Max Muncy walked off the Royals (49-72) in a 5-4 comeback win for the Dodgers (72-49) on Tuesday night. Los Angeles has a chance to sweep the Royals before preparing for a four-game series versus Milwaukee.
The Dodgers have won two-straight and three of the past four following its season-long seven-game losing streak. In August, Los Angeles ranks 26th in ERA (4.95) and the offense has not cooked with 36 runs over 10 games (T-23rd) and a .251 batting average (12th).
Kansas City has now lost three consecutive games and five of the previous six. In August, the Royals own the second-worst ERA (5.67) with 57 runs allowed over 10 games and the second-worst WHIP (1.53), and fourth-worst OBA (.274). The Royals have allowed at least five runs in three-straight games and four of the past five.
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Royals at Dodgers
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Time: 10:10 PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Royals at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-207), Kansas City Royals (+192)
Spread: Royals +1.5 (-117), Dodgers -1.5 (-103)
Total: 9.0
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Dodgers
Wednesday's pitching matchup (August 12): Eric Lauer vs Daniel Lynch IV
Freddie Freeman has recorded a hit in 17 of his last 20 games
Shohei Ohtani is batting .282 to start August (11/39)
Mookie Betts is hitting .257 in August (9/35)
Isaac Collins is hitting .154 in August (4/26)
Jac Caglianone is hitting .425 in August (17/40) with four home runs
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Dodgers
Los Angeles is 49-71 ATS, ranking third-worst
Kansas City is 56-65 ATS, ranking fifth-worst
Los Angeles is 63-56-1 to the Under
Kansas City is 62-56-3 to the Under
Los Angeles is 20-38 ATS at home, ranking second-worst
Kansas City is 28-34 ATS on the road, ranking fifth-worst
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Royals
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Dodgers and the Royals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.0
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It feels cliche to ponder the possibility of the Pittsburgh Pirates shutting Paul Skenes down, even in what increasingly looks like another lost season for him and his team.
His overall numbers are far from bad relative to the rest of baseball. His 3.88 ERA is fine. His 2.99 FIP, which measures a pitcher’s effectiveness independent of the defense behind him, is very good. So is his 1.12 WHIP, which measures walks and hits per innings pitched.
Yes, his velocity is down, noticeably. Skenes topped out at 96.5 mph on Aug. 11, and his season average is at 96.8 mph on his four-seam vs a 98.2 mph average in 2025. No, he doesn’t look like the dominant Cy Young-caliber ace he was his first two seasons. And yes, that reality raises existential questions about the club’s future, specifically his future with it. He also hasn’t fully turned into a proverbial pumpkin the way the narrative around this team would sometimes have one think.
It nevertheless became a lot harder to ignore the signs that Skenes may not complete the season Aug. 11 in Miami. Manager Don Kelly pulled Skenes after just five innings and 65 pitches against the Marlins, though he said after the game that the decision wasn’t injury related.
The underlying stat line was deceptive. He allowed just one earned run while scattering five hits and a walk, but he needed Bryan Reynolds to rob Griffin Conine on his final pitch of the evening to avoid a two-run homer that would have given the night a very different feel.
Before the game, Kelly made one of his frankest acknowledgements yet that something is wrong without pointing specifically to the physical element.
“The league is adjusting back,” he told reporters. “Paul’s gonna have to fight to make the adjustment back to the league and find a way to adjust himself. Yes, the [velocity]’s down. I think command has been a bigger thing, at least for me. That could come from multiple things. From trying too hard to trying to be too perfect. Maybe trying to get that [velocity] back. You can’t just go get it. How does Paul make the adjustment back?”
Much has been made locally about Skenes’ workload, which this year included the early ramp up to the World Baseball Classic coming off a career-high at all levels of 187 innings during his Cy Young campaign in 2025.
He’d have to average more than seven innings per start the rest of the way to hit that number again, assuming he finishes at or near his total of 32 games started last year.
Through that lens, Kelly’s decision could be seen as a further attempt to manage the number downward. Continuing to allow Skenes the space to work through the necessary adjustments without overexposing him in increasingly meaningless games.
The Pirates didn’t score a single run of support Tuesday night, after all. The bullpen pitched four scoreless innings the rest of the way, so Skenes’ early departure made no practical impact on the outcome.
Perhaps we should expect more of that the rest of the way, as opposed to an outright shut down. Especially as the race for the final wild-card spot in the National League becomes increasingly bleak.
The Pirates are now six games back of the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies, who are tied for wild card spots. The Marlins, Cardinals, Nationals and Reds all remain in front of them. And playoff odds via Fangraphs have almost halved again since Aug. 10. They now sit at 4.4%.
For his part, Skenes seemed to feel afterward that he’d made progress while demurring on the question of being pulled early.
POSTGAME: Paul Skenes on tonight's 2-0 shutout loss to the Marlins.
“I thought it was better in terms of attacking guys,” he told reporters. “Kind of making pitches earlier in the count.
“If I were the manager, I’d probably do it, too. [Kelly] walked me through everything and it all made sense. Yeah, wish I could have gone more, but it kind of is what it is.”
