WICHITA, KS - AUGUST 15: Walker Janek #3 of the Corpus Christi Hooks and Andrew Taylor #6 look on prior to the game between the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Wichita Wind Surge at Equity Bank Park on Saturday, August 15, 2026 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Lexi Ashcraft/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 (66-58) lost 5-1 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Biggio RBI single. Nezuh started for Sugar Land and allowed 3 runs over 4.2 innings of work. The bullpen allowed 2 unearned runs and the offense was unable to get anything else going as Sugar Land fell 5-1.
Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Ryan Weiss, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (56-63) won 7-5 (BOX SCORE)
Taylor started for the Hooks and went 5 innings allowing 3 runs. The offense got on the board in the first inning on a Thomas solo home run. They picked up another run in the third on a Janek RBI single and one in the 4th inning on a Brown RBI double. In the 5th, the offense took the lead scoring 4 runs on a Brown hit by pitch, Holy 2 run single and a run on a groundout. The pen allowed a couple of runs but was able to hold on for the 7-5 win.
Note: Janek has 25 stolen bases in 57 games this season.
Railin Perez, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (SAVE)
A+: Asheville Tourists (41-76) lost 15-3 (BOX SCORE)
Smith started for Asheville but struggled allowing 6 runs without retiring a batter. He was relieved by Baez who allowed 4 runs over 3 innings, and then Ogando allowed another 3 runs.m The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Garcia RBI single. In the 5th, Powell connected on a solo home run. Newman added a solo home run in the 9th but that was it as Asheville fell 15-3.
Baseball all day long! We have a full slate ahead, with plenty of value in the MLB player props market.
Join me as I break down three of my favorite MLB picksfor Sunday, Aug. 22, including why I expect a lot from White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Tomoyuki Sugano
Over 3.5 Earned Runs
-120
Kyle Leahy
Under 3.5 Strikeouts
-111
Munetaka Murakami
Over 0.5 hits
-150
Tomoyuki Sugano Over 3.5 earned runs (-120)
It's hard to overlook the advanced metrics pointing toward Colorado Rockies seasoned sophomore right-hander allowing Over 3.5 earned runs this afternoon. Most importantly, Tomoyuki Sugano draws the highest-rated lineup in baseball today. The Cleveland Guardians feature six elite-rated bats, with two more carrying strong ratings, according to Batters-Box.
So far at home this season, the second-year starter owns a 6.00 xERA while allowing a 13.37% barrel rate and 45% hard-hit rate to opposing hitters. With the Guardians only having one true right-handed hitter in their lineup, they should expose Sugano's biggest weakness, left-handed hitters, who have tormented him all season long.
The Rockies starter owns a 6.76 xERA against lefties, while opposing hitters have a .411 xwOBA. If 3.5 feels like too much of an ask, take the Guardians' first-five team total Over 2.5 at around -150.
Time: 3:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: COLR, CLEG
Kyle Leahy Under 3.5 strikeouts (-111)
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy enters Sunday allowing the most hard contact among today’s starters, per Batters-Box, giving up over 45.5% hard contact this season.
He also enters with poorly rated matchup wOBA, ISO, and strikeout rate metrics. He’ll draw a Philadelphia Phillies team featuring three elite-rated hitters, along with one strongly rated bat. They also have just four hitters striking out above the league average.
Despite Leahy’s sudden strikeout surge, which has pushed his strikeout rate over 33% across his last three starts, the Phillies have shockingly dropped theirs to 12.2% over their last six games and below 16% over their last 12. This lineup has done a tremendous job maintaining a contact rate above 81% over the last two weeks. On top of that, against the last 30 right-handed pitchers they’ve faced, the Phillies have six bats with strikeout rates below 17% during that stretch.
With how much hard contact Leahy has allowed this season and how much the Phillies generate, the Under on his strikeouts feels promising. Take this down to -115.
Time: 1:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-Philadelphia, CARD
Munetaka Murakami Over 0.5 hits (-150)
It's still very perplexing why the books price Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami's hit prop so low on an everyday basis. Sure, he does strike out at a high rate, but he's one of the most lethal bats in baseball this season.
Either way, he's a go this afternoon against New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean. Today marks Murakami's 28th elite rating at home this season. In the 27 prior, he has recorded a hit 70.37% of the time. Overall, in 55 elite ratings this season, he has recorded a hit nearly 71% of the time. Not to mention, he's hit a home run at a near 35% clip.
Over his last 10 games, he sports a .278 ISO while making a boatload of hard contact, generating a 52.4% hard-hit rate and nearly 20% barrel rate during that span.
McLean, against his last 60 left-handed hitters faced, has struggled. He owns a 5.68 ERA and 5.68 FIP, while allowing 2.13 HR/9 and a 47.6% hard-hit rate. Those lefties own a .366 xBA, .597 xSLG, and .364 xwOBA during that stretch.
