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Today’s Headlines
There’s Always Next Year
We still have a long way to go in 2025, with the best part of the season still to come. However, it is never too early to start getting excited for next season, as evidenced by MLB releasing its 2026 schedule early Tuesday. While you can already browse around your home team’s games and start planning a nice road trip in advance, there are a few general highlights that we can all enjoy in this early reveal. It will all start on March 25, when the Giants host the Yankees in what will become the earliest stateside start ever, while the next day will include a more traditional Opening Day for the rest of the league. There will also be three commemoration days for legends of the game, with Jackie Robinson, Lou Gehrig, and Roberto Clemente days to mark on our calendars. It was also confirmed that the A’s will play a few games in Las Vegas, while both New York teams will face each other in September as a 25-year remembrance of 9/11. If your team is already out of the race, or has been for some time, it is at least nice to know that there is always a next season.
The 2026 regular season schedule just dropped! Here are the dates you need to remember ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wVziSlv62e
— MLB (@MLB) August 26, 2025
Wild, Wild West
After the Dodgers secured a convincing 6-3 win over the Reds in LA, the Padres had to keep pace to remain only one game back in the standings. A truly weird game against the Mariners ensued, as a 7-6 final score was somehow produced despite having only three run-scoring innings in the box score. It all started with the Padres tagging Luis Castillo for five runs in the first inning, punctuated by a Ramón Laureano grand slam that put San Diego in the driver’s seat. Dylan Cease would then cruise through four scoreless frames before running into a buzzsaw, with Seattle hitting its way into a shocking six-run fifth that included two three-run homers (Earl Weaver would be proud), as Randy Arozarena and Eugenio Suárez gave the M’s the lead. Unfazed, the Friars got right back to work, delivering a quick comeback in the next inning, as reliever Caleb Ferguson allowed three hits and two runs to hand the lead to the Padres, who would then deploy their impressive bullpen to secure the win. With 29 games left to play apiece, the Dodgers and Padres will probably continue to deliver plenty of drama in the upcoming weeks.
Ramón Laureano's grand slam helps the @Padres even up the series in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/hFxKmMPncj
— MLB (@MLB) August 27, 2025
Il Gioco di Giancarlo
As a whole, the Yankees may be in disarray for several reasons, as many are questioning just how far they can go in the playoffs. In the meantime, playing the Nationals has proven to be a nice reprieve, with the Bombers taking full advantage of facing one of the worst pitching staffs in the league. In last night’s contest, it was all about Giancarlo Stanton, who has always been able to carry a team on his back when he gets hot. Despite only playing in 51 games so far, with 163 at-bats to his name, the mighty Giancarlo reached his 17th homer of 2025, while also adding a double to drive in all of New York’s five runs in a 5-1 easy victory. Luis Gil earned his second win of the season, dancing around plenty of traffic to limit Washington to one run over five frames. If this version of Stanton carries over to October, we only need to look at last season to see how dangerous the Yankees can become when he is on.
451 FEET!
Giancarlo Stanton has 5 RBI tonight after this moonshot 🫡 pic.twitter.com/upoDVxibF9
— MLB (@MLB) August 27, 2025
Living Legend
Throughout the season, we have learned that nothing should be taken for granted when it comes to Justin Verlander. Even as he pitched decently for a Giants team that started the year in strong fashion, the wins never came for the veteran, needing 17 starts before notching his first W of the season. At the same time, he was able to show flashes of his greatness, notching his 3,500 career K along the way and ultimately showing he is still capable of pitching at the highest level. Last night, the Giants finally gave him some run support to earn his second win of 2025 (and 264th of his HOF career), as the Giants defeated the Cubs by a 5-2 score. Verlander labored through six innings of two-run ball, striking out five. His first K broke the tie he had with Walter Johnson for tenth place all-time, and he will now have a chance to finish the season above Gaylord Perry for #8. Should Verlander continue to pitch in 2026 and beyond, he could end up challenging Bert Blyleven at fifth place, which is simply hard to fathom even in the age of ridiculous strikeout totals.
