Kansas City officially approved a $600 million funding commitment for a downtown Royals stadium by an 11-to-2 vote, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco break down everything that led to it. Jeremy’s interview with Councilman Duncan, who voted no, adds real texture to the conversation, particularly his concerns about the lack of a completed financial analysis before the vote went through.
The deal structure gets a thorough examination, including the Royals’ private contribution, possible state funding, and whether the city actually used its negotiating leverage effectively. Jacob and Jeremy are not shy about their criticism, both of the rushed timeline and of the stadium renderings themselves, which they find generic and underwhelming given the scale of the project. For fans still opposed to the deal, the hosts lay out what options remain, including contacting city leaders directly.
On the field, the Royals are playing some of their best baseball of the season. A four-game sweep of the Athletics extended their winning streak to five games, and the team has been piling up comeback wins since the All-Star break. Vinnie Pasquantino’s return has been a major factor, with extra-base hits and better at-bats signaling that his power is fully back after hamate surgery. Bobby Witt Jr. is putting together a huge August that has a legitimate MVP case building, and Salvador Perez continues to climb the franchise RBI leaderboard.
The injury report remains crowded. Maikel Garcia is likely headed back to the IL, Jac Caglianone is dealing with ankle soreness even amid a huge August of his own, and Beck Way has begun a rehab assignment. Noah Cameron’s growing role gets spotlighted as the Royals look toward 2027, while Lucas Erceg’s demotion and Carlos Duran’s debut signal that the organization remains firmly in evaluation mode.
Sissons, a right-handed and veteran center, is the type of player that you'd imagine would have some interest from other teams when the NHL's free agency period opened. The 32-year-old has played 756 regular-season games across his 12-year NHL career.
With two Stanley Cup final appearances and a specialty in the faceoff dot and penalty kill, many teams would love his services. In the end, the Vancouver native decided to take his talents north of the border.
"I mean, obviously the opportunity to put the Maple Leafs sweater on is probably No. 1," Sissons said on Thursday's edition of TSN OverDrive. "That's a pretty special experience for any player, and it's tough to pass off an opportunity like that and speak with (Chayka) and just hearing what their plans were and the conditions that they were making and saw some of those come across in the morning there. And so that was really exciting too."
As mentioned, July 1 was an incredibly busy day for the Maple Leafs and Chayka. Sissons was one of multiple additions to the roster that day, including Sergei Bobrovsky, Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, and others.
There will always be a challenge to joining a new team, especially for Sissons, who, before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights for 2025-26, played 11 straight years with the Nashville Predators.
But with Toronto's unique off-season, the difficulty of getting accustomed to new surroundings and teammates naturally grows. And that's not just the case with the roster, when even the coaching staff and front office have seen overhaul changes.
“Yeah, obviously it's a challenge with all the newness coming in and a lot of new players in the locker room," Sissons said.
However, with his experience and the veteran that Sissons is, it won't be hard for him to find his role and ways to contribute to his new team on and off the ice during his Maple Leafs tenure.
"I think just coming in, I'm just going to be myself and try to bring guys together and kind of establish just a good vibe in the locker room and obviously put in the work and try to be a leader for us," he added. "Just keep it simple and just try to get everybody on the same page as fast as possible because camp's going to be pretty quick this year and it's going to be a lot to sort out and new systems and all that.
"I think we're going to be able to turn this thing around pretty quick and have a solid year.”
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ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 17: Atlanta pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (40) covers first base during the MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves on June 17th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Remember when Martín Pérez delivered what was arguably his best start of the season nearly a month ago? Pérez started on 90 minutes notice because before that game was set to begin, the scheduled starter’s knee was acting up on him and it was bad enough to result in an IL stint for the poor guy.
That poor guy was Reynaldo López, who has been on the IL since July 30 due to a knee injury. Fortunately, there was no structural damage revealed via an MRI shortly after he went down with the injury and now López appears to be close to recovering and eventually returning to the mound for the Braves. Before he does that, he’ll be joining the Gwinnett Stripers in Triple-A for a rehab stint starting on this coming Sunday.
Here’s more from the Stripers via a press release:
The Gwinnett Stripers, in conjunction with the Atlanta Braves, have announced that right-hander Reynaldo Lopez will join the Stripers to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, August 23. That day is the finale of a six-game series vs. the Durham Bulls at Gwinnett Field.
Lopez has been on Atlanta’s 15-day Injured List since July 30 with left knee inflammation. In 24 games (11 starts) with the Braves this season, the 32-year-old is 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and .245 BAA.
Across an 11-year Major League career with the Washington Nationals (2016), Chicago White Sox (2017-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023), Cleveland Guardians (2023), and Atlanta Braves (2024-26), Lopez is 51-57 with a 3.91 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, .243 BAA, and six saves in 292 games (134 starts). He was selected to the National League All-Star Team with the Braves in 2024, a season in which he went 8-5 with a 1.99 ERA in 26 games (25 starts).
This rehab assignment marks Lopez’s second career stint with Gwinnett. He made one rehab start with the Stripers on August 13, 2024 vs. Norfolk (ND, 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HB, 1 BB, 4 SO) while working his way back from right forearm inflammation.
This has definitely been an up-and-down season for Reynaldo López so far, between the IL stints, the stints in the bullpen and the run he had in the rotation. Somehow, he’s stayed productive when he’s had an opportunity to contribute — he’s got an ERA of 3.64 as mentioned in the press release (with an ERA- of 87) and a FIP of 4.32 (105 FIP-). That’s not exactly spectacular and it’s nowhere near the relatively dizzying heights that he reached during his career year in 2024 but it’s perfectly fine and the Braves will be better upon his return.
