August 21st, 2025

⚾ Headlines Around the League

Yankees 6, Rays 4 — Schlittler Flirts With Perfection, Stanton’s Blast Wins It in Extras

Phillies 11, Mariners 2 — Turner’s Five-Hit Day Caps Sweep

Tigers 7, Astros 2 — Morton Tames Old Team as Detroit Completes Sweep

Cubs 4, Brewers 3 — Rookie Shaw Shines at Plate and in the Field

Padres 8, Giants 1 — Tatis’ Robbery and Sheets’ Power Lead the Way

The Phillies are RED HOT. They just swept a Mariners team that’s been one of the best in baseball all year, and it’s yet another reminder that come October, this Phillies squad is going to be a nightmare to deal with.

Playoff baseball usually favors teams that can roll out two to three strong starters and grind out at-bats, and the Phillies check both boxes. Just look at their top three arms from this week’s series against Seattle (and that’s without Zack Wheeler!?).

On top of the pitching, the bats have been relentless. Kyle Schwarber went deep again Wednesday night for his 45th homer of the year, dare I say MVP?

Then you also have Trea Turner playing out of his mind:

Tonight, the spotlight shifts to the Bronx as the Red Sox and Yankees kick off a massive series. Lucas Giolito takes the ball against Luis Gil in what should be a great opener to set the tone.

Enjoy your Thursday and settle in, October baseball is coming fast.

🔥 Notable Performances

Hitting

Pitching

📊 Final Scores and Highlights

Yankees 6, Rays 4

Cam Schlittler retired the first 18 batters he faced in just his seventh MLB start, flirting with perfection before Tampa finally broke through in the 7th. The Rays rallied late to tie it, but Giancarlo Stanton crushed a go-ahead homer in the 10th and Austin Wells followed with his second blast of the night to secure New York’s fifth straight win.

🔑 Key Moments

• Trent Grisham set the tone early with a leadoff homer in the 1st, then Austin Wells added a solo shot in the 5th to make it 2-0.

• Cam Schlittler was flawless through six innings before Chandler Simpson broke up his perfecto with a single to open the 7th. With the bases loaded later in the inning, Luke Weaver struck out Hunter Feduccia to keep it 2-0.

• In the 8th, Trent Grisham went deep again for his second homer of the night, giving New York a 3-0 cushion. The Rays answered with Bob Seymour’s first career homer to cut it to 3-1.

• With the Yanks one strike away in the 9th, Hunter Feduccia delivered a game-tying, two-run double, sending it to extras.

• In the 10th, Giancarlo Stanton unloaded a two-run homer and Austin Wells followed with his second blast, putting the Yankees back in front 6-3.

• Devin Williams slammed the door, striking out the side in the bottom half to close it out.

📊 Notable Stats

Yankees

• Cam Schlittler: 6.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K

• Giancarlo Stanton: 1-1, HR (15), 2 RBI, R (pinch-hit)

• Austin Wells: 2-4, 2 HR (16, 17), 2 RBI, 2 R

• Trent Grisham: 3-5, 2 HR (22, 23), 2 RBI, 2 R

• Devin Williams: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 3 K, Save

Rays

• Hunter Feduccia: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI

• Bob Seymour: 2-4, HR (1), 2 RBI, R

• Junior Caminero: 1-4, R

• Drew Rasmussen: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Phillies 11, Mariners 2

The Phillies closed out one of the most dominant series in franchise history with a blowout win over Seattle, piling up 20 more hits to finish with 48 across the three-game sweep. Trea Turner led the charge with a five-hit day, while Kyle Schwarber launched his NL-leading 45th homer and drove in five runs. On the mound, Jesús Luzardo struck out 12 to complete a run of three straight double-digit strikeout starts for Philly’s rotation — a feat the club had never achieved before in the Modern Era.

🔑 Key Moments

• The Mariners struck first on a Julio Rodríguez homer in the 1st, but the Phillies answered with Trea Turner’s leadoff triple and a Kyle Schwarber sac fly to tie it.

• Bryson Stott’s RBI double in the 2nd gave Philadelphia the lead, and Max Kepler added insurance with a solo homer in the 4th.

• Seattle pulled within one on a Eugenio Suárez blast in the 7th, but the Phillies answered with RBI singles from Stott and Turner to stretch the margin.

• The knockout blow came in the 8th, when Schwarber crushed a two-run homer to push the lead to double digits and secure the sweep.

📊 Notable Stats

Phillies

• Trea Turner: 5-6, 3 R, 2 RBI, 3B, 2 SB

• Kyle Schwarber: 3-5, HR (45), 5 RBI, 2 R

• Bryson Stott: 3-5, 2 RBI, R, 2B, SB

• Max Kepler: 3-5, HR (13), RBI, 2 R

• Jesús Luzardo: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 12 K

Mariners

• Julio Rodríguez: 3-4, HR (25), 2B, R, RBI

• Eugenio Suárez: 1-4, HR (39), RBI, R

• Luis Castillo: 4.0 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Tigers 7, Astros 2

The Tigers erupted for six runs in the opening inning and never looked back, finishing off a three-game sweep of Houston behind Charlie Morton’s steady hand. The 41-year-old righty struck out eight over six strong frames, earning his first win against his former club since 2019.

