Category: Sports News

Game Summary

The Diamondbacks offense had scored 8 runs in their last 4 games combined, but came out and ambushed Giants starter Blade Tidwell for 6 runs in the first 3 innings of the game. They then added another 4 against the Giants bullpen, but 10 runs was not enough to turn this game into a laugher because Kohl Drake, fresh off the Reno Express, had another rough outing.

The Diamondbacks got things started off right with a leadoff homer by Lars Nootbaar, a direct contrast to how last night’s game started with a leadoff dinger for the Giants, and that kicked off an offensive night that saw all but 2 D-Backs starters get a hit and the entire team combined for 12 hits and 2 BB. Nootbaar led the way finishing a triple short of the cycle, but Tim Tawa (3 RBI), Nolan Arenado, and James McCann also had multi-hit games. Ildemaro Vargas also got a 2 RBI base knock, turning his bat into kindling in the process. A total effort from the lineup, including great situational hitting indicated by going 4/7 with RISP and a Sac Fly, was sorely needed because the starting pitching was less than ideal.

Kohl Drake wasn’t terrible tonight, but his final line of 5 ER across 4 IP is terrible. It was great to see Drake consistently throwing strikes for much of the night, but he really had issues getting the third out of the inning. Of the 5 runs Drake allowed, 4 came with 2 outs. There was a pair of 2 out homers accounting for 3 of those runs and the 4th came home via 2-out double to score a runner who was at first thanks to a HBP. The only run Drake didn’t give up with 2 outs was an inning of perfectly executed small ball by the Giants. The Giants were really good at maximizing their scoring opportunities early on in this game because it never really felt like Drake was in a stressful situation.

What is probably going to catch a lot of comments will be the bullpen usage tonight. Part of this is on Drake for not being able to soak up more innings when then the offense staked him to a 6-2 lead halfway through the 3rd inning, but I suspect many will find issue with Torey’s bullpen usage on the day before a double-header. It’s not like we have Pfaadt and E-Rod going in this twin-bill tomorrow, either. The Merrill and Bratt the probable starters, we would reasonably expect the bullpen to need to cover 9+ innings tomorrow. After tonight, I hope that’s not the case.

The bullpen did well tonight, but Torey threw every pitcher who didn’t toss in last night’s loss (with the exception of J-Mart), plus burning Loaisiga for the second night in a row. Unfortunately, the pitchers who went tonight weren’t economical with their pitches, so now we’re looking at the prospect of all of these guys having to come back out at some point tomorrow after throwing 20+ pitches. The good thing is, unless there are some nagging injuries that the staff is protecting, everyone but Loaisiga will probably be available tomorrow. I was certainly hoping that Drake could’ve gone back out for the 5th to try and shave one more inning off the bullpen’s load tonight, but Torey managed the game in front of him first, which is likely the correct call, and he came away with W today. Tomorrow may be interesting, but that is tomorrow’s problem. Tonight, the Diamondbacks got a win and gained ground in the Wild Card.

Win Probability and Box Score

Outside the Box Score

• Lars Nootbar has had a rough go of it at the start of his Diamondbacks tenure, but he got tonight started off with a bang when he deposited the first pitch of the game all the way in the D-Backs’ bullpen, 432 feet from home plate! 
• Jordan Lawlar showed good range and athleticism to make a foot-first sliding catch in left-center to record the first out of the game for Kohl Drake.
• Drake only needed 10 pitches to record his first 3 outs, but one of those pitches was an inner-third slider left thigh-high to Bryce Eldridge who sent it to the concourse above the right field wall for a game-tying solo homer, nearly splashing it into McCovey Cove. An efficient inning, but not a shutdown inning.
• Jung Hoo Lee led off the second with a seeing eye single past Ildemaro Vargas, then stole second just barely beating the throw from McCann before getting moved to third by a weak ground out to first base. That set up the Giants with a runner at third and less than 2 outs and they cashed in with a sac fly to right. Drake did nothing wrong, the Giants just did everything perfectly that half inning to get a run across.
• Lars doubled into the right-center gap in his second AB of the game. The exit velocities on his first 2 hits were 109.9 (HR) and 110.3 (2B).
• Corbin Carroll’s homer in the third came after he fell down in the count 1-2, worked his way to a full count, then smashed a middle-middle fastball to dead center.
• Nolan Arenado’s double in third was a bouncer that was ruled to bounce over third base in fair territory even though it landed in foul territory. Earlier in the game, the same umpire, standing about 10 feet behind third base on the foul line, had to duck underneath a high chopper down the line that he ended up ruling foul. Torey called him out on it from the dugout, and I think that the umpire was cognizant of that the next time a similar situation presented itself. Tony Vitello, the Giants manager, was tossed in between innings arguing that foul ball call.
• Tim Tawa’s 3-run homer, following the Arenado double, was a bomb into the left field bleachers that flew 419 feet.
• Kohl Drake came out in the bottom of the third, after being given a 4-run lead, and struck out the first 2 hitters and got up 0-2 on Rafael Devers before losing Devers to HBP, then letting him score on a Bryce Eldridge double to the wall in left-center. So close to shutdown inning, but “close don’t count in baseball. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”
• Kohl’s 2-run homer allowed in the 4th was set up, once again, by a 2-out free pass. Drake got the first 2 outs fairly easily, but then walked the 7-hole hitter on 5 pitches before allowing a first pitch homer just inside the left field foul pole to the next hitter. 
• Corbin earned a leadoff walk in the 5th, but then the Snakes’ 3-4-5 hitters all popped out to varying depths to render it harmless.
• After Gerrardo Carrillo walked the first batter he faced on 4 pitches, he struck out Devers looking on a full count Sweeper that appeared to be well outside the strike zone. Devers brought his hand up to his chin as if he were about to challenge, then decided against it and kept his hand pressed against his chest on his walk back to the dugout. A lucky break for the Snakes.
• More fair-foul shenanigans struck in the top of the 6th when Tim Tawa popped up into no man’s land down the first base line. Rafael Devers almost made a great over the shoulder catch but the ball hit off the heel of his glove. The play was made right on top of the foul line as Devers was sprinting into foul ground and the call was immediately fair ball. Very, very close, but we’ll take it.
• Ildemaro Vargas got a 2-RBI base hit on a broken bat bleater into shallow right field. The bat was completely sawed off and the exit velocity was in the mid-sixties, but it did the job.
• Ildemaro Vargas (and the coaching staff) can be credited with the third run that crossed the plate in the 6th inning for the Snakes. Lars Nootbaar smoked a single into right field which was being manned by JH Lee. Vargas was just reaching second when Lee fielded the ball but he obviously knew that Lee was unlikely to throw him out at third so Vargas made the hard turn and cruised into the extra base without a throw. Corbin paid that aggressiveness off with a sac fly to score Ildemaro right after.
• There were quite a few challenges in this game, with the Giants accounting for 5 by themselves through the first 5 innings and they had a 100% success rate. They finally missed their first challenge in the 6th inning challenging a called ball that was confirmed to miss by 0.1”.
• Geraldo Perdomo’s stolen base in the 7th was thanks to a VERY early takeoff from first. The catcher started to try and get the pitcher to step off, but the pitcher didn’t see it in time and proceeded with the pitch. Domo was in standing up without a throw. He then came around to score on a McCann RBI single.
• After the Giants runner at first base reached second on an errant pickoff throw in the 8th inning, Geraldo Perdomo gifted the Giants an extra out and runner when he misfired on what should’ve been a 6-3 putout for the 2nd out of the inning. Instead there were runners at the corners and 1 out. 

