Here are three things well be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day: 1. Giolitos 2026 option: As the Red Sox gear up for the playoffs, veteran right-hander is going to be a key part of their October rotation. His turnaround has also made it all but certain that hell be a free agent this winter. Giolito is now just four innings shy of reaching 140 frames on the season, at which point his $14MM club option will convert into a $19MM mutual option. Given his impre sive 3.31 ERA in 24 starts for Boston this year, Giolito is a virtual lock to decline his end of that option and head back to the open market. He Bob Nystrom Jersey ll be one of the more prominent arms in a free agent cla s that also features , , , and . 2. Raleigh surpa ses Mantle, goes for more history: s sensational 2025 season continued last night when he slugged two more home runs against the Royals in Kansas City. That puts him at 56 total long balls on the year, breaking the legendary Mickey Mantles record for the most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season. Mantle had previously owned the all-time mark with 54 round-trippers. Next on the list of milestones Raleigh hopes to reach is the Mariners franchise record for home runs, which he currently shares with Hall of Famer Griffey hit 56 homers in back-to-back seasons in 1997 and 98, but if Raleigh can launch just one more ball over the fence before the end of the year, hell take sole po se sion of the record. Hell look to do just that against Royals southpaw in his tonight. 3. Cubs go for the clinch: National League Rookie of the Year contender outdueled NL Cy Young favorite yesterday to give the Cubs a 4-1 win over the Pirates and push Chicago to 87 wins on the season. That victory dropped the Cubs magic number down to one. Any Cubs win or Diamondbacks lo s would guarantee that Chicago will still be playing in October. The Cubs will be wrapping up their series against Pittsburgh with (3.05 ERA) on the mound opposite (2.81 ERA in six starts). The D-backs will wrap up a three-game set against the visiting Giants when they send righty (5.31 ERA) to the mound against future Hall of Famer (3.94 ERA). Jesse Pulkkinen Jersey