MLB News
The first of hopefully many outstanding starts for Tarik Skubal at Dodger Stadium in 2026.
Well I don’t think the Dodgers were expecting this. The Dodgers are 2-8 in their last 10 games as shiny new acquisition Tarik Skubal is set to make his first home start for the champs. They’re still 7.5 games up on the DBacks though. I don’t think their division crown is in jeopardy.
The Royals should be familiar with Skubal since he pitched for the Tigers – his pitch mix in his lone start for the Dodgers so far revealed no changes in pitch preference from his new team. He hasn’t pitched as much as usual this season but is still a top pitcher by all the metrics. He’s a tough guy to face. The Dodgers also still have guys like Ohtani. They’re still going to be favored despite the recent losses.
But hey, maybe the Royals can catch them mid-tumble and steal a few wins here.
To counter Skubal, the Royals will send surging Noah Cameron to start. Cameron has himself been pitching as well as Skubal recently, having given up only 1 run in 23 innings pitched over 3 starts. Yes…those 3 starts were against the Twins twice and the Tigers once. A bit of an AL Central bias in those numbers. But he’s looked good. He gives the Royals as good a chance as any right now. Partially because maybe he can get the game to the end with minimal bullpen exposure. We’ll see.
The game starts at 9:10pm US Central time. It’s gonna be an all-nighter as far as west coast baseball goes. You can watch on Royals.TV or 96.5 The Fan/Royals Radio Network. If you live in LA I guess you’re screwed since apparently no one can ever watch SportsNet LA. Or maybe they fixed that. I don’t know.
Lineups:
Go Rays!
Sign up for a user account and get:
After last night’s extra-inning heroics, the Brewers have now won three straight series to start the month of August. They’re in San Diego tonight for the first of three against the Padres, who enter having won seven of their last 10.
On the mound for Milwaukee will be rookie right-hander Logan Henderson, who’s pitched to a 6-1 record and 2.70 ERA over 10 starts this year. He’s allowed more than two earned runs in just one of them. San Diego will counter with right-hander Casey Mize, who’s made one start for the Padres since they acquired him just before last week’s trade deadline. Mize’s Padres debut didn’t go particularly well, as he was tagged for eight runs in 3 1/3 innings. He’ll look to bounce back against a Brewers lineup that has scored more than four runs just twice this month.
As for tonight’s lineup, manager Pat Murphy has elected to shake things up. Veteran stars William Contreras and Christian Yelich, both of whom have struggled at the plate for well over a month, will hit sixth and seventh. Murphy clarified before the game that the move isn’t “meant to be motivating, it’s meant to be what’s best for our team right now.” Both Contreras and Yelich will get the opportunity to keep trying to break out of their slumps, but they won’t be doing it from the heart of the order.
Brice Turang leads off tonight, followed by Jackson Chourio, Jake Bauers, and Andrew Vaughn, who’s playing third base in the absence of Joey Ortiz. Batting fifth, just ahead of Contreras and Yelich, is Garrett Mitchell, who’s been struggling himself lately (.122 average over his last 49 at-bats). Rounding out the lineup are Luis Lara, who made two incredible catches in last night’s game, and David Hamilton.
You can catch tonight’s game on Brewers.TV, WTMJ 620, and the Brewers Radio Network. First pitch is set for 8:40 p.m.
The San Francisco Giants welcome the Houston Astros to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Blade Tidwell, who enters tonight’s game with a 3.18 ERA, 3.20 FIP, with 13 strikeouts to four walks in 17 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 5-4 loss to the Texas Rangers last Tuesday, in which he allowed two runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski, who enters tonight’s game with a 3.86 ERA, 3.00 FIP, with eight strikeouts to four walks in 11.2 innings pitched. His last start (his second for the Astros this year) was in their 7-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays last Tuesday, in which he allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
Sign up for a user account and get:
Who: San Francisco Giants (49-69) vs. Houston Astros (60-59)
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
When: 6:45 p.m. PT
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
National broadcast: n/a
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani has continued to be available as a designated hitter, but is still working his way back for another potential appearance on the mound this season.
Ohtani was throwing to catcher Will Smith in the outfield before the game against the Kansas City Royals on Monday, Aug. 10.
The four-time MVP was last seen restarting his pitching progression at Chase Field on Aug. 8, according to MLB.com's Sonja Chen. It was the first time he's been seen doing those activities since July 22, when he threw his latest bullpen session in Philadelphia.
He hasn’t pitched since July 3, unable to take the mound due to an inflamed knee.
