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TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 14: New York Yankees Manager Aaron Boone argues with home plate umpire Vic Carapazza and is ejected in the sixth inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday versus the Blue Jays, Aaron Boone was ejected for the 50th time in his managerial career. It’s fair to question if this feat or milestone is worth celebrating. Applying this situation to the real world, it would essentially be like getting to verbally abuse the health inspector as they walk through your restaurant with little repercussions. However, in the baseball world, choosing to take a stand and get tossed has long been viewed as a good way to “get the boys fired up” over the course of a long season.
Hitting number 50 places Boone in a tie for 25th all-time, albeit a far cry from Bobby Cox’s top mark of 162, and further builds on his tally as the Yankees all-time leader. Some of these ejections stand out more than others for their entertainment value. In the most American way possible, without condoning workplace bullying but still using it for my entertainment, I have selected the five most entertaining hooks of Boone’s managerial career.
In perhaps the most absurd ejection on Boone’s list, and maybe in baseball history, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt threw Boone out just five pitches into the game after a weird hit by pitch and check swing question. The ejection caught everyone off guard as Boone was standing silently when the hook came. The actual chirping was coming from a fan sitting directly behind the Yankees dugout. Boone reacted in complete, animated bewilderment as this ejection had to stand despite his innocence.
In his rookie year as manager, Boone established his penchant for theatrical flair, or getting his money’s worth if he was going to get sent to the showers early. After screaming at umpire Nic Lentz, Boone dropped into a catcher’s crouch behind home plate to show the umpire how he was being tricked by the catcher, further mocking the umpire’s strike zone. Boone’s cap made contact with Lentz’s during the tirade getting Boone a fine and a suspension.
After being tossed by veteran umpire Laz Diaz, Boone didn’t just yell and stomp; he went full send. He repeatedly showed Diaz an imitation of his strike-three punch-out and getting all up in his personal space. Boone then channeled his inner Bob Ross and traced lines in the dirt to give us all our first preview of what ABS tracking would look like.
Furious over rookie umpire Brennan Miller’s strike zone, Boone charged out, clapped directly in the umpire’s face like Regina George at a lunch table, and then dropped the line on a hot mic that his hitters were “f-ing savages in that box.” Also, shout-out Brett Gardner, keep bangin’ Brett!
This remains Boone’s masterpiece and made a lot of people in the Yankee sphere some extra coin. Even more importantly, another generation of East Coasters were given the ability to freely use the “F” word in public as a quote.
Seven years after their legendary first encounter, Boone and Miller squared off again. Tension mounted early when Miller, positioned at second base, called Anthony Volpe out on a stolen-base attempt. Boone challenged, but the ruling stood after a lengthy replay review. Boone slammed his chewing gum onto the ground and spent the next half-inning barking expletives from the top step of the dugout.
The chaos peaked in the seventh inning when Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho made a diving catch that the Yankees suspected was trapped. Having already burned his lone replay challenge, Boone was entirely powerless to stop the third out. In a moment of pure, petty frustration, Boone looked out past the infield, locked eyes with Miller, and began shouting across the diamond.
Miller swiftly unleashed a massive hook, prompting Boone to sprint all the way out to second base for an explosive, nose-to-nose tirade. The sequel was personal. Old-school baseball theater.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 16: Carson Benge #3 of the New York Mets in action against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on August 16, 2026 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Nationals 4-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Continuing their alarmingly-successful run in the aftermath of the trade deadline, the Mets sent the Nationals out of town with a three-game sweep.
The cleats Joshua Baez used to club three home runs in his first three trips to the plate as a major leaguer are heading to Cooperstown. The only problem is that the cleats technically aren’t even his.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts to his RBI single past Edwin Diaz #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers, scoring David Hamilton #6 to tie the game 4-4, during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to week 21 of our 2026 NL Central Power Rankings — let’s rank some teams!
1. Milwaukee Brewers (77-48); 3-4 this week; 100.0% chance to make postseason (FanGraphs)
The Brewers held their own on the West Coast, as they followed up a three-game sweep at the hands of the Padres to win three of four against the Dodgers, keeping them five games ahead of the Cubs in the division.
Four players homered for Milwaukee this week, while Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio tied for the team lead with eight hits apiece, including two doubles each. Joey Ortiz and Gary Sánchez both homered and had a double, with Ortiz leading the team with four RBIs. Andrew Vaughn added seven hits, including a double.
Logan Henderson turned in a pair of solid starts, totaling 13 1/3 innings with four runs allowed and a team-high 13 strikeouts. Jacob Misiorowski and Dustin May each had a quality start, as Miz went six innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts, and May went seven innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts. Grant Anderson, Aaron Ashby, Trevor Megill, and the now DFA’d Lyon Richardson combined for 8 1/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen, striking out five.
Milwaukee gets an off day on Monday before hosting the Mariners and Braves for three games each this week.
2. Chicago Cubs (72-53); 3-3 this week; 98.0% chance to make postseason
The Cubs, who were red hot entering this week, cooled off over the weekend. After winning the first two games in Washington against the Nationals, they dropped the series finale before dropping two of three against the Cardinals over the weekend.
