Shohei Ohtani looks across the field after hitting a fly ball against the Reds on Monday at Dodger Stadium. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers should clinch the National League West within the next week. That will make 14 consecutive postseason appearances, and no team in major league history has more.
To the record books, the Dodgers can say hi. To their chances of getting the best version of their best hitter for the run toward a third consecutive World Series championship, the Dodgers must say bye.
You could argue the Dodgers would benefit from a postseason bye because they have the oldest position players in the league, but pretty much the same group won the World Series without a bye last season.
You could argue the Dodgers would benefit because they could line up their starting pitching just the way they like for the division series, but there are no bad choices among the four aces: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani flies out to left field against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on Monday. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
No, the Dodgers absolutely need the bye because it would provide five days of rest for Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers just gave him four, before he returned to the lineup Monday, and his roster of ailments will be managed rather than resolved for the rest of the season.
Without a bye, the Dodgers would get just one day between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. Too much risk for too little reward?
Between now and the start of the playoffs, the Dodgers have a critical and conflicting mission: Get Ohtani enough at-bats to get him back in the swing and preserve him in bubble wrap as much as possible.
Step one, as Ohtani acknowledged Monday, is for him to stop pitching this season. That should help with the healing of Ohtani’s battered body: knee, arm, neck, hip. But, for all the blessings of a two-way superhero, the Dodgers can’t shut him down entirely, at least not until he gets his swing right.
“As long as I’m playing in games, it’s not exactly the best way to recover and heal,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “Of course, the best mode of recovery is to completely not play. But right now I just want to make sure that I’m playing, playing well and just focusing on the now.”
Can the Dodgers win the World Series without Ohtani in the starting rotation? They did last year, when he lost Game 4 of the World Series and was dismissed in the third inning of Game 7 — and that was without Skubal on their roster.
Can the Dodgers win the World Series without Ohtani dominating at bat?
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani sits in the dugout during a win over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on Monday. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Now? Ohtani has six extra-base hits in the past 25 days. His last home run: Aug. 18, and since then he has six hits in 49 at-bats (.122), with 21 strikeouts.
Ohtani believes he can return to form as a hitter despite the injuries.
“I should have enough experience to be able to address any kinks or injuries or anything like that with the swing,” he said. “I’m going to use this as an opportunity to add on to the experience that I’ve had previously and be able to address it regardless.”
For all his recent hard times, Ohtani is one of five players in the majors with a .900 OPS. The Dodgers will not only take that, but build around it. For the Dodgers, Job 1 is to make sure he can hit in October.
“It is,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Him being in the lineup, optimally, is the best for the Dodgers.”
So long as the Dodgers can get him into the lineup, they’re willing to consider anything else.
“We can be successful with him at the top,” Roberts said. “I’m not blind, if there’s something dynamic that might be better, whether he’s hitting second or third, then I’m open to it. But I don’t want to make that decision quite yet.”
To Ohtani, it isn’t as simple as “stop pitching, hit better.” But, then again, maybe it can be.
“I’m confident that my overall performance should be better moving forward,” Ohtani said. “I think the thing that I was more focused on was making sure that the pitching wouldn’t cause the worse scenario, which was for me to not be able to play at all.”
That still could be at risk with a flareup or recurrence of an injury, which is why the Dodgers need to juggle getting Ohtani back into his swing with minimizing his playing time before the Dodgers’ real season starts.
The Dodgers have a two-game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the race for the second and final NL playoff bye. The Dodgers also boast a 50-16 record against teams with losing records, with 15 of their final 18 games scheduled against teams with losing records.
On Monday, Ohtani played, for the first time in five days. He got no hits, but he reported no discomfort. That was progress.
The date that counts the most: Sept. 29, three weeks from Tuesday. If the Dodgers are off that day, proud owners of a playoff bye, that should give them the best chance at another magical Ohtani October.
Sep 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo (44) walks off the kind after the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
And now, the Astros come to town. This is actually going to be an important series as it’s one of those that the Phillies really should be winning. There cannot be a letdown from seeing Atlanta leave town, nor can there be anything about looking ahead to this weekend.
The Detroit Tigers opened up their six-game homestand on Labor Day with a narrow 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Troy Melton had some hiccups, but the bullpen held strong this time, while the offense had just enough juice to outlast the visitors.
Taking the mound in Game 2 for the Olde English D is right-hander Drew Anderson, who will be making his ninth start of the season. The 32-year-old has been solid since his permanent promotion to the rotation, posting a tidy 2.57 ERA but a less-impressive 4.92 FIP in those six games stretching across 28 innings of work.
Anderson’s last start also came against Minnesota in Minneapolis, where he spun 5 2/3 frames of two-run (one earned) ball on three hits and two walks while striking out five for a no-decision in a game that Detroit ultimately won, 11-6, in 12 innings.
A familiar face will toe the rubber for the Twins on Tuesday night — fellow righty Dean Kremer, who will be making his third start against the Motor City Kitties this season and second as a member of Minnesota’s staff. The 30-year-old was on the hill in that same 12-inning battle as Anderson, coughing up four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out five plus a wild pitch over four frames, also failing to figure in the final decision.
If the Tigers prevail, they will clinch their first series win since taking two of three from the Cleveland Guardians from Aug. 11-13. Here is how the two hurlers match up for their second face-off in a week.
Detroit Tigers (66-78) vs. Minnesota Twins (68-76)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Twinkie Town Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 145: RHP Drew Anderson (4-5, 3.73 ERA) vs. RHP Dean Kremer (2-5, 5.81 ERA)
Jul 29, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Thomas Pannone (33) delivers a pitch agains the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
Before getting into the usual roundup, here’s some good news and some bad news:
The Good News:
32-year-old left-hander Thomas Pannone made history last night by throwing the first nine-inning perfect game in the minor leagues since 2017, retiring all 27 batters he faced on just 94 pitches. In doing so, he became the first pitcher to throw a nine-inning perfect game in the minor leagues since 2017 and just the fifth to do so in International League history (so, almost 150 years).
Infielder Luis Peña, the Brewers’ No. 2 prospect and No. 21 overall, fractured his fibula sliding into third base and will miss the rest of the season. I’m not going to attach the video here, but the injury looked, for lack of a better word, gross. He was put in an air cast on the field and taken straight to the hospital, where he was diagnosed not with a broken ankle, as initially reported, but with multiple fractures in his left leg.
X-rays showed fractures in Peña’s left fibula, per the Brewers. Peña is in a splint and using crutches, and will travel to Phoenix to begin rehab next week.
In some ways, it feels like the season couldn’t have gone much worse for Peña; this was actually the second time this season he’d been taken to the emergency room straight from a game. The first came after he passed out in the dugout, reportedly due to severe dehydration. He missed over a month before returning, only to end his season with a broken leg.
The Silver Lining:
At least he’s still good at baseball. Peña posted an .804 OPS in 188 High-A at-bats, then started his first stint in Double-A by going 15-for-56. That kind of production from a 19-year-old isn’t anything to sneeze at.
