MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 30: Gary Sánchez #99 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates his two-run home run in the dugout against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning at American Family Field on August 30, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the Yanks bludgeoned Boston Sunday, it was time to scoreboard watch. Most notably, could the Padres do us all a solid and knock off the Rays? To the surprise of absolutely no one, the answer was no. So while the Yankees put more distance between themselves and Boston and clinched the season series between the two eternal rivals, there was no ground gained on Tampa.
Elsewhere, a former Baby Bomber achieved a career milestone while a future Hall of Fame hurler further stated his Cooperstown case.
Tampa Bay Rays (82-54) 5, San Diego Padres (72-65) 4 (F/11)
Bloody Devil Magic. The Padres looked to have this game wrapped up, with a ninth-inning lead and Mason Miller on the mound. Since joining the Padres last season, the All-World closer had surrendered precisely two home runs over 79.2 frames as he took the mound Sunday. So, of course he promptly gave up a game-tying two-run blast to Johnny DeLuca. But hold on. This was no run of the mill home run.
As I said, bloody Devil Magic. After a scoreless 10th, the Dads took a lead in the 11th. But it was all for naught. A DeLuca ground ball to Xander Bogaerts ended in an error and re-tied the game. Then, former Yankee farmhand Jorge Mateo ended it with a walk-off single.
Other Games
Chicago White Sox (72-64) 1, Minnesota Twins (65-72) 5: For all intents and purposes, this one was over before the opening frame came to a close. Minnesota plated three in the home first, more than enough for starter Zebby Matthews. Matthews took a shutout into the ninth before the Pale Hose managed to scrape across a run. Matthews’ day ended with 8.1 innings allowing that lone run. That continues a strong run, as he has pitched to a 3.21 ERA in his last seven outings, averaging 6 IP/start.
Houston Astros (69-68) 6, New York Mets (61-76) 3: LaMonte Wade, Jr. was Sunday’s hero for Houston. His pinch-hit two-run home run gave the Astros a lead they never surrendered. The victory keeps H-town two games ahead of their intra-state rival Rangers.
Texas Rangers (67-70) 7, Milwaukee Brewers (85-52) 4: Texas won Sunday to stay in the mix in the AL West and Wild-Card races. But for Yankees fans, Gary Sánchez was the story. The Kraken clubbed the 200th home run of his career, 138 of which came in pinstripes, in defeat. Sigh. We’ll always have the second half of 2016.
Cleveland Guardians (69-68) 11, Kansas City Royals (62-76) 1: Welcome to the José Ramírez Show. The Cleveland third baseman has been mired in his worst offensive season since 2015. Not Sunday, however. Ramírez homered and drove in four as the 3-4-5 batters for Cleveland combined to plate 10 runs.
Baltimore Orioles (68-69) 8, Athletics (53-84) 5: Gunnar Henderson has had a rough 2026. But on Sunday, he looked every bit the young superstar. Four hits, two of which left the yard, led to three runs scored and five batted in as the Os swept the As.
Toronto Blue Jays (68-70) 7, Seattle Mariners (64-73) 0: For one day at least, Max Scherzer was “Mad Max” again. While tossing seven frames of one-hit shutout ball, Scherzer punched out 10. The last of those moved him ahead of Gaylord Perry for ninth all-time on the career strikeout list.
Well, these were supposed to be the three easiest of the 13 games in 13 days. That doesn’t mean the Cubs can’t recover and have a good stretch of games. It’s just that logistically speaking, you’d have wanted to grab at least two and hopefully three while rested and against the team drifting in the wrong direction as the season winds down. Instead, the Cubs only got one. They waived 2020 First Round pick Ed Howard over the weekend and so what was supposed to be a celebration of Jon Lester and Jody Davis and the 150th Anniversary Cubs stars, it ended up rather bittersweet.
If your name was Pete Crow-Armstrong, you had a crazy good weekend. Sometimes we throw around phrases like coming out party on the big stage. The thing is, PCA announced his presence last year and then started shouting from the rooftops months ago. This crazy stretch is just shy of a half season of games. I don’t know that we are there, but at some point in time, it isn’t a hot stretch but a level up achieved. He led off another game with a homer. The Reds didn’t read his script for the weekend, but for the second time in recent memory he led off the game with a homer and then came back and homered again in the ninth. Unfortunately, the one in this one was a consolation prize and not the walk-off that the last one was.
In all he hit five home runs this weekend. That’s pretty crazy. You are in a subset of a subset with five homers over two games. I well remember players like Ryne Sandberg, Sammy Sosa and Alfonso Soriano slowly drifting from guys who stole more bases than hit homers to the reverse. Naturally, I would then expect that day would come for Pete. I hadn’t considered before this weekend the possibility that he might have more homers than steals this year. He’s now leading 38 homers to 32 steals. It’s far from over, but it is very possible he could end up with more homers than steals already. There are 25 games left in the season. In the 25 games leading up to tonight he stole six bases. I’d actually suggest at this point it is very likely he finishes with more homers.
Aside from Pete, the offense created a bit of traffic (nine hits and a walk) but did not sustain any offense when Pete wasn’t homering. The pitching wasn’t good, particularly Shōta Imanaga. Once again, the Cubs have an issue to deal with. I’m not sure they can keep running him out there. He’d had a really nice stretch of games, but it just isn’t working. Once again I’d rather see Javier Assad or Colin Rea in that spot. That’s not an easy decision to make. He looks healthy, so you’d just be removing him from the rotation. They gave him an extra rest day where they had an off day to work with, but he didn’t really look any better. Maybe you let him pitch again Saturday in Miami. But I’m not sure how you then have him pitch again the following Wednesday. Things now look like they are going to get tight.
This team, man. I think one of my most repeated tropes through the years, though not at any point this year, is Lucy moving the football and Charlie ending up on his back trying to figure out what went wrong. I think I’m now on the ground seeing little stars swirling around my head. Everything felt like it was under control, I started to really believe in this team and then we got rug pulled. Again.
No fun.
Three Positives:
Pete is a monster. Two more homers. Dare to dream? He’s two homers shy of Kyle Schwarber for the major league lead. Second in runs. Seventh in hits. Second in triples. Tied for sixth in RBI. Fifth in steals. 12th in on base. Second in slugging. Second in OPS. Those are all MLB ranks, not NL. Just an insane season.
