Vintage illustration of Cattle Punching, 1950s. (Photo by Found Image Holdings/Corbis via Getty Images) | Corbis via Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
CUBS
DIAMONDBACKS
Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
Lars Nootbaar – DH
Seiya Suzuki – RF
Corbin Carroll – RF
Michael Busch – 1B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Alex Bregman – 3B
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Ian Happ – LF
Max Kepler – LF
Nico Hoerner – SS
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Pedro Ramirez – 2B
Tim Tawa – 1B
Michael Conforto – DH
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Carson Kelly – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Kevin Gausman – RHP
Merrill Kelly – RHP
After having scratched our way to a series win against the Reds, albeit with the need of a late comeback, another NL Central team, in the shape of the Cubs come to town. They currently occupy the first NL wild-card spot, and with the Brewers enjoying a healthy lead (six games), the Cubs will probably be looking to solidify that position as we head toward the final month of the season. In the NL wild-card standings, they are two games up on the recently unstoppable Phillies, with the almost as immortal Padres two games further back, then the D-backs two more behind, and currently out of a playoff spot.
Of these teams, Arizona definitely has the toughest first half of the week. Philadelphia are in Seattle, who had an… interesting week. They went 3-3, but were outscored 24-62, due to 22-0 and 19-2 losses. With the Phillies on a nine-game winning streak, including that astonishing comeback yesterday to preserve the run (overturning a 0.66% Win Probability), they have all the momentum imaginable. Still, if the Mariners could do us a solid… Meanwhile, San Diego host Pittsburgh, who are basically the Reds. The Padres will have to face Paul Skenes tomorrow, but with his 3.95 ERA that’s not the same scary proposition it would have seemed on Opening Day.
Merrill Kelly starts. After an excellent July, with a 1.95 ERA across five starts, the regression has been strong in August. As in 0-3 over four starts with an ugly 8.24 ERA, so I’m approaching this recap more in hope that expectation. The three losses saw Kelly throw fourteen innings, and give up seventeen earned runs. As well as too many home-runs (four over 19.2 innings in August), he has walked more people (15) than he has struck out (13). For a command/control artist like Kelly, that’s uncharacteristic. His K:BB has cratered this year to 1.47, compared to 3.48 last year, and 3.04 for his career before this season. The Cubs are probably the last team you want to put on base.
Except for PCA. I’m probably fine with walking him…
Oakland Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) throws during the first inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, April 20, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Back at home in West Sacramento. The A’s escaped Houston with the series win and are riding high on a two-game winning streak. Can they make it three in a row with a victory in the series opener tonight against the Minnesota Twins?
It’ll be Jeffrey Springs on the bump this evening for the home team. The left-hander looked sharp in his return from the IL last week, pitching into the sixth inning and allowing just a pair of runs to the Kansas City Royals. He’s likely in the last stretch of his A’s career so hopefully he can wrap his tenure up on a high with a strong final month to end the season.
As for the visiting Twins, they have right-hander Zebby Matthews going for them this evening in the series opener. Outside of several implosions earlier this year Matthews has been a solid backend type of starter for the Twins. He comes into this contest on a high note as he pitched into the sixth last time out against the Braves, allowing just one run on five hits against the NL East leaders.
We can do this. A win tonight plus some help from the Guardians down south in Los Angeles and we can climb out of the cellar of the league. Let’s go A’s!
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 22: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres throws to first base during the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Petco Park on August 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pittsburgh Pirates (63-69) at San Diego Padres (71-60), August 24, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 18: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning during the game against the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on August 18, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing their nine-game road trip, as they travel to San Diego to take on the Padres in a three-game series.
The Pirates were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, so they are hoping Braxton Ashcraft can help pick them out of their slump. Ashcraft has gone at least eight innings in each of his last two starts, including a win against the Miami Marlins on August 13 and a victory against the Detroit Tigers on August 18. In his last appearance, he gave up five hits and one earned run in a 4-1 victory for the Buccos.
Countering Ashcraft is Robbie Ray, who is making his fourth start with the Padres after being acquired in a trade from the San Francisco Giants earlier this month. Ray is coming off his first Padres victory in his last start against the New York Mets on August 18. He pitched six innings, giving up three hits and one earned run in a 5-2 victory.
The Padres have a two-game lead for the third wild card in the National League, so this is a big series for them as they look to build off of the momentum they got from sweeping the Minnesota Twins over the weekend.
Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Braxton Ashcraft (13-5, 3.68 ERA) vs. Robbie Ray (11-7, 3.20 ERA)
BD community, this is your gameday thread for today’s game. Chime off in the comments section below.
Los Angeles Dodgers fans have fallen in love with SportsNet LA sideline reporter Kirsten Watson. But it seems that Watson’s romantic love is elsewhere.
Watson, who has been on the Dodgers’ broadcast team as a reporter and host since 2021, made an Instagram post on Monday that included a mirror selfie video of her being held from behind by a man in a hat. At the end of the video, Watson breaks out in a big smile, indicating how happy she is to be showing her man to the world.
“one lucky girl ,” the post was captioned.
Sideline reporter Kirsten Watson attends the Harold & Carole Pump Foundation 26th Anniversary Celebrity Dinner honoring the 2025 World Champions Los Angeles Dodgers at the Beverly Hilton. AFP via Getty ImagesDodgers sideline reporter Kirsten Watson poses for a photo with her boyfriend.
It’s unclear who this man is, but Watson had been soft-launching him (including not-so-subtle photos of them together without showing his face) for some time. But the couple appears to now have made their relationship official.
Watson has impressed both within the Dodgers’ organization and among Los Angeles fans since starting the broadcasting role. She has a prestigious background, including being awarded the Stuart Scott Internship-Scholarship from the National Association of Black Journalists.
She went viral earlier this year for delivering a no-look fist bump to a member of the Dodgers during a live report from the dugout, as viewers were amazed at how the distraction didn’t impact Watson’s delivery.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz is interviewed by Spectrum SportsNet reporter Kirsten Watson after a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There were surely some Dodgers fans that were hopeful about a potential romance with Watson who don’t like seeing this hard launch. But the rest of Los Angeles’ faithful fan base will be happy for her.
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks hope three-time All-Star Ketel Marte will return to their lineup next week, roughly two weeks after his unexpected disappearance from the team before a game in Boston.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Monday the team’s plan is for the second baseman to return for a home series against the Philadelphia Phillies, which starts on Aug. 31. Marte was initially put on the restricted list after his disappearance, but then moved to the 10-day injured list with mild inflammation in his left knee.
“That’s what we’re thinking about,” Lovullo said. “I think that will be the 10th day or the 11th day, so there is definitely a strategy to get him back on the field, get him healthy.”
