DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 28: The hat and glove of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers versus the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday August 28, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Regular-season wins for the Comets and Drillers. Playoff losses for the Loons and Tower Buzzers. That’s how a full slate of games on Thursday went down in the Dodgers’ minor league system.
Player of the Day
Jake Gelof wrote his name in the history books of the Tulsa Drillers when he left the yard for the 33rd time this season, helping Tulsa to a low-scoring win on the road.
HOMER NO. 33 FOR JAKE GELOF‼️
Gelof has now tied the Drillers franchise record for the most home runs in a season! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/L1gGgxIgZ0
As part of a 2-for-3 effort with a walk on top of it, Gelof tied a record that stood for over a decade, becoming the first Drillers hitter to record 33 home runs since Tim Wheeler did it back in 2011.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Production from top to bottom led to an 8-0 shutout win for the Comets. James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard both reached base a team-high three times—and catcher and ninth-hole hitter Chadwick Tromp contributed three RBI when the game was already out of hand for the Space Cowboys, hitting a three-run shot in the bottom of the eighth.
On the pitching side of things, it was smooth sailing for Knack and company, as the starter covered five, enough for the win. Edwin Díaz couldn’t prevent traffic, but he pitched around a hit and a walk to secure a scoreless inning. Kris Bubic also appeared for his second straight outing before Kyle Hurt wrapped up the ninth inning.
Double-A Tulsa
One Taylor Young RBI single in the second and a timely home run from Jake Gelof were all the offense that Tulsa would require to outlast NW Arkansas. Despite six of their nine hitters failing to secure a base hit, the Drillers earned the win thanks to terrific pitching from both the starter Myles Caba and the bullpen.
Caba struck out five in four innings, leaving the win for Payton Martin, who came in with two scoreless innings as the first man out of the bullpen. The sole blemish on Caba’s record was a solo shot allowed in the fourth to Spencer Nivens, the only Naturals starting hitter with an OPS north of .800.
High-A Great Lakes
One extra-base hit is not going to cut it, as the Loons took the loss even though their pitching kept them in it until the very end, dropping this one by the score of 3 to 1. The pitching staff did its best to keep them in it until the end, but the Loons’ problems against 6’6″ left-hander Kyle McCoy were just too big to overcome, no pun intended.
Brooks Auger and Will Gagnon were each responsible for covering four innings, as all three runs from the Dragons came against Auger in the early part of this game. Gagnon just allowed one hit and struck out five in four scoreless.
When catcher Gio Cueto managed to knock in a run with an RBI single in the seventh, the Loons brought the tying run to the plate in the form of leadoff hitter Eduardo Quintero, but he struck out swinging. Quintero finished the game 0 for 3 with a walk.
Class-A Ontario
It seems the Tower Buzzers spent all of their scoring in Game 1’s 10-9 loss. After going down by four in the first two innings of Game 2, Ontario didn’t come close to mounting a comeback effort in an eventual 6-1 defeat, now trailing 2-0 in the series.
It was a particularly challenging day for two of this team’s top hitters, Ching-Hsien Ko and Easton Shelton, as the pair combined for seven punchouts—including a golden sombrero for Ko. Shelton was at least responsible for the team’s sole RBI.
Walks and errors made this a more challenging outing for the Tower Buzzers staff than it should’ve been, allowing a pair of unearned runs and handing out more free passes (8) than hits allowed (6). Interestingly, although it should be noted that none of them—including starter Luis Gamez—covered more than one inning, the first four pitchers to take the mound for Ontario had in common the fact that they didn’t secure a single strikeout. Five of Ontario’s six strikeouts would come from Charlie West, who covered four scoreless.
Transactions
Right-handed pitcher Aidan Foeller was placed on the IL by the Drillers, who activated Payton Martin. Outfielder Agustin Acosta was assigned to Tulsa to replace Josue De Paula, who was called up to the bigs. Lastly, the Comets activated Bobby Miller.
Thursday’s scores
Oklahoma City 8, Sugar Land 0
NW Arkansas 2, Tulsa 3
Dayton 3, Great Lakes 1
Lake Elsinore 6, Ontario 1
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Cam Leiter) at Dayton (Mason Morris) – Division Series Game 3 (series tied 1-1)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Charlie Barnes) vs. Sugar Land (Bryce Mayer)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 10: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the eighth inning during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Truist Park on September 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a short day for Major League Baseball on Thursday, with only five games taking place around the league. With all of them having at least one American League playoff hopeful however, it was still an important day in the standings. The Yankees capped off a resounding sweep of the Rockies in the Bronx, while several of their leaguemates struggled to make much noise on the mostly quiet Thursday of baseball.
Short schedule at all, let’s take a look at what went down around the Junior Circuit on Thursday.
Atlanta Braves (86-61) 3, Tampa Bay Rays (87-59) 1
With the Yankees winning on Thursday, they benefitted greatly from a tough loss for the Rays. Starters Martín Pérez and Nick Martinez were both brilliant in this one, with the former tossing seven scoreless frame, and the latter doing the same across 6.1 frames. It was a classic pitcher’s duel, as both Atlanta and Tampa Bay managed six combined hits with those two on the mound.
With seven scoreless innings kicking off this game, the Braves finally kicked in the flood gates in the eighth inning against the Rays bullpen. An Ozzie Albies triple got the ball rolling, before Austin Riley’s single into right plated the first run of the ballgame. A pinch-hitting Mike Yastrzemski hit a ground-rule double to bring two more runners into scoring position, before Ha-Seong Kim’s single brought ‘em both home and put the Braves up 3-0.
The Rays finally made a little noise in the ninth, when Victor Mesa Jr. deposited a solo homer into right-center, but it was too little too late, as the Rays fell 3-1. The Yankees now sit three games behind them in the AL East, as the Rays host the Astros for three games this weekend.
Other Games
Pittsburgh Pirates (74-73) 2, Chicago White Sox (75-71) 0: The Rays weren’t the only AL squad to go quiet with the bats, as the White Sox failed to plate a run in their dance with the Pirates on Thursday. The Buccos opened scoring in the fourth when Oneil Cruz belted his 18th homer of the year, one of two RBIs the talented Cruz plated for his squad in this one. The Sox managed just a pair of hits in this one, as Jared Jones took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, before the Pittsburgh ‘pen closed things out. Chicago still holds a 1.5 game lead in the Central, with the Guardians lurking behind.
