Category: MLB

TONIGHT’S GAME: The first-place Houston Astros (60-58) continue their six-game road trip with the third game of three-game series against the San Diego Padres (61-57) at Petco Park.

RHP Cristian Javier (1-2, 6.59 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros for sixth start of the season tonight, opposite RHP Randy Vásquez (7-6, 4.19 ERA) and the Padres.

THE TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 40-27 since May 22, which is the second-best record in the AL in that span. On that date, the Astros were 20-31, 11 games under, which is their low water mark for the season.

THAT’S OFFENSIVE: The Astros lead the AL in SLG (.417), and OPS (.739), while ranking second in home runs (160), OBP (.322) and hits (981). In the Majors, the Astros rank third in homers, trailing only the Nationals (170) and Yankees (166).

EL REPTIL: Tonight’s Astros starter RHP Cristian Javier is making his sixth start of the season and his third since returning from the IL in early July. He has split time between being a starter and reliever since his return, making four relief appearances and two starts. Since returning from the IL, he’s recorded a 3.50 ERA (7ER/18IP) with 19 strikeouts, a .257 opponent batting average and a 1.33 WHIP. In his last start on Monday against the Blue Jays at Daikin Park, he allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks with two strikeouts in six innings, marking his first quality start of the season (last, Sept. 17, 2025 vs. TEX).

ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros continue a sixgame West Coast road-trip with the third game of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres. Following their series with Padres, the Astros will travel to San Francisco for a three-game series against the Giants. The Astros went 5-1 on their last road trip. Houston is also 23-14 (.621) on their last five road trips and are 29-20 (.591) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season. Houston is 30-29 overall on the road in 2026

THE LINEUP: The Astros have used 116 different lineups in their 118 games, repeating a lineup just twice on the season, which includes using the same lineup on Monday and Tuesday. DH Yordan Alvarez has the most starts at any spot in the lineup among Astros, hitting second 105 times.

VS. THE PADRES: The Astros and Padres have faced off vs. each other 617 times with the Astros leading the series 322-295. The Astros last faced the Padres in a three-game series at Daikin Park from April 18-20, 2025 (Astros went 2-1). The last time the Astros were at Petco Park was from Sept. 16-18, 2024 at SD (Padres went 2-1).

MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez leads the AL in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking first in batting average (.325), HR (35), and RBI (86). Additionally, he leads MLB in OPS (1.069), OBP (.439), SLG (.630), and TB (266). In the AL, he ranks first in hits (137), extra-base hits (59), and runs (79), and second in walks (82).

MR. RELIABLE: LHP Steven Okert has recorded a 2.20 ERA (14ER/57.1IP) with 59 strikeouts, 12 walks, a 0.87 WHIP and a .189 opponent batting average in 57 appearances, including one start this season. Among AL relievers, he ranks first in WHIP (0.81), second in appearances (56), second in H/9 (5.56), second in opponent batting average (.179), fifth in opponent OPS (.546) and seventh in ERA (2.06).

STREAKING: 1B Christian Walker has hit safely in season-high 11 consecutive games at a .333 (14×42) clip with eight runs, four doubles, two home runs, six RBI and a 1.011 OPS during the streak. It is his second-longest hitting streak of his career, behind a 13-game hitting streak from June 16-29, 2023, as a member of the Diamondbacks.

MULTI-HOMER MADNESS: RF Cam Smith went 3×4 with two solo home runs on Fri. night at SD, marking his fourth career multi-homer game (last, June 29 vs. MIN). It was also his second career multi-homer game against the Padres (also, April 18, 2025).

ON THE DEFENSIVE: 1B Christian Walker has not commited an error in his 112 games at first base this season, which is the longest errorless streak in the Majors this season.

BRYAN’S BACK: RHP Bryan Abreu has a 1.02 ERA (2ER/17.2IP) in his last 17 apps. with just seven hits allowed and 22 strikeouts in that span. Additionally, since May 1, he has a 1.93 ERA (7ER/32.2IP) in 34 apps., and is 6-for-6 in save opp. in that span. Prior to May 1, Abreu had a 12.54 ERA in his first 11 apps. of the season.

CHIPPING IN: A couple Astros are on mini hot streaks, including OF Taylor Trammell, who’s hit four homers with eight RBI and a 1.038 OPS in his last 11 games. RF Cam Smith is batting .394 (13×33) with two home runs, six RBI and a 1.126 OPS in his last nine games.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY:1976 – In a 13-4 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, All-Star CF Cesar Cedeno hits for the cycle for the second time in his career. Cedeno secures the cycle with an 8th-inning single and ends up 4×5 with 5 RBI.

1965 – Future Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts hurls an 8-0 shutout over the Phillies in the Dome in what is his Astros debut. Roberts had started the season with the Orioles, but was released and then signed by Houston. He would post a 5-2 record with a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts for the Astros as part of his journey to Cooperstown.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, August 9, 7:20 p.m. CT

Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA

TV: NBC/Peacock

Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

Astros-Padres finale: pic.twitter.com/B063qU2Qe1

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) August 9, 2026

Outfielder Austin Hays, 31, has signed a major league contract with the San Diego Padres. Utility man Gage Workman was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to create a roster spot. 

Hays, a right-handed hitter, has only played in 12 games in the 2026 season. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox before the season but has spent most of the year on the injured list with leg injuries. Hays signed a $6 million one-year deal with Chicago on Feb. 4.

The White Sox activated him from the IL on Aug. 5, designated him for assignment, and released him on Aug. 7. In his 12 games and 43 at-bats, Hays is hitting .233 with a .576 OPS with a home run and seven RBI.

Over his nine-season career, Hays has played for the Baltimore Orioles (2017-2024), Cincinnati Reds, and the White Sox. He has excelled against left-handed pitchers with a career average of .319 against left-handers versus a .255 average against right-handers.

In 2025, with the Reds, Hays played in 103 games. He had a .266 average and .768 OPS with 16 doubles, five triples, 15 homers and 64 RBI. He played both corner outfield spots and served as DH for the Reds. For the White Sox, he played right field and was a DH.

