Oklahoma City's James Tibbs III is introduced before a minor league baseball game between the Oklahoma City Comets and the Albuquerque Isotopes at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Friday, March 27, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
A pair of Dodgers pitchers rehabbed in Oklahoma City, and James Tibbs continued his great week at the plate in Texas.
Player of the day
James Tibbs III had three hits, including a solo home run, and two walks for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Tibbs has been the Comets’ best hitter this season but went through a home run drought of 29 games — he was still productive during the stretch, hitting .307/.427/.406 — from June 28 to August 8. But since then he has six home runs in his last 11 games.
Seth Halvorsen allowed two-out single off the glove of Hyeseong Kim to bring home the free runners in the 10th inning of a Comets loss to the the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros).
Alek Thomas, the only other center fielder on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster — if you’re thinking of who might join Los Angeles after Andy Pages’ broken hand — reached base twice with a hit and walk.
Rehabbers
Blake Treinen pitched a perfect sixth inning with two strikeouts. Out for two-plus months with elbow inflammation, Treinen has pitched three times on his rehab assignment, once every three days so far.
Bobby Miller struck out four in his two innings, but also walked a pair and allowed a two-run home run. Miller, also on the 60-day injured list like Treinen but with shoulder soreness, is 17 days into his rehab assignment and has allowed six runs in nine innings in his four games, with 11 strikeouts and four walks.
Double-A Tulsa
The Drillers had only three hits in a shutout loss to the Amarillo Sod Poodles (Diamondbacks). Josue De Paula had one of the hits, a single.
Christian Zazueta struck out nine in five innings, but it was no way to make a living as he also allowed five runs, including a two-run home run.
High-A Great Lakes
Nico Perez drove in four and Eduardo Quintero plated three in the Loons win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres). Both reached base three times.
Brooks Auger struck out four in three scoreless innings.
Class-A Ontario
Ching-Hsien Ko homered in the Tower Buzzers’ win over the Inland Empire 66ers (Mariners). Ko had two hits
Ontario pitched combined for 12 strikeouts in the win.
Double-A: Pitcher Zach Root and catcher Nelson Quiroz landed on the injured list. Tulsa added three players from Arizona to fill a depleted roster — pitchers Josehp Marte, Nick Putnam, and Alex Walsh.
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 21: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers is doused with Powerade by Evan Carter #32 after defeating the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field on Friday, August 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Courtney Kramer/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Rangers 2, Angels 1
I wrote this in the pre-game lineup post:
“Hopefully the Rangers will break the trend of scoring just one run in regulation in games Detmers and Gore go up against each other.”
This was the third time this season that Reid Detmers and MacKenzie Gore had faced each other.
In each of the first two games, Gore and Detmers each allowed one run in their starts, and the Rangers scored just one run in nine innings.
In one of those games, the Rangers won in extra innings. In the other, the Rangers lost the game on a walk-off with two outs when Justin Foscue made a bad throw.
Somehow, the Rangers managed combine the outcomes of the previous two Detmers/Gore starts into one package by winning in extra innings in a walkoff due to an Angels infielder making a bad throw.
We had good MacKenzie Gore on the mound for this one.
I mean, I guess you could probably guess that, given that the Angels only scored one run, and that one in extra innings.
But Gore was masterful, allowing just four baserunners in six innings, with two singles, a walk and a hit by pitch. Gore struck out seven and got a 21 whiffs on 100 pitches. He was missing bats with a bunch of different pitches, too, generating at least four swings-and-misses with the fastball, the slider, the changeup and the curveball.
Gore has a 2.10 ERA in his last five starts, with 34 Ks against just 8 walks in 30 innings over that stretch, and one would like to think that he’s turned a corner, though given Gore’s history, it is just as likely he’s about to turn another corner that will send him back to where he started.
We got a scoreless Cole Winn outing, which I know excites everyone, and Chase Silseth and Jacob Latz each keeping the Angels off the board for an inning apiece.
For those of you out there who aren’t math whizzes, that totals up to nine shutout innings, and that should have been good enough to keep the game from going into extra innings.
I will take the blame for that, due to my inadvertent monkey paw wish about this not being a game that the Rangers score one run in regulation in. I apparently hexed the Rangers bats in the first nine innings, as they managed to get baserunners on, get some hits even, but still not score.
The Rangers had one hit in the first nine innings with a runner in scoring position. It was a fifth inning one out bunt single by Evan Carter that loaded the bases for Justin Foscue and Corey Seager, neither of whom could drive a runner home.
They even had Ezequiel Duran on third base with one out in the ninth, after a double and a wild pitch, but offensive catalyst Nicky Lopez struck out, and after pinch hitter Joc Pederson was walked intentionally, Evan Carter also struck out.
Carter challenged the third strike call, for what it is worth. It was unsuccessful. To rub salt in the wound, that was right after a successful ABS challenge by the Angels on a pitch that was called a ball initially, and would have made the count 3-1 to Carter, rather than 2-2.
Carter, I will note, was 2 for 4 in the game, with a double to go with his bunt single. He and Corey Seager were the two hitters with exactly two hits apiece, of the 11 Rangers hits.
