PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will be transferred to the 10-day injured list from the restricted list, three days after he failed to show up for a game in Boston.
General manager Mike Hazen confirmed Marte is headed to the injured list and will return once he’s healthy.
The three-time All-Star traveled back to Phoenix for tests on his left knee. Manager Torey Lovullo said he has struggled to get information from the veteran slugger throughout the process.
Marte’s absence and apparent injury come at a difficult time for the D-backs, who are fighting to make the playoffs for the first time since a run to the World Series in 2023. Arizona has a 67-61 record and is one game behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card spot.
Marte is hitting .249 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs so far this season.
This wasn’t the first time Marte had a strange disappearance.
Last season, he went on the restricted list when his home in Arizona was broken into during the All-Star break. He missed three games after flying back to his native Dominican Republic and later apologized for his absence.
BALTIMORE — Pete Alonso skipped sideways toward first base while his drive sailed toward the foul pole in left field. Then he tossed the bat aside, seemingly convinced he’d hit a home run.
From that distance and that angle, however, it was hard to be too certain.
Alonso’s deep fly was ruled foul, and the call stood after a review in Baltimore’s 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees. That led to plenty of outcry — and calls for baseball to use technology to evaluate possible home runs near the foul pole.
It doesn’t sound like that is imminent.
If baseball were to start using additional technology on fly balls like these, it would have to be developed, tested and installed by MLB, according to a person with knowledge of the issue. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
Unlike with the Automated Ball/Strike system, Hawk-Eye data above the foul pole is unlikely to be accurate that far from the field. It’s based on data from the first part of the ball’s flight, with the rest of the path estimated — meaning factors like wind aren’t fully accounted for.
Before the series finale, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said the front office had communicated with Major League Baseball about the call.
“Just said that there wasn’t enough video evidence to overturn the call on the field,” Albernaz said.
One angle showed the ball on the right side of the pole and another showed it on the left side. Neither provided much clarity on where the ball was at the moment it passed the pole and the wall in left, which was the key question.
If the ball were lower, the camera angles might’ve shown it passing in front of or behind the pole, but when a hit sails higher than the top of the pole, it’s not easy to find a definitive view.
The difference between a home run and a foul ball is substantial, so it’s understandable players would want to feel confident those calls are correct.
“Obviously, this is a big game in division, so obviously this one’s going to be a little bit more amplified. But this happens quite a few times throughout the season, more than you would think,” Alonso said after the game. “I think having a camera or laser shooting straight up, we have all the technology, analytics and whatever and funds. I don’t see why we can’t do it.”
The ABS system launched in the majors this year, and MLB has been experimenting in the minors with technology allowing challenges to checked swing calls.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Cubs moneyline
Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket
Matthew Boyd has struggled of late, allowing four home runs and seven earned runs in his last outing. But that poor performance may be exactly why we're getting an opportunity in the market, and I think the matchup at T-Mobile Park sets up well for a bounce-back start.
Boyd is a fly-ball pitcher, which can make him vulnerable depending on the ballpark and weather conditions. T-Mobile Park is an ideal setting for him, as the marine layer can limit the carry on fly balls and help mitigate his biggest weakness.
His overall numbers haven't been great this season, but many of his struggles have come at Wrigley Field. On the road, Boyd has posted a 2.57 ERA while allowing just two home runs, compared to 11 at Wrigley.
The Cubs are trading at 51 cents on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 54-cent favorite, giving us an edge at the current price.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
How to watch: MARQ, Mariners.TV
Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Rays moneyline
Price: 47¢ (+113) at Polymarket
The Rays have lost five of their last seven games, but are in a prime bounce-back spot as underdogs against Trevor Rogers and the Baltimore Orioles on the road.
Yandy Diaz (7-for-13, .591 xSLG), Junior Caminero (3-for-10, .278 xBA), and Ryan Vilade (4-for-4, HR) have all had their way against Rogers, who's coughed up a homer in each of his last three starts.
Going for the Rays is Freddy Peralta, who's striking this Orioles team out at a 26% clip across 53 at-bats, a sample size we can get behind.
With a heavy right-handed hitting lineup expected to be deployed for Tampa, they'll win this one outright. Play up to 50 cents at Polymarket.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
How to watch: Apple TV
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Diamondbacks -1.5
Price: 40¢ (+150) at Polymarket
There’s an incredible amount of data pointing toward Arizona winning this game comfortably.
Over the past month, the Diamondbacks rank first in home OPS, while the Reds sit at 27th on the road. Both teams will start left-handers, which creates another massive edge for Arizona. The D-backs rank second in OPS against lefties during that span, compared to 28th for Cincinnati. Eduardo Rodriguez also owns an ERA nearly two runs lower than Nick Lodolo, and the Reds’ bullpen has been one of baseball’s worst in recent weeks. Cincinnati is just 4-10 in Lodolo’s starts.
Add it all up, and Arizona is worthy of a plus-money runline wager.
