Category: Baseball

For fans born in the mid-to-late-90s, the mid-2010s represent the dark times of our Yankees fandom. Gone were the fan favorites Hideki Matsui, Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson, and Johnny Damon. Father time had called an end to the legendary careers of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Alex Rodriguez. The injury bug had derailed the careers of Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and Joba Chamberlain. For the first time in years, a home grown star, Robinson Canó, walked in free agency. An influx of older veterans — Ichiro Suzuki, Travis Hafner, Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay, Jacoby Ellsbury, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Beltrán, Brian McCann — failed to stem the tide, as the window of contention, open from 1996 to 2012, slammed shut in an instant.

And yet, for some of us, we look back to that time fondly, for while nobody can say that the 2013-16 Yankees were any good, they were nonetheless filled with some interesting characters who, somehow, helped the team maintain its stream of finishing the season with a winning record. Central among those characters was Jayson Nix, who in the words of one announcer, “Just [did] something every game” … even if he didn’t, really.

Jayson Truitt Edward Nix
Born: August 26, 1982 (Dallas, TX)
Yankees Tenure: 2012-13

The younger brother of journeyman outfielder Laynce Nix, Jayson was born and raised in Dallas, where he was named to the All-American team as an infielder during his senior year of high school, joining J.J. Hardy, Casey Kotchman, and David Wright. Off this success, he was selected with the 44th overall pick (a sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds) of the 2001 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies. A shortstop by trade, the Rockies — who had a young Juan Uribe manning the position — shifted him to second base, where he struggled at first, but ultimately began to flourish as the years ticked by. Due to his young age and inconsistent production at the plate, however, he struggled to take the next step, and would not make his Major League debut until April 4, 2008, when he replaced Kazuo Matsui as the Rockies’ second baseman on Opening Day.

His first success came, however, the year prior, as a member of Team USA during the 2007 Baseball World Cup (the predecessor to the World Baseball Classic). In nine games, he slashed .387/.444/.742, scoring nine times and driving in two runs against Cuba during the championship en route to winning the World Cup MVP. Because of this sucess, when the Rockies sent him down to the minors after his struggles in the majors (he had an OPS+ of 3 in 22 games in 2008), Team USA immediately added him to the squad for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Serving as the team’s second baseman, he hit a big home run in the eighth inning to tie the game against Cuba, but later deflected a ball off his face on a failed bunt attempt that kept him out for most of the remainder of the tournament.

The Rockies let Nix go following the 2008 season. Over the next three seasons, Nix bounced around the league, spending time with the White Sox, Cleveland, and Blue Jays, adding third base to his repertoire, serving as a utility infielder, and even playing a couple of games in the outfield.

In November 2011, the Yankees signed Nix to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training — the type of no-risk move that every team makes in the offseason to ensure they have enough camp bodies and Major League depth to get through spring training. As it turned out, though, the move would have major implications for the next two seasons. Although he failed to make the Opening Day roster, Nix was called up by the Yankees in early May after Eric Chavez hit the shelf with a concussion. A backup infielder and defensive replacement, he played in 74 games, slashing .243/.306/.384 and accruing 0.3 rWAR.

Nix appeared sparingly in the postseason, filling in for Derek Jeter when the Captain dealt with lingering hamstring issues during the ALDS against the Orioles, and being the first man up to replace him when he broke his ankle during Game 1 of the ALCS. He, unfortunately, had the distinction of being the final out of Game 4, as the Tigers completed the sweep that effectively ended the Yankees’ window of contention.

The Bombers designated Nix for assignment that winter in order to make room on the 40-man roster for Mariano Rivera, re-signed for one final ride after missing most of 2012 with an injury (one that coincidentally occurred while Nix was taking batting practice in Kansas City). Knowing that Jeter and Alex Rodriguez both had major injuries that would cause them to miss time, however, they immediately signed him to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training. As it turned out, that was prudent: thanks to injuries to Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson, Nix made the Opening Day roster, and once Kevin Youkilis and Eduardo Núñez went down, well, the left side of the infield became a real revolving door: 11 different players manned the hot corner, eight grabbed a glove and played short.

Despite his less-than-pedestrian .236/.308/.311 slash line—and a stumbling GIF that proved emblematic of the frustrating season—Nix became an important contributor to the Yankees lineup, batting second a whopping 21 times. He did have one particular highlight though, lifting an improbable homer against then-Rangers ace Yu Darvish that left Darvish with an appropriately shocked expression.

Even Nix, however, was struck by the injury bug, missing time in the summer due to a hamstring strain and then breaking his hand on August 21st after being plunked by R.A. Dickey, ending his season just one day after a walk-off single against Toronto.

Looking to upgrade on the chaotic mess that was 2013, the Yankees non-tendered Nix that winter. He signed a minor-league deal with the Rays soon after, was traded to the Phillies during spring training, was released, and re-signed with the Rays. He was released on August 1st, signed with the Pirates, was released by the Pirates, and was claimed off waivers by the Royals. Between the three teams (he never made it to the big with the Rays), he put together the worst season of his career, slashing .120/.169/.157 (a -8 OPS+) and accruing -1.1. rWAR.

Nix spent the 2015 season in the Orioles and Phillies organizations, but never made it back to The Show. After a few years away from the professional game, Nix embarked on a coaching career, working for the Los Angeles Angels from 2021 to 2025. This year, he earned his first managerial gig, managing the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, an A-ball affiliate of the White Sox.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

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Baseball all day long! Let's get into it!

