NJ.com | Randy Miller ($): Randy talks the thorax with Dr. Spencer Stein of NYU Langone, who discusses how Aaron Judge’s lingering rib injury could influence how the reigning MVP plays when he returns. Stein’s personal opinion is that the Yankee captain will still be vulnerable, and that he should not be allowed to dive when he gets time in the outfield. Giancarlo Stanton’s return will likely plug up the DH slot to a certain extent, meaning Judge will have to play the field, but keeping his bat in the lineup is of paramount importance and that will likely mean a shift in what he’s allowed to do out in right.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Speaking of, the last thing the Yankees can afford right now is another injury. After jamming his hand into the bag in an ill-advised attempt to stretch a single into a double, Ryan McMahon was able to play through the ache until being removed in the eighth inning. Initial x-rays were negative and Mac was confident that nothing of import was wrong, even as José Caballero got the start at third in last night’s finale with the Orioles.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: “Competitive balance” will be the order of the day for MLB this winter, as the league will look to institute a salary cap in CBA negotiations, citing the need to restore that so-called balance with the smaller-market teams in the sport. Well, the AL Wild Card race is a pretty balanced one right now, with a whole bunch of mediocrity fighting it out for the chance to be a road team in a best-of-three series come October. It’s very competitive right now, so I hope this is what ownership wants.
New York Post | Mark Suleymanov: Happy trails to former Yankee Jon Berti, who announced his retirement from professional baseball after eight years in the bigs. Berti had a strong WBC with Team Italy, but it wasn’t enough to interest any MLB franchises, and it’s time for the next phase of his life. Best of luck Jon, we’ll always have the memory of you starting at first base in the playoffs.
Slovenian is aiming to become the ninth rider to win all three Grand Tours, and it doesn’t look like anyone can stop him
Who’s coming second? That’s the question being most frequently asked as the peloton convenes for the final Grand Tour of 2026, the Vuelta a España, which rolls away from the start line in Monaco on Saturday.
The unrelenting Tadej Pogacar, making his first appearance in the Spanish race since 2019, is the overwhelming favourite to take the top spot on the podium in Granada on 13 September, with his cowed rivals already seemingly accepting of his supremacy.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 27: Joe Ingles #2 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball as Garrett Temple #17 of the LA Clippers peers around the defense of Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz in the second half of a NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on February 27, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) | Getty Images
Joe Ingles is returning to the NBL, and, like any of us would, his home nation has questions regarding his 12 year NBA career. Ingles recently sat down with Pete Hooley (former NBL Champion) for an interview/test of his memory on his time playing basketball in the United States – naturally, this conversation centered around his time with the Utah Jazz, the team that he spent 8 of his 12 seasons with. Check it out below.
There’s lots of interesting tidbits in here – I knew former Jazzman Bryce Cotton was tearing up the NBL, but a 6 time MVP?? – but what stood out to me was his quick moment speaking on Derrick Favors. At 6:10 in the video, Joe Ingles says that Derrick Favors is the best pocket-pass catcher he’s ever played with. In that moment, I felt so much validation! For years, I never felt more confident in the Jazz offense than when Joe Ingles and Derrick Favors were running a pick-and-roll, and it felt good to hear my confidence be validated by the on-court opinion of Jingling Joe. It was only ever a small part of the team’s gameplan – it obviously wasn’t spammed with nearly as much regularity as Stockton to Malone – but I, and many other fans, picked up on the chemistry present when these two Jazzmen played together.
This got me thinking; what are some of the other great Jazz “micro-skills”, meaning relatively small scale but impressive talents than you’d only really start to notice by watching a substantial amount of Jazz games? This is an interesting thought exercise – I found myself reminiscing on things that I hadn’t thought about in years. A few examples immediately came to mind:
Bojan Bogdanovic and his pump-fake to side-step three pointer
Karl Malone and his classic chair pull move
Ed Davis (yeah, Ed Davis – I’m surprised my mind went here as well) and his offensive rebound tip to the perimeter
Shelvin Mack and his 8-12 foot floater
Joe Ingles (double dipping with Slo-Mo) and his fake lay-down pass to scoop layup in the pick-and-roll
Donovan Mitchell and his one handed, high-speed baseball passes to perimeter shooters
Jordan Clarkson and his boxing square-up at the first sign of any tension
Obviously, this is not an all-encompassing list; it’s easy to tell my formative years of being a Jazz fan through the players that I selected. That is why I want to open this up to you. Everyone has a few arbitrarily chosen Utah Jazz micro-skills that they have kept, sealed away, in the recesses of their mind, and this is the time to dig them back up again.
