ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 09: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles at bat during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on August 09, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country.
Of all of the things that cause angst about the 2026 Orioles, the struggle of Gunnar Henderson is the one that hits me the hardest. He was just so good two years ago, a legitimate MVP contender, and even as his power production took a dive last year, he was still a great player. Not much is going right this year and things seem to be getting worse as the season goes along.
The Orioles need him to be a good player. There’s no backup plan for what if he’s not. Manager Craig Albernaz said this directly in pregame remarks yesterday: “For us to get where we need to go, Gunnar Henderson has to be Gunnar Henderson.” It’s a statement that looks silly written out, because of course Gunnar Henderson is always Gunnar Henderson.
We can take his meaning easily. Henderson needs to be a real positive difference-maker for the Orioles. He’s making a difference this year, but not in a good way. You could argue reasonably that the gap between Henderson’s 2025 and 2026 is what got Adley Rutschman traded, or at least a substantial percentage of it if not the whole reason.
Lately, Henderson is stuck in a downward spiral and it seems neither he nor anyone else is able to find a way to bring him out of it. For this week’s poll question, I’m wondering simply: Do you think he will ever be good for the Orioles again? Vote below, and let us know what you’re thinking in the comments. Results will be shared on Friday or Saturday.
You can define “good” however that is meaningful for you. I would put the line at, will he ever have at least a 4+ bWAR season for the Orioles. That’s a good player. It’s not as great as he once showed us that he can be. Still, if he can rebound to that point, that will have mean that he’s fixed some things and gotten on a better trajectory. Maybe you think he’s cooked entirely, maybe you think the fixes won’t happen under current Orioles philosophies. Is he going to get better here? That’s the question for the week.
NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: Melky Cabrera #53 of the New York Yankees hits a single to score the game-winning run in the 13th inning of Game Two of the ALCS against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Angels 4-3 in 13 innings. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
As someone who was perhaps the perfect age for the Yankees’ 2009 World Series win, it’s difficult to come up with many players more fondly remembered from those days than Melky Cabrera. A fleet-footed outfielder who had plenty of great moments in New York, and later broke out in his post-Yankee days, Cabrera was an energetic and downright fun player.
While his reputation certainly took a hit from a PED suspension a few years after he left the Bronx, “The Melk Man” was a fan favorite, who was a very good player for stretches, and did enough to stick in the big leagues for 15 years.
Born in the Dominican Republic in 1984, Melky Cabrera originally signed with the Yankees as a 17-year-old in the fall of 2001. After a three-year stretch climbing the minor league ranks, the switch-hitter rather quickly ascended to the Majors, making his debut on July 7th in the 2005 season, at the age of 20.
Melky had just a cup of coffee in that ‘05 campaign (making an ugly misplay at Fenway in his last appearance), but he’d quickly earn himself a near full-time role in New York. After an impressive spring training and some timely injuries on the Yankees’ roster, Cabrera earned another call-up in May of that season. He’d go on to play in 130 in that season, and while he at least posted a 95 OPS+ with 35 extra-base hits—including a walk-off homer against Seattle on July 18th—the defense was the calling card in earning his way to 3.0 bWAR. It was a defensive profile that provided a top-notch highlight in June of that year, snatching a potential game-tying homer away from Manny Ramírez in a Yankees/Red Sox classic.
For the 2007 season, Cabrera still had to battle for a full-time role with the Yankees, but his defense and mostly palatable bat kept his role fairly significant. He appeared in 150 games, hitting eight homers with an 88 OPS+, and while it was perhaps a step back, he did enough to get plenty of run in the outfield. The same did not quite ring true during the ‘08 season, however, as he took a significant step back with the bat, slashing just .249/.301/.341, eventually resulting in a brief demotion to Triple-A in August.
Melky wouldn’t stay away for long, however, as he returned for the 2009 campaign in what would be a much-needed bounce-back. Initially competing with Brett Gardner for the center fielder job, Cabrera took hold of the job relatively early on, thanks to a season filled with some big-time moments. On April 22nd, Cabrera belted the first walk-off homer at the new Yankee Stadium, the first of many in a thrilling season filled with them.
Later on in the season, Melky hit for the cycle in Chicago, the first Yankee to do so since Tony Fernandez in 1995; he remains the last Yankee to achieve the feat, 17 years later.
It was an exciting year for the switch-hitter, as Melky had fully established himself as a fun player out in the outfield, with a knack for the big moment now and then. Ultimately, 2009 was a nice rebound for the then 24-year-old, who set career-highs with 13 home runs and a .416 slugging percentage. He was up-and-down during the postseason, but was a major contributor during the ALCS, recording nine hits and four RBIs in the pennant win. Of course, he would capture a World Series ring during that season.
After a nice run in pinstripes and plenty of memorable moments, Melky Cabrera’s time with the Yankees would come to a close with a trade to the Braves in December 2009. Although he was popular, he was expendable given the presence of the ascendant Gardner, and more relevantly, their recent trade for All-Star Curtis Granderson. As a highlight-reel defender, and no stranger to fun moments on both sides of the ball, he had certainly made his mark.