It remains unclear when Ohtani will have his first bullpen session, according to manager Dave Roberts, but the team is hopeful he can return to the rotation in September and be ready for a postseason run.
Ohtani had previously brought to light that he was also dealing with right biceps discomfort.
Ohtani had a bullpen session postponed on Saturday, July 25, in New York. There’s an expectation that the organization would be cautious with the superstar’s workload for the rest of the regular season.
Roberts had previously stated that Ohtani is not expected to throw 100 pitches whenever he does make his return to the mound.
While the Dodgers continue to wait for Ohtani to get back on the mound, he’s managed to still make a difference at the plate, leading the team with 26 home runs and is second on the squad with 71 RBIs.
The Dodgers have struggled recently, losing eight of their last nine games. Los Angeles' only win during the stretch came in the form of a 2-1 win in 10 innings over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, Aug. 8. Ohtani had an infield single to first base that brought Kyle Tucker in to score what would be the game-winning run in the 10th inning.
The Dodgers would drop Sunday’s game and the series against the Diamondbacks with a 4-2 loss. He went 0-for-4 at the plate and struck out twice.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shohei Ohtani injury update: Dodgers star still not pitching
With the Dodgers put away and in the rear-view mirror, at least until the post-season, the D-backs schedule now presents them with a bit of a palate-cleanser. Three games at home against the Rockies, currently locked in a tussle with the Angels, as Colorado seek to repeat as the worst team in baseball? I don’t mind if I do. As usual, the Rockies are particularly woeful away from home, where they are just 19-40. This feels like a series where taking two out of three is the absolute minimum for the D-backs. Ideally, all three. Well, I feel we should be looking to win four of three, but suspect that might be a little too much to ask, even against Colorado.
Having crossed off the Dodgers certainly helps Arizona’s strength of schedule. Here, how the teams in the wild-card standings currently rank, along with their position and the win percentage of their remaining opponents.
It’s promising that Arizona has the easiest schedule of the teams currently in the picture. The Cubs still have six games left against the Brewers, who have the best record in the National League, and six more against the second-best Braves. It’s not hard to imagine them going 4-8 there and dropping back significantly towards the pack. It’s also worth noting the difference between the NL and AL this year. The only National League teams in the bottom half by strength of remaining schedule are the D-backs (16th, .493), the Nationals (19th, .492) and the Dodgers (23rd, .489). The last-named obviously benefit, like us, from not having to face the Dodgers.
Blake Snell will make his first start for the Dodgers in three months on Tuesday, activated off the 60-day injured list after rehabbing from left elbow surgery in May.
Michael Wacha starts on the mound for Kansas City.
Following a rough week, the Colorado Rockies (46-72) travel to the desert face the Arizona Diamondbacks (63-56). The matchup marks the second series in a nine-game road trip for the Rockies. It also starts off three straight sets against NL West foes, as Colorado awaits games against the San Francisco Giants away and Los Angeles Dodgers at home.
Before meeting the Californians, the Rockies will try to get something going against the D-Backs.
Colorado went 1-5 last week, dropping series to the Tampa Bay Rays and St. Louis Cardinals. Arizona, at the end of their own NL West mini tour, went 4-3 last week as they split a four-game set with the San Diego Padres and took a series over the Dodgers. That stretch has Arizona tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the final two Wild Card spots.
Colorado will give rookie Gabriel Hughes another go. Hughes is 0-3 through five starts with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.180 WHIP. In his last game, Hughes started the 9-7 extra innings loss to the Rays, going 5.1 innings pitched and surrendering five earned runs on four hits, including a homer. For a bright spot, Hughes had some strong 1-2-3 innings and tossed seven strikeouts to just two walks.
Michael Soroka gets the start for Arizona after being reinstated from the 15-day injured list. Soroka exited his last outing on June 19th after one inning pitched and has been out dealing with a glute strain since. Before his injury, he tallied an 8-3 record, a 3.07 ERA, and a 1.085 WHIP in 15 starts. Soroka was also on track for a career low 5.1% walk rate.
Soroka has already faced off against Colorado twice in quick succession this season. The first start came on May 17th at Coors Field, where he led Arizona to an 8-6 win, allowing two runs in 5.2 innings pitched. The second was just five days later: a May 22nd 3-2 loss, a no-decision for Soroka.
While the D-backs try to hold onto their grasp on a playoff spot, the Rockies will try to play spoiler and get some wins on the board at Chase Field.
First Pitch: 7:40 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM and KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
Diamondbacks SB Nation Site: AZ Snake Pit
Lineups:
Sign up for a user account and get:
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!
