Today, Astros manager Joe Espada told the media the team has brought back former pitching coach Brent Strom as a consultant.
The Astros are adding Brent Strom to their coaching staff as a pitching consultant, Joe Espada said. He is expected to join the team tomorrow at Citi Field.
Strom had been the person most associated with what has colloquially been called the “Astros Lab” at the start of the Golden Era. Pitchers frequently improved significantly when joining the Astros and working under Strom.
The “Astros Lab” continued to have success under Strom’s successors, Josh Miller and Bill Murphy, until this season. Prior to this season, Murphy left for a job with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Astros have struggled to adapt to changing behaviors of hitters and umpires due to the ABS strike zone.
Astros pitchers are tied for the second most walks in MLB this season with 550, just 1 behind the league-worst Cincinnati Reds. Despite injuries and ineffectiveness plaguing the pitching staff, the Astros are still 10th in MLB in strikeouts with 1161.
The team hopes Strom still has some magic left in him. He will join the team tomorrow in Flushing as the Astros take on the Mets. He will be in uniform.
FRISCO, TEXAS - AUGUST 25: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys lines up under center during practice at The Star in Frisco on August 25, 2026 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every week, we gather to discuss the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have Jess Haynie, Sean Martin, and Tom Ryle.
Time to predict the 53-man roster. On offense, who do you predict to be the running backs on the final roster, the wide receiver corps, and the tight ends?
MIKE: At running back, I’d keep Javonte Williams, Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue and Hunter Luepke. Williams is locked in as the lead back, Davis feels like the safest RB2 because of consistency and reliability, Blue gives them the change-of-pace element, and Luepke’s fullback and special teams value makes him hard to cut.
At wide receiver, I’d go with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo and Camden Brown, this one seems easy to predict.
At tight end, the keepers will be Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker. Ferguson is TE1, Spann-Ford should be TE2 and has the momentum to take a bigger role, while Schoonmaker probably sticks because of draft investment, experience and the fact Dallas has treated him like a safe veteran during preseason. Michael Trigg is the tempting upside choice, but Trigg’s injury makes that harder for me unless Dallas is willing to gamble.
JESS: At RB I have Williams, Davis, Blue, and Luepke. At this point, Mafah and/or Abanikanda feel practice squad bound. WRs are Lamb, Pickens, Flournoy, Turpin, Brown and Mingo. I think they go long there with six because they can now stash Trigg on IR, which means they’ll only keep Ferguson, Spann-Ford, and Schoonmaker on the 53.
TOM: I’ll second Jess on both RB and TE, but I’ll throw a curveball on WR. It’s obvious that Lamb, Pickens, and Flournoy are the top three weapons, with Turpin, primarily a return specialist, counting as part of the group. But I think they will dangle one or both of Brown and Mingo as trade bait. There are some receiver hungry teams out there that might be willing to part with a decent pick. With other options to stash on the PS, I think Jerry and his brain trust would close a deal. (If you force me, I’m guessing Brown would go because of how cheap he is. This is not an endorsement of a trade on my part, just something that popped into my warped mind.)
SEAN: Designating Hunter Luepke as a running back for this, I’d have him along with Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, and Malik Davis. I like what Phil Mafah brings, but unfortunately for him I also don’t see anything he does remarkably better than Williams or Davis in the ground-and-pound game, or Blue in the pass game. At wide receiver, the locks are obviously CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, KaVontae Turpin, and like Jess I’m also going to keep both Camden Brown and Jonathan Mingo. Leaving just Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford, and Luke Schoonmaker at tight end. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s interest in Zack Kuntz is notable here, but he hasn’t done enough or nearly have the time remaining before cuts to make enough of an impact to beat out any of the other three here.
On defense, name the final defensive line players you predict to make the roster.
MIKE: Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Otito Ogbonnia, Jonathan Bullard and L.T. Overton inside, with Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Von Miller, Malachi Lawrence, James Houston and Marist Liufau on the edge. The interior feels mostly settled, but the tougher call is the edge group. Gary, Ezeiruaku, Miller and Lawrence feel safe, then I’d keep Houston as the pass-rush specialist and Liufau over Sam Williams because of position flexibility and special teams value.
JESS: I’m struggling with Jonathan Bullard right now. He’s missed almost the entire summer, and it seems like L.T. Overton is stepping up and capable of playing the same role. If they keep Bullard, it may just be those two, Williams, Clark, and Ogbonnia. If they cut Bullard, it’ll be for either Tommy Dunn or Jay Toia. It’ll also be one of those two guys if they keep a sixth DL.
TOM: Wait, what about the OLBs? I don’t see them in any of Jess’ projections. And I’m not at all certain how many will be carried at any of the positions. But here’s my choice for the guys that get their hands down:
I will say they keep both Overton and Bullard to go with the obvious ones of Williams, Clark, and Ogbonnia. I think they have to have at least six.
SEAN: Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams, Otito Ogbonnia, Jay Toia, LT Overton, and Jonathan Bullard would be my six. Again, I agree with Jess about being up in the air about Bullard, but at the end of the day veterans with pass rush juice don’t get cut from teams looking to make some real noise (see: the Von Miller signing). Toia was super impressive against the Cardinals in the preseason game and worthy of his spot as well.
Name the linebackers you predict to be on the final 53-man roster.
MIKE: DeMarvion Overshown is the clear leader and green-dot defender, Dee Winters is obviously locked in after Dallas invested in him, and Jaishawn Barham is too intriguing as a rookie weapon to leave off the roster. Shemar James sticks because of athletic upside and development, while Barron gets the final spot because of his versatility and special teams value.
JESS: This one’s easy: Overshown, Winters, Barham, James, and Barron. If they keep six, throw in Curtis Robinson. But the pecking order at that spot feels pretty clear.
TOM: Inside, I concur on the top five. Now you have to figure out the OLBs. Gary, Ezeiruaku, Miller, and Lawrnece seem the four locks. I think they’ll keep at least five to keep throwing outside rushers at the opponents. I’ll give Houston the nod over Williams, but wouldn’t be surprised if they go the other way.
