ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 12: Lane Thomas #20 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after hitting a home run in the second inning during the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on August 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves are stacking right-handed bats with a lefty starter on the mound for Arizona. While Ha-Seong Kim is still mysteriously present on the bench without being used for…anything, Dubon does replace Jarvis in the more advantageous platoon situation.
Three big-time sluggers highlight my MLB player props home run analysis for tonight's action.
Pete Alonso starts things off, with Kyle Schwarber joining him in elite company.
Plus, I'll tell you why Jac Caglianone's bat will stay hot in my MLB picks and home run props for Saturday, Aug. 15.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
MLB home run props for today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Pete Alonso
+365
Kyle Schwarber
+307
Jac Caglianone
+226
💲Today's HR parlay
+10572
Home run prediction: Pete Alonso (+365)
Pete Alonso is tearing the cover off the baseball lately. The veteran has smacked three bombs over the last week, and he has a mind-boggling .435 ISO during his last six games. Alonso cannot be stopped, and his underlying numbers are also insane.
Alonso has a 73.7% hard-hit rate and 26.3% barrel rate during that span. He'll face Tampa Bay Rays lefty Ian Seymour tonight, who has allowed a 45.5% hard-hit rate in the last month and a 13.6% barrel rate.
I'm also loving the profile for Alonso against a Rays bullpen with an FIP over five lately while they've allowed 2.10 HR/9 in their last 25.2 frames.
Play this pick down to +300.
Time: 6:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rays.TV, MASN
Home run prediction: Kyle Schwarber (+307)
How can we ignore the home run leader? Kyle Schwarber leads the big leagues with 37 bombs, and he has cracked four in his last six games while posting an ISO over .600. The hard-hit rate is otherworldly, and the barrel rate is just as ridiculous, sitting at 37.5% over the last week.
Schwarber will face a homer-prone starter tonight in Minnesota Twins lefty Connor Prielipp, who has allowed 2.61 HR/9 across his previous two appearances. Schwarber has also handled southpaws well enough this season, going deep 12 times against left-handed pitching.
He owns a 56.3% fly-ball rate over the last week.
Play this pick down to +200.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Home run prediction: Jac Caglianone (+226)
Jac Caglianone is one of the most feared power hitters in baseball right now. The Kansas City Royals slugger has gone deep four times in his last six games, including two of his last four. Caglianone’s ISO over the last week sits at a ridiculous .583.
He also owns a 57.1% hard-hit rate and 23.8% barrel rate during that span. Caglianone will face left-hander Reid Detmers tonight, who has given up 1.80 HR/9 across his previous two outings. Caglianone has not had a ton of success against lefties, but his recent power profile is impossible to ignore.
The Los Angeles Angels’ bullpen is also allowing plenty of hard contact lately, giving the Royals slugger another path to leave the yard late.
Play this pick down to +200.
Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Royals.TV, ABTV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 17-86, -6.54 units
Best home run combo for August 15
Pete Alonso
Trade Now +10572
Kyle Schwarber
Jac Caglianone
Want more baseball parlays? Check out our MLB parlay picks page!
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - AUGUST 4: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game against the Athletics at Great American Ball Park on August 4, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated the Athletics 5-4. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Brady Singer’s rock solid run of form has run out of gas a bit of late. It’s enough to wonder if the entire spotlight of him being an obvious trade piece as the August 3rd trade deadline came, and went, and him still being on the Cincinnati Reds took a bit out of him.
Over his last four starts, he’s fired 23.0 IP and allowed 13 ER (5.09 ERA). His 3.25 FIP, though, suggests that maybe he’s been a bit unlucky even though his 18/9 K/BB in that span is mediocre by most (including his) standards.
Singer will look to get back on track on Saturday evening in Great American Ball Park when he toes the rubber to start the second game of the series against the Miami Marlins. He’ll fire the game’s first pitch at 6:40 PM ET, whereas the Fish will send out righty Ryan Gusto to start.
Gusto, to his credit, fired 6.0 IP of 1 ER ball against the mighty Atlanta Braves 11 days ago, his best outing as a member of the starting rotation after having been bumped to long relief for a stint in July bookending the All Star break. On the whole, he has pitched to a 4.78 ERA (3.90 FIP) in 49.0 IP across 15 games so far this season, and since he has only thrown more than 80 pitches once since June 21st, odds are we’ll be seeing a lot of the Miami bullpen in this one.