Here’s hoping that the rehab stint goes well and that Lopez will be able to re-enter Atlanta’s pitching staff and continue to contribute down the home stretch of this regular season.
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 4: Santi Aldama #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on February 4, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks acquired Santi Aldama early in the offseason to give them some additional versatility in the form of a big that can shoot. Daniel Gafford is not a deep threat, and although Dereck Lively has shown behind the scenes that he is working on his 3-point shot, it is likely not game-ready and neither is he. Although Aldama is arguably better suited as a power forward, he can certainly play some center minutes, bringing an intriguing element that Dallas has not had at the five spot in quite some time.
Any concerns that Aldama would not be ready for the upcoming season due to an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right knee this past March while still a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, were largely unfounded. Although that procedure ended his season, he was expected to be ready to go when training camp opened. We now know that the native of Spain had been accelerating his rehab in an effort to join his national team in the FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying games taking place later this month. Spain is set to take on Portugal on August 28 and Greece on August 31. It has now been reported that Aldama is dashing those intentions.
The belief in Dallas, I'm told, is Santi Aldama will be ready for training camp when practices start (Sept. 23-ish). Aldama had mid-March knee surgery.
The Mavs and Rockets are able to hold practices before the leaguewide Sept. 29 start because they play preseason games abroad. https://t.co/gL1zXeMD7S
Fear not, however. This apparently is not a case of any sort of setback or new injury. Rather, Aldama and the Spain national team thought better of hastening his return, opting instead to prioritize the upcoming NBA season over a rush to play in the qualifiers. This is great news for the Mavericks on multiple fronts.
The fact Aldama was progressing well enough to seriously consider a late-August return is an excellent sign. The Mavs are almost certainly going to start the season without the services of Lively, so having Aldama ready when the season tips off is important. Dusty May having too many options to tinker with is a much better option than him having too few.
Moreover, this scenario keeps Aldama rehabbing while simultaneously preventing him from any new in-game injury. While I would never begrudge a player wanting to represent his nation in international play – a true honor indeed – I am not a particularly big fan of it either. Tacking on more milage and fatigue via high-level competition in the offseason is problem enough, but should an injury occur during international play, the risk of the NBA team bearing the burden of such injury is real.
We will never know what would have transpired in the event Aldama played those two games, but it is welcome news that he will instead continue his rehab at pace and is expected to be ready for training camp in September.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Mauritian rider bursts clear on final climb of Great Orme
Le Court leads GC standings with two stages remaining
Mauritius’s Kim Le Court powered to victory in stage three of the Tour of Britain in Llandudno and moved top of the general classification.
The 30-year-old AG Insurance-Soudal rider attacked with 2.5km to go on the 104.7km route from Mold to cross the summit finish on Great Orme 13 seconds ahead of Germany’s Liane Lippert (Movistar).
AL East rivals Toronto (63-66) and New York (72-55) open a weekend series in the Bronx with the Blue Jays within 0.5 games of the final Wild Card spot and the Yankees within four games of the Rays in the AL East.
Since appearing as sellers at the Trade Deadline, the Jays have climbed back into the playoff chase winning seven of their last ten and most recently taking two of three from the first-place Rays earlier this week. Tampa losing two of three and the Yankees winning their last three has made the top of the AL East a race again.
Tonight is more than likely a bullpen game for the Jays but keeping the Yankees’ bats in check has not been a major issue for opposing pitchers. The primary challenge against New York has been getting runners to cross home plate against their elite pitching staff. At the top of their rotation is tonight’s starter and Cy Young favorite, Cam Schlittler (10-6, 2.19 ERA). To say Schlittler has been dominant is accurate. Over his last two starts, the righthander has allowed a combined seven hits and two runs while striking out 18 (12.1 innings). Due to the previously alluded to offensive malaise, the Yankees actually lost both those games.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Blue Jays vs. Yankees
Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Sportsnet, YES
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The Latest Odds: Blue Jays vs. Yankees – August 21
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays (+217), New York Yankees (-235)
Spread: Blue Jays +1.5 (-120), Yankees -1.5 (+100)
Total: 7.5 runs
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Blue Jays vs. Yankees for August 21
Cam Schlittler has struck out 7+ batters in 5 of his last 6 starts and 8+ in 4 of his last 6
Ernie Clement is 5-12 in his career against Cam Schlittler
Its been feast or famine for Kazuma Okamoto against Schlittler as he has 1 HR in 9 ABs but has also struck out 4 times in those 9 ABs
George Springer was 5-10 in the Jays’ series against the Rays
Jose Caballero is 1-13 over his last 8 games
Trent Grisham was 4-12 including 1 HR and 3 RBIs in the series against the Orioles
George Lombard Jr. had his 4-game hitting streak (6-12) snapped Thursday
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Orioles
The Blue Jays are 63-66 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 61-66 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 64 times in games involving Toronto this season (64-61-4)
The OVER has cashed 52 times in games involving the Yankees this season (52-71-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Blue Jays vs. Yankees for August 21
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Blue Jays and the Yankees:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 7.5
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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - JULY 22: Josue De Paula #55 of the Tulsa Drillers looks on during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Braeden Botts/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Failing to produce offensively at the level you’d expect, the Comets lost another low-scoring game. The Drillers took control of their game early and never relinquished, beating the Sod Poodles at home.
Player of the day
Not much can be said about Josue De Paula’s campaign that hasn’t been said already, with Thursday’s performance yet another decisive one for the Tulsa Drillers. Responsible for half of his team’s eight RBI, the talented outfield prospect hit his 24th home run of the season.