SEAN: Ah, the position that’s been turned on its head the most by the latest scheme and coaching change on defense. Starting with the pass rushers, we go Rashan Gary, Malachi Lawrence, James Houston, Tyrus Wheat, Von Miller, and Donovan Ezeiruaku. For the rest of the group, it’s Dee Winters, DeMarvion Overshown, Jaishawn Barham, and Shemar James for me.
For the obvious absentee here, It feels like Marsit Liufau is not only caught behind other more natural pass rushers on the edge, but the fact Dallas has some intriguing safeties that can play as hybrid coverage linebackers, while Liufau is also a liability in coverage, does not help him at all.
Give one name that you think will be a surprise player to make the 53-man roster.
MIKE: The surprise name I’d go with is Phil Mafah. Carrying five players at running back sounds heavy, but it could make sense for Dallas because Mafah brings something different from the rest of the room. He has more of that downhill, physical runner profile, and when he has been given chances, he hasn’t looked out of place. With the RB2 spot still carrying a small question mark, keeping Mafah gives the Cowboys another option if they want more size, short-yardage ability, and insurance behind Javonte Williams. It may come down to numbers elsewhere on the roster, but if Dallas decides the run game needs depth and variety, Mafah is exactly the kind of surprise player who could sneak onto the 53.
JESS: I can’t say this guy “will be” a surprise, but he could be. And that’s Marist Liufau. He provides versatile depth with his ILB experience and now learning at OLB. Not saying he’s great at either, but a strong special teamer who can be a body at two positions is not a crazy path to the roster.
TOM: This one is hard, but could the Cowboys go deep at QB and keep Sam Howell on the 53? I think they might not want to put him at risk of being signed away. If he has a good game against the Saints, that could become a real concern.
SEAN: I truly have no idea if this is a surprise or not, but my pick is safety Alijah Clark. Clark and Julius Wood have been paired together through training camp as the duo of dark horse safety candidates doing everything they can to make the roster, showing off of their versatility to try and do so. Clark has the experience, range and instincts at safety, and ability to play down on the second level in a pinch to be a player we’ll hear from again this season – though some fans may still find themselves asking about who Dallas really has here when the final roster is announced, if Clark is indeed on it.
DENVER, COLORADO - AUGUST 3: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Coors Field on August 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I knew, when Chad Dallas was so good last night, that he would be on his way back to Buffalo today. Thanks for the 2.2 scoreless innings, here is a bus ticket back to Buffalo. That is is fifth option of the year, so if he’s back, he’s back to stay.
The Jays signed Michael Lorenzen this afternoon. He had been DFAed by the Rockies on the 19th. Jonatan Clase has been moved to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man.
Lorenzen is a 34-year-old right-handed pitcher (he’s also played outfield in the majors). He’s played 12 seasons in the MLB, playing for the Reds, Angels, Tigers, Phillies, Rangers, Royals, and Rockies. Career he has a 4.40 ERA in 421 games, 144 starts and an 8.5 bWAR.
This year, with the Rockies, he had a 7.08 ERA in 26 games, 25 starts. In 115.2 innings he gave up a .338/.398/.535 batting line with a league leading 168 hits and league leading 91 earned runs with 49 walks and 82 strikeouts and a -1.9 bWAR. He was better last year, with a 4.64 ERA in 27 games, 26 starts.
All-in-all, I’d have kept Dallas. I think Lorenzen might be too much for even Pete Walker to fix.
Best known as the "Queen of Country," she built a life that extended far beyond the constraints of the music industry. Sure, Parton was a singer and songwriter. She was also involved in movies, shows, charity, business and so on. Despite being everywhere, she appeared to be one of the only people with a seemingly unanimous approval rating.
A larger than life figure, Parton seemed like one that would live forever.
Some have been quick to put her music on repeat. Others have watched old movies or picked up her baking mix from the store, but what about the football world.
So without further ado, here are some Dolly Parton-inspired fantasy football team names to pay tribute as we continue to mourn the loss of a legend.
Dolly Parton inspired fantasy football team names
Kupp of Ambition
Cooper Kupp might be the player he once was, especially in fantasy, but we'd be remiss if we didn't start this list off with a little Kupp of Ambition.
Working 9 to Jayden Daniels
Sorry, Dolly. If Jayden Daniels doesn't want the world to use his number, then we can't either.
Working J.J. McCarthy to 5
Fine, we'll make an exception, but only because J.J. McCarthy had it first and deserves to be included. If you're feeling really frisky, combine the two into one name. That would require you to draft McCarthy though, something we wouldn't recommend.
I Will Always Love You
Countless people across the globe learned this week that Whitney Houston only covered this song. We had to do it justice and leave the title intact. After all, there are enough players named "Love" to make it mean something in fantasy circles.
Sometimes the song titles don't need any tinkering. If you're in an auction draft, there's a chance that your team ends up on the cheaper side. And there you have it. Voilà.
Islands in the End Zone
Parton and Kenny Rogers had an iconic duet with this song in 1983. The hit deserved a football version and what better place to meet than the end zone?
All takin’ and got Higgins
A lyric from "9 to 5," Tee Higgins gets the honor of a much more positive version of "all takin' and no givin' from the classic song.
Coat of many draft picks
No one player makes a team. A song inspired by Parton's upbringing, "Coat of Many Colors," now has a fantasy draft connection to it.
Imagination Library Brooks
One of Parton's best contributions to society, her Imagination Library provides books to children for free until they reach age five. It just so happens that Jonathan Brooks' name fits perfectly here and can help spread awareness about a program that has helped millions.
Travelin’ Man Coverage
From her "Coat of Many Colors" album, Parton released the song "Travelin' Man." We couldn't get through this exercise without a nod to the defenders of the football world.
Steelers Magnolias
Perhaps you're daring and decide to draft multiple players from the Steelers' offense. Luckily for you, Parton played in the 1989 romcom, "Steel Magnolias." Not only can you pay tribute to the music legend, but also your favorite football team – or just the players you ended up with.
Jolene took my team
Parton begged Jolene to not take her man, so she did something far worse. She took her fantasy football team. Ouch.
The title track of her 1971 album, "Joshua" can fit multiple players and positions across the league. In this case, we opted to envision Josh Allen in the role.
Down on Music Burrow
Released in 1973, "Down on Music Row" tells the story of Parton's arrival in Nashville. The heart of the music industry in the "Music City," anyone that wants to become a star eventually walks that famed road. In this case, Joe Burrow combined football without compromising the title.