Hays figures to be a bench player for the Padres, specializing as a starter/pinch-hitter versus lefties. 

Workman was acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers along with Casey Mize, in exchange for minor league prospects LHP Kash Mayfield and LHP Jackson Wolf.

The Padres have had a season-long weakness versus left-handed pitchers. The team has a .688 OPS against lefties. At the trade deadline, the Padres were reportedly trying to acquire a left-handed outfielder but were unable to make anything work.

Hays, though not left-handed, provides a valuable upgrade to the bench with Workman, 27, sporting a career .175 average and .558 OPS in his two partial major league seasons (57 at-bats).

Hays was activated before the Padres’ finale against the Houston Astros today. He made himself available to the media prior to the game and expressed a desire to go to the playoffs for the fourth season in a row.

Austin Hays discusses how he ended up signing with the Padres, the opportunity to make the postseason, getting designated for assignment by the White Sox, and more. pic.twitter.com/K4OjIcusMh

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) August 9, 2026

The 50 Seasons Celebration weekend instead turned into Groundhog Day as the Mariners were swept away by the Rays. The same problems that have plagued the 2026 Mariners all season long plagued them again today: a lack of connection in the lineup, a lack of situational hitting, too much chasing out of the zone, and a starting pitcher with the audacity to be imperfect, all leading to a 4-1 loss to see the Mariners fall to seven games below .500.

To be fair, Hancock was pretty far from perfect, running a pitch count of 80 over just four innings, falling behind in counts and failing to command his secondaries. Hancock had to immediately work around a bases-loaded no-outs jam in the first. Some of it was his own misdoing: in a 1-2 count to Yandy Díaz leading off the game, Hancock left a four-seamer middle-middle that he’s lucky isn’t on Mercer Island currently, as Díaz settled instead for a hard-hit single. Hancock then left a sweeper in on Jonathan Aranda’s lefty loop zone, which he accordingly looped into center. Chandler Simpson tried to bunt the runners into scoring position and instead came up with a lucky weak base hit, made worse by Hancock deflecting it – let your infielders infield, Emerson! But to his credit, Hancock came back to get the next three outs and work out of the jam, striking out scary Junior Caminero on 97.5 elevated, getting Liam Hicks to pop out on a well-located fastball up in the zone, and then striking out Victor Mesa Jr. on a curveball that just nicked the bottom of the zone. Vibes were on the upswing!

The top of the Mariners lineup rewarded Hancock immediately: Taylor Ward checked in with his first extra-base hit as a Mariner, and a triple! at that, and then Cole Young went after the first pitch he saw from Rays starter Ian Seymour, a sinker, rapping a ground ball RBI base hit into right. Vibes were sky-high!

But as it so often has this season, the Mariners offense spluttered after that, and the vibes came crashing right back down: Randy Arozarena hit into a ground ball double play, and then Dominic Canzone went after the first pitch he saw and POPped it up, as Dave Sims would say. The Rays actually gave the Mariners second life by dropping that popup but Julio Rodríguez struck out swinging after a changeup.

After Hancock navigated around a leadoff walk in the top of the second, Josh Naylor continued to show signs of life with a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning, but again the offense machine broke down when Cal Raleigh struck out swinging after a changeup. Weston Wilson, in for the lefty Brendan Donovan against Seymour, worked a walk, but then Colt Emerson struck out, again on the changeup. That turned over the lineup for Taylor Ward, who worked more of his OBP magic and tapped a ball back to the pitcher, who mishandled it, allowing Ward to reach, but that put Cole Young into a tricky bases-loaded two-outs situation and the Youngster couldn’t come through, grounding out to end the inning. My kingdom for a hitter coming up with runners on and less than two outs. This on-out-on-out-on-out Morse Code of offense is just not it.

Hancock worked around some traffic in the third, but wasn’t able to escape damage in the fourth – his own fault, after hitting seven-hole hitter Cedric Mullins with a curveball with one out. Richie Palacios then rapped a ground ball past Weston Wilson at third, and then Yandy Díaz came up with the two-out hit the Mariners weren’t able to get in the previous inning, taking advantage of a poorly-located cutter on the plate for another hard-hit RBI single that tied up the game.

The Mariners offense, for their part, did exactly what they’ve been doing all season and did not answer back in the bottom of the inning, going meekly 1-2-3 on 10 combined pitches. The Rays, sensing a sweep, came out in the fifth with several innings of having seen Hancock struggle with his command combined with declining velocity on his sinker and four-seamer and got very aggressive. Chandler Simpson led off with yet another hit that should not have been a hit, as yet again Emerson Hancock put himself in between a ball and a defender. Stop doing that, Emerson! Hancock followed that up by really spraying it around in Caminero’s at-bat, which luckily ended with Caminero chasing up high again and popping out on the infield – smartly played by Josh Naylor, who let the ball drop and took the fielder’s choice out at second, wiping out the speedy Chandler in favor of Caminero.

But that heads-up play didn’t save the Mariners, as some more fluky BABIP luck cost them, with a flyball single from Liam Hicks dropping into no-man’s land in left field. A flyout from Victor Mesa Jr. moved the runner to third, and then Hancock served Cedric Mullins a sinker right on the plate that he was able to work for a broken bat RBI base hit. It’s a frustrating way for the runs to score but that’s what happens when a team makes a ton of contact.

Speaking of a ton of contact, with the Rays ahead 2-1, it was time for the patented Bullpen Swoon. The victim this time was Jose Ferrer, pressed into service as Hancock departed the game at the end of the fifth and coming back out for the sixth. Taylor Walls led off with a parachute single on a pitch located roughly on the ISS, followed by Díaz poking a pitch through the 5/6 hole. But Ferrer then made things harder on himself with a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. It looked like the Mariners might make another Houdini escape, as Ferrer got his next two outs – one an out at home, punishing Simpson for a bunt and the failure of the contact play, making at least Rick Rizzs happy today, and one must imagine Rick Rizzs happy – but a Liam Hicks double drove in two runs to put the game out of reach, 4-1.