Murakami also covers almost 87% of McLean's arsenal, crushing his main four pitches. At -150, it is worth paying the juice on a guy to do the bare minimum. If you want to chase value, his double is hovering around +750 and his home run around +400. Sprinkle on both.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, SNY
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 426-831, -9.7 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.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 22: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after scoring a run against the Minnesota Twins during the seventh inning at Petco Park on August 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Better late than never is how the saying goes and the San Diego Padres proved that when they scored six runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to come from behind to beat the Minnesota Twins, 7-5 at Petco Park on Saturday night.
San Diego found itself in a hole early when starter Casey Mize allowed three solo home runs over the first two innings, to give Minnesota a 3-0 lead. Jackson Merrill responded in the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run of his own to make the score 3-1, but then trouble came. Mize injured his ankle walking down the dugout steps after the top of the second inning. He returned to the mound in the top of the third but was not able to finish the inning. Mize got the first two outs before allowing a double to Ryan Jeffers, but was then taken out of the game by manager Craig Stammen. Kyle Hart came on to pitch and immediately allowed an RBI-single to put the Twins up 4-1 before he got a groundout to end the inning.
Minnesota added another run in the top of the fifth and San Diego was staring at a 5-1 deficit after four innings with their bulk-inning reliever Griffin Canning on the mound. The scored remained the same through the top of the fifth before the Padres added a run on an RBI-single from Merrill to make the score 5-2 after six innings.
San Diego came to life in the seventh inning after a catcher’s interference call allowed Freddy Fermin to reach base with one out. Fernando Tatis Jr. followed with a single to put two runners on and Jake Cronenworth shot a double down the left field line. Fermin scored from second and Tatis raced all the was around from first base to cut the deficit to 5-4. Manny Machado hit a ground ball to shortstop and Kaelen Culpepper tried to throw to third to get Cronenworth who was advancing from second base, but his throw sailed past Brooks Lee at third base and Cronenworth was able to score to tie the game at 5-5. Machado was able to advance to second, which allowed him to score when Ty France hit an RBI-single to give the Padres a 6-5 lead.
Those were all the runs San Diego needed to get the win thanks to scoreless innings from Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller, but the Padres tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Tatis hit a one-out RBI-single to score Luis Campusano to put San Diego ahead, 7-5. Morejon and Miller faced the minimum three batters each in their respective innings of work and Miller notched his 32nd save of the season.
San Diego will look to sweep Minnesota when the teams meet for the final game of the series today at 1:10 p.m.
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 22: A detail shot of a Texas Rangers 1996 30th Anniversary base prior to the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Saturday, August 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tenley Wright/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, folks…
The Texas Rangers fell to the Anaheim Angels last night by a score of 3-0.
Evan Grant’s game story talks about how the Rangers can’t score runs without Josh Jung in the lineup.
Feb 22, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jackson Ferris against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A recap of Saturday in the Dodgers minor leagues.
Player of the day
Cam Leiter struck out seven in 3 1/3 scoreless innings in his High-A debut for Great Lakes, stranding two hits and two walks.
The Dodgers’ second-round draft pick in 2025 out of Florida State is in his first professional season and was promoted from Class-A after a 3.09 ERA and 36.1-percent strikeout rate in 18 starts for Ontario.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Jackson Ferris allowed a run in five innings in the Comets’ win over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros).
Austin Gauthier had two hits in the win. James Tibbs III doubled and walked. Zach Ehrhard had an RBI single and stole a base.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 21: Jonny DeLuca #21 of the Tampa Bay Rays watches as fans compete for a home run ball hit by Dylan Beavers #12 of the Baltimore Orioles during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 21, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One could argue that the Yankees’ loss yesterday was maybe the fourth- or fifth-most impactful bit of news from the day, but if we were to zero in on that? Yeah, that was annoying. They had a legitimate chance to steal a second Dylan Cease start for a win in the span of a week, even one in which he was no-hitting the Yanks into the seventh. But long before then, they stranded a pair of runner-on-third/one-out opportunities in the first and second. Maybe Luis García Jr. doesn’t get the chance to hit that same kind of pitch from Tyler Rogers to make it a 4-3 game later, but … ah. Whatever.
Here’s what else was going on around the American League on Saturday.
Tampa Bay Rays (76-53) 2, Baltimore Orioles (63-67) 3 (10 innings)
The Orioles have really been the Yankees’ best friend during the past week. They won three out of four against the AL East-leading Rays last weekend, lost to the Yanks in a three-game sweep from Tuesday through Thursday, and have now rallied to beat the Rays again on consecutive nights. The Yanks trimming a 6.5-game Tampa Bay lead in the division down to three as of now gets a big assist from Baltimore. It honestly should be closer at this point, too!
Anyway, on the topic of Saturday night’s game, the Rays held a 2-0 lead through six thanks to a solo shot by Liam Hicks off Brandon Young, and then a Junior Caminero RBI single to knock Young out of the game in the sixth. That, however, was Tampa Bay’s only hit with a man in scoring position all night, as they went 1-for-8 in such opportunities, bouncing into multiple double plays and running into outs on the bases.
Shane McClanahan threw five scoreless innings for the Rays, but with him long gone from the ballgame by the eighth, the O’s pounced. Kevin Kelly started the frame for Tampa Bay and allowed a leadoff single to Jackson Holliday. He fanned the surging Pete Alonso but gave a sinker a little too much plate to rookie pinch-hitter Samuel Basallo, who launched it over the wall in center for a game-tying homer.