Those 24 homers represent a massive improvement in the slugging department for a hitter who had accumulated 22 long balls in over 200 games across the previous two seasons combined.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Alek Thomas’ inside-the-park home run drove in all the runs the Comets scored in yet another low-scoring defeat, this one at the hands of the Space Cowboys. Both teams combined for just seven hits in this 3-2 loss on the road.
Dominant, but not yet able to provide a lengthy outing, Gavin Stone tossed three perfect innings before handing it over to Christian Romero, who would let across all three of the Space Cowboys’ runs, two of them unearned thanks to an error.
We’re only about two-thirds into the month of August, and Josue De Paula has already made it his most powerful month of the season. One of the Dodgers’ top prospects, De Paula hit a three-run shot in an 8-5 win for the Drillers, his third one in the last four games.
While Chris Newell had the worst performance among hitters on either side, striking out in all four of his plate appearances, a different Comet outfielder managed to leave the park as well: Kole Myers with a sixth-inning solo shot.
Improving his form since a call-up to Double-A, pitcher Aidan Foeller struck out six in five innings and finally earned his first win in Tulsa, even if the bullpen nearly gave it away.
High-A Great Lakes
It was all about the left side of the infield for the Loons in a 7-2 win over Fort Wayne, whose pitchers are probably tired of facing Mairo Martinus at this point. Recently promoted to High-A ball, Martinus has accumulated 12 total bases in just three games against Fort Wayne. However important Martinus’ grand slam was, Emil Morales was first responsible for handing the Loons the lead, leaving the yard in the first, now with an incredible 108 RBI this season, number one across all minor league baseball.
Completing five full innings for only the second time this season. Will Gagnon finally secured a win, holding the opposition to just one unearned run. Reliever Robby Porco ran into some trouble late in this one with three walks covering the final two frames, but nothing that would jeopardize the Loons’ win
Class-A Ontario
Walking the house with four free passes before he could complete three innings, starter Jack O’Connor set the tone negatively early on. The Tower Buzzers allowed a five-run third inning on their way to losing the game by a score of 12-5. The walks weren’t a problem exclusive to O’Connor, as three of the four relievers who followed him all gave out multiple free passes.
Offensively, catcher Brian Gonzalez Garcia had one of his finest performances of the season, even if, without much support, it didn’t come close to making this a proper contest. Ontario’s catcher recorded four RBI for only the second time this season.
Transactions
The Ontario Tower Buzzers activated shortstop Aidan West off the injured list. Right-handed pitcher Cam Leiter was promoted from the Ontario Tower Buzzers to the Great Lakes Loons.
Thursday’s scores
Sugar Land 3, Oklahoma City 2
Tulsa 8, Amarillo 5
Fort Wayne 2, Great Lakes 7
Ontario 5, Inland Empire 12
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) at Fort Wayne (Matthew Watson
5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Christian Zazueta) vs. Amarillo (Junior Sanchez)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Sugar Land (Ronel Blanco)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Inland Empire (Jackson Steensma)
Jul 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Jacob Lopez (57) talks with Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) before being pulled during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Happy Friday everyone! The weekend is right around the corner.
The Athletics have once again failed to win a game this week, suffering their first four-game sweep against the Kansas City Royals since 1994. The team’s bullpen, which loomed as its biggest concern entering the season, has indeed been a season-long problem. In two of its past three games, the A’s makeshift bullpen failed to protect multi-run leads in the eighth inning or later. The team’s defense did its pitching no favors, as a defensive error played a major role in both of those game-altering rallies.
The 49-79 A’s enter this weekend’s series at the Houston Astros as the undisputed worst team in the league. Manager Mark Kotsay’s squad has gone 11-41 over its last 52 games, good for a .212 winning percentage. With a little more than 30 games remaining, the team needs two wins to surpass 2023’s miserable 50-112 season. While the A’s are likely to win more games this year, the team remains on pace for another embarrassing 100-loss campaign.
Before the Athletics fell apart in Kansas City, the team ended its homestand by playing spoiler, winning two of three against the Texas Rangers. Starting tonight, the Green and Gold will look to play that role again as they begin a three-game series against the Astros.
The American League West is so poor that the Astros lead the division despite hovering over .500. The A’s will have to contain AL MVP favorite Yordan Alvarez, who has single-handedly powered Houston’s ascent to the top of the division.
Right-hander J.T. Ginn and left-hander Jacob Lopez will start the A’s first two games in Houston, looking to get their team back in the win column. They will be opposed by Astros right-handers Hayden Wesneski and Hunter Brown. Neither team has announced its starting pitcher for Sunday’s series finale.
With playoffs well out of reach and the entirety of the team’s core out for the rest of the season, the A’s just need to end the season on a respectable note. At least 60 wins should be the goal, and things should be set in place on and off the field for a turnaround like the Chicago White Sox experienced this year.
How many wins do you think the Athletics will have at the end of the season? What can the team do to build some momentum and positive vibes over the final weeks of this fifth-straight losing season?
Not the way the A’s wanted this season to go. Three of these injured players are signed long-term, with Nick Kurtz also emerging as an extension candidate.
Should Mark Kotsay lead the A’s into Las Vegas or would the team be better served by replacing him?
Should the A's Keep Mark Kotsay? SI Writers Give Their Verdict
MARK KOTSAY: KEEP HIM OR MOVE ON? 👀
Should Mark Kotsay be the manager when the A's enter their Las Vegas era? SI's Andrew Ferguson @afergLV and Dylan Quinn @dylanq_2 joined Rants Live @AthleticsRants and gave…
— The House Always Wins Media Network/Las Vegas A's (@lasvegasaspod) August 20, 2026
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Alex Lodise #74 of the Atlanta Braves warms up during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Columbus Clingstones went on a tear offensively, with Alex Lodise and Jordan Groshans each vying for the system lead in home runs with their output on Thursday night. Eric Hartman has yet to hit a home run in Double-A as those two have passed him up, but is showing some signs of life as well, while the pitching from top-to-bottom gave every level something to look at.
