Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
He’s earned Hinch’s trust as a stabilizing force behind Skubal.
Charlie Morton, postseason artisan that he is, remains a potentially valuable October piece. He’s won elimination games, closed out World Series clinchers, and, together with 2024 Dodger champion
Jack Flaherty, rounds off a rotation that blends pedigree with poise.
Hinch And Detroit’s Lineage — From Mayo Smith To Sparky
Manager A.J. Hinch, who won his ring in Houston, is the prototypical skilled manager—an ex-catcher adept at handling pitching staffs, sequencing matchups, and earning the trust of his roster. His modern-day savvy recalls another Tigers skipper, Mayo Smith, who in 1968 made one of the boldest tactical moves in postseason history by
shifting center fielder Mickey Stanley to shortstop. That defensive gamble helped Detroit capture the World Series that year. The franchise went on to win again in 1984 under Sparky Anderson, its most recent championship.
A Thread Restored — From Kaline And Lolich To Trammell And Gibson
Those Tiger clubs carried a city through turbulence and into triumph, powered by stars like Al Kaline, Willie Horton, Mickey Lolich, and Bill Freehan in 1968, and later
Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Jack Morris, and Kirk Gibson in 1984. If the 2025 Tigers were to win it all, it wouldn’t just be another title—it would be a reconnection to that lineage. A thread restored between generations, linking the resilience of the past to a team trying to carve its own place in Detroit’s baseball history.
Texas Rangers Wild Card Push
If The Arms Hold — Texas Can Shock
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom throws to the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Jacob deGrom has endured, having delivered over 140 innings—his most since 2019. If he can ride it out, mix in a resurgent Patrick Corbin, rookie Jack Leiter boasting a 2.84 ERA post-All-Star break (fourth-best WAR among AL pitchers), and if Nathan Eovaldi returns and dominates, it is conceivable that—as they did in 2023, making it in by their fingertips, shepherded by four-time World Series champion manager Bruce Bochy—the Rangers could take the entire AL again by surprise. If Corey Seager returns from his August 28 appendectomy and they get in, look out.
The
Red Sox, can you believe it, are right there—tied with the
Yankees entering play on September 11. It’s a shame that the phlegmatic
21-year-old rookie Roman Anthony is still out with a Grade 2 oblique strain. Timeline: 4-6 weeks. His poise and execution recall to mind another Red Sox legend and USC Trojan, Fred Lynn, who 50 years ago was both AL Rookie of the Year and MVP, helping lead Boston to that epic World Series against the Big Red Machine. Roman’s power numbers and OPS (.859) suggest a proportional resemblance to Lynn’s (.967), though over fewer games and plate appearances. That said, a full season might not have sustained the pace—but the echoes are there.
Arms Growing Up Fast — Crochet, Giolito, Bello, & May
Boston’s youth movement is ahead of schedule.
Garrett Crochet has been phenomenal as the staff ace, now 15–5 with a 2.57 ERA and 228 strikeouts, leading MLB in Ks. If
Lucas Giolito can stay healthy, with
Brayan Bello and
Dustin May remembering themselves after injury-plagued seasons, they could do damage.
Aroldis Chapman, reborn and re-upped, is a menacing power, closer—rekindling echoes of another great Cuban, Luis Tiant. Although one was a legendary starter with a different style—his memorable number visible mid-twist, back turned to the batter in that unforgettable corkscrew windup—and the other a late-inning intimidator, both summoned fear from the mound with theatrical command.
Chapman is replicating the mastery that
earned Billy Wagner his Cooperstown induction this summer. Like Wagner, who didn’t tail off but dominated into retirement, Chapman appears to be writing a similar late-career chapter—one of precision, intimidation, and postseason readiness.
Why Boston Over New York — Cora’s Edge, Defense Still a Question
One reason I give Boston the edge over the Yankees begins with their manager—
Alex Cora, a World Series champion who manages from the gut.