Comment of the Game

A light Friday night GameDay Thread with a total of 173 comments at time of publishing. Very few Sedona Red comments tonight which made COTG is fairly easily awarded to VW Beetle for his comment after Lars got our Friday night started off right:

Coming Up

The Diamondbacks face the Giants twice tomorrow to finish out this four-game set and the season series. The first game in the twin bill will start at 1:05pm and the second will start at 7:05pm. During the game, the broadcast speculated Merrill will be starting the nightcap and Mitch Bratt will be taking the mound in the first game. During the postgame coverage, it was announced that it will actually be Merrill getting the ball first and Bratt coming out for the late game. I’m not positive of the strategy one way or the other, perhaps it is just more likely that Merrill gives the Snakes a good outing and then Torey will know exactly who he can play with and how far he has to push Bratt if things aren’t going well.

Scoreboard Watching

Not a bad night on the NL Wild Card scoreboard:

• Cubs lost to the Reds at home. They are now 1 game ahead of Philly for the 1st WC and 4.5 games up on AZ.
• Phillies beat the Angels thanks to a 2 out Grand Slam in the 9th. The Phillies remain in the 2nd WC and are 3.5 games up on AZ.
• Padres lost to the Rays and are now just a half-game ahead of AZ for the final WC.
• Marlins lost to the Nationals and are now 3.5 GB of AZ.
• The Cardinals beat the Pirates are still 4 games back of AZ.

The Arizona Cardinals wrapped up their preseason tonight in Green Bay and now they prepare for the regular season.

Part of the preparation is getting the roster down to 53, and as that is happening, also working the waiver wire to add players they think can help them in 2026 and maybe even beyond.

How does the NFL Waiver Wire Work?

A nice explainer from our friends at Buffalo Rumblings:

Players with less than four accrued seasons who are waived are subject to the waiver wire, where any team that claims them picks up their current contract. Any player claimed off the waiver wire must added to the claiming team’s active 53-man roster. If they pass through waivers unclaimed, they become free agents and are free to sign with any team’s practice squad they choose, which includes their prior team.

The waiver order is set by the original 2026 NFL Draft order for the first three weeks of the season, one that does not include trades, which means the Arizona Cardinals are third in the waiver wire priority.

Full Waiver Order

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Indianapolis Colts
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Green Bay Packers
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Chicago Bears
26. Buffalo Bills
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Houston Texans
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks

Make sure to check out our friends over at FanDuel Sportsbook to get all your Arizona Cardinals season long props and picks in before the season starts.

For those who stayed up well into Saturday morning to watch the opener of this Orioles-Athletics series, well, I wouldn’t exactly say you witnessed an instant classic. There was a whole lot of silly baseball going on. Baserunning blunders. Defensive butchery. Inexplicable managerial decisions. The Orioles couldn’t score more than two runs in regulation against the league’s worst pitching staff, and let a late lead slip away.

But in the end, Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand saved the Orioles’ bacon with back-to-back RBI singles in the top of the 10th, and Alex Hoppe hung on in the bottom half for his first career save, bringing a happy ending to an often bewildering game. To quote Camden Chat commenter Knightley: “This game was so stupid, but at least we won.”

If you were expecting the Orioles to storm into Sacramento and easily put away the third-worst team in baseball, well, you don’t know the Orioles. Every game seems to be a struggle for the Birds, no matter the quality of the opponent. You might think that the O’s, after scoring 26 runs in three games in St. Louis, could at least keep up their offensive momentum against an awful Athletics pitching staff, whose 5.75 ERA entering the game was the worst in the American League. Again, you’d be wrong.

In the first nine innings against these supposedly atrocious A’s pitchers, the Orioles scored two (2) runs. That’s it. Both came in a weird top of the second inning against Athletics starter Jacob Lopez. The lefty’s first pitch drilled Coby Mayo in the shoulder, and later he walked Leody Taveras on four pitches. With two down, Dylan Beavers — starting against a lefty for only the fifth time this year — delivered a clutch hit, roping an RBI single to right to plate Mayo with the game’s first run.

Then things went haywire. Carlos Narváez tapped a 43-mph dribbler down the first base line. It should have been a simple task for Lopez to simply pick the ball up and tag out Narváez on his way to first, but somehow the A’s hurler let the ball pop out of his glove, then collided with Narváez in the baseline, leading to visits from both team’s trainers (both players stayed in). Taveras scored on the error, extending the O’s lead to 2-0.

