Category: Baseball

There’s no denying the Yankees lineup is a mess.

But if their batting order gets it together in time for October, Cam Schlittler showed again in Sunday’s 2-1, 10-inning loss to Atlanta that he looks to be up to the task of shutting down a postseason-worthy lineup.

And that’s whether he’s at home or away from the Stadium.

After a poor performance in his last start, which came in The Bronx against St. Louis, Schlittler, unprompted, said, “Things have been a lot easier on the road. I feel like I’ve been dominant on the road and haven’t been able to do that here. And it’s frustrating. At some point, we’ve got to make an adjustment, and I’ve got to perform in front of the fans.”

Heading into Sunday, Schlittler was 8-2 with a 1.10 ERA in 14 road starts on the season, compared to 2-4 with a 4.32 ERA in 10 starts at the Stadium.

Versus Atlanta, Schlittler rebounded from what Aaron Boone called “arguably his worst” start of what’s been an outstanding season.

Coming back from a start in which Schlittler allowed a season-high five walks — as well as four runs — in just three innings against the Cardinals in a home loss, he returned to ace-like form in The Bronx against the Braves on Sunday, giving up one run in seven innings, while striking out 11 and not walking a batter.

“There’s a big chance that stuff is a coincidence,’’ Schlittler said of the difference in performance away from home compared to the Stadium.

Asked why this one may have been different, Schlittler said, “I was more locked in. It was a day game against a really good team and was able to limit distractions.”

But he wasn’t able to help the Yankees get a victory.

Because of the Yankees’ continued struggles to score runs, Schlittler found out that even though he was just one pitch away from a masterpiece, it was enough to put the team in a hole.

He whiffed five of the first six batters he faced, overpowering Atlanta’s lineup with fastballs.

The right-hander pitched around a leadoff double by Mike Yastrzemski in the third and had struck out Matt Olson twice in his first two at-bats.

After sticking to the outside part of the plate in the first- and fourth-inning matchups with Olson, Schlittler changed up his approach a bit in the seventh. Schlittler fell behind 2-0 with a pair of sinkers, before leaving a 100 mph four-seamer over the middle of the plate.

Olson hammered it out to right-center for the game’s first run.

“He was able to clip it,’’ Schlittler said.

But as far as the rest of the 25-year-old’s performance went on another sweltering day at the Stadium, the Yankees were encouraged.

“Cam was dominant,’’ Boone said. “Up there with as good as he’s been all year, which is saying something. He was excellent.”

He had double-digit strikeouts for the third time this season. Each time he’s accomplished the feat, he’s done so without issuing a walk.

“I tried to be more locked in and in control of what I can control,’’ Schlittler said. “I had a good mentality and routine.”

He just couldn’t help the Yankees lineup.

The trade deadline has come and gone, with minimal change. Did their opponents pass the Diamondbacks with their trades and moves?

C. Wesley Baier: I might be one of the few online pundits to have had a positive take on the trade deadline. I don’t think the Dbacks NEEDED to make a move. Skubal and Mize haven’t made a difference for the Dodgers and Padres yet. I think they’re still in a strong position to make the playoffs.

Makakilo: With the Cubs solidly in the first NL Wild Card position, the Diamondbacks are fighting for the second and third Wild Cards. At the trade deadline, the Padres, Phillies, and Pirates made more positive impact than the Diamondbacks, but the Pirates are 5 games down & look to be out of the race. The Diamondbacks will have pitchers returning from the injured list. All things considered, three teams have about-the-same chances at the last two NL Wild cards: The Diamondbacks, the Phillies, and the Padres.

Spencer: I think the Cubs got significantly better (pending health). I think the Padres did well enough considering their money isssues. I still like our chances.

Ben: I liked the moves the Cubs and Padres made to their pitching staff, but I’m less impressed by the approach the Phillies and the Pirates took. I think we all knew that Hazen was going to mostly stand pat and hope that the injured players the team has would be the final boost needed to reach the postseason. That bet might pay off eventually, but the expected news of AJ Puk being shut down for the season certainly hurt, as does Paul Seward suddenly becoming a massive liability.

ISH95: I wouldn’t say they passed, necessarily. The Padres may have, but the Cubs already were ahead of us, and honestly so were the Phillies. Personally, I think an argument could be made the Arraez trade was actually a loss for the Phillies because it moved Harper back to the outfield, but that’s neither here nor there. So no, I don’t think the road forward has changed much.

Justin: Yeah, they definitely did more and had better deadlines. It is what it is.

Are you happy with Nootbar joining the team? Will he help fill one of the many needs the team had going into the deadline?

C. Wesley Baier: Not happy it cost Sandro Santana and Daniel Eagen, but he filled a need, and it appears he brought good vibes to the clubhouse too.

Makakilo: Although he is a left-handed batter that the Dbacks needed, my initial impression was disappointment. Perhaps my impression was too hasty. Jim McLennan pointed to an X post that stated that Nootbar is better than 66% of batters in creating bases. Baseball Savant shows that he will stress opponents’ pitchers with his 87th percentile Chase rate and 73rd percentile Whiff rate. This season, his defense in left field is perhaps slightly above average (+1 OAA & -1 DRS). His last season of arbitration is 2027, which may or may not have value.

Spencer: Honestly he’s long been a player I haven’t loved and found overhyped. Early returns with him in Sedona Red have that opinion changing. I hope he fits a good niche.