Lovullo said Marte started taking batting practice Monday at the team’s facility in Scottsdale and hitting coach Joe Mather was encouraged by the veteran’s progress.
The 32-year-old Marte still hasn’t addressed his teammates about why he left them in the middle of a playoff race. The D-backs came into Monday’s game against the Chicago Cubs with a 69-62 record, two games behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card spot.
It’s the second straight year Marte has gone AWOL from the team. Last season, he went on the restricted list when his home in Arizona was broken into during the All-Star break. He missed three games after flying back to his home in the Dominican Republic and later apologized for his absence.null
Lovullo said Marte is very private and the team would figure out the right time for him to address his teammates.
“We’re trying to create the softest space for him to re-emerge back in this environment,” Lovullo said. “That’s up to him however he wants to do it. I cannot force a human being to do something that I want to do, or anybody in this room wants to do, or a fan wants to do.
“One of the things that makes Ketel such an extraordinary player is he goes to the beat of his own drum. I respect that.”
Lovullo also addressed the concern that Marte might receive a less-than-warm reception from D-backs fans when he returns.
“Ketel is a very loving young man,” Lovullo said. “I don’t want (booing) to happen. I understand it’s a possibility it could happen, but we’ll all rally around him.”
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 08: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 08, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds continue their West Coast road trip with big eyes on the permanent basement of the National League Central within reach.
Chase Burns will do his best to stem that tide in the opener between the Reds and San Francisco Giants, while the G-Men will send a lefty to the mound to start in the form of Carson Whisenhunt.
SEATTLE — This is not the Zack Wheeler the Phillies are used to seeing.
And for a team trying to fight its way to a fifth straight postseason trip, this is not what they need right now.
That stood out Monday night at T-Mobile Park, where Philadelphia’s nine-game winning streak ended in a 9-2 loss to the Mariners.
Wheeler allowed five runs in the first inning. His command drifted. His misses were big. When he did come into the zone, too many pitches caught too much of the plate.
He frankly did not look like himself.
“Uncharacteristic,” Don Mattingly said.
After the Phillies manufactured a run on Alec Bohm’s run-scoring forceout in the top of the first, Wheeler walked Seattle leadoff man Randy Arozarena and allowed a single to Dominic Canzone.
He quickly got Julio Rodríguez into an 0-2 count, but left a splitter, one of his better offerings lately, over the middle of the plate. Wheeler seemed to know it right away as the ball sailed over the left-field wall.
In a blink, the Mariners had a 3-1 lead.
And one of the worst offenses in baseball lately kept going.
Josh Naylor was thrown out by Bryce Harper trying to stretch a single into a double, but Wheeler walked Taylor Ward and found himself in trouble again. Cal Raleigh, who entered the night batting .159, got a fastball up and in and drove it into the right-field seats.
5-1, Mariners.
Twenty-four pitches in, Philadelphia’s co-ace had already put the Phillies in a deep hole.
“Command was probably the biggest thing,” Mattingly said. “His stuff still seems good. Just command. It puts us in trouble.”
Wheeler settled down in the second, but loaded the bases in the third before another run scored on a wild pitch. He pitched in and out of trouble in the fourth, and with 94 pitches and seemingly in more of a rhythm, Mattingly sent him back out for the fifth.
Seattle kept slugging.
Raleigh hit his second homer of the night before adding a third later on against Alex McFarlane. Wheeler stayed in after Raleigh’s second homer and later allowed another, this one to Cole Young.
The decision to send him back out came down to need and trust.
“He wanted to go back out,” Mattingly said. “I kind of wanted him to go back out. We were going to keep it short. We weren’t going to let him go far. At that point, we’re down 6-2 … so I kind of really needed that inning, but didn’t get there.”
“He just hasn’t been able to make that pitch to get out of innings as much as anything that we’ve seen lately.”
The final line was jarring: four-plus innings, eight runs, four homers and five walks. It marked the first start in Phillies history in which a pitcher allowed at least four home runs and walked five batters. The eight runs tied Wheeler’s career high.
Wheeler did not search for excuses.
“I’ve just been really struggling the past few,” Wheeler said. “Throwing strikes, quality strikes with the fastball right now, hasn’t been fully consistent. Just got to get ahead of guys and get into counts where I want to be.”
The walks have become the loudest part of the skid.
“It’s really frustrating,” Wheeler said. “Leadoff the game, walking guys, and then it tumbles into a big inning for them. I hate walking guys. I used to walk guys and get bit, and I kind of got away from that. Now, this little stretch, I’ve been walking guys. It’s really frustrating.”
J.T. Realmuto has caught Wheeler through dominant stretches and off nights. This one looked different mostly because of where the misses were.
“Big misses, and then more pitches in the heart of the plate,” Realmuto said. “As a hitter, it just makes the ball look a little bigger when your misses are big, and then when you do throw it in the zone, it’s covering a little more plate than usual.”
That has become the concern.
Wheeler, 36, underwent thoracic outlet surgery last year and raised the bar quickly after his April return. He posted a 2.16 ERA over his first 16 starts, even pitching himself into the National League Cy Young conversation.
That makes the recent stretch feel even more jarring.
He has now allowed four or more runs in four of his last six starts. For a pitcher who has been one of baseball’s most reliable arms for years, each ineffective outing lands differently.
But Wheeler and the Phillies pushed back on the idea that this is about health or endurance.
“I feel perfectly fine,” Wheeler said. “Healthy, strong. Everything’s there. Just got to zone back in and figure it out.”
Mattingly said the same.
“He’s going to be fine,” Mattingly said. “I’m not worried about that part of it. If he’s not walking people, he’s not throwing as many pitches, he’s going deeper.”
So the focus shifts back to command, execution and whether anything else is giving hitters an edge.
Wheeler said the Mariners took enough good swings that he will look into more than one area.
“At this point, you’ve got to check off all the boxes,” Wheeler said. “We’ll sit down tomorrow and kind of dig in and see what’s really going on.”
Realmuto said the Phillies will review the possibility of tipping, though nothing stood out in real time.
“We’re just going to look into the tipping stuff because they took some pretty good swings on some offspeed pitches today that aren’t usual,” Realmuto said. “But nothing glaring that we noticed in game. For me, it’s really just command. The stuff still feels sharp. It’s coming out of his hand good.”
That is what makes the stretch complicated.
The Phillies do not sound alarmed about his body. But the results have not matched the pitcher they are used to handing the ball every fifth day.
“It’s been a while,” Wheeler said. “I haven’t had a stretch like this in a while. That’s why I’m so frustrated.”
Wheeler issued five free passes Monday and has now walked 15 batters over his last four starts, his most in a four-start span since late April to mid-May of 2014.