From there it was pretty much what you’d expect. The Rays nipped and nibbled, racking up 14 hits, but not adding on to their lead again. The Mariners, meanwhile, drooled and dribbled, collecting a grand total of two singles and a walk from the end of the second inning through the rest of the game – even the traffic they got on in the ninth was via mistakes, a hit by pitch (Josh Naylor, on his already injured wrist, to add injury to the insult that was this game) and a misplay on a Cole Emerson ground ball.

The Rays are tough – they’re leading the AL for the reason, and they put a ton of pitches on Hancock just like they did on Kirby earlier in this series. But they also didn’t play the cleanest game of baseball today, and there were ample opportunities for the Mariners to at least steal one win out of this disappointing weekend. One run of offense is just not going to get it done. The Mariners need a spark, badly, and not from benches-clearing non-brawls or firing hitting coaches, but from their actual hitters who were supposed to carry this team. Over half the Mariners lineup didn’t record a hit today. That’s more than an off day for certain hitters, more than a rookie still trying to find his footing; it’s a lack of connection and a lack of committed at-bats, and until that changes, this team will continue to slip even further behind in the standings. But hey, at least it was at least a fitting tribute to 50 years of Mariners baseball.

The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox faced off to determine if the Guardians go into the off day tomorrow 2.0 games back or 4.0 games back from first place.

Cleveland scored in the top of the first with Steven Kwan singling on a ground ball to left. Chase DeLauter drew a six pitch walk followed up by a single to right by José Ramírez. The right fielder fumbled the ball a bit, allowing Steven Kwan to score on the error and Chase DeLauter to reach third base. With runners on the corners, Nathaniel Lowe hit a sac fly to center to tack on another run for Cleveland.

Joey Cantillo was the starting pitcher for Cleveland and was struggling early in the first. A single and a double was all the White Sox needed to close the lead to one run. Cantillo ended up pitching 31 pitches in the first inning before the skies opened up and the game entered into a rain delay for about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Once gameplay resumed, the Guards turned to the bullpen to finish the game. Tim Herrin pitched the second inning, the first time in his major league career, and went scoreless for 1.2 innings of work. The Cleveland defense gave Herrin some highlight reel worthy help. Catcher Patrick Bailey turned a strike-’em-out, throw-‘em-out double play to end the second inning.

In the bottom of the third, right fielder Chase DeLauter turned what looked like a would be triple to an out with an incredible throw to José.

Craig Yoho finished out the third inning for Herrin and, unfortunately, imploded. Yoho allowed four runs on two hits and four walks before finally retiring the side. Colin Holderman went 1.2 innings, walking a batter and striking out two. Eric Sabrowski finished the fifth and started the sixth inning, recording two outs and walking three batters. Hunter Gaddis came on the finish the sixth and pitch the full seventh. He walked one and struck out two. Cade Smith, who desperately needed work with tomorrow’s off day, pitched the eighth, striking out one.

The Guards tried to put together a rally in the top of the ninth. Angel Genao drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Chase DeLauter drew a walk to bring the game tying run to the plate in José Ramírez. During his at bad, another wild pitch allowed both runners to advance to scoring position. José hit a sac fly to center for the second out. That left the game resting on Rhys Hoskins’ shoulders. Rhys swung on the first pitch. The ball wasn’t hit hard enough to clear the yard and Chicago right fielder Braden Montgomery made the final out.

With this loss, the Guardians plummet to fourth in the division. The Detroit Tigers are now in second, 3.5 games behind Chicago and the Minnesota Twins are in third with the same record as Cleveland. Cleveland falls to 58-61 heading into tomorrow’s off day.

After moving the majority of their bullpen arms ahead of the MLB trade deadline, the Mets have given numerous minor leaguers the opportunity to show what they can do over the past week. 

Sunday, Jack Weisenburger became the latest to join the group. 

Weisenburger faced a long road to the big league level, making numerous different stops along his journey, including a stint in the Mexican League earlier this season. 

The 28-year-old signed on with the Mets and immediately reported to Triple-A. 

He pitched to a rough 7.22 ERA across his 14 appearances with Syracuse, but was able to find success during his first trip up to the majors. 

With a handful of family and friends in attendance at PNC Park on Sunday, Weisenburger tossed the final two innings in relief of Sean Manaea. 

He did give up a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth, but also picked up the first two strikeouts of his career and was able to keep the Pirates off the board.

“It’s a moment you dream of,” Weisenburger told Mets radio broadcaster Pat McCarthy postgame. 

“When they told me I was coming to the big leagues it didn’t hit me, and then I got here and I see my parents, my brother, and my wife -- it’s the best thing to happen to me.”

Weisenburger’s family was loving it as he put the finishing touches on the Mets’ victory, then they got to share a moment with him on the field postgame.

Jack Weisenburger has a moment with his family on field in Pittsburgh 🤗

He tossed two scoreless innings today in his MLB debut pic.twitter.com/bVGvv08NAG

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 9, 2026

It hasn’t always come easy this season for Sean Manaea, but the Mets starter turned in a masterful performance on Sunday to help New York beat the Pittsburgh Pirates and clinch another series win.

Staked to a big lead early on, the left-hander breezed through seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out a season-high 11 batters on 91 pitches (69 strikes) in what was easily his best start of the year.

“It was good,” Manaea said on his outing. “I’m just really proud of the amount of strikes I threw, getting ahead of guys. The offense did an amazing job of [going up] early, scoring runs and it was just my job to keep them at bay and I felt like I did a really good job of that today.”

Manaea was in control all day and had everything working for him, while continuing to see an uptick in velocity which has been climbing over his last few starts after beginning the season with a fastball in the high-80s.

While the 34-year-old was never concerned with the velocity dip which began in spring training but wasn’t improving during the season, even as a reliever, it’s nice to see Manaea have the same kind of life on his fastball that the Mets saw in 2024.

“Slow kind of work that we’ve been putting in over the last few months,” Manaea said about what has helped him regain his velocity. “That and just feeling good mechanically and just my body. I was never worried about the velo. As long as I stayed healthy I knew it would come back. Just everyday putting in work and now we’re seeing that velo increase.”

