Category: Baseball

It was September 6th, 2017. The Diamondbacks completed a sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles with a 3-1 victory, Taijuan Walker getting the win and Adam Rosales hitting a go-ahead double in the seventh inning. It was, remarkably, Arizona thirteenth victory in a row, a franchise record which still stands. But what’s more remarkable is that, in the close to nine years since that date, the D-backs have not had a winning streak which has reached half of that length. Yes: that was the last time Arizona won more than a very modest winning streak of six games in a row. Indeed, it has now been more than two years since they even reached that, in late August 2024.

Seven-game winning streaks are not exactly rare. On the same day the D-backs won their 13th and final contest, they were one of three teams with an active 7+ game winning streak. The Astros racked up their seventh win that day, and the Cleveland Indians were winning their 14th in a row. They were on the way to a winning streak which would end at a staggering twenty-two games, the longest of any team in the live ball era. Fun fact: that was the only date in recorded baseball history, that two teams have simultaneously been on winning streaks of thirteen games or more.

The great drought

Between then and the end of 2017, the Athletics and Cubs would also post seven wins in a row. Every other team in the majors would follow suit. Since the end of the D-backs last such streak, there have been no fewer than 206 times where a team has gone seven or more unbeaten. It’s just that none of them are by Arizona. The chart below shows the number of 7+ game winning streaks for each team since the start of 2018 (203 in all).

The two branches of the Evil Empire, on the East and West coasts, have each got to enjoy no fewer than eighteen separate winning streaks of 7+ games, since the last time the Diamondbacks had one. The sense of entitlement is strong. I mean, it makes sense in that, at the time of writing, the only team to have won more games than the Yankees are the Dodgers. Most of the teams high up the chart above are similarly high up the overall win rankings from 2018-26. The most obvious exception are the Red Sox, who rank =3rd for win streaks, but only come in ninth for overall wins.

On that basis, the D-backs do have good reason to feel hard done by. They rank 18th in wins, and a similar position for win streaks would have given them five over the past nine seasons, rather than zero. I mean, hell, even the Colorado Rockies – dead last in wins, by twenty, over this time-frame – have enjoyed a pair of seven-game streaks, and a pair of eight-game streaks. You would think Arizona would have simply lucked into a lengthy winning streak, just by chance. I mean, we’re talking over 640 wins. You would think they might have bunched together at some point in nine years.

What are the odds?

It’s actually a non-trivial task to figure this out. [Those who are not a mathematical bent might care to skip this section, or at least scroll down to the conclusion, which I’ll put in bold] If you know the chances of winning a single game, it’s quite easy to calculate the basic odds of winning seven in a row. x^7, where x is the chance of winning a single game. This presumes the odds are the same for each game, but if we go down the rabbit-hole of figuring out different probabilities for each contest, we’ll never get anywhere. However, if you are looking for the odds of a 7-game streak over a season, things get complex, but results are no longer independent.

For a single baseball season, there are 156 different points at which a seven-game streak could start. If you reach game 156 without one and lose, there’s not enough time thereafter for such a streak. But they overlap: a single loss in, say, game 100, will eliminate streak #94 through #100 from consideration. So it gets complex. If you should be interested, The Hardball Times has all the information you could possibly want, in their 2019 article called The Probability of Streaks. Though it’s too much math, even for me.

Should we treat each season as separate. Does winning the last three games then the first four the next year count? Not that the answer either way would help the D-backs. At this point, heading towards a decade, I would take any good, long winning streak. But let’s start with the odds of a .500 team winning seven in a row, within a single season. Google AI does a good job of explaining the math, involving Markov chains and recursion. Turns out an average team has about an average chance – 47% – of a seven-game winning streak in a season. For better teams, the odds are higher. A .550 team has around a 68% shot. Conversely, a .450 team has only a 28% chance.

Now, for the D-backs. They have played 1,357 games since the last time they won seven in a row, going 656-701 for a win percentage in that time of .483. The math tells us there is a 98.79% chance a seven-game winning streak would happen at least once, so the odds of Arizona avoiding it entirely, as has actually happened, is just 1.21% – roughly a one in 83 chance. Heck, there’s a better than 60% chance of a 10-game win streak. We can also calculate that the a team with that win percentage would be expected to have enjoyed 4.28 separate winning streaks of seven or more games over that span, rather than the zero which have actually happened.

So close, and yet…

While it hasn’t happened for a while, the Diamondbacks have been on the edge of a seven-game winning streak on multiple occasions. Appropriately enough, they have had seven six-game winning streaks, only to go 0-7 when they attempted to win a seventh game. What’s the closest they’ve come? Here are the seven games which ended the six-game streaks:

• Sept 1, 2019 – 3-4 vs. LAD. This defeat was particularly annoying, because the D-backs would go on to win the next five games in a row. Had they prevailed here, it would have given them a 12-game streak. They led 3-2 in the ninth inning, but Cody Bellinger hit a home-run off Andrew Chafin, and we lost in 11 innings. Peak WP: 91%
• Aug 19, 2020 – 1-4 @ OAK. Having skunked the A’s 10-1 the previous day at Chase, as part of a home-and-home series, hopes were high. But Merrill Kelly gave up two runs in the first inning, and two more in the third. The D-backs never threatened, and this kicked off an 8-game losing streak for Arizona. Peak WP: 50%
• June 3, 2023 – 2-5 vs. ATL. The Diamondbacks had squeaked out a one-run win to take the series opener, but the Braves chipped away at Ryne Nelson, with single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, building a lead which couldn’t be overcome, while Spencer Strider held Arizona to three hits over his six frames. Peak WP: 61%
• June 13, 2023 – 3-15 vs. PHI. Arizona quickly got back on the horse, and a 5-0 road trip through Washington and Detroit, was followed by a 9-8 win against the Phillies at Chase, rallying from 5-1 down. The next day though.. Zach Davies gave up four runs in the first, and it went downhill from there. Josh Rojas pitched the ninth. Peak WP: 50%
• Aug 26, 2023 – 7-8 vs. CIN, The third streak of 2023 begin with a double-header sweep in San Diego, and die as Arizona couldn’t keep a late lead. They were 4-1 up with two outs in the eighth, and still had a two-run lead with one out in the ninth, but Paul Sewald – remember him? – was unable to hold it. The Reds prevailed in 11. Peak WP: 95%
• Aug 16, 2024 – 4-5 @ TBR. Live by the walk-off, die by the walk-off. The six games leading up to this had seen Arizona walk off against both Philadelphia and Colorado. But they were on the other side of it in Tampa. The D-backs scored two in the ninth to tie the game, but an ugly Jake McCarthy error let the Rays win. Peak WP: 79%
• Aug 27, 2024 – 3-8 vs NYM. There was another six-game winning streak later in the month, starting immediately after the D-backs were swept by the Rays. Impressively all six victories came on the road, sweeping Miami and Boston. But a six-run fifth off Brandon Pfaadt ended all hopes of making it to seven. Peak WP: 50%

So it has been more than two years, and 334 games since the last of these, with a .503 W%. Even the lack of a six-game streak in that time is quite unlikely, with a 94% chance of one showing up. It’s worth noting that since the end of 2017, the D-backs have had about what would be expected in terms of losing streaks of seven or more. There have been six of those, peaking with those terrible, seventeen consecutive losses in June 2020.

I guess all of the above could make you think that the D-backs are overdue, though that feels like a classic example of the gambler’s fallacy. But with the team currently in a dog-fight (albeit one feeling of the “Pekinese vs. Chihuahua” variety!) with the Padres for a wild-card, there’s no denying this month would be a particularly good time for the streakless streak to end.

Not many Minor League Baseball roundups are left in the 2026 season, sadly. But all four of the San Francisco Giants A-ball affiliates played on Wednesday, so let’s dig into the action.

Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.