Alex Bregman suddenly looks like the guy Chicago gave $175 million to, as he picked up four more homers as part of a six-hit, five-walk week. Pete Crow-Armstrong added a pair of homers, as did Seiya Suzuki, who also led the team with eight hits, including four doubles.
Clay Holmes had what was easily the best start of the week, earning the win as he went 6 2/3 scoreless frames with one hit and one walk, striking out three. Trent Thornton and Jacob Webb were the only bullpen arms to not allow a run (unless you count catcher Carson Kelly), totaling 4 1/3 innings as Webb also collected a pair of saves. Former Brewer Aaron Civale was also solid in two relief appearances, allowing one run and striking out five across 5 1/3 innings.
Chicago now faces their cross-city rival White Sox at Wrigley Field before an off day on Thursday. They’ll then visit the Mariners in Seattle over the weekend.
3. St. Louis Cardinals (63-61); 4-2 this week; 8.6% chance to make postseason
The Cardinals have had a nice month of August thus far, winning four consecutive series as they went 2-1 against both the Phillies and Cubs this week.
Joshua Báez had arguably the greatest MLB debut ever on Saturday, becoming the first player to ever homer three times in their debut. Alec Burleson had the best week overall for St. Louis, going 9-for-22 with two homers, three doubles, and 12 RBIs. Blaze Jordan, Jordan Walker, and Everson Pereira also homered.
Andre Pallante went six scoreless innings in his start, striking out a pair, while Kyle Leahy (five innings, one run, six strikeouts), Matthew Liberatore (5 1/3 innings, two runs, six strikeouts), Michael McGreevy (six innings, three runs (all unearned), six strikeouts), and Hunter Dobbins (two starts, 10 innings, five runs (three earned), 13 strikeouts) also had solid weeks in what was a great week for the rotation as a whole. Justin Bruihl, Luis Gastelum, Riley O’Brien, and Peter Strzelecki combined for 11 2/3 scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts out of the bullpen.
St. Louis now heads to Cincinnati to play five games in four days (including a makeup doubleheader on Monday) before three games against the Phillies in Philadelphia this weekend.
4. Cincinnati Reds (59-64); 3-3 this week; 0.2% chance to make postseason
The Reds turned in another .500 week, taking two of three from the White Sox in Chicago before dropping two of three to the Marlins at home.
Tyler Stephenson and Eugenio Suárez both slugged a pair of homers, with Ke’Bryan Hayes, Matt McLain, and Sal Stewart adding a homer apiece. Stewart also led the team with eight hits this week, with four RBIs and four runs scored.
Chase Burns continues to dominate, as he went seven scoreless frames, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out seven to pick up the win. Luis Mey went four scoreless innings across three relief appearances, Brock Burke went 2 2/3 scoreless innings, Pierce Johnson went 1 2/3 scoreless, and Emilio Pagán collected a pair of saves in his two appearances.
Cincinnati now hosts the Cardinals for five games in four days before visiting the Diamondbacks next weekend.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates (61-65); 3-3 this week; 3.7% chance to make postseason
The Pirates had a solid .500 week, dropping two of three to the Marlins in Miami but bouncing back to take two of three from the Red Sox in Pittsburgh.
Rafael Flores had a big week for Pittsburgh, with seven hits, including three homers, driving in eight. Jacob Gonzalez, Brandon Lowe, and Jared Triolo each homered, and Esmerlyn Valdez led the team with nine hits, including three doubles.
Braxton Ashcraft turned in a complete game, allowing one run on three hits and a walk, striking out 10. Bubba Chandler also earned a win with two runs allowed over five innings, while Paul Skenes took the loss with two runs allowed (one earned) over five innings. Wilber Dotel, Mason Montgomery, Yohan Ramírez, and Gregory Soto combined for 8 1/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen, striking out 11.
Pittsburgh now hosts the Tigers for three games before an off day on Thursday. They then head west to visit the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
St. Louis (63-61) and Cincinnati (59-64) meet at the Great American Ball Park for an untraditional five-game series due to make up games. The Cardinals are 5-3 against the Reds this season, but Cincinnati won the previous series, 2-1.
This matchup also features the two frontrunners for National League Rookie of the Year, Sal Stewart and JJ Wetherholt. The Cardinals' Wetherholt is the slight favorite despite Stewart having the hotter bat in the second half of the season.
In August, the Reds are hitting an MLB-worst .191 as a team and ranks 24th or worse in OPS, OBP, and SLG. However, Cincinnati has brought power with 20 home runs (T-6th), but only 51 runs scored over 14 games (24th). The pitching staff owns a 4.51 ERA (24th) in August as well.
St. Louis has won four of the last five games and outscored their opponents, 28-9. The Cardinals offense has been top 10 this month in a lot of categories, including batting average (.257) and 71 runs scored (T-9th).