The Phillies did not have Wheeler last October. Their clearest path to a 2022-like pennant run this year involves leaning heavily on their top three starters. That is what makes this stretch so important.
Cristopher Sánchez has not been quite his top-flight self lately, posting a 3.84 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over his last 13 starts. Like Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo allowed four runs in his most recent outing. But in those games, the Phillies’ offense answered back and found a way to win.
That did not happen Monday.
Philadelphia scored in each of the first two innings against Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, but had no real answer after that.
Mattingly is not treating Wheeler like a lost pitcher.
“Anytime guys struggle, you’re concerned about it, you keep working, you get better,” Mattingly said. “But you’re not like, ‘Oh, this guy’s lost it. He’s never going to be good again.’ I don’t worry about that.”
The Phillies will send Aaron Nola to the mound Tuesday. Nola has surged lately, carrying a 5-9 record and 5.12 ERA into a matchup with George Kirby, who is 8-10 with a 4.18 ERA and has allowed 11 earned runs over his last two starts.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 09: Colt Emerson #4 of the Seattle Mariners throws out the runner during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park on August 09, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Justin Hollander met with the media today to provide an update on Colt Emerson, the Mariners’ young shortstop. Shortly after Emerson, who was hitting .190 at the time, was re-assigned to Triple-A, it was announced he’d instead go on the IL with a wrist injury that had been nagging at him in Tacoma but dated back to spring training. Emerson will have surgery on that wrist, performed by Dr. Donald Sheridan, an orthopedic hand and wrist surgeon, this Wednesday, ending his 2026 season.
The surgery will move a tendon in Emerson’s wrist which has slipped out of place back to where it belongs, an injury known as a subluxation in the wrist. Warning: Gory Medical Details ahead. Skip to the next paragraph if this makes you squeamish. Most commonly in a wrist subluxation, the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon, which runs along the outside of the pinky side of the hand, slips out of alignment – the “groove” on the bone it’s located in. The most common symptom is a “popping” or “clicking” sound during movement, and in acute cases, swelling and inflammation. Since the ECU tendon is fundamental in actions like gripping and twisting, a severe injury clearly poses a problem for a professional baseball player.
It’s a fairly common injury, and one that is often managed without surgery – J.P. Crawford has been dealing with a similar injury – depending on where the tendon is and what it’s resting on. The soreness first popped up this spring in Arizona, and Emerson saw Dr. Sheridan at that time, whose diagnosis was that Emerson could elect to have surgery, but that he didn’t have to have the surgery if he didn’t want to. With a wide-open road to playing time with the incumbent shortstop Crawford dealing with a shoulder injury, and feeling like he could manage the occasional soreness, Emerson elected to continue to play.
“Different guys have different pain thresholds,” said Hollander. “My belief is that Colt Emerson has a really high one, and he played to the point until he felt like it has crossed the threshold of being smart for him to continue.” Hollander also says there are “no concerns” with Emerson being ready for next year.
It’s hard to remember given how badly he slumped down the stretch, but Emerson got off to a strong start initially, hitting for average and power in May and June, with seven homers and five doubles. However, as his time in the big leagues wore on, pitchers found they could get Emerson to expand up out of the strikezone and chase the high fastball; by the time he was sent down in August he was striking out over 40% of the time.
It could be argued that a sore wrist was causing Emerson to be late on the fastball. His bat speed on Statcast is listed at 72 mph, which is about average, whereas his prospect numbers had him more around 75, classified as “fast” by Statcast. However, the sore wrist was likely a minor contributing factor in the biggest issue facing Emerson: his swing decisions. Never a free swinger in the minors, in the big leagues Emerson chased more than he ever had as a prospect, swinging 60% of the time in the Shadow zone (compared to MLB average 54%) and 34% of the time in the Chase zone (compared to MLB average 26%). He showed swing and miss vulnerabilities on all pitches, not just fastballs, whiffing 38% of the time on curveballs and 40% of the time on sliders.
As tough as Emerson’s season was offensively, he also scuffled at times defensively, which could be related to the deteriorating pain in his wrist, especially as the ECU tendon plays such a role in gripping and twisting. Emerson was assessed eight errors at shortstop, six of them throwing errors.
The good news about all of this is there’s nowhere to go but up for Seattle’s young infielder, inked to an eight-year contract extension this year. Hopefully he’ll follow in the footsteps of another young infielder for Seattle, Cole Young, who struggled in his debut but applied himself with specific energy this off-season and has been reaping the rewards of the off-season work he put in on both sides of the ball all season long. In a season that’s not been very lucky for Emerson nor the Mariners, he’s fortunate to have a role model to follow right in his own clubhouse.
One final note: As mentioned above, this is a similar injury to the one J.P. Crawford has been dealing with this season. Crawford, who has been rehabbing with Triple-A Tacoma, is with the team today and will probably be activated tomorrow depending on clearing pregame activities without incident, although Hollander called it “likely” he’d be activated.
Heading into his second year in the NHL, the San Jose Sharks would undoubtedly love to see Michael Misa take a massive step forward in his development.
Misa, 19, had the disadvantage of great expectations heading into his rookie season. As the second-overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, it's easy to get caught by a whirlwind of expectations which can lead to disappointing performances. Luckily for Misa, the Sharks were no stranger to top prospects as they had Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith break into the NHL during the prior season.
Misa followed a similar plan to Smith's rookie season, as the Sharks allowed him to adjust to life in the NHL without wearing him out with the insane schedule that comes as a part of it. They'd sit him as needed, which allowed him to rest and learn by watching his teammates.
The Sharks likely would've preferred to see Misa on the ice more than 45 times last season, but injury, the World Junior Championships and some early contractual issues on the organization's side of things led to him being limited even more than expected.
Assuming Misa is able to stay healthy during his sophomore season, it seems safe to assume that the Sharks are going to aim to play him in all 84 games this time around. So, assuming he's able to do that, what would a successful season look like for the young centerman?
While offensive production is a key part of Misa's game, and it will be his biggest asset in the long run, the Sharks need to get him to a point where he can match up against other teams' top players if necessary. Misa will likely slot in as the Sharks' second-line center of the future, behind Celebrini of course. In the event that Celebrini suffers an injury at some point down the line, which the Sharks will need to be able to rely on Misa to cover all of his duties, which will include playing against the NHL's elite centers.
Misa will likely never be a candidate for the Selke Trophy, but they'll want him to be solid in his own zone and that side of his game needs a considerable amount of work at the NHL level. He was a reliable two-way player in the Ontario Hockey League, now he needs it to translate to the NHL.