Cabrera was awful for Atlanta in 2010—beyond modest reliever Boone Logan, the deal didn’t really work out for either side, given Javier Vázquez‘s Yankees struggles—but broke out in a big way with the Royals a year later. In 155 games, Cabrera hit 18 homers with a 121 OPS+ that was a significant high-water mark, while hitting over .300 for the first time in his career. In 2012, now with the Giants, Cabrera picked up right where he left off, hitting on a pace even more impressive than his breakout the year prior. He was batting .373 through the end of May and earned a starting spot with the National League All-Stars, eventually winning himself All-Star Game MVP honors.
Hitting .346 with a whopping 157 OPS+, Cabrera’s season and ascension in the league hit a screeching halt, when he was handed a 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. The story only got stranger with controversy over his side creating a fake website. He would miss out on a chance to win a batting title (recusing himself to pave way for teammate and Buster Posey), and of course, celebrate another World Series when the Giants swept the Tigers that October—though the team did grant him a ring.
With a reputation certainly a bit tarnished, Cabrera would stick around in the bigs for some time. He played until the 2019 season, spending time with Toronto, the White Sox, Kansas City again, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Although he never came close to the pre-suspension heights, he still enjoyed some nice seasons, including a 3.5 bWAR season in ‘16 with Toronto, part of a four-year stretch with at least a dozen homers in each.
Melky Cabrera played his final game in 2019 with the Pirates, putting a cap on a nice 15-year-career in the Major Leagues. Having registered 383 doubles, 45 triples, and 144 homers in addition to a World Series win with the Yankees and an All-Star Game MVP with the Giants, he certainly had some impressive highs across that decade-and-a-half. Melky continued to play in the Dominican Winter League but finally hung up the spikes in January 2023.
Here’s to a happy 42nd for the Melk Man!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
LOS ANGELES — Although Tarik Skubal didn’t meet his own high standards for execution in his first home start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, he was proud that he fought to keep his team in a game it eventually managed to win after he left.
Skubal still intends to be much better than he was while allowing three runs on four hits over five innings in the Dodgers’ 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
“I thought I competed well and gave our team a chance to win, and our offense picked me up big-time, defense picked me up big-time, and the bullpen was outstanding tonight,” Skubal said. “So all in all, a good team win, especially when I don’t feel like I performed up to my standard.”
Skubal left trailing 3-2 in the back-to-back Cy Young Award winner’s decent, if unspectacular, first start in the home whites. His fastball command decidedly was lacking, and he was unable to get ahead early in most counts during an outing in which he managed just one 1-2-3 inning. The fireworks came instead from the Dodgers’ slumbering offense, which awoke with Max Muncy’s three-run double and Freddie Freeman’s RBI single after Skubal departed.
Although he struck out six, Skubal didn’t live up to manager Dave Roberts’ pregame prediction of “an electric night” for the vaunted left-hander and his slumping club, which had lost eight of nine heading into this homestand.
“I thought he fought well,” Roberts said. “Tarik didn’t have his best stuff, but he didn’t relent. He kept going, and he gave us what he had for tonight."
Even after everything he accomplished while becoming one of the majors’ top starters with the Tigers, Skubal particularly was amped up for this debut in front of 51,799 fans eager to cheer their team’s biggest trade-deadline addition in its bid to win three straight World Series titles. When Skubal was announced in the starting lineup for the first time, Dodgers fans responded with loud cheers and a serenade of “Skuuuuuu!”
“This one was special to me, so the nerves run a little bit higher,” Skubal said. “But it just means you care, so I think that’s all positive stuff. I was excited to go out there and pitch in front of the Dodger fans. It was a ton of fun to play the game today.”
Skubal threw 95 pitches against the Royals, and Jac Caglianone tagged two of them for a two-run homer and an RBI single. Skubal also issued two walks and hit a batter with a pitch in just his second career appearance at Dodger Stadium, taking the mound nine days after the defending champions acquired him from Detroit in the biggest trade of the deadline.
Los Angeles gave up three promising prospects for what might be a short-term rental of the 29-year-old Skubal, who likely will reap the benefits of free agency this winter.
Skubal made his Dodgers debut at Wrigley Field, pitching six innings of two-run, four-hit ball with six strikeouts in his new team’s 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
The back-to-back champions had the farm talent and the impetus to go out and get the AL’s best pitcher over the past two seasons — and Skubal’s reception at Chavez Ravine showed their fans still don’t take their deep-pocketed team’s winning mentality for granted.
But after that warm pregame reception, Skubal yielded two soft singles and a run to Kansas City’s first three batters, with Bobby Witt Jr. stealing second and scoring on Caglianone’s dribbler up the middle.
Nick Loftin then doubled in the third before Caglianone hit his 21st homer of the season to right, smashing a hanging slider for a 410-foot shot that induced grumbles from the stands.
Skubal retired six straight Royals after Caglianone’s shot, but he got into trouble again in the fifth, hitting Loftin with a pitch and walking Witt with two outs. Skubal dug in and struck out Caglianone to end the inning, getting him with his signature changeup on his final pitch.