Manaea’s increase in velocity corresponds with his best stretch of the season on the mound. And while he was at his best on Sunday, the left-hander has been pitching extremely well since New York moved him from the bullpen to the rotation.

In 11 starts, Manaea owns a 3.50 ERA and has allowed more than two earned runs in a start just three times. As a reliever, generally used in long relief, the lefty pitched to a 5.02 ERA across 14 appearances. 

In fact, Manaea has been especially good over his last four outings where he’s given up six earned runs in 25 innings while completing at least six innings each time. He’s also managed to lower his ERA to 4.13 after it nearly reached 7.00 in early May.

“I take pride in taking the ball and trying to go deep into games and giving the team a chance to win and I feel like I’ve at least been able to do that the last few starts,” he said. “We got an incredible team here so just trying to help the boys win.”

With Manaea, who missed half of the 2025 season with a right oblique strain and struggled when he returned, seemingly back at full strength it gives the Mets another trusted arm in a starting rotation that is beginning to take shape for next season.

“You get excited,” said interim manager Andy Green about Manaea’s resurgence. “Any time you see the best version of a player it’s fun to watch and to know how much work he put in to get to where he is right now, it’s even more fun. He’s a great teammate, works incredibly hard and it’s fun to see him pitch like that.”

And although New York is still 15 games under .500 and well out of the playoff picture, with a pitching staff with that kind of potential, anything can happen. 

At the very least, the Mets, 5-1 since the MLB Trade Deadline, can finish the season strong.

“We’re pretty gritty and we’re good. I think we just gotta believe that,” Manaea said.

Houston Astros (60-58) at San Diego Padres (61-57), August 9, 2026, 5:20 p.m. PST

Watch: NBC/Peacock

Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

---

Sunday night showdown. pic.twitter.com/gKKlgTtubP

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 9, 2026

All in tonight.

⚾️: 7:20 PM CT
📺: NBC/Peacock
🎙️: ESPN | @SportsTalk790 & 740 AM | Spanish: 102.9 HD2 #ChaseTheFight x @reliantenergypic.twitter.com/KPU3lVcPJZ

— Houston Astros (@astros) August 9, 2026

---

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

• Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
• Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
• Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our thread

The Tigers didn’t need eight runs in this one. Troy Melton spun another shutout performance, and great work from Kenley Jansen and Tyler Holton carried the day late. The Tigers broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the 10th inning with a clutch knock from Hao-Yu Lee, and Holton shut the door to wrap up a 7-9 road trip.

Right-hander Troy Melton has busied himself recently by staking a claim as the Tigers #1 starter. He came into this one looking to extend his scoreless innings run. Melton last allowed a run on July 23 against the Royals. He blanked the Orioles and the Mariners each for seven innings in his last two outings. He’d have some tough competition in Logan Webb.

The two starters really did lock up in an old fashioned pitchers duel. Spencer Torkelson singled in the second inning for the game’s first hit, but he was stranded. Drew Gilbert smoked a triple off of Melton with two outs in the bottom of the second, but Melton got Daniel Susac to ground out to Colt Keith at third to turn them away.

In the bottom of the fourth, Melton finally got into some trouble as Willy Adames led off with a single. Melton struck out Osleivis Basabe, but Drew Gilbert lifted a fly ball to Zach McKinstry dow the line in right field, and the versatile utilityman cut down Basabe at the plate with a perfect strike to end the inning. That play really took the wind out of the Giants sails. Haven’t seen much of a that from a Tigers right fielder in a long time.

Finally in the top of the sixth, McKinstry led off with a single, and Kevin McGonigle followed suit. McKinstry took third on the play, and that was well as Gleyber Torres grounded into a double play, but got the run home. Tigers 1-0. Melton cruised through the bottom of the sixth, retiring his eighth straight batter after the single from Adames in the fourth.

Finally in the seventh, Devers led off with a single and that was the end of Melton’s day. Kyle Finnegan took over and got Basabe to ground into a force of Devers at second, though the speedy second baseman avoided getting doubled off. Basabe then stole second and Eduardo Valencia’s throw was high and got into center field, allowing Basabe to take third. Gilbert hit a little dribbler to Keith, but his only chance was to barehand it and he couldn’t make the play. Basabe scored to tie the game up, but Finnegan dug in and struck out the next hitter. Drew Sommers entered and punched out Grant McCray to send us to the eighth.

Webb still wasn’t out of the game in the eighth. Valencia one-hopped one over the left center field wall for a two-out double, but he was stranded.

Christian Koss dumped a leadoff single into center field to start the bottom half. Bryce Eldridge pulled a ground ball deep in the hole with McGonigle playing up the middle, and there was no play available though McGonigle did manage to snare it. So, Sommers was in a real tight spot two on and no outs. The Giants did the Tigers a favor by having Jung Ho Lee, one of their best pure hitters, try to bunt. He failed and Sommers punched him out, but Willy Adames fought off a few tough pitches from the big lefty and walked to load the bases.

With many expecting doom, Sommers spotted a perfect first pitch sinker on the inner edge to Devers. A breaking ball right over the middle drew a ground ball to Torres, and he flipped to McGonigle and on to first to double off Devers as Sommers stranded the bases loaded. A huge play right there and Sommers was hype.

Old friend Dylan Smith had us wincing in the top of the ninth as he punched out the side, but Kenley Jansen entered looking to send this to extras and he too punched out the side, getting Basabe, Glbert, and Cavanaugh all swinging. Way to return serve there from the future Hall of Fame closer, who has only allowed one run since late June.

Lefty Sam Hentges took over for the Giants in the top of the 10th. Riley Greene was on second, and Hao-Yu Lee pinch-hit for Colt Keith. On a 3-2 fastball in, Lee inside outed a soft single over Devers at first, and Greene raced around to score with a good read on the ball.

Spencer Torkelson singled to center and Lee went first to third aggressively. Max Clark grounded one to Adames, but beat out the double play turn as Lee scored from third. 3-1 Tigers. Another old friend, Jason Foley, entered for Hentges and he punched out Valencia. Zach McKinstry drew a walk, but Foley punched out McGonigle to end the top half.