We also have the schedule for the four games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January and four more on Presidents Day in February — which will include one of the most anticipated games of the year: LaMelo Ball's return to Charlotte. All of these games will be available on NBC and/or Peacock.
Here is the full broadcast schedule for those days.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
It's one of the most meaningful days on the NBA calendar, one where players are quick to talk about how proud they are to be taking the court — and there are some must-watch matchups that day.
The four games on Jan. 18, 2027 are:
• Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers (12 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock). Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren lifted the Pistons to the No. 1 seed last season, but they were bounced in the second round of the playoffs by Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and the Cavaliers. Detroit wants to take the next step forward this season, and this is a good measuring stick.
• Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock). Atlanta traditionally hosts a game on Martin Luther King Jr. Day — it is the city where the civil rights leader was born, raised and started his ministry. To celebrate him, what should be an improved Hawks team this season will be put to the test as they host LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers.
• Minnesota Timberwolves at New York Knicks (5 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock). The athletic, high-flying backcourt of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball travels to Madison Square Garden to take on Jalen Brunson and the defending champion New York Knicks in what should be a highly entertaining showdown.
• Houston Rockets at Memphis Grizzlies (7:30 p.m. ET, Peacock). Memphis also traditionally hosts a game on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it is the city where he supported striking Black sanitation workers in 1968, and also where he was assassinated. The Grizzlies feature potential Rookie of the Year Carlos Boozer and company hosting Kevin Durant and the Rockets.=
President’s Day
There is a much anticipated slate of games on Presidents' Day, Feb. 15, 2027, including one everyone will have circled on the calendar. The games are:
• Minnesota Timberwolves at Charlotte Hornets (12 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock). LaMelo Ball returns to Charlotte, the only team he had known in the NBA until this summer, and a place where he was a fan favorite. Ball will feel the love from the Hornets fans (he did not ask out), but will that propel him to a win? Ball returns with Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and a Timberwolves team looking to get back to the top of the Western Conference. Charlotte flipped this offseason to a team based around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
• Philadelphia 76ers at Dallas Mavericks (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock). LeBron James faces his former teammate Kyrie Irving as the new-look 76ers head to Dallas to take on Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks. While LeBron vs. Irving grabs the headlines, on the court, Tyrese Maxey vs. Irving will be the matchup to watch.
• San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat (5 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock). Victor Wembanyama vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo. A showdown of two of the best players in the league, although how Bam Adebayo and the rest of the Heat front line deal with Wemby may determine the game.
• Indiana Pacers vs. Golden State Warriors (7:30 p.m. ET, Peacock). Fans entering the season may be sleeping on a Pacers team that, with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton back at the point, could be better than the team that reached the NBA Finals two years ago. This is Haliburton's one trip to the Bay Area this season to face Stephen Curry and company.
It's a getaway day for some, and that's a perfect day to find some MLB player props and dig into what's not priced into the pitcher prop markets.
Drew Rasmussen and Eric Lauer will face offenses looking forward to a day off tomorrow, and their Overs are projecting well, while Zack Wheeler was pushed heavily in his last start and should lose some efficiency and leash today.
These are my favorite pitcher strikeout, pitcher props & MLB picks for Wednesday, August 12.
Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today
Player
Pick
Odds
Drew Rasmussen
Over 5.5 strikeouts
+120
Eric Lauer
Over 4.5 strikeouts
+130
Zack Wheeler
Under 17.5 outs
+140
Strikeout prop: Drew Rasmussen Over 5.5 strikeouts (+120)
Drew Rasmussen might not go 100 pitches every start, but even with that 90-95-pitch leash, he can rack em up, and he's done so of late. Over his last three starts vs. teams with a big array of K%, the Tampa Bay Rays starter has 27 Ks over his last 20 innings. He has gotten to 5+ Ks in all but two of his last 11 starts since the start of June.
Tampa got a complete game with Nick Martinez last night, as the Athletics lineup has been one of the worst over the last two weeks and a bottom-10 team in K% over that stretch. THE BAT will never like Rasmussen's Overs because of that leash, but his range of outcomes and ability to smash his Overs separates him from other starters.
This price is tough to ignore for a K/inning guy who can get to six frames on a team that hates its bullpen and is looking to win a division.
The All-Star break was perfect for the right-hander as he has allowed just two runs over his last 25 innings and hasn't allowed a run in three straight games. He also gets an Athletics team that might be looking ahead to a day off on Thursday.
Time: 3:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, Rays.TV
Strikeout prop: Eric Lauer Over 4.5 strikeouts (+130)
Let's take a swing at another heavy plus-money Over K prop against a Kansas City Royals lineup that got carved up by another lefty last night in Blake Snell, who easily topped his 7.5 K prop with a 10-strikeout outing.
Eric Lauer is not Snell, but the Royals are a light-hitting lineup, and they're looking ahead to a day off tomorrow in California before heading to Anaheim.
THE BAT is projecting Lauer to go Over this number on 87 pitches with a fair price of +125, but the Dodgers should give him a six-inning leash with a pitch count that can reach the upper 90s. There’s a good chance he tops that projected pitch count today.
