Category: Baseball

The Braves sure do love “hey, this guy might have reverse splits, let’s do something about it!” Or, maybe they don’t really love it, but this is at least twice in recent memory that they’ve taken someone who might have… neutral splits, and gone with more righty bats. It doesn’t make much sense to me, but there it is. Lane Thomas and Brewer Hicklen are in the lineup this afternoon, as well as Ha-Seong Kim, while Sean Murphy, Ozzie Albies, and Mike Yastrzemski ride the bench.

Let’s take a wide view of Nick Martinez and his stats.

For the 2026 season, Martinez has a .283 wOBA-against by lefties, and a .310 wOBA-against by righties. This persists when you look at inputs by those batters, with a 3.78 xERA from lefty batters and a 4.89 xERA by righty batters.

However, the actual pitching is way less clear cut: Martinez has a 3.96 FIP and 4.50 xFIP against lefties, and a 3.94 FIP and 4.45 xFIP against righties. He seems more platoon-neutral than anything else. Considering that Lane Thomas is himself worse against righties, I’m not a huge fan of this, but whatever.

If you take the arc of Martinez’ career, “platoon-neutral” also seems tempting as a conclusion. His wOBA-against is within .001 against lefties and righties, his xERA is marginally lower against lefties (4.19 to 4.39), and his FIP and xFIP have a marginal split in the expected direction (4.53 / 4.66 against lefties, 4.45 / 4.49 against righties). So, I wouldn’t do this, but the Braves are.

Meanwhile, the Rays are giving Martin Perez a few more righties to contend with, including Ryan Vilade and Nick Madrigal, though Chandler Simpson and Cedric Mullins remain in the lineup despite batting left-handed.

Let’s talk about batter-versus-pitcher, too, just for the sake of having something else to add here, even though it doesn’t really matter. Martin Perez has been around a while, but most of these Rays batters have not. Both Nick Martinez and most guys in the Braves’ lineup are veteran-ish.

Everyone but Hicklen and Drake Baldwin on the Braves side has faced Nick Martinez at least twice; Matt Olson leads the pack with 19 PAs and a pretty hefty .508 wOBA / .384 xwOBA. Austin Riley, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Mauricio Dubon have also done the business against Martinez in limited PAs. The collective line is a .351 wOBA and .336 xwOBA in 53 PAs.

For the Rays and Perez, it’s similar-ish: six of nine in their lineup have faced him. Yandy Diaz (.468 wOBA, .358 xwOBA) has 32 career PAs against Perez; Mullins has struggled with a .210-.220ish wOBA/xwOBA in 14 PAs. Collectively, it’s 64 PAs with a .364 wOBA / .316 xwOBA, so basically there’s a similar level of familiarity and performance in that sample by both of these teams against the scheduled starter.

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It's another short Thursday slate for our MLB expert picks.

Two of our analysts are eyeing lines from the Texas Rangers-Seattle Mariners clash at T-Mobile Field this afternoon, while Josh Inglis is backing the Chicago White Sox to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the nightcap on Thursday, Sept. 10.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Probability
Josh Inglis: CHW ML	51%
Jon Metler: TEX ML	47%
Joe Osborne: TEX/SEA o6.5	51%

Probabilities courtesy of Polymarket. For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: White Sox moneyline

Price: 51¢ at Polymarket

I got this at 51% and have the fair price closer to 54%.

The Chicago White Sox have already dropped both games of this series, and the threat of a sweep should provide plenty of motivation. There might be some interest in the Pittsburgh Pirates with White Sox rookie Hagen Smith making his first start, but he's been a nasty lefty out of the bullpen this year, with nine scoreless outings in 10 games and 23 Ks over 16 innings.

Jared Jones looks like a pitcher who struggles on visiting mounds, with a 4.0 BB/9 away from home compared to 2.6 at PNC Park. His road WHIP is also half a point higher.

I see this as a 50/50 game on a neutral field, and home-field advantage is worth at least another 2%, or 20 points, to me. The White Sox are fighting to hold onto the AL Central lead, while Pittsburgh has already secured the series and Chicago has one more chance to avoid the brooms.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, CHSN

Jon Metler's expert pick: Rangers moneyline

Price: 47¢ at Polymarket

The Texas Rangers are trading at 47%, and that's a number I'm buying because I price them closer to a 52% favorite. That's a sizable edge compared to what we typically see in this market. 

The middle of the Seattle Mariners' lineup, including hitters like Cal Raleigh and Dominic Canzone, features steep uppercut swings designed to elevate the ball. 

That's exactly what Jacob deGrom's high-velocity fastball with late riding life at the letters can neutralize, turning those uppercut swings into routine popups or complete whiffs. 

The Mariners will try to counter the right-handed deGrom by stacking their lineup with seven left-handed hitters, but that doesn't give them an advantage. DeGrom is equally tough on lefties as he is on righties, thanks to his ability to attack their hands with his fastball and use his back-foot slider to keep them off balance.

Neil Parker breaks this matchup down further in his Rangers vs. Mariners predictions.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: RSN, Mariners.TV

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Rangers at Mariners Over 6.5

Price: 51¢ at Polymarket

Such a low total isn’t warranted with the 2026 versions of these two starters.

Logan Gilbert owns a 4.45 home ERA and just surrendered seven earned runs and four homers to the A’s, and deGrom has a brutal 5.86 road ERA across 13 starts.

Neither lineup is imposing, but each is in respectable form. Seattle ranks fifth in wRC+ against righties over the last two weeks, while Texas sits second overall over the past week.

Add in two bullpens getting smacked around all September, and getting to seven runs shouldn’t be much of a struggle.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: RSN, Mariners.TV

More MLB best bets for today

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The Seattle Mariners are a short home favorite over the Texas Rangers ahead of the 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch in their series finale at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, Sept. 10.

My top Rangers vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks call for the Rangers to pull off the afternoon win while the total goes Over the number.

Who will win Rangers vs Mariners today: Rangers moneyline (46.5%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

While there have been a handful of hiccups from Texas Rangers veteran Jacob deGrom, he’s still allowed two runs or fewer in 19 of his 27 starts. Perhaps even more encouraging, the 38-year-old righty’s 3.11 xFIP ranks ninth among104 starters with at least 100 innings.

