On this day 61 years ago, Moose Skowron clouted his 200th career home run during a harrowing win in Kansas City.
1901 While they were the most prodigious team entering the major leagues in this year, the White Sox still could not avoid major controversy before the summer was out.
Two Sox players were suspended after attacking umpire Jack Haskell in the fourth inning of a 8-0 loss at Washington. When Senators third baseman Bill Coughlin drew a walk to fill the bases on a disputed ball-four call, White Sox shortstop Frank Shugart punched Haskell, and starting pitcher Jack Katoll beaned Haskell in the leg during the fight. Both players were not only ejected by Haskell, the only umpire on the field, but the Washington, D.C. police intervened and both players were arrested.
Clark Griffith was summoned for emergency relief — in 1901, White Sox starters finished 110 of 137 games, so a bullpen was a nascent concept — and immediately served up a bases-clearing triple to Billy Clingman.
Katoll was suspended for 11 games and Shugart for 23. Katoll returned in September strong, appearing in six games with a 2.49 ERA. Shugart, on the other hand, returned in mid-September, hit just .171 to finish the season, and was blacklisted from MLB after the season.
1915 The White Sox acquired Shoeless Joe Jackson from Cleveland for $31,500 (almost a million today) along with pitcher Ed Klepfer, outfielder Braggo Roth and a player to be named later. This incredible trade for the White Sox was the first they’d ever made with Cleveland.
Klepfer had seen scant time with the White Sox in 1915 but pitched to a 2.84 ERA (109 ERA+) in three games, and would improve in Cleveland (2.09 ERA despite a 1-6 record in eight games). Roth, just 22, had started out fairly well in left field and at third base during his first full season in Chicago (.734 OPS, 117 OPS+) but exploded once he got to Cleveland (.906 OPS, shifting exclusively to center field). Though he clouted just seven home runs, Roth led the AL in round-trippers in 1915. (Yes, Bill Melton in 1971 winning the first-ever White Sox home run title is only partially true.)
Klepfer and Roth were no middling players, combining for 14.4 WAR over their five full seasons (two Kelpfer, three Roth) with Cleveland. (And on Valentine’s Day, 1916, the trade was completed when the White Sox sent little-used left fielder Larry Chappell east.)
However, the prize of the trade was Jackson, who already built the foundation of a Hall of Fame career in just four full seasons in Cleveland (finishing no lower than ninth in MVP voting each year). Though he would similarly play just four full seasons with the White Sox (losing almost all of 1918 to World War I), Shoeless Joe continued his strong play on the South Side, combining for 27.8 WAR while still peaking as a superstar. All his promise was lost, however, when ensnared in the Black Sox scandal, Jackson was banned for life from MLB after the 1920 season. He was just 33 years old.
Jackson, despite the “Black Sox” scandal, is still considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. Babe Ruth said he modeled his swing after Jackson’s,and Ty Cobb said Jacksonwas the best hitter he ever saw.Joe hit .356 for his career in the major leagues.
1926 Ted Lyons fired a no-hitter in beating Boston, 6-0, at Fenway Park. The Red Sox only had two baserunners in the game, one on a walk and the other on an error by shortstop Bill Hunnefield, who fumbled a ground ball and then threw high to first base.
Lyons’ no-hitter took just 81 pitches, delivered over 67 minutes.
Lyons, a future Hall-of-Famer, won 260 games in a 21-year career, all with the White Sox. His No. 16 was retired by the club in 1987.
1933 Despite sitting in sixth place in the AL, 25 games out of first, and 16 1⁄2 behind the second-place Yankees, the White Sox battled New York to a 3-3 tie … over 18 innings!
Neither team scored all game, until the top of the ninth when Lou Gehrig put the Bombers ahead with an RBI single. Red Kress answered that scoring tap with a sacrifice fly to tie it in the bottom half.
The game went back to zeroes until the 12th, when the Yankees plated two. Faced with certain defeat, the White Sox again rallied, scoring twice on a one-out Evar Swanson single. But New York wriggled out of the rally with an inning-ending double play, and neither team scored again.
Herb Pennock went 10 innings in relief for New York, in fact blowing the save in the ninth inning for them, while Red Faber went seven innings in relief of Milt Gaston, who threw the first 11 and faced 43 batters.
While the tie game still ranks in a tie for the 10th-longest game in White Sox history, it is NOT the sole, longest tie in team annals — the South Siders tied at Baltimore, 1-1, in 1959 and 6-6 hosting these same Yankees (Highlanders) in 1903.
1959 It was Nellie Fox Night at Comiskey Park, as in the midst of a pennant race, the White Sox honored their second baseman and future Hall-of-Famer. Fox was given a new boat, shotgun and other presents, and teared up when he spoke to the home crowd. He’d go on to become the American League’s MVP in 1959, hitting .306 with 70 RBIs.
On this night he went 0-for-3 with a run scored in a 5-4 win over Washington before almost 37,986 fans.
1965 With a long ball leading off the sixth inning of an eventual 7-6 win at Kansas City, Moose Skowron hit his 200th career home run. The clout but the White Sox up, 4-2, but the game was far from over — even after the White Sox added two runs in the top of the ninth to go up, 6-3, the Athletics fought back for three in the bottom half to tie. K.C. ended up tying the game off of three White Sox pitchers (including the dual relief aces, Eddie Fisher and Hoyt Wilhelm), rallying for their three runs on two hit batsmen, a ground out, two wild pitches, two advances by defensive indifference, a single, a stolen base, a walk and a passed ball.
The White Sox pushed ahead, 7-6, in the 11th by stringing three singles together, the GWRBI coming from Al Weis. Moose went 2-for-3 in the game, with a homer and a triple.
1973 White Sox pitcher Stan Bahnsen took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against Cleveland. After getting the first two outs, former Sox outfielder Walt Williams got a ground-ball single to left, past third baseman Bill Melton. Inexplicably, Melton was playing in, anticipating a possible bunt from Williams — who later said that under no circumstances would he try to break up a no-hitter by bunting late in the game.
Stanthen got the final out, finishing with a one-hitter and striking out four in the 4-0 win.
2005 The White Sox tied their club record by hitting four home runs in a single inning, in this instance the fourth. It happened off of the Yankees’ Randy Johnson in a 6-2 win at U.S. Cellular Field. The four who went deep were Tadahito Iguchi, Aaron Rowand, Paul Konerko and Chris Widger. Iguchi, Rowand and Konerkowent back-to-back-to-back.
The weekend has almost arrived, and I have my three favorite home run props and predictions for tonight's MLB slate up and ready, with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Griffin Conine as the highlights.
Here are my favorite MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 21.
Grichuk enters Friday as one of the highest-rated hitters on Batters-Box, covering over 91% of Manaea's arsenal. In his last 30 plate appearances against left-handed hitters, he owns a .828 SLG and .380 ISO while generating a 50% hard-hit rate, 12.5% barrel rate, and 29.5% ground-ball rate.
The Mets left-hander has been struggling against right-handed hitters, and the last 60 he's faced are producing a 51.5% hard-hit rate, 15.2% barrel rate, and 24.2% ground-ball rate, in addition to a .360 xBA and .755 xSLG.
Despite the possibility of Grichuk being taken out of the game early, he's still a strong option. Take this down to +400 at the most.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, WPIX
Home run pick: Fernando Tatis Jr. (+456)
A man we've all been waiting to see turn it up this season is San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., who enters Friday with the third-highest matchup rating in this game over on Batters-Box. Tatis Jr. has been seeing the ball extremely well over his last 10 outings, owning a .765 SLG and .500 ISO while generating a 54.8% hard-hit rate and 25.8% barrel rate.