Lauer is also coming off a bad start at Wrigley, his worst as a Dodger, giving him some motivation on his side. The Los Angeles Dodgers could also be without three relievers today, including two lefties, which makes getting length from Lauer even more important.
I'm taking the Over and looking for Lauer to get through six innings with enough volume to cash this plus-money prop.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNetLA, Royals.TV
Pitcher outs prop: Zack Wheeler Under 17.5 outs (+141)
Sticking with the plus-money on these, this is my favorite fade of the day. Zack Wheeler is coming off an 116-pitch outing against the Blue Jays, which was the most he has thrown in over five seasons. Making that even heavier is that he threw just 110 combined pitches in his two previous outings.
His form has also fallen off that Cy Young pace, as he owns a 5.71 ERA since the break and has gone Over this number just once.
Looking at the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen, there could be a quicker hook than usual, as all but one arm is available and the high-leverage guys need some work.
There are also some lefties in that St. Louis Cardinals lineup who could end Wheeler's day, with JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson in the mix. There should be five lefties in the Cardinals' lineup today.
I love fading pitchers coming off massive workloads, and the distraction about Wheeler not touching the rubber is just another thing that works in this Under's favor. This isn't a coin flip, but 45%-47% looks like the outcome.
Time: 2:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Cardinals.TV, NBCSP
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 10-13, -2.8 units
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.
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz may be in danger of missing the rest of the season because of his injured right thumb.
Manager Mark Kotsay told reporters before his team’s game against Tampa Bay that Kurtz needs to be in a brace for four weeks following a platelet-rich plasma injection on Aug. 4. Kotsay alluded to the fact that four weeks without mobility for Kurtz could make a return before the end of September difficult to envision.
Kurtz, 23, went on the injured list with a sprained right thumb on July 11 and returned two weeks later. He struggled at the plate following his return, going 1 for 18 in seven games. Kurtz was expected to see a hand specialist in Los Angeles.
The reigning AL rookie of the year is batting .256 with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs in his second season in the majors. Kurtz, a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was selected as an All-Star but unable to participate in Philadelphia because of the injury.
Ben Simmons is trying to make an NBA comeback at 30 years old after injuries kept him out of the league last season. The forward is training with the Australian national men’s basketball team in private runs this week with the hope of making the 2028 Olympic roster, and as videos from those sessions start to circulate, it’s time for one of modern basketball’s greatest late offseason traditions.
It feels like every offseason features videos of Simmons showing off an improved outside shooting stroke. This of course never actually holds when the games matter, as Simmons has made just five three-pointers in 383 career NBA games. I was worried that we’d never get another mid-August video of Simmons stroking jumpers in a pickup run again after his career stalled out last year, but I was wrong! Watch a shirtless Simmons connect from deep in the video below:
Simmons has legitimately never recovered from refusing to take an open dunk during Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. Simmons was named an All-Star for the third consecutive season that year, but his body started to break down after repeated back and nerve injuries, and he’s never been able to rediscover his best level.
Videos of Simmons ripping jumpers in pickup runs have been circulating for a decade. Here’s a video from July 2019:
Fans clown Simmons for his broken jumper, but he was still a special talent at his peak. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons was 2018 Rookie of the Year, earned two First-Team All-Defense nods, one All-NBA team, and three All-Star bids during his short prime. He was an elite defensive forward with incredible passing ability who could score in the open floor as well as any player in the league. His athleticism waned as the injuries piled up, and eventually he started to play scared offensively because he didn’t want to go to the free throw line. Still, Simmons ranks No. 2 in BPM and No. 4 in win shares per 48 minutes from the 2016 draft class to this day.
I wouldn’t count out a Simmons comeback. He could make sense on a team like the Boston Celtics that can surround him with shooters, using him as a passing hub, and unleash him on defense. While videos of made jumpers in an empty gym will always go viral for Simmons, the big question for his potential comeback is if he can get healthy enough to defend at a high level again.
Lots has changed in the NBA over the last decade, but Ben Simmons is still going viral for making threes in pickup runs. It’s kind of beautiful if you think about it.
As leagues have become more welcoming to large ownership groups and venture capital firms joining their ranks, the dollar figures have skyrocketed.
In Forbes' latest ranking of the 50 most valuable sports franchises, the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL topped the list − worth an astounding $13 billion. The Lakers, second among NBA teams to the Golden State Warriors, ranked fifth at $10 billion.
Most expensive sports teams
In terms of their most recent sale prices, here are the most expensive professional teams among the four major North American pro sports. The Lakers, at their proposed sale price of more than $12 billion, would go to the top of this list:
The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold for a record $12.5 billion less than two years after Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner and TWG Global CEO Mark Walter bought the team from the Buss Family. The deal was first reported by ESPN.
The sale to businessman Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Robert Iger would mark the highest amount ever paid for a North American sports franchise, surpassing the $10 billion that Walter paid for the Lakers. — Scooby Axson
"As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world. We have immense respect for the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss," Kushner and Iger told ESPN in a statement Wednesday. "Our long-term commitment is to build on that foundation, compete at the highest level, and serve this extraordinary team, its fans, and the city of Los Angeles."
The pair had been involved in the NBA’s expansion process in Las Vegas before unexpectedly shifting their focus to the Lakers and making an aggressive offer to buy the team, sources told ESPN.
