Category: Baseball

Every season, a couple of times a year, we rank our Top 30 prospects in the Atlanta Braves system. However there are still prospects within the Braves system who have never made a Top 30 prospect list that are still interesting prospects to some extent. While a couple of these guys seem headed for our next Top 30, some of these guys might not have the highest upside, but they still have the tool(s) and/or production which could get them to Atlanta at some point.

In order to be eligible for this list a prospect has to have never appeared on a Battery Power Top 30 prospects list (that’s why Patrick Clohisy won’t be included). I am also excluding players who have not yet reached Low-A ball yet, as those guys don’t quite fit into what this article is about and will still have plenty of chances to make a Top 30 at some point in their careers. I am also going to exclude players who were never on a BP Top 30, but would have made a Top 30 for a previous team in their career (Jordan Groshans, Cade Doughty)

Cristobal Abreu, RHP

Cristobal Abreu is a 20-year-old pitcher who missed last year injured, but has intriguing stuff. He opened the year in Augusta and has spent his time between there and the FCL. To date he has thrown 29.1 innings (27 with Augusta), and pitched to a 2.76 ERA, though his WHIP is 2.49 thanks to the fact that he has 42 walks in those 29 innings. Abreu hasn’t missed bats the way his stuff should this year, with just 21 strikeouts, but if he is able to harness his stuff he could start to get interesting. Abreu has gone over 96 MPH with his fastball in games this year, and I have seen him over 98 MPH in workouts, and he’s got a promising slider as well. He is going to need work on that command and time to get there, but the arm is quite talented.

Daniel Brooks, RHP

I’ve been talking a lot about Daniel Brooks lately, but that’s because he is on an incredible run right now. An undrafted free agent from last year, Brooks opened this year as a FCL reliever, got promoted to Augusta, eventually earned himself a starting job, and just this past weekend made his first start with Rome. With a pair of pitches that both get whiffs, a fastball that is 92-93 with a Stuff+ grade of 100 due to the movement and extension, and a slider with a Stuff+ grade of 127, Brooks has allowed three total runs in 31.2 innings between Augusta and Rome, striking out 52. Brooks is a very strong candidate to make the next updated Top 30 list because of both the stuff and the results. His ceiling is still to be determined as we haven’t seen the rest of his arsenal yet and he is pitching on fairly low pitch counts due to being stretched back out into a starter role, but he does have a change and curve that could get used more frequently next season. Even if starting doesn’t work out, he just might be the best relief prospect in the Braves system right now – but it looks like they are going to give him a chance to start because of his dominance.

Aiven Cabral, RHP

In the 18th round last year the Braves took Aiven Cabral from Northeastern, after he was the ace of the team who made a surprising run in the NCAA Tournament. He didn’t make his pro debut until this year, where he has spent half the year split between both Augusta and Rome. His Augusta numbers are slightly better than the Rome numbers, but they are fairly similar. Combined he has a 3.01 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts in 104.2 innings. His stuff isn’t big, but he’s a pitchability guy who excels at pitching to contact. The hope with him is that his stuff might tick up as he moves into a future bullpen role for shorter stints. His three-pitch mix is all mostly fringy to average, but he is comfortable with switching between his pitches and moving locations. If his fastball could gain another 1-2 MPH from topping out at 93 MPH, he might have a chance in a relief role.

Logan Forsythe, RHP

Logan Forsythe was the Braves 13th round pick out of Louisiana Tech last year. He previously pitched at Mississippi State, but never got much playing time there because of struggles with his command. Forsythe is a power armed reliever, though one with command question marks to answer. In Augusta this year he has a 4.03 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, and 55 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. He has also walked 45 hitters in that time. When he’s on he can be hard to make contact against, as his 6.3 H/9 ratio shows, which makes him worth tracking. This year his fastball has been up to 96-97 MPH with a sweeper that also gets swings and misses, and he could possibly be holding back a little bit on his stuff in order to be able to command it better. What he could become is fully dependent on where he is able to improve the command to, but he is worth the team taking a flier on.

Kevin Kilpatrick Jr., OF

A toolsy outfielder, Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. is in the middle of his best pro season for Columbus. As of today he is hitting .247/.328/.373 with six homers, 19 extra base hits, and 27 steals with 27 walks to 76 strikeouts in 287 plate appearances. Those numbers may not jump off the page, but since May 29th he is running a .774 OPS after a slow start to his season. Kilpatrick is going to turn 26 this winter, so he is probably not going to hit enough to end up as a big league regular. However if the gains he has made with the bat can make some additional progress, he would have a chance to be a fourth or fifth outfielder. That is because he is a speedy player with a little bit of pop in his bat and is capable of playing all three outfield spots. It’s not the sexiest profile, but he could potentially work his way to the big leagues.

Carter Lovasz, RHP

Carter Lovasz was an eighth rounder out of William & Mary last year who pitched for a short time in Augusta last season. He started in Augusta and pitched to a 3.56 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 55 strikeouts in 48 innings. He was promoted to Rome and has allowed one run in 5.2 innings over two appearances so far. Lovasz is a pure reliever – all 29 of his appearances this year are as a reliever, and only eight of his career college appearances were starts over four years, but looks like a reliever capable of going multiple innings in a Brent Suter-like role. Similar to Suter, Lovasz doesn’t touch 90 MPH, but he has a five pitch mix that he is able to mix and match with and use his pitchability and command to succeed without the biggest stuff. Because of his lack of velocity he is going to need to prove himself at every level of the minors to keep moving up, but he does stand a chance.

Cooper McMurray, 1B

Last year the Braves signed Cooper McMurray as an undrafted free agent after an impressive college career. In his last three years at Auburn he hit exactly 14 home runs every year with an OPS of at least 1.053 in each season. He struggled in 21 games last year with Rome and got sent to Augusta to open this season. Things looked like he might not last very long as a pro early this spring as he had an OPS of .488 after April, following a .498 last summer with Rome. However that’s when things started to change, and he has an .853 OPS since May 1. Overall he is hitting .250/.373/.399 with 15 doubles, a triple, 10 homers, and 64 walks to 128 strikeouts over 391 plate appearances. In order to have a future as a bench bat he is likely going to need to continue to cut down on the strikeouts, though he has seen some growth with his hit tool this year which gives hope for that.

Davis Polo, RHP

Davis Polo came into this year as a bit of a mystery after missing last year due to injury. However he has looked so good that he is putting himself in position to be a part of our next Top 30, pitching to a 3.25 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 9.6 K/9 in 99.2 innings with Augusta – though a 1.99 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over his last 45.1 innings. He has a four pitch mix led by a fastball that touches 94, but is more of a sinker/slider pitcher who can get swings and misses. He uses his pitches fairly evenly overall and has solid feel for his command of them. Of course due to the injury and missed time he is already 21 and Rule 5 eligible after this season, but there is #3/4 starter upside in there, and a chance we could see even more from him next year as he gets another year out from surgery.

Brett Sears, RHP

A cheap senior sign in the 7th round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Brett Sears has been on an incredible run for the past two years. Last year he started in Augusta and ended up reaching Gwinnett, posting a combined 3.65 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 9.5 K/9 between the four levels. This year he has made 17 of his 19 appearances with Columbus, with single appearances in both Gwinnett and the FCL, posting a 3.11 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 10.9 K/9. His stuff isn’t the biggest, but it has slightly improved from last year. His six pitch mix now has a fastball that touches 94 MPH, and his command and pitchability help it to play up from its velocity. Sears ceiling is probably a backend starter to potentially a multi-inning reliever, but it is hard to ignore his performance. Ideally he’d have more time in Triple-A by now since he is 26, but he is only two years out from being drafted.