JR Ritchie, SP: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 3.22 ERA
Rolddy Munoz, RP: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 3.74 ERA
JR Ritchie led the way in a well-pitched evening for the Gwinnett Stripers even though they choked the game away later on. Ritchie has been out of the zone too much in his recent starts and that did carry over for this game, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he commanded the ball poorly. He was elevating his fastball consistently even if he didn’t force a lot of chases above the zone, and was able to avoid his sinker getting battered around in the early innings. Once he settled into a groove late in this game and opened up the arsenal he hit the next level and his breaking stuff was at its peak for this outing. Ritchie had eight misses on his breaking ball which carried him to his seven strikeouts, and it was his ability to land the curveball at or below the strike zone that really stood out from this outing. Fastball and curveball placement being pluses doesn’t necessarily mesh with the walk rates we have seen from him recently but there really isn’t much to complain about with how he attacked on those two pitches. His changeup wasn’t where it needed to be which limited how effective he could be with the pitch as he left it up and on his glove side more often than not. He didn’t use it much at all until he got into the third trip through the order where he was mixing pitches well and hitters were off balance on much of what he was throwing, and he hit his peak in the fifth inning by striking out three batters with two men on base to protect a 1-0 lead.
While Ritchie was rolling the offense scuffled and got a bit lucky to get a run at all. Brett Wisely led off in the second inning by forcing a walk and then stole second base, so when Kyle Farmer’s chopped to the right side slid just past the first baseman Wisely was able to trot home and give Gwinnett a 1-0 lead. That lead held until the ninth inning. Neither pitching staff gave ground and Gwinnett turned to Rolddy Munoz. Munoz, unfortunately, had one of his blow up starts. Munoz had absolutely no clue where anything was going, and before you could blink he gave up a leadoff double, hit two batters, then walked home the tying run. Durham got two more in on sacrifices, but it should have been much worse. Munoz threw a slider dead center that got absolutely hammered into the right center field gap, but a diving play from Patrick Clohisy turned a bases-clearing hit into a sacrifice fly and kept Gwinnett in the game. The Stripers got two on in the ninth inning, but failed to score any of them. That diving catch from Clohisy was his lone contribution to the game, but it was a much improved version of Clohisy over some of his recent offensive outings. He made solid contact on a couple of occasions and put up a good approach at the plate, and if he can show more comfort with sliders like in this outing he should be able to put this recent meh stretch behind him. I’m really excited to see Lizandro Espinoza finally healthy again especially with the home run in yesterday’s game. He was not as successful last night with an 0-4 showing and I expect him to face an uphill battle trying to come back from injury and get a look at a new level, but he’s a player that is really worth a look. I was a fan of the changes to his approach that we’ve seen and increased impact he is making on the ball, and I thought prior to his injury he was on his way to a breakout season. He’s flown under the radar but steadily improved everything he needed to since joining the Braves, and the hit tool questions are a major concern but if he’s drawing walks, hitting the ball as hard as he has this season, and playing solid shortstop he’s going to get some major league looks at some point.
Garrett Baumann, SP: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 4.26 ERA
Last week Garrett Baumann went nine innings and this week he cruised through another seven with a game that was even better than it looks in the final stat line. Baumann gave up a run in the first inning when a hitter managed to muscle a fastball up and in out to right field for a double, then scored on a wild pitch that bounced well away from Archer Brookman behind the plate. After that he was in complete control of the game. Baumann dominated the top of the strike zone with his fastball, and Baumann often lives and dies by fastball command so seeing him this sharp was a great outcome. He consistently threw his four seamer past hitters, and when he needed to his curveball and changeup both had the bottom of the zone and produced results. Baumann’s curveball has taken a step to being the breaking pitch he needed to get him over the hump, and with that the biggest step is going to be consistently finding the edge with his fastball. Much of the damage against him comes because he lets his fastball drift down and doesn’t really have the fastball traits to miss a lot of bats, so days like this are refreshing when projecting him to another shot at Triple-A. He still lacks a pitch that I project as a go-to bat misser at the major league levels, but he has the basic command building blocks and an average arsenal top-to-bottom which should be enough to push him to a future as a starter.
The offense was the Jordan Groshans show once again. Groshans had his third-multi home run game of the season, a performance that pushed his hitting streak to 11 games. in that 11 game span he has six home runs and only three strikeouts, and this game would have pulled him into a tie for the system lead with 25 home runs. It would have been a tie, except before he got the chance Alex Lodise hit his first Double-A long ball. Lodise. Lodise showed off his great pop by staying back on a sinker and shooting it over the wall to right center field, and so far he has looked solid in the adjustment to Double-A. He had a couple of aggressive hacks on fastballs too far up for him to reach and whiffed, and that’s still something he needs to tone down in his approach, but he has continued to look better against spin. There were a few hard hit near misses in this game as well. Eric Hartman is still looking for his first Double-A home run and had another near miss, driving a ball in the first inning to the deepest part of the park where it died for a fly out. John Gil did a similar trick a few innings later, crushing a hanging slider out to left field where it died just shy of leaving the yard. I think Hartman has done well in terms of his approach upon being promoted, he just isn’t getting fastballs in the zone and he’s not producing a ton of power on other pitches. He’s been making more contact than the strikeout rates suggest and he’s just a bit off from hitting his stride. The biggest issue I see is that pitchers are keeping the ball away from him and he is still trying to yank those pitches, which is leading to more rollover ground balls than anything. His swing is geared to the pull side and it’s what makes him successful so it’s nothing the Braves can really change, but an attack plan to have better success on the outer third is going to be a key stepping stone for him.
