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Mets, Braves square off in make-up DH as both vie for playoffs

MLB: New York Mets at Milwaukee BrewersSep 29, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (9), New York Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor (15) and not seen New York Mets outfielder Harrison Bader (44) celebrate a 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets each need one victory to qualify for the postseason when they meet in a make-up doubleheader on Monday in Atlanta.

Both teams are 88-72 and are in a virtual tie with Arizona (89-73) for the National League’s two final wild-card spots. If Atlanta and New York split the twin bill, both will advance to the playoffs since each team holds the tiebreaker over Arizona.

But if either team sweeps the doubleheader, the winning team would qualify for the postseason and the loser will be eliminated, sending the Diamondbacks to the wild-card round. Atlanta leads the season series against the Mets 6-5.

“The way we started this year (twice 11 games under .500), nobody expected us to be in this position,” New York manager Carlos Mendoza said. “And here we are with a chance to do something special. We’ll go back to Atlanta and get that last one and go from there.”

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker, whose team is trying to qualify for the playoffs for the seventh straight season, said, “The ball is in our court. If we can’t pull one of those off, then you know it’s just one of those things. We’ve done a good job coming out every day and trying to go 1-0. We’ll start fresh with two of our better guys going.”

The Braves will go with rookie Spencer Schwellenbach (8-7, 3.47 ERA) in the opener and Chris Sale (18-3, 2.38) in the second game. If the Braves win the first game, they will readjust their plans for the nightcap and reserve Sale for the opener of the wild-card series.

Schwellenbach beat the Mets on Tuesday, the right-hander allowing one run in seven innings. He has given up just one run in 14 innings in two starts against New York.

Sale has already clinched the National League triple crown for pitchers. He leads the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts (225 in 177 2/3 innings). The last pitcher to lead the NL in all three categories was Clayton Kershaw in 2011.

In his four starts in September, Sale is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA. His last loss came against the Chicago White Sox on June 27 when he allowed one run over seven innings in a 1-0 loss. Sale’s most recent start came against the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 19 when he pitched five innings and allowed two runs to get the win.

Sale has faced the Mets once this year and received a no-decision on July 25 after allowing two runs in 7 1/3 innings. He is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in four career starts against the Mets.

The Mets have not yet finalized their pitching plans for the doubleheader.

“Everything is on the table,” Mendoza said. “We have a chance. We’re right there and we get to play and we need one more, so we feel good.”

Luis Severino (11-7, 3.91) will start one of the games. The veteran faced the Braves on Tuesday, taking the loss after allowing four runs in four innings. In five career starts against the Braves, Severino is 1-2 with a 4.13 ERA.

If the teams split, the Braves would open the playoffs at San Diego and the Mets would be at Milwaukee. If either team sweeps, it would open at San Diego, which would allow Arizona to make the playoffs and send the Diamondbacks to Milwaukee.

–Field Level Media

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Mariners CF Julio Rodriguez exits vs. Reds after run-scoring single

Jul 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) runs the bases after a home run hit by Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young (2) (not pictured) during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn ImagesJul 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) runs the bases after a home run hit by Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young (2) (not pictured) during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez left Monday’s game after five innings against visiting Cincinnati after appearing to get hit in the left hamstring by a throw from Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

Rodriguez hit a chopper between third and short that De La Cruz backhanded. He double-clutched before making a throw that eluded first baseman Sal Stewart and struck Rodriguez. The Mariners’ star was credited with a run-scoring single to break a scoreless tie.

Rodriguez returned to the lineup Saturday after being on the 7-day concussion list since July 2 when he was hit in the back of the helmet by a throw while sliding into second base.

–Field Level Media

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Remarkable finish helps Mystics snap Valkyries' 9-game win streak

Jul 20, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Washington Mystics guard Alicia Florez (2) controls the ball against Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen (2) during the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Washington Mystics guard Alicia Florez (2) controls the ball against Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen (2) during the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin combined for 38 points and 27 rebounds, both recording double-doubles, and the Washington Mystics scored 13 consecutive points down the stretch to end the Golden State Valkyries’ nine-game winning streak with a 90-82 triumph Monday night in San Francisco.