Tanner Smith, C

The Braves signed Tanner Smith out of Miami as an undrafted free agent last year. However prior to his year as a Hurricane he had spent three years catching at Oregon State and brought 619 college plate appearances with him to pro ball. He got eight games last year split between Augusta and Rome before opening this year back in Augusta. With Augusta he hit .234/.309/.440 with 11 homers and 22 walks to 84 strikeouts in 243 plate appearances. He has since been promoted to Rome, though he only has three games played there so far. Smith isn’t a particularly high upside prospect, but he is a catcher with good intangibles, a history of being a winning player, and does bring some pop in his bat. The ceiling is probably a backup catcher, and even that would require he cut down the strikeouts and increase some walks – but the offensive bar is a little lower for backup catchers, so it is a possibility.

Luis Vargas, RHP

Luis Vargas has been in the Braves system since making his pro debut back in 2019, but only converted into a reliever last year. This is his second season as a reliever and he has looked good in that role. With Columbus he has pitched to a 3.51 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 86 strikeouts over 56.1 innings – good for a 13.7 K/9, and even better than last year’s 12.0 (though just 21 innings). At this point he is mostly a two pitch pitcher, with a fastball that has touched 98 MPH and a nasty slider. His command can come and go, and he isn’t always consistent with the shape of his slider, but there is a real chance that Vargas could become a power arm out of the pen for the Braves in the next year or two.

Derek Vartanian, RHP

The Braves signed Derek Vartanian as an undrafted free agent out of Campbell after the 2024 season – a season where he appeared in just three games before getting injured. Prior to that he spent two years in JUCO. That injury caused him to miss all of last season, so he entered this year with 11 innings of D1 experience plus a two year layoff due to injury. So far he has pitched to a 4.12 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts in 102.2 innings for Augusta in his first year back from injury. He has touched 95 MPH on his fastball with good movement and has a solid four-pitch mix that he is comfortable in using all of his pitches. It’s a bit soon to say what Vartanian is, but he is a guy I am interested in watching next year, once he gets another year out from injury plus a full healthy offseason.

Adam Zebrowski, C

Zebrowski was a 13th round pick out of a small college in New York back in 2021, and until this year seemed to be more of an organizational depth piece. But he’s hit 15 homers in 46 Double-A games this season, plus three more in 21 games with Gwinnett. Zebrowski probably isn’t going to be a big league starter, but the power is very real and he hits the ball very hard. He could potentially get a look as a backup catcher, one who is there for his power bat more than anything. He might need to start to take more walks to increase his OBP to reach that ceiling, but he has a .350 OBP with Columbus this year, which is his highest mark since Augusta back in 2022. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up getting sent to the Arizona Fall League this year to see how he fares against that level of pitching.

Rangers 11, White Sox 2

• That was a long game.
• And a lot happened in it.
• And the Rangers won.
• Not only did the Rangers win, but they got back to .500.
• And not only did the Rangers get back to .500, they took sole possession of first place in the American League West, moving a half-game up on the Astros, who did not play.
• Kumar Rocker had a kinda fascinating game. He didn’t seem to have it going on early, allowing a hit in the first and what would have been a home run, had Brandon Nimmo not made a great leaping catch to bring the ball back, and a single, a homer, and another single in the second. In the third, he allowed an infield single to start things on a hard hit ball that Jake Burger couldn’t handle, along with a pair of walks sandwiching a groundout.
• The Rangers were up 5-2 at that point, but with the bases loaded, one out, and Rocker looking shaky, that lead seemed tenuous. Rocker seemed destined to get the hook before too long.
• Two strikeouts by Rocker got him out of the jam, the start of ten straight batters he retired before walking Chase Meidroth with two outs in the sixth, the last batter he faced.
• Robby Ahlstrom and Jordan Montgomery took it from there, retiring all ten batters they faced.
• So in all, the Rangers pitchers didn’t allow a hit over the final 21 outs they recorded, and allowed just one baserunner over the final 20 outs.
• The bats, meanwhile, put up a season-high 11 runs in the game.
• Rangers got on via the hit (14 of them). They got on via the walk (8 of those). They got on via the hit by pitch (two of them).
• One of the HBPs was Elias Diaz, who was hit by Jose Urquidy on a 3-2 pitch in the third, and there was some talking that then went on, including, apparently, yelling from the Rangers bench.
• Joc Pederson, who had tried to challenge a called third strike the previous inning, was told he had done so too late, got ejected a few batters later, supposedly for banging bats.
• I remember Pederson, last year, discussing the addition of new hitting coach Bret Boone, said that he liked to talk sticks. Apparently he likes to make them talk, too.
• The Rangers scored in every inning except the fourth and seventh, though they didn’t put up more than two runs in any inning, which seems kinda odd.
• Corey Seager was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and an intentional walk before being lifted late for Nicky Lopez.
• Since coming off the injured list the first time, back in early June, Seager has slashed .308/.393/.533.
• Wyatt Langford drew a walk and had a pair of hits, including a homer with two outs in the ninth that led White Sox manager Will Venable to bring in old friend Luisangel to get the final out.
• Jake Burger had a pair of hits, including a homer! And walked twice!
• Cody Freeman had a pair of hits!
• Ezequiel Duran had a pair of hits and walked!
• In fact, every Ranger starter had a hit except for Joc, who only had two plate appearances due to being thrown out of the game. Pederson did draw a walk to start the game, though, and scored the Rangers’ first run.
• It was a fulfilling game, the time that makes you feel all warm inside.
• And it was a good way to start a road trip.
• Kumar Rocker hit 95.7 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.3 mph, and 96.3 mph on his sinker, averaging 93.9 mph. Robby Ahlstrom touched 96.4 mph with his fastball. Jordan Montgomery’s sinker reached 92.6 mph.
• Jake Burger had a 108.3 mph double and a 108.2 mph home run. Brandon Nimmo had a 107.8 mph groundout. Corey Seager had a 106.9 mph double. Justin Foscue had a 105.0 mph double. Ezequiel Duran had a 104.2 mph double. Wyatt Langford had a 103.0 mph home run.
• Onward, hopefully in a way that retains first place.

I usually like to wait a day to digest bigger news stories. It pays to take a little bit of extra time to make sure all of the emotional baggage has cleared. Dana Brown officially failed as a general manager. However, professional sports is a failure business. Most general managers and managers are hired to eventually be fired. We can use the officially approved phrase “mutually agreed to a parting of ways,” but we know that it is a firing.

I like to break up a general manager’s job into three equal parts. The first part is the easiest one to track: what moves did the general manager actually make? Were they good moves? Obviously, those are loaded questions. As we have stated before, there is a difference between whether a move made sense at the time and whether it ended up working out. The second category is whether certain objectives were met. In other words, what moves did the general manager fail to make? Finally, you have scouting and player development. Let’s start with the first one.

What moves did he make?

Recency bias is a thing. When you look at the bulk of moves in 2026, they haven’t worked out. Obviously, the span of time may make us look at these moves differently. There were five major moves this season and none of them have worked out to date. The trade for Mike Burrows and the signing of Tatsuya Imai have both flopped so far. We might look at those differently next year and beyond, but he simply didn’t have the time for those moves to work out.

The Mauricio Dubon and Jesus Sanchez deals also did not work out. Joey Loperfido has not been a positive influence for the most part because he is languishing in Sugar Land. Should he be there? That’s a different question entirely. Nick Allen has been okay in comparison to his career norms, but he has not been Dubon. Obviously, both deals freed up some money, but that ends up spilling us into the second category. Finally, we have the Daulton Varsho trade. We are nearly a month in and the results aren’t pretty.

In spite of these problems, I would simply point out that most of these acquisitions made more sense at the time then what they ended up being. Maybe that is bad luck. Maybe it is something else. The Kyle Tucker trade was a positive mark on his record. Trading for Justin Verlander and Yusei Kikuchi were also generally positive. Christian Walker might be a wash depending on your perspective, but we can debate that one on a different day.

The most significant negative is probably the extension given to Cristian Javier. I for one will not blame him for that one as that is something most of us likely would have done at the time. So, for the most part I tend to give him a passing grade in this area. Every general manager will have misses. The question is whether you have more hits than misses and he seems to be batting about .500 there.

What did he fail to do?

