After a struggle of a series in Seattle that involved two crushing walk-off defeats, wasn’t that better?
Kevin Gausman threw seven outstanding shutout innings and the Cubs got a pair of homers, one of which was a monster shot by Michael Conforto, and opened the series on a high note with a 7-0 shutout of the Diamondbacks.
After a scoreless first inning, the Cubs got on the board in the second. Ian Happ singled with one out, and one out later scored on this triple by Pedro Ramirez [VIDEO].
Gausman, meanwhile, was mowing down D-backs hitters. He allowed a leadoff single to Tim Tawa in the third, then picked him off [VIDEO].
Corbin Carroll walked off Gausman in the fourth and stole two bases, but Gausman got out of that inning with a ground ball to first.
The Cubs extended their lead to 2-0 in the fifth. Conforto led off with a double and two outs later scored on this double by Seiya Suzuki [VIDEO].
Then the Cubs blew the game open in the fifth — all after the first two hitters were routine outs.
The back-to-back homers by Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly were the sixth pair by Cubs batters this season.
Half of those have come in the past eight days: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki last Monday, Alex Bregman and Michael Busch on Saturday, then Conforto and Kelly. They had done it once before, July 8 at Baltimore.
The Cubs have gone back-to-back 412 times since 1876, including 393 since 1901 and 182 since 2000.
The Cubs put two more on the board in the seventh. With one out, Michael Busch walked and Alex Bregman singled.
Gausman allowed three hits. By Game Score (76) that matched his best outing of the year, a one-hit start vs. the Yankees back in June. But he allowed a run then, the only hit was a solo homer by Jasson Dominguez. In this one, only one D-backs runner got past first base against Gausman. This is the guy the Cubs thought they had traded for. Hopefully he sticks around the rest of the year.
More on Gausman’s night from John:
Kevin Gausman gave up no runs on three hits in 7.0 innings.
The last Cub to pitch at least that many innings, with no runs and no more than three hits, was Justin Steele, with 7.0 and three hit at home vs. the Rangers on April 7, 2025. He walked two, one more than Gausman.
Kyle Hendricks gave up two hits and walked two in 7.1 vs. the Reds on Sept. 28, 2024, and Shota Imanaga pitched 7.0 no-hit innings with two walks vs. the Pirates on Sept. 4, 2024. Both of those games were at Wrigley Field. So was the last with one walk, by Jameson Taillon, who gave up three hits on Sept. 2, 2024, two days before Imanaga’s start.
Ryan Zeferjahn was given the eighth, a good spot for him in a low-leverage situation, and he came through with a 1-2-3 inning on just 10 pitches. Hopefully that’s a good confidence-builder.
Caleb Thielbar, another reliever who’s struggled, took the ninth. He did allow a couple of hits, but completed the shutout, in part helped by this sliding catch by Happ [VIDEO].
A bit of history was made with the shutout. From John:
This was just the Cubs’ second shutout in 97 games at Arizona since the Diamondbacks began play in 1998. The first was by 4-0 on Aug. 24, 2002. Last night’s game was the Cubs’ 74th game there since that one.
Solid win all the way around. Timely hitting, home runs, excellent pitching.
The Cubs crept to within 5.5 games of the Brewers in the NL Central. They also gained a game on the Phillies, who lost to the Mariners, and are now three games up on Philadelphia for the top wild-card spot.
The Cubs go for the series win Tuesday evening at Chase Field. Clay Holmes will start for the Cubs and Brandon Pfaadt will go for Arizona. Game time is again 8:40 p.m. CT (for folks in ET and CT, this is the Cubs’ last late-night game of 2026!) and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
It may have been a few days, but most Phillies fans are still buzzing about the dramatic come from behind win that the team authored on Sunday afternoon. After looking utterly lifeless for 8 innings, the team scored 6 runs with two outs in the ninth inning, capped off by Kyle Schwarber’s mammoth two-run, walk-off homer, the first walk off home run for the Phillies since June 9th, 2023, also off the bat of Kyle Schwarber.
You’ve probably watched it 1,000 times by now, but why not make it 1,001?
What makes the comeback even more remarkable is that the Phillies were not only down to their final out, they were down to their final strike three times before Bryan De La Cruz tied the game with a single following Edmundo Sosa’s three run double. Even Schwarber started his at-bat 0-2 before launching the game winning homer over the batter’s eye.
Let our own Schmenkman illustrate just how rare something like this is:
It was truly one of the most improbable comebacks in recent memory, certainly for the Phillies. Baseball has a way of creating these types of moments, especially for a team that is having everything go well for them at a given time. Yes, it was just a regular season game at the end of August, but the sheer dramatics of the moment will make sure that it goes down as a vividly remembered random Sunday afternoon in August.
Of course, the Phillies don’t have exclusive license for dramatic comebacks. So, what’s the craziest comeback you’ve ever seen in a baseball game? Was it Sunday afternoon? Or was it some other Phillies win from yesteryear? Or did it not involve the Phillies at all?
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 21: Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo with a custom bat prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, August 21, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With 31 games left to go in the season, the Orioles are in a weird spot. After the Guardians win last night, Baltimore finds itself 2.5 games back of the final AL Wild Card spot with just over a month of baseball left to play. It’s far from an insurmountable deficit; the O’s have nine games left against the Guardians and Blue Jays—two teams they’re competing with for the third Wild Card berth—as well as six upcoming games against the bottom-dwelling A’s and Rockies.
The problem the Orioles have faced all year is consistency. Despite going 24-20 since the beginning of July, the O’s have only actually occupied the last Wild Card spot for a couple of days after their recent series in Tropicana Field. And even though that last playoff spot is currently occupied by a team that’s only .500, common sense says someone will eventually get to 81+ wins and claim a berth in October. If the O’s want to do that, they’ll need to get back to .500 for the first time since they were 15-15 on April 30th.
To find some level of consistency, the O’s will need some more offense from players not named Pete Alonso. Since July 1st, Baltimore has the 7th-best ERA in baseball (3.71), just behind fellow playoff contenders, the Guardians. The bats have often been Baltimore’s biggest problem, with the O’s ranking 20th in the majors at 4.23 runs/game since the beginning of July. You only have to watch one Shane Baz start to know that this sometimes-potent offense has a bad tendency of disappearing.
So if the Orioles are going to go through an offensive revival over the last 31 games of the season, they’ll need some of their previously hot bats to reignite. With that in mind, here are three players who the Orioles need to wake up if they’re going to make the postseason
Jackson Holliday
Holliday was a revelation for the Orioles’ offense in July. The 22-year-old was an on-base machine for Baltimore last month, posting an OBP of .500 to go along with a .368 average and a .421 slugging. It finally felt like the former No. 1 overall was putting it all together and becoming the type of hitter at the majors that we saw all throughout the minors.
Once the calendar turned to August, though, Holliday has seemingly turtled up and stopped being the offensive force the Orioles were relying on. In 21 games this month, the 2B is slashing .165/.221/.266 with more strikeouts (19) than base hits (13). It’s no coincidence that while the infielder was on a hot streak, the O’s went 15-8 in July. Since his downturn, Baltimore has fallen to 9-12 in August.
