MLB Player News

Well, this is pretty clear confirmation that no team was especially high on Murakami. The 2022 Central League MVP is just 25 (26 in February) and he’s coming off a season in which he hit .273/.379/.663, but his soaring strikeout rate and questions about his defense scared off much of MLB. The White Sox really have nothing to lose here. They’ll probably plug him in at first base, with Miguel Vargas sticking at third. If he thrives, he’ll be great trade bait in July or potentially a key figure on a team that might be ready to compete in 2027.

McCann briefly gave the Diamondbacks a 4-3 lead with his two-run homer off Walker Buehler, but the Padres ended up scoring the next 10 and holding on for the win. McCann has homered seven times in 52 games with a solid slash of .283/.313/.461. He’s one of the better backup backstops in the sport.

With the win, the Padres have clinched the top Wild Card spot, and they will host the Cubs beginning Tuesday. The Phillies should also be thanking Machado, as that homer means a win over the Rays — or another loss by Arizona — gives them the final playoff spot. Machado clobbered a three-run homer in the fifth inning, and it gives him an even 30 homers and 90 RBI on the season. The .216 average leaves a lot to be desired, but the power is still there for the 34-year-old.

It was a final tune-up for Miller ahead of the Padres’ Wild Card Series against the Cubs beginning Tuesday. He loaded the bases with no outs, and he saw all three runs scored while putting the tying run at the plate before finally getting out of the frame. It’s an ugly outing for the 28-year-old, but Miller’s regular season was still nothing short of dominant with 38 saves and an ERA of 1.67. Obviously, he’ll be counted on heavily for the Padres in the postseason.

Buehler’s final start of the season was shaky at best. He gave up runs in the second and third, and then a two-run homer allowed to James McCann punctuated a disappointing outing for the 32-year-old. It was an up-and-down year for Buehler, but he pitched better over the final few months than his 4.63 ERA suggests. It remains to be seen what role he’ll have for San Diego in the postseason, if any.

Díaz doubled and singled twice in another excellent game in what has been another strong season for the 35-year-old. If he doesn’t play Sunday, he’ll finish 2026 with a .293/.359/.446 slash at the top of the Tampa Bay lineup.

Palacios drove in a run with a double in the second, walked with the bases loaded in the fifth, and singled in a pair an inning later. That gives Palacios 57 RBI on the season, and his slash now sits at .238/.333/.378 with one game left.

Mesa also singled, and he came around to score three times in the blowout win. The 25-year-old has had a solid season at the plate for the Rays, and he’s now the owner of an .825 OPS and 33 RBI; the latter figure more understandable because he’s played in only 78 games in 2026. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of role he has for Tampa Bay in the postseason; he’s earned a look.

Caminero is now up to 42 homers on the season, with this one coming in the first off Aaron Nola in the first inning. The 23-year-old also scored three runs and added a single and walk. He’s now driven in 101 runs, giving him back-to-back triple-digit seasons. SImply put, Caminero has established himself as one of the truly elite power hitters in the game in a very short time.

Nola was tasked with starting essentially a must-win game for the Phillies on two-days rest, and it went poorly. He gave up a two-run homer to Junior Caminero, and an RBI double to Victor Mesa before giving way to the bullpen. Nola’s regular season was another down year for what was once one of the better starters in the National League, and he finishes with a 4.67 ERA in his 175 1/3 innings. Assuming there’s no buyout or trade, he’ll pitch at the back of the Philadelphia rotation in 2027.

The ball from Christian Moore hit him in the bicep area. He seemed to shake it off pretty quickly, but there was no way the Mariners were going to risk letting him continue. Anderson pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the Angels before departing.