Ducks outfielder Anson Aroz was called out and ejected for deliberately running into the catcher to score.
Bar-B-Cast on Red Sox's struggles and ugly season: 'Alex Cora is going nowhere at least this season'
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Based on the conversation between Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman in this episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," it's clear that while things look bleak for the Red Sox, the season isn't over — but there’s a lot of frustration and concern.
The Red Sox aren't mathematically eliminated, and there are still scenarios where they turn things around, especially if prospects contribute and some injured players return and perform. But the path forward is "complicated" and hope is fading, reflected in Boston's big drop in playoff odds. The team’s flaws are showing, and unless things change quickly, they’re at risk of falling out of the race for good.
Here are the key points Shusterman and Mintz discussed on the show:
Poor performance, bad breaks
The Red Sox have struggled recently, particularly with a five-game losing streak entering Friday, lots of one-run losses (6-15 in one-run games), and multiple walk-off defeats. There have also been key injuries — especially to Alex Bregman and Tristan Casas — and some roster inflexibility.
Their playoff odds have plummeted from preseason hopes of 56% down to 18%, according to Fangraphs, as Shusterman mentions. This drop reflects their poor play and the surprising strength of other teams.
Why manager Alex Cora is safe this season
Mintz and Shusterman discussed some odd roster choices and poor communication, especially around locking Rafael Devers into the DH spot. However, neither Mintz nor Shusterman believe Cora is on the hot seat, and they think he’s handled the chaos relatively well.
"Alex Cora is going nowhere at least this season," Mintz said. "If I had to rank baseball operations juice amongst MLB managers he would be toward the top of that list. Yeah, he just signed a new contract. The organization believes in him and frankly I think he has done a fair, good enough job keeping this thing from going completely off the rails because it is not his fault."
Despite the mess, there’s still hope in the farm system, with top prospects like Roman Anthony pushing for a call-up (though the front office seems reluctant for a mix of service time and roster jam reasons).
The "Bar-B-Cast" wouldn’t pick Boston to win the division at this point. Shusterman still gives the Red Sox a chance to sneak into a playoff spot, though his confidence is shaken.
For more of the latest baseball news and debates, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
Bar-B-Cast preview: 'There’s a strong argument the Yankees are better than the Dodgers'
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
From high-octane lineups to crafty pitching, this Yankees-Dodgers battle is baseball’s main event of this weekend. As Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz of the "Baseball Bar-B-Cast" podcast put it: “I don’t think we have to explain why Dodgers-Yankees is compelling … There is some stuff here, people.”
Here is some of the stuff:
Both teams are riding high entering this matchup
As pointed out in the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," there’s a different energy compared to their last showdown. This isn’t just a rehashing of last year’s World Series vibe. Both the Yankees (35-20) and Dodgers (34-22) are entering the weekend as true contenders, but, if anything, the Yankees look stronger this time around.
Mintz summed it up like this: “Last year it was pretty clear pretty quickly that the Yankees were playing worse baseball than the Dodgers. That’s not the case right now. There’s a strong argument the Yankees are better than the Dodgers.”
The Yankees' run differential is nearly double that of the Dodgers (+113 to +65), and their recent form has been more consistent across the board.
Shusterman's take: "The Yankees are playing much better, basically, across the board, they’ve been way more consistent. The run differential speaks for itself. They have a lot more of their team clicking.”
Pitching matchups to watch
The arms on display promise some compelling duels:
Friday — Max Fried vs. Tony Gonsolin
Saturday — Will Warren vs. Landon Knack
Sunday — Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Ryan Yarbrough
Mintz points out the intrigue around pitchers: “Will Warren I’m interested in. He was not a character during the World Series last year. Neither was Max Fried. I’ll take Max Fried against Shohei Ohtani. Thank you very much.”
It’s also a series full of new faces — like the Yankees' Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham and Paul Goldschmidt.
Broadcast bingo: Get ready for the highlights
As Shusterman jokes, expect the networks to lean heavily into World Series nostalgia. Will we see countless replays of Freddie Freeman’s grand slam in the World Series opener? Probably. The over-under, according to the "Bar-B-Cast" is set at 12.5. But don’t let that distract from the fact that this series is packed with new storylines and fresh drama.
Rob Tringali via Getty Images
Odds observations from Yahoo Sports AM newsletter
Title favorites: The defending champion Dodgers have the best odds to win the World Series (+240 at BetMGM), and the Yankees aren’t too far behind (+550).
The Tigers (+900), Mets (+900), Phillies (+950), Cubs (+1500) and Mariners (+1800) are the only other teams with better than 20-1 odds.
