SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 09: Colt Emerson #4 of the Seattle Mariners throws out the runner during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park on August 09, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Justin Hollander met with the media today to provide an update on Colt Emerson, the Mariners’ young shortstop. Shortly after Emerson, who was hitting .190 at the time, was re-assigned to Triple-A, it was announced he’d instead go on the IL with a wrist injury that had been nagging at him in Tacoma but dated back to spring training. Emerson will have surgery on that wrist, performed by Dr. Donald Sheridan, an orthopedic hand and wrist surgeon, this Wednesday, ending his 2026 season.
The surgery will move a tendon in Emerson’s wrist which has slipped out of place back to where it belongs, an injury known as a subluxation in the wrist. Warning: Gory Medical Details ahead. Skip to the next paragraph if this makes you squeamish. Most commonly in a wrist subluxation, the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon, which runs along the outside of the pinky side of the hand, slips out of alignment – the “groove” on the bone it’s located in. The most common symptom is a “popping” or “clicking” sound during movement, and in acute cases, swelling and inflammation. Since the ECU tendon is fundamental in actions like gripping and twisting, a severe injury clearly poses a problem for a professional baseball player.
It’s a fairly common injury, and one that is often managed without surgery – J.P. Crawford has been dealing with a similar injury – depending on where the tendon is and what it’s resting on. The soreness first popped up this spring in Arizona, and Emerson saw Dr. Sheridan at that time, whose diagnosis was that Emerson could elect to have surgery, but that he didn’t have to have the surgery if he didn’t want to. With a wide-open road to playing time with the incumbent shortstop Crawford dealing with a shoulder injury, and feeling like he could manage the occasional soreness, Emerson elected to continue to play.
“Different guys have different pain thresholds,” said Hollander. “My belief is that Colt Emerson has a really high one, and he played to the point until he felt like it has crossed the threshold of being smart for him to continue.” Hollander also says there are “no concerns” with Emerson being ready for next year.
It’s hard to remember given how badly he slumped down the stretch, but Emerson got off to a strong start initially, hitting for average and power in May and June, with seven homers and five doubles. However, as his time in the big leagues wore on, pitchers found they could get Emerson to expand up out of the strikezone and chase the high fastball; by the time he was sent down in August he was striking out over 40% of the time.
It could be argued that a sore wrist was causing Emerson to be late on the fastball. His bat speed on Statcast is listed at 72 mph, which is about average, whereas his prospect numbers had him more around 75, classified as “fast” by Statcast. However, the sore wrist was likely a minor contributing factor in the biggest issue facing Emerson: his swing decisions. Never a free swinger in the minors, in the big leagues Emerson chased more than he ever had as a prospect, swinging 60% of the time in the Shadow zone (compared to MLB average 54%) and 34% of the time in the Chase zone (compared to MLB average 26%). He showed swing and miss vulnerabilities on all pitches, not just fastballs, whiffing 38% of the time on curveballs and 40% of the time on sliders.
As tough as Emerson’s season was offensively, he also scuffled at times defensively, which could be related to the deteriorating pain in his wrist, especially as the ECU tendon plays such a role in gripping and twisting. Emerson was assessed eight errors at shortstop, six of them throwing errors.
The good news about all of this is there’s nowhere to go but up for Seattle’s young infielder, inked to an eight-year contract extension this year. Hopefully he’ll follow in the footsteps of another young infielder for Seattle, Cole Young, who struggled in his debut but applied himself with specific energy this off-season and has been reaping the rewards of the off-season work he put in on both sides of the ball all season long. In a season that’s not been very lucky for Emerson nor the Mariners, he’s fortunate to have a role model to follow right in his own clubhouse.
One final note: As mentioned above, this is a similar injury to the one J.P. Crawford has been dealing with this season. Crawford, who has been rehabbing with Triple-A Tacoma, is with the team today and will probably be activated tomorrow depending on clearing pregame activities without incident, although Hollander called it “likely” he’d be activated.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 22: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Jackson Holliday #7 after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 22, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will be able to enjoy a brief stint of home cooking as they’ll kick off a 2-series homestand Tuesday night as the Baltimore Orioles arrive in town. Both teams are in a similar situation with both still in the running for a Wild Card spot. The Cardinals, however, are reeling after a stunning defeat on Sunday after Riley O’Brien could not protect a 4-run lead in the 9th as they were swept by the Phillies.
The Baltimore Orioles are an interesting animal. Despite the fact that they’re near the bottom of the American League East, they’re only 1 game back of the final Wild Card slot. Similar to the Cardinals, they have several teams in front of them as there are currently 5 teams in the AL within a game of each other. The Cardinals starters are still a bit of a mystery, but MLB.com says these will be the starters for the Orioles:
Tuesday, August 25 – Chris Bassitt (RHP 4-4, 5.08 ERA, 46 SO)
Chris Bassitt is winless in his last 3 starts. His most recent effort was August 19 against the Yankees where he tossed 5 innings allowing 3 earned runs on 8 hits in a no-decision. Kyle Bradish is also winless in his last 3 starts. On August 20, he took the loss as he threw 5 2/3 innings against the Yankees allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out 5 and walking 3. Trevor Rogers has won 2 of his last 3 starts. On August 21, the threw 7 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays allowing 6 hits, 3 earned runs while striking out 6 and walking just one as he got the victory.
I’ve heard some speculate that Tuesday night’s game will see Matthew Liberatore start for the Cardinals, but I have yet to find any confirmation of that at this point. Same with Wednesday and Thursday’s games vs the Orioles.
Who are the Baltimore Orioles players to watch?
Pete Alonso (1B): Leads the team in batting average (.271), hits (131), home runs (30), and RBIs (85).
Gunnar Henderson (SS): Gunnar is a major part of Baltimore’s offense with 20 home runs and 76 runs scored.
Samuel Basallo (C): Emerging strongly with 16 home runs and regular clutch performances in the lineup.
Coby Mayo (3B): Adds middle-of-the-order power with 17 home runs.