Swing and Misses
Garrett Baumann – 18
Owen Hackman – 3
(56-58) Rome Emperors 5, (53-64) Hub City Spartanburgers 4
Ethan Bagwell, SP: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 3.83 ERA
I tried to watch this game and think of what went wrong for Ethan Bagwell, and the honest answer is that it wasn’t very much. He allowed four runs in the second inning but the Spartanburgers did not hit the ball hard against him, and there were some borderline pitches in two-strike counts that went against him that extended at least one at bat longer than it should have gone. Bagwell didn’t have the best feel for his slider in this game and that didn’t help his cause, and it’s why he struggled to miss bats, but his fastball command was strong throughout. Bagwell worked around the edges with his fastball and utilized the pitch to get weak ground balls and quick outs, but that also had the effect of him having one inning where all of those hits found grass at the same time. It wasn’t Bagwell’s best work, because without a secondary offering to carry the weight late in counts he struggles to finish at bats and is reliant on batted ball luck, but his command was good enough and the batted balls he allowed don’t really support the four runs he gave up. He left his last start with some back soreness, so him being healthy for this game was already a positive, and it’s not great to speculate but it wouldn’t be out of the question to say there is still a lingering issue there. He was not near as sharp with his breaking ball as he has been for the past two months and I don’t expect that to be a trend that holds.
There wasn’t a huge amount to write home about offensively as Rome just took care of their opportunities when they had them. The Spartanburgers issued a lot of walks and hit Cody Miller a couple of times, and that put the Emperors in position to score runs which they pulled off. It was just a 1-4 day from Luis Guanipa but he looked as good as I’ve seen him at this level and he’s definitely working through some changes that are affecting his swing. He was aggressive in his first couple of at bats but he was swinging at hittable pitches in the strike zone, and in both cases he attacked with the intent to hit it hard on the pull side. One of those turned into a hard hit single, and approach early in the count is exactly what I’m hoping to see more of as the season draws to a close. He had some decent takes in his third at bat and ended with a ground out, and the only at bat he really looked uncomfortable was against a side-armer in the 7th inning. Guanipa is always going to be aggressive, and I’m fine with that sacrifice as long as he’s taking those hacks with intent to do more than just make contact and he did so in this game. Conor Essenburg had a couple of hard hit balls in addition to a couple of strikeouts. On the first one he just got beat and didn’t approach the at bat well, but the second wasn’t fully his fault. The opposing pitcher got two borderline calls, neither of which Essenburg liked and both of which were probably out of the zone, and it led to him feeling he had to chase a fastball off of the edge 0-2. Carter Beck had a rough one, with weak contact in his three plate appearances before ending the game getting dominated by a guy with a good changeup. This is the first time I’ve seen Beck really look lost against a specific pitch and I’m going to be keeping a close eye in future games on how he looks against right-handed changeups.
Swing and Misses
Jacob Shafer – 5
Ethan Bagwell – 5
(62-54) Augusta GreenJackets 3, (58-58) Columbia Fireflies 4
Davis Polo, SP: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3.25 ERA
Davis Polo had an interesting dynamic in this start. His slider was solid but he wasn’t pitching with his best changeup, and he had to make some adjustments to find success against left-handed hitters. To start with the three runs, he made a couple of bad pitches that led to the Fireflies getting a run on an RBI double, but the rest of the inning was just bad luck. The next hitter got rewarded with an infield single that could have been called an error, but in any case was a bad hop that got away from the second baseman and led directly to another run to no fault of Polo. Polo ran into some control issues in the fifth inning that led to a run, but otherwise he did a good job of locating his fastball. For much of the game Polo was feeding sinkers low and mixing in sliders, and he got a ton of ground balls as usual but his secondaries just weren’t getting the results he was used to. Polo doesn’t pitch up in the strike zone as often as a lot of Braves prospects, but when he turned to that the second time through the order he had his best innings of the night. He was consistently pumping 93-95 and hitting it on the top edge of the strike zone, and the Fireflies couldn’t get to it to fight it off. Polo doesn’t often miss bats like that with his fastball and it was nice to see that facet of his game, and it’s something I would like to see be part of his approach more often in the future. That is dependent on Polo being able to actually command the ball there, which isn’t always a given, but it gives a lot more depth to his arsenal.
There wasn’t a great offensive showing from anybody, as top-to-bottom the lineup struck out quite a bit and it prevented them from taking advantage of the opportunities they were given often enough. Parker Brosius was the exception with a single, a double, and a hard hit fly out late in the game, but that’s going to be the expectation for him moving forward. I am interested to see Brosius tested against better stuff, because I want to see if he is going to be able to handle pitchers that can land fastballs on the inner half and breaking balls away more consistently. Brosius’s swing path can get long to the ball and he’s gear to yank everything, but I don’t see enough bat speed there to get away with that against consistently good velocity. He also doesn’t have a swing that shows the athleticism to adjust to spin and he’s going to be on top of it with his approach, those these are early returns and also pretty picky complaints for a ninth round pick at this stage.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 20: Shane Bieber #57 of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on August 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The demise of the starting pitcher has been much-bemoaned in recent years (including by yours truly when discussing America’s pastime with friends). Don’t tell that to some of the men who toed the slab Thursday though. Shane Bieber, Jacob deGrom, Grant Holmes, and Gavin Williams all starred for their respective clubs. Holmes flirted with history while deGrom and Williams hit impressive milestones.
It was nice of the Jays to come through when they did, as Gerrit Cole (speaking of outstanding pitching performances) spun a gem of his own to lead the Yanks to victory Thursday night.
