Daily Double Play: Your MLB Update
Hosted by Big Dill
About This Episode
Generated sports podcast with host Big Dill based on prompt: Daily MLB news. Game scores, highlights and general news
Transcript
Welcome to "Daily Double Play: Your MLB Update" on Big Dill Sports. I’m Dillon, your host, ready to dive into the thrilling action from September 19, 2025. It was a day packed with nail-biting moments, stellar performances, and monumental shifts as we head into the playoff season. Let’s break it down.
Starting in Los Angeles, the Dodgers once again showed why they're perennial playoff contenders. Clayton Kershaw delivered a memorable performance in what might be his last regular-season start at home. The crowd was electric as he fanned six batters over four and a third innings. Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts turned up the heat with back-to-back homers, leading the Dodgers to a 6–3 victory over the Giants, clinching their 13th consecutive playoff berth. Pure magic at Dodger Stadium!
Over in Kansas City, the Royals put on an offensive show, setting a franchise record with 27 hits in a 20–1 demolition of the Blue Jays. Salvador Perez and Jac Caglianone each smashed three-run homers, while Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey combined for eight hits. Michael Lorenzen was stellar on the mound, blanking Toronto over seven and two-thirds innings. The Royals are definitely a team to watch in the AL Wild Card race.
In the American League Central, Cleveland tightened the race by beating Minnesota 6–2, pulling within two and a half games of the Tigers. Bo Naylor stepped up with four RBIs, and José Ramírez added speed with his 40th stolen base. Cleveland is turning up the heat!
The Braves are also flying high, extending their win streak by dominating Detroit 10–1. Drake Baldwin led the charge with three RBIs, and Ronald Acuña Jr. added a two-run homer. With such momentum, Atlanta strengthens its grip on the AL Wild Card.
Switching over to the National League, the New York Mets demonstrated resilience by rallying for a 12–6 victory over the Nationals. Francisco Lindor was key with a tie-breaking RBI single and three hits, keeping the Mets firmly in Wild Card contention.
Meanwhile, the Phillies made a statement in Phoenix, crushing the Diamondbacks 8–2. Harrison Bader and Nick Castellanos each went deep, positioning Philadelphia just two games behind Milwaukee for the top spot.
In other action, Boston continued its dominance over Tampa Bay with an 11–7 win. Jarren Duran's go-ahead homer sealed the deal. Baltimore edged New York 4–2, thanks to Trevor Rogers' no-hit bid, and the White Sox ended a slump by sneaking past the Padres 4–3.
The Mariners shut out the Astros 4–0, with Bryan Woo's impressive start and four solo homers leading the charge. In Rocky Mountain highs, the Rockies edged the Angels 7–6, and Oakland narrowly beat Pittsburgh 4–3, courtesy of Lawrence Butler’s clutch homer.
Now, it’s time for our Player Spotlight. Today’s "Big Dill" of the day goes to Spencer Steer of the Reds. He smashed two homers and drove in three runs in their 7–4 win over the Cubs. Talk about clutch performance!
As playoff races heat up, every pitch and every hit matters. The Dodgers are in, and Phillies are nipping at the heels of a bye. Detroit leads Cleveland in the AL Central, but with the Wild Card spots still up for grabs, teams like New York, Kansas City, and Atlanta are making things interesting. For the National League, the Mets and Milwaukee are in intense battles of their own.
That wraps up today’s edition of "Daily Double Play." Tune in tomorrow for more updates as we cover every thrilling moment of this stretch drive to October. I’m Dillon, and this is Big Dill Sports. Until next time, keep swinging for the fences!
