PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Trendon Watford #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Free agent forward Trendon Watford has signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans worth $2.9 million, per reports.
Free agent F Trendon Watford has agreed to a one-year, $2.9 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. Watford considered multiple options but for New Orleans serves as a productive two-way get late into the offseason after a year in Philadelphia where he… pic.twitter.com/F8ecDrfLei
The former LSU Tiger was most recently with the Philadelphia 76ers, after previously spending two seasons with both the Portland Trail Blazers and Brooklyn Nets.
The Birmingham native immediately made an impact at LSU, averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2019 and earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors.
As a sophomore, Watford averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He scored a career-high 30 points in LSU’s SEC Tournament championship game loss to Alabama and earned First-Team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press and Second-Team honors from the coaches. He declared for the 2021 NBA Draft following the season.
After going undrafted, Watford signed a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in August 2021, which was converted to a standard contract in February 2022. He scored a career-high 27 points against Washington that March. In the 2022 NBA Summer League, Watford led Portland to the championship with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three steals, earning Championship Game MVP honors and a spot on the All-Summer League Second Team.
In July 2025, Watford joined the 76ers on a two-year contract worth $5.3 million. He recorded the first triple-double of his NBA career on November 8, finishing with 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists in Philadelphia’s 130-120 win over the Toronto Raptors.
The 25-year-old will now head to New Orleans, where he will look to help the Pelicans turn things around after finishing the 2025-26 season with a 26-56 record, 11th in the Western Conference.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 20: Jarrett Allen #31 and Max Strus #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Toronto Raptors during round one Game two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jeff Haynes /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Strus is entering the final year of his current deal with the Cavaliers earning $16.7 million in 2026-27. Strus spent the bulk of this past season on the shelf due to a Jones fracture he suffered before training camp.
Strus suited up for 12 regular season games, including his debut, where he went 7-9 shooting (6-7 from three), ending with 24 points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes.
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With the trade of Schroder on Friday, the Cavaliers were able to shave $6.8 million off their books for next season. Finding a buyer for Strus could require attaching draft capital, given the amount owed to him next season.
While it is a one-year rental, deals like this are harder to accomplish in the NBA’s apron era. Teams are more hesitant to take on any form of sizeable salary as each apron offers less roster flexibility and prevents an ability to be liquid with their current assets.
While Strus is far from a player teams would view solely as a salary hold, the salary size is notable enough to give certain teams pause. Strus is still a very capable scorer in the league and a great locker-room presence. Cleveland would definitely feel the absence of Strus’s presence on and off the court. However, according to Stein, the Cavs are looking to create the flexibility to acquire either Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson.
The active search would imply the Cavaliers are still proceeding with this approach. The question now is how much the Cavaliers will have to attach or take back from a potential trade partner to clear up the necessary space to pursue a starting small forward.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the majority of Joel Embiid’s tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers, the power forward spot has, among other factors, served as a nagging hindrance against their title aspirations.
Ben Simmons was averse to embracing the position and its typical physicality-oriented duties. Tobias Harris could not provide ancillary contributions like keen decision-making and defensive versatility while his supposed foremost trait of scoring proved mercurial in the postseason. Paul George’s health woes and on-court inconsistencies often left Philadelphia in a bind; his finest stretch as a Sixer was headlined by malleable defense, silky shot-making and grease-the-wheels passing to upset the second-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round last spring.
Over the past five years, all three players have exited the City of Brotherly Love, two via trade, one via free agency. In their stead is LeBron James, who signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Sixers after spending his past eight seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite nearing his 42nd birthday*, James remains a very good NBA player who can address weak points for the Sixers since they reshaped their roster by swapping George for Jaylen Brown earlier this offseason.
*This will be the one time I acknowledge James’ age when discussing his skill-set. It is incredibly impressive he persists as such an impactful player this deep into his career. But I am projecting how he fits onto a team carrying championship hopes, not simply celebrating the staggering accomplishment. Through that prism, his game must be assessed without any age caveat.
Most prevalently, James seriously invigorates Philadelphia’s passing attack and broadens the possibilities of the playbook offensively. Prior to his signing, a Brown-Embiid-Tyrese Maxey-V.J. Edgecombe quartet was severely lacking in the playmaking department. I worried how that group could decode stingy, ingenious playoff defenses to optimize their individual scoring talents together.
Now, James helps shore up that once-glaring deficiency, even if he’s not the ethereal offensive engine of five years ago, let alone a decade ago. He is still one of the league’s premier facilitators fueled by his size, manipulation, vision, and processing speed. Given the amount of strain Maxey, Brown, Embiid and Edgecombe can impose upon defenses as scoring threats, James should be equipped to capitalize on whatever concessions opponents allow.
At this stage of his career, his passing comfortably transcends his scoring. Conversely, Maxey, Brown, Embiid and Edgecombe are all score-first options who own varying levels of passing limitations. James is perhaps the ideal solvent to unlock them and won’t be asked to fill too large of a scoring role. Theoretically, it’s about as perfect a partnership as he and Philadelphia could’ve found.
Last season, the majority of his half-court work occurred in the post, against switches following a screen he set or operating around the wings with an empty corner alignment. I anticipate much of that deployment translating to Philadelphia since it’s not too dissimilar from how head coach Nick Nurse utilized George.
Where those two veterans differentiate is in the pressure they inflict from the elbows and mid-post. Most of George’s touches there resulted in jumpers, so teams were content to play single coverage against him, narrowing the scope of his scoring gravity.
James, though, brandishes considerably more lower body strength to chisel himself into deep position at or near the rim. George just shoots over the top of defenders — mismatches or otherwise. James bowls through them to finish inside or elicits multiple bodies to table-set cutters, shooters and big men for rhythmic scores.
According to Cleaning the Glass, 40 percent of his shots were at the rim in 2025-26 (77th percentile among forwards) and he converted 75 percent of them (92nd percentile). That’s a stark upgrade from George’s 15 percent frequency (15th percentile among wings) and 55 percent success rate (ninth percentile), which dramatically alters how the Sixers can leverage James as a stationary hub inside the arc.