When Brown was signed on we were told he was good at two things. He would be good at scouting and development and he would ink up our controllable players to team friendly deals. Four years later we have one extension and it was a bad one. Would have signing Jeremy Pena, Hunter Brown, Cam Smith, Yainer Diaz, or Bryan Abreu been good moves? Obviously, we would need to see the deals and evaluate those on a case by case basis. The fact that he accomplished virtually none of that is damning.

Two trade deadlines in a row this team came in with acute hitting and pitching needs and two years they really didn’t address the pitching and the hitting adds were questionable. We can hear the excuses now because they sound eerily familiar. This is where only Jim Crane and company can answer the nagging question. How much authority did Brown have to make deals? Of course, it will be a nagging question moving forward.

Two years in a row this team had one of the worst outfields in baseball. Three years in a row he has been hunting a lefty bat like Captain Ahab has been hunting his white whale. Granted, those don’t grow on trees, but it falls under the column of things he failed to do. The last two points here involve Framber Valdez and the previously mentioned Dubon and Sanchez deals. Why wasn’t Valdez dealt at the same time as Tucker? Imagine what two or three additional players could have done for the present situation.

Finally, you get the inane utterances of “we’re not done” following the Dubon and Sanchez deals. Yes you were. You did nothing of significance with the financial savings. The trade of a franchise icon netted you Varsho. Call me underwhelmed. Again, we don’t know how much autonomy Brown had to make deals, but he clearly isn’t a good chess player. A good chess player would have deals in mind before dealing Dubon and Sanchez. You wouldn’t make the move simply hoping something would come available. In this regard, Brown was playing checkers while everyone else was playing chess.

Scouting and player development

Even this is more complicated than it sounds. You can split into two halves. Scouting is the acquisition of players while player development covers what you do once you get them. None of these factors are cut and dried and a lot of this is conjecture/projection. What could have Cam Smith done with a year in the minors? If this were his rookie season would he be better? Worse? The same? it is impossible to answer because life is not a choose your own adventure book, but most people believe he would have been better off with another season in the minors.

The same could be true of guys like Zach Cole, Brice Mathews, and others that have been promoted fairly quickly. Are the quick promotions in their best interest? This is where both questions intersect into one. The Brown years were characterized with a lot of toolsy players that also have a ton of swing and miss in their game. Can proper development coach that out of a player or is that who they are?

It is one thing to announce or pronounce failure. It is another to start probing why the failure is occurring. This is where Crane and the other decision makers have to look more closely at what is being done. Is it a player selection problem or a coaching/development problem? Simply based on success at the big league level and prospect rankings, this has to be marked down as failure.

Final thoughts

Brown was frustrating at times, but that was more based on his public comments that sounded like the utterings of a used car salesman. He did not do much to actively torpedo the franchise. He was not a buffoon on the level of Spec Richardson or with the inane reasoning of an Ed Wade. He was a middling executive that simply didn’t do enough to thread the needle that Crane and company asked him to. There is the kind of sports hate where you hate someone with the heat of 10,000 suns. Then, there is sport irritation. That is the category Brown lives in. Most of us wish him success somewhere, but that will not be here.

As for Crane, he needs to do some soul-searching. Simply handing over the keys to a Jeff Luhnow type is probably a no go. However, a puppet general manager is probably a no go as well. That means he must thread the needle to find a guy that views the baseball business the same way that he does but is also willing to incorporate a little more science into the operation. It’s a tough ask, but every problem also presents an opportunity.

Good morning.

Evan Grant writes that Monday’s blowout victory for the Texas Rangers signified that perhaps Corey Seager is back.

Kennedi Landry writes that the win in Chicago could have turned out differently if Brandon Nimmo hadn’t committed home run larceny.

Grant writes that the Rangers didn’t make much use of an easy portion of their schedule, which turns more difficult in the season’s final month.

Landry writes about Joc Pederson getting the boot from last night’s game because terrible home plate ump Chris Guccione thought the Texas DH was joking when calling for an ABS challenge on a strike three call that the ump got wrong.

Grant writes that Pederson is in the midst of his longest slump of the season, potentially because the Rangers have seen more left-handers of late and unfortunately will continue to do so.

MLB’s Ben Weinrib notes that Frisco’s Rafe Perich made the MLB Pipeline Prospect Team of the Week at third base.

And, Tim Cowlishaw tries to hit his Rangers article quota for this year by writing about the weird, wild American League West.

Have a nice day!

This question is funny because the Braves could start Ha-Seong Kim as soon as tonight, for all we know. But, for the sake of discussion…

Jim Jarvis has been optioned back down to Triple-A. Jarvis had start 29 of the team’s 34 games against right-handed starters since being recalled. Mauricio Dubon was the starter in all the other recent games, other than a lone Kim start on August 7. On top of that, the Braves’ division lead is 3.5 games, and their divisional odds are about 3-in-4… but their playoff odds are close to unity. So, whether the Braves feel they can afford to try Kim kind of depends on which of those numbers they care about more.

Kim has pretty much some of the worst stats we’ve seen by a Brave in any accumulation of time, with -1.2 fWAR in just 85 PAs. Dubon is at 1.7 fWAR in 500 PAs. Dubon’s batting line (.312 wOBA, .306 xwOBA) is an improvement over his career line (.294 wOBA, .290 xwOBA) but not a career high; he had a very similar line in 2023 in Houston, which is the only other time he’s crossed the 450 PA mark. That said, Dubon has a worse .280ish xwOBA (or worse) in his last seven, 14, and 30 days. To work backwards and get to a point where his seasonal line looks decent, you have to go back to June, where he was having a great time while the rest of the team careened on the edge of the abyss. (Dubon from June 1-forward: .321 wOBA, .309 xwOBA; Dubon from July 1-forward: .292 wOBA, .278 xwOBA.)

So, basically, Dubon isn’t lighting the world on fire, but Kim was doing exactly that but in a bad way, which is what caused his playing time to essentially disappear. Will he get any back, start-wise with Jarvis gone?

After a struggle of a series in Seattle that involved two crushing walk-off defeats, wasn’t that better?

Kevin Gausman threw seven outstanding shutout innings and the Cubs got a pair of homers, one of which was a monster shot by Michael Conforto, and opened the series on a high note with a 7-0 shutout of the Diamondbacks.

After a scoreless first inning, the Cubs got on the board in the second. Ian Happ singled with one out, and one out later scored on this triple by Pedro Ramirez [VIDEO].

Gausman, meanwhile, was mowing down D-backs hitters. He allowed a leadoff single to Tim Tawa in the third, then picked him off [VIDEO].

Corbin Carroll walked off Gausman in the fourth and stole two bases, but Gausman got out of that inning with a ground ball to first.

The Cubs extended their lead to 2-0 in the fifth. Conforto led off with a double and two outs later scored on this double by Seiya Suzuki [VIDEO].

Then the Cubs blew the game open in the fifth — all after the first two hitters were routine outs.

Ramirez singled and then Conforto absolutely destroyed this baseball [VIDEO].

Did I say “destroyed”? Yes I did, and check out the exit velocity and distance on that homer [VIDEO].

And the “home-run race” lead now belongs to Conforto, who now has 12 home runs to Kyle Tucker’s 11 — in 235 fewer at-bats.

Three pitches later, Carson Kelly also went deep [VIDEO].

Back-to-back homer facts from BCB’s JohnW53:

The back-to-back homers by Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly were the sixth pair by Cubs batters this season.

Half of those have come in the past eight days: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki last Monday, Alex Bregman and Michael Busch on Saturday, then Conforto and Kelly. They had done it once before, July 8 at Baltimore.

The Cubs have gone back-to-back 412 times since 1876, including 393 since 1901 and 182 since 2000.

The Cubs put two more on the board in the seventh. With one out, Michael Busch walked and Alex Bregman singled.

A double by Happ scored Busch [VIDEO].

Bregman took third on that hit and scored on this sac fly by Nico Hoerner to make it 7-0 [VIDEO].

Gausman, meanwhile, was mowing down Arizona hitters. He struck out six [VIDEO].