The Padres' slugger draws Minnesota Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp, who owns a 7.71 ERA against his last 30 right-handed hitters faced. He's allowing those hitters to produce a 50% hard-hit rate, 11.1% barrel rate, and 61.1% elevation rate during that stretch. Opponents also own a .343 xBA, .636 xSLG, and .231 ISO across that span.
With how well Tatis Jr. has been hitting the ball, this price is simply too great to pass up. Take this down to +420.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MNNT, SDPA
Home run pick: Griffin Conine (+388)
In a slate peppered with aces and hitters in tough spots to go yard, one man on the Miami Marlins has been firing missiles lately, and it's Griffin Conine. He's producing a 65% hard-hit rate, 25% barrel rate, and just a 25% ground-ball rate over his last 10 games, while owning a .767 SLG and .434 ISO.
On top of that, the Marlins' slugger enters today with the highest matchup rating in the current season dataset. Through 13 home games with an elite rating, he's gone deep 23% of the time.
Conine draws Washington Nationals right-hander Brad Lord, who has allowed left-handed hitters to bat .269 with a .444 SLG and .827 OPS this season. Additionally, Conine covers over 88% of Lord's arsenal.
With the way the ball is coming off the outfielder's bat lately, this is a great spot for him to go deep.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NATS, MIAM
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 106-368, +17.3 units
Today’s HR combo
Randal Grichuk
Trade Now +1956
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Griffin Conine
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LEXINGTON, KY - APRIL 07: Infielder Tyler Bell (6) of the Kentucky Wildcats warms up between innings in a game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Kentucky Wildcats on April 7, 2026, at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, KY. (Photo by Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’ve entered the top echelon of the mid-season 2026 Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs) list. Previously we had PuRPs 30-26, 25-21, 20-16, 15-11, and 10-7. As a reminder, in this edition of the PuRPs poll, 29 qualifying ballots were cast, with 30 points granted for a first place vote, 29 for second, etc.
For each player on the PuRPs list, I’ll include a link to individual stats and contract status (via Baseball-Reference), PuRPs voting stats, a note on the 2026 season to date, and a scouting report from a national prospect writer where possible. I’ll also include where I put each player on my personal ballot. All ages are as of the date the article is posted.
A star ceiling was promised when Veen was made the ninth-overall pick in the 2020 draft and signed for a slightly above-slot value $5 million. The 24-year-old lefty-swinging, righty-throwing outfielder certainly has been a Triple-A star this year and has performed well so far at the Major League level since his promotion last week.
The big story this spring, courtesy of Thomas Harding at MLB.com, was the stunning off-season transformation of Veen. Veen explained that his last few years had been affected by substance abuse issues and that he had recommitted himself to the game, packing on 40 pounds vs. last year. It wasn’t just purported substance abuse that kept Veen in upper minors purgatory for the last five seasons (he’s been at Double-A or above since 2022). Veen has suffered a number of injuries, primarily to his left wrist but also to his back, thumb and ankle, which have sapped him of some of the explosiveness at the plate that was his calling card as an amateur.
Veen fought through injuries in Double-A Hartford between 2022 and 2024, but he finally ascended to Triple-A Albuquerque in late 2024. Veen played in 21 games for Albuquerque down the stretch, hitting a slugging-heavy .220/.281/.476 with six homers and three doubles in 92 plate appearances. That was good enough for Veen to be considered a strong candidate for the Opening Day roster in 2025. While that didn’t quite happen (despite a strong spring training), Veen was up with the Rockies on April 8th after a 5-for-5 game with Albuquerque that included a homer and two doubles.
With the Rockies, Veen played consistently in a two week stint but just didn’t hit very well. In 37 plate appearances across 12 games, Veen had only four hits, though one of them was a homer, en route to a .118/.189/.235 line (4 wRC+, -0.3 rWAR) — a humbling experience in his first taste of the big leagues. Veen returned to Albuquerque in late April for a month, until in late May it was revealed that Veen had been nursing a spring training ankle injury that had hampered his performance (he had hit for just a .481 OPS in May).
That led to a three week absence and a stint on the ACL team to rehab the injury and refine his hitting mechanics to improve his ability to hit high fastballs. Upon his return from that assignment, Veen promptly had a 14-game hitting streak that included eight multi-hit and two four-hit games. In total for 2025, including the ankle-impacted beginning of the season, Veen recovered to hit .289/.354/.468 with 11 homers, five triples, and 23 doubles with 15 steals for Albuquerque in 412 plate appearances — a slightly below average 94 wRC+. He cut his strikeouts five points to 20% of plate appearances while walking 9% of the time. On defense, Veen played all three outfield positions, with the plurality of playing time coming in left field.
This year, Veen was back in Triple-A. After a relatively quiet April (.746 OPS), Veen turned into a menace in Albuquerque with 1.117 OPS in May (.358/.500/.617) then an even bigger June, hitting .366/.385/.782 with seven homers among an absurd 24 extra-base-hits in 104 plate appearances in the month (his 79 total bases led the entire minor leagues for the month). That performance earned Veen the Pacific Coast League Player of the Month honors for June. After Veen cooled down to only a .908 OPS in July, He went supernova again in August, earning back-to-back PCL Player of the Week awards for performances like his game on August 8th, in which Veen was 5-for-5 with three homers, a triple, a double, and seven RBI.
In total, Veen hit a scalding .327/.402/.635 with 24 homers among his 65 extra-base hits, plus 18/20 steals in 445 plate appearances for Albuquerque, good for a 142 wRC+. Veen’s eight triples and 33 doubles on the season both rank in the top ten of all the minor leagues, while his 249 total bases lead the minors. For as long as he’s been in our prospect consciousness, it’s also important to remember that Veen only faced a younger pitcher than him in 13% of plate appearances. On defense, Veen played all three outfield positions with a slight preference going to the corner outfield, committing three errors while recording nine outfield assists on the year.
The Rockies brought Veen up last week and he hit a homer in his first two games of the year. Veen has now played seven games and has produced a .278/.316/.667 line in his first 19 plate appearances, producing 0.2 rWAR and fWAR. One trend to walk is Veen’s walk to strikeout ratio. In the big leagues this year, Veen is whiffing over a third of the time, but in Triple-A he only struck out in 20% of plate appearances while walking nearly 11% of the time. Veen has murdered the ball against right-handers this year, hitting for a 1.129 OPS against them vs. an .835 OPS left-on-left.
Here are some of Veen’s 2026 highlights, which show off all-fields power:
What do the scouts say?
Veen is ranked as a 45 Future Value player by MLB Pipeline, 11th in the system, including a 60 grade on his arm and a 55 grade on running and fielding:
Now playing at age 24, this is a big year for Veen, who needed to mature as a player and a person. The good news is he showed up for Spring Training with a ton of added strength to his 6-foot-3 frame and what seemed to be more intent in going about his business. There’s still offensive upside in his left-handed swing, and 2023 wrist surgery and a 2024 thumb injury certainly did not help him find consistency. There has been some focus in getting him back to the contact-oriented hitter he was early on, with the hope that he’ll get to his raw power more organically without selling out for it with more loft and the elevated strikeout rates that came with that at the upper levels.
Veen has worked with the Rockies on improving his ability to pick up and track balls defensively, with a chance to be a solid corner outfielder. If he can keep on the muscle, something he’s had trouble doing in the past, and maintains his intent, he could finally live up to the promise of being a former top 10 pick.