(Unless, of course, the Cincinnati bats go as cold as they often have this year.)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Carter Bryant #11 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If there is one thing the NBA has taught teams over and over again, it is the importance of depth. Injuries happen (knock on wood). So it’s best to have a solid 10 to 12 players you can trust to varying degrees.
The San Antonio Spurs come into the 2025-26 season with a boatload of depth. They are bringing back every meaningful rotation player from their NBA Finals run last season, while adding veteran forward Tobias Harris and rookies Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Quaintance (whenever he is healthy enough to play) to provide needed front-court depth. They should also be getting more from second-year players like Carter Bryant and Dylan Harper, the latter of whom could be on the brink of stardom.
One position where the Spurs are particularly loaded is on the wings. San Antonio brings back starting sharpshooters Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie, Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson, veteran Harrison Barnes, and Bryant, while adding Harris. That’s six players who are all nearly certain to factor into the rotation in some shape or form. How Mitch Johnson decides to manage their minutes becomes one of the most interesting questions coming into the season.
Exactly how each player factors in will probably be largely matchup-dependent, and based on how the team performs to start the season. But it’s the middle of August, and it’s fun to speculate… so let’s do it!
Potential starters
Devin Vassell
Vassell should be a lock to start alongside De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Victor Wembanyama. He provides something the starting lineup desperately needs: a wing shooter who can also put the ball on the floor and create his own shot. In many ways, he is the connective tissue that makes San Antonio’s semi-positionless starting lineup sing. His defense steadily improved as the season went on, particularly in the postseason. The Spurs were +6.4 better in net rating with Vassell on the court than when he was off of it. He was second on the team in minutes per game, playing 30.5 a night. All signs point to Vassell continuing to play a prominent role for the team next year.
Julian Champagnie
San Antonio extended Champagnie this offseason, signing him to a 3-year, $45M contract. It’s somewhat of a bargain for a starting floor-spacing wing on a Finals team. Champagnie shot 38.1% from deep last season, giving the Spurs the shooting injection they needed alongside Wembanyama at the four. The problem was that Champagnie is not a natural forward. That led to some awkward defensive matchups in the playoffs that burned the Spurs, particularly against the Knicks.
Champagnie is not well suited to bang inside with bigger wings and forwards. He’s much better at playing on the wings, where he can get into passing lanes and force turnovers off the ball. That defensive liability didn’t hurt the Spurs much in the regular season, so it’s hard to see San Antonio overreacting by making such a big adjustment to the starting lineup at the start of the season. Of course, diversity of talent is important here, too. The same five players don’t need to start, nor finish every game. If the Spurs play a team with a big and strong frontcourt, Champagnie could come off the bench for Harris to give the Spurs more size to match up.
The Spurs were undeniably better when Champagnie was on the floor last season. Their net rating was +8.5 better with Champagnie on the court than on the bench. That’s a big reason why Champagnie averaged 27.6 minutes per game last season. That’s right around where he should be this year – in the 25-27-minute range, either starting or being the first wing off the bench.
Tobias Harris
The high-profile offseason addition throws a real wrench into San Antonio’s rotation. Harris hasn’t come off the bench in a decade (the 2016-17 season). He brings a lot of skills that the Spurs need: another shooter who can also create his own shot, while holding his own defensively, particularly on the interior. His ability to create out of the post will give San Antonio another wrinkle in their offense to allow Wembanyama to roam in the dunker spot or space the floor from three. He’ll also be able to space off the ball in pick-and-roll action and attack a rotating defense on skip passes to the corner. His skill will allow the Spurs to diversify their offense in a meaningful way, which should help their efficiency tremendously.
Harris is not the same level of shooter as Champagnie. He knocked down 36.8% of his threes last year, and only 29.2% in the playoffs. The kinds of threes he will get are different, too, mostly feeding off kickouts and pick-and-pop opportunities, whereas Champagnie can knock down shots off movement in screening actions. Defensively, he is a bit more stout, giving San Antonio a desperately needed big body.
Again, if anything, Harris just gives the Spurs more diversity in their skill sets. Who starts and finishes is probably going to be matchup-dependent and riding the hot hand. It wouldn’t be surprising if Harris ended up playing more minutes than Champagnie this season if San Antonio goes with a veteran presence late in games. Harris is likely to be a major factor in the rotation whether he starts or not, and should play around 25 minutes per game.
Bench rotation
Keldon Johnson
Johnson is the hardest player to fit into the wing rotation, which is ironic given he had arguably the best season of his career last year. Johnson was exposed in the playoffs as teams overplayed his hard-driving offensive style of play and were able to keep him off the offensive glass. Johnson didn’t do enough defensively to warrant a ton of playing time, as he played just 17.9 minutes in the postseason.