Ben: Unless he can also pitch, he will likely not fill all of the holes the team had prior to the Deadline. I think he’s a solid pickup who has always oozed promise and enough team control to make it possible for him to achieve it. But he’s yet another outfielder on a team that has as many as five and maybe even six possible players roaming the grass on the roster in Carroll, Waldschmidt, Troy, Kepler, Barrosa, and eventually Gurriel Jr. Those final three are all non-tender candidates for next year, but that’s not the case for the other three. Now, it’s possible some or one of them could be flipped to shore up another area of the roster, but as it stands, it could get complicated.

ISH95: I’m not not happy. I’m just not thrilled about it either. Nootbar is exactly the kind of subverting expectations move Hazen loves to play with filling a need, so it doesn’t surprise me, but he’s just kind of there. Not much different than Max Kepler, but hasn’t been given a ban from the post season. So that’s a plus I guess?

Justin: I don’t really have an opinion. He’s a new Dback so Go Nootbar.

How much will not winning the series against the Padres come back to haunt the Diamondbacks?

C. Wesley Baier: Too early to tell. Find out in September.

Makakilo: As of the morning of 8 August, the Padres were 2 games behind the Diamondbacks. These two teams play a 3-game series at the end of September. The winner of that series will have the tiebreaker (more wins when these two teams played). Although every win is great, my optimism is at a reasonable level that the Diamondbacks will edge out the Padres for a NL Wild Card position.

Spencer: It won’t.

Ben: While splitting the series with the Padres certainly hurts, I think going 0-3 against the Cubs and Mariners (so far) will prove to be more critical than the Padres series. I’m just thankful they’ve finally been able to beat up on the Rockies – something the team has struggled to do in the past.

ISH95: Of course, we won’t know the answer to this until either the end of the season or the Diamondbacks clinch a postseason berth, but missing an opportunity to make it so going 1-2 in the final series against the Padres gives you the tie breaker is a big loss. We’ve seen how all-important those tie breakers can be, and making it harder to get one is unfortunate.

Justin: Going into that series I honestly looked at it as “4 games off their calendar” if we split. Which we did.

The Dodgers are in freefall. Is there hope that we might avoid a threepeat?

C. Wesley Baier: No hope at all, but the division might be in play now.

Makakilo: My series preview pointed to favorable pitching matchups (based on July/August performance) and that in some games the Dodgers don’t score enough runs (and look at their negative point differential in their losing streak). As I write, the Diamondbacks have won the first game of the series, which is reason to continue my optimism.

Spencer: No. Their entire team is designed to have a really good April and September-October. They are right on track.

Ben: While the odds are certainly high on the Dodgers, the oddsmakers are still favoring the field over LA, which isn’t shocking given how strong the NL is this year. We’ve all also been witnesses to the randomness that playoff baseball can be so I think there’s an excellent chance we avoid it – and thank goodness we can.

ISH95: Maybe I just grew up reading too many Gandalf the Grey speeches, but there is always hope. Anything can happen in a seven game series, and even superteams can go cold at the wrong time. At the end of the day, however, this is nothing more than a reminder that they are in fact humans, but nothing changes beyond that. They are still the team to beat, still the standard, and still probably going to win the World Series.

PHOENIX — Just a week ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers fought back against the belief that they automatically wrapped up their third consecutive World Series championship at the trade deadline with the acquisition of Tarik Skubal.

These days, the Dodgers are battling the idea that they’re suddenly an old, broken-down team that will have to fight for its lives just to win the NL West.

Funny what eight losses in nine games, including 15 of the last 24, can do to your perception.

"There’s no concern in here," Dodgers veteran All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman said Sunday after the Dodgers’ 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. "We’re a good team."

Any more questions?

The standings will show that the Dodgers (70-48) still have a comfortable 7 ½-game lead in the NL West over Arizona. They have the third-best record in the National League. And they are on pace to win 96 games, three more than a year ago, when they won their third World Series title in five years.

But yet, this is the same team that has been nothing more than mediocre for nearly two months, going 21-21 since June 19.

Is there any concern, bordering on panic?

"Well, I don’t think there’s any concern," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "We still got a really good ballclub. There’s certainly not panic.

"I think for us, it’s just finding a way to win a game, and win consistently. I think that’s the focus versus, you know, what type of emotions you’re feeling. That’s just not helpful, regardless."

Stop us if you’ve heard this before: Craig Kimbrel is back in the Major Leagues.

The well-traveled righty is joining the Royals, who will be his 12th MLB team, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman.

Once Kimbrel does get on the mound in Kansas City, he will then have pitched for more organizations than all but five pitchers in MLB history.

Edwin Jackson and Rich Hill both toed the mound for 14 teams each, while Octavio Dotel and Roosevelt Davis pitched for 13 teams apiece.

Kimbrel, a nine-time All-Star, turned 38 back in May and has made 33 Major League appearances in relief this season for the Mets and Rays, respectively, the former of whom oversaw 14.

He initially signed with the Mets on a minor league deal in January and put up a 6.00 ERA with the team, subsequently clearing waivers on May 25 after being designated for assignment days earlier.

He signed with the Rays on May 26 and recorded a 3.06 ERA until he was designated for assignment one day before the trade deadline on August 2. He cleared waivers again on August 6.

Kimbrel, who has a career ERA of 2.67, has put together a 4.78 ERA across 104 games played with five teams following his last All-Star bid in 2023.

At his peak, he was a fringe Cy Young contender, recording top-five finishes in 2012 and 2013 while closing for the Braves, and accumulating five seasons where he placed in top-10 of Cy Young voting, the last of which came in 2017 while with the Red Sox.

