BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 08: Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a two-run single in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 08, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Somehow, some way, the Guardians find themselves a half game out of first in the AL Central.
The Guardians won 5-2 over the Twins last night as covered here by Jakhob. Today they will do a bullpen game with Daniel Espino opening and Joey Cantillo and Slade Cecconi pitching at some point. The Twins will open with Connor Prielipp and use Bailey Ober as their length guy. Then, tomorrow is Tanner Bibee vs. Joe Ryan who will be on a pitch limit. The Guardians would actually have to sweep this series to take the season series from the Twins. How is this team still in position to win a division and even get a first round bye, again??
They need to go get someone from Triple-A to take at-bats from Jo Adell vs. RHP. It’s not working but I also understand he’s currently the best option Vogt has on the roster.
The Guardians also have a two-game lead for the third AL Wildcard. What a pathetic American League this year.
Around MLB:
The White Sox, Astros, Rangers and Blue Jays lost, and the Orioles won.
A.J. Ewing has had to battle through ups and downs during his first big league season, like any rookie would.
The young slugger recently endured a dreadful two-month slump at the plate that saw him uncharacteristically expanding the zone, leading to an uptick in strikeouts.
As he’s done throughout this terrific campaign, though, Ewing appears to have found his way out the other side.
Like everyone else in orange in blue, the lefty was set down pretty easily by Carlos Rodon, but he was able to break through later in the ballgame against the Yankee bullpen.
Ewing delivered a big two-out RBI single against former Met Paul Blackburn, keeping a rally going and cutting into the deficit in the top of the seventh.
He then led off the ninth by jumping all over a first pitch fastball from star closer David Bednar, crushing it high over the bleacher creatures into the second-deck in right.
The Mets still ended up dropping the opener, 5-3, but it’s been encouraging to see the 22-year-old rounding back into form down the stretch in the regular season.
Ewing’s blast was his second during his five-game hitting streak, and he’s also added nine RBI during that span.
Looking further, he’s hitting .316 with a .355 OBP and .829 OPS over his last 15 games.
“I’m just trying to win pitches right now,” Ewing said. “Not trying to do anything more that the plan I have -- that’s the mental side of baseball, it’s difficult to not try to chase results, but just trying to stick to the plan pitch-by-pitch.”
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 24: A detailed view of an MLB logo on an on deck circle is seen at Nationals Park on August 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One aspect of the upcoming labor battle this offseason, after the collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, is Major League Baseballs desire to expand from 30 to 32 teams.
MLB’s last expansion was in 1998, and Jeff Passan at ESPN in his outline of potential new cities notes that commissioner Rob Manfred wants the league to decide on one west coast and one east coast team by January 2029.
It will be at least three decades before MLB adds more teams, the longest stretch without expansion since the first 60 years of the American League (1901-60) saw eight teams in each league for a total of 16 teams. Since then:
1961: 16 to 18 teams (Angels, new Senators added)
1962: 18 to 20 (Mets, Colt .45s)
1969: 20 to 24 (Expos, Padres, Royals, Seattle Pilots)
It’s a bit surprising to me that baseball, which has so many unwritten rules about what players should and shouldn’t do when the game is out of hand, has settled on such a bizarre, asymmetrical surrender when it comes to position players pitching. The pitcher throws the single worst pitch he can. The batter then takes a massive overswing.
Bill Shaikin at the Los Angeles Times argues that Major League Baseball, the Players Association, and LA28 should figure out a way to come to an agreement on making MLB players available to play in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles:
The league says play ball, but not without the authority to punish players that do not wish to play.
The union says play ball, but not unless the league eases up on mandatory participation, and unless LA28, the international baseball federation and the International Olympic Committee provides major league players with flexibility in areas such as accommodations, tickets and marketing rights.
TEMPE, AZ - MARCH 2: Koby Brea #14 of the Valley Suns looks on during the game against Salt Lake City Stars on March 2, 2026 at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. 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 Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Koby Brea
Shooting Guard, 6’5, 215lb, 23 years old, 2nd season
Of all the draft picks the Phoenix Suns have acquired over the last three seasons, Brea has flashed the least at the professional level. Coming into the NBA Draft, Brea was touted as one of, if not the best, shooters in his group. At Kentucky and Dayton, he was an above-40 % shooter from 3 on high volume. That shooting has not carried over to his NBA career so far, but it will be his calling card if he has a long NBA career.