James’ effective, audacious passing should behoove Maxey, who’s been overextended as an on-ball engine since James Harden’s departure and flourishes as an off-ball scorer. Look at the discrepancy in his efficiency between creation (pick-and-rolls, isolations, post-ups) and spacing play-types (spot-ups, handoffs, off-screens) last season, per databallr:
I’d love to see screen-the-screener actions for Maxey — who’s a contact-oriented screener — in which he primes Embiid for deep catches inside before zipping around a pick himself. Sets like those spotlight two divergent, high-level scorers but have been hard to embed with the lack of creation and ball-handling around Maxey in recent seasons.
The Sixers should also implement Split actions for Maxey with Embiid — who doled out the sturdiest picks of his career last year — as his screener. Heck, they can even tab Brown or Edgecombe to screen for Maxey, as both are capable of vibrantly diving to the rim if defenses swarm Maxey. Split actions were a staple of the Golden State Warriors’ dynastic run and unfold like this:
Maxey isn’t a Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson-level marksman but has drilled 41.9 percent of his career catch-and-shoot triples. Among his shooting credentials, speed and instinctive off-ball movement, he can certainly tilt the defense to let everyone thrive in Split actions, particularly with a decision-maker like James at the helm.
High-low actions between James and Embiid should feature heavily into the chemistry those two aim to establish together. Embiid’s never played alongside a passer of James’ ilk, the closest being James Harden from 2022-24. During that stretch, he averaged 36.0 points per 75 possessions on 65.5 percent true shooting with Harden on the floor, according to databallr. James’ contemporary playmaking panache is built less around pick-and-rolls than Harden’s but could nonetheless be a nightly stream of easy points for Embiid
With James most comfortable at the elbows and in the mid-post, I do wonder how he meshes alongside Brown, who considers those spots his home as well. The Sixers’ offense is better served treating James as their foundational mid-post player yet such a hierarchy may stunt Brown’s impact.
Brown is likely a superior scorer to James but a much lesser passer and a fairly stationary off-ball cog. He does not routinely cut or move and has only made 34.8 percent of his catch-and-shoot long balls the past three seasons.
The degree to which they harmonize could determine Philadelphia’s offensive ceiling and be contingent on how well each performs as spot-up shooters, where they’ve both oscillated over the years. Although, I do think their collective propensity for physicality and paint scoring are major boons to potentially paper over incongruency elsewhere.
Tossing Embiid, a face-up and low-block player, into the mix could further complicate matters, too. But his size, pick-and-roll scoring, midrange touch, dribble handoff talents and advantage passing make me more optimistic about how he’ll fit with James.
While still a useful half-court technician because of his virtuoso playmaking, James is not much of a dribble-drive creator these days. He can burp up unnecessary, ill-advised jumpers and lacks the explosion/ball-handling to punish defenders off the bounce as he did in his heyday. Perimeter creation attempts sometimes grow stagnant or unfruitful and lead to wasted trips down the court.
Yet in the open floor, he is mesmerizing and devastating, seemingly eager to maximize those opportunities and avoid the constraints of the half-court. Per Cleaning the Glass, with James out there, the Lakers’ transition frequency was 2.4 points higher and their transition offensive rating was 1.6 points higher per 100 possessions last season.
Since the Sixers traded away Simmons — they ranked among the top eight in transition rate during three of his four seasons — they’ve dialed down the tempo. They’ve finished 19th or lower three times and never eclipsed the league’s 11th-highest transition frequency over the past five years.
James, Brown, Maxey and Edgecombe are likely to change that; according to Synergy, the initial three were among the top four in transition possessions per game last season while Edgecombe was 48th overall (409 eligible players). All of them can ignite and punctuate fast breaks, especially James. He’s a bullet train with the ball who loves arcing outlet passes for quick buckets.
In semi-transition, inverted actions including James as the ball-handler and Maxey, Brown or Edgecombe as the roller will lather up this offense. James and Austin Reaves wielded these connections to team up for plenty of snappy scores during their years together. His new running mates should do the same.
James’ passing flair ensures he’ll see plenty of time on the ball. But there will also be many stretches when Maxey, Brown and Embiid commandeer possessions. During those periods, James’ feel and athleticism can shine. He and the Sixers would be shrewd to minimize his half-court creation volume — containing most of it to transition chances — and funnel the majority of his field goals in that context to play-finishing responsibilities.
Cuts, drives off the catch, deep seals, off-ball screens into hard dives and on-ball screens into spacious rolls should be the emphasis. Of course, it is unrealistic to fully separate one’s scoring and playmaking usage like this. He will take shots via his elbow/mid-post touches and snug pick-and-rolls. Being diligent about not letting those scenarios overlap too much, though, is imperative for fostering his ideal offensive environment.
Beyond Maxey, the Sixers’ starting five is quite light on shooting. Reserves Anfernee Simons (career 38.1 percent from deep) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (36.5 percent) are pivotal in alleviating some of those concerns. Regardless of what those three do, Philadelphia, to reach the lofty offensive heights it seeks, must ply its trade inside and rely heavily on James to do so.
His individual interior exploits have been outlined above. But he is also one of the NBA’s foremost playmakers around the basket — an area Maxey, Philadelphia’s primary playmaker last year, has long struggled — tossing lobs, whizzing feeds to cutters and fitting drop-offs or wraparounds through keyholes.
Note his at-rim assists per 100 possessions from the past four seasons (smaller number is percentile ranking):
Or how much higher the Lakers’ rim frequency was with him on the court each of the last four years, per Cleaning the Glass (a consistent trend throughout his illustrious career):
An interior-inclined offense short on long-range shooting is not a new phenomenon for the Sixers. They’ve been among the top 10 in rim frequency the last three seasons. But they’ve dawdled as a bottom-15 group offensively partly by virtue of never placing higher than 24th in rim efficiency. James (and Brown) should help remedy that.
