Category: Baseball

2026 MLB Playoffs Tiebreakers: The American League Wild Card race is a free-for-all right now, particularly as it relates to the third and final seed.

The Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins are all within a game or so of the final Wild Card spot. The Seattle Mariners, who Fangraphs projects as having the best winning percentage in the American League the rest of the way, are just a few games back.

The Houston Astros are in first place in the American League West, up by two games on the Rangers and fourgames on the Mariners, so the A.L. West is still in play, which puts Houston in among the potential Wild Card vie-ees.

The Chicago White Sox are currently in first place, up by 5.5 games in the American League Central, but are arguably playing over their heads and could fade, putting them in the Wild Card mix and Detroit, Cleveland and Minnesota in the hunt for the American League Central.

Given all that, it seems like a good time to review the tiebreaker rules for the playoffs, and where things stand for the Rangers in regards to those tiebreakers. Yes, its certainly possible that the Rangers fall apart down the stretch and are just playing out the string the final week. Its also certainly possibly (though, I think its fair to say, less likely) the Rangers go on a heater and are in a solid place in terms of the playoffs come the final week, or weekend, of the season, and thus we won’t have to worry about tiebreakers because Texas is safe.

So yeah, this could all be moot. But its a Monday off day in the second half of August, so let’s look at it.

First as a reminder, we no longer have Game 163s when teams are tied for a playoff spot. No winner-take-all technically-regular-season-but-effectively-a-playoff +1s after the final weekend. If there’s a tie at the end of the year, we go to the tiebreaker system.

MLB.com has the full rundown of how the tiebreaker system works, which you can read in full, if you’d like.

If there’s a tie between two teams, the team with the best head-to-head record advances.

If the head-to-head record is a tie, then the team with the best record in games among division opponents advances. That would theoretically mean that the Rangers, playing in the weak A.L. West, would have an advantage if they were tied with an A.L. East team, since the East has the teams with the three best records in the A.L. right now. However, the Rangers have been ass against A.L. West teams this year, so that doesn’t really help them.

If both teams have the same intradivision record, then whichever team has the best record against American League* teams post-All Star Break advances.

* Because we are talking about the American League playoffs. If we were dealing with the National League playoffs, it would be the National League playoffs.

If both teams have the same post-ASB record against the American League, then you go to each team’s last game against an A.L. opponent before the All Star Break. If one team won and the other team lost, the team that won advanced. If both teams won their last game against an A.L. opponent pre-ASB, or both teams lost, you go to the game before that, and if necessary keep repeating until you get to where one team won and the other team lost.

The Rangers beat the Astros in the final game before the All Star Break, incidentally, so they have that going for them, on the off chance that particular tiebreaker comes into play.

If three teams are tied, and they have identical records against each other, then you use the above tiebreaking system, beginning with intradivision record, except that you don’t use an additional game if the additional game was between two of the teams.

If three teams are tied, and they do not all have the same records against each other, then if one team won the season series against each of the other two teams, that team advances.

If no team won the season series against the other two teams, then whichever team had the best overall winning percentage against the other two teams advances.

If two of the teams are tied for the best winning percentage, the third team is out, and the two remaining teams apply the two-team tiebreaker methodology listed above.

If all the teams have the same winning percentage, then the system outlined above when all three teams have the same record against each other is applied.

If four teams tie, then the same system as with three teams is used, except that, if two or three teams of the four teams are tied for the best record after a step, then the other team(s) are dropped, and you shift to the two- or three-team tiebreaker method.

If your brain hasn’t been broken by all that, let’s look at where the Rangers stand in terms of tiebreakers against their potential opponents:

Against Houston:

The Rangers lost the season series against Houston, 4-9. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Houston, Houston advances.

Against Seattle:

The Rangers have clinched the season series with the Mariners, being up 7-3 with three games in Seattle to go. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Seattle, the Rangers advance.

However, Seattle has clinched the season series against the Astros, 9-2, with two games in Seattle to go.

So if there’s a three-way tie for the American League West, if the Rangers and Astros both sweep Seattle, the Rangers would have the best record in the games amongst the three teams (14-12 for Texas, 12-14 for Seattle, 13-13 for Houston), and would advance.

Against Detroit:

The Rangers lost the season series to the Tigers, 2-4. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Detroit, Detroit advances.

Against Minnesota:

The Rangers are 0-3 against the Twins this season, and play their final three games of the season in Minnesota. Thus, the Rangers would lose any tiebreaker against the Twins unless they were three games back of Minnesota heading into the final weekend, and then swept the Twins. That would mean the season series would be tied 3-3, and we’d go to intra-divisional record.

Against Cleveland:

The Rangers won the season series against Cleveland, 4-2. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Cleveland, the Rangers advance.

Against Toronto:

The Rangers have clinched the season series against Toronto, being up 4-0 with three games in Texas in late September to go. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Toronto, the Rangers advance.

Against Baltimore:

The Rangers won the season series against Baltimore, 4-2. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Baltimore, the Rangers advance.