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Around 11 a.m. on May 29, 1949, veteran scout Tom Greenwade rolled up to a home in Commerce, OK to link up with a teenage ballplayer and his father. After watching the kid play each of the two days prior, Greenwade was intrigued enough to drive from Commerce to Baxter Springs, KS for another showcase. That day in Baxter Springs, he saw something that took him by surprise. Facing a lefty for the first time with Greenwade in attendance, the teenager stepped into the right-hander’s batter’s box. After lacing four line drives, the switch-hitter retreated to Greenwade’s car along with his father. The three hashed out a $1,500 contract for the remainder of the season to start his career in pro ball. Mickey Mantle was a Yankee.
Thomas Edison Greenwade Born: August 21, 1904 (Willard, MO) Died: August 9, 1986 (Willard, MO) Yankees Tenure: 1949-64
Greenwade grew up in Willard, a small town in Missouri that he’d call home throughout his life. He was an early standout as a pitcher and outfielder, playing in both the minor leagues and independent ball from 1923 into the ‘30s. While he had some excellent seasons, he never got the chance to play in the big leagues, moving into coaching and, eventually, scouting.
For a young man with little pedigree, Greenwade’s ascent in the scouting world is astounding. Hired by the Dodgers in 1940, he proved himself to Branch Rickey immediately. By 1943, he was already the Dodgers’ top talent evaluator, leading to a historic assignment that would become integral to his legacy.
Having received approval from Brooklyn ownership to pursue Black players, Rickey had a conundrum. On the one hand, the process of selecting the player to break the color barrier had to be kept completely under wraps. Any awareness on the part of the public — or even the rest of the league — of the Dodgers’ plan could torpedo it at the outset. At the same time, it was imperative Rickey choose a player whose talent and temperament would make the experiment a success, a task that would generally require all hands on deck in his scouting department.
At a one-on-one meeting at Kansas City’s Biltmore Hotel in 1943, Rickey tapped the one and only scout who would be involved in this secret project. “All that secrecy had me buffaloed,” Greenwade later said of the historic discussion. “And I got more curious after he sat and talked to me about things that had happened in his life. He told me one story about the time a hotel refused to allow the catcher of his Ohio Wesleyan team to have a room. The catcher was a Negro, and I began to get the idea.”
Greenwade started the process in Mexico and Cuba, under the guise of recruiting for a hypothetical Black Dodgers Negro League franchise. The first candidate who was strongly considered was Cuban shortstop Silvio Garcia, a talented ballplayer playing in the Mexican League. Accounts differ on why Garcia was not the man to make the leap to the National League. The most titillating account is that Mexican League President Jorge Pasquel put a pistol on the desk during his meeting with Greenwade, implying in no uncertain terms that he would not permit Garcia to jump ship to the States. Another narrative is that Garcia told Greenwade he would fight any player who directed abuse towards him, a deal-breaker given what lay ahead.
Greenwade’s account was less dramatic. “He couldn’t pull the ball,” he said of Garcia. “He was a right-handed hitter – everything went to right field.” Regardless of the reason, the decision to pass on Garcia led Greenwade to Jackie Robinson. Still the only man on the job, Greenwade never spoke to Robinson while scouting him, observing him from a distance, at least in part for the sake of secrecy. The scout saw enough on the field to make his recommendation to Rickey that, despite a suspect arm, Robinson was the right fit for the Dodgers.
In December of 1945, Greenwade jumped across town, accepting an offer from the Yankees that would triple his salary. He would spend many more years in the Bronx than he had in Brooklyn, with Mantle his signature signing. Their relationship went beyond that day in Baxter Springs, with Mantle leaning on Greenwade while struggling as a 19-year-old rookie in 1951 and continuing to leverage him as an informal advisor in the years that followed.
Mickey Mantle with the scout who discovered him, Tom Greenwade, celebrating another Yankee World Series win in '52.
Tom would later head on over to Hooterville to sell Oliver Douglas a new tractor. pic.twitter.com/Pje6mIyvwY
Greenwade went on to sign a cadre of consequential Yankees, including Elston Howard, who would break the Yankees’ color barrier in 1955. In 1950, the year after his meeting with Mantle, Greenwade came out to scout the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs. The team’s manager, the legendary Buck O’Neil, encouraged him to take a closer look at Howard. Within a matter of days, the Yankees had acquired his contract. In a rare recommendation involving an established big leaguer, Greenwade was the man who encouraged the Yankees to trade for Kansas City’s Roger Maris, projecting greater production from the young slugger.
Greenwade retired in 1964, returning full-time to Willard, where the local high school’s ballpark still bears his name.
Tom Greenwade Field in Willard where the Lebanon Yellowjackets face the Willard Tigers at 4:30 on KBNN AM 750 pic.twitter.com/ILXJzIeM43
He died in 1986 and has remained an icon in the scouting world ever since, garnering induction into the Professional Scouts Hall of Fame as part of its second class in 2009.
Greenwade’s legacy is tangible; one need look no further than Monument Park at Yankee Stadium to see his impact. The legendary scout is directly responsible for four retired numbers out in Monument Park — those for Mantle, Howard, Maris, and Robinson, whose number is retired across baseball. Greenwade is at once a legend and an everyman, the blue collar scout who drove his Cadillac across America looking for the next great ballplayer and whose hit rate may never be equaled.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
After cashing our best bet and same-game parlay yesterday, we're back with my Blue Jays vs. Yankees prediction for Friday night.