Nickels and Danny Dimes
Coins became the talk of the country this year after it was revealed the United States Mint was discontinuing production of the penny. It leaves nickels and dimes as the smallest coins still left in production, but that's also a song Parton released in 1978. A story about her singing for money, Daniel "Danny Dimes" Jones was playing for money last season. He earned a new contract from the Colts that will pay him millions. Indianapolis will hope he doesn't play like loose change though.
DreamMoore Resort
A Parton-owned resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, connected with Dollywood, there are plenty of Moore's across the league to get the job done here. And since "Resort" just gives off luxurious connotations, who wouldn't want a piece of this pie?
Good Lookin’ James Cookin’
Parton wasn't just involved with music, movies and business. She also had some cookbooks, including "Good Lookin' Cookin'" that she authored with her sister. If you're drafting James Cook, then you're almost certainly looking for a kitchen-inspired name. Well, here you go.
The Dallas Cowboys have made the most of their preseason opportunities so far, but there is still business to take care of in Friday's exhibition finale.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has made it clear there is plenty left to evaluate when Dallas hosts the New Orleans Saints, particularly with roster decisions looming.
The Cowboys enter Week 3 after winning their first two preseason games, with an improved defense and a competitive battle for the backup quarterback job helping drive those results. And when it comes to trading on preseason football, quarterback motivation and playing time remain major factors in my NFL picks.
Here are my Saints vs. Cowboys predictions for the preseason finale on Aug. 28.
Saints vs Cowboys prediction
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Who will win Saints vs Cowboys: Dallas Cowboys
Kalshi probability: 52%
Don’t expect to see the Dallas Cowboys’ starters much – if at all – on Friday. But a fiery fight for the QB2 spot is still ongoing, with Joe Milton III and Sam Howell going tit for tat during the summer sked.
Those passers have combined for 439 yards on 36-for-50 passing with four touchdowns the past two contests. Both QBs have also shown an ability to make plays with their legs when things break down.
New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore hasn’t given his first teams any live action beyond joint practices this summer and won’t stray from that Friday.
New Orleans is 0-2 in the preseason and coming off a rough 34-0 loss to Indianapolis in Week 2.
TOP PICK Saints vs Cowboys Over/Under pick: Under 38.5
Kalshi probability: 53%
The Cowboys have had success scoring in the exhibition schedule, most recently doing the heavy lifting with 34 points in a win over Arizona.
Getting overshadowed by the QB competition has been solid efforts from this defense and new coordinator Christian Parker.
The Dallas defense has limited preseason foes to 10-for-25 success on third/fourth down conversions (40%) while holding those teams to a 2-for-7 TD rate inside the red zone.
New Orleans’ offense brings a 12-for-31 clip (39%) on those crucial downs in their two tune-up games. The Saints are 2-for-6 on RZ possessions in the preseason, including 0-for-2 in the shutout loss to the Colts.
The Saints offense could go run heavy in this final preseason outings. New Orleans passed more in the first two exhibitions (77 total dropbacks vs. 42 handoffs) but suddenly has big questions in the run game.
Running back Ty Chandler is out for the season, rookie Devin Neal is nursing a bum hamstring, and veteran Alvin Kamara will miss the first month.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see NOLA kick the tires on their RB depth versus Dallas. That means shorter gains that keep the clock ticking, giving fuel to the Under.
This final preseason game is inside AT&T Stadium, so weather won’t be a factor.
How to watch Saints vs Cowboys
Location
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Date
Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
Kickoff
8 p.m. ET
TV
WVUE-FOX, KTVT-CBS
Saints vs Cowboys latest injuries
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The Chicago White Sox are having a pretty magical season. Despite losing more than 100 games in each of the last three seasons, the ChiSox suddenly find themselves in first-place in the AL Central with fewer than 30 games remaining.
It amost feels like too quick a turnaround. This team would've needed multiple high-end acquisitions or multiple elite prospects to graduate. They've certainly had a few between Colson Montgomery, Braden Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami, but it didn't seem like that would be enough to turn around what has been a basement-dwelling franchise in just one year.
It's almost like ... they've been the beneficiaries of divine intervention.
On Thursday, Aug. 27, the team gave renowned fan and Chicago native Pope Leo XIV his own White Sox-branded mitre (the tall, ceremonial hat worn by the Pope), a solid offering to someone who perhaps was sending daily prayers to his favorite franchise.
Major League Baseball, trying to create a similar free-agent frenzy that the NFL and NBA have each offseason, proposed a window and a December deadline for players to sign, freezing further signings until the first week of February.
The proposal, which MLB formally sent to the players union Thursday, would have a “quiet period" from five days after the World Series until the first day of the winter meetings in December. Teams could re-sign their own free agents in that window, but would only be able sign others from the first day of the winter meetings until Dec. 21. If a free agent is not signed by that date, he would have to wait until the first week of February.
Trades and negotiations with free agents still would exist during the month-long “quiet period" but teams would be prohibited from finalizing an agreement.
Bruce Meyer, interim executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, quickly rejected the proposal, saying it’s only a different way to reduce salaries.
“The league, through their propaganda arm, is promoting their latest set of roster and transaction proposals as player-friendly," Meyer said in a statement.
“MLB expressly conditioned these proposals on the players’ agreement to a salary cap system, which would drastically reduce overall player compensation, eliminate fully guaranteed contracts through escrow, and turn back the clock on fundamental player rights," Meyer said.
“Their latest proposals regarding free agency would eliminate player rights by establishing an artificial free agency window, subject to a salary cap, which would reduce player leverage and create a game of musical chairs pitting player vs. player."
There would also be a complete ban on all transactions and contracts involving Major League players until the first Monday in February, giving players about two weeks to finalize deals before spring training.
MLB also is proposing that teams be permitted to carry an extra pitcher on their roster, from 13 to 14, but the 26-man roster limit would remain the same.
There also would be a creation of weekly rosters, allowing teams to re-set their 26-man roster on Monday each week, preventing clubs from shuttling pitchers with options back and forth players from the big leagues to the minor leagues. MLB’s research shows that Major League transactions have nearly doubled since 2011, with teams averaging 57 players last season, led by Atlanta with 72 players.
