LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 30: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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)
Player
Out of Zone Rate, June
Out of Zone Rate, July
Out of Zone Rate, August
Trea Turner
49.3%
51.6%
54.9%
Kyle Schwarber
52.4%
56.8%
54.5%
Bryce Harper
59.6%
57.1%
59.7%
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?
Player
OoZ Rate, Batter Ahead, June
OoZ Rate, Batter Ahead, July
OoZ Rate, Batter Ahead, August
Trea Turner
44.7%
42.1%
51.1%
Kyle Schwarber
47.9%
48.3%
47.6%
Bryce Harper
53.4%
52.9%
53.8%
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.
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.
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.
TALKING STICK, AZ - OCTOBER 07: Luis Perales #91 of the Salt River Rafters pitches during the game between the Glendale Desert Dogs and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 in Talking Stick, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
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.
The Nationals are promoting Luis Perales for his MLB debut, per sources, and plan to continue using him as a reliever for now: https://t.co/6AqxZSe9dY
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.
I've thrown out a Fernando Cruz comp a couple of times, but I'd expect them to try for a bit more bulk than that. At some point, I think they are correct to consolidate their 13 best pitchers in the majors and worry about roles later.
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.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 24, 2026
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.
The Houston Astros (66-66) and the New York Yankees (74-57) continue their three-game series tonight at Yankee Stadium.
Last night's opener was anything but a pitchers’ duel as Houston rallied late for a 9-7 win. The teams combined for 24 hits. The OVER cashed in the sixth inning. Yordan Alvarez and Yainer Diaz led the Astros combining for six hits, four RBIs, and five runs scored to more than offset Luis Garcia Jr.’s monster night at the plate for the Yankees (4-5 including his 27th home run with 3 RBIs).
Houston struck first in the second inning when Diaz launched a solo homer to left-center field. The Astros added another run in the third on Daulton Varsho's RBI single before the Yankees responded in the bottom half of the inning. Cody Bellinger crushed a three-run homer to right field, scoring Trent Grisham and Luis Garcia Jr. and giving New York a 3-2 lead. The lead changed hands again in the fifth. Varsho delivered another RBI single before Luis Garcia Jr. answered for New York with a two-run homer, putting the Yankees back in front 5-3. Houston immediately countered in the sixth when Jeremy Peña connected on a game-tying two-run homer that evened the score at 5-5. Garcia Jr. continued his outstanding night with an RBI double in the seventh, giving the Yankees a 6-5 advantage heading into the late innings. However, the Astros broke the game open in the eighth against New York's bullpen. Diaz homered for the second time, Alvarez delivered a go-ahead RBI triple, and Isaac Paredes added an RBI single as Houston pushed across three runs to seize an 8-6 lead.
Even with the loss, New York remains in second place in the American League East and trails the Rays in the AL East by 3.5 games. Don’t look now but the Red Sox trail the Yankees for the top Wild Card spot by just 1.5 games. Houston, meanwhile, took over first in the AL West with the win.
Houston is expected to send veteran right-hander Peter Lambert (8-7, 3.68 ERA) to the mound tonight. Lambert may be wearing out. The righthander has thrown a career-high 122 innings and was rocked in his last outing. Last Thursday against the Angels, Lambert surrendered eight hits and nine runs in just 3.2 innings in what ultimately was an 18-3 loss. The Yankees have yet to announce their starter for tonight. Whispers are it will be rookie Elmer Rodriguez (0-2, 4.76 ERA). The righthander’s last start for the big club was June 21 against Cincinnati in which he allowed three runs over four innings.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Astros vs. Yankees
Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, SCHN, Prime Video
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The Latest Odds: Astros vs. Yankees – August 26
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Houston Astros (+116), New York Yankees (-124)
Spread: Astros +1.5 (-181), Yankees -1.5 (+149)
Total: 9.0 runs
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Astros vs. Yankees for August 26
Astros: Peter Lambert Season Totals: 122.1 IP, 8-7, 3.68 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 120K, 48 BB
Yankees: Undecided but if it is Elmer Rodriguez Season Totals: 17.0 IP, 0-2, 4.76 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, 10K, 11 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Astros vs. Yankees
Cody Belinger is 4-9 including 1 HR in his career against Peter Lambert
Luis Garcia Jr. is 2-5 in his career against Lambert
Yordan Alvarez has hits in 5 of his last 6 games (8-18)
Cam Smith picked up a hit last night to snap an 0-15 stretch over his previous 5 GP
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is riding a modest 3-game hitting streak (5-11)
Luis Garcia Jr. has homered in 3 of his last 5GP
George Lombard Jr. is 10-31 with 6 runs scored over his last 9 GP
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Astros vs. Yankees
The Astros are 65-67 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 64-67 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 69 times in games involving Houston this season (69-57-6)
The OVER has cashed 55 times in games involving the Yankees this season (55-72-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Astros vs. Yankees for August 26
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Astros and the Yankees:
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Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
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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.
