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Don Mattingly To Manage Phillies For Two More Years
The Philadelphia Phillies have announced a new two-year deal for former interim manager Don Mattingly to manage the team in 2027 and 2028, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Phillies bowed out of the playoffs this year in the National League wild-card series against the Atlanta Braves, although they did come back to force a decisive Game 3. The Phillies will look to Mattingly to help them break through in the playoffs, as the team is largely talented both hitting-wise and on the mound.
Source: Mark Feinsand, MLB.com
Source: Mark Feinsand, MLB.com
Joe Espada Set to Interview for Mariners Manager Job
The Seattle Mariners are set to interview current Houston Astros manager Joe Espada for their managerial vacancy, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. While Espada is currently employed by Houston, Rome reports that his future with the organization is "in doubt" as his contract expires at the end of October. Espada has been the manager of the Astros since the start of the 2024 season. Houston has reached the playoffs twice under his watch, but they've failed to win a postseason game and have also seen their regular-season record get worse every year. The Mariners parted ways with former manager Dan Wilson shortly after the conclusion of the 2026 season. Seattle won just 76 games this year, but the team has plenty of returning talent. If Espada gets the Mariners job, he will be under pressure to win immediately in Seattle.
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
William Contreras Ignites Brewers Offense in Game 2 Win
Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras continued to be a star offensively for the Brew Crew in the team's Game 2 win over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series on Monday. Contreras went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, three RBI, and a walk to help Milwaukee take a commanding 2-0 series lead, with the teams heading to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Wednesday. The 28-year-old Venezuelan backstop continues to be one of the best all-around catchers in the game, and he is showing the world this postseason. The three-time All-Star hit .270/.341/.417 with a .758 OPS, 18 home runs, a career-high 94 RBI, 82 runs scored, and a stolen base in 147 games and 640 plate appearances during the regular season. Contreras has been even better in the playoffs, going 9-for-23 (.391) with three home runs, five RBI, four runs scored, and four walks in six games against the Dodgers and San Diego Padres. He will look to keep it up in Game 3 in L.A. on Wednesday as the Brewers look to put a stranglehold on the Dodgers in the series.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jason Schiavone Could be Promoted Early in 2027
Houston Astros catcher/first base prospect Jason Schiavone could find his way onto the major-league roster early in 2027, multiple sources within the organization told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Schiavone, an 11th-rounder in 2024, put himself in the conversation by becoming the first minor-league catcher in 45 years to have a 30-30 season. The 23-year-old had a .922 OPS over 540 plate appearances in a season that ended with a nine-game cameo at Triple-A Sugar Land. He saw playing time at first base in 2026, but team officials insist he will be a catcher, and when he arrives, it will prompt questions about Yainer Diaz's future in Houston. Diaz is the everyday catcher and is under club control for two more seasons. Schiavone is considered the Astros' No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but he has plenty of areas of his game to refine, including his swing-and-miss tendencies. Schiavone struck out 32% of the time last year, so fantasy managers looking to stash him in keeper leagues will probably need to be patient.
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Taylor Smith a Top Candidate For Head of Baseball Ops With A's
ESPN Baseball Insider Jeff Passan reports that Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Taylor Smith is considered the top candidate to become the head of baseball operations for the A's. According to Passan, another finalist for the job, Cardinals assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio is expected to stay with St. Louis. Passan previously reported that Sam Fuld, the former general manager of the Phillies, was offered the A's job but will remain in the Philadelphia organization.