The shocking sale comes just one year after Walter, the CEO and chairman of diversified holding company TWG Global, acquired a controlling stake in the Lakers from the Buss family for an estimated $10 billion valuation, setting a record at the time.
“Owning the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the great honors of my life – an extraordinary investment, but what I will carry with me is the community, the fans, and a city that treats this team as family,” Walter, who purchased the franchise just last year, said in a statement to ESPN. “I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead.”
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger (pictured) and venture capitalist Josh Kushner are reportedly buying the Los Angeles Lakers for a record-breaking $12.5 billion (Getty Images for Vanity Fair)Kushner, 41, is the founder and CEO of venture capital firm Thrive Capital and the co-founder and vice chairman of Oscar Health. His brother is Jared Kushner (Getty Images)
Walter, 66, has investments across several professional sports teams. Through TWG Global, he has ownership in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Sparks, Premier League soccer club Chelsea and the Professional Women’s Hockey League. He also owns several auto racing teams through TWG Motorsports, including Cadillac’s Formula 1 team.
The reported deal involves only Walter’s ownership of the Lakers, according to ESPN.
Walter built his fortune in the insurance industry and is also facing federal investigations into alleged tax fraud at other companies he runs.
Kushner, 41, is the founder and CEO of venture capital firm Thrive Capital and the co-founder and vice chairman of Oscar Health. In April, Thrive Eternal, a permanent investment vehicle from Thrive Capital, acquired a minority, non-controlling stake in the San Francisco Giants.
The deal would be the highest paid for an American sports franchise (Getty Images)
Iger, 75, meanwhile, recently ended his second stint as Disney CEO, handing the role to Josh D’Amaro in March. Iger also has experience in professional sports ownership, as he and his wife, Willow Bay, became controlling owners of the National Women's Soccer League club Angel City FC in July 2024.
Iger and Kushner would take over the Lakers as the franchise enters the post-LeBron James era.
James left in July for the Philadelphia 76ers after eight seasons in LA and one NBA title, leaving Luka Doncic as the team’s new centerpiece. The Lakers have also added big man Walker Kessler and re-signed guard Austin Reaves.
TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 10: Charles McAdoo #26 of the Toronto Blue Jays gets doused with a sports drink during their post-game interview after their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre on August 10, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I got a few things going on today, and I’m kind wanting a day off, so lets do an open thread.
I saw a tweet for a post saying “How could the Jays pull it off?“ and I was thinking win a lot of games? That’s it right? Cause blowing up the other teams’ ballparks, with the teams in them, seems a bit over the top.
Of course, having two starting pitchers go on the IL in the past couple of weeks makes it all that much harder.
2.5 games back now but they have to leap over five teams to get there, which is the tough part. If one of those teams goes on a run, it becomes that much harder.
Anyway, use the thread to talk about anything you’d like. If nothing else give me something I can watch on streaming, because I’m watching ‘Heros’ and, as I remembered it, the first season was fairly compelling, but the second season is just a mess.
Mark Walter, chairman and controlling owner of the Dodgers, acknowledges a fan before a game in Chicago on Aug. 4. (Melissa Tamez / Associated Press)
If Mark Walter is selling one of the crown jewels of Los Angeles sports, is he about to sell the other?
No, according to people familiar with the matter not authorized to discuss it publicly. Walter announced the sale of his controlling interest in the Lakers on Wednesday, but he is not looking to sell the Dodgers.
The decision to sell the Lakers is specific to the Lakers and is not a sign Walter is interested in dismantling a sports empire that includes the Dodgers, the Sparks, Chelsea of the English Premier League, the Professional Women’s Hockey League and various tennis and motor sports entities.
In 2012, Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers for $2.15 billion, then a record for a Major League Baseball team.
Under his ownership, the Dodgers have won three of the last six World Series championships and invested record revenues in player contracts so generous that league owners are now pursuing a salary cap, in part to help teams other than the Dodgers win the Wold Series and in part to lift the value of all of its franchises.
Sportico now values the Dodgers at $9 billion.
Walter last year closed his purchase of the Lakers at a valuation of $10 billion and agreed to sell Tuesday at a valuation of $12.5 billion. The buyers: former Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner, whose Thrive Eternal venture capital firm invests in sports and owns a share of the San Francisco Giants.
Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law.
That Walter never put the Lakers up for bid echoes how he bought the Dodgers: An auction had been scheduled among three finalists for the Dodgers, including Walter and his partners. Walter put a take-it-or-leave-it bid on the table so high — hundreds of millions above where the other bidders had been in the process — that former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt called off the auction and congratulated Walter.
NEW YORK — Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón is scheduled to make his second minor league rehabilitation start for Double-A Somerset.
Rodón has been on the 15-day injured list since July 3 because of left elbow inflammation. He received multiple shots, including platelet-rich plasma injections, and threw 29 of 48 pitches for strikes in his first rehab outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The left-hander allowed three runs and three hits over 2 2/3 innings against Rochester, with four strikeouts and two walks.
New York manager Aaron Boone has said Rodón could return to the team in a piggyback situation with another starter at first, similar to Max Fried’s return from a bruised left elbow on July 22.