Here are my MLB moneyline predictions for today's slate, with plenty of underdogs catching my eye in some great spots on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Before we dive in, be sure to check out our MLB picks to see where our experts see value!

MLB moneyline picks for August 26

Matchup	Pick
Rays vs Tigers	+105
Cubs vs Diamondbacks	-103
Reds vs Giants	-112
Guardians vs Angels	+124
Pirates vs Padres	-131
Phillies vs Mariners	+114
Red Sox vs Marlins	-137
Rockies vs Nationals	+114
Astros vs Yankees	+114
Royals vs Blue Jays	+134
Brewers vs Mets	+134
Dodgers vs Braves	-131
Rangers vs White Sox	+114
Orioles vs Cardinals	-107
Twins vs Athletics	+119

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 8-26.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for August 26

Rays vs Tigers: Rays (+105)

Rays win probability: 48%

Freddy Peralta has been bad this season, but the Tigers have been truly awful offensively over their last 12 games.

We're getting one of the most efficient lineups in baseball at plus money against a Tigers team owning a .140 ISO, 4.5% barrel rate, and .292 wOBA over the last few weeks. There is zero interest in backing Detroit.

Troy Melton has been solid, but you're going to need runs, and the Tigers are tough to trust. Plus, Peralta has posted solid underlying metrics on the road, sporting a 3.79 xERA, 7% walk rate, and 7% barrel rate.

Cubs vs Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks (-103)

Diamondbacks win probability: 50%

Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez has been pure nails over his last five starts, posting a 2.51 ERA and 1.08 WHIP while allowing just a 2.97% barrel rate. Meanwhile, Chicago southpaw Matthew Boyd owns a 4.78 ERA and 5.47 xERA while allowing an 11.43% barrel rate during that stretch.

The Cubs have been on another planet over their last couple of games, but the Diamondbacks have not been that far behind, especially when it comes to run production. However, across both teams' last 12 games, they each share similar statistics.

After last night's win, the Diamondbacks should be able to replicate another win over the Cubs.

Reds vs Giants: Giants (-112)

Giants win probability: 51%

Easy fade here, as Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo has been brutal of late. In his most recent three starts, he owns a 7.12 xERA and 1.78 WHIP while allowing nearly 47% hard contact and a 13.33% barrel rate to opposing hitters.

The Reds' bats have been lifeless for a few weeks, with their strikeout rate hovering around 27% over their last 21 games, making them a very unappealing look.

Guardians vs Angels: Angels (+124)

Angels win probability: 43%

Let's get a little frisky here...

People will see Joey Cantillo versus Grayson Rodriguez and automatically fire on the Guardians. However, if you look at both pitchers' recent numbers, they are almost identical. Plus, the Angels' offense has been doing something the Guardians have not done in over 21 games — barrel the baseball.

The Angels own an 11.2% barrel rate over their last six games. The Guardians own a 2.2% barrel rate over their last six, 3.5% over their last 12, and 4.9% over their last 21.

Trust the Halos.

Pirates vs Padres: Padres (-131)

Padres win probability: 55%

With the way the Padres' bats have been performing over the last few weeks, and how well Randy Vasquez has been throwing, it is San Diego or nothing here.

Vasquez has not been the sexiest arm in baseball this season, but in his last five starts, he owns a 2.60 ERA, 2.71 xERA, and 0.69 WHIP.

Pay the juice.

Phillies vs Mariners: Mariners (+113)

Mariners win probability: 45%

Leaning on the Mariners as the dog here. They have been great throughout this entire series, especially with the resurgence of "The Big Dumper," Cal Raleigh, who crushed four straight home runs from Monday night through last night.

Bryan Woo has been nails at home, and the bats have looked great. Taking a chance on the dog feels right.

Red Sox vs Marlins: Red Sox (-137)

Red Sox win probability: 57%

The Red Sox bats have come alive over the last week, as they own a 124 wRC+, .354 wOBA, and .802 OPS. Meanwhile, the Marlins have gone cold, with an 89 wRC+, .297 wOBA, and .107 ISO during that same stretch.

Sonny Gray has been unstoppable for most of the season, and that should continue this evening against a bunch of ice-cold bats.

Rockies vs Nationals: Rockies (+114)

Rockies win probability: 46%

Rockies right-hander Tanner Gordon does not have the most attractive numbers this season, but he certainly does on the road. So far this season away from Coors, Gordon owns a 2.97 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, and is allowing just an 8.65% barrel rate to opposing hitters.

On the other hand, Brad Lord sports a 6.52 ERA and 1.34 WHIP at home.

With both lineups not looking too hot over the last few games, backing the dog here is the plan of attack.

Astros vs Yankees: Astros (+114)

Astros win probability: 45%

The Astros are an interesting look here, mainly due to right-hander Peter Lambert's underlying metrics.

He's been brutal over his last five starts, posting a 6.29 ERA, but he owns a 3.18 xERA during that stretch. The 29-year-old starter has done a great job limiting hard-hit balls, so maybe it comes around for him tonight.

Houston's bats were alive and well last night, and that should roll over into today, especially with this being Elmer Rodriguez's first start since June 21.

Royals vs Blue Jays: Royals (+134)

Royals win probability: 42%

How could we not back the Royals, while they currently own a 151 wRC+, .390 wOBA, .893 OPS, and .205 ISO over their last six games? The Blue Jays' bats have been hot too, but not like the Royals.

Plus, Kansas City has Randy Dobnak on the mound, who has a 1.58 ERA on the season and does a great job limiting hard contact and barreled balls.

Paying near $1.50 juice for the Blue Jays in 2026 does not sound like a fun time.

