Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

The Cubs fell behind — again. And came from behind — again. This game was the sixth of the team’s last seven wins in which the opponent scored first.

It is, I suppose, not the recommended way to win games, but the Cubs wound up on top, defeating the Nationals 8-6 in the first of a three-game series, and in the end, isn’t that what matters?

Here’s how it all went down.

Shōta Imanaga served up a two-run homer to CJ Abrams in the first inning. No shame in that, really; it was Abrams’ 29th homer of the year and while he’s not going to win the MVP award, he’ll get a lot of downballot votes.

The Cubs cut one run off that deficit in the top of the second. Alex Bregman led off with a walk and went to third on a single by Ian Happ.

Nico Hoerner’s sac fly scored Bregman [VIDEO].

In the bottom of the second, Imanaga served up another homer, this one to Jacob Young. Uh-oh, you were probably thinking. Here we go again.

The Cubs got that run right back in the top of the third, and this is where Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a ball halfway to Maryland.

Here’s his 432-foot homer off the facing of the third deck at Nationals Park [VIDEO].

That ball was absolutely demolished [VIDEO].

So it’s 3-2 heading to the fourth, and that’s when the Cubs took the lead without the benefit of a long ball. Happ led off with a walk and Hoerner doubled, with Happ stopping at third.

Michael Conforto’s sac fly tied the game at 3 [VIDEO].

Hoerner took third on that play and scored on this infield grounder by Carson Kelly [VIDEO].

That gave the Cubs the lead. Dansby Swanson was hit by a pitch, moving Kelly to second. PCA struck out, but Seiya Suzuki’s double scored Kelly to make it 5-3 [VIDEO].

The Cubs extended the lead to 6-3 in the fifth. They loaded the bases on singles by Bregman and Hoerner and a walk by Conforto. One out later, Swanson walked, scoring Bregman [VIDEO].

Imanaga, though, could not make it through the bottom of the fifth. The Nats’ third homer of the night off Imanaga, by Dylan Crews, made it 6-4 and ended Shōta’s evening after 86 pitches. He hadn’t allowed more than two home runs in a game since June 24 against the Mets (and the Cubs won that game, too). Hopefully this was just a one-off rough outing for Imanaga.

Here’s more on Imanaga’s evening from BCB’s JohnW53:

This was the 11th of Imanaga’s 78 career start in which he has allowed at least three home runs: two in 204, four last year and five this year.

He gave up four once, on June 4, at home vs. the Athletics.

His 11 are tied with Ferguson Jenkins for the second most such games in a career by a Cub. Warren Hacker had 12 in 1950-56.

Two others reached double digits: Kyle Hendricks and Steve Trachsel, both with 10. Frank Castillo and Bill Hands are next, with 8 apiece.

Imanaga did not walk a batter. It was his fifth start with no walks, most among Cubs in starts of at least three innings. Javier Assad has three; Matthew Boyd, David Peterson and Colin Rea, two; and Ben Brown, Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon, one, for a total of 17 in 120 games — about one of every seven.

Ryan Rolison finished off the fifth without incident and then the Cubs extended the lead in the sixth. With two out, Bregman smacked his 13th home run of the year [VIDEO].

Rolison threw a scoreless sixth and Trent Thornton had a 1-2-3 seventh and so the game remained 7-4 Cubs until the top of the eighth. That’s when Suzuki went deep, his 20th [VIDEO].

More on the Cubs’ three-homer game from John:

This was the Cubs’ 15th game of the season with at least three home runs.

They had 28 by the end of last year, after having had only 13 in all of 2024. They had 17 in 2023, 13 in 2022 and 26 in 2021.

Their record is 39, in 2019, followed by 38, in 2004, and 29 in 1987 and 2017.

Ryan Zeferjahn, who’d been pretty good in his first three Cubs appearances, struggled in this one. A leadoff walk helped lead to a pair of runs, one of which scored when this apparent catch by Happ was ruled a trap on review [VIDEO].

And it could have been worse if not for this fine running catch by Suzuki [VIDEO].

Suzuki’s defense has been vastly improved this year. It’s the first time in his five-year MLB career that he’s posted positive defensive bWAR. He’s probably not a Gold Glover, but could be one of the “finalists.”

That left it a two-run game, and Jacob Webb had to come on to get the last out of the eighth. He did so, and then retired the Nats without further incident in the ninth. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].

Here are some postgame comments from Craig Counsell [VIDEO].

The win, combined with the Brewers’ second loss in a row in San Diego, moved the Cubs to within four games of first place in the NL Central. And by winning while the Phillies lost, the Padres moved into Wild Card position, tied with the Diamondbacks, 6.5 games behind the Cubs.

Wednesday evening, David Peterson gets the start for the Cubs. As for the Nats, you’ll note that Suzuki’s home run was hit off of Miles Mikolas, who originally was listed to start Wednesday’s game. Instead, the Nats will have left-hander Jackson Kent, their fourth-round pick in 2024, make his MLB debut. And Tuesday’s game might be it for Mikolas:

Game time Wednesday is again 5:45 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.

Plenty of fans have given up on the 2026 Orioles, but the other American League wild card contenders have done their best to keep hope alive. There are only a few good teams in the American League, and they all happen to play baseball in the AL East. The Orioles are not one of those teams.

The Orioles ended last night four games below .500 and no less than three games back from the third Wild Card. It’s difficult to believe that this team is even somewhat close to .500. It feels like they lose almost every night. The whiplash of giving up on the team, only to get sucked back in by the obtainable wild card spot, is enough to drive any fan crazy. Losing Adley Rutschman, watching Gunnar Henderson struggle, and getting dominated by Dean Kremer is enough to make any fan start focusing more on the NFL or college football.

