Worldwide Sports News
Huge hailstones prompt organisers to act 15km from end
Riders seen heading into hotel on route to take cover
A torrential hailstorm in the French Pyrenees forced the abandonment of the third stage of the Vuelta a España on Monday.
With 15 kilometres (9.32 miles) remaining of the 174km route from Gruissan to Font-Romeu, the skies darkened as the peloton neared the top of the Col de Mont-Louis and huge hailstones began bouncing off the tarmac and pelting the riders.
Continue reading...
For a tantalizing 24-hour period, the Twins were in the playoffs after sweeping Atlanta. One weekend trip to San Diego later, and those good vibes were gone as the Friars did the sweeping. Fortunately for the Twins, all the other teams vying for that last spot in the Wild Card were similarly mediocre last week, so they only dropped a half-game out of the third wild card spot, compared to last week. This week will start easy with a trip to Sacramento to face the league-worst Athletics, and then the ChiSox will come to town hoping to solidify their hold on the AL Central crown.
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
Elsewhere in Twins Territory:
In the World of Baseball:
For most of Jacob Young’s time as the Nats starting center fielder, it was assumed that he was destined to be replaced. Young was a 7th round pick and not a very highly touted prospect. With top prospects like Robert Hassell and Dylan Crews coming, Young was just keeping the seat warm until the big boys were ready to take it away.
However, as the bigger names have stagnated, Young has only ascended. This season he is having by far the most complete year of his career. The 27 year old has always been an elite defender in center field, and that remains the case, with Young posting 12 outs above average. Progression with the bat is what has really taken Jacob Young’s game to the next level though.
This season Young has 10 home runs, a feat that was seen as unthinkable for him prior to this year. Following the Nats new hitting philosophy, Young is hitting the ball harder and in the air more often. That is allowing him to do much more damage. His .703 OPS and 95 wRC+ is more than serviceable given his glove.
The idea was that Crews and Hassell would pass Young because their bats were much better. When the new regime came in, most people thought that Crews and Hassell could be two big beneficiaries. However, it was Young’s bat that took the big step, not those highly touted prospects.
Those two may have more natural ability, but Young seems to be outworking them. That is no knock on their work ethic, more a testament to Young. After having a dreadful offensive season in 2025, he took it upon himself to go to Driveline and totally overhaul his approach to hitting.
That has helped Young become a valuable contributor. Meanwhile, Hassell is out of the organization and Crews is still stuck in neutral. The gritty placeholder now has a firmer place in the team’s future than even Dylan Crews, who was supposed to be a franchise altering player.
In two of the last three seasons now, Young has had 2 win seasons. He may not hit the ball 112 MPH or have top 100 prospect pedigree, but at a certain point you can no longer argue with the production. Right now he is a better hitter and fielder than Dylan Crews.
This season, we have been talking more about his bat, but Young reminded us just how incredible his defense is yesterday. He scaled the wall like spiderman and made an insane acrobatic catch. I don’t think there is a better outfielder at making plays at the wall than Young. Over the past few years, he has made about a dozen plays that have genuinely blown my mind.
When you talk to Young, it is easy to see why he has overachieved his whole career. Even in post-game interviews, he is very thoughtful and curious. He seems like the type that will leave no stone unturned to get better. I remember last year when he showed up to camp jacks. It may have been misguided, but it was an example of him wanting to do whatever it takes to improve.
Seeing how far he has come at the plate just shows you how hard he is working. Last season, I thought about Young similarly to Nasim Nunez, a bench guy at best. This Barry Svrluga tweet summarized my thoughts well.
Almost exactly 12 months later, Young is having a better year than all of those guys. In my mind at least, Young has passed Dylan Crews on the outfield pecking order. Heading into 2027, I would be content with a Lile, Young, Wood outfield, which is not something I thought I would be saying entering this year.
A lot of people have taken what Jacob Young has done this season for granted, but I am not going to. He does not have flashy offensive tools, but he is a good ball player who always brings something to the table. That is more than you can say about the highly touted options who have tried and failed to unseat him.
Giannis Antetokounmpo made a choice: The challenge of chasing another ring with a team closer to that path outweighed his love for the city of Milwaukee. He moved on.
That does not mean his love for Milwaukee has changed, something he professed on AnesΤea The Podcast, a popular Greek podcast (hat tip and translation via Hoopshype). Antetokounmpo also talked about what excites him about making the move to Miami this season.
"The easy thing would be to stay in Milwaukee, but I don't want to be comfortable. From a small child, I want always to have new, new challenges. And for me, this is a challenge, that I go somewhere where I don't know, I don't have experience, I don't have a home, I don't have found school for my children, I don't know where the parks are, I don't know who the manager is, I don't know who I play with. I will go there and I will try to make it happen, as I went to Milwaukee and I made it happen. And for that, for me, it excites me, it likes me, that is, from a small child, I always liked the challenge...
"The city of Milwaukee, I love the city of Milwaukee. I will love it until I die. I bleed purple and green. It's very simple. They made me who I am today... And, anyway, and basketball-wise, I passed very beautifully. And that will always be in my heart. It will never, it doesn't matter if I play in Mars. It will always be in my heart, and, luckily, when I finish this cycle with Miami, which I don't know when it will end, and if, I will definitely return to Milwaukee, and I don't know if they want me then."
The reaction in Milwaukee will be interesting when Antetokounmpo returns to the city wearing a Heat uniform for a game on Jan. 28. I'd expect a warm reception: He loved and embraced the city and the team, and he brought them a title. Still, the years of "will he/won't he," then finally pushing his way out the door, leaves a bitter aftertaste.