Tampa Bay Rays (76-51) 1, Toronto Blue Jays (63-66) 5
After falling to Tampa Wednesday, Toronto rebounded Thursday, giving the Yankees a chance to pick up a game on the division-leading Rays. For the Jays, Shane Bieber recorded his second straight excellent start after giving up one run over six innings against the Yanks last week. Thursday, he again surrendered one lone run. This time, he tossed seven innings. In the last six days, he’s brought his season ERA down from 5.48 to 4.53. Not bad.
Offensively, the Jays played home run derby early. Kazuma Okamoto, Nathan Lukes, and Daz Cameron all hit long balls to put Toronto up 3-1 through five. Old nemesis George Springer delivered the dagger blow on Thursday though. His two-run single extended the Toronto lead to 5-1 in the seventh, more than enough run support for Bieber and the Jays bullpen.
Houston Astros (64-64) 3, Los Angeles Angels (51-77) 18: I guess not every game can have a masterwork pitching performance. It still had a spectacular stat line though, in the form of Zach Neto of the Angels. Neto went 5-for-6 Thursday night, scored two runs, and drove in seven as the Angels mercilessly battered the Astros in Houston. The loss knocks the Astros down to .500 and moves Texas to within a game of first place in the mire of mediocrity known as the American League West.
Texas Rangers (63-65) 2, Washington Nationals (61-68 ) 0: Another fantastic performance on the mound, this time from a usual suspect. Jacob deGrom was vintage Thursday night, spinning six innings of one-hit shutout ball, striking out 10. His second strikeout of the night gave him 2,000 for his illustrious career. When his candidacy comes up for Cooperstown, it is going to be fascinating, because counting stats (other than Cy Young Awards) will not be on his side. But what a dominant peak he had. Offensively, Corey Seager gave him all the help required with a third innings solo home run, as Seager continues a hot stretch over the last couple weeks.
Chicago White Sox (66-61) 0, Atlanta Braves (75-53) 2: Old friend Andrew Benintendi singled in the seventh inning of this game. That is particularly noteworthy because it was the first hit against Braves starter Grant Holmes. It also ended Holmes’ day, but was Chicago’s only hit, as Atlanta pitching completely stifled the White Sox. Austin Riley, with RBI singles in the third and seventh innings, provided the game’s only offense. Unsurprisingly, this one was over in a crisp 2:22.
Cleveland Guardians (62-66) 5, San Francisco Giants (52-75) 2: Gavin Williams is having himself a nice second half for the Guardians. Thursday, he delivered 5.2 innings, whiffing 11 Giants’ hitters. That makes six of his last eight starts where the righty has notched double-digit strikeouts. Yesterday’s performance also gives him 201 strikeouts on the season in only 154.2 innings. Offensively, “Guards Ball” was on full display, with four singles and a sacrifice fly accounting for all five Cleveland runs. Very on brand.
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte during batting practice prior to Game 2 of the 2023 World Series at Globe Life Field on Oct. 28, 2023, Arlington, Texas. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Gambadoro added Marte’s MRI “showed inflammation on his upper hamstring and medial joint of his knee.” He received an injection Thursday afternoon, and the D-backs hope his IL stay will be short.
Marte, his agent Charisse Espinosa-Dash, Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo met at Salt River Fields at 1 p.m. Thursday and had a “productive” conversation, according to Gambadoro.
Marte’s absence and apparent injury come at a difficult time for the D-backs, who are fighting to make the playoffs for the first time since a run to the World Series in 2023. Arizona has a 67-61 record and is one game behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card spot.
Marte is hitting .249 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs so far this season.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are adding to their infield depth, according to their latest transaction.
Per the Diamondbacks’ transaction logs, the team has signed former Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Santiago Espinal.
It will be a minor league deal for the veteran infielder. He’ll report to Triple-A Reno, joining the Aces’ roster for the time being.
The big, bad Dodgers have looked awfully beatable lately.
They lost seven in a row to start this month. Over the weekend, they lost three of four to the Brewers at home. And this week, they swept the Rockies, but they didn’t make it look as easy as sweeping the Rockies should be for the two-time defending champions.
So what’s up with this juggernaut? And what could stand in the way of a third straight World Series title for LA?
Jacob deGrom reached 2,000 career strikeouts in the second-fewest games and innings pitched in major league history when the Texas Rangers right-hander fanned the first two batters among his 10 K’s in a 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Thursday night.
DeGrom struck out Daylen Lile and Abimelec Ortiz, both of whom chased sliders below the zone. He received a standing ovation and acknowledged the applause by tapping his cap over his heart.
“There’s so much that I see that needs to improve, yet you look up and everybody’s saying, ‘Wow, I love the way you play,’ “ Murphy said. “And I look funny and I look behind me, and I see if they’re talking to someone else. Really? Maybe I’m too critical. Maybe I’m missing something. I don’t know. I do trust the team.
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 26: Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles throws to first base as Jonathan Aranda #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays ducks on the base path during the eighth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Orioles left Tropicana Field four days ago, there was an air of hope around them—the feeling that comes from taking three out of four in the house of the AL East leader. Fast forward four days and the Orioles have come back to earth after being swept in Baltimore by the New York Yankees.
This Orioles team has become the equivalent of baseball’s Sisyphus, doomed to get so close to the final AL Wild Card spot but always falling back. The three wins in Tampa had the O’s a half game ahead for that coveted third spot. After three straight losses to New York and four straight losses overall, the Orioles are buried under five other teams in their quest for an unlikely playoff berth. And yet, Baltimore is only two games back of a spot in the postseason, despite their recent losing streak.
