Category: MLB

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The Toronto Blue Jays enter Sunday in a wild-card spot and above .500 for the first time since April as they aim to sweep their three-game set against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

My Blue Jays vs. Royals prediction breaks down why Toronto (-120 favorite) should soar to victory in a game that will feature weak pitching and plenty of scoring.

Dive into my free MLB picks for 2:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 6.

Blue Jays vs Royals predictions

Blue Jays vs Royals best bet: Blue Jays moneyline (-120)

Randy Dobnak’s stats look fine on paper (2.65 ERA, 1.39 WHIP), but the Kansas City Royals starter has benefited from a lot of good fortune according to the underlying numbers. Dobnak’s xERA ranks in the 21st percentile (4.79), while his xBA is in the second percentile (.290).

He’ll face a Toronto Blue Jays offense that has been on fire since Aug. 28. Toronto is 7-1 over that span with a .283 team batting average (second) and a .347 wOBA (4th).

Dobnak surrendered three earned runs over six innings to the Jays on Aug. 26, and he’s given up a total of nine earned runs over his last two starts.

COVERS INTEL: Blue Jays starter Spencer Arrighetti throws his curveball more than 33% of the time — a pitch type the Royals struggle against. Kansas City ranks 24th in OPS (.587) and wOBA (.261) vs. the curveball.

Blue Jays vs Royals same-game parlay (SGP)

Spencer Arrighetti may find some success with his curveball, but the underlying numbers are not kind to him, either. He sports a 5.16 xERA while ranking in the 26th percentile in pitching run value.

Dobnak will also be followed by the second-worst bullpen in baseball (5.05 ERA), so there should be weak pitching and plenty of scoring for both teams today.

Brett Bateman continues to swing a hot bat with six hits over his last four games — all singles. Bateman leads the Blue Jays with 27 singles since his MLB debut on Aug. 7.

Blue Jays vs Royals SGP

• Blue Jays moneyline
• Over 9.5
• Brett Bateman Over 0.5 singles

Blue Jays vs Royals home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+450)

Kazuma Okamoto is Toronto’s only legit home run threat this season, and I like his matchup against Dobnak.

Okamoto has hit seven of his 28 dingers against the sinker, which is Dobnak’s most common pitch (39.4%). Kauffman Stadium is also a very hitter-friendly ballpark, tied for fifth in Park Factor according to Statcast (102).

I'd play Okamoto up to +440.

Blue Jays vs Royals odds

• Moneyline: Toronto -120 | Kansas City +100
• Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+135) | Kansas City +1.5 (-155)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-105) | Under 9.5 (-115)

Blue Jays vs Royals trend

It’ll be a warm day at Kauffman Stadium with temperatures in the mid-90s and light winds blowing in from right field. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Royals.

How to watch Blue Jays vs Royals and game info

Blue Jays vs Royals latest injuries

Blue Jays vs Royals weather

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Team News

D-backs’ ‘pen blanks Astros to propel them back into Wild Card spot
https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/d-backs-defeat-astros-in-10-innings

Diamondbacks’ Gabriel Moreno delivers clutch RBI in extra-innings win vs. Astroshttps://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/diamondbacks-gabriel-moreno-delivers-clutch-rbi-in-extra-innings-win-vs-astros

Ketel Marte’s Heroic Moment Leads D-backs to Massive Win over Astroshttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/ketel-marte-heroic-moment-leads-diamondbacks-massive-win-astros

Other Baseball

MLB, in midst of CBA uncertainty, sets spring training schedulehttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49826806/mlb-midst-cba-uncertainty-sets-spring-training-schedule

Mune gives Sox a 30-HR trio as showdown for club lead joins race for titlehttps://www.mlb.com/news/munetaka-murakami-reaches-30-homers-in-rookie-season

Wheeler takes jab at Acuña after his 9-K gem bolsters Phils in NL East racehttps://www.mlb.com/news/zack-wheeler-strikes-out-nine-in-phillies-win-over-braves

Cardinals display their ‘superpower’ after hat controversy: ‘our ability to unify’https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-unify-behind-rookie-hancel-rincon-after-hat-controvery

8 impact players who could return down the stretch

https://www.mlb.com/news/impact-mlb-players-who-could-return-2026

Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-6

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/September_6

Gold never erodes.

This is because it is chemically inert. This means that it does not react to the oxygen found in the atmosphere. 

Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

Most planets rotate on their axis in an anti-clockwise motion. However, Venus rotates clockwise in retrograde once every 243 Earth days.

It’s believed that roughly 97% of history has been lost over time. Written accounts of history only started roughly 6,000 years ago. Modern humans first appeared around 200,000 years ago.

The Mets made an intriguing roster move on Sunday morning, calling up right-hander Tobias Myers and optioning lefty Jefry Yan to Triple-A Syracuse. 

Myers, acquired along with Freddy Peralta in a trade with Milwaukee this past offseason, came into the season as a versatile piece for the Mets pitching staff, given his ability to start or come out of the bullpen. But the right-hander struggled for most of the season, pitching to a 6.26 ERA in 26 appearances and only three starts.

He was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on July 12, still working in a hybrid long-relief, spot-starter role. Overall, Myers has pitched to a 3.72 ERA in 15 minor league appearances this season. 

"We want to see him kind of in shorter bursts and see how he responds to being back here," said interim manager Andy Green. "He clearly has enough stuff. He’s been successful at this level before, prior to being a Met and then also while being a Met. So, [would] love to see him return to kind of the beginning of the season form and continue to take some strides forward."

Yan, meanwhile, instantly caught the eye of fans with his passionate celebrations while on the mount, but the 30-year-old lefty struggled to find consistency, posting a 5.68 ERA. While he struck out 17 batters in 12.2 innings, he also walked 11, with command being his biggest issue. 

