England fast bowler released without charge
Incident happened in Derby as Durham celebrated win
Brydon Carse was handcuffed by police in Derby on Saturday as he became the latest England cricketer to become involved in a late-night incident.
A brief video on social media shows the fast bowler being apprehended by several police officers outside a nightclub as he celebrated Durham’s County Championship win over Derbyshire.
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In a surprise twist on Saturday afternoon, Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who was previously thought to be lost for the next year-plus to a second shoulder surgery, announced that he is no longer undergoing surgery. His follow-up appointment with his doctors showed unexpected healing, and as a result, he will soon start a throwing program.
Just a few weeks ago, many were wondering if Woodruff’s career was going to be officially over. A re-injury to his shoulder capsule appeared devastating and the road to a second recovery was going to be far more challenging than the first.
It certainly would have been a horrible way for Woodruff’s career to end, and from the competitive aspect, it’s understandable why Woodruff wanted to continue pushing through. Even with diminished velocity, Woodruff was incredibly effective out on the mound, even when his shoulder started barking at him again.
So the news that Woodruff’s injury was not as bad as initially thought and that surgery would not be necessary was incredibly welcome news in the Brewers clubhouse.
“I’ve been hearing about this for a couple weeks, and I was like ‘it could happen’, you know. But now we also have to think of the reality of it, okay? Now he hasn’t picked up the ball. Now it’s the progression back. How quickly? How much risk is there in that?” Pat Murphy said pregame on Saturday.
With Woodruff’s injury history, there certainly is a lot of risk with that. Original projected timelines have a way of getting extended and there is barely more than a month left in the regular season.
The plan for Woodruff is a 5-week throwing progression that is beginning on Wednesday. He hasn’t thrown a baseball since the initial diagnosis, so he’s been shut down for several weeks already and it will take some time to build it back up through his progression. But already 5 weeks puts the timeline into early October, when the postseason will have already began.
How long the Brewers make it in the postseason is obviously yet to be determined and completely out of Woodruff’s control. But if they do make an extended run, with a 5 week throwing progression, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that Woodruff could conceivably come back for the later rounds, such as an NLCS or a World Series.
“I think there’s a low possibility, you know, but I think there’s a possibility, and why not go with it?” Murphy said.
It’s a very low possibility, and it’s important to temper expectations here. Woodruff would need everything to go smoothly and perfectly with his recovery and throwing progression. Throughout his last few years of shoulder issues, a smooth recovery and progression has not really happened.
But, again, if he were to make this miraculous recovery and return for the postseason, he certainly would not have enough time to build up to be a starter again this year. Woodruff would likely be stretched only to one inning, maybe two at most.
When you get to the NLCS or the World Series, however, would it be wise for the Brewers to use one of their roster spots on a surprise return there from Brandon Woodruff, or would that spot be better served with someone like DL Hall out of the bullpen?
That’s a question for further down the line that Brandon Woodruff is going to have to force the Brewers to answer by having a smooth progression from here on out. The margin for error is razor thin. It’s certainly great news for Woodruff’s potential to pitch in 2027 and continue his career. Avoiding surgery is huge for continuing his career.
Will it be enough to salvage a 2026 return? The odds are stacked against him, but as Woodruff has done throughout his entire career, he’ll give it everything he has.
Jesper Wallstedt's emergence has apparently caught the attention of EA Sports.
The Minnesota Wild goaltender received an 87 overall rating in NHL 27 and was ranked as the eighth-best goalie in the game.
Tampa Bay Lightning star Andrei Vasilevskiy leads the position with a 94 overall rating, followed by Ilya Sorokin at 93 and Connor Hellebuyck at 92.
Igor Shesterkin received a 91 overall rating, Logan Thompson is at 90 and Jeremy Swayman sits at 89. Jake Oettinger is seventh at 88 before Wallstedt checks in at No. 8.
Wallstedt is tied at 87 overall with Anaheim's Lukas Dostal and Calgary's Dustin Wolf.
For Minnesota, Wallstedt's placement is particularly noteworthy considering the company now views him in the same group as some of the NHL's established starting goaltenders.