For as monumental an offensive upgrade James represents over George for Philadelphia, his latest seasons defensively indicate a notable defensive decline from his Sixers predecessor.
James is a fairly inactive defender, content to switch out of most actions and avoid being thrust into screen navigation requirements or on-ball duties. Once a ferocious help-side rim protector, his flame has dimmed. Vigorous rotations at the basket or pick-six steals are highlights rather than an accurate snapshot of his signature off the ball.
Philadelphia will miss George’s point-of-attack aptitude, swirling limbs of chaos and interior imprint. The gulf between his and James’ rim protection over the past three years is vast, per databallr (top is George, bottom is James):
Similarly, the gulf between their playmaking is substantial. Last season, George averaged 2.7 steals (98th percentile) and 6.5 deflections (98th) per 100 possessions. His STOP rate (steals, blocks recovered by the defense, offensive fouls drawn per 100) was 3.5 (94th).
James’ production in those categories? 1.8 (64th percentile), 2.7 (30th) and 2.4 (60th).
Illuminating this reality does not mean the indirect George-for-James swap at the 4 is a negative for Philadelphia. In essence, the Sixers opted for Brown and James over George. That’s an easy decision that makes them much better entering 2026-27, led by the offensive dominion those two acquisitions will instill.
Yet they are demanding lots from Embiid as the lone interior force (commonplace for him, we’ll see what he looks like another year removed from the tumult of 2023-24); hoping for a bounce-back year on the ball for Brown (while still carrying a hefty load offensively, albeit smaller than 2025-26); asking Edgecombe to expand upon the defensive intrigue of last season, and banking on Dean Wade to continue excelling at the point of attack.
None of those are unreasonable expectations. They’re merely many dominoes needed to fall for Philadelphia’s presumably potent offense to be flanked by a serviceable defense in a post-George existence (again, George out, James and Brown in is a smash hit).
More than anything, envisioning what an overhauled roster uniting so much talent and starpower may resemble is a guessing game of the highest order. I have an idea of what James brings and how he fits. I could be off-base in my assessment.
At worst, I know his passing sorcery is an element Brown has never experienced, nor has the All-NBA version of Maxey or the still-very-good-yet-below-MVP-caliber era of Embiid. That should benefit all of them and render the Sixers an improved team in 2026-27. I’m fascinated to watch it shake out.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 16: Starting pitcher Casey Mize #32 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on August 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres and the Cleveland Guardians got off to a slow start in the final game of the three-game series at Progressive Field, but it had nothing to do with their play. The teams were unable to take the field due to weather in the Cleveland area and the start of the game was delayed by more than three hours.
Once the teams were able to begin play, Casey Mize dominated the Guardians’ lineup and the Padres offense gave him enough support to earn a 5-0 win in the final game of the series which also gave San Diego a series win. Mize completed six scoreless innings and allowed just three hits with one walk and three strikeouts before turning the game over to the bullpen.
Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon and Yuki Matsui followed Mize’s lead and dominated the Cleveland lineup. All three relievers completed scoreless innings, in fact none of the three even allowed a hit. Estrada worked the seventh and allowed a walk with one strikeout. Morejon worked the eighth without allowing a batter reach base and Matsui finished off the ninth with a five-run lead, allowing one walk and striking out two.
The Padres got to Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee early. Luis Rengifo hit a two-out solo home run in the top of the second and was followed by Gavin Sheets who also hit a two-out solo home run to give San Diego a 2-0 lead after its half of the second. Jackson Merrill led off the top of the fourth inning with a walk and later came in to score on a two-out single by Xander Bogaerts to put the Padres in front, 3-0.
San Diego tacked on a run in the top of the eighth inning when Jase Bowen connected on a solo home run to right field, which was his second of the season. The Padres were not done there, they added another run to their total in the top of the ninth inning when Jake Cronenworth connected on a solo home-run to right field that made the score, 5-0.
There were contributions in the game throughout the lineup, but Mize and the San Diego pitching staff set the tone. The Padres will look to add another win to their total when they visit the New York Mets for a three-game series starting today at 4:10 p.m.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 14: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on August 14, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles are currently in possession of a wild card spot. This is not something that I thought I would be writing in mid-August. The idea of the Orioles getting into this position has seemed improbable throughout the season due to all of their flaws. This only seemed less probable at the beginning of this month when Mike Elias traded away a few players, subtracting from the team’s already-longshot chances.
The Rays-Yankees-Rays gauntlet was supposed to be what would sink them, and maybe it still will, but three games into it, the Orioles have won three games and the competition has bumbled around so the O’s have themselves a wild card position. It’s hard to believe and it’s still true. Naturally, in this week’s podcast, I try to make sense of the O’s rising from the ashes like the phoenix, even though a sub-.500 team having a postseason place this deep into the season doesn’t make much sense at all.
As long as every other team is continuing to stay in the mediocre muck, maybe the record the Orioles need to get into the postseason is less daunting as it once seemed. Could 83 or even 82 wins end up doing it at this point? In this episode, I’m thinking about the math involved, what needs to keep going right for the Orioles, what could maybe start going better in another week or two, and I’m continuing to think about Gunnar Henderson, who is a crucial part of this effort.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers (-233) hope a trip to Coors Field cures their recent struggles as they begin a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.
Blake Snell makes a rare appearance, whereas the Rockies trot out Tomoyuki Sugano, who is due for significant regression.
See why my Dodgers vs. Rockiespredictions and MLB picksfor Aug. 17 are backing the visitors in a rout.
Who will win Dodgers vs Rockies today: Dodgers -2.5 (-107)
The Los Angeles Dodgers have the second-best OPS (.762), wOBA (.333), and wRC+ (110) this year, yet have been slumping this month (84 wRC+).
Tomoyuki Sugano has navigated an unseemly 6.93 xERA en route to 12 wins and a 4.43 ERA.