Houston Astros (75-72) 2, Philadelphia Phillies (82-65) 1: In a game that was knotted at one for much of the way, Cam Smith’s 20th homer of the season was the deciding blow for Houston. The game-winning solo shot in the ninth fueled the ‘Stros to their 75th win of the season, and bumped their lead in the West up to three games.
Seattle Mariners (69-78) 4, Texas Rangers (72-75) 3: After trailing 3-0 into the seventh on Thursday, the Mariners leaned on their superstar for the heroics. After plating a run early in the inning, Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez flipped this game upside down with a three-run blast off of Jakob Junis. His 21st home run of the seaosn propelled the M’s to victory, and delivered a major blow to the Rangers, who are now two games out of the party in the AL wild card.
COLUMBUS, GA - MAY 01: Drue Hackenberg #15 of the Columbus Clingstones pitches during the game between the Biloxi Shuckers and the Columbus Clingstones at Synovus Park on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Columbus, Georgia. (Photo by Natalie Buchanan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Drue Hackenberg put up his best start of the season, throwing eight innings of one-run ball for the second straight outing while striking out nine hitters. Hackenberg has been dominant in his time in Columbus this season, and led the team to another win over the Biscuits thanks to his improved slider. David McCabe hit a home run in Gwinnett to reach 20 for the first time in his career, and Jim Jarvis reached base safely four times in the Stripers blowout win. Garrett Baumann also had an impressive day, but a drop in velocity clouded what was an otherwise successful day across the system.
Garrett Baumann, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 7.48 ERA
An explosive offensive performance sparked a smooth and easy ride to a Stripers win, and gave Garrett Baumann plenty of cushion to work with to get through five easy innings. Jim Jarvis started this one off by hitting one off of the base of the wall in left field for a triple, though with as poorly as the ball was played by the left fielder it probably would be an out in most cases. Nevertheless a hit on the stat sheet, and one pitch late he scampered home on a wide slider to the backstop to give Gwinnett the early lead. David McCabe put the exclamation point on a three-run first inning with a 410-foot smash – his 20th this season in just 72 games played. In the top of the second inning the Stripers loaded the bases after Jim Jarvis’s one-out walk, and yet another wild pitch brought home the fourth run of the game. That was followed by a double that Lizandro Espinoza slapped the other way, just keeping it fair down the right field line, and two runs scored to make it 6-0 in favor of Gwinnett. Rowdy Tellez followed that with another double to score Espinoza, and with a 7-0 lead the Stripers hit the cruise control down the stretch. Jarvis kept adding on to his line in the early innings of the game, with a fly ball off of the warning track in the third inning driving in the next Gwinnett run and putting him on for the third time in as many innings. Gwinnett hit the ball harder than normal this game, and Jordan Groshans in particular had two hard hit singles and three hard hit balls overall.
Garrett Baumann pitched well on the scoresheet in this game, but he left after only 71 pitches and his velocity was down significantly. His hardest pitch of the day was 94.9 mph, which is lower than his average velocity in six of his nine Triple-A starts prior to this game, and in total he averaged only 92.1 mph on four seam fastballs and sinkers (actually lower due to some being miscategorized as sliders) this game which is a full two mph lower than his last start which was tied for his previous low in velocity. He threw three fastballs in the fifth inning at 89.2 mph, 90.0 mph, and 90.0 mph and though he did finish the inning strong with a couple of whiffs and a strikeout that was the end of his road. That’s a small sample but more than 4 mph below his baseline for the fifth inning and beyond in games this year and in spite of a good game that has to raise some alarm bells. Baumann also had by far his lowest spin rate on fastballs in this game, though otherwise this way a good outing for him. He did a great job commanding his fastball and his splitter and those pitches were effective, but that’s overshadowed by such a significant change in his velocity. His slider also showed a similar velocity drop compared to his baseline, though his splitter was within his prior range of velocities. Baumann is at a career high in innings pitch, so fatigue could be a factor here, but it’s definitely something to watch closely to close the season.
Drue Hackenberg, SP: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 0.96 ERA
Drue Hackenberg is still trying to make a successful transition to Triple-A, but when he is in Columbus he pitches lights out and was at his best all year on Thursday. It took five innings for the Biscuits to scratch together a hit off of Hackenberg, and when they did it wasn’t convincing contact though they were able to force home a run with a couple of well-placed grounders. Three of Montgomery’s four hits were infield singles, and Hackenberg never lost his momentum even when he had some bad luck on batted balls. Hackenberg was in his best form with his slider — biting, located off of the plate, and consistently kept low — and Biscuits hitters couldn’t lay off of it. He had success with right handed hitters primarily due to that being his go-to pitch this game, but even the left-handed batters struggled at times when he got it on their back foot. Hackenberg isn’t meaningfully throwing the ball in the strike zone more often at Double-A, so he may not be able to repeat his success once he gets another shot at Gwinnett, but in terms of finding a consistent swing-and-miss pitch his slider has developed into that. Early in his career it was his best pitch but one he couldn’t get around the strike zone enough (except in rare breakout games like his 16 strikeout performance in 2024) but he’s throwing it harder with a a shorter break and that changed has allowed him to command it just well enough to make it effective. At his best Hackenberg is an outstanding pitcher, but the consistency for him is coming so slowly and the flashes aren’t common enough to think that’s who he is or even could be.
It wasn’t going to take much offense to beat the Biscuits this game, and the Clingstones lineup top-to-bottom gave them enough to take the win. It was a quiet game for John Gil at the top of the lineup, as in his first three at bats he made three quick outs without hard contact and was in jeopardy of losing his hitting streak late in this game. He came up in a 2-1 game with a couple of runners on base in the seventh inning, and that was when he finally made himself known. He hid a hard liner through the left side of the infield to drive in two insurance runs for Columbus, and that extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He then stole second and third base, putting him at an even 60 stolen bases on the season. That gave him the system lead in stolen bases, and with Patrick Clohisy on the shelf he is likely to finish at the leader at the end of the year while also being efficient with only ten caught stealing. Eric Hartman had a two-outcome evening, drawing two walks and stealing two bases but striking out in his other three plate appearances. Hartman was able to maintain an acceptable strikeout pace in his first month at Double-A, but in his past six games he has struck out three times in four of those, and it’s no surprise that he only has two hits and no extra base hits in his past nine games. Hartman has drawn his fair share of walks in that span to keep some threat on pitchers, but he’s hitting the point where he’s not going to get many fastballs to hit and he needs to adjust to improve his results on secondaries.