The Suns desperately need shooting on the roster and are putting their trust in Luke Kennard and Colin Gillespie to carry the majority of the floor spacing they need this upcoming season. Kennard has a player option at the end of the season and could go elsewhere, which would leave Phoenix with just one sniper on the team.
If Brea can return to form after a disappointing showing in his rookie season and in summer league, he has a chance to stay with the Suns long-term because the best version of himself is exactly what the Suns are looking for. If Brea cannot turn it around this season, this will likely be his last year in the organization on a two-way contract.
Last Season
In Brea’s rookie season, he played 12 games and just 85 minutes for the NBA squad and 34 games with the Valley Suns. In a very limited sample size at the NBA level, Brea did connect on 43.3% of his attempts from long range. He played the second-fewest minutes of anybody in the organization last year, only ahead of CJ Huntley.
With the G-League affiliate Valley Suns, Brea had a much more impactful role. He played 34 minutes per game and scored 16.4 points on 39.8% from the field and 34.9% from 3 on 10.0 attempts per game. In the G League, Brea showcased his ability to shoot off the dribble as well as off the catch, and got to the free-throw line at a decent clip, but his efficiency was far too low for the level of competition he was facing which carried over into Summer League.
As a defender, Brea did not excel at either level because of his lack of athleticism, and for a player that at best projects to be an off-the-bench sniper in the NBA, that is expected as long as you consistently hit over 40% from long range. The good news for Brea is that he made it through an entire professional season healthy because of his medical history. In 2023, when he was playing for Dayton, he had stress fractures in his legs that limited him to using a wheelchair.
The bad news is that the shooting has to improve for him to survive at the NBA level.
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
12
7.0
3.8
0.7
0.8
0.1
41.7%
43.3%
1.00%
101.8
106.0
-15
Contract and Roster Context
Brea enters the 2026-27 season on a one-year two-way contract after re-signing with the Suns in July. It will be his second two-way contract with the Suns, and he will have one two-way contract available to sign for the 2027-28 season to remain in Phoenix unless he earns his way onto the Suns on a standard contract.
What He Brings
Shooting. The most important skill in basketball. Brea is not an elite athlete, a high-level creator, an elite defender, or a dribble-drive guy, but if he can shoot it, he’ll have a spot on the Suns. That’s the main reason Collin Gillespie earned a big payday this offseason, and why the Suns went out and aggressively pursued Luke Kennard this offseason. Brea’s career in Phoenix and elsewhere in the NBA will come down to just how elite of a shooter he can be at the professional level.
While the make-or-break aspect of Brea’s game is his 3-point shooting, he does offer more than that. While Brea is undersized and an average athlete, he also sees the game at a high level. Rarely is Brea ever rushed and out of control. While he is not a player who is going to pressure the rim, he has shown flashes as a crafty midrange scorer. Brea is as polished as you can be when it comes to creating his own shot off the catch, off the dribble, and off movement; it all comes down to how consistent he is as a shooter.
What Needs to Improve
Brea has to show more consistency shooting the long ball. In an extremely limited sample size this season at the NBA level, he did shoot over 40% from 3, shooting 13-of-30 in the 2025-26 season. At the G League level, Brea did not shoot above 35% from 3 on 10.0 attempts per game. Most recently, Brea showed how streaky of a shooter he has been as a professional, scoring in single digits in multiple games and then exploding for 29 points in another game. Brea has to be a more reliable shooter to remain on the Suns roster.
If Brea can develop another skill outside of shooting, that will greatly improve his chances of remaining a Phoenix Sun past this season. Whether he improves as an isolation scorer, a playmaker, or becomes a better defender, it will help his case immensely. But again, it really comes down to Brea and his confidence in himself as a shooter.
Prediction
If you have made it this far, you can already guess how I feel this season goes for Brea. Unfortunately, the Suns are even deeper this season than they were last year, and this is likely Brea’s last year on the roster unless he makes a significant jump from his rookie season. The Suns now have even more guys on the roster that need playing time, especially at the wing position. The Suns’ newest two-way signing, Pat Spencer, fills more of a position of need as an on-ball creator and facilitator, as well as more grit and toughness that the Suns want from their role players. So Brea’s opportunity to contribute is getting squeezed out.
However, if Gillespie or Kennard miss significant time due to injuries this season, Brea may get a chance to have a role because he is the only other stereotypical shooter on the Suns bench. If he gets that opportunity, he will need to contribute similarly to how Jamaree Bouyea played last season to remain a Sun long-term.