Boone, by contrast, often appears temperamental and tethered to the analytics crowd. Cora is a strategist; Boone a technician. But defensively, neither club inspires October confidence. Boston ranks last in MLB in fielding percentage (.980) and has committed a league-high 105 errors. The Yankees sit in the bottom third with a .984 FPCT and 83 errors. More troubling, however, is New York’s inability to produce against elite pitching—a postseason red flag. Against the league’s top 20 starting pitchers, the Yankees hit just .217, post a .638 OPS, strike out at a 27.6% clip, and average only 2.8 runs per game.
Fenway Weekend And The Psychology Of A Rivalry
Boston Red Sox’s Trevor Story celebrates after his home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
Boston has already proven it. Heading into this weekend, the Red Sox hold a commanding 7–1 lead in the season series against the Yankees, winning both home and away, outscoring them by double digits, and controlling the tempo. They’ve already clinched the season series. That kind of dominance isn’t just a stat line—it’s a psychological wedge. But the final chapter hasn’t been written. They meet again this weekend at Fenway, September 12–14, in a series that may carry not just wild-card weight, but divisional implications if Toronto fades. And if either club dominates, it could be a jab in the arm heading into a potential October rematch. Boston won’t be hoping to win. They’ll be expecting to. But expectation cuts both ways.
Chapman Changes The Ninth In Boston
And if it comes down to the ninth inning, Boston holds the upper hand—with a closer the Yankees discarded.
Chapman has been lights-out in 2025: 29 saves, a 0.98 ERA, 81 strikeouts in 55 innings, and a 14⅔-inning hitless streak—the longest in MLB since 1901. He’s recorded clean saves against New York’s biggest bats and anchors a bullpen that’s outclassed its Bronx counterpart. His ERA against the Yankees hovers near 1.10, and he’s neutralized
Judge, Bellinger, and Stanton with ease. In October, that kind of late-inning certainty is gold. Meanwhile, the Yankees’ bullpen has been a liability—Devin Williams, once heralded as the answer, has disappointed, and the rest are unreliable.
Most ironic? Williams was the catalyst behind the Yankees breaking their
decades-old facial hair policy—a move once unthinkable under Steinbrenner. And for their pains, they’ve inherited inconsistency in place of dominance.
Yankees Legacy Meets Modern Drought
The Yankees once marked time by titles. In the 20th century, they won at least one World Series in every decade except the 1980s—a rhythm unmatched in professional sport. But in the 21st century, the cadence has broken. Since 2000, the Yankees have won just one World Series—2009. One ring in 25 years isn’t a dynasty. It’s a memory. And in 2025, more’s the pity, that memory remains unrefreshed.
Los Angeles Dodgers Rotation Ready — Bullpen Uncertain
As for the National League, the Dodgers—despite attrition and perhaps malaise—still hold a slim margin in the West. Their October-ready rotation is rounding into form. Clayton Kershaw has enjoyed a renaissance season (10–2, 3.27 ERA, nearly 100 innings, 1.16 WHIP). Shohei Ohtani has nearly found his pitching groove.
Blake Snell is back,
Tyler Glasnow is coming into his own, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto—
one out away from a no-hitter last week—has turned in a 2.72 ERA with 177 strikeouts.
A Closer Idea For October
But the real Dodger blues has been the bullpen—ranked 19th in MLB with a 4.16 ERA and just a 62.7% save conversion rate.
Tanner Scott has been
erratic (20 saves, 8 blown), and the alternatives—Treinen, Yates, Vesia—have offered no clarity. I would have tried Ohtani as closer these last two months: fewer pitches, elite repertoire, and the makeup to handle the moment. I arrived at this idea independently, though Nomar Garciaparra and Jerry Hairston Jr. have since floated similar notions. That is the differential in the strategic logic behind it. My proposal isn’t borrowed—it’s aligned.