Not including the four-game series with the Cubs, which they split, the Brewers will go for their sixth straight series victory this afternoon in Cincinnati. However, the Brewers have struggled to close out series over the last couple of weeks, losing the final game three times.

To end the bad luck of not winning the final game, the left-hander Kyle Harrison will pitch, making his 23rd start of the season. He’s aiming to get the bad taste out of his mouth after what the Cubs did to him last Monday, when he allowed nine runs on 10 hits while giving up five home runs. Though his history against the Reds has not been kind to him, while pitching for the San Francisco Giants, he faced the Reds three times, and they weren’t the greatest. Outside of his first start against them, where he struck out 11, he proceeded to give up three runs in the next start and six in the following.

The home team will be sending Brady Singer to toe the slab this afternoon. This will be his first start in September after a month in which he allowed at least three runs in each one of his starts. Singer carved up Milwaukee back in June, when he threw seven scoreless innings, striking out seven batters.

Bo Naylor will make his first appearance since being called up this afternoon, as he relieves Gary Sánchez and William Contreras from catching duties this afternoon. Another notable addition to the top of the lineup today is Christian Yelich, who finds his way back into the two-spot, looking to carry his hotter-than-usual bat into some early-inning magic.

You can find this morning’s ballgame live on Brewers.TV or listen on WTMJ 620. First pitch is at 12:10 p.m.

The Great Lakes Loons are the third Dodgers affiliate to clinch a postseason spot in 2026, along with Double-A Tulsa and Class-A Ontario.

Player of the day

Three starts into his Midwest League experience, and Cam Leiter has yet to allow an earned run. The right-hander pitched five scoreless innings on Saturday night to help Great Lakes clinch a postseason berth, with three strikeouts, no walks, and only three singles allowed.

Leiter, drafted in the second round in 2025 out of Florida State, has allowed only one unearned run 11 1/3 innings, with 14 strikeouts. Between Class-A and High-A this season, Leiter has a 2.45 ERA and 30.9-percent strikeout rate in 55 innings in his professional debut.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

The Comets won a low-scoring game in extra innings for a second straight day, this time besting the Round Rock Express (Rangers) in 11 innings. Ryan Fitzgerald’s sacrifice fly drove home the game-winner.

Charlie Barnes pitched five scoreless innings in his start. Rehabber Jake Cousins allowed the only Round Rock run in his inning of work.

Ben Casparius started a new rehab assignment with a scoreless inning of work, his first appearance in 17 days after getting shut down with arm fatigue.

Paul Gervase pitched the final two innings in scoreless fashion, stranding the free runner in both frames to close out the win.

Chris Newell, who was promoted from Tulsa on Friday, played in his first Triple-A game on Saturday, and made an immediate impact with this game-ending gem.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers had big innings in the sixth and seventh, then held on to beat the Wichita Wind Surge (Twins). With 814 runs scored on the season, Tulsa set a record for the 50-year-old franchise, surpassing the 2000 team, a Texas Rangers affiliate that scored 806 runs in 140 games.

Jake Gelof already homered three times in this series, and on Saturday drove in three more runs with a double and single, giving him nine RBI through the first five games against Wichita. What a way to make a living.

Logan Wagner and Sean McLain homered in the win.

Patrick Copen allowed three runs in his six innings, all three runs coming in the final frame. That briefly had Tulsa behind, but they rallied for three runs in the sixth and four runs in the seventh to put the game to bed.

High-A Great Lakes

Great pitching and patience allowed the Loons to beat the Lake County Captains (Guardians), and clinch the second half of the Midwest League East Division. Great Lakes is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023.

Charles Davalan singled then stolen second base, and took third on a flyball single by Nico Perez. Then four Loons walked in the frame, with free passes to Eduardo Guerrero, Mairo Martinus, and Victor Rodrigues all bringing home runs.

After Leiter’s five frames, Great Lakes got scoreless innings from Maddux Bruns and Matt Lanzendorfer before Dilan Figueredo entered with two runners on with nobody out in the eighth and pitched two scoreless innings to close out the clincher.

Class-A Ontario

The Tower Buzzers scored seven runs in the fourth inning, allowed six runs in the seventh and two in the eighth, but then rallied for three runs with two outs in the ninth inning to stun the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels).

Down two runs and down to their last out, Ontario had two runners on base in the ninth. Francisco Espinoza singled to pull the Tower Buzzers within a run, the a hit by pitch and walk tied things up. Ching-Hsien Ko delivered the walk-off single, his second hit of the game.

Easton Shelton hit his California League-leading 37th home run in that fourth inning, a grand slam.

Kellon Lindsey and Oswaldo Osorio homered for Ontario on Saturday. Osorio also walked twice and doubled, reaching base four times.

Charlie West, seventh-round draft pick this year out of UConn, struck out six and walked none in his four-inning start with two runs allowed.

Transactions

Triple-A: Bobby Miller ended his rehab and was activated by the Dodgers. Reliever Kyle Hurt was optioned to Oklahoma City. Outfielder Alek Thomas was designated for assignment.

Double-A: Right-hander Angel Cruz was added to Tulsa’s roster from the Arizona Complex League as an extra arm.

Saturday scores

• Oklahoma City 2, Round Rock 1 (11 innings)
• Tulsa 8, Wichita 6
• Great Lakes 5, Lake County 0
• Ontario 11, Rancho Cucamonga 10

Sunday schedule

• 10 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Isaac Ayon) at Lake County (Aidan Major)
• 11:05 a.m.: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) at Round Rock (David Davalillo)
• 1:05 p.m.: Ontario (Jack O’Connor) vs. Rancho Cucamonga (TBA)
• 4 p.m.: Tulsa (Luke Fox) vs. Wichita (Adrian Bohorquez)

As we turn the page to September, we must take a moment to acknowledge the performance of these AL East leading Rays, and to do so we asked in this week’s poll who the top performer was in August.