Milwaukee Brewers (74-44) at San Diego Padres (62-57), August 10, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV
Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.
Listen: 97.3 The Fan
Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.
Sign up for a user account and get:
Texas Rangers @ Anaheim Angels
Monday, August 10, 2026, 8:38 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)
Angel Stadium
LHP MacKenzie Gore vs. LHP Reid Detmers
Go Rangers!
LOS ANGELES — After two straight days of heavy bullpen usage, the Dodgers called up a few fresh arms ahead of their homestand opener on Monday night against the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium.
Seth Halvorsen and Charlie Barnes were called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Barnes was not on the 40-man roster so Jonathan Hernández was designated for assignment — opening spots on the 40-man and active rosters — and Kyle Hurt was optioned. Hernández pitched the final two innings on Sunday’s loss in Arizona, and Hurt pitched both Saturday and Sunday against the Diamondbacks.
“Those guys were great for us,” manager Dave Roberts said Monday of Hurt and Hernández, “but it’s just protecting the downside as far as relieving.
The fresh arm express is always ready, though if the Dodgers have their way they won’t necessarily need to use many relievers at all on Monday, with Tarik Skubal making his first start at Dodger Stadium since joining the Dodgers. Skubal is averaging 6.04 innings per start this season and has completed six innings in 12 of his 17 starts.
Skubal was pulled in a 2-1 game after only 85 pitches in six innings last Tuesday at Wrigley Field.
“His last start you could argue I could have let him go one more inning,” Roberts said Monday, “But I feel this one — we’re going to watch intently, but I feel giving him a little more leash tonight.”
The Dodgers acquired Halvorsen from the Colorado Rockies on July 20 in exchange for pitcher Nick Frasso and minor league outfielder Landyn Vidourek. Halvorsen did not allow a run in any of his six appearances for Oklahoma City, with two saves, eight strikeouts and two walks in 6 1/3 innings.
Halvorsen last pitched Thursday, with three strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning, recording a save for the Comets. That was also Barnes’ last game pitched for Oklahoma City, tossing three scoreless innings with five strikeouts on 47 pitches.
This is Barnes’ fourth stint in the majors this season, with three scoreless innings in relief for the Dodgers and one bulk appearance allowing seven runs in seven innings that was more about resetting the bullpen than anything else. Barnes twice this season has been designated for assignment, cleared waivers and elected free agency, then re-signed on a minor league deal.
It’s been a long time since Shohei Ohtani has had competition for the MVP award, and it appears the reigning MVP could be dethroned.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong has overtaken Ohtani as the favorite to win the National League MVP.
Armstrong leads the NL MVP sweepstakes with at -120 odds, while Ohtani is sitting behind him at +100.
The two are viewed as the clear favorites to win the award as Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (+10000) and Kyle Schwarber (+15000) trail by a landslide.
The numbers between Ohtani and Armstrong are nearly identical, as the two are tied for home runs (26) and RBI (71).
The difference maker for Armstrong in this race appears to go down to his 7.5 WAR, 30 stolen bases and his 22 OAA, marking him as one of the best defenders in baseball.
At one point this season, Ohtani was viewed as the favorite to win the award for the fourth consecutive season as he was flourishing at the plate and was dominant on the mound, pitching with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts through 14 starts.
But on July 3, his time on the mound came to a sudden halt after he was dealing with soreness in his knee and would eventually be shut down from pitching.
Throughout his career, Ohtani has made most things look easy, but his journey back to pitching has been the complete opposite, as he’s suffered multiple setbacks, including regression in his knee and a pectoral injury.
Healing from a knee injury is tough, especially when he is still running on it as a hitter.
In his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani had one of the best seasons in his career, when he hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases. This year, he’s stolen only 6, likely because he’s trying to rest the sore knee as much he can.
But with his inability to pitch and dealing with a bad knee, it’s clear that this could ruin his chance to become the first player to win the MVP award for four consecutive seasons since Barry Bonds did it from 2001-04.
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
When Jackson Kent makes his Major League Baseball debut sometime this week he’ll join an exclusive club of former Arizona players to make the big leagues. But he’ll also be in a class by himself.
The Washington Nationals are promoting the former UA left-handed pitcher and are expected to insert him into their starting rotation. He will become the 96th ex-Wildcat to make the majors, per the school’s baseball media guide, but first to do so after being recruited to the UA by Chip Hale.
The 23-year-old Kent spent three seasons at Arizona, from 2022-24, but was not eligible his first year after originally signing with UW-Milwaukee. That school would not let him out of his national letter of intent, thus forcing him to sit out that season.