The Toronto Blue Jays will be in tough today as they navigate a bullpen day against the New York Yankees and Cam Schlittler, but I think their offense can help keep it close.
Let’s dive into my MLB picks for August 21, and fatten that wallet before the weekend.
Blue Jays vs Yankees predictions
Blue Jays vs Yankees best bet: Blue Jays team total Over 2.5 (-125)
Don't look now, but this Toronto Blue Jays offense is hummin', and has gone Over this total in six straight games.
It's a different offense than it was the last time the Jays took on the New York Yankees and Cam Schlittler, who's limited this team to a .252 xBA across 104 plate appearances.
Offense has come from the entire lineup over the last month and change, but nobody has been hotter than Alejandro Kirk, who has 15 hits, three homers, and nine RBI across his nine-game hit streak.
Look for this team to scrape and claw to get three or more runs on the board, especially at one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the big leagues.
COVERS INTEL: Speaking of hot hitters, nobody is hotter than Ernie Clement in this matchup. Clement is 5-for-12 with a .340 xBA against Schlittler.
Blue Jays vs Yankees same-game parlay (SGP)
Yes, the Blue Jays will be going with a bullpen day, but it's a 'pen that's ranked the seventh-best in baseball (3.74 ERA), and one that's rested thanks to Shane Bieber going seven innings yesterday. That should be enough for Toronto to keep things close in a likely low-scoring affair.
Elsewhere, Clement has a variety of ways to cash this bet, and it helps that he feels right at home at Yankee Stadium, owning a .288 average with 17 hits, 12 RBI, and two homers.
Blue Jays vs Yankees SGP
Blue Jays +1.5
Blue Jays team total Over 2.5
Ernie Clement 2+ H/R/RBI
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Blue Jays vs Yankees home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+550)
Kazuma Okamoto has hit two homers in his last three games, and has one against Schlittler in his rookie season, too. Okamoto's in the 83rd percentile for barrel percentage (12.5%) and is in a good spot to go yard at Yankee Stadium... again.
2026 Transparency Record
Best bets: 5-5, +3.36 units
SGPs: 2-7, -0.5 units
HR picks: 0-9, -2.1 units
Blue Jays vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Toronto (+170) | New York (-210)
Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-125) | New York -1.5 (+105)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-115) | Under 7 (-105)
Blue Jays vs Yankees trend
The Blue Jays are 4-0 in their last four series openers. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Yankees.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Friday, Aug. 21, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
YES, Sportsnet
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Mason Fluharty (5-1, 3.71 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (10-6, 2.19 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Yankees latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Atlanta Braves just recorded a much-needed win against the White Sox as they travel to Milwaukee to start one of the toughest stretches of their schedule. After the Brewers the Braves must face the Dodgers. After a short break where they face a six-game stretch against the Rockies, Giants, and Nationals they face then have seven games against the Phillies with the Rays sandwiched in-between.
If the Braves want to maintain their lead in the NL East during this rough stretch of schedule, they will need to pick up on their offense, which ranks as the ninth worst in MLB in terms of total runs.
In the game today, their likely won’t be much offense from either team as we have a pitching matchup that many dream about among two likely Cy Young finalists. Chris Sale, a likely Hall of Famer will face off against phenom and Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski.
Misiorowski was the second fastest to two hundred strikeouts behind the Braves’ Spencer Strider and sports a dazzling 1.75 and 0.75 WHIP. Chris Sale has been fantastic himself with a 2.16 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 129.0 innings while having the best HR9 and BB9 in the NL.
It will be interesting this afternoon for Sale because over his last five starts he has given up three earned runs each in two games but has given up zero in his other three starts (we are not counting that terrible scoring call last game where Dubón clearly should have been charged with an error).
Sale is clearly a veteran, but somehow many of the Brewers have not faced him much in their career. Outside of backup catcher Gary Sánchez with his twenty-nine ABs against Sale, no one else on the roster has more than twelve. Jackson Chourio is the player with twelve ABs and has been successful with an OPS of .917. There are a few other players with limited success against Sale as well. Contreras has a .888 OPS in nine ABs, Vaughn has a .804 OPS in seven ABs, and Ortiz has a .864 OPS in ten ABs.
Fortunately, all the other players who have faced Sale in the past have struggled mightily.
Misiorowski is the clear frontrunner for the Cy Young Award and that has carried over in the limited times he has faced Braves hitters. No player on the Braves have faced him more than three ABs, but also no one has an OPS over .666. Riley, Smith, Albies, and Dubón all have one hit against Misiorowski, but they were all singles.
This game may come down to the bullpen, and that is not a good sign for the Braves. The Brewers have the best bullpen ERA in MLB since the start of August with 1.57. The next best team has a 2.76. The Braves on the other hand have a bullpen ERA of 4.05 in that time span.
On paper, the Brewers seem to have an upper hand. However, anything can happen in baseball so there is a chance the Braves can pull this off. It will require the offense to catch a spark against the best pitcher on the planet or the hottest bullpen in MLB.