So, in the comments, tell us one of your favorite Jazzman micro-skills, and let’s spend the dog days of the offseason looking back fondly on players and talents that don’t always get the most shine.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 22: Head coach Will Hardy of the Utah Jazz talks to the bench during the second half of their game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Delta Center on October 22, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In our latest Jazz Reacts survey, I asked Jazz fans which of our draft picks that will come off the bench will have the most impact next season. I focused on the Jazz draft picks because I’m only allowed 4 choices it’ll be fascinating to see who of them, if any, can take things to another level.
It looks like a pretty clear leader in our survey results.
I’ll be honest, I thought this was a pretty surprising result. If I was guessing, I’d have predicted Jazz fans might have picked Sensabaugh over Collier. But this does make sense. Collier has a clear role with the team this season as the backup guard and should thrive in lineups that have five shooters on the floor. Collier also brings solid defensive upside thanks to his quickness and aggression. The best part is that he’s unafraid of anyone and will bring an edge the team needs.
Somehow, FanDuel has the Jazz odds for the playoffs at 9.5. With the talent upgrades, the depth with players like Collier, and a team playing at full strength all year, that feels low.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 06: Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Monday, July 6, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
RHP Mike Burrows tossed 4.2 scoreless innings in his second major league rehab appearance as the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (33-15, 65-57) held on for a 3-2 victory over the Oklahoma City Comets (27-20, 68-53) on Thursday night at Constellation Field.
Burrows kept the Comets off the board through his 4.2 innings of work, taking a no-hitter into the fifth, giving up just three base runners on a pair of walks and a hit batter in his first four frames of work. Oklahoma City broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff single in the fifth before Hye-seong Kim stole second and moved into scoring position. Burrows responded with a strikeout and a fly out before RHP Alimber Santa entered and struck out the lone batter he faced to strand the runner and keep the Comets scoreless.
Burrows made his second major league rehab appearance since being placed on the injured list on July 7 with right elbow neuritis. Burrows made his longest outing of his rehab assignment, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, walking two and striking out five. Across his two rehab appearances, Burrows has thrown 9.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits while walking three and striking out eight.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 20: Peter Lambert #38 of the Houston Astros is pulled from the game during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Daikin Park on August 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Joe Buvid/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The scoring started early on both sides. Unfortunately, when the dust settled, the Angels had far more runs on the board. Angels 18 Astros 3.
The night began with patience on display. Astros hitters would sit back, watching Grayson Rodriguez start things by throwing 12 of his first 14 pitches for balls. The result was issued walks to Lamont Wade Jr and Yordan Alvarez. A single from Isaac Paredes would load up the bases and then the Angels compounded their issues with a throwing error by Vaughn Grissom. Moments later, a wild pitch would result with two runs on the board. However, that promising start would be short-lived.
For their part, the Angels would also score in the first inning. Wade Meckler led things off with a hit and was brought in on a Zach Neto single to right field. It was Neto’s 55th RBI of the year, and he was just getting started.
In the 2nd inning, the Angels would string together three straight hits to begin the frame. Moises Ballesteros doubled, and a single from Vaughn Grissom brought him home. Josh Lowe then singled and Tyler Heineman would lay down a sacrifice bunt which would score Grissom. The Astros would then take their turn with a miscue of their own, thanks to a throwing error by Peter Lambert which would expand LA’s lead to 4-2.
In the fourth inning, the Angels would extend their lead. Josh Lowe would start things with a single. Moments later, a double from Adam Frazier would bring Lowe home. Peter Lambert would then begin to labor, issuing walks to Meckler and Trout. Neto would then register another RBI, bringing home Frazier with a single which in turn knocked Peter Lambert out of the game. Lambert’s final line was 3.2 IP with 9 runs and 8 hits allowed. The early outing forced the Astros to once again tap into their bullpen early. Bryan King would inherit the bases loaded and wouldn’t be able to stop the bleeding. Ballesteros and Grissom would do more damage and when it was finished, they had put up 6 runs in the frame.