That regression could just be the latest episode in the mercurial career of Holliday, or it could be the 22-year-old struggling to adjust to a more prominent role in the lineup. Since August 7th, Holliday has hit 3rd or higher in the lineup and has been the Orioles’ leadoff hitter each of their last six games. His July clearly earned Craig Albernaz’s trust and you’d expect he’ll continue to hit in the leadoff spot for the rest of the season. If the offense is going to get back on track, its leadoff hitter needs to lead by example.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand
CES joined the Orioles thanks to the injury to Blaze Alexander and at first looked like an unlikely shot in the arm for an offense that had lost its second-best player. In his first nine games after joining the Orioles on July 18th, Encarnacion-Strand went 11-for-34 (.324) with three homers and 11 RBIs. That hot start to his Orioles’ career had many willing to hand him the starting 3B job for the rest of the stretch run.
Since then, the former Red has come back down to earth. His August triple slash is a measly .177/.224/.355 while posting 21 strikeouts in 62 ABs (33.9%). CES has consistently been a lefty masher, with a .286 average and 1.016 OPS against southpaws this season. However, against right-handers, the 26-year-0ld only has a .197 average and .563 OPS. Those are the same drastic splits we see with Coby Mayo, except Mayo is actually producing in August, with an OPS this month that is nearly 300 points higher than Encarnacion-Strand’s number.
With Mayo hitting, Samuel Basallo back in the fold and Alexander’s return supposedly on the horizon, CES has a lot of pressure on him. He has the pressure of not only trying to play his part in the playoff run, but also the pressure of keeping his roster spot.
Tyler O’Neill or Leody Taveras
Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers have cemented themselves as the offensive leaders of this Orioles outfield—Cowser via his all-around good play and Beavers through his clutch hits. Albernaz has three other outfielders to complete the trio (O’Neill, Taveras or Christian Franklin), but if someone is going to break out, you’d expect it to be TON or Taveras.
We’ve seen O’Neill more recently prove what he can provide this offense. Last month, TON looked like the best version we’ve seen in black and orange (albeit in only 42 ABs). The oft-injured outfielder delivered five home runs while posting a 1.009 OPS. This month, O’Neill has continued to get more playing time and has given us a handful of web gems, but a diminished offensive output. The biggest drop is in his slugging percentage, which has gone from .691 in July to .404 this month.
Taveras offers almost an opposite profile to O’Neill; a player who mixes some small ball with a balanced approach that contrasts with O’Neill’s power-heavy game. After struggling mightily in June and July, we’ve seen Taveras turn it around a little in this month, with a .674 OPS in 63 ABs. If Taveras can become a secondary table setter at the bottom of the Orioles lineup, he can give Baltimore the offensive depth it needs to stay in the playoff race until the end.
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 23: Raisel Iglesias #26 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with Mauricio Dubón #14 after a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Bowman Field on August 23, 2026 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The week ahead does not begin any easier for the Atlanta Braves, who will welcome the Dodgers for three games starting tonight. Bryce Elder will be on the mound, and the Braves badly need to get a series win. That will be much easier said than done.
MLB News
Braves sent Jim Jarvis to the minors and officially brought up Brewer Hicklen back to the majors. Hicklen was already with the team due to be being the extra guy from the Little League Classic.
May 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) throws water on left fielder Carson Benge (3) before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Meet the Mets
The Mets were off on Monday after dropping two of three in Chicago. Their reward for a return home will be a showdown with the best team in baseball, the 81-50 Brewers.
Tim Britton examined whether Carson Benge or Nolan McLean have a case for NL Rookie of the Year on This Week in Mets.
Anthony DiComo argued that Benge indeed belongs in the NL Rookie of the Year discussion.
Mike Vaccaro wrote that the shine coming off McLean early in the year only solidified his importance to the team.
Nate Lavender talked about his current opportunity with the Mets.
Peter Sblendorio looked at how ex-Mets prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams are doing with the Brewers after being traded there during the offseason.
Around the National League East
It’s the little things that Ronald Acuña Jr. does, as well as his smile, that makes him a fan favorite.
Paul Casella identified the ten best moments from the Phillies’ remarkable run.
The Phillies saw their nine-game winning streak end with a 9-2 loss to the Mariners. Wheeler took the mound in search of his first win since July 12, but a five-run first and four home runs derailed those efforts as his troubling trends continued.
The Nationals put up 13 runs in the final four innings to bludgeon the Rockies 13-3, as the Nationals’ bats woke up after scoring just six runs in their previous four games and being no-hit through four innings. The outburst coincided with CJ Abrams’ return to the lineup.
The Marlins allowed a run in the eighth and two in the ninth to lose 4-2 to the Red Sox. Pete Fairbanks exited with an apparent injury for Miami after facing just one batter in the ninth inning.
The Marlins did get some positive injury news as they reinstated Kyle Stowers from the injured list following a left hamstring strain.
Around Major League Baseball
The Brewers took down the Dodgers at the top of the MLB Power Rankings ahead of their visit to Queens.
Rob Manfred assured fans that they want to play baseball in 2027.
The Astros and GM Dana Brown mutually agreed to part ways, even with Houston in first place in the historically-weak AL West. The team released a statement about the decision.
Sam Dykstra looked at the ten best farm systems by outfield prospects.
It’s never too early to start thinking about the Arizona Fall League, and now you can with a look at the teams and schedule.
Edwin Díaz understands that he has not done his job this season as he prepares for a new role for the Dodgers.
The Rangers pounded the White Sox 11-2. In the victory, old friend Brandon Nimmo went to the apex of his leap to rob a home run. Joc Pederson, meanwhile, was ejected from the dugout in the second inning of the game.
The majority of Boston’s runs in their 4-2 against Miami came courtesy of the bottom of their lineup.
Cal Raleigh homered three times in Seattle’s win last night, becoming just the second Mariners’ catcher (along with his current manager Dan Wilson) to accomplish the feat while with the franchise.
The Rays beat the Tigers 4-1 as Drew Rasmussen made it seven straight winning starts.
The Guardians doubled up the Angels 4-2 for their fifth straight victory.
The Cubs blanked the Diamondbacks 7-0 as Kevin Gausman spun a scoreless gem for Chicago.
The Pirates outlasted the Padres 3-2 in 12 innings.
The Twins withstood a furious ninth inning rally by the Athletics to win 9-6.
BRONX, NY - AUGUST 12: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Seattle Mariners on August 12, 2026 at Yankee Stadium in the Borough of the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was a tumultuous weekend for the Yankees. Cody Bellinger returned Sunday, providing a much-needed jolt to a lineup that’s been anemic in his and Aaron Judge’s absences. But Giancarlo Stanton suffered a setback that could end his season (and, with it, perhaps his tenure in pinstripes). And Ryan Weathers, who had posted a 2.27 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break, landed on the shelf with a forearm strain.