The Orioles nearly caught a break on the next play, too, when Blaze Alexander’s slow grounder to first bounced off the bag for a gift infield single, but Beavers foolishly tried to score from second on the play — first hesitating around the third-base bag, then ignoring Buck Britton’s stop sign and charging headlong into an easy out at the plate. What was that, Dylan? The wild and not particularly well played half-inning was over with the O’s ahead.

To be honest, the Orioles should have done way more damage against Lopez. His pitch count was inflated from the get-go. He was so covered in sweat that he looked like he’d just climbed out of the pool. The Orioles had traffic on the bases almost constantly. But somehow they didn’t score again versus Lopez, who managed to gut out five full innings on exactly 100 pitches. The Orioles’ luck didn’t improve against the Athletics’ league-worst bullpen, either. Former Oriole Scott Blewett kept them scoreless for two innings, and Luis Medina fired a perfect eighth. You just knew the Orioles’ inability to add on runs was going to come back to haunt them.

For a while, Brandon Young made the lack of run support not matter. The right-hander, who had been showing signs of fatigue in recent starts, tonight delivered his finest outing of the month. He worked seven full innings for the first time since July 19, shutting down an A’s lineup that is missing several of its key hitters due to injury.

Young set the tone for his excellent outing by throwing just five pitches in the first inning to retire the A’s 1-2-3. Three of his first four innings were perfect, and he worked through a second-inning jam by stranding two baserunners. It wasn’t until the sixth that Young showed any signs of tiring; he gave up a two-out infield single and walked Lawrence Butler after getting ahead 0-2 in the count. But after a quick meeting on the mound, Young retired Tommy White on a fly to center to keep the shutout intact.

That ended an inning later. Young was one out away from getting through seven scoreless when former O’s farmhand Jonah Heim laced a solo home run to right field, cutting the lead to 2-1. But Brandon finished the inning to complete his seven-inning gem: one run, five hits, four strikeouts. If the O’s bullpen could hold it, Young was in line for his 10th win of the year.

Spoiler: the O’s bullpen could not, in fact, hold it. Rico Garcia, who’s been pitching much better of late after his midseason swoon, sadly reverted to his ineffective form in the eighth. After getting ahead of leadoff man Henry Bolte 0-2, Garcia missed badly with a four-seam fastball and plunked it off of Bolte’s helmet. Scary stuff there, but Bolte was able to stay in the game. Jeff McNeil followed with a single, and suddenly the O’s were in all sorts of trouble.

After Zack Gelof bunted both runners into scoring position, Lawrence Butler lashed a sharp single to left. Bolte scored the tying run and McNeil too steamed homeward, intent on putting the Athletics ahead. But Beavers came up firing and uncorked perhaps the best throw he’s ever made in the majors, a cannon to the plate that nailed McNeil for a huge second out. The A’s had erased the O’s lead, but Dylan’s heroics prevented them from taking a lead of their own. Yennier Cano relieved Garcia to get the final out and keep the game tied.

Each team’s closer worked a scoreless ninth — Hogan Harris for the A’s, Andrew Kittredge for the O’s — to send the game to extras. And that’s when the Orioles’ bats finally woke up, though the inning featured its share of head-scratching decisions on both sides. The Birds’ free runner was Narváez, who’d made the final out of the ninth.

Despite Gunnar Henderson being available on the bench, O’s manager Craig Albernaz didn’t pinch-run for the lead-footed Narváez, who represented the go-ahead run. Even more bizarrely, Albernaz did have Henderson pinch-run for Pete Alonso at first base after he was intentionally walked with one out. Why would you put the speedy guy as the trail runner but leave a plodding oaf as the lead runner? And don’t get me started on Albernaz’s repeated failure to have Henderson or Samuel Basallo pinch-hit for Narváez in big spots throughout the game. This was not the finest game of Albernaz’s already not-great managerial career.

But enough complaining. It all worked out, because A’s manager Mark Kotsay (on his bobblehead night) made the bad decision to let southpaw Brady Basso face lefty-mashers Mayo and Encarnacion-Strand. Mayo was the first to come through, roping a single to right field. This is where Albernaz’s poor pinch-running tactics nearly cost him, as Narváez likely would’ve been cut down at the plate by any kind of decent throw. But the right fielder Butler got too excited and booted the ball, allowing the run to score.

Encarnacion-Strand was up next and, as usual, came through in a big spot. He ripped an opposite-field single of his own to plate Henderson, giving the Orioles an all-too-valuable insurance run (which they ended up needing). CES does it again! Remember when the O’s acquired this guy for cash considerations? I’d say they won that trade.

With all of the Orioles’ highest leverage relievers already used, it was up to Alex Hoppe to try to convert his first career save opportunity in the 10th. The rookie right-hander got the job done, though it’s a good thing he had the extra run. Hoppe dispatched Bolte on strikes and McNeil on a flyout before Gelof sizzled a single to center, scoring the free runner to make it a 4-3 game. But Hoppe recovered to retire Butler on a grounder to second, ending this exhausting but ultimately successful game. With the Guardians losing earlier in the day, the Orioles are now just two games back for the third wild card.

Who is your Most Birdland Player, Camden Chatters? Mayo? CES? Hoppe? Young? Maybe Beavers for the game-saving throw and the RBI single, if his baserunning blunder doesn’t disqualify him? Let us know in the comments.

On Sunday, all 32 NFL teams will cut their offseason rosters to 53 players, concluding the 2026 preseason.

The following day, the waiver wire process will begin. Here’s what to know:

When is the deadline for waiver claims?

NFL teams must submit waiver claims for eligible players by 1 PM ET on Monday, August 31. That’s a little less than 24 hours after the official cutdown deadline on Sunday.

After waivers process shortly after 12:00 p.m. Arrowhead time, the remaining players will become free agents and can be signed to practice squads or other rosters.

Which players are eligible for waivers?

When determining waiver eligibility, there are two types of players. Those with less than four “credited” seasons are subject to waivers and are subject to claims before becoming free agents. Those with four or more credited seasons are considered “vested veterans” and are not subject to waivers. Once released, they immediately become free agents and are eligible to sign with whomever they wish.