The Wild drafted Wallstedt 20th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft with the expectation that he could eventually develop into their long-term answer in net.
Wild's Jesper Wallstedt Makes NHL Network's Top 10 Goalies Right Now ListHe certainly has earned it. EA Sports appears convinced that development has arrived.
With an 87 overall rating, Wallstedt isn't simply being viewed as one of the league's promising young goalies anymore. NHL 27 already has him rated as one of the 10 best goaltenders in hockey.
Wallstedt, 23, is entering the last year of his two-year contract with the Wild and will be a restricted free agent (RFA) after the season.
The 6-foot-3 goaltender went 18-9-6 in 35 games for the Wild with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. In ten playoff games Wallstedt went 5-5-0 with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.
With Filip Gustavsson injured and recovering from off-season surgery, Wallstedt is set to play in a bigger role this season. He will be the starter for at least the first two months of the season before Gustavsson comes back in November.
But with Wallstedt in his final year of his contract and a bunch of goaltenders getting big contracts, along with Gustavsson out for two months, this will be a big year for the Swedish goaltender.
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The 20-year-old Briton is riding in his first Grand Tour
Tadej Pogacar retains overall leader’s red jersey
Matt Brennan emerged triumphant from a bunch sprint to claim victory in the second stage of the Vuelta a España, while overall favourite Tadej Pogacar retained the red jersey on Sunday.
Britain’s Brennan was followed over the line by Pau Miquel and Pogacar after a long 214.3km stage with over 3,000m of climbing, leaving Monaco and heading to Manosque in France. It is Brennan’s first stage win in a Grand Tour – “Hopefully it’s not the last one,” he said – in his first appearance at this level.
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Hickory starter Jacob Johnson allowed one run in three innings, walking three and striking out four. Michael Trausch allowed a run in two innings, striking out two and walking one. Louis Marinaro walked two and struck out two in 1.2 shutout innings.
Paulino Santana was 2 for 4 with a stolen base. Jay McQueen had a hit. Dewar Tovar was 2 for 4 with a homer. Josh Springer was 3 for 4.
For Hub City, Andrew Susac threw 1.2 shutout innings, walking three, hitting a batter, throwing two wild pitches, and striking out two. J’Briell Easley struck out one and walked one in a scoreless inning.
Casey Cook was 2 for 3 with a triple. Paxton Kling doubled. Evan Morrison doubled. Gleider Figuereo was 2 for 5 with a double. Maxton Martin had a pair of hits.
Frisco starter Aidan Curry was pulled after 35 pitches in the first inning, recording just two outs, walking three and allowing three runs. Bryan Magdaleno struck out five in 2.1 IP, allowing a three run homer. Josh Trentadue struck out four in three shutout innings.
Malcolm Moore doubled. and homered. Dylan Dreiling had a hit and a stolen base. Arturo Disla was 3 for 5. Yeison Morrobel had a hit.
For Round Rock, Gavin Collyer allowed two runs in 1.2 IP, walking one and striking out two. Michel Otanez struck out one in 1.1 scoreless innings.
Alejandro Osuna and Logan O’Hoppe were both lifted mid-game for pinch hitters. John Taylor was 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Cam Cauley had a pair of doubles, a walk and a stolen base. Aaron Zavala was 2 for 5 with a double and a stolen base.
Right-handed pitcher Reynaldo López will begin his rehabilitation assignment with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, the Atlanta Braves announced earlier this morning. López, 32, was placed on the 15-day IL on August 2 – backdated to July 30 – with inflammation in his left knee.
López miss almost all of 2025 after a sterling first season with the Braves in 2024. After beginning 2026 in the starting rotation, he shifted to the bullpen, before returning to the rotation. On the season, he’s appeared in 24 games – making 11 starts – striking out 66 in 71.2 innings pitched.
The active roster expands from 26 players to 28 players on September 1, so it is plausible López could be added after that date. He would provide another option for the rotation or bullpen given his ability to cover multiple innings.
As players begin to return to the HSS Training Facility for pick-up games and workouts prior to to the opening of training camp at the next of next month, it’s typically a time when word begins to trickle out about how each has developed throughout the offseason … who’s looking good, who will surprise.