As weird as it is to say, breaking his fibula was probably about the best-case scenario given how bad the injury initially looked — no compound fracture, no broken ankle or tibia, no torn ligaments. In short, nothing that appears to be career-threatening. I say that with the caveat that the organization hasn’t provided many updates on Peña since the injury; if they do, you can find coverage right here at Brew Crew Ball.
With that out of the way, let’s get into the roundup:
Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Current record: 76-59 Record this week: 5-1 This week’s opponent: vs. Louisville Bats Next week’s opponent: @ Durham Bulls
Standout performances:
Brock Wilken: 6-for-20, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 7 K Tyler Black: 5-for-17, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K Ethan Murray: 5-for-17, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K Ramón Rodríguez: 3-for-14, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K Akil Baddoo: 4-for-19, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 5 K Thomas Pannone: 13.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 13 K (including his start on 9/7/2026) Garrett Stallings: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Tyson Hardin: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Coleman Crow: 7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Colton Gordon: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Thomas Pannone’s previous start, on Tuesday, Sept. 1? Four innings, zero earned runs, five strikeouts. Not a bad week at all.
While Pannone’s perfecto is obviously the story of the week, a few other Sounds also put together outings worthy of mention. Tyson Hardin has struggled at times, but he put together his best outing in over a month, pitching seven innings of one-run ball while allowing only three hits. Coleman Crow and Colton Gordon also pitched well, as has been par for the course for both of them.
Tyson Hardin has struck out 12 batters in his last 8 IP, spanning 2 outings and giving up only 2 runs and a .486 opponent OPS 💥#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/Aaz3pOu6mB
Among position players, Brock Wilken probably had the best week, but he hasn’t had a great year. He’s hitting .197 even after this week’s 6-for-20 showing, with only a .382 slugging percentage to go along with it. However, Wilken has still managed to hit 16 home runs, and he went from posting an even worse line in Double-A in 2024 to recording an .876 OPS in 2025.
Wilken, the Brewers’ first-round pick in 2023, probably doesn’t have a future with the organization given the amount of corner infield talent in Milwaukee’s farm system. Andrew Fischer and Blake Burke, just to name two, are better prospects with similar profiles. With that being said, Wilken is still only 24 and has tons of power — he’ll be eligible for the Rule 5 draft after the season, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see another team take a flier on him.
Tyler Black, who also had a solid week at the plate, is eligible for this December’s Rule 5 draft as well. Like with Wilken, injuries, underperformance, and positional depth have made him pretty much expendable for the Brewers. He’s older (26) and isn’t a defensive upgrade anywhere, but he also has a .771 OPS in 313 at-bats this year, an .838 OPS in 27 big-league at-bats, and was considered a fringe top-100 prospect heading into last season.
Double-A Biloxi Shuckers
Current record: 62-65 Record this week: 4-2 This week’s opponent: vs. Birmingham Barons Next week’s opponent: @ Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Standout performances:
Matthew Wood: 6-for-13, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 3 K Mike Boeve: 7-for-18, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 4 K Andrew Fischer: 6-for-16, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 10 BB, 7 K Josh Adamczewski: 6-for-21, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K Braylon Payne: 4-for-12, 1 3B, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K Wande Torres: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K J.D. Thompson: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Bishop Letson: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 9 K
Biloxi’s position players were led this week by catcher Matthew Wood, who hit nearly .500, and Andrew Fischer, who hit four home runs — again — to bring him to 46 on the season. His 46th, a monster home run in the bottom of the fourth, brought him into a tie with former MVP and two-time MLB home run leader Ryan Howard for the most homers in any minor league season this century. If he hits one home run this week against Pensacola, he’ll move into sole possession of first place.
At this point, I’m running out of things to say about Fischer’s power. He drove in 11 runs this week and somehow managed to draw 10 walks in just six games, meaning he reached base 16 times despite recording only six hits. He also struck out seven times, but that’s a tradeoff you’ll happily accept when a player is doing this much damage. Fischer did struggle in August, but one slump doesn’t erase 46 home runs.
Andrew Fischer ties Ryan Howard (2004) for the most homers (46) in a Minor League season this century!
Wood had a pretty ridiculous series of his own, going 6-for-13 with two homers, five RBIs, and five walks. Mike Boeve actually reached base even more frequently, collecting seven hits and seven walks in 25 plate appearances. Josh Adamczewski also walked six times to go along with six hits and a home run, while Braylon Payne went 4-for-12 with a triple and five RBIs.
Jesús Made, baseball’s No. 1 prospect, had been struggling at the plate in August — hitting just .204 with a .579 OPS — but bounced back a bit with a 6-for-24 showing. All told, it was an impressive week for a Biloxi lineup that features a significant chunk of the Brewers’ top prospects.
Wande Torres — who threw five one-hit innings this week — was again the best pitcher the Shuckers started. Earlier this week, Torres was named the Brewers organization’s Pitcher of the Month for the second straight month. He went 3-0 with a 1.75 ERA in August and didn’t allow a single earned run over his final three starts of the month.
J.D. Thompson also turned in an excellent start, allowing just one earned run and two hits across six innings while striking out six. Bishop Letson didn’t go quite as deep, but he missed plenty of bats, striking out nine over 4 2/3 innings while allowing two runs. It’s great to see two of the Brewers’ better pitching prospects putting together strong outings as the season winds down.
High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Current record: 66-58 Record this week: 3-3 This week’s opponent: @ Beloit Sky Carp Next week’s opponent: None
Standout performances:
Daniel Dickinson: 8-for-19, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 1 K Tayden Hall: 6-for-21, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K Eric Bitonti: 5-for-23, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 6 K Juan Ortuno: 4-for-22, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K Miqueas Mercedes: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K Jarrette Bonet: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Joshua Quezada: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Ethan Dorchies: 9.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 9 K
Both of the Brewers’ A-ball affiliates — the Wilson Warbirds and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers — wrapped up their regular seasons on Sunday. I’ll have plenty more on the Timber Rattlers — and what this season means for players like Dickinson, Bitonti, and the rest of a prospect-heavy roster — in the season recap coming later this month.
Daniel Dickinson, the Brewers’ sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft, really came on strong after starting the season somewhat slowly. He was consistently one of Wisconsin’s better hitters over the second half, but especially in August. Dickinson was named the organization’s (and the Midwest League’s) Player of the Month after batting .343/.452/.581 with a 1.033 OPS in 27 games while leading the entire Midwest League in batting average, hits, and stolen bases.
Daniel Dickinson was awarded the Midwest League Player of the Month Award for August 🔥
Dickinson put up a second consecutive month with a 1.000+ OPS driven by 4 HR, 2 Triples and 9 Doubles while walking 15 times (.451 OBP) and stealing 18 bases ‼️#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/7CTAb9FXth
Dickinson carried that momentum into the final week of the season, going 8-for-19 with a home run and four walks while striking out just once. He finishes his first full professional season hitting .282 with an .898 OPS in more than 400 plate appearances.