Ian Happ had two singles and a walk. He scored twice. He and Pete scored four of the five runs.
Caleb threw a perfect inning with three strikeouts. There were very few clean innings for Cub pitching all weekend long.
Game 137, August 30: Reds 7, Cubs 5 (77-60)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Ian Happ (.132). 2-3, BB, 2 R
Hero: Alex Bregman (.067). 1-4, 2B, R
Sidekick: Nico Hoerner (.035). 2-3, SF, RBI
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Shōta Imanaga (-.458). 5 IP, 8 H, BB, 6 R, 4 K (L 8-10)
Goat: Seiya Suzuki (-.091). 0-5
Kid: Tyrone Taylor (-.074). 0-2
Note: Imanaga’s game score preliminarily looks like the 10th worst WPA game score of the year for the Cubs.
WPA Play of the Game: Hector Rodriguez’ three-run homer with two outs in the fourth gave the Reds a one-run lead. (.337)
Cubs Play of the Game: Pete’s lead-off homer. (.103)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 136 Winner: Pete Crow-Armstrong received 75 of 76 votes.
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.
Pete Crow-Armstrong +29
Alex Bregman +24
Ben Brown +13.5
Javier Assad +12
Carson Kelly +10.5
Edward Cabrera -12.5
Jameson Taillon -13
Nico Hoerner -14
Dansby Swanson -17
Caleb Thielbar -18.5
Scoreboard Watching: Braves win (five ahead of Cubs). Dodgers win (five up). Padres lose (five back). Brewers lose (eight up). Phillies win (Cub lead is now tiebreaker only).
Up Next: Those Brewers come to Wrigley field after dropping Sunday’s game against the Rangers in Milwaukee. Game one of a four game set and game four of 13 straight games. Clay Holmes (5-6, 2.26) starts for the Cubs. He’s been exceptional when healthy, including a 1-2, 1.96 mark with the Cubs in four starts.
25-year-old lefty Kyle Harrison (10-3, 2.79) starts for the Brewers. He’s having a terrific season for the Brewers. He threw seven scoreless in a start at Wrigley in May. He’s allowed only two runs in 12 innings of work against the Cubs.
EA Sports' latest entry for the NHL video game franchise is almost here, and with it has come their latest rankings and ratings for every player throughout the entirety of the NHL.
The New York Islanders have a roster in transition, as they slowly turn the page from the early 2020s era into the Matthew Schaefer era.
One player acquired at the 2026 Trade Deadline is Brayden Schenn, who has filled a leadership gap for the franchise. While Schenn's not what he once was, he's still a dependable middle-six center or winger, with elite leadership skills.
In 19 games with New York, Schenn had 6 goals and 11 points.
EA Sports revealed Schenn is an 84 overall for NHL27.
Probabilities courtesy of Polymarket. For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Trade on MLB at Polymarket!
Sign up now using our exclusive Polymarket promo code 'COVERS' (on your mobile app only) and get a $20 trading bonus after you deposit $10 to trade on any other event contracts — including MLB expert picks!
Sign Up Now at img src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/polymarketlogo.png" alt="Polymarket" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
*Eligible locations only
Josh Inglis' expert pick: Phillies vs. Diamondbacks Over 8.5
Price: 49¢ at Polymarket
There are still some flat 8s on the board this morning for a game projected for nearly 10 total runs, with a fair probability of 56% on the 8.5-run total.
Aaron Nola is in decent form over his last four starts, but he still gives up dingers at one of the highest rates in baseball and ranks among the Bottom 20 MLB starters in barrel rate (Barrel%) since June 1.
On the other side, Brandon Pfaadt is a perfect fade candidate. He's coming off his biggest workload of the season at 103 pitches, and his numbers are starting to regress toward his expected numbers after some unsustainable production.
He's allowed four home runs over his last two starts, with nine runs allowed. Looking at the later innings, both clubs sport bullpen ERAs that rank in the bottom half of the league.
This SP matchup is one where the total should not be 8.0, which is why the market is moving that way.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
How to watch: NBCS-Philadelphia, Diamondbacks.TV
Jon Metler's expert pick: Brewers moneyline
Price: 50¢ at Polymarket
This is obviously a critical game and series for both teams. The Brewers don't want to give the Cubs any life in the NL Central race, while Chicago is running out of time to close the gap on Milwaukee — which currently holds an eight-game lead.
This wager comes down to the depth and swing-and-miss ability of the Brewers' bullpen. Both teams are likely to manage this game aggressively, and with Kyle Harrison and Clay Holmes on the mound, I don't expect either starter to work deep.
That gives Milwaukee an edge, as I trust its bullpen to win the middle-relief innings and bridge the gap to the back end. The Brewers are trading at 50 cents on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 53-cent favorite, giving us enough of an edge to hit the button on Milwaukee.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
How to watch: Marquee, Brewers.TV
Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Rays -1.5
Price: 43¢ at Polymarket
I just can't quit the Rays — and for good reason. They're the fourth-best cover team in baseball (55.2%) and should have no problem with the Mets today.
Robert Stock has been as shaky as they come for New York, allowing seven earned runs off 10 hits against the Brewers his last time on the mound.
With an xERA of 4.90 this year, he'll struggle to keep one of the most potent offenses in baseball off the basepaths. A struggling starter with a taxed bullpen behind him usually isn't a recipe for success.
I'll take Tampa to dominate from first pitch, and I'm playing this up to 48 cents at Polymarket.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
How to watch: SNY, Rays.TV
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Phillies moneyline
Price: 53¢ at Polymarket
Aaron Nola has found his form at the right time of the season. He’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts while posting at least seven strikeouts in four straight.
The same can’t be said for Brandon Pfaadt, who's been knocked around for nine earned runs over his last two outings. Philadelphia also holds clear hitting and bullpen advantages.
Over the past two weeks, the Phillies rank seventh in OPS against righties compared to 21st for Arizona, while the bullpens rank eighth and 23rd in ERA.
The Phillies look like undervalued favorites here and are well positioned to extend their 13-2 tear in pursuit of the top wild-card spot.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Two Premier League games played for Chelsea under Xabi Alonso: two wins and seven goals scored. It’s the sort of start that would delight many new managers – only two other clubs can boast about a six-point start this Premier League season (albeit with Arsenal to play later on Monday). Points gained in this odd transitional phase, when almost nobody seems quite ready, could prove extremely valuable come the end of the season. And yet, for all the attacking potency, there must also be concerns about Chelsea’s openness and the five goals conceded.
