Rays clinch the East, Phillies rally past Brewers, Raptors sign Kawhi Leonard to $115M extension
Rays clinch the East!
This is The Sports Reset for Wednesday September 23rd
In MLB, the Tampa Bay Rays clinched the American League East title by beating the New York Yankees 6 to 1 in Game 2 of their doubleheader. Drew Rasmussen carried a no-hitter into the seventh, struck out 11 and allowed one hit, while Yandy Díaz drove in four runs. It is Tampa Bay’s first division crown since 2021, and it secured home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs. The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6 to 4 as Zack Wheeler struck out 11 and Bryson Stott delivered the go-ahead single in the eighth. Nathaniel Lowe’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly gave the Cleveland Guardians a 3 to 2 win over the Boston Red Sox, preserving Cleveland’s one-game AL Central lead. The Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the San Diego Padres 7 to 0, and the Houston Astros shut out the Seattle Mariners 7 to 0. In NHL preseason action, the Edmonton Oilers edged the Winnipeg Jets 2 to 1. In UFC, Damian Piwowarczyk defeated Emilio Quissua in their light-heavyweight bout.
Looking ahead in MLB, the Jays face the Baltimore Orioles twice today after Tuesday’s rainout, and a loss in either game would eliminate the Jays from playoff contention. Max Scherzer is scheduled to oppose former Jay Chris Bassitt in the opener. The Dodgers host the Padres with Shohei Ohtani returning from the injured list; the two-way star has 30 home runs and a 1.79 ERA this season. The Brewers visit the Phillies, while the Rays and Yankees meet again after Tampa Bay’s division-clinching win. In NHL preseason action, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators split their squads for games in both cities. In golf, the Presidents Cup begins Thursday at Medinah, with Canadians Corey Conners and Nick Taylor joining an International team that has beaten the United States only once. Off the court, the Raptors signed Kawhi Leonard to a two-year, 115 million dollar extension that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season.