Source: Jeff Passan
Source: Jeff Passan
MLB Proposes Shortening Regular Season, Tweaking Playoffs
Major League Baseball proposed cutting the regular-season schedule from 162 games to 154 games on Thursday in a bargaining session with the MLB Players Association, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Higher seeds in the playoffs getting to choose their opponents and the Division Series expanding to seven games were also part of the league's proposal. MLB is proposing a return to a 154-game schedule, starting in 2029, for the first time since the 1960s. The existing collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the Players Association is set to expire on Dec. 1, and a potential lockout could be on the horizon in 2027, which could delay the start of the regular season. The new MLB proposals will be contingent on the MLBPA accepting a salary-cap/floor system. Essentially, the league would be trimming eight regular-season games from each team's schedule while adding up to eight more postseason games total.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Cal Raleigh Undergoes Left-Shoulder Surgery
The Seattle Mariners announced that catcher Cal Raleigh (shoulder) underwent left-shoulder surgery on Saturday. Raleigh is expected to be fully recovered in time for the start of 2027 Spring Training. After finishing second in the American League MVP vote in 2025, Raleigh's numbers crashed back down to earth in 2026. Across 530 plate appearances, the 29-year-old hit .182/.296/.368 with 23 home runs, 69 RBI, 49 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Raleigh spent time on the injured list during the year due to an oblique strain, and it appears he may have been battling a shoulder ailment for some or most of the season as well. As long as Raleigh can recover on schedule, he could be in line for a bounce-back season with improved health in 2027.
Source: Seattle Mariners
Source: Seattle Mariners
Austin Wells an Unlikely Hero in Game 1 of AL Wild-Card Series
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells played a surprisingly key role in his team's 9-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, going 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, two RBI, and a run scored. The 27-year-old had a down year at the plate in 2026, hitting .182/.292/.332 with 14 home runs, 32 RBI, 39 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 388 plate appearances. Wells' barrel rate dropped to a career-low 7.7%, while his strikeout rate increased to a career-worst 26.5%. However, Wells was significantly better in the second half of the season than he was in the first, hitting .229 with a 14.3% walk rate, .787 OPS, and eight home runs across 140 plate appearances after the All-Star break. If Wells can continue to provide solid production at the bottom of the Yankees lineup, he could be an X-factor for New York in the postseason.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Gabriel Moreno Expected to DH on Saturday Due to Hamstring Injury
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that catcher Gabriel Moreno (hamstring) left Friday night's win over the division-rival San Diego Padres with a tender left hamstring, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The skipper expects Moreno to be in the starting lineup on Saturday night at Petco Park as the designated hitter. The D-backs will call up a catcher to have another backup just in case. Outfielder Jesus Sanchez was designated for assignment to open up a spot on the roster. In the Snakes' 11-4 victory on Friday night, Moreno went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk before being replaced behind the dish by James McCann. The D-backs can ill-afford to lose their starting catcher with just two games remaining in the regular season, as the Venezuelan backstop is hitting over .300 on the year with 16 home runs. Arizona enters play on Saturday just one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the final wild-card spot in the National League with two games left to play.
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Josue Briceno Completes Injury-Plagued Season at Toledo
Detroit Tigers catcher prospect Josue Briceno overcame wrist surgery and battled a late ankle injury in what was an injury-plagued age 22 minor league season. Briceno combined between four minor-league levels in 2026 to combine for a .250 batting average with nine homers and 29 RBI and 23 runs in 42 total games. Briceno played 15 games at Triple-A Toledo and hit just .196 in a very small sample size. He hit .297 in 17 games at Double-A Erie prior to his call up to Toledo. Briceno is the No. 4 prospect of the Tigers and has a 50-grade hit tool with 60-grade power. The catcher position is in good shape in Detroit with All-Star Dillon Dingler and Eduardo Valencia. Briceno is a power bat with limited speed that could potentially shift to first base or find a spot at DH if needed, but he is still a big part of the future plans for Tigers brass and could make a 2027 debut.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Dillon Dingler's Power Has Faded Down the Stretch of 2026