Veen had a tough 2025 season. Though he made his major league debut and smacked his first homer, big league pitchers ate him alive and he was just okay at Triple-A. Moreover, he drew attention to himself in a variety of less than flattering ways, from his marijuana-inspired double celebration to a running joke in the scout section about whether or not he could ready himself for the first pitch of an at-bat without needing to burn his timeout. Veen’s feel for contact had regressed in the upper minors, and long-awaited strength and power development hadn’t materialized. A once-promising career appeared on the skids.
Veen was almost unrecognizable in spring training this year. Per Thomas Harding’s story on MLB.com, over the winter, he made a variety of positive lifestyle changes, including getting sober, gained 40 pounds (he played 2025 at an “unhealthy” 202 pounds), and ditched his colorful hair (the blond and purple look didn’t bother me, though one could argue there was a Nuke-Laloosh-shower-shoes dynamic at play). There’s a lot to digest there, and it remains to be seen how his size in particular changes the equation. He somewhat famously mauled a ball nearly 470 feet this spring, so it seems that there’s a real uptick in his power. His swing remains long, though, and that extra pop won’t suffice to address the 41% whiff rate he posted on spin last year, which is arguably the biggest red flag in his game right now. It’s also unclear at this point whether he’s retained his 70-grade speed, which has been an important part of his game both offensively — he didn’t run as much last year as in previous seasons, but still swiped about a bag per week — and defensively, where quick wheels and reckless abandon compensate for his below-average ball tracking skills. My gut tells me that physically and mentally, Veen is broadly in a better place now. On the field, I’m concerned enough about the bat path and pitch recognition to keep Eric’s topline grade from last cycle intact, though the high-end outcomes are perhaps both a little louder and more within reach than before.
Veen was slotted 16th in the system by Keith Law of the Athletic in February:
Veen was Colorado’s first pick in the 2020 draft and was the last player I saw live before everything shut down. In that game, he hit a massive home run, aligning with reports I’d heard for months before about his plus power, but that has not been a part of his game at all in pro ball. He hit 15 homers in Low A in 2021, and that remains his career high. He’s the king of medium-quality contact, and that might work if he were a more disciplined player in the box or on the bases. He chases way too many pitches — nobody in Albuquerque should be swinging at 33 percent of pitches out of the zone — and he tends to swing too uphill, hitting for power he doesn’t have. I thought Veen would have a very different career than this when the Rockies took him, and maybe the new front office can try to get him to be more of a contact-first hitter and give up on the power, but for now, he’s maybe a backup corner outfielder.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Veen has seen his prospect stock rise and fall over the last six years, but right now it’s an arrow up profile just in time for his rookie status to likely to be exhausted. Veen is a good corner outfielder and offers a nice power/speed combo on offense. He has All-Star potential and yet has been relegated by some prospect watchers to a reserve outfielder at times due to the shortcomings to his approach and swing. For me, the profile adds up to a 45 FV player who I ranked ninth on my ballot. The good news for Rockies fans is that right now he looks more like a future star than he does a reserve outfielder and that he is finally showing what he can do at the big league level.
Arguelles, a 19-year-old Venezuelan outfielder, is the biggest riser in the system in 2026. He was one of the Rockies’ top international signees in 2024, receiving a $700k bonus, but hadn’t gotten scouting love until this season when he rose onto some mid-season top 100 lists. The 6’0” lefty has a strong hit tool with decent plate discipline and power while he also plays a good center field. Arguelles held his own in the Dominican Summer League after signing (84 wRC+) and was impressive in fall instructs, then proved to be an absolute unit in 2025 while repeating in the DSL.
In 236 plate appearances, Arguelles murdered the ball, hitting .422/.528/.652 with five homers, six triples, and 16 doubles — which is a 201 wRC+! Arguelles was first in the DSL in hits, slugging, OPS, total bases, and doubles. He was second in average, runs, RBI, doubles, and triples, plus he was third in OBP. Arguelles walked in 14% of his PA and struck out in just 11%. He also manned center field, contributing six outfield assists with just two errors in 51 games. That all added up to a DSL MVP award for Arguelles.
This year, Arguelles came stateside and helped lead the Rockies’ ACL team to a championship. He hit over .400 for the second season in a row, producing a .402/.478/.671 line that included nine homers, nine triples, and 14 doubles with ten steals in just 255 plate appearances, which is worth 174 wRC+. Among players with at least 150 plate appearances, Arguelles led the ACL in batting average, total bases, runs, RBI, hits, and triples while placing in the top ten in doubles, homers, OBP, and slugging.
After the ACL season concluded, Arguelles was sent to Low-A Fresno, where he is two years younger than league average. In 96 plate appearances so far, Arguelles has fit right in, hitting .293/.385/.439 with two homers and six doubles with five steals while walking more (12% of PA) than he is striking out (10% of PA), equating to a 110 wRC+ against older pitching. On defense this season, Arguelles has mostly manned center field, committing six errors while recording five outfield assists.
Here’s some video of Arguelles last season in the DSL:
What do the scouts say?
Arguelles began the season as a player of note but outside most Rockies top prospect lists and ended it around the top 100 in MLB.
Arguelles turned 19 a few weeks ago and is among the Arizona Complex League’s leaders in average, OBP and slugging, with his eight homers also ranking in the top 10. He’s a left-handed hitter with a very rotational swing that is already producing power even though he’s going to get stronger from here, and he shows good instincts on both sides of the ball, including in his pitch selection. He’s not a runner at all and will probably end up bumped from center field by a plus defender. I think he is a really advanced bat and he should get a cup of coffee in the Low-A California League before the season is out.
After a rough debut season in the DSL, Arguelles did what big-bonus guys are supposed to do down there in his second spin, hitting .422/.528/.652 with five homers and more walks than strikeouts. He was young when he signed and is still just 18, so while he isn’t young for the complexes, he’s not a man playing against boys either.
Arguelles puts the ball in play. A short swing facilitates near-elite contact (84% last year), and he adjusts off the fastball as well as any young hitter you’ll find. He’s aggressive and will expand when behind in the count, but he has the hand-eye coordination to project as a hit collector. How much power is coming? Arguelles is projectable but has 30 power right now, and his swing isn’t geared to drive the ball. His speed gives him a shot to develop into a fourth outfielder, with a chance for more if he finds a way to hit the ball harder than I’m projecting.
Arguelles is a pure hitter with a sound lefthanded swing. He produced excellent contact rates in the DSL in 2025, making contact in the zone at a 91.6% rate and missing just 16.5% of the time. While he repeated the level, his 14.4% walk rate also suggests a solid feel for the strike zone. Arguelles can get a bit aggressive chasing pitches and also hasn’t hit for much power, though his impact could tick up if he can pack on more muscle. He’s an average runner with a fringy arm who might end up fitting best in a corner outfield spot.
Arguelles hit so well [in 2025] the Rockies considered flying him stateside last summer, but they’re excited to have him in country now. He already has a very strong feel for hitting, using the whole field. He grinds out at-bats, takes walks and shows excellent balance at the plate. The left-handed hitter is going to keep getting stronger and has mistake-type power with a hard rate of contact, but it’s more gap than over-the-fence kind of pop.