Whose on the Baltimore Orioles injured list?
Blaze Alexander (3B) – 10-day IL (fractured left hand; targeting a late-August return)
Ryan Mountcastle (1B) – 60-day IL (left foot fracture and significant oblique strain)
(3B) – 60-day IL (season-ending Tommy John surgery)
Félix Bautista (RP) – 60-day IL (recovering from right shoulder surgery; beginning a rehab assignment)
Ryan Helsley (RP) – 60-day IL (right elbow inflammation)
The Cardinals/Orioles series should be a fascinating one. Baltimore is coming off of a strong weekend performance against the Tampa Bay Rays while the Cardinals are returning home after getting swept by the Phillies. Injuries to Hunter Dobbins, Andre Pallante, Masyn Winn and Everson Pereira have given St. Louis big challenges on managing roster spots and lineups. The Cardinals are fighting with the Marlins, Diamondbacks and Padres for the final NL Wild Card slot. The homestand with the Orioles and then Pirates coming to town should give St. Louis an opportunity to make up some ground. It’s put up or shut up time regarding any playoff dreams this young Cardinals roster has. Let’s hope it’s the first option.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Keyner Martinez #48 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Cincinnati Reds at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
What a fun weekend for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates! Here’s everything that happened.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Low-A San Jose RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL) has been named the Pitcher of the Week in the Cal League!
AAA Sacramento (71-52)
Friday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Tacoma Rainiers 6-5 [box score] Saturday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Tacoma Rainiers 15-11 [box score] Sunday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Tacoma Rainiers 3-1 [box score]
Well, Sacramento’s 5-game winning streak came to a screeching halt, and was replaced by a 3-game losing streak. But, as I often say, individual performances matter far more than team outcomes in the Minors, and there were still plenty of individual outings to make you smile.
Perhaps most notably, left fielder/right fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) continued his tear through AAA. It was yet another strong string of games for the 24-year old lefty, who seems hell bent on earning an MLB debut before the season ends. Davidson hit 4-12 over the weekend, with a home run, 2 doubles, 3 walks, a stolen base, and outfield assist, and just 1 strikeout.
This is perhaps the most amateur way imaginable to scout, but you watch Davidson and he just looks like a Major Leaguer. I’m reminded of a Farhan Zaidi quote about disregarding numbers with young players and just watching how they look in the batter’s box to know they’re ready. Then again, Zaidi was talking about Luis Matos and Marco Luciano, so perhaps I should disregard that quote as well.
Anyway, here’s your update on when Davidson flipped the switch and seemingly figured out AAA:
First 22 games: 17-86, 0 home runs, 3 doubles, 10 walks, 21 strikeouts Next 11 games: 23-45, 6 home runs, 7 doubles, 7 walks, 4 strikeouts
Absolutely comical!
With that, the outfielder — who has been moved off of center since getting to AAA — is up to a .910 OPS and a 135 wRC+ through 33 AAA games, with 5 stolen bases in as many attempts. Equally encouraging is that he has just a 16.6% strikeout rate and an 8.0% swinging strike rate, which are phenomenal numbers. They’re also fairly dramatically better than the marks he was putting up in AA earlier this year, so that could point to some oncoming regression … or it could mean that he’s made dramatic strides.
Meanwhile, Davidson’s grassmate, center fielder/right fielder Scott Bandura is taking the same approach to AAA: he took a while to adjust following an early-season promotion (much earlier than Davidson’s), and now refuses to stop raking. It was just another brilliant weekend for Bandura, who hit 9-14 with 3 doubles, 1 walk, 2 stolen bases, and 0 strikeouts.
Bandura, a 7th-round pick in 2023 out of Princeton, who turned 25 earlier this month, is smoking hot. He has multiple hits in 11 out of 19 games this month, and his season is a true tale of adjustments, just like Davidson’s, but in a larger sample for both the struggles and the successes:
First 34 games: 31-129, 1 home run, 2 triples, 7 doubles, 8 walks, 28 strikeouts Next 44 games: 67-176, 7 home runs, 0 triples, 14 doubles, 30 walks, 25 strikeouts
What a remarkable adjustment! The lefty is up to an .877 OPS and a 130 wRC+ with 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts. Like Davidson, his contact numbers are encouraging: he has just a 15.0% strikeout rate and a 5.9% swinging strike rate, the latter of which is 91st percentile. The future is pretty darned exciting for the outfield!
It was a quieter weekend for third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), though he did plenty to get excited about, as he hit 3-9 with 2 doubles and a walk, albeit with 3 strikeouts. Unlike Davidson and Bandura, Harber hit the ground running in AAA, though he’s cooled down a bit following a red-hot start. Still a great debut AAA stint for the 24-year old slugger, who has an .866 OPS and a 127 wRC+ through 31 games.
Catcher Adrián Sugastey continues to adjust well to life in AAA, as he hit 2-7 with a home run, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Sugastey has taken advantage of the offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League, as he’s posted an .812 OPS and a 114 wRC+ through his 1st 20 games. That’s a huge improvement over his .715 OPS and 91 wRC+ in AA, which was the best offense he’s posted in 3 years at the level.
The offense will regress eventually, but when it does, the defense will likely still be standing strong. The 23-year old showed off his impressive control of the run game in this one, throwing out 4 of the 5 runners who tried to steal on him.
A few other offensive performances of note: shortstop Shay Whitcomb hit just 2-9, but smashed a home run; center fielder Grant McCray continued his post-optioning struggles, hitting 2-11 with 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, and a stolen base; and designated hitter Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) began a rehab assignment and hit 0-4 with a strikeout.