Across 598 plate appearances in 2026, Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler is hitting .244/.304/.450 with 27 home runs, 89 RBI, and 71 runs scored. Overall, the 28-year-old has been one of the better power hitters and run producers at the catcher position in MLB this year. Dingler's strikeout rate is manageable at 22.9%, and he's posted solid barrel (10.0%) and hard-hit (42.7%) rates. However, Dingler's production has slowed down considerably in the second half of the season. After hitting just .173 across 113 plate appearances in August, Dingler has hit .203 with just one home run across his first 63 trips to the plate in September. Entering the final weekend of the regular season, fantasy managers may want to consider going away from Dingler.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Samuel Basallo Finishes Season on Injured List
The Baltimore Orioles announced on Wednesday that they placed catcher Samuel Basallo (concussion) on the seven-day concussion injured list (retroactive to Sept. 22) and recalled outfielder Heston Kjerstad from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. Basallo took a foul tip off his catcher's mask in Monday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays and was pulled from the game to undergo concussion testing. The 22-year-old Dominican backstop will finish his first full season in the majors with a .222/.291/.406 slash line with a .696 OPS, 18 home runs, 54 RBI, and 40 runs scored across 112 games and 399 plate appearances. Most of the damage that Basallo did came in the first half, as he also dealt with a shoulder injury in the second half and hit just .140 (12-for-86) with a .456 OPS in 29 games since the All-Star break. The Orioles showed their trust in Basallo at this year's trade deadline by sending former first overall pick Adley Rutschman to the division-rival Boston Red Sox. If healthy in 2027, Basallo has the skills to be one of the better power-hitting catchers in the big leagues.
Source: Baltimore Orioles
Source: Baltimore Orioles
Andy Green Becomes Full-Time Manager, Agrees to Three-Year Contract
In a surprise move, the New York Mets announced on Tuesday that they agreed to a three-year contract with Andy Green to make him their full-time manager. The Mets have elected to remove Green's interim tag, and he will now be with the team through the 2029 season. Since taking over for previous manager Carlos Mendoza at the end of June, the Mets have gone 37-38. "Andy has connected with and pushed our players to perform, despite the disappointment of the season," owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. "Over the last several months, he has brought discipline, accountability and positivity to the clubhouse, attributes we were seeking in our next manager." Green was previously the Mets' vice president of player development before becoming the interim manager in New York. He managed the San Diego Padres for almost four seasons from 2016 to 2019 and went 274-366.
Source: New York Mets
Source: New York Mets
Blue Jays-Orioles Game Postponed on Tuesday
The game on Tuesday night between the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards has been postponed due to ongoing inclement weather, according to the Orioles. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Tuesday's scheduled starters, right-hander Max Scherzer for the Blue Jays and right-hander Chris Bassitt for the Orioles, will both likely be pushed back to one of Wednesday's contests. Bassitt has gone 8-5 this year with a 4.64 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, but he has pitched better since returning from back surgery in mid-August, posting a 3.76 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 15 walks in seven starts. Like Bassitt, Scherzer has been better since returning in July from back and thumb injuries, recording a 4.26 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 40:20 K:BB in 50 2/3 innings. Overall in 2026, the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer has a bloated 6.07 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with only 54 punchouts in 72 2/3 frames across 16 starts.
Source: Baltimore Orioles
Source: Baltimore Orioles
Chad Tracy Becomes Full-Time Manager, Lands Three-Year Contract
The Boston Red Sox named Chad Tracy as their full-time manager on Tuesday by signing him to a three-year contract with a club option for the 2030 season, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. The Red Sox also announced that they exercised chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's 2029 and 2030 options. Tracy is the 49th manager in Red Sox history after taking over on April 25 when Breslow fired Alex Cora. Boston was 10-17 at that point. With Tracy as the skipper, Boston has gone 74-55 and clinched a spot in the 2026 playoffs on Sunday. Tracy started 32-46 as the team entered play on June 25, but they turned in a 20-3 stretch that vaulted them into wild-card position. That insane stretch included 15 straight wins from July 3 through July 22, which tied for the longest win streak in club history. The Red Sox are currently in possession of the second American League wild-card spot and are likely to face the division-rival New York Yankees in the AL wild-card round for the second straight season at Yankee Stadium.
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