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
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 32-163, -10.7 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The 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)
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.
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.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 90-82, -10.35 units
Over/Under bets: 86-80-6, -5.80 units
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
Location
Chase Field, Phoenix, Ariz.
Date
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026
First pitch
3:40 p.m. ET
TV
Marquee, Diamondbacks.TV
Cubs starting pitcher
Matthew Boyd (8-2, 4.15 ERA)
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Eduardo Rodriguez (13-4, 2.61 ERA)
Cubs vs Diamondbacks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WICHITA, KS - AUGUST 16: Jason Schiavone #44 of the Corpus Christi Hooks rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning during the game between the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Wichita Wind Surge at Equity Bank Park on Sunday, August 16, 2026 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Lathe Cobb/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kinley Rasmus Little League World Series stats
Game 1 vs. Washington: 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K (Pitching); 1 BB (Batting)
Game 2 vs. California: 2-for-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI double
Game 3 vs. Pennsylvania: 1-for-3, RBI single (Batting); 6 K (Pitching)
Game 4 vs. Washington: 2-for-3, 1 Run, 1 RBI (Broke the all-time hits record)
The Philadelphia Phillies (73-60) and the Seattle Mariners (64-69) wrap up their three-game interleague series this afternoon at T-Mobile Park, with the Mariners looking for a sweep after winning the first two games.
Last night George Kirby was dominant, and Cal Raleigh went yard for the fourth time in the last two days as the Mariners secured the series last night with a 4-1 win.
The Phillies struck first in the second inning when rookie outfielder Justin Crawford delivered an RBI single that scored Bryson Stott. However, Seattle answered immediately when Raleigh crushed a solo homer to right field. The blast was Raleigh's 18th homer of the season and remarkably gave him homers in four consecutive at-bats, matching a Mariners’ franchise record previously set by Mike Cameron in 2002. After the early exchange of runs, Kirby took command. The Seattle right-hander worked 7⅔ innings, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out nine. The Mariners finally broke the tie in the sixth when Josh Naylor lined a run-scoring single to center, scoring Julio Rodríguez to give Seattle the lead for good. Dominic Canzone ripped a two-run single into left-center field in the seventh, extending the lead to 4-1. Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola deserved a better fate, allowing only two runs over six innings while striking out seven. But the Phillies' offense could not solve Kirby after the second inning and managed just three baserunners over the final seven frames. Seattle closer Andrés Muñoz recorded the save as the Mariners improved to 2-0 in the series.
The loss dropped Philadelphia to 4.5 games behind the Braves in the NL East and to just three games up on the Diamondbacks in the chase for a Wild Card spot. Seattle remains in third in the AL West but pulled to within 2.5 games of the Astros in the division and within three of the final Wild Card spot.
Philadelphia turns to Jesús Luzardo (11-5, 3.23 ERA) to try and salvage the final game of the series. The Phillies have won each of his last four starts. Last Friday, the southpaw allowed two earned runs over 5.2 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. Luzardo has allowed five earned runs this month over 27.1 innings. Seattle counters with Bryan Woo (9-8, 4.10 ERA. Woo is 7-0 at home with a 1.96 ERA this season. In his most recent start back on August 16 in Houston, the righthander allowed two runs over six innings in a 3-2 Astros win.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Phillies vs. Mariners
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The Latest Odds: Phillies vs. Mariners
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (-124), Seattle Mariners (+116)
Julio Rodriguez is 3-7 including 1 HR in his career against Jesus Luzardo
Taylor Ward has struck out 7 times in 9 ABs against Luzardo
Josh Naylor is 3-5 in his career against Luzardo
The Phillies as a team are batting a collective .167 against Bryan Woo in their careers
Bryan Woo has struck out 5+ opposing hitters in each of his last 8 starts
Jesus Luzardo has struck out 9 or more hitters in each of his last 3 starts and in 4 of his last 6
Cal Raleigh has hit 4 HRs through the first 2 games of this series
J.P. Crawford picked up a hit last night after going without one the previous 3 games (0-11)
Bryce Harper has hit safely in 4 straight games (7-14) with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored
Trea Turner is 0-12 over his last 3GP and 2-21 over his last 5GP
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Phillies vs. Mariners
The Mariners are an MLB-worst 51-82 on the Run Line this season
The Phillies are an NL-worst 54-79 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 68 times in Mariners’ 133 games this season (68-58-7)
The OVER has cashed 61 times in the Phillies’ 133 games this season (61-64-8)
Expert picks & predictions: Phillies vs. Mariners
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Phillies and the Mariners:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Mariners on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
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Dodgers owner Mark Walter, left, and team president Stan Kasten meet before Game 2 of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
TWG Global — the holding company of Dodgers owner Mark Walter — rejected allegations of financial impropriety in the purchase and operation of the Dodgers and reiterated the team is not for sale.