The choice was a difficult one! Among the five players suggested, only reliever Kevin Kelly did not accumulate any votes.

Baker held a 1.54 ERA across 12 appearances and 11⅔ innings in August, converting all nine of his save opportunities, allowed just eight hits and two walks while striking out 15, and kept the damage limited even on the rare nights things got interesting. Those nine saves helped push his season total to an MLB-leading 39 by the end of the month, and they extended a franchise-record consecutive saves streak that had already blown past Fernando Rodney’s mark earlier in August. He also, notably, pitched three nights in a row toward the end of the month, a remarkable feat of availability.

Can Baker and the Rays hold their own down the stretch? Baker was pulled from his most recent pitching performance due to illness, and Shane McClanahan and Garrett Cleavinger both hit the injured list, but the Rays have promoted Ty Johnson, adding a fresh face and new look.

If you believe in the Rays bullpen, you can put some wagers down on that belief through our friends at FanDuel who sponsors these polls.

Rays Up!

Meet the Mets

The Mets fell to the Giants 9-5, as San Francisco gave the Mets a taste of their own medicine that they issued the night before by socking six home runs against Mets pitching. Four of them were surrendered by Zac Thornton, who had his worst start as a big leaguer thus far in his young career, but the one bright spot was that A.J. Ewing went deep for the Mets for the first time since July.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, Faith and Fear in Flushing, MLB.com, Newsday, New York Daily News, New York Post

In recent days, A.J. Ewing has begun to show signs of life at the plate and yesterday’s home run is further evidence that he may be breaking out of his months-long slump.

Though the 2026 season is lost, September is not a lost month for the Mets as they look ahead to 2027, writes David Lennon of Newsday.

Will Sammon interviewed Mets VP Eric Jagers on Jonah Tong’s development this season. Tong will start tomorrow’s game against the Marlins.

The 2026 season has been defined in part by underachieving teams, as the Mets duke it out with the Mariners and Tigers for the unfortunate distinction of being the biggest disappointment this year.

Yesterday Juan Soto received his 2025 National League LatinoMVP award from Latino Sports, a publication that created the honor and has administered it since 1989. It is his third time winning the award in the past five years and only Albert Pujols has won it more times in total than Soto.

Yesterday was a day for honors, as mascots gathered at Citi Field to celebrate Mrs. Met’s induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Joe McDonald, who was the general manager of the Mets from 1975–1979, passed away at the age of 97, announced Jay Horwitz yesterday.

Around the National League East

Zack Wheeler pitched six innings of one-run ball, striking out nine in the Phillies’ 4-2 victory over the first place Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

The Nationals fell to the Dodgers 6-5, despite the absence of Shohei Ohtani from LA’s lineup for the third straight day. Tommy Edman’s go-ahead three-run bomb off Clayton Beeter in the seventh was the decisive blow in the game.

Nationals top prospect Eli Willits is just 18 years old, but he wants to make the majors before he turns 20.

The Marlins lost to the Cubs by the same 6-5 score, as former Met Michael Conforto had a good day at the plate for Chicago.

The Marlins released veteran infielder Leo Jimenez after designating him for assignment on Thursday.

Around Major League Baseball

Trent Grisham re-injured his hamstring in the Yankees’ 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Padres on Friday and is heading back to the IL. The Yankees called up outfielder Jasson Domínguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take his place on the roster.

Speaking of repeat injured list stints, Jameson Taillon, who left Friday night’s start after just two innings in his first start back from injury, was placed on the 15-day injured list again on Saturday by the Blue Jays with right elbow inflammation. To take his place on the roster, righty Ricky Tiedemann was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com explores what is next for the Blue Jays, who have had a disappointing follow-up season to their AL Championship in 2025, but still sit just one game back in the AL Wild Card standings.

2026 has been the year of the rookie hitter in baseball; this year’s class has put up the best offensive numbers for debut hitters by multiple measures.

Hat Gate has entered its second day. If you know, you know.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

On a new episode of Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series, Brian Salvatore and Chris McShane talk about the loss of Luis Robert Jr. to the Orioles, A.J. Ewing’s recent struggles, the potential return of Jonah Tong, and other September Mets story lines.

This Date in Mets History

Oliver Perez pitched a complete game shutout against the Braves on this date in 2006.

Shohei Ohtani has been absent from the Dodgers lineup for three consecutive games. So far the team has had no problem picking up the pieces, as the team is currently on a three-game winning streak with a chance to sweep the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Ohtani hasn’t been his usual self over his last 12 games, slashing a putrid .130/.298/.196 with a double, a triple and four RBI. The straw that broke the camel’s back was placed on Wednesday with a four-strikeout performance at the plate, and the Dodgers have contemplated moving him to the injured list.

Ohtani was able to hit in the cage during Saturday’s 6-5 win over Washington, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com, and the Dodgers will soon decide whether an IL stint is required. Dave Roberts views the time off as a chance for the two-way superstar to get a reset mentally and physically.

“If it doesn’t feel good today,” Roberts said, “then [the IL] certainly should be on the table.”

“There’s a chance … that we could almost just be in bed with the idea that whether it’s six, seven, eight days — [it’s] better than [15] days,” Roberts said, “if he’s trending in the right direction.”

