Category: MLB

Diamondbacks News

Ryan Waldschmidt Walks Off Cubs in Stunning, Injury Scare Filled Comeback
The Chicago Cubs managed to hang four runs on Brandon Pfaadt, who had yet another strong outing, despite not getting the quality start. The Diamondbacks had injury scares in the outfield with Vargas and Carroll colliding before Jordan Lawlar (is he the most injury-cursed Diamondback ever?) took a pitch to the helmet that chipped a piece of the protective headgear off. The Snakes managed no runs and only two hits through 7.2 innings. Then, Gabriel Moreno check-swinged a double that started foul and ended fair to get a rally going. Finally, Ryan Waldschmidt was called upon in the bottom of the ninth to pinch-hit with one on. The rookie outfielder deposited a pitch deep in the left field bleachers to walk off the Cubs, giving Arizona a boost in the Wild Card standings.

Lovullo Gives Jordan Lawlar Update
After Jordan LAwlar took a fastball to the dome on Tuesday and was forced to exit the game, Torey Lovullo provided some much-needed good news after the game. It seems Jordan Lawlar, who appeared to possibly be headed back to the IL under concussion protocol, has avoided such a fate. The young utility prospect needs to find some consistent playing time, free of injury, to complete this season before he has three lost seasons in a row.

Torey Lovullo Apologizes Over Sign-Stealing Hoopla
After some testy back-and-forth regarding the Cubs potentially stealing signs on Monday, Torey Lovullo and the Cubs made nice on Tuesday.

What is Next for Corbin Burnes, Ketel Marte?
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.

Diamondbacks Catching Prospect Unexpectedly Retires
In something of a surprise, 26-year-old backstop Jeremiah Boyd, who was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox back in 2018 before he signed as a minor league free agent with the Diamondbacks in 2023, has elected to retire. While Boyd was likely organizational filler, he did make it as far as Reno, so he was theorhetically only one major injury from a call-up. Instead, Boyd will now be taking up a position as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt.

Three Potential Ketel Marte Trade Packages
If or when it comes to moving Ketel Marte this winter, the Diamondbacks will first need to convince Marte to move. One that is done, there are some intriguing packages that could be had for him. Here are three speculative ones.

Other Baseball News

Breaking Down the AL West, AL Wild Card Races
It is getting to that point of the season where teams all around the league begin scoreboard watching. Here’s how the tumultuous AL currently sits. Of particular note, the AL West is led by the Houston Astros, who just squeaked up to a .500 record last night.

Buss Sports Capital Joins Padres Ownership Group
Joey and Jesse announced they will be on the new ownership group’s advisory board and apply their experience with player development, payroll management and roster construction to support this new era in Padres franchise history.

Get Ready for Some Historically Bad Postseason Offense
This year, it isn’t just the Cleveland Guardians who are surprisingly in a playoff race despite no meaningful offense.

One Player Every Team Is Counting On for the Run-in
I sincerely doubt that Arizona is internally relying on Zac Gallen for anything at this point. That said, if Gallen returns healthy and finds anything close to his old form, it will indeed be a massive boost for the Diamondbacks and their injury-ravaged rotation.

Overlooked Silver Slugger Contenders
Gabriel Moreno is a fine addition to this list.

Cubs Set Club Record with 30th Unanswered Run in Three Games
Thankfully the streak ended before the Diamondbacks reached their final out, allowing the Snakes to steal a vital victory over the Cubs on Tuesday night.

Will Smith began his rehab assignment with a bang on Tuesday night, hitting a home run for Triple-A Oklahoma City while catching five innings. It was the first game action in 81 days for the Dodgers catcher, who has missed nearly three months with neck inflammation.

Blake Treinen has also been sidelined since June, and is four appearances and nearly two weeks into his own rehab assignment. If we see Treinen pitch in back-to-back games this week, that might be a sign he’ll rejoin the Dodgers bullpen soon.

Smith and Treinen are both on the 60-day injured list, and will require a corresponding roster move to make room on the 40-man roster once they are ready. But they aren’t the only roster decisions coming for the Dodgers in the next 10 days.

Three other injured Dodgers pitchers have already started rehab assignments, and all are with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Ben Casparius, out since April with shoulder inflammation, began his rehab assignment on July 25. He’s struggled mightily with more walks (14) than strikeouts (10) with a 7.27 ERA in 10 games, though a lot of those struggles were early, and four of his last five outings were scoreless.

Pitchers are allowed up to 30 days on a single rehab assignment, which meant a Casparius decision should have happened by Monday. But Major League rule 6(g) allows for flexibility if the player suffers a new or recurring injury:

If the player sustains a new injury or a reoccurrence of an injury while on a rehabilitation assignment, separate written consent from the player and approval from the Commissioner’s Office is required for a subsequent rehabilitation assignment. The Office of the Commissioner will carefully scrutinize any claim by a Club that a new rehabilitation assignment period is warranted if the player has not been returned from the original rehabilitation assignment for at least five days for a position player and seven days for a pitcher. A Club that decides to return a player from an injury assignment should notify the Commissioner’s Office at the time a decision is made to end the rehabilitation assignment. If it was determined that a new injury or reoccurrence of the player’s original injury occurred, the player’s five or seven day “down” period would begin on the date the Commissioner’s Office was originally notified. The player would then be eligible for a new 20 or 30 days rehabilitation assignment, pending the completion of the five- or seven-day period and the completion of a new SFD. If it was determined that there was no new injury or reoccurrence of the player’s original injury, then the player would return on rehabilitation assignment without any interruption.

SFD in this case is standard form of diagnosis. Casparius last pitched on August 19, a week ago, so it’s very possible he’s in a review period at the moment and might remain on the injured list for a while longer.

Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone are both coming off shoulder injuries, and started rehab assignments on August 5 and August 6, respectively, with means decisions will need to be made by September 4 for Miller and September 5 for Stone.

Stone, who last pitched for the Dodgers in August 2024, has been dominant thus far, striking out 13 of 28 batters faced while allowing two runs on three hits with only one walk in 7 2/3 innings. He’s set to start on Wednesday night for Oklahoma City against El Paso.