News

A few transactions. There were a pair of promotions, with RHP Logan Martin moving from AA Richmond to AAA Sacramento, while catcher Onil Perez jumped from High-A Eugene to Richmond. Sacramento catcher Adrián Sugastey landed on the 7-Day IL, as did Low-A San Jose RHP Trey Seeley, which was no surprise after Seeley left Tuesday’s start in the 1st inning, and fairly emotionally distraught.

Catcher Charlie Muniz was signed out of an independent league and assigned to Eugene.

Some exciting hardware to hand out, as Sacramento outfielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) was named the Player of the Month in the Pacific Coast League, while Richmond LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL) was named Pitcher of the Month in the High-A Northwest League, which he dominated before a recent promotion.

And some fun video for you! Shortstop Joniel Hernandez, the extremely exciting 17-year old that the Giants acquired from the Padres at the trade deadline, has made his way to the states following the conclusion of the DSL season. He’s getting into some bridge league games.

AAA Sacramento (75-56)

Sacramento River Cats beat the Salt Lake Bees (Angels) 3-1
Box score

It’s been notable that in recent weeks the Giants have called up LHPs Matt Wilkinson and Cesar Perdomo from AAA, and even RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL) straight from AA, while leaving LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) in the Minors. I’ve noticed it. You’ve noticed it.

And you know who else has surely noticed it? Joe Whitman.

But perhaps a chip on the shoulder is precisely what Whitman needed, because he’s been pitching very well lately. Wednesday was a particularly impressive performance for Whitman, a compensation round pick in 2023. The Kent State alum, who turns 25 later this month, went 8 innings in this game (!!!), giving up just 6 hits and 0 walks, while striking out 5 batters. 5 of the 6 hits he gave up were singles, but the 6th was a home run, which put the lone run on the board for the Bees.

If memory is serving me correctly, it’s the 1st time this year that a Giants prospect has pitched 8 innings in a game, and to do it in the Pacific Coast League only makes that feat more impressive.

Whitman hasn’t been great in AAA, as he has a 4.23 ERA and a 4.94 FIP, but he’s really started to find his rhythm and adjust to the level. In his last 4 starts, Whitman has pitched 24 innings, and allowed just 23 hits, 3 walks, and 6 earned runs, while striking out 21.

With Marte, Perdomo, and Wilkinson in the Majors, Whitman becomes arguably the most difficult Rule 5 protection choice for the Giants. Southpaws in AAA with prospect pedigree who are starting to figure things out will look juicy to another front office … but the Giants also currently have 31 pitchers and 53 total players on the 40-man roster.

Yet despite the brilliant game, Whitman was, tragically, in line for a loss. The River Cats had been shut out for 8 innings, and after RHP Alex Carillo pitched a scoreless top of the 9th (with a hit and a hit batter allowed), Sacramento went into the bottom of the 9th trailing 1-0.

And then magic struck. Left fielder Will Brennan, who continued his recent hot streak by hitting 2-4, opened the inning with a double. Designated hitter Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL), who hit 1-3, followed it up with a walk.

That brought up first baseman Charlie Szykowny. The recently-turned 26-year old was playing in just his 5th game with Sacramento, following a recent promotion that accompanied all of the roster shuffling going on in the Majors and at the top of the Minors. Szykowny, a 9th-round pick in 2023, has looked pretty comfortable in AAA, though he was 0-3 on the day.

But, given a chance to save his starting pitcher from the rare PCL Caining, Szykowny sprung into action, and launched a splendid walk-off home run for his very 1st AAA home run. Talk about a swing that he will never, ever forget!

The rest of the offense struggled, as you can predict given the fact that it was held scoreless before that final swing. The star trio at the top of the lineup continued their recent struggles, as they all seem to be leaking oil a little bit: center fielder Scott Bandura hit 0-3 with a walk, third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) went 0-2 with 2 walks and a strikeout, and right fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) went 1-4 with a strikeout and a caught stealing. For Harber, it continued a tough hit drought: he’s now 1-26 with 4 walks and 9 strikeouts over his last 7 games.

AA Richmond (73-53)

Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Akron RubberDucks (Guardians) 13-4
Box score

Not the most interesting game for the Squirrels, who gave up 13 runs a night after allowing 12 (though they won that game). Despite the high run total, it was an encouraging performance from the starting pitcher, RHP Miguel Mendez.

Mendez, a recently-turned 24-year old who came over in the Robbie Ray trade, made his 3rd appearance with Richmond, and made it through 4.1 innings, giving up 4 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs, while striking out 5 batters. Mendez is still brushing off the dust after some time on the IL, but through 9 innings with the Squirrels, he’s struck out 12 batters while allowing just 3 walks, and that’s pretty nice.

The 6’2 righty, who is from the Dominican Republic, is on the 40-man roster, and while I doubt we see him in San Francisco this year, he could definitely be a big factor in the team’s 2027 plans.

Mendez’s overall line could have been better than it was, as only 1 of his 2 runs scored while he was in the game. He left with 1 out in the 5th and a runner on 3rd, but the inherited runner scored when LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) proceeded to walk the 1st 3 batters that he faced. After a decent stretch, Choate has really been roughed up in his last 2 outings, and has a 4.47 ERA and a 4.20 FIP on the year, in his 3rd pass through the level.

Then all hell broke lose. RHP Manuel Mercedes gave up 6 baserunners and 5 runs while recording just 2 outs, before handing things off to RHP Marty Gair, the flame-throwing reliever the Giants acquired in the Luis Arráez deal. Gair was making his AA debut and was dealt a tough lesson in the quality of the Eastern League offense, as he ceded 4 hits, a walk, and 4 runs in an inning of work.

Funnily enough, with the game out of hand, the Squirrels handed the 8th and final inning to catcher Onil Perez, who had just been brought up from High-A Eugene, and hadn’t yet had a chance to play his actual position.

The offense, meanwhile, did very little. The lone bright spot was designated hitter Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL), who went 2-4 and smacked a 2-run home run.

If you read this space regularly, you’re probably aware of Ceballos’ deal. A year after hitting just 6 home runs while spending the whole year in AA, Ceballos — who turned 24 a few weeks ago — is up to 17 in his repeat of the level. But, despite striking out just 18.0% of the time, Ceballos is still running a miserable .227 batting average, which has led to a mediocre .750 OPS and 106 wRC+, despite the power and the 14.0% walk rate.

High-A Eugene (76-51)

Eugene Emeralds lost to the Hillsboro Hops (D-Backs) 5-2
Box score

It’s the time of the Minor League season where there are a lot of kind of funny assignments and rosters, as teams need to fill holes that are being left late in the year. That was certainly on display in this game. One of Eugene’s primary catchers, Onil Perez, has been promoted to AA to patch a catching hole there, but the result was a catching hole in High-A. So the Giants signed 24-year old right-handed hitting catcher Charlie Muniz from the Pioneer League and assigned him to Eugene.

Muniz made his professional debut on Wednesday and, unfortunately, learned the hard way that High-A ball is a different beast than the indy league where he had posted a .361/.470/.656 line over 85 games. Muniz’s introduction to affiliated ball was rough, as he struck out in all 4 of his at-bats, while also committing an error and allowing a passed ball.

Can only go up from there, Charlie! And now you can call yourself a pro baseball player, and that’s pretty awesome.

It wasn’t a very interesting game save for that tidbit. Left fielder Jose Ramos continued his somewhat funny destruction of the Northwest League, as he went 1-2 with a solo home run, 2 walks, a stolen base, and a strikeout. On the one hand, Ramos, a 23-year old right-handed hitter who signed in 2019 from Colombia, is running through the league, with an .865 OPS and a 139 wRC+ through 29 games. On the other hand, much of it is due to a comical 20.3% walk rate, and he had a .592 OPS and a 52 wRC+ through his 13-game stint in Low-A this year, which adds some cold water context to his current heater. But hopefully he keeps this up!

