PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 22: Héctor Rodríguez #43 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after hitting his first career home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning at Chase Field on August 22, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The moribund Cincinnati Reds looked just that for most of their three-game series by the San Francisco Bay. They entered play on Wednesday afternoon having scored just a lone run through the first two games of the series, that coming late on Tuesday in the form of a solo Sal Stewart homer.
Not even moving Hector Rodriguez to the leadoff spot could seemingly spark enough of a turnaround, even though he’d homered earlier on Wednesday. The problem this time was that starter Nick Lodolo and the bullpen arms who backed him had struggled mightily themselves, and the Reds found themselves in a 9-3 hole heading into the Top of the 9th.
It was Rodriguez who got that party started, too, even if he did so with a noted ‘rally killer.’ Of course, when the rally killer comes off the bat at 115 mph and lands in McCovey Cove, the one run may well have been a bit more magnified to the bats behind him that suddenly saw the ball go in the basket for once.
The Reds later loaded the bases for the struggling Eugenio Suarez, who un-struggled the bases clear with a monster grand slam into the wind that brought the Reds to within 9-8.
The Reds later kept the pressure on with some noted small ball that featured an infield single, an error by the defense, and even a Matt McLain bunt single. Jose Trevino then leveled the score with a sac fly before Tyler Stephenson smoked a liner into LF to drive in the game’s final run and give Cincinnati a 10-9 lead that Emilio Pagan made good.
Quite the way to finish an otherwise dismal road trip. We’ll see if the Reds have what it takes to a) channel this momentum and b) capitalize on a lineup shuffle that maybe, just maybe will get Hector hot and put some more runs on the board going into the meat of their schedule.
KNOXVILLE, TN - MAY 31: Wake Forest Demon Deacons infielder Dalton Wentz (1) hits the ball during the NCAA Division I Regional Tournament baseball game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Miami (OH) RedHawks on May 31, 2025, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
For the final time this year, five of the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates were in action on Tuesday. Let’s jump straight into it.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
A trio of pitchers are headed to AAA Sacramento from AA Richmond: RHPs Trystan Vrieling, R.J. Dabovich, and Darien Smith.
In less happy news, High-A Eugene RHP Ramon Marquez was placed on the 7-Day IL. Fingers crossed that it’s nothing bad. Richmond shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) was also placed on the IL, while Low-A San Jose RHP Sam Knowlton was released.
AAA Sacramento (72-52)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Reno Aces (D-Backs) 12-3 Box score
The Giants have a lot of outfielders, and it’s going to create a thorny situation this offseason. Even having traded Heliot Ramos, San Francisco has 7 outfielders on the 40-man roster, and that doesn’t even count Casey Schmitt, who might have pole position for the opening day left field spot.
That number figures to grow in the offseason, too. Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) will need to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft and, if he doesn’t debut before then, it sure looks like Scott Bandura will need to be as well.
Bandura, a 7th-round pick in 2023, continued his assault on the league on Tuesday, hitting a nearly-perfect 4-5 with a triple, a walk, a stolen base, and 4 runs batted in.
On the one hand, that’s an absurd day. On the other hand, it’s kind of just the norm with Bandura these days. It was the 12th time this month that he’s had a multi-hit game. It was the 4th game in a row in which he had multiple hits and at least 1 extra-base knock. It gave him a 6-game hitting streak, during which time he’s gone 16-27 with 6 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and 0 strikeouts. It’s given him a 2nd consecutive month with an OPS that begins with a 1.
Let’s run the splits once more on his run in AAA following an early-season promotion:
First 34 games: 31-129, 1 home run, 2 triples, 7 doubles, 8 walks, 28 strikeouts Next 45 games: 71-181, 7 home runs, 1 triple, 14 doubles, 31 walks, 25 strikeouts
That all adds up to an .896 OPS and a 135 wRC+. Add in the 21 stolen bases (in just 22 attempts) and the solid defense, and that’s a player who will absolutely need to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft … and possibly should be playing ahead of some of the other players on the MLB roster right now. The Giants have already had 4 outfielders make their Major League debuts this season … could that number soon be 5? It sure feels like the lefty has mastered the level.
Were he Rule 5 eligible, we might also be talking about an upcoming debut for third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), who has seamlessly handled the transition to AAA. Unlike Davidson and Bandura, who had slow starts and then caught absolute fire, Harber has been more steady, for better and for worse. He’s been extremely solid his entire time in AAA, without ever really struggling too much or going on an absolute heater. There’s a lot to be said for consistency when that consistency is well above average!