Context must also be considered, and it projects both ways. It’s early in the season. There has been, as ever, a lot of change at Chelsea. They will get better; they will achieve greater coherence. But equally there has to be a sense of realism about the nature of the teams they’ve played. Brighton may have thrashed a shambolic Aston Villa 4-0 last weekend, but they were missing seven frontline players at Stamford Bridge and still put three past Chelsea on Sunday. And while Fulham looked very lively as Chelsea won 3-2 on the opening weekend, they couldn’t muster a shot on target against Sunderland on Sunday.
This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here.
New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is accompanying his teammates on a six-game West Coast road trip this week, fueling speculation he could be nearing a return to the active roster.
The three-time AL MVP hasn't played in three months due to a stress fracture in his rib, but the possibility that he soon could take part in on-field activities would be a major step forward in the recovery process.
“I’m sure it will be ramped up and a lot more involved,” manager Aaron Boone said before Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox. “Hopefully out there, [he will] start to get on velocity and things like that. He’ll be part of the pregame stuff and just get more entrenched into getting ready to come back.”
Judge began hitting off a tee a couple weeks ago and has progressed to taking overhand batting practice in the indoor cage. He also has been working on light throwing and outfield drills.
He said last week he didn't think he'd need a minor-league rehab assignment once he felt ready to get on the field again.
The Yankees haven't publicly revealed a timeline for Judge's return to action and aren't expected to activate him during their current road trip, but their next homestand − beginning Sept. 8 against the Colorado Rockies − would be a logical target, barring any setbacks.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Brayden Burries #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 14, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country.
A little over three months ago, as part of our build-up to the 2026 NBA Draft, I dove into the history of the tenth overall pick. From generational players to busts and everything in between, the slot is riddled in volatility—unless your name is Paul, in which case it seems you’re destined for big things (see Pierce, George, Westphal, and Silas*). Framing all of this was my assertion: the Bucks are at a crossroads and this pick can either make or break their future.
*Paul Silas is listed as the 10th overall pick on the NBA’s official website but 12th in other locations because of the league’s territorial pick rule at the time, which allowed teams to select local college players in a bid to increase fan support.
Since then, as you’re well aware, the Bucks drafted Brayden Burries with the 10th overall pick. It was, at the very least, a somewhat surprising selection. After all, Burries was widely expected to be off the board by then. NBADraft.net had him going ninth to the Dallas Mavericks, as did The Ringer, CBS, and No Ceilings. Heck, so did we. The Bucks also seemed pretty set in the backcourt, with Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins, and Kasparas Jakučionis all good enough and young enough to be part of the team’s long-term plans—not to mention Kevin Porter Jr., who picked up his player option just days after the draft. Yet, somehow, we the Bucks got him.
As a Buck, Burries has looked so good it’s surprising Jon Horst hasn’t been arrested for grand larceny. But his Summer League showing—23.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 4.3 APG; First Team honours—was almost undersold by his nonchalance, like he’d been there before, and so it wasn’t until later we came to realise we hadn’t talked enough about him.
From this stems this week’s poll. Could the combination of Burries’ nonchalance and our apparent indifference to his play actually mean something more? Is it all foreshadowing? That, somehow, we actually know more? That Burries will become the next great Buck, so good that his Summer League play won’t even register as a footnote in his eventual story? Destiny and fate and all that…
And so I put it to you, Brew Hoopers, so that we’ve got it in ink on paper (or at least darker pixels on lighter pixels) as proof of our prescience: just how good will Brayden Burries become?
The Mariners (64-73) and the Red Sox (74-63) open a three-game series tonight at Fenway Park with both clubs looking to rebound from difficult weekends as the chase for a postseason berth continues for each.
Seattle comes to Boston after being swept in a three-game series by the Blue Jays in Toronto. The Mariners have now lost four in a row overall as the struggles on offense continue. Seattle has scored a total of four runs the past four games and been shut out in two of the four. They did not get much help from the bump either as the staff gave up 19 runs in the three games in Toronto. As a result, Seattle is now five games behind Houston in the NL West as well as five back of Cleveland for the final Wild Card position.
Boston takes the field in far better position as far as the postseason is concerned but after a disappointing trip to the Bronx that saw them lose three of four to the Yankees. The Sox split the first two games of the series but were outscored 25-3 over the final two games to drop 8.5 games in back of the Rays in the AL East and four back of the Yankees for the top Wild Card spot.
The Mariners will turn to George Kirby (9-10, 4.02 ERA) to try and change their fortunes tonight. In his most recent start against Philadelphia, Kirby allowed just one earned run over 7⅔ innings while striking out nine. It was an important bounce-back performance after two difficult starts in which he surrendered six earned runs against Milwaukee and five against Houston.
Boston counters with rookie left-hander Payton Tolle (8-6, 3.09 ERA), who has ascended to nearly the top of the rotation as the season has evolved. Tolle has been especially impressive during August. Three starts ago, he fired eight shutout innings against Toronto. Two outings ago, he struck out a career-high 14 hitters against Oakland. Most recently, he allowed just two earned runs over 5⅓ innings against Miami.
Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Mariners vs. Red Sox
Date: Monday, August 31, 2026
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Mariners.TV, NESN
Peacock offers one of the most comprehensive live sports streaming lineups available today, bringing together the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Premier League, NCAA football, NCAA basketball, golf, motorsports, and major global sporting events in a single service.
