Tottenham v Newcastle: Premier League – live

Fun fact: Tottenham and Newcastle have met 61 times in the Premier League era without ever playing out a scoreless draw. Today could be the day for a dreary stalemate but it seems unlikely – fingers crossed for a glut of goals.

Premier League: Hull City have made it back-to-back wins upon their return to the top flight, with Liam Millar scoring the only goal of their game at Coventry City to deposit another three precious points in the bank. James Tarkowski left it until added time to cancel out Alex Scott’s opener as Bournemouth were held by Everton at the Vitality Stadium. In today’s early game, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest served up an entertaining 2-2 draw at Anfield, where the hosts had to come from behind twice to rescue a point.

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Kolisi fires up ferocious Springboks to hit back against All Blacks and level series

  • Second Test: South Africa 33-26 New Zealand

  • Kolisi and Marx inspire world champions to victory

The Boks are back. Level at one apiece in the series and back to what they do best. Blending power and directness, blood and thunder to edge out far enough ahead of New Zealand and withstand a gutsy comeback from the All Blacks. Throw in some brazen mischief from Rassie Erasmus, who swapped his entire front-row just an hour before kick-off, and this was much closer to a trademark Springboks performance after they were unrecognisable a week ago.

They were far from flawless but constantly ferocious and while All Blacks – particularly given how they finished the match – will head back for the third Test still confident they remain in the series because this was not a knockout blow by the Springboks. It was, however, some counterpunch after last week’s humbling. The third Test is scheduled for Johannesburg but they may consider relocating to Manila.

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Sabres Competition For Hellebuyck – New Jersey Devils

If there was any doubt about Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck's intentions heading into next season, the Hart and Vezina Trophy winner made it clear late last week when he confirmed through his agent that he has requested a trade. The 33-year-old had knee surgery, and a career-worst .895 save % with the Jets last season, but still played 57 games (23-23-11) and was the key to Team USA’s gold medal victory at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. 

The Buffalo Sabres were connected to Hellebuyck around the NHL Draft in late June, but Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff could not find common ground on a deal. The conventional wisdom is that now that Hellebuyck has made his trade request public, that Cheveldayoff is not in as strong a negotiating position to get the best deal for the netminder, but he reportedly is open to going to a wide swath of teams. 

Unless Hellebuyck is prepared to hold out, Winnipeg could wait into the season for the right return for such a valuable commodity.

The Sabres could be in the mix for Hellebuyck, but deals that had previously been offered that  included goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen might be off the table, since he has a five-team no-trade clause that could block a trade to Winnipeg. It is expected that any deal involving Buffalo would include one of their young centers (Noah Ostlund or Konsta Helenius), one of their top prospect defenseman (Daxon Rudolph or Radim Mrtka) and/or an established NHL forward (Jack Quinn or Ryan McLeod).

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

Other teams could be in the mix for the veteran netminder, either to get them into the playoff mix, or to elevate them from a consistent postseason entrant to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?

New Jersey Devils

Team Status: The Devils let go of Lindy Ruff in 2024 in favor of Sheldon Keefe, and the former Leafs coach succeeded in making the postseason in 2025, but last season missed the playoffs again with a 42-37-3 record (87 points), due in part to center Jack Hughes missing over 20 games with a hand injury and getting subpar goaltending from veteran Jacob Markstrom.

Current Goalie Situation: Markstrom was traded to Florida in June, leaving the Devils with a three-headed monster between the pipes (similar to the Sabres) of veterans Jake Allen, David Rittich, and youngster Nico Daws, who had subpar numbers with AHL Utica  the last three seasons.

Assets To Trade: Reportedly, Cheveldayoff is looking for a young goaltender as part of any trade, but the main focus would be getting help up the middle. GM Sunny Mehta could put Daws as part of a Hellebuyck trade, and 24-year-old pivot Dawson Mercer would be an attractive get, but there is some indicators that Mehta is keeping his powder dry in case Quinn Hughes does not agree to an extension with Minnesota. 

If the Hughes contract situation is resolved with a deal with the Wild, the possibility of the Devils engaging on Hellebuyck increases exponentially.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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Sabres Top 40 Prospects – #11

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.  