A scary moment occurred in the 5th when Wade Meckler was hit in the helmet by King. Meckler would have to leave the game. It went bad to worse, as LA would add four more runs, three of them coming on a moon shot to deep center from Zach Neto. 14 runs would be on the board after five innings, marking the most allowed in any single game this season by Houston. King would allow 5 runs on the night.
With the blowout firmly in effect, Tatsuya Imai would see action for only the third time in August. Zach Neto would add him to his personal hit parade with a two run, two out RBI double making things 16-2. Neto would go 5-6 on the night in total, driving in 7 RBI’s.
The loss means the Astros have now dropped four of their last five series, taking 2 of 3 from the Giants being the lone outlier. It also means that they’re back even at the .500 mark at 64-64. The best metaphor at this stage might be that the A.L. West race will be ultimately won by the fastest turtle.
Odds & Ends:
LaMonte Wade Jr started in place of Christian Walker, and hit leadoff as Jeremy Pena got the night off. Pena is day to day with a hand injury. Wade would strike out 3 times on the night. Borderlining on the ridiculous, Wade would actually come on to pitch the 9th inning. His first pitch was clocked at 40 mph. he next series of pitches resulted in a double by Peraza and a 2-run homer by Denzer Guzman.
The Astros will send Hayden Wesneski for the opener of the A’s series Friday Night. Houston is now 2-4 on this current homestand.
Houston has scored just 8 runs over their last 4 contests.
Iowa Cubs' James Triantos (4) swings at the ball on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Principal Park in Des Moines. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The person who left the Pelicans game last night in an ambulance was Pelicans pitcher Geovanny Vasquez, who suffered from a “heat-related illness.” He was held overnight and released. He is back with the team.
Connor Noland pitched the first 3.1 innings and surrendered just one run on four hits. He walked two and struck out four.
Shelby Miller relieved Noland in the fourth inning as part of his rehab assignment. He faced two batters and struck out both of them. However, one runner inherited from Noland did score on a wild pitch by Miller.
Eduarniel Nuñez pitched the eighth and ninth innings, didn’t allow a run and got the win. Nuñez allowed just one hit. He walked one and struck out three.
After the I-Cubs took the lead in the top of the tenth, Luis Peralta came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth. He stranded the automatic runner on third and got the save. Peralta retired all three batters he faced, striking out the last one.
The I-Cubs were one out away from losing in the top of the ninth when second baseman James Triantos hit a game-tying double that missed being a home run by inches. Triantos was 1 for 4 with the double, a walk and a steal. He also scored one run.
Left fielder Chas McCormick went 3 for 5 with two doubles. He doubled in a run in the fourth inning and scored a run in the sixth. He also hit into a double play in the tenth which he didn’t get an RBI for, but it did plate what turned out to be the winning run.
First baseman BJ Murray was 2 for 4 with a double and a sac fly. Murray scored on McCormick’s double in the fourth.
Dawson Netz started game one on Tuesday and got in one inning before the rains came. The first batter of the bottom of the first doubled, but then he retired the next three in order to end the threat. Netz struck out two.
When the game resumed today in the second inning, Connor Schultz took the mound with a 9-0 lead. Schultz got the win after allowing five runs on six hits over four innings. Schultz walked two and struck out four.
The Smokies scored nine runs in the first inning on Tuesday, highlighted by a three-run home run by left fielder Andy Garriola. It was Garriola’s 21st home run this year. He went 2 for 5 with four total RBI, with both hits and all four RBI coming on Tuesday in the first inning.
Catcher Ariel Armas hit a solo home run in the sixth inning tonight. It was Armas’ fifth home run this year. Armas went 2 for 5 and scored twice.
Third baseman Edgar Alvarez had a two-run single in the first. Alvarez went 3 for 4 with a walk. He scored twice.
Right fielder Alex Ramírez went 2 for 4 with a walk and three RBI. Ramírez scored one run.
Second baseman Alex Madera was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He had one RBI and one run scored.
Center fielder Kane Kepley went 1 for 3 with two walks and a stolen base. He scored three runs and had one run batted in.
Brody McCullough started game two and got the loss. McCullough was bashed for five runs on seven hits over 3.2 innings. One of the five runs was unearned. McCullough walked three and struck out one.
The only run in game two came on a home run in the third inning by shortstop Karson Simas. It was his fifth home run this year.
Center fielder Kane Kepley went 1 for 2 with a walk and a steal. That’s both of the Smokies hits in game two.