While he’s not a runner, he has solid instincts defensively and his average arm can play up a little when he attacks the ball. He’s played mostly center field thus far, and the Rockies will still give him reps there to maximize his athleticism, but he’ll start getting time at all three spots, with a corner the most likely home for him long term if he develops into a regular.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Arguelles doesn’t have big tools in the way that some others in the top ten do, but he seems to have the most important hit tool and has produced very well over the last two years. I ranked Arguelles fifth on my ballot as a 50 FV player on the strength of the hit tool. Arguelles retains some defensive utility and his offensive approach seems refined enough that he won’t suffer the fate of twitchier athletes who have dominated short season ball while wilting against upper minors pitching. Arguelles will get the chance to prove it next year, likely back in Low-A initially but I can foresee a bump to High-A before the season is out.
4. Tyler Bell (759 points, 28 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: NR — High Ballot 1 (2); Mode Ballot 3
How did he enter the organization?
2026 First Round, University of Kentucky
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
Bell was the 10th-overall pick in this season’s draft out of Kentucky as a draft-eligible sophomore, signing for a slightly under-slot bonus of just under $6 million. The 21-year-old switch-hitting shortstop moved straight onto overall top 100 status because of his well-rounded offensive profile and up the middle defense. Bell stayed in the draft’s top ten despite suffering a torn labrum in his non-throwing left shoulder this season that shortened his year by a month and will likely need offseason surgery to repair.
Bell was drafted by the Rays in the second round in 2024 (66th overall) but didn’t sign, so he represented the highest drafted player from that class who was available in the 2026 draft. As a freshman at Kentucky, Bell’s pedigree shone through as he hit .297/.385/.522 with ten homers among his 29 extra-base-hits with 11 steals in 265 plate appearances, good for a 101 wRC+.
This year, Bell’s shoulder injury meant less reps, but he produced at a higher level despite the injury. In 194 plate appearances, Bell hit .343/.510/.608 with nine homers (19 extra-base-hits) while walking in over 15% of PA and striking out in 19% of them, which equates to a 152 wRC+ in the SEC. In his two collegiate seasons, Bell was hit by an astonishing 31 pitches, including 20 this year.
Likely due to the shoulder injury, Bell hasn’t made his professional debut yet. Here’s some highlights from this year at Kentucky, showing off power from both sides of the plate and some good defensive plays:
[Bell is] a very disciplined hitter, with a chase rate of 13.5 percent during the regular season, and still shows above-average power with plenty of hard contact, including a 90th percentile EV of 105.5 mph that puts him in the top 20 percent of batters. He is a true switch-hitter with simple swings from both sides of the plate, taking a small stride and getting a lot of juice from his hip rotation, with slightly better bat speed from the left side. He projects to high OBPs with 15-20 homer upside at his peak. Given that he’s likely to stay at shortstop, he’s a potential All-Star.
A switch-hitter, Bell is proficient from both sides of the plate. He has the bat speed and strength to generate 20 homers per season once he learns to lift balls in the air more consistently. He has a decent approach at the plate but can get too passive at times and has trouble staying back on changeups.
Bell has all of the ingredients to play a solid shortstop. He has average speed but a quick first step, smooth actions, reliable hands and a strong arm capable of making throws from any angle necessary. His defensive instincts and athleticism would allow him to play almost anywhere on the diamond if he ends up in a utility role. He gritted through the shoulder injury to play for the Wildcats, but it was known he would require surgery to repair it before beginning his pro career.
Bell is a competent and dangerous hitter from both sides of the dish, and his pretty left-handed swing is evocative of Jackson Merrill. It almost looks like a golf swing because his barrel takes such a naturally vertical path through the hitting zone and results in a ton of airborne contact. He is a dangerous pull hitter against elevated fastballs and tends to hit softer stuff back through the middle of the field. Though Bell shows some ability to adjust his posture to dip and hit low pitches, too often he is very upright and ends up swinging over the top of a lot of soft stuff, including plenty that finishes in the strike zone. His strikeouts improved (22.3% as a frosh, 18.6% this year), but they’re still higher than you want from a top pick. Some teams might be inclined to project on Bell’s contact skill based on the fact that he is just a sophomore who was dealing with the fallout of a major injury this season, while others might be scared that his strikeouts are going to be a persistent issue.
Though his throwing stroke is a bit atypical and Bell sometimes takes an extra step or two before he gets rid of the baseball, he easily has the range, athleticism and arm strength to man a big league shortstop and just needs technical polish. He has a little more injury and hit tool-related bust risk than the other top-of-the-draft college hitters, but he otherwise projects to be a power-over-hit everyday shortstop.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Bell’s injury means Rockies fans will need to wait until 2027 to see how the shortstop takes to pro ball in either Low-A or High-A depending on how shortstop reps will be allocated. The switch-hitter offers excellent defensive utility as a likely shortstop, power from both sides of the plate, and a good hit tool to boot. That’s why I ranked Bell second on my ballot as a 50 FV player who could be a quick mover through the system once he’s healthy.
Check back on Monday to see how the top three shook out!
The Boston Red Sox (68-59) open a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants (52-75) tonight at Fenway Park. Boston enters the weekend in control of the second Wild Card position in the American League. The Giants are riding out a disappointing season. Only the Rockies have fewer wins on the campaign than San Francisco’s 52.
The issues for the Giants are on the mound as well as at the plate. The offense has scored the fewest runs in the National League while only the pitching staffs of the Nationals, Reds, and Pirates have allowed more runs. That’s a bad combination. In losing two of three to the Guardians in Cleveland earlier this week, San Francisco scored a total of four runs and allowed a whopping 14. The Red Sox have treaded water of late but did take two of three against the Diamondbacks earlier this week. Boston scored 26 runs over the three games and allowed 12 including seven in a loss in Wednesday’s series finale.
Fans at Fenway will be treated tonight as they get to witness a couple of aces on the mound. San Francisco hands the ball to Logan Webb (8-7, 3.50 ERA) while Sonny Gray (15-3, 2.65 ERA) takes the mound for Boston. Webb comes into tonight having allowed one run or fewer in each of his last three starts. However, there is some uncertainty after he reportedly exited his August 15 start with minor tightness following a comebacker. Gray has been one of the best pitchers in the American League this season. He has been particularly sharp lately, compiling a 2.72 ERA over his last seven starts. His ability to limit walks and miss bats has kept him on the perimeter of the AL Cy Young conversation.
No doubt former Red Sox star Rafael Devers will be a major storyline this weekend as he returns to Fenway Park wearing a Giants uniform after last year's blockbuster trade.
Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Giants vs. Red Sox
Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, NBC Sports Bay Area, NESN
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The Latest Odds: Giants vs. Red Sox
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: San Francisco Giants (+163), Boston Red Sox (-176)
Spread: Giants +1.5 (-142), Red Sox -1.5 (+118)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Giants vs. Red Sox for August 21
Red Sox: Sonny Gray Season Totals: 132.2 IP, 15-3, 2.65 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 117K, 34 BB
Jarren Duran is 4-6 in his career against Logan Webb
Logan Webb has struck out 4+ hitters in 5 of his last 6 starts
Rafael Devers is 6-21 including 2 HRs in his career against Sonny Gray
Willy Adames is 6-19 including 1 HR against Gray
Sonny Gray has struck out 5+ hitters in 4 of his last 6 starts
Willson Contreras is 6-13 over his last 3GP
Adley Rutschman was 4-10 in the series against the Diamondbacks
Christian Koss did not pick up a hit in the last 2 games against Cleveland after hitting safely at least once in the previous 8GP
Rafael Devers has hit safely in 5 of his last 6 games (6-25)
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Giants vs. Red Sox
The Giants are 63-64 on the Run Line this season
The Red Sox are 62-65 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 58 times in San Francisco’s 127 games this season (58-58-11)
The OVER has cashed 59 times in Boston’s 127 games this season (59-64-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Giants vs. Red Sox for August 21
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Giants and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Red Sox on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5
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PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will be transferred to the 10-day injured list from the restricted list, three days after he failed to show up for a game in Boston.