I want to look on the bright side, but I can’t recycle the same narrative about this team’s postseason chances. We’ve officially reached the point of the season when I’m dreaming on the potential of fringe relievers. August of 2019 called, and they want their storylines back.

Enter Cam Sanders. Sanders is a 29-year-old with 12 major league games under his belt. The right-hander was drafted in the 12th round by the Chicago Cubs all the way back in 2018. He signed with Pittsburgh as a minor-league free agent before last season and worked his way up from Double-A Altoona to the majors. He made six MLB appearances and allowed six earned runs in 2025.

Sanders pitched to a 2.96 over 22 appearances at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, but he failed to break through with the Bucs. Sanders made nine appearances for the Pirates and allowed nine earned runs. He was designated for assignment in early July and traded to Baltimore for cash considerations a few days later.

Baltimore identified Sanders as a classic high strikeout/high walk reliever. His high 90s fastball and impressive slider led to plenty of whiffs, but Sanders struggled to locate pitches consistently. The Pirates bullpen woes have been a big story in Pittsburgh, but Sanders couldn’t hang with former Oriole Gregory Soto and Dennis Santana. Sanders still holds two minor-league options, but the Pirates declined to keep him on the 40-man roster.

The Orioles activated Sanders and immediately threw him to the fire. Sanders responded by picking up his first MLB win and first big league save in his first two appearances. Sanders recorded a pair of outs in Baltimore’s 3-2 win over Houston and closed out a wild 4-2 win in 11 innings the next day. His reward? The Orioles optioned Sanders and recalled third catcher Sam Huff.

Sanders had pitched on consecutive days, and the Orioles needed another catcher on the roster. The move said less about Sanders and more about the current state of the team. The Birds would summon Sanders back to Baltimore less than one month later.

The Birds recalled Sanders prior to the Minnesota series and used him right away. Trevor Rogers did not have his best stuff, and Craig Albernaz pulled the starter after only four innings. Sanders entered and kept the Orioles in the game with two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, struck out one, and did not walk a batter. Sanders did not issue a walk in any of his three appearances for the Orioles.

Sanders averages just over 96 MPH with his four-seam fastball and sinker. His slider checks in just under 87 MPH. Opponents have hit just .143 off the fastball and .160 off his slider this season, but Sanders has yet to establish a third pitch. The sinker took the place of his sweeper from last year, and he’s mixed in a changeup against lefties, but neither pitch has yielded much success. There’s a place for relievers that only possess two legitimate pitches, but the Orioles would love to see Sanders develop a more reliable third option.

The Orioles kept Sanders around after he tossed two innings on Monday, and the team should give him an extended look down the stretch. Sanders joins a group of optionable relievers beyond this season that includes Anthony Nunez, Alex Hoppe, Yaramil Hiraldo, and Grant Wolfram. Yennier Cano will carry an option into 2027, but the team certainly hopes that the 32-year-old will remain with the big league club.

Cano’s age is a reminder that it can take relievers a few years to find their footing. Cano made it to the All-Star game during his rookie year at age 29. Sanders will turn 30 in December, but there’s little doubt that his best baseball is still ahead.

“The 2026 AL is a mess” has basically been an evergreen statement from the time the season started. Looking at the standings right now, the Yankees and Red Sox have fine enough, playoff team-worthy records. And then, you have five teams separated by 2.5 games for the last AL playoff spot… with the 60-60 Rangers leading the pack. Woof.

Projections-wise, it might seem fairly close. The Rangers are projected to be the sixth-best team in the AL in terms of finishing record, with 82ish wins. But, even with about seven weeks of regular season play remaining, the actual playoff entrant isn’t going to be the team that rolls their expected value, but probably the team that hits a higher-percentile outcome. There’s gotta be at least one of those in this quintet, right? (Also, this quintet doesn’t involve the Mariners, who have the roster talent to make a charge, even if they’re further back than 2.5 games.)

On the flip side, you also have to consider that the Astros lead the AL West at just 61-60. So, if, say, the Rangers are the team that “roll high” for the rest of the year, it’s possible that they take not the last Wild Card spot, but the AL West — and if none of the other teams do, maybe that sixth spot really does go to an 81-win team.

It’s kind of sad that this is what it’s come down to, but welcome to the expanded playoff field and the roster malaise era. One hopes that it’s not here to stay, but…

One of the more fascinating parts of statistics is that they give us the opportunity to prove or disprove the veracity of what we are seeing and experiencing. Games like last night come immediately to the forefront. The Astros load the bases twice in the first two innings with a combined one out and come up with only one run. It often feels like the Astros leave a small village on base. That speaks to offensive efficiency and we have covered that ground before.

It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see that the Astros efficiency rating has gone up this year as they have scored more runs and generally had more offensive success. Their success has also been impressive relative to the rest of the American League. Obviously, most of the function of run scoring is a representation of how many base runners you have. We have to track that to track offensive efficiency. However, over the course of a full season, offensive efficiency (or lack thereof) can account for up to five wins worth of runs.

What we do in this piece is break down one piece of efficiency as we try to determine which factors correlate with offensive efficiency most strongly. Since it has been awhile since we have seen these numbers a quick tutorial is in order. You simply add up hits, walks, and hit by pitches and divide total runs into that. That gives you a number that looks like an OBP. That is a team’s offensive efficiency.