The bill is coming due on both. Sugano can't walk this tightrope much longer, and L.A.'s lineup has the perfect matchup, in the perfect ballpark, to experience positive regression.
Blake Snell (120 Stuff+) should overpower a Colorado Rockies lineup with the second-worst wRC+ (82) against southpaws.
Dodgers vs Rockies Over/Under pick: Over 10.5 (-112)
Sugano has surrendered a .341 AVG and 1.196 OPS in prior meetings with L.A.'s projected lineup, so I expect a crooked number from the Boys in Blue.
Snell looked dominant in his last start (6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 10 Ks), although part of his effectiveness has come via an unreal 154 Stuff+ on his curveball. Benders don't operate optimally in Coors, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see a bit of regression from Snell in a strong, but not peak, start.
Neither bullpen has been trustworthy, so I'm counting on runs.
Dodgers vs Rockies home run prediction: Freddie Freeman (+344)
Out of the 24 home runs Sugano has allowed, 17 have been to left-handed hitters. His xERA jumps to 7.68 and his FIP to 6.49 when at a platoon disadvantage.
That's music to Freddie Freeman's ears, as he's crushed righties with .316/.392/.500 splits while hitting 11 of his 15 home runs.
Sugano's 22nd percentile groundball rate means Freeman has better odds than normal to let loud with a long fly ball.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 29-34, -9.7 units
Over/Under bets: 38-26, +10.1 units
Dodgers vs Rockies weather
It's Coors Field, so expect the typical bump in offensive expectations given the conditions.
Dodgers vs Rockies odds
Moneyline: Dodgers -233 | Rockies +223
Run line: Dodgers -2.5 (-104) | Rockies +2.5 (EVEN)
Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-108) | Under 10.5 (+104)
Dodgers vs Rockies trend
The Rockies have gone Over the total in 12 of their last 19 games. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Rockies.
How to watch Dodgers vs Rockies and game info
Location
Coors Field, Denver, CO
Date
Monday, August 17, 2026
First pitch
8:40 p.m. ET
TV
SNLA, Rockies.TV
Dodgers starting pitcher
Blake Snell (0-1, 5.00 ERA)
Rockies starting pitcher
Tomoyuki Sugano (12-5, 4.43 ERA)
Dodgers vs Rockies 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.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 16: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates a two RBI double in the top of the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on August 16, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Parker Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite selling at the deadline, battling key injuries for months, and treading water all season long, the Orioles find themselves in sole possession of a playoff spot with less than a quarter of the schedule left to play. It has been an unlikely about face that has seen the O’s beat up on the AL’s best team and take advantage of a dip in form for just about every other team in the mix for the final wild card spot.
The Orioles have been one of the sport’s bigger disappointments to this point. They came into the season with aspirations of a deep playoff run after making several aggressive moves over the winter. But maintaining momentum has proven difficult. Their offense hasn’t been the juggernaut they hoped it would be, and several key injuries have cut into the depth they had built up. All of that has kept the O’s on the outside of the playoff picture for much of the summer, but that all changed over the weekend.
This recent improvement has perked up the ears of a fan base that had (understandably) written the team off a long time ago. Now, instead of begrudgingly turning our sporting attention towards football and the fall, we can lock back into baseball for a few weeks longer, at least. Can this team give us intriguing baseball heading into September? What about October? They have as good of a case to make as any of the AL’s many other mid-tier teams.
Their best hitters are producing
It’s not that the lineup has been “bad” this season, but they haven’t been nearly as good as they were supposed to be. The plan was for this to be a borderline Top 5 unit. Instead, they have fallen somewhere between 10th and 15th in MLB in most categories. Much of the blame for that underperformance goes to the team’s best hitters failing to reach their career averages. But there has been some improvement in that department recently.
Pete Alonso is leading the way with his 218 wRC+, four home runs and a .660 slugging percentage this month. Tyler O’Neill, signed prior to the 2025 season to be a mid-lineup threat, is having his best stretch as an Oriole, collecting a 163 wRC+ in August. Colton Cowser is still striking out a bunch, but he is balancing it with power (.633 slugging, three home runs in August). And, of course, there’s Gunnar Henderson.
Henderson was supposed to be an MVP candidate, in the conversation as the league’s top shortstop. It just hasn’t happened for him this season. That won’t matter as much if he can keep swinging the bat like the has the last two weeks. Since August 1, Henderson owns a 141 wRC+ and it deserves to be even higher. His .227 batting average and .409 slugging percentage are well below his .333 expected batting average and .610 expected slugging. The process for Henderson is solid right now. The results will follow.
Reinforcements are on the way
While it’s great that some of the highest paid and familiar players are carrying the offensive load right now, in order for the Orioles to maintain their hold on a playoff spot they are are going to need some help. Giving regular at-bats to Christian Franklin, Yohel Pozo, and Jeremiah Jackson probably won’t get it done.
Fortunately, the injury news in Birdland has been positive this week.
Samuel Basallo, nursing right shoulder inflammation since July 20, began a rehab assignment with Norfolk on Sunday. He went 1-for-4 with a double. It’s likely that he will need a few more days to knock the rust off before he returns to the Orioles everyday lineup. Getting his bat back into the catching mix will be a big boost over his current replacements. Pozo has good top line numbers (.286/.313/.500), but is playing well above his peripherals (.231 xBA, .308 xSLG). Carlos Narváez has provided good defense but nothing at the plate (.103/.161/.103) since joining.
Blaze Alexander, who has been out since July 13 with a hand fracture, took batting practice and fielding work over the weekend. He is expected to begin a rehab assignment sometime this week. Prior to his injury, Alexander was the Orioles hottest hitter. He had a .807 OPS on the season, which was weight down by a particularly poor April. From May 1 through his injury, Alexander was hitting .365/.414/.528 and had begun to take over the everyday job at third base, though he had spent time all over the field. His eventual return will allow Craig Albernaz to mix and match his lineup while greatly improving the team’s depth.