Eric Bitonti also ended his bounce-back season on a solid note. He went just 5-for-23 against Beloit, but homered, drove in three, and drew five walks. Tayden Hall also had himself a nice week, going 6-for-21 with a double, a homer, and four walks.
On the mound, Miqueas Mercedes picked up right where he left off following his promotion to the Timber Rattlers. Mercedes tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out four. He finishes his season with a 2.61 ERA — although with a 1.40 WHIP — in 21 appearances.
Joshua Quezada also shoved this week, striking out eight over 4 1/3 innings while allowing only one hit. Jarrette Bonet, who’d given up at least three earned runs in each of his previous three starts, bounced back nicely, tossing four shutout innings while allowing only one baserunner. Ethan Dorchies got tagged for five runs on six hits and walked five, although he also struck out nine.
Single-A Wilson Warbirds
Current record: 64-65 Record this week: 0-6 This week’s opponent: @ Fredericksburg Nationals Next week’s opponent: None
Standout performances:
Moises Polanco: 8-for-22, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K Rylan Mills: 6-for-22, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 10 K Tyler Renz: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Luke Roupe: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K Enderson Mercado: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Joey Broughton: 4.0 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
Wilson’s inaugural season ended on a sour note, as the Warbirds were swept in six games by Fredericksburg to finish the year at 64-65. The results obviously weren’t what they wanted, but there were still a few individual performances worth highlighting.
Catcher Rylan Mills provided most of the power, going 6-for-22 with three home runs, four RBIs, and four walks. It was the second consecutive three-homer week for Mills, who also went deep three times against Hickory last week. The strikeouts are something to keep an eye on — he struck out 10 times in 26 plate appearances this week — but 14 home runs in 209 at-bats as a 19-year-old is nothing to sneeze at.
Moises Polanco had Wilson’s best week in terms of batting average, going 8-for-22 while striking out only three times. Pedro Ibarguen reached base eight times in 15 plate appearances, collecting four hits and four walks, and finishes his first full season in Single-A with a .733 OPS.
There wasn’t nearly as much to highlight on the pitching side. Tyler Renz turned in easily the best start of the week, allowing one earned run on two hits across four innings without issuing a walk. The rest of Wilson’s pitching staff had a considerably tougher time keeping Fredericksburg off the scoreboard, as reflected by the stat lines of Enderson Mercado (4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) and Joey Broughton (4.0 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 4 K).
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 2: Thomas Saggese #25 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the offseason exits of Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan from the Cardinals organization, it opened up a pathway for Nolan Gorman to take advantage of everyday opportunities. However, that hasn’t quite come to fruition. The Cardinals optioned Gorman to Triple-A Memphis in June and put him through a vigorous rework of his swing and approach at the plate. Since his recall on August 25th, Gorman is 4-for-31 with a slashline of .133/.161/.300 -> .461 OPS, .248 xwOBA, and a 22 wRC+. Gorman’s overall season numbers look like .186./.265/.316 -> .581 OPS, .275 xwOBA, and a 61 wRC+. I was someone who advocated for Gorman’s recall after a really encouraging hot streak from the middle of July to Gorman’s return in late August. Of course, as I write this sentence, he hits a home run in Colorado.
Overall, it would appear as though Gorman is not a preferred option moving forward. He has shown positively on the defensive side of the ball, posting a +2 DRS (defensive runs saved) and a +1 OAA (outs above average), which both measure impactful defense and range. The Cardinals could potentially look to recoup some value for Gorman from a 3rd-base-needy club that would be willing to bet on the power potential and the improved defensive acumen at a 5 million-ish rate for 2027.
In 2026, the Cardinals hoped to gain clarity and answers on their controlled big-league players to find out if they’re long-term pieces. Sometimes a negative answer is still an answer, and it appears Gorman isn’t one. So, who could be next to throw their hat in the ring of fire, or hot corner, or whatever euphemism you’d like to use?
Blaze Jordan
Almost certainly, a severe sprained ankle suffered in the Baltimore series has ended Blaze Jordan’s season prematurely, even though he was starting to show positive signs of improvement at the plate. If that is in fact the case, Jordan finishes the season with a .247/.276/.382 -> .658 OPS, .284 wOBA, and a 79 wRC+. Blaze Jordan showed that he is currently a capable platoon option, producing a 124 wRC+ against LHP and, unfortunately, a 51 against RHP. Manager Oliver Marmol noted that his career minor league numbers didn’t indicate any severe platoon splits, which likely means he will see opportunities against all types of pitching in 2027. Jordan also posted a +2 DRS and +1 OAA, like Gorman, though that number was a +4 through his first 30 or so games and began to backslide during the month of August. Jordan is most likely a 1B/DH long-term, but for 2027 he can probably continue to get opportunities at 3rd if no one else can take hold of the opportunity.
Thomas Saggese
Since Saggese’s recall, all he’s done is hit! Coming into Sunday’s performance .550/.577/.1.100 in his last 7 games. 11-for-26 this past week with 3 HR, 2 doubles, 8 RBI, and 2 SB. He then followed last week up with another 2-hit game in Sunday’s finale in Colorado, with another 2-hit performance including another double and 2 runs scored. Still at only 24 years old, I think a lot of fans had already written off what Saggese was capable of. If you think back to 2023, the season he won the Texas League MVP, he slashed .306/.374/.530 -> .903 OPS in 139 Games between Double-A and Triple-A. That season also included 26 HR, 34 doubles, 111 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. When you consider not only Saggese’s age, but also some of his minor league pedigree, it’s not a stretch to conceive that he walks into 2026 as the favorite to take the first chunk of the season at minimum with the 3rd base spot and his name penciled in there.
Jesus Baez
When you think about what JOSHUA Baez has accomplished in his short time in the big leagues and how impressive his flashes of excitement have been, he might not even be the best BAEZ in the system. Jesus Baez, acquired from the New York Mets in the Ryan Helsley trade in 2025, has made an absolute mockery of Double-A and should begin 2027 at the Triple-A level; his electric play will be knocking on the big-league door. With Gold Glove SS Masyn Winn entrenched at the position, Baez will likely need a near-term move to the hot corner for a quicker route to the big leagues. This season, in 54 games at Double-A, Baez has 23 HR and 62 RBI and is slashing .316/.353/.674 -> 1.027 OPS with a 148 wRC+. Baez has a slick glove and the ability to make all the throws from the left side of the diamond, as well as the ability to flash well above average thanks to his raw athleticism. If the other two mentioned options above fail to take the opportunity and run with it for the full season, expect Baez to get his shot sometime in the last half of the season as the future of Cardinals baseball continues to evolve and the excitement of young athleticism continues to ascend.
Outside addition?