Harber had himself a lovely Tuesday, hitting 3-4 with a double, a sacrifice fly, a walk, and a strikeout. He’s now at an .894 OPS and a 133 wRC+ with Sacramento, and through 32 games he’s really been a remarkably balanced offensive package. He’s hitting for average (.313), hitting for power (.180 iso), drawing walks (11.8% rate), and limiting strikeouts (21.7% rate). With him not being Rule 5 eligible and an impending lockout, I’d guess that he stays in Sacramento for the rest of the year.
As for Davidson, he had a very rare hitless day, going 0-4 with a strikeout, but he did draw 2 walks.
Designated hitter Eddys Leonard had an awesome day, hitting 2-2 with a double and 3 walks. He’s no longer on the 40-man roster, so we probably won’t see him back in the Majors, but good to see him putting up nice numbers.
A fairly nondescript pitching performance in a bullpen game. The exciting news was that MLB LHP Matt Gage made his 2nd rehab appearance, and retired all 3 batters he faced, with a strikeout. The fact that Gage has returned to the mound this season at all is a big win, and it looks like we’ll see him back in the Majors soon, too.
RHP Christian Alvarado got stretched to 3 innings of relief and handled them brilliantly, giving up 2 hits, 0 walks, and 0 runs, with 2 strikeouts. The 31-year old has been an excellent story and is settling in to his 1st AAA experience. He could be a factor in the MLB bullpen in 2027.
The home run surge continues for first baseman Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL). The just-turned 24-year old, who was a 3rd-round pick by the Braves in 2023 before being shipped to San Francisco in the Jorge Soler deal, went 1-3 in this game, with a walk, a stolen base, a strikeout, and, critically, a solo home run.
A year after Ceballos saw his power shockingly evaporate, the Oregon Duck has tapped back into it in a big way. Last year, Ceballos spent the entire season with Richmond and hit just 6 home runs. This year? He’s already at 16, despite only having 27 more plate appearances.
That power surge is exciting and encouraging but, unfortunately, it’s not really leading to a good overall line, even though the righty draws a ton of walks, too. He has just a .741 OPS on the year which, thanks to the Eastern League’s improved offense this year, is good for just a 104 wRC+, only 2 points over last season’s. Ceballos continues to run an extremely bizarre low-strikeout, low-average profile. Despite striking out just 18.8% of the time, he has a meager .220 batting average, and those numbers were similar last year (17.4% and .232, respectively). That strikeout rate is 21st out of 121 EL hitters with at least 200 plate appearances this year … but the batting average is 95th. Very odd.
Richmond is currently lacking in top prospects, since outfielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) and shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) are both on the IL. So it was up to center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) to hold it down for the big namers, and hold it down he did. Cohen, last year’s 3rd-round pick, reached base in all 4 of his plate appearances, as he bopped 2 singles and drew 2 walks.
Cohen has been scuffling a bit following a hot start to AA. Over his last 12 games, he’s 9-49 with no home runs, 1 triple, 1 double, 7 walks, and 7 strikeouts. It’s still been a very strong debut at the level, given that this is his 1st full season of pro ball, and that he’s playing excellent outfield defense with 14 stolen bases in 22 AA games. He has a .735 OPS and a 98 wRC+, though those numbers will likely come up given his 118 wRC+ with High-A Eugene.
Fairly uninteresting pitching performance. RHP Trystan Vrieling had another fine-but-not-particularly-good start, as he gave up 2 baserunners per inning, allowing 7 hits (including a home run), 3 walks, and 2 runs in 5 innings, with 5 strikeouts. That’s just kind of been the year for Vrieling, who has been consistently mediocre. In 23 starts this year, the 2022 3rd-rounder (by the Yankees), Vrieling has given up 4 or more earned runs just 5 times, but has a 4.23 ERA and a 5.03 FIP, with just 8.3 strikeouts per 9 innings and 5.3 walks. Just not a ton to be excited about, unfortunately.
Another scoreless outing from LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL), who retired all 3 batters he faced. It was Choate’s 3rd straight game without allowing a hit, and he’s really been strong this year save for one awful game in early July. Walks are the big issue for the funky southpaw right now, as he’s given up 5.9 per 9 innings. The 11.2 strikeouts, however, have helped lead to a 3.05 ERA and a 3.92 FIP.