In Miami, Antetokounmpo is closer to a title and there may be a path to get there, but heading into next season the team is not in the upper tiers of the East. Right now, I have the Heat as a play-in team in a much deeper Eastern Conference than we saw a season ago. If Antetokounmpo stays healthy, is energized and returns to playing at an MVP level, then that prediction will be too low, but he'll have to show it.
Antetokounmpo said he wanted a challenge. Well, he's got it.
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.
A brand new week is here! Let's kick it off with three of my favorite home run props and predictions for tonight's MLB slate, highlighted by Munetaka Murakami and Kyle Schwarber
Here are my favorite MLB picks for Monday, Aug. 24.
| Player to hit a HR | Odds |
|---|---|
 Munetaka Murakami | +325 |
 Kyle Schwarber | +307 |
"This guy writes up Munetaka Murakami every single day!"
Correct.
The No. 1 hitter on Batters-Box today is the South Side slugger, and he draws a heavy fly-ball pitcher in Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker, who has struggled against left-handed hitters all season long.
The last60 left-handed hitters Rocker has faced have generated a 71.1% elevation rate, while owning a .367 xBA, .625 xSLG, and .383 xwOBA against him.
The Chicago White Sox rookie has the team's highest barrel rate over the last 10 games, while posting a .263 ISO and .457 xSLG.
Through 56 elite ratings this season, he has left the yard nearly 34% of the time. He also covers almost 80% of Rocker’s pitch mix.
Take this down to +300.
Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber is coming off a monster weekend at the dish, looking to keep that momentum rolling into the new week.
Schwarber draws Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, who has allowed the last 30 left-handed hitters he has faced to produce a 43% line-drive rate, while owning a .331 xBA and .476 xSLG.
Schwarber owns a .549 xSLG, .302 ISO, 45.5% hard-hit rate, and 18.2% barrel rate over his last 10 games. Across his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, the big fella is generating a 52.4% hard-hit rate and 28.6% barrel rate.
Hard to pass up this price for KYLE SCHWARBER to go yard while he is on this type of heater.
Play to +275.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
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.
The Philadelphia Flyers practically walked away empty-handed from the 2017 NHL Draft with injuries sabotaging Nolan Patrick's career, but in a new re-draft, the Flyers land the No. 1 center they always wanted.
THN's own Owen Cameron has been doing a long-running summer series of re-drafts, starting with Porter Martone and the 2025 draft earlier this month.
For years, the Flyers' draft strategy has been central to the scrutiny surrounding the franchise, and it's no secret that the 2017 draft, if executed properly, would have had a tremendous reversal on the Flyers' current outlook, both for the present and the future.
In Cameron's 2017 re-draft, superstar Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is off the board, going first overall to the New Jersey Devils, leaving the Flyers with the lay of the rest of the land to choose from.
Interestingly, at least depending on your perspective, the Flyers select Montreal Canadiens star Nick Suzuki second overall, making the former Vegas draft pick their franchise center.
"If Rick Tocchet had Nick Suzuki, the 2026 Selke Trophy winner, he would be bouncing off the walls with excitement," Cameron opined.
Flyers' Matvei Michkov on Playing for Russian National Team: 'Have You Written Me Off Already?'Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov is steadfast in his belief he will get to represent Russia on the international stage again sometime in the near future.Players like Miro Heiskanen (third), Robert Thomas (fifth), Nico Hischier (seventh), and Elias Pettersson (eighth) all went later in Cameron's do-over.
What Nick Suzuki would look like on the current Flyers team
Suzuki, 27, has been one of the best centers in all of hockey over the last few seasons, breaking out with 33 goals, 44 assists, and 77 points in 2023-24, dropping 30 goals, 59 assists, and 89 points in 2024-25, then exploding for 29 goals, 72 assists, and 101 points this past season.
Adding to the 5-foot-11 center's appeal is the fact that he's appeared in all 82 regular season games in each of the last six seasons, in addition to winning north of 50% of his faceoffs in each of his last three seasons.
It was long debated on social media and in hockey circles if Suzuki, who was originally drafted 13th overall by the Golden Knights, had what it took to be a No. 1 center in the NHL, but any narrative that suggested otherwise has officially been quashed for good.
Suzuki's career really took off once the Canadiens added Juraj Slafkovsky, who has developed nicely since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2022, in tandem with the continued development of Cole Caufield.
The Flyers Free Agent Signing Nobody Is Talking AboutAn under-the-radar signing by the Philadelphia Flyers could pay major dividends if everything goes according to plan.Oh, and the Canadiens drafted some guy named Ivan Demidov in 2024, too.
If we were to air-drop Suzuki onto the present-day Flyers, he'd fit right in and continue to produce.
The Flyers, like the Canadiens, have a talented group of young wingers, led by Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, and Tyson Foerster. None of those three are quite at the level of Caufield or Slafkovsky just yet, but hypothetically adding Suzuki down the middle, in addition to a second year from Trevor Zegras, would be a massive boon for their development.
Unfortunately, that isn't the reality, as the Flyers swung and missed in 2017 and have since done the easy part first, assembling a syndicate of skilled wingers with different skillsets before getting their No. 1 center.
After making the playoffs this past season, picking later in the first round than normal, and striking out on the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, the Flyers' quest for a Suzuki of their own will continue for the foreseeable future.