At a time insurance regulators and federal investigators are looking into allegations that insurance companies under Walter’s umbrella did not properly disclose and conduct transactions between other companies he controls, and after Walter sold his controlling interest in the Lakers at a record $12.5 billion valuation, potential bidders have monitored whether the Dodgers might be sold as well.
In a statement Tuesday, TWG Global decried “multipronged attacks against TWG … by unnamed sources with self-serving interests” and said no insurance policyholder has been hurt as a result of the company’s financial transactions.
“There is no victim here,” the statement said. “No one has been harmed, and no one has claimed they were harmed.”
In 2012, when Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers for $2 billion, The Times reported the use of $1.2 million from Guggenheim Partners insurance funds into the deal. At the time, rival bidders expressed concern over the unusual financing, but state insurance regulators cleared the deal and Major League Baseball approved it.
“The transaction was subject to a full investigation conducted by an outside law firm on behalf of insurance regulators from multiple states,” the statement said, “which identified no irregularities and resulted in no further action.”
Even with the Dodgers issuing over a billion dollars in deferred contracts and amid whatever transactions might have been conducted between TWG-related insurance companies and the Dodgers’ affiliates — including ones that hold the team’s television rights and ticket revenues — the Dodgers’ ability to fund player contracts is not at risk, according to the statement.
“The Dodgers have the highest revenue in baseball, and it significantly exceeds the team’s obligations to its players,” the statement said.
The statement reiterated that, as Dodgers president Stan Kasten has said, “the team is not being sold and no sale process has been initiated.”
The Dodgers, if sold, could likely command a price in the range of $10 billion to $13 billion, industry analysts have told The Times.
The Lakers sold at a record price for a North American sports franchise, although industry analysts have said a competitive bidding process likely would have resulted in an even higher sale price.
Said the statement: “Mr. Walter was approached by Josh Kushner and his team about this transaction and the agreement represents a 25% premium to the price paid by Mr. Walter less than a year ago (and an even higher premium to the $5.0 billion valuation Mr. Walter paid in 2021) — hardly a ‘fire sale.’”
The statement added: “TWG is not looking to sell its sports assets at ‘fire sale’ prices to raise capital for its insurance operations.”
TWG said it is “working cooperatively and in partnership with the Delaware Department of Insurance” to resolve the regulatory issues and “is committed to working with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission to resolve their inquiries.”
“TWG stands firmly behind the integrity of its business,” the statement read. “Despite what has been reported, there has been no fraud.”
Boston, MA - May 14: Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story strikes out in the eighth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park on May 14, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The excitement about the line-up in Worcester’s series opener against the Yankees’ Triple-A squad could not be contained as the upper third of the WooSox batting order read as follows: IKF, Roman Anthony, Trevor Story. That’s not even counting a guy who’d be a starter on a lot of other big league teams, Romy Gonzalez, and a guy who may be starting games for a long, long time up in Fenway in Franklin Arias (and a guy who, fingers crossed, gets his act back together so he may end up in some Major League line-ups in Kristian Campbell.) The timing is, of course, also important: we’re a week away from September call-ups and there’s reason to believe that one or both these call-ups are going to be guys on that aforementioned list of names completing their rehab to assist in the Red Sox’s mad dash towards October and all that comes with it.
The team was up for the task of scoring runs, but not until very late did a ball leave the park, and it was none other than Roman Anthony who hit a two-run shot; he had also gotten another RBI knock earlier in the contest. Arias would drive in 2, Story 1; Campbell and catcher Nate Baez each boasted one. Worcester’s beneficiary of such a mystical lineup had himself a fantastic night through five innings, allowing just one hit (a home run) all while striking out eight. The WooSox did let the game get to within the peramaters of a save opportunity for Hobie Harris, but the end result was never really in question.