“Tarik Skubal — it’s nice to have him on our mound,” said a grinning Freeman, who drove in Shohei Ohtani with the go-ahead run. “I’m sure he wants to go deeper than five innings, but I like that every five, six days that he’s going to be on the mound for us.”
Los Angeles probably hoped for a more dominant beginning to Skubal’s tenure, but it cares most about the games he’ll pitch in October, when the champs expect to make their 14th consecutive playoff appearance.
Roberts uncommonly is impressed by Skubal after just more than a week together.
“This guy, he’s as different as anyone I’ve ever been around in this short period of time,” Roberts said. “He’s special in every way. ... He’s just built differently. The mind, the body, the focus, the humility, the willingness to serve, to help. He puts himself out there. He’s different than any player I’ve ever been around, really. Again, it’s a small sample, but I’ve dug in on him. I’ve got a pretty good gut. This guy is something like I’ve never seen.”
BINGHAMTON, NY - AUGUST 08: Mitch Voit #22 of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies bats during the game between the Hartford Yard Goats and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Saturday, August 8, 2026 in Binghamton, New York. (Photo by Nate Stickney/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
This week was a hard week to crown a hitter of the week. It wasn’t that there were no players who really stood out, as is the case occasionally, but rather, there were too many impressive performances. Mitch Voit hit .611/.682/.778 with 3 doubles, 3 stolen bases, and drew 4 walks to 3 strikeouts, all good for a 295 wRC+. Vidal Brujan hit .500/.650/.786 with 4 doubles, 2 stolen bases, and drew 5 walks without striking out once in the week, good for a 263 wRC+. Billy Amick hit .294/.400/1.000 with 4 home runs, a stolen base, and drew 3 walks to 9 strikeouts, good for a 240 wRC+. Nick Lorusso hit .389/.450/.889 with 3 home runs and drew 2 walks to 4 strikeouts, good for a 228 wRC+. Julio Zayas hit .381/.458/.857 with a double, 3 home runs, and drew 3 walks to 2 strikeouts, good for a 224 wRC+. Royner Bravo hit .524/.583/.762 with a doubles, 2 triples, and a stolen base, with 3 walks to 3 strikeouts, good for a 224 wRC+ as well. Frank Moreno hit .467/.556/.667 with a double, a triple, a stolen base, and drew 2 walks to 1 strikeout, good for a 200 wRC+. Yonatan Henriquez hit .389/.476/.667 with 2 doubles, a home run, 2 stolen bases, and drew 2 walks to 4 strikeouts, good for a 196 wRC+. Elian Pena hit .400/.455/.550 with 3 doubles, a stolen base, and drew 2 walks to 6 strikeouts, good for a 158 wrC+. Ronny Mauricio hit .300/.348/.600 with 3 doubles, a home run, a stolen base, and drew 2 walks to 6 strikeouts, good for a 128 wRC+.
In total, among hitters who had at least 12 at-bats this past week, eleven players had an OPS over 1.000. In the end, what Mitch Voit did, with his combination of logging double-digit hits, hitting for power while doing so, stealing bases, and working counts, gave him the edge over the many other deserving hitter of the week candidates.
Normally, I’d write some kind of observation or something like that about the player, something that they changed or something that they’re doing, but in this case, Voit’s crazy numbers actually make it hard for me to say anything about his week. Besides for the fact that the odds of Voit hitting .550/.633/.850 over the next two months are extremely low, the way that he has hit .550/.633/.850 has unsustainable, with extreme outlier metrics, and as such, it’s hard to say anything about what he’s been doing to spark this streak.
Noah Hall
Week: 1 G (1 GS), 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K (Double-A)
Noah Hall was promoted to Double-A Binghamton at the end of July and has made two starts there so far this season. In his first, against the Reading Fightin’ Phils, he got smacked around a bit, giving up 4 runs in 5.0 innings, allowing 6 hits, walking 2, and striking out 6. In his last start, the right-hander threw six scoreless innings and matched a career-high ten strikeouts, posting a season-high 75 GameScore for the start.
In the first, Hall struck out centerfielder GJ Hill and third baseman Andy Perez. Hill went down swinging on a 92 MPH fastball middle-away and Perez was called out on a curveball middle-away. In the second, he struck out DH Mike Antico and catcher Cole Messina. Antico struck out swinging on an elevated fastball, while Messina was called out on strikes on a fastball in the same location. In the third, he struck out right fielder Zach Kokoska swinging on a changeup down below the zone. In the fifth, he struck out first baseman Jack O’Dowd, Mike Antico a second time, and left fielder Skyler Messinger. O’Down went down swinging on a changeup down and away outside of the zone, Antico went down swinging on a curveball down under the zone that Kevin Parada blocked and threw to first for the put out, and Messinger struck out swinging on a fastball middle-away. In the sixth, he struck out shortstop Dylan Jorge and second baseman Roc Riggio, both infielders going down swinging in low-90 fastballs middle-in.