Tyler Holton entered to save this one, and he did so with emphasis. He whiffed Buddy Kennedy on a good changeup, then locked up Koss with a cutter to strike him out on three pitches. Last up with Eldridge, and once again, Holton needed just three pitches, whiffing him on a cutter to end it.

Great win on a day where this long west coast trip finally seemed to be taking a toll on the bats. Of course, Mr. Webb is pretty good as well. Troy Melton continued his outstanding season, and the bullpen came through with a big time performance.

The Tigers now have an offday Monday before a huge homestand begins on Tuesday against the Guardians and the AL Central leading White Sox.

The A’s have won an amazing two in a whole row so spirits are high and hopes higher with the team looking like an actual team for 18 consecutive innings. Realistically, though, David Forst was fired — I mean, mutually parted ways with the team — because of the 45-71 that preceded a pleasant weekend in Boston.

The casualty count is now 2 after pitching coach Scott Emerson was the fall guy for a woeful pitching staff that inflicted much woe by pitching in a woeful manner. A new GM and a new voice for the pitching crew is a start, but it is not nearly enough. Allow me to explain (or figure out how to control what I type)…

In many key areas of developing a winning team at the big league level, the A’s have fallen well behind the curve and whether it’s poor teaching or the inability to produce good listening, each deficit combines with the others to create a gap that becomes exponentially bigger.

Pitching Development

This occurs from the big league level all the way down to A-ball as pitchers are forever a “work-in-progress”. There is a noticeable area where A’s pitchers struggle from the minors to MLB and that is the ability to repeat, fix, tweak mechanics in order to throw strikes and quickly solve problems when command leaves them.

A glaring example is the Rick Ankiel like Luis Morales, who has become a 2-pitch pitcher: balls and center cut pitches that are launched. Every now and again the true “yips” infect a pitcher — Ankiel is an example — and this is not a coaching failure.

Perhaps Morales has caught this rare and deadly disease. More likely he is just a mess and when I say mess I mean “Hoo boy has he fallen apart sumpin’ fierce!” In his 16 big league innings, 27 hits, 7 of them HRs, 14 BBs, a 13.50 ERA. At AAA? 53.1 IP. 71 hits, 12 HR, 37 BBs, an 8.10 ERA.

But it’s not just Morales. Jack Perkins, Jacob Lopez, and Mason Barnett are 3 pitchers on the MLB roster who came up with control as their biggest vice and they have not been able to get over that hump. Prized prospect Jamie Arnold has started to pitch better, and his assignment straight to AA was aggressive, but he has walked 45 in his 96 IP. Helping or getting pitchers to repeat their deliveries and command the strike zone, and especially guiding them to plug the dam when it breaks, has been a weakness that is seen by the A’s issuing the 4th highest number of walks in all of MLB.

Other areas of pitching reflect poor coaching and preparation. It was spring training of 2025 that the Milwaukee Brewers ran roughshod on Jeffrey Springs and stole 7 bases in a Cactus League game. The opposition hasn’t stopped since and 2 years later A’s pitchers, collectively, simply don’t control the running game. As recently as last night the Red Sox stole 3 bases off of Gage Jump in which Jump gave his catcher no chance. It’s common place, including runners getting a walking lead and pitchers using long or slow leg kicks. Shea Langeliers, Jonah Heim, and now Brian Serven, have repeatedly been given no shot at runners who “stole it on the pitcher” and it’s been going on for so long you have to question why the same problems persist.

Hitting Approach

If the hitting coaches are saying the right things, the hitters are putting their fingers in their ears and shouting “La la la la la la la!!!!!” because it’s not penetrating. The A’s have too many batters who simply do not control the strike zone, lack patience and discipline, and bail opposing pitchers out far too often.

You would hope that younger players who begin their pro careers in A ball, advance to AA, then AAA, then arrive to the big leagues, would have enough time and tutelage to address any deep flaws that threaten to curtail their success. Yet here is a list of players who came up through the A’s system only to arrive hacking early and often, chasing far too many pitches out of the strike zone: Max Muncy (drafted in 2021), Colby Thomas (drafted in 2022), Jacob Wilson (drafted in 2023), Tommy White (drafted in 2024).

All 4 of these players were drafted in rounds 1, 2, or 3, and with the exception of Wilson they have all failed as hitters — and in Wilson’s case his 3.8% BB rate this season leads to a .301 OBP and his swing choices have helped to produce just a 91 wRC+. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer should take note before his “I only walk against position players” approach catches up to him.

There are other pedagogical ideals that if practiced could elevate a talented-but-not-that-effective core to elite status. You become a far more dangerous and potent hitter when you use the whole field, hit pitches the way they are moving, and embrace the ‘old school’ 2-strike approach to shorten your swing, hit more the other way, and emphasize contact over slugging. You score more runs when you are a dynamic offense that knows how to use “productive outs” to score here while “hunting middle-middle” ahead in the count and walloping a HR there.

The hitters need a new voice as much as the pitchers do, again up and down the organization. That doesn’t mean everyone involved in hitting instruction needs to be fired, but a lot of new voices are needed and the organizational philosophies need to reflect what actually works, not what hitters may think works.

Manager/Field Coaches

Again it’s not that everyone from Mark Kotsay to Ryan Christensen and Bobby Crosby to Darren Bush and Mike Aldrete, have to be laid off en masse, but there simply needs to be a new normal with regard to fundamentals, leadership, and strategy.

Twice on this road trip alone a player (Hogan Harris, Jonah Heim) lost focus holding the ball on a play that was still live, leading to disastrous results at the time. Fundamentals such as hitting the cut off man (which I will grant has seemed better recently), communication between fielders, not lunging to the bag trying to beat out a throw, sliding to a corner of the bag or plate — these are the areas where every player is capable of succeeding regardless of their talent level. And a small market team needs to do these things at a high level to compensate for a lack of payroll or resources.