The Suns have as deep a bench unit as any team in the NBA, which is a good problem to have. There are casualties because of that, and Brea’s development may be one of them. Even if the Suns do move on from Brea, I believe he will still get more bites at the apple because of how well he could be as a shooter. The key for him will be to make the most of his opportunity, whether it’s in the G League or at the NBA level. If he does that, then it will be a successful season.
On October 15, 2026, NBA legend Robert Parish will be in Dallas talking about his book “The Chief”, which was published earlier this year. The event is part of the Dallas Jewish Bookfest and will be hosted at the Aaron Family JCC. Dallas Mavericks radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Cooperstein will emcee, while legendary broadcaster Brad Sham will give an introduction to the evening. Tickets are $36 (found here) and include dessert and a copy of the book, which can be signed by Parish afterward.
Parish was a Hall of Fame center, best known for his time with the Celtics in the 1980’s. He won three championships there as their defensive anchor, and one more with Chicago at the end of his career. He is a nine-time All-Star, a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, and one of the game’s most iconic figures. His memoir talks about all of this, as well as getting drafted, his life before the NBA, and his upbringing in Louisiana.
Any time a legend of the game talks about their experiences, it is a treat. When you add in a guy like Cooperstein, who has worked in basketball for over 30 years, to run point on the operation, there are no limits to the insight those two will provide. It will be a very special night with plenty of incredible stories and new perspectives on some of the most important moments in NBA history. Getting more behind-the-scenes on Larry Bird, one of the most important players the NBA has ever had, will be like Christmas morning for fans of all ages. Hearing him speak about his experiences growing up in a vastly different and largely fragmented world is something you can only get from someone who lived it. It is going to be awesome, and if you live in Dallas, consider going. If you don’t, the book can be found online, most easily on Amazon.
I wish I just saw the 8-6 final score from Wednesday game. That meant that my comment from Tuesday of that the Cubs could hang with the Brewers was accurate.
Um, nah. That’s a case of spinning something positive out of nothing ending up kicking your tail.
Kevin Gausman is the next Jekyll and Hyde performer for the Cubs. What do they really have with him?
The best offense and defense in baseball was held to three hits over eight innings and committed two uncharacteristic errors.
Digging for a plus …. the bullpen allowed a hit and an unearned run over four innings. At the time, it was just clean-up work, low leverage.
That was all that could be rung out of Wednesday’s loss. Thursday’s day off may help. We’ll see.
Complimentary Starting Pitcher Solo Home Run*
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Anthony Mason (MLBTradeRumors): Phil Maton To Undergo Knee Surgery. “The team hasn’t provided many more specifics but it’s fair to assume this will end his season.”
Assorted Stories:
Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): The Cubs have a clear plan for Dansby Swanson’s return. “Cubs manager Craig Counsell provided a surprising level of detail about Swanson’s program during Friday’s pregame media briefing at Wrigley Field.”
Daniel Curran (Just Baseball): How Pete Crow-Armstrong Put It All Together. “It took a mixture of improvements to get to this version of PCA, but the final product is a star center fielder staring down an MVP season.”
Yirsandy Rodriguez (North Side Baseball): Michael Conforto Is A Flawed Hitter, and the Cubs Couldn’t Care Less. “Michael Conforto has regained the impact he once had against fastballs, but off-speed pitches continue to expose a weakness that could prove a problem for the Cubs.”
Food For Thought:
Samuel Gene Maghett (February 14, 1937 – December 1, 1969), known as Magic Sam, was an American Chicago blues musician. He was born in Grenada County, Mississippi, and learned to play the blues from listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter. After moving to Chicago at the age of 19, he was signed by Cobra Records and became well known as a bluesman. He was known for his distinctive tremolo guitar playing.
Maghett moved to Chicago in 1956, where his guitar playing earned him bookings at blues clubs on the West Side. He recorded singles for Cobra Records from 1957 to 1959, including “All Your Love” and “Easy Baby”. They did not reach the record charts but had a profound influence, far beyond Chicago’s guitarists and singers. Together with recordings by Otis Rush and Buddy Guy (also Cobra artists), the West Side Sound was a manifesto for a new kind of blues. Around this time Magic Sam worked briefly with Homesick James Williamson. Magic Sam gained a following before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He served six months in prison for desertion and received a dishonorable discharge.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 7: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants hits a double against the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park on September 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball comes to an end this weekend, so it’s time to make our picks for Player of the Week!