Against the ChiSox:

The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the White Sox, 1-2. They have three games in Chicago against the White Sox next week. They need to sweep to win the season series, and go 2-1 to split the season series.

Boston, the Yankees, and the Rays are far enough ahead that the chances of them ending up in a tiebreaker with the Rangers is slight. Still, in the interest of being thorough, we’ll talk about them, as well.

Against Boston:

The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the Red Sox, 1-2. They have three games against Boston in Arlington in mid-September. They need to sweep to win the season series, and go 2-1 to split the season series.

Against the Yankees:

The Rangers lost the season series to the Yankees, 2-4. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with the Yankees, the Yankees advance.

AgainstTampa:

The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the Rays, 1-2. They have four games against Tampa in Arlington in early-September. They need to win at least 3 of 4 to win the season series against Tampa. Otherwise, Tampa will win the season series.

Worcester: L, 6-9 (BOX SCORE)

One thing you may notice reading Sunday’s Minor Lines is that offense was aplenty, but the pitching was pretty lackluster. In most cases, it’s not much of a cause for concern. But in the WooSox’s loss to Buffalo (Blue Jays AAA) in the series finale, it may have altered a trajectory a little bit.

Let me explain: John Holobetz has been serviceable across two levels this season in addition to working his way up the organization in 2025. The 24-year-old makes his bread and butter in the top end of the strike zone with a 94 MPH heater that has some room for development, but the righty was pitching well enough that it was feasible he could become an option down the stretch and develop the pitch while in the Majors, as it’s clear he has good control of that pitch and a reliable repertoire. With Patrick Sandoval struggling in the bigs, it looked possible that he could be called on to help out at some point this season.

On Sunday, Holobetz gave up six runs on six hits in just eight outs. His ERA stands at almost 6 in Worcester, albeit in an extremely limited sample size. But we’ve seen this movie a few times, folks; I don’t want to see a guy debuting while struggling to keep runners off the basepaths in Triple-A, even against a talented Buffalo lineup. One does not have to roam far mentally to wonder if Anthony Eyansson would be seeing some time in Worcester by now had he not been dealt at the trade deadline as part of the Adley Rutschman deal, but one would also take some respite in the fact that Craig Breslow has been incredibly good at scouting pitchers in his time with the Red Sox organization thus far and that another Eyansson may not be far behind. Is it Holobetz, whom the team acquired for Quinn Priester in 2025? Almost certainly not in the same way; they’re not the same caliber of talent, won’t be used the same way, and don’t have the same strengths. But, if Sandoval continues to struggle, the Sox will need to call on someone down the stretch.

Also, to those wondering why shortstop wasn’t addressed during the busy trade deadline the club had, the likely reason if not the biggest benefactor of that had his first action since May on Sunday. He went 1-2 with a double. In this floundering lineup, at his best, Trevor Story is someone who can add some pop. But Story can be streaky as well, so here’s hoping September 2026 Story can be similar to end of 2025 Story – a guy who the team counted on to get a big hit or at least be a sound fielder.

While the WooSox took some time to drum up some offense on a rehabbing Spencer Arrighetti, who the Blue Jays acquired for Daulton Varsho, a home run by a raking Mikey Romero (at least lately) and a very late shot by Jason Delay should have sealed the deal for Worcester, but instead they were left scrambling to overcome an early deficit given up by Holobetz and Devin Sweet. But, it’s better that type of performance happens in Worcester than in Boston, er, Pittsburgh this weekend.

Portland: L, 6-8 (BOX SCORE)

Jack Winnay’s seventeenth homer of 2026 and sixth in Double-A. One other single early in the game. Two more hits by a slumping Will Turner and Henry Godbout, just the infielder’s second since his promotion last week. There was not a ton of offense Sunday, but the team made the most of drawing five walks in the finale against Binghamton (Mets AA) and plating those walks, as they went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Sadly, though, this was a bullpen game, Reidis Sena didn’t make it out of the first before giving up a home run, Morgan McSweeney allowed four runs and as many hits, and the Sea Dogs’ lack of later offense came back to bite them as the RumblePonies broke a 6-6 tie in the eighth and stayed on top.

Salem: L, 5-8 (BOX SCORE)

Jose Bello at least made it through four innings in Delmarva (Orioles A) but he let two home runs out of the park and, stop me if you’ve heard this before, left Salem playing catchup earlier than desired. Kleyvar Salazar put the game within striking distance with his tenth home run of 2026 in the seventh inning, but that hit was the only one with runners on the RidgeYaks achieved all afternoon, and that puncher’s chance become very slim as the game grew longer.

Welcome to another week A’s fans!

The recent homestand went so-so as the A’s first got swept by the Rays before winning a series against the Rangers. Considering Texas is in our division if we were going to win a series it’s good we won the divisional matchup.

Now the club is back on the road and set for their last road four-game series of the season. Kansas City is up first and the A’s have an excellent chance to win back-to-back series for the first time since June. At 51-74 the Royals are way out of the playoff picture and just a couple games ahead of the A’s. If the Green & Gold can come away with a 3-1 series win, they’d leapfrog them for third-worst record in the AL. The goal this year needs to be to not finish last in either the division, the league, and the entire sport. We got four very winnable games coming up and the club needs to show up. Rookie right-hander Mason Barnett starts things off tonight for us. Time to rack up some wins!

