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Game Time: Saturday, August 1st, 7:15 pm EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Watch: BravesVision
Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan
In the number of years alone, a 40th championship reunion can’t help but be a special occasion, and perhaps more so for the ’86 Mets, as famous for their nocturnal carousing as their ballplaying.
As Darryl Strawberry said with a laugh before Saturday’s ceremony at Citi Field:
“I can’t believe some of us are still alive.”
With that as a fitting backdrop of sorts, it was indeed a feel-good day, from the re-telling of all the old war stories as players gathered early Saturday, to the introductions on the field that officially brought the World Series-winning ballclub together again.
And yet it was impossible to ignore the elephant in the ballpark, if you will, that made the celebration as much of a commentary on the state of the current Mets as a feting of the most recent championship in team history.
For starters, the Citi Field stands were only about half-full as Howie Rose handled the on-field proceedings, as highlights played on the video board from that remarkable season and then players were introduced individually, wearing their ’86-style jerseys, as they took the field.
Forty years is a long time, but this was such a legendary team, with countless documentaries made and books written detailing the drama of their on-field heroics and their well-documented off-field drama, that it seemed reasonable to think fans would fill the ballpark in appreciation.
Then again, when the current team is out of contention, with Monday’s looming trade deadline all that really matters at the moment, maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise the crowd was relatively sparse.
For that matter, the ’86 Mets weren’t surprised.
“We’re not the show,” Bobby Ojeda said. “It’s great to be celebrated after all these years, but fans don’t live in the past. It’s about today’s team. And I don’t blame fans if they don’t want to spend their money on this team.”
Even so, there were rousing ovations as players were introduced in pairs, from Ron Darling and Doc Gooden to Keith Hernandez and Mookie Wilson.
And there were poignant moments as well. The video board showed images of those connected to the team who have passed away, most notably manager Davey Johnson, who died less than a year ago, in September of 2025.
Then there was Ray Knight, introduced in a wheelchair, rolled onto the field by Howard Johnson. Knight was in some ways the heart and soul of that ’86 team, the one-time Gold Glove boxer who backed down the likes of Dave Parker in brawls during that championship season. Seeing him in a wheelchair brought home the reality of the 40-year timeline.
In that sense, celebrations like this one are meant to be savored.
As Ojeda said, “Forty is a big number. Who knows how many of us will be here for the next one (50 years)?
“But it’s also hard to believe it’s been forty years and we’re still the last team to win. I think for the fans, and even us as players, a celebration like this reminds you about how long it’s been for this franchise, and how bad it is this year.”
Yes, in talking to players before the ceremony, I was struck by how much they were interested in commenting on the current state of the Mets and the 40-year drought, rather than simply reliving their glory days.
“It really bothers the heck out of us,” Wally Backman said. “We’ve all been talking about it: How can it be this long? How can it be this bad?”
In that sense, several players sounded like frustrated Mets fans, many of them complaining that the organization, with David Stearns calling the shots, has gone overboard in relying on analytics.
“It’s a long time ago, but our team was a great example of how much chemistry mattered,” Backman said. “We were talented, but we played with a lot of fight, and we actually did fight a lot against other teams, which really brought us together as a team. It’s more than just putting a team together by what the numbers tell you.”
Strawberry was quick to agree.
“It takes fight to win here in New York,” he said. “We had a team that didn’t always get along; we butted heads at times, but we also fought for each other because deep down, we loved each other.
“It’s different now, as far as fighting on the field, but you still need that attitude. That’s what the Knicks did this year. They played for each other, they took it to the next level, and the city embraced them. It can be so great in New York, but that’s where the human part comes in when you’re building a team. Who’s going to lead? Somebody’s gotta take the responsibility.
“I’m thankful for the Mets giving us a day to celebrate, but I feel like it’s hard not to think about 40 years without a championship. That’s heartbreaking.”
Finally, Ojeda, the former SNY analyst for Mets pre and postgame, said he rarely watches the games these days.
“I try not to even think about it because it’s so frustrating,” he said. “I really think it’s on Stearns. He built this thing and I don’t think he believes in intangibles, which I believe are so important to a winning ballclub. I don’t feel like he’s taken enough accountability either.
“See, you got me talking about this and now I’m sweating because it makes me mad.“
At that point Ojeda laughed and said, “Let me just go and enjoy our day.”
That was really the point of Saturday’s 40th reunion, after all. And as legend has it, nobody knew how to enjoy themselves quite like the ’86 Mets, so no doubt a good time was had by all.
How many of them stayed to watch the 2026 Mets is likely quite another story.
All eyes were on St. Louis Cardinals starter Quinn Mathews as he made his Major League debut Saturday afternoon. All things considered, Quinn was impressive, but what kind of run support would the Cardinals provide behind him? Answer – not nearly enough.
