Red Sox match 1946 record with 15th consecutive win
Red Sox match 1946 record with 15-game winning streak; Chapman ties saves record.
Event / Sports
MLB 2026 Season
Los Angeles Dodgers baseball season coverage including trades, injuries, and roster moves.
5 reported locations
Daily activity
48 articles3 articles
2026-07-29 to 2026-10-26 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 12 Jun, 01:36 UTC
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What happened
Yordan Alvarez leads American League in major offensive categories in 2026
Yordan Alvarez led the American League in batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.432) and slugging percentage (.601) during the 2026 regular season. The Astros slugger was considered the likely MVP of the American League entering the playoff series.
White Sox used record 31 bullpen games in 2026 regular season
The Chicago White Sox used an opener or bullpen game an MLB-leading 31 times during the 2026 regular season. The club employed this strategy as their primary approach to managing their pitching staff, with only two starts of six innings or longer recorded in September by Sean Burke and David Sandlin. General manager Chris Getz indicated the team would lean toward higher-end two to three-inning outings from relief pitchers rather than traditional starter innings.
A.J. Blubaugh starts for Astros in Wild Card Game 1
Right-hander A.J. Blubaugh started for the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the Wild Card series. In his first full season, Blubaugh compiled a 5-3 record with a 3.66 ERA, 1.229 WHIP and 94 strikeouts in 96.0 innings across 64 relief appearances. As a rookie in 2025, Blubaugh made three starts in 11 total appearances.
Chase Meidroth expected to play in Wild Card Game 1 for White Sox
White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth was expected to be available for Game 1 of the Wild Card series against the Astros, despite dealing with a sore left hamstring. Manager Will Venable indicated Meidroth would not be at 100% but would be close to his normal version following his hamstring injury that limited his availability in the final regular season series.
White Sox bullpen finished 8th in MLB ERA in 2026 regular season
The White Sox bullpen finished 8th in Major League Baseball with a 3.70 ERA during the 2026 regular season, despite leading the league in bullpen innings pitched with 766.0 innings. The Astros relief pitchers finished 17th in ERA at 4.08.
White Sox and Astros both deploy bullpen games in Wild Card series Game 1
The Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros each used a bullpen game strategy for Game 1 of their American League Wild Card Series. Hagen Smith opened for the White Sox and A.J. Blubaugh started for the Astros. The White Sox led MLB in bullpen usage with 766.0 bullpen innings during the 2026 regular season, while the Astros ranked sixth with 662.2 innings. Both teams opted for the unconventional bullpen game format rather than traditional starting pitchers.
Hagen Smith opens Wild Card game for White Sox against Astros
Hagen Smith, a 2026 fifth overall draft pick by the White Sox, started Game 1 of the Wild Card series against the Astros as part of a bullpen game strategy. Smith has been working as a reliever since being called up in August and his three-inning outing in the playoff game represented the longest appearance of his career. The White Sox utilized this strategy as part of their unconventional pitching approach designed to neutralize opposing hitters through unfavorable matchups.
Hagen Smith previously opened game against Pittsburgh in September
Hagen Smith previously opened a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 10, 2026, going 2.0 innings while allowing two hits and no runs with two strikeouts. This marked his second time opening a game in 2026.
White Sox held Yordan Alvarez to .200 batting average in 2026 regular season
Alvarez, the likely American League MVP, went 4-for-20 with a double against the White Sox during the 2026 regular season. The White Sox walked Alvarez at a 27.6% clip across seven games, allowing him to score five runs despite his limited offensive output. The White Sox's bullpen game strategy was partially designed to ensure Alvarez would face left-handed pitchers, given his struggles against left-handed hitters in the matchup.
Cubs pitching staff ranked 10th in ERA among 12 playoff teams in regular season
The Chicago Cubs had one of the worst pitching staffs among playoff teams during the 2026 regular season, with a staff ERA of 4.12 that ranked 10th out of 12 playoff teams. This raised questions about manager Craig Counsell's choice of starter for the postseason.
Matthew Boyd named as Cubs starter for Game 1 of wild-card series vs. Padres
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced left-hander Matthew Boyd as the starting pitcher for Game 1 of the wild-card series against the San Diego Padres. This marks the second consecutive season Boyd starts Game 1 against San Diego. Boyd finished the regular season with a 3.91 ERA in 22 starts, including a 3.28 ERA in his final six starts. He previously started Game 1 last year, allowing one run in 4⅓ innings.