Center fielder Jose Ortiz has really been struggling since returning from the IL and getting placed in High-A for the first time, but he had a solid game in this one, going 2-4 with a strikeout, though he was caught stealing. Shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) wasn’t electric, but he did reach base twice, hitting 1-4 with a walk and a stolen base, though he struck out twice and was caught stealing. He just keeps chugging along, and now has an .849 OPS and a 122 wRC+ through 66 High-A games. Not bad for a 19-year old switch-hitting middle infielder!

The Emeralds rotation is missing some key pieces, as in the last week they lost LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL) to a promotion and RHP Ramon Marquez to injury. And so Eugene turned to RHP Ubert Mejias for this one, with Mejias making his first start of the season. That wasn’t too tall of a task for the 25-year old Cuban, as Mejias has largely been working in bulk innings (he’s tossed 76.1 innings in 28 appearances this year).

He handled the assignment well, ceding 3 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run in 3.2 innings, while striking out 2 batters. It’s been an odd year for Mejias. He has done a decent job getting strikeouts and a great job limiting walks, but he’s just far too hittable. Between Low-A and High-A he has 77 strikeouts to just 15 walks in 76.1 innings … but has allowed 84 hits, including 12 home runs. He’s particularly struggled with Eugene, where he has a 7.00 ERA and a 5.08 FIP in 15 appearances.

Nothing really notable from the bullpen. LHP Hayden Wynja continues to try to work his way back into form, after about 1.5 years on the sidelines with injury. The 27-year old gave up a hit, a walk, and an unearned run in 2 innings of work.

Low-A San Jose (76-52)

San Jose Giants lost to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 6-2
Box score

This was a brutal offensive game, but apparently that memo didn’t make its way to center fielder Andy Polanco. The 21-year old speedster, who was taken in the 11th round of the 2024 draft, collected singles in all of his at-bats, finishing the game 4-4 with a stolen base, though he was also caught stealing once.

4-4 is a great day to begin with, but it looks even more impressive when you compare it to what his 8 teammates in the lineup did: 3-29 with 1 walk and 9 strikeouts.

Polanco’s numbers aren’t very good in his first year of full season ball, as he has a .729 OPS and an 83 wRC+. Even his biggest statistical strength, his 37 stolen bases, is negated a little bit by the fact that he’s been thrown out on 13 different occasions. But Polanco, who is an excellent defensive player, has found some rhythm late in the year, as he posted a 1.049 OPS in August. In his last 18 games, he’s hit 30-70 with 8 extra-base hits, 3 walks, and just 13 strikeouts.

No one else to talk about on offense. A quiet day from the notable prospects, as neither shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) nor outfielder Peyton Bonds has returned to the team, while shortstop Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) had an extremely rare bad day, going 0-4 with 2 strikeouts.

Unfortunately, González wasn’t the only big-name prospect to struggle, as RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL) had arguably his worst game of the year. Cayama set down the side in order to open the game, and needed just 8 pitches to do so. But the 2nd inning proved to be a very forgettable one. Here’s how it went for poor Cayama:

Single
Single
Walk
Triple
Sacrifice fly
Home run
Strikeout
Single
Single

With that, Cayama’s day was done. 1.2 innings pitched, with 7 baserunners, 5 runs, and just 1 strikeout. It’s unfortunate because that is his final start of the regular season, as San Jose wraps things up on Sunday. But he’ll certainly be a part of the Baby Giants’ postseason rotation, so he’ll get a chance to end the year on a high note, even if his season stats are set: 4.87 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 11.5 strikeouts per 9 innings, and 2.7 walks per 9. Odd year.

LHP Ricardo Estrada saved the day though, as he took down the middle chunk of the game easily. The 24-year old handled 4.1 innings while allowing just 1 hit, 1 walk, and 0 runs, and striking out 4 batters. It was a remarkably efficient outing, as Estrada threw 42 of 59 pitches for strikes. He has just a 4.12 ERA and a 5.79 FIP, but has impressed at times.

Home run tracker

17 — Sabin Ceballos — [AA]
15 — Charlie Szykowny — [1 in AAA; 14 in AA]
3 — Jose Ramos — [2 in High-A, 1 in Low-A]

Thursday schedule

Sacramento: 6:45 p.m. PT vs. Salt Lake (SP: Seth Lonsway)
Richmond: 3:35 p.m. PT at Akron (SP: Niko Mazza)
Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Hillsboro (SP: TBD)
San Jose: 6:50 p.m. PT at Fresno (SP: TBD)

Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be viewed on MLB TV

The Milwaukee Brewers are continuing their NL Central road trip this weekend, as they’ll visit Cincinnati to take on the Reds for three games beginning Friday evening. Milwaukee, who enters Thursday night’s series finale with the Cubs at 87-53, owns the best record in baseball and, with a win on Thursday evening, will secure their sixth consecutive series win (and ninth out of their last 10 series). The Reds, on the other hand, sit in last place in the NL Central at 67-73, though they are coming off a pair of series wins over the Cubs and Padres, their first series victories since early August.

Milwaukee’s injured list includes only pitchers, including Bryse Wilson (mid-September), Brandon Woodruff (potential postseason return), Rob Zastryzny (TBD), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), Quinn Priester (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season).

The Reds are without infielders Spencer Steer (likely done for season), Ke’Bryan Hayes (September), and Michael Toglia (out for season), as well as outfielder Blake Dunn (out for season). On the mound, Graham Ashcraft is currently on a rehab assignment after missing the last three-plus months with a UCL sprain and Hunter Greene is done for the season and maybe even all of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The Brewer offense is led by Jake Bauers, Jackson Chourio, Andrew Vaughn, Garrett Mitchell, William Contreras, and the recently hot Christian Yelich. Brice Turang and Gary Sánchez have been on the struggle bus for the last several weeks, but Joey Ortiz, Sal Frelick, Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, and David Hamilton have all contributed nicely to make up for it. Bo Naylor rounds out the team as the 14th man for September. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .257/.340/.400 (.740 OPS ranks fourth), with 130 homers (tied for last), 704 runs scored (third), and 136 steals (sixth).

Cincinnati’s offense is led by rookie Sal Stewart, who is hitting .266/.336/.485 with 31 homers and 105 RBIs, putting him firmly in the conversation for NL Rookie of the Year. Elly De La Cruz, Eugenio Suárez, JJ Bleday, and Tyler Stephenson have all been solid contributors (I know Suárez is hitting only .206 but he still has 20 homers). Matt McLain, Dane Myers, and Héctor Rodríguez round out the other regulars, with TJ Friedl, Ivan Johnson, Juan Brito, Edwin Arroyo, Jose Trevino, and Will Banfield also in the mix. As a team, the Reds are hitting .228/.307/.396 (.703 OPS ranks 23rd), with 186 homers (fourth), 581 runs scored (24th), and 94 steals (tied for 15th).

On the mound, Milwaukee’s top bullpen group of Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, and Trevor Megill are all playing well, and Chad Patrick, JoJo Romero, and DL Hall are also serving in important roles. Grant Anderson and Antonio Senzatela round out the group. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.48 team ERA (second), including a 3.61 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.32 bullpen ERA (third). They’ve struck out 1,340 batters (second) over 1,251 2/3 innings.

Emilio Pagán anchors Cincinnati’s bullpen as the closer as he’s 20-for-23 in save chances, though he has a 4.08 ERA. Brock Burke leads the team with 69 appearances, pitching to a 2.58 ERA over 66 1/3 innings. Tony Santillan (6.56 ERA over 35 2/3 IP), Pierce Johnson (4.46 ERA over 40 1/3 IP), and Sam Moll (4.55 ERA over 55 1/3 IP) all have ERAs over 4.00, while Tejay Antone (3.74 ERA over 45 2/3 IP), Julian Garcia (3.32 ERA over 38 IP), and Luis Mey (3.75 ERA over 24 IP) have been solid. As a staff, the Reds have a 4.64 team ERA (26th), including a 4.65 starter ERA (27th) and a 4.65 bullpen ERA (25th). They’ve struck out 1,129 batters (21st) over 1,242 innings.