The Texas offense is also trending in the right direction with a fourth-ranked wOBA, third-ranked ISO and fourth-ranked xwOBA over the past two weeks. For comparison, the Seattle Mariners check in at 24th, 26th, and 23rd, respectively.

Mariners righty Logan Gilbert has also started to slide late in the season with a ho-hum 4.10 xERA and 3.92 xFIP over his past six starts, and Seattle ranking 30th in bullpen xERA over the past 30 days only bolsters the case to back Texas.

As a result, I expect the Rangers to outscore the Mariners this afternoon and recommend the Texas moneyline to 50%.

COVERS INTEL: DeGrom ranking second in swinging-strike percentage, seventh in strikeout-to-walk ratio, and eighth in strikeout percentage reinforces that the two-time Cy Young winner is still among the best in baseball.

Rangers vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Over 6.5 (51.2%)

This is an aggressively low total, and I’m still bullish on the Over 6.5 to 53.5%.

As highlighted, the Rangers are rolling at the dish, and the Mariners have scored eight times through the first two games of the series and have hit the Over in 15 of their last 22 games (+7.35 Units / 30% ROI). Texas has also cashed the Over in 11 of its past 15 games (+7.65 Units / 47% ROI). 

Seattle isn’t the only team with struggling relievers, with Texas ranking 23rd in bullpen xERA over the past 30 days.

Rangers vs Mariners home run prediction: Wyatt Langford (16.7%)

Gilbert has surrendered 11 homers across his past seven starts with an unheard-of .403 ISO allowed to right-handed hitters. Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford has hit 12 of his 16 homers against righties with a .210 ISO. He’s also faced Gilbert 21 times, so there’s a growing familiarity.

Rangers vs Mariners weather

The weather forecast calls for clear, sunny skies with warm afternoon temperatures peaking around 75 degrees, and a light 4-6 mph wind blowing out toward right-center field at T-Mobile Park.

Rangers vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: Rangers 47.6% | Mariners 56.5%
• Run line: Rangers +1.5 (67.7%) | Mariners -1.5 (37%)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (52.4%) | Under 6.5 (52.4%)

Rangers vs Mariners trend

The Rangers have hit the Over in 11 of their last 15 games (+7.65 Units / 47% ROI), and the Mariners have gone Over in 15 of 22 (+7.35 Units / 30% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Mariners.

How to watch Rangers vs Mariners and game info

Rangers vs Mariners latest injuries

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Recaps

[Dbacks.com] Gallen, Soroka return, but D-backs fall out of 3rd NL Wild Card spot – In Arizona’s 5-2 loss to the Royals in the series finale, Gallen worked the opening 3 1/3 innings. He wasn’t able to get through the fourth because a 10-pitch at-bat against Nick Loftin with one out lifted his pitch count to 68. Gallen gave up four hits and two runs (one earned), including a solo homer to Carter Jensen. Soroka took over for the fifth in his first relief appearance of the season. Soroka struck out Kyle Isbel to begin his outing, but then surrendered a single to Isaac Collins and a walk to Jensen before Bobby Witt Jr. snapped a 2-2 tie with a three-run homer that proved to be the game-winner.

[SI] The Good And Not So Good From Zac Gallen’s Return from Injury – Gallen’s four-seam fastball has been the hinge point of his issues for multiple seasons. It simply has not been an effective pitch since the early stages of 2024. Unfortunately, that was the case again Wednesday. Gallen shied away from his fastball after the third one he threw was hit 106.5 MPH (albeit for an out). He threw only nine out of 68 total pitches, tied with his sinker for the least-used offering on the night. The fastball’s velocity was also significantly down. This is not a major concern after a lengthy IL stint and an elbow injury. But Gallen’s four-seam averaged 91.2 MPH, which is 2.2 MPH down from his 93.4 yearly average.

Team news

[Arizona Sports] Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll to get MRI on Thursday – Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters on Tuesday that Carroll would likely need imaging after he was scratched from the lineup in Kansas City. Lovullo said Carroll would not play in their series finale on Wednesday against the Royals. Carroll said he suffered a back spasm last week during Arizona’s home series against the Philadelphia Phillies. He made 44 start starts before taking a seat on Monday, when he came off the bench late in the D-backs’ 5-4 win. The All-Star has gone through his ups and downs this season both in terms of performance and health. At the plate, Carroll was great through mid-June, suffered a miserable July and started to tick back up in August before a late-month slump.

[ProPublica] The Dominican Baseball Factory – On an evening in late 2021, in a pristine baseball complex in central Santo Domingo, a baby-faced 14-year-old outfielder in athletic gear named Belfi Rivera huddled in front of a computer screen. Next to him was John Carmona, who had been Belfi’s trainer and de facto caretaker since he was 11 years old. In a nearby office, Belfi’s parents stared anxiously at a separate computer. On the screen, calling into the Dominican Republic, were representatives of the Arizona Diamondbacks, there for a conversation that promised to shift forever the fortunes of Belfi and his parents. The team, they would soon learn, had agreed to pay Belfi $1.8 million after his 16th birthday. It was a deal Carmona had negotiated without consulting Belfi or his parents. It was also a handshake agreement that skirted Major League Baseball’s rules that bar teams from signing players younger than 16.

[SI] Derek Jeter’s Most Meaningful World Series Was the One He Lost – Twenty-five years later, the 2001 World Series—a series he lost—resonates more deeply with Jeter than most any career highlight. It was bigger than the team. Bigger than the title that slipped away. Bigger than baseball. “But, the interesting thing is even to this day, if I run into people, Yankee fans, New Yorkers, they’ll mention how great that World Series was—and no one mentions the fact that we lost. It’s really fascinating because Yankee fans are like no other. It’s, ‘You win a World Series or it’s a failure,’ which I 100% agree with. But in that particular World Series, no one I run into mentions the fact that we lost.”

[NBC Sports] Don’t expect Burnes to return to form in 2026 – James Schiano breaks down Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes’ season debut, pointing to his inefficiency and velocity while tempering expectations for a return to form this season.