ATLANTA — After earning his first career save, New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga wanted the ball as a keepsake.
Whoops!
Rookie teammate Carson Benge already had tossed it into the Atlanta crowd.
Recently shifted to a short-relief role in his fourth major league season, Senga closed out New York’s 8-5 victory over the Braves with a scoreless ninth inning. Mauricio Dubón flied out to Benge in right field for the final out, and he turned toward the stands looking to send a fan home with a souvenir.
Senga, well aware of his achievement, held out his arms in disbelief with his mouth agape while watching the whole thing transpire. In a funny scene, he raised both hands trying to grab Benge’s attention as Senga and Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez both called for the baseball in vain.
A sheepish Benge, when he realized what happened, put both hands on his head — and Senga doubled over in laughter.
After the game, Senga was asked if Benge ever managed to retrieve the ball for him.
“I think Bengie is trying to tell me I should have just punched him out,” a smiling Senga said through an interpreter.
Senga got the save opportunity in the ninth because the Mets placed closer Devin Williams on the 15-day injured list earlier in the day. Interim manager Andy Green was non-committal before the game about who would be his closer, but with New York leading 8-5 he called on Senga. The right-hander is 0-8 with an 8.12 ERA in eight starts and eight relief appearances this season.
Senga struck out Matt Olson and Michael Harris II to open the ninth, then issued a walk to Ozzie Albies before retiring Dubón.
Senga has not allowed a run in his last three appearances out of the bullpen. He came over from Japan and signed a five-year, $75 million contract to be a starter for the Mets before the 2023 season. He went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts that year, making the NL All-Star team and finishing runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting and seventh in Cy Young Award balloting.
But he’s largely struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness since, other than a strong stretch early in the 2025 season.
The last-place Mets are 6-1 on a nine-game trip following a significant selloff ahead of the trade deadline that depleted their bullpen.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Adael Amador #1 of the Colorado Rockies at bat during a Spring Training game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockies fans and fans across the country.
Earlier this season, right after the promotion of Cole Carrigg, we asked you who you thought the Rockies would call up next. At that time, we asked you to choose between Zac Veen (No. 9 Pre-Season PuRP), Charlie Condon (No. 1 Pre-Season PuRP), Sean Sullivan (No. 8 Pre-Season PuRP) and “other.”
This time around, we’re giving you a few of the same options and a few new ones. The only one who hasn’t made his MLB debut yet is Condon, but Adael Amador hasn’t seen any MLB action in 2026.
That said, who do you think the Rockies will call up next as we finish up the 2026 season?
Arizona (64-56) obliterated Colorado (46-73) in Monday's series opener, 9-0. The win was spearheaded by Nolan Arenado's grand slam in the first inning. The Diamondbacks remain tied with the Phillies for the final spot in the NL Wild Card.
The Diamondbacks are attempting to heat up with two straight wins and three in the past four. Arizona is now 6-2 versus Colorado this season and 4-1 at home after yesterday's victory. The Diamondbacks have the fifth-most runs scored (50) in August (10 games) to go along with the ninth-most home runs (11), a league-leading five triples, and top 10 ranks in SLG, OPS, and OBP.
Colorado has lost two straight games and six of the past seven contests. The Rockies are hot on offense (outside of yesterday), but the pitching has been poor. Colorado is leading the MLB in batting average (.295), the seventh-most home runs (12), and fifth-most runs scored (50) over 10 games. The pitching ranks 28th in ERA (5.74), 25th in WHIP (1.48), and 28th in OBA (.278).
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Rockies at Diamondbacks
Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Hunter Goodman is hitting .276 in August (8/29) with nine strikeouts and one walk
Jake McCarthy is hitting .450 in August (18/40) with three home runs
Corbin Carroll is hitting .179 in August (7/39) with 10 strikeouts and four walks
Ketel Marte is hitting .156 in August (5/32)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Diamondbacks
Colorado is 62-57 ATS, ranking 10th-best
Arizona is 66-54 ATS, ranking fourth-best
Colorado is 59-57-3 to the Under
Arizona is 64-50-6 to the Under, ranking fourth-best
Colorado is 31-26 ATS on the road, ranking sixth-best
Arizona is 34-25 ATS at home, ranking third-best
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Diamondbacks
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Rockies and the Diamondbacks:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Rockies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Rockies at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.5
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 10: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on August 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves lost to the New York Mets on Monday night. That’s now seven losses to the Mets this season, which means that Atlanta has officially dropped the season series to New York for the first time since 2017. It’s kind of wild that this was the year for that streak to end but baseball’s a strange sport and the Mets have still played the Braves pretty tough over the course of that time so this was bound to happen at some point.
Anyways, Atlanta’s fate was nearly sealed in the first inning alone when the Mets tagged Bryce Elder for five runs in that one inning. With that being said, it was certainly strange how they ended up getting to those five runs. The game got off to a weird start in the first place when Elder gave up what was initially ruled a ground rule double out to right field after Ronald Acuña Jr. declared a ball that ended up under the wall as unplayable.