When he gets back, Rodón will rejoin a strong Yankees rotation that also includes Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers.
As for the injury-depleted lineup, Boone said All-Star left fielder Cody Bellinger is “getting close” to returning from a left hamstring strain that has sidelined him since July 26. Bellinger, who has been hitting and working in the outfield, was expected to miss four to six weeks.
“He’s running really well. He’s probably at I think over 90% of his normal top speed and feeling good doing that,” Boone said before the opener of a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners.
“I know he still feels a little bit of tightness getting into certain positions. So it’s just getting though that last wave, which hopefully he works through this week as that intensity ramps up of doing these things every day. But I don’t think he’s too far off.”
New York designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, out since April 25 with a right calf strain, ran the bases at Yankee Stadium.
“It does feel like he’s getting closer. He has stacked a lot of good days here. So, when that time comes, obviously it will be very good to get him back,” Boone said.
Aaron Judge was cleared to begin light workout activity. The three-time AL MVP hasn’t played since May 31 because of a broken right rib but said he will return this season.
Boone said Bellinger probably will come off the injured list first, followed by Stanton and then Judge.
New York began the day leading the American League wild-card standings and six games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.
“I think we still have a chance to be at our very best hopefully when it matters the most,” Boone said.
In other news, the Yankees placed reliever Kervin Castro on the 15-day injured list with right elbow neuritis and called up fellow right-hander Bradley Hanner from Triple-A.
Castro has a 1.42 ERA in five outings for New York this season, with eight strikeouts and two walks in 6 1/3 innings.
The 27-year-old Hanner was 6-2 with a 2.10 ERA and four saves in 40 relief appearances at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, compiling 61 strikeouts over 51 1/3 innings with only two home runs allowed. He was looking to make his major league debut.
In the fourth season of a six-year, $162 million, contract, Rodón is 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA in nine starts after missing the first month recovering from offseason elbow surgery. He returned in early May and struggled with command in his first three starts. He was 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA in his last six outings before going on the IL.
Rodón had surgery Oct. 15 to remove loose bodies in his left elbow and shave a bone spur. Then he had a setback in late March when he felt tightness in his right hamstring while throwing at the Yankees’ complex in Florida.
Rodón was 18-9 with a 3.09 ERA last season and is 41-28 with a 3.93 ERA in 88 starts since joining the Yankees.
The Golden State Warriors still believe they can compete with any team the league, but one thing stands in their way: their health.
Injuries have been a frequent opponent in recent years, and last season was no exception: Season-ending injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. Stephen Curry missed a chunk of time just before and after the All-Star break.
Health is everything for the Warriors, who are running it back – along with the addition of 2026 draft picks Yaxel Lendeborg and LaJae Jones.
General manager Mike Dunleavy said in an Aug. 11 virtual call with media members there were "a myriad of reasons" why the roster returns familiar faces and expressed confidence for next season.
"I think in terms of coming back this year with a similar group, I think the two areas I discussed were obviously the injuries, which you can control some, (some) you can't," Dunleavy said. "Then some internal improvement stuff which we we need to be better. We need to be better taking care of the basketball. We need to be better executing. We need some better game plan stuff. So I think we looked at it in terms of how do we put the best, most talented roster out there, and it ended up being bringing back a lot of the guys that that we believe in, (that) we like, and we just need them to be healthy."
For what it's worth, Dunleavy was high on the last year's team, which finished with a 37-45 record before the Warriors' season ended in the play-In tournament.
"We did believe in the roster going to the season," he said. "Then (if) you told me at the beginning of the season we were going to add (Kristaps) Porzingis (in February) to that group, and the year before we went to the, you know, Western Conference semifinals and our best player was hurt for four of the games? We felt really good about the team."
After missing out this offseason on big swings for LeBron James or Jaylen Brown, Dunleavy concluded he didn't want to disrupt the team's continuity.
"I wanted to be careful about just switching things up to switch things up, and then you end up with maybe lesser players, not as good of a team, not as good of potential, and that's, I think, that's where you can go wrong," he said.
Golden State Warriors championship expectations
The Warriors' expectation are to reach the playoffs, and even make a deep run. There's not a team in the league they feel they can't matchup against.
"I think from our standpoint going into the year, I think you go down and ask every coach and player on the team. I mean, we fully expect to be in the playoffs. I mean, that would be an expectation and a goal," Dunleavy said. "I think we feel like if we get in the playoffs, we would be a tough out. We would be a tough out with Steve (Kerr) coaching, Steph, Draymond (Green), Jimmy, or the team we have, and whatever we can do. It's hard for me to say exactly what our team will be come come April, but you know, if we have our cornerstone pieces are healthy, and Steve Kerr is our coach, our goal is to get into the playoffs and see what happens."
Kerr once used the phrase "fading dynasty" to describe the state of the Warriors. Aging, yes. But franchise won four NBA titles in an eight-year span with those "cornerstone pieces" – Curry and Green, coached by Kerr.
Their presence alone gives Dunleavy, the team and their fans hope that they're not done yet. Dunleavy denounces the doubters. He sees a path back to top of the mountain.
