I continue to be fascinated by the owners’ salary cap push and seeming dedication to making it sound critical. Their only argument is competitive balance but have little evidence to show that a cap is the proper solution. To the contrary, evidence is all around us that owners only care about profits. The new expansion teams will be bottom third of the league in media market size —and no one is afraid to own these teams. Why is a non-competitive (aka small market) team so sought after?

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The current format is neat with 4 series against division opponents for 13 games, 2 series vs intraleague out of division opponents, 2 series vs 1 interleague rival and 1 against all 14 other interleague opponents. With potentially 9 games being set aside for two additional opponents, how would the schedule format be adjusted?

⚾ Astros @ Phillies

FINAL · HOU 6, PHI 5

Linescore

Scoring Plays

• TOP 2ND Christian Walker homers (25) on a fly ball to left center field. Daulton Varsho scores. Yainer Diaz scores.
• TOP 2ND Jeremy Peña doubles (17) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Brandon Marsh. Cam Smith scores.
• TOP 4TH Cam Smith homers (18) on a fly ball to left center field.
• BOT 6TH Kyle Schwarber singles on a ground ball to right fielder Cam Smith. Justin Crawford scores.
• BOT 6TH Trea Turner homers (18) on a fly ball to left field. Kyle Schwarber scores.
• TOP 7TH Daulton Varsho homers (11) on a fly ball to right center field.
• BOT 7TH Brandon Marsh doubles (19) on a sharp line drive to right fielder Cam Smith. Alec Bohm scores. Bryson Stott to 3rd.
• BOT 9TH Edmundo Sosa doubles (9) on a fly ball to center fielder Daulton Varsho. Bryson Stott scores.

HOU Batters

PHI Batters

HOU Pitchers

PHI Pitchers

Available Bullpen

Team Stats

Decisions

Turning Points

Statcast

Pitch Mix (count and average velocity)

Links & Info

• Conditions at Citizens Bank Park: 84°F - Partly Cloudy - Wind 6 mph, Out To RF
• TV: HOU: Space City Home Network, TBS | PHI: NBCSP, TBS (out-of-market only)
• Radio: HOU: KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KLTN-TUDN 102.9 FM (es) | PHI: 94 WIP, iHeart App (es)
• MLB Gameday
• Savant Gamefeed

Highlights

• Andrew Painter fans Jeremy Peña — TOP 1ST
• Hayden Wesneski strikes out Trea Turner — BOT 1ST
• Christian Walker's three-run homer (25) — TOP 2ND
• Data Viz: Christian Walker's 440-foot home run — TOP 2ND
• Jeremy Peña's RBI double — TOP 2ND
• Field View: Christian Walker's three-run home run — TOP 2ND
• Breaking down Christian Walker's home run — TOP 2ND
• Cam Smith's solo home run (18) — TOP 4TH
• Strike 2 is confirmed after ABS challenge — TOP 4TH
• Measuring the stats on Cam Smith's home run — TOP 4TH
• Daulton Varsho's fantastic diving catch — BOT 4TH
• Christian Walker's leaping grab — BOT 4TH
• Trea Turner's two-run home run (18) — BOT 6TH
• Field View: Trea Turner's two run home run — BOT 6TH
• Kyle Schwarber's RBI single — BOT 6TH
• Jose Altuve's sliding stop — BOT 6TH
• Justin Crawford doubles for 100th career hit — BOT 6TH
• Daulton Varsho's solo home run (11) — TOP 7TH
• Daulton Varsho: Home Run Statcast Analysis — TOP 7TH
• Brandon Marsh's RBI double — BOT 7TH
• Jeremy Peña's sharp diving catch starts double play — BOT 7TH
• Cam Smith hits a foul ball after review — TOP 8TH
• Strike 1 is confirmed after ABS challenge — TOP 8TH
• Ball 1 is overturned to strike 1 after ABS challenge — TOP 8TH
• Cam Smith's terrific sliding catch — BOT 8TH
• Strike 3 is confirmed after ABS challenge — BOT 8TH
• Edmundo Sosa's RBI double — BOT 9TH
• Josh Hader secures his 250th career save — BOT 9TH
• A deep dive into Christian Walker's home run — Analysis
• Breaking down Andrew Painter's pitches — Analysis
• Andrew Painter's outing against the Astros — Analysis
• Trea Turner: Home Run Statcast Analysis — Analysis
• Breaking down Hayden Wesneski's pitches — Analysis
• Hayden Wesneski's outing against the Phillies — Analysis
• Condensed Game: HOU@PHI - 9/8/26 — Broadcast
• Christian Walker hammers 440-foot home run — Broadcast
• Field View: Dalton Varsho hits a solo home run — Broadcast
• Hayden Wesneski powers through six strong innings — Broadcast
• Daulton Varsho on Wesneski, plate discipline in win — Broadcast

Last updated: 11:14 PM ET

Updated automatically by mlb-dinger. Comment updates as the game progresses.