Tyler Alexander allowed a double in the tenth — just the third Angels hit of the game — that gave the Angels the 1-0 lead that the Rangers had to surmount in the bottom of the inning against Ben Joyce.
Ben Joyce throws really hard. He threw 11 pitches Friday night. The fastest of those pitches was 103.0 mph, which is pretty fast.
A Justin Foscue fly out sent Zombie Runner Evan Carter to third base. Corey Seager struck out, no doubt prompting knowing nods from the “Seager is toast and the Rangers should’ve dumped him when they had the chance” crowd, and Wyatt Langford quickly went down 0-2, challenging the second strike unsuccessfuly and thus burning the Rangers’ final ABS challenge.
Down 0-2, our intrepid squad seemed doomed. Ben Joyce hadn’t allowed a hitter to reach all year after being down 0-2. True, this was just the fourth 0-2 count Joyce had had all season, what with it being just his 7th appearance on the year, but still…
Yet, somehow, Langford managed to get wood on a 102.4 mph Joyce heater, managed to flare it the other way, with the ball finding grass, Carter scampering home, and Langford ending up at second.
I would say it is better to be lucky than good, but you have to be kind of good to make contact on an 0-2 102+ mph fastball.
An intentional walk to Brandon Nimmo brought up Ezequiel Duran, who already had three hits on the day. And then this happened:
Duran smokes a ball that Denver Guzman makes a diving play on to prevent a game winning single, or double, depending on your point of view. In retrospect, he should have put it in his pocket and let Joyce go after Jake Burger with the bases loaded. But no, he tried to get the out at second, threw the ball away (and wouldn’t have gotten Nimmo even if he had made an accurate throw, I don’t think), and that was ballgame.
So something kind of weird…Joyce’s fastball to Duran was 95.8 mph, the slowest pitch he threw by 2.5 mph in the outing. It also had less spin and more downward movement than any of his other fastballs in the game.
Was he trying to take something off the pitch? Did he just not have a good grip? Was it supposed to be a sinker (his sinker averages 95.8 mph) and he just got too much spin on it?
Like the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop, the world may never know.
Somehow, the Rangers are back in sole possession of Wild Card 3 right now, a game up on Cleveland and Minnesota, and are just a game back of Houston.
Amazing.
MacKenzie Gore touched 96.5 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.0 mph. Cole Winn’s fastball topped out at 96.9 mph. Chase Sileth hit 97.4 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz’s fastball maxed out at 96.3 mph. Tyler Alexander hit 92.9 mph with his fastball.
Wyatt Langford had a 108.9 mph GIDP. Elias Diaz had a 106.6 mph single and a 106.2 mph groundout. Ezequiel Duran had a 105.0 mph single, a 102.2 mph single, a 101.9 mph groundout and a 100.9 mph single. Corey Seager had a 102.4 mph fly out. Justin Foscue had a 101.9 mph fly out. Evan Carter had a 101.4 mph double. Brandon Nimmo had a 100.1 mph groundout.
This is a two game winning streak. I think they should make it a three game winning streak on Saturday.
Australia’s fast bowlers bounced back from last week’s Darwin debacle with a dominant display, but the batters once again flopped as 18 wickets fell on day one of the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay.
Another full slate in the big leagues means lots of opportunity for long balls in my MLB player props home run analysis.
Included in today's picks are Alejandro Kirk, Jordan Walker, and Pete Alonso.
Find out more in my MLB picks for Saturday, August 22.
UPDATE: Added Pete Alonso HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Jordan Walker
+442
Pete Alonso
+414
Alejandro Kirk
+442
💲Today's HR parlay
+14944
Home run pick: Jordan Walker (+442)
St. Louis Cardinals star Jordan Walker is tearing the cover off the baseball right now. He's gone deep in three straight games, and the slugger has four long balls in his last eight contests.
During that span, Walker has a .471 ISO and a mind-boggling 22.2% barrel rate. He's consistently getting lift as well, posting a 55.6% fly ball rate in the last week.
Walker will face Andrew Painter tonight, who has a 6.08 FIP in his previous two outings while allowing 1.74 HR/9 and a fly ball rate of 41.4%.
One mistake from Painter could be punished by one of the hottest bats in the big leagues.
I'll play this pick down to +400.
Time: 6:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, Cardinals.TV
Home run pick: Alejandro Kirk (+442)
Alejandro Kirk may not be a player who hits a lot of home runs, but he's showcasing his power lately. The Toronto Blue Jays catcher has two bombs in his last six games and a .304 ISO.
Although his fly ball rate isn't huge during the last week, Kirk is consistently squaring up the baseball, posting a 50% hard-hit rate.
Ryan Weathers hasn't allowed a lot of home run damage lately, but the New York Yankees' bullpen is vulnerable to the long ball at times, surrendering 1.26 HR/9 across the last month.
Kirk is hot, and one mistake could see him leave the yard again.
Play this pick down to +400.
Time: 1:35 p.m. ET Where to watch: YES, Sportsnet
Home run pick: Pete Alonso (+414)
Pete Alonso is really finding his power stroke lately. The Baltimore Orioles slugger has clubbed four home runs in his last seven appearances with an ISO of .481. His slugging also sits at a ridiculous .981.
