Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney

Tim Kurkjian and Buster Olney discuss Pete Alonso’s return to Citi Field and if the Mets regret letting him go, whether Mike Elias will lead the Orioles again in 2027, Dodgers rookie Josue De Paula stepping up, Aaron Boone advocating for Cam Schlittler as an AL MVP candidate, Tony Vitello’s first season as an MLB manager, and Justin Verlander set to make one more start for the Tigers. Then, voice of the Cleveland Guardians Tom Hamilton stops by to talk about Cleveland’s sustained success, if they have the best rotation in the big leagues, players stepping up in José Ramírez’s absence, and the Chicago White Sox’s ascension. Later, Buster answers your questions during Bleacher Tweets.

0:00 Welcome

0:42 Top of the First

3:43 Tim Kurkjian joins

5:57 Pete Alonso returns to Citi Field

8:36 Will Mike Elias return as Orioles president?

13:34 Dodgers Josue De Paula stepping up

16:07 Yankees Cam Schlittler for AL MVP?

21:37 Giants Rafael Devers season ends early

23:20 Grading Tony Vitello’s first season as manager

24:37 Justin Verlander to make one more start

28:05 Tom Hamilton joins

29:28 Guardians sustained success

32:18 Best rotation in the league?

33:55 Wild AL playoff race

34:59 Steve Kwan is Steven Kwan again

37:20 Travis Bazzana’s relaxed approach

39:09 Chase DeLauter’s unusual swing

40:21 White Sox’s ascension

41:53 Most likely AL World Series winner

43:39 Bleacher Tweets



EMAIL THE SHOW: BleacherTweets@gmail.com

REACH OUT ON X: #BLEACHERTWEETS



Follow The Baseball Tonight Podcast on…

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHeL6O-A-ASmSMwbSCFvPKEq1Cslo_lrw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5FG6xCcd338SgZjZ9urHRI

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/baseball-tonight-with-buster-olney/id137699414
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NEXT PODCAST OUT TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15



David Schoenfield and Buster Olney discuss the Dodgers’ promotion of top prospect Josue De Paula, what it signals about Shohei Ohtani’s injury, Aaron Judge unhappy that he was pulled early in his first two games back, Elly De La Cruz’s crazy assist and what’s next for the Mariners. Then, Braves analyst Peter Moylan stops by to talk about why the Brewers are the team to beat in the National League, the Dodgers bleeding, Kyle Schwarber on pace to lead the league in homers, and why Chris Sale is the ultimate teammate. Next, Buster and Michael Kay share their memories of 9/11 on the 25th anniversary and reflect on what baseball meant after the tragedy. Later, Sarah Langs plays The Numbers Game. Finally, a listener shares a personal 9/11 story during Bleacher Tweets.



0:00 Welcome

2:26 David Schoenfield joins

3:08 Dodgers promote top prospect Josue De Paula

6:08 More concern: Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani?

7:03 Judge unhappy he was pulled early

8:40 Elly De La Cruz’s crazy assist

12:11 What’s next for the Mariners?

16:41 Braves analyst Peter Moylan joins

16:11 How players are feeling at the end of the season

19:03 Shohei Ohtani's injury

21:30 Brewers are team to beat in NL

23:12 The Dodgers bleed

24:07 Most important for the Braves headed into October

25:19 Kyle Schwarber hits 484th career HR

26:40 Chris Sale is the veteran teammate Braves needed

28:04 Buster & Michael Kay on baseball after 9/11

28:59 “We didn’t know if baseball would continue”

30:20 Mets legend Al Leiter shows up at Kay’s door

33:19 Everyone was rooting for the Yankees

34:33 Kay struggling to be himself during broadcasts

36:59 What baseball’s return meant to people

40:03 George W. Bush’s World Series first pitch

41:40 Sarah Langs plays The Numbers Game

42:43 Special edition of Bleacher Tweets



EMAIL THE SHOW: BleacherTweets@gmail.com

REACH OUT ON X: #BLEACHERTWEETS



Follow The Baseball Tonight Podcast on…

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHeL6O-A-ASmSMwbSCFvPKEq1Cslo_lrw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5FG6xCcd338SgZjZ9urHRI

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/baseball-tonight-with-buster-olney/id137699414
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Kurkjian and Buster discuss Yankees slugger Aaron Judge returning, what New York can expect, if Judge and Shohei Ohtani can start hitting before the postseason, Ohtani not expected to pitch again in 2026, Jesús Luzardo’s domination of the Braves, and umpire Doug Eddings going fashion police on Cardinals pitcher Hancel Rincon. Then, Hembo stops by to talk about why the Phillies are the most dangerous team in a three-game series, the White Sox becoming the first team this season with three 30 home run hitters, whether the Giants should trade or build on Rafael Devers, and what Roman Anthony does at the plate that no other Red Sox hitter can replicate. Later, Buster answers your questions during Bleacher Tweets.