🔑 Key Moments

• Detroit wasted no time, stringing together hit after hit in the 1st: Andy Ibáñez drove in the first run with a single, Spencer Torkelson followed with an RBI double, and Dillon Dingler broke it open with a booming RBI triple. Javier Báez capped the rally with another RBI single to make it 6-0 before the inning was done.

• The Astros cut into the lead in the 4th on a two-run homer from Mauricio Dubón, but that was all the damage they could muster against Morton.

• From there, the Tigers’ bullpen closed it down with three scoreless innings to seal the sweep over the AL West leaders.

📊 Notable Stats

Tigers

• Charlie Morton: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K (Win)

• Dillon Dingler: 2-4, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2 R

• Spencer Torkelson: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R

• Andy Ibáñez: 1-4, RBI, R

• Javier Báez: 2-3, 2 RBI

Astros

• Mauricio Dubón: 1-4, HR (7), 2 RBI

• Yainer Díaz: 2-3, R

• Framber Valdez: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

Cubs 4, Brewers 3

The Cubs rookie stole the show as Matt Shaw worked an 11-pitch walk to spark a bases-loaded rally in the 3rd, then belted a solo homer in the 8th to give Chicago breathing room. Michael Busch came through with a bases-clearing double in the 3rd, and the Cubs’ bullpen survived a tense 9th to clinch the season series over their division rivals.

🔑 Key Moments

• In the 3rd, Owen Caissie and Dansby Swanson set the table with walks, then Shaw battled through an 11-pitch at-bat to draw another free pass. Busch followed with a line-drive double that cleared the bases, putting Chicago ahead 3-1.

• Shaw flashed his glove in the 6th, charging a bunt and making a barehanded scoop-and-throw to rob a hit and keep the lead intact.

• The rookie struck again in the 8th, blasting a solo homer to left-center for his 11th of the year, extending the cushion to 4-2.

• Milwaukee closed within one in the 9th, loading the bases before Daniel Palencia induced a lineout to end the game and preserve the win.

📊 Notable Stats

Cubs

• Matt Shaw: 1-2, HR (11), 2 R, RBI, BB, highlight-reel defensive play

• Michael Busch: 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI

• Colin Rea: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 3 K (Win)

• Daniel Palencia: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (Save)

Brewers

• Brice Turang: 3-3, RBI, BB, R, 2B

• Christian Yelich: 0-2, 2 R, 2 BB

• Mauricio Dubón: 1-4, 2 RBI HR (7)

• Jacob Misiorowski: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

Padres 8, Giants 1

The Padres rode a night of highlight defense and heavy bats as Fernando Tatis Jr. robbed a home run in the first and Gavin Sheets delivered two long balls to secure a dominant win over San Francisco.

🔑 Key Moments

• In the opening frame, Fernando Tatis Jr. set the tone with a leaping grab to take a homer away from Rafael Devers, keeping the game scoreless. Moments later, he doubled and scored on Ryan O’Hearn’s RBI single to give San Diego the first lead.

• The next inning, Gavin Sheets wasted no time extending it, hammering a solo homer to right that pushed the edge to 2-0.

• The third brought more fireworks — Manny Machado crushed a 425-foot blast, and just a few pitches later Sheets unloaded again, this time a three-run shot that broke it wide open at 6-0.

• San Francisco briefly answered in the fourth when Casey Schmitt got the Giants on the board with a solo homer.

• Any comeback hopes were erased in the seventh, as O’Hearn launched a towering solo blast of his own, restoring the Padres’ commanding cushion.

📊 Notable Stats

Padres

• Gavin Sheets: 2-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI

• Ryan O’Hearn: 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R

• Manny Machado: 1-4, HR, RBI

• Fernando Tatis Jr.: 2-4, 2B, R, HR robbery

• JP Sears: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 K

Giants

• Casey Schmitt: 1-4, HR, RBI

• Heliot Ramos: 1-4, 2B

Other scores around the league:

Pirates 2, Blue Jays 1
J. Oviedo: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6 SO, 1 BB
D. Santana: 1.0 IP, 1 SO

Diamondbacks 3, Guardians 2
B. Pfaadt: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 SO, 1 BB
P. Messick: 6.2 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 6 SO, 1 BB

Marlins 6, Cardinals 2
S. Alcantara: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 9 SO, 1 BB
M. Acosta: 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Nationals 5, Mets 4
B. Lord: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 4 SO, 2 BB
J. Ferrer: 1.0 IP, 1 H

Braves 1, White Sox 0
H. Waldrep: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 7 SO, 1 BB
R. Iglesias: 1.0 IP, 1 SO

Athletics 4, Twins 2
B. Ober: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 7 SO, 1 BB
T. Soderstrom: 2-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Rangers 6, Royals 3
W. Langford: 2-2, 3 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
V. Pasquantino: 2-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Rockies 8, Dodgers 3
T. Gordon: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 SO, 1 BB
H. Goodman: 3-5, 3 RBI

Angels 2, Reds 1
N. Martinez: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 7 SO, 1 BB
Y. Kikuchi: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 4 SO

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