The rising cost of attending Major League Baseball games will always be a topic of conversation, with the prices of concessions and parking making a day at the ballpark cost a small fortune for many families.
Teams have begun presenting family-friendly ticket packages that include food and beverages, but things really add up beyond the staples including in such deals. It's hard to believe that parking cost less than $10 even in markets like New York less than 30 years ago.
Here's a look at the most expensive ballparks to visit for a family of four, according to Bookies.com's fan cost study, which includes four tickets, a parking pass, two beers, two sodas and four hot dogs.
Next on this list of the top 10 Toronto Maple Leafs prospects is Noah Chadwick, ranked at No. 7.
The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all under 23. Therefore, players such as William Villeneuve, Artur Akhtyamov and Easton Cowan, among others, won't feature in this ranking for either or both of those particular reasons.
In terms of where these players fall in the rankings, it is a mix of their ceiling and potential, as well as how they've performed in the past year with their respective clubs.
Chadwick was a late pick by the Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL draft, selected 185th overall in the sixth round. Though he was selected late in his draft class, the left-handed defenseman has developed like a player who was taken in the first three rounds.
The season before Toronto drafted Chadwick in 2022-23, his first full WHL campaign with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the blueliner recorded five goals and 20 points in 67 appearances.
But in 2023-24, the season after the Maple Leafs drafted him, Chadwick developed soundly and produced efficiently from the back end. By the end of that campaign, he finished in the top 10 among WHL defensemen in scoring with 12 goals and 56 points in 66 games. His numbers were also good enough to finish fifth on the team in scoring and lead all D-men on the Hurricanes.
The 6-foot-4 Chadwick wasn't only evolving as a hockey player, but also as a leader. He was an alternate captain during 2023-24 and was named captain of Lethbridge the following season.
Chadwick was just as impressive for the Hurricanes with the 'C' on his chest. He registered 13 goals and 53 points in 66 regular-season outings, but really stepped into the light with his post-season performance.
Lethbridge advanced to the third round of the 2025 WHL playoffs, and plenty of that had to do with how Chadwick stepped up. The Saskatoon native recorded seven goals and 14 points in those 16 playoff games. He tied for third in team playoff scoring and was among the league's top scorers in his position. The Hurricanes wound up getting eliminated by Gavin McKenna and the Medicine Hat Tigers.
After his standout performance in his final season of junior hockey, Chadwick joined the Toronto Marlies in the AHL this past year.
Chadwick mostly looked the part in his rookie season in the American League. He ended the year with five goals and 23 points in the regular season, notching a minus-two rating.
He doesn't have the same responsibility as he did with the Hurricanes, of course, meaning he doesn't see the ice as much as defensemen such as Villeneuve, Dakota Mermis or a healthy Marshall Rifai. However, just like in Jr., his role will continue to expand, especially with Henry Thrun now a member of the Winnipeg Jets.
In the midst of all this growth that Chadwick has endured, he is still 21 years old with plenty of room to improve this coming season. A Calder Cup championship could only make this player more confident in his abilities as a defenseman and more comfortable as the leader he's proven to be at previous levels in hockey.
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After re-signing Hunter McDonald to a two-year contract on Tuesday, the Philadelphia Flyers have all of their free agents under contract and accounted for, but for the freshly inked defenseman, time is already ticking.
McDonald, 24, re-upped with the Flyers on a two-year, $1.83 million contract that carries a cap hit of $912.5k, with 2026-27 being a two-way year and 2027-28 being a one-way year.
As an aside to address a common misconception, the only difference between the two-way and one-way years is the amount McDonald gets paid, and not whether or not he'll go to the AHL. This season, McDonald's salary will be $250k in the AHL and $900k in the NHL.
Regardless of that, though, the burly 6-foot-4 defenseman has earned himself another contract with the Flyers, but he'll be under pressure to quickly make an impact.
At the left defense position, McDonald will need to wrest a roster spot away from a veteran like Simon Benoit and Nick Seeler, who have one and two years remaining on their contracts, respectively.
He'll also face some competition from fellow prospect Ty Murchison, who made his NHL debut before McDonald did and is a year younger. Murchison, too, has a lot to play for this year, as he's coming back from a season-ending injury and heading into a contract year.
But, even if McDonald manages to fend off Murchison and pip one of the vets for playing time, 2026 first-round pick Maksim Sokolovskii will be on the way in a few years.