A “credited” season is different from an “accrued” season. The latter is used to determine if players become Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs), Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) or Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFAs).

A credited season is as follows: a player must be on an active, inactive, IR, or PUP roster for three or more regular season games. A player who receives an injury settlement (or grievance) for the equivalent of three or more regular season games is also given a credited season.

What’s the current waiver order?

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Indianapolis Colts
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Green Bay Packers
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Chicago Bears
26. Buffalo Bills
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Houston Texans
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks

After the game, Head Coach Sean Payton referenced the popular singing competition show The Voice when talking about the preseason finale. When asked about his message to players on the roster bubble and why the last preseason game matters, he told reporters, “Hey, make us spin the chair.”

One player who came out of nowhere and may have done that tonight is sixth-string running back Cody Schrader. He has played behind Dobbins, Harvey, Coleman, Badie, and McLaughlin all preseason and mostly was getting late-game work. He is likely viewed as a sure-fire cut candidate and likely a long shot for a practice squad spot.

However, after tonight, he may have made the Broncos spin that chair.

Schrader finished the night with 132 total yards from scrimmage (90 yards receiving and 42 yards rushing) and simply looked like the best player on the field. He showcased tough running and good vision, and made multiple plays in the passing game, including getting open on a broken play and catching a touchdown from quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

Realistically, this performance may not have changed much for Schrader. We have seen players have big games in the finale and not make the team or the practice squad. Former tight end Albert Okwuegbunam is a great example of this. He had a great game in the finale, and we were having this same conversation, but he was still cut hours later and did not make the practice squad.

Could things be different for Schrader? He was claimed off waivers late last season, later waived again, and then signed to the Broncos’ practice squad. He later signed a futures contract with the team in the offseason and has served as a back-of-the-roster running back depth all offseason. As I said, heading into this game, not many people had him on their radar, but he may have quickly built a fan base after tonight’s performance.

I think the Broncos will keep three running backs on their 53-man roster, and Tyler Badie will be on the practice squad. However, if they want to keep two backs on the practice squad, Schrader made a strong case for that spot tonight.

The Seattle Seahawks’ preseason is over, although the Kansas City Chiefs game slogged on for so long that I thought they’d play beyond the roster cuts deadline. Unfortunately, Seattle could not notch a victory and only mustered up a 9-9 tie in large part because of some poor kicking from the normally reliable Jason Myers.

Forget the scoreline and let’s focus on the overarching story. This was an important showcase night for Jalen Milroe as a full-game starter, as well as looking at the roster bubble players and whether they could make one last impression before Sunday’s cut-down day.

Let’s get to the last Winners and Losers for the 2026 preseason!

Seattle Seahawks Winners

Jalen Milroe needed that in the worst way

And by “that” I mean a series of quality plays with his arm that ward off any more calls that he should be waived. The first half was the best Milroe has looked in either preseason, making decisive, accurate, and on-time throws to Cody White, Montorie Foster, Nick Kallerup, and Elijah Arroyo. He even lost some yards and completions because Julian Hicks couldn’t handle the ball. It helped that (outside of one particular person) the offensive line was rarely troubled by KC’s pass rush, so Milroe had time to go through his progressions before making a decision to throw or run. His statline of 16/26 for 223 yards and a touchdown (to go with 20 yards rushing) actually is a bit unkind to his overall performance.

This is the first time Milroe has looked demonstrably better than third and fourth-string opposition, which is what you want to see as a clear sign of improvement. The game seemed to slow down for him on Friday and the end result was a performance more in line with what his biggest supporters hoped he would look like. There’s very little to critique! If you were ready to send him to the waiver wire after the Tennessee Titans game then maybe tonight was a step back in the right direction.

I imagine there are a few out there who don’t fully believe in Sam Darnold and are intrigued by the thought of not extending his contract and developing Milroe until he’s QB1. I’ll settle for staying the course and seeing if he can be QB2 in 2027.

Trevon Diggs’ hands work just fine

Did Garrett Nussmeier make a horrendous rookie mistake throwing off his back foot to Xavier Worthy? Yes. Did Trevon Diggs remind everyone he has tremendous ball skills and will gladly accept gifts sent his way? You better believe it.

He had one open-field missed tackle on Travis Kelce and a completed tackle on the game’s first play, and that’s about all there was to note. We’ll see if that suddenly makes him CB3 or if that in itself was enough to put him on the 53-man roster. Based on Mike Macdonald’s comments, I think he’ll be on the roster, and maybe above all else he looked healthy.

Nehemiah Pritchett hangs tough in the red zone

When the Seahawks were backed up at their own goal line, Pritchett was stuck like glue to his assignment on consecutive passes and helped hold the Chiefs to a field goal. I don’t see any roster danger for Pritchett, even if he’s not necessarily CB3 come September.

Cody White has a bounce back game

It was not Cody’s best day against the Tennessee Titans, having muffed a punt and dropped a deep pass last Sunday. He came back strongly with three catches for 69 yards. Whether or not he makes the initial 53-man roster, I bet White will be playing regular season football again for Seattle this year.

Emmanuel Henderson Jr emerges late

It’s been a quiet preseason for the rookie from Kansas, but he had his best night as a receiver with three catches for 58 yards, including the big grab that set up Seattle’s only touchdown. He also had an explosive catch that set up Jason Myers’ would-be game-winning field goal. Henderson has special teams versatility as a gunner and returner, which Ricky White III really does not from the returner perspective. There may be a slim chance Henderson makes the roster, but I think he has earned a practice squad spot.

Michael Dickson even dominates the preseason

When R Mason Thomas got through the line it looked like he was going to swat Dickson’s punt into the stands. Dickson pinned the Chiefs inside the 5 instead. There’s no one in the league doing it better than Dickson. He is as great a punter as there is in the NFL.

Seattle Seahawks Losers

Are you worried about Jason Myers yet?

Combining field goals and PATs, Jason Myers went 3/8 in preseason. He missed more than half of his kicks! Luckily he’s built up equity up into the stratosphere when much lesser kickers would be out of a job by now, but this is not a nothing slump he’s in right now. Myers is knuckle-balling makeable kicks well wide for reasons I don’t understand. This is a contract year for Myers and it is starting inauspiciously for someone who’s been so reliable over the past few seasons.