Probable Pitchers

Friday, September 4 @ 5:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (7-5, 3.75 ERA, 3.42 FIP) vs. RHP Rhett Lowder (6-8, 5.14 ERA, 4.64 FIP)

Drohan has made 27 appearances (16 starts) this season, with a 3.75 ERA, 3.42 FIP, and 110 strikeouts over 110 1/3 innings. He picked up the win in his last outing, going five frames with one run allowed on six hits and a walk, striking out six as he continues to do his job of eating innings as part of Milwaukee’s six-man rotation. Drohan has made a pair of starts against the Reds here in his rookie year, totaling 10 innings with two runs allowed (1.80 ERA) and 12 strikeouts.

Lowder, 24, is in his second MLB season after being taken No. 7 overall in 2023. After a solid debut across six starts in 2024 (1.17 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 22 K over 30 2/3 IP) he’s struggled mightily this season, making 24 appearances (21 starts) with a 5.14 ERA, 4.64 FIP, and 88 strikeouts across 112 innings. He’s been solid over his last seven starts though, allowing three or fewer earned runs in six of those seven games for a 4.05 ERA, 4.70 FIP, and a 3-1 record (the Reds are 6-1 in those games). Lowder has made three career starts against Milwaukee, including two this season. He’s 0-3 with a 6.28 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 14 1/3 innings in those games.

Saturday, September 5 @ 5:40 p.m.: RHP Dustin May (6-9, 4.69 ERA, 3.49 FIP) vs. LHP Andrew Abbott (6-10, 4.49 ERA, 4.80 FIP)

May hasn’t had much success in a Brewer uniform through five starts. Across 19 2/3 innings with the Crew, he has a 6.41 ERA, 5.43 FIP, and 16 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings. He took the loss on Sunday against the Rangers, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks, striking out four over 4 1/3 innings. May’s lone appearance against the Reds came back in July of this season, when he allowed one run and struck out eight over six innings while with the Cardinals.

Abbott, who was one of the better pitchers in the NL last year en route to an All-Star selection and eighth place NL Cy Young finish, has also had some troubles this year in his fourth big-league season. Across 28 starts, he’s 6-10 with a 4.49 ERA, 4.80 FIP, and 115 strikeouts over 148 1/3 innings. He’s been hit hard in each of his last two outings, allowing 11 runs on 15 hits and four walks across nine innings in losses to the D-backs and Cubs. A very familiar opponent for Milwaukee, Abbott is 3-4 with a 3.73 ERA and 47 strikeouts across 50 2/3 innings through nine career starts against the Crew. That includes a no-decision against them in July, when he went five frames, allowing two runs and striking out three.

Sunday, September 6 @ 11:10 a.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (10-4, 3.45 ERA, 3.90 FIP) vs. RHP Brady Singer (5-13, 4.83 ERA, 5.06 FIP)

Harrison, who has a solid 3.45 ERA, 3.90 FIP, and 130 strikeouts over 107 innings this season, has had issues with a few blow-up outings. That was on full display in Monday night’s drubbing at the hands of the Cubs, as he allowed nine runs on 10 hits (five homers) and a pair of walks, striking out three over 3 2/3 innings in an eventual 17-3 loss. All three of Harrison’s starts against Cincinnati came while with the Giants in 2023 and 2024, as he totaled 15 innings with nine runs allowed (5.40 ERA) and 20 strikeouts, going 0-1 with a pair of no-decisions.

Singer, 29, is another pitcher on the struggle bus, as he leads the league with 13 losses this year. Across 27 starts, he has a 4.83 ERA, 5.06 FIP, and 117 strikeouts over 141 2/3 innings. He’s allowed at least three runs in each of his last eight starts, and he hasn’t picked up a win since late July. In five career starts against Milwaukee, Singer is 2-2 with a 3.51 ERA and 27 strikeouts across 25 2/3 innings. That includes seven innings of shutout baseball against the Crew back in June, when he struck out seven in a no-decision (Milwaukee would go on to win 2-1 in extra innings).

How to Watch & Listen

Friday, September 4: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Saturday, September 5: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Sunday, September 6: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Prediction

These two teams have gone in completely opposite directions since the end of April, and that’s been especially true in recent weeks. I’ll take the Crew to win another series 2-1.

As we all know, the Nationals bullpen has been a mess. They have cycled through so many different options, with most being ineffective. The unit has blown a ludicrous 35 saves and their 5.02 bullpen ERA is the third worst in baseball. However, there are three relievers who have established themselves as keepers entering 2027.

Orlando Ribalta, Brad Lord and Will Dion should all feel relatively safe going into 2027. Lord and Dion have established themselves as effective multi-inning relievers. They have solid stuff and a lot of deception. Meanwhile, Orlando Ribalta has become a reliable late inning arm who has a knack for getting out of jams.

The first pitcher I want to dive into is Ribalta because he is the only true late inning arm of the bunch. Ribalta is not some elite high leverage arm, but he has proven that he is solid and is not scared. Those are two qualities that are hard to come by in the Nats bullpen. I wrote about how he was a keeper about a month ago and those words continue to ring true.

For the season, Ribalta has a 3.77 ERA, but it has felt better than that. A big reason for this feeling is because a lot of his struggles have come in lower leverage situations. His biggest blowup outing of the season, which saw his ERA go from 3.20 to 4.05 came against the Rockies in a game that was already lost.

Since then, the big right hander has responded well. In his last two outings, he fired a scoreless 10th against the Marlins and shut the door against the Braves following some drama in the 8th. When the Nats need to get out of a tough spot, Ribalta is usually their best option. He is not perfect, but he is good enough to be a contributor in a solid bullpen.

He also has the stuff for high leverage as well. Ribalta averages nearly 97 on his fastball and has two nasty secondary pitches to go with it. His slider is his most used pitch and it generates a lot of chase. Ribalta uses his bugs bunny changeup to put away left handed hitters.

There are actually several advanced metrics where Ribalta performs very well. His 84.6 MPH average exit velocity and 36.7% chase rate both rank above the 95th percentile. In a perfect world, Ribalta would be a 7th inning guy, but right now he is the Nats best high leverage relief option.

 The next pitcher I am going to discuss is the ultra-reliable Brad Lord. Over the last couple years, Brad Lord has been thrown in just about every role you can imagine. He has started some games and he has also been used in high leverage roles at times.

However, I think his best role is as a 2-3 inning bridge pitcher. This sort of role is becoming a lot more popular around the league, and the Nats seem to be really leaning into it. It is something teams like the Brewers use a lot and they are having a ton of success.

Lord’s best role is similar to Chad Patrick, who has had a lot of success in Milwaukee the past two seasons. You can use Lord either as a multi-inning opener like the Nats did yesterday or use him as a long man, but in medium to even higher leverage spots.

When Lord is on his game, he can just abuse hitters with his fastball. The low slot and horizontal movement makes it a tough pitch to pick up. Lord’s fastball run value of 13 is elite and he is doing this with two different fastballs. 

His 4-seamer has run but also some ride as well. It gets on hitters and gets a surprising amount of whiffs. Lord actually generates a higher whiff percentage on his 4-seamer (25.2%) than any other pitch. His sinker works very well off of the 4-seamer getting a ton of run which generates ground balls at a high clip.

Lord absolutely deserves a roster spot next year and is a valuable contributor for this pitching staff. However, his inability to develop an above average secondary pitch likely relegates him to solid but not spectacular. We saw him try to mix in his slider and sweeper more, and his results suffered. Lately, he has gone back to his bread and butter of just pounding 4-seamers and sinkers.