General manager Mike Hazen confirmed Marte is headed to the injured list and will return once he’s healthy.
The three-time All-Star traveled back to Phoenix for tests on his left knee. Manager Torey Lovullo said he has struggled to get information from the veteran slugger throughout the process.
Marte’s absence and apparent injury come at a difficult time for the D-backs, who are fighting to make the playoffs for the first time since a run to the World Series in 2023. Arizona has a 67-61 record and is one game behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card spot.
Marte is hitting .249 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs so far this season.
This wasn’t the first time Marte had a strange disappearance.
Last season, he went on the restricted list when his home in Arizona was broken into during the All-Star break. He missed three games after flying back to his native Dominican Republic and later apologized for his absence.
BALTIMORE — Pete Alonso skipped sideways toward first base while his drive sailed toward the foul pole in left field. Then he tossed the bat aside, seemingly convinced he’d hit a home run.
From that distance and that angle, however, it was hard to be too certain.
Alonso’s deep fly was ruled foul, and the call stood after a review in Baltimore’s 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees. That led to plenty of outcry — and calls for baseball to use technology to evaluate possible home runs near the foul pole.
It doesn’t sound like that is imminent.
If baseball were to start using additional technology on fly balls like these, it would have to be developed, tested and installed by MLB, according to a person with knowledge of the issue. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
Unlike with the Automated Ball/Strike system, Hawk-Eye data above the foul pole is unlikely to be accurate that far from the field. It’s based on data from the first part of the ball’s flight, with the rest of the path estimated — meaning factors like wind aren’t fully accounted for.
Before the series finale, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said the front office had communicated with Major League Baseball about the call.
“Just said that there wasn’t enough video evidence to overturn the call on the field,” Albernaz said.
One angle showed the ball on the right side of the pole and another showed it on the left side. Neither provided much clarity on where the ball was at the moment it passed the pole and the wall in left, which was the key question.
If the ball were lower, the camera angles might’ve shown it passing in front of or behind the pole, but when a hit sails higher than the top of the pole, it’s not easy to find a definitive view.
The difference between a home run and a foul ball is substantial, so it’s understandable players would want to feel confident those calls are correct.
“Obviously, this is a big game in division, so obviously this one’s going to be a little bit more amplified. But this happens quite a few times throughout the season, more than you would think,” Alonso said after the game. “I think having a camera or laser shooting straight up, we have all the technology, analytics and whatever and funds. I don’t see why we can’t do it.”
The ABS system launched in the majors this year, and MLB has been experimenting in the minors with technology allowing challenges to checked swing calls.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Cubs moneyline
Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket
Matthew Boyd has struggled of late, allowing four home runs and seven earned runs in his last outing. But that poor performance may be exactly why we're getting an opportunity in the market, and I think the matchup at T-Mobile Park sets up well for a bounce-back start.
Boyd is a fly-ball pitcher, which can make him vulnerable depending on the ballpark and weather conditions. T-Mobile Park is an ideal setting for him, as the marine layer can limit the carry on fly balls and help mitigate his biggest weakness.
His overall numbers haven't been great this season, but many of his struggles have come at Wrigley Field. On the road, Boyd has posted a 2.57 ERA while allowing just two home runs, compared to 11 at Wrigley.
The Cubs are trading at 51 cents on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 54-cent favorite, giving us an edge at the current price.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
How to watch: MARQ, Mariners.TV
Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Rays moneyline
Price: 47¢ (+113) at Polymarket
The Rays have lost five of their last seven games, but are in a prime bounce-back spot as underdogs against Trevor Rogers and the Baltimore Orioles on the road.
Yandy Diaz (7-for-13, .591 xSLG), Junior Caminero (3-for-10, .278 xBA), and Ryan Vilade (4-for-4, HR) have all had their way against Rogers, who's coughed up a homer in each of his last three starts.
Going for the Rays is Freddy Peralta, who's striking this Orioles team out at a 26% clip across 53 at-bats, a sample size we can get behind.
With a heavy right-handed hitting lineup expected to be deployed for Tampa, they'll win this one outright. Play up to 50 cents at Polymarket.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
How to watch: Apple TV
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Diamondbacks -1.5
Price: 40¢ (+150) at Polymarket
There’s an incredible amount of data pointing toward Arizona winning this game comfortably.
Over the past month, the Diamondbacks rank first in home OPS, while the Reds sit at 27th on the road. Both teams will start left-handers, which creates another massive edge for Arizona. The D-backs rank second in OPS against lefties during that span, compared to 28th for Cincinnati. Eduardo Rodriguez also owns an ERA nearly two runs lower than Nick Lodolo, and the Reds’ bullpen has been one of baseball’s worst in recent weeks. Cincinnati is just 4-10 in Lodolo’s starts.
Add it all up, and Arizona is worthy of a plus-money runline wager.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Around 11 a.m. on May 29, 1949, veteran scout Tom Greenwade rolled up to a home in Commerce, OK to link up with a teenage ballplayer and his father. After watching the kid play each of the two days prior, Greenwade was intrigued enough to drive from Commerce to Baxter Springs, KS for another showcase. That day in Baxter Springs, he saw something that took him by surprise. Facing a lefty for the first time with Greenwade in attendance, the teenager stepped into the right-hander’s batter’s box. After lacing four line drives, the switch-hitter retreated to Greenwade’s car along with his father. The three hashed out a $1,500 contract for the remainder of the season to start his career in pro ball. Mickey Mantle was a Yankee.
Thomas Edison Greenwade Born: August 21, 1904 (Willard, MO) Died: August 9, 1986 (Willard, MO) Yankees Tenure: 1949-64
Greenwade grew up in Willard, a small town in Missouri that he’d call home throughout his life. He was an early standout as a pitcher and outfielder, playing in both the minor leagues and independent ball from 1923 into the ‘30s. While he had some excellent seasons, he never got the chance to play in the big leagues, moving into coaching and, eventually, scouting.
For a young man with little pedigree, Greenwade’s ascent in the scouting world is astounding. Hired by the Dodgers in 1940, he proved himself to Branch Rickey immediately. By 1943, he was already the Dodgers’ top talent evaluator, leading to a historic assignment that would become integral to his legacy.
Having received approval from Brooklyn ownership to pursue Black players, Rickey had a conundrum. On the one hand, the process of selecting the player to break the color barrier had to be kept completely under wraps. Any awareness on the part of the public — or even the rest of the league — of the Dodgers’ plan could torpedo it at the outset. At the same time, it was imperative Rickey choose a player whose talent and temperament would make the experiment a success, a task that would generally require all hands on deck in his scouting department.
At a one-on-one meeting at Kansas City’s Biltmore Hotel in 1943, Rickey tapped the one and only scout who would be involved in this secret project. “All that secrecy had me buffaloed,” Greenwade later said of the historic discussion. “And I got more curious after he sat and talked to me about things that had happened in his life. He told me one story about the time a hotel refused to allow the catcher of his Ohio Wesleyan team to have a room. The catcher was a Negro, and I began to get the idea.”
Greenwade started the process in Mexico and Cuba, under the guise of recruiting for a hypothetical Black Dodgers Negro League franchise. The first candidate who was strongly considered was Cuban shortstop Silvio Garcia, a talented ballplayer playing in the Mexican League. Accounts differ on why Garcia was not the man to make the leap to the National League. The most titillating account is that Mexican League President Jorge Pasquel put a pistol on the desk during his meeting with Greenwade, implying in no uncertain terms that he would not permit Garcia to jump ship to the States. Another narrative is that Garcia told Greenwade he would fight any player who directed abuse towards him, a deal-breaker given what lay ahead.
