September 02, 2026 | Edition #241

Hey MLB Gang,

In this edition, we have brought together a few developments that put the spotlight on both the present and future of MLB. We start with a chaotic collision involving three Brewers outfielders, the latest debate in the MVP race as Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to make his case, Mike Trout’s reaction to the Angels’ ownership change, and the Dodgers’ latest update on Shohei Ohtani after a painful moment on the field. Let’s unpack…

Games you can tune in to tonight:

• Toronto Blue Jays vs Cleveland Guardians @ 6:40 PM ET

• Miami Marlins vs Kansas City Royals @ 7:40 PM ET

• Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs @ 7:40 PM ET

• New York Yankees vs Los Angeles Angels @ 9:38 PM ET

• St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers @ 10:10 PM ET

We decided to include the ones that could be the most thrilling - both on and off the field. Tell us your thoughts, too.

When Pete Crow-Armstrong played youth baseball in California, some of his games were umpired by future major leaguer Jack Flaherty. He attended Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles—the same high school that produced big-league pitchers like Max Fried, Lucas Giolito, and Flaherty. He committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt before signing professionally, choosing the MLB route instead of becoming a "Vandy Boy."

Thank you for reading Essentially Dugout. We’d really appreciate any feedback you have for us.