Steve Drumwright

The big storm hitting the northeast has caused MLB to make another change to the weekend schedule, this one being the most dramatic. After rescheduling Sunday's game to part of a Friday doubleheader, MLB announced after Game 1 of that twinbill that Saturday's final game of the series, pending the completion of Friday's doubleheader, will be played at Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. All of the games that day will start at 3:05 p.m. While the Red Sox have secured the AL's second wild card and thus the No. 5 seed, the Cubs' position in the postseason is still not clear. After losing the opener Friday 4-3, the Cubs are 1½ games behind the San Diego Padres for the top NL wild card. The Cubs, who already clinched a playoff spot, are also just a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies, who host the Rays in a three-game series. The Padres, who clinched Thursday, are hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks in their final regular-season series. The Phillies lead the D'backs by two games for the final berth in the NL playoff field. View full rumor

With the Chicago Cubs still battling for a better seed in the NL wild-card chase and a severe storm hitting New England this weekend, MLB has altered the schedule for the three games being hosted by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Sunday's game was moved to Friday, creating a split doubleheader on the first day of the scheduled three-game series. The first game will be played at 1:05 p.m. ET, with the second at the originally scheduled 6:05 p.m. ET. The first game will be the rescheduled game from Sunday for ticketing purposes. Saturday's game will be at 7:15 p.m. ET, although that time could be moved up depending on the forecast. While the Red Sox have their postseason invite locked up and are fairly set as the No. 2 wild card (No. 5 overall seed) in the AL, the Cubs could finish anywhere from the No. 1 wild card to the No. 3 entering the final five games of the regular season. The Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres are tied going into Wednesday's action at 87-70. The Cubs hold the tiebreaker over the Phillies and the Padres and the Phillies have the tiebreaker over the Padres. There will be no game on Sunday unless one of the games Friday or Saturday are postponed. Sunday is expected to be the worst of the days of the storm. It is also possible that a game will be played Monday if needed. The postseason begins Tuesday with all four Wild Card Series. View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox have one of their biggest bats back for the final two weeks of the season. First baseman Willson Contreras was activated from the 10-day injured list Sunday by the Red Sox, who placed infielder Anthony Seigler on the 10-day IL with inflammation in his right wrist. The Red Sox face the Kansas City Royals in the finale of a three-game series. The Red Sox appear destined to enter the postseason as the AL's No. 2 wild card (No. 5 seed). They trail the New York Yankees, who hold the No. 1 wild-card spot, by 4½ games and have a four-game advantage over the Cleveland Guardians, currently the No. 3 wild card. Contreras is back following a strained left hamstring that landed him on the IL on Aug. 31. Contreras is in the midst of a career year with a .274/.384/.516 slash line with 26 homers and 79 RBIs. Seigler was injured in Saturday's 5-1 victory over the Royals. He has a .247/.327/.400 slash line in 49 games, having just come up a few days prior from Triple-A Worcester. View full rumor

An under-the-radar acquisition at the trade deadline for the Boston Red Sox is going to miss much of the stretch drive. Speedy outfielder Eli White was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday by the Red Sox due to an issue with a ligament in his right foot. Infielder Anthony Seigler was called back up from Triple-A Worcester. White was injured in Tuesday's 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels when he banged his right foot into a grate in center field. Since coming over from Atlanta on Aug. 3, White has a .276/.300/.379 slash line with a homer and 12 RBIs in 27 games. He has one steal in two attempts. Combining his time with Atlanta, White is slashing .246/.289/.398 with six homers and 29 RBIs in 96 games. Seigler has filled in nicely when injuries have struck the major-league roster. posting a .250/.331/.405, hitting three homers and driving in 13 over 48 games. View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox used one of their additional roster spots to bring back a player and the other to give a prospect a shot at making their first MLB start. Right-hander Jedixson Paez had his contract selected from Triple-A Worcester and will make his Red Sox debut Tuesday when he starts against the Seattle Mariners. Also, infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa was activated from the 60-day injured list for the other extra spot as rosters expanded by two on Tuesday to 28 for September. To make room on the 40-man roster for both players, left-hander Eduardo Rivera was placed on the 60-day IL with a lumbar strain and infielder Brett Harris was designated for assignment. The 22-year-old Paez, who pitched in three games for the Chicago White Sox this season, has a 4.11 ERA in 20 games (10 starts) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. In 61⅓ innings, he has walked only seven and struck out 74. He has made three starts for Worcester, with a 2.92 ERA, two walks and 18 strikeouts in 12⅓ innings. Paez had been selected by the White Sox in the Rule 5 draft, but was returned to the Red Sox in April following three MLB relief appearances. Kiner-Falefa has been on the injured list with right forearm inflammation since June 20. Kiner-Falefa further strengthens the bench following the return to the lineup of left fielder Roman Anthony and shorstop Trevor Story. First baseman Willson Contreras went on the 10-day IL Monday. IKF has a slash line of .277/.344/.361 with two homers, 13 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 47 games. View full rumor