The Sea Dogs allowed runs all night, but kept it close with six runs across the fifth and sixth innings. The comeback Portland mounted in Richmond (Giants AA) all started with another name we’ve been hearing a lot about lately, as Justin Gonzales hit a two-run bomb in the fifth to score himself and Miguel Bleis. The man behind him, Johanfran Garcia, also had a night to write home about, getting three hits of his own, but those behind him couldn’t drive him in as the team as a whole stranded ten. This would come back to haunt Portland as Richmond squandered just three runners.
How about them Tar Heels!? The UNC (that’s North Carolina, of course, not the recently memed term for uncle) duo again were the cause for celebration in Greenville, as the Drive pulled off an incredible upset against Rome (Braves High-A) in which they went into the bottom of the 9th with an 11 percent chance of a win and stormed back. Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull would cap a three-run inning off with each of their second hits of the game. None of this would have been possible without Brady Tygart shoving through six in relief, striking out nine; this is the second consecutive outing Tygart has struck out at least eight.
The RidgeYaks would get on the board early with Josue Brito’s first home run in A-ball. They would then fail to score for the remainder of the game and allow runs in the final three offensive innings Fayetteville (Astros A) would have. Salem would go hitless with runners in scoring position and manage just five hits on the night.
Los Angeles, CA - August 14:Dodgers Will Smith throws before the start of the game against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Friday, August 14, 2026. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
A rare player who has been here for all three championships in this run of success, Will Smith got off on the right foot in his rehab assignment with the Comets—it was the highlight of a Tuesday of close games in the Dodgers’ minor league system.
Player of the day
Without any standout performers, and despite his team ultimately losing, Will Smith gets the Player of the Day vote for showing no rust in his first game back. The standout catcher needed just three at-bats to leave the yard in his first appearance with the Comets this season.
It had been nearly three months since the last time Smith took the field, and his return could not come a moment too soon. The next step will be for him to play a full game, having left this one after five innings behind the dish.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Will Smith’s home run is far more important than a 4-3 defeat for the Comets, who still sit in first place in the East Division, dropping this close contest against the Chihuahuas. On top of leaving the yard, it should be noted that Smith also left his mark on the defensive side, throwing out Samad Taylor at second in one of two stolen base attempts against him.
By the time Smith homered in the fifth, the Comets already trailed in this one four to zip. Starter Landon Knack had his worst performance since getting demoted back to Triple-A, failing to finish three full innings, walking three and striking out just one.
Double-A Tulsa
Coming up to bat 15 times with at least one runner in scoring position and coming away with a mere two runs guaranteed a 5-2 defeat for the Drillers’ offense, leaving loads of chances on the table trailing right from the off. Starter Adam Serwinowski allowed a pair of runs in the first in what would be a troublesome outing, conceding five total in 5.2 innings.
Not recording a hit as the top two in the order reached base only once in 10 tries, Josue De Paula ended the evening with a .312 batting average on the season. It was only De Paula’s fourth hitless game out of 35 in which he had at least five at-bats. Equally impressive this season, Mike Sirota did record a knock and a walk but couldn’t make an impact on the scoreboard.
High-A Great Lakes
Doubling their opponents’ strikeout totals (16-8), the Loons narrowly beat out the Lugnuts thanks to a two-run eighth inning to come from behind and secure their 67th win. In a game in which extra-base hits were scarce, a wild pitch brought in the winning run for the Great Lakes, with Eduardo Guerrero crossing the plate in the eighth. The only Loons player to record multiple hits, Mairo Martinus carries on a seamless transition to High-A, with an .834 OPS in 19 games since the promotion.
After back-to-back six-plus-inning starts, Sterling Patick was held to a shorter appearance because of command problems, walking four in 4.1 innings. And providing the ultimate shutdown inning, the one right after taking the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, Davis Chastain earned the save, striking out the side to wrap up this victory.
Class-A Ontario
For the symmetry fans out there, the Tower Buzzers had the rare event of each one of their nine starting hitters recording exactly one hit. It was not enough for the win, as the Ports made more out of their six hits to beat the Tower Buzzers 5-4.
Two of those nine hits from Ontario were solo shots, including teenage shortstop Aidan West’s first home run in Class A, only making his 11th start after starting his season in rookie ball. The other home run came from a more experienced Tower Buzzers hitter in Ching-Hsien Ko, now one short of 20 on the year.
The loss was a harsh fate for reliever Mason Estrada, who allowed just one hit in three innings of work. Estrada let in the winning run on a sac fly to the Ports’ cleanup hitter, Gavin Turley, who struck out in his other three at-bats in that game.
Transactions
Will Smith began a rehab assignment with the Oklahoma City Comets. Right-handed pitcher Jonathan Hernández was assigned to the Comets. Righty Nick Putnam was assigned to the Tulsa Drillers.