## Overview
Major League Baseball delivered a day of high drama on September 19, 2025. In Los Angeles, the Dodgers combined veteran poise and superstar firepower to clinch their 13th straight postseason berth, while Kansas City’s offense exploded for a franchise-record hitting performance. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s Guardians inched closer in the AL Central, Atlanta’s Braves extended their winning streak, and pivotal American and National League playoff races saw critical shifts. Across the league, sluggers like Spencer Steer and Nolan Arenado turned in standout performances, underscoring the stretch drive intensity leading into October. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
## Dodgers Down Giants, Kershaw’s Farewell
Clayton Kershaw made his final regular-season home start a memorable one, fanning six over 4⅓ innings in front of a standing-room crowd before departing to a curtain call. The Dodgers took advantage, pounding the San Francisco Giants 6–3 at Dodger Stadium to officially seal the franchise’s 13th consecutive playoff appearance. Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts provided the crucial blow, launching back-to-back homers in a four-run fifth inning that broke the game open and extended Los Angeles’s lead atop the NL West to four games over the Padres. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
## Royals Set Club Record in Rout of Blue Jays
In Kansas City, the Royals put together a historic offensive display, collecting 27 hits in a 20–1 drubbing of the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, the most in a single game in franchise history. Salvador Perez and Jac Caglianone each went deep for three-run shots, while Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey combined for eight hits and five RBI. Michael Lorenzen held Toronto scoreless over 7⅔ innings, weathering just three hits, as the Royals cemented themselves as dark-horse contenders in the AL Wild Card chase. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
## Guardians and Braves Strengthen Playoff Bids
Cleveland edged closer to Detroit in the American League Central, pulling within 2½ games after a 6–2 victory at Minnesota. Bo Naylor tied a career high with four RBI on two hits, and reliever Jakob Junis fanned four over two shutout innings in relief of starter Triston McKenzie. José Ramírez also stole his 40th base of the year as the Guardians applied pressure on the Tigers down the stretch. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
In Atlanta, the Braves extended their franchise-best six-game win streak by pounding Detroit 10–1. Drake Baldwin paced the offense with three RBI, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ha-Seong Kim each launched two-run homers, and starter Bryce Elder delivered seven strong innings, allowing just one run on five hits. The victory tightened Atlanta’s grip on the second AL Wild Card spot. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
## Mets Rally, Phillies Dominate in Phoenix
In the National League Wild Card hunt, the New York Mets overcame an early three-run deficit to top Washington 12–6. Francisco Lindor’s tiebreaking RBI single keyed a five-run fourth inning, and Juan Soto followed with a three-run homer. Lindor finished 3-for-4 with four runs scored, and the Mets maintained a two-game cushion over the Cincinnati Reds for the final Wild Card spot. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
Out West, the Philadelphia Phillies dealt a crushing blow to Arizona’s playoff hopes in a commanding 8–2 road win. Harrison Bader and Nick Castellanos each went deep, while Alec Bohm, activated earlier in the day, chipped in three RBI. The victory pulled Philadelphia within two games of Milwaukee for the best record in the National League. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
## American League East Highlights
Boston continued its dominance over Tampa Bay with an 11–7 victory at Tropicana Field. Jarren Duran’s go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh lifted the Red Sox to their ninth win in 11 meetings this season. Garrett Crochet earned his 17th win, logging six innings with nine strikeouts. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
Elsewhere in the division, Baltimore blanked New York 4–2 as Trevor Rogers carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and struck out seven over six shutout frames. Ryan Mountcastle provided all the offense with a homer and a sacrifice fly. In Chicago, the White Sox snapped a six-game skid by edging the Padres 4–3 behind Miguel Vargas’s two-run blast and six strong innings by Davis Martin. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
## Mariners Blank Astros Amid Pitching Duel
Seattle jumped on Houston early and never looked back, cruising to a 4–0 shutout at Minute Maid Park. Bryan Woo was dominant, scattering one hit over five scoreless innings before exiting with pectoral tightness, and Julio Rodríguez launched the first of four solo homers in the opener of the three-game set. Eugenio Suárez, Victor Robles, and Josh Naylor also went deep, while Andrés Muñoz closed out the contest with two perfect innings. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/776262))
## Rocky Mountain and Oakland Victories
In Denver, the Colorado Rockies defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7–6, with Tyler Freeman collecting three hits and knocking in a run in a four-run fifth inning. The victory gave Colorado 43 wins, surpassing the 2024 White Sox total. Meanwhile, the Oakland Athletics claimed a 4–3 win at Pittsburgh, thanks to Lawrence Butler’s go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth and Luis Severino’s five-inning start. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
## Standout Performers of the Day
Several players etched their names into the headlines with Player of the Game honors:
- Spencer Steer belted two homers and drove in three for the Reds in a 7–4 win over the Cubs.
- Nolan Arenado’s three-run double propelled St. Louis past Milwaukee, 7–1.
- Bo Naylor’s four-RBI day fueled Cleveland’s 6–2 victory in Minneapolis.
- Julio Rodríguez went deep and made a highlight-reel catch in Seattle’s 4–0 win.
- Miguel Vargas snapped Chicago’s skid with a two-run homer in the White Sox’s 4–3 win. ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/player-of-the-game-september-19-2025)) ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/player-of-the-game-september-19-2025))
## Playoff Implications
With the Dodgers officially in and the Phillies closing in on a bye, attention turns to the final week battles. In the American League, Detroit leads Cleveland by 2½ games in the Central, while Boston maintains a narrow edge in the East. The Wild Card races promise fireworks as New York, Kansas City, Atlanta, and Texas jockey for positioning. In the National League, the Mets hold a two-game lead for the final spot, and Milwaukee retains the top record, but Philadelphia lurks closely behind. The stretch run’s intensity only ramps up from here. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/)) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/mlb-roundup-dodgers-down-giants-seal-another-playoff-bid--flm-2025-09-20/))
More Episodes from Daily Double Play: Your MLB Update
Daily Double Play: Your MLB Update
October 29, 2025