For the year, Lord has a 3.58 ERA across 73 innings with 70 strikeouts. Those are not superstar numbers, but they get the job done. Not everyone on the roster has to be a star. You need quality role players like Brad Lord on your team.

The last pitcher who should have a job locked up has a similar role but a very different pitching style. When the Nats traded Foster Griffin, I saw the return as underwhelming. I still think there is not a ton of upside in it, but Will Dion has already established himself as an effective big league arm.

He has by far the smallest sample size of the three, but I think he has done enough to earn himself a spot on the 2027 team. For the season, Dion has a 3.38 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 37.1 innings. However, in 17.2 innings with the Nats, that ERA sits at only 2.04.

Despite only averaging 91 MPH on his fastball, Dion’s heater is very effective due to the 20 inches of IVB it generates. Hitters are consistently swinging under the heater due to that carry. Dion’s fastball actually gets a 26.9% whiff rate. His outing against the Mets was a masterclass in how to dominate with a low velocity heater.

Since coming to the Nats, Dion has really bumped up his changeup usage and it has worked. After throwing it around 15% of the time in Cleveland, he threw it 37.6% of the time in his first month with the Nats. The pitch generates whiffs at a 42.1% clip and the 13 MPH gap between his fastball and changeup really fools hitters.

Overall, Dion is an effective multi-inning arm who can be used in a number of different roles. Dion and Lord are two really nice bridge arms who can cover a lot of innings while being solid. That is a very important thing to have in modern baseball.

Ribalta, Dion and Lord are the three arms I see as locks, but there are a couple other names who could join them with a strong September. Erik Tolman is certainly trending towards being in the 2027 bullpen, but I just want to see him perform for a little bit longer before calling him a lock.

Clayton Beeter has been good at times and I think he likely will be on the roster. However, I have my doubts about Beeter. His control is poor even for a bullpen arm. Despite a sub-4 ERA, his FIP is 5.30, which is very bad. I just think he is too shaky to trust. Beeter being on the Opening Day roster would not be the end of the world, I just think he has more to prove.

Outside of that, there are a lot of roster spots up for grabs. This month will be key in seeing who has what it takes to last. Jared Simpson is another guy who has made a strong impression, but it has only been one outing.

I actually think the bullpen depth is in decent shape. There are pieces in the minors that intrigue me such as Yovanny Cruz, Ben Grable, Joe Glassey and the recently promoted Riley Cornelio. The priority this offseason should be getting that one lockdown option. If the Nats can figure out the 9th inning, I actually think everything else falls into place quite nicely.

Texas Rangers lineup for September 3, 2026 against the Tampa Bay Rays: starting pitchers are Cal Quantrill for the Rangers and Shane McClanahan for the Rays.

Texas looks to start a new winning streak today after winning two of three against the A’s. Tampa is in town for four games. It would be a good thing if the Rangers won three of four in this series.

The lineup:

Duran — CF

Seager — SS

Langford — LF

Nimmo — RF

Foscue — 2B

Burger — 1B

O’Hoppe — DH

Freeman — 3B

Diaz — C

7:05 p.m. Central time. Rangers are +110 underdogs.

Chad Tracy ascended to Interim Manager of the Boston Red Sox in Baltimore. Tonight, he returns to the scene as a favorite for AL Manager of the Year.

Once again the Red Sox are in a bit of chaos. The pitching has given up 8 runs a game or a stretch, former Oriole Adley Rutschman hasn’t made the impact that was expected, but Roman Anthony and Trevor Story returned to great success. Boston is 4.5 games up on Cleveland for the third Wild Card and 6.0 above the Orioles, generally. If the O’s sweep they’ll be right in the playoff mix and Boston could be in trouble. But they need that sweep.

Jake Bennett will have something to say about the O’s chances. Since his struggles entering August, Bennett has found a second wind. His game was the only win against the Yankees in New York with 6.0 shutout innings and 7 strikeouts against zero walks. This is a guy who handled the Dodgers lineup and has been impressive in almost every start since his callup. He held the O’s to 3 runs in 5/2 innings back in July. Righty Brandon Young started the infamous Friday April 24 game against the Sox. This is the night that probably ended Alex Cora’s career. Brayan Bello was shelled for 8 runs in 3.1 while Young allowed 3 runs in 5.2, which would be all the Sox could score. Batters have improved against Young ever month of the season and finished August with a cumulative .295/.362/.486 against him.

What is Ranger Suarez at this point? An ugly 6-run performance against the Yankees reset some of the progress he had been making. His start kicked off a five-game stretch of the pitching allowing at least 8 runs per game. The Mariners don’t even have Pete Alonso. The O’s haven’t seen him yet this year so maybe that will help. This is Shane Baz’s third start against Boston and he’s held them to 6 runs (3 earned) in 13 innings. He has’t had to deal with the Roman Empire so far.

Sonny Gray hopefully just needed as skipped start. It did wonders for Bennett to have extra rest. Fingers crossed that’s all because the Sox need Gray at his best the rest of the way. He too hasn’t faced the Orioles in 2026. Chris Bassitt faced Boston way back on June 3 and then missed two months, He allowed 3 runs in 3.3 innings on the way to a Sox 8-1 victory. He allowed 5 runs to the A’s last time out. As we’ve seen the A’s can play very well.

The series closes with Payton Tolle. Hopefully the split is already secure here. Tolle got into some trouble against the Mariners and after 5.2 innings and, well, the bullpen couldn’t get one out. The Sox rallied around Mass Pike to win 9-8 in 10 innings. The previous start featured Jarren Duran’s 11th inning grand slam. And before that was a 7-6 loss to the Dbacks in 10 innings. Maybe score him runs early this time? Kyle Bradish was the losing pitcher in Chad Tracy’s debut back on April 26th. He closes out the series on another Sunday. In 11 innings he’s allowed 4 runs to Boston while striking out 7 and walking 5. He missed most of 2024 and 2025 so now at just about 150 innings it’s possiuble he’s wearing down. Batters posted an OPS just under .900 against him in August and he lost to the Rockies last time out.

Famously traded starting catcher Adley Rutschman.

Gunnar Henderson just finished a .245/.377/.447 August representing his season turnaround. He’s always dangerous.

Pete Alonso is at 32 homers.

Old friend Tyler O’ Neill is back on the IL.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Thursday, September 3: Jake Bennett (3.27 ERA / 3.16 FIP) vs. Brandon Young (3.38 ERA / 4.32 FIP)

Friday, September 4: Ranger Suarez (3.64 ERA / 3.10 FIP) vs. Shane Baz (4.01 ERA / 3.36 FIP)

Saturday, September 5: Sonny Gray (2.82 ERA / 3.35 FIP) vs. Chris Bassett (4.97 ERA / 4.61 FIP)

Sunday, September 6: Payton Tolle (3.23 ERA / 3.28 FIP) vs. Kyle Bradish (4.01 ERA / 4.10 FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Thursday, September 3: 7:15 PM ET on FOX

Friday, September 4: 7:05 PM ET on NESN

Saturday, September 5: 7:05 PM ET on NESN

Sunday, September 6: 1:35 PM ET on NESN

The Yankees have plenty of talent in their minor league affiliates, so much so that young outfielder Yostin Peña, arguably the hottest hitter in the entire organization, isn’t yet ranked in MLB Pipeline’s top 30 prospects.

Peña, signed last December after issues regarding his age documentation surfaced and scuttled his deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, made quick work of the Dominican Summer League, slashing a robust .375/.457/.646 with eight homers, 27 stolen bases, and a 150 wRC+ in 37 games, before earning a promotion to Single-A.