MVP favorites: Reigning MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are mashing. If the season ended today, they would both be virtual locks to win the awards again, which would be three in four years for Judge and four in five years for Ohtani.
Judge leads the AL in every part of the triple-slash (.391/.488/.739), runs (51), hits (81), total bases (153) and WAR (4.2). He’s also second in HRs (18), RBI (47) and walks (38).
Ohtani leads the NL in HRs (20), runs (59), slugging (.648) and total bases (140), is second in WAR (2.8) and OPS (1.042) and is top 10 in BA (.292) and steals (11).
Looking ahead: There’s still a lot of baseball left, but if the Yankees and Dodgers each make it back to the Fall Classic it will be just the 10th World Series rematch ever, and the first since these same two teams did it nearly 50 years ago (1977-78).
For more of the latest baseball news and debates, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
SEC ups field and court storming fines to $500,000 for each violation
Fines had previously been distributed on an escalating basis.
Future CFP formats: Here’s where things stand after SEC coaches pushed back on model guaranteeing league 4 playoff spots
After pushback from SEC coaches on a model that would guarantee four automatic bids for the SEC and Big Ten, the 5+11 format may now be favored. But that would put the SEC at odds with its partner in deciding the CFP future.
Champions League Final preview, Premier League team season perspectives & LA Galaxy make history in a BAD way
Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros preview the Champions League Final between Inter Milan and PSG this Saturday. Who has the advantage? Who do the boys think will come out on top? Christian and Alexis then give team perspectives for all 20 premier league teams ahead of next season. Are we seeing the fall of Manchester United’s empire? Later, Christian and Alexis recap the midweek MLS games. Also, the Galaxy lose again and make history in a bad way, tying the record for a winless streak in Major League Soccer.
NCAA basketball tournament could expand as early as the 2026 season … but the question remains: Why?
NCAA president Charlie Baker says talks are underway to expand the NCAA tournament from 68 teams to 72 or 76.
Mike Leach, Les Miles eligible for College Football Hall of Fame after rule change
Leach was 158-107 as a college football head coach, compiling a .596 winning percentage at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State.
Are Titans putting Cam Ward through a 'stupid' charade or necessary football tradition?
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Based on the conversation in an "Inside Coverage" podcast episode, Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson and Frank Schwab have mixed views about how the Tennessee Titans are handling rookie quarterback Cam Ward.
Schwab is baffled by the Titans’ approach to splitting reps between Ward and Will Levis.
“Why? What’s the point in all this? ... We all know Cam Ward’s starting Week 1," Schwab said. "I find this stupid.”
Schwab suggests the Titans are playing games and should focus on getting their No. 1 overall draft pick ready to be the starter.
His main argument: It’s pointless and disingenuous for head coach Brian Callahan to be splitting first-team reps or framing the starting QB job as something Ward has to "earn," especially since everyone knows Ward is the starter from Day 1 unless he gets hurt or something very unexpected happens. These types of mind games are “stupid," so why are the Titans even bothering with this charade?
This is reminiscent of the Urban Meyer/Trevor Lawrence situation in Jacksonville, a QB competition that wasn't real.
Does anyone — inside or outside the Titans — really believe there’s a QB battle happening? The pretense in Nashville is unnecessary.
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There's value in making Cam Ward 'earn' the job to lead the Titans
Robinson disagrees and feels there’s real value in letting Ward “earn” the starting job, even if the competition isn’t entirely authentic. He compares it to his own (albeit high school) experience of being announced as a starter and how meaningful that was for his growth and confidence. It's beneficial for a young player to have a sense of accomplishment and momentum by going out and winning the job in camp, even if it’s a bit of theater. He argues that being “given” the starting job outright, simply because of draft status, takes away that motivational aspect. Some level of competition is a longstanding football tradition and a useful bit of preseason theater.
There's recent NFL history to back up the approach. Robinson references head coach Sean Payton running a similar “open competition” with Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham in Denver, which everyone knew wasn’t true, but he insists there’s still some intangible value to being publicly anointed as the starter at the end of a process, even if the process is a bit of a facade. The “theater” is part and parcel of football culture.
Even a staged competition can help a young QB’s mentality and buy-in, allowing Ward to feel like he’s achieved something, which has value for the player and locker room.
To hear more NFL discussions, tune into Inside Coverage on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
Fantasy Football: Chris Olave looks like a risk-reward pick worth betting on this draft season
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
If you’ve wondered if Saints receiver Chris Olave should be on your draft radar this season, the latest Yahoo Fantasy Forecast episode with Matt Harmon and Footballguys Alfredo Brown offers some clarity — and a dose of optimism.
Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
First, let’s acknowledge the obvious: Olave, who already has two 1,000-yard receiving seasons on his resume, has never truly benefitted from consistent, high-end quarterback play since entering the league in 2022. Harmon and Brown both agree that his connection with Derek Carr left much to be desired — “they never really had the best chemistry in the world,” Harmon suggests. The lack of rhythm is a big part of why Olave hasn’t been a difference-maker in fantasy.
Yet, buried in uncertainty is a potential gold mine of upside. With new head coach Kellen Moore stepping in, there’s buzz around a more creative deployment of Olave — perhaps even increased usage out of the slot.
“What Moore has done for even a guy like DeVonta Smith ... both [he and Olave are] technicians, pro-level route runners in college, " Harmon points out. "They don’t need to play in the slot, but they can be weaponized in the slot.”
Brown goes a step further: “I think that he’s got that upside for high-target volume, high efficiency deep downfield and he’s just one of those guys. Tyler Shough [the likely new QB] is actually a pretty good deep-ball thrower ... that could actually be good for Olave.”
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Slot usage under Moore could mean more layup targets, and with a new offense and a QB unafraid to push downfield, those big Olave games may finally happen more often.
While there’s risk — particularly with QB uncertainty and Olave coming off of two scary concussions last season that limited him to eight games — better days could be ahead.
Olave’s blend of youth, technical polish and untapped ceiling are tantalizing. If Olave builds rapport with his quarterback and Moore makes him a focal point of the offense, a true breakout could be just around the corner — and that’s something worth keeping an eye on this summer ahead of fantasy drafts.
NBA Draft withdrawals: Florida is the big winner, while Duke is on the losing end
NIL has changed the calculus, with college basketball’s top underclassmen now routinely returning to school rather than entering the NBA Draft.
Several Big Ten ADs wouldn’t support ‘5+11’ CFP format if SEC keeps 8-game conference schedule: Sources
The 5+11 model and a previous "4-4-2-2-1+3" model are the formats under the most consideration.
Will NIL deals be better regulated in the future? ‘At the end of the day, we’re all looking for a competitive advantage’
While college sports awaits a final ruling on the House settlement, the newly formed "NIL Go" will soon start regulating deals made with players. Will schools and collectives play by the new rules, or will the new system create even more headaches?
Inside Coverage: Are the Steelers a playoff team with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback?
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It remains the biggest question in this NFL offseason: Will Aaron Rodgers play quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers this upcoming season?
That's yet to be answered, but let's dive a little deeper. In the latest episode of the Inside Coverage podcast, Frank Schwab, Charles Robinson and Jason Fitz debate this question: Are the Steelers a playoff team with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback?
Frank Schwab is clear — he does not think the Steelers are a playoff team even if they add Rodgers
"No, no. I think that they got kind of lucky to get in the playoffs last year," Schwab explains. "And this whole [Mike] Tomlin thing is very, very — it's impressive, but they're barely squeaking in. I think they're clearly the third-best team in the division. The AFC as a whole is pretty tough when you start looking at the AFC West. And I just — no, no, I don't think the Steelers are a playoff team regardless."
He does leave room for being proven wrong, saying, "Mike Tomlin has proved me wrong a few times in the past few years here."
Charles Robinson says the Steelers will have a surprisingly good year with Rodgers under center
"I'm going to go the opposite way, I think only because this is how the universe works. This is such a crap show — everything screams it's going to break, right? Because this is how the universe usually works, it's gonna be the opposite. I think it's gonna be Brett Favre, Minnesota."
Robinson predicts the Steelers will go 11-6, be "exciting and fun and a huge story all year long," with an unexpected late-career resurgence for Rodgers.
Jason Fitz doesn’t give a direct yes/no on playoffs, but he argues strongly that Rodgers is not worth all the drama
"If you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, you're allowing yourself to be hamstrung to sign a quarterback that I think, at best, if he comes out and has the best that he can be today, he's the third-best quarterback in his own division today. We are talking about this version of Aaron Rodgers like he's an MVP and this version of Aaron Rodgers isn't."
Fitz seems doubtful that Rodgers can elevate the Steelers into playoff contention, equating him to current-level Kirk Cousins or Mason Rudolph.
To hear more NFL discussions, tune into Inside Coverage on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
Texas reportedly nixed Ohio State’s idea of playing Week 1 game on Sunday night
Fox was willing to move the game to Aug. 31 instead of playing the game at noon ET on Aug. 30.