Greenwade’s account was less dramatic. “He couldn’t pull the ball,” he said of Garcia. “He was a right-handed hitter – everything went to right field.” Regardless of the reason, the decision to pass on Garcia led Greenwade to Jackie Robinson. Still the only man on the job, Greenwade never spoke to Robinson while scouting him, observing him from a distance, at least in part for the sake of secrecy. The scout saw enough on the field to make his recommendation to Rickey that, despite a suspect arm, Robinson was the right fit for the Dodgers.
In December of 1945, Greenwade jumped across town, accepting an offer from the Yankees that would triple his salary. He would spend many more years in the Bronx than he had in Brooklyn, with Mantle his signature signing. Their relationship went beyond that day in Baxter Springs, with Mantle leaning on Greenwade while struggling as a 19-year-old rookie in 1951 and continuing to leverage him as an informal advisor in the years that followed.
Mickey Mantle with the scout who discovered him, Tom Greenwade, celebrating another Yankee World Series win in '52.
Tom would later head on over to Hooterville to sell Oliver Douglas a new tractor. pic.twitter.com/Pje6mIyvwY
Greenwade went on to sign a cadre of consequential Yankees, including Elston Howard, who would break the Yankees’ color barrier in 1955. In 1950, the year after his meeting with Mantle, Greenwade came out to scout the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs. The team’s manager, the legendary Buck O’Neil, encouraged him to take a closer look at Howard. Within a matter of days, the Yankees had acquired his contract. In a rare recommendation involving an established big leaguer, Greenwade was the man who encouraged the Yankees to trade for Kansas City’s Roger Maris, projecting greater production from the young slugger.
Greenwade retired in 1964, returning full-time to Willard, where the local high school’s ballpark still bears his name.
Tom Greenwade Field in Willard where the Lebanon Yellowjackets face the Willard Tigers at 4:30 on KBNN AM 750 pic.twitter.com/ILXJzIeM43
He died in 1986 and has remained an icon in the scouting world ever since, garnering induction into the Professional Scouts Hall of Fame as part of its second class in 2009.
Greenwade’s legacy is tangible; one need look no further than Monument Park at Yankee Stadium to see his impact. The legendary scout is directly responsible for four retired numbers out in Monument Park — those for Mantle, Howard, Maris, and Robinson, whose number is retired across baseball. Greenwade is at once a legend and an everyman, the blue collar scout who drove his Cadillac across America looking for the next great ballplayer and whose hit rate may never be equaled.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
After cashing our best bet and same-game parlay yesterday, we're back with my Blue Jays vs. Yankees prediction for Friday night.
The Toronto Blue Jays will be in tough today as they navigate a bullpen day against the New York Yankees and Cam Schlittler, but I think their offense can help keep it close.
Let’s dive into my MLB picks for August 21, and fatten that wallet before the weekend.
Blue Jays vs Yankees predictions
Blue Jays vs Yankees best bet: Blue Jays team total Over 2.5 (-125)
Don't look now, but this Toronto Blue Jays offense is hummin', and has gone Over this total in six straight games.
It's a different offense than it was the last time the Jays took on the New York Yankees and Cam Schlittler, who's limited this team to a .252 xBA across 104 plate appearances.
Offense has come from the entire lineup over the last month and change, but nobody has been hotter than Alejandro Kirk, who has 15 hits, three homers, and nine RBI across his nine-game hit streak.
Look for this team to scrape and claw to get three or more runs on the board, especially at one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the big leagues.
COVERS INTEL: Speaking of hot hitters, nobody is hotter than Ernie Clement in this matchup. Clement is 5-for-12 with a .340 xBA against Schlittler.
Blue Jays vs Yankees same-game parlay (SGP)
Yes, the Blue Jays will be going with a bullpen day, but it's a 'pen that's ranked the seventh-best in baseball (3.74 ERA), and one that's rested thanks to Shane Bieber going seven innings yesterday. That should be enough for Toronto to keep things close in a likely low-scoring affair.
Elsewhere, Clement has a variety of ways to cash this bet, and it helps that he feels right at home at Yankee Stadium, owning a .288 average with 17 hits, 12 RBI, and two homers.
Blue Jays vs Yankees SGP
Blue Jays +1.5
Blue Jays team total Over 2.5
Ernie Clement 2+ H/R/RBI
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Blue Jays vs Yankees home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+550)
Kazuma Okamoto has hit two homers in his last three games, and has one against Schlittler in his rookie season, too. Okamoto's in the 83rd percentile for barrel percentage (12.5%) and is in a good spot to go yard at Yankee Stadium... again.
2026 Transparency Record
Best bets: 5-5, +3.36 units
SGPs: 2-7, -0.5 units
HR picks: 0-9, -2.1 units
Blue Jays vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Toronto (+170) | New York (-210)
Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-125) | New York -1.5 (+105)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-115) | Under 7 (-105)
Blue Jays vs Yankees trend
The Blue Jays are 4-0 in their last four series openers. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Yankees.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Friday, Aug. 21, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
YES, Sportsnet
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Mason Fluharty (5-1, 3.71 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (10-6, 2.19 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Yankees latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Atlanta Braves just recorded a much-needed win against the White Sox as they travel to Milwaukee to start one of the toughest stretches of their schedule. After the Brewers the Braves must face the Dodgers. After a short break where they face a six-game stretch against the Rockies, Giants, and Nationals they face then have seven games against the Phillies with the Rays sandwiched in-between.
If the Braves want to maintain their lead in the NL East during this rough stretch of schedule, they will need to pick up on their offense, which ranks as the ninth worst in MLB in terms of total runs.
In the game today, their likely won’t be much offense from either team as we have a pitching matchup that many dream about among two likely Cy Young finalists. Chris Sale, a likely Hall of Famer will face off against phenom and Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski.
Misiorowski was the second fastest to two hundred strikeouts behind the Braves’ Spencer Strider and sports a dazzling 1.75 and 0.75 WHIP. Chris Sale has been fantastic himself with a 2.16 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 129.0 innings while having the best HR9 and BB9 in the NL.
It will be interesting this afternoon for Sale because over his last five starts he has given up three earned runs each in two games but has given up zero in his other three starts (we are not counting that terrible scoring call last game where Dubón clearly should have been charged with an error).
Sale is clearly a veteran, but somehow many of the Brewers have not faced him much in their career. Outside of backup catcher Gary Sánchez with his twenty-nine ABs against Sale, no one else on the roster has more than twelve. Jackson Chourio is the player with twelve ABs and has been successful with an OPS of .917. There are a few other players with limited success against Sale as well. Contreras has a .888 OPS in nine ABs, Vaughn has a .804 OPS in seven ABs, and Ortiz has a .864 OPS in ten ABs.
Fortunately, all the other players who have faced Sale in the past have struggled mightily.
Misiorowski is the clear frontrunner for the Cy Young Award and that has carried over in the limited times he has faced Braves hitters. No player on the Braves have faced him more than three ABs, but also no one has an OPS over .666. Riley, Smith, Albies, and Dubón all have one hit against Misiorowski, but they were all singles.
This game may come down to the bullpen, and that is not a good sign for the Braves. The Brewers have the best bullpen ERA in MLB since the start of August with 1.57. The next best team has a 2.76. The Braves on the other hand have a bullpen ERA of 4.05 in that time span.