Myers was huge for Seattle throughout last season, particularly against the Indianapolis Colts and in the Super Bowl. Kickers at any level and of any ability can decline abruptly and precipitously. I want this to be an August funk and not something that bleeds into games that matter.

Logan Brown was “don’t bring back to the practice squad” bad

Brown’s brutal preseason continued with multiple pressures allowed and a strip sack given up to R. Mason Thomas. He offered up almost nothing as a run blocker, either. There’s no way he will make the 53 as a swing tackle.

Uso Seumalo is a nice story, but…

…He is not an NFL level defensive tackle. The Seahawks are not going to have any UDFA rookies on this roster, which is hardly the end of the world given the perceived weakness of the entire draft, let alone the undrafted. Seumalo had some intrigue as a big body who could take up space, control gaps, and be effective against the run. Pick any running play and he’s likely getting driven back several yards. I’m not even sure he’s going to be on the practice squad.

Don’t even try to deeply assess the run game

The third and fourth-string offensive line did not open up many holes for Jacardia Wright. Outside of Beau Stephens and maybe one of Christian Haynes or Bryce Cabeldue, most of the guys who played tonight are not on this roster by Sunday. At least there was some late traction toward the end of the game.

Julian Hicks… whoo boy that was bad

Two drops and a penalty on special teams. I hope he has a great backup plan for his career.

Final Notes

• Why was Elijah Arroyo playing so much? I get that he was with Darnold and Lock and Milroe in training camp, but I wasn’t expecting him to get deep first half snaps in the final game, too. It was a little nervy seeing him come up grabbing his right wrist after falling awkwardly on a pass interference.
• Bryce Cabeldue got some late game snaps as a center, which continues what happened last year when he was primarily a G/C.
• Jalan Gaines made a great backside pursuit play to stop a 3rd and goal touchdown at the 1. I think he’ll be another practice squad stash after a solid camp and preseason.
• Aidan Hubbard had a “better late than never” best showing of August, showing an impressive motor and generating a couple of pressures.
• I thought Andre Fuller had some good reps as a tackler, and he could’ve had an interception if not for the ball bouncing off his hands. It will be fascinating to see if Seattle is able/wants to roster either Fuller or Michael Dansby.
• Shout out to the 12s for coming out in droves for a preseason road game! Did you hear the SEA-HAWKS chants come through?
• It’s roster cuts weekend. Seattle typically tends to wait until the deadline to announce the initial 53-man roster, so don’t expect a ton to happen on Saturday, but a lot of movement on Sunday up until (and maybe after) the 3 pm PT deadline.

Post-game reaction video

By 5 p.m. (Arrowhead Time) on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs must reduce their 90-man active roster by 38 players in order to get it down to the in-season limit of 53 players.

The team will eventually release a complete list of all of its moves — but until then, news about some of them will trickle out. Here, we’ll track all the roster moves Kansas City is reported to have made.

With each new report, we’re also updating our Chiefs roster page, so you can easily see how many players are left in each position group.

We’re awaiting the 53-man roster that will attempt to bring the Chiefs back to the postseason. Currently, Kansas City has -176 odds to make the playoffs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

How roster changes are made

When players with fewer than fouraccrued seasons are cut, they have been waived. (Players acquire an accrued season when they are on a team’s active roster, its Reserve/Injured list, or its Reserve/PUP list for at least six games in a given season).

When players with at least four accrued seasons are cut, they have been released. They immediately become free agents.

Waived players may be claimed by another team, which then assumes the balance of their contract. The team that had the most recent draft’s first pick has precedence over waiver claims from all other teams. The team with the most recent draft’s 32nd pick has precedence over waiver claims from no other teams — and so on.

If a waived player isn’t claimed by noon on Monday, they become free agents.

Players can also be waived with an injury designation — commonly referred to as waived/injured. If these players go unclaimed, they automatically revert to the team’s Reserve/Injured list. This has already happened with prior cuts of tackle Matt Waletzko and wide receiver Jeff Caldwell.

That is one of three Reserve lists that do not count against the 53-man limit. The other two are the Reserve/PUP (physically-unable-to-perform) and Reserve/NFI (non-football-injury) lists. Players on the latter two lists at the final cutdown must miss at least four regular-season games before being activated to the roster, which occurs when they pass a physical. Defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott — who missed all of training camp recovering from a torn ACL from 2025 — is the only player eligible for the Reserve/PUP list.

The salaries for players on a team’s Reserve/PUP and Reserve/Injured lists count against the salary cap. Outside of first- and second-round picks, most players without veteran status can see their base salary cut in half while on reserve lists at the discretion of the team. Salaries for players on Reserve/NFI are not paid (unless a contract provision specifies otherwise).

Players placed on Reserve/Injured in the offseason (up through the final cutdown day) must miss the whole season. If a player is placed on Reserve/Injured after the final cutdown day, they may be designated for return after they have missed at least four games.

But on final cutdown day, a team may declare up to two players being placed on its Reserve/Injured list as being eligible to be treated as if they are placed on Reserve/Injured after the final cutdown.

Teams may make only eight designations for return during a given season — a limit that is extended to 10 if the team appears in the postseason. If a team labels a player as eligible for return at the final cutdown, it counts against this limit — even if the player is never actually designated for return.

Players designated for return from Reserve/Injured are eligible to practice with the team for up to 21 days. At any time during that period, they may be activated to the roster. If they are not, they must remain on the Reserve list for the remainder of the season.

Finally… players may be removed from the roster by being traded to another team. Just like with a waiver claim, the player’s new team assumes their existing contract, which counts against their cap. But any money that has already been paid to the traded (or waived) player (such as signing and workout bonuses) must be carried against the original team’s cap.