Following a replay challenge review, the umpires eventually determined that the ball had not been lodged below the wall — it had stopped but it wasn’t stuck. “The ruling was the ball was not lodged but the fact that the umpire more-or-less finished the play with a ruling of two bases meant that they kept the runner at second instead of third,” explained Walt Weiss when he was asked about it after the game.
“You can make a case that the ground rule needs to be changed, there,” continued Weiss when he was asked about the ground rule. “Ronald from his vantage point, it’s almost like the ball disappears. He’s up above it and the ball is kind of underneath the wall, so it’s a tough play.”
To Bryce Elder’s credit, he took full responsibility in the post-game press conference and didn’t make any excuses for what happened out there during his rough outing. It started to get very rough once a play that sure looked like it could’ve been a strike-em-out, throw-em out moment that instead ended up turning into a walk. Bryce Elder appeared to have signaled for a challenge but the home plate umpire Cory Blaser didn’t grant it and so the inning continued on.
If you look closely at the clip above, you can see Elder tap his head and point at Sean Murphy as if to say that he should tap his head as well. Instead, no tapping was acknowledged, the Mets kept their rally going and then Brett Baty blew the game open with a grand slam that put the Mets firmly in control.
Again, Elder held himself accountable for the whole ordeal. “If I don’t put one on a tee there for Brett then it’s a whole different conversation,” admitted Elder. “We can look at the challenge and look at this and look at that but at the end of the day, I’ve got to make a better pitch to Baty there and then we don’t have to have that conversation.”
It was also unfortunate to see all that damage being done with two outs. In fact, all seven of the runs that Elder gave up on Monday night happened while two outs were on the board. Elder current has a 6.10 ERA with two outs on the board so far this season as opposing batters are hitting .280/.356/.470 with a wOBA of .361 in that situation. For comparison’s sake, the league average is a 4.86 ERA with a slash line of .234/.317/.384 with a .310 wOBA. All of those numbers are below average for Elder and he’s aware of that and also how it’s been a bit of a pattern in his career.
“For my whole career, it’s one of those things where when I’m good, I’m good with two outs. When I’m bad, I’m bad with two outs. It’s pretty black-and-white as far as whether I need to make better or do a different pitch but whatever it may be, I’m not sure,” explained Elder when I asked him about his issues with two outs. “Yeah, definitely this year when I’ve struggled and things go south it’s with two outs. Being able to make that pitch to get out of an inning is important so hopefully I will be better at it moving forward.”
It was certainly a rough night for Elder and it’s certainly been one of those seasons that we’re becoming used to now where he has peaks that see him peering over all of baseball and valleys that make you wonder just what on Earth is going on with him. Monday was probably the weirdest night of the season yet for Elder and it was certainly frustrating to watch — much less to actually experience it like he and the rest of the Braves did.
Hopefully this’ll be a blip and that Elder will continue to bounce back moving forward since it’s apparent that the Braves are going to need him in some big moments both down the stretch and possibly in October as well. We’ll see what happens.
Owner John Sherman gave an interview with Josh Vernier about what it will take to make the Kansas City Royals competitive by 2027, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco spend the bulk of this episode working through what he actually said. An entirely new bullpen is one of the clearest needs, and Sherman’s acknowledgment of the work ahead sets the tone for a broader roster evaluation that follows, including where potential investment in starting pitching should be prioritized.
Sherman’s framing of the organization as a results-based business runs through the conversation, and Jacob and Jeremy weigh his comments against real skepticism about the team’s current spending and management strategy. Sherman deserves credit for candor, but candor alone does not close the gaps that have defined this roster all season.
On the field, Jac Caglianone’s home run distance is leading all of MLB right now, and it powered the Royals on win in the Chicago Cubs series that also saw Bobby Witt Jr. make his return from injury. Daniel Lynch IV’s return to the rotation gets a more critical look, with the lack of swing and miss in his outing raising familiar questions about whether he fits into the team’s long-term pitching plans.
The prospect pipeline closes the episode on an encouraging note. Zion Rose is showing promise in his early games, Angeibel Gomez is lighting up the DSL, and Jacob Berry has performed well since coming over in a trade. Jacob and Jeremy connect these developments to the team’s improving prospect rankings and what it could mean for future call-ups.
With Skubal in the final year of his contract and the Tigers stumbling into the final third of their schedule, GM Scott Harris decided it was time to cut his losses and look to the future. Not only did he trade his ace, Skubal, he also sent No. 2 starter Casey Mize to the San Diego Padres just before the deadline.
But then a funny thing happened.
The Tigers didn't sink like a stone in the standings. Instead, they kept moving up.
Tigers pick their path
The decision to deal Skubal may have come after the Tigers dropped two of three at home to the Baltimore Orioles, capped by blowing a seven-run lead in what would be Skubal's final start to fall to 51-58 with two months to play.
Setting off for a nine-game road trip to Sacramento, Seattle and San Francisco, things looked pretty bleak.
When the Skubal trade was announced on Aug. 2, the Tigers were just completing a three-game sweep of the A's.