Jun 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) misses a tag on Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (22) for a fielding error in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Of the 15 games left on the Orioles 2026 schedule, six of them are against these Blue Jays. That’s helpful because if the O’s are going to beat the odds and make a last-ditch run for the playoffs, they need to leap-frog the Jays in the standings before chasing down the Guardians team that they just took two out of three games from.
These two teams have not faced off since early June, when they finished playing one another seven times in a 10-game span. They split the series in Baltimore, and then the Jays took two of three in Toronto. Since then, both teams have had their ups and downs.
Toronto enters the series in the midst of a sudden cold patch. They’ve lost three of their last four against the Royals and Athletics. But that comes right after an impressive 23-12 stretch that lasted from late July through last weekend. So either this past week was a blip amidst a torrid run into the postseason, or it was a sudden downturn that will dash the hopes of the defending AL champs.
The Blue Jays have been one of the league’s best pitching staffs in the second half of the season. They have a 3.51 collective ERA, which ranks fifth in MLB. Both the rotation and the bullpen have been Top 10 units since the all-star break. Louis Varland has continued with his standout season at the back of the bullpen, compiling a 1.54 ERA in that stretch. Tyler Rogers, Spencer Miles, Mason Fluharty, and Paul Sewald all have ERAs of 2.05 or better in the second half as well.
The offense, on the other hand, has struggled. Toronto has averaged 3.86 runs per game in the second half. For comparison, the Orioles, who frustrate us all to no end, have averaged 4.28 in that same time.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (78 wRC+ in second half) has hit just two home runs since the break and has only eight on the year. Andrés Giménez (89 wRC+) and Ernie Clement (54 wRC+) have also struggled. George Springer (129 wRC+), however, has been as reliable as ever. Josh Smith (173 wRC+) has shown to be a great deadline addition, Alejandro Kirk (141 wRC+) has stepped up, and Kazuma Okamoto leads the team with eight second-half homers.
We won’t see several familiar names in this series due to injury. Trey Yesavage had meniscus surgery in August and is still building back up. Shane Bieber is dealing with teres major inflammation. Old friend Anthony Santander is yet to play this year due to labral surgery, but is currently on a rehab assignment. And Luis Urías, younger brother of old friend Ramón, is dealing with a quad strain that may keep him out for the rest of the year.
Game 1: Friday, September 11th, 7:07 p.m., MASN
RHP Chris Bassitt (6-5, 4.96 ERA) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (2-7, 6.03 ERA)
Bassitt has given the Orioles exactly what they hoped to get out of him ever since being activated off the IL a few weeks ago. In that time he has made five starts and has a 4.34 ERA while averaging nearly six innings per start. It’s steady and dependable stuff from the veteran. His last time to the mound against the Red Sox saw hime with his best velocity of the season and a whiff rate to match. You would imagine he wants to keep that trend going here against his former club.
The 42-year-old Scherzer has been limited to 62.2 innings this season due to ankle inflammation in late April and then back spasms suffered in mid June. Since being re-activated at the end of July, the future Hall of Famer has been quite good. Over eight starts he has a 3.76 ERA/3.96 across 40.2 innings in which he has struck out 34 and walked 16. His season ERA has dropped from 10.23 to 6.03 now.
Game 2: Saturday, September 12th, 6:10 p.m., MASN
Kyle Bradish (7-13, 3.91 ERA) vs. TBD
August (.510 SLG) and September (.528) have seen Bradish post the worst slugging numbers against of his season. He has allowed six home runs across 34 home runs. And has been noted many times, his strikeout rates are coming down. The righty was striking out 10.1 per nine innings back in June. In the three months since that number has been 6.5, 6.8, and 7.0. Maybe he will get a little extra juice on what will be his 30th birthday.
This would be Spencer Arrighetti’s turn in the rotation for Toronto, but he struggle in his most recent outing (4.2 innings, six runs, six hits, three walks, three strikeouts), so they may opt for another option, or perhaps an opener.
Game 3: Sunday, September 13th, 1:37 p.m., MASN
LHP Trevor Rogers (10-9, 4.15 ERA) vs. TBD
A switch flipped for Rogers going into June. Since the start of that month he has a 2.88 ERA/2.78 FIP over 103 innings. His last start against Cleveland was his longest of the year. Over 7.1 innings he allowed on run on six hits, six strikeouts, and no walks. At this point, the southpaw would be silly to not test the open market. He may not have the longest track record, but his last two seasons here in Baltimore have been darn impressive.
Dylan Cease, who is in the mix for AL Cy Young, would be on turn to start. But it’s possible that with the off day prior to this series that Toronto could try to move him up to Saturday on normal rest to see if they can get their ace into as many games as possible down the stretch. In either case it won’t be an ideal matchup for the Orioles offense.
How many games do you think the Orioles will win in this series? Let us know in the comments.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Cody Bellinger #35, Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets, Cam Schlittler #31 and Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees pose for a photo during MLB All-Star Week at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mets (68-78) look to build upon their recent success as they return to New York to battle the New York Yankees (84-62) in Round Two of the Subway Series. The Mets took two out of three games in the Citi Field edition back in May, with New York winning that dramatic Sunday game after Tyrone Taylor tied it with a three-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning.
The Mets dug themselves out of the National League East cellar for the first time since late May thanks to a three-game sweep of the Marlins, paired with the Nationals getting swept by the Padres. The Mets flexed their muscle, scoring 31 runs on 39 hits across the three-game sweep, which included a see-saw 15-14 win on Wednesday night, as well as a 9-4 victory on Labor Day and a 7-5 win on Tuesday. In each game, the Mets built big leads, and in each of them they allowed the Marlins to creep back in, but they were able to hold down the fort to secure three W’s. The most dramatic was Wednesday’s series finale, when the Mets grew their lead to 8-0 before Miami came all the way back to tie it up. The Mets put up a six-spot immediately after the Marlins’ equalizer, punctuated by Francisco Lindor’s three-run homer. The Marlins tried to climb back but fell one run short.
The Mets’ offensive heater has extended beyond just the series against the Marlins. Dating back to their 10-6 win against the Rays on September 2, they have put up at least nine runs in four of their last seven games, and their 60 runs during that span are the most in MLB. Meanwhile, they’ve collected the third-most home runs (14) and fourth-most hits (74) since September 2. Their 133 wRC+ is the best among all teams this month, and beyond that, they have the fourth-best BB% (10.7%) and K% (17.5%) among major league teams, so it’s been a really positive offensive showing all around for a team with little to play for beyond pride and proving themselves heading into 2027.