That intrigue becomes even more prevalent when a player didn’t appear in Summer League, as was the case with Nolan Traoré, who enters his second season in Brooklyn after an up-and-down rookie year as the league’s sixth youngest player.
Nets two-way forward Chaney Johnson has had an up-close look at his teammates in recent weeks and he’s excited about the French guard’s progress since the last time they took the court together back in mid-April.
In an exclusive conversation with “The Brooklyn Boys Show,” Johnson cited Traorè as the Flatbush 5 (sans Egor Dëmin) member he’s seen grow the most.
“Honestly, I’m going to have to say Nolan,” Johnson told me when asked about what he’s seen . “All the guys have improved, but I feel like Nolan … he’s a different guy now. He done put on some mass. He’s walking around with a sleeveless hoodie on, looking at the biceps, you know what I’m saying? He done put on some strength.”
Traoré didn’t play in Summer League, recovering from a knee scope, although he is expected to make a full return for training camp. While he wasn’t active on the floor, he’s has still been active in the gym and the weight room all offseason long, evidenced by Johnson’s comments.
We got only a brief look at him in Las Vegas when the Nets opened up the gym to the media …
After a rookie season in which he looked skinny playing against NBA competition, a bulk-up is expected to help Traoré’s game as he looks to take a Year 2 leap. Traoré finished the year on a high note, indicating he has plenty of upside and room for growth. Over the past month and half of the season (31 games), Traore averaged better than 11 points a game along with four assists, putting up individual games of 23 points, 12 assists and five 3-pointers. Even before that, in February, Traore led the 2025 rookie class in assists with 67.
Johnson had good things to say about the other members of the Flatbush 5 as well.
“All the guys have improved,” he added. “Drake has gotten stronger. Danny has gotten stronger. He’s gotten a lot more mobile. He’s moving a whole lot better. I can just tell the confidence that he’s [showing] in his workouts and the way that he’s operating. Ben has gotten stronger.”
Johnson spoke as well of the two veterans, Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle, who he said will bring needed “grit” aka physicality
“You know, I got to be around MPJ a solid bit toward the end of the season last year, and then just getting to meet Julius Randle and being around him a lot more. Julius Randle, for sure, just brings a grit that I’m not going to say we don’t have, but just a grit that we need,” he said.
“He brings — like, Jordi is a hard-nosed, dive-on-the-floor, play-hard, but at the same time make sure we take care of the basics type of coach. I feel like Julius brings that. He just brings an added benefit on top of what Jordi already wants out of his players.
“He’s a cool dude. I feel like he’s a lot bigger in person — pause. But muscle-wise, this man is, like, [unclear], man. He just brings strength. He brings a toughness that I feel like is going to pay off this year.”
Johnson experienced an encouraging offseason of his own. The 24-year-old averaged 13.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and a Summer League-leading 3.3 steals per game in Las Vegas as he continues to strengthen his case for an expanded role with Brooklyn.
Currently on a two-way contract, Johnson is looking to earn a standard NBA deal with the team, and his Summer League showing was certainly a step towards accomplishing that.
“I just wanted to go out there and have fun,” Johnson said of his own performance. “Of course, we wanted to win it all, but we fell short. The camaraderie that we had, we just enjoyed it. I feel like that kind of showed on the court.”
That alone didn’t leave him satisfied, though. Since returning to Brooklyn, he has continued working to round out his game ahead of training camp.
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger, a lot more athletic,” Johnson told me. “My touch has improved. I feel like my shot has improved a good bit since last year.”
One of Johnson’s biggest offseason priorities has been developing his shooting game. He has worked closely with Nets shooting consultant Dave Love to fine-tune his mechanics.
“I’ve been getting a lot of reps in,” Johnson said. “I’ve been working with Coach Dave Love, just working on loading my wrist, getting my hand under the ball and making sure my balance and everything is keyed in. My confidence with shooting has come a long way.”
Despite standing at only 6’7”, Johnson spent significant time at the 5 throughout Summer League games in Sacramento and Las Vegas, and despite being undersized for the position, he believes the way Brooklyn uses the center spot fits him.