South Bend got a good start from Nazier Mulé, who surrendered just one run on four hits over 5.1 innings. Mulé struck out six and walked two.
Jose Romero got called upon to protect a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth. Instead of collecting the save, he got the loss after getting hammered for four runs on two hits and two walks over just one-third of an inning. He did not strike anyone out.
First baseman Josiah Hartshorn was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.
Not your normal “strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out” double play.
Chase Meyer turned in a good start with four scoreless innings. Meyer allowed four hits and walked two while striking out four.
Hayden Frank didn’t pitch poorly either, but he gave up a run in the top of the eighth and got the loss. Frank pitched four innings and gave up the one run on three hits. He struck out four and walked one.
The Pelicans had just two hits. Left fielder Darlyn De Leon was 1 for 3 with a walk. Center fielder Derik Alcanatara was 1 for 4 with a double.
Cody Bellinger finally played in a baseball game, this time with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday night, his first rehab start since landing on the IL in July.
The Yankees outfielder batted second and served as the DH for the Rail Riders. He went 1-for-3 on the evening.
In his first at-bat, Bellinger hit a 96 mph sinker in on his hands through the right side and underneath the Charlotte shortstop's glove. Bellinger flied out to right field in his second at-bat and popped out to the shortstop in his third at-bat.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the media earlier this week that Bellinger is expected to play two rehab games -- likely Thursday and Friday -- before the team decides whether to bring back the outfielder. The Yankees skipper said that Bellinger could be activated as soon as Sunday's series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.
In 102 games before his hamstring injury, Bellinger slashed .259/.350/.420 with 11 home runs and 53 RBI.
Sammy Stafura struggles at High-A Brooklyn in suspended game
Before the game was suspended in the eighth inning due to inclement weather - with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones trailing the Asheville Tourists by seven runs - Sammy Stafura had already struck out twice.
Stafura, who played shortstop and batted leadoff tonight, did draw a walk as the first batter of the ballgame.
Rojas, Reimer, and Suero feature for Double-A Binghamton
In the Binghamton Rumble Ponies' 7-5 loss against the Altoona Curve on Thursday evening, Mets top overall prospect Jefferson Rojas batted leadoff, while 22-year-old third baseman James Reimer batted second and served as the designated hitter.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Rojas hit a one-out opposite-field (right field) double. He moved up to third base on a passed ball, and came home to score tagging up on Reimer's sacrifice fly.
Rojas now sports a very impressive .822 OPS at Double-A. His OPS was .800 at the time of the trade, which sent him from the Chicago Cubs' farm system to that of the Mets in exchange for Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor.
Elsewhere in this game, CF Chris Suero singled on a groundball up the middle, but also struck out twice.
Infield prospect Mitch Voit was hit by a pitch on Tuesday, Aug. 18, and did not feature in Thursday's game as a precaution.
Top of the lineup shows out at Triple-A Syracuse
A trio of top 30 prospects - LF Nick Morabito, 2B Émilien Pitre, and 3B Billy Amick - all tallied base hits in the Syracuse Mets' 5-0 win over the Worcester Red Sox on Thursday night.
In the bottom of the first inning, Morabito led off the game with a walk before promptly stealing second base.
Pitre drew a walk after Morabito's stolen base, and legged out an infield single in the seventh inning.
Amick hit a solo shot in the fourth inning off highly rated right-handed pitching prospect Gage Ziehl.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 20: Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers acknowledges fans following career strikeout number 2000 against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Globe Life Field on August 20, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored two runs but the Washington Nationals did not score any runs.
The Rangers didn’t have a hit with RISP all evening despite ten chances and they also left eight on base, signifying ample opportunities that did not bear fruit. Were it any other night, we would perhaps be bemoaning these facts.
The Rangers have lost dozens upon dozens of games this season in situations where the offense puckered their butt holes with prime occasions to break open games. Tonight, however, they had Jacob deGrom looking like he had spent a few days doggy paddling in the Fountain of Youth to render the ineptness with the lumber practically moot.
Despite the misfiring with men on base, all deGrom and the high leverage arms of the bullpen ultimately needed was one tally. They got that run when Corey Seager smacked a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning.
A couple of innings before Seager’s oppo dong, deGrom struck out former Rangers farmhand Abi Ortiz for his second K of the night which gave him 2,000 for his career. deGrom became the 95th pitcher in big league history to strike out 2,000 batters and the second quickest to reach the mark in both appearances (272, behind Randy Johnson’s 262) and innings (1,660 1/3, behind Chris Sale’s 1,626 IPs).