Until we know more. I do want to leave open the idea that perhaps the Cardinals could pursue an outside addition. I wouldn’t dream of getting your hopes up over some Jose Ramirez-level player that’s not realistic, though he’d be extremely fun to add to this Cardinals group, don’t ya think? If Gorman is moved out of St. Louis and all of these ascending bats primarily hit right-handed, one could posit that a little bit of balance might be required to help Manager Oliver Marmol to navigate a 162-game season. I present an interesting outside option for your consumption. Detroit Tigers 3B/1B/DH Colt Keith. In 129 Games this season, Keith has a .260/.321/.402 slash -> .723 OPS .319 wOBA, and is a 103 wRC+ on the season. Colt would be a really solid platoon partner for Blaze Jordan, producing a 111 wRC+ in 368 PA against RHP in 2026. Keith signed a pre-debut extension before the 2024 season and will be owed 4.3 million in 2027, 5.3 million in 2028, and 5.3 million in 2029, before he has 3 consecutive club options that gradually increase to $ 10 million in 2030, 13 million in 2031, and $ 15 million in 2032. Allowing for cost certainty and little long-term risk, consider that the real weight of the contract is in the club options, thus giving the team the majority of the power in the situation. Probably a comparable defender to Gorman/Jordan, grading as a -1 DRS and a 0 OAA at 3rd base in 2026; he is, however, rated as a +2 in baserunning value. He is capable of doing some things really well and could be another quality piece of the mix if the Cardinals wanted to go this route.
The Cardinals will maintain flexibility and options for this spot on the roster going into 2027. The good news is that they aren’t forced to one thing over another and can be afforded the opportunity to be opportunistic if something that really fits becomes available. If they chose to go the Saggese route, I’d be in favor of it. If they chose to give Blaze Jordan more run next season and to see what adjustments he could make in the offseason, I’d understand it. If they went out and brought in a Colt Keith to work alongside a Blaze Jordan, I’d be really intrigued to see what that would look like, and if none of those options panned out and Jesus Baez ascends and is just an electric factory of play on the field, I’d be really amped to watch that play out as well! I think ultimately any route that doesn’t include running it back with Nolan Gorman, now that we all should probably know better, would be a welcome direction at the hot corner.
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 07: Coby Mayo #16 of the Baltimore Orioles rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run in the sixth inning during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Monday, September 7, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The 2026 Orioles may be teetering precariously over a cliff, but they haven’t fallen into the ravine just yet. They kept their flickering playoff hopes alive, and at least temporarily found their bats again, with a 6-4 win to open a three-game series against the Guardians. The victory snapped the Birds’ season-worst six-game losing streak and gave them their 70th win of the year, their first since the Colton Cowser Catch in Colorado. Check out Andrea SK’s recap for all the lovely details.
The win doesn’t get the Orioles out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves, but it keeps them relevant at least for another day. They’ve assured they won’t get swept by Cleveland, a circumstance that would’ve stuck a fork in their season for good. But they can’t stop there. The Orioles have to win at least one of the next two games to avoid losing precious ground. And even if they split the next two, they’d still finish the series trailing the Guardians by three games. So frankly, only an Orioles sweep would have us feeling even the tiniest bit optimistic about their chances, and that’s without even considering the two other teams that the O’s also need to surpass, the Blue Jays and Rangers.
At this point, with only 17 games remaining on the schedule, pretty much every one of them feels like a must-win if the O’s hope to make a miraculous charge back into the playoff race. The Orioles would need to play nearly perfect baseball down the stretch, something they haven’t remotely shown they’re capable of this season. But it would help if they can sustain the signs of life they saw from their offense yesterday, which included a pair of Coby Mayo dingers and some brilliant at-bats like Blaze Alexander’s 11-pitch bases-loaded walk. Even still, the Orioles need to do better with runners in scoring position; they were just 1-for-11 in RISP situations and stranded 12 runners on base.
It’s nice that the Orioles remembered that they can, in fact, win a game from time to time. Now they just need to string together, oh, 12 or 13 more of those and then we’ll be in business. How hard could it be?
Don’t look now, but Coby Mayo is rocketing up the Orioles’ OPS leaderboard. Is it possible that the Orioles have one homegrown hitter who is actually living up to expectations?
No, Zay Flowers did not bail on being the guest splasher on Saturday. It seems like the Orioles just decided not to have him do it, even though they’d told the fans he would. Oops.
This is perhaps the most frequently asked question on Camden Chat these days. Nobody but Mike Elias really knows the answer, and his answer would probably be unsatisfying, too.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 28th birthday to current Orioles outfielder Leody Taveras. Taveras, who wasn’t even a sure thing to make the O’s Opening Day roster, has been a mainstay on the team all year long and was one of the Birds’ hottest hitters in April. Because it’s his birthday, I won’t mention how his season has gone since then.
Former Orioles born on this day include catchers Nick Hundley (43) and Al Pardo (64); right-hander Don Aase (72); and the late righty George Werley (b. 1938, d. 2013) and lefty Lou Sleater (b. 1926, d. 2013). Sleater grew up in Maryland, attending Mount St. Joseph HS, Towson University, and the University of Maryland.
On this date in 2012, the O’s defeated the Yankees at Camden Yards, 5-4, to pull back into a first-place tie with New York. Mark Reynolds, J.J. Hardy, and Lew Ford all homered for the Birds to back a solid Joe Saunders start. Unfortunately, the win was marred in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Yankees’ CC Sabathia drilled Nick Markakis in the hand, ending his season with a broken thumb. That may well have cost the Orioles a chance to go further in the postseason, as the Markakis-less O’s later lost the AL Division Series to the Yanks, three games to two. Fourteen years later, I still haven’t forgiven Sabathia.
