Aug 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Zach McKinstry (39) heads to the dugout after scoring a run during the seventh inning on an RBI single by Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle, not shown, against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (57-60) vs. San Francisco Giants (49-68)
Time/Place: 4:05 p.m., Oracle Park SB Nation Site:McCovey Chronicles Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (7-1, 1.58 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Webb (7-7, 3.74 ERA)
Aug 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Dreyer (86) reacts after shutting out the Arizona Diamondbacks in the tenth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Anna Carrington-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 09: Julio Rodríguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, August 9, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Rod Mar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 08: Josh Naylor #12 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park on August 08, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
So the Mariners’ 50th anniversary celebratory weekend hasn’t gone as planned on the field. Are any of that that surprised? Thankfully, both the alumni home run derby on Friday and the pregame ceremony last night reminded us that yes, there can still be joy in baseball. The M’s will look to salvage the series against the Rays this afternoon in their last home game for a bit before starting the long-dreaded mid-August road trip of facing the Yankees, Astros, and Brewers.
Lineups:
The Rays have not yet put out a fancy lineup graphic, so an MLB dot com screenshot for them it is. Lefty Ian Seymour will get the start for them today, which means we’re treated to Weston Wilson manning the hot corner and hitting eighth as Brendan Donovan continues to work back to full strength after coming off the IL last week. Despite it being a day game after a night game, Cal Raleigh is once again behind the plate to catch Emerson Hancock while hitting seventh. The rest of the lineup remains unchanged, and hey, maybe ten total bases last night was just what Josh Naylor needed to catch a spark down the stretch.
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 03: Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Monday, August 3, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Courtney Kramer/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s rubber match time. The San Francisco Giants won on Friday, and the Detroit Tigers won on Saturday. Now we find out who wins the series!
Righty Logan Webb takes the mound for the Giants, and makes his 21st start. The three-time All-Star is 7-7 on the year, with a 3.74 ERA, a 3.30 FIP, and 101 strikeouts to 31 walks in 125 innings. He’s coming off an excellent start in which he struck out eight Texas Rangers batters over six shutout innings.
For the Tigers, it’s right-hander Troy Melton, a 25-year old in his second season. Melton has been excellent in 12 starts, posting a 7-1 record with a 1.58 ERA, a 3.78 FIP, and 64 strikeouts to 23 walks in 74 innings. He’s pitched seven scoreless innings in each of his last two starts.
TEMPE, AZ. - MAY 16, 2022. Boaters navigate Tempe Town Lake, an artificial lake that contains Colorado River water conveyed through the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct. The lake is a popular place for waterside recreational activities. It holds about 977 million gallons of water and loses about 1.7 million gallons a day to evaporation in the hot and dry climate. Growth in the greater Phoenix area is fast outpacing the supply of water. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
DODGERS
DIAMONDBACKS
Shohei Ohtani – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Andy Pages – CF
Corbin Carroll – RF
Freddie Freeman – 1B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Tommy Edman – 2B
Ketel Marte – DH
Mookie Betts – SS
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Kyle Tucker – RF
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Teoscar Hernandez – LF
Tim Tawa – CF
Enrique Hernandez – 3B
Tyler Locklear – 1B
Ben Rortvedt – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – LF
Justin Wrobleski – LHP
E. Rodriguez – LHP
We came into this weekend with the season series tied 5-5. The first two contests have been split, each being won by the narrowest of margins, and could have gone either way. And, so, we reach Sunday for the rubber game, both in this set and of the entire 2026 campaign. The good news is, if we see the Dodgers again this year, it’s going to be in the playoffs. I’m fine with that. Eduardo Rodriguez had a rough outing last time out, against the Padres, allowing 11 hits over five innings. However, he was victimized by a .440 BABIP, and it’s hard to blame him for that kind of thing. His FIP actually dropped in that start. Here’s to better this afternoon.
I’m kinda amused that, after last night, the number of “Why is Torey bunting?” complaints this year is probably about the same as the number of “Why isn’t Torey bunting?” complaints this year. Yes, bunting a runner from second to third is normally a waste of an out, now we don’t have to worry about pitchers coming to the plate. But it does increase your odds of scoring something – albeit at a decline in the chances of a big inning. When you’re down by one and must score or the game is over, it makes sense to maximize those odds. Now, Tawa failed to execute on his two attempts. But if it had worked, the tying run might well have scored on McCann’s infield single.
All told, this year there have been 39 actual sacrifice bunt attempts by Arizona (as classified by BR, which is only ones resulting in a ball in play, so Tawa’s last night would not count). Those have resulted in 27 successes, eight hits and four failures (where the lead runner was out). All told, they have contributed +50% to Win Probability, so you’d be hard pushed to call it a failed tactic. I’ve a feeling we all suffer from confirmation bias in this area, with people remembering the times their preferred tactic was not followed by Torey Lovullo, and in particular the occasions when things didn’t work out.
CorbinCarrollEnthusiast on the guest recap this afternoon. I believe he is unbeaten in that role this season, so I hope the streak continues!
Chris Sale slept on it. It obviously did not help.