In the ninth, the Rays missed another chance to tack on when Andrew Kittredge got Richie Palacios to fly out to right after Jonny DeLuca’s double. Garrett Cleavinger retired the O’s in order to send this to extras … where the Rays again squandered an opportunity. This time, it was with the zombie runner and a one-out squeeze play by Taylor Walls. Former Yankees legend Rico Garcia got to the ball quickly and flipped it home in time to nail Palacios at the plate.
Kevin Cash called upon the reliever who the Orioles traded in a minor move 13 months ago, only to see him become an All-Star closer in 2026. But while Bryan Baker handled his old team on Monday, he looked more like the version that also lost the game in extras exactly one week prior. Baker got ahead of his first hitter on Saturday, Dylan Beavers, with an 0-2 count. Then he fired two out of the strike zone before Beavers cracked one off the right-center-field wall, walking it off for the O’s.
Boston Red Sox (70-59) 3, San Francisco Giants (52-77) 2: I do hope that you didn’t invest too much mental space in hoping that this lousy Tony Vitello-led Giants club would actually do something worthwhile at Fenway Park. It didn’t matter that Blade Tidwell threw 5.2 scoreless innings for San Francisco or that they took a 2-0 lead into the final frame on long balls from Willy Adames and Andrew Knizner. This team is wretched. Behold, the bottom of the ninth:
Walk-off grounder by Wilyer Abreu, with White beating Bryce Eldrige’s throw home
Great job, great work.
Chicago White Sox (67-62) 5, New York Mets (59-71) 10: Luis Castillo looked like the version of himself that got squeezed out of the Mariners’ rotation despite his contract. He was knocked out before the end of the third, allowing four runs on eight hits, including homers to Bo Bichette and one-time White Sox phenom Luis Robert Jr. The latter would go yard again off former Mets teammate Huascar Brazobán in the seventh, with Carson Benge and Luis Torrens hitting dingers against other members of the Chicago bullpen. You can’t give up five homers to the 2026 Mets and expect to win! The White Sox still hold a 3.5-game lead over the Guardians in the AL Central.
Houston Astros (65-65) 3, The Athletics (50-80) 4: The A’s had literally only won 11 games since the beginning of summer, but while they’re lousy, the AL West as a whole is also lousy in its own way. Bennett Sousa couldn’t hold a 3-1 lead in the eighth at home, with Lawrence Butler tying the game on an RBI single and Jonah Heim plating the eventual winner on a grounder. Elvis Alvarado struck out two in the ninth for the A’s win.
Texas Rangers (64-66) 0, Los Angeles Angels (52-78) 3: Despite sitting at exactly .500, the Astros still hold sole possession of the AL West lead because the Rangers had their own embarrassing loss to an awful division rival. Ryan Johnson and two Angels relievers combined to spin a one-hit shutout in the Rangers’ own ballpark. Even with a stirring, Randy Arozarena-led walk-off win over the Cubs last night in Kade Anderson’s MLB debut, the Mariners are still three games behind Houston! It cannot be overstated how much the AL West stinks on ice. They are the silverfish skittering across the floor in your weird friend’s basement.
Cleveland Guardians (64-66) 4, Colorado Rockies (50-79) 3: This section is called “AL Wild Card Rock Fight” so I must also zero in on them as well as the AL West (though really the races are almost one and the same). The Rangers still inexplicably hold the last Wild Card spot at two games under .500, but the Guardians tied them there with their third win in a row, as a Jo Adell three-run bomb and a Patrick Bailey single led them to victory at Coors. Cleveland has one of the easiest schedules in baseball down the stretch so to me, it’s honestly theirs to lose. But the AL Wild Card race has been all about losing, so… yeah.
Minnesota Twins (63-67) 5, San Diego Padres (70-60) 7: I’ve had very little faith in the Twins’ realistic chances all year long and really only had them added to the re-introduced Rock Fight section this weekend because they actually held that third Wild Card spot a couple days ago. But they lost on Friday and blew a 5-1 lead yesterday even though the Padres lost starter Casey Mize to a rolled ankle in the third. Yuck.
For those curious, here’s the race for the last AL Wild Card spot:
On Kade Anderson day, the hero was Randy Arozarena as he took both the first pitch he saw, and the last pitch he saw deep to secure a stunning 5-4 win! The Mariners have a chance to do the previously considered unthinkable today, as Bryce Miller will try to secure a sweep of Shota Imanaga and the Cubs at 1:10 PST.
In Mariners news…
Randy has already gotten his flowers from every possible source for his otherworldly performance in last night’s game, but I want to call attention to something specific. I don’t get to do this very often because my career Lookout Landing recap counter is at one (1), so you all are going to have to humor me for a second. I want to take a section of this morning’s links to admire Randy Arozarena’s eyes. I have to be at my day job on Saturday nights so I didn’t get to see much of this game live, but this slo-mo replay of Randy’s swing on his leadoff homer immediately clued me in to just how locked in Randy was for yesterday’s game. That baseball must have looked like a beach ball coming in for him. This was a game of destiny for him, we were all just witnesses, and I think that’s awesome.
