BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 23: Matt Wilkinson #71 of the San Francisco Giants pitches at Fenway Park on August 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A new series is about to kick off, and it’s unclear if that’s the good news or the bad news. Either way, the San Francisco Giants are visiting the New York Mets, in a battle of the “wow, we really didn’t think we’d be this bad” teams.
Taking the mound for the Giants is left-hander Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson, a 23-year old making his fourth career appearance. Despite having an 0-2 record, Tugboat has impressed so far, with a 4.63 ERA, a 3.70 FIP, and six strikeouts to just two walks in 11.2 innings. He was fantastic in his last outing, which came against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as he took a shutout into the seventh inning … though, unfortunately, he allowed the first two batters to reach base, was removed, and watched as both of his runners scored against the Giants bullpen.
For the Mets, it’s right-hander Nolan McLean, who makes his 28th start of the year. The 25-year old has been mighty impressive this season, with a 10-8 record, a 3.06 ERA, a 3.60 FIP, and 172 strikeouts to 62 walks in 155.2 innings. He’s on an absolute heater at the moment, as in his last four starts he’s given up just two earned runs and 10 hits in 25 innings.
BALTIMORE — Garrett Crochet's latest attempt to salvage his 2026 season reached another milestone Friday, Sept. 4, as he threw 16 pitches off the mound in his first bullpen session in nearly three months.
Crochet, the 2025 AL Cy Young Award runner-up, has not pitched since April 25, when he threw six scoreless innings at Baltimore, then was shelved with shoulder soreness. In his first attempt to return, Crochet progressed to throwing a mound session in May, then was shut down again shortly thereafter.
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy acknowledged the window is tight for Crochet to return in any form this season, with barely three weeks left in the regular season. But he is not ruling it out.
"The fact he got on the mound today and threw is a really good sign," says Tracy Friday at Camden Yards. "How he comes in tomorrow will be an important piece of it. Does he feel any lingering effects that will slow him down or will he feel really good and can proceed?
"But I think the fact that, with all the work he put in, the fact he got off the mound and threw a bullpen today is a really good sign. The goal is to get him, by the end of the season, out there, if he can."
The Red Sox entered Friday holding a 5 1/2-game lead for the No. 2 wild card and are a virtual lock to reach the postseason. That would certainly extend Crochet's window to return, even if as a short reliever.
Tracy also said Tanner Houck, who'd likely return this year as a reliever, successfully threw a simulated game and is slated for a rehab outing at Class-AA Portland on Tuesday. Houck is returning from 2025 Tommy John surgery. Johan Oviedo, out since April with a flexor tendon strain, also may soon begin a rehab assignment.
The reinforcements, or at least the option of turning to them, would be welcome.
"As you get beat up and you need help" says Tracy, "having guys of that caliber of big league talent, if you can get them there it would be important down the stretch.
Garrett Crochet stats
Crochet, 27, posted a 3-3 record and 6.30 ERA in six starts this season, showing signs of shaking off a poor early start before the shoulder inflammation shut him down. He was runner-up to Tarik Skubal in 2025 Cy Young balloting after striking out a major league-best 255 in 205 1/3 innings, with a 2.59 ERA.
Pete Alonso watches his 33rd home run sail out of the ballpark. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Orioles could have won last night, but they didn’t. A night where Adley Rutschman returned and hit two home runs, but the Orioles still won, would have been a pretty decent outcome in my book. Brandon Young did his part. Pete Alonso, Luis Robert, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand homered. But the bullpen blew it.
It wasn’t ideal for Yennier Cano to give up a run, but he’s pitched well enough that it made sense to bring him into a close game. But what the heck is Craig Albernaz doing with Luis De León? I am happy to see the rookie on the team, but he struggled in Triple-A Norfolk before his call-up, and now Albernaz has thrown him into back-to-back high-leverage situations. He has not delivered, and now the poor guy has two Major League appearances and two Major League losses.
I know this bullpen is kind of a shambles. But it’s not such a shambles that there is no better choice than Luis De León.
But enough about yesterday. Nothing to do but more forward and hope better decisions are made. But speaking of bad decisions, Samuel Basallo is not starting for the second straight night. I guess he doesn’t start against lefties? Why do you give a guy a huge contract, trade away the other guy who plays the position, and then refuse to play him against both lefties and righties? It makes no sense!