What fans see from the outside is a team that is allowed to make the same mistakes over and over and does not have leadership that upholds high expectations — or else does not have the ability to effect change. Who stays and who goes is a question beyond my pay scale as someone not on the field or in the dugout/clubhouse daily. Personally, I think Crosby is an excellent 3B coach and I haven’t really seen anything to suggest he lacks competence in his lanes, but the broader point is that a GM coming in needs to look at the crew leading the A’s and its affiliates and bring in some superior — or if nothing else fresh — coaches and instructors who know what to teach, can teach it effectively, and will have the players’ ears.

The point is that from big league leadership to organization wide instruction to pedagogy and norms, the A’s are a combined mess right now leading to their 47-71 record. Injuries have been a factor, but they have also masked that the A’s had some serious deficits when most of their players were healthy, both at the MLB and MiLB level.

I’m interested to see who the next A’s GM will be, but I’m even more interested to see who they bring with them and how big the list is. I know this: if I were interviewing GMs I would be talking to them about a lot more than just themselves and what they personally bring. It’s time for some major change.

Rays 4, Mariners 1

Long Weekend: Taylor Ward, .04 WPA

Weekend at Bernie’s: José Ferrer and Randy Arozarena, -.14 WPA each

Game thread comment of the day:

Michael Arroyo Threat Level: Electric Cantaloupe

It’s no secret that the Dodgers haven’t played their best baseball over the last nine days. But during their 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, they exacerbated the trend.

Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski remained in a rut, giving up four runs (three earned) in 3⅓ innings. The two-run homer he surrendered to Diamondbacks switch hitter Ketel Marte in the first inning was the ninth home run he has given up in three starts.

Before his recent struggles, Wrobleski hadn’t surrendered more than three homers in a three-game span this season.

He left a fastball belt-high to Marte, who entered Sunday with a .913 OPS against left-handed pitchers. Marte lined it into the Diamondbacks’ bullpen in the left-field corner.

Read more:Dodgers overcome another Edwin Díaz implosion to end 7-game losing streak in extras

After Wrobleski’s last start, manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers (70-48) would look into whether the left-hander might be tipping pitches, but he said before the game Sunday that those suspicions seemed “unfounded.”

“I’m just not good enough right now,” Wrobleski said. “It’s kind of what it comes down to. It’s really frustrating. Execution just hasn’t been as good. I feel like [Sunday] just wasn’t good enough. And, again, I’ve got to be better. … I’m not the type to give up. So I’m ready to bear down. This is kind of where you can go two ways, and I’m excited to keep working, and I’m excited for my next one.”

While Wrobleski clearly wasn’t at his best, giving up six hits and three walks, mistakes on defense didn’t help his cause.

Wrobleski could have gotten out of the first before giving up a home run, but baserunner Geraldo Perdomo successfully broke up a potential double play, crossing in front of shortstop Mookie Betts’ sight line as he tried to throw around him.

“Very weird play, but it’s not obstruction,” Roberts said. “But next time, I think we’ve just got to throw through because it wasn’t impeding, but it sort of was intentional.”

The next inning, Wrobleski fielded a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Waldschmidt, but his throw to first was high and wide, allowing a run to score and putting Waldschmidt into scoring position.

“That’s a play that he’s got to make,” Roberts said.

Later in the inning, though the run would have likely scored anyway, the usually strong relay combination of center fielder Andy Pages and Betts ended with Betts throwing over catcher Ben Rortvedt.

The Dodgers’ offense, in the meantime, went down in order in the first two innings. Betts made the best contact, but his opposite-field fly to the warning track found leather.

Read more:Shaikin: The Shohei Ohtani Economy: A two-mile ride to Dodger Stadium, for $85

The rest of the way, the Dodgers tightened up their defense, and their bullpen shut down the Diamondbacks (63-56). The Dodgers’ lineup strung together hits to score on Pages’ third-inning double and Kyle Tucker‘s sixth-inning triple. But they still lost for the eighth time in nine games.

“This series it was very clear that we weren’t hitting the fastball and we were exposing ourselves to the changeup with the secondary, specifically,” Roberts said before the Dodgers left for L.A., where they’ll open a seven-game homestand against the Kansas City Royals. “Are the Royals going to exploit the fastball that we’re not hitting and the changeup below? I don’t know. But we have to make adjustments. I think for me that’s sort of what I see as a group — we’re just not making adjustments.”

Here are three other takeaways from the Dodgers’ 1-5 road trip:

Hitting into double plays

The Dodgers have grounded into an MLB-leading 99 double plays, including one in the eighth inning Sunday.

Part of that has to do with how often the Dodgers get on base. Entering Sunday, they led the majors in on-base percentage (.339). But hitting into double plays has been a major culprit behind the Dodgers’ recent offensive struggles.

“It’s not age,” Roberts said. “It’s not about putting guys in motion, because you start doing things just to do things. And when a guy swings and misses and gets thrown out by 10 feet, that’s a bad process.

“You have to layer it on who the hitter is, the contact ability; who the pitcher is, the swing-and-miss rate; who the runner is. So there’s a lot of people that can look at the rate that we hit into double plays and have thoughts, but they’re not thought through.”

Roberts pointed instead to the batter’s approach at the plate.

“My thought is our guys need to do a better job at understanding what the pitcher is trying to do,” Roberts said.

Back end of the bullpen

Setup man Tanner Scott and closer Edwin Díaz were not available out of the bullpen after pitching Friday and Saturday.

Scott’s velocity has fluctuated over the past week, but Roberts said the Dodgers haven’t yet found an explanation for the trend.

Díaz recorded blown saves in each game. Still, Roberts noted his intensity Saturday, after Díaz gave up the lead with back-to-back triples.

“I don’t know if it’s just, you want to be perfect, you’re trying to get your feet under you, you’ve been in rehab mode a lot,” Roberts said. “But this is something I think can be a springboard for outings to come.”

For the Dodgers’ bullpen to function effectively, they need Díaz to turn around his injury-disrupted season (10.80 ERA in 12 appearances).

Home sweet home

For the first time, the Dodgers are set to roll out their new one-two punch of two-time Cy Young winners. Tarik Skubal is scheduled to make his home debut at Dodger Stadium on Monday against the Royals, followed by Blake Snell’s return from the injured list Tuesday.