And, elsewhere…

[ESPN] Early MLB free agency intel: Skubal, Chisholm, Arraez, more – It’s anyone’s best guess as to how owners handle the free market. In the days leading up to the last lockout after the 2021 season, there was a flurry of big-money deals, including Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to Texas for $500 million combined; Javier Baez to Detroit for $140 million; Max Scherzer to the New York Mets for $130 million; Robbie Ray to Seattle for $115 million; and Kevin Gausman to Toronto for $110 million. Unlike last time, however, the owners today are seeking a system that would fundamentally change the game and its salaries. And without a sense of how previously signed contracts would work in a capped system, the reticence might be strong.

[MLB.com] Ohtani placed on injured list to rest left knee, right biceps injuries – “It was more just really huddling up and saying, ‘Hey, how are you going to feel on Friday? How are you going to feel on Saturday?'” Roberts said. “Talking to the doctors and training staff, there was not much certainty that he’d be in a much better place. With that, just taking it off the table seemed like the best course of action.” As a corresponding move, the Dodgers will call up MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 overall prospect, Josue De Paula, from Double-A Tulsa. De Paula will join the team on Friday in Miami. L.A. will need to add him to the 40-man roster ahead of his Major League debut.Roberts previously described placing Ohtani on the IL as a deterrent because the minimum-length IL stint for two-way players is 15 days. But after Ohtani did not show sufficient improvement over the past week, the Dodgers felt that he would be better served by taking a more extended stint to recover.

[ProPublica] The Rising Baseball Star, a Fatal Car Crash and the Fixer – Six years ago, Pittsburgh Pirates star prospect Oneil Cruz rear-ended a motorcycle, killing all three of its passengers and jeopardizing his career. Cruz’s parents brought in a fixer to pay off the victims’ families so they wouldn’t sue and wouldn’t demand that prosecutors pursue the case. In making the case go away, that fixer, Santo Caraballo, saved Cruz’s career and launched his own as one of the most powerful figures in Dominican baseball.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (71-68) lost 8-6 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Price 3 run home run. In the 2nd inning, Spence connected on a solo home run. Alexander start for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 6 runs over 3.2 innings. In the third, Dezenzo drove in a run on a groundout. Swanson pitched in relief and allowed 2 runs as the Comets extended their lead. The offense got another run in the 8th on a Delgado groundout but that was it as Sugar Land fell 8-6.

Note: Santos has a 1.00 ERA in Triple-A.

• Cavan Biggio, 2B: 1-for-2, 3 R, 2 BB, SB
• Collin Price, 1B: 2-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI
• Zach Dezenzo, DH: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
• Lucas Spence, LF: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB

• Jason Alexander, RHP: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
• Alex Santos II, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Nic Swanson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Christian Roa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (61-73) won 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

Shoemaker started for the Hooks and tossed 4 scoreless innings allowing just one hit. The offense got on the board in the 3rd inning scoring 4 runs on a Janek RBI double, Moss 2 run single and Holy RBI single. The pen allowed a few runs as the RockHounds made it close. The offense got an insurance run in the 9th on a Thomas sac fly and David tossed a scoreless 9th inning to close out the 5-3 win.

Note: Thomas has a .802 OPS in Double-A.

• Justin Thomas, CF: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
• Will Bush, DH: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB
• Walker Janek, C: 1-for-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB
• Jack Moss, 1B: 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI
• Alejandro Nunez, LF: 1-for-3, BB
• Max Holy, SS: 1-for-4, RBI
• Hector Salas, 2B: 1-for-4, R
• Alberto Hernandez, 3B: 1-for-4, 2B

• Adam Shoemaker, LHP: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 2 K
• Max Martin, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• Amilcar Chirinos, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, o ER, 1 BB, 2 K (WIN)
• Alejandro Torres, RHP: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (SAVE)

A+: Asheville Tourists (43-87) SEASON OVER

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-0) OFF

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Brandon McPherson – 6:35 CT

CC: Joey Mancini – 7:00 CT

AV: SEASON OVER

FV: TBD – 5:35 CT

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The New York Yankees beat the Colorado Rockies by multiple runs in the first two games of this series, and my Rockies vs. Yankees predictions expect more of the same in the finale.

New York's power should be front and center against Ryan Feltner, who bleeds home runs and will get no help from the favorable conditions at Yankee Stadium.

Let's break it all down with my MLB picks before first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Who will win Rockies vs Yankees today: Yankees -1.5 (58%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Ryan Feltner is one of the most hittable pitchers in the majors, ranking in the second percentile in xERA.

Pitching a healthy chunk of games at Coors Field hasn’t helped his cause but, unfortunately for Feltner, playing in warm weather at Yankee Stadium isn’t much better.

Feltner has posted a 5.91 ERA and allowed 1.86 HR/9 in hitter-friendly conditions. Things are unlikely to go well for him against a New York Yankees squad sitting third in ISO vs. right-handed pitching.

Max Fried should get a ton of run support, making the Yankees run line a buy up to 59%.

COVERS INTEL:Ryan Feltner's 11th percentile barrel rate will get him into trouble against a powerful Yankees attack.

Rockies vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (53%)

Feltner has allowed nearly two baserunners per inning over the last 30 days. He's giving up a ton of traffic, and the Yankees certainly have the power to cash in.

They sit fifth in homers against righties — and third at home — despite playing a ton of games without Aaron Judge. Luis Garcia Jr. is also still relatively new to the scene and adds to their pop.

The Colorado Rockies quietly rank eighth in road wOBA vs. southpaws the past two months, and could cause headaches for Fried.

Play to 55%.

Rockies vs Yankees home run prediction: Aaron Judge (32%)

Aaron Judge hasn’t left the park since returning from injury, and this is the perfect storm for that to happen. Hot weather and wind blowing out create a great environment for homers, with a 22% boost projected for this game.

Judge also shines against Feltner’s pitch mix. Isolating the three pitches he uses at least 20% of the time facing righties, Judge owns a .270 ISO and a remarkably high 21.3% barrel rate. All rise!

Rockies vs Yankees weather

The bats will see a big boost with temperatures in the 80s and winds blowing out in an already hitter-friendly ballpark.