“Gavin, given where we’re at, what he’s done, I think it’s more potentially out of the ’pen, a spot start if he builds up,” manager Dave Roberts said two weeks ago. “Obviously between now until the end of September, roles can change, but for now it’s just let’s get him built up, let’s sustain health. That’s something we haven’t been able to do the last couple of years with Gavin.”

The Dodgers have eight total players on the 60-day injured list. Brusdar Graterolhad back surgery in May and isn’t expected back this year. Kris Bubic was on the 60-day injured list when the Dodgers got him at the trade deadline, working his way back from shoulder soreness suffered while on the injured list with elbow soreness. Jake Cousins had Tommy John surgery last June and was at Dodger Stadium last weekend pitching a simulated game, putting him ahead of this group of three in terms of readiness.

Putting Casparius aside for the moment, the Dodgers will likely end the 60-day injured list stints of Smith, Treinen, Stone, and Miller within the next 10 days, which will require corresponding roster moves to create space on the 40-man roster.

Let’s look at those candidates.

60-day injured list

Will Klein (placed on IL August 1) has loose bodies on his right elbow, and while he told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic last Friday that he’s symptom free, Klein still could miss some time. Catcher Dalton Rushing (August 3) has a partially-torn UCL, and whether he will be able to catch this season is up in the air. Rushing still could be added as an extra left-handed bat.

A 60-day IL transfer would mean Klein (September 29) and/or Rushing (October 1) wouldn’t be available until the postseason if at all, but that might align with their timeline anyway.

DFA candidates

The Dodgers have five catchers on the 40-man roster, and getting Smith back solidifies the depth chart, making it exceedingly likely at least one catcher will be on the outs. Eliezer Alfonzo is currently on optional assignment in Triple-A. One of Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia would likely be headed to the minors anyway with Smith back, unless the Dodgers decide to carry three catchers during expanded September rosters. Rortvedt is out of options, but the Dodgers are familiar withthe DFA dance with him to try to keep him around as depth. Feduccia has an option season remaining, but sending him down for at least 20 days means he’d be out of options next year. Keeping him around now as the backup, allows them to have an optionable third catcher on the 40-man roster in 2027.

Landon Knack is using his third option season already this year, and will be out of options in 2027. That puts his long-term status on the roster in jeopardy anyway, making it likely his streak of one save per season won’t continue with the Dodgers next year.

Ronan Kopp was added to the 40-man roster last November, but has pitched this season like someone who won’t be there much longer. The hard-throwing left-hander has a 7.78 ERA and 6.23 xERA with more walks (41) than strikeouts (40) in 39 1/3 innings, with a 21-percent walk rate.

Ryan Ward has been perpetually an extra player who the Dodgers don’t have much use for, but at least he got to make his major league debut this year. His best shot at playing time in the big leagues is going elsewhere.

Hyeseong Kim hasn’t done much at all Triple-A, hitting .259/.327/342 with an 84 wRC+. He has one year and $3.75 million guaranteed remaining on his contract, plus a $10 million club option for 2028-29 combined with a $1.5 million buyout. Cutting bait now would mean eating $5.25 million

"We endorse that position because moving to a massive club like Rangers is a big step with concomitant risk."

A famous line from a Rangers statement in December 2017 which was in response to Derek McInnes' decision to remain as Aberdeen manager after weeks of fevered speculation he would make the switch to Ibrox.

The statement went on: "We will only appoint someone in whom we have full confidence and who feels he is ready for the job."

Then Dons chairman Stewart Milne was the happiest man in the country as his opposite number in Govan, Dave King, tried to fend off the flak that came with the snub with a thinly-veiled, withering jibe.

Close to a decade on, McInnes will this weekend take Rangers to Pittodrie for Sunday's high noon shootout in the Granite City.

Many Dons fans were left scarred by the episode given their manager had been given time off to weigh up the move as the players got ready for a big league game at Dundee without him.

The back pages were dominated by the story for weeks and it came to a head as the two clubs clashed in back-to-back matches in the space of a few days.

Rangers won both games.

Since McInnes left, the Dons' record in league games against Rangers has been poor with just three wins in 19 attempts, as Stephen Robinson tries to get the better of McInnes having done so a couple of times last season when the pair were at St Mirren and Hearts respectively.

Pittodrie won't be the place for those looking for a relaxing Sunday afternoon, with the former Dons boss unlikely to be given a warm welcome, but for the visitor it is a return to where that concomitant risk all began.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers (-130) are favored against the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of their series Wednesday night.

Roki Sasaki is pitching much better than earlier in the season and now faces an offense struggling mightily against right-handed pitching.

That sets up well for a win, making Los Angeles an appealing buy with my Dodgers vs. Braves predictions and MLB picks.

Who will win Dodgers vs Braves today: Dodgers moneyline (-130)

Roki Sasaki has posted an xFIP of 3.95 or lower in six of his last seven starts, only suffering a hiccup against the league-leading Brewers.

His strong process has led to results. Sasaki allowed two runs or fewer six times — something he did in only six of his first 18 starts.

The Atlanta Bravessit dead last in wOBA vs. righties the past two weeks, making them an unlikely candidate to knock Sasaki off track.

The Los Angeles Dodgers slot sixth in xwOBA during the same stretch, and should provide Sasaki the support he needs.

Back L.A. to -145.

COVERS INTEL: AJ Smith-Shawyer has allowed a 1.62 WHIP since returning. That does not bode well for him against a Dodgers squad sitting third in OBP.

Dodgers vs Braves Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)

Sasaki has allowed just a .219 average over his past six starts while ranking in the 86th percentile in barrel rate. That ability to limit elite contact will serve him well against a powerful Braves offense.

AJ Smith-Shawyer is still trying to find his groove after recovering from Tommy John surgery. The good news for him is the Dodgers have struggled with the fastball-splitter combination, hitting .225 against those two pitches with a .139 ISO over the past 30 days.