This is the most capable Orioles rotation in a long time
Mike Elias vowed that he would add a “frontline” starter this past offseason. The starter he identified to fill that void was Shane Baz, who the Orioles traded for from the Rays and then inked to a five-year extension through the 2030 season. Elias took some heat for it at the time since Baz wasn’t exactly a proven big league arm, though his talent was undeniable. Well, nearly five months into the 2026 season it is looking like a decent bit of business.
Baz has stayed healthy, made each of his starts, and leads the team with 139.1 innings pitched. FanGraphs credits him with 3.0 fWAR, which is also tops on the team and ranks 16th in MLB among starting pitchers. Baseball Reference is not as kind (1.5 bWAR). But no matter how you slice it, has been a positive influence on the team with his 103 ERA+ and 3.34 FIP.
Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, and Brandon Young fill out the rest of the core quartet of the O’s rotation, and each of them have been above average arms for the team this year. Bradish, in his first full season after Tommy John surgery, has seen his strikeouts dip and walks rise but manages to compete each time out. Rogers’s season totals (4.15 ERA) obscure how good he has been since the start of June (13 starts, 77 innings, 2.45 ERA, 2.85 FIP). And Young may be the most dependable of the bunch. He has allowed more than three runs in a start just twice since May 1, and the Orioles are 14-3 in games he has pitched since then as well.
In times of turmoil for the offense, the rotation is what has kept the Orioles afloat. Since June 1, they have been worth 6.4 fWAR, the fourth-highest mark in the sport. Much of that comes from the 353.1 innings they have pitched, which is also fourth in MLB during that stretch. But there is quality (3.71 FIP, fourth in MLB) and depth that is hard to find elsewhere in the league.
The rest of the AL is simply bad
You can see the elements of a good team within these Orioles. But we also have 120+ games of data to suggest that these guys are, collectively, a middling club. That’s not an insult. It’s reality. And in this year’s American League it might be enough to make the playoffs anyway.
The Orioles are one of seven teams in the AL that is currently under .500 and within 2.5 games of the final wild card spot. All of them are flawed, and one of them is going to make the playoffs. Why not the Orioles?
The 563 runs the Orioles have scored is more than any other team in the AL East, and only two of the other teams (Twins, Tigers) in the mix for the final wild card spot have scored more. As discussed earlier, there is reason to think the lineup could be even more productive down the stretch.
The Orioles are the only one of the seven clubs in the middle of the AL that has a winning record (30-28) in games against teams above .500. Maybe that comes in handy this week with games against the Rays and Yankees on the docket.
Since July 1, the Orioles are 22-15, which is the fourth-best mark in the AL. The Tigers are the only team in the mix that has played better (23-15) from that date.
Long story short, while it has been an insanely frustrating season to follow up close, and there are clear holes on this roster that need to be cleaned up heading into 2027, there is also plenty of reason to think that these Orioles can squeeze their way into the playoffs this year.
SACRAMENTO, CA - AUGUST 16: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers looks on in the dugout prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Sunday, August 16, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Don Collier/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning.
Shawn McFarland ponders what to make of the Texas Rangers after an abysmal road trip against baseball’s worst teams.
MLB dot com’s Theo DeRosa writes about the Rangers falling in the finale against the Athletics to become the first visiting team to lose a series in Sacramento since April.
McFarland checks out why Jacob Latz has barely appeared in August and it’s mostly because the Rangers have been pretty bad in August.
Aug 15, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (20) sits in the dugout before the start of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The latest reports coming out all but acknowledge that Alex Cora is going to be the next manager of the Phillies once the season ends.
Alex Cora, who turned down the job when Thomson was fired, is expected to be the Phillies’ next manager barring a World Series berth or title.
Bob Nightengale has been known to get things wrong from time to time, but considering that Cora was asked to be the manager when Rob Thomson was fired, this feels like it’s about right. Knowing that, with all the smoke that is surrounding the situation, what Alex Cora probably being the next manager mean to you? Does it move any kind of needle for you? Could he possibly get more out of the roster than what Don Mattingly has done now or Rob Thomson did in the future?
The Chicago Cubs and Wrigley View Rooftop—which the Cubs accuse of “parasitic” business practices—await a federal judge’s ruling on whether to permanently block Wrigley View Rooftop from selling tickets to view games, concerts and other events at Wrigley Field.
The two sides’ legal arguments have been refined as the Cubs and Wrigley View Rooftop vie to persuade U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman to grant summary judgment. Each contends that after Coleman weighs the evidence and testimony shared during pretrial discovery, she’ll rule that there’s nothing for a jury to decide because the law clearly favors their side. The Cubs’ summary judgment motion includes a demand for a permanent injunction that would effectively end Wrigley View Rooftop’s business.
The Cubs sued Wrigley View Rooftop in 2024 for misappropriation, unjust enrichment, false advertising, infringement and related claims. Earlier this year, Coleman held that the Cubs’ claims are plausible. She stressed the Cubs have an established property right in the product of live Cubs games produced at Wrigley Field.
In doing so, Coleman emphasized a ruling from 1938 in favor of the Pittsburgh Pirates against a radio station that placed observers on the rooftop of a building adjacent to Forbes Field to watch the game for a broadcast without paying the Pirates.
Coleman is now weighing rival summary judgment arguments. Through a recent filing authored by Martin L. Roth and other attorneys from Kirkland & Ellis, the Cubs maintain the case is straightforward: Wrigley View Rooftop sells tickets to look into Wrigley Field and does so without the Cubs’ blessing, and that practice is illegal.
The team emphasizes that Wrigley View Rooftop’s business model—which centers on ticket sales and the sale of food, beverages and merchandise to ticket holders—is predicated on the Cubs spending money to show events in Wrigley Field. This is why the Cubs derisively describe Wrigley View Rooftop as a parasite, an organism whose survival depends on the host and that takes from the host without giving back.