Brewers vs Mets: Mets (+134)

Mets win probability: 41%

A very rare Brewers fade from this writer, but it is hard to look at Dustin May's numbers and how well the Mets are seeing the ball as of late and want to pay near -150 juice for Milwaukee to secure the win this evening.

Over the Mets' last six games, they have been generating a barrel rate above 8% and a hard-hit rate above 43%, while posting a 118 wRC+.

Robert Stock has not been too great in his first four starts this season, but he's done a great job limiting hard-hit balls.

Dodgers vs Braves: Dodgers (-131)

Dodgers win probability: 55%

It's safe to say we should not be looking to back the Braves until they turn things around.

Sure, they won last night, but they are still 3-7 in their last 10 games. Over their last 21 games, they own an 85 wRC+, .292 wOBA, and .660 OPS, while going 8-13 during that stretch.

Trust Roki Sasaki, who has turned things around over his last five starts.

Rangers vs White Sox: Rangers (+114)

Rangers win probability: 46%

Despite the White Sox scoring 11 runs last night, they still gave up seven in their "get-right game" after being blown out on Monday. It is very concerning that the White Sox have allowed 18 runs in the first two games of this series.

MacKenzie Gore has been solid in his last few starts, and he should be able to hold down the White Sox this evening.

Take the dog here.

Orioles vs Cardinals: Cardinals (-107)

Cardinals win probability: 50%

After a team scores 10+ runs the night before, it's always extremely difficult to replicate that offensive success. So, with the Orioles putting up 13 runs in their win over the Cardinals last night, the Redbirds are the lean this evening.

Michael McGreevy has been solid in his last three starts, posting a 3.19 ERA while allowing just a 33% hard-hit rate and 3.92% barrel rate. He should be able to hold down the Orioles' hot bats.

Twins vs Athletics: Athletics (+119)

Athletics win probability: 44%

The dog or nothing here.

The Athletics have the hotter offense at the moment, as they draw Twins southpaw Connor Prielipp, who owns a 9.56 ERA and 1.81 WHIP while allowing a 47.73% hard-hit rate over his last three starts.

On the other side, J.T. Ginn owns a 3.09 xERA and 1.16 WHIP, while allowing just a 1.19% barrel rate over his last five outings.

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The Toronto Blue Jays are -150 favorites at BET99 tonight, and will look to bounce back after losing Game 1 of the series against the Kansas City Royals.

One of the lone bright spots in that game was Brett Bateman, and we're riding with him to stay hot in my Royals vs. Blue Jays prediction.

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Wednesday, Aug. 26, and bring the units home.

Royals vs Blue Jays predictions

Royals vs Blue Jays best bet: Brett Bateman 2+ Hits/Runs/RBI (-150)

Brett Bateman has made an immediate splash with the Toronto Blue Jays since coming over at the deadline in a deal for Kevin Gausman.

Not for his power, but for his ability to grind out at-bats and get on base, which has immediately thrust him into the everyday leadoff role. That's my type of player. 

Just yesterday, Bateman recorded his sixth multi-hit game across his last nine and has scored at least one run in four of his last eight. With a .349 OBP against righties this season, we have way too many outs to cash this one.

Look for him to create some chaos on the base paths tonight.

COVERS INTEL:Randy Dobnak is a contact pitcher, which plays right into our hands with a contact-first hitter like Bateman. While his 1.58 ERA is nice, his underlying metrics and 4.74 xERA leave a lot to be desired. Owning a 14.8% K rate and a career-high .292 xBA, we should see plenty of opportunities tonight.

Royals vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)

If the Blue Jays have any chance of staying close in the Wild Card race, a win tonight will go a long way. Currently three games back, a bullpen day is the last thing they wanted after their latest injury to Shane Bieber. However, the last time they ran out their bullpen, they limited the New York Yankees to one run on four hits.

Toronto will need a similar outcome tonight if they want to stop the Kansas City Royals, who have won nine straight.

Royals vs Blue Jays SGP

• Blue Jays moneyline
• Alejandro Kirk 2+ H/R/RBI
• Brett Bateman 2+ H/R/RBI

Royals vs Blue Jays home run pick: Alejandro Kirk (+675) 

With limited at-bats against Dobnak, I'm running with the hottest hitter in the Blue Jays' lineup. Alejandro Kirk is on a 12-game hit streak in games he's started, which includes three homers and two doubles.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt against a contact pitcher who throws a sinker 38% of the time - a pitch Kirk owns a .333 average against this season.

Let's see him run into one tonight.

Royals vs Blue Jays odds

• Moneyline: Kansas City (+130) | Toronto (-150)
• Run line: Kansas City +1.5 (-150) | Toronto -1.5 (+130)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Royals vs Blue Jays trend

The Under is 6-0-1 in the Blue Jays' last seven home games vs. a right-handed starter. Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch Royals vs Blue Jays and game info

Royals vs Blue Jays latest injuries

Royals vs Blue Jays weather

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Today marks David Price’s 41st birthday.

Although Price was with the Blue Jays for just three months, those months were incredibly exciting.

The Blue Jays acquired him on July 30th, 2015, when the team was 52-51, tied for second place and six games behind the Yankees. After Price joined, the Jays went 41-18 and finished first in the AL East, sparking an exhilarating ALDS against the Rangers and a thrilling ALCS versus the Royals (though, unfortunately, it didn’t end in our favor).

Price posted an impressive 9-1 record in 11 starts for the Jays (remarkably earning 10 decisions) with a 2.30 ERA. However, he struggled during the playoffs.