Random Orioles game of the day
On Sept. 8, 1972, the Orioles lost a low-scoring game to the Tigers in Baltimore, 2-1. In a pitcher’s duel between the Orioles’ Pat Dobson and Detroit’s Woodie Fryman, it was the Tigers lefty who prevailed by throwing a complete game, while Dobson worked seven innings for the Birds and gave up two runs. The O’s scored their only run on a seventh-inning homer by Don Buford. Baltimore-born Hall of Famer Al Kaline, nearing the end of his stellar 22-year career, made a pinch-hitting appearance and popped out.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - APRIL 13: Luke Evangelista #77 of the Nashville Predators celebrates after a goal during the third period of the game against the San Jose Sharks at Bridgestone Arena on April 13, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
“Detailing why puck retrievals and zone exits are two incredibly underrated pieces of the puzzle and delving into how Sunny Mehta has improved the New Jersey Devils in that facet of the game.” [Devils’ Advocates]
A look around the Metropolitan Division identifying one potential Achilles heel weakness for each team: [Infernal Access ($)]
“(Luke Evangelista is) coming off a very solid season with the Predators, totaling 56 points in 81 games and posting terrific underlying metrics. Let’s see where Evangelista fits in the Devils’ lineup, why the top six is the most likely bet, and what may come next for GM Sunny Mehta.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“After the Summer of Sunny, the New Jersey Devils have plenty of options for their third-line center role. With training camp just around the corner, someone will need to claim it. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier are —obviously — not in this fight. The Devils’ third-line center job is up for grabs with Evan Rodrigues, Cody Glass, and Nick Bjugstad in the fight. Amadeus Lombardi is a long shot if camp gets loud. However, it’s more likely that only one of the veterans should open the season in that seat.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
“The former New Jersey captain (Andy Greene) played more than 1,000 NHL games, spent 14 seasons with the Devils and helped lead the franchise to the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals. Now an advisor in the team’s hockey operations department, Greene has watched the organization assemble a roster he believes is even more talented than the one that came within two victories of winning the Stanley Cup.” [NJ.com]
Hockey Links
Assessing the Connor Hellebuyck trade request: “The optimist’s view is to believe the Winnipegs of the league can continue to pivot in these situations and come out ahead, the way the Jets did when forced to move on from Patrik Laine, Jacob Trouba and others in the past. Smart management teams, even in small markets, find a way. The pessimist’s view? Everything is moving the wrong way for teams such as Winnipeg — and this may just be the beginning.” [The Athletic ($)]
Zeev Buium gets an eight-year deal:
8 MORE YEARS OF ZEEV! 🤩
General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with defenceman Zeev Buium on an eight-year contract extension with a $9.38 million AAV.
“A total of 11 first-round picks from 2026 have signed ELCs this summer. A few of them, such as New York Islanders’ Malte Gustafsson, are set to return to their European-based clubs. But which ones will jump right to the NHL?” [Daily Faceoff]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
Entering his fourth season, Tristan Vukcevic faces competition for even the limited minutes he’s played the past three seasons. | Getty Images
When the Wizards selected Tristan Vukcevic with the 42nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, I thought it was something of a steal. He was 25th in my YODA rankings — the last player in 2023 to notch a first-round grade in my stat-based prospect evaluation process.
So, I had hopes. Not exactly high but perhaps a bit higher than would be the norm for a second round pick.
Three years in, those hopes are not dashed, but they’re not met either. According to my PPA metric, Vukcevic has improved each of his three seasons — 55 to 66 to 73. That’s creeping into useful territory, but not stomping in and demanding attention. The year-to-year increments are small at an age when they’d typically be expected to be large. And that move from 66 to 73 is so small it might just be some statistical noise.
Entering his fourth season, Tristan Vukcevic faces competition for even the limited minutes he’s played the past three seasons. | NBAE via Getty Images
Note that his year two and year three PER scores were the same. On the other hand, PER says Vukcevic has been a bit above average each of those seasons, which I’d suggest is a view not shared by many.
Vukcevic is on his way back for a fourth season because…well…I was about to write “strengths,” which would not be completely accurate. He seems to have one strength, which is shooting. At least I think he’s good at shooting. His on-court behavior and the treatment he gets from teammates suggests they also think he’s good at shooting.
The problem, he has not actually made shots at a high level during NBA competition. Through three seasons, he’s finished well on at-rim attempts, been down-down-and-WAY-up from floater range, and not so good on longer twos. His three-point shooting (34.8% on 282 career attempts) is basically league average.
That three-point shooting is probably good enough for a center to make defenses at least pay attention, though it’s not likely to change game plans.
Vukcevic seems to enjoy setting up teammates, but the creativity comes at a cost. He’s had more turnovers than assists each of the past two seasons, and has a negative assist-to-turnover ratio for his career.
Vukcevic rebounds a little, though his career low in rebounding was last season.
Defense has been an adventure. The on/off metrics haven’t been atrocious, and he does generate blocks (better than two per 100 team possessions) and steals. The defensive playmaking comes with fouls, though — 5.9 per 100 team possessions for his career.
The positive-seeming on/off metrics are probably illusory. Throughout Vukcevic’s career, Washington’s defense has been historically bad when he’s been off the court. In his minutes — many of which have come during garbage time and blowouts — the team defense has been slightly less historically bad. I don’t think that “improvement” has been caused by Vukcevic.
As the team transitions to what they hope will be a competitive posture, Vukcevic faces increased competition for even the modest minutes he’s received. Alex Sarr, Anthony Davis, and DeAndre Ayton likely will take most of the big forward and center minutes. Vukcevic may be the fourth big, though the team could also choose to play smaller lineups when one of those guys can’t play. In other words, Vukcevic will also be battling Justin Champagnie, Keyshawn George, Will Riley, AJ Dybantsa, and others for playing time.
Okay, that’s a lot of preamble — we’re here for Statistical Doppelgangers. For the uninitiated, this is the latest installment in this year’s annual trip through the Statistical Doppelganger Machine, which is an algorithm I cooked up to tell me which player seasons (since 1977-78) were most like the reference player. In this case, Vukcevic. Keep up!
The Machine uses 14 categories, including various stats (per possession), age and playing time. While it doesn’t use position or size, comparison seasons tend to come from the same position grouping.
By the way, the player most similar to Vukcevic in 2026-26 was Vukcevic in 2024-25. This happens less often than you might expect. At least more often than I expected. To the doppelgangers:
Mortiz Wagner | 2021-22 | Orlando Magic | Age: 24 — This was the fourth season and fourth team for Wagner. He’d spent the previous two seasons getting on opponents’ nerves for the Wizards. In subsequent seasons, he worked himself into a chippy, physical, annoying, and decent backup big man before tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
Rodney White | 2003-04 | Denver Nuggets | Age: 23 — This season and the next were about as good as it would get for White, who I remembered as a PF type but Basketball-Reference lists as a SF and SG. I think my memory is right — he was 6-9 and 24o pounds. He had enough ball skills and shooting ability to play a stretch-four role in the aughts, but only just.
Henry James | 1990-91 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Age: 25 — Nothing much to see here. This was James’ rookie year, and he made appearances in seven different NBA seasons. That could be Vukcevic’s fate — good enough to bounce around for a few years on minimum deals, but not good enough to secure a role. Kinda the next Thomas Bryant.
Naz Reid | 2022-23 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Age: 23 — This would be the dream scenario for Washington, though I do think Reid has been more than a little overrated throughout his career. He’s had value as an off-the-bench scorer, though his overall production has been only so-so. His next above average season will be his first in my PPA metric.
Jonathan Bender | 2003-04 | Indiana Pacers | Age: 23 — Bender’s mix of physical tools and ball skills were enough to make him the fifth overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft — skipping college and making the leap straight to the NBA. He never lived up to the hype, and by 23 was already declining.
The honorable mentions don’t trend any better — seasons from Wang Zhizhi, Jordan Nwora, Cam Whitmore, and (weirdly) Lawrence Moten. Michael Beasley makes an appearance.