In an improbable turn of events, the Rays have turned out to be a favorable opponent for the Orioles. Despite going 9-16 against the rest of the AL East, the O’s are 6-4 against Tampa Bay. The last time the Rays visited Baltimore, the Orioles won all three games, outscoring Tampa 26-10. Before last Sunday’s 7-6 loss, the O’s were on a six-game winning streak against the Rays.
As has been the case for much of the season (and especially in the post-Trade Deadline era), Pete Alonso will have to carry the Orioles offense if they want to take another series from the Rays. The Polar Bear has destroyed his hometown team, posting a triple slash of .415/.489/.683 with three homers and nine RBIs against the Orioles’ southern division rivals. Colton Cowser and Gunnar Henderson have also dominated the Rays this year, with each posting a .300+ average, a .900+ OPS and three long balls against Tampa.
We saw this matchup playout last Sunday in Tampa, when the O’s scored a resounding 10-2 victory thanks to an offensive explosion against the Rays bullpen. Rogers was his usual sharp self, delivering a line of 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB and 6 Ks. It was reigning MVO’s eighth quality start since the beginnig of June, a stretch that has seen him put up 2.45 ERA and limit opponents to a .224 average. Rogers has been slightly worse in Camden Yards this season, posting a 4.31 ERA in Baltimore vs. a 3.95 ERA on the road.
Peralta was by no means bad last Sunday, setting down the first eight Orioles he faced and starting the game with four shutout innings. Everything started to fall apart for him and the Rays in the 5th, with Peralta walking two of the first three batters before being relieved by Garrett Cleavinger with two outs. Cleavinger allowed an RBI single to Jackson Holliday to tie the game at 1-1 before a Pete Alonso doubled to put Baltimore up 3-1. The Orioles then scored seven runs in the 6th to put the game out of reach.
And despite a less than stellar season overall, the Orioles have not been one for prolonged losing streaks. The recent skid is only the fourth four-game skid of the season. Baltimore has only lost five games in a row once this year, which means they should be in line for a Game 1 victory against Tampa.
Game 2, Saturday August 22nd, 7:05pm ET
Probable pitchers: RHP Brandon Young (9-3, 3.52 ERA, 96 Ks) vs. LHP Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.25 ERA, 96 Ks)
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
The Young vs. McClanahan matchup is another matchup we saw in Tropicana Field, with the two squaring off in the Monday game that the Rays won 7-6. Neither the Orioles’ breakout pitcher nor the Rays’ former All-Star were particularly sharp in the back-and-forth affair. McClanahan, in his first start off the IL, was limited to 3.1 innings, allowing 4 hits, 3 earned runs, 0 BB, 3 Ks and a Coby Mayo moon shot.
Young only last two outs longer than McClanahan, posting a final line of 4 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB and 3 Ks. It was BY’s shortest start since the middle of May and only the fourth time all season he’s allowed 4+ runs. It was the big Texan’s first time facing the Rays, so he’ll hope the rematch at home goes much better. Unlike Rogers, Young has actually been slightly better at home this year, holding a 3.39 ERA at Camden Yards vs. a 3.69 ERA away from Baltimore.
Game 3, Sunday August 23rd, 1:35pm ET
Probable pitchers: RHP Shane Baz (4-13, 4.02 ERA, 132 Ks) vs. RHP Nick Martinez (12-4, 3.05 ERA, 83 Ks)
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
The fact that Shane Baz leads the majors with 13 losses is more a testament to his putrid lack of run support than his actual pitching performance. Among qualified starters, Baz has received the second least run support in all of baseball at 3.12 runs/game. Baltimore has lost six Baz starts in a row, despite the right-hander pitching to a 3.44 ERA over that stretch.
Being in front of the Baltimore faithful hasn’t made it any better. In his last five starts in Camden Yards, the 27-year-old has pitched to a 3.25 ERA while averaging 5.2 IP per start. However, in that same stretch the Orioles are only 1-4 and averaging 2.6 runs/game when Baz takes the mound in Baltimore.
All that being said, the former Ray has been particularly strong against the team that traded him. In two starts this year vs. Tampa Bay, Baz has a 1.38 ERA while limiting the Rays to a a .196 average. The last time he faced Tampa, the righty delivered his best start in Camden Yards all season, tossing 7 innings of 1-run ball while punching out 9 Rays.
On paper, it looks like run support would be hard to come by off Rays’ right-hander Nick Martinez. However, the sinker-baller has struggled of late, posting a 5.92 ERA and .303 BAA and six homers against in his last four starts. Martinez hasn’t made a start in Camden Yards since 2015 for the Rangers, when Jimmy Paredes and J.J Hardy each took him deep and his was outdueled by peak Wei-Yin Chen.
Can the Orioles turn it around against the Rays? Or will it be another disappointing series against an AL East rival? Let us know in the comments.
As you know, the Cubs are the only MLB franchise to be in its original location since the National League was founded in 1876.
So that makes this the 150th anniversary of the team, and throughout the year the Cubs have been honoring that history in many different ways.
Thursday, the club announced a 150th anniversary celebration that will happen at Wrigley Field Saturday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Aug. 30. The team says that the weekend celebration will honor the players, people, places and traditions that have defined Cubs baseball since 1876 while recognizing the organization’s enduring connection to the neighborhood it has called home for more than a century.
The celebration begins Saturday, Aug. 29, with the dedication of a new Founders’ Clock at the corner of Clark and Addison Streets, marking the organization’s latest investment at Wrigley Field — you can see what it will look like in the rendering above. The permanent four-sided clock will serve as a welcoming landmark for residents, visitors and fans while enriching the year-round experience in and around Wrigley Field.