Brett Baty unfortunately exited the team’s last game with a knee injury—no word yet on if he will need to miss any time—because before exiting, he was on a real hater. Mired in another uneven season, Baty has contributed hits in six straight games, going 6-for-14 during the streak with three doubles, two homers, and a team-high 10 runs driven in. During that span, he leads the club with a 289 wRC+ and 0.5 fWAR. A.J. Ewing, following a long stretch without a run batted in, has broken out in a big way, posting a 226 wRC+ and 0.5 fWAR since September 2 while driving in seven runs and picking up 11 hits in 23 at-bats. The youngster has looked better at the plate to go along with his typically-stellar defensive play. Carson Benge, on the other hand, has struggled during the past week, picking up just five hits in his last 27 at-bats since September 2 while sporting a team-worst 72 wRC+, though his defense thankfully has not faltered. However, this ill-timed poor stretch could hurt him in the NL Rookie of the Year race.
Bo Bichette has been, unsurprisingly, hot during the month of September as well. Since the calendar turned to September, he’s hitting .313/.421/.531 with a 167 wRC+ (third on the club_, two homers, six runs scored, seven runs batted in, and 0.5 fWAR (tied with Ewing for the team best in September). It would be stunning to think back in April or May that Bichette’s incredible performance would be ‘unsurprising’ given how much he struggled in the first couple of months in New York. I suppose it would be unsurprising given his career success, but we have seen New York chew up and spit out plenty of great players in their prime.
Bichette, thankfully, has figured things out. Since June 3, Bichette is hitting .305/.351/.474 with 11 homers, 45 runs batted in, 43 runs scored, a 128 wRC+, and 2.3 fWAR (tops on the team). If we zoom out a bit, his wRC+ is 21st among the 80 qualified NL batters during that stretch, and his .825 OPS is 22nd. His offensive surge has helped push his SLG to right around .400 and get his wRC+ to 99, which is well below his career norm but much better than we could have reasonable expected in May. With an opt out looming, Bichette’s decision will pave the way for the team’s offseason strategy, though he still seems quite likely to opt in.
The Yankees enter this series coming off a dominant sweep of the Rockies, which helped bring them to within three games of the Rays in the American League East race. The Yankees have been chasing the Rays since June 28, when Tampa Bay took over first in the AL East ‘for good’, and they have fallen as far bas as 6.5 games back on August 15. However, with their pitching, and the return of Aaron Judge, they seem primed to make a move in the waning weeks of the regular season. The Bronx Bombers do have a commanding 10.5 game lead in the AL Wild Card, four games clear of the Red Sox for the second Wild Card spot, so they figure to, at worst, have a home playoff series to kick things off if they can’t surpass the Rays.
Ben Rice continues to put up an MVP-caliber season for the Yankees, with 36 homers, 91 runs scored, and 88 runs batted in over 140 games. He leads the club with a 141 wRC+ and an .866 OPS and is third with 3.3 fWAR. Meanwhile, the big news is the return of Judge, who has gone 2-for-7 in three games since his return. He missed 99 games, which unfortunately will prevent him from winning a third straight AL MVP award, but he’s a huge addition to the team’s lineup right before the playoffs, and should make them as formidable as any team in the majors as they look for their first World Series title since 2009. But the Yankees will go as far as their pitching takes them. Their rotation is fearsome, sporting the best ERA (3.30) and FIP (3.62) in MLB, and the Mets will get a first-hand look this weekend while facing three of their four top starters.
Friday, September 11: Nolan McLean vs. Carlos Rodón, 7:05 PM EDT on WPIX
McLean picked up his second straight win after limiting the Giants to two earned runs over six innings back on September 4. He allowed six hits and walked four while striking out seven, his highest total since striking out eight Guardians hitters back on August 6. Over his last five dating back to August 11, he has gone 31 innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on 16 hits, with 23 strikeouts and 17 walks, as he continues to bolster his case for NL Rookie of the Year.
Rodón’s season has been plagued by injuries, which has derailed any long-term success. His year began in May after he missed a little over month recovering from offseason elbow surgery, and then he missed over a month with left elbow inflammation. He has been limited to under 90 pitches in each of his four starts since returning on August 18, though he has been pretty solid in his four outings. In those games, he’s pitched a total 17 2/3 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits, with 18 strikeouts and eight walks. The Yankees have won three of those four starts. Rodón made his second start of the year against the Mets and picked up a loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits over 3 2/3 innings at Citi Field on May 16.
Saturday, September 12: Zach Thornton vs. Gerrit Cole, 1:35 PM EDT on SNY
Thornton endured his roughest start at the major league level against the Giants, as he surrendered a career-worst four home runs after allowing seven across his first 11 outings. He was charged with six earned runs on seven hits over five innings, and he struck out six while walking one. As a result, his ERA jumped by over a half-run. Prior to this start, he had been charged with nine earned runs over his last 27 innings spanning five starts.
Cole has not quite been ‘vintage Cole’ since returning from Tommy John Surgery, but he’s been a big help to the team’s rotation, and a welcome addition after missing the first two months of the year. In his last start, he picked up the loss after allowing four earned runs on six hits over seven innings against the Padres. Like Thornton, he was tagged for four home runs (a season high) after serving up 13 home runs across his first 18 appearances in 2026. Cole has been really good about limiting free passes this year, making him a tough pitcher to face. Among starters with at least 100 innings under their belt, his 4.9% BB% is the fifth-best mark in the majors, trailing Nick Martinez, Tarik Skubal, Drew Rasmussen, and Chris Sale.
Sunday, September 13: Christian Scott vs. Cam Schlittler, 1:35 PM EDT on SNY
Scott had a solid outing against the Giants, allowing two earned runs on four hits over 4 2/3 innings pitched. After walking nine batters across his last two starts, he made a big improvement by not walking anybody in his outing against San Francisco. He also struck out seven and threw 69% of his 80 pitches for strikes, which is his best percentage in quite a bit. It was an encouraging start after he allowed three earned runs or more in each of his five August starts.