There, the 18-year-old phenom has posted a brilliant .355/.419/.605 line with five round-trippers, seven thefts, and a 161 wRC+ in 18 games through Tuesday. Between the two levels, the dynamic talent has 13 dingers, 34 steals, and a 154 wRC+.

Peña has some of the most exciting raw tools you will see in the low minors, and an incredible frame for such a young prospect: he is 6’4” and is listed at 205 lb. Evidently, speed and athleticism are both plus, as is his raw power.

What has the industry said about him recently? In a fantasy baseball roundup, the folks at Baseball America said that Peña is ‘the highest-ranked hitting prospect still in Low-A. With excellent power for his age, a better-than-average in-zone contact rate and 15-to-20 stolen base potential, Peña is a fascinating blend of power, speed and fantasy upside.’

That’s nice for our fantasy baseball community, but what about as a real-life report? Sam Dyksra and Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline recently reviewed the hottest hitter in each team’s farm system, and of course Peña’s name came up when they discussed the Yankees. Here’s what they wrote on August 26:

At 18 years old, Pena was a bit on the older side for the Dominican Summer League, where he opened the season, but on July 28, he skipped the FCL to get a promotion to Single-A Tampa and hasn’t looked back since. The 6-foot-4 right-handed slugger has hit .358/.389/.597 with four homers in his first 15 games with the Tarpons. (Three of those four dingers have come in the last week alone.) His big-time power (113.6 mph max exit velocity, 108.2 90th-percentile EV in the FSL) is his most intriguing asset, though a high chase rate brings some cause for concern as he sees more full-season pitching.

As you can see, those are some impressive exit velocities. Considering that he can still fill out his frame with muscle and thump, his raw power potential is very scary. It’s important to remember that he is still very young and raw, and given his contact issues and propensity to chase pitches out of the zone, he probably won’t be a fast riser who will get to Triple-A in the first half of 2027.

Speaking of his high chase rate, Peña’s 39.7 O-Swing% is quite high. Additionally, he has a 16.1 SwStr%, also elevated. Both marks would rank near the bottom of the league in the majors, and this is against Single-A pitching. Stats don’t actually mean much since it’s just 18 games, but it’s something to keep an eye on. Amazingly, his 17.4 percent strikeout rate in those 18 Single-A games is not that bad, but that look under the hood suggests it could be much worse.

Despite his less-than-ideal approach and contact profile, Peña is an exciting prospect, indeed. Those who have seen him play believe he has superstar potential, but he needs to conquer some demons first. It’s nothing uncommon when talking about a prospect his age, though. The range of outcomes is broad here, but if Peña hits his lofty ceiling, watch out.

In his first offseason as the Angels’ owner, Arte Moreno landed the best player available in free agency: Vladimir Guerrero, the only player to wear an Angels cap on a Hall of Fame plaque.

Could Stan Kroenke do the same thing in his first offseason as the Angels’ owner?

Kroenke is not expected to be approved as Moreno’s successor until early next year. By then, players might be in spring training — or might still be sitting home, awaiting the end of a lockout and a subsequent free-agent signing frenzy.

The best player in this fall’s free-agent class is certain of one thing: Whenever Kroenke takes over, Anaheim instantly becomes a preferred destination for stars across the major leagues, with a new owner not just promising to spend to win but a demonstrated history of doing so.

Read more:Shaikin: What’s in a team name? In Anaheim, maybe the future of the Angels

“Absolutely,” Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal told The Times. “Not only an owner that has obvious financial backing, but an owner that has turned the Rams into what the Rams are. I think they’re the Super Bowl favorite this year. There’s an owner that cares about winning.

“The impact he brings to the Angels? You bring an owner that really cares about winning and is willing to do whatever it takes to win and invest, not only with players on the field but all the stuff behind the scenes, like clubhouse renovations. I’m sure there will be a lot of stuff there that changes to make it state-of-the-art, because all that stuff matters.”

Under Perry Minasian, the Angels’ general manager from 2021-26, the largest free-agent signing approved by Moreno: pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, for $63 million.

Kroenke would be the richest owner in baseball, with a net worth estimated by Forbes at $24 billion.

Skubal said he is focused on helping the Dodgers toward a third consecutive World Series championship and has not thought much about his free agency. Speaking generally, he said, it is likely that players that might not have considered signing with the Angels might now do so.

“You want to feel wanted,” Skubal said. “And you have an owner that is willing to do whatever it takes to win. Winning is the most important thing in sports. When you get yourself in that environment, I think guys do want to play there.

“Just look around the league: Guys tend to gravitate toward teams that are winning and teams that are in the playoff hunt every single year, with World Series aspirations every single year. I think free agents gravitate toward that in general. I’m sure that will be the case.”

From the players’ viewpoint, the successive sales of major league franchises at record values — the San Diego Padres at $3.9 billion, then the Angels at $4 billion — reflects good economic times. From the owners’ standpoint, the mid-market Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA just sold at a $4.5 billion valuation.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has cited lagging franchise values in baseball as a reason owners want a salary cap, which the NBA has. Yet the Padres and Angels sold before their owners found out whether they could secure the salary cap the league insists is a primary objective in collective bargaining.

“I think it’s pretty obvious what that says, right?” said Skubal, one of eight players on the union’s executive subcommittee.

Read more:Inside Stan Kroenke’s deal to buy the Angels: ‘Wherever he buys, he wins’

“If that’s the complaint that ownership and MLB is holding onto, I think they’re proving themselves wrong by selling these teams for record values. I think those clubs selling continues to support the argument that our game is in a really good spot.”

The owners also pitch a salary cap as a tonic for competitive balance, citing what they say is a $441-million gap between the Dodgers’ top-ranked payroll and the Miami Marlins’ bottom-ranked payroll.

The players point to franchise sales as another economic indicator. The Padres last sold for $800 million, in 2012. The Angels last sold for $183.5 million, in 2003.

“It’s a very profitable business venture,” Skubal said. “The sport itself is great. The product on the field is outstanding.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Cardinals come into the 2026 season not favored in every single game on the schedule and are more than a touchdown underdog in the majority of them. That is…not fun to see or read or hear.

At the same time, the Cardinals are an objectively better this year than last. Better players are on the roster and some of the promising young guys have more experience under their belt. With that in mind, I want to hear predictions from you all on how many games you foresee the Cardinals winning this season.

History usually says things aren’t always as bad as they seem, nor are always as good, either. Even if the Cardinals are unfavored in every game, they won’t go 0-16 (hopefully). And heck, the phrase “any given Sunday” exists for a reason, too. It’s more than likely the Cardinals will win a game or two they had no business competing in, and that’s just how it goes sometimes.

At any rate, go ahead and hop in the comments to give us your predictions!

Cardinals News:

Mike LaFleur is a “dream” for the Cardinals wide receivers (AZCardinals.com)

Some bad and some good news about Michael Wilson’s contract talks (Cards Wire)

The Cardinals and Michael Wilson have had “movement” on a new extension (Pro Football Talk)

NFL News:

The Raiders named Kirk Cousins their starting quarterback for Week One (ESPN)

These are the players, coaches, and GMs with the most at stake in 2026 (ESPN)

The Jets worked out Justin Tucker (CBS Sports)

Taking into account what happened in the first two games of this series against the Cardinals, carrying a certain pessimism into the final game of this series would be reasonable. Depending on the outcome of this matchup, this could qualify as the most frustrating series of the year—once being blown out and a second time seeing Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tanner Scott surrender a three-run lead with the Dodgers on their way to the first loss in extras this season. Then again, you look at the pitching matchup of Tarik Skubal against Quinn Matthews—a rookie making his fifth start—and that pessimism doesn’t feel as justifiable.