Kent appeared in 33 games for the Wildcats with 19 starts, spending the bulk of the 2024 season as their Friday night starter. He finished with a 3-4 record and 4.61 ERA, striking out 122 batters in 127 innings.
The Nats drafted him in the 4th round in 2024, signing him for $625,000. He’s made 44 starts in the minor leagues, going 16-14 with a 4.22 ERA, and since getting moved to Triple-A Rochester in May had gone 8-3 with a 4.38 ERA in 13 starts.
Kent will become the second UA player to make their MLB debut this season, joining catcher Daniel Susac with the San Francisco Giants.
By the time the Braves left town Sunday, they had experienced what the Yankees hope their postseason foes will have to feel, provided that their lineup can hang on just enough to get there.
“We came in here and faced three No. 1s, really, three aces,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said Sunday.
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
Try it freeMax Fried, Gerrit Cole and Cam Schlittler started the three games and combined to hold what had been one of the majors’ highest-scoring lineups to just three runs on 12 hits and two walks across 20 ¹/₃ innings with 27 strikeouts.
And that, even with the mounting worries about their scuffling lineup, is what the Yankees are banking on not only to reach October but to use as a roadmap for a deep run when they get there.
The Yankees rotation has been best in show all season, entering Monday with a major league-leading 13.4 fWAR. And that is despite missing Cole for the first two months as he finished off his Tommy John rehab, then missing Fried for another two-plus months with a left elbow bone bruise.
But they have taken it to another level of late — coinciding with Fried’s return from the injured list to join Cole, Schlittler, Ryan Weathers and Will Warren as Carlos Rodón now works his way back again — allowing one or no runs in nine of their past 12 starts and 12 of their past 17 (and two or fewer runs in 10 of 12 and 13 of 17).
At a time when their lineup is struggling mightily to push runs across, the Yankees starters are the biggest reason why this stretch has not destroyed them, even if they waste the occasional gem like Schlittler’s seven innings of one-run ball Sunday.
“It’s tough, but that’s the reality of where we are right now,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But also, it’s a big reason why I have the highest of hopes for our club still. Because I feel like the guy that takes the ball every day [gives us a strong chance to win] — and we have the ability to close out games, and I still fully believe that we are going to continue to get better offensively.
“But obviously we need to be the team we hope and expect.”
Assuming the Yankees can keep the trio healthy, when is the last time they have entered the postseason with a top three as good as Schlittler (2.21 ERA), Cole (3.35) and Fried (2.88)? That is the current AL Cy Young favorite, a recent AL Cy Young winner and a lefty who has the seventh-lowest ERA (2.86) in the majors since the start of 2025 among pitchers who have thrown at least 250 innings in that span.
Their best trio of starters entering a postseason under Boone may have been 2022, when they rolled out Cole, Luis Severino and Nestor Cortes. Before that, the last time they had at least three starters with a 3.65 ERA or lower across 100-plus innings during the regular season (which Schlittler, Fried and Cole are on track to do) was 1998, when David Cone, Orlando Hernández and David Wells fronted the rotation.
In between, they led with CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte on the way to their last title in 2009; Mike Mussina, Pettitte, Roger Clemens and Wells on the way to the World Series in 2003; Clemens, Pettitte, Mussina and Wells in 2002; Clemens, Pettitte and Mussina on the way to the World Series in 2001; and Clemens, Pettitte and Hernández on the way to titles in 1999 and 2000.
Of course, terrific regular seasons from Schlittler, Fried and Cole will mean little unless they can make them mean something in the postseason like those trios from the glory days.
For now, though, the rotation’s success continues to give the Yankees hope for October, especially because their recent run of dominance has come against teams mostly in playoff position and some of the best lineups in the game.
Since July 6, Yankees starters have pitched to a 2.91 ERA in 29 games — the second-lowest ERA in that span (to the Tigers’ 2.50) and the highest fWAR (4.9 to the Tigers’ 3.9). During that stretch, they have faced the AL East-leading Rays, the Nationals (most runs scored in the majors), the NL West-leading Dodgers (No. 4 in runs), the Pirates (No. 3 in runs), the Phillies, the AL Central-leading White Sox (No. 8 in runs), the Cubs (No. 2 in runs), the Cardinals and the NL East-leading Braves (No. 6 in runs). Largely because of their pitching, they have gone 17-12 in that span, filled with tight, low-scoring games.
“At the moment, those guys got to be almost perfect for us to be in the ballgame,” Austin Wells said, “and they have been, which has been incredible.”