CENTENNIAL, CO - JUNE 11 : Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic is in the press conference at Family Sports Center in Centennial, Colorado on Thursday, June 11, 2026. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Hyoung Chang/Denver Post via Getty Images
DENVER — Joe Sakic was back in the goal-scoring business in an alumni game that featured some of his Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche teammates.
Just a few shifts for old time’s sake as the Hall of Fame forward turned front office executive was paired on a line with Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk. He scored early off a pass from Hejduk.
Now, it’s back to the deal-making business for Sakic with training camp around the corner.
Sakic’s trying to wrap up a contract extension that will keep Cale Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman, in Denver well into the future. Makar is coming off a season in which he had 20 goals and 59 assists.
“We continue talking,” Sakic said before taking the ice against the University of Denver alumni at Magness Arena. “I’m pretty confident that he’ll be signed before the season starts.”
There already have been some big contracts signed this offseason, including Bowen Byram’s six-year,
$75 million contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks that’s set to make him the highest paid defenseman.
“Really? I haven’t noticed that,” Sakic cracked about the contracts and how it might affect the market for Makar. “Like I said, I’m not worried about it. I don’t think Cale’s worried about it. Dialog’s been great and when there’s an agreement, we’ll gladly announce it. Hopefully something will be done before the start of training camp.”
Sakic also had no updates on contract talks with coach Jared Bednar, who’s entering his final year. The Avalanche are coming off a season in which they had the best record in hockey before being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. Bednar, the franchise’s all-time leader in wins, led Colorado to a Stanley Cup title in 2022.
“Everything’s great. Not worried about that,” Sakic said. “There’s been coaches, there’s been players that have gone into their last year of their deals before, and there’s going to be in the future, so not really concerned about it.”
For Sakic & Co., the game was a chance to take the ice with teammates — and honor old friends. The teams took a moment to remember Claude Lemieux, who died in May at age 60.
Lemieux was part of the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup team in 1995-96, which was the team’s first season in Denver after moving from Quebec. The Avalanche won again in 2000-01.
The entire weekend was a chance to catch up and swap tales.
“This is just the perfect type of game to get together, get on the ice ... spend some time for a few days, and then just think about the old times,” Sakic said.
Forsberg felt the same way. He said his foot keeps him from skating as much as he would like and was hoping he wouldn’t be benched.
“My playing form is not that good anymore,” the Hall of Famer said with a laugh.
Forsberg’s eager to see Sakic step back into the general manager role in addition to serving as president of hockey operations. Sakic inherited the GM job again when Chris MacFarland left for the front office of the Nashville Predators.
It was a busy offseason for Sakic as he sent Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for draft picks. That was a way to free up space given Nichushkin had four more seasons left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $6.125 million. The savings could be used to possibly wrap up a long-term extension with Makar.
“Just feels like everything Joe touches, it goes well,” Forsberg said. “I’m really happy to see him back.”
The Sox’ contingent of rehabbing big leaguers has been a mixed bag in the minors so far. Roman Anthony seems fine, more or less, hitting moon shots, working walks, and working his way back. Trevor Story and IKF, on the other hand, look lost at the plate. So what’s next for this trio? Story and IKF will head to Boston today to be reevaluated, and they could potentially rejoin the team for the upcoming series against the Marlins. Anthony, though, will head southwest from Portland to Worcester and make his first appearance with the WooSox on Tuesday. Could he return before the weekend? “I wouldn’t completely rule it out,” Chad Tracy said. “But I still think he’s in the building-up phase of outfield and continuing to get at-bats. So, I won’t completely rule it out, but he’s definitely going to continue on Tuesday in Worcester.“ (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Trevor Story certainly didn’t look like a big leaguer down in Worcester. And complicating matters with respect to his return is the fact that Nick Sogard has looked great in Fenway. “You can’t say enough about it,” Tracy said of Sogard’s receet play. “You’re getting power swings on the left side, powerful swings on the right side. You’re getting great defense. It’s been enormous, the at-bats he’s taken.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Unfortunately, Garrett Crochet isn’t nearly as close to returning, though he is making progress, having recently started “playing catch from 90 feet with greater intensity.” As a result of his injury, he has officially lost his ability to opt out of his contract in 2030, and the Sox now hold an option on him for the 2032 season. “I’ve long since accepted it,” Crochet said. “Regardless of that, my goal is to come back and help the team in any way that I can.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
When Crochet does return, he’ll find himself paired with a new battery mate of course. Luckily, new catcher Adley Rutschman is getting great reviews for the way he handles the staff. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
As amazing as this season has been, it isn’t hard to think about what this team would look like Garrett Crochet in the rotation, especially come playoff time. As it stands, though, we’ll get a little preview of the Sox playoff rotation this week, as Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle, and Sonny Gray will face the Marlins in that order. (Rodney Knuppel, NESN)
Jake Bennett may or may not make a postseason start. He’s been great relative to expectations this season, but is starting to struggle a bit. Those struggles continued in the early stages of yesterday’s game, but he was saved by some great defense. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Royals fans and fans across the country.
The Royals are red hot; they’ve won eight straight. Even with all of that winning, though, they’ve merely created a second tier of “not in the playoff hunt” by having significantly more wins than the Athletics and Angels, but far fewer than the rest of the American League. Still, I come to you, wanting to dream a little about the playoffs.
So, yes, the Royals aren’t in it. In fact, they’d need to win 23 of their remaining 30 games just to finish the season with a .500 record. That said… a .500 record seems like it would probably be good enough to squeak into the postseason; the Guardians currently hold the final spot while a game below .500. 23 out of 30 would be a .767 winning percentage; that’s a 124-win pace over a full season. That’s ridiculous. But, well, the Royals don’t have to do it over a full season, just over the next month or so. When they started this eight-game winning streak, they needed to win 31 of their last 38 to reach .500, and they’ve played 1.000 since then. Compared to that, 23 out of 30 isn’t that crazy is it?