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

11. Ilia Morozov - Center (Miami (OH) - NCAA)

The Sabres' failed acquisition of Michael Kesselring led Kekalainen to send the right-handed defenseman to the San Jose Sharks in a swap of their 27th overall pick to move up seven slots in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. After selecting blueliner Daxon Rudolph with the fourth overall pick, Buffalo chose center Ilia Morozov at #20. 

Where will Connor Hellebuyck get traded to?

The 18-year-old is a physical specimen at 6’3”, 200 lb., and that size is likely a large part of what will make him an effective pro. The Moscow native came to North America at 15 years old to play youth hockey, played with Tri-City in the USHL at 16, where he scored 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 59 games, and played in the NCAA with Miami (OH) at 17, where he scored 20 points (8 goals, 12 assists) in 36 games as a freshman. 

Morozov’s strength is at the defensive end of the ice. According to Elite Prospects, he is a  “true defensive stalwart, who angles rushes to the outside and emphatically runs over the puck carrier.” He does not lack for energy, and offensively uses his physicality to be a menace in front of the net. 

Most believe that Morozov will be an NHL checking center, but his maturation over the next two or three years in college could result in something more than that. 

Follow Michael on X, and Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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Canadiens Former Director Of Amateur Scouting Gets Promotion

For almost 20 years, Trevor Timmins was the directing mind behind the Montreal Canadiens’ draft picks, but when Geoff Molson decided to clean house in 2021, he got his marching orders along with Marc Bergevin and Paul Wilson. It didn’t take long for him to find a new job, however, and in 2022, he was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets as an assistant to the director of amateur scouting, Ville Sirén.

On Thursday, Columbus announced that Sirén had been reassigned as director of European scouting and that Timmins would now be the director of amateur scouting. It’s been a few years since the Jackets hit a home run at the draft, and while Adam Fantilli was a nice selection in 2023, the decision to draft Cayden Lindstrom fourth overall in 2024, just before Ivan Demidov, was a grave mistake. Back then, there were doubts about Lindstrom’s health and more specifically about back issues, and since then, he has played four playoff games with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2024-25 and 31 games in the Big 10 with the University of Michigan last season, where he could only muster 10 points.

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Timmins will find himself in a role he knows very well, having worn the director of amateur scouting hat with the Canadiens, and it will be interesting to see if he does better in Ohio than he did in Montreal. Back in 2006, he was behind the Habs’ decision to draft David Fischer 20th overall while the Philadelphia Flyers claimed Claude Giroux 22nd overall. Then, in 2018, he orchestrated the selection of Jesperi Kotkaniemi third overall, leaving Brady Tkachuk on the board for the Ottawa Senators to take.

That’s not to say he only made bad moves; under his reign, the Canadiens did select Carey Price, Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher, Arturri Lehkonen, P.K. Subban, Cole Caufield, Jakub Dobes, Kaiden Guhle and Oliver Kapanen to name a few, but he also selected a great defenseman who never played for the Habs, Ryan McDonagh. He was selected 12th overall in 2007, but GM Bob Gainey then famously traded him to the New York Rangers to get Scott Gomez, a trade which the Canadiens definitely lost.


Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Timberwolves trade Josh Green to Jazz, clearing way for Kuminga signing

When reports leaked of Minnesota reaching an agreement with free agent Jonathan Kuminga — to massive headlines and the excitement of Timberwolves fans — there was one little problem: Minnesota didn't yet have the cap space to pay him. Yet. Minnesota was hard-capped at the second apron and just about $4 million below that number, but it needed more than $6 million in space to give Kuminga the promised taxpayer mid-level exception.

Enter a late Friday night trade: Minnesota is sending wing Josh Green to Utah and in return getting back Cody Williams and John Konchar, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed Saturday morning by the teams.

A Green trade was expected, he had come to Minnesota as part of the LaMelo Ball trade, and clearing his $14.7 million contract off the books was the cleanest way for Minnesota to get the room under the apron it needed. Minnesota plans to keep Williams — taking a chance on the No. 10 pick from just two years ago, a 6'8" wing who was inconsistent, shot 21.4% from 3 last season, and never established himself with the Jazz — but will waive-and-stretch Konchar's $6.2 million salary, meaning a cap hit of just $2.1 million.

Once all the moves are completed, that gives the Timberwolves about $10.6 million under the second apron to sign Kuminga and have the breathing room for another move in season, if needed.