High-A Eugene (73-47)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 10-4 Box score
There were two big stories from two exciting young talents, one on each side of the ball.
In the batter’s box it was second baseman Dalton Wentz, who left the yard for the first time in his young career. Not only that, but he did it in grand fashion … the switch-hitter went 1-3 with 2 walks and a strikeout on the day, and smashed a glorious grand slam in the 1st inning.
Needless to say, that’s a swing that Wentz will never, ever forget! It’s been a slightly slow start for Wentz, which is understandable given that he went straight from college to High-A, with a few months in there to accumulate some rust. The 16th-rounder, who was given a 4th-round sized bonus, is 6-21 through 5 career games, with 2 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and 7 strikeouts. There’s a lot in his bat worth being excited about, though, as that swing is evidence of!
The other excitement came on the mound, courtesy of LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL). It was one of Bresnahan’s worst games in a while from a run suppression standpoint, as he gave up 4 earned runs. But that certainly doesn’t tell the whole story, as the 21-year old southpaw was otherwise dominant, giving up less than a baserunner per inning (4 hits and 1 walk in 6 frames) while striking out 10 batters. 10!
10 STRIKEOUTS 🔥
Jacob Bresnahan delivered another dominant start last night, allowing just 1 hit over his final 5.2 innings while matching a season high with 10 strikeouts.
It was a doubly encouraging start because of how well Bresnahan settled into place. He let the 1st 3 baserunners he faced reach base, and then gave up a 1-out grand slam. And then that was that. He faced 15 more batters and retired 14 of them. He couldn’t be touched.
The grand slam allowed was notable, however, and not just because it put runs on Bresnahan’s sterling ERA, which sits at 2.92 (his FIP is lagging at 4.28). Bresnahan gave up just 2 home runs last year in Low-A, in 93 innings. This year? He’s at 13 already, in just 98.2 frames.
But the good news? Those home runs are really the only bad news. Bresnahan is striking out 10.8 batters per 9 innings, only walking 3.5, and, perhaps most impressively, allowing opponents to hit just .183 against. That’s the 2nd year running that Bresnahan is keep opposing hitters on the interstate! Mighty impressive.
Those were the stars, but there were some other nice performances. Left fielder Walker Martin went 3-4 with a walk, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout; the 22-year old lefty has a .739 OPS, a 93 wRC+, and 18 stolen bases in 21 attempts. Shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) went 2-5 with a stolen base, a caught stealing, and a strikeout; the 19-year old switch-hitter is rocking an .867 OPS and a 128 wRC+, with 13 stolen bases in 19 attempts. And third baseman Hayden Jatczak hit 2-4 with a walk, a stolen base, 3 runs batted in, and an error; the 25-year old righty has a .685 OPS and an 88 wRC+ through 25 games at the level, with 3 stolen bases in as many attempts.
Low-A San Jose (71-50)
San Jose Giants beat the Visalia Rawhide (D-Backs) 6-5 Box score
An exciting game for the Baby Giants, who used a 4-run rally in the bottom of the 9th to turn a 5-2 deficit into a walk-off win. It was certainly a case of letting the other team grant you a gift, as the inning featured a walk, a hit batter, and 3 wild pitchers … the final of which allowed center fielder Peyton Bonds to score the go-home-happy run.
TAKE A WALK(OFF) ON THE WILD SIDE. Giants score 4 in the 9th and have now won ELEVEN games in a row! pic.twitter.com/zrm1zjipBn
While it was a tremendously exciting end to the game, it wasn’t a very exciting game from an individual performance standpoint. The offense was mild-mannered, with no extra-base knocks on the day. Bonds had another multi-hit game, though, as he went 2-5 with a strikeout and 2 runs batted in. Barry’s nephew, taken in the 3rd round in July’s draft, went 0-4 in his pro debut, but has gone 2-5 in both games since. A slower transition for second baseman Luke Nixon, the team’s 5th-round pick, who went 1-4 with a strikeout and his 1st career stolen base. Nixon is 1-10 with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts, but hey, he’s got an average now!
Another really nice game for left fielder Broedy Poppell, who went 2-3 with a walk, a strikeout, and a stolen base. It’s been a tough season for last year’s 13th-rounder, but he’s been red hot lately: in his last 7 games, Poppell has hit 12-23 with 7 extra-base hits and 7 walks, bringing his OPS up to .782 and his wRC+ to 100, with 15 stolen bases in as many attempts (impressive success rate!). Right fielder Tanner Mally, July’s 17th-round pick, continues to look comfortable, as he went 1-3 with 1 walk, 2 hit by pitches, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout. Through 15 games, Mally has a .972 OPS, a 158 wRC+, and 4 stolen bases in as many attempts.