OK, yeah, it’s still pretty crazy. But here’s a question for you: how many more games would the Royals have to win in a row before it stopped seeming crazy? 10 in a row would mean they needed to win 21 of their final 28; that’s a .750 winning percentage to finish out the year. If they swept the rest of August, they’d have won 14 in a row and need to have a 17-7 September. That doesn’t seem completely unreasonable. If they got halfway through September without losing a game, they’d have won 26 in a row and only need to finish 5-7 to reach .500.
A couple key things to remember, here: I’m not asking you if you think the Royals can achieve any of those winning streaks. Just how long the streak would need to be for you to start dreaming about the playoffs again. Also, if they at least swept the rest of August, they’d hold tie-breakers over the Twins, Mariners, Tigers, and Guardians. With a really strong shot to also hold one over the Blue Jays. That’s a lot of teams in front of them that they’d beat out for a final playoff spot, should it miraculously come to that.
The Phillies are coming in on a nine-game winning streak after sweeping the Twins, Marlins, and Cardinals in successive series. Philadelphia continues to remain in a tight race for the NL Wild Card and the NL East division title. Meanwhile, the Mariners are barely hanging onto the fringe of the AL playoff picture, including giving up 19+ runs twice in a week. All this is to say the momentum is with the Phillies.
So things aren’t looking great, but the Mariners are not eliminated yet; it’s still very possible for them to make a run for the playoffs, remaining just three games out of the Wild Card and three games out of the AL West. Plus, despite the blowouts, the Mariners still claimed a series victory over one of the best teams in the NL, the Chicago Cubs. While things have definitely looked bleak since the All-Star break, this team still has the chance to control their destiny, and disrupting a red-hot Phillies squad could be the perfect start to doing so.
| Game | Time | Mariners Starter | Phillies Starter | Mariners Win% | Phillies Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Monday, August 24 | 6:40 pm | RHP Logan Gilbert | RHP Zack Wheeler | 49.9% | 50.1% |
| Game 2 | Tuesday, August 25 | 6:40 pm | RHP George Kirby | RHP Aaron Nola | 56.8% | 43.2% |
| Game 3 | Wednesday, August 26 | 1:10 pm | RHP Bryan Woo | LHP Jesús Luzardo | 52.5% | 47.5% |
| Overview | Mariners | Phillies | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batting (wRC+) | 100 (10th in AL) | 96 (12th in NL) | Mariners |
| Fielding (FRV) | -39 (15th) | -7 (12th) | Phillies |
| Starting Pitching (FIP-) | 97 (8th) | 87 (2nd) | Phillies |
| Bullpen (FIP-) | 101 (8th) | 89 (3rd) | Phillies |
The Phillies are a different team than you would expect, despite the notable names in their lineup — Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner — they actually don’t pop off the page much as a team offensively. They’re not top 10 in the NL in runs or average or home runs or hits. In fact, across the board they end up rather middle of the pack despite the power-hitting stars that fill out the lineup. It’s much more likely that you’ve heard talk about their rotation this year, especially the continued breakout of Cristopher Sánchez, who the Mariners will thankfully be missing. However, the Mariners will still have to face the always dangerous Zach Wheeler, who is likely cruising to another top 10 Cy Young finish, as well as closer Jhoan Duran, who remains one of the best closers in MLB. This group of pitchers excels at striking out batters, so much so that they lead the NL as a group. However, the Phillies have weaknesses; while their starters can often go out and drop a quality start or keep a lineup shut down for six innings, the bullpen will still let a few runs through. If the Mariners can score early and attack a leaky Phillies bullpen, they may yet have a chance to size some momentum here and ride it right into the playoffs.
| Player | Position | Bats | PA | K% | BB% | ISO | wRC+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Schwarber | DH | L | 560 | 33.2% | 14.6% | 0.288 | 140 |
| Trea Turner | SS | R | 561 | 21.6% | 6.4% | 0.145 | 87 |
| Bryce Harper | RF | L | 559 | 20.9% | 16.6% | 0.238 | 139 |
| Luis Arraez | 2B | L | 541 | 4.4% | 5.0% | 0.121 | 119 |
| Alec Bohm | 1B | R | 509 | 13.6% | 6.3% | 0.142 | 89 |
| Bryson Stott | SS | L | 490 | 16.3% | 10.2% | 0.148 | 105 |
| Brandon Marsh | LF | L | 489 | 24.7% | 6.1% | 0.162 | 104 |
| J.T. Realmuto | C | R | 369 | 20.9% | 7.6% | 0.126 | 79 |
| Justin Crawford | CF | L | 383 | 17.8% | 5.7% | 0.089 | 85 |
The Phillies have rarely deviated from the lineups they send out on a day-to-day basis. The top three will almost always be Schwarber, Turner, Harper, followed by some combination of Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, and Luis Arraez. While the order can shift, those six are essentially guaranteed to be in the lineup somewhere.