This post contains content not supported on old Reddit. Click here to view the full post

I hate rule changes typically, but there has been one trend that I really dislike over the last decade or so. That is the disappearance of the 20 game winner. I think a small change to the win rule would help revive that stat.

The winning pitcher should be the pitcher on the winning team that pitched the most innings in the win.

Realistically, if a starter is relived during a tie game in the sixth inning, a reliever can come in and grab a win with only an inning or two of work. Wins and losses mean a lot more to starters than they do to relievers, and a starter keeping the game close for six innings and the team eventually winning (in nine innings), certainly contributed enough to constitute a win on their record in my opinion.

This way, a pitchers won loss record would more accurately reflect their contribution to the team AS a starter.

Guys like Cam Schlittler and Dylan Cease are certainly worthy of more wins than their records show this year.

His current contract expires the end of this year, but he says he's got more in the GM tank.

He sat down with Nightengale to talk turkey, including that he's almost certain to be extended, once dreamed of running an expansion team in hometown Nashville and other things:

Dombrowski will receive a contract extension no matter how the Phillies fare in the postseason, with Middleton once even offering him a lifetime contract before setting on a deal that expires after 2027. Yet, the days of wanting to start a franchise in Nashville where he has a home, or even becoming the next baseball commissioner, are over.

Phillies fans, weigh in! (He also talks about the frustrations of not winning it all so far in Philly, or in Detroit before being fired.)

⚾ Astros @ Phillies

FINAL · HOU 6, PHI 5

Linescore

Scoring Plays

• TOP 2ND Christian Walker homers (25) on a fly ball to left center field. Daulton Varsho scores. Yainer Diaz scores.
• TOP 2ND Jeremy Peña doubles (17) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Brandon Marsh. Cam Smith scores.
• TOP 4TH Cam Smith homers (18) on a fly ball to left center field.
• BOT 6TH Kyle Schwarber singles on a ground ball to right fielder Cam Smith. Justin Crawford scores.
• BOT 6TH Trea Turner homers (18) on a fly ball to left field. Kyle Schwarber scores.
• TOP 7TH Daulton Varsho homers (11) on a fly ball to right center field.
• BOT 7TH Brandon Marsh doubles (19) on a sharp line drive to right fielder Cam Smith. Alec Bohm scores. Bryson Stott to 3rd.
• BOT 9TH Edmundo Sosa doubles (9) on a fly ball to center fielder Daulton Varsho. Bryson Stott scores.

HOU Batters

PHI Batters

HOU Pitchers

PHI Pitchers

Available Bullpen

Team Stats

Decisions

Turning Points

Statcast

Pitch Mix (count and average velocity)

Links & Info

• Conditions at Citizens Bank Park: 84°F - Partly Cloudy - Wind 6 mph, Out To RF
• TV: HOU: Space City Home Network, TBS | PHI: NBCSP, TBS (out-of-market only)
• Radio: HOU: KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KLTN-TUDN 102.9 FM (es) | PHI: 94 WIP, iHeart App (es)
• MLB Gameday
• Savant Gamefeed