This week, as with many other weeks, my pick is going to be Rafael Devers! Over the last week (my week is including last Friday through this Thursday) had eight hits, four runs, three home runs and nine RBI, leading the team on offense once again.
I’m going to give an honorable mention to Bryce Eldridge as well, who has a six-game hitting streak going as of the time this is being written, and who knocked in seven RBI in that time as well.
Who is your pick for Player of the Week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this series against the San Diego Padres this afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT.
Sep 11, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Coby Mayo (16) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles kicked off their road trip with a 7-4 win in Toronto on Friday night, but unfortunately they did not get any closer to the AL’s coveted final wild card spot. That’s because the Guardians also won, beating the Twins 5-2. The gap to sneak into the playoffs remains at three games with 14 left on the schedule.
If you are still watching the Orioles at this point, you probably shouldn’t be pinning your joy on whether or not they make the playoffs. That’s been true of this team since the late-90s, and it continues today. Instead, try to find positives elsewhere.
For me, that starts with Coby Mayo lately. The guy hit another home run in the win, and this one was off of another right-handed pitcher. He is up to 23 long balls on the year and owns an OPS+ of 112. He has a .942 OPS since July 5 and has posted an OPS of .873 or better in each of the last three months. If he continues to show this promise at the plate, the Orioles will have to find a way to get his bat into the lineup most days in 2027.
Chris Bassitt was also good, allowing two runs over five innings. Since being activated off of the IL, the veteran righty has a 4.24 ERA and is averaging 5.2 innings per start. This isn’t earth-shaking stuff, but it’s solid, dependable production that the Orioles were hoping for.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand had three more hits. His OPS this season is up to .803. Maybe he needed to spend the first 3.5 months of the season in Triple-A working on some things, but it’s also worth wondering how much of a difference he would have made if he had been in Baltimore earlier in the year.
And it was a nice night for Dylan Beavers, leading the team with three RBI. The outfielder’s place in the lineup has come and gone throughout the season. So far in September he has been getting more consistent playing time, and maybe that is paying off. Getting him as many at-bats as possible down the stretch should be a priority, especially compared to someone like Leody Taveras.
The O’s and Jays are back at it today. First pitch is set for 3:07 in a matchup between Kyle Bradish (7-13, 3.91 ERA) and opener Spencer Miles (6-2, 2.77 ERA).
Links
Mulling over MVO candidates | Roch Kubatko Pete Alonso will run away with MVO honors, but who comes in second and third is less obvious. At least one starting pitcher should be in the mix. Trevor Rogers has probably been the most consistently good, though his season-long totals aren’t as appealing as some others. Shane Baz has thrown the most innings. Brandon Young feels like the savior of the group given where he began the year.
The Orioles’ front office shake-up speaks to their biggest challenge | The Baltimore Banner I cannot speak to what sort of influence Matt Blood had within the Orioles organization. Jon Meoli makes it seem like he was an important voice, and there is evidence to suggest he did some good work. But changes are clearly needed in Baltimore. Something has gotten stale. They need new perspectives to come in and explain what is working and what might need updating. It’s unclear if Blood leaving means that will happen, but it does indicate that there is some heat on the warehouse, as there should be.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Kyle Bradish turns 30 today. The righty is a real success story for the current regime. Acquired from the Angels as a modest prospect, Bradish developed into a Cy Young candidate in 2023, signed a big extension earlier this season, and has been solid in his return from Tommy John surgery this year.
Keith Hughes is 63 years old. The outfielder was a backup for the 1988 Orioles, hitting .194/.294/.324 that year.
Mark Thurmond turns 70. He spent two seasons on the Baltimore pitching staff from 1988-89, tossing 164.2 innings, mostly out of the bullpen with an occasional start sprinkled in.
The late Albie Pearson (b. 1934, d. 2023) was born on this day. From 1959-60 he was a reserve outfielder with the Orioles, accumulating a .621 OPS across 128 total games.
This day in O’s history
1964 – The Orioles beat the Athletics 1-0 in a game that sees both teams generate one hit each. The Orioles also set a record for the fewest at-bats in a nine-inning game with 19. John Orsino leads off the eighth inning with a double, is pinch run for by Bob Saverine, who then scores the lone run of the day.
1988 – Eddie Murray collects his 2,000th career hit, but the Orioles lose 6-1 to the Red Sox.