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Cardinals at Reds
Date: Monday, August 17, 2026
Time: 1:40 PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Network/Streaming: ESPN / MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Cardinals at the Reds
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: St. Louis Cardinals (-112), Cincinnati Reds (+104)
Spread: Cardinals -1.5 (+135), Reds+1.5 (-163)
Total: 9.5
Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Reds
Monday's pitching matchup (August 17): Quinn Matthews vs TBA
Jordan Walker is hitting .313 in August (15/48) with nine RBI
Alec Burleson is hitting .340 in August (17/50) with six home runs and 19 RBI
JJ Wetherholt is hitting .170 in August (8/47) with 14 walks and seven strikeouts
Sal Stewart is hitting .283 in August (15/53) with three home runs and seven RBI
Elly De La Cruz is hitting .137 in August (7/51) with eight walks, eight RBI, and 14 strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cardinals at Reds
St. Louis is 68-56 ATS, ranking fifth-best
Cincinnati is 63-60 ATS
St. Louis is 49-68-7 ATS, ranking last
Cincinnati is 64-57-2 to the Over, ranking seventh-best
St. Louis is 33-25 ATS on the road, ranking second-best
Cincinnati is 29-34 ATS at home, ranking eighth-worst
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cardinals and the Reds
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Cardinals and the Reds:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Reds on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Reds at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.5
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Though the Braves have had their share of struggles over the past few weeks, they continue to find ways to ensure the struggles do not last too long. That was the story this weekend, as even though the Braves lost the series, they were able to avoid a sweep due a big hit from Matt Olson. And when it comes to Matt Olson, him consistently delivering big hits has been the story all year. Hopefully, the rest of the offense catches back up soon.
Morel wasn't the only minor league movement on Sunday: Top prospect Elian Peña was promoted to High-A Brooklyn, and Émilien Pitre was bumped up to Syracuse
Speaking of Syracuse, Jonah Tong allowed just one run and struck out six in his latest outing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - APRIL 12: Goaltender Logan Thompson #48 of the Washington Capitals makes a save as Elmer Soderblom #25 of the Pittsburgh Penguins runs looks for a rebound in the third period on April 12, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NHL Network released their top-10 goalies of ‘right now’ and one thing that stood out was the preponderance of goalies within the division for the Penguins. Half of the teams in the division can be found in this league-wide ranking.
Introducing NHL Network's Top 10 Goalies Right Now!
The two NYC-ish based Russian goalies of Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin are generally understood to be the top talents in the division at the position as known quantities. Goaltending performances from year-to-year are notoriously variable and all over the map, aside from the handful of elite goalies that almost always bring their A game. Shesterkin and Sorokin are accepted as those rare goalies good enough to be above the fray and provide consistently strong play.
Logan Thompson in Washington should arguably be even higher than the sixth place position he was placed for this list, considering that he’s finished fourth in Vezina voting for the last two years. Those finishes in the voting might even be lower than deserved considering that Thompson held up statistically very well coming in second across the NHL in 5v5 and overall GSAA, tied for third in save percentage and shutouts, fourth in wins and fifth in GAA. Thompson doesn’t tend to get a lot of shine or outward accolades but there’s little doubt that he has been playing at an impressive level recently, placing him in the sixth spot could easily be seen as too low for what his resume has indicated.
Rounding out the list for Metropolitan goalies was Dan Vladar at eighth, who the Penguins know all too well was good in the moment. Vladar went 12-6-1 for the Flyers after the Olympic break and his play was a big reason why Philadelphia made the playoffs and then advanced through the first round of the playoffs posting a .937 save% and 1.61 GAA in the first round against Pittsburgh. The Flyers rewarded Vladar with one of those contracts that seemingly always bite NHL teams to give a mid-level goalie a long term and a decent-sized salary ($5.5 million in Vladar’s case, and the contract doesn’t even kick in until the 2027-28 season) so that could be one to watch as a player that potentially could be more on the roller coaster for ups and downs. Recently, however, Vladar’s arrow has been pointing up.
All these opponent goalies being on the list serves to underscore the difficulty that next season could have for a team like the Pens, who don’t go into the year with an advantage in net against many of their closest rivals. It doesn’t help that with the perfected system of puck possession that Carolina has that it doesn’t even matter that they don’t have a top goalie and can have average netminders perform very well behind a team that doesn’t ask too much of their shot stoppers. That formula works for them and should be continuing into the future just the same.
None of this are new revelations but just underscore the reality that teams like the Penguins find themselves in when it comes to competition levels isolated to the goalie position. Between having four top-10 goalies (plus the overall great situation in Carolina) there’s a strong challenge in the season ahead for most of the division games that Pittsburgh is going to play.
Baseball: NLCS Playoffs: Los Angeles Dodgers Tommy John (25) victorious after winning Game 4 and series vs Philadelphia Phillies. Philadelphia, PA 10/8/1977 CREDIT: John Iacono (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X21821 TK2 R13 F31 )
Tommy John died on Saturday at age 83, remembered for his astonishing 26 years of pitching in the big leagues and for being the first to undergo the elbow construction surgery that bears his name.
“We did a little surgery, but the man did all the hard work,” Jobe said at a Hall of Fame ceremony honoring his medical career in 2013, the year before he died at age 88. “His tenacity and unique intelligence enabled us to develop the rehab program that has lasted the test of time.”