Here’s more on Gausman’s outing. As you can see, he threw more four-seamers than usual [VIDEO].

Gausman allowed three hits. By Game Score (76) that matched his best outing of the year, a one-hit start vs. the Yankees back in June. But he allowed a run then, the only hit was a solo homer by Jasson Dominguez. In this one, only one D-backs runner got past first base against Gausman. This is the guy the Cubs thought they had traded for. Hopefully he sticks around the rest of the year.

More on Gausman’s night from John:

Kevin Gausman gave up no runs on three hits in 7.0 innings.

The last Cub to pitch at least that many innings, with no runs and no more than three hits, was Justin Steele, with 7.0 and three hit at home vs. the Rangers on April 7, 2025. He walked two, one more than Gausman.

Kyle Hendricks gave up two hits and walked two in 7.1 vs. the Reds on Sept. 28, 2024, and Shota Imanaga pitched 7.0 no-hit innings with two walks vs. the Pirates on Sept. 4, 2024. Both of those games were at Wrigley Field. So was the last with one walk, by Jameson Taillon, who gave up three hits on Sept. 2, 2024, two days before Imanaga’s start.

Ryan Zeferjahn was given the eighth, a good spot for him in a low-leverage situation, and he came through with a 1-2-3 inning on just 10 pitches. Hopefully that’s a good confidence-builder.

Caleb Thielbar, another reliever who’s struggled, took the ninth. He did allow a couple of hits, but completed the shutout, in part helped by this sliding catch by Happ [VIDEO].

Here’s the final out of the game [VIDEO].

A bit of history was made with the shutout. From John:

This was just the Cubs’ second shutout in 97 games at Arizona since the Diamondbacks began play in 1998. The first was by 4-0 on Aug. 24, 2002. Last night’s game was the Cubs’ 74th game there since that one.

Solid win all the way around. Timely hitting, home runs, excellent pitching.

Here’s Conforto on his homer [VIDEO].

And here are Craig Counsell’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].

The Cubs crept to within 5.5 games of the Brewers in the NL Central. They also gained a game on the Phillies, who lost to the Mariners, and are now three games up on Philadelphia for the top wild-card spot.

The Cubs go for the series win Tuesday evening at Chase Field. Clay Holmes will start for the Cubs and Brandon Pfaadt will go for Arizona. Game time is again 8:40 p.m. CT (for folks in ET and CT, this is the Cubs’ last late-night game of 2026!) and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.

It may have been a few days, but most Phillies fans are still buzzing about the dramatic come from behind win that the team authored on Sunday afternoon. After looking utterly lifeless for 8 innings, the team scored 6 runs with two outs in the ninth inning, capped off by Kyle Schwarber’s mammoth two-run, walk-off homer, the first walk off home run for the Phillies since June 9th, 2023, also off the bat of Kyle Schwarber.

You’ve probably watched it 1,000 times by now, but why not make it 1,001?

Down 4-0
Bottom of the 9th#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/POz7WsgkPa

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 24, 2026

What makes the comeback even more remarkable is that the Phillies were not only down to their final out, they were down to their final strike three times before Bryan De La Cruz tied the game with a single following Edmundo Sosa’s three run double. Even Schwarber started his at-bat 0-2 before launching the game winning homer over the batter’s eye. 

Let our own Schmenkman illustrate just how rare something like this is:

It was truly one of the most improbable comebacks in recent memory, certainly for the Phillies. Baseball has a way of creating these types of moments, especially for a team that is having everything go well for them at a given time. Yes, it was just a regular season game at the end of August, but the sheer dramatics of the moment will make sure that it goes down as a vividly remembered random Sunday afternoon in August.

Of course, the Phillies don’t have exclusive license for dramatic comebacks. So, what’s the craziest comeback you’ve ever seen in a baseball game? Was it Sunday afternoon? Or was it some other Phillies win from yesteryear? Or did it not involve the Phillies at all?

With 31 games left to go in the season, the Orioles are in a weird spot. After the Guardians win last night, Baltimore finds itself 2.5 games back of the final AL Wild Card spot with just over a month of baseball left to play. It’s far from an insurmountable deficit; the O’s have nine games left against the Guardians and Blue Jays—two teams they’re competing with for the third Wild Card berth—as well as six upcoming games against the bottom-dwelling A’s and Rockies.

The problem the Orioles have faced all year is consistency. Despite going 24-20 since the beginning of July, the O’s have only actually occupied the last Wild Card spot for a couple of days after their recent series in Tropicana Field. And even though that last playoff spot is currently occupied by a team that’s only .500, common sense says someone will eventually get to 81+ wins and claim a berth in October. If the O’s want to do that, they’ll need to get back to .500 for the first time since they were 15-15 on April 30th.

To find some level of consistency, the O’s will need some more offense from players not named Pete Alonso. Since July 1st, Baltimore has the 7th-best ERA in baseball (3.71), just behind fellow playoff contenders, the Guardians. The bats have often been Baltimore’s biggest problem, with the O’s ranking 20th in the majors at 4.23 runs/game since the beginning of July. You only have to watch one Shane Baz start to know that this sometimes-potent offense has a bad tendency of disappearing.

So if the Orioles are going to go through an offensive revival over the last 31 games of the season, they’ll need some of their previously hot bats to reignite. With that in mind, here are three players who the Orioles need to wake up if they’re going to make the postseason

Jackson Holliday

Holliday was a revelation for the Orioles’ offense in July. The 22-year-old was an on-base machine for Baltimore last month, posting an OBP of .500 to go along with a .368 average and a .421 slugging. It finally felt like the former No. 1 overall was putting it all together and becoming the type of hitter at the majors that we saw all throughout the minors.

Once the calendar turned to August, though, Holliday has seemingly turtled up and stopped being the offensive force the Orioles were relying on. In 21 games this month, the 2B is slashing .165/.221/.266 with more strikeouts (19) than base hits (13). It’s no coincidence that while the infielder was on a hot streak, the O’s went 15-8 in July. Since his downturn, Baltimore has fallen to 9-12 in August.

That regression could just be the latest episode in the mercurial career of Holliday, or it could be the 22-year-old struggling to adjust to a more prominent role in the lineup. Since August 7th, Holliday has hit 3rd or higher in the lineup and has been the Orioles’ leadoff hitter each of their last six games. His July clearly earned Craig Albernaz’s trust and you’d expect he’ll continue to hit in the leadoff spot for the rest of the season. If the offense is going to get back on track, its leadoff hitter needs to lead by example.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand

CES joined the Orioles thanks to the injury to Blaze Alexander and at first looked like an unlikely shot in the arm for an offense that had lost its second-best player. In his first nine games after joining the Orioles on July 18th, Encarnacion-Strand went 11-for-34 (.324) with three homers and 11 RBIs. That hot start to his Orioles’ career had many willing to hand him the starting 3B job for the rest of the stretch run.

Since then, the former Red has come back down to earth. His August triple slash is a measly .177/.224/.355 while posting 21 strikeouts in 62 ABs (33.9%). CES has consistently been a lefty masher, with a .286 average and 1.016 OPS against southpaws this season. However, against right-handers, the 26-year-0ld only has a .197 average and .563 OPS. Those are the same drastic splits we see with Coby Mayo, except Mayo is actually producing in August, with an OPS this month that is nearly 300 points higher than Encarnacion-Strand’s number.

With Mayo hitting, Samuel Basallo back in the fold and Alexander’s return supposedly on the horizon, CES has a lot of pressure on him. He has the pressure of not only trying to play his part in the playoff run, but also the pressure of keeping his roster spot.

Tyler O’Neill or Leody Taveras

Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers have cemented themselves as the offensive leaders of this Orioles outfield—Cowser via his all-around good play and Beavers through his clutch hits. Albernaz has three other outfielders to complete the trio (O’Neill, Taveras or Christian Franklin), but if someone is going to break out, you’d expect it to be TON or Taveras.