With runs at a premium, the Rangers needed deGrom to do more than just reach personal milestones, and the veteran delivered with one of his best outings with Texas spanning six shutout frames.
Following deGrom was the trio you want from the ‘pen. Jakob Junis worked around a couple of baserunners with a big double play in a scoreless seventh. Deadline acquisition Chase Silseth struck out two in a scoreless eighth. And then Jacob Latz earned his 25th save of the season with a scoreless ninth after Nicky Lopez gave the closer a cushion with a sacrifice fly insurance run in the top of the ninth.
Overall, the quartet of pitchers combined to allow just one hit as the Rangers to claimed the series with a couple of shutouts bookending their own shutout defeat.
Player of the Game: deGrom went six innings on 94 pitches. He allowed just one second inning single, walked one batter, and struck out ten. He looked ten years younger right when the Rangers really needed an outing like that from the veteran.
Congrats on 2,000 Ks!
Up Next: The Rangers will see the hated Angels arrive in Arlington for a series where LHP MacKenzie Gore will make the start for Texas opposite LHP Reid Detmers for Anaheim.
The Friday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you can borrow someone’s login to watch it on Apple TV.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 07: Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic at Staples Center on March 7, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There has been lots of talk about Mark Walter, Jeanie Buss and her siblings and Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, but there are others in the mix as well. Patrick Soon-Shiong owns 4% of the team, purchased back in 2010 from Magic Johnson, and Ed Roski Jr. owns 3%, purchased in 1998.
While there hasn’t been anything from the latter about potentially selling his shares, the former’s attorney spoke to Dave McMenamin of ESPN on Thursday and reaffirmed he would retain his stake in the franchise.
“Dr. Patrick is absolutely not selling his minority share of the Lakers,” Chuck “Tiger” Kenworthy, the Soon-Shiong family attorney, told ESPN on Thursday. “Bob Iger and Josh Kushner are good friends, and we will be joining them as supportive, active and engaged partners once they close the transaction with Mr. Walter. We are extremely excited about the Lakers’ future and look forward to many more championship years.”
First, there’s no way we can move forward without acknowledging the name Chuck “Tiger” Kenworthy. The blessing and curse of being referred to as that is no matter what you’re quoted as saying, no one is going to look at it and will just focus on the name.
But if we take that away, there’s more to dive into.
Tiger — there’s no way I’m calling him anything else — also spoke to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times and provided an even more revealing quote (emphasis added).
“We love the Lakers,” Kenworthy told The Times. “We believe in the Lakers. We believe in the future of the Lakers and the championship years they are going to have. And we believe they are still undervalued.”
It brings up an interesting hypothetical. If the Lakers were theoretically placed on the open market, would they net more than $12.5 billion in a sale? The biggest hurdle in this scenario would be finding buyers with enough money, but it doesn’t feel like much of an exaggeration to say they would be sold for more than that figure.
More specific to this scenario, finding someone to buy a smaller percentage of the team is easier and could lead to a higher valuation. If Soon-Shiong wanted to sell his 4% stake, the $12.5 billion valuation would see him net $500 million. It feels likely he could net more than that.
Regardless, as pointed out by McMenamin, Soon-Shiong is not short on finances anyway.
Known for his innovative cancer research and treatment, Soon-Shiong is also a successful businessman and surgeon, with a net worth north of $15 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
When you have that much money, you can afford to hang onto your $500 million investment and status symbol that is a small percentage of the Lakers.
The lighthouse logo, which was only worn as a shoulder patch on Islanders jerseys in the late 1990s, emerged as an early front-runner in the voting process.
It narrowly beat out a more classic navy and cream uniform that displayed the Islanders wordmark in navy and orange, according to the team’s X account, which also posted a digitized mockup of the winning lighthouse design.
“The Islanders would like to thank every fan who contributed a design, shared their feedback, and participated in the voting process to help shape the future of the franchise’s visual identity,’’ Islanders president of business operations Kelly Cheeseman said in a statement. “This contest was launched to break down traditional barriers, giving the fans a direct voice in shaping our new look.
“We are excited to move forward and create the full uniform that our fanbase will be proud to call theirs.”