Utah lands Green, the six-year veteran who struggled last season in Charlotte after returning from shoulder surgery and averaged 4.3 points per game, but did shoot 42% from beyond the arc. Where Green can earn minutes for Will Hardy in Utah is with his defense, which has always been good and is a point of emphasis for Utah this season. There are minutes for Green to earn off the bench, he will get his chance.

And now Minnesota will get Kuminga.

Former Arizona guard Josh Green traded to Jazz

arizona-wildcats-basketball-nba-josh-green-trade-timberwolves-utah-jazz
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 24: Josh Green #10 of the Charlotte Hornets plays against the Sacramento Kings during their game at Spectrum Center on March 24, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Josh Green and Lauri Markannen never crossed paths at Arizona in their respective one-and-done seasons, but now the former Wildcats will be NBA teammates.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Green was traded on Friday night from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Utah Jazz. Green and cash went to Utah in exchange for John Konchar and Cody Williams.

It’s the second time this offseason that Green has been dealt. In June he was part of the trade that sent point guard LaMelo Ball to Minnesota from the Charlotte Hornets, where Green had spent the previous two seasons following four years with the Dallas Mavericks.

Green, a 6-foot-6 guard who turns 26 in November, is entering the final year of a 3-year, $41 million contract and is set to earn $14.7 million for the 2026-27 season. He joins a Utah team that had one of the worst records in the NBA last season, despite and drafted Kansas point guard Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick in June.

The Jazz have missed the playoffs five years in a row, the last four with Markkanen as their leading scorer. The ex-Wildcats averaged 26.7 points per game in 2025-26 and is set to make $46.1 million this season.

Green, who has averaged 6.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 349 NBA games, was the 18th overall pick by Dallas in the 2020 NBA Draft after one season at Arizona. With the UA he averaged 12 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Championship roundup: Wolves and Swansea extend unbeaten starts in style

  • Rodrigo Gomes inspires Wolves comeback against Stoke

  • Opoku and Eom among scorers as Swansea win at Derby

Wolves came from behind to beat Stoke 4-1 and continue their unbeaten league start. Sam Gallagher’s stunning second-minute goal gave Stoke the lead at Molineux, but two goals in three minutes from Rodrigo Gomes turned the game on its head before half-time. Raúl Jiménez’s penalty made it 3-1 after 55 minutes before Jordan James scored on his home debut with six minutes remaining.

Gallagher shocked Wolves with a superb goal. The forward held off Marshall Munetsi before curling a tremendous shot into the top corner from 25 yards. He went close to making it 2-0 when his shot was blocked and Sorba Thomas should have buried the rebound only to fire wide.

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Jackson Ferris, Christian Zazueta thrive on mound

PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Jackson Ferris #93 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Friday night in the Dodgers minor leagues was highlighted by one former top pitching prospect and a current top arm in the system.

Player of the day

Jackson Ferris put together his third good start in a row, posting a season-high seven innings with eight strikeouts for Oklahoma City, allowing only one run, working around three walks and seven hits.

Ferris has allowed two runs with 20 strikeouts in 17 innings over his last three starts, lowering his season ERA from 7.15 to 6.00.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

A low-scoring affair got wild in the ninth and 10th, when singles by Hyeseong Kim and Ryan Fitzgerald brought home the tying and winning runs in the Comets’ victory over the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres).

Jerming Rosario allowed two home runs with one out in the ninth inning, turning a one-run lead into a one-run deficit. Oklahoma City kept things alive with a run in the ninth, then Nick Robertson allowed the free runner to score in the top of the 10th, but nothing else.

James Tibbs had two singles, two walks, a stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Zach Ehrhard also singled, stole a base, and scored twice. Ryan Ward tripled in a run.

Rehabbing

Will Smith caught seven innings behind the plate and was hitless in three at-bats with a strikeout on Friday. Smith has been behind the plate three times in four days on his rehab assignment so far this week, catching five, seven, and seven innings.

Double-A Tulsa

Chris Newell hit a three-run home run in the Drillers’ two-run win over the Midland RockHounds (A’s).

Christian Zazueta struck out five and walked one in his five innings, allowing only one run on three hits. Zazueta in 10 starts in Double-A has a 3.48 ERA with 67 strikeouts against only seven walks in 44 innings.