Have a great start to your week everyone.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s Take Series Against Rangers, Win 5-2
• A’s place Soderstrom on 10-day IL with left hip impingement; Hernaiz recalled
• Late Blast Lifts Rangers Over Athletics
• Jeff McNeil Leads A’s to 8-3 Victory Over Rangers
• Why The New GM Needs To “Clean House”
• 111 games, zero errors: Wilson sets MLB record at shortstop
• A Seemingly Rock Bottomless Glass
• MLB Trade Grades: A’s Have Quiet Trade Deadline
• A’s Top Prospect Jamie Arnold Sets Career High in One of His Best Double-A Starts
• Fustercluck 2026: The Real Reasons For A Disappointing Season
• Signs Of Hope And Signs Of Hopeless
• Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko says feeling in his legs returning
• Cuban’s investment group purchases minority stake in Athletics
• Chan Ho Park joins A’s group; 1st Korean to buy stake in MLB club
• Blogfather Saves The Day With Pearls Of Most Excellent Advice

MLB News and Interest:

• Tommy John, whose surgery blazed a trail for countless players, dies at 83
• Los Angeles Dodgers place Justin Wrobleski on injured list
• Dansby Swanson headed to IL after exiting Chicago Cubs’ loss
• Nolan Arenado Likely To Undergo MRI For Torso Injury
• Ranking every MLB farm system, 1-30
• Paul Skenes’ start moved back as Pirates rest struggling ace
• Báez’s borrowed cleats from historic debut heading to Cooperstown
• 10 unheralded players stepping up for postseason contenders
• Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies Interested In Teruaki Sato
• Family affair: Brewers’ Carsten Sabathia III hits first pro homer with Hall of Famer dad in stands
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

That would be our luck. Hopefully not this year:

Agree or disagree?

Makes sense:

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 (63-56) lost 12-5 (BOX SCORE)

Weiss started for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 5 runs over 1.2 innings. He was relieved by McLoughlin who allowed 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 4th scoring 5 runs on a Brooks 2 run single and Biggio 3 run triple. The pen struggled though allowing another five runs as the Express extended their lead. The Sugar Land offense was unable to score again as they fell 12-5.

Note: Biggio has a .839 OPS this season.

• Cavan Biggio, 2B: 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, BB
• Joey Loperfido, LF: 2-for-3, R, 2 BB
• Trenton Brooks, 1B: 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI
• Zach Cole, RF: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB

• Ryan Weiss, RHP: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Julio Rodriguez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (54-60) won 5-2 (BOX SCORE)

Hicks got the start for the Hooks and went 4 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 4th inning on a Schiavone 2 run home run. In the 5th inning, Austin connected on a 3 run home run to give the Hooks the lead. The bullpen was great tossing 5 scoreless innings as the Hooks won 5-2.

Note: Schiavone has 24 home runs this season.

• Trevor Austin, LF: 1-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB
• Will Bush, 1B: 1-for-4, R
• Jason Schiavone, C: 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
• Max Holy, 3B: 1-for-4, SB
• Kenni Gomez, CF: 1-for-4, R

• James Hicks, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• Alex Santos II, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (WIN)
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Nic Swanson, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (SAVE)

A+: Asheville Tourists (39-73) won 16-14 (BOX SCORE)

Howard got the start for Asheville and went 4 innings allowing 4 runs. The Asheville offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Batista 2 run double. They got another in the 4th inning on a Daudet RBI double. The bullpen would struggle as the Emperors took a 12-3 lead. Asheville rallied for 5 runs in the 7th inning on a Newman 2 run home run, Salas RBI single, Walker RBI triple and Huezo RBI double. They got 2 runs in the 8th on an error and Walker RBI single and in the 9th, Newman tied the game with a 2 out 2 run double. The game went to extras and in the 10th, the Emperors scored 2 runs. In the bottom of the 10th, the offense rallied again on a Walker sac fly, Moss RBI single and Huezo walk-off 2 run home run as Asheville won 16-14.

Note: Huezo has 19 HR, 40 SB this season.

• Kyle Walker, 2B: 2-for-5, R, 3B, 3 RBI
• Jack Moss, 1B: 1-for-4, R, RBI, 2 BB
• Anthony Huezo, CF: 3-for-4, 4 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 4 SB
• Nick Monistere, SS: 1-for-4, 2 R, BB
• Freuddy Batista, DH: 1-for-1, 2B, 2 RBI
  • Zach Daudet, DH: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
• DJ Newman, RF: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, BB
• Yosweld Vasquez, C: 1-for-5, 2 R
• Hector Salas, 3B: 2-for-5, 3 R, RBI

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Max Martin, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Colby Langford, LHP: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Grayson Saunier, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (57-53) lost 11-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a Tryon RBI double. Pichardo got the start but struggled allowing 6 runs over 4 innings of work. The bullpen struggled too as they allowed another five runs. The offense got one back in the 6th inning on a Fielder sac fly but that was it as the Woodpeckers fell 11-2.