MLB also wants to modify the injured list, reducing the minimum from 10 days to one week for position players, and 15 days to two weeks for pitchers. The 60-day IL would be increased to a 12-week minimum (84 days).
“The suggestion that the only way to limit roster churn, or incentivize earlier free-agent signings is with a salary cap is entirely unserious," Meyer said. "Players have proposed changes that would address these priorities, but the league is not interested in any changes that don’t directly reduce the rights of all players and shift leverage to the owners."
MLB proposed that players selected in the Rule 5 Draft no longer would have to remain on the major league roster all season, and could be optioned to the minors during the season. Players coming out of college also could be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft one or two years earlier.
Players under the age of 20 also would be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft four years following the signing of their first professional contract, while players 20 or older would be eligible at the third Rule 5 Draft after signing their first contract.
The proposals, of course, are all under the umbrella of a salary cap and salary floor, which has been adamantly rejected by the players union.
“A cap-and-floor system would unlock additional opportunities to improve the game for players and fans, creating more stability in rosters, getting the best players to the Major Leagues more quickly, and accelerating the pace of the offseason,” MLB spokesperson Glen Caplin said in a statement. “In our current economic system, these changes would be too harmful to competitive balance and would not be practical.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 08: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tom Wilson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When the Braves took a series against the Dodgers in May by winning consecutive 7-2 contests after dropping the first game, it was an unexpected but welcome surprise amid an incredible two-month run of performance for the squad. With the Braves winning the first two games of this series against the Dodgers amid something resembling a groggy slide, they’ve pulled off the unexpected and might be righting their careening ship a bit. Among the particularly gladdening things in last night’s game was that the team busted out of a long offensive funk — it had played seven straight games with a teamwide xwOBA below league average (and most of those games were well, well below league average), but then busted out with a .472 mark in yesterday’s win. That .472 was the team’s third-highest of the season, and its highest since April 10.
Possible signs of resurgence aside, this game offers quite a lot of intrigue in its own right. For one, the Braves haven’t swept the Dodgers since May of 2013. For another, it’s a second consecutive “Chris Sale pitches against another ace” matchup. Last week, it was Sale versus pitching fWAR leader Jacob Misiorowski. This time, he’ll square off against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is currently 11th in MLB in pitching fWAR (Sale is sixth).
Now in his third season stateside, Yamamoto’s stats are a bit off his stellar 2025 campaign (60/70/74 ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-), but still very good: 63/76/80. He’s been durable and consistent. Impressively, Yamamoto hasn’t had back-to-back starts with an FIP- above 100 this year, and it’s only happened in terms of xFIP- once. Generally dominant, he hasn’t really been blown up this year — sometimes there are not-so-great peripherals starts, but he makes do. So, this will be a tough nut to crack for the Braves.
But, Chris Sale is also a tough nut to crack. He enters tonight’s start with basically video game numbers for a starter: 53/54/65, and 4.9 fWAR in “just” 135 innings. It’s been pretty much a repeat of his 2024 Cy Young-winning campaign so far, with only the context that Misiorowski and Cristopher Sanchez are destroying hitters even more lingering out in the atmosphere.
The Braves have squared off against Yamamoto twice. They faced him back in 2024 in a 9-0 shellacking where Yamamoto departed after four innings with just a 1-0 lead and a 3/2 K/BB ratio. Then, he carved up the ineffectual 2025 version of the club in a close, 2-1 game in which the Dodgers prevailed. On the flip side, the Dodgers have seen Sale a fair bit over the last three years. They won the game he started against them in Los Angeles earlier this year, despite Sale pitching really well. They also knocked him around in 2025 as part of that season-opening disastrous road trip. Sale also beat them in September 2024 with a good start.
So, expect to see good pitching… and probably something crazy (which may be the absence of good pitching) given the way the first two games of this series have gone.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, August 27, 7:15 p.m. EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV/Streaming: BravesVision
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country.
Earlier this week I asked you which of the Wild Card contenders you’d rather see the Cubs face in that round, presuming the Cubs are in it (and hopefully the top Wild Card and host a series).
Here’s how you responded:
The choice here was overwhelmingly for the Diamondbacks — who just took two of three from the Cubs in Phoenix. Of course, one of those wins was due to a Cubs bullpen meltdown and the other could have been affected by the non-balk call in the sixth inning of the third game.
At this writing the Diamondbacks are out of the Wild Card picture, one game behind the Padres, who inhabit the third wild-card spot. The Phillies are second, two games behind the Cubs, and so if these positions held the rest of the year, the Cubs would host the Phillies for a best-of-three at Wrigley Field.
Of course, it’s still possible — though more of a long shot now — that the Cubs could overtake the Brewers for the NL Central title. It’s also possible that the Phillies, who trail the Braves by 4.5 games in the NL East, could win that division, pushing Atlanta into a wild-card spot. Since Phillies manager Rob Thomson was fired after a 9-19 start, interim manager Don Mattingly has managed them to a 65-41 record. That’s second in MLB over that span, behind only the Brewers.
Oddly, Thomson did almost exactly that in 2022, taking over a 22-29 team from Joe Girardi and managing them to a 65-46 finish, a Wild Card, and a World Series berth against the Astros.
The 2026 regular season ends four weeks from Sunday. Should be an interesting ride.
Here are the results from the two national questions asked in the SB Nation Reacts survey this week.
I’m surprised this number is that low. The Wild Card races and Wild Card series have definitely been good for the game, in my opinion. And I will guarantee you this: When MLB expands to 32 teams — and it likely will, sometime early in the next decade — that’ll mean 16 teams in the postseason. You might think that’s too many, but it is going to happen.
This does seem likely, with the Diamondbacks, Cardinals and Marlins out. The Padres were in first place in the NL West after defeating the Dodgers May 18, with a 29-18 record. From then through July 23 they went 21-35 and fell to 15 games out of first place. But since then they are 22-9, the best record in MLB over that span. As noted above, they’re currently in that third Wild Card spot, though only a game ahead of Arizona. Those two clubs meet once more, the final three games of the regular season in San Diego. The teams have split 10 games thus far in 2026. Could be a… wild (card)… finish!