The Latest Odds: Mariners vs. Red Sox
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Seattle Mariners (+151), Boston Red Sox (-162)
Spread: Mariners +1.5 (-155), Red Sox -1.5 (+129)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Mariners vs. Red Sox for August 31
Red Sox: Payton Tolle Season Totals: 125.1 IP, 8-6, 3.09 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 141K, 35 BB
Mariners: George Kirby Season Totals: 147.2 IP, 9-10, 4.02 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 126K, 34 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Mariners vs. Red Sox
Adley Rutschman is just 4-22 in his career against George Kirby but has homered against the righthander
Trevor Story is 2-8 against Kirby but both hits have left the park
Jarren Duran is 3-10 against Kirby
Dominic Canzone has homered in 3 ABs in his career against Payton Tolle
Payton Tolle has struck out 7+ batters in 6 of his last 8 starts
George Kirby has struck out 4+ batters in just 1 of his last 6 starts
Nick Sogard picked up at least 1 hit in each game against the Yankees (4-11)
Roman Anthony returned from the disabled list yesterday and went 2-4
Julio Rodriguez is 1-15 over his last 4 games
Cal Raleigh has hit safely in 7 of his last 9 GP (10-29)
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Mariners vs. Red Sox
The Mariners are an MLB-worst 51-86 on the Run Line this season
The Red Sox are 67-70 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 69 times in Seattle’s 137 games this season (69-61-7)
The OVER has cashed 64 times in Boston’s 137 games this season (64-69-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Mariners vs. Red Sox for August 31
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Mariners and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Red Sox on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 7.5
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Matchup
Pick
Giants vs Braves
40%
Mets vs Rays
62%
Padres vs Reds
58%
Marlins vs Nationals
52%
Mariners vs Red Sox
61%
Tigers vs Twins
56%
Brewers vs Cubs
51%
A's vs Rangers
68%
White Sox vs Astros
46%
Orioles vs Rockies
45%
Yankees vs Angels
55%
Phillies vs Diamondbacks
54%
Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of Aug. 31.
Trade on the MLB at Polymarket!
Sign up now using our exclusive Polymarket promo code 'COVERS' (on your mobile app only) and get a $20 trading bonus after you deposit $10 to trade on any other event contracts — including MLB moneylines!
Sign Up Now at img src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/polymarketlogo.png" alt="Polymarket" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
*Eligible locations only
Expert MLB moneyline picks for August 31
Giants vs Braves: Giants
Giants win probability: 40%
The Giants are a heavy underdog here at 40%, but they have the better pitching profile. Anthony Molina tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his first outing since being traded, and while he doesn't pitch deep into games, the Giants' pen is in good form. They own a 3.77 xERA over the last week with minimal walks and homers.
Bryce Elder, meanwhile, owns an FIP over four at home, and the Atlanta Braves starter has posted a 4.03 xERA over the last month. The Giants have a 111 wRC+ in their last seven games, and Elder is the more vulnerable arm here.
San Fran wins the opener.
Mets vs Rays: Rays
Rays win probability: 62%
The Rays send Ian Seymour to the mound tonight, and while he's had some home run troubles lately, the left-hander faces a Mets lineup in awful form. They have a 69 wRC+ in the last week and just a .111 ISO. Seymour has a respectable 4.13 FIP at home as well.
New York counters with Robert Stock. He's posted a 5.03 xERA across his previous five starts with serious command issues. Tampa is coming alive offensively lately with a 99 wRC+ in its previous six contests, and a 109 mark at home this season.
The Rays have the edge, but if this number moves, resort to the run line.
Padres vs Reds: Padres
Padres win probability: 58%
Michael King is the far more consistent arm right now. The righty has compiled a 3.10 xERA over his last two starts while giving up just 0.66 HR/9 and limiting opponents to a 22.9% hard-hit rate.
Brady Singer owns a 5.74 FIP during that same span, allowing 1.54 HR/9 and a troubling 53.8% hard-hit rate. San Diego isn't in great offensive form, but this matchup screams value, and King has been reliable lately.
Take the Padres, but also lock in the run line if this moves at all.
Marlins vs Nationals: Marlins
Marlins win probability: 52%
The Marlins have a better pitching setup tonight. Ryan Gusto hasn't allowed a single earned run over his last two starts, and while he doesn't pitch very deep into games, Miami's pen has held its own lately.
Will Dion takes the hill as an opener for the Nationals, and he has a 6.38 FIP over his previous three outings with home run issues. Washington's relief corps is also struggling with a 6.55 FIP across the last week.
Miami has the edge.
Mariners vs Red Sox: Red Sox
Red Sox win probability: 61%
We're looking at two ball clubs in horrendous offensive shape at the moment, but Payton Tolle's recent success is a clear advantage for the Red Sox. He sports a 2.99 FIP in his last two starts, and the Mariners struggle against left-handers, posting an 87 wRC+ this season.
George Kirby's underlying metrics suggest he's been much better than the numbers suggest, but the righty has still allowed 12 earned runs over his previous three outings.
Boston's lineup should capitalize.
Tigers vs Twins: Twins
Twins win probability: 56%
The Tigers have been literally invisible offensively. They've scored only nine runs in their last six contests, posting a 19 wRC+. Taj Bradley is dealing, collecting a 2.44 FIP in his last two outings with minimal home run damage.
Jackson Jobe has also pitched well, but I simply cannot overlook Detroit's struggles at the dish, and the Twins are swinging it a mile better.
Brewers vs Cubs: Cubs
Cubs win probability: 51%
The Cubbies get a tough matchup against Kyle Harrison tonight, but they're a force against left-handers, posting a 126 wRC+ this season. Chicago is also raking at the moment with a 138 wRC+ in the last week.
Clay Holmes has held his own since coming over via trade, posting a 3.08 FIP in his last 12 1/3 frames. The Brewers are swinging it well as well, but they're not as efficient on the road.
A's vs Rangers: Rangers
Rangers win probability: 68%
The Rangers have a ridiculous 141 wRC+ in their last six games, and it helps Jacob deGrom is on the mound. He's limited opponents to a 29.2% hard-hit rate in his previous two starts while collecting a 2.46 FIP.
Gage Jump has pitched well recently for the Athletics as well, but I refuse to overlook how Texas is swinging it. They are jumping on everything, and deGrom gives the stability.
White Sox vs Astros: White Sox
White Sox win probability: 46%
The White Sox get to face the vulnerable Peter Lambert tonight, who has an ERA over 10 recently and a 6.15 xERA in his last two outings.
Chicago is producing lately with a 115 wRC+ in the last week, and while Anthony Kay hasn't been great for them over the last couple of weeks, Houston is not swinging it consistently, and it isn't an efficient lineup against left-handed hurlers.
Orioles vs Rockies: Rockies
Rockies win probability: 45%
It's not often where I'd back the Rockies, but Kyle Bradish's struggles give them a clear opportunity to take advantage tonight. The righty has a 7.89 xERA over his last two starts with major home run issues, and Colorado is in respectable offensive form.