Once one of the most feared closers in baseball — with 440 career saves, fifth-most in MLB history — Kimbrel is looking to extend his career for one more run, joining the 49-70 Royals, who are 10.5 games out of playoff contention.

Kimbrel won a World Series title with Boston in 2018 and was part of a deep run more recently in 2023, where he and the Phillies pushed the Diamondbacks to a seven-game series in the NLCS.

Baseball feels more organic when Nancy Faust is in a booth with an organ. Her presence in the ballpark this afternoon, which precluded the usual barrage of pop songs, crowd-stimulating noises, and things that my dad would refer to as “canned bullshit,” set the tone for what turned out to be an improbably fun day at the ballpark as the White Sox staked themselves a season-high four-game lead in the AL Central with a 5-2 win over the Guardians.

This is a Sox team that has made its hay with youthful energy. But even without the thumping bass that typically blasts from Rate Field’s PA system, the action on the field and the feeling in the stands was as vibrant as ever. When it appeared that Cleveland would put a damper on the 30,000 strong crowd’s supportive push with three straight hits and two runs against Davis Martin to open the game, the Sox responded with three consecutive hits of their own to start their part of the action.

The Sox only managed to get one run out of their hit parade, though. For a moment, when Guardians starter Joey Cantillo punched out three consecutive hitters to escape the early jam, it seemed as if the building momentum had been stifled.

Then the tarps came out.

One two-hour rain delay later, it felt like it didn’t matter. When Tim Herrin took the ball for Cleveland in relief of Cantillo, it was a whole new ballgame. Herrin did his job, but his successor Craig Yoho couldn’t. For the second straight day, the Guardians had grabbed themselves a 2-0 lead before falling victim to a big crooked number from the South Siders. After taking an inning to warm up, Miguel Vargas, Randal Grichuk and Braden Montgomery all reached base in succession with two outs before the other Montgomery broke things open with one swing of the bat.

For most of the last half-decade, the thought of 20,000 Sox fans waiting out a two-hour rain delay while trailing would have been nigh-unthinkable. The ones who stood tall through the pause were also rewarded by witnessing Hagen Smith’s long-awaited big league debut. He lived up to every bit of the scouting report, throwing just 25 of 48 pitches for strikes (and even fewer in the zone) and walking four over two innings. He also struck out three, drew whiffs on 33% of the swings against him, and kept the opponent off the board long enough for the Sox offense to take control of the game.

That’s not a location chart that’s going to get it done long-term, but he got away with it today, which is hard to be mad about in a big league debut. Despite having all pitched just yesterday, Sean Newcomb, Bryan Hudson and Jordan Hicks once against answered the bell with aplomb, keeping Cleveland off the board for three more innings.

One critical piece of last night’s bullpen picture was missing, as Grant Taylor was clearly unavailable, leaving Trevor Richards to handle the ninth inning. As Richards walked two of the first three hitters he saw in the ninth inning, flashbacks circulated of the righthander’s two-for-one blown save(s) in Boston earlier this week.

Magnifying the unease was the man who stepped to the plate as the tying run as a wild pitch sent the baserunners to second and third.

They’re playing Cleveland. You already know who it was.

Maybe this Sox team really is different. Perhaps the ghosts of Josh Naylor have been exorcised. Richards stiffened his back and got José Ramírez to fly out to Brenton Doyle in center field, allowing a meaningless run to cross over in the process. It subsequently took just a single pitch to get Rhys Hoskins to sail one straight into Braden Montgomery’s glove, securing a 5-3 win for the good guys, and a four-game lead over both the Guardians and the Twins. Detroit now occupies second place alone at 58-60, 3 ½ games behind.

If the conclusion to this week’s series in Boston felt like a missed opportunity to make a statement that this isn’t a team that’s going to go away down the stretch, I’d gauge that this weekend did well to compensate. The Sox offense has been touch-and-go as the league enters a sudden dead-ball era, the way the offense and pitching alternated picking up each other’s slack over the course of these three games was encouraging in the big picture. Nobody’s going to mistake the White Sox for a juggernaut, but with Smith and Tanner McDougal — who appeared ready to make his own debut had Richards not been able to work out of his own jam — providing real bullpen upside, I’d have a pretty big pit in my stomach if I was a rival AL Central team.

The Sox have a rest day at home tomorrow before welcoming the Cincinnati Reds for three games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It would be prudent for them to use that rest day wisely, as this series also kicks off a stretch of 16 consecutive game days, a gauntlet that could very well decide the fate of the division.

The highly-anticipated Pope Hat giveaway set for Tuesday night has already sold out, and the thought of newly-minted ace Sean Burke toeing the rubber with 40,000 Catholics-for-a-night roaring behind them in pursuit of an extended division lead can’t help but tickle the imagination. That’ll be followed up on Wednesday with Luis Castillo’s second turn through the rotation on the South Side, with Thursday’s starter yet to be announced. The first two are set for 6:40 p.m. CT, while Thursday is a 1:10 matinee contest.

MVP
Colson Montgomery: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI

Runners-Up
The Bullpen: 8 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 7 BB, 8 SO
Brenton Doyle: 2-for-5, 2B, R

Cold Cat
Luisangel Acuña: 0-for-4, 2 K

Runners-Up
Davis Martin: IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB
Braden Montgomery: 0-for-3, BB, 3 SO, 4 LOB

The Cubs activated right-hander Ethan Roberts off the injured list and assigned him to Iowa.