Rockies vs Yankees odds

• Moneyline: Rockies 26% | Yankees 75%
• Run line: Rockies +2.5 (55%) | Yankees -2.5 (45%)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (53%) | Under 8.5 (48%)

Rockies vs Yankees trend

The Yankees have covered the run line in 15 of their last 22 games for +11.15 units and a 42% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Rockies vs. Yankees.

How to watch Rockies vs Yankees and game info

Rockies vs Yankees latest injuries

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

Good morning A’s fans!

The A’s got hit with more bad injury news recently concerning two of the team’s top two prospects. Young infielder Leo De Vries is set to undergo the knife and be down longer than people expected, possibly as long as eight months:

The surgery isn’t the surprise, it’s the time he’ll be down for. It is major shoulder surgery though so the timeline shouldn’t come as a complete shock when you think about it. Most of the recent examples that have undergone a similar surgery like Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe or Toronto’s Anthony Santander missed at least eight months. Shohei Ohtani was only down for roughly four but that was to his non-throwing shoulder, which De Vries’ is.

If he does end up missing eight months that’ll see him getting back into the swing of things by mid-May. After a strong year at Double-A there was the expectation he’d begin next year with the Aviators but with the extended time off he may return to the Rockhounds for a rehab stint before his promotion to the last level of the minors. And from there it’s one call from the Athletics’ dugout.

On the bright side the 19-year-old is still incredibly young for the level he played at this year and with youth on his side he should be able to recover from this with no issues or setbacks. No news is good news regarding our top prospect this offseason because that’ll mean his recovery is going smoothly. We’ll see where he is come spring.

Things take a darker turn for the Athletics from here. Left-handed pitching prospect Jamie Arnold was struck in the face by a comebacker in his second Triple-A start by the fourth batter he faced, He was immediately removed from the game.

Not a great day for injuries, or year for that matter. Good news though is that Arnold was able to walk off under his own power. He did make that trip to the hospital though and it was discovered he suffered intra orbital and maxillary sinus fractures. That’s your face bones, people.

It definitely could have been much worse though. Older A’s fans may remember what happened when Brandon McCarthy got hit right in the head with a line drive. Arnold seems to have dodged the worst of it but we’ll have to wait and see what the rest of his year looks like. Surgery won’t be required, so that’s good, but there’s also no time line for his return to the mound. And frankly, it may be a blessing in disguise to end his season here. He’s surpassed his career-high in innings pitched, has reached the final level of the minors and looked good in his first start with the Aviators. Call it a season and have a good offseason. He’ll be needed next year.

And it sounds like a family member shared some good news on X as well:

No game today as the club has a day off while they await the Seattle Mariners who are coming to Sacramento. Until then! Have a great day A’s fans.

A’s Coverage:

• 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
• A’s Shut Out Blue Jays 2-0 to Win Series
• Blue Jays Win 4-2 to Even Series
• A’s Walk Off Blue Jays 6-5
• Mariners Defeat A’s 2-0 in Road Trip Finale
• “Fast Movers” Might Be Key To Contention
• Bi-Polar Performance Arcs Make Evaluation Difficult
• A’s Escape Texas With A Win, Beat Rangers 9-2
• A’s Designate José Suarez For Assignment
• Q&A: Clarke determined to finish strong with A’s after long IL stint
• White exits with back tightness as A’s injury woes continue
• It’s Been a Bummer Summer in Sacramento
• The A’s valuation rises with sales of 2 MLB clubs as Las Vegas move looms
• Your 2026 Hacktastic A’s
• Athletics Considering James Click For GM Vacancy
• Daejon Love case brings back Eric Byrnes’ bizarre story of an A’s bat boy impersonation
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
• How defensive whiz Clarke’s return will impact A’s
• How A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell brought taking a knee to MLB and what happened afterwards
• A’s Plan to Test Top Pitching Prospect Jamie Arnold at Next Level
• Separating The Wheat From The Chaff Not So Easy
• Amidst The Despair: The Position Player Talent Is There
• What Are The Next Steps For The A’s? ($)
• Where Each A’s Player’s Contract Stands Entering Offseason
• Why Athletics Will Have Scary Offense in 2027
• Underdog Athletics prospect Cole Conn playing like a big dog for Aviators
• Behind the Plate, the A’s Face an Offseason Reckoning
• Why The New GM Needs To “Clean House”
• A Seemingly Rock Bottomless Glass
• MLB Trade Grades: A’s Have Quiet Trade Deadline
• Fustercluck 2026: The Real Reasons For A Disappointing Season

MLB News and Interest:

• Ohtani to go on injured list to rest leg, arm injuries
• Dodgers calling up top prospect Josue De Paula with Ohtani out
• Yankees To Place Jazz Chisholm Jr. On Injured List
• Willson Contreras to begin rehab stint Friday, Red Sox say
• An early look at 11 intriguing offseason trade candidates
• Astros’ Jose Altuve doubles in 3rd vs. Phillies for 2,500th career hit
• Diamondbacks Activate Zac Gallen, Michael Soroka
• Only Yankee younger than Lombard to hit grand slam: Mickey Mantle
• Carson Whisenhunt Scheduled For Tommy John Surgery Next Week
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Looks like Shea just really wants to make it back:

Looks good to me!

And we’re almost a third of the way through!

Medina has found a place in the Athletics’ bullpen:

ICYMI:

If you really want to see the play where Arnold is hit, here it is:

The Lake Elsinore Storm completed their regular season schedule with a 4-1 record for the week and a cancelled game. Unanticipated weather conditions made the Lake Elsinore field unplayable. The tarp had not been deployed the day before the night and early morning rain arrived.

The championship playoff, a best-of-three series against the Ontario Tower Buzzers, started Tuesday, today and Friday, if needed.

Multiple roster moves occurred at the end of the Bridge League in Arizona and the end of both A-level seasons.

RHP JP France and RHP José Leclerc were released from El Paso. Outfielder Kai Murphy and catcher Victor Duarte were returned to the development list.

Outfielder Braedon Karpathios, LHP Luis Gutierrez, and catcher Anthony Vilar were promoted from San Antonio to El Paso.

RHP Trevor Gott was signed to a minor league contract and assigned to El Paso.

RHP Carson Montgomery, infielder Kerrington Cross, and RHP Will Varmette were promoted from Fort Wayne to San Antonio.