The best pitching performance came from LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL), who had an excellent start on Friday. It’s been a difficult transition to AAA for the comp-round pick in 2023, but this was his 2nd awesome start in a row. Whitman took down 6 innings while giving up just 4 hits, 0 walks, 1 hit batter, 3 runs, and 2 earned runs, while striking out 4 batters. He needed just 81 pitches to get through those 6 innings, and threw 54 of them for strikes. Whitman, who turns 25 next month, has just a 4.85 ERA and a 5.28 FIP since getting promoted, but he’s trending in the right direction and doing a strong job limiting walks. I don’t think we’ll see him debut this year, but since he’ll likely need to be protected in the Rule 5 Draft, it wouldn’t be a shocking thing if he strings together a few more good outings.
LHP Seth Lonsway pitched on Sunday and also went 6 innings deep, though his outing was a bit more clunky: 7 hits, 2 walks, 3 earned runs, 98 pitches thrown, and just 2 strikeouts. Lonsway has been good at eating innings for Sacramento, which has value of course, but isn’t really setting himself up for an MLB debut. The 27-year old, who was taken in the 6th round in 2021, has a 6.00 ERA and a 6.54 FIP on the year, with just 5.6 strikeouts per 9 innings (against 6.1 walks).
Saturday’s game was a bullpen affair, but it featured something exciting: a rehab appearance by LHP Matt Gage. It initially looked like Gage would be done for the year after being left to die on the MLB mound, but he’s working his way back. He wasn’t sharp in this game, giving up 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run in an inning of work, but it’s just great that he’s out there.
LHP Philip Abner made his 1st 2 appearances since getting claimed off of waivers by the Giants. He pitched 2 innings and allowed 2 hits, 2 walks, and 1 run in 2 innings, with 3 strikeouts.
AA Richmond (70-48)
Friday: Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Chesapeake Baysox 4-3 [box score] Saturday: Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Chesapeake Baysox 4-3 [box score] Sunday: Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Chesapeake Baysox 6-5 (10 innings) [box score]
Excitement on the mound for the Squirrels, as RHP Miguel Mendez made his Richmond debut on Friday night. Mendez, a recently-turned 24-year old who came to the Giants in the Robbie Ray trade, made a single rehab appearance with Low-A San Jose before heading up to AA. As such, he wasn’t fully stretch out, and had a short outing … but it was a good one! Mendez, who has an excellent fastball and a strong slider to pair with it, tossed 2.2 scoreless innings, with 2 hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. Those strikeouts were great to see for Mendez, who racked up a large number of Ks last season, but had more modest totals this year (38 in 34.2 innings with San Diego’s AA affiliate). He had just a 4.93 ERA during that time, but a 3.20 FIP. Very much looking forward to seeing how he closes out the season with Richmond.
The other starts were less exciting, as LHPs Charlie McDaniel and Greg Farone took down innings, but without doing too much. McDaniel made it through 6.1 frames, but gave up 6 hits (including 2 home runs), 2 walks, and 4 runs, with 3 strikeouts. Farone pitched 5.1 innings with 4 hits (including 2 home runs), 4 walks, and 3 runs, though he did strike out 6. McDaniel, a 25-year old who was a UDFA in 2024, has a 5.27 ERA and a 4.73 FIP in 13 starts since getting promoted; Farone, a 24-year old taken in the 7th round in 2024, has a 5.65 ERA and a 5.73 FIP in 23 starts with the Squirrels.
Nice relief outings from LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) and RHP Tyler Vogel. Choate tossed 2 no-hit innings with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts, while Vogel, who pitched twice, allowed 1 hit in 2 scoreless frames, with 1 strikeout. Choate, a 25-year old taken in the 9th round in 2022, has a 3.12 ERA and a 3.92 FIP on the year, with 11.4 strikeouts and 6.0 walks per 9 innings; Vogel, a 25-year old taken 3 rounds later, has a 3.13 ERA and a 4.40 FIP, with 9.6 strikeouts and 5.3 walks per 9.
RHP R.J. Dabovich pitched for the 2nd time since returning to Richmond. He retired both batters he faced, with a strikeout. Great to see him healthy at long last.
No one had a great weekend on offense, but there were performances to highlight. Most notably was that center fielder/right fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), who is tied with Davidson for the organizational lead in home runs, bopped his 1st AA bomb on Friday, and it was a glorious one, as it was a go-ahead 3-run shot in the 8th inning.
The adjustment to AA has been a slightly slow one for the 21-year old from Cuba, and understandably so. He finished the weekend 2-11 with a home run, a double, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts, and now has a .564 OPS and a 48 wRC+ through 6 games in the Eastern League.
Another player who had a stellar season in High-A but has been going through an adjustment period in AA is catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL) who, like Diaz, left the yard over the weekend. Villarroel, a 21-year old righty acquired in the Kai-Wei Teng trade, hit 1-6 with a solo home run, 2 walks, a sacrifice fly, and 2 strikeouts. He has just a .561 OPS and a 49 wRC+ through 21 games in the Eastern League, but growing pains are to be expected with new levels, especially for younger players.
Also homering was third baseman/right fielder Charlie Szykowny, who finished the weekend 4-10 with a solo shot, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts, and an outfield assist. Szykowny has cooled off after some strong player earlier in the year, and has a .739 OPS and a 95 wRC+. There’s definitely something intriguing in the lefty’s bat, though the 2023 9th-rounder is already 26.
A good weekend for left fielder/second baseman Jean Carlos Sió (No. 44 CPL), who was an on-base machine, hitting 3-7 with 5 walks, 2 strikeouts, and a stolen base. The 22-year old lefty is dealing with some bumps in the road following a promotion to AA, and has a .750 OPS and a 97 wRC+ through 60 games at the level. A lot to love about the versatile Sió, and hopefully his bat can continue to develop with more experience at the level.
Quiet weekends for shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) and center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL), who have both cooled down a bit after blistering starts to their AA tenures. Kilen played in just 2 of the 3 games, and hit 0-8 with a strikeout, while Cohen went 1-13 with 2 walks, a stolen base, and 4 strikeouts. Kilen, last year’s 1st-round pick, has an .822 OPS and a 116 wRC+, while Cohen, a 3rd-rounder last year, has a .709 OPS and a 90 wRC+.