Tuesday’s scores
Oklahoma City 3, El Paso 4
Midland 5, Tulsa 2
Great Lakes 5, Lansing 4
Stockton 5, Ontario 4
Wednesday’s schedule
2:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Gavin Stone) vs. El Paso (TBD)
Game 2: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) vs. El Paso (Evan Fitterer)
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Will Gagnon) vs. Lansing (Jackson Nove)
4:30 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Aidan Foeller) at Midland (Nathan Dettmer)
7:05 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Stockton (Corey Braun)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 12: Henry Bolte #33 and Denzel Clarke #1 of the Athletics pose for a photo in the dugout before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Sutter Health Park on May 12, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday A’s fans!
Last night, the Athletics evened the series against the Minnesota Twins with a 4-2 victory in the middle game of the three-game set.
With fewer than 30 games remaining this season and several of the team’s best players sidelined by season-ending injuries, the A’s goal should be to finish strong over the final month. As the club wraps up its fifth straight losing season, these final few weeks should focus on evaluating players for the future on the field and beginning the search for a new general manager off the field.
The A’s have an opportunity to play spoiler, as the Green and Gold have several series against playoff contenders over the next couple of weeks. Currently, none of the five teams in the American League West has a winning record, yet at least one will earn a playoff spot by finishing the season in first place. The last-place Athletics could play a major role in determining who wins the West, with seven games remaining against the Seattle Mariners, four against the Houston Astros and three against the Texas Rangers.
In the rotation, left-handers Jacob Lopez and Gage Jump, who started yesterday, will look to finish their respective seasons on a high note. Right-hander Kade Morris should also receive an extended opportunity to pitch in the majors, either in the rotation or out of the bullpen. Speaking of relievers, now is the time for those waiver claims to audition for a roster spot next season.
Switching to the offense, there is a slim chance rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer can return from his ruptured testicle before the end of the season. Outfielder Denzel Clarke is the injured A’s player most likely to return. Clarke, who badly needs reps to improve his offensive ability, has been sidelined for most of the season. In his place, rookie Henry Bolte, who has been on fire at the plate this month, has seized the everyday center field job. If Clarke can get his offense to match his Gold Glove-caliber defense, he could be an All-Star, but that is a big if given how far his bat is behind his glove.
Who else besides these players are you looking forward to watching as the season winds down? How can the Athletics give their fans hope as the team concludes another miserable campaign?
The A’s are one step closer to assembling an entire bullpen of relievers claimed off the waiver wire.
The A’s have claimed RHP Chris Roycroft off waivers from the Rays. To make room on the 40-man roster, SS Jacob Wilson has been transferred to the 60-day IL.
Another planned feature of the Athletics’ in-construction Las Vegas ballpark raises a question: With the Raiders already established there and an NBA expansion team likely to arrive in the near future, will Vegas residents care enough to fill the stadium on a nightly basis or will attendance dry up after the novelty period?
Introducing the Legends Lounge!
The Legends Lounge is a vibrant social destination featuring seats directly behind home plate and a lively setting designed to keep you connected to every pitch.
— A's Ballpark in Las Vegas (@VegasAthletics) August 21, 2026
The fact that the American League West is so awful makes the A’s collapse this season even more excruciating.
Facts. The Astros are mediocre, the rangers can’t keep a winning record for more than a week, the mariners are not consistent, the angels aren’t contenders and neither are the A’s https://t.co/e2AXRDmiGw
One of the A’s most iconic players celebrated a milestone birthday yesterday. Has anyone tried emulating his mustache?
Join us in wishing Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers a happy 80th birthday!
In addition to sporting one of the greatest mustaches of all time, the legendary relief ace won three World Series titles with Oakland and swept the 1981 AL MVP and Cy Young Awards.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 20: Shane Bieber #57 of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on August 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone!
The Mariners have strung together series wins against likely playoff teams following a 4-1 victory against the Phillies last night. The M’s will look for the ever-elusive series sweep with Bryan Woo taking the ball today at 1:10pm PT.
Ben Clemens at Fangraphs provided his thoughts on the head-scratching move from the Astros to fire general manager Dana Brown.
Despite Brown’s firing, Astros owner Jim Crane says that manager Joe Espada will finish the season with the club. That’s not exactly reassuring for his long-term future with the organization, though.
We’ve got another Jeff Passan banger, this one on the scandal plaguing Dodgers’ majority owner Mark Walter.
In honor of the late Dolly Parton, go get yourself some merch.
CJ Abrams
Vinnie Pasquantino
COVERS INTEL: Over the last month, 