On the offensive side of things, it's unrealistic to expect him to have a season like Celebrini did in his sophomore campaign. For Misa, a realistic target would likely be between 50-60 points in an 84 game season. Given his natural goal-scoring ability as well, roughly 20 of those should be goals.
All-in-all, the most important thing Misa needs to do for a successful season is to establish himself as the Sharks' second-line center as soon as possible. With the team aiming to push for a playoff spot this time around, Ryan Warsofsky and company will need Misa to surpass Alexander Wennberg for that spot. Even though Wennberg is a fantastic third-line center, he shouldn't be on the second line of a playoff team.
Expectations are undoubtedly going to be high for Michael Misa heading into his second NHL season, but that's nothing new for him. While there's always the possibility of a sophomore slump, he has all the tools to be a key player for the Sharks this season if he's able to put things together.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 22: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Jackson Holliday #7 after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 22, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will be able to enjoy a brief stint of home cooking as they’ll kick off a 2-series homestand Tuesday night as the Baltimore Orioles arrive in town. Both teams are in a similar situation with both still in the running for a Wild Card spot. The Cardinals, however, are reeling after a stunning defeat on Sunday after Riley O’Brien could not protect a 4-run lead in the 9th as they were swept by the Phillies.
The Baltimore Orioles are an interesting animal. Despite the fact that they’re near the bottom of the American League East, they’re only 1 game back of the final Wild Card slot. Similar to the Cardinals, they have several teams in front of them as there are currently 5 teams in the AL within a game of each other. The Cardinals starters are still a bit of a mystery, but MLB.com says these will be the starters for the Orioles:
Tuesday, August 25 – Chris Bassitt (RHP 4-4, 5.08 ERA, 46 SO)
Chris Bassitt is winless in his last 3 starts. His most recent effort was August 19 against the Yankees where he tossed 5 innings allowing 3 earned runs on 8 hits in a no-decision. Kyle Bradish is also winless in his last 3 starts. On August 20, he took the loss as he threw 5 2/3 innings against the Yankees allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out 5 and walking 3. Trevor Rogers has won 2 of his last 3 starts. On August 21, the threw 7 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays allowing 6 hits, 3 earned runs while striking out 6 and walking just one as he got the victory.
I’ve heard some speculate that Tuesday night’s game will see Matthew Liberatore start for the Cardinals, but I have yet to find any confirmation of that at this point. Same with Wednesday and Thursday’s games vs the Orioles.
Who are the Baltimore Orioles players to watch?
Pete Alonso (1B): Leads the team in batting average (.271), hits (131), home runs (30), and RBIs (85).
Gunnar Henderson (SS): Gunnar is a major part of Baltimore’s offense with 20 home runs and 76 runs scored.
Samuel Basallo (C): Emerging strongly with 16 home runs and regular clutch performances in the lineup.
Coby Mayo (3B): Adds middle-of-the-order power with 17 home runs.
Whose on the Baltimore Orioles injured list?
Blaze Alexander (3B) – 10-day IL (fractured left hand; targeting a late-August return)
Ryan Mountcastle (1B) – 60-day IL (left foot fracture and significant oblique strain)
(3B) – 60-day IL (season-ending Tommy John surgery)
Félix Bautista (RP) – 60-day IL (recovering from right shoulder surgery; beginning a rehab assignment)
Ryan Helsley (RP) – 60-day IL (right elbow inflammation)
The Cardinals/Orioles series should be a fascinating one. Baltimore is coming off of a strong weekend performance against the Tampa Bay Rays while the Cardinals are returning home after getting swept by the Phillies. Injuries to Hunter Dobbins, Andre Pallante, Masyn Winn and Everson Pereira have given St. Louis big challenges on managing roster spots and lineups. The Cardinals are fighting with the Marlins, Diamondbacks and Padres for the final NL Wild Card slot. The homestand with the Orioles and then Pirates coming to town should give St. Louis an opportunity to make up some ground. It’s put up or shut up time regarding any playoff dreams this young Cardinals roster has. Let’s hope it’s the first option.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Keyner Martinez #48 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Cincinnati Reds at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
What a fun weekend for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates! Here’s everything that happened.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Low-A San Jose RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL) has been named the Pitcher of the Week in the Cal League!
AAA Sacramento (71-52)
Friday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Tacoma Rainiers 6-5 [box score] Saturday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Tacoma Rainiers 15-11 [box score] Sunday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Tacoma Rainiers 3-1 [box score]
Well, Sacramento’s 5-game winning streak came to a screeching halt, and was replaced by a 3-game losing streak. But, as I often say, individual performances matter far more than team outcomes in the Minors, and there were still plenty of individual outings to make you smile.
Perhaps most notably, left fielder/right fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) continued his tear through AAA. It was yet another strong string of games for the 24-year old lefty, who seems hell bent on earning an MLB debut before the season ends. Davidson hit 4-12 over the weekend, with a home run, 2 doubles, 3 walks, a stolen base, and outfield assist, and just 1 strikeout.
This is perhaps the most amateur way imaginable to scout, but you watch Davidson and he just looks like a Major Leaguer. I’m reminded of a Farhan Zaidi quote about disregarding numbers with young players and just watching how they look in the batter’s box to know they’re ready. Then again, Zaidi was talking about Luis Matos and Marco Luciano, so perhaps I should disregard that quote as well.
Anyway, here’s your update on when Davidson flipped the switch and seemingly figured out AAA:
First 22 games: 17-86, 0 home runs, 3 doubles, 10 walks, 21 strikeouts Next 11 games: 23-45, 6 home runs, 7 doubles, 7 walks, 4 strikeouts
Absolutely comical!
With that, the outfielder — who has been moved off of center since getting to AAA — is up to a .910 OPS and a 135 wRC+ through 33 AAA games, with 5 stolen bases in as many attempts. Equally encouraging is that he has just a 16.6% strikeout rate and an 8.0% swinging strike rate, which are phenomenal numbers. They’re also fairly dramatically better than the marks he was putting up in AA earlier this year, so that could point to some oncoming regression … or it could mean that he’s made dramatic strides.
Meanwhile, Davidson’s grassmate, center fielder/right fielder Scott Bandura is taking the same approach to AAA: he took a while to adjust following an early-season promotion (much earlier than Davidson’s), and now refuses to stop raking. It was just another brilliant weekend for Bandura, who hit 9-14 with 3 doubles, 1 walk, 2 stolen bases, and 0 strikeouts.