High-A Eugene (72-47)
Friday: Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians 12-10 (10 innings) [box score] Saturday: Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians 9-3 [box score] Sunday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians 6-5 [box score]
A lot of good hitting performances for Eugene, with none better than the effort put forth by left fielder/center fielder Damian Bravo, who is hotter than hot. Last year’s 15th-round pick had himself a weekend, hitting 5-12 with 2 home runs, 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, and 4 strikeouts.
Bravo had a decent year with Low-A San Jose (.860 OPS, 109 wRC+), before sustaining an injury in mid-June. 2 months later, he returned from the IL and was promoted to High-A, all in one fell swoop. And what has he done there? 4 home runs in 6 games (plus 4 singles and 4 walks). I’d say this is the right level for him!
Speaking of the right level, shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) is, emphatically, the right Level … though one could make the case that he’s not at the right level, since he is making the Northwest League his personal playground. It was another sensational weekend for the 19-year old switch-hitter, who went 7-13 with 3 doubles, a hit by pitch, a sacrifice fly, 3 stolen bases, and just 1 strikeout. That’s just another day at the office for Level!
Level’s batting average in High-A is just a hair below what it was in Low-A (.325), while his strikeout rate and walk rate have both improved (16.6% to 16.4% and 7.8% to 8.6%, respectively). The only part of his game that’s still lagging behind what it was in San Jose earlier in the year is his power, as his isolated slugging dropped from an elite .251 to a still very good .177. But that will come with more reps and more growth at the level (and future levels). He’s been one of the top hitters in the league as is, with an .869 OPS and a 128 wRC+. He is the real deal, and then some.
Second baseman/right fielder/left fielder Jose Ramos continued a funny trend this year: despite awful numbers in Low-A, Ramos has been spectacular in High-A. It was a great weekend for the 23-year old, who hit 5-12 with a home run, 3 stolen bases, 3 strikeouts, and an outfield assist. The right-hander from Colombia now has an .852 OPS and a 141 wRC+ in 23 High-A games this year … after just a .592 OPS and a 52 wRC+ in 13 games with San Jose.
Second baseman Dalton Wentz continues to search for his footing after skipping Low-A for his professional debut. July’s 16th-round pick, who was given a 4th-round bonus, hit 4-13 with a double and 4 strikeouts, giving the just-turned 21-year old from Wake Forest a .611 OPS and a 59 wRC+ through 4 career games.
A pair of rough starting pitching outings on Friday and Saturday. First it was RHP Niko Mazza, who failed to make it out of the 1st inning, giving up a hit, a hit batter, 2 walks, and 2 runs, with 1 strikeout, while recording just 2 outs before getting pulled on account of having thrown 36 pitches. And then it was LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL), who allowed 5 hits, 2 walks, a hit batter, and 6 runs in just 2.2 innings, though he did strike out 5 batters.
Thankfully, things were salvaged on Sunday courtesy of RHP Hunter Dryden, who had one of his best outings of the year. The 24-year old went 6 strong innings while allowing 7 hits (6 singles and 1 double), 0 walks, and 1 run, though he only struck out 3.
Dryden, who was taken in the 17th round of the 2024 draft, hasn’t had a very strong season, but he has been excellent lately. In his last 5 starts, the D3 Whitworth product has thrown 26.2 innings and allowed just 24 hits, 5 walks, and 5 earned runs, with 21 strikeouts. That’s lowered his ERA to 4.55, albeit with an FIP of 5.44, which is largely the result of having allowed 16 home runs in 97 innings this year.
Eugene employs a trio of high-octane, low-command RHP relievers, and all 3 of them pitched over the weekend. It didn’t go well for a pair of them, as Liam Simon allowed a double, 4 walks, and 2 runs, while recording just 2 outs, while Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 21 CPL) gave up 2 home runs, 3 walks, a hit batter, and 3 runs, while also recording just 2 strikeouts. Things went much better for Marty Gair, who retired all 4 batters he faced, with 1 strikeout.
Low-A San Jose (70-50)
Friday: San Jose Giants beat the Lake Elsinore Storm 21-2 [box score] Saturday: San Jose Giants beat the Lake Elsinore Storm 6-3 [box score] Sunday: San Jose Giants beat the Lake Elsinore Storm 5-0 [box score]
Well, the Baby Giants can’t be stopped! They not only swept the weekend by a combined score of 32-5, and they not only swept the series, but they’re now on a 10-game winning streak! Hot dang!
Needless to say, there were some phenomenal outings. And while the offense was absurd — on Friday, at least — I want to start with the pitching, because there were 2 outstanding performances to highlight.
The runner-up pitching performance of the weekend belonged to LHP Jordan Gottesman, who struck out 8 batters in 6 scoreless innings on Friday, while only giving up 1 hit. What a showing! Gottesman was effectively wild, as he did walk 4 batters and threw just 51 of 92 pitches for strikes, but still. Anytime you have an 8-to-1 strikeout-to-hit ratio, you’re doing something very, very right!
Last year’s 6th-rounder hasn’t had the strongest debut season, but he’s been lights out over his last 3 starts, so perhaps he’s figuring something out. On the year, the Northeastern product, who will turn 24 this weekend, has a 4.07 ERA and a 4.96 FIP, with 9.9 strikeouts and 3.1 walks per 9 innings.
But the star of the mound was Sunday’s starter, RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL). It’s been an at-times difficult season for Martinez, who hasn’t built on his breakout 2025 campaign as much as we had hoped. But even in his struggles, the absurd level of talent has been on display.
On Sunday, it all came together. Martinez faced 16 batters. He retired 15 of them, with a double being the lone baserunner he allowed. Of those 16 batters he faced, he struck out half of them. And despite those 8 strikeouts, he needed just 66 pitches to get through his 5 innings.
Were it earlier in the season, Martinez probably would’ve been allowed to pitch deeper into the game, but he’s in winding down territory. He threw just 32.2 innings in his debut season in 2024, and 69.1 last year. This year he’s already at 83 innings.