"I see a path because you have Steph Curry, Steve Kerr is a proven championship coach. We've got really good players. We need to get healthy. We need to stay healthy, and then we need to evaluate and see where we're at and if we need to get better. I know we can get better. So there's a path. It may not be clear to a lot of people, but there's a path," he said.
Warriors road to getting healthy
The first step on that path is getting everyone back. The Warriors open the season on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 21. They will make their 14th consecutive Christmas Day appearance when they host the Denver Nuggets on Friday, Dec. 25.
Dunleavy expects to open the season without Butler and Moody as they return from season-ending injuries they sustained last campaign.
Dunleavy said there is no timeline for their return but they are doing well in rehabbing from their injuries.
"Yeah, guys are in a good spot with the rehabs. They're doing well," he said. "We haven't even gotten to the point of kind of readiness, availability, when they may be back. We just know, like night one, Oct. 21 against the Lakers, those guys won't be available. And they won't be available in the in the near term after that. So we're prepared for it, and we look forward to getting them back when we can. But we haven't even nailed down a timeline yet."
New Los Angeles Dodgers owners Stan Kasten, Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Mark Walter laugh during a news conference to announce the new ownership of the Major League Baseball team at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. (LUCY NICHOLSON)
However, the billionaire businessman’s ownership of the Dodgers is not expected to change, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed, with Walter planning to retain control of the franchise under his Guggenheim Baseball Management group and continue in his role as chairman of the club.
Unlike the Lakers –– whom Walter acquired through another one of his conglomerates, TWG Global, only a little more than a year ago –– the Dodgers have long been the crown jewel in his sprawling sports portfolio.
He spearheaded Guggenheim’s $2.15 billion purchase of the then-bankrupt franchise from Frank McCourt in 2012.
New Los Angeles Dodgers owners Stan Kasten, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Mark Walter laugh during a news conference to announce the new ownership of the Major League Baseball team at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. (LUCY NICHOLSON) REUTERS
He has also watched the club transform into a revenue-generating machine, becoming the first baseball team to eclipse $1 billion in annual revenue in the wake of Shohei Ohtani’s signing three years ago (on a contract, notably, the two-way star could opt out of if Walter ever reliquinshed ownership of the team).
Even though his day-to-day involvement is almost entirely hands-off –– “They make all the decisions,” Walter quipped after last year’s World Series, when asked how much he trusts his “baseball people” to run the franchise, “[and] I just tell them yes” –– his influence has nonetheless been profound.
In recent weeks, however, newfound speculation surrounding his business empire has started to sprout.
Los Angeles Dodgers chairman Mark Walter attends a press conference announcing a new partnership between the Los Angeles Dodgers and UNIQLO at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. The partnership renames the Dodger Stadium playing field to UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium. (MediaNews Group RM) MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Now, his sale of the Lakers, which was first reported by ESPN, serves as perhaps the biggest shock –– especially considering how recently he had bought the team, and how deep its ties with the Dodgers had already become.
Baseball operations executives Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi were also enlisted to serve in advisory roles for the Lakers’ front office, consulting with Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka in an effort to revamp the organization’s behind-the-scenes infrastructure.
The teams had even started attracting overlapping sponsorships, most notably with Japanese retailer Daiso (a pre-existing Dodgers sponsor that was announced as a Lakers global partner this summer).
Those moves, at least seemingly, portended a lasting era of partnership and collaboration for Los Angeles’ two most premier sports teams, all under the shared ownership of Walter and his vast resources.
Alas, with the Lakers now being sold, the Dodgers are back to being the foremost franchise in his control.
And for now, at least, there is no sign of that changing any time soon.
Luka Doncic is the LA Lakers' star player [Getty Images]
The Los Angeles Lakers are to be sold for a reported record-breaking $12.5bn (£9.3bn) - less than a year after Mark Walter took a majority stake in the NBA franchise.
Josh Kushner, the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared, and former Disney chief executive Bob Iger are buying the controlling interest in one of the world's most iconic sports teams.
Walter bought his share, reportedly worth an estimated $10bn (£7.45bn) - a previous record - from the Buss family in a deal that was unanimously approved by the NBA Board of Governors in October 2025.
Kushner and Iger said in a statement: "As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honoured for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world.
"We have immense respect for the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss.
"Our long-term commitment is to build on that foundation, compete at the highest level, and serve this extraordinary team, its fans, and the city of Los Angeles."
Jerry Buss bought the Lakers in a $67.5m deal (£50m) in 1979 that included the Los Angeles Kings hockey team and a Los Angeles arena, known as the Kia Forum.
After he died in 2013, ownership was passed to his six children in a Trust before a deal was completed with Walter, who also owns a stake in the LA Dodgers with Todd Boehly.
"Owning the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the great honours of my life," said Walter.
"It has been an extraordinary investment, but what I will carry with me is the community, the fans, and a city that treats this team as family.
"I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead."
The LA Lakers have 17 NBA titles - one less than the record of 18 held by the Boston Celtics.
The deal involving Kushner comes after he was part of the recent controversy surrounding Fifa president Gianni Infantino and an aborted plan to sell off stakes in the governing body's competitions to private investors.