If you’re at the stadium for today’s game make sure to keep your sunglasses on or risk being blinded by one of the game’s most dazzling smiles!
A familiar face is back at the ballpark to throw out the first pitch tomorrow 👋
Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff announced that he does not need the capsule surgery on his shoulder as he previously believed, as scans taken more recently revealed that the injury is already showing significant improvement. Woodruff and the Brewers are now considering the possibility that he returns to pitch again this season as the Brewers continue to jostle for playoff seeding.
Running remains the single greatest threat to Giancarlo Stanton’s general leg health, as a left calf strain has delayed his return this season, but the team isn’t yet sure for how long that delay will be.
Yankees starter Ryan Weathers left yesterday’s game early with discomfort in his arm. He supposedly went for imaging almost immediately, so results of that will likely come out some time today.
Nick’s pick…
Recession indicator.
‘NATIONAL TREASURE 3’ is officially in the works, confirms director.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: Harry Ford #17 of the Washington Nationals hugs Erik Tolman #73 of the Washington Nationals in the dugout in the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 22, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by JC Ruiz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Saturday night’s content between the Nationals and the Miami Marlins was, by just about all accounts, a very forgettable night of baseball. Starter Jake Irvin tossed an up-and-down 6.0 innings of 4-run ball, and the Nats only put up 2 runs en route to a 4-2 loss to drop 9 games below .500.
However, one of the beautiful things about baseball is that an average loss in late August can mean so much more than the box score might show.
While the game ended in defeat for Washington. It was a night of pure triumph for 27-year-old reliever Erik Tolman.
FOURTEENTH round pick. TWO tommy johns. ONE entirely blown out knee.
Tolman joined the Washington organization as a 14th-round selection out of Arizona State University in 2021, and his pro career has been marred by a plethora of struggles.
His career stats look solid on the surface, a 3.78 ERA across 74 games making appearances as both a starter and out of the bullpen. Looking deeper into his story, his journey to the big show is nothing short of remarkable.
Injuries have been at the forefront of Tolman’s playing career since before he made his way into the Nationals’ system, suffering a torn UCL resulting in Tommy John surgery during his junior campaign at ASU. That was just the first of two elbow issues to arise for the southpaw, having to undergo the same procedure in 2022 after having barely made his introduction to the organization.
The setbacks didn’t stop there, either, as a freak injury saw him tear every ligament in his knee back in 2023, marking 3 major injuries in just the span of a few years.
Holman refused to let his health issues derail his MLB future, working as a swing starter across 3 levels in 2025 to a 3.67 ERA in 95.2 innings, and starting 2026 with AAA Rochester.
This season has been statistically his least successful, but an uptick in his metrics and a desperate need for pitching at the MLB level led to the Nats calling him up to the bigs a few days ago.
Despite the aforementioned 4-2 loss, the biggest story of Saturday night’s contest was Tolman.
The first man out of the bullpen, he dazzled in a scoreless inning, picking up his first MLB strikeout along the way. It’s yet to be determined whether or not Tolman will have a future in the Washington bullpen in either the short or long term, but one thing is for certain: years of resilience and refusing to quit have now finally culminated in his place forever being cemented in the MLB history books.
Saturday saw the four teams in the Atlanta Braves farm system split their games, but we got to see Eric Hartman hit his first Double-A home run, and his 25th overall. That was part of a three-hit night for Hartman, though he may have been overshadowed a bit by one of his teammates in Adam Zebrowski hitting two homers, a double, and batting in four runs. We also got to see Patrick Clohisy, John Gil, Carter Beck, and Manuel Campos have strong games at the plate, while Cedric De Grandpre pitched a mostly strong start in Triple-A.
Durham Bulls 3, Gwinnett Stripers 2
Brett Wisely, SS: 3-4, R, .279/.397/.415
Patrick Clohisy, LF: 1-3, 2B, BB, SB, .374/.447/.537
Cedric De Grandpre, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, 4.50 ERA
Cedric De Grandpre got the start and got through five effectively wild innings, allowing three runs – all unearned, on three hits and five walks as he struck out six and whiffed nine. Cedric threw 53 of his 92 pitches for strikes, but was still effective in this one, not allowing any runs to score outside of the three unearned run second inning. Two scoreless frames with a pair of strikeouts from Blake Burkhalter were followed by a scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts apiece from Tyler Uberstine and Joel Payamps. Combined the three relievers pitched four innings without allowing a run as they allowed no hits, one walk, and struck out six.
Once again Patrick Clohisy was an offensive standout for the Stripers. Already in his 35th game since his promotion, he walked, doubled, and stole a base in four trips to the plate. Luke Williams scored one of the two runs when he hit his seventh homer of the season in the sixth inning to get the Stripers on the board. Brett Wisely added a three-hit game and scored the other run outside of the Williams homer.