2009 – Brian Roberts hits a grand slam and his club-record 51st double of the season to lead the Orioles to a 7-3 win over the Yankees.
2014 – The O’s sweep a double-header from the Yankees, winning 2-1 and then 5-0, to step closer towards an AL East championship. It is also reported that Chris Davis will be suspended 25 games for testing positive for amphetamines, extending into the upcoming postseason.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 5: Colorado Rockies pitcher Mason Adams (38) pitches in the second inning during a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 5, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Mason Adams did not come to the Rockies with the pedigree of a top pitching prospect.
Acquired from the White Sox along with Carlos Vielma in exchange for Brenton Doyle, Adams arrived as an older arm with an injury history rather than a marquee prospect. At 26, he is pitching in the big leagues for the first time while still working his way back toward a full workload after Tommy John surgery.
It is impossible to know what he will ultimately become, but through four starts, the results are intriguing. Adams has struck out 22 batters in 18.2 innings, while allowing five home runs and plenty of hard contact.
Still, there is enough here to get excited about for a Rockies team desperate for pitching. And with four starts now under his belt, there is enough to start looking under the hood.
None of them looks particularly elite on its own. What stands out is the variety — different speeds, different movement profiles, and enough options to change how he attacks hitters as the game progresses.
Even the three fastballs move differently enough that a hitter cannot treat them as the same pitch, and the velocity separation across the arsenal gives Adams another way to change the look. His four-seamer sits roughly 11 mph above his curveball, with the cutter falling in between.
Taken together, the arsenal fits the broader direction the Rockies have been moving on the mound, even if nothing in Adams’ profile screams future ace.
The Rockies do not need Adams to become an ace. They need competent major-league pitchers — and a lot of them. So far, the way Adams has used his six-pitch mix suggests there may be enough for Adams to become a useful major-league starter.
Changing the problem
What stands out more than the number of pitches in Adams’ arsenal is how he changes the mix once hitters have seen him.
Bryan Torres provided one of the clearest examples against St. Louis, seeing five four-seam fastballs during a six-pitch walk the first time they met.
The second meeting lasted one pitch: another four-seamer, which Torres lined for a single.
A similar adjustment had shown up five days earlier in Atlanta, where Adams struck out Drake Baldwin twice using two different pitch progressions.
The usage by time through the order makes the pattern easier to see:
Start
Four-seam 1st TTO
Four-seam 2nd TTO
Sinker 1st TTO
Sinker 2nd TTO
Curve 1st TTO
Curve 2nd TTO
Aug. 25 at WSH
39%
24%
17%
26%
17%
21%
Aug. 30 at ATL
54%
15%
15%
47%
8%
24%
Sept. 5 vs. STL
51%
26%
12%
44%
15%
11%
Sept. 11 at DET
40%
32%
28%
16%
18%
32%
Adams has consistently changed his pitch mix once hitters see him again, though the specific adjustment has varied by start.
Atlanta and St. Louis make it easy to think Adams is following a simple script: show the four-seamer early, then shift toward the sinker once hitters come back around.
Detroit complicated that assumption. Instead of leaning harder on the sinker the second time through, Adams nearly doubled his curveball usage. The adjustment itself appears to be the point, not necessarily which pitch he turns to.
The swing-and-miss gives that approach some teeth, too, particularly with two pitches.
Through his first three starts, Adams’ four-seam fastball generated a 27.8% whiff rate, compared with a league baseline around 21–22% for four-seamers. His curveball was even more impressive at 58.3%, compared with a major-league baseline around 29–31%.
Against Detroit, both generated a 33% whiff rate as Adams struck out five over five innings.
Through his first three starts, only 36.1% of Adams’ balls in play were on the ground, compared with a league rate around 44%. Nearly 64% were hit in the air.
The contact was not soft, either. Adams entered Friday with a 61.1% hard-hit rate, well above the league average of roughly 39%, while right-handed hitters had slugged .808 against him.
Those numbers come from barely 14 major-league innings and should not be treated as established trends, but they are difficult to ignore:
Metric
Adams
MLB Average
Hard-Hit Rate
61.1%
39.0%
Ground-Ball Rate
36.1%
44.1%
Air-Ball Rate
63.9%
55.9%
Barrel Rate
13.9%
7.6%
Batted-ball results through Adams’ first three MLB starts. (Baseball Savant)
That is the early concern: when hitters make contact, too much of it has been hard and too much of it has been in the air.