But Johnson was the Sixth Man of the Year and has a claim to a prominent role this season. Harper is probably set to be San Antonio’s sixth man this season, with either Harris or Champagnie becoming the 7th man. Add in Luke Kornet as the backup center playing about 20 minutes a game, and the minutes for Johnson dwindle fast.
Johnson played 23.3 minutes per game last season. That’s probably going to drop this season to somewhere closer to 20, with Harris and Champagnie digging into his minutes, and Bryant nipping at his heels. Johnson settling into an energy role off the bench, helping push the pace in transition and playing hard on the boards, would be a nice niche for him to continue providing value in a reduced role.
Carter Bryant
Bryant should be set to take a big step forward in year two. After cutting his teeth fighting to be in the rotation last season, he should be in line for a consistent role this year. Bryant is arguably the team’s second-best perimeter defender behind Castle. That’s not the type of player that averages around 11 minutes a game, like Bryant did last year.
In his second season, Bryant should take over Barnes’ role as the backup forward this season, with the potential to earn more minutes if the season goes well. The biggest thing for Bryant’s development is to play with more confidence and composure. Too many times last season, Bryant would miss a read or be late to help – normal mistakes for a young player. But his combination of defensive versatility, athleticism, and shooting potential makes him a must-play this season, just to see what he can do.
Harrison Barnes
Barnes, unfortunately, is likely to be on the outside looking in of the rotation. After signing a 1-year $8M contract, Barnes seems more likely to act as a depth piece and veteran locker room leader this year. His role decreased more and more as the year went on last season, and he only played about 9 minutes a game in the postseason.
Barnes is a nice shooter who can put the ball on the deck a bit if the Spurs need more offense when players sit. He’s the exact kind of depth competing teams need. He won’t play every night, but when he does, he won’t make a negative impact.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have brought in multiple new players this off-season. Among the Penguins' newcomers is Hendrix Lapierre, as the Penguins acquired him from the Washington Capitals in exchange for 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
The Penguins trading for Lapierre comes after he posted four goals and 16 points in 74 games with the Capitals in 2025-26. Overall, it was a quiet year from the 2020 first-round pick, but there is reason to believe that he can turn things around in Pittsburgh.
In fact, at just 24 years old, the possibility of Lapierre breaking out and hitting a new level with the Penguins should not be ruled out.
A change of scenery can sometimes benefit a player, and that could end up being the case with Lapierre. With the Penguins being a retooling team that is focused on the future, it is likely that they are going to give the young forward plenty of chances to succeed.
Lapierre has also shown in the past that he has the potential to provide decent secondary offensive production. During the 2023-24 season with the Capitals, he recorded eight goal, 14 assists, and 22 points in 51 games. If he can tap into his offensive potential more with the Penguins, he could end up being a very solid addition to their group.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 20: A view of the Nike shoes of Maxime Raynaud #42 of the Sacramento Kings against the Charlotte Hornets in the first half of the 2025 NBA Summer League Championship game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hornets defeated the Kings 83-78. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Buffalo Sabres brought in a handful of new players this offseason. Among them is defenseman Louis Crevier, as they acquired him as part of the trade that sent Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks.
While Crevier was not the biggest name from this deal, he has the potential to be a very good addition to the Sabres' roster.
Crevier showed good promise this past season with the Blackhawks. In 78 games with the Original Six club, he set new career highs with seven goals, 18 assists, 25 points, and 124 hits. With numbers like these, he provided a nice mix of offensive production and grit to the Blackhawks' blueline.
However, when noting that this Crevier's first truly full season at the NHL level, it is fair to wonder if the 6-foot-8 defenseman can hit another new level. He entered last season with only 56 career games played over his two previous campaigns, so he is very much still in the early stages of his career. Because of this, it would not be surprising if he broke out even further next season now that he is more adjusted to the NHL level.
If Crevier can take another step forward, it would be significant for the Sabres. It will be interesting to see what kind of campaign he can put together for Buffalo from here.
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 14: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox (R) talks with third base coach Justin Jirschele #71 at third base during the first inning of the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 14, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A close fought game did not go the Detroit Tigers way on Saturday as some of their biggest bats continued their recent struggles. The batted ball luck didn’t help matters, and Troy Melton finally had a bit of a rough start. Still, the Tigers had their chances as the White Sox held on to win 4-3. They will be hunting a sweep on Sunday.