Iriafen finished with a game-high 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Austin collected a game-high 15 rebounds to complement 15 points for the Mystics (13-12), who trailed 80-73 after a Kayla Thornton three-point play for Golden State with 3:32 remaining.

Cotie McMahon and Sonia Citron ignited the late Mystics flurry with three-point plays, after which Iriafen sandwiched an Austin hoop with four points of her own, with two free throws giving the visitors an 86-80 lead with just 18.8 seconds left.

Citron capped a 17-point night with four late free throws, securing Washington’s first win in three tries against Golden State in the season series.

Michaela Onyenwere chipped in with 12 points and Georgia Amoore nine to go with a game-high eight assists for the Mystics, who had been held to 49 and 69 points in losses to the Valkyries earlier this month.

Washington’s improved scoring total was a direct result of brilliant shooting both from 3-point range (42.9%) and the floor (52.5%). Iriafen dropped in eight of her 12 shots, while Onyenwere and Amoore buried three 3-pointers apiece.

Kaitlyn Chen poured in a career-best 20 points for the Valkyries (19-8), whose last loss had been almost exactly a month ago (June 21) at Las Vegas.

Thornton had 15 points, including four 3-pointers, Veronica Burton added 12 and Janelle Salaun 11 for Golden State, which was outscored 17-8 at the free-throw line.

Burton also found time for a team-high seven assists, while Kaila Charles led Golden State in rebounds with five. Chen added six assists to her team-high point total.

Led by Chen, the Valkyries’ reserves outscored their Mystics counterparts 37-14.

– Field Level Media

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Dillon Dingler homers twice as Tigers beat Cubs in 10

Jul 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) points after he hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) points after he hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Dillon Dingler hit two home runs and added the go-ahead RBI single in the 10th inning to help the visiting Detroit Tigers survive a comeback by the Chicago Cubs in an 8-6 extra-innings win on Monday night.

Detroit led for essentially the entire game, scoring four times in the first inning, until Ian Happ’s two-run homer off Kyle Finnegan in the eighth knotted the score at 5-5.

With runners on the corners and no one out in the 10th, Dingler hit a chopper deep into the hole at shortstop and beat the throw to first from Dansby Swanson. Spencer Torkelson added on with a two-run single.

Trent Thornton (3-3) took the loss despite only facing one hitter in the frame. He exited the game after Riley Greene’s liner hit him in the left heel, getting replaced by Javier Assad.

Pedro Ramirez got the Cubs one run back after reaching on an RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the inning and Swanson singled to bring the winning run to the plate, but Tyler Holton got Carson Kelly to ground out to close out the game.

Dingler — the Tigers’ starting catcher — shined on both sides of the plate, starting an inning-ending pickoff play to go along with a 4-for-5 night which included three RBIs.

Greene also homered for Detroit, opening the scoring with a three-run blast to right-center. Dingler tacked on with a solo shot to dead center the next at-bat.

In the third, it was Chicago’s turn to hit back-to-back homers. First, Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run shot off Jack Flaherty to cut the deficit in half. Michael Busch followed up with his 13th long ball of the season to make it a one-run game.

A baserunning snafu cost Chicago a chance to tie or take the lead in the fifth. Ian Happ was batting with runners on first and second with two out when Dingler successfully backpicked Suzuki at second.

Dingler took Tyler Ferguson deep to lead off the eighth, notching his third multi-homer game since June 1.

After Happ’s heroics, the Cubs had the bases loaded with a chance to walk it off in the ninth, but Kenley Jansen (2-4) struck out Alex Bregman to escape the jam.

Flaherty allowed three runs on four hits over four innings, striking out four and walking two. Cubs starter Jameson Taillon lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and four runs with two walks and six strikeouts.

–Field Level Media

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