Friday did not eliminate that problem. Riley Greene singled at 111.5 mph, Colt Keith hit a ball at 99.6 mph and John Peck hit one at 97.1 mph before Max Clark homered at 95.2 mph in the fifth.
After Clark’s home run, Adams walked the next two hitters before getting Javier Báez to roll over a sweeper for an inning-ending double play, his second of the game. Seven of his 10 non-strikeout outs came on the ground.
The contact is still a warning sign, but Detroit offered a glimpse of what is possible when Adams can keep more of it on the ground.
Enough to raise the floor?
The hard contact is real. The amount of air contact is real. The four-seamer cannot carry the arsenal by itself.
But Adams has already shown some swing-and-miss, and he has not attacked hitters the same way every time through the order. The ability to change the mix as hitters adjust is part of what makes these first four starts interesting.
Four starts are nowhere near enough to know where that leads. But for a rotation that needs competent major-league innings almost as badly as it needs upside, Adams is showing enough to suggest he could help raise the floor in 2027.
The Albuquerque Isotopes (69-73) battled back from an early three-run deficit and briefly took the lead in the seventh, but the pitching could not quite hold it in a 6-5 loss to the Reno Aces (63-78).
Roc Riggio got Albuquerque on the board with his fifth Triple-A home run in the third, and the Isotopes continued chipping away after falling behind 4-1. Edouard Julien and Chad Stevens drove in runs in the fourth before Nic Kent tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth. Sterlin Thompson then gave Albuquerque its first lead with a solo homer in the seventh, his 12th of the season.
Thompson finished 2-for-5 with the homer, two runs and an RBI and is now hitting .325 with a .989 OPS. Riggio went 3-for-4 with his homer and an RBI, pushing his OPS to .840. Julien added two hits and an RBI, while Kent also had two hits. Albuquerque finished with 12 hits and three walks, but went just 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base.
The pitching was leaky throughout. Patrick Weigel allowed two runs over two innings, pushing his season ERA to 7.38, while Mason Green gave up two more over four innings. Parker Mushinski surrendered the tying run in the seventh, moving his ERA to 3.38, before Jeff Criswell allowed the go-ahead solo homer to Aramis Garcia in the eighth and took the loss.
The Hartford Yard Goats (65-70) were held scoreless for seven innings before making a late push, but the comeback fell just short in a 4-3 loss to the Somerset Patriots (73-63).
Somerset built a 4-0 lead against Konner Eaton, scoring once in the first, once in the third and twice in the fourth. Eaton allowed four runs on six hits and three walks over five innings, striking out five and surrendering two home runs before Nathan Blasick and Hunter Mann combined for three perfect innings out of the bullpen.
Hartford finally broke through in the eighth when Jack O’Dowd singled and Jimmy Obertop followed with his fifth home run of the season to cut the deficit to 4-2. The Yard Goats threatened again in the ninth, loading the bases with nobody out before O’Dowd brought home Braylen Wimmer with a sacrifice fly. Dyan Jorge stole second for his 55th steal of the season, but Obertop and Skyler Messinger struck out to end the game.
O’Dowd finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Obertop drove in two with the homer. Hartford had eight hits but struck out 11 times, went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left six on base.
Defector’s Lauren Theisen checks in on the Rockies, finds them improved from last year and still very much the Rockies. It’s a short, funny read built around Tuesday’s loss in New York and one especially ugly defensive sequence.
Sarah Langs looks at the ridiculous success hitters have had in their MLB debuts this season, including a record 15 players who have homered in their first game. There’s some Rockies history in the mix too, with Trevor Story among the rare players to homer twice in a debut.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand looks at a Tigers team that has struggled this season but still has a young core led by Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, Max Clark and Dillon Dingler. With the Rockies in Detroit this weekend, it’s an interesting look at a rebuilding club that already has several young players producing at the major-league level.
How will Spurs and Everton fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options
Tottenham Hotspur’s resurgence after a season that saw them nearly relegated from the Premier League has yet to materialize. Indeed, Roberto De Zerbi’s side are still searching for their first win of the league season, placing a certain importance on Saturday’s fixture.
Anything less than a Spurs victory could turn the atmosphere toxic. The sound of boos from the home fans would be music to the ears of David Moyes and his Everton players as they aim to improve a run of just one win in 16 visits to Tottenham.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Mark Williams #15 of the Phoenix Suns posts up on Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 113-110. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Duke Blue Devil Mark Williams and the Phoenix Suns have some bad news: Williams suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder, was operated on Thursday, and is expected to be out for several months.