Basallo has struggled since his return from the IL. An if the Orioles had another catcher, one who could hit at all (*coughAdley*), then ok. But you do not. You have Carlos Carlos Narváez! Carlos Narváez, whose OPS+ as an Oriole is NEGATIVE TEN. What is even happening here?
Tonight’s starter is Shane Baz, who managed to get some run support and get a win in his last start. It was his first win since June 12th. His teammates still owe him a few more. Maybe tonight will be the night.
For the Red Sox, it’s Ranger Suarez. A lot of fans, including me, wanted the Orioles to sign Suarez. He is in the midst of a pretty good season, with a 3.64 ERA in 24 starts.
Orioles lineup
Blaze Alexander (R) RF Coby Mayo (R) DH Luis Robert Jr. (R) CF Pete Alonso (R) 1B Gunnar Henderson (L) SS Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R) 3B Jackson Holliday (L) 2B Carlos Narváez (R) C Leody Taveras (S) LF
Red Sox lineup
Roman Anthony (L) DH Mickey Gasper (S) 1B Adley Rutschman (S) C Wilyer Abreu (L) RF Nick Sogard (S) 2B Caleb Durbin (R) 3B Jarren Duran (L) LF Trevor Story (R) SS Eli White (R) CF
The Vancouver Canucks have made a massive long-term commitment to one of the centerpiece players they acquired from the Minnesota Wild in the Quinn Hughes blockbuster.
Vancouver announced Friday that defenseman Zeev Buium has agreed to an eight-year contract extension carrying a $9.38 million average annual value. The deal is worth $75.04 million in total.
For the Wild, the extension is another reminder of just how significant the price was to acquire Hughes last December.
Minnesota sent Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren and its 2026 first-round pick to Vancouver in exchange for Hughes. Buium, whom the Wild selected 12th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, was arguably the most valuable long-term piece Minnesota surrendered in the deal.
Now, Vancouver is paying him like a cornerstone of its rebuild.
Buium appeared in 31 games for Minnesota before the trade last season, recording three goals and 11 assists. At the time of the deal, his 14 points were tied for second among rookie NHL defensemen.
He went on to play 45 games for Vancouver, adding three goals and nine assists. Between the two clubs, Buium finished his first full NHL season with six goals and 26 points in 76 games.
The 20-year-old's potential was hardly a secret to the Wild. Minnesota traded up one spot to select Buium 12th overall in 2024 after he fell further than expected on draft night.
Buium followed his selection with another dominant season at the University of Denver, recording 48 points in 41 games as a sophomore before signing his entry-level contract with Minnesota in April 2025. He was a Hobey Baker Award finalist and NCHC Player of the Year before making his NHL debut during the Wild's 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff run.
Minnesota ultimately decided it was willing to part with that upside because of the player coming back.
Hughes was already a Norris Trophy winner and one of the NHL's premier defensemen when the Wild acquired him. Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin acknowledged immediately after the trade that giving up players such as Buium was difficult, but opportunities to acquire a player of Hughes' caliber rarely become available.
Vancouver, meanwhile, clearly viewed Buium as a potential successor to Hughes on its blue line. Former Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin called Buium an “extremely talented offensive-minded defenseman” after the trade and pointed specifically to his potential to eventually quarterback Vancouver's power play.
The Canucks' new front office has now backed up that belief with an eight-year commitment before Buium has even turned 21.
For Minnesota, Buium's new $9.38 million cap hit doesn't change the calculation behind the Hughes trade. The Wild knew they were giving away a potential star defenseman to acquire an established superstar.
But Vancouver's $75 million commitment makes one thing increasingly clear: Buium wasn't simply another piece of the Hughes trade.
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SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 24: Jacob Tobey performs the national anthem before the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 24, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’re less than a month from training camp, and one question from the summer had been lingering: who will be the Spurs’ play-by-play announcer? Well, we have our answer, and it will by the same as the last two seasons: Jacob Tobey. His return comes after rumors swirled in early July that he had either been fired or resigned after someone, presumably his longtime girlfriend at the time, posted on his Instagram account that he had been unfaithful, having an affair with the sister of former Spur Lindy Watters III.