Probably the best hope not too far down the list is Ryan Anderson, who had a few superb three-and-D seasons in 20-teens before his career got waylaid by a back injury and personal tragedy. The game has evolved away from the more specialized role Anderson played, but there’s still room for a center who can shoot, pass, and block a few shots.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to pass while being defended by Aaron Gordon #32 of the Denver Nuggets as Nikola Jokic #15 looks on during the fourth quarter at Ball Arena on April 4, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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. The Nuggets won the game 136-134 in overtime. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
From its inception in 1956 until 1980, NBA’s coveted Most Valuable Player award was dominated by centers. Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain alone garnered nine of the first thirteen honors. Add it Wes Unseld, Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (credited the first time as Lew Alcindor), Dave Cowens, Bob McAdoo, Bill Walton, and
Moses Malone and it was almost a lock to go to the man in the middle.
The emergence and recognition of the other positions on the court created a shift in the early 80s that saw Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and many other in who received the hardware.
In fact, from 1984 until the 2020 pandemic, only three times has the award been given to a center – Hakeem Olajuwan (1994), David Robinson (1995), and Shaquille O’Neal (2000).
Basketball legend Julius Irving stated that he believes Victor Wembanyama will usher in a resurgence of centers in the mix for the MVP award.
« Je pense que Wemby va changer ça »
Julius Erving voit en Victor Wembanyama le joueur capable de remettre les pivots au centre de la course au MVP.
« Aujourd’hui, ce sont les ailiers et les arrières qui dominent le jeu. À mon époque, le basket était dominé par les pivots.
“I think Wemby is going to change that. Today, wings and guards dominate the game. In my era, basketball was dominated by centers. In fact, between 1966 and 1982, every MVP was a center. Oscar Robertson was the one before that period, and I was the exception during it. Then, suddenly, guards and wings became the league’s MVPs, and that trend has continued to this day. But I think Wemby is going to change that.”
Since the pandemic, that shift has begun. Nikola Jokic has won the award three time and Joel Embiid took home the award as it was renamed the Michael Jordan Trophy in honor of the five-time winner.Wembanyama and Jokic were two of the finalists last season, but they lost out to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
As we head into the 2026-2027 season, Victor Wembanyama is Vegas the odds-on favorite (+200) to win this season. The question will be just how many times will he win if he stays healthy and plays with the same passion he has exhibited in his first three seasons.
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CHENGDU, CHINA - JUNE 27: American professional basketball player Kyrie Irving attends a fan meeting during his China tour on June 27, 2026 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province of China. (Photo by You Fang/VCG via Getty Images) | VCG via Getty Images
Welcome to the first official installment of Moneyball Mailbag! Here we will be answering reader questions pertaining to all things Dallas Mavericks, gathered from far and wide (namely, our Feed, social media and maybe even some that were asked face-to-face).
If you asked a question, we’re grateful and thank you for joining in. If you haven’t, please both spread the word and also let us know what’s on your mind – We’ll have a post in The Feed where you can easily post questions to us.
We are on the cusp of training camp so there are plenty of expectations and things to ponder about the upcoming season. We’re excited to hear from you! Special shoutout to our reader, fabian_84, who goes down in Mavs Moneyball history as the provider of our first Moneyball Mailbag question. Without further ado, let’s hear what’s on your minds!
“Do you think Cooper Flagg is on a trajectory to win MVP at one point in his career? What would he have to show in year two to believe that he is on track?”
-Fabian_84
Winning MVP is no easy task. There are a lot of NBA legends who have never done it – Isiah Thomas, John Havlicek, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, George Gervin, Chris Paul, Scottie Pippen – just to name a few. To do it takes a special combination. The player has to at least be exceptional, well-regarded (it’s difficult to believe there is no bias in the vote) and playing for a great team.
So far, I think it’s fair to say Flagg has two of those three things. I also expect he will continue to improve. I think he is a truly special talent with a drive that is unique even amongst professional athletes. Think back to the night he was drafted and the expectation his offensive game was going to need polish. Then think through November and into December and January. He almost instantly outperformed offensive expectations and improved significantly just over the first two or three months of the season. He did most of that as an 18-year-old.
So yes, I do think he is on an MVP level trajectory. To get there (in year two and beyond) he’s going to have to do what all the greats do, which is improve some aspect of his game every season. For year two in particular, I think it has to be an improved three-point percentage along with improved points per game. He has every tool imaginable to fill up virtually all statistical categories, so it’s just a matter of staying healthy and improving year-over-year. Hopefully the team will eventually be good enough to leave little doubt for him.
“How many games do you think Kyrie Irving will play this year”
-Various
I don’t expect him to play any more than 66 games this season for one simple reason. No, it’s not based on his recent history of average games played per season (which is brought low in some part due to New York covid-19 rules and Dwight Powell inflicting a fluke teammate-on-teammate injury). The reason I’m at or below 66 games is because the Mavericks have 16 back-to-back sets this season and I’d be surprise if he plays a complete set of any of them. I have to imagine he will rest on either the first or second night of all of them as a precaution.
That said, I do have what some call an irrational expectation he is going to be much better and much more available than people think. He has had a massive recovery window and everything about him screams “craft” to me. I just can’t envision a scenario where a guy like that didn’t go above and beyond the grueling task of rehabbing on another level.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
While action has yet to resume in the NHL, the KHL season kicked off this weekend, and Montreal Canadiens prospect Alexander Zharovsky has already played two games. While he was held off the scoresheet in Ufa Salavat Yulaev’s 3-2 win over Cherepovets Severstal on Saturday, he was an integral part of Monday’s 4-0 win over Guy Boucher and the Omsk Avangard.
Zharovsky picked up two assists in the contest: the first on Nikita Shcherbakov’s (a New Jersey Devils’ second-round pick at the 2026 draft) first career goal, and the second on another even-strength lamplighter; that one was scored by Vadim Shipachyov (who played three games with the Vegas Golden Knights in2017-18 before heading back to the KHL).
Habs prospect Alexander Zharovsky gets his first point of the season for HC Salavat.
The Canadiens’ second-round pick at the 2025 draft made a strong impression in Montreal over the summer, spending weeks training with fellow Russian Ivan Demidov and discovering the city. He also attended his first development camp with the organization after visa issues prevented him from attending in 2025. He also made one appearance in the three-on-three LSHL, where he showcased his great hands with a few spectacular breakaway goals.
Zharovsky has very smooth hands, and he can thread the needle through defensemen like the best of them. The 19-year-old is in the final season of his contract with Ufa and will be free to move to North America at the end of the season.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees announced the biggest news of their season on Monday, activating Aaron Judge from the IL ahead of today’s series at home against the Colorado Rockies. The Captain’s return has been deeply anticipated ever since he was placed on the IL back at the start of June, as the offense largely disappeared once he departed from the lineup. Even though Judge was, with the benefit of hindsight, playing injured for most of May, the difference he made simply by standing in the batter’s box was night and day — now, with the final 19 games of the regular season in front of them, Judge will be back in that box for most of them and hopefully do some damage with the lumber as well.