Christian Ruebeck has been wild in relief this year with an 18.1-percent walk rate, and that included three walks to go with his three strikeouts on Friday. But it also came with two scoreless innings, giving him one total run allowed in 9 2/3 August innings, with nine walks but also 14 strikeouts.

High-A Great Lakes

Mairo Martinus singled home Jaron Elkins in the seventh inning, giving the Loons the winning margin over the Lansing Lugnuts (A’s). Emil Morales hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning for the other Great Lakes runs.

Cam Leiter struck out four in three innings, allowing only one unearned run. That’s two starts with no earned runs in High-A, with 11 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings for the right-hander.

Class-A Ontario

The Tower Buzzers were held scoreless in a road loss to the Stockton Ports (A’s). Ontario had eight hits, all singled until 2026 13th-round draft pick Caleb Johnson doubled. Ontario loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth but did not score.

Catcher Francisco Espinoza had two of the eight hits.

Friday scores

Saturday schedule

  • 4:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Emmet Sheehan) vs. El Paso (Jagger Haynes)
  • 4:05 p.m: Great Lakes (Tyler Gough) vs. Lansing (Jorge Marcheco)
  • 5 p.m.: Tulsa (Patrick Copen) at Midland (Corey Avant)
  • 7:05 p.m.: Ontario (Luis Gamez) at Stockton (Jackson Phipps)

Pirates need to make some moves with pitching rotation in the offseason

Jun 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitchers Braxton Ashcraft (left) and Mitch Keller (middle) and Paul Skenes (right) walk in from the bullpen against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Pirates pitching staff carried the team last year. They had a team ERA of 3.76 and 1,314 team strikeouts. The rotation was strong and consistent while the offense absolutely struggled.  

Paul Skenes won the NL Cy young award last year with just 10 wins. The pitching staff this year has been not as consistent and will be a major question mark going into the 2027 season. 

Braxton Ashcraft leads the team with 13 wins and just 5 losses. Ashcraft has been absolutely fantastic for the Bucs but after him has been more questionable then Pirate fans thought it would be. 

Skenes has a 3.79 ERA and 9 wins and you can tell his velocity has gone down since last year. The first step for the Pirates pitching getting back and being dangerous starts with Skenes. They need him to be elite like he was for the first two seasons he was in the league.

With Skenes being dominant, you can build the rest of the rotation around. An elite Skenes with how Ashcraft has been playing this year would be lethal. Plus you get a full year of Jared Jones, that could be once again a top pitching rotation in the league. 

I think there are two things the Pirates should do to improve that pitching for next year. The first one is to add a veteran arm, there is a lot of inexperience in the rotation, and I think adding a cheap veteran arm paired up with some younger arms can build a nice dangerous rotation. Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito are two veteran pitchers I would love to see them look at in the offseason. 

The second thing is I think the Pirates have to have a tough conversation about Mitch Keller. Keller has been a solid pitcher for the last couple of seasons, but he still has three years left on his contract, and it looks like his play has been decreasing. This year ended with an injury, and there is a possibility Pittsburgh could get some young pieces for the farm for Keller. 

These moves aren’t massive, but I think if the Pirates make these moves, the pitching rotation will be better and hopefully more consistent in the 2027 season.    

Kansas City Royals news: Have the Royals turned a page?

TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 25: Carter Jensen #22, Bobby Witt Jr. #7, Steven Cruz #64 and Tyler Tolbert #2 of the Kansas City Royals celebrate after their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 25, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Royals are riding high after their 11th win in the last 12 games, writes Jaylon Thompson.

“I’m proud of them, and they have turned the page,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters in Cleveland.

“We talked about it a lot: Even when we were losing a lot of games, the resolve, the attitude, the commitment to work and the energy was never wavering. “So now they are getting rewarded with some wins, and it feels good. And there is baseball left to be played and this is a crazy game. A lot of things happened over the course of the history of baseball. So you’ve got to keep believing.”

Michael Wacha was brilliant in the win over Cleveland, writes Anne Rogers.

While Kansas City’s offense wasn’t able to do much for most of the evening, the game’s first run was generated on a Bobby Witt Jr. masterclass in the fifth inning, while Michael Wacha made it stand up with eight scoreless innings and a season-high 10 strikeouts as the Royals won for the 10th time in 11 games.