I project a 5-3 type of game, and see value in playing the Under to -115.

Dodgers vs Braves home run prediction: Freddie Freeman (+450)

Freddie Freeman is one guy who will benefit from seeing a lot of fastballs and splitters. He has feasted on those two pitches, hitting .374 against righties with a .228 ISO and .602 SLG.

The Braves bullpen has also given up a lot of power in August. Only one team has given up barrels at a higher clip so it’s not as if Freeman’s home run chances will tank when Smith-Shawyer exits the game.

Play this to +430. 

Dodgers vs Braves weather

Temperatures in the low 80s with slight winds blowing in. Neutral impact on offenses.

Dodgers vs Braves odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -130 | Braves +110
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+125) | Braves +1.5 (-145)
• Over/Under: Over 9 (+100) | Under 9 (-120)

Dodgers vs Braves trend

The Braves have cashed their team total Under in 21 of their last 30 games for +10.65 units and a 29% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Braves.

How to watch Dodgers vs Braves and game info

Dodgers vs Braves latest injuries

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In the process of writing about every player who received votes in our biannual Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs) list — this edition it was 68 players across 29 qualifying ballots — I learned a bit about trends and system strengths and weaknesses. So for anyone who missed a few write-ups or even who has a more casual relationship with the farm system, I wanted to synthesize some of those thoughts into a bigger picture than any individual prospect. Even with a baseball operations regime that looks outward more often than we’re used to as Rockies fans, the players on this list are likely going to play a big role in the next 5-7 Colorado Rockies teams.

Here are the big picture items I took away after my review of Colorado’s top prospects as 2026 winds down:

The system has rebounded in a big way since the pre-season thanks to a strong draft class and some key breakouts

At the beginning of the year, the Rockies’ minor league system was perceived to be firmly in the bottom third of MLB. However, only two PuRPs lost eligibility between pre-season and the trade deadline, the Rockies were sellers at said deadline and received some potential impact players, and Colorado took advantage of a large draft pool to select and sign a well regarded draft class. Beyond that, a couple less-heralded players before the season in Roldy Brito and Cristian Arguelles launched themselves into top 100 prospect territory. The result is that the Rockies have moved firmly up into the middle third of MLB farm systems.

FanGraphs, which uses a system that ranks farm systems according the expected Major League value of their prospects based on historical outcomes by scouting grade, ranked the Rockies 24th ($137 million) in their late 2025 rankings. These days, the Rockies rank 13th in MLB for FanGraphs with 49 ranked players (11th in MLB) and five in the top 100. The net is a total system value of $450 million, though that inflation is more due to FanGraphs updating their prospect valuation methodology recently, which roughly doubled their estimate of Colorado’s farm system on its own.

MLB Pipeline, who ranked the Rockies 27th in MLB before the season, placed the Rockies 16th recently with four players in the top 100:

There’s an optimistic vibe with this system right now, even with the injury (foot stress fracture) that ended Holliday’s first full season early. Condon has started to show the power output the Rockies thought they were getting when they took him No. 3 overall in 2024, Brito has reached High-A as a teenager and they added Bell via the first round of this year’s Draft. Beyond the Top 100, this system has produced some big-time big league contributors like Cole Carrigg and Gabriel Hughes, who has joined Jackson Cox in making a very strong return from Tommy John surgery to bolster the organization.

The new baseball ops team has brought a more conventional, open approach to the roster, trades, and the draft. That appears to be helping, but so too is the development of players who were already on board entering the season.

2027 PuRPs Impact

Here are some details about the players who could be impacting the Rockies by this time next year.

Already made their MLB debuts (6):

• Zac Veen (No. 6 PuRP): former first-round outfielder who made a dramatic change to his body this off-season and has recently made a successful re-entry to the big leagues
• Gabriel Hughes (7): first-round polished righty starter who is now two-plus years out from Tommy John surgery and who has seemingly secured his position in the rotation for the near future, has exhausted his rookie eligibility already
• Sterlin Thompson (16): former comp round A pick whose refined hit tool stands out in the system, though he’s limited defensively even in left field, struggled in initial big league look but is raking in Triple-A
• Mason Adams (17): righty starter who was part of the return in the Brenton Doyle trade with the White Sox a few weeks ago, has good command and polish with a high floor albeit lower ceiling
• McCade Brown (18): key rotation depth with potential to earn a full-time rotation slot provided his shoulder inflammation injury recovery goes well
• Sean Sullivan (21): command lefty starter who gets lots of strikeouts despite sitting in the mid-80s on his fastball thanks to excellent deception and extension
• Welinton Herrera (27): lefty reliever who can touch 100 but tore his UCL and could be out for a while

Likely starting in Double-A, Triple-A, or MLB next year (9):

• Charlie Condon (2): 2024 first rounder who is near MLB and could be an impact corner bat
• Jared Thomas (8): talented hitter with utility at all three outfield positions and first base (where he played in college), was delayed by hand injuries this year but is on track to impact next year’s squad
• Jackson Cox (11): righty starter who has recovered well from 2023 Tommy John surgery, known for his high spin rate curveball
• Roc Riggio (13): second baseman acquired from the Yankees at last year’s trade deadline as part of the Jake Bird deal, short of stature but does a lot of things well (include getting his raw power into games) and is now at Triple-A
• Jack Mahoney (15): polished right-handed starter who relies on a heavy sinker/slider combo and who really pitched well in Double-A this year
• Andy Perez (25): athletic up-the-middle player with decent speed and good contact ability in a large frame (likely 6’4”, 210 pounds) whose production has yet to match his potential
• Konner Eaton (28): lefty starter who rose all the way to Double-A in his first full professional season
• Roynier Hernandez (29): good fielder with an excellent approach at the place but mostly lacking in power

Of the players who haven’t made their MLB debut, I’d expect Condon and Cox to lead WAR production for the Rockies in 2027.