The Lake Elsinore Storm received 2026 first-rounder Coleman Borthwick for their playoff roster. The righty has been pitching in the Bridge League. LHP Jeronimo Palmeros was sent to Arizona to open a roster spot for Borthwick.

El Paso Chihuahuas (56-82 record, last in PCL East)

The Chihuahuas split their week’s series while continuing to struggle with enough pitching to hold opponents in check. RHP Evan Fitterer was their most effective starter for the season with a 4.38 ERA in 88.1 innings pitched in 26 appearances and 20 starts. 

RHP Hunter Stratton, acquired at the trade deadline, has pitched in 11 games and 14.2 innings with a 1.23 ERA.

RHP Jhony Brito, called up to the Padres briefly with the roster expansion, returned to El Paso with the activation of Nick Pivetta. He has started and relieved in his 42.1 innings pitched since coming off the injured list. Brito should have a more defined role with next season’s Spring Training work.

The Chihuahuas never really had a chance for a winning season with the constant flow of players back and forth with the parent club. Their offense was robbed of all their effective hitters while the pitching was also in flux and underperformed. 

Of the remaining players on El Paso’s offensive roster, outfielder Nick Solak has had the best season. In 105 games, Solak is hitting .316/.379/.505 with 26 doubles, two triples, and 16 home runs for 73 RBI. 

San Antonio Missions (58-74 record, last in Texas League South)

The Missions also split their series this past week.

Outfielder Braedon Karpathios, who struggled for most of the season after breaking out last year, has surged over the past month. In the first two games of the week, Karpathios had 7 hits with 2 homers and 9 RBI. He finished the six games hitting .636 (three doubles, two homers, 13 RBI) for a 1.712 OPS. He earned Texas League Player of the Week honors for that outburst. He was also promoted to El Paso for the last two weeks of their season.

LHP Luis Gutierrez, working to get back into form after missing most of the season with a shoulder injury, had a good start. He threw three innings with two hits and four strikeouts, not allowing a run. He was promoted to El Paso for their last two weeks and could see time in the AFL to continue to work back into form.

RHP Francis Peña, who has struggled with command most of the year, is finishing strong for the Missions. In two appearances, Pena struck out four over four innings pitched. He has a 27.6% K rate but also has a 14.2% walk rate for the year. 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (56-74 record, last in Midwest League East)

The TinCaps went 4-2 for the week, with third baseman Kerrington Cross finishing his Single-A stint with a good week. He had a 1.073 OPS for the week and has been hitting for more power of late. Over his last 27 games with Fort Wayne, Cross hit .269/.382/.441. After a dominant start in Lake Elsinore, Cross struggled when promoted to Fort Wayne but looks to have adjusted as the season ended for the team. He was promoted to San Antonio to finish out the season. Quite the first pro year for the 2025 7th-rounder.

RHP Winyer Chourio, 22, signed with the Padres in 2024 as an international player. He played in the ACL in 2025 and began this season with Lake Elsinore, promoted in June. Over those two levels, Chourio has a 6-5 record and a 4.56 ERA in 92.2 innings pitched. Also finishing strong, Chourio has a 2.29 ERA over his final five appearances after struggling to begin his time with the TinCaps. 

Catcher Robbie Lavey, the only 2026 Padres draftee to start his pro career in Single-A, played in 16 games with Fort Wayne, hitting .241/.302/.431 with five doubles and two homers for 12 RBI.

Lake Elsinore Storm (66-65 record, 2nd in California League South)

The Storm finished strong after struggling for all of the second half of the season. Shortstop Jorge Quintana, acquired at last year’s trade deadline, got some time at third base after new draftee Elliot Lascelles joined the team, playing at short. Quintana, 19, is still growing into his 6-2 frame. He might be a better fit at third base in the long run. He has just begun to come into his power swing, hitting nine homers in 103 games. 

Outfielder Qrey Lott, 21, is an undrafted free agent signed in July 2025. His first full pro season resulted in a .272/.385/.420 batting line with 14 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 42 RBI in 95 games. He is not in the Padres’ top 30 prospect list but bears watching.

2026 second-rounder SS Elliot Lascelles and seventh-rounder IF Joe Tiroly both did well in their pro debuts after signing their contracts. Lascelles hit .321/.406/.429 in 15 games with only 10 strikeouts in 64 plate appearances. 

Tiroly hit .323/.380/.692 with seven home runs and 16 RBI in 17 games and 71 plate appearances. He struck out 14 times.

RHP Jesus Castro, 19, completed his first stateside pro season with a five-inning outing, allowing four hits and one run. In 90.1 innings pitched, Castro has a 4.18 ERA in 22 games and 20 games started with 100 strikeouts to 31 walks. 

LHP Kruz Schoolcraft had a very inconsistent first season as a Padres prospect. In 22 starts and 79.1 innings pitched, Schoolcraft has a 5.90 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 57 walks. 

The Instructional League begins in Arizona before the start of the Arizona Fall League. AFL begins on Oct. 3.

When news broke over a week ago that Arte Moreno had reached an agreement to sell the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke, my buddy who lives in Mississippi texted me the—dare I say—iconic GIF from Angels in the Outfield:

That child actor is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and he’s gone on to quite the acting career from starring in the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun to portraying Batman’s sidekick in The Dark Knight Rises, among many other credits. He’s a good actor.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the cast for Angels in the Outfield is stacked. I mean, you have JGL in one of his earliest roles, if not his first; then you have established movie stars at the time like Danny Glover and Christopher Lloyd; sitcom star Tony Danza; and future stars Adrien Brody and Matthew McConaughey.

And that’s not even it!

Does Angels in the Outfield boast the best movie cast of all the baseball movies? It’s off to a strong start, for sure. But I wanted to make sure, so I first listed all of the baseball movies I could think of, then narrowed it down to 11 of them. After that, I wrote down every actor I could think of from that movie before turning to IMDb to see if I missed anyone.

Today’s mission: decide which of these 11 baseball films, listed alphabetically, has the best cast, regardless of how good the movie actually is. Readers can vote at the end.