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 8: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Colorado Rockies at Busch Stadium on August 8, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cardinals will try to salvage their series against the Orioles in a Thursday afternoon contest at Busch Stadium. St. Louis has not formally announced their starter as of this moment, but Oli Marmol has indicated it will likely be a bullpen game for the Cardinals starting with Gordon Graceffo. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
A few weeks ago, I decided that there had to be a better way to figure out which baseball players were making meaningful changes to their approach. I used tools like Process+ and the Statcast rolling leaderboards, but I wanted to try to spot trends or changes before they led to clear performance boosts, and everybody in my leagues was adding the player I was researching. So I built a database.
I'm not a coder by nature, so I will admit to using AI for help with the coding, but the design was something I had been thinking about for a while. I took some of my preferred indicators that could be used to spot shifts in performance and added them to a database. That included results-stats like exit velocity and barrel rate, or velocity increases and usage changes for pitchers. It also included process-based stats like swing rate, chase rate, pull air rate, two-strike usage for pitchers, etc., and it also included biomechanical indicators like arm angle for pitchers or batting stance changes for hitters. I then had the database set up to flag any meaningful changes across segments of 50 plate appearances (or about three starts for a starting pitcher).
What that led to was me having an evolving database of hitters and pitchers who were doing new things that deserved my attention.
Now, some of it was not as useful. You can have pitchers who stop using a pitch for two starts because of hitter handedness, or you can have a hitter who has a surge in barrel rate without anything else changing in their process or swing mechanics. However, by having something flag these names for me, I'm able to dig into each name and see if there is something tangible happening under the hood.
As a result, I can now share some of those changes with you. Hopefully these types of articles are interesting to you, and I can continue to do them for pitchers and hitters through this season and into next season. Today we're just going to look at hitters who stood out to me.
Fantasy Baseball Hitter Performance Changes
Alex Bregman - 3B, CHC (New Swing Plane, Approach Change)
Back on August 13th, I recorded a video on Bregman’s three-home-run game and mentioned that Bregman had started to make some clear approach changes starting around July 11th. Since then, Bregman is hitting .291/.365/.582 in 39 games with 12 home runs, 34 RBI, a 15.7% strikeout rate, 7% barrel rate, and 49% pull rate. That has come with a 13-degree attack angle that's down from 15 degrees prior to July 11th, which means the sweet spot of his bat is coming through the zone a little flatter since he made a conscious swing change. There's a good video on Instagram from Flips Baseball, but Bregman also mentioned that his hips and shoulders were not in sync. According to Stacast's new Swing Timing leaderboard, 71% of Bregman's swings since July 11th have been on time. That's 45th in all of baseball. He was at 67% before the mechanical adjustment. It doesn't seem like a major thing, but when a veteran hitter tells you they're working to adjust their mechanics and then you see minor changes and major results shift, you have to pay attention.
Wilyer Abreu - OF, BOS (Increasing His Pull Air Rate, and Swinging Less)
At the beginning of July, Wilyer Abreu was hitting .268 with 10 home runs and just a 19.5% strikeout rate in 82 games. Even though the overall production was solid, his power production was not what we’ve come to expect. He had just an 8.5% HR/FB rate at that point in the season after posting a 15.2% mark in 2025. Well, from the start of July on, Abreu has seen his hard-hit rate skyrocket (see graph) and his HR/FB rate has exploded to 18.2%. A big reason for that is that Abreu has raised his pull air rate from 17.2% heading into July to 22% from July 1st on. He’s also swinging less overall, lowering his overall swing rate from 49.7% heading into July to 45.7% from July 1st on. His batting average may be just .236 since July 1st, but he’s hitting for far more power and has the second-best wRC+ on the Red Sox since then.
Fernando Tatis - OF, SD (Changed His Batting Stance, Bat Speed up, Pull Air% Up)
Remember back when we were talking about how Fernando Tatis Jr. couldn't hit home runs? Yeah, me neither. The outfielder has been on fire lately, and some of that boost in production could be tied to a stance change. As you can see from the graphic below, Tatis drastically opened his stance in June, opening up his feet 21 degrees and then opening his stance even more in August.
Statcast
The reason we should care about this is that the stance change occurred at the same time that Tatis Jr. started to pull the ball more, pull the ball in the air more, and swing the bat faster. All of that tells me that opening up his stance allows him to clear his hips more quickly and turn on the ball more efficiently. At the end of May, Tatis had a 31.3% pull rate, a 25.5% fly ball rate, a 53.3% ground ball rate, a 7.8% Pull Air%, and a 9.6% barrel rate, with an attack direction three degrees to the opposite side. From June 1st on, Tatis has a 44.2% pull rate, a 36% fly ball rate, a 46.6% groundball rate, a 14.5% Pull Air%, and a 14.5% barrel rate with an attack direction that's just one degree to the oppo side. He's also continuing to make these changes since both July and August have actually seen his attack direction shift to one degree to the pull side, and Tatis Jr. has a 23.4% Pull Air% in August.
All of which is to say, Tatis Jr. opened up his stance, started turning on the ball more and hitting it harder, and the results have followed.
Luke Keaschall - 2B/OF, MIN (Change in Groundball Rate)
From July 1st on, Luke Keaschall is hitting .315/.414/.497 with six home runs, 20 runs scored, and 16 RBI in 44 games. That's come with just a 31.7% hard-hit rate and 4.8% barrel rate, but Keaschall had just a 3% barrel rate and 31% hard-hit rate through the end of June, when he hit .245/.328/.317 in 81 games. One of the bigger changes has been that Keaschall's groundball rate was 37% and his pull rate was 38% through the end of June. Through the end of May, the groundball rate was 43%, and the pull rate was 35%. From July 1st on, he has a 32.5% groundball rate and 46% pull rate, so he has continuously been getting the ball off the ground and getting it to the pull side more often. That's likely why his ISO rose from .072 at the end of June to .181 from July 1st on.