The top ten of the PuRPs ranking remains flush with outfielders, the bottom half with pitching

Five of the top eight PuRPs have a likely or potential big league fit as outfielders, including three who will start 2027 in Double-A or higher. Only Veen from that group is in MLB already, but there will undoubtedly be a spirited competition this spring for a big league role among the group. Meanwhile, there were six players on the list who took meaningful reps at shortstop this season, making a conflict for reps at the position inevitable especially in the upper minors.

You can never have too much pitching at Coors Field, so it’s no surprise the Rockies have historically prioritized pitching in the draft and in trades. The pre-season PuRPs list contains 13 pitchers, but only two of them are in the top 10. One of those guys (Hughes) has just graduated from rookie status while the other (Logan Reddemann) was just drafted this year and has yet to throw a professional pitch.

As I do each PuRPs cycle, I’m going to look at the current system and project which players could be on the 40-man roster in the lead-up to the Rule 5 draft this off-season. The upcoming Rule 5 Draft will see players who were signed either in 2022 (if they were 18 or younger at signing) or 2023 (signed at 19+ years old) become eligible for the first time.

When I did this exercise in March, I listed 43 players who would be under contract, on the 60-day IL, had a likely team option, or were prospects that were very likely to be added before the Rule 5 draft. Today, nine of them are off the 40-man roster or the 60-day IL, including three traded players in Brenton Doyle, Seth Halvorsen, and Victor Vodnik plus Michael Lorenzen and Carson Palmquist.

The new regime has been more willing to move on from players than in the past and I would expect the pace to continue during their first full off-season in charge. With that in mind, let’s take stock of the 40-man roster moves which could occur between now and the end of the year.

Sure things (current)

These players are on the current 40-man roster, have already seen major-league action, and will still be on the roster after the Rule 5 draft barring trades (which is a condition that applies to every category). Players with multi-year guaranteed deals are generally ranked higher than arbitration-eligible and pre-arb players:

1. Ezequiel Tovar
2. Mickey Moniak
3. Hunter Goodman
4. Chase Dollander (60-day IL)
5. Kyle Karros
6. Cole Carrigg
7. Gabriel Hughes
8. TJ Rumfield
9. Jake McCarthy
10. Zac Veen

Likely (current)

These players have major-league experience, are currently on the 40-man, and will likely be on the post Rule 5 draft 40-man roster — but under-performance could cause them to lose their spot to a DFA or non-tender — or they could retire. I also consider players with a likely to be picked up player or club option in this category. Presented roughly in my order of confidence:

11. Willi Castro

12. Kris Bryant (60 Day IL, possible “retirement” in which he’s still collecting checks a la Prince Fielder)

13. Brennan Bernardino

14. Juan Mejia

15. Mason Adams

16. Connor Norby

17. Ryan Feltner

18. McCade Brown (60-day IL)

Likely (future)

These players haven’t yet seen MLB action but are in good shape to retain their 40-man roster spot or get added to the 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft. Players who don’t need to be Rule 5 protected after the season (most notably Condon) aren’t listed, though a couple of them could also squeeze their way onto the roster. Again, presented in order of confidence:

19. Jackson Cox

20. Roc Riggio

Under contract but at risk

These players are on the 40-man or 60-day IL now but are serious candidates for a DFA or non-tender during or after the 2026 season (I also consider players with a possible player or club option in this category as well as those signed as minor league free agents who won’t have the service time for major league free agency) — presented from most safe to least:

21. Sterlin Thompson

22. Sean Sullivan

23. Welinton Herrera (60-day IL)

24. Nick Frasso

25. Jaden Hill

26. Ryan Ritter

27. Tanner Gordon

28. Mark Manfredi

29. Zach Agnos

30. Jimmy Herget

31. Jordan Beck

32. Adael Amador

33. Braxton Fulford

34. Tyler Freeman

35. Troy Johnston

36. Eiberson Castellano

37. Brett Sullivan

38. Blas Castano

39. Pierson Ohl (60-day IL)

40. RJ Petit (60-day IL, Rule 5)

41. Jeff Criswell

42. TJ Shook

43. Chad Stevens

44. Blake Adams

I wouldn’t be surprised if any of the above players were not in the organization after 2026, but in particular anyone Herget and below should consider their 40-man roster slot vulnerable. That gets us to 44 players (including two new prospects and the 60-day IL), so we’ve already got a full house.

Remember though that the Rockies will probably re-sign some free agents and/or exercise options, which also will take up spots (at the expense of some of the more vulnerable players above, some of whom could be designated for assignment or non-tendered).

Here’s how I would rank other players (among those with no non-IL MLB service time) in terms of getting a 40-man spot after 2026:

1. Angel Jimenez
2. Jack Mahoney
3. Andy Perez
4. Roynier Hernandez
5. Luichi Casilla
6. Braylen Wimmer
7. Jordy Vargas
8. Bryant Betancourt
9. Jake Brooks
10. Michael Prosecky
11. Yujanyer Herrera
12. Derek Bernard
13. Ben Shields
14. Cade Denton
15. Kelvin Hidalgo

I would guess the top three guys may be protected. I listed 15 players here and still somebody from off this list could make a surprise appearance, as I think the bottom 10-12 slots on the 40-man are quite fluid. With the 40-man roster, change is always the expectation.

Hopefully that summary of the system and the 40-man roster was helpful, I’d love to read your own projections and opinions in the comments. Until next time!

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

For fans born in the mid-to-late-90s, the mid-2010s represent the dark times of our Yankees fandom. Gone were the fan favorites Hideki Matsui, Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson, and Johnny Damon. Father time had called an end to the legendary careers of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Alex Rodriguez. The injury bug had derailed the careers of Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and Joba Chamberlain. For the first time in years, a home grown star, Robinson Canó, walked in free agency. An influx of older veterans — Ichiro Suzuki, Travis Hafner, Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay, Jacoby Ellsbury, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Beltrán, Brian McCann — failed to stem the tide, as the window of contention, open from 1996 to 2012, slammed shut in an instant.