Amid the injury news, the Yankees quietly went on a heater, winning six of their last seven while taking series against two AL East foes, Baltimore and Toronto. This week, they’ll be hosting the Astros, a sub-.500 team that just fired GM Dana Brown after dropping six of their last eight despite still tying for first place in a tight AL West. Let’s take a look at the likely starting pitching matchups for this midweek set.
Tuesday: Will Warren vs. Ethan Pecko(7:05 pm ET)
Just over a week ago, it looked like Will Warren was about to lose his rotation spot, bouncing either to the bullpen or the minors upon Carlos Rodón’s return. Now, with Max Fried and Weathers on the IL, he’s the Yankees’ No. 4 starter. After a strong start to the year he’s struggled, going 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA since the All-Star break and turning in just one quality start since the end of May. Last time out, he needed 90 pitches to get through four innings of work in Baltimore, allowing six baserunners and two runs.
He’s lined up to face Ethan Pecko. The right-hander will be pitching on his 24th birthday, six days after making his MLB debut against the Angels in which he allowed two runs in 3.2 innings. He featured a four-seamer and a sinker in that start, mixing in four complementary pitches. Pecko was 4-6 with a 4.94 ERA in 17 outings (15 starts) at Triple-A before getting the call.
Wednesday: TBDvs. Peter Lambert (7:05 pm ET)
With their rotation thrown into flux by recent injuries, the Yankees are yet to announce their probable starter for Wednesday. After optioning Brendan Beck down to Triple-A Monday, their only minor-league option on the 40-man roster is Elmer Rodríguez. Rodríguez, who has made four spot starts for the Yankees this season, last pitched on August 18th and would be on plenty of rest to start if called upon. Another option would be a bullpen game, with Ryan Yarbrough the likeliest option to provide multiple innings behind an opener.
The Astros are slated to hand the ball to Peter Lambert. After making 74 appearances for the Rockies between 2019-2024, Lambert spent last year rebuilding his arsenal with the Yakult Swallows of the NPB. The Astros took a flier on him this offseason and he’s been a real find, posting a sturdy 3.68 ERA and 113 ERA+ through 22 starts, helping stabilize a rotation that’s struggled with both health and performance. Lambert’s strong numbers on the season are despite his getting torched last time out, allowing nine runs in 3.2 innings to the Angels in what was easily his worst start of the year.
Thursday: Gerrit Cole vs. Hayden Wesneski (7:05 pm ET)
Gerrit Cole will make his 17th start of the season Thursday. After a layoff of a year and a half due to a UCL injury, he hasn’t missed a beat, posting a 3.11 ERA and striking out 100 in 92.2 innings. The 35-year-old held Baltimore to one run in six innings his last time out en route to his seventh win of the year.
The Astros will turn to Hayden Wesneski in the series finale. Like Cole, the former Yankee farmhand is recently recovered from Tommy John surgery. Wesneski is 3-1 with a 4.23 ERA in his first five starts back. He was particularly dominant in his last outing, keeping the A’s off the board through five innings while permitting a single hit (and three walks) in an eventual victory.
Los Angeles, CA - August 11, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow sits in the dugout before an MLB game against the Kansas City Royals at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers have the second-best record in baseball, this summer has seemed like a slog to get through. It hasn’t quite felt like the big bully of a team other fans and talking heads like to complain about.
At least from the rotation part, the band is (almost) finally getting back together. On Tuesday, Tyler Glasnow will rejoin the rotation after being on the IL for over 3 months dealing with back issues. The Dodgers have been without their entire original starting rotation for all of the summer, and now, they also have Tarik Skubal.
Shohei Ohtani is slated to return on September 1st.
Doug Padilla of the OC Register covers the state of the Dodgers rotation going into the playoffs.
“We feel good about it,” Manager Dave Roberts said in the most understated of ways. “I’m excited to see Tyler back. I know he has missed competing, worked hard to get healthy, got his pitch count up and is now finally ready to participate. It’s going to be a fun series against the Braves. It will be good to get Tyler back in the mix.”
With Glasnow, and soon Ohtani returning, there will need to be some shuffling of the rotation. Justin Wrobleski went on the IL last week, and Eric Lauer has been moved to the bullpen.
When Ohtani returns, they are going to slow play him as they have done in the past. The team is moving Lauer to a “piggyback” role, and he will most likely be following Ohtani as the hope is to have Ohtani back to five innings by time the playoffs roll around.
Overall, it’s an exciting time for those who enjoy watching their team at full strength. Not just for the fans, but for the players themselves.
“Glasnow on Tuesday and then Sho’s working his way back,” Snell said. “I mean, yeah, it’s going to be a lot of good competition within the starting rotation. I’m really excited about it.
“Being able to watch some of the best pitchers in the game and learn from them – their mentality, the way they attack – having those conversations are very big. I’m definitely grateful to be on the same team but a lot to learn.”
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 17: Starter Tomoyuki Sugano #11 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on August 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Rockies signed Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之), it came a surprise to many Colorado Rockies fans. The 36-year-old veteran was signed to bring leadership to a young pitching staff, which he has done quite well. However, coming to Major League Baseball just one year prior was something that he had been wanting for a long time after a storied career in Japan with Nippon Professional Baseball.
“The number one thing was that I didn’t want to regret looking back on my career, so that was the main decision factoring in,” Sugano said through interpreter Yuto Sakurai.
Heading into his decision, he did seek out other Japanese players to gain insights into their experiences before committing. Specifically, he spoke with Yu Darvish and Kenta Maeda.
“They both mentioned that the big leagues is a tough place, but it’d be a really good experience,” he said.
And he has noticed some differences between the NPB and MLB.
“To me, everything has been different,” he said, “starting with the schedule and what the organization expects for each and every player and their ability. So in my mind, everything has been different between the two leagues.”
Sugano signed with the Baltimore Orioles in December 2024, and he made 30 starts for them in 2025. In total, Sugano went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 157 innings. However, he was also tagged for 33 home runs, which led the league.
“I think I was playing pretty well, especially the first part of the season,” he said. “In June, I kind of collapsed and realized how tough it was to pitch in the big leagues. I don’t really have too much [that surprised me], but I try to not think too far ahead. I try not to expect anything.”
So far in 2026, Sugano has been fairly steady.
He has made 23 starts, and has a 12-7 record with a 4.96 ERA, 1.332 WHIP and 0.3 fWAR (T-8th). Some of that has been inflated over his last two starts, which have not been great. On Sunday, he set a lot of dubious records, including a career-low-tying three innings pitched and a career-high 45 pitches in the first inning. In his previous start on August 17th, Sugano threw five innings but allowed seven runs (six earned). He had not allowed more than three runs in each of his last five starts. Those two starts bumped up his ERA from 4.43 to 4.96, and his WHIP from 1.25 to 1.32.
One thing that Sugano has had to contend with, like all Rockies players, is the altitude. But he’s been making adjustments, and actually has fairly even home/road splits.