Alonso will face Shane McClanahan tonight, and while it's a small sample size, he has homered off him before. However, where I see the best chance for Alonso to go deep is when the left-hander exits.
The Tampa Bay Rays' bullpen has allowed 1.59 HR/9 over the last week, and over half of Alonso's homers have come at home.
Play this pick down to +400.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, Rays.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 18-88, -4.89 units
Today’s HR combo
Jordan Walker
Trade Now +14944
Pete Alonso
Alejandro Kirk
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Senators Goose Goslin slides safely into home and collides with Yankees catcher Wally Schang in 2nd game of double header (baseball) ca. August 15, 1925. (photo by: HUM Images/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
When a player in today’s Major League Baseball scene comes along and does something extraordinary, he’ll provide a flurry of answers as to what brought him into that position in the first place. When Aaron Judge hit 62 home runs in 2022, the number by itself was otherworldly, but passing Roger Maris’ mark of 61 made it even more special. The players who came before set a standard. And one of the leaders for early switch-hitters and catchers was Wally Schang, the first regular backstop for a Yankees World Series champion.
Walter “Wally” Henry Schang Born: August 22, 1889 (South Wales, NY) Died: March 6, 1965 (St. Louis, MO) Yankees Tenure: 1921-25
Walter Henry Schang was born into a baseball family, gathering passion for the game from his father, who played in the local town league. “Wally” started playing semipro ball in Holland, New York, in high school. Over three seasons, Wally earned a reputation as one of the area’s best semipros. The Buffalo Bisons of the International League were impressed and picked up Schang’s contract near the end of the season. Appearing in 48 games for the Bisons in 1912, Schang batted .333 along with making an excellent defensive impression. In the 1913 season, 13 of the 16 MLB clubs attempted to draft him (per SABR). The Philadelphia Athletics were the fortunate team to land Schang, and from there, he began his professional career.
The one season with the Bisons was the only one that Schang would play in the minor leagues. A’s owner/manager Connie Mack decided he would be best served at the highest level. Schang finished with 207 at-bats and hit .266, ranked first among all major league catchers with three home runs, and his .392 OBP with a .416 put him at an .808 OPS to end the year. He also was one of the league’s best defensive catchers, and all of those facts helped him to finish eighth in MVP voting.
The Athletics played the New York Giants in the 1913 World Series, and Schang hit .357 in four games with a team-leading seven RBIs. With that, the rookie was a champion already at just 23 years old.
October 10, 1913: Philadelphia Athletics catcher Wally Schang takes aim at the right field wall during batting practice prior to Game 4 of the World Series.
Philadelphia won the 1914 American League pennant with a 99-53 record and was again aided by Schang, who developed from an exciting up-and-comer to the best offensive catcher in the game. Wally led all catchers in the Junior Circuit in batting average (.287), extra-base hits (22), home runs (3), slugging percentage (.404), and RBI (45). However, he fell short on the defensive end due to a broken thumb and was tied for the AL lead for catchers in errors, but he still finished 10th in MVP voting that year thanks to his impressive offensive performance. Schang went 2-for-12 during Philly’s surprising World Series sweep at the hands of the “Miracle” Boston Braves.
Despite the Athletics’ rapid decline following the 1914 season, Schang remained an excellent player. In his final three years with the team, his lowest posted OPS+ was 122. In 1916, he posted the second-highest home run total of his career (7). But in 1917, Mack’s gradual firesale of his wonderful team led to Schang’s dismissal. The A’s traded him to the Boston Red Sox, along with right-handed pitcher Joe Bush and center fielder Amos Strunk.
In three seasons with the Red Sox, Schang did exactly what he had done previously with Philadelphia, including a World Series win in his second season, 1918. The backstop went 4-for-11 in five games against the Cubs to secure the title. Two years later, he posted an .862 OPS and four home runs compared to his zero in the two previous years. In 1919, the Red Sox had sent Babe Ruth to the Yankees, and after that 1920 campaign, Schang followed in a trade with three teammates for catcher Muddy Ruel and three other Yankees. Bombers GM Ed Barrow had been Schang’s manager in Boston, and he wanted his old catcher back on board — like many of his former Red Sox standouts.
In 1921, at 31, Schang joined Ruth and helped the Yankees reach the World Series for the first time as a franchise. He also played a career-high 134 games that season. He slashed .316/.428/.453 with a career-high 78 walks, 53 RBIs, and 134 hits (also a career best). In 1922, he played 124 games with a .319/.405/.412 slash line with 52 RBIs, 130 hits, 53 walks, and 36 strikeouts, helping him to finish 13th in MVP voting, the first finish in the top 15 since his top-10 finish eight years earlier in 1914. He hit a disappointing .188 in the Yankees’ 1922 World Series loss, but recovered the next year in the postseason.
Schang made three total World Series with the Yankees, winning the third of his career in 1923 against the crosstown Giants, and he wasn’t just along for the ride. He batted .318 in the postseason with a .711 OPS. And while he didn’t record an RBI, Schang came across to score three runs in that 1923 Fall Classic, a career-high. It was his final career playoff appearance, but the Bombers made it memorable — in their first season at newly-constructed Yankee Stadium to boot.