The other good thing about looking at numbers is that there is always more than one way to interpret them. The Astros are third in runs scored and fourth in offensive efficiency in the American League. That means they are doing well right? Well, there is always another way of looking at the numbers. The Astros are second in AL in total base runners, so in theory they should be second in runs scored.

They trail the White Sox by four total runs, so it isn’t like they are lagging by a ton. In the sabermetric world it might be equivalent to a win. Of course, we know how important one additional win and one fewer loss is at this point of the season. That was also true last season when the team’s offensive efficiency numbers were seriously lagging.

However, in this piece we are going to make one minor adjustment to the numbers above. We are simply going to remove home runs. In essence, that means we remove home runs from both the total base runners category and runs scored categories. This will give us a better feel of what the club does with runners on base and we should see an impact on efficiency. If it is a dramatic impact then we probably have a pretty strong correlation with offensive efficiency.

The first thing I should do is clean up a little in how we set up the table. I listed the teams in the same order on purpose. It highlights the dramatic impact that home runs can have on offensive efficiency. The Astros are second in the American League in home runs. Sure, that could mostly be Yordan, but it is still the single biggest difference between the offense this season and last season. We are currently on pace to fly by 200 home runs for the season.

Notice how dramatically these numbers fell across the board. The Astros go from fourth in offensive efficiency to eighth when we account for home runs. One of the first rules in social science is that we don’t ever attribute causation. Home runs don’t cause efficiency overall. However, it is the most efficient way to produce a run in baseball. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we see such dramatic results when accounting for home runs.

That leaves us with two immediate thoughts. First, we can look at the efficiency of this offense as compared to last season by removing home runs. Is this team really any better than they were a year at hitting in the clutch? Secondly, seeing these numbers out in the open can also impact how teams are built. If we know that home runs are a primary driver of efficiency we can prioritize getting home runs on offense and preventing home runs on defense.

So, this team is legitimately more clutch than they were a season ago. We can give a hat tip to these hitting coaches in addition to Yordan Alvarez. It might not seem like much, but if the Astros had the same efficiency last season independent of home runs they would have scored an addition 21 runs. That is equivalent to two wins and that would have gotten them to October.

We should remember this the next time we complain about excessive base runners being left on base. This team is right around where it should be in terms of getting runs across the pay station. They could always be more efficient, but as we saw last season, they could easily be less efficient. In the meantime, if we ever wonder why power is so prioritized then this is one very significant reason why.

Tomorrow, the Phillies take to the cornfield in Iowa for the Field of Dreams game. If you build it, they will come (and if you make it available via streaming, they will watch). But tonight, there’s no Phillies baseball to watch; their game is an afternoon affair. That gives you some free time. And what better way to use it than to watch a baseball movie? Perhaps you’ll choose Field of Dreams. Or perhaps another baseball flick is more to your tastes. If you need a reminder about the proper place for crying in baseball (hint: there isn’t one), A League of Their Own will do nicely. Perhaps the quotable patter of Moneyball? If you’d like to see Kevin Costner, but want something a little less sentimental, Bull Durham is never a bad idea.

Today’s question is: what’s your favorite baseball movie?

Chances are, if you’re even a casual White Sox fan, you share the incredible surprise at the team’s record. If you’re somewhat algorithm inclined, you may be aware that both FanGraphs and PECOTA now predict they’ll end the season with an 82-80 record, barely better than .500. But, since we’re talking about the AL Central, that’s enough to squeak by and win the division.

If you like a little more in the way of numbers, thanks to the barrage of shilling for sports books on every trivial event in order to promote problem gambling that the announcing staff does, you’re probably aware that the White Sox are eighth in the majors in runs scored per game, 4.76, and a hair better than average in runs allowed at 4.44.

Sixth in homers? You knew that. Only 22nd in batting average, but dead in the middle in on-base percentage and a skosh better than average in OPS? You knew all that.

The pitching staff is 11th worst in walks while the batters are average? The pitchers are 18th in strikeouts while batters have K’ed the sixth-most? Of course, you knew all that.

But, if we may, let us venture into territory seldom reviewed by anyone but stats addicts and retirees or the idle rich, who have lots of time on their hands, enough time to scroll to the right or down to a special category at Baseball-Reference.

First, the pitchers

ERA 4.11, 14th. check. FIP 4.20, 18th. Check.

Now for the stuff you may not have noticed:

White Sox pitchers are second in MLB in hitting batters, with 72, just one behind the Astros. And that’s even though they don’t get to add to the bruises on Sam Antonacci’s body, which has been whacked 15 times to lead the AL (though far behind Cardinal All-Star catcher/DH Iván Herrera, who has been plunked 25 times).

The White Sox lead the majors in balks with eight, though the lead is only one, so any team could take the crown. No individual pitcher has been charged with more than two, so it has been a team effort.

They also lead the majors in wild pitches, with 51. That’s just one more than the Cardinals, though double the MLB average. Of course, you have to give Sox catchers credit for failing to block pitches in the dirt that never should have gotten by, but are still blamed on the pitcher.

As for batted balls, Sox pitchers allow a very slightly worse-than-average 88.3 mph exit velocity (average is 88.1), and a ninth-worst hard-hit rate of 39.8%. They’re fifth-worst at getting ground balls, at 39%, largely because they surrender a ton of line drives, 25%, second-worst in the big leagues.

Given that line-drive rate, the staff has done well to be middling in ERA, helped by allowing a better-than-average 127 homers (average is 137) despite The Rate as home park.

And now the hitters

Peripheral stuff has helped the White Sox offense almost as much as all those dingers.