In 12 home games, Sugano has a 7-5 record and a 5.00 ERA; in 11 road games, he has a 5-2 record and a 4.91 ERA. He also has a 1.33 WHIP at home and a 1.30 WHIP on the road. But he had trouble narrowing down one specific adjustment he’s made to account for the altitude.
“When I start speaking about one thing, there’s unlimited things that I can talk about,” he said. “But I guess the number one thing is I try to study the opposing hitters. And pitching in Denver is different from pitching away in different fields, so try to make that adjustment as soon as possible.”
But the biggest thing Sugano has noticed about the Rockies is how supportive the staff is, which has been echoed by many players.
“Everybody has been supportive, starting with Schaeff,” he said. “And I know the coaching staff is really you, but I think they’re trying their best and they’ve been really supportive as a whole.”
And he is most excited to “get as many wins as possible” to finish 2026.
“I want to be supportive both on and off the field,” he continued, “so whatever I can do to support this team and get any type of win.”
But if nothing else, Sugano has enjoyed his time in Denver and even made a stop at Elitch Gardens. Sugano is a well-known theme park enthusiast, making sure to seek out amusement parks in their different stops if time allows for it (he made sure to ride New York New York in Las Vegas).
His favorite part of the Denver park?
“The turkey leg that they were selling,” he said. “It was super expensive, so I was surprised by that. We didn’t really go on that many rides to have a comparison with each other. One of them was a free fall, and the other one was a roller coaster. It was probably like the scariest one there.”
It’s hard to say where Sugano will play in 2027, but he has at least provided some stability for most of this up-and-down 2026 season when the rotation desperately needed it.
The MLB season is wrapping up, which means the Arizona Fall League is just around the corner! The Rockies will once again send their prospects to the Salt River Rafters, who will share the roster with prospects from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees. Games will kick off on October 3rd and run through November 14th. Most games will be streamed through the AFL website. Be on the lookout for Purple Row’s continued coverage of the “top prospect finishing school.”
The Rockies have been looking for a spark for many years, and they seem to have found one in the form of Cole Carrigg. Drew Creasman makes his case for why Carrigg is the blueprint of the Rockies’ future.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Anthony Eyanson #24 of the Boston Red Sox on the American League Team pitches during the 2026 MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The minor league season is drawing closer to the finish line, but the action among the Orioles’ affiliates is arguably the most exciting it’s been all season. Between the debuts of a bunch of 2026 draftees and the arrivals of a slew of new prospects acquired at the trade deadline, the Orioles have added plenty of intriguing young players to their talent pipeline. Let’s check in on the latest minor league action from the past week.
Triple-A Norfolk Tides
Last week’s results: 2-3 vs. Nashville Sounds (Brewers)
Next week’s opponent: at Durham Bulls (Rays)
Second-half record: 17-31, last place (12.5 GB) in International League East
Overall season record: 45-78
The Tides started the week with a couple of high-scoring wins, plating eight and seven runs in their first two games, but then the offense disappeared. They scored only one run in the final three games combined (with rain washing out the other). Even more embarrassingly, they were the victims of a no-hitter on Sunday in a seven-inning game. Nashville’s Brandon Sproat and Tate Kuehner combined on a near-perfecto, with one walk and one HBP accounting for the Tides’ only baserunners.
No Norfolk hitter played more than four games this week, but the best of the lot was Heston Kjerstad, who went 6-for-12 with a double and triple. Kjerstad has been red hot for two months now, posting an .852 OPS in July and .947 in August. If it were up to me, he’d be getting DH at-bats in the majors, but the fact that the Orioles would rather carry three catchers instead of giving Kjerstad another chance tells you all you need to know about their opinion of him.
Another guy angling for a big league promotion, Enrique Bradfield Jr., had just three hits this week, all singles. With a .685 OPS, he’s not forcing a call-up, no matter how lousy the Orioles’ outfield may currently be. Neither is catcher Creed Willems, who took an 0-for-12 this week. Infielder Brandon Butterworth hit his first home run since his promotion to Triple-A.
Nearly everyone in the Tides’ rotation had a lousy week, as Trey Gibson, Nestor German, Juaron Watts-Brown, and Trace Bright each coughed up five or more runs. The only decent performance was from Michael Forret, who held the Sounds to two runs in five innings. Poor Cade Povich was robbed of a start on Saturday because the game was rained out after just four pitches, before he’d even completed the first at-bat. Why would they even start the game?? Did nobody look at a weather map? Get it together, guys!
A tip of the hat to right-hander Codi Heuer, a minor league trade acquisition at the deadline, who has thrown eight scoreless innings of relief since joining the organization. With 97 games of major league experience, Heuer could be a bullpen option for the Orioles down the stretch.
Last week’s results: 2-4 vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants)
Next week’s opponent: at Harrisburg Senators (Nationals)
Second-half record: 27-23, tied for second place (7.5 GB) in Eastern League Southwest
Overall season record: 56-62
The Baysox are showing some life in the second half, currently with an over-.500 record after finishing the first half 10 games underwater. They’ve been helped by some prospects promoted from High-A as well as key trade deadline acquisitions. The starting rotation has some of both. The recently promoted lefty Caden Hunter tossed another solid outing in his fourth Double-A start — five innings, one run — and batters are hitting .195 against him. JT Quinn, in his second start since coming up, allowed two runs in five innings, while Patrick Reilly had his most impressive outing since returning from Tommy John surgery: five innings, one run, six strikeouts.
Then there’s righty Anthony Eyanson, the prize of the Adley Rutschman trade and the Orioles’ new top pitching prospect. This week he delivered a superb performance, allowing only one run in seven innings and striking out eight. He has a 2.60 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in his three starts since joining the club. And how intriguing is this Baysox rotation if Joseph Dzierwa is the fifth guy I’m mentioning? The breakout southpaw was sharp yet again, with a solo homer his only blemish in five strong innings. His ERA with the Baysox is holding steady at 1.89.
Oh, and who was the sixth Baysox hurler to make a start this week? None other than Félix Bautista, making his long-awaited return to a mound for the first time since July of 2025. The rehabbing Mountain was clearly rusty, walking three batters, giving up a hit, and recording just one out. OK, so he’s not ready to jump back into the Orioles’ bullpen quite yet. But the fact that he’s even pitching is impressive for a guy who I didn’t expect to see again until 2027, if at all.
On the offensive side, top infield prospect Wehiwa Aloy is really settling in with the Baysox. He was 6-for-20 with two homers and two doubles this week, boosting his Double-A OPS to .860 in 24 games. The suddenly slugging Aron Estrada added another homer this week after bashing five the week before. And Vance Honeycutt contributed with five hits and only two strikeouts in 16 PAs, even if I’m not sure what earned him a promotion to Double-A in the first place.
Last week’s results: 3-4 at Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals)
Next week’s opponent: vs. Asheville Tourists (Astros)
Second-half record: 31-21, tied for first place in South Atlantic League North
Overall season record: 72-44
The Keys played an extra game this week to make up a rainout from early August, and the Blue Rocks took the series to slow down Frederick’s 10-1 hot streak. Still, the Keys are deadlocked with Greensboro atop the division standings. They don’t even need to finish in first to make the playoffs — they’re already assured a postseason spot because they won the division in the first half — but it would be a cool feat nonetheless.