It only took 3 batters for Quinn Mathews to register his first Major League strikeout. He accomplished that with a 96 mph four-seam fastball that he blew past Okamoto.
The St. Louis Cardinals offense did not lack hits Saturday, but connecting them in rally form that would result in runs seemed elusive. Despite having 7 hits in the first 5 innings, St. Louis did not score any runs behind Mathews. It would be the Toronto Blue Jays that would score first as they finally were able to get to Mathews after he walked Schneider to open the bottom of the 3rd inning. Guerrero Jr. hit a single one out later and Schneider scored the first run of the game when George Springer singled to left to make it 1-0 Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays would double their lead in the bottom of the 4th inning when Ernie Clement led off with a single. Straw followed that with a double to left, but Clement held up at third. With runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs, it’s to Quinn Mathews credit that the Blue Jays only managed one more run when Urias hit a sacrifice fly to center increasing the Blue Jays lead to 2-0 after 4 innings.
The Cardinals would finally get some forward momentum in the top of the 6th inning when Iván Herrera hammered a leadoff double. He moved over to third on a groundout from Lars Nootbaar and then scored when Masyn Winn drove a ball into the right-centerfield gap for a RBI double reducing the Blue Jays lead to 2-1. They would also chase Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman out of the game in the 6th. He’s one of the prime targets likely to be moved before Monday’s trade deadline.
Quinn Mathews would stay in the game until the start of the 6th inning when he allowed a leadoff bunt single to Varsho. His final stat line would be 5 innings, 2 earned runs, 2 strikeouts while also walking 2. A very positive first impression for his MLB debut. Luis Gastelum took over for Mathews and was able to complete the bottom of the 6th inning without allowing any more Blue Jays runs.
The Cardinals managed a mini-threat in the top of the 7th inning when Jordan Walker managed a two-out single. He would move up into scoring position when Alec Burleson walked giving St. Louis runners at first and second, but nothing would come of it when Iván Herrera grounded out on the first pitch he saw to end the Cardinals 7th.
If walking the leadoff man always comes back to haunt you, the same can be said when you hit a batter with a pitch which is what Luis Gastelum did in the bottom of the 7th inning when he plunked Gimenez on the foot. Vlad Guerrero Jr. then reached on an infield single that Masyn Winn tracked down in the hole, but couldn’t manage a throw. George Springer followed with a double to right just beyond a diving Jordan Walker, but only one run would score (for now) as Guerrero Jr. held at third with the Jays now leading 3-1. Manager Oli Marmol lifted Luis Gastelum for Peter Strzelecki who was greeted rudely by Alejandro Kirk who lined a single to right field scoring 2 more runs giving the Blue Jays a commanding 5-1 lead.
The Redbirds showed the desire to score again in the top of the 8th when Masyn Winn walked and Blaze Jordan doubled off of the right field wall, but no runs would cross the plate because that’s not what the Cardinals do these days. Nope, instead no runs were scored because we’re trying to drive our RISP left on base to stratospheric heights. Sorry, but it’s really hard to not be sarcastic right now watching this team that started with so much promise showing how much roster work that still needs to be done.
Final score Saturday was Blue Jays 5 and Cardinals 1 even though St. Louis had more hits than Toronto which is just how things go during the second half of the season for the Cards.
The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their brief road trip to the Great White North Sunday as it’s game 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Matthew Liberatore will start for the Cardinals and he’ll compete with University of Mizzou alum Max Scherzer who gets the ball for the Blue Jays. First pitch is set for 12:37pm central time and the game broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
Don’t look now, but the Cincinnati Reds are on a roll!
They’re still just 52-57 on the season, in last place in the National League Central, and remain 4.5 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot, so perhaps look just a little bit. Still, they’ve gone 9-5 since the season’s second half began, and Friday night’s comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates certainly wasn’t indicative of a team that’s folded up its tent and begun to sit idle until the front office rips it apart at Monday’s trade deadline.
Sal Stewart, in particular, seems to have been the one to begin leading the Renaissance. His homer and 4-RBI game last night fueled the comeback, and Nick Krall is probably shaking in his boots right now as he debates whether to sell off the likes of Brady Singer and Tyler Stephenson or hold on to them as the team attempts a miracle run through the second half.
Andrew Abbott gets his turn in the rotation on Saturday in Great American Ball Park as the series vs. the Pirates heads into the 3rd of 4 games, and the Reds can wrap up a series victory with a win tonight thanks to last night’s heroics. Standing in the way of the Reds will be Bucs starter Braxton Ashcraft, with first pitch set for 6:40 PM ET.
If ever there were a time for the Reds to lean into a miracle, it’s this weekend. So far, so bueno.
Here’s how both clubs will line up to start this evening’s affair:
The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures.
We are continuing to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.
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Kekalainen ideally is looking for someone who could make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, or someone who can fill the leadership gap and/or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six.