Those 83 have been a roller coaster. We had higher hopes than a 5.10 ERA, a 4.94 FIP, and 4.8 walks per 9 innings. But 13.2 strikeouts and a .217 batting average against? Absolutely elite. There is a whole lot of gas in that tank.
In between it was LHP Leandro Rodriguez, a 20-year old who has only made 5 Low-A starts, but who opened a ton of eyes in the Complex League. Rodriguez is still trying to find his footing in Low-A, as he walked 5 batters in 4.2 innings, though he only gave up 2 hits (but that included a home run). He threw just 39 of 76 pitches for strikes, while giving up 2 runs and striking out 2.
Nice relief appearances from RHPs Samir Chires, Cooper McGrath, Evan Gray, Melvin Pineda, and Chen-Hsun Lee.
Now, onto that offense. And my goodness were there ever some dreamy performances on that side of the ball!
The best singular day belonged to center fielder/right fielder Broedy Poppell during Friday’s 21-run explosion, as he simply could not be stopped. The 2025 13th-rounder out of Florida A&M hit 3-4 with 2 homers and a triple, while also drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch, with a strikeout. What a day!
The 24-year old switch-hitter went 1-5 with 3 walks, a stolen base, 2 strikeouts, and an error in the other pair of games, bringing him up to a .773 OPS and a 97 wRC+. Poppell had a fairly slow start to the season, and spent some time demoted to the ACL, but in his last 13 games has hit 15-46 with 10 extra-base hits and 11 walks. He’s starting to figure it out, it seems.
Also going deep twice was left fielder Oliver Tejada, who hit 5-12 over the weekend, and not only did hi hit 2 home runs, he hit 2 grand slams!
He also had a walk, a sacrifice fly, and an outfield assist, though he did strike out 4 times. The 19-year old from the Dominican Republic was mired in quite a slump for a while there, but this is one hell of a way to break out of it! He still has just a .719 OPS and a 79 wRC+, with a 29.9% strikeout rate, but he’s moving in the right direction.
Third baseman Dario Reynoso had an absurd game on Friday, hitting 3-6 with a home run, 2 doubles, a walk, and a strikeout, before hitting 1-4 on Saturday and getting Sunday off. Still a lot to love (.863 OPS, 118 wRC+) and a lot to fear (32.8% strikeout rate) in Reynoso’s profile.
And of course, it wouldn’t be San Jose baseball if it didn’t feature shortstop Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) reminding us that the world is his. González only played in 2 of the 3 games, but that was plenty enough for him to make an impression, as he hit 6-9 with a double, 3 walks, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout.
On the one hand, the 18-year old switch-hitting phenom has only played 21 games in San Jose. On the other hand, he’s hitting .379/.476/.609 with a 170 wRC+, an 18.1% strikeout rate, and 7 stolen bases. He just might be the best prospect in baseball, friends. You can sure as hell make a case for it…
His running mate, Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL), did not play over the weekend after suffering an injury on Thursday. Here’s hoping he’s able to get back on the field before the year ends.
A pair of players made their debuts over the weekend! That’s always exciting. It was a nice initial showing for center fielder Peyton Bonds (Barry’s nephew), who was taken in the 3rd round in July. Bonds went 0-4 with a walk and 2 strikeouts in his Saturday debut, but bounced back on Sunday to hit 2-5 with a strikeout. A slightly slower introduction for second baseman/shortstop Luke Nixon, who was taken in the 5th round. The 21-year old lefty went just 0-6 with 4 strikeouts, though he did draw 3 walks. Welcome to the pros, both of you!
Dominican Summer League Black (playoffs)
Friday: DSL Giants Black lost to the DSL Mariners 8-7 [box score] Saturday: DSL Giants Black lost to the DSL Padres Gold 5-3 [box score] Monday: DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Royals Ventura 15-1 [box score]
Shortstop Joniel Hernandez wanted to make sure that he eked as much performance as possible out of his debut season. The 17-year old, who came over in the Robbie Ray trade, played in all 3 of these postseason games, and hit 4-14 with 2 homers, a walk, a stolen base, and 2 strikeouts. That’s after ending the regular season with a .978 OPS and a 132 wRC+!
Designated hitter Diego Villegas hit 3-8 with a pair of home runs, a double, a walk, and a strikeout. The 22-year old had a tough season in which he didn’t hit any home runs, and then hit a pair in this game. Go figure.
20-year old RHP Luis Hernandez (not that one), tossed 5 shutout innings with just 4 baserunners and 5 strikeouts, which is a tremendous postseason showing. He had a very difficult year, with far more walks than strikeouts … so nice to see.
Home run tracker
25 — Bo Davidson — [6 in AAA; 19 in AA] 25 — Lisbel Diaz — [1 in AA; 21 in High-A; 3 in Low-A] 18 — Zander Darby — [High-A] 17 — Jeremiah Jenkins — [Low-A] 14 — Charlie Szykowny — [AA] 14 — Damian Bravo x2 — [4 in High-A; 10 in Low-A] 13 — Dario Reynoso — [Low-A] 12 — Shay Whitcomb — [2 in MLB; 10 in AAA] 11 — Broedy Poppell x2 — [8 in Low-A; 3 in ACL] 9 — Jancel Villarroel — [2 in AA; 7 in High-A] 9 — Joniel Hernandez x2 — [DSL] 8 — Keiberg Camacaro — [DSL] 7 — Oliver Tejada x2 — [6 in Low-A; 1 in ACL] 6 — Adrián Sugastey — [3 in AAA; 2 in AA; 1 in ACL] 2 — Jose Ramos — [1 in High-A; 1 in Low-A]
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 07: Jack Perkins #50 of the Athletics pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park on August 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At 38-38 it wasn’t just a “contending year” it was “on pace to win the AL West,” as it turns out. Then came a long and fugly spiral to the current 52-80 making it squarely a “see what we have” kind of second half.