That’s the thing about the 2026 Dodgers, which defines this next game and plenty of other specific matchups amidst their worst moments—it doesn’t matter what the recent outlook is; once you get a glimpse of what’s on the horizon, most concerns naturally drift away. Skubal knew he was joining a powerhouse when he was traded to the Dodgers, but in actuality—at least up to this point—he has needed every ounce of his dominance to avoid a losing record in his first month at a new club. With the offense far from the height of its powers, Skubal has received a mere three runs of support per game across his five starts. And the Dodgers’ three wins in Skubal’s starts have all come in one-run games.

Beyond the excruciating losses, a theme of this series is the massive production both teams are getting from their shortstops. Who would have guessed that Mookie Betts would have four extra-base hits in this series and still be outslugged by the Cards’ ninth-hole hitter, Thomas Saggesse? Saggese is responsible for three of the Cardinals’ seven home runs this series—two more than he had in the entire 2026 season prior to visiting Dodger Stadium. Long-term, though, for the Dodgers, there are few more impactful developments than Betts kicking it up a notch or two.

Thursday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Cardinals
• Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
• Start time: 7:10 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

The Mets are making an addition, claiming RHP Cameron Weston off waivers from the Orioles. 

Weston has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. 

The right-hander joined Baltimore as a 2022 eighth-round pick out of Michigan. 

He's been climbing his way through the system, and made his big-league debut at the end of May.

Weston was DFA'd by the O's this week to make room on the 40 Man roster, and now he lands in the Big Apple with hopes of receiving an opportunity out of their bullpen. 

The 26-year-old has had an up-and-down Triple-A season, striking out a career-high 11.57 batters per nine innings while also walking a career-worst 5.44 batters per nine. 

He's pitched to a 4.37 ERA  with 387 strikeouts across 105 minor league appearances. 

In a corresponding roster move, C Shawn Ross has been DFA'd. 

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Tarik Skubal takes the mound for Los Angeles tonight, and we're riding with him as part of my Dodgers vs. Cardinals prediction.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are once again massive 73-cent favorites at Polymarket, so we'll look for the Dodgers to win this one going away. 

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Thursday, Sept. 3.

Who will win Cardinals vs Dodgers tonight: Dodgers -1.5 (56%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Our win probability is elevated here due to the Tarik Skubal effect, but we're not going to go against the grain after the Los Angeles Dodgers watched two three-run leads slip away last night. They have a plus-matchup against the No. 8 prospect for the St. Louis Cardinals, Quinn Matthews, too.

The Dodgers own a .745 OPS against lefties this season, and shouldn't have an issue pulling away with Skubal on the mound. They'll get their licks back tonight.

I'd play this to 59 cents.

Looking for Thursday MLB expert picks for the entire slate today? The Covers team has you covered.

COVERS INTEL: Look for Skubal to have his way with the Cardinals tonight, owning a 37% K rate and 36% whiff rate in this spot. If he stays away from Jordan Walker (.920 OPS vs. lefties) we'll be fine.

Cardinals vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 runs (49%)

We're seeing a couple of the best Under teams in baseball this year, both hitting at a 54% clip, and with Skubal on the mound, runs for the Cardinals will be few and far between. The Dodgers ace owns a 7.6 barrel percentage, one of the lowest marks of his career, so I'm expecting some weak contact tonight.

While I believe the Dodgers will get to Matthews, his 3.32 xERA suggests he's been unlucky this year. Let's see a pitcher's duel.

I'd play this to 53 cents.

Cardinals vs Dodgers home run prediction: Teoscar Hernandez (21%)

Hernandez has been eating against lefties this season, owning a .822 OPS and hitting five of his 12 homers off southpaws. He's seeing the ball great right now, too, with six hits in his last three games. Although he missed all of June, Hernandez has lost some of his power this year, but he's in a great spot tonight against a young lefty. At this price, you almost have to hit the button.

Let's watch Teoscar go yard tonight.

Cardinals vs Dodgers weather

It's a perfect night for baseball in Los Angeles, with sunny skies and temperatures sitting at 77 degrees Fahrenheit prior to first pitch.

Cardinals vs Dodgers odds

• Moneyline: Cardinals 28% | Dodgers 73%
• Run line: Cardinals 45% | Dodgers 56%
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 52% | Under 49%

Cardinals vs Dodgers trend

The Under is 7-0 in the Dodgers' last seven during game three of a series. Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Dodgers.

How to watch Cardinals vs Dodgers and game info

Cardinals vs Dodgers 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.

Travis MacGregor came within one pitch of an immaculate inning in the top of the first Aug. 23 at PNC Field in northeastern Pennsylvania against the Charlotte Knights, Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

Forced to make a spot start for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the 28-year-old right-hander struck out Rikuu Nishida on three pitches leading off the game. Then, he fanned Junior Perez on three pitches. He threw two strikes to Edgar Quero before Quero spoiled the bid by flying out to center field.

It was part of a perfect three-inning performance with four strikeouts and helped send the RailRiders on their way to a 9-5 victory.

MacGregor is pitching after starting the season on the 60-day injured list due to a shoulder injury suffered early in spring training. Since being activated Aug. 13, he has appeared in five games for the RailRiders. He allowed a run in his first game Aug. 13 at Lehigh Valley, but has not given up a run in the other four outings. He has 13 strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

Signed by the Yankees to a minor-league contract in December as a free agent, the injury prevented MacGregor from showing his new team what he can do. He is trying to make up for lost time.

“Any time you come to a new organization, you want to be able to showcase what you’re able to do,” MacGregor said. “Having to sit out for this long a time certainly was a little frustrating. But I’ve got a month left in the season pretty much to try to showcase my abilities. We’ll see what happens for the rest of the year.”

At the same time, he has to be careful not to do too much lest he reinjure himself.

“When I say showcase my abilities, I mean going out there and playing the way I play,” he said. “They liked something. They brought me in for a reason. I just have to go out there and play my game and showcase me for the amount of time I have. You can’t put too much pressure on yourself to try to make anything happen. That’s out of your control. I just have to make sure I’m prepared for each game that comes.”

This is MacGregor’s ninth minor-league season and he has a career record of 20-37 with eight saves and a 4.62 ERA in 238 games with 552 strikeouts in 541.2 innings. He was selected out of high school by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second round (68th overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft. He was with the Pirates organization from 2016-18 and 2021-23, missing all of the 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery and the 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He signed with the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent for 2024 and spent one season in their system. In 2025, he signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers and pitched at Double-A before being released at the end of July. He was picked up by the Milwaukee Brewers in August and finished the season in Double-A. He again became a free agent and was signed by the Yankees.

“It’s been a fantastic experience,” MacGregor said. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know all the players and staff members, the coaches. Everyone’s been great. It’s the New York Yankees. They’re talked of highly and certainly met the standards they set for themselves. I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far.”

Unfortunately, his time with the Yankees got off to a rough start due to the injury in spring training. Beginning at the end of July, he made three rehab appearances with the Single-A Tampa Tarpons and one with the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades before joining the RailRiders.

“Anytime anybody comes off an injury, you’re wanting to try it out or feel it out for the first couple of pitches or outings,” MacGregor said. “But you’ve done so much preparation beforehand that you have to have confidence that you’re good to go. I’ve been throwing bullpens, throwing lives, stuff like that beforehand. I knew I was in good shape.”

This is not MacGregor’s first time in Triple-A. He made it to the highest level of the minors with the Pirates organization, as well as with the Angels. He has yet to make that next step to the major leagues, however.

“I wouldn’t say anything preventing me. Maybe just some unfortunate timing on things,” MacGregor said. “I’m just grateful to be playing any chance that I get. I’m confident my day will come. Until then, I’ll just be where my feet are and take care of business every day.”

Alexander Cornielle became the latest member of the RailRiders to earn an International League weekly award when the righthander was named Pitcher of the Week for the period of Aug. 24-30. He was honored for his shutout performance Aug. 28 at Worcester, going eight innings — a season-high for a RailRiders pitcher — and allowing just two hits with two walks and six strikeouts in a 2-0 win. It was the team’s ninth shutout of the season.