That's all to say that, the sooner McDonald can establish himself and carve out a role, the better it will be for him and the Flyers.
Outside of Sokolovskii, the crop of young players on the left is bare and unremarkable, especially after the departure of Emil Andrae, but a step forward from McDonald can help change that perception.
After all, the former fifth-rounder will be 25 by the end of the new season, but he's managed to appear in just one NHL game thus far, recording an assist in his debut in an insubstantial Game 82 matchup with the Montreal Canadiens back in April, after the Flyers had already secured their place in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
After 147 regular season games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms across parts of four seasons, the time is now for McDonald to take the next step forward for the Flyers, and the short-term, varying-income contract is the organization's way of telling him to go get it.
It's worth noting, too, that if McDonald shows well in training camp and impresses Rick Tocchet and the Flyers, the front office has options.
Seeler, 33, has two years remaining on his contract at a $2.7 million cap hit with his trade protection expiring on July 1, while Benoit, the newcomer, carries a modest $1.35 million cap hit.
Both players are easily tradeable, if necessary, with their reasonable cap hits, and if Benoit hypothetically had no takers on the trade market or waivers, his cap hit is almost fully buriable in the AHL.
The Flyers have generally done well to leave themselves a back-door escape or backup option if someone falters.
A declining veteran always has a fledgling replacement waiting in the wings, and failsafe options are stocked in the cupboard if a young prospect isn't ready for a prominent NHL role with the Flyers.
The Flyers have long been bullish on the physical McDonald's upside as a third-pair bully, and it's up to the player now to gain his wings and take off before time runs out.
Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans will be key to Michael Carrick’s chances of success over a full season and of healing the rift between club and fans
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 5th (NB: this is not necessarily Jamie Jackson’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Syracuse won their opening game against the Woosox, powered by good hitting and good pitching. On the hitting side, Ronny Mauricio was perfect at the plate and drove in three, and on the pitching side, Xzavion Curry and Tobias Myers combined to allow a single run on two combined hits.
Jefferson Rojas put the Rumble Ponies on the board in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer, but Gary Gill Hill gave both of those runs back in the top of the second. The right-hander settled down after that, not allowing another run and tossing six innings in total. In the seventh, the newly reactivated Felipe De La Cruz allowed a run and it looked like that was going to be that, but in the bottom of the ninth, Binghamton rallied. Rojas was in the middle of things once again, driving in a run on a double and then Chris Suero ended things with a game winning sac fly.
The top of the Brooklyn order struggled, with Sammy Stafura going 0-6 and Elian Pena going 0-4, but the bottom half of the line-up had their back, going a collective 8-22 with 7 runs driven in. The Cyclones offense really broke this one open in the later innings, scoring four runs in the seventh, two in the eighth, and one more for good measure in the ninth.
Toeing the rubber for the first time since Spring Training, when he was placed on the 60-Day Injured List due to a fractured rib, Justin Hagenman threw 2.1 innings and allowed a run on three hits and a walk, striking out three. The right-hander threw 43 pitches, 25 for strikes, and got 9 swings and misses. Things quickly went downhill for St. Lucie as the bullpen was extremely leaky, with Owen Woodward, Jose Lopez, and Tyler McLoughlin combining to allow nine runs.
The Detroit Tigers were unable to seal the deal on Tuesday night, falling to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-1, to even the weekday series at PNC Park. Brett Callahan hit his first major league home run, but that was all the offense the good guy got while Keider Montero was extremely mid on the mound for the Olde English D.
Toeing the rubber in the series finale for the Motor City Kitties is right-hander Jackson Jobe, who will be making his third start of the season after returning from Tommy John surgery. The 24-year-old looked good in his debut but got roughed up by the Chicago White Sox the last time out, coughing up six runs on nine hits (two homers) and a walk while striking out four over 3 2/3 innings to take the loss in a 9-5 defeat at Comerica Park.
Up against Jobe for the Bucs is fellow righty Paul Skenes, who has been great this season but a tick below the astronomic he set for himself during his first two years in the league. In the 24-year-old’s last four outings since his last quality start, Skenes has posted a bloated 6.52 ERA along with a very mediocre 4.22 FIP over 19 1/3 innings, allowing 20 hits (three homers) and 11 walks while striking out 18, hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch, resulting in three personal losses and four for his team.