San Diego Padres Window And Injuries
The Padres have not been able to best their neighbors and the defending champs up the 5 freeway. But they are missing two rotation arms—Michael King (left knee inflammation, expected to return this week) and Joe Musgrove (Tommy John). Jason Adam ruptured his left quadriceps and is out for the season. Xander Bogaerts may return for the playoffs after suffering a non-displaced foot fracture on August 27. If ever they have a chance to adhere to their faithful’s chant of “Beat LA,” even with these losses, now is the time.
Chicago Cubs Stop And Go Offense
The Cubs, meanwhile, have gone 24–23 since the All-Star break, with a run differential of –2. They’ve scored 4.06 runs per game and yielded 4.11. Very streaky. Inconsistent, no sustained winning runs, frequent 1–2 game swings. Kyle Tucker, playing for a massive contract, was placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to Sept. 6) with a strained left calf. His updated numbers—.270 AVG, .381 OBP, .472 SLG, .853 OPS, 22 HR, 73 RBI—remain respectable, but not seismic. In this era of engineered offense, Tucker was expected to deliver more.
Cubs Rotation And Bullpen Reality
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s magical arc has dimmed since July peaks. His OBP sits at .294, and his OPS has leveled at .786. His chase rate remains unchanged at 42.1%—bottom 2% in MLB. His August slash line (.160 / .216 / .230 / .446) wasn’t a slump but a full regression. Yet he remains a near 30–30 player with elite defensive value and 6.4 WAR. Seiya Suzuki has also faded. His season OPS sits at .782, but over his last 30 games, it’s dipped to .690. The on-base remains intact, but the power has softened.
The rotation is middle-tier: Matthew Boyd,
Shōta Imanaga, and Cade Horton can hold their own. Daniel Palencia has delivered as a closer, converting 22 of 28 save chances with a 3.00 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 51 innings. But after a blown save on September 7 and a bout of shoulder tightness, his status is uncertain. The Cubs lack rhythm—24–23 since the break, a –2 run differential, and no sustained winning stretch. The postseason may not be enough to spark a turnaround.
Milwaukee Brewers Built For October
Up I-94, Wisconsin is winning the season. On NFL Opening Kickoff Sunday, the Green Bay Packers sent a message to the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. Their new acquisition, Micah Parsons, made his presence felt across 30 snaps—altering Jared Goff’s passing lanes, forcing one into an interception, and finishing with a classic chase-down sack, his first as a Packer. That timestamped performance echoed the tone of Wisconsin’s other major league contender: the Brewers, who have been sacking MLB all season, boasting the best record in the sport.
And for Old Milwaukee, this isn’t just a dominant campaign—it’s a chance at redemption. Their only World Series appearance came in 1982, a seven-game classic against the St. Louis Cardinals that ended in heartbreak. That team, led by Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Rollie Fingers, captured the city’s imagination but fell just short. Now, more than four decades later, Milwaukee has a chance to finish what that generation started—perhaps even against another Midwestern club. The ghosts of ’82 still linger, but this roster is built to exorcise them.
Brewers Running Game And Timely Bats
Brewers Defense And Run Prevention
Defensively, the Brewers rank top 10 in MLB by nearly every measure. They’ve committed 64 errors—still among the fewest in baseball—and rank sixth in fielding percentage at .988. They also boast a +38 Defensive Runs Saved, underscoring their positional precision and run prevention. Joey Ortiz, the club’s everyday shortstop, ranks in the 98th percentile in range (12 Outs Above Average), with elite footwork and an 83.9 mph arm. His glove is smooth, his instincts sharper. Jackson Chourio, patrolling center field, ranks in the 86th percentile in range and 63rd in arm strength (86.2 mph), with a sprint speed in the 93rd percentile—he doesn’t just cover ground, he erases it. Behind the plate, William Contreras ranks top 10 in pitch framing and has thrown out 42% of attempted base stealers, controlling the run game with precision and poise. They are a run-saving machine—positionally sound, instinctively sharp, and postseason-ready.
Brewers Arms — October Roles
Pitching ranks second in MLB by ERA (3.63) and remains in the top three in strikeouts and WHIP. Freddy Peralta is the ace—16–5 with a 2.50 ERA, 176 strikeouts, and a 1.07 WHIP over 158.2 innings.