Luis Robert Jr. - OF, NYM (Zone Swing Rate, Pull-Side Contact)
In August, Robert Jr. is hitting .302/.352/.603 with six home runs, 11 RBI, and an 18.8% barrel rate. Injuries had obviously impacted his season before then, but in 134 plate appearances before August, he was hitting .195/.291/.322 with four home runs. Over this stretch in August, Robert's bat speed is up one mph, but it was already 76.7 mph prior to August. He is intercepting the ball six degrees to the pull side, which is up two degrees, but he has also gotten more aggressive in the zone. Robert Jr. has increased his overall swing rate by 1.8% in August, but his chase rate has fallen from 35.1% to 31.9%. That means his zone swing rate is up from 65.5% to 74.4%. That's a pretty major increase. By being more aggressive in the zone and getting the ball out in front a little more, Robert Jr. is having easily the best month of his season.
Matt McLain - 2B, CIN (Moving Deeper in the Box, Opening Stance)
Matt McLain has been subtly moving deeper in the box and opening his stance as the season has gone on. I'm not sure that's the right course of action, and not just because the results haven't gotten any better. McLain has really struggled with pitches on the outside this season. On pitches away, McLain hits .139 with an 85.6 mph average exit velocity and a 34.1% hard-hit rate. On pitches everywhere else, McLain hits .228 with an 86.6 mph average exit velocity and a 41.6% hard-hit rate. What’s more glaring is that his contact rate on pitches away is 65.8%, but it’s 81.2% on pitches anywhere else in the zone. His whiff rate also rises from 18.8% to 34.2%. I'm not sure that opening up his stance more is going to help him do more damage on pitches on the outside part of the plate.
Statcast
Garrett Mitchell - OF, MIL (Batting Stance Change, Zone Contact Increase)
In truth, Garrett Mitchell has been making these changes for much of the season. His batting stance stayed stable through May, with roughly a 14-degree open stance and 32 inches between his feet. That shifted sharply in June and has continued to change. In August, he has a batting stance is that is 40 degrees open with just 23 inches of separation between his feet, meaning that his stance is more open and narrower. We have seen the Brewers do this before with Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz. This type of tweak is often connected to a desire to have a cleaner, more direct path to the ball or quicker rotation of the hips, as we discussed with Tatis. For Mitchell, it may have also been connected to seeing the ball better and making more contact. Before changing his batting stance, Mitchell had a 77.1% zone contact rate, but that has jumped up to 83.1% since then. It was 87.1% in July and has since trended down a bit in August, but both months have been well ahead of what we saw in the past.
Mitchell saw a spike in chase rate in June, right after making the stance change, but he has since seen both his swing rate and chase rate decline, which is in keeping with the ideal that the stance change has helped his swing decisions and contact ability. Since changing his stance, his strikeout rate has fallen from 34.2% to 28.2%, his batting average has gone from .251 to .282, and his OPS has increased from .761 to .804. Those are noteworthy and intriguing changes.
Tommy White - INF, ATH (Swing Tilt Change, Barrel Rate)
In 54 plate appearances in July, Tommy White had a 4.5% barrel rate, .604 OPS, and .038 ISO. He had hit no home runs and was batting .269. In 85 plate appearances in August, he has an 11.6% barrel rate, .648 OPS, and a .098 ISO with two home runs and a .268 average. The barrel rate jump is massive, and the ISO jump is also pretty large, even though it doesn't take him into a territory we really like for fantasy. Under the surface, there's also not a huge amount of change that has led to the jump in barrel rate. He's been a bit more aggressive in the zone with a 7.1% increase in zone swing rate, and his swing is about 1.5 degrees flatter. That could contribute to the fact that his Ideal Attack Angle rate has improved from 48% to 65.3%. So, at the end of the day, Tommy White is being more aggressive in the zone and is attacking the ball from a better plane. That has led to a huge increase in barrel rate but no other major improvements yet.
Connor Norby - 2B/3B, COL (Narrower and More Open Stance)
Since coming to the Rockies, Norby's stance has changed drastically. The 26-year-old had nearly 200 plate appearances with the Marlins in the first two months of the season. During that time, he had about 33 inches of separation between his feet and his stance was just 10 degrees open. In August with the Rockies, he has just 23 inches of separation between his feet and his stance is 31 degrees open. That's a significantly narrower and more open stance, and he's also standing about two inches deeper in the box.
Statcast
As I mentioned above, we saw the Brewers make a similar stance change with Mitchell, Turang, and Ortiz. The general idea is that a narrower stance like that can help make it easier to keep weight on the back foot to create more power. The more open stance not only makes it easier to keep balance in the loading process, but can also make it easier to clear the hips and turn on inside pitches. That's working for Norby, whose swing produces line drives to the gaps but a lot of hard contact the other way, which will work in Coors Field.
Since coming to the Rockies, Norby is hitting .310/.408/.571 with a 43% hard-hit rate and a two-degree attack angle towards the opposite field side. In his early-season at-bats with the Marlins, he hit .205/.313/.325 with a 36.6% hard-hit rate and a four-degree attack angle towards the opposite field. He also had a 40-degree swing tilt and a 18-degree attack angle with the sweet spot of his bat when it traveled through the contact point. Those are down to a 38-degree swing tilt and a 16-degree attack angle with the Rockies. All of which is to say that the new stance MAY have helped Norby to hit the ball harder, use the middle of the field slightly more, and also come through the zone with a bit of a flatter bat path. Or, he's doing all of that independent of one another, which is also pretty nice to see.
Norby also did an interview with a Rockies blog where he said, “There were a lot of things I was doing in Miami that just felt like weren’t me necessarily. There were some things I was doing a lot better, and I’m carrying over. But other than that, I just needed to be me.” Maybe being him will help these results carry over.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 10: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Monday, August 10, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The last time the Orioles visited St. Louis, in May 0f 2024, the Cardinals won all three games to end the Birds’ 106-series regular season sweepless streak. So I’d say the Orioles owe the Cards a sweep of their own.
After a blowout win in the opener and a blowout-turned-nailbiter victory in game two, the Orioles will look to break out the brooms in today’s finale. They’ve got the right guy on the mound to do it. Trevor Rogers has been dealing since the start of June, going 7-2 with a 2.57 ERA in his 14 starts in that span. He’s delivered nine quality starts over that stretch, and only once has he allowed more than three earned runs. In all likelihood he’ll give the O’s a good chance to win today as along as they can bring the offense, which they’ve certainly done by scoring 21 runs in the first two games of the series.