A player who could be available for next to nothing in a trade is veteran winger Frank Vatrano. A Massachusetts native and product of the US National Development Program, the undrafted college free agent signed with Boston in 2015, but did not achieve any NHL success in three years with the Bruins and only blossomed after being traded to Florida in 2018.
The 32-year-old has been remarkably consistent until last season, with seasons of 24, 16, and 18 goals with the Panthers, 18 with FLA and the NY Rangers in 2022, and 22, 37, and 21 goals with the Ducks. Vatrano’s scoring success ended last season, due mostly to a shoulder injury in late December that caused him to drop to five goals in 50 games.
As with Alex Killorn and Chris Kreider, Vatrano may be on the trade block because the Ducks are looking to shed salary to sign RFA winger Cutter Gauthier after Anaheim matched the offer sheet to Leo Carlsson. Both Killorn and Kreider are 35 or older and have a cap hit in excess of $6 million, but they are each entering the final year of their contracts.
Vatrano is younger, is more likely to bounce back from a bad season now that he is healthy, and his cap hit is $4.57 million, but he is signed through 2027-28. Another factor for the Sabres might be the salary deferral of $9 million ($3 million for each year of his three-year, $18 million contract extension), that is paid out at $900,000 annually for 10 years starting in 2035.
That factor could limit the cost to acquire the veteran winger to nearly nothing, but it might rule out the Sabres interest in Vatrano based on Buffalo’s fiscally conservative nature.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are turning the calendar to August as the National League Wild Card race heats up. Tonight, they will look to maintain their footing as they take on the Cincinnati Reds in the third matchup of a four-game set.
The Pirates are turning to All-Star Braxton Ashcraft for his 22nd start of the season. He’s coming off a win against the Chicago Cubs in his last start on July 26, when he pitched six innings and gave up seven hits and four earned runs.
This marks Ashcraft’s third start of the year against the Reds. He previously pitched against them on March 30, when he went six innings and gave up four hits and two earned runs in a 2-0 loss at Great American Ball Park. He also pitched against them at home back on May 3, giving up four hits and no earned runs in 7.2 innings during a 1-0 victory for the Pirates.
Andrew Abbott is getting the start for the Reds. He last pitched against the Pirates on June 26, giving up six hits and three runs in 5.1 innings. The Reds picked up a 6-4 victory at PNC Park. In his last start on July 26, he went six innings, giving up three hits and two runs in a 5-3 victory in 10 innings. Abbott is looking for his first win since June 20, so the Bucs will look to deny him a victory once again.
Location: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Braxton Ashcraft (10-4, 4.05 ERA) vs. Andrew Abbott (5-6, 3.85 ERA)
BD community, this is your gameday thread for today. Chime off in the comments section below.
TONIGHT’S GAME: The first-place Astros will host their intrastate rivals, the Rangers, for the middle game of their huge three-game series between the top two teams in the AL West.
RHP Ronel Blanco (0-1) will make his third Major League start of the season tonight as he opposes RHP Jacob deGrom (7-6) and the Rangers.
SILVER BOOT SECURED: With last night’s win, the Astros improved to 7-4 against the Rangers this season, securing them the 2026 Silver Boot.
The Astros have now won the Silver Boot in 10 consecutive seasons (since 2017), during which the Astros have gone 100-55 vs. the Rangers.
THE TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 36-24 since May 22, which ties as the best record in the AL in that span.
On that date, the Astros were 20-31, 11 games under, which is their low water mark for the season.
Winning Percentage since May 22, AL
T1. Astros 36-24 (.600)
T1. Red Sox 36-24 (.600)
T3. Orioles 33-27 (.550)
T3. White Sox 33-27 (.550)
MEASURING UP: The Astros are 31-19 vs. teams currently at .500 or better, the second-best mark in the Majors, trailing only the Brewers (34-17).
Also, Houston is a combined 14-7 vs. the five other AL clubs currently holding playoff spots, with a 4-2 record vs. the two other AL division leaders (2-1 vs. TB, 2-1 vs. CWS) and a 10-5 record vs. the three current AL Wild Card teams (5-1 vs. BOS, 4-2 vs. CLE, 1-2 vs. NYY).
ROAD WARRIORS: On Wednesday, the Astros completed a 5-1 road trip that took them to Chicago-AL (2-1) and Anaheim (3-0).
The Astros are 22-13 (.629) on their last five road trips and are 28-19 (.596) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season.
Houston is 29-28 overall on the road in 2026.
TONIGHT’S BROADCASTS: Tonight’s game will be televised by Space City Home Network with Todd Kalas, Geoff Blum and Julia Morales on the call.
The Astros English radio broadcast on SportsTalk 790 will feature Robert Ford and Kevin Eschenfelder Francisco Romero and Alex Treviño will be on the call on the Astros Spanish radio broadcast on TUDN 102.9 FM.
FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORKS: The surging Astros smashed three homers and recorded 18 hits in their 11-2 series-opening win over the Rangers last night.
Five different Astros had multi-hit games, including C Yainer Diaz (4×5, RBI) and 3B Isaac Paredes (2×3, HR, 2RBI), who both homered in the contest.
RHP Hunter Brown (2ER/5.2IP) started for the Astros, picking up his third win of the year.
WINNING WAYS: The Astros are above .500 and in first place for the first time this season since they were 6-5 on April 6.
Last night’s victory gave them wins in nine of their last 10 games, which included a five-game winning streak (July 20-25).
THREE-HOMER GAMES: Last night marked the Astros 22nd time to hit three homers in a game, which are the most three-homer games by any team in the Majors this season.
Overall, the Astros rank third in the Majors in home runs (154), trailing only the Nationals (164) and Yankees (155).
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he leads the league in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking first in batting average (.324), HR (35), and RBI (82).
Additionally, he currently leads MLB in OPS (1.077), OBP (.436), SLG (.641) and TB (253), and in the AL, he ranks first in hits (128), extra-base hits (55), and runs (74), and tied for third in walks (75).
HOT IN JULY: DH Yordan Alvarez hit .360 (31×86) with nine home runs, 22 RBI, a .467 OBP, a .721 SLG, and a 1.188 OPS in 23 games in July.
In the month, Alvarez led the AL in home runs, RBI, OPS and SLG, while ranking second in walks (15), second in hits, and fourth in batting average and OBP.
PEÑA’S STREAK: SS Jeremy Peña has hit safely in 12 straight games at a .431 (22×51) clip with six homers and 12 RBI in those contests.
It it also the longest active hitting streak in the AL and the 2nd-longest in the Majors behind only PIT IF Nick Gonzales’ 15-game hitting streak.
FOUR-HIT YAINER: C Yainer Diaz has back-to-back four-hit games for the first time in his career, marking the 16th time in Astros history for a player to record consecutive four-hit games.
Of course, the last Astro to do so was DH Yordan Alvarez (Sept. 3-4, 2025), but the only other Astros catcher to do so was C John Bateman from Sept. 5-6, 1966.
BLANCO’S BACK!: RHP Ronel Blanco is making his third start of the season after missing the first few months while recovering from right elbow surgery.
Blanco was a mainstay in the Astros rotation prior to his injury, making 45 starts over the 2023-25 seasons, going 18-11 with a 3.36 ERA (94ER/251.2IP) and a .200 opponent average in that span.
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader, who is 14-for-14 in save opportunities with a 1.23 ERA, enters tonight with 76 career saves as an Astro, needing one more to move past RHP Fred Gladding for fifth place all-time among Astros relievers.
DOWN AT TRIPLE A: The Sugar Land Space Cowboys picked up a walkoff win last night over Salt Lake, improving them to 18-6 in July, which ties as the most wins in a month in franchise history.
In the victory, 2B Shay Whitcomb, who scored the winning run on a wild pitch, recorded his 381st career hit for Sugar Land, making him the Space Cowboys all-time franchise leader in hits.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Saturday, August 1, 6:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
It’s been raining nearly all morning and afternoon in Chicago, though it seems to be letting up a bit and they will likely do everything they can to play this game. Here’s the local radar for you to keep handy:
Saturday notes…
Cubs lineup:
The Yankees lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Yankees lineup.
Hey, it’s a New York reunion as former Met David Peterson faces Max Fried. In fact, these two met last year, May 18, 2025 at Yankee Stadium. Peterson threw six innings and allowed three hits and two runs (one earned). We’d take that today, I am sure.
In three starts since that horrid outing against the Cardinals July 3, Peterson has a 1.56 ERA and 0.865 WHIP. He’s also started to look more like the ground-ball pitcher the Cubs thought they were getting — 24 ground ball outs out of 52 outs recorded in those three starts.
Current Yankees are batting .200 (13-for-65) against Peterson with one home run (Ryan McMahon) and 18 strikeouts.
Max Fried missed two months with a bone bruise in his elbow.
He’s made two starts since his return. The first, vs. the Pirates, was very good (one hit in five innings), but the White Sox hit him pretty hard on Monday (three innings, five hits, two walks, three runs). He threw 57 pitches in the first of those and 66 on Monday so I’d think he might still be pitch limited.
The Cubs hit him pretty well July 12, 2025 in Yankee Stadium — six hits, three walks and four runs (three earned) in three innings. Do that again today, Cubs.
Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.
Today’s game is on Fox-TV (regional — coverage map). A reminder that if you subscribe to MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game via those services even if it’s not on the Fox affiliate in your market. Announcers: Adam Amin, A.J. Pierzynski, Adam Wainwright and Ken Rosenthal.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
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The Texas Rangers have purchased the contract of righthanded pitcher Nolan Kingham, the team announced today. There was an open 40 man roster spot, so no move in that regard was necessary. To clear a spot on the active roster, the Rangers have optioned reliever Luis Curvelo to AAA Round Rock. In addition, lefthanded pitcher Dalton Pence has been promoted from AA Frisco to AAA Round Rock and is starting tonight.