Columbus Clingstones 14, Montgomery Biscuits 2
Eric Hartman, LF: 3-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI, .239/.353/.313
Braden Scott threw a gem on Saturday, going six scoreless innings and allowing just three hits and two walks. He would add seven strikeouts and six whiffs as he picked up the win. Julio Robaina allowed both Montgomery runs to score in his inning of work in the seventh, before Luis Vargas and Tyler LaPorte threw scoreless innings to finish this game off with ease.
Adam Żebrowski led the offense in this one, but Eric Hartman was the big story in a game filled with big offensive games. Hartman went three for five, a triple shy of the cycle, as he hit his first Double-A homer and his 25th overall this season. Zebrowski went three for five with a pair of homers and a double, giving him 14 homers in just 45 games with Columbus. John Gil also went two for four with a walk and scored a pair of runs to go with a stolen base. Jordan Groshans and Luke Waddell also added home runs in the win, which gives Groshans 26 on the season. Among the other prospects Alex Lodise went one for four and Owen Carey was one for two with a walk.
Hub City Spartanburgers 6, Rome Emperors 0
Carter Beck, CF: 0-2, 3 BB, .222/.333/.333
Dixon Williams, 2B: 1-4, BB, .242/.344/.475
Aiven Cabral, SP: 7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 3.44 ERA
Aiven Cabral started and went seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks, as he picked up the quality start. Cabral struck out four and whiffed seven as he did a good job of keeping this one close. He actually only needed 82 pitches to make it through those seven innings after a very efficient outing. Drew Christo relieved him and went on to allow three runs in his inning of work, before a scoreless inning from Tanner Bauman finished things off for the pitching staff.
Rome was shutout in this one, and managed just three hits – all singles. Dixon Williams singled and walked to reach base twice, while Carter Beck reached three times, all via walks. The other two hits came from Mason Guerra and Logan Braunschweig, each of whom was one for two and drew two walks, as Rome was able to draw seven walks off Spartanburger pitching. Luis Guanipa was hitless in five at bats, while Conor Essenburg sat out this one after leaving the previous game early.
Augusta GreenJackets 5, Columbia Fireflies 2
Manuel Campos, SS: 3-5, 2B, R, RBI, .216/.245/.333
Caleb Klein, CF: 1-3, BB, .300/.370/.300
Luis Arestigueta, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 7.18 ERA
Luis Arestigueta got his first start since going six shutout innings in his last start, and with five scoreless innings here he boosted that streak to 11 scoreless frames in a row. This run has dropped his ERA from 9.07 with Augusta to 7.18, and his WHIP from 1.82 to 1.69. Arestigueta allowed four hits and two walks as he struck out four and whiffed four. The final four innings went to Nico Wagner, who would allow two runs on two hits and three walks, though he finished with no strikeouts and only two whiffs. This was his first ever appearance with Augusta after being drafted late last year, and he had only appeared in one FCL game back in July.
Manuel Campos had a big game, going three for five with a double, and both scoring and batting in a run. It had been a bit of a slow start for Campos in full season ball, and some lost time due to injury didn’t help things – but the 18-year-old is now seven for his last 18 with the double and a homer in the team’s last four games. Caleb Klein and Caden Merritt were the only others to reach base multiple times, as each one went one for three and drew a walk. Parker Brosius and Yamvier Carrero each had a hit, while Juan Mateo walked and batted in a run. Nick Montgomery also drew a walk in the win.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 22: Héctor Rodríguez #43 of the Cincinnati Reds runs the bases after hitting his first career home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning at Chase Field on August 22, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The world’s largest single drop waterfall is the Kaieteur Falls.
This is located on the Potaro River in the center of Guyana’s rainforest. The average flow rate of the waterfall is 663 cubic meters per second.
People from the English Midlands use black cats to bless marriages.
New brides are given black cats as a symbol of good luck as a way to bless their marriage. The Japanese also highly believed that black cats were lucky for single women as well.
Apples wake you up more than coffee in the morning.
This is because of the high amounts of sugar that is found in apples. The vitamins from the apples also have similar effects to caffeine, thus making you feel more awake.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Jean Cabrera #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies' prospects pitches during the second inning of a Spring Breakout game against the Minnesota Twins' prospects at the Lee Health Sports Complex on March 19, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Lehigh Valley’s game got rained out, but the other affiliates were in action on Saturday, including the Dominican Summer League Phillies who were eliminated from the DSL Cup tournament.
Reading 5, Portland 2
Raider Tello, Pedro Leon, and Raylin Heredia each had RBIs in the top of the ninth to allow the Fightin’ Phils to surge past the Sea Dogs.
Bryan Rincon got things started in the first inning with his 20th home run of the season, and starting pitcher Jean Cabrera largely kept the Sea Dogs in check, giving up one run in five innings. Dustin McGowan pitched 1.1 scoreless innings to record the save.
Hudson Valley 2, Jersey Shore 1
After giving up a run in the first, the BlueClaws held Hudson Valley scoreless for the next eight innings. Starter Cade Obermueller allowed just the one run while striking out five in four innings. But the BlueClaws’ offense didn’t provide much support, with the lone run coming via a Robert Phelps RBI single in the sixth.