In 1924 with the Yankees, Schang hit just above the average for a catcher, with an OPS+ of 108. But in 1925, now 35 at this point, with rumors that Schang’s eyesight might be declining, he didn’t do much to quell them, finishing with a .645 OPS in 73 games, and he was traded to the St. Louis Browns in 1926.
In five seasons with St. Louis, he didn’t play over 100 games outside of his first year, but he still performed well in a limited role. He hit .294/.423/.439 through his career before being sent back to Philadelphia to join the World Series-bound (and winning) Athletics, who Mack had successfully rebuilt with the help of Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Mickey Cochrane, and more. However, Schang did not appear for the team in the 1930 Fall Classic and finished his MLB career with the Detroit Tigers at age 41. He slashed an abysmal .184/.311/.211 in 30 games, but he continued to be revered by his teammates.
In retirement, Schang was a coach and minor-league scout/manager, even mentoring teenage prodigy Bob Feller at the outset of his Hall of Fame career in Cleveland. Schang missed the Hall of Fame multiple times, but he is still a player who made an impression on the early days of 20th-century baseball, both as a switch-hitter and as a catcher.
Happy birthday, Wally!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 21: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres tosses his bat after hitting a two-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Petco Park on August 21, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A four-run bottom of the fifth inning by the San Diego Padres gave Randy Vasquez all he needed to complete seven innings in a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins in the opening game of their three-game series at Petco Park on Friday night.
Vasquez had cruised through the first three innings after being given a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Ty France connected on a mammoth two-out, two-run home run that he knew was gone off the bat. Vasquez seemed to pitch freely and worked quickly with the lead, but found trouble in the top of the fourth inning.
The right-hander allowed a single and hit a batter, but was able to get two outs inning the inning. Kody Clemens was down 0-1 as Vasquez looked to get out of the jam, as he so often does, without allowing a run but Clemens lined a ball over Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field that resulted in a two-run triple to tie the game at 2-2.
The Padres did not immediately respond, but after Vasquez pitched a scoreless fifth inning San Diego erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Austin Hays beat out what was essentially a swinging bunt to start the inning. Jake Cronenworth worked a one-out walk to put two runners on and Tatis delivered a line drive single through the right side of the infield to put the Padres back in front, 3-2. Luis Rengifo followed with a single to left to make the score 4-2 and Manny Machado recorded the third consecutive hit with a single to right which pushed the lead to 5-2. France stepped to the plate with one out and runners on the corners and drove in his third run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field to give San Diego a 6-2 advantage,
Vasquez who looked to be finished with his outing before the big inning, returned to the mound in the sixth and again in the seventh and retired a string of 10 batters stretching back to the final out of the fourth inning. He finished his night after seven innings having allowed two runs on two hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Bradgley Rodriguez pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Mason Miller came in for the ninth in a non-save situation. He struck out all three batters he faced to secure the opening game of the home stand.
Tatis led the Padres offense with three hits and was followed by Rengifo and Machado who each added two hits. France finished 1-for-1 with the first inning home run and had two walks, three RBI and a run scored.
San Diego will try to make it two in a row when they return to action tonight at 5:40 p.m.
Padres News:
No one outside the Padres organization knows what they will do with top prospect Ethan Salas. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball makes the case for why he should be called up for the postseason run.
The Atlanta Braves have scored two runs or fewer in four of their last five games, and now they're tasked with facing Logan Henderson and the Milwaukee Brewers (-170).
My Braves vs. Brewers predictions and MLB picks expect Atlanta's offensive struggles to continue, setting the stage for Milwaukee to claim another low-scoring victory on Saturday, Aug. 22.
Who will win Braves vs Brewers today: Brewers moneyline (-175)
The Atlanta Braves are reeling offensively. They sit 28th in on base percentage against right-handed pitching in August, and it’s not going to get any easier for them facing Logan Henderson.
He has been exceptional, pitching to a 2.70 ERA, 2.90 SIERA, and striking out over 31% of opposing batters.
The Milwaukee Brewers are more likely to hold their own at the plate. Regression started to come for Martin Perez last time out, and his season numbers (3.15 ERA, 4.64 SIERA) indicate tougher times are still ahead.
Back the in-form offense against the weaker pitcher. Brewers to -180.
Braves vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-105)
Six different Braves own xwOBAs of .300 or worse against Henderson’s pitch mix over the last 30 games.
There are a lot of black holes in their offense right now, and that is going to make it tough to score more than a couple of runs off Henderson.
Perez is an elite home run suppressor, on pace to give up fewer than one HR/9 for the second consecutive year.
His ability to limit raw power — even when not at his best — should help keep the Brewers to a manageable number.
Take the Under to -112.
Braves vs Brewers home run prediction: Jackson Chourio (+425)
Jackson Chourio has a strong profile against left-handed pitching. He owns a .305 average, .891 OPS, and his batted ball numbers are very good.
Chourio sits in the 82nd percentile in xSLG, as well as the 88th percentile in both hard-hit rate and barrels. He is consistently making powerful contact.