Kingham, who turns 30 later this month, is a righthanded pitcher originally from Nevada who was a 12th round pick of the Atlanta Braves out of the University of Texas in 2018. He was released by the Braves after the 2023 season and pitched in Indy ball and in the Dominican and Mexican winter leagues before being signed by the Rangers out of Monterrey in the Mexican League earlier this season. He has a 6.99 ERA in 10 starts and a relief appearance covering 46.1 innings for Round Rock.
Like Marco Gonzales, who was also brought up despite an astronomical AAA ERA, Kingham is here to be a warm body in the bullpen to be used for length in case of emergency. He last pitched on the 28th and threw 78 pitches over five innings, allowing one run while striking out nine in what is easily his best outing of the season. I would assume he will be designated for assignment when Chris Martin is ready to be activated, which is very possibly tomorrow.
Curvelo goes back down to AAA after being up to be the in case of emergency innings sponge. He threw over 50 pitches in two innings yesterday and wouldn’t be available to pitch again until Monday or Tuesday at the earliest so he’s the guy who gets bumped.
Finally, I wanted to mention that lefthander Dalton Pence is starting for Round Rock tonight. Pence, an 11th rounder in 2024 out of the University of North Carolina, started the 2026 season in Hub City, earning a promotion to AA after five starts with a 2.59 ERA. He has put up a 2.77 ERA in 55.1 innings over 11 appearances for the Roughriders, with 61 Ks against 23 walks.
My initial reaction was that the Pence promotion is being made as a one-off to cover tonight’s start, and he’ll be back in Frisco next week. However, he has handled both high-A and AA well this season, and so its possible that this is more than a one-shot deal for Pence. He’s also going to be throwing to the newly-acquired Logan O’Hoppe behind the plate, another reason to be following the goings-on down there today.
With the calendar turning to August, you couldn’t script a more compelling month ahead, mixed with storylines and intriguing matchups for the Astros. Currently in the midst of their rivalry with the Rangers with first place hanging in the balance, the stage is already set for a compelling stretch ahead.
Over the next 31 days the Astros will have trips to the West Coast and the East Coast. Sandwiched in between will feature nine contests at home within divisional foes in the Mariners, A’s and last place Angels.
The Astros have always had a rich history when this particular month rolls around. If no-hitters are your thing, August has not disappointed. In recent years, we’ve seen Mike Fiers (pre-turncoat era) in his just his third start throw a no-no against the Dodgers on 8/21/2015. Four years later, the likes of Aaron Sanchez, Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski combined to toss a no hitter against the Mariners. That milestone was August 3rd, 2019.
Some of the finest months record wise have also landed during August. Two seasons ago, the Astros posted a mark of 18-10. In 2019, the did one better, finishing the month at 19-9. Each of those take a back seat to the 2008 run. That particular August, the Astros on two different occasions had a pair of 8 game winning streaks which propelled them to 21 wins that month.
August was also the month when Yordan Alvarez officially arrived in a major way for the national columnists across the country who cover America’s Pastime. On August 10th, 2019, Yordan would launch 3 home runs and drive in 7 in a lopsided affair that was largely over before it even began vs. Baltimore. Houston would win that day by a score of 23-2. That record still stands as the largest margin of victory in franchise history.
Yordan is chasing the Triple Crown. As for a side-by-side comparison, it was actually August of 2012 when Miguel Cabrera started making some real noise. In Detroit’s first six games that August, Cabrera blasted 4 home runs and recorded a total of 10 hits. Expect the side-by-side stat comparison to only intensify this month.
The month ahead will also feature an interesting intersection of pitching eras Hunter Brown will turn 28 years of age on August 29th. Hunter shares a birthday with Roy Oswalt who was born on the same day back in 1977. Oswalt would of course to go on to win 143 games in an Astros uniform.
Enjoy the dog days! They’ll start off with a bang with the trade deadline looming. It will be another August to remember.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are buying at the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, as it was announced today from Jeff Passan the Buccos acquired relief pitcher Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees. In return, the Bucs send two Minor Leaguers in catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz. New York has also agreed to pay a portion of Doval’s salary.
The 29-year-old right-handed reliever has elite velocity, touching 101 mph and throwing a fastball, cutter, and slider. He has 3.53 career ERA and 393 strikeouts in 326 innings, but he hasn’t been great since coming to New York last season, finishing with a 4.84 ERA last year and holding a 4.54 one this year.