RHP Trey Seeley had a pretty strong day on the mound, cruising through 6 innings while allowing just 3 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs, with 5 strikeouts, though he gave up a home run. A 14th-round pick out of Hope International a year ago, Seeley has been pretty strong lately, after a slow start to his career. But, despite that, one of the funnier stats in the system took a step forward with this game, as Seeley did a good job limiting hits, but did give up a home run. That has been the season for him, and the numbers are truly shocking: Seeley has given up 42 hits this year with the Baby Giants, and 14 of them have left the park. Add in the home run he allowed in 9 innings in the Complex League, and Seeley has given up 15 big flies this year, which is 4th-most in the entire system. The 48.2 innings pitched? 40th. And that’s how you end up with a 6.84 ERA and a 7.46 FIP across the 2 levels.
Dominican Summer League Black
DSL Giants Black lost to the DSL Padres Gold 8-3 Box score
And with that, the DSL season is over. The Giants Orange team didn’t make the playoffs and, after a nice run, the Giants Black team was eliminated.
It was not for lack of effort by their starting pitcher, RHP Santiago Guerrero. The 19-year old from Mexico capped off an intriguing debut season with a dominant showing, striking out 7 batters in 5 shutout innings, while allowing just 1 hit and 1 walk. What a spectacular game! You don’t see pitching performances like that in the DSL very frequently.
Guerrero, who ended the regular season strong, finished the season (which doesn’t include his pair of postseason starts) with a 3.34 ERA but a 6.04 FIP. Including the postseason, he struck out 49 batters in 43 innings … but walked 38. There was a lot to love, but a lot to work on in his 2nd season.
Right fielder Vinicius Dos Santos had a pinch hit home run, which was notable since it was just his 2nd career home run in 3 seasons. Center fielder Djean Macares went 2-4 with a walk and 2 stolen bases. The 18-year old from Aruba finished his 2nd season with an .828 OPS, a 121 wRC+, 26 stolen bases, and a 9.7% strikeout rate … my guess would be that this was his final game in the DSL.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 23: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Busch Stadium on July 23, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s game 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals playing host to the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday night. Michael McGreevy gets the start for the Cardinals while the Orioles will send Kyle Bradish to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm central time at Busch Stadium while the game broadcast is available via Cardinals.tv.
Mason Miller's unreal homerless streak came to an end in the top of the ninth inning at Petco Park on Tuesday night via a go-ahead solo shot from Oneil Cruz, the only run of the game in the San Diego Padres' 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Up until then, Miller hadn't given up a home run in over a calendar year.
After the game, Padres manager Craig Stammen summed up the rare misstep from baseball's most dominant closer in a few words.
"He's human," Stammen told reporters. "Part of the gig when you're pitching. Every once in a while, someone's gonna get you."
Or, as Miller put it when his manager's comments were relayed to him, "Humans can be idiots sometimes."
"Tip your hat," Miller told reporters. "Good swing. Crushed it obviously. But I just can't be throwing that pitch in that spot."
The pitch, a changeup, was perhaps just as rare a sighting from Miller as the long ball. It's the third pitch in his repertoire, but his fastball and slider are both so effective that he only throws it 2% of the time this season, according to Baseball Savant. And of that 2%, he's thrown the changeup exclusively to left-handed batters.
Miller felt good about his pitch selection, which he says was part of his plan from the scouting reports and prep work he had done leading up to the series against the Pirates. He tried to place it low and away but, instead, left it hanging over the inside part of the plate; a disastrous location against lefties, especially those with as much pop as Cruz.
The result was predictable: a 111.8 mph missile over the porch in right field.
"Looking back, I can be a good enough self-evaluator to say that that was a stupid pitch," Miller said. "But, yeah, I was convicted in it and had a plan. Didn’t execute it."
Miller's status was unclear throughout most of Tuesday, as he had thrown 30 pitches in Monday's 12-inning loss to the Pirates and pitched in three of their last four games. But Miller said that didn't factor in. He went through his normal pregame routine and let Stammen know he was ready if he needed to be called upon.
"I felt good enough to go today," Miller said. "We had a lot of guys throw yesterday. That’s part of my value and part of my responsibility to this team and to my teammates − to be available any time that I can.