His exit velocity and hard-hit rate are trending up over the last 25 at-bats, and he's taken Perez yard in one of eight career at-bats against him.
I’d play Chourio to +415.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 86-78, -10.20 units
Over/Under bets: 85-73-6, +1.22 units
Braves vs Brewers weather
This game will be played in a dome.
Braves vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Braves +145 | Brewers -170
Run line: Braves +1.5 (-140) | Brewers -1.5 (+120)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-115) | Under 7.5 (-105)
Braves vs Brewers trend
Milwaukee has hit the moneyline in 35 of their last 50 home games (+11.55 units, 14% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Brewers.
How to watch Braves vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Saturday, August 22, 2026
First pitch
2:10 p.m. ET
TV
MLB Network
Braves starting pitcher
Bryce Elder (8-7, 3.92 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Logan Henderson (7-2, 2.70 ERA)
Braves vs Brewers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 18: Jo Adell #7 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a home run in the first inning during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Guardians had a great series-opening win against the Rockies.
Jake covered it for us here in a very fun recap. Stephen Vogt talked a lot about Kwan and Bazzana not trying to do too much and taking the ball where it was pitched. I know folks are concerned the team is overemphasizing pull-lift. Vogt never sounds like a guy who believes every pitch should be pulled and lifted, for what it’s worth.
Since I questioned if trading for Patrick Bailey was a mistake, he has been Barry Bonds. So… we should bench Rocchio, guys. He’s terrible.
Around MLB
The White Sox, Orioles, Astros and Rangers won, Tigers, Blue Jays and Twins lost. The Guardians are currently one game behind the Rangers for the third wildcard, and 4.5 behind the White Sox in the division. The Rangers are one game behind the Astros in the West.
It’s Dylan Cease bump day, so you know we have to back Toronto in our Blue Jays vs. Yankees predictions.
The Toronto Blue Jays visit the New York Yankees for Game 2 of their three-game series this afternoon at Yankee Stadium as slight -105 underdogs at BET99. They’ve shrunk their path to the Wild Card to just 1.5 games, and are looking for an eighth straight series win.
Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Saturday, Aug. 22, and win another best bet.
Blue Jays vs Yankees predictions
Blue Jays vs Yankees best bet: Blue Jays moneyline (-105)
Dylan Cease is likely going to win the AL Cy Young odds race for a reason — he’s pretty good at throwing baseballs. He’s especially good at throwing baseballs against the New York Yankees.
Across 126 plate appearances, New York owns just a .306 xwOBA, .232 xBA, and is striking out at a 28% clip.
Look for them to take Game 2 of the series with Cease on the mound.
COVERS INTEL: Who's hotter than Alejandro Kirk right now? He just moved his hitting streak to nine games yesterday, and is 3-for-5 with a .330 xBA against Weathers.
Blue Jays vs Yankees same-game parlay (SGP)
We’re riding Cease to go deep and record nine strikeouts after punching this lineup out at a 28% rate.
Charles McAdoo has also done his job since getting called up, and we’re taking a chance on him after going 2-for-3 in his initial meeting with Weathers. Let’s cash our third SGP this week.
Blue Jays vs Yankees SGP
Charles McAdoo 2+ H/R/RBI
Blue Jays moneyline
Dylan Cease 8+ Ks
Alberta: Sports betting is now live!
Regulated Alberta sports betting has officially launched, allowing sportsbooks to operate under provincial oversight.
You can sign up and join BET99 — one of the best Alberta betting apps — now to get in on the Blue Jays action!
Sign Up Now atimg src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/82/bet99.svg" alt="BET99" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
Blue Jays vs Yankees home run pick: George Springer (+575)
Let’s ride with the veteran George Springer here, who has two homers under his belt against Weathers in just eight at-bats.
At this price, you have to take a chance on him at one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the bigs.
2026 Transparency Record
Best bets: 5-5, +2.36 units
SGPs:2-8, -0.7 units
HR picks: 0-10, -2.3 units
Blue Jays vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Toronto (-105) | New York (-115)
Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+170) | New York +1.5 (-210)
Over/Under: Over 7 (+100) | Under 7 (-120)
Blue Jays vs Yankees trend
The Blue Jays are 5-0 in Cease's last five starts as a road underdogs. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Yankees.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Saturday, August 22, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
YES, SportsNet
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease (7-5, 2.42 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers (5-7, 3.56 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Yankees latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Two decades after he played his final game for the Senators, Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara took his final shift on Friday.
Chara was the star of “Zee’s Final Shift," a final exhibition game to honour Chara's career. The game featured several former Senators and a lot of ex-Boston Bruins, the team he truly made his name with.
While he spent four good years with the Sens, it was 20 years ago this summer that he left Ottawa to sign with Boston, where he'd spend the next 14 years.
Friday's game was held at a rink named after former Senator Pavol Demitra in Chara’s hometown of Trencin, Slovakia. The evening closed with a lovely moment as Chara removed his skates at centre ice, left them on the faceoff dot, and walked off with his two twin sons, Zack and Ben.
The act was special for two reasons.