With Ohtani not spearheading the starting lineup, Tommy Edman has done a tremendous job both filling in at center field for the injured Andy Pages and occupying the leadoff spot for the time being. Edman was the hero in Saturday’s win by making a highlight reel play in center field before hitting a go-ahead three run home run to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning.

For the defensively versatile switch-hitter, his pride comes in his ability to be plugged in any role or position, stressing the importance of filling in the gaps, writes Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.

“It’s definitely something that makes me valuable to the team,” he said of his versatility, “especially late in the year when guys get banged up. Losing [Pages] is a huge loss. I take pride in being able to fill that role a little. I’m not completely filling what he left behind, but I’m trying my best. That’s important to any championship team.”

Even with Shohei Ohtani’s chances of returning to the mound becoming an afterthought with each passing day, the Dodgers are preparing to assemble another formidable postseason rotation.

Usually, spring training is when a team tries to prepare for the season to come, but, as has been the case the last two years, the Dodgers aren’t like most teams. That means September is essentially another form of spring training to get their pitching staff ready for another grueling postseason run, writes Dylan Hernandez of the California Post.

The starters who will comprise the Dodgers’ postseason rotation know that when the playoffs start, they will have to pitch better than they have. Their team’s inconsistent offense will once again give them little margin for error, perhaps even less than last year with Shohei Ohtani dealing with multiple injuries.

If October marks the start of the baseball season in Los Angeles, September is spring training. The pitchers have three weeks to prepare for the starts that will define their seasons, or perhaps even careers

Today’s Reflections

Shōta Imanaga = Don’t pitch in Wrigley? Or get a haircut before the rest of his starts?

Imanaga pitched into the seventh inning Friday night, allowing only three hits without a walk while striking out four in the Cubs’ 6-1 win. Imanaga allowed a single in the bottom of the seventh, which Aaron Civale allowed to come around to score in the starter’s only blemish on his box score. It was only the second time this season that Imanaga had a start without a home run and a walk. He looked like the Imanaga we keep seeing glimpses of, and need to finish off the year.

Civale did otherwise pitch scoreless ball over three innings for the save.

Offensively, it was a fantastic mixed bag of ways of scoring runs. Only the final run, off the bat of Michael Busch, came by way of the home run. For example, Pedro Ramirez was 0-for-3, but had RBI’s off a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly. After three walks and a pitching change in the sixth, Ian Happ walked to drive in a run, followed by a Nico Hoerner RBI single.

Pete Crow-Armstrong had earlier in the game stolen his 33rd base on the season. PCA later doubled to start the seventh, aggressively advanced to third on a medium fly-ball to right off the bat of Seiya Suzuki, and scored on a wild pitch.

PCA also added, probably, his best catch of the season in the sixth. After travelling around 100 feet, PCA positioned himself parallel along the center-field wall. He did something he couldn’t do at Wrigley — he launched himself up into the soft wall and snared the flyball at the peak of his jump.

Let’s hope that the rest of the road trip continues with this success.

Complimentary Starting Pitcher Solo Home Run*

*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.

Friday Night’s Game Stories:

• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Just ‘do it: Riding his splitter, new-look Shota Imanaga handcuffs Miami Marlins in Chicago Cubs’ 6-1 win. “Sometimes a fresh haircut represents a needed reset for a player stuck in a tough stretch.”

• Alex House (ClutchPoints): Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong adds another circus catch in MVP case. “Cubs superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong is moving closer toward the NL MVP Award after making a fantastic catch vs. Marlins.”

• Rodney Knuppel (Sporting News): Cubs claim top wild-card spot by rediscovering their safest October formula. “Quality starting pitching makes everything else easier.”

• Sean Holland (Cubs Insider): Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (9/4/26): Cubs 6, Marlins 1 – Shōta Shoves in W. “Starter Shōta Imanaga had a nice bounce-back performance to lead the way in a relatively comfortable win.“

Assorted Pitching Stories:

• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Gavin Hollowell injury update just gave Cubs an intriguing new playoff possibility. “Another option for the Chicago Cubs to consider.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ Shota Imanaga wants to ‘build trust back,’ Craig Counsell says story around lefty ‘a little incorrect’. “After a strong performance Friday, Imanaga, baseball’s leader in home runs allowed, talked about his desire to re-earn “trust” following a pair of poor outings. But for Counsell and the Cubs, Imanaga’s had their trust totally during what they’ve seen as a good season.“
• Field Level Media (Yardbarker): Cubs recall RHP Javier Assad for start against Marlins. “The Chicago Cubs recalled right-hander Javier Assad to start Saturday’s road game against the Miami Marlins.”
• Jake Misenser (Cubbies Crib): Edward Cabrera has never looked further from being a potential Cubs bullpen answer. “The team’s big offseason trade addition has struggled in his rehab appearances.”
• Perla Paredes (MLB.com): New do, no HRs? Shota’s haircut helps him get back on track in Miami. ““Building trust is like Dominos or Jenga, where it takes time and it’s hard to build up,” Imanaga said. “But in an instant it can disappear. So I slowly built that trust back up [to] be that pitcher that everyone can trust on.”“

Assorted Hitting Stories:

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Can Alex Bregman add to his, Cubs’ Gold Glove haul? ‘This has got to be one of his best seasons defensively’. “Bregman has gained plenty of attention swinging a hot bat in the second half, but he’s been “quietly excellent” defensively at third base for much of the season, perhaps en route to giving the stellar Cubs defense yet another Gold Glove for the trophy case.“
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): In Dansby Swanson’s absence, Nico Hoerner slides over to short and reminds everyone he’s a Gold Glover, too. “The Cubs’ best-in-baseball defense is obviously at its best when Swanson is present, but Hoerner has kept things humming, even making highlight-reel plays while showing off the ability that has put hardware on his mantel, too.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago {$}): Chicago Cubs updates: Dansby Swanson progressing with injury — and Javier Assad gets nod to start Saturday. “Dansby Swanson’s unfamiliarity with an oblique strain creates a little uncertainty for the Chicago Cubs shortstop about what his path back might entail.”
• Brandon Glick (DaWindyCity): Cubs suddenly have another shortstop prospect making Jefferson Rojas trade sting less. “
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Chicago sports’ bright future on display as Bears, Bulls, Cubs stars have ‘started something pretty cool’. “These are exciting times in Chicago sports, and the rare collection of the city’s stars during the Cubs game Thursday night was the visualization of what Pete Crow-Armstrong, Caleb Williams, Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis could do for a generation of Chicago fans.”