On paper, the Brewers seem to have an upper hand. However, anything can happen in baseball so there is a chance the Braves can pull this off. It will require the offense to catch a spark against the best pitcher on the planet or the hottest bullpen in MLB.
March 27, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) prior to their game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Eighteen years ago, the Blue Jays traded Robinzon Diaz to the Pirates in exchange for Jose Bautista. At the time, the trade received little fanfare—even Bluebird Banter didn’t cover it immediately. Only later did we discuss its significance. In hindsight, it became the best trade of J.P. Ricciardi’s tenure.
With Diaz sent to Pittsburgh to complete the Bautista trade, he comes off our top 11 prospect list. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Diaz had struggled that year and J.P. Arencibia likely surpassed him, but I still thought Diaz was closer to being major league ready. Looking ahead, we’d need a catcher for next season—or risk a lot of passed balls.
I missed that one.
The next day, I posted a poll about the trade: 48% of readers liked the move, while 52% did not. Amusingly, I had thought Bautista was a middle infielder back then.
I also shared a FanGraphs article titled “Pirates Plunder Toronto.” At the time, I disagreed with the idea that the Jays were ‘plundered.’ While I liked Diaz, I doubted he’d become a star. I figured the trade would ultimately be inconsequential for both teams. But time would prove me wrong.
Wrong again.
It took him a few days to get his first hit as a Blue Jay.
It took about a year before we realized Bautista deserved more than a platoon role.
Ultimately, the trade was a big win for Toronto. Jose Bautista compiled a 37.0 WAR as a Blue Jay, according to Baseball Reference. Diaz, by contrast, played just 44 major league games.
Jose quickly became one of my favourite players to watch. His intensity and desire to win stood out, and he regularly helped his teammates with advice and support. Sometimes, I wished he’d show more joy on the field, but critics would likely complain no matter his demeanor.
Bautista often drew criticism, which is a common burden for a team’s best player—especially when the team falls short. I remember, as a kid, watching Gary Carter get blamed for the Expos’ disappointments and wondering why the less talented players escaped such scrutiny.
Acquiring Bautista was a turning point for the franchise. The team gained swagger and identity, and Bautista became the kind of player opposing fans loved to hate. As Reggie Jackson famously said, ‘People don’t boo nobodies.’
I can’t imagine—and wouldn’t want to—what those seasons would have been like without Bautista. His presence made them far more enjoyable.
Favorite memories?
The iconic bat flip perfectly encapsulated Jose’s style. In a critical moment, he delivered the big hit, and his reaction represented exactly how we all felt.
I was lucky enough to be in Boston in 2010 when Jose hit his 48th and 49th home runs of the season.
In 2009, I attended Jays games in Seattle during Jose’s first full season with Toronto. Sitting near third base, I watched as the Mariners put a runner on second and a single was hit to left field—where Jose played more often that year. Expecting a run to score, I was amazed when Jose fired a laser to home plate, nabbing Kenji Johjima. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized just how strong his arm was. Roy Halladay started that game, and with the trade deadline looming, we thought it might be his last as a Blue Jay. Ultimately, he wasn’t dealt until after the season.
Watching him work with Chris Colabello on his defense in the outfield.
Jose quietly declined to do interviews with Sportsnet after they featured Devon Travis in a segment where he was taken suit shopping and then expected to pay for the suit. Jose felt it was unfair to use a rookie making the league minimum for promotional purposes, especially when the purchase wasn’t voluntary.
What stands out most is his intensity.
Jose on the Blue Jays career leaderboards:
Career bWAR position players: 1st (38.4).
Offensive bWAR: 2nd (37.0).
On-base percentage: 4th (.372) minimum 1500 PA (tied with Otto Velez).
Slugging average: 5th (.506 behind Carlos Delgado (.556)).
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 13: Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals bats against of the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park on August 13, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Heading into the season, Daylen Lile was one of the players I was most excited to see. He was coming off a stellar rookie season that was capped off by winning NL Player of the Month in September. However, he has been unable to recapture that magic for most of this season and last night’s Golden Sombrero felt like rock bottom.
This feels like rock bottom in what has been a very disappointing second season for Daylen Lile. Still have a lot of faith in the player and the character but next season is big for him
Two of the things that made Lile so dominant last season was his confidence and his swing decisions. When he was at the dish towards the end of last season, Lile looked like he was in a flow state. Last night though, Lile was caught in between. He was really trying to be more selective, but in the end, he was taking strikes and swinging at balls.
Last season, Lile’s swing decisions were his super power, but now they are his achilles heel. In 2025, Lile chased just 26.7% of the time while swinging at pitches in the zone at a 75.4% clip. Chasing less than the average hitter while being ultra-aggressive in the zone is a rare skill.
However, it is not a skill that has translated this season. Lile’s zone swing rate of 75.9% remains relatively unchanged. His chase rate has ballooned to 39% though. The swing decisions are pretty much the root of all Lile’s offensive issues this season. His exit velocities and launch angles remain nearly identical. It is the swing decisions that have doomed Lile’s sophomore season.
It is really jarring to see the drop in numbers. Last season, Lile hit .299 with an .845 OPS. This year, those numbers are down to .241 and .691. Seeing a player with the pure hitting ability of Lile batting just .241 is shocking to see. Even if Lile was to regress this season, I thought it would be due to a dip in power rather than him just not hitting for average.
A player as gifted as Lile should not have an 88 wRC+. This is a negative season for Lile, don’t get me wrong, but I still think the talent is there. Even this year, he has had his moments, particularly against the Reds. He has 15 homers on the year, which is impressive. His defense has also taken major steps.
Honestly, the work he put in defensively may have come at the cost of his bat. Just about every clip I saw from Lile this offseason was him working on his defense. That made a lot of sense given his -10 Fielding Run Value. The work he put in has paid off as well. This season Lile is at +3 FRV. However, it seems like that work may have come at the expense of his bat.
Unlike Dylan Crews, I do think Lile has shown enough both last season and even this year to have a starting job in 2027. Next season is a huge year in Lile’s development though. The 23 year old will have to show that 2025 was no fluke and that he can be a productive regular.
I think Lile has it in him and that this season will help him in the long run. Blake Butera has spoken multiple times about how Lile is very hard on himself. I believe that this year will help Lile be better able to deal with failure and it will teach him some real lessons.
Simply put, Daylen Lile has been punched in the mouth by the baseball gods this year. He can either get off the mat or stay down. Based on what I know about Lile, I think he will get off the mat. It might not be this season, but he will get up eventually. The talent and work ethic is just too strong for me to give up on. However, this has been a true sophomore slump and hopefully Lile comes out the other side better than ever.
Boston, MA - May 1: Boston Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony singles in the eighth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on May 1, 2026. (Photo by Finn Gomez/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Not a whole lot going on offensively for the Woo Sox on Thursday, facing a bullpen game from Syracuse (NYM). Brett Harris had two of the team’s four hits, and Franklin Arias was 1-for-3 with a walk and an error. Isiah Kiner-Falefa continued his rehab, going 0-for-3 at shortstop.
Gage Ziehl started, and allowed three earned runs in four innings. Noah Song was dominant in relief, striking out seven batters and allowing a run in three innings.
On Friday, Blake Wehunt (1-1, 4.05) gets the start for the Woo Sox at 6:35.
The final score does not reflect how this game unfolded, as it entered the eighth inning with a score of 3 to 1 before Reading (PHI) broke it wide open.