“I feel like it suits my strengths,” said Johnson regarding the way Brooklyn utilizes the five. “Playing at the 5, driving on DHOs, you just can’t be loose with it. You’ve got to make sure you’re getting below the defender so you can make the handoff easier and make the guy coming off the DHO open for three or for the attack.”
Given that he is undersized, he’s faced challenges defensively, but Johnson has learned to lean on his athleticism and instincts as much as possible.
“Since I am shorter than the average NBA center, I just use my athleticism as much as I can, use my quickness and try to use my mind to get every advantage,” Johnson said of his 40+“ vertical. “One thing you can’t get is height, so I’m just trying to use all my strengths — my strength, my quickness and my athleticism — to my best advantage.”
At the end of the day, though, Johnson’s goal is to see the NBA floor as much as possible. After signing with the team in December on a two-way contract, he knows exactly what it takes to battle for recognition.
He had to make his mark with the Nets’ G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, before earning an NBA chance. Prior to that, he was with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ G League team.
Johnson played in 24 games for Long Island (four starts), averaging 14.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 26.9 minutes while shooting 56.1% from the field.
His journey began, though, in the Division II ranks at the University of Alabama at Huntsville before transferring to Auburn, where he helped lead the team on a Final Four run in 2025.
“I’m just attacking every single day, attacking every weight-room lift, attacking recovery and trying not to take any days for granted,” Johnson said. “If I get the opportunity, I’m going to go out and play hard. I’m not leaving anything on the court.”
Johnson can’t control how many minutes will be available when the season begins. For now, he remains focused on making sure he is ready to give 110% whenever his name is called.
At the end of the day, his path for minutes won’t be easy. Brooklyn has eight players on rookie contracts, not counting second-round rookie, 6’9” shooter Tyler Bilodeau, who is also on a two-way deal.
There will be no shortage of competition for playing time, but Johnson has already shown he will put in the work and make the most of whatever comes his way.
Bottom line, Johnson said he and his teammates want “to win every game” after last year’s 20-win season which he described at “terrible.”
“I just feel like we’re hungry,” he said. “They know — we realize how terrible of a team we were last year, or how terrible we did. I know ‘terrible’ is a strong word, so I don’t want to — but we weren’t the best team last year. So I feel like we’ve got that chip on our shoulder now, and we’re ready to prove some people wrong.”
The Yankees made a flurry of roster moves ahead of Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays, activating Cody Bellinger from the injured list, sending Ryan Weathers to the IL with a left forearm flexor strain, and recalling pitcher Brendan Beck from Triple-A Scranton.
The return of Bellinger, who has been out since July 25th with a left hamstring strain, was anticipated for several days. The left fielder had begun a rehab assignment with the RailRiders on Thursday, and after one game as the designated hitter and one in the outfield, declared himself “ready to go” yesterday afternoon. In anticipation of the move, the Yankees sent Max Schuemann, himself recently recalled when Ryan McMahon went on the shelf with a left thumb sprain the other day, back to the minors last night.
Weathers going on the IL does not come as a surprise, either, as he left yesterday’s game in the fourth inning with left elbow discomfort. While speaking to reporters yesterday, Weathers expressed hope that he would be able to return this season, but the official diagnosis suggests that he faces an uphill battle: back in 2020, Dr. Christopher Ahmad published research indicating that pitchers missed an average of 117 days for a forearm strain — and that’s assuming the absence of an underlying UCL tear that will require Tommy John surgery. It’s not officially a season-ending injury, but at this point, the odds are against him.
As manager Aaron Boone hinted, Weathers’ only hope is that it’s a minor elbow barking and that he can at least return in a bullpen role.
To replace Weathers on the roster, the Yankees recalled Brendan Beck from Scranton.