And yet, for some of us, we look back to that time fondly, for while nobody can say that the 2013-16 Yankees were any good, they were nonetheless filled with some interesting characters who, somehow, helped the team maintain its stream of finishing the season with a winning record. Central among those characters was Jayson Nix, who in the words of one announcer, “Just [did] something every game” … even if he didn’t, really.

Jayson Truitt Edward Nix
Born: August 26, 1982 (Dallas, TX)
Yankees Tenure: 2012-13

The younger brother of journeyman outfielder Laynce Nix, Jayson was born and raised in Dallas, where he was named to the All-American team as an infielder during his senior year of high school, joining J.J. Hardy, Casey Kotchman, and David Wright. Off this success, he was selected with the 44th overall pick (a sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds) of the 2001 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies. A shortstop by trade, the Rockies — who had a young Juan Uribe manning the position — shifted him to second base, where he struggled at first, but ultimately began to flourish as the years ticked by. Due to his young age and inconsistent production at the plate, however, he struggled to take the next step, and would not make his Major League debut until April 4, 2008, when he replaced Kazuo Matsui as the Rockies’ second baseman on Opening Day.

His first success came, however, the year prior, as a member of Team USA during the 2007 Baseball World Cup (the predecessor to the World Baseball Classic). In nine games, he slashed .387/.444/.742, scoring nine times and driving in two runs against Cuba during the championship en route to winning the World Cup MVP. Because of this sucess, when the Rockies sent him down to the minors after his struggles in the majors (he had an OPS+ of 3 in 22 games in 2008), Team USA immediately added him to the squad for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Serving as the team’s second baseman, he hit a big home run in the eighth inning to tie the game against Cuba, but later deflected a ball off his face on a failed bunt attempt that kept him out for most of the remainder of the tournament.

The Rockies let Nix go following the 2008 season. Over the next three seasons, Nix bounced around the league, spending time with the White Sox, Cleveland, and Blue Jays, adding third base to his repertoire, serving as a utility infielder, and even playing a couple of games in the outfield.

In November 2011, the Yankees signed Nix to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training — the type of no-risk move that every team makes in the offseason to ensure they have enough camp bodies and Major League depth to get through spring training. As it turned out, though, the move would have major implications for the next two seasons. Although he failed to make the Opening Day roster, Nix was called up by the Yankees in early May after Eric Chavez hit the shelf with a concussion. A backup infielder and defensive replacement, he played in 74 games, slashing .243/.306/.384 and accruing 0.3 rWAR.

Nix appeared sparingly in the postseason, filling in for Derek Jeter when the Captain dealt with lingering hamstring issues during the ALDS against the Orioles, and being the first man up to replace him when he broke his ankle during Game 1 of the ALCS. He, unfortunately, had the distinction of being the final out of Game 4, as the Tigers completed the sweep that effectively ended the Yankees’ window of contention.

The Bombers designated Nix for assignment that winter in order to make room on the 40-man roster for Mariano Rivera, re-signed for one final ride after missing most of 2012 with an injury (one that coincidentally occurred while Nix was taking batting practice in Kansas City). Knowing that Jeter and Alex Rodriguez both had major injuries that would cause them to miss time, however, they immediately signed him to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training. As it turned out, that was prudent: thanks to injuries to Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson, Nix made the Opening Day roster, and once Kevin Youkilis and Eduardo Núñez went down, well, the left side of the infield became a real revolving door: 11 different players manned the hot corner, eight grabbed a glove and played short.

Despite his less-than-pedestrian .236/.308/.311 slash line—and a stumbling GIF that proved emblematic of the frustrating season—Nix became an important contributor to the Yankees lineup, batting second a whopping 21 times. He did have one particular highlight though, lifting an improbable homer against then-Rangers ace Yu Darvish that left Darvish with an appropriately shocked expression.

Even Nix, however, was struck by the injury bug, missing time in the summer due to a hamstring strain and then breaking his hand on August 21st after being plunked by R.A. Dickey, ending his season just one day after a walk-off single against Toronto.

Looking to upgrade on the chaotic mess that was 2013, the Yankees non-tendered Nix that winter. He signed a minor-league deal with the Rays soon after, was traded to the Phillies during spring training, was released, and re-signed with the Rays. He was released on August 1st, signed with the Pirates, was released by the Pirates, and was claimed off waivers by the Royals. Between the three teams (he never made it to the big with the Rays), he put together the worst season of his career, slashing .120/.169/.157 (a -8 OPS+) and accruing -1.1. rWAR.

Nix spent the 2015 season in the Orioles and Phillies organizations, but never made it back to The Show. After a few years away from the professional game, Nix embarked on a coaching career, working for the Los Angeles Angels from 2021 to 2025. This year, he earned his first managerial gig, managing the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, an A-ball affiliate of the White Sox.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

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Baseball all day long! Let's get into it!

Here are my MLB moneyline predictions for today's slate, with plenty of underdogs catching my eye in some great spots on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Before we dive in, be sure to check out our MLB picks to see where our experts see value!

MLB moneyline picks for August 26

Matchup	Pick
Rays vs Tigers	+105
Cubs vs Diamondbacks	-103
Reds vs Giants	-112
Guardians vs Angels	+124
Pirates vs Padres	-131
Phillies vs Mariners	+114
Red Sox vs Marlins	-137
Rockies vs Nationals	+114
Astros vs Yankees	+114
Royals vs Blue Jays	+134
Brewers vs Mets	+134
Dodgers vs Braves	-131
Rangers vs White Sox	+114
Orioles vs Cardinals	-107
Twins vs Athletics	+119

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 8-26.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for August 26

Rays vs Tigers: Rays (+105)

Rays win probability: 48%

Freddy Peralta has been bad this season, but the Tigers have been truly awful offensively over their last 12 games.

We're getting one of the most efficient lineups in baseball at plus money against a Tigers team owning a .140 ISO, 4.5% barrel rate, and .292 wOBA over the last few weeks. There is zero interest in backing Detroit.

Troy Melton has been solid, but you're going to need runs, and the Tigers are tough to trust. Plus, Peralta has posted solid underlying metrics on the road, sporting a 3.79 xERA, 7% walk rate, and 7% barrel rate.