The game was tied heading into the tenth, but a fielding error by first baseman Scott Mudler allowed the winning run to score.
Dunedin 9, Clearwater 6
A shaky start by Matthew Fisher (three runs in one inning) put the Threshers in an early hole, and poor outings by relievers Brian Walters (three runs in one inning) and Luis Avila (two runs in 2.2 innings) kept them from making a comeback.
After going scoreless for the first four innings, Clearwater’s offense came to life with a five-run fifth inning. Reece Moroney had an RBI double in the frame, one of his three hits in the game. Matthew Herrera also chipped in two RBIs in the inning, part of a two-hit, three-RBI effort.
DSL Padres Gold 9, DSL Phillies 3
The DSL Phillies lost their final game of pool play in the Dominican Summer League’s postseason DSL Cup tournament and have been eliminated from contention.
It was a rough game for the Phillies’ pitching with starting pitcher Cristian Rego and Jorge Mitre both allowing multiple runs. Offensively, Elian Adames had two doubles and centerfielder Francisco Renteria had a home run.
Francisco Renteria gets the DSL Phillies within 3-1 with a solo home run. It’s his first postseason homer after hitting 11 in the regular season pic.twitter.com/gxMBEdeY54
Aug 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) celebrates with teammates after defeating the San Francisco Giants at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Giants led for 8 ⅓ innings on Saturday night. It never felt real. Not unreal, like magical or unbelievable, but temporary. Willy Adames solo shot in the 1st off Red Sox starter Patrick Sandoval, Andrew Knizner’s follow-up to deep left-center (in his first AB in the Majors this season, playing for his fourth organization) in the 3rd added on — but neither homer tore through the Boston night or cut their opponents to the bone like Willson Contreras’s 3-run shot did yesterday.
The 2-0 lead was always temporary, borrowed. A late lead that was never going to last. It was only a matter of time… This ominous sense was not especially prescient. The dread is fortified and well earned. Giants fans this year aren’t allowed to have nice things, especially that late in a ballgame. But there were individual signs as well…fog began to choke the bridge and fill Gloucester harbor as my friend Tony from East Boston and I walked down to the Crow’s Nest to watch the game. We had to ask the bartender to switch one of the televisions from the Patriots preseason game to the national broadcast and spent the whole game watching against the current of gazes glued to meaningless yards gained and loss, clipboards and adjusting headsets, touchdowns touched down. On the wall to my right was a faded framed photograph of Mark Wahlberg, arm around the owner of the bar, because of course this was the local dive the crew of the Andrea Gail drank at before setting off on their ill-fated journey in The Perfect Storm.
Blade Tidwell put together his best outing of the year by a country mile, striking out 7 over 5 ⅔ IP, allowing only 3 hits, limiting hard contact and scoring opportunities — but I knew the wave was coming.
The innings rolled on, and the offense squandered opportunities to pad their lead: Osleiveis Basabe stranded at second after a lead-off single and error; Jung Hoo Lee with the bases loaded and two outs ripped a 102 MPH grounder right into Contreras’s glove at first. 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. 11 left on base. Tony from East Boston in my ear: Best atmosphere in sports… If you can’t handle the stage… This crowd is pent-up, it’s looking for an excuse to explode… He was right. The cramped confines of Fenway seemed to constrict, getting tighter and tighter as the game progressed. The lead was phony, unearned. It became a burden.
Carson Seymour gave up a double to Mickey Gasper, Boston’s first extra base hit of the night, to lead off the night. Mark Wahlberg, that smile and jawline, over one shoulder. Mike Vrabel and the Keno numbers over the other. A walk and Seymour was out. Dylan Smith came in and immediately gave up a single. Bases loaded, no outs. I kid you not, the “Jaws” theme started to play over the bar’s speakers. But Smith bared down, channeling his performance from Wednesday in Cleveland. He struck out Wilyer Abreu, then Contreras with his four-seam baseball. Adley Rutschman gave one a ride but it proved routine for centerfielder Drew Gilbert.
A masterful performance — that merely prolonged the inevitable. Tony was right: Fenway is a special and awful place. The Red Sox’s 21-7 home record might have something to do with their season’s miraculous turnaround. Bostonians have the unique ability to feel victimized and threatened while standing over you, on top of you. Sweet Caroline plays and everyone sloppily bah-bah-bahs and starts dropping their “r’s” and asking strangers if they like applesand throwing Dunkin’ munchkins at each other while rubbing their crucifixes and praying to their patron saints: Dear Tom Brady…Oh, Bobby Orr…intercede on our behalf, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, give us protection, o’ Big Papi, against these strangers from the West, because this is our f***in’ city, amen — and if you’re Smith, or any reliever in the bottom of the 9th, a 2-run lead becomes a disadvantage, a personal slight, and the pitcher’s mound is not high ground but a boat floating out in the middle of an angry sea as a wave forms.