The 27-year-old rookie has made two appearances for the big league club this season, one on May 7th, the other on July 4th. Neither went particularly well, as he has allowed seven runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings, walking five and striking out four. At this point, the Yankees have yet to announce their starters for the Astros series, it’s unclear exactly how the team will handle the rotation going forward. In theory, the team may be able to skip Weathers’ spot in the rotation thanks to tomorrow’s off day, using Beck as an extra long man in the bullpen until Max Fried returns to the rotation next weekend (assuming, of course, that Fried misses the minimum 15 days). They also can just roll with a bullpen game in that spot, employing Beck as the bulk pitcher. Elmer Rodríguez could see a return as well.
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Stop worrying about going to work tomorrow! We have home run props to cash! Here are my three favorite home run props and MLB picks for tonight’s MLB slate, with Yordan Alvarez and Shohei Ohtani leading the way.
| Player to hit a HR | Odds |
|---|---|
 Yordan Alvarez | +344 |
 Shohei Ohtani | +238 |
 Jo Adell | +307 |
| 💲Today's HR parlay | +18780 |
Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has been generating far too many hard-hit balls over his last few games, with four balls hit over 100 MPH since August 18. Over his last 10 games, he's maintained a .467 SLG and .200 ISO while owning a 24% ground-ball rate and 52% hard-hit rate.
Alvarez enters with one of the highest matchup ratings on the day over at Batters-Box, where he covers every single pitch in Athletics right-hander Jack Perkins' pitch mix. On top of that, the big fella is leaving the yard over 33% of the time across 24 elite ratings at home this season.
Over the last 30 left-handed hitters Perkins has faced, he owns a sub-8.00 ERA while allowing 3.18 HR/9, a 57% hard-hit rate, 19% barrel rate, and 33% ground-ball rate. Those left-handed hitters own a .443 xBA, .855 xSLG, and .402 ISO during that span.
Snagging Alvarez at nearly +350 to leave the yard today feels like a gift. Take this down to +300.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani draws Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski, who's been struggling a ton against left-handed hitters this season. Especially across the last 30 he's faced, he owns a 14.40 ERA, 10.50 xERA, and 5.70 xFIP while allowing a 50% hard hit rate. Left-handed hitters during that stretch have posted a .475 xBA, .648 xSLG and .488 xwOBA.
Ohtani has been hitting the cover off the ball as of late, but he has not left the yard since the 18th. Since then, he has crushed four balls above 104.3 MPH. Over his last 10 games, he's maintained a .667 SLG and .385 ISO while posting a nearly 60% hard-hit rate and 18.5% barrel rate.
The megastar also enters with an elite rating on Batters-Box, where he's left the yard 25% of the time he has been rated elite this season (25 games).
The price will never be overly attractive for Ohtani, but with how poorly Mlodzinski has been pitching, +238 is worth backing. Take this down to +220, or find a boost.
A man who isn’t elite in any dataset on Batters-Box, or even has a strong rating, but continuously came up during the morning research is the Cleveland Guardians' newest slugger Jo Adell, who did leave the yard yesterday and is easily the strongest look to do so this afternoon.
The big fella is the only bat in this lineup with a hard-hit rate over 60% and a barrel rate over 20% over his last 10 games. Adell also owns a .400 ISO and 40% HR/FB rate during that stretch.
I already wrote about how Colorado Rockies seasoned sophomore starter Tomoyuki Sugano is in a rough spot tonight with all the left-handed hitters in the Guardians lineup, but he has still had issues with right-handed bats this season.
Over the last 30 right-handed hitters he has faced, the right-hander owns a 6.42 xERA while allowing a 56.5% hard-hit rate and 43.5% line-drive rate. Those right-handed bats own a .457 xBA, .703 xSLG, and .402 xwOBA during that span.
With Sugano allowing over 43% hard contact this season and Adell producing almost 42% on the season, this could be a great spot to back the big fella to go back-to-back days with a nuke. Take this down to +290 at the most, but try to get around the number above. Getting +300 for a home run at Coors Field is huge!
| Yordan Alvarez | Trade Now +18780 |
| Shohei Ohtani | |
| Jo Adell |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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A few days ago, Montreal Canadiens owner, president, and chief executive officer Geoff Molson was interviewed on Radio-Canada Sports and discussed several topics, including the Habs' two remaining RFAs: Arber Xhekaj and Zach Bolduc.