In his obituary of John, Joe Posnanski asked, “What pitcher in the last 75 years has changed the game more?”
On the Effectively Wild podcast last week, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley had a tribute to John on Friday’s episode, looking back 50-plus years on the impact of his eponymous elbow surgery and how the left-hander pitched so long in the majors (including six seasons for the Dodgers, not counting the 1975 season he missed after surgery).
Sam Miller at his Pebble Hunting newsletter used a 13-year-old tweet of his, “Vin Scully called MLB games the same year that Connie Mack managed MLB games. Mack was born 10 weeks after the Emancipation Proclamation,” to try to come up with the extension of this time span, in other words what is something that overlapped with the end of Scully’s career (his final year broadcasting was 2016) that will still be around decades from now.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 16: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers catches a fly ball of the bat of Jonah Heim #15 of the Athletics during the bottom of the second inning at Sutter Health Park on August 16, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A’s 5, Rangers 2
What a disappointing game.
And what a disappointing road trip.
This is one of those instances where I struggle to come up with something to say.
Cody Bradford was okay. He gave up a two run home run to Lawrence Butler that I thought was foul while watching it, but which apparently wasn’t. Those were the only two runs he gave up in four innings.
He had a fair amount of traffic he was dealing with throughout the game, and was maybe a little lucky to have allowed just two runs — a pair of caught stealings helped Bradford out.
Caught stealings? Caughts stealing? I’m not sure.
Zach Gelof, who I thought was a hobbit, made the difference in the game with a two run homer off of the newly activated Jakob Junis. Then Peyton Gray allowed a homer to Tommy White in the eighth to make us feel a little worse.
Tommy White, aka Tommy Tanks, legendary LSU slugger and 2024 second round pick of the A’s, had had 100 major league plate appearances without a home run prior to going deep off of Gray in the eighth.
I mean, you knew he was going to go deep eventually, but it didn’t have to be against the Rangers.
Or maybe it did have to be against the Rangers. Maybe the fates were aligned such that Tommy White was going to get his first home run against the Texas Rangers, and there was nothing any of us mere mortals could do about it.
The Rangers offense was bad, but then, you’re probably used to that by now.
Jake Burger was 3 for 4 with a homer and an RBI fielder’s choice. The rest of the team was 4 for 28 with a double and a pair of walks.
At least the Astros lost, meaning the Rangers are just two games back of first place still, somehow.
And are a half game back of the Orioles for the third Wild Card spot.
Sigh.
Cody Bradford hit 90.0 mph with his fastball, averaging 88.5 mph. Chase Silseth touched 96.0 mph with his fastball. Tyler Alexader’s sinker reached 92.2 mph. Jakob Junis maxed out at 93.5 mph with his fastball. Peyton Gray’s fastball topped out at 94.1 mph. Cole Winn threw three sliders, the fastest of which was 86.5 mph.
Jake Burger had a 104.9 mph home run had a 104.2 mph single. Elias Diaz had a 103.9 mph fly out. Justin Foscue had a 100.9 mph fly out.
Off day Monday for us to wallow in our misery. Oh boy.
The NHL Network has been slowly releasing its annual positional rankings ahead of the 2026-27 season. Thus far, through the defense and right wing rankings, the Calgary Flames have come away empty-handed. However, a couple of former players made the list, with Dan Vladar joining the group on Sunday.
The NHL Network tapped him as the 8th-best goalie in the NHL right now, just below Jake Oettinger and ahead of Jesper Wallstedt and Jakub Dobes.
Initially drafted in the third round (75th overall) by the Boston Bruins at the 2015 NHL Draft, Vladar came to Calgary in 2021 and earned a full-time backup role under Jacob Markström and Dustin Wolf. As an unrestricted free agent in July 2025, he signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he became the team's top goalie with a 29-14-7 record in 52 games, helping the club earn a playoff spot.
Despite not posting any shutouts, Vladar produced a .906 SV% and 2.42 GAA, both personal bests, and played all 10 playoff games for the Flyers, who eventually lost to the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. Philadelphia fans took notice, and so did NHL award voters, as he finished sixth in Vezina Trophy voting and 18th in the Hart Trophy race.
For his efforts, Philadelphia extended him for another five seasons at $5.5 million, his biggest payday in professional hockey.
Over six years in the NHL, the 28-year-old from Prague has a 78-48-23 record, a .898 SV%, and a 2.80 GAA.
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 10: Pat Spencer #61 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 10, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns front office has done a solid job over the last two years of identifying under-the-radar talent.
Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin are the latest examples of this. Jamaree Bouyea provided real production for key stretches last season. To a lesser extent, we all saw Dillon Brooks breakout in his new home as well. He was much more on the radar than the others mentioned, of course. You get the point. The Suns have a type.
From a cultural perspective, this is who you want to bring in. A hard-nosed competitor who isn’t afraid to mix it up, chirp a little, and make winning basketball plays. He doesn’t need the ball to make an impact. He embraces doing the little things.