Things did not start off auspiciously for Troy Melton in this one. Needing a good start to help even up the series, Melton had one of his toughest outings of the season. Sam Antonacci ripped a first pitch heater for a double to start the game, and Munetaka Murakami drew a walk. Melton bounced back, striking out Miguel Vargas, and getting Andrew Benintendi on a fly out. Unfortunately, Braden Montgomery singled through the right side, scoring Antonacci before Melton struck out Colson Montgomery to end the inning.
Facing lefty Anthony Kay, the Tigers got walks to Hao-Yu Lee and then Kevin McGonigle with two outs. Eduardo Valencia singled into center field to score Lee, but Spencer Torkelson struck out. So we had a 1-1 tie after one inning.
Melton got ambushed a bit again in the second, as Chase Meidroth and Tristan Peters led off with singles. The young right-hander just wasn’t getting ahead enough with first pitch strikes. Jake Rogers stepped into the box and got a nice ovation. He then grounded into a rare 1-5-4 double play, thanks Jake, and Melton whiffed Antonacci with a good curveball. However, Kay tossed a quick 1-2-3 inning, getting Ben Malgeri, Javier Báez, and freezing Corey Julks for strike three after Rogers correctly challenged.
Murakami got an 0-1 slider away to start the third, and ripped a line drive up the left center field gap for a leadoff double. Vargas grounded out, but Benintendi reached on an infield single. Braden Montgomery grounded one to Torkelson, who fired home to Valencia to get Murakami while Benintendi and Montgomery aggressively took second and third. Melton needed an out to escape but instead Colson Montgomery doubled to right, scoring both runs. 3-1 White Sox. Not ideal.
Gleyber Torres lined a single to right to start the bottom of the third, but the Tigers big bats were still quiet as Lee struck out, Dillon Dingler flew out, and Kevin McGonigle grounded out to end the inning.
Even in the fourth, Melton gave up a leadoff single to Peters, but he snuffed any further rallying by getting the next three in order.
Eduardo Valencia continued to provide the offense in the bottom of the fourth as Kay left a 2-2 changeup just up in the zone, and the rookie launched it into the Tigers bullpen to make it a 3-2 game. That was his sixth home run of the season. The Tigers went in order from there, though.
Melton’s struggles continued in the fifth as Vargas led off with a double. Melton got Benintendi on a grounder, but his day was done at that point as Drew Sommers took over. The big lefty did a nice job striking out both Montgomerys to strand Vargas, although Valencia blew the Tigers second challenge on a ball to Colson before Sommers bent a sweeper in there to lock him up. Having no challenges at this point of the game is scary.
Finally in the bottom half the Tigers did tie things up. Back-to-back doubles from Julks and Torres made it a 3-3 game. Lee grounded out, and Dingler’s frustrations over the last three series continued as he lined out to shortstop and Torres got caught leaning and was doubled off to end the inning. Still, we had a new ballgame at 3-3 heading into the final four frames.
Sommers got Meidroth to ground out to open the sixth. Peters tried to bunt for some reason and was thrown out. Sommers blew away Rogers, and finally the Tigers had another 1-2-3 inning and had a chance to seize control in the bottom half. It didn’t start off well, as Kay got McGonigle to ground out. That was the last batter Will Venable wanted his starter to face, and so Kay’s day was done, and hard-throwing sinkerballer Jordan Hicks took over.
Hicks has never really managed to get his control issues smoothed out for long, but he continues to strike out a good amount of hitters and doesn’t give up many home runs at all. Valencia nearly hammered an 0-1 breaking ball but he pulled it foul. A lengthy battle ended with a blooper for an out to Murakami at first, and Hicks blew away Torkelson at 99 mph to send us to the seventh.
Venable pinch-hit Randal Grichuk in for Antonacci, and he drilled a drive to center field for a leadoff double to start the seventh. We’ve seen too much of this. Sommers blew Murakami away for the first out, and AJ Hinch made the rare move of walking Vargas intentionally. The idea was to set up Sommers against Benintendi to get the ground ball, and they got it, but it was hit hard enough to get past a diving McGonigle at shortstop. He got a bit of glove on it, killing the speed of the ball as it bounced into left field, and Grichuk scored easily while Vargas went first to third. 4-3 White Sox.
That was the end for Sommers, and Kyle Finnegan took over against Braden Montgomery, and the Tigers really needed some good Finnegan here. They got it, as he whiffed Montgomery with a splitter, and Colson flew out to Javy Báez in center field.
