September Reinforcements: O'Hearn Returns as Sasaki and Steele Near Comebacks

The September cavalry is officially arriving. With just over two weeks remaining in the 2026 MLB regular season, wild-card hopefuls and division leaders alike are finally getting the reinforcements they desperately need. The grueling 162-game marathon inevitably thins out rosters by late summer, but the return of a high-leverage arm or a middle-of-the-order slugger in mid-September often acts as the ultimate, post-deadline acquisition.

In Pittsburgh, the Pirates received a massive emotional and offensive lift on Friday when they activated infielder and outfielder Ryan O'Hearn from the 10-day injured list. O'Hearn had been sidelined since July 31 after suffering a severe left quad strain while running out a grounder in an 8-7 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Initially expected to miss six to eight weeks, the 33-year-old veteran crushed his rehab timeline, returning to the active roster exactly six weeks to the day of the injury.[1]

"It was a pretty significant injury," Pirates manager Don Kelly told reporters ahead of Friday's series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. "And for him to return this fast, it's great to have him back in the clubhouse." The Pirates immediately optioned outfielder Ronny Simón to Triple-A Indianapolis to clear space for O'Hearn, who was available off the bench on Friday and pinch-hit in the seventh inning.

O'Hearn's bat is a critical piece for a Pittsburgh squad making a late-season surge. Prior to the quad strain, he was slashing .270 with an .788 OPS, launching 17 home runs and driving in a career-high 69 RBIs across 96 games. That production included a historic July 7 performance against the Atlanta Braves where he set a single-game franchise record with 10 RBIs. His return reunites him with Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin, giving the Pirates their full-strength starting lineup for the first time in months as they climb to a 74-73 record.[1]

Out West, the Los Angeles Dodgers are navigating their own brutal stretch of late-season attrition, recently placing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani on the 15-day IL with right biceps inflammation. However, the rotation is about to get a major boost. Right-hander Roki Sasaki is on the verge of returning from a blister on his right middle finger that has sidelined him since August 27.[3]

Sasaki took a massive step forward this week, throwing live batting practice at Dodger Stadium on September 9 before completing a rigorous bullpen session on Friday at loanDepot Park in Miami. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed the 24-year-old is ready for game action. "He threw to hitters, he'll throw another bullpen, and at that point in time it's just figuring out what day to slot him in," Roberts said, noting Sasaki could start as early as Sunday against the Marlins.[3]

Before the blister flared up, Sasaki had been a reliable workhorse for Los Angeles, posting a 4.60 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP while striking out 117 batters over 119 1/3 innings in 23 starts. Getting him back allows the Dodgers to maintain their preferred six-man rotation, providing crucial rest for the rest of the staff as they barrel toward October.[3]

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs are taking a creative, urgency-driven approach to their own returning arms. Left-handed ace Justin Steele has been working his way back from a left elbow flexor strain that delayed his 2026 debut. Because there simply isn't enough time left in the Triple-A season—which ends September 20—to stretch him out for 90 pitches, the Cubs are transitioning Steele into a relief role.[4]

Steele began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on September 2, his first affiliated game action in roughly 17 months following a UCL repair in April 2025. In his second outing, he threw 18 of his 27 pitches for strikes across two innings, sitting in the low-90s with his fastball. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer made the team's philosophy clear: "If he can come back and he can help us, he's going to come back and he's going to help us."[4]

Steele isn't the only starter the Cubs are converting to a late-inning weapon. On Saturday, Chicago officially activated right-hander Edward Cabrera from the 15-day injured list. Cabrera has battled multiple hamstring and blister issues this year, limiting him to 15 starts and 76 innings with a 5.68 ERA. To bypass the lengthy process of rebuilding his arm strength, the Cubs are deploying him out of the bullpen.[5]

The stuff is certainly there for a high-leverage role. During a rehab appearance for Iowa on September 9, Cabrera struck out one batter over two innings of one-run ball, unleashing a fastball that topped out at a blistering 100.7 mph. He threw 15 of his 21 pitches for strikes and generated three whiffs, giving manager Craig Counsell a fresh, triple-digit weapon.[2][5]

As the final weeks of September unfold, the standings will inevitably tighten. Teams that can successfully integrate these returning stars—whether it's O'Hearn taking quality at-bats in Pittsburgh or Sasaki and Cabrera eating crucial innings in Los Angeles and Chicago—will hold a distinct advantage when the postseason bracket is finally set.[1][4]