That’s terrible news for Williams, but it could be very positive news for fellow Brotherhood member Khaman Maluach.
Expected to be Williams’ understudy and to eventually become the starting center for the Suns, now there’s a lot of pressure on Maluach to produce now.
He entered the NBA last year as a very raw rookie, but like we saw at Duke, he’s a fast study. He got a lot out of his time in the G League, and we expect he’ll continue his rapid improvement.
Ahead of the weekend’s prospect challenge, Montreal Canadiens rookies took to the ice on Friday, and a few players then met with the media. Among them was Tyler Thorpe, the fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft and one of the bigger names at camp, who has a very realistic outlook on his career.
For him, the key to succeeding in professional hockey is knowing who you are and what your game is. Thorpe knows what his game is and what his role can be on a team. He knows that if he makes the NHL, it will be as an energy guy; he won’t be a top-six forward; he’ll be a fourth-line player whose job is to hit players and be annoying on the forecheck. Asked when he came to that realization, he explained that it was in his first year in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants. Recalling the meeting where his coach told him that, he said he left with a big smile on his face.
When asked which players he likes to see in the NHL, he mentioned Josh Anderson and Tom Wilson, saying he loves their style of play. He’s met Anderson in Brossard a few times.
Even though he’s already in the second year of his ELC, he knows that doesn’t mean he’ll make it in the NHL. It gives him a good opportunity, but he clearly doesn’t feel like he’s made it yet, which is the right approach to have.
At 6-foot-4 and 231 pounds, Thorpe should stand out amongst the prospects this weekend, and if things get physical over the weekend against the Winnipeg Jets and the Ottawa Senators prospects, he’ll no doubt be happy to oblige.
Another player who’ll relish that kind of play is Owen Protz, the 20-year-old blueliner who explained to the media that his love for physical play comes from his competitiveness. From a very young age, his goal was always to beat his older brother at whatever they were playing, and that made him love competing, which carried over to his hockey career. At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, the blueliner, who’s starting the first year of his ELC, will be another player to watch this weekend.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 10: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees connects on his second inning RBI base hit against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium on September 10, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
To say that Anthony Volpe’s MLB career to this point has been a disappointment would be an understatement. He has certainly had his moments, but a first-round pick producing an 85 wRC+ in parts of four campaigns is definitely not what you want, 2023 Gold Glove notwithstanding. Having said that, it’s impossible to deny that the kid is a hard worker and seems determined to make it work at the highest level.
After the Yankees promoted George Lombard Jr. immediately following the Trade Deadline, Volpe was sent to the minor leagues. He didn’t use the time to play around or publicly complain about fate and harsh roster decisions. No, he used it to train, work, and try to become the best version of himself he could be.
Volpe made adjustments at the plate, increased his focus, and started to perform and put up numbers in Scranton. From August 7th to September 7th—exactly a month’s worth of stats—he hit .284/.381/.642 with a 1.023 OPS, a 159 wRC+, 10 home runs, seven doubles, and eight steals as well. Additionally, he worked in other infield positions other than shortstop, increasing his versatility by spending the bulk of his time at the keystone, plus a few games at the hot corner.
Of course, Volpe has raked in the minor leagues before; that’s part of what excited Yankees fans about him in the first place, especially in 2022. The challenge will be doing it in the majors, but he got off to a solid start with a 3-for-4 performance on Thursday against the Rockies as a second baseman filling in for the injured Jazz Chisholm Jr. One of those hits was a grand slam to the Short Porch, and on the night, he drove in five while stealing a base.
Nobody rational is losing their minds over one game, but there are some changes he implemented in his batting stance and timing mechanism that are worth discussing. A Twitter user named Victor posted a video comparing Volpe’s stance earlier in 2026 and one from Thursday’s game, and the difference is quite clear.
Here’s a Volpe swing from earlier this year (top) vs. the grand slam he just hit.
The swing seems much more explosive. Obviously, being healthy after offseason labrum surgery helps, but the infielder seems to have incorporated a step-back move to fully load and then unleash his power on pitches. The swing path also looks different, in this lone example, at least. Well, for a day, at least, it all worked, but his Triple-A performance this past month can’t be completely ignored, either.
Since they have a pressing need at second with Chisholm out and he only made three appearances at the hot corner in the minors, Volpe is expected to be used almost exclusively at the keystone in the short-term, although it’s nice to know he could be an emergency option across the infield if something comes up. All things considered, the former Gold Glover does have some exciting potential to help the Yankees in the next week or two. He just has to take advantage of his opportunity.