They hit very few line drives, by far the lowest liner rate in the majors. That should be a big negative, especially because they’re average in ground ball rate. But somehow despite being average in grounders, the Sox are the very best at staying out of double plays, by far, with 52 — barely half the number the mighty Dodgers have swatted into.

That, of course, leaves the White Sox toward the top in fly ball rate — ninth — which helps with the dinger data. Still, even the fly balls that stay in the park have fared well, be it good fortune or good location, with an overall BABIP of .285 — just shy of the MLB average of .289 (of course, that’s way down from before the Three True Outcomes era).

Bloop hits can continue indefinitely, right? Or at least for the rest of the 2026 season?

As for sense of direction, Sox batters pull the ball 34% of the time, tops in baseball, leaving them 26th to the opposite field and 29th up the middle. So much for liners up the middle being the ideal goal, no doubt inhibited by shifts these days.

As for some other stuff:

The Sox are tied for third at being hit by pitches, led by Antonacci. Combine that with hitting the second-most opponents makes for a whole lot of plunking going on.

They’re fifth in sacrifices. The four teams ahead of them are all very good, so maybe the overwrought hatred of bunting is a part of Moneyball that needs review, at least when Pedro Grifol isn’t managing.

And here’s one that may go a long way to explaining the team’s success — they’re 27th in leaving runners on base. Long balls do help.

As for baserunning, the Sox are 18th in stolen bases, with 68, but abysmal at stolen base success: Their 69% success rate (77 is the norm) bests only the Tigers. Still, the White Sox are slightly better than average — 44% to 42% — at taking the extra base.

And so …

There you have it, all the stuff you meant to look up but never got around to. Feel free to amaze your friends with your newfound knowledge.

The Mets conclude a three-game series against the Braves in Atlanta on Wednesday night at 7:15 on SNY.

Mets Notes

• Carson Benge is hitting .305/.368/.454 (.822 OPS) in 193 plate appearances dating back to June 18
• Francisco Lindor has an .826 OPS with nine homers in 174 plate appearances since returning from the IL on June 24
• Francisco Alvarez is slashing .261/.376/.504 (.880 OPS) with eight homers in 141 plate appearances since June 23
• Bo Bichette is hitting .308/.351/.447 (.798 OPS) with six homers and 11 doubles in 228 plate appearances dating back to June 11
• Zac Thornton fired 5.0 shutout innings against the Pirates in his last outing, allowing four hits while walking two and striking out three

Today's Lineups

1907
In a 5-3 loss to the Boston Americans, Ed Walsh had 11 assists over eight innings, becoming the first pitcher in history to have at least 11 assists in a game twice in one season. Walsh added one putout and made no errors. He dropped to 18-10 on the season in one of just nine starts he made of 46 total he didn’t complete. (Walsh’s 56 games, 46 starts, 37 complete games, four saves and 422 1⁄3 innings all led the entire majors in 1907.)

Walsh also gobbled up 11 assists in a 1-0 win over the St. Louis Browns on April 19.

1972
The White Sox trailed the Oakland A’s by 8 ½ games just six weeks earlier, but on this Saturday afternoon in California that deficit was completely erased — in dramatic fashion.

Joliet native Ed Spiezio had been acquired when regular third baseman Bill Melton was lost for the season on July 9 and filled in nicely playing in 74 games; his home run in a 3-1 win vaulted the Sox into first place. It was the latest the White Sox had held first in a season since 1967.

In the 11th inning of a tie game with Carlos May on first, Spiezio hammered a pitch from Rollie Fingers into the seats, giving the Sox a 3-1 lead. That was all Wilbur Wood needed, as he set down the Athletics in order in the 11th to collect his 20th win, going the distance and only allowing two hits. The Sox were 62-45, and in first place.

1984
In his sixth year on the ballot, longtime White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Aparicio was one of the most athletic shortstops to ever play, and he brought the lost art of the stolen base back to baseball in the 1950s, leading the AL in steals over nine straight seasons. 

The former 1956 Rookie of the Year played 10 years with the White Sox. He was runner-up to teammate Nellie Fox in the 1959 MVP voting, won seven Gold Gloves while playing for the White Sox and represented the club in six All-Star Games.   

1986
Future Hall-of-Famer Steve Carlton, picked up on waivers by the White Sox, made his American League debut. 

“Lefty” only went three innings, giving up six runs in a 7-3 loss to the Tigers in Detroit. But over 10 games for the White Sox in 1986, Carltonwon four games, with a 3.69 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 63 innings.

He was released at season’s end.

1990
The White Sox set what was believed to be the longest wait in baseball history before calling a game because of rain. The team was slated to play the Rangers at Comiskey Park in an afternoon contest starting at 1 p.m. Central time. Persistent rains caused a delay before the first pitch was even thrown. Because this was the last trip into Chicago by Texas, the Sox asked the Rangers if they would fly back to Chicago on an off-day to make the game up — which Texas flatly rejected.

Not wanting to lose a home game, the Sox waited until the evening before “officially” calling it. The wait lasted seven hours and 23 minutes! As it turned out, the Sox had to play the makeup game in Arlington as part of a doubleheader the following week.

1993
Tim Raines didn’t just clout a leadoff home run in a White Sox 4-2 loss vs. the Royals : That homer became his 2,000th hit in the majors! Raines finished the game 2-for-4, with the eventual game-winning run coming in on, of all things, a Lance Johnson error in center field!

The White Sox nearly tied the game with one out in the bottom of the ninth, as Ellis Burks smacked a deep fly down the left-field line that did not leave the park, rendering it a sac fly rather than a two-run homer.