“On one side of it, you feel it as the home team because you feel the confidence of who you’re running out there,” Roberts said. “But on the other side, it seems daunting when you look at the probables and you see these Cy Young guys back to back. It’s a lot to take in as an offense. So it feels really good to have those two guys on our side.”

Along with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the top of the rotation, the trio has the potential to be even more impactful in the postseason.

“I think you have to win with starting pitching,” Roberts said of the playoffs. “You really do. I know in ‘24 we did it a different way, but starting pitching is kind of your backbone.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers there isn’t much you can do when good players don’t play well. Justin Wrobleski was an All-Star this season but of late has been nowhere close to that. The left-hander couldn’t finish the fourth inning in a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Wrobleski wasn’t the only culprit in the Dodgers’ demise on Sunday. The offense scratched and clawed all weekend, never scoring more than once in an inning, and plated only seven runs in 28 innings over the weekend. Despite the bad offense, the Dodgers nearly won the first two games after good starting pitching, but blew two ninth-inning leads and had to settle for a split.

On Sunday the Dodgers simply removed the good start portion of their weekend calculus, and played from behind all day.

Ketel Marte hit a two-run home run in the first inning of Wrobleski, the ninth home run surrendered by the left-hander over his last three starts and 13 2/3 innings, after eight total home runs in Wrobleski’s first 106 2/3 frames this year. Marte hit a four-seam fastball, the pitch from Wrobleski that has served up six of the nine home runs over his last three starts.

Wrobleski has allowed 17 runs over his last three outings, including four on Sunday, the two runs in the second inning exacerbated by his own throwing error. But that hasn’t been his only wildness of late.

Home runs have been the glaring weakness for Wrobleski of late, but he’s also walked three batters two starts in a row, after walking no more than two in his previous 13 appearances and entered Sunday with a 5.1-percent walk rate, third best in the majors and leading the National League.

Wrobleski’s last two outings — 4 1/3 innings last Monday at Wrigley Field and 3 1/3 innings on Sunday in Phoenix — are his two shortest starts of the season.

On the other side, Eduardo Rodríguez struck out a season-best nine, two more than he had in any of his first 23 starts. He left after seven innings and two runs against him, and in four starts against the Dodgers this season the veteran left-hander has allowed five total runs, four earned, in 23 innings for a 1.57 ERA with 22 strikeouts and six walks.

Arizona has won the last three of those Rodríguez starts.

The Dodgers in the last five games have scored five total runs in 30 1/3 innings against opposing starting pitchers, which is no way to live.

Dodgers relievers — Edgardo Henriquez, Evan Phillips, Kyle Hurt, and Jonathan Hernández retired all 14 batters they faced after Wrobleski exited. But the damage was already done, and the Dodgers have now lost three series in a row after winning their previous four.

Sunday particulars

Home run: Ketel Marte (20)

WP — Eduardo Rodríguez (11-4): 7 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts

LP — Justin Wrobleski (11-4): 3 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 3 walks, 3 strikeouts

Sv — Kevin Ginkel (1): 1 IP, 2 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers are back home to face the Kansas City Royals on Monday (7:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA), with Tarik Skubal making his first Dodger Stadium start since joining the team. Left-hander Noah Cameron starts for Kansas City.

Box Score

On Jacob Misiorowski bump day, the Brewers are always feeling good about their chances to win heading into the game. They seemed well on their way to one through the first couple of innings. Misiorowski was electric as usual, and Jackson Chourio slugged his fourth homer of the homestand to lead off the game.

Misiorowski came into the day needing just five strikeouts to reach 200 Ks on the season. He reached that mark during the third inning. He becomes the ninth pitcher to have a 200 strikeout season in Brewers franchise history and also reached the mark in the second-fewest IP (129 1/3 innings) in MLB history, just behind Spencer Strider, who did it in 123 1/3 innings in 2023.

However, after four scoreless innings, Misiorowski ran into some barrels later in the game. He allowed a solo homer to Brooks Lee in the fifth to allow the Twins to tie it up. Then, after the Brewers scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth on a Jake Bauers homer and David Hamilton RBI double, Misiorowski again allowed the Twins to tie it on a two-run home run by Kody Clemens.

Misiorowski got out of the sixth on an incredible leaping catch at the wall by Luis Lara, and that would finish the day for him. Miz went six innings, allowing four hits, three runs, one walk, and struck out nine.

The game stayed tied at 3-3 for a while. The Twins threatened with the bases loaded against Aaron Ashby in the seventh and Abner Uribe in the eighth, but couldn’t scratch a run across. The Brewers couldn’t either. So this game went to extra innings.

DL Hall got the call for the 10th inning with the runner starting on second base. He induced a Josh Bell pop-up to short for the first out of the inning. Then, Kody Clemens ripped a fly ball deep to right field that had trouble written all over it.

Then Luis Lara happened.

LUIS LARA DOES IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/MW4zqGZTm2

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 9, 2026

Lara crashed into the right-field fence but held on to make a spectacular catch and was able to get the ball in quickly to prevent the runner from tagging up to score. That catch swung the momentum back into the Brewers’ favor.

“I just knew, whatever happened happened, but I was going to find a way to make the play,” Lara said.

Hall closed out a scoreless top half of the 10th, setting up the heart of the Brewers order to deliver.

With Brice Turang as the Manfred Man on second base, Garrett Mitchell was immediately issued an intentional walk to bring up William Contreras. Contreras struck out, leaving one out and two on for Jake Bauers.

Bauers punched a single to left field; Turang was being waved home, the throw from Clemens was not quite in time to make the tag, and the Brewers survived with a walk-off winner.

JAKE BAUERS WALKS OFF THE TWINS IN EXTRAS ‼️ pic.twitter.com/6qyFy8cQf9

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 9, 2026

“My first thought was ‘Oh my God, he’s gonna be out by a mile,” Bauers said postgame.

The Twins did challenge, but replay was quick to confirm, and the celebration was on at American Family Field.

“This was the best team win in a long, long time,” Pat Murphy said.

The Brewers had contributions from up and down the lineup. Ashby and Uribe weren’t particularly sharp, but they each had scoreless innings. Hall secured his first decision of the season. Andrew Vaughn got his first start at third base in five years and performed well. David Hamilton had a big RBI double that allowed this game to get to extras.