What do we have, exactly, amongst the many reserves thrust into the spotlight thanks to injuries that have ended seasons early for Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Jacob Wilson, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Tyler Soderstrom, and Luis Severino? The answer is not as easy as it seems.
Several players are difficult to weigh including some who are important to the A’s fortunes in 2027…
Henry Bolte
Sliced into thirds, Bolte’s season has been “great/awful/great” and given that he is just turned 23 with all of 88 games under his belt one easy analysis would be “2 out of 3 ain’t bad!” What it has all added up to so far, statistically, is promising: .270/.345/.369, 103 wRC+ with 14 stolen bases, +4 DRS/+2 OAA in CF.
So why the uncertainty as to whether Bolte is a budding star you can build your outfield around? First off I think the notion that this is his floor is misguided: a player’s floor isn’t “what he has already shown he can do” as players can take big steps backwards, see Gelof, Zack or Butler, Lawrence. Bolte’s floor has him unable to consistently master lifting the ball, has his K rate creeping back up to the 30s, and renders him too close for comfort to Denzel Clarke.
But the ceiling is alluring for sure. I might give Bolte a 25% chance of becoming an “All-star caliber” every day OFer, a 50% chance of becoming a solid every day OFer, and a 25% chance of regressing to become more of a useful 4th OFer. Why the measured optimism?
Under the hood come some warning signs that the stats in aggregate aren’t necessarily indicative of a player who has proven he can thrive consistently over time.
Much of Bolte’s success at the plate has come at home (.313/.380/.422, 124 wRC+), but outside the friendly confines of Sutter Health Park he has hit just .226/.311/.315, 81 wRC+.
Also Bolte has started out with some L/R splits worth watching. Splits take a long time to stabilize but here they are so far: vs. LHP .274/.333/.442, 116 wRC+ and vs. RHP .267/.353/.322, 95 wRC+. The big gap comes in the slugging and is partly a result of so many of Bolte’s hits against righties being choppers on the infield he beat out.
Bolte’s potential is sky high. Much of it will depend on how he progresses with regard to hitting away from SHP, slugging enough against RHP, and cleaning up the many unnecessary errors from bobbles and the occasional flat out dropped fly ball. (Bolte has already been charged with 6 errors in CF, continuing a pattern from the minors.)
Jack Perkins
Talk about an enigma wrapped in a riddle. Perkins brings #2-#3 SP stuff to the mound but has only been able to parlay it into a 6.68 ERA in 90.1 IP. Why? Perkins’ control comes and goes and there is a sense he pitches best once the pressure is off — which has sometimes meant giving up a crooked number early before settling in.
There are plenty of positives to be found in Perkins’ 2026 season. One is that he has stayed healthy pretty much for the first time in his pro career. Another is that his K rate (10.36/9 IP) reflects his ability to miss bats and tie hitters up.
Consistency, however, is not his middle name. Witness yesterday’s “bulk” appearance in which Perkins threw 5 IP. In the first one he walked 4 batters, forcing in a run with the last one. Then he was unhittable for a couple innings. Then his defense betrayed him, an E-6 on Darell Hernaiz that prolonged the inning, which Perkins followed up by serving up a 2-run HR. Both runs unearned but realistically one falls on Hernaiz and the HR is on the pitcher.
Will Perkins’ plus stuff, combined with experience, get him over the hump to be a quality pitcher either in the rotation or bullpen? Or does he just not have the command and/or mentality to offer any semblance of reliability?
Donovan Walton
If I had to pick out one hitter I wish other batters would watch and emulate it would be Walton. His PAs have been that good in terms of process, grinding out at bats, being discerning even after falling behind 0-2, patient enough to produce an elite 16.9% BB rate since joining the A’s, spraying the ball to all fields.
If you’re thinking in terms of a utility infielder to complement Gelof, Wilson, and Kuroda-Grauer in 2027, Walton is tempting and offers the only LH bat in the mix (unless the A’s re-sign Jeff McNeil after undoubtedly declining his club option).
Trouble is Walton does not play good defense, which is a priority for a back up infielder. He has negative career marks at 2B, SS, and 3B, including -11 at 2B. He also is having an offensive season that belies his entire track record prior to 2026.
Here are Walton’s batting averages before this season, beginning in his rookie 2019 campaign: .188, .154, 206, .158, .136, .125. Did he, at age 32, suddenly figure something out in a big way? That’s a lot to bet on. I’d bet Alika Williams, smooth at SS with a plus glove at 2B as well, to win the utility infielder role for 2027 unless the A’s are dead set on a LH bat.
But Walton has been, for whatever reason, really impressive at the plate — the key question being “Who is the real Donovan Walton?”
LEADING THE LEAGUE: Thanks to their 19-2 throttling of the Mariners yesterday, the Cubs now lead all teams in runs scored per game, at 5.22, which is a quarter of a run more than the combined average of 4.47 by all teams. The Brewers are second, at 5.17. The Cubs also moved up to first in on-base percentage plus slugging, at .762, one point ahead of the Dodgers. They had trailed the Dodgers by six points before yesterday. The Cubs remain first in walks per game, with 4.26. They are third in slugging, percentage, at .423, and seventh in batting average, at .250. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
MONDAY, MONDAY, CAN’T TRUST THAT DAY: The Cubs are 8-6 in games on Monday but 1-4 in Monday games on the road. They lost at Tampa, Philadelphia and San Diego in April, then at Pittsburgh in May, before winning at St. Louis on July 27. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Cubs or their opponent have scored in the first inning of three straight games and seven of eight. The Cubs did it three times; their opponent, four. The team that scored first won all seven games. For the season, the Cubs have scored first in 60 games, winning 44, and they have given up the first run in 71, winning 21. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs homer four times (Michael Barrett, Angel Pagan, Aramis Ramirez and Phil Nevin) and blow out the Phillies 11-2 at Wrigley Field. Future Cub Cole Hamels, who was making his first-ever start at Wrigley, is pounded for nine of the 11 runs in just two innings. It happened 20 years ago today, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006.