It’s fair to note that while Judge is at long last returning, he’s definitely not 100 percent as he’ll get penciled into Aaron Boone’s lineup card later tonight. Judge has foregone a minor league rehab assignment to get back to the team as quickly as possible, and only took batting practice for the first time a few days ago. The rib injury that has held him out for multiple months isn’t fully healed and won’t be for the remainder of the season, limiting how explosive he can be in the outfield (not that the Yankees would want him to push himself as much as he has out there, given it’s how the injury occurred in the first place). Boone has even mentioned that it’s likely Judge will only play for seven innings or so in tonight’s contest and could sit out a couple of games as the team eases him back into the fold. It’s the smart thing to do, especially with the lack of prep games under Judge’s belt, but it begs the question of just what will he look like jumping into MLB action for the first time in 100 days?
Colorado is starting Gabriel Hughes on the mound, a rookie pitcher that Judge has never faced in his career and the owner of a 6.19 ERA entering tonight. He utilizes a low-90s four-seamer over half the time and sprinkles in a sinker a little under 10 percent while also mixing in a slider and changeup in the mid 80s with a 78 mph curveball as his last offering. All in all, that’s about as good of a first matchup as you can hope for, the Yankees’ tendencies to make mediocre rookies look like aces aside. Judge will probably only get two at-bats against him, perhaps three, but there’s a decent chance that he collects a hit to get the ball rolling once more.
Where his impact will be felt immediately, however, will be with the hitters surrounding him. Ben Rice has had a fine 2026 season altogether, but he looked like a superstar emerging when he was hitting alongside Judge in April and May. Now reunited, perhaps Rice gets on a heater with some better looks as pitchers will have a 6-foot-7 slugger on their minds when the designated hitter steps up. Luis García Jr. wasn’t even on this team when Judge last played a game, but one of the best sluggers in the game this year will certainly benefit from a deeper lineup and the threat that Judge’s mere presence provides.
Defensively, as previously mentioned, Judge’s impact will be more limited. In an ideal world Judge would probably slot in as a DH for the remainder of the year, but that spot is already filled with Rice and García on the roster. Add onto that the Trent Grisham injury taking him out of center field, and the outfield depth necessitates Judge man his usual right field while Cody Bellinger and Spencer Jones help him patrol the outfield. Judge’s range may not be close to what we expect as he’ll have to avoid risking any more diving stops and it may take him a bit longer to get a full steam charge chasing down balls, but his arm strength should still be enough of a threat to any would-be sacrifice flies or baserunners trying to stretch a single into a double.
It may not be the most ideal state, but the Yankees won’t be complaining at all that they’re getting Judge back at long last. The team’s potential without him felt extremely limited, and though they’ve been hanging in the division race and maintaining a hold on the top Wild Card spot without him it felt like October was going to be a wash if he couldn’t return. Now all the cards are on the table, and it all begins with him stepping onto the Yankee Stadium outfield grass for the first time in three months tonight. What do you think his box score will read like when he inevitably gets pulled late, and how will the bats around him do?
While we’re all eagerly awaiting No. 99’s rollcall, there’s still plenty to look over before the game starts. Jeremy starts us off with a look at the pitching matchups to expect in this series with the Rockies, and Andrew follows up with the Rivalry Roundup as the Red Sox stayed hot in pursuit with the Yankees inactive. Sam highlights Gerrit Cole’s career thus far on his 36th birthday, Michael goes over the past week down on the farm, Peter breaks down Austin Wells’ clutch extra-inning single in the At-Bat of the Week, and Josh will opine on the experience of missing Judge’s incredible feats now that he’s officially returning.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 15: Ronny Simon #63 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during the game against the Boston Red Sox at PNC Park on August 15, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Bucs made a move before Sunday’s game with the Los Angeles Angels, recalling switch-hitting outfielder Ronny Simon and optioning infielder Nick Yorke to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Simon has only played in 9 games at the big-league level this season, but he’s hitting .290 over just 34 plate attempts. He did not get to play in the Angles series.
Simon was tearing up the International League, however, leading the league with a .344 average and also second overall with 33 doubles. Simon also hit 7 homers, knocked in 72 RBIs and stole a whopping 35 bases. He was also second on the league with a .426 on-base percentage. Suffice it to say, the 26-year-old Simon earned the call up.
Yorke has played 40 games with the Pirates this season, hitting just .212 with 1 homer and 12 RBIs. He had just 3 hits in his last 10 games played for the Bucs. The 24-year-old Yorke is in his third season with the Pirates. He hit .232 last season and then .216 before that.
As for the Pirates, they are coming off of a series win against the Angels and have battled back to within two games of .500 at 71-73. They are certainly playing a bit better of late, yet still stand 5.5 games back of the Wild Card. Playoffs are not an impossibility. Only unlikely.
The Bucs are back in action tonight after taking off Labor Day, when they will return to action for the thre-game series with the Chicago White Sox. The Sox are currently leading their division, so this will be no easy series for the Bucs, but if they can keep it rolling, they can at least finish strong regardless of their playoff status.
We are entering a new era in Boston Celtics basketball.
You can argue guys like Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., and Amari Williams all had breakout seasons in a way last season. With Jayson Tatum out for most of the year, these guys got a chance to play more minutes and were solid contributors for different stretches throughout the 56-win season. With the addition of 2026 draft picks Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell, the Celtics have a treasure trove of young talent looking for a chance to contribute this season.
With the dust seemingly settled from the nuclear fallout of the Jaylen Brown for Paul George trade, the NBA draft and Summer League have come and gone, and as the calendar flips to September, Celtics basketball is on the horizon. With that, I wanted to pose a question for this upcoming season: which young guy on the Celtics roster will have the biggest breakout season?
Baylor Scheierman
Out of all of the young guys from last season, Baylor Scheierman was the guy who arguably had the biggest breakout in his sophomore year with the Celtics. In 77 games last year, Scheierman finished with stats of 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 45.3% shooting from the field and 39.9% from three in 18.6 minutes per game.
He was a completely different player in Year 2. In his rookie season, it took a minute to get acclimated to the league, but he finished hot. Last year, we saw Scheierman flourish in a bigger role where he was able to showcase not only his talent, but his personality as well. From the thumbs up celebration after threes to the hype he showed on the court, we saw Scheierman find comfortability in a recurring role in the Celtics rotation.
Scheierman’s best game of the season came in Game 82 on April 12th in a stunning win against the Orlando Magic. He was given the keys to the Celtics offense as the number one option for Boston and finished with a career high 30 points with 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals on 8-20 FG and 6-14 from three.
Going into the 2026-27 season, I don’t think it would be far out of the realm of possibility if we see Scheierman getting even more minutes than he did last season and maybe even get some 6th Man of the Year votes at some point. He is going into his age-26 season, so there might not be a lot of room for further development, but we could see an inflation in his numbers this year given more minutes regardless.