The biggest was the nod to his father, Zdenek, a Greco-Roman wrestler who competed for Czechoslovakia in the Olympics. When a wrestler removes their shoes and leaves them in the center of the mat or ring, it's a powerful symbol that their time in competitive wrestling is at an end.
Also, as every hockey fan knows, Chara literally leaves the game with some very big skates to fill.
His former Bruins teammates know that better than most. They lined up in tribute with an ad hoc tunnel for the Charas to walk through as they left the ice. Even without skates on, as he walked off in his socks, he was still taller than most of his friends.
The former Senators' content included Marian Hossa, Chris Kelly, Peter Bondra, and Radek Hamr.
Former and current Bruins taking part in the game included Patrice Bergeron, Ray Bourque, Johnny Boychuk, Andrew Ference, Jaroslav Halak, Chris Kelly, Milan Lucic, Adam McQuaid, David Pastrnak, Mark Recchi, Michael Ryder, Dennis Seidenberg, Josef Stumpel, and Marco Sturm.
Other players involved the game were Peter Bondra, Petr Cech, Marian Gaborik, Radek Hamr, Michal Handzus, Marian Hossa, Jaromir Jagr, Tomas Kaberle, Anze Kopitar, Ziggy Palffy, Robert Reichel, Miroslav Satan, Andrej Sekera, Tomas Vanek, Jakub Voracek, and Aaron Ward.
The evening even included a hardest shot contest where Chara exactly matched his 2012 NHL All-Star record with a 108.8 mph slap shot, a super specific radar reading that would usually raise an eyebrow or two, but not on a night like this.
The building was filled with too much love to do anything but cheer.
It's another busy day in the Majors, and my MLB player props analysis is eyeing value both on the mound and at the dish.
I'll start things off with Dylan Cease, followed by Casey Mize and Jordan Walker.
Read more in my MLB picks for Saturday, August 22.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Dylan Cease
Under 1.5 earned runs
+102
Casey Mize
Under 2.5 earned runs
-151
Jordan Walker
Over 1.5 total bases
+104
Dylan Cease Under 1.5 earned runs (+102)
The Toronto Blue Jays send their ace Dylan Cease to the hill today against the New York Yankees. While Cease has been a little bit more vulnerable lately, he still owns a stellar 1.81 xERA over the last month.
The right-hander has cashed the Under in earned runs allowed in three of his previous five appearances, and he'll face a Yankees lineup with a poor 78 wRC+ across their last six contests.
On top of that, Cease has dominated this lineup. Across a large sample size of 95 at-bats, New York is only hitting .168 against him.
I'll play this pick down to -120.
Time: 1:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet, YES
Casey Mize Under 2.5 earned runs (-151)
Casey Mize gets the ball tonight against the Minnesota Twins. The San Diego Padres right-hander has allowed Under 2.5 earned runs in two straight starts with his new team, and he has a 3.42 FIP during that span.
Mize rarely gives up a lot of runs. In fact, he's held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in four of his previous five outings. The veteran faces a Twins lineup that isn't in the greatest form, collecting a 91 wRC+ in the last week.
Mize will keep Minnesota at bay here.
Play this pick up to -160.
Time: 8:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, Padres.TV
Jordan Walker Over 1.5 total bases (+104)
Jordan Walker is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now. He has smacked four homers in his last eight games and posted a ridiculous .471 ISO.
The St. Louis Cardinals slugger has cashed the Over in total bases in five of his last six games, and he finished with three hits in Friday's loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Walker will face the vulnerable Andrew Painter tonight, who sports a 6.08 FIP over his previous two appearances.
Walker also has a 55.6% hard-hit rate and 22.2% barrel rate over the last week. He'll keep it rolling.
Play this pick down to -110.
Time: 6:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, Cardinals.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 9-3, +6.02
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
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Inglewood, CA - April 15: Forward Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers shoots a freethrow against the Golden State Warriors in the first half of a NBA play-in tournament basketball game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Kawhi Leonard trade saga has left the Toronto Raptors in limbo, with the proposed deal currently on hold as the NBA investigates the Los Angeles Clippers. Toronto and Los Angeles agreed to a deal that would send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a pick swap to the Clippers in exchange for Leonard, but the Raptors are waiting for the league to finish its investigation before moving forward.
That is a massive price to pay for any player, and especially for a 35-year-old Leonard. But if the investigation is resolved and this trade eventually goes through, the Raptors can’t afford to treat it as anything less than a championship-or-bust move. I believe that if you’re willing to give up that much to bring Leonard back to Toronto, you better be ready to go all in
The Raptors are NOT getting 2019 Kawhi back .
The biggest thing the Raptors need to understand is that this isn’t the same Kawhi Leonard who led them to a championship in 2019. That version of Leonard was 27 years old and in his prime, coming off a season in which he averaged 26.6 points per game before turning it up another level in the playoffs. Seven years later, Leonard is 35 and has considerably more mileage on his body. That doesn’t mean he isn’t still an elite player, he averaged 27.9 points per game last season and showed that he can still take over games, but you can not expect him to recreate what he did in 2019, that would be foolish. Toronto isn’t getting a time machine. It’s getting an older, still-great version of Kawhi, and that distinction matters when you’re giving up this much to acquire him. I think that despite his age, he can still make a massive impact on this team and compliments some of the younger talent. If Leonard is the player Toronto is betting on, the timeline suddenly becomes much more important. The Raptors can’t make this trade and then spend the next two or three seasons patiently waiting for their young players to develop. By then, Kawhi will be pushing 40. If the goal is another championship, the time to chase it is now.