Enter Pat Spencer
The Suns signed the 30-year-old guard to a two-way contract in early July, an acquisition that sailed under most national radars. On the surface, it’s a sensible depth move. The guard rotation needed fortification after some early offseason uncertainty.
But dig deeper, and this signing tells you everything about how the front office operates in 2026.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 05: Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns pressures Pat Spencer #61 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pat Spencer arrives in Phoenix fresh off the best season of his career with Golden State Warriors.
In 66 games (14 starts), he averaged 7.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.4 rebounds, shooting 42.7% from the field and 35.7% from three-point range. Those headline numbers don’t immediately jump off the page, but his starting splits do.
As a starter, he averaged 11.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 40% from three.
Pat was playing in a Warriors system without heavy volume. Steve Kerr wasn’t running the offense through him, becuase they have a guy named Steph Curry (yes he missed time). Yet when he got real minutes in spot situations and starts, he produced with efficiency. He shot a respectable 35.7% from beyond the arc and averaged 0.7 steals per game.
But the stats only matter if the player has the intangibles to stick. Spencer has that in spades.
Spencer embodies toughness, smarts, and competitiveness. Steve Kerr publicly stated that “he’s kind of the perfect guy to have as a backup” because “he can win you games” and brings consistent energy and attitude regardless of playing time. Kerr doesn’t throw praise at role players casually. He meant it.
Why This Fits the Suns’ DNA
Spencer’s competitive fire runs deep. His brother Cam also plays in the NBA, and Pat’s mentality stems from a lifelong need to compete in everything, even in childhood moments like racing to elevators or calling shotgun, displaying a mindset where he’s always trying to prove something. That hunger doesn’t fade because you’re on a two-way contract. It compounds. Phoenix goes after guys with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove.
Phoenix’s guard rotation entering 2026-27 features Devin Booker and Jalen Green as primary creators, with Collin Gillespie and Luke Kennard handling secondary playmaking duties. Jordan Goodwin in the “super guard” role as a psuedo small or power forward with several other guards bodes well for Pat, at least.
Spencer will not crack the rotation unless there is an injury…. or two.
He probably won’t see 15 minutes per game if there is one. But the Suns aren’t counting on that. They’re paying him for reliability and availability when injuries or foul trouble demand rotation adjustments. We all saw the constant musical chairs of injuries to the guard rotaiton last season and how necessary it was to have a deep guard group.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 20: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball up court past Pat Spencer #61 of the Golden State Warriors in the first half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on December 20, 2025 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Consider the modern NBA playoff reality: small guards get hunted on defense. Perimeter players pick up fouls trying to contain athletic wings. Backup point guards need to run second-unit pick-and-rolls without turning the ball over. Spencer checks all three boxes.
His 40% three-point shooting from the starter sample means he spaces the floor. His assist rate suggests he doesn’t force things when he doesn’t have them. His competitive mentality means he won’t shrink in tight moments. These aren’t flashy traits, but they win games.
The gap between a playoff team and a championship team in the Western Conference comes down to depth. It always does. Not stars. Not All-NBA players. The ability to rotate fresh bodies without losing spacing, decision-making, or intensity.
Spencer’s personal journey amplifies this logic. A standout college lacrosse player at Loyola University Maryland who won the Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s top player in 2019 and was selected first overall in the 2019 Premier Lacrosse League Draft, Spencer pivoted to basketball, using his final year of college eligibility to play at Northwestern University, then played professionally overseas with Hamburg Towers in Germany before working his way through the G League to reach the NBA.
This is someone who earned every inch.
What Happens Next
Spencer will spend chunks of time in the G League with the Phoenix Suns’ affiliate squad. That’s the reality of a two-way contract. But the framework exists for rapid escalation. If any of Booker, Green, Gillespie, Kennard or Goodwin pick up an injury or enter foul trouble, Spencer steps in. If second-unit scoring dries up, Spencer gets run. He’s an insurance piece that you need to have to withstand the rigors of an 82-game season.
The real question isn’t whether Spencer will play. It’s whether he’ll capitalize when the opportunity comes. Based on his track record in Golden State, the answer is yes. One of Spencer’s best games last season came against the Suns back in February, where he scored a career-high 20 points and was one of the Warriors’ main contributors in their fourth-quarter double-digit comeback.
This is who the Suns’ front office is now. They’re building connective tissue through under-the-radar depth acquisitions. Guys who fit the system, bring competitive juice, and won’t require massive contracts or draft capital to acquire.
Spencer is the latest addition to that blueprint. Low-risk. High upside for a backup guard. Proven character in a Warriors system known for demanding toughness.
The Suns have been solid at identifying these types. Spencer feels like the next one in line.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 09: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles bats against the Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 09, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Tides went to the bottom of the ninth tied 8-8, but rallied for the game-winner in the ninth. Ryan Noda walked, advanced to third on a Payton Eeles single, and scored on a sac fly by Bryan Ramos.