“That’s probably the best we’ve seen [Wacha] all season,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “What impressed me the most was that he threw so many strikes.”

Philip Ruo at Royals Keep thinks its time to consider a Jac Caglianone contract extension.

If the Royals do intend to secure Caglianone long-term, a deal would likely fall into a deal similar to Garcia’s with a few more years since Caglianone is earlier in his career. A seven-year contract would take away two years of free agency, end after his age-30 season, and also remove two seasons where he would be making the league-minimum salary. 

A structure that makes sense could be similar to Tyler Soderstrom’s contract, which was for seven years and $86 million with a $27 million club option for the eighth season. Soderstrom has seen a similar path as Caglianone; both were drafted out of high school and struggled in their first season in the majors. Soderstrom was also at the same age when he signed his extension, entering his age-24 season. With Soderstrom playing first base, his valuation could work as a baseline for Caglianone’s expected average annual value.

David Lesky recaps Thursday’s rout over the Blue Jays.

How the community benefits agreement for the downtown ballpark stacks up.

Local leaders seem to be preparing for a vote on the ballpark.

Tarik Skubal is emotional in his return to Detroit.

One out away from losing, Edmundo Sosa hits a pinch-hit grand slam to give the Phillies a win.

The Rays become the first American League team to reach 80 wins.

Top prospects who could be called up in September.

Nico Hoerner had a unique path to stardom with the Cubs.

MLB proposes setting rosters on a weekly basis.

Byron Buxton may need offseason hip surgery.

Who is in the AL Rookie of the Year race?

MLB suspends a Dominican prospect over age fraud.

The Rays will break ground on a new stadium in September.

Larry Christenson, who faced the Royals in the 1980 World Series, dies at age 72.

Former Expos broadcaster Jacques Doucet dies at age 86.

Cale Makar agrees to an extension with the Avalanche that will make him the highest-paid player in the NHL.

The Chiefs will start making final roster cuts by Sunday.

After Meta settles an $18 billion lawsuit over social media addiction, are YouTube and TikTok next?

It was a long road for Coyote vs. Acme to make it to theaters.

KFC and Oreo launch fried-chicken flavored cookies in China.

Your song of the day is King Crimson with 21st Century Schizoid Man.

Phillies on the Pharm: 8/29/2026

Robert Moore of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs hits the ball during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 22, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images

Thankfully, on this night, there was no rain around, meaning teams could actually play in their games. Here is how the kids did.

Lehigh Valley 6, Syracuse 4

Robert Moore, you glorious man. Having himself a night, Moore went 3 for 3, blasting two home runs to lead the IronPigs to a victory, including this walk off two-run blast.

That’s the kind of home run you remember for a while if you’re Robert Moore.

The rest of the offense was nonexistent as they had three hits between them, but it didn’t matter. Moore was the leader and gave them the win.

Binghamton 5, Reading 1

Gage Wood night wasn’t exactly a night to remember. The team’s top prospect struggled a bit, giving up five runs in five innings, allowing a home run in the process. He did strike out seven and only walk one, so there is some silver lining to the start. In the process, he did generate 22 whiffs so the stuff was fine; it’s the results that were worrisome. The rest of the team had a hard time as well, the offense collecting only three hits on the night. The best one was an RBI double by Carson DeMartini that scored Aroon Escobar as the only run of the game.

Wilmington 8, Jersey Shore 1
Wilmington 11, Jersey Shore 2

I think with a lot of these players on the BlueClaws, you’re starting to see the effects of a long season coming up. Playing a doubleheader to make up for the rain postponement on Thursday, the team scored three runs in total. In game one, there was only three hits (is this a theme?) gathered by the team while the pitching struggled. In game two, the offense was a little better where they had eight hits, but it only amounted to two runs. A lot of them were singles in both games, so it’s not like someone had a standout affair that we can point to. Daunte Stuart had three hits between the two games! As far as pitching, there wasn’t much to speak of. Giuseppe Velasquez had three innings of scoreless relief in game two, but the rest of the arms? Completely meh.

Clearwater 8, Lakeland 6

Cade Climie, you can join Robert Moore in having yourself a night. Leading the offense on the evening, Climie went 3 for 4 with a home run and six RBI! You may not know who he is, so some background. An undrafted free agent, Climie took advantage of the MLB Draft League to get himself noticed.