Cubs vs Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks (-103)

Diamondbacks win probability: 50%

Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez has been pure nails over his last five starts, posting a 2.51 ERA and 1.08 WHIP while allowing just a 2.97% barrel rate. Meanwhile, Chicago southpaw Matthew Boyd owns a 4.78 ERA and 5.47 xERA while allowing an 11.43% barrel rate during that stretch.

The Cubs have been on another planet over their last couple of games, but the Diamondbacks have not been that far behind, especially when it comes to run production. However, across both teams' last 12 games, they each share similar statistics.

After last night's win, the Diamondbacks should be able to replicate another win over the Cubs.

Reds vs Giants: Giants (-112)

Giants win probability: 51%

Easy fade here, as Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo has been brutal of late. In his most recent three starts, he owns a 7.12 xERA and 1.78 WHIP while allowing nearly 47% hard contact and a 13.33% barrel rate to opposing hitters.

The Reds' bats have been lifeless for a few weeks, with their strikeout rate hovering around 27% over their last 21 games, making them a very unappealing look.

Guardians vs Angels: Angels (+124)

Angels win probability: 43%

Let's get a little frisky here...

People will see Joey Cantillo versus Grayson Rodriguez and automatically fire on the Guardians. However, if you look at both pitchers' recent numbers, they are almost identical. Plus, the Angels' offense has been doing something the Guardians have not done in over 21 games — barrel the baseball.

The Angels own an 11.2% barrel rate over their last six games. The Guardians own a 2.2% barrel rate over their last six, 3.5% over their last 12, and 4.9% over their last 21.

Trust the Halos.

Pirates vs Padres: Padres (-131)

Padres win probability: 55%

With the way the Padres' bats have been performing over the last few weeks, and how well Randy Vasquez has been throwing, it is San Diego or nothing here.

Vasquez has not been the sexiest arm in baseball this season, but in his last five starts, he owns a 2.60 ERA, 2.71 xERA, and 0.69 WHIP.

Pay the juice.

Phillies vs Mariners: Mariners (+113)

Mariners win probability: 45%

Leaning on the Mariners as the dog here. They have been great throughout this entire series, especially with the resurgence of "The Big Dumper," Cal Raleigh, who crushed four straight home runs from Monday night through last night.

Bryan Woo has been nails at home, and the bats have looked great. Taking a chance on the dog feels right.

Red Sox vs Marlins: Red Sox (-137)

Red Sox win probability: 57%

The Red Sox bats have come alive over the last week, as they own a 124 wRC+, .354 wOBA, and .802 OPS. Meanwhile, the Marlins have gone cold, with an 89 wRC+, .297 wOBA, and .107 ISO during that same stretch.

Sonny Gray has been unstoppable for most of the season, and that should continue this evening against a bunch of ice-cold bats.

Rockies vs Nationals: Rockies (+114)

Rockies win probability: 46%

Rockies right-hander Tanner Gordon does not have the most attractive numbers this season, but he certainly does on the road. So far this season away from Coors, Gordon owns a 2.97 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, and is allowing just an 8.65% barrel rate to opposing hitters.

On the other hand, Brad Lord sports a 6.52 ERA and 1.34 WHIP at home.

With both lineups not looking too hot over the last few games, backing the dog here is the plan of attack.

Astros vs Yankees: Astros (+114)

Astros win probability: 45%

The Astros are an interesting look here, mainly due to right-hander Peter Lambert's underlying metrics.

He's been brutal over his last five starts, posting a 6.29 ERA, but he owns a 3.18 xERA during that stretch. The 29-year-old starter has done a great job limiting hard-hit balls, so maybe it comes around for him tonight.

Houston's bats were alive and well last night, and that should roll over into today, especially with this being Elmer Rodriguez's first start since June 21.

Royals vs Blue Jays: Royals (+134)

Royals win probability: 42%

How could we not back the Royals, while they currently own a 151 wRC+, .390 wOBA, .893 OPS, and .205 ISO over their last six games? The Blue Jays' bats have been hot too, but not like the Royals.

Plus, Kansas City has Randy Dobnak on the mound, who has a 1.58 ERA on the season and does a great job limiting hard contact and barreled balls.

Paying near $1.50 juice for the Blue Jays in 2026 does not sound like a fun time.

Brewers vs Mets: Mets (+134)

Mets win probability: 41%

A very rare Brewers fade from this writer, but it is hard to look at Dustin May's numbers and how well the Mets are seeing the ball as of late and want to pay near -150 juice for Milwaukee to secure the win this evening.

Over the Mets' last six games, they have been generating a barrel rate above 8% and a hard-hit rate above 43%, while posting a 118 wRC+.

Robert Stock has not been too great in his first four starts this season, but he's done a great job limiting hard-hit balls.

Dodgers vs Braves: Dodgers (-131)

Dodgers win probability: 55%

It's safe to say we should not be looking to back the Braves until they turn things around.

Sure, they won last night, but they are still 3-7 in their last 10 games. Over their last 21 games, they own an 85 wRC+, .292 wOBA, and .660 OPS, while going 8-13 during that stretch.

Trust Roki Sasaki, who has turned things around over his last five starts.

Rangers vs White Sox: Rangers (+114)

Rangers win probability: 46%

Despite the White Sox scoring 11 runs last night, they still gave up seven in their "get-right game" after being blown out on Monday. It is very concerning that the White Sox have allowed 18 runs in the first two games of this series.

MacKenzie Gore has been solid in his last few starts, and he should be able to hold down the White Sox this evening.

Take the dog here.

Orioles vs Cardinals: Cardinals (-107)

Cardinals win probability: 50%

After a team scores 10+ runs the night before, it's always extremely difficult to replicate that offensive success. So, with the Orioles putting up 13 runs in their win over the Cardinals last night, the Redbirds are the lean this evening.

Michael McGreevy has been solid in his last three starts, posting a 3.19 ERA while allowing just a 33% hard-hit rate and 3.92% barrel rate. He should be able to hold down the Orioles' hot bats.