Roster change summary

• Current roster size:
• Released:
• Waived:
• Waived/injured:
• Traded: None
• Free agents signed: None
• Acquired through trade: None
• Placed on Reserve/Injured:
• Placed on Reserve/NFI:

Reported Chiefs roster moves

Saturday, August 29

The Athletics opened their three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Mark Kotsay Bobblehead Night at Sutter Health Park. The A’s fought back late from an early deficit, only to fall to a 4-3 defeat in a closely contested 10-inning matchup.

Orioles Strike First:Lopez Labors

In the top of the second inning, left fielder Dylan Beavers’ two-out RBI single following a hit batter and a walk gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead. The next batter, Orioles catcher Carlos Narváez, hit a slow comebacker that A’s starter Jacob Lopez fielded errantly, allowing the visitors second run of the inning to score.

If Lopez had flipped the ball to his first baseman, the inning would have been over, but the A’s pitcher unsuccessfully tried to do it all himself. The Orioles had a chance to score more, but the A’s threw Beavers out at home on a wacky play to finally end that inning.

A’s Offense Wastes Chance to Respond

In the bottom of the second, A’s first baseman Tommy White and designated hitter Max Muncy hit back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners with one out. The Athletics failed to capitalize on their first scoring opportunity, as Orioles starter Brandon Young retired the next two hitters to keep the hosts off the scoreboard.

Lopez Gutsy Start

Lopez rebounded with three straight scoreless innings, preventing his team’s deficit from increasing. He allowed two runs, one earned on three hits over five innings, walking three and striking out six in a gutsy outing considering how poorly his second inning went.

The A’s offense gave Lopez no run support. Young allowed just three singles over his first five innings of work, taking full advantage of the A’s aggressive approach at the plate to record a string of quick outs.

Game Rolls Along: A’s Waste Another Chance

Right-handed reliever Scott Blewett replaced Lopez in the sixth inning and worked two scoreless frames.

In the top of the sixth, Baltimore stranded two runners in scoring position. With two outs in the bottom of that inning, A’s third baseman Zack Gelof recorded an infield single before stealing second base. Young escaped the jam by getting White to fly out, stranding two on base.

Heim Time

Catcher Jonah Heim ensured that the A’s would not be shut out. With two outs in the seventh, Heim hit his 12th home run of the season, a solo shot to right field off Young that cut the Orioles’ lead in half.

Tight Game Late

A’s right-hander Luis Medina pitched a scoreless eighth inning, keeping the momentum on his team’s side. The Orioles pulled Young after he pitched seven innings of one-run ball against the A’s injury-depleted offense.

Right-hander Rico Garcia entered from Baltimore’s bullpen to pitch the bottom of the eighth. He hit Bolte and then Jeff McNeil singled, setting the A’s up with a golden chance to tie or take the lead. Gelof’s sacrifice bunt moved both runners up 90 feet.

Right fielder Lawrence Butler came through, lining an opposite-field RBI single. Bolte scored to tie the game, but McNeil was thrown out attempting to score from second. Butler was stranded at second as the game entered the ninth inning tied at two.

Left-hander Hogan Harris pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, with a big assist from Heim, whose perfect throw caught Colton Cowser stealing second.

Extra Innings

The Athletics failed to walk it off in regulation, so the game went to extra innings. A’s left-hander Brady Basso got the first two outs of the tenth inning before giving up two straight RBI singles as the Orioles took a 4-2 lead.

Facing Orioles right-hander Alex Hoppe, Gelof lined a two-out RBI single to make it a 4-3 game. The second run Basso allowed loomed large, as Hoppe retired Butler to secure his first major-league save.

The Athletics put up a nice fight tonight to force extra innings before falling short once again. They have recorded just three walk-off wins this season, with the last coming on June 19.

Tomorrow, the A’s will look to get back in the win column and force a rubber game on Sunday. The Green and Gold have not announced their starter, while the Orioles will send right-hander Shane Baz to the mound with a series win in mind.

An erratic first inning by Andrew Painter was rectified as the Philadelphia Phillies (75-60) sent nine men to the plate in the top of the ninth inning against the Los Angele Angels (52-83) to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat.

The Halos scored all of their runs in a first inning that saw Painter throw 28 pitches, which included three pair of walks, singles, and wild pitches.

Painter settled down, allowing just one additional base runner on a walk in the sixth inning, which was erased by a double play.

The Phillies finally got on the board against Reid Detmers in the top of the fifth with a pair of singles by Alec Bohm and Bryan De La Cruz and an RBI-bunt hit by Derek Hill.

Angels’ closer, Ben Joyce, put two men on base, hitting Bohm with a 3-1 fastball and walking Justin Crawford after an eight-pitch at bat. Bryson Stott hit a full count fast ball over the fence in the right field corner that Wade Meckler retrieved with a spectacular jumping catch.

After walking JT Realmuto to load the bases, the Angels brought in lefty, Sammy Peralta, to pitch to Brandon Marsh, who Don Mattingly replaced with Edmundo Sosa for the matchup advantage. Sosa sent a 1-1 changeup over the wall in straightaway center for his sixth home run of the season and first career grand slam to swing a two run deficit into a two run lead.

It was the Phillies’ first pinch hit ninth inning grand slam since Ozzie Virgil, Jr. in 1983.

Jonathan Bowlan took closer duty from a resting Jhoan Duran and worked through a two on, one out jam to shut the door for his second save of the season after a hit-by-pitch and a rare error by Luis Arraez. Jose Alvarado and Alex McFarlane each pitched a scoreless inning.

Cristopher Sanchez will look to build on his MLB-leading 16 wins tomorrow night as he faces off against Ryan Johnson.

The preseason is finally done! Next up, Kansas City.

After a disappointing showing last week, the Broncos ended the preseason with a dominating 34-6 victory over the Vikings. It was a typical third preseason game that saw the vast majority of the starters sit out the game and the backups get some playing time in ahead of cut day.

As for the winners and losers, this game is a tough one to navigate. Most roster decisions are likely already decided, and players in a good spot either do not play or don’t play much at all. We all witnessed tight end Albert O. have a big game in the preseason finale, only to be cut a few days later and not make the practice squad.