Kyle Schwarber typically leads off; the three-true-outcomes power hitter and perpetual MVP candidate continues to offer power and a solid eye at the top of the lineup, leading the NL in home runs and currently third in walks. Schwarber also leads the NL in strikeouts, so it’s not like there’s no hope in getting him out. Trea Turner typically falls behind Schwarber. The well-compensated shortstop has faced a lot of criticism this year from local fans as his production continues to fall short of expectations. The former All-Star has gone from winning a batting title to dropping 60 points in his batting average and has struggled to match his form and performance from last year on any level. Still, you never know when someone is gonna break out, and the Mariners tend to bring the best out of their opponents. Bryce Harper rounds out the top three; the two-time MVP is always a cause for concern, and this week is no different. Harper leads the league in walks while boasting a 134 OPS+ to go along with 26 home runs so far this year. While he might not quite be in the MVP conversation, Harper is certainly someone to be very wary of.
| Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zack Wheeler | 120.1 | 30.4% | 7.0% | 13.9% | 43.2% | 2.92 | 3.21 |
| Logan Gilbert | 150.1 | 26.4% | 6.2% | 11.8% | 37.3% | 3.35 | 3.56 |
| Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four-seam | 29.3% | 38.2% | 95.2 | 113 | 133 | 115 | 0.220 |
| Sinker | 34.4% | 4.7% | 94.7 | 110 | 84 | 127 | 0.284 |
| Cutter | 0.3% | 17.2% | 90.8 | 83 | 93 | 132 | 0.322 |
| Splitter | 7.1% | 20.8% | 87.3 | 88 | 132 | 72 | 0.208 |
| Curveball | 1.1% | 12.9% | 79.8 | 123 | 149 | 72 | 0.196 |
| Sweeper | 27.8% | 6.0% | 81.2 | 103 | 107 | 124 | 0.253 |
Zack Wheeler has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for the better part of a decade, a model of consistency and health. A blood clot in his shoulder cut his season short last year and he eventually had to undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Despite the severity of the injury, he missed just a month to start the season and has looked no worse for wear once he got back on the mound. Under the hood, he’s seen his strikeout-to-walk ratio slip just a tiny bit, though a strikeout rate dropping from 33.3% to 30.4% still makes him one of the best strikeout artists in the game. He’s got excellent command of his deep repertoire, plenty of weapons to induce swings and misses, and masterfully keeps batters off balance.
| Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Nola | 137 | 24.6% | 7.8% | 18.9% | 39.6% | 5.12 | 4.92 |
| George Kirby | 140 | 19.9% | 5.6% | 10.6% | 43.9% | 4.18 | 3.76 |
| Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four-seam | 17.7% | 27.3% | 92.3 | 107 | 64 | 80 | 0.401 |
| Sinker | 28.1% | 13.0% | 91.6 | 103 | 85 | 117 | 0.375 |
| Cutter | 10.0% | 5.9% | 86.3 | 91 | 109 | 82 | 0.356 |
| Changeup | 7.1% | 21.6% | 85.6 | 67 | 88 | 95 | 0.317 |
| Curveball | 34.8% | 32.2% | 78.3 | 125 | 136 | 114 | 0.223 |
| Slider | 2.3% | 0.1% | 83.2 |
Aaron Nola’s long and successful career seems to be winding down. He’s been a staple member of the Phillies rotation for more than a decade, but with all those miles on his arm, he’s started the slow descent of an aging hurler. His ERA isn’t as high as it was during an injury-plagued season last year but his FIP is up to a career-high this year. His trademark curveball is still a very effective pitch but the deterioration of his fastball velocity is the main culprit behind his struggles. He’s responded by throwing his breaking ball more than ever, but batters are still pounding his hard stuff when they see it.
| Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesús Luzardo | 156 | 30.1% | 7.3% | 10.9% | 48.2% | 3.35 | 2.84 |
| Bryan Woo | 138.1 | 24.3% | 5.2% | 9.0% | 36.8% | 4.10 | 3.30 |
| Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four-seam | 29.2% | 13.1% | 96.9 | 98 | 80 | 98 | 0.304 |
| Sinker | 12.5% | 34.9% | 95.8 | 110 | 86 | 99 | 0.326 |
| Changeup | 23.4% | 3.0% | 86.0 | 103 | 122 | 96 | 0.297 |
| Sweeper | 34.9% | 49.1% | 86.1 | 123 | 145 | 97 | 0.181 |
After trading for Jesús Luzardo last year and helping him truly establish himself as a big league pitcher, the Phillies signed him to a five-year extension this offseason. He has responded with the best season of his career. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is higher than ever, he’s pushed his groundball rate up six points, and he’s very likely to earn downballot Cy Young votes for his efforts. Everything starts with his power sweeper. He’s throwing that breaking ball more than ever and it’s one of the best pitches in all of baseball. A pair of solid fastballs and a changeup round out his repertoire, but the big bender is the foundation that makes the whole package hum.
| Team | W-L | W% | Games Behind | Run Diff | Recent Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astros | 65-66 | 0.496 | — | -44 | W-L-W-L-L |
| Rangers | 65-66 | 0.496 | — | -46 | L-W-W-L-W |
| Mariners | 62-69 | 0.473 | 3.0 | -61 | W-L-W-W-L |
| Angels | 52-79 | 0.397 | 13.0 | -70 | L-W-L-W-L |
| Athletics | 51-80 | 0.389 | 14.0 | -187 | L-L-L-W-W |
| Team | W-L | W% | Games Behind | Run Diff | Recent Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yankees | 74-56 | 0.569 | +9.5 | +100 | W-W-W-L-W |
| Red Sox | 71-59 | 0.546 | +6.5 | +99 | W-L-W-W-W |
| Guardians | 65-66 | 0.496 | — | -9 | L-W-W-W-W |
| Rangers | 65-66 | 0.496 | — | -46 | L-W-W-L-W |
| Blue Jays | 64-68 | 0.485 | 1.5 | -55 | L-W-L-W-L |
| Twins | 63-68 | 0.481 | 2.0 | -54 | W-W-L-L-L |
| Orioles | 63-68 | 0.481 | 2.0 | -35 | L-L-W-W-L |
| Mariners | 62-69 | 0.473 | 3.0 | -61 | W-L-W-W-L |
| Tigers | 61-69 | 0.469 | 3.5 | +73 | L-L-L-L-L |
Another week, another Wild Card leader. Thanks to a sweep over the weekend in Colorado, the Guardians have leapt into the third Wild Card slot, tied with the Rangers and Astros. Houston technically holds the AL West division lead despite matching records with the other Texas team; the ‘Stros travel to face the Yankees this week. Meanwhile, the Rangers head to Chicago to face the AL Central leading White Sox.