They then took two of three against both the Giants and Mariners and are now just two games under .500.
How have they managed to stay afloat?
The schedule has helped. The A's have the second-worst record in the AL, while the Giants have the second-worst mark in the NL.
But beyond that, left-hander Framber Valdez has won has last two starts, going seven innings in both games and yielding a total of two runs. This season's biggest surprise, right-hander Troy Melton, hasn't given up an earned run in any of his last three starts. And right-hander Jackson Jobe also returned from Tommy John surgery to make his first start in 14 months. He hit 100 mph in tossing five scoreless innings against the Giants.
The offense has caught fire as well, scoring at least eight runs in six of the nine games on the road trip. The Tigers have now outscored their opponents by 87 runs, the largest margin of any AL team.
As they return home for series against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox, the Tigers will look to continue their post-Skubal surge.
Tigers' playoff position
The Detroit Tigers have an overall record of 58-60, with 44 games left to play. At the start of play on Tuesday, Aug. 11, they are currently tied for second place in the AL Central division, 3½ games behind the White Sox. They are also 1½ games out of the AL's third wild-card spot.
A pair of the best offenses in baseball start a three-game set at Nationals Park on Tuesday, Aug. 11, with the Chicago Cubs booked as a sizable road favorite over the Washington Nationals in the series opener.
My top Cubs vs. Nationals predictions and MLB picks are calling for Chicago to win a high-scoring game tonight.
Who will win Cubs vs Nationals today: Cubs moneyline (-160)
There is a huge pitching disparity in this matchup, with Chicago Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga allowing two runs or fewer in each of his past seven starts for a tidy 1.77 ERA.
The Washington Nationals are countering with Jake Irvin, and he’s spun a confidence-shattering 5.37 ERA and 5.39 xERA across 13 starts.
The Chicago offense is also rolling to the tune of a second-ranked wOBA while averaging 5.8 runs per game over the past 30 days, so I’m anticipating the North Siders putting enough crooked numbers on the scoreboard to pull away from the Nats.
COVERS INTEL: Irvin has surrendered the third-highest barrel percentage among pitchers with at least 50 innings this season, which positions the Cubs to both pull away for the win and lead the way to this total going Over.
Cubs vs Nationals Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-125)
So, with the Nationals ranking second in wOBA against lefties for the campaign and second in xwOBA across their past 24 games, I’m also expecting Washington to put runs on the board.
Cubs vs Nationals home run prediction: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+340)
In addition to the noted shortcomings, Irvin has served up a .511 slugging percentage and .394 wOBA to opposing hitters at home, and the Chicago star has only left the yard three times during the run despite the eye-popping underlying numbers.
As a result, I like Crow-Armstrong to go deep in ideal hitting conditions tonight.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 44-19, +27.58 units
Over/Under bets: 19-16, +1.86 units
Cubs vs Nationals weather
Despite a slight chance of rain impacting play, the forecast calls for excellent hitting conditions with 85°F heat and 58.8% humidity under partially cloudy skies.
Cubs vs Nationals odds
Moneyline: Cubs -160 | Nationals +140
Run line: Cubs -1.5 (-105) | Nationals +1.5 (-115)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-130) | Under 8.5 (+110)
Cubs vs Nationals trend
The Cubs have won 34 of their last 50 games (+14.85 Units / 23% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Nationals.
How to watch Cubs vs Nationals and game info
Location
Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
Date
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026
First pitch
6:45 p.m. ET
TV
Marquee, Nationals.TV
Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga (8-9, 3.60 ERA)
Nationals starting pitcher
Jake Irvin (2-5, 5.37 ERA)
Cubs vs Nationals latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 07: Yovanny Cruz #48 of the Washington Nationals pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Friday, August 7, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In his first trade deadline, Paul Toboni had a pretty simple plan of attack. His goal was to add as much pitching as possible. More specifically, he went after relievers who were close to big league ready and starters in the upper minors. In total, he acquired nine pitchers at the deadline, and so far they have looked very good.
Toboni wanted to sell while not totally giving up on the season. The Luis Garcia Jr. trade looks like a perfect example of that. Trading away a bat of Garcia’s caliber obviously hurts, but given the return and the replacement, it does not seem to have hurt the team much. Abimelec Ortiz has picked up right where Garcia has left off, while Yovanny Cruz and Jake Bird have made positive starts to their Nationals careers.
Cruz in particular is a guy who has already been very impactful. In the Reds series, Cruz was put into high leverage spots on multiple occasions, and came through both times. The righty throws 100 MPH, but also has two nasty secondary pitches, with his slider being particularly nasty.
This Yovanny Cruz slider is the kind of weapon banned in the Geneva Convention pic.twitter.com/I1LwjYkQ0g
That slider has the potential to be one of the best pitches in baseball. It averages over 91 MPH while having real slider movement. This pitch is not a glorified cutter, it is a slider that is thrown at exceptional velocity. Cruz will need to finetune his fastball command, but he is already one of the better arms in the bullpen, with upside to be a legit closer.