Schlittler enters play on Sunday as the odds-on favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award. His 2.04 ERA is tops among AL starters, while his 2.62 FIP trails just Dylan Cease, who represents his stiffest competition for the baseball’s top pitching honor. He also leads all AL starters with 6.7 bWAR. He is coming off a dominant outing against the Rockies in which he limited Colorado to one earned run on three hits while striking out 10 over seven innings. Prior to that, he went eight innings against the Angels and allowed one earned run on two hits with nine strikeouts. After walking five in his start against the Red Sox on August 28, he has not issued a free pass in either of his previous two outings, and he’s generally pretty stingy with walks—his 6.2% BB% is tied for sixth among qualified AL starters. He also does not surrender a lot of homers, as his 0.79 HR/9 is third among qualified AL starters.
The Phillies lost Thursday, so now the Cubs trail them by one game for the top wild card spot. Both teams have 15 games remaining. As you know, the Cubs have the tiebreaker.
Oh, yes, the Pirates. They just completed a sweep of the White Sox on the South Side, holding them to just five runs in the three games. Since Aug. 24 the Pirates are 11-4, the best record in MLB. The Cubs are 6-10 since then.
For more on the Pirates, here’s Austin Bechtold, a writer at our SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout.
Don’t look now, but the Pirates are getting hot at the right time.
It’s been an uphill battle for the Bucs to erase a sizable deficit in the National League Wild Card race, but the team is looking to make this a September to remember.
The Pirates have won four games in a row and their last five series after sweeping the White Sox on the south side. They are over .500 for the first time since July 29.
Pittsburgh has won eight of its last 10 games and only the Dodgers (seven in a row) are hotter than the Bucs.
So what’s standing in their way? Shōta Imanaga, who pitches like 2025 second half Jake Arrieta against the Pirates… but better.
In 38 career innings facing Pittsburgh, Imanaga has allowed only one run for a staggering 0.24 ERA. He is the Pirates version of kryptonite despite having a season ERA of 3.92.
The Pirates placed All-Star Braxton Ashcraft on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with right arm discomfort and so he won’t start against the Cubs on Friday.
Wilber Dotel will begin the game, but this will likely become a bullpen game. Khristian Curtis and recently recalled Antwone Kelly are also available to pitch in bulk roles.
Refining Cy Young honoree Paul Skenes starts on Saturday against former Pirate Clay Holmes, who was acquired from the Mets at the trade deadline. Holmes owns a 3.51 ERA through his first six starts with the Cubs.
Bubba Chandler gets the ball opposite Matthew Boyd, on Sunday in the series finale.
The Pirates are 4.5 games back of the San Diego Padres for the final wild card with only 15 games left. It still feels like a nearly impossible feat for the Pirates to accomplish and dug themselves too deep of a hole after being six games under .500 on both August 13 and 23.
Oneil Cruz drove in both runs on Thursday, including a solo home run hit 117.4 miles per hour as the hardest-hit home run of the season.
Since returning to the team on August 18 after missing two months with a hand injury, Cruz is batting .315 with a .404 slugging percentage, four homers, and 18 runs batted in.
Konnor Griffin returned last weekend and first baseman/right fielder Ryan O’Hearn might be back this weekend.
The arrow is pointing up for the Pirates, but the rival Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are waiting for them. It may be too little too late for the Pirates as their race to the postseason continues to take full shape.
Fun facts
From June 8, 2018, through June 15, 2023, the Cubs were 31-10 at home against the Pirates, including six sweeps, one of four games. Since then, they are just 9-11 and never have won the first two games.
The Cubs dropped two of three in April, losing by 2-0 and 4-3 before winning, 7-6. Since the rivalry began, in 1887, the Cubs are 691-607 at home vs. the Pirates.
They have played more regular-season games against the Pirates, 2,631, than against any opponent. The second most are 2,539 vs. the Cardinals, then 2,439 vs. the Reds.
The Cubs have a .505 winning percentage vs. the Reds and .511 vs. the Cards. But they are .494 vs. the Pirates: 1,291 wins, 1,322 losses and 18 ties. Their wins are the most vs. another team, by four over the Cards. Their losses are the most, too, by 89 over the Cards.
Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Pirates market territories)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
If the Cubs don’t win at least two of three here, their postseason chances are in trouble. And especially with Braxton Ashcraft out and the Pirates using an opener Friday, and with the Cubs’ past success against Skenes, I think they can do that.
Up next
The Cubs host the Atlanta Braves in a three-game series at Wrigley Field beginning Monday evening.
The winners kept coming last night, and it's moving day with the MLB player props. I've dug myself out of a massive hole, and now I'm enjoying the late-season heater with the home run props.
Riley Greene at his price is that bat I want vs. the Rockies, who are finding themselves on the hit list every day, and Shota Imanaga is a perfect pitcher to fade with his home run numbers.
These are my favorite home run props for Friday, September 11.
MLB home run props for today
For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Player to hit a HR
Chance
Riley Greene
20%
Rafael Flores Jr.
16.7%
Home run prediction: Riley Greene (20%)
The Colorado Rockies pitching staff has made us some money this week, and I'm staying there again today with Mason Adams getting the ball.
This is a Triple-A arm who was a 13th-round pick. He has a 7.91 ERA in Albuquerque and will give way to arguably the worst bullpen in baseball. It's time to find a good bat at a good price for the Tigers.
It didn't take long to land on Riley Greene at 20%.
He owns a .710 slugging percentage over the last 30 days with a team-high three taters. That's the fifth-best slugging rate in baseball over that span, and his BlastContact% ranks in the top 25 as well.
Fade the Rockies until Game 162.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Detroit SportsNet, Rockies.TV
Home run prediction: Rafael Flores Jr. (17%)
Shota Imanaga is one of my favorite hit-list pitchers. He's good, but he gives up dingers, which can give us some hidden value. Just in the second half, 30% of his hits allowed have left the yard.
That's 11 dingers in 35+ innings. Over the last two seasons, only Zack Littell has allowed more homers than the Chicago lefty.
I'm going out on a limb a little on this one and settling on the lesser-known Rafael Flores Jr. at 16.7%.
He leads the Pittsburgh Pirates in slugging and home runs (7) over the last 30 days and is handling left-handed pitching well, which is getting him into the middle of the order.
It's an afternoon Friday game at Wrigley, which has been a shrine for dingers this year. Shota has been good to me all season long.
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marquee Sports Network, SportsNet Pittsburgh
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 38-178, -2.46 units
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.
An open neon sign is seen in Chicago, Illinois, United States, on July 28, 2026. (Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Now, will the Guardians walk through it? That’s the question.