Food For Thought:

One of the great blues singers of the post-World War II period, Jimmy Witherspoon was also versatile enough to fit comfortably into the jazz world. Witherspoon was born on August 8, 1920 in Gurdon, Arizona. As a child, he sang in a church choir, and he made his debut recordings with Jay McShann for Philo and Mercury in 1945 and 1946. His own first recordings, using McShann’s band, resulted in a number one R&B hit in 1949 with “Ain’t Nobody’s Business, Pts. 1 & 2” on Supreme Records. Live performances of “No Rollin’ Blues” and “Big Fine Girl” provided ‘Spoon with two more hits in 1950.

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 11, Norfolk Tides 7

The Tides jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run home run by Jeremiah Jackson and an RBI triple by Luis Vázquez. But they fell behind immediately after that and never recovered. Starting pitcher Cade Povich had a very rough time. He allowed eight runs in five innings. He allowed seven hits, two of which were home runs, and walked four.

The rehabbing Félix Bautista pitched one inning with a walk and a strikeout. He threw 22 pitches, 13 strikes.

The Tides scored four more runs, all in the fourth inning. Sam Huff hit a three-run homer and Creed Willems reached on a single and later scored on an error.

Box Score

Double-A: Portland Sea Dogs (BOS) 6, Chesapeake Baysox 4

Patrick Reilly started for the Baysox and pitched a heck of a game. Through seven innings, Reilly faced just 21 batters despite allowing three hits. In the first inning, Reilly allowed a single and then picked the runner off. In the third, he induced a double play after a single. Ditto in the fourth. Through seven innings, his pitching line was 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K.

Reilly came back out for the eighth inning with the Baysox winning 4-0. He walked his first batter, then allowed a home run. He was replaced by Bradley Brehmer, who gave up four more runs and only recorded one out. That allowed the Sea Dogs to come back and take a lead they did not relinquish.

The Baysox scored all four of their runs in the first two innings. Wehiwa Aloy homered in the first inning. In the second, one run scored on an error and Frederick Bencosme drove in two with a double.

Box Score

High-A: Frederick Keys 7, Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 4

The Keys won their 82nd game last night, and in doing so clinched the second-half crown for the South Atlantic League North Division. They also won the first-half. They’re good. What a great way for affiliated baseball to return to Frederick. On to the playoffs!

Christian Rodriguez started and allowed three runs in 4.2 innings. All three runs came in on two homers. in the fourth inning. Carson Dorsey followed with 3.1 shutout innings. He gave up just one hit and walked two.

Leadoff batter DJ Layton was the offensive star of the game. Layton went had five hits, including two doubles. He knocked in two runs and scored two runs. Enddy Azocar knocked in Layton once as the pair hit back-to-back doubles. Azocar also walked. Jaiden Lo Re drove in two with a double, his only hit. The recently promoted Ty Head added a pinch-hit RBI single.

Box Score

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 8, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (CWS) 5

Stiven Martinez had just one hit in the game, but it was a big one. His 14th home run of the year was a grand slam that ended up being the difference in the game. The Shorebirds were kept off the board until the sixth inning. In the sixth, Carlos Sanchez and Jhomnardo Reyes pulled off a double steal of home and second. Reyes later scored on a ground out. In the seventh, Sanchez and Jimmy Anderson each knocked in a run with a single.

Eric Booth, Jr. reached base four times with three singles and a walk. Anderson and Adriander Mejía both had two hits.

Collin McKinney started on the mound and pitched two shutout innings despite allowing two hits and three walks. Javier González earned the save with 1.1 hitless innings.

Box Score

Today’s Schedule

• Norfolk vs Jacksonville, 1:05. Starter: Trey Gibson
• Chesapeake vs Portland, 1:05. Starter: Sebastian Gongora
• Frederick @ Brooklyn, 2:00. Starter: Jake Dykhoff
• Delmarva @ Kannapolis, 1:35. Starter: KK Clark

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (71 – 65)

ROCHESTER 14, SYRACUSE 9 (BOX)

Emilien Pitre’s first Triple-A home run – along with homers from Ronny Mauricio and MJ Melendez – were not enough to overcome a truly dreadful pitching performance from nearly every arm who got in the game tonight. Truly a waste of a lineup performance when all but one starter had at least one hit.