While the rumors of his departure were never confirmed or denied by Tobey or the Spurs, he hadn’t been seen in public with the organization since the introductory press conference for the Spurs’ four rookies and had gone radio silent on social media…until today. He announced his return on X, thanking the Spurs for giving him a chance to sort out his personal life and acknowledging he would have to regain the public’s trust.
“I thank the Spurs for allowing me time to step away to sort out issues in my personal life. I understand that I will have to regain trust within the organization and across our community, a community where I will continue to be present with enthusiasm and passion. I believe I have the best job in the world and am thrilled to be able to continue as the team’s play-by-play announcer.”
I thank the Spurs for allowing me time to step away to sort out issues in my personal life. I understand that I will have to regain trust within the organization and across our community, a community where I will continue to be present with enthusiasm and passion. I believe I…
The news of his return was also confirmed to KSAT 12 by the Spurs’ vice president of communications, Tom James, who told the outlet, “Yes, we can confirm that Jacob is our Spurs TV play-by-play announcer.”
The shocking rumors of his alleged departure came soon after he had signed a multi-year contract extension. It turns out they were just that: rumors, but without directly naming any incidents, Tobey’s announcement today seems to acknowledge that something inappropriate occured, and he vows to do better.
Tobey first joined the Spurs broadcast team ahead of the 2024-25 season after longtime announcer Bill Land retired while dealing with blood cancer. He quickly started building a good partnership with Sean Elliot and the Spurs community and was often a part of community events supporting Native American Heritage. Mistakes happen, but the best thing we can all do is learn from them, and it probably won’t take Tobey too long to regain the goodwill of the community again.
Real Madrid’s perfect start in La Liga ended on Friday when Real Betis beat them 1-0, with the substitute Troy Parrott scoring nine minutes from time and goalkeeper Álvaro Valles saving a stoppage-time penalty from Kylian Mbappé.
The clash began at a high tempo but the pace dropped after the interval in the heat in Seville. The Republic of Ireland star Parrott, introduced in the 68th minute, broke the deadlock in the 81st when he reacted quickly after Thibaut Courtois parried a header into his path.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 25: Nolan McLean #26 of the New York Mets throws a pitch during the second inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on July 25, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
Francisco Lindor – SS
Juan Soto – LF
Bo Bichette – 3B
Mark Vientos – DH
Carson Benge – RF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Christopher Morel – 1B
Francisco Alvarez – C
Nick Morabito – CF
Nolan McLean – RHP
Giants lineup
Drew Gilbert – CF
Rafael Devers – 1B
Bryce Eldridge – DH
Turner Hill – LF
Jung Hoo Lee – RF
Drew Cavanaugh – C
Osleivis Basabe – 3B
Nate Furman – 2B
Christian Koss – SS
Matt Wilkinson – LHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:10pm EDT TV: WPIX Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 24: Adley Rutschman #31 of the Boston Red Sox and Ranger Suarez #55 of the Boston Red Sox in action at loanDepot park on August 24, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Can Ranger Suarez go more past the 4th inning without blowing up for the first time in what feels like a month? Find out!
⚾️ First Pitch: 7:05pm — Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
During his regular homestand media availability on Friday ahead of the Mets' game against the San Francisco Giants, president of baseball operations David Stearnsdiscussed a number of topics, including the possibility of hiring a general manager this offseason and the upcoming managerial search.
Since Stearns was hired as POBO at the conclusion of the 2023 regular season, New York has operated without a GM. Owner Steve Cohen has discussed the idea of hiring a GM under Stearns over the past three years, but has not filled that position since Billy Eppler resigned.
When asked about the potential front office move, Stearns said it's something that has been considered in previous years and will again this winter.
"We're always going to look to see if there are ways we can improve our organization in any way, that's inclusive of the front office," Stearns said. "That's been the case every offseason since I've been here and it'll be the case this offseason as well."
While it remains to be seen if New York will try to fill that vacancy this year, they do need to hire a new manager to replace the fired Carlos Mendoza and interim manager Andy Green, who is expected to return to the front office. Stearns confirmed that plan is still in place with Green, but it's not clear if he will return to his former Senior Vice President for Player Development position or something different.