The Guardians were off yesterday, but the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the White Sox again, leaving Cleveland trailing Chicago by only 1.5 games. Somehow. The Rangers also lost, and the Guardians still 1 game ahead for the third wildcard (the Blue Jays are in that next slot, Rangers are two back). The path to the playoffs is still there. I don’t see how this team has given anyone any confidence they will make this happen, but they certainly have the ability to change all that starting tonight in Minnesota.
CTC user Jurko67 caught Columbus Clippers’ play-by-play guy noting that Ralphy Velazquez has missed three games with “lower body soreness.” Hopefully nothing serious but explains his absence from the lineup. Kyle Manzardo also missed yesterday’s game. Still think the team needs to add a left-handed hitter with pop to pair with Adell, whether Ralphy, Cooper Ingle or even Manzardo, and demote Petey Halpin or Daniel Schneemann. Someone who can feasibly play in the outfield would be preferable.
Zack Meisel of the Athletic has a look at the Guardians’ playoff scenarios today in the Athletic.
Entering the final weeks of the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season, four of the game's six divisions are still up for grabs, as well as the final wild card spot in each league – setting up a roller-coaster race to Game 162.
The Philadelphia Phillies have been trying to chase down the Braves in the NL East all season and face the leaders for a three-game set in Atlanta beginning on Friday that could unofficially decide the division.
Here's a look at the latest standings:
Updated through games played Thursday, Sept. 10
MLB playoff bracket
American League
Byes: Tampa Bay Rays (1), Chicago White Sox (2)
Wild card series:
Guardians (6) at Astros (3) – Winner vs. White Sox
KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 04: Kansas City Royals mascot Sluggerr waves a flag before an MLB game between the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals on Apr 4, 2024 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In 2024, the Royals were in the ALDS. Second place in the AL Central. In 2025 they fell to third, missed the playoffs. They were likely hoping to bounce back. Better health and maybe they’re right back in the mix? Nope. In 2026 they’re coming to Boston in last place in the AL Central with as many losses (82) as they had wins in 2025. And there are a couple weeks left to go.
Seth Lugo was a big part of that 2024 breakout team. He’d demonstrated he could be a starter the year before with San Diego and he fully made the transition leading the league in starts. No bad after much of his career spent in the bullpen. Well, the bills have come due. Lugo is closing in on his career high ERA. He faced Boston as part of a sweep by the Sox but tossed a quality start: 6.0 innings, 2 runs, 5Ks and 2 walks. Since July he’s made 17 starts and put up a 6.24 ERA / 4.98 FIP. He’s still signed for another year and the Royals will likely try to help him provide veteran leadership to the rotation again. Just a couple weeks older than Lugo, Sonny Gray is in the Cy Young conversation and having a fantastic year. After a little extra rest Gray came out firing for 7.0 shutout innings.
Randy Dobnak had thrown just 15 MLB innings since the 2021 season came to an end before this year. Now 10 starts into a bit of a resurgence, he’s had his ups and down. He doesn’t strike out many guys (just 43 in 63.2 innings) walks just under half as many (18) as he Ks and gives up almost a hit per inning (61). But he’s largely keeping the Royals in games, aside from a start on 9/1 where the Marlins touched him for 6 earned runs. Ranger Suarez finally had the start we’ve all been waiting for since his return from the IL. Seven innings, no runs, only a single walk? If he can have a couple more of those and roll into Playoff Ranger, a nearly unstoppable October force? The Sox will take it.
Noah Cameron is in his second full big league season and the lefty has been solid. He’s struck out 7 in back-to-back starts and had 8 Ks against the Angels in a complete game shutout in the middle of August. But he probably won’t be the best southpaw starter on the mound Sunday. He’s matched by Payton Tolle. Mass Pike is coming off a casual 12 strikeout game against the Orioles. He was at 91 pitches over 6.0 innings and if this were a different part of the season you wonder if Chad Tracy would have left him go another inning because he was carving up the birds.
Bobby Witt Jr. has hit 18 home runs and stolen 39 bases. He’s spent some time on the IL buy has quietly had one of the best seasons in baseball.
Vinnie “Pasquatch” Pasquantino has 11 homers on the year.
Willson Contreras is expected to make a rehab start on Friday and, you never know, could be in Fenway for Saturday or Sunday.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, September 11: Seth Lugo (5.04 ERA / 4.17 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (2.69 ERA / 3.50 FIP)
Saturday, September 12: Randy Dobnak (2.54 ERA / 4.10 FIP) vs. Ranger Suarez (3.44 ERA / 3.11 FIP)
Sunday, September 13: Noah Cameron (3.93 ERA / 3.62 FIP) vs. Payton Tolle (3.15 ERA / 4.10 FIP)
It seems like we were at this point a few months ago. Optimism was high, as all eyes were on San Diego Padres pitcher Nick Pivetta’s first rehab pitching appearance in Lake Elsinore.
If all went well, he was the obvious choice to join the starting rotation. However, those dreams were shattered after Pivetta walked off the mound before the inning was over. He was favoring his right throwing arm, which is never an ideal look in a rehab appearance.
The Friar Faithful thought it would be impossible to see Pivetta on a major league mound again in 2026. Despite all the setbacks, he continued with his rehab throwing program.
Now, Pivetta has earned another opportunity to make a difference this season.
Veteran starting pitching is a hot commodity in September
Organizations value veteran starting pitchers because they rarely get rattled in postseason games. Inexperienced starters have excellent raw skills, but they do succumb to the pressures of October baseball. Pitching in high-level situations can be overwhelming, as veterans rarely overthink the moment.
Young pitchers often struggle the second time through the lineup. Veteran starters quickly recognize which pitches get outs and which ones are hit with authority. The playoffs are all about making adjustments.
The matter of Vasquez
The loser in this move is Randy Vasquez, who was sent to the bullpen. While the front office believes in Vasquez’s potential, his production does not match Pivetta’s yet.
Coming into spring training, Vasquez was considered a fifth-starter candidate. Quickly, he evolved into a hard-throwing mainstay of the staff with a drop-dead sinker.
The right-hander prefers to start, but he will sacrifice his preference and slide into a bullpen role for the stretch run. The Padres expect him to excel because Vasquez is not afraid to challenge hitters.
No question, he has upside and probably will be the No. 3 starter in the 2027 Friars starting rotation.
Amid speculation about Pivetta’s return, the Padres’ decision to choose a pitcher with 214 big-league starts over a rising talent with just 73 career starts is tough to argue against.