Right-hander Vince Reilly was moved from Triple-A Iowa to Double-A Knoxville.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were one-hit by Indianapolis (Pirates), 2-0.

Josh Fleming started for the I-Cubs and took the loss after allowing one run on four hits over three innings. Fleming struck out two and walked no one, although he did hit one batter.

Shelby Miller started a rehab assignment in his first appearance of the year. Miller pitched one inning and allowed one run on two hits. He struck out two and walked no one.

Hoby Milner then pitched the next two innings in another rehab appearance and was strong, giving up no runs on just one hit. Milner struck out one and walked no one.

Second baseman Ben Cowles had the only Iowa hit in the second inning. He was 1 for 2 with a walk and a steal.

Kevin Alcántara went 0 for 3, ending his 42-game on-base streak.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were put out by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 6-5.

Kevin Valdez was outstanding for six innings, giving up just one unearned run on three hits. Valdez struck out six and walked just one.

The bullpen, however, was not outstanding. Marino Santy gave up three runs on the seventh and while Grayson Moore retired the side in order in the eighth, he opened the ninth with a single, a strikeout and a walk.

With runners on first and second, one out and a one-run lead, Frankie Scalzo Jr. was summoned from the pen. Scalzo retired no one, allowing a single, a bases-loaded RBI hit batter and then a walk-off RBI single.

Left fielder Carter Trice hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his 13th on the season. Trice was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Shortstop Karson Simas went 2 for 4 with a steal. He scored one run and had one run batted in.

Center fielder Kane Kepley went 1 for 3 with two walks. He stole his first two bases in Double-A as well, giving him 52 on the year. Kepley scored twice and had one run batted in.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs creamed the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 13-1 in a game that ended in the eight inning because of “inclement weather.”

Ethan Flanagan pitched the first four innings and surrendered one run on three hits. Flanagan walked three and struck out five.

Adam Stone pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning and got the win because Flanagan didn’t go five. Stone did not have a strikeout.

Cole Reynolds got the three-inning save, allowing no runs on two hits. Reynolds struck out one, walked one and hit one.

First baseman Josiah Hartshorn hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning. It was his 13th with South Bend and 18th overall. Hartshorn went 2 for 4 with a double, the home run and a walk. Hartshorn also stole a base. He scored two runs.

Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy was 3 for 5 with two steals and three runs scored.

DH Logan Poteet was 2 for 5 with two RBI.

Right fielder Geuri Lubo went 1 for 2 with a walk, a sac fly and three RBI. He scored one run.

Catcher (and 20th-round pick) Brennan Hudson got his first pro hit. Hudson doubled in a run in the third inning. He was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Everyone in the South Bend lineup had at least one hit.

Hudson’s first pro hit.

Hartshorn hammers it.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans netted the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 10-1.

Starter Anhuar Garcia pitched four innings, allowing just one unearned run on two hits. He struck out seven and walked just one, but he did hit one batter.

Next, David Bracho pitched three scoreless innings and got the win. He allowed two hits. He struck out two and walked no one.

Right fielder Ethan Conrad hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning, his fourth with the Pelicans and fifth overall. He also had a three-run double in the fourth inning, giving him six total RBI in the game. Conrad was 3 for 6.

Second baseman Fernando Cruz doubled twice and had four hits in a 4 for 5 game. Cruz scored two runs and had one RBI.

Left fielder Derik Alcántara was 3 for 5. He scored twice and drove in one.

Center fielder Caden Sorrell went 2 for 5 with a double, a walk and a steal. He scored one run.

Conrad’s three-run double.

Conrad’s home run.

Billy Amick has already made a name for himself. 

The Mets prospect has continued his tear in Double-A since joining the Mets organization, hitting his fifth home run in seven games in the Rumble Ponies’ 4-3 win over the Hartford Yard Goats on Sunday. 

The infielder joined the Mets organization on July 31 when he was acquired as part of the deal that sent pitcher A.J. Minter to the Twins.

His three-run blast on Sunday came in the sixth inning and broke a 1-1 tie that put the Rumble Ponies up 4-1 at the time. He also has 13 RBIs for the Rumble Ponies.

The home run hit by the man they call “Billy Barrels” went far over the wall in left field and he now has 28 home runs at the Double-A level in 2026. 

“It was a fun week for sure. Everybody was getting on base and we were all having good at-bats,” Amick said while being interviewed on the field after the game. “Everything kind of came together. Ended up with six wins, so that’s all you can ask for.” 

Amick was given not one but two postgame Gatorade showers in celebration of his home run. 

The 23-year-old was been taken by the Twins in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft and he played for both Clemson and Tennessee in college. 

He was limited to just 59 games in 2025 due to injuries. 

The Rumble Ponies have won seven games in a row and will be off Monday before they start a six-game series with Portland.

Record: 63-56. Pace: 86-76. Change on 2025: +6.

Not sure if we have a guest recap today. I didn’t hear back from the scheduled recapper, and didn’t see them in the GDT either. So just in case, I’m going to throw up a quick one for now: if a proper recap shows up, this one can quietly wander off into the sunset. I think it’s definitely worth marking the fact that today was the first time since 2018 that the D-backs have won the season series over the Dodgers. Now, it’s still highly likely to be nothing more than a moral triumph. Los Angeles are still 7.5 games ahead of Arizona, so there’s unlikely to be any need for any tie-breaker. But it still indicates this team is certainly playing them tougher than some previous years.