Additionally, Green has been open about his reluctance to become the full-time manager next year, trying to prioritize his family. He has gone 29-30 as the interim manager and brought some life to the clubhouse since taking over in late June. Stearns was asked if Green's success has changed his view of what to look for in the next manager, praising the job he's done this season, but declined to comment on his full vision.
"I think Andy's done a very good job in the dugout," Stearns said. "Again, I think we will get to the point where I'll more fully describe what we're seeking in our next manager. Today's probably not the day to do that."
That time may come sooner rather than later, however, as the Mets have only 22 games remaining in the regular season and need to get a head start on their offseason plans in order to make real improvements in 2027 and beyond.
We’ve been treated to Chris Sale going up against some of the best pitchers in baseball lately.
August alone saw him battle against Gerrit Cole of the Yankees, Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers and Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers.
That run continues Friday night as the Braves ace faces off against Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez in the opener of a four-game series in Philadelphia which is set for a 6:40 p.m. ET start time.
The Braves won five of six games against the Phillies back in April, including the final game before manager Rob Thomson was fired in a moment that turned around Philadelphia’s season.
A similar showing the next two weekends would effectively lock up the NL East, but it won’t come as easy against a opposing team which has won 15 of its last 18 games.
Tune in on BravesVision or the radio, ride the emotional roller coaster and follow along in this game thread as the Braves face rival Philadelphia for the first time in over four months.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
As for Jeanie Buss and her family, they’re set for another date in court as Jeanie attempts to block her five siblings (Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss) from selling the family’s 17.8% share of the Lakers.
If Jeanie Buss’ siblings are able to sell the ownership stake, then she won’t be able to remain the Lakers’ governor.
If Buss is successful with blocking her siblings’ attempted sale, she’ll retain the ownership stake in the Lakers (through the Buss family trust) required for her to remain the franchise’s governor (at least 15%, by league rules).
Bob Iger, former CEO of The Walt Disney Company, will be most involved in the Lakers’ operations between him and Josh Kushner. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Disney
But with Kushner being the person expected to have the largest shares of the Lakers, as if Iger doesn’t have the minimum 15% ownership stake required to be an NBA franchise’s governor, Kushner being in the role would be appropriate.
But there’s a conflict: Iger told The Post in the immediate aftermath of the sale that he and Kushner intended to honor the agreement made between Walter and Buss that would have Buss remain the franchise’s governor through at least 2030.
That comment came with a very important caveat.
Los Angeles Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss is attempting to stop her siblings from selling the family’s minority ownership stake in the franchise. Getty Images
“If things change, they’ll change,” Iger told The Post at the time. “But we’re going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who [Buss] is and what she represents in the organization.”
Change appeared to be on the horizon when the Buss siblings announced their wishes to sell their ownership stake of the Lakers. But that change may not happen if Jeanie Buss gets her wish and has the attempted sale legally blocked.
It’s part of the reason the Lakers’ plans under new ownership aren’t known.
Not just because there isn’t precedent of a Kusher/Iger-led regime for an NBA franchise.
But because what will be the Lakers’ internal hierarchy isn’t clear.
And with the majority ownership sale not official and still under review from the league, and the Buss family’s court date pushed back a month, those answers will likely take a while to gather.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns spoke prior to Friday's series opener against the Giants and touched on what he's learned from a few new players and the expectations from others going into next season...
Polanco's defensive future
Stearns signed Jorge Polanco this past offseason to be the team's everyday first baseman, but that hasn't gone according to plan.
Injuries have marred Polanco's first season in Queens. Polanco appeared in just 37 games, slashing .148/.201/.230 with an OPS of .431 to go along with his two home runs and six RBI. A combination of a right wrist contusion and left ankle bursitis took Polanco out for the rest of the season.
After Polanco underwent surgery to address his ankle, Stearns was asked about what he believes the veteran slugger's defensive future looks like.
"It’s a little TBD, unfortunately," Stearns said. "Clearly, it did not work out the way we anticipated this year. If there’s one thing I learned about Jorge, he’s going to work incredibly hard to do everything in his power to be a good player for us next year. I think he will be. We’re not going to know exactly where he is physically until he gets on the field for us."