Justin Verlander passes Walter Johnson for No. 9 on the MLB all-time strikeouts leaderboard 👏 pic.twitter.com/W56NCMzCXY
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 27, 2025
Best Moments From Yesterday
Losing but Winning
The Red Sox beat the Orioles with a convincing 5-0 final score, as Lucas Giolito was dominant (eight strikeouts over eight scoreless innings) and the offense produced timely hits, with Trevor Story and David Hamilton each hitting a homer. Nevertheless, the biggest story of the game came from the losing pitcher. Kyle Bradish, who was brilliant in 2023 but had not played since early 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, was on the mound for Baltimore, making his first MLB start of the season. Even as he allowed those two homers, his return was electric and exciting for the home crowd, limiting the potent Boston offense to four hits and no walks over six innings, capping off his performance with the 10th strikeout on his ledger. If the O’s are to make a quick return to contention next year, a healthy Bradish will be essential to those plans.
Kyle Bradish has 10 strikeouts in his return to the mound for the @Orioles 👏 pic.twitter.com/2CEtt9J8GD
— MLB (@MLB) August 26, 2025
Atlanta Nine Nine
Through eight innings, the Atlanta-Miami battle for third place in the NL East was a pretty competitive and straightforward game. Hurston Waldrep continued his strong season despite an unconventional line (8 hits and a walk in 5.1 innings, with no strikeouts but only one run allowed), while Sandy Alcantara was mostly in vintage form (two runs over seven frames, with seven Ks). It all led to a 2-2 tie entering the ninth, as both teams had a good chance to steal a late win. Instead, Atlanta decided to make a statement in the ninth. Marcell Ozuna led off the frame with a double, immediately followed by a harmless Ozzie Albies pop-up. From there, six consecutive Atlanta hitters reached base, turning the tie into a 7-2 lead that was already out of reach. Undeterred, Albies had a second chance in the inning and made the most of it, belting a three-run homer that put the exclamation point, creating a nine-run frame for the 11-2 final score that is still kinda hard to believe.
It's a 2-homer game for Ozzie Albies and a NINE-run 9th inning for the @Braves! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/kTIYyS9s1R
— MLB (@MLB) August 27, 2025
From Queens to Broadway
The broadcasting trio of Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, and Keith Hernandez is usually considered to be one of the best in the business, able to mix entertainment with deep baseball knowledge. They also manage to be partial to the Mets without playing off like homers for the team, which is a rare feat in locally-televised booths. However, today they got the chance to deliver some of their sillier side, with them tasked to lead “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” While the consensus is that they should probably stick to their day jobs, they at least managed to bring some levity to a critical series for New York, as they would later escape with a 6-5 walk-off win.
Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Citi Field 😂 pic.twitter.com/IflEtPUq4U
— MLB (@MLB) August 27, 2025
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Nathan Eovaldi is likely done for the season, as a rotator cuff strain will put an end to his brilliant 2025. Just a few days after garnering enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, Eovaldi will now probably only receive down-ballot Cy Young votes, while also representing a massive blow to Texas’ dwindling wild card hopes. He had already lost parts of the season due to elbow inflammation, and now will probably see action again until early 2026.
⚾ Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia has been placed on the 15-day IL with a right oblique strain. Despite injuries being almost a rite of passage for any LA hurler, Vesia had avoided the IL altogether in 2025, although with the injury not being arm-related, the team will probably breathe a sigh of relief. In a corresponding move, the Dodgers activated Blake Snell after being placed on the paternity list last weekend.
⚾ Following Monday’s tirade against an umpire, Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras has been issued a six-game suspension. The incident received widespread coverage, as Contreras became unhinged after being ejected, needing to be held back by his manager. He also threw a bat in the process, accidentally hitting his own hitting coach. Contreras will continue to play as he appeals the suspension.
Articles You Should Read
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