Cruz is not the only guy Toboni received to make his mark in the big league bullpen though. On Sunday, lefty Will Dion threw three scoreless innings in long relief. The Nats received Dion as part of the Foster Griffin deal and he is a very unique arm.
Honestly, he is the polar opposite of Cruz, and this is by design. Dion only throws 91-92 MPH, but his fastball is more effective than Cruz’s 100 MPH heater. The lefty throws from an extremely high slot and gets 20 inches of ride on his fastball. That makes the fastball very tough to pick up. Dion has reverse splits because his best secondary pitch is a changeup which he mostly throws to righties.
Dion may not have the upside of Cruz, but he looks like a useful bullpen piece. If he finds a better weapon for lefties, he could be a good matchup guy. Right now, he is at his best in a multi-inning role. It is not a star, but Dion should be a useful big leaguer.
The success is not just limited to the major league level though. Josh Hartle, Ben Grable and Jack Cebert were the top three pitching prospects the Nats received at the deadline. All of them have gotten off to good starts in the organization.
Grable has tossed two scoreless innings in Harrisburg so far. However, his most noteworthy achievement is that he had a 4 strikeout inning last time out. Grable struck out the first batter of the inning, but the ball got away from the catcher, allowing the runner to go to first. The righty did not let that phase him, striking out the next three batters he faced to accomplish the rare feat.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 9, 2026
Interestingly, Grable got all four of the strikeouts on his slider. Entering the system, Grable’s claim to fame was his elite fastball. It is a 96 MPH heater with over 20 inches of carry. Grable also commands the heater brilliantly. Hitters just can’t hit the pitch, which is why he throws it about 75% of the time.
However, Grable’s slider was seen by scouts as a solid but not spectacular pitch. One question I had about Grable is whether he could succeed while being so fastball heavy. If his slider can take a leap forward, that would change a lot. With his heater and a legit slider to go with it, Grable could be an elite closer.
Cruz and Grable are elite relief prospects, something the Nats clearly were looking for in the Luis Garcia Jr. trade. However, they did also get an exciting starting pitching prospect in Jack Cebert. He made his first start in the Nats system this weekend and looked very sharp.
The former 15th rounder has had a rapid rise this season. He really impressed in the Yankees system before having some blister issues and getting traded. Now the blisters are gone, and Cebert is back on the mound. On Sunday, Cebert tossed 4 scoreless innings, only allowing one hit and striking out six.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 9, 2026
As you can see in the video, Cebert has a great feel for spin. He can throw multiple breaking ball shapes, featuring a sweeper, a cutter and a curveball. That ability, combined with his solid command gives him the ability to be in an MLB rotation one day.
He also throws a 4-seamer and a sinker as well. They are not very hard, but the movement on the pitches is good. Hopefully the Nats can find a tick or two here. Overall, he is an arm that I like and is someone who can make an impact as soon as next season.
Speaking of exciting arms that may need more velocity, Josh Hartle also looked great in his organizational debut. Hartle was the biggest name the Nats received in the quantity based Foster Griffin return. The lefty only sits around 91, but is deceptive and has great command. He also gets a ton of ground balls.
Hartle went 5.1 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 run and struck out 7 without allowing a walk. The lanky lefty used his deep pitch mix and low arm slot to fool hitters. He kept them off balance all outing long. That is what he will need to do in order to have success in the MLB.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 7, 2026
If Hartle can get more in the 92-93 range, I think he can be a back of the rotation arm. Right now, he projects more as a funky lefty relief arm in my opinion. However, that is still a useful big league piece.
Paul Toboni was clearly more driven by finding useful big league contributors than hunting for upside. While I would have loved a bit more upside in the Griffin deal, the idea makes a lot of sense. The Nats already have plenty of high ceiling, low floor guys. Finding those useful big leaguers to round out the roster is very important.
So far, most of the 9 pitchers Paul Toboni received at the deadline have looked very good. As time goes by, this will be something that is interesting to monitor. There is a chance that most of these guys have big league roles, though many of them are not the flashiest players. So far the early returns on these deals are good and it seems like Paul Toboni has built quality depth on the mound.
San Diego (63-57) rallied from a two-run deficit to beat Milwaukee (74-45), 3-2 in the series opener. Jackson Merrill cranked a two-run homer in the seventh inning and Mason Miller recorded his 30th save of the season for the Padres.
Milwaukee had its two-game winning streak snapped yesterday, but is 5-2 over the last seven games. The Brewers offense is in a bit of a slide to start August. Milwaukee is hitting .222 (21st) and has 35 runs scored over 10 games (T-19th). However, the pitching continues to impress. The Brewers have a 3.13 ERA (7th), the second-best WHIP (1.02), and league-leading .192 OBA.
The Padres have won three straight games and four of the past five as the race for the NL Wild Card heats up. San Diego remains one game back of both Philadelphia and Arizona for the final two spots, but 2.5 games or more ahead of the field. In August, San Diego is top 10 in runs (46), hits (84), home runs (11), RBI (42), and stolen bases (7) through 10 games.