Since coming off the 60-day injured list and joining the RailRiders in June, Cornielle is 5-3 in 14 games (13 starts) with a 2.70 earned-run average and 59 strikeouts in 60 innings. However, in August, he was 2-1 in five starts with a 1.50 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 24 innings.

Cornielle joins Brendan Beck as RailRiders to be named IL Pitcher of the Week this season; Beck won the award three times (May 11-17, June 1-8, July 20-26) and also was chosen IL Pitcher of the Month for June. Yanquiel Fernandez (May 18-24) and Tyler Hardman (July 6-12) were selected IL Player of the Week this season.

The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets wrapped up the final game of their season series on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. Grifin Jax made his return to the mound after missing sometime with elbow issues. Unfortunately for him and the Rays, it was a rocky reentry to the rotation.

Early on, it appeared that the Mets would be leaving with a series win. Then, for a brief moment, the game was exciting, and it felt as though the Rays might erase a six-run deficit and defy the odds once again on this homestand. Then, in the seventh, this one was all but over again.

Jax, looking a bit rusty in his first start back, was tagged for three two-out runs in the first inning. Again, he was tagged for three two-out runs in the third. Both innings it looked like he might wiggle off the hook, but he was unable to do so and quickly, the Rays were down by six. Baty’s three run double in the third that cleared the bases was the final nail Jax’s coffin and he was replaced by Steven Matz after recording only eight outs on the day.

Jax finished with 2.2 innings of work and allowed six runs on seven hits. He struck out one and walked a pair.

Matz was able to toss 2.1 scoreless innings and keep the Rays in it long enough for them to claw their way back to within striking distance. They scored a run in the bottom of the third when Aranda single home Walls.

Then, in the bottom of the fourth Simpson scored on a Mullins RBI single to make it a 6-2 game. Palacios then left the yard on a line drive homer that just cleared the right field wall. In the blink of an eye, it was a two run game.

The Rays had all the momentum, but the game remained locked at 6-4 until the top of the seventh when the Mets tagged Cam Booser and Manuel Rodriguez for another three-spot. Booser left with one out and two men on. Rodriguez came on to face Simien and quickly hit him to load the bases. A.J. Ewing struck out and again the Rays were just a pitch away from escaping the jam. Instead, Nick Morabito hit a bases clearing double and gave the Mets a 9-4 lead. The next inning Juan Soto clobbered his 23rd homer of the season and extended the lead to six runs once again.

The 10-4 score would hold with the loss, the Rays dropped the series. With the Yankees extra innings win in Los Angeles, the Rays division lead is down to just 3.5 games.

They will look to rebound in the house of horrors that is Globe Life Field where they seemingly haven’t won a game since the 2020 World Series. Mac will be on the bump facing a desperate Rangers team hunting for a playoff spot.

As the home of the Dodgers, Dodger Stadium is great. As the home of the Angels, not so much.

The Los Angeles Angels moved into Dodger Stadium in 1962, their second season, after playing their inaugural season in a since-demolished minor league ballpark near the Coliseum.

The Dodgers billed the Angels for cleaning windows of offices that had no windows. The Dodgers charged the Angels half the cost of toilet paper even though the Dodgers attracted far more than half the fans.

The Dodgers called it enforcing the stadium lease. The Angels called it petty, and they searched for a home they could call their own.

They first looked to Long Beach, and the city said it would welcome the team under one condition: The team would be called the Long Beach Angels.

Gene Autry, the owner, said no. He turned to Anaheim, where city officials invited him to come on down and call his team whatever he wanted.

In 1966, the California Angels made their debut at the brand-new Anaheim Stadium.

In 2026, the Los Angeles Angels play at Angel Stadium: same team, same ballpark, different names for both.

Amid the euphoria over this week’s announcement that Rams owner Stan Kroenke would buy the last-place Angels — “Christmas in September,” Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken told me — elected officials reiterated their fervent desire that the team revert to the Anaheim Angels name.

“For 60 years, our community has filled Angel Stadium, raised a World Series banner as the Anaheim Angels, and shown up through every season,” Assemblyman Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) said.

Read more:Inside Stan Kroenke’s deal to buy the Angels: ‘Wherever he buys, he wins’

For 60 years, the city of Anaheim has failed its taxpayers.

Angel Stadium is surrounded by 130 acres of parking lots. The city owns the stadium and the lots. Every winter, and every other week during the summer, the lots sit empty.

The last time a team owner pitched a development plan for those parking lots — current owner Arte Moreno, in 2019 — the city estimated all the shops and restaurants and hotel rooms and offices and homes would generate $10 million per year in tax revenue. As part of that plan, the Angels would commit to stay in Anaheim through 2050.

More parks. More libraries. More police officers. More firefighters.

Over the years, Anaheim had considered a variety of opportunities for the site: An NFL stadium, but the NFL wasn’t interested. A Disney-run retail and entertainment center, but Disney wasn’t interested. The indoor surf and snowboard park could have been wild, but who wants to surf and snowboard inside a giant refrigerator when Huntington Beach and Mt. Baldy are a short drive away?

From this perspective, Kroenke could be a godsend for the city.

What Anaheim needs is what Kroenke already does: Anchor a new sports facility within a new community: in Inglewood, around SoFi Stadium; in Woodland Hills, around the Rams’ practice facility; in San Diego, around a planned arena.

With the Angels, Plan A for Kroenke is almost certainly building a new ballpark and community on the Angel Stadium site, the kind of large urban parcel that is rarely available, and better yet close to freeways and public transit.

That does not mean Kroenke would not consider a Plan B. On Wednesday, an industry official familiar with franchise sales, texting on condition of anonymity, said Kroenke had put himself in a “brilliant” spot: “Option to do small intimate ballpark at Sofi is really huge leverage.”

The Angels’ sale won’t be finalized until early next year, and Kroenke and his people aren’t likely to talk until then.

Read more:Shaikin: 'A big day for Anaheim.' Angels get a fresh start with Stan Kroenke, and much more

In Anaheim, however, the priorities set out in that proposed deal with Moreno should be the same today: Get the city out of the stadium business; anchor the Angels in town for decades to come; get the team to pay for a new ballpark; generate taxes from development on the stadium parking lots.

The Angels’ stadium lease — that would be Kroenke’s lease now — expires in six years. This might be Anaheim’s last, best chance at satisfying those objectives.

That would mean selling the site to Kroenke at a fair price — and with a publicly released assessment showing the market rate, rather than appearing to fit a predetermined sale price. And, thanks to a bill signed into law last week by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the city can help Kroenke make more money from the development, if he is willing to call the team the Anaheim Angels.

But what if he says no, just as Autry said no to Long Beach all those years ago?

Read more:Rams owner Stan Kroenke agrees to buy Angels, ending Arte Moreno's troubled tenure

If Kroenke is looking for immediate goodwill in Anaheim, pulling on an Anaheim Angels cap and announcing the return of that team name would do it. (Actually, please don’t pull on that cap. It was hideous.)

In the long term, perhaps Kroenke prefers the Los Angeles name the Angels have worn for 27 seasons, rather than the Anaheim name they wore for eight seasons.

The Rams played at Anaheim Stadium as the Los Angeles Rams. They now play in Inglewood under a Los Angeles name, just as the Chargers and Clippers do.

The Angel Stadium lease that Kroenke inherits requires the team name to “include the name Anaheim therein.” Under Moreno, the city bristled, the “of Anaheim” part of “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim” had disappeared. The city could make that an issue anew. Or the city could sell the entire stadium site to the highest bidder, with no requirement that the winner keep a ballpark on the property.

Over the next year, we’ll see the directions Kroenke and Anaheim take in negotiations. For the city, the Anaheim Angels are Plan A. But Kroenke will have a Plan B, and Anaheim should, too.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.