The Keys’ offense went through a rough patch near the end of the series, when they lost three consecutive games by scores of 1-0, 2-1, and 1-0. But nothing could slow down Enddy Azocar, who has been laying waste to opposing pitchers since the O’s acquired him in the Rutschman deal. The 19-year-old outfielder racked up a whopping 11 hits this week, nearly twice as many as any teammate. In 17 games since joining the organization, Azocar is batting .357 with a 1.024 OPS, 11 extra-base hits, and 16 RBIs. Wowza.
The Frederick pitching staff coughed up 17 runs in a Wednesday doubleheader but otherwise excelled, holding Wilmington to two or fewer runs in the other five games. The biggest standout was righty Kyson Witherspoon — yup, yet another prospect from the Rutschman trade — who threw five hitless, scoreless innings. He struck out eight and walked three. You know, I’m never going to love the fact that the Orioles felt they had to trade Adley, but so far I sure am impressed by the return.
Also racking up the whiffs this week was 6’8” lefty Boston Bateman, who clocked nine Ks in six innings over two abbreviated starts. He allowed 10 baserunners but managed to escape without any runs. Bateman’s last six starts have all been three innings or less, so the O’s seem to be limiting his workload. He missed time earlier this season with right hip flexor discomfort and left triceps tightness.
Last week’s results: 1-5 at Hickory Crawdads (Rangers)
Next week’s opponent: vs. Fredericksburg Nationals
Second-half record: 19-35, last place (13.5 GB) in Carolina League North
Overall season record: 42-78
With a .350 overall winning percentage, the Shorebirds are the worst team in all of Low-A, and the second-worst team at any full-season minor league level (better only than High-A’s Asheville Tourists, an Astros affiliate). By the way, the Norfolk Tides are the fourth-worst minor league team. Not great for the O’s farm system!
It was another bad week for the Shorebirds, who went 1-5 for the third time in their last four series. The additions of the Orioles’ top two 2026 draft picks, Eric Booth Jr. and Ty Head, hasn’t boosted the team’s record, though not for lack of trying. Head, the second-round outfielder from NC State, collected seven hits and a homer this week, and has a .965 OPS in nine games to begin his pro career. Booth, the Birds’ first rounder, is off to a 5-for-23 start, though he has seven walks in as many games. Not bad for an 18-year-old who most recent experience was in high school ball. Fellow outfielder Jhonmardo Reyes, who’d started out with only seven hits in 41 at-bats since the O’s acquired him for Dean Kremer, had seven in 20 at-bats this week.
And on the mound, Esteban Mejia might be starting to salvage some hints of positivity out of an otherwise disastrous season. In his last three outings, the right-hander has been limited to short stints — two to three innings per game — and he’s responded with 8.1 scoreless frames and 11 strikeouts. Most promisingly, Mejia has walked only three batters in that span, a dramatic step forward for a guy who had issued 62 free passes in 42.1 innings before that. It’s a very small sample size and certainly too early to declare that Mejia has cured his season-long control problems, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Last week, Aron Estrada was the runaway winner of our player of the week poll with 70% of the vote. Hitting five home runs will do that. Estrada becomes the third repeat winner of the season, joining Caden Hunter and Ike Irish. One-time winners include Victor Figueroa, Payton Eeles, Braylin Tavera, Wehiwa Aloy, Jaiden Lo Re, Joseph Dzierwa, Luis De León, Heston Kjerstad, and Enddy Azocar.
For this week’s poll, well, it’s not like I intended to only include the prospects from the Adley Rutschman trade. But they all had stalwart performances this week, so here we are. Which one is your favorite this week?
If I was there this weekend, I definitely would have been “Sleepless in Seattle.”
Friday, the Cubs lost a winnable game on a walk-off single by a .130 hitter, Leo Rivas. Then Saturday, the Cubs see a definite win turn into a brutal loss. After that .130 hitter (Rivas) drove in a run with a two-out single, Randy Arozarena, who had a first-pitch HR to start the game, matched PCA from five days earlier by hitting a two-run walk-off HR.
One could say, “Whew, a 19-2 laugher, finally” Sunday, but it turned into an uncomfortable win after the implosion by Shōta Imanaga, which followed Matthew Boyd’s poor recent starts — the two pretty dependable pitchers Jed Hoyer built a solid four-man playoff rotation around. What now?
Well, let’s start with the good news on the pitching side. Saturday, David Peterson gave up the CSPSHR*, but went on to allow just two runs on four hits and two walks over six innings. Peterson added on eight strikeouts, as 62 of his 98 pitches were for strikes.
The only thing on Sunday that Imanaga matched Peterson on was giving up a CSPSHR* and two total runs allowed. Imanaga was pulled after 72 pitches following two consecutive singles to start the third inning. He allowed five hits, two walks and a HBP, getting pulled from the shortest start in his major-league career.
Aaron Civale took over for Imanaga with a 5-2 lead and was excellent over four innings of one-hit shutout ball. Trent Thornton, Caleb Thielbar and Carson Kelly pitched the final three innings in shutout fashion.
Offensively between the two games, the Cubs scored 23 runs. Nineteen of those, however came only on Sunday. The leaders at the plate Sunday were based on a pair of grand slams, one each by Ian Happ and Pedro Ramirez. Happ only played Sunday, but went an efficient 2-for-4 with a walk and a total of five RBI. Ramirez on Sunday went 3-for-6 with three runs scored to go along with his grand slam, five RBI and a stolen base.
Two other players that played only on Sunday — Michael Conforto went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, and Kelly went 1-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
For players performing in both games, Seiya Suzuki went 3-for-7 with three walks, three runs scored and a stolen base. A nice surprise is that Tyrone Taylor doesn’t appear to be an all-glove player. He went 3-for-7 with two walks, a double, a run scored and an RBI. PCA went 3-for-8 with a walk, adding two runs scored, a double, a home run and three RBI. Michael Busch was just 2-for-7, but with two walks, three runs scored and a solo home run. And Alex Bregman’s only hit was a solo home run, but he did pick up a pair of walks, two runs scored and an RBI each.
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.
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Bregman, Busch get through top prospect Anderson, but Cubs stunned by Arozarena. “Jacob Webb had not allowed a run for the Cubs dating back to late June. That streak finally ended for the veteran reliever who has grown into Chicago’s closer and a trusted stopper in manager Craig Counsell’s bullpen.”
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs’ reliable Webb has rare stumble in walk-off loss. “Jacob Webb spun around on the mound and kept an eye on Pete Crow-Armstrong as the Cubs center fielder raced back to the wall at T-Mobile Park.”
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Sports): Is Trent Thornton Good? “It’s the greatest thread in the history of forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate.“
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Everything Sucks When It’s Not About You. “For the second year in a row, an admirably resilient and impressive Cubs team is suffering from an acute and inescapable syndrome that makes life genuinely unpleasant: secondary character syndrome.”