Max Clark got the first part of the game off but entered to pinch-hit for Malgeri against Hicks in the bottom of the seventh. He hit one hard, but Colson Montgomery leapt to snare it for the first out. Báez struck out, and Zach McKinstry pinch-hit for Julks. Hicks whiffed him on a splitter, and we were on to the eighth.
McKinstry took over in right field, with Clark in center, and Báez over in left as the inning began. Finnegan faced Meidroth to start the inning. He got a ground out from him, and Peters lined out to McKinstry. Rogers grounded out and it was the Tigers’ turn.
Hard-throwing Grant Taylor took over for the White Sox, and Torres pulled a single to left to lead off. Unfortunately, Colt Keith pinch hit for Lee and grounded one to first for a double play. Dingler’s struggles continued as he struck out and we were on to the ninth.
Tanner Rainey entered for the Tigers in the top half. He gave up a leadoff single to Grichuk, and Brenton Doyle pinch ran for him and was cut down by Valencia trying to steal second. Nice throw. Rainey struck out Murakami and Vargas lined out to McKinstry. So, it was last call for the Tigers down 4-3.
Lefty Bryan Hudson took over to close this out for the White Sox. McGonigle put together a good AB, but a sharply hit ball to right field was run down at the warning track by Braden Montgomery. Valencia was frozen by a heater on the inner edge, and Spencer Torkelson flew out to center field to end it.
The White Sox extend their lead in the AL Central to 4.5 games in the process. Tough time for Dingler, Keith, and McGonigle to cool off, at least briefly, but we’re getting a good look at the fact that the White Sox are a legitimately good, deep team. The pitching matchup should’ve favored the Tigers with Melton vs. the lefty Kay, but it didn’t quite work out that way.
The Tigers weren’t going to run the table all the way to the end of the season. Some rough spots had to be expected, but there are 39 games remaining, and the Tigers have worked their way right into the thick of the AL playoff picture. They will look to salvage a game in the series and re-group on Sunday. RHP Drew Anderson will take on a tough opponent in RHP Sean Burke at 1:40 p.m. ET.
The Milwaukee Brewers enter Dodger Stadium as the -117 road favorites tonight on the back of Jacob Misiorowski, who looks to continue his climb up the NL Cy Young odds.
I’ll break down why the Brew Crew is a good bet for a low-scoring win in my Brewers vs. Dodgers predictions and free MLB picks for Saturday, Aug. 15.
Who will win Brewers vs Dodgers today: Brewers moneyline (-121)
Jacob Misiorowski is running away in the NL Cy Young odds, and it’s easy to see why.
The Milwaukee Brewers ace is in the top percentile among all pitchers in pitching run value, xERA (1.93), xBA (.163), and K% (40.6%).
Misiorowski has held his opponents to two runs or fewer in 14 of his last 16 starts going back to May, and that’s bad news for a Los Angeles Dodgers squad that’s averaging just 3.62 runs per game over its last 13 contests.
I’m playing Milwaukee up to -125.
COVERS INTEL: The Dodgers are hitting an MLB-worst .169 against the four-seamer vs. righties this month, a pitch that Misiorowski throws 64% of the time with an average velocity over 100 mph.
Brewers vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-121)
The Dodgers are ice-cold at the plate right now, and they won’t put many runs on the board against Misiorowski and the fourth-best bullpen in the majors.
Meanwhile, the Brewers are down three starting players and have averaged a measly three runs per game over their last seven outings.
Milwaukee also owns the eighth-worst average (.219) and highest K% (36.6) against left-handed pitching this month, and won’t enjoy tonight’s matchup vs. Justin Wrobleski.
The Under is the play to -130.
Brewers vs Dodgers home run prediction: Jackson Chourio (+414)
Jackson Chourio has been Milwaukee’s most consistent home-run hitter this year with 17 dingers in 89 games. The right-handed slugger has hammered left-handed pitching, with five homers in just 94 at-bats while carrying a .309 average and .521 SLG.
Breaking balls have been a weak spot for Wrobleski, who carries a -3 breaking run value according to Statcast. Wrobleski’s slider has been hit out of the park five times this season, and Chourio himself has hit nine of his 17 dingers off that pitch.
Playable to +400.
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 7-5, +1.21 units
Over/Under bets: 5-7, -2.31 units
Brewers vs Dodgers weather
Dodger Stadium will see clear skies, mild temperatures, and light winds blowing out to center field throughout the night.