The Cubs also maintain the federal Copyright Act, which can preempt state law claims, is not applicable since live ballgames “do not fall within the subject matter of copyright.” The team notes that games are not works of authorship like movies or books. Along those lines, the central issue in the case is not copyrighted broadcasts of Cubs games, but the games themselves.
Another defense argument the Cubs try to strike out is that they could solve the problem by simply blocking the view. The Cubs say that assertion is a red herring, since “the law does not reward misappropriation simply because the victim could try to stop it.” The team also argues that “requiring self-help” as a rule of law could spark “intolerable outcomes.” The Cubs pose a hypothetical: “How would a retail purse designer use self-help to police against bad actors selling ‘knock off’ bags on the streets of New York?”
As to the Cubs’ trademarks, the team maintains Wrigley View Rooftop has used them without permission and has sparked consumer confusion as to whether the Cubs are selling the rooftop tickets.
To further that point, the Cubs say testimony reveals some customers express confusion after learning that the seats they bought weren’t for Wrigley Field or sold by the Cubs.
“One customer,” the Cubs say, “even included a Wrigley Field seating chart to help orient [Wrigley View Rooftop’s] staff to where she wished to be seated.”
To bolster the false advertising claims, the Cubs insist Wrigley View Rooftop has “lied to consumers” by claiming an official partnership with the Cubs, with whom the company had a contractual relationship that ended in 2023. Another alleged misrepresentation by Wrigley View Rooftop is that it is the “last independently owned rooftop” when there are other entities that own rooftops.
Wrigley View Rooftop offers a very different account of the facts and law.
The company insists the Cubs demand a property right that the law doesn’t provide “the right to prohibit people on neighboring private property from witnessing live events that [the Cubs] knowingly and intentionally exhibit in a manner that is visible from such neighboring private property.”
Through a recent filing authored by Matthew De Preter and Gary P. Hollander of Aronberg Goldgehn Davis & Garmisa, Wrigley View Rooftop says there is no statute, ordinance, contract or court ruling that supports the existence of a right that converts a “public-facing, open-air, live event into privately controlled property that extends beyond Wrigley Field.”
Wrigley View Rooftop also rejects the “parasite” label.
The company emphasizes its operations are authorized by the City of Chicago’s municipal code and that it offers a service to the public—the chance to buy a ticket to experience “the unique rooftop experience of seeing live events from a Wrigleyville rooftop.” Relatedly, Wrigley View Rooftop contends there is no legal support for the proposition that the Cubs gain a property right merely because the two businesses might be competing for people willing to pay to watch Cubs games.
If Coleman sided with the Cubs, Wrigley View Rooftop argues, “the Cubs would unilaterally dictate which rooftops get to operate when and under what conditions, and nothing would stop [the Cubs] from demanding rooftops pay 50%, 100%, 1,000% of revenues, or any other exorbitant figure the Cubs demand, simply to operate in exact compliance with the City’s Ordinance.”
Further, Wrigley View Rooftop maintains, cases involving radio broadcasts and other transmissions of information are not analogous. The company says it doesn’t sell admission to Wrigley Field, doesn’t sell Cubs tickets, doesn’t credential journalists to report on Cubs games and doesn’t record or rebroadcast Cubs games. Wrigley View Rooftop maintains its business model is selling access to a Chicago-licensed rooftop venue on its property.
“Watching is not copying,” Wrigley View Rooftop argues. “Seeing is not rebroadcasting. Witnessing is not appropriating. Operating a lawful venue across the street from an open-air stadium is not misappropriation.”
If Coleman denies summary judgment, the case will proceed to trial. Although the Cubs’ situation is factually unique given Wrigley Field’s status as an open-air venue surrounded by rooftop buildings, the case could set important precedent for sports teams in their efforts to prevent viewing of their games through unauthorized means, such as drones and emerging technologies.
The case could also end by settlement at any point, with a plausible settlement involving Wrigley View Rooftop continuing operations but sharing some percentage of revenue with the Cubs. That is the arrangement the two businesses had between 2004 and 2023.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 06: Tyler Callihan #37 of the Pittsburgh Pirates shakes water off his face in the heat during the MLB game between the Pittsburg Pirates and the Atlanta Braves on June 6, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Each time there is a rainout for a Braves game, whether we were at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Turner Field, or Truist Park, there was always someone complaining that they should have a dome. My response have always been the same. Domed stadiums add a prohibitive cost to an already expensive item. That cost is almost always shared with the surrounding community, whether they enjoy our sports team or not. To have a dome, you’re taking hundreds of millions of dollars from people that are trying to make ends meet just so 3-6 times a year we can watch a ballgame without rescheduling. And I feel okay with that stance.
However, that was considering rainouts and their cancellations. Right now, I want to talk about the heat. It was 96 degrees in Atlanta yesterday, with a heat index in the 105-110 range. A game was played yesterday that started at 1:30 pm local time. I caught the end of the game yesterday. There weren’t a lot of people in the stands for the finish. In this game, Matt Olson hit a three-run home run in the eighth to counter the game-tying homer by the Diamondbacks. The Braves survived the August Raisel Iglesias Experience for the win. And the response was… eh. But I get it.
I spent about three hours outside yesterday in my corner of Braves Country. It’s hot, fam. I get it that a nickname for the city is Hot ‘Lanta. But come on, it’s hot for 65-70 home dates a year. This isn’t some rare occurrence like a rainout, although we have seen more than a few rain delays and cancellations.
The level of heat does make the dome argument a little easier. It’s a near-year-round occurrence. Then you look at Tampa, Miami, Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix. These are all cities with roundabout the same weather concerns, that play baseball in domes. Well, Florida is its own weather (and everything else) animal, but it’s similar.
You can justify the heat argument, but I don’t know about the money angle. Truist Park, sans the lid, cost somewhere in the 622-672 million dollar range. Domes can add 40% of the cost of construction. We would end up going to the public with a tab of 260 million dollars minus whatever the Braves kick in.