After a rough weekend in New York, the Boston Red Sox took another tough hit before opening a series against the Seattle Mariners. First baseman Willson Contreras was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a strained left hamstring Monday by the Red Sox, who called up catcher-first baseman Mickey Gasper from Triple-A Worcester. Contreras was taken out of Sunday's 16-1 loss to the New York Yankees in the seventh inning due to the injury, which dropped the third-place Red Sox 8½ games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL West and four games behind the Yankees in the AL wild-card standings. The Red Sox hold the No. 2 AL wild card, five games up on the Cleveland Guardians. Contreras has been an offensive leader for the Red Sox, with a .274/.384/.516 slash line with 26 homers and 79 RBIs in 125 games. His IL placement comes a day after the Red Sox got back left fielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story. Gasper was sent down with the return of Anthony and Story. View full rumor

WIth the return of left fielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story made official Sunday, the Boston Red Sox optioned catcher-first baseman Mickey Gasper and infielder Anthony Seigler to Triple-A Worcester to make room on the 26-man roster. Anthony and Story were activated from the 60-day injured list and the Red Sox had two open spots on their 40-man roster to accommodate their return. Also, left-handed reliever Raymond Burgos was sent back to Worcester after serving as the extra player in Saturday's doubleheader. Anthony is back after partially tearing a ligament in his right wrist and hand, while Story had surgery to repair a sports hernia. Both have been out since May. Anthony was back in his customary leadoff spot and serving as the designated hitter for Sunday's series finale vs. the Yankees, while Story was at shortstop and batting eighth as the Red Sox look for a split of the four-game set. Gasper has been a solid bat while with the Red Sox this season, putting up a .278/.374/.466 slash line with five homers and 19 RBIs in 45 games. Seigler has been a nice utility player and has a .250/.331/.405 slash line with three homers and 13 RBIs in 48 games. View full rumor

The wait for the return of Roman Anthony and Trevor Story is almost over. Interim manager Jim Tracy said Saturday that the two Boston Red Sox stars will likely come off the injured list Sunday. Who comes off the roster is another question that the Red Sox brass will contemplate overnight. “They’re coming,” Tracy said after the Red Sox lost to the New York Yankees 9-2 to split a doubleheader. The Red Sox won the opener 6-0. The Red Sox remain the No. 2 AL wild card, three games behind the Yankees and six games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians. Anthony, the left fielder, and Story, the shortstop, have been out since May, Anthony with a partially tearing a ligament in his right hand and wrist and Story with a sports hernia that required surgery. Fitting Anthony in doesn't seem problematic as Tracy said he will be put in the leadoff position against right-handed starters. Trade-deadline pickup Eli White started both games Saturday in left field, while Jahmai Jones would bat leadoff vs. left-handers. Anthony had a slash line of .229/.354/.321 with one homer and five RBIs in 30 games before going on the injured list. Story is a little trickier. He will get the opportunity to re-establish himself, but if he continues his early-season struggles, Tracy could opt to go back to Andruw Monasterio, who has helped the Red Sox surge into postseason position. Story has a .206/.244/.303 with three homers and 19 RBIs in 41 games. Another injured player, infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, is expected to come off the IL on Tuesday when rosters expand by two. View full rumor