The Jays finished six games ahead of the Yankees. While no single player can account for a 12-game swing over 59 games, the addition of Price (and Troy Tulowitzki) energized the team.

Off the mound, Price was a joy to have around. He was the team’s head cheerleader, loved Rogers Centre popcorn, and appeared to relish every moment. Reports highlighted his positive presence in the clubhouse, making him very hard not to like.

After the season, Price signed as a free agent with the Red Sox, agreeing to a seven-year, $217 million contract. Over five years, he posted a 46-24 record with a 3.84 ERA across 103 games (98 starts). While he may not have been worth every penny, he was solid—if somewhat inconsistent—and missed time due to injuries.

In February 2020, the Red Sox traded Price and Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. Price opted out of the 2020 season. In 2021, he went 5-2 with a 4.03 ERA in 39 games (11 starts). The following year, he was 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 40 relief appearances before retiring after the season.

Happy birthday, David. Wishing you a wonderful day.

Former Jays prospect Darin Mastroianni also turns 41 today.

Darin appeared on our top 40 prospects lists several times—ranked 10th in 2011, and previously 22nd and 26th.

The Jays lost him to the Twins on waivers before the 2012 season. He played parts of two seasons and three weeks with Minnesota, hitting .214/.286/.286 with 3 home runs and 25 steals (caught four times) in 121 games.

In April 2014, Toronto reclaimed him off waivers. He played just 14 games for the Jays, hitting .156/.156/.250. Afterwards, he moved on to the Phillies, Nationals, returned to the Twins (appearing in seven more MLB games), and then to the Rangers. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2016.

His best MLB season was in 2012, when he played 77 games and hit .252/.328/.350 with 21 steals. He excelled defensively in the outfield and was frequently used as a pinch runner or defensive replacement.

I had high hopes for Darin. In the minors, he drew walks, got on base, and was a standout base stealer—swiping 70 bags between Dunedin and New Hampshire in 2009. However, his lack of power led higher-level pitchers to challenge him, forcing him to earn his way on base by hitting.

Happy birthday, Darin.

Jayson Nix celebrates his 44th birthday today.

Nix enjoyed an eight-year MLB career, playing for eight different teams.

He played 46 games for the Jays in 2011, hitting .169/.256/.309 with four home runs. Nix then joined the Yankees, spending two seasons as a fill-in for the oft-injured or suspended Alex Rodriguez. He performed a bit better in New York, hitting .239/.307/.340 in 161 games over two years. Afterward, he played one final MLB season with three different teams.

Over his seven-year career, he hit .212/.282/.345 in 466 games.

Happy birthday, Jayson.

Imagine that you are a MLB pitcher. Perhaps you’re a fireballing southpaw, perhaps you’re a crafty control artist. The type of pitcher you are doesn’t really matter for our purposes (although if you imagined yourself as a knuckleballer, you’re a hurler after my own heart). Imagine that you’re facing the Phillies. First up is Trea Turner. He’s fast, and he’s good, but you get past him. Then there’s Kyle Schwarber. Your heart is in your throat as he takes mighty hacks at your offerings. You could swear you felt the wind from the last one buffeting your face. But finally, mercifully, you manage to make him take the K. Then Bryce Harper is up. You really don’t want to face him. But you have to. But you don’t really have to. You can just toss him some pitches outside; maybe you’ll get lucky and he’ll chase. You can probably handle whoever is taking cleanup for the Phillies; sometimes it’s Alec Bohm, and sometimes it’s Brandon Marsh, and they both have the potential to be dangerous, but they don’t keep pitchers awake at night like the opening trio did. You can risk a walk. Sure enough, the free pass comes to pass, and to the plate comes… Luis Arraez.

That is the nightmare scenario that has awaited opposing pitchers since the trade deadline. Imagine facing Schwarber and Harper knowing that the fourth man up is the Contact King, who you can strike out about as often as you can open your Christmas presents: once a year, if you’re good. One of the main cases for acquiring Arraez, and for hitting him in the cleanup spot, is that he would offer protection to the big sluggers. Having had Arraez in the fold for a few weeks, we can start to take stock: have opponents started to pitch to the Phillies’ leadoff trio differently now that Arraez looms in the spot after them? (All stats prior to Tuesday night’s game)

So far, no signs that pitchers are less willing to throw pitches outside the zone with Arraez at cleanup. Turner and Harper are taking more pitches outside this month than last, though I doubt that’s a meaningful increase.

What about the pitchers’ tendencies when the batter is ahead in the count, when the dread threat of a baserunner for Arraez to bring home is looming?

No real indication that pitchers are more reluctant to go outside when the batter has the advantage either. And I won’t make you look at another chart (yet), but two of them (Harper and Turner) are getting more pitches outside the zone when they’re in a three-ball count, although that’s getting into tiny sample sizes and subsequent lack of real meaning.

But that isn’t to say that nothing has changed for the Phillies who bat before the new guy. Both Harper and Turner have increased their walk rates month-over-month. And while Turner’s increase is small enough that it doesn’t seem terribly significant, Harper’s is notable: from 12.7% in July to 28% in August. As for how he’s walking so much more when he’s no more likely to get pitches out of the zone, there can really be only one explanation: he’s chasing less. 13% less than last month, to be specific. His in zone swing rate has dropped a bit too, from 71.1% t0 64.4%. He’s also missing less when he does swing in the zone, having cut his miss rate on pitches in the zone by more than half: 21.1% to 8.9%%. Perhaps he’s taking some cues from Arraez.