Here is a look at how the two 24-year-olds match up on paper for the rubber match of the three-game series on Wednesday afternoon.
Detroit Tigers (61-65) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (62-66)
Time (ET): 12:35 p.m. Place: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania SB Nation Site:Bucs Dugout Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 127: RHP Jackson Jobe (1-1, 6.23 ERA) vs. RHP Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.88 ERA)
Jun 7, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Felix Bautista (74) throws a pitch against the Athletics during the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning Birdland,
Those two days where the Orioles held a playoff spot were pretty cool, huh? We will remember them fondly.
The team has dropped back to one game out of the final wild card spot after their 3-1 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday night. The Rangers, Twins, Blue Jays, and Guardians all won, so it was not a good night for the O’s and their playoff hopes.
The loss falls at the feet of the offense. Coby Mayo’s solo homer in the third inning was all they could muster. Throughout the rest of the game they had just three hits and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Tough to win games with only one run.
Side note: Mayo now has a 101 wRC+ on the season. Not just against lefties, or since June 1 or whatever, no crazy splits. None of that. The guy has now been a (slightly) above average hitter on the season. That’s pretty cool. Maybe the Orioles have something on their hands after all.
Shane Baz was quite good yet again. The guy just cannot get any run support. He struck out a season high 10 over his 6.1 innings, and the three runs he allowed was slightly elevated because Josh Walker came on and allowed both inherited runners to score. It doesn’t feel like the Orioles have any pitcher in their bullpen right now that you can trust all that much. They are all prone to implosions.
The O’s will give it another try on Wednesday night with Chris Bassitt (4-4, 5.11 ERA) on the mound to face Will Warren (8-6, 4.42 ERA). It’s another 6:35 first pitch.
Links
Orioles updates on Basallo, Alexander, Bautista and more | Roch Kubatko There was some positive news yesterday. We know that Samuel Basallo is getting close to a return. He has played a couple of rehab games, and Craig Albernaz said he could be back later this week. Then the team relayed that Blaze Alexander and Félix Bautista (!!!) are expected to begin rehab assignments within a week. The Alexander news is expected, but Bautista!?! The team has been optimistic there, and it’s likely that they will take things slow. But boy would it be a boost to get his arm in the bullpen sometime in September for the final couple of weeks.
Former Oriole Trey Mancini retiring after making comeback in 2026 | Roch Kubatko What a career and what a story for Trey Mancini. He came back from cancer to play baseball at a high level and win a World Series, then he came back a second time when it seemed like the league had totally moved on. The 34-year-old achieved his goal of getting back to the majors this season and should be darn proud of himself for doing so. I’m sure even bigger things await him beyond his playing career.
Brandon Young turns 28 today. The second-year pitcher has been a savior for the Orioles rotation this season, compiling a 3.52 ERA over 117.2 innings.
J.J. Hardy is 44 years old. He brought a rare combination of power and slick fielding to the shortstop position during the Orioles return to relevance from 2011 through 2017. Hardy won three Gold Gloves, went to one All-Star Game, and took home a Silver Slugger during his time in Baltimore. The O’s added him to their team Hall of Fame in 2021.
Lance Cormier turns 46. He worked out of the Orioles bullpen throughout the 2008 season.
Rocky Cherry is 47 years old. His time with the Orioles spanned two seasons from 2007 through ‘08, when he was an up-and-down reliever for the club.
Luis DeLeón is 68. The righty pitched in 11 games as a reliever for the 1987 Orioles.
Paul Mitchell turns 77. His six-year MLB career began in Baltimore, where he played in 11 games for the 1975 Birds.
The late Jim Lehew (b. 1937, d. 2016) was born on this day. A Baltimore native, Lehew played in parts of two seasons with his hometown Orioles from 1961 to ‘62.
This day in O’s history
1980 – Steve Stone becomes MLB’s first pitcher to get to 20 wins this season as the O’s beat the Angels 5-2.
2001 – The Orioles storm back from a 6-1 deficit to beat the Red Sox 13-7. Jeff Conine has five hits, three different Orioles have three RBI each, and the team steals five bases off of Hideo Nomo.
2016 – The Orioles set a modern record by hitting four home runs before making their first out in their first turn at-bat. Adam Jones, Manny Machado, Chris Davis, and Mark Trumbo all go deep in the first inning to take a 5-1 lead, but it wouldn’t be enough. The Astros score five of their own runs in the second inning and go on to win 15-8.