Garrett Kerman (ClutchPoints): Cubs’ Craig Counsell provides 2 big injury updates. “Craig Counsell revealed that both right-hander Ben Brown and left-hander Justin Steele came through a milestone step in their respective rehab programs without any setbacks.”
Food For Thought:
Rex Peoples is the 7x winner of the “Best Blues Vocalist” in Colorado. If you like the Blues, R&B, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Koko Talyor then you will love Rex. The XFactr was created by singer, songwriter, vocal coach, and Blues in Schools educator Rex Peoples in 2007. It is intentionally spelled without the “o” to represent the intangibles that make the religious shout, the partiers dance, and remind us of the emotions that make us say, “That’s my song!” He wrote all lyrics and music for the CD : Fried Food / Hard Liquor. Rex was the 2nd most played single on Kai Turners “Strictly Blues station in 2016. The band was a semifinalist in the 2016 International Blues Challenge on Beale Street in Memphis. His title cut song was also covered on Chris Daniels and the Kings CD…Blues with Horns ” which so far has climbed the charts to #4 in the Contemporary top fifty chart in 2017. Rex has worked with Otis Taylor’s Trance Blues Fest for the last 4 years.
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.
BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 21: Nick Sogard #20 of the Boston Red Soz celebrates on first base during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday, August 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As the Red Sox won yet another game that they trailed in the late innings on Monday night, a win that brought them to 40-13 in their past 53 games, the way the ninth inning unfolded has become a common theme the past two months: Role players, backups, castoffs, whatever you want to call them, were the key to the comeback.
It was Mickey Gasper’s fourth time on base on the day, contributions that we’ve seen night after night since his recall. And yet, I can’t tell you if Gasper will be on the Red Sox MLB roster tomorrow, never mind on the playoff roster.
In the coming days, there will be a bit of a “line change” within the Red Sox roster and it’s hard to know how to feel about it. Three position players, who at the start of the season were all firmly within the 13 rostered hitters, will all likely be returning within a week of each other. The discourse around those players varies quite a bit, and none of their situations are easy to unpack, especially when considering how they affect the other players on the roster who have defined the Red Sox’ success in 2026.
Roman Anthony is the easy one. As he moves his rehab up to Triple-A today, it’s likely that we will see him this week, prior to the pivotal four-game set against the Yankees this weekend. With Masataka Yoshida recently on the IL, Anthony slides into some sort of LF/DH hybrid role fairly easily. Management unfairly placed a lot of pressure on the 22-year-old Anthony’s shoulders heading into this season, but no one is saying that he should stay in the minor leagues once healthy.
It’s in the infield where things get tricky. Trevor Story has been out since May 14th, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa since June 18th. Both of them are currently rehabbing, and with rosters expanding on September 1st to allow for a 14th position player, it seems as if one of them will be activated prior to that date, and one would be activated on September 1st. Additionally, Story and Kiner-Falefa were on the team for the entirety of the “vibes are bad” portion of the season. If you are someone who takes a look at social media on a daily basis, fans aren’t exactly clamoring for the return of Story, who had a negative-0.5 fWAR and a 46 wRC+ in 41 games played with the team. However, he was playing hurt, and as Maura outlined, there’s a lot more here than meets the eye for a rehabbing player who doesn’t want to lose his job because of an injury. In Story’s case, many, many injuries.
Conversely, look at a player like Anthony Seigler. The Red Sox are 44-19 in games where Seigler is on the active roster, compared to the team having a 29-43 record when Kiner-Falefa was on the active roster. Seigler’s wRC+ is 99, Kiner-Falefa 98. Seigler’s fWAR is 0.2, and Kiner-Falefa’s is 1.1. What should win out there? In fact, look at this entire group and explain to me how we’re supposed to rank these players from one through nine:
In a 3-game Wild Card series, teams will sometimes go with a 12 pitcher/14 hitter mix. But for a 5-or-7 game playoff series, only four of the nine players in the list above would be on the 13-man roster of position players.
The two catchers would almost certainly be Adley Rutschman and Connor Wong, if healthy.
Five Outfield/DH from the following group of eight players: Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Jahmai Jones, Eli White, Mickey Gasper, and Masataka Yoshida (if he returns in time). Even if Yoshida does not return, cutting two of those players from the list will be tough, and that’s the easier task of the two.
That leaves us with six infielders, including Durbin and Contreras at the corners. Let’s make a case for the rest of them, in order of games played so far this season:
Andruw Monesterio: He’s been on the roster since Opening Day, and the everyday shortstop since the All Star Break. His 11 doubles since that date is tied for first in the American League. With a 1st percentile Outs Above Average, the defense isn’t starting shortstop caliber, but one would have to think he at least has a bench role.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: Tallied 1.1 fWAR in just 47 games, thanks to strong defense (+7 OAA) and a .277 batting average that trails only Rafaela, Sogard, and Contreras (min: 100 AB). In the five weeks prior to his injury, Kiner-Falefa slashed .321/.391/.449.
Anthony Seigler: Was the team’s leadoff hitter and starting second baseman against righties for the 15-game winning streak in late June/early-July. Entered Monday with a 104 OPS+ in 158 plate appearances. Vibes+ Ratings: off the charts.
Trevor Story: Just a season ago, played in 157 games, including 155 starts at shortstop, hitting .263 with 25 home runs, 96 RBI, 91 runs, and was 31-for-32 on stolen base attempts. Went 5-for-13, with the team’s only home run in the postseason.
Nick Sogard: Entered Monday with an .828 OPS and 1.3 fWAR with 20 runs scored in 35 games. His 16% walk rate would be 8th in all of MLB if he qualified. Has made countless great defensive plays, good for a +2 OAA.
Romy Gonzalez: Slashed .290/.329/.457 in 185 games over the 2024-2025 seasons for the Red Sox. Rushed his rehab through the minor leagues to hustle back to help a struggling lineup, on a team that was 36-46 when he returned on June 28th. Was rewarded with a demotion to Triple-A after just 65 at-bats, in which he hit .185 with one home run.
Tsung-Che Cheng: Perhaps an afterthought at this point, Cheng was with the team for the entirety of their 15-game win streak, and started at shortstop for the majority of those games, playing strong defense.
Curtis Mead: A major acquisition at the trade deadline from Washington, in return for Connelly Early, Mead comes to Boston with a 134 wRC+. Mead’s timeline seems to align with the final week of the regular season, and if he can get a few games under his belt, would be in the infield or even DH mix. If they choose to wait until 2027 to return Mead (a shaky defender) to the infield, then add him to the OF/DH smorgasbord above.
Franklin Arias: Even though I don’t expect to see Arias this season, I’m just putting him here because he’s, you know, one of the Top-3 prospects in the game and has 23 HR and 74 RBI in 98 minor league games this year, even though he wasn’t expected to hit for power.