Norfolk fell down 8-3 in the third inning, then started mounting the comeback. Enrique Bradfield Jr. singled to make it 8-4, then a wild pitch, a Samuel Basallo two-run double, and Rece Hinds’ RBI single made it a tie game. Heston Kjerstad also hit an RBI single. Payton Eeles finished 2-for-4 with a walk, Brandon Butterworth singled and walked, and Bryan Ramos finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
Look, Michael Forret’s start could have gone better. The 22-year-old righty was charged with eight runs in five innings. Cameron Weston, Yaqui Rivera, and Yaramil Hiraldo combined for four scoreless innings.
High-A: Frederick Keys, Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays) – canceled (wet grounds)
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 8, Salem RidgeYaks (Red Sox) 5
After falling down 1-0, the Shorebirds rallied when Eric Booth Jr. worked a leadoff walk, then scored on a sac fly. Infielder Jerome Nuel, recently promoted from FCL, hit a one-run single to make it 2-0 Shorebirds. Then Stiven Martínez put Delmarva up with a third-inning home run. After Salem tied it up, Delmarva got the big blast when Ty Head hit a three-run homer to put the Shorebirds up 6-3.
A five-man crew of Francisco Morao, Kailen Hamson, Jack Crowder, Andrew Herbert and Brendan Parks allowed five runs on six hits. Morao gave up two runs, Hamson one, and Herbert two runs. Crowder and Parks pitched scoreless outings.
Happy Monday, everyone! It was a good weekend to be making your MLB debut, especially if your name happens to be Joshua Baez for the St. Louis Cardinals, as the young slugger made major league history by becoming the first player ever to hit three home runs in their MLB debut. To a lesser degree, but still exhilarating for the rookie, we saw Brett Callahan of the Tigers hit a two-run triple off the very first pitch of his career. Absolutely amazing time to be making a debut for these guys.
We’ve got plenty of other tidbits for you in today’s news roundup. Aaron Judge is inching closer to return as he has started with light baseball activities; meanwhile, Paul Skenes is riding the bench for a little while as he tries to get his slump under control. Hunter Greene will unfortunately miss the entire 2027 season, while iconic pitcher Tommy John has passed away at age 83.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 24: Kyle Karros #12 and Cole Carrigg #16 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after a 8-6 win against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field on June 24, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’ve watched any Colorado Rockies game over the past two months, you’ll have seen third baseman Kyle Karros and outfielder Cole Carrigg on the field together.
Both were drafted in 2023 – Carrigg in the Competitive Balance B round and Karros in the fifth round – and worked their way up through the minors at nearly the same pace. Karros broke through to the majors a little bit before Carrigg, but the two were reunited in June.
And, you may have noticed, the two are awfully good friends:
But they didn’t cross paths until the MLB draft, where they hit it off almost instantly.
“Right after the draft, there were only a few of us going to get MRI’s and stuff, and a lot of weird and different things that I didn’t know we had to do,” Carrigg recalled. “But he was always in my group, and we just hit it off.”
And Karros noticed Carrigg’s personality almost immediately.
“He was definitely a unique character,” Karros said. “I think it’s kind of a yin-and-yang dynamic with us, but I think we bonded pretty well on the field and off the field. I think our personalities complement each other well. So yeah, we were pretty close off the rip.”
Carrigg’s first impression of Karros?
“He seemed like a good guy, and we got along really well to kick things off,” Carrigg said. “We were pretty good buddies right away.”
And that relationship has blossomed over the years, especially as they moved through the minor leagues together.
“That same year, we went to Fresno together and finished the Low-A season there – same plane flights and everything,” Carrigg recalled. “We got called up the same day and went to Spokane together. We stayed there the entire year. We went to Hartford together, and then he moved to Triple-A and then the big leagues later in the year. And then that was kind of the only time we had split up since then, and now we’re back doing it again. We spend so much time with each other. There’s nothing really to do. It just happens.”
Karros, however, has fostered the relationship more intentionally – both with Carrigg and his other teammates along the way.
“I think I’ve viewed one of my roles on any team I’m part of is to help with the dynamic,” he said. “I think that comes with being in a position of a leader, which I was in the minor leagues, and I hope to be at some point at the major-league level.
“But I think it’s always been kind of a task of mine to foster relationships and curate a team dynamic,” he continued, “and with him, he’s definitely a very, very strong personality, and I’ve definitely looked at it as one of my jobs as a leader in this organization is to be a mentor for him at times. He’s a mentor for me at times, but I always kind of help him out and we’ve leaned on one another as we came up together.”
Since winning the third-base job outright in spring training, Karros struggled a little bit out of the gate in 2026. Through June 8, he batted .225/.329/.664 with 11 doubles, three home runs, 17 RBI and two stolen bases. He struck out 49 times (23%) and walked 28 times (13.1%), good for a wRC+ of just 75.
Enter Cole Carrigg.
Since Carrigg’s debut on June 9, Karros is slashing .310/.399/.525 with nine doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 27 RBI, and three stolen bases. He has struck out 32 times (17.5%) and walked 19 times (10.4%), good for a wRC+ of 139.