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Derek Hill takes batting practice before a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Aug. 13, 2026 at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
I think I have it figured out.
Don’t let this umpiring crew call anything down the right field line. There seems to be some kind of allergy to getting the call right the first time, even if it’s on the easier side.
Happy birthday to Rocky Cherry, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1951 – Wearing uniform number 1/8, forty-three-inch-tall Eddie Gaedelwalks on four pitches from Bob Cain in his only major league appearance. Bill Veeck‘s idea of playing the midget was legal at the time but is later outlawed, and other stories as well.
1931 – At Chicago, Lefty Grove (25-2) wins his 16th consecutive game, 4-2, tying the American League record set by Walter Johnson and Joe Wood in 1912. Grove holds the Sox scoreless till the 9th, while the A’s score in the second, third and eighth off Red Faber. Grove has completed all but one of the wins.
1965 – At San Francisco, Don Drysdale faces Warren Spahn in the start of a critical four-game series. Drysdale lasts longer than Spahn, allowing five runs through eleven innings and leaves with the game tied. The Dodgers win it in 15 innings, 6-5.
1968 – Bob Gibson pitches the Cardinals to a 2-0 win over the Phillies. Gibson strikes out Dick Allen four times, the seventh time this season the Phils’ slugger has K’ed four times. He will strike out a career-high 161 times this season.
1974 – Reds 2B Joe Morgan drives in seven runs as Cincinnati rolls over Philadelphia, 15-2. Morgan has a grand slam and a three-run homer, then leaves after three innings when the Reds build a 14-0 lead.
1980 – Jon Matlack holds George Brett hitless, snapping his hitting streak at 30 consecutive games. Brett batted .467 during the streak and knocked in 42 runs.
2007 – Greg Maddux moves up the historical charts, as he ties Tim Keefe for ninth all-time with 349 wins. Maddux aids his cause with two hits in two at-bats.
1969 – John Hollison dies in Chicago at age 99. He was the last surviving major league pitcher to throw from a mound 50 feet from home plate. He pitched in one game in 1892.
1665 – World’s “most mysterious book,” a codex known as the Voynich manuscript, written in an unknown script, is sent by a rector of Prague University to a Jesuit scholar (now in Yale University Library and still undeciphered) in 1666.
1839 – Louis Daguerre‘s daguerreotype photographic process with complete working instructions is published “free to the world” in Paris as a gift from the French government.
1909 – “Wild” Bob Burman wins his first major auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning the Prest-O-Lite Trophy; the 100-lap, 250-mile race is completed by only three of the nine cars, and one racer and a mechanic are killed in a crash.
1934 – The first All-American Soap Box Derby is held in Dayton, Ohio
1958 – NAACP Youth Council begins a sit-in at a “whites-only” lunch counter at Katz Drug Store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
1960 – American CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers is convicted of spying by the USSR (U-2 incident) and sentenced to 3 years in prison plus 7 in a labor camp; he serves 17 months before being exchanged for a captured Soviet KGB spy.
1993 – Dow Jones Industrial Average hits record high of 3612.13.
2004 – US gymnast Carly Patterson becomes the second American woman to win the all-around gold medal and the first to win at a non-boycotted Olympic Games when she takes gold in Athens.
Today in music history:
1955 – WINS radio in New York City announces it will not play white cover versions of R&B records, opting instead to play Fats Domino‘s “Ain’t That A Shame” rather than Pat Boone’s.
1966 – The Beatles are pelted with rotten fruit and firecrackers during a concert at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee; the Ku Klux Klan demonstrates outside the show and burns records.
1979 – “My Sharona” by The Knack hits No. 1 and stays at the top for six weeks.
2008 – Interscope Records releases “The Fame,” the debut album by Lady Gaga.
San Antonio Spurs' French basket ball player Victor Wembanyama arrives for the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2027 collection fashion show as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris on June 23, 2026. (Photo by SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Victor Wembanyama is all about basketball…during the season. From the tip off of preseason until the fateful end of the NBA Finals, Wemby is locked in and focused on the Spurs winning as many games as possible. When he is not in the heat of competition, he seeks out ways to better himself. During off seasons, he works out with a variety of NBA legends as he broadens his understanding of the game and adds to already incredible talent.