We’ve seen O’Neill more recently prove what he can provide this offense. Last month, TON looked like the best version we’ve seen in black and orange (albeit in only 42 ABs). The oft-injured outfielder delivered five home runs while posting a 1.009 OPS. This month, O’Neill has continued to get more playing time and has given us a handful of web gems, but a diminished offensive output. The biggest drop is in his slugging percentage, which has gone from .691 in July to .404 this month.

Taveras offers almost an opposite profile to O’Neill; a player who mixes some small ball with a balanced approach that contrasts with O’Neill’s power-heavy game. After struggling mightily in June and July, we’ve seen Taveras turn it around a little in this month, with a .674 OPS in 63 ABs. If Taveras can become a secondary table setter at the bottom of the Orioles lineup, he can give Baltimore the offensive depth it needs to stay in the playoff race until the end.

The week ahead does not begin any easier for the Atlanta Braves, who will welcome the Dodgers for three games starting tonight. Bryce Elder will be on the mound, and the Braves badly need to get a series win. That will be much easier said than done.

MLB News

Braves sent Jim Jarvis to the minors and officially brought up Brewer Hicklen back to the majors. Hicklen was already with the team due to be being the extra guy from the Little League Classic.

Eric Hartman and Daniel Brooks both impressed this weekend with their performances in the minors.

More on why everyone seems to love Ronald Acuna Jr.

MLB News

The Astros parted ways with GM Dana Brown, who is a former Braves front office exec.

Cal Raleigh heating up was evidently the needed source to cool down the red hot Phillies. Raleigh connected for three home runs in the win for the Mariners.

In a critical game for both teams, the Cubs showed why they went and got Kevin Gausman, who was quite good in their win over the Dbacks.

Meet the Mets

The Mets were off on Monday after dropping two of three in Chicago. Their reward for a return home will be a showdown with the best team in baseball, the 81-50 Brewers.

Tim Britton examined whether Carson Benge or Nolan McLean have a case for NL Rookie of the Year on This Week in Mets.

Anthony DiComo argued that Benge indeed belongs in the NL Rookie of the Year discussion.

Mike Vaccaro wrote that the shine coming off McLean early in the year only solidified his importance to the team.

Nate Lavender talked about his current opportunity with the Mets.

Peter Sblendorio looked at how ex-Mets prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams are doing with the Brewers after being traded there during the offseason.

Around the National League East

It’s the little things that Ronald Acuña Jr. does, as well as his smile, that makes him a fan favorite.

Paul Casella identified the ten best moments from the Phillies’ remarkable run.

The Phillies saw their nine-game winning streak end with a 9-2 loss to the Mariners. Wheeler took the mound in search of his first win since July 12, but a five-run first and four home runs derailed those efforts as his troubling trends continued.

The Nationals put up 13 runs in the final four innings to bludgeon the Rockies 13-3, as the Nationals’ bats woke up after scoring just six runs in their previous four games and being no-hit through four innings. The outburst coincided with CJ Abrams’ return to the lineup.

The Marlins allowed a run in the eighth and two in the ninth to lose 4-2 to the Red Sox. Pete Fairbanks exited with an apparent injury for Miami after facing just one batter in the ninth inning.

The Marlins did get some positive injury news as they reinstated Kyle Stowers from the injured list following a left hamstring strain.

Around Major League Baseball

The Brewers took down the Dodgers at the top of the MLB Power Rankings ahead of their visit to Queens.

Rob Manfred assured fans that they want to play baseball in 2027.

The Astros and GM Dana Brown mutually agreed to part ways, even with Houston in first place in the historically-weak AL West. The team released a statement about the decision.

The new Padres owners re-affirmed that they are ‘all in’.

There are a lot of great series to keep an eye on this week.

There has been a huge shift in MVP polling this week.

Sam Dykstra looked at the ten best farm systems by outfield prospects.

It’s never too early to start thinking about the Arizona Fall League, and now you can with a look at the teams and schedule.

Edwin Díaz understands that he has not done his job this season as he prepares for a new role for the Dodgers.

The Rangers pounded the White Sox 11-2. In the victory, old friend Brandon Nimmo went to the apex of his leap to rob a home run. Joc Pederson, meanwhile, was ejected from the dugout in the second inning of the game.

The majority of Boston’s runs in their 4-2 against Miami came courtesy of the bottom of their lineup.

Cal Raleigh homered three times in Seattle’s win last night, becoming just the second Mariners’ catcher (along with his current manager Dan Wilson) to accomplish the feat while with the franchise.

The Rays beat the Tigers 4-1 as Drew Rasmussen made it seven straight winning starts.

The Guardians doubled up the Angels 4-2 for their fifth straight victory.

The Cubs blanked the Diamondbacks 7-0 as Kevin Gausman spun a scoreless gem for Chicago.

The Pirates outlasted the Padres 3-2 in 12 innings.

The Twins withstood a furious ninth inning rally by the Athletics to win 9-6.

The Giants shut out the Reds 5-0.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Linus Lawrence provided a Monday Stat Party.

This Date in Mets History

The Mets traded Hall of Famer Billy Wagner to the Red Sox on this date in 2009.

It was a tumultuous weekend for the Yankees. Cody Bellinger returned Sunday, providing a much-needed jolt to a lineup that’s been anemic in his and Aaron Judge’s absences. But Giancarlo Stanton suffered a setback that could end his season (and, with it, perhaps his tenure in pinstripes). And Ryan Weathers, who had posted a 2.27 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break, landed on the shelf with a forearm strain.

Amid the injury news, the Yankees quietly went on a heater, winning six of their last seven while taking series against two AL East foes, Baltimore and Toronto. This week, they’ll be hosting the Astros, a sub-.500 team that just fired GM Dana Brown after dropping six of their last eight despite still tying for first place in a tight AL West. Let’s take a look at the likely starting pitching matchups for this midweek set.

Tuesday: Will Warren vs. Ethan Pecko(7:05 pm ET)

Just over a week ago, it looked like Will Warren was about to lose his rotation spot, bouncing either to the bullpen or the minors upon Carlos Rodón’s return. Now, with Max Fried and Weathers on the IL, he’s the Yankees’ No. 4 starter. After a strong start to the year he’s struggled, going 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA since the All-Star break and turning in just one quality start since the end of May. Last time out, he needed 90 pitches to get through four innings of work in Baltimore, allowing six baserunners and two runs.

He’s lined up to face Ethan Pecko. The right-hander will be pitching on his 24th birthday, six days after making his MLB debut against the Angels in which he allowed two runs in 3.2 innings. He featured a four-seamer and a sinker in that start, mixing in four complementary pitches. Pecko was 4-6 with a 4.94 ERA in 17 outings (15 starts) at Triple-A before getting the call.

Wednesday: TBDvs. Peter Lambert (7:05 pm ET)

With their rotation thrown into flux by recent injuries, the Yankees are yet to announce their probable starter for Wednesday. After optioning Brendan Beck down to Triple-A Monday, their only minor-league option on the 40-man roster is Elmer Rodríguez. Rodríguez, who has made four spot starts for the Yankees this season, last pitched on August 18th and would be on plenty of rest to start if called upon. Another option would be a bullpen game, with Ryan Yarbrough the likeliest option to provide multiple innings behind an opener.

The Astros are slated to hand the ball to Peter Lambert. After making 74 appearances for the Rockies between 2019-2024, Lambert spent last year rebuilding his arsenal with the Yakult Swallows of the NPB. The Astros took a flier on him this offseason and he’s been a real find, posting a sturdy 3.68 ERA and 113 ERA+ through 22 starts, helping stabilize a rotation that’s struggled with both health and performance. Lambert’s strong numbers on the season are despite his getting torched last time out, allowing nine runs in 3.2 innings to the Angels in what was easily his worst start of the year.

Thursday: Gerrit Cole vs. Hayden Wesneski (7:05 pm ET)

Gerrit Cole will make his 17th start of the season Thursday. After a layoff of a year and a half due to a UCL injury, he hasn’t missed a beat, posting a 3.11 ERA and striking out 100 in 92.2 innings. The 35-year-old held Baltimore to one run in six innings his last time out en route to his seventh win of the year.