Baltimore faces Tanner Gordon, who has a 2.48 xERA recently while limiting the long ball. The Orioles are producing lately at the dish, but Bradish's inability to limit hard contact will hurt them early.
Yankees vs Angels: Yankees
Yankees win probability: 55%
The Yankees are the team in better offensive form, sitting well above the league average in wRC+ lately. While Walbert Urena is throwing the baseball well, he is not untouchable by any means.
Elmer Rodriguez allowed just three earned runs last week in his first start in the big leagues since June, keeping New York in the game.
With the Angels struggling to string together runs, the Bronx Bombers are the play.
Phillies vs Diamondbacks: Phillies
Phillies win probability: 54%
Aaron Nola has really started to come into his own in what has been a poor season to his standards. The right-hander sports a 3.49 xERA over the last month, and he'll face a Diamondbacks offense that has posted just a 72 wRC+ in their previous seven games.
Arizona's Brandon Pfaadt owns an FIP over six in his last two starts while allowing 2.92 HR/9. The Phillies carry a 107 wRC+ over the last two weeks into tonight's matchup.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Let’s keep the sports analysis rolling, Dub Nation. Welcome to Oklahoma City, the final stop before we leave the Northwest division for good. This last team on my list in my division by division recap of the offseason shenanigans is the team that didn’t have the greatness to repeat as champions last season, the Thunder. They went to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals but ultimately fell short in a contentious battle against the uprising San Antonio Spurs.
But the Thunder were the #1 seed and had a dominant regular season run, including sweeping the Golden State Warriors in their season series. I’m not going to pretend there’s a silver lining buried in there somewhere. They outplayed the Dubs and did everything they could to erase the trauma that the Golden Empire inflicted on the OKC franchise over the last decade.
Draymond on the Thunder:
"You have to like each other which you can tell they love each other which leads to all the magic, you have to understand roles which they definitely understand their roles. They got their top dog, they got their No. 2, everybody come in and they know… pic.twitter.com/esSnJJc6jT
OKC just won 64 games but injuries and that silver-and-black buzzsaw in Texas sent the ex-champs home. They’ve had to spend the offseason pissed off about it while trying to keep their salary cap from exploding from having to pay all their talent. Oklahoma City traded away Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins this summer all to duck the second apron tax penalties. Three rotation guys from a 64-win team, gone, just to keep the books clean. Most teams that lose three rotation players call it a rebuilding summer, but not the Thunder baby!
And after all that, look at who’s still there: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, and Chet Holmgren. BALLERS! Although I wonder how Chet’s stock is after the Spurs series.
The Thunder could be forced to trade Chet Holmgren soon if he continues to struggle against Victor Wembanyama, per @talkhoops
“The second apron is rearing its ugly head with OKC in real time and will continue to do so as long as the Thunder keep that big three together. They… pic.twitter.com/oMsj2Z0fM5
They re-signed Isaiah Hartenstein to a three-year, $75 million deal, and Kenrich Williams came back too. Cason Wallace inherits the starting job Dort just vacated, and he’s not walking into it cold; he averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and nearly two steals a night in barely 27 minutes off the bench last year. They also added Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz in the draft, a name to file away as the expectation is he’s ready to eat soon.
ESPN names Bennett Stirtz, Aday Mara, Nikola Topić, and Thomas Sorber as the Thunder's X factors for the 2026-27 season.
“It might be cheating to group four players together as an X factor. But after the Thunder felt compelled by financial reasons to trade away some of their… pic.twitter.com/t8q64cuFjr
Per Roundtable sports:“Stirtz’s advantage could be simplicity. He does not need the offense placed in his hands to demonstrate value. If he reliably makes open threes, defends at an NBA level and avoids mistakes, Daigneault can use him without redesigning the rotation. Nikola Topić possesses intriguing size and playmaking potential, but Oklahoma City may need him to control the ball to discover the best version of his game. Those opportunities become difficult to provide when Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell and several other guards have already earned trust.”
Golden State went 0-4 against this team and the Thunder have proven themselves to be in a higher class recently. OKC responded to a Game 7 conference finals loss by trimming payroll and running it back with the same three-star core all 28-and-under. The gap between the younger Thunder and the older Warriors didn’t close over the summer. But if the Dubs can be fully healthy, I’ll always like their chances in a shootout, even against a difficult Thunder puzzle.
On Monday, he has scheduled the first meeting of the new leadership group in baseball operations.
We’ll get to that restructuring, but none of the decisions so far resolve two of the most compelling questions in Anaheim: Who is going to be running the Angels next year? And, with this year’s Angels flirting with the first 100-loss season in franchise history, are the Angels going to be much better next year?
“With the starting pitching we have, if we have the ability to be more consistent with our offense, you can definitely squint and see a better club out there,” Mozeliak told me. “But it’s going to take a few pieces to do that.”
Uh oh. That sounds discouragingly like the Angels of the past decade: We’re undermanned, but we want to be competitive, so we’ll sign a few lower-tier free agents and hope we can sneak into the playoffs with an 83-win season. In the real world, the Angels clinched their 11th consecutive losing season before the calendar turned to September.
Mozeliak has said he did not believe that the Angels need to rebuild, that the resources available to a team in the second-largest market in the majors should preclude outright tanking. In theory, that should mean that Mozeliak could trade José Soriano for shortstop Arjun Nimmala, 20, now the Angels’ top prospect, comfortable that owner Arte Moreno could buy a quality free agent to replace Soriano in the starting rotation.
In reality, Mozeliak cannot rightly tell Moreno that the Angels are one or two free agents from winning. And, as Mozeliak said, “It’s not the most robust free-agent class of all time.”
The Angels rank 26th among the 30 major league teams in runs scored, so Mozeliak might well focus on offensive upgrades. Standout names among free agent hitters this fall: Luis Arraez, Gleyber Torres, Jake Bauers ... Taylor Ward, anyone?
With the infusion of talent from the draft and the trade deadline, analyst ratings for the Angels’ minor league system have risen from among the worst in baseball to middle of the pack. It’s a start. If next season is about building, why not just play the kids?
The Angels' Denzer Guzman hits an RBI single against the Athletics at Angel Stadium on June 27. (John McCoy / Getty Images)
Rookie Denzer Guzman is batting .218, with a .263 on-base percentage and a .341 slugging percentage.