The Kansas City win drew the club to within 2 1/2 games of the White Sox, as despite leading the West Division (and eventually winning it) Chicago was just the fifth-best team in the AL at this moment, at 62-52.

1994
The unthinkable finally happened, as major league players struck for the rest of the season because of the unwillingness by owners to negotiate fairly on a new labor contract (a charge that later was validated by federal court judge and future Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor).

At the time of the strike, the White Sox were leading their division, had the second-best record in the AL and the fourth-best in all of baseball. They were on their way to back-to- back playoff appearances for the first time in franchise history. 

Many Sox fans blamed owner Jerry Reinsdorf for forcing the strike, being a hard-line owner and sabotaging his own team’s chance to get to that elusive World Series. 

Frank Thomas ended the season very close to the Triple Crown, hitting .353 with 38 home runs and 101 RBIs. He did get his second consecutive MVP award, though.

2007
White Sox closer Bobby Jenks tied a major league record when he retired his 41st consecutive hitter, in a game against the Mariners. Jenks’ streak had started back on July 17 at Cleveland.

Jenks tied a record originally set by San Francisco’s Jim Barr in 1972, and the shared record was broken in 2009 by Jenks’ teammate, Mark Buehrle,who retired 45 consecutive batters, sandwiched around his perfect game.

2017
When White Sox first baseman José Abreu went deep with one out in the fourth inning against the Royals, he became the first player in team history with four consecutive seasons of at least 20 home runs to start his career. Jermaine Dye and José Valentín opened the White Sox portion of their careers with five consecutive seasons of at least 20 homers, and Jim Thome, Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin started their White Sox careers with four consecutive seasons of at least 20 homers. But Abreu’s achievement was unique in franchise annals.

Abreu homered again in the sixth; marking his ninth career multi-homer game, with both coming off of Ian Kennedy. Later that season, Abreu became the first Sox player with 25 home runs in four straight seasons starting a career. 

2020
For the fifth time in franchise history, the White Sox led off a game with back-to-back home runs. It was shortstop Tim Anderson and outfielder Eloy Jiménez who turned the trick in Detroit, staking the Sox to a 2-0 lead over Matthew Boyd and the Tigers. The Sox would go on to win the game, 7-5.

It was the first time the White Sox had back-to-back home runs to lead off a game since Aug. 12, 2018 — and it would happen again much sooner, on Aug. 17, 2020.

2021
It was a remarkable night in a remarkable location: The first “Field of Dreams” game, played at the location of the 1989 movie of the same name, in Dyersville, Iowa. The White Sox hosted the Yankees, with both teams wearing throwback uniforms. 

An 8,000-seat stadium was built next to the field where the movie was shot, and the game was nationally televised by Fox Sports. Some of the original cast members, including baseball fan Kevin Costner, came out to take in the celebration.

José Abreu hit the first-ever home run for a big-league game in Iowa, when he connected in the first inning. The Sox would win, 9-8, after blowing a three-run, ninth-inning lead; Tim Anderson hit a walk-off, two-run home run, setting off fireworks in center field to recreate Comiskey Park.

Every February, all 30 MLB franchises begin spring training with a renewed sense of hope. Their bodies are rested, their eyes already on the fall with the dream of hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy as World Series champions.

It's an exclusive club ... but not as exclusive as you might expect. All in all, 25 out of 30 big league franchises have won at least one championship.

Out of the five who have yet to win one, only the Seattle Mariners have yet to appear in a World Series. That almost changed last October, but the M's fell in Game 7 of the 2025 ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays in heartbreaking fashion.

The New York Yankees lead the pack by a wide margin with 27 World Series titles, the most championships in major American professional sports. They're followed by the St. Louis Cardinals, who have won the Fall Classic 11 times, while the back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers have catapulted into the No. 3 spot with their ninth championship − and third in the last five years − in 2025. Also tied for third-most World Series are the Boston Red Sox and the Athletics. The A's former neighbors across the Bay, the San Francisco Giants, are fourth (eight championships).

The Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates round out the top five with five titles apiece.

Here's a complete ranking of every MLB club by World Series titles:

This past Monday, the Big East — a collegiate athletic conference that includes UConn, St. John’s, and, of course, Villanova — announced that it had hired Tim Brosnan as its new commissioner. Normally, news about the Big East would pass by Pinstripe Alley, and indeed, most baseball sites, without a mention. After all, since conference realignment in 2013, the best player to come out of the conference has been injured Rays starter Ryan Pepiot, whose claim to fame is being the top prospect chip from the Tyler Glasnow deal three years back.

What brings this news to our attention, though, is the fact that Brosnan worked for Major League Baseball in various high-ranking roles from 1991 to 2015. That’s right, despite the relevant weakness of its baseball programs, however, the Big East has tapped a former Major League Baseball executive — indeed, one of the three finalists to become commissioner after Bud Selig’s tenure was complete — to lead it.

To announce the news, Rev. Brian J. Shanley, the chair of the conference board of directors, released an official statement, which began:

“In our search for the next Commissioner of the BIG EAST, we prioritized finding someone with extensive experience in the area of revenue generation and who would best fit the mission and vision of our conference going forward…”

As a Villanova alum, and thus a fan of Big East sports in general, I had a lot of thoughts about the move, and this first statement is emblematic of them. Legally, the Big East is a non-profit, and in theory, the goals of the Big East — like all athletic institutions rooted in educational institutions, high school and college alike — prioritize the academic and personal growth of the student-athletes, because realistically, more of them are destined for careers in marketing than they are for professional sports.