Padres searching for starters at deadline
At the trade deadline, the Friars were desperate for starting pitching. For the first time this season, they looked outside the organization for solutions. Before the bell rang, the Padres acquired Robbie Ray from the San Francisco Giants and Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers.
Each move sounds great in theory, but adding Pivetta to the starting rotation gives the Padres a veteran-laden staff. It was never clear if the Friars fully considered him a pitching option after his latest rehab setback. But Pivetta is the perfect fit to start behind Ray and Mize because of his proven track record.
Yes, he is a slight upgrade over Vasquez because of his major league experience. He posted a 3.43 ERA in his first five starts before suffering a flexor strain in his right elbow.
Pivetta’s talent is evident, but injuries have repeatedly disrupted his momentum. He still has time this season to showcase his pitching talents.
Suddenly, the Friars are an enticing postseason option.
Fernando Tatis Jr. has reached 20 home runs on the season despite his long homer less drought to start the year. Dennis Lin of The Athleticlooks at what he did to rediscover his power.
The Cincinnati Reds (38%) have hammered the baseball lately, barreling up right-handed pitchers at a higher rate than any other team the past three weeks.
I expect their offense to get to Dustin May, which is why I'm backing the road team to keep it close with my Reds vs. Brewers predictions and MLB picks for tonight's game in Milwaukee.
Who will win Reds vs Brewers today: Cincinnati Reds +1.5 (56%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
The Cincinnati Reds are in sneaky good form at the dish, and I'm backing them on the RL to 59%.
They rank eighth in xwOBA vs. right-handed pitching the last three weeks, and have barreled up the opposing pitcher at a much higher rate (11.4%) than any other team. Nobody else is within two percent.
I expect them to cause problems for Dustin May, whose xERA sits at 5.85 over the past month. He has also given up barrels at nearly a 10% clip during that span.
That should feed into Cincinnati’s power, allowing them to hang tough in this inner-division clash.
This total is a run too low, making the Over a buy to 57%.
Andrew Abbott has not pitched nearly as well on the road this season, sporting a 5.96 xERA while allowing 1.5 homers per nine innings.
The Milwaukee Brewers feature a prolific offense and are lights out at home, making this a difficult spot to envision a quality start from Abbott – especially having just faced the Brew Crew. They’ll be used to his stuff.
May owns an ERA and xERA above 6.0 since the trade to Milwaukee, and now has to deal with a Reds offense hammering the baseball.
Reds vs Brewers home run prediction: Tyler Stephenson (15%)
Tyler Stephenson has provided the Reds with real pop of late, and profiles very well against May’s mix.
Isolating May’s three most-used pitches, which account for well over 80% of what he throws to righties, Stephenson has posted a 14.8% barrel rate and generated hard contact at a 51.9% clip over the last 25 games. He has done real damage.
Stephenson hasn’t seen much of May over the years but is 2-for-4 with an extra-base hit in a limited sample.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 107-93, -8.3 units
Over/Under bets: 103-91-6, -0.61 units
Reds vs Brewers weather
This game will be played indoors.
Reds vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Reds 38% | Brewers 63%
Run line: Reds +1.5 (57%) | Brewers -1.5 (44%)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (53%) | Under 7.5 (48%)
Reds vs Brewers trend
Cincinnati has hit the Game Total Over in 13 of the last 20 games (+5.15 units, 23% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Reds vs. Brewers.
How to watch Reds vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Friday, September 11, 2026
First pitch
7:45 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV
Reds starting pitcher
Andrew Abbott (6-10, 4.43 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Dustin May (6-9, 4.69 ERA)
Reds vs Brewers latest injuries
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.
The Chicago Cubs are a sizable home favorite over the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the 2:20 p.m. ET first pitch of their series opener at Wrigley Field on Friday, Sept. 11.
My top Pirates vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks expect Chicago lefty Shota Imanaga to lead the way in a convincing win this afternoon.
Who will win Pirates vs Cubs today: Cubs -1.5 (45%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Additionally, the Chicago offense is ripe to rebound following a disappointing series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs posted an uncharacteristically low .235 BABIP, with their .282 wOBA also well below their .323 xwOBA during the three-game set.
Pittsburgh righty Wilber Dotel is scheduled to make his first career start before giving way to a bullpen that ranks eighth in xERA and 13th in xFIP across the past 30 days, but it’s also a potentially tired group that was tasked with 12 1/3 innings during their three-game series that wrapped up Thursday night.
With the highlighted statistical correction ahead for Chicago paired with them ranking fourth in wOBA and fifth in ISO against righties for the campaign, I’m anticipating the North Siders giving Dotel early trouble before chipping in runs against the Pittsburgh bullpen.
The weather forecast calls for the wind to be blowing in modestly at Wrigley Field this afternoon, so with the noted offensive struggles of the Pirates against lefties, I’m not anticipating Pittsburgh piling up runs against Imanaga.
Pittsburgh has played to the Under in 28 of their last 50 games (+7.20 Units / 13% ROI), and Imanaga has held the Pirates to a minuscule .345 OPS across six starts against them, after all.
Additionally, while there is statistical correction ahead for the Cubs, Pittsburgh essentially going with a bullpen game should keep the Chicago lineup off balance just enough to keep this total Under the number.
This total is in play to 56%.
Pirates vs Cubs home run prediction: Michael Conforto (14%)
Pittsburgh righty Carmen Mlodzinski is a candidate to pitch multiple innings in relief Friday, so Conforto should see multiple looks to stay hot this afternoon.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 57-31, +28.68 units
Over/Under bets: 29-30, -0.92 units
Pirates vs Cubs weather
The forecast calls for a sunny 76°F afternoon with no chance of precipitation and a steady 8 mph breeze blowing inward from the outfield should give pitchers a slight edge.
Pirates vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Pirates 38% | Cubs 65%
Run line: Pirates +1.5 (55%) | Cubs -1.5 (46%)
Over/Under: Over 8 (52%) | Under 8 (52%)
Pirates vs Cubs trend
The Cubs have covered the run line in 28 of their last 50 games (+8.40 Units / 14% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Cubs.
How to watch Pirates vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Friday, Sept. 11, 2026
First pitch
2:20 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet Pittsburgh, Marquee
Pirates starting pitcher
Wilber Dotel (1-4, 4.41 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga (9-10, 3.92 ERA)
Pirates vs Cubs latest injuries
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.
DALLAS, TEXAS - JUNE 29: New Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May is introduced during a press conference at American Airlines Center on June 29, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A winning culture comes before actually winning. Good coaches and winning players know this, and new Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May just made sure to emphasize how that’s exactly what they are building in Dallas right now.