Of the 36 games he's appeared in this season, he's played first base three times and started just twice at the position.
Young's production 'is real'
With Polanco absent, Jared Young has taken advantage of the playing time.
This season has given the 31-year-old his most playing time in the bigs and he's provided the Mets with ample production. In 91 games, Young has slashed .265/.324/.434 with an OPS of .758, to go with his eight homers and 35 RBI.
Stearns was asked about Young and how he assesses him and the POBO believes what he's seen out of Young.
"This is a good hitter. It’s someone who we thought of as a good hitter going back to last year, we just couldn’t give him the consistent runway at the big league level," Stearns explained. "He’s done it for a prolonged stretch now. We think it’s real. He controls the strike zone well, he gives you consistently good at-bats. He understands game situations. He’s a good player and he’s demonstrated that."
New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) hits a RBI single during the second inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. / Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Mets want more from Semien offensively
Marcus Semien was another high-profile acquisition by Stearns, as the POBO traded for the veteran second baseman, dealing Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers.
And while Stearns has publicly expressed that the move was for defensive purposes, the offensive production from Semien has been stark. The 35-year-old's offense has continued to dip year-over-year, and in 2026, it's arguably at its lowest.
Stearns recognizes it, but believes Semien can still provide offensive production next season and that the veteran infielder offers more to the clubhouse than what we see on the field.
"Marcus remains someone who can be one of those steadying forces on a team. He posts every day, he takes his craft incredibly seriously he works very hard," Stearns said. "He’s still a very good defender. We’ve seen that. The offensive performance in its totality hasn’t been what he wants or what we want. We’ve seen flashes, but the totality, he would want more, we would want more. In terms of who he is as a person, how he’s contributed to the team from a work ethic standpoint, has been outstanding."
Entering Friday, Semien is batting a career-low .218 with career lows in OBP (.283), slugging (.348) and OPS (.631) across 120 games.
Senga's uncertain future in the 'pen
The Mets transitioning Kodai Senga to the bullpen has been successful so far.
Since Aug. 4, when Senga first came out of the bullpen regularly, Senga has pitched to a 1.74 ERA, allowing just two runs across 10.1 innings pitched. He's been 5-for-5 in save opportunities since Devin Williams went down to injury, and has stabilized the bullpen.
However, Williams will be back soon and with two more years left on Williams' deal, where Senga fits next season and beyond is anyone's guess. Stearns is also unsure of Senga's future but credited the right-hander for handling the move like a professional.
"It’s fun to see," Stearns said of Senga coming out of the bullpen. "I think his investment in that role, even though he views himself as a starter. I think he prefers to start, but his investment in that role, the way he’s embraced that role, is a great example for his teammates, for the organization as a whole. And he’s done a great job.
"Where that is moving forward to next year, is still to be determined. It’s great to see and he has shown some really good stuff at times out of the pen."
Relying on Manaea next season
Opposite of Senga, Sean Manaea began the year in the bullpen before working his way back into the rotation.
While 2026 continues to be a rollercoaster for the southpaw, Stearns believes Manaea can attack the offseason and help anchor the rotation next year.
"Clearly didn’t get off to the start he wanted to," Stearns said. "Worked really hard and saw sustained success in the middle and the last couple, especially toward the end in outings; the outings have gotten away from him."
Manaea had a stretch of four straight starts of allowing two or fewer runs (Jul. 9-Aug. 9), before he faltered. Over his last four starts, he's allowed 19 runs across 23.2 innings.
Next season, the Mets will likely go into the year with a rotation that includes Manaea, Nolan McLean and Christian Scott, with youngster Zac Thornton being in the mix. If the Mets hope to compete, they'll need Manaea's veteran presence and effectiveness.
"In general, we need Sean to have a very good offseason, come back and he’s going to be a part of this team next season," Stearns continued. "We’re going to count on him. He’s demonstrated that he can perform at a high level and contribute to the team and that’s what we’ll need him to do."