The trade package means Toronto can’t settle for mediocrity
If you look at what Toronto is reportedly giving up for Leonard: Ingram, Dick, multiple future draft picks and a pick swap. That’s a significant chunk of the Raptors’ present and future, all for a player who could have a relatively short window left at the top of his game. If Toronto gives up that kind of package and ends up as nothing more than a solid team, what exactly was the point? The Raptors aren’t making this trade to raise their floor. They’re making it to raise their ceiling, and that ceiling has to be a championship or else I feel that they would be destroying their future. There is a huge difference between being a team that can compete and being a team that can win it all. After making this trade, Toronto can’t be satisfied with simply being competitive. If you’re willing to sacrifice this much of your future for Leonard, you better be willing to sacrifice even more to make sure the roster around him is good enough to win four playoff series.
If you’re going to make this trade, you have to continue building the roster
If the Raptors are going to make this trade, they can’t expect Kawhi Leonard to suddenly turn the existing roster into a championship team by himself. Toronto needs to look at the roster and be honest about what it still needs to compete with the best teams in the NBA. More shooting, reliable depth and players who can contribute in the playoffs should all be on the table. The Raptors have already shown they’re willing to sacrifice a significant part of their future to bring Leonard back. Now, they need to make sure the roster around him is good enough to justify that gamble.
This is where going “all-in” actually matters. If there is another move that can make this team better, Toronto shouldn’t be afraid to make it. If there’s a veteran who can help in the playoffs, go get him. If the roster needs more shooting, find it. The goal shouldn’t be to protect every remaining asset just because the Raptors have already given up so much. The whole point of making this trade is to win now, so build a team capable of doing exactly that.
As a Raptors fan, I’ll be honest: I’m pumped. I’ll always be grateful for what Kawhi Leonard did for this franchise in 2019, and the idea of seeing him back in Toronto is exciting. As a realist, though, the trade package concerns me. That’s a lot to give up for a 35-year-old, but at the same time, there aren’t many 35-year-olds in the league like Kawhi Leonard. That’s what makes this such a fascinating gamble. This isn’t the same Kawhi who brought the Raptors their first championship, but he’s still capable of being one of the best players on the floor when he’s healthy. That’s why, if the investigation clears the way and Kawhi officially becomes a Raptor again, Toronto can’t stop there. The trade package is too significant, and the window is too short. Build the roster, make the necessary moves and see just how far this team can go. For now, though, all Raptors fans can do is hope the investigation gets cleared up, Kawhi makes his way back to Toronto, and then see what happens.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 40 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #40. No active players currently wear the #40.
Let's take a look.
Bill Bowler - 2000-01 - Bowler was undrafted out of Toronto, CA.
Bowler played a total of 9 games for the Jackets during their inaugural season and had two points. He spent most of that year with the Syracuse Crunch and totaled 79 points in 72 games. In 2002, he spent one season in Germany before retiring.
Bowler has worked for the Windsor Spitfires as the VP of Hockey Operations and General Manager since 2019.
Brad Moran - 2001-04 - Moran was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 7th round of the 1998 NHL Draft.
The Jackets signed Moran as a free agent in 2000. He only played in 5 games as a Blue Jacket and had 2 points. He spent most of his time playing for the AHL Syracuse Crunch. In his final year with the Crunch in 2004-05, he played in 80 games and had 72 points.
Moran left for a second stint in Europe in 2011 and played the last six years of his career there. He would retire after playing two seasons in the EIHL in 2017.
Moran would be the GM and HC of the Calgary Canucks in the Alberta Junior Hockey League from 2018 to 2025. For the 25-26 season, Moran is signed on to be the Asst. Coach of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen.
Duvie Westcott - 2001-08 - Westcott was undrafted and signed by the CBJ in 2001.
Wescott played in 201 games for the Blue Jackets from 2001 to 2008. He scored 11 goals and totaled 56 points. Wescott was described as "a gritty defenseman with a solid all-around game. Has good passing ability and power play skills."
After playing for Columbus, Wescott went to Europe and played the next seven seasons in the KHL, DEL, and Swiss National League. He retired in 2015.
Fred Brathwaite - 2003-04 - Brathwaite was undrafted out of Ottawa, Canada.
Brathwaite played in 21 games for the Jackets in the 2003-04 season. He went 4-11-1 with an .897 SV %. After his year in Columbus, he bounced back and forth between North America and Europe. He didn't play from 2012 to 2020. He was hired by the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights as their goaltending coach in 2020, where he remains. At age 48, he dressed as a backup for Henderson when Logan Thompson was unavailable.
Jaroslav Balaštík - 2005-07 - Balaštík was drafted in the 6th round of the 2002 NHL Draft by Columbus.