Carrigg, meanwhile, is slashing .292/.375/.489 with 14 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 30 RBI and seven stolen bases in 10 attempts. He has struck out 42 times (20.1%) and walked 23 times (11%), good for a wRC+ 121.
Perhaps it’s just a coincidence that Karros’ performance has skyrocketed since being reunited with his friend, but he doesn’t see it that way.
“I think part of it is just being up here longer and being more comfortable,” he said. “I’ve made some adjustments here and there, but I think there’s definitely something to be said about it.”
But he does think stepping into a leadership role as more young guys, including Carrigg, have been called up has helped his game.
“I’ve always been a leader on most teams I play for, and I think that allows me to be at my best,” Karros said. “And I think being one of the younger guys on the team, I don’t think I really felt a responsibility to lead. But then once we’ve started to get more young guys in the mix – Cole being one of them – I think I kind of get out of my own head in a way and take others as my responsibility, and that allows me to be at my best on the field. Even if I’m having a rough day, I still see my value in being there for Cole and my teammates, and that’s definitely been exemplified since he’s been up.”
And Carrigg takes notes of how Karros carries himself.
“Not that you would ever tell, but seeing how he goes about not having great games and how even-keeled he is,” Carrigg said. “That definitely is something I aspire to be better at, and I think he just leads by example in that way. He would never tell me otherwise to do anything different, but I see it. I try to be a little more like him in that sense, and hopefully I would say my energy rubs off on him and he likes to play with a little more edge, as well.”
Manager Warren Schaeffer sees their bond, as well, and how it translates on and off the field.
“I think it translates enormously on the field and off the field,” he said, after an audible laugh. “It’s a piece of work, for sure. Those guys are hilarious. They love each other — it’s very evident. And I do think that on the field, they bring the most out of each other.
“They’ve been good friends for a long time,” he continued. “They played in the minor leagues together and really bonded, but they push each other and you don’t always see that with two guys like that who are close. They criticize each other and push each other in that way – just how clubhouse culture is. But it’s fun to watch, and the boys love it.”
He also sees how contagious a strong bond like that could be to others in the clubhouse.
What happens in the clubhouse is a big part of what happens on the field,” Schaeffer said. “It’s a day-long affair with everybody in there. We spend so much time together, and if there’s people in there that hate each other, it’s going to translate on the field. It always does, no matter how good of a player you are.”
But since Karros and Carrigg have spent so much time together, what are their favorite baseball moments?
“Early on, [Carrigg] made a play in Wrigley,” Karros said. “I was at third, he was in center, and he threw a guy out tagging from second. I think that one sticks out. We joked about it. We’ve made that play so many times in the minor leagues, and to do it at Wrigley was pretty sweet.”
And for Carrigg? He laughed while telling his story.
“We won the Northwest League Championship in High-A (in 2024) and the bases were loaded. We were tied in the bottom of the ninth, and Kyle got hit on the knob of the bat and sold it for a hit-by-pitch. The umpire got it wrong, and we walked it off.”
These teammates are a study in contrasts. Carrigg plays with his hair on fire and brings an edge to his game, while Karros is more of a steady presence.
But these two clearly feed off of each other and have made each other better.
Jack Mahoney made his third start for the Isotopes against the Comets (LAD). He lasted just 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
The first hit came to the leadoff batter, Alex Freeland, and the first walk came to the second batter, Zach Ehrhard, to put men on first and second to lead off the game. Luckily, he got Ryan Ward to pop out and James Tibbs III grounded into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Alek Thomas walked to lead off the second, and Noah Miller singled three batters later. The scoring came in the third, though, when Erhard walked again and then was driven home by a Ward two-run homer to put the Comets up 2-0. Those were the only runs allowed by Mahoney, but after walking Ehrhard for a third time in the fifth inning, he was lifted for Mark Manfredi, who immediately walked Ward.
In the sixth, Hyeseong Kim singled to lead off the inning and stole second, and was driven home by Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald drove in the fourth run in the seventh on another single, and Ward grounded into a double play that ended up scoring Chadwick Tromp in the eighth.
The Isotopes’ offense mustered six hits — two from Ryan Ritter and one apiece for Edouard Julien, Charlie Condon, Chad Stevens and Drew Avans. They also struck out 13 times and walked just three. Meanwhile, the Comets walked nine times and struck out just six
The Yard Goats fought back late, but it wasn’t enough. Through the first three innings, there were only two baserunners — one for each side. But the SeaWolves (DET) broke through in the fourth when Thayron Liranzo hit a solo homer to put the Wolves on the board. They tacked on three more runs in the fifth, when Roberto Campos doubled, Joe Campagna singled and then Seth Stephenson singled to score Campos. Woody Hadeen then walked, and Zyhir Hope singled to score Campagna and Stephenson.
The Goats finally got on the board in the seventh, when Braylen Wimmer doubled and was scored two batters later by Cole Messina. But all of the action came in the ninth.
Patrick Lee walked as the second batter of the inning and then stole second. Stephenson grounded out, but Lee took third. After he was ejected, Hadeen reached on a fielding error by Tevin Tucker, allowing Lee to score. Hadeen stole second and Hope walked, but then Liranzo popped out to short to end the threat.