"My workload’s been high. But it wasn’t: 'Yeah, I wasn’t feeling good, didn’t have my best stuff.' I think it was just one dumb pitch, and that’s kind of the story."
Stammen, meanwhile, wasn't going to be one to question his shut-down closer in that situation.
"When a pitcher like Mason says 'Hey, give me the ball,' you're willing and able to give him the ball," Stammen said. "Especially where we're at in the season."
The Padres, one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past month, entered Wednesday just a half-game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final wild card spot in the National League.
Aug 25, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) celebrates with right fielder Leody Taveras (30) and second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) after hitting a three run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Orioles vs Cardinals 7:45 EDT MASN/MASN+
The Orioles laid the smack down on the Cardinals last night with a 13-1 victory to kick off their nine-game road trip. It was an exciting win but let’s be honest: we are Orioles fans. We know that this means the Orioles will probably suffer a demoralizing loss tonight. Maybe a two-hitter? Or maybe they’ll have plenty of baserunners but strand them all until someone hits a too little, too late home run in the ninth inning.
I don’t want to think that way. But the Orioles did this to me. It’s not my fault. You understand.
But maybe, just maybe, the Orioles will build on their strong start and take the series tonight. They are facing solid righty Michael McGreevy, who has a 3.54 ERA in 25 starts this season. The good news is he does give up home runs (18 in 137.1 innings), and he’s not a big strikeout guy (6.2 K/9). McGreevy has been with the Cardinals for his entire short career; only Pete Alonso has ever faced him (o-for-2).
The Orioles will be looking for a strong start from Kyle Bradish who worked without his best stuff against the Yankees back on August 20th. He kept his team in the game but allowed a lot of baserunners and two home runs. His team lost, but not because of him.
Alonso is back at DH today with Samuel Basallo playing first base. With a righty on the mound, lefties Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers are both in the lineup. Coby Mayo starts the game on the bench.
Tyler O’Neill, who hurt his shoulder on his game-saving catch last Saturday, had an MRI yesterday and was diagnosed with a rotator cuff strain. Luis Vázquez will replace O’Neill on the roster, though as of 6:25 that move isn’t official. O’Neill hasn’t been on the IL since April, so I guess he was due.
Orioles lineup
Jackson Holliday (L) 2B Pete Alonso (R) DH Gunnar Henderson (L) SS Samuel Basallo (L) 1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R) 3B Dylan Beavers (L) LF Leody Taveras (S) RF Colton Cowser (L) CF Carlos Narváez (R) C
Cardinals lineup
JJ Wetherholt (L) SS Iván Herrera (R) DH Alec Burleson (L) 1B Jordan Walker (R) RF Nathan Church (L) CF José Fermín (R) 2B Nolan Gorman (L) 3B Bryan Torres (L) LF Jimmy Crooks (L) C
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 25: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers singles in the seventh inning during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dodgers look to get back in the win column as they take on the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. Roki Sasaki faces A.J. Smith-Shawver.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 24: Luis Arraez #4 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park on August 24, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wisely decided to become extreme sellers at this year’s trade deadline, swapping six major-leaguers in five separate trades. While the players coming back are all in the minor leagues, besides reliever Anthony Molina, the ex-Giants are all over the playoff race. Here’s how these old friends are faring in their new homes.
Luis Arraez
The Giants second baseman is hitting almost exactly the same for the Philadelphia Phillies as he did for the Giants, slashing .305/.318/.439 in 20 games, compared to .324/.360/.440 (he’s walking less). The Phillies have gone 13-7 since trading for Arraez, including nine-game win streak (what’s that?). He still holds a comfortable lead in the race for the batting title, hitting .321, 14 points clear of Nick Gonzales.
Arraez has been hitting cleanup for the Phillies as protection for Bryce Harper, who seems to have been inspired by the Contact King by significantly cutting his rate of chasing pitches since Arraez arrived. Even shuffling their defensive alignment to accommodate Arraez at second base has worked, with Harper shifting to right field, Alec Bohm moving to first base, and Bryson Stott going to third.
Caleb Killian
The erstwhile Giants closer made only four appearances for the Phillies before going on the injured list with a left oblique strain. He had a nightmarish outing in his second appearance with the Phils, giving up four runs in the top of the 11th inning for his 7th loss of the season. He did get his fourth win in his final appearance in the City of Brotherly Love in an extra-inning win.