And few players deserve that “tougher” label than Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw 115 pitches over seven innings of two-run ball. It was certainly needed, on a day where the team effectively had four relievers off the board. That was a full ten pitches more than any Arizona starter this year. The last time any D-back threw more was more than nine years ago, Robbie Ray tossing 122 on June 30, 2017. [Of course, Randy Johnson passed that number on an almost everyday basis: twenty-one times in both 1999 and 2001] E-Rod scattered five hits and two walks, with nine strikeouts and improved his record for the year to 11-4.

The offense jumped out on Justin Wrobleski early, putting up a crooked number in both the first and second innings. After a Geraldo Perdomo walk to start the game for the D-backs, Ketel Marte cranked his twentieth home-run of the year into the left-field bleachers, for a quick 2-0 lead. In the second frame, a Ryan Waldschmidt bunt [let’s take the arguments as read, shall we?] caused an error which brought home a run, and a Corbin Carroll double gave Arizona a 4-0 advantage. The offense largely shut up shop thereafter. They went 0-for-14 against the Los Angeles bullpen, and were 0-for-7 with RISP. But it was definitely a case of “good enough.”

The Dodgers pulled runs back in the third and sixth, but a Freddie Freeman double-play in the eighth, when he represented the tying run, was the end of their real threat. Kevin Ginkel, much-maligned in some quarters, came in for the ninth, notched a 1-2-3 inning with two K’s for his first save of the year, reducing his season ERA to 3.60 – pretty respectable, I’d say. There should be some relief (literally) arriving for the team, with the news the D-backs have signed Zack Littell, the former Nats pitcher, likely to act as a long-man in the bullpen. They just have to pay the prorated MLB minimum, Washington covering the rest.

Click here for details, at Fangraphs.com
Spiderman: Eduardo Rodriguez, +23 %
Mary Jane: Ketel Marte, +14%
The Green Goblin: Corbin Carroll, -11%

Comment of the Thread to Roy Batty, for his empathy with the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

We’ll be cheering on the Astros tonight, since they face the Padres. A win for Houston would put Arizona two games clear of San Diego, though just about everyone else involved in the NL wild-card race won today. Tomorrow, the Rockies come to town for a three-game set, with the first pitch at 6:40 pm. The game looks to see the return of Michael Soroka, so I hope he can continue the fine form he showed before having to go on the injured list. See you there!

TONIGHT’S GAME: The first-place Houston Astros (60-58) continue their six-game road trip with the third game of three-game series against the San Diego Padres (61-57) at Petco Park.

RHP Cristian Javier (1-2, 6.59 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros for sixth start of the season tonight, opposite RHP Randy Vásquez (7-6, 4.19 ERA) and the Padres.

THE TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 40-27 since May 22, which is the second-best record in the AL in that span. On that date, the Astros were 20-31, 11 games under, which is their low water mark for the season.

THAT’S OFFENSIVE: The Astros lead the AL in SLG (.417), and OPS (.739), while ranking second in home runs (160), OBP (.322) and hits (981). In the Majors, the Astros rank third in homers, trailing only the Nationals (170) and Yankees (166).

EL REPTIL: Tonight’s Astros starter RHP Cristian Javier is making his sixth start of the season and his third since returning from the IL in early July. He has split time between being a starter and reliever since his return, making four relief appearances and two starts. Since returning from the IL, he’s recorded a 3.50 ERA (7ER/18IP) with 19 strikeouts, a .257 opponent batting average and a 1.33 WHIP. In his last start on Monday against the Blue Jays at Daikin Park, he allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks with two strikeouts in six innings, marking his first quality start of the season (last, Sept. 17, 2025 vs. TEX).

ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros continue a sixgame West Coast road-trip with the third game of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres. Following their series with Padres, the Astros will travel to San Francisco for a three-game series against the Giants. The Astros went 5-1 on their last road trip. Houston is also 23-14 (.621) on their last five road trips and are 29-20 (.591) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season. Houston is 30-29 overall on the road in 2026

THE LINEUP: The Astros have used 116 different lineups in their 118 games, repeating a lineup just twice on the season, which includes using the same lineup on Monday and Tuesday. DH Yordan Alvarez has the most starts at any spot in the lineup among Astros, hitting second 105 times.

VS. THE PADRES: The Astros and Padres have faced off vs. each other 617 times with the Astros leading the series 322-295. The Astros last faced the Padres in a three-game series at Daikin Park from April 18-20, 2025 (Astros went 2-1). The last time the Astros were at Petco Park was from Sept. 16-18, 2024 at SD (Padres went 2-1).

MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez leads the AL in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking first in batting average (.325), HR (35), and RBI (86). Additionally, he leads MLB in OPS (1.069), OBP (.439), SLG (.630), and TB (266). In the AL, he ranks first in hits (137), extra-base hits (59), and runs (79), and second in walks (82).

MR. RELIABLE: LHP Steven Okert has recorded a 2.20 ERA (14ER/57.1IP) with 59 strikeouts, 12 walks, a 0.87 WHIP and a .189 opponent batting average in 57 appearances, including one start this season. Among AL relievers, he ranks first in WHIP (0.81), second in appearances (56), second in H/9 (5.56), second in opponent batting average (.179), fifth in opponent OPS (.546) and seventh in ERA (2.06).

STREAKING: 1B Christian Walker has hit safely in season-high 11 consecutive games at a .333 (14×42) clip with eight runs, four doubles, two home runs, six RBI and a 1.011 OPS during the streak. It is his second-longest hitting streak of his career, behind a 13-game hitting streak from June 16-29, 2023, as a member of the Diamondbacks.