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry gestures after scoring a three-point shot during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Friday, April 17, 2026. San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
“Man, I’ve been in the league for a while, and that [trip to Sloevnia] was my first time doing something like that. Going to somebody’s country, and bringing us out there, and spending that much time together. I never did that before,” Looney said of Dončić during a recent interview with ESPN Radio’s “Mason & Ireland” podcast.
Los Angeles Lakers player Kevon Looney leaves the InterContinental Hotel for a team dinner during the Lakers’ team mini camp. Andrej Tarfila/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
“That just shows his character, shows that he really wants to win. He wants the people to know his background and why he is how he is. And I think he did a good job of that,” Looney added.
“He’s a great player and a great leader. He likes to show what he can do on the court, and then we got to see his personality off the court. So it was great. We’re going to follow him and run through a wall for him,” Looney concluded.
Kevon Looney has praised the leadership he’s seen from Luka Doncic so far
“That (the Slovenia trip) was my first time doing something like that. That shows his character and that he really wants to win. We’re going to follow him and run through a wall for him.” pic.twitter.com/I4etQaL5Gs
While the Lakers played a lot of basketball during that Slovenia trip, the focus seemed to be more on building camaraderie off the court.
And based on what Looney said, this appears to be where Dončić made the strongest impression.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic reacts after scoring a basket during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Monday, March 16, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
CINCINNATI, OHIO - AUGUST 31: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres celebrates hitting a single in the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a dismal road trip for the San Diego Padres. The club dropped five of six games and now returns home to Petco Park on the outside of the playoff picture. They aren’t outside it by much (half a game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks), but it hurts. San Diego was viewed as one of the hottest teams in baseball. The Friars have cooled off significantly since then.
Now they’ll turn to the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals at home. The two teams own some of the most potent offenses in all of MLB. San Diego’s pitching staff will need to lock it down if they hope to win either series. Not only that, but the Friars will need to rediscover some slug. They’ve lost it somewhat lately, but could rediscover it against two of the worst bullpens in baseball.
Taking the mound
Max Fried (NYY) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
Fried has spent a major part of his sophomore season in New York on the injured list. The lefty has pitched just 90 innings, though Fried has been remarkably effective during that time. The Yankees’ pitcher owns a 2.80 ERA through 16 starts. His strikeout numbers are down a little, but he’s still pitched quite well when he is on the mound.
The left-hander is coming off of an electric month of August. Fried posted a minuscule 1.33 ERA across four starts in the month. That said, his final start was just 3 2/3 innings after missing some more time on the injured list. The Yanks have planned to use Fried alongside Will Warren in a piggyback system for the series opener.
Despite his subpar stat line, Buehler has been one of the most valuable pitchers in baseball. The veteran right-hander has stabilized San Diego’s rotation alongside Michael King. Buehler had some tough stretches, hence his overblown 4.66 ERA, but he’s been fantastic down the stretch. Across his last seven starts, Buehler owns a 3.19 ERA (36.2 IP).
Apart from Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon, the Bronx Bombers don’t have much experience against the righty. The majority of that trio’s experience against Buehler comes due to their tenures in the NL West (Goldschmidt, Dbacks; Grisham, Padres; McMahon, Rockies). The three have a combined batting average of .235 against Buehler.
Batter up!
Despite their tough stretch, the Friars have hit quite well, scoring four or more runs in four of their last six games. They scored three in the other two games. They’ll need to turn it up against New York if they hope to reverse their recent misfortunes.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Manny Machado, 3B
Ty France, 1B
Jackson Merrill, CF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Dustin Harris, LF
Freddy Fermin, C
Ethan Salas, DH
With Salas making his MLB debut behind the dish on Wednesday in the series finale, it’s uncertain if he’ll play in the home opener. It seems likely that, if he does, it will be as the designated hitter with Fermin behind the plate, though that remains to be seen.
Relief corps
With starter Casey Mize working through just four innings, the bullpen was taxed a bit on Wednesday. Mize departed having surrendered four runs before Wandy Peralta, David Morgan, Kyle Hart and Jhony Brito covered the rest of the game. All but Morgan surrendered a run.
Now, the bullpen is rested and will hopefully be reset after their off day on Thursday. The readily available options for the Padres are Griffin Canning, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez. Those final three represent San Diego’s highest-leverage options.