Note: Weber has a 3.29 ERA this season.

• Logan Hughes, DH: 1-for-5
• Waner Luciano, 3B: 2-for-4, R, SB
• Ben Tryon, CF: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
• Carlos Cauro, 1B: 2-for-4, R, 2B
• Jadyn Fielder, LF: 0-for-3, RBI

• Jank Pichardo, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• John Carver, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Charlie Weber, RHP: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
• Brady Thomas, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• Leomar Rosario, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: OFF

CC: OFF

AV: OFF

FV: OFF

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The Chicago White Sox have run into a lot of trouble against good teams, posting an underwhelming 18-27 record against those over .500, which describes their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cubs.

My White Sox vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks expect those struggles to continue against one of the league's best offenses on Monday, Aug. 17.

Who will win White Sox vs Cubs today: Chicago Cubs (-170)

Luis Castillo has not had a good season, and things have looked especially bleak when the competition level goes up.

The veteran righty has posted a 6.75 ERA and allowed 2.57 HR/9 over six starts against Top-10 opponents in OBP vs. right-handed pitching.

The Chicago Cubs sit fifth on the season and sixth over the last 30 games. They will be tough for Castillo to slow down.

Shota Imanaga ranks fourth in SIERA among today’s starters and has a better chance of slowing the Chicago White Sox offense down.

Back the Cubs -190.

COVERS INTEL:Castillo ranks in the 13th percentile in Pitcher Run Value and will be ripe for the picking against the league's second-highest-scoring offense.

White Sox vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+109)

Power is the easiest path to bulk production, and we should see plenty of it in this game.

Castillo has posted a much higher ERA on the road while allowing 1.98 HR/9. That’s noteworthy, as he has only made one home start away from the friendly confines of T-Mobile Park.

The Cubs are seventh in total homers vs. righties, and conditions make for an 11% HR boost at Wrigley today.

Imanaga has allowed 1.83 HR/9 this season and will have to contend with a White Sox offense slotting fourth in ISO vs. lefties.

Play to -115.

White Sox vs Cubs home run prediction: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+275)

Pete Crow-Armstrong is once again the priority target for power.

Castillo has given up a ton of power to left-handed bats, allowing a .232 ISO and close to two homers per nine innings.

The splits work in PCA’s favor, as does the pitch mix. Castillo predominantly uses the fastball, slider, and changeup vs. lefties.

PCA has a .274 ISO against those three pitches against RHP. Add in the favorable park factors, and this is another good spot to back the NL MVP contender.

Take it to +260.

White Sox vs Cubs weather

The forecast calls for temperatures in the 70s with winds blowing west. Slight boost to the bats.

White Sox vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: White Sox +145 | Cubs -170
• Run line: White Sox +1.5 (-145) | Cubs -1.5 (+125)
• Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-115) | Under 8.0 (-105)

White Sox vs Cubs trend

The Cubs have won 33 of their last 50 games (+11.65 units, 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Cubs.

How to watch White Sox vs Cubs and game info

White Sox vs Cubs latest injuries

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The Orioles are currently in possession of a wild card spot. This is not something that I thought I would be writing in mid-August. The idea of the Orioles getting into this position has seemed improbable throughout the season due to all of their flaws. This only seemed less probable at the beginning of this month when Mike Elias traded away a few players, subtracting from the team’s already-longshot chances.

The Rays-Yankees-Rays gauntlet was supposed to be what would sink them, and maybe it still will, but three games into it, the Orioles have won three games and the competition has bumbled around so the O’s have themselves a wild card position. It’s hard to believe and it’s still true. Naturally, in this week’s podcast, I try to make sense of the O’s rising from the ashes like the phoenix, even though a sub-.500 team having a postseason place this deep into the season doesn’t make much sense at all.

As long as every other team is continuing to stay in the mediocre muck, maybe the record the Orioles need to get into the postseason is less daunting as it once seemed. Could 83 or even 82 wins end up doing it at this point? In this episode, I’m thinking about the math involved, what needs to keep going right for the Orioles, what could maybe start going better in another week or two, and I’m continuing to think about Gunnar Henderson, who is a crucial part of this effort.

Listen to this week’s episode here:

If the above player isn’t displaying, view this article in Incognito Mode or check it out on the show’s page.

This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.

How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles right now? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.

The San Diego Padres and the Cleveland Guardians got off to a slow start in the final game of the three-game series at Progressive Field, but it had nothing to do with their play. The teams were unable to take the field due to weather in the Cleveland area and the start of the game was delayed by more than three hours.

Once the teams were able to begin play, Casey Mize dominated the Guardians’ lineup and the Padres offense gave him enough support to earn a 5-0 win in the final game of the series which also gave San Diego a series win. Mize completed six scoreless innings and allowed just three hits with one walk and three strikeouts before turning the game over to the bullpen.

Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon and Yuki Matsui followed Mize’s lead and dominated the Cleveland lineup. All three relievers completed scoreless innings, in fact none of the three even allowed a hit. Estrada worked the seventh and allowed a walk with one strikeout. Morejon worked the eighth without allowing a batter reach base and Matsui finished off the ninth with a five-run lead, allowing one walk and striking out two.

The Padres got to Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee early. Luis Rengifo hit a two-out solo home run in the top of the second and was followed by Gavin Sheets who also hit a two-out solo home run to give San Diego a 2-0 lead after its half of the second. Jackson Merrill led off the top of the fourth inning with a walk and later came in to score on a two-out single by Xander Bogaerts to put the Padres in front, 3-0.

San Diego tacked on a run in the top of the eighth inning when Jase Bowen connected on a solo home run to right field, which was his second of the season. The Padres were not done there, they added another run to their total in the top of the ninth inning when Jake Cronenworth connected on a solo home-run to right field that made the score, 5-0.

There were contributions in the game throughout the lineup, but Mize and the San Diego pitching staff set the tone. The Padres will look to add another win to their total when they visit the New York Mets for a three-game series starting today at 4:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• Starter Joe Musgrove has been increasing his workload with each rehab outing and appears to be set to return in the near future.

• Padres prospect pitcher Kris Schoolcraft has recovered from his ankle injury and returned to the mound.

Baseball News:

• It was announced Sunday that legendary pitcher Tommy John had died.

• The Milwaukee Brewers beat Tarik Skubal and the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the series.

• Late home run from Ben Rice lifts the New York Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays.

• The Philadelphia Phillies won the final game of the series to sweep the Minnesota Twins.

• The Chicago White Sox completed a sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a win on Sunday.

• The Atlanta Braves rallied to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-3.

The St. Louis Cardinals got a statement win over the Chicago Cubs.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers (-233) hope a trip to Coors Field cures their recent struggles as they begin a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Monday night. 

Blake Snell makes a rare appearance, whereas the Rockies trot out Tomoyuki Sugano, who is due for significant regression.

See why my Dodgers vs. Rockiespredictions and MLB picksfor Aug. 17 are backing the visitors in a rout.

Who will win Dodgers vs Rockies today: Dodgers -2.5 (-107)

The Los Angeles Dodgers have the second-best OPS (.762), wOBA (.333), and wRC+ (110) this year, yet have been slumping this month (84 wRC+).

Tomoyuki Sugano has navigated an unseemly 6.93 xERA en route to 12 wins and a 4.43 ERA. 

The bill is coming due on both. Sugano can't walk this tightrope much longer, and L.A.'s lineup has the perfect matchup, in the perfect ballpark, to experience positive regression.

Blake Snell (120 Stuff+) should overpower a Colorado Rockies lineup with the second-worst wRC+ (82) against southpaws.

I'd lay L.A. on the -2.5 run line up to -120.

COVERS INTEL: Sugano pitches to contact and often gets hit hard (first percentile K-rate, first percentile barrel rate). The Dodgers have the league's highest xSLG (.433) and can send the ball flying all over Coors.

Dodgers vs Rockies Over/Under pick: Over 10.5 (-112)

Sugano has surrendered a .341 AVG and 1.196 OPS in prior meetings with L.A.'s projected lineup, so I expect a crooked number from the Boys in Blue.

Snell looked dominant in his last start (6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 10 Ks), although part of his effectiveness has come via an unreal 154 Stuff+ on his curveball. Benders don't operate optimally in Coors, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see a bit of regression from Snell in a strong, but not peak, start. 

Neither bullpen has been trustworthy, so I'm counting on runs.

Dodgers vs Rockies home run prediction: Freddie Freeman (+344)

Out of the 24 home runs Sugano has allowed, 17 have been to left-handed hitters. His xERA jumps to 7.68 and his FIP to 6.49 when at a platoon disadvantage. 

That's music to Freddie Freeman's ears, as he's crushed righties with .316/.392/.500 splits while hitting 11 of his 15 home runs.

Sugano's 22nd percentile groundball rate means Freeman has better odds than normal to let loud with a long fly ball.

Dodgers vs Rockies weather

It's Coors Field, so expect the typical bump in offensive expectations given the conditions.

Dodgers vs Rockies odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -233 | Rockies +223
• Run line: Dodgers -2.5 (-104) | Rockies +2.5 (EVEN)
• Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-108) | Under 10.5 (+104)

Dodgers vs Rockies trend

The Rockies have gone Over the total in 12 of their last 19 games. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Rockies.

How to watch Dodgers vs Rockies and game info

Dodgers vs Rockies latest injuries

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Each time there is a rainout for a Braves game, whether we were at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Turner Field, or Truist Park, there was always someone complaining that they should have a dome. My response have always been the same. Domed stadiums add a prohibitive cost to an already expensive item. That cost is almost always shared with the surrounding community, whether they enjoy our sports team or not. To have a dome, you’re taking hundreds of millions of dollars from people that are trying to make ends meet just so 3-6 times a year we can watch a ballgame without rescheduling. And I feel okay with that stance.

