Rain has already nudged one game on today’s schedule, and Tigers-White Sox will now get going at 1:10 pm CT instead of 6:10 pm CT.
Elsewhere around the league, Jose Ramirez hit a milestone that puts him in rare company. The Guardians third baseman launched a solo homer in the sixth inning on Friday, extending Cleveland’s lead and bringing his career RBI total to exactly 1,000.
Ramirez became the 12th active player to hit that mark. It also came at a time when he may be finding a little rhythm again, with back-to-back two-hit games after a rough stretch since returning from a broken hamate bone.
Over 45 games back, he has posted a .567 OPS, and his wRC+ since the return ranks seventh-lowest among qualified hitters.
Atlanta also took care of business on Friday, beating Houston 6-2 to clinch a playoff berth. The Braves did plenty of damage with the long ball, leaving the yard three times in the win, including Matt Olson’s 40th homer of the season.
Tyler Mahle was just as important on the mound, working six solid innings and continuing a strong run since joining Atlanta. The former Giant has now turned in seven quality starts in eight appearances with the club.
Mauricio Dubón had plenty of praise afterward, saying, “ I remember when he got traded, people were like, ‘What are we doing?’” utilityman Mauricio Dubón told reporters (h/t Mark Bowman of MLB.com).
“ Now he’s one of the best pitchers. He’s been lights out.”
Atlanta still has another checkpoint ahead, but at 90-64 and five games up on the Phillies, the NL East title is within easy reach.
In Colorado, Jose Quintana is lined up to make his Rockies debut on Saturday against the Mariners. The left-hander has been sidelined since May with an elbow sprain, and the club is expected to activate him for the start.
Quintana signed a one-year, $6MM deal to help absorb innings for a young rotation, but injuries have limited him to nine starts overall. Between hamstring and elbow problems, he’s thrown just 41 innings and carries a 5.27 ERA.
In Other News...
Braves Could Put Expensive Core Pieces On The Block This Winter
The Braves have already locked up a postseason spot for the 2026 season, but the bigger question around the clubhouse is what the roster is going to look like once the winter arrives. For a team built around expensive, long-term commitments, this is the kind of stretch that forces front offices to weigh patience against a reset, especially when some of the marquee names have not matched expectations.
Austin Rileys offensive season has fallen short of what Atlanta needs from the middle of the order, while Reynaldo Lopez has been slowed by injuries and uneven results. Spencer Strider has also had to navigate injury and a dip in effectiveness, leaving the Braves with difficult choices about core pieces that once looked untouchable and could now draw real offseason interest. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Got The Rotation Boost They Needed For October
Tyler Mahle gave the Braves exactly the kind of lift they were looking for in a September stretch that is starting to feel like October already. In a 6-2 win over the Astros, the right-hander worked six innings and allowed just one run and three hits, keeping Atlanta in control while the club locked up a postseason berth.
Mahle has settled in quickly since coming over from the Giants, and the timing could not be better for a team still chasing bigger goals. Atlanta leads the National League East and can still clinch the division with games left to play, which makes the current rotation picture even more important as the Braves try to line up their best arms for the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Are Back In October But One Bigger Goal Still Awaits
The Braves are back in the postseason after a 6-2 win over the Astros, a result that clinched their spot in the 2026 playoffs and sent them back to October after last years absence. It is their eighth trip to the postseason in nine years, another reminder of how often this core has kept Atlanta in the national conversation, with Ronald Acua Jr. providing the game-winning home run and a key catch and Matt Olson reaching the 40-homer mark on the night.
Even with the playoff berth secured, the bigger issue now is what comes next for a club that has made October feel routine again. The Braves have proven they can get there, but this stretch of consistency only raises the standard, and the real test is whether this return to the bracket can lead to something deeper than simply another appearance. [Read more 🡒]