Hugo Gonzalez
Going into his rookie year as the 28th overall pick in the 2025 draft, many people didn’t know what to expect from Hugo Gonzalez. However, over the course of the season, we saw Gonzalez become an instant fan favorite due to his motor and defensive abilities at only 19 years old. In 74 games, he averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds on 47.6% from the field and 36% from three in 14.6 minutes per game.
We saw Gonzalez step into his role as a spark plug off the bench right from his NBA debut when he was tasked with guarding Jalen Brunson in Madison Square Garden and he held his own. As the season went on, we saw Hugo continue to be an energy shifter in Boston’s rotation anytime he stepped on the floor. His best game of the season came on March 2nd in Milwaukee when Jaylen Brown was out. Gonzalez finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks on 7-15 shooting. His play time was sporadic by the end of the season and in the playoffs but anytime he was on the court, he would make a positive impact, leading all rookies in plus-minus at a +283.
The sky is the limit for what Gonzalez can develop into as a player this season and his stellar play with Spain in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers should have Celtics fans excited. Even if he doesn’t turn into an elite offensive player, his defense will keep him Boston’s rotation for a long time. I could see Gonzalez tapping into his inner Marcus Smart this season and continuing his elite defensive play while continuing to improve his three-point shot. Either way, Celtics fans will always have love for Gonzalez with his effort on the court every night.
Jordan Walsh
Going into his third season, Jordan Walsh was going to be given a chance to play more minutes than he had at any other point in his career. Through his first two seasons, we saw flashes of the elite defense he provided but the offense was still a little behind. That changed in 2026 when Walsh showed maybe the biggest improvement out of everyone. In 68 games (25 starts), he averaged 5.4 points and 4.0 rebounds on 50.9% shooting from the field and 38.4% shooting from three in 17.8 minutes per game.
Walsh got a long run as a starter last season from November 12th to January 1st where we saw him play the best basketball of his career, including his best game of the season where he finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds on 8-8 shooting against the Wizards on December 4th. His defense was elite while also being able to consistently hit the three-ball, shooting 44.7% from beyond the arc. However, Walsh had a little bit of a problem when it came to staying in games, getting into foul trouble often and went back to a bench role for the rest of the season where he continued his solid play.
Walsh is going into the 2026-27 season in a similar position as last year where he has a chance to play another solid role in the Celtics rotation. Boston reinforced their belief in Walsh when they signed him to a three-year, $15 million contract extension on June 23rd that has him under contract through the 2029-30 season. Numbers-wise, I think we will see another season similar to last year but he is only 22 years old, so there is a chance his development is nowhere near its peak.
Ron Harper Jr.
Ron Harper Jr. hands down had the best story out of everyone on the Celtics last season. Harper Jr. went from the Maine Celtics to starting in Game 7 of Boston’s first round playoff matchup. There was a lot that happened in between these two points of Ron Harper Jr.’s season but after being thrown into the fire in his first NBA start guarding Kevin Durant, he turned himself into a very nice depth piece for the Celtics off the bench. In 29 games, he averaged 4.2 points on 41.8% shooting from the field and 35% shooting from three.
Similar to Scheierman, he had his best game of the season on the final game of the season on April 12th against the Magic, dropping a career high 27 points with 7 rebounds, and 3 steals on 10-20 shooting from the field and 5-12 from three. Boston rewarded his efforts last season with a new four-year, $13.7 million deal to return to the team. Harper Jr. proved that he is a legit NBA player last season and is looking to once again be a solid wing option for the Celtics next season.
Amari Williams
The hype around Amari Williams going into his rookie year was small, but it was enough to gain some traction. Williams was the Celtics 46th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Kentucky and was known for his passing ability as a big man. In the regular season with the Maine Celtics, he performed really well, averaging 17.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks on 57.3% shooting from the field. Williams had a few cups of coffee with Boston last season as well where he appeared in 22 games and averaged 1.4 points. His biggest play of the season for Boston was in the Celtics double overtime victory against the Nets on January 23rd where Williams made the game saving block after sitting for almost the entire game.
Williams might have another season similar to his rookie year when it comes to playing time with Boston. With Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, and Luka Garza ahead of him on the depth chart, there isn’t a lot of room for him in the Celtics rotation at this moment. However, this shouldn’t be a discouragement for Williams, because Boston has done an incredible job when it comes to the develop of their big men. Queta is a great example of being the 4th string center on the 2024 championship team now being the starter in 2026. I feel like Williams is another year or two away from being in the rotation, but it will be fun to track his development this season.
Chris Cenac Jr.
With the 27th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Chris Cenac Jr. out of the University of Houston. The 6’11” freshman averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds on 48.5% shooting from the field in his one college season and was considered a lottery pick before falling to Boston. Cenac Jr. was the 6th ranked player in the high school class of 2025 and chose Houston, who is known for their hard work and rebounding, over blue bloods like Kentucky.
Cenac Jr. played with the Celtics Summer League team this season and looked really solid in the three games he played in, averaging 10.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks. The most notable moment from his Summer League performance was when he hit a game-tying three with under one second to go in his debut in a game the Celtics would eventually win in overtime. Cenac Jr. has the profile to be a big contributor to the future of this Celtics team with his strong defensive abilities and upside offensively, but I don’t think he will get a lot of playing time this season. However, by the end of the season, there is a chance he could play a big role for Boston in the final stretch before the playoffs.
Dillon Mitchell
With the 40th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Dillon Mitchell out of St. John’s. In contrast to Cenac Jr. who was a one and done freshman, Mitchell played four years in college, two at Texas, one in Cincinnati and finally with St. John’s. In his senior season, Mitchell averaged 8.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists on 55.9% shooting. Mitchell is defined by his freakish athleticism, being a high flying forward for St. John’s and being known for his motor.
Mitchell put up some great performances in the Celtics Summer League, averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals. His best game for Boston came in his second game against the Hornets, finishing with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals, and 2 blocks on 10-20 shooting from the field and 2-5 shooting from three. There is a good chance that Mitchell will spend most of the season with the Maine Celtics this year but he will be a human highlight reel all season.
My Breakout Pick
If I had to choose out of the seven players highlighted, I will say Hugo Gonzalez has the biggest breakout season. He looked to already be a pro in his rookie season and after an offseason playing for Spain, it wouldn’t surprise me if his offensive game improves to new levels. His defense is already great for a player going into his age 20 season and if he can get his three-point shooting up to maybe 38%, the Celtics will have one of the best elite, young role players in the NBA. Although I chose Gonzalez, it wouldn’t surprise me if any of these guys end up being contributors for Boston next at some point throughout the season.
Less than three weeks remain in Major League Baseball's regular season, with the final wild card spots up for grabs in both the American and National Leagues.
There's still jockeying for the byes to the Division Series, with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers within a game for NL's No. 2 seed behind the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers didn't earn the bye last year, but breezed through the wild card series en route to a second consecutive championship.