March 27, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) prior to their game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Eighteen years ago, the Blue Jays traded Robinzon Diaz to the Pirates in exchange for Jose Bautista. At the time, the trade received little fanfare—even Bluebird Banter didn’t cover it immediately. Only later did we discuss its significance. In hindsight, it became the best trade of J.P. Ricciardi’s tenure.
With Diaz sent to Pittsburgh to complete the Bautista trade, he comes off our top 11 prospect list. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Diaz had struggled that year and J.P. Arencibia likely surpassed him, but I still thought Diaz was closer to being major league ready. Looking ahead, we’d need a catcher for next season—or risk a lot of passed balls.
I missed that one.
The next day, I posted a poll about the trade: 48% of readers liked the move, while 52% did not. Amusingly, I had thought Bautista was a middle infielder back then.
I also shared a FanGraphs article titled “Pirates Plunder Toronto.” At the time, I disagreed with the idea that the Jays were ‘plundered.’ While I liked Diaz, I doubted he’d become a star. I figured the trade would ultimately be inconsequential for both teams. But time would prove me wrong.
Wrong again.
It took him a few days to get his first hit as a Blue Jay.
It took about a year before we realized Bautista deserved more than a platoon role.
Ultimately, the trade was a big win for Toronto. Jose Bautista compiled a 37.0 WAR as a Blue Jay, according to Baseball Reference. Diaz, by contrast, played just 44 major league games.
Jose quickly became one of my favourite players to watch. His intensity and desire to win stood out, and he regularly helped his teammates with advice and support. Sometimes, I wished he’d show more joy on the field, but critics would likely complain no matter his demeanor.
Bautista often drew criticism, which is a common burden for a team’s best player—especially when the team falls short. I remember, as a kid, watching Gary Carter get blamed for the Expos’ disappointments and wondering why the less talented players escaped such scrutiny.
Acquiring Bautista was a turning point for the franchise. The team gained swagger and identity, and Bautista became the kind of player opposing fans loved to hate. As Reggie Jackson famously said, ‘People don’t boo nobodies.’
I can’t imagine—and wouldn’t want to—what those seasons would have been like without Bautista. His presence made them far more enjoyable.
Favorite memories?
The iconic bat flip perfectly encapsulated Jose’s style. In a critical moment, he delivered the big hit, and his reaction represented exactly how we all felt.
I was lucky enough to be in Boston in 2010 when Jose hit his 48th and 49th home runs of the season.
In 2009, I attended Jays games in Seattle during Jose’s first full season with Toronto. Sitting near third base, I watched as the Mariners put a runner on second and a single was hit to left field—where Jose played more often that year. Expecting a run to score, I was amazed when Jose fired a laser to home plate, nabbing Kenji Johjima. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized just how strong his arm was. Roy Halladay started that game, and with the trade deadline looming, we thought it might be his last as a Blue Jay. Ultimately, he wasn’t dealt until after the season.
Watching him work with Chris Colabello on his defense in the outfield.
Jose quietly declined to do interviews with Sportsnet after they featured Devon Travis in a segment where he was taken suit shopping and then expected to pay for the suit. Jose felt it was unfair to use a rookie making the league minimum for promotional purposes, especially when the purchase wasn’t voluntary.
What stands out most is his intensity.
Jose on the Blue Jays career leaderboards:
Career bWAR position players: 1st (38.4).
Offensive bWAR: 2nd (37.0).
On-base percentage: 4th (.372) minimum 1500 PA (tied with Otto Velez).
Slugging average: 5th (.506 behind Carlos Delgado (.556)).
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 13: Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals bats against of the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park on August 13, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Heading into the season, Daylen Lile was one of the players I was most excited to see. He was coming off a stellar rookie season that was capped off by winning NL Player of the Month in September. However, he has been unable to recapture that magic for most of this season and last night’s Golden Sombrero felt like rock bottom.
This feels like rock bottom in what has been a very disappointing second season for Daylen Lile. Still have a lot of faith in the player and the character but next season is big for him
Two of the things that made Lile so dominant last season was his confidence and his swing decisions. When he was at the dish towards the end of last season, Lile looked like he was in a flow state. Last night though, Lile was caught in between. He was really trying to be more selective, but in the end, he was taking strikes and swinging at balls.
Last season, Lile’s swing decisions were his super power, but now they are his achilles heel. In 2025, Lile chased just 26.7% of the time while swinging at pitches in the zone at a 75.4% clip. Chasing less than the average hitter while being ultra-aggressive in the zone is a rare skill.
However, it is not a skill that has translated this season. Lile’s zone swing rate of 75.9% remains relatively unchanged. His chase rate has ballooned to 39% though. The swing decisions are pretty much the root of all Lile’s offensive issues this season. His exit velocities and launch angles remain nearly identical. It is the swing decisions that have doomed Lile’s sophomore season.
It is really jarring to see the drop in numbers. Last season, Lile hit .299 with an .845 OPS. This year, those numbers are down to .241 and .691. Seeing a player with the pure hitting ability of Lile batting just .241 is shocking to see. Even if Lile was to regress this season, I thought it would be due to a dip in power rather than him just not hitting for average.