42

Released in 2013, this Jackie Robinson biopic boasts Marvel star Chadwick Boseman in the title role with Harrison Ford portraying Branch Rickey, the Dodgers GM who signed Robinson. That’s a heck of a 1-2 punch. The cast also includes Nicole Beharie, who’d go on to star in the television show Sleepy Hollow, as Rachel Robinson, plus two doctors from Grey’s Anatomy, the always underrated Hamish Linklater, Christopher Meloni as Leo Durocher, Lucas Black, Andre Holland, Alan Tudyk, John C. McGinley (aka Dr. Cox from Scrubs), and an actor with just an incredible last name, Brett Cullen.

Heck of a first entry. Let’s see if it can be topped.

A League of Their Own

Two titans of modern-day acting in the first two films: Harrison Ford vs Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan, the manager of the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during World War II. Accompanying Hanks: Geena Davis and Lori Petty as sisters who star for the Peaches; pop star Madonna; 47’s BFF Rosie O’Donnell; The Third Cusack; Jon Lovitz; famed director Garry Marshall as the owner/creator of the league; David Strathairn as his right-hand man; Bill Pillman as Davis’ character’s husband; and early TéaLeoni.

Angels in the Outfield

I went through a good chunk of these actors in the beginning, but to recap: Danny Glover, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adrien Brody, Matthew McConaughey. But joining them: Brenda Fricker, who just passed away and was famous for her role in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York; Jay O. Sanders; my father’s favorite cowboy actor, Ben Johnson, as the owner of the Angels; Neal McDonough; and Dermot Mulroney (not to be confused with Dylan McDermott).

Brewster’s Millions

I love this stupid movie. I have seen it entirely too many times. Richard Pryor stars as Montgomery Brewster, a minor-league pitcher who must spend $30 million in thirty days to inherit $300 million. I’m laughing as I write this because one of the tags for the movie on IMDB is “high-concept comedy.” Sure.

Anyway, starring alongside Pryor is the great John Candy, who plays Spike Nolan, his battery mate and best friend. Other actors include Lonette McKee, Mr. Law & Order himself, Jerry Orbach, Pat Hingle (who played Commissioner Gordon in the Batman movies from 1989 to 1997), and—get ready for this—RICK MORANIS!

One million points awarded.

Field of Dreams

This is probably the best movie on this list, but does it boast the best cast? It’s certainly a strong one with an in-his-prime Kevin Costner starring as an Iowa farmer who hears voices in his head that convince him to create a baseball field in his corn. Then some ghostly baseball players come out of the corn, one played by Ray Liotta, another by Art LaFleur (we’ll see him again), and one by Frank Whaley. Whaley’s character is also portrayed by the great Burt Lancaster in one of his final films. Newly minted scream queenAmy Madigan plays Costner’s wife while her real-life husband, Ed Harris, is The Voice.

Last but certainly not least, James Earl Jones portrays Terence Mann, an early foil to Costner’s Ray Kinsella who then helps solve the mysteries spoken by The Voice.

(Uncredited as fans at Fenway: Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, but they’re just extras here, so I’m not counting them.)

Brief interlude here to recognize two movies that feature baseball to a much smaller degree:

• The Untouchables when Robert De Niro’s Al Capone brings a baseball bat to a meeting, and
• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off when the gang takes in a game at Wrigley, scored tied 0-0, Bears winning.

The Major League films

Bit of a cheat here as I’m considering all three of the Major League movies. The original’s cast is stacked with the likes of Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, and Wesley Snipes, but the first sequel brings in Omar Epps to replace Snipes while the second sequel—a very awful movie that you should at least watch once—stars that guy from Quantum Leap, a young Walton Goggins, and Ted McGinley of Married…with Children and Shrinking fame.

Corbin Bernsen is Roger Dorn in all three films while Dennis Haysbert also shows up in the trio. Rene Russo plays Berenger’s significant other in the first and then is barely in the second while Margaret Whitton excellently mocks Marge Schott. James Gammon, Chelcie Ross, David Keith, and everybody’s favorite announcer, Bob Uecker, also shine in these flicks.

Moneyball

Quality over quantity for Moneyball, which makes sense. Brad Pitt leads as Billy Beane, the general manager of the cheap Oakland Athletics. Jonah Hill co-stars as his right-hand man not named Paul DePodesta while the late Phllip Seymour Hoffman captures the disgruntled manager, Art Howe. Robin Wright, Chris Pratt, and Reed Diamond—shoutouts to Homicide: Life on the Street and The Shield, two of the best cop shows ever—also star. Arliss Howard plays Red Sox owner Johny Henry for one memorable scene. Howard will show up again later in this list.

The Natural

After two very strong candidates in Major League and Moneyball, we have The Natural, which may top both of them. Three Roberts lead the way: Redford as Roy Hobbs, Duvall as journalist Max Mercy, and Prosky as the majority owner known simply as The Judge. But that’s far from all: Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, and Barbara Hershey are also in the movie alongside the likes of Wilford Brimley, Joe Don Baker, Michael Madsen, and Richard Farnsworth.

Folks, I think we may have a new leader in the clubhouse.

Rookie of the Year

Daniel Stern directed this movie about a boy named Henry, played by Thomas Ian Nicholas, who breaks his arm, but when it heals, he can suddenly pitch as fast as Jacob Misiorowski. More believable than The Miz, Henry is a bullpen arm. Eddie Bracken, who plays the owner of the Cubs, has his son, played by Dan Hedaya, sign Henry. Amy Morton stars as Henry’s secretly ballplaying mother while Bruce Altman is truly slimy as her boyfriend.

Lest we forget, Gary Busey, always a wildcard, plays the team’s aging ace, Chet Steadman.

The Sandlot

Interesting candidate here as the main characters are all played by child actors who a) do an amazing job playing kids of a bygone era who love playing baseball during the summer and b) unlike Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Angels in the Outfield and Thomas Ian Nicholas of Rookie of the Year, didn’t do much afterward. Still, these kids are all brilliant.

Of the adult actors in the movie, Karen Allen plays, uh, Mom, who is the mother of the main character, Scotty Smalls. Denis Leary plays Bill, Smalls’ stepdad. Art LaFleur makes the list for the second time, this time as the specter of Babe Ruth. Arliss Howard, also in Moneyball, plays an adult version of Smalls, now a broadcaster for the Dodgers. And James Earl Jones makes his second appearance, this time as the owner of the misunderstood Hercules, the dog who loves to collect baseballs.