He also shifts away from basketball in the summer in hopes of bettering himself as a human being. He has previously traveled, read, visited museums, and spent time learning new skills including a stint with Shaolin monks in China.
This summer, Victor has been working out with the French Rugby Team. He attended a fashion show. He’s hosted another Hoops Gambit, helped unveil an updated basketball court, and spent time in Paris with his fellow Spurs teammates visiting the Louvre. Wemby admits that he seeks out these respite activities as he continues to find balance both on and off the court.
Victor Wembanyama on his busy summer schedule (mini-training camp with teammates, Hoop Gambit, and training with Province Rugby):
“I tried to disconnect as much as I could this summer. It will help me – just like all my past experiences – learning from various people. Having my… pic.twitter.com/gENaMKQAWz
“I tried to disconnect as much as I could this summer. It will help me – just like all my past experiences – learning from various people. Having my Spurs teammates come to Paris was great for long-term team chemistry. I can’t give a specific example, but everything I learn in life serves me well.”
Wembanyama is now poised to play two exhibition matches against Serbia with his French national team. The games are on August 20th and 23rd, before the official 2027 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers begin.
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Just last week, former Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon inked a four-year, $132 million extension, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
Witherspoon has come a long way from representing the Orange and Blue at Memorial Stadium, and is obviously cashing in the big bucks at the next level.
But he’s not the only former Illini who has gotten paid in the pros.
With that being said, let’s switch lanes to the hardwood.
Here are the three highest-earning former Illinois players in the NBA:
MEYERS LEONARD – $60,150,630
One of the best big men in recent memory for Illinois, Meyers Leonard went on to build a pretty solid NBA career and make some good money.
After getting drafted 11th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, Leonard spent 11 seasons in the league with the Portland Trailblazers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks.
His career earnings from NBA contracts came in at just over $60 million, the bulk of which came from a four-year, $41 million deal he signed after his rookie contract was up with the Blazers.
AYO DOSUNMU – $135,488,776
The man who gets a lot of the credit for helping turn Illinois basketball around comes in at No. 2 on this list, the one and only Ayo Dosunmu.
During his time as an Illini, Dosunmu averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game and was a First-Team All-American.
Yet, he slipped to the second round of the NBA Draft and landed with the Chicago Bulls, where he spent the first four and a half seasons of his career before getting dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves at last year’s trade deadline.
Just this past offseason, Dosunmu signed a monster deal to stay in Minnesota, good for five years and a fully guaranteed $112 million. By the end of that deal in 2031, he’ll have made over $135 million in the NBA and still be just 31 years old.
DERON WILLIAMS – $159,486,361
One of the faces of the Illini’s national runner-up team in 2005 — and one of the best players in program history — Deron Williams comes in with the most career earnings of all former Illinois hoopers.
After a historic college career, Williams was selected 3rd overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. During his 14-year career, he also played for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
D-Will was a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA guard, received MVP votes in several seasons and was consistently one of the premier bucket-getters in the NBA.
He made just under $160 million in his professional career, a worthy reflection of what an impressive player he was.
The Athletic has published its NHL pipeline rankings, and journalist Corey Pronman ranks the Montreal Canadiens’ pipeline third, behind the league-leading San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks. For these rankings, Pronman focused on players 22 or younger as of September 15, 2026.
In his analysis of the Canadiens’ pipeline, he takes a closer look at 19 of the Canadiens’ prospects, including four netminders. The article includes a few surprising takes, but none more than his assessment of Jacob Fowler. Pronman wraps up his write-up on the Florida native with this statement: He projects as a quality backup goalie.
Granted, right now, the 21-year-old is not first on the Canadiens’ depth chart in goal, even though he has long been seen as the Habs’ goaltender of the future. While that may still be true, Jakub Dobes’ playoff performance has reminded everyone that there is a present before that future and that he’s very much in it.
He had such a solid rookie season that the team signed him to a three-year contract extension, which is a testament to the trust the organization has in him. The deal carries a $5,357,575 cap hit and a modified no-trade clause for the last two seasons, in which he can give a list of seven teams he cannot be traded to. Clearly, he has impressed with his performance, but Kent Hughes didn’t sign him to a long-term contract, and that’s in part because the Canadiens also have Fowler.