A player as gifted as Lile should not have an 88 wRC+. This is a negative season for Lile, don’t get me wrong, but I still think the talent is there. Even this year, he has had his moments, particularly against the Reds. He has 15 homers on the year, which is impressive. His defense has also taken major steps.
Honestly, the work he put in defensively may have come at the cost of his bat. Just about every clip I saw from Lile this offseason was him working on his defense. That made a lot of sense given his -10 Fielding Run Value. The work he put in has paid off as well. This season Lile is at +3 FRV. However, it seems like that work may have come at the expense of his bat.
Unlike Dylan Crews, I do think Lile has shown enough both last season and even this year to have a starting job in 2027. Next season is a huge year in Lile’s development though. The 23 year old will have to show that 2025 was no fluke and that he can be a productive regular.
I think Lile has it in him and that this season will help him in the long run. Blake Butera has spoken multiple times about how Lile is very hard on himself. I believe that this year will help Lile be better able to deal with failure and it will teach him some real lessons.
Simply put, Daylen Lile has been punched in the mouth by the baseball gods this year. He can either get off the mat or stay down. Based on what I know about Lile, I think he will get off the mat. It might not be this season, but he will get up eventually. The talent and work ethic is just too strong for me to give up on. However, this has been a true sophomore slump and hopefully Lile comes out the other side better than ever.
Boston, MA - May 1: Boston Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony singles in the eighth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on May 1, 2026. (Photo by Finn Gomez/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Not a whole lot going on offensively for the Woo Sox on Thursday, facing a bullpen game from Syracuse (NYM). Brett Harris had two of the team’s four hits, and Franklin Arias was 1-for-3 with a walk and an error. Isiah Kiner-Falefa continued his rehab, going 0-for-3 at shortstop.
Gage Ziehl started, and allowed three earned runs in four innings. Noah Song was dominant in relief, striking out seven batters and allowing a run in three innings.
On Friday, Blake Wehunt (1-1, 4.05) gets the start for the Woo Sox at 6:35.
The final score does not reflect how this game unfolded, as it entered the eighth inning with a score of 3 to 1 before Reading (PHI) broke it wide open.
Hayden Mullins started and allowed just one earned run in five innings, and struck out eight batters. In the fifth inning, trailing 2-0, center fielder Will Turner hit his 14th home run of the season, one of his two hits on the day. A rehabbing Roman Anthony went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
Relievers Caleb Bolden, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, and Griffin Kilander combined to allow nine runs in the late innings, turning it into a laugher.
On Friday, Devin Futrell (1-0, 5.40) takes the bump for Portland at 6:00.
Finally, some offense to speak of across the Sox minor league affiliates on Thursday. The top of the order for the Drive powered things, with Luke Heyman (3-for-4), Isaiah Jackson, and Maximus Martin all providing multi-hit efforts. Heyman and Martin each hit solo home runs in the seventh inning as well, quickly erasing a 6-4 lead for the Dash (CWS). What’s cooler than hitting a ball onto someone’s balcony in straightaway center field?
Maximus Martin with the TRUEST form of Apartment Hunting™️ as he parks the ball ON a balcony.
The Boston Red Sox prospect had three home runs and 15 RBI in High-A this season. pic.twitter.com/jN62tCHfa7
Trailing again in the eighth, 7-6, Stanley Tucker tied the game with a double before Jackson scored him with a game-winning sacrifice fly. Trennor O’Donnell recorded his first win, allowing a run in three innings and finishing the game.
The Drive will send Dylan Brown (3-7, 4.06) to the hill on Friday at 6:45.
What on earth was going on in the seventh inning last night?
The Warbirds (MIL) opened up a 10-1 lead in the top of the seventh by scoring six runs, before the RidgeYaks finally woke up. Featuring RBI doubles from D’Angelo Ortiz and Colton Coates, a two-run homer by Louis Andujar, among other things, the RidgeYaks cut the lead to one but could not complete the comeback.
Catcher Franklin Primera went 2-for-4 with an RBI, to improve his slash line to .339/.481/.537. The 19-year-old has a 171 wRC+ over 34 games at the level and recently skyrocketed to the number three prospect at Sox Prospects.
On Friday, Leighton Finley (6-4, 4.75) will take the ball at 6:35.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 19: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on August 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Marlins 4-1. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After seven innings of one-run ball against the Marlins on Wednesday night, Aaron Nola’s month of August has been a return to normal for the veteran right-hander. Across four starts and 23 innings of work, Nola has a 2.74 ERA with 30 strikeouts to just seven walks. Really good results from anyone but especially a pitcher that seemed like an automatic loss roughly six weeks ago.
It is not all perfect, some of the results are a bit smoke and mirrors. He has a 100% strand rate this month, which isn’t sustainable and hitters are pulling the ball a lot more, which could be scary. Nola has not exactly returned to his prime years, but it’s the kind of hot stretch of pitching that seemed hard to imagine given the last two seasons.
Even if we make the safe assumption that Nola will not maintain a sub-three ERA moving forward, there are still plenty of positive takeaways to have moving forward.