MULTI-HOMER MADNESS: RF Cam Smith went 3×4 with two solo home runs on Fri. night at SD, marking his fourth career multi-homer game (last, June 29 vs. MIN). It was also his second career multi-homer game against the Padres (also, April 18, 2025).

ON THE DEFENSIVE: 1B Christian Walker has not commited an error in his 112 games at first base this season, which is the longest errorless streak in the Majors this season.

BRYAN’S BACK: RHP Bryan Abreu has a 1.02 ERA (2ER/17.2IP) in his last 17 apps. with just seven hits allowed and 22 strikeouts in that span. Additionally, since May 1, he has a 1.93 ERA (7ER/32.2IP) in 34 apps., and is 6-for-6 in save opp. in that span. Prior to May 1, Abreu had a 12.54 ERA in his first 11 apps. of the season.

CHIPPING IN: A couple Astros are on mini hot streaks, including OF Taylor Trammell, who’s hit four homers with eight RBI and a 1.038 OPS in his last 11 games. RF Cam Smith is batting .394 (13×33) with two home runs, six RBI and a 1.126 OPS in his last nine games.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY:1976 – In a 13-4 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, All-Star CF Cesar Cedeno hits for the cycle for the second time in his career. Cedeno secures the cycle with an 8th-inning single and ends up 4×5 with 5 RBI.

1965 – Future Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts hurls an 8-0 shutout over the Phillies in the Dome in what is his Astros debut. Roberts had started the season with the Orioles, but was released and then signed by Houston. He would post a 5-2 record with a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts for the Astros as part of his journey to Cooperstown.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, August 9, 7:20 p.m. CT

Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA

TV: NBC/Peacock

Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

Outfielder Austin Hays, 31, has signed a major league contract with the San Diego Padres. Utility man Gage Workman was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to create a roster spot. 

Hays, a right-handed hitter, has only played in 12 games in the 2026 season. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox before the season but has spent most of the year on the injured list with leg injuries. Hays signed a $6 million one-year deal with Chicago on Feb. 4.

The White Sox activated him from the IL on Aug. 5, designated him for assignment, and released him on Aug. 7. In his 12 games and 43 at-bats, Hays is hitting .233 with a .576 OPS with a home run and seven RBI.

Over his nine-season career, Hays has played for the Baltimore Orioles (2017-2024), Cincinnati Reds, and the White Sox. He has excelled against left-handed pitchers with a career average of .319 against left-handers versus a .255 average against right-handers.

In 2025, with the Reds, Hays played in 103 games. He had a .266 average and .768 OPS with 16 doubles, five triples, 15 homers and 64 RBI. He played both corner outfield spots and served as DH for the Reds. For the White Sox, he played right field and was a DH.

Hays figures to be a bench player for the Padres, specializing as a starter/pinch-hitter versus lefties. 

Workman was acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers along with Casey Mize, in exchange for minor league prospects LHP Kash Mayfield and LHP Jackson Wolf.

The Padres have had a season-long weakness versus left-handed pitchers. The team has a .688 OPS against lefties. At the trade deadline, the Padres were reportedly trying to acquire a left-handed outfielder but were unable to make anything work.

Hays, though not left-handed, provides a valuable upgrade to the bench with Workman, 27, sporting a career .175 average and .558 OPS in his two partial major league seasons (57 at-bats).

Hays was activated before the Padres’ finale against the Houston Astros today. He made himself available to the media prior to the game and expressed a desire to go to the playoffs for the fourth season in a row.

The 50 Seasons Celebration weekend instead turned into Groundhog Day as the Mariners were swept away by the Rays. The same problems that have plagued the 2026 Mariners all season long plagued them again today: a lack of connection in the lineup, a lack of situational hitting, too much chasing out of the zone, and a starting pitcher with the audacity to be imperfect, all leading to a 4-1 loss to see the Mariners fall to seven games below .500.

To be fair, Hancock was pretty far from perfect, running a pitch count of 80 over just four innings, falling behind in counts and failing to command his secondaries. Hancock had to immediately work around a bases-loaded no-outs jam in the first. Some of it was his own misdoing: in a 1-2 count to Yandy Díaz leading off the game, Hancock left a four-seamer middle-middle that he’s lucky isn’t on Mercer Island currently, as Díaz settled instead for a hard-hit single. Hancock then left a sweeper in on Jonathan Aranda’s lefty loop zone, which he accordingly looped into center. Chandler Simpson tried to bunt the runners into scoring position and instead came up with a lucky weak base hit, made worse by Hancock deflecting it – let your infielders infield, Emerson! But to his credit, Hancock came back to get the next three outs and work out of the jam, striking out scary Junior Caminero on 97.5 elevated, getting Liam Hicks to pop out on a well-located fastball up in the zone, and then striking out Victor Mesa Jr. on a curveball that just nicked the bottom of the zone. Vibes were on the upswing!

The top of the Mariners lineup rewarded Hancock immediately: Taylor Ward checked in with his first extra-base hit as a Mariner, and a triple! at that, and then Cole Young went after the first pitch he saw from Rays starter Ian Seymour, a sinker, rapping a ground ball RBI base hit into right. Vibes were sky-high!

But as it so often has this season, the Mariners offense spluttered after that, and the vibes came crashing right back down: Randy Arozarena hit into a ground ball double play, and then Dominic Canzone went after the first pitch he saw and POPped it up, as Dave Sims would say. The Rays actually gave the Mariners second life by dropping that popup but Julio Rodríguez struck out swinging after a changeup.