This deal has been described as being one with “high-upside risk” as Doval has loads of arm talent and potential to be a key piece in Pittsburgh’s bullpen. In 2023 as a member of the San Francisco Giants, the 29-year-old righty was an All-Star closer before being traded to the Yankees in the Summer of 2025. His results since arriving in the Bronx is why the Pirates were able to buy low with him, because he’s had lots of problems with consistency.
Doval’s rough adjustment to New York could be that it just wasn’t the right environment for him. Going from San Francisco which is a pitcher friendly ballpark to the Yankees’ shallow outfield could be why he struggled. Regardless the Pirates add another arm to what has been a struggling bullpen. Doval fits the mold that a player like Aroldis Chapman provides to the backend of the bullpen. His blazing pitch speed is pure power in late game situations, and could be beneficial in high leverage situations. Although he struggled at Yankee Stadium it’s worth nothing that he’s been very good on the road with a 1.86 ERA and just one homer allowed in 19 1/3 innings. The change of scenery and a great pitching staff could be exactly what Doval needs to get back to his All-Star ways. If he can find consistency, he could be a key contributor in helping the Pirates reach the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports gave the Pirates an A grade on the trade, citing the low cost as one of the big factors that makes this trade a win for Pittsburgh.
“The fit and upside, as well as the prospect cost, make this an A trade for me,” writes Axisa. “An aggressive grade? Yeah, maybe, but there are still things to like under the hood with Doval, and it won’t take much for him to improve Pittsburgh’s relief crew. Doval will frustrate you, for sure, but there’s a really good reliever in there waiting to be unlocked. It didn’t happen with the Yankees. It may with the Pirates.”
We finally have confirmation that the Golden State Warriors will indeed be re-signing Gary Payton II. While rumors have swirled for weeks that the Dubs and Payton were expected to agree to a veteran minimum deal to return, Marc Stein of SteinLine reported on Saturday morning that the two sides were expected to finalize a deal by the end of the weekend. Minutes later, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Warriors had agreed to re-sign Payton to a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum.
Already 33, limited, and with an extensive injury history, Payton only further solidifies Golden State’s attempt to run it back with the 37-win 2025-26 roster. A perplexing approach given the team’s struggles and age. Nevertheless, Payton is a favorite of head coach Steve Kerr and face of the franchise Steph Curry.
A basketball journeyman for most of his twenties, Payton found his place as a high-energy role player who has the ability to lockdown players on the perimeter. Payton has played with the Warriors for each of the past six seasons (although he did also have a short stint with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2022-23 season). Despite his long injury history, Payton has been quietly one of the Dubs healthiest role players over the past two seasons.
In 2025-26, Payton averaged 7.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.9 steals in 15.6 minutes per game across 73 appearances on 58.3%/29.1%/65.0% shooting. For his career, Payton has averaged 5.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 steal in 15.1 minutes per game on 56.4%/32.8%/63.0% shooting.
The 2025-26 New York Islanders season did not go the way many hoped, as they faded down the stretch and ultimately missed the playoffs.
Still, reasons for positivity emerged.
Matthew Schaefer engraved himself as a total franchise cornerstone, a generational defenseman for the Islanders. Cal Ritchie had an excellent second half of the season, while the youth push continued in earnest.
Ilya Sorokin, for his part, was a Vezina Finalist and had an outstanding season, though his performance (along with the entire team's), tapered down the stretch.
Sorokin, interviewed by Russian Outlet Sport Express, talked about missing the playoffs.
"There's not much good news, of course," Sorokin said. "Now, with the benefit of hindsight, it's probably hard to say it was a blow. But we need to change something in our training system and learn from it. I'm sure both the coaching staff and the players understand this. Our fans have much higher expectations of the squad."
Sorokin's likely talking of ex-Head Coach's Patrick Roy's system, one that focused on maximizing offense but often led to dangerous rush chances against constantly.
The Islanders' superstar netminder shouldered some of the blame, too.
"Ultimately, it was those one or two saves that could have given us extra points and put us in the playoffs," Sorokin said. "We can say whatever we want now, but the main thing is to figure out why it didn't happen.
"That's what summer is for—work. I think at some point I was a bit lacking in physicality. Towards the end of the season, I started playing practically every game in a row, and perhaps I was no longer feeling fresh."
Sorokin played the vast majority of games down the stretch, with David Rittich struggling and Semyon Varlamov unable to play, the Islanders leaned hard into Sorokin.
As Sorokin said, it's a long summer. The Islanders can and have work to improve, along with Sorokin.
Now that NHL free agency started one month ago, most of this year's top UFAs have landed their new contracts.
Although this is the case, there are still some interesting players available for the taking on the free agent market. When looking at who is left, one player whom the Canadiens should consider taking a chance on is forward Vladimir Tarasenko.
With the Canadiens needing another skilled winger on their roster, Tarasenko could be worth taking a gamble on with a one-year contract. While the 34-year-old forward is not the same dominant star he was during his prime, he would still have the potential to provide the Canadiens with more offensive production if signed.