Robbie Ray
Robbie Ray has made four starts for the San Diego Padres, going 1-1 with a 3.98 ERA and going about five innings per game. It’s a small sample size, but the biggest change is that Ray has given up a home run about every five innings, as opposed to every eight innings with the Giants. He’s not working as far into games, which seems tied to walking about a third more hitters, as well as the Padres’ bullpen full of flame throwers.
The Padres remain a game up in the NL wild-card race, just ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Adding Ray could prove crucial for their injury-plagued starters, though they should be getting Joe Musgrove back soon.
Heliot Ramos
Former Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos has not had much success since joining the New York Yankees. He’s slashing .113/.230/.189 with 18 strikeouts in 16 games. Ramos has six hits in 53 at-bats, scoring one run and delivering just one RBI. It’s terrible timing for a Yankees lineup that already skews heavily left-handed with Aaron Judge out, but Ramos isn’t hitting anyone who throws with either hand right now.
Erik Miller
The Giants lefty specialist has been awesome for the Boston Red Sox. He’s thrown 10 1/3 innings and struck out a whopping 18 batters, walking three and giving up seven hits. He’s given up a single run, unearned, and hit one batter. Facing his old team last weekend, Miller got into one game and struck out Jonah Cox and Willy Adames in his one inning of work.
The Atlanta Braves have gotten solid work from Tyler Mahle, who is 2-1 in four starts with a 1.52 ERA. He got a no-decision after throwing six shutout innings in his first Braves start, and has gone at least five innings in each start, with 23 strikeouts against five walks. He’s stopped using his cutter as much and relied on a splitter more, while also benefiting from the Braves’ superior defense.
"I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once, as I ever was."
Ronald Acuña Jr's defense gets maligned a lot these days, but he gets Tyler Mahle out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 2nd thanks to this sliding catch pic.twitter.com/LDezk8ROD9
— Lindsay Crosby, big baseball guy (@CrosbyBaseball) August 23, 2026
It’s nice to see some beloved Giants succeed, and even some less beloved Giants do well. If anything, the better traded Giants do, the easier it might be to make future trades. It’d be nice to see Ramos pull things together, because someone from the 2026 Giants should get to enjoy the playoffs at least.
Jul 17, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of the home run dragon of the Toronto Blue Jays during batting practice before a game against the Chicago White Sox at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Game Two of Three with the Royals, who are now on a 9 game win streak. Ending it would be a good idea.
Also it would be nice if we were make fewer mistakes. Vlad throwing wide of first (he leads first basemen with eight errors, for a .990 fielding average). And Lukes….well, we’ve talked about that enough. Baseball is much better when it is the other team making the mistakes.
We are going to see a few different pitchers for the Jays today, putting to test the line about ‘if you use enough pitchers, sooner or later you are going to find the one that doesn’t have it today’. But we have done well on bullpen days.
Aug 26, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez (44) fails to catch a two-run home run by Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper (3, not pictured) during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Phillies 6, Mariners 0
Breaking up the no-no: Jhonny Pereda, 0.01 WPA
A mistake pitch to the home-run leader: Bryan Woo, -0.38 WPA
The Atlanta Braves could secure a series win tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers that could go a long way in boosting confidence that the Braves are in fact a serious contender for the World Series.
AJ Smith-Shawver will be making his third start of the season having not surpassed 4.1 innings in start so far. Roki Sasaki is scheduled to take the mound for the Dodgers in the midst of a season where he is eating a ton of innings, but has struggled to keep runs off the board with a 4.42 ERA.
On paper this game should be the highest scoring of the three, but outcomes are rarely guaranteed in MLB. Follow along in the comments.
Aug 26, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The game got started early today— much to the relief of us East Coasters— and so did the Phillies—much to the relief of all of us. Kyle Schwarber doubled to begin the game, and Bryce Harper ensured he wouldn’t have to wait around on base for long, scoring the both of them with a gopher ball over the fence in left-center. Not content to simply have a homer, Harper decided to take one away, too, leaping to snatch a Julio Rodríguez ball out of the air to end the Seattle 1st. The seas remained treacherous in the second for Seattle and their starter, Bryan Woo, as the Phillies once more led off an inning with a double, this one courtesy of Bryson Stott; he was soon joined by Brandon Marsh via walk. Justin Crawford bedeviled Woo across nine pitches, four of them with two strikes, then singled to right to score Stott. Woo made the mistake of offering a fastball right down the middle to Schwarber, an event that can only have one conclusion; the only question was which fan would take home the souvenir. The score was 6-0, and Schwarber had become the first player to hit 40 homers in the 2026 campaign.