Lefties
Nola’s struggles against left-handed hitters have been well documented all year. He came into August allowing a .528 slug to lefties because he allowed 16 home runs against them and plenty of more damage. Another troubling issue was his walk rate spiking to 11.2%. It was a combination of getting crushed whenever he attacked them in the zone but doing his best not to go after them consistently. Probably the worst combination of the two.
In August, lefties are hitting just .207 with a .310 slugging against him. The walk rate has dropped down to 6.5% but the biggest improvement has to be in his strikeout rate, up to 32.3% along with better quality of contact.
Whats the reason? Some of it is probably to do with the opponents he’s faced. His four starts have come against the Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, and Miami Marlins.
The Nationals threw several left-handed and switch hitters against him, including James Wood and CJ Abrams. There is no handwaving there but that also happened to be his worst start during this stretch, even if it was still solid. The Blue Jays and Twins rank in the bottom six in wRC+ for left-handed hitters, so they were good matchups on paper for Nola.
As for the Marlins, Liam Hicks was traded to the Rays at the deadline and Kyle Stowers is on the injured list. Strength of schedule is certainly a big factor but it does not tell the full story.
The biggest difference has to be in Nola’s slight velocity jump, going from 92.2 mph over the first four months to 92.7 in August. It is still allowing a .571 slugging on his four-seam to lefties but it is far better than before, a .750 slug from southpaws over the prior four months.
Being able to trust it in the zone just a bit more has allowed him to throw more strikes and walk fewer hitters. His curveball is also playing better against them because of it, with a 41% whiff rate against southpaws this month.
Righties
There have been some experiments all year with how Nola is attacking right handed hitters. He began the year leaning on a three-fastball approach with fewer curveballs. It didn’t work. He then nearly abandoned the cutter entirely in May. It still wasn’t working.
He then went into a full platoon pitching plan, leaning heavily on the sinker and curveball. That didn’t work either.
Since the start of July, Nola started to reintroduce the changeup to right-handed hitters to help protect the fastball but August feels like the month where the mix has fully come together. He is spamming the curveball 38.4% of the time, leaning just enough into the sinker and cutter, keeping the changeup usage around 12-13%, and throwing enough fastballs to keep hitters honest but not enough to get crushed.
It’s probably the best balance of all the different ideas Nola has tried this year. He tried a slider phase but it’s gone and he doesn’t really need it when he already can throw five different pitches to them.
What to think:
Well, no one should tell you what to think but if you want an opinion… (I’m done with dad jokes now).
It is unreasonable to expect Nola to keep up this exact pace but there is no reason to think Nola is cooked. It took a lot of different things and conclusions, and sometimes just throwing harder but he has found the proper adjustments that should keep him viable.
Projecting beyond 2026 is hard to do. He just turned 33 years old and the difference between the 6+ ERA pitcher he was to begin this season and what he is now is slightly different but not enough to forget the recent past. If he comes into next season throwing 91 and cannot reach for any more at that point, everything that was said here probably doesn’t matter.
But, at least for the rest of this season, Aaron Nola is good enough to be the number four starter in a postseason game and face roughly 18 hitters. He was not that guy a month ago.
Kansas City officially approved a $600 million funding commitment for a downtown Royals stadium by an 11-to-2 vote, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco break down everything that led to it. Jeremy’s interview with Councilman Duncan, who voted no, adds real texture to the conversation, particularly his concerns about the lack of a completed financial analysis before the vote went through.
The deal structure gets a thorough examination, including the Royals’ private contribution, possible state funding, and whether the city actually used its negotiating leverage effectively. Jacob and Jeremy are not shy about their criticism, both of the rushed timeline and of the stadium renderings themselves, which they find generic and underwhelming given the scale of the project. For fans still opposed to the deal, the hosts lay out what options remain, including contacting city leaders directly.
On the field, the Royals are playing some of their best baseball of the season. A four-game sweep of the Athletics extended their winning streak to five games, and the team has been piling up comeback wins since the All-Star break. Vinnie Pasquantino’s return has been a major factor, with extra-base hits and better at-bats signaling that his power is fully back after hamate surgery. Bobby Witt Jr. is putting together a huge August that has a legitimate MVP case building, and Salvador Perez continues to climb the franchise RBI leaderboard.
The injury report remains crowded. Maikel Garcia is likely headed back to the IL, Jac Caglianone is dealing with ankle soreness even amid a huge August of his own, and Beck Way has begun a rehab assignment. Noah Cameron’s growing role gets spotlighted as the Royals look toward 2027, while Lucas Erceg’s demotion and Carlos Duran’s debut signal that the organization remains firmly in evaluation mode.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 17: Atlanta pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (40) covers first base during the MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves on June 17th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Remember when Martín Pérez delivered what was arguably his best start of the season nearly a month ago? Pérez started on 90 minutes notice because before that game was set to begin, the scheduled starter’s knee was acting up on him and it was bad enough to result in an IL stint for the poor guy.