The Lakers lost LeBron James, the highest points scorer in the history of the NBA, in the summer as the 41-year-old joined the Philadelphia 76ers.
That left Luka Doncic, who arrived from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025, as the team's main star and he welcomed the takeover.
"Being a Laker means everything to me, and I'm excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA," he said in a message on social media.
"I've gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise.
"I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can get to work building something special in LA together."
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 22: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is caught stealing second base by Joey Ortiz #3 of the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at American Family Field on May 22, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are staying out West through the weekend, as they’ll head to Los Angeles to visit the Dodgers for four games beginning Thursday night. Milwaukee has had a rough go of it out West this year, as they’re now 4-7 in California and Las Vegas entering Wednesday’s series finale against the Padres. Outside of California and Las Vegas? Milwaukee is 70-39, a 104-win pace.
On the other side, the Dodgers had a rough stretch around the trade deadline earlier this month, losing seven straight and eight of nine against the Red Sox, Cubs, and D-backs before winning the first two games of their three-game set with the Royals this week. At 72-48, the Dodgers are two games behind Milwaukee for the best record in baseball and tied with the Braves for the No. 2 seed in the NL, which comes with a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Brewers have dealt with a series of injuries to their infield, as Cooper Pratt is on the IL with a hamstring strain, Joey Ortiz has been considered day-to-day with neck tightness, and prospect Jett Williams was also removed from a game over the weekend with another hand injury in his first at-bat back from the IL. Jackson Chourio (not Brice Turang, as previously reported) is also dealing with a thumb injury, though the severity is unknown. The only other position player on the IL is outfielder Sal Frelick, who is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville. On the pitching side, JoJo Romero is close to a rehab assignment after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in July, Joel Kuhnel is currently on a rehab assignment, and Rob Zastryzny has been listed as TBD after being taken off his rehab assignment in early July. Brandon Woodruff, Brian Fitzpatrick, Quinn Priester, and Angel Zerpa are all out for the season.
The Dodgers are without catchers Will Smith (September return) and Dalton Rushing (out for season), as well as a long list of pitchers. Shohei Ohtani, who has continued to DH, hasn’t pitched since early July as he deals with knee and biceps injuries. Will Klein (out for season), Brock Stewart (close to returning), Blake Treinen (September), Tyler Glasnow (on rehab assignment), Kris Bubic (September), Gavin Stone (September), Bobby Miller (September), Ben Casparius (on rehab assignment), Brusdar Graterol (TBD), and former Brewer Jake Cousins (out for season) are also on the IL.
Jake Bauers continues to set the pace for the Crew with 21 homers, followed by Jackson Chourio at 17 and Turang at 16. William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, Andrew Vaughn, David Hamilton, Ortiz, and Luis Lara are also regulars at this point, with Brandon Lockridge, Jihwan Bae, and Gary Sánchez serving as depth. As a team, Milwaukee is hitting .252/.336/.396 (.732 OPS ranks tied for seventh), with 110 homers (last), 589 runs (fifth), and 118 steals (fifth).
Ohtani leads Los Angeles with 26 homers this season, with Max Muncy (22 homers), and Andy Pages (19 homers) just behind him. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Teoscar Hernández are still regulars for the Dodgers, and the team also added Kyle Tucker in the offseason. Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia are splitting catching duties, and Tommy Edman, Miguel Rojas, Enrique Hernández, and Alex Call round things out. As a team, the Dodgers are hitting .261/.338/.428 (.766 OPS ranks second), with 152 homers (seventh), 602 runs (tied for third), and 46 steals (28th).
Aaron Ashby continues to lead Milwaukee’s bullpen with 55 appearances, pitching to a 3.56 ERA, 94 strikeouts, and team-high 13 wins over 65 2/3 innings. Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill have both been great, and Chad Patrick and DL Hall also sit in high-leverage roles. With a six-man rotation, Milwaukee’s bullpen is rounded out by Antonio Senzatela and on-again, off-again reliever Bryse Wilson, who the team re-signed this week after designating him for assignment just a few days earlier. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.54 team ERA (fourth), including a 3.56 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.51 bullpen ERA (fourth). They’ve struck out 1,169 batters (second) over 1,071 2/3 innings.
The Dodger bullpen is led by Alex Vesia (2.81 ERA over 41 2/3 innings), Tanner Scott (2.27 ERA over 47 2/3 innings), Edgardo Henriquez (3.02 ERA over 47 2/3 innings), and Jack Dreyer (3.14 ERA over 48 2/3 innings). Closer Edwin Díaz has had a rough season, pitching to a 9.82 ERA and three blown saves in just 11 innings, while former Brewer Eric Lauer has made 10 appearances (nine starts) with a 3.72 ERA over 55 2/3 innings, though he may be exiting the rotation and joining the bullpen with the return of Blake Snell. The usually reliable Evan Phillips has also struggled with a 5.73 ERA over 11 innings, and the newest addition is former Rockie Seth Halvorsen, who picked up the win with a scoreless inning in his team debut on Tuesday after returning from the IL. As a staff, the Dodgers have a 3.72 team ERA (seventh), including a 3.54 starter ERA (fourth) and a 4.02 bullpen ERA (16th). They’ve struck out 1,073 batters (tied for seventh) over 1,059 2/3 innings.