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Brewers at Padres
Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Brewers at the Padres
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: San Diego Padres (+126), Milwaukee Brewers (-135)
Spread: Padres +1.5 (-149), Brewers -1.5 (+123)
Total: 7.5
Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Padres
Tuesday's pitching matchup (August 11): Kyle Harrison vs Walker Buehler
Fernando Tatis Jr is hitting .216 in August (8/37)
Jackson Merrill is hitting .359 in August (14/39)
Manny Machado hit .167 in August (6/36)
Jackson Chourio is hitting .343 in August (12/35)
William Contreras is hitting .152 in August (5/33)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Padres
San Diego is 65-55 ATS ranking sixth-best
Milwaukee is 62-57 ATS, ranking ninth-best
San Diego is 64-54-2 to the Under, ranking 9th-best
Milwaukee is 66-50-3 to the Under, ranking second-best
San Diego is 32-29 ATS at home
Milwaukee is 27-26 ATS on the road
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Padres and the Brewers
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Padres and the Brewers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Brewers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brewers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 7.5
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
The New York Yankees will receive a $2.6 billion financing injection from Apollo Global Management, the club announced on Tuesday, with the firm providing a combination of debt and equity in the parent company of the storied MLB franchise.
Apollo will refinance existing debt and take a minority stake of undisclosed value in Yankees Global Enterprises, the company that owns the Bronx Bombers. MLB rules limit private capital ownership of a franchise by a single fund to no more than 15%.
The Steinbrenner family will continue as full control owners of YGE, which also holds stakes in Serie A’s AC Milan, MLS’ New York City FC, the hospitality provider Legends and the YES Network.
As part of the arrangement, Apollo Sports Capital chief executive Al Tylis will join the board of YGE in a newly created seat. The alternative asset manager, with $1.05 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, launched its roughly $6 billion sports fund last year, most notably buying control of LaLiga’s Atlético Madrid this spring at a valuation of $2.55 billion. Other holdings include minority stakes in Wrexham FC, the Welsh football club owned by actors Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds, as well as investments in the Madrid and Miami Open tennis tournaments.
Sporticopreviously reported that the Yankees and Apollo were in talks over a potential financial injection, with the equity stake expected to buy out existing limited partners in the Yankees.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Austin Overn #30 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
This was the 18th week of full minor league play (stats are entering play on Tuesday, August 11th).
According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), prospect Theo Gillen tops the system and might just find himself in the running for Minor League Player of the Year.
Meanwhile, the Rays pitching hasn’t been spectacular this season and Aidan Cremarosa remains the top hurler in the system despite spending the past several weeks on the Injured List. He was activated off of the IL last week.
RUMBLINGS
Austin Overn lands on the Injured List after being drilled in the foot by a pitch last week. Overn attempted to play through and eventually made his way to second base. But at that point, he struggled to put any weight on the injured foot and had to be assisted off of the field after being removed from the game.
Brendan Summerhill Jose Urbina, and J.D. Gonzalez have also been placed on the Injured List
Nate Knowles was released, he was the Rays 4th round pick in 2024.
The Rays have signed several players to minor league deals:
Justin Yeager
J.T. Arruda
Jake Woodford
Dominican Summer League numbers are hardly worth paying attention to, but some fun notes:
Since July 13th, Maykel Coret is hitting .295/.352/.538 with 6 HR over 88 PA
Eliomar Garces has one of the most fun statlines in the game, hitting .283/.505/.379 with 2 HR and 33 SB. He is currently running a 27.3 BB% and 7.3 K%, giving him one of the best BB/K rations in basebabll.
TEAM LEADERS
Must currently be assigned to that team
Baseball America’s top ten prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.
(minimum of 190 TBF & PA)
Tampa Bay Rays
Top 10 Prospects
None currently on active roster
Durham Bulls
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .267, Blake Sabol OBP: .340, Tatem Levins SLG: .432, Blake Sabol HR: 11, Carson Williams, Blake Sabol, & Logan Davidson wRC+: 97, Blake Sabol SB: 30, Homer Bush Jr
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 2.56, Evan Reifert FIP: 3.73, Ty Johnson K%: 33.0% Ty Johnson BB%: 4.2%, Mason Englert WHIP: 1.04, Ty Johnson AVG: .181, Ty Johnson WHIFF%: 15.3%, Ty Johnson
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .309, Austin Overn OBP: .403, Xavier Isaac SLG: .565, Austin Overn HR: 21, Will Simpson & Xavier Isaac wRC+: 151, Austin Overn SB: 48, Austin Overn
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 4.29, Chris Clark FIP: 4.60, Chris Clark K%: 27.3%, Jackson Baumeister BB%: 3.2%, Santiago Suarez WHIP 1.15, Santiago Suarez AVG: .214, Jackson Baumeister WHIFF%: 14.9%, Jackson Baumeister
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .289, Tony Santa Maria OBP: .432, Ryan McCoy SLG: .585, Ryan McCoy HR: 19, Nathan Flewelling wRC+: 157, Ryan McCoy SB: 45, Tony Santa Maria
COVERS INTEL: Irvin has surrendered the 