Brewers vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Brewers -117 | Dodgers +113
Run line: Brewers -1.5 | Dodgers +1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Brewers vs Dodgers trend
The Brewers have hit the Under in 13 of their last 21 games (+5.55 Units / 24% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Brewers vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Brewers starting pitcher
Jacob Misiorowski (11-5, 1.76 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Justin Wrobleski (11-4, 3.44 ERA)
Brewers vs Dodgers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 14: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals steals second base against Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets during the third inning at Citi Field on August 14, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night the bats just could not get going and the bullpen faltered. That led to a disappointing 4-1 loss. Now the boys will have to regroup and try to even the series. Hopefully the league’s highest scoring offense can figure out the Mets makeshift pitching staff.
With a lefty on the mound, there will be plenty of changes to the lineup. Dylan Crews will lead off and play right. CJ Abrams is at short again despite the announcement of his move to second base. Andrew Pinckney and Harry Ford are also back in the lineup. Brad Lord will start as his reintegration into the rotation continues.
The Mets have a couple new faces at the bottom of their lineup. Brett Baty will play left field and Jorge Polanco will DH. Otherwise it is the same group as last night. Francisco Lindor will lead the way without Juan Soto. Sean Manaea has been throwing the ball much better lately and will be on the mound today.
Losing this series in New York would be a massive blow. This group needs to buckle down and do whatever it takes to win. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 09: Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Detroit Tigers at Oracle Park on August 09, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s time for Game 2 in the three-game series between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies. All I’m hoping for is that it goes better than the first game did. And hey, we’re getting an MLB debut this fine afternoon, as Turner Hill is starting in left field!
Taking the mound for the Giants is their ace, righty Logan Webb. The three-time All-Star has made 21 starts this season, and is 7-7 with a 3.59 ERA, a 3.27 FIP, and 103 strikeouts to 32 walks in 133 innings. Webb was excellent his last time out, giving up just one run in eight innings against the Detroit Tigers.
For the Rockies, it’s veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen. The 33-year old, who was an All-Star in 2023, has made 25 appearances in his first season with Colorado, and has gone 3-10 with a 6.83 ERA, a 5.09 FIP, and 81 strikeouts to 46 walks in 112 innings. He’s given up the most hits (164) and runs (85) in the Majors this year, so you can expect the Giants to be shut out. Lorenzen gave up four runs, two of which were earned, in 4.1 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals his last time out.
There’s still a month to go until tee-off at the Montreal Canadiens annual golf tournament, but action is already heating up at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. Players who didn’t spend the summer in town are already starting to return, including some who spent the summer in Europe, like Austrian prospect David Reinbacher.
De retour à Brossard ce matin!
Quelques joueurs sur la patinoire : Josh Anderson, Jake Evans, David Reinbacher, Ivan Demidov, Alexandre Carrier, Jayden Struble, Jakub Dobes (et Brendan Gallagher).
According to Dans les coulisses’ Marc-Olivier Cook, Josh Anderson, Jake Evans, Reinbacher, Ivan Demidov, Alexandre Carrier, Jayden Struble and Jakub Dobes were on the ice at the Canadiens’ practice rink on Thursday. Earlier this week, Jacob Fowler played in the LSHL; it's starting to smell like hockey again in Montreal.
Things will keep ramping up until rookie training camp kicks off, likely in early September, since the Habs will take part in the 2026 NHL Prospect Challenge in Gatineau on September 12 and 13. The Canadiens’ prospects will take on the Ottawa Senators’ and the Winnipeg Jets’ prospects. The game against the Jets will take place on Saturday, September 12, at 1:00 PM, and the one against the Sens on Sunday, September 13, at 6:00 PM.
Once that’s done, we’ll be getting nearer to the official start of the preseason, as the Canadiens will be playing five games on three days. How is that possible? Simply put, four of those five games will be split-squad games, including the last two on September 26 against the Senators. That means that, at that point, three days before the start of the regular season, the Habs will still have enough players to play two games at the same time—one in Ottawa and the other in Montreal.
Whichever way you look at it, this shorter preseason will mean that teams will be icing weaker sides; you won’t see a real NHL lineup until opening night on September 29 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The only preseason game that won’t be a split-squad affair is the one against the Sens in Trois-Rivières on September 21, the Kraft Hockeytown celebration game. The shorter preseason may let the league run a longer regular season with an 84-game calendar, but expect teams to need time to build real chemistry from the start.
Aaron Judge has not been seen in a baseball game since May 31. Yet on Saturday, Aug. 15, the New York Yankees got at least a glimpse of Judge both upright and participating in baseball activities.