While Woo wondered if someone in the Seattle lineup might’ve shot an albatross (bad luck for sailors), Jesús Luzardo had sunny skies and fair winds, navigating the first four innings without allowing a hit. He walked Randy Arozarena to open the fourth, then struck out the next two Mariners and induced a fly out from the third. It looked, for a moment, like his first surrendered hit would come on an infield single in the 5th, as J.P. Crawford chopped one to Trea Turner such that only a heroic throw would beat him. But Turner did indeed make such a throw. Alec Bohm was pulled far enough off the bag that the Mariners thought they might be able to get it overturned; review upheld the call. In the end, the ball that finally beat Luzardo wasn’t a homer or an infield single, but just an ordinary line drive hit, in this case at the hands of Jhonny Pereda.
The Phillies put their first two batters of the sixth aboard (Bohm and Stott, both via single). The inning ought to have ended on a double play, but a high throw from keystone man Brock Rodden on the relay instead put the Phillies in a two-out, runners at the corners situation. Seattle didn’t pay a price for the mistake, ending the inning on a ground out soon after.
Luzardo’s day ended after the 7th, with his final line being one hit, three walks, nine Ks, and no runs. Tim Mayza took the 8th, and the Mariners fared no better against him than they did against Luzardo. They fared slightly better against Jhoan Duran in the 9th, in that they did get a hit against him. But they didn’t get anything else.
The Phillies are 74-60. They’ll return to action Friday night against the Angels.
Tristan Peters has gone deep in four straight. Can he make it five? | (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
After a much-needed offensive outburst on Tuesday, the White Sox are back at it, looking to capture their second straight series with another victory tonight.
Last night’s win kept the South Siders clinging to a 2 1/2-game edge in the AL Central, with the Guardians refusing to go away after stealing one in extra innings out in Anaheim. Cleveland is on a roll, going 8-2 over its last 10 and riding a six-game heater, while the South Siders have been stuck in neutral at 5-5. It’s time for the Good Guys to string together a streak of their own, and after dropping 11 runs yesterday, there’s no better time to start.
The White Sox will send Sean Burke to the bump. After an outstanding July in which he went 2-1 with a 1.14 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in five appearances, Burke has come back to Earth a bit in August. The righthander is 0-1 with a 4.57 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over four outings this month, and he has failed to make it through the fifth inning twice. With the Guardians refusing to cool off, the Sox could use both length and a return to July form from Burke tonight.
Burke’s Baseball Savant profile provides a fairly clear blueprint for how he can succeed. His four-seam fastball has been his greatest weapon, ranking in the 97th percentile in run value, while his cutter sits in the 87th percentile. Those two pitches have helped his overall fastball run value reach the 97th percentile. Burke also ranks well in chase rate, strikeout rate and walk rate, so his best path against Texas will be to establish the fastball, get ahead and use the cutter to keep hitters from sitting on the four-seamer. His breaking pitches have been much less effective — including a curveball in the 21st percentile in run value — and his low ground-ball rate makes mistakes particularly dangerous. Against a Rangers lineup with several potent bats, Burke cannot afford to fall behind and leave hittable pitches over the heart of the plate.
Texas will counter with lefthander MacKenzie Gore, who joined the Rangers in a January trade with the Washington Nationals and has settled into the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind Jacob deGrom. Unlike Burke, Gore has been at his best lately, compiling a 1.57 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across four August starts. His Savant numbers largely support that success: His four-seamer ranks in the 98th percentile in run value, while his changeup sits in the 83rd percentile and his slider in the 74th. Gore can miss bats and collect strikeouts, but the contact he allows gives the Sox a possible opening. He ranks in only the 23rd percentile in hard-hit rate and the 25th percentile in barrel rate, while his cutter and curveball sit in the 17th and 10th percentiles, respectively, in run value. The Sox will need to avoid chasing his best secondary pitches, force him into the zone and be ready to punish the cutter or curveball when either catches too much of the plate.
Miguel Vargas and Tristan Peters have led the regulars offensively over the last seven days, with Peters entering tonight after homering in four consecutive games. Meanwhile, Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami continue to struggle, and with the southpaw on the mound, Colson will get the night off. Gore’s four-seamer and changeup can both produce excellent results, so Chicago’s hitters cannot simply hunt fastballs and expect another output like Tuesday. Patient at-bats and damage against his weaker offerings will be essential if they want to keep the offense rolling.