If it were up to me, I would let Story and Kiner-Falefa rehab until September 1st when the rosters expand. Story is 4-for-21 in his rehab over six games, with no walks and five strikeouts. Kiner-Falefa is 1-for-13 with two walks and four strikeouts. They have been out for so long that getting a “spring training” worth of at-bats is entirely reasonable, especially after the team brought Gonzalez and Rutschman back from their rehabs earlier than was prudent. It will also give another week to let things play out at the big league level. A Mickey Gasper demotion after what he’s done over the past seven games just feels like bad karma.
Whoever Craig Breslow decides to put in front of Chad Tracy for the next (hopefully) two months, I expect Tracy will continue to push the right buttons. Seeing the way that he has moved the likes of Gasper, Jones, White, and Seigler in and out of the lineup, whether it be via in-game platooning or pinch-running has been masterful to watch. The team is now 62-42 under Tracy’s watch. Whether it’s the right 13 or 14 players that are there is going to be fascinating to watch unfold.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 23: Left fielder Edmundo Sosa #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after hitting a three RBI double during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park on August 23, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bill Streicher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Carlos Rodón #55 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on August 23, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees have had one of the strongest performances from their pitching staff start to finish that they’ve gotten in recent memory, flaunting a wealth of depth for a rotation that has consistently had at least one member missing from the rotation the entire season. Whether it was Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, or now the latest missing member in Ryan Weathers, its felt like the team has been waiting on a missing piece to arrive at every moment to put them over the edge. Despite that, the arms that have been available have more than delivered, as each of those four have largely thrived when called upon and Cam Schlittler has been shoving since Opening Weekend. The results: New York is neck-and-neck for the best fWAR of any starting rotation in baseball, ranking third with 14.1 and sitting a mere .2 away from first-place Milwaukee.
However, potential cracks have begun to show. Not from their performance, which has remained elite even through a lengthy run of weak run support for the entire staff that kept them afloat for over a month. However, their health which has never been optimal has started to stress test them, taking Weathers and Fried out of commission within the same week to force the team to reach into their minor-league depth. Rodón has only recently come back from the IL himself and is still building back up to a normal pitch count, meaning they’re down two starters and limited on one of their four regulars remaining putting additional stress on a bullpen that has placed a significant workload on their premier relievers. Consider that Will Warren, who has mostly been fine for the role he plays as the fifth starter, is typically a five-and-dive type of pitcher and the pressure for the top end pitchers to be on their A-game every fifth day only intensifies.
The offense is finally looking up, as the infusion of George Lombard Jr. and a resurgent Spencer Jones combined with upswings from Austin Wells and Trent Grisham as well as the return of Cody Bellinger have given them a greater ceiling than three runs in a game. It comes as the staff desperately could use a shoulder to lean on, having carried the team to mediocrity through the start of summer when they couldn’t hit worth a lick but still managed to play to a roughly .500 record. Fried is expected to be back relatively soon, as his bone bruise was deemed to be a minor concern needing only the minimum 15-day stint on the IL, but Weathers will likely be missing until the final weeks of the season and may only be limited to relief duties when he does return. Any other hits at this point would severely strain an already taxed segment of the roster, and as previously mentioned a majority of the staff has dealt with at least some kind of injury concern during the year. So with all that in mind, can they make it through the stretch run in a fit-enough form to compete in October?
Thankfully, the emergence of Schlittler as the team ace has been a godsend for the Yankees. A homegrown Cy Young contender in his second year in the big leagues, Schlittler has taken the ball and ran with it from the first series of the season and stayed a consistent frontrunner for the award since then. His 158 innings pitched are a new career-high at any level, meaning he is pushing the boundaries a bit going forward, but there’s only a handful of regular season starts left to make to stress test his arm. The team shuffled their rotation order around a bit this week, likely skipping his starting spot on Wednesday to use one of their Triple-A callups or a bullpen game before starting him against the rival Red Sox this weekend instead, and little optimizations like that will aid their push to keep the rest of their arms fully healthy. On top of that, Gerrit Cole’s injury history mostly relates to last season as he underwent Tommy John surgery before rehabbing and returning midseason this year. Since shaking off the rust Cole has looked much more like the ace of old that headlined this staff, and with fresher legs under him he should be fine to push himself a bit down the line here soaking up an extra inning here and there.
Fried and Rodón are more of a question mark, as both have underwent multiple IL stints this year (and Rodón started the year shelved after offseason surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow). But if Fried’s injury can be trusted to be minor as the team has described, then the team should at minimum have three elite pitchers to run out in any postseason series they line up for. They’ll need all hands on deck to finish the year strong though, as they currently sit sandwiched between the Rays and Red Sox in a race for the best record in the American League and as they saw the last two years firsthand, getting to skip that Wild Card Round and await the winner of one of those two teams can set up a strong run to the Fall Classic. Another setback with a rotation member could easily be the difference between being able to close the gap and settling for one of those Wild Card slots, but despite the recent hits they’re still in a good position to compete. The tools are still there for them to push for the AL East crown, they just need the hits to stop coming at some point.
The Yankees have a new foe arriving into town with the Astros arriving, and Nick starts us off with a series preview going over the pitching matchups to expect. Sam then wishes Adam Warren a happy birthday and remembers his days as one of the most relied on arms in the early Baby Bomber bullpens. I’ll be back to cover the Rivalry Roundup as the East stayed winning with the Yankees inactive, Michael goes over the latest week down in the minors as the rookie ball leagues wrap up, and Peter dives into Ben Rice’s crucial at-bat in Sunday’s win over the Jays to break the game over.
When you go to a concert, the less interesting part, but absolutely vital, element of the show is the building of the stage. The guys who put in the tireless, underappreciated hours of setting the scene for what’s to come later. Last week, the Cardinals appeared to be poised to make a run at the final Wild Card spot in the standings. This week, and the whole season really, we’re witnessing the buildup for what’s to come. The Cardinals making the playoffs in 2026 would’ve been like one of those undercover videos where the lead guitarist is dressed like one of the roadies and picks up the guitar on stage and starts shredding to everyone’s amazement, and the few scant fans early in attendance are blown away by the unexpected thrill of what they’re seeing in front of them, knowing show time isn’t here yet.
The same can be said about the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals. Unsuspecting, we came into this season with little to no expectations in terms of the standings for this season and have been pleasantly surprised by the positive steps forward overall. I believe there has been no greater improvement to a man than the steps forward in the St. Louis Bullpen. Yes, Jordan Walker has stepped into the stardom he was always promised. Yes, Andre Pallante, Michael McGreevy, and Kyle Leahy look like bona fide major league starters who can help a playoff-caliber team. But when I look at names like Riley O’Brien, George Soriano, Luis Gastelum, Justin Bruihl, Gordon Graceffo, and even guys who have yet to emerge, like Cade Winquest or Sandro Santana. Perhaps even Matt Svanson is able to go into the offseason and try to reclaim what he had discovered last season. Of note, his arm angle dropped about 4 degrees this season from last year, which could lead to different movement and more erratic command when expecting a pitch to be in one location and it winds up somewhere completely different than expected.