Since signing with the Phillies, Climie has hit well, bringing his line on the season average up to .275, but with an OPS under .700. He may not come to much, but it’s nice that baseball can still produce a few good stories of players.

As far as other players on the night, Macon Winslow had three hits for the Threshers, two of them doubles, and an RBI.

Orioles minor league recap 8/29: Honeycutt delivers game-winning homer

JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 09: Vance Honeycutt #84 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on March 09, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Triple-A: Durham (Rays) 7, Norfolk Tides 0

The Tides mustered a whopping three hits and one walk in this game. That’s a tough way to win. Enrique Bradfield Jr., Creed Willems, and Brandon Butterworth all took 0-fors in the game. Heston Kjerstad pinch hit in the ninth inning and hit a double. He’s OPSing .790 at the level this year.

Norfolk’s starter, Trace Bright, had a “could have been better, could have been worse” kind of outing, with three runs surrendered in 5.1 innings. Bright walked none and struck out seven; he’s got a 1-10 record this year and a 7.29 ERA, so it’s not exactly Shane Baz bad luck territory. What really kicked the game out of reach – unfortunately for prospect-watchers – is that Luis De León gave up three runs while failing to finish one inning worth of relief.

Box score.

Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 9, Harrisburg (Nationals) 7 – 10 innings

This is a dispatch from the alternate universe that poses an affirmative answer to the question, “What if it turned out that Vance Honeycutt was good?” The outfielder who was bumped up to this level almost out of desperation to do something with him collected four hits, all for extra bases: Two doubles, a triple, and his first Double-A homer. The home run was a two-run shot that put the Baysox on top in extra frames. I’m not believing it means anything. I’m just saying it happened.

Chesapeake’s starting pitcher was JT Quinn. He labored through a four-inning outing, 82 pitches and only 46 thrown for strikes. That led to him giving up five walks and four hits, with three runs allowed (two earned). Quinn did leave the game with a lead thanks to some early Baysox scoring. They fell behind for a while, tied it up in the eighth, then got the winning runs in the tenth. Reliever Micah Ashman finished the game off pitching the ninth and tenth. Things got interesting in the bottom of the tenth as the Senators had the bases loaded when the game ended. However, they scored the Manfred Man and nobody else, so they lost.

Box score.

High-A: Frederick Keys 4, Asheville (Astros) 2

Incredibly efficient scoring from the Keys here, as they were able to turn five hits into four runs. They helped themselves by drawing five walks and stealing four bases, and their opponent helped them by committing a pair of errors that led to a pair of unearned runs.

Jaiden Lo Re is at this level now! Let’s just say he’s still adjusting. He took an 0-4 in this game and is hitting .091 through his first few games. Recent trade acquisition Enddy Azocar had a single in four at-bats; he’s batting .341/.382/.585 in 20 games since joining the Keys. Pretty good for a 19-year-old.

Shoutout to Keys starting pitcher Stephen Still, not one of the top prospects I pay attention to around here since he’s 24 at High-A. Still struck out ten batters in 6.2 innings in the game. A good outing! Through five games at this level, he’s sporting a 3.42 ERA and 0.95 WHIP.

Box score.

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 4, Fredericksburg (Nationals) 2

In the comments yesterday, someone asked, “Does Delmarva ever win?” Not usually! But sometimes, they do. They tied the game in the seventh inning and took the lead in the eighth and held on even though Fredericksburg managed to get the tying run on base with only one out. They were able to do this even though they mustered just 1-13 hitting with runners in scoring position.

Shorebirds batters drew eight walks in the game. Serving as the DH, this year’s fifth round pick, Jimmy Anderson, was on base all four times, drawing three of those walks with a double on top of that. Outfielder Jhomnardo Reyes drew a walk but was hitless in his three at-bats.

Box score.

Saturday’s Scheduled Games

  • Norfolk: at Durham, 6:45. Starter: TBD
  • Chesapeake: at Harrisburg, 6:00. Starter: Patrick Reilly
  • Frederick: vs. Asheville, 6:00. Starter: Twine Palmer
  • Delmarva: vs. Fredericksburg, 7:05. Starter Collin McKinney