The Scout

Last and least, we have The Scout, which stars two of my favorite actors: Albert Brooks as a scout for the Yankees who finds an incredible, Shohei Ohtani-esque baseball talent portrayed by Brendan Fraser. Also in this film: Diane Wiest, the subject of the joke of one of the best cold opens in recent sitcom history:

Those are the eleven contenders. I have to say, I think I’m going with…The Natural by a smidgen over A League of Their Own followed by Field of Dreams. I’m going with Moneyball and Angels in the Outfield to round out the top five.

But now it’s your turn to vote. Poll limited to six options, if it’s an option not listed, feel free to speak up in the comments!

Led by a George Lombard Jr. grand slam, a good Will Warren outing, and Aaron Judge’s first two hits since returning, the Yankees cruised past the Rockies on Wednesday night. It wasn’t a victory to remark on for too long considering the opposition, but it was exactly the type of game they needed as they try to make their way in the playoff race.

With the Yankees taking care of business, did any teams do them some favors to add onto the win? Let’s take a look back in today’s Rivalry Roundup.

Tampa Bay Rays (87-58) 7, Atlanta Braves (85-61) 2

The Rays timed yet another victory well, downing the Braves and preventing the Yankees from gaining a game in the AL East race.

Led by a Victor Mesa Jr. home run, the Rays struck early, putting up three runs in the second inning. Two frames later, they put up yet another three spot thanks to a combination of three hits, a walk, and a sacrifice fly. Those six runs proved to be plenty for the Rays.

That’s because Griffin Jax was very solid on the mound for Tampa Bay. He allowed just two hits in five innings, with the one run he allowed coming on a Drake Baldwin home run. Atlanta eventually got another run back as well, but the Braves managed just one baserunner over the final three innings as the Rays won fairly easily.

Other Games

• Los Angeles Angels (56-90) 6, Boston Red Sox (80-67) 4: Homers from Zach Neto and Jose Siri allowed the Angels to put up a five spot in the third inning, carrying them past the Red Sox. The Angels jumped all over Red Sox starter Jake Bennett, picking up six runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings off him. For the rest of the game, Boston began to slowly chip away at their deficit. They brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but it proved to be too late.

• Pittsburgh Pirates (73-73) 4, Chicago White Sox (75-70) 2: After a tight contest, a three-run seventh inning from the Pirates, including two RBI from Konnor Griffin, helped Pittsburgh pull away and secure the win. That being said, all that was overshadowed by the benches clearing after a bit of some jawing following a double play turned by Pittsburgh. The White Sox were kept off the board for most of the game by a Pirates bullpen game, but did score a couple runs late to make things interesting, although not interesting enough.

AL Rock Fight

• Athletics (59-88) 2, Toronto Blue Jays (73-74) 0: The Blue Jays fell back under .500 as they were shutout at the hands of the lowly A’s. Starter Brady Basso threw four scoreless frames before the A’s bullpen finished things off, holding Toronto to no runs on six hits, as they left seven runners on base for the game.

• Seattle Mariners (68-78) 3, Texas Rangers (72-74) 2: The Rangers dropped a winnable game in the AL west race as they managed just two runs against the Mariners. Seattle starter and highly rated recent callup Kade Anderson had his best game so far, holding Texas to one run in six innings, as the M’s offense did enough to squeak out the win.

• Baltimore Orioles (71-76) 9, Cleveland Guardians (74-73) 5: The Orioles did most of their damage in an eight-run third inning that led to the Guardians failing to gain ground in the standings. Cleveland took a 2-0 lead in the first, but the O’s recorded eight hits, two walks, and a hit by pitch to take the lead and never look back.

• Philadelphia Phillies (82-64) 11, Houston Astros (74-72) 7: Kyle Schwarber’s sixth inning grand slam proved to be the difference maker in a high-scoring game against the Astros. The teams traded runs early, with the Astros getting the better of that and holding a lead. However, the Phillies scored six runs in the sixth and held on from there.

Hello folks! Happy Thursday to you all.

Yesterday, Kade Anderson got his first big league win in a 3-2 Mariners victory over the Rangers. You’ve got to enjoy the little things once you realize a season is lost. Perhaps we’ll see some more encouraging signs from the team in today’s series finale kicking off at 1:10pm PT.

In Mariners news…

• Michael Arroyo was seen taking reps in the outfield prior to yesterday’s game.
• The Mariners are hiring interns in data science and baseball operations.

Around the league…

• The Yankees placed infielder Jazz Chisholm, Jr. on the injured list with a thumb sprain.
• Michael Baumann at Fangraphs thinks Shohei Ohtani’s pitching injuries might be impacting his performance at the plate. The Dodgers seem to agree, as they’re indicating that an IL stint is on the table for the superstar in preparation for the playoffs.
• The A’s received devastating news on top prospect Leo De Vries, who will undergo shoulder surgery which is expected to have an eight month recovery timeline.
• A’s left-handed pitching prospect Jamie Arnold was diagnosed with facial fractures after being struck by a line drive during Tuesday’s game. He will not require surgery but there is no timetable for his return to baseball activity.
• Marc Normandin at Baseball Prospectus gave the optimist’s case for us getting to enjoy baseball games in 2027. ($)
• Kent Babb at ESPN wrote about how Mike Trout is passing the baton to Pirates superstar shortstop Konnor Griffin.

Two games and two wins, as the Comets and Drillers were the only teams in action on Wednesday.

Player of the Day

Logan Wagner hasn’t had the easiest of transitions to Double-A, which is to be expected given he began the year in rookie ball. However, in this particular game against the Naturals, he was as menacing a hitter as the Drillers had at the plate, with a pair of long shots.

Although Wagner had multiple displays of power this season prior to yesterday’s game, it was only his second multihomer performance of the season, taking his season total to 22 across three separate levels.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

What did Gavin Stone, Edwin Díaz, and Kris Bubic all have in common as the Comets outhit the Space Cowboys on their way to an 8-6 win? All three of them failed to complete a full inning; Stone was removed with two outs in the first after seeing his pitch count rise over 30 in an inning in which he allowed three runs. Díaz’s pitch count climbed over 20 to secure a pair of outs as he allowed multiple walks, and lastly, Kris Bubic came into the game just to finish off the third inning started by Díaz.