For my experience, only about 20 percent of the park is guaranteed to be shaded for the entire game. For the rest, you can hang in the concourse or pay up for the seats with air conditioning. Some parks help ventilation that allows the park to breathe, but not Truist. Something about that park helps it hold in the heat. It probably has something to do with it being surrounded by acres of concrete and steel, which they can’t really control.
So do the Braves need a dome? I mean, no but still. Maybe we could have giant Big Fogg fans in the aisles? It’s hot, y’all.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles wrap up a four-game set tonight, with the hosts sitting as a heavy -150 moneyline favorite behind left-hander Shane McClanahan.
But my Orioles vs Rays predictions are backing Baltimore to take the finale, with a reliable starter on the hill and its recent offensive surge proving to be key against McClanahan.
Who will win Orioles vs Rays today: Orioles (+140)
The Baltimore Orioles hand Brandon Young the ball tonight, and he has been reliable. The right-hander owns a respectable 3.76 FIP over his last five appearances while allowing just 0.92 HR/9 and a 35.6% hard-hit rate.
On the other side, Tampa Bay Rays starter Shane McClanahan has a 4.87 xERA over his previous three starts. While he has not allowed many homers, the left-hander has walked 4.85 hitters per nine innings, which is dangerous against a thriving Orioles offense with a 120 wRC+ over the last week.
McClanahan is making his first start since leaving his last outing on July 30 due to mid-back soreness.
Tampa Bay is also swinging it well, but Baltimore’s 103 wRC+ against lefties gives the Orioles an edge.
Play this down to +120.
COVERS INTEL: Young has also performed better on the road, posting a 3.44 FIP compared to a 4.35 mark at home. That gives Baltimore another edge as an underdog.
Orioles vs Rays Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-112)
This total sits low at 7.5, and I’m targeting the Over with both lineups rolling. Baltimore’s wRC+ is well above average right now, and the Orioles also own a respectable .187 ISO over their last six contests.
Tampa Bay’s offense has been even hotter, posting a 134 wRC+ over the last week while slugging 10 home runs. Neither starter has been completely lights out, so this game could reach 4-5 runs before the bullpens enter.
There is more vulnerability late, too. The Rays’ relief corps owns a 5.18 FIP over its last 23.1 frames, while Baltimore’s bullpen has been better but not untouchable.
I’ll play the Over up to -130.
Orioles vs Rays home run prediction: Pete Alonso (+414)
Pete Alonso is showcasing his power lately. He has smacked two homers over his last six games while posting a .318 ISO during that span.
Alonso also owns a 68.4% hard-hit rate and 15.5% barrel rate over the last week. While McClanahan has limited homers lately, he is not completely untouchable, and the Rays’ bullpen gives Alonso another clear path. Tampa Bay’s relief corps has allowed 1.93 HR/9 over the last week, presenting an opportunity for Alonso to punish a mistake late.
I’ll play this pick down to +400.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 50-62, -19.47 units
Over/Under bets: 62-47, +7.93 units
Orioles vs Rays weather
Weather should be a non-factor for Orioles vs. Rays because Tropicana Field is indoors. Even if outdoor conditions are warm and mostly clear, the controlled environment removes wind, humidity, rain, and ball-carry concerns. There should be no delay risk or meaningful weather impact on scoring.
Orioles vs Rays odds
Moneyline: Orioles +144 | Rays -150
Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-150) | Rays -1.5 (+144)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-108) | Under 7.5 (+104)
Orioles vs Rays trend
The Baltimore Orioles have hit the Team Total Over in 12 of their last 16 away games (+8.40 Units / 47% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Rays.
How to watch Orioles vs Rays and game info
Location
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Date
Monday, August 17, 2026
First pitch
6:05 p.m. ET
TV
MASN, Rays.TV
Orioles starting pitcher
Brandon Young (9-3, 3.33 ERA)
Rays starting pitcher
Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.09 ERA)
Orioles vs Rays 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.
CANADA - MAY 28: Strikes his aim: Dave Lemanczyk; who missed much of last season with an injury; opens the American League season tonight for Blue Jays against Seattle Mariners in th U.S. city. He says his only problem now is throwing strikes. (Photo by Doug Griffin/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Today marks Dave Lemanczyk’s 76th birthday.
Dave was a starting pitcher for the Blue Jays during their inaugural season. He started the second game in franchise history, recording the team’s first-ever loss.
He was a solid pitcher, selected from the Detroit Tigers in the Expansion Draft. The draft itself was something of a sucker’s bet; expansion teams got to choose from players the established clubs didn’t want. While we did get Jim Clancy, Ernie Whitt, Rico Carty, and Pete Vuckovich (who would later win a Cy Young, though not as a Jay), most of our selections were cast-offs.
Lemanczyk enjoyed a strong year, setting career highs in wins, starts, and innings pitched. He threw 252 innings, completed 11 games, won 13, lost 16, and posted a 4.25 ERA, leading the team in victories.
Dave was our Opening Day starter in 1978, but he made only 20 starts, finishing with a 4-14 record and a 6.26 ERA. The heavy workload from the previous season had taken its toll on his arm.
He bounced back in 1979, tossing a one-hitter against the Rangers in April. At the All-Star break, he was 8-5 with a 3.15 ERA and earned a spot on the All-Star team. However, after the break, injuries hampered his performance, and he finished the season 8-10 with a 3.71 ERA in 20 starts.
The Jays traded him to the Angels midway through the 1980 season. He was released after the year and retired from Major League Baseball at age 30, finishing with a 37-63 record (often pitching for struggling teams), a 4.62 ERA over 185 games, and 103 starts.
After his playing days, Dave became a scout for the Yankees but left after a couple of years to spend more time with his family. He briefly worked as an agent before opening a baseball academy and providing private lessons.
I don’t remember much about him, except that he was a big guy—listed at 6’4”. He’s one of those players I wonder about: what kind of career might he have had if managers had been more careful with pitchers’ arms? He’s someone I’d love to talk to and hear firsthand what it was like pitching for an expansion team.