Alex Bregman suffered multiple facial fractures from foul ball
Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman took a foul ball to the face and suffered multiple facial fractures. Manager Craig Counsell indicated uncertainty about whether Bregman would play defensively in Game 1, noting that while the player took ground balls during workouts showing improvement, the facial fractures remained a concern for potential further injury.
Kevin Gausman will pitch during wild-card series despite shoulder injury
Right-hander Kevin Gausman, acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline, sustained a left shoulder injury from a diving tag play but will still pitch during the wild-card series against the Padres. Manager Craig Counsell did not commit to Gausman starting but confirmed he will appear in the series in some capacity.
Shota Imanaga to pitch during Cubs wild-card series
Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga will pitch during the wild-card series against the Padres. Imanaga threw 12 pitches in an inning of work in the team's final preparation game, with manager Craig Counsell confirming his availability though not committing to him as a starter.
Aaron Judge placed on 10-day injured list with right calf strain
New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday after straining his right calf during a game against the Minnesota Twins. The strain was characterized as moderate. Judge injured the calf while preparing to play defense in the outfield during the Wednesday game at Minnesota, with symptoms persisting after the game.
Judge previously missed over three months with stress fracture to right rib
Judge suffered a stress fracture in his right rib earlier in the season, causing him to miss more than two months of play. He returned to the lineup on September 8 after this injury, but has struggled upon his return with limited production before the subsequent calf strain.
Judge's 2026 season statistics show limited games played due to injuries
Through 66 games played in the 2026 season, Judge is batting .241 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs. His limited availability is attributed to significant injury time, including the rib stress fracture and calf strain. The Yankees have compiled a 48-41 record in games Judge has missed and a 41-25 record in games he has played.
Yankees likely to face Boston Red Sox in AL Wild Card Series
The Yankees are projected to face the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the postseason. Boston holds the third-best record in the AL after a midseason surge that led to interim manager Chad Tracy receiving a permanent promotion. This would be a second consecutive wild-card series matchup between the two teams.
Aaron Judge expected to miss AL Wild Card Series due to calf injury
Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that Judge is not expected to be available for the American League Wild Card Series, which is scheduled one week away. Boone stated he is not expecting Judge to play but is not ruling it out entirely, citing typical injury recovery timelines of two to four weeks or four to six weeks. The manager indicated the team may push recovery time slightly given the importance of the postseason if medical clearance permits.
Aaron Judge receives platelet-poor plasma injection for calf strain
Judge received a platelet-poor plasma (PRP) injection on Monday during the Yankees' off-day following their return from Arizona. The injection is designed to address the calf strain, and Judge was expected to avoid significant activity for several days following the procedure.
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2 alternative perspectives
Caglianone advances to All-Star Home Run Derby spotlight
Caglianone selected for 2026 All-Star Home Run Derby competition.
Caglianone joins growing Royals injury list with shoulder soreness
Royals suffer another injury blow as Caglianone exits with shoulder soreness.
Rodriguez sidelined after errant throw as Mariners face mounting injury concerns
Rodriguez exits game after errant throw injury; Mariners face mounting health concerns.
Chisholm powers Yankees past Pirates with two-homer game
Chisholm's two-homer game leads Yankees past Pirates with season-high home scoring.
Giants pitcher Trevor McDonald exits game with undisclosed injury
Giants pitcher Trevor McDonald exits game with undisclosed injury.
Witt exits game with back tightness as Royals navigate injury challenges
All-Star Bobby Witt Jr. exits with back tightness amid Royals' injury crisis.
Red Sox extend winning streak to 12 with comeback victory over Rays
Red Sox win 12th straight, comeback 7-6 over Rays with Abreu's go-ahead homer.
Tigers shut out Angels as Detroit extends winning streak to 11 of 14
Tigers beat Angels 7-0, extending their hot streak as Detroit wins 11 of last 14 games.
Phillies acquire White Sox outfielder Hill amid roster adjustments
Phillies trade for White Sox outfielder Derek Hill to address roster depth amid García's injury.