When a team is on a hot streak – and I feel like a nine-game winning streak qualifies – it isn’t always the best thing for them to have to travel across the country. But the schedule makers have seen fit to send the Phillies out west for a three-city road trip, so hopefully, they can keep the magic going in the Pacific time zone.
On the positive side, the first stop on the trip is Seattle where the Mariners are having a massively disappointing season. After losing in game seven of the 2025 ALCS, the Mariners have slumped to 62-69, which somehow is still good enough for third place and the edge of contention in the awful American League West.
Since this is a Seattle team, I’ll put it in grunge terms: They’re still alive. But do they deserve to be?
Many people believed Cal Raleigh should have been the American League MVP winner last year. Hitting a league-leading 60 home runs while playing good defense as a catcher is something that simply doesn’t happen. While the 60 home runs might have been a fluke, it wasn’t like Raleigh came out of nowhere. He hit 34 homers the years before, and combined with a Gold Glove in 2024, it felt like the “best catcher in baseball” debate had been settled and would be for at least a few years.
The debate has been reopened this season because Raleigh has followed up that stellar campaign with one of the worst seasons by any player in baseball.
“Big Dumper” is no longer a complimentary nickname, as Raleigh is batting just .159 with 14 home runs. He spent about a month on the Injured List with an oblique strain earlier this year, but if the Mariners hoped a return to health would mean a return to production, they’ve been sorely disappointed, as his post-injury statistics are in line with what he was doing beforehand.
It isn’t clear why Raleigh has had such a downturn this season. Maybe his teammate put a curse on him for snubbing him during the WBC? If so, that’s an epic own goal on Randy Arozarena.
Unless the Mariners make a run to win the West, this will be another season where they don’t make it to the World Series. I understand that they’ve only been around since 1977, but that’s almost 50 years now.
This franchise had the coolest player of the 90’s, and the most prominent Japanese player in baseball for 14 years, and they couldn’t find a way to win even one American League pennant? They should have done what the Dodgers are doing and convince other high profile Japanese players to team up with Ichiro. (It probably didn’t help that they never made the playoffs with Ichiro after his rookie season.)
Maybe the guy was a bad teammate? I know one Mariners fan, and he actually can’t stand Ichiro, saying he was a selfish player who worried about individual stats to the team’s detriment. Then again, I think a lot of fans of bad teams say that about their stars.
Mike Sweeney was a multiple-time All-Star for the Kansas City Royals. The first baseman had elite on-base skills and could be counted on for 20+ home runs a season. By the time he signed with the Mariners before the 2009 season, he was 35 years old and clearly in decline.
Mostly used as a bench bat, Sweeney was solid for the Mariners, with an OPS of .784 and 14 home runs in 104 games. In late 2010, the Mariners were out of contention, while Ryan Howard had to go on the Injured List, so the Phillies sent some cash the Mariners way and added Sweeney for the stretch run.
Sweeney’s time with the Phillies was mostly unmemorable, but he did hit a home run in the division-clinching victory against the Nationals, and he had a single in his only postseason at bat during the NLDS.
After the season, Sweeney retired and returned to the Royals in a front office job.
Speaking of Arozarena, there were rumors that the Phillies could have traded for him before the deadline. That obviously didn’t happen, but it remains possible that they pursue the outfielder in free agency this offseason. But he’s 31 years of age, has been a good, not great hitter throughout his career, is enjoying a career best season heading into free agency, and is rated poorly on defense.
That sounds somewhat similar to a free agent outfielder the Phillies signed before the 2022 season, and for the most part, that move didn’t work out so well.
Flying to Seattle and starting a series without an off day is tough, but with the Phillies on a roll, maybe that’s for the best. There have been many debates about how real momentum is in baseball, but generally when a team is doing well, you don’t want to get them out of their routine. (Though a cross-country flight and changing time zones probably qualifies as getting them out of their routine.)
We know the Phillies are going to lose at some point (right?) and I assumed that was going to happen on Sunday. But the offense decided to just win the game dramatically instead.
I think the team is due for an absolute stinker of a game where they just suffer a week’s worth of misfortune in one night. I hope that doesn’t happen on Monday, because it would be nice to see Zack Wheeler look good after about a month of shakiness. On the other hand, with the games starting late, I probably won’t be able to see the entire affair. So maybe it would be nice for them to get the stinkiness out of their system while I’m asleep.
The NHL Network has been ranking the best player at each position leading up to the start of the 2026-27 NHL season. On Sunday, August 2nd, they revealed their current top 20 wings list and ranked Martin Necas 15th. The following week, they released their top 20 list of the league's best defensemen, ranking Cale Makar 1st.