The lack of length from several Comets pitchers led to Jackson Ferris coming in early and completing six innings of work as the Comets rode the hot hand all the way to the end of this game. Ferris had the incredibly rare six-inning save, allowing fewer hits (2) and runs (1) than the pitchers for the game’s first three innings combined.

Scoring six of their eight runs in the first two innings, the Comets were aggressive early and didn’t require a lot of slugging to reach this impressive total. Their most important hit came in the second when Ryan Fitzgerald knocked a bases-clearing double to make it 6-4 and give OKC its first lead of the game. James Tibbs III led the team with three runs scored, twice walking and also recording a hit.

Double-A Tulsa

In his final game with the Drillers before joining the big league club on Friday, Josue De Paula showed why he is one of this game’s most promising prospects. The Dodgers’ number one prospect homered as part of a blowout win for the Drillers. It was his 27th long shot of the season and one of four for the Drillers against zero from their opponent.

While the batting average has taken a big hit for Logan Wagner in his second promotion of the season—this one to the Drillers—the third baseman had his best game at this new level, securing a pair of long balls, now with six in 29 games in Double-A.

Alex Walsh, Christian Suarez, and Jacob Kmatz did a fantastic job behind starter Aidan Foeller, each of them delivering two-plus scoreless frames to keep the Naturals from even scoring multiple runs. Foeller ran into some problems early on, allowing four of the Naturals’ five hits in just 2.1 innings, but kept the damage minimal, not that it mattered much with the offense scoring 10.

High-A Great Lakes

There was no game in High-A, as the Loons return to postseason action this Thursday, visiting the Dragons.

Class-A Ontario

The Tower Buzzers also had an off-day, with Game 2 of their Division Series against the Storm coming this Thursday.

Transactions

The Dodgers extended Gavin Stone’s rehab assignment with the Comets.

Wednesday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 8, Sugar Land 6
• NW Arkansas 1, Tulsa 10
• No games scheduled
• No games scheduled

Thursday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) at Dayton (Kyle McCoy) – Division Series (GL up 1-0)
• 4:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (TBD) vs. Sugar Land (Brandon McPherson)
• 5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (TBD) at NW Arkansas (Grant Grambell)
• 6:05 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Lake Elsinore (Kruz Schoolcraft) – Division Series (ONT down 1-0)

It wasn’t a good night for Lehigh Valley, but the news was much better out of Reading, where Gage Wood was backed by four home runs, and the Fightin’ Phils reached the precipice of a spot in the Eastern League playoffs.

Worcester 8, Lehigh Valley 3

The IronPigs fell into an early hole on Wednesday, giving up seven runs in the first four innings. Starting pitcher Brian Keller had a rough game, as he was responsible for all seven of those runs.

The ‘Pigs offense was quiet for most of the game before a too little, too late three-run eighth inning. Gabriel Rincones was one of the few players to have a good game with two hits, including his third home run of the season.

Reading 11, Erie 3

The Fightin’ Phils reduced their magic number for a playoff spot to one by bashing the Erie Seawolves on Wednesday. Gage Wood had another encouraging start, giving up two runs in his five innings to earn his first win of his career.

The Phils backed him with plenty of offense including four home runs. Aroon Escobar, Bryson Ware, Raylin Heredia, and Carson DeMartini all went deep in the game.

The Phils will attempt to clinch a playoff spot on Thursday as their series against the Seawolves continues.

You don’t have to be an expert baseball analyst to see that Jose Ramirez is not his old self.

Last night, Jose’s OPS dipped below .700 for the first time since the Cavaliers still had never won an NBA title. He has a .591 OPS since returning from hamate surgery. Now, prior to surgery, Jose was not his usual self in actual production with a 111 wRC+ but his xwOBA of .354 was in line with his production from 2024-2025. He wasn’t hitting as usual pulled-fly-balls as usual, but everything else looked about normal. And, who knows exactly how long the hamate has been bothering him.

Since returning, Jose continues to have an elite eye at the plate with a 10/9 K/BB% and elite baserunning… but his power is completely gone and he has had some concerning defensive issues (last night’s drop of a pop-up foul, included). The power being gone seems very clearly explained by his hamate issue; his strength has not yet returned and likely will not until next season. The defensive issues… my guess is Jose is carrying his disappointment with him into the field, which, while understandable, does need to improve.

So, what should we think about this?

First of all, if you are looking at Jose and angry because you believe he does not care or is not trying… you can kick rocks. He clearly cares as much as always… probably caring too much is part of his problem.

Second of all, if you believe Jose should be benched, you need to go research the results of hamate surgery for older players and look at how to root for aging faces of the franchise. I swear to you if I hear any of you boo Jose, I will personally curse you so that both sides of your pillow are perpetually uncomfortably moist and warm.

José Ramírez chose us when no other superstar in the history of any Cleveland sport would have done what he did in extending here in 2022. He is Cleveland baseball. He will return to being a great player in 2027 (provided there is a season). Don’t abandon a future hall of famer at the first sign of trouble and make yourself look like an idiot when he shows you he’s not washed in short order.

Should José be batting third right now? No. Should he probably be on the IL? Maybe. Should we support him and believe in him and make excuses for him because he loves us like no other Cleveland athlete ever has. Absolutely.

So, get your act together, Guardians’ fans. Stay in Jose’s corner with the kind of grit and stubbornness he and our city are famous for.

Morning, all!

Sebastian Walcott has been setting the Texas League on fire but has been limited to DH as he recovers from an internal brace procedure performed in February. The plan is for him to return to the field for the playoffs and then play in the Carrinean this winter. League

Nathan Eovaldi is chomping at the bit to return to the Rangers active roster, where he will likely be limited to a relief role in the final stretch.

If the Rangers are going to make the playoffs they need Wyatt Langford to get his poop together.

Yolfran Castillo is knocking at the door of of MLB top prospect lists on the strength of his speed, defense, and maturing plate approach.

Cody Bradford collected his fourth straight loss last night after giving up three runs in four innings.