One of the more coveted arms at the trade deadline hasn't pitched in an MLB game since mid-May. That is not stopping contenders from pursuing New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes. According to multiple reports, including Ari Alexander of Boston TV station WHDH, the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are among the chief competitors for the right-handed starter. Holmes has been out since taking a line drive off his right leg, resulting in a fractured right fibula May 15. But Holmes made what was expected to be a final rehab appearance Sunday at High A, pitching 5⅓ innings (73 pitches) and allowing four runs, three earned. He was a bright spot in a dismal Mets season before going down, posting a 3.21 FIP (2.39 ERA) in nine starts and 52⅔ innings, with an 8.4% walk rate and 20.9% strikeout rate. Holmes is being paid $13 million this year (about $3.8 million remaining) and $12 million next year. That plus the number of suitors means Holmes will come at a decent prospect cost. View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox may have narrowed their focus to one shortstop as Monday's 6 p.m. ET trade deadline approaches, but the price could be their top prospect. The discussion now is whether that is the proper price to pay to upgrade one of the most important positions on the field. Franklin Arias, Talk Sox's No. 1 prospect who was just recently promoted to play shortstop at Triple-A Worcester, is a big name being bandied about, although there are no discussions under way to acquire an MLB shortstop, Jen McCaffrey and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote in an article posted Saturday. That same report, citing one MLB executive, said the only way Arias could possibly be included in a deal was for All-Star Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams. Seemingly that would rule out Zack Neto of the Los Angeles Angels, while Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins has already been crossed off. The 25-year-old Abrams entered Saturday with a .290/.367/.563 slash line, with that .563 slugging percentage leading the NL. He has 28 homers and 21 doubles and 83 RBIs. All but the doubles are the best numbers of his career. Abrams is making $4.2 million this season and has two more years of club control. Arias played second base for the second consecutive game Saturday after having only played the position five times in 75 games at Double-A Portland. Saturday marked Arias' sixth game at Triple-A. View full rumor

While at first glance Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena doesn't feel like a great fit in a crowded Boston Red Sox outfield, he does have one attribute that could be a boon to the offense. He hits right-handed. With the Red Sox skewed left-handed when it comes to hitters, Arozarena would help balance that out. Arozarena is having a nice bounce-back year in 2026 with the Mariners, posting a .280/.375/.447 slash line with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 103 games entering play Saturday. That .280 average is the highest since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when he hit .281 in 23 games. His power numbers are down from the 27 homers he hit last year, his first full season in pitcher-friendly Seattle, but that right-handed power would look good attacking the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Arozarena is making $15.65 million this year and is a free agent, so the cost to extract him from the Mariners might not be too great, although Seattle is still pushing for a postseason spot of its own. It also could be an opportunity to move an outfielder who may not fit the Red Sox's plans moving forward. View full rumor

If the Boston Red Sox are truly going to acquire controllable talent at the trade deadline instead of a two-month rental, it might hurt a little bit when it comes to prospect capital. One area the Red Sox would love to find a long-term solution is catcher—and the most popular name when it comes to a controllable player and production is Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rockies. The 26-year-old is third in MLB with 31 homers, matching his 2025 total, and has a .254/.326/.545 slash line with 60 RBIs. While some might think he is just a product of the thin air at Coors Field, 18 of Goodman's homers have come on the road. While Goodman's defense has been questioned, that is something a team can work on. That type of right-handed power would look terrific at Fenway Park, right? But with the Rockies turning a corner under a new front office and actually looking competent, Colorado isn't necessarily in the mood to ship off a player the team can build around. Goodman is making $810,000, just above the MLB minimum, and has three more years of club control. So that makes the price a stiff one for competitors to pry away Goodman. Combine that with two other AL East rivals, the New York Yankees and first-place Tampa Bay Rays, also seeking a catcher before Monday's deadline, and the price increases that much more. According to several reports, the Rockies are looking at the very top of the prospect list if they are going to surrender their young star. For the Red Sox, that begins with shortstop Franklin Arias, who was just promoted to Triple-A Worcester and homered in his first plate appearance. The 20-year-old, Talk Sox's No. 1 prospect, entered play Friday with a .307/.393/.570 slash line in 79 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year. With a 15-game winning streak flipping the script on the Red Sox this month, would that price be worth it to not only guarantee a postseason spot but make a deep run to a World Series? View full rumor

The start of Curtis Mead's career with the Boston Red Sox lasted two plate appearances. Now the question is: How do the Red Sox replace the infielder? Mead, acquired Saturday in a trade with the Washington Nationals, was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday by the Red Sox with an injured left wrist. Mead told Boston media the wrist is fractured and he will fly to Boston to meet with a hand specialist, who will determine if he needs season-ending surgery. He was hit by a pitch in Monday's game against the A's. Infielder Nick Sogard will be called up from Triple-A Worcester. Due to Boston being in West Sacramento, Sogard is not expected to join the team until Wednesday. Mead was hit by a 95 mph four-seamer from A's right-hander Jack Perkins leading off the top of the fourth inning. He remained in the game until being replaced defensively to begin the bottom of the fifth inning. Initial X-rays did not show a break, according to interim manager Chad Tracy, but more testing Tuesday led the Red Sox to make the decision to sideline their new acquisition. Mead was picked up in a one-for-one trade for left-handed starter Connelly Early. Mead has a season slash line of .253/.353/.498 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs, hoping to provide a bit of extra power from the Red Sox's infield. View full rumor