If you were in Gallagher Way during the just-completed homestand, this is the area that was blocked off for construction:
The Cubs said in a press release:
The clock reflects the organization’s enduring commitment to the community it has called home for generations. Finished in Wrigley Field’s signature deep green, the clock features historic Cubs logos and inscriptions highlighting four eras of franchise history, connecting the club’s rich legacy with the millions of people who come to Wrigley Field each year.
In addition, the Aug. 29 game will include recognition of the Cubs 150th Anniversary Team, which is a collection of the most accomplished and influential players in franchise history. The team was selected online by fans and includes 40 players and three managers from 1876 to today. The complete roster will be announced Monday, Aug. 24 with the pregame recognition planned for Aug. 29 featuring over 20 members in attendance. A permanent plaque featuring the names of all members of the Cubs 150th Anniversary Team will be added to the Cubs Hall of Fame located in the left field bleacher concourse.
There will be other festivities over that weekend, culminating on Sunday, Aug. 30 with the inductions of Jody Davis, Jon Lester and Vince Lloyd into the Cubs Hall of Fame, with Lloyd as the recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award,” a new honor recognizing individuals who made a significant contribution to the Cubs organization over their lifetime.
If you are attending the Aug. 30 game, which is now a night game beginning at 6:20 p.m. CT, you’ll receive Hall of Fame pins honoring Davis and Lester (first 10,000 early arriving fans).
This all sounds like a great way to honor the century and a half of Cubs history. Perhaps this year’s team will add to that with a long postseason run.
The A’s have been in a free fall for months. Back on June 19th, they’d erase an 8 run deficit against the Angels, ultimately prevailing in extra innings in dramatic fashion, winning by a score of 12-11. The victory evened their record at 38-38 and since then, it’s been a nose dive to last place.
Cody Elias from A’s cast walks us through the future of this roster as the season approaches its finish line, which cannot come fast enough for the A’s.
Q: A’s have had some tough injuries but guys like Tommy White, Zack Gelof and Lawrence Butler have shown some flashes. What’s your overall feel for those guys?
A: Let’s start with Lawrence Butler. After undergoing offseason knee surgery and spending most of Spring Training recovering, Butler naturally got off to a slow start to begin the 2026 season. Through the first half of the year, he struggled, slashing .196/.296/.296 with five home runs and 22 RBIs across 88 games. The second half, however, has been a different story: Butler is slashing .245/.314/.500 with six home runs and 14 RBIs in just 29 games.
Zack Gelof is another player the organization had high hopes for following a stellar 2023 rookie campaign, where he hit .268 with 14 home runs, 32 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, and an .840 OPS. Since then, injuries, contact issues, and a surge in strikeouts have plagued his progress. Gelof actually began 2026 in Triple-A Las Vegas after the team brought in Jeff McNeil to play second base, but injuries and slow starts elsewhere earned him a call-back to the big league club. He’s proven versatile ever since, making starts at second base, third base, left field, and center field. Better yet, his bat has returned—he’s posted 14 home runs, 34 RBIs, and an .827 OPS while slashing his strikeout rate from 34.4% in 2024 down to 24.9%.
Tommy White began the season in Double-A Midland before earning a promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas after 21 games. Combined across both minor league levels in 2026, White hit .303 with 10 home runs, 64 RBIs, and an .818 OPS. That production earned him his Major League debut on July 17 against the Washington Nationals in West Sacramento. In a small sample size with the big club, White is hitting .267 with two home runs—both coming in back-to-back games after going his first 27 MLB games without a homer. He’s also delivered two four-hit games while filling in at first and third base for manager Mark Kotsay.
Q: What’s the biggest thing you think manager Mark Kotsay is looking to see in the final 6 weeks of the season?
A: The obvious answer is pitching. The A’s currently carry the highest ERA in the American League at 5.49, driven by a 5.36 starter ERA and a 5.70 mark from the bullpen. Injuries have sidelined veterans Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs, while a disappointing start to the 2026 season landed top prospect Luis Morales back in Triple-A. As a result, A’s starters have thrown the third-fewest innings in the AL.
Still, it hasn’t been all bad news on the mound.
J.T. Ginn has been outstanding for the Green and Gold, pitching to a 3.53 ERA across 25 games. Ginn—who nearly threw a no-hitter against the Angels in June—has logged six or more innings 12 times this year. Ginn isn’t considered a flame thrower by today’s standards in Major League Baseball but his ability to get ground balls with his sinker is valuable at the ballpark in West Sacramento. The sinker is seeing its highest usage rate since 2018 (16.6% of the time) and Ginn doubles the usage rate at 35.7% and opponents are hitting .218 collectively vs the pitch. If Ginn can continue to use his sinker to his advantage and continue to develop his changeup, he has established himself as a potential top-of-the-rotation anchor.
Q: Gage Jump had some incredible moments during the first half of the season, what’s happened since?
A: Gage has shown flashes of becoming the franchise’s next elite homegrown southpaw. Jump has struck out the third-most batters by an A’s rookie through his first 15 starts, trailing only Tim Hudson and Sonny Gray. In fact, you have to trace back to Gray’s 2013 debut to find the last time there was this level of excitement around a young A’s starting pitcher. As Jump takes the next step in his development, the key element to watch is his secondary usage—specifically his changeup, which he currently throws just 8.6% of the time. Because he relies on his fastball 47% of the time, refining that third offering will be crucial to unlocking his ceiling as a true top-of-the-rotation starter.
Q: Is it fair to say that Jacob Lopez has the potential to be a future star ?
A: He’s been a bright spot. He was has optioned to Triple-A in early June, and when Lopez returned in July he’s posted a 2.36 ERA across seven starts since July 10. Coming off a solid 2025 campaign that was cut short by injury, Lopez is proving once again that he belongs in the big league rotation.