Unsurprisingly, Molson is very pleased with how last season went, and he believes that with another year of experience under their belt, the players will be eager to achieve even more this season and ready to start on the right foot.
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The owner doesn’t appear to be overly concerned by the fact that Kent Hughes has yet to manage to sign Bolduc and Xhekaj. When the topic was brought up, he replied:
Those are two important players for us, and we’re working very hard to keep them.- Molson on Xhekaj and Bolduc
While both fans and the owner agree that Xhekaj is an important part of the organization, his use by coach Martin St-Louis suggests otherwise. The coach has repeatedly said he doesn’t have a problem with the player, but when push comes to shove, he just doesn’t give him enough ice time and won’t let him play on the penalty killing, opting instead to give more ice time to Lane Hutson. At 25 years old, no one would blame the blueliner for wanting to be in an organization that believes in him.
The gritty blueliner has played four NHL seasons, but he’s still battling to find a regular role, and what was a duel with Jayden Struble is starting to look like a Royal Rumble. David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom have now made their way to the ring, and it’s looking like a big battle is set to take place at training camp. It’s a shame because the Canadiens do need more grit, physicality and size, but Xhekaj doesn’t look like a frontrunner right now, especially not after his limited use in the playoffs.
As for Bolduc, the hope is that he will become an important player for the Canadiens, but after just one season in the organization, it’s still early to qualify him as such. He finished the playoffs playing on the wing of the fourth line, which is likely not what Hughes had in mind when he traded Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for the young winger. Still, we saw some growth there during the postseason as he realized the type of game he needed to play to be useful to the team. However, it’s still early days to value what he brings and commit long-term, which likely explains why he remains unsigned.
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“WELCOME BACK ENZO” read the tifo beforehand and by the breathless close this was a joyous return for Manchester City’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, as a damaging loss became a memorable win due to Marc Guéhi’s 84th-minute equaliser and Josko Gvardiol’s added-time winner.
Until then, Marco Rose had been closing in on leading Bournemouth to a first ever away victory at City. But two lapses in defence and suddenly City were the ruthless proposition they had failed to be before.
Continue reading...The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
Other Sabres Stories
Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss
17. Topias Leinonen – G (Rochester - AHL, Jacksonville - ECHL)
The Sabres selected Leinonen in the second round after picking three centers (Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund, and Jiri Kulich) in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal. Similar to his countryman and fellow second-rounder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the 6’4″, 214 lb. Leinonen is the physical package that NHL clubs usually look for in a goaltender.
After putting up excellent numbers in Junior (2.28 GAA and .916 save percentage), he played internationally for Finland at the World Junior Under-18’s in 2022, but the next two seasons at the junior, second-level pro Mestis, and pro-level SM-Liiga, Leinonen was plagued by injury and the results have been mixed at best.
Leinonen shifted to Sweden to play for Mora IK in 2024, and the 22-year-old seemed to find his stride with a 2.31 GAA and .910 save percentage in 25 games. After being signed to an ELC in March 2025, the Sabres looked for him to put together a consistent season in North America, but with Devon Levi making over 50 starts in Rochester, he and backup Scott Ratzlaff split the backup duties and also spent time with ECHL Jacksonville.
The Sabres added veteran AHLer Matt Villalta in free agency, but it is expected that Leinonen and Ratzlaff will get the lion’s share of the starts next season.
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The Yankees have received some good and bad news on Ryan Weathers.
The team officially placed the left-hander on the 15-day IL with a left forearm flexor strain.
Aaron Boone said that he'll now go through a 2-to-4 week no-throwing period, but the early prognosis is that he should be able to play a role for the Yanks down the stretch.
"Big picture, obviously some really good news," the skipper explained. "We'll try and get this thing calmed down here, and hopefully we'll be able to get him back in some capacity before the end."
Boone wouldn't commit to Weathers returning as a starter, but feels he'll be able to help in some way.
While the training staff is still drawing up an exact recovery schedule, the lefty said himself that he missed around a month with a similar strain while with the Marlins, and this one has been deemed less severe.