In those types of situations, and in those environments, the vestments and armor one wears throughout the day gets stripped away. The bad habits that have plagued the San Francisco bullpen all season became their skin. There would be no repeat of Cleveland for Smith. He walked the lead-off man on four pitches. Tony Vitello went to Sam Hentges. The second pitch the lefty threw struck pinch hitter Jahmai Jones and put the tying run on base. Osleivis Basabe couldn’t handle a groundball from Andruw Monasterio cleanly and missed turning a double play by a stud. Then the hits came. Eli White’s 68 MPH lob somehow split the difference between Basabe and Adames to plate one. Nick Sogard forced the count full and ripped a game-tying double. Then, on another 3-2 count, after an intentional walk loaded the bases, Abreu yanked a grounder up the first base line. Bryce Eldridge laid out for it. A nice stop and he scrambled onto his feet as quickly as his long limbs would allow and one-hopped a throw home. The ball beat the runner. Knizner picked on the bang-bang play…but, somehow, his foot wasn’t on the plate. Fielding the high hop caused his shoe to slide from the plate’s edge a cruel fraction of an inch. The tiniest gap between toe and home that no matter how many times they replayed it video review could not close.
What we saw in the 9th was a team playing with purpose against…well, these Giants. Even if the offense had added on when those earlier opportunities presented themselves, and the lead in the 9th was three or four runs, I doubt it would’ve made a difference. Boston, decked out in the Marathon city connects, knew they were going to win. This is their city after all.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 21: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering #50 pitches the ball during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals on August 21st, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Let’s say that right now, the Phillies had a high leverage situation in which neither Jonathan Bowlan or Jhoan Duran are available. Both of those pitchers are ones the Phillies want to use in the eighth and ninth innings in games in which they are tied or have a lead, something that has been established in the days since Brad Keller went down for the season.
In this high leverage spot, the team needs a right handed pitcher to get them out of a jam. Which pitcher are you hoping the Phillies go to – Alex McFarlane or Orion Kerkering?
Both of them have good, strikeout stuff that can get outs on their own, not needing a defense to get involved if need be. Both of them have had control issues in their past. We haven’t seen how McFarlane would react in a big spot, but we have seen how Kerkering will pitch when the chips are down. It’s hard to predict how that at bat would end up going, but which would you rather see?
CINCINNATI, OHIO - AUGUST 17: Masyn Winn #0 of the St. Louis Cardinals and JJ Wetherholt #26 celebrate after defeating the Cincinnati Reds during game one of a doubleheader at Great American Ball Park on August 17, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. St. Louis defeated Cincinnati 2-1. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals continue to remain relevant in the postseason discussion thanks to a solid month-plus of play since the All-Star break. After struggling out of the break, the team has been one of the best in the National League since the calendar turned to August. They have done so with starting pitching that has kept the team in games and the continued offensive breakouts from Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker.
It does not show up in the box score, but another reason for the August success has been the consistent spectacular work the Cardinals have done with the glove. With a pitching staff that allows plenty of contact, the defense around the field gives the arms confidence to fill up the strike zone and let the fielders do the work. As the fourth-best defensive team in the majors this season, the glove work behind the staff has been nothing short of spectacular.
If you have been on social media in the past couple of months, there is a continuous debate about how much defense should be valued, especially when looking at the NL Rookie of the Year race. Unpopular side bar take: Give me a 30 homer, 100 RBI guy that knows the strike zone in the lineup. Sorry JJ.
For this iteration of the roster in St. Louis, however, the defense has been valuable for the pitch-to-contact staff. Wetherholt is one of the best defenders in baseball, regardless of position, and Alec Burleson has finally gotten the respect he deserves for his stellar work at the first base bag. Those two surprises and passable performance at the hot corner has taken some attention away from one of the best shortstops in the game in Masyn Winn. Currently, Winn and Wetherholt make up the best defensive middle infield in all of baseball and we have seen plenty of times where Winn’s arm (sorry Justin Turner) has gotten outs no other player in the game would be able to get.
Cardinals should lock up Masyn Winn before his bat makes him too expensive
The glove and arm have never been a question for Winn, who is in his fourth big league season. Where people still need convincing is with the bat, especially after the former top prospect put together a successful minor league career together on offense. It has not completely translated to the majors just yet, but there have been signs that he is on the verge of reaching another level in the box.
His current hand/wrist injury notwithstanding, Winn has looked more comfortable as a hitter with a noticeable change in his approach. Known offensive threat Pedro Pages suggested a slight change for the shortstop between games in a doubleheader, and the adjustment paid immediate dividends for Winn. In five games since, Winn has three extra-base hits and two walks, but he has still struck out eight times in that span. That level of offense, if sustainable, when matched with his otherworldly defense, to me makes Masyn Winn an easy choice for an extension.
As we all know, VEB has the smartest fanbase in baseball and the majority of you agreed with me in June when Doc ran a poll asking if Winn should be extended. 63% of you agree that now is the time to get it done, and I am pushing it a little further and saying they should get this hammered out before the end of the season.
My annual prediction of Masyn Winn being a 20 homer, 20 stolen base threat looks worse and worse every year, but expect me to beat that drum once again heading into the 2027 campaign. Since his solid rookie season, his overall offensive numbers have been going the wrong direction but there has always been a reason (or excuse) for why he has not yet reached the same level of production as he did in the minor leagues with his bat or his legs. Maybe all he needed was a little more Pedro Pages in his life to put everything together.