For the moment, that isn’t producing a different approach from opposing pitchers. But they won’t let that turbocharged walk rate stand for long. If Harper keeps this up, opposing pitchers may respond by tossing him more pitches in the zone. Of course, that creates a problem of its own. Do you put Harper on first with the three-time defending batting champ behind him? Or do you risk him putting one in the seats? There’s no good answer. Aren’t you glad you’re not a pitcher?

Oof. I wasn’t trying to tempt the baseball gods when I said that this Cubs team hasn’t had many of these, what I call, “true” blown saves. That is, a lead that gets to the ninth inning and is blown there. For some reason, I can’t readily lay my hands on the records of various teams when winning after eight innings. After a game like this, it’s an interesting thing to look at. The thing is, even the very worst teams often have an extremely lopsided wins to losses ratio. These games are unicorns for every team. By very nature, it’s a large subset. For instance, noted Cub late inning reliever had to sweat through protecting the Cubs lead after eight innings on Sunday. All of those games are in there.

This Cubs team is a very good one. Notwithstanding that they have a very large number of last team at-bat wins, they just generally have a ton of wins. Many of those games involving them scoring seven or more runs and not being particularly close. So I can say without laying hands on the numbers that the Cub record in these types of games is lopsided, despite what has been an extremely uneven year from their bullpen. The overall numbers have slowly crept into a reasonable range as this season has worn on. It’s hard to identify the right stat or basket of stats to evaluate a team bullpen. The Cubs are 11th in team bullpen ERA. 12th in team bullpen WHIP. Their opponent batting average drops down quite a bit, but their team bullpen BB/9 is sixth. It’s a feature of this team that they have a heavy focus on not issuing walks.

Even with this nightmare stretch with two of these blown ninth-inning leads in just five games on this road trip, the team has a 2.58 in the ninth inning or late (4th) per stats available on MLB.com. When I pull it back to the eighth or later, they drop to 16th (4.04). When I pull it back to the seventh or later, it is 3.61 (8th). If I change the tab to what they define as Late/Close, they don’t show ERA. In terms of WHIP, the Cubs are exactly middle of the road at 1.35 (15th).

I love to give a stat and then contextualize it where reasonable to do so. The blind spot for those seventh, eighth or ninth and later stats, again, is that the numbers from Sunday’s massacre in Seattle are in there. That can be one of the difficult things about trying to analyze how your team did in the line of fire so to speak. If you solely look at the thinnest margins, like Tuesday night’s game, where a one-run lead is being protected in the ninth, you have a very small sample. That can have blind spots for what was an otherwise pretty effective bullpen. But if you try to grab larger samples, it encompasses a lot of really low leverage games. Especially for this Cub team that has really piled up a lot of blow out wins.

So throw away the numbers. It’s highly unlikely that you are a casual Cub fan and also in here reading what I have to write. You’ve followed this team with some level of regularity. What is your honest assessment of the body of work of this year’s Cubs relievers? We have to contextualize it. You can say whatever you want about offseason decisions that went into bringing this very large group of players who have contributed for better or for worse to the overall 2026 Cubs bullpen. If I told you in spring training that there would be this volume of injuries. If I told you that most of the guys who were maybe going to work as multi-inning relievers would instead spend most of their time in the rotation, you’d have assumed this bullpen would be a dumpster fire. So contextualized, you thought this would be the Hindenburg, but this was more of a somewhat controlled burn.

The bullpen has been better than we’d have reasonably hoped given the adversity it has had to battle. At the same time, it has been uneven at best and has clearly been a problem at times. But the very simplest way to look at a bullpen, how may losses does it have? Wins and losses for individual pitchers can be folly. But as a group? There is no painting over it when the bullpen loses the game. The bullpen was handed either a tie or a winning game and then lost it (or they were handed a losing game, held things together while the offense took the lead and then lost it). The Cubs bullpen has 20 losses. That’s fourth fewest in baseball. That context is obvious, this team is usually leading and often by a lot. But on a pass/fail basis, it usually passes.

For amusement only, the bullpen is seventh in wins. I feel like that’s a bit more credit to the offense. There is nothing a bullpen can do to actively win a game. They can hold the line forever and the offense still has to do something to win it. Still, a 31-20 record out of the pen states that Cub bullpens are holding up a fair bit better than their opposition.

So there you have almost a 900-word essay on the 2026 Cubs bullpen. I grade it as solidly better than you’d probably expect and still definitely frustrating at times, particularly so with recency bias. Watching the two relievers you want on the mound late in a Cub postseason game give up a four-run lead over the last two innings was discouraging and frustrating to say the least. But this Cub bullpen has had to be resilient and it’ll bounce back from this.

Three Positives:

• Clay Holmes looks like a terrific deadline acquisition. Seven shutout innings, two hits, two walks, five strikeouts. I can construct an argument that the three Cub starters in a three game series should be Holmes, Kevin Gausman and David Peterson, the three in-season acquisitions who are currently in the Cub rotation.
• Michael Busch had a single, double, walk, RBI and run scored in four plate appearances. The results haven’t been there for him this year, but he’s still a very productive hitter.
• Ian Happ. After a day where I saw his name repeatedly trashed for being on the Cubs 150th anniversary team, it was fun to see him work a long at-bat and then hit a three-run homer in a game where the Cub offense hadn’t done much of anything to that point. He’s been an above average bat every single year of his Cub career, has four Gold Gloves, one All-Star appearance, was top 10 for Rookie of the Year, had a top 20 MVP season. He doesn’t have a single standout season, to be sure. But on a career basis? Year after year after year being very good. Yeah, he belonged.