“We’re starting a 22-year-old at third base,” Mozeliak said. “Most 22-year-olds are finishing their senior year in college. He’s competing. There’s a lot of upside in him, but that requires a little patience.”
Of the 12 prospects Mozeliak acquired at the trade deadline, he said he anticipated two — designated hitter/catcher Moises Ballesteros and infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. — would have a chance to make next year’s team. The Angels also would prefer not to replace Soriano from a blossoming corps of young arms.
“We don’t want to start reaching down to the minors to try to push someone that might not be ready,” Mozeliak said. “I think we’ve seen that here before.”
As Mozeliak restructures the roster, he is doing the same in the front office. He said he is elevating Matt Swanson – removed as scouting director by former general manager Perry Minasian — to oversee all of the Angels’ scouting operations: amateur, professional and international.
The rest of the leadership core, all from within the organization: Joey Prebynski to oversee player development, including a separate minor league director to be hired; Michael Lord to head research and development; and assistant general manager David Haynes, who will focus on major league personnel. Mozeliak said he will ask those leaders to evaluate their departments and make personnel recommendations.
“I think that exercise is going to happen over the next four weeks,” Mozeliak said.
That timeline could mean that the Angels do not hire a general manager by the end of the season, as the team originally outlined. Mozeliak said he has neither interviewed any candidates nor set up any interviews.
Within the industry, former major league pitcher and current St. Louis Cardinals assistant general manager Randy Flores is considered the favorite, with Mozeliak remaining either as a president of baseball operations or a senior adviser.
Mozeliak insists he has not decided what he wants to do beyond the season, and he said his long working relationship with Flores in St. Louis will not preclude a round of interviews.
“I certainly understand that Molly [Jolly, the Angels’ team president] and Arte would want a very exhausting search,” Mozeliak said, “and one that isn’t just two degrees connected to Mo.”
If the Angels get to the end of the season without a general manager, who would make the call on whether to retain manager Kurt Suzuki and the coaches?
“Based on the timeline today, it would feel like it would be our group now,” Mozeliak said, “but time will tell.”
If the Angels dismiss Suzuki, that would allow a new general manager to hire a new manager. If Mozeliak decides to retain Suzuki, that could set up the awkward prospect of a new general manager inheriting a manager he did not choose, as Minasian did with Joe Maddon. In Minasian’s six seasons as general manager, the Angels had five managers.
The Angels could use a little more time. In 2027, they just might get it, and perhaps no organization could benefit more from it.
If owners lock out major league players for all or part of the season, in a year Mozeliak suggests might be best remembered for the development of minor league players, that might be no great loss for the Angels. Better than 100 losses, certainly.
May 20, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros general manager James Click looks on during batting practice before the game against the Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Welcome to Monday A’s fans! Ready for another productive week ahead of us?
The Athletics let go of longtime General Manager David Forst last month, shaking up the front office in the biggest way since the departure of Billy Beane. Since then it’s been Dan Feinstein running the show, but no one expects him to be a serious contender for the final gig.
One name that has emerged is a name many A’s fans should be familiar with. Former Houston Astros GM James Click is on the Athletics’ radar to run their baseball operations, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
That would be an interesting choice to run things. Click is most well-known for his time in Houston, during which he oversaw plenty of success during that great run the Astros had. It all culminated in 2022 with the Astros taking home the World Series, the pinnacle of baseball. Shockingly though the team and Click went their separate ways that offseason, reportedly due to some behind-the-scene conflict with the owner.
Click however has plenty of experience working in a small-market organization. Before getting hired to the Astros’ GM Click had spent the better part of 15 years working in the Tampa Bay organization. It wasn’t long after his arrival that the Rays began turning things around, and the foundation that he and others left is still rewarding the small-market squad with nearly yearly playoff contenders.
Now imagine that kind of GM getting the head start that would come with the A’s gig. The big league team has the bones of a good roster but there are still moves that need to be made. The bullpen and pitching in general need an upgrade while the position-player group could stand to get deeper. Whoever the new GM will be has to address those two problems and with the A’s only in Sacramento for one more year the expectation (hope?) is that the team will finally be able to start spending at least near the middle of the league. Imagine what this group could have done with some decent pitching behind them.
We haven’t yet heard any other names connected to the A’s job and Click certainly won’t be the last. But the team could do worse than targeting an experience former front office executive. Who else would you like to see considered for the job?
We got a series against the Rangers starting tonight, and we’ll of course have coverage for you here. Have a great start to you week everyone.
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) August 31, 2026
Always loved CBass:
Chris Bassitt, former Oakland Athletic, after pitching in Sacramento: “This ain’t Oakland. This is far from Oakland. I’ll be happy when this ballpark is no longer a thing.”
A’S RECENT MOVES: RHP Zane Taylor off MID IL RHP Micah Dallas/RHP Shohei Tomioka to MID development list RHP Jared Johnson to MID RHP Tyler August off STK IL OF Jose Ramos to STK development list ACL A’s C Tommy Takayoshi releasedhttps://t.co/akMLgYCY2b
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) August 30, 2026
May 25, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) congratulates relief pitcher Blake Treinen (49) after a save in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Dodgers catcher Will Smith completed his minor league rehab assignment on Sunday night, catching six innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City and collected one single in three at-bats.
In all, Smith played five games for the Comets last week — four starts and 25 innings behind the plate, and once as designated hitter. He had four hits in 16 at-bats with a home run and two doubles, hitting .250/.250/.563. It’s expected that Smith will be activated off the 60-day injured list by the Dodgers on Tuesday, after missing nearly four full months with neck inflammation.
Blake Treinen also checked off what is usually the final box for rehabbing relievers, pitching in parts of multiple innings. The right-hander retired all four batters he faced with a popout and three groundouts, after pitching on back-to-back days on Wednesday and Thursday.
Treinen in seven rehab games — one with Ontario, six with Oklahoma City — pitched 6 1/3 scoreless frames with eight strikeouts, two walks, and two hit batters. Treinen last pitched for the Dodgers on June 19, and has been sidelined since with elbow inflammation. Like Smith, Treinen is on the 60-day IL and will require a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster.
