL, Multiple Teams Shuffle Rosters
The Houston Astros placed starter Cristian Javier on the 15-day injured list with a Grade 2 right groin strain Wednesday, selecting Josh Hendrickson to fill the vacancy. The Astros also placed outfielder Jake Meyers on the 60-day IL after fracturing his left kneecap on a foul ball in the minors last week. The San Diego Padres activated reliever Jason Adam from the 60-day IL, optioning Griffin Canning and designating Alek Jacob for assignment. Cleveland reinstated Shawn Armstrong from the 60-day IL, designating Connor Brogdon for assignment. The Toronto Blue Jays placed Dylan Cease on the injured list after Wednesday’s game eliminated them from playoff contention.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors
With Four Games Left, AL Playoff Races Head Into Final Week
The American League playoff picture has sharpened heading into the final four games of the regular season. The Tampa Bay Rays have clinched the AL East and home-field advantage through the ALCS. In the AL West, the Houston Astros blanked Seattle 7-0 Wednesday to pull even with the Texas Rangers atop the division, with the loser taking the third AL wild-card spot. The Cleveland Guardians hold a one-game advantage over the Chicago White Sox in the Central. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have each secured wild-card spots, while the Baltimore Orioles remain in contention with slim hopes depending on Wednesday’s full results.
Sources: CBS Sports / MLB.com
MLB Standings — September 24, 2026
American League
| Team | W | L |
|---|---|---|
| AL East | ||
| Tampa Bay Rays ✓ | 93 | 60 |
| New York Yankees ✓ | 89 | 64 |
| Boston Red Sox ✓ | 84 | 70 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 75 | 79 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 77 | 81 |
| AL Central | ||
| Cleveland Guardians | 82 | 76 |
| Chicago White Sox | 81 | 76 |
| Minnesota Twins | 74 | 83 |
| Kansas City Royals | 71 | 86 |
| Detroit Tigers | 68 | 89 |
| AL West | ||
| Houston Astros | 78 | 79 |
| Texas Rangers | 78 | 79 |
| Seattle Mariners | 73 | 84 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 67 | 90 |
| Oakland Athletics | 62 | 95 |
National League
| Team | W | L |
|---|---|---|
| NL East | ||
| Atlanta Braves ✓ | 92 | 64 |
| Philadelphia Phillies ✓ | 87 | 71 |
| Miami Marlins | 76 | 79 |
| Washington Nationals | 73 | 83 |
| New York Mets | 71 | 85 |
| NL Central | ||
| Milwaukee Brewers ✓ | 97 | 58 |
| Chicago Cubs | 87 | 71 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 79 | 77 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 76 | 80 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 72 | 84 |
| NL West | ||
| Los Angeles Dodgers ✓ | 97 | 61 |
| San Diego Padres ✓ | 88 | 70 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 81 | 74 |
| San Francisco Giants | 64 | 91 |
| Colorado Rockies | 57 | 100 |
✓ Clinched playoff spot. Records through September 23, 2026.
Every newsletter preserved and searchable
Curated by JD · samwise.agency