Hayden Mullins started and allowed just one earned run in five innings, and struck out eight batters. In the fifth inning, trailing 2-0, center fielder Will Turner hit his 14th home run of the season, one of his two hits on the day. A rehabbing Roman Anthony went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
Relievers Caleb Bolden, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, and Griffin Kilander combined to allow nine runs in the late innings, turning it into a laugher.
On Friday, Devin Futrell (1-0, 5.40) takes the bump for Portland at 6:00.
Finally, some offense to speak of across the Sox minor league affiliates on Thursday. The top of the order for the Drive powered things, with Luke Heyman (3-for-4), Isaiah Jackson, and Maximus Martin all providing multi-hit efforts. Heyman and Martin each hit solo home runs in the seventh inning as well, quickly erasing a 6-4 lead for the Dash (CWS). What’s cooler than hitting a ball onto someone’s balcony in straightaway center field?
Maximus Martin with the TRUEST form of Apartment Hunting™️ as he parks the ball ON a balcony.
The Boston Red Sox prospect had three home runs and 15 RBI in High-A this season. pic.twitter.com/jN62tCHfa7
Trailing again in the eighth, 7-6, Stanley Tucker tied the game with a double before Jackson scored him with a game-winning sacrifice fly. Trennor O’Donnell recorded his first win, allowing a run in three innings and finishing the game.
The Drive will send Dylan Brown (3-7, 4.06) to the hill on Friday at 6:45.
What on earth was going on in the seventh inning last night?
The Warbirds (MIL) opened up a 10-1 lead in the top of the seventh by scoring six runs, before the RidgeYaks finally woke up. Featuring RBI doubles from D’Angelo Ortiz and Colton Coates, a two-run homer by Louis Andujar, among other things, the RidgeYaks cut the lead to one but could not complete the comeback.
Catcher Franklin Primera went 2-for-4 with an RBI, to improve his slash line to .339/.481/.537. The 19-year-old has a 171 wRC+ over 34 games at the level and recently skyrocketed to the number three prospect at Sox Prospects.
On Friday, Leighton Finley (6-4, 4.75) will take the ball at 6:35.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 19: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on August 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Marlins 4-1. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After seven innings of one-run ball against the Marlins on Wednesday night, Aaron Nola’s month of August has been a return to normal for the veteran right-hander. Across four starts and 23 innings of work, Nola has a 2.74 ERA with 30 strikeouts to just seven walks. Really good results from anyone but especially a pitcher that seemed like an automatic loss roughly six weeks ago.
It is not all perfect, some of the results are a bit smoke and mirrors. He has a 100% strand rate this month, which isn’t sustainable and hitters are pulling the ball a lot more, which could be scary. Nola has not exactly returned to his prime years, but it’s the kind of hot stretch of pitching that seemed hard to imagine given the last two seasons.
Even if we make the safe assumption that Nola will not maintain a sub-three ERA moving forward, there are still plenty of positive takeaways to have moving forward.
Lefties
Nola’s struggles against left-handed hitters have been well documented all year. He came into August allowing a .528 slug to lefties because he allowed 16 home runs against them and plenty of more damage. Another troubling issue was his walk rate spiking to 11.2%. It was a combination of getting crushed whenever he attacked them in the zone but doing his best not to go after them consistently. Probably the worst combination of the two.
In August, lefties are hitting just .207 with a .310 slugging against him. The walk rate has dropped down to 6.5% but the biggest improvement has to be in his strikeout rate, up to 32.3% along with better quality of contact.
Whats the reason? Some of it is probably to do with the opponents he’s faced. His four starts have come against the Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, and Miami Marlins.
The Nationals threw several left-handed and switch hitters against him, including James Wood and CJ Abrams. There is no handwaving there but that also happened to be his worst start during this stretch, even if it was still solid. The Blue Jays and Twins rank in the bottom six in wRC+ for left-handed hitters, so they were good matchups on paper for Nola.
As for the Marlins, Liam Hicks was traded to the Rays at the deadline and Kyle Stowers is on the injured list. Strength of schedule is certainly a big factor but it does not tell the full story.
The biggest difference has to be in Nola’s slight velocity jump, going from 92.2 mph over the first four months to 92.7 in August. It is still allowing a .571 slugging on his four-seam to lefties but it is far better than before, a .750 slug from southpaws over the prior four months.
Being able to trust it in the zone just a bit more has allowed him to throw more strikes and walk fewer hitters. His curveball is also playing better against them because of it, with a 41% whiff rate against southpaws this month.
Righties
There have been some experiments all year with how Nola is attacking right handed hitters. He began the year leaning on a three-fastball approach with fewer curveballs. It didn’t work. He then nearly abandoned the cutter entirely in May. It still wasn’t working.
He then went into a full platoon pitching plan, leaning heavily on the sinker and curveball. That didn’t work either.
Since the start of July, Nola started to reintroduce the changeup to right-handed hitters to help protect the fastball but August feels like the month where the mix has fully come together. He is spamming the curveball 38.4% of the time, leaning just enough into the sinker and cutter, keeping the changeup usage around 12-13%, and throwing enough fastballs to keep hitters honest but not enough to get crushed.
It’s probably the best balance of all the different ideas Nola has tried this year. He tried a slider phase but it’s gone and he doesn’t really need it when he already can throw five different pitches to them.
What to think:
Well, no one should tell you what to think but if you want an opinion… (I’m done with dad jokes now).
It is unreasonable to expect Nola to keep up this exact pace but there is no reason to think Nola is cooked. It took a lot of different things and conclusions, and sometimes just throwing harder but he has found the proper adjustments that should keep him viable.
Projecting beyond 2026 is hard to do. He just turned 33 years old and the difference between the 6+ ERA pitcher he was to begin this season and what he is now is slightly different but not enough to forget the recent past. If he comes into next season throwing 91 and cannot reach for any more at that point, everything that was said here probably doesn’t matter.
But, at least for the rest of this season, Aaron Nola is good enough to be the number four starter in a postseason game and face roughly 18 hitters. He was not that guy a month ago.
Kansas City officially approved a $600 million funding commitment for a downtown Royals stadium by an 11-to-2 vote, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco break down everything that led to it. Jeremy’s interview with Councilman Duncan, who voted no, adds real texture to the conversation, particularly his concerns about the lack of a completed financial analysis before the vote went through.
The deal structure gets a thorough examination, including the Royals’ private contribution, possible state funding, and whether the city actually used its negotiating leverage effectively. Jacob and Jeremy are not shy about their criticism, both of the rushed timeline and of the stadium renderings themselves, which they find generic and underwhelming given the scale of the project. For fans still opposed to the deal, the hosts lay out what options remain, including contacting city leaders directly.
On the field, the Royals are playing some of their best baseball of the season. A four-game sweep of the Athletics extended their winning streak to five games, and the team has been piling up comeback wins since the All-Star break. Vinnie Pasquantino’s return has been a major factor, with extra-base hits and better at-bats signaling that his power is fully back after hamate surgery. Bobby Witt Jr. is putting together a huge August that has a legitimate MVP case building, and Salvador Perez continues to climb the franchise RBI leaderboard.
The injury report remains crowded. Maikel Garcia is likely headed back to the IL, Jac Caglianone is dealing with ankle soreness even amid a huge August of his own, and Beck Way has begun a rehab assignment. Noah Cameron’s growing role gets spotlighted as the Royals look toward 2027, while Lucas Erceg’s demotion and Carlos Duran’s debut signal that the organization remains firmly in evaluation mode.
COVERS INTEL: Speaking of hot hitters, nobody is hotter than 