After Hancock navigated around a leadoff walk in the top of the second, Josh Naylor continued to show signs of life with a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning, but again the offense machine broke down when Cal Raleigh struck out swinging after a changeup. Weston Wilson, in for the lefty Brendan Donovan against Seymour, worked a walk, but then Colt Emerson struck out, again on the changeup. That turned over the lineup for Taylor Ward, who worked more of his OBP magic and tapped a ball back to the pitcher, who mishandled it, allowing Ward to reach, but that put Cole Young into a tricky bases-loaded two-outs situation and the Youngster couldn’t come through, grounding out to end the inning. My kingdom for a hitter coming up with runners on and less than two outs. This on-out-on-out-on-out Morse Code of offense is just not it.

Hancock worked around some traffic in the third, but wasn’t able to escape damage in the fourth – his own fault, after hitting seven-hole hitter Cedric Mullins with a curveball with one out. Richie Palacios then rapped a ground ball past Weston Wilson at third, and then Yandy Díaz came up with the two-out hit the Mariners weren’t able to get in the previous inning, taking advantage of a poorly-located cutter on the plate for another hard-hit RBI single that tied up the game.

The Mariners offense, for their part, did exactly what they’ve been doing all season and did not answer back in the bottom of the inning, going meekly 1-2-3 on 10 combined pitches. The Rays, sensing a sweep, came out in the fifth with several innings of having seen Hancock struggle with his command combined with declining velocity on his sinker and four-seamer and got very aggressive. Chandler Simpson led off with yet another hit that should not have been a hit, as yet again Emerson Hancock put himself in between a ball and a defender. Stop doing that, Emerson! Hancock followed that up by really spraying it around in Caminero’s at-bat, which luckily ended with Caminero chasing up high again and popping out on the infield – smartly played by Josh Naylor, who let the ball drop and took the fielder’s choice out at second, wiping out the speedy Chandler in favor of Caminero.

But that heads-up play didn’t save the Mariners, as some more fluky BABIP luck cost them, with a flyball single from Liam Hicks dropping into no-man’s land in left field. A flyout from Victor Mesa Jr. moved the runner to third, and then Hancock served Cedric Mullins a sinker right on the plate that he was able to work for a broken bat RBI base hit. It’s a frustrating way for the runs to score but that’s what happens when a team makes a ton of contact.

Speaking of a ton of contact, with the Rays ahead 2-1, it was time for the patented Bullpen Swoon. The victim this time was Jose Ferrer, pressed into service as Hancock departed the game at the end of the fifth and coming back out for the sixth. Taylor Walls led off with a parachute single on a pitch located roughly on the ISS, followed by Díaz poking a pitch through the 5/6 hole. But Ferrer then made things harder on himself with a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. It looked like the Mariners might make another Houdini escape, as Ferrer got his next two outs – one an out at home, punishing Simpson for a bunt and the failure of the contact play, making at least Rick Rizzs happy today, and one must imagine Rick Rizzs happy – but a Liam Hicks double drove in two runs to put the game out of reach, 4-1.

From there it was pretty much what you’d expect. The Rays nipped and nibbled, racking up 14 hits, but not adding on to their lead again. The Mariners, meanwhile, drooled and dribbled, collecting a grand total of two singles and a walk from the end of the second inning through the rest of the game – even the traffic they got on in the ninth was via mistakes, a hit by pitch (Josh Naylor, on his already injured wrist, to add injury to the insult that was this game) and a misplay on a Cole Emerson ground ball.

The Rays are tough – they’re leading the AL for the reason, and they put a ton of pitches on Hancock just like they did on Kirby earlier in this series. But they also didn’t play the cleanest game of baseball today, and there were ample opportunities for the Mariners to at least steal one win out of this disappointing weekend. One run of offense is just not going to get it done. The Mariners need a spark, badly, and not from benches-clearing non-brawls or firing hitting coaches, but from their actual hitters who were supposed to carry this team. Over half the Mariners lineup didn’t record a hit today. That’s more than an off day for certain hitters, more than a rookie still trying to find his footing; it’s a lack of connection and a lack of committed at-bats, and until that changes, this team will continue to slip even further behind in the standings. But hey, at least it was at least a fitting tribute to 50 years of Mariners baseball.

The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox faced off to determine if the Guardians go into the off day tomorrow 2.0 games back or 4.0 games back from first place.

Cleveland scored in the top of the first with Steven Kwan singling on a ground ball to left. Chase DeLauter drew a six pitch walk followed up by a single to right by José Ramírez. The right fielder fumbled the ball a bit, allowing Steven Kwan to score on the error and Chase DeLauter to reach third base. With runners on the corners, Nathaniel Lowe hit a sac fly to center to tack on another run for Cleveland.

Joey Cantillo was the starting pitcher for Cleveland and was struggling early in the first. A single and a double was all the White Sox needed to close the lead to one run. Cantillo ended up pitching 31 pitches in the first inning before the skies opened up and the game entered into a rain delay for about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Once gameplay resumed, the Guards turned to the bullpen to finish the game. Tim Herrin pitched the second inning, the first time in his major league career, and went scoreless for 1.2 innings of work. The Cleveland defense gave Herrin some highlight reel worthy help. Catcher Patrick Bailey turned a strike-’em-out, throw-‘em-out double play to end the second inning.

In the bottom of the third, right fielder Chase DeLauter turned what looked like a would be triple to an out with an incredible throw to José.

Craig Yoho finished out the third inning for Herrin and, unfortunately, imploded. Yoho allowed four runs on two hits and four walks before finally retiring the side. Colin Holderman went 1.2 innings, walking a batter and striking out two. Eric Sabrowski finished the fifth and started the sixth inning, recording two outs and walking three batters. Hunter Gaddis came on the finish the sixth and pitch the full seventh. He walked one and struck out two. Cade Smith, who desperately needed work with tomorrow’s off day, pitched the eighth, striking out one.

The Guards tried to put together a rally in the top of the ninth. Angel Genao drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Chase DeLauter drew a walk to bring the game tying run to the plate in José Ramírez. During his at bad, another wild pitch allowed both runners to advance to scoring position. José hit a sac fly to center for the second out. That left the game resting on Rhys Hoskins’ shoulders. Rhys swung on the first pitch. The ball wasn’t hit hard enough to clear the yard and Chicago right fielder Braden Montgomery made the final out.

With this loss, the Guardians plummet to fourth in the division. The Detroit Tigers are now in second, 3.5 games behind Chicago and the Minnesota Twins are in third with the same record as Cleveland. Cleveland falls to 58-61 heading into tomorrow’s off day.

After moving the majority of their bullpen arms ahead of the MLB trade deadline, the Mets have given numerous minor leaguers the opportunity to show what they can do over the past week. 

Sunday, Jack Weisenburger became the latest to join the group. 

Weisenburger faced a long road to the big league level, making numerous different stops along his journey, including a stint in the Mexican League earlier this season. 

The 28-year-old signed on with the Mets and immediately reported to Triple-A. 

He pitched to a rough 7.22 ERA across his 14 appearances with Syracuse, but was able to find success during his first trip up to the majors. 

With a handful of family and friends in attendance at PNC Park on Sunday, Weisenburger tossed the final two innings in relief of Sean Manaea. 

He did give up a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth, but also picked up the first two strikeouts of his career and was able to keep the Pirates off the board.

“It’s a moment you dream of,” Weisenburger told Mets radio broadcaster Pat McCarthy postgame. 

“When they told me I was coming to the big leagues it didn’t hit me, and then I got here and I see my parents, my brother, and my wife -- it’s the best thing to happen to me.”

Weisenburger’s family was loving it as he put the finishing touches on the Mets’ victory, then they got to share a moment with him on the field postgame.

Jack Weisenburger has a moment with his family on field in Pittsburgh 🤗

He tossed two scoreless innings today in his MLB debut pic.twitter.com/bVGvv08NAG

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 9, 2026

It hasn’t always come easy this season for Sean Manaea, but the Mets starter turned in a masterful performance on Sunday to help New York beat the Pittsburgh Pirates and clinch another series win.

Staked to a big lead early on, the left-hander breezed through seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out a season-high 11 batters on 91 pitches (69 strikes) in what was easily his best start of the year.

“It was good,” Manaea said on his outing. “I’m just really proud of the amount of strikes I threw, getting ahead of guys. The offense did an amazing job of [going up] early, scoring runs and it was just my job to keep them at bay and I felt like I did a really good job of that today.”

Manaea was in control all day and had everything working for him, while continuing to see an uptick in velocity which has been climbing over his last few starts after beginning the season with a fastball in the high-80s.

While the 34-year-old was never concerned with the velocity dip which began in spring training but wasn’t improving during the season, even as a reliever, it’s nice to see Manaea have the same kind of life on his fastball that the Mets saw in 2024.

“Slow kind of work that we’ve been putting in over the last few months,” Manaea said about what has helped him regain his velocity. “That and just feeling good mechanically and just my body. I was never worried about the velo. As long as I stayed healthy I knew it would come back. Just everyday putting in work and now we’re seeing that velo increase.”

Manaea’s increase in velocity corresponds with his best stretch of the season on the mound. And while he was at his best on Sunday, the left-hander has been pitching extremely well since New York moved him from the bullpen to the rotation.

In 11 starts, Manaea owns a 3.50 ERA and has allowed more than two earned runs in a start just three times. As a reliever, generally used in long relief, the lefty pitched to a 5.02 ERA across 14 appearances. 

In fact, Manaea has been especially good over his last four outings where he’s given up six earned runs in 25 innings while completing at least six innings each time. He’s also managed to lower his ERA to 4.13 after it nearly reached 7.00 in early May.

“I take pride in taking the ball and trying to go deep into games and giving the team a chance to win and I feel like I’ve at least been able to do that the last few starts,” he said. “We got an incredible team here so just trying to help the boys win.”

With Manaea, who missed half of the 2025 season with a right oblique strain and struggled when he returned, seemingly back at full strength it gives the Mets another trusted arm in a starting rotation that is beginning to take shape for next season.

“You get excited,” said interim manager Andy Green about Manaea’s resurgence. “Any time you see the best version of a player it’s fun to watch and to know how much work he put in to get to where he is right now, it’s even more fun. He’s a great teammate, works incredibly hard and it’s fun to see him pitch like that.”

And although New York is still 15 games under .500 and well out of the playoff picture, with a pitching staff with that kind of potential, anything can happen. 

At the very least, the Mets, 5-1 since the MLB Trade Deadline, can finish the season strong.

“We’re pretty gritty and we’re good. I think we just gotta believe that,” Manaea said.

Houston Astros (60-58) at San Diego Padres (61-57), August 9, 2026, 5:20 p.m. PST

Watch: NBC/Peacock

Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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