Game 133, August 25: Diamondbacks 5, Cubs 4 (76-57)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Clay Holmes (.338). 7 IP, 25 BF, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K
• Hero/Sidekick: (.166). Michael Busch/Ian Happ. Busch: 2-3, 2B, BB, RBI, R; Happ: 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, R

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Jacob Webb (-.694). IP, 5 BF, H, BB, 2 R (L 6-4)
• Goat: Daniel Palencia (-.221). 0.2 IP, 6 BF, 2 H, BB, 3 R
• Kid: Alex Bregman (-.109). 0-4, DP

Note: Webb’s WPA game score is the second lowest of the year, behind the loss Saturday. It also gives him the four lowest WPA scores of the year and five of the nine lowest. Ouch.

WPA Play of the Game: The Ryan Waldschmidt walk-off homer with two outs in the ninth. (.856)

Cubs Play of the Game: Ian Happ’s three-run homer. (.198)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 132 Winner: Kevin Gausman received 90 of 95 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Pete Crow-Armstrong +25
• Alex Bregman +22
• Ben Brown +13.5
• Carson Kelly +12.5
• Javier Assad +12
• Seiya Suzuki/Nico Hoerner -11
• Edward Cabrera -12.5
• Jameson Taillon -13
• Dansby Swanson -17
• Caleb Thielbar -18.5

Scoreboard Watching: Brewers lose (5.5 ahead of Cubs). Dodgers lose (4.5 ahead) to Braves (1.5 ahead). Diamondbacks (six back). Padres lose (five back). Phillies lose (three back).

Up Next: One more game to end this series and this trip against two teams in much more desperate situations than the Cubs. I always hate playing a team that might be playing with a little extra motivation. It definitely hasn’t served the Cubs well. The best they can do is split the trip by winning this game and the series. I snubbed Matthew Boyd (8-2, 4.15) in my comment above about potentially using the three in-season acquisitions to start a three game playoff series. That’s because Matthew has allowed 11 earned runs in 11.1 innings in his last two starts. That after a brilliant seven-start stretch. The Cubs need him to get back in the groove because he should replace Peterson in that three-game grouping.

33-year-old lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (13-4, 2.61) starts for the Diamondbacks. It’s easy to see he’s having a terrific year. It’s slowed down just a little at 5-1, 3.51 over his last seven. But really, even those numbers are still excellent. There are two games in that last seven, starts against the Cardinals 7/19 and the Padres 8/4 that are dragging the recent numbers down. In those two starts, he allowed 12 runs, 10 earner in just 8.1 innings. Both starts were at home. That said, for the year home (2.67) and away (2.54) are similar. He’s 9-1 with a 2.08 at night, so the day game does look like a little break.

This is a tough one. Find a way, win a game and a series.

The Luis Perales for Jake Bennett trade has been a major talking point among the fanbase this season. We have seen Bennett have success in Boston, while Perales has been up and down in AAA. However, we are finally going to get a chance to see Perales who will be debuting for the Nats as a reliever.

For a lot of the season, Perales has struggled to turn his electric stuff into whiffs. That has been changing the last couple of months though. In his last 37.1 innings since July 1st, Perales has 49 strikeouts. Command has still been a question mark for the 23 year old righty, but that swing and miss stuff is a big reason for his promotion.

The biggest key to unlocking more whiffs has been his splitter. Since July, Perales has been using that pitch a lot more and it has devastated hitters. For the season, hitters are whiffing 46.4% of the time against the offering. That pitch alone seems like enough for him to carve out a role as a high leverage arm, especially when combined with a fastball that regularly touches 100.

Perales’ command remains a work in progress. Even during this successful run lately, he has been walking a lot of batters. However, with his stuff, he does not need to be pinpoint. Perales can use his fastball, splitter and cutter to have a lot of success.

Interestingly, Perales got moved to a bullpen role where he throws in 2 inning spurts after spending most of this season as a starter. There are a couple potential reasons for this. The first one is to manage his innings. For the year, Perales is at 96.1 innings, which is actually a career high. In those innings, he posted a 3.64 ERA. He is also coming off Tommy John, which cost him virtually all of last season.

The Nats do not want Perales blowing past his career high in innings after barely throwing at all last year. Another reason is that this is a way for him to help the big league team right away. His command may not be ready to start in the big leagues, but his stuff is certainly MLB ready. If Clayton Beeter can have levels of success in the bullpen, Perales certainly can.

Perales has also been very good in this bullpen role. In his last three outings, he has gone 6 scoreless innings, allowing no runs, striking out 12 and walking just two. With his fastball and splitter, he could immediately be one of the Nats best relievers.

The Nats may want to try out Perales as a starter for longer, but honestly I think his home is in the bullpen. However, I think Perales can be one of the better relievers in the league. His arm is absolutely electric and he is already showing he is able to adapt to the role well.

This should be a very exciting debut for Nats fans. Perales will come in and light up the radar gun. However, his splitter is the real star of the show at the moment. If the strike-throwing is even mediocre, Perales can be a closer. Even if it is below average, he should make an impact for a long time. Buckle up and get ready to see some rocket fuel because Luis Perales is here.

Major League Baseball's 2026 playoff race is heating up as the season enters its final month, with plenty of uncertainty surrounding the wide-open wild-card races, particularly in the American League.

Entering play Wednesday, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have the top two wild card spots all but locked up, but there's seven teams separated by less than five games for the AL's final postseason berth. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays try to fight off their AL East rivals for the top spot in the division.