Winn debuted in 2023 as a 21-year-old coming off a strong season in Memphis and has been with the major league team ever since, mostly because of his nightly highlight reel plays. Because of the early debut, Winn will be arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason and will become a free agent after the 2029 season. At that point, the shortstop will be just 27-years-old and hopefully blossoming into the hitter we all want him to be.
That is why I have some concerns with the Cardinals playing the waiting game around Winn and his contract when talking extension. There has not been much reporting, if any, about either sides desire to work out a longer term contract, but that does not necessarily mean there is bad blood from anyone. To me, it signals that both player and team are hoping for more production from Winn and want to see additional improvement before sitting down at the negotiation table. If I were Chaim Bloom, which thankfully I am not, I would take these next few weeks to get a price and start talking numbers… just in case the bat does finally take off.
“Take off” for me means a .270 hitter that shows gap-to-gap ability and can pop double digit (I’ll drop my number to 15) homers and steal as many or more bases. Take that offensive skillset and put it on one of the best defensive shortstop in all of baseball and you now have one of the more complete players in the National League. C.J. Abrams is currently the only NL shortstop to surpass all of those numbers while Willy Adames and Elly De La Cruz have the power but not the average. Otto Lopez has the average and stolen bases while Konnor Griffin would have likely surpassed those numbers if not for injury.
In Abrams’ case, the Nationals are also planning to move him off of shortstop so if Winn could truly end up being that player we would be looking at a top shortstop in the league. Unfair expectations, sure, but he is still just 24 and will hopefully be in a lineup that will give him more opportunity to succeed in the future. Right now, Winn is relied upon to be a run-producer and also a table setter in the middle-third of the order but his skillset would be better used at the bottom of the lineup. With the Cardinals top four (or five) boasting above-average offensive potential, a couple free agent additions or other minor league options could push Winn to be the perfect 8/9-hole hitter in a competitive lineup.
So why is the time now if there are still so many questions about his bat? I want him locked up now because an investment into Winn for another six years is a safe option. While he has missed regular season time with minor injuries in his career, he has not looked hampered by the knee issues in a big way in the field. His arm will continue to play for another decade even if his lateral movement does drop a bit in the next few seasons. I am normally against paying for defense, but in Winn’s case, he has proven time and again to be a valuable piece up the middle and a major league-average bat would only raise his price.
If Bloom is able to get Winn to the table before the postseason, a six-year deal could end up being a discount if the Pages adjustment sticks. I am also a believer that he is a hard worker who wants to spend his best years in St. Louis, so rewarding him with confidence (and money) could continue to push him to be the hitter I still believe he can be.
I am pretty bad at comps and extension estimates, so anyone who is on board with a Masyn Winn extension should drop their thoughts below. I would like to say 6/$100 million would be a fair point for both player and team, but it’s also not my money.
Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
We will sing songs one day about the heater top Guardians prospect Ralphy Velazquez currently is on. The prodigious prospect has walloped a whopping 16 home runs in 21 games since July 28 and he now leads the Clippers in home runs despite not joining the team until two months into its season after being promoted from Double-A.
On Saturday, Velazquez put on his best show yet, going 3-for-4 with three home runs and a walk.
Other standout performers included Kahlil Watson, who went 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk and a hit by pitch, Cooper Ingle, who walked three times and stole a base, Daniel Schneemann, who went 1-for-4 with two walks, and Kyle Manzardo, who went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.
This was not a great day for pitchers. Rorik Maltrud gave up three runs on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Jack Jasiak got blasted for six runs on five hits in 1.1 innings. Trevor Stephan gave up two runs on a hit and two walks in 1.1 innings. Conner Brogdon gave up two more runs on three walks. Franco Aleman allowed two runs (one earned) on a pair of hits in 0.2 innings.
The lone pitcher who held St. Paul scoreless was Jake Miller, who three a single scoreless inning.
The bottom of Lake County’s order did most of the work on Saturday. Jose Pirela had a sensational performance as he was perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run, a double and two walks.
Catcher Ty Howard also had a great game, going 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk.
Welbyn Francisca doubled while Tommy Hawke singled, walked and stole a base. No one else reached base twice or had an extra base hit.
Don’t look now, but Jacob Zibin has turned himself into one of the top pitching prospects in Cleveland’s minor league system. Zibin had possibly the best start of his young career on Saturday, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings of two-hit ball. He struck out seven and didn’t walk anyone. He now has an ERA of 2.66 on the season where he’s made all 22 starts at High-A as a 21-year old.
After missing the first three season of his career due to injury, he’s bounced back in a huge way similar to Justin Campbell, although Zibin was a high school arm compared to Campbell’s more polished college history.
Xavier Martinez followed Zibin with 1.1 scoreless innings and Zane Petty finished off the game by allowing one run in 1.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Akron’s game was cancelled and Hill City’s game was suspended in the second inning.
Tomoyuki Sugano
Kyle Leahy
Munetaka Murakami