NHL Network Name Cale Makar As Best Defensemen In The NHLThe NHL Network put out a list ranking the top 20 defensemen in the NHL, and both Cale Makar and Devon Toews have made the list, with Makar ranking 1st and Toews ranking 20th.Following it up, they have now released their top 20 centers currently in the league. NHL Network’s Jamison Coyle, E.J. Hradek, and Mike Rupp, who hosted the show, explained that while counting down the best centers in the league, they based the rankings on “player performance over the past several seasons, with an emphasis on the 2025-2026 regular season and 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while also considering future upside.”
To no one’s surprise, they ranked Nathan MacKinnon second in their rankings for centers right now. The only other player who stood above him was Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid. In second place, he ranked above Macklin Celerini (3rd), Leon Draisaitl (4th), and Aleksander Barkov (5th).
When MacKinnon’s position in the rankings was reached, Hradek said on his placement in the rankings, “He is electric. Nathan MacKinnon’s one of those guys that when you watch him, when you see him coming out of that defensive zone with the puck, he does those quick crossovers. There’s nothing like it in the NHL. He’s like a little locomotive coming up the ice. He’s able to shift gears and move laterally just as fast as he’s able to go forward. He’s a special, special player.”
It was pretty spot on what Hradek said, and if you had to make a poll among the league's fans, players, and management, it's a fair assumption to say that, really, outside of McDavid, MacKinnon has shown these past couple of seasons that he really is the clear-cut second-best center in the league and at times could argue that he could be placed above McDavid.
This is what NHL Network said in their web article;
“MacKinnon had 127 points (53 goals, 74 assists) in 80 games last season and has had at least 111 points each of the past four. He's scored at least 30 goals in eight of the past nine seasons; he had 20 in 48 games of the 56-game 2020-21 season. He has 150 power-play points over the past four seasons, a stretch when he's an NHL-best plus-146. MacKinnon led the NHL last season at plus-57 and won the Rocket Richard Trophy as goals leader. The 2024 Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay winner has been a top-five Hart finalist in six of the past seven seasons. His 1.30 points per game in the playoffs is fifth in NHL history among players with at least 100 games, trailing Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61), McDavid (1.53) and Draisaitl (1.48).”
This past season was a special one for MacKinnon, as he scored 53 goals and 74 assists for 127 points, leading the league in goals and setting a new career high. Helping him take home his first-ever Rocket Richard Trophy, while finishing third in Hart Trophy voting and finishing inside the top 20 in Selke Trophy voting. His 53 goals tied him for the sixth most goals in Nordique/Avalanche history, tying him with Michel Goulet back in the 1985-86 season.
Nathan MacKinnon Wins The 2025-26 Maurice "Rocket" Richard TrophyWith a career-best 53 goals, Nathan MacKinnon has won the 2025-26 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy.The biggest critique last season was the power play; despite all the talent, the lack of execution and failure to capitalize on opportunities really stood out, and it showed in many players' stats, even though they finished with high point totals. Despite MacKinnon scoring 53 goals, only 11 of them came from the power play, while 43 were even-strength goals. That amount tied him for second in Nordique/Avalanche history, with only Goulet having scored more (43).
His even-strength point total was 97, which was the most even-strength points scored in a season since Wayne Gretzky’s 103 during the 1990-91 season. It showed how strong he and the Avalanche team were at 5-on-5, and he still finished with the third-most points of the season despite the team's power-play finishing at 17.0%
It will be another fascinating season to see how MacKinnon does, with the team making minimal offseason changes and barring any impact on his health from injuries. If we see anything similar to what he has witnessed from MacKinnon these past seasons and the power play reverts to lethal form, it will be another Hart Trophy-esque season for the “Nate Dogg”.
The Latest On Cale Makar's Future With The AvalancheJoe Sakic sounds increasingly confident that the Colorado Avalanche will get Cale Makar signed to a long-term extension before the 2026-27 season begins.
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown knew this day was coming, and there was nothing that was going to save it.
Not a postseason berth.
Not a deep October run.
Not a downtown parade celebrating their third World Series title in 10 years.
So after a horrific homestand, losing six of their last eight games to three of the worst teams in the American League – the Athletics, Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners – Astros owner Jim Crane pulled the plug Monday.
Brown was fired, although it was announced as a mutual parting of the ways. He was informed of the decision Sunday night, they agreed to call it a mutual parting Monday morning, and he was already packing his bags and taking off for his home in New Jersey.
It was the Astros' 7-6 defeat Sunday to the lowly Athletics, blowing a 6-0 lead, that sent Crane over the top, believing that if they had any chance of reaching the playoffs, drastic changes needed to be made.
While one high-ranking Astros official said that Joe Espada will not receive a new contract after the season, Espada’s status is unchanged and he will remain as manager, and a decision by Crane will be made after the season. The Astros are 65-66 and tied for first place in the AL West.
Crane, who will have a news conference Tuesday, Aug. 25 in New York to discuss his reasoning for the Brown firing and what’s next, simply had seen enough to believe the Astros weren’t going to make the playoffs if he didn’t do something rash. He will oversee the operations with the assistance of Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, who has tremendous influence in the organization as a senior adviser, along with assistant GMs Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff.
They will look for a full-time GM in the offseason, likely trying to hire someone from the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays or Cleveland Guardians.
It’s possible that they could turn to Bagwell, if he shows strong interest in the job, with Cook expected to get a strong look as someone who’s highly regarded by the organization.
Those will be decisions in the offseason. But for now, Crane badly wants to be a playoff team again after the Astros missed the postseason last year for the first time in nine years.