Although it almost feels as though Volpe has been around forever, the man is still just 25 years old. Fate and his own hard work have given him a chance to put himself on the map again—especially as the Yankees enter an offseason where Chisholm may depart in free agency. It’s likely to be a brief window in terms of immediate 2026 impact, so he needs to show something.
Whatever happens with Volpe when Chisholm returns is anyone’s guess, because the latter is expected to slide back to his starting role once he’s deemed healthy enough to play. For the former, however, it all starts with making a good impression in the handful of MLB games he will be given in the next couple weeks, and we aren’t talking exclusively about stats: how his swing looks, how he fares in adversity, how he looks with the glove, and his level of intensity and focus will all be evaluated. It’s one thing to have a big game with the cellar-dwelling Rockies in town; it’s quite another to do so against tougher foes, especially if he remains a factor for the Rays series from September 22-24 (though Chisholm could be back by then).
Volpe has a brief but meaningful chance in front of him, regardless of whether or not it results in a spot on the postseason roster, or if there’s a potential impact on 2027 plans. Those are discussions for another time. The here and now is all that matters for Volpe.
SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 24: José Alvarado #46 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Monday, August 24, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Jose Alvarado’s appearance last night probably solidified what Don Mattingly is thinking in the playoffs. He and Alex McFarlane are going to be the bridges to Jhoan Duran. Jonathan Bowlan looks like he is struggling to handle to pressure as it continues to mount with each appearance that gets closer to September, so maybe those are the two that get leaned on.
Boston, MA - September 9: Boston Red Sox designated hitter Roman Anthony makes the last out of the game. The Boston Red Sox played the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park on September 9, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Red Sox continue to prepare for the inevitable when the regular season comes to an end: a return to Yankee Stadium in the Wild Card series for the second consecutive season.
The Yankees have pulled further ahead for the top Wild Card spot in recent days, fueled by a series against the lowly Colorado Rockies. That all but seals the deal that the Red Sox won’t host the first round at Fenway Park. In the meantime, Boston’s magic number for a playoff berth is into single digits.
Should the team take care of business, the Red Sox will clinch playoff berths in consecutive seasons for the first time since three straight trips from 2016 to 2018. Boston’s path to October in 2025 and 2026 came on drastically different paths, though the records could be the same or very similar.
The 2025 team slugged their way through the season, even after the rattling trade of Rafael Devers, though the lineup lost its thump late in the season with the injury loss of Roman Anthony and several platoon players holding onto playoff lineup spots. Garrett Crochet dominated as the Cy Young runner up, though the depth behind him ran out by the first round.
The Red Sox revamped their starting rotation for 2026, though the season appeared to fall apart with an insufficient offensive unit for the early months. Alex Cora got fired, Crochet and Anthony went down for months with injuries and a late-June series loss appeared to signal rock bottom. With 15 games to go this season, it’s hard to imagine that stretch being a part of the same season given the magic the Red Sox rode back into contention this summer.
So, with the context of two seasons and a strong idea of what the playoff roster should look like, are the Red Sox better positioned for a playoff run in 2026 than they were in 2025?
I believe so.
Behind Crochet, the Red Sox did not have enough proven performers ready to meet the moment in October. Brayan Bello struggled, Lucas Giolito was unavailable and Connelly Early got forced into a position contenders should not have to commit to. The lineup solely relied on Trevor Story to drive in runs while Alex Bregman ran out of gas after Game 1.
This year, the Red Sox should feel confident in all three starters they would trot out in the Wild Card series in Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez (1.48 career postseason ERA) and Payton Tolle. The lineup also has far healthier and capable impact bats with Anthony, Adley Rutschman, Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu ready to deliver when the game is on the line. Just as they were last year, Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock are weapons at the back end of the bullpen while Crochet and potentially even Tanner Houck could be ready to get outs in relief as well.
The Yankees should also feel better about their spot compared to a year ago, even with Giancarlo Stanton down for the year. Aaron Judge is back, young bats have emerged and the trio of first-round ready starters in Cam Schlittler, Max Fried and Gerritt Cole is a lethal combination, along with a bullpen that’s gelled over time.
Both rosters are better than a year ago. Another tilt in The Bronx will put the rivals back in the spotlight with the pressure on in the likelihood of another entertaining clash.