Jaroslav Balaštík played in 74 career games for the CBJ. He scored 13 goals and totaled 24 points during his tenure. After his time with Columbus, he returned to his home country of Czechia, where he would play until 2015.
Jared Boll - 2007-16 - Boll was drafted in the 4th round of the 2005 NHL Draft.
Boll played in 518 games for the CBJ and totaled 62 points. He is #1 all-time in CBJ history with 1,195 PIMs and has 154 fights to his name.
Jared Boll was a big man in his playing days. Standing 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, there weren’t too many who would willingly step up to Boll. He was an old-school enforcer who would not hesitate to stand up for his teammates and take one on the chin if necessary. In his career, he fought the St Louis Blues more than any other team. He had four seasons where he had fight totals over 20, and there were a few seasons that were 15+. His most common opponent was Krys Bach (5), and he fought the likes of Paul Bissonnette (4), George Parros (4), and Clayton Stoner. Boll is the best enforcer the CBJ has ever had.
After retiring from the Anaheim Ducks, Boll returned to Columbus, where he is now an assistant coach.
Daniil Tarasov - 2021-25 - Tarasov was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Tarasov started 61 games for Columbus during his tenure, going 19-34-6 with a SV% of .898. Used primarily as a backup, Tarasov's time in Columbus was generally looked at as a failure, but it was mainly due to injuries.
Unfortunately for Tarasov, he was stuck behind Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzļikins for a few years. While Merzļikins was struggling, he had every opportunity to grab the bull by the horns and take off, but he did not do that.
Last season, everything kind of came unglued for the young Russian. He was benched in favor of Jet Greaves on several occasions and even had to be sent to Cleveland on a conditioning assignment. Things were not going well. He ended last season with a SV% of .881.
On 26 June 2025, Tarasov was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft. The book on Daniil Tarasov in Columbus was finally over.
In 2026, Tarasov signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings.
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SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Kyson Witherspoon #50 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides vs. Nashville Sounds (Brewers) — POSTPONED
This game was canceled due to wet grounds and will be made up as part of a Saturday doubleheader.
A 2-1 Baysox lead disappeared after a three-run top of the eighth for Richmond, with reliever Ryan Long coughing up an Earl Weaver special to Giants prospect Lisbel Diaz. Before that, starter Patrick Reilly had his most successful outing since returning from Tommy John surgery, holding the Flying Squirrels to one run in five solid innings. He walked three and struck out six.
The Chesapeake lineup managed only five hits in this game. Wehiwa Aloy was the only batter with multiple knocks, going 2-for-4 with a double. The red-hot Aron Estrada was held hitless but contributed a sac fly and a walk.
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 1, Frederick Keys 0 — Game 1, F/7
The Keys and Blue Rocks played to a scoreless tie until Wilmington walked it off in the bottom of the seventh (remember, doubleheader games in the minors are only seven innings). But you certainly can’t pin the loss on starter Kyson Witherspoon, who was absolutely brilliant in his third start since joining the organization in the Adley Rutschman trade. The right-hander pitched five hitless, scoreless innings, racking up eight strikeouts and walking three. It was the first hitless outing of his career and the second scoreless.
Unfortunately, Witherspoon got no help from the Keys offense, which had only three hits, all singles. Fellow Rutschman trade acquisition Enddy Azocar had one of them. The Keys drew six walks but went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Reliever Bradley Brehmer continued the Keys’ no-hit bid in the sixth inning, but in the seventh, he gave up a double and a Jacob Walsh walkoff single.
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks 2, Frederick Keys 1 — Game 2, F/7
In a makeup of Thursday’s rainout, Wilmington completed the doubleheader sweep with another low-offense, one-run victory. This time the Keys got only two hits, and all told, they went just 5-for-43 in the doubleheader. Not great! Again they had plenty of baserunners, thanks to seven walks, but they squandered nearly every scoring opportunity. They took another 0-fer with RISP and their only run scored on a double play.
Stephen Still (not the guy from Buffalo Springfield) struck out eight batters in four innings, but he gave up two runs, and on this night that was enough for him to be saddled with the loss. Once again it was Jacob Walsh who did all the damage with a two-run single. Walsh drove in all three of the Blue Rocks’ runs in the twin bill.
Offense continued to be nonexistent for Orioles affiliates on this night. The Shorebirds were blanked by Crawdads pitchers Moises Morales, who worked six innings for the win, and Jake “Shrimp on the” Barbee, who earned a three-inning save. The Shorebirds actually didn’t have a problem getting hits — collecting eight in all — but couldn’t push a single one of them home. It didn’t help that all eight hits were singles, giving them very few chances with runners in scoring position. They also didn’t have any walks.
But there’s good news: Esteban Mejia had another solid (abbreviated) outing. He delivered 3.1 scoreless innings, struck out five, and — most promisingly — walked only one. The Shorebirds seem to be limiting Mejia to 2-3 inning outings to help him work out his season-long control problems, and it’s worked out well three times in a row. Reliever Brandon Downer gave up three runs, but righty Andrew Herbert tossed three scoreless.
Jordan Walker
Pete Alonso
Alejandro Kirk
COVERS INTEL:
Casey Mize