Of course, we also know that “legally” and “in theory” are carrying the load in that sentence, that the NCAA and all its constituent conferences are predominantly in the business of making money, and that even before the NIL era, collegiate athletes were treated as if they were semi-pro or professional athletes. And yes, I understand that “revenue generation” is not only an important part of the job of a collegiate commissioner, but something that the Big East — which lacks the big money-maker that is football — needs to work on. However, by not only explicitly discussing it within your announcement, but also by making it the very first thing mentioned, you’re removing the facade a little.

So what exactly in Brosnan’s career brought him to the attention of the Big East? Over the course of his time working for MLB, he served as Executive Vice President for Business and President and CEO of Major League Baseball Enterprises, negotiated media contracts, helped found the MLB Network, and played an integral role in the creation of the World Baseball Classic. While it’s been a touch over a decade since he worked for the league, he, along with commissioner Rob Manfred, shaped the landscape of the game today.

This December, the collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players Association expires, and odds are, the two sides will fail to come to an agreement in time, the owners will vote to lock out the players, and we will spend the second winter in five years not talking about free agency, or trades, but on whether or not we will get to see baseball in 2027. But while most people will think about the negotiations as a battle between “rich players” and “extremely wealthy owners,” the truth is, the stakes are much, much higher.

Brosnan’s hiring reminds us that what happens in professional sports shapes the amateur game, both in terms of the play on the field (Steph Curry’s success has inspired a love of the three-point shot in kids over the last decade) and, unfortunately, off of it as well (MLB’s continued attempts to shorten the draft and shrink the minor leagues will undoubtedly alter how college, JUCO, and high school teams are constructed). Indeed, it can even trickle into other sports; Brosnan was almost certainly hired in part to improve the Big East’s media presence, bringing the lessons of the MLB Network well beyond the sport.

These developments can make positive change, when the league builds a culture built on growing the game and being a force for good in the community — focuses that can be taken outside the sport. But it can also institutionalize and instill within the amateur game a culture that will turn it into even more of a cash grab that it has already become.

Meet the Mets

The Mets were held scoreless by the Braves in a 4-0 loss. Despite earning the loss, Nolan McLean had another fantastic start, going six innings and allowing just one run on an Ozzie Albies solo home run (the only hit McLean gave up as well).

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, MLB.com, New York Daily News, New York Post

Kodai Senga ended up getting the ball back from his first save, thanks to the hard work of some fans.

Francisco Lindor reiterated his desire to remain with the Mets, and he also discussed why his confidence in the team’s leadership has not wavered.

Around the National League East

After the controversy surrounding a video Bryce Harper made for a VIP gambler (and gambling addict), Congress has now asked the league to step in and take action.

The Marlins beat the Pirates in a 2-0 shutout. Esteury Ruiz drove in what ended up being game-winning run on a third inning solo home run.

The Nationals were outslugged 8-6 by the Cubs. Jake Irvin gave up five runs in 3.1 innings, walking two batters and striking out four.

The Phillies were shut down by the Cardinals in a 2-0 loss. Cristopher Sánchez had another great game despite the loss, throwing six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.

Around Major League Baseball

The San Diego Padres could have new owners as soon as next week, with the owners vote scheduled to happen on Monday.

The Angels pitching coaching staff had a huge shake up, with the pitching coach, assistant pitching coach, and bullpen coach all being fired.

Tim Levesque has been named the interim pitching coach for the Angels.

Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage had surgery on his left meniscus, but he could still return this season.

The Yankees have called up reliever Bradley Hanner, who is coming up to the major leagues for the first time.

Athletics first baseman and reigning American League Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz could be out for the rest of the season due to his still-injured thumb.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Steve Sypa published the twentieth edition of Mets Minor League Players of the Week for the year.

This Date in Mets History

The longest work stoppage in the history of professional baseball began on this date in 1994.

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The Philadelphia Phillies sit as a heavy -150 moneyline favorite this afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals, with first pitch scheduled for 2:15 p.m. ET at Busch Stadium. 

However, my Phillies vs. Cardinals predictions are backing St. Louis to win this contest as a home underdog behind Kyle Leahy's recent success. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Wednesday, Aug. 12. 

Who will win Phillies vs Cardinals today: Cardinals (+140)

This isn’t an easy pick because both starters are in respectable form, but Zack Wheeler has been more vulnerable lately. The right-hander has a 4.35 FIP over the last month, and most notably, he’s allowed 2.08 HR/9 during that span.

As for Kyle Leahy, he is dealing. The St. Louis Cardinals righty owns a 2.95 FIP over his previous four outings, allowing just 0.78 BB/9 to showcase his strong command. Leahy also faces a Philadelphia Phillies lineup that is horrid on the road, posting an 80 wRC+ (league average being 100).

The Cards haven’t been fantastic at the dish at Busch Stadium, but Wheeler is prone to mistakes right now. There’s underdog value with St. Louis.

I’ll play this pick down to +120.

COVERS INTEL: Leahy has been substantially better at home, posting a 2.19 FIP compared to a 4.69 mark on the road. That matters against a Phillies lineup that struggles to produce away from Citizens Bank Park. 

Phillies vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-121)

With a relatively low total of 7.5, the Over has value. While both starters are capable of keeping this one in check, the bullpen profiles are not exactly lights out.

Philadelphia’s relief corps owns a 4.58 FIP over the last week while surrendering 1.15 HR/9. The Cardinals’ pen, meanwhile, has a 5.15 xERA during that same span while giving up more than six walks per nine innings. That is a recipe for trouble once Leahy exits.

Both offenses are in decent form, too. The Phillies have a 109 wRC+ over their previous 13 games, while the Cards sit at 103 over their last six.