Twins vs Athletics: Athletics (+119)

Athletics win probability: 44%

The dog or nothing here.

The Athletics have the hotter offense at the moment, as they draw Twins southpaw Connor Prielipp, who owns a 9.56 ERA and 1.81 WHIP while allowing a 47.73% hard-hit rate over his last three starts.

On the other side, J.T. Ginn owns a 3.09 xERA and 1.16 WHIP, while allowing just a 1.19% barrel rate over his last five outings.

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The Toronto Blue Jays are -150 favorites at BET99 tonight, and will look to bounce back after losing Game 1 of the series against the Kansas City Royals.

One of the lone bright spots in that game was Brett Bateman, and we're riding with him to stay hot in my Royals vs. Blue Jays prediction.

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Wednesday, Aug. 26, and bring the units home.

Royals vs Blue Jays predictions

Royals vs Blue Jays best bet: Brett Bateman 2+ Hits/Runs/RBI (-150)

Brett Bateman has made an immediate splash with the Toronto Blue Jays since coming over at the deadline in a deal for Kevin Gausman.

Not for his power, but for his ability to grind out at-bats and get on base, which has immediately thrust him into the everyday leadoff role. That's my type of player. 

Just yesterday, Bateman recorded his sixth multi-hit game across his last nine and has scored at least one run in four of his last eight. With a .349 OBP against righties this season, we have way too many outs to cash this one.

Look for him to create some chaos on the base paths tonight.

COVERS INTEL:Randy Dobnak is a contact pitcher, which plays right into our hands with a contact-first hitter like Bateman. While his 1.58 ERA is nice, his underlying metrics and 4.74 xERA leave a lot to be desired. Owning a 14.8% K rate and a career-high .292 xBA, we should see plenty of opportunities tonight.

Royals vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)

If the Blue Jays have any chance of staying close in the Wild Card race, a win tonight will go a long way. Currently three games back, a bullpen day is the last thing they wanted after their latest injury to Shane Bieber. However, the last time they ran out their bullpen, they limited the New York Yankees to one run on four hits.

Toronto will need a similar outcome tonight if they want to stop the Kansas City Royals, who have won nine straight.

Royals vs Blue Jays SGP

• Blue Jays moneyline
• Alejandro Kirk 2+ H/R/RBI
• Brett Bateman 2+ H/R/RBI

Royals vs Blue Jays home run pick: Alejandro Kirk (+675) 

With limited at-bats against Dobnak, I'm running with the hottest hitter in the Blue Jays' lineup. Alejandro Kirk is on a 12-game hit streak in games he's started, which includes three homers and two doubles.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt against a contact pitcher who throws a sinker 38% of the time - a pitch Kirk owns a .333 average against this season.

Let's see him run into one tonight.

Royals vs Blue Jays odds

• Moneyline: Kansas City (+130) | Toronto (-150)
• Run line: Kansas City +1.5 (-150) | Toronto -1.5 (+130)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Royals vs Blue Jays trend

The Under is 6-0-1 in the Blue Jays' last seven home games vs. a right-handed starter. Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch Royals vs Blue Jays and game info

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Today marks David Price’s 41st birthday.

Although Price was with the Blue Jays for just three months, those months were incredibly exciting.

The Blue Jays acquired him on July 30th, 2015, when the team was 52-51, tied for second place and six games behind the Yankees. After Price joined, the Jays went 41-18 and finished first in the AL East, sparking an exhilarating ALDS against the Rangers and a thrilling ALCS versus the Royals (though, unfortunately, it didn’t end in our favor).

Price posted an impressive 9-1 record in 11 starts for the Jays (remarkably earning 10 decisions) with a 2.30 ERA. However, he struggled during the playoffs.

The Jays finished six games ahead of the Yankees. While no single player can account for a 12-game swing over 59 games, the addition of Price (and Troy Tulowitzki) energized the team.

Off the mound, Price was a joy to have around. He was the team’s head cheerleader, loved Rogers Centre popcorn, and appeared to relish every moment. Reports highlighted his positive presence in the clubhouse, making him very hard not to like.

After the season, Price signed as a free agent with the Red Sox, agreeing to a seven-year, $217 million contract. Over five years, he posted a 46-24 record with a 3.84 ERA across 103 games (98 starts). While he may not have been worth every penny, he was solid—if somewhat inconsistent—and missed time due to injuries.

In February 2020, the Red Sox traded Price and Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. Price opted out of the 2020 season. In 2021, he went 5-2 with a 4.03 ERA in 39 games (11 starts). The following year, he was 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 40 relief appearances before retiring after the season.

Happy birthday, David. Wishing you a wonderful day.

Former Jays prospect Darin Mastroianni also turns 41 today.

Darin appeared on our top 40 prospects lists several times—ranked 10th in 2011, and previously 22nd and 26th.

The Jays lost him to the Twins on waivers before the 2012 season. He played parts of two seasons and three weeks with Minnesota, hitting .214/.286/.286 with 3 home runs and 25 steals (caught four times) in 121 games.

In April 2014, Toronto reclaimed him off waivers. He played just 14 games for the Jays, hitting .156/.156/.250. Afterwards, he moved on to the Phillies, Nationals, returned to the Twins (appearing in seven more MLB games), and then to the Rangers. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2016.

His best MLB season was in 2012, when he played 77 games and hit .252/.328/.350 with 21 steals. He excelled defensively in the outfield and was frequently used as a pinch runner or defensive replacement.

I had high hopes for Darin. In the minors, he drew walks, got on base, and was a standout base stealer—swiping 70 bags between Dunedin and New Hampshire in 2009. However, his lack of power led higher-level pitchers to challenge him, forcing him to earn his way on base by hitting.

Happy birthday, Darin.

Jayson Nix celebrates his 44th birthday today.

Nix enjoyed an eight-year MLB career, playing for eight different teams.