The Cardinals are going with a bullpen game this afternoon. Right-hander Gordon Graceffo will make his first start of the season and just the second of his career, but he’ll surely be just a one- or two-inning opener. We could see a bulk relief appearance from rookie lefty Quinn Mathews, who was torched for seven runs in his most recent start on Aug. 22, or righty Cade Winquest, who got his first call-up to the majors earlier today. None of these are pitchers who should strike fear into the heart of Orioles hitters, which of course means they’ll combine for a three-hit shutout.
The third wild card-leading Guardians are off today, so an Orioles win would inch them two games back of Cleveland. The O’s haven’t pulled off a sweep since July 17-19 in Houston, the first series after the All-Star break. On three separate occasions since then, they’ve entered the series finale with a chance for a sweep — once against the Angels and twice against the Rays — but they’ve fumbled at the goal line in each instance. Can they actually pull it off this time?
Orioles lineup:
2B Jackson Holliday DH Pete Alonso SS Gunnar Henderson C Samuel Basallo 3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand LF Dylan Beavers 1B Coby Mayo CF Colton Cowser RF Leody Taveras
LHP Trevor Rogers
Cardinals lineup:
SS José Fermín DH Iván Herrera RF Jordan Walker 1B Alec Burleson LF Joshua Báez 3B Blaze Jordan 2B Ramón Urías CF Nathan Church C Pedro Pagés
PORTLAND, ME - JULY 19: Roman Anthony, one of three Sea Dog players who recently competed in the MLB Futures all-star game, takes batting practice on Friday. (Staff photo by Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
Suffice it to say it’s been an up-and-down start to Adley Rutschman’s Red Sox career, which began when he was still recovering from an injury. Now, after starting to find himself at the plate with his new team, he’s found himself on the shelf again, missing the past two games with an elbow injury he suffered on a swing. Luckily, the team doesn’t sound too concerned about it at this point (I know, I know…) “He took a really aggressive swing,” Chad Tracy said. “He kind of hyperextended his elbow. Nothing to be alarmed about. Just felt like I don’t want to make that worse.” Rutschman expects to be back in the lineup this weekend against the Yankees. (Perla Paredes, MLB.com)
Rutschman isn’t the only Sox player who expects to be playing against the Yankees. Both Roman Anthony and Trevor Story are being vocal about getting back into the lineup during the upcoming series. “Overall, feeling really good,” said Story. “I’m on [time with] the barrel, just a touch off [on squaring pitches]. [It’s] to be expected. I think more than the results, it’s more about how I’m feeling and kind of dictating the at-bat. And I’m in a good spot there. So, next day or two, hit some barrels and feel good about [returning].” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Anthony will be particularly happy to be back on the field given all the noise that’s surrounded his rehab, noise which has included whispers about both his social life and his commitment to get back on the field. Anthony is strongly pushing back against all of it and, reading between the lines, he seems a little annoyed with the Red Sox medical staff. “I did everything I could,” he said. “I thought I made that clear. I took all the (injections) I could, as soon as I could. I tried to do everything to get back on the field. Unfortunately, maybe we pushed too hard. Every time I tried to do that, it may have set me back a little bit. But at the same time, I saw three outside doctors that told me this was a three-month injury. After it all, it took right about that much.”
As for his social life, he views it as a non-issue: “I won’t really talk on that because it’s not even something that’s relevant and it hasn’t been relevant in our clubhouse. It’s never been a problem and it’s never really even been a thing. I prioritize getting to bed and doing everything I can to show up and give it all to my teammates and to the fans. I think when things aren’t going your way and you’re a 22-year-old kid that does anything other than just goes home and goes straight to bed, people have something to say.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
There’s been a lot of talk about what roster dominoes will fall when Story, Anthony, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa do conclude their rehabs. But as of now, Tracy isn’t guaranteeing playing time to anyone. “I don’t foresee a scenario where we get new players here, and I’m just going to not play the guys [who have been playing],” Tracy said “We’re getting to the point of the season where we have a month left. It’s about trying to win every single game. What gives us the best chance that night’s game to do that? This is not necessarily the point of the season where it’s like we’re going to work through it. We’ve got to go out there and try to win the game — and that’s with whoever’s available that night to start.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
And things could get even more complicated if Curtis Mead returns, which is apparently possible, as his hard cast was removed this week. “I know that’s just step one and there’s still a good bit of time here after this comes off and what he’s got to do just to get it strong enough to even begin baseball activities,” Tracy said. “So [there’s] hope, but we’ve still got to temper that hope and just see if everything goes well with the next steps.” (Conor Ryan, Boston.com)
Tracy won’t have any room fitting Garrett Whitlock back into the bullpen, though. Whitlock struck out Caleb Durbin and Eli White before yesterday’s game and is on track to return imminently. “Body felt good, arm felt good. So everything you want,” he said. (Chrisopher Smith, MassLive)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Ralphy Velazquez #22 of the Cleveland Guardians bats in the MLB All-Star Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
To sleep, aye, perchance to dream of a World Series title, there’s the rub.
Since the August 3rd trade deadline, Cleveland has made a solid progression as an offense. They went from the 27th-ranked offense in MLB with a 92 wRC+ and a slashline of .231/.310/.370 to the tenth-ranked offense in MLB at 103 wRC+ with a slashline of .263/.340/.374. You can see, of course, the issue with the growth; the Guardians’ slugging percentage has barely moved as they remain one of the worst teams in MLB at hitting home runs (29th-ranked in homers for the season and for the month of August so far).
Far be it from me to look a gift horse in the mouth: I am very happy with the advancements the team made at the deadline acquiring Nathaniel Lowe and Jo Adell, as well as promoting Angel Genao. I am thrilled that Steven Kwan has become the third best hitter in baseball over the past two months and optimistic about Jose Ramirez’s chances of regaining consistent doubles power (at least) as his surgically-repaired hand continues to gain strength. Also, Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana SHOULD find their way to a few more homers as they continue to adjust to the league in their rookie seasons (provided DeLauter can remain healthy).
But, there’s little doubt the Guardians could use some more pop in their lineup if they really want to make a run to end the season and, then, to aim for a pennant. Good news – the Columbus Clippers lead all of minor league baseball in home runs. Yes, Columbus plays in a bandbox. Yes, Triple-A pitching is horrible. But, there are some legitimate power threats on the Guardians’ Triple-A team. Should one or more of these sluggers be added to the major league team – perhaps in time for tomorrow’s homestand against the Royals?