Play the Over up to -130.

Phillies vs Cardinals home run prediction: Kyle Schwarber (+291)

Kyle Schwarber is one of the most feared power hitters in the sport, and he’s showcasing his pop lately. The slugger has a .333 ISO over the last week, smacking two homers during that span.

Schwarber also owns a 50% hard-hit rate and 18.8% barrel rate over his last seven games. Leahy has allowed a 40.6% hard-hit rate across his last four starts, and while the home run damage has been limited, the contact profile still stands out.

As for the Cards pen, it has allowed a 42.1% hard-hit rate over the last week, with 40% of its contact coming through the air. Schwarber has an identical fly-ball rate over the last seven days.

Play this pick down to +250.

Phillies vs Cardinals weather

Weather at Busch Stadium looks very hot and humid this afternoon, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures climbing from 94 to 97 degrees. Winds are light around 6-7 mph, and rain chances stay modest at 16-17%. The heat could help the ball carry, giving a slight boost to offense.

Phillies vs Cardinals odds

• Moneyline: Phillies -150 | Cardinals +144
• Run line: Phillies -1.5 (+117) | Cardinals +1.5 (-122)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+113)

Phillies vs Cardinals trend

The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the Moneyline in 6 of their last 9 games (+4.25 Units / 39% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Cardinals.

How to watch Phillies vs Cardinals and game info

Phillies vs Cardinals latest injuries

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The Atlanta Braves evened the series against the New York Mets after Tuesday’s 4-0 win. Martín Pérez got the start, lasting six innings with three walks and two strikeouts. He surrendered just four hits. 

The Braves’ bats were relatively quiet with the team tallying just three hits. Two of those hits were home runs, courtesy of Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson. 

Olson and the Braves go for the series win tonight at 7:15 ET.

More Braves News:

After a tough loss to the Mets on Monday night, Bryce Elder discussed the replay challenge review. 

MLB News:

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage recently underwent meniscus surgery. It has not been determined how long he will be sidelined. The team has not yet ruled him out for the season.

The Los Angeles Angels fired three coaches, mostly notably pitching coach Mike Maddux. Two of his assistants were also fired.

The Miami Marlins placed first baseman Kyle Stowers on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The move is retroactive to August 10.

From the Feed:

Cast your vote for Braves Player of the Game below.

The Dodgers are now on a two-game winning streak after securing a walk-off victory against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.

Although the bullpen nearly cost the Dodgers with a three-run implosion in the top of the eighth inning, the highlight early on was the return of two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell. Snell began his night by retiring the first 10 hitters in a row, ending his night having allowed just three hits, one run and one walk while striking out 10, becoming the first Dodger to reach double digit strikeouts in a start since Yoshinobu Yamamoto on July 4.

Snell spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA about his return following Tuesday’s walk-off win, noting that his poor outing against the Atlanta Braves back in May helped him find a better rhythm and sequence on the mound.

“I had a lot of information from that game to help me with this one on what I wanted to do differently, and how I wanted to start. Definitely happy that I was more aggressive, more in the zone and more just in control of my emotions in being the first one back.”

Dave Roberts described Snell’s performance as “fantastic” and credited him for pushing through the sixth inning in his first game back.

“He was fantastic tonight. We pushed him a little bit into the sixth and through the sixth, but just because he was so efficient, certainly that extra inning was huge for us.”

Mookie Betts had himself a monster game offensively on Tuesday, finishing a triple shy of the cycle while driving in the tying run that helped the game reach extra innings.

It’s been a struggling season with the stick for Betts, and moments like the one he had Tuesday have been sparse, as he spoke with Watson about trying to find consistency at the plate.

“We’ll just go with a good day at the plate. We seem to have the story over and over again, so we’ll see tomorrow if we can string something together.”

Max Muncy ultimately was the hero once again for the Dodgers on Tuesday, as he delivered the walk-off blow in the bottom of the 10th to seal the series victory against Kansas City.

The Dodgers are starting to make their seven-game losing streak an outdated talking point, having won three of their last four games, and Muncy noted to Watson postgame that these wins have been a whole-team effort.

“Everyone is coming together. We’ve been grinding a little bit lately, but each day is a new day. You show up with an opportunity to do something great. We just keep trying to focus on the day we have at hand, and we’re going to keep doing that tomorrow.”

MLB.com’s Jack Janes recounts Kansas City Royals slugger Jac Caglianone shining against Los Angeles Dodgers starter Tarik Skubal making his home debut.

In the third inning, Skubal left an 0-2 slider down the middle to Caglianone, who made him pay by hitting a 110.8 mph laser into the seats in right field for a two-run home run.

Caglianone stayed hot at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with three RBIs. He’s hitting .417 with at least one hit in all nine games in August.

One of the reasons why Caglianone has been finding his stride again recently is his ability to limit the strikeouts. His strikeout rate since returning from the All-Star break is 14.8%. In that span, he’s lowered his strikeout rate on the season from 29.2% to 26.5%

“Just trying to shrink the zone,” Caglianone said. “Once you get the two strikes, just battle your tail off.”

Kansas City Star’s Kacen Bayless writes about another snag in the Royals’ plan to move downtown as public pushback grows increasingly prominent.

While [Mayor Quinton Lucas] pointed to a need for more robust conversations, one local leader said the delay was due to an attempt by the Royals to renegotiate certain parts of the deal.

The opposition has largely centered on the speed with which city leaders have pursued the project. The ordinance city leaders planned to debate Tuesday would have set aside $20 million and authorized City Manager Mario Vasquez to execute a series of agreements with the team.