In a season where no AL West team currently owns a winning record, Brown became the third general manager in the division to lose his job, joining the Athletics' David Forst and Angels GM Perry Minasian.
"I’ve never seen anything like it," one AL executive said. "Three GMs fired in one division. Unreal."
Brown, who led the Astros to two division titles in his nearly-four-year tenure, could easily return to Atlanta where he was the Braves' special assistant and scouting guru. GM Alex Anthopoulos could even bring the band back together and hire Minasian, too, who was his assistant GM before going to the Angels.
Brown surely will get another job in baseball, just like James Click, who was fired as the Astros GM after winning the 2022 World Series and is now a special assistant in Toronto.
"I want to thank Jim Crane for the opportunity to serve in my first role as an MLB General Manager," Brown said in a statement. "The Astros organization and the fans have welcomed me and my family, and I am grateful to have called Houston home for the past four seasons. I wish the organization well and I look forward to the future as I continue my 36-plus years in professional baseball."
Brown’s future starts now, and so does the Astros’ urgency to now save their season.
This story has been updated to include new information.
Follow Bob Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why the Astros felt they had to make a front-office shakeup now with Dana Brown
HOUSTON — General manager Dana Brown and the Houston Astros mutually have agreed to part ways, the team announced, when it was tied for first place in the AL West.
Brown’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season. Senior adviser Jeff Bagwell and assistant general managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff will take over Brown’s responsibilities while team owner Jim Crane will oversee baseball operations during the transition.
The move comes after the Astros went 3-6 on a homestand that ended to fall into a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead.
Brown had been the team’s general manager since January 2023.
“Over the past four seasons, Dana has helped our organization win two division titles and has led our baseball front office through key scouting, draft and development efforts,” Crane said in a statement. “On behalf of the Astros, I want to thank him for his commitment, energy, and contributions to our organization. We wish he and his family the best.”
Brown came to Houston after four seasons as vice president of scouting for the Atlanta Braves to replace James Click, who was not given a new contract and left the Astros just days after they won the 2022 World Series.
“I want to thank Jim Crane for the opportunity to serve in my first role as an MLB General Manager,” Brown said. “The Astros organization and the fans have welcomed me and my family, and I am grateful to have called Houston home for the past four seasons. I wish the organization well and I look forward to the future as I continue my 36-plus years in professional baseball.”
The Cubs were involved in four walk-off games of the six they played against the White Sox and Mariners over the past week.
Unfortunately, since the latter series was on the road, the Cubs won only two of those four walk-offs.
And even though they went just 3-3 on the week, they scored 39 runs in the six games — though the last five of those were off Mariners position players. Nevertheless, they count just the same.
Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs over the past week.
PCA led off a game with a first-pitch home run. PCA walked off a game with a home run. And that was the same game! [VIDEO]
Overall for the week, the Cubs center fielder batted .375/.483/1.083 (9-for-24) with two doubles, five home runs, eight RBI, six runs scored, five walks and two stolen bases. That might just be enough to win him another NL Player of the Week award. He’s now up to 8.1 bWAR (8.7 fWAR).
Peterson, temporarily moved to the bullpen when Edward Cabrera temporarily returned to the rotation, threw a key 1.1 scoreless innings last Monday against the White Sox, then returned to starting and threw six innings against the Mariners Saturday, allowing two runs and striking out eight [VIDEO].
Since his disastrous start against the Cardinals July 3, Peterson has a 2.20 ERA and 1.195 WHIP in eight games (seven starts) covering 41 innings. Even including that awful Cardinals game, he’s got a 3.93 ERA and 1.311 WHIP in 10 games (nine starts) with the Cubs.
Civale kept Sunday’s game in order with four one-hit innings until the Cubs bats turned it into a blowout. He also kept last Wednesday’s game against the White Sox close with 1.1 scoreless innings, though the Cubs ultimately could not come back and win that one.
He has a 1.80 ERA and 1.050 WHIP (2.84 FIP) in nine games for the Cubs covering 20 innings, with five walks and 18 strikeouts. He also threw well in five games for the Cubs last September.
If Civale would agree to come back to the Cubs in 2027 in this role, I think he’d be quite good at it.
Hat tip to Ian Happ, who went 6-for-20 with two home runs over the six games. If this is the start of one of Happ’s hot streaks, it’s coming at a very good time.
And another H/T for Alex Bregman: .360/.414/.760 (9-for-25) with three home runs in the six games. Bregman’s season OPS is up to .767.
In three starts for the Cubs, Gausman has one good start, one mediocre outing and one bad one. This past week was the mediocre game, seven hits and three runs in 4.1 innings, with 86 pitches thrown.
He’s going to start tonight against the Diamondbacks. Hoping for better things.
In his two appearances for the Cubs in these six games, Zeferjahn blew a save against the White Sox (in the game PCA won with his 10th-inning walk-off homer) and gave up the game-winning hit to Leo Rivas of the Mariners Friday.
Zeferjahn has talent, but… maybe the Cubs will have to wait until 2027 to make the best use of it.
The Cubs are 54-32 (.628) against NL teams and 21-24 in interleague play.
The Brewers are 54-35 (.607) against NL teams and 27-15 in interleague play.
Thus the entire difference between the Cubs and Brewers can be accounted for in their record vs. American League teams. The Cubs are the only National League team currently in a postseason position to not have a winning record in interleague contests.
Perhaps fortunately for the Cubs, they have just one series left vs. an AL team, the last three games of the regular season at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. The Brewers have two — they will host the Rangers this weekend, then play at Baltimore Sept. 18-19-20.