Looking at the current NBA Champions, the New York Knicks, we see one of the greatest examples of the power of a winning culture in recent history. The Knicks don’t have superstars. They don’t have an NBA MVP or the scoring leader. The Knicks have a well-built team, a strong leader in Jalen Brunson, who was brought up in the team-oriented culture of Villanova. He knows how to make a team work together and take the lead when needed, and a team with a very firm winning culture.
The interesting part of this, with Dallas glasses on, is that this specific mental aspect of basketball, which is just as important as individual skillset – a winning culture – has clearly been a priority by Dallas Mavericks president and GM Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz since they took over.
We see that in who they drafted this summer, who they acquired, and who they kept on the roster.
Here’s Dusty May again:
“Sass (Marcus Sasser) coming from the Houston program out of college and the Pistons last year, coming from a winning organization. He’s used to winning.”
May highlights the new players as more than capable of helping to (re)establish that culture in Dallas.
“That’s the majority of our roster, especially the newly acquired players. You look at Tarik (Biberovic), going to the EuroLeague finals. Morez (Johnson Jr.) winning a championship.”
IOWA CITY, IA – MARCH 5: Forward Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines shares a moment with head coach Dusty May following the match-up against the Iowa Hawkeyes on March 5, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“Zacch (Risacher) with an Atlanta Hawks team that had the Knicks down in the playoffs, before the Knicks caught fire and figured some things out,” he said, making a point to note how building a winning culture may be a top priority as the pre-season begins.
“We have a lot of guys who know what winning requires,” May said and repeated that they don’t have to teach all these young guys what it takes. They already know.
And may I add Sergio De Larrea? Coming fresh off a Spanish championship win with Valencia over Spanish powerhouse Barcelona, he also won Best Young Player 2026 in the Spanish ACB league. He knows how to win, as well.
Creating a winning culture, which we probably saw in Dallas the last time in 2024 during the Finals run, also takes veterans and leaders on and off the court setting the tone.
Here, Dusty May mentioned two players especially, two names which probably won’t be a big surprise to anyone. The first one had him “blown away” after watching him practice.
“We all know how talented Kyrie (Irving) is with a ball in his hand, not in his hands. But to see his preparation, attention to detail and IQ, it’s something that I’ve never seen at the level he works.”
You expect a player like Kyrie Irving to be over the hill right now, when you think about his long and successful career, to be a locker room presence and vet. But the impressive part about Kyrie, May pointed out, is that he is still one of the best players in the league when healthy – as well.
“For someone to still be able to impact the day to day like he does, and also be able to have the leadership role, it’s gonna prove invaluable,” May said.
The second player is Cooper Flagg, of course. The young number one draft pick, who’s entering his second season, and in some way managed to live up to all the hype. A guy who struggled losing as much as Dallas did last season and – or but – still carries that special winning player competitive spirit to everything he does.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 11: Kyrie Irving #11 and Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks pose for a picture during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 11, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center 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 Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“To be 19 years old and to have everything thrown at him as he has,” the Dallas Mavericks head coach said, “it’s a real testament to his maturity and to the people around him to keep him grounded, because he is just a normal guy.”
And to Dusty May, being his coach comes with a special obligation.
“There’s a real responsibility that he becomes the absolute best he can be.”
“At every level of basketball, he’s affected winning. So that’s what we expect of him. It’s going to be fun to be part of his journey,” Dusty May said and once again, we’re back at the topic at hand.
Because this seems to be the general point Dusty May and the Mavs want to push and put out there. ‘We’re building a winning culture here. Through the players we acquire, through the players we retain, through the way we build the team and how we communicate’.
For something like this to work, however, it is important that everyone involved, including the fanbase, understands that it is not a quick fix. It’s a long process of building a roster and a culture around a guy, who they feel – and rightfully so – that they have a responsibility to help fulfill his potential.
So if the Knicks win last season serves to prove a point here; about how a team can be better than the sum of its parts when trust, connection and leadership are on point and a roster is made to work together – then this new Dallas Mavericks leadership may just be on to something.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 10: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on September 10, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mariners 4, Rangers 3
I’m bummed. So bummed.
This game…sigh.
Jacob deGrom was, so, so good.
19 batters faced. 12 fanned. Just one hit, on a ball that goes for an out if he doesn’t get his glove on it.
Everything seemed set up for the Rangers to take the finale and keep up in the playoff hunt.
And then…
Everything comes crashing down.
The bullpen, which has been the source of so many problems of late, was to blame.
But this time, it was one of the reliable guys, one of the pitchers we haven’t had cause to complain about.
Jakob Junis, someone who feel good about, someone who we think, if we can just get the game to him and Jacob Latz, we are in good shape.
A hit batter. A slow roller the other way that snuck through the infield. A single. And then a Julio Rodriguez blast.
And like that, in a span of four batters, the game, and the Rangers season, has turned around.
The Rangers had an uphill battle to make the playoffs even with a win in Seattle. The odds were against them.
But I felt like they could do it. They could make it to the postseason. Not that they would, necessarily, but they could.
Now? Now, it feels like the season is over.
And we can think about all the games the Rangers could have won this year, but didn’t, all the missed opportunities.
Or we can just think about this one game, about the ball caroming perfectly off the backstop to Cal Raleigh to tag out Nicky Lopez on what seemed at first to be a no-doubt run scoring wild pitch, about Wyatt Langford being tagged out at home two innings later on an inning-ending wild pitch, about the tying and go-ahead runs being on base in the ninth, only to be stranded.
It makes me sad.
I want to make myself set that aside, and appreciate instead the greatness of Jacob deGrom, appreciate what he did in this game, say that his excellence stands apart and can be enjoyed and embraced without regard to the final outcome of the game. That would be the rational thing to do.
But sports fandom, and sports feelings, aren’t rational, are they?
Jacob deGrom’s fastball topped out at 99.6 mph, averaging 98.3 mph. Jakob Junis reached 94.0 mph with his fastball. Robert Garcia’s fastball maxed out at 95.0 mph. Robby Ahlstrom touched 95.2 mph with his fastball.
Ezequiel Duran had a 108.2 mph ground out. Joc Pederson had a 102.3 mph home run. Danny Jansen had a 101.6 mph single.
Baseball continues, whether we want it to or not. On to Arizona.
Riley Greene
Rafael Flores Jr.
COVERS INTEL:
