Category: Baseball

Good morning, LSB.

The Rangers were off yesterday.

Evan Grant writes about a huge series against the best team in baseball and why it could have a lasting impact even beyond 2026.

MLB dot come assesses the situation in the AL Wild Card race.

Jack Leiter came out of the bullpen in his third rehab appearance.

And Evan also answered a bunch of Rangers questions in a YouTube live stream.

That’s all for this morning. The Rangers start up a series against the Brewers tonight at 6:40 with Cody Bradford on the mound for Texas.

Happy Friday!

Below you will find our dynasty rankings for the year’s NFL rookies. We of course need to take a long view in dynasty leagues, but we know that an offensive rookie who doesn’t get playing time in year one is going to have an uphill battle for fantasy relevancy. That means we want to pick players with at least a decent path to playing time, and it wouldn’t hurt if they are also on a team with a strong base offensively.

As evaluators we can love a player in college, but if he isn’t drafted early, giving him strong draft capital, he’ll need a lot of things to go his way before putting up consistent fantasy numbers. This means you can go off script a little when picking rookies, but you don’t want to wander too far from the first few rounds of the draft.

This year also is a little weak in offensive rookie depth overall, so if you do have a player you feel can make a jump despite poor draft capital, feel free to grab him, as there just aren’t a lot of strong prospects going in the 4th rounds of your rookie draft this season.

First overall pick

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Cardinals

His high ankle sprain is worrisome for this season, but he’s still the no-doubt No. 1 dynasty rookie pick. His ability should transition well to the NFL and despite landing on a down Cardinals team, he should see enough work to instantly be a fantasy asset when healthy. See if you can use his inauspicious start to trade for him or trade up to the No. 1 pick. He’s truly the cream of this crop.

When to draft Jordyn Tyson?

The Saints didn’t mind Tyson’s injury history, taking him 8th overall, with Carnell Tate as the only receiver ahead of him with pick No. 4. Tyson’s ability is great, but his injury history is scary, especially when you consider he suffered yet another hamstring injury during preseason and will miss at least the first few games of the year. We’ve seen players deal with recurring hamstring injuries that can plague them for years, but we’ve also seen players getting past the injury bug and put up strong, healthy careers.

I don’t love the overall talent in this bunch of rookies, so I’m willing to go after Tyson with the second or third pick despite the injury issues.

Rookie risers

Each training camp and preseason elevates few rookies into positions where they could see work early on. Here are some I’ve moved up my draft board.

Mike Washington, RB, Raiders

Washington has looked great so far and has shown that his odd college career won’t define him. His speed and elusiveness are NFL caliber and he’s already won the backup job to Ashton Jeanty. And if Jeanty’s ankle isn’t ready for Week 1, Washington could be a flex start from Day 1.

Emmett Johnson, RB, Chiefs

The Chiefs are going to rely more on the run this season after Patrick Mahomes’ ACL tear and signing Kenneth Walker. They also drafted Johnson, who has already won the No. 2 job behind Walker. Walker is a great runner, but does miss games due to nagging injuries. I expect we’ll see Johnson get his shot sometime this season.

De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, 49ers

Stribling wasn’t draft evaluators favorite receiver, but there’s no doubt he has the physical attributes to play in the NFL and now it looks like he’ll have the opportunity. He still has Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey ahead of him on the target tree, but that tree is looking ancient and hollow right now. Stribling will get work this season and what he’s shown in preseason looks more than legit.

On Tuesday, college baseball took one step closer to implementing technology that can ensure more accuracy in the game.

The automated ball-strike system, known as ABS, was approved for use across all divisions of college baseball starting next season.

BREAKING: The automated ball-strike system has been approved for use in all college baseball divisions next season.

The Division I Baseball Oversight Committee and the Division II and Division III Playing Rules Oversight Panel voted to give teams the option, when available, of… pic.twitter.com/FeLIi8GcTt

— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) August 25, 2026

Following NCAA approval in July, Tuesday’s statement was that the Division I Baseball Oversight Committee and the Division II and III Playing Rules Oversight Panels approved the usage of the technology.

Considered an experimental rule, individual teams will have the option to use the system as long as the technology is available at their facility.

The SEC experimented with ABS during their conference tournament in Hoover for the 2026 season. It was highly successful with a conversion rate of 56.2%. There were 105 challenges and 59 of those were overturned. Each team started the game with 3 challenges and retained them upon a successful attempt.

With umpiring being far from perfect, especially in the SEC, ABS feels like a no-brainer. It’s quick and barely slows down the flow of the game. The pitcher, catcher, or hitter can simply tap their hat/helmet a few times, the umpire announces the challenge, and the video board displays a box representing the strike zone and whether or not the ball touched the zone. The call is either changed or upheld and the game carries on all in the matter of 10-15 seconds.

LSU benefitted from ABS twice in the 9th inning of their final game of the year. With a loss meaning the end of their season, the Tigers were down 3-1 to Auburn and needing a rally. Derek Curiel was called for strike 3 with a 3-2 count, but immediately tapped his helmet and was correct.

Later that inning, Brayden Simpson was also called for strike 3 on a 3-2 count, which would have ended the game. He challenged and it was overturned, which awarded him a walk and he became the tying run on 1st base. LSU was unable to complete the rally, but neither of those players would have reached base if not for ABS.

I was told by a source close to the situation that while the technology will be allowed to be used through super regionals, it will not be available at the College World Series in Omaha. The reason for that was not explained, but as of now, they will revert back to full umpire control for the biggest tournament of the year.

The use of 18-inch bases was also approved for all three divisions of college baseball next year. As of now, 15-inch bases are the standard.

The double first base will now be required for all games. The SEC was first to experiment with that rule at the conference tournament in 2024. It became optional in 2025, then mandated for all Division I schools in 2026. Now, all of college baseball will be required to use it.

Division I baseball will use a 30-second timer for between batters, along with mound visits and offensive timeouts.

Other experimental rules that are on the table for all three divisions include a pitcher having two free disengagements with a third needing to result in a pickoff out or it would be considered a balk. It’s also possible that pitchers entering a game will face a three batter minimum, unless the inning ends.

Each of the last two possible rules are standard in the MLB.

Do you like these rule changes? Which ones do you look forward to and which would you rather not see in the college game?

Happy Friday one and all.

We have made it to the final game of the 2026 preseason, game four for the Cardinals.

I actually think what the Cardinals have been dealt by the NFL is a bit dirty. One of two teams to play four preseason games, then not getting their bye week until Decemeber.

So, let’s hope for health in this one, because really at this point, nothing else matters.

Enjoy the game.

Arizona Cardinals at Green Bay Packers

Date: Friday, August 28, 2026
Time: 5:00 p.m. AT
Location: Lambeau Field — Green Bay, WI
National TV: CBS (Channel 5 locally)
National online streaming: NFL+, NFL Network
TV announcers: Paul Calvisi (play-by-play) Sam Acho (analyst) Dani Sureck (sideline)
Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
Radio announcers: J.P. Shadrick (play-by-play), A.Q. Shipley (analyst)
Spanish Radio: Latino Mix 100.3 FM KQMR
Spanish Radio announcers: Jesus Quinonez (play-by-play) and Irving Villanueva (analyst)
Betting line: Cardinals +1.5 per FanDuel Sportsbook

With final cuts just days away, it’s time to see how the Cowboys’ projected 53-man roster has changed since training camp opened.

We published a roster projection summary prior to training camp featuring projections from Joseph Hoyt of the DMN, Todd Archer of ESPN, and Jon Machota of the Athletic. At the time (July 27), the three projections gave us a good idea of where public sentiment stood regarding the 2026 Cowboys roster.

Today, we turn to three more projections. One from Todd Archer of ESPN Dallas, another one from Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News,and a final one from our own Dan Rogers of BloggingTheBoys, subbing in for Jon Machota.

With only a few days left until the cutdown, it might be interesting to take a step back, and look at how the Cowboys’ 53-man projection has developed since the start of training camp. This should allow us to see which players moved up or down the depth chart over the entire training camp (and two preseason games).

As our goal today is to compare and contrast the current projections with those earlier iterations, the tables are color-coded accordingly and the tally from the July projections is shown at the end of the table for each player.

Green = current projection represents an improvement over July

Yellow = current projection is less certain/represents a decline

July column = previous consensus

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Quarterbacks	Dak Prescott	Dak Prescott	Dak Prescott	3/3
	Joe Milton	Joe Milton	Joe Milton	2/3
	Sam Howell			2/3

Winner: Joe Milton
Questions: Sam Howell

What changed: Milton and Howell were both 2-for-3 in our July projection summary, but Milton is now the 3-for-3 unanimous pick as QB2. I’m with Archer though, who explains why the Cowboys may keep all three:

“Maybe in a perfect world the Cowboys would rather go with two quarterbacks, but Milton and Howell have fared well and if quarterback is the most important spot on the team, then maybe it’s wise to keep three.”

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Running Backs	Javonte Williams	Javonte Williams	Javonte Williams	3/3
	Malik Davis	Malik Davis	Malik Davis	1/3
	Jaydon Blue	Jaydon Blue	Jaydon Blue	3/3
	Hunter Luepke	Hunter Luepke	Hunter Luepke	3/3

Winner: Malik Davis
Loser: Phil Mafah
Out: Israel Abanikanda, Jashaun Corbin

What changed: Phil Mafah entered camp on 2-of-3 projections, while Malik Davis felt like an also-ran at 1-of-3. But that changed dramatically, with Davis looking like a strong bet for the 53 and Mafah a likely PS candidate.

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Wide Receivers	CeeDee Lamb	CeeDee Lamb	CeeDee Lamb	3/3
	George Pickens	George Pickens	George Pickens	3/3
	Ryan Flournoy	Ryan Flournoy	Ryan Flournoy	3/3
	KaVontae Turpin	KaVontae Turpin	KaVontae Turpin	3/3
	Jonathan Mingo	Jonathan Mingo	Jonathan Mingo	1/3
	Camden Brown	Camden Brown		0/3

Winners: Jonathan Mingo, Camden Brown
Losers: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Anthony Smith, Traeshon Holden
Out: Jordan Hudson, Tyler Johnson, Denzel Mims, Jaden Smith

What changed: Mingo got one roster vote in July, Brown got none; Mingo upped his to three, Brown to two. As such, they are both winners of camp, even if keeping six wide receivers would be an unusual luxury here. MVS, Smith, and Holden all made one pre-camp projection, so their stock clearly dropped. The remaining receivers were likely never more than camp bodies.

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Tight Ends	Jake Ferguson	Jake Ferguson	Jake Ferguson	3/3
	Brevyn Spann-Ford	Brevyn Spann-Ford	Brevyn Spann-Ford	3/3
	Luke Schoonmaker	Luke Schoonmaker	Luke Schoonmaker	3/3

Losers: Michael Trigg
Out: Zack Kuntz, DJ Rogers, Mitchell Van Vooren

What changed: There was some palpable excitement for Michael Trigg heading into camp, and he did show up on one of three pre-camp projections, but injuries and a steep learning curve as a blocker likely stopped him from making the jump to the 53.

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Offensive Line	Tyler Guyton	Tyler Guyton	Tyler Guyton	3/3
	Tyler Smith	Tyler Smith	Tyler Smith	3/3
	Cooper Beebe	Cooper Beebe	Cooper Beebe	3/3
	Tyler Booker	Tyler Booker	Tyler Booker	3/3
	Terence Steele	Terence Steele	Terence Steele	3/3
	TJ Bass	TJ Bass	TJ Bass	3/3
	Nate Thomas	Nate Thomas	Nate Thomas	3/3
	Drew Shelton	Drew Shelton	Drew Shelton	3/3
	Nick Leverett	Nick Leverett	Nick Leverett	0/3
		Ajani Cornelius	Ajani Cornelius	1/3

Winners: Nick Leverett, Ajani Cornelius
Loser: Trevor Keegan
Out: Marcellus Johnson, Shiyazh Pete, DJ Wingfield, Chris Glaser, Sebastian Gutierrez

What changed: The question on the offensive line may be more about whether the Cowboys keep nine or ten guys, and perhaps less about which specific players they keep. But heading into camp, Trevor Keegan was a lock on all three projections, so he clearly lost some momentum throughout camp. Ajani Cornelius was 1-of-3 in July, and is now 2-of-3, so also an improvement. But Nick Leverett may be the biggest surprise here, as he didn’t show up on any of the July projections but looks like a strong 53-man candidate here.

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Outside Linebackers	Rashan Gary	Rashan Gary	Rashan Gary	3/3
	Donovan Ezeiruaku	Donovan Ezeiruaku	Donovan Ezeiruaku	3/3
	Von Miller	Von Miller	Von Miller	0/3
	Malachi Lawrence	Malachi Lawrence	Malachi Lawrence	3/3
	James Houston	James Houston	James Houston	2/3
	Marist Liufau		Marist Liufau	1/3
		Sam Williams		3/3

Winner: James Houston
Questions: Sam Williams, Marist Liufau
Loser: Tyrus Wheat
Out: Isaiah Land

What changed: Will McClay once coined the term “swarming rotation” to describe the Cowboys’ approach to their edge rushers, which may be one reason the Cowboys could keep six players here, and the Von Miller addition added even more pressure. All three projections agree on the first five. The only disagreement is over the sixth spot. Sam Williams was a 3-for-3 lock heading into camp but drops to 1-for-3 here, Marist Liufau was 1-for-3 and “improves” to 2-for-3, but both of them are likely in a battle with Tyrus Wheat (2-of-3 in July) for that last spot. James Houston was 2-for-3 in July and became a unanimous projection, so for now, he emerges as the winner here.

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Defensive Tackles	Quinnen Williams	Quinnen Williams	Quinnen Williams	3/3
	Kenny Clark	Kenny Clark	Kenny Clark	3/3
	Otito Ogbonnia	Otito Ogbonnia	Otito Ogbonnia	3/3
	LT Overton	LT Overton	LT Overton	3/3
	Jonathan Bullard	Jonathan Bullard		3/3
			Jay Toia	0/3

Questions: Jonathan Bullard, Jay Toia
Out: Adedayo Odeleye, Kevin Gilliam, Tommy Dunn

What changed: Note that teams can designate up to two players at the final cut down as “IR to return,” no longer requiring them to be on the roster for a day. For the Cowboys, Jonathan Bullard (groin and abdomen tendonitis) at DT and Julius Wood (concussion) at safety could qualify – and that may be the chance for Jay Toia to temporarily grab that fifth spot at DT.

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Linebackers	DeMarvion Overshown	DeMarvion Overshown	DeMarvion Overshown	3/3
	Dee Winters	Dee Winters	Dee Winters	3/3
	Jaishawn Barham	Jaishawn Barham	Jaishawn Barham	3/3
	Shemar James	Shemar James	Shemar James	3/3
		Curtis Robinson		2/3

Questions: Curtis Robinson
Out: Justin Barron, Langston Patterson

What changed: No real surprises here, except for Watkins including Curtis Robinson, which he explains with “special teams work helps Robinson in this area.“

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Cornerbacks	Daron Bland	Daron Bland	Daron Bland	3/3
	Cobie Durant	Cobie Durant	Cobie Durant	3/3
	Shavon Revel	Shavon Revel	Shavon Revel	3/3
	Devin Moore	Devin Moore	Devin Moore	3/3
	Veteran not on roster		Caelen Carson	2/3
			Derion Kendrick	3/3

Questions: Caelen Carson, Derion Kendrick
Out: Ameer Speed, Trikweze Bridges, Reddy Steward, Josh Butler

What changed: Derion Kendrick was 3-for-3 heading into camp, Caelen Carson was 2-for-3, but both are hanging on by a thread. Dan Rogers explains:

“How they stack after [Carson] is anyone’s guess, but for my guess, I’m going a little off script and predict that Derion Kendrick snags one of those last spots, but guys like Reddy Steward and Ameer Speed aren’t dead in the water just yet.”

Todd Archer adds perhaps the most intriguing wrinkle in the entire projection with his ‘veteran not on roster’ pick. This is the only position where Archer explicitly projects outside help. Our own RJ Ochoa writes:

“Archer is among the most plugged-in Cowboys insiders on the beat so when he says something like this we should listen. The four that he has on the team make sense, Devin Moore hasn’t popped but he is a draft pick, but that TBD is interesting.“

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Safeties	Jalen Thompson	Jalen Thompson	Jalen Thompson	3/3
	Caleb Downs	Caleb Downs	Caleb Downs	3/3
	Malik Hooker	Malik Hooker	Malik Hooker	3/3
	PJ Locke	PJ Locke	PJ Locke	3/3
	Markquese Bell	Markquese Bell	Markquese Bell	0/3

Winner: Markquese Bell
Out: Julius Wood (possible “IR to return”), Alijah Clark, Zion Childress

What changed: Brian Schottenheimer’s recent comments about Bell as a special teams ace seem to solidify him as a 53-man roster lock. Bell was 0-for-3 on the projections prior to camp.

“Markquese Bell is one of our most trusted leaders on special teams. He’s a really good football player. He’s a good defender. But I think he’s a great special teams player.

And there’s guys like that, they play eight, nine, 10, 11 years sometimes, because they have a trait that is needed.“

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	Archer ESPN	Watkins DMN	Rogers BTB	July
Specialists	Brandon Aubrey (K)	Brandon Aubrey (K)	Brandon Aubrey (K)	3/3
	Bryan Anger (P)	Bryan Anger (P)	Bryan Anger (P)	3/3
	Trent Sieg (LS)	Trent Sieg (LS)	Trent Sieg (LS)	3/3

No surprises on special teams.

So that’s where we stand with the roster a few days left until roster cuts. Summarized, the biggest individual movements and unresolved questions look something like this:

1. Nick Leverett: 0/3 → 3/3
2. Markquese Bell: 0/3 → 3/3
3. Jonathan Mingo: 1/3 → 3/3
4. Camden Brown: 0/3 → 2/3
5. Sam Williams: 3/3 → 1/3
6. Phil Mafah: 2/3 → 0/3
7. Tyrus Wheat: 2/3 → 0/3
8. The unresolved sixth OLB spot
9. Archer’s mystery veteran at CB

The roster isn’t changing everywhere, but where it has changed, some players have moved dramatically.

For me, the biggest surprise isn’t any of the rookies—it’s Markquese Bell, who went from 0-for-3 before camp to a unanimous projection for the 53.

Who is the most surprising name on the projected 53-man roster for you?

The Miami Dolphins closed out their 2026 training camp this week and host the Atlanta Falcons later tonight in the final preseason game of the year. We are closing in on the roster cut deadline, with teams required to drop from the 90-man preseason limit to the in-season 53-man roster size by 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, August 30.

Before last week’s loss to the New York Giants, I posted my first projection for the Dolphins’ 2026 53-man roster. A week later, it is time to update. I will be back on Sunday with my final projection with any changes after tonight’s game.

Miami Dolphins offense (24)

Quarterback (2)

Malik Willis
Quinn Ewers

Cut: Cam Miller, Mark Gronowski

Changes: None.

This seems pretty straightforward now. Unless Ewers reaggravates his injury or Miller absolutely balls out tonight, there should not be a change to the quarterback plan.

Running backs (4)

De’Von Achane
Jaylen Wright
Ollie Gordon II
Jarquez Hunter

Cut: Coleman Bennett, Donovan Edwards, Carlos Washington, Jr.

Changes: Add Hunter

Miami traded for Hunter on Thursday, a day after signing Bennett. They are clearly looking for additional depth at running back. Hunter could prove to simply be a body for Friday’s game, but the trade and the signing could signal concern that Gordon’s rib injury might slow him for a little while. Adding Hunter gives the team some flexibility at the position.

Fullbacks (0)

Cut: DJ Herman

Changes: Cut Herman

I think Herman has a pathway to the roster, but the Dolphins listing Sims as their starting fullback, even though he is a tight end, is a concern. The Dolphins signed free-agent linebacker Stephen Dix, Jr. and assigned him the same number (34) as Herman; that cannot be a good sign. Herman could be a practice squad option.

Tight ends (3)

Greg Dulcich
Will Kacmarek
Ben Sims

Cut: Ethan Conner, Seydou Traore, Jeremiah Franklin

Changes: Cole Turner from cut to injured reserve; Cut Ethan Conner after signing this week

No major changes here. Sims makes the roster as the primary fullback option if the Dolphins want to use him there. There is an assumption that Sims will be healthy and ready for the start of the year – otherwise, I will have to find a way to add Herman back to the roster. Kacmarek has had a good training camp and preseason, showing his ability to be a strong option as a sixth offensive lineman. Dulcich starts. Traore is added to the practice squad with the exemption for being an International Player Pathway member.

Offensive lineman (9)

Tackles
Patrick Paul
Austin Jackson
Caedan Wallace

Guards
Kadyn Proctor
Jonah Savaiinaea
DJ Campbell
Josh Priebe

Centers
Aaron Brewer
Andrew Meyer

Cut: Gottlieb Ayedze, Jim Bonifas, Charlie Heck , Kevin Cline, Marques Cox, James Ester

Changes: Cut Charlie Heck; Jim Bonifas removed after Dolphins cut him this week

Heck gets cut here because I need the roster space – mostly because I had an extra player on the roster last week. My math was all over the place and I should have triple-checked my count. Heck is on the roster bubble, however, and could make it depending on what the Dolphins decide for the center position. Bonifas was listed as a cut last week, then the Dolphins moved on from him. Meyer’s position is not guaranteed at center, with Priebe possibly filling in as a backup at both guard and center – though I would not say Priebe’s roster spot is locked in, especially once Miami starts making waiver claims after other teams cut linemen.

Wide receivers (6)

Malik Washington
Caleb Douglas
Chris Bell
Kevin Coleman, Jr.
Jalen Tolbert
Jalen Reagor

Cut: AJ Henning, Donaven McCulley, Terrace Marshall, Jr., Ryan Miller, Theo Wease, Jr.

Changes: Tutu Atwell removed after trade to Los Angeles Rams; Cut Ryan Miller after being a waiver claim by the Dolphins this week; Tahj Washington removed after being waived

No changes for the six players projected to make the roster. The locks are Washington and the three rookies (Douglas, Bell, Coleman). Tolbert is close to a lock, but the Dolphins could consider swapping him out in a waiver claim after the cuts. Reagor is a bubble player who hangs on for special teams purposes; Henning has played well enough to push ahead of Reagor, especially with a strong performance tonight.

Miami Dolphins defense (26)

Defensive ends (6)

Chop Robinson
Josh Uche
Robert Beal, Jr.
Max Llewellyn
Clelin Ferrell
Cameron Goode

Cut: Seth Coleman-Lyles, Rodney McGraw, David Ojabo

Changes: Cut David Ojabo; Add Cameron Goode; Add Clelin Ferrell

Last week, I had Ojabo ahead of Ferrell, but I think Ojabo’s stock has continued to fall and now he is on the wrong side of the bubble. Of course, this is assuming Ferrell and Goode are both healthy enough to make it to the roster – or that they will be on the roster then placed on injured reserve once waiver claims begin. Goode makes the roster to provide an additional edge rusher with the injury to linebacker Trey Moore.

Defensive tackle (5)

Zach Sieler
Kenneth Grant
Jordan Phillips
Zeek Biggers
Matthew Butler

Cut: Keith Cooper, Jr., Alex Huntley, Fatorma Mulbah, Cam Rice

Changes: Cut Mulbah; Add Butler

The bubble watch last week had Mulbah on the roster and Butler being cut. They flip this week. Mulbah had a strong opening preseason game, but Butler has probably been more consistent all summer. Plus, Mulbah should be able to be stashed on the practice squad.

Linebackers (6)

Jordyn Brooks
Jacob Rodriguez
Tyrel Dodson
Kyle Louis
Ronnie Harrison, Jr.
Willie Gay, Jr.

Cut: Stephen Dix, Jr., , Cam Riley, Jackson Woodard

IR: Trey Moore

Changes: Add Gay; Trey Moore off roster to IR

Last week, I wrote, “Harrison and Gay are in a position battle to claim the final spot among the linebackers.” That changes this week because of Moore’s injury; he likely will start the season on IR, opening the roster spot Gay needs. Woodard needs to stay with the team, probably on the practice squad, unless the Dolphins are concerned he would be claimed off waivers – which could push Gay back off the roster. Miami cracked the seal on trades on Thursday, sending wide receiver Tutu Atwell to the Los Angeles Rams; Dodson and Gay could both be trade candidates as Miami looks to churn the roster.

Cornerbacks (5)

Chris Johnson
JuJu Brents
Jason Marshall, Jr.
Ethan Bonner
A.J. Green III

Physically Unable to Perform list: Darrell Baker, Jr., Storm Duck

Cuts: Alex Austin, Miles Battle, Ahmari Harvey, Jai’Onte McMillan, Marco Wilson

Changes: Cut McMillan after waiver claim from Colts; Cut Wilson from roster

Johnson, Brents, and Marshall are locked onto the roster. Bonner probably is safe as well. Green slides on as the final depth option. Wilson falls off the roster because of spot math: linebacker Trey Moore is injured which makes me think the team will keep an extra defensive end (Cameron Goode) which former me to make a cut here. If you told me any of the cuts were to make the roster over Green, I would not argue with you.

Safeties (4)

Dante Trader, Jr.
Zayne Anderson
Michael Taaffe
Major Burns

Cuts: Lonnie Johnson, Jr., Louis Moore

I am sticking with my projection last week, but I am not locked into Burns making the roster. If either Johnson or Moore have a stellar game tonight or Burns slips, there could be a change to the prediction come Sunday.

Special Teams (3)

Long Snapper (1)

Tucker Addington

Changes: None

Kicker (1)

Riley Patterson

Changes: None

Punter (1)

Bradley Pinion

Changes: None

Columbus Clippers 5, Indianapolis Indians 6

Clippers fall to 66-60

Alfonsin Rosario had one of his better games at Triple-A, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a stolen base. The only other multi-hit game belonged to Cooper Ingle, who went 2-for-5.

Kyle Manzardo doubled and walked while Dayan Frias tripled and stole a base and Blake Perkins also doubled and walked. Kody Huff went 1-for-3 with two walks.

Starting pitcher Ben Lively allowed four runs on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts in 4.2 innings.

Jack Jasiak allowed another two runs in 2.0 innings and Daniel Espino had a clean outing with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts (please call him back up for September).

Akron RubberDucks 6, Somerset Patriots 8

RubberDucks fall to 59-61

Nolan Schubart is still going strong. The three true outcome slugger went 2-for-4 with two more home runs and two strikeouts. He now has 10 home runs at Double-A and 30 overall on the season with a 1.018 OPS at Akron.

Alex Mooney also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a home run and a stolen base while Jaison Chourio doubled, walked and stole a base and Luke Hill doubled and stole a base. Tyresse Turner also went 1-for-3 with a walk and a steal and Logun Clark went 1-fo-3 with a hit by pitch.

Starting pitcher Braylon Doughty had a rough outing, allowing seven runs (six earned) on five hits in 3.2 innings while striking out three and walking three.

Michael Kennedy was excellent in long relief, tossing 2.1 scoreless frames with a pair of strikeouts and Adam Tulloch finished off the game with another 2.0 scoreless innings.

Lake County Captains 11, Cedar Rapids Kernels 10

Captains improve to 66-53

Lake County’s offense has continued to bail out its pitching. A couple days after having to score 19 runs to scrape out a win, the Captains had to score 11 to earn the victory Thursday.

Leading the charge was Anthony Martinez, who had a monster game by going 4-for-5 with a home run and four runs batted in.

Tommy Hawke also had a spectacular game, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks and two stolen bases.

Juneiker Caceres went 2-for-4 with a walk and Welbyn Francisca went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a walk. Jose Pirela homered.

Starting pitcher Joey Oakie made his High-A debut, allowing three runs on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 2.0 innings.

Luis Flores followed with 2.0 scoreless innings, but then Logan McGuire was blasted for six runs on two hits and three walks with a hit by pitch in his 2.0 innings. Both hits McGuire allowed were home runs.

Cam Schuelke earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning.

Hill City Howlers 7, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 6

Howlers improve to 52-70

The top of Hill City’s lineup was spectacular on Thursday.

Guardians 2026 fifth round pick Lucas Moore went 3-for-4 from the leadoff position with three doubles and a walk.

Catching prospect Reiner Herrera continues to impress. He went 3-for-4 with his seventh home run at Single-A and after starting the season in the Arizona Complex League. Herrera also stole a base. He has 18 home runs in just 68 games this season.

Guardians 2026 15th round pick Alejandro Garza also had a good game, going 2-for-4 with a triple and a walk while Pedro Dalmagro homered.

Starting pitcher Miguel Flores had his best outing of the season, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit. He walked two and struck out four.

The bullpen barely preserved the victory, however. Guardians 10th round pick Ryan Bilka gave up two runs after walking three in 1.1 innings and Aaron Savary was blasted for four runs on five hits in the final 1.2 innings to barely hold on for the win.

The Phillies will start a three-game series out in Anaheim tonight against the Angels. Of course, whenever these two teams play each other, the topic of Millville’s own Mike Trout is naturally discussed at length. Trout has obviously never played for the Phillies, but he’s been someone that fans have clamored for practically his entire career, as the three-time MVP not only grew up in the area but is still a very vocal (and visible) Philadelphia Eagles fan.

It’s likely that fans’ dreams will never come true though, as Trout is under contract until 2031, putting him with the Angels through his age 38 season. His name always comes up with unofficial trade discussions with the Phillies, but Trout has never really expressed much desire to leave Anaheim, and Angels ownership has never expressed a desire to move him either.

Trout is the most notable player from the Philadelphia area in recent memory, but he’s not the only one currently active in MLB. The Tigers’ star rookie Kevin McGonigle is also a local product, hailing from Media, Pennsylvania and having played high school ball at Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill. He was even in the stands at Citizens Bank Park as a fan when the Phillies played the Astros in the 2022 World Series. Flash forward to 2026, and McGonigle was one of the few non-Phillies who received cheers instead of boos at Citizens Bank Park during the All-Star Game introductions.

Nick Kurtz of the Athletics is also a young star that grew up around Philadelphia. He and his family are from Lancaster, PA and owned season tickets to the Phillies in section 116 at Citizens Bank Park. When the A’s came to Philadelphia in May, Kurtz remarked that getting to play in the stadium he used to go to with his family growing up was almost better than anything he’s done on the field in his young playing career.

None of those aforementioned three players have ever actually played for the Phillies though, but Tyler Phillips can say he has. The South Jersey native had a nice run of starts for the Phillies in 2024 including a complete game shutout before finding his way to the Marlins last season where he has found a home as a swingman in the bullpen. He may no longer have fond memories of playing in Philadelphia though, as he owns a 5.23 ERA in nine appearances against his former team.

These are just a few of the more notable MLB players that grew up around Philadelphia and were raised Phillies fans. There have been plenty more throughout history that were from here but may have never gotten to play for their hometown team. So, who is your favorite locally born baseball player?

Was it last night? Him receiving his sword? Maybe some specific start from earlier this year… or 2024? Maybe, in retrospect, it’s just learning that he was acquired for Vaughn Grissom, with the Red Sox paying him to pitch in Atlanta that year.

Floor is yours, I’m gonna go back to watching last night’s performance.

The New Orleans Saints are 0-2 in the preseason so far and didn’t look pretty in a 34-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. With New Orleans entering their final preseason match, it feels vital to go into the regular season on a high note.

Head coach Kellen Moore has already announced very few starters will see playtime against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite the reserves seeing the bulk of the playing time, there’s still plenty of matchups to pay attention to on Friday night.

Saints secondary vs. QB Joe Milton III

Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III has been lighting it up in the preseason. Through two games, Milton has thrown for 286 yards and 3 touchdowns with just seven incompletions. For short, the Saints defense that just allowed 254 passing yards is in for a challenge.

Milton’s talent is exceptional, and he may be one of the league’s best raw talents. While he hasn’t been able to put it all together as a starter in the league, his name often comes up as a trade target for teams looking for a young passer.

The Saints secondary had a strong showing against the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first preseason outing, despite the loss, but followed it up quickly with a poor performance against the Rams. With questions entering the season centered around the secondary, they’ll need a strong performance on Friday to increase confidence in the depth.

Saints pass rush vs. Cowboys pass protection

Part of Milton’s success has been the Dallas pass protection. Through two games, the Cowboys have only allowed one sack, with Milton himself not suffering a sack.

In preseason week one, the Saints pass rush logged four sacks, with Michael Heldman recording two. But like every other facet of the game, the Saints’ pass rush was terrible against the Rams, failing to record a quarterback hit.

If New Orleans wants to slow down the powerful Cowboys offense, it will come with slowing down the Dallas quarterbacks. If the Saints can replicate their success from their first outing, they will severely increase their chances of coming out on top and winning their first game of preseason.

RB Kendre Miller vs. Cowboys run defense

Running back Devin Neal and Ty Chandler each suffered significant injuries against the Rams. These injuries only emphasized the depletion of available backs the Saints have in the running back room. With the injuries, the Saints traded for Zamir White.

Despite the trade, running back Kendre Miller is still the player with the best chance to take over for Alvin Kamara while he’s away with an injury. Through two games, the Cowboys have allowed 242 rushing yards. While facing a defense that has been vulnerable to the run, the Saints’ run game has been inconsistent.

In his preseason debut against the Rams, Miller only rushed for 22 yards on six carries. While underwhelming, the fourth-year running back had plenty of plays negated by penalties and still showed the ability to create explosive plays. Friday’s matchup is a great opportunity for the young running back, who has a big opportunity to see playtime this season.

Good quarterbacks are tough to find. And even generational talent coming out of college doesn’t always end up being as generational as you’d hoped. I’m looking at you Trevor Lawrence. This also wasn’t the best year for quarterbacks in the draft. But, so much depends on coaching, opportunity and the players around quarterbacks, that some fantasy value could come out of this draft class, but we may need to wait on it.

If you are in a 10-12 team dynasty that starts one quarterback, there really is no need to worry all that much about rookie quarterbacks, especially this season. Yes, Fernando Mendoza is going to play and Klint Kubiak may be able to get him into the upper tier of fantasy QBs sooner than later, but I’m not betting on its especially when I can make bets on RB, WR, and TE instead.

Of course, if you are in a 2QB league, you’re going to need to take fliers on quarterbacks, because their value is much higher when you need 24 starting QBs instead of 12. When those bye weeks come around or injuries pop up, you’ll feel that crunch and desperation for any warm body set in.

The good news is that rookie quarterbacks are cheap to roster, especially this year. Throw them on your bench and see how it goes.

Fernando Mendoza, Raiders

Mendoza is the only quarterback in this draft assured to make an NFL start. The team invested the first overall pick in hi, and they’ll do all they can to make him an NFL QB. I’m still not taking him ahead of the top offensive players in this draft, even if it is a 2QB league. That doesn’t mean he is very much worth drafting for your bench in hopes that Klint Kubiak can work his magic.

Ty Simpson, Rams

After Mendoza, Ty Simpson is the only quarterback with strong draft capitol and he has an old Matthew Stafford nearing retirement ahead of him. This alone makes him worth a pick, but the talent is suspect. Sean McVay and Puka Nacua are enough to give Simpson more upside than he deserves though. He’s a must draft in 2QB leagues and 14 team leagues with deep benches.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are in town for a weekend set with the Tigers, and the story will certainly revolve around Tarik Skubal’s return to Detroit. Rarely in franchise history has the organization had such a talented pitcher and it was a pleasure to watch the two-time Cy Young award winner’s career unfold. While Casey Mize, Matt Manning, and Alex Faedo were the hotshot first round picks, Skubal was the afterthought who, through a lot of hard work and development, turned himself into one of the greatest pitchers in Tigers’ history. At the same time, the circumstances between Skubal and the Tigers over his final year with the team are still too fresh in many minds for a dispassionate assessment.

My first experience with Tarik Skubal was just looking him up as a matter of course on draft day 2018, when the Tigers selected him in the ninth round. What we saw was a skinny, young left-hander with an obviously good fastball, but nothing else that really stood out. His breaking stuff and changeup were really mediocre, and my first thought was that he might make a good fastball heavy reliever.

He was impressive in a brief look in A-ball, but there wasn’t much new to report. Then came his full season dominance in 2019 as he tore through High-A, and then went absolutely nuts during a 42.1 inning stint at Double-A to close the year. He was comfortably sitting 95 mph and hitting 97-98 mph here and there, but the carry traits on his fourseamer were just outrageous. His slider was somewhat improved, but he was still heavily fastball reliant, and yet no one could hit him. He struck out 48.2 percent of hitters faced, with an insane 21.7 percent whiff rate. There still wasn’t much artistry to his approach. Instead it looked like a game of catch on steroids as he just threw fastballs by everyone with abandon.

It’s easy to forget how long a process it really was for Skubal to transform himself physically, mentally, and in terms of his actual stuff, into the beast we watched from mid-2023 until he was traded. His 2020 debut during the short COVID season wasn’t impressive at all, and he was marginally better as his slider improved in 2021, but still shockingly home run prone. It didn’t help that MLB cracked down on the sticky stuff in June of 2021, and Skubal’s fastball spin rate notably declined after the new policies and umpire inspections of pitchers was instituted. No doubt there was an adjustment period for him three in recalibrating the heater.

The first big evolution of his pro career came in the wake of those changes, as Skubal started using his sinker and slider more, and the latter pitch improved significantly. He also started leaning into his natural tendency to cut the fourseam fastball and began pitching inside much more aggressively to right-handed hitters, with good results. After being incredibly home run prone his first two seasons, he drastically cut down the home runs allowed in 2022 and was on his way to a very good season before blowing out the flexor tendon in his left elbow at the beginning of August. The process of recovering from that surgery was really where Skubal turned himself into the ace version of himself.

When Tarik Skubal emerged to start making rehab outings in June of 2023, he looked like a whole different person. His legs had turned into tree trunks, and his whole frame was bulked up with good muscle and moving faster and more efficiently than ever before. Suddenly the fastball was routinely 98-99 mph. Reportedly, analysts in the Tigers front office had come up with a seam-shifted changeup for him, and once Skubal got the feel for that pitch he was off to the races with the best fastball-changeup combination in the game.

From that point in mid-2023 through 2025, Skubal was the best pitcher in baseball. In the process, he transformed what was possible for a club still trying to build up their roster. The Tigers front office was slow on the uptake in my opinion, and really never made a serious effort to capitalize as their young talent from the great Avila draft classes of 2018-2020 came into their own. The Tigers won a pair of Wild Card series, and came close to advancing to the ALCS last fall, but ultimately they were always a big piece or two short of looking like a legit World Series contender.

The point of going back through his history is just to re-emphasize that Skubal was never the guy. He turned himself into the monster he became with a ton of drive and hard-work. He did so as a perfect citizen in the Tigers’ clubhouse, providing leadership and motivation to all around him. He breathed fire on the mound and wasn’t shy of a little chirping with opposing teams and fanbases, all while maintaining a very open, light-hearted approach to the media. This isn’t Justin Verlander, who was always the man right from the start, with all the physical gifts one could ask for in a pitcher, including downright ludicrous durability. Skubal was a nobody who built himself up into one of the most overpowering pitchers in recent history, and secured his place in history already by winning back-to-back AL Cy Young awards.

It’s hard to find much fault with Skubal here. The time to pursue an extension was after his 2023 breakout. The Tigers apparently made one vague, lowball extension offer in 2024, and neither party broached the subject again. At that point he was too close to free agency to go offering a huge discount. Whether Skubal wanted to stay or not, and he’s always insisted that he’d love to be a Tiger for life, Scott Harris never seemed very interested. At the same time, as a Scott Boras client and union rep for the Tigers, whether Skubal would have considered a less than full market value extension is an open question. A question the Tigers never tested with an offer.

Losing a player of this caliber is really hard on a fanbase. Smaller market clubs are accustomed to being poached by the Dodgers and Yankees of the baseball world, but it never feels good, especially on a team that actually had preseason hopes. Tarik Skubal’s emergence as the best pitcher in baseball helped open a window of contention and gave us all a pretty good dose of postseason baseball. While some remain frustrated that he didn’t pitch an extra inning in Game 5 of last year’s ALDS, he’s certainly the one who did the most to get them there.

From the end of the 2025 playoffs until he was traded on August 1 to the Dodgers, an absolute storm of scutiny and speculation from national and local media followed Skubal wherever he went. At times, he didn’t handle it that well, as his natural desire to be open and well-liked by the Tigers’ fanbase led him into some traps. He couldn’t talk numbers, and by then it was finally clear to everyone if it wasn’t already, that he was going to free agency. But because he’s the one center stage and can’t hide from the drama, it was up to him to field the same types of questions over and over for the nine months until he was traded. He arguably put his foot in his mouth a few times, but for the most part he conducted himself admirably.

Fundamentally, all a player can do is play and conduct themselves like a professional. They’re judged by how they perform, and to a degree for how well they represent the franchise and the fanbase with their conduct. Skubal was close to impeccable on both counts, and while it’s natural for some to have some hard feelings, there’s really no reason to direct any of that at Tarik Skubal. He did everything he could to win in Detroit, even rushing through a bit of an experimental procedure on his elbow in May to try and get back to action as soon as possible. We were fortunate to have him and there’s really nothing to suggest the Tigers ever seriously pursued keeping him long-term.

What is really going to be interesting now though, is whether a combination of his somewhat injury plagued season and a whole host of issues with the league, the Dodgers, and the next CBA will impact his free agency. A year ago, he looked like he might land a $400 million deal from the Dodgers. Now, with a slightly down year at age 29, with the 2027 season in at least some doubt, and with their ownership mired in financial trouble, things are a lot less clear. Will the Tigers be involved? Who knows, but at least the field seems to be opening up.

When Tarik Skubal returns to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight, let’s hope he gets a full throated standing ovation from the Tigers’ faithful. He’s earned it. His peak puts him among the best Tigers’ pitchers of all-time, and when some of the heat from the drama of the past year subsides, that legacy in Detroit is all that will remain. Seeing him on the mound is going to bring up a broad mix of emotions from Tigers fans, but it’s also a bit of a relief to have the drama behind us. The Tigers are headed into a tricky time for the organization and there’s a lot to consider going into the offseason. Tarik Skubal is not really one of those things right now, so perhaps Friday night will just be cathartic in a sense and everyone can move on, at least for now.

Welcome back home, Tarik. We hope you get the love you deserve, and then the Tigers drop an eight-spot on you somehow. It’s all in the game.

Labor Day steals fast upon us, and in baseball language, this means we’re closing in on the point in the season when a team’s record and standings are a truer indicator of underlying value than vague talk about “parts” and “clubhouse vibes” and “potential.” It’s been a difficult year for the Orioles by most measures—a losing record (65-69), injuries hitting both the rotation and the bullpen, and a trade deadline that saw several key pieces sent off. Even so, with roughly a month remaining in the season, the Orioles remain within range in a tight AL Wild Card race: the Yankees and Red Sox hold the top two spots, while the Cleveland Guardians hold the third, with Baltimore, Texas, and a few others a handful of games away.

The Orioles have us at least thinking about believing again. But is hope warranted? There is good news and bad news here.

One hopeful piece is the offense: the lineup has started to heat up at just the same time Cleveland has to be caught. The Orioles’ offense has been a drag all year —while they’ve hit well for power, their .237 team batting average is one of the worst in the league. But you wouldn’t know it of late. The batting average is up by 20 points, and their latest series against the Cardinals was one of their most prolific to date. The Birds put up 13 runs on Tuesday, eight more on Wednesday, and five more in Thursday’s loss. Several players are leading the charge. Pete Alonso has nine homers in his last 16 games. Coby Mayo has been part of the resurgence too—he’s tied Matt Olson for the MLB lead with 14 homers against lefties—and Christian Encarnacion-Strand is suddenly OPS’ing over .800 and racking up clutch hits right and left. Dylan Beavers and Jackson Holliday are finding it, too. Eight different O’s hitters are now carrying a 100-plus wRC+.

The trouble is, the offensive resurgence is coinciding with a stretch where the pitching is starting to flag. The bullpen is one culprit, if not a surprise one. This is a collection of nobodies, to put it affectionately, especially given the injuries. Keegan Akin was lost to elbow pain in July and is done for the year. Ryan Helsley has been on the injured list since July 3 with UCL inflammation—his second elbow-related IL stint of the season—and while he’s avoided surgery, there’s no clear return date. Félix Bautista has been on the shelf with elbow troubles for over a year. And selling off Tyler Wells at the trade deadline, the closest thing the O’s had to a closer with Helsley on the shelf, certainly wasn’t a move designed to help win close games now. Recently calls to the ‘pen have proven suspect: manager Craig Albernaz still hasn’t settled on a ninth-inning option, cycling through Andrew Kittredge—who did lock down Wednesday’s save—Rico Garcia, Grant Wolfram, and Alex Hoppe, the last of whom only arrived in early August.

Another, less expected problem is that the Birds’ rotation is looking as shaky as it has all season all of a sudden. This is a solid group on paper—Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Chris Bassitt, Shane Baz, and Brandon Young—but lately they’re showing wear and tear. On Thursday, Trevor Rogers showed signs of fatigue, allowing six runs on seven hits in five innings, undone by a hanging changeup and control problems. Kyle Bradish is also losing his magic, collapsing in the fifth inning Wednesday and leaving the bullpen to cover 4⅔ scoreless frames just to save the win. Bradish just signed a five-year extension and is already at 143 innings this season, after throwing barely 70 combined in the previous two years while recovering from elbow trouble. Brandon Young, the rookie who nearly threw a perfect game this year, is also worth watching for fatigue: his 3.50 ERA is a genuine achievement for a consummate dark horse, but 123⅓ innings is already more than he’s ever thrown as a professional. And Shane Baz, through no fault of his own, is apparently a bad-luck charm for the Orioles’ offense, sporting a league-high 14 losses despite a 4.02 ERA and the third-worst run support of any starter in baseball.

Circling back to the question of the playoffs, it’s hard to think, even if the Orioles continue to hang tough with the Cleveland Guardians, that these flaws won’t surface down the stretch against a bunch of competitive AL East teams hungry to make the playoffs. The Yankees (75-58) and Red Sox (73-60) are already hold the two spots, and they’re pretty well uncatchable at this point. Three games separate the Orioles from Cleveland, bearer of the third spot, but their schedule requires them to face all their neighbors in the AL East down the stretch. A thin bullpen and a tiring rotation might be surmountable against the Athletics and Rockies, but they’re much harder problems against Boston, Tampa Bay, and Toronto—all clubs with real postseason ambitions of their own—on the way to the finish line.

The O’s are more than talented enough to make noise in the wild-card race, but do they have the depth to do much damage beyond it? It’s hard to think so. At the same time, you want to catch the bug and ride out the momentum of this season while we can. So let’s enjoy a stretch against weaker competition, a three-game set at Oakland beginning today and a weekend trip to Colorado, while we try to figure out once and for all who the 2026 Orioles really are. If this team is for real, this stretch is the time to prove it.

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The Chicago Cubs welcome the Cincinnati Reds to Wrigley Field for a weekend set, trading at 64% on Polymarket.

My Reds vs. Cubs predictions break down why the hosts will come out on top in a high-scoring game.

Read my free MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 28 below.

Who will win Reds vs Cubs today: Cubs moneyline (64%)

The Chicago Cubs own the best offense in baseball (5.19 runs per game), and they’ll be licking their chops today when they face Cincinnati Reds starter Rhett Lowder.

The right-hander owns a massive 5.14 xERA (10th percentile) and .266 xBA (16th percentile), while ranking in the 15th percentile in pitching run value.

The Cubs have been on fire at the dish this week, led by Ian Happ, who’s sporting an insane 1.335 OPS with 10 RBI. As a club, Chicago leads the majors in runs (39), SLG (.512), and OPS (.858) over the last seven days.

Take the Cubs up to 67%.

Reds vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (50%)

We know Lowder has been lousy, but David Peterson has been just as bad for Chicago.

The southpaw has a 4.84 xERA and .271 xBA, with a pitching run value in the ninth percentile. The Reds’ offense is also much more respectable against left-handed pitching, as they sit eighth in MLB in OPS vs. southpaws (.731).

The Cubs have cashed the Over in eight of Peterson’s last 10 appearances, while the Over is 2-0 in their two prior games against Lowder this season.

The Over is the play up to 52%.

Reds vs Cubs home run prediction: Ian Happ (19%)

What a week it’s been for Happ.

The Cubs outfielder leads the majors with 10 RBI over that span while batting .350 with a ridiculous 1.335 OPS and three dingers to boot.

Happ has hit eight of his 23 home runs against either the sinker or the slider — Lowder’s two main offerings.

Happ’s on fire and we’re getting a great price on him to go yard again. Play him up to 21%.

Reds vs Cubs weather

Wrigley Field will see clear skies with temperatures in the mid-70s and light winds pushing in from right field.

Reds vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: Cincinnati (37¢) | Chicago (64¢)
• Run line: Cincinnati +1.5 (56¢) | Chicago -1.5 (47¢)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (46¢) | Under 8.5 (55¢)

Reds vs Cubs trend

The Cubs have covered the run line in 28 of their last 45 games (+16.10 Units / 31% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Reds vs. Cubs.

How to watch Reds vs Cubs and game info

Reds vs Cubs latest injuries

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