With that said, here are my winners and losers from the Denver Broncos’ 34-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings

WINNER – RB Cody Schrader

Schrader isn’t making the 53-man roster, and honestly, wasn’t on many people’s radar for a spot on the practice squad, but that all likely changes after tonight.

The reserve running back had the game of his career tonight, where he totaled 132 total yards from scrimmage (42 yards rushing and 90 receiving yards) and 1 touchdown.

This was the Cody Schrader game.

He looked elusive, had good vision, ran hard, and made plays in the passing game. The highlight of his night was getting open on a broken play and catching a wide-open touchdown from quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

Coming into the night, he was a borderline practice squad player, and it’s unclear if this performance changes that, but he certainly made the decision tougher for the Broncos coaches. As Sean Payton said at halftime and after the game, this game is like The Voice.

“Make us spin the chair”.

Cody Schrader may have done that tonight.

WINNER – WR Pat Bryant and RB Jonah Coleman

I’ll keep this short and sweet, but neither player played tonight, which is great news for both players. A clear sign that Bryant locked down the WR3 job and that rookie running back Jonah Coleman will have a role in this offense.

WINNER – QB Sam Ehlinger

Veteran Jarrett Stidham started the game and looked decent. He improved on his disappointing performance vs. the Packers, but only played a handful of drives before handing things off to Sam Ehlinger for the rest of the game.

Well, it didn’t start off great for the Broncos’ third-string quarterback. He threw an ugly interception on his first pass of the game. Not what you want to see from a player fighting for a spot on this roster.

However, Ehlinger didn’t let that mistake keep him down, and he had a pretty good game overall. He finished the game going 15 of 20 for 233 yards and 3 touchdowns.

When asked after the game if they will keep three quarterbacks, Payton told reporters, “We’ll see.” Ultimately, I believe they should keep two on the 53 and do what they did last season with Ehlinger as the third quarterback who will bounce on and off the practice squad.

As for the backup competition, I don’t think he did enough, and Stidham played ahead of him throughout the preseason. I believe it’s more about whether or not they will keep 2 or 3 quarterbacks, and Ehlinger made a strong case tonight.

LOSER – RB Jaleel McLaughlin

This isn’t a performance-related loser. It’s the fact that the Broncos sat three running backs, and Tyler Badie, who was active ahead of him for most of the season last year, got the start ahead of McLaughlin and left the game while Jaleel played into the 4th quarter.

The writing just seems to be on the wall for the former undrafted free agent. I don’t think he makes the 53-man roster and honestly, it seems like Badie has a better shot at the practice squad spot right now. Then you have Cody Schrader having an insane game, and it gets tough for McLaughlin.

He did have a nice catch-and-run touchdown tonight and showed off his speed. I just think he’ll be playing elsewhere this season.

WINNER – TE Justin Joly

Disclaimer: I could have caught and run this in for a touchdown(maybe), but still. Rookie tight end Justin Joly was about as wide open as you can get and hauled in a Sam Ehlinger pass and ran it in for a walk-in 88-yard touchdown.

It has been a tough summer for the Broncos ‘ 5th-round pick, but he finished the preseason on a high note with this. Again, it was about as easy as you can get, but hey, at least he didn’t drop it.

LOSER – Jonathon Cooper

While every Broncos starter on offense and defense did not dress for this game, edge rusher Jonathon Cooper did, which isn’t a great sign about his availability moving forward.

There is a lot of talk that he will land on the Commissioner’s Exempt list as his legal process moves forward. This will remove him from the 53-man roster and place him on paid leave while his legal matter moves forward. The fact that he played tonight suggests the Broncos do not plan to have him available moving forward.

Other Winners and Losers

• WINNER – S JL Skinner: He got the start and appears to have locked up a spot on the 53-man roster
• WINNER – LB Karene Reid: It sounds like he will be the Broncos LB3 and has locked up a roster spot
• WINNER – LB Red Murdock: He unsurprisingly forced a fumble, but does he make the 53-man roster?
• WINNER – FB Adam Prentice: The preseason MVP scored another touchdown
• WINNER – TE Nate Adkins: Made some plays in the opening few drives and seems like a player who locked up a roster spot
• WINNER – WR/KR Kolbe Katsis: Had some good returns and showed off his speed and playmaking ability – Does he make the practice squad?
• LOSER – WR/KR Cameron Ross: Muffed a punt – Does he make the practice squad?
• WINNER – Broncos fans: The preseason is FINALLY over, and we’re on to Kansas City

EAST RUTHERFORD – This was the exclamation point for Odell Beckham Jr.’s career revitalization. Back at the place he’d called home for so many years, sprinting through the secondary without a corner near.  The ball just needed to get to him and Beckham would skip into the end zone, 73 yards from the play’s beginning. 

Jameis Winston let it fly. Beckham lunged. He lost control of the slight overthrow as he came crashing to the turf. 

So, so close. 

That play would have been the highlight of Beckham’s summer, and the Giants’ 23-6 victory. Now he’ll await to see if everything he has accomplished is enough to make the team. He finished Friday night with three catches for 53 yards. He drew a pass interference. He slipped on another, leading Winston’s pass to glance off his fingertips and into the waiting arms of linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball. 

Beckham finished the Giants’ three preseason games with seven catches for 76 yards. Quarterbacks threw his way 13 times. 

“I’m pleased with what I did,” said Beckham. “But I’m always looking to do more.” 

While impressed with his workouts, the Giants weren’t exactly sure how much Beckham had left when they signed him in June. He last played in December of 2024, having sat out the entire 2025 season. He wasn’t particularly effective that year with Miami, though, catching just nine passes for 55 yards in nine games. 

Beckham admitted he wasn’t healthy when he met with the Giants. He now was and believed he could still play. He’s spent the last three months showing his self assessment wasn’t far off. 

While not the former all-pro who racked up 288 catches for 4,122 yards and 35 touchdowns his first three seasons, Beckham routinely got himself open during training camp practices. The same happened in the preseason, too, although the passes didn’t always come his way. 

His week of practice leading into the preseason finale was, per John Harbaugh, his “best” of the summer. Unsurprisingly it led to his most productive outing. 