That poor guy was Reynaldo López, who has been on the IL since July 30 due to a knee injury. Fortunately, there was no structural damage revealed via an MRI shortly after he went down with the injury and now López appears to be close to recovering and eventually returning to the mound for the Braves. Before he does that, he’ll be joining the Gwinnett Stripers in Triple-A for a rehab stint starting on this coming Sunday.
Here’s more from the Stripers via a press release:
The Gwinnett Stripers, in conjunction with the Atlanta Braves, have announced that right-hander Reynaldo Lopez will join the Stripers to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, August 23. That day is the finale of a six-game series vs. the Durham Bulls at Gwinnett Field.
Lopez has been on Atlanta’s 15-day Injured List since July 30 with left knee inflammation. In 24 games (11 starts) with the Braves this season, the 32-year-old is 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and .245 BAA.
Across an 11-year Major League career with the Washington Nationals (2016), Chicago White Sox (2017-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023), Cleveland Guardians (2023), and Atlanta Braves (2024-26), Lopez is 51-57 with a 3.91 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, .243 BAA, and six saves in 292 games (134 starts). He was selected to the National League All-Star Team with the Braves in 2024, a season in which he went 8-5 with a 1.99 ERA in 26 games (25 starts).
This rehab assignment marks Lopez’s second career stint with Gwinnett. He made one rehab start with the Stripers on August 13, 2024 vs. Norfolk (ND, 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HB, 1 BB, 4 SO) while working his way back from right forearm inflammation.
This has definitely been an up-and-down season for Reynaldo López so far, between the IL stints, the stints in the bullpen and the run he had in the rotation. Somehow, he’s stayed productive when he’s had an opportunity to contribute — he’s got an ERA of 3.64 as mentioned in the press release (with an ERA- of 87) and a FIP of 4.32 (105 FIP-). That’s not exactly spectacular and it’s nowhere near the relatively dizzying heights that he reached during his career year in 2024 but it’s perfectly fine and the Braves will be better upon his return.
Here’s hoping that the rehab stint goes well and that Lopez will be able to re-enter Atlanta’s pitching staff and continue to contribute down the home stretch of this regular season.
AL East rivals Toronto (63-66) and New York (72-55) open a weekend series in the Bronx with the Blue Jays within 0.5 games of the final Wild Card spot and the Yankees within four games of the Rays in the AL East.
Since appearing as sellers at the Trade Deadline, the Jays have climbed back into the playoff chase winning seven of their last ten and most recently taking two of three from the first-place Rays earlier this week. Tampa losing two of three and the Yankees winning their last three has made the top of the AL East a race again.
Tonight is more than likely a bullpen game for the Jays but keeping the Yankees’ bats in check has not been a major issue for opposing pitchers. The primary challenge against New York has been getting runners to cross home plate against their elite pitching staff. At the top of their rotation is tonight’s starter and Cy Young favorite, Cam Schlittler (10-6, 2.19 ERA). To say Schlittler has been dominant is accurate. Over his last two starts, the righthander has allowed a combined seven hits and two runs while striking out 18 (12.1 innings). Due to the previously alluded to offensive malaise, the Yankees actually lost both those games.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Blue Jays vs. Yankees
Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Sportsnet, YES
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The Latest Odds: Blue Jays vs. Yankees – August 21
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays (+217), New York Yankees (-235)
Spread: Blue Jays +1.5 (-120), Yankees -1.5 (+100)
Total: 7.5 runs
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Blue Jays vs. Yankees for August 21
Cam Schlittler has struck out 7+ batters in 5 of his last 6 starts and 8+ in 4 of his last 6
Ernie Clement is 5-12 in his career against Cam Schlittler
Its been feast or famine for Kazuma Okamoto against Schlittler as he has 1 HR in 9 ABs but has also struck out 4 times in those 9 ABs
George Springer was 5-10 in the Jays’ series against the Rays
Jose Caballero is 1-13 over his last 8 games
Trent Grisham was 4-12 including 1 HR and 3 RBIs in the series against the Orioles
George Lombard Jr. had his 4-game hitting streak (6-12) snapped Thursday
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Orioles
The Blue Jays are 63-66 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 61-66 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 64 times in games involving Toronto this season (64-61-4)
The OVER has cashed 52 times in games involving the Yankees this season (52-71-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Blue Jays vs. Yankees for August 21
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Blue Jays and the Yankees:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 7.5
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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - JULY 22: Josue De Paula #55 of the Tulsa Drillers looks on during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Braeden Botts/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Failing to produce offensively at the level you’d expect, the Comets lost another low-scoring game. The Drillers took control of their game early and never relinquished, beating the Sod Poodles at home.
Player of the day
Not much can be said about Josue De Paula’s campaign that hasn’t been said already, with Thursday’s performance yet another decisive one for the Tulsa Drillers. Responsible for half of his team’s eight RBI, the talented outfield prospect hit his 24th home run of the season.
Those 24 homers represent a massive improvement in the slugging department for a hitter who had accumulated 22 long balls in over 200 games across the previous two seasons combined.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Alek Thomas’ inside-the-park home run drove in all the runs the Comets scored in yet another low-scoring defeat, this one at the hands of the Space Cowboys. Both teams combined for just seven hits in this 3-2 loss on the road.