The Braves left-hander got ejected before the first pitch Sunday, Aug. 9, which takes some doing when he's not even playing in the game. Sale just could not resist when umpire Dan Merzel and the rest of the crew walked by the visitor's dugout at Yankee Stadium.
Sale started barking at Merzel as the umpires came out onto the field for Sunday's series finale. Mezel didn't waste much time, ejecting the Cy Young Award winner quickly. Before exiting the dugout, however, Sale had a few more words for crew chief Dan Bellino.
Clearly, Sale had not finished his argument from pitching on Saturday night.
In the fifth inning, Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones had just tripled home the tying run. Sale started his first pitch to Austin Wells and Merzel called him for a balk over a slight hitch in his right leg. It was the third balk of Sale's 16-year career. Jones jogged home. Sale and Walt Weiss argued it for several minutes before Weiss got run with the Yankees up 3-2. It was the first ejection of his managerial career.
Sale is what the league calls a hybrid pitcher, meaning he works from both the windup and the stretch and you can't tell which by looking at his feet. So he has to say which one is coming out loud to the umpire.
Bellino reiterated that rule after the game and pointed out that Sale had announced it before he struck out Jose Caballero. He did not before pitching to Wells.
Sale, 37, gave up three runs on five hits in six innings Saturday and took his first loss since June 28. He's 12-7 with a 2.20 ERA in 21 starts. Sunday was his fourth career ejection and his first in almost seven years. The last one came Aug.3, 2019, when Mike Estabrook ran him for arguing balls and strikes in a 9-2 Boston loss - also at Yankee Stadium.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Abimelec Ortiz hit his second career home run, Will Dion led a bullpen outing that allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings and the Washington Nationals beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 on Sunday to sweep the series.
Dion (1-0), who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Guardians, earned his first win of the year after retiring the first nine batters he faced. He allowed one hit in three innings. Trevor Williams tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings and maintained his 0.00 ERA since returning from elbow surgery on July 29.
Brad Lord surrendered the only run during his start, and Jake Bird worked a hitless ninth.
Jacob Young and Andrés Chaparro each drove in two runs for the Nationals, who have won four of their last five games.
The 24-year-old Ortiz opened the third inning with an opposite-field fly ball off Reds pitcher Brady Singer (5-11) that put the Nationals up 3-1. Chaparro capped the scoring with a two-run double.
Keibert Ruiz’s single in the second inning tied the game at 1, before Young gave Washington the lead for good with a sacrifice fly. Daylen Lile added a single to right field that plated CJ Abrams in the seventh.
Singer gave up three runs on eight hits in six innings.
Dane Myers hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning that gave Cincinnati a 1-0 lead, but that was it and the Reds were outscored 20-6 in the series.
Up next
Reds: LHP Nick Lodolo (3-2, 4.60 ERA) starts game one against the White Sox on Tuesday.
Nationals: Yet to announce a starter for a series opener with the Cubs on Tuesday.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 02: Tarik Skubal of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on in the dugout against the Boston Red Sox during the eigth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 02, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a dreadful road trip the Dodgers return home for seven games at Dodger Stadium. First up are the Kansas City Royals, beginning Monday night in Los Angeles.
Tarik Skubal makes his first Dodger Stadium start since joining the Dodgers, after allowing two runs in six innings last Tuesday in a tough-luck loss at Wrigley Field in his debut with the team.
Left-hander Noah Cameron starts for the Royals in the opener.
NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale was ejected by umpire Dan Merzel before a pitch was thrown in Sunday’s game against the New York Yankees, a day after being called for a balk that scored a run.
As umpires took the field and walked by the Braves’ dugout on the third base side, Sale began barking. Merzel tossed him and Sale said something to crew chief Dan Bellino as the two talked near the dugout rail.
Sale was called for his third career balk by Merzel during the fifth inning of Saturday’s 5-4 loss. Rookie Spencer Jones scored on the balk after getting an RBI triple and Sale began fiercely yelling at Merzel before manager Walt Weiss continued the argument and was ejected.
Bellino told a pool reporter afterward that Sale was called for the balk because he did not declare he was going to pitch from the windup. Bellino said Sale declared he was pitching from the windup when he struck out José Caballero but did not do so ahead of the at-bat to Austin Wells.
It was Sale’s fourth career ejection. It was his first since Aug. 3, 2019, when he pitched for Boston and was tossed by Mike Estabrook for arguing balls and strikes during the fourth inning of a 9-2 loss at Yankee Stadium.
Sale allowed three runs and five hits in six innings Saturday for his first loss since June 28. In his third season with the Braves, the veteran left-hander is 12-7 with a 2.20 ERA in 21 starts.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 04: Cade Povich #37 pf the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 04, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles can pretty much either win today to avoid a sweep by the Rangers or else they can give up on even pretending that they might have a chance at a wild card spot. The offense has scored 11 runs in seven games so far in August. These two things are connected.
Orioles lineup
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Pete Alonso – 1B
Jackson Holliday – 2B
Tyler O’Neill – DH
Dylan Beavers – LF
Leody Taveras – RF
Coby Mayo – 3B
Colton Cowser – CF
Carlos Narváez – C
Cade Povich will have the challenge of facing a tougher lineup than the Angels in this start. We’ll see how he responds.
The Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins are back at it for their series finale. It’ll be the rubber match as the two teams have split the first two games so far.
The Brewers made some roster moves prior to this game, however, due to injuries. Last night, Joey Ortiz left early with neck tightness, so there were concerns as to whether or not he’d need an IL stint. Pat Murphy said Ortiz was day-to-day with his injury, but also shared with the media pregame that Cooper Pratt was dealing with a hamstring issue and was getting an MRI.
A little while later, about 40 minutes before first pitch, the Brewers officially placed Pratt on the injured list with a right hamstring strain. To take his place, the Brewers selected infielder Ji-Hwan Bae to the active roster after signing him to a minor league deal this morning. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Brewers designated lefty Drew Rom for assignment.
It’s a tough break for the Brewers infield, now losing both of their top shortstop options to injury. Ortiz is still on the active roster and has not been placed on the IL yet, but there’s still concern for his availability. With this being a day game after the injuries were suffered last night, it may have been difficult to arrange travel in time for someone already in the system. It’s likely Bae was one of the first available players the Brewers found that could get to Milwaukee in time for the game today.
With no Pratt and no Ortiz, that leaves the Brewers thin on the left side of the infield, which is why Andrew Vaughn is starting at third base for today’s game. He’s played there in some late-game emergency situations before, but this is the first start Vaughn has had there with the Brewers and just the second time he’s started at third base in his career. The lone other time came in 2021 with the White Sox when he was a rookie.
The lineup is not only missing Ortiz and Pratt, but there’s also no Garrett Mitchell and no Christian Yelich in the order either. The two left-handed hitters get the day off against the left-handed Connor Prielipp of the Twins.
Prielipp, the pride of Tomah, WI, has a 4.75 ERA on the season with a 3-5 record. He’ll be dueling against the Brewers ace, Jacob Misiorowski.
Misiorowski is 11-5 with a 1.63 ERA on the year and is five strikeouts shy of 200 on the season. He’ll have Gary Sánchez behind the dish for him today, which has only happened a small handful of times this year.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 04: Joey Cantillo #54 of the Cleveland Guardians throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets at Progressive Field on August 04, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Have Davis Martin’s purported pitch-tipping issues been resolved? | Getty Images
Like untold numbers of White Sox fans born roughly between 1920 and 2000, my baseball vocabulary is dominated by Hawk Harrelson’s one-of-a-kind (for better and worse) idiomatic way with words.
Though it’s not quite as prominent in the Sox fan lexicon as a “grab some bench!” or “sit back, relax, and strap it down,” one Hawkism that’s always stuck in my brain is the idea that, to paraphrase, just about every team wins 60 games and loses 60 games. It’s what you do with the other 42 that really matter. For the first time in a hot second, the South Siders made it to the good part of that equation while they still have time to make the other 42 really mean something.
Let’s say the Sox play roughly .535 baseball the rest of the way — a solid midway point between their .556 mark since mid-April and the .500 ball they’ve played since mid-June. That has them finishing out the season around 24-22 or 25-21, good for about 85 wins. If they can hold serve there, one of the trio of Cleveland, Minnesota, and Detroit would have to finish off their season no worse than 27-17 to have a shot at catching them at the top of the division.
Detroit seems unlikely to make such a run, given that they just gave away a combined 180+ innings of 2.75 ERA pitching. Minnesota’s best hitter is out with no timetable for return, and they just placed their ace on the injured list. If the Sox can take care of business today at home versus Cleveland, it simply seems unlikely that the Guardians have the talent to play at nearly a .650 win percentage for longer than a month.
When it comes to Cleveland, those may be famous last words. Nonetheless, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Much of it will depend on Davis Martin, who takes the ball in perhaps the most critical rubber match of the year. The unquestionable question of the day, then, is whether Martin has successfully resolved his apparent pitch-tipping issues and can thereby regain at least some of his first half form.
In other lineup notes, Chase Meidroth is expected to miss a day or two with what the team described as “left wrist discomfort,” something the Fox broadcasters in last night’s game noticed and discussed, as Chase was visibly wincing on swings.
Randal Grichuk gets the outfield start against lefty Joey Cantillo, with Sam Antonacci sliding to the keystone to make room for Meidroth. The seriousness of Meidroth’s injury might be ascertained by whether he feels well enough to sub in if Grichuk winds up in a key unfavorable matchup against a righty.
With Grant Taylor, Jordan Hicks, Sean Newcomb, and Bryan Hudson all having pitched yesterday, it seems exceedingly likely that today we’ll experience the debut of one — if not both — of Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal. I look forward to seeing whether we may look forward to an infusion of bullpen help down the stretch.
Back-to-back reigning Manager of the Year Steven Vogt is sending out what’s undoubtedly his best lineup as he tries to stop the Guardians from falling four games behind the Sox — and potentially behind the Twins and Tigers in the division.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 7: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium on June 7, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Le/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their weekend series against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday as Michael McGreevy gets the ball for the good guys while the mountain people will start RHP Michael Lorensen. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm at Busch Stadium and the TV broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