The Rangers present a much different challenge at the plate, with four players batting better than .300 over the last seven days. Ezequiel Duran leads the way, hitting the cover off the ball with a .476/.577/.810 slash line and 1.387 OPS over that span. Burke has the weapons to slow down this lineup, but his fastball command will need to be sharp from the opening pitch.
Another win would secure the series and, more importantly, allow the White Sox to begin building some momentum of their own while the Guardians remain directly on their heels.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised on CHSN and can be heard on ESPN 1000.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 24: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers makes a catch at the wall during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on August 24, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 21: Elmer Rodriguez #71 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Yankee Stadium on June 21, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees lost in gut-punch fashion last night, the offense continuing to claw their way out of the summer swoon by putting up seven runs, only to see the bullpen blow multiple leads en route to a loss to the Astros, 9-7. The bats face a tougher test today relative to yesterday’s replacement level starter Ethan Pecko, Peter Lambert leading all Astros pitchers with 2.1 fWAR.
Elmer Rodríguez got the call up back to the big leagues as the Yankees weather the injury absences of Max Fried and Ryan Weathers. He last pitched in the majors on June 21st, giving up three runs in four innings against the Reds. He has pitched well in the intervening nine starts at Triple-A, with a 2.13 ERA across 46.1 innings thanks to an uptick in sinker velocity and curveball usage rate. In four starts with the big league club, Rodríguez is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA, 5.14 FIP, and ten strikeouts in 17 innings.
After four seasons with the Rockies and a year with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of NPB, Peter Lambert is finally finding a lane in the majors in his age-29 season. Signed from Japan on a minor league deal over the winter, Lambert manufactures success with the uncertainty generate from his expansive seven-pitch arsenal rather than possessing any one good pitch. He leads with a four-seamer that averages 94 mph before throwing a kitchen sink of changeups, sliders, cutters, sinkers, sweepers, and slurves. In 22 starts, Lambert is 8-7 with a 3.68 ERA (113 ERA+), 3.80 FIP, and 120 strikeouts in 122.1 innings.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Yankees roll out the exact same lineup that broke out for seven runs last night. Luis García Jr. and Cody Bellinger each homered and drove in three, the former as part of a four-hit night. Every member of the starting lineup reached base last night, only Trent Grisham and Austin Wells failing to register a hit.
The Astros meanwhile make a pair of changes to their lineup from last night. Catcher Yainer Diaz went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBIs, so it’s a relief to see him on the bench with Christian Vázquez taking his place behind the plate. Cam Smith collected a triple last night after entering as a pinch-hitter and he gets the start tonight over the man he replaced, LaMonte Wade Jr.
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY
First pitch: 7:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: Amazon Prime Video, Space City Home Network
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KLTN-TUDN 102.9 FM (HOU)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 12: Dustin May #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the San Diego Padres during the seventh inning at Petco Park on August 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
May has made three starts since joining the Brewers, with last Wednesday’s outing against the Mariners representing his first real stumble. After allowing just three earned runs with 11 strikeouts over 13 innings in his first two starts, May was tagged for seven runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out one over just two innings in Milwaukee’s 7-5 loss. For the season, he’s 6-8 with a 4.57 ERA, 3.36 FIP, and 118 strikeouts across 124 innings.
Stock, 36, is a former second-round pick who spent time in the Brewers organization in 2023. He debuted with the Padres in 2018 and later had brief stints with the Red Sox, Cubs, and Mets through 2021 before pitching overseas. Stock returned to the majors with two appearances for Boston last season before rejoining the Mets this year. He has made four starts in 2026, posting a 5.40 ERA and 4.10 FIP with 19 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. Those numbers are skewed by one particularly rough outing, when he surrendered eight of his 10 earned runs in a 9-0 loss to the Pirates in early August. The Mets have won in both of his last two starts, as he’s totaled 8 2/3 innings with two runs allowed (one earned) and 11 strikeouts against the Nationals and Padres.
Sal Frelick makes his return to the lineup after being activated from his IL stint yesterday, as he’ll start in left field and bat leadoff. Garrett Mitchell follows, with Brice Turang, Christian Yelich, and William Contreras in the 3-4-5 spots. Luis Lara moves up to bat sixth, with Andrew Vaughn, David Hamilton, and Cooper Pratt rounding things out, meaning Joey Ortiz and Jackson Chourio will start this one on the bench.
First pitch is at 6:10 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