Player of the day
Joendry Vargas, playing second base for Ontario, had three hits, stole a base, and drove in three runs. The final RBI came on an epic 16-pitch walk in the ninth inning with the bases loaded, adding an insurance run in the Tower Buzzers’ winning rally on the road to clinch a postseason berth.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Matt Gorski drove in all the runs for the Comets to beat the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres). Trailing 1-0, Gorski singled home the tying run in the seventh inning for Oklahoma City, then singled home the walk-off game-winning in the ninth.
dpatop - 03 April 2025, Hamburg: A man lies in his hammock on the Outer Alster in the light of the sunset. Photo: Christian Charisius/dpa (Photo by Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Recaps
Uh… For the first time in a long while, this was a Sunday in the regular season without a scheduled Diamondbacks game. Still, there was action of relevance, in particular the Padres coughing up another late lead in Tampa, on the way to getting swept at the hands of the Rays. However, the Phillies won, and moved into a tie for the first wild-card spot with the Cubs, who lost. Here’s where we stand, ahead of The Most Important Series of the Season™ against Philadelphia, which gets under way at Chase Field tonight.
Team news
[Arizona Sports] Ketel Marte to address teammates at Chase Field ahead of Phillies series – Ketel Marte plans to address his Arizona Diamondbacks teammates Monday afternoon when he arrives at Chase Field ahead of his expected return to the ballclub, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reports. The three-time All-Star is eligible to come off the injured list on Monday ahead of a critical three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Marte was placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 20 due to left knee inflammation. The move came after Marte did not show up to Fenway Park for the D-backs’ game against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 17 and did not tell Lovullo or the team he would be absent.
[SI] D-backs Face Biggest Playoff Implications Yet in Series vs Phillies – The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field starting Monday, August 31 for a critical three-game series with massive National League Wild card implications. While it’s impossble for the D-backs to catch the Phillies in this series alone, it’s crucial that they win the series if they are to have any hope of catching them. Arizona currently leads the season series two games to one.
This is a few days old, but still makes for interesting reading. And your word of the day is “weenus”…
[Fangraphs] Scouting Notes on the Rehabbing Cubs and Diamondbacks Pitchers – I asked Gallen about something very specific and weird that I’ve been interested in for a while — his elbow skin. When I first shot Gallen on high-speed video, his weenus (the skin at the tip of one’s elbow) was flapping all over the place. “You’re the first person to ask me this on the record, I think,” he said. “I’ve had people send me a message on social media or whatever, but yes I have seen it. I have no idea why. I would like to think I’ve got a lot of skin and have a fast arm, that’s what I tell myself. But yeah I have no idea. I’ve been tagged in a handful of pictures with my weenus, essentially, and I guess I have a lot.”
[ESPN] Curaçao routs Nevada to win Little League World Series title – For the past two weeks, Curaçao Little Leaguers were focused and disciplined about what they ate, when they slept and how they practiced for youth baseball’s biggest tournament. Now, the champs can relax and enjoy a treat or two.Juriënsly De Windt and Shardijon De Lanoi each drove in three runs, and Curaçao won its second Little League World Series title, beating Nevada 11-2 in Sunday’s championship game. “Every kid [will eat] McDonald’s,” Curaçao coach Railison Gijsbertha said, smiling alongside three beaming players who couldn’t wait to take the trophy home to their tiny island nation in the southern Caribbean Sea for the first time in 22 years.
[MLB.COM] 250 for 250: Top 10 bloopers – 1. Canseco’s header leads to homer, May 26, 1993. You’ve seen it a million times. In 1993, Cleveland’s Carlos Martinez drove a ball to right field that Jose Canseco tracked toward the wall at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. He reached up to make the catch, but then the ball inexplicably bounced off the top of his head and over the wall for a homer. Everyone had a laugh in the moment, and the chuckles have continued for more than three decades.
Mutiny (2026)
Rating: Sea-plus
Dir: Jean-François Richet
Star: Jason Statham, Annabelle Wallis, Roland Møller, Adrian Lester
I think the above is recycling a similar joke I made on a previous Jason Statham movie. However, that’s fine, because Jason is basically recycling his own previous movies too. To be clear, I’ve no problem with this. You know what you’re going to get, and I am comfortable with the script being created through a game of Mad Libs: Jason Statham Edition. A former ______ goes up against ______, in order to save _______. In this case, the blanks can be filled in with British cop, pirates, and human trafficking victims respectively. Didn’t we have the last one, fairly recently? Oh, yeah: A Working Man.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 15, 2024: Jarlin Susana #91 of the Washington Nationals throws a pitch during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 15, 2024 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
It is no secret that the Nationals badly need pitching. Of course, the bullpen is the biggest area of need, but the Nats just need more quality pitching in general. Part of the reason the bullpen is so bad is due to being overworked because of the lack of quality starting pitching. I wanted to look towards the future and break down five of the Nats best pitching prospects.
All five of these pitching prospects totally living up to the hype is unlikely and the Nats still need to make external additions. However, Jarlin Susana, Travis Sykora, Miguel Sime Jr., Landon Harmon and Ben Grable all have a chance to be big parts of the Nats pitching staff for years to come. I wanted to give fans a sneak peak of what is hopefully a brighter future on the mound.
Jarlin Susana probably has the highest ceiling of the five, so let’s talk about him first. The Nats acquired him all the way back in 2022 as a smaller piece of the Juan Soto trade. At the time, he was a raw 18 year old with an insanely powerful arm. Over the years, he has steadily developed and is now a consensus top 100 prospect.
After undergoing Lat surgery late last year, Susana missed most of this year but he is back now. He is still on a strict pitch count, but his staff looks sharper than ever. Susana averages around 100 MPH on his heater and pairs the fastball with a slider which might be even nastier. In his first AA outing of the season, he overwhelmed the competition with his electric stuff.
Jarlin Susana returns to the Double-A @HbgSenators pumping 100+ mph ⛽️
While Susana has definite relief risk, he still has a solid chance of starting. We saw why teams don’t give up on flamethrowers sticking in the rotation with Jacob Misiorowski. For a while he seemed to be destined for the bullpen. However, the Brewers stayed patient and now he looks set to win the Cy Young. Susana needs to stay healthy and throw more strikes, but his stuff is some of the best in all of baseball.
Even with shaky strike-throwing, Susana has a high floor as an electric reliever. Given how this year has gone for the Nats, it would be tough to complain if Susana “fails” as a starter and becomes a lockdown closer. If he did not know already, I would imagine that Paul Toboni has realized the value a closer has. The enormous Susana will likely play a role for the Nats next season. Now the question is what will that role be.