However, that was considering rainouts and their cancellations. Right now, I want to talk about the heat. It was 96 degrees in Atlanta yesterday, with a heat index in the 105-110 range. A game was played yesterday that started at 1:30 pm local time. I caught the end of the game yesterday. There weren’t a lot of people in the stands for the finish. In this game, Matt Olson hit a three-run home run in the eighth to counter the game-tying homer by the Diamondbacks. The Braves survived the August Raisel Iglesias Experience for the win. And the response was… eh. But I get it.

I spent about three hours outside yesterday in my corner of Braves Country. It’s hot, fam. I get it that a nickname for the city is Hot ‘Lanta. But come on, it’s hot for 65-70 home dates a year. This isn’t some rare occurrence like a rainout, although we have seen more than a few rain delays and cancellations.

The level of heat does make the dome argument a little easier. It’s a near-year-round occurrence. Then you look at Tampa, Miami, Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix. These are all cities with roundabout the same weather concerns, that play baseball in domes. Well, Florida is its own weather (and everything else) animal, but it’s similar.

You can justify the heat argument, but I don’t know about the money angle. Truist Park, sans the lid, cost somewhere in the 622-672 million dollar range. Domes can add 40% of the cost of construction. We would end up going to the public with a tab of 260 million dollars minus whatever the Braves kick in.

For my experience, only about 20 percent of the park is guaranteed to be shaded for the entire game. For the rest, you can hang in the concourse or pay up for the seats with air conditioning. Some parks help ventilation that allows the park to breathe, but not Truist. Something about that park helps it hold in the heat. It probably has something to do with it being surrounded by acres of concrete and steel, which they can’t really control.

So do the Braves need a dome? I mean, no but still. Maybe we could have giant Big Fogg fans in the aisles? It’s hot, y’all.

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The latest reports coming out all but acknowledge that Alex Cora is going to be the next manager of the Phillies once the season ends.

Alex Cora, who turned down the job when Thomson was fired, is expected to be the Phillies’ next manager barring a World Series berth or title.

Bob Nightengale has been known to get things wrong from time to time, but considering that Cora was asked to be the manager when Rob Thomson was fired, this feels like it’s about right. Knowing that, with all the smoke that is surrounding the situation, what Alex Cora probably being the next manager mean to you? Does it move any kind of needle for you? Could he possibly get more out of the roster than what Don Mattingly has done now or Rob Thomson did in the future?

Good morning.

Shawn McFarland ponders what to make of the Texas Rangers after an abysmal road trip against baseball’s worst teams.

MLB dot com’s Theo DeRosa writes about the Rangers falling in the finale against the Athletics to become the first visiting team to lose a series in Sacramento since April.

McFarland checks out why Jacob Latz has barely appeared in August and it’s mostly because the Rangers have been pretty bad in August.

McFarland writes about how, despite it all, the Rangers can still make the playoffs almost exclusively because the American League is historically awful.

And, MLB Pipeline has a midseason update to the farm system rankings and the Rangers have (just barely) escaped the bottom third!

Have a nice day!

Despite selling at the deadline, battling key injuries for months, and treading water all season long, the Orioles find themselves in sole possession of a playoff spot with less than a quarter of the schedule left to play. It has been an unlikely about face that has seen the O’s beat up on the AL’s best team and take advantage of a dip in form for just about every other team in the mix for the final wild card spot.

The Orioles have been one of the sport’s bigger disappointments to this point. They came into the season with aspirations of a deep playoff run after making several aggressive moves over the winter. But maintaining momentum has proven difficult. Their offense hasn’t been the juggernaut they hoped it would be, and several key injuries have cut into the depth they had built up. All of that has kept the O’s on the outside of the playoff picture for much of the summer, but that all changed over the weekend.

This recent improvement has perked up the ears of a fan base that had (understandably) written the team off a long time ago. Now, instead of begrudgingly turning our sporting attention towards football and the fall, we can lock back into baseball for a few weeks longer, at least. Can this team give us intriguing baseball heading into September? What about October? They have as good of a case to make as any of the AL’s many other mid-tier teams.

Their best hitters are producing

It’s not that the lineup has been “bad” this season, but they haven’t been nearly as good as they were supposed to be. The plan was for this to be a borderline Top 5 unit. Instead, they have fallen somewhere between 10th and 15th in MLB in most categories. Much of the blame for that underperformance goes to the team’s best hitters failing to reach their career averages. But there has been some improvement in that department recently.

Pete Alonso is leading the way with his 218 wRC+, four home runs and a .660 slugging percentage this month. Tyler O’Neill, signed prior to the 2025 season to be a mid-lineup threat, is having his best stretch as an Oriole, collecting a 163 wRC+ in August. Colton Cowser is still striking out a bunch, but he is balancing it with power (.633 slugging, three home runs in August). And, of course, there’s Gunnar Henderson.