• CF D’Andre Smith: 2-4, RBI, BB, K, SB (8)
• 2B Émilien Pitre: 2-5, R, HR (1), 2 RBI
• DH Ronny Mauricio: 1-5, R, HR (18), RBI, 2 K
• RF MJ Melendez: 2-5, 2 R, HR (19), RBI, 3 K
• 3B-SS Vidal Bruján: 1-3, R, 2 BB, K, 2 SB (14), E (10)
• LF Jose Ramos: 2-4, R, RBI, K
• C Hayden Senger: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K, SB (3)
• 1B-3B Nick Lorusso: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, K, SB (5)
• SS Zack Short: 0-1, E
• 1B Eric Wagaman: 0-3, BB, K
• RHP Kevin Herget: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Matt Seelinger: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Brian Metoyer: 0.0 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• LHP Joe Jacques: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, L (4-1), BS (3)
• RHP Zach Peek: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, BS (1)

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (60 – 71)

BINGHAMTON 3, NEW HAMPSHIRE 1 (BOX)

Two runs in the first on a Corey Collins double were enough to support R.J. Gordon and the rest of the Binghamton staff. Collins isn’t a top-end prospect, but he’s had a nice season with a .910 OPS in Double-A. He’s also old for the level and is benefitting from an overly passive approach that will likely not play at the higher levels (probably). Marco Vargas also continued his solid post injury reply and how has his OPS at .750 in Double-A.

• SS Marco Vargas: 1-3, BB, K, SB (25)
• 3B Jefferson Rojas: 1-4, R, HR (8), RBI, K
• LF Eli Serrano III: 0-3, R, BB, K, SB (7)
• CF John Bay: 0-2, R, BB, K, CS (3)
• DH Corey Collins: 1-4, 2B, RBI, K
• RF JT Benson: 0-3, BB, K, SB (4)
• 1B Jamari Baylor: 0-3, K
• 2B Eddinson Paulino: 0-2, BB, K
• C Vincent Perozo: 0-2, BB, 2 K
• RHP R.J. Gordon: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (5-8)
• LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, H (4)
• RHP Cristofer Gomez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, H (3)
• RHP Douglas Orellana: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, S (4)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (57 – 73)

FREDERICK 7, BROOKLYN 3 (BOX)

Two more homers wasted by a poor pitching performance. This time it was Ryan Dollar who was the primary culprit, coughing up four runs in an inning of work. Elian Peña also had a bad night, going 0-for-5 and making an error that led to two unearned runs.

• SS Elian Peña: 0-5, 2 K, E (2)
• RF Aiden Robbins: 2-5, 2 K
• 1B Cole Mathis: 1-3, BB
• LF Trey Snyder: 0-3, BB
• CF Yonatan Henriquez: 1-4, R, HR (11), RBI, K
• DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-1, R, 2 BB, SB (5)
• 2B Colin Houck: 1-4, R, HR (9), 2 RBI, 2 K
• 3B Antonio Jimenez: 0-4, 2 K
• C Chase Meggers: 1-3, BB
• LHP Daviel Hurtado: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• RHP Ryan Lambert: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Ryan Dollar: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, L (3-2)
• LHP Gregori Louis: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (57 – 72)

SUSPENDED (RAIN)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Corey Collins

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Brian Metoyer

Jonathan Bowlan gave up another home run last night, leading to some discussion about his effectiveness. For me at least, I think he’s simply getting tired after a long season of being depended on as much as he has been this year. With Kansas City, he wasn’t used to being put into higher leverage spots all year, thus hasn’t been subjected to the type of stress he is under each time he toes the rubber with the Phillies. So now, having done it for months, he might be wearing down a bit. Hopefully they can clinch a spot in the playoffs soon in order to give him and other bullpen arms some rest.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Aidan Miller made his season debut in Clearwater yesterday after missing most of the year with a back injury.
• Orion Kerkering was the team’s third right hander in the bullpen. Now, he is no longer that option with the emergence of Alex McFarlane ($).

MLB news:

• This is a pretty interesting read about Kristian Campbell, whose swing was altered by Driveline and seen his stock drop quite a bit.
• The Diamondbacks are going to get Corbin Burnes back on Tuesday, a long time coming after his Tommy John surgery.
• The Chicago White Sox have a new owner in waiting, who has announced his ideas for a new downtown ballpark for the team.

The Detroit Tigers bounced back from a pair of walkoff losses during Friday night’s doubleheader to blank the Cleveland Guardians, 6-0, on Saturday night. Riley Greene’s four-hit performance powered the good guys against a potential Rookie of the Year candidate while the pitching staff threw its first shutout since blanking the Guards back on Aug. 13 at Comerica Park.

For the final game of the weekend series, right-hander Jobe Jackson will take the mound looking for a split with the Motor City Kitties’ American League Central rivals. The 24-year-old’s last outing, coming against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, saw him start off pretty decently before things blew up in his face, ultimately allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits (two home runs) and two walks while striking out four over five frames.

For the Guardians, fellow righty Gavin Williams gets the nod for the 29th time this season. The 27-year-old started September strong with seven shutout innings on two hits and a walk while striking out 13 Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field to earn his 13th win in a 6-1 final.

Neither pitcher has faced their respective opponents yet this summer. Here is a look at how they match up on Sunday afternoon.

Detroit Tigers (65-77) vs. Cleveland Guardians (72-71)

Time (ET): 1:40 p.m.
Place: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
SB Nation Site:Covering the Corner
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 143: RHP Jackson Jobe (1-2, 4.63 ERA) vs. RHP Gavin Williams (13-7, 3.81 ERA)

JOBE

WILLIAMS

Hello, friends.

Even the optimists in Birdland have to be pretty much ready to put the hopes to bed for the season at this point. Last night’s loss to the Red Sox comes darn close to settling it for the Orioles. They needed to come out and have a strong September in order to keep themselves as a possible wild card team. Instead, the Orioles are the only winless team in MLB in the month of September, and they’ve now been shut out in consecutive games by the Red Sox. Check out Tyler’s recap of last night’s 5-0 loss for more of the not-so-lovely totals.

There is certainly a dark comedy to it. The Orioles did something modestly interesting when they took on a non-trivial amount of late-season salary in the waiver claim of Luis Robert Jr., a total of $5 million, in hopes that his recent strong performance would carry over and bolster the offense. What’s happened instead is that the offense has disappeared.