Speaking of giant right handers with triple digit velocity, a nasty slider and shaky command, the pitching I want to talk about is Miguel Sime. The Nats selected Sime Jr. in the 4th round of last year’s draft, and so far he looks like a hit. The 19 year old has been a strikeout machine in the lower minors.
Sime’s scouting report reads a lot like a younger Jarlin Susana. His fastball averages 99 MPH and his slider absolutely annihilates hitters. In 72.1 innings across two levels, Sime has struck out 130 batters and allowed just 38 hits. He is striking out over 40% of hitters while allowing a batting average against of .151.
There is a catch though, and that is his control. Sime has walked 64 batters in those 72.1 innings. At 20.3%, his walk rate is simply too high. However, as a young pitcher, he still has plenty of time to figure out his control. He also does not exactly need to be Greg Maddux to have success with his stuff. If Sime’s walk rate is around 12%, he can be a very good starter. Even at 15%, he could be a nasty reliever.
However, 20% is just too high. As he rises through the ranks, hitters will be less overwhelmed by his stuff and he will have to execute more. That means we should not expect him in the big leagues anytime soon. It could be a slow burn, but Sime still has sky high potential. He took a big leap forward with his breaking stuff this year. Hopefully next season he can fine tune that command.
Drafted a round before Sime, Landon Harmon has a different sort of profile. Harmon has good stuff, with a mid-90’s heater with a lot of cut and a couple different breaking ball shapes. However, it is not quite in the same tier as Sime. To make up for this though, he has stronger command and has a solid feel to pitch.
Harmon missed some time with an oblique issue, but he has been very good when healthy. In 38 innings, Harmon has a 1.42 ERA with 36 strikeouts and a .154 batting average against. Having spent the season in Low-A, he is still a ways away from the big leagues, but I think he will start moving fairly quickly next season.
With less than a strikeout per inning in Low-A and middling whiff rates, he is not blowing hitters away. However, he has done an excellent job at inducing weak contact. For the season, he has a ground ball rate around 60%. His fastball acts like a cutter and it is very hard to square up. You see a lot of broken bats when Harmon is on the mound.
To take that next step though, I would like to see some more swing and miss. He has an impressive feel for spin and flashes some nasty breaking balls. Next season I think we will see him start to generate more whiffs. Do not be surprised if Sime and Harmon are teaming up in the Double-A rotation by the end of next year.
Before Sime and Harmon, the Nats hot shot high school pitching prospect was Travis Sykora. Honestly, he combined the best of both pitchers. Sykora generated whiffs like Sime while not walking as many guys. Before going down with Tommy John Surgery in 2025, Sykora tore through the lower minors like butter during the ‘24 and ‘25 seasons.
I know it's only been six starts, but Travis Sykora is too good for High-A.
29.2 IP, 1.21 ERA, 44 K%, 7.5 BB%, .124 OBA
In that span, opponents are 1 for 17 against his splitter with 8 strikeouts and 5 for 45 against his slider with 24 strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/rXSMSIFx2Q
I was really excited to see him in AA because it looked like it was going to be his first real test. However, he went down in July of last year and we have not seen him since. He has posted videos throwing off the mound, so he is clearly progressing. There could be a chance we could see him in the Arizona Fall League, but that is far from a given.
With a unique combination of nasty stuff, deception and a feel for pitching, Sykora was one of the best pitching prospects in baseball before he went down. His fastball sits in the mid to upper 90’s and he has two nasty secondary pitches to go with it. Sykora’s slider and splitter are both filthy.
In the lower minors, he did rely a lot on chase which will be something to monitor. At some point, I think he will have to adjust and throw more pitches in the zone. However, he seems like a smart pitcher that will figure this out. His pitch mix and funk remind me of Trey Yesavage, who is one of the better young pitchers in baseball.
Sykora should start next season in AA. There is a chance he debuts at the end of next year, but I think a 2028 debut is more likely. Sykora has the opportunity to be a true top of the rotation arm. He might have to make some adjustments to get there but he has the stuff and mentality to get it done.
While Ben Grable might not technically be a top 5 Nats pitching prospect, I wanted to include a pure reliever given how the season has gone. Arguably the main prize of the Luis Garcia Jr. return, Grable has closer upside thanks to his outlier fastball. His fastball/slider combination has been generating empty swings all season long.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 9, 2026
The Yankees drafted Grable in the 11th round of the 2025 draft, and he was a revelation in his first year of pro ball. He started the season in High-A, but has now reached AAA following a recent promotion to Rochester. At this rate, he could be part of the Nats bullpen very soon.
When you look at Grable’s numbers, it is hardly a surprise that he keeps getting promoted. For the year, Grable has a 2.15 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 46 innings across 41 appearances. His control has not been an issue either, with just 16 walks.
The fastball is Grable’s bread and butter. He throws it around 70% of the time. The 96 MPH heater has a ton of rise, frequently generating 20 inches of IVB. His slider is more of an average pitch, but gets a ton of whiffs anyway due to how good his fastball is.
One thing I am monitoring is how Grable’s fastball will play in AAA and the MLB. Once you get above AA, there is a new ball. Pitchers tend to lose some IVB with that new ball. In his first two outings, Grable has been getting 18 inches of IVB on the heater instead of 20+. As he adjusts to the ball, I think that will improve and the pitch is still effective. However, it does lose some of what makes it special.
Even if the heater is more in the 18-20 inch range instead of 20-22, it can still be a great offering. That pitch should give him a clear path to being an effective big league reliever. We will see if he can be a closer, but I think Grable is a safe bet to be a high leverage arm thanks to his fastball.
Outside of Cade Cavalli, there is a real lack of fire power in this Nats pitching staff. However, the guys we have just talked about will change that down the road. We cannot just rely on these prospects, but they can be part of the answer. If these five can be paired with Cavalli and a couple big name outside additions, the Nats can have a good pitching staff to complement their already strong offense. Right now, the Nats pitching staff is not very talented, but that is going to change.
Giants
Braves
Mets
Rays
Padres
Reds
Marlins
Nationals
Mariners
Red Sox
Tigers
Twins
Brewers
Cubs
A's
Rangers
White Sox
Astros
Orioles
Rockies
Yankees
Angels
Phillies
Diamondbacks