Judge played catch and ran before the Yankees' game against the Blue Jays at Toronto's Rogers Centre as he begins his gradual climb back from a fractured right rib. He was cleared for baseball activities Aug. 5, but the Yankees have been deliberate in assessing test results and monitoring his injury.
"We expect him back, but we're in the early stages of baseball activity," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters in Toronto. "Hopefully things continue to go well."
The Yankees were 36-23 and 1 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay in the American League East when Judge played his final game before going on the injured list. They've gone 32-31 since, losing All-Star Game MVP Cody Bellinger along the way, and now trail Tampa Bay by 6 1/2 games entering play Saturday. New York retains a three-game lead over Boston for the No. 1 wild card spot.
There was a pretty clear idea of what Trent Frederic was supposed to be when the Edmonton Oilers brought him in.
He was a 6-foot-3, bottom-six forward who would finish checks, get physical, and provide enough offence to move around the lineup when necessary. Edmonton was paying for a player who would be involved every night.
Instead, they're paying for a player who's gone largely unnoticed.
Frederic has become an easy target in Edmonton with his $3.85 million cap hit. A player making that much money in the bottom six has to provide something consistently and Frederic hasn't scored enough, hasn't been physical enough, while too often has gone through games with little influence.
He could enter training camp fighting just to stay in the NHL. Frederic runs the real risk of getting paid $3.85 million a season to play in Bakersfield.
It's a remarkable position to be in considering what Edmonton thought they was getting.
Frederic is well-liked by his teammates and has never had a reputation as a problem in the room. By all accounts, he's a good guy who wants to get better. But fans watching a team with limited cap space pay nearly $4 million for a player who has become difficult to notice don't really care.
“I would say that’s fair,” Frederic told Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now. “I don’t think I started off great. [Playing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl], I think we were pretty good, playing with the two best players.
“But I don’t think I started off great. I just kind of got lost who I was. I didn’t really have much of an identity. So hopefully, I’ve gained some confidence just getting away from the game and enjoying it right now in the summer and having fun and working out and everything.”
Frederic has lost parts of his identity. His value has always depended on everything surrounding the offence, not becoming a high-end offensive player himself. He has to be around the puck, finish checks, win battles and give Edmonton a physical presence in games that call for one. When those things disappear, there isn't enough left in his game to make him particularly useful.
Kris Knoblauch never found a way to get that player back into the game, but maybe Mike Babcock can.
There should be very little confusion about what Babcock will expect from Frederic. He has spent his career demanding details from players and has never been reluctant to tell somebody when they aren't being good enough. And Frederic is the one player on this roster who unequivocally needs this.
If Frederic isn't scoring, he still has to affect the game physically. If he isn't getting many touches with the puck, he has to be noticeable on the forecheck. If Edmonton's better players are getting pushed around, Frederic can't be another player watching it happen.
Those were supposed to be the reasons he was brought here.
But that was last year. Frederic wasn't healthy enough to have a normal summer a year ago, something that put him behind before the season had even started.
“Going back last summer, I wasn’t able to skate until around probably now, started just barely getting on the ice again,” said Frederic. “For me, I think after the (Olympic) break, I would say I was probably as close as 100 per cent as I had been before the injury. I think it’s unfortunate that we lost early, but it’s been great for myself just to get a full summer of training hard and early skating, and at 100 per cent. It’ll be good.”
Frederic has had the summer to train properly, and he will arrive at camp healthy. Edmonton has enough competition in its bottom six that past performances on different teams won't be enough to guarantee anything.
The Oilers would probably be happy if Babcock can get Frederic back to being the player they thought they were acquiring.
Frederic can be very useful in the NHL. He can be difficult to play against, and there has been enough offence in his career to suggest he shouldn't be an automatic fourth-liner. What disappeared last season was any identity that made him the player he was.
A demanding coach is capable of bringing some of that back.
“I’m just excited to come back next year and have a fresh start and pretty excited to have Babs [Mike Babcock] and get kind of a complete fresh slate,” Frederic said.
He'll get one.
Babcock will give Frederic another opportunity, while making it clear what'll happen if he doesn't take advantage of it.
As the Minnesota Timberwolves were seen gathering in Paris, France for a Rudy Gobert sponsored team-building vacation, the NBA schedule-makers were hard at work determining who goes to play where and when after the fallout from LeBron James’ Philadelphia 76ers decision.