He played 46 games for the Jays in 2011, hitting .169/.256/.309 with four home runs. Nix then joined the Yankees, spending two seasons as a fill-in for the oft-injured or suspended Alex Rodriguez. He performed a bit better in New York, hitting .239/.307/.340 in 161 games over two years. Afterward, he played one final MLB season with three different teams.

Over his seven-year career, he hit .212/.282/.345 in 466 games.

Happy birthday, Jayson.

The Luis Perales for Jake Bennett trade has been a major talking point among the fanbase this season. We have seen Bennett have success in Boston, while Perales has been up and down in AAA. However, we are finally going to get a chance to see Perales who will be debuting for the Nats as a reliever.

For a lot of the season, Perales has struggled to turn his electric stuff into whiffs. That has been changing the last couple of months though. In his last 37.1 innings since July 1st, Perales has 49 strikeouts. Command has still been a question mark for the 23 year old righty, but that swing and miss stuff is a big reason for his promotion.

The biggest key to unlocking more whiffs has been his splitter. Since July, Perales has been using that pitch a lot more and it has devastated hitters. For the season, hitters are whiffing 46.4% of the time against the offering. That pitch alone seems like enough for him to carve out a role as a high leverage arm, especially when combined with a fastball that regularly touches 100.

Perales’ command remains a work in progress. Even during this successful run lately, he has been walking a lot of batters. However, with his stuff, he does not need to be pinpoint. Perales can use his fastball, splitter and cutter to have a lot of success.

Interestingly, Perales got moved to a bullpen role where he throws in 2 inning spurts after spending most of this season as a starter. There are a couple potential reasons for this. The first one is to manage his innings. For the year, Perales is at 96.1 innings, which is actually a career high. In those innings, he posted a 3.64 ERA. He is also coming off Tommy John, which cost him virtually all of last season.

The Nats do not want Perales blowing past his career high in innings after barely throwing at all last year. Another reason is that this is a way for him to help the big league team right away. His command may not be ready to start in the big leagues, but his stuff is certainly MLB ready. If Clayton Beeter can have levels of success in the bullpen, Perales certainly can.

Perales has also been very good in this bullpen role. In his last three outings, he has gone 6 scoreless innings, allowing no runs, striking out 12 and walking just two. With his fastball and splitter, he could immediately be one of the Nats best relievers.

The Nats may want to try out Perales as a starter for longer, but honestly I think his home is in the bullpen. However, I think Perales can be one of the better relievers in the league. His arm is absolutely electric and he is already showing he is able to adapt to the role well.

This should be a very exciting debut for Nats fans. Perales will come in and light up the radar gun. However, his splitter is the real star of the show at the moment. If the strike-throwing is even mediocre, Perales can be a closer. Even if it is below average, he should make an impact for a long time. Buckle up and get ready to see some rocket fuel because Luis Perales is here.

Imagine that you are a MLB pitcher. Perhaps you’re a fireballing southpaw, perhaps you’re a crafty control artist. The type of pitcher you are doesn’t really matter for our purposes (although if you imagined yourself as a knuckleballer, you’re a hurler after my own heart). Imagine that you’re facing the Phillies. First up is Trea Turner. He’s fast, and he’s good, but you get past him. Then there’s Kyle Schwarber. Your heart is in your throat as he takes mighty hacks at your offerings. You could swear you felt the wind from the last one buffeting your face. But finally, mercifully, you manage to make him take the K. Then Bryce Harper is up. You really don’t want to face him. But you have to. But you don’t really have to. You can just toss him some pitches outside; maybe you’ll get lucky and he’ll chase. You can probably handle whoever is taking cleanup for the Phillies; sometimes it’s Alec Bohm, and sometimes it’s Brandon Marsh, and they both have the potential to be dangerous, but they don’t keep pitchers awake at night like the opening trio did. You can risk a walk. Sure enough, the free pass comes to pass, and to the plate comes… Luis Arraez.

That is the nightmare scenario that has awaited opposing pitchers since the trade deadline. Imagine facing Schwarber and Harper knowing that the fourth man up is the Contact King, who you can strike out about as often as you can open your Christmas presents: once a year, if you’re good. One of the main cases for acquiring Arraez, and for hitting him in the cleanup spot, is that he would offer protection to the big sluggers. Having had Arraez in the fold for a few weeks, we can start to take stock: have opponents started to pitch to the Phillies’ leadoff trio differently now that Arraez looms in the spot after them? (All stats prior to Tuesday night’s game)

So far, no signs that pitchers are less willing to throw pitches outside the zone with Arraez at cleanup. Turner and Harper are taking more pitches outside this month than last, though I doubt that’s a meaningful increase.

What about the pitchers’ tendencies when the batter is ahead in the count, when the dread threat of a baserunner for Arraez to bring home is looming?

No real indication that pitchers are more reluctant to go outside when the batter has the advantage either. And I won’t make you look at another chart (yet), but two of them (Harper and Turner) are getting more pitches outside the zone when they’re in a three-ball count, although that’s getting into tiny sample sizes and subsequent lack of real meaning.

But that isn’t to say that nothing has changed for the Phillies who bat before the new guy. Both Harper and Turner have increased their walk rates month-over-month. And while Turner’s increase is small enough that it doesn’t seem terribly significant, Harper’s is notable: from 12.7% in July to 28% in August. As for how he’s walking so much more when he’s no more likely to get pitches out of the zone, there can really be only one explanation: he’s chasing less. 13% less than last month, to be specific. His in zone swing rate has dropped a bit too, from 71.1% t0 64.4%. He’s also missing less when he does swing in the zone, having cut his miss rate on pitches in the zone by more than half: 21.1% to 8.9%%. Perhaps he’s taking some cues from Arraez.

For the moment, that isn’t producing a different approach from opposing pitchers. But they won’t let that turbocharged walk rate stand for long. If Harper keeps this up, opposing pitchers may respond by tossing him more pitches in the zone. Of course, that creates a problem of its own. Do you put Harper on first with the three-time defending batting champ behind him? Or do you risk him putting one in the seats? There’s no good answer. Aren’t you glad you’re not a pitcher?