The odds to make the Giants roster seem in Beckham’s favor after Calvin Austin, New York’s starting slot, suffered a season-ending knee injury, last week. Beckham will find out if that’s the case over the next 48 hours. 

“It would mean everything to me if I made it,” he said. 

Here’s one final prediction on how the Giants roster will shake out … 

Quarterback (2)

• Makes the cut: Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston
• Gets cut: Brandon Allen, Jake Haener

More teams keep three quarterbacks now with the emergency designation. Allen showed absolutely nothing that warrants a spot on the 53-man roster this summer, though. Haener arrived late, and could be an option for the practice squad, but the Giants can likely find someone with more upside on the waiver wire or after. 

Running back (4)

• Makes the cut: Cam Skattebo, Najee Harris, Devin Singletary, Patrick Ricard (FB)
• Gets cut: Tyrone Tracy, Eric Gray, Damon Blankston, Grant Finley

This is the first real surprise. Tracy finds himself in the dog house, though, after nearly getting Dart decapitated in the preseason opener, then fumbling against the Dolphins. Seeing him playing on special teams in the final two preseason games was telling. 

The Giants could choose to keep four running backs (plus Ricard). That would give Tracy a spot. The signing of Harris, and reliability of Singletary, makes it unnecessary, though. This is the first real sign things are different with Harbaugh.

Receiver (6)

• Makes the cut: Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, Braxton Berrios, Odell Beckham Jr.  
• Gets cut: Dalen Cambre, Xavier Gipson, Isaiah Hodgins, Jalin Hyatt, Kobe Prentice

The Giants keeping six or seven receivers was a hot topic before the Austin injury. His season-ending ACL tear likely secured the roster spots of both Berrios and Beckham, who really turned it on in the final week of camp. This is the end of the road for Hyatt, the wildly disappointing former third-round pick. It shouldn’t be long before Beckham takes back No. 13 for himself. 

Tight end (3)

• Makes the cut: Isaiah Likely, Theo Johnson, Chris Manhertz
• Gets cut: Tanner Conner, Thomas Fideone, Josiah Deguara

Likely developed into Dart’s go-to target this summer. Look for him to see the second–most targets this season behind Nabers, assuming the wideout stays healthy. It will be interesting to see how coordinator Matt Nagy works Johnson into the fold, too. While inconsistent, he made plays a season ago (five touchdowns) and has size (6-6, 264 pounds) you can’t coach. 

Offensive line (10)

• Makes the cut: Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan, John Michael Schmitz, Francis Mauigoa, Jermaine Eluemunor, J.C. Davis, Aaron Stinnie, Marcus Mbow, Bryan Hudson, Lucas Patrick
• Gets cut: Evan Neal, Brenden Jaimes, Jake Kubas, Jarrod Gray, Ryan Schernecke 

Finally the end of the road for Evan Neal, the former first-round pick who’s been a massive bust to this point. Not even his conversion to guard could save his career. He’s been a little better this year at guard than last, but still isn’t someone you want to play on Sundays. 

The Giants could look to trim a bit here to keep an extra running back or receiver with special teams value. Patrick is a candidate for the practice squad in this situation. 

Defensive line (5)

• Makes the cut: Shelby Harris, DJ Reader, Darius Alexander, Leki Fotu, Bobby Jamison-Travis
• Gets cut: Zacch Pickens, Ben Barten, Josh Tupou, Marlon Davidson

This is an area Schoen and Harbaugh should spend quite a bit of time scouring the waiver wire to add to. They could also look to move some of those late-round picks they got for trading Josh Ezeudu and Daniel Faalele to address the middle of their defense. It’s a weakness even when healthy. 

EDGE (4)

• Makes the cut: Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Chauncey Golston
• Gets cut: Caleb Murphy, Khalid Kareem, Trace Ford

This group needs to be the strength of the Giants defense. They’ve invested so many resources into their pass rush between trades (Burns), draft picks (Carter, Thibodeaux) and free-agent dollars (Golston), they should torment quarterbacks weekly. Of course, you need to stop the run to give your rushers a chance to get home. 

Linebacker (6)

• Makes the cut: Tremaine Edmunds, Arvell Reese, Micah McFadden, Jack Kelly, Zaire Barnes, Darius Muasau
• Gets cut: Anfernee Orji

Give Barnes a lot of credit. He’s turned heads as a special teamer and shown some ability in the preseason to contribute on defense. He’s also a great locker room guy. That special teams prowess, though, gives him the nod over others. 

Cornerbacks (6)

• Makes the cut: Tae Banks, Greg Newsome, Dru Phillips, Paulson Adebo, Colton Hood, Nic Jones
• Gets cut: Korie Black, Art Green

This is another spot I could see the Giants keeping one more, like a Green or Jones. They’ve flashed at different points this summer. You can also easily get one of those players on the practice squad, though, and call up as need be. 

Safeties (4)

• Makes the cut: Jevon Holland, Tyler Nubin, Jason Pinnock, Ar’Darius Washington
• Gets cut: Ugo Amadi, Beau Brade, Elijah Campbell, Raheem Layne, JT Woods

No real surprise cuts here. The real question will be who starts from the grouping. Holland is locked, but the Giants have rotated Nubin and Washington throughout the summer. Nubin has more upside, but Washington has looked better and has familiarity with Harbaugh. Washington seems to have the edge now. 

Special teams (3)

• Makes the cut: Dominic Zvada (K), Jordan Stout (P), Ben Mann (LS)
• Gets cut: Ben Sauls (K)

Zvada has been the better kicker all summer and has an absolute cannon for a leg. He deserves this job and might be the next great kicker uncovered by Harbaugh.

San Francisco Giants skipper Tony Vitello was ejected for the second time this week.

Vitello was ejected against the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 26, and again two days later against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The first-year manager, who spent the previous eight seasons at Tennessee, was sent to the locker room early in the third inning after arguing a fair ball call that he thought was foul.

The ejection is Vitello's fifth of his young MLB career. He wasn't the only one sent out early — Giants ace Logan Webb was also ejected from the contest, along with Vitello. (Webb was not pitching Friday.)