Although the uniform has been chosen, the Islanders will continue to review other design submissions to help refine the official third jersey with the help of Fanatics for the 2027-28 season.
Fans were able to send in submissions through an online portal created by the Isles. NHL
Fans were able to send in submissions through an online portal created by the Islanders, which gave diehards different design templates related to some of the team’s uniforms over their history.
“In the end, you’re going to end up with a jersey that the fans like and the players like — and hopefully that’s the one that you want to win a Cup in,” Cheeseman previously told The Post.
The lighthouse logo was worn as a shoulder patch on Isles jerseys in the late 1990s. NHL
The franchise called the project a “historic milestone” in a news release, being the first team in NHL history to enlist fans to help design an official team jersey.
Fans weren’t the only ones involved in the project, with Cheeseman saying that numerous current and former Islanders players reached out.
“We had [Matthew] Schaefer, [Bo] Horvat, [Kyle] Palmieri, [Ondrej] Palat, [Jean-Gabriel] Pageau, [Ryan] Pulock, [Mathew] Barzal, [Alexander] Romanov all actively involved in this process,” he said.
Matthew Schaefer looks on while Montreal celebrates its first goal of the second period in the Islanders’ loss to the Canadiens at UBS Arena on April 12, 2026. Heather Khalifa for NY Post
“Many other alumni reached out … [Bryan Trottier] and Matt Martin and some of those guys were actively involved in it.”
BALTIMORE — As the regular season approaches the final month, it’s becoming even more clear that the Yankees and Rays remain the best teams in a historically weak American League.
Whether the Yankees have enough firepower to catch Tampa Bay will be determined over the next six weeks, but the Yankees closed this road trip in style.
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They won their fourth straight Thursday, completing a sweep at Camden Yards with a convincing 6-1 victory over the Orioles.
Even as they’ve remained firmly in the playoff picture without their best player, the Yankees still rarely make it easy on themselves, scratching out runs and relying extensively on their rotation and top relievers.
Not only do they have their longest winning streak since before the All-Star break, they played about as complete a game as possible to finish a sweep of the Orioles.
Thursday’s win featured a sterling effort from Gerrit Cole, contributions from two trade deadline acquisitions — Heliot Ramos and Luis García Jr. — who have mostly slumped since getting to the Yankees, as well as an opposite-field homer by Spencer Jones.
Luis Garcia Jr. looks up to the sky after belting a solo homer in the sixth inning of the Yankees’ 6-1 win over the Orioles on Aug. 20, 2026 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. AP
They got back to within four games of first-place Tampa Bay and moved to four games up on the Red Sox for the top spot in the AL wild-card race.
Against right-hander Kyle Bradish — who tossed six shutout innings against the Yankees in May — the lineup this time had more success, as the Yankees scored at least five runs in consecutive games for the first time since July 9-10.
“It was good to get some cushion,’’ manager Aaron Boone said. “We got the lead and were able to add to it.”
A three-run third inning started with back-to-back singles by Jones and Austin Wells and was aided by a costly error.
Heliot Ramos rips an RBI double in the third inning of the Yankees’ win over the Orioles. Getty Images
With runners on the corners, José Caballero hit a potential double-play ball, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped Jackson Holliday’s throw from second.
Jones scored on the play, and the Orioles failed to record an out.
Trent Grisham then grounded into a double play, but Ben Rice singled in a run and Ramos — just 2-for-33 in his previous 10 games — delivered a double to make it 3-0.
Gerrit Cole held the Orioles to one run over six innings for his seventh win of the season. Getty Images
Cole, after allowing a one-out single to Pete Alonso in the first, retired 11 straight batters before Dylan Beavers took him deep to start the bottom of the fifth.
That was the only blemish for Cole, who struck out eight in six innings to pass Roger Clemens for 12th all time in franchise history.
Ryan Yarbrough finished the game with three scoreless innings, which allowed the Yankees to rest their high-leverage relievers.
Cole and Yarbrough had some breathing room in part because García opened the sixth with a homer, his 25th of the season and second with the Yankees.
Jones went the other way with two outs in the inning for his sixth home run.
It was the rookie’s first homer since he went deep in back-to-back games three weeks ago.
Ben Rice rips an RBI single in the third inning of the Yankees’ win over the Orioles. Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Jones attributed the three-hit night to adjustments he made with his timing — and the knowledge he’s been getting regular playing time for most of the month.