Kevin Gausman has made three starts as a Cub: One good, one mediocre, one bad. Hopefully the “good” category is added to this evening.
If this April 19 result is to be mirrored, that will happen. On that day Gausman held the D-backs to two runs in six innings. Let’s hope.
Merrill Kelly grew up in the Phoenix area, went to ASU and played his first six and a half MLB seasons for his hometown team. Then they traded him to the Rangers at the deadline last year, as he was a pending free agent. He made no secret of the fact that he wanted to return to the D-backs, the feeling was mutual, and so he signed a two-year, $40 million deal with a $12 million vesting option for 2028.
The results have not been good. Kelly is having the worst year of his career and this month in four starts: 8.24 ERA, 1.932 WHIP, a really high walk rate (16.3 percent) and low K rate (14.1 percent).
This, theoretically, should be good for Cubs hitters, especially Michael Conforto (5-for-14, three doubles) and Michael Busch (4-for-8, a double, a triple, a home run). Go get ‘em, guys.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The Dodgers have announced that Kershaw will be on the call for the Dodgers’ game against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, as part of the Spectrum SportsNet LA (SNLA) broadcast.
Clayton Kershaw attends a ceremony honoring Orel Hershiser with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Aug. 13, 2026. Matt Baron/BEI/ShutterstockLos Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is seen during batting practice during Media Day on the eve of the 2024 MLB World Series. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST
The three-time Cy Young Award winner, 2014 National League MVP and three-time World Series champion will be joining Joe Davis and Kirsten Watson for pregame coverage and throughout the game.
Kershaw being on the call adds another intriguing element to what’s already a captivating series for the Dodgers. They’re heading to Atlanta with an 80-52 record, which gives them a nine-game lead in the NL West.
The Braves are currently leading the NL East with a 76-55 record. These two teams are among the favorites to win the NL pennant, and will be battling for playoff seeding for the rest of the regular season. Therefore, the Dodgers winning this road series would be a major statement to the rest of the league that their slump from earlier in August is in the rearview mirror.
José Urquidy will make his first MLB start since September 2023. | Getty Images
In a tale of two weak divisions, the White Sox will get another look at the Rangers, this time in Chicago. The Rangers are tied with the Astros atop the American League West. Neither team has a winning record (.496) in the AL West, and any meaningful baseball in October will likely be short-lived.
José Urquidy, who saw the Rangers often during his time with the Astros, will face a team he’s not only familiar with but also fairly good against: 5-0 with a 2.82 ERA vs. Texas in his career. The lineup tonight is similar to Sunday’s, just with a new pitcher. Tristan Peters is back and seems to be busting out of his slump after yesterday’s walk-off homer to win the series against the Mets.
Kumar Rocker will take the mound for the visiting team this evening. Rocker, who is 4-10 with a 4.46 ERA, for lack of a better word, avoided getting rocked in his last outing, giving up six hits and two earned runs over five innings. The Rangers, however, went on to lose 6-0in the game. We’ll also see our old friend Jake Burger tonight at first base.
First pitch is at 6:40 p.m., and it will be available on CHSN and ESPN Chicago 1000.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 21: Michael Toglia #48 of the Cincinnati Reds is helped off the field after making a diving catch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on August 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Michael Toglia dove for a ball in left field over the weekend in Arizona while playing a position he really had no business playing. He’s a 1B by trade, albeit one with a bit of right field experience, but his time in the opposite corner of the grass came in part by necessity after option after option on the Cincinnati Reds roster simply couldn’t stick around long enough to perform.
The dive dislocated his shoulder, unfortunately. Yesterday the Reds placed him on the injured list (while recalling Ivan Johnson), and today Charlie Goldsmith relayed words from Terry Francona that Toglia will head for shoulder surgery to repair the problem.
Terry Francona said Toglia will have shoulder surgery.
Given how little time there is left in the 2026 season, that almost certainly means his time this season is done. And given that he’s arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter (with all signs pointing towards him being a non-tender candidate), his time as player for the Reds might well be over, too.
The list of corner outfielders/infielders the Reds have cycled through so far this year is borderline ridiculous. Toglia, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Rece Hinds, and Spencer Steer are all done as options for the Reds this year – two due to being DFA’d, two due to season-ending injury. Noelvi Marte failed so spectacularly that he not only got optioned in favor of keeping Toglia, but he wasn’t even the player recalled when Toglia got hurt. TJ Friedl has totally flamed out, Blake Dunn needed elbow surgery, and Will Benson is buried on the depth chart at AAA after being designated for assignment and going unclaimed.
Now, this.
Something’s clearly in the water in north-central Kentucky, and it’s not something that’s letting the Reds get lucky with any AAAA players this season.
Aug 23, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford (36) follows through on his double against the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants, after getting swept by the Red Sox in an emotional and deflating three-game series in Boston, snapped a four-game losing streak with an improbable win against Chase Burns and the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.
But manager Tony Vitello began his postgame press conference with concern and sorrow after Carson Whisenhunt exited the game early with elbow pain.
“Well, anytime a guy comes out of the game, you’re concerned,” Vitello said after San Francisco’s 5-0 win. “And also your heart goes out for him because you want to see him fall through with the outing. But more importantly, you just want to see guys stay healthy. But he’s got discomfort. Obviously, he’s pitching on the elbow area. So he’ll get it looked at tomorrow and see what it says.”
Whisenhunt will get an MRI on Tuesday morning.
Carson Whisenhunt was removed from the game after appearing to sustain an injury pic.twitter.com/HC1lU46CAL
The timing couldn’t be worse for the lefty, but that’s on brand with the luck the Giants have had with injuries all year.
Whisehunt has struggled this season, and he entered Monday’s game with a 7.03 ERA following last week’s outing against the Cleveland Guardians in which he allowed seven runs (six earned) on nine hits with one strikeout and two walks in four innings.
But he, at least in a small sample size, was tossing his best stuff against the Reds on Monday through the third inning before he felt something was off in his final two pitches.