This is giving off big 2017 Orioles collapse vibes to me. That team hit its September peak at a 71-68 record on the 5th and then went 4-19 over their final 23 games. The offense just absolutely died in that last month of the season as the team batted a combined .220/.268/.349 in the month’s 28 games. It was a complete disaster. The pitching was bad too, largely driven by Dan Duquette’s regrettable decision that having a rotation with Wade Miley and Jeremy Hellickson would be a good idea; those two guys between them were the losing pitcher in eight of the team’s 21 Sept/Oct losses, and they didn’t win any games started by either one.

Five games into September 2026, the Orioles are hitting .207/.274/.308, the third-worst OPS of any MLB team this month. The rotation isn’t proving to be quite as much of a problem. They just aren’t good enough to be a solution to the offense doing, approximately, nothing.

We got a little taste of that last night, when Chris Bassitt ran into trouble in the sixth inning, talked manager Craig Albernaz into staying in for one more batter, then ended up on the wrong end of a bad luck broken bat single that scored two runs. Rico Garcia then let the inherited runner score for good measure. Bassitt deserved better than 3 ER in 5.2 IP, but that’s what he got. He needed to be perfect since the offense was absent and he wasn’t perfect.

It’s not the first time that Albernaz has shown faith in a player and have it immediately blow up in his face. This is one of the more consistent things of the Albernaz experience. He believes in the guys. He tends to refer to them as “the boys.” He thinks they’re going to do it. The problem is how often they aren’t doing it. This kind of thing is more defensible when he’s believing in like, Kyle Bradish, as opposed to when he’s believing in Carlos Narváez or Anthony Nunez. It would probably be a noble and laudable quality if Mike Elias had given Albernaz a better roster.

All there is to really hope for at this point is to start to see some signs of life from key guys who are almost certain to be around next year. I have no hope about this. After 143 games of watching the Orioles problems, I don’t think they know what’s going wrong or what needs to be done to fix it, either on the individual player level or on the team level. I think the front office is locked into something that has failed. If it’s getting punted to the next generation, I don’t know that lessons have been learned to make those players more successful and more able to gel into a consistently good team.

I’m not going to post the wild card standings. That’s toast unless the Orioles rip off like a six game winning streak starting today. They’ll try to avoid being mopped by Boston with a 1:35 game to close out this four-game weekend set. The scheduled starting pitchers are Payton Tolle and Kyle Bradish.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Takeaways as the Orioles playoff hopes slip away (The Baltimore Sun)
This was published yesterday, after the Orioles had merely lost four straight games. It’s five straight now and of course all of the concerns still apply.

Albernaz not optimistic about Tyler O’Neill’s return this season (Baltimore Baseball)
For a little while there, O’Neill was in the positives for bWAR for his Orioles tenure. Then he slumped and now he’s not coming back this season.

Albernaz on Kjerstad in last night’s starting lineup (School of Roch)
“We’re excited to get his bat here,” the manager said. I hope Kjerstad can pay off that belief over the remaining few weeks of the season.

On Luis De León, the first Orioles international arm under Elias to make it to Baltimore (Steve on Baseball)
De León’s early outings haven’t impressed. You can get a good sense of what the Orioles like about this player from reading this article.

Orioles prospect Jaiden Lo Re enjoying ‘surreal’ breakout debut season (Orioles.com)
Lo Re is following a similar path to what Nate George did a year ago, hopefully not to be followed by what’s happened to George this season.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Today in 1974, the Orioles swept a doubleheader from the then-Indians, winning 2-0 and 1-0 with each of Dave McNally and Mike Cuellar pitching a complete game shutout. These marked the fourth and fifth straight Orioles games with complete game shutouts, setting an American League record. Across MLB this season, all pitchers combined have nine complete game shutouts.

In 1995, Cal played 2131. The Orioles beat the then-California Angels, 4-2.

In 1996, Eddie Murray joined the 500 home run club. He was the 15th player to do so; there are 28 today. Murray was just the third player with 3000 hits and 500 homers. That list has (I think) six players on it now. The team is honoring this 30th anniversary at today’s game. The O’s lost the game to the Tigers, 5-4, in 12 innings.

In 2012, the Orioles beat the Yankees on Cal’s statue night honoring the 2131 anniversary. That 10-6 victory, which saw the Orioles take an eighth inning lead right after blowing a lead, pulled the O’s into a tie with the Yankees for the AL East. This is the greatest game I’ve ever been to at Camden Yards.

One year ago, the Orioles were being no-hit by Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers with two outs in the ninth inning and a 3-0 deficit. Emmanuel Rivera eventually hit a walkoff single off of former Oriole Tanner Scott.

There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2025 reliever Shawn Dubin, 2016-18 reliever Donnie Hart, 2011 first baseman Derrek Lee, 1991 pitcher Roy Smith, and 1954 outfielder Jim Fridley.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: America’s favorite Frenchman Marquis de Lafayette (1757), Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters (1943), author Alice Seabold (1963), and actor Idris Elba (1972).

On this day in history…

In 1620, the Mayflower left England for North America, carrying 102 Pilgrims as passengers.

In 1901, President William McKinley was shot and fatally wounded; he died eight days later of an infection that spread from the gunshot.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on September 6. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!

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Our Sunday MLB moneyline predictions feature solid individual and team matchups with terrific value to be had across the 15-game slate.

Read on for my MLB moneyline predictions and MLB picks for Sunday, Sept. 6. 