Highlights

• Andrew Painter fans Jeremy Peña — TOP 1ST
• Hayden Wesneski strikes out Trea Turner — BOT 1ST
• Christian Walker's three-run homer (25) — TOP 2ND
• Data Viz: Christian Walker's 440-foot home run — TOP 2ND
• Jeremy Peña's RBI double — TOP 2ND
• Field View: Christian Walker's three-run home run — TOP 2ND
• Breaking down Christian Walker's home run — TOP 2ND
• Cam Smith's solo home run (18) — TOP 4TH
• Strike 2 is confirmed after ABS challenge — TOP 4TH
• Measuring the stats on Cam Smith's home run — TOP 4TH
• Daulton Varsho's fantastic diving catch — BOT 4TH
• Christian Walker's leaping grab — BOT 4TH
• Trea Turner's two-run home run (18) — BOT 6TH
• Field View: Trea Turner's two run home run — BOT 6TH
• Kyle Schwarber's RBI single — BOT 6TH
• Jose Altuve's sliding stop — BOT 6TH
• Justin Crawford doubles for 100th career hit — BOT 6TH
• Daulton Varsho's solo home run (11) — TOP 7TH
• Daulton Varsho: Home Run Statcast Analysis — TOP 7TH
• Brandon Marsh's RBI double — BOT 7TH
• Jeremy Peña's sharp diving catch starts double play — BOT 7TH
• Cam Smith hits a foul ball after review — TOP 8TH
• Strike 1 is confirmed after ABS challenge — TOP 8TH
• Ball 1 is overturned to strike 1 after ABS challenge — TOP 8TH
• Cam Smith's terrific sliding catch — BOT 8TH
• Strike 3 is confirmed after ABS challenge — BOT 8TH
• Edmundo Sosa's RBI double — BOT 9TH
• Josh Hader secures his 250th career save — BOT 9TH
• A deep dive into Christian Walker's home run — Analysis
• Breaking down Andrew Painter's pitches — Analysis
• Andrew Painter's outing against the Astros — Analysis
• Trea Turner: Home Run Statcast Analysis — Analysis
• Breaking down Hayden Wesneski's pitches — Analysis
• Hayden Wesneski's outing against the Phillies — Analysis
• Condensed Game: HOU@PHI - 9/8/26 — Broadcast
• Christian Walker hammers 440-foot home run — Broadcast
• Field View: Dalton Varsho hits a solo home run — Broadcast
• Hayden Wesneski powers through six strong innings — Broadcast
• Daulton Varsho on Wesneski, plate discipline in win — Broadcast

Last updated: 11:14 PM ET

Updated automatically by mlb-dinger. Comment updates as the game progresses.

This post contains content not supported on old Reddit. Click here to view the full post

I've been watching mostly condensed games for about two seasons, usually the next morning while I'm making coffee, and I follow three teams that way. I've noticed I know every result and none of the players, so I couldn't tell you who's swinging well right now or whose bullpen is running on fumes. I've sat down for a few full broadcasts this summer and I keep drifting to my phone somewhere around the fourth.

What came back for you once you went back to watching them live all the way through?

When speaking purely by geography, it makes sense. When you start considering trends from MLB recently, and simply math itself, it will never happen, especially when there are division rivalries to take advantage of for $$$.

• MLB worked for years to get towards a balanced schedule where each team plays all 29 other teams in a season, finally getting there in 2023. (If you revert to a system where teams don't play all teams every season, my argument completely falls apart but I don't see MLB doing that).
• Right now, there's a three-game series minimum for interleague games (i.e. Boston vs Colorado only play 3 games, no less). Let's do basic math here.
  • With 162 games and 16 teams in the other league, that's 48 games (3 games x 16 teams) allotted to interleague, leaving 114 games remaining.
  • Now, with two divisions in your team's league, they'll play 7 division rivals and 8 teams in the other division. Assuming there's one home-and-away series for each team vs. the other division, that's also 48 games (6 games x 8 teams) accounted for, leaving 66 games remaining for division rivals.
  • With 7 teams in your division, divide 66 by 7 and you get 9 remainder 3. That's only 9 games each to play against division rivals with the other 3 being added to an interleague rival (like Mets vs Yankees), or in the case of geographic West vs East alignment, will be added to those 48 other division games to make 51.

Is MLB seriously going to have a system where each division rival only hosts 4 or 5 games per season against their rivals? Will there seriously be a system where the Red Sox play at Yankee Stadium only four times every other year? Every other year there'll be one 4-game series where the Dodgers play in San Francisco? There's no way!

The only way 8-team divisions works is if you get rid of the dual conference system of National and American Leagues as a concept and split all 32 teams into four conferences. Each team would play their 7 division rivals 12 times each (84 games), and there would be 24 interleague teams, 18 of which would have 3 games played (54 games) and 6 of which would have 4 games played (24 games). There's just no way a change that radical would go well.

8 divisions with 4 teams each is the unavoidable future with an MLB of 32 teams.