Riley O’Brien:
The stuff has been electric from the jump, but the command will waver at times, which will lead to poor location and results. But 9 times out of 10, he gets the job done, and the Cardinals seem intent on carrying him as far as they can into their next competitive window as their 9th-inning option. As the current NL leader in Saves and 2nd overall in MLB behind Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays, he’s done enough to retain the job going into 2027.
George Soriano:
When the Cardinals traded for Soriano, a majority of fans didn’t understand the move. Why trade for a guy coming off a season with an 8 ERA and is out of options? Chaim Bloom had admitted the Cardinals had tried to acquire Soriano on a couple of different occasions, and they decided to pony up with a young reliever in exchange for his services. Lately, it’s been really rough, and my estimation is that the Cardinals rode him hard this season en route to winning as many games as possible. The result is already blowing past his career high in innings: 36.2 IP in 2025 -> 57 IP so far in 2026. The changeup is a real weapon out of the bullpen, and it pairs well with the fastball and slider. The chase and whiff rates are both well above average, in the 85th percentile according to Savant. Soriano is a weapon for 2027; we’re just watching a reliever who was worked hard this summer run up against a wall.
Luis Gastelum:
Much like Soriano, Gastelum’s Bugs Bunny changeup leads to some very silly off-platform swings that will cause opposite-handed opponents fits. The chase rates, whiff rates, and the quality of contact are all elements we’re seeing progress in a positive direction, especially of late. Manager Oli Marmol was on the Gashouse Gang show a couple of weeks ago and shed some light on some of Gastelum’s HR issues he suffered from early. Marmol explained that there were some pitch-tipping issues that they believe they’ve turned a corner on. What we can evaluate the rest of the season is probably closer to the real Gastelum we can expect for seasons to come, and it’s AWESOME.
Justin Bruihl:
There’s a reason why first impressions matter, because it will color opinion for a lot longer than is probably deserved. But in a season designed for opportunity, Bruihl has persevered and found a way to get a really valuable piece out of the Cardinals bullpen. In his first 16 IP through the end of April, Bruihl had a 5.63 ERA and 5.65 FIP. It wasn’t pretty, and a lot of fans, and at times myself included, were ready to call it a nothing-ventured, nothing-gained unrealized opportunity on a player and to begin churning other options. Credit to the Cardinals for sticking with him and giving him an extended leash. Since May 1st, Bruihl has a 2.59 ERA and 3.29 FIP over 48.2 IP. While he doesn’t strike batters out, he has been a soft-contact merchant. Bruihl is in the 90th percentile or better in average exit velocity, barrel%, and groundball%. While not a modern high-leverage reliever, as a 2nd lefty in a middle-innings chase reliever role, Bruihl profiles excellently for such a vital role.
Gordon Graceffo:
Every role in a bullpen doesn’t come with the prerequisite that they have to be capable of pitching high-leverage situations. Gordon Graceffo has proven this season that he can get important outs for a big-league bullpen and be an early bridge solution for Manager Oli Marmol as a guy who comes in to throw strikes and get quick outs. The swing-and-miss needs improvement and is probably the area that Graceffo will need to improve to continue to grow into potential leverage situations. I’d also be curious to see what Graceffo’s stats are in his first-inning performance as opposed to when he goes multiple innings and what the differences are; for some reason, I recall a lot more hard contact comes against him after his first inning of work. Overall, Graceffo has positive run values in pitching, fastball, and offspeed values. So, while some of the underlying data suggests that he’s due for regression, his performance has still been a very noticeable positive this season.
Cade Winquest:
I am all aboard the hype train when it comes to the Cade Winquest express. 56 K’s in 39.1 IP this season. Winquest has the swing-and-miss profile that thrives in a modern bullpen, and there is little for Winquest left to prove at the AAA level at this point. Obviously, this being the 2nd week in a row I’m talking about Winquest should really say how optimistic I am about the 26-year-old’s future with STL. Winquest has not allowed a run in 7 games pitched in August, including 3 multi-inning appearances, and 16 of his 56 K’s have come in that span alone.
https://prospectsavant.com/player/685464 Here you can look at Winquest’s profile on Prospect Savant, and there is a ton of red proving that the quality across the board is overwhelmingly in support of a promotion. Hopefully Winquest gets an audition in September; he’s earned it.
Sandro Santana:
Acquired in the Lars Nootbaar trade with Arizona, Santana is the next leverage left-handed reliever that will impact the Cardinals bullpen likely sometime in 2027. Since his promotion to AA on June 24th, he has 35 K’s in 22.1 IP and a 0.81 ERA. A 2 pitch pitcher who is very interesting to watch. His setup is reminiscent of JoJo Romero, where he will twist and set, and then his delivery is very whippy and over-the-top, reminding some Cardinals prospect evaluators of Genesis Cabrera. Santana features a mid-to-high 90s fastball and a sharp, sweeping slider that bites hard glove-side and is a whiff machine.
Other names who I expect to factor into the bullpen mix in 2027 will include Matthew Liberatore, Richard Fitts, Brycen Mautz, Cooper Hjerpe, Tekoah Roby, Pete Hansen, and Hancel Rincon. The Cardinals’ depth should be much improved heading into next season and should have multiple options vying for big-league innings, so nothing will be a given; thus, the competition will force hard decisions for the Cardinals moving forward.
Could the Cardinals consolidate some of these options into a more proven high-leverage reliever? Perhaps. It could certainly be an area of need that would make sense to address from a monetary standpoint with a roster so free and devoid of financial commitment. Overall, the returning group we’ve seen this season should be an area where the 2027 team will take and learn from this season and grow into a secret weapon for a potential playoff hopeful squad heading into next season.
The Detroit Tigers made it six straight losses and ninth in the last 10 games with a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park on Monday night. Framber Valdez was just good enough to earn a quality start, but his offense failed to find any real momentum.
Taking the mound for the Tigers in Game 2 on Tuesday is right-hander Jackson Jobe, who will make his fourth start since returning from Tommy John surgery. The 24-year-old’s last outing was his longest so far, throwing 86 pitches over 5 1/3 innings, allowing a run on four hits and three walks while striking out three.
It looks like he is getting stretched out well as the final month of the regular season approaches after throwing 71 and 74 pitches, respectively, during his two previous appearances.
For the Rays, left-hander Ian Seymour will toe the rubber for his 12th start of the 2026 campaign after spending a good portion of the year in a relief role. The 27-year-old has been solid over his past four outings — all starts — logging a 3.52 ERA and 4.13 FIP over 23 innings, allowing 24 hits (six home runs) and four walks while striking out 33, earning three quality starts and a pair of wins against one loss.
Seymour saw the Tigers once before this season back on June 2, when he was tagged for three runs on two hits (one home run) and three walks plus an intentional free pass with just a strikeout over two frames in a game his team lost, 8-0, at Tropicana Field.
Take a look below at how the two starters match up for Tuesday night’s battle at Comerica Park as the good guys look to snap the schneid.
Detroit Tigers (61-70) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (78-53)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:DRaysBay Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 132: RHP Jackson Jobe (1-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. LHP Ian Seymour (9-4, 4.17 ERA)