The injury occurred when he broke off an 0-1 sweeper to Toronto's Myles Straw on Saturday, and forcing him to leave his outing mid at-bat during the top of the fourth inning.
Though Weathers is eventually expected to return, this is another big blow to the injury-ravaged Yanks.
The 26-year-old has had a bit of an up-and-down first season in pinstripes, but he's been extremely steady of late, entering play on Saturday with a 1.94 ERA over his last seven starts.
While he's working his way back, the Yanks will likely keep Will Warren in the rotation, even when Max Fried (elbow) is ready to return from an IL-stint of his own.
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The brooms are out and waiting as the Los Angeles Dodgers (-257) hope to complete a sweep over the Pittsburgh Pirates (+245) in Sunday's series finale.
Blake Snell gives the Boys in Blue a substantial pitching advantage, so I'm eyeing the run line with my Pirates vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks for Sunday, August 23.
When he's healthy, Blake Snell is among the best to do it. With a 116 Stuff+, 2.16 xERA, and 22.2% K-BB%, Snell is back in peak form and gives the Los Angeles Dodgers a massive advantage on the bump.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled to hit left-handed pitching all year, and they have a measly 73 wRC+ against southpaws this month.
On the flip side, opener Lake Bachar makes way for Carmen Mlodzinski, who has an unsavory 6.95 ERA and 1.77 WHIP since the All-Star break. L.A. will put up a crooked number, so I'd play their run line up to -130.
COVERS INTEL: Pittsburgh has the fourth-highest SwStr% (11.9%) and the third-highest K% (28.3%) against lefties this month, which is a concern against Blake Snell (16.7% SwStr%).There's expected to be an uptick in runs scored given the pristine weather conditions for the offense: temps in the mid-90s and winds of 6-10 mph blowing out to right-center.
Mlodzinki's second-percentile xBA (.295) and second-percentile hard-hit rate (47.7%) are massive red flags. L.A. has a league-best .264 xBA against RHP, and those hits will turn into loud contact given the weather. An offensive explosion is imminent.
While Snell has been dominant, he's likely capped at 90 pitches. L.A.'s bullpen has routinely fumbled the bag, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the visitors score a few late runs. I'd play this to -120.
Mlodzinski has been bashed by left-handed hitters (.285/.352/.447 splits, seven home runs), so I'm targeting a left-handed Dodger, especially with the wind blowing out to their pull side.
Freddie Freeman hits righties well (147 wRC+) and sees an uptick in his power (.185 ISO). We're getting a good price since he's been in a cold stretch, but this is a perfect opportunity to send one flying over the fence.
The veteran has tremendous numbers against splitters (7.1 runs above average per 100 pitches) and four-seamers (1.8) from righties, Mlodzinski's two most frequently thrown offerings to lefties.
Expect an uptick in offense given the hot temperatures and 10 mph wind blowing out.
The Pirates are 0-3 on the run line in Carmen Mlodzinski's last three games. Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Dodgers.
| Location | Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date | Sunday, August 23, 2026 |
| First pitch | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | SportsNet Pittsburgh, SportsNet Los Angeles |
| Pirates starting pitcher | Lake Bachar (1-2, 3.75 ERA) |
| Dodgers starting pitcher | Blake Snell (1-1, 3.60 ERA) |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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It might feel like we can’t have nice things as Cub fans after a game like this. I’m sure there will be dozens of storylines all across the internet about the Cubs and blown saves on a day like this. And I’m not blowing smoke at anyone. I’m not revisiting this after a Saturday night game. But, yeah, you’ll see the Cubs have 21 blown saves. Out of just 50 opportunities. No question, an atrocious number. Ironically, an exact matching image of the Mariners.
Blown saves happen and they don’t always mean what you think they do. When I deep dived the number a few months ago, it included a handful of games with either two blown saves in the same game or games the team won. When we think blown saves, we all think of games like this. Where the team was leading in the ninth and then lost. The most frustrating of blown saves. Where it literally feels like you snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Check this out. The Brewers have blown 18 saves. The Dodgers? 19. The Rays? 15. The Braves? 17. The Yankees? 23. The Phillies? 17. The Red Sox? 11. The Padres? With their vaunted bullpen and best closer on the planet? 15. The Diamondbacks? 15.