The most attractive candidates are:
Ralphy Velazquez, 21 years old, LHH, 1B/LF – 133 wRC+, .275 ISO, .970 OPS vs. RHP/.840 OPS vs. LHP, .1.061 OPS at Columbus, .800 OPS away.
Cooper Ingle, 24 years old, LHH, C/LF/DH – 154 wRC+, .244 ISO, 1.021 vs. RHP/.534 OPS vs. LHP, 1.009 OPS at Columbus/.854 OPS away
Kody Huff, 25 years old, RHH, C/1B – 130 wRC+, .247 ISO, .893 OPS vs. RHP/.842 vs. LHP, .896 at Columbus/868 away.
Milan Tolentino, 24 years old, LHH, UIF – 108 wRC+, .231 ISO, .811 OPS vs. RHP/.776 vs. LHP, .780 at Columbus/.826 OPS away
I think it’s probably helpful to look at how these players have been handling specific pitches over the past two months as they’ve been developing. So, here’s their wOBA/xwOBA vs. all fastballs since 7/1:
We have discussed the dilemma for the Guardians regarding Ralphy. If they call him up, they will miss out on his continued development in 2027 if there is a lockout that costs them major league games. Certainly, Chris Antonetti is far more qualified than I am to judge on how likely that outcome should be considered. I do not believe, in any case, it is a compelling argument against calling Velazquez up IF he can help the team. And, I think, looking at the numbers above, there is a decent chance Ralphy could help the team… BUT he will need consistent, almost daily, at-bats and they should be prepared for the usual adjustment period. Given DeLauter’s hamstring troubles, one would have to assume Chase will mostly be limited to the DH role, meaning Ralphy will have to be comfortable playing left field with Kwan in center and Adell in right field. Ralphy would then replace either Angel Martinez or Petey Halpin, depending on team’s comfort level with Martinez in centerfield.
Is Velazquez ready for full-time left field reps? Only the team can hazard a guess on this. We know Cooper Ingle wasn’t ready on his call-up. Is the team capable of enduring what will likely be a 3-weekish adjustment period for Velazquez to acclimate himself to big league pitching in hopes he will be ready to crush pitches in time for the end of the season/playoffs? We should be very excited about Ralphy’s numbers given his age at Triple-A. This is very likely to be a middle-of-the-order hitter when he is big league ready… but the chances are fairly slim that he is currently ready given his age. Now, there is a chance he is making the adjustments currently to demonstrate that he IS ready for the challenge, seeing breaking balls and offspeed well-enough to get challenge by the best versions of those pitches. But, this is no sure thing. Do you take the risk he may help now… or carefully do whatever you can to give him the best shot at being ready to help in 2027? That’s the quandry before the Guardians’ front office right now and I cannot say that I know the solution with any certainty.
As for the other options, Tolentino is a great depth option to have. Should (God-forbid) Brayan Rocchio, Bazzana or Genao get hurt, I think Tolentino should be the next player called up. He has potential to provide some pop (and a lot of strikeouts) while playing great defense. But, he is a utility player at best. Personally, I would like to see Kody Huff replace David Fry on the roster, but I can understand why the team continues to believe Fry has a better chance of providing something in that bench role. Huff’s struggles against fastballs are likely a fatal flaw if he doesn’t figure something out there, even though a role as a backup catcher role would still be within reach.
Finally, Ingle still shows the signs of being a hitter who needs the challenge of big league opportunities. The problems with him revolve around positional fit and platoon issues. The team clearly doesn’t trust that he’s a big league-quality catcher (and the position is ably manned by Patrick Bailey and Austin Hedges, currently) and we saw his defense in left-field earlier – alarming and undesirable! Has he improved enough in left field to earn another look? I cannot claim to know the answer, but I would guess it is probably “no.” I think Ingle might be a guy to get DH/LF/3rd Catcher reps during September call-ups, if anything, but I’m beginning to wonder if he ends up being a trade chip in the offseason.
The Guardians could look at acquiring Eugenio Suarez, recently put on waivers by the Reds. Suarez has a .248 ISO since July 1st with 11 homers. As a right-handed slugger, Suarez could probably play the Fry/Hoskins role (without being able to play outfield as Fry can) better than what we could hope Huff could play that role (again, without outfield abilities). I certainly would not oppose that move, but I’m also not desperate for the team to make it given the volatility of Suarez’s value due to his age and positional limitations.
It will be interesting to see what the Guardians do – or DON’T do – over the next few weeks to try to find some more slugging for their improved lineup. Is it hoping for natural development/positive regression? Is it a September call-up of a guy like Cooper Ingle? Is it finding a cast-off vet like Suarez, capable of providing a little punch? Or, is it something a little more daring in the much anticitpated call-up of Ralphy Velazquez? Stay tuned to find out.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 14: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park on September 14, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One is the number. What number, you may ask? One win that the Dodgers look for before leaving Atlanta? One-run losses as the theme of this series against the Braves? One unequivocally poor performance in a season’s worth of games for Chris Sale, who in all but one of his 23 starts this season has allowed no more than three earned runs? There are ones all over the place.
For as dominant as Sale has been in 2026, the veteran southpaw has also gone through an issue in that the Braves’ record in his starts doesn’t accurately reflect his level of dominance. It’s not even entirely a run support issue given that Atlanta averages a little over 5 runs per game in his starts but more of a distribution problem. Despite the Braves’ outstanding campaign, they’ve too often failed to capitalize on dominant starts by their ace, possessing only a 13-10 record when Sale takes the mound. One of those losses came against the Dodgers when these two clubs last met in early May. The former Cy Young winner did his usual thing with seven quality innings, but the Braves offense had no answers to Emmet Sheehan and the Dodgers’ bullpen in a 3-1 loss.
In fact, Sale comes into this game having pitched three straight quality starts in August only to lose each one of them as the Braves offense has let him down with just five runs across three games. Meanwhile, the Dodgers starter, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, relishes the challenge of pitching on the road against a Braves offense with far superior numbers at home (.760 OPS at home and .690 away). Yamamoto comes into this game having helped the Dodgers to a win in each of his last six starts away from home.