Henderson was supposed to be an MVP candidate, in the conversation as the league’s top shortstop. It just hasn’t happened for him this season. That won’t matter as much if he can keep swinging the bat like the has the last two weeks. Since August 1, Henderson owns a 141 wRC+ and it deserves to be even higher. His .227 batting average and .409 slugging percentage are well below his .333 expected batting average and .610 expected slugging. The process for Henderson is solid right now. The results will follow.

Reinforcements are on the way

While it’s great that some of the highest paid and familiar players are carrying the offensive load right now, in order for the Orioles to maintain their hold on a playoff spot they are are going to need some help. Giving regular at-bats to Christian Franklin, Yohel Pozo, and Jeremiah Jackson probably won’t get it done.

Fortunately, the injury news in Birdland has been positive this week.

Samuel Basallo, nursing right shoulder inflammation since July 20, began a rehab assignment with Norfolk on Sunday. He went 1-for-4 with a double. It’s likely that he will need a few more days to knock the rust off before he returns to the Orioles everyday lineup. Getting his bat back into the catching mix will be a big boost over his current replacements. Pozo has good top line numbers (.286/.313/.500), but is playing well above his peripherals (.231 xBA, .308 xSLG). Carlos Narváez has provided good defense but nothing at the plate (.103/.161/.103) since joining.

Blaze Alexander, who has been out since July 13 with a hand fracture, took batting practice and fielding work over the weekend. He is expected to begin a rehab assignment sometime this week. Prior to his injury, Alexander was the Orioles hottest hitter. He had a .807 OPS on the season, which was weight down by a particularly poor April. From May 1 through his injury, Alexander was hitting .365/.414/.528 and had begun to take over the everyday job at third base, though he had spent time all over the field. His eventual return will allow Craig Albernaz to mix and match his lineup while greatly improving the team’s depth.

This is the most capable Orioles rotation in a long time

Mike Elias vowed that he would add a “frontline” starter this past offseason. The starter he identified to fill that void was Shane Baz, who the Orioles traded for from the Rays and then inked to a five-year extension through the 2030 season. Elias took some heat for it at the time since Baz wasn’t exactly a proven big league arm, though his talent was undeniable. Well, nearly five months into the 2026 season it is looking like a decent bit of business.

Baz has stayed healthy, made each of his starts, and leads the team with 139.1 innings pitched. FanGraphs credits him with 3.0 fWAR, which is also tops on the team and ranks 16th in MLB among starting pitchers. Baseball Reference is not as kind (1.5 bWAR). But no matter how you slice it, has been a positive influence on the team with his 103 ERA+ and 3.34 FIP.

Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, and Brandon Young fill out the rest of the core quartet of the O’s rotation, and each of them have been above average arms for the team this year. Bradish, in his first full season after Tommy John surgery, has seen his strikeouts dip and walks rise but manages to compete each time out. Rogers’s season totals (4.15 ERA) obscure how good he has been since the start of June (13 starts, 77 innings, 2.45 ERA, 2.85 FIP). And Young may be the most dependable of the bunch. He has allowed more than three runs in a start just twice since May 1, and the Orioles are 14-3 in games he has pitched since then as well.

In times of turmoil for the offense, the rotation is what has kept the Orioles afloat. Since June 1, they have been worth 6.4 fWAR, the fourth-highest mark in the sport. Much of that comes from the 353.1 innings they have pitched, which is also fourth in MLB during that stretch. But there is quality (3.71 FIP, fourth in MLB) and depth that is hard to find elsewhere in the league.

The rest of the AL is simply bad

You can see the elements of a good team within these Orioles. But we also have 120+ games of data to suggest that these guys are, collectively, a middling club. That’s not an insult. It’s reality. And in this year’s American League it might be enough to make the playoffs anyway.

The Orioles are one of seven teams in the AL that is currently under .500 and within 2.5 games of the final wild card spot. All of them are flawed, and one of them is going to make the playoffs. Why not the Orioles?

The 563 runs the Orioles have scored is more than any other team in the AL East, and only two of the other teams (Twins, Tigers) in the mix for the final wild card spot have scored more. As discussed earlier, there is reason to think the lineup could be even more productive down the stretch.

The Orioles are the only one of the seven clubs in the middle of the AL that has a winning record (30-28) in games against teams above .500. Maybe that comes in handy this week with games against the Rays and Yankees on the docket.

Since July 1, the Orioles are 22-15, which is the fourth-best mark in the AL. The Tigers are the only team in the mix that has played better (23-15) from that date.

Long story short, while it has been an insanely frustrating season to follow up close, and there are clear holes on this roster that need to be cleaned up heading into 2027, there is also plenty of reason to think that these Orioles can squeeze their way into the playoffs this year.

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The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles wrap up a four-game set tonight, with the hosts sitting as a heavy -150 moneyline favorite behind left-hander Shane McClanahan.

But my Orioles vs Rays predictions are backing Baltimore to take the finale, with a reliable starter on the hill and its recent offensive surge proving to be key against McClanahan. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Monday, August 17. 

Who will win Orioles vs Rays today: Orioles (+140)

The Baltimore Orioles hand Brandon Young the ball tonight, and he has been reliable. The right-hander owns a respectable 3.76 FIP over his last five appearances while allowing just 0.92 HR/9 and a 35.6% hard-hit rate.