Tarasenko showed last season with the Minnesota Wild that he is still capable of producing offense. In 75 games with the Wild during the 2025-26 campaign, he posted 23 goals, 24 assists, and 47 points. With numbers like these, he could be a nice addition for the Canadiens' top nine if signed.
Tarasenko would not provide the Canadiens with a long-term answer for their top six but could be a very solid player for them to bring in for next season. This is especially so when noting that he has a ton of playoff experience and has won the Stanley Cup twice in his career.
It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens end up making a push for Tarasenko this summer from here, but there could be a good match here.
Each week, the California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race. With the MLB trade deadline on Monday, this week’s rundown also looks at how the landscape may change when all the dealing’s done. Records as of Saturday morning.
The Dodgers are already the best team in baseball. Now, the rest of the sport is waiting to see if they will add Tarik Skubal to their collection of star talent, too. Even if they don’t, of course, the defending two-time champions will be clear-cut favorites for a third straight title. Even with Shohei Ohtani still battling his knee injury, Edwin Díaz and Kiké Hernández are back, with Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Will Smith not far behind. (Last week: 1st)
Another player in the Skubal sweepstakes, the Brewers certainly have more of a need for the two-time Cy Young winner. While Jacob Misiorowski has bounced back from his All-Star-break arm fatigue, the rest of their rotation remains banged up. It has slowed their roll for now. But without many big stars in the lineup, the more star pitching they can get, the better. (Last week: 2nd)
The Skubal contenders keep on coming. Like the Brewers, the Rays could use another ace-caliber pitcher to bolster their World Series chances. But, like the Brewers, they are a small-market team typically opposed to mortgaging the future on rental players. Unlike the Brewers, at least, the Dodgers aren’t standing in the way of them at least reaching the World Series. (Last week: 3rd)
Did we mention that Skubal is a coveted commodity? The Braves could be a dark horse in the bidding, too, thanks to their depth of young pitching and need for another front-line option to pair with Chris Sale in the rotation. The good news for them for now, at least, is that the fading Phillies have fallen eight games behind them in the NL East standings. (Last week: 4th)
How about one last Skubal contender to round out the top five? The Cubs have the most glaring hole of the group at the top of their rotation. But they’ve also practiced extreme caution in recent years at trade deadlines, and this summer they might prefer a controllable starting pitcher. Either way, they have finally found some extended consistency lately, going 30-20 over June and July. (Last week: 5th)
Finally, we’ve reached a team that likely won’t make a strong push for Skubal. But that doesn’t mean the scuffling Yankees don’t need help. Most of it will have to come internally, of course, with the club now playing without Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger after his hamstring injury. But a catcher and reliever remain on their wish list. (Last week: 6th)
Curtis Mead might be done for the year. Jarren Duran is hurting his trade stock on and off the field. And yet, the Red Sox keep on rolling, having won back-to-back series, plus a series opener over the Dodgers on Friday, since their 15-game win streak was snapped. A strong deadline could make them a serious World Series threat. (Last week: 8th)
The first-place White Sox have the highest-scoring offense in the American League. Now, they are looking for pitching, pitching and more pitching to go along with it, with everyone from Reid Detmers to Eric Lauer linked to them as potential targets. (Last week: 10th)
If this isn’t the season for the Dbacks to return to the playoffs for the first time since their surprise World Series run in 2023, then when? The club has moved into the second NL wild-card spot with a 13-5 surge and should have some late-season pitching help (including Corbin Burnes) coming back — if they can add enough at the deadline to get there while still in contention. (Last week: 9th)
Bryce Harper’s comment about Philadelphia needing help might have been a veiled shot at top executive Dave Dombrowski. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t spot on. The once red-hot Phillies have gone ice cold once again, losing eight of their last nine. And while adding someone like Skubal would fit Dombrowski’s aggressive MO, there are too many other holes in the lineup they’ll likely have to address first. (Last week: 7th)
For the first time since the first week of April, the Astros are over .500 — and in first place in the AL West. It once seemed unlikely that they would get here, given the disastrous way their season started. But now, they can look to shore up their roster and give their veteran core perhaps one last shot at a postseason run. (Last week: 16th)
It’s shaping up to be another unremarkable deadline for the Guardians, which would be fitting for what has been a largely unremarkable — though still potentially playoff-bound — season. Their main concern now is getting José Ramírez going again, after a quiet first week in his return from the injured list. (Last week: 11th)
The Padres might not be dead after all, winning six of seven to give what has been a quiet deadline thus far just what it needs: an unpredictable A.J. Preller. Will he still trade one of his top relievers? Will he find a way to land another top starter? Anything feels possible, with the Padres just 1 ½ games out of the wild card again. (Last week: 17th)