Things didn’t get any better as Lemanczyk had a couple of run-ins with rookie manager Roy Hartsfield early on, and into the season.
“He set up so many fines that were just stupid,” he said. “I was the first guy fined. I skipped a parade so I could follow up on a great deal on apartment rentals (near Dunedin). There were around 10 units available and nine players ended up going in on it. We paid something like $400 a month, which was a much better deal than in the hotels they wanted us to stay in.”
Framber Valdez lines up against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup that has looked lost against lefties all season. On the other side, Dillon Dingler brings big right-handed power into a soft matchup with Carmen Mlodzinski.
Valdez and his ground-ball game headline a national-TV matchup as the Detroit Tigers visit the Pirates tonight. Detroit sits as a slim -116 favorite, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. ET at PNC Park.
The pitching matchup shapes my Tigers vs. Pirates predictions and MLB picks, which back Detroit on the moneyline, lean Over the total, and target a Tigers slugger to go deep on Monday, Aug. 17.
Who will win Tigers vs Pirates today: Tigers moneyline (-116)
Framber Valdez draws a favorable matchup against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup that has struggled badly against left-handed pitching, and the Detroit Tigers moneyline is a manageable price to back. Pittsburgh is a strong offense against right-handers (.725 OPS) but much weaker against southpaws (.695 OPS).
Valdez carries a 4.26 ERA, but he allowed two earned runs or fewer in three straight starts before his latest outing and recently tossed seven scoreless innings against Seattle. Pittsburgh counters with Carmen Mlodzinski, who owns a 3.79 ERA overall but has struggled to work deep, averaging only four innings per outing.
I’ll back the Tigers at close to a pick’em price, with Valdez holding a clear handedness edge and Mlodzinski unable to provide length.
I’d play Detroit to -125.
COVERS INTEL: The Pirates are just 10-26 in games started by left-handers and own a .689 OPS against southpaws, a glaring weakness with Valdez on the mound.
Tigers vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+105)
I’ll take the Over at plus money since neither starter has been reliable enough lately to lay juice on a low-scoring game.
Mlodzinski carries a 5.06 ERA over his last five appearances, including four runs in 2 1/3 innings against Miami and five in three innings against the Mets, and his short outings open an early path to a Pittsburgh bullpen that owns a 4.24 ERA.
Valdez gives Detroit the pitching edge, but he hasn’t been untouchable either, with a 4.97 ERA over his last five starts. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, enters hitting .262 over its last 10 games.
At 8.5 and +105, I’d rather bet on Mlodzinski’s recent struggles and offense developing on both sides than pay -116 on the Under.
I’d play the Over down to -105.
Tigers vs Pirates home run prediction: Dillon Dingler (+510)
Dillon Dingler has been Detroit’s most prolific home run hitter this season, and his matchup with Mlodzinski is a strong long shot. Dingler has hit 26 home runs, with 22 against right-handed pitching, and he’s batting .274 against RHP.
Mlodzinski’s four-seam fastball is the clear path to damage. Hitters are batting .324 and slugging .550 against the pitch, which carries a -5 Statcast run value and a 58.6% hard-hit rate. Dingler punishes four-seamers, slugging .554 against them with a +7 run value and a .599 expected slugging.
Dingler’s season-long power against righties and his ability to attack Mlodzinski’s weakest offering make this price worth a shot.
At +510, I’d play this to +450 for a quarter unit.
Ethan Diamandas' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 1-2, -1.27 units
Over/Under bets: 1-2, -0.95 units
Tigers vs Pirates weather
PNC Park is a pitcher-friendly ballpark with a spacious outfield, and tonight’s forecast leans the same way on a mild Pittsburgh evening. Those conditions suit Valdez’s ground-ball game and reinforce the case for the Tigers moneyline.
Tigers vs Pirates odds
Moneyline: Tigers -108 | Pirates +104
Run line: Tigers -1.5 (+150) | Pirates +1.5 (-156)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)
Tigers vs Pirates trend
The Over is 4-0 in Pirates' last 4 games as a home underdog, a run of high scoring that backs tonight’s Over 8.5. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Pirates.
How to watch Tigers vs Pirates and game info
Location
PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Monday, August 17, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Tigers starting pitcher
Framber Valdez (7-8, 4.26 ERA)
Pirates starting pitcher
Carmen Mlodzinski (6-5, 3.79 ERA)
Tigers vs Pirates 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.
05 August 2026, Spain, Calvia: People are swimming at Bendinat Beach on the island of Mallorca. After a July marked by numerous heat waves, the sea temperature is currently 29 degrees, according to data from AEMET (the Spanish Meteorological Agency). Photo: Clara Margais/dpa (Photo by Clara Margais/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Hickory starter Jesus Lafalaise threw six shutout innings, striking out six and walking three. Louis Marinar struck out two in a shutout inning. Michale Trausch allowed three runs in 1.1 IP, walking one.
Pablo Guerrero was 2 for 6 with a double. Paulino Santana and Marco Argudin each had a hit. Kaden Carpenter was 2 for 6 with a double. Dewar Tovar was 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. Curely Martha had a hit. Kolby Branch doubled.
Hub City starter Enrique Segura allowed two runs in three innings, striking out six and walking three. J’Briell Easley struck out one in a scoreless inning. Owen Proksch allowed a solo homer in an inning of work, striking out one.
Casey Cook was 1 for 3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Paxton Kling homered. Marcos Torres doubled.
For Round Rock, Marc Church allowed a run in two innings, striking out six and walking one. Ben Peoples struck out one in a scoreless inning. Emiliano Teodo threw a scoreless inning. Wilian Bormie struck out one and walked one in a shutout inning.
Rehabbing Danny Jansen was 2 for 3 with a walk and caught seven innings. Cam Cauley had a hit and a stolen base. Alejandro Osuna was 2 for 4 with a homer and a walk. John Taylor had a double and a pair of walks. Logan O’Hoppe doubled.
COVERS INTEL: Sugano pitches to contact and often gets hit hard (