With Cody Bellinger due to return from a strained hamstring in the coming days — and Ramos not going anywhere — Jones may end up back in the minors, but as Boone noted, the lefty swinger has the ability to “leave any part of the ballpark.”
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After dropping three in a row earlier in the trip, the Yankees head back to The Bronx to open a 10-game homestand Friday against the Blue Jays.
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, The Hockey News released their annual Yearbook and projected where each team in the NHL will finish in the standings. The San Jose Sharks are one of the teams expected to take major steps forward, as they were picked to finish fourth in the Pacific Division.
Last season, the Los Angeles Kings finished fourth in the Pacific with 90 points, which was just barely enough to squeak into a playoff spot. With the Sharks' improvements, specifically to the blue line, over the summer, it seems that they could jump the Kings, and multiple other teams, in the division this winter.
In the Yearbook, The Hockey News had the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks slotted above the Sharks in the Pacific Division, but as the Sharks showed last season, they're not far off of competing with those organizations.
If the Sharks finish fourth in the Pacific, they won't have to just worry about their division rivals. They'll be battling for a wild card spot, which means they'll have to beat out a number of teams in the always competitive Central Division, like the Utah Mammoth, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, and Winnipeg Jets, if they're going to clinch a berth to the postseason for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
The Yearbook issue also went in-depth with prospects, depth charts, and much more. The e-edition of the issue can be viewed in the THN Archive available here.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 20: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday, August 20, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Olivia Vega/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In their current state with the injuries and the offense struggling, almost every game the Yankees play ends up being a close one. Despite it often feeling like a grind just to get a couple runs, they still have managed to put up a not terrible record in recent weeks. However, actually stringing multiple wins together in a row has proven a tough task.
Well on Thursday night against the Orioles, the Yankees actually did a couple things they hadn’t in a little while. For one, they got the win to finish off a sweep. It was the Yankees’ first sweep in over a month, with their last coming July 10-12 over the Nationals. Also, the five-run margin matched a 10-5 win over the Mariners back on August 12th, and those games mark the largest victories the Yankees have had in some time.
On the mound in this one, Gerrit Cole looked very good. He ended up going six innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk. He struck out eight batters, taking him to the century mark for the year. That’s extra impressive considering that he missed the start of the year while still recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Meanwhile, a balanced offensive display helped the Yankees give him a solid amount of run support, allowing the Yankees to actually win in a semi-comfortable manner, beating the Orioles 6-1.
The Yankees struck first, picking up a couple runs off Bradish in the third. After Spencer Jones and Austin Wells started off the inning with single, the O’s gave them a gift, when Gunnar Henderson failed to catch the throw to second on a possible double play ball. Jones was at third and would’ve scored on that play no matter what, but the error allowed the Yankees to put up a crooked number. Trent Grisham then did ground into a double play, but it put Wells at third, from which he scored on a Ben Rice single. Heliot Ramos then showed some signs of life with a long double off the right field wall, narrowly missing a homer.
Rice chugged all the way around to score the third run of the inning.
Cole worked in and out of some trouble in the first inning but then cruised through the next couple. Baltimore did eventually get on the board in the fifth, though. Dylan Beavers took Cole deep for the O’s first run of the game.
However, the Yankees immediately answered that run and added on more. Luis García Jr. and Spencer Jones both crushed deep shots in the sixth for solo homers to give the Yankees that breathing room back.
Hoping to get through the last couple innings drama-free considering the well-used bullpen, the Yankees picked up some insurance in the eighth. With García on after a single, Jazz Chisholm Jr. got a hit deep into the right field corner. García scored as Chisholm raced all the way to third with a triple. The offense could’ve added a little more breathing room, but the contact play felled them again. Before the night ended, Jones did pick up his third hit in a nice little day for him.
The Yankees ended up going to the bullpen after the sixth, wrapping up Cole’s strong day. Ryan Yarbrough came in for the seventh, with the Yankees hoping he could eat up a good chunk of the remaining innings to help that bullpen. In the end, he ate all of them. Yarbrough went nine up, nine down, recording the save to finish off the sweep.
Having wrapped up their road trip on a good note, the Yankees will now return home this weekend. Starting tomorrow night at 7:05 pm ET, the Yankees will open up a three-game set against the Blue Jays. Cam Schlittler is expected to go for the Yankees, while Toronto has not announced their starter as of yet.