0:00 Welcome

0:10 Top of the First

3:55 Tim Kurkjian joins

4:50 What can the Yankees expect from Aaron Judge?

6:00 Should MLB reseed after the Wild Card? 

9:55 Shohei Ohtani most likely won’t pitch again in 2026

12:14 Will Judge or Ohtani hit again before the postseason? 

14:38 Jesús Luzardo dominates Braves 

17:41 Ump calls out Hancel Rincon for sideways cap

22:38 Hembo joins

23:25 Braves-Phillies rivalry

24:26 Scariest potential NL Wild Card team

26:19 White Sox have three 30 HR hitters

29:06 Rafael Devers: Building block or trade piece?

34:39 Roman Anthony’s return is what the Red Sox needed

38:48 Padres catcher could make history

41:15 Bleacher Tweets



EMAIL THE SHOW: BleacherTweets@gmail.com

REACH OUT ON X: #BLEACHERTWEETS



Follow The Baseball Tonight Podcast on…

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHeL6O-A-ASmSMwbSCFvPKEq1Cslo_lrw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5FG6xCcd338SgZjZ9urHRI

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/baseball-tonight-with-buster-olney/id137699414
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paul “Hembo” Hembekides and Buster Olney discuss Shohei Ohtani looking physically uncomfortable swinging the bat and why he should stop pitching this season, Arte Moreno selling the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke and how the team is already in better hands, why they were right about Bryce Harper all along, the Hall of Fame case for Paul Goldschmidt, the scourge of position players pitching, and a warning: spin the Cubs at your own peril. Then, Todd Radom stops by to talk about why we see so many home run robberies, and administer the weekly quiz. Plus, Sarah Langs plays The Numbers Game. Finally, Buster answers your questions during Bleacher Tweets.



0:00 Welcome

3:14 Hembo joins

5:29 Shohei Ohtani isn’t right

7:50 Angels sold to Stan Kroenke

12:30 Hembo was right about Bryce Harper 

14:53 Position players pitching is a scourge

18:24 Cubs mashing breaking balls

22:14 HOF case for Paul Goldschmidt

25:16 Todd Radom joins

26:38 Why so many HR robberies?

30:29 The Quiz

31:56 Sarah Langs plays The Numbers Game

32:04 Bleacher Tweets



EMAIL THE SHOW: BleacherTweets@gmail.com

REACH OUT ON X: #BLEACHERTWEETS



Follow The Baseball Tonight Podcast on…

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHeL6O-A-ASmSMwbSCFvPKEq1Cslo_lrw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5FG6xCcd338SgZjZ9urHRI

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/baseball-tonight-with-buster-olney/id137699414
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesse Rogers and Buster Olney discuss whether MLB should reseed the playoffs after the Wild Card round, what is keying Pete Crow-Armstong’s MVP run, if the Cubs pitching staff can find its swing-and-miss, a potential Shohei Ohtani pivot to the bullpen, Aaron Judge’s possible return next week, the Red Sox radio broadcast stirring the rivalry pot and Kete Marte being booed in his return. Then, Atlanta Braves great and Hall of Fame Chipper Jones stops by to talk about reuniting with teammates in Cooperstown, what he sees when watching PCA, how he would approach hitting Jacob Misiorowski and the infamous “Eric Gregg Game” in Game 5 of the 1997 NLCS. Later, Buster answers your questions during Bleacher Tweets.



4:20 Should MLB reseed the playoffs?

7:07 Limits on position players pitching?

9:46 Pete Crow-Armstrong “Mike Trout vibes”

12:18 Cubs lead the league in HR hit, HR given up

14:05 Could Shohei Ohtani pivot to relief?

16:02 Details on Aaron Judge’s return

18:46 Red Sox radio crew stirs the pot

23:26 Ketel Marte returns to boos

26:06 Chipper Jones joins

29:24 What he’s seeing from PCA at the plate

35:56 How he would approach Jacob Misiorowski

37:14 “The Eric Gregg Game”

51:19 Bleacher Tweets



EMAIL THE SHOW: BleacherTweets@gmail.com

REACH OUT ON X: #BLEACHERTWEETS



Follow The Baseball Tonight Podcast on…

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHeL6O-A-ASmSMwbSCFvPKEq1Cslo_lrw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5FG6xCcd338SgZjZ9urHRI

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/baseball-tonight-with-buster-olney/id137699414
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices