Welcome to September baseball. As the final month of the regular season begins, teams are afforded more flexibility in the form of two additional roster spots, expanding from 26 to 28 players, with one of those allowed to be used on a pitcher.
It’s not as drastic as in years past, when teams had the entirety of their 40-man rosters at their disposal in September, but the two new spots still represent a pivotal opportunity for teams to get creative with their roster construction as the postseason approaches.
Here’s a closer look at 10 of the most interesting September adds, from injury returners to promising prospects to veterans finding new homes just in time for the playoff push.
RHP Luis Garcia, Houston Astros
Slowly but surely, the Astros are getting healthier. The recent returns of Cristian Javier and Yordan Alvarez, plus the trade deadline acquisition of Carlos Correa, have started to make this Houston squad look a lot more familiar and dangerous, which could be bad news for the rest of the American League. And now it’s Garcia’s turn to reestablish himself as a main character in H-Town, as the right-hander made his season debut Monday against the Angels.
The AL Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2021 and a mainstay in Houston’s rotation during its run to the 2022 World Series, Garcia underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2023 and endured an arduous road back that featured multiple setbacks. While the velocity he showcased Monday was notably down from what we saw from him pre-surgery, Garcia was able to complete six innings and record a quality start. It’s a bit too early to tell whether this version of Garcia will warrant getting the ball for a playoff start, but having him back on the mound is certainly an encouraging development for Houston as it gears up for its latest trip to October.
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RHP Michael Kopech, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers’ notoriously injured pitching staff is about as healthy as it’s been all year, with Kopech’s activation from the injured list as L.A.’s September mound addition representing the latest boost to the roster. Even accounting for the slew of injuries that shuffled the personnel over the course of the summer, the Dodgers’ bullpen has been undeniably disappointing. After ranking in the top five in MLB in bullpen ERA in every season from 2019 to 2024, Dodgers relievers rank 19th this season, with inconsistent showings from Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates representing the most obvious letdowns thus far.
Kopech, meanwhile, looked marvelous in his eight scoreless appearances in June but has been limited to just those outings after a shoulder impingement cost him all of April and May and a knee injury sidelined him for July and August. A fully operational and effective Kopech would be a game-changer for this bullpen, and it would hardly be surprising to see him emerge as Dave Roberts’ preferred closer come October.
RHP Dillon Tate, Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have been in first place in the AL East since the beginning of July, but some glaring issues in the bullpen have contributed to their lead shrinking to an uncomfortable margin (2.5 games entering play Tuesday). Since the start of August, the Toronto bullpen ranks 26th in ERA (4.94) and 30th in WHIP (1.53), an especially troubling trend considering how much has been invested in the unit over the past year, from the marquee signing of closer Jeff Hoffman to the deadline acquisitions of Seranthony Dominguez and Louis Varland.
Enter Tate. The 31-year-old made a handful of appearances for Toronto earlier this season but has been in Triple-A since mid-May, where he has been notably effective recently, posting a 1.33 ERA in 27 innings across his past 24 appearances with Buffalo. Even if Tate won’t be tasked with high-leverage responsibilities, any reinforcements for this beleaguered unit would be welcome, and perhaps Tate can play a meaningful role in bolstering Toronto’s bullpen down the stretch.
OF Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres
While it’d be entirely unfair to label Merrill’s second year a sophomore slump given the litany of injuries he has navigated (right hamstring strain, concussion, left ankle sprain), it’s also undeniable that he hasn’t had nearly the impact on the Padres in Year 2 that he did in Year 1. But his superstar talent is still intact. And with the Dodgers within striking distance, there’s still time for Merrill to provide the requisite boost for San Diego to catch its rivals in the NL West race.
Regardless of the Padres’ ultimate playoff positioning, Merrill’s return is also well-timed in the wake of Xander Bogaerts’ foot fracture and concurrent slumps from Luis Arraez and Manny Machado that have the Padres’ lineup looking markedly less threatening. If Merrill can put this ankle injury behind him and get back to playing like an All-Star, it would be a massive deal for San Diego.