In the Goats’ half, Jared Thomas kicked things off with a walk and them Wimmer singled. A wild pitch by Colin Fields allowed them both to advance, and then Messina smacked a three-run homer to put them within one. Skyler Messinger reached on an error by Liranzo, but then Tucker and Andy Perez flied out and struck out to end the rally.
The Goats offense mustered five hits — two by Dyan Jorge, two by Wimmer and one by Messina. They also only struck out four times and walked four more.
Meanwhile, the Indians were able to outlast the AquaSox (SEA) in ten innings. It was a back-and-forth affair where the only innings without scoring from either team were the seventh and ninth.
The Indians got things started early when Roynier Hernandez singled, and then Tanner Thach was hit two batters later. Kelvin Hidalgo singled to score Hernandez. In the second, it was the AquaSox turn. Austin St. Laurent singled and then Anthony Donofrio homered two batters later to put them up 2-1. In the third, the Indians said “hold my beer” as Tommy Hopfe walked and Ethan Hedges homered to put the Indians up 3-2. In the fourth, they expanded their lead as Robert Calaz doubled to lead things off, Derek Bernard walked and Alan Espinal homered to push the lead to 6-2.
In the fifth, Aiden Taurek walked and was brought home by a Brandon Eike homer, 6-4. In the sixth, Korbyn Dickerson singled, Luke Stevenson walked and then Taurek singled to score Dickerson. The AquaSox tied things up in the eighth when Carter Dorighi was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and then Dickerson walked. Taurek walked two batters later, and a wild pitch scored Dorighi to tie the game. But then Clausen was intentionally walked and St. Laurent grounded into a double play to end the threat.
In the tenth, Hernandez doubled to score ghost runner Jacob Hinderleider, and then Thach doubled two batters later to score pinch runner Wilder Dalis. That proved to be the game winner, as the AquaSox were only able to plate one run in their half — a double by Eike to score Dickerson — making the final score 8-7.
Things got off to a hot start for the Fresno Grizzlies and San Jose Giants (SF), but things collapsed down the stretch. Ashly Andujar walked to lead things off and Carlos Renzullo singled right behind him. Two batters later, Jack Natili doubled to score Andujar and put the Grizzlies in front 1-0. Juan Martinez walked two batters later, and then Ronny Ugarte walked with the bases loaded to tack on another run.
In the bottom half, Luis Hernández singled and Lorenzo Meola doubled, then Jeremiah Jenkins reached on a fielding error to score Hernández and make the score 2-1. Things went quiet until the fourth, when Juan Martinez tripled to kick things off. Ugarte walked, then Cort MacDonald singled to score Martinez. Then, Sebastian Blanco attempted a sacrifice bunt that was fielded poorly by the pitcher, loading the bases instead. Two batters later, another run was scored by a bases-loaded walk from Carlos Renzullo. Then, Cristian Arguelles grounded out, but scored MacDonald.
In the fifth, Fresno scored again when Ugarte reached on a fielding error after Juan Martinez tripled. They tacked on another in the seventh when Jack Natili reached on a throwing error and advanced on a wild pitch, then Ryan Niedzwiedz singled to score Natili and run up the score 7-1. Another wild pitch two batters later allowed Niedzwiedz to advance to third, and then Ugarte hit a sacrifice fly to make it 8-1.
But then the eighth happened. Yanzel Correa entered to pitch and got Jeremiah Jenkins to ground out to third, but then the wheels started to fall off. Fernando Gonzalez walked and then three-straight singles made the score 8-2. Broedy Poppell struck out, but then Josuar Gonzalez tripled to score all three singles and make the score 8-5. In the ninth, Lorenzo Meola singled and Jenkins walked. Then, Austin Newton replaced Correa. He got Gonzalez to fly out, then Tanner Mally walked and Andy Polanco walked to score a run. Oliver Tejada then singled to tie things up 8-8.
In the tenth, a wild pitch allowed ghost runner Juan Martinez to advance to third. But Samir Chires got the first two batters out quickly before Blanco singled to score Martinez. In the bottom half, Newton got two quick strikeouts, but then walked Gonzalez and gave up an RBI single to Mally to tie things up again.
In the 11th, the Grizzlies were unable to score. But in the bottom half, a double and a single was all the Giants needed to walk things off 10-9.
In total, the Grizzlies mustered 10 hits, five walks and 14 strikeouts. And the Giants got 15 hits, eight walks and 12 strikeouts.
Mickey Moniak has had a renaissance since joining the Rockies last year. This year, especially, he’s been a steady veteran presence in the Rockies’ lineup and clubhouse, being able to pass along wisdom to younger guys still trying to make it. Bob Nightengale spoke not only to Moniak about his journey, but also to Kyle Karros about Moniak’s effect on him this early in his career.
It’s been almost a month since the Rockies traded Seth Halvorsen to the Dodgers for Nick Frasso and Landyn Vidourek. Kevin Henry looks at the MLB results for Frasso and Halvorsen, in particular, for their new teams as they might face each other in the series that starts tonight.