In the NL, the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers lead their respective divisions, with the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies holding firm grasps on their wild card positions. The San Diego Padres currently sit third, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks for the last berth.

Here's a look at the latest in the MLB playoff race:

Through games played Tuesday, Aug. 25

AL wild card standings

Top three teams qualify for wild-card series

1. New York Yankees (74-57) +8 games
2. Boston Red Sox (73-59) +6.5 games
3. Cleveland Guardians (67-66)
4. Texas Rangers (66-67) – 1 GB
5. Baltimore Orioles (64-68) – 2.5 GB
6. Toronto Blue Jays (64-69) – 3 GB
7. Minnesota Twins (64-69) – 3 GB
8. Seattle Mariners (64-69) – 3 GB
9. Detroit Tigers (62-70) – 4.5 GB

NL wild card standings

Top three teams qualify

1. Chicago Cubs (76-57) +5 games
2. Philadelphia Phillies (73-60) +2 games
3. San Diego Padres (71-62)
4. Arizona Diamondbacks (70-63) – 1 GB
5. Miami Marlins (67-66) – 4 GB
6. St. Louis Cardinals (66-67) – 5 GB
7. Pittsburgh Pirates (65-69) – 6.5 GB

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It's time to get the dinger train back on the rails after a great August run that has made up a ton of ground. It's an afternoon getaway Wednesday with a lot of MLB player props and four-baggers to choose from.

The Nationals have to be on the card today, and CJ Abrams is the obvious choice at his current price. Plus, it's time to test the "day after theory" as I'm going back to Vinnie Pasquantino vs. the Jays' bullpen.

These are my favorite home run props for Wednesday, Aug. 26. 

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
CJ Abrams	+321
Vinnie Pasquantino	+588

Home run pick: CJ Abrams (+321)

CJ Abrams has the fourth-best probability to go deep today, and his home run price at +300 or better is a buy for me. He gets the best home run matchup in Colorado's Tanner Gordon, who has the worst HR/9 among all starters today since the beginning of last season.

Gordon is a fringe starter and is only in the rotation because the Rockies released Michael Lorenzen. As a starter (six games), he owns a 1.028 OPS against, with seven homers allowed in just 28+ innings. Batters are killing him the second time through the order, slashing .383/.453/.617. But even in the first plate appearance, hitters have a .673 slugging against Gordon. 

The Nationals could put up seven runs today, and all their starters are live on the longball, but I'll take a soon-to-be 30-HR hitter at a price on the good side of three dollars. Nationals Park also ranks as the third-best park for home runs today, per Ball Park Pal. 

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Nationals.TV, Rockies.TV

Home run pick: Vinnie Pasquantino (+588)

I want another piece of the Royals offense today in the second-best HR park, facing the Jays on a bullpen day after Toronto already used five bullpen arms in yesterday’s series opener.

Bobby Witt is +EV, but the Blue Jays intentionally walked him yesterday, which scares me a little. Losing 20-25% of your chances to go deep is not something I want to deal with, so I’ll get back on the Pasquatch today at a price a little shorter than yesterday.

Vinnie Pasquantino at +500 or better is the route I want after betting him at +600 yesterday. I had a fair price of +450 yesterday, and that number is maybe 20-25 points higher today. With Jac Caglianone banged up, Pasquantino is the best hitter in this lineup right now, posting a .656 SLG over the last 30 days with a 54.8% fly-ball rate that paces the club.

Walking Witt to get to Vinnie is going to backfire on the Jays today.

• Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Sportsnet, Royals.TV

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The Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks both rank Top-5 in win rate against left-handed starters.

Given the home team has the pitcher with a much better track record at suppressing runs, I'm backing Arizona with my Cubs vs. Diamondbacks predictions and MLB picks for Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Who will win Cubs vs Diamondbacks today: Diamondbacks moneyline (-115)

The Arizona Diamondbacks are as good as it gets against lefties. 

They rank near the top of the league in almost every major offensive category while also owning the best winning percentage when facing a southpaw.

Chicago Cubs starter Matthew Boyd enters this contest in poor form, sporting a 4.787 ERA and 5.47 SIERA over the past month.

Eduardo Rodriguez has allowed a barrel rate of just 3% and walked only 3.8% of opposing batters during the same stretch. That profile will help him limit Chicago’s offense. 

Back Arizona to -125.

COVERS INTEL: Over the last month, Matthew Boyd ranks 29th in SIERA among today's 30 projected starters.

Cubs vs Diamondbacks Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-105)

The Cubs are a good offense, but they’re running a little hot against left-handed pitching. They lead the majors in wOBA this month despite sitting 19th in hard hit rate. E-Rod is capable of slowing them down.

Arizona’s lineup isn’t quite as potent without Ketel Marte, who leads their team in ISO while trailing only Corbin Carroll in wOBA against lefties.

His absence takes a healthy bite out of their lineup and gives Boyd a better chance of putting together a competent start.

I’d play the under to -113.

Cubs vs Diamondbacks home run prediction: Nolan Arenado (+540)

There’s a lot to like with Nolan Arenado in this matchup. He has hit for more power against lefties while Boyd has bled homers to right-handed hitters, allowing 1.82 HR/9.

Boyd attacks batters with a steady dose of fastballs and changeups. That’s music to the ears of Arenado, who owns ISOs of .452 and .304 against those pitches when thrown by southpaws.

Priced at +540 to leave the yard, there's plenty of value in backing Arenado this afternoon. Play this to +500.

Cubs vs Diamondbacks weather

This game will be played indoors.