Right about now would be a good time for Paul Skenes to get going again. In what was already a strange season for the reigning Cy Young winner, Skenes has now allowed five runs in back-to-back outings, pushing his ERA to 3.90. Pittsburgh remains in the playoff hunt and figures to add at the deadline. But any October push will depend on Skenes rediscovering his typical form. (Last week: 12th)
The Rangers gave up almost nothing in a trade with the Angels this week. But leading up to Monday, they’ll have get a little bit more in future deals than a middle reliever and Triple-A catcher, too. (Last week: 14th)
We have been down on the Twins in these rankings all year. We implored them to be sellers earlier this month. And yet, they continue to march forward, entering Saturday above .500 and tied for the final AL wild-card spot. As one of the few clubs to declare themselves as buyers and already adding pieces to their bullpen, they get an overdue jump this week. (Last week: 22nd)
The Marlins are one of many teams on the deadline fence, after finally snapping out of their 12-game losing streak and remaining just 1 ½ games out of a wild card. They have pieces they could move. But also, do they want to punt a real postseason chance? (Last week: 20th)
The Curtis Mead-for-Connelly Early trade might be a sign of things to come for the Nationals. It wasn’t quite a buy. It wasn’t quite a sell. Instead, it keeps them relevant for now (assuming Early can return from injury and contribute down the stretch) while also giving them a piece for the future. (Last week: 19th)
Want to know how strange this year’s deadline is? The Orioles pulled off a stirring comeback against the Phillies on Friday to move within 1 ½ games of a wild-card spot –– then traded Dean Kremer to the Twins. It was a good example of how even teams in the mix are struggling to decide whether to buy or sell. (Last week: 21st)
A feel-good story for so much of the first half, the Cardinals have wound up where everyone originally expected: likely to be deadline sellers, with their playoff chances dwindling amid a 3-11 skid. (Last week: 13th)
Congratulations to the Mariners, who are the worst team on this list still expected to add at the deadline. They will have to, as their disappointing season has taken an even darker turn with losses in eight of 10 games. At least their division is so bad, they are still only three games back. (Last week: 15th)
The Tigers are actually going to trade Skubal … right? While that has become the industry expectation in recent days, thanks in no small part to the team blowing a 7-0 lead in what might have been his final start with the team, Detroit is reportedly continuing to slow-play his trade talks. That should change in the coming days. Until then, the rest of the sport waits. (Last week: 18th)
While much attention has been on Skubal, Reds ace Hunter Greene has been in the deadline rumor mill, as well. That doesn’t mean he’s likely to be dealt. But could he be an unexpected fallback for a team that misses out elsewhere? (Last week: 23rd)
Here’s a stat almost impossible to believe: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has zero (0!) home runs at home this season. Yet another reminder of why the Blue Jays find themselves as sellers after last year’s World Series run. (Last week: 24th)
Good news: The Giants shed some payroll this week. Bad news: It’s because they stopped paying Harrison Bader after his late-night scooter accident ended his season. Can this year get any worse in the Bay? (Last week: 26th)
David Stearns has a lot of players to move. But until he starts lowering the asking price on some — most notably, Freddy Peralta — the Mets will be one of the teams holding up more profound action on the trade market. (Last week: 28th)
The next eight months will be critical for Kansas City. Because if they can’t retool their Bobby Witt Jr.-led roster back into a contender by next year, it’s fair to wonder if they ever will. (Last week: 27th)
Not that they were going anywhere anyway, but the wheels have completely fallen off in Sacramento. Another lost season in nomadic anonymity. (Last week: 25th)
Under past regimes, the Rockies have usually not even tried all that hard to sell what few valuable pieces they’ve had at trade deadlines. We’ll see if that changes this week under new exec Paul DePodesta. (Last week: 29th)
Speaking of teams seemingly set to change their trade deadline approach, interim Angels GM John Mozeliak could be a key character to watch this weekend. He has plenty of sellable pieces and an apparent desire to kick-start a real rebuild in Anaheim. (Last week: 30th)
1) Yordan Alvarez, Astros (.324 average, 35 home runs, 82 RBIs, 1.077 OPS)
Here’s an unexpected development. Alvarez now appears to be more of a shoo-in for MVP than even Shohei Ohtani. The real question will be whether he can complete the Triple Crown, currently holding healthy leads in all three categories.
2) Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (.279 average, 13 home runs, 39 RBIs, .800 OPS)
The standout shortstop remains a WAR machine, trailing only Alvarez in the AL at 4.9. Too bad that hasn’t translated into more actual wins for the Royals, who are set to miss the playoffs for the fourth time in his five seasons.
3) Junior Caminero, Rays (.282 average, 30 home runs, 66 RBIs)
It was fair to wonder how much of Caminero’s breakout performance last year was from playing in the band-box of Steinbrenner Field. So much for that. On pace for another 40-plus homer season, Caminero trails only Kyle Schwarber and Ohtain for most long balls in the majors the last two years.