Yes the Cubs have blown a lot of saves. Yes, at times the Cub bullpen has been abysmal. I wouldn’t try to convince you otherwise. Blown saves are one of the stupidest statistics in baseball today and I defend most of the ones we have. How many of you are concerned about a blown save in the fifth inning? I’m positive the Cubs have one of those this year. Or a blown save in a game the team won? I think the Cubs have two or three of those this year. That stat should be discretionary. If the official scorer doesn’t believe the reliever is being brought in to close the game, it isn’t a blown save, it is a blown lead. That’s a different thing.
I believe as it stands right now, today, if the Cubs decided they were going to run a full bullpen day. Pete Crow-Armstrong leads off the first with a homer. Caleb Thielbar throws a perfect first inning, getting a pair of lefties out. Trent Thornton throws a perfect second inning before turning it over to Javier Assad for the third inning. Javy allows an unearned run in the third inning, then finishes the rest of the game. The Cubs go on to win 10-1. And Javy not only gets a win for his spectacular outing, but he gets a blown save. Because he entered a game with the lead. Thielbar didn’t throw enough innings to earn the win, but Thornton as a reliever absolutely can get a win. And Assad blew that.
Yeah, that totally belongs in the same category as Jacob Webb’s unfortunate Saturday night adventure. He wasn’t going to be perfect forever, but damn. What a way to lose it. Webb faced five batters and allowed three hits and three runs. Webb was last the Billy Goat on June 20. Between Billy Goats? 5-0 with 7 saves. 96 batters faced, 13 hits, 10 walks, 25 strikeouts and no runs. Earned or otherwise. Six perfect innings in there. Most of them in high leverage. A FIP of 2.27. We did have nice things. But it broke.
Bummer. This game sucks when it goes sideways. And this kind of loss is just about as bad as it gets.
Three Positives:
Game 130, August 22: Mariners 5, Cubs 4 (74-56)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
THREE GOATS:
NOTE: Preliminary indication is that this WPA game score for Webb is the worst for a Cub since September 23, 2017. Another dominant reliever in recent Cub history, Wade Davis was the victim. Wade entered the game in the ninth inning and allowed a solo homer to tie the game. He finished the inning. The Cubs scored a run against future Cub closer Jeremy Jeffress in the top of the 10th, only to have Travis Shaw walk off Davis with a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th. Final WPA was -1.085. That was Davis’ first blown save as a Cub and it was essentially two blown saves in the same game.
WPA Play of the Game: Randy Arozarena’s two-run, walk-off homer. (.912)
Cubs Play of the Game: Michael Busch’s solo homer in the sixth that gave the Cubs the lead. (.196)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 129 Winner: It happens about once a year. Alex Bregman received 100 percent of the vote. Cade Horton was the last, last September 3. Just shy of one year since it happened.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Scoreboard Watching: Braves lose (one up on Cubs) to Brewers (up seven). Phillies win (down two). Dodgers win (up five). Diamondbacks lose (down six). Padres win (down four). Only one positive result in there. This has been a nightmarish two-day stretch. Nothing is over, but it is going to take a monumental finish for the Cubs to do any better than Wild Card 1.
Up Next: Afternoon baseball in Seattle. Shōta Imanaga (8-9, 3.77) for the Cubs. Imanaga is 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA over his last seven starts. The last two have been a little less good. But still, he’s one of the best Cub options. 28-year-old righty Bryce Miller (4-7, 3.71) pitches for the Mariners. He’s heading in the wrong direction (0-5, 6.57) over his last seven. He’s allowed five earned runs in each of his last two starts. This is the guy you’re supposed to beat.
There is some level of trap to this game. Fangraphs shows this pitching matchup and the Cubs having 43.7% chance of winning (lower than either of the previous two games or the last one in the Sox series for that matter). Looking way ahead, Fangraphs gives the Cubs a higher chance of winning all four of the games against the Brewers later this month than this game. I’m betting against the trap. Cubs salvage one and head to Arizona where the matchups are a bit better.