“I felt great,” Whisenhunt said postgame. “It’s honestly probably the best I felt all year. Just mechanical, good shapes, velo, everything just felt really good today until the last two pitches.”
Whisenhunt added that he’s never felt this type of pain before, and it’s “a very different feeling” than the elbow sprain he suffered in 2023.
The 25-year-old had his elbow wrapped as he spoke to the media postgame.
Another thing he wore was cautious optimism on his face, as he smiled through the pain during the four-minute media scrum. Asked where his personal level of concern was awaiting the MRI Tuesday, Whisenhunt will leave that up to the medical experts.
“Um, trying not to think about it, honestly,” he said. “But [I’ve] never really felt anything like this. I don’t really know kind of where to be at with it. So just kind of play it by ear and get the MRI tomorrow, and then go from there. I think all the work we’ve been putting in lately has probably been the biggest contributor, like working on mechanical stuff, pitch shapes, just kind of everything all together, but just not overthinking it.
“Honestly, just kind of letting it happen. But just kind of go from there, and obviously not an ideal situation, but just see what happens from here.”
Whisenhunt felt as comfortable as he has been all year with his two- and four-seam fastball, and, as opposed to his past couple of starts, faced little command issues.
“Yeah, I mean, as far as how he was throwing the ball, I think it would have been consensus from the dugout that he was throwing the ball as well as he had,” Vitello said. “No command issues whatsoever till the ninth hitter, and even that was a competitive at-bat. So he was in the zone a ton, too. I think, in order for his slider to continue to improve, he’s got to throw it more, which he’s been doing. But you judge it off how do the misses look, and I thought the misses looked really good there.
“And then same for every pitcher: your best pitch needs to be effective, and his changeup was really, really good. I thought he was doing well. His delivery and his tempo in his delivery can get a little rushed at times; that’s where I’ve been coming from with my adrenaline theory, like when he’s fired up in the first couple innings, in particular. His tempo on almost every pitch was awesome.”
Monday’s outing continued a rollercoaster season for Whisenhunt, but in a different way.
The only way he can explain it sums up how the year has gone for the rest of the Giants.
“I’d say probably in the same boat of a weird year,” Whisenhunt said. “Just very back and forth. But I mean, physically, I felt great all year. It just kind of, to me, came out of nowhere. But just being able to be consistent in the weight room and doing my stuff in the training room every day that I need to, just to be able to go out there, but obviously, not trying to have an injury. But [it’s] part of the game.
“So just kind of see where we’re at after the MRI, and hopefully it’s nothing, just a pinched nerve or something like that. But we’ll see.”
Whisenhunt finished his media session and went to hang out near his teammates in the clubhouse. At one point, he even sat down at the table toward the back end of the room and watched his teammates play cards. He was all smiles and appeared to be in good spirits.
Hope has let the Giants down a lot lately, and we’ll have to wait and see if it’s on Whisenhunt’s side the rest of the season.
Aug 23, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Hao-Yu Lee (50) celebrates in the dugout after scoring against the Kansas City Royals during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (61-69) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (77-53)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:DRaysBay Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (8-8, 4.35 ERA) vs. RHP Drew Rasmussen (13-5, 3.01 ERA)
SACRAMENTO, CA - AUGUST 12: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 23: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves takes a photo with fans prior to the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Bowman Field on August 23, 2026 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are on a much-needed off day after taking a very tough trip across the midwest and getting put through the ringer by a trio of Central Division teams. The showdowns aren’t over, though, as the Braves will have to welcome the Dodgers into town for three games starting on Tuesday night.
For now, it’s time to go a night without Braves baseball before they embark on nine-straight days that’ll take them into September. What does the future hold? Hopefully enough wins to help carry the Braves across the finish line for the Divisional title and into the Postseason but we’ve got to cross that bridge before we get to it. Hopefully the offense can get back going soon, though!
What am I watching?
The Cubs and the Diamondbacks could be a potential Postseason preview, so that’s probably the most interesting game on the schedule tonight as far as October ramifications go. Meanwhile, Phillies games have once again gone past simply being hate-watches and they’ve gone back into the territory of being legitimate scoreboard watching. Philadelphia is on a West Coast swing starting tonight, as they’ll be facing the Mariners for three games before getting the Angels this weekend and then taking on the Diamondbacks this time next week. Maybe they’ll trip up heading out West like the Braves usually do? I don’t care man, someone please beat them.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - AUGUST 19: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park on August 19, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We simply do not know how the Cincinnati Reds are going to manage ace Chase Burns as he nears an arbitrary innings limit this season. What we do know, though, is that they’re almost 100% certain to have one, and that it’s rapidly approaching soon.
Burns is sitting on 136.0 IP so far during this breakout season of his, a good bit out in front of the 109.1 IP he logged across all levels last year. That’s on the back of a 100.0 IP season the year prior with Wake Forest, and as the Reds slip further and further into the standings abyss after dismal losses akin to the one from yesterday in Arizona, the reality is that they aren’t going to run him into the ground in an already-lost season.
Burns gets the ball tonight as the Reds begin their series against the San Francisco Giants on the west coast, so you’ll need to put on a pot of coffee and stay up late to catch him. However, there’s a very real likelihood that he’s on the mound for only two or three more turns this season, so forfeiting the chance to see a true ace at work becomes infinitely more important than a) sleep or b) any serious conversations you plan on having before 10 AM tomorrow morning.
First pitch this evening is set for a cozy 9:45 PM ET.
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 12: Ranger Suarez #55 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last week at this time, the Diamondbacks hadn’t yet posted their lineup because Ketel Marte was MIA. Today the Red Sox are in MIA, facing former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara and an uncharacteristically competent Marlins team at 6:40 p.m. Ranger Suarez is on the hill for the Sox, with Andruw Monasterio getting the day off as the Sox look to continue rolling after destroying the hapless Giants:
Here are da fish:
Go Sox. Enjoy these quiet days while they last. The real stuff gonna start as soon as that Labor Day grill fires up.