The Astros will turn to Hayden Wesneski in the series finale. Like Cole, the former Yankee farmhand is recently recovered from Tommy John surgery. Wesneski is 3-1 with a 4.23 ERA in his first five starts back. He was particularly dominant in his last outing, keeping the A’s off the board through five innings while permitting a single hit (and three walks) in an eventual victory.

Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers have the second-best record in baseball, this summer has seemed like a slog to get through. It hasn’t quite felt like the big bully of a team other fans and talking heads like to complain about.

At least from the rotation part, the band is (almost) finally getting back together. On Tuesday, Tyler Glasnow will rejoin the rotation after being on the IL for over 3 months dealing with back issues. The Dodgers have been without their entire original starting rotation for all of the summer, and now, they also have Tarik Skubal.

Shohei Ohtani is slated to return on September 1st.

Doug Padilla of the OC Register covers the state of the Dodgers rotation going into the playoffs.

“We feel good about it,” Manager Dave Roberts said in the most understated of ways. “I’m excited to see Tyler back. I know he has missed competing, worked hard to get healthy, got his pitch count up and is now finally ready to participate. It’s going to be a fun series against the Braves. It will be good to get Tyler back in the mix.”

With Glasnow, and soon Ohtani returning, there will need to be some shuffling of the rotation. Justin Wrobleski went on the IL last week, and Eric Lauer has been moved to the bullpen.

When Ohtani returns, they are going to slow play him as they have done in the past. The team is moving Lauer to a “piggyback” role, and he will most likely be following Ohtani as the hope is to have Ohtani back to five innings by time the playoffs roll around.

Overall, it’s an exciting time for those who enjoy watching their team at full strength. Not just for the fans, but for the players themselves.

“Glasnow on Tuesday and then Sho’s working his way back,” Snell said. “I mean, yeah, it’s going to be a lot of good competition within the starting rotation. I’m really excited about it.

“Being able to watch some of the best pitchers in the game and learn from them – their mentality, the way they attack – having those conversations are very big. I’m definitely grateful to be on the same team but a lot to learn.”

When the Rockies signed Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之), it came a surprise to many Colorado Rockies fans. The 36-year-old veteran was signed to bring leadership to a young pitching staff, which he has done quite well. However, coming to Major League Baseball just one year prior was something that he had been wanting for a long time after a storied career in Japan with Nippon Professional Baseball. 

“The number one thing was that I didn’t want to regret looking back on my career, so that was the main decision factoring in,” Sugano said through interpreter Yuto Sakurai. 

Heading into his decision, he did seek out other Japanese players to gain insights into their experiences before committing. Specifically, he spoke with Yu Darvish and Kenta Maeda.

“They both mentioned that the big leagues is a tough place, but it’d be a really good experience,” he said.

And he has noticed some differences between the NPB and MLB.

“To me, everything has been different,” he said, “starting with the schedule and what the organization expects for each and every player and their ability. So in my mind, everything has been different between the two leagues.”

Sugano signed with the Baltimore Orioles in December 2024, and he made 30 starts for them in 2025. In total, Sugano went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 157 innings. However, he was also tagged for 33 home runs, which led the league. 

“I think I was playing pretty well, especially the first part of the season,” he said. “In June, I kind of collapsed and realized how tough it was to pitch in the big leagues. I don’t really have too much [that surprised me], but I try to not think too far ahead. I try not to expect anything.”

So far in 2026, Sugano has been fairly steady. 

He has made 23 starts, and has a 12-7 record with a 4.96 ERA, 1.332 WHIP and 0.3 fWAR (T-8th). Some of that has been inflated over his last two starts, which have not been great. On Sunday, he set a lot of dubious records, including a career-low-tying three innings pitched and a career-high 45 pitches in the first inning. In his previous start on August 17th, Sugano threw five innings but allowed seven runs (six earned). He had not allowed more than three runs in each of his last five starts. Those two starts bumped up his ERA from 4.43 to 4.96, and his WHIP from 1.25 to 1.32.

One thing that Sugano has had to contend with, like all Rockies players, is the altitude. But he’s been making adjustments, and actually has fairly even home/road splits.

In 12 home games, Sugano has a 7-5 record and a 5.00 ERA; in 11 road games, he has a 5-2 record and a 4.91 ERA. He also has a 1.33 WHIP at home and a 1.30 WHIP on the road. But he had trouble narrowing down one specific adjustment he’s made to account for the altitude.

“When I start speaking about one thing, there’s unlimited things that I can talk about,” he said. “But I guess the number one thing is I try to study the opposing hitters. And pitching in Denver is different from pitching away in different fields, so try to make that adjustment as soon as possible.”

But the biggest thing Sugano has noticed about the Rockies is how supportive the staff is, which has been echoed by many players.

“Everybody has been supportive, starting with Schaeff,” he said. “And I know the coaching staff is really you, but I think they’re trying their best and they’ve been really supportive as a whole.”

And he is most excited to “get as many wins as possible” to finish 2026.

“I want to be supportive both on and off the field,” he continued, “so whatever I can do to support this team and get any type of win.”

But if nothing else, Sugano has enjoyed his time in Denver and even made a stop at Elitch Gardens. Sugano is a well-known theme park enthusiast, making sure to seek out amusement parks in their different stops if time allows for it (he made sure to ride New York New York in Las Vegas).

His favorite part of the Denver park?

“The turkey leg that they were selling,” he said. “It was super expensive, so I was surprised by that. We didn’t really go on that many rides to have a comparison with each other. One of them was a free fall, and the other one was a roller coaster. It was probably like the scariest one there.”

It’s hard to say where Sugano will play in 2027, but he has at least provided some stability for most of this up-and-down 2026 season when the rotation desperately needed it.

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Here are the 2026 Arizona Fall League teams and schedule | MLB.com

The MLB season is wrapping up, which means the Arizona Fall League is just around the corner! The Rockies will once again send their prospects to the Salt River Rafters, who will share the roster with prospects from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees. Games will kick off on October 3rd and run through November 14th. Most games will be streamed through the AFL website. Be on the lookout for Purple Row’s continued coverage of the “top prospect finishing school.”

Cole Carrigg proving to be the Colorado Rockies blueprint | Mile High Sports

The Rockies have been looking for a spark for many years, and they seem to have found one in the form of Cole Carrigg. Drew Creasman makes his case for why Carrigg is the blueprint of the Rockies’ future.

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The minor league season is drawing closer to the finish line, but the action among the Orioles’ affiliates is arguably the most exciting it’s been all season. Between the debuts of a bunch of 2026 draftees and the arrivals of a slew of new prospects acquired at the trade deadline, the Orioles have added plenty of intriguing young players to their talent pipeline. Let’s check in on the latest minor league action from the past week.

Triple-A Norfolk Tides

• Last week’s results: 2-3 vs. Nashville Sounds (Brewers)
• Next week’s opponent: at Durham Bulls (Rays)
• Second-half record: 17-31, last place (12.5 GB) in International League East
• Overall season record: 45-78

The Tides started the week with a couple of high-scoring wins, plating eight and seven runs in their first two games, but then the offense disappeared. They scored only one run in the final three games combined (with rain washing out the other). Even more embarrassingly, they were the victims of a no-hitter on Sunday in a seven-inning game. Nashville’s Brandon Sproat and Tate Kuehner combined on a near-perfecto, with one walk and one HBP accounting for the Tides’ only baserunners.

No Norfolk hitter played more than four games this week, but the best of the lot was Heston Kjerstad, who went 6-for-12 with a double and triple. Kjerstad has been red hot for two months now, posting an .852 OPS in July and .947 in August. If it were up to me, he’d be getting DH at-bats in the majors, but the fact that the Orioles would rather carry three catchers instead of giving Kjerstad another chance tells you all you need to know about their opinion of him.