Dominant, but not yet able to provide a lengthy outing, Gavin Stone tossed three perfect innings before handing it over to Christian Romero, who would let across all three of the Space Cowboys’ runs, two of them unearned thanks to an error.
We’re only about two-thirds into the month of August, and Josue De Paula has already made it his most powerful month of the season. One of the Dodgers’ top prospects, De Paula hit a three-run shot in an 8-5 win for the Drillers, his third one in the last four games.
While Chris Newell had the worst performance among hitters on either side, striking out in all four of his plate appearances, a different Comet outfielder managed to leave the park as well: Kole Myers with a sixth-inning solo shot.
Improving his form since a call-up to Double-A, pitcher Aidan Foeller struck out six in five innings and finally earned his first win in Tulsa, even if the bullpen nearly gave it away.
High-A Great Lakes
It was all about the left side of the infield for the Loons in a 7-2 win over Fort Wayne, whose pitchers are probably tired of facing Mairo Martinus at this point. Recently promoted to High-A ball, Martinus has accumulated 12 total bases in just three games against Fort Wayne. However important Martinus’ grand slam was, Emil Morales was first responsible for handing the Loons the lead, leaving the yard in the first, now with an incredible 108 RBI this season, number one across all minor league baseball.
Completing five full innings for only the second time this season. Will Gagnon finally secured a win, holding the opposition to just one unearned run. Reliever Robby Porco ran into some trouble late in this one with three walks covering the final two frames, but nothing that would jeopardize the Loons’ win
Class-A Ontario
Walking the house with four free passes before he could complete three innings, starter Jack O’Connor set the tone negatively early on. The Tower Buzzers allowed a five-run third inning on their way to losing the game by a score of 12-5. The walks weren’t a problem exclusive to O’Connor, as three of the four relievers who followed him all gave out multiple free passes.
Offensively, catcher Brian Gonzalez Garcia had one of his finest performances of the season, even if, without much support, it didn’t come close to making this a proper contest. Ontario’s catcher recorded four RBI for only the second time this season.
Transactions
The Ontario Tower Buzzers activated shortstop Aidan West off the injured list. Right-handed pitcher Cam Leiter was promoted from the Ontario Tower Buzzers to the Great Lakes Loons.
Thursday’s scores
Sugar Land 3, Oklahoma City 2
Tulsa 8, Amarillo 5
Fort Wayne 2, Great Lakes 7
Ontario 5, Inland Empire 12
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) at Fort Wayne (Matthew Watson
5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Christian Zazueta) vs. Amarillo (Junior Sanchez)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Sugar Land (Ronel Blanco)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Inland Empire (Jackson Steensma)
As you know, the Cubs are the only MLB franchise to be in its original location since the National League was founded in 1876.
So that makes this the 150th anniversary of the team, and throughout the year the Cubs have been honoring that history in many different ways.
Thursday, the club announced a 150th anniversary celebration that will happen at Wrigley Field Saturday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Aug. 30. The team says that the weekend celebration will honor the players, people, places and traditions that have defined Cubs baseball since 1876 while recognizing the organization’s enduring connection to the neighborhood it has called home for more than a century.
The celebration begins Saturday, Aug. 29, with the dedication of a new Founders’ Clock at the corner of Clark and Addison Streets, marking the organization’s latest investment at Wrigley Field — you can see what it will look like in the rendering above. The permanent four-sided clock will serve as a welcoming landmark for residents, visitors and fans while enriching the year-round experience in and around Wrigley Field.
If you were in Gallagher Way during the just-completed homestand, this is the area that was blocked off for construction:
The Cubs said in a press release:
The clock reflects the organization’s enduring commitment to the community it has called home for generations. Finished in Wrigley Field’s signature deep green, the clock features historic Cubs logos and inscriptions highlighting four eras of franchise history, connecting the club’s rich legacy with the millions of people who come to Wrigley Field each year.
In addition, the Aug. 29 game will include recognition of the Cubs 150th Anniversary Team, which is a collection of the most accomplished and influential players in franchise history. The team was selected online by fans and includes 40 players and three managers from 1876 to today. The complete roster will be announced Monday, Aug. 24 with the pregame recognition planned for Aug. 29 featuring over 20 members in attendance. A permanent plaque featuring the names of all members of the Cubs 150th Anniversary Team will be added to the Cubs Hall of Fame located in the left field bleacher concourse.
There will be other festivities over that weekend, culminating on Sunday, Aug. 30 with the inductions of Jody Davis, Jon Lester and Vince Lloyd into the Cubs Hall of Fame, with Lloyd as the recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award,” a new honor recognizing individuals who made a significant contribution to the Cubs organization over their lifetime.
If you are attending the Aug. 30 game, which is now a night game beginning at 6:20 p.m. CT, you’ll receive Hall of Fame pins honoring Davis and Lester (first 10,000 early arriving fans).
This all sounds like a great way to honor the century and a half of Cubs history. Perhaps this year’s team will add to that with a long postseason run.
COVERS INTEL: Speaking of hot hitters, nobody is hotter than 