The Timberwolves were highlighted by the league a lot due to the Anthony Edwards and now LaMelo Ball effect. It should be a fun season with plenty of marquee matchups that Minnesota will be on the front lines of national coverage.
Let’s dive deeper into the upcoming season.
Schedule at a Glance
Nationally Televised Games
The Timberwolves have 27 nationally televised games this season, one less than the 2025-26 season. Despite it being one less game, they arguably have a higher pedigree of nationally televised games. Some of the highlights include:
Wednesday, October 27th at 7:30pm on ESPN: @ Miami HEAT
The Season opener against Miami HEAT which will be Giannis Antetokounmpo’s debut in Miami. If the Wolves do not add a power forward before the season, it will be interesting to see who guards Giannis in this matchup. He could easily exploit the specific issues that we are projecting on to this team at this point in time.
Friday, December 25th at 7:30pm on ABC: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Wolves get a home game against the Thunder during the primetime 7:00 pm CT slot. This is a nice change after the late night Christmas Day affair in Denver a season ago.
1/18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day vs New York Knicks. Defending champion Karl-Anthony Towns’ and his team will play host to Minnesota at Madison Square Garden.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 27: Anthony Edwards #5 and Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrate after the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round 1 Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Homecomings
When you make multiple moves in the offseason like the Timberwolves did, there will be multiple reunions that take place throughout the season. We’ll surely hear some boos and cheers alike.
Monday, November 23rd at 6:30pm on Peacock – vs. Brooklyn Nets
This will be Julius Randle’s return to Minnesota after he was unceremoniously traded this offseason to the Brooklyn Nets, preceding the LaMelo Ball trade. There should be a lot of feelings from all parties in this one because of the way that this era of the Wolves ended, and will be one that is very interesting to track.
Friday, January 29th at 8:30pm on ESPN – vs. Charlotte Hornets
This homecoming should be a lot warmer than the first on this list. This will be Naz Reid’s return to Minnesota which should be filled with a lot of appreciation and a hype video for the ages.
Monday, February 15 at 11:00am on NBC – @ Charlotte Hornets
The inverse of the above will happen for LaMelo Ball in Charlotte less than two weeks later. In a morning President’s day matchup, LaMelo will return to Charlotte in what should be another emotional homecoming for a player that did a lot for the Hornets organization.
Sunday, February 28 at 6:00pm on NBC – vs. Boston Celtics
This is the biggest “homecoming” of the season, and the easily the most important in Timberwolves franchise history. After Kevin Garnett rejoined the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise last season including multiple marketing campaigns, number 21 will finally get his jersey up in the rafters at long last.
Starting with the Christmas Day game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a stretch where they play: at Golden State, at Denver, vs. Denver, at Indiana, vs. San Antonio and at Houston. These are a lot of big matchups against good teams and the calendar flips to 2027. The second Denver Nuggets matchup is on New Year’s Eve Day as well. Minnesota has had some, let’s say memorable, New Year’s experiences. A blowout at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, a loss against the Detroit Pistons before they were good that led to a Player’s Only meeting. If you need an escape from the holidays or your family, this will be a great time to lock in on some Timberwolves hoops.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 15: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Team USA Stars holds up the Most Valuable Player trophy after the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Intensity Around the All-Star Break
Starting on February 12th right before the All-Star Break and stretching to just after the break on March 2nd, the schedule is at Boston, at Charlotte, vs. San Antonio, vs. Indiana, vs. Boston and at Oklahoma City. With three games before the break and three games after it will be interesting to see how Minnesota looks at this point in the season. This portion is generally difficult to navigate because of the pending vacation with the time right after reserved for the “final stretch” of the season. This will be right around the trade deadline as well so it is always a news-filled time in the season. We saw what happened last year. As the first signs of spring start to sprout, it will be another stretch of fun matchups for Minnesota.
The Finale
The final three games of the season are at Los Angeles Lakers twice, then vs. Houston Rockets. This is always the time of the season where final jockeying is taking place as teams fight for seeding. Hopefully the Timberwolves are not fighting for seeding at this point though. This is where the rubber meets the road and playoff matchups come clearly into view. During the last couple of seasons, there has been some drama with these games, and that could also be the case this year with those teams believed to be in the mix with Minnesota for a top six seed.
What games are you most looking forward to? Maybe a Rob Dillingham homecoming game? We all know that at the end of the day, the Wolves are guaranteed to go 82-0.
Pete Alonso
Kyle Schwarber
Jac Caglianone
COVERS INTEL: The Dodgers are 