Another guy angling for a big league promotion, Enrique Bradfield Jr., had just three hits this week, all singles. With a .685 OPS, he’s not forcing a call-up, no matter how lousy the Orioles’ outfield may currently be. Neither is catcher Creed Willems, who took an 0-for-12 this week. Infielder Brandon Butterworth hit his first home run since his promotion to Triple-A.

Nearly everyone in the Tides’ rotation had a lousy week, as Trey Gibson, Nestor German, Juaron Watts-Brown, and Trace Bright each coughed up five or more runs. The only decent performance was from Michael Forret, who held the Sounds to two runs in five innings. Poor Cade Povich was robbed of a start on Saturday because the game was rained out after just four pitches, before he’d even completed the first at-bat. Why would they even start the game?? Did nobody look at a weather map? Get it together, guys!

A tip of the hat to right-hander Codi Heuer, a minor league trade acquisition at the deadline, who has thrown eight scoreless innings of relief since joining the organization. With 97 games of major league experience, Heuer could be a bullpen option for the Orioles down the stretch.

Norfolk season stats

Double-A Chesapeake Baysox

• Last week’s results: 2-4 vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants)
• Next week’s opponent: at Harrisburg Senators (Nationals)
• Second-half record: 27-23, tied for second place (7.5 GB) in Eastern League Southwest
• Overall season record: 56-62

The Baysox are showing some life in the second half, currently with an over-.500 record after finishing the first half 10 games underwater. They’ve been helped by some prospects promoted from High-A as well as key trade deadline acquisitions. The starting rotation has some of both. The recently promoted lefty Caden Hunter tossed another solid outing in his fourth Double-A start — five innings, one run — and batters are hitting .195 against him. JT Quinn, in his second start since coming up, allowed two runs in five innings, while Patrick Reilly had his most impressive outing since returning from Tommy John surgery: five innings, one run, six strikeouts.

Then there’s righty Anthony Eyanson, the prize of the Adley Rutschman trade and the Orioles’ new top pitching prospect. This week he delivered a superb performance, allowing only one run in seven innings and striking out eight. He has a 2.60 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in his three starts since joining the club. And how intriguing is this Baysox rotation if Joseph Dzierwa is the fifth guy I’m mentioning? The breakout southpaw was sharp yet again, with a solo homer his only blemish in five strong innings. His ERA with the Baysox is holding steady at 1.89.

Oh, and who was the sixth Baysox hurler to make a start this week? None other than Félix Bautista, making his long-awaited return to a mound for the first time since July of 2025. The rehabbing Mountain was clearly rusty, walking three batters, giving up a hit, and recording just one out. OK, so he’s not ready to jump back into the Orioles’ bullpen quite yet. But the fact that he’s even pitching is impressive for a guy who I didn’t expect to see again until 2027, if at all.

On the offensive side, top infield prospect Wehiwa Aloy is really settling in with the Baysox. He was 6-for-20 with two homers and two doubles this week, boosting his Double-A OPS to .860 in 24 games. The suddenly slugging Aron Estrada added another homer this week after bashing five the week before. And Vance Honeycutt contributed with five hits and only two strikeouts in 16 PAs, even if I’m not sure what earned him a promotion to Double-A in the first place.

Chesapeake season stats

High-A Frederick Keys

• Last week’s results: 3-4 at Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals)
• Next week’s opponent: vs. Asheville Tourists (Astros)
• Second-half record: 31-21, tied for first place in South Atlantic League North
• Overall season record: 72-44

The Keys played an extra game this week to make up a rainout from early August, and the Blue Rocks took the series to slow down Frederick’s 10-1 hot streak. Still, the Keys are deadlocked with Greensboro atop the division standings. They don’t even need to finish in first to make the playoffs — they’re already assured a postseason spot because they won the division in the first half — but it would be a cool feat nonetheless.

The Keys’ offense went through a rough patch near the end of the series, when they lost three consecutive games by scores of 1-0, 2-1, and 1-0. But nothing could slow down Enddy Azocar, who has been laying waste to opposing pitchers since the O’s acquired him in the Rutschman deal. The 19-year-old outfielder racked up a whopping 11 hits this week, nearly twice as many as any teammate. In 17 games since joining the organization, Azocar is batting .357 with a 1.024 OPS, 11 extra-base hits, and 16 RBIs. Wowza.

The Frederick pitching staff coughed up 17 runs in a Wednesday doubleheader but otherwise excelled, holding Wilmington to two or fewer runs in the other five games. The biggest standout was righty Kyson Witherspoon — yup, yet another prospect from the Rutschman trade — who threw five hitless, scoreless innings. He struck out eight and walked three. You know, I’m never going to love the fact that the Orioles felt they had to trade Adley, but so far I sure am impressed by the return.

Also racking up the whiffs this week was 6’8” lefty Boston Bateman, who clocked nine Ks in six innings over two abbreviated starts. He allowed 10 baserunners but managed to escape without any runs. Bateman’s last six starts have all been three innings or less, so the O’s seem to be limiting his workload. He missed time earlier this season with right hip flexor discomfort and left triceps tightness.

Frederick season stats

Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds

• Last week’s results: 1-5 at Hickory Crawdads (Rangers)
• Next week’s opponent: vs. Fredericksburg Nationals
• Second-half record: 19-35, last place (13.5 GB) in Carolina League North
• Overall season record: 42-78

With a .350 overall winning percentage, the Shorebirds are the worst team in all of Low-A, and the second-worst team at any full-season minor league level (better only than High-A’s Asheville Tourists, an Astros affiliate). By the way, the Norfolk Tides are the fourth-worst minor league team. Not great for the O’s farm system!

It was another bad week for the Shorebirds, who went 1-5 for the third time in their last four series. The additions of the Orioles’ top two 2026 draft picks, Eric Booth Jr. and Ty Head, hasn’t boosted the team’s record, though not for lack of trying. Head, the second-round outfielder from NC State, collected seven hits and a homer this week, and has a .965 OPS in nine games to begin his pro career. Booth, the Birds’ first rounder, is off to a 5-for-23 start, though he has seven walks in as many games. Not bad for an 18-year-old who most recent experience was in high school ball. Fellow outfielder Jhonmardo Reyes, who’d started out with only seven hits in 41 at-bats since the O’s acquired him for Dean Kremer, had seven in 20 at-bats this week.

And on the mound, Esteban Mejia might be starting to salvage some hints of positivity out of an otherwise disastrous season. In his last three outings, the right-hander has been limited to short stints — two to three innings per game — and he’s responded with 8.1 scoreless frames and 11 strikeouts. Most promisingly, Mejia has walked only three batters in that span, a dramatic step forward for a guy who had issued 62 free passes in 42.1 innings before that. It’s a very small sample size and certainly too early to declare that Mejia has cured his season-long control problems, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Delmarva season stats

**

Last week, Aron Estrada was the runaway winner of our player of the week poll with 70% of the vote. Hitting five home runs will do that. Estrada becomes the third repeat winner of the season, joining Caden Hunter and Ike Irish. One-time winners include Victor Figueroa, Payton Eeles, Braylin Tavera, Wehiwa Aloy, Jaiden Lo Re, Joseph Dzierwa, Luis De León, Heston Kjerstad, and Enddy Azocar.

For this week’s poll, well, it’s not like I intended to only include the prospects from the Adley Rutschman trade. But they all had stalwart performances this week, so here we are. Which one is your favorite this week?

Today’s Reflections

If I was there this weekend, I definitely would have been “Sleepless in Seattle.”

Friday, the Cubs lost a winnable game on a walk-off single by a .130 hitter, Leo Rivas. Then Saturday, the Cubs see a definite win turn into a brutal loss. After that .130 hitter (Rivas) drove in a run with a two-out single, Randy Arozarena, who had a first-pitch HR to start the game, matched PCA from five days earlier by hitting a two-run walk-off HR.

One could say, “Whew, a 19-2 laugher, finally” Sunday, but it turned into an uncomfortable win after the implosion by Shōta Imanaga, which followed Matthew Boyd’s poor recent starts — the two pretty dependable pitchers Jed Hoyer built a solid four-man playoff rotation around. What now?