1B Carlos Santana, Chicago Cubs
Recently released by the Guardians to yield playing time to younger players Kyle Manzardo and C.J. Kayfus, Santana swiftly found a new home with the Cubs, his sixth team since 2022. It’s an odd fit at first glance, as the Cubs’ bench now features the two oldest active position players in MLB in the 39-year-old Santana and 40-year-old Justin Turner.
But the switch-hitting Santana is a standout defender at first base and still exhibits above-average plate discipline, which gives him meaningful roster utility even if his power has largely gone by the wayside. It’s a bit difficult to envision both Turner and Santana on the Cubs’ postseason roster when the limit shrinks back to 26, but both players provide worthwhile depth and veteran savvy that could be valuable on and off the field at this high-stakes time of year.
1B Jake Burger, Texas Rangers
Another key returner for a team with a bevy of star talent on the injured list, Burger immediately made an impact upon rejoining the Rangers’ roster, with a clutch, pinch-hit RBI triple in the ninth inning of Texas’ comeback victory Monday in Arizona. While Burger hasn’t been quite as much of a difference-maker as some projected he could be in his first year as a Ranger, his relatively underwhelming campaign to this point would be completely redeemed if he can heat up in September.
With franchise anchors Marcus Semien and Corey Seager on the injured list, the Rangers have cobbled together enough utility types — Cody Freeman, Dylan Moore, Michael Helman — to round out the roster, but Burger could add some much-needed power to what has been a fairly lackluster lineup for much of the season. A red-hot Burger could be the key to Texas turning its relatively slim playoff chances into a more realistic possibility.
C Garrett Stubbs, Philadelphia Phillies
With Nick Castellanos struggling immensely on both sides of the ball, there was ample speculation that Philadelphia’s position-player addition for September would be defensive wizard Johan Rojas, rookie outfielder Otto Kemp or perhaps even top outfield prospect Justin Crawford, who has hit well in Triple-A all year.
Instead, Philadelphia opted to bring back an old friend in Stubbs, who ceded the backup backstop role to Rafael Marchan but now returns to provide his game-planning experience and positive vibes to the clubhouse as October nears. It’s an intriguing choice by the Phillies to opt for Stubbs’ value, which comes predominantly off the field, rather than adding a player who is more likely to contribute in the lineup or on defense.
INF Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds
Let’s round out these September call-up spotlights with a trio of prospects, starting with Stewart. The 32nd overall pick in the 2022 draft out of the same Miami-area high school that produced Alex Rodriguez, Stewart has consistently raked throughout his minor-league career, culminating in this well-deserved call-up at age 21.
His long-term defensive home remains somewhat cloudy — even Stewart is quick to admit that his position is “batter’s box” — but if he can bounce around the infield and provide some offensive upside to a Reds lineup that has sorely lacked power, that would be an exciting development for Cincinnati’s efforts to remain in the NL postseason picture. It’s not difficult to imagine this kid becoming a fan favorite in short order.
C Harry Ford, Seattle Mariners
With MVP candidate Cal Raleigh entrenched behind the plate for the long haul, there’s no obvious path to regular playing time in the short term for Ford in Seattle. But Ford, called up on Monday, has consistently performed at every level since he was drafted in the first round out of an Atlanta-area high school in 2021.
Despite speculation that he could provide more value to Seattle as a trade chip than as a player on the roster, Ford will now get the chance to make an impact for the team that drafted him, at least in a part-time role. It’s a great opportunity for him to get his feet wet at the highest level in the midst of a playoff push, an experience that should prime Ford to compete for the backup job entering 2026.
C Carter Jensen, Kansas City Royals
Another promising catching prospect, Jensen got the call to K.C. after positively demolishing Triple-A pitching over the past two months (1.051 OPS). His arrival carries additional narrative weight, as Jensen is a local product drafted in 2021 out of Park Hill High School, just 20 miles northwest of Kauffman Stadium, meaning the 22-year-old will be living out a childhood dream as he embarks on his major-league career.
How much he’ll be able to impact the Royals’ push to stay in the AL wild-card mix remains to be seen, but Jensen is an intriguing character as the Royals prepare for life after Salvador Perez. The 35-year-old franchise icon has a $13.5 million club option for 2026 and certainly has more to give in his career, but his days as the every-day catcher in Kansas City are numbered, and Jensen could be a worthy successor.
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