Drohan, who has been fairly consistent this season with a respectable 3.87 ERA, 3.34 FIP, and 93 strikeouts over 93 innings, is coming off one of his worst starts, as he allowed six runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out four across five innings in an 8-6 loss to the Twins. Drohan made two relief appearances against the Dodgers back in May, totaling 4 1/3 innings with three runs allowed (two earned) on three hits and two walks, striking out seven.
Sasaki, 24, is in year No. 2 with Los Angeles, and things have still not quite panned out for the right-hander. He’s made 20 starts this year, with a 4.54 ERA, 4.95 FIP, and 106 strikeouts across 105 innings. Despite those disappointing season numbers, he’s been solid in his last five starts, totaling 30 innings with nine runs allowed (eight earned) for a 2.40 ERA, striking out 31. Sasaki, who faced Milwaukee in relief last postseason, made his lone start against the Crew back in May of this year, earning the win as he allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out four over five frames.
Friday, August 14 @ 9:10 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (3-4, 4.57 ERA, 4.51 FIP) vs. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7, 2.65 ERA, 3.43 FIP)
Gasser, in his third season with Milwaukee, just surpassed 100 career innings in his last outing against the Twins. For his career, the left-hander now has a 3.93 ERA, 4.33 FIP, and 82 strikeouts over 100 2/3 innings through 20 starts. He struggled a bit with his command last weekend, but the bullpen and offense picked him up enough to leave him with a no-decision. Across 4 2/3 innings in that one, he allowed three runs on seven hits, two walks, and two hit batters while striking out three. Gasser’s lone appearance against the Dodgers came back in May, when he went 4 1/3 innings with four runs allowed on four hits and four walks, striking out four in a loss.
Yamamoto, 28 next week, is firmly in the NL Cy Young race for the second consecutive season. Across 21 starts this year, he’s 11-7 with a 2.65 ERA, 3.43 FIP, and 127 strikeouts over 139 1/3 innings. He went 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the D-backs in his last outing, allowing three hits, three walks, and a hit batter while striking out six. Yamamoto, who dominated Milwaukee in last year’s NLCS, has made two regular-season starts against the Brewers with very different results. After allowing five runs (three earned) and recording just two outs in a loss last July, he went seven strong against them back in May, allowing one run on seven hits, a walk, and a hit batter, striking out three.
Saturday, August 15 @ 6:15 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (11-5, 1.76 ERA, 2.16 FIP) vs. LHP Justin Wrobleski (11-4, 3.44 ERA, 4.13 FIP)
Misiorowski, who surpassed the 200-strikeout mark on Sunday against the Twins, is set to make his 23rd start of the season as he looks to solidify his Cy Young candidacy. The young right-hander is 11-5 with a 1.76 ERA, 2.16 FIP, and 204 strikeouts over 133 innings this year. He went six innings against Minnesota, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk, striking out nine. Misiorowski faced the Dodgers last July, earning the win as he allowed one run on four hits and a walk, striking out 12 over six innings.
Wrobleski, 26, has made 20 appearances (19 starts) this year, with a 3.44 ERA, 4.13 FIP, and 94 strikeouts across 120 1/3 innings. The left-hander is coming off a stretch of rough starts the last couple of weeks, allowing 16 runs (15 earned) over 13 2/3 innings (9.88 ERA, 11.13 FIP) in losses against the Mariners, Cubs, and D-backs. He’s made two starts against Milwaukee, one in July 2024 and one back in May. He took the loss both times, as he’s allowed nine runs over 10 innings, striking out eight.
Henderson has quickly become one of the best pitchers on Milwaukee’s staff, as he has a 2.88 ERA, 3.35 FIP, and 69 strikeouts across 56 1/3 innings through 11 starts this season. He allowed three runs for just the second time in his career on Monday night in San Diego, though the last two of those runs came in that fateful seventh inning as he went 6 1/3 frames, allowing five hits (two homers) and a walk while striking out seven. Henderson picked up a win against the Dodgers back in May, going five innings with no runs allowed on two hits and three walks, striking out seven.
Skubal, 29, was, as we all know, the prize of this year’s trade deadline. He’ll go head-to-head with Henderson, who was reportedly the main target of the Tigers in initial trade discussions for Skubal (the Brewers reportedly refused to include Henderson in any package). Alas, here he is set to face Milwaukee again. While he has a sub-3.00 ERA and FIP for the season, he hasn’t been great in two starts with the Dodgers, totaling 11 innings with five earned runs (4.09 ERA), striking out 12. The left-hander has made one start against Milwaukee in each of the last three seasons, totaling 19 2/3 innings with a 2.29 ERA and 24 strikeouts.
How to Watch & Listen
Thursday, August 13: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Friday, August 14: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, August 15: Nationally televised on Fox/Fox One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, August 16: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
Milwaukee has really struggled on the West Coast this season, and things won’t get any easier against the Dodgers, who are deploying arguably their four best starters. I still think Milwaukee gets a series split to keep pace with L.A.
Drew Rasmussen
Eric Lauer
Zack Wheeler