Well, let’s start with the good news on the pitching side. Saturday, David Peterson gave up the CSPSHR*, but went on to allow just two runs on four hits and two walks over six innings. Peterson added on eight strikeouts, as 62 of his 98 pitches were for strikes.

The only thing on Sunday that Imanaga matched Peterson on was giving up a CSPSHR* and two total runs allowed. Imanaga was pulled after 72 pitches following two consecutive singles to start the third inning. He allowed five hits, two walks and a HBP, getting pulled from the shortest start in his major-league career.

Aaron Civale took over for Imanaga with a 5-2 lead and was excellent over four innings of one-hit shutout ball. Trent Thornton, Caleb Thielbar and Carson Kelly pitched the final three innings in shutout fashion.

Offensively between the two games, the Cubs scored 23 runs. Nineteen of those, however came only on Sunday. The leaders at the plate Sunday were based on a pair of grand slams, one each by Ian Happ and Pedro Ramirez. Happ only played Sunday, but went an efficient 2-for-4 with a walk and a total of five RBI. Ramirez on Sunday went 3-for-6 with three runs scored to go along with his grand slam, five RBI and a stolen base.

Two other players that played only on Sunday — Michael Conforto went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, and Kelly went 1-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.

For players performing in both games, Seiya Suzuki went 3-for-7 with three walks, three runs scored and a stolen base. A nice surprise is that Tyrone Taylor doesn’t appear to be an all-glove player. He went 3-for-7 with two walks, a double, a run scored and an RBI. PCA went 3-for-8 with a walk, adding two runs scored, a double, a home run and three RBI. Michael Busch was just 2-for-7, but with two walks, three runs scored and a solo home run. And Alex Bregman’s only hit was a solo home run, but he did pick up a pair of walks, two runs scored and an RBI each.

Complimentary Starting Pitcher Solo Home Run*

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Sunday’s Game Stories:

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): In blowout win, Ian Happ, Pedro Ramirez become fourth Cubs duo to hit grand slams in same game. “The Cubs put a hurting on the Mariners on Sunday, an offensive explosion that saw Happ and Ramirez do something on two other pairs of Cubs had done since at least 1910.”

• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Sun-Times): Chicago Cubs blow out the Seattle Mariners 19-2 — but Shota Imanaga delivers the shortest start of his career. “Ian Happ’s grand slam off the right-field pole — following three straight walks — was part of a five-run third inning to fuel the Chicago Cubs to a blowout 19-2 victory Sunday.”

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs crush four homers (including two slams) en route to 17-run win in Seattle. “Ian Happ walked for five steps out of the box, his bat still in his right hand, as he watched the flight of the ball he just sent towering over the right-field line.”

Additional Game Stories from Sunday:

• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs manager Craig Counsell signals it’s ‘go time’ with quick hook for Shota Imanaga. “”It was just a bad day,” Counsell said of Imanaga, who lasted only two innings Sunday against the Mariners.”
• Abdullah Imran (ClutchPoints): Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong makes franchise history with home run in rout of Mariners. “Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong made franchise history with his 33rd homer and 32nd steal in a 19-2 rout of the Mariners.”

Saturday’s Game Stories:

• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Jacob Webb’s 24 consecutive scoreless appearances streak ends in Chicago Cubs’ 2nd straight walk-off loss. “Jacob Webb’s stellar scoreless appearances streak was bound to be over at some point.”

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ surprise closer Jacob Webb finally falters, but bullpen in good spot as big playoff moments loom. “Webb’s lengthy streak of scoreless appearances came to an end Saturday, when he gave up three ninth-inning runs in a walk-off loss. But the Cubs’ relief corps is ready for whatever comes next as the different world of playoff pitching nears.”

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Bregman, Busch get through top prospect Anderson, but Cubs stunned by Arozarena. “Jacob Webb had not allowed a run for the Cubs dating back to late June. That streak finally ended for the veteran reliever who has grown into Chicago’s closer and a trusted stopper in manager Craig Counsell’s bullpen.”

Additional Game Stories from Saturday:

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs’ reliable Webb has rare stumble in walk-off loss. “Jacob Webb spun around on the mound and kept an eye on Pete Crow-Armstrong as the Cubs center fielder raced back to the wall at T-Mobile Park.”

Assorted Stories (Pitching):

• Sean Sears (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs October Blueprint: Bonafide Starters, Mid-Tier Options, Top Bullpen Arms. “How should Craig Counsell plan to construct the Cubs’ playoff rotation this October?”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Sports): Is Trent Thornton Good? “It’s the greatest thread in the history of forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate.“
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Craig Counsell sends blunt Shota Imanaga message as Cubs plan for October. “Go time for Sho-Time.”
• Casey McAleer (DaWindyCity): Shota Imanaga’s uncharacteristic outing gets buried by Cubs offensive explosion. “Imanaga needed 72 pitches to make it through only two innings before the Cubs offense completely took over against Seattle.”

Assorted Stories (Hitting):

• Alexander Rosquez (LastWordOnSports): Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong Nears Franchise Record for Homer/Steal Games. “For 35 years, Ryne Sandberg’s 1991 season has stood as the benchmark for power-speed combinations in Chicago.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Pete Crow-Armstrong’s leadoff home-run barrage showing just how dangerous he is at top of Cubs’ batting order. “Crow-Armstrong’s leadoff homer Friday was his third such dinger in a four-game stretch, another remarkable feat in a season full of them for the MVP candidate.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Ian Happ’s struggles with his right-handed swing have the Chicago Cubs switch-hitter in a tough situation. “Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ found himself in what has become a familiar position Saturday.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Playoff-tested Alex Bregman delivering the big moments Cubs expected from their big free agent. “Bregman is trending toward a 5-plus-WAR season and his 10th consecutive year in the playoffs.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Cubs’ Alex Bregman has gone from easy out to an elite clutch hitter in the second half. “The team’s big offseason signing is living up to his contract just in time.”

General Assorted Stories:

• Alex D’Agostino (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs Present Massive Playoff Threat to Diamondbacks This Week. “The Arizona Diamondbacks managed to live to fight another day after they took two of three from the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend.”
• Steve Silverstein (ClutchPoints): Cubs would normally love seeing Cardinals choke, but now Phillies are breathing down neck. “Cubs feel the pressure of the Phillies charging at them as their lead for the No. 1 Wild Card spot continues to shrink.”
• Brandon Glick (Cubbies Crib): One stat paints troubling Cubs’ NL Central picture compared to Brewers in playoff race. “Neither history nor the numbers are on our side.”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Everything Sucks When It’s Not About You. “For the second year in a row, an admirably resilient and impressive Cubs team is suffering from an acute and inescapable syndrome that makes life genuinely unpleasant: secondary character syndrome.”
• Garrett Kerman (ClutchPoints): Cubs’ Craig Counsell provides 2 big injury updates. “Craig Counsell revealed that both right-hander Ben Brown and left-hander Justin Steele came through a milestone step in their respective rehab programs without any setbacks.”

Food For Thought:

Rex Peoples is the 7x winner of the “Best Blues Vocalist” in Colorado. If you like the Blues, R&B, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Koko Talyor then you will love Rex. The XFactr was created by singer, songwriter, vocal coach, and Blues in Schools educator Rex Peoples in 2007. It is intentionally spelled without the “o” to represent the intangibles that make the religious shout, the partiers dance, and remind us of the emotions that make us say, “That’s my song!” He wrote all lyrics and music for the CD : Fried Food / Hard Liquor. Rex was the 2nd most played single on Kai Turners “Strictly Blues station in 2016. The band was a semifinalist in the 2016 International Blues Challenge on Beale Street in Memphis. His title cut song was also covered on Chris Daniels and the Kings CD…Blues with Horns ” which so far has climbed the charts to #4 in the Contemporary top fifty chart in 2017. Rex has worked with Otis Taylor’s Trance Blues Fest for the last 4 years.

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