Bandura, a 7th-round pick in 2023 out of Princeton, who turned 25 earlier this month, is smoking hot. He has multiple hits in 11 out of 19 games this month, and his season is a true tale of adjustments, just like Davidson’s, but in a larger sample for both the struggles and the successes:
First 34 games: 31-129, 1 home run, 2 triples, 7 doubles, 8 walks, 28 strikeouts Next 44 games: 67-176, 7 home runs, 0 triples, 14 doubles, 30 walks, 25 strikeouts
What a remarkable adjustment! The lefty is up to an .877 OPS and a 130 wRC+ with 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts. Like Davidson, his contact numbers are encouraging: he has just a 15.0% strikeout rate and a 5.9% swinging strike rate, the latter of which is 91st percentile. The future is pretty darned exciting for the outfield!
It was a quieter weekend for third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), though he did plenty to get excited about, as he hit 3-9 with 2 doubles and a walk, albeit with 3 strikeouts. Unlike Davidson and Bandura, Harber hit the ground running in AAA, though he’s cooled down a bit following a red-hot start. Still a great debut AAA stint for the 24-year old slugger, who has an .866 OPS and a 127 wRC+ through 31 games.
Catcher Adrián Sugastey continues to adjust well to life in AAA, as he hit 2-7 with a home run, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Sugastey has taken advantage of the offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League, as he’s posted an .812 OPS and a 114 wRC+ through his 1st 20 games. That’s a huge improvement over his .715 OPS and 91 wRC+ in AA, which was the best offense he’s posted in 3 years at the level.
The offense will regress eventually, but when it does, the defense will likely still be standing strong. The 23-year old showed off his impressive control of the run game in this one, throwing out 4 of the 5 runners who tried to steal on him.
A few other offensive performances of note: shortstop Shay Whitcomb hit just 2-9, but smashed a home run; center fielder Grant McCray continued his post-optioning struggles, hitting 2-11 with 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, and a stolen base; and designated hitter Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) began a rehab assignment and hit 0-4 with a strikeout.
The best pitching performance came from LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL), who had an excellent start on Friday. It’s been a difficult transition to AAA for the comp-round pick in 2023, but this was his 2nd awesome start in a row. Whitman took down 6 innings while giving up just 4 hits, 0 walks, 1 hit batter, 3 runs, and 2 earned runs, while striking out 4 batters. He needed just 81 pitches to get through those 6 innings, and threw 54 of them for strikes. Whitman, who turns 25 next month, has just a 4.85 ERA and a 5.28 FIP since getting promoted, but he’s trending in the right direction and doing a strong job limiting walks. I don’t think we’ll see him debut this year, but since he’ll likely need to be protected in the Rule 5 Draft, it wouldn’t be a shocking thing if he strings together a few more good outings.
LHP Seth Lonsway pitched on Sunday and also went 6 innings deep, though his outing was a bit more clunky: 7 hits, 2 walks, 3 earned runs, 98 pitches thrown, and just 2 strikeouts. Lonsway has been good at eating innings for Sacramento, which has value of course, but isn’t really setting himself up for an MLB debut. The 27-year old, who was taken in the 6th round in 2021, has a 6.00 ERA and a 6.54 FIP on the year, with just 5.6 strikeouts per 9 innings (against 6.1 walks).
Saturday’s game was a bullpen affair, but it featured something exciting: a rehab appearance by LHP Matt Gage. It initially looked like Gage would be done for the year after being left to die on the MLB mound, but he’s working his way back. He wasn’t sharp in this game, giving up 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run in an inning of work, but it’s just great that he’s out there.
LHP Philip Abner made his 1st 2 appearances since getting claimed off of waivers by the Giants. He pitched 2 innings and allowed 2 hits, 2 walks, and 1 run in 2 innings, with 3 strikeouts.
AA Richmond (70-48)
Friday: Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Chesapeake Baysox 4-3 [box score] Saturday: Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Chesapeake Baysox 4-3 [box score] Sunday: Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Chesapeake Baysox 6-5 (10 innings) [box score]
Excitement on the mound for the Squirrels, as RHP Miguel Mendez made his Richmond debut on Friday night. Mendez, a recently-turned 24-year old who came to the Giants in the Robbie Ray trade, made a single rehab appearance with Low-A San Jose before heading up to AA. As such, he wasn’t fully stretch out, and had a short outing … but it was a good one! Mendez, who has an excellent fastball and a strong slider to pair with it, tossed 2.2 scoreless innings, with 2 hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. Those strikeouts were great to see for Mendez, who racked up a large number of Ks last season, but had more modest totals this year (38 in 34.2 innings with San Diego’s AA affiliate). He had just a 4.93 ERA during that time, but a 3.20 FIP. Very much looking forward to seeing how he closes out the season with Richmond.
The other starts were less exciting, as LHPs Charlie McDaniel and Greg Farone took down innings, but without doing too much. McDaniel made it through 6.1 frames, but gave up 6 hits (including 2 home runs), 2 walks, and 4 runs, with 3 strikeouts. Farone pitched 5.1 innings with 4 hits (including 2 home runs), 4 walks, and 3 runs, though he did strike out 6. McDaniel, a 25-year old who was a UDFA in 2024, has a 5.27 ERA and a 4.73 FIP in 13 starts since getting promoted; Farone, a 24-year old taken in the 7th round in 2024, has a 5.65 ERA and a 5.73 FIP in 23 starts with the Squirrels.
Nice relief outings from LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) and RHP Tyler Vogel. Choate tossed 2 no-hit innings with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts, while Vogel, who pitched twice, allowed 1 hit in 2 scoreless frames, with 1 strikeout. Choate, a 25-year old taken in the 9th round in 2022, has a 3.12 ERA and a 3.92 FIP on the year, with 11.4 strikeouts and 6.0 walks per 9 innings; Vogel, a 25-year old taken 3 rounds later, has a 3.13 ERA and a 4.40 FIP, with 9.6 strikeouts and 5.3 walks per 9.
RHP R.J. Dabovich pitched for the 2nd time since returning to Richmond. He retired both batters he faced, with a strikeout. Great to see him healthy at long last.
No one had a great weekend on offense, but there were performances to highlight. Most notably was that center fielder/right fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), who is tied with Davidson for the organizational lead in home runs, bopped his 1st AA bomb on Friday, and it was a glorious one, as it was a go-ahead 3-run shot in the 8th inning.
The adjustment to AA has been a slightly slow one for the 21-year old from Cuba, and understandably so. He finished the weekend 2-11 with a home run, a double, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts, and now has a .564 OPS and a 48 wRC+ through 6 games in the Eastern League.
Another player who had a stellar season in High-A but has been going through an adjustment period in AA is catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL) who, like Diaz, left the yard over the weekend. Villarroel, a 21-year old righty acquired in the Kai-Wei Teng trade, hit 1-6 with a solo home run, 2 walks, a sacrifice fly, and 2 strikeouts. He has just a .561 OPS and a 49 wRC+ through 21 games in the Eastern League, but growing pains are to be expected with new levels, especially for younger players.