Even Jihwan Bae, who just arrived in Milwaukee this morning, dropped down two perfectly executed bunts, one for a base hit and one for a sacrifice, as he made his Brewers debut.

The Brewers were able to secure the series win and a 5-2 homestand. Now they’ll head back out to California for a week-long road trip against the Padres and Dodgers.

The Mets’ offense quickly shook off their dud in Pittsburgh on Saturday night, coming back with a massive day at PNC Park Sunday to secure their second straight series win. 

It was the first time they’d accomplished that feat since May. 

Bo Bichette reached base six times to lead the charge, but New York received contributions from up-and-down their lineup, scoring 11 runs on seven walks and 15 hits. 

“I thought there were really good at-bats overall,” interim manager Andy Green said. “They had some good stuff coming at us today, but I thought we took some really good swings and it was a good bounceback effort from yesterday.”

This continues what’s been an impressive stretch for the Mets’ offense. 

After breaking double-digits on Sunday, they’ve now scored a total of 42 runs in the six games since the trade deadline, averaging the most in the National League over that span (seven).

Behind that, they’ve gone a strong 5-1 opening the road trip against a pair of contenders. 

“It’s been nothing complicated,” Green explained. “Guys are grinding out at-bats -- those types of at-bats set you up to win baseball games, and it’s just good to see everyone fighting and competing during each of their at-bats.”

The Mets will now look to keep the momentum rolling into the final leg of their nine-game road trip as they head to Atlanta to face the NL East-leading Braves. 

They’ll have the benefit of sending out their talented young arms, and won’t have to contend with All-Star Chris Sale. 

New York is also 6-4 against their division rivals so far on the year, including a series victory over Atlanta at Citi Field in the closing days of July. 

Most things look easier when you score ten runs. The Orioles offense entered Sunday’s game with 11 runs scored total for the month of August. When all was said and done on Sunday, they’d nearly doubled that total, adding ten runs as they avoided a sweep at the hands of the Rangers with a 10-5 victory. The O’s exit the Lone Star State with a two game deficit for a wild card spot.

This was a nearly whole team effort. Every Oriole in the starting lineup got on base. Eight of the nine batters had at least one base hit, with only Gunnar Henderson missing out. Pete Alonso hit two homers for the first time as an Oriole, upping his total to 25 for the season. Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill homered. The team scored early and often, bringing runs across the plate in five of the game’s nine innings. They did not commit any errors. This was pretty good.

The game began with Henderson striking out. One of the few unfortunate things about this solid performance is Henderson was left out of it. Four of the next five Orioles after him got hits, with Dylan Beavers and Leody Taveras each collecting an RBI on theirs, giving the O’s an early 2-0 lead as they squared off against Rangers starter Kumar Rocker.

Cowser led off the second inning with a home run. Henderson drew his walk with one out, then scored as Alonso hit the first of his two home runs. The Orioles lead ballooned out to 5-0. As you already know if you were paying attention to the opening paragraph of this article, that would not be enough for the Orioles to win the game.

Based on his major league career to date, Sunday’s Orioles starter, Cade Povich, is not a confidence-inspiring pitcher. He showed some more of why in this game, giving back three runs and making the game interesting again for a little while. Povich had two outs and only a man on first before giving up a walk and then a three-run home run to Brandon Nimmo, the Rangers right fielder. In a flash, the Orioles led by just a 5-3 margin.

The Orioles answered right back in the next half inning with Alonso’s second home run of the day, a two-run shot that scored Henderson and left the Orioles up by four runs. The shortstop ended up on base after a fielder’s choice; he also stole second base, his ninth steal of the season.

Six of these runs were charged to Rocker, who was unable to get an out in the fourth inning. Rocker entered the game with a 4.08 ERA for the season, a 94 ERA+ that leaves him below average. Even so, this wasn’t a case of the Orioles rocking a complete scrub. They had a respectable outing against a respectable major leaguer.

With the Orioles back up by four, manager Craig Albernaz delivered a vote of no confidence in Povich, pulling the O’s starter before the fourth inning began even though Povich had only thrown 61 pitches. I probably would have left him in for longer, especially given that Povich coming out meant quite a while with the Orioles relievers nobody wants to see.

To my surprise and delight, Yaramil Hiraldo pitched two scoreless innings Alex Hoppe and Andrew Kittredge each added one more. Hoppe’s inning had a bit of drama, as he allowed two hits, but nobody crossed the plate. Texas didn’t score again until the bottom of the ninth, in the second inning of work of Albert Suárez. By then, the Orioles led by seven runs, and it didn’t matter all that much that Texas got two back in garbage time.

Beyond this game, Povich’s early exit looks like a sign that the Orioles are going to bounce him back to the minors, or at least to the bullpen, in favor of Chris Bassitt. The veteran righty had a good rehab start on Friday night that, as far as the box score shows, looks like it puts him in a good position to rejoin the Orioles rotation after two months on the injured list. Whether or not this turns out to be a good thing is something we’ll see over the last six weeks or so of the season.

Alonso batted five times in the game and reached base all five times. In addition to his two homers, he had a single and two walks. Mayo collected three hits, including a triple – his third in his last several games. Cowser, Taveras, and Jackson Holliday each had multi-hit games as well. If these guys are able to break out of their funks, all of that will help the Orioles try to fight their way back up the standings.

The Orioles next travel to Minnesota for a series against the Twins. This is one of the teams they still need to pass in the wild card standings. They have the chance to help themselves. They just have to play well. The opening game in the series is set for Monday night starting at 7:40. Trevor Rogers pitches for the Orioles, while the O’s will see a familiar face, Dean Kremer. In their last possible “revenge game” against Grayson Rodriguez, Rodriguez pitched well and the Orioles still won. Run that one again, fellas.

It is a longtime tradition on Camden Chat to nominate a Most Birdland Player after each Orioles victory. What is Most Birdland? Each person must decide for themselves. Sometimes this is the same as the most valuable player and other times it is not. Let us know your pick in the comments below.