The 6-foot-1 and 223-pound goaltender was drafted in the third round by the Canadiens with the 69th overall pick at the 2023 draft. Since Montreal selected him, Fowler has impressed at every level. In his first year in the NCAA, he posted a 2.14 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage, and a 32-6-1 record, including seven shutouts. In his second year at Boston College, he went 25-7-2 with a 1.63 GAA, a .940 SV, and seven shutouts. Last season, with the Laval Rocket, he went 19-7-1 with a 2.23 GAA, a .916 SV, and three shutouts. Because of Samuel Montembeault’s struggle, he was given an extended look at the NHL level and went 9-6-2, with a 2.43 GAA, a .908 SV and one shutout.
While Pronman has a point when he says that Fowler is average-sized at best and that he doesn’t have true premier athleticism for the NHL, he may not need it. What Fowler lacks in size and athleticism, he makes up for with strong positioning and nerves of steel. He was more of a " thrown to the lions this past season when the Canadiens found themselves with two goalies who were struggling, and he rose to the challenge beautifully. Despite less-than-ideal circumstances, Fowler looked in full control and not at all out of his depth between the pipes of an NHL net.
Goaltending is a very volatile position, and it’s certainly not easy to predict how a prospect will turn out, but from what Fowler has shown so far, he looks like a future starting goaltender to me. In fact, right now, the Canadiens are in a position of strength in net with two very good young goaltenders in Fowler and Dobes, and I dare say that if Kent Hughes were to dangle Fowler as part of a package to acquire that elusive top-six forward, he could drum up a lot of business. Time will tell how fair Pronman’s assessment was, but right now, I struggle to see how he could turn into anything other than a number one goaltender.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 18: Jo Adell #7 of the Cleveland Guardians hits an RBI single during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Progressive Field on August 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians hosted the Giants last night.
The Giants have had a terrible season, and they played like it last night. Their defense screwed up countless times, including an outfielder who Raburned a throw.
But the Guardians would have beaten most opponents last night—because Jo Adell had a career night.
• Sounds like someone is a bit skeptical of “let’s have a bunch of slap hitters watch tape of Jose Ramirez and then they will all hit like Jose Ramirez”
The Pittsburgh Pirates currently sit 6.5 games back from the third Wild Card spot in the postseason, and are running out of time to steer the ship towards the playoffs. There’s still some time to get back on track, but there are three factors that will leave the Pirates on the outside looking in.
Pitching day-to-day is shaky
At the beginning of the season, the strength of the Pirates was supposed to be the starting pitching rotation. However, at this point in the season the rotation has lost its reputation and has turned into a largely average unit. Paul Skenes this late in the year is just not dependable. He has not looked like himself all year, but it has become especially clear as of late that he is not performing at his best. Mitch Keller has been shut down for the rest of the season with an injury, so Carmen Mlodzinski has stepped back into his role as a starter. Even though Mlodzinski was solid to start the year, he clearly looks over it with the Pirates and has not been at his best since returning to the starting ranks.
Also — and this isn’t particularly Jared Jones’ fault — but the Pirates are still letting him play with the training wheels on. He has the potential to be the best pitcher on the team, but management is still keeping his outings incredibly limited. Pitching in the playoffs will not matter if the Pirates cannot first get to the playoffs.
The bullpen looks revamped, but it’s still a position group with a lot of question marks. In some of these close series down the stretch, they are not dependable enough from what we’ve seen to this point to put a lot of faith in. I do think the group has looked better, but I wouldn’t be willing to wager anything just yet given their track record.
The lineup lacks consistent punch down the stretch
The Pirates’ lineup that was completely transformed for the 2026 season, completely fell apart following the All-Star break. It’s almost like the week off was the worst possible thing for the red hot Buccos. The offense has been shutout five times since returning to action, and have scored two runs or less in seven contests in the second half of the season.
This is a lineup that had a lot of potential, but after taking their extended layoff it might be too late for them to crawl back into playoff contention if the offense continues to lack consistency. Esmerlyn Valdez has gone cold after his hot stretch. Ryan O’Hearn is back on the IL. Bryan Reynolds looks unrecognizable in his last 30 games. For some reason, Jared Triolo is still regularly in the lineup and Henry Davis is still a liability at the plate.