Cubs vs Diamondbacks odds

• Moneyline: Cubs -105 | Diamondbacks -115
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+155) | Diamondbacks +1.5 (-180)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Cubs vs Diamondbacks trend

The Diamondbacks have cashed the moneyline in 29 of the last 50 games for +11.15 units and a 19% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Diamondbacks.

How to watch Cubs vs Diamondbacks and game info

Cubs vs Diamondbacks latest injuries

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Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (66-60) lost 6-5 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Biggio RBI single. They got another run in the 2nd inning on a Cole RBI single. Hendrickson started for Sugar Land and went 3 innings allowing 3 runs. In the 5th inning, Cole added a solo home run. Santos relieved Hendrickson and allowed 2 unearned runs. Sugar Land rallied late getting a run in the 8th on a Brooks groundout and a run in the 9th on a Biggio RBI single to tie it. The game went to extra innings and in the 10th, the Aviators walked it off as Sugar Land fell 6-5.

Note: Biggio has a .820 OPS in Triple-A.

• Jake Meyers, CF: 1-for-3, R, 2B
  • Lucas Spence, CF: 1-for-2, R, 2B, BB
• Cavan Biggio, 2B: 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 3 BB
• Joey Loperfido, LF: 2-for-5
• Zach Dezenzo, DH: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB
• Trenton Brooks, 1B: 0-for-3, RBI, 2 BB
• Zach Cole, RF: 2-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB

• Josh Hendrickson, LHP: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Alex Santos II, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• Logan VanWey, RHP: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Miguel Ullola, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (57-64) lost 7-3 (BOX SCORE)

Dombroski started for the Hooks and allowed 4 runs over 4 innings of work. The Hooks got on the board in the 4th inning on a Schiavone solo home run. Leach relieved Dombroski and allowed 3 runs. In the 6th, Schiavone connected on a 2 run home run. The game was called in the bottom of the 6th due to rain as the Hooks fell 7-3.

Note: Schiavone has 27 home runs this season.

• Justin Thomas, CF: 1-for-2, R, BB
• Walker Janek, C: 1-for-3
• Jason Schiavone, DH: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI

• Trey Dombroski, LHP: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Hudson Leach, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (41-78) lost 6-3 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville got a run in the first inning on a Moss sac fly. Potter started for Asheville but struggled allowing 4 runs over 3 innings of work. The offense got another run in the 5th on an error, but the Keys responded with 2 more in the 6th to extend their lead. Walker connected on a solo home run in the 8th but that was it from the offense as Asheville fell 6-3.

Note: Walker has 34 stolen bases this season.

• Kyle Walker, 2B: 1-for-2, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, 2 SB
• Jack Moss, 1B: 0-for-2, RBI, BB
• John Garcia, C: 1-for-2, R, BB, SB

• Nick Potter, RHP: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• Yeriel Santos, RHP: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (65-53) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)

Smith started for the Woodpeckers and allowed 2 runs over 5 innings, with both runs coming in the first inning. The Woodpeckers got on the board in the 5th inning on a Flores solo home run. They scored another run in the 6th on a Piasecki double. Cassedy pitched in relief tossing 3 scoreless innings. The Woodpeckers took the lead in the 7th on a Nowak RBI double. Uebelhor struck out the side in the 9th inning as the Woodpeckers won 3-2.

Note: Hughes is hitting .360 this season.

• Logan Hughes, 1B: 1-for-4, R, 2B
• Owen Nowak, LF: 2-for-3, R, 2B, RBI
• Aaron Piasecki, DH: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB
• Arturo Flores, C: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB
• Petey Soto, 2B: 1-for-2, 2 BB

• Aubrey Smith, RHP: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• Brandon Cassedy, RHP: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (WIN)
• Mick Uebelhor, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (SAVE)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Jason Alexander – 9:05 CT

CC: Cole Hertzler – 6:35 CT

AV: Javier Perez – 6:00 CT

FV: TBD – 3:35 CT

Kinley Rasmus of Phenix City Little League, daughter of former Major League pitcher Cory Rasmus, has emerged as one of the breakout stars of this year’s Little League World Series. Shining as both a pitcher and a hitter, Kinley has delivered a series of record-breaking performances in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

At the plate in this LLWS, Kinley has tied the all-time tournament record for a girl with five total hits. She delivered a crucial RBI double to left field against California, becoming just the fifth girl in tournament history to achieve a multi-hit game. Against Tacoma, Washington, she went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

On the pitching side, Kinley has 14 total strikeouts in the tournament, tying the all-time LLWS record for a girl set by Mo’ne Davis. She also recorded eight strikeouts in a single game, matching the single-game record during her debut against Washington.

With three straight wins under their belt, Phenix City has advanced to the elimination round and is set to face West Side Little League from Hamilton, Ohio, on Wednesday.

More: Little League World Series 2026: Latest bracket, full schedule, teams, TV, stream

Who is Kinley Rasmus?

Kinley Rasmus is one of just two girls competing in the 2026 Little League World Series. The talented young athlete carries on a baseball legacy as the daughter of former Major League pitcher Cory Rasmus, who played for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels during his professional career.

Cory Rasmus himself once played for the very same Phenix City Little League team, helping them reach the LLWS championship game back in 1999.

Does Kinley have any other famous relatives?

Yes, Kinley's uncle is Colby Rasmus, a former MLB outfielder. The 10-year MLB veteran played for five teams from 2009 to 2018, beginning his career with the St. Louis Cardinals before moving on to the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, and Baltimore Orioles.