Brandon Woodruff, back from injury, has shown flashes of dominance—striking out 34 batters over his last five starts. Though his ERA sits at 4.00 across 27 innings, the stuff is electric, and the command is rounding into form. Quinn Priester is a legitimate No. 3, now 12–2 with a 3.25 ERA and 113 Ks over 141.1 innings.
Jacob Misiorowski, armed with a 100+ mph blazer and 94.2 mph dazzling slider, has struck out 77 in 55 innings across 12 starts. He may be deployed in October as the Rays once used David Price in 2008—a matchup weapon, long reliever, or late-inning scalpel. Manager Pat Murphy has options, and he’s earned the trust to wield them.
Trevor Megill, with 30 saves and a 2.54 ERA, remains on the IL with a Grade 1 flexor strain, eligible to return September 9. Milwaukee hasn’t missed a beat and has made everyone forget about Devin Williams. Abner Uribe has stepped in with power and poise, collecting five saves and posting a 1.84 ERA with 81 strikeouts over 68.1 innings. Jared Koenig (3.26 ERA, 65 outings) and Aaron Ashby (2.56 ERA, 56 1/3 IP) have reinforced a bullpen that remains deep, versatile, and postseason-ready.
Philadelphia Phillies — Heavy At The Top
And of course, the Phillies. This might be their last-chance saloon. Kyle Schwarber is a pending free agent. He’ll likely finish with well over 50 homers, but he’s feast-or-famine. To his credit, he takes walks and presents selective aggression. His .924 OPS vs. righties is impressive, though just below his .926 overall. The Phillies are top-heavy. If Schwarber, Harper, and Turner aren’t producing, they’re vulnerable. Not a great defensive team, though Harrison Bader now patrols center field and Brandon Marsh is serviceable in left.
Pitching Without Wheeler — Duran Stabilizes The Ninth
Jhoan Duran, acquired midseason, has 28 saves and a 1.86 ERA—finally giving the Phillies a ninth-inning anchor. His 70 strikeouts over 63 innings, paired with a 1.11 WHIP and 3.9 BB/9, reflect both power and volatility, but he’s been the stabilizer they lacked. Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, and Ranger Suárez form a quality triad. But Zack Wheeler is out for the season, and Aaron Nola—despite throwing a doozy the other day—still carries a 6.24 ERA. If Philadelphia is to make a deep run, it likely hinges on Nola rediscovering his confidence and command. They may win the East, but their offense can be pitched to, and their rotation—young, uneven, and now missing its ace—may not weather three playoff rounds without a vintage Nola.
New York Mets Close But Not Quite
The Mets are close, but not quite. As of Thursday, September 11, they’ve dropped five straight. Juan Soto’s power numbers are there—12 HR, 33 RBI since August 1, .287 AVG, .409 OBP, .534 SLG—but not MVP-level. His .921 OPS and top-10 walk rate don’t justify the King’s ransom Steve Cohen is paying. And yet, if Soto delivers in October—if he anchors a postseason run, flips a series, or stamps a moment—it will prove two things: that the regular season no longer carries the weight it once did, and that at least a portion of that massive check paid dividends when it mattered most. Mark Vientos, moved to the 3-hole, is producing (.276 AVG, 10 HR, 29 RBI over the last 42 games). Francisco Álvarez is back from injury (5 HR, 15 RBI, .359 OBP, .507 SLG, .866 OPS over the last 27 games). But Pete Alonso is batting just .213 with runners in scoring position, and Francisco Lindor’s production has not been transcendent. Since the All-Star break, Lindor is hitting .265 with 11 home runs and a .791 OPS—respectable, but not catalytic. If Alonso and Lindor don’t get going, the Mets won’t be a true NL pennant contender. Soto can anchor, Vientos can surge, Álvarez can steady—but without their core stars producing in October, the ceiling lowers.