Out of all the things that can get the Pirates back into playoff contention, it could be this lineup. Luckily, Oneil Cruz is back and looking like a threat again, and Konnor Griffin will also be returning. Hopefully those pieces back can help the lineup find some consistency, but the team lacks a true offensive superstar at the moment. There is potential for players to grow into those roles, but that likely won’t happen between now and the end of the regular season.
No easy series left
Part of the Pirates’ problems all season long is that they have grossly underperformed against teams that they should beat easily. That has remained true in the second half of the year. They should have easily won their recent series against the Mets, Marlins and Reds. They should win the series against Detroit, but time will tell if they can seal that series victory.
Don Kelly’s had enough. “It felt like we felt sorry for ourselves. We didn’t compete.” At least he’s admitting there’s a problem. pic.twitter.com/mDz1S1h6t1
Moving forward there are no series that the Pirates can take lightly. Following Detroit they have back to back series against playoff teams in the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. They then travel to St. Louis who they’ve struggled mightily against all year. They also have series against the Brewers and Cubs still left on the schedule as well. It’s not impossible for the Pirates to make it to the postseason if they can string together some wins, but their strength of schedule will allow very little to any breathing room. This team is going to have to play tighter than they have all year if they want to keep their dreams of Buctober alive.
Paul Skenes pitches Wednesday night at PNC Park on seven days' rest and the industry will be watching to see how he responds. He was supposed to start Sunday, but after scuffling for the last three months, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly said they wanted to give him extra rest. The Pirates and Skenes swear there is no injury or anything wrong with him, other than the normal wear and tear on a pitcher in August.
Five months after the World Baseball Classic, Team USA's hitters are fine for the most part, but the pitchers seem to be showing the effects of ramping up early.
Since April, every star on the injured list or in a slump who played in March has been Exhibit A that the WBC broke him. Team USA's roster is the easiest way to test that. Thirty guys who went through the same spring and there is very little evidence that the suggestions hold up.
But it doesn't exactly fall apart either. There's a toll on many.
Through May 12, Skenes looked like the defending Cy Young Award winner ready to contend for another. He had a 1.98 ERA through his first nine starts. Since then, it's 5.00. His four-seamer, which sat at 98.2 miles an hour, has dropped to an average of 96.8. Again, the Pirates and Skenes said he is not hurt.
But five other Team USA pitchers have been on the injured list with arm or shoulder issues.
Gabe Spier had a shoulder issue in April. Griffin Jax is on the injured list now with an elbow injury. Garrett Whitlock has twice had an elbow injury that put him on the IL. Brad Keller needed internal brace and flexor tendon repair in July and is done for the year. So is Will Vest, who had surgery on a stress fracture in his elbow.
Four other pitchers from Team USA have gone on the IL this season with injuries to a calf, a biceps, a knee and a broken leg.
In all, 15 of the 29 Team USA players have been on the injured list, including six of the 14 position players.
Even Tarik Skubal, who capped himself at one start and 55 pitches before heading back to Tigers camp, missed time to have a loose body removed from his elbow.
He's been fine since.
On the position player side, Pete Crow-Armstrong is the strong counterbalance.
He has a 30-30 season going, picking up his 30th homer Monday night as a walk-off against the White Sox. He's hitting .281 after a .247 mark last year. Kyle Schwarber leads the majors with 37 home runs. Byron Buxton, who did have a stint on the IL, has a 138 OPS+ at 32. All of them were in Miami in March, too.
Cal Raleigh is the glaring exception everybody has pointed to and his issues are real. He hit 60 homers in 2025 and finished second in the MVP voting. He's hitting .158 now with a .564 OPS, last among 165 hitters with at least 350 plate appearances. Six weeks on the IL with an oblique injury certainly did not help. Last week in the Bronx, he said his timing is just off.
Aaron Judge has missed almost three months with a fractured rib, but he can clearly dismiss any connection to the WBC. He did that diving for a catch in an April game.
Roughly 600 players went, and some of them are having bad years the way some player always do. So the sleuths looking for answers to Skenes' struggles don't have much evidence to go on. Sure, the early ramp up could have led to an early onset of fatigue, but three months is a long time to be tired.
There is no strong argument that the WBC is to blame, so Skenes and the Pirates have to keep searching.
Skenes gets the ball Wednesday night against Detroit. It's his 24th start of a season that started early in March for him. Maybe this time, the extra rest will be the answer to his struggles.