Also homering was third baseman/right fielder Charlie Szykowny, who finished the weekend 4-10 with a solo shot, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts, and an outfield assist. Szykowny has cooled off after some strong player earlier in the year, and has a .739 OPS and a 95 wRC+. There’s definitely something intriguing in the lefty’s bat, though the 2023 9th-rounder is already 26.
A good weekend for left fielder/second baseman Jean Carlos Sió (No. 44 CPL), who was an on-base machine, hitting 3-7 with 5 walks, 2 strikeouts, and a stolen base. The 22-year old lefty is dealing with some bumps in the road following a promotion to AA, and has a .750 OPS and a 97 wRC+ through 60 games at the level. A lot to love about the versatile Sió, and hopefully his bat can continue to develop with more experience at the level.
Quiet weekends for shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) and center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL), who have both cooled down a bit after blistering starts to their AA tenures. Kilen played in just 2 of the 3 games, and hit 0-8 with a strikeout, while Cohen went 1-13 with 2 walks, a stolen base, and 4 strikeouts. Kilen, last year’s 1st-round pick, has an .822 OPS and a 116 wRC+, while Cohen, a 3rd-rounder last year, has a .709 OPS and a 90 wRC+.
High-A Eugene (72-47)
Friday: Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians 12-10 (10 innings) [box score] Saturday: Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians 9-3 [box score] Sunday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians 6-5 [box score]
A lot of good hitting performances for Eugene, with none better than the effort put forth by left fielder/center fielder Damian Bravo, who is hotter than hot. Last year’s 15th-round pick had himself a weekend, hitting 5-12 with 2 home runs, 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, and 4 strikeouts.
Bravo had a decent year with Low-A San Jose (.860 OPS, 109 wRC+), before sustaining an injury in mid-June. 2 months later, he returned from the IL and was promoted to High-A, all in one fell swoop. And what has he done there? 4 home runs in 6 games (plus 4 singles and 4 walks). I’d say this is the right level for him!
Speaking of the right level, shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) is, emphatically, the right Level … though one could make the case that he’s not at the right level, since he is making the Northwest League his personal playground. It was another sensational weekend for the 19-year old switch-hitter, who went 7-13 with 3 doubles, a hit by pitch, a sacrifice fly, 3 stolen bases, and just 1 strikeout. That’s just another day at the office for Level!
Level’s batting average in High-A is just a hair below what it was in Low-A (.325), while his strikeout rate and walk rate have both improved (16.6% to 16.4% and 7.8% to 8.6%, respectively). The only part of his game that’s still lagging behind what it was in San Jose earlier in the year is his power, as his isolated slugging dropped from an elite .251 to a still very good .177. But that will come with more reps and more growth at the level (and future levels). He’s been one of the top hitters in the league as is, with an .869 OPS and a 128 wRC+. He is the real deal, and then some.
Second baseman/right fielder/left fielder Jose Ramos continued a funny trend this year: despite awful numbers in Low-A, Ramos has been spectacular in High-A. It was a great weekend for the 23-year old, who hit 5-12 with a home run, 3 stolen bases, 3 strikeouts, and an outfield assist. The right-hander from Colombia now has an .852 OPS and a 141 wRC+ in 23 High-A games this year … after just a .592 OPS and a 52 wRC+ in 13 games with San Jose.
Second baseman Dalton Wentz continues to search for his footing after skipping Low-A for his professional debut. July’s 16th-round pick, who was given a 4th-round bonus, hit 4-13 with a double and 4 strikeouts, giving the just-turned 21-year old from Wake Forest a .611 OPS and a 59 wRC+ through 4 career games.
A pair of rough starting pitching outings on Friday and Saturday. First it was RHP Niko Mazza, who failed to make it out of the 1st inning, giving up a hit, a hit batter, 2 walks, and 2 runs, with 1 strikeout, while recording just 2 outs before getting pulled on account of having thrown 36 pitches. And then it was LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL), who allowed 5 hits, 2 walks, a hit batter, and 6 runs in just 2.2 innings, though he did strike out 5 batters.
Thankfully, things were salvaged on Sunday courtesy of RHP Hunter Dryden, who had one of his best outings of the year. The 24-year old went 6 strong innings while allowing 7 hits (6 singles and 1 double), 0 walks, and 1 run, though he only struck out 3.
Dryden, who was taken in the 17th round of the 2024 draft, hasn’t had a very strong season, but he has been excellent lately. In his last 5 starts, the D3 Whitworth product has thrown 26.2 innings and allowed just 24 hits, 5 walks, and 5 earned runs, with 21 strikeouts. That’s lowered his ERA to 4.55, albeit with an FIP of 5.44, which is largely the result of having allowed 16 home runs in 97 innings this year.
Eugene employs a trio of high-octane, low-command RHP relievers, and all 3 of them pitched over the weekend. It didn’t go well for a pair of them, as Liam Simon allowed a double, 4 walks, and 2 runs, while recording just 2 outs, while Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 21 CPL) gave up 2 home runs, 3 walks, a hit batter, and 3 runs, while also recording just 2 strikeouts. Things went much better for Marty Gair, who retired all 4 batters he faced, with 1 strikeout.
Low-A San Jose (70-50)
Friday: San Jose Giants beat the Lake Elsinore Storm 21-2 [box score] Saturday: San Jose Giants beat the Lake Elsinore Storm 6-3 [box score] Sunday: San Jose Giants beat the Lake Elsinore Storm 5-0 [box score]
Well, the Baby Giants can’t be stopped! They not only swept the weekend by a combined score of 32-5, and they not only swept the series, but they’re now on a 10-game winning streak! Hot dang!
Needless to say, there were some phenomenal outings. And while the offense was absurd — on Friday, at least — I want to start with the pitching, because there were 2 outstanding performances to highlight.
The runner-up pitching performance of the weekend belonged to LHP Jordan Gottesman, who struck out 8 batters in 6 scoreless innings on Friday, while only giving up 1 hit. What a showing! Gottesman was effectively wild, as he did walk 4 batters and threw just 51 of 92 pitches for strikes, but still. Anytime you have an 8-to-1 strikeout-to-hit ratio, you’re doing something very, very right!
Last year’s 6th-rounder hasn’t had the strongest debut season, but he’s been lights out over his last 3 starts, so perhaps he’s figuring something out. On the year, the Northeastern product, who will turn 24 this weekend, has a 4.07 ERA and a 4.96 FIP, with 9.9 strikeouts and 3.1 walks per 9 innings.
But the star of the mound was Sunday’s starter, RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL). It’s been an at-times difficult season for Martinez, who hasn’t built on his breakout 2025 campaign as much as we had hoped. But even in his struggles, the absurd level of talent has been on display.