On the other side, Tampa Bay Rays starter Shane McClanahan has a 4.87 xERA over his previous three starts. While he has not allowed many homers, the left-hander has walked 4.85 hitters per nine innings, which is dangerous against a thriving Orioles offense with a 120 wRC+ over the last week.

McClanahan is making his first start since leaving his last outing on July 30 due to mid-back soreness.

Tampa Bay is also swinging it well, but Baltimore’s 103 wRC+ against lefties gives the Orioles an edge.

Play this down to +120.

COVERS INTEL: Young has also performed better on the road, posting a 3.44 FIP compared to a 4.35 mark at home. That gives Baltimore another edge as an underdog. 

Orioles vs Rays Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-112)

This total sits low at 7.5, and I’m targeting the Over with both lineups rolling. Baltimore’s wRC+ is well above average right now, and the Orioles also own a respectable .187 ISO over their last six contests.

Tampa Bay’s offense has been even hotter, posting a 134 wRC+ over the last week while slugging 10 home runs. Neither starter has been completely lights out, so this game could reach 4-5 runs before the bullpens enter.

There is more vulnerability late, too. The Rays’ relief corps owns a 5.18 FIP over its last 23.1 frames, while Baltimore’s bullpen has been better but not untouchable.

I’ll play the Over up to -130.

Orioles vs Rays home run prediction: Pete Alonso (+414)

Pete Alonso is showcasing his power lately. He has smacked two homers over his last six games while posting a .318 ISO during that span.

Alonso also owns a 68.4% hard-hit rate and 15.5% barrel rate over the last week. While McClanahan has limited homers lately, he is not completely untouchable, and the Rays’ bullpen gives Alonso another clear path. Tampa Bay’s relief corps has allowed 1.93 HR/9 over the last week, presenting an opportunity for Alonso to punish a mistake late.

I’ll play this pick down to +400.

Orioles vs Rays weather

Weather should be a non-factor for Orioles vs. Rays because Tropicana Field is indoors. Even if outdoor conditions are warm and mostly clear, the controlled environment removes wind, humidity, rain, and ball-carry concerns. There should be no delay risk or meaningful weather impact on scoring.

Orioles vs Rays odds

• Moneyline: Orioles +144 | Rays -150
• Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-150) | Rays -1.5 (+144)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-108) | Under 7.5 (+104)

Orioles vs Rays trend

The Baltimore Orioles have hit the Team Total Over in 12 of their last 16 away games (+8.40 Units / 47% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Rays.

How to watch Orioles vs Rays and game info

Orioles vs Rays latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Today marks Dave Lemanczyk’s 76th birthday.

Dave was a starting pitcher for the Blue Jays during their inaugural season. He started the second game in franchise history, recording the team’s first-ever loss.

He was a solid pitcher, selected from the Detroit Tigers in the Expansion Draft. The draft itself was something of a sucker’s bet; expansion teams got to choose from players the established clubs didn’t want. While we did get Jim Clancy, Ernie Whitt, Rico Carty, and Pete Vuckovich (who would later win a Cy Young, though not as a Jay), most of our selections were cast-offs.

Lemanczyk enjoyed a strong year, setting career highs in wins, starts, and innings pitched. He threw 252 innings, completed 11 games, won 13, lost 16, and posted a 4.25 ERA, leading the team in victories.

Dave was our Opening Day starter in 1978, but he made only 20 starts, finishing with a 4-14 record and a 6.26 ERA. The heavy workload from the previous season had taken its toll on his arm.

He bounced back in 1979, tossing a one-hitter against the Rangers in April. At the All-Star break, he was 8-5 with a 3.15 ERA and earned a spot on the All-Star team. However, after the break, injuries hampered his performance, and he finished the season 8-10 with a 3.71 ERA in 20 starts.

The Jays traded him to the Angels midway through the 1980 season. He was released after the year and retired from Major League Baseball at age 30, finishing with a 37-63 record (often pitching for struggling teams), a 4.62 ERA over 185 games, and 103 starts.

After his playing days, Dave became a scout for the Yankees but left after a couple of years to spend more time with his family. He briefly worked as an agent before opening a baseball academy and providing private lessons.

I don’t remember much about him, except that he was a big guy—listed at 6’4”. He’s one of those players I wonder about: what kind of career might he have had if managers had been more careful with pitchers’ arms? He’s someone I’d love to talk to and hear firsthand what it was like pitching for an expansion team.

There is a story about Lemanczyk from the Tampa Bay Newspapers.

I thought this was interesting:

Things didn’t get any better as Lemanczyk had a couple of run-ins with rookie manager Roy Hartsfield early on, and into the season.

“He set up so many fines that were just stupid,” he said. “I was the first guy fined. I skipped a parade so I could follow up on a great deal on apartment rentals (near Dunedin). There were around 10 units available and nine players ended up going in on it. We paid something like $400 a month, which was a much better deal than in the hotels they wanted us to stay in.”

Happy birthday, Dave. Hope it’s a great one.