The city’s Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee was set to review the ordinance on Tuesday. While the vote was delayed, the project is still widely expected to move forward. City leaders could still discuss the proposal next week.

Final approval of those agreements would effectively kickstart the project and mark the next step in the Royals’ yearslong search for a new home. The team’s rough plans, unveiled in April, call for a $1.9 billion stadium in Crown Center as part of a more than $3 billion ballpark district.

Missouri Workers Power’s efforts for a public vote regarding the public funds the Royals are getting for the stadium project is a large part of the stadium’s detractors.

Missouri Workers Power (MWP), a sibling organization of Missouri Workers Center or Stand Up KC, has its own plan that calls for a vote of the people before city funding is allocated to the project. 

“Postponing this item at City Council makes all the more evident our point: that our decision makers can’t keep trying to rush this process without considering what we the people need, and without all of us having the final say when it comes to the question of how our tax dollars are spent,” MWP Service Industry Worker Jaeda Roth said in a statement sent to FOX4 Tuesday afternoon. “Our representatives should not stand in the way of the people they are supposed to represent.”

MWP met with Mayor Lucas on Monday. The council has until Aug. 31 to figure out what to do with the MWP petition.

“So, the city has many choices as to how it looks to proceed in connection with that, but no, the city does not have a deadline or a timeline at least as to how it would act on any ordinances either before us or in the future relating to the baseball stadium that are triggered by any outside petition efforts,” the mayor said.

PReston Farr advocates for a Carson Roccaforte promotion in his latest look at the hottest hands on Kansas City’s farm.

Fellow outfielder Carson Roccaforte is another name in the system due for a promotion. He has 14 home runs over his last 50 games, the most in the Royals farm system in that span. His strikeout rate is down to 23.2% in that sample, and his 14 home runs since June 6 are good for sixth in all of Double-A. The power surge, paired with elite center field defense are worth a look sooner rather than later. Kyle Isbel isn’t extremely far from free agency. He enters another year of arbitration in 2027, and good starting center fielders rarely hit the free agent market. If Roccaforte factors in at all over the next few years, getting him up the system is something we should see soon.

The Royals released veteran reliever Justin Topa from Triple-A Omaha.

Topa has signed minor league deals with both Toronto and Kansas City since being cut loose by Minnesota. He’s pitched well in both places — including 12 2/3 innings with just one earned run allowed during his stint with Kansas City’s Omaha affiliate. Overall, Topa has pitched 20 2/3 minor league innings this season (all at the Triple-A level). He’s logged a tidy 1.74 ERA but still has a concerning 14.1% strikeout rate. His 8.7% walk rate is sharp, but Topa’s typical ground-ball tendencies haven’t been on display (41.8%). He’s worked more off his four-seamer than in the past during this Triple-A run, but Topa has also noticeably scaled back his slider usage. That might help to explain both the downturn in grounders (more four-seamers, slightly fewer sinkers) and in whiffs (fewer sliders, slightly fewer changeups).

Royals Keep’s Yirsandy Rodríguez looks at how Kansas City’s bullpen lacks the putaway pitch MLB relievers need.

Two strikes should put the hitter on the defensive, but against the Kansas City bullpen, the exact opposite happens. The issue isn’t getting ahead; it’s finding the pitch to finish the plate appearance. A drop in secondary pitch effectiveness has completely eliminated the uncertainty in the batter’s box. Without a breaking or offspeed offering that threatens the zone, hitters get comfortable, extend at-bats, and drive the ball hard—wiping out late-inning leads in the process.

The numbers don’t lie about the collapse: the Royals bullpen sits at the bottom of Major League Baseball with a disastrous -3.5 WAR and the lowest xERA (4.93) in the American League. They surrender 1.49 home runs per nine innings—the highest rate in MLB—while opponents punish them with a 40.4% hard-hit rate. This isn’t a temporary slump limited to a couple of arms; it’s a structural flaw in how the unit attempts to close out games.

A year ago, a breaking pitch below the zone forced hitters to make split-second decisions. Today, they lay off with ease because they know the next pitch will have to come over the plate.

Just Baseball’s Kennen Smith writes about how Matt Strahm’s 2026 results are “are perfectly symbolic of how regression and misidentification of talent have dismantled the Royals.”

Jacob Berry came to the Royals organization and is making a strong first impression at Triple-A Omaha.

Democratic lawmakers call for the end of MLB and MLB players appearing in sportsbook marketing in letter to MLB and MLBPA leadership.

The Los Angeles Angels fired pitching coach Mike Maddux and two of his assistants on Tuesday.

Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman activated off the IL, set for team debut in Toronto.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice calls 30 days spent in Texas jail a “learning experience” and a “reality check”.

The Minnesota Vikings announce Kyler Murray is their starting quarterback to start 2026.

Retired Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green recorded the land speed record for a hydrogen-powered car, reaching 406.320 MPH at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats.

Chicago Sky player DiJonai Carrington claims she never said Flagrant 2 foul review was the result of white privilege.

CBS Sports’ president David Berson says there is no timeline regarding lead NFL analyst Tony Romo following his arrest in Wisconsin.

A high school football player in Arkansas found a venomous snake inside his helmet during practice.

The NFL is entering an era of new stadium after new stadium.

Ultrarare Nintendo Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt cartridges are set for auction after discovery in Wisconsin.

U.S. Highway 50 is home to a historic halfway marker, one whose story is easily forgotten outside Dodge City.

Will new guidelines help prevent more heat-related deaths among Kansas and Missouri football players?

Today’s song of the day is The Sign by Ace of Base.