On Sunday, it all came together. Martinez faced 16 batters. He retired 15 of them, with a double being the lone baserunner he allowed. Of those 16 batters he faced, he struck out half of them. And despite those 8 strikeouts, he needed just 66 pitches to get through his 5 innings.
Were it earlier in the season, Martinez probably would’ve been allowed to pitch deeper into the game, but he’s in winding down territory. He threw just 32.2 innings in his debut season in 2024, and 69.1 last year. This year he’s already at 83 innings.
Those 83 have been a roller coaster. We had higher hopes than a 5.10 ERA, a 4.94 FIP, and 4.8 walks per 9 innings. But 13.2 strikeouts and a .217 batting average against? Absolutely elite. There is a whole lot of gas in that tank.
In between it was LHP Leandro Rodriguez, a 20-year old who has only made 5 Low-A starts, but who opened a ton of eyes in the Complex League. Rodriguez is still trying to find his footing in Low-A, as he walked 5 batters in 4.2 innings, though he only gave up 2 hits (but that included a home run). He threw just 39 of 76 pitches for strikes, while giving up 2 runs and striking out 2.
Nice relief appearances from RHPs Samir Chires, Cooper McGrath, Evan Gray, Melvin Pineda, and Chen-Hsun Lee.
Now, onto that offense. And my goodness were there ever some dreamy performances on that side of the ball!
The best singular day belonged to center fielder/right fielder Broedy Poppell during Friday’s 21-run explosion, as he simply could not be stopped. The 2025 13th-rounder out of Florida A&M hit 3-4 with 2 homers and a triple, while also drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch, with a strikeout. What a day!
The 24-year old switch-hitter went 1-5 with 3 walks, a stolen base, 2 strikeouts, and an error in the other pair of games, bringing him up to a .773 OPS and a 97 wRC+. Poppell had a fairly slow start to the season, and spent some time demoted to the ACL, but in his last 13 games has hit 15-46 with 10 extra-base hits and 11 walks. He’s starting to figure it out, it seems.
Also going deep twice was left fielder Oliver Tejada, who hit 5-12 over the weekend, and not only did hi hit 2 home runs, he hit 2 grand slams!
He also had a walk, a sacrifice fly, and an outfield assist, though he did strike out 4 times. The 19-year old from the Dominican Republic was mired in quite a slump for a while there, but this is one hell of a way to break out of it! He still has just a .719 OPS and a 79 wRC+, with a 29.9% strikeout rate, but he’s moving in the right direction.
Third baseman Dario Reynoso had an absurd game on Friday, hitting 3-6 with a home run, 2 doubles, a walk, and a strikeout, before hitting 1-4 on Saturday and getting Sunday off. Still a lot to love (.863 OPS, 118 wRC+) and a lot to fear (32.8% strikeout rate) in Reynoso’s profile.
And of course, it wouldn’t be San Jose baseball if it didn’t feature shortstop Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) reminding us that the world is his. González only played in 2 of the 3 games, but that was plenty enough for him to make an impression, as he hit 6-9 with a double, 3 walks, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout.
On the one hand, the 18-year old switch-hitting phenom has only played 21 games in San Jose. On the other hand, he’s hitting .379/.476/.609 with a 170 wRC+, an 18.1% strikeout rate, and 7 stolen bases. He just might be the best prospect in baseball, friends. You can sure as hell make a case for it…
His running mate, Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL), did not play over the weekend after suffering an injury on Thursday. Here’s hoping he’s able to get back on the field before the year ends.
A pair of players made their debuts over the weekend! That’s always exciting. It was a nice initial showing for center fielder Peyton Bonds (Barry’s nephew), who was taken in the 3rd round in July. Bonds went 0-4 with a walk and 2 strikeouts in his Saturday debut, but bounced back on Sunday to hit 2-5 with a strikeout. A slightly slower introduction for second baseman/shortstop Luke Nixon, who was taken in the 5th round. The 21-year old lefty went just 0-6 with 4 strikeouts, though he did draw 3 walks. Welcome to the pros, both of you!
Dominican Summer League Black (playoffs)
Friday: DSL Giants Black lost to the DSL Mariners 8-7 [box score] Saturday: DSL Giants Black lost to the DSL Padres Gold 5-3 [box score] Monday: DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Royals Ventura 15-1 [box score]
Shortstop Joniel Hernandez wanted to make sure that he eked as much performance as possible out of his debut season. The 17-year old, who came over in the Robbie Ray trade, played in all 3 of these postseason games, and hit 4-14 with 2 homers, a walk, a stolen base, and 2 strikeouts. That’s after ending the regular season with a .978 OPS and a 132 wRC+!
Designated hitter Diego Villegas hit 3-8 with a pair of home runs, a double, a walk, and a strikeout. The 22-year old had a tough season in which he didn’t hit any home runs, and then hit a pair in this game. Go figure.
20-year old RHP Luis Hernandez (not that one), tossed 5 shutout innings with just 4 baserunners and 5 strikeouts, which is a tremendous postseason showing. He had a very difficult year, with far more walks than strikeouts … so nice to see.
Home run tracker
25 — Bo Davidson — [6 in AAA; 19 in AA] 25 — Lisbel Diaz — [1 in AA; 21 in High-A; 3 in Low-A] 18 — Zander Darby — [High-A] 17 — Jeremiah Jenkins — [Low-A] 14 — Charlie Szykowny — [AA] 14 — Damian Bravo x2 — [4 in High-A; 10 in Low-A] 13 — Dario Reynoso — [Low-A] 12 — Shay Whitcomb — [2 in MLB; 10 in AAA] 11 — Broedy Poppell x2 — [8 in Low-A; 3 in ACL] 9 — Jancel Villarroel — [2 in AA; 7 in High-A] 9 — Joniel Hernandez x2 — [DSL] 8 — Keiberg Camacaro — [DSL] 7 — Oliver Tejada x2 — [6 in Low-A; 1 in ACL] 6 — Adrián Sugastey — [3 in AAA; 2 in AA; 1 in ACL] 2 — Jose Ramos — [1 in High-A; 1 in Low-A]
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 07: Jack Perkins #50 of the Athletics pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park on August 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At 38-38 it wasn’t just a “contending year” it was “on pace to win the AL West,” as it turns out. Then came a long and fugly spiral to the current 52-80 making it squarely a “see what we have” kind of second half.
What do we have, exactly, amongst the many reserves thrust into the spotlight thanks to injuries that have ended seasons early for Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Jacob Wilson, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Tyler Soderstrom, and Luis Severino? The answer is not as easy as it seems.