MLB moneyline picks for September 6

For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Matchup	Pick
MIL vs CIN	58%
ATL vs PHI	52%
LAA vs PIT	36%
BOS vs BAL	46%
SF vs NYM	44%
DET vs CLE	59%
CHC vs MIA	56%
AZ vs HOU	52%
TOR vs KC	51%
TB vs TEX	48%
STL vs COL	52%
ATH vs SEA	34%
NYY vs SD	50%
MIN vs CWS	44%
WSH vs LAD	34%

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 9-6.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for September 6

Brewers vs Reds: Brewers

Brewers win probability: 58.5%

Milwaukee brings superior run prevention into this division clash, led by starter Kyle Harrison. Brady Singer meets a disciplined Milwaukee lineup boasting a 122 wRC+ over the past fourteen days. With Cincinnati striking out at a 23.7% clip, the Brewers have the pitching and the bats required to notch the win. 

Braves vs Phillies: Braves

Braves win probability: 52%

Atlanta holds the clear offensive edge over the last two weeks, generating a 106 wRC+ compared to Philadelphia’s sluggish 87 mark. Aaron Nola faces a tough assignment against disciplined Braves bats, while Tyler Mahle provides reliable innings. Atlanta’s superior contact quality makes the difference in this rivalry matchup.

Angels vs Pirates: Angels

Angels win probability: 36%

While Walbert Urena faces a tall task, Pittsburgh’s offense has completely cratered, posting a dreadful 73 wRC+ and a microscopic .086 ISO. Skenes cannot drive runs in himself, making the Pirates vulnerable to any slip-up. I'll back the Angels to exploit a completely non-threatening Pirates lineup.

Red Sox vs Orioles: Orioles

Orioles win probability: 46%

Kyle Bradish leads Baltimore against a Boston club that has struggled to create runs, posting a below-average 99 wRC+. Payton Tolle faces a tough road environment against a lineup hungry to bounce back. I'll back Bradish and the home side to dictate tempo throughout the afternoon.

Giants vs Mets: Giants

Giants win probability: 44%

Logan Webb gives San Francisco a substantial edge on the mound, keeping balls on the ground and limiting traffic. The Giants’ offense has produced a sharp 113 wRC+ over the past two weeks, easily outdoing Christian Scott and a Mets club that has looked largely pedestrian at Citi Field.

Tigers vs Guardians: Guardians

Guardians win probability: 59%

Cleveland holds a decisive advantage against a Detroit lineup that ranks dead last in the majors with a miserable 58 wRC+ and .254 wOBA. Gavin Williams should cruise through this punchless order, giving the Guardians plenty of breathing room despite Jackson Jobe’s raw talent on the bump.

Cubs vs Marlins: Cubs

Cubs win probability: 56%

Chicago enters this matchup swinging baseball’s hottest bats, pairing a 147 wRC+ with high-end power over the last two weeks. Matthew Boyd commands the strike zone effectively, while Tyler Phillips faces an uphill climb against a relentless Cubs lineup. Miami’s anemic offense cannot keep pace with the Cubbies over nine full innings. 

Diamondbacks vs Astros: Astros

Astros win probability: 52%

Peter Lambert faces a fading Arizona lineup that has generated a meager 72 wRC+ with a .277 wOBA over the last fourteen days. Eduardo Rodriguez struggles to provide deep length, leaving Arizona’s relief corps exposed against an experienced Houston club that consistently executes in close late-inning situations.

Blue Jays vs Royals: Royals

Royals win probability: 51%

Kansas City features more punch at the plate right now, generating a .182 isolated power and 115 wRC+ across their last fourteen days. Randy Dobnak matches up well against Toronto's ground-ball tendencies, while Spencer Arrighetti must navigate a dangerous Royals lineup that excels at driving mistakes into gaps.

Rays vs Rangers: Rangers

Rangers win probability: 48%

Texas presents a distinct tactical advantage at home behind MacKenzie Gore. The Rangers have posted elite plate discipline and a 126 wRC+ over the past fourteen days, hammering extra-base hits. Ian Seymour faces a surging Rangers lineup, while Tampa Bay’s punchless 93 wRC+ lacks the firepower to answer back often enough to beat Texas. 

Cardinals vs Rockies: Cardinals

Cardinals win probability: 52%

Kyle Leahy brings far better pitching metrics into the altitude than Tanner Gordon, who continues to surrender hard contact in bunches. While both offenses hover around league average, St. Louis controls the strike zone better and possesses the more capable bullpen to get through the late innings at Coors Field.

Athletics vs Mariners: Athletics

Athletics win probability: 34%

The Athletics lineup has quietly caught fire, ranking second in the majors with a 127 wRC+ and outstanding barrel contact over the last two weeks. Gage Jump receives elite offensive support to challenge Bryan Woo. Seattle’s offense remains far too volatile to justify separating these two clubs by this wide a margin.

Yankees vs Padres: Yankees

Yankees win probability: 50%

Gerrit Cole gives New York a definitive advantage on the mound against Michael King. San Diego’s bats have gone completely cold over the last two weeks, stumbling to an 85 wRC+ and .290 wOBA. I expect Cole to dominate an undisciplined Padres lineup while the Yankees supply solid run support.

Twins vs White Sox: Twins

Twins win probability: 44%

Minnesota holds a decided advantage at both the plate and the mound. Bailey Ober brings reliable run prevention against a Chicago squad carrying a pedestrian 99 wRC+. With the Twins boasting a 118 wRC+ and heavy extra-base power over the last fourteen days, they will completely outclass Sean Burke.

Nationals vs Dodgers: Nationals

Nationals win probability: 34%

Andrew Alvarez takes the mound against a sputtering Dodgers offense that has managed a weak 93 wRC+ and a microscopic .095 ISO over the last two weeks. Washington's sticks can match their current run production while carrying no pressure on the road, creating an excellent opportunity to shock the hosts.

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