Rookie Rotation — McLean, Tong, Sproat
The rookie rotation trio—Nolan McLean (4–1, 1.42 ERA, 0.95 WHIP), Jonah Tong (1.18 WHIP, funky delivery), and Brandon Sproat (97 mph fastball, five-pitch mix, 1.17 WHIP)—is promising but untested. If they fulfill their potential, maybe the echoes of Gooden, Darling, and Fernandez from the 1986 Mets will be unmistakable. That trio carried the franchise to its second—and still most recent—World Series title, now approaching its 40th anniversary.
Remembering Davey Johnson
Poignantly, the man who managed that run from the dugout, Davey Johnson, passed away on September 6, 2025, at age 82. While it was Frank Cashen who orchestrated the roster, it was Davey who conducted the clubhouse—bench boss, strategist, and players’ manager.
A fine ballplayer himself, Johnson understood rhythm, trust, and timing. In my interview with Doc Gooden, he called Davey his “second father.”
That sentiment wasn’t metaphor—it was marrow. Johnson empowered young stars while maintaining excellence, transforming the Mets into champions. If this new rotation delivers, it won’t just be a statistical revival—it’ll be a spiritual one.
Kodai Senga is in Triple-A rebuilding mechanics. Tyler Megill is on the IL. Clay Holmes is showing signs of fatigue. Defensively, the Mets rank 10th in MLB with a .987 fielding percentage—solid, if not spectacular. Lindor remains elite at short, Álvarez is a standout behind the plate, and Tyrone Taylor covers ground in center.
Title: METS-YANKEES
Image ID: 25137736545722
Article: El lanzador de los Mets de Nueva York Edwin Díaz reacciona al ponchar a Aaron Judge de los Yankees de Nueva York en la novena entrada el sábado 17 de mayo del 2025. (AP Foto/Noah K. Murray)
They’re better than the Yankees in this area, but not quite in the Royals-Rangers tier. Edwin Díaz’s slider is back—14.8 K/9, with a 1.83 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over 54 innings.
Mets Call Up No 5 Prospect Brandon Sproat For Debut and Kodai Senga Agrees To Demotion
Defense And The Díaz Bridge
The bridge to Díaz is sturdy in name, but not without cracks: Ryan Stanek owns a 5.36 ERA and 1.65 WHIP over 48 innings, with six blown saves and a recent outing (September 6) where he allowed two earned runs in a third of an inning. A.J. Minter, before landing on the 60-day IL, posted a 1.64 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 11 innings, but his availability remains uncertain. The bullpen ERA of 3.97 ranks 13th in MLB—respectable, but not dominant. If Díaz is to close games in October, the Mets must first find a way to get him the ball with a lead.
Early September Postseason Projections
American League
Wild Card Series
(3) Houston Astros vs. (6) Seattle Mariners
(4) New York Yankees vs. (5) Boston Red Sox
Division Series
(1) Detroit Tigers vs. Red Sox
(2) Toronto Blue Jays vs. Astros
ALCS
Tigers over Astros
American League Champion
Detroit Tigers
National League
Wild Card Series
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers vs. (6) New York Mets
(4) Chicago Cubs vs. (5) San Diego Padres
Division Series
(1) Milwaukee Brewers vs. Padres
(2) Philadelphia Phillies vs. Dodgers
NLCS
Brewers over Dodgers
National League Champion
Milwaukee Brewers
World Series Pick
Milwaukee Brewers over Detroit Tigers
The Brewers win it all—their franchise’s first World Championship. And how fitting it would be—not just for baseball’s cadence, but for the Midwestern heartland. In an era so often defined by bicoastal dominance and algorithmic spotlight, let Wisconsin rejoice. Let the center of the country, too often overlooked, claim its October—even if the coronation comes in November.
And if the Packers build on that momentum and return the Lombardi Trophy to Title Town, then 2025 won’t just be a season of success. It’ll be a year—stretching into the next—when Wisconsin stood tallest: on the diamond, on the gridiron, and in the rhythm of sport itself. Spoken, no less, by a Yankees-and-Giants man.