Several players are difficult to weigh including some who are important to the A’s fortunes in 2027…
Henry Bolte
Sliced into thirds, Bolte’s season has been “great/awful/great” and given that he is just turned 23 with all of 88 games under his belt one easy analysis would be “2 out of 3 ain’t bad!” What it has all added up to so far, statistically, is promising: .270/.345/.369, 103 wRC+ with 14 stolen bases, +4 DRS/+2 OAA in CF.
So why the uncertainty as to whether Bolte is a budding star you can build your outfield around? First off I think the notion that this is his floor is misguided: a player’s floor isn’t “what he has already shown he can do” as players can take big steps backwards, see Gelof, Zack or Butler, Lawrence. Bolte’s floor has him unable to consistently master lifting the ball, has his K rate creeping back up to the 30s, and renders him too close for comfort to Denzel Clarke.
But the ceiling is alluring for sure. I might give Bolte a 25% chance of becoming an “All-star caliber” every day OFer, a 50% chance of becoming a solid every day OFer, and a 25% chance of regressing to become more of a useful 4th OFer. Why the measured optimism?
Under the hood come some warning signs that the stats in aggregate aren’t necessarily indicative of a player who has proven he can thrive consistently over time.
Much of Bolte’s success at the plate has come at home (.313/.380/.422, 124 wRC+), but outside the friendly confines of Sutter Health Park he has hit just .226/.311/.315, 81 wRC+.
Also Bolte has started out with some L/R splits worth watching. Splits take a long time to stabilize but here they are so far: vs. LHP .274/.333/.442, 116 wRC+ and vs. RHP .267/.353/.322, 95 wRC+. The big gap comes in the slugging and is partly a result of so many of Bolte’s hits against righties being choppers on the infield he beat out.
Bolte’s potential is sky high. Much of it will depend on how he progresses with regard to hitting away from SHP, slugging enough against RHP, and cleaning up the many unnecessary errors from bobbles and the occasional flat out dropped fly ball. (Bolte has already been charged with 6 errors in CF, continuing a pattern from the minors.)
Jack Perkins
Talk about an enigma wrapped in a riddle. Perkins brings #2-#3 SP stuff to the mound but has only been able to parlay it into a 6.68 ERA in 90.1 IP. Why? Perkins’ control comes and goes and there is a sense he pitches best once the pressure is off — which has sometimes meant giving up a crooked number early before settling in.
There are plenty of positives to be found in Perkins’ 2026 season. One is that he has stayed healthy pretty much for the first time in his pro career. Another is that his K rate (10.36/9 IP) reflects his ability to miss bats and tie hitters up.
Consistency, however, is not his middle name. Witness yesterday’s “bulk” appearance in which Perkins threw 5 IP. In the first one he walked 4 batters, forcing in a run with the last one. Then he was unhittable for a couple innings. Then his defense betrayed him, an E-6 on Darell Hernaiz that prolonged the inning, which Perkins followed up by serving up a 2-run HR. Both runs unearned but realistically one falls on Hernaiz and the HR is on the pitcher.
Will Perkins’ plus stuff, combined with experience, get him over the hump to be a quality pitcher either in the rotation or bullpen? Or does he just not have the command and/or mentality to offer any semblance of reliability?
Donovan Walton
If I had to pick out one hitter I wish other batters would watch and emulate it would be Walton. His PAs have been that good in terms of process, grinding out at bats, being discerning even after falling behind 0-2, patient enough to produce an elite 16.9% BB rate since joining the A’s, spraying the ball to all fields.
If you’re thinking in terms of a utility infielder to complement Gelof, Wilson, and Kuroda-Grauer in 2027, Walton is tempting and offers the only LH bat in the mix (unless the A’s re-sign Jeff McNeil after undoubtedly declining his club option).
Trouble is Walton does not play good defense, which is a priority for a back up infielder. He has negative career marks at 2B, SS, and 3B, including -11 at 2B. He also is having an offensive season that belies his entire track record prior to 2026.
Here are Walton’s batting averages before this season, beginning in his rookie 2019 campaign: .188, .154, 206, .158, .136, .125. Did he, at age 32, suddenly figure something out in a big way? That’s a lot to bet on. I’d bet Alika Williams, smooth at SS with a plus glove at 2B as well, to win the utility infielder role for 2027 unless the A’s are dead set on a LH bat.
But Walton has been, for whatever reason, really impressive at the plate — the key question being “Who is the real Donovan Walton?”
LEADING THE LEAGUE: Thanks to their 19-2 throttling of the Mariners yesterday, the Cubs now lead all teams in runs scored per game, at 5.22, which is a quarter of a run more than the combined average of 4.47 by all teams. The Brewers are second, at 5.17. The Cubs also moved up to first in on-base percentage plus slugging, at .762, one point ahead of the Dodgers. They had trailed the Dodgers by six points before yesterday. The Cubs remain first in walks per game, with 4.26. They are third in slugging, percentage, at .423, and seventh in batting average, at .250. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
MONDAY, MONDAY, CAN’T TRUST THAT DAY: The Cubs are 8-6 in games on Monday but 1-4 in Monday games on the road. They lost at Tampa, Philadelphia and San Diego in April, then at Pittsburgh in May, before winning at St. Louis on July 27. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Cubs or their opponent have scored in the first inning of three straight games and seven of eight. The Cubs did it three times; their opponent, four. The team that scored first won all seven games. For the season, the Cubs have scored first in 60 games, winning 44, and they have given up the first run in 71, winning 21. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs homer four times (Michael Barrett, Angel Pagan, Aramis Ramirez and Phil Nevin) and blow out the Phillies 11-2 at Wrigley Field. Future Cub Cole Hamels, who was making his first-ever start at Wrigley, is pounded for nine of the 11 runs in just two innings. It happened 20 years ago today, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006.
Kevin Gausman has made three starts as a Cub: One good, one mediocre, one bad. Hopefully the “good” category is added to this evening.
If this April 19 result is to be mirrored, that will happen. On that day Gausman held the D-backs to two runs in six innings. Let’s hope.
Merrill Kelly grew up in the Phoenix area, went to ASU and played his first six and a half MLB seasons for his hometown team. Then they traded him to the Rangers at the deadline last year, as he was a pending free agent. He made no secret of the fact that he wanted to return to the D-backs, the feeling was mutual, and so he signed a two-year, $40 million deal with a $12 million vesting option for 2028.
The results have not been good. Kelly is having the worst year of his career and this month in four starts: 8.24 ERA, 1.932 WHIP, a really high walk rate (16.3 percent) and low K rate (14.1 percent).
This, theoretically, should be good for Cubs hitters, especially Michael Conforto (5-for-14, three doubles) and Michael Busch (4-for